They say, the taste of the pudding is in the eating.  So, why should we believe in the rumours?  Not rumours, you would say; they are scientific test results.

May be. But can we throw whatever we have experienced physically to the winds? Are they not the best test results?

Here is the story how and why I turned to homeopathy. As far as my memory goes, since childhood I was susceptible to cold. Any time any where, cloudy and cold weather would make me sneezing. A sound man entering an air conditioned cinema hall comes out with a blowing nose. Winter season will arrive with all the aggravation of the symptoms. Cough and colds used to be my ‘almost’ constant companion. My body tasted -- one time or other -- the entire cough related medications available in the drug stores with no permanent cure. So, I resigned to live with susceptibility to cold for over thirty years of adult life.

Then, it took a miraculous turn.

I was serving in the state of Himachal Pradesh – a cold place. With my malady as usual. In the month of September in 1973 I had terrific cough. And, I was to go to Bhopal for a refresher course on “Research Methodology of Research in Technical Education.” On the way, in Delhi, I paid a visit to one of my old friend – a quack in Homeopathy. Seeing my condition he grilled me with many questions: how, why, when etc. And in the end, his prescription for me – though I didn’t ask for it --  was Natrum Sulph 3X, four tablets at a time, three times a day, for one month.

At Bhopal, I had my habitual cough, but didn’t bother much. On first Sunday, we – along with three other participants – went on a trip to Ujjain and Indore. Returning after midnight had a shower and took meals – kept reserved for us – in the hostel. The night was awful. The next day in the class it was terrible: everybody – faculty and participants alike – got concerned. Everyone pleading for their favourite medicine. My only plea was to take me to any homeopathic shop, if there was one, after the class was over.

The medicine – both German and Indian make -- was available at the shop. As per direction I popped four tablets in the mouth then and there. As an after thought I asked the doctor, at the clinic, if the prescription was in order. He nodded, adding it should be accompanied with Ferrum Phosh also.

Meanwhile, I could clearly feel some change was occurring inside me. These are biochemical medicines, I gulped for the first time in my life. I bought a primer for beginners: Twelve Tissue Remedies by Schussler. I felt much relieved by the time I reached hostel. Next morning I was a changed man.

In the evening I purchased all the 12 salts of biochemic genre. Next day, I bought a primer in homeopathy, and procured some basic homeopathic medicines the following day.

Within a week I got fully cured. It was a radical cure. My age-long susceptibility to cold vanished for ever. I could take cold water during snow back home, which was unimaginable earlier.

I purchased more books and medicines. Poured over Materia Medica for days and nights. Began distributing free medicines to friends and neighbours with amazing results. Cured many complicated cases. Became a registered medical practitioner.

In my view diagnosis of the disease is not important in homeopathy; the selection of the remedy for a particular patient, depending on the totality of the symptoms peculiar to the patient, is very important.

Homeopathy is surely not witchcraft and its efficacy is not based on placebo effect. If the conventional testing procedure cannot explain how it works only the method adopted can be blamed. Probably it is not adequate to test the deviant-from-the-norm principles of homeopathy. It needs entirely a different approach.

Till then, we have to depend on the taste of the pudding – the number of chronic and acute cases getting cured -- right in front of your eyes.