THESIS:
IT IS POSSIBLE TO TREAT CANCER BY USING ONE COMMAND POINT ACCORDING TO THE RULE OF CONTROLLING ACTIONS (KO-CYCLE)

HISTORY OF THE COMMAND (SU, ANTIQUE) POINTS

The Command-Points are special points on the 12 Main Meridians of acupuncture (AP). They also are known as the SU or Antique Points, as they were described in the NEI CHING SU WEN of antiquity. They were regarded by the Nei CHING as basic points: "The 360 points of the whole body have their command in the 66 points of the hands and feet" and "The six hollow organs (YANG) have six important points each: TING, YONG, YU, YUAN, CHING and HO. The five solid organs (YIN) have five important points each: TING, YONG, YU, CHING and HO".

The YUAN point of the YANG viscera is the SOURCE point. It is one point proximal to the YU position. No YUAN/SOURCE Point is listed for YIN Organs, as it is the SAME point as the YU/EARTH Point and is inferred to be present.

Each of the TING, YONG, YU, CHING and HO points is related to an ELEMENT (and to an Element-Point on each meridian) as follows:

	TING Pt.	>>	YONG Pt.	>>	YU Pt.	>>	CHING Pt.	>>	HO Pt.
	WELL		SPRING		STREAM		RIVER		SEA
YANG Mer.	METAL Pt.	>>	WATER Pt.	>>	WOOD Pt.	>>	FIRE Pt.	>>	EARTH Pt.
YIN Mer.	WOOD Pt.	>>	FIRE Pt.	>>	EARTH Pt.	>>	METAL Pt.	>>	WATER Pt.

Note that the progression (>>) from Command position 1 (TING Point at the nail of a finger or toe) to position 5 (HO Point at the elbow or knee) follows the SHENG Cycle for both YANG and YIN meridians.

Note also that for YANG meridians, the Element relating to any given Command position is the Controller in the KO Cycle of the Element relating to the YIN meridian st the same position. For example, at position 1, the Command (TING) point is the METAL Point for a YANG meridian and the WOOD Point for a YIN meridian (the Yang METAL controls the Yin WOOD); at position 5, the Command (HO) point is the EARTH Point for a YANG meridian and the WATER Point for a YIN meridian (the Yang EARTH controls the Yin WATER).

TING POINTS

TING-Points are the points situated at the tips of the toes and the tips of the fingers. TING-Point is the point of the coming of the energy where the Qi comes from outside and goes into the meridian (YIN meridian) or where the Qi leaves the Well-Points, and as a Well the energy there emerges. The TING-Well-point in a YIN meridian is a WOOD point (related to spring, to liver, to wind, and to the Jue-YIN). The TING-Well-point in a YANG meridian a METAL point (related to autumn, to colon, to dryness and to YANG-Ming).

Human TING Points: According to the Essentials of Chinese AP (Beijing 1980), the locations and functions of human TING-Points are as follows:

LU11: Finger 1 (Thumb, radial side, METAL YIN): Cough, asthma, sore throat, epistaxis, pain of fingers, febrile disease, mental disorders, loss of consciousness.

LI 1: Finger 2 (Index, radial side, METAL YANG): Toothache, sore throat, numbness of fingers, febrile disease, loss of consciousness.

HC 9: Finger 3 (middle, at fingertip, FIRE YIN): Cardiac pain, irritability, loss of consciousness, aphasia with tongue stiffness, febrile disease, heat stroke, infantile convulsions, feverish sensation of the palm.

TH 1: Finger 4 (Ring, ulnar side, FIRE YANG): Headache, redness of eyes, sore throat, stiffness of the tongue, febrile disease, irritability.

HE 9: Finger 5 (Little, radial side, FIRE YIN): Cardiac pain, pain in chest, mental disorder, febrile disease, loss of consciousness.

SI 1: Finger 5 (Little, ulnar side, FIRE YANG): Febrile disease, loss of consciousness, lactation deficiency, sore throat, cornea problems.

SP 1 : Toe 1 (Big, medial side, EARTH YIN): Abdominal distention, uterine bleeding, mental disorder, dream disturbed sleep, convulsions.

