ESSENTIALS OF HOMEOPATHIC PRINCIPLES By Dr. AIYESHA SHAMSI
ESSENTIALS OF HOMEOPATHIC PRINCIPLES (Organon of Medicine Approach) DR. AIYESHA SHAMSI B.H.M.S, (Burdwan University, Asansol, West Bengal) M.D (Bhimrao Amedkar University, Muz.) Principal: Simpathy Institute of Homeopathic Pharmacy and Hospital S I M P A T H Y 2
© SIMPATHY 2026 Essentials of Homeopathic Principles All rights reserved All rights reserved by Publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author. Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within Written by ©Dr. Aiyesha Shamsi, 2026 First Published in July 2026. ISBN: 978-81-687510-2-6 Price: 300/- Typographic Design: Ratna Bhaduri Distributed by: Simpathy, Amazon, Flipkart Design & composed by: Nisha, Studio creatives, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi Enquiry on: sihppsdelhi@gmail.com, editor@simpathy.org, +91 9968009198 Published by: SIMPATHY INSTITUTE OF HOMOEOPATHIC PHARMACY AND HOSPITAL C-79/6, Om Nagar, Badarpur, New Delhi-110044 S I M P A T H Y 3
FOREWORD ..................................................................................................... 10 PREFACE .......................................................................................................... 12 ABOUT THE AUTHOR .................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER- 1 HISTORY OF ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF HOMOEOPATHY ......... 16 1.1 Origin of Homoeopathy 1.2 Historical Background and Development 1.3 Evolution of Homoeopathic Philosophy 1.4 Growth of Homoeopathy in India and Worldwide CHAPTER- 2 LIFE AND WORK OF DR. SAMUEL HAHNEMANN................................ 26 2.1 Early Life and Education 2.2 Professional Career and Medical Practice 2.3 Struggles and Opposition Faced by Hahnemann 2.4 Contributions to Medicine and Pharmacy 2.5 Literary Works and Publications CHAPTER- 3 HAHNEMANN – A PHARMACIST............................................................... 34 3.1 Discovery of Homoeopathy 3.2 Discovery of Medicine under Materia Medica Pura 3.3 Challenges in Dispensing and Practice CHAPTER- 4 CONCEPT OF HEALTH, DISEASE, RECOVERY AND CURE IN HOMOEOPATHY .......................................................................... 42 4.1 Homoeopathic Concept of Health 4.2 Dynamic Concept of Disease 4.3 Nature of Recovery 4.4 Concept of Cure Contents 4
CHAPTER-5 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF ORGANON OF MEDICINE...... 49 5.1 Origin and Importance of Organon 5.2 Concept behind the philosophies of Organon. 5.3 History and Scope of Organon 5.4 Salient features of Organon 1-6 edition CHAPTER- 6 MISSION OF PHYSICIAN ............................................................................. 55 6.1 Mission of the Physician (Aphorism 1) 6.2 Physician According to Hahnemann 6.3 Footnotes on Aphorism 1 CHAPTER- 7 IDEAL CURE .................................................................................................... 60 7.1 Understanding of aphorism 2 (IDEAL CURE) 7.2 What is cure according to Hahnemann. 7.3 “Hering’s Law of Cure” CHAPTER- 8 THEORY OF VITAL FORCE ......................................................................... 67 8.1 Concept and Functions of Vital Force 8.2 Role of Vital Force in Health and Disease 8.3 Derangement of Vital Force 8.4 Characteristics of Vital Force CHAPTER- 9 PRINCIPLES OF HOMOEOPATHY............................................................. 73 9.1 Introduction to principles of Homoeopathy. 9.2 Law of Similia 9.3 Law of Simplex 9.4 Law of Minimum Dose. 9.5 Doctrine of Drug Proving. 9.6 Theory of Chronic Diseases 9.7 Theory of vital force. 9.8 Doctrine of Drug Dynamization. 5
CHAPTER- 10 TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS ......................................................................... 80 10.1 Definition of totality of symptom 10.2 Technique of ascertaining the totality 10.3 The Sources of Totality 10.4 Importance of Totality of Symptoms 10.5 Different types of symptoms CHAPTER- 11 ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF SYMPTOMS ..................................... 89 11.1 Methods of Analysis 11.2 Evaluation and Grading of Symptoms 11.3 Hahnemann’s Classification 11.4 Boenninghausen’s Evaluation 11.5 Kent’s and Boericke’s Evaluation 11.6 Comparative Study of Different Methods CHAPTER- 12 PORTRAIT OF DISEASE ............................................................................... 96 12.1 Understanding of diseases 12.2 Concept of Disease Portrait 12.3 Construction of Disease Image 12.4 Significance in Individualization CHAPTER-13 CLASSIFICATION OF DISEASES.............................................................. 100 13.1 Acute Diseases 13.2 Chronic disease 13.3 Natural Chronic Diseases 13.4 Artificial Chronic Diseases 13.5 Pseudo-Chronic Diseases CHAPTER- 14 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ACTION OF MEDICINE ....................... 106 14.1 Primary action or primary effect 14.2 Secondary Action 6
14.3 Counter-action 14.4 Curative action. CHAPTER- 15 DRUG PROVING ........................................................................................... 111 15.1 Concept and Importance Drug proving 15.2 Proving on Healthy Human Beings (Advantages and disadvantages) 15.3 Proving on Animals (Advantages and disadvantages) 15.4 Methodology of Drug Proving 15.5 Sources and Observation of Drug Action 15.6 The disadvantages of proving the Drugs on the Sick CHAPTER- 16 SUSCEPTIBILITY ......................................................................................... 119 16.1 Concept of Susceptibility 16.2 Susceptibility in Health 16.3 Susceptibility and Constitution 16.4 Susceptibility and Diathesis 16.5 Susceptibility and Disease 16.6 Susceptibility and cure 16.7 Susceptibility and Posology 16.8 Susceptibility and suppression. CHAPTER- 17 THEORY OF CHRONIC DISEASE............................................................. 126 17.1 Origin of Chronic Disease Theory 17.2 Classification of Miasms 17.3 Psora, Sycosis and Syphilis 17.4 Relevant Aphorisms (72&78) CHAPTER- 18 REMEDY REACTION (KENT’S 12 OBSERVATIONS) 132 18.1 Concept of Remedy Reaction 18.2 Kent’s Twelve Observations 7
CHAPTER- 19 POSOLOGY .................................................................................................... 138 19.1 Definition and Scope 19.2 Selection of Potency 19.3 Repetition of Dose 19.4 Factors Influencing Dosage 19.5 Management after Administration CHAPTER- 20 STUDY OF APHORISMS .............................................................................. 147 20.1 Repetition of Dose (245–250) 20.2 Modification of Dose (251–260) 20.3 LM Potency and Its Use (261–270) 20.4 Management and Follow-up (271–285) CHAPTER- 21 SOURCES OF HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA ......................... 168 21.1 Historical Background of Materia Medica 21.2 Different Sources of Homoeopathic Materia Medica 21.3 Contributions of Homoeopathic Pioneers CHAPTER- 22 HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA ................................................... 176 22.1 Definition of Homoeopathic Materia Medica 22.2 Construction of materia medica 22.3 Methods of recording of symptoms CHAPTER- 23 COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA WITH MATERIA MEDICA OF OTHER SYSTEMS OF MEDICINE .... 180 23.1 Antipathy or Enantiopathy. 23.2 Allopathy or Heteropathy. 23.3 Homeopathy 23.4 Isopathy 23.5 Tautopathy 8
CHAPTER- 24 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF HOMOEOPATHY ................................ 185 24.1 Scope of Homoeopathy 24.2 Limitations of Homoeopathy CHAPTER - 25 LIFE HISTORY OF DR SCHUSSLER AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS .... 191 25.1 Life history of Dr Schussler 25.2 Contributions of Dr Schussler CHAPTER - 26 TWELVE TISSUE REMEDY BY DR SCHUSSLER.................................. 196 26.1 A Theoretical Framework Of The Biochemic Method 26.2 Preparation And Dose 26.3 The Relationship Between Schusslerism And Homeopathy 26.4 The 12 Primary Tissue Salts 9
FOREWORD It gives me immense pleasure to present this valuable work, Essentials of Homoeopathic Principles, which has been thoughtfully prepared to guide students, teachers, and practitioners in understanding the fundamental concepts of Homoeopathy. Homoeopathy is not merely a therapeutic system but a complete medical science based on natural laws, keen observation, and a profound understanding of the human being as a whole. Since its establishment by the great physician and philosopher Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, Homoeopathy has continued to inspire generations of healers through its scientific principles, humanitarian approach, and commitment to achieving gentle, rapid, and permanent cure. A sound knowledge of Homoeopathic philosophy is indispensable for every student and practitioner. Without a clear understanding of the principles laid down in the Organon of Medicine, the practical application of Homoeopathy remains incomplete. This book serves as an important bridge between theory and practice by presenting complex philosophical concepts in a simple, systematic, and easily understandable manner. The author has made a commendable effort to explain the essential doctrines of Homoeopathy, including the concepts of health, disease, cure, vital force, susceptibility, chronic diseases, symptomatology, drug proving, posology, and remedy reactions. The inclusion of discussions on the historical evolution of Homoeopathy, the life and contributions of Dr. Hahnemann, and the biochemic system of Dr. Schüssler further enriches the scope of this work. What I particularly appreciate is the practical orientation of the book. It encourages readers not only to learn the principles but also to apply them judiciously in clinical practice. The emphasis on understanding the patient as a whole, evaluating symptoms accurately, and selecting the most appropriate remedy reflects the true spirit of Homoeopathic healing. I am confident that this book will prove to be a useful companion for diploma and undergraduate students, educators, and practitioners seeking a clearer understanding of Homoeopathic philosophy. It will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening the foundation of Homoeopathic education and inspire readers to pursue deeper study of this noble healing art. 10
I congratulate to Dr Aiyesha Shamsi for this sincere academic endeavor and extend my best wishes for the success of this publication. May this work contribute meaningfully to the advancement of Homoeopathic knowledge and serve as a source of inspiration for present and future generations of Homoeopathic physicians. Dr. R. Kant Homoeopathic Physician, Academician & Researcher New Delhi, India 11
PREFACE Homoeopathy, since its inception by the illustrious Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, has evolved into a distinct and widely practiced system of medicine founded upon scientific observation, philosophical principles, and a holistic understanding of health and disease. The study of Homoeopathy requires not only knowledge of remedies but also a thorough understanding of its historical development, philosophical foundations, principles, and practical applications. This book “Essentials of Homoeopathic Principles” is aimed to provide an insight into the principles and concepts of Homoeopathic system of Medicine. Since Homoeopathy is a non- invasive and gentle mode of treatment, it becomes essential to understand the concept of how Homoeopathic drugs acts, what to look for in a patient, how to apply drug, how to evaluate the prognosis of a disease and achieve cure of the patient. This book has discussed several core concepts in Homoeopathy such as what is Health, disease and cure from the perspective of Dr S.C.F Hahnemann. This also discusses the role, responsibility and approach of a physician to achieve the highest ideal of cure. I also discuss the challenges in cure such as repetition of symptoms in case of Chronic diseases, repetition of doses, posology for ideal selection of doses, etc. This book has been carefully designed to provide students, teachers, and practitioners with a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental concepts of Homoeopathy. It presents the evolution of Homoeopathic thought from its origin to its present-day relevance, highlighting the life, struggles, and remarkable contributions of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of this healing art. The contents of this book systematically cover the core areas of Organon of Medicine and Homoeopathic Philosophy. Beginning with the history and evolution of Homoeopathy, the text explores Hahnemann’s role as a physician, philosopher, and pharmacist. It further explains the concepts of health, disease, cure, vital force, susceptibility, chronic diseases, and the various principles that form the foundation of Homoeopathic practice. 12
Special emphasis has been placed on the study of aphorisms from the Organon of Medicine, totality of symptoms, analysis and evaluation of symptoms, drug proving, posology, remedy reactions, and disease classification. The book also introduces the sources and construction of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, along with a comparative study of different therapeutic systems. Furthermore, it discusses the scope and limitations of Homoeopathy and includes valuable insights into the contributions of Dr. Wilhelm Heinrich Schüssler and his Biochemic System of Medicine, including the twelve tissue remedies. The material has been presented in a simple, systematic, and student- friendly manner to facilitate understanding and encourage deeper study of the subject. Every effort has been made to maintain clarity, accuracy, and relevance while remaining faithful to the teachings of the Homoeopathic masters. It is hoped that this book will serve as a useful guide for students, educators, and practitioners, helping them develop a sound understanding of Homoeopathic philosophy and its practical application in clinical practice. May this work inspire readers to appreciate the wisdom of Hahnemann and contribute to the advancement of Homoeopathic education and healthcare. I welcome constructive suggestions and feedback from readers for the improvement of future editions. 13
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Aiyesha Shamsi is a dedicated Homoeopathic physician, teacher, and academician with extensive experience in Homoeopathic education and clinical practice. The author has completed BHMS from Burdwan University, West Bengal and went on to complete MD in Materia Medica from BRABU Muzaffarpur Bihar. Throughout a distinguished career spanning for over 16 years, the author has been actively involved in teaching, research, and the promotion of Homoeopathic principles among students and practitioners. With a strong foundation in the philosophy of Homoeopathy, Organon of Medicine, Materia Medica, and clinical subjects, Dr. Aiyesha Shamsi has devoted considerable efforts to simplifying complex concepts and presenting them in a clear, systematic, and student-friendly manner. The author's commitment to academic excellence and professional development has contributed significantly to the advancement of Homoeopathic education. As an educator, Dr. Aiyesha Shamsi has developed a sound understanding of Homoeopathic philosophy and its practical application in patient care. The author's teaching approach emphasizes conceptual clarity, critical thinking, and adherence to the principles laid down by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. This book reflects the author's passion for Homoeopathy and dedication to creating quality educational resources. It has been prepared with the objective of providing students with a comprehensive and easily understandable guide to the fundamental concepts of Organon of Medicine, Homoeopathic Philosophy, Materia Medica, and Biochemic therapeutics. Through this work, Dr. Aiyesha Shamsi hopes to inspire learners to appreciate the scientific, philosophical, and humanitarian aspects of Homoeopathy and to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of this noble system of medicine. “The highest ideal of cure is the rapid, gentle, and permanent restoration of health.” — Dr. Samuel Hahnemann 14
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION TO HOMOEOPATHY 1 15
CHAPTER 1 HISTORY OF ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF HOMOEOPATHY LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the origin of Homoeopathy. To learn how Homoeopathy was discovered. To learn how Homoeopathy evolved as a system of medicine. To learn about the major contributors of Homoeopathy and their work. To learn how this system evolved to the present scenario. 1.1 ORIGIN OF HOMOEOPATHY Homoeopathy is a unique therapeutic system discovered by a German physician called Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann which is based on the law of “Similia Similibus Curentur” which means “let likes be cured by likes”. The word Homoeopathy can be divided into two parts: “Homoeos” means Similar and “Pathos” means suffering. So, Homoeopathy means to cure a patient with those drugs that produce similar symptoms to the suffering of the patient. Homoeopathy can be defined as a rational therapeutic system of medicine which aims at curing the sufferings of a person by administration of drugs which have been experimentally proved on healthy human beings to possess the power of producing similar sufferings in a manner which is rapid, gentle and permanent using doses which is simple and minimum. Discovery of Homoeopathy In 1790, while working on a translation of William Cullen’s Materia Medica, Hahnemann, “unconvinced by Cullen’s theory that cinchona was a specific for malaria because of its tonic action on the stomach and bitterness, decided to take a small dose of cinchona over several days to observe its effects.” This began his lifelong study of the principles of homeopathy. 1.2 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT Homeopathy is a system of medicine which was founded by Dr Samuel Hahnemann who was born in Meissen in Germany, he studied medicine at 16
