Homeopathy Materia

Medica The Approach to

Study
This article is written for all of You intending to study
homepathy and who are about to lose confidence facing
such a vast number of homeopathic remedies to be
studied. The effort You are taking is extraordinary, but it is
worth all Your energy being put into the studies of this
subject. Never there will be a human being able to master
the whole, but to be able to practice this method of healing
seriously, we have got to get the picture at least of the
most common remedies.
The best way to understand the importance of the Materia
Medica in homeopathy is by understanding Dr. Samuel
Hahnemann in His teachings as given to us In the Organon
Of Medicine. Let me repeat only a few of His dogmas
although You might have read it already over and over
again.

1: The physicians high and only mission is to restore the

sick to health, to cure, as it is termed.

2: The highest ideal of cure is rapid, gentle and permanent

restoration of the health, or removal and annihilation of
the disease in its whole extent, in the shortest, most
reliable, and most harmless way, on easily comprehensible
principles.

3: If the physician clearly perceives what is to be cured in

diseases, that is to say, in every individual case of disease
(knowledge of disease, indication), if he clearly perceives
what is curative in medicines, that is to say, in each
individual medicine (knowledge of medical powers), and if
he knows how to adapt, according to clearly defined
principles, what is curative in medicines to what he has
discovered to be undoubtedly morbid in the patient, so
that the recovery must ensue to adapt it, as well in
respect to the suitability of the medicine most appropriate
according to its mode of action to the case before him
(choice of the remedy, the medicine indicated), as also in
respect to the exact mode of preparation and quantity of it
required (proper dose), and the proper period for
repeating the dose; if, finally, he knows the obstacles to
recovery in each case and is aware how to remove them,
so that the restoration may be permanent, then he
understands how to treat judiciously and rationally, and he
is a true practitioner of the healing art.

This says, that we are in need for four insights: knowledge

of the disease, indication; knowledge on the medical
powers in remedies; to be able to choose the medicine
indicated; to be able to determine the proper dose.

18: From this indubitable truth, that besides the totality of

the symptoms with consideration of the accompanying
modalities ( 5) nothing can by any means be discovered in
disease wherewith they could express their need of aid, it
follows undeniably that the sum of all the symptoms and
conditions in each individual case of disease must be the
sole indication, the sole guide to direct us in the choice of a
remedy.

105: The second point of the business of a true physician

related to acquiring a knowledge of the instruments
intended for the cure of the natural diseases, investigating
the pathogenetic power of the medicines, in order, when
called on to cure, to be able to select from among them
one, from the list of whose symptoms an artificial disease
may be constructed, as similar as possible to the totality of
the principal symptoms of the natural disease sought to be
cured.

106: The whole pathogenetic effect of the several

medicines must be known; that is to say, all the morbid
symptoms and alterations in the health that each of them
is specially capable of developing in the healthy individual
must first have been observed as far as possible, before we
can hope to be able to find among them, and to select,
suitable homoeopathic remedies for most of the natural
disease.

118: Every medicine exhibits peculiar actions on the

human frame, which are not produced in exactly the same
manner by any other medicinal substance of a different
kind.

120: Therefore medicines, on which depend mans life and

death, disease and health, must be thoroughly and most
carefully distinguished from one another, and for this
purpose tested by careful, pure experiments on the
healthy body for the purpose of ascertaining their powers
and real effects, in order to obtain an accurate knowledge
of them, and to enable us to avoid any mistake in their
employment in diseases, for it is only by correct selection
of them that the greatest of all earthly blessings, the health
of the body and of the mind, can be rapidly and
permanently restored.

If we are not willing to thoroughly follow these rules,

frustration will be ours I do not want to think of what will
be the patients. So let us just accept what has to be
accepted and let us study the remedies available to us.
BUT HOW SHALL I STUDY THE MATERIA MEDICA?
Well, everybody has to find his/her own individual
approach. Perhaps one has to invent ones own method to
study Materia Medica. Have a look to a well-stocked library.
You will find books decribing homeopathic medicines in
poems. You will find books visualizing the remedies in
drawings either in trying to portrait the person fitting to
the constitutional appearance of a certain remedy and
showing physical characteristics together with descriptions
of properties that cannot be painted, or in cartoons that
exaggerate the remediys individualistic effects. Maybe You
can compare a remedy with a person You know well.
There are many methods You can apply, all of them
requiring repetitions over and over again.

And still, You will never succeed in learning Your remedies

well enough without a written Materia Medica. So the
question arises, which Materia medica shall I buy, which
one shall I use? The market is flooded with Homeopathic
Materia Medicas of prime/high/low quality . I started with
two handy books: William Boerickes Pocket manual of
homoepathic materia medica and Eugene B. Nashs
Leaders in homoeopathic therapeutics. Especially the
second mentioned book I found very difficult to begin with
because it compares different remedies in almost every
section. I always forgot what I have read. But even if such
reading is so much frustrating in the very beginning, the
remedies will increasingly visualize in our mind the more
You repeat Your reading again and again (and again and
again).

At this place let me suggest to You to read the following

lecture by Constantine Hering that I found at the website of
Whole Health Now:

http://www.wholehealthnow.com/homeopathy_pro/hering
_1.html .

What I want to do next is to provide You with a list of some

books on homeopathic Materia Medica. Links to online
Materia Medicas follow. The lists cannot be complete. This
is why I want to invite You to give me a note of any book or
link that shall be added here. Do You want to write a book
review to be added? You are welcome to submit it here.
Kindly use the link at the end of the article.

In Your studies, it will be unavoidable that some of Your

questions will remain unanswered. In this case, besides of
asking Your lecturer You are invited to pass by at
hpathy.coms Students
Corner http://hpathy.com/homeopathyforums/ . Tell
everybody of Your important or curious findings, ask the
questions that are not being answered in Your books. You
will learn that studying within a group is much fun and will
carry You through episodes when You are close to give up.
I am much involved in this process of learning, too. And
honestly, with every step forward the paces become larger
and faster. But the finish-line still seems to be as distant as
on the first day.
Dr. H.C. Allen: Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica (12
Volumes): Very detailed. References to the source of the
proving or clinical evidences are given.

Dr. H.C. Allen: Keynotes of the Materia Medica with

Nosodes: Peculiar and characteristic symptoms are
highlighted. Most detailed description of classical nosodes
like Lyssinum, Medorrhinum, Psorinum, Pyrogenium,
Syphilinum, Tuberculinum and others.

Dr. William Boericke: Pocket Manual of Materia Medica

with Repertory (American edition): Among the polychrests
You will find many small remedies. Few mental symptoms.
Good to get a brief overview of a remedy. The book is
handy.

Dr. William Boericke: Pocket Manual of Materia Medica

with Repertory (Indian edition): The repertory can not be
compared with a true repertory.
Dr. CM Boger: Synoptic Key: A handy, compact book.323
remedies with the most important symptoms and main
effects. Characteristic organotropic
connections/relationships and modalities are highlighted.
Footnotes with original quotations from Pure Materia
Medica and Chronic Diseases and others.

Dr. Eugenio Candegabe: Comparative Materia Medica: A

book to help as a guide in differential diagnosis.
Comparisons of mentals and personality structures of
some of the big remedies. Analytical and psychological
view on remedies. References to Kents repertory and
Synthetic repertory.

Card Memorizer: Homeopathic Trivial Pursuit: For

students: learning by playing the game. 500 questions with
reference to the Complete Repertory.

How to Study Materia Medica

Best Way to Teach the Student How to
Approach and Study the Materia
Medica
Read at the I.H.A., Bureau of Materia Medica, June 1929.

By Alfred PULFORD, MD ( homeopath, 1863-1948)

It is the impossible for any mind to remember every symptom of every drug or even every
symptom of any single drug in our materia medica, but it is absolutely necessary that the
successful physician should have an acquaintance with as many drugs as is humanly
possible, and, above all, a knowledge of how to approach and study each and every
proven remedy. No teacher can teach one materia medica, the very best that they can do
for us is to teach us how best to approach and study it, and it is to this end that we shall
attempt to take up this task.

First of all it is necessary, if possible, to find the essential symptom or symptoms which
must be present in EVERY case requiring the remedy under consideration. This, or
these, when found, will be easily remembered. If this cannot be done our next step will be
to find that group of symptoms which is characteristic of the drug under consideration,
which symptoms form the skeleton of the drug upon which the rest of the symptoms are
built. Then we must find as many symptoms as possible of undoubted reliability which
appear under no other known remedy than the one under consideration, and lastly, all
those symptoms for which the remedy under consideration is the undisputed leader. In
this way one studies from the center or heart of the remedy to its circumstance or from its
most important to its least important symptoms. For the rest of the less important
symptoms the repertory will be of the greatest importance.

In prescribing intelligently and accurately the first and most important consideration is a
knowledge of how to approach and study the patient to accurately elicit such symptoms
as are absolutely necessary for the proper selection of THE indicated remedy. This is
erroneously styled how to take the case.

We are going to take up our task today by introducing Aconitum napellus, the
common Aconite, monkshood or wolfs bane. Aconite, which is a deadly poison to the
human, has been eaten by elephants with impunity, showing that animal experiments
with drugs for the purpose of prescribing for the human is useless and of no avail
whatever.

The leading symptom which is a constant companion and requisite to an Aconite case is
AGONIZED TOSSING ABOUT. According to the late DR. T. F. Allen this is essential to a
case requiring Aconite and therefore should always be present when Aconite is indicated
and prescribed. It is the characteristics, the red strand that runs all through the cases
requiring, Aconite. These characteristics or red strands should ever be prescribed upon
alone, unless they occur under no other known remedy or in a case with a paucity of
symptoms, but they will serve in an emergency to point to the rubric in the repertory to
confirm you finding. If it is not the ONLY remedy mentioned the rubric will give you the
most logical list of selected remedies with which to compare.

Our next step is to get a list of those prominent symptoms which are the most constant
from which to form a skeleton, just as one would take the common constant symptoms in
a disease to form a diagnosis.

Under Aconite the skeleton symptoms would be: Agonized tossing about intense anxiety
and restlessness, feat, especially of a crowd or of death, expression of fear and anxiety,
dry mouth bitter taste, great thirst for cold water, full, bounding, hard, rapid pulse, and a
dry hot skin, even during the chill the head and face are hot. Thus we get a skeleton
of Aconite easy to remember.

In relation to other remedies having anguish, anxiety and restlessness, Aconite is one of
degree of intensity just as Mercurius cor. is one of degree of intensity in tenesmus. The
expression of fear is only equaled by that of Stramonium. The fear of a crowd is equaled
by no other remedy. So we note from this, then, that if Aconite removes only the
restlessness, the other symptoms remaining, it is time to stop the Aconite at once and
look for some other remedy for that particular case. Also, when Aconite has caused the
dry hot skin to perspire, it should be stopped at once. A peculiar thing about Aconite is,
that while its taste is bitter to all things, water becomes an
exception. Aconite and Stannum metallicum are the only two known remedies having
bitter taste to everything except water.

Now that we have gotten the red strand and skeleton of the remedy let us take a glance
at those symptoms that are covered by Aconite alone, found under no other known
remedy, so that in cases with a paucity of symptoms we may get a strong clue to the
remedy needed.

We have fear of death in pregnancy; pain in the forehead above the eyes from cold, dry
wind; inflammation of the eyes from the same source; sensitiveness of eyelids to cold air;
tearing pain in teeth aggravated after going to bed; inflammation of the stomach after
cold things; pain in the abdomen extending to the chest during stool; burning pain in
region of umbilicus; involuntary urination with thirst and fear; cutting pain in the chest
after the chill; sense of boiling water poured into the chest; tingling of the foot extending
upward; fever with one check red and hot, the other pale and cold.

