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Homoeopathy system of medicine is the system of healing suited to all the young, and the old, the rich and the poor, the people in the developed as well as the underdeveloped countries and for persons in any place or climate. This is not to take away from the value and utility of the other prevalent systems of medicine. The aim of every science of healing is the relief of sick. Every system is successful in its own fashion. Homoeopathy too fights sickness and does so with remarkable results. Additionally the cost of diagnosis in this system is negligible because the diagnosis is by and large symptomatic. The medicine itself is inexpensive. Notable efficacy and low costs are the strong points of homoeopathic medicine. There are no toxic effects of the drugs, no side effects. The time taken for the medicine to show improvement is not long. Homoeopathic medicines are easy to store and have a long life.

Homoeopathy has been attacked again and again on the ground that the potencised drugs cannot be tested in a laboratory. But that way a number of phenomenon is still outside the pale of conventional science. However, laboratory tests have been going in many countries and certain phenomenon not acceptable to conventional scientific beliefs have been observed.

The homoeopathic system of medicine develops for its special use, the inner medicinal powers of the crude substances by means of a process peculiar to it and which has never been tried, whereby they only all become immeasurably and penetratingly efficacious and remedial. Even those that in the crude state give no evidence of the slightest medicinal power on the human body.

This remarkable change in the qualities of natural bodies develops the latent, hidden powers, which influence the body, change the well-being. This is affected by mechanical action upon their smallest particles by means of rubbing and shaking and through the addition of an indifferent substance, dry or fluid. This process is called dynamization; potencizing and the products are dynamizations or potencies in different degrees.

This chapter provides a readily available means of reference for helping in life threatening emergencies, accidents and for providing first aid, where any delay caused by the lack of medication or non-availability of the doctor can have serious consequences either in terms of life or in terms of resulting serious sickness.

As soon as possible competent medical help should be availed of in emergencies and accidents. In the meanwhile the homoeopathic medicines suggested hereafter would provide relief, would halt deterioration in most cases and may save life in many instances.

Emergencies can be life threatening. One of these can be severe haemorrhage, where copious bleeding can lead to death. Obstruction of breathing for different reasons is a matter for concern. Serious accidents are life threatening because there may be unmanageable bleeding, shock and pain.

Below, a list of few medicines and other items required for first aid in emergencies has been given. This can be helpful in homes, in factories and offices.

Pimples are very common in young people during their teen years. This condition, which is also known as acne, is apparently due to certain hormone changes in the body. It is particularly prevalent during early adolescence, from 12 to 16 years of age, and is more likely to occur in those who have an oily skin. In the early stages a blackhead or comedone blocks the outlet of an oil gland within the skin. This is not a serious problem, for it leaves no permanent effect.

If the sebaceous duct ruptures and the oily material ooze out between the layers of the skin instead of coming to the surface, there may be a cyst or swelling known as a sebaceous cyst. These are somewhat disfiguring, but not harmless unless they become infected and form small abscesses. When these heal they may leave ugly scars. Severe acne may occur on the shoulders, the back and chest, as well as the face and neck.

Effects of diet: Acne is not caused by diet, but certain foods definitely aggravate this condition, especially in some patients. Rich foods, such as chocolate, nuts, cola drinks, ice-cream, fatty meats, and excessive amount of sugar, all seem to aggravate this condition. Certain drugs, such as those containing bromides and iodides, may also play a part in some people.

Some girls develop one to two pimples just before menstruation. These only last a day or two and are of no consequence. But when acne continues over months or years, it is very distressing, especially to a young woman, and something should definitely be done to clear up the condition. Nervous tension due to family trouble may also play a part in continuing this difficult problem. Even in its mildest form, acne usually persists for a year or more until the hormone system of the body has become fully adjusted.

For ages, man has consumed alcohol to forget his sorrows, to lead him into the realm of happiness. John Keats (1795 -1821), the great romantic English poet, listened to the full-throated music of a nightingale and wanted to become one with that moment of happiness. He thought of taking 'a beaker full of the warm south, of vintage, that has been cooled a long age in the deep delved earth⁷, drinking which he could ' leave the world unseen', and fade away into the dim forest with the singing bird. But Keats was romanticizing the effect of wine on the human mind. A moment later, he decided to give up the idea of taking the assistance of Bacchus and his leopards and switched over to reaching the bird and its music on 'the viewless wings of poesy⁷. This was definitely a wise decision because the alleged euphoric effect on alcohol is a myth. In fact alcohol dulls the brain and retards its activity.