Leipzig in 1775 and had the degree of MD at Erlangen university in 1779. In the year 1781 AD. Hahnemann started his first-ever medical practice in the town of Hettstad, a copper mining town in the country of Mansfield. During his initial fifteen years as a physician Hahnemann struggled desperately to make a living. In the year 1790 AD, the most important event of Hahnemann’s life occurred which paved the way for a new method of treatment called Homoeopathy. Hahnemann was busy translating Dr. William Cullen’s book called “A Treatise on Materia Medica” from English to German. Dr. Cullen was a professor of medicine at London University. In his book, Dr. Cullen allotted around 20 pages for the curative effects of Peruvian bark (Cinchona bark) for intermittent fever. In a small footnote to this chapter, he explained that the curative property of the Peruvian bark (Cinchona) is because of its bitterness. Hahnemann was not happy with Cullen’s explanation and wanted to experiment on it. He took 4 drams of cinchona bark twice a day and was attacked by malarial fever. At this moment Hahnemann was not aware that he was setting a new trend of human drug proving for the first time in medical history. He was also not aware that he is going to become the father of human functional pathology (Homoeopathic Materia Medica). The curious mind of Hahnemann wanted to repeat this experiment again before coming to the final conclusion, he conducted similar experiments on his friends and other volunteers, as he expected all of them had the same malaria- like fever. This led Hahnemann to an idea which was published in 1796 as An Essay on a New Principle for Ascertaining the Curative Power of Drugs, which was followed in 1810 by his famous work The Organon of the Healing Art. In the year 1792 AD, because of poverty and to fulfill the needs of growing members of his family, Dr. Hahnemann accepted the offer of the reigning Duke of Saxe Goth’s as in- charge of asylum at Georgenthal. Here he cured a Hovarean minister Klokenburg who was termed insane and incurable by most physicians, by mild and harmless way of treatment. Here History witnessed Hahnemann as the first physician to advocate moral treatment of the insane persons over corporeal punishment which was prevalent at that time. Here the concept of a safe, gentle and effective method of treatment was devised. 17
1.3 EVOLUTION OF HOMOEOPATHIC PHILOSOPHY After successful experiment with Cinchona bark, the Dr. Hahnemann’s curiosity to learn if the same result can be achieved from other drugs as well grew. In his quest of research, he experimented with other medicinal substances which are most specific to certain diseases. Surprisingly all these medicines were capable of producing the same diseased state in the healthy humans for which they were used as specific medicines. Using his detailed, exhaustive and unique chain of experiments, the concept of “Drug Proving” on healthy individuals was developed. After being satisfied with his experiments, Hahnemann came to the conclusion that medicines cure diseases because they can produce similar symptoms in healthy individuals. Thus, the basic law of homoeopathy was born in the mind of this medical genius. In the year 1796 AD. after a series of experiments, Hahnemann published the first essay on homoeopathy “An essay on a new principle for ascertaining the curative powers of drugs and some examinations of previous principles”. This essay was published in Hufeland’s journal. Between the years 1790-1805 AD. Hahnemann published around 5500 printed pages of his work. In 1805 AD, he published “Medicine of experience” and in 1810 AD, the first edition of “Organon of Medicine” was published. Dr. Hahnemann had several followers who were renowned practitioners and who had converted to Homoeopathy from the Allopathic system of medicine, some of the pioneers of Homoeopathy are:- DR. BOENNINHAUSEN, He was a self-made Homoeopathic physician and was a respectable correspondent with Hahnemann. He made several contributions to Homoeopathic Materia Medica. He was the contributor to the first repertory called the Repertory of Antipsoric Medicine with preface by Hahnemann (1832) and Repertory of medicines which are not Antipsoric. He also worked on potencies and took great endeavored to show that high potencies are:- • more efficacious • it can be used for chronic diseases • it is for curative purpose but not for palliation 18
DR. J.T KENT, Dr. James Tyler Kent, a world-famous Homoeopath, initiator of Homoeopathy in America has shaped the system in many ways. During his 40 years of medical practice, he has several remarkable contributions vastly to the system in the three fields- Philosophy, Materia Medica and Repertory. He is known for monumental works in the field of Homoeopathy, some of his contributions which are known till today are: • Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, • Repertory of the Homeopathic Materia Medica, • Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy, • New Remedies, • There are several Lesser Writings, so well-known to Homoeopath all over the world. • Proved several medicines which are mentioned in his books of Materia Medica. • Kent is remembered for his observations-“KENTS 12 OBSERVATIONS” • Introduction of Doctrine of “Series of Degrees” in which he advocated the use of 30th, 200th, 1M, 10M, 50M potencies. His work of the Repertory is more systematic than any previous authors- systematically indexed. DR. CONSTENTINE HERING Dr Constentine Hering, although born in Oschatz, Germany is known as the father of Homoeopathy in United States. He was also the chief editor of North American Homoeopathic Journal and several other journals of his time. He gave several contributions to the evolution of Homoeopathy. Some of his renowned works are: • Introducing the Decimal scale of potency in the year 1830. • Devised a standard tool to analyze and asses the prognosis of disease popularly known as the “Hering’s Law of Cure”. This tool is used to analyze whether the condition of the patient is improving or deteriorating. • Made contributions to Materia Medica by proving many drugs including Lachesis and lyssin (Introduction of nosodes) from rabies dogs. • Creating a monumental work of Guiding Symptoms in 10 volumes, 2 19
of which could only be published during his lifetime and completed part of the third volume. This work was continued and completed by his disciple Dr H.C Allen. He laid the foundation for Comparative Materia Medica which was later completed by Dr Farrington and Dr Clark. DR. H. C. ALLEN, Dr. H.C.Allen was one of the guiding lights of Hahnemannian homeopathy. Even though he was steadfast in his adherence to the principles of Hahnemann, he always strived for constructive discussion. His relentless efforts helped to lay the groundwork for creation of the International Hahnemannian Association. Dr. Allen advocated that being a successful prescriber was highly dependent upon method of case taking. He stated that: One of the stumbling blocks to progress in the study of homoeopathy is the way we take our cases. There is a broad distinction between symptoms of diagnosis and symptoms of therapeutics. Diagnostic symptoms are those of the disease, and the therapeutic symptoms go down to the patient himself. Now, the more valuable symptoms are for diagnosis the less valuable they are for the selection of the remedy. The practice of homoeopathy is just as simple as ‘rolling off a log.’ Besides writing many articles and homeopathic journals he wrote numerous books. Some of Henry. C. Allen’s well-known works include: • Keynotes of the Materia Medica with Nosodes • The Materia Medica of the Nosodes • The Homeopathic Therapeutics of Intermittent Fever • The Homeopathic Therapeutics of Fever • Therapeutics of Tuberculous Affections He also revised Boenninghausen’s Repertory, which he updated and arranged for rapid and practical homeopathic work. DR. CLARKE John Henry Clarke (1853 – 24 November 1931) was an English classical homeopath. He was the leader of, an anti-Semitic organization in Britain. Educated at the University of Edinburgh, he received his medical degree in 1877. He was a consultant at the London Homeopathic Hospital and did 20
research into new homeopathic remedies. Other than being the editor of The Homeopathic World for several years. His best-known books were Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica and Repertory of Materia Medica (i.e., the Clinical Repertory), both of which are recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s rules on “Conditions under Which Homeopathic Drugs May be Marketed” Some of the remarkable works by Dr Clarke are: • The Prescriber: A Dictionary of the New Therapeutics • A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica • A Clinical Repertory to the Dictionary of Materia Medica • Indigestion: Its Causes and Cure • Life and Work of James Compton Burnett • The Revolution in Medicine: Being the Seventh Hahnemannian Oration Delivered. • Non-surgical Treatment of Diseases of the Glands and Bones • Radium as an Internal Remedy • Haemorrhoids and Habitual Constipation • Cholera, Diarrhœa, and Dysentery: Homœopathic Prevention and Cure • The Prescriber: How to Practise Homeopathy • Appendicitis from a Homeopathic Physician’s Point of View • Iodide of Arsenic in Organic Disease of the Heart • The Cure of Tumours by Medicines: With Especial Reference to the Cancer Nosodes • Cold-Catching: Cold-Preventing, Cold-Curing, with a Section on Influenza • Rheumatism & Sciatica • A Bird’s Eye View of Hahnemann’s Organon of Medicine. • Therapeutics of the Serpent Poisons • A Dictionary of Domestic Medicine • Gunpowder as a War Remedy DR. WILLIAM BOERICKE William Boericke (1849-1929,) was an Austrian-born American physician and strong supporter of homeopathy. He is known in the Homoeopathic field today as the compiler and editor of the Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica. The ninth edition which is his most re-published version 21
partly because of its then final inclusion of a mini-repertory by his brother, Oscar Eugene Boericke, MD, also a homeopathic physician. He was co-founder of the Pacific Homoeopathic Medical College of San Francisco and Hahnemann Hospital in 1881. This was incorporated into the University of California, where he became the first professor of Homoeopathic Materia Medica and Therapeutics, this post he holded for thirty years. In 1853, William Boericke’s uncle, Francis Edmund Boericke (1826– 1901), and Rudolph Leonhard Tafel (1831–1896) founded a bookstore specializing in Swedenborgian literature, in Philadelphia. Upon the suggestion of Dr. Constantine Hering, they began to manufacture and sell homeopathic remedies. In 1869, he formed a partnership with Adolph Tafel, Boericke & Tafel, a publishing company, homeopathic medicine wholesaler, retailer, and manufacturer, in Philadelphia. With tremendous painstaking efforts, these pioneers have brought Homoeopathy to the status that we know of today. The process of case taking, preparation and proving of drugs along with Repertorisation process have helped develop homoeopathy as well-developed therapeutic method. He was convinced that drugs in small doses effectively exerted their curative powers, he advanced his doctrine of their “potentization of dynamization.” Accordingly, most homoeopathists believed in the action of minute doses of medicine. To many patients and some physicians, homoeopathy was a mild, welcome and alternate to bleeding, purging, poly pharmacy, and other heavy-handed therapies of the day. In the 20th century, however, homoeopathy was viewed with little favour and was criticized for focusing on the symptoms rather than on the underlying causes of the disease. Homeopathy still has some adherents, and there are a number of national and international societies, including the International Homoeopathic Medical League, headquartered in Kothen, Germany. 1.4 GROWTH OF HOMOEOPATHY IN WORLD Homeopathy was developed by Samuel Hahnemann in Germany around 1796. It is generally believed that homeopathy was introduced to India by European missionaries, physicians, and civil servants during the early 22
1800s. One of the earliest practitioners associated with its spread in India was John Martin Honigberger, a physician who practiced in the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore in the 1830s. Growth in Bengal (Mid-19th Century) Homeopathy gained significant popularity in Bengal, particularly in and around Kolkata. Indian practitioners began adopting and promoting the system. Mahendra Lal Sircar, originally trained in conventional medicine, became one of the most influential advocates of homeopathy in India. Expansion and Public Acceptance (Late 19th–Early 20th Century) Homeopathic dispensaries and teaching institutions were established in various parts of India. The relatively low cost of treatment and accessibility contributed to its popularity. Several Indian rulers and prominent public figures supported homeopathy, helping it spread further. Post-Independence Recognition After India gained independence in 1947, the government gradually formalized the regulation and education of homeopathy. In 1973, the Central Council of Homoeopathy was established through the Homoeopathy Central Council Act to regulate education and professional standards. In 1978, the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy was created to promote research in the field. Modern Era In 2014, the Ministry of AYUSH was formed, bringing homeopathy together with other traditional and alternative systems of medicine under a dedicated ministry. In 2020, the National Commission for Homoeopathy replaced the Central Council of Homoeopathy as the primary regulator of homeopathic education and practice. 23
Growth of Homoeopathy Worldwide Homoeopathy is practiced in more than 80 countries. It is popular in countries such as Germany, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Brazil. The growing interest in complementary and alternative medicine has increased its global acceptance. International conferences, research activities, and professional organizations have contributed to its expansion. The global market for homoeopathic medicines continues to grow due to increasing consumer demand. *** 24
CHAPTER LIFE AND WORK OF DR. SAMUEL HAHNEMANN 2 25
CHAPTER 2 LIFE AND WORK OF DR. SAMUEL HAHNEMANN LEARNING OBJECTIVE To understand the life story of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. To understand the contributions of Hahnemann. To learn about his struggles. To Learn about his articles and publications. 2.1 EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, (born April 10, 1755, Meissen, Saxony [which is now in Germany]—died July 2, 1843, in Paris, France). He was a German physician, and founder of the system of therapeutics known as homoeopathy. He established the fundamental principles of the science and art of Homoeopathy. Born in the village of Meissen, to a God-fearing German couple by name Christian Gottfried Hahnemann, who was a painter on porcelain by trade and his wife, whose maiden name was Johanna Chrintiane Spiess, had their first child born child on 10th of April, 1755 whom they lovingly named Samuel Christian Frederick Hahnemann. 2.2 PROFESSIONAL CAREER AND MEDICAL PRACTICE In 1775, Hahnemann left home for Leipzig to enter upon the study of medicine. Hahnemann studied medicine in Leipzig, where he chooses to attend only those lectures which were most useful to him. During this period, he was much of the time at work in various ways to earn which was necessary for his support while pursuing his studies. He was fortunate in finding an opportunity to instruct a young and rich Russian in the French and English languages, and he also made many translations from English for publications. His thirst for knowledge of practical medicine induced him to leave Leipzig for Vienna, where there were better advantages, as there was no hospital or infirmary in Leipzig. When Hahnemann’s poverty compelled him to leave Vienna, von Quarin was influential in procuring for him a 26
position with Baron Bruckenthal, of Hermanstadt, as family physician and librarian. Here he remained one and three-fourths years, mastering several languages and doing much additional scientific studying. With the means he had earned at Hermanstadt, he departed for Erlangen, in order to complete his medical studies, and here, on the 10th of August, 1779, he defended his thesis and received the degree of Doctor of Medicine. On 17th November1782 A.D. Hahnemann married “Johanna Leopaldine Henrietta Kuchler”. She was the step daughter of a chemist and pharmacist, Hessler. Hahnemann was 27 years old and his wife was 9 years younger to him. Hahnemann was appointed as a medical officer of health in Gommern city. After practicing in various places, he settled in Dresden in 1784 and then moved to Leipzig in 1789. Five years after the death of his first wife, on the 28th of January, 1835 he married for the second time with Melanie d’Hervilly Gohier, an adopted daughter of Louis Gerome Gohier, who was Minister of Justice and President of the Executive Director of the French Republic in 1799. At the time of his second marriage Dr. Hahnemann was eighty years old. In the same year he moved to Paris with his new wife. Discovery of Homoeopathy In 1790, while working on a translation of William Cullen’s Materia Medica, Hahnemann, “unconvinced by Cullen’s theory that cinchona was a specific for malaria because of its tonic action on the stomach and bitterness, decided to take a small dose of cinchona over several days to observe its effects.” This began his lifelong study of the principles of homeopathy. In the year 1796 AD. after a series of experiments, Hahnemann published the first essay on homoeopathy “An essay on a new principle for ascertaining the curative powers of drugs and some examinations of previous principles”. This essay was published in Hufeland’s journal. Hahnemann was living in Torgau. He was fifty-five years of age, had been a doctor of medicine since 1779, and had been developing the law of Similia Similibus Curantur for twenty years. Truly, enough experience for a scientist to know what he was doing. He published his greatest work in 1810, his work in the theory and practice of homeopathy, Organon of the Rational Art of Healing, was published. The Organon, which became so popular that it was soon translated into several languages, it was read 27
