The first phase showed no difference in headache or overall health between those prescribed the homeopathic medicine and those given a placebo. The second phase also showed no difference in headaches in either group, but based on standardized questionaire assessments, those given homeopathic medicines showed improved psychological states and reduced overall physical complaints.

Although those of us involved in homeopathy may be surprised to learn that this rigorous study showed no reduction in headaches from homeopathic medicines, headaches may be like certain skin ailments, in which improvement may not be observable for a longer period of time and that the person's overall health is first improved.

My own presentation described recent clinical and basic sciences research in the U.S. One soon-to-be published study by Los Angeles homeopath/psychologist John Lamont, PhD, investigation the homeopathic treatment of 43 children with ADD. This double-blind, placebo-controlled trial showed significant results from individualized homeopathic medicines. Another trial by Susan Garcia-Swain, MD, tested individually chosen homeopathic medicine in the treatment of chemically-dependent patients in a drug rehabilitation hospital. This study was a particularly large trial with 703 patients, one-third of whom received a homeopathic medicine, one-third of whom received a placebo, and one-third of whom received no medicines. The study found that those patients given a placebo and those given no medication had limited and similar results, while those patients given a homeopathic medicine experienced highly significant results in numerous measurements of physical and psychological health and in drug use. Interestingly enough to those of us familiar with Hering's law of cure, this trial showed that those patients given a homeopathic medicine had an increase in rhinitis, and skin and muscu- loskeletal symptoms during the first three days after treatment.

I also discussed some new work conducted by a Los Angeles physicist, Shui-Yin Lo, PhD, on the mechanism of action of highly diluted substances. With the aid of electron microscope and an Atomic force microscope, Dr. Lo has discovered IE (NOTE: "E" is subscripted) ("I" stands for ice, and "E" subscripted stands for in an electrical field). Dr. Lo has found that these ice crystals appear in room temperature water when a substance is diluted and vigorous shaken at least to the 6x. These ice crystals have a unique geometrical shape as well as charge and density. Dr. Lo has published his work on this subject (see Modern Physics Letters B, 10,19, 1996, pages 921-930). He is continuing new work in this area and is having others replicate his work.

Sadly, the earthquake occurred half-way through the first day of the conference, and city officials chose to close the university where the conference took place after lunchtime. The conference resumed in a classroom outside of town. As a result of this change of venue and because many speakers spoke over their alloted time, there was no time for questions or discussion after any presentation, even for the three following days of the conference. While this problem is understandable during the first day, it is inexcusable that the conference organizers didn't keep speakers to a schedule. Since discussion after presentations on research subjects is so vital, conference organizers must plan for and insist upon adequate time for discussion.