LV 1: Toe 1 (Big, lateral side, WOOD YIN): Prolapse of uterus, hernia, uterine bleeding, enuresis.

ST45: Toe 2 (lateral side, EARTH YANG): Facial swelling, toothache, distending sensation of chest and abdomen, cold in leg and foot, febrile disease, dream disturbed sleep, mental confusion.

GB44: Toe 4 (lateral side, WOOD YANG): One-side headache, ophthalmalgia, deafness, pain in the hypochondriac region, dream disturbed sleep, febrile disease

KI 1: Sole of foot (between metatarsals 2-3, WATER YIN): Pain in vertex, dizziness, blurring of vision, sore throat, dryness of tongue, aphonia (i.e. not able to speak loudly), dysuria, dyschesia (i.e. problems of ST movement), infantile convulsion, loss of consciousness, feverish sensation in the sole.

BL67: Toe 5 (Little, lateral side, WATER YANG): Headache, nasal obstruction, epistaxis, ophthalmalgia, feverish sensation in the sole, difficult labour.

YONG Qi circulates in the Meridians of the extremities: in the upper YANGs and lower YINs; it starts in the upper YINs and it arrives in the lower YANGs. Accordingly, the TING-Point is where YIN and YANG change into each other; at the finger TING-Points YIN turns into YANG, at the foot TING-Points YANG turns into YIN. The HO-Points are those where the Qi surfaces, or goes into the depth of the body: they are at the knees and elbows.

The physiology of the Command-Points helps us locate the points more reliably, not only by touching the skin and feeling the difference between the point and its surroundings, or by pressing the point and relying on its sensitivity to pain. You can also check the effect on the energy of the meridian, the effect on the pulses, when you just touch and slightly press the point, even before having needled it. In some cases, when you press and relieve the point, you will feel a series of small waves beating against your finger. All these are subjective tests, the last named risking to be too subjective for use.

On the other hand, letting your finger glide over the point will show that the skin there is not smooth but sticky. The Command-Points will be more so than others, and Command-Points which are functioning pathologically and need treatment will be even more so. In this way you can to a certain extent check the correctness of your decision to use the point: this test alone should not make you change your decision, but if it does not confirm your decision it should make you reconsider it.

The sensibility of these points is greater than that of others; you must also take into consideration the YANG or YIN character of the patient (YANG persons are more sensitive). Diseases of the excess type will also give greater sensitivity in the affected points than those of the deficiency type; the surroundings will be very insensitive. The tests and details on the TING-Points here described, goes more for the humans.

In the dog such tests and characteristics is very difficult to do or see. I have failed in using them, and as you will see at the end of this lecture, I find the only way to practically use the TING-points in relation to cancer-therapy, is by pulse-diagnosis or by a detailed anamnesis.

The effects passing along the meridian are both centrifugal and centripetal. Needling will act in both directions, irrespective of the direction of energy flow in the meridian; and changes in organ function will also be transported in both directions, causing changes in meridian function and the functions of other organs.

There is a hierarchy among the points, some having stronger effects than others, and overruling anything that may come from them. This shows in the results of their electrical measurements as well.

Later on in this lecture we will come to the great benefit of using just one needle, and this can be understood from what was just said. The specific actions of the single points also belong to their physiology and can often be explained by their location and their specific role in the functions of the meridian they are situated on. In other cases it is purely empirical knowledge which tells us how the point will work.

In humans there is a definite "crossed effect" in many cases, though not in the same way as in western medicine. This system of crossings is rather complex. One general rule is that points on the upper extremity will act on the same upper limb and the opposite lower one. The same goes for points on the lower extremities. This is not the same as the effects of the crossings of the pyramidal pathways which act in the same way for the upper and lower extremities. There is no explanation for this observation.

For animals, and especially in horse, I have observed that this crossing effect is not the same as in the human. This crossing effect I nearly always find in humans, but very seldom in animals, though some show this crossing effect, in I think 5% of cases. There are, as I have already said, 66 Command-points in all, six on each YANG meridian and five on each YIN meridian. Their names and functions are identical on all the meridians the only difference in effect coming from the different characters of the individual meridians. The similarity lies in their effect on the circulation of energy in the meridian they belong to.

