Authors’ reply to Kerr et al

Sir,

We refer to the letter by Kerr et al in response to our article in Homeopathy.[ ¹ ] Simple processes are capable of producing large pressure changes, in the 10kb range at least, and hence major structural effects in condensed matter. [ ^2,3 ] This is a key point in our thesis: the classical view of “molecular” level structure for water (molecules, not condensed matter), may be misleading. There are many different structures in ordinary liquid water, in the pressure-temperature ranges of simple technologies, see Roy et al for detailed arguments.[ ⁴ ] The thesis of our paper was that common structural tools may be used to demonstrate whether or not, after the complex, ill-defined processes of succussion, the original solvent without and the solvent with addition of a remedy are identical. It is structure not composition that controls properties most profoundly. The question is can structure be changed by the homeopathic process?

We showed that epitaxy, pressure and nanobubbles (the latter two created in the process of succussion) plausibly could cause changes in the structure and hence necessarily the properties of such fluids. Being neither champions nor detractors of homeopathy we obtained samples of homeopathic medicines as used in practice from a commercial supplier, and performed extensive spectroscopic analyses on the possible changes in the structure. This is the key point of our paper.

Kerr et al's remarks concerning the probable contamination in the sample of the original solvent sent to us, although apparently not in any of the dilution materials (and reported accurately by us, we are inorganic materials scientists) illustrates one of the values of our work to homeopathy producers and users, and other health researchers. We have provided them with potential quality control tools, and a refining of the arguments away from incorrect generalizations.

All the analytical data shown in the paper are the result of reproducible analyses, although we appreciate the suggestion of representing such data as an average with a standard deviation, we emphasize that our key identification by display of an envelope demonstrates that, there are indeed differences beyond the standard deviation range among individual homeopathic remedies, as used in practice.

• References

• 1 Rao M.L., Roy R., Bell I.R., Hoover R. The defining role of structure (including epitaxy) in the plausibility of homeopathy. Homeopathy 2007; 96: 175-182.
• 2 Dachille F., Roy R. High pressure phase transformations in laboratory mechanical mixers and mortars. Nature 1960; 34: 186.
• 3 Yarbrough W.A., Roy R. Extraordinary effects of mortar-and-pestle grinding on microstructure of sintered alumina gel. Nature 1986; 322 (6077): 347-349.
• 4 Roy R., Tiller W.A., Bell I., Hoover M.R. The structure of liquid water: novel insights from materials research, potential relevance to Homeopathy. Mat Res Innov 2005; 9: 577-608.