Category: Others

We are deeply saddened to report that Chris Day died peacefully on 19 April after battling  heart failure for some months. It was Chris who instigated the veterinary involvement with the Faculty of Homeopathy, creating the veterinary course and being one of the first recipients of the VetMFHom qualification. He was Veterinary Dean for over thirty years. The Veterinary homeopathic profession owes its existence to Chris’s work. He was also a founding member of the BAHVS and the IAVH and we will miss him deeply.

Only 10 days before his passing he called me, worrying about a patient he had been following up.  At the same time, he disclosed that he had been discharged from hospital to die at home. His clients came to see me after he was taken into hospital. That was Chris – always working, always generous, always trying to do the best for his patients.

The announcement of his death has been followed by a flurry of testimonials from veterinary homeopaths from all over the world. What better tribute than to let them speak in memory of Chris?

Thank you, Chris, for all you did for homeopathy.

Edward de Beukelaer

We all know the contribution he made to BAHVS and Veterinary homeopathy over his lifetime. He was one of a small group of homeopathic vets along with John Saxton, George McLeod and Frances Hunter in the 60’s and 70’s that kept the flame alight and made veterinary homeopathy what it is today. There can’t be any of us who haven’t benefited from his teaching and experience during our own homeopathic journeys and it seems almost inconceivable that he is no longer with us.

I know I have greatly benefitted from his teaching and books – this is a huge loss to the homeopathic community.

A sad day for the veterinary homeopathic community. A much-loved and revered man as well as an outstanding teacher of homeopathy. He will be greatly missed.

Back around 1992, he spoke at the AHVMA conference, and I took a post-conference class with him.  He is the reason I started down the homeopathic path. What a kind person!

I met Chris in many IAVH congresses, and it was a pleasure when he came to my town at the invitation of a small group of Italian colleagues. He was a kind and wise man, and a great homeopathy vet. May the earth be light to him.

When I started my carrier in Homeopathic Vet Medicine in the early 80’s; he was one of our favourite teachers. His book “The Homeopathic Treatment of Small Animals” helped a lot of colleagues to start Veterinary Homeopathy. I will always remember him as a kind, devoted and honourable man.

He was a pioneer and a man of convictions. May his work live on in all of us who felt his influence.

Meeting Chris at conferences over 3 decades was always a highlight. His humour, kindness and positivity matched his dedication to high-quality classical veterinary homeopathy and makes him unique as a person and teacher. There is no sadness but much joy to have known Chris as a friend and dear colleague.

Like many others, my journey into homeopathy started with Chris and his book, which motivated my move to the UK from NZ to study homeopathy with a fellow veterinarian.  Thank you, Chris, for being strong and standing up for what you believed in, for making the world a better place and inspiring many others to follow a similar path. You will be missed, and I have no doubt that your good work continues in your next journey. Love and light to Chris’s family.

ECH Autumn Weekend and General Assembly – (12)13-15 October 2023

The ECH Autumn meeting will take place in the Hotel Arcotel Wimberger, Neubaugürtel 34-36, Vienna: https://wimberger.arcotel.com/en/

We can now share the provisional programme for the weekend (please note, the social aspects of the programme are entirely optional):

Thursday 12

• Provings workshop, for those interested in attending this

Friday 13

• Guided tour of Vienna, organised by ÖGHM
• Subcommittee meetings
• Dinner to celebrate ÖGHM’s 70th anniversary

Saturday 14

• Address by Prof Dr Christian Schubert, Univ of Medical Psychology, Innsbruck
• Agrohomeopathy presentation
• Strategy presentations
• Working Group meetings
• Wine-tasting (at organic winery)

Sunday 15

• General Assembly – strictly members only
• Council meeting

+ visit to opera on Thurs or Sat evening

Registration is now open, for ECH members only. If you are a member and have not yet received this information, please contact the secretariat – info@homeopathyeurope.org

ECH is sad to learn of the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. We honour her service and dedication to her country and celebrate her rich and long life. As a lifelong user and supporter of homeopathy, she will be greatly missed in our sector.

