NEWS FEATURE A day in the life Landmark conference ‘New Horizons in Water Science: Evidence for Homeopathy?’ (with apologies to J Lennon & P McCartney) by Lionel Milgrom PhD MARH RHom and Dana Ullman MPH CCH Foreword Some people not only have good ideas, but are also prepared to work hard to bring those ideas into fruition. Ken (or Lord Aaron Kenneth Ward Atherton, to give him his proper title) is one such person. He decided that we all needed a strong antidote to the ‘no evidence’ claims so frequently vaunted by the anti-homeopathy campaigners, and he organised a truly unforgettable one-day event (held at the Royal Society of Medicine, London), to remind us that Lionel (LRM) has been a homeopath for ‘proper’ science can be fascinating, inspiring and truly uplifting. over 20 years, training at the now defunct Ken’s impressive line-up of presenters were all internationally re- London College of Homeopathy, and the nowned scientists, including two Nobel laureates, and the theme Orion course in advanced homeopathy. He of the event was to explore the science underpinning our knowledge works from home now but has laboured of water structures. I came away from the day feeling really positive; at Nelsons, Ainsworths, and an integrated our emerging understanding of the science of water structures may dental practice in London’s West End. He is well lead us to eventually being able to explain how homeopathy also a scientist (chemist; co-founding an can work at a purely energetic level. On behalf of Team ARH and anticancer biotech spinout company), the rest of the homeopathy community, I would like to thank Ken a science writer, and in his latest incarna- for having the determination, perseverance and, above all, the vision tion, a chemistry teacher. He came into for organising this outstanding event. homeopathy to ‘find out how it works’. Karin Mont ARH Chair Heading up the one-man Programme for Advanced Homeopathic Research, he has written over 170 publications in I read the news today, oh boy humanity, dangerously low on new both the scientific and CAM academic Picture this: we’re five or ten medicines and ways to deal with an literatures on his ideas, including many rebuttals of the so-called ‘sceptical’ case years down the line and the wires alarming rise in chronic illnesses, against homeopathy. He wishes he’d (Reuters, Bloomberg, Facebook, are simply staggering. trained as a mathematician, jazz / concert Instagram, Internet, Tinder …) (As homeopaths, what would of pianist, blues harmonica player and Ninja are all buzzing with the news course have taken your fancy is the warrior … perhaps next time around? that Nobel Prizes in chemistry last item; but patience, dear reader, Dana has authored ten books, including and medicine have just been an- because what you are about to The Homeopathic Revolution: Why Famous nounced. The Chemistry Prize goes learn is that it is all of a piece, and People and Cultural Heroes Choose to ground-breaking research into that the common thread – indeed, Homeopathy, Homeopathic Medicines the science of water, enabling ready element – running through and for Children and Infants, and the best- desalination (giving millions across connecting all these discoveries is selling Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines (with Stephen Cummings, MD). the planet access to fresh water), our dear old friend, aqua, l’eau, He has written an e-book, Evidence-Based a totally new method of electri- das Wasser, nero, thuk, jal, aiwe, Homeopathic Family Medicine, which cal power generation using just amanzi, voda, vann, vattern, su describes 300+ studies from peer-reviewed light and water, and stunning new … aka water, to name that vital medical journals with practical information insights into intra- / inter-cellular substance in just a few other on how to use homeopathic medicines for 100+ ailments. He founded Homeopathic (and longer-range) communication. languages from the burgeoning Educational Services, America’s leading The Medicine Prize is awarded to human populations of aqueous resource centre for homeopathic books, biochemists who unearthed the planet Earth.) medicines, and e-courses. His company action of ultra-diluted homeo- A pleasant fiction? Perhaps, has co-published 35 books on homeopathy pathic remedies, working at the because according to current so- with North Atlantic Books. level of gene regulation: the called ‘sane’ logic, we are supposed implications for 21st century to know more or less all there is Homeopathy in Practice Autumn/Winter 2018 9 NEWS FEATURE to know about that ubiquitous sitting US President? Answer: they Lord Atherton over-exuberant passing LGBT fluid, and homeopathy is just a came at the behest of his lordship reveller. So much for the joys of load of woo and quackery which Aaron Kenneth Ward-Atherton free speech! ‘shouldn’t work, therefore cannot (Lord of Witley & Hurcott Worces- After cutting a swathe through work’, blah, blah, blah. So, shame tershire), distinguished medical ho- the protest and the Palace of West- on all those who regularly trumpet meopath and champion for homeo- minster’s tight security, we finally these ignorant shibboleths and pathy, who had skilfully organised got to enjoy the festivities of the were not present at arguably THE and coordinated an event entitled event’s opening day; meeting up most ground-breaking event on the ‘New Horizons in Water Science: with colleagues old and new, ex- science of water (and its implica- Evidence for Homeopathy?’ (see tensive tours of the House of Lords tions for homeopathy) ever to have https://www.thesciencetheevidence. and ‘the Other Place’, followed graced the London scene! co.uk/) by a sumptuous dinner on the ter- Held over two days, beginning ‘Why the question mark?’, you race overlooking the Thames. The with a spectacular official welcome might well ask. Well, there have gathering was addressed by several dinner at the House of Lords, and been a few false dawns in the past luminaries from the Palace of West- the following day (14 July 2018: where seemingly solid scientific minster, but most importantly by mark this date well; the 229th an- evidence for homeopathy has been our host and convener Ken – beg- niversary of the French Revolution) announced, only to disappear later ging your pardon, M’Lord Aaron at 1 Wimpole Street (home of the in a puff of hubris. So, with some Kenneth Ward-Atherton, Lord of Royal Society of Medicine London), trepidation, your correspondents it is just possible the future scenario (LRM suitably bow-tied, tuxxed sketched out above might turn out and with his spouse) approached not to be a fiction after all. So, let’s the Palace of Westminster on the cut to the chase. late afternoon of 13 July … at ex- actly the same time as the massive The conference will About a lucky man who made anti-Trump protest arrived in Par- the grade liament Square. Snaking our way Question: what drew two Nobel through chanting protesters, LRM’s no doubt have sent Laureates, a clutch of internation- wife ruined their future chances of ally renowned scientists, and a ever acquiring a US visa by getting stream of physicians and homeo- herself photographed underneath shockwaves around paths to London on the very day the now-infamous Trump Baby the city decided to show the world balloon. LRM had his painstak- just what it thought of the current ingly tied bow-tie trashed by an the world 10 Homeopathy in Practice Autumn/Winter 2018 NEWS FEATURE Witley and Hurcott – who de- discoverer, Professor Luc Montag- scribed movingly his own personal nier MD) and some world-class There have been a homeopathic journey – recovery scientists of equal academic stature from MS using intensive complex from the US, UK, Israel and Rus- homeopathy in Germany. Clearly, sia. And what they were saying few false dawns this wasn’t going to be just another was pure, unadulterated scientific half-hearted event, attempting to heresy! For, contrary to what scep- convince a deeply sceptical world tics have been spouting for far too in the past where of homeopathy’s truth: far too long, the latest research in water many internationally renowned science supports the notion that scientific ‘big guns’ had been for- there is a significant difference be- seemingly solid gathered and were getting ready to tween the biological and physical concentrate their fire. And so, next actions of homeopathic medicines day at the 1 Wimpole Street venue and plain water. scientific evidence it was ultimately all too tragically From that point of view, we to prove. should emphasise that this special conference did not seek to re- for homeopathy has And though the news was view the body of existing clinical rather sad research that verifies the efficacy At this point, your correspondents of homeopathic medicines, or the been announced were going to launch into the main basic science studies that show ho- bulk of the article and discuss meopathic medicines have biologi- what the new scientific discoveries cal or physical effects (all subjects about water are. But we pause for ignored totally by the scurrilous a moment to remember the late Dr Wikipedia article on homeopathy). Peter Fisher who, just a few weeks Instead, this conference chose to dilution and succussion – vigor- after the conference, was tragically focus on two far more fundamental ous shaking – of a medicinal sub- cut down by a lorry while cycling questions: stance in water / alcohol) have an to work at the Royal London • Does the process of remedy pro- effect on the water’s long-range Hospital for Integrated Medicine: duction in homeopathy (that is, Dr Peter Fisher structure that is different to that indeed, this conference was one of simple pure water? of his last public engagements.