Thermodynamics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Thermodynamics, including details on enthalpy, entropy, energy transitions.

On chemical medicine, thermodynamics, and homeopathy.

Tiller WA

The William A. Tiller Foundation for New Science, Payson, AZ 85541-5731, USA. bill@tiller.org

The author indicates why homeopathic medicine is an example of future information medicine, a member of the more general psychophysiologic medicine group. Using standard chemical thermodynamics, it is readily shown that the driving force for all chemical reactions involves the logarithm of chemical activities for the different species involved. Because chemical activity is given by the product of concentration and thermodynamic activity coefficient, such reaction driving forces involve the sum of ln gamma ( j ) and ln c(j) for the j-species. Homeopathy involves the dilution of cj and succussion, which can increase gamma (j) ; thus, when c(j) goes to the ultradilution state, the thermodynamic driving force for change does not disappear as is assumed by many and, in fact, can even increase through the ln gamma ( j ) terms. Going to a more complex reference frame for viewing nature, one can, at least, qualitatively show how oscillating and decaying properties in time can occur for homeopathic remedies.

Published 14 September 2006 in J Altern Complement Med, 12(7): 685-93.
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