The TING-Point is the most distal one. The word "TING" means a well or hole. This is the point of departure or arrival of the energy; departure on the upper YANGs and lower YINs, arrival on the lower YANGs and upper YINs. The TING-Point of the diseased organ is said to be able to cure diseases accompanied by "fullness under the heart." Another direct connection between the organ or hollow organ and its TING-Point is given by Akabane, whose test method uses mainly these points for diagnosing organ and energy diseases by holding a moxa stick above the point, and examining how long it takes for the point to become painful. In the same way, Voll in his Electro-AP According to Voll (EAV) method uses electrical measurements of these points for diagnosing disease.

The reason why the TING-Point of the YANG meridian is a METAL-Point and related to autumn, is because of the similarities to the processes in nature. In autumn the YANG energy reaches its fulfilment and is transformed into YIN energy which then begins to dominate in the winter. Therefore, the point on the YANG meridian is where it is transformed into YIN meridian,

YIN energy in a YIN meridian is related to the autumn. The same thinking goes for the YIN meridian. The energy of the YIN reaches its maximum in the spring and therefore also the first point of a YIN meridian is related to the spring and WOOD element. It is interesting to remark that the seasonal correspondences in both YANG and YIN meridians go in the SHENG cycle from TING to HO. This means that when the energy emerges a HO-Point and goes on towards the TING-Point, the energy passing the antique points is reverse SHENG. This reminds one of the attack by Cold and Heat, going SHENG - KO - into its own YIN - reverse KO - reverse SHENG; but while the YONG (physiological) energy must be able to do the whole cycle or else a disease will be caused, the Perverse Energy must be stopped in its cycle, because if it is allowed to complete its cycle, death is at the end.

Command-Points can be used in different ways, and these will necessarily lead to the use of different points. Yet these points may influence the energy flow is similar ways, and their effect on the patient will be very much the same (if chosen correctly).

There are several sayings in the Nei Ching about applying Command-Points according to the seasons. For example, WOOD-Points are used in spring, FIRE-Points in summer, EARTH-Points in late summer, METAL-Points in autumn and the WATER-Points in winter. This is usually done in human AP but when I have tried to use just the TING-Points in this seasonal manner, I have not seen any different reactions during the year. Only when the weather has been extreme has there been less effect, but this applies all year round.

According to the Nei Ching it is only in the spring that one should needle the TING-Points. It says, needle the capillaries and superficial skin, stop if blood shows. In grave cases, puncture deeper in order to reach the energy. Puncture TING-Points to YIN meridians and YU-Points of YANG meridians, since these correspond to spring. Also use points of the secondary vessels. In the YANG meridians TING-Points should be needled just in autumn, because that season relates to the element of METAL. The same applies for the YANG TING-Points as does for the YIN TING-Points. I have needled them all the year and I have not seen any differences. I will also mention some other sayings from the Nei Ching about the TING-Points, as follows:

In the winter puncture into the muscles. Winter is a time of energy obstruction. Use drug treatment preferably, herbs and in AP use TING and YONG-Points, but needle deeply and leave the needles there for a long time. You may strengthen by using Ching and YU, the technique for the autumn (mother of winter). In winter both body and celestial/cosmic energies are weakened, and body energy retracts into the depths. You have to draw YIN energy down to the YIN/YANG reunion by needling TING.

The TING-points of the YANG-meridians are all METAL Points

The TING-Points of the YIN -meridians are all WOOD Points

In organic disease needle the TING-Points. Using TING-Points for organ disease you restore the equilibrium of the body parts, especially that of right and left. This is also the treatment of the special meridians. The TING-points are especially related to the organic reactions, and are especially useful for cancer treatment.

As you see from this, The TING-Points are element points and should be needled just solely, that is one-needle-therapy. Otherwise other elements will intermingle and the effect will vanish.

TING-Points should then not be treated as symptomatic points. It is thus most important to grasp the difference between treating the cause of the disease and the symptoms of the disease.

