Abstract
Background Whilst it is assumed that water plays a crucial role in homeopathy, it is unclear
what specific functions water has in the generation, propagation and maintenance of
homeopathic potencies. Solvatochromic dyes have demonstrated themselves to be reliable
indicators of the presence of potencies and so are well placed to begin to address
these questions.
Objective The aim of the current study was to ascertain whether pure water could be potentised.
If pure water can be potentised, this would indicate that water plays a crucial role
in the generation of homeopathic potencies. If it cannot be potentised, then this
result points to water being an inert carrier and medium for the potentisation of
substances placed in it.
Methods A specially designed potentiser capable of consistently and reliably producing homeopathic
potencies to rigorous standards (Pinkus Potentiser) was used to run up potencies of
“Water 10M” and Arsenicum 10M in two interchangeable stainless-steel vials. “Water 10M” and Arsenicum 10M, along with unsuccussed control water, were then tested against solutions of
the solvatochromic dye phenol blue by following the absorbance of the dye at 658 nm.
Results “Water 10M” gave results no different statistically from unsuccussed water (p > 0.05) with no change over the time course of the experiments, whereas Arsenicum 10M gave statistically different results (p < 0.001) with increasing divergence from both “Water 10M” and unsuccussed water over
time. Similar results were obtained when the vials in which Arsenicum 10M and “Water 10M” were produced were exchanged, so that the vial in which Arsenicum 10M had been produced was then used to produce “Water 10M” and vice versa, indicating
the results could not be explained by any anomalies in the production vials themselves.
Conclusion Results using the solvatochromic dye phenol blue to detect and measure homeopathic
potencies indicate that bulk water itself does not potentise and that unsuccussed
water and water that has been succussed are no different. This indicates that what
is potentised during cycles of dilution and succussion are the substances placed in
water and not the water itself. In turn, this indicates that water is simply a carrier
for the homeopathic signal. Evidence from the practice of homeopathy supports this
conclusion.
Keywords
Pinkus potentiser - water - solvatochromic dyes
