What is Bacillus Gaertner?

Bacillus Gaertner is a homeopathic remedy. It is a single drug (Homeopathy), not a blend. Its Latin name is Salmonella enteritidis variety Gaertner (bowel nosode), and it is also known as Gaertner bowel nosode.

It starts from a gut germ. The germ is then diluted again and again. At 30C, no source material is left in the pill.

Homeopaths give it for long-term gut, skin and appetite complaints. Trials do not tell it apart from placebo (a dummy pill). Long use inside one tradition is not proof that a remedy works.

How does Bacillus Gaertner work?

No one has shown how this remedy could work in the body.

Homeopathy teaches that a remedy gets stronger as it is diluted. Most scientists do not accept that idea. It does not match what we know about chemistry.

The germ is mixed with water or alcohol. The mix is shaken and diluted many times over. By 30C, not one molecule of the germ is likely to remain.

So the pill has no known action on your gut or skin. Homeopaths say it acts as a signal, not as a drug. That claim has not held up in trials.

What forms does Bacillus Gaertner come in?

It comes as small round pills or soft pillules that melt under the tongue. It also comes as liquid drops in a water and alcohol base. Some homeopaths use it as a single powder dose.

Common strengths are 30C and 200C. Higher strengths mean more dilution, not more material. Bowel nosodes are usually sold through homeopathic pharmacies rather than high street shops.

Where it comes from:

Bowel nosodes come from British homeopathy in the 1920s and 1930s. Edward Bach began the work. John Paterson, a doctor in Glasgow, carried it on and named the group.

The remedy is named after August Gaertner, who described the germ in 1888. Homeopaths have used it since Paterson's day. Its standing sits inside one tradition only.

What does Bacillus Gaertner help with?

• Long-term constipation in children: Homeopaths have long picked this remedy for a child who is slow to open the bowels and has a poor appetite. That is a tradition-based choice, not a tested one. No human trial has looked at this remedy for constipation.
• Poor appetite and picky eating: Old homeopathic notes describe a thin, hungry-but-fussy child who wants fat or sweets. Practitioners match the remedy to that picture. There is no trial support for this use.
• Irritable bowel type symptoms (cramps, wind, loose stools): Some homeopaths use it for cramps, wind and loose stools that come and go for months. Evidence for this is absent. Ongoing gut symptoms need a real diagnosis first, since they can have serious causes.
• Eczema (itchy, dry skin rash) alongside gut upset: Tradition links this remedy to skin and gut trouble in the same person. No study has tested it for eczema. Keep using any cream or medicine your doctor has given you.
• Poor weight gain in children: Paterson's writings mention children who eat well but stay thin. Poor weight gain in a child is a medical matter. Get it checked by a doctor rather than treated at home.
• Restless, anxious mood with gut complaints: The remedy picture includes a restless, easily upset child or adult. This comes from case notes, not trials. There is no measured effect on mood.

Which foods are rich in Bacillus Gaertner?

This is not a nutrient, and no food supplies it.

What are the side effects of Bacillus Gaertner?

• No direct side effects have been shown in trials
• Mild stomach upset or wind from the milk sugar (lactose) in the pills
• A short flare of symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation
• Rare rash or itching from a carrier the person reacts to
• The main real risk: putting off care that works

Good to know:

At 30C the pill holds no source material, so harm from the germ itself is not expected. Reports of side effects are rare and mild.

The bigger danger is delay. Using this instead of proven care for an infection, a child who is not growing, or ongoing bowel changes can let a treatable problem get worse.

How much Bacillus Gaertner should you take?

• Recommended daily: There is no established dose, because no dose has been shown to do anything. In practice, homeopaths give one dose of 30C or 200C and then wait. Pills are usually taken as two or three pillules under the tongue, or drops in water.
• Best time of day: Any time of day. Many people take it on waking, away from strong tastes like coffee or mint.
• With or without food: Usually taken on an empty mouth, about 15 minutes before or after food or drink. This is a custom of the tradition, not a tested rule.
• Time to effect: No reliable effect has been shown, so no honest time frame can be given. Do not wait on this remedy while symptoms build.
• How long to take it: Bowel nosodes are not meant for daily long-term use. Homeopaths often give a single dose and review after four to six weeks. Stop and see a doctor if your symptoms stay the same or get worse.