Libraries, hospitals and Saul Berkowitz

[Guest guest]

Dear everyone

Dear everyone

First of all, re the comment about the NIMH library. I wish to point out that

this is not a NEW NIMH library but is the existing NIMH library which is now on

loan (with a formal loan agreement) to the CAMLIS (Complementary and Alternative

Library and Information Service) library which is housed at the RLHH.

NIMH has held a library for many years but no-one had real access to it – some

of it was housed in the Preston training clinic while the rest was in various

locations ranging from a store room in the NIMH offices to boxes in various

members’ houses. It is now all safely housed in the new library facility at

the homeopathic hospital and NIMH has arranged for all our members to have

personal CAMLIS library cards so that they can have access not only to our own

library but also to all the additional facilities of the CAMLIS library.

There is a full-time professional librarian, a postal lending facility, on-line

journals, and the valuable NIMH books will be carefully looked after and kept in

a reserve stack and available for reference only at CAMLIS. The library remains

the property of NIMH and in the event of the CAMLIS library being disbanded our

books would return to us. NIMH is in the process of appointing a permanent

Library Committee to work with CAMLIS in building a really strong a reputable

herbal collection.

CAMLIS are arranging for the catalogue of NIMH books to be made available on

line. They are also cataloguing and preserving all the archive material from

the NIMH office so all of us will have access to, for example, Fred Fletcher

Hyde’s notes on treating psoriasis. Plans to link to other library around the

world and to purchase and scan old texts are also being made.

So rather than having this collection of important and useful material sitting

in boxes it will be available for all of us to access and use. The fact that it

is in the same building as the homeopathic hospital is neither here nor there

– the library is an initiative to encompass all CAM and I would certainly hope

to see it grow to become an important resource and centre for education and

research throughout the UK if not the world.

NIMH has taken advantage of an offer of membership of the library and turned it

to everyone’s advantage. The librarian has already ensured that the books

recommended for the forthcoming NIMH conference are on the shelves. Personally

I can hardly wait to make use of it.

With regard to Dr. Saul Berkowitz. Saul is a doctor, he is also a homeopath

and I believe he might be an acupuncturist. More recently he has trained as

herbalist and is a member of the CPP. I imagine Saul undertook all this extra

training because he wanted to provide his patients with the best care he can

offer. It certainly wouldn’t have been because he wanted a cushy life. He has

been treating patients as a herbalist for a little while and this event is the

official opening of the herbal clinic he operates.

Rather than criticising this can’t we look at it as an historic occasion and

celebrate the success Saul has had in making herbal treatment available in an

NHS environment? Is it that we are afraid that this will mean we have no

patients or that doctors will take over? The homeopaths don’t complain because

the hospital exists – they still have patients coming to them. We could

instead see it as an event that will gain media attention and do some of our own

PR off the back of it.

Who knows what the future may bring – it may be possible for other herbalists

to work at that clinic, once we are regulated. It is bound to expand and

surely all things that bring herbal medicine to prominence are to be welcomed.

I think it was who said ‘the writing is on the wall’ well if you

trace that allusion back to its biblical origins you will find it referred to

the overnight toppling of an entrenched power to allow the underdogs to go free

.................!

Anyone planning on attending NIMH conference will be able to see some of the

CAMLIS library facilities including on line resources, journals , catalogues,

and more demonstrated.

Sorry for the length

Best wishes