The above group of symptoms, as far as known, belong to Aconite alone and are of the
highest grade and therefore characteristic of the drug. We do not remember of their eve
having been stressed or especially mentioned by any one, but whenever and whenever
they occur they are final so far as the remedy goes, as well as important, but they are
only final or prescribing purposes when there is a paucity of symptoms. In such cases a
knowledge of them is very important, also they are important deciding factors when they
occur in cases where two remedies run close together.

Our next group in enlarging the sphere of Aconite will be the symptoms for
which Aconite is THE leading remedy. they are: Delusion that one is about to die;
nervous excitement; fear of death, predicts the day; vertigo, sways to the right; boiling
sensation in the head; stitching pain in eyes from motion; redness of eyes from injuries;
sensitiveness of the eyes to cold air; face fees enlarged; pain in sound teeth; in teeth in
raw, or cold dry wind; blood oozing in the throat; stools looking like chopped spinach;
tension in the bladder; ineffectual urging to urinate in children; inflammation of the ovaries
from suddenly checked menstrual flow; sharp pain in the uterus; palpitation after fright;
sensation of hot water in chest; coldness of the toes; numbness of the left forearm, of the
legs on sitting; fever alternating with chill at night. A knowledge of this group is quite
important, especially in the absence of an available repertory, and very important, when a
repertory is available, as a guide to the proper rubric where other remedies may be found
for comparison.

It is, also, a deciding factor when in doubt about two apparently similar remedies, as a
group of symptoms in which one of the remedies has the most leaders would
undoubtedly fix the choice on that remedy.

The outline of this remedy is by no means final but it is a means of enabling one to find
the proper lead into the heart of the remedy, and it gives the student a proper clue to the
gateway of the path that will lead him intelligently to the goal he seeks.

In the absence of the above knowledge the repertory will be an important factor in the
forget for one moment that the repertory is intensely mechanical and that you get out of it
exactly what you put into it. It cannot sort out and classify your symptoms for you. Many
collect a mass of symptoms, put them through the repertory for their failure. It is just as
necessary to have accurate symptoms to put through the repertory as it is to be able to
prescribe without it.

After the student has learned how to approach and study the materia medica, his next
and most important step is how to approach and study the patient in order to be enabled
to elicit those symptoms peculiar to the patient and his ailment. This is erroneously
refered to as taking the case. You have already taken the case when you have
accepted the patient, therefore taking the case does not mean anything and is a
misnomer.

The greatest factors, then, in the science and art of to prescribing are, first and greatest,
how to approach the patient to study him and elicit only that which bears on his individual
case, in the absence of which knowledge the rest is useless; second, a knowledge of
how to approach and study the materia medica, which is equally as important as the
preceding; and lastly, how to use the repertory. It is our opinion that this latter has been a
little overly stressed, especially to the student early in his career. The majority of the
rubrics are too lean to give any degree of accuracy, therefore more stress should be laid
on the materia medica in order to get a better foundation of the drugs.

A word as to the term similimum. The term similimum to us, does not really mean
anything. It is simply the Latin for MOST SIMILAR. Any remedy may mean to many
minds the most similar whether it be THE indicated remedy or hot, or, in the language of
Pope, Tis with our judgment as with our watches, none go just alike yet each believes
his own. So it is with those who prescribe, each is positives he has found the similimum
(the most similar remedy) yet Nature fails too often to verify their judgment. We would like
to suggest to this body that they cast aside blind precedent and coin the word
SIMILIMUM as a changed form of the English word SIMILAR and defined as THE
INDICATED remedy, which admits of no comparison, and which includes the correct
potency.

We have yet to learn the relationship of the various potencies to the various forms and
grades of disease, as well as to the various temperaments and sensitivities. We must
consider whether the ailment is purely acute, or an acute outburst of a deep chronic
ailment, or subacute or purely chronic in character, and how to apply our remedies to
each. All those phases must be accurately known before we can become, or even
consider our selves, thoroughly masters in the science and in the art of prescribing.

Case

Gall stone colic

Aconitum napellus

Here is a practical application of the skeleton of the drug to a case requiring Aconite. Mrs.
N., age 45, robust and plethoric, a former resident of Cleveland, was the victim of what
her allopathic doctors diagnosed gall stones. She had frequent attack of colic. The best
they could do was hypodermics. It took her from three days to a week to recover from
this treatment. Just before 8 p.m. , March 22nd., the telephone bell range and a male
voice asked if we would make a call on a lady who was suffering severely from an attack
of gall-stone colic. We put a half dozen remedies in our vest pocket and at promptly 8
oclock the gentleman called for us. As 8:05 we were at the bedside of our patient. As we
entered the sick room we heard a pitiful plea for a hypodermic. Here is what we found
and saw: A plethoric, robust woman of 45 years, writhing and tossing about the bed in the
greatest agony; extreme fear and anxiety depicted on her face; calling continually for
water; dry, hot skin; full, bounding, hard, rapid pulse; high fever, etc.

There could be no doubt of the remedy. We put a few drops of the 30x in one-quarter
glass of water and gave two teaspoonfuls without asking any questions. In just five
minutes by the watch she lay back on the pillow and heaved a sigh of relief. Before the
end of 10 minutes she entered into out conversation and her agony and tears gave way
to smiles. We stayed until 8:25 when we left with the injunction that no more medicine be
given until absolutely demanded. At 8:30 we were back home. No more medicine given
than that single dose. We have seen the lady several times since and there she been no
return of the colic.

TOLEDO, OHIO.
Discussion

DR. MACFARLAN: About three years ago I made a re-proving of Aconite but it was only
in the third potency. It is a very quick acting drug. I found two symptoms, referring to
modalities which are very characteristic of Aconite in the third potency. I am only
speaking about the third potency. One of these symptoms, and it has never been
stressed in materia medica, is aggravation after sleep. I have found this much more
indicative of Aconite than of the ophidia. The other modality is aggravation on motion
which is very characteristic. I think it is much more characteristic of Aconite in the low
potency than perhaps of Bryonia. Another indication which I find in the third potency
of Aconite is the fact that drinking increases the thirst. I have never seen this in any
repertory; I got it from practical experience. Drinking water actually seems to increase the
thirst. Aconite seems to have more effect on the rapidity of the pulse than it does on the
fever in the third potency. Also I discovered that when you fail to cover them they stop
sweating. Covering seems to increase their sweat very, very markedly.

DR.C. L. OLDS: I think that Dr. Pulford did not mention one very characteristic thing
to Aconite, as least I have found it such. When newborn babies do not urinate in twelve
or eighteen hours, Aconite will invariably bring about natural flow of urine.

DR. G. ROYAL: I have enjoyed this excellent paper, but there is one thing that he left out,
individualization, which is a corollary of our law. It is just as necessary for the student in
studying materia medica as it is in prescribing. How you are going to teach the student to
approach the subject depends altogether on the individual. Let us take for illustration,
someone comes from an allopathic school. She has had her anatomy her definition, her
pathology, her diagnosis, etc. This is the basis of her viewpoint. This other individual
hasnt had any information at all. He comes as a novice to study materia medica. What
books will he study? You certainly cant give them both the same took.

Let me tell you what my experience is. I would put into the hands of one Dr.
Hughes Pharmacodynamics, and into the hands of the other Deweys Essentials of
Materia Medica. I would say to the one, Read, study, think. Read Hughes through. I
would say to the other, Study Aconite. Dont you read the book.

One of the most important things I learned in college was how to read. The professor
said, Read a sentence, then a paragraph, then down a column, then down a page. He
would say, Royal, I will give you two minutes to read ten pages, and then I will give you
five minutes to tell me what you saw in it.

Individualize your students and give them the information just as you would your patient.
Give them the indicated remedy.

DR.C. M. BOGER: I am going to say some things that are not exactly orthodox. The first
thing is, dont study too much materia medica, and dont study too hard. The thing to do
is to watch, not your approach to the patient, but the patients approach to you. That is the
thing. See how he approaches you.

What is a symptoms complex? A symptom complex is another term for what the women
nowadays call ensemble. It is a co- ordination of certain things. The first thing you want to
do is to get all your symptoms co-ordinated and put in order. This isnt a very rapid
process. Then hunt them out. If your predilections in the line of study are much toward
this remedy or that remedy or some other remedy, you have already prejudiced the case.
You want to look at it from an unbiased standpoint and you cant select a similimum with
your mind already prejudiced as to what the patient should have or shouldnt have.

DR. A.H. GRIMMER: This is a wonderful paper. It is a matter of viewpoint a good deal.
Some of our doctors didnt quite hear what Dr. Pulford was trying to put over, which is the
fact that whether you use the repertory, prescribe inspirationally, or from your knowledge
or materia medica, there are a few points that are essential. The first is the ability to
reject the symptoms that are common to all provings, the symptoms that are common to
diseases, as therapeutic guides. Of course your remedy must have the symptoms that
are related to this disease, but they are not going to be the guiding symptoms for your
individual case. When he spoke of the great characteristics that he spoke of those mental
states, those, rate unusual sensitive characteristics that labelled this case
an Aconite case, or a Belladonna case. I like that point very much, it is the essential
thing. We overload our students, as Dr. Boger says. Give them the essentials; start them
out with the study of sickness; let them known the things that are common to every
sickness so they may known the things that are uncommon. When they learn the
common things the uncommon ones stand out much better and so they understand the
materia medica and are able to apply it better.

CHAIRMAN STEVENS: I would like to ask in speaking of Aconite, how the symptoms
that come under Chamomilla, one check red and the other pale, compare with the one
you spoke of under Aconite. Will you close the discussion, please?

DR. A. PULFORD: Certain children will have red cheeks on one side from hyperaemic
conditions which will pass away, but the Aconite red cheek will not pass away when the
pressure is taken off, and the other cheek will be pale and cold. I have found this to be
true time and again, and it has been a leading symptom in a great many Aconite cases.

Furthermore, I intended to bring out that every remedy has its own individuality. When I
look at Dr. Royal, I dont have to see whether he has gray hair or black hair or whether he
stands five feet; I know him by his characteristics, and each remedy has its similar
characteristics. When our materia medica is fully completed out prescribing will become a
very simple thing. You will see the remedy as you see the individual.

Becoming familiar with a remedy

I don't think
we can hope to commit much materia medica to active memory. One of my mentors
in medical school, Larry Weed, encouraged us to never memorize anything intentionally.
After many years of study I've learnt that the first time I come across something
new, I look it up. The second and third time I look it up, it's easier to know
where to find it. The fifth and sixth times I look it up, I'm pleased to find
that it seems a bit familiar. Eventually the things I need to know daily are
easy to recalland the things I need more rarely are at least easy to find.
My goal in studying the materia medica of a homeopathic remedy is to become familiar
with it, not to memorize it.

Studying along the way

I find it most useful to study remedies as they come up in my practicethat
is, as I'm considering possible remedies ("differentials") for a case. A few
years ago I came across Viburnum when working up a case of menstrual pain attributed
to endometriosis, with cramping pain extending down the thighs. When I repertorized
the case using computer software, Viburnum appeared on the small-remedies and
prominent-remedies weighting of my repertorization. I could have just looked
briefly at Viburnum and eliminated it as a possibility (I ended up giving the
patient Caulophyllum), but taking the time to study Viburnum in the context of
that case helped me to learn the characteristic aspects of it, compared with
Caulophyllum, Cimicifuga, Lilium tigrinum, Sepia, Trillium, Secale, Ustilago,
etc. It enabled me to recognize Viburnum and use it effectively in some later
cases where otherwise I might have missed it.