FIVE ELEMENTS: Now, we need to discuss the FIVE ELEMENTS briefly. Two theories dominated TCM philosophy from antiquity: the theory of YIN and YANG and the theory of the 5 Elements. These theories were the basis of Chinese thinking on the philosophy of war, art, politics and every other facet of Chinese culture.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) describes 5 Elements or Phases of great importance for use in and understanding of medicine and acupuncture (AP). The 5 Elements are FIRE, EARTH, METAL, WATER and WOOD. FIVE ELEMENT THEORY is an essential part of classical AP.

Characteristics (or Correspondences) of the Elements include:

Correspondence	FIRE	EARTH	METAL	WATER	WOOD
Yin Organ	HE, HC	SP	LU	KI	LV
Yang Viscus	SI, TH	ST	LI	BL	GB
Season	Summer	Late summer	Automn	Winter	Spring
Growth/development	Growth	Transformation	Harvesting	Storing	Germination
Climate (good/bad)	Heat	Dump, humidity	Dryness	Cold	Wind
Direction	South	Centre	West	North	East
Colour	Red	Yellow	White	Blue-black	Green
Emotion	Joy	Worry	Grief	Fear	Anger
Sound	Laugh	Sing	Sob	Groan	Shout
Orifice & sense	Tongue,	Mouth,	Nose,	Ears,	Eyes,
organ controlled	speech,	taste	smell	ing, anus,	vision,
Body fluid,	Sweat	Phlegm,	Mucus	Urine,	Tears
Manifests in	Face	Lips,	Skin	Hair (head)	Nails

The Elements have many other correspondences, discussed in Classical texts.

Many Chinese philosophers and medical doctors put the sequence in the following way: FIRE, METAL, WATER, WOOD and put EARTH as a transitional ELEMENT, placed between all the other ELEMENTS. As METAL equalizes air in the European tradition, we then get the following succession: FIRE AIR WATER WOOD, with EARTH between each ELEMENT. The forces of EARTH are destructive or transformational: they change or transform each ELEMENT into the next. We then have exactly the European tradition of the following of the ELEMENTS as taught by the Rosicrucians or Rudolf Steiner.

The Elements are related to points, meridians and organs and symptoms (and ALL other things as well)

LU11: Relates to the Lung Meridian. Skin diseases are often related to this meridian.

LI 1: Relates to the Large Intestine (Colon) Meridian and to muscles of the forelimb and shoulder area. Faeces may smell sour and their consistency may vary widely. The case often shows purulent nasal discharges.

HC 9: Relates to the Pericardium (Circulation-Sex) Meridian, which influences the psyche and sexual hormones. The symptoms include changes in sexual behaviour, sweating, nervousness, forelimb superficial flexor tendon problems.

TH 1: Relates to the Triple Heater Meridian, skin microcirculation and especially to mucosae and joint cavities. There tends to be a recurrent sinusitis and the serous fluid in the joints is often too thin.

HE 9: Relates to the Heart Meridian. There can be lameness in different joints, which may alternate from time to time. Although the HE Meridian relates to the forelimb, the lameness may also affect a hind limb.

SI 1: Relates to the Small Intestine Meridian and arteries, especially the larger vessels. The symptoms may be similar to those of HE 9 but are less obvious or less severe. There are often intestinal problems, especially jejunal (colic, pain) and these often arise with change in feeding. This POINT often reacts in forelimb deep flexor tendon problems.

SP 1: Relates to the Spleen-Pancreas Meridian. In humans, this relates to digestion, reproduction, the muscles and the psyche. This point is nearly always indicated in cancer-therapy, but should not be used if you decide on another TING-point.

LV 1: Relates to the Liver Meridian, digestion, food allergies, detoxification, eye diseases, problems of the medial hind leg muscles, also to general musculature and fitness. Its value in therapy is enormous. It is also reactive in allergies (urticaria, food allergy etc)

ST45: Relates to the Stomach Meridian. This Meridian relates to appetite, stomach function, mastitis and stamina in humans. It is very important in cattle (mastitis) but dogs rarely show reactivity at this meridian. It may be reactive in thoracic stiffness .