in more languages than any other book at that time with exceptions to that of Holy Books Written at that time. It ran through five editions, and was translated into English, French, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Danish, and Swedish. In this work for the first time the word Homoeopathy was used. 2.3 STRUGGLES AND OPPOSITION FACED BY HAHNEMANN He practiced medicine in the immediate years after graduating, but became increasingly disenchanted with the imperfections of medical practice, and returned to translation as his primary means of income. Hahnemann is known to have spoken several languages, and worked as a translator to support himself through medical school. After studying medicine in Leipzig, Vienna, and Erlangen, Hahnemann graduated with an M.D. from the University of Erlangen in 1779. After the first edition of organon was published, Dr. Hahnemann had to face so much criticism from the medical world for his discovery. Many journals like “Anti Organon”, “Anti Homeopathic Archive” were published only to criticize homeopathy. 2.4 CONTRIBUTIONS TO MEDICINEAND PHARMACY In the year 1796 AD. after a series of experiments, Hahnemann published the first essay on homoeopathy “An essay on a new principle for ascertaining the curative powers of drugs and some examinations of previous principles”. This essay was published in Hufeland’s journal. The name of Samuel Hahnemann is now celebrated throughout Europe. In 1811 he once again moved to Leipzig, and adherents flocked to Hahnemann lectured on homeopathic principles at the University of Leipzig from 1812- 1821, after which he moved to kothen, Germany to practice homeopathy. Upon meeting his second wife in kothen in 1835, the two moved to Paris, where Hahnemann practiced homeopathy until his death in 1843. His chief work, Organon der rationallen Heilkunst (1810; “Organon of Rational Medicine”), contains an exposition of his system, which he called homeopathy. His Reine Arzneimittellehre, 6 vol. (1811; “Pure Pharmacology”), detailed the symptoms produced by “proving” a large number of drugs—i.e., by systematically administering them to healthy subjects. 28
Experimental Pharmacology: Hahnemann is called the Father of Experimental Pharmacology because he was the first physician to prepare medicines in a specialized way; proving them on healthy human beings, to determine how the medicines acted to cure diseases. Before this theory by Hahnemann, medicines were given on speculative indications, mainly on the basis of authority without experimental verification. Hahnemann’s three major publications paved the way for development of homoeopathy. In the Organon of medicine (revised six times), we see that the fundamentals are laid out for Materia Medica Pura which records the exact symptoms of the remedy during proving. Adaptation of the Law of Cure: Dr. Hahnemann adapted the law of cure known as “Similia Similibus Curentur”, or “Like Cures Like”. This means that a remedy that produces symptoms in a healthy person will cure those same symptoms when manifested by a person in a diseased state. This law of cure has been verified by millions of homoeopaths all over the world since the time of Hahnemann. Genus Epidemicus: In 1831, when the cholera broke out in Europe, Hahnemann carefully studied the symptoms of the disease through the reports sent to him, and decided upon Camphor as the indicated remedy. Reports poured in from physicians, priests, and laymen in regard to the wonderful efficacy of Camphor, and the consensus of opinions showed that hardly a death occurred where the remedy was used according to instructions. Hahnemann did not see a case of cholera during the epidemic. A liner illustration of the workings of our law of cure cannot be found. To prescribe for a malady without seeing it, to cover the picture of the disease with a remedy whose pathogenetic symptoms show it to be the simillimum, and to effectively stamp out the epidemic was a victory such as the medical world had never witnessed. Thus, the concept of “Genus Epidemicus” or common drug for use in epidemic conditions was devised. Dr. Hahnemann was quick to recognize poor hygiene as a contributory cause to the spread of disease. His success with cholera and typhoid fever was accomplished due to this recognition. Hahnemann also emphasized the importance of isolation of patients, diet, bed rest, and nursing, during epidemic diseases. Hahnemann described ‘Noxious’ principles as the precursors of certain disease states. Primary and Secondary Actions: Hahnemann discovered the primary and secondary actions of remedies. The primary action results from the 29
first encounter between the vital force and the external agent, and the secondary action is a result of the vital force’s reaction to the symptoms of that primary encounter. This discovery led him to the curative powers of poisonous substances. Drug Dynamization: He was convinced that drugs in small doses effectively exerted their curative powers, he advanced his doctrine of their “potentization of dynamization.” Accordingly, most homoeopathists believed in the action of minute doses of medicine. To many patients and some physicians, homoeopathy was a mild, welcome and alternative to bleeding, purging, poly pharmacy, and other heavy-handed therapies of the day. Hahnemann discovered the remedial powers of drugs and inert substances such as gold, platinum, silica, vegetable charcoal, lycopodium, etc. By preparing the medicines through potentization, these inert and insoluble substances became soluble in alcohol or water and were charged with medicinal force. Concept of Acute and Chronic Diseases: Dr. Hahnemann described the different aspects of ‘acute’ and ‘chronic’ diseases. Acute diseases are transitory; they have a beginning and an end, whereas chronic diseases are co-existent with life. Either they are present in manifested state or latent state. From this work came the chronic miasms of Psora, Syphilis, and Sycosis. In his book, The Chronic Diseases, Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure he showed us how natural diseases become chronic in nature when suppressed by improper treatment. Dr. Hahnemann treated thousands of difficult and chronic cases that defied the best care from allopath’s all over Europe. Thus, he became so famous that physicians from Europe and America came to him for coaching in the new science and art of healing, called Homoeopathy. Dr. Hahnemann was the progenitor of several modern medical approaches. Deeming the treatment of insane patients to be cruel and harmful, he advised a humane treatment for the insane. He cured many insane patients with homoeopathy, and became famous for this success. In the 20th century, however, homoeopathy was viewed with little favor and was criticized for focusing on the symptoms rather than on the underlying causes of the disease. 30
He died due to Paralysis of the lungs which he suffered for six weeks on July 2nd, 1843, at the age of eighty-eight years. The Last rights: Hahnemann had no public funeral. His remains were embalmed by Ganal, taken to the cemetery of Montmartre on the rainy morning of July 11th, 1843, and buried near the left of the entrance. Only his wife, one daughter and her son, and the servants followed the body to the grave. One month after Hahnemann’s death, the Central Society of German Homoeopathists met in Dresden and resolved to erect a monument to the beloved leader. The statue of Hahnemann was executed by the sculptor Steinhauser and then cast in bronze in Rome. With appropriate ceremonies the corner- stone was laid in Leipzig and the completed monument unveiled and dedicated on the 10th of August, 1851. Homeopathy still has some adherents, and there are a number of national and international societies, including the International Homoeopathic Medical League, headquartered in Kothen, Germany. 2.5 LITERARY WORKS AND PUBLICATIONS • Essay on a New Principle [1796] • Are the Obstacles to Medical Practice Insurmountable [1797] • Cure & Prevention of Scarlet Fever [1801] • On the Power of Small Doses [1801] • Aesculapius in the Balance [1805] • Fragmenta de viribus medica mentorum positivis [1805] • The Medicine of Experience [1805] • On the Value of the Speculative Systems of Medicine [1808] • Observations on the Three Modes of Medical Practice [1809] • Hellebore thesis [1812] • Sources of the Materia Medica [1817] • Contrast of Old and New Medical Systems [1825] • Four essays on Cholera [1831] SIGNIFICANT DATES IN HIS LIFE: 1755 10 April - birth 1775 - Leipzig University 31
1777 spring - to Vienna 1777 October - to Hermannstadt 1779 spring - leaves Hermanstadt for Erlangen University 1779 August - MD Erlangen 1782 Dec - marries Johanna Kuchler 1783 Henrietta born 1786 Frederick born 1788 Wilhelmina born 1789-1804 unhappy wandering in Saxony 1790 his mother dies; first proving with Cinchona 1791 Caroline born 1795 Frederika born 1798 Ernst born 1803 Eleonore born 1804 settles in Torgau for 7 years 1805 Charlotte born 1806 Louisa born 1811 spring - moves to Leipzig 1820 loses legal battle in Leipzig to dispense his own drugs 1821 June - moves to koethen 1830 30th March - Johanna dies in Kothen 1834 8th October - Melanie arrives in kothen 1835 18th January - 2nd marriage 1835 7th June – leaves Kothen for Paris 1835 21st June – arrives in Paris 1842 Feb - composes the final 6th Organon 1843 2nd July–death 32
CHAPTER SAMUEL HAHNEMANN - A PHARMACIST 3 33
CHAPTER 3 SAMUEL HAHNEMANN - A PHARMACIST LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn how Homoeopathy was discovered. How Homoeopathic medicines were prepared. Difficulties faced by Hahnemann for dispensing of his own medicines. How homoeopathic drugs are dynamized. 3.1 DISCOVERY OF HOMEOPATHY Samuel Hahnemann was destined to be a leading figure in a specific science which is medicine. Although at the time of 1788, Hahnemann was a practicing physician, he was more active as a chemist; he had described his test for lead and iron in wine and testified his opinion as a divine art. A great part of his income in his early years came from his chemical practice. He studied chemistry with Johann Gottfried Leonhard as his master at the University of Leipzig. Later he acquired great knowledge of chemistry. After his successful experiment with Cinchona bark and his growing confidence, with his family and friends, he then undertook further drug proving. “Day after day, he tested medicines on himself and others. He collected histories of cases of poisoning. His purpose was to establish a physiological doctrine of medical remedies, free from all suppositions, and based solely on experiments.” In his search for new remedies to prove, “Hahnemann sent his children into the fields to collect henbane, sumac, and deadly nightshade. They grew up like young priests they felt the leaves, blossoms and tubers with small but expert hands everyone was obliged to join in the work because there was no other way to succeed in his titanic plan of rescuing the wealth of natural remedies from the contents of textbooks, and displaying it in the bright light of experience. His family and friends became central to his task: “the family huddled together, every free moment of every one of them, from the oldest to the youngest, was made use of for the testing of medicines and the gathering of the most precise information on their observed effects. The results of his investigations were meticulously catalogued: “Hahnemann neatly and in detail assembled and numbered his observations of the symptoms excited 34
in himself and his children by the most varied of medicines.” From the knowledge he gained during his wandering years, Hahnemann had started to develop a medical system that relied solely on single drugs in harmless doses and which was based upon pure observation, experience and experiment. He focused on getting rid of methods of dulling symptoms, which were so much in use. He fought “with double the energy for the purity of medicine. He strongly believed these three points idealistic: • First, he believed that the doctor should prepare his own medicines. • Second, he advocated ever more definitely the administration of small doses; and, • Third, he was a great opponent of mixed doses that contained a large number of ingredients. 3.2 DISCOVERY OF MEDICINE UNDER MATERIA MEDICA PURA Hahnemann continued his investigations in the science of medicine in spite of poverty and persecution. He stopped working at translations, and from 1806 devoted his time to writing original articles about medicines thus, “A Pure Materia Medica,” and the “Medicine of Experience,” came forth rapidly. These publications caused uproar of opposition, among the medical professionals, that he restricted himself to write only for the benefit of the people. He published his subsequent articles in a literary and scientific journal. In the Materia Medica Pura Part II, he wrote about the increase in medicinal power that happens when crude medicinal substances are shaken and rubbed. According to his theory the medicinal power of any crude drug can be increased with dilution along with rubbing and shaking, unfortunately Hahnemann was accused of lamentable exaggerations about the dynamic effects of high potencies. He also devised the formula for potentization from crude drugs by diluting and giving strokes. He also devised several methods of dispensing as: 1. One single grain of the last quintillionth dilution poured into a small clean medicine bottle as a single dose. 2. Inhalation once from a small bottle of medicine as a single dose. 35
3. Placing a tiny granule of the powder on the tongue. 4. If the juice of a medicinal plant is diluted to the decillionth and at the same time the glass was given twenty and more vigorous shakes, this remedy is called the 10th dilution. 5. A single drop, given in a teaspoonful of water can be considered as a single dose, 6. A granule of the size of a poppy seed moistened with the last dilution will be one single dose. During the period at the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century, Dr. Hahnemann emphasized mostly on advice concerning hygiene and diet, in addition to the prescription and administration of medicine. He goes into the smallest details of food and drink for each meal, and gives exact prescriptions according to the condition of individual requirements he recommends baths and ablutions, cleanliness in the rooms, beds and body-linen but above all he requires the admission of fresh air into the houses and regular exercise in the open air (walks), together with the avoidance of excessive physical or mental exertion, violent emotions, etc. 3.3 CHALLENGES IN DISPENSING AND PRACTICE He highlighted this problem in more detail in his essay: “Are the obstacles to the attainment of simplicity and certainty in practical medicine insurmountable?” He emphasized on the following concerns during the treatment of patients and attaining cure: 1. The errors of diet which have produced and encouraged the patient’s illness, 2. The ordinary indifferent diet of people in general, 3. The new diet prescribed by the doctor but not followed by patients. For about nine years Hahnemann remained in Leipzig, winning many laurels, practicing continually, and constantly working to perfect Homoeopathy. He had many distinguished friends and illustrious patients. But envy and malice were at work against him. The apothecaries made a government complaint against him for dispensing 36
his own medicines. More and more violent attacks on him and on his system succeeded one another continuously. The struggle in this matter went on without interruption as long as Hahnemann lived. At Konigslutter his growing popularity aroused jealousy among his opponents as a result of which they induced the authorities to press charges against Hahnemann for dispensing his own remedies. The authorities issued an order enforcing the law against the self-dispensing of remedies, and Hahnemann, in the morning of his fame, was forced to quit the town in the year 1799. Think of this, ye practitioners of medicine who are beginning life’s struggle in your profession. Samuel Hahnemann, forty years of age, a scholar and student, a man of giant intellect, a man who was master of more languages than the average physician had medical books in his library, whose Apothekerlexicon was the handbook on the German druggist’s table, who taught the pharmacists the profession they followed; think of this man being driven from town to town because it was claimed he was not competent to dispense his own medicines. He had to struggle for dispensing of his own medicine due to which he was forced to move from one city to another. He did not remain long in Georgenthal, and made several removals between 1792 and 1795 to Walschleben, Pyrmont, Brunswick, and to Wolfenbuttle from there to Konigslutter, where he lived for four years. Although it has been widely stated that the whole of Hahnemann’s time in Kothen was a state of peace and undisturbed happiness filled in by work, this is a serious mistake. After a long battle the directorate of the medical association in Koethen agreed to lay the pillars of Homoeopathy in August 1833. The main pillars of homoeopathy are: 1. Strict and adherence to the principle of Similia similibus curanture. 2. Avoidance of all antipathetic methods of treatment, wherever it is possible to attain the objective by homoeopathic remedies and therefore the greatest possible avoidance of all positive remedies and those weakening by their after-effect consequently, 3. The avoidance of all bleeding, of all evacuation upwards or downwards, of all remedies causing pain, inflammation or blisters, of burning, of punctures, etc. 37