Alcohol is basically a drug. Man consumes it more than any other drug. No form of alcohol, however mild, whether wine or beer or cider, can do good to the human system and health.

It is fallacy to believe that alcohol stimulates the brain. In reality, alcohol depressed the brain. It slows down various centers of control. When alcohol is swallowed, it goes into the stomach where a fraction of the dose enters the blood stream through the blood vessels of the stomach walls. From the stomach, alcohol has to pass into the small intestine. The carbon dioxide in soda water accelerates this flow of alcohol from the stomach into the intestines. This is what makes whisky and soda more dangerous than whisky and water.

ABSTRACT

Soft rot of ginger caused by the fungus Pythium aphanidermatum is a major disease affecting ginger cultivation. To combat invading pathogen in the event of infection plants are known to produce antimicrobial pathogenesis related proteins (PR proteins) prominent among which are antifungal hydrolases like glucanases and chitinases. Since Pythium lacks chitin in its cell wall, increase in level of glucanase in the plant may enhance the resistance of ginger to soft rot disease. Signal molecule like ethylene plays a prominent role in the defense response of plants. The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of ethylene in enhancing the level of glucanase in the ginger system. Detached leaves of Rio de Janeiro variety of ginger were used in different experiments. Leaves were treated with ethephon at different concentrations and different time intervals. Increase in the glucanase activity by ethephon treatment was quantified by enzyme assay using crude protein extract. Glucanase levels showed an initial increase with increasing concentration of ethephon but decreased at higher concentration (5 mg/ml). A longer exposure of detached leaves to ethephon (48 h) resulted in 3.7 fold increase in glucanase activity compared to control. The level of enhancement of the glucanase transcript also followed a similar trend as revealed by RT PCR analysis. Two acidic isoforms of glucanase were detected using native PAGE and their levels were found to be enhanced by treatment with ethephon. An increase in the levels of glucanase may contribute to the plant’s ability to resist infection by Pythium.

Asthma is a condition of sudden paroxysmal, expiratory, wheezing dyspnoea caused by an abnormal response of the respiratory center to stimulus causing hyperactivity of the vagal endings in the broncho-constricting muscles resulting in bronchial spasm; with it, hyperaemia oftlte mucous membrane followed by excessive bronchial secretion is associated.

This is true spasmodic asthma and in this other conditions of periodic expiratory dyspnoea with a different primary factor should not be included.

The disease has in most a family history and is more common in males; sometimes found in young children but more frequently begins in early adult life. Some of these have definite bronchitis also but in the most, the main is paroxysmal bronchospasm no physical sign obtained in the lungs.

The factors concerned in asthma are (i) bronchospasm from causes central and peripheral, (ii) oedema of the bronchial mucous membrane from allergy. Neuropathic predisposition.

The more immediate causes are (i) allergy, (ii) peripheral stimuli from their site of production, grouped as (a) naso-pharyngeal, (b) alimentary, (c) endocrine (d) broncho-pulmonary (iii) constitutional disturbances.

2.1. Structure of fruits and vegetables

2.1.1. Fruit

• Fruit is a part of a flowering plant that derives from specific tissues of the flower, mainly one or more ovaries (Fig. 1). Plant product with aromatic flavors, which are either naturally sweet or normally sweetened before eating.

2.1.2. Vegetables

• It exhibits wide verity of plant structure like edible seeds, roots, stems, leaves, bulbs (Fig. 2), tubers and non-sweet fruits of herbaceous plants.

• Vegetables are grouped into 3 main categories

? Seeds and pods-contain natural wax coating. Eg. Many legumes

? Bulbs, roots and tubers with no coating, but tuber has suberisation

? Flowers, buds, stems and leaves having low shelf life

1. Vein-Clearing/Yellow Vein Mosaic
Bhendi yellow vein mosaic virus
Diagnostic Symptoms
• Yellowing of the entire network of veins in the leaf blade is the characteristic symptom.
• In severe infections, the younger leaves turn yellow, become reduced in size and the plant is highly stunted.
• The veins of the leaves will be cleared by the virus and intervenal area becomes completely yellow or white.
• In a field, most of the plants may be diseased and the infection may start at any stage of plant growth.
• Infection restricts flowering and fruits, if formed, may be smaller and harder.
• The affected plants produce fruits with yellow or white colour and they are not fit for marketing (Fig.1).
• The virus is spread by whitefly.

