SPIRIT OF THE ORGANON, PART-I

First Edition: 1992

Edition: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Second Revised Edition: 2006

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without any prior written permission of the Publisher.

© Copyright with the publishers

Published by Kuldeep Jain for

B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.
An ISO 9001 : 2000 Certified Company
1921, Street No. 10, Chuna Mandi,
Paharganj, New Delhi 110 055 (INDIA)
Phones: 91-11-4567 1000 • Fax: 91-11-4567 1010
Email: info@[Link] • Website: [Link]

ISBN : 978-81-319-0281-3
Dedicated
To
the sacred memory of my unseen Mother. Pangs of
her premature death led me to write this medical
philosophy.
Contents
CHAPTER 1
Dedication
Publisher’s note to the second edition
Prefae to the first edition
Central Council of Homoeopathy BHMS Syllabus Organon and
Principles of Homoeopathic Philosophy
Homoeopathy
Definition
Founder of homoeopathy
Methods and materials
Homoeopathic decalogue
Systematisation of principles of the homoeopathic doctrine
Advantages of Homoeopathy
Scope of homoeopathy
Limitations of homoeopathy
Medicine and philosophy of 17th, 18th century
Discovery of homoeopathy
Rational system of medicine
Cardinal or fundamental principles of homoeopathy
Homoeopathy - Why superior?
Homoeopathy - How superior?
Homoeopathy in India
Milestones in the development of homoeopathy in India
Standardisation of homoeopathy on a uniform basis
Important questions

CHAPTER 2
History of the Organon
Background
Word meaning
Source
Aim and objective
Content
Anatomy of organon
Different editions of the Organon of Medicine
Contraria contrariis curantur
Equalia equilibus curantur
Similia similibus curantur
Important aphorisms of Organon
Important questions

CHAPTER 3
Constitution of Man
Definition
Character of constitution
Importance of constitution
Classification of constitution
Difference
Important questions

CHAPTER 4
The Temperament
Classification
Significance
Important questions

CHAPTER 5
Diathesis
Definition
Classification
Important questions
CHAPTER 6
Vital Force
Characteristic features of vital force
Vital force and modern science
Role of vital force
Role of vital force in homoeopathic science
Important questions

CHAPTER 7
Health
Definition
Preserver of health
Important questions

CHAPTER 8
Susceptibility
Degree of susceptibility
Modification of susceptibility
Comparison
Important questions

CHAPTER 9
Causation
Exciting cause (§ 5)
Fundamental cause (§ 5)
Maintaining cause (§ 7)
Miasm
Difference
Important questions

CHAPTER 10
Disease
Development of disease
Disease according to Hahnemann
Acute disease (§ 72, §73)
Chronic disease
Comparison
Natural disease
Management of acute disease
Management of chronic disease
Steps in treatment of chronic disease
If two dissimilar diseases meet
Complex disease
Important questions

CHAPTER 11
Symptoms
Definition
Composition of symptom
Subjective symptoms
Objective symptoms
General symptoms
Particular symptom
Common symptom
Characteristic symptom
Eliminating symptom
Clinical symptom
Complete symptom
Pathogenetic symptom
Key-note symptom
Guiding symptoms
Spurious symptoms
Discriminative symptom
Accessory symptoms of disease
Accessory symptoms of medicine
Totality of symptoms
Important questions
CHAPTER 12
Cure
Definition
Conditions of cure
Relation with disease
Law of direction of cure
Obstacles to cure (§ 3)
Highest ideal of cure
Qualifications of a physician
Natural law of cure (§ 26)
Modus operandi—How homoeopathic cure takes place (§ 28, 29)
Can nature cure disease?
Fundamental law of cure
Difference between cure and recovery
Important questions

CHAPTER 13
Physician
Mission of a physician
What a homoeopathic physician must know ?
Important questions

CHAPTER 14
Drug
Criteria of a substance to be drug
Principles of action of drug
Utility of drug
Advantages of drug
Disadvantages of drug
Drug proving (§ 105-145)
Alternating action (§ 115)
Action of drug (§ 63 - 66, 112)
History of drug-proving and materia medica
Important questions
CHAPTER 15
Medicine
Preparation of medicine
Nature of action of homoeopathic medicine
How does medicine acts on dynamic plane
Important questions

CHAPTER 16
Remedy
Groups
Source
Study of a remedy
Remedy relationship
Rules for preservation of remedy
Interpretation of effect produced by the remedy
Caution in the use of certain remedies
Relation between remedy and diet
Important questions

CHAPTER 17
Prescription
Essentials of the prescription
Parts of prescription
Prescribing basis
Causes of failures in prescribing
Emergency prescribing
Prescribing in epidemic (Genus epidemicus)
Important questions

CHAPTER 18
Posology
Dose and susceptibility
Dose and vital resistance
Need of minimum dose
Favourable conditions for the action
Types of dose
Repetition of dose
Important questions

CHAPTER 19
Potency
The potency scales
Process of preparing potency
Difference between a dilution and a potency
Types of potency
Factors governing selection of the potency
Application of potency
Problems of potency application
Important questions

CHAPTER 20
Hippocrates and Hahnemann
Hippocrates
Hahnemann
Important publications of Dr. Hahnemann
Important questions

CHAPTER 21
Idiosyncrasy
Important questions

CHAPTER 22
Palliation and Suppression
Palliation
Merits
Demerits
Comparison between palliation & suppression
Suppression
Natural or accidental suppression
Imporant questions

CHAPTER 23
Other Methods of Treatment
Antipathy or enantiopathy (§ 23, 56 - 62)
Isopathy or homopathy (FN 56)
Allopathy or heteropathy (§ 55)
Important questions

CHAPTER 24
Logic
What is logic
Deductive logic
Inductive logic
Homoeopathy in the eye of logic

CHAPTER 25
Hahnemann’s Famous Followers
Constantine Hering
John Henry Clarke
James Tyler Kent
Henry C. Allen
Boenninghausen
Important questions

CHAPTER 26
The Converts
Why I became a homoeopath—Dorothy Shepherd
Why I became a homoeopath—Roger A. Schmidt
It worked
From traditional medicine to homoeopathy
Why I became a convert to homoeopathy from the allopathic school of
practice

CHAPTER 27
Model Questions

CHAPTER 28
Short Notes
Mission
Sick
Mongrel sect
Specific medicine
Materia pecans
Causum tolle
Dynamis
Surrogate
Fixed miasm
Aude sapere
Materia medica pura
Rational medicine
Causa occasionalis (§ 7)
Dynamic power
Individualisation
Homoeopathy as a science
Homoeopathy an experimental science
Homoeopathy an art
First-aid

CHAPTER 29
Objective Questions
Importnt questions
References
Publisher’s Note to the Second Edition

Second Edition of “Spirit of the Organon” is being presented to the

homoeopathic fraternity with the following features:
• New flowcharts have been added.
• Chapters have been supplemented with additional matter.
• Important portions have been presented point-wise so that they can be
easily remembered.
• Some more important questions have been added at the end of each
chapter.
• Number of objective type questions have been increased for mental
exercise.
• Contains theoretical as well as practical aspects of Organon.
Last but not the least each chapter has been presented in an elaborate
manner so that it may satisfy the learning urge of the whole homoeopathic
fraternity.

Kuldeep Jain
MD, B. Jain Publishers
Preface to the First Edition

From the beginning of my medical life, I have seriously felt the need
of a book for students as well as physicians that would contain both
theoretical and practical aspects of Homoeopathy. Being a teacher of
Organon of Medicine I cannot forget my responsibility towards my beloved
students. So I have tried my best to project every chapter in a systematic
arrangement under a suitable title, discussed in a very elaborate way:
advantage, disadvantage, difference, significance, practical utility along
with model questions. The last two chapters will be helpful to students in
testing their understanding. I have attempted to fulfil the task in my own
style within the Hahnemannian originality.
I feel greatly indebted to those who taught me at medical school and in
my clinical training. My respected teachers are Dr. B.N. Sengupta, Dr. S.
Roy, Dr. P.K. Bhattacharya, Dr. T.K. Bhattacharya, Dr. A. Paul, Dr. P. Basu,
Dr. M. Singh, Dr. N. Chatterjee, Dr. H.D. Paul, Dr. M. Chakraborty, Dr.
R.N. Sau, Dr. D.N. Mondal, Dr. R.G. Seal, Dr. R.C. Sharma, Dr. K.M.
Panchal, Dr. P. Gupta and Dr. A. Biswas.
I must convey my sincere appreciation to Dr. D. Roy, Dr. S. Sinha, Dr.
Rabin Mukherjee, Dr. H. Gupta, Dr. S.P. Ganguli, Dr. M.S. Nag, Dr. J.
Banerjee, Dr. S. Mukherjee, Dr. H. Ghosh, Dr. T.K. Mitra for their
encouragement, direction and valuable suggestions.
I must convey my sense of gratitude to my dearest Mr. Anadi Sahu,
Mr. Anadi Dutta, Mr. Dipak Mitra, Dr. Ratan Prasad Majumdar, Dr. N.K.
Gantait, Dr. Prakash Das, and Dr. S. Bhowmick whose perennial
encouragement, firm guidance and constant inspiration is the only key to
my success.
I shall not fail to extend my gratitude to all my patients, among them
Mrs. Shailaja Mathews, who has helped me in the publication of the book.
I am greatly indebted to all who have helped to make this book a
reality, especially Dr. Munshi Tallat Mahood.
Lastly I want to express my debt to Dr. (Miss) Lolita Gope who has
been most helpful and brought her intelligence to play in writing the
manuscript and whose constant inspiration and patience in every respect has
made my attempt fruitful.
Truth is always relative, so it is to be gradually perfected; over and
above, my limitations are limitless. So I shall be highly obliged if my errors
are pointed out by my friends.

Tapan Chandra Mondal

Central Council of Homoeopathy BHMS
Syllabus Organon and Principles of
Homoeopathic Philosophy
I, II & III B.H.M.S. EXAMINATIONS

Hahnemann’a Organon of Medicine is the high watermark of medical

philosophy. It is an original contribution in the field of medicine in a
codified form. A study of organon as well as of the history of homoeopathy
and its founder’s life story will show that homoeopathy is a product of
application of the history of inductive logical method of reasoning to the
solution of one of the greatest problems of humanity namely the treatment
and cure of the sick. A thorough acquaintance with the fundamental
principles of logic, both deductive and inductive is therefore, essential. The
Organon should accordingly be taught in such a manner as to make clear to
the students the implications of the logical principles by which
homoeopathy was worked out and build up and with which a homoeopathy
physician has to conduct his daily work with ease and facility in treating
every concrete individual case.
The practical portions should be thoroughly understood and
remembered for guidance in practical work as a physician.

I B.H.M.S. EXAMINATION
I. Introductory lectures - 10 lectures.

SUBJECTS
1. What is homoeopathy?
It is not merely a special form of therapeutics but a complete system
of medicine with the distinct approach to life, health, diseases, remedy and
cure.
It has a holistic, individualistic and dynamistic approach to life, health,
diseases, remedy and cure.
• Its has out and out logical and objective basis and approach.
• Homoeopathy is nothing but an objective and rational system of
medicine.
• Homoeopathy is thoroughly scientific in approach and methods.
• Based on observed facts and data and on inductive and deductive logic
inseparably related with observed facts and data.
• Distinct approach of Homoeopathy to all the preclinical, paraclinical
and clinical subjects.
• Preliminary idea about all the para-clinical and pre-clinical subjects.
Their mutual relations, and relation with the whole living organism.
• Importance of learning the essentials of those subjects for efficient
applications of the principles of homoeopathy for the purpose of cure
and health.
2. Hahnemann’s life and pioneers of Homoeopathy and their
contributions.
3. Hahnemann’s Organon of Medicine—Aphorism 1-70.

II B.H.M.S. ORGANON EXAMINATION

1. Hahnemann’s Organon of Medicine should be completed during the II
B.H.M.S. course though the examination may be limited to Aphorism
1 to 145.
2. Introduction to Organon of Medicine (5th and 6th Editions).
3. Homoeopathic Philosophy:
(a) Kent’s Lectures in Homoeopathic Philosophy,
(b) Stuart Close—Lectures and Essay on Homoeopathic Philosophy
(The Genius of Homoeopathy),
(c) Art of Cure by Homoeopathy—H. Roberts,
(d) Science of Therapeutics (Dunham).
During the lectures on Homoeopathic philosophy, the following items
should be elucidated:
(i) The scope of homoeopathy.
(ii) The logic of homoeopathy.
(iii) Life, health, diseases and indisposition.
(iv) Susceptibility, reaction and immunity.
(v) General pathology of homoeopathic theory of acute and
chronic miasms.
(vi) Homoeopathic philosophy.
(vii) Potentisation and the infinitesimal dose and the drug and
the drug potential.
(viii) Examination of the patient from the homoeopathic point of
view.
(ix) Significance and implications of totality of symptoms.
(x) The value of symptoms.
(xi) The homoeopathic aggravation.
(xii) Prognosis after observing the action of the remedy.
(xiii) The second prescription.
(xiv) Difficult and incurable cases - Palliation.
4. Introductory chapters of Hughe’s Principles and Practice of
Homoeopathy. In their introductory lectures to organon the professors
are requested to impress upon the mind of the students the
implications of the logical principles of which homoeopathy was built
and worked out; and the history of the development of medicine in the
west and Hahnemann’s contribution to it in order to arrive at a right
assessment of the place of Homoeopathy in all its aspects in the field
of medicine and life of Hahnemann.

III B.H.M.S. EXAMINATION

1. Hahnemann’s Organon of Medicine (5th and 6th Editions).
2. History of homoeopathic medicine as it existed during Hahnemann’s
time, early life of Hahnemann; his digest with the existing system of
treatment; his discovery of law of similars; history of the late life of
Hahnemann. Introduction of Homoeopathy in various countries.
Pioneers of Homoeopathy and their contributions. Development of
Homoeopathy upto the present day. The present trends in the
development of Homoeopathy, influence of homoeopathy on other
systems of medicine.
3. Homoeopathic philosophy.
4. Hahnemann’s book on chronic disease.
Topicwise Study of Organon
1. Lectures on doctrinal part (§ 1-70)
(a) Aim of physician and highest ideal cure - §1 & 2.
(b) Knowledge of a physicians - § 3, 4.
(c) Knowledge of disease which supplies the indication - § 5-15.
(d) Knowledge of medicines - § 19-21.
(e) Evaluation of Homoeopathic method from other methods of
treatment - § 22-69.
(f) Summary three conditions for cure - § 70.
2. Lectures on practical part of organon is to be divided into and taught
under the following subjects:
(a) That is necessary to be known in order to cure the diseases and
case taking method - § 71-104.
(b) The pathogenetic powers of medicine i.e. drug proving or how to
acquire knowledge of medicine - § 105-145.
(c) How to choose the right medicine - § 147, 148, 149, 150, 153,
155.
(d) The right dose - §157, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 169, 171, 173.
(e) Local disease - § 186, 187, 190, 191, 196, 197, 199, 201, 202,
203.
(f) Chronic diseases - § 204, 206, 208.
(g) Mental diseases - § 210-230.
(h) Intermittent diseases - § 231, 232, 236, 238, 240-242.
(i) Diet regimen and the modes of employing medicines - § 245,
248, 252, 253, 256, 263, 269, 270, 272, 276, 280, 286, 289, 290,
291.

PRACTICAL
Practical application of knowledge of Organon:
Clinical lectures both in and out patients departments, examination of the
patients from homoeopathic point of view:
(a) Disease determination.
(b) Disease individualisation.
(c) Evaluation of symptoms.
(d) Gradation of symptoms.
(e) Selection of medicine and potency and repetition of dose.
(f) Disease aggravation or homoeopathic aggravation
(g) Miasmatic diagnosis.
(h) Second prescription.
(i) Prognosis after observing the action of the remedy.

III B.H.M.S. ORGANON EXAMINATION

At the III B.H.M.S. examination, the written papers in Organon and
principles of Homoeopathy Philosophy shall be distributed as follows:
Paper I: Introduction to organon (5th and 6th Edition) — § 1-294.
Paper II: (i) History of Homoeopathic Medicine.
(ii) Homoeopathic Philosophy.
(iii) Chronic Diseases.
Chapter 1
Homoeopathy
(Aphorism 24 - 34)

DEFINITION
Homoeopathy is the Science of Therapeutics based on the Law of
Similars or “Similia Similibus Curantur.” According to this law, a drug acts
as a curative agent in a disease only if it is capable of producing in a healthy
individual a diseased state exactly similar to that observed in the diseased
individual. The similar remedy cures, if the disease is in curable stage and
palliates if it is incurable. It has developed as an experimental science,
based on inductive and deductive reasoning. It involves exact observation,
correct interpretation and rational explanation. The concepts of totality,
individualization and susceptible constitution are the most important
concepts in homoeopathy on which successful application of Law of
Similars depends.
So homoeopathy may be defined as a form of regulatory therapy. The
aim is to influence autoregulation with the aid of a drug which relates to the
way the individual patient reacts.

FOUNDER OF HOMOEOPATHY
The founder of homoeopathy was the great German Physician, Dr.
Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, a famous chemist and excellent
philologist. A native of Germany, born in Meissen on April 10, 1755 and
died in Paris on July 2, 1843.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Homoeopathy is a system of internal medicine or medicinal
therapeutics based on the principle “Similia Similibus Curentur” — let
likes be treated by likes.
It means that a medicine or a remedy to be curative to a disease, or a
state of ill health, must be similar in medicinal nature and therapeutic range
of action to the disease as it is manifested in the patient by the symptoms. In
other words, the medicine in its proving on healthy people must have
brought out or produced symptoms similar to those of which the patient
complains. This includes all the symptoms, both the objective and
subjective, but from the standpoint of prescribing the subjective symptoms
are more important because they represent the individual reaction of the
patient to the disease process within the body.
Homoeopathy is no sudden invention, no theory, it has been
hammered out of hard facts. It is simply a scientific way of healing.
Homoeopathy offers to the independent mind an opportunity to seek new
verifications of the nature’s laws upon which this system of medicine is
based. It opens up vast field to the researcher, and we cannot gauge the
distance that eager mind may travel nor how greatly the interpretations of
these laws may influence the health of the future generations.
Homoeopathy is the method of healing that surely sets the sick men
and women on the road to permanent cure. We must remember that though
a homoeopathic physician may fail, it is not the failure of homoeopathy.
The better knowledge we have of the “tools of our trade”, the better use we
could make of them.
Homoeopathy treats the sick individual, it is therefore a speciality. In
spite of the trend towards groupism — group practice, group thinking and
even group mode of life as seen all about us today, we are yet to be
convinced that the man is greater than the mass and that as long as
intelligent thinking people realise and prize their individuality, the
individual approach will hold. Therefore, homoeopathy offers a special
inducement to the man who can teach people to think and act as individuals,
and to demand medical treatment for the individual as a whole.
Homoeopathy considers the man as a whole, not just his individual
parts. Therefore, primarily homoeopathy has less appeal to the man of
mechanical bend of mind, for it is this man who makes the best surgeon.
Instead homoeopathy offers a gentler way to health of the entire individual.
Discovering what drugs can do by way of perverting the health, mental and
physical, of healthy human beings, and then applying them for the cure of
similar conditions in the sick.
“Homoeopathy appeals,” says Hahnemann, “solely to the verdict of
experience. …….. Repeat the experiment, carefully and accurately, and you
will find the doctrine confirmed at every step. ……. Homoeopathy insists on
being judged by results.”
Homoeopathy never contemplates curing disease by giving drugs in
massive and repeated doses. Its object is to stimulate the patient’s life
energy to cure by itself. Therefore, it is never a question of quantity where
the vital stimulus is employed, but a precise selection and quality of the
drug employed for the purpose.
Hahnemann called his new system of medicine homoeopathy, a word
taken from Greek word homoeos meaning ‘similar’ and pathos meaning
‘suffering’.

Thus homoeopathy means “to treat with something that produces an

effect similar to the suffering”. In his book, Hahnemann laid out the laws
and principles of his science, gathered empirically over a period of twenty
years.
Briefly, Hahnemann with his experiments proved that:

1. A medical cure is brought about in accordance with certain laws of healing that
are in nature. Nobody can cure outside these laws.
2. There are no diseases as such, but only diseased individuals.
3. An illness is always dynamic in nature, so the remedy too must be in a dynamic
state if it is to cure.
4. The patient needs only one particular (similar) remedy and no other at any given
stage of his illness. Unless that similar remedy is found, he is not helped.

Hahnemann had one of the attributes of genius, “an infinite capacity

for taking pains”, but he had more than this. He was pre-eminent in
intuition, deduction, industry, research, absolute devotion to truth and to
humanity. He was not only great as a scholar - linguist - chemist - sanitarian
- physician, but also he took special rank as one of those to whom the law
reveals itself. For as Newton discovered the law of gravitation, so did
Hahnemann discover the law of similars, dimly guessed at but never
realised, never understood, never demonstrated before his day.
Hahnemann found the enunciation of the law in the “remarkable
words “Similia Similibus Curentur” (let likes be treated by likes) “in one of
the books attributed to Hippocrates”, and he also found its foreshadowings
in solitary remarks (which he quotes) in works by half a dozen authors (viz,
Bouldac, Detharding, Bertholon, Thiury, von Stoerk and Stahl). “But”, as
he says, “no one had taught this manner of cure, no one had put it into
practice.”

HOMOEOPATHIC DECALOGUE
1. To adjust all medical indications to the principles of homoeopathy.
2. To prescribe only those medicines which have been tested on healthy persons.
3. To always employ small or imponderable doses.
4. To treat the sick and not diseases.
5. To employ surgery only when the medicaments fail to heal the patient and it is
seen to be the only recourse.
6. To never employ palliatives when there are indicated remedies.
7. To never employ antiseptics in vivo, antibodies, tonics, laxatives, nor allopathic
specifics.
8. To prefer prophylaxis to medicaments.
9. To ensure hygiene before beginning treatment.
10. The mission of the physician should be one of piety and apostleship.
All these law are reduced to two:
(a) To assist nature in its curative efforts
(b) To never injure the patient.

SYSTEMATISATION OF PRINCIPLES OF THE

HOMOEOPATHIC DOCTRINE
1. Nature is the master instructor in all science and arts.
2. Medicine as a science should have nature for its guide: Natura morborum
medicatrix.
3. If nature is the principal healer of disease, it should be imitated and assisted in its
curative efforts: Similia Similibus Curentur.
4. Every sick person owing to his idiosyncrasies is a peculiar case, because every
animal is afflicted according to its species, and in each species every animal is
afflicted according to its self-same nature. The morbific individuality is a self-
evident fact.
5. Every medicament develops a pathogenisity peculiar to itself. The medicaments
possess individuality of action.
6. The medicaments act owing to their dynamic action and not as the result of their
physico-chemical effects.
7. The imponderable doses develop dynamic action. Large doses alter the organism,
the small doses excite it, and the minimum or imponderable doses heal owing to
the fact that they add their efforts to the vital dynamism.
8. It is necessary to add the medicinal dynamism to the vital dynamism - The sum
total of dynamic action.
9. Every medicament administered in imponderable doses develops first a primary
or irritating effect, and then a secondary effect which is the reaction or that
which resists the action of the drug.
10. The palliatives calm the pains of the body because they suspend the organic
activities which afterwards become more intense. They do not cure, but only
impede the curative movement of the organisation.
11. Every disease is the manifestation of an effort directed against the cause that
produces it, and a tendency towards the prolongation and preservation of life.
Paradoxical as it may seem to some, it is the self-defence of the organism.
12. The mission of the physician is to cure rapidly, gently and permanently
(Hahnemann). §1 & §2.
ADVANTAGES OF HOMOEOPATHY
1. Individualisation of treatment. Treatment directed to the individual as a whole
through symptoms rather than at the disease by name. (He may not have the
disease suspected).
2. Drugs recommended have had extensive human experiment. We do not depend
on guinea pigs, frogs, rabbits, etc. to outline the scope of medicine (drug
proving).
3. By the homoeopathic method of using symptoms (the “totality” is the third
principle of homoeopathy) as a guide, curatively, to eradicate the complex
disease and not just palliatively in the sense that one takes aspirin for a headache
or codeine for a cough or bicarbonate for a sour stomach.
4. No drugging effect, no possible harm to the patient.
5. Its modest cost and simple application.
6. Its non-use of serums, shots and injections.
7. The use by Homoeopathic pharmacists of fresh plant tinctures and preparations.
The plant must be gathered at a specific time and immediately processed, usually
the same day.
8. The non-deterioration of homoeopathic preparations, which consist of pills,
tablets and liquid potencies and range from 3x upward. They remain clinically
active indefinitely.
9. It is the only system of using drugs that can be put in the hands of intelligent
laymen without risk and with reasonable assurance of success.
10. It goes to root of the problem and aims at setting right the constitutional defect
that gives rise to disease.
11. The doses are extremely minute and cannot do any harm or produce side effects.
They restore health most gently.
12. The medicines are most palatable.
13. When prescribed correctly, the medicines can act quite speedily.
14. It is more economical than any other system of medicine and suits well the needs
of our country.

SCOPE OF HOMOEOPATHY
Acts well where:
1. Greater is the dynamic nature of the disease.
2. Greater is the chronicity of the disease.
3. Greater are the superficial changes of the disease.
4. Greater is the mental manifestation of the disease.
5. Lesser are the structural (irreversible) and pathological changes of the disease.

LIMITATIONS OF HOMOEOPATHY
Homoeopathy has its limitations in some disease conditions where the
vitality is very poor:
1. Diseases with irreversible structural and organic changes. (i.e. diseases
with irreversible pathology.)
Examples:
(a) Cavitation of the lung.
(b) Large ulcer or rupture in the visceral organ.
(c) Degeneration of tissues or organ.
2. Presence of foreign body in the system.
3. Presence of any large, obstructive pathology in the system.
Examples:
(a) Thrombus in the circulatory system.
(b) Gall - stone.
(c) Renal stone, etc.
4. Massive incordinate growth in the tissue.
Examples:
(a) Tumour
(b) Cyst
5. Where the individualising features are lacking or difficult to ascertain.
Examples:
(a) Status asthmaticus
(b) Status epilepticus
6. Homoeopathy has little or no scope in many medico-surgical or
obstetrico-surgical or gynaeco-surgical conditions.
Examples:
(a) Peptic ulcer perforation.
(b) Appendicular lump.
(c) Prolapse of the uterus (3rd degree).
7. Homoeopathy has little or no scope in treating patients with long-
continued drugging.
Examples:
(a) Antispasmodic drug and steroids in bronchial asthma.
(b) Sleeping pill for insomnia.
8. Any accidental condition.
Examples:
(a) Strangulation.
(b) Suffocation.
(c) Drowning.
(d) Lightning strike.
9. Deformities, either congenital or acquired.
Examples:
(a) Polycystic kidney.
(b) Ventricular septal defect.
(c) Overriding of the aorta.
10. Cases which have passed the stage of curability.
(a) Advanced cancer.
(b) Advanced chronic nephritis.
11. When the patient is lacking in a vital organ.
Examples:
Removal of spleen
12. Homoeopathy has no scope in pseudo-chronic diseases resulting from
deficiency of food, vitamin, etc.
Examples:
(a) Rickets due to absolute deficiency of vitamin D.
(b) Anaemia due to absolute deficiency of blood forming materials,
etc.

MEDICINE AND PHILOSOPHY OF 17th, 18th

CENTURY
Ever since the days of Aristotle man had been in quest of ‘substance’
which make the universe. The latter part of 16th century saw the separation
of Universe into quantitative and qualitative halves, i.e. measurable
qualities like weight, dimension and nonmeasurable qualities like colour,
odour etc. This was followed by the materialistic theory of universe
according to which universe was composed of featureless matter. With the
advance of 17th century science took over from the materialistic philosophy
the notion of matter and branches like Physics, Chemistry, Biology etc.
started evolving.
Lord Bacon (1571-1627 A.D.) of England, father of objective and
realistic tradition and Rene Descartes (1596-1650 A.D.), father of
subjective and idealistic tradition guided the scientists and philosophers of
the 17th century. Bacon was concerned more with the advancement in
learning in general than with particular and taught men to take reasons
directly from the pages of Nature. All remarkable discoveries in Medicine
have been made by following Bacon’s inductive methods, his Novum
Organum - new organ of or instrument for the reconstruction and
advancement of science.
With the growth of knowledge in physics and chemistry there
appeared two schools of physicians—“iatro-physical or iatromechanical
school”, who viewed life as a series of chemical actions and reactions. The
practice of medicine swayed to and fro between both these schools who
revelled in loose experimentations and looser reasonings. So the whole
living man was entirely ignored and the art of healing the sick remained
impervious.
The latter half of the 17th century marked the advent of Dr. Thomas
Sydenham (1605-89 A.D.) who went back to the Hippocratic method of
recording the sick phenomenon. He followed Hippocrates in the use of the
lancet and the purgatives and followed Gallen in the use of compound
medicines.
The whole of the 18th century was marked by physicians who failed to
adhere strictly to the Baconian methods of enquiry and yielded to the
confused philosophical doctrines of their times. One sided theories, ‘shot-
gun’ prescriptions and loathesome mixtures, blood-letting, cupping and
other crude and torturesome therapeutic practices were freely indulged in
and advocated by the physicians of that time. A plethora of theories and
hypotheses were prevalent during that time and based on some distinctive
mental trends the medical men were grouped into the Dogmatists or
Rationalists, the Emgirics or Empirics and the Methodists or Routinists.
The Dogmatists: Their fundamental principle was that we cannot cure
a disease unless we known its cause.
The Empirics: The school of experiment and experience. An empiric
does not apply his eye of mind to what he observes with his sense organs;
so he accumulates facts without systematising his experience.
The Methodists: They asserted that the knowledge of no cause
whatever bears the least relation to the method of cure; and that it is
sufficient to observe some general symptoms of diseases.

DISCOVERY OF HOMOEOPATHY
BACKGROUND
Practically the whole of the 18th century in Europe was marked by
plethora of theories and hypothesis concerning the nature of disease and its
aetiology, consequently methods of therapeutic practice were as numerous
and diverse as the theories. The uncertainity and lack of any fixed principle
of healing disappointed Hahnemann. After taking his Doctorate of
Medicine from Erlangen University in the year 1779 he started with his
medical practice. In two years time he is reported to have written to one of
his friends, “I have been putting drugs of which I know little into bodies of
which I know less; so I can but renounce the practice of medicine that I may
no longer incur the risk of doing injury.” He gave up his practice and moved
to Dresden to turn his attention to the study of Chemistry, Philosophy,
Pharmacy and Medicine.
Like a noble man, an honest man, Hahnemann refused to make a
pretence of curing where he believed he did not cure at all. Hahnemann
knew 14 world languages in which he could translate. At an early age he
became world-famous by translating French chemist Demachy’s book on
chemistry in two volumes.

MATERIALS AND METHOD (EXPERIMENT)

And while he was diligently seeking the light the idea suddenly
illuminated before his eyes. In 1790, Hahnemann started translating the
materia medica (a compendium of the actions of therapeutic agents), written
by Professor Cullen of London University. Cullen devoted twenty pages of
his book to the therapeutic indications of Peruvian bark (a source of what is
known today as quinine), attributing its success in the treatment of malaria
to its bitterness. Hahnemann was so dissatisfied with this explanation that
he did something very extraordinary. He started taking the juice of
Cinchona bark 4 drams twice daily for a few days.

OBSERVATION
His feet, finger-ends, etc. at first became cold; he grew languid and
drowsy. Then his heart began to palpitate. His pulse grew hard and small.
Intolerable anxiety, trembling, prostration of all limbs. Then pulsation in
head, redness of cheeks, thirst. All these symptoms, which are ordinarily
characteristic of intermittent fever, made their appearance one after the
other, yet without the peculiar chill, shivering rigor. The paroxysm lasted
two or three hours each time, and recurred if the dose was repeated. He
discontinued it, and was back in health.

INFERENCE
He proved it on other members of his family. Same thing happened
again. He came to the conclusion that Peruvian bark cures paroxysms of
chills and fever because it produces paroxysms of chills and fever.
Hahnemann began to realise (and all his subsequent experiments conducted
during some fifty years confirmed this) that, “it is only by their power to
make sick, that drugs can cure sickness; and that a medicine can only
cure such morbid conditions as it can produce when tested on healthy
persons”.
Moreover, following the clue Hahnemann started to prove several so
called specific drugs on himself and others and in every case he noticed the
similarity of symptoms produced by the drugs to those of the natural
disease for which they were specifics.

CONCLUSION
After a few years, these experiments led him to the establishment of a
new system of healing. This is how Homoeopathy was discovered by
Hahnemann in the year 1790, and thus Homoeopathy was born when he
published an article in Hufeland’s Journal titled “Essay on a New Principle
for ascertain the Curative Powers of Drugs.” From 1790 to 1839 (50 yrs.)
Hahnemann experimented with 99 drugs and recorded his observations of
their action in “Fragmenta de viribus Medicamentorum Positivis,” “Materia
Medica Pura” and “Chronic Diseases.”
Homoeopathy was first shaped by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann although he
realised that it had been mentioned by Hippocrates and again by Paracelsus.
It has often been said that homoeopathy existed before Hahnemann. So it
did, in the same way as gravity existed before Newton.

DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE
The theory was reasoned on the lines of similarity, i.e., inferring the
nature of actions of a substance from its physical appearance and properties.
1. Thus the juice of Chelidonium (Celandine) which is yellow must be
the cure for bad bile since the bile is also yellow. The meat of walnut
resembles the brain, it must be good for the brain.
2. Macrocosm = Universe
Microcosm = Human body
So the sun, the heart of the universe and glowing with the colour of
gold, gives the Sol to the metal gold.
In the microcosm, the heart is the Sol and so gold is the remedy for
cardiac conditions.
3. Solanum dulcamara (bitter sweet) is found in a cold damp place, it
must be the cure for chills.
Unquestionably Hahnemann had read these and other theories. With
all their divergencies they were still a source of inspiration in allowing him
to analyse, investigate, experiment until he found the means to formulate
his law of healing.
It is then that he first applied the words Similia Similibus Curentur to
Homoeopathy.

EXPERIMENTED FOR TWENTY YEARS

Like every true scientist Hahnemann decided to concentrate on
producing evidence to prove or disprove his new-found theory. He set out to
experiment with other substances and for twenty years he investigated the
action of substances on healthy people. The drugs be given singly, in pure
form, never in combination. He tested all these substances (arsenic, sulphur,
gold, copper and silica) on healthy volunteers and discovered their actions
which were of value in the treatment of sick people.

RATIONAL SYSTEM OF MEDICINE

Homoeopathic system of medicine is called a rational process of
treatment because fundamentally the system is based on reasonable and
easily comprehensible principles.

As stated in aphorism 2, an ideal cure could only be possible when

the method of treatment fulfils the following cardinal aims:
1. The cure should be achieved as soon as possible.
2. The method of treatment should be gentle.
3. The cure must be permanent annihilating the disease in its whole extent.
4. There must not be any side effect or after effect of the medication.
5. The principles of treatment should be justifiable and easily comprehensible.

CARDINAL OR FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF

HOMOEOPATHY
Every science has certain basic principles and laws which guides the
whole system. Homoeopathy as a science of medical treatment has a
philosophy of its own and therapeutics are based on certain principles. They
are as follows:

1. Law of Similars
2. Law of Simplex
3. Law of Minimum
4. Doctrine of Drug-proving
5. Theory of Chronic disease
6. Theory of Vital force
7. Theory of Drug-potentisation or dynamisation

LAW OF SIMILARS
Homoeopathy is a system of medicine based on definite laws. Two
sets of symptom-totality are collected, one group is collected from the
patient, another group from the materia medica. Now these two sets of
symptom-totality are compared. The medicine having the most similar set
of symptoms to the disease to be cured is the homoeopathic similimum.
This is the basis of homoeopathic prescription, and it is based on § 26,
Nature’s law of cure.

LAW OF SIMPLEX
It means only one single, simple medicinal substance is to be
administered at a time in a given case §272 - §274, due to the following
reasons:
(a) Homoeopathic remedies were proved singly and the materia
medica was built up on this proving.
(b) Only one remedy can be most similar at any given time with the
condition of the patient
(c) Second prescription will be difficult if more than one medicine is
used, since the doctor cannot be sure which remedy was curative
or has acted.
(d) In case of combination prescription there is also a possibility of
synergistic action of various remedies which will give a
combined effect rather than each acting singly. It may also cause
some adverse effect in the body.
(e) Also, Vital force is a single entity. Since the action of the
medicine is at the dynamic plane it should also be a single
substance.

LAW OF MINIMUM
It means the quantity of action necessary to effect any change in
nature is the least possible: the decisive amount is always a minimum, an
infinitesimal. The quantity of the homoeopathic remedy required is in
inverse ratio to the similarity. It means greater the similarity smaller the
quantity of drug required. Homoeopathic physician employs minimum dose
just sufficient to release drug energy to restore the lost balance.
Minimum dose means the sufficient amount of potentised medicine
which can react with the vitality and effect a change. It is not fixed but
varies from person to person due to the variation of susceptibility in the
subjects. This concept of minimum dose led to the invention of
potentisation. Administration of minimum dose has the following
advantages :
(a) To avoid unwanted aggravation.
(b) to bring out uncommon peculiar characteristic symptoms. These
symptoms help the physician to individualise a case.
(c) Minimum dose does not allow the drug to do any organic
damage nor induce drug addiction.
(d) To take full advantage of the finest curative properties of the
remedy.
(e) To maintain the similarity of the sequence of the disease and the
drug.
(f) Arndt - Schultz law states that small doses stimulate, medium
doses paralyze and large doses kill. This law verifies the concept
of minimum dose.

DOCTRINE OF DRUG-PROVING §105 - §145

Our science lays down that only those medicines should be used in the
treatment whose medicinal properties are known to us. Drug proving
involves a systematic investigation of pathogenetic power of medicine
hence disease - curing power also, on healthy human being of different
ages, both sexes and of various constitutions.
It is the process by which disease-producing power of the drug is
known to us. If a healthy person takes a medicine or medicinal substance
for experimental reason, he will come to manifest a set of symptoms which
are peculiar to that particular drug substance.

Advantages
(a) To prepare materia medica.
(b) To obtain total picture of the drug.
(c) To know the susceptibility of the subject.
(d) To know that inert substance is a medicine (from NaCl to Nat-
m.).
(e) From proving we get the therapeutic indications such a modality;
rare, uncommon, peculiar symptoms.

Proving on healthy human beings

(a) Human beings can give subjective symptoms, and mental symptoms
such as desire, aversion, fear, company, will, love, etc.
(b) Human beings can give out modalities and their symptoms.
(c) Healthy human beings can express the true picture of the drug.
(d) Here vital force is healthy and free from disease force, so no
possibility of mixed picture of disease.
THEORY OF CHRONIC DISEASE
20 years of exhaustive research (from 1790 to 1810), experiment and
experience led Hahnemann to conclude that the real cause of the chronic
disease are miasms, that is:
Psora: Deficiency or lack. Example: Constipation.
Sycosis: Proliferation or excess. Example: Diarrhoea.
Syphilis: Perversion or destruction. Example: Dysentery.
Psora is the real fundamental cause and producer of innumerable
forms of disease. The miasms are types of morbid susceptibilities or defects
in the constitution responsible for giving rise to chronic diseases.
This theory is added in the 4th edition of the Organon of Medicine
(1829).

DOCTRINE OF DRUG-DYNAMISATION OR POTENTISATION

It is a process by which the medicinal properties which are latent in
natural substances in their crude state become awakened and developed into
activity.
Methods of potentisation
(a) Dilution and succussion - In case of soluble substances.
(b) Trituration - In case of insoluble substances.
Object of potentisation
(a) To enable the release of potential drug energy in a form which is
suited to cure.
(b) To reduce the medicinal substance, in order to avoid unwanted
aggravation.
(c) By this process the most virulent and deadly poisons are not only
rendered harmless but are transformed into beneficial healing agents.
Example: Arsenic, Phosphorus, snake venom.
(d) The actions of potentised medicines are deeper, longer and dynamic.
(e) Homoeopathy believes that life force is a dynamic force and it is
affected by disease which are dynamic and so can be cured by the
dynamic power of medicine, not by its material quantity.

DOCTRINE OF VITAL FORCE

A fundamental power of life-preserving energy which governs or
regulates all the organs and parts of the body is termed as vital force. Dr.
Hahnemann speaks of vital force in § 9 and § 10. It is responsible for
harmonious functioning of all parts of living organism or body.

Characteristics of vital force

(a) Dynamic
(b) Automatic
(c) Autocratic
(d) Unintelligent and instinctive
(e) Spiritual
Role of vital force
(a) In health
(i) It maintains harmony of action between different parts of the
body.
(ii) Gives protection.
(iii) Stimulates production.
(iv) Helps in the quest for higher purposes of existence.
(b) In disease
Manifests signs and symptoms, calling for a remedy.

HOMOEOPATHY - WHY SUPERIOR?

Homoeopathic method is the best due to the following reasons:
1. The principle of Homoeopathic system is to individualise.
2. Homoeopathy has a general principle which is similia similibus curentur.
3. Homoeopathy accepts the concept of biological whole. So it tries to treat the
patient as a whole and not the disease.
4. Homoeopathy tries to ascertain the action of drugs by proving them on healthy
human beings, who are able to communicate their subjective symptoms.
5. The homoeopathic therapeutic law of cure is absolutely scientific, justified by the
process of observation, induction, deduction and experimental verification.
6. Homoeopathy believes in the efficacy of application of potentised drugs as single
remedies at a time and in minimum dose.
7. Homoeopathy utilises the conception of dynamic vital force.
8. There is no side effect of homoeopathic treatment and complete health is
restored.

HOMOEOPATHY - HOW SUPERIOR?

1. Homoeopathy is based on a scientific law which remains infallible: Similia
similibus curentur. We do not have to discard what we learn today after a few
years.
2. Homoeopathy cures what can be cured much faster than any other system of
medicine.
3. Homoeopathy cures rapidly, and safely. It uses dilute and minute drugs that will
do the cure, so there is no danger of poisoning, or an idiosyncrasy of the patient
to a remedy. As a result it does not cause allergies or other bad effects.
4. The general health of the patient improves under homoeopathic treatment, even
when treatment is directed toward some particular ailment or disease.
5. Homoeopathy cures some conditions that are considered surgical cases by other
methods.
6. There is always hope of curing a case with homoeopathy, regardless of the
prognosis of orthodox medicine.
7. Even babies and little children do not object to taking homoeopathic medicines
as it is palatable.
8. Homoeopathy treats the individual patient as a whole and not disease by its
name. What cures one case of a certain disease may not cure another case of the
same disease.
9. Anyone brought up on homoeopathy has a better chance for a healthy and happy
life.
10. No method of therapeutical experimentation has as yet been found more accurate
than that performed upon the human body. Homoeopathic drugs are tested and
proven upon healthy people - not upon animals.
11. Homoeopathy overcomes the bad effects of various treatments, such as
vaccinations, inoculations, antibiotics, and various crude treatments, which often
do so much harm to the patients.
12. Homoeopathy can help in eradicating hereditary tendencies unknown to other
methods of treatment.
13. Homoeopathy is the most economical system of treatment with no expensive drug
bills or prescriptions, and even with lesser need and rational use of expensive
laboratory investigations.

HOMOEOPATHY IN INDIA
The introduction of homoeopathy in India is linked with the arrival of
Portuguese adventurers in India. They started dispensing homoeopathic
medicines amongst the rural inhabitants and villagers who were depending
mainly on herbal products, commonly used by their ancestors. Thus the
Portuguese were able to win the hearts of these innocent people and utilised
the opportunity to enhance their political establishment in India.
In addition, with the arrival of Britishers through the East India
Company, some of them extended their hands of co-operation to the natives
by introducing homoeopathy. The purpose was identical. However, they
believed in generous medical aid to the deprived villagers. Thus
homoeopathy received its early recognition as a system of treatment in India
and gradually spread all over the country.

MILESTONES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF

HOMOEOPATHY IN INDIA
1839 — Dr. Honigberger, a German homoeopath, visited Lahore to treat Maharaja
Ranjit Singh through homoeopathic system.
1846 — Homoeopathic hospitals were started by surgeon Samuel Brooking at
Tanjore and Paducuta in South India.
1851 — Native Homoeopathic Hospital & Free Dispensary was started in Calcutta
under the patronage of the honorable Sir John Hunter Litter. Dr. C.F.
Tonnere, a French homoeopath, was appointed the Health Officer for the
town of Calcutta.
1862 — The first journal of homoeopathy named “The Calcutta Journal of
Medicine” was published and edited by Dr. M.L. Sircar, a renowned
allopath converted to homoeopathy.
1881 — The first homoeopathic institution named “The Calcutta Homoeopathic
Medical School” was established by Dr. P.C. Mazumdar, Dr. D.N. Roy and
others, which was subsequently upgraded into a college and is still existing.
1932 — The first session of All India Homoeopathic Medical Association
(AIHMA) was held under the Presidentship of Dr. W. Younan in Calcutta.
1937 — The first resolution on homoeopathy was adopted by the legislative
assembly and moved by Mr. Ghiasuddin.
1941 — The Bengal Government accorded official status to homoeopathy and
constituted the first Central Council and State Faculty of Homoeopathy.
The education of Homoeopathy in Bengal became uniform.
1948 — Homoeopathic Enquiry Committee was nominated by the Government of
India to find out facts and figures regarding Homoeopathy as a dependable
mode of treatment.
1951 — A Committee to advise on homoeopathic matters was appointed by the
Planning Commission, Government of India.

West Bengal has been the pioneer in the education and spread of
homoeopathy as a dependable method of treatment. Under the Council of
Homoeopathic Medicine, W.B., several colleges have been providing
distinguished and systematic education in the field of homoeopathy.
Dr. B. K. Bose, Dr. M.L. Sircar, Dr. P.C. Mazumdar, Dr. J. N.
Mazumdar, Dr. Kanjilal, Dr. D.D. Banerjee (Principal, P.C.M. college), Dr.
Mahendra Singh of C.H. Medical College and scores of others from West
Bengal have enormously contributed to the advancement of homoeopathy
in India. It is by virtue of their endeavours and efforts and by the untiring
efforts of the succeeding generations of able and qualified homoeopaths that
homoepathy has its solid foundation not only in West Bengal but also all
over India.
Homoeopathy has been accepted as a course of education by different
universities of India and the faculties of homoeopathy in various
universities are functioning.

STANDARDISATION OF HOMOEOPATHY ON A
UNIFORM BASIS
In order to maintain uniform standards of homoeopathy, the
Government of India has established the Central Council of Homoeopathy
at New Delhi, under the supervision of which the following courses have
been introduced :
1. D.H.M.S. (4-year, diploma course).
2. B.H.M.S. (5-½ year, degree course).
The diploma or degree course is uniform all over India and the
different universities or examination boards are constantly improving their
standards of education.
The Government of India has introduced a parallel pay scale as that
for qualified allopaths and thus the qualified homoeopathic physicians are
having equal scope.
Qualified homoeopaths are being absorbed in Central Government
health schemes, different state-run homoeopathic hospitals and railway
hospitals.

