Nirodbaran

Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo

Second Series

3. Matters Medical

Medicine as Science

But our allopathic medicine is a science developed by painstaking labour – experiment, research, etc.

To a certain extent. The theory is imposing, but when it comes to application, there is  too much fumbling and guess work for it to rank as an exact science. There are many scientists (and others) who grunt when they hear medicine called a science. Anatomy and physiology, of course, are sciences.

Dr. X, who is a homeopath, does not believe in allopathy. What do you think of his treatment?

There are plenty of allopathic doctors who consider homeopathy, Nature-cure, Ayurveda and everything else that is not orthododox “medical science” to be quackery. Why should not homeopaths etc. return the compliment?

I don't know anything about X's homeopathic knowledge or capacities.... But sometimes he seems to be remarkably effective. It is perhaps however due to a great power of suggestion or, if you like to call it so, induced autosuggestion. But many doctors say it is more the confidence in the doctor and the medicine that cures than either the doctor himself or the medicine. All this is meant not to support X, but to throw some cold water on the “my” in “my science”.

I must say, however, that I have learnt a few things from him – calmness, self-confidence, faith.

Right – that is the thing every physician should have.