4. Avoidance of all remedies selected and destined only to stimulate, whose after-effects is weakening in every case. Hahnemann has established the following four tenets as the basic pillars of homoeopathy, with the agreement of all present: That the genuine homoeopathic physician must follow: 1. Except for those carefully selected remedies, which, according to the principle simillia simillibus, suit the particular state of disease diagnosed. 2. Should avoid palliatives. 3. And to avoid every possibility of (however slight) weakening the patient, should reject any medicine which is supposed to strengthen but which is merely stimulating with a weakening after-effect. 4. Should avoid all external irritants. All this time he was busily engaged in writing and translating, proving remedies and evolving the science of the new system. He freely published his researches and their results, deeming that his first duty always lay in giving his knowledge to his profession. Like all great reformers, however, he was greeted with a storm of abuse and opposition instead of receiving the thanks of his medical brethren. From his stay in Torgau, Hahnemann had, through his detailed and exhaustive studies, at last, laid out a systematic and point- by-point breakdown of every element in ancient and medieval medicine, leaving single drugs and similar as the only useful remnants. From these simple elements, combined with his experiments, he was able to build brilliant essays leading directly to the Organon, which is his detailed exposition of the whole conceptual and practical aspect of homoeopathy. At the same time, he sought to have 30c potency established throughout homoeopathy as the standard. In this endeavor, he failed very badly, because the majority of his contemporaries preferred tinctures and 3x, while others, like Jenichen [1787- 1849], Korsakoff [1788-1853] and Schreter [1803-1864], were busy raising potency to heights way beyond his wildest dreams. Although Hahnemann had introduced the smelling of remedies or Olfaction, in 1832 it was during this last phase of his long life that he established Olfaction and the LM potencies as central pillars of his 38
Paris practice. They are mentioned in detail in his final Sixth Organon [1842], which, however, did not see the light of day until 1922. One of his greatest supporters of Homoeopathy was the only son of the founder of Homoeopathy. Frederick Hahnemann, born in Dresden the 30th day of November, 1786, was the pride of the family, and whose fate was so peculiarly destined for the upliftment of Homoeopathy. He was a stout, healthy little fellow as a child, and was familiarly called Fritz by his father. He had a brilliant education, spoke Latin, Greek, French, English, and Italian and was conversant with Arabian, was a fine musician and a general favorite with all who knew him. He graduated in medicine at Leipzig, in 1812, although the year before he had entered the field as an author in defending his father against Hecker’s attack upon The Organon. He purchased a drug-store at Wolkenstein, in order to be freed from the law against the self-dispensing of drugs, and there began the practice of his profession. His fame quickly spread, and his house was thronged with patients from which he made quite a fortune. He contracted a matrimonial alliance with a widow, which gave great offense to his father, and this estrangement was never quite removed. Just like his father, Frederick Hahnemann’s professional success soon aroused jealousy among his allopathic counterparts, and a charge was brought against him of dispensing his own remedies. Though his cause was a good one and he could have undoubtedly won his case if he had remained for trial, but unfortunately to avoid persecutions by his enemies he decided to leave Leipzig with his wife, children, and chose to start practice and begin a new life in a foreign land. Works of Samuel Hahnemann as a Pharmacist Samuel Hahnemann made several contributions related to pharmacy and the preparation of medicines: • Advocated the use of pure, high-quality medicinal substances. • Emphasized precise methods for preparing and dispensing medicines. • Tested medicinal substances on healthy volunteers to observe their effects. • Recorded symptoms systematically, creating a foundation for homeopathic Materia medica 39
• Introduced the techniques of potentization, involving serial dilution and succussion (vigorous shaking). • Established standardized procedures for preparing homeopathic remedies. • Published Materia Medica Pura, which described the effects of numerous medicinal substances based on proving. • Authored Organon of the Healing Art, detailing principles of medicine and drug preparation. • Published The Chronic Diseases, Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homeopathic Cure, which included guidance on remedy preparation and use. • Translated several medical and chemical texts from English, French, and other languages into German. • His translation work helped spread contemporary pharmaceutical and chemical knowledge in Germany. 40
CHAPTER CONCEPT OF HEALTH, DISEASE, RECOVERY AND CURE IN HOMOEOPATHY 4 41
CHAPTER 4 CONCEPT OF HEALTH, DISEASE, RECOVERY AND CURE IN HOMOEOPATHY LEARNING OBJECTIVE Learn the concept of health according to Homoeopathy. Learn about the concept of disease. Learn the concept of recovery. Learn the ideal cure in Homoeopathy. 4.1 HOMEOPATHIC CONCEPT OF HEALTH Stuart Close in his book “The Genius of Homoeopathy” defines Homoeopathy as the department of science in general medicine which has for its principle objects the observation and the study of the action of remedial agents in health, disease, treatment and cure of the disease by medication, according to fixed law or a general principle. §1 The physician’s high and only mission is to restore the sick to health, to cure, as it is termed. The concept of health and cure is discussed in Aphorism 1 of 6th Edition of “Organon of Medicine” His mission is not, however, to construct so-called systems, by interweaving empty speculations and hypotheses concerning the internal essential nature of the vital processes and the mode in which diseases originate in the interior of the organism, (whereon so many physicians have hitherto ambitiously wasted their talents and their time); nor is it to attempt to give countless explanations regarding the phenomena in diseases and their proximate cause (which must ever remain concealed), wrapped in unintelligible words and an inflated abstract mode of expression, which should sound very learned in order to astonish the ignorant – whilst sick humanity sighs in vain for aid. Of such learned reveries (to which the name of theoretic medicine is given, and for which special professorships are instituted) we have had quite enough, and it is now high time that all who call themselves physicians should at length cease to deceive suffering 42
mankind with mere talk, and begin now, instead, for once to act, that is, really to help and to cure. § 9 In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force (autocracy), the dynamics 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 purpose of our existence. The ideal condition of health is described in Aphorism 9 of 6th Edition of Organon of medicine as the condition of man where the spiritual energy of vital force keeps the material body alive and in working condition. It admirably maintains the harmonious functioning of the mechanisms of the various systems of the body to maintain the efficiency of both the body and mind so that he can use his harmonious energy for solving the higher purpose of his life. Health is a condition of a person where he is enjoying a state of well- being, maintaining the sensations and functions of the body with ease and comfort without any complaints about the surroundings. In short, it is a harmonious state of ease and comfort. In healthy conditions, man is not aware of the functions taking place in his own body. Every function in his body goes on uninterruptedly. The heartbeat, the lungs breathe, the kidneys filter and the stomach digests, but man does not notice this at all. He is in a state of perfect ease. The value of health can be best understood only when one loses it. Hahnemann considers health as a state of well-being. It indicates a state where all the structures and functions of the body are in harmony and the patient is not feeling any sort of discomfort. In healthy conditions, the vital force is maintaining the integrity of the body. Health is not just the absence of disease in the body. According to Stuart Close “Health is that balanced condition of the living organism in which the integral, harmonious performance of the vital functions tends to the preservation of the organism and the normal development of the individual”. Health is the physical, social, psychological and economic well-being of a person. 43
4.2 DYNAMIC CONCEPT OF DISEASE § 13 Therefore disease (that does not come within the province of manual surgery) considered, as it is by the allopath’s, as a thing separate from the living whole, from the organism and its animating vital force, and hidden in the interior, be it ever so subtle a character, is an absurdity, that could only be imagined by minds of a materialistic stamp, and has for thousands of years given to the prevailing system of medicine all those pernicious impulses that have made it a truly mischievous (non-healing) art. According to the description in Aphorism 13, the Allopathic physicians consider disease as something which is separate from the living organism, separated from vital force and something which is materialistic in nature and needs to be removed from the body. In Homoeopathy disease is a condition where the deranged vital force causes the organism to display morbid phenomena, in the form of signs and symptoms that is, how it produces disease. It is necessary for the physician to know of the disease and what is fully sufficient for enabling him to cure it, using his senses of observation and knowledge of what to cure. Homoeopathy considers a patient as a sick person in the first instance, “Treat the patient, not the disease” says, Master Hahnemann. While treating the patients, homoeopathy considers man as a whole that is his body and the life force. Disease is the disturbance in the harmonious state of body and mind. The condition when, the patient is not at ease and comfort, it is a state of disease. Disease is nothing but the deviation of health which is understood only by its morbid symptoms. According to Stuart Close “Disease is an abnormal vital process, a changed condition of life which is inimical to the true development of the individual and tends to organic dissolution”. The disease according to the dominant school is nothing but tissue change or derangement. But Hahnemann explained that the derangement of the tissue change is always followed by the dynamic derangement of the vital force. Only the dynamic miasmatic power can derange the dynamic vital force. The derangement of dynamic vital force always exhibits itself only on functional and behavioral changes which we call symptoms. If these functional changes are not controlled with the help of similar yet stronger dynamic medicines, it advances to structural changes. 44
§4 He is likewise a preserver of health if he knows the things that derange health and cause disease, and how to remove them from persons in health. Aphorism 4 states that there are several factors that contribute to the cause of disease. A physician can preserve the health of his patient only when he knows of the factors that cause derangement of health and methods as to how to remove them from the patient so as to gain health. 4.3 NATURE OF RECOVERY: § 12 (Sixth Edition) It is the morbidly affected vital energy alone that produces disease, so that the morbid phenomena perceptible to our senses express at the same time all the internal change, that is to say, the whole morbid derangement of the internal dynamis; in a word, they reveal the whole disease; consequently, also, the disappearance under treatment of all the morbid phenomena and of all the morbid alterations that differ from the healthy vital operations, certainly affects and necessarily implies the restoration of the integrity of the vital force and, therefore, the recovered health of the whole organism. Aphorism 12 explains the recovery according to Homoeopathy when the vital force is affected to the extent that disease is produced. The diseases produce a morbid phenomenon which can be felt by the sense organs at the same time, internal changes have also been developed resulting in overall change of internal dynamics, and this change is visible as disease manifested by signs and symptoms. The disappearance of these morbid changes along with disappearance of symptoms by treatment leads to reviving the functioning of the vital operations of the body. The restoration of the integrity of the vital force leads to recovery and health of the whole organism. Recovery is a state where the derangement of vital energy of the body visible to the outside as disease is revived by application of medicine to a state where the healthy functioning of vital force is ensured. Recovery—may be defined as ‘the spontaneous return of the patient to health after the removal, disappearance or cessation of the exciting causes and occasion of disease, or as a result of treatment which is not directly and specifically curative in its nature’. 45
4.4 CONCEPT 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. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann defined cure in aphorism 2 of his ‘Organon of Medicine’—The highest ideal of cure is rapid, gentle and permanent restoration of 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’. Primarily and essentially, cure is the restoration of health directly by medical art or normal physiological action. Cures do not consist in the removal of the external, secondary tangible products of disease but in restoration of the dynamical balance, so that the functions of the living organism are again performed normally and the patient is in a state of health. Cure is not affected by the removal surgically or by any local means, of the external, secondary pathological end-products of disease, such as tumors, effusions, collection of pus, useless organs or dead tissues, for the morbid functioning, which produced those effects, remains unchanged after such removal. Disease is manifested by perceptible signs and symptoms. Cure is manifested by the removal of those signs and symptoms in their whole extent and permanent restoration of the previous healthy state of the individual. Cure is not merely the removal of the primary causes of diseases. Cure is affected only by dynamical treatment according to a fixed principle. §8 It is not conceivable, nor can it be proved by any experience in the world, that, after removal of all the symptoms of the disease and of the entire collection of the perceptible phenomena, there should or could remain anything else besides health, or that the morbid alteration in the interior could remain uneradicated. When a patient has been cured of his disease by a true physician, in such a manner that no trace of the disease, no morbid symptom, remains, and all the signs of health have permanently returned. 46
Hahnemann strongly believed that “Removal of the totality of symptoms is the removal of disease”. In Homoeopathy cure has a special significance, mere removal of symptoms and removal of the external bodily symptoms does not mean cure. So, Cure is nothing but the permanent removal of the whole symptoms by harmless and fixed principles. When the patient is brought back to his previous healthy state, it is considered that he is cured. In order to bring back to health that to cure, the intelligent physician has to rely only on the basic principles of nature which are incorporated in the Organon of Medicine. Based on these fundamental principles of homoeopathy, we can restore the sick to health and cure the patient. 47
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF ORGANON OF MEDICINE 5 48
CHAPTER 5 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF ORGANON OF MEDICINE LEARNING OBJECTIVE To understand the origin of Organon. Learn about the concept behind the philosophies of Organon. Learn about the publication of Organon. Different editions of Organon of Medicine and their additions. 5.1 ORIGIN AND IMPORTANCE OF ORGANON The word Organon has been derived from the Greek word “Organum”. Before Hahnemann, this word is used by the Greek philosopher Aristotle and the English philosopher “Lord Francis Bacon”. Hahnemann was very much influenced by these two personalities, so he used the title “Organon of Medicine” for his magnum opus on medical philosophy. The meaning of the word Organon is • A simple literary work. • A method of scientific investigation. • Instrument of knowledge, a system of logic, an instrument of thought. 5.2 CONCEPT BEHIND THE PHILOSOPHY OF ORGANON After disclosing homoeopathy with the first essay on homoeopathy “An essay on a new principle for ascertaining the curative powers of drugs” in the year 1796 AD, Hahnemann extensively experimented with his new system of medicine. By the year 1810 AD, Hahnemann got convinced that his experiments with drugs and their curative effects on patients gave fruitful results. So to guide and properly communicate the nuances of Homoeopathic practice to his fellow physicians, he wrote a scientific treatise. Hahnemann had written his first edition for the entire medical fraternity of his time. The intention of this book was to prove that the only curative method in the world is the “Law of Similia”. In order to achieve his mission, the physician must acquire knowledge of the medical sciences along with the knowledge of Organon. 49