Genus Annona belonging to the family Annonaceae, contains more than seventy species of woody shrubs and trees, all of which produce aggregate fleshy fruits. Of these only a few produce edible fruits of commercial importance. Of all, Annona squamosa L. is probably the most popular fruit. It is also known as ‘Sitaphal’ or ‘Shariffa’. These can withstand drought better than many other fruit trees. Other species of the genus Annona providing edible fruits are A. reticulata L., A. muricata L., and A. cherimola L.

Custard Apple (Annona squamosa Linn.)

The custard apple, Annona squamosa L., also known as sweet-sop or sugar apple, is almost entirely eaten as a dessert fruit. Its pulp may be mixed with milk to form milk shake or made into ice-cream. The pulp has a pleasant texture and flavour. Several products like -squash, nectar, pulp butter, syrup, jam can be made from the pulp.

Custard apple is native to tropical America (Mexico). It is cultivated in Australia, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Israel, Myanmar, Mexico, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, USA and Cuba. In India it is popular in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Asssam, Bihar and West Bengal.

Cultivars: The cultivars vary in their shape, size, colour and eating quality. Some of the cultivars are Balanagar, Sangareddy Local, Chittorgarh, Barbados, British Guinea, Mammoth, Red Sitaphal, Yellow Sitaphal, Custard Apple Selection-1, Custard Apple Selection -2. Arka Sahan is a hybrid developed by ICAR-IIHR, Bangalore.

Partial or complete loss of hair on the scalp is rather common among them. This is more or less to be expected in the female. Premature baldness is a tendency in certain families. Thinning of the hair is often seen in older women, but complete baldness in the female is fortunately rare. Temporary baldness may occur following a fever or some prolonged illness. The hair usually returns after the patient has recovered from the illness.

Sudden loss of the hair in certain areas, a condition called alopecia areata, may sometimes follows extreme nervous shock. This may clear up in a few weeks, although sometimes it will recur. In females excessive hair loss is seen after delivery and during lactation. This is only due to hormonal changes in the body and due to suckling of the milk by the child. This disappears after the child stops weaning. It is not a permanent problem. In children falling of hair occurs due to many reasons such as severe headache, dim eyesight, after a prolonged illness, use of different shampoos and soaps, after a severe head injury and a familial tendency. Generally it is observed that if the parents have thin hair and early loss of hair in their life so is their children.

Many people use various shampoos and creams to prevent hair loss but with no gain. Homoeopathy has a very good treatment for hair loss. Some of the important medicines indicated in the hair loss are given below:

By the time a child reaches the age of two he can usually keep himself dry during the day. However, it may be another year or more before he can keep dry all through the night. Even then, the best-trained child may fail to live up to expectations on certain occasions when he is highly excited.

Older boys and girls may also have occasional problems at night, especially when sleeping in a strange bed after a highly exciting evening.

The bladder is emptied unconsciously especially during sleep at night; may be associated with enlarged tonsils, thyroid deficiency, phimosis, intestinal worms, blanitis or vulvitis also sometimes pyelitis, cystitis, oxaluria even minor epilepsy.

There are many causes for this condition, ranging all the way from simple neglect of the calls of nature to degenerative changes in the spinal cord. The condition is found in all classes and at all ages. Nocturnal bedwetting is very common in weak, neurotic children. The next most numerous class is that of women who have born children and who have passed the fiftieth milestone. A laugh, a sneeze, a fright and the urine spurt from the bladder. Probably this is want of proper adjustment of the function of the nervous mechanism of the sphincter and the detrusor and the former fails to inhibit the later.

Ficus carica L, one of the oldest plant species in China, is abound in Shandong, Xinjiang, Jiangsu province. Fig belongs to the family Moraceae and genus Ficus. It is native to Middle East region (West Asia), but now it is widely distributed in Asia and North America.

