The significance of this course, from Dr. Jurj:
“The skin is much more than the mere covering that many conventional doctors perceive. It hides, while at the same time it reveals. The whole organism speaks through the skin in its own, unique language. The aim of this course is to decipher this ‘secret code’ of the skin, and incorporate its message into our homeopathic analysis.
I’m now practicing homeopathic dermatology with great pleasure, but this was not always so.”
A Rocky Start
During my medical training, especially while studying dermatology, all skin conditions and lesions seemed indistinguishable: a complex, confusing puzzle. I often thought to myself, 'I will never master this.' Later, during my residency, I was assigned to a remote location to work alone. This worried me for two reasons: my first fear was having to perform a tracheostomy (a particular fear of mine, which fortunately, I’ve never had to confront!); my second big fear was differentiating basic skin conditions!
I asked my dermatologist friend to teach me in the simplest way — like ‘for dummies’ — by focusing only on five main skin diagnoses and their treatments. Why just five? Simply because, in that moment, five skin conditions was the most I thought I could remember, and even that was a stretch!
I never expected to manage dermatological issues, and even less that dermatology would become one of my passions!
I’m telling you this story because I went through it, and I understand very well how you might say, ‘all this skin stuff is the same, I cannot make a difference.’ I then imagine your next step might be to seek refuge in your favorite mind symptoms, ignoring the treasure chest of skin signs and symptoms.
A note from Dr. Kellerstein:
"I have been studying and practicing homeopathy for over 35 years and teaching for more than 25. I can recognize significant work when I see it. Gheorghe asked to see some of my published cases, and after reviewing them, he said, “Joe, only one thing is missing - Pictures.” The visible realm of symptomatology. I have been so struck by this fact. Predominantly, our work is literary - matching the written, proven symptoms, the totality, to the verbal expression of the patient. Often, we also use some observational information.
Dr. Jurj, who also has his doctorate in Semiotics, has taken the observation of the visible world of the patient to a level not seen before in my experience, although, as he points out, so many of these observations have remained buried in the old works and not frequently used. To watch him work as he minutely examines the skin for clues, then the mouth, the back, the gestures, posture, and the gait is truly to learn to see and observe afresh. Gheorghe feels that if a person has been living in a remedy state for some time, surely there will be reliable visible clues expressed by his physical body. If carefully gathered and examined for coherence, could they not be a valued part of the totality? His experience with serious pathology and the immense video library he has amassed over 30 years proves this to be correct."
|
Why Dermatology?
First, because it’s so rewarding! The results are often impressive, competing directly with conventional medicine. It shows how well homeopathy works: satisfying for both you and the patient.
That moment when the patient returns to report ‘no more, nothing’ - isn’t that the ultimate moment for all homeopaths? The moment that motivates you to go further, to endure your insomnias, and to continue your love affair with homeopathy?
Secondly, the homeopathic language of the skin is extraordinary: it includes the overall appearance of the skin, the minute details, and how these relate to the patient’s overall characteristics. It’s not just dermatology, but a revelation of how the skin expresses the whole person, guiding further investigation and reasoning. I believe mastering this basic skin language and applying your knowledge to interpret it accurately is vital for success.
Thirdly, this study presents a significant intellectual challenge, fine-tuning all your resources: from recognizing lesions promptly to connecting skin findings with systemic issues and integrating dermatological diagnosis into a holistic view that considers mind, physiology, immunology, and skin.
Dermatology as Materia Medica
In this course, I will respond to the question, “How do skin lesions look in different remedies?” Instead of ignoring these as common symptoms, we will reconsider them - not as mere accidents - but as expressions the whole system uses to tell us something, expressing itself in a wonderful, fractal way.
In my opinion, the ‘totality of the symptoms’ we emphasize in homeopathy doesn't mean just a simple computation (as we often do in repertory charts). It also refers to an inner coherence among all signs and symptoms, collectively stemming from the same core disturbance. ‘Totality of symptoms' primarily refers to the overall essence (‘Inbegriff”) and provides meaning to each and every sign and symptom.
From this perspective, homeopathic dermatology goes beyond just identifying lesions or diseases; it's an inviting gateway to understanding the whole person, and this is the ultimate goal of our homeopathic treatment.
Some common conditions we will discuss in Part 1:
- Rashes, different eruptions
- Herpes, Zona, Vesicular eruptions
- Allergic dermatitis
- Neurodermitis (Atopic dermatitis)
- Psoriasis
- Rare diseases (Lichen, Sclerodermia, etc)
- Skin and Miasms