Homeopathy: Medicine or magic?

Wiki: Homeopathy (also spelled homoeopathy or hom?opathy) is a form of alternative medicine, first proposed by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in 1796, that attempts to treat patients with heavily diluted preparations which are claimed to cause effects similar to the symptoms presented. Homeopathic remedies are prepared by serial dilution with shaking by forceful striking, which homeopaths term "succussion," after each dilution under the assumption that this increases the effect of the treatment. Homeopaths call this process "potentization". Dilution often continues until none of the original substance remains.[1]
Who gets the best results from it, the amazing ones? Those that conventional medicine has failed, their ?conditions? don?t respond to the normal medications.
Now, I ask myself, WHY would THAT happen?
I see it that they have ?mental? conditions, hypochondria of one sort or another, and the ?magic solution? works because they believe it will, the notorious ?Placebo Effect?.
That effect actually does work on a variety of REAL conditions, measurably, so it is a valid hypothesis.
There is NO clinical proof of Homeopathy?s efficacy; ALL the ?studies? and ?surveys? rely on subjective judgments and interpretations.
What value in an old lady or a plumber claiming..?It worked for me?, it is totally unreplicable, even where there are thousands of them.
When tested scientifically, the ?medicines? are generally found to be nothing much more than just water, with mere parts per tens of thousands of the so-called ?vital ingredient?, if ANY.
Is this really Medicine?
Or is it just a con, or an ancient belief in magic, dressed up in modern vernacular?
Discuss?

My mom used to really into using Homeopathic medicines..I still think we have a few bottles left. She would give them to us when we were little and sickly, so I don't remember how it affected me, and/or if it worked. I just remember them tasting good!

have any links showing it doesn't work?
ancient beliefs have included moldy bread.

CONCLUSIONS: There is some evidence that homeopathic treatments are more effective than placebo; however

Direct quote from the link above:
CONCLUSIONS: There is some evidence that homeopathic treatments are more effective than placebo; however, the strength of this evidence is low because of the low methodological quality of the trials. Studies of high methodological quality were more likely to be negative than the lower quality studies. Further high quality studies are needed to confirm these results.
And THAT'S just comparing them to PLACEBO'S, NOT real medicines!

I rest my case.
Where scientific examination has been done of specific "medicines", no observable benefit or valid bio-chemistry has been detected, and in most cases the constituent of the medicine was almost completely H2O, there was so little of anything else as to be largely undetectable, and there was certainly nothing in a high enough concentration or quantity to have any affect on the human body at all It would appear to be nothing more than a variety of "Faith-Healing".

"Magic Potions".

If someone suffering from multiple ailments who has been dealt with in a fast and brusque manner by thier normal doctor decides to consult an alternative therapist and suddenly they are listened to and they are given sympathy and advice then yes they will feel a lot better.

Clinically homeopathy will do f*** all.

From what I've read, homeopathy isn't particularly effective. The 10.23 campaign says it all really: 10.23

8) I was really hoping some believer would respond, but I see that most would seem to agree with me.
Pity.

I have been having permanent UTIs for about 4 years now, ive had a lot of anti biotics and seen a lot of specialists and had lots of tests that havent been able to draw a conclusion as to why i keep getting these UTIs and how i can effectively get rid of them or minmize them. In the end even antibiotics werent working and i was at my wits end and tried Homeopathy. Whilst it hasnt cleared my UTIs completely it does help keep them under control and my situation is very chronic.

I have heard wonderful stories about Homeopathy helping all kinds of ailments and i certainly believe it works and is well worth trying.

Homeopathy is neither medicine nor magic.

It's pure, absolute insanity. There are no two ways about it. It is idiotic and absolutely stupid and ridiculous. Anyone who practices homeopathy either has no idea what it actually is or is an absolute and unqualified moron.

Sugar pills and drops of water are not keeping your UTIs under control.

Homeopath was a recommended career i got from this program at school.
I laughed the rest of the day.

My Mum took me to a Homoeopathic doctor when I was young. I had extreme eczema - and I mean extreme, it covered my entire body, I couldn't smile or laugh without my skin cracking and bleeding. My GP prescribed everything and none of it worked - this went on for 2 years!

The Homoeopathic doctor treated me, gave me pill, I couldn't have anything containing mint or coffee while I was on them. But after a month my skin cleared up This was accompanied by a change in school and a move to my Grandparents in Cornwall (but I spent every summer, Easter and Christmas there anyway). These days I still occasionally get eczema on my eyes (which is a different kind to that which I suffered when I was younger)

So it may not be scientific, or proven, but there's no harm when you've tried everything else. Anecdotal evidence suggests it works for some people.

It would seem more likely that the changes in your life had more to do with it.
Just a thought.

But I stayed their 10 weeks out of the year anyway, and after it cleared up I moved back home and it stayed away

It probably helped, I got away from everything that was happening with my parents (they were in the middle of a nasty divorce) but I was bullied at the new school for not being cornish, which was basically started by the teacher, so it wasn't exactly better. But on the other hand, fresh country air and a much healthier diet probably helped a great deal.

But like I say, I went back to my old life and it never came back.