We pay tribute to Luc Montagnier, who has passed away at his home in Neuilly, at the age of 89. He is fondly remembered by his many friends and admirers from all around the world.  We salute his memory and send our sincere condolences to his family.

Luc Montagnier (1932-2022)

Over the years it has sometimes happened that a top researcher, who has no previous track record in the field of homeopathy, accidentally makes an observation or has an idea that leads to a scientific result in support of this treatment.  This seredipitous observation of an idea is an important moment, but to follow it through and open a new line of investigation in a publication is what makes it useful and demonstrates that the scientist is curious and open-minded.

Luc Montagnier investigated how to detect specific infections at an early stage via very small amounts of immunologic indicators (2009). As part of this work, he passed colonies of a micro-organism (Mycoplasma piri) through a filter that allowed only chemical compounds of around the size of amino acids to pass through. There is therefore no conceivable way for any complex information such as is carried by DNA or RNA to get through. And yet, when Montagnier inoculated a fresh Petri dish with this filtrate, a few weeks later full-blown colonies of Mycoplasma piri grew! This phenomenon could not be explained in material, local terms, and thus it supports the notion that homeopathic dilutions beyond Avogadro’s number can have biological and therefore also medically-beneficial effects. This experiment further supports what was formerly called the memory of water theory, originally postulated by Jacques Benveniste (1988).  Currently, there is no generally-accepted explanation for these phenomena, but some have proposed that a transfer of biological information is taking place. Even more importantly, it is one of a series of experiments that mean it is no longer possible to state that homeopathy cannot work because there is nothing in it but water.

At that time, Montagnier was still active as a researcher and was dependent on financial support. Nevertheless, he had the courage to speak up about homeopathy (High dilutions of something are not nothing. They are water structures which mimic the original molecules.), risking support for his scientific work.

In 1988, Benveniste lost financial support for his pioneering work.  Consequently, Montagnier regarded Benveniste as a modern-day Galileo. The publication of Montagnier’s results was met with utter disbelief and was attacked because of a lack of precision regarding the testing methods used, and because the peer review process of the journal, of which he was editor, was too short to be credible. It was curious to see how the scientific community was ready to support the attacks on Benveniste, accepting his defamation by a juggler, a fraud expert and a journalist – three non-scientific experts who would not normally be allowed anywhere near a laboratory containing the extremely sensitive instruments with which Benveniste measured his work. Montagnier was, of course, aware of the risk he was taking.

It is noteworthy that there is a complete absence of publications trying to replicate Montagnier’s experiments. This is strange, considering that conventional medicine clearly cannot claim to be able to cure all patients. It is not a fault that biomedicine does not have all the necessary tools to help in all cases, but a little more modesty would be appropriate, honourable and also scientific.  We also know that homeopathic research proposals are acknowledged as sound but are nevertheless refused because researchers are afraid to lose their reputation by being associated with homeopathy. Maybe that other great French scientist was right to take Pasteur’s secret to his grave (Coulter, 1994).

We are grateful for Montagnier’s courage, because science, all too humanly, tends to become defensive when it is challenged out of its comfort zone.

Jean Pierre Jansen

President, European Committee for Homeopathy

References

• Coulter HL. The divided legacy. A history of the schism in medical thought, volume I-IV. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books; 1994
• Davenas E, Beauvais F, Amara J et al. Human basophil degranulation triggered by very dilute antiserum against IgE. Nature. 1988;333:816-818.
• Enserink M. French Nobelist Escapes ‘Intellectual Terror’ to Pursue Radical Ideas in China. Science. 2010
• Montagnier L, Aissa J, Ferris S, Montagnier JL, Lavallée C. Electromagnetic Signals Are Produced by Aqueous Nanostructures Derived from Bacterial DNA Sequences. Interdiscip Sci Comput Life Sci. 2009; 81-90.
• Montagnier L, Aissa J, del Giudice E, Lavallee C, Tedeschi A, Vitiello G. DNA waves and water. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2011;306:012007.
• Montagnier L, Del Giudice E, Aïssa J et al. Transduction of DNA information through water and electromagnetic waves. Electromagn Biol Med. 2015;34:106-112.