First things first

The first thing I like to know about a remedy is where it comes from and what
it is made from. Clarke's Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica is a
good place to start. Clarke tells us that Viburnum opulus, or Gueldres Rose,
is a shrub native to Great Britain and Europe. He goes on to tell us that Hale
(of Ohio and Michigan) introduced it as a homeopathic remedy on the basis of
its empirical uses by Native Americans and the Eclectic physicians, and that
H.C. Allen (also of the Midwest) proved it in 1881; so this is actually a North
American member of the genus Viburnumprobably Viburnum trilobum, a species
nearly indistinguishable from the European Viburnum opulus. In Maine, we call
it "snowball bush" for its white flower clusters or "highbush cranberry" for
its bright red berries in the fall (though it is not a cranberry by any means).
It's browsed by deer and moose, and the berries are eaten by partridge and cedar
waxwings, a beautiful bird of the northern forests.
Other good resources for the sources of botanical
remedies include M. Grieve's A Modern Herbal and Charles F. Millspaugh's American
Medicinal Plants (Millspaugh was a protg of T.F. Allen who
wrote Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica). Both are available in low-cost
paperback versions from Dover Books, though lacking color in the pictures. Millspaugh
is strongest on the native plants of North America, Grieve on those of Great
Britain and Europe.

Close relatives and their similarities

I also find it helpful to look at closely related remedies. Viburnum prunifolium
and Viburnum tinus were described by Hale as well, and are ascribed similar actions
though neither has had an adequate homeopathic proving. These are in the family
Caprifoliaceae, along with Sambucus nigra and Sambucus canadensis, the European
and North American elderberries. If you've studied Sambucus, you'll recall that
it's known for its spasmodic action on smooth muscle, especially on the respiratory
tract and gut, and so we might not be surprised to see smooth muscle spasticity
in the Viburnum remedies as well.
The related Viburnum prunifolium is traditionally
called "cramp bark," which should tell us something as well. Often the traditional
empirical uses of substances are interesting to us as homeopaths. The homeopathic
Law of Cure tells us that the any truly effective medicinal action is due to
the principle of similarsso any truly effective traditional use of Viburnum
should be due to a fortuitous homeopathicity. Hale introduced a number of traditional
North American medicines to homeopathic use on this basis; and Alfons Teste,
in France, wrote of this at some length as well. The North American Viburnum
species were traditionally used in "painful spasmodic diseases," particularly
in dysmenorrhea, false pains preceding labor, labor after-pains, and threatened
miscarriage.

Relative section sizes come next

The next thing I do is to take off my reading glasses and look at the symptoms
sections in Clarke's Dictionary of Materia Medica, Boericke's Materia
Medica and/or Vermeulen's Concordant Materia Medica. The reason for
taking off my reading glasses is that I don't want to be bothered with detailI
just want to see the relative sizes of the sections for each body system. I notice
that in Viburnum there is a pretty big section under the "Head," and the sections
on "Abdomen," "Female Sexual Organs," and "Back" are pretty big as well.
Putting my reading glasses back on, and scanning
these sections, I notice that the head section is mostly about head pain and,
in fact, that the whole remedy is pretty much all about pain. The terms "cramping" and "colicky" come
up again and againin the stomach, abdomen, anus, bladder, pelvic organs,
chest and heart, back, legs, and feet, but especially in the pelvic organsthe
uterus and ovaries, related to menses and pregnancy. Boericke tells us it is "a
general remedy for cramps."
I get the sense that the center of gravity of a
Viburnum case would most often be gynecologicalthere's so much about colicky
pain in the pelvic organs, it is the largest single section in these texts by
a long shot. Boericke tells us, "Female symptoms most important ... Spasmodic
and congestive affections, dependent upon ovarian or uterine origin."

Jumping modalities
Modalities [factors that cause a patient's symptoms to improve or worsen] haven't
jumped out at me yet so I go to Phatak's Materia Medica for these, then
I go to Hering's Materia Medica to find some more. I find "worse fright," "worse
sudden jar or misstep," "worse in a warm room," "better for open air," and "better
moving about."

Don't be misled
It is important also to not let the above information mislead you. I recall a
Viburnum case in which the patient presented with asthma as her only present
health concern. She was taking oral contraceptives, started in adolescence for
severe menstrual pain that was now only a distant memory. But she did have "suffocative
spells at night"a symptom in the pathogenesis [disease process] of Viburnum,
as well as its botanical cousin Sambucus. The most important clue to her case,
however, was the description of her adolescent menstrual cramps, now suppressed
on hormonal therapy.

Back to the sources and some more reading

For the pure pathogenesis of the remedy, I like to go to the primary sources the
symptoms from the provings. Allen's Encyclopedia is the gold-standard,
but Viburnum is not included, so I go to my next choice, Hering's Guiding
Symptoms. Hering has 8 1/2 pages on Viburnum, and over 1 1/2 pages are gynecological
symptoms. I read the whole remedy from start to finish a few times, not with
an attempt to memorize anything, but rather to carry on familiarizing myself
with the whole picture of the remedy.

Comparing and contrasting

I take one of the strong symptoms next and compare Viburnum with remedies of
similar known action using my repertories. I look up the strong gynecological
rubrics for Viburnum including the bearing down pains before and during the menses.
I go through each remedy in each of the rubrics, comparing and contrasting how
each remedy compares with Viburnum. I continue this process choosing one characteristic
or strong symptom after another.
Farrington's Clinical Materia Medica is
a jewel at this stage of study. He has two entries for Viburnum comparing it
with Sepia, Caulophyllum, Cimicifuga, and Secale in pelvic pains. As I compare
and contrast, I read the "Female" section in many different materia medica.
The "Relationships" section of the materia medica
is another useful place to find remedies to study in comparison. Boericke and
Clarke suggest comparing Viburnum with Cimicifuga, Caulophyllum, Chamomilla,
Sepia, Secale, Gossypium, Lilium tigrinum, Ustilago, Belladonna, Pulsatilla,
Sulphur, and Calcarea carbonica. Hering more concisely suggests Cimicifuga and
Caulophyllum.

Digested materia medica

Only after I have completed the above process will I go to a heavily-digested
materia medica like Margaret Tyler's Homeopathic Drug Pictures for a "summary
description" of the remedy. I expect to find nothing new here, and I look simply
for a re-statement of the image I'm already forming. If there is unfamiliar material
here, it serves as a nudge to go back to the primary sources to check the symptoms
again.
I'm now beginning to develop an appreciation of
the "essence" of Viburnum. I hesitate to even try to put this into words, because
each person has to go through the same kind of process that I've just described
to gain their own sense of familiarity with a remedy. This is what I ended up
concluding for Viburnum: "spasmodic cramps and congestive, colicky pain."

Familiar friends and relatives

Each time Viburnum (or another unfamiliar remedy) comes up for consideration
in a case, I repeat this process. Each time the process is quicker, and each
time I add a new dimension to my understanding, until this unfamiliar remedy
becomes a bit like a familiar friend or relativewhich happens to reside
in the homeopathic materia medica.

Sidebar:
Materia medica What is it? Why study it?
The term "materia medica" is Latin for "medical materials." In homeopathy, our
medical materials are homeopathic remedies, and "materia medica" refers to the
indications for using these remedies. The term also describes the books in which
these indications are compiled; they are essentially dictionaries or encyclopedias
of homeopathic remedies, giving detailed indications for the uses of these remedies.
The indications of each remedy are discovered primarily
through provings. A "proving" involves the testing of a substance on a group
of healthy volunteers for its effects. The symptoms are recorded and compared
to produce the information that defines that particular remedy. Each homeopathic
remedy has its unique symptom expression and these symptom profiles are recorded
in the homeopathic materia medica.
After taking a patient's case (i.e., interviewing
them and recording their symptoms), the homeopath will analyze this and, by comparing
the symptoms to the remedies in the materia medica, seek to find the single remedy
that best covers the patient's mental, emotional, and physical symptoms.
There are currently some 3000+ remedies listed
in the homeopathic materia medica. This list is continuing to grow as new medicines
are proved for their therapeutic potential on groups of healthy humans.
Familiarity with the keynote symptoms of at least
two hundred of these remedies constitutes the basis of a good professional homeopathic
practice. To practice effectively, homeopaths continually add to their knowledge
base by increasing the numbers of remedies with which they are familiar.

Sidebar:
Studying materia medica. Advice from the NCH Summer School
by Julian Winston

One of the big questions students always ask, when confronted with the sheer
size of the homeopathic materia medica, is, "How do I study this?"
Back in 1987, Jacques Imberechts, MD, of Belgium
was one of the teachers at the NCH Summer School. One day he discussed a methodology
for studying a remedy. This is it: Pick a remedy you want to learn about. On
Monday, read about the remedy in the introduction (the narrative) in Clarke's Dictionary
of Materia Medica. On Tuesday, read the remedy in a materia medica such as
the ones by Boericke or Phatak. On Wednesday, read it in a narrative materia
medica like Kent's work. On Thursday, read it in Hahnemann's Materia Medica
Pura or the materia medica in his The Chronic Diseases. On Friday,
read it in Hering's Guiding Symptoms. On Saturday read it in another materia
medica, such as Allen's Encyclopedia, Nash's Leaders, Dunham's Lectures,
or Farrington's Lectures. On Sunday, write down all you know about this
remedy. What you write is what will remain with you.
A few years later, I heard Andr Saine,
ND, talk about the methodology he suggested: Learn one remedy in depth. (He usually
starts his classes with Lycopodium.) When you have learned that remedy, go to
another. Contrast and compare them (e.g., that one is right-sided, this one left-sided,
that one has an aggravation from heat, this one has an aggravation from cold,
etc.). Andr Saine said that when you've learned about 10 remedies by
comparing and contrasting in this way, the next 90 remedies take about the same
amount of time to learn, because you are looking at contrasts not at detail.
You read a new remedy and can say, "It is similar to remedy 'X' in the time modalities,
but like remedy 'Y' in the cravings." So when you are presented with a case,
you have that information readily available in your knowledge base. And then,
learning the next bunch of remedies is even faster. This method focuses on seeing
the underlying characteristic symptoms of the remedies.
Stephen Messer, ND, DHANP, taught the concepts
of materia medica in an interesting way. He had the class read the materia medica
of a remedy, say Nux vomica, in Boericke's Materia Medica. He then asked
the class of practitioners, "For what conditions would you prescribe this?" When
the list was written, he then asked, "Why this remedy and not another?" The class
immediately began to see the unique nature of the remedy based upon the modalities
(e.g., the headache came on after a night of drinking, etc.).
 Remember J.T. Kent's dictum: "Memorizers have no
perception." You do not want to memorize. You want to understand.

About the author:

Will Taylor, MD, is a board certified family practitioner whose own intractable
case of shingles led him to homeopathy 12 years ago. Since then, he's earned
a reputation as an exceptional teacher. He recently moved from rural Maine to
Portland, Oregon, to chair the National College of Naturopathic Medicine's Homeopathy
Department. He also teaches regularly at the School of Homeopathy, New York.
He is publishing his book on case analysis strategy, Taking the Case,
in monthly installments online at www.wholehealthnow.com.