Steps taken for advancement of Homoeopathy by the Govt. of

India:
The Government of India by an Act of parliament has established:
1. The Central Council of Homoeopathy.
2. The Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy.
3. The National Institute of Homoeopathy.
4. The Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Laboratory.

THE CENTRAL COUNCIL OF HOMOEOPATHY

It is an apex body determining the course, syllabi and standard of
education in homoeopathy. It inspects the homoeopathic institutes situated
all over India to give them guidelines in order to maintain a uniform
standard of homoeopathic education. This Council determines the policies
of homoeopathic education and training and all other matters concerning
this system.

THE CENTRAL COUNCIL FOR RESEARCH IN HOMOEOPATHY

(Under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India)
The purpose of this Council is to encourage and initiate research
works in the field of homoeopathy. Many scientific projects have been
taken up and substantial progress has been made.
It has branches in almost all the states of the country and these
regional units have been doing research work in consultation with the
central body. From time to time the Central Council organises seminars and
workshops where exchange of ideas takes place in order to improve the
output in the field of homoeopathic researches.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HOMOEOPATHY (N.I.H.)

The National Institute of Homoeopathy was established in December,
1975 as an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare in Salt Lake City in Calcutta.
The academic activity of the NIH consists of imparting training in the
dip course of two years duration for diploma holders to upgrade them to
degree standard.
The institute runs the various faculties/departments, hospitals and
administrative wings along with a well—constructed beautiful auditorium
with all modern amenities, hostel for boys and girls and a spacious guest
house. It has a herbary at a nearby place called Kalyani.
NIH is one of the biggest homoeopathic institutes in the world.
Besides the upgraded diploma and degree courses, it is going to train
students in different disciplines of medicine and paramedicals and nurses. It
also runs a homoeopathic teachers’ training course.

THE HOMOEOPATHIC PHARMACOPOEIA LABORATORY

With the advancement of homoeopathy in its academic aspects, India
is not lagging behind in the field of standardisation and quality control of
medicines. It is no more dependent on import of homoeopathic medicines
from abroad, it is trying to produce indigenous drugs of international
standard. The Laboratory is a first step in this direction. The 6-volume
Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India has been published by the
Government of India. Dr. P.N. Varma, former Director of HPL has also
compiled 2-volume Pharmacopoeia under the title “Encyclopaedia of
Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia” (over 2000 pages) and published by B. Jain
Publishers (P) Ltd. New Delhi.
Its aim is standardisation, quality awareness and quality control of
homoeopathic medicines and raw materials used in the preparation of
homoeopathic medicines.
The Laboratory has been established in Ghaziabad, U.P., very close to
the capital and maintains a computer based data bank, where information of
over 4500 items of medicinal use are available.

The H.P.L. has set the following objectives:

1. Fixation of raw material standards for homoeopathic drugs.
2. Finding product standards.
3. Verification of standards.
4. Drug testing of survey samples.
5. Drug testing of referred samples.
6. Supply of standard preparations to other institutes.
7. Preparation of standard samples for consumption.
8. Preparation of herbarium shoots.
9. Collection and survey of medicinal plants.
10. Tissue culture studies.
11. Addition to standards (microbiological).
12. Maintenance of node barks.

Thus homoeopathy which started in Germany received its recognition

in France, and achieved its peak of popularity in the U.S.A., has found its
strong foothold in India where it is catering to the needs of millions and is
working not only as the chief alternative therapy but a great saviour against
the hazards of harmful modern allopathic drugs.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is homoeopathy? Who is its founder? Describe the method
and materials needed for the conception of homoeopathy.
Q 2. What is the appeal of Hahnemann regarding homoeopathy? Show
how Hahnemann struggled for the development of homoeopathy.
Q 3. What is homoeopathic decalogue? How did Hahnemann
systematise the homoeopathic doctrine?
Q 4. Describe the advantages of homoeopathy.
Q 5. Describe the scope and limitations of homoeopathy.
Q 6. Describe the discovery of homoeopathy with scientific outlook.
Q 7. Describe briefly how the idea of homoeopathy came to
Hahnemann’s mind.
Q 8. Why is homoeopathy called the rational system of medicine?
Q 9. What are the cardinal principles of homoeopathy?
Q 10. How and why homoeopathy is superior to other modes of
treatment?
Q 11. Describe the development of homoeopathy in India.
Q 12. How to become a good Homoeopath? (3rd part)
Q 13. Describe the Homoeopathic influence in Homoeopathy. (3rd part)
Q 14. What is the scope of Homoeopathic treatment. Is there any
limitation of Homoeopathy? If so, discuss with your arguments.
Q 15. Homoeopathy is founded upon principles, that are in term founded
upon Natural laws - Discuss.
Q 16. Homoeopathy is a science and art — Explain. (See - Chapter 27)
Q 17. Why and how Hahnemann became a Homoeopath — Discuss.
■
Chapter 2
History of the Organon

BACKGROUND
After discovery of homoeopathy in 1790, Hahnemann continued his
proving of drugs on healthy human beings. For six years thence he
continued his researches and experiments until in 1796 when he was in a
position to write about fifty drugs and suggested a new way of ascertaining
the specific curative powers of a drug. It was published as an article in
Hufeland’s journal under the title “An Essay on a New Principle for
Ascertaining the Curative Powers of Drug.”
Hahnemann started to prescribe medicines on the symptom —
similarity basis. Here he was confronted with great difficulties as there was
no sufficient and individualising records of positive effects of drugs. As he
was his own Columbus and his own Magellan, he began to prove
“medicines” on himself and other healthy volunteers, and thus gradually a
novel kind of materia medica was being built up. His attitude towards
diseases, drug actions, the method of testing their postitive effects on men
and the relation between disease-phenomena and drug-phenomena and the
mode of application and preparation of drugs began to take definite shape;
and he felt the need of systematising his thoughts and communicating them
to his brother-physicians. His article Medicine of Experience, and other
articles referred to before paved the way for publishing his great work
“Organon of the Rational Art of Healing” in 1810.

WORD MEANING
The word ‘Organon’ is a Greek derivation of the word ‘Organum’ which has the
following meanings:
1. Literary work — It means collection of educational matter with the combination
of system of art.
2. Instrument of thought - It means fruitful thinking with system of logic from the
nature.
3. A method of scientific investigation - It deals with that type of reasoning which
has sound experiment, clear observation and firm inference.
4. An instrument for effecting in best manner a certain end.

SOURCE
This word was at first used by the great Greek philosopher Aristotle
(384-312 B.C). His various treatises on logic were summed up under the
common title “Organon”.
Further Lord Francis Bacon (1556-1626 A.D.) wrote a book on logic
in Latin named ‘Novum Organum’ (new organon) which is the second
volume of his ‘Insaurated Magna’.
These two sources influenced Hahnemann to name his book “The
Organon”.
So the Organon of Medicine is a book written by Dr. Christian
Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann in German language containing the basic
principles of homoeopathy. The book is Hahnemann’s exposition and
vindication of his therapeutic method. The book is written in an aphoristic
style but there is a continuity and logical sequence of thoughts underlying
the sections contained in the book. A careful observation of the aphorisms
reveals to us a ground plan of the whole book, a consideration of which is
very helpful to master this great work.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE

1. The chief aim and object for writing this book was to present before the medical
world the doctrines, merits, and the practical application of his new healing art in
a logical and elaborate way.
2. It is found that Hahnemann wanted to cover the whole field of medicine and
intended that any physician wanting to practise the healing art should possess the
knowledge of what he considered to be fundamentals of medicine which were
systematised by him in his Organon.
3. He wrote the book for the medical profession but circumstances developed to
widen the relation between his followers and those of the Orthodox School.
4. He also criticised the prevailing system of medicine and established superiority
of homoeopathy after comparing it with Antipathy, Allopathy and Isopathy.
5. Hahnemann wanted to educate the general patients through this book.
6. This book was founded originally as a protest against the materialism of the 19th
century medicine.
7. He was the first man in this world to establish a correct, complete relationship
between the physician and the patient by the book.

CONTENT
The whole book is divided into two parts:
1. Introduction
It is a review of the allopathic system of medicine. It deals with the
various prefaces of different editions of the Organon of Medicine.
2. Organon proper
It is again subdivided into two:
(a) The Doctrinal part deals with
(i) The logical explanations of the theories like knowledge of
disease (1 to 18 aphorisms).
(ii) The knowledge of medicine (19 to 27 aphorisms)
(iii) How to choose and administer the remedy (28 to 69
aphorisms).
(b) Practical part deals with the method and ways of practising
homoeopathy.
(i) What is necessary to know in order to cure the disease (§
72 to 104).
(ii) How to gain knowledge of the instruments presented for
the cure of natural disease, the pathogenetic powers of the
medicine (§ 105 to 145).
(iii) The most suitable method of employing these artificial
morbific agents (medicines) for the cure of natural
diseases (§ 146 to 285).

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS

Introduction part
1. Preface of different editions (that is, theoretic medicine, demerits of
current system, duty of physician and knowledge of medicine of that
time).
2. Development of homoeopathy.
3. Struggle of Hahnemann to establish homoeopathy.
4. Different additions.
5. Basic principles of homoeopathy.
Law of similia, simplex, minimum dose, vital force, drug-proving,
potentisation, chronic disease.

Organon proper
Theoretical part (Aphorism 1-70)
1. § 1: Mission: Spirit of devotion for the betterment of suffering
humanity.
Cure: To restore the sick to health maintaining Hering’s law of cure,
that is, cure is from above above downward, centre to periphery and the
reverse order of appearance of the original symptoms.
Health: Health means feeling of ease both mentally and physically.
2. § 2: The physician must know that the highest ideal of cure is rapid,
gentle, permanent removal of disease in shortest, most reliable and
harmless way under comprehensible principles.
3. § 3: A physician must have knowledge of disease, medicine,
pharmacy, dose, repetition, and obstacles to recovery.
4. § 4: The physician must know how to preserve health by making
people conscious about the causes of disease.
5. § 5-18:
(a) What disease is.
(b) Maintaining, fundamental and exciting cause of disease.
(c) Production of disease.
(d) Vital force: A fundamental energy which governs all organs and
parts of the body in health, and its role in disease and cure.
(e) Character of vital force :
(i) Spiritual
(ii) Dynamic
(iii) Automatic
(iv) Autocratic
(v) Unintelligent
(vi) Instinctive
(f) Relation of Vital Force with material body
(g) Removal of morbid symptoms.
6. § 19-28: Knowledge about :
(a) Medicine (artificial morbific agent),
(b) Nature’s law of cure,
(c) Curative power of medicine is its pathogenetic power and
therefore disease-curing power,
(d) Drug proving.
7. § 29-69: Explanation of Law of Similars.
(a) How homoeopathic cure takes place.
(b) Action of natural morbific noxious influence.
(c) Medicine: Disease-producing power acts conditionally, but
medicine acts unconditionally.
(d) Co-existence of two chronic diseases.
(e) What happens when dissimilar diseases meet together.
(f) What happens when two similar diseases meet together.
(g) The modes of applying medicine in homoeopathy, allopathy,
antipathy and isopathy, and their merits and demerits.
(Relationship to contemporary therapeutics.)
8. § 70: Knowledge of life, medicine, health, disease, and cure
(Inferences).
Practical part (§ 71 - §291)
1. § 71-104: Knowledge of
(a) Disease classification
(b) Management
(c) Case-taking, etc.
2. § 104-145: Knowledge of drug-proving, that is, prover, medicine,
preparation, dose, environment, management and action of medicine.
3. § 146-end:
(a) Hahnemann’s classification of disease
(b) Aggravation (homoeopathic, medicinal, and disease)
(c) Management of cases with partially similar symptoms
(d) Treatment of psora, sycosis, syphilis
(e) Observation
(f) Individualisation
(g) Mental disease
(h) Intermittent disease
(i) Modes of applying medicine in chronic disease
4. § 146-263 deals with the selection and mode of administration of
remedies.
5. § 264-285: These aphorisms deal with route of administration of
medicine. Hahnemann has suggested new ways of remedy
administration by olfaction, inhalation and rubbing of medicine
externally which is given internally simultaneously.
6. § 286-291 deals with the utility of therapeutic agents other than drugs
(ancillary measures), such as:
• Magnetism and electricity (§ 286 to 287)
• Mesmerism (288 to 289)
• Massage (290)
• Bath (291)

Numbers to remember:
1. Introduction : 1, 2, 3 and 4
2. Clinical : 5 to 8 and 83 to 89
3. Totality : 7, 15, 16, 17
4. Vital dynamism : 9 to 16
5. Disease: 17 to 19 and 71 to 82
6. Choice of Remedy: 18
7. Medicaments : 20 to 23 and 105 to 116
8. Homoeopathy : 24 to 34
9. Allopathy : 55
10. Antipathy : 23 and 56 to 62
11. Pathological antagonism : 35 to 45
12. Vaccine : 46
13. Natural laws : 48 to 54
14. Artificial diseases : 47
15. Palliatives : 58 to 60
16. Primary and secondary effects : 63 to 66
17. Infinitesimal doses : 67, 68
18. Case taking : 83 to 104
19. State of mind : 96 to 99
20. Repertorisation : 102 to 104
21. Idiosyncrasy : 117
22. Medicinal individuality : 118 to 120
23. Pharmacopoeia : 121 to 124
24. Experiments : 125 to 145
25. Homoeopathic specific: 154.
26. Doses : 248 to 278 and 259 to 260
27. Bad selection of the medicine : 249 to 258
28. Regimen : 261 to 263
29. Purity of medicines : 264 to 269
30. Preparation of medicines : 270
31. Single medicine : 273 and 274
32. Potency selection: 275 to 278
33. Dilution : 288, footnote to aphorism 269
34. Body parts susceptible to medicine : 289 to 292
35. Mesmerism : 293 and 294

DIFFERENT EDITIONS OF THE ORGANON OF

MEDICINE
Five editions were published during the life time of Hahnemann. The
sixth and last one was published after his death (1921).

1ST EDITION - 1810

1. Title of the book: “Organon of Rational Art of Healing”. (Organon der
Rationellen Heikunde.)
2. Publication: It was published in 1810 when Hahnemann resided at
Torgau. It was published by the famous Arnold of Dresden. It was
financed by a grateful patient.
3. Title page contained a poem of Gellert, the famous German poet. The
English translation was :
“The Truth we mortals need,
Us blest to make and keep,
The All-wise slightly covered over,
But did not bury deep”.
It contained 271 aphorisms.

2ND EDITION - 1819

1. Title of the book: “Organon of Healing Art” [Organon der
Heilkundest]
2. Publication: It was published in 1819 as an augmented edition.
3. The title page containing the stanza of Gellert’s poem which was
replaced by 2 words: “Aude Saperet” which means be bold and
sensible, or more fully translated: Have the courage to think for
yourself, dare to be wise. It contained 315 paragraphs.
4. Translation: It was translated by Ernst von Brunno.
3RD EDITION - 1824
1. Title of the book: Unchanged.
2. It was published in 1824 as an improved edition when Hahnemann
was at Coethen.
3. Title page unchanged. Contained 320 aphorisms by wrong numeration.
Actually it had 319 sections.

4TH EDITION - 1829

1. Title of the book: Unchanged.
2. Publication: It was published in 1829 as an augmented and improved
edition from Coethen.
3. Title page unchanged. Contained 292 aphorisms.
4. Addition: “Theory of chronic diseases” was introduced for the first
time in this edition. The “Introduction” to the Organon was introduced
first in this edition.
5. Translation: It was translated by Charles H. Devrient into English
(1833).

5TH EDITION - 1833

1. Title of the book: Unchanged.
2. Publication: This was the last edition which was published in 1833
during the lifetime of Hahnemann.
3. Title page unchanged. Contained 294 aphorism.
4. Additions: The doctrines of vital force and drug dynamisation were
introduced in this edition.
5. Translation: Translated into English by R. E. Dudgeon (1849 & 1893).

6TH EDITION - 1921

1. Title of the book: Organon of Medicine.
2. Publication: Published by Richard Haehl in German language in 1921,
78 years after Hahnemann’s death, and translated into English by
William Boericke.
3. Title page unchanged. Number of aphorisms are 291.
4. Addition: 50-millesimal scale dynamic influence - dynamis and
concept of vital principle were introduced in this edition.

DIFFERENCE
5TH EDITION 6TH EDITION

1. Published during the lifetime of Published after the death of Hahnemann.

Hahnemann.
2. The title is “Organon of Healing Art”. The title is “Organon of medicine”.
3. It was published in the year 1833, It was published in the year 1921
containing 294 aphorisms. containing 291 aphorisms.
4. The doctrines of vital force were and Vital force was replaced by the term a
drug potentisation introduced. “vital principle” or ”life principle” or
“vital energy” and 50-millesimal scale
was introduced.

5. Not-criticial of allopathy. of Aphorisms 60-94 contain criticism

allopathy.
6. Homoeopathic posology the treat 246-248 discuss about doses in not
ment of acute and chronic diseases. discussed in details.
7. It gives no new scale. It introduces 50-millesimal scale.
8. It does not advise on treatment of Foot-note of aphorism 282 discuss fully
chronic disease. the treatment of chronic diseases.

CONTRARIA CONTRARIIS CURANTUR

It means opposite cures opposite.
Antipathic mode of treatment is applied by this law.
Founder: Dr. C. Galen
Examples:
1. Opium is applied because it rapidly produces stupefied condition.
2. For constipation and diarrhoea, antipathic physician prescribes
medicines which produce diarrhoea and constipation respectively.
3. A burnt hand is dipped into the water, the coldness of water removing
instantaneously the burning pain.
4. A person who has suffered from debility for a long time is given wine
to drink, whereby he is instantly stimulated.

MERITS
1. In emergency palliation is done where no time is left to contemplate
dynamic medicine.
2. It is useful when the vital force is suddenly overwhelmed by accident,
injury, shock, drowning and poisoning.
3. It is useful where symptoms are either absent or difficult to get.
4. It is easy to gain patient - confidence by applying this law.

DEMERITS
1. Here holistic concept is not followed.
2. Amelioration by the primary action of a drug ends in relapse and
aggravation as its secondary action.

EQUALIA EQUILIBUS CURANTUR

It means same cures the same.
Isopathic mode of treatment is applied by this law where disease is
cured by the same contagious principle.
Founder: William Lux, a veterinary surgeon, established this system.
Examples:
1. If a person is suffering from otorrhoea, he will be given the discharge
of his own ear.
2. Frostbite is cured by snow.
3. Heat is applied to burn.

DEMERITS
1. It is an incomplete system because all diseases cannot be treated by
this law.
2. Cure by this system is a matter of luck.

SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURANTUR

It means let likes be cured by likes.
Homoeopathic mode of treatment is based on this law. Homoeopathy
is a system of therapeutics where medicine is applied on the basis of
symptom similarity with the disease.
Founder: It was established by Christian Friedrich Samuel
Hahnemann.

ADVANTAGES
It cures true chronic diseases, mental diseases, diseases with more
functional symptoms, and diseases with dynamic manifestations.

LIMITATIONS
1. Gross and irreversible changes in organs are not cured by this law.
2. When vital force is overwhelmed by iatrogenic disease, this law shows
less fruitful result.
Hahnemann wrote the Organon of Medicine for all medical
practitioners. During his time the system of treatment was in a very chaotic
condition. There were no rules, no philosophy and no scientific
investigation and experiment. According to Professor Evans, fellow of the
Royal College of London, “The medical practice of our day is at best a most
uncertain and unsatisfactory system. It has neither philosophy nor common
single aim to commend it with confidence“. According to professor W.
Parker, M.D., New York College, of all sciences allopathy is most
uncertain. Sir Richard Douglas remarks, “Inspite of all that we hear of our
progress in medicine, we cannot cure a common cold”. Dr. J.L. Chanda
says, “Prescribing is the shooting in dark, sometimes hits, more often
misses.”
For that reason Hahnemann was vexed about the medical system of
that age. Hahnemann established a curative law from experiment and
investigation. He believed that his curative law was the only scientific
medical system of all time. In this book he asserted his views on health,
disease, and cure with conviction. He also guided all medical practitioners
on their duty, limitation, behaviour and public relation.
The essence of medical system is the combining of action and thought
in the service of mankind. It offers the following ideals to stimulate both
thought and action:
1. Do not blame the sick for being sick.
2. If the patient’s wishes are known, comply with them as far as possible.
3. Work for your patients, not for self-interest.
4. Make ward-rounds to boost the patients’ morale.
5. Admit people, not strokes, infarcts or crumbles.
6. The ward sister is usually right, respect her opinion.
7. Look after yourself - you are not an inexhaustible resource.
8. Treat the whole patient, not only the disease.
Hahnemann’s Organon of Medicine upholds these ideals. Hahnemann
describes the mission and duties of the physician in several aphorisms:

IMPORTANT APHORISMS OF ORGANON

1. § 1: The physician’s high and only mission is to restore the sick to
health, to cure, as it is termed.
2. § 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 harmless way, on easily
comprehensible principles.
3. § 3: Disease and how to remove it. Obstacles to cure.
4. § 4: What causes or maintains illness and how to remove them.
5. § 5: Aetiology of disease and lifestyle parameters that we need to
inquire about. The aphorism suggests that chronic diseases are
manifested due to certain habits, activities, personalities and
nutritional deficiencies.
6. § 6: The physician should be an unprejudiced observer to perceive the
portrait of disease.
7. § 7: Sustaining cause of disease, and its removal.
8. § 94: Hahnemann extends the list of aetiologies and again pleads for
the removal of obstacles.
9. § 208: The patient’s age, way of living, diet, activities, domestic
situation, social circumstances, etc. must be considered to ascertain
whether these things aggravate his trouble and to what degree they
might help or interfere with the treatment.
10. § 261: Maintenance of hygiene. The hygienic movement gained
popularity at the same time homoeopathy did and has continued to be
observed by millions around the world. Some of the strongest
supporters of the hygienic movement correlate health with proper
nutrition, exercise, hydrotherapy, sunbathing, air-bathing, rest, and
moderation in all actions and thoughts.
11. § 265: Physician must administer correctly chosen remedy prepared by
himself.
After discovering homoeopathy, Hahnemann proceeded to learn and
practise all other healing arts to the best of his ability. Since his time many
systems have developed or have been refined to aid in the curative
processes. Some of these disciplines are nutrition, hydrotherapy,
manipulation, physiotherapy, acupuncture, botanical medicine,
psychotherapy and counselling, hypnosis, fasting, exercise, and public
health. Each of these systems can be used curatively, palliatively, or
suppressively, depending on one’s understanding of health, disease, and the
healing process. The old homoeopaths used to be conversant with these
systems. From Hahnemann to Tyler, homoeopaths who looked with open
eyes found limitations of homoeopathy, and searched for adjuvant therapies.
So we, as physicians, not as homoeopaths, must heal. Homoeopathy
was meant to be the main focus of a practice but surely not the only focus.
The Organon of Medicine contain the principles, rules and regulations,
scope and limitations, theoreticals and practicals, life-principle, disease,
health and cure. It is a scientific treatise and therefore it should be
approached with spirit of inquiry that characterizes scientific atitude and not
with a feeling of reverence.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. On what background Organon is developed? Mention its word
meaning. Describe its source.
Q 2. What is Organon of Medicine? Describe its aims and objectives
with contents in detail.
Q 3. Describe the general design of the different editions of Organon of
Medicine. How to study this book?
Q 4. How will you differentiate between fifth and sixth editions of
Organon of Medicine ?
Q 5. Name some of the principles on which different systems of
medicine are established. Describe there merits and demerits with
example.
Q 6. Why this book is named Organon of Medicine?
Q 7. Why the homoeopathic physician must study Organon of
Medicine. Justify in details.
Q 8. Describe briefly Organon's 1st to 4th edition versus 5th edition.
(3rd part)
Q 9. Discuss the role of Hahnemann's Organon of Medicine in
Therapeutics (3rd part)
Q 10. Describe “Organon is the essence of Homoeopathy”. (See 3rd part)
Q 11. What is Organon of Medicine. Do you think study of Organon of
Medicine is essential for a Homoeopath. If so, give reason for your
answer.
Q 12. Can you enumerate the subjects dealt with in the organon? Discuss
briefly any two items that you think most important.
Q 13. Hahnemann's Organon of Medicine is the high water mark in
medical philosophy — Comment. (3rd part see)
Q 14. Write the number of editions of Organon of Medicine and their
respective year of publication. What are major changes brought in
by Hahnemann between 5th and 6th editions.
Q 15. Give the schematic chart of the ground plan of Organon of
Medicine with the short notes of the items in each part.
■
Chapter 3
Constitution of Man

DEFINITION
Constitution can be defined as psychological, functional and structural plan of
organization revealed through a pattern made by various characteristics and
responsiveness to environmental factors.

Man has been aptly described as the mentalised living being. He

receives some features of the mind and body from his ancestors and some
features from the environment he has been brought up. The influence of the
exogenous and the endogenous factors is at the emotional, intellectual and
physical plane. The sum total of the individual characteristics in the 3
planes is known as constitution.
It is described as a structural constant creating the build of the
individual. This build is of genetic nature and has for principal
characteristic a certain constancy throughout the ages. It may nevertheless
undergo some modifications because of some external and internal
influences.
Stuart close says, “Constitution is that aggregate of hereditary
characters, influenced more or less by environment, which determines
the individual’s reaction, successful or unsuccessful, to the stress of
environment”. Dr. Kent says, “Physical constitution is the external
disorder following disorder in the man, the vital force”.
Constitution deals with the physical and mental make-up of an
individual. In this state, a man is able to live life harmoniously and his vital
operation as regards sensations and functions can be freely employed to
fulfil the higher purposes of existence. New endeavours to think in
constitutional terms are apparent in all the efforts made towards preventive
medicine. In this field, the analysis of risk factor is gaining increased
relevance. It is evident that risk factors are to be found not only in the
environment but also in the individuality of the patient, in his inherited and
evolved constitution most chronic diseases originate.
There is some confusion in some queries regarding the definitions of
good constitution and well-built physique. Built is something more than the
well-formed body. It is not affected easily moderately infringing the laws of
health. On the other hand a man with bad constitution is made sick by any
infectious disease. Moreover he may fall prey to degenerative diseases even
though he is having a good body.

CHARACTER OF CONSTITUTION
1. It means the inherited and acquired physical, emotional and intellectual make-up
of a person.
2. It indicates the type to which the individual belongs.
3. It is constant and immutable.
4. It is not modified under external or internal influences.

IMPORTANCE OF CONSTITUTION
1. Constitution is accurately characterised by symptoms and signs whose
presence enables us to have a good knowledge of the whole
psychological and morbid entity.
2. Constitutional peculiarities of a patient help in determining his
susceptibility to development of illness.
3. Constitutional peculiarities help the physician in establishing similarity
while selecting a similar remedy.
4. It is easy to recognise the objective signs of different constitutions and
to realise that they are invariably matched by certain hereditary
manifestations and by physical, dynamic and psychological
possibilities.
5. It helps to distinguish clearly between typological entities and
temperamental entities.
6. The practical interest of this description about constitution is surely
diagnostic and even prognostic, and also therapeutic.
7. Thorough study of constitution seems to make easy the selection of a
curative remedy.

CLASSIFICATION OF CONSTITUTION
The German homoeopath Grauvogl in 1870 described three
biochemic constitutions, constituted by the four fundamental elements of
living matter — carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen.
1. Carbonitrogenous constitution is characterised by:
(a) A slow oxydation resulting in overcharge by metabolites by
perturbation of secretions.
(b) Tissues do not absorb sufficient oxygen.
(c) There is hepatic insufficiency.
Examples:
(i) Lycopodium clavatum
(ii) Cuprum metallicum
2. Hydrogenoid constitution is characterised by:
(a) Slow intake of nutrition.
(b) Puffiness, retention of water in the tissues.
(c) Easily affected by humidity.
Examples:
(i) Natrum sulphuricum
(ii) Thuja occidentalis
3. Oxygenoid constitution is characterised by:
(a) Overactivity of oxydating power.
(b) Rapid assimilation and disassimilation.
(c) Easy demineralisation.
(d) Retraction and emaciation.
(e) Hypohydric aspect with dryness of the skin and mucous
membranes.
Examples: Acidum nitricum, Carbo vegetabilis
According to French homoeopath Dr. Leon Vannier, the constitution
is classified as follows:
1. Carbonic Type:
Body short-limbed, thickset, square or spheric. Developed in width.
Thick skeleton. Rigid articulations.
Attitude rigid. Holds himself straight. The head high and the look in
front.
Articulations rigid. Forced extension, brings the forearm hardly in line
with the upper arm, and the legs in line with the thigh.
Movement rigid, regular, condensed. Heavy or slow. Jerking if rapid.
Walks on the heels (rather the heels are flat).
Teeth square, white. Caries rare. Roots are divergent. The three lower
molars are sensibly equally big. Ligaments thin and solid. Occlusion almost
perfect.
Gestures sober, precise. Utilitarian.
Limbs short. Squat.
Hands short, flabby. Square or short rectangular. Fleshy but soft.
Lines are less numerous and pale but deep and wide. Fingers short, bit
wide and rigid. Nails demi-short, square and solid.
Palatal vault is in an area of the round circle.
Mentality: Guided by reason and sense of responsibility. Stubborn.
Straight. Deductive. Reasonable.
Speaks very little and only about what he knows. Respects order in
society and in manner. Listens to and applies the advices given to him.
Educational and pedagogic conduct: Can undergo long courses.
Sports, physical education: Sports is necessary for avoiding obesity,
stiffness, and sclerosis (walk, dumb-bells, swimming, boxing, fencing, etc.).
Climate: Not too much humid. Sufficiently tonic. Sunny.
Food: Less toxic. Little quantity of milk, little fat and in adult less
meat.
Professional orientation: Manual work, even hard, which does not
require speed, or rapid reflexes.
A perfect employee or functionary (if his work is sedentary,
compensates it by exercise).
2. Phosphoric Type:
Body long-limbed. Prominence of the cranium. Thorax long and flat,
forward from behind. Rachis supple. Vaulted. Shoulder blade prominent.
The lower belly fall in front. Saddle-backed.
Attitude supple. Gracious (although vaulted). Likes elegance. Hips
dislocated when at rest.
Articulations supple. In forced extension, the forearm is in line with
the upper arm and the legs in line with the thighs.
Walk supple, light, rapid, gracious.
Teeth rectangle, vertical. Less solid. Easy caries (central and
symmetrical). Becomes easily yellow. Roots are long and parrallel. The
three lower morals diminish in volume from 6th year to the time of wisdom
teeth. Ligament thin and sufficiently solid. Slight protrusion from up
downwards.
Gestures lively, gracious, expressive. Rarely utilitarian.
Limbs long. Often frail.
Hands long (oval tendency). Supple, elegant. Palm somewhat
tendinous.
Lines are deep, fine and numerous.
Fingers gracious and tapered. Nails fine, rosy, long or almond-shaped.
Palatal vault a bit ogival.
Mentality: Nervous, sensitive, imaginative, emotive, intuitive. Artist.
Dreamer. Distracted. Superficial. Easily excited and soon depressed (fatigue
or failure). Horror of reality, of facts. Easy vanity or dominating. Care for
elegance. Does not like either regularity or rule.
Educational and pedagogic orientation: Should not be given hard
work nor constraint but should be taken into confidence and encouraged.
No long lessons (fatiguing).
Early sexual education (with prudence). Has the need for living in the
society.
Sports and physical education: Necessity of open air and rhythmic
exercise. Variety in occupation.
Climate: Sedative climate. Feels well by the seaside or at medium
altitude. Should avoid too much sun and stormy atmosphere.
Food: Appetising. Not much but nutritive.
Professional orientation: Profession that requires rapid reflexes, and
speed, skill, imagination, or artistic taste but not physically too much
painful (fatiguable). Artist. Head of an enterprise.
3. Fluoric type:
Body lean, asymmetric. Skin dry and cracked.
Attitude unbalanced. In forced extension the forearms form obtuse
angle with the upper arms and the legs with the thighs.
Walk irregular. Easy sprain (cannot support body with the heels high).
Teeth triangular, grayish. Protruded upper incisors. Canines and
premolars are in malposition. Converging roots. The lower molars diminish
clearly in volume from the 6th year to the cutting of wisdom teeth.
Ligaments thick, elastic and less resistant. Tendency to caries and
pyorrhoea. The lower jaw retrogrades.
Gestures ample, useless, disordered, awkward.
Limbs medium. Bony.
Hands flexible, distended and supple, hyperlaxity of articulations
(thumbs). Lines numerous, superficial and fine. Fingers bony, flexible and
pointed. Nails thin, soft, triangular or in the form of trapeze, the base is
small.
Palatal vault very ogival.
Mentality: Unstable, cannot take any decision. Rapid assimilation.
Disorderly. Restless. Intuitive. Unforeseen and lively reaction but not
durable (need for change). Cannot continue. Capricious. Versatile. Easily
vulgar.
Horror of rules, of solitude. Fantastic. Brilliant but unstable.
Educational conduct: Should be guided and oriented tactfully and
with intelligence (the child is a defeatist).
Sports, physical education: Likes sports and relaxation but will be
benefited by regular and rhythmic exercises (rowing, swimming, slow but
long walk).
Climate: Sedative climate. Mountain.
Professional orientation: Irregular work with animation.

DIFFERENCE
CONSTITUTION TEMPERAMENT

1. It means the inherited and acquired It is the internal constitution of an

physical, emotional and intellectual individual which identify the particular
make-up of a person. nature of a person in body and mind.
2. It indicates the type to which the It is what characterises him and makes
individual belongs. him different from others and from
those having the same constitution.
3. It is constant and immutable. It is not so.
4. It is not modified by external or It can be modified by external or
internal influence. internal influence.

SUSCEPTIBILITY AND CONSTITUTION

A little reflection will readily convince us that the manifestations of
the different hereditary plan or organizations will be determined by
susceptibility. The final product which we perceive by the attributes in the
mental, emotional and physical spheres, therefore will be determined by
susceptibility. Thus the constitutional type is a good measure of the
susceptibility within.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is constitution? Describe its character from homoeopathic
point of view.
Q 2. What is the significance of constitution for homoeopathic
treatment?
Q 3. How does constitution differ from temperament?
Q 4. What are the Grauvogl's classification of constitution? Give their
character-indicative medicines.
Q 5. How does Dr. Leon Vannier classify the constitution? Give their
structural, mental and educational as well as professional
orientation.
Q 6. What is the relation between susceptibility and constitution?
Q 7. What do you mean by constitution and constitutional remedy?
When and how these are called for?
■
Chapter 4
The Temperament
Temperament means the internal constitution or state, disposition,
type of physical constitution and internal organisation. Temper habits or
temporary disposition of mind like frigid, fiery, flaccid, congenital, of good
or bad temper. It is a dormant dynamic state resting on the constitution of
the subject. In Aristotle’s philosophy, temperament was an encompassing
term defining the particular nature of a person in body and soul. Flury
based his method of homoeopathic drug diagnosis on comprehensive view
of temperament. Dorcsi developed this further, relating particular drugs to
the basic skin type of a patient (warm, cold, dry, moist, red, pale).
It is the dynamic physiopathological and characterstic expression of
the individual. It is partly determined by the heredity but above all modelled
by the internal and external stimuli.
The temperament is composed of and represented by the totality of the
subject’s individual reactions such as physical, biological and
psychological.
The temperament is not constant and immutable. It can be modified by
internal or external influence. Though environment has an influence on
temperament, the individual by his own free will is capable of modifying it.
But the modifications are always limited.
The temperament is a dynamic state depending on the constitution of
the subject which is a static state. In the course of life the constitution of an
individual does not change but his temperament evolves, either by asserting
itself more and more, or owing to the influence of environment or
morbidity, by undergoing progressive changes giving rise to characteristic
morbid manifestations, mental or psychical.
The temperament is represented by the sum-total of physical,
physiological, biological, psychological and dynamic possibilties of the
subject. These possibilities are latent in him at birth. Their development will
characterise the becomingness of the subject and their realisation will
ensure his future.
These possibilties which characterise him are peculiar to each
individual and constitute his own inheritance, thus making him different
from his fellowmen.

CLASSIFICATION
1. Choleraic temperament: It shows proneness to liver diseases and ill-
humour.
Examples: Aloe socotrina, Argentum nitricum, Podophyllum peltatum.
2. Melancholic temperament: The patient all the time remains silent.
Examples: Aurum metallicum, Baryta carbonica.
3. Phlegmatic temperament: This type of temperament is supposed to
be due to the predominance of phlegm. They are sluggish, indifferent,
calm; venous sluggishness is marked.
4. Sanguine temperament: Here in the complexion or temperament
blood is supposed to predominate over the other humours; hence
ardent, confident, and optimistic.
Examples: Aconitum napellus, Cactus grandiflorus.
5. Lymphatic temperament: Here the muscles are flabby. Pale -
skinned. Sluggish.
Examples: Baptisia tinctoria.
6. Nervous temperament: Here the nerves are easily excited, or they are
weak, agitated and apprehensive, sly, in a jumpy state and quick in
action.
Examples: Actaea racemosa, Agaricus muscarius.
7. Irritable temperament: Easily vexed and fidgety, hard to please.
Examples: Apis mellifica.

SIGNIFICANCE
1. Temperament enables the physician to have a good knowledge of psycological
and disease entities.
2. The study of temperament puts the physician in a position from which he can
observe the reactions to his patient's environment and morbid condition.
3. The physician thus foresees and consquently prevents undesirable
manifestations.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is temperament? Describe its composition and conception.
Q 2. Describe the character of temperament and its importance in
homoeopathic treatment.
Q 3. What are the types of temperament? Describe each variety with
example.
■
Chapter 5
Diathesis

DEFINITION
Diathesis can be defined as “exaggerated constitution in precarious balance.”

Diathesis means the inherited or acquired organic weakness and

systemic inferiority which leads to the morbid disposition and specific
pathological processes in the evolution of a disease (based on Dorcsi’s
definition).
The morbid disposition arising from the constitution is referred to as
‘diathesis’. The Greek verb diatithenai means ‘to arrange’. A multiplicity
of related elements is arranged in a certain order.
Having studied the drug pictures of the nosodes, a look at diathesis
will provide further information to help us get a clear picture of the basic
forms of chronic diseases. Each of the basic chronic diseases relates to
specific diathesis. Equating chronic disease and diathesis, e.g., by saying
psora equals the lymphatic diathesis, would be an over-simplification.
Hahnemann’s chronic diseases are more comprehensive, whilst diathesis is
more limited.
Diathesis is a phase of precarious balance in which a slight push is
sufficient to topple down the system into the slippery inclined plane of
disease with assured and smooth progress to final destruction. It is a
borderline between normality and abnormality.
CLASSIFICATION
LYMPHATIC DIATHESIS
Psoric factors lead to the development of a lymphatic diathesis in
childhood. This is identical with lymphatism and the exudative diathesis
(Czerny). It develops the way Hahnemann has described, involving first the
skin, then the mucosa and finally internal organs and systems. Milk crust,
dermatitis, intertrigo, weeping eczema are often present during the first
weeks of life; they are followed by coryza, bronchitis, repeated colds.
Development tends to be retarded, and the child is late in learning to talk
and walk. Tendency to rickets and spasmophilia. Lymphoid tissues - even
normally very active in childhood - grow hypertrophic and prone to disease.
Characteristic signs of lymphatic diathesis.
Skin: Exudative processes in infancy, later rough skin, poor healing
tendency, with eczema, neurodermatitis, papular urticaria, seborrhoea,
intertrigo. Enlarged lymph nodes in neck, axilla, inner aspect of elbow and
inguinal region. Pharyngeal, palatine, submandibular tonsils, tonsillar ring.
Tongue: Papillae at tip of tongue, reddened and swollen (strawberry
tongue).
Nose: Blocked by lymphoid tissue and mucosal swelling. Free air
passage is important for mandibular and maxillary development
(dysgnathia). Mouth-breathers tend to have malpositioned teeth. Prone to
develop sinusitis. ‘Snotty nose’.
Eyes: Small pinhead - size shiny nodules in mucosa of lower lid.
Blepharitis.
Abdomen: Abdominal lymph nodes enlarged, sometimes palpable.
Attacks of colic in infants—may lead to appendectomy when this is not
indicated.
Bronchi: Increased mucous secretion with bronchitis, colds.
Allergic reactions: Asthma, hay fever, contact eczema, prone to
infection, recurrent catarrh, pseudo-croup.
Frequently indicated medicines are:
Calc., Calc-p., Calc-f.
Baryta carbonica
Silicea terra
Hepar sulphuris
Sulphur
Psorinum
Natrium sulphuricum
Acidum nitricum
Lycopodium clavatum
Berberis vulgaris
Acidum benzoicum
Acidum formicum
Antimonium crudum
Lithium carbonicum
Rhus toxicodendron
Colchicum autumnale
Dulcamara
Urtica urens
Alumina
Medorrhinum

DYSCRATIC DIATHESIS
The dyscratic diathesis belongs to the syphilitic range of constitutional
disorders. In humoral pathology, the term dyscrasia was used to define a
depraved state of the humours, a state of imbalance.
This diathesis is less clearly defined than the others as it relates to the
end states of processes arising through psoric, sycotic and above all
tuberculinic taints.
The diathesis often provides the background for the development of
carcinomas and other malignant tumours and malignant blood disease
(leukaemia a.o).
Degenerative diseases of the nervous system such as tabes and
paralysis may also be considered to come under this heading.
Frequently indicated medicines:
Acidum nitiricum
Arsenicum album
Carbo animalis
Hydrastis
Iodium
Kalium bichromicum
Kalium iodatum
Kreosotum
Silicea
Heavy metals:
Aurum
Plumbum
Thallium
Mercurius
Nosode: Syphilinum

Uric acid diathesis

Within the sycotic range of constitutional disorders one often comes
across the uric acid diathesis. Synonyms are lithaemic diathesis, rheumatic-
gouty diathesis, hydrogenoid diathesis (von Grauvogl).

Characteristic features
Rheumatic conditions affecting joints, muscles, tendons, nerves
(neutritis).
Gouty deposits in joints, tendons and especially the basal joints of the
great toe and thumb, achilles tendon, outer ear (tophi).
Concretions in the urogenital system (urates), inflammatory conditions
in the urogenital region.
Liver and gall-bladder disease, concretions in bile duct.
Metabolic disorders with hyperuricaemia, hypercholesterolaemia,
hyperlipaemia, diabetes and consequently increased risk of arteriosclerosis
and cardiovascular disease.
Benign tumours ranging from warts to fibroids, adenomas (prostate)
and uterine myomas.
Symptoms are usally worse in cold damp weather; humid climates,
particularly by inland waters (not at the seaside), in narrow river valleys;
from cold water application; cold bath, sequelae of vaccinations.
Frequently indicated medicines:
Thuja occidentalis Sarsaparilla

Tubercular diathesis
1. Weight Loss. Depreciation and destruction.
2. Cosmopolitan habits. Cosmopolitan mentally and physically. Mentally
keen but physically weak (Lyc.).
3. Fear of dog.
4. Insanity: acute or chronic with family history of tubercular diseases.
True insanity of psora is usually of a tubercular nature.
5. Symptoms are ever-changing. Rapid response to any stimulus, to any
slightest change of weather or atmosphere. For that reason it may be
called responsive or reacting miasm.
6. Emaciation in spite of taking proper food and drink. Eats much, but
loses flesh rapidly.
The face looks fairly well, even in the last stage of the disease, when
other parts of the body have become emaciated.
7. Tendency to cough and cold. Catches cold very easily.
8. History of tuberculosis or any tubercular or lung disease (like
whooping cough, bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, etc.), or ringworm or
asthma, asthmatic bronchitis, hay fever or sinusitis.
9. Suppression of ringworm.
10. Chronic inflammation of glands and tonsils.
11. Chronic diarrhoea. Morning diarrhoea with extreme prostration and
debility.
12. Bed-wetting of chronic character. Nocturnal polyuria. Nocturnal
prespiration with or without fever. Nocturnal pollution.
13. When well selected medicine fails to relieve or cure.
14. “The problem child” — slow in comprehension, dull, unable to keep a
line of thought.
15. Rickets. Marasmus. Lean and thin constitution. Fatty constitution with
extreme sickness. Fatness without fitness (Calc.).
16. Hair thin. Hair over scapula. Hair dry, dead, like hay. Matted hair. Hair
grey.
17. Nails thin with white spots. Nails are thin as paper, bend easily and
sometimes spoon-shaped.
18. Nose-bleed or bleeding from lungs or rectum, with family history of
tuberculosis.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is diathesis? Describe it from homoeopathic point of view.
Q 2. What is lymphatic diathesis? Describe its relation with psoric
miasm, its character and frequently indicated medicines.
Q 3. What is dyscratic diathesis? Give its relation with syphilitic
miasm. What are the medicines for this group?
Q 4. What is uric acid diathesis? Name the pathological conditions with
which it is related, and its features which help in homoeopathic
selection of remedy.
Q 5. What is tubercular diathesis? Describe its character in details.
Q 6. What is the relation between susceptibility and diathesis?
■
Chapter 6
Vital Force
(Aphorism 9 to 16)

The fundamental power or guiding energy which governs or regulates

all the organs and parts of the body is called the vital force. Dr. Hahnemann
has define‘Vital force’ as spirit like automatic, dynamic power which
preserves life.
“In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force (autocracy),
the dynamis that animates the material body (organism), rules with
unbounded sway, and retains all the parts of the organism in admirable,
harmonious, vital operation, as regards both sensations and functions, so
that our indwelling reason-gifted mind can freely employ this living healthy
instrument for the higher purposes of our existence” — says Hahnemann in
§ 9.
1. Simple substance is endowed with formative intelligence, i.e., it
intelligently operates and forms the economy of the whole animal,
vegetable and mineral kingdoms……The “simple substance” gives to
everything its own type of life, gives it distinction, gives it identity
whereby it differs from all other things. The crystal of the earth has its
own association, its own identity; it is endowed with a simple
substance that will establish its identity from everything in the animal
kingdom, everything in the minerals. Plants grow in fixed forms. So it
is with man from his beginning to his end; there is a continuous influx
into man from his cause. Hence man and all forms are subject to the
laws of influx.
2. This substance is subject to changes; in other words, it may be flowing
in order or disorder, may be normal or sick.
3. It pervades the entire material substance without disturbing or
replacing it.
4. It dominates and controls the body it occupies. It keeps in order all
functions and the perpetuation of the forms and proportions of every
animal, plant, and mineral. All operation that is possible is due to the
simple substance and by it the very universe itself is kept in order. It
not only operates within every material substance, but it is the cause of
co-operation among all things. Any disturbance of this vital energy
immediately shows itself in disharmony through symptoms.
5. The simple substance may exist as simple, compound, or complex. In
considering simple substance we cannot think of time, place or space
because we are not in the realm of mathematics, nor under the
restricted measurements of the world of space and time, we are in the
realm of simple substance. It is only finite to think of place and time.
Quantity cannot be predicated of simple substance, only quality in
degrees of fineness.
6. The simple substance also has adaptation. That the individual has an
adaptation to his environment is not questioned. The dead body
cannot. When we reason from within out we see that the simple
substance adapts itself to its surroundings, and thus the human body is
kept in a state of order, in the cold or in the heat, in the wet and damp,
and under all circumstances.
7. We see also that this vital substance, when in a natural state, is
constructive; it keeps the body continously constructed and
reconstructed. But when the opposite is true, when the vital force from
any cause withdraws from the body, we see the forces that are in the
body being turned loose or destructive.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF VITAL FORCE

1. Spiritual: This means immaterial, not perceptible to our senses. It is
cognizable by its effect when it works through material body. It is
spirit like.
2. Invisible: The vital force is immaterial, so invisible.
3. Autocratic: “Auto” means self and “kerotos” means power. So
autocratic means self-powered. Vital force is the supreme authority of
our body, ruling in its own way.
4. Automatic: “Matic” means acting. So automatic means self-acting.
Vital force is an automatic force which animates the whole organism
but is not animated by others.
5. Dynamic: Vital force has qualitative existence and action, that is,
dynamic action. This dynamis penetrates every cell, atom and every
part of the human economy.
6. Instinctive: It means inborn gross ability which isn’t guided by
reasoning.
So, vital force maintains a harmonious vital operation of all parts and
organs of the organism, both in sensation and function. As a result
reasonable mind can utilise this living and healthy organism for the highest
purposes of our existence.