It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of Dr Jacques Imberechts on 2 November 2020, at the age of 83.

Jacques was the founder of ECH and was for many years its President and also President of Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis.

He was an inspiring and tireless promoter and advocate of homeopathy worldwide, with an inimitable combination of humour and modesty, barely hiding his great vision for the future of medicine and homeopathy.

We will all remember his smile and his jokes, but above all we will remember his wise lessons that guide us to an understanding of what is important and meaningful for us to do.

 

Rest in peace, Jacques,

with the respect and affection of all of the homeopathic community.

Half a century of homeopathy in Europe

Jacques Imberechts passed away the 2 November 2020, at the age of 83, after a life fully  committed to medicine and homeopathy.

His exemplary career is for us  the opportunity to analyze the past half-century, and to considere the challenges homeopathy faced within the medical world. Because Jacques’ path, in addition to being a personal adventure, embodies the major developments which led to a future-oriented homeopathic thinking.

Outstanding clinician, trained by Pierre Schimdt in Geneva, his practice very popular for his many patients welcomed students who wanted to benefit his profound knowledge of semeiology and homeopathic materia medica. Jacques was one of the first teachers at the  « Ecole belge d’Homéopathie » and member of the « Société Royale Belge d’Homéopathie ».

Polyglot globe-trotter, he extended his scope to the entire world, teaching in Spain, for example, for free, has long as he was hosted, to share his knowledge and experience the widest possible way.

He used to say “you must feed the cow”, meaning homeopathy has given you so much you must give it back your work and spread it. That is what he did, creating the working group  “Homeopathia Europea” which originated the cases collection programme Clificol (Clinical Files Collection) associated with Radar software, which still works and is currently actively involved in collecting data on Covid 19 patients being treated by homeopaths in the world.

Founding father of the  European Committee for Homeopathy  he chaired for long, and then supported and followed closely all over the years, he was also the president of the  Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis which he always supported as well. Jacques strongly believed solidarity and exchanges between homeopathic physicians were key factors.

Just recently he called for even closer cooperation with veterinarian homeopathic colleagues, and moreover for the inclusion of working groups involving agronomists, exploring the newly developed concept of agrohomeopathy, in our midst.

Passionate advocate of freedom to prescribe, freedom to think and independency towards financial powers, he expressed his positions with his cheeky humour, his strenght and his provocative intelligence, closed to his truth, ignoring the convoluted decorum.

All those who knew him keep the strong memory of a man of conviction and commitment, a joyful bon-vivant, a humanist and a visionary, endearing even if sometimes untenable character .

He was a great sir of homeopathy and his impulse will support us in the coming times of sanitary and human challenges.

Dr Hélène Renoux, ECH President

Tributes to Jacques Imberechts from all over Europe

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Jacques, who was fluent in Spanish, had a very important role in the development of homeopathy in Spain in the last century. He helped to set up the

Homeopatia Europea groups, which trained many Spanish medical homeopaths in the 1970s and 80s. Jacques also supported the Spanish homeopaths in the treatment of the victims of the Toxic Oil Syndrome, a 1981 outbreak caused by contaminated colza oil which killed over 600 people in Spain. Jacques was always a source of inspiration, strength and wisdom.

Jaume

Dr Jaume Costa MD, MFHom (Med) (Ireland)

 

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I really loved him! I have very good “souvenirs” of him – he was a very very good Human being!

My dear Jacques, I miss you!

Love

Francisco Patrício (Portugal)

 

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Dear all,

I remember him singing during our dinner.

He was full of imagination and totally involved in his ECH BABY.

I will miss him.

