The influence of homoeopathic simillimum on raised blood lead and urine porphyrin concentrations in lead chemical company employees

Abstract

This study contains a review of the major recognizable Industrial problem of chronic lead toxicity. Lead poisoning has been recognized for thousands of years, dating beclt to the Roman Empire. Today, Industries In South Africa and worldwide struggle to maintain low blood lead levels In their employees and companies have to abide by regulations to ensure they ere doing all that Is In their power. Cooltson Chemicals (Pty) Limited, In Durban, which has a factory which produces lead based chemicals, was approached with regard to treating the workers exposed to the lead dust and fumes with Homoeopathlc Slmlllimum. This Individualistic Homoeopathlc treatment depends on the person's symptoms and signs on a physical, mental and emotional level, and by treating the person as a whole, the excretion of toxic lead occurs. Thus lower lead levels result. According to Herneeepetntc methodology, It Is the sum of all the symptoms and signs In each Individual ease of a disease that Is the main pointer In the choice of the remedy. This Is where despite many complaining of a slmillar condition, or suffering from a common complaint, different Homoeopathlc remedies may be prescribed. Lower blood lead levels result In fewer retrenchments as once a factory employee continually presents with excessively high blood lead levels, he risks losing his Job. A sample group of twenty volunteers was obtained from this factory and each werker tooit his prescribed medication and had blood and urine tests talten at regular Intervals over five months. The precise methodology and the consequent results are explained In this paper. The results were analysed using the computer program, SGPLUS,to obtain summary statistics. The blood lead results were subjected to The Wilcoxon Signed RankTest to determine the 11kreasesand decreases In the levels over the monitoring period. Due to sample size and the presence to only one group In the research, the remaining results were from visual observation. Based on the problems encountered during this study, recommendations are made If further research Is to be done along similar guidelines. A final conclusion closes the study. The urine porphyrin tests are not a true Indicator of lead metabolism or excretion and these results are therefore not valid. A slight change did occur In the blood lead levels as Is discussed. A great deal of progress remains to be made with the aim of lowering blood lead levels In lead-exposed factory workers. Homoeopathy has the potential to alleviate this serious problem of chronic lead toxicity. Further research could provide Industry with the answer. Presently the emphasis Is on prevention of excessively high blood lead levels with only removal from exposure as the last possible means of alleviating the problem. If a method to solving lead toxicity In the Industrial sphere can be found, It has numerous possibilities In nonIndustry. Thus an opening exists for Homoeopathy.