Before writing Organon, Hahnemann wrote several other books which are called the precursors of Organon, they exhibit Hahnemann’s views on the different therapeutic treatments and homoeopathic concepts well before the publication of Organon, and these are listed below: An essay on a new principle for ascertaining the curative powers of drugs- 1796 AD. Aesculapius in balance - 1805 AD. Medicine of experience - 1805 AD. On the value of a speculative system of medicine - 1808 AD. Observation on the three current methods of treatment - AD. 5.3 SCOPE OF ORGANON • Defines health, disease, and the role of the vital force. • Explains the law of similar (“like cures like”). • Discusses how medicines act on the human body. • Case taking and patient examination - Methods for collecting symptoms and understanding the patient’s condition. • Drug proving - Procedures for testing medicines on healthy individuals to determine their effects. • Principles for choosing the most appropriate medicine based on the totality of symptoms. • Guidelines for preparation, potency selection, dosage, and repetition of remedies. • Assessment of remedy action, aggravations, follow-up, and changes in prescriptions. • Chronic and acute diseases - Understanding, classification, and treatment of different types of diseases. • Responsibilities of the physician toward the patient and society. • In dynamic diseases, homeopathy has a large scope: Homeopathy can well be defined as the science of vital dynamics. It has a very great scope in the field of vital phenomenon and functional changes in the individual patient, irrespective of the name of the disease or its cause. Homeopathy is confined and operative in the field of vital dynamics. • Stuart Close says that the living being can be affected primarily by three ways: 50
• a. mechanical, • b. chemical, • c. dynamic • Mechanical causes can only be treated by surgical means, physical therapeutics and hygiene. Examples of mechanical uses are cases of trauma, accidents, injuries, fractures of the bones etc. • The chemical causes can only be treated by physiological or chemical antidotes, and then followed by appropriated homeopathic treatment for the functional derangement that follows. The examples of chemical causes are poisonings of any kind. • In the dynamic causes of diseases homeopathy has full scope. The dynamic diseases are those which are caused by the miasms. The effects of dynamic causes like intangible medicinal and toxic agents that constantly disturb the mind and body of the patient, come under the scope of similia. Example: mental or psychical, atmospheric or thermal, climacteric, dietic, hygienic, contagious, infectious, etc. can be cured effectively by homeopathy. • The disorders arising from prolonged abuse of drugs, falls under the scope of homeopathy. i.e. Iatrogenic diseases. The disorders arising from the bacterial causes, or pathogenic microorganisms, producing their effects through their toxins, or alkaloids, homeopathy has much more to offer. Example: the triumphant success of pioneers in treating the cases like cholera, yellow fever, typhus, and typhoid fever, malarial fever, diphtheria, tuberculosis and pneumonia etc. are the proof for the above statement. 5.4 SALIENT FEATURES OF ORGANON 1-6 EDITION Organon of medicine has run through 6 Editions, in each edition, Hahnemann made an attempt to add those experiences and practical knowledge that he acquired in his practice of Homoeopathy. THE FIRST EDITION: It was published in 1810. It contained 259 aphorisms and it was published during Hahnemann’s stay at Torgau. The title of the book was “Organon der rationallen hellikunde” meaning “Instrument of knowledge of rational medical science according to the law of homoeopathy”. The First edition’s introductory chapter contained some unintentional homoeopathic cures that were mentioned in contemporary medical books. It also contained the views of different authors on homoeopathic cures and their possibilities in daily practice. 51
In this edition Hahnemann touches all the points explaining the working mechanism of Homoeopathy. He also gave a full discussion of the theory of his method, and demonstration of its philosophical and scientific soundness, he gives minute rules for the examination of patients, for the proving of drugs, and for the selection of remedies upon the Homoeopathic principle—the Similia Similibus Curenter. He gave philosophical solutions to the concepts of Homoeopathy and the ideal approach to prescription of drugs including posology, and repetition of doses. He advocated for the use of single remedy based on the totality of symptoms. THE SECOND EDITION: It was published in 1819 AD. It was published from Leipzig; this book contained 318 aphorisms. The title of the book was “Organon der helikunst” which means “Instrument of knowledge of the healing art”. The title of the book had changed. Gellert’s poem was removed and, two Latin words were written “Aude Sapere” meaning “Dare to be Wise” or “Bold and sensible”. After the release of the first edition, Hahnemann had to face much criticism from the medical world, as an answer to that criticism, this edition contained a lengthy introduction chapter which elaborated the ill effects of allopathic medication and other bad and irrational methods adopted by the allopathic physicians. In the second edition149 new aphorisms were added. This edition saw some new changes where summary of aphorisms was introduced along with the aphorisms. It also contained 130 footnotes. It was never translated to English; however, it was translated in French by E.G. BRUNNOW in 1824. THE THIRD EDITION: It was published in 1824 AD. This edition was published when Hahnemann was in Koethen. It contained 320 aphorisms the title of the book was “Organon der helikunst” which means “Instrument of knowledge of the healing art” it was published 5 years after the 2nd Edition as an “Improved Edition”. Two new aphorisms were added with the introduction of miasms in aphorism 319 and 320. In the tear 1832 it was translated into French by two authors Brunnow and A.J.L. Jourdan. 52
THE FOURTH EDITION: It was published in 1829 AD as an improved edition during Hahnemann’s stay at Koethen. The title remained the same but many changes were made in the aphorisms, few of them were omitted, and it contained 292 aphorisms. The “Theory of Chronic diseases” was introduced for the first time in the fourth edition of Organon. in this theory, Hahnemann identified the “Psoric Miasm” as the cause of most diseases. The chapter “Introduction to Organon” was introduced in this edition. The Title of the 4th Edition remained the same as that in the 3rd Edition and the two latin words “Aude Sapere” remained on the cover page. For the very 1st time an English translation was done by Charles.H.Devrient of London in 1833.It was reprinted by C.Hering’s North American Academy of Homoeopathic Healing Art in 1836 THE FIFTH EDITION: It was published in the year 1833 AD while his stay in Kothen. This was the last edition published during the lifetime of Hahnemann. It contained 294 aphorisms. This edition had many new concepts introduced such as “the theory of vital force” and A definite drug- vehicle ratio was fixed and a method of drug dynamization was introduced. “The theory of drug dynamisation” was published for the first time in this edition. In this edition, a practical and logical method of the whole homoeopathic system was distinctly outlined. An English translation was done by 1939 under Hering’s North American Academy of Homoeopathic Healing Art. Other translations in English was done by Dr. R.E. Dudgeon in 1849, by C. Wesselhoeft in 1876, by B. Fincke in 1889. THE SIXTH EDITION: It was prepared by Hahnemann by 1842 but it only got published in 1921 AD, it contained 291 aphorisms. This edition came to light 78 years after the death of Hahnemann so it is also called “The Posthumous Edition”. The Title of the book remained the same. In this edition a new scale for preparation of drugs called the 50 millesimal scales was introduced, the theory of repetition of doses were also introduced in this edition. The term Vital Force replaced Vital Principle in a few places. This change was made because in the 19th century the term force was frequently used by the physical and chemical sciences to denote power either physical or vital. This edition was translated in English by Dr. William Boericke of U.S.A, Steven Decker made another English translation in 1996. 53
CHAPTER MISSION OF PHYSICIAN 6 54
CHAPTER 6 MISSION OF PHYSICIAN LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn who is a physician according to Hahnemann. To Learn about the mission of a physician. Understanding of the first Aphorism of Organon of Medicine. 6.1 MISSION OF THE PHYSICIAN (APHORISM 1) The mission of a physician is described by Dr. Hahnemann in Aphorism No. 1 of his famous book “Organon of Medicine” which is as follows: “The Physician’s high and only mission is to restore the sick to health, to cure, as it is termed.” 6.2 PHYSICIAN ACCORDING TO DR. HAHNEMANN Explanation of Aphorism §1: This Aphorism looks quite simple but actually, it has very deep meanings and it must be properly understood by all Homeopaths. We must understand the following terms used in this Aphorism to fully understand what is really meant by Hahnemann. A physician is a person who has a thorough knowledge of “Art of healing”. So, physician is a person who knows the laws and principles of nature and knows how to apply them in practice. Hahnemann considered the physician as a person who is well versed in the “Art of healing” rather than the” art of drugging”. The object was often missed and the physicians were off the tract. ‘That is why Hahnemann defines the physician’s duty at the very outset in the first Aphorism of his ‘Organon of Medicine so that people may not misunderstand him or his view point. A. High and Only Mission: Hahnemann did not use the words like “duty, responsibility, work or task” here. Instead, the word “High and Only Mission” is used. The word 55
mission seems to be appropriate because the physician must attend to his patients with the inner passion to serve and to save the patient and not just with a sense of attending duties. Hahnemann considered “curing the sick” is a holy and ultimate activity of the physician. No other work is more important for the physician than curing the sick. A physician’s mission is to protect the life force of his patient to which the economy gives ultimate importance. He is the guardian of the most precious thing in the world called life. The physician’s only mission while treating patients must be to restore the sick to health, to cure the sick. There are three fundamental points necessary for curing a disease. They are - (1) proper investigation of diseases, (2) proper investigation of medicinal powers (3) proper employment of those medicines on a fixed principle i.e. “Similia Similibus Curentur”. B. Sick By sick Hahnemann meant disturbance of the whole personality. Derangement of vital force from its harmonious state is termed as sick, it is the derangement of the inner man which precedes any organic damage. When a person falls ill, it is not one part of the body but the entire human being that is suffering. Hahnemann strongly believed that the tissue cannot be deranged unless the vital force is deranged. So, he says “there is no disease but sick people”. The derangement starts in the center of the vital force. One of the main concepts every physician must know is that “In Homeopathy We Don’t Cure Diseases, instead we cure patients or people who are sick”. In all other methods of therapeutics, all focus is on the diseases or the organs of the patient affected by those diseases. For example, if a patient is suffering from TB, then doctors will focus on the lungs and other organs affected by TB. Once TB is “controlled” it is said that the mission is accomplished. Similarly, if the patient is suffering from Anal Fistula, the Physician will consider it a Cure if the wound is closed by Surgery. In Homeopathy, it is believed that it is the Patient as a whole who is sick. We should not only take symptoms of the parts of the body that are affected 56
by some disease. Rather we should take all symptoms of the patient from Head to Toe including mental symptoms to find the correct remedy for the patient. For example, if a person is affected by TB, a good Homeopath will not only note the symptoms of TB (cough, mucus, blood, fever, sweating at night etc.) but also the “GENERAL” symptoms of the patient. For example, feelings of the patient (restlessness, anxiety, Fears, Sadness, Revenge etc.), effects of cold/hot weather, likes and dislikes, eating habits, sleeping habits and so on. After taking a full case all important symptoms of the “Patient” (not disease only) are noted and then a Single most similar Homeopathic remedy is selected to cure the Patient. C. Health and Cure Hahnemann strongly believed that “removal of the totality of symptoms is the removal of disease”. A cure is nothing but the permanent removal of the whole symptoms by harmless and fixed principles. When the patient is brought back to his previously healthy state, it is considered that he is cured. In Homeopathy a patient is said to be cured when all of his mental and physical problems are solved and returned to the point where no disturbance is present. The patient is fully healed, when his “Vital Force” is fully healed. According to Homeopathic Concepts, it is the Vital Force that is affected first of all. If not treated, then Vital Force expresses the disturbance in the form of diseases and symptoms in different parts of the body including thoughts and feelings. Once a patient is fully cured, it means that “all symptoms” that were the indication of the disturbance of Vital Force have disappeared completely. This cure must be permanent also, and should not return back after a few days or months. 6.3 FOOTNOTE ON APHORISM §1: His mission is not, however, to construct so -called systems, by interweaving empty speculations and hypotheses concerning the internal essential nature of the vital processes and the mode in which diseases originate in the interior of the organism, (whereon so many physicians have hitherto ambitiously wasted their talents and their time); nor is it to attempt to give countless explanations regarding the phenomena in diseases and their proximate cause (which must ever remain concealed), wrapped in unintelligible words and an inflated abstract mode of expression, which should sound very learned in order to astonish the ignorant - whilst sick 57
humanity sighs in vain for aid. Of such learned reveries (to which the name of theoretic medicine is given, and for which special professorships are instituted) we have had quite enough, and it is now high time that all who call themselves physicians should at length cease to deceive suffering mankind with mere talk, and begin now, instead, for once to act, that is, really to help and to cure. Hahnemann also added that a Physician should not propagate false hypotheses or theories about health, disease and cure. This will only move the physician and patients away from a perfect cure. It should be understood that “Laws” never change. If Earth is revolving around the Sun, then it will keep doing the same till the end of the Universe. It is not possible that after 100 or 1000 years, the Sun would start rotating around the Earth. In the same way, the laws of cure will remain the same because these are the laws of nature. The basic law of Homeopathy is “Similar Cures Similar” and this cannot be changed as it is a Law of Nature. A good homoeopath must stick to basic laws and should not coin new hypotheses or theories to avoid confusion. A sick man wants to be cured from his sufferings and what else should be the first attention of a physician? It should not be the object of a physician to analyze the mode in which diseases originate in the invisible essential organism or how it acts on invisible vital force (Life Principle) nor it is to attempt to give countless explanations regarding the phenomenon of the disease, but the first and foremost aim and object of a physician should be to help the diseased person in curing him from his sufferings and to restore the health. 58
CHAPTER IDEAL CURE 7 59
CHAPTER 7 IDEAL CURE LEARNING OBJECTIVE Understanding of aphorism 2 To learn about the concept of an ideal cure. To learn what is cure according to Hahnemann. What is cure according to Constantine Hering. To learn about “Hering’s Law of Cure” 7.1 UNDERSTANDING OF APHORISM 2 (IDEAL CURE) 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. 7.2 WHAT IS CURE ACCORDING TO HAHNEMANN In this aphorism, Hahnemann explained how an ideal cure can look like. He explained the different criteria as: Rapid: The drug given to the patient must be able to relieve the sufferings of the patient as soon as possible. Cure must be rapid and in shortest time, since disease in itself is suffering, ‘The sooner a person is relieved of his suffering the better for him. It goes without saying that the method of treatment used to bring cure should be rapid and the ones which takes the shortest time is certainly the Ideal method of cure. Gentle: Hahnemann advocated that the methods or procedures used to cure must gentle for the patient, it must not be a reason for pain or suffering of the patient. Cure must be gentle, painless and harmless. The method of treatment used to bring cure should be gentle and painless as far as possible. A diseased person is already suffering. If his suffering is made worse by the method of treatment, it is like adding fuel to the fire this can lead to a condition where the patient is left more traumatized by the method of treatment rather than that of the disease. 60