VITAL FORCE AND MODERN SCIENCE

1. The defense mechanism, acting at all levels of the organism, functions
as an integrated whole and systematically defends the inner and
spiritual regions in the best possible manner.
2. The known physiological and chemical mechanisms of the body are
tools of the defense mechanism.
3. The human organism is more than the mere sum of its physical
components, a fact most dramatically evident at the moments of
conception and death. From this is surmised the presence of an
intelligent “vital force” which animates, guides, and balances the
organism at all levels in both health and disease.
4. The defense mechanism is that aspect of the vital force active
specifically in the diseased state.
5. New concepts of physics are beginning to be reflected in biological
science, particularly in the study of electrodynamic fields of the
human body. Instruments now exist that can directly measure the
electromagnetic field of the body, and these measurements are
clinically useful in diagnosing cancer, inflectious diseases, and in
staging levels of hypnotic trance.
6. Kirlian photography is a technique whereby the electromagnetic field
can be directly visualised. The phenomenon has also been
demonstrated to be not merely artificial in nature. Characteristic
changes can be seen in altered mental or emotional states, and in
health and disease.
7. Despite the advances being made in bio-electromagnetic field
research, existing evidence suggests it has a long way to go before it
can be considered “proof” of the actions of the vital force.
8. J.T. Kent’s lucid description of the vital force (“simple substance”)
characterises it as having formative intelligence, being subject to
changes, pervading the material substance without replacing it,
creating order in the body, belonging to the realm of quality rather
than quantity (the realm of degrees of fineness), being adaptable, and
being constructive.

ROLE OF VITAL FORCE

In Sec. 10, Hahnemann says: “The material organism, without the
vital force is capable of the no sensation, no function, no self preservation.”

In disease
1. When disease potentiality is stronger than the vital potentiality and
both forces come in conflict with each other disease is produced.
2. Defeated vital force is compelled to manifest symptoms & signs of the
malfunctioning of the body under the influence of disease force.
3. Disharmony in the function of the internally deranged vital force is
manifested on the material substratum in the form of signs and
symptoms.
4. The signs and symptoms are, therefore, the outward manifestations of
internal deranged vital force, crying for help to remove the disease.
5. The totality of symptoms of the disease is formed with the help of
manifested signs and symptoms.

In cure
1. After getting the totality of symptoms of the disease we apply single
similar stronger medicine in minimum dose.
2. Diseased vital force receives the medicinal force through the sentient
faculty of nerves.
3. The diseased vital force takes protection against stronger similar
artificial disease force which is produced in the place of weaker
natural disease force.
4. Being without any dynamic footing, the weaker disease force is
compelled to leave the body.
5. The enfeebled vital force is still engaged in fight with the artificial
disease force. But medicine is administered in minimum quantity and
frequency, so after a few hours the vital force regains its energy and
the medicine loses its effect.
6. In this way vital force is freed from disease force first time and
medicinal force second time.

In health
1. Thus free from both inimical forces, vital force is now full at ease.
2. Vital force controls and animates the material organism without any
obstruction.
3. It maintains the harmony of life-preserving sensations and functions.
4. Vital force in good health provides a strong immunity against disease
and safeguards the health.
5. Vital force strikes a perfect balance between the mind and the body.
6. In healthy condition growth, reproduction and repair of the body are
maintained by the creative vital force.
The theory of vital force is the fundamental pillar of the science of
homoeopathy. The holistic concept of homoeopathy is rooted in it. Vital
force is the life force.

ROLE OF VITAL FORCE IN HOMOEOPATHIC

SCIENCE
1. To understand the dynamic concept of life: Life is the invisible,
substantial, intelligent, individual, co-ordinating power directing and
controlling the production and activity of any organism possessing
individuality.
2. To conceive the phenomenon of life: The phenomena of life as
manifested in growth, nutrition, repair, secretion, self-recognition,
self-preservation and reproduction, all take their direction from a
master centre. From the lowest cell to the highest and most complex
organism, this principle holds true. Cell wall and protoplasmic
contents develop from the central nucleus, and that from the
centrosome, which is regarded as the “centre of force” in the cell. All
fluids, tissues and organs develop from the cell from within outwards,
from centre to circumference.
3. To accept the concept of biological whole: When two parent cells
unite, that vital principle, the vital energy, is already present there. Yet
these are all a part of the whole man; and while there is in each
individual infinite powers of development, unless the ego in its initial
stage is energised and capable of development, it will never grow to its
highest capacity. Without this vital energy, the cell, or the whole body,
becomes inanimate and is dead. It is only when the vital energy is
present that there is a living organism, capable of physical action and
of the exercise of mental powers and the ability to take hold of the
spiritual forces.
4. To know health: Health is a state of well-being, governed by an
invisible dynamic force, in which every cell, every tissue every organ
and part of the body performs its function normally, harmoniously and
so smoothly that the consciousness is not aware of the organs and
parts; thoughts and ideas flow freely and the reasoning is clear and
logical; the emotions react normally and rationally to the environment
and to life as a whole; and the entire being vibrates with vitality,
harmony and charm.
5. To understand disease: Disease is an abnormal vital process, a
changed condition of life force, which is inimical to the true
development of the individual and tends to organic dissolution.
Disease is caused by the reaction of the vital substantial power or
principle of the organism to various external stimuli. So long as a
healthy man lives normally in a favourable environment he moves,
feels, thinks, acts and reacts in an orderly manner. If he violates the
laws of life, or becomes the victim of an unfavourable environment,
disorder takes the place of order, disease overcomes ease.
Disease must first be caused by a disturbance of the vital energy
and that in itself sets in motion a train of symptoms exhibiting an
exact picture of the way in which the vital energy is being disturbed.
Any disturbance of this vital energy immediately shows itself as
lack of harmony through the outward manifestations of our beings, in
other words, symptoms. When harmonious functioning is disturbed we
get sickness as a result, and it has as its base and inception this lack of
harmony in the flow of vital energy through the body. This is
manifested in disease because of disturbed vital force which calls for
similar remedy.
7. To theorise drug dynamis: Symptoms develop in disturbed vital force
from drug-proving showing the action and the nature of remedies. The
remedies are potentised so they may reach the dynamic energy of the
individual. In crude form they would not reach the vital energy as
promptly and directly, and it is a question whether they would not be
in a toxic form which would destroy or subvert the vital energy
without showing the fine symptomatology.
8. To achieve cure: Cure of disease or restoration of health likewise
begins at the centre and spreads to the periphery by a power which
resides at the centre. As a result the symptoms disappear from within
outward, from above downward and in the reverse order of their
appearance.
9. To understand the concept of susceptibilty and causation:
Homoeopathic approach is not against disease but against the cause of
disease. The actual causes of disease in the last analysis, are from
without. They do not exist in the life substance itself. They are
“foreign to the spirit”, to man’s true nature. They become operative or
effective in the organism conditionally, by virtue of the existence of
susceptibilty, reaction and resistance, and a living organism in which
action and reaction can take place.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is vital force? Describe it as Hahnemann did.
Q 2. What place does vital force have in human biology?
Q 3. Describe nature, aim and function of vital force.
Q 4. How does vital force fit into modern science?
Q 5. Describe its role in health, disease and cure.
Q 6. What role does vital force play in homoeopathic science?
Q 7. Describe the biological background of Hahnemannian vital force.
(3rd part)
Q 8. Enunciate the position of vital force, if any, in biology. (See 3rd
part)
Q 9. Concept of Homoeopathy revolves around the vital force —
Explain.
Q 10. How much we are benefited by gaining knowledge of vital force in
the field of medicine. Describe the edition in brief.
Q 11. Can you identify the position of vital force in human economy?
Explain.
■
Chapter 7
Health
(Aphorism 8)

DEFINITION
Health is a state of dynamic stable equilibrium in which an individual is at peace with
himself as well as with the world. He has no complaints.

Health is “A stage of optimal physical, mental and social well being

and not merely absence of disease” So Health is a state of being in which
every cell, every tissue, every organ and part of the body performs its
function normally, harmoniously and so smoothly that the consciousness is
not aware of organs and parts; thoughts and ideas flow freely and the
reasoning is clear and logical; the emotions react rationally to the
environment and to life as a whole; and the entire being vibrates with
vitality, harmony and charm. Hahnemann considers health as a state
indicating harmonious functioning of the life force leading to a peculiar
sense of well-being.
Every pain, every discomfort, every weakness appearing in the body
inevitably limits whatever freedom existed before the symptom appears.
Therefore, the state of disease is bondage, enslavement of the body. Nearly
everyone, at least for a brief moment in life, has experienced complete
freedom of body function, when the organs fuction uninhibited and when
there is no sense of negative awareness of the body. Thus the state of
physical health can be defined as freedom from pain, a state of well-
being.
On the emotional or psychic level, as long as a person is serene and
calm, he can proceed with creative work both for himself and for others.
From the moment passion appears and takes hold of the individual, there
occurs anxiety, anger, anguish, fear, fanaticism, etc. Such passion tends to
bind the emotional individual, and prevents free functioning in other
realms. This is true even for idealistic passions which approach fanaticism
in intensity, for any excessive passion tends to prevent the person from
being the master of himself. Thus the state of emotional health can be
defined as freedom from passion as a result of dynamic serenity.
When there arise selfish tendencies and acquisitive desires, a state of
pain is experienced. The selfish person is one who is diseased in the deepest
layer of being, in furtherance to the intensity of the egotism. All of us have
known highly selfish people, who are easily hurt by events which run
counter to their wishes. To the degree that a person is governed by selfish
ambition and acquisitiveness, he or she approaches a state of mental illness
that can end in total confusion. Hence, health on the mental plane is
freedom from selfishness, a state of complete unification of the person
with the divine, or with truth, and whose actions are dedicated to creative
service.
From the above discussion, it is clear that health is freedom from pain
in the physical body, having attained a state of well-being; freedom from
passion on the emotional level, having as a result a dynamic state of
serenity and calm; and freedom from selfishness in the mental sphere,
promoting total unification with truth.
One of the parameter of health is creativity. Creativity comprises all
those acts and functions which help to attain the main goal in life:
continuous and unconditional happiness. To the extent an individual is
limited in the exercise of his creativity, to that degree he is ill. If the
rheumatoid arthritis patient is crippled to the extent that his ailment
prevents him from being creative more than a patient with depression, then
the rheumatoid arthritis patient is more seriously ill than the depressed one,
even though the centre of a disease on a physical level.

PRESERVER OF HEALTH
Hahnemann describes a physician not as a therapeutist only but also as
a preserver of health, who must know the things that derange health and
cause disease and how to remove them - § 4.
The only duty of a physician is to cure the sick, that is, the physician
acts as a healer. But sickness is only the result and the cause usually is
excess or lack of or wrong priorities of life. The physician must know the
cause and effect of relationship of disease. He is, therefore, to advise his
patient against indulging in things which may bring on the sickness. If this
cause is nipped in the bud, health will be preserved without dynamic
derangement of vital force.

Few illustrations of physician’s duty as a preserver of health:

1. In case of contagious disease like measles, chicken pox, typhoid, etc.
the physician should advise segregation of the patient to save other
members of the household.
2. In case of malnutrition the physician should advise the patient to take
sufficient amount of food by which intake and output energy ratio will
be maintained.
In case of obesity the patient must be advised to restrict diet and
support the body with appropriate exercise.
3. In case of addictions like indulging in alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and
onanism, with the risk of run down of vitality, the physician should
persuade his patient to practise moderation because this habit leads to
disease. A well selected medicine cannot cure the disease until or
unless it is corrected, and ultimately affects vital organs like liver,
lung, heart, etc.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is health? Describe health in the three planes.
Q 2. What do you mean by physical health? Discuss it.
Q 3. What do you mean by emotional and mental health?
Q 4. How do you measure the health of a person?
Q 5. Who is preserver of health? Give illustrations.
■
Chapter 8
Susceptibility
(Aphorism 31)

Susceptibility is the general capacity or quality of the living organism

to receive and to react against to any stimulus in the environment.
It is one of the fundamental attributes of life. At birth we acquire a
hereditary dyscrasia and a particular environmental adaptability. The
combination of these two constitutes susceptibilty. Susceptibility in
organism, mental or physical, involves the attitude of the organism to
internal causes and to external circumstances. It indicates the measure of
defence in the body. It is made known to us through the reaction that results
when the host meets the environmental factors.

Susceptibility plays important role in:

1. Maintenance of health.
2. Development of constitution.
3. Development of diathesis.
4. Development of diasease.
5. Manifestation of disease.
6. Recovery and cure.
7. Development of drug picture.
8. Remedy reaction.
9. Determining the dose and repetition.
1. Susceptibility is the fundamental quality upon which all action and
reaction in the pathological and physiological sense take place in the
living organism.
2. Upon it depend all functioning, all vital processes.
3. Disease processes arising from infection or contagion are subject to
that power.
4. The modifying power of susceptibility on the different circumstances
is the basis of the art of homoeopathy, which varies from man to man,
necessitating different medicines.

DEGREE OF SUSCEPTIBILITY
1. It varies in degree in different persons and at different times in the
same person.
2. It diminishes both in acute and chronic diseases where gross
pathological changes have occurred.
3. It depends upon the nature of the disease, i.e., in acute disease it stands
high.
4. It also diminishes in the diseases of heart, lung, liver, kidney, etc.
5. It may increase if the same stimulus is repeated.

RELATION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISEASE, DRUG-PROVING

AND CURE
Disease: Only those who possess the required susceptibility will be
attacked by a particular disease, because susceptibility makes the person
liable to be attacked by the morbific agent. Abnormal susceptibility affects
the individual and interferes with the processes of adaptation thereby
leading to development of disease.
Drug-proving: A person susceptible to a particular drug will be more
affected and will exhibit train of symptoms which makes up our materia
medica. In drug proving, a drug is administered till it meets the
susceptibility and evokes a response.
Cure: In the process of cure, we also depend upon the susceptibility.
Gross pathological changes depress the susceptibility. Cure takes place
when normal susceptibility is restored; abnormal susceptibility can develop
from injury, drugs, dietary deficiency, stress etc.
All rational therapeutics should aim at the restoration of normal
susceptibility because normal susceptibility is essential for the maintenance
of health and disease results from abnormal susceptibility.

MODIFICATION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY
The speed of cure absolutely depends on the degree of susceptibility. It
is modified by the following factors. Potency selection also greatly depends
upon the susceptibility. Greater the susceptibility higher is the potency
required.

Age:
Increase in children and young vigorous people.
Decrease in old age.

Constitution and temperament:

Increase in nervous, sanguine, and choleraic temperament.
Intellectual person is quick to react than a jealous and impulsive
person.
Decrease in torpid, and phlegmatic person and person of dull
comprehension.
Slow to act in person with coarse fibre, who is sluggish.

Habit:
Increase in intellectual occupation, excitement, sedentary life, after
long sleep, effeminate trait, and by crude drug.
Decrease in severe physical labour, under influence of drug. Also
decrease in the imbecile, deaf and dumb, and idiots.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is susceptibility? Discuss it from homoeopathic point of
view.
Q 2. What are the circumstances in which the degree of susceptibility
varies?
Q 3. Describe the role of susceptibility in drug-proving, cure and
disease.
Q 4. How is susceptibility modified?
Q 5. Differentiate between susceptibility, allergy and idiosyncrasy.
Q 6. Susceptibility — What is its role in causing and treating disease?
■
Chapter 9
Causation
(Aphorism 5)

Causation is a stimulus which has ability to change the inertia of a

living substance. ‘CAUSE’ is anything that precedes the ‘EFFECT.’ The
disease is an effect, which may result from recent or remote cause.
According to Hahnemann, there are two types of cause of disease:
1. Exciting or precipitating cause (Recent).
2. Fundamental or miasmatic cause (Remote).
Cause of disease or causum morbi: The natural noxious morbific agent
and miasm, i.e., psora, sycosis and syphilis.
Prima causa morbi: Primary cause of disease.

EXCITING CAUSE (§ 5)
Exciting causes bring about the acute disease and acute exacerbation
of chronic disease. The exciting or precipitating causes are often referred to
as ‘Ailments from’.
There is no misamatic origin of exciting causes, rather there are some
factors which are inimical to vital dynamis and activate the latent psora to
produce the disagreeable condition. In Sec. 73 Hahnemann describes four
types of exciting causes:
(a) Want of optimum hygienic condition.
(b) Physical and mental irritation, which cause acute exacerbation of
a chronic disease.
(c) Meteoric or climatic, that is, the physical influence.
(d) Acute miasm, inevitable result of calamities, of war, inundations
and famine.

Physical causes:
(i) Excess of food
(ii) Insufficiency of food
(iii) Exposure to heat and cold
(iv) Changes in weather
(v) Getting wet
(vi) Thunderstorm
(vii) Noxious agent

Mechanical causes:
(i) Trauma
(ii) Burn
(iii) Animal bite or sting

Mental irritation:
(i) Fear
(ii) Overjoy
(iii) Grief
(iv) Emotion
(v) Surgical shock
(vi) Jealousy

Acute miasm:
(i) Calamities of war
(ii) Inundation
(iii) Famine

SIGNIFICANCE OF EXCITING CAUSE

1. Nature of the exciting cause helps the physician to select a remedy.
2. The proper identification of the exciting cause helps to avoid those
noxious infuences and future sufferings.
3. In mere indisposition, removal of the exciting cause alone is sufficient
to restore healthy.
4. Nature of exciting cause helps the physician to manage diet, regimen,
environment, sanitation and water supply.

ROLE OF CAUSATION FOR PRODUCTION OF DISEASES

Acute disease is produced by exciting cause after the transient
explosion of latent psora (73). Exciting causes like over-eating or over-
heating, etc. arouse the latent psora and causes acute disease. So the
condition which positively helps the explosion of latent psora for a
temporary period can be called as exciting cause.
Mechanism: Exciting cause
- Excites the latent psora.
- Produces sufficient susceptibility.
- Weakens dynamic vital force losing its resistance power.
- Produces acute disease.
Chronic disease is, however, caused by chronic miasms (psora,
syphilis, sycosis) — diseases like severe scabies, chronic dysentery and
asthma. During the course of chronic disease the subject experiences
repeated appearance of a complaint. Here patient is temporarily relieved by
acute remedy. Patient requires an anti-miasmatic to get rid of chronic
disease completely.
Mechanism: Chronic miasm, say sycosis,
- Creates asthma
- Subject again as exposed to cold, excites
- Severe coryza

FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE (§ 5)
Fundamental cause is that which is responsible for the occurrence of
all true chronic diseases.
This cause has miasmatic origin. In §80 Hahnemann says, Psora is the
basic fundamental cause and produces innumerable forms of disease. It
produces a generalised defect in the whole system, on which destruction
may develop later.
So it can be concluded that exciting causes act only because there is a
fundamental cause. The fundamental cause makes the person susceptible to
the exciting cause. A fundamental cause is a type of predisposition to
illness.

CLASSIFICATION OF FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE

Acute fundamental cause or acute miasm
It is again subdivided into three:
1. Acute miasm for specific disease of recurring type.
2. Fixed miasm or non-recurring type.
3. Half spiritual miasm.
Half acute miasm
Chronic miasm
It is sub-divided into the following types:
1. Simple: (a) Psoric miasm
(b) Syphilitic miasm
(c) Sycotic miasm
2. Complex: (a) Psorio-sycotic miasm
(b) Psorio-syphilitic miasm
(c) Syco-syphilitic miasm
(d) Mixed miasm
INVESTIGATION OF FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE
In the investigation of fundamental cause following data should be
collected.
1. Constitution of the patient.
2. His moral and intellectual character.
3. His occupation.
4. Mode of living and habits.
5. His social and domestic status.
6. His age.
7. Sexual function.
8. His past and family history.

CHARACTER OF FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE

1. Its duration is lifelong.
2. Spontaneous recovery is not possible.
3. It progresses in phases (primary, secondary, and tertiary).
4. Its direction is from outside in.
(Example: Ulceration followed by tabes dorsalis).

SIGNIFICANCE
1. In order to cure a chronic disease, the chronic miasm is to be
eliminated which requires antimiasmatic treatment.
2. Sec. 80 says, the psora is the only real fundamental cause and producer
of innumerable diseases.
3. It helps the physician to diagnose the pathology and thereby helps in
selection of potency, second prescription and diet and regimen.
The fundamental cause produces chronic diseases in the following
way:
1. Psoric miasm produces single true chronic disease.
2. Sycotic miasm may be able to produce chronic disease with the help of
psoric miasm.
3. Syphilitic miasm may produce a single chronic disease with the help
of psoric miasm.
4. Two or three miasms combinedly produce mixed miasmatic disease.

MAINTAINING CAUSE (§ 7)
Maintaining causes are responsible for the continuity of disease.
The diseases exist so long as their causes are present which have
influence upon the person. But as soon as the person is removed from the
influences, the disease disappears automatically.
The medicinal treatment is not necessary as these diseases are not true
diseases.
Examples:
1. Disease due to living in a damp place without proper sunlight.
2. Disease due to working in a mill or mine.
3. Disease due to eating inadequate food.
4. Disease due to presence of foreign bodies in the orifices of the body.
5. Disease due to occupational hazard.

MIASM
It is a condition neither physical nor psychical but holds the economy
of the living organism in such a way that a permanent stigma or dyscrasia is
left in the system which can never disappear automatically unless
completely eradicated by suitable anti-miasmatic treatment. ‘Miasm’ is a
defect in the constitution.
CLASSIFICATION
Acute miasm
It is subdivided into three
1. Acute miasm for specific disease
2. Fixed miasm
3. Half spiritual miasm
Half acute miasm
Miasm of hydrophobia
Chronic miasm
It is sub-divided into the following types
1. Marsh miasm
2. Accessory miasm
3. Psoric miasm
4. Sycotic miasm
5. Syphilitic miasm
6. Drug miasm
7. Mixed miasm
Acute miasm
It is a disease producing power which causes acute specific infectious
diseases having almost fixed manifestation.
1. Non-recurring type: It is termed as fixed miasm by Hahnemann
because whenever this disease appears it produces its same old clinical
features more or less fixed in nature. This miasm attacks once in a
lifetime.
Example: Whooping cough, mumps, measles, etc.
2. Acute miasm for specific disease or recurring type: This acute miasm
recurs in the same pattern more than once in a lifetime of a particular
person.
Example: Asiatic cholera
Plague of Levant
Yellow fever of the seacoast
3. Half spiritual miasm:
Example: Scarlet fever, Measles, Pox etc. are termed as half spiritual
miasm because after completing their parasitical existence in the system
they die out leaving the organism to recover soon.
Half acute miasm:
Here incubation period is too long.
Example: Hydrophobia
Chronic miasm:
These miasms show such persistence and endurance that they continue
to increase over the years, and for the rest of the patient’s life cannot be
overcome and eradicated by the inherent powers, however robust his
constitution, even if the mode of life and diet are as healthy as they could
be.
Hahnemann’s theory of chronic disease indicated three directions in
which functional and structural deviation may go. The three directions are
discernible among the multiplicity of disorders shown in the synopsis if
major trends are looked for and determined. The cow pox contains an
additional miasm which is characterised by eruption on the skin. This
miasm is called by Hahnemann as accessory miasm. These may be
summarised as follows:
1. First is Psora which represents functional weakness, atrophy,
hypotension.
Basic principle: Deficiency, hypersensitivity and hyperactivity.
The deficiency state is due to inadequate utilisation in the mineral
metabolism. The parents, grandparents of these patients often show
the same drug constitution, as Mezger was able to demonstrate in the
case of magnesium. The family history also shows a relatively high
incidence of allergic disease and lymphatic diathesis. Suppression of
skin disease should be looked for in the patient’s history. Suppression
of skin eruptions (Sulphur) and physiological eliminations (sweat,
menses, diarrhoea) activates the particular disposition to react which is
inherent in the constitution. Skin eruption then shifts to respiratory
disorders or gastrointestinal disease.
2. Second is Sycosis: Humoral imbalance leads to deposits and
proliferations—hypertrophy, hypertension.
Basic principle: Accumulation.
Here the forefathers frequently suffered from metabolic disorders
(gout, rheumatism, renal and biliary concretion raised cholesterol
level, arteriosclerosis). The sycotic mode of reaction is provoked by
gonorrhoea, chronic pelvic inflammation, cumulative sequela of
vaccination, injection of foreign protein; excessive food intake,
especially protein and carbohydrate; mismatched blood transfusion.
Suppression of pathological elimination (e.g., pus, nasal secretion) and
proliferation (wart, cyst, fibroid) frequently leads to the manifestation
of sycosis.
3. Syphilis: Organic lesions with ulceration and tissue destruction,
dystrophy, dystonia.
Basic principle: Destruction.
Family history a malignant tumour, blood disease, degenerative
nervous disease, psychosis, alcoholism, high incidence of suicide.
Congenital and acquired syphilis will trigger this mode of reaction,
and so will neurotropic virus disease (herpes virus, slow viral
infections). Suppression of pathological eliminations, of ulcers and
tumours may enhance the syphilitic reactions.

DIFFERENCE

4. Tubercular: Dr. J.H. Allen added this fourth miasm which comes after
sycosis and before syphilis in evolution of disease.
Basic principle: Erratic and changeable responses.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is cause? What do you mean by cause of the disease, causum
morbi, and prima causa morbi?
Q 2. How does Hahnemann classify cause? Discuss in details with
examples.
Q 3. How does exciting cause produce disease both in acute and
chronic form? Give its significance.
Q 4. How does Hahnemann classify fundamental cause? Discuss the
points of investigation of it. Give character and significance of
each in details.
Q 5. Discuss maintaining cause in details.
Q 6. What is miasm? Discuss in details.
Q 7. What is the primary manifestation of each of the three main
chronic miasms?
Q 8. Give difference between acute and chronic miasm.
Q 9. Describe Newton's contribution to the cause of homoeopathy. (3rd
part)
Q 10. Enumerate the cause of diseases as indicated in organon. Explain
in brief each of these causes.
■
Chapter 10
Disease
(Aphorisms 17-19 and 71-82)

The word ‘Disease’ consists of Dis + ease which means ‘not at ease’.
Disease is the dynamic disturbance of the harmonious relation
between the material body and the vital force which animates that body in
health. One becomes aware of this disharmony by the loss of sense of well
being.
Any deviation from the foregoing standard of health is ill health or
health out of balance. Ill health consists primarily of change or alteration or
disturbance of the normal function of an organ or organs or part of the body.
The normal functions may be either increased, decreased or disrupted
entirely depending on the nature of the cause or the irritant. This condition
is usually expressed in signs and symptoms; of these the signs or objective
symptoms can be seen or detected, while the subjective ones are felt by the
patient, and may consist of pain or a sensation of discomfort, or
dysfunctioning of an organ or any part of the body.
Disease then is primarily a morbid disturbance or disorderly action of
the vital force, represented by the totality of the symptoms of the patient. It
is a purely dynamical disturbance of the vital powers and functions, which
may or may not ultimate in gross tissue changes. The tissue changes are no
essential part of the disease, but only the end products of the disease, which
as such are not the object of treatment by homoeopathic medication.
Organic diseases are changes in the structure of the organs
themselves. This condition must have had a beginning which was of a
functional nature, a state which is not completely revealed by examination
but through the sensations and functions of those parts of the organism felt
by the patient and observed by the physician. These are morbid symptoms.
In no other way can it make itself known.
As diseases constitute only the totality of symptoms that have relation
to the organic alterations or modifications, and the symptoms are
manifestations of the vitality such as responds to every aggression, it
follows that the disease is the manifestation of an effort directed against the
cause that provokes it. A lesion is not the disease but the cause of the
reaction which constitutes the disease, and consequently, this is an organic
defensive move having a tendency to restore and preserve life.
It is nothing more than alterations in the state of health of the healthy
individual which express themselves by perceptible symptoms. Diseases are
not mere mechanical or chemical alterations of the material substance of the
body and not dependent on the existence of a material morbific substance
but that they are primarily qualitative derangements of the vital part of the
organism. For treatment point of view the totality of perceptible symptoms
constitute the disease.
Disease is not a thing separate from the living whole, from the
organism and its animating vital force and hidden in the interior of the
organism.

DEVELOPMENT OF DISEASE
When disease potentiality is stronger than the vital potentiality it takes
over the vitality and disease is produced.
The vital force manifests the deviated functioning of the body under
the overcoming influence of disease force.
Deranged vital force is manifested through the material substratum in
the form of signs and symptoms.
The sign and symptom is the outward manifestation and crying of
diseased vital force.
So it can be concluded that exciting causes act only because there is a
fundamental cause. The fundamental cause makes the person susceptible to
the exciting cause. Thus all the three chronic miasms are responsible and
root of all chronic diseases. In order to cure chronic disease, the chronic
miasm is to be eliminated which requires antimiasmatic treatment.

DISEASE ACCORDING TO HAHNEMANN

The disease is the deviation from the normal state of health which is
manifested by producing certain signs and symptoms, which are the
outward reflection of the internally deranged vital force, is we know that
vital force to primarily deranged in disease.

Disease is broadly divided into:

1. Indisposition
2. Surgical
3. Dynamic

Indisposition: It means a slight alteration in the state of health,

manifested by one or more trivial symptom. It is caused due to indulgence in
diet or regimen and is usually dispelled without medical aid.
Surgical: These are diseases which are subject to instrumental
intervention.
Dynamic: It means disturbance of dynamic vital force by some
dynamic, noxious influence provoking disagreeable sensations and
functions which are reflected outwardly through signs and symptoms.
Dynamic disease comprises acute disease and chronic disease.

ACUTE DISEASE (§ 72, §73)

It has sudden and violent onset, rapid course, but always terminates in
a moderate time in recovery or death of the patient.
Acute disease is again subdivided into:
1. Individual acute disease
2. Sporadic acute disease
3. Epidemic acute disease
Individual acute disease is that which attacks a single human being.
The disease is caused by transient explosion of latent psora, due to:
(a) excess in food,
(b) insufficient food, and
(c) severe physical exposures, that is, chill, overheating, overeating,
mental emotion, strain, excitement, dissipation.
Sporadic acute disease is that which attacks several persons at the
same time here and there, sporadically.
It is caused by:
(a) Meteoric or climatic influences and injurious agents.
(b) Telluric agents such as soil and water.
Epidemic acute disease attacks many persons with very similar
suffering from the same cause. It is excited by:
(a) Calamities of war.
(b) Inundation, famine.
(c) Acute miasm.
CHRONIC DISEASE
It has often insidious and imperceptible beginning with lifelong
suffering. It has no tendency to recovery. Vital force cannot alone cure the
disease. It continues from generation to generation unless treated
homoeopathically. It destroys the organism at length.
Chronic diseases are of two types:
1. Disease with fully developed symptoms.
2. Disease with few symptoms.
Disease with fully developed symptoms includes:
(a) Non-miasmatic chronic disease:
(i) From bad hygienic condition of living.
(ii) Due to continued administration of non-homoeopathic
drug in crude doses.
(iii) Disease from occupational hazard.
(b) Miasmatic disease:
(i) Single disease: Psora, Sycosis, Syphilis.
(ii) Complex disease: Psorio-sycotic, Psorio-syphilitic, Syco-
syphilitic, Psorio-syco-syphilitic.

DISEASE WITH FEW SYMPTOMS

(a) One-sided disease.
(b) Local disease.
One-sided disease:
(i) Only mental symptom, such as, insanity.
(ii) Only physical symptom, such as, headache.
Local disease:
(iii) Surgical disease.
(iv) Non-surgical disease.
COMPARISON
Acute disease Chronic disease
1. Sudden and violent onset, and rapid Small, often insidious, imperceptible
course. Terminates in recovery or beginning; dynamically deranges the
death. living organism in its own peculiar
manner. Gradual deterioration of
health. The autocratic vital force can
oppose it only at its commencement but
is unable to extinguish it. The patient
suffers increasingly until at length the
organism is destroyed.
2. Caused by the transient explosion Caused by presence of miasmatic
of psoric miasm by some exciting predisposition.
cause.
3. The symptoms evolve quickly and Detailed case taking is required to get
characteristic symptoms are always the complete picture of the disease and
found. Due to this the treatment is treatment is difficult.
easy.
4. It requires common short-acting It requires antipsoric, antisycotic and
homoeopathic remedies. antisyphilitic remedies.
5. Treatment affords immediate relief. Reaction is slow.
6. It brings about superficial changes Deep functional as well as structural
only on the functional level. changes.
7. Acute disease has no stage. Chronic disease has three clear stages,
(i) Latent, (ii) Secondary, iii) Tertiary.
8. Pathological changes are more Pathological changes may be
inflammatory in nature and degenerative and irreversible. So
reversible in character, so complete permanent damage of the tissue takes
recovery is possible. place.

Classification of chronic disease based on causative factor:

1. True natural chronic disease
2. Artificial chronic disease
3. So-called chronic disease
True natural chronic disease is produced by the unavoidable influence
of the chronic miasm, previously exposed to different inimical noxious
agents of nature.
Artificial chronic disease is produced artificially, by the allopathic
non-healing art of prolonged use of violent heroic medicines in large and
ever-increasing doses.
So called chronic disease a person brings upon himself due to
continuous exposure to avoidable noxious influences, such as,
• Addiction to stimulant.
• Prolonged over-exertion of body and mind.
• Living in constant anxiety and fear.
• Lack of exercise and open air.
• Residing in unhealthy locality, specially marshy district.
The artifical chronic diseases are most difficult to cure of all chronic
diseases, for the following reasons:
(a) It is impossible to select any remedy for their cure when they
have reached a considerable height.
(b) The gross irreversible pathological changes act as obstacle to
cure.
(c) They depress or lighten the susceptibility of the patient.
(d) The vital force is overwhelmed by the dissimilar medicinal
force.
For curing such a disease condition it requires both time and patience.
Hahnemann says that the artificial chronic disease is the most deplorable
and most incurable one, because the healing art cannot restore the normal
state of the organism unless remitted by the vital force itself provided it has
not been already weakened.

NATURAL DISEASE
The natural disease is that which is produced by the dynamic influence
of the different inimical, noxious agents of nature. The natural disease may
be acute or-chronic in nature. The fundamental cause of the natural disease
is miasms psora, sycosis and syphilis, of which psora is the most pervasive.

MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE DISEASE

Any of the homoeopathic remedy in an acute disease is simply to
accelerate the natural processes which are set in motion by the defensive
mechanism. In acute disease the homoeopath collects information from
three sources.
Ideally it is the physical environment of the patient. If possible,
making a home visit during a serious acute disease is extremely valuable.
The homoeopath observes whether the room is darkened or exposed to the
light of day, whether the window is open or closed, the patient is bundled
up or throwing clothes off, whether a hot water bottle is being used,
whether the patient is propped up in bed, etc. It addition, the patient is
observed directly.
Is the expression anxious or peaceful or unusally cheerful, or
stuporous?
Is the colour of face pale or flushed?
Are the eyes clear or glazed?
Are the lips dry and cracked, or moist?
Is there any particular odour?
Does the patient relate symptoms easily and freely, or would he rather
be left alone and unbothered?
To a homoeopath with a good knowledge of acute remedies, a visit to
the sickroom provides a wealth of information.
The second source of information is the patient himself. If the patient
is in a position to give reliable symptoms, their homoeopathic
characteristics are noted.
The exact location, the time of appearance and duration, the precise
type of sensation, and the modalities which make it better or worse. In an
acute case such information is usually very easy to be elicited because the
symptoms are quite conspicuous and fresh in the patient’s mind. A clinical
examination is then performed to determine the precise diagnosis and
prognosis of the ailment at that moment.
The third source of information are the friends or relations who have
been attending to the patient. When the patient is stuporous to provide
information, the attendants have to be relied on.

STEPS OF MANAGEMENT
1. Examine the entire symptom complex and select a medicine on the
basis of totality of symptoms (individual symptoms qualified by
location, sensation, modality and concomitant factors).
2. If the totality indicates any medicine clearly, give it preferably first in
a low potency (6 or 30) and watch as far as possible the effect of each
dose, repeating at first perhaps every two or three hours or more
frequently according to the intensity of the disease.
If improvement sets in, stop the remedy or at least lengthen the time
between doses while improvement progresses.
If improvement ceases, review the case to determine the indications
then present which may point to a change of remedy.
3. If, however, a medicine, apparently well indicated, fails to react, give
it a trial in much lower or higher potency before deciding that it has
been wrongly chosen and needs change.
4. When a short-acting remedy (Acon., Bell.) has almost cured the
patient, a corresponding deep-acting remedy is often required to finish
the cure.
5. When some acute disease supervenes during the treatment of a chronic
one, it is advisable to use the indicated remedy in low potency.
After the cure of the supervening acute disease, make sure the chronic
disease has not been modified by the treatment of the acute one or by
the acute disease itself.
6. Acute exacerbation of active chronic disease must be treated if
necessary in a different way from that of a supervening acute disease.
7. The nature of the exciting cause helps the physician to select a remedy
for a particular acute disease and at the same time to advise the patient
to avoid this cause.
8. Location, sensation, modality and concomitant of individual symptoms
directly help the physician to select a remedy for acute case.

MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE

Don’ts
In chronic diseases we have got to be more careful in dietary and
hygienic matters as they can easily upset the patient. The following things
are to be avoided.
1. Coffee.
2. Beer prepared with medicinal substance.
3. Liquor.
4. Spiced chocolate.
5. Strong scented flowers in the room.
6. Crude medicinal substance in the room.
7. Root stalk and soft part of plant containing medicinal substance, onion,
old cheese and meat in the state of decomposition.
8. Excess in food and in the use of sugar and salt.
9. Heated room and woolen clothing next to the skin.
10. Sedentary life in closed apartment.
11. Uncleanliness, debauchery.
12. Enervating by reading obscene books.
13. Interrupted intercourse in order to prevent conception.
14. Anger, grief or vexation.
15. Passion or play, over-recreation of mind and body immediately after
meal.
16. Dwelling in the marshy district, damp room, poor living.
Do’s
1. Innocent moral recreation.
2. Active exercise in the open air in all weather, daily walk.
3. Suitable nutritious unmedicinal food and drinks.

STEPS IN TREATMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE

1. Many symptoms are found subjective and objective, general and local.
2. Objective symptoms with tissue changes but with characterstic signs,
or changes with few subjective symptoms.
3. Select the remedy on the basis of totality of symptoms (formed by past
history, family history, personal history, and present complaints of the
subject) after properly evaluating them.
Give a single dose (or two at a short interval of hours) of a potency not
lower than 30 and give it a reasonable time to take effect.
4. If no result follows after 10 or 14 days the drug possibly was wrongly
selected. Restudy the case to find out the fault on physician’s part,
patient’s part and pharmacist's part.
5. If the case has a well-marked totality and tissue changes have not
progressed to a degenerative level, the physician comes into
conclusion that the fault lies in his selection of remedy and to devote
yet more time and patience to study the case.
6. If improvement follows the first prescription, don’t spoil the case by
attempting to do better.
(a) Never repeat the medicine as long as improvement continues.
(b) When the improvement ceases repeat the remedy in the potency
first chosen as plus potency.
If improvement does not follow this time give higher potency
bearing in mind that the higher potencies maintain their effect for
a long time.
(c) If any intervening symptoms are very troublesome and
apparently unaffected by the main remedy which is improving
the case in general then there is no harm in the use of an
intercurrent remedy to relieve it.
Example: Acon. to sulphur. It may be given in low potency and never
in high potency.
7. From time to time the symptom complex is to be reviewed as a whole.
In the course of recovery there may be a return of old symptoms and
often forgotten previous troubles. They are not regarded as indication
for new remedies.
8. It is a general rule that symptoms disappear curatively in reverse order
of their appearance, i.e., the last appearing being first to disappear.
9. Instead of immediate improvement there may be marked aggravation
of some symptoms.
(a) If the aggravation is mainly on local symptoms and if
simultaneously patient shows surest signs of improvement, this
aggravation is regarded as favourable.
(b) It will almost certainly pass over. If necessary it should be
treated as in no. 6.
(c) If the aggravation does not pass over and the symptoms become
worse, the trouble is most deep seated, the prognosis of the case
is grave.
(d) If aggravation persists it is sometimes needed to antidote the
effect of the previous remedy with another drug.

IF TWO DISSIMILAR DISEASES MEET

1. It has been stated in the aphorism 36 that if the two dissimilar diseases
be of equal strength or if the older one be the stronger, the new disease
will be repelled by the old one from the body and not allowed to affect
it.
Example: A patient suffering from a severe chronic disease will not be
infected by the moderate autumnal dysentry or other epidemic disease.
Dr. Larry observed that the plague of Levant did not break out in the
presence of scurvy and persons suffering from eczema are not infected by
it.
Dr. Hildenbrand observed that a person suffering from pulmonary
consumption was not liable to be affected by the epidemic fever.
According to Jenner Rachitis prevents vaccination from taking effect.
2. According to Hahnemann, if the new dissimilar disease is stronger, the
disease under which the patient originally labours will be kept back
and suspended by the accession of the stronger one, until the latter
shall have run its course or cured, and then the old one reappears
uncured.
Example: Dr. Tulpius observed that two children attacked with
epilepsy remained free from it with the eruption of ringworm. When the
eruption on the head was gone, the epilepsy appeared as before.
Dr. Schopf saw that itch disappeared on the occurrence of scurvy, on
cure of scurvy the itch returned as before.

COMPLEX DISEASE
3. The new disease, after having long acted on the organism, at length
joins the old one that is dissimilar to it, and forms with it a complex
disease, so that each of them occupies a particular locality in the
organism, namely, the organs peculiarly adapted for it.
As two dissimilar diseases they cannot remove, cannot cure each
other.
Such disease condition is found when more than one dissimilar disease
meet together. It is the most complicated disease condition due to its
complex nature.
In complex disease, as per aphorism 40, the dissimilar diseases are
chronic in nature and the strength of the diseases are equal.
A new dissimilar disease comes in contact with the organism (which
has already been suffering from another dissimilar disease), and after its
long action on the organism, joins with the older one to form a complex
disease. In this case each disease occupies a particular locality in the
organism and run its own course without disturbing the other.
Example:
1. In nature: Psora and Syphilis may run in the same person. At first the
syphilitic symptoms are suspended when psoric eruption begins to
appear. Then the two join together and each disease occupies a
particular locality or place which is vulnerable to it. As a result the
patient becomes more diseased and more difficult to cure.
When two dissimilar acute infectious diseases meet, for example,
smallpox and measles, the one usually suspends the other as has been
observed.
2. By the art of contrary treatment: By the long-continued application
of dissimilar medicine an artificial disease is formed in the patient
who has been already suffering from a dissimilar natural disease.
Thus he gets a complex disease due to the combination of natural
disease and drug disease.
When two similar diseases meet together in a living organism,
according to aphorism 44, they can neither repel nor suspend nor
complicate each other. According to aphorism no. 45, the stronger
similar disease permanently annihilates the weaker one by occupying
the same part of the organism due to the similarity of action.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
1. What is disease? Describe it from the homoeopathic point of view.
2. How does a disease develops?
3. Give the classification of disease according to Hahnemann.
4. Why did Hahnemann not classify diseases according to nosological
terms?
5. Define acute disease along with its division, and causation.
6. How is acute disease managed?
7. What is chronic disease? How is it divided according to clinical
experience of Hahnemann?
8. How do you manage a chronic disease?
9. How does an acute disease differ from a chronic disease?
10. What types of chronic disease are more difficult to cure and why?
What will be their treatment?
11. What happens when two dissimilar diseases meet together?
12. What is complex disease? How does it form in nature and by the
human art? What will be their treatment?
13. What does happen when two similar diseases meet together in a living
organism?
14. Knowledge of what is to be cured in disease. (3rd part)
15. What is an epidemic disease. How does it differ from sporadic disease.
Give an example of each (See short note)
16. Write in details the conception of disease. What is the role of vital
force in causation of disease.
17. What among the chronic diseases are the most harmful? Discuss in
brief its primary and secondary characters.
■
Chapter 11
Symptoms
(Aphorism 6, 7)

DEFINITION
A symptom essentially is an abnormal sensation which is experienced by the patient as
a whole or in some part of his body.

Symptom is the external manifestation of sickness which indicates

deviation of health from the normal state which is felt by the patient
himself, remarked by those around him and observed by the physician.
According to Hahnemann, the symptom is considered as the outword
reflection of the internally deranged vital force.
According to him, symptoms are the evidence of the operation of the
influences which disturb the harmonious play of the functions, the vital
principle as a spiritual dynamis.
According to H. A. Roberts, symptoms are the only representative
expression of the diseased state.
According to Dr. Elizabeth, symptoms to the homoeopaths are the
language of the body expressing its disharmony and calling for similar
remedy.

COMPOSITION OF A COMPLETE SYMPTOM

A complete symptom consists of the following features:
1. Location.
2. Sensation.
3. Circumstances of occurrence, aggravation and amelioration (Modality).
4. Concomitants.