GB44: Relates to the GB Meridian which relates to the back and head lateral to the bladder meridian, i.e. paravertebral in an area 20 cm lateral to the mid line. It is strongly related to the hip joint and to the area of insertion of the Longissimus dorsi muscle to the tuber coxae. Marked pain sensitivity in the hip or tuber coxae area is usually associated with reactivity of the gall-bladder meridian.

BL67: Relates to the Bladder Meridian and the paravertebral muscles from neck to tail, in the area from the mid line to 10 cm laterally. It relates to the hind limb flexor tendons, especially the superficial flexors. In humans, the BL Meridian is often related to headaches.

KI 1: Relates to the Kidney Meridian. The symptoms include stiffness or weakness of the lumbar area, stifle problems, bone problems (tendency to weakening, fracture, etc), tendency to abortion and a very unreliable (dangerous) psyche.

Anaesthetic block can inhibit or abolish completely the therapeutic effect of needling AP points below the block. Physical damage (by surgery, trauma, abscess, scarring etc) along the course of a meridian can result in functional damage to the organ and meridian path involved. If untreated, such damage can cause organic lesions. Physical blockage by scars etc can inhibit or eliminate the effect of AP point stimulation of the affected meridian, unless the blockage is treated. Removal of this 'Meridian Block' is the basis of Huneke's Neural Therapy and its modern version - scar infiltration with procaine (Dorsch 1970).

FIVE ELEMENT THEORY is an essential part of classical AP. The 5 Element Cycle has a Creative (Generative) cycle (the SHENG CYCLE) and a Controlling (Admonishing) Cycle (the KO CYCLE).

The SHENG CYCLE (Creative sequence) is:

FIRE >> EARTH >> METAL >> WATER >> WOOD >> FIRE,

where >> means nourishes, strengthens or engenders.

In this Cycle: METAL is the SHENG Mother of WATER and FIRE is the SHENG Son of WOOD.

For example the Qi of FIRE nourishes the Qi of EARTH and the Qi of WATER is nourished by the Qi of METAL.

The KO CYCLE (Controlling, Admonishing sequence) is:

FIRE X METAL X WOOD X EARTH X WATER X FIRE,

where X means controls, keeps in check, or admonishes.

In this Cycle: METAL is the KO Father of WOOD and FIRE is the KO Son of WATER.

For example the Qi of METAL controls the Qi of WOOD and the Qi of FIRE is controlled by the Qi of WATER.

Each Element has its YIN solid organ and YANG hollow viscus and a Meridian which controls its viscus/organ (and other functions):

	YIN         		YANG

	(organs)   	 	(viscera)   	belong to

	HE, HC  and 		SI, TH      	FIRE

	SP      and 		ST          	EARTH

	LU      and 		LI          	METAL

	KI      and 		BL          	WATER

	LV      and 		GB          	WOOD

Once again, each Element has its Yang viscus and Yin organ and its meridian functions. These are:

     	               	FIRE     EARTH    METAL    WATER    WOOD

YANG VISCUS        	SI, TH     ST       LI       BL      GB 

YIN  ORGAN         	HE, HC     SP       LU       KI      LV

	                               FIRE

                                 

                                     SI  TH

                                     HE  HC



                     WOOD   GB                   ST  EARTH

                              LV                SP 







                                KI             LU  

                       WATER   BL               LI   METAL

In the SHENG CYCLE, ST is the SON of SI (or TH) and ST is the MOTHER of LI. Similarly, KI is the SON of LU and KI is the MOTHER of LV.

In the KO CYCLE, SP controls KI and BL; KI controls HE, HC (and SI, TH).

Novices need not know these concepts at this point, but they will be used by advanced acupuncturists in selecting the best TING ZONE if more than one zone is reactive.

In cancer therapy it is of crucial importance to use only ONE point and this point is chosen after the sequence of the KO-cycle. The point should CONTROL the cancer.

