Chapter XXXII: Homoeopathic Therapeutics in the Field of Endocrinology
H. A. Roberts, The Principles and Art of Cure by Homoeopathy, pp. 249-266
Roberts presents endocrinology through a classical homeopathic framework. The chapter was added in the 1942 edition, when hormone science was still developing. His main purpose is to argue that endocrine disorders support the homeopathic idea that illness affects the whole person, not only an isolated organ.
The full historical chapter is available through this
online text of Chapter XXXII.
1. Central idea
Roberts begins with the then-modern physiological view that many illnesses, developmental problems, and emotional or behavioral changes are related to dysfunction of the ductless glands.
He compares this with Hahnemann’s concept of the human being as an integrated unity of mind, body, and spirit. In Roberts’s model:
- Endocrine glands act through very small quantities of secretions.
- A disturbance in one gland can affect the entire organism.
- The endocrine system is closely connected with the nervous system, emotions, metabolism, growth, and sexual development.
- Therefore, he considers endocrine illness a constitutional problem, to be treated from the totality of symptoms rather than from a gland diagnosis alone.
He also draws an analogy between tiny quantities of hormones and homeopathic high dilutions. This analogy is a philosophical claim in the chapter, not evidence that homeopathic dilutions have hormone-like physiological activity.
2. Roberts’s approach to case-taking and prescription
Roberts rejects organ-based prescribing. Rather than asking only, “Which gland is affected?”, he says the physician should consider:
- Mental and emotional symptoms
- Physical generals
- Individual sensitivities
- Family tendencies
- Developmental features
- Subjective symptoms
- The patient’s constitutional pattern
- Possible past emotional shock or stress
He recommends using the repertory and materia medica to identify the simillimum, the remedy considered most similar to the patient’s total symptom picture.
His stated principle is that endocrine manifestations should be interpreted as part of a wider constitutional disorder, rather than treated merely by replacing a deficient glandular secretion.
3. Miasmatic interpretation
Roberts interprets endocrine dysfunction through the traditional homeopathic miasmatic theory:
- Psora is linked with functional disturbance, deficiency, poor assimilation, and general weakness.
- Sycosis is associated with overgrowth, excess, and abnormal development.
- Syphilis is associated with destructive changes and degeneration.
He proposes that obesity, abnormal fat distribution, delayed or precocious sexual development, skeletal abnormalities, and familial endocrine tendencies may represent inherited or acquired miasmatic influences.
These miasmatic explanations are part of historical homeopathic doctrine and are not accepted concepts in modern endocrinology.
4. Conditions discussed in the chapter
Roberts does not give a systematic textbook account of each endocrine disease. Instead, he discusses examples of disorders that he regards as glandular or endocrine-related.
| Topic | Roberts’s homeopathic interpretation |
|---|
| Diabetes mellitus | Seen as a constitutional disorder with emotional and subjective symptoms important for remedy selection. |
| Pancreatic disease and peptic ulcer | He discusses a possible pancreatic relationship and recommends constitutional prescribing plus diet. |
| Menopause | Considered a frequent endocrine imbalance with many subjective symptoms. |
| Hyperemesis gravidarum | Treated as a condition where the indicated remedy may prevent the need for more intensive intervention. |
| Delayed development in children | Discussed in relation to pituitary, thyroid, pineal, gonadal, and general glandular function. |
| Obesity and adiposis | Considered expressions of glandular and constitutional imbalance. |
| Goitre and thyroid enlargement | Discussed mainly through remedy symptom pictures. |
| Sexual and reproductive disturbances | Linked with endocrine imbalance, constitutional state, and emotional symptoms. |
5. Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes is Roberts’s major clinical example. He acknowledges insulin’s ability to lower sugar output but characterizes it as substitution or palliative therapy rather than a cure. He proposes that a patient’s emotional history and subjective symptoms may identify the simillimum.
He particularly emphasizes:
- Emotional shock before the onset of diabetes
- Constitutional symptoms
- “Sugar in urine” repertory rubrics
- Deep-acting remedies and polychrests
- General improvement rather than urine sugar alone
He mentions remedies such as Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Sulphur, and members of the Natrum and Kali groups in relation to diabetic or glandular symptom pictures.