A symptom is the expression of disturbance in a healthy body

produced by a drug or some morbid agent (Dr. Dewey) or it is defined as
“any evidence of disease or change from a state of health” (Dr. Stuart
Close). It is one of the phenomena of disease which leads to complaints on
the part of the patient. In a stricter sense in medicine, it includes every
possible deviation from a healthy condition of the mind or body which the
physician can in any way discover or perceive or which the patient makes
known by his statements or complaints or which can be communicated to
the physician by attendants of the patient. It should be noted that the word
symptom in homoeopathic literature includes signs.
The word symptom (Gr. Symptoma, anything that happens) means any
change in the health of the body and of the mind which is felt by the patient
himself; remarked by those around him and observed by the physician
(aphorism 6).
A symptom of a disease is something that is not found in every man,
nor found in the same man at all times and is either painful or causes
disability or disfigurement or discomfort, e.g., cough may be painful;
cataract produces disability to see; leucoderma causes disfigurement;
flatulence produces discomfort. It is necessary to know sickness, not from
pathology, not from physical diagnosis, no matter how important these
branches are, but by symptoms, the language of nature. In a real sense it is
the reflection of disturbance of the vital force.
Symptoms provide information on the aetiology and localisation of a
disorder and also on the changes the patient experiences in body, soul and
spirit. It is important to establish factors that influence the patient and the
times when they do so (modalities). One more thing we must be clear about
— our primary aim is not to remove symptom. Homoeopathy never is and
never has been a ‘symptom cover-up’ Homoeopathy is concerned with
treating ill-health from the roots, and not with the removal of individual
symptoms. It is a causal form of therapy.
Symptoms reflect the inner nature of the disease to the outside, so that
a homoeopathic physician is able to interpret it. Symptoms point the way in
the search for the drug which will initiate recovery in the individual case.
Symptoms also provide information on the stage a disease has reached.
Objective clinical symptoms are preceded by the patient feeling unwell.
This enables homoeopathic physicians to give treatment on the basis of
such early symptoms, whilst allopathic medicine has to wait until a
diagnosis can be made and laboratory report are available.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SYMPTOM

1. It picturises the disease condition of an individual.
2. It helps in the selection of curative remedy.
3. It helps to indicate the curability of the disease.
4. It can also help to know the prognosis of the disease.

CLASSIFICATION OF SYMPTOM
Basically the symptoms are classified into:
• subjective symptoms and
• objective symptoms.

SUBJECTIVE SYMPTOMS
They are discoverable by the subject alone during drug-proving or in
morbid condition. They do not present any external indications. Physician
and attendants cannot see them.
These symptoms are mainly related to the different types of sensation,
modality, desire, aversion, mind and dreams.
Subjective symptoms are expressions of the interior state of the
organism, and particularly of the psychic and mental states. They take the
highest rank. Nothing can supersede them. They constitute the only direct
avenue of approach to that inner sphere which must otherwise remain
closed to our investigation, except as it is indirectly revealed in certain
automatic or involuntary objective symptoms from which more or less
accurate deductions can sometimes be made. They enable the physician to
view disease from the standpoint of the patient.
Subjective symptoms are of the highest importance as they represent
the earliest deviation from health, and help in individualising the patient.

OBJECTIVE SYMPTOMS
They are observed by the attendants or relatives of the subject and also
by the physician himself during drug-proving or in disease condition.
Examples:
(a) Swelling of any part of the body.
(b) Discoloration of the affected part.
(c) Hypotension and hypertension.
(d) Hyperpyrexia.
Hahnemann also alerts that there is more in an objective symptom
than is perceptible to the eye alone. The subjective “sensations and
functions” of the visibly affected organ or part are to be considered as well
as the purely objective signs. He here implies that functional and
sensational disturbances precede organic changes; and this is consistent
with his basic premise that all disease is primarily a dynamical disturbance
of the life principle. He never loses sight of this fundamental conception of
the nature of disease.

Importance
(i) represent the ultimate or result of the disease and help in diagnosis of the
disease,
(ii) are late in developing,
(iii) are more or less common in nature,
(iv) have less characteristic significance,
(v) are less useful for homoeopathic therapeutic purpose, and
(vi) are important in remedy selection for the treatment of infants, insane, and
for palliative treatment.
The uncommon symptoms are classified into general symptoms and
particular symptoms.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS
General symptoms relate to the patient as a whole. Patient uses “I”
while describing general symptoms.
Examples:
• Bodily reaction to environment.
• Mental and emotional states.
• Aversions and desires.
• Body secretions and discharges like perspiration.
(a) First grade generals are those symptoms which
(i) appeared in the majority of provers,
(ii) confirmed by reproving,
(iii) verified clinically upon the sick,
(iv) printed in the repertory in capitals.
These include
• Rare, peculiar and characteristic symptoms of the remedy.
• Symptoms that relate to the will, love and hate, fear, desire and
aversion, perversion of understanding and memory.
(b) Second grade generals are those symptoms which
(i) appeared in few provers,
(ii) were confirmed by reproving, and
(iii) occasionally verified clinically upon the sick.
They include symptoms pertaining to
• the rational mind and intellect,
• the body reaction to environment and climatic influences,
• foods that aggravate,
• extremes of temperature,
• position,
• motion,
• modality - bathing,
wetting,
pressure,
touch,
rubbing,
jarring,
defecation,
sleep, dream,
parts of day,
time,
months and seasons, etc.
• side—left or right,
semilateral,
oblique,
alternating,
• congestion,
• contraction,
• atrophy, etc.
• special senses smell of cooking nauseates,
various odours,
oversensitiveness to sound, noise, light.
• Appetite,
• sexual symptoms,
• body secretions and discharges,
• modalities.
(c) Third grade generals are those symptoms which
(i) appear now and then in a proving,
(ii) not yet confirmed by reproving,
(iii) but verified as having cured sick folks.
These include
• Common symptoms, e.g. malaise, fever, etc.
• Symptoms found common in the provings, of many drugs.
General Symptoms are classified into five main types:
1. Mental Generals.
2. Physical Geneals.
3. Negative Generals.
4. Pathological Generals.
5. Concomitant Generals.

PARTICULAR SYMPTOM
Symptom relating to a particular part or organ of the body is called
particular symptom.
Patient uses “My” while describing them. They are also known as
local symptoms. They help the physician in diagnosis by making him aware
of the area, region, tissues and system affected by the disease.
(a) High grade particular
• symptom is rare and unusual,
Example: Inflammation without pain;
itching of skin without eruption.
(b) Second grade particular
• Particular symptom with marked modality,
Example: Pain of a part by hard pressure.
(c) Third grade particulars
• Common symptom relating to particular tissue or organ.

COMMON SYMPTOMS
• These are common to many drugs or to natural disease conditions.
They are of diagnostic value but of least prescribing value. They are
also called as allopathic type of symptoms.
Examples: Headache, diarrhoea.
Common symptoms are usually of a general and /or particular nature.
Due to diversity of their origin they are labelled as general common,
particular common and common.
• The common symptoms of general nature are those which a very large
number of drugs have produced during proving.
For instance, headache. Almost all our medicines have produced
headache.
• The common symptoms of particular nature are those which are
manifested by every disease condition.
Every disease manifests itself by certain symptoms which are common
to all the patients suffering from that particular disease.
Examples: A patient suffering from fever will naturally feel malaise,
headache, weakness, anorexia and thirst.
• The common symptoms are those produced commonly by the whole
human race.
Examples: Weeping on the death of a dear one.
Getting irritated when constantly provoked.
Being worried about financial loss.
Common symptom helps in:
• diagnosis.
• prognosis.
• therapeutic when the subject is a child, or in an unconscious
state, or insane.

CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
The peculiar, unusual, rare and distinctive symptoms which
characterise the medicine or the disease are known as characteristic
symptoms. They help in individualization and totality formation.
In § 153 Hahnemann says, “In this search for a homoeopathic specific
remedy, that is to say, in this comparison of the collective symptoms of the
natural disease with the list of symptoms of known medicines in order to
find among these an artificial morbific agent corresponding by similarity to
the disease to be cured, the more striking, singular, uncommon and peculiar
(characteristic) signs and symptoms of the case.”
Characteristic symptom is a generalisation drawn from the particular
symptoms by logical deduction. Evidently the characteristic symptoms of a
case cannot be determined until a complete examination has elicited all the
symptoms of a case for purposes of comparison.
The logical deduction means the conception of four-square syndrome
according to von Boenninghausen.
According to Adolph Lippe, the characteristic symptoms are peculiar
to the individual patient rather than the disease.
According to Guernsey, the plan of treatment may seem to some rather
novel and, perhaps on its first view, objectionable inasmuch as it may seem
like prescribing for single symptoms whereas such is not the fact.
Dr. P. P. Wells says, characteristic symptoms individualise both the
disease and the medicine.
Dr. Hering says, every stool must have at least three legs if it is to
stand alone. So he advises selecting at least three characteristic symptoms
as the basis of prescribing.

TYPES
1. Mental - Excessive suspicion with great loquacity, fear of falling.
2. Physical - Feels better when constipated, craving for boiled eggs.
3. Environmental - Aggravation in clear, fine weather.
4. Aetiological - Convulsion from anger. A.f. disappointed love, grief.
5. Particular - Itching without eruption.

IMPORTANCE
1. Differentiates one remedy from a group of remedies.
2. Differentiates within the same miasmatic remedies.
3. Differentiates one disease from another.

WHERE TO LOOK FOR CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS

1. General make-up of the subject.
2. Temperament.
3. Diathesis.
4. Modality (general or particular).
5. Thermal relation.
6. Perversion of drinking and eating.
7. Sexual perversion.
8. Mental and physical habits.
9. Idiosyncrasy.
10. Mental make up.

Characteristic symptoms include

1. Key notes.
2. Alternating symptoms.
3. Peculiar.
4. Strange.
5. Rare.
6. Non-pathognomic.
7. Determinative.
8. Concomitants.

ELIMINATING SYMPTOM
Eliminating symptoms are those which exclude all medicines that are
not needed for the patient and narrow down the choice of medicines.
1. When we choose the eliminating symptoms, we have to make sure the
symptoms cover the whole man, not only the superficial symptoms.
2. While repertorising, the eliminating symptoms are placed at the top
and the rest of the symptoms below one another.
3. Eliminating symptoms are always selected from the symptoms of the
patient. The general symptoms of the physical being are considered.
4. Sufficient number of medicines should be under this rubric.
5. Omission of these symptoms in prescribing medicine is not to be done.
6. Modality may be an eliminating symptom, provided it is shown by all
the symptoms.
7. Uncommon, peculiar symptoms may be eliminating symptoms.
8. Prominent symptoms of the case should be the eliminating symptoms.
9. These must be very prominent general symptoms, and leading
symptoms of the case which cannot be omitted.
If it is a qualifying rubric, that is, modality, it must be shown by all the
symptoms or at least by most of the leading symptoms of the case. For
example, troubles of the patient are aggravated during rest; burning
ameliorated by heat.

CLINICAL SYMPTOMS
Clinical symptoms do not appear in the proving of drugs due to lack of
sufficient susceptibility of the healthy prover towards the stimulus but
observed during a morbid process and disappear on the employment of that
remedy for other purposes (that is, individual totality does not contain these
symptoms particularly).
Clinical symptom is one which is achieved from the morbid proving.
During disease condition the susceptibility of the vital force increases and
becomes aggressive. Susceptibility is the main source of a symptom though
stimulus and contact remain identical in proving.
The sick organism being so much more susceptible to the similar
medicine than the healthy organism, it follows that the size or quantity of
the dose depends also upon the degree of susceptibility of the patient. A
dose that would produce no perceptible effect upon a well person may cause
a dangerous or distressing aggravation in a sick person, just as a single ray
of light will cause excruciating pain in an inflamed retina, which in its
healthy condition would welcome the full light of day.
Pleurisy and pleural pain of Bryonia alba was not observed in the
proving, but when Bryonia was given for curative purpose it very truly
relieved the affection of the pleura.

SIGNIFICANCE
1. Clinical symptoms enrich the homoeopathic materia medica by their
morbid proving.
2. They help in the diagnosis of the disease.
3. Rarely they have therapeutic value.
4. Show predominance in acute disease and acute condition of chronic
disease.

COMPLETE SYMPTOM
Hahnemann further defines symptoms as the outwardly reflected
picture of the internal essence of the disease, that is, of the affection of vital
force, the language of the body expressing its disharmony and calling for
similiar remedy.

A symptom should be complete when it fulfils the following conditions:

1. Location
2. Sensation
3. Modality
4. Concomitant

Significance
1. Complete symptoms are the only conceivable picture of the disease.
2. They are the only indications to the choice of curative remedy.
3. They indicate the curability or otherwise of the disease.
4. They are the indications of future course and prognosis of the disease.

LOCATION
Location means the part of the body or organ or tissue or function of
the body or mind in which the symptom appears.

Types:
1. Side affinity:
(a) Fixed side:
Example: Right-sided affection, left sided affection.
(b) Moving side:
Example: The complaint starts at left side, goes to right side.
(c) Changeable side:
Example: There is no fixed side and complaint appears at
random.
2. Organic affinity:
(a) Ectodermal tissue: Skin. Indicates psora.
(b) Mesodermal tissue: Heart, liver, lung. Indicates sycosis.
(c) Endodermal tissue: Bone. Indicates syphilis.

Significance
Location is directly related to:
1. Diagnosis of the disease.
2. If it bears uncommon peculiarity, it directly relates to the remedy, that is,
symmetrical bilateral eruption indicate the remedy Arnica montana.

SENSATION
Sensation means the kind of feeling, i.e., burning, stinging, aching,
throbbing, stiching, etc.
Types:
1. Subjective sensation
2. Objective sensation
Subjective sensation:
Feeling of the subject himself. It is divided into three:
(a) General: Burning sensation all over the body.
(b) Particular: Burning sensation in between the scapulae.
(c) Common: Sinking feeling during hunger.
Objective sensation:
Feeling of the subject told by others.

Significance
The nature of sensation helps directly to diagnose the nature of the disease. If bears
uncommon peculiarity, directly helps in the selection of remedy.
Example: Neuralgic pain like a long thread after amputation and from
friction (Allium cepa).

MODALITY
The circumstances and conditions that modify general state of the
patient or a particular symptom of the patient.
Type:
It is of two types:
1. General modality: Applying to the patient as a whole.
Example: Feels better in open air and worse in damp air. <
winter. < bathing cold.
2. Particular modality: Related to a particular organ or a system.
Example: Head symptoms relieved by cold but other symptoms
relieved by heat.
Modality is indicated by:
Aggravation: Increase in the intensity or degree of suffering.
Amelioration: Relief of suffering.

Significance:
1. It is mainly related to the selection of remedy.
2. Now and then it also helps in the diagnosis of the disease.
Example: Stomach pain ameliorated by eating in duodenal ulcer.

CONCOMITANT
It means any other symptom occurring together with the main
complaint, but it has no direct pathological relation with the main
complaint.
Example: Involuntary passage of urine while coughing with pain
specially in the left hip (Causticum).
Headache relieved by urination (Gelsemium).

Significance
It is very important for individualising the patient and the drug for therapeutic
diagnosis. It has, however, no diagnostic value.

PATHOGENETIC SYMPTOM
This is produced by drugs on the healthy human being, as in drug-
proving or poisoning.

Significance
It includes all phenomena and symptoms—subjective, objective, rare, etc. that the
drug produces. This symptom indicates:
1. the genesis of the drug,
2. the toxicological observations from various provings on different doses,
3. the basis of homoeopathic materia medica,
4. a particular remedy for a particular disease condition.
KEY-NOTE SYMPTOM
Key-note symptom is weighty, prominent and characteristic feature
which directs the physician’s attention to the remedy or a group of
remedies.
This method of prescribing was introduced by Dr. Henry N.
Guernsey. It is not in conflict with the prescribing on totality of symptoms
as advised by Dr. Hahnemann. Both are essentially the same methods with
different names.
Dr. Hahnemann’s characteristics and Dr. Guernsey’s key-notes are
synonymous terms. Both are peculiar to the individual, and predominant
and essential features of the disease. These symptoms point out the curative
remedy. When the curative remedy so found is further studied in the light of
the history of the patient, it is found that all other symptoms are also
contained in the selected remedy. Thus the key-note symptom directs
attention to the totality upon which the medicine can be safely and correctly
prescribed.

SIGNIFICANCE
With the help of key-notes, the prescription will be done with less labour and time.

If only these key-note symptoms are taken as final and pillars of

remedy selection, failure is inevitable. According to Hering, the
prescription should be based on at least three or more key notes. The
prescription is correct if generals do not contradict the keynotes. He calls it
‘three legged stool.’
Examples of Keynotes
< motion - Bryonia.
< Midday, midnight - Ars.

GUIDING SYMPTOMS
Guiding Symptoms are a rare, peculiar, unusual symptom which
guides us in the selection of a remedy.
Dr. Constantine Hering coined this term.

SPURIOUS SYMPTOMS
This is of no use either for the purpose of prescribing or for diagnosis
of disease, as it is a vague symptom. This is also known as common
symptom appearing in the proving of almost all medicines.

DISCRIMINATIVE SYMPTOM
The symptom which differentiates one remedy from the other is called
as descrininative symptom. This is a qualified or complete symptom
containing all the essential elements, i.e., sensation, location and modality.
Dr. Boenninghausen included concomitant symptom also in the list of
essential parts of a “grand symptom”.

ACCESSORY SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE

These are the symptoms from which the patient suffers for a long time.
He gets so habituated that he gives little attention to them and considers
them as routine of his life.
In § 95 Hahnemann says, in chronic disease the most minute
peculiarities must be attended to, partly because:
1. They are the most characteristic.
2. The patients become so used to their long suffering that they pay little
or no heed to the lesser accessory symptoms.
3. Often very useful in determining the choice of the remedy.
Examples:
1. Smoking cigar before going to lavatory.
2. During defecation, constant applying of cold water on feet.
3. Dreams.

SIGNIFICANCE
Accessory symptoms help the physician to select a perfect remedy in the treatment of
chronic disease.

ACCESSORY SYMPTOMS OF MEDICINE

After application of a remedy some new symptoms appear which were
not previously observed in the patient. These new symptoms are known as
the accessory symptoms of the medicine.
According to Sec. § 167, if there occurs accessory symptoms, then, in
the case of acute disease we do not allow the first dose to exhaust its action,
but we investigate afresh the morbid state in its new altered condition and
add the remainder of the original symptoms to those newly developed in
tracing a new picture of the disease.

SIGNIFICANCE
1. Accessory symptoms indicate medicinal aggravation.
2. The medicine only imperfectly homoeopathic will produce accessory symptoms
(§ 180).
3. These symptoms help the physician to select antidote in the second prescription.
4. They indicate that the dose and selection of potency was not properly weighed
with the patient’s totality.
5. If the new symptoms are within the patient’s tolerance, allow the remedy to act
fully.

TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS
Totality of symptoms comprises sum total of qualitative symptoms
which have rare, uncommon, peculiar indications regarding their location,
sensation, modality and concomitant factors with miasmatic origin.
Von Boenninghausen says, totality of symptoms is not only sum of
symptoms but is in itself one grand symptom, a symptom of the patient.
It does not mean the numerical aggregate of some haphazard or
incomplete symptoms but an intelligible picture of the internal disease
derived from logical combination of all subjective and objective symptoms.
It may also reflect the internal individual essence of the disease, i.e.,
affection of the vital force.
Hahnemann says, “The ensemble or totality of these available signs
and symptoms, represent in its full extent the disease itself, that is, they
constitute the true and only form of which the mind is capable of
conceiving.” The expression has a two-fold meaning. It represents the
disease and it also represents the remedy, as language represents thought.
The word used is significant and suggestive. A picture is a work of art,
which appeals to our aesthetic sense as well as to our intellect. Its elements
are form, colour, light, shade, tone, harmony, and perspective. As a
composition it expresses an idea, it may be of sentiment of fact; but it does
this by the harmonious combination of its elements into a whole—a totality.
In a well balanced picture each element is given its full value and its right
relation to all the other elements.

CONSTITUENTS OF TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS

1. The totality of the symptoms is formed first by the totality of each
individual symptom. A single symptom is more than a single fact; it is
a fact with its history, its origin, its location, its progress or direction,
and its conditions.
2. The totality of the symptoms means all the uncommon symptoms of
the case which are capable of being logically combined into a
harmonious and consistent whole, having form, coherency and
individuality. Technically, the totality is more (and may be less) than
the mere numerical totality of the symptoms.
3. Hahnemann (§7) calls the totality “this image (or picture) reflecting
outwardly the internal essence of the disease, i.e., of the suffering life
force”.
4. Totality is the portrait of the patient which consists of combination of
characteristics which make a patient unique.

UTILITY OF TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS

A homoeopathic physician must know the totality very clearly for
successful homoeopathic prescription. This totality helps the true
homoeopath to make a perfect first prescription. Totality bears therapeutic
idea.
1. Miasmatic idea: If the disease is ectodermal, mesodermal and
endodermal in origin then we can think of psoric, sycotic or syphilitic
miasm respectively in their background.
2. Pathological idea:
(a) If the disease pathology shows inflammatory nature in acute
form, the scope of our medicine is very great.
(b) If the disease pathology shows gross irreversible change, our
autoregulatory system is less fruitful.
(c) Remedy with dose and potency: Pathology of disease indirectly
guides the physician to select dose and potency, e.g., in acute
inflammatory condition Aconite napellus, Belladonna are
indicated in suitable potency. But in miliary tuberculosis
remedies like Sulphur, Silicea and Phosphorus are not to be
given.
(d) Confidence: After clean clinical investigation of a particular
disease, the physician gets more confidence to observe the case
with patience.
(e) To detect maintaining cause: Disease totality helps the physician
to ascertain whether any maintaining cause is still present or not.
(f) Patient’s totality acts as the commonest material for observation
of Hering’s law of cure and Kent’s twelve observations.
(g) Prognosis: Patient’s totality helps the physician to determine the
prognosis of the case.
It means the individual relationship between the diseased person and
the remedy. As the medicine is similar in manifestation (law of similar),
stronger in strength (law of potentisation) and different in kind,
homoeopathic cure takes place.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is a symptom and how is it composed from the
homoeopathic point of view?
Q 2. What is the significance of symptom?
Q 3. What is the classification of symptom?
Q 4. What is subjective symptom? Describe it conception, &
significance with example.
Q 5. What is objective symptom? Describe it in detail with
significance.
Q 6. Describe general symptoms as a whole.
Q 7. Describe particular symptoms as a whole.
Q 8. Describe common symptoms as a whole.
Q 9. What is characteristic symptom? Describe it in details.
Q 10. Describe eliminating symptom as a whole.
Q 11. What is clinical symptom? Describe it with significance.
Q 12. What is your conception about a complete symptom?
Q 13. What is totality of symptoms? Describe it with significance.
Q 14. Describe pathogenetic symptoms.
Q 15. Describe key-note symptoms.
Q 16. What are guiding symptom, spurious symptom and discriminative
symptom?
Q 17. Describe accessory symptoms of disease and medicine in details.
Q 18. What are the source of symptoms by which we can know a
disease? (3rd part)
Q 19. What is meant by the terms symptoms of the disease? Explain the
variety of symptom in connection with Homoeopathic practice.
Q 20. Why must the true physician not give his patients medicine for a
single symptoms - Discuss.
Q 21. What do you understand by locality of symptoms. Why is it
necessary to know heredity, mode of living, habits, environment,
diet etc. to know a diseased person?
Q 22. What is symptom and totality of symptoms? What are source of
totality of symptom. Describe the utilities of totality of symptoms.
Q 23. What points should we consider in apprehending the picture of a
patient. Discuss in details?
Q 24. Discuss the values of modality and the dietic regimen as
recomended in the Organon of Medicine during the Homoeopathic
treatment. (See new part)
■
Chapter 12
Cure
(Aphorism 26 - 29)

DEFINITION
Cure can be defined as permanent disappearance of all the existing symptoms of the
patients.

A cure is always a result of art and is never brought about by nature.

Cure is dependent not upon precedent, opinion or speculation but upon the
application of principles which are easily comprehensible.
Cure is a process by which Hahnemann meant to restore the sick to
health, with the total annihilation of the disease by fixed principle (basis of
homoeopathy). It must follow a definite pattern in the disappearance of
symptoms, that is, Hering’s law of cure, without any after-effect.
Cure relates to the case as a whole. A patient may have his
haemorrhoids removed and be relieved of his rectal symptoms, but if the
symptoms of the heart or liver disease which preceded and caused his
haemorrhoids are not removed the patient is not cured, and so of
innumerable other morbid conditions. Cure refers to the patient, not to some
symptoms of his disease, nor to what may be called “one of his diseases”.
Cure means complete restoration of health.
Cure is not accomplished by the surgical removal nor by any local
means, of the external, secondary pathological “end-products” of the
disease, such as tumours, effusion, collection of pus, useless organ or dead
tissue; for the morbid functioning which produced those effects often
remains unchanged after such removal.
Cure is effected only by dynamic treatment according to fixed
principles, directed to the primary functional disorder as revealed by the
complete symptom picture preceding and accompanying the formation of
the tangible products of the disease.
Cure is not merely the removal of the primary causes of disease, for
even if all the causes of the disease are known and removed, the effects
having begun may continue as secondary causes after the removal of the
primary causes. Spontaneous disappearance of the disease does not always
occur in such cases, and dynamic treatment is required to restore health to
the patient.

CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR CURE

1. Application of a definite general principle of therapeutic medication.
2. The medication must be individual specific.
3. The pre-requisite of an ideal cure, therefore, is a complete and impartial
collection and record of the facts which constitute the natural and medical
history of the individual.
4. The medicine is similar in manifestation, stronger in strength and different in
kind in comparison with the disease.

RELATION WITH DISEASE

The state of disease is bondage, a slavery of the body. Disease is
manifested perceptibly by its language, i.e., signs and symptoms. Cure is
manifested by the removal of the symptoms. Strictly speaking the removal
of all the symptoms of the case is equivalent to cure, but if symptoms
disappear and the patient is not restored to health and strength, it means
either some of the most important symptoms of the case have been
overlooked, or that the case has passed beyond the curable stage. All
curable cases present perceptible symptoms, yet their discernment often
depends upon the acuteness of observation.
LAW OF DIRECTION OF CURE
Bodily reactions to the similar curative remedy occur in a definite
direction.
Cure takes place from above downward; from within outward; from a
more important organ to a less important organ. Symptoms disappear in the
reverse order of their appearance, the first to appear being the last to go.
1. From above downward: When the correct remedy has been
administered it is seen that the pain in the shoulder will disappear first
and then the arm or hand pain is removed, or from the hip to the foot.
2. From within outward: Crisis of elimination often occur. Thus an
eruption breaks out on the skin, there is an increased flow of urine, or
the symptoms of a severe cold become apparent. These manifestations
should never be interfered with. Nature is attempting to prevent the
disease from attacking the deeper organs by bringing the by-products
to the surface — the cure taking place from the important organs such
as the heart, the kidneys, etc. to the less important organs, the bladder,
the skin etc.
3. Symptoms disappear in the reverse order of their appearance:
Measles can be taken as an example. The cough coming first and
departing last, the rash coming last and departing first. In case of
chronic disease it is found that the patient will retrace the path along
which his disease has travelled and he will experience again the
various ailments from which he has suffered until he gets back to the
state at which his disease started.

OBSTACLES TO CURE (§ 3)
These are certain factors (both internal and external) which constantly
make obstruction on the way of cure.
When stepwise arranged, the first step is the case-taking. On collection
of all the symptoms of the patient in detailed and complete form, from true
homoeopathic point of view, these should be arranged according to their
appropriate priorities following correct evaluation. Then and then only we
shall be able to obtain the picture of the symptom-totality. The drug, the
picture, of which will coincide with the disease picture, will be the real
curative drug for that individual patient. Evaluation of the patient's
symptoms and then the selection of the medicine on this basis will indicate
the next steps. If the case taking is deficient caue is impossible as curative
remedy cannot be selected.
Thus the correct medicine is selected, but for reaching cure one shall
have to climb up many more steps. After this one must acquire thorough
knowledge about the proper potency of the selected medicine, its dose and
repetition and each of these is step towards success. Besides these, other
factors are the knowledge of proper circumstances for change of the
medicine, obstacles to cure and how to remove them and so on.
But in spite of well done case-taking, justified evaluation of symtoms,
correct selection of potency, dose and repetition, we fail to cure cases due to
various obstacles.
So the physician must have the knowledge about different obstacles
which hinder a cure. The obstacles may be divided into two broad
categories:
1. Obstacle within the patient or by the patient, i.e., the internal causes.
2. Obstacles other than the patient, i.e., the external causes.

OBSTACLE DUE TO PATIENT / INTERNAL CAUSES

(a) If there is a deep-rooted miasmatic obstacle in the system, unless and
until the proper deep-acting antimiasmatic drug is prescribed as a
block remover, certainly the patient will not improve.
Anti-miasmatic remedies like, Sulphur, Medorrhinum, Syphilinum,
Thuja, Nitricum acidum, Psorinum, etc. are often required for this
purpose.
(b) In spite of prescribing the suitable medicine, the patient does not
improve if he suffers from some organic lesion, e.g., he is suffering
from a big tumour which presses the surrounding structures, or his one
kidney is inactive or one lung has collapsed, or one valve of the heart
is very narrow and less active, etc.
(c) After any acute disease, or for other various reasons or since birth the
patient’s reaction capacity may become very less or sluggish or torpid.
Then sometimes the well-selected remedy falls to produce favourable
effect. In these cases some reaction arousing medicine should be
prescribed as an intercurrent remedy.
Examples: Opium, Carb-v., Laurocerasus, Causticum, Psorinum,
Sulphur, etc.
(d) Hypersensitive patient: Just reverse to the previous case, there are
some patients who are oversensitive to every drug when given. Kent
has described this in his 8th observation in the “prognosis after
administering the remedy” chapter. This hypersensitivity of the patient
also comes under obstacle to cure.
(e) When the patient lies: Sometimes the patient feels that if he confesses
before the doctor that he is improving or feeling better, then definitely
the physician will keep him in hand and as a result the cure will be
delayed. So he says, “Well Doctor, I am bad, I am not improving”.
Believing him the physician changes medicines frequently which
spoils the case.
(f) Neurotic patients have the habit of saying negative answer due to
prolonged suffering. It has been fixed in their mind that they are
incurable and no physician will be able to cure them; so they lose their
observative power whether they are improving or not, and so with a
firm negative aspect of mind they always insist on the physician to
change their medicine as no improvement is perceived by them. This
constitutes an obstacle to cure.

OBSTACLE DUE TO EXTERNAL CAUSES

(a) Physician’s hastiness: Physicians, especially the beginners, who
themselves have no confidence in their own medicinal choice,
sometimes spoil the case by repeating or frequently changing the
medicine impatiently or sometime at the urging of the patient. They
neither analyse the case, nor observe it and thus their irrational and
whimsical second prescription before the exhaustion of the action of
the former dose causes great obstacle to cure.
(b) Error in diet: Taking iron minus diet, excess of one particular vitamin,
only carbohydrate and not protein food, etc., i.e., when the diet is not a
balanced one.
Excessive calcium intake by a renal stone patient or excessive sweet
intake by a diabetic patient, or when protein in not taken by a
kwashiorkar patient, or iron is not taken by an anaemic patient, etc.
Certain foods also act as antagonistic to certain drugs. They quickly
spoil the action of the medicines. Thuja and onion, Lachesis and sour,
Lacticcum acidum and whey, Psorinum and coffee, etc. are examples.
(c) Personal habits: Bad habits like alcoholism, smoking, masturbation,
sexual excess, homosexuality, drug addiction, etc. are also great
obstacles to cure.
(d) Occupation: The occupational diseases are very difficult to cure unless
the patient changes that occupation. But in our country it is very
difficult to change one’s occupation, hence we have to treat them
anyway.
Examples: Anthrocosis and pneumoconiosis in coal workers, silicosis
in silica industry workers, asbestosis in an asbestos manufacturer,
berylliosis in aircraft and atomic industry workers, byssinosis in textile
industry workers, siderosis in iron industry workers, etc.
(e) Environment: Pollution of air due to large factories, adulterated
foodstuff, contaminated water, use of various metallic utensils, dyes
for colouring raw vegetables and foods, harmful chemicals,
preservation of foods in cold storage for prolonged period, milk
produced by giving oxytocin injection to the cow, modern artificial
measures employed for contraception and comforts, radiation in the
atmosphere due to atomic explosions, etc, are also obstacles to cure.
(f) Socio-economic cause: Prolonged poverty, worry, anxiety, tension,
very fast life, overactivity due to ambitious life, lack of adequate
nutrition, number of men living in one room, etc. are also obstacles to
cure.
(g) Drugs: Prolonged administration of modern drugs, especially
cortisones or steroids like, Prednisolone, Wysolone, Bethalon,
Decadron, etc. create obstacles to cure by disturbing the normal
physiological balance of the body. Antibiotic drugs like penicillin,
streptomycin, sulphonamide, chloramphenicol, etc., if used in large
doses, may act as obstacles to cure.
(h) Many patients, along with homoeopathic medication, regularly take
sleeping pills, tablets for diabetes, heart disease, or hypertension,
goitre, etc. or take various medicinal herbs or substances having
medicinal properties such as vitamins, tonics, chirata juice, kalmegh
leaf juice, etc. These substances to some extent destroy or minimise
the homoeopathic medicinal actions hence considered obstacles to
cure.
(i) Most married women take oral hormone pills to prevent conception
without consulting the physician. This overdose of hormonal input no
doubt obstructs normal physiology, hence acts as obstacle to cure.
(j) Taking at random homoeopathic medicines: Sometimes the patient on
his own takes various homoeopathic medicines apart from those
prescribed by the physician. These medicines create a hotch-potch in
the system and thus spoil or complicate the action of the well selected
medicine. So, it is also a great obstacle to cure.
Example: for chronic rheumatism the physician prescribed
Medorrhinum 200, 2 doses. But the patient frequently took Nux-v. for
abdominal trouble Carb-v. for loose stool, Rhus-t. for catarrh, Nat-s.
for flatulence, and so on. As a result the action of Medorrhinum was
certainly disturbed.
(k) Sometimes system is overcharged with homoeopathic high potencies
in repeated doses, wrongly and non-homoeopathically prescribed.
Supposing a doctor prescribed Lach. CM 30 doses for 30 days.
Naturally instead of cure it will harmfully disturb the system. Not only
that, such large number of high potency doses will go on producing
symptoms synonymous to drug-proving.
So, when a well selected remedy fails to produce satisfactory result,
all the aforesaid factors should be inquired into and efforts must be
made to remove the obstacles first and thereafter select a similimum or
any other drug suitable at that time.
(l) Physician is unable to select a similimum and/or prescribes
combinations or patents.

HIGHEST IDEAL OF CURE

§ 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.”

Discussion:
1. Rapid: It is a relative term which depends upon the nature of the
disease. In case of acute diseases, which are self-limiting, having a
definite course must be cured before they run their course, that is to
say, acute cases should be aborted.
But chronic disease will require more time as they are deep seated and
exist from quite a long time.
2. Gentle: It is understood that the procedure of treatment should not add
to the existing suffering. So it should be mild.
3. Permanent restoration of the health: It means there must not be any
relapse of the disease. After treatment, cure must be permanent. Mere
removal of symptoms by any means is not cure in the true sense of the
word. Palliation or suppression of the suffering of the patient should
not be our aim.
4. Removal and annihilation of the disease: A disease consist of many
symptoms. Some symptoms are more troublesome and some are less
troublesome. So we should not be satisfied only by removing the more
troublesome symptoms. The disease must be cured in its entirety.
Because every symptom indicates a deviation from the state of normal
health. Hence each and every symptom has to be removed in order to
make the desirable cure.
5. Shortest: It is a relative term which depends upon the selection of the
most similar remedy. When a medicine is administered on the basis of
the totality of symptoms, the disease is expected to be soon cured.
This straight-forward approach to treatment is both time-saving and
preferable.
6. Reliable: When the disease symptoms go away following “Hering's
law”, we may be sure that the disease will be finally cured. The
symptoms should go away from above downward, from within
outward, from centre to periphery, from more important to less
important organ, and in the reverse order of their coming, that is,
symptom coming last goes first.
7. Harmless: We have no right to inflict further injury upon the patient.
During Hahnemann's time blood-letting, continued purgation, fasting,
etc. were practised, which caused more harm than the disease proper.
8. On easily comprehensible principles: The mode of treatment must
be transparent and easily understood.

QUALIFICATIONS OF A PHYSICIAN
(Required for Curing)

The physician has to ascertain what is necessary to know in order to

cure the disease.
Symptoms are the only representative expressions of the disease.
Symptom to homoeopathy is the language of body and mind expressing
disharmony and calling for similar remedy. So the physician must acquire a
clear knowledge of the general symptoms of a disease.
Knowledge of the patient, of the characteristic symptoms of the
disease which individualise the case help the physician to select a medicine.
The physician is to gain knowledge of the instruments of treatment of
the natural disease, i.e., the pathogenetic powers of the medicines.

NATURAL LAW OF CURE (§ 26)

The natural law of cure is based on different natural experiments and
observations made by Hahnemann.
“Similia similibus curentur”—he did not discover this law of similars,
but he was the first to give it practical shape in the art of healing.

§ 26: “A weaker dynamic affection is permanently extinguished in the living

organism by a stronger one, if the latter (whilst differing in kind) is very similar to the
former in its manifestation”.
Examples:
1. Physical Aspect (§ 26, FN): The light of candle which looks bright in
the darkness of night disappears in the presence of sunlight. This
happens because both lights are similar in their manifestation, but
different in kind, and the sunlight is brighter than the light of candle.
Similarly, the piteous cry of the wounded soldier is drowned amidst
the beating of drum in the battlefield.
2. Moral Aspect (§ 26, FN): Sorrow of a man due to loss of his
neighbour is removed if he loses his close relative, that is, father,
mother or son. This happens as both losses similarly produce sorrow,
but the loss of a close relative is heavier than the loss of neighbour.
Similarly the injurious consequences of too great joy will be removed
by drinking coffee, which produces excessive joy in the mind.
3. Disease Aspect (§ 46): In nature it is found that the manifestation of a
disease is cured by the appearance of another stronger disease similar
in manifestation. Ophthalmia which is chronic in nature was cured in a
case of small pox, because small pox is greater in strength than
ophthalmia and can produce it.

MODUS OPERANDI—HOW HOMOEOPATHIC

CURE TAKES PLACE (§ 28, 29)
When a medicine is administered on the basis of accurate totality of
symptoms, it comes to aid of the spirit-like dynamic vital force which
perceives medicine through the sentient faculty of nerves. It produces
similar and stronger artificial, morbid affection pushed into the place of
weaker, similar, natural morbid irritation. Because medicine acts
unconditionally and regulation of dose is possible. So the natural disease is
cured by the medicine.
But the instinctive vital force which is now medicinally diseased have
to react violently.
The medicinal disease becomes gradually weaker and weaker due to
the shorter duration of the action of the medicinal agent and minuteness of
the dose of the medicine.
Free from the natural disease, the vital force now employs its
increased energy to eliminate the medicinal disease, and soon overcomes.
Thus the vital force is freed from the natural disease by the primary
action of the administered medicine and from the artificial disease by the
secondary, curative action of the vital force.
CAN NATURE CURE DISEASE?
Yes, nature sometimes cures certain diseases homoeopathically. But
we cannot rely on nature due to some difficulties.
1. Deficiency of similar diseases in nature: Mighty nature presents but
only few similar diseases which act as instrument for effecting
homoeopathic cure. But sufferings of human organism are numerous.
So very few maladies can be cured by the natural process.
2. Natural diseases are more dangerous to life and more dreadful
than the disease to be cured: The miasmatic disease, by which nature
performs occasional cures, may destroy life.
Example: A man who suffers from deafness or orchitis will not like to
be exposed to and suffer from small pox, in spite of all assurances of
cure of his deafness or orchitis. The person may not rely on small pox
as it is more dangerous and may terminate his life. After the desired
cure it may sometimes cause some permanent damage to organs.
3. They require treatment for their own cure: Although small pox has
cured the deafness, yet small pox itself requires independent treatment
for its cure. As a result one disease may be followed by the occurrence
of another stronger similar disease.
4. They are uncertain: Natural cure of disease is a lucky occurrence.
There is no certainty of its coming and its nature. There is no such
similar occurrence in every natural disease condition.

FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF CURE

1. The dynamic plane permeates all levels of the organism just as the
electromagnetic field permeates matter, and it is the origin of all
actions of the body in health and disease. A highly organised system
reacts to stress by always producing the best possible response of
which it is capable.
2. Therapeutic measures utilising the dynamic plane may act either
indirectly through a single level, or directly on the dynamic plane
itself.
3. Three modes of therapy are capable of acting directly on the dynamic
plane: acupuncture, “laying on of hands” by a spiritually evolved
individual, and homoeopathy.
4. The law of similars matches the symptom manifested on the dynamic
plane in a patient with the analogous symptom of a therapeutic
substance manifested in a healthy individual to establish resonance
between patient and remedy.
5. The law of similars states that any substance which can produce a
number of symptoms in a healthy human being can cure those
symptoms in the sick.
6. Hahnemann systematised this law by scientific recording of symptoms
produced by substances proved on healthy human beings.
7. To be complete, a proving must be done with a full range of potencies,
the symptoms cured in sick patients after administration of the remedy
must be included.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CURE AND
RECOVERY
Cure Recovery

1. Cure is permanent restoration of It means temporary removal of painful

health (Physical, emotional and symptoms or a group of symptoms by
mental) after total annihilation of any means with out application of any
disease by fixed and definite fixed principle.
principle.
2. The method by which a cure is No such comprehension.
achieved must be explicable.
3. A cure is obtained most rapidly by a Recovery can be spontaneous after
similar remedy with the help of removal or disappearance of exciting
stronger, susceptible and freed vital causes or as a result of treatment which is
force. not curative.
4. In cure symptoms are removed from Recovery is possible with haphazard and
interior to surface and according to temporary removal of symptoms.
law of direction of cure.
5. Cure is possible only by an Recovery is possible by the the method
autoregulatory system guided by of substitution, compensation and
similia similibus curantur. suppression guided by contraria
contrariis curentur.
6. After cure the subject becomes After recovery original symptoms return
permanently free from pain, passion violently unchanged or in other forms,
and selfishness, gaining a state of resulting in a state of deplorable
serenity and calm. condition of the subject.
7. Cure is always a result of application Nature aided or unaided often brings
of healing art and never brought about recovery under the operation of
about by nature. normal laws.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is cure? Describe it in the light of homoeopathy.
Q 2. What are the requirements for cure? What is its relation to disease?
Q 3. How do you know that a homoeopathic cure is taking place?
Describe the points in detail.
Q 4. What is obstacle to cure? Describe the obstacles.
Q 5. What is the highest ideal of cure? Discuss the conditions of highest
ideal of cure.
Q 6. How does cure take place?
Q 7. Explain the therapeutic law of nature and its application in
homoeopathy.
Q 8. Can disease be cured by nature? Can we rely on nature for cure?
Q 9. What is fundamental law of cure? Give reasons for the failure of
homoeopathic cure.
Q 10. What are the differences between cure and recovery?
Q 11. What is Hering's Law of direction of cure? How can homoeopaths
utilise this Law in this treatment.
Q 12. Hahnemann gives a probable explanation of how homoeopathic
cure takes place. What is the explanation and why did he use the
term ‘probable’.
Q 13. Can diseases be cured by nature? Explain the difficulties if any, in
depending on nature for cure of the disease.
Q 14. What is meant by “ . . . . . . . rapid gentle and permanent restoration
of the health.” Where do you find the reference in organon.
Discuss briefly the highest ideal of cure.
Q 15. Can diseases be cured by nature? Explain the difficulties if any, for
depending on nature for cure of diseases?
■
Chapter 13
Physician
(Aphorism 1 - 3)

Physic means the science and art of practice of medicine.

Physician means one skilled in the art of healing.
“A homoeopathic physician is one who adds to his knowledge of
medicine a special knowledge of homoeopathic therapeutics and observes
the law of similars. All that pertains to the great field of medical learning is
his by tradition, by inheritance and by right”.

MISSION OF A PHYSICIAN (§1)

In the first aphorism Hahnemann has defined the mission of the
physician as to cure the sick, to restore him to his former state of health
which he enjoyed before falling ill.
There is nothing new in it. It is agreed upon in any mode of medical
practice. But the real significance becomes evident when we know what
Hahnemann meant by the term cure.
Hahnemann says, to cure the sick is the only mission. Mission means
the special work assigned to the physician. Wheeler says, “Homoeopathy is
no religion but a rule of practice.
By this word Hahnemann wants us to understand that it is a noble
profession or work in which there is a spirit of devotion for the betterment
of the individual or the community.
Every physician should undertake his duty with wholehearted
devotion and sound mind. Any neglect on his part is a crime.
Monks and nuns of the missionary organisations devote themselves
with a mission that they will serve the suffering humanity to give relief
without expecting any personal comfort or gain.
The importance of this first aphorism is much enhanced when we read
the section along with its foot-note. Here Hahnemann criticised theoretic
medicine, in vogue then, as it had no relation to the facts of life.

WHAT A HOMOEOPATHIC PHYSICIAN MUST

KNOW ? (§ 3)
1. Knowledge of disease: A physician must acquire a clear knowledge in
regard to the general symptoms of diseases. General symptoms
include their classification, their nature, etc. He should know their
pathology, course, complication and termination. He must master the
art of disease diagnosis.
And disease in particular: It means the knowledge of the characteristic
symptoms of the patient which individualise the case and help the
physician to select a medicine (of Materia medica). He should know
what is to be cured in every individual case of disease.
2. Knowledge of medicine of materia medica: The physician must
know the changes the medicines can bring about in healthy human
organism. The pathogenetic power of the medicine must be known.
This pathogenetic power of the medicine can be known by proving of
the drug on healthy people of different ages sexes and different
constitution. He must know the individualizing features of remedies,
that is he must have thorough knowledge of Materia Medica.
3. Knowledge of definite principle: It is the basis on which a medicine
can be selected from among many medicines for a particular case.
From experience it has been found that only that medicine which gives
symptoms similar to those of the natural disease can cure a disease. So
the principle of similia similibus curentur should be the guiding
principle for selecting medicine.
4. Knowledge of pharmacy: The physician must likewise know the
methods of preparation of medicine, sources of drugs, according to
homoeopathic pharmacopoeia.
5. Knowledge of dose: What quantity of medicine should be used must
be known by the physician. Because same medicine produces different
kinds of action in different doses. In homoeopathy the minimum
quantity which can bring out a reaction of the vital force should be
considered proper dose.
The following conditions guide the physician to select proper dose:
(a) Susceptibility of the patient
(b) Seat of the disease
(c) Nature and intensity of the disease
(d) Duration and stage of the disease
(e) Previous treatment of the disease
6. Knowledge of choice of remedy: During case-taking, symptoms are
narrated by the patient which are not all of equal importance. But the
physician must recognise the important symptoms before the selection
of a remedy. He must be fully aware of the basis of selecting a remedy.
7. Knowledge of repetition of dose: The dose of the medicine can be
repeated only when necessary. Unnecessary repetition will do great
injury to the patient. Waiting and watching the action of the
administered medicine is the rule. So long as improvement continue,
there must not be any repetition. Only when removed symptoms come
back with lesser intensity, it is time for repetition of the dose.
8. Knowledge of obstacles to cure: In spite of the appropriate medicine,
a cure or recovery can't be possible if any block exists, such as:
(a) Taking of allopathic medicine side by side.
(b) Errors of diet.
(c) Violation of health rules and hygiene.
In health and disease the observation of diet and hygiene and sanitary
conditions is essential for a true practitioner of the healing art. A physician
mut know how to remove the obstacles to recovery in every individual case.
By doing so, he can ensure permanent restoration of health.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. Who is a physician? What is expected of a homoeopathic
physician?
Q 2. “The physician's high and only mission . . . . as it is termed". Who
said so and where? Do you support this statement? Justify.
Q 3. Enumerate qualifications of a homoeopathic physician.
Q 4. What a true physician should know?
Q 5. Specify and explain the items of knowledge that a physician
should acquire.
Q 6. The true homoeopath when speaks of the sick knows who it is that
is sick, where as allopath does not know — Discuss in details (See
short note chapter).
Q 7. Discuss - that the physicians of healing art must possess some
requisites. What are these write in detail.
Q 8. Discuss in detail 3rd aphorism of organon of medicine.
■
Chapter 14
Drug
(Aphorisms 20-23 and 105-116)

Homoeopathic drugs are powerful agents capable of inducing a state

of disharmonious functioning of the life force.
Drug is a substance which alters the function and nutrition of a part or
parts of the body. It produces an artificial disease. Like any other foreign
material it provides a specific stimulus. Its curative effect lies in eliciting a
reaction from the organism. Drug induced artificial disease is stronger than
natural disease.

