Homeopathy - there’s nothing in it

Then put half a drop

Into Lake Superior.

Every other day

Take a drop in water,

You’ll be better soon

Or at least you oughter.

It reminds me of Tim Minchin’s beat poem, Storm, written more than a century later:

Science adjusts its beliefs based on what’s observed
Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved.
If you show me
That, say, homeopathy works,
Then I will change my mind
I’ll spin on a fucking dime
I’ll be embarrassed as hell,
But I will run through the streets yelling,
“It’s a miracle! Take physics and bin it!
Water has memory!”
And while its memory of a long lost drop of onion juice is Infinite
It somehow forgets all the poo it’s had in it!

While homeopaths continue to claim credibility for their profession, Singh and Ernst’s careful review of the scientific literature concludes that “there is a mountain of evidence to suggest that homeopathic remedies simply do not work.” Unfortunately, this message is not widely disseminated to the general public. It doesn’t help, either, that pharmacies stock homeopathic products on their shelves, and that the description of homeopathy on the Queensland Health Department website provides no warning that it’s been proven completely ineffective (beyond placebo).

And, as I hand out flyers in the shimmering heat of a Brisbane summer’s morning, I find that, no matter what the facts are, there are people, like the late Penelope Dingle, who simply don’t want their illusions shattered.

“Good morning!” I chirp to a well-dressed, middle-aged lady, making her way towards the Queen Street Mall, “We’re having a homeopathy awareness day, would you like a flyer?”

She stops in her tracks and gives me a huge smile, “Oh, I already know all about homeopathy!” she beams.