Homeopathic drugs to preserve books!

Lucknow, May 25 (UNI) After proven efficacy on human beings, homeopathy medicines can now be used to prevent fungal growth in books, old documents and manuscripts -- breakthrough research says.

In the first of its kind study, scientists at National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property (NRLC) have found that certain homeopathic medicines are useful to prevent and remove fungus in books and manuscripts.

Following over-a-decade of reaserch in this regard, certain medicnies had been successfully tested and found to be extremely useful in 'treating' the fungus on the books, NRLC sceintist Dr Shashi Dhawan along with Dr K L Garg, who achieved the breakthrough, told UNI here.

''The paper division of the Lab also studied the physico-chemical properties of the paper and found that the basic properties of the paper would remain unchanged after the treatment by homeopathic drugs,'' Dr Dhawan said.

NRLC, which is engaged in preservation and conservation of historical and heritage buildings through its expertise is venturing into preservation of documents and manuscripts for the first time.

Various drugs were tested during the course of research which had started in 1995. Sulphar Iodatum, Petrolim, Arsenicum and Rumux in different potencies were found to be most effective in the treatment of books and manuscripts, Dr Dhawan, the Head of Bio-deterioration Division of the NRLC, said. She said the findings had already been published and well received everywhere.

Earlier, the fungus on books and manuscripts was treated successfully by NRLC scientists through chemicals but homeopathic medicines were environment-friendly and not harmful in any way, she said in reply to a query. Like homeopathic medicines are environment-friendly, non-hazardous and without side effects in human beings, books and manuscripts will also have no bearings of this off-beat treatment, the scientists claimed.

Moreover, many persons, who have a habit of turning pages of a book by wetting their fingers with their tongue, may find chemicals harmful in some way or another, hence the utility of homeo drugs comes in handy.

Dr Dhawan said the application of homeophatic medicinies was done on plants but its use on books and manuscripts was being tried for the first time.

Tropical and sub-tropical countries like India, where humid weather prevails, the attack of fungus on books is more prevalent. This breakthrough research would go a long way in 'treatment' of books and manuscripts.

The common types of fungi like Aspergillus Niger, Chaetomium Globaosum and Emericella, which are normally harmful to paper materials, can be treated best by homeopathic medicines, the scientists said. Before zeroing in on certain homeo drugs, testing was done with medicinies including Graphites, Merzerium, Bacillinum, Psoranium, Petrolium, Sulphar, Arsenicum Antium crude, they said.

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