Main

QUOTATIONS of JAMES TYLER KENT

(1849-1916)
(1900 APPROX)
byPeterMorrell

bowlofcherries,1990PeterMorrell


Advice
1.
Ifhomoeopathydoesnotcuresickpeopleyouare
todespiseit.

2.
Thosewhosaytheyhavetestedhomoeopathyand
itisafailurehaveonlyexposedthereown
ignorance.

3.
Thetimemaycomewhenhomoeopathyofthe
purerkindwillbepopular;butitIsaverylong
timeahead

4.
Savethelifeofthepatientfirstanddon'tworry
aboutthebacteria.Theyareuselessthings.

5.
Thesickareentitledtoexactknowledge,notto
guesswork.

6.
Thediseaseisnottobenamedbutperceived;not
tobeclassifiedbuttobeviewed,thatthevery
natureofitmaybediscovered.

7.
Throwasidealltheories,andmastersofbelief
andopinion,anddwellinsimplefacts.

8.
Thehumanmindshouldnotbeburdenedwith
technicalities.Theydestroythedescription,and
closetheunderstanding.

9.
Whenyouseefailuresyoumaybesurethatthey
arewithinyourself.Ifyouthinkthefailureisin
homoeopathy,youwillbeginyourcorrectionson
thewrongsideoftheledger.

10.
Itisjustasdangeroustosuppresssymptomsby
drugsasitistoremovethemwiththeknife.

11.
Ifyouthinkofcureatumorthenyou
misunderstand,youmayadministeramedicine
whichcureswhatiswrongwiththepatientandas
aresultthetumordisappears.

12.
Youmustaceandfeeltheinternalnatureofyour
patientantheartistseesandfeelsthepictureheis
painting.Hefeelsit.Studytofeeltheeconomy,
thelife,thesoul.

13.
ThephysicianmustpenetrateintotheInner
recessesofsymptoms;theverylifeofthepatient
mustbeopenedandlaidbare,Learnthefears,
instincts,desiresandtheaversionsofthepatient.
Theremedyoftencropsoutthroughthe
affections.

14.
Itwouldseemthatthemostnaturalthingtodois
toremoveexternalobstructions,butIwarnyou,
anythingthatcomesfromwithinmustbetreated
fromwithin.

15.
Neverprescribeforachroniccasewhenyouare
inahurry,takeyourtime.Nevergiveadoseof
medicineuntilyouhaveconsideredthewhole
case.

Materialism
16.
Solongasmanreliesuponthesensestosettle
whatisscientificandwhatisnot,anddoesnot
usehisunderstanding,solongwillhebein
confusion,andscienceswillopposeeachother.

17.
Thetendencyforthehumanmindtorunafterthe
visible,thatcanbefeltwiththefingers,leadsone
toadoptfoolishtheoriesliketheBacteriadoctrine
andthemoleculartheory.

18.
Thefinestvisibleobjectsarebuttheresultsof
thingsstillfiner,sothatthecausesrestwithin.

19.
Everyfeaturewhatcanbeseen,thatcanbe
observedwiththeaidofthefinestinstrumentis
buttheresultofdisease;butthecauseofdisease
isamilliontimesmoresubtlethantheseand
cannotbeseenbythehumaneye.

20.
Thephysicianwhothinksinquantitiesonly.has
suchacrudemindthathecannotrealizethetrue
homeopathy.

21.
lfwehavematerialideasofdiseasewewillhave
materialideasofthemeansofcure.

22.
Therationalmindcangofarbeyondtheideaofa
molecule.

23.
TheouterworldIstheworldofresults.Theinner
world(ofcauses)isnotdiscoverablebythe
sensesbutbytheunderstanding.

24.
Therearetwoworlds,theworldofthought,of
immaterialsubstance,andtheworldofmatteror
materialsubstance.

25.
Thereisaninnermosttoeverythingorthe
outermostcouldnotbe.

26.
Theexternalmanisbutanoutwardexpressionof
theinternal,sotheresultsofdisease
(ie,symptoms)arebuttheoutwardexpressionof
theinternalsickness.

27.
Allmatteriscapableofreductiontoitsradiantor
primitiveform.

26.
Apianotunerhasrestoredharmonytoapiano;
hasaddednothingtoit,nortakenanythingfrom
It;yethasrestoredittoharmony.Achangethatis
unknowntoonewhodoesnotthinkbeyondwhat
isvisibletotheeye.

Vitalism
29.
TheVitalForcedominates,rulesandcoordinates
thehumanbody.

30.
TheVitalForceholdsallinharmony,keeps
everythinginorderwheninhealth.

31.
Theprimitivesubstance,orRadiantformof
matter,isjustasmuchmatterasmatterinits
aggregateform.

32.
TheSimpleSubstanceisthemeansof
identificationInnature.Themineral,theoak,the
wheat,areallidentifiedbytheirprimitive
substance,andexistonly,becauseoftheir
PrimitiveSubstance.

33.
Primitivesubstanceabidesineverythingthat
forms,grows,feedsorhasIndividualityor
identity,Itisthatwhichultimatesanexterior
formsuitabletoitsownexistence;whatcauses
theAconiteplanttoheAconiteandnothingelse
totheendoftheworld.

34.
Thereisnocellortissuesosmallthatitdoesnot
keepitssoulandlifeforcewithinit.

35.Thesignsarevisible,yettheinnerEssenceis
invisible.

36.
Thatwhichwecalldiseaseisbutachangeinthe
VitalForceexpressedbythetotalityofthe
symptoms.

37.
DynamicwrongsarecorrectedfromtheInterior
bydynamicagencies.

38.
Mancannothemadesickorbecuredexceptby
somesubstanceasetherealInqualityastheVital
Force.

39.
Wedonottakediseasethroughourbodiesbut
throughtheVitalForce;likewisewithatruecure.

40.
WemustrememberthattheVitalForceIssimple
substance,andthatwhichcuresmustalsobe
simplesubstance.
41.
Wepotentiseourmedicinessoastorenderthem
simpleenoughtodirectlyinfluencetheVital
Forceitself,tohedrawnin,sotospeakbyits
influx.

42.
AninflamedliverIsnotthedisease.TheliverIs
notthecauseofItself.Itisunderthecontrolof
theVitalForceanditbecomeswhattheVital
ForcemakesofIts

43.
TheIdeathatanorganliketheliver,whichIs
underthecontroloftheVitalForce,isabletoset
upadiseaseitselfandtherebymakethepatient
sickispreposterous

44.
ThedoctrineoftheVitalForceisnotadmittedby
theteachersofphysiologyyetwithoutthevital
force,withoutsimplesubstance,,withoutthe
internalaswellastheexternal,therecanbeno
causeandnorelationbetweencauseandeffect.

Susceptibility
45.
Iftherewerenochildrenintheworldsusceptible
tomeaslesthenwewouldhavenoMeasles.

46.
Susceptibilityispriortoallcontagion,Ifan
individualisnotsusceptibletoSmallpoxhe
cannottakeit,andwillnotreceiveitthoughhe
goesneartheworstcases,oreatsasmallpox
crust.

47.
Thinkhowsusceptibleamanistodisease,when
theRhusvinewillpoisonhimwhenheisonthe
windwardside,halfamileaway!
48.
Anindividualmaybesusceptibletonothingelse;
gross,coarse,vigorousinconstitution;yetthereis
onethingheissusceptibleto,andthatiswhathe
needs.

49.
Whenapersonbecomessick,hebecomesliable
toacertainremedy,whichwillaffecthiminits
highestpotency;whileuponahealthypersonit
willhavenoeffect.

50.
Maninsusceptibletoallthingscapableof
producingsimilarsymptomstothosewhichhe
alreadyhas.

51.
SusceptibilityexistsintheVitalForce,notinthe
tissues.

52.
Susceptibilityisonlyanameforastatethat
underliesallpossiblesicknessandallpossible
cures.

53.
Ifamanwereperfectlyhealthyhewouldnotbe
susceptible.

Mechanisms
54.
TheoldPhilosopherswereengagedinconstant
controversy,hereconverging,herediverging.If
theyhadonlyknownsomethingofSimple
Substance,asdoesthehomoepath,theywould
havehadconfirmation.

55.
Homoeopathyisanappliedsciencenotatheory.
56.
ItIsnotamatteroftheoryorbelieforopinion;
wemusthavesomethingmoresubstantial.
Homoeopathymustrestuponfacts.

57.
Weowenoobediencetoman,noteventoour
parents,afterweareoldenoughtothinkfor
ourselves.WeoweobediencetoTruth.

58.
Aprejudicedminddecideswithoutwisdomthe
wayhewantstohaveit.

59.
MantodayIsdestroyedastohisinteriorssothat
truthlooksasblackassmokerandfalse
philosophyasbrightasthesun.

TheCureProcess
60.
Thelawofsimilarsisthelawofsimilars,whether
producedbydrugordisease.Itisthelawof
Influx.

61.
Itisinconsistentandirrationaltobelievethat
thereareseveralactivediseasesinthebodyatthe
sametime.

62.
Matdoctorshavegonecrazyoverthevicious
Microbeasbeingthecauseofdisease,andthink
thelittlefellowsareexceedinglydangerous.Asa
matteroffacttheyarescavengers.Shortlyafter
deathaprickwithascalpelisaseriousmatter,
butwhenthecadaverhasbecomegreenandis
filledwithbacteria,Itiscomparativelyharmless.

63.
Themicrobeisnotthecauseofdisease.We
shouldnotbecarriedawaybytheseidle
allopathicdreamsandvainimaginations,but
shouldcorrecttheVitalForce.

64.
Thephysicianisnotcalledupontocurethe
resultsofdisease,butthediseaseitself,All
pathologicalchangesmustberegardedasthe
resultsofdiseasesincealldiseaseIsdynamic.

65.
Homoeopathycausesaggravations;ittouchesthe
verysecret,Itrelatestothepatient.Alldisease
causesexistinthisrealm.

66.
Howitisthatbreadandmeatnourishthehuman
bodywecannotsay,Howthehomoeopathic
remedycuresthediseasewillneverbeknown,
butthedirectioninwhichlifeflowsintothebody
andthedirectionofcurecanbeknown.

67.
Thedoctrinesofallopathyarekaleidoscopic,
changingeveryyearandneverappearingtwice
alike.

68.
Thereisnosuchthingasoneorganmaking
anothersick.Thedisorderinthestomachcomes
fromthecentreandlikewiseadisorderedliver,
theydonotmakeeachothersick.

69.
Itiscontrarytoallscienceandlogic(except
allopathicmedicine)tosaythatanythingthat
existsisitselfacauseofitselforiscapableof
workingchangeswithinitself.

70.
Alldiseaseflowsfromtheinnermosttothe
 outermostandunlessdrugsubstancesare
preparedinaformtodothistheycanneither
producenorcuredisease.

71.
Workbytheremedymustbedonefromwithin
out,inordertohealthepatient.

72.
Whenoldsymptomsreturnthereishope,thatis
theroadtocureandthereisnoneother.

73.
Itisnotfromexternalthingsthatmanbecomes
sick,notfrombacterianorenvironment,butfrom
causeswithinhimself.

74.
UnlesstheInnernatureoftheremedy
correspondswiththeinnernatureofthedisease
(patient)theremedywillnotcurebutsimply
removethesymptomsthatitcovers;thatis
suppressthem.