During Dr. Hahnemann’s time leeching, blood-letting, blistering, cauterization and other torture some methods were in practices. Not only that, during Hahnemann’s time venesection was resorted to for nearly every type of ailment and much vital fluid used to be wasted in the name of treatment and the patient used to recover not because of treatment but in spite of treatment. So, nothing could be more welcome to the patient if a painless and harmless method of treatment is applied. This is certainly one of the most important factors of highest Ideal of Cure. Permanent: Cure must be the annihilation of disease to its whole extent. Suffering is manifested through symptoms of various kinds of which some may be of the most agonizing type while others may be least painful. But every symptom indicates a deviation from the state of normal health. As such each and every symptom has got to be removed to cure the disease in its whole, extent and the cure is not worth the name if the health is not restored permanently. A temporary restoration of health by palliation or suppression of an agonizing symptom should not be an Ideal of Cure. Reliable and comprehensible method: Cure must be by way of reliable method based on an easily comprehensible principle. The last but not the least criterion of an ideal of cure is that the therapeutic practice must not be based on an empirical guess work. The art of healing must be based on a fixed scientific principle, deduced from observation, generalization and experimental verifications. There must be a therapeutic law and the treatment must be on the application of that law. Asculepius, a Greek physician first conceptualized these criteria of an ideal of cure. After 2000 years from Asclepiads, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann succeeded in materializing this idea of cure in the field of medicine. The ‘Therapeutic Law of Nature’, the ‘Natural Law of Cure’ and the ‘Homoeopathic Law of Cure’ are synonymous. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann has comprehended the law as follows in aphorism 26 of his ‘Organon of Medicine’- “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 manifestations”. Dr. Hahnemann has established this law on the following; he says that there are generally three possible modes of employing medicines against diseases. They are — 61
• The allopathic or heteropathic mode, • The antipathic (enantiopathic) or palliative mode, and • The homoeopathic mode of employing medicines against diseases. We may discuss the above three modes of employing medicines against diseases one by one: A. Allopathic mode of employing of medicines—The allopathic mode of employment of medicine is one in which medicines are given whose symptoms have no direct pathological relation to the morbid state, consequently are neither similar nor opposite, but quite heterogeneous to the symptoms of the disease. This method is based on diseased condition which may be or may not be true, i.e. man with fever is treated with the idea that evacuation of bowels will lead to elimination of toxic substances which are causatively associated with the production of febrile condition. Very often these assumptions are erroneous and the desired result (Cure) is not achieved. B. Antipathic (enantiopathic) or Palliative mode of employing of medicines. This is a system in which methods of treatment are employed, an attempt is made to remove and annihilate the disease symptoms by a medicine which has an opposite reaction e.g. Diarrhea is treated by constipation causing agents. C. Homoeopathic mode of employing of medicines- According to this method, a single simple medicine is given (whose pathogenic effects on healthy human being is known) in minimum doses of suitable potency or attenuation, on the basis of similarity of totality of medicinal symptoms to the natural disease symptoms. In other words, the chosen medicine has the power and tendency to produce an artificial morbid stale most similar to that of the case of natural disease to be treated and thus it removes the totality of the symptoms radically and permanently. Dr. Hahnemann by his fine observation of natural cure and the inductive method of logic became convinced and denoted the true law of cure as ‘Similia Similibus Curentur’, i.e., ‘Let likes to be cured by likes’ which is the basic law of therapeutic in homoeopathy. So, the establishment of the therapeutic Law of cure is based on pure experience and observation. Dr. Hahnemann states emphatically that the pure homoeopathic mode of employment of medicine for ideal of cure is the only proper way, the only direct way, the way possible to human skill. 62
7.3 “HERING’S LAW OF CURE” An ideal prognosis of cure is best described by Dr. Hering in Hering’s Law of Cure “Growth, development and cure are centrifugal and never centripetal”. Hering’s law of cure is also known as the law of direction of cure. This is formulated by the famous homoeopath, Dr. Constentine Hering, who is also called the “Father of American Homeopathy”. According to this law, in a patient who received the simillimum remedy, “the cure takes place from above downwards, from within outwards, from the more important organ to the less important organ and in the reverse order of the appearance of symptoms”. In the writings of Hahnemann, we observe that when a cure takes place the symptoms disappear in the reverse order of their appearance. The symptom that appeared first will be the last one to disappear. The recurrence of old symptoms after administering a remedy is a good indication, such a condition in a patient shows that the cure is inevitable. It was the genius of Hering which made us understand the process of cure or the direction of the cure. Hering’s law of cure for a homoeopath is like a compass to a navigator and sailor. Though the law seems to appear in 4 steps, each step explains the same process of cure. The examples that are given below are only for a better understanding of the concept. According to the law of direction of cure, the cure must take place. 1. From Above Downwards When a similimum is administered to a patient, the annihilation of symptoms will take place from the proximal (near the central line) anatomical parts to the distal (far from the central line) anatomical parts of the body. The symptoms disappear from the axial (top) part to the appendicular (bottom) part of the body. If such a thing is observed, it indicates that the selected remedy is homoeopathic and also acting curatively. For example: if a patient is suffering from “polyarthritis” and a homoeopathic drug is given as a curative remedy, the joints that are close to the trunk (proximal) will get better first, and then the joints away from the body (distal). Moreover, the joints of the upper limb will be freed first, then the joints of the lower limb. The logic behind this explanation is that usually, the upper quadrant of the human body contains the important organs that are vital to life. Hence, the curative remedy frees the vital parts first and then proceeds to the other parts. 63
2. From Within Outwards According to homoeopathic philosophy, the disease process first starts in the internal man i.e. vital force. Then the disease is reflected onto the outer man i.e. the anatomical organs. In short, the derangement always starts in the vital force. Symptoms of the disease are “the outwardly reflected picture of the internally deranged vital force”. The curative process in nature is from “center to periphery”. The homoeopathic remedy always first eases the inner vital organs and then proceeds to the outer parts of the body. In selecting the homoeopathic remedy, Kent’s general symptoms (symptoms of the man) are given more importance than the particular symptoms (symptoms of his parts). Once the curative process of the remedy starts, the general symptoms improve first and then the particulars. This is the reason why after the administration of a remedy the patient “feels better” in his inner self, in spite of the existence of the disease in the physical parts. Example: If a patient with complaints of both respiratory as well as skin disorders receives a homoeopathic remedy, the respiratory complaints disappear first and then the skin disorder disappears. This is because the curative process is starting from the inner respiratory organs to the outer skin. In cases of “rheumatic fever”, joints are affected first and then it progresses to the heart. In such cases, when a remedy is administered it cures the cardiac symptoms first and finally the joint problems. This is because the curative process is starting from the innermost organ heart to the outer joints. 3. From the more important Organ to the Less Important Organ The curative process is the opposite of the disease process. The disease proceeds from less important organs to the most important organ. Whereas the curative process is always from the more important organ to the less important organ. As already discussed above, the important organs are lying deep in the body and the less important ones in the outer parts. In this context, the importance of the particular organ is determined by its role in retaining the life of the patient. Example: A patient with complaints of both respiratory as well as skin disorders, when receiving a homoeopathic remedy, the respirator)’ “complaints 64
disappear first and the skin disorder disappears later. This is because the curative process is starting from the more important organ lungs to the less important organ skin. In cases of “rheumatic fever”, when a remedy is administered it cures the cardiac symptoms first and finally the joint problems. This is because the curative process is starting from the most important organ heart to the less important organ joints. In both cases the importance of the organ in maintaining life and vitality played a major role. 4. In the Reverse Order of the Appearance of Symptoms This process is very accurate in the case of chronic diseases. The past history of the patient reveals the list of conditions the patient had suffered in his life. During the “case taking”, the physician arranges these diseases in the order of their appearance i.e. in chronological order. If such a case is given a curative remedy, we can observe the reverse order of the appearance of symptoms. That means the symptoms of the disease that appeared first in the patient’s life will be the last ones to disappear. Those symptoms of the disease that appeared last, i.e. recently, will be the first to disappear. A patient’s history reveals that he has been suffering from oozing itchy skin eruptions for 20 years, along with constant bleeding hemorrhoids for 5 years and bronchial asthma with dry cough and breathlessness for 2 years. If in such a case a simillimum remedy is administered, it will remove the symptoms of bronchial asthma first, then the symptoms of hemorrhoids and finally the symptoms of skin eruptions. This process is an important indication that the administered remedy is not only homoeopathic to the case but also curing the patient in a rapid, gentle and permanent manner. Experience suggests that after the administration of the curative remedy some old symptoms which were suppressed in the past may also reappear. This happens in their order of appearance. This is a good indication indicating that the remedy is curing the case. These 4 steps explained here have to be interpreted as a single unit. After the remedy was administered, if the symptoms are following the “law of direction of cure”, the physician can be sure of the cure. It helps in predicting the prognosis of the case. As soon as the symptoms start following Hering’s law of cure, further repetition of the medicine has to be stopped. Any substance that disturbs the action of the remedy called has to be withdrawn immediately. Thus, Hering’s law of cure can be called the guide to the physician on the path to the highest ideal of cure. 65
CHAPTER THEORY OF VITAL FORCE 8 66
CHAPTER 8 THEORY OF VITAL FORCE LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the concept of vital force. To learn how vital force works. What happens when vital force is deranged. To understand the role of vital force in health. To understand the role of vital force in disease. To learn about the characteristics of vital force. 8.1 CONCEPT AND FUNCTIONS OF VITAL FORCE The theory or doctrine of Vital force was introduced in Organon of Medicine in the 5th Edition; this word was replaced by another word Vital principle in the 6th Edition of the Organon of medicine. The concept of vital force is to explain the existence of an animating invisible energy in the universe, whereas vital principle is a special kind of power possessed by a material body which keeps it functioning. The eminent Dr B.K Sarkar stated that “The vital force is an abstract term while the life principle is the concrete term”. This theory is discussed in several aphorisms of the 6th Edition of Organon of medicine. 8.2 ROLE OF VITAL FORCE IN HEALTH AND DISEASE § – 9 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 purpose of our existence. The reasoning spirit who inhabits the organism can thus freely use this healthy living instrument to reach the lofty goal of human existence. 67
Dr. Samuel Hahnemann has given a definition of ‘Vital Force’ in aphorism 9 of the 6th edition of ‘Organon of Medicine’. He described it as the spiritual Vital Force or an autocracy of energy, also known as the dynamis or factor that animates (which makes it alive) the material body of an organism in order to keep it functional. The vital force rules the body with an unbound sway, and in such a manner that it retains all the parts of the organism in admirable harmonious co-ordination as a result of which the vital operation, in relation to both sensations and functions can be performed which in turn result in fulfilling the daily activities. We not only observe life but only living beings. We can study the properties of a living organism and can at best, differentiate them with those of non-living entities. Dr. Hahnemann also says that because of the vital force, when the organism is in the condition of health, the dwelling of a reason-gifted mind lying in the body can freely employ this living healthy instrument or the body for the higher purposes of our existence or the fulfillment of life. It can be understood that the merely instinctive vital energy is devoid of power of reasoning or it can be said that it does not have the power to think but when it was implanted in our organism, it will keep our life in harmonious working order as long as the organism is healthy. But the same vital force is not able to heal by itself in case of disease except when it possesses an excellent capacity to do this, it would never allow the organism to become ill hence it maintains the state of health. We should not confuse science of life with metaphysic of life. Dr. Hahnemann says that as a practical physician we are more concerned with the scientific aspect of life. The imperceptible life force always expresses itself through a material body. Without the Vital Force (Life Principle) an organism would he incapable of sensations and functions of self- preservation. §-10 The material organism, without the vital force, is capable of no sensation, no function, no self-preservation1, it derives all sensation and performs all the functions of life solely by means of the immaterial being (the vital principle) which animates the material organism in health and in disease. It is dead, and only subject to the power of the external physical world; it decays, and is again resolved into its chemical constituents. 68
In this aphorism it is described that without the vital force the person or the material organism is unable to feel anything, or take any actions, or maintain itself in health and in disease. Only because of the immaterial being (vital principle, vital force) which animates it in health and in disease, the person or the material organism is able to feel and maintain its vital functions. Without the vital force the body dies; and then, it is subjected to the forces of the outer material world where it decomposes, reverting to its chemical constituents. The ‘Vital Force’ acts independently and animates the organism in health and in disease. Its action does not depend on anything material. Dr. Hahnemann says that Vital Force acts automatically. He uses the word ‘spiritual’ to qualify the phrase ‘Vital Force’ meaning thereby that the vital force is not perceptible to our senses and is therefore immaterial. Hahnemann also uses the word ‘dynamis’ to the ‘Vital Force’ as he considers it a substantial force. Force always implies the existence of something to which it belongs. When Dr. Hahnemann talked about ‘Vital Force’ he did not mean a special kind of force of the material body but the force of the Life Principle and this he wrote in uniquely terms in the sixth edition of his ‘Organon of Medicine’. He referred all the phenomena of health and disease to the ‘Life Principle’, and the force of life principle works in and through the material body. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann says that the source of health and disease is not material but spiritual, i.e. immaterial Life Principle which is integrated with body and mind in the human being. Health and disease are but different states of the living organism. A condition of ease is health and that of suffering is disease, both are qualitative states of living organism. In health all the expression of vital force may be shown by perfect functioning of all the parts of the body and by a sense of general well-being. In aphorism 10, Hahnemann states that without Vital Force the material organism is capable of no sensation, no function and no self-preservation. It is dead and now only the object to the power of the external physical world. 8.3 DERANGEMENT OF VITAL FORCE § – 11 When a person falls ill, it is only this spiritual, self-acting (automatic) vital force, everywhere present in his organism, that is primarily deranged by the dynamic influence upon it of a morbific agent inimical 69