The diagnostic methods of TCM are very complicated. They and the TCM system of classifying the causes of disease are much different from those used in western medicine. TCM searches for very fine changes in the organism, changes which western medicine does not recognise as of diagnostic significance or changes about which western medicine has not even heard. TCM pays particular attention to changes in the skin and circulatory system. Depending on the location and nature of these changes, the TCM practitioner deduces which organ(s), system(s), meridians or function(s) are disturbed. Some western veterinary acupuncturists use the TCM system but most do not.

Independently of concepts of AP, some western systems focus on the skin and circulation for diagnostic pointers. A German, Schoerler (1955), confirmed Weihe's system of referred pain ZONEs in humans. These ZONEs are almost identical to the location of diagnostic AP points. Nogier (1979), a Frenchman, described a somatotopic arrangement of AP points on the human ear. These ZONEs are related to major organs, structures and functions. They have diagnostic and therapeutic value, via the neurovegetative and endocrine systems. Huneke, the father of Neural Therapy (Dorsch 1970), also described a system very similar to the human AP system. The ZONEs of Head (Head 1893) and the Trigger ZONEs of Moss (1972) and Travell and Simons (1973) also correspond very closely with important diagnostic AP points in humans. Blocking of the cervical sympathetic trunk prevents the appearance of the reflex points on the ear of the dog (Still 1987).

AP incorporates all these concepts, in what is one of the most advanced, complete and systematic schemes of diagnosis. It is based on the location of tenderness, pain or decreased electrical resistance on palpation of specific diagnostic AP points. AP also uses microcirculatory changes in the skin as a diagnostic aid. In man, these changes are indicated by changes in colour, texture and consistency.

In human AP, a Japanese, Akabane, developed a simple but crude test to diagnose which Meridian(s) show abnormal activity. He applied a constant heat stimulus (glowing joss-stick) at a fixed distance from each of the most distal ZONEs of the 12 Meridians. These ZONEs are the TING ZONEs of TCM . The heat source was applied bilaterally (12 x 2 = 24 points). A stopwatch was used to measure the reaction time (in seconds) until a sharp stinging heat-pain was felt. Balanced Meridians show left : right reaction times close to a ratio of 1:1, whereas imbalanced Meridians have ratios < 0.5:1 or > 2:1. Hyperactive Meridians show a marked drop and hypoactive ones a marked increase in reaction time.

Meridian diagnosis has been brought to a high degree of objectivity by the use of electronic gadgetry to measure the conductance at the TING and other measurement ZONEs, as in the Voll technique. However, the Voll and Akabane tests are difficult to carry out and to interpret in animals. Nervous animals may not tolerate the tests. Stoical ones may show sluggish response times.

So far the human methods. In dogs there are to my opinion only following methods to use. (There is of course the possibility to use ALL the "human" methods with a human as "link" between the animal and the measuring apparatus, as I know some veterinarians do, t.ex. John Limehouse.)

a) symptomatic. This can be done from what we know or could be able to know about meridians, their effects, organic relations, organic effects in the whole realm of bodily and cosmic relations.

b) pulse. This should be learned and used as a most important tool.

c) amino acids. Which meridian to use could be decided from which amino acid reacts with an auricular cardiac reflex (ACR) ...??, then associate this amino acid with a meridian, and then chose the meridian to treat in going one step in reverse KO-cycle.

(NB. It is also possible to use the amino acids alone in the treatment of cancer. It seems that the amino acids per se tend to control the cancer. AMINO ACIDS WORK AS THE KO-CYCLE. SEE LECTURE FROM IVAS-CONGRESS 1988).

SCHEME OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ORGANS, DNA-BASES, AMINO-ACIDS AND SOME HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES ACCORDING TO DR. MALCHAIR OF LIEGE.

liver	thymine	glycocolle isoleucine threonine methionine	sulph.,ant.,stannum cupr.,plat.,rhodium germanium,selenium cals.,ars.
kidney	guanine	cysteine tyrosine aspart.acid leucine	bore,carbon magn.,ruthenium argentum,osmium plumb.,silica (...??)silisium
heart	cytosine	arginine tryptophan histidine glutamine	aurum,barium brom,tellur,molybden tungsten,aluminium zirconium,yttrium
lung	adenine	lysine phenylalanine valine proline aspargine	ferr.,cobalt.,titanium nickel,gallium mang.,tantalum,phos. iridium,bismuth.,vanadium indium,merc.,chrom
spleen	uracil	alanine glutamic acid serine	iod,palladium zinc.,rhenium,cadmium niobium