75.
Thehealthierthepatientbecomesthemore
likelihoodthereisforaskineruptiontoappear.A
cureprogressesfromwithinoutwards.

76.
Onceamedicineisstrippedofitsgrossnessby
potentisationandplaceduponthetongue,itwill
betakenintotheeconomyinstantly.Ionce
travelledathousandmilestoplaceadoseof
Zincumonthetongueofaparalysedwoman,who
feltitseffectsinlessthan60secondsandinsix
weeksherparalysislefther!

There is no road to the practice of homeopathy whether it is the clinical road or the
symptomatic road which does not entail close and constant study of the Materia Medica.
J.H.Clarke, The Prescriber.
Materia Medica is the reference material for our remedies and their therapeutic actions.
They have been compiled originally from the provings done by our homeopathic masters.
Hahnemanns Materia Medic Pura (1827) was his recorded notes of observations of the
reactions by provers. His later editions included his person observations and those of his
colleagues. There have been many authors of different Materia Medica through the history
of homeopathy. Some of the more notable are Boerickes Materia Medica, Clarkes
Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Herings Guiding Symptoms of Pure Materia
Medica, Allens Encyclopedic of Pure Materia Medica. Farringtons Clinical Materria
Medica. Bogers Synoptic Key Phataks Materia Medica and Vermuelens Prisma. There have
litteraly been hundreds of other Materia Medicas written in addition to these. Each has the
authors own particular view and notes about the remedies.
The most important Materia Medica you can have is one that you have created yourself
from your own personal observations. This Materia Medica will be the one that you have
personal experience with and in the end will guide you better than any other. During the
time that you are creating your own Materia Medica we are blessed to have the benefit of
all of the others. There are ways to use Materia Medica that will benefit you greatly and
ease the job of remedy selection.

H.A. Roberts may have said it best in Principles and Art of Cure, The approach to the
study of the case and the approach to the study of the materia medica are essentially the
same the materia medica is the fascimile of the sickness.
Before any Materia Medica investigation should occur you should have a very clear
understanding of the case before you. Selecting the remedy is always academic once we
know what is asking to be healed. If we do not have this all of the Materia Medica in the
world would not help us or guide us to the correct remedy.

Those Materia Medicas that have the word Pura in their title are mostly from the word and
observations of provings. These are usually organized in text form and will require read
thoroughly to find information that may be useful about a particular aspect of the remedy.
But the overall picture of the energy of the remedy is probably preserved best in this form.
More modern provings are usually written in a more organized form (thank you Jeremy
Sherr) with themes of the remedies listed. These types of Materia Medicas are very useful
also.
The Materia Medicas that have been written with the authors own observation with
toxological and clinical observations are usually condensed and organized by body parts
with an introduction in the beginning and cases and observations at the end. Reading the
main introduction will give a quick overview of the remedy. The authors have usually done
a very good job of presenting the main aspects of the remedies here. The remedy that is
most indicated in a case will nearly always correspond with something written about its
primary action and the general themes of the remedy. This section is very useful in getting
the best overall understanding of the remedy.

Particular symptoms can be found in the mind and body parts sections. Most authors have
the main symptoms or those that best describe a particular aspect of the remedy in bold.
These are usually called keynote symptoms.When we look over all of the bold text of all of
the sections it will usually give a very good overview of the action of the remedy. Do this
with every investigation of Materia Medica. You will learn very much about the individual
actions of the remedy. When there is a theme it is usually confirmed within the mind
section as well. Sometimes the mental symptoms are either too few or vague. But when you
have a very clear picture of the major sensations of the physical symptoms, the mind
section can be expanded to include how this energy would be expressed mentally as well.
One of my favorite Materia Medicas is by Frans Vermuellen. He has organized
the Prisma and the Synoptic 2 Materia Medicas in a new and novel way. His first reference
to the remedy is by a quote or poem. These form a kind of essence of the remedy. I have
found them to be very accurate. His second part of the remedy has to do with the specie of
the plant or animal or the chemical composition of a mineral. These descriptions tell very
much about the remedy. In another, more technical way, they tell about the essence of the
remedy as well. He will then talk about the features of the substance, its properties, uses,
alchemy, mythology and lore, what its name means and more. This part of his Materia
Medica I find the most useful information about the substance. It will shed more light on
understanding the remedy than just the proving or observations alone. The next section
are highlights of important themes of the remedy and examples that highlight the
particulars symptoms. The clinical section is really very small by comparison. Boericke,
Phatak, Farrington and Bogers Materia Medicas will shed much more clinical light on the
remedies.
I often pick up a Materia Medica and open it to any remedy and read about it. Even
remedies that I am more familiar with I will reread about. There is always something that I
have not see before. This may seem like a redundant exercise but really is very useful. I
find that I will have a case before me and remember about having read about a remedy
with this particular symptom. I will usually not remember the remedy by name but will
know it exists. Then it is like a treasure hunt where investigating all of the possible
remedies will prove very useful and when I find that one passage it will usually drive the
remedy into my memory. Then I have it forever.

All diseases known to man have their likeness in Materia Medica, and the physician must
become so conversant with this art that he may perceive this likeness. J.T. Kent Lectures
on Homeopathic Philosophy.
Pick up your Materia Medicas and open them. Read from them daily, if only for a few
minutes. Investigate the remedies for your case from them. As Kent says the likeness is
there. We simply must find it.

fter 25 years as a homeopath it is a good idea to assess what I have learned about
homeopathy and healing. Ive condensed it down to the top 15 most important things I have
learned that all of my homeopathic work is built upon. Here they are in no particular order.

Always set your intention Before starting a case it is vitally important to stop and
set your intention. This is a moment to align yourself with your higher self, G-d or
whatever spiritual guides you prefer. It will align your energy and make yourself
available to help from higher powers. It will settle your mind and help you be more
present. It activates your imagination, as well as your intuition. You will see more,
hear more and understand more about your client.
Let go We are our own worst enemies when it comes to doing homeopathy. Our
thoughts of doubt, worry, will I find the right remedy?, do I understand what is really
asking to be healed, is it this remedy or that remedy, all combine to doubt and pulling
us away from knowing. When you find that your monkey mind is going it is time to
stop it and let go. Knowing will rise when the internal chatter of our own story fades
away. It is perhaps the most difficult thing to do, but by far the most rewarding. Your
intuition will turn on and you level of knowing will increase dramatically.
Always ask for help As you set your intention and align with higher powers it
opens a door to higher spiritual help. Once the door is open we need to step through
and ask for help. There are an infinite number of helpers in the spirit world ready and
willing to help. They will not interfere unless asked for help. It is the quickest way to
get out of our own way, especially when we are stuck.
We are not the healers The only person who can heal is the person doing the
healing. As a homeopath we are a part of a persons process in healing, but the net
effect is that the remedies we prescribe act only as an inspiration for a person to heal.
It is between them and G-d as to how, why and when they heal. Once the remedy is
given it is out of our hands until the next time to observe and access their healing
process.
Always expect a miracle When a remedy is given, give it with such clarity and
surety that you can expect a miracle. Why not expect a miracle; it is always entirely
possible that healing could be nearly instantaneous. After all, the instant the vital
force recognizes the remedy, the healing response begins.
Not everybody heals This is a brutal and sad fact. Even with the best homeopathy
not everyone will heal. It is good to temper our expectations when we see that
expected responses do not happen. Always continue to search for a better remedy.
Always do your best. Sometimes even our best is not good enough to save another.
 Always temper our disappointment If we experience a person who does not heal
then we should not take this so personally if we have done our very best and know
this. What more could anyone expect of us? When failures come keep your head high
and keep looking forward. Do your best to temper the disappointment.
Our failures are our biggest teachers Homeopathy is such a vast and deep science
and art that we will never stop learning. It is not through our successes that the
biggest learning opportunities lie. It is through our failures that we can always learn
more. It is not that we should rejoice in our failures but greet them with humility and
search for the deeper causes of our failure. In this we will always learn more.
There is NO case without knowing what is asking to be healed If we do not fully
and deeply understand our client and, by its essence, know what is asking to be
healed, we will seldom find the correct remedy. Always search for the knowing-ness
and confirm it with your client that which is asking to be healed. You could never find
the correct rubrics or remedy without knowing this first.
Mental illness is not easy to cure It seems because we have free will and the
ability to choose, including our thoughts, mental illness that is deep is sometimes very
hard to cure. Mental symptoms are important in all dis-ease expressions, but pure
mental illness is a deep state of disease that is sometimes hard to cure. There may be
improvements but the complete annihilation of the disease is very difficult.
Some cases are very complex and need more than one remedy at a time to inspire
the best healing response This seems like it is against everything Hahnemann has
taught in the Organon., and it may well be. I am not suggesting complex, over the
counter remedies and a shot gun approach. I am suggesting that it is possible that two
states of being are equally present in the dis-ease picture and two or possibly even
more remedies are required to inspire the biggest vital force response. This is not true
in all cases and most often only a single remedy is necessary. But when the dis-ease is
complex and different remedies are clearly indicated, the person will respond better
to both remedies when taken at the same time. Great care and clarity must be had to
do this accurately and effectively.
Some people are VERY sensitive to homeopathic remedy energy When you see that
the persons response to the remedy is very strong and they respond in more acute or
violent ways, we must dilute the remedy or change potency scales. We can do multiple
dilutions in the same potency and it will soften the response. Or we can change to the
LM potencies and put them in water. Or sniff the remedy. Or simply hold the remedy.
Homeopathy is powerful medicine and for sensitive individuals we must respond
appropriately. We have many ways to mitigate and work with their sensitivities and
still inspire the vital force to heal.
Staying current is the highest expression of health By staying current I mean
current with the ability to respond to lifes challenges. When we are challenged we do
not always have instant answers or solutions to our dilemmas. But staying current is
still the challenge. If we do not look deeper to gain the knowledge or wisdom of our
challenges they will eventually find another form of expression in dis-ease. Staying
current means we are doing our best to always find our happy place and resolve the
conflicts that are always rising. It is through these challenges that the roots of dis-ease
can take hold.
Healing takes time- Even though we expect a miracle we do not always see one
appear. Healing takes time. It is through time that we acquire knowledge and wisdom.
This is our spiritual opportunity for growth. If we were always suddenly shifting we
would not have the same opportunities to grow. Healing takes time.
Learning should be fun We retain much more information when we have an
experience to hook it to. The emotional state of our being while we are learning will
determine how much we retain and understand. When we are in a happy, easy, fun
place, it sparks our interest and we open up to learning much more. We will retain
more and have easier access to information in our minds. When we study homeopathy,
open up and make it fun. This is when your time will be most usefully used to learn.
Make it fun.
I hope this is helpful to all of you. If there is something that you have learned and would
like to share, everyone will benefit. Please share below.
We can learn much from the old and new masters. Here are a few of my favorite quotes.