CRITERIA OF ACTION OF A DRUG

1. Every drug provides a specific stimulus characteristic of that particular drug.
2. The stimulus has to be accurately defined to achieve a useful reaction.
3. The reaction depends on the susceptibility of the organism.
4. It is the subject who determines the correctness of a stimulus by the nature of his
response.
5. Small stimulus has effect due to a reactive response from the organism.

PRINCIPLES OF ACTION OF DRUG

1. Substitution: It means replacement of the missing substance.
Examples: Iron for deficiency anaemia.
Insulin for diabetes mellitus.
2. Compensation: It balances the defective system.
Examples: Digitalis glycosides in congestive cardiac failure.
Diuretics in nephrogenous oedema.
3. Suppression: It means reduction of undesirable or excessive reaction.
Examples: Cortisone in allergic reaction. Beta-blockers for premature
heartbeat.

UTILITY OF DRUG
It is mainly an instrument of antipathic mode of treatment.
It is rarely indicated for homoeopathic treatment where the condition
of the vital force is low.

ADVANTAGES OF DRUG
1. It is used for palliation where no time is available for dynamic
medicine to act.
2. It is useful when the vital force is suddenly enfeebled by accident,
shock, and injury.
3. It is useful when the symptoms are either absent or difficult to get.

DISADVANTAGES OF DRUG
After transient amelioration by drug, relapse of the case occurs with
violent aggravation.

DRUG PROVING (§ 105-145)

It is the method of ascertaining the pathogenetic power of a medicine
on a healthy person. A medicine or drug is taken for several days or weeks
until it manifests a set of symptoms which are peculiar to that particular
drug substance.
NECESSITY OF DRUG-PROVING UPON A HEALTHY PERSON
1. Because the person is supposedly free from any disease, both mentally
and physically.
2. When we administer a medicine upon such a healthy body it is able to
respond properly and perfectly according to the full capability of the
vital force.
3. From such proving we get pure and accurate pathogenetic effect of
medicine which help to cure the natural disease on the basis of
symptom similarity.
4. Effects of same drug on animals and on human being are different.
5. We get subjective or mental symptoms, modalities and finer symptoms
of drugs from the proving upon healthy persons.

THREE ESSENTIAL PRECONDITIONS FOR DRUG-PROVING

1. The drug must be pure, free from mixture with other substances and it
must possess all its active properties.
2. The prover must possess the normal faculties and state of health.
3. The circumstances surrounding the prover must be congenial.

IDEAL PROVER (§ 141)

The subject on whom the drug is proved is called a prover.
Hahnemann asserted that ideal provers were the homoeopathic
physicians and students of homoeopathy themselves who possess the
requisite qualifications of being healthy, intelligent, delicate, sensitive and
irritable, trustworthy, lover of truth and unprejudiced.

DOSE
The following points must be noted carefully to determine the dose:
1. According to aphorism 121, strong heroic medicines are liable even in
small doses to produce changes in health of a robust person.
2. Medicines of milder power must be given in considerable quantities.
3. Very weak medicines should be proved on delicate, irritable and
sensitive persons (in much larger quantities).
4. The weakest medicines should be used in 30th potency and given to
the prover in an empty stomach daily from four to six very small
globules moistened with a little water for several days (Sec. 128).
5. If the symptoms are less distinct, a few more globules may be taken
daily, until they become more pronounced (Sec. 129).
6. It is advisable to commence in every instance with a small dose of the
drug and, where suitable and requisite, to increase the dose more and
more from day to day as susceptibility cannot be predicated (Sec.
129).

SAMPLE OF DRUG FOR PROVING EXPERIMENT

According to aphorism 123:
1. Each medicine must be taken in simple, unannoyed form.
2. The indigenous plant in the form of freshly expressed juice must be
mixed with a little alcohol to prevent it from spoiling.
3. Exotic vegetable substances must be prepared in the form of powder
when dry or tincture with alcohol when they are in the fresh state, and
afterwards mixed with a certain proportion of water.
4. Salts and gums should be dissolved in water just before being taken.
5. If the plant can be procured only in its dry state and if its strength is
weak, an infusion of it may be used for the experiment. The infusion is
prepared by cutting the herb into small pieces and pouring boiling
water on it. Immediately after its preparation it must be swallowed
whilst still warm, as all expressed vegetable juices and all aqueous
infusion of herbs, without the addition of spirit, pass rapidly into
fermentation and decomposition whereby all their medicinal
properties are lost.

RECORDING OF THE SYMPTOMS

1. According to § 114, except narcotics, the primary action of all
medicines is to be observed.
2. According to § 113, for narcotic drugs secondary action is to be
recorded.
3. According to §115, alternating action produced by some medicines are
also to be noted.
4. Modality: In order to determine the different factors influencing the
symtpom the prover has to note the changes felt in different positions,
like standing, sitting, etc. and time, etc. (§ 133).

LITERATE PROVER
1. The prover must note down distinctly the sensations, sufferings, any
changes in health including the time of their appearance and duration
with special regard to modalities.
2. The physician looks over the report in the presence of the monitor
immediately after the experiment is concluded.
3. If the trial lasts for several days, the physician does this every day.
4. While everything is still fresh in his memory, the physician should
question the prover about the exact nature of every one of these
circumstances, so that each symptom is as complete as possible with
locality, sensations, modalities, concomitant (§ 139).

ILLITERATE PROVER
1. If the prover cannot write, the physician must be informed by him
everyday of what have occurred to him.
2. The physician should write down the symptoms chiefly from voluntary
narrations without asking any leading question (§ 140).

PHYSICIAN HIMSELF
If the physician himself is the prover, the recording will be more
accurate and complete as he knows with certainty the things he has
experienced in his own person.

RESTRICTIONS
1. Single medicine should be proved at a time.
Medicine must not be given for several successive days in increasing
doses (§ 131).
Administration of large doses of medicine should be avoided.
2. Other drugs and things which have medicinal property should not be
taken during proving.
3. During proving diet should be strictly regulated. It should be as much
as possible devoid of spices, of a purely nutritious and digestible
character. Green vegetable roots, all salads and herbs, soups, should be
avoided (§ 123).
Young green peas, green french beans and carrots are allowable as
they contain least medicinal properties (§ 125 FN).
4. Drinks like wine, brandy, coffee and tea are not allowed during
proving (§ 125/2 FN).
Those who have the habit of taking this type of drink should have
abstained from it for a considerable time prior to proving.
5. All over-exertion of body and mind is to be avoided.
All sorts of dissipation and disturbing passion must be avoided.
He should have no urgent business to distract his attention.
He must devote himself to careful self-observation and not to be
disturbed whilst so engaged.
He must possess sufficient amount of intelligence to be able to express
and describe his sensation in accurate terms.

ALTERNATING ACTION (§ 115)

In § 115 of the Organon of Medicine, Hahnemann states that the
primary action of drug possesses the power of producing two opposite
states alternating with each other. This action is produced when the
medicine is administered in moderate doses.
Examples:
1. Very costive motions with pressing out of the rectum with diarrhoeic
stool of Bryonia alba.
2. Nux vomica produces dry and fluent coryza alternately.
3. China produces chilliness and heat alternately.
4. Rheumatism alternates with gastric complaints in Kalium
bichromicum.
5. Headache alternates with lumbago in Aloe socotrina.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ALTERNATING ACTION &

SECONDARY ACTION
Alternating action Secondary action
1. Alternating action represents the Secondary action is the automatic
opposing states of the various defensive reaction of the vital force
paroxysms of the primary action of a against the primary action.
drug.
2. Symptoms produced by alternating The symptoms which appear in secondary
action appear and disappear in rapid action either last for a long time or go
succession. away for ever.

ACTION OF DRUG (§ 63 - 66, 112)

PRIMARY ACTION
In § 63 Hahnemann says that every agent which acts upon the vitality,
every medicine, deranges more or less the vital force, and causes a certain
alteration in the health of the individual for a longer or shorter period. This
is termed primary action.
Again in the § 112 Hahnemann says, “Primary action is the proper
action of the medicine on the vital force”.
Primary action is said to be a conjoint action of a drug. Here
pathogenetic effect of the drug plays an active role, while vital force plays a
passive role. Thus during the primary action of medicine peculiar signs and
symptoms are produced for a longer or shorter period.
When a medicine is introduced into the living organism, it deranges
vital force and produces disagreeable sensations and functions which are
manifested outwardly in the body as signs and symptoms. So it can be said
that primary action is the first action of the drug, which indicates the
immediate changes in the organism.
Examples:
1. The primary action of purgative is passing of loose stools.
2. Under primary action of opium, deep stupor is produced.
3. Drinking of wine produces excitement.

SECONDARY ACTION
In the aphorism 63 Hahnemann says, “To the primary action our vital
force endeavours to oppose its own energy. This resistant action is a
property, is indeed an automatic action of our life-preserving power, which
goes by the name of secondary action or counteraction”.
Again Hahnemann says in the aphorism 112: Secondary action is the
reaction of vital force of the organism. This reaction is opposite and
proportionate to the primary action.
It is also a conjoint action. Here vital force plays active role, while
medicinal stimulation plays passive role.
The secondary action depends on:
1. The intensity of the primary action.
2. Constitution.
Examples:
(a) The secondary action of the purgative is more constipation.
(b) Secondary action of opium causes more sleeplessness during
subsequent nights.
(c) After the primary action of wine is over, depression and lethargy
set in.
Secondary action is of two types:
1. Secondary counter-action
2. Secondary curative action

SECONDARY COUNTER-ACTION
This is the action where an exactly opposite condition is produced to
the primary action. It is equal to the primary action in intensity.
This particular action is observed in the antipathic mode of treatment,
where a drug is given producing exact opposite condition to the earlier one.
Due to the large doses the condition of the patient becomes worse after
initial relief for a short time (caused by the primary action of the drug).
Example: A patient suffering from loose stool is given such medicine
which is capable of producing constipation.

Secondary curative action

It is the action where vital force is unable to produce an exact,
opposite condition to the one previously existing. The vital force frees itself
and employs its increased energy to extinguish the medicinal disease, which
gradually decreases, and ultimately regains absolute health.
This type of action is observed under homoeopathic mode of
treatment, on the basis of symptom similarity.
Example: A person suffering from loose stool is given a medicine
which is capable of producing that kind of stool.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

ACTION
Primary action Secondary action
1 Primary action is the action of the Secondary action is the reaction of vital
. drug on the vital force. force against the primary action.
2 It is the action of external things or It is the automatic resistant reaction of
. forces that derange more or less the the life-preserving force.
vital force for a longer or shorter
period.
3 Primary action is an injurious action It is the protective reaction of the vital
. of the drug. force.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SECONDARY COUNTER-ACTION &

SECONDARY CURATIVE ACTION
Secondary counter-action Secondary curative action
1. It is the exactly opposite condition It is a milder form of secondary action
both in intensity and quality to the enough to restore health.
primary action.
2. It is observed where large quantity of It is observed where minute
drug is used. homoeopathic dose is applied.
3. In this condition the patient becomes It cures.
worse.

HISTORY OF DRUG-PROVING AND MATERIA

MEDICA
As drug-proving is the very basis of our materia medica, it is not
surprising that this activity has been the main contribution to medical
research by the school of homoeopathy.
All the important drugs have been most carefully proved, first by
Hahnemann, and subsequently by numerous followers of Hahnemann and
individual experimenters. A large volume of symptoms are the result of
such observations. But, of course, it follows that the value of any one
symptom depends on the faithfulness and integrity of the observer. So it is
true that not all symptoms recorded in the provings are true effects of the
drug due to this element of human frailty. All this is well recognised by
homoeopathic students and often exaggerated. The whole matter is this: for
the great bulk of our polychrests, their pathogenesis has so often been put to
test clinically that only reliable symptoms have remained. The chaff has
been discarded. This is especially true at this time when homoeopathy has
been in existence for over two hundred years.
The question is often asked why Hahnemann recorded his drug-effects
in non-medical language and also why his first book of drug-effects was
called “Materia Medica Pura.” Hahnemann called this pure because it was
free from speculation -- it being a record of observed facts alone,
independent of any theories of their action. Hahnemann appreciated the
need of a scientific concept of the action of drugs on the body, but at the
same time he was mindful of such a concept's short-comings. Thus, in his
essay “Power of small doses” in Hufeland's Journal, he elaborated the
knowledge of materia medica.
Original provings and sources of the materia medica. The first
work embodying such record is that of Hahnemann, entitled “Fragmenta de
Viribus Medicamentorum Positivus.” It is a Latin work, and was published
in Leipsic in 1805. Twenty-seven drugs were listed containing symptoms
Hahnemann himself had observed as effects of poisoning or from excessive
dosing and provings on himself. “I have instituted experiments,” he says in
the preface, “in chief part on my own person, but also on some others
whom I knew to be perfectly healthy and free from all perceptible
diseases.”
“In those experiments which have been made by myself and my
pupils, every care has been taken to secure the true and full action of the
medicines. Our provings have been made upon persons in perfect health,
and living in contentment and comparative ease. When an extraordinary
circumstance of any kind—fright, chagrin, external injuries, excessive
enjoyment, or some event of great importance—supervened during the
proving, then no other symptom has been recorded after such an event, in
order to prevent spurious symptoms being noted as genuine. When such
circumstances were of slight importance, and could hardly be supposed to
interfere with the action of the medicine, the symptoms have been placed in
brackets, for the purpose of informing the reader that they could not be
considered decisively genuine.”
Five years elapsed before Hahnemann published anything more in the
line of drug pathogenesy. Then appeared the first volume of that great
classical work, the “Materia Medica Pura”, containing the
symptomatology of twelve medicines, six of which had already appeared in
the Latin treatise published before.
Five years later appeared the second volume containing the
symptomatology of eight medicines, which was soon succeeded by four
other volumes, containing in all the pathogenic effects of sixty-one drugs. It
is a monumental work, the result of Hahnemann's matchless penetration,
wonderful insight and accurate observation. He was most ably assisted in
this work by thirty-five fellow-provers, among whom the names of Franz,
Gross, Hartmann, Hornburg, Ruckert, Stapf, and his son Friedrich
Hahnemann were the most conspicuous and deserve to be remembered by
all students of homoeopathy.
In 1822 appeared a second edition of this work, with considerable
additions to the symptomatology of all the remedies and some new
medicines besides. A third and fourth edition were published after some
years.
In 1828 Hahnemann published his “Chronic Diseases” containing the
symptomatology of a completely new series of medicines, a series of deeply
acting drugs, like Calc., Sulphur, etc., the so-called antipsoric remedies. The
symptomatology of these remedies were not wholly pathogenetic, but
included observations at the bedside, so-called clinical symptoms.
A second edition, greatly enlarged and now containing the
symptomatology of twenty-five remedies, besides the twenty-two of the
first edition, appeared between 1834 and 1838. A peculiar feature of the
provings in this work is that the bulk of them must have been obtained with
the thirtieth potency, and often are observations when given to the sick,
differing entirely, therefore, from the pathogenetic effects of the Materia
Medica Pura.
Besides Hahnemann and his immediate co-workers, Constantine
Hering of Philadelphia contributed the best provings to the homoeopathic
materia medica, with some of his drugs ranking in importance with
Hahnemann's own. Of these, Lach., Glonoinum, and Apis take first rank.
Another large contributor to the materia medica was Dr. E.M. Hale,
not so much by proving as by introducing American remedies that had been
in use by botanic physicians, and gathering all that was known as to the
therapeutic properties in one volume, called “New Remedies”. We have,
then, as original of homoeopathic materia medica:
1. Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura published in 1811, containing the
pathogenesis of the great polychrests, i.e., remedies of many uses and
wide and frequent application.
2. Hahnemann’s Chronic Disease published in 1828, containing the so-
called antipsoric remedies, those especially adapted to the cure of
chronic diseases.
3. Dr. Jorg’s provings. A professor at the University of Leipsic and
contemporary of Hahnemann, but not one of his followers, he proved
among others Camphor, Digitalis, Opium, Arnica montana,
Hydrocyanicum acidum, Ignatia amara. Some of his symptoms were
quoted and included by Hahnemann in the second edition of his work.
4. Dr. Hering and the American Provers’ Union.
5. Dr. E.M. Hale's contributions in his “New Remedies.”
6. Various provings and reprovings under the auspices of the American
Institute of Homeopathy, various state societies and individual
provings published in our journalistic literature. Also, Hartlaub and
Trink's pathogeneses, Stapf's additions, provings by the Austrian
Society, etc. etc.
These records are at present collected in four great works:
1. Allen’s Encyclopaedia in three volumes.
2. “Cyclopaedia of Drug Pathogenesy” in four volumes. These two works
contain the symptoms obtained by provings, and from records of
poisoning.
3. Hering's “Guiding Symptoms” in ten volumes, which also contains
clinical or curative symptoms observed on the sick.
4. Clarke’s “Dictionary of Homoeopathic Materia Medica” in four
volumes.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is drug? Describe the criteria and principles of action of
drug.
Q 2. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of drug.
Q 3. What type of individuals are suitable for drug-proving?
Q 4. Does drug-proving cause any harmful effect on the prover?
Q 5. What are the merits and demerits of human and animal proving?
Q 6. Is the proving of medicine on healthy human being necessary in
the building up of homoeopathic materia medica? If so why?
Q 7. Describe in brief the rules of drug-proving.
Q 8. What are the restrictions of drug proving?
Q 9. What are primary action and secondary action of drug. Discuss
them in details with example.
Q 10. What is alternating action? How does it differ from secondary
action?
Q 11. Give the difference between primary action and secondary action
and secondary counter-action and secondary curative action.
Q 12. Where does the curative power of a drug lie? How do we come to
know of these. Define healthy person a prover according to
Organon of Medicine?
Q 13. What do you understand by primary action and secondary action of
drug? What is the role of vital force during these action.
Q 14. What is drug proving? Taken a homoeopathic remedy is called
fully proved. Is drug proving considered harmful to health. What
type of precaution should be taken by prover during proving.
Q 15. Define primary, secondary and alternating action of a drug.
Illustrate each with an example.
Q 16. Write in brief the method held by Hahnemann on ascertaining true
effects of a drug. Can we enrich our materia medica by proving
medicine on lower animal?
Q 17. Describe the history of drug proving in homoeopathy?
■
Chapter 15
Medicine
(Aphorisms 20-23 and 118-120)

Homoeopathic medicines are those drug substances which are

potentised and proved upon healthy human beings, capable of altering the
state of health and restoring it during morbid condition. And this effect lies
in eliciting a reaction from the organism.

PREPARATION OF MEDICINE
Homoeopathic medicines are derived from mineral, animal and
vegetable kingdoms. The vast majority, however, comes from live plants
and herbs, and are classified under botanicals. These include the whole
plant parts such as flowers, roots, seeds, barks, twigs, leaves and the juice
and, when possible, all should be gathered when fresh and succulent.
Homoeopathic pharmacists obtain those botanicals from the countryside.
All should be gathered at the proper peak or growth to ensure potency and
quality of medicines. Many of these plants are indigenous to foreign soil,
and as with other raw or crude substances, must be imported from far-away
countries. (Botanicals must be gathered by professional botanists and
medical experts, and preserved in alcohol or partly processed, and then
exported.)
When freshly gathered and properly processed, these potent
wholesome concentrations retain both the volatile and non-volatile
substances, such as the enzymes, vital elements that are frequently lost in
medicines made from dried plants. Wholesome purity is an outstanding
characteristic of homoeopathic medicines. (Synthetic drugs are foreign to
homoeopathy and should never be substituted for nature's own healing and
curative agents, not unless prescribed by and used under supervision of a
physician.)
Homoeopathic medicines are made in various strengths or potencies,
and prepared according to official and accepted standards. Their successful
use has a seasoned background of 150 years of professional medical
practice and experience.

NATURE OF ACTION OF HOMOEOPATHIC

MEDICINE
1. Homoeopathic medicine does not replace the missing substance.
2. It does not compensate a component system by the direct route.
3. It does not counteract reactive process and suppress them.
4. Homoeopathic medication has a regulative effect on the central controlling
process in the organism.
5. It can alter the state of the changeable dynamic vital force, it acts
unconditionally.

Limitation: In emergency cases where the vital force is obstructed or

overwhelmed and in lack of a vital organ, dynamic medicine does not act.

HOW DOES A MEDICINE ACT ON DYNAMIC

PLANE
1. Every substance, animate or inanimate, has an electromagnetic field.
2. Any substance can affect the human organism in one of the two ways:
by direct chemical action, or through interaction of electromagnetic
fields, if the frequencies are close enough to resonate.
3. Biologically inert substances are chemically and energetically “closed”
to interaction with the human body.
4. Biologically active substances are capable of acting on the tissues of
the body chemically. The specific reaction of the organism depends
upon the degree of susceptibility or “affinity” for the substance.
5. If the sensitivity is close enough, even the crude form of a biologically
active substance can be therapeutic, although generally the effect lasts
only temporarily in this case.
6. To get curative results that are lasting, it is necessary to increase the
intensity of the electromagnetic field of the substance. This is done
through potentisation, which is succussion and dilution. Neither
succussion alone nor dilution alone is effective.
7. Limit to the degree of potentisation is not possible, even when
Avogadro’s number is exceeded and no molecule of the original
substance is present.
8. As yet there is no available explanation for this phenomenon, although
its validity has become undeniable. Somehow the force of the
electromagnetic field of the original substance is transferred to the
solvent molecules, yet without changing the resonant frequency.
9. Remedies have properties which may be useful clues for future
research into the phenomenon of potentisation: they are inactivated by
direct sunlight, heat in excess of 110-120°F, and perhaps by aromatic
substances such as camphor.
10. Disease producing power, a quality of the medicine is able to cure a
disease permanently.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is medicine? How is a medicine prepared?
Q 2. Describe the criteria of homoeopathic medicine, its limitations.
Q 3. How does medicine cure disease?
Q 4. How does medicine act on dynamic plane?
Q 5. What are the qualities of a medicine to cure a patient permanently.
Q 6. What do you understand by the term medicine. Write down the
difference between physiochemical action and dynamic action (3rd
part)
Q 7. “Cure lies in the disease causing power of a medicine”. Explain.
■
Chapter 16
Remedy
Remedy is an indicated medicine for an individual case based on
homoeopathic philosophy, applied according to its cardinal principles and
the nature's law of cure, and its action confirmed by Hering's law of cure.

GROUPS
The remedies are divided into groups as follows:
1. Mineral remedies, including elements, metals, compounds, salts, etc.
2. Vegetable remedies.
3. Animal remedies.
4. The nosodes, which are remedies derived from morbid tissues and
secretions.
5. Sarcodes which are remedies prepared from healthy animal tissues and
secretions, such as uric acid and thyroidinum. This also includes
endocrine remedies.
6. Imponderabilia, which are positive and negative magnetic force,
electricity, sun force, X-ray etc.

SOURCE
The information about these remedies is obtained from the following
sources: From provings; from toxicology, which contributes the extreme
symptoms and in part the pathology; from experimentation on animal
organs and tissues in the laboratory; from clinical verification of symptoms
and from human pathology which has been cured. The classical source of
the knowledge of remedies is of course the proving.

STUDY OF A REMEDY
1. The study of a remedy must begin with its mental symptoms. The
innermost of man being the most important, the psychic characteristics
and peculiarities of each remedy must be mastered. You could not
conceive of giving Sulphur as a chronic remedy to a woman in whose
closet lines the towels and linen were tied neatly with rose-coloured
ribbon. You would not give Phosphorus to one who was abnormally
modest, nor Arsenicum album to a sloven.
2. Many drugs have clearly marked modalities, in other words,
aggravation from or amelioration by meteorological conditions and
such things as motion, noise, jar, touch, position, foods, or special
substances, etc. The desires, aversions, aggravations and ameliorations
should be etched in the mind of the physician, as also those which
affect the personality as a whole, and those often agreeing but
sometimes contradictory which modify the affected part.
3. Of particular importance in the knowledge of materia medica, and
often difficult to find in books, are the causations of diseases typical of
the different remedies. These may be mental or general. The student
should pay particular attention to the symptoms of ailments from
emotion (such as mortification in Staphisagria; anger in Chamomilla,
Colocynthis, Nux vomica; grief in Ignatia amara; fright in Aconitum
napellus, etc.) and also to ailments from injury (Arnica montana,
Natrium sulphuratum). Ailments from suppressed discharges are of
paramount importance, whether they be from mucous membranes,
such as leucorrhoea, diarrhoea, etc., or from the skin as in the case of
perspiration or secretions, or from operation which closes nature's
vents, such as fistulae or haemorrhoids. The fourth important variety
of causation is chilling of various kinds, non-mechanical, dietary
indiscretions etc., these being applicable more frequently in acute
disease.
4. When the physician has mastered the facts about the remedy he should
study the localities of the body to which the remedy especially adapts,
and make a chart of a figure with the vulnerable points of the remedy
suitably drawn in. In this connection he would do well to make a
diagram of the tongue, its condition often being characteristic and
giving valuable hints for prescribing. He may also make drawings of
different parts of the body, such as the eyes, representing the various
conditions in those organs cured by the remedy. These schemata aid
memory by visualisation. Not only the organ influenced by a remedy
should be learned, but also the tissues, as for instance, Bryonia alba is
suitable to inflammation of serous membranes, where Belladonna is
rarely so.
5. The physician should then pick out from among the welter of
particular symptoms those which are “strange, rare and peculiar,” the
so-called “key-notes” of the remedy, and have these at his fingertips.
He should pick out similes from literature (such as the analogy
between the precocious Lycopodium clavatum child and Paul
Dombey) and expressive epithets (such as “mincepie fined” - Carb-v.,
“human barometer” - Rhus-t., “gloomy Gus” - Nat-c., “ragged
philosopher” - Sulphur, etc.)
6. By this time the physician is in a position to note, without danger of
being unduly influenced by pathology, the different “diseases” in
which the remedy under study is especially useful; and after
thoroughly mastering the polychrests he should go back and compare
their action in each of the diseases. Very little has been written about
comparison between the physiological action of drugs and their
homoeopathic action, but in the study of each remedy its
pharmacology and uses in regular medicine should be looked up and
compared. Useful hints and analogies are often forthcoming.
7. The physician should correlate the homoeopathic remedy picture with
endocrinology, metabolic tests and morphology.
Study one polychrest each week, beginning with relatively easy ones
such as Aconitum napellus, Belladonna, Bryonia alba, and then, when the
habit of assimilating the remedy is acquired, tackle the deep drugs, such as
Sulphur, Calcarea carbonica, Silicea terra, Phosphorus, etc.
Each remedy should be studied from at least ten different books so as
to allow the reflection of the personalities of the different authors. No
human being sees all aspects of another individual or of a drug. A
composite picture is necessary to achieve completeness. I would
recommend the following books for study in the order mentioned:
Kent’s Materia Medica, which, though informal in style, gives a
compelling and permeating picture of the remedies.
Nash’s Leaders should not be read alone. It is stimulating and
comprehensive.
Allen’s Keynotes is a class with the above.
Boger’s Synoptic Key is another very useful book at par with Allen’s
Keynotes.
Clarke’s Dictionary of Materia Medica is not the symptoms of the
provings themselves, but the “characteristcs” which give interesting, varied
information and sparse salient features.
Hering’s Guiding Symptoms, with especial attention to the symptoms
with heavy and double heavy marks, this being the most solid and
practicable of all our materia medicas, although it does not give the
picturesque individuality of the drugs as Kent's does.
Dunham’s Lectures on Materia Medica is very lucid.
Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura, the prime source of the subject, is
placed late in the list because of the mass of symptoms.
Teste’s Materia Medica, giving suggesting groupings of the remedies
is a unique book.
Allen’s Encyclopaedia of the Materia Medica makes difficult reading
because of the mass of material, but is invaluable.
Jahr’s Manual has many symptoms not to be found elsewhere.
When the nosodes are studied, H.C. Allen’s Materia Medica of the
Nosodes should be added, and for unusual remedies, there are Kent’s Lesser
Writings, Hale’s New Remedies and Anshutz's New, Old and Forgotten
Remedies. For those who read German, Stauffer’s Homoeopathische
Arzneimittellebre, as yet untranslated, is a classic.
The student should also read Farrington’s Clinical Materia Medica
although it is confusing, and Hughes' Manual or better his Cyclopaedia of
Drug Pathogenesy. Cowperthwaite's Materia Medica, Pierce's Plain Talks
on Materia Medica for Nurses, Raue's Therapeutics.

REMEDY RELATIONSHIP
CONCORDANT OR COMPATIBLE RELATION
Hahnemann first made the practical observation that certain remedies
act better if given in series. They are not of the same family but of wholly
dissimilar origin and if given following one another they accomplish more
than when given alone.
Example:
In acute disease:
Belladonna and Mercurius solubilis.
Pulsatilla nigricans and Sepia officinalis.
Kalium phosphoricum and Ignatia amara.
In chronic disease:
Lycopodium clavatum - Sulphur - Calc.

COMPLEMENTARY RELATION
Complementary relationship is somewhat similar in as much as they
must be compatible, but here work begun by one remedy is completed by
another—a complementary action.
This relationship is especially useful in organic diseases where the
person is under medication for a long time. For example, work begun by
Apis is finished by Natrium muriaticum. Aconitum napellus is often best
followed by Sulphur; Chamomilla by Magnesia phosphoricum; Belladonna
by Calcarea cabonica; Pulsatilla by Silicea etc.
Though by no means a rule, such practice is often suggestive and
time-saving.

INIMICAL RELATION
There seems to be a lack of harmony between certain drugs. This may
be so marked that when following each other in the treatment of a case,
disturbances that are hard to analyse make their appearance. Such a relation
exists between Apis and Rhus toxicodendron between Causticum and
Phosphorus, Sepia officinalis and Lachesis mutus, and others. Experience
teaches us that we should not use these remedies in a series. It will be
observed that all of the above drugs have a somewhat similar disease
producing power and hence this relationship, like antidotal relationship,
depends on similarity.
We have no explanation for these phenomena but understanding that
drugs are distinct entities with individual powers we can readily see that
certain forces can work advantageously side, by side, and others by mere
contact upset the orderly progress of the case.

Inimicals at a glance

Medicines Inimical medicines

Acetic acid Borax

Acid lactic Coffea
Acid nitric Lach., Calc. carb.
Allium cepa Allium sat., Aloe, Scilla
Allium sat. Allium cepa, Aloe, Scilla
Aloe Allium sat., Allium cepa
Ammon. carb. Lach.
Apis Rhus tox.
Aur. mur. nat. Coffea
Baryta carb. Calc. carb.
Belladonna Acet. acid, Dulc.
Borax Acet. acid
Bovista Coffea
Bryonia alba Sepia
Calc. carb. Acid nit., Baryta carb.
Calad. Camph.
Canth. Coffea
Carbo ani. Carbo veg.
Carbo veg. Carbo an., Kreos.
Causticum Acet. acid, Coffea, Phos.
Cham. Zinc.
China Digitalis, Selen., Ledum
Cistus Coffea
Cocculus Coffea
Coffea Cocculus, Cistus, Canth.
Digitalis China
Dulcamara Acet. acid, Bell.
Ferr. met. Acet. acid.
Ignatia Coffea, Nux v.
Kali bich. Calc. carb.
Kreosote Carbo veg.
Lach. Acet. acid, Acid carbol.
Ledum China
Lycopodium Calc. carb., Coffea
Merc. sol. Acetic acid, Silicea
Millef. Coffea
Nux v. Acet. acid, Ignatia
Phosphorus Causticum
Psorinum Sepia
Ranun. bulb. Acet. acid, Staph.
Rhus tox. Apis
Sarsaparilla Acet. acid
Selen. China
Sepia Bry., Lach.
Silicea Merc. sol.
Squilla Allium sat., Allium cepa
Staph. Ranun. b.
Stram. Coffea
Sulph. Lycop., Ranun. b.
Zinc. Cham., Nux v.

ANTIDOTAL RELATIONSHIP
We do not refer here to the well-known physiologic and chemical
antidotes.
Homoeopathic antidotes destroy the action of a remedy in the body.
Similarity of action is the basis of this antidotal phenomena. Thus,
Anacardium antidotes Rhus toxicodendron, especially on the skin. Hepar
sulphur does Mercury, coffee cruda does Nux vomica. Camphora officinalis
is the general antidote nullifying the action of most vegetable drugs. The
proper antidote for each drug is listed in the materia medica.
An interesting and little understood phase of antidotal relationship is
the power of a higher potency to modify the action of the same drug in
crude form. We make practical use of this with a few drugs, notably Rhus
toxicodendron. Poison ivy is best treated with a high potency of Rhus
toxicodendron.

RULES FOR PRESERVATION OF REMEDY

While handling remedies it will be necessary to observe carefully
certain rules:
Rule 1.: Remedies should never be stored in light, particularly bright
sunlight, or near any strong-smelling objects.
Rule 2: Remedies should not be changed from one bottle to another
unless the bottle is first sterilised (i.e., boiled for 20 minutes in
a pan of water). This will ensure that the vibrations of the
remedies are not disturbed. Impress on patients that they must
not change their remedies from the bottles or boxes in which
they receive them to other containers even if more convenient.
If pills must be taken while travelling, the requisite number
should be tipped from the bottle into a clean envelope or piece
of clean paper.
Rule 3: If several remedies are being prepared for different patients, the
hands should be washed between handling each remedy under
running water.
Rule 4: Vessels in which medicines may have been dissolved for
administration to a patient and spoons used to measure doses
must be boiled for 20 minutes in clean water before being used
for other medicines or purposes.

INTERPRETATION OF EFFECT PRODUCED BY

THE REMEDY
1. The remedy causes no change—either remedy or the potency is
incorrect.
2. Steady rapid improvement takes place without any aggravation—
either the remedy and the potency have exactly fit the case, or the
disease has not taken deep root.
There may be an almost complete removal of the symptoms, yet if the
patient is not conscious of the elasticity of returning health, there has
been no cure, but only palliation.
3. A sharp, short aggravation followed by quick improvement— The
improvement is usually long lasting.
4. A long aggravation and finally slow improvement— This occurs
chiefly in weak patients, and there is great danger in repeating the
remedy too soon.
5. A long aggravation followed by slow decline of the patient— Case is
incurable, only short-acting remedies should be used.
6. A sharp aggravation, but the improvement that follows is very lasting,
especially when a deep-acting remedy has been given—These cases
are usually incurable.
7. Rapid improvement soon followed by an aggravation—If the remedy
was the simillimum the case is incurable, but if the remedy only
corresponded superficially it may have acted palliatively.
8. The amelioration lasts a normal time, but a new group of symptoms
appear and under another suitable remedy they disappear and another
new group of symptoms appear, yet in spite of the removal of group
after group, the patient steadily declines — This is especially observed
in the old and feeble, and such cases are incurable.
9. New symptoms appear (not the return of old ones which have been
experienced long before the remedy was given)—
(a) If the new symptoms belong to the pathogenesis of the remedy, it
is the correct one, and must be allowed to act. If the new
symptoms are not known to belong to the pathogenesis of the
remedy and yet the case rapidly improves, it is probable that
further provings will show that they really do belong to it.
(b) If the new symptoms are due to the natural development of the
disease, then probably the remedy has been wrong and has
produced no effect.
These new symptoms may be due, however, to a natural crisis of
the disease, such as epistaxis in typhus, and must not be
interfered with.
(c) If the new symptoms, though numerous and violent, do not
belong to the natural development of the disease (and the patient
does not improve), then the remedy is the wrong one.
10. Aggravation followed by the return of old symptoms — This is a very
favourable state of affairs, and must not be interfered with, for no
remedy is homoeopathic to reaction. When the symptoms finally
settle, if these old symptoms still persist, they must then be prescribed
for, and are of the highest grade in the choice of next remedy.
11. There is improvement, but it takes the wrong direction. For example,
an ulcer of the leg heals up under the action of the remedy, but
haemorrhage from the lungs comes on — This shows that the remedy
only corresponded to part of the case, viz, the ulcer, and has really
done harm.
12. In some patients we get a proving of every remedy given — They are
oversensitive and very difficult to cure.

CAUTION IN THE USE OF CERTAIN REMEDIES

1. Sulph., Sil., Phos., and Sul-ac., owing to their power of expelling
foreign bodies, are very dangerous in some diseases, as these bodies
can only be got rid of by suppuration. In far advanced phthisis with
tubercular deposit or where healing of the diseased part with
calcareous deposit has taken place, or when foreign bodies, such as
bullets, are encysted near vital organs, this danger is very real.
If however, one of this group of remedies, say Sil., corresponds only to
the toxaemic symptoms and not to the constitutional ones, it will
palliate by subduing the toxaemic symptoms without doing any
damage.
2. Ferrum and Acet-ac. are dangerous in many cases of advanced
phthisis, owing to their power of inducing haemorrhage.
3. Ferrum in old syphilitics is apt to render ulcers phagedenic.
4. Kali-c. is a very dangerous remedy in old gout, but Kali-i. is often very
benificial. (K)
5. Arsenic is a very dangerous remedy in irritable heart, especially if
organic, as it is apt to cause parenchymatous nephritis. (K)
Arsenic also is a dangerous remedy in dysentery if not the simillimum,
as it is very apt to spoil the case. (K. Med. Adv., Nov., 1989)

RELATION BETWEEN REMEDY AND DIET

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is remedy? Describe group and source of remedy.
Q 2. Describe remedy from the homoeopathic point of view.
Q 3. Describe the storage of remedy.
Q 4. What do you mean by remedy relationship; and concordant,
complementary and inimical relation? Give examples of them.
Q 5. What do you mean by antidote? When is an antidote needed? Give
example.
Q 6. What are the general rules for the preservation of remedy?
Q 7. What types of effect are produced by the remedy when it is
selected homoeopathically?
Q 8. What are the cautions to be observed in the use of certain
remedies?
Q 9. Describe the relation between remedy and diet.
Q 10. Name some inimical remedies.
Q 11. Does the diseased organism get affected by the physician through
the same appropriate remedy — Describe the method of
administration of remedies selected to the above statement in
details.
■
Chapter 17
Prescription
It is a direction by the homoeopathic physician to the pharmacist to
serve medicine.
The prescription means selection of medicine. If the physician serves
the medicine to his patient from his own stock, there is no need of writing a
prescription. If he wants the patient to buy the medicine which he has
prescribed from other sources he should write a prescription in such a way
that the process of preparation may clearly be revealed to the compounder
only and not to others.
Though medicine is the chief instrument in the hands of the physician
there are many accessory factors which help to reduce the sufferings of the
patient to a great extent. Hence prescription is a very big term which not
only includes the direction of preparation of a particular medicine or
medicines and instruction to the patient as to its mode of taking, but it may
also convey many accessory instructions to the patient such as:
1. The diet to be taken by him.
2. Amount of work to be done or rest to be taken by him.
3. Instructions regarding bathing, sponging, application of heat or cold.
4. Instructions for necessary laboratory examination, etc.

ESSENTIALS OF THE PRESCRIPTION

1. Legibility.
2. Accuracy and reliability of the ingredients.
3. Great care that incompatibles are not used.
4. Maximum dose should never be exceeded.
5. Minimum dose should be prescribed.
6. Only single remedy should be prescribed at a time.
All prescriptions should be carefully written so that there can be no
chance for mistakes or substitutions. The amount of each component part
should be such that a dose of the finished product will represent the amount
necessary to produce the desired action in the organism. The ingredients
should be of a reliable make, the writer specifying a particular manufacture.

PARTS OF PRESCRIPTION
1. Superscription: The name of the patient and the letter “Rx” or “Re” which
stands for Latin recipe means to take.
2. Inscription: The name of the medicine, its potency and quantity, name of the
vehicle and its quantity.
3. Subscription: The direction to the compounder how to dispense the same.
4. Signature: The direction to the patient how to use the medicine, and the
signature of the physician with date.

1st prescription: When a medicine is selected on the basis of

individuality and thereafter some perceptible changes are developed within
the patient according to Hering's law of cure, that prescription is termed as
1st prescription.
2nd prescription: The subsequent prescription following this pattern
can be termed as 2nd prescription.

PRESCRIBING BASIS
1. Constitution or general characteristics (Totality).
2. Characteristics.
3. Causation.
4. Suppression.
5. Miasm.
6. Nosodes and organopathic remedies.
7. Laboratory investigation.
8. Autotherapy and autohaemotherapy.
9. Tautopathy.
10. Allergy.
11. Placebo.

CAUSES OF FAILURES IN PRESCRIBING

1. The physician does not bear in mind the homoeopathic philosophy.
2. He fails to make a complete record-keeping from which to deduce the
true remedy. He omits the mentals, physical generals or fails to elicit
the modalities of particular symptoms.
3. He lacks patience. Having given the remedy he forgets that he must
wait and watch.
4. He fails to observe Hering’s laws of cure:
From above downwards, from within outward, and the reverse order
of the appearance of the past symptoms.
5. He omits to make use of the 2nd best remedy, that is, placebo.
6. He fails to make sure that there are no obstructions to the action of the
remedy, e.g., taking coffee with Nux vomica, or acid with Aconitum
napellus.
7. He does not search out the psychological and sociological obstacle to
cure and teach the patient how to evade and overcome these.
8. He sometimes does not recognise soon enough when the remedy is not
working and is then often too busy to review the case and try again to
find out the most similar remedy.
9. He permits himself to give minor remedies for trivial ailments incident
to chronic treatment when sac lac or sensible physiotherapy such as
consolation, hydrotherapy would suffice.
10. He changes remedy because of the out-crop of other symptoms without
differentiating between various aggravating symptoms, symptoms due
to idiosyncracy and symptoms returning under the chronic case.
11. He gives the wrong potency of the right remedy.
12. He gives too high potency in an incurable case or one with marked
pathological changes, irreversible, and so induces an aggravation with
which the vital force cannot cope.
13. He prescribes a deep acting constitutional remedy to a case which is
too sick to stand it and should have merely a related palliative remedy,
e.g., in incipient tuberculosis it is dangerous to give Sulphur, Sil. or
Phosphorus. Rather a palliative for the most distressing symptoms
should be given such as Rumx., Sang., Puls., Senega.
14. Physician must remember that certain remedies are dangerous if
mishandled—Kali-c. in advanced arthritis, Sil. where suppuration in
an abscess is brought on, etc.
15. He will often be surprised to find that certain symptoms or group of
symptoms are relieved by his remedy, yet the patient goes into deeper
trouble. In this case the prescribing has been superficial and
suppressive.
16. He may give remedies in wrong order or inimical remedies in
succession and thereby aggravate the disease and mix up the case.

EMERGENCY PRESCRIBING
It is sometimes necessary to treat a patient quickly, e. g., in sudden
injury, bad news, or a disaster on a holiday. It is helpful if some remedies
can be memorised that apply generally to these cases which we may call
‘acquired’ complaints because they do not strictly belong to or involve the
person’s constitution. The list given below sets out some of the cases most
likely to be met with and the remedies that could be administered safely in
low or high potencies according to need. These are no specific remedies in
homoeopathy, however the following list is just given as a guide.
Ailments from Anger: Arn., Bry., Cham., Chin., Gels., Nux-v.
” ” Bad eggs eating: Carb-v.
” ” Bad fat: Ars., Carb-v.
” ” Bad fish: All-c., Carb-a., Carb-v., Ars. alb.
” ” Bad food: Carb-v., Ars. alb.
” ” Bad news: Gels.
” ” Bad water drinking: All. c., Crot-h.
” ” Bathing, cold: Mag. phos., Calc.
” ” Bee sting: Led., Apis
” ” Bereavement: Ign.
” ” Bites: Hyper., Led.
” ” Dog-bite: Hydr.
” ” Blood-poisoning: Pyrog., Hep-s.
” ” Bone, injury to: Ruta, Symph.
” ” Bruise: Arn., Led., Ruta
” ” Burn and scald: Urt-u., Canth.
” ” Coffee, abuse of: Nux-v., Coff.
” ” Cold, damp: Dulc., Rhus-t.
” ” Cold, dry: Acon., Hep.
” ” Damp, cold winds exposure to: All-c., Calc.
Ailments from Damp sheets: Rhus-t.
” ” Damp warm weather: Carb-v.
” ” Dentition: Cham., Mag-p.
” ” Depressing emotions: Gels.
” ” Eating in excess: Bry., Nux-v., Carb-v.
” ” Pleasure, effects of: Coff.
” ” Examination funk: Gels., Arg-n.
” ” Eyes, injury to: Acon., Arn., Led.
” ” Eyes over-strained: Ruta
” ” Fat: Carb-v., Ip., Puls.
” ” Fear: Acon., Gels.
” ” Feet wetting: Puls.
” ” Fracture: Ruta, Symph.
” ” Grief: Ars., Ign.
” ” Head, blow on: Hyper.
” ” Head getting wet: Bell., Rhus-t.
” ” Ice-cream: Puls., Ars.
” ” Nerves, injury to: Hyper.
” ” Pastry: Puls.
” ” Punctured wounds: Hyper., Led.
” ” Riding in carriage: Cocc.
” ” Storm: Gels., Phos.
” ” Sun: Acon., Bell., Gels., Glon., Nat-m., Bry.

