What is Scarlatinum?

Scarlatinum is a remedy used in homeopathy. It is made from the fluid from the throat of a person with scarlet fever. That fluid holds the germ that causes the illness.

It is a nosode. A nosode is a remedy whose starting material is diseased tissue or a germ.

Homeopaths give Scarlatinum for signs of scarlet fever, such as a red rash and a sore throat. Some also offer it as a way to guard against the illness.

The mix is watered down over and over. At 30C, next to none of the starting material is left. Trials have not shown any effect beyond placebo (a dummy pill).

Long use in one healing tradition is not proof that a remedy works. This page keeps the two apart: what the tradition says, and what tests show.

How does Scarlatinum work?

No one has shown that Scarlatinum acts on the body at all.

Homeopathy rests on two old ideas. The first is "like cures like". A thing that can bring on the signs of an illness is said to clear those same signs when given in a tiny amount.

The second idea is that water can hold a trace of a thing that is no longer in it. The liquid is shaken hard at each step, which is said to make it act more strongly.

Chemistry does not back this up. Past about the 12th step, no bit of the source is likely to be left. So the most likely reasons people feel better are the placebo effect (feeling better because you expect to) and the simple fact that many mild sore throats clear up on their own.

What forms does Scarlatinum come in?

Most people take it as small sugar pills that melt under the tongue.

It also comes as liquid drops in water and alcohol, and as soft granules for babies and young kids. Some sellers put it in "nosode kits" with other remedies.

Common strengths on the label are 6C, 12C, 30C, 200C and 1M. The higher the number, the more times it has been watered down. In homeopathy a higher number is said to act more strongly, but there is no test data to support that.

Where it comes from:

Homeopaths began making nosodes in the 1830s. Constantine Hering, a homeopath, made the first ones, and Scarlatinum grew out of that work.

Scarlet fever was common and often deadly in the 1800s. Homeopaths of that time gave it to sick children and to well children in the same house.

Today it has only a small place in homeopathy, and it is not a first-choice remedy. Doctors now treat scarlet fever with antibiotics, which cut the risk of heart and kidney harm.

What does Scarlatinum help with?

• Scarlet fever (traditional claim only): Scarlet fever is a bacterial illness and it needs antibiotics from a doctor. Homeopaths have used Scarlatinum for the bright red rash, the sore throat and the fever since the 1800s. No published human trial has tested it for this. Using it in place of antibiotics raises the risk of harm to the heart and kidneys.
• Sore throat from strep germs (traditional claim only): Strep throat is checked with a swab and treated with antibiotics. Some homeopaths pick Scarlatinum when the throat is very red and the tonsils are swollen. There are no trials in people for this use. A sore throat with a high fever should be seen by a doctor, not self-treated.
• Attempts to ward off scarlet fever after contact with a sick person: Nosodes are sometimes sold as "homeopathic vaccines". They are not vaccines and they do not build immune defence. No trial shows that Scarlatinum stops anyone catching scarlet fever. If your child has been near a sick child, watch for fever, rash and sore throat, and call your doctor.
• Tiredness that lingers after scarlet fever: Homeopaths may give a nosode when someone has never felt well since an infection. This idea has been part of homeopathy for over a century. It has not been tested in a human trial. Long tiredness after an illness is worth a check-up, as it can have other causes.
• Swollen glands in the neck: Swollen neck glands often follow a throat infection. Homeopathic texts list Scarlatinum among remedies for this. No human trial supports it. Glands that stay big for more than two weeks, or that are hard and painless, need a doctor's opinion.
• Peeling skin after a scarlet fever rash: Skin often flakes on the hands and feet as scarlet fever settles. This happens on its own as the body heals. Homeopaths have used Scarlatinum at this stage by tradition. There is no trial evidence that it speeds the healing.

Which foods are rich in Scarlatinum?

Scarlatinum is not a nutrient, so no food contains it.

What are the side effects of Scarlatinum?

• No direct effects are expected, as there is no measurable substance left in the remedy
• Wind, bloating or loose stools in people who cannot digest lactose (milk sugar), since most pills are made of it
• Rare rash or itch, usually from the sugar base rather than the remedy
• A short flare of symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation; this has not been shown to be real in trials
• Alcohol content in liquid drops, which matters for young children and for people avoiding alcohol
• Delay in getting antibiotics, which is the main real harm linked to this remedy

Good to know:

The pills themselves are very unlikely to hurt you. The risk is what you might not do while you take them.

Scarlet fever and strep throat are caused by bacteria. Left untreated, they can lead to rheumatic fever (an illness that can damage the heart valves) or to kidney inflammation. Antibiotics cut that risk, and sugar pills do not.

How much Scarlatinum should you take?

• Recommended daily: No dose has been proven to work, because no human trial has tested this remedy. In practice, homeopaths most often use 30C. A typical label says 3 to 5 pills for an adult and 2 to 3 pills for a child, taken 1 to 3 times a day. Drops are usually 5 to 10 in a little water. Higher strengths such as 200C are often given as a single dose, then left alone. Follow the label or the person who prescribed it, and never use it in place of medicine your doctor has given you.
• Best time of day: There is no best time. Homeopaths often suggest taking it between meals, and away from strong tastes such as mint toothpaste or coffee. That advice comes from tradition, not from testing.
• With or without food: By tradition, take it on an empty mouth, about 15 minutes before or after food or drink. Food does not change how it works, because there is nothing in it to absorb.
• Time to effect: No reliable time can be given, since no trial has shown an effect. Homeopaths often expect a change within hours to a couple of days. If a sore throat with fever has not improved in 48 hours, see a doctor.
• How long to take it: Keep it short. Most homeopaths stop within a few days once symptoms settle, or stop sooner if nothing changes. If the symptoms come from a throat infection, see a doctor within a day or two rather than waiting to see if the pills help. Do not keep taking it for weeks on end for a problem that is not getting better.