The simillimum (curative remedy) releases reactive power strong enough to re-
establish harmony which in turn is capable of sweeping away almost any morbid
condition. (C.M. Boger)
Repeat the dose until an effect is produced better or worse, then stop. (Erastus
Case)
A profane man can have no more idea of the sentiments of a gentle, highly religious
woman, than can a lobster. (J.T. Kent)
In bad hearts, high potency may give a bad reaction, it may be necessary to use the
tincture. (Grimmer)
We have no long acting drugs; the action is immediate, continued favorable
condition depends on the quality of the vital force and its harmonious action. (H.A.
Roberts)
If the symptoms for which a remedy is given are removed and a new symptom
appears, with hold the hand if you wish the case to go on to recovery. (Lippe)
Susceptibility exists in the vital force, not in the tissues. (J.T.Kent)
Ultimately the constitutional peculiarity is bound to reveal itself in a form pointing
to its remedial counterpart. Nature calls for relief in her own langauge which it
behooves us to learn properly. It is contained in the symptom picture but many times
we are forced to look for it elsewhere. (C.M. Boger)
On uterine Contractions and Pulsatilla It will often cause in five minutes a very
strong contraction of the uterus, sometimes almost in a painless way. (J.T.Kent)
Never leave a remedy until you have tested it in a higher potency if it has benefited
the patient. (J.T.Kent)
Do not dip into a chronic state when dealing with an acute condition, and vise
versa. (H.A. Roberts)
Why prescribe for a part of the patient when you have the whole patient with you?
The patient was sick before the glands were. (Hayes)
Some have been confused by primary and secondary effects of medicine. You need
not worry over this. You only need to know that certain symptoms follow each other.
Primary and secondary action reverse themselves in different individuals. (J.T.Kent)
The constitutional remedy is found by a series of symptoms absolutely new to that
patient. (C.T.Boger)
There is no better evidence of the good action of remedy than mental
improvement. (J.T.Kent)
Keep a symptom, dont follow a remedy. (H.A. Roberts)
In a cure, the discharge may not come back at the original place but from some
other mucous membrane. (G. Miller)
The bond between two miasms can be broken only by a prescription that will meet
the totality of the most active one. (J.H. Allen)
All maladies which show skin eruptions are always present internally before showing
local symptoms externally. (S. Hahnemann)
Dont leave your inter-current remedy too soon, it may be the curative remedy.
(F.E. Gladwin)
Look for the picture of the chronic following recovery from an acute condition.
(H.A. Roberts)
If we could accept opinion we should have to go back to Allopathy, because we find
there only a record of mans experiments; a mass of heterogeneous opinions. (J.T.
Kent)
Man must be studied as he is, as he was, everything of man and of the human race
in general, in order to understand disease. (J. T. Kent)
 Minutes or hours in acute; days, weeks, or months in chronic diseases, never repeat
while amelioration holds. (M.L. Tyler)
The principle of Homeopathy is applicable to any range of potency. (C.M. Boger)
Hahnemanns central idea is fundamental that the further an outstanding symptom
seems removed from the ordinary course of disease, the greater is that symptoms
value in determining the remedy. (C.M. Boger)
If you love homeopathy, it will love you. Such is natural charity. (J.T. Kent)
It is impossible to learn homeopathy except from a master. (G. Miller)
The homeopathic principles, when known, are plain, simple, and easily
comprehended. They are in harmony with all things known to be true. (J.T. Kent)
When you make failures you may be sure that they are within yourself. If you think
the failure is in homeopathy you will begin your corrections on the wrong side of the
ledger. (J.T. Kent)
It is always a good to be reminded of the truth in homeopathy. Many masters have given us
real pearls of wisdom and truth. Hold these close and you will have many more successful
cases.

How to remember homeopathic medicine

and their symptoms:
How to remember/ study material
medica

An illustration of anacardium patient having 'two wills'

Homeopathic material medica is very vast subject. It is

impossible to remember all symptoms from all homeopathic
medicines. I have seen many practitioners & students finds
difficulty in remembering homoeopathic material medica. Even our
mentor Master Hahnemann had also accepted that fact.
Luckily there are many ways to remember these symptoms,
of course not all symptoms from all medicine!!!
 Yes we can use repertories for finding similimum medicine,
but even repertory has its own limitation. Repertory and materia
medica are complementary to each other; they both need to study
thoroughly. A homoeopathic physician must have knowledge of
medicines.
When I was student I found very difficult to remember
symptoms, & symptoms of medicine were going to mix with
another medicine! Back then I learn few tricks. First of all I studied
constitutional symptoms and then I find person (friends & family
members) who has exact same constitution! & consider that
patient is of that remedy! For example I have a friend whom has
tall height, slender in body, dark in complexion somewhat like
Bryonia Alba! So whenever I need to recall bryonia I simply
remember his constitution.
Sometimes I try to compare mental symptoms to different
persons. This helps me to remember medicines. Alright lets see
different ways to study homoeopathic materia medica.
Anatomical schematic method: It is a very systemic way of
remembering materia medica. We can remember symptoms in
arranged anatomically; i.e. head to toe. By the way our master
Hahnemann also used to study this way!
Physiological method: We can remember symptoms by
observing medicines physiological actions on healthy human
being.
Key-note method: By this way we see only characteristic
symptoms of each medicine. It is very easy way we need to just
remember characteristic symptoms of remedies which is very
during finding similimum.
Therapeutic method: We all know that drugs posses the power to
cure the symptoms of different diseases from their pathological
changes. Thus we can remember symptoms or can study drugs
from its curative power & drug pathogenesis. Lets see an
example; various drugs have property of producing & curing the
continuous type of fever like bryonia, baptisia, acid phos,
gelsemium etc. So, this method is very useful in day to day
practice. By the pathological changes we can remember many
drugs.
Comparative method: This is my favorite one! Believe me it helped
me not only remembering one or two medicine but a lot of! This
method deals with comparison of different medicine with their
similar or dissimilar symptoms. There are many levels that you can
compare medicines.
 Disease level- Comparison of various drugs indicated in
particular disease. For an example: A state of collapse but wants
to be fanned all the time- Carbo veg is a remedy. If craves fresh
air, skin felt cold yet desire to be uncovered Camphora & Secal
cor are remedies. Cold & bathed with cold perspiration Veretrum
Alb is the remedy. But all these symptoms described above are
found inMedorrhinum! See? By that way you can remember more
medicines.

Symptomatic level- Comparison based on various symptoms. For

an example; burning, when ameliorates by cold application the
medicine is sulphur but burning, when ameliorates by cold
application with objective feeling of coldness then medicine is
Secal Cor. And this method was used by great homoeopathic
physicians which are Hering, Kent & H.A. Robert!

Organ level- Drug resemblances to each other in their drug

pathogenesis are compared to each other i.e. cina, chamomilla,
bryo.
Rhus tox, silicea at the method of study should be adopted only
after acquiring a through knowledge of the individual drug. And this
method got applied by Dr.Farrington & Dr.Gross.

Classes level- Well this method is quiet useful to remembering

homoeopathic materia medica. In this method we can get some
classes like various kingdoms, chemical groups, botanical families,
nosodes, insects remedies etc. Certain groups or classes have
similar symptoms.

Picture method: It is easy and better way to remembering

symptoms from medicine. It is fact that we remember or learn by
visual or picture 20%. By this method you just need to draw an
expressive picture of homoeopathic medicine. It is easy to recall
symptoms when you had seen graphically than reading.
Drug proving: Probably the best way to remember a thing is
experience. It is also fact that we can remember 90% by what we
say and what we do! When we prove some of the medicines on
our self or others we can remember lots of symptoms of that
medicine.
So, these were few methods regarding study and remembering
homoeopathic materia medica. But for remembering medicines &
their symptoms one must study materia medica thoroughly.

A Materia Medica Poem. Calcarea Carb

am fatty, flabby, chilly calcarea

Would like to live safe in my home

Dont look me sharp, it makes me shy

My head will always sweat making the pillow wet.

Mom says me was very lazy in childhood

Late in walk and talk and much weaker too

Please dont force me to play outside games

And I am happy to sit and play in my home.

My mom used to prepare my favorite dish egg for me

And she beats me for eating chalk and things like that which I crave

But mom please dont insist me to go to toilet

Because I am happy to remain constipated.

Dear doctors you can repeat me in children

But be cautious if you repeats me in aged if I am acting

Dont give me before nitic acid or sulphur

All the best to give cure with me for

'THE GREAT HOMOEOPATHY'.

MATERIA MEDICA AND HOW TO REMEMBER IT

The answer to this most vexing problem is neither easy nor obvious and is
very individual in nature. The study of the Materia Medica is one of the
greatest challenges for every student of Homeopathy. It is a dry subject which
cannot be illustrated satisfactorily especially to first year students. This makes
it difficult to memorize. I believe the M.M. cannot be understood by freshers
as they have no concept of cause and distant effect which is the essence of
the subject. Provings are not demonstrated to the students. This makes the
 M.M. appear like a hotch-potch collection of symptoms with no head or tail.
The more you read, more the similarity between drugs. This similarity is only
superficial. Every drug seems to have a head-ache, nausea, vomiting, fever
etc. The first thing a student must understand is that the symptoms collected
under a single drug are not present in any single prover or patient. It is a
collection spread across scores of patients, provers and doctors; a labor of
many years.
Hence it is said `Find the patient in the materia medica and do not look for the
materia medica in the patient.e.g. An Arsenic patient is known to be thirsty.
Yet in the repertory under Stomach: Thirstless: Arsenic appears as a 1 mark
drug. This only shows that Arsenic can have the effect of thirstlessness in a
small percentage of provers as well.
The other point to be remembered is that any substance given in large doses
is a poison; the same substance in minute quantities can be a medicine. This
is the basis of the Materia medica and Homeopathy itself. This is different
from the adage- One mans medicine is another mans poison.
To remember the large collection of symptoms under every medicine is a
herculean task. Read five drugs and everything starts to seem similar. There
are therefore two ways of remembering each drug.
1. 1. To find the thread that runs through the myriad symptoms.
2. To differentiate between the drugs.
(Other hitherto popular methods were pnemonics and limericks, both
have severe limitations.)
Neither of these tasks can be done by memory alone. It requires that the
views of several authors are studied. Begin from the key notes (Allens)
through Nash and onto authors like Kent and then M.L.Tyler whose
descriptions are probably most graphic. Every symptom in the M.M. is
recorded at a location with a sensation, time of occurrence, modalities and
concomitants (accompanying symptoms whose occurrence cannot be
explained and which may present themselves in a distant, apparently
unconnected organ). Yet the common effects of the drug pathogenesy can be
seen to run through the patient or prover. I divide all symptoms for
convenience into toxic and dynamic symptoms. Most drugs will display the
former prominently and mildly as well. These symptoms are easier to
remember. I also divide drugs into infective and non-infective categories. I.e.
drugs capable of causing an infective pathology or otherwise. The former can
then be easily memorized by remembering the organ affinity, the miasmatic
effect, the type of eruption, discharge, consistency, fistulous or ulcerative
tendency. From a clinical point of view, I like to remember the drugs with
decreased thirst and the very thirsty, this divides the MM into two easily
differentiated groups, making drug selection that much easier.
You will find a common pathology (Miasm) running through the entire drug
which is peculiar in its effects on the mind and on the body. This is what I call
the thread of the remedy. If it is extrapolated over the M.M. of the particular
body parts, you will find that the thread explains most of the effects of the
drug. Hence if a drug is Syphilitic, its effect will be to destroy every organ in
the body: The brain through vascular malformations, hypodense lesions on
CT scan, the Mind through insanity, delusions, hallucinations irrational ideas
and extreme fear. Every organ in the body has its anatomy which the miasm
will destroy through ulceration. The discharges will be purulent (Yellow, thick),
offensive and corrosive. This ulceration and infectious pathology will present
is dysfunction or malfunction depending on the organs basic function. e.g. The
Eyes- retinal detachment, hemorrhage, ulceration with discharge from
Cornea, Conjunctiva, Infections of Aqueous humor and Vitreous humor
leading to disturbance of vision and blindness etc. Hence the miasm will
dictate to you many of the symptoms and signs which are peculiar to it. Every
drug also has its affinity to certain organs which must be remembered.
This leaves out the sensations, concomitants and modalities which are to be
memorized. Lastly the Key-notes which are some peculiar or unique effects
which are easily committed to memory due to their ridiculous or unique
nature. Do read the threads of various drugs I have analyzed in my blogs
which I put up periodically. As you have realized, there is no single and sure
shot method for this task. Adapt and persist, read and re-read and soon you
will be surprised about your ability to recall drugs and symptoms when
needed.