Cultivars/Varieties: Depending upon the nature of flowers and the method of pollination there are four distinct classes of fig- i) Common fig or Adriatic fig ii) Capri fig, iii) Smyrna fig and iv) San Pedro fig. Kadota, Mission, Adriatic, Brown turkey, Celeste and Conadria are some important varieties of common fig.

Uses

Fig is consumed fresh or dried, preserved, candied or canned. Fresh figs are very delicious, wholesoms and nutritious and used as dessert or for making jam. Due to its highly perishable nature it is dried and marketed. The fruit fresh, or dried is valued for its laxative property. Dried and ground fig can be used as a substitute for coffee.

Bronchitis may be defined as a distressing and often serious type of inflammation affecting the windpipe, or bronchial tubes, in the chest. There are two types of bronchitis:

1. Acute Bronchitis
2. Chronic Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis: In acute bronchitis the larynx, trachea and bronchial tubes are acutely inflamed. The tissues are swollen because of irritation; large amount of mucus is secreted and poured into the bronchial tubes to protect the inflamed mucous membrane. Unless this thick, sticky material is removed, it may obstruct the windpipe, causing more severe diseases like atelactasis and pneumonia. The common cold is probably the most frequent cause of acute bronchitis.

During the acute stage of bronchitis there is usually a high fever and some difficulty in breathing. There is a constant cough. Hoarseness may also be present and some pain in the chest. Difficulty in breathing continues until the inflammation has decreased. And thick secretions have removed. Chilliness is present with internal coldness, also cold hands and feet, rawness beneath the sternum, some tightness and oppression of the chest, cough may be dry, hard, ringing, expulsive, paroxysmal, tearing which leaves great soreness under the sternum. After few days the cough, which was at first dry, becomes moist and is accompanied by slight expectoration of mucus and occasionally some blood. As the amount of expectoration increases all the other symptoms decreases, and then in turn abnormal secretion and expectoration also decreases at the end of 7 to 10 days.

Grapes belongs to the family Vitaceae and genus Vitis. The region between Black and Caspian Sea is considered to be the origin of grapes. Its association with man is believed to be older than that of rice or wheat. Viticulture and wine-making started in Egypt at about 3000-4000 BC. It is presumed that it spread to India in 620 B.C. The medical treatises written by Charaka and Sushruta in the 1^st century AD reveal use of grapes for medicinal purpose. Viticulture in India started in early 1960 and today assumes an important position in horticulture crop in view of its area occupied, production, value addition and job creation in both rural and urban areas.

Popular Varieties of Grapes

Thomson Seedless and its clones viz.; Tas-A-Ganesh, Sonaka and Manik Chaman; Perlette, Banglore Blue (Isabella), Kishmish Chernyi (Sharad Seedless), Muscat Hamburg (Gulabi), Flame Seedless, Red Globe, Crimson Seedless and Manjri Naveen (A clonal selection from Centennial Seedless).

Uses

Grapes has several uses like table purpose, raisin, juice, wine making and canning, etc. It has several medicinal and curative properties. It is used in Ayurvedic preparations for making Kada or arishtam (herbal tonic or medicine). The grapes which are used as a fresh fruit are designated as table grapes. These are having attractive appearance, and good eating and shipping quality and long shelf-life. The grapes that can be dried are included in the Raisin grapes. Wine grapes which are primarily used to produce wine are known as wine grapes. In many parts of the world, grapes are grown for wine preparation. Grapes with high acid and low sugars contents are suitable for wine preparation.

It may be defined as a chronic condition of the liver in which there is an increase of the connective tissue, a decrease in its size, and a degeneration of the parenchyma.

Alcohol is the most common cause of the cirrhosis of liver. Alcohol reaches the liver through blood stream. Other causes may include improperly prepared foods, poisonous substances, drugs like arsenic, phosphorus, the infectious diseases like syphilis and obstruction of the bile ducts.

Cirrhosis of the liver produced by alcohol abuse is known as portal cirrhosis where as cirrhosis caused by some obstruction such as a stone in the common duct or some narrowing of the bile duct leading from the liver to the small intestine is called as Biliary cirrhosis.

Although the common cold affects all parts of the body, it usually begins in the nose and throat. Colds are so common we hardly give them a second thought, yet they can be rather serious. Most colds are due to virus infections of one type or another. Unfortunately, none of these viruses are susceptible to our present antibiotic medicines. Adenoviruses produce the more serious type of colds, and they are often followed by tonsillitis and sore throat even virus pneumonia, particularly in children. Sometimes the membranes of the eyes are also involved.