When there is cancer of an organ (or its related tissues), and the related meridian is weak, then use the KO Cycle to treat the TING- Point of the Controlling meridian. For example:

For cancer of the organs and tissues related to	Main organ-meridian system affected	Use the TING of the YIN Controller	i.e. use Ting point *
WOOD	LV, GB	METAL	LU11
FIRE	SI	WATER	KI01
EARTH	SP, ST	WOOD	LV01
METAL	LU, LI	FIRE	HE09
WATER	KI, BL	EARTH	SP01

*and give the amino acids belonging to the affected meridian; amino acids themselves act in a controlling way.

Thus one has to consider only FIVE Ting points (LU11, KI01, LV01, HE09, SP01) to treat cancer in any of the main organs or related tissues. All these are Yin Tings, and all are WOOD points

How to stimulate the points:

(a) Simple needling is my routine method. One can use 16 mm, 25 gauge sterile disposable hypodermic (insulin) needles or special, solid AP needles, 30 mm, 0.3 mm diameter (e.g. the disposable needles made by the Serin Company). For the past 7 years, I used only Serin needles. The needle was inserted to a depth of 10 mm, at an angle of 90 degrees to the skin. Unless the skin is clearly wet or dirty, no attempt was made to sterilize the skin. The needle was left in situ for 15-20 minutes before removal. Placement of the needle by an experienced clinician is fast and easy. However, the coronary band area is very sensitive and clumsy use of the needle in this area can have serious physical consequences for the operator and handlers. Beginners may encounter minor difficulties

(b) The Dermojet is a robust, steel, spring-loaded, high-pressure spray injector. The injection solution may be water, saline solution, procaine- B12 solution, homoeopathic solutions etc. What is injected is usually of minor importance - the stimulant effect on the AP points is obtained by the physical irritation of the ZONE, rather than the ingredients in the solution. The choice of solution depends on the preference of the practitioner. My choice is a procaine-caffeine mixture (Impletol, Bayer).

The Dermojet does not use a needle. Having placed the nozzle on the skin over the selected point, the trigger is released. The solution for injection (0.1 ml) is shot through the outer layers of skin. The instrument is made by ACRA (Pau, France).

The method extremely useful for busy practitioners and for beginners, who may encounter some problems with the needling technique. Treatment time is about 1 second, once the instrument is loaded and the correct point located. The method is ideal for nervous or dangerous dogs.

(c) Thermostimulation is very good. It can be by heat-blistering or the application of a blister ointment. It can also use the classical TCM moxa- stick (shredded Artemisia vulgaris plus other Chinese herbs) burned near the correct point.

(d) Low-intensity helium-neon or infra-red lasers, focused on AP points for 60 seconds, are said to give results as good as needling. Lasers, however, are very expensive and, to date, few studies have compared the efficacy of one type of laser with another. In my experience needling gives better clinical results than laser.

Homoeopathic remedies for the Twelve TING-Points

The following homoeopathic remedies were used, according to the major meridians involved, as described by Lawson-Wood and Rudolf Steiner. The usual dose was 3 pillules/day for 30 days. The pillules were given at the time of maximum effect, following the Chinese Clock: LU-0400, LI-0600, ST-0800, SP-1000, HE-1200, SI-1400, BL-1600, KI-1800, HC-2000, TH-2200, GB-2400, LV-0200.

LUNG	Carbo vegetabilis D12
LARGE INTESTINE	Aluminium metallicum D12
STOMACH	Nux vomica D12
SPLEEN	Thuja CM
HEART	Aurum metallicum D12
SMALL INTESTINE	Plumbum metallicum D30
BLADDER	Kalium carbonicum D6
KIDNEY	Phosphorus D12
PERICARDIUM	Staphisagria D12
TRIPLE HEATER	Silica D30
GALLBLADDER	Colocynth D12
LIVER	Stannum metallicum D6