CONSTITUTION AND CONSTITUTIONAL APPROACHES IN

HOMEOPATHY

Introduction

Dr. Christian Frederick Samuel Hahnemann, who propounded the system of

Homeopathy, conceived the idea of similia principle in 1790, and published his findings in
1796, through an article, Essay on a new Principle for Ascertaining the
Curative Powers of Drugs. For the next four years he worked, experimented and
codified various doctrines, concepts and theories and in 1810, published the Organon
of the Rational Art of Healing , laying down the theoretical and practical principles of
Homeopathy. Thus a new and independent system of Medicine called Homeopathy was
born. From 1810 to 1843, Hahnemann continued to update, improve and revise this
master piece six times, with the name changed from the second edition onwards
to Organon of Medicine (Organon der Heilkunst).

Organon of Medicine is a work of intense interest and codification of the medical

philosophy. It is the foundation on which the practice of homeopathy remains. Through
this, Hahnemann conveys that the physician's high and only mission is to restore the sick
to health, what he termed as to cure. Further, he define that the preserver of health
(Physician) is the one who has adequate knowledge about the things that derange health
and cause disease, and also knows how to remove them. Thus, Organon of Medicine
has become a treatise on the application of scientific reasoning to the practical
application on curative, preventive and promotive aspects of health care. This is the
single most important work on the subject, providing the very basis upon which a truly in-
depth study of its single foundation principle (Similia) and its application begun.
Hahnemann codified all his wisdom on this new medical paradigm with certain
unconventional principles to the knowledge exited at that point of time. Organon gives
complete understanding of fundamental laws which endows homeopathic practice with
true healing.

Organon (lat. Organum) of Medicine literary means "an instrument for acquiring
knowledge; specifically a body of principles of scientific or philosophic investigation". In
this sense we can simplify the semantics of ORGANON to a method of scientific
investigation or as an instrument of thoughts. Dr. B.K. Sarkar, one of great exponent of
Organon of Medicine writes:

Hahnemanns Organon is a critique of medical philosophy underlying the

art of medicine. An analytical study of Organon as well as that of the
history of Homeopathy and the life-story of its founder shows clearly that
Homeopathy is a product of inductive logic applied to the subject of
Medicine. It is in fact the first as well as one of the most brilliant examples
of the application of the inductive method of reasoning to the solution of
one of the great problems of humanity viz., the treatment and cure of
disease.

Therapeutic approaches and treatment in Homeopathy

The high and only mission of a homeopathic physician is to restore the sick to health.
This includes curative, preventive and promotive care. On this endeavour the
Homeopathic physician may encounter with different types of cases in their day-to-day
practice and in each type of case, his approach may deferrer depending on the clinical
exigencies.

Hahnemann had laid down the fundamental principles in order to achieve the desired
result. At the same time he also classified the clinical presentation in to different classes,
types, and sub-types with a clear message. Each class of the cases demands a different
method of approach. Therefore, it is necessary for the physician to understand the case
properly and use the knowledge explained by Hahnemann in the appropriate class as
mentioned in the clinical classification of diseases. This in turn helps the physician to
select the relevant method of case study, which forms the main source of prescription.

According to the teaching of Organon, in case of indisposition one need not give any
medicine and in the case of surgical disorders, the scope of Homeopathy is limited.

In the case of an Acute Dynamic disease, understanding the causative factor is very
important. Acute diseases are those come on suddenly with sudden progress and
decline suddenly. They can often be traced back to a cause such as exposure to weather
extremes, change of climate, cold wind, eating bad food, or lifting heavy objects.
Examples of acute conditions are food poisoning, accidents, toothaches, sore throats,
and influenza. Most of these acute conditions may resolve themselves, if left untreated or
may require some acute medicines for quicker recovery. If they are inappropriately
treated or managed incorrectly, they can become chronic.

Chronic diseases are those complaints that have persisted for a long time
sometimes throughout ones whole life. The symptoms are usually less severe than those
of the acute conditions, but they can seriously affect quality of life and become
progressively worse over time.

Examples of chronic conditions are insomnia, allergies, recurrent infections, arthritis,

thyroid disorders, post-traumatic stress, diabetes, depression, anxiety, panic attacks,
back pain, digestive issues, and chronic fatigue and so on. This group of diseases have
a slow on set, slow progress and slow decline. Chronic diseases do not resolve
themselves, but can be treated with the help of well-chosen homeopathic remedies
known as constitutional remedies. To select such a constitutional remedy, knowledge
about the constitution is necessary.

Constitution

No knowledge is perfect unless it includes an understanding of the origin

that is, the beginning; and as all mans diseases originate in his
constitution it is necessary that his constitution should be known if we wish
to know his diseases. Paracelsus

Constitution is defined as the structure, composition, physical make up or nature of a

person, comprising inherited qualities and modified by the environment. The English
word, constitution, comes from the Latin root, constituere, which means constitutes: to
set up, to establish, to form or make up, to appoint to give being to.

In homoeopathy, the choice of remedy is based on a consideration of the totality of an

individual's symptoms and circumstances, including personality, behaviours, fears,
responses to the physical environment, food preferences and so on.

Hahnemann and Constitution

Dr. Hahnemann gives a fair idea on the importance of the constitution in Aphorism 5 of
Organon of Medicine, wherein he sates Useful to the physician in assisting him to cure
are the particulars of the most probable exciting cause of the acute disease, as also the
most significant points in the whole history of the chronic disease, to enable him to
discover its fundamental cause, which is generally due to a chronic miasm. In these
investigations, the ascertainable physical constitution of the patient (and intellectual
character, his occupation, mode of living and habits, his social and domestic relations, his
age, sexual function, ..etc., are to be taken into consideration. Thereafter, at least at 20
places he mentions about the constitutions in different context. He mainly refers
constitution to the inherent in the natural frame, or inherent nature of the individual.
Hahnemann used the word Beschaffenheit in German, which usually translated as
constitution in relationship to the Latin root "constiture" in homoeopathic
works. Chambers Dictionary defines constitution as the natural condition of the body
or mind; disposition.

The term constitution is used at least 16 times in The Chronic Diseases. Pages 30,
34, 35, 48, 75, 90, 98, 99, 101, 103, 142, 143, 145, 181, 242, 243, etc.

Historical perspective

Hippocrates taught that all diseases (excluding injuries) were initially general in nature
and only become local to provoke a crisis at a later stage. All natural diseases are
originally functional and then proceed toward pathological damage over time. He also
taught that there was no such thing as a single cause in a natural disease. He taught that
causation was of an interdependent origin rather than any one isolated factor. There is
always the merging of the susceptibility of an individual or group with a sympathetic
pathogenic influence. Therefore, the aetiological constellation includes the
predispositions of the physical constitution and mental temperament, the nature of the
disease state, as well as environment conditioning factors. Hippocras classified
constitution into 2 types, short and thick is prone to apoplectic conditions and Long and
thin is prone to tubercular affection.

The concept of constitution is widely applied in the practice of traditional Chinese

medicine (TCM). Constitutional consideration is an important process for clinical
diagnosis and treatment, and it also lays the foundation for health promotion and disease
prevention. This concept has been in China for thousands of years. It originated from the
famous Chinese Medicine book, Huang Di Nei Jing. The body constitution concept states
that every individual has his or her unique body, which reacts in a specific way to
environmental influences. Therefore, an essential factor to prevent disease, influence
health and balance your body.

As per this concept body constitution can vary from person to person, some are strong,
some are weak, some tend to be heat, and some tend to be cold. According to the China
Association for Traditional Chinese Medicine (CACM), body constitution can be divided
into nine types, named as neutral, qi deficiency, yang deficiency, yin deficiency, blood
stasis, phlegm & dampness, damp-heat, qi stagnation and special constitution. Generally,
the classification of body constitution is based on physical outlook, personality, common
health problems, and adaptation to external environment

There is certain traditional Chinese Medicine concept quite similar to the Homeopathic
concept. One such concept is that advocates that different remedy for the same disease
and same remedy for different disease. One main reason for this concept lies in the body
constitution. Individuals may have the same disease, but their unique body constitution
necessitates the use of different remedies that not only work with the symptom but also
deal with the root cause, the imbalance in the body constitution. This is why you will see
so much variation in Chinese Medicine herbal remedies to treat the same common
illnesses, such as flu.

Ayurveda, describes a unique concept of constitution, genetically determined,

categorising the population into several subgroups based on phenotypic characters like
appearance, temperament and habits. The concept is claimed to be useful in predicting
an individual's susceptibility to a particular disease, prognosis of that illness and selection
of therapy. According to this concept, the basic constitution of an individual is determined
at the time of conception. This constitution is called Prakruti. The term Prakruti is a
Sanskrit word that means, "nature," "creativity," or "the first creation." One of the very
important concept of Ayurveda is that one's basic constitution is fixed throughout his
lifetime. The combination of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha that was present in the individual
at the time of conception is maintained throughout his lifetime. This is your base point.
Notice that different persons can have different combination of Vata, Pitta and kapha as
their basic constitution or Prakruti. This is how Ayurveda can explain the subtle
differences between individuals and explains why everyone is unique and that two
persons can react very differently when exposed to the same environment or stimuli. One
individuals Prakruti is unique to that individual just as the fingerprint and DNA. Thus, in
order to understand a person, it is necessary to determine his or
her Prakruti. Identifying the prakriti helps in individualising therapy or predicting
proneness to a disease.

Homeopathic concepts

BAZIN classified constitution into 3 types as SCROFULOUS, GOUTY and SYPHILLITIC

VANNIERS & ZISSUS

Carbonic constitution The characteristics of carbonic constitution are mentally and

physically upright persons, having square white regular teeth, slight acute angle between
Lower-arm and upper-arm, orderly, undemonstrative, responsible and capable. Cal carb,
Kali carb, Mag carb, Nat carb, Graph, Carbo veg, Carbo anim are the drugs having this
constitution.
Phosphoric constitution has scrofulous or tubercular diathesis. Tall, thin delicate,
easily tired persons with long yellow teeth but well fitted. Arm forms perfect straight line
when stretched. Dislike hardwork but orderly and fastidious. Calc phos, Phos acid, Kali
phos, Phos, Mag phos are the main drugs.

Flouric constitution is characterized by unbalanced irregular body formations with

obtuse angle or outstretched arm, teeth irregular and ill fitted, untidy, cunning and
unreliable. Capable or heroism, sanctity and wickedness. Predisposed to diseases or
nervous system, dislocation of the joints and suicide.. Flouric acid, Calc flour are the
main drugs.

Von Grauvogl classified constitution as Oxygenoid, Carbo nitrogenoid and

Hydrogenoid

Oxygenoid constitution is characterized by the accumulation of excess of oxygen

with resultant destruction of tissues. Body is thin and thus ill on change of season.
Destructive, disorders involving the genitalia and diseases of central nervous system.
Body is prone to ulcerations and self destruction. Numerous white spots on the nails.
Calc phos, Ferr phos, Nat phos, Phos, Phos acid, Iod, Sil, Calc, Nat mur, Hell, Tuberc,
Syph, Merc sol are the main drugs.