Florence Paturel (France)

 

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Jacques was wonderful. And I can´t imagine any ECH meeting without him.

My biggest memory for him is, when he told me about thoughts of Jan Hus, Czech medieval theologist and philosopher…

Deep condolence for his family and whole homeopathic family!

Also by name of board of Homeopathic Medical Association

Jaroslav Cupera (Czech Republic)

 

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Jacques has played a big role in the development of homeopathy in Europe.

In a small book by Jean Lansmanne about dilutions (in French, a must read) he wrote in the preface:

“In the last 45 years I have been around in the world of homeopathy, there has been one of my phrases that makes me unpopular with my colleagues: it is when I say they have to be diligent farmers. A good farmer feeds his cows properly before taking its milk. Sadly, there are too many homeopaths who milk homeopathy without feeding it.”

Edward de Beukelaert (Belgium)

 

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It is very sad to have lost Jaques both for the homeopathic world and for ECH. His figure made tenderness and respect. His great love for the profession prompted him to attend ECH meetings until he made it.

We’ll miss him

Tiziana Di Giampietro (Italy)

 

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Peace and Light to the soul of Jacques Imberechts

Besides everything he did for ECH and LMHI he has helped many  homeopaths to understand what it means to feed the cow:) and to work for the community.

We  are very thankful for the help our Association  got from him before we became ECH members and after that!

Dora Pachova (Bulgaria)

 

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The ECH Subcommittee Documentation goes back to Jacques Imberechts. He initiated the very first meeting in Brussels. In the beginning he attended the working meetings of the Subcommittee and gave his professional input as a homeopathic physician in the creation of the ECH Homeopathic Thesaurus.

Margaret Wyllie (UK)

 

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I first met Jacques Imberechts when he was Chair of the  ECH Pharmacology and Pharmacopoeia sub-Committee  in the 1990s.  Initially, our relationship was very formal but as the years rolled by, we became very comfortable in each other’s presence and indeed developed a warm and jovial friendship.  When I became Chair of  ‘his’ subcommittee  and a member of Council, we changed the name  to  the much simpler ‘Pharmacy’.  I think  Jacques did not really approve, but nevertheless joined us on many occasions, wandering into the meeting, contributing a few comments, often about the inconsistency of Pharmacopoeial standards, and then wandering out again, to the amusement (and in some cases, confusion) of members. Nobody minded (much)!   I can recall having many interesting discussions during General Assembly weekends in Brussels and beyond. I  found him to have an engaging presence –  and a fine selection of bow ties.  We last met   at the 70th LMHI Conference in Rio, and enjoyed  a short chat about old times.    Such characters are few and far between in homeopathy these days! Adieu Jacques.  Repose en paix

Kind regards

Steven

Dr Steven Kayne (UK)

 

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Dear Marie Laurence,

on behalf of ECH SC pharmacy, we would like to send our sincere condolences!

Jacques often attended our SC meetings, he initially complained about the renaming from Subcommittee pharmacology to Subcommittee pharmacy, but in the end he seemed happy with our work. Satisfied, he bobbed his stick and we also enjoyed having a drink with him …

We commemorated him this weekend at the ECH meeting pharmacy and General Assembly.

Rest in peace, dear Jacques

Ilse

Ilse Muchitsch Mag. pharm. (Austria)

It is with deep sadness that we learn that Enid Segall, President of the European Federation of Homeopathic Patients Associations, passed away on Friday June 21st.

Enid Segall has worked tirelessly for homeopathy for many decades, and has been a positive force as a patients’ advocate alongside ECH since the early 2000’s. She fought constantly in her own unique and determined way for the patients’ right to choose their treatment of choice.

At the first ECH congress in Vienna she was a constant presence in the front row, to represent patients and stress the importance of the patient voice to the whole community.

The patients’ movement has gone from strength to strength, so her work will continue to be built on, and her constant advocacy for homeopathy has inspired many.

All our gratitude for this, dear Enid.

The ECH Council