At the turn of the century some of America's leading surgeons were homeopathic physicians. Homeopaths are thus not against surgery since, they, like other medical professionals, recognize the special value of surgery in certain circumstances. Homeopathic medicines, however, can be of great value in reducing the need for surgery in certain circumstances, and at other times, the medicines can be invaluable in helping the person heal after the surgery is completed.

Homeopathic medicines may not also be appropriate for some symptoms which are life-threatening and call for immediate, sometimes heroic means of treatment. Certain cases of asthma where breathing is significantly impaired, meningitis which requires immediate antibiotic treatment to avoid possible brain damage or death, and various other conditions require conventional medical treatment to assure survival. This isn't to say that homeopathic medicines are of no value in these conditions. In fact, homeopathic medicines may reduce the need for conventional medical treatment even in certain of these cases. Microdoses may effectively treat a serious attack of asthma, may cure the serious infection without the need for antibiotics, and may rapidly relieve various other life-threatening symptoms. However, since the homeopathic medicines require strict individualization to obtain the best results, one cannot always depend on them for rapid, effective relief of symptoms. There is general consensus amongst homeopaths that homeopathic medicines can still be used in emergencies either on the way to the doctor or hospital and/or in conjunction with the heroic conventional medical treatment.

Homeopathic medicines are also ineffective in treating some conditions which cry out for simple nutrition and lifestyle changes. A woman may be anemic from a lack of iron in her diet. Homeopathic medicines may be prescribed to deal with some of her symptoms and may even be used to help her assimilate iron from her food more efficiently, but until she gets iron, she may experience persistent symptoms.

Exposure to environmental toxins is becoming a major modern problem. Although homeopathic medicines may be effective in helping a person re-establish health after exposure to many toxins, real improvement in health isn't likely if exposurecontinues. For instance, a woman with a skin rash went to a homeopathic physician. From her symptoms, the doctor prescribed Sulphur 30. The condition temporarily worsened in a classic response according to Hering's Law, then got better, only to return within two weeks. The homeopath gave a stronger dose ofSulphur, and she once again experienced a similar pattern of exacerbation, relief, and return of her symptoms. Upon obtaining more detail about the woman's job at a food processing plant, it was discovered that she worked at a dried fruit plant which sprays sulphur on the fruit as a preservative. She was experiencing a sulphur proving. Her skin finally improved after she changed jobs.