Carbo Nitrogenoid constitution is characterized by excess of carbon and

nitrogen and suffers from functional disorders of body and mind, diminution of the
absorption of oxygen by the tissues. Psora, eczema, arthritism, marked by erratic
working or the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen etc. Ars, Ars iod, Calc phos, Carbo veg,
Hep, Iod, Kali bich, Lach, Lyco, Natr mu, Sulph, Zinc met etc. are the main drugs.

Hydrogenoid constitution is characterized by the excess of water in the body. They

are aggravated by moisture and humidity, prone to dropsy and anasarca, and suffers
from tissue growth of benign type. They are slow, fatigued, without life, apathetic, heavy,
and indolent. Slow nutrition. Asthmatics, rheumatics, obesity. Ars, Dulc, Nat sulph, Nit
acid phytolacca, Rhustox, Thuja, Dig etc. are the main drugs.

ERNST KRETSCHNER (1921)

By taking a limited number of physical characteristics Kretschner in his book The

character and physique classified constitution into asthenic, athletic and pyknic.

Asthenic refers to frail, linear physique. A deficiency in thickness combined with an

average un lessened height. Lean narrow built with a skin poor in secretion, narrow
shoulders, muscles, delicately bones limbs, narrow flat chest, sharp rib angle, and thin
stomach.
Athletic constitution is characterized by strong development of the skeleton,
musculature and skin, a middle sized man with projecting shoulders, superb chest, firm
stomach and trunk tapers in its lower edge so that the pelvis and the magnificent leg
seem almost graceful compared with the size of the upper limb particularly hypertrophied
shoulder.

Pyknic refers to plump physique.

Relevance constitutions in Homoeopathic literature

Homeopathic prescriptions are made based on the totality of the patients life span that
includes past illnesses, family history, constitution & temperament, maismatic
background and peculiar symptoms of the present illnesses. Based on these a portrait of
the patient is created in the mind of the treating physician and he co relate this diseases
partite with that of the portrait of a remedy. When these two portrait matches, a
homeopathic response is established and body shall make efforts to cure the illness.
This is called the similia principle. In acute cases like a common cold or diarrhoea, such
detailed understanding of the patient is considered necessary, however in the case of
chronic cases and recurring attacks of acute expression, a detailed case taking is always
necessary to find a remedy that is required to effect a cure.

In such cases constitution is an important component in understanding the case.

Clinical repertory by Robin Murphy

The constitutions chapter was first introduced by Murphy in the second edition of
repertory. This chapter consist all the genetic, dispositions, and body types from the
generals chapter. Extensive additions were gathered from Herings guiding symptoms.
The constitution chapter contains : constitutions, temperaments, body size, body type,
hair in general, complexions, age, growth, gender, habits, defects, miasms, infants,
inheritance, children, boys, girls, elderly people, men, occupations, women, young
people.

Repertory of Hering's Guiding Symptoms of our Materia medica

In Knerrs repertory the rubrics related to the constitution is included under the chapter
stages of life and constitution. In this chapter rubrics related to various age groups are
included under headings like children; old age etc. the rubric constitution has many sub
rubrics. Most of the rubrics of the Murphys constitution chapter are based on the
constitution rubric of the stages and constitution chapter of Knerrs repertory.

Boger-Boenninghausen's Characteristics and Repertory

Most of the rubrics related to constitutions is in the chapter sensations and complaints in
general such as Constitution- carbo nitrogenous, Constitution- dyscratic, Constitution-
hydrogenoid , Constitution- oxygenoid and so on.

Clinical Repertory to the Dictionary of Materia Medica, Clarke, John

Henry

In clinical repertory by J.H.Clarke is divided into five chapters. One of them is repertory of
the temperaments, dispositions, constitutions and states. In this chapter are given the
remedies which have been found to act most beneficially in certain types of persons,
temperaments, sex and age. There are also included complaints and conditions of
particular type of persons and constitutions.

TheHeritageofHomopathicLiterature

ThelastfullbibliographyofhomeopathicbooksintheEnglishLanguage
wasHomopathicBibliographywrittenbyT.L.Bradfordin1892.Itmissedmanyof
ourclassicworksalltheworkofKent,Boger,Close,Case,Roberts,andmuchof
theEnglishpublishedworksofBurnettandClarke.
Anupdate(18921925)wasattemptedbyCordascoin1991,butitomittedsomany
booksastobealmostuseless.
TheHeritageofHomopathicLiteratureisanabbreviatedbibliographyofover900of
thebestandtheworstofhomeopathicliteraturefrom1810to2000.Writtenby
homeopathichistorianandeditor(HomeopathyToday[USA]HomoeopathyNewZ
[NZ])JulianWinston,thebookpresentstheworkbycategory(MateriaMedica,
Repertory,DomesticManuals,etc.)andinchronologicalorder.Eachentrycontains
thedate,title,author,publisher,andnumberofpages.
Mostoftheentriescontainexpandeddetaileddescriptionsofthecontents,andoften
quotesfromcontemporaryreviews.Manyoftheentriesalsohaveapersonal
commentarybytheauthor,placingthebookintohistoricalcontext,orcommenting
uponitsrelativevalue.
TheBook

ForewordbyKlausHenningGypser,MD
IntroductionbyRichardMoskowitz,MD,DHt
256pages,softcover
monographsofover920books
AnIndexbyDateofPublication
AnIndexbyAuthor

Hereisaextractofthemonographsfromthe
"MateriaMedica"section(from1875to1880)...

1877:CONDENSEDMATERIAMEDICA:Constantine
Hering,MD
BoerickeandTafel;870pages.
Thiswasanearlyworkwhichleadtohisauthoritative
GuidingSymptoms.Itwaspreparedwiththehelpoftwo
ofhisstudents,A.KorndoerferandE.A.Farrington.It
wasdedicatedtoCharlesRaue,hispupilandassistant.A
2ndeditionwasissuedin1879;a3rd,editedbyE.A.Farrington,wasissuedin1884,anda4thin
1894.

1878:ANELEMENTARYTEXTBOOKOFMATERIAMEDICA:AllenCorsonCowperthwaite,MD
DuncanBrothers;399pages.
CowperthwaitetaughtattheHahnemannMedicalCollegeinChicago.Thisbookbeginswithageneral
analysisofeachremedy,characteristicsymptoms,andalsoincludestherapeuticandclinicalindices.A
secondeditionwaspublishedin1882.AthirdeditionwaspublishedbyGrossandDelbridgein1885,a
4thin1887,a5thin1890,a6th(834pages)in1891,andan10th(with894pages)byBoerickeand
Tafelin1909.

1878:CLINICALTHERAPEUTICS:TempleHoyne,MD
DuncanBrothers;602pages.
Althoughtitled"Therapeutics"thisbookispresentedasmateriamedica,usingthesymptomatologyof
theremedyasaframework.Itisinterspersedwithclinicalcasesgleanedfromtheliterature,which
servetoillustratetheremedies.Asecondvolumeof643pageswaspublishedin1880."Duringthelast
fourorfiveyears,IhavebeenrepeatedlyaskedbythestudentsofHahnemannMedicalCollegeto
publishmylecturesinbookform,inorderthatthey,aswellastheirpreceptors,mightbeabletomake
frequentreferencetothem."

1878:LECTURESONMATERIAMEDICA:CarrollDunham,MD
FrancisHartandCo.,NewYork;828pagesintwovolumes.
Dunham,astudentunderBoenninghausen,heldthepositionofChairofMateriaMedicaatNewYork
HomeopathicMedicalCollege.Dunhamdiedin1876attheageof49.Thenotesfromhislectureswere
compiledbyhisstudentsandpublishedtwoyearsafterhisdeath.SaidSamuelA.Jones,"Hislectures
arenottodayinsuchshapeashewouldhavegiventhemtotheworld;theyaretoasthoughwehad
stolenintotheclassroomunseenandoverheardhimtalkingtotheboys."Asecondeditionwas
publishedbyBoerickeandTafelin1880.

Kent,in1899,wrotethathehopedtheDunhamCollegeofChicagowould"...teachmateriamedicaas
Dunhamtaughtit."
1879:THEGUIDINGSYMPTOMSOFTHEMATERIAMEDICA:ConstantineHering,MD
J.M.Stoddart(vol.14),TheEstateofC.Hering(vols.510).
1879markedthereleaseofthefirstvolume,AbiestoAmoraceasatira.Thesecondvolume,Arnicato
Bromium,wasreleasedin1880shortlybeforeHering'sdeath.Thesubsequentvolumeswere
completedbyhisstudentsRaue,Knerr,andMohr.Theywereasfollows:vol.3(Byoniato
Chamomilla):1881;vol.4(ChelidoniumtoCubeba):1884;vol.5(CondurangotoHelonias):1887;
vol.6(HepartoLachesis),7(LachnanthestoNatrummuriaticum):1888;vol.8(Natrumphos.to
Pulsatilla):1889;vol.9(RanunculusbulbosatoStannum):1890;vol.10(StaphisagriatoZizia):1891.

Sadly,thebookwasnotcompletedbyHering,(whodiedduringproofreadingCaincainVolume3)
butbyhispupils,andthuscontainsinnumerablequestionablejudgmentsaboutremedyandsymptom
grading.SaysKent:"Thefirsttwovolumeswereverygood,butafterthedearoldmanwastakenfrom
ustherestoftheworkwasnotuptostandardandisfulloffoolishthings.Thoughitisthebest
referencebookofthepresentday,itisfarfromtheperfectworkneeded."
Theinformationisagrandrecordofconfirmedsymptomsseeninover50yearsofpractice.Itis,with
allitsfaults,aninvaluableresourcetothehomeopathicpractitionerandshouldbeoneofthefirst
"larger"purchaseswhenoneislookingforaverycompletemateriamedica.

1879:THEINCOMPATIBLEREMEDIES:CharlesMohr,MD
BoerickeandTafel;9pages.
ApaperpresentedtotheHomeopathicMedicalSocietyofPhiladelphia.Theauthordiscussesthe
conceptof"incompatible,"givessomecaseexamplesfrompractice,andpresentsalistofremedy
relationships.

WhatTheySay

Thisbookis,withoutdoubt,themostcomprehensivereviewofthehomeopathicliteratureever
published.IfyouwanttoknowwhathomeopathicbooksorjournalshavebeenpublishedinEnglish
andifyouwanttoknowsomethingaboutthem,thisisthebooktoget.Nootherpersoncouldhave
writtensuchacomprehensivebookotherthanJulianWinston.Andbestofall,youcanbeconfident
thathehasdoubleandtripledcheckedeveryfact.Anyoneandeveryonewhoisseriousabout
homeopathyshouldhavethisbook,andonceyouhaveit,youwillrealizetheveritabletreasuretroveof
homeopathicliteraturethatexists..

DanaUllman,MPH,Authorandpublisher

Themainreasonwhywecreateorderistohelpusseethingsclearly.Well,thatisexactlywhatthe
authorhasdoneinthis,hislatestwork.
JustasheorderedthehistoryandpeopleofhomeopathywithhismasterfulTheFacesofHomopathy,
hehasnowdonesowiththeliterature.Oneonlyhastoglanceatthisbooktoseeorder,deepertosee
design,anddeeperstilltoseedetailandfinally,love.Thehomeopathicliteraturewasandiscreatedout
oflove,apeople'sloveforhealing,apeople'sloveforthetruth.Thisimportantbibliographywillbeof
assistancetoallwhoencounterhomeopathyandMr.Winstonslovehathwroughtit.

JayYasgur,RPh,authorofYasgur'sHomeopathicDictionary