PRESCRIBING IN EPIDEMIC
(GENUS EPIDEMICUS)

Although there is no scope of specific medicine in homoeopathy yet

Hahnemann advised to use it in case of epidemic diseases.
The specific medicine of epidemic disease is known as genus
epidemicus.
This is a medicine which is commonly indicated for a good number of
patients affected by epidemic disease.
The symptoms of the prevailing epidemic disease are more or less
similar. So after thorough case-taking of several cases of a locality it is
observed that a particular medicine is useful for many patients of that
locality. This particular medicine is known as genus epidemicus.
The genus epidemicus will cure all patients of that particular locality
very rapidly with quick prescription with less labour.
When the same medicine is applied to healthy persons of the affected
locality, it acts as a preventive medicine.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is a prescription? Discuss the aim and essentials of
prescription.
Q 2. Explain the different parts of prescription.
Q 3. What do you mean by 1st and 2nd prescription? On what
symptoms homoeopathic prescription can be made on?
Q 4. What are the common errors in homoeopathic prescription?
Discuss in details with example.
Q 5. What do you mean by emergency prescribing? What is the utility
of it? Give examples?
■
Chapter 18
Posology
Posology (from Greek posos - how much) means the science or
doctrine of dose.
In homoeopathy, ‘dose’ means the number of drops or tablets.
A homoeopathic dose is always a sub-physiological or sub-
pathogenetic dose. It is a dose so small as not to produce pathogenetic
symptoms; but only to remove symptoms already existing.
The homoeopathic doctrine of dose, like the law of cure, was based
upon the discovery of the opposite action of large and small doses of
medicine. It is another application in medicine of the Law of Mutual
Action, the third Newtonian law of motion — “Action and reaction are
equal and opposite”. Everyone acquainted with the action of drugs knows,
for example, that Ipecac in large doses causes nausea and vomiting and in
small doses, under certain conditions, will cure the same; that Opium in
large doses will cause a deep sleep or narcosis, and in small doses, under
certain conditions, will cure the same.
In the homoeopathic treatment of disease a drug is never given for its
pathogenetic action. Pathogenetic doses may be given, however, for
experimental purposes to a healthy person, in what are called provings. In
treating disease homoeopathically the object is not to produce symptoms
but to remove them. By means of the similar remedy in the minimum dose
it is possible to do this in a direct manner without producing symptoms. It is
not necessary to resort to the indirect, antipathic or allopathic method of
producing drug symptoms in one part to remove a disease of the same part,
or any other part, and therefore it is not necessary to use physiological or
pathogenetic doses. The homoeopathic cure is obtained without suffering,
without the production of any drug symptoms, in a positive and direct
manner, by the action of sub-physiological or sub-pathogenetic doses; in
other words, by the minimum dose, which is a dose so small that it is not
capable of producing symptoms when used therapeutically. Homoeopathy
requires that the therapeutic dose must be capable only of producing a slight
temporary aggravation or intensification of already existing symptoms,
never of producing new symptoms. Only the similar remedy, in the smallest
possible dose, is capable of bringing about this highly desirable result. By
this means the patient's strength and vitality are conserved, his suffering
quickly reduced to the lowest possible degree and a true cure is brought
about, if the case has not passed beyond the curative stage. It is not to be
understood that infinitesimal doses are not capable of producing symptoms
in healthy susceptible persons, for that is not true. Infinitesimal doses will
produce symptoms in certain highly sensitive persons, and many of our
most valuable provings have been made with more or less highly
potentiated medicines. Indeed no remedy can be regarded as having been
thoroughly proven until it has been tested in the potencies as well as in
crude form.

DOSE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY

The whole relationship of drug to disease rests on the susceptibility.
The power of the drug over disease is solely in its similarity, without it it
has no power except in a physiological form, and that is never curative. If in
the patient there is want of susceptibility to the drugs impressions, this
relationship of the patient to the drug does not exist. It rests on the very
similarity of those elements of the disease which show their specific nature
to those which are characteristic of the drug and according to the degree of
susceptibility; it is in direct ratio to this susceptibility.
In sickness susceptibility is markedly increased, as the avenues of
disease states are widely opened which would have no effect in health. The
resemblance of the group of symptoms is marked, accordingly the very
smallest possible dose will satisfy the susceptibility and therefore be
curative.
A knowledge of the basic principles of this law explains why often a
very high potency will cure intractable disease states where the low
potencies do not even give relief. Again, the knowledge of this law
necessitates a thorough knowledge of our materia medica. A knowledge of
this law makes for a clearer understanding of the homoeopathic art.

DOSE AND VITAL RESISTANCE

Homoeopathic doses require that no new symptoms shall be produced
as a result of their administration, for these would be drug effects; but we
may find a slight aggravation of the symptoms already present immediately
following the administration of the homoeopathic remedy, which soon
recedes, and improvement continues. Only the single remedy in the smallest
possible dose will usher in these happy results; in this way the suffering is
quickly reduced, the strength is conserved, the patient is in a state of
restored health.
We must not think that the infinitesimal dose cannot produce
symptoms; this is frequently found in very susceptible patients. In fact the
best provings are obtained with the high potencies on susceptible people.
When the homoeopathic drug is administered it is so similar to the
natural disease that it meets with no resistance, because the sphere of its
action is already invaded by the similar-disease and its resistance overcome
by the similar disease producing agent. The affected organs and tissues are
open to attack; susceptibility to the similar remedy is therefore greatly
increased. The homoeopathic remedy acts upon the identical tracts involved
in disease states in a similar way to the disease-producing cause. In order
that the suffering and distress may not be increased, it is necessary to use
only the smallest possible dose. For this reason the homoeopathic dose is
always short of the physiological or pathogenetic dose. It must be so small
as not to produce too much agravation of the symptoms already present, and
never large enough to produce new symptoms.

NEED OF MINIMUM DOSE

1. Every living organism is endowed with an inherent, automatic power
of reaction to stimuli. By means of this power the organism offers
resistance to everything which tends to injure or destroy its integrity or
disturb its normal functioning. Resistance is manifested by suffering,
pain, fever, inflammation, changed secretions and excretions, etc. The
minimum dose, therefore, is always a sub-physiological or sub-
pathogenetic dose, that is, a dose so small as not to produce
pathogenetic symptoms.
2. Another reason for the small dose lies in the fact that disease renders
the affected parts abnormally sensitive, as we see in an inflamed eye,
which is painfully sensitive to a degree of light to which it reacts
normally in health.
3. A third reason is that the homoeopathic drug is always given singly, so
that its action is complete and unmodified by other drugs.
Homoeopathists do not say vaguely that medicines in infinitesimal
doses cure disease unconditionally. The proposition is that medicines act
curatively in infinitesimal quantities when given in diseases to which they
are homoeopathic.

FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE ACTION

1. The development of special virtues in medicine by a peculiar process
of preparation called potentisation.
2. The increased susceptibility to medicinal impression produced by
disease.
3. The selection of the symptomatically similar remedy.

TYPES OF DOSE
Homoeopathic dose is the minimum amount of medicine which can
react with the vitality or vital force. It bears the following character:
1. It is beneficial to the patient.
2. It is curative in action.
3. It is non toxic in nature.
4. Its action has been proved.
Physiological dose is quantity and strength of a drug just sufficient to
produce a definite, predetermined effect or group of symptoms. It bears the
following character:
1. It is injurious to the patient.
2. Its action is toxic in nature.
3. Its action is the exact opposite of curative action.
4. It is never employed in homoeopathic practice for curative
purpose.

REPETITION OF DOSE
Give the doses of medicine until there is a reaction. Wait and observe
the progress of the reaction. Repeat the drug only when the curative process
comes to a standstill or becomes retrograde.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What do you mean by posology? Define dose.
Q 2. What are the relations between dose and susceptibility and dose
and vital resistance?
Q 3. Why is the need of minimum dose in homoeopathy? Discuss
favourable conditions for the action of homoeopathic dose.
Q 4. What are the types of dose? Discuss repetition of dose and
considerations for the choice of dose.
■
Chapter 19
Potency
Potency is the optimum power of medicine which when given in
minimum dose at specified intervals depending upon the nature of the
disease and the susceptibility of the subject would cure him of his sickness
in minimum time.
Hahnemann initially used unpotentised drugs, yet his treatment was
homoeopathic. The point of issue is agreement between the drug picture
and the individual picture presented by the patient. Adapting the potency to
the patient's `sensitivity' is very important but ranks second.
It is a flexible concept entitling one to use any potency from the
lowest to the highest according to the needs of a case. From the days of
Hahnemann and until Dr. Kent, remedies were invariably prescribed in low
potencies. It was only after Kent spoke consistently in favour of high
potencies that high potencies came to be used more often. According to
Kent, “Every physician should have at command 30th, 200th, 1M, 10M,
50M, CM, DM, and MM potencies made carefully in centesimal scale.
From the 30th to the 10M will be found those curative powers most useful
in very sensitive women and children. From the 10M to the MM are useful
for ordinary chronic diseases in persons not so sensitive. In acute diseases,
1M and 10M are most useful”.
The potency idea is undoubtedly the aspect of homoeopathy that has
captured public attention. People who know nothing else about the subject
usually are at least aware that homoeopaths use medicines in tiny doses, and
critics often quote this to show that homoeopathy is self-evidently absurd.
In the past homoeopaths themselves have sometimes been deeply
perturbed by the practice of using very small doses, but it has persisted and
is today universally accepted. The modern position is as follows. Nearly all
homoeopathic medicines are made by a process of alternate dilution and
succussion (violent shaking). The succussion is an essential part of the
procedure. Succussing the medicine is supposed to increase its activity, and
this is what distinguishes a homoeopathic medicine from an ordinary
solution. Increasing the power of a medicine in this way is referred to as
potentisation (for dynamisation) and the medicines are commonly called
‘potentised’.
Two potency scales are in common use, the decimal which proceeds
by 1:10 steps, and the centesimal by 1:100. Starting from the original
‘mother tincture’ (in case of a plant this is alcoholic extract) a 1:10 or a
1:100 dilution is made. This is succussed and the resulting solution is
known as the first potency. This now serves as the starting point for the next
step dilution and succussion which results in the second potency, and so on.
The 1:10 potencies are usually indicated by x and the 1:100 by c; thus
Pulsatilla nigricans 6c means the 6th centesimal potency of Pulsatilla,
which has received six succussions and has a concentration of one part in a
billion relative to the original tincture.
Insoluble substances, such as metals, are prepared by grinding them in
a mortar together with lactose (sugar of milk) in the same 1:10 or 1:100
proportions. This process is called trituration and is supposed to be
equivalent to succussion. After the 6th trituration the particles become so
fine that they can form colloidal solutions in water, and then liquid
potentisation continues in the usual way.
It is generally claimed that higher the potency (in other words, the
more dilute the medicine) the greater is its effectiveness. This idea seems to
fly in the face of commonsense, but the apparent paradox is explained on
the grounds that the more dilute preparation has received a greater number
of the all-important succussions.

PROCESS OF PREPARING POTENCY

The process by which a potency is made, termed as potentisation or
dynamisation, is a mathematico-mechanical process for the reduction,
according to scale, of crude, inert or poisonous medical substances to a state
of physical solubility, physiological assimilability and therapeutic activity
and harmlessness for use as homoeopathic healing substances.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DILUTION AND A

POTENCY
The dilution is weak in medicinal strength, while a potency is strong.
A teaspoonful of the tincture of Belladonna put into a barrel of water would
make a very high dilution but would contain no medicinal strength. A
potency on the other hand is a medicine in which the energy has been
liberated from the crude drug substance and forced into a new media or an
inert menstrum in which it is confined to space and limited in quantity.
A potency is made from the basic tincture or trituration of a drug or a
medicine. The first step in this process is to dilute one part of the tincture
with either nine or ninety-nine parts of alcohol or sugar of milk, depending
upon whether the decimal or centesimal scale is used. The next step is to
take one-tenth or one-hundredth part of the first dilution and put this into
nine or ninety-nine parts of alcohol or sugar of milk; this process of
dividing and subdividing the medicine is continued until the desired
potency has been reached. So far they are only dilutions, but to ensure a
perfect permeation of the medicinal energy into menstrum or media and to
make a potency of each dilution the bottle must be shaken or agitated or
treated by a number of so-called succussion movements until every particle
of the crude drug substance has been broken up and its energy permeated or
impregnated into the menstrum or media of each potency.

TYPES OF POTENCY
1. Low potency: From 6x to 12x in organic disease.
2. Medium potency: From 12x to 30c for functional disorders.
3. High potency: From 20c above for mental symptoms.
4. Fluxion potency or jumping potency: It is the potency of
homoeopathic medicines derived by displacement. Hahnemann
directed that all metallic substances must be powdered and triturated
into the corresponding solid potencies. As because up to 6x or 3
triturations, the medicinal contents of the drugs are soluble neither in
the alcohol nor in water.
5. Straight potency: According to Dr. Burt of London the 7x liquid
potency of a requisite medicine can be prepared from its 6x trituration.
6. High fluxion potencies: Liquid attenuations up to 500th or 1000th
potency can be made by hand process. But for making potencies
higher than these, say 10M, CM etc., huge amount of time, labour and
alcohol will be required. To overcome this problem, during last 75
years some great homoeopaths have invented machines to make these
potencies under the names their inventors, Swan, Deshere, Fincke,
Boericke, Lahrmann, Skinner, etc. Such high potencies prepared with
the help of machines are known as High Fluxion Potencies. In this
process purified water is used as the `vehicle' instead of alcohol for the
intermediate steps.

FACTORS GOVERNING SELECTION OF THE

POTENCY

1. The susceptibility of the patient: The more similar the remedy, the
more clearly and positively the symptoms of the patient take on the
peculiar and characteristic form of the remedy. The greater the
susceptibility to that remedy and the higher the potency required.
2. The seat of the disease:
(a) Certain malignant and rapidly fatal disease like cholera may
require material doses or low potencies of a drug.
(b) Diseases characterised by diminished vital reaction require the
lower potencies while diseases characterised by increased vital
reaction respond better to higher potencies. In short, the higher
the susceptibility the higher the potency.
3. The stage and duration of the disease: At one stage of the disease
when the vital reaction is low, the patient may need a low potency and
frequent repetition (e.g., in collapse condition of cholera) and at
another stage a high potency.
A good homoeopathic physician should never confine himself to a
single potency but should be ready to use the whole scale of potency
from the lowest to the highest as the occasion demands.
4. The previous treatment of the disease: In some cases due to abuse of
too many drugs in crude doses the patient seems to lose all
susceptibility for the time being. In such conditions it is advisable to
cease all medication for a few days and carefully regulate the diet and
regimen. Then medication may be started again with either low or
medium potency.

DR. WADAGAVKAR PROVIDED GUIDELINES

• Age.
• Sex.
• Occupation.
• Intelligence.
• Susceptibilty.
• Sensitivity.
• State of vital force.
• Heredity and constitution.
• Nature and prognosis of the disease.
• Pathological attributes.
• Similarity between drug picture and disease picture.
For low potency:
(a) Poorer the indication or lesser the similarity.
(b) Lesser the vitality.
(c) Poorer the reaction or susceptibility.
(d) More the chronicity.
(e) Lesser the intelligence or more the dullness and lethargy.
(f) Grosser the pathological lesions or more the material or organic
changes.
(g) Higher the sensitivity.
(h) Older the age.
(i) More the objective symptoms and less the mental and subjective
symptoms.
(j) Worse the prognosis.
(k) Slower the pace of disease progress.
Low potency is also required for:
(l) Organ remedies which are not well proved.
(m) Biochemic medicines.
(o) Females.
(p) Incurable disease.
(q) To promote drainage.
For medium potency:
To avoid any danger, it is always advisable to begin with medium
potency and cautiously go higher to catch the proper wavelength and
critical potency for a cure.
Higher the potency when:
(a) Greater the similarity.
(b) Greater the activity of vital force.
(c) Greater the susceptibility.
(d) Greater the violence of the disease.
(e) More the intelligence.
(f) More the acuteness or faster the pace of disease.
(g) More dynamic the disease.
(h) More the mental symptoms.
(i) More the subjective symptoms.
(j) Younger the age.
(k) Lesser the pathological change.
For high potency:
(a) Constitutional medicine.
(b) Nosode.
(c) Drugs highly active in crude stage.
(d) Drugs more inert in crude stage.
(e) Allergy to drugs and chemicals.
(f) When low potency is no more useful.
(g) For abortion of diseases.
(h) Males.

APPLICATION OF POTENCY
Following are the rules which will guide the physician in deciding the
potency:
1. Be sure that the remedy selected is a near similar (or simillimum).
2. When the remedy has been selected it should be given in the
appropriate potency until no appreciable improvement in the patient's
condition is observable. If the patient is not cured and the symptoms
remain the same the potency may then be advanced, e.g., if the first
prescription was given in the 6th the second can be advanced to the
30th, but under no circumstances should remedies be changed unless
the symptoms warrant it.
3. Low potencies only should be used when the disease has caused a
great amount of organic change. For example, in an advanced case of
arthritis a high potency would probably cause a severe and most
painful aggravation. Similarly a sharp reaction is usually observed in
chronic skin complaints when a high potency is given.
4. The higher potencies should be prescribed only where there is little or
no organic change, and the indication for the remedy very definite.
These are not generally for the beginner or layman to use as the
reactions resulting can present grave complications and even endanger
life.
5. In general, use the lower potencies in acute conditions (6th-12th) and
the higher potencies (30th-200th) in chronic conditions. It will be
found that one dose alone is often sufficient to bring about a marked
improvement in a chronic case which will continue for some
considerable time. The dose should, therefore, not be repeated until
there is an indication of definite relapse.

PROBLEMS OF POTENCY APPLICATION

1. The high potencies are indicated where the desperate illness is the
terminal stage of chronic disease. The very high potencies induce
euthanasia. In incurable cases, unless the vitality is very good and the
pathology not yet too extreme, low or medium potencies are suitable,
and usually the deep-acting simillimum must here be avoided and a
palliative drug given. If such a palliative be not too searching a
remedy like Sang., Rumex, Puls., etc., it may be given even to
incurables in a fairly high potency.
2. In many conditions with marked tissue change, such as adhesions,
chronic cardiac decompensation, very low potencies, even tinctures,
may be useful. Potencies as low as the 6th or 12th are occasionally
invaluable in single dose in such grave condition as tuberculosis where
a 30th or a 200th of such a remedy as Phos. or Sil. might down-grade
the economy.
3. Some individuals have idiosyncrasy to potencies of certain substances.
Some degree of idiosyncrasy to a remedy must be present or the
patient will not be sensitive enough to be cured, but where this is
extreme the law of medium potency should be preferred. Where
patients are habitually poisoned by a crude substance in very high
potency, it is better to give an antidotal substance high. For instance,
patients long dosed with calomel are relieved by high potencies of
Hepar. Exceptions to this occur, as in chronic susceptibility to Rhus
poisoning Rhus tox. CM may eradicate the tendency.
4. Great care must be taken in potency selection of certain very deep-
acting remedies in serious chronic cases. For instance, Kali-c. in gout;
Sulph., Sil., Tub., or Phos. in tuberculosis; Psor. in asthma; and
Arsenicum album and Lachesis mutus in many conditions. These
remedies should be given in the 30th potency even by those who give
almost entirely the higher degrees.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is potency? Discuss potency idea.
Q 2. Name the process by which potency is made. What is the
difference between a dilution and a potency? How is potency
made?
Q 3. What are the types of potency? Give the factors governing
selection of potency of medicine.
Q 4. What are the general outlines for the selection of the potency?
Discuss in details.
Q 5. How do you select for a case? Discuss problems of potency
application.
Q 6. Give the difference between potency and dynamic power. (3rd
part)
Chapter 20
Hippocrates and Hahnemann

HIPPOCRATES
Hippocrates was a renowned physician, born in 460 BC in the island
of Cos close to Asia Minor. He was the anatomist and physiologist of that
age. He had not the clinical thermometer nor stethoscope, yet he practised
auscultation by placing ear to the chest and was able to describe the friction
sound of pleurisy.
Hippocrates, called the father of medicine, first said that nature is
the curer of diseases. This was the base on which Hahnemann has
established homoeopathy in his determination to help nature and not fight
it.

HIS MAIN SUPPOSITIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

1. He acquired some knowledge about anatomy and physiology even at
that age.
2. He was the first man who openly refuted the theory that diseases have
some divine or sacred cause.
3. He diagnosed disease with the help of processes like auscultation.
4. He tried to find out the real cause of disease.
5. He was also the first man to separate medicine from high-standard
philosophy and set up medical ethics.
6. He opened a new window of surgical treatment comprising the method
of draining pus, setting up reduced dislocation, etc.
7. He was able to forecast prognosis.
8. He theorised that
(a) All diseases occur at all seasons, but some diseases are more
prone to occur and aggravate at certain seasons.
(b) Do not disturb a patient either during or just after a crisis and try
no experiments, neither with purges nor with other irritants, but
leave him alone.
(c) In every disease it is a good sign when the patient's intellect
remains sound and he enjoys his food. The opposite is a bad sign.
(d) In winter occur pleurisy, pneumonia, colds, sore throat,
headache, dizziness, apoplexy.
(e) For extreme diseases extreme strictness of treatment is most
efficacious.
(f) Those diseases that medicines do not cure are cured by the knife.
Those that the knife does not cure are cured by fire. Those that
fire does not cure must be considered incurable.

HAHNEMANN
Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann was born on 10th April in
Meissen, a beautiful city in Saxony of Germany, in the year of 1755.
His father was C. Godfred Hahnemann and mother was Johanna
Christiana. His father's profession was that of a painter, of porcelain. His
parents were people of education and taste but were extremely poor.
He was admitted to the town school on 20th July, 1767. When he was
only sixteen he attended the Prince's school of that town. The boy had to be
apprenticed to a grocer, cutting short his school career. Fortunately the
rector of the school recognised the talent and allowed Hahnemann free
study. “The wonderful construction of the human hand” was written by
him during this time at the school- leaving ceremony.
He went to Leipzig to study medicine at the age of twenty, when he
was already an accomplished linguist. After this he went to Vienna to study
at the most advanced school of medicine in Europe. Here he was an
exceptional young man whose diligence endeared him to his teacher.
When still a student Hahnemann became family physician and
librarian to the governor of Transylvania. During this time he spent two
years in the marshy lands of lower Hungary. This area was notorious for
ague. He took his MD degree from Erlangen University in 1779. His thesis
was ‘A consideration of the aetiology and therapeutics of spasmodic
affections’.
First marriage - on 17.11.1782 to Johanna Leopoldine Henriette
Kuchler, step-daughter of owner of Haseler's pharmacy.
Second marriage - on 1.1.1835 to a charming French lady, Marie
Melane De Hervilly.
Hahnemann began his medical practice in Hettstedt in the year 1779.
In 1782 he became the medical officer of Gommern.
In 1786, when Hahnemann was only 31, his great admirer, the chief
surgeon of the city fell ill. An young man of Meissen was asked to officiate
in his place.
With all his knowledge of orthodox methods and with all his
experimentation along those lines, his results were disappointing him. He
gave up his practice and earned his living by translating foreign medical
books into German.
While he was engaged in translating Cullen's materia medica he came
across the mention of cinchona bark. He found that after taking a dose of
quinine, he suffered from the symptoms of an illness similar to those of
malarial fever. After this he came to the conclusion that if this could
produce symptoms similar to those of malaria, it then might be the curative
for malaria. It is then that he first coined the words similia similibus
curentur, let like be cured by like, which is the slogan of homoeopathy.
In the year 1810 he published his ‘Materia Medica Pura’, containing
information on 67 remedies, some known medicines and some unknown.
Two years later he became unpaid lecturer in medicine at the
University of Leipzig, a post which he held for six years. During this period
Hahnemann began to treat his patients with his formulated mother tinctures,
powders and tablets. But his rival party was active, as a result Hahnemann
had to quit the term. In the year 1821 Duke of Ferdinan gave Hahnemann
permission to live and practise homoeopathy in Koethen where he was
subsequently male privy councillor.
In 1822, Stapf published the first periodical of homoeopathy: The
Archive for the Homoeopathic Science of Healing.
In 1828 Hahnemann’s famous classic “Chronic Disease” was
published.
In 1830 Hahnemann’s first wife died on 31st March after giving him
eleven children.
In 1831 whole of Europe came down with an epidemic of cholera.
One of Hahnemann’s pupils put the hypothesis to practical application in
Leipzig and treated 154 victims homoeopathically. He lost only six whereas
the orthodox doctors treating some 1500 patients lost 821.
After this success Hahnemann published the 5th edition of the
Organon of Medicine. With each succeeding edition his ideas were
developed.
His fame had spread across the channel and his British colleagues and
admirers faced difficulty because of the time it took for letters to go and
come.
Accordingly he moved to Paris in 1835. Once installed he was
consulted by doctors, chemists and scientists from all over Europe until his
death.
Hahnemann breathed his last at 5 a.m. on 2nd July of 1843 at the age
of 88 years.

IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS OF DR.

HAHNEMANN
1. 1775 On the wonderful construction of the human hand.
2. 1779 A consideration of the aetiology and therapeutics of spasmodic
affections.
3. 1782 Essays (In Kreb’s medical observation).
4. 1784 Direction for curing old sores and ulcers.
5. 1789 On poisoning by arsenic. Its treatment and forensic detection.
6. 1789 Instruction for surgeons of venereal disease.
7. 1790 Translation of Cullen’s materia medica from English into German.
8. 1796 Description of insanity.
9. 1797 Antidotes of some heroic vegetable substances.
10. 1801 Cure and prevention of scarlet fever.
11. 1803 On the effects of coffee.
12. 1805 Medicine of Experience
13. 1808 On the value of the speculative sytem of medicine.
14. 1809 Signs of the times in the ordinary system of medicine.
15. 1810 Organon of rational art of healing.
16. 1811-1821 Materia Medica Pura.
17. 1813 Spirit of the new medical doctrine.
18. 1816 On the treatment of burns.
19. 1828-1838 Chronic diseases.
20. 1830-1831 Four articles on cholera.
21. 1819 2nd edition of organon.
22. 1824 Organon 3rd edition.
23. 1829 Organon 4th edition.
24. 1833 Organon 5th edition.
25. 1921 Organon 6th edition.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. Who was Hippocrates? Why was he called the father of medicine?
Discuss his main suppositions and observations.
Q 2. Describe Hahnemann’s early life, education and marriage.
Q 3. Describe Hahnemann’s struggle to establish homoeopathy.
Q 4. Name the important publications of Hahnemann.
■
Chapter 21
Idiosyncrasy
(Aphorism 117)

Idios means one’s own, personal.

Syn means along with.
Crasy means make-up or the constitution.
According to Hahnemann idiosyncrasy is a peculiar corporeal
constitution which although otherwise healthy, possess a disposition to be
brought into more or less morbid state by certain things which seem to
produce no impression and no change in many other individuals.
So idiosyncrasy is a peculiar constitution which inclines some
individuals to morbid susceptibility to some influence which cannot
produce any impression on others.
It is inherited or acquired, but the major causes are previous abuse of
drug to which morbid susceptibility still exists, and suppression of the
disease condition, both mental and physical.

TYPES OF IDIOSYNCRASY
According to Kent, idiosyncrasy has two types:
1. Chronic idiosyncrasy, which is produced by chronic miasm.
2. Acute idiosyncrasy, which is caused by acute miasm.

ADVANTAGES OF IDIOSYNCRASY
It has great role in drug-proving. Hypersensibility of the body and
mind helps the minimum dose of a potentised medicine to act vigorously
and thus manifest the symptom syndrome in its whole extent.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is idiosyncrasy? Describe origin, types and advantages of
idiosyncrasy in homoeopathic treatment.
Q 2. Is there any scope of specific medicine in homoeopathy? Describe
in details.
Q 3. What is idiosyncrasy? Determine its role in symptomatology in
disease and drug proving.
■
Chapter 22
Palliation & Suppression
(Aphorisms 58-60)

PALLIATION
It is the speediest temporary relief of a symptom or a group of
symptoms of a patient before the disease itself is cured.

Palliative treatment is not a good process for curing the disease due to the
following reasons:
1. It cannot bring about the cure.
2. The condition of the patient becomes worse after initial relief.
3. To get effective result it is necessary to increase the dose of the drug day by day.
4. Due to application of large doses of palliative drug, artificial drug-disease is
formed.
5. Here the treatment is based on one or two troublesome symptoms.
6. It is against the natural law of cure.

MERITS
By this method we can give some initial relief in most urgent cases
where life is in danger.
Palliation provides much needed relief of complaints to incurable
cases with advanced pathological changes.
DEMERITS
1. This is an extremely unsystematic treatment where the physician
devotes his attention in one-sided manner to single symptom. So it
cannot give relief from the total disease.
2. This method of treatment is injurious in long-standing disease, because
after transient amelioration, there is aggravation of the symptoms,.
We advocate antipathic treatment for the following conditions, § 67/1,
FN:
(a) In most urgent cases where danger to life and imminent death
allow no time for the action of homoeopathic remedy.
(b) Accidents such as asphyxia, drowning, poisoning, shock.
(c) Where there is no disease to be cured but an obstruction or
suppression of the healthy vital force is found.
(d) Where symptoms are either absent or difficult to get.
(e) When to gain patient's confidence quickly.
(f) Where there is gross structural change after administration of
homoeopathic drug. There is too short relief of symptoms. Here
we may not be able to cure the patient, as there is some
destruction of vital organ such as kidney, or a massive valvular
heart disease.
Palliative treatment can be done by antipathy, allopathy and also by
homoeopathy where we do not consider the constitution and the miasmatic
background of the patient.

COMPARISON BETWEEN PALLIATION &

SUPPRESSION
Palliation Suppression

1. It is defined as temporary, speedy It is defined as sudden cessation or

relief of a symptom or a group of inhibition of a physiological phenomena
symptoms before the disease itself is or forcible removal of a disease
cured. manifestation before the disease itself is
cured.
2. It means giving relief from It means removal or blocking of same
troublesome symptoms without cure symptoms with consequent involvement
of the disease. of internal vital organs.
3. If palliative measures are repeated If this process is repeated again and
again and again, the case may finally again, the disease goes inward, resulting
reach an incurable state. in deterioration of health or metastasis of
the illness.

SUPPRESSION
A physiological phenomenon or a disease manifestation caused to
disappear forcefully before the disease is cured is called suppression or it is
a blockage of the disease expression.
The subject of suppression is most important from the homoeopathic
point of view, but least so to the ordinary medical mind. In regular medicine
we are continually meeting with examples of suppression, such as,
suppressed natural secretions of the body, like perspiration in the armpits,
by the use of medicinal powder. Skin eruption is suppressed but asthma
develops later.

NATURAL OR ACCIDENTAL SUPPRESSION

It is a sudden cessation of all action and reaction in physiological
sense of the vital potentiality by some agent or influence which is
introduced from nature on the vital force.
Examples: Suppression of strong emotion due to some unnatural
exigencies of our collective living.
Suppression which comes from mental shock, mortification, grief,
fear, anger, disappointment.
Menstruation checked by injudicious bathing. Lochia stopped after
catching cold.
Treatment: The selected medicine must cover the exciting cause
along with the symptom totality of the patient. Otherwise complete cure
may not be possible.
Moreover, if latent miasmatic state develops following this type of
suppression, proper anti-miasmatic treatment is essential after the acute
symptom disappears to complete the cure.

ARTIFICIAL SUPPRESSION
Here disease manifestations are forcefully removed from the body by
some artificial means.
Example: By local application. Coryza and sinus troubles are
suppressed by the use of argyrol, iodine.
Leucorrhoeal and gonorrhoeal discharges by injection of
mercurochrome, protargol and permanganate; eruptions, such acute ones as
scabies and impetigo through the chronic ones such as eczema and
psoriasis, by zinc or sulphur preparations, ammoniated mercury and many
others. The rashes due to the exanthema, which may also be classed under
natural suppression in some instances, may be driven in by the unwise use
of cold packs. Other secretions such as footsweat are often suppressed by
foot powder; conjunctival pus by silver salts; ulcers by various local
dressings, and warts by trichloracetic acid or electrical means. We have
further the local suppression of many conditions by the different lamps,
violet ray therapy, etc.
Now we come to the conditions suppressed by current internal
medication; for instance, malaria, which, if not of the quinine type, is
simply suppressed by the massive routine quinine dosage often resulting in
recurrent neuralgia; acute rheumatic fever where the patient is overpowered
with salicylates leading to suppression of joint symptoms and the inroad of
the disease to the heart; epilepsy and chorea are often covered by saturation
with sedatives; and heart disease masked by digitalis.
Disease is all too frequently suppressed by surgery. The removal of
growths, benign or malignant, polypi, tonsils, appendices, varicosities,
haemorrhoids, fistulae and bone hypertrophies such as turbinates. The
trouble here is that modern medicine seems to remove pathology rather than
cure the underlying causes, not realising that the ultimates of disease are
benign attempts at exteriorisation, at protective localisation.
Most insidious of all are the suppressions by vaccine injections which
are now so prevalent that a child may take seven or eight different kinds in
a year. I know a family of seven children of a well-known allopathic
physician who were given in one year cold vaccines, and those of
diphtheria, scarlet fever, whooping cough, typhoid, paratyphoid and
smallpox, and two of the seven were also given hay fever pollen
inoculation.
There is the whole question of the suppression of syphilis by arsenical
and mercurial treatment which many doctors, even of the regular school,
feel tends to develop later grave nervous teritiaries as well as saddling the
patient with drug results.
There is another aspect of suppression, that of the suppression of
individual symptoms, and this may be done quite as effectively by the use
of homoeopathic remedies as by old school drugs. Never forget that to
palliate a curable case is suppression.

IMPORANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What is palliation? Why is it not good? Describe its merits and
demerits.
Q 2. Where is the necessity for palliation? Discuss in details with
example.
Q 3. Give the differences between palliation and suppression.
Q 4. What is suppression? Describe the concept of it with example.
Q 5. How many types of suppression are there?
Q 6. What are the problems of suppression?
Q 7. What are the conditions where palliative treatment are justified. Is
it applicable in case of natural disease?
Q 8. What is antipathic mode of treatment? Can a Homoeopath advise
this mode of treatment without interfering his homoeopathic
image. State where antipathic employment of medicine is alone
admissible?
■
Chapter 23
Other Methods of Treatment
Dr. Hahnemann has mentioned four possible modes of employing
medicine against disease.
1. Homoeopathic: In this method the disease and drug relation are
similar.
2. Allopathic or Heteropathic: In this method the disease and drug
relation are dissimilar.
3. Antipathic or Enantiopathic: In this method the disease and drug
relation are exact contrary.
4. Isopathic or Homopathic: In this method a particular disease is cured
by giving the same disease principal that produces it.

ANTIPATHY OR ENANTIOPATHY (§ 23, 56 - 62)

‘Anti’ means ‘opposite’ and ‘pathos’ means ‘suffering’. So it means
opposite suffering.
It is based on the principle ‘contraria contraris curantur’ which
means ‘opposite cures opposite.’
Founder: Dr. C. Galen.
It is a system of therapeutics where drug is administered on the basis
of an exact opposite condition of the symptoms of the disease from which
the patient is suffering.
Examples:
1. Opium is given for diarrhoea because it speedily puts a stop to the
peristaltic motion of the intestinal canal and makes it insensible.
2. For constipation, antipathic physician prescribes a medicine which
produces diarrhoea and vice-versa.
3. Warm baths are advised for chilliness and lack of vital heat.
4. A person who has suffered from debility for a prolonged time is given
wine to drink where by he is instantly enlivened and refreshed.
5. A burnt hand is put into the cold water. The coldness of water removes
instantaneously the burning pain as if by magic.

ISOPATHY OR HOMOPATHY (FN 56)

Iso means ‘same’; so it means same suffering.
It is based on the principle ‘equalia equilibus curantur’ which means
‘same cures the same’.
Founder: Dr. W. Lux, a veterinary surgeon in Leipzig.
It is a method of treatment where disease is treated by same
contagious principle that produces it (foot-note to section 56).
Examples:
1. If a person is suffering from otorrhoea, he will be given the discharge
from his own ear in potentised form.
2. In the same way, if there is a burn, the person is asked to apply heat on
the affected part.
3. The cure of frost-bite by applying snow.
4. For the cure of malignant pustules in cattle, isopathic practitioner
recommends a drop of matter of the pustules in potentised form.
Probably this mode of treatment has no advantage at all.
Disadvantage:
It is an incomplete system because it has no scientific proving,
principle, and observation, as also all sorts of diseases cannot be treated by
this.
ALLOPATHY OR HETEROPATHY (§ 55)
‘Allos’ means ‘dissimilar’. So it means dissimilar suffering.
It has no fixed principle.
It was so named by Dr. Hahnemann.
It is a system of therapeutics where drug is administered on the basis
of dissimilar relationship between the disease totality and drug totality.
According to Hahnemann, allopathy is ‘the mode of employing
medicines whose symptoms have no direct pathological relation to the
morbid state, neither similar nor opposite, but quite heterogenous to the
symptoms of the disease (footnote to § 22).
Hahnemann again defines it (in sec. 55) as without any pathological
relation to what is actually diseased in the body, attacks the parts most
exempt from the disease, in order to draw away the disease through them.
Examples:
1. Exanthema is treated by the employment of violent purgatives.
2. Epilepsy is treated by means of issues.
Advantage: By this method we can give some initial benefit or relief.
Disadvantage:
1. It is totally a palliative mode of treatment where recovery is possible
but not cure.
2. It attacks one or two important symptoms of the body, not the diseased
vital force.
3. The old disease is not cured by the system, but if the allopathic
treatment is mild, the old disease repels the dissimilar medicinal
disease and remains as it is. The patient is thereby weakened.
4. This system produces complex diseases found in our daily practice
when a chronic case is treated by this method for a long time with
heroic medicine in large ever-increasing doses.
5. If the allopathic medicine is strong, it attacks the body violently and
suspends the original weaker dissimilar disease for a short time, but
after the medicinal action is over, the old disease returns with its
strength undiminished.
Homoeopathy Allopathy
1. The trend of homoeopathic medicine The trend of orthodox medicine is to
is to individualise each patient as a generalise, to diagnose and treat illnesses
person suffering from particular and their causes so far as these are
condition. accessible to diagnosis and treatment.
2. Homoeopathy has a general principle There are specific remedies for specific
applied to find out a specific remedy diseases named and classified according
for each suffering individual. to a nosological schema.
3. Homoeopathy looks at the human The orthodox school tries to study the
organism from the view of a human organism from a materialistic
biological whole. stand point.
4. Homoeopathy treats the patient as a The orthodox school concentrates its
whole and not the diseases as attention to the parts of the organism and
commonly named. misses the whole. So it associates
diseases with particular parts of the body,
i.e., tissues and organs and tries to treat
those separately.
5. Homoeopathy ascertains the action of The orthodox school ascertains the action
drugs by proving them on healthy of drugs through animal and laboratory
human beings who are able to experiments.
communicate their subjective
symptoms to the experimentist.
6. Homoeopathy has raised therapeutics The orthodox school regards medicine as
to an independent status. Here applied physiology and pathology and its
therapeutics has a life of its own therapeutic methods are dependent on
though it assimilates any nutrition physiological, and pathological
derived from auxiliary sciences. discoveries.
7. The homoeopathic approach to the The approach of the orthodox school to
study of diseases is from its clinical the study of diseases is from the
standpoint. It regards clinical physiological stand point.
symptomtotality as the nearest
approach to the actual reality.
8. Homoeopathy regards disease per se The orthodox school regards diseases as
as a morbid vital process caused by the sum total of structural and functional
dynamic influence of noxious agents changes in the body.
on the vital principle as manifested
through perceptible signs and
symptoms, the totality of which
constitutes for all practical purposes
what goes by the name of disease.
Homoeopathy regards all structural
changes in the body as end results of
morbid vital process.

9. Homoeopathy does feel the necessity The orthodox school does not feel the
of discovering a therapeutic law of necessity of a therapeutic law of cure. It
cure. It regards no branch of makes use of any approach it feels best
knowledge as scientific which has adapted to the case in hand.
hitherto failed to discover a general
law or laws which seem to underlie
and correlate the phenomena of the
particular subject concerned.
10 Homoeopathy believes in the The orthodox school believes in
. supreme efficacy of the single palliative, substitutive, and parasiticidal
remedies at a time and in minimum measures.
doses (barring some exceptional
circumstances).
11 Homoeopathy takes up medicine The orthodox school tries to make of
. primarily as an Art and its whole medicine a particular science and its
trend of views regarding matters whole trend of views regarding matters
(medical) is synthetic as relevant to
the study of biology which still
remains in the stage of descriptive
science.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. What are the different modes of employing medicine? Describe
antipathy in details with its merits and demerits.
Q 2. What is isopathy? Give a short history of it.
Q 3. What is allopathy? Give a short history of it with its advantages
and disadvantages.
Q 4. How does homoeopathy differ from modern medicine?
Q 5. Can we use any one drug
(a) Homoeopathically
(b) Allopathically
(c) Antipathically
Discuss - in detail.
Q 6. What are the different systems of medicine described in organon
of medicine? Compare allopathy and homoeopathy?
Q 7. What is isopathy? How does it differ from homoeopathy in
principle and practice?
Q 8. Define allopathy, antipathy, isopathy and homoeopathy. Which of
these are logical.—Discuss.
■
Chapter 24
Logic

WHAT IS LOGIC
The word ‘logic’ means reasoning. Several definitions of logic have
been suggested by the masters, on the subject, of various ages from
Aristotle down to Mill. Each definition is unique yet, each one closely
resembles every other by its spirit that holds it. It is the science of pure
reasoning as distinguished from only reasoning, aiming to arrive at a
general truth regarding a particular event or aspect of our world of
experience. The former is called formal logic or deductive logic while the
latter is called inductive logic or art of generalisation. Homoeopathy is a
product of inductive logic applied to the subject of medicine. It is the best
example of inductive reasoning applied to the great problem of humanity
i.e. the treatment and cure of disease.
Therefore, the first pre-requisite in the mental make-up of any
physician or homoeopathic student is a thorough understanding of the basic
principles of logic, both deductive and inductive.

DEDUCTIVE LOGIC
It works on certain basic of priority principles and moves on to such
truths that are justified by a pure thought or reasoning. It holds that in a
valid argument if the premises are true the conclusion from these premises
must necessarily be true also. What facilitates this transition is the fact that
the conclusion in a deductive argument pure is implicitly contained in the
premise or premises. In other words the conclusion of a deductive argument
never goes beyond what the premise states. Thus, for example, if all doctors
are wise and Kent is a doctor then it necessarily follows that Kent is wise.
The argument is a pure syllogistic argument and valid also. Now if it is
known to be certain that its premises are true then it is indubitable that the
conclusion "Kent is wise" is true. The truth of the conclusion of a valid
deductive argument is necessary in the sense that it follows necessarily
from its premise or premises.

INDUCTIVE LOGIC
This mode of logic was promulgated by Lord Bacon and was
presented in his immortal work “Novum Organum.” As distinguished from
the deductive mode of argument, the inductive mode of argument does not
provide a necessary truth as its conclusion is as much as it is a mode of
argument resting not on a-priori principles but on principles a-posterio that
is principles derived from our uncontradicted experience. As a result an
inductive argument never yields a necessary truth. This is not to say,
however, that inductive reasonings are wild speculations, but to say that in
an inductive argument its conclusion does not necessarily follow from its
premises as we see it to do in deductive argument. All that is claimed of the
truth of the conclusion in an inductive argument is with a certain degree of
probability. The greater the reliability of the premises, the higher the
probability of the truth of the conclusion. The typical of an inductive
argument is stated thus:
Tom, Dick and Harry have yellow eyes, therefore, they have jaundice.
All persons having yellow eyes have jaundice.
It is noticeable that the transition here is from the part to the whole,
from the particular to the universal, that is, from some particular truth we
leap to the generalised truth.
Now what justifies such transition is the principle of the uniformity of
nature and that of causality.

HOMOEOPATHY IN THE LIGHT OF LOGIC

These two principles together constitute the formal basis of induction
whereas observations and experiments provide matter to be shaped on those
two principles.
The principle of the uniformity of nature is variously formulated. It
holds that the workings of nature are not capricious sportings. Nature
always behaves uniformly under similar conditions. The principle of
causality on the other hand asserts that every event in nature has a cause. If
malaria is supposed to be an event in nature, then malaria is sure to have
something as its cause. The goal of induction is to discover the causal
relation and unconditional coexistence or uniformity between two events.
Experiments and observations are just two methodical tools in this pursuit.
Induction thus works as a method of discovery, deduction as a method
of proving what is discovered. These two moods and methods of reasoning
are the sole means of our studying nature in its various aspects.
Homoeopathy, being both art and science of curing ailing humanity
adopts these two methods of reasoning at different stages or levels of its
working and tries to discover the cause or causes of various diseases, their
interrelation, finds out their remedies and justifies or proves their
effectiveness.
■
Chapter 25
Hahnemann’s Famous Followers

CONSTANTINE HERING
Constantine Hering was born at Oschath in Saxony on 1.1.1800, and
lived till the age of 80.
1. He wrote the “Domestic Physician” and the “Guiding Symptoms” —
a monumental work of ten volumes.
2. He wrote many articles, monographs and books.
3. He was the chief editor of North American Homoeopathic Journal,
The Homoeopathic News and American Journal of Homoeopathic
Materia Medica.
4. He proved some drugs, out of which the following ones are most
important.
(a) Lachesis mutus
(b) Gelsemium sempervirens
(c) Iodium
(d) Apis mellifica
5. He enunciated the law of direction of cure which is known as Hering's
law of cure.

JOHN HENRY CLARKE

J.H. Clarke was born in 1853, and died at the age of 78 in 1931.
HIS MAJOR WORKS
1. He was the editor of Homoeopathic World for 29 years.
2. “The Prescriber” written by him containing the new therapeutics with
an essay on how to practise homoeopathy.
3. “Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica” consisting of three
volumes.
4. A clinical relationship repertory to the dictionary of materia medica
together with repertories of causation, temperament and drug
relationship.
5. Diseases of heart and arteries and their causes, nature and treatment is
an excellent book of guidance for practitioners of homoeopathy.
6. A dictionary of domestic medicine.
7. “A book of rheumatism and sciatica” was written by him.
8. “The principle of cure”.
9. “Indigestion”.
10. Dr. Clarke proved many important nosodes. He is credited with
introducing the following remedies to the homoeopathic materia
medica:
(a) Pertussinum
(b) Morbillinum

JAMES TYLER KENT

He was born in Woodhul, New York in United States of America, on
30th March 1849 and died at the age of 61 in 1910

KENT AS A TEACHER
1. During 1881-1888 Kent was famous for teaching materia medica. He
set up a homoeopathic medical college at Saint Louis.
2. From 1892 to 1899 he was a teacher of materia medica at the School
of Homoeopathy at Philadelphia.
3. During 1903-1909 he worked as a senior lecturer of materia medica at
Hahnemann Medical College & Hospital at Chicago.

KENT AS A RESEARCHER
1. He advocated the use of high potencies, such as 30, 200, 1M, 10M,
50M, CM, DM, MM.
2. He introduced the doctrine of “series in degrees” in the treatment of
chronic disease.
3. Dr. Kent discovered the “Law of vital action and reaction”.

KENT AS A WRITER
1. He published a repertory of the homoeopathic materia medica in the
year 1897.
2. In the year 1900 he published the Homoeopathic Philosophy.
3. In the year 1905 he published his lectures on homoeopathic materia
medica.
4. Dr. Kent proved many new medicines which he has described in his
books New Remedies, Clinical Cases and Lesser Writings.
5. “What the doctor needs to know” is a very popular writing by him.

