Success Stories » 1918 Influenza Epidemic » Influenza: A Notable Success Among the West Virginia Hills - Andrews
Influenza: A Notable Success Among the West Virginia Hills - Andrews
(Reference : Journal of American Institute of Homeopathy Jan 1919 Vo XI No 7 pp 718-720)
Dr W.A. Andrews, MD. Mannington, West Virginia
Dr Andrews was the Doctor in a small town of 5000. The disease was epidemic in Oct 1918 thru the winter. The population included returning soldiers from the war. (Editor: World War 1 started in August 1914 and finally finished in November 1918.)
Physicians (non-homeopathic doctors) reported many deaths. The undertaker had “40” flu deaths in one month. Pregnant women in particular got pneumonia and were unlikely to live.
In October 1918 Dr Andrews treated 200 cases of influenza without a death, including 6 pregnant women; three of these women recovered fully, one delivered after 24 hrs of the first symptoms using the homeopathic medicine Bryonia, and two women aborted 5-6 months fetuses but recovered fully. By December Dr Andrews had seen an additional 75 cases without a death. He reports four cases of pneumonia; three protracted but recovered. All recovered with homeopathic treatment. Many patients experienced serious nosebleeds – used Bryonia and Rhus tox as symptoms indicated. Cases averaged 8-10 days and were seen by Dr Andrews on alternate days.
Most cases required Gelsemium early, often alternated with Bryonia 3x, sometimes Bryonia was required later. Some started with Bryonia and didn’t receive Gelsemium. Very small children tended to croupiness – and were given Aconite 3x, Spongia 3x, Hepar sulph 6x, Kali bich 6x as indicated. Ipecac was often called for. After coughs were treated with Phosphorus 30x, Nux vomica 3x, Sulphur 30x as well as Eupatorium, Rhus tox, Ferrum phosphoricum, and Natrum sulphuricum as symptoms indicated.
Dr Andrews took Gelsemium tincture four times a day as a preventative, without developing the disease.
According to Dr Andrews the secret of his success was “individualizing the homeopathic prescription in each case, liquid diet and rest in bed for 24-48 hours after disappearance of fever…I believe aspirin was the cause of so much pneumonia and so many deaths hereabouts…I was a medical student in 1889 when this disease made its epidemic appearance in America and I recall that it was generally conceded by eminent old school men then that the antipyrin was the prolific cause of pneumonia and death in that epidemic.”