to life; it is only the vital force, deranged to such an abnormal state, that can furnish the organism with its disagreeable sensations, and incline it to the irregular processes which we call disease; for, as a power invisible in itself, and only cognizable by its effects on the organism, its morbid derangement only makes itself known by the manifestation of disease in the sensations and functions of those parts of the organism exposed to the senses of the observer and physician, that is, by morbid symptoms, and in no other way can it make itself known. When man falls ill, the dynamic influence of the disease force acts on this self-sustaining spirit-like vital force (vital principle) which is present everywhere, in all the cells and organs of the organism which is affected or disturbed by the dynamic influence of the hostile disease agent. It is only this vital force which under the influence of the disease agent brings about in the organism the disagreeable sensations and abnormal functions that we call disease. Being invisible, and recognizable solely by its effects on the organism, it can express itself and reveal its effects only by pathological manifestations in feeling and function where the only aspects of the organism accessible to the senses of the observer and the physician are the disease symptoms. In disease, as Hahnemann says in aphorism 11 that it is only the spiritual, self-acting (automatic) Vital Force, everywhere present in his organism that is primarily deranged by the dynamic influence upon it of a morbific agent inimical to life. When the vital Force is morbidly affected or deranged, the organism elicits abnormal sensations and functions, that is, and the derangement of Vital Force only makes itself known by the manifestations of morbid symptoms which we call disease. Life is the invisible, substantial entity. It is the intelligent, individual, coordinating power. It is directing and controlling the forces involved in the production and activity of any organism possessing individuality. Upto 4th edition of the ‘Organon of Medicine’ Hahnemann describes Life as ‘Organism, a living one’. In the 5th edition he describes Life as ‘Vital Force. But in the 6th edition he invariably uses the term ‘Vital Principle’ instead of ‘Vital Force’. Even he speaks in one place the vital force of the Vital Principle’, thus making it clear that he holds firmly to the substantial view of life which is an objective entity, a primary originating power or principle and not a mere condition or mode of notion. 70
8.4 CHARACTERISTICS OF VITAL FORCE Vital force can be defined as an autocratic, autonomic, spirit- like unintelligent, dynamic, instinctive, life preserving force which animates the material body. Autocratic: (Self-power) autocratic means self-power. Vital force has its own law or power of functioning. It possesses a power of its own and a mechanism of its own. It does not derive any type of energy from any part of the body at this time. Autonomic/Automatic: Vital force is a self-acting force in the body. It acts on its own without any external influence. No force of the body has any control over its action and movements. Vital force is prevalent all over the body uniformly. Spirit like force: Vital force has no shape, no volume and no mass. It cannot be seen, but its functions can only be observed. This immaterial invisible vital force works and functions through this material physical body. Unintelligent: Inspite the fact that the vital force is a power to control the physical body in the healthy condition, it does not possess the power to reason. It only promotes its sufferings and impulses to the physical body. It is called unintelligent because during any fatal acute disease if any threat to the life of organism occurs, it tries to save the life by sacrificing one part of the body to the miasmatic influence. Dynamic: The law of dynamics is unknown to us similarly how the vital force pervades each cell uniformly remains unknown to us. Only its effects are made clear to our senses. Through its functions. As long as the vital force exists in the cell, the organism is alive and the cell functions. In dynamic action, what happens can be seen but why it happens cannot be explained. Instinctive: Instinct means natural impulse. Vital force has a basic natural instinct. It continues performing its functions according to the law of nature. It does not change according to the constitutional nature of the person. Vital force is influenced by knowledge. Life preserving power: It is a known fact that as long as the vital force exists inside the body, it is a living creature. The moment vital force leaves the body; body stops functioning and it is called dead. This is the only demonstrable proof for the existence of life preserving force inside the body. 71
CHAPTER PRINCIPLES OF HOMEOPATHY 9 72
CHAPTER 9 PRINCIPLES OF HOMEOPATHY LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the cardinal principles of Homoeopathy. To learn about the law of Similia. To learn the law of simplex. To learn the law of minimum dose. To learn the doctrine of drug proving. To learn the theory of chronic diseases. To learn the theory of vital force. To learn the doctrine of drug dynamization. 9.1 FUNDAMENTAL OR CARDINAL PRINCIPLES OF HOMOEOPATHY There are some fixed laws on which the Homoeopathic system of medicine is based these are called the fundamental or the cardinal principles of Homoeopathy. • Law of Similia • Law of Simplex • Law of Minimum • Doctrine of Drug Proving • Theory of Chronic disease • Theory of Vital Force • Doctrine of Drug Dynamization 9.2 LAW OF SIMILIA Homeopathy is a system of medicine based on a definite law “Similia Similibus Curantur” which means “Like Cures Like”. The word Homeopathy is a Greek derivation where Homeos means “Similar” and Pathos means “Suffering”. So, Homeopathy may be defined as the therapeutic method of application of Homoeopathic drugs 73
on the basis of Symptom Similarity. From a crude law of nature, it became an applied principle of a system of healing. According to this system, the choice of the medicine is fundamental and based on the principle that the medicine must have the capability of producing the most similar symptoms of the disease to be cured in healthy persons. 9.3 LAW OF SIMPLEX-THE SINGLE REMEDY In sec.272 Hahnemann states that only one single, simple medicinal substance is to be administered in a given case at a time. This is due to the following reasons: • The Homoeopathic remedies were proved singly and the Materia Medica was built up on the observed effects of the drugs given singly, either in planned proving or in accidental proving. • Only one remedy can be the most similar at any given time with the condition of any given patient. • Moreover, if more than one remedy is used, then the doctor cannot know which element was curative and one source of future guidance is thereby obscured. • If more than one drug is given in one prescription, then the possibility of synergistic action cannot be ruled out but it cannot be argued that the effect will be the sum total of the effects of the separate drugs. The ingredient drugs may even result in interactions that may have adverse effects in the body. • A mixture of more than one remedy in a single dose would constitute a new remedy which would require to be proved as such for a proper estimate of its probable effects. • Besides everything, Vital force, the life principle governing the complex human life, is a single substance. So, the medicine intended to correct its disturbance and disharmony should be prescribed only singly, that is one at a time. 9.4 LAW OF MINIMUM DOSE • The suitableness of a medicine for any given case does not depend on its accurate homeopathic selection alone, but likewise on the proper size or rather smallness of dose. • Under this principle we give medicine to the patient and very minute dose. 74
• The minute dose means that the quantity of medicine which is though smallest in quantity produces the least possible excitation of the vital force and yet sufficient to effect the necessary change in it. • The quantity is minimum, yet appropriate, for a gentle remedial effect. • This concept of minimum dose leads to the discovery of a practical process called Potentization. The administration of minimum dose of a medicine has the following advantages: • To avoid unwanted aggravation. • The specific dynamic action which produces the uncommon characteristic, distinguishing symptoms of the drug is produced by the minimum quantity of the drug. • Smallness of the dose does not allow the drug to do any organic damage nor is there any risk of drug addiction and side-effects. • Just to take full advantage of finer and finest curative properties of the remedies, they should be administered in minimum dose. • In order to maintain the similarity of the sequence of the disease and the drug (which was found during drug proving) a minimum dose is also necessary. • The concept of minimum dose can be verified by Arndt- Schultz law that small doses stimulate, medium doses paralyze and large doses kill. In other words, the action of small and very large doses of the same substance on living matter is opposite. • Law of least action-This law is formulated by Maupertius, the French mathematician. “The quantity of action necessary to affect any change in nature is the least possible, the decisive amount is always a minimum an infinitesimal.” • Health is a matter of perfect equilibrium, perfect balance, trifling circumstances may sway it, so may it be balanced by the least possible in medication which may, in conditions of perfect health, cause the same loss of balance or corresponding loss of equilibrium. • According to the law of quantity of FINCKE: The quality of the action of homeopathic remedy is determined by its quantity, in inverse ratio. 75
9.5 DOCTRINE OF DRUG PROVING In Homeopathy we prescribe only those medicines whose medicinal properties are known through ‘Drug Proving’. Hahnemann was the first (except Albrecht Von Haller who felt the necessity of it but not applied in the treatment of diseases) who wanted to know the action of drugs upon the humans. This process is known as ‘Drug Proving’. Drug proving is a systematic investigation of the pathogenic (disease- producing) power of medicine (hence disease-curing power also) on a healthy human being of different ages, both sexes and of various constitutions. These recordings of drug proving form the only reliable knowledge of medicines which are very much essential to cure diseases homeopathically. The drug must be proved on human beings for the following reasons: • Animals do not give subjective or mental symptoms. • Effects of the same drug on animals and on human beings are very much different. • We do not get the modalities and finer symptoms of drugs. Moreover, the human being should be healthy due to the following reasons: • The symptoms of the drug and that of the disease will be mix together. • The action of drug on the sick person is different from the normal one. • We cannot get the real disease producing power of medicine by administering it on the sick individual. 9.6 THEORY OF CHRONIC DISEASES • During the early age of homoeopathic practice Hahnemann observed that in spite of best homeopathic treatment, the chronic cases would return with a recurrence of symptoms at intervals, while the acute disease did not relapse. • This failure led him to investigate thoroughly a large number of chronic affections and after 12 years of experiments and observations he reached the conclusion that the chronic diseases are caused by Chronic miasms. • Those chronic miasms are Psora, Syphilis and Sycosis. • Psora is the real fundamental cause and producer of innumerable forms of diseases. It is the mother of all diseases and at least seven-eighth of 76
all the chronic maladies (diseases) spring from it while the remaining eight spring from Syphilis and Sycosis. • Cure is only possible by proper anti-miasmatic treatment. • Although this theory was incorporated in the fourth edition (1829) of Organon of medicine, he published his classical work in 1820 “Chronic diseases their nature and homoeopathic treatment”. 9.7 THEORY OF VITAL FORCE • It is homoeopathy which focuses on the existence and operation of the vital force in a living organism. • The human organism is a triune entity consisting of body, mind and spirit. This spirit which is responsible for the different manifestations of life is termed by Dr. Hahnemann as a ‘Vital force. • Hahnemann speaks of the vital force in aphorism 10 of his organon of medicine thus: ‘The material organism without the vital force is incapable of no sensation, no function, no self-preservation; it derives all sensations and performs all the functions of life solely by means of the immaterial being (the vital force) which animates the material organism in health and in disease’. • In the healthy condition it is this vital force which maintains normal functions and sensations of the organism. But when this vital force is primarily dynamically deranged by some morbific dynamic influence, it causes abnormal sensations and functions which are manifested outwardly through the material body as abnormal signs and symptoms, the totality of which constitutes the disease. • Again, if a cure is to be established it is the vital force that must arouse itself or be aided to arise for the recovery. If the vital force is too exhausted and debilitated then no medicinal aid is of help because the vital force has receded beyond the reach of external aid. • This doctrine was introduced in the fifth edition of Organon of Medicine (1833). In the Sixth edition, in few places it has been changed to ‘Vital Principle’. 9.8 DOCTRINE OF DRUG DYNAMIZATION Homoeopathic dynamizations are processes by which the medicinal properties which are latent in natural substances while in the crude state, become awakened and developed into activity to an incredible degree. 77
According to Stuart Claus M.D: “Homeopathic potentization is a mathematico-mechanical process for the reduction, according to the scale of crude, inert or poisonous medicinal substances to a state of physical solubility, physiological assimilability and therapeutic activity and harmlessness, for use as homoeopathic healing remedies”. Drugs are potentized by the following two methods: • Trituration- in case of insoluble substances • Succussion- in case of soluble substances The objects of potentization in homoeopathy are as follows: • To reduce the medicinal substance which helps to avoid unwanted medicinal aggravation and side effects. • Homeopathy believes that vital force is dynamic in nature and that if affected by diseases can only be cured by the dynamic power of serviceable medicine, not by its material quantity. • By this process the most virulent and deadly poisons are not only rendered harmless but are transformed into beneficent healing remedies. (Ex-Arsenic, Lycopodium, Silicea etc. • Substances which are medicinally inert in their crude natural state are thus rendered active and effective for Healing the sick. (Eg –Common salt, Charcoal, Lycopodium, Silicea etc.) • The medicinal qualities of other drugs which are more or less active in their natural state are enhanced and their spheres of action are broadened by this process. • The action of the potentized medicines is deeper, longer and more widespread. This doctrine of Drug-dynamization was introduced into homoeopathy through the fifth edition of Organon of Medicine published in the year 1833. 78
CHAPTER TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS 10 79
CHAPTER 10 TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about symptoms. To learn about the different types of symptoms. To learn about totality of symptoms. To learn about the factors of totality of symptoms. 10.1 DEFINITION OF TOTALITY OF SYMPTOM The disease is known by perceptible signs and symptoms. The totality of symptoms constitutes the true and only conceivable portrait of disease and helps in individualizing the patients as well as the remedies. If the signs and symptoms are considered as a whole, it can be termed as the “Totality of symptoms”. Hahnemann defines totality as “The symptoms are the outwardly reflected picture of the internal essence of the disease that is the affection of the vital force”. Dr. Von Boenninghausen defines it as “It is not only the sum total of symptoms but is in itself one grand symptom of the patient”. Dr Stuart Close says “The totality means all the symptoms of the case which are capable of being logically combined into a harmonious and consistent whole, having coherency and individuality”. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann very clearly states the essential meaning of what he means disease in aphorism 6 of his ‘Organon of Medicine’. He says that the physician ‘notices only the deviations from the former healthy state of now diseased individual which are felt by the patient himself remarked by those around him and observed by the physician. All these perceptible signs represent the disease in its whole extent, that is, together they form the true and only conceivable portrait of the disease’. In aphorism 7, Dr. Hahnemann again clearly characterizes diseases as ‘the totality of these, its symptoms, of this outwardly 80