HENRY C. ALLEN
Dr. Henry C. Allen was born in the village of Nilestown, near London,
Ontario, and was the son of Hugh and Martha Billings Allen. On his
paternal side, he was a descendant of the distinguished family of
Vermonters of the same name, Gen. Ira Allen and Ethan Allen, both famous
in the revolution. On his maternal side, the Billings were well-known
among the colonial families of Massachusetts Bay, and one of them, the
great grandfather of Dr. Allen, owned the farmlands on which the present
city of Salem is built. After selling this property the family moved to
Deerfield in the Connecticut Valley and were there at the time the Indians
pillaged and ravaged that part of the country.
He received his early education in the common and grammar schools
at London, where he later taught for a time. His medical education was
acquired at the Western Homeopathic College at Cleveland, Ohio (now the
Cleveland Homeopathic College), where he graduated in 1861, and later
from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Shortly after
graduation he entered the Union Army serving as a surgeon under General
Grant.
After the war he was offered and accepted the professorship on
anatomy in his Alma Mater at Cleveland, and it was here that he first started
practising medicine. Later he resigned and accepted the same chair in the
Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago. In 1868 he was offered the Chair
of Surgery to succeed Dr. Beebe, but was unable to accept it. He then
located in Brantford, Ontario, where on December 24th, 1867, he married
Selina Louise Goold, who with his two children, Franklin Lyman Allen and
Helen Marian Allen Aird, survived him.
In 1875 he moved to Detroit, Michigan, and in 1880, being appointed
professor of materia medica at the University of Michigan, he moved to
Ann Arbor, where he remained until 1890, when he came to Chicago, where
he had since resided.
In 1892 he founded the Hering Medical College and Hospital of which
he was dean and professor of materia medica until his death. January 22nd,
1909.
Dr. Allen was an honorable senior of the American Institute of
Homeopathy; a member of the International Hahnemannian Association, of
the Illinois Homeopathic Medical Society, of the Regular Homeopathic
Medical Society of Chicago; Honorary Vice-president of Cooper Club of
London, England, and Honorary Member of the Michigan, New York,
Pennsylvania and Ohio State Medical Societies and Honorary Member of
the Homoeopathic Society of Calcutta, India.
He was owner and editor of the "Medical Advance" for many years.
Besides writing many articles in this and other magazines he wrote
numerous books, among which are the following: Keynotes of Leading
Remedies, lately placed on the Council List of Books for use in the
Canadian Medical College; Homoeopathic Therapeutics of Intermittent
Fever; Homoeopathic Therapeutics of Fevers, “Therapeutics of
Tuberculous Affections, and lately completed the revision of
Boenninghausen's Slip Repertory, which he brought up-to-date and
arranged for rapid and practical work.
His latest work, A Treatise on the Nosodes, was completed only a
short time before his death, and was the result of years of study, experience,
and of proving and confirming the symptomatology of many of the
nosodes.

BOENNINGHAUSEN
Dr. Clemens Maria Franz Baron von Boenninghausen was born on
12th March, 1785, at Overyssel in Netherlands. His family was the oldest
nobility of Westphalia. He was a student of the Dutch University at
Groningen. He studied law, natural history and medicine and received the
degree of Doctor Utrinsque Juris on 30th August, 1806 and in the same year
he was appointed as a lawyer in the Supreme Court in Deventer. He took
keen interest in agriculture and published several books and also established
the agricultural society for the district of Munster. He became the
commissioner for registration of land, later director of the botanical gardens
at Munster.
In 1827 he was diagnosed to be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis
and in 1828 all hopes of his recovery were abandoned. He wrote a farewell
letter to an old botanical friend, A. Weine, M.D. who was the first
homoeopathic physician in the province of Rhineland and Westphalia.
Boenninghausen's close friend replied back and asked for a detailed
description of his ailment and expressed his hope that he might be able to
cure him with his new system of medicine. Boenninghausen was
completely cured of his disease under homoeopathic treatment and thus
became a firm believer in homoeopathy and converted himself into the
homoeopathic system of medicine.
Though he thoroughly learned homoeopathy successfully, he had no
licence to practise it. Due to his reason he devoted his whole life in his
literary work associated with homoeopathy. Most of his articles were
published between 1828 and 1846 and he regularly contributed to the
Archieve Fur Homoopathische Heilkurt and Allgemeine Homoopathische
Zeitung.
On account of Boenninghausen's great learning and popularity, King
Friedrich Wilhelm IV, on 11th July 1843, bestowed upon him all rights of
practising physician. Boenninghausen was a respectable correspondent with
Hahnemann and other notable homoeopaths who held him in high esteem.
In 1848, he established the Homoeopathic Society of Rhineland and
Westphalia. He became a member of almost all the existing homoeopathic
societies. He was also given an honorary diploma by the Western
Homoeopathic Medical College in Cleveland in 1854. On 20th April 1861,
the emperor of France appointed him as a knight of legion of honour. He
had seven sons and the eldest one married the adopted daughter of Madame
Hahnemann.
Dr. Hahnemann was deeply impressed by the literary work of Dr.
Boenninghauen. He published his first Therapeutic Pocket-book in 1846.
He devoted much of his time in making his fellow practitioners understand
the chief characteristics of each medicine and wrote a book on this subject.
The greatest literary work of his life was his editorship of the aphorisms of
Hippocrates with the glasses of a homoeopath which was published in
1863. It was Boger who first translated Boenninghausen's Characteristics
and Repertory from German into English in the year 1900 and now it is
known as `Boger-Boenninghausen's Characteristics Repertory.
Boenninghausen adopted and practised the three rules laid down by
Hahnemann:
1. It is the patient who is ill and not his parts or organs.
2. Nothing can be known of the disease except by signs and symptoms.
3. Symptoms furnish the only unfailing guide to the selection of the
medicine. The peculiar characteristics help in visualising the
symptomatic image of a particular case and decide the similimum and
not the common symptoms of the case. The medicine hardly ever is
indicated by a single symptom, however peculiar it may be.
According to Boenninghausen's insight and Hahnemann's guidance the
four considerations of a symptom are:
1. Location,
2. Sensation,
3. Modalities,
4. Concomitants.
Boenninghausen's earliest work was the common man eager to know
about the new system of medicine, after which he devoted his maximum
time for the spread of homoeopathy through his valuable literary work. His
contributions to the great science of homoeopathy are listed below in order
of their appearance.
1831 The cure of cholera and its preventives.
1832 Repertory of the antipsoric medicines, with a preface by
Hahnemann.
1833 Summary view of the chief sphere of operation of the antipsoric
remedies and of their characteristic peculiarities, as an appendix to
the repertory.
An attempt at a homoeopathic therapy of intermittent fever.
Contributions to knowledge of the peculiarities of homoeopathic
remedies.
Homoeopathic diet and complete image of a disease. (For the non-
professional public).
1834 Homoeopathy, a manual for non-medical public.
1835 Repertory of medicines which are not antipsoric.
1836 Attempt at showing the relative kinship of homoeopathic
medicines.
1846 Therapeutic manual for homoeopathic physicians, for use at the
sickbed and in the study of the Materia Medica Pura.
1849 Brief instructions for non-physicians as to the prevention and cure
of cholera.
1853 The two sides of the human body and relationships. Homoeopathic
studies.
1863 The homoeopathic domestic physician in brief. Therapeutic
diagnosis, an attempt.
1860 The homoeopathic treatment of whooping cough in its various
forms.
1863 The aphorisms of Hippocrates, with notes by a homoeopath.
1864 Attempt at a homoeopathic therapy of intermittent and other fevers
especially for would-be homoeopaths. Second augmented and
revised edition part 1. The pyrexia.
His contribution to homoeopathy has made him one of the pillars of
the homoeopathic system of medicine.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. Name three important contributors to homoeopathy. Give a
detailed description of them.
Q 2. Who was John Henry Clarke? Describe his contribution to
homoeopathy.
Q 3. Who was called the Hahnemann of America? Describe his life.
Describe Kent as a researcher, writer and teacher.
Q 4. Where was Dr. Henry C. Allen born? Describe his life history in a
nutshell.
Q 5. Describe the incidence which led Boenninghausen to become a
homoeopath. Describe, his life history and contributions to the
development of homoeopathy.
Q 6. Discuss in brief the life of any one of the pioneers in homoeopathy
in India or abroad.
■
Chapter 26
The Converts

WHY I BECAME A HOMOEOPATH

Dorothy Shepherd, M.D.

Ours was a homoeopathic household; not for us the weekly dose of

sulphur and brimstone, instead there was the familiar ritual of two tumblers
of water into which were solemnly dropped the granules of sugar, and after
stirring, the thrill of sipping sugar water out of a spoon. There were no
memories of wearisome weeks in bed and never any visits from a doctor.
One of my favorite amusements, as soon as I could read, was to pour over
the two vade mecums, one of them Hering's Domestic Physician. No
wonder that, before the age of ten, I announced my firm intention of
becoming a doctor myself, much to the horror of the ruling powers. "A girl
wanting to be a blue stocking, how unnatural; a woman was only fit to sew,
to cook, and wash and bear babies." After strong opposition, I reached my
goal, the university, and imbibed with zest the scientific knowledge and
excellent training given to us at Edinburgh.
There was never any reference to homoeopathy; my childhood
experiences made me chary of accepting the teaching of the professors as
regards the large doses of the medicines, though I carried of prizes for
materia medica. But homoeopathy itself was a dim memory, good enough
for the small ailments of a child, not for the more serious illnesses of adult
life; much better to use the scalpel and remove the troublesome member.
My flair was for midwifery and surgery in women’s diseases. One day I saw
an advertisement for a resident surgeon in a homoeopathic hospital. I
applied in order to get some knowledge of homoeopathy. Alas I was greatly
disappointed, it was neither one thing nor another; we spent plenty of time
in the theatre operating; there was no instruction in homoeopathy for a
novice such as I was, there were no homoeopathic books even for studying
the subject by oneself except Clarke’s Prescriber and I struggled on as best I
could with its aid. All the physicians prescribed a multiplicity of medicines,
and the patient went out of the dispensary laden with four or five large
bottles of what looked like colorless water. I asked, “Why not put it all into
one bottle?” but I was frowned upon. I must add in passing that some years
later, the doctors at the hospital gave up the silly pretence of calling
themselves homoeopaths and returned to the orthodox fold. I got tired of
their mumbo-jumbo and took another post in a larger hospital with first
class surgeons, thoroughly disgusted with this so-called homoeopathy.
Then by some good chance I heard about the Hering College in
Chicago. The name Hering conjured up memories of a tattered old book, a
long-legged child dreaming over its contents. I felt I must go and find out
the truth which had so long evaded me, know when to give Bryonia, Nux
vomica, Pulsatilla, and the rest of all the other intriguing names. I could not
see the wood for the trees, but there must be a key to unlock this hidden
wisdom.
Tired and weary after years of continuous, hard day and night work in
English hospitals without a holiday, I crossed the herring pond in search of
another Hering, and thanks be, I found the end of a long trail at last. I had
found my spiritual home. It is true, I needed some convincing first. The
high potencies were beyond my ken, but I was willing to try and find out,
and willing to experiment on myself. I suffered from excruciating pains in
my frontal sinus on arrival in Chicago, the last few days of travel across the
water and the land journey had been agony. I was irritable and snappy, worn
out with the pains, at the end of my tether, unable to stoop or bend forward.
A kind physician at the college after taking my symptoms (what funny
questions he asked flash across my mind) prescribed Nux vomica in the CM
potency, so he told me: one powder was to be taken that night, the other 24
hours later. I might expect an aggravation after the first dose but not after
the second, however. It was all double dutch to me, I smiled in a superior
fashion and thanked him. I could not believe that such a microscopic dose
could make any difference, let alone give me more pain.
I followed the instructions and then forgot about the warning, busily
reading a detective thriller when suddenly without any warning, I was
seized with the most excruciating pains I had ever experienced. After half
an hour, when I thought I could not bear it any longer, it ceased as suddenly
as it began. The next morning, without thinking, I bent down, and found I
had lost every vestige of pain. I took the second dose with some
apprehension, there was a mild twinge, as I had been told, and that was the
end of that about. I was impressed; not only had he cured me more quickly
than I had expected, but he had also known the sequence of events. I threw
myself into the work with the greatest enthusiasm; how I enjoyed those
classes on the repertory, how fascinating the drug pictures were, as given by
those masters in materia medica such as Tomhagen and Dienst amongst
others. I owe Dr. Tomhagen another great debt of gratitude, for he taught
me how to take the history of a chronic case, and then found me
constitutional remedy for me. Before my return to England, he gave it to me
—another CM potency. In a few days, on my return journey across the
ocean I developed an enormously large carbuncle, which had to be opened
on my arrival in Manchester.
I had learned several invaluable lessons, which had saved me years of
trial and years of work. The advantage of high potencies over low ones, the
rapidity with which they work, their dangers, the direction in which a cure
acts, all experienced on myself. There is no better taskmaster; these were
things which are totally unknown to the ordinary doctor, trained at the
orthodox colleges. I had become fully convinced of the truth of
homoeopathy, and I had learned how to find the correct remedy which can
work wonders. Since my return I have tried to apply the lessons. I must
admit that homoeopathy has never let me down; I have failed when I did
not have sufficient facts. Homoeopathy is a life-long study, it requires the
burning of much midnight oil, but it is worthwhile.
I became a homoeopath because I could not help myself. There was a
firm conviction at the back of my mind that healing forces were available in
nature, which had not been tapped by orthodox medicine or perhaps they
were just ignored. The accepted method of treatment and the reliance on the
knife on every occasion did not appeal to me and I went on seeking until I
found what I wanted.
A great responsibility rests on us disciples of Hahnemann to keep the
flag flying, and so to pass the knowledge on. There are men and women in
his world who are searching for the truth, the right way of curing humanity
—then let us not hide out light under a bushel but carry the offensive into
the enemy camp; attack, and God helping us, we shall win the battle against
disease and ignorance.

WHY I BECAME A HOMOEOPATH

Roger A. Schmidt, M.D.

“If it is medicine you are interested in”, said my father, “you can go
ahead, study it and become a good physician with my help and blessing…
but on one condition.”
“What condition, Dad?”, I asked.
“That you investigate homoeopathy, my son, before you make your
final decision as to your line of practice.”
For many years previous to that conversation my father had suffered
from a chronic, stubborn, painful disease of the digestive tract and had
consulted the best medical authorities in Switzerland, from which he got
only momentary improvement. On his trips abroad to France and Germany,
he took the opportunity to ask advice of renowned physicians and
specialists, but without any lasting results. Finally one day a friend
mentioned the remarkable cure of a similar case by an “obscure
homoeopath” of a nearby town. Hopeless and discouraged as he was, my
father decided to go to see the “pellet doctor” … and the result of this new
treatment was nothing less than magical. Indeed, Dr. Ubert, the “obscure
homoeopath” of Neuchatel, Switzerland, had achieved in a few weeks more
than the other big shots put together.
There was another decisive factor in my decision to become a
homoeopath; this time a clinical experience on a large and dramatic scale.
This was in 1918, late in the summer of that fatal year when the pandemic
Spanish fly was spreading like wildfire, annihilating thousands of human
lives daily. The army being mobilised because of a general strike, I was
ordered to go to a small town to organise a military hospital for my
battalion. In three hours we had converted a school into wards and stricken
soldiers were pouring in, so by evening we had over a hundred, many of
them very seriously sick. For weeks and weeks I administered aspirin,
antipyrin, intravenous salvarsan, pneumonia serums, oxygen, fixation
abscesses, etc.; everything under the sun was tried to quench the fatal tide.
The tragic mortality toll of vigorous, selected young men reached over
twenty-five percent. The impotence, the futility of the desperate activity and
endeavours of the medical corps, shook to the bottom all my youthful faith
in the magic of medicine. After three consecutive months I was released
from the army, and exhausted, went to the mountains for a needed rest.
Meanwhile the plague was still raging in the civilian population. The
very day I got there I learned that the only physician of the whole region
had just died, victim of his heroic duties. Soon the word spread amongst the
peasants and farmers that a medico, and a very green one at that, was there,
so they came to ask my help. I had heard at that time of a magic remedy
prepared by Dr. A. Nebel, a homoeopath practising in Lausanne. I wrote to
him and got a supply of it and administered it in about one hundred cases,
without a single casualty. The mixture of Influenzinum hispanicum (a
nosode of the Spanish fly) together with Gelsemium and Eupatorium
perfoliatum, in infinitesimal dose, cured speedily, prevented the frequent
deadly complications: pneumonia, otitis, colitis, meningitis, and others.
Looking back all these years, with what knowledge I now have of
Hahnemann’s doctrine, I cannot but smile at the ingenious daring of
ignorance—though for the good cause of cure, and the victorious feeling of
security and confidence in the subtle homoeopathic remedy, which although
prescribed by an ignoramus achieved a record that decided my medical life.
Never think for a moment that I scorn my fellow allopath. On the
contrary, I pay full tribute for the earnestness of his efforts, for his splendid
accomplishments in various parts of the tremendous field of medicine. But
when I consider disease—either acute or chronic—I still believe, after
twenty years of practice, that homoeopathy is superior and truly answers
Hahnemann’s definition of it: “the speedy, gentle and permanent restoration
of health, or alleviation and obliteration of disease in its entire extent, in the
shortest, most reliable and safest manner, according to clearly intelligible
reasons.”
IT WORKED
Thos. K. Moore, M.D.

Before studying medicine I had very definite ideas of curing people by

drugs. But before my arrival, egotistical scientific medicine had ditched all
the medicine Almighty God had given man from the beginning of time. All
that was humbug, coincidence, superstition and suggestion.
I tried to break into homoeopathy but it insulted my intelligence.
“Disease is due to a miasm. Miasm is an emanation from a swamp. The less
you give the greater the effect. Infinitesimals.” I just couldn’t swallow that.
After a practice of thirty-two years some light broke in. An oculist
friend came to my office quite hot and bothered. A patient with glaucoma
had just walked out on him. Had refused operation (which gave some hope)
and had gone to a fool homoeopath and would lose her eyesight. One eye
was already blind, etc., etc., etc.
I knew the husband of this patient and inquired from time to time and
was assured that the vision of her remaining eye remained normal and the
eye was not otherwise disturbed.
After a year or so, out of curiosity I dropped in on the fool M.D. to see
what it was all about. He did not look the part of a wizard. I was assured
that her eyesight held normal because of improvement in her general
condition, on which all recovery hinged, and that the improvement of
general condition and eye had been brought about by drugs. Would I like to
examine these eyes? Yes, I would. She was sent in and examination gave
me quite a shock. Here were eye grounds strongly suggestive of blindness
in both eyes. Both optic nerve heads were dead white and both deeply
cupped, a picture I had never seen in an eye with good vision and fields.
This one eye had full normal vision and more important a full field of
vision. It was quite beyond my comprehension.
The explained technique of drug application was interesting and a bit
complicated. I determined to go to the bottom of it. With my common
garden variety of brain the process of illumination was slow. I had a
conference with this M. D. every day for two years. Tried it out in serious
diseased states and had the thrill of my life. It worked.
Through the following ten years I have applied myself most
energetically to learn as much of its application as possible. In the last
month I have twice been thrilled. I always get this reaction from a centre hit
— by its brilliant performance in cases where one would least expect
healing or cure. This has happened many times during the years. I have
averaged five hours a day working at it. Likewise have I had failures where
I had hoped to win out, but that is always true of human beings; none of us
reach one hundred per cent. But the known law of drug action does work
always where we are able to meet the required conditions of technique.
These laws of drug application are today unknown except to a few
ardent souls who are enthusiastic and successful in curing by drugs, but
heretics.

FROM TRADITIONAL MEDICINE TO

HOMOEOPATHY
Eugene Underhill Jr., M.D.

From my earliest recollection it seemed a foregone conclusion that I

was going to be a physician. There simply was no doubt about it. If family
predisposition means anything I had the professional background of two
generations as both my father and grandfather were physicians.
After graduating from college the question of what medical school to
attend was next in order. Although father was a graduate of Hahnemann
Medical College his advice was to investigate all the medical schools in
Philadelphia. Accordingly I assembled the catalogues, visited the colleges
and interviewed the deans of the respective institutions. My decision was in
favour of the University of Pennsylvania.
I well recall a look of disappointment on father’s face when I told him
of my preference, for I was in fact turning my back on the system of
medicine which Hahnemann of Philadelphia still represented in those days.
However, father’s vision was not confined to the walls of any institution nor
even to any so-called system of medicine. He said, “I think you have made
a wise choice,” but added, “some day you will be practicing homoeopathy.”
Those words were forgotten until years later their prophecy was translated
into fact.
So I went to the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania
and graduated and to this day have never regretted it. If I had it do over
again I would go back to Old Pen and battle it through. After completing
my internship and passing the State Board examinations I was at last a
“regular” doctor ready to begin the practice of medicine.
Just how a prejudice against homoeopathy was acquired during my
medical course and internship it is even now impossible to tell. Prejudice is
infectious and contagious and few are they who are immune to it. For over
three years I practiced regular medicine “untainted” by any homoeopathy
whatsoever.
Father and I applied together for membership in a fraternal
organization. On the evening of our initiation we met Dr. George H.
Thacher, a leading homoeopathic physician of Philadelphia. From that first
meeting a friendship was formed which grew and deepened with the years
until the doctor’s death in the spring of 1930.
One day when in his office I asked Dr. Thacher in what he was
specializing. He answered, “You won’t have any more time for me when I
tell you. I am one of those highfalutin, highpotency homoeopaths.”
Some months later I was in the doctor’s office, and he asked, “Have
you any interesting cases on hand?” Previous to this we had talked about
almost everything except medicine. It just happened that I did had an
interesting case on hand. In fact it was getting too interesting and I began to
have visions of being dismissed almost any day.
The patient was surely afflicted with acute arthritis which had begun
in his feet and was now involving the knees as well as the feet. The limbs
were swollen and the skin mottled. His one relief was to sit with the feet
and legs in a tube of ice water, and he insisted on having plenty of ice
floating in the water. In all my experience I have never seen this case
duplicated. Motion greatly added to his sufferings. He was much worse at
night and could not endure any covering on the feet, legs or knees. I soaked
him with salicylates, gave him colchicum, purged him, gave him diuretics
and applied evaporating lotions to the inflamed joints with only slight
temporary lotions to the inflamed joints with only slight temporary relief. I
called at the house every day and each time found him more discouraged,
more grumpy, and his feet and legs still parked in the ice water.
So when Dr. Thacher asked about any interesting cases naturally I told
him about this man. I had no sooner recited the main feature of the case
when he said, “Why, that man needs Ledum.” (Ledum palustre, or wild
rosemary, marsh tea or Labrador tea. The plant grows in cold swampy
regions, particularly in Canada. Ledum from the Greek, ledon, a resinous
juice and palustre, a swamp.) The doctor appeared to have such certain
assurance that it was truly amazing. He asked, “Do you mind if I fix up a
few powders of Ledum for him ?” It is said that necessity knows no law and
I was ready to give the man anything from soothing syrup to dynamite, and
so welcomed the offer and agreed to discontinue aIl other medication both
external and internal, in order to give the powders a chance, as Dr. Thacher
put it.
I saw the patient the same afternoon, and he was about ready to call it
quits. However, on seeing a radical change of treatment and thinking that I
had been studying up his case, he finally consented to give the powders a
chance. His wife was not very enthusiastic and I thought, well, they will
soon call another doctor. The next day he was just about the same but did
say that he was no worse, but added, “I guess no better either.” However,
my “get away” that time was not quite as unsatisfactory as before. The
following day told a different story. The wife greeted me with a pleasant
good morning and promptly announced that our patient was better. For the
first time I found him without his tube of ice water, and he said, “Doctor,
why didn’t you give me those powders before? They have done me more
good than all your other dope put together. Don’t let me be without them.” I
looked in the envelope only two powders left, and nothing to do but ask for
more. I told him that was a medicine I rarely used and would have to go
back to the office to get it. Dr. Thacher was much interested and pleased
with the report and doled out more powders. The patient was able to return
to work in two weeks, and remained well for over a year, when the family
moved away and I have never heard about them since.
On looking back on that case, I realize that Dr. Thacher and the white
powders soon faded out of the picture. It was about time for the patient to
get well anyway.
Months later when in the doctor’s office, came the same question.
“Any interesting cases on hand?” For some months I had been treating an
eighteen-year-old girl for severe dysmenorrhoea. She suffered most severe
cramping pains and had to spend the first day of the periods in bed. The
only relief I had succeeded in giving her was by prescribing Viburnum
prunifolium compound and whiskey. Each time she seemed to require larger
doses. As to preventing recurrence of the trouble I had already considered
and suggested dilatation and curetage and the family had about decided in
favour of the operation. I told Dr. Thacher about this case, but he was not so
sure this time. He said, “I think we can help her, if you wouldn’t mind
getting the answers so we can tell just what remedy she needs.” I agreed to
do this without any particular interest or enthusiasm, more as a favour to the
doctor than for the sake of the patient.
He wanted to know: Whether the pain preceded the flow or only came
on after the flow was established. What kind of pain it was, whether bearing
down, cutting, cramping, burning, etc. Was the pain continuous or
intermittent? What gave the most relief? What was the effect of heat, cold,
motion, pressure, etc. on the pain? What position in bed did she assume
during the pain? What did she think cause the trouble in the first place?
When was the first menstruation, and did she suffer in this way from the
very first time? Just where was the pain most intense—back, front, or on
which side? Did she want more or less covering than at other times?
I sent for the patient to come to the office and got answers to as many
of the question as I could. Found out that the pain almost always preceded
the flow, that the flow was slow and sluggish in starting and relief only
came—usually on the second day—with the establishment of a free flow.
The pains would shoot all over the abdomen, but were always worse over
the right ovary. Pains came in spasms and were cramp-like and almost
drove her frantic. The only relief was by bending almost double and holding
a hot water bottle tightly to the lower abdomen. Several times she had
burned herself with the hot water bottle. Worse from any uncovering and
wanted the room warm. Trouble began after a long exposure to cold during
menstruation.
After reading over this data Dr. Thacher said with all the assurance in
the world, “That girl needs Magnesia phos. Do you mind if I fix up a few
powders for her?” Of course, I didn’t mind. As I left his office, he said,
“You might stop all other treatment so as to give the powders a chance. Let
her start them at the first onset of the pain, and tell her to be sure to take the
special powder marked ‘x’ first.” So I carried out his suggestions and gave
the patient the medicine. It was some time before I heard from her. One day
she came to thc offiee and said, “Doctor, I want more of those powders.
They were wonderful. I have had the easiest time I have had five years.
Don’t ever let me be without that medicine.”
Naturally I had none of the medicine on hand and had to invent an
alibi. Told her that it was very special medicine and I would have to send
away for it. Again nothing to do but go to Dr. Thacher, report and ask for
more powders. Some how there was a feeling of annoyance associated with
the idea. Again the pleased expression on the doctor’s face and more
powders but very little said about the case. If I recall correctly, I was in
more of a hurry than usual that day. However, I appreciated his kindness, in
words if not in fact, and sent the medicine to the patient. After three months
she was completely cured, and never really suffered during menstruation
afterward.
Even after these outstanding demonstrations I gave homoeopathy no
serious thought and did not mention these experiences to anyone. The next
time Dr. Thacher asked about interesting case I had none and soon turned
the conversation to the first World War which was still raging in Europe. In
fact it was some time before I felt inclined to discuss professional matters
with him, although he always showed a genuine and sincere interest in my
progress.
However, one day he asked the same old question again, and I was
having real trouble with a case, a man of middle age suffering from
gastrointestinal disorder, and I was beginning to fear cancer of the pylorus
with possible metastasis to the liver. He was very sallow, could eat only the
least food. Would feel very hungry but a few mouthfuls would fill him up
and he could eat no more. There were almost continuous eructations of
empty gas. Had a sticking feeling in the gall-bladder region and was very
sensitive in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen. This man was about to
give up his work. He said, “Doctor, if quitting time only came at three I
would be all right, but by four o’clock I am all in and don’t pick up until
nearly time to go to bed.” I had given him Nux vomica and Tinct. Gentian,
also iron and arsenic, likewise, a little Hg. and K. I. on suspicion although
his Wassermann was negative. The x-rays were also negative and there was
no palpable mass in the abdomen. Still he simply did not respond and
continued to lose ground. I outlined the case to Dr. Thacher about as I have
described it here. He asked, “What else does he complain of?” Then I
recalled that the man suffered from severe right-sided headaches and would
either wake up with this headache or else it would come on late in the
afternoon. Dr. Thacher said, “You have a very interesting case here. Let’s
see, his complaints are mostly right-sided — head, liver and lower quadrant
of abdomen. He has easy satiety or sudden repletion, when eating a few
mouthfuls fill him. He suffers from a great amount of gas. His time of
aggravation is from 4 p.m. until some time in the evening. You say he is
very sallow in appearance. Why, that man needs Lycopodium.” The doctor
could not have named a more helpless or hopeless remedy according to my
way of thinking. Then he took a book and showed me the symptoms listed
under Lycopodium. Then he says, “Doesn’t that look like your man?” I read
over the symptoms and sure enough, not only were the ones there that I had
told him about, but to my amazement a number of others almost in the very
words the patient had used in describing them. “Fits him like a glove,” says
Dr. Thacher, “Do you mind if I let you have some of the remedy to give
him?” This was really interesting and I said, “Sure I will give it to him.”
Never have I seen more prompt, clear-cut results or a more
appreciative patient. When the time came to ask for more powders I was in
a vastly different frame of mind. The other two cases now stood out with
this one in sharp contrast to the indifferent results I was usually getting. I
said, “Doctor, you have cured three cases for me right unseen and they have
been such striking cures I cannot ignore them. I thought it was time for the
first man to get well, medicine or no medicine. The second I thought was a
fortunate coincidence, but three is one too many for me. I would like to
study homoeopathy.”
My good friend, the doctor, wasted no time in handing me two books
and said, “Read these over. I’ll start you so you won’t get mental
indigestion.” Those books were Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics by
E. B. Nash, and Homoeopathy in Medicine and in Surgery by Edmond
Carleton. I studied these books and talked homoeopathy early and often.
Soon I had a pocket case containing thirty remedies and started in earnest to
try my hand at Hahnemann’s proposition that “like cures like,” and found as
he did and as every other man finds who will give homoeopathy an
intelligent and honest trial over a reasonable period of time that the Law of
Similars is indeed one of the fundamental laws of nature, and one of the
most easily demonstrated of those laws. But to understand and comprehend
this law requires an earnest and sincere effort of mind. It requires the laying
aside of personal prejudice and conceit —a truly Herculean task.
Thus did the writer finally become like his preceptor, a “highfalutin,
high-potency homoeopath.”

WHY I BECAME A CONVERT TO

HOMOEOPATHY FROM THE ALLOPATHIC
SCHOOL OF PRACTICE
C.P. Bryant, M.D.

In the year 1901 I entered the Western University of Pennsylvania,

now known as the University of Pittsburgh, to begin my medical education.
From there I entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which I
graduated, adding postgraduate work at Rush Medical College (now
Medical School of the University of Chicago) and also postgraduate
medical work at Leland Stanford, University of California.
I had not been in practice long until my wife became seriously ill. At
that time I was practicing in Pittsburgh. Receiving no benefit from any
treatment given in Pittsburgh by the regular school of medicine, I decided to
take her to Jefferson Medical College hospital, feeling her life was in
imminent danger. Dr. E. E. Montgomery, Professor of Gynaecology,
Jefferson Medical College, performed a laparotomy, removing a hydatid
mole involving the pregnant uterus, the broad ligaments, and completely
destroying one ovary. After-effects showed some improvement until a turn
for the worse in her condition occurred some weeks later. After consulting
Dr. Montgomery he informed me he had done all he could do. We all felt
the end was near. Feeling that all help known to modern science had been
given her, I was prevailed upon to call in Dr. Walter James, a homoeopathic
physician of very high standing in Philadelphia. While this was most
humiliating to me as an allopathic physician, I did it solely to satisfy the
demands of my wife’s family, not because I felt it would be of any avail.
Dr. James, after taking a careful history, asked for a glass of water and
a spoon. He proceeded to pour into this what looked to me like a few grains
of granulated sugar. This served only to further my prejudice. However, I
was determined to proceed with him for the satisfaction of the family. There
was an immediate response for the better. Feeling that these infinitesimal
doses could be of no value, I decided to discontinue the treatment in favour
of a control (placebo). The patient took a turn for the worse. This I repeated
several times until the truth of the value of the treatment was forced upon
me.
At this point I decided to swallow my pride and pay a visit to the
Hahnemann College on Broad Street in Philadelphia. That day is
memorable to me as I recall how ashamed I was to be seen entering this
building. Looking hurriedly in both directions I ran up the steps into the
college building. I was told at the information desk that a lecture on
Pulsatilla was in progress and decided to listen. I heard the lecturer state
that this remedy is of value in a blonde patient, blue eyes and of mild and
yielding disposition. At that point it seemed obvious to me there could be
no foundation in science for the prescribing by similia.
I then decided to pay a visit to Dr. Walter James in his office. There
requested the loan of a book on homoeopathic philosophy. After browsing
through its pages I returned to Dr. James with the statement that it was “all
Greek to me”. He replied: “There is a key to the intelligent reading of this
book, but I wanted you to know that there is something in the great field of
medical learning that was not given you at Jefferson Medical College.”
Dr. James then offered to give me instruction but added that he was
only willing to do this if I were in a receptive mood for he was too old and
too tired to argue with me. I agreed to the program and received regular
lectures three times weekly during the winters of 1906 and 1907. Not one
word of instructions was given me during this entire time in materia
medica. The wisdom of this, in order to prevent any argument, was only
realized by me later. The further he progressed in homoeopathic philosophy,
the more I realized that all of my misunderstanding of homoeopathy was
answered, and the full truth of its superiority was evident.
During the two winters that I studied with Dr. James I had the pleasure
and honour of visiting his many patients, many of whom were the most out
standing citizens of the city of Philadelphia. The brilliant cures he made
were so superior to anything I had seen in Jefferson Medical College
hospital that my conversion was complete.
Finishing his instruction in the latter part of 1907, I inquired of him
how I might repay him for the invaluable training he had given me. His
reply was: “If you never make any use of homoeopathic treatment other
than in your own family, it will be the greatest blessing that has ever come
to you.” He further added: “The only recompense I wish is that when the
opportunity presents itself to you to pass this knowledge on to others, I will
be repaid.”
The only instruction ever given to me by Dr. James in materia medica
was a most scholarly lecture on Aconite. He gave this to me without notes
and it covered more than two hour’s description. This will give you some
conception of the magnitude of the mind of this great man, whom you all
know served nineteen years with Adolph Lippe.
During the time I was studying with Dr. James I made repeated visits
to Jefferson Medical College, spending much time in my fraternity, Nu
Sigma Nu, where I endeavored in every way possible to interest the
students with whom I had been in close contact in my own student days.
After the experience I have now had of years in practice, I can understand
their intolerance. Most of the men with whom I talked responded that if
there was anything whatever in homoeopathy, Jefferson Medical College
would have taught it; also told me that I had gone off on a wild tangent. All
this in spite of the fact that they knew I was a student of better than average
in my class at Jefferson Medical College, and had represented the college
not only at a national fraternity meeting in Chicago but also at the
University of Pennsylvania.
Feeling I could extend the gospel of homoeopathy in more fertile
fields, Mrs. Bryant and I decided to start anew in the far West. Early in
1908 we landed in Seattle, Washington. After passing the state examination
I was at once interviewed by the secretary of the allopathic county society,
who wished to take my application for membership. I informed him that I
had come to Settle to practice homoeopathy. To this he replied: “You surely
can’t be serious about such a venture, being a graduate of Jefferson Medical
College,” and proceeded to inform me that I could join the King County
Medical Society, the Washington State Society and the American Medical
Association and practice all the homoeopathy I wished to but I would be
deprived of calling myself a homoeopath. Realizing that I would have little
or no influence toward the betterment of homoeopathy by eliminating my
homoeopathic designation, I refused his offer and as a consequence, joined
the local homoeopathic society, as well as the State Society, National
Homoeopathic and International Homoeopathic. I might add that since that
time one of my sons, J.T. Bryant, has graduated in medicine, passed the
National Medical Board examination with the signal honor of magnum cum
laude, and is now studying homoeopathy, being associated with me.
During the years I have practiced homoeopathy (have been able to
convert a number of men to our cause, the most outstanding and greatest
pleasure being the conversion of my own son. At the present time I am
offered the opportunity of the conversion of a recent graduate of Harvard
Medical College, who is entering practice in the state of Washington.
In my entire medical career I can attest to the superiority of the
homoeopathic school over all other methods.
■
Chapter 27
Model Questions
Q 1. What is Organon?
Ans: The Organon means the instruments by which we can acquire the
knowledge of respective subjects. The word Organon was first
used by Lord Francis Bacon in his philosophical book which is
known as “Novum organum”.
Q 2. What is Organon of Medicine? Who is the Author of
Organon?
Ans: Organon of Medicine is the “collection of codes” to practise the
healing art judiciously and rationally. It is the book which forms
the basis of homoeopathy. It is also an instrumental book by which
we can acquire the knowledge of the various aspects of
homoeopathy.
It was written by Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, a
German physician, in the year 1810.
Q 3. Why did Hahnemann name his treatise Organon?
Ans: Hahnemann wrote this book for medical practitioners. During his
time the system of treatment was in a very chaotic condition.
There was no rule, no philosophy. Hahnemann established the
curative laws. He thought that his doctrines would be the only
medical system. That is why Hahnemann named his book Organon
of Medicine.
Q 4. How many editions of Organon of Medicine have been
published? Which one is the most important and why?
Ans: Six editions of Organon of Medicine have been published, of
which first five editions had been published during Hahnemann's
lifetime and the 6th edition was published much after his death.
The years of publication:

Organon of Rational Art of Healing was the title of the 1st edition
Of all the editions 5th is the most important, because
(a) It was the last work done by Hahnemann during his lifetime, whereas
the 6th edition was published 78 years after his death, giving rise to
controversy.
(b) The 5th edition is more popular than the 6th one because the new scale
of potencies are still not well tried by homoeopaths all over the world.
(c) There are 294 aphorisms in the 5th edition, whereas there are 291
aphorisms in the 6th edition.
(d) Entirely omitted in the 6th edition are aphorisms 285 to 289, 291 and
292 of the 5th edition.
(e) In 5th edition Hahnemann gives instructions about the preparation and
mode of administration of the centesimal potencies, repeating
frequently doses of centesimal potencies in acute disease and single
dose infrequently in chronic disease.
Q 5. How many aphorisms are there in the Organon of Medicine?
How are they divided into sections or parts?
Ans: The number of aphorisms varies from edition to edition.