Important safety correction: Roberts’s suggestion to begin with homeopathy and use insulin only later is unsafe and contrary to current medical care. Insulin is life-preserving in type 1 diabetes and is also necessary for many people with type 2 diabetes. It should never be stopped, reduced, or delayed in favor of homeopathy without a qualified diabetes clinician’s supervision.
6. Menopause and pregnancy
For menopausal symptoms, Roberts says the abundance of subjective symptoms makes the homeopathic approach especially applicable. He identifies Lachesis as a prominent remedy in his traditional framework, while stressing that another remedy may be indicated by the complete symptom picture.
For hyperemesis gravidarum, he lists historical homeopathic remedy indications including:
- Arsenicum album
- Bryonia
- Cocculus
- Colchicum
- Kali carbonicum
- Natrum muriaticum
- Petroleum
- Phosphorus
- Sulphur
- Veratrum album
- Aletris farinosa
These are Roberts’s materia medica references, not evidence-based treatment recommendations. Severe vomiting in pregnancy needs prompt obstetric assessment because dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, weight loss, and nutritional deficiency can become dangerous.
7. Developmental and glandular disorders in children
Roberts describes children who are physically underdeveloped, delayed in walking or talking, intellectually slow, nervous, excitable, or convulsive. He links these patterns to possible glandular imbalance and recommends attention to the mental-emotional state.
Remedies mentioned in this setting include:
- Calcarea carbonica
- Baryta carbonica
- Silicea
- Sulphur
- Phosphorus
- Argentum nitricum
- Bufo
He argues that prescribing should be based more on the child’s complete constitutional state than on giving glandular extracts.
8. Remedy groups emphasized
Roberts says it is “impossible, as well as dangerous,” to name leading remedies solely for a pathological diagnosis. Nevertheless, he discusses several broad groups.
| Remedy or group | Roberts’s stated association |
|---|
| Sulphur | Deep constitutional action, tendency to reaction, diabetes, delayed development, effects after suppression. |
| Phosphorus | Excitable constitution, sexual and reproductive symptoms, growth and development patterns. |
| Lycopodium | Major remedy for glandular conditions; goitre, enlarged glands, emaciation of upper body with fuller lower body, fatigue, flatulence. |
| Natrum group | Emotional strain, melancholy, emaciation, thyroid sensations or enlargement, altered body fluids and sexual symptoms. |
| Kali group | Chronic glandular dysfunction, short and stout or obese constitution, anemia, mental dullness or nervous excitability. |
| Calcarea group | Developmental and skeletal patterns, particularly in children. |
| Silicea | Slow development and chronic constitutional weakness. |
| Nitric acid | Sexual disturbance, sensitivity, fatigue, prostration. |
| Nosodes | Considered by Roberts in relation to deep constitutional and miasmatic disease. |
9. Role of mental and emotional symptoms
A repeated message in the chapter is that mental and emotional symptoms have high value in selecting a remedy. Roberts particularly refers to:
- Fear and anxiety
- Sadness and depression
- Startling easily
- Memory loss or mental dullness
- Nervous excitability
- Emotional shock
- Aversion to consolation
- Effects of grief, stress, or disappointment
This reflects the classical homeopathic emphasis on individualization. In modern medicine, emotional symptoms are also clinically important, but they do not establish a specific homeopathic remedy or replace biochemical testing and endocrine evaluation.
10. Conclusion of Roberts’s chapter
Roberts concludes that advances in endocrinology should be watched with interest, but that the homeopathic physician should remain guided by constitutional prescribing, the repertory, and the totality of symptoms. He believes a correctly selected potentized remedy can restore balance without disturbing other endocrine functions.
Modern clinical perspective
Roberts’s chapter is important historically for showing how mid-20th-century homeopaths attempted to integrate emerging endocrine science into homeopathic philosophy. However, its therapeutic claims are not supported by modern evidence-based endocrinology.
Conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disease, adrenal insufficiency, pituitary disorders, delayed puberty, infertility, osteoporosis, and endocrine tumors require appropriate testing and medical treatment. Homeopathy should not replace insulin, thyroid hormone, corticosteroid replacement, antithyroid drugs, surgery, or other prescribed endocrine care.