The common cold is the most prevalent of all diseases known to man. The average person seems to have two or three colds a year. The condition is highly contagious. When one member of the family has a cold, the others are very likely to have one within a few days.

What makes a person susceptible to a cold? Probably his lowered resistance is a chief factor. Allergic disorders of the nose and throat also make a person more susceptible to colds and other virus infections. Chilling of the body does seem to play a part, particularly in those whose resistance is already weak. Lack of sleep may be another factor.

Any person may carry the cold virus. However, children under six years of age seem readily to pass the infection from one to another, and soon all the family is involved. Colds are always more serious in the younger children.

ABSTRACT

Microbial antagonists not only reduce the soil borne disease, but also influence the growth of crop plants. In a study conducted for five years on the effect of microbial antagonists on damping off incidence and biometric characters of solanaceous seedlings, it was observed that seed treatment and soil application of Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Azotobacter chroococcum reduced the damping off incidence considerably in brinjal, chilli and tomato. Application of these microbes also increased the per cent germination and promoted vigour of solanaceous seedlings as compared to control. Among the various antagonists, T. viride was the most effective one reducing the damping off diseases as well as promoting the growth of solanaceous vegetables.

Constipation means difficult or infrequent passage of the feces. In some cases it is due to mechanical obstruction of the intestines, such as cancer, diverticulitis, or perhaps to some functional cause, such as an irritable colon discussed above. In most cases there is no actual obstruction.

Many elderly people suffer from constipation; probably they do not take sufficient fluid. They may think they are drinking enough, but careful observation may reveal that they are having only two or three glasses of liquid a day. For normal bowel habits, one should drink from six to eight glasses of fluid each day.

Sometimes constipation results from ignoring the normal call of nature. Many people suffering from constipation become dependent upon laxatives in early childhood. This is most unfortunate, for it means that the child may be dependent on drugs for the rest of his life. As far as possible do not use an enema on a child unless absolutely necessary. Laxatives and enemas are only for unusual conditions. Nature will provide for the normal needs of the body.

Jamun, Syzygium cumini Skeels, belongs to the family Myrtaceae and genus Eugenia which comprises about 1000 species of evergreen trees and shrubs. Some of the old-world Eugenia spp., are now placed in the genus Syzygium. The genus Syzygium is a multipurpose genus with many important species.

The original home of jamun is considered to be India (Singh, 1969), while it is also found in Thailand, Philippines, Madagascar and other African countries. In India, jamun is mainly grown in eastern Himalaya, Kumaon, Gangatic plains, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Andamans. It grows well in marshy land and also in neglected wastelands.

Cultivars/Varieties: There are no improved variety of jamun for commercial cultivation. The most common type grown in north India is known as Raja jamun. This is a large-fruited type having oblong fruits of deep purple colour. A type having large- sized fruits is known as Paras in Gujarat. Another type found in Varanasi has no seed. A selection with desirable traits has been located by the CSA University of Agriculture and Technology at Faizabad. It has been named as Narendra Jamun 6.

Uses

Jamun fruits are deep purple to violet in colour and are, therefore, very attractive. The anthocyanin pigment is responsible for the colour. The products made from jamun are jellies, jams squash, beverage, wine vinegar and pickle. In Goa and the Philippines, jambolans are an important source of wine, somewhat like Port, and the distilled liquors, brandy and “jambava” have also been made from the fermented fruit. Jambolan vinegar, extensively made throughout India, is an attractive, clear purple, with a pleasant aroma and mild flavor.

9.1. Principles of food preservation by heat

• Pasteurization temperature at below 100°C

• Heating at about 100°C

• Sterilization temperature at above 100°C

9.1.1. Pasteurization

• Heat treatment kills part, but not all microorganisms present and temperature below 100°C.

• Heating by means of steam, hot water, dry heat or electric current and cooled after heat treatment.

• Surviving microorganisms are inhibited by low temperature or some other preservative method, if spoilage prevented.

• Preservative methods used to supplement pasteurization include

? Refrigeration, e.g. milk

? Keeping out microorganisms usually by packaging the product in a sealed container