The entire content of the Organon of Medicine has been divided into
two parts.
1. Theoretical or doctrine or science part: This part includes § 1-70.
2. Practical part or art portion:
This part includes § 71 to rest aphorisms introduction part and text
part, theoretical and practical.
Q 6. What is the highest ideal of cure?
Ans: The highest ideal of cure is rapid and gentle treatment with
permanent restoration of the health or it may be removal or
annihilation of the disease in its whole extent in the shortest, most
reliable and harmless way, on easily comprehensible principles.
Q 7. What are the cardinal principles of homoeopathy?
Ans:
(a) Law of similars
(b) Law of simplex, (single) substance
(c) Law of minimum dose
(d) Doctrine of vital force
(e) Doctrine of drug-proving
(f) Doctrine of chronic disease
(g) Doctrine of potentisation
Of these the first three are most important.
Q 8. What do you mean by easily comprehensible principle?
Ans: Easily comprehensible principle means the process of cure must be
understandable and conceivable.
Q 9. Is allopathy based on easily comprehensible principle?
Ans: Certainly not, because the allopathic system of medicine has even
no specific principle of treatment. It varies as per theories of the
allied sciences like physiology, pathology and bio-chemistry.
Again, the allopathic method of treatment depends on the
physiological and pathological changes and also the chemical and
physiological action of the drug.
Q 10. Enumerate the qualifications of the true physician.
Ans: A true physician must have the knowledge of
(a) disease.
(b) medicine.
(c) choice of remedy.
(d) preparation of medicine.
(e) repetition of dose.
(f) obstacles to cure and how to remove them.
(g) hygiene.
Q 11. What is the difference between a physician and a good
prescriber?
Ans: A good prescriber has ability to select an appropriate medicine
(most similar) for disease condition though he may lack
qualification essential for a true physician.
But a physician has got all the qualifications required of a true
physician.
Q 12. What is curable in disease?
Ans: It is the dynamic vital force which is primarily deranged by
dynamic inimical natural influence producing abnormal sensation
and function.
This abnormal sensation and function of the vital force is
manifested by signs and symptoms which we call disease.
Q 13. How would you know what is curative in medicine?
Ans: The curative power of medicine is the pathogenetic power of it, i.e.
artificial disease producing capacity. This pathogenetic power of
medicine can be known by its proving on healthy human beings of
different sexes, ages, various constitution.
Q 14. What are the obstacles to cure? Give examples from everyday
life.
Ans: Obstacle to cure means certain factors which create obstruction in
the path of recovery from disease to health. In spite of selection of
a good and appropriate medicine a cure or a recovery is not
possible if such obstruction persists.
Such obstruction may come from the habits of the patient, from his
mode of living, occupation, etc. which antidote or minimise the
action of the medicine.
Example:
A person gets diarrhoea from eating excessive oily food. The
best selected medicine cannot bring about cure if the patient
continues to eat such foods.
Q 15. Who is a true preserver of health?
Ans: One who knows the hygienic factors which are responsible for the
derangement of health and occurrence of disease and at the same
time knows how to remove them in order to maintain healthy
community.
Q 16. What is fundamental cause of disease?
Ans: The fundamental cause is the basic cause of chronic diseases.
These fundamental causes are generally chronic miasms psora,
sycosis and syphilis.
Q 17. How does an exciting cause differ from the fundamental cause?
Ans: Exciting cause brings on the acute disease and acute exacerbation
of the chronic disease exciting causes, excite the latent psora to
bring on the acute disease.
The exciting causes may be:
(a) Overeating,
(b) Overheating,
(c) Chilling,
(d) Overstraining, etc.
But the fundamental causes are responsible for the occurrence of all
true chronic diseases. These causes have miasmatic background of
psora, syphilis and sycosis, of which the psora is the real fundamental
cause and and produces all the innumerable forms, of diseases. So
from the above discussion it becomes clear that exciting cause acts
only because there is a fundamental cause. The fundamental cause
(miasm) makes the person susceptible to exciting causes.
Q 18. Who is an unprejudiced observer?
Ans: An unprejudiced observer has no preconceived idea during
observation of a patient. By this quality he takes note of signs and
symptoms of the patient which are felt by the patient himself,
remarked by those around him and also observed by the physician
himself.
Q 19. How can nature be assisted?
Ans: By administering medicaments which produce the same symptoms.
Q 20. Which sciences make a study of the healthy person?
Ans: Anatomy and physiology, as biological sciences; and psychology,
as the science of the spirit.
Q 21. Which science is studied for the preservation of health?
Ans: Hygiene. Natural hygiene is a paradigm of health and cleanliness;
and artificial hygiene is that which imitates the other, and applied
according to needs. Preventive and social medicine needs to be
studied for preservation of health.
Q 22. Which sciences make a study of the diseased person?
Ans: Histopathy and physiopathy, that is, the organic alterations or
modifications and the functional perturbations.
Q 23. Which science teaches us how to restore health?
Ans: Therapeutics, which is the science of treatment of disease.
Q 24. What is therapeutics based on?
Ans: On the necessary relation existing between the most appropriate
means and remedies, and the manifestation of the disease.
Q 25. How are the therapeutic relations established?
Ans: In the same direction as the symptoms or inversely to them. In the
first case there exists a relation of analogy or of homoeopathy; and
in the second that of enantiopathy or of inverse action.
Q 26. Where there no relation exists between the symptoms of the
sick person and those of the medicament, what is it called?
Ans: It is called allopathy. This name was given by Hahnemann to the
traditional or empirical method.
Q 27. How is this principle interpreted?
Ans: Similars are cured by similars.
Q 28. Who made the curative power of nature known to the world?
Ans: Hippocrates, who is justly called the father of medicine. His
enunciation is “natura morborum medicatrix—nature is the
physician that cures disease.”
Q 29. From where did Hippocrates deduce his principle?
Ans: From another more general one: Nature is the master instructor in
all the sciences and arts.
Q 30. How is it demonstrated that nature is the master instructor in
all the sciences and arts?
Ans: By observation and experience, which are the means employed for
the purpose of arriving at a knowledge of the relations existing
between the phenomenon and its cause. The laws of gravity, of
valences, or of optics, are nothing more than the manifestation of a
relation existing between the phenomenon and its cause.
Q 31. What is nature to the artist?
Ans: Art as the realisation of beauty copies from nature its
manifestations and the artist adds soul to it.
Q 32. How did Hippocrates become aware of the existence of vital
dynamism?
Ans: By observation and experimentation. The voice of nature is heard
during observation and is interrogated by means of
experimentation.
Q 33. Why was Hippocratic medicine not efficacious in spite of being
naturistic?
Ans: Because it was unaware of the positive effects of the medicaments
for assisting nature in its curative efforts.
Q 34. Who accomplished the realisation of the Hippocratic
enunciation?
Ans: Samuel Hahnemann.
Q 35. How did this discovery impress him?
Ans: He was first astonished, and then came the absolute conviction that
the medicaments acted on the organism owing to their analogy
with the symptoms of the diseased person.
Q 36. What did he do with such positive data?
Ans: He began to formulate his doctrine which has not been a
reformation of traditional medicine, but an entirely new system
and a work which founded the school of scientific medicine:
Homoeopathy.
Q 37. What principle served as the key to this doctrine?
Ans: The general principle of the similia similibus curantur.
Q 38. How did he expound his new doctrine?
Ans: By means of his momentous work titled: Organon of the art of
healing or exposition of the homoeopathic medical doctrine. It
contains 294 paragraphs where — in he sets forth in the form of
aphorisms and observations all that he learned.
Before his time no one had ever attempted in the inductive manner
as he did. Only in this same way can we become familiar with the
positive effects and not with the hypothetical actions of the
medicaments.
Q 39. What is pathogenecity?
Ans: The complete and detailed description of effects produced by the
medicaments when experimented on a healthy individual.
Q 40. Can the law of the similia be applied without a knowledge of
the medicaments?
Ans: By no means. Because even when realising the necessity that exists
for assisting nature in its curative effort, this assistance could not
be given without knowing in what direction the medicaments are
going.
Q 41. When the medicament is known, what kind of doses should be
administered?
Ans: Minimum doses should be administered. The homoeopathic doses
have been made the object of ridicule and sarcasm by those who
are ignorant of their action, or have no knowledge of the dynamic
action of matter. The minute doses reflect the superiority of
homoeopathy.
Q 42. How is the action of the imponderable doses explained?
Ans: In the face of facts a negation is possible. Do the small doses act?
No one can deny it. Does colloidal gold act? Let the allopaths
answer and also say what amount of gold is contained in a dose of
colloidal gold.
Q 43. How do the medicines act in different doses?
Ans: Heavy doses act in an irritating, physico-chemical or organic
manner; small doses act in a physiological, dyscrasic or
stimulating manner; and in minimum or imponderable doses, their
action is dynamic; that is, they only stimulate the organism to
function in accordance with the needs of the moment.
Q 44. Can the organism be stimulated without medicine?
Ans: Very easily, as experience demonstrates. The mere sight of a
quince excites the salivary secretion; the remembrance of a
purulent sputum provokes nausea; and a strident sound can
produce vertigo.
Q 45. How can the specifics be regarded?
Ans: As simple palliative remedies are of dangerous action when they
are not correctly indicated and administered in proper doses in
accordance with the vitality of each individual; and they cannot be
regarded as homoeopathic in spite of their similitude of origin and
action by virtue of the fact that they have not been experimented
on a healthy person and that they nullify the principle of a
morbific individuality.
Q 46. What is primary energy?
Ans: Primary energy is that infinitely fine vibrating, ever-active,
scintillating, primordial substance filling all space, out of which
and from which all matters were created.
Q 47. Is matter fixed, stable and unchangeable?
Ans: Matter is apparently stable and fixed, but it is subject to the action
of external and internal forces and can be broken up and
apparently destroyed. From these elements and remnants new and
different shapes, consistencies, compounds and bodies are formed,
hence matter is not stable or fixed.
Q 48. What are the finer forces or energies in nature?
Ans: The finer forces or energies in nature are primary energy set in
motion by creative impulses for definite purposes and activities on
the various planes of matter; they may vary in nature and quality
according to the character of the impulse that set them in motion
and the purpose they serve.
Q 49. What is physical force?
Ans: Physical force is a power produced by matter in motion, and the
quality and power of the force is governed by the quantity of
matter and the speed of the motion.
Q 50. What is physical energy?
Ans: Physical energy is a power produced by physical matter and
liberated by breaking up or destroying the body or the compound
holding it in bondage, like dynamite, etc.
Q 51. Is energy inherent in all physical matters?
Ans: Yes, as all matter is derived from primary energy it is self-evident
that all matter contains latent energy.
Q 52. What is understood by electromagnetic force?
Ans: The stratum of ether is basically electromagnetic. In fact all electric
energy originates in this field; and when two inorganic bodies of
the opposite pole of magnetic energy meet, a new quality of
electrical energy is generated which is called electro-magnetic
force. This force has the power to attract and impregnate inorganic
metallic bodies with electromagnetic energy and may exert a great
force on other metallic bodies if the magnets are of sufficient size.
Q 53. What relation has the electromagnetic force to the life energy?
Ans: None, except that the vegetable life energy in its process of
creating and maintaining life in physical matter may make use of
electromagnetic energy and other physical energies and forces in
its operation of building and maintaining life in matter.
Q 54. What is vitality?
Ans: Vitality is a state of being in which the life force permeates every
cell, every tissue and organ of the body freely and uninterruptedly
until the entire being is charged with life power and radiates
strength, poise and health.
Q 55. What is human magnetism?
Ans: Magnetism is a harmonious and vital emanation from the body, the
product of a harmonious undisturbed activity of the life force in a
healthy body. It is stored up mainly in the nerve plexuses of the
sympathetic nervous system and the endocrine glands of the body.
From these centres it radiates to every cell and every part of the
being, imparting energy and vitality to the body. A highly
magnetic person is radiant with life, energy and health and has the
power to attract and to please.
Q 56. How do human emotions cause ill health and disease?
Ans: By interfering with or disrupting the normal functional activity of
the body.
Q 57. How do emotions operate in the body?
Ans: Through and over the sympathetic or automatic nervous system.
Every cell, every tissue, every organ, and every part of the body is
connected with other cells, tissues and organs through a complex
nervous system. The sympathetic or automatic system is one
branch of this grand system of nerve fibre, cells and plexuses. All
thoughts and sensations are transmitted to the consciousness over
and through the cerebro-spinal system, but emotions are conducted
to the consciousness over the sympathetic nervous system, and the
nature of the emotion determines the effect it has on the body,
either constructive. or destructive.
Q 58. Which emotions are constructive and which are destructive?
Ans: Emotions such as love, faith, happiness, kindness, and goodwill are
constructive and have a beneficial influence upon the harmonious
functional activity of every cell, tissue and structure of the body.
Emotions such as fear, worry, resentment of criticism, envy, anger,
jealousy and hatred are destructive and interfere with the normal
functional activity of the body and may cause ill health and
disease.
Q 59. What is the main difference between ill health and disease?
Ans: The main difference is that ill health or sickness is a condition in
which an irritant may cause a derangement of the normal
functioning of an organ or a part of the body without any actual
changes in the structure of the organ or the part affected. A disease
on the other hand is a condition in which actual changes take place
in the cellular structure of the diseased part of the body, such as
cancer, tuberculosis, arthritis, peptic or duodenal ulcer, etc. Hence
the main difference is largely a matter of degrees, a person may
feel ill and miserable and yet no disease can be discovered or
demonstrated even under very careful physical examination.
Q 60. What is understood by potentised medicine?
Ans: Potentised medicine is a medicinal substance in which the crude
drug elements have been eliminated by a process of mechanical
dilutions and breaking up of the crude drug substance until the
potential energy of the medicine has been liberated and then by a
mechanical process forced into a new media.
Q 61. What is the main difference in medicinal action between crude
drug and potentised medicine?
Ans: The main difference is that crude drugs act either chemically or
physiologically through a reaction of the nervous system; while
potentised medicine acts dynamically on the energy emanating
from the diseased process within the body.
Q 62. Have all drugs and medicines, including potentised medicine,
the power to derange or disturb human health?
Ans: Yes they have, when taken in definite doses, at definite times, and
over a definite period of time. Of course there is a difference in
susceptibility to medicine. Sensitive human beings will respond
very readily and manifest symptoms of ill health, while stronger
and less sensitive persons may take medicine for a long time
without any perceptible manifestation of symptoms.
Q 63. Have any provings been made since Hahnemann’s time?
Ans: Yes, many provings and re-provings of medicine have been made
since Hahnemann’s time. The last proving I know of was made in
Brooklyn, N.Y., during the spring of 1897, by Doctors Walter M.
James and Fincke; they proved X-rays in the sixth centesimal
potency.
Q 64. How does the homoeopathic method of proving drugs and
medicines measure up to the above definition of science?
Ans: It measures up perfectly; in fact it fulfils all the requirements of a
scientific procedure.
The results of these provings are recorded and systematised
according to the degree of reaction and the part of the body
affected.
Q 65. Can we prove the above statement by natural laws?
Ans: First, health is primarily harmonious functioning activity of the
various glands, organs and parts of the body, supervised and
vitalised by the life force of the body.
Secondarily, any outside force or energy of an irritating or
poisonous nature induced or injected into the body would naturally
disarrange or disrupt the normal functional activity of the part
affected. This disruption or disfunctioning of the affected organ or
parts would generate an energy similar in nature and kind to the
irritating force and antagonistic and disruptive to the normal
functional activity of the organs or parts affected.
Thirdly, such antagonistic activity within the body would derange
and upset the normal state of health and produce symptoms of ill
health and disease.
From the foregoing statements it is self-evident that the principles
and laws which govern energy activity in matter have a definite
relation to the phenomenon in human beings called ill health and
disease.
Q 66. How does potentised medicine eliminate or cure disease?
Ans: It cures by virtue of its similarity in energy activity to the
symptoms of the patient. When a potentised medicine is
administered to a sick person and the medicinal energy is similar
in kind, nature and activity to the disease energy active in the
patient these two forces meet within the body and by virtue of
their similarity in vibratory activity neutralise each other and when
the diseased energy activity in the body is neutralised the disease
can no longer continue as an active process. This gives the life
force of the body a chance to resume its normal activity in that part
of the body which was ill or diseased and restore it to normal
functioning.
Q 67. Does the remedy act directly on the life force or on the diseased
energy activity with in the patient?
Ans: The remedy acts directly on the diseased energy activity within the
body, and not on the life force itself. As we know, the medicinal
energy is similar in kind and nature to the disease, and as the
disease process is disharmonious and disturbing to the normal
activity of the life force it follows that the medicinal energy must
act on the diseased energy to which it is similar, and not on the life
force. The life force could not create and maintain life in human
bodies were it subject to disruption by disease force and activities.
It must be perfect because it emanates from the great creative
principle of all life, hence cannot be influenced or affected by
irritating and disruptive outside forces. However, its harmonious
activities within the body or part thereof can become disturbed and
disrupted by outside irritating forces and poisons, and in this way
the life force may temporarily lose its vitalising and controlling
influence of an organ or a part of the body thus affected.
Q 68. What is the actual difference between a dilution and a
potency?
Ans: The dilution is weak in medicinal strength, while a potency is
strong in medicinal energy. A teaspoonful of the tincture of
belladonna put into a barrel of water would make a very high
dilution but would contain no medicinal strength. A potency on the
other hand is a medicine in which the medicinal energy of the drug
has been liberated from the crude drug substance by a process of
potentisation and forced into a new media or an inert menstrum in
which it is confined to space and limited in quantity.
Q 69. How is a potency made?
Ans: A potency is made from the tincture of a crude drug or a potentised
medicine. The first step in this process is to dilute one part of the
tincture with either nine or ninety-nine parts of alcohol or sugar of
milk, depending upon whether the decimal or centesimal scale is
used. The next step is to take one-tenth or one-hundredth part of
the first dilution and put this into nine or ninety-nine parts of
alcohol or sugar of milk; this process of dividing and subdividing
the medicine is continued until the desired potency has been
reached. So far they are only dilutions, but to insure a perfect
permeation of the medicinal energy into menstrum or media and to
make a potency of each dilution the bottle must be shaken or
agitated or treated by a number of so-called succussion movements
until every particle of the crude drug substance has been broken up
and energy permeated or impregnated into the menstrum or media
of each potency.
Q 70. What is the second point of business of a true physician?
Ans: It is to investigate the drugs, i.e., to know the disease-producing
power of medicines so that he can apply them suitably in treating
natural diseases (Sec. 105).
Q 71. Why is it necessary to know the pathogenetic power (i.e.,
disease producing power) of several medicines?
Ans: The pathogenetic power of several medicines must be known so
that we can find out suitable homoeopathic remedies among them
for most of the natural disease.
Q 72. How best the pure and peculiar effects of medicines can be
ascertained?
Ans: The best possible way of ascertaining the pure and peculiar effects
of medicines is to make proving of them on healthy human beings
in moderate doses. (Sec. 108)
Q 73. Where in lies the curative power of medicine?
Ans: The pathogenetic (disease-producing) power of a medicine is its
disease curing power (Sec. l08).
Q 74. Who besides Hahnemann saw the necessity of proving drugs
on human beings?
Ans: Albrecht von Haller (foot-note Sec. 108/1).
Q 75. “I was the first to open up this path”—who said this and why?
Ans: Hahnemann said this. Here the word ‘path’ means drug-proving,
i.e., investigation of the pathogenetic power of medicine by
administering it on healthy human beings of both sexes, ages and
of various constitutions. (Sec. 109.)
Q 76. What did the recorded symptoms on poisoning reveal?
Ans: The toxicological recordings of the previous authors were the sure
revelations of the power of these drugs to extinguish curatively
similar symptoms occurring in natural diseases (i.e., they were the
imitations of homoeopathic curative action.) (Sec. 110)
Q 77. What is the only possible way to ascertain the medicinal
powers?
Ans: The only possible way to ascertain the medicinal power is to
observe those changes of health medicines are capable of
producing in the healthy organism, i.e. drug-proving. (Sec. 110)
Q 78. What did the previous observers miss in the toxicological
effects of drugs?
Ans: The previous observers did not know their therapeutic value, nor
they ever suspected that these histories of medicinal poisoning
would one day furnish the first rudiments of the true, pure materia
medica (Sec.110).
Q 79. How do narcotic medicines react?
Ans: The narcotic medicines in their primary action depress the
organism by taking away sensitivity and sensation, sometimes the
irritability, but in their secondary action excite the organism in
increased sensibility and greater irritability (Sec. 113).
Q 80. What do we observe in experiments with moderate doses of
medicine?
Ans: With the exception of the narcotic substances, in experiments with
moderate doses of medicines on healthy bodies, we observe only
their primary action (Sec. 114).
Q 81. Can derangement of health be ascribed to the peculiar
constitution alone?
Ans: No. The obvious derangements must also be ascribed to those
things that produce them (Sec. 117).
Q 82. What is surrogate? Is there surrogate in homoeopathy?
Ans: Surrogate means substitute, alternative or equivalent. In footnote of
Sec. 119 Hahnemann says that one medicine cannot be used in
place of another similar medicine because the pathogenetic power
of each medicine is different from others and consequently in their
therapeutic effects.
Q 83. What type of a person should be the ideal for drug provings?
Ans: The subject of experiments should be healthy, delicate, irritable,
sensitive and trustworthy (Sec. 137).
Q 84. How many drugs are proved at a time and Why?
Ans: Only one drug should be proved at a time (Sec. 124). Then only
the pure, perfect and complete knowledge about the pathogenetic
power of each and every medicine can be known.
Q 85. Why should medicines be tested on both males and females?
Ans:
(a) To know the medicinal effects on the sexual sphere (Sec. 127).
(b) There is a great deal of anatomical, physiological and
psychological difference between male and female. So we must
ascertain the pathogenetic power of medicines on different sexes.
(c) There are some diseases which are specific to male and some to
female, and there are many diseases which are more common in
female or in male. Accordingly we have to know and
differentiate our drugs.
Q 86. Why potentised medicines should also be employed in
provings?
Ans:
(a) Crude medicinal substances do not exhibit their full medicinal
power that is latent in them. Potentisation brings it out.
(b) Potentisation brings medicines to dynamic plane so that it can
act on dynamic vital force.
(c) Our purpose of knowing the generic symptoms shall only be
fulfilled with drugs in potentised form.
Q 87. How and in what potency should the medicine be administered
during the proving?
Ans: The medicine should be taken in its thirtieth potency and be given
to the experimenter in an empty stomach 4-6 globules moistened
with a little water daily for several days. (Sec. 123)
Q 88. What are the advantages if the first dose has been sufficiently
strong?
Ans:
(a) The experimenter learns the order of succession of symptoms.
(b) He can note down accurately the period at which each change
occurs.
For the above two reasons, the order of the primary actions, and
also that of the alternative actions, is observed in the most
unambiguous manner which is very essential for the knowledge
of the genius of the medicine. (Sec. 130)
Q 89. Whom moderate dose is sufficient to experiment on?
Ans: In delicate and sensitive person, a very moderate dose is sufficient
for experiment (Sec. 130).
Q 90. How is the duration of action of a drug is ascertained?
Ans: The duration of action of a drug can only be ascertained by a
comparison of several experiments. (Sec. 130)
Q 91. What do you learn by giving medicine for successive days in
ever-increasing doses?
Ans: Only the general effects can be known but not their order of
appearance as subsequent doses may remove curatively some
symptoms caused by the previous dose, or develops an opposite
state. (Sec. 131)
Q 92. What should be done if the object of proving is only to
ascertain the symptoms?
Ans: Without reference to the sequential order of the symptoms and the
duration of action of the drug the medicine may be given on
several successive days, increasing the dose everyday.
Q 93. How can the action of an unknown medicine, even of the mildst
nature, be revealed?
Ans: It may be revealed by giving the medicine on successive days in
ever-increasing doses on sensitive persons. (Sec. 132).
Q 94. How do the symptoms appear in the provers?
Ans: Some symptoms of a medicine appear in one person chiefly at one
time, others during a second or third trial; in another person some
other symptoms appear in such a manner that probably some of the
symptoms are observed in the 4th, 8th, or 10th person which had
already appeared in the 2nd, 6th or 9th person, and so forth.
Moreover, they may not recur at the same time (Sec. 134).
Q 95. When can a medicine be considered to have been thoroughly
proved?
Ans:
(a) It must be proved on numerous fit persons of both sexes and
different constitutions so that the whole pathogenetic picture can
be recorded.
(b) No new symptoms appear on subsequent experiments.
(c) The symptoms recorded are complete with regard to their
sensations, localities, duration, modalities and concomitants.
(S.133-136).
Q 96. What are the effects of administering excessively large doses of
medicine?
Ans:
(a) The toxic effects of the drug may develop.
(b) The primary action of the medicine will appear in such hurried
confusion and with such violence that nothing can be accurately
observed.
(c) The primary action will get mixed up with secondary action.
(d) According to Carroll Dunham,
(i) In large doses, the medicines produce their chemical
action.
(ii) In small doses, they produce generic action which give
symptoms common to all members of a certain class of
drugs.
(iii) In very small doses they produce ‘specific action’ which
manifests the characteristic symptoms of the medicines.
Q 97. How to identify the symptoms of the medicine when it is
clinically applied?
Ans: The following symptoms should be regarded as the symptoms of
the medicine when it is proved in a diseased person:
(a) Those symptoms which were observed a long time
previously but reappeared during the course of the disease
should be considered as the symptoms of the medicine
applied.
(b) Any new symptoms which were never observed before, but
appeared during the course of the disease should be regarded
as the symptoms of the medicine.
■
Chapter 28
Short Notes

MISSION
Hahnemann has used the word ‘Mission’ in the very first Aphorism of
‘Organon of Medicine’. Hahnemann says, “to cure the sick” is the high and
only mission. He wants a homoeopathic physician to be solely devoted to
this mission.
By this word Hahnemann wants us to understand that it is a noble
profession in which there is a spirit of devoted service for the betterment of
the individual and the community.

SICK
It means a person who is diseased as a whole, mentally; emotionally
and physically, on a wholistic conception.

MONGREL SECT
Mongrel means a mixed breed.
This word was used by Dr. Hahnemann for a certain type of
homoeopathic physicians who neither study seriously nor practise carefully
and honestly to cure their patients. They cover their failures due to lack of
knowledge by blaming to homoeopathy without any hesitation saying that
homoeopathy cannot cure this disease.
When these so-called homoeopathic physicians fail to cure, their
confidence in homoeopathy gradually fades away and they resort to
prescribing allopathic medicines.
If the patient dies under their treatment, they tell the party that “they
themselves were witness that everything conceivable had been done for the
lamented patient”.

SPECIFIC MEDICINE
In homoeopathy there is no scope of specific medicine, although in
case of epidemic disease Hahnemann used a term “genus epidemicus”
which has different implication. A homoeopathic specific medicine is an
individual specific medicine and not a specific for any particular disease
(except epidemics).
Utility
1. For quick prescription.
2. Preventive purpose.
Examples:
(i) Hahnemann gained tremendous fame by preventing scarlatina
which was epidemic in the year 1801 in Boningslutter by
Belladonna.
(ii) A kind of purpura miliaris which came from West was
prevented by Aconite.

MATERIA PECANS
The words are Latin derivation which means “obnoxious matter” or
“injurious or harmful material” or “offending substance”.
This term signifies the materialistic concept of disease.
Allopathic school of medicine considers diseases from the
materialistic viewpoint. They believe disease to be originating from
material cause, such as excess of blood, bacteria, parasites, etc.
Hence allopathic system of medicine does not conceive the dynamic
derangement of health.
Their idea of disease is wrong. The body is a material thing no doubt,
but it is animated and governed by a dynamic force. So homoeopathy
regards bacteria, parasite, etc. as the end-products of morbid vital process
and they come as scavenger of disease.
Hence, Kent said, “Bacilli are not the cause of the disease, they never
come until after the disease”.

CAUSUM TOLLE
It means removal of the cause of the disease. But its application varies
according to the varities of method of treatment.
Allopathic point of view
1. The allopathic school of medicine has a material conception of
disease. The injurious substance is hidden inside the body as the
primary cause of the disease.
Being guided by such idea, they try to cure the disease by removing
that injurious substance.
2. They treat the disease, not the man as a whole.
3. Their treatment is based on diagnosis by laboratory investigation.
4. Removal of the cause is not possible by this treatment.
Homoeopathic point of view
1. Disease is dynamic imbalance of the vital force.
2. Removal of cause is possible after antimiasmatic treatment in case of
chronic disease and removal of complete qualitative symptoms in
acute cases.

DYNAMIS
Dynamis may be defined as an immaterial substance of qualitative
existence, and dynamic action is a qualitative action. Dynamis is the power
or energy in our living body which we cannot explain. Love, affection,
kindness, anger, etc. are qualities. We cannot see these qualities.
Kent described dynamis as “simple substance” in his Lectures. It is the
formative force of the organism and the immediate cause of every
functional activity of all metabolisms.
Altered or deranged dynamis is the immediate cause of every
manifestation or changed metabolism that is diseased. And this having been
adjusted functionally organic cure automatically follows. The disease
dynamis causes the disease, our medicinal dynamis cures the disease by
acting over the vital dynamis.

SURROGATE
It means substitute or alternative in the place of another serving
similar purpose.
Hahnemann forbade the use of substitute for any medicine. Because
any two medicines do not produce exactly the same effect.
As every species of plant differs in its external form, mode of life,
growth, taste and smell, so their manifestations will differ in proving.
So only one medicine can be similimum at a time. Hence the desired
effect cannot be obtained by employing any another medicine.

FIXED MIASM
It is a type of acute miasm, which produce a disharmony in the vital
force.
According to Kent it is characterised by the following indications:
1. It acts upon human economy.
2. Passes through its regular prodromal period, longer or shorter.
3. Has its period of progress and decline tending to recovery.
4. The most recognisable feature is it attacks persons only once in a
lifetime.
Example: Small pox, whooping cough, mumps.
AUDE SAPERE
‘Aude sapere’ means ‘dare to be wise’. Hahnemann in his Organon of
Medicine used the words in the front page.
The sacred duty of a knowledgeable man is the successful exposition
and application of his acquired knowledge, which requires bold defence.
Hahnemann realised the danger of propagating truth.
Socrates had to drink hemlok, because he dared to speak the truth.
Christ was crucified because of his attempt to search the truth. History
records the tragic end of many great noble souls who dedicated their lives
speaking the truth. The earlier life of Hahnemann, is also not an exception.
Hahnemann thus exhorts the physician to dare to be wise for sticking
to the truth in giving aid to the ailing humanity.

MATERIA MEDICA PURA

Materia medica pura is a book written by Dr. Hahnemann, consisting
of the pure symptoms of sixty-one medicines as observed by proving them
on healthy individuals.
The book appeared first in German language and in 6 volumes in the
year 1811, 1814, 1817, 1818, 1919 and 1921.
Materia medica pura records the collective statement of positive and
perceptible reaction of persons acted upon by drugs in their own words.
Hahnemann followed an anatomical schema, that is, from head to foot.
Under each rubric or heading he collected and put all the symptoms.

RATIONAL MEDICINE
Scientific medicine must confirm to at least three requirements:
1. It must be based on facts.
2. It must be logical.
3. It must be demonstrably true.
It is not enough for medicine to be simply rational. When people
believe that epidemics are sent by offended deities it was “rational” that
their children should be offered as propiciatory sacrifice. If one believes
that disease is merely an “error of mortal mind” it will be “rational” to
adopt the methods of Mrs. Eddy. So-called “rational medicine,” since the
days of Hippocrates (whose four humors, humoral diseases and humoral
remedies still exist masquerading under the thinly-disguised term “serum
therapy”), has always been “rational”, but too often neither logical, based
on facts, nor demonstrably true.

CAUSA OCCASIONALIS (§ 7)
Causa occasionalis means the exciting and/or maintaining cause of
disease.
Examples:
1. Strong-smelling flowers may cause syncope and hysterical fits.
2. Foreign body in the eye may excite inflammation.
3. Imperforate anus of newborn infants.
4. Prolonged abstinence from things that are necessary for support of life.
5. Continued non-maintenance of proper hygienic conditions.
6. Constant overexertion of body and mind, etc.
7. Over tight bandage on wounded limb.

THERAPEUTIC VALUE
1. In indisposition, removal of exciting cause alone is sufficient to restore
health.
2. In acute diseases, it helps the physician to select the remedy.
Example:-
(a) Exposure to rain: Rhus tox, Dulcamara, Natrum sulph, etc.
(b) Anger and vexation: Colocynth, etc.
However, the final selection will depend on actual differentiation of
the drugs.
3. Without the removal of causa occasionalis permanent cure of chronic
disease is not possible. In Sec. 7/1: “It is not necessary to say that
every intelligent physician would first remove this where it exists.”
4. The pseudochronic disease disappears by the removal of maintaining
cause only, provided there is no chronic miasm present.

DYNAMIC POWER
Dynamic influence or power is that quality of the substance whose
mode of action cannot be seen. For example, we know that during full
moon there is flood and ebb tide in ocean. We know how it happens or what
causes it, we do not see it. Simply seeing something filthy causes nausea
and vomiting is another example of dynamic power.
This power does not depend upon the material quantity or the
structural construction of the substance.

INDIVIDUALISATION
Individualisation is the process of singling out or differentiation by
which one person or object is distinguished from another of the same class
or group by some peculiar features.
Example: A case of peritonitis presents with:
1. Distended abdomen.
2. Restlessness.
3. Blood vomiting.
4. Passing blood per anus.
5. Horrible burning with unquenchable thirst.
6. Dry, red tongue.
7. Pulse slow.
Two medicines have all these symptoms equally in high degree. But
the first one is indicated when patient wants the covers off and cold and
cold application, which is
Secale cornutum. Second one is indicated when he wants to be
wrapped up warmly and hot food and drinks.
This is Arsenicum album.
The whole materia medica is full of this kind of individualisation.
Steps to individualisation:
Step I - thorough case-taking.
Unless the case-taking is complete in all respects individualisation is
not possible, be it acute or chronic disease. Individualising features are
always available in curable cases. Very often they are obtained from the
mentals, causations, and miasmatic background.
Step II - A correct interpretation, anamnesis and evaluation of all data.
If the material is collected in a haphazard manner without proper
interpretation during case-taking, individualisation may not at all be
possible, in spite of the presence of one or two individualising feature.
If the symptoms are not properly arranged according to their value,
individualisation of a patient is never possible.
Example: A case of acidity shows the following symptoms -
1. Agg. from 4 to 8 P.M.
2. Appetite good but few mouthfuls satisfy his hunger.
3. Urine high-coloured.
4. Desires hot food and drink, sweets.
Above symptoms are contained in Lycopodium. But further enquiry
reveals -
The patient is extraordinarily fastidious. He has burning ameliorated
by heat.
Mentally restless and anxious. He has thirst for small quantity of cold
water.
This striking fastidiousness overrules the individualing features of
Lycopodium and point to Arsenicum album.
Therefore, individualisation without proper evaluation and evaluation
without proper anamnesis and interpretation are bound to be a futile
exercise.

HOMOEOPATHY AS A SCIENCE
Homoeopathy is that department of science in general medicine which
has for its principal object the observation and study of the action of
remedial agents in health and disease, and the treatment of disease by
medication according to a fixed law.
Homoeopathy was developed into a scientific system under the
principles of the inductive method of science of Lord Bacon. Its practice is
governed by the principle of symptom - similarity, which is the application
in medicine of the universal principle of mutual action formulated by Sir
Isaac Newton in his third law of motion: “Action and reaction are equal and
opposite”.
Homoeopathy as a science rests fundamentally upon four general
principles: similarity, contrarity, proportionality and infinitesimality,
reducible to the universal principle of homoeosis, or universal assimilation
(Fincke).
“Science is knowledge reduced to law and embodied in system”.
“Knowledge of a single fact not known as related to any other, or of
many facts not known as having any mutual relations or comprehended
under any general law does not reach the meaning of science”.
“A science in its development is
1. A collection of exactly observed facts.
2. A correlation or generalisation of these facts, forming a system.
3. A formulation of these generalisations as laws.
4. It proceeds to some principle or force accounting for these laws, hence
exact knowledge of proximate causes.” (Condensed from The
Standard Dictionary.)
Specifically, in the scientific sense, a law is the connecting link
between two series of phenomena, showing their relation to each other.
“There are two tests of the validity of any law that is claimed to be a
natural law, or law of nature:
1. That it is capable of connecting and explaining two series of natural
phenomena.
2. That it is in harmony with other known laws.
In optics, for example, we have the phenomena or properties of
luminous bodies, and the phenomena of light receiving bodies. These two
series of phenomena are connected and explained by the law of the
diffusion of light.
In physics the phenomena of the sun, as regards density and volume,
are related to the phenomena of the earth by the law of attraction or
gravitation.
In chemistry the properties of potassium are related to the properties
of sulphuric acid by the law of chemical affinity and definite proportions, in
the formation of a new compound, potassium sulphate.” (Abstracted from
Dunham, Science of Therapeutics.)
So in homoeotherapy, we have the phenomena of drugs related to the
phenomena of diseases by the law of mutual action.
“Therapeutics is that department of medical science that relates to the
treatment of disease and the action of remedial agents on the human
organism, both in health and disease.” (Standard Dictionary.)
Since it confirms to every requirement of these general, authoritative
definitions of science, homoeopathy has been defined as the science of
therapeutics. No other method or system of medical treatment confirms or
even claims to confirm to all of these fundamental requirements.
In the narrower or more practical sense homoeopathy must be defined
as the science of therapeutic medication, science it commonly uses
medicines alone to effect its purpose.
Homoeopathy is not, strictly speaking, “a system of medicine” as it is
often inaccurately called, using the word medicine in its broad general
sense. General medicine is made up of a number of distinct sciences,
including general therapeutics, which covers all the therapeutic resources
known to man. It makes use of many agencies besides medication for the
alleviation of human illness.
Homoeopathy, therefore, is a department of general medicine, like
anatomy, physiology and pathology.
HOMOEOPATHY AN EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE
Like chemistry or physics, homoeopathy is established under the
principles of the inductive method in science. Considered as a science, it
consists of two series of phenomena, independently observed, collected and
studied, connected by an underlying law or principle of nature. Its elements
are: The phenomena of disease; the phenomena produced by drugs when
administered to healthy persons; and the general law of mutual action,
otherwise known as Newton’s third law of motion, and as similars connects
the two series of phenomena. The phenomena of disease constitute its
pathology, the experimentally derived phenomena of drugs, its materia
medica and the application of its materia medica under the law its
therapeutics.
Experimentally, in the construction of homoeopathic materia medica,
medicines were administered singly, in various doses, to healthy human
beings for the purpose of eliciting, observing, recording and comparing
their effects. Comparison shows that the symptoms thus produced by drugs
are similar to the symptoms of disease. Any symptom or group of
symptoms of disease may be duplicated from the materia medica record or
drug symptoms.
Experimentally also it has been proven that under certain conditions,
to be stated hereafter, medicines cure disease by virtue of their similarity of
symptoms; that is medicines cure, or remove in the sick symptoms similar
to those which they have the power of producing in the healthy. From this
fact of experience was deduced the law of cure and medication, known as
the “law of similars” which is found on examination to be a statement in
other words of the general law of mutual action, variously termed the law of
equivalence, the law of action and reaction, the law of balance or
equilibrium, the law of polarity, the law of compensation and Newton’s
third law of motion.

HOMOEOPATHY AN ART
1. Homoeopathy works in perfect harmony with all necessary rational,
non-medicinal and mechanical therapeutic agents. Surgery, obstetrics,
hygiene, dietetics, sanitation, chemistry (so far as it is applied in the
preparation of medicines and in ejecting and antidoting poisons) and
psycho-therapy all find in homoeopathy their complementary and
supportive role.
2. Homoeopathy is opposed in its constitution and principles to all forms
of treatment by direct or physiological medication, and to physio-
chemical treatment or treatment based upon chemical theories.
3. Homoeopathy is opposed to the use, under ordinary conditions, of
drugs in physiological doses for mere palliative purposes, since its
primary object is always the cure or obliteration of disease and
complete restoration of health.
4. Homoeopathy is opposed to the methods of vaccine and serum
therapy, although it is claimed by many that these methods are based
upon the homoeopathic principle. It grants that this may be true so far
as the underlying principle is concerned, but opposes the method of
applying the principle as being a violation of sound, natural principles
of medication and productive of serious injury to the living organism.
It has been proven experimentally and clinically that such methods are
unnecessary, and that the results claimed by their advocates can be
attained more safely, more rapidly and more thoroughly by tbe
administration of the homoeopathically indicated medicines in sub-
physiological doses, through the natural channels of the body, than by
introducing it forcibly by means of the hypodermic needle or in any
other way.
5. Homoeopathy is opposed to so-called “pathological prescribing” and
to “group treatment” of diseases, by which individual peculiarities are
ignored and patients are grouped or classed according to their gross,
pathological organic lesions and treated alike. Homoeopathy deals
with individual, not the class. It treats the patient, not a fictitious entity
called the disease. Its prescription or selection of medicines is based
solely upon individual similarity of symptoms, drug symptoms to
disease symptoms, determined by actual comparison in each case.
6. Homoeopathy is opposed to all forms of external, local or topical drug
treatment of the external, secondary symptoms of disease, except in
surgical cases. It directs its curative agents through the natural
channels of the body to the physiological centres of vital action and
reaction, which govern all functional activities in the living organism
in disease as well as in health.
7. Homoeopathy is opposed to polypharmacy. It depends upon the
dynamical action of single, pure, potentiated medicines, prepared by a
special mathematico-mechanical process and administered in
minimum doses.
8. In practice, homoeopathy bases the selection of the curative remedy
upon the totality of the symptoms of the individual patient, including a
consideration of the ascertainable causes of the disease. For the
homoeopathic prescriber this constitutes the disease. Speculation as to
the inner, essential nature or working of the drug or the disease does
not enter into the process, of selecting the remedy. The prescription is
not based upon the pathological diagnosis, or the name of the disease,
but solely upon the likeness of the symptoms of the patient to the
symptoms of some tested drug, determined by actual comparison.
9. As the experimental work in constructing the homoeopathic materia
medica has been conducted with single medicines, and as each
medicine has its own definite and peculiar kind and sphere of action,
scientific accuracy as well as the law of similars, it requires that the
treatment of patients be conducted in the same manner. Medicines are
never mixed or compounded in homoeopathic practice but are given
singly.
10. It has been proven experimentally that the sick organism is peculiarly
and even painfully sensitive to the action of the single, similar
medicine, and that curative effects are only obtained by sub-
physiological doses. Physiological doses, instead of removing the
symptoms of the disease, produce by their direct pathogenetic action
the characteristic symptom of the drug. If the drug be not a similar the
condition of the patient is complicated by the addition of symptoms
having no relation to the disease and no cure results. If the drug be a
similar the violent reaction of the organism to the unnecessarily large
dose increases suffering, exhausts the patient and prolongs his disease,
even if he eventually recovers.
11. These facts led first to progressive reduction of the size of the dose to
the smallest effectual curative quantity, and eventually to the
discovery and formulation of the law of potentisation and the
infinitesimal dose, which is one of the corollaries of the law of
similars and a fundamental principle of homoeopathy.
The working principles of homoeopathy, therefore, may be briefly
stated as follows:
1. The totality of the symptoms of the patient.
2. The use of single medicine, the symptoms and sphere of action of
which have been predetermined by pure, controlled experiments upon
healthy persons.
3. The principle of symptom-similarity as the guide to the choice of the
remedy.
4. The minimum dose capable of producing a dynamic or functional
reaction.

FIRST-AID
First-aid indicates treatment by a trained person at the scene.
First-aider is one who has received a certificate from an authorised
training body, like the Red Cross, indicating that he or she is qualified to
render first aid. It was started in 1894 by voluntary organisations.
The aims of first aid is to render immediate treatment to a casualty; to
preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening and promote recovery.
The role and responsibility and of the first-aider is very important.
In the management of a casualty, the instructions are:
Assess the situation without endangering your own life. Identify the
disease or condition from which the casualty is suffering (diagnosis).
Give immediate, appropriate and adequate treatment, bearing in mind
that a casualty victim may have more than one injury and that some cases
will require more urgent attention than others.
Arrange, without delay, for the disposal of a casualty to a doctor,
hospital or home, according to the seriousness, of the case. Your
responsibility ends when the casualty is handed over to the care of a doctor.
You should not leave the victim until you have made your report to whoever
takes charge.

SUGGESTED INTERNAL REMEDIES FOR THE FIRST-AID BOX

Aconitum napellus - chill; effect of fear, shock.
Arnica montana - bruise, shock, contusion.
Arsenicum album - food poisoning; cold, gastro-enteritis.
Belladonna - mild sunstroke, headache, earache.
Bryonia alba - biliousness, liverishness, cold, chill, influenza,
headache, constipation.
Calendula officinalis - cut and incised wound.
Carbo veg - indigestion, flatulence.
Causticum - burn.
Cantharides - burn.
Chamomilla - teething complaints; acute earache.
China - indigestion, diarrhoea.
Coffea - wakefulness, fainting from shock.
Eupatorium - saccharine poisoning; influenza.
Ferrum phos - earache.
Gelsemium - headache, chill, influenza, fear of examination.
Glonoine - headache due to heatstroke.
Hamamelis - bleeding from vein.
Hepar sulph - septic wound, extremely painful and tender to touch,
boils.
Hypericum - laceration, crushing, pain in the coccyx after childbirth,
or fall on the coccyx, injury to nerve.
Ignatia - nervousness, grief, shock and fainting.
Ipecacuanha - faintness with nausea, haemorrhage.
Iris - migraine.
Ledum - punctured wound, black eye.
Nux vomica - biliousness, vomiting.
Opium - headache.
Phosphorus - haemorrhage, after tooth extraction.
Pulsatilla - indigestion after fat; illness after getting feet wet; cold.
Rhus tox - sprain and strain.
Ruta - bruised periosteum, bone injury.
Silica - sepsis.
Symphytum - fracture.
Tarentula cubensis-boil, carbuncle.
Urtica urens - burn.
Vipera - nose-bleed.

MOTHER TINCTURE FOR EXTERNAL USE

Calendula.

OINTMENTS
Thuja - Warts.
Calendula officinalis - Wounds.
■
Chapter 29
Objective Questions
Tick the correct answer, if none is correct give the correct one:
1. Similar diseases can co-exist in a patient.
Yes/No
2. Vital force exists in
(i) the curative medicine;
(ii) the patient.
3. A second disease when dissimilar to the first disease always cures.
Yes/No
4. Theoretic medicine is always
(i) a curative medicine;
(ii) not a medicine.
5. Organon was first published in
(i) 1810 A. D;
(ii) 1710 A.D.
6. Hahnemann
(i) invented the law of similars;
(ii) discovered it.
7. Chronic diseases have
(i) Very abrupt onset and rapid course.
(ii) very steady onset and lingering course.
8. The phrase “Aude sapere” was coined by
(i) Hippocrates;
(ii) Hahnemann;
(iii) Horace;
(iv) Hufeland;
(v) Homer.
9. Hahnemann died in the city of
(i) Paris;
(ii) Leipzig;
(iiii) London;
(iv) Coethen;
(v) Washington.
10. Organon of Medicine was originally published in
(i) English;
(ii) Latin;
(iii) French;
(iv) German;
(v) Greek.
11. The law of similia was first mentioned by
(i) Aesculapius;
(ii) Hippocrates;
(iii) Galen;
(iv) Aristotle;
(v) Hahnemann.
12. Hahnemann rediscovered the law of similia in
(i) 1779;
(ii) 1790;
(iii) 1796;
(iv) 1805;
(v) 1810.
13. Cure is effected by
(i) Primary action of similar medicine;
(ii) Secondary action of similar medicine;
(iii) Both primary and secondary action of similar medicine.
14. Artificial chronic diseases are
(i) Drug diseases;
(ii) Drug plus miasmatic diseases;
(iii) Miasmatic diseases.
15. Psora is the cause of
(i) non-venereal chronic diseases;
(ii) all acute and chronic diseases.
16. Idiosyncracy is
(i) very difficult to cure;
(ii) incurable;
(iii) curable.
17. ‘Organon’ means
(i) Philosophy;
(ii) Art;
(iii) Science;
(iv) Science and art;
(v) Instrument.
18. Primary action of medicine is
(i) Action of both medicine and vital principle;
(ii) Action of medicine;
(iii) Action of vital principle;
(iv) Reaction of vital principle.
19. Hahnemann died on
(i) 10th April;
(ii) 1st July;
(iii) 3rd July;
(iv) 2nd October;
(v) 25th December.
20. Symptomatic treatment is
(i) Antipathic treatment;
(ii) Allopathic treatment;
(ii) Homoeopathic treatment.
21. Vaccination against small pox was an imitation of
(i) Homoeopathy;
(ii) Antipathy;
(iii) Isopathy;
(iv) Allopathy.
22. Secondary action of a drug is dependent on the nature and force of its
primary action
Yes/No
23. Alternate action of a drug is a phase of its primary action
Yes/No
24. Fundamental cause and causa occasionalis mean the same thing
Yes/No
25. Nature has a therapeutic law
Yes/No
26. Antipathy is a palliative way of treatment
Yes/No
27. Similar diseases can co-exist in any one person
Yes/No
28. ‘The Introduction’ in Organon of Medicine appeared in the book for
the first time in the edition
(i) 1st;
(ii) 2nd;
(iii) 3rd;
(iv) 4th;
(v) 5th.
29. The first materia medica contained the proving of
(i) 99 drugs;
(ii) 27 drugs;
(iii) 67 drugs;
(iv) 48 drugs;
(v) 100 drugs.
30. The Materia Medica Pura contained the proving of
(i) 27 drugs;
(ii) 67 drugs;
(iii) 48 drugs;
(iv) 99 drugs;
(v) 100 drugs.
31. Symptoms are the expressions of the disease
Yes/No
32. Vital force is autocratic in disease
Yes/No
33. Vital force is autocratic in health
Yes/No
34. Pain in the head is
(i) symptom;
(ii) sign.
35. Medicines act because of their disease producing power
Yes/No
36. Lucid interval means the intensity of disease
Yes/No
37. Toxicology has helped in homoeopathic medicinal experiment
Yes/No
38. Hahnemann’s father was interested in making him a medical
practitioner from the beginning
Yes/No
39. Radical cure of disease can only be done by homoeopathy
Yes/No
40. Health is powerfully affected by
(i) Natural morbific agent;
(ii) Environment;
(iii) Artificial morbific agent.
41. The stronger disease suspends the weaker, but they never cure one
another in
(i) Similar disease;
(ii) Dissimilar disease;
(iii) Acute disease.
42. Complex diseases are the consequences of
(i) Similar diseases;
(ii) Acute diseases;
(iii) Dissimilar diseases.
43. Maintaining cause is
(i) Root cause of disease;
(ii) Helping cause of disease.
44. Causa occassionalis is
(i) Miasmatic cause;
(ii) Non-miasmatic cause.
45. Similar diseases
(i) Can co-exist in a person;
(ii) Cannot.
46. Disease affects human being
(i) Unconditionally;
(ii) Conditionally.
47. Birthdate of Hahnemann is
(i) 10th June, 1755;
(ii) 10th April, 1755.
48. Materia pecans means
(i) Material cause of disease,
(ii) Dynamic cause.
49. Who is the discoverer of antipathic treatment?
(i) Galen;
(ii) Hippocrates.
50. Organon means
(i) Philosophy;
(ii) Instrument;
(iii) Art;
(iv) Science
51. Word ‘Organon’ is linguistically derived from
(i) Greek;
(ii) Spain;
(iii) German;
(iv) English.
52. Last edition of Organon of Medicine was completed in the year
(i) 1842;
(ii) 1843;
(iii) 1844;
(iv) 1921.
53. Sycosis is non-venereal miasm.
Yes/No
54. Materia peccans - a type of the medicine.
Yes/No
55. Hahnemann spent his last years in
(i) Leipzig;
(ii) Koehen;
(iii) Paris;
(iv) Vienna.
56. First edition of Organon was published from
(i) Meissen;
(ii) Torgau;
(iii) Leipzig;
(iv) Koethen.
57. Hahnemann got his M.D. from the University of
(i) Erlangen;
(ii) Leipzig;
(iii) Vienna St. Afa.
58. The 6th edition was published in the year
(i) 1839;
(ii) 1841;
(iii) 1842;
(iv) 1921.
59. English translation of the 5th edition was first published in
(i) 1839;
(ii) 1849;
(iii) 1880;
(iv) 1913.
60. According to the law of cure antipathic medicine by its secondary
action
(i) Cures disease;
(ii) Aggravates.
61. Totality of symptoms consists of
(i) Qualitative symptoms;
(ii) Quantitative symptoms;
(iii) Qualitative and Quantitative symptoms.
62. Use of homoeopathic medicine was spoken of by Hahnemann first in
(i) 1790;
(ii) 1796;
(iii) 1805/6;
(iv) 1810.
63. The number of aphorisms in 5th edition is
(i) 291;
(ii) 293;
(iii) 294.
64. 6th edition of Organon of Medicine contains
(i) 290;
(ii) 291;
(iii) 259;
(iv) 294 sections.
65. The phrase “life principle” was introduced by
(i) Hahnemann;
(ii) Hering;
(iii) Kent.
66. Homoeopathy can remove
(i) Symptoms;
(ii) Disease;
(iii) Disease with its susceptibility.
67. The 5th edition of Organon was translated into English by
(i) Dudgeon;
(ii) Boericke;
(iii) Dudgeon and Boericke;
(iv) Wesselhoeft.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q 1. Write short note on
(i) Ideal cure.
(ii) Sick
(iii) Fundamental cause.
(iv) Preserver of health.
(v) Vital force.
(vi) Totality of symptoms.
(vii) Individualisation.
(viii) Value of symptom.
(ix) Disease and Homoeopathic aggravation. (See 2nd part).
(x) Dynamization.
Q 2. Write differences between
(i) Homoeopathy & Allopathy
(ii) Allergy and idiosyncrasy
(iii) Natural disease and artificial disease.
(iv) Alternating action and secondary action.
■
Reference
1. Hahnemann, S.: The Chronic Disease.
2. Hahnemann, S.: The Organon of Medicine.
3. Close, Stuart: The Genius of Homoeopathy.
4. Speight, Phyllis: A Comparison of the Chronic Miasm.
5. Roberts, H.A.: The Principles and Art of Cure by Homoeopathy.
6. Kent, J.T.: Lesser Writings.
7. Sarkar, B.K.:Introduction and Commentary on the Organon.
8. Banerjee, D.D.: Textbook of Pharmacy.
9. Comphell, Anthony: Two cases of Homoeopathy.
10. Boericke, Garth: Homoeopathy.
11. Almfelt, Gustave: Basic Principle of Homoeopathy.
12. Perez, H.G.: Homoeopathic Doctrine.
13. Gupta, A.C.: Organon of Medicine.
14. Wright, Elizabeth: A Brief Study Course in Homoeopathy.
15. Vithoulkas, George: The Science of Homoeopathy.
16. Smith, A. Dwight: Homoeopathy.
17. Dutta, Paresh Chandra: A Book of Homoeopathic Pharmacy.
18. Chatterjee, T.P.: Fundamentals of Homoeopathy.
19. Koehler, Gernard: Handbook of Homoeopathy.
20. Ortega, P.S.: Notes on Miasm.
21. Santwani, M.T.: Practical Guide in Homoeopathy.
22. Shepherd, Dorothy: Homoeopathy for the first-aider.
23. Speight, Phyllis: Study Course in Homoeopathy.
24. Vannier, Leon: Homoeopathy Human Medicine.
26. Boericke, Garth: A Compend of the Principles of Homoeopathy.
27. Deshmukh Anurag: Classical Homoeopathic Practice & Scientific
Approach.