reflected picture of the internal essence of the disease, that is, of the affection of the vital force, must be the principal, or the sole means, whereby the disease can make known what remedy it requires the only thing that can determine the choice of the most appropriate remedy and thus in a word, the totality of the symptoms must be the principal, indeed the only thing the physician has to take note of in every case of disease and to remove by means of his art, in order that the disease shall be cured and transformed into health. Diseases, are always associated with symptoms. But Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, first time, introduces an original idea ‘The Totality of Symptoms’, which constitutes a disease which we see in the above two aphorisms. According to Hahnemann, man is indivisible organic whole. When an individual becomes sick, he becomes as a whole and we have to study his symptoms as a whole and have to choose the remedy to remove his disease symptoms as a whole. All kinds of symptoms, menial as well as physical, the symptoms feel by the patient, the symptoms observed by the attendants and the physician, all subjective and objective symptoms, together to be accounted for to draw the picture of a complete disease. Il is the totality of symptoms and not a few agonizing symptoms and this ‘totality of symptoms must be noted by the physician as the object of his treatment. 10.2 TECHNIQUE OF ASCERTAINING THE TOTALITY During the process of case taking, when a physician tries to get the complete picture of a disease, he will find himself in a pile of symptoms. The Physician realizes that each and every symptom collected is not that important for either diagnosis of a diseased condition or to prescribe a homoeopathic remedy. Here it becomes essential for the physician to analyze and grade these symptoms so that a sum of all the symptoms is achieved. This gives us a totality of symptoms based on quantity and quality also known as: Qualitative Totality • These are uncommon/peculiar/characteristic symptoms. • These help in homoeopathic prescribing. For the selection of a homoeopathic remedy, we require uncommon, peculiar and characteristic symptoms from the entire pile of symptoms 81
collected from the patient. These symptoms will help in individualizing the patient and his suffering hence it is useful for homoeopathic prescribing. This totality is called the Qualitative totality. So, qualitative totality is the one which the physician uses for the purpose of homoeopathic prescribing by characterizing the patient’s suffering and individualizing him. Quantitative Totality • These are common symptoms of the case (Numerical totality). • These help in the general management of the case. The large collection of symptoms that a physician finds in a patient immediately after case taking can be called the Numerical totality or Quantitative totality. These includes symptoms expressed by the patient, observed by the physician and the attendants. Only a few of these symptoms really give some meaningful insight to the physician regarding the disease. So, he tries to grade the symptoms according to their importance in prescribing of medicine or understanding the patient as a person. The process of arranging or grading symptoms according to their importance is called the Evaluation of symptoms. These evaluations of symptoms help analyze them which are later graded according to importance for the selection of remedy. Thus, the physician deducts the Qualitative totality from the Quantitative totality (numerical totality). The other common symptoms and the pathological symptoms present in the case help the physician in the miasmatic diagnosis and the general management of the case. “Totality of Symptoms” implies not merely a numerical aggregate of all the symptoms but it relates to the systematic comprehension of a concrete individual picture of the patient through a logical combination of general particular, distinctive or individualizing peculiar symptoms as manifested by the patient, says Dr. Sarkar. 10.3 THE SOURCES OF TOTALITY The totality of symptoms can be collected from the following sources: 1. The Patient The patient is the chief source of information about the disease. Because 82
he is suffering from the disease, the changes in his body, his sensations and functions are better noticed and can only be effectively presented by the patient alone. Converting each symptom into a grand symptom is possible only with the patient’s help like collecting the sensation, the location of the pain, and those conditions that aggravate and ameliorate the condition. The subjective sensations are collected only from the patient. Example: Only the patient can tell about the type of the pain, desires and aversions, nature of the dreams, his state of mind, etc. but while collecting the symptoms the physician should not totally depend on the patient and should not consider everything told by the patient to be true. This is because some patients try to exaggerate their symptoms and present their symptoms in vivid colors whereas some patients do not explain their symptoms clearly either due to false modesty or ignorance. Few patients forget to tell some symptoms during case taking. So, the physician must be alert while collecting the totality and has to pass his judgment at every movement of the case taking. 2. Relatives or attendants of the patient After the patient tells his suffering, the physician can collect the information from the patient’s attendants and relatives also. Sometimes the personality of the patient, behavior etc. and other reliable information can only be ascertained from the relatives or attendants while the patient might project himself in a modest manner to please the physician by cross- examining the relatives of the patient, the physician can get information. In cases where the patient is either in an unconscious, subconscious stage etc. reliable information can only be ascertained from the attendants like relatives, nurses, and friends. This is because these people were present at the same time as the incident that had taken place. In the case of children and newborns, reliable information is available from the mother or the wet nurse only. Information regarding the patient’s habits, behavior, and social and domestic relations can be collected from the source of friends and relatives. 3. The Physician himself This is the only reliable source of information. The ability to collect useful and scientific objective signs and symptoms lies only with the physician. The actual collection of the totality of symptoms starts as soon as the patient steps into the consultation room. The way a patient walks, sits, 83
reacts, and behaves, as his mental state, whether he is irritable or nervous is observed by the physician only which gives a complete picture to the physician about the condition of the patient which is applied in selection of a remedy on the basis of symptom similarity. The general physical examination of the patient will reveal much information to the physician regarding the patient. This is an essential step since several conditions of a disease can be ascertained on physical examination only. Example presence of koplik’s spot in measles. The laboratory findings. The object of homeopathic case taking is not just finding the remedy for the patient alone. The laboratory findings like x- ray, urine blood and stool examination also become the source of totality. Modern diagnostic procedures like M.R.I. ultrasound study, CT scan, etc. help the homeopathic physician in identifying the pathological conditions, tissue changes of the diseases and the prognosis of the case. Hence, the objective study made by the patient and the laboratory finding are the important and reliable source of the totality. Practical use of Totality of symptoms “Totally must express an idea”, says Stuart Close. “Diagnostic ideas and prognostic ideas are very important among them”. 10.4 IMPORTANCE OF TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS The totality of symptoms serves several purposes such as: 1. Diagnostic purpose – This helps in the diagnosis of a disease based on the symptoms suggestive of a particular disease. 2. Therapeutic purpose – The totality of symptoms helps in the selection of the most appropriate drug on the basis of symptom similarity. 3. Purpose of Miasmatic – This helps in the identification of the miasmatic background of the disease. 4. Selection of the potency – The totality of symptoms provides an insight into the intensity or seriousness of disease which is helpful for selection of the most accurate potency. 5. Prognostic purpose – The totality also gives an idea about how the disease is progressing and the steps required for management. 6. Purpose of general management – The totality of symptoms gives a complete picture of disease which in turn will help in management of the disease. 84
Thus, in any case the intelligent physician tries to remove the exciting and maintaining causes from the patient’s life. In Spite of the efforts, if the disease still persists, he will solely rely upon the totality of symptoms in order to cure the patient in a rapid, gentle and permanent manner. The totality of symptoms may also be regarded as the outwardly reflected image of the internal essence of the disease, i.e. the affection of spiritual, dynamic Vital Force of the Life Principle. The image is not the same thing as the original substance of which it is the image but neither can exist without the coexistence of the other. In aphorism 18 of his ‘Organon of Medicine’ Dr. Hahnemann again states that the presence of sum of all symptoms and conditions, indicates the presence of disease and indicates which remedy is appropriate and removal of this sum of symptoms by a remedy means permanent restoration of health. Hahnemann puts his arguments intellectually by logic and by his practical experience. Where there is disease, the living human body displays some abnormal sensations and functions and thus we may conclude that there is disease in the living body and the totality of symptoms the physician to select the suitable remedy. And if all the abnormal sensations and functions are removed permanently along with its causative factors the disease does not exist anymore. Eg: Fire gives heat. The presence of heat is the evidence of the presence of the fire. In the absence of heat, we cannot say that there is fire. Heat is the qualitative force of fire. Hence disease with its totality of abnormal sensations and functions of a person is his qualitative state of health. 10.5 DIFFERENT TYPES OF SYMPTOMS A Symptom, in general, is any evidence of disease or change from a state of health. Symptoms are the outwardly, perceptible signs or phenomena or internal morbid changes in the state of the previously healthy organism and are our only means of knowing what disease is. They represent a change from a state of order i.e. healthy to a state of disorder i.e. disease in the living organism. Hahnemann defined symptoms broadly in aphorism 6 of his ‘Organon of Medicine’ as/any manifestation of a deviation from a former stale of health, which is perceptible by the patients, observed by the individuals around him and the physician himself. 85
Dr. Hahnemann further defined symptoms as ‘evidence of the operation of the influences which disturbs, the harmonious play of the Junctions, the vital principle as spiritual dynamics. Components of a 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 condition. Every symptom becomes complete when it has following four essentials: (a) Location—is meant the part, organ, tissue or function of the body or mind in which the symptom appears. (b) Sensation—is meant the impression or consciousness of an impression upon the central nervous system’/through the medium of the sensory, or Afferent nerves or through one of the Organ of the organs of the” senses. Sensation is a feeling or state of consciousness produced by an external stimulus or by some change in the internal state of body. A sensation may also be purely menial such as, fright, fear, anger, grief, jealousy, etc. (c) Modalities—are the circumstances and conditions that affect or modify a symptom of which the conditions of aggravation and amelioration are the most important. (d) Concomitant—is a co-related condition- of body and mind (symptom) which is associated with the main symptom and appears before during or after the main symptom having no pathological relation. Types of symptoms: The symptoms can be classified into different categories depending on the source from which it is obtained. These are (i) Objective symptoms– In aphorism 7 of ‘Organon of Medicine’ Dr. Samuel Hahnemann defines objective symptom as ‘the expression of disease in the sensations and functions of those Parts of the organism exposed to the senses of the observer and the physician’.” The subjective sensations and functions of the visibly affected organ or part are to be considered as the purely objective signs since they picture accurately certain phases of the case. Objective symptoms have more importance in child-life than in adult- life and also in unconscious state because through these are seen the Impression of the patient’s disposition and desires. 86
Therefore, many of the seemingly objective symptoms may be translated into subjective form. In chronic cases it is necessary to take into account the general symptoms. (ii) Pathogenetic symptoms– These are those symptoms which arise at the time of drug proving. They are the result of disease producing power of the dings. ‘They are the disease producing as well as curative phenomena of a proved medicine. They are the clinical aspect of a drug. (iii) Subjective symptoms– These are the symptoms which are discoverable by the patient alone, such as pain and other morbid sensations of body or mind, presenting no external indications. With Dr. Hahnemann’s announcement of the doctrine of the ‘Totality of Symptoms’ as the basis of the homoeopathic prescription, it becomes possible for the first time in the history of medicine to utilize all the phenomena of disease. The old school practitioner of medicine even to- day is interested very little in subjective symptoms. These symptoms play, but a very small part, in governing the practical part of treatment in his case. Under the homoeopathic mode of therapeutics devised by Dr. Hahnemann subjective symptoms take their proper place in the study of the case. Expressions of the interior states of the living organism and particularly of the psychic and mental states, take the toughest rank. Nothing can supersede them. They enable the physician to view the patient from the standpoint of the patient. These subjective symptoms afford a great advantage to the prescriber. When we are deprived of them, as in case of infants and animals and find how much more difficult in our task under such circumstances the differentiate yet their value lies in the fact that they cannot be distorted by the condition of the patient. He realizes little that the objective symptoms have more important in child-life than in adult-life and also in unconscious states because through these are seen the Impression of the patient’s disposition and desires. 87
CHAPTER ANALYSIS AND VALUATION OF SYMPTOMS 11 88
CHAPTER 11 ANALYSIS AND VALUATION OF SYMPTOMS LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the concept of analysis of symptoms. To learn evaluation of symptoms. To learn Hahnemann’s method of classification. To learn Boenninghausen’s method of evaluation. To learn Boericke’s method of evaluation To learn Kent’s method of evaluation 11.1 METHODS OF ANALYSIS Analysis of symptoms is an artistic method of finding out the cause of the individual disease and classifies the symptoms gathered through case taking into common and uncommon symptoms. Analysis of symptoms from the sick should help the physician in collecting the following data: • Causation of the patient’s suffering/ disease. • Patient’s actual psychophysical personality. • The circumstances through which the patient had passed through and reached the present constitution. • The patient’s response to his environment is physical, mental and emotional. • General modalities – conditions under which aggravations and ameliorations can be noticed. • Characteristic particulars – this includes Rare, peculiar and striking symptoms 11.2 EVALUATION AND GRADING OF SYMPTOMS Evaluation of symptoms: After the details of the case are recorded, the symptoms of the patients are graded according to their relative value for the purpose of forming an individual picture which is essential for selection of remedy on the basis of symptom similarity. This process is 89
called the Evaluation of the Symptoms in Homeopathy. This is the most important process by which the totality of symptoms of the patient or the disease picture is understood to match with the drug picture of a remedy to find out the Similimum. Evaluation of symptoms is a process of grading the symptoms according to their value and priority in order to individualize the patient so that the physician can match them with the drug symptoms and select the similimum remedy. Complete Symptom: A symptom is said to be complete if it is expressed in terms of a) Its location. b) The sensation or character with intensity. c) Its modalities including aggravation and amelioration. d) The concomitants or associated symptoms. When all these four dimensions are available, then only the symptom is called a complete symptom. When there is a complete symptom, it becomes easier for the physician to understand the case better. Therefore, the concept of complete symptoms is very important in Homeopathy. Hahnemann advocated the following fundamental concepts in understanding a patient: • Nothing can be known of disease except through symptoms. • It is the patient who is ill and not his parts or organs. • Symptoms furnish the only unfailing guide for the selection of a remedy. • The remedy is hardly ever indicated by a single symptom however peculiar it may be. • Peculiar, characteristics, individualizing symptoms in the case and not common symptoms denote a Similimum. Classification of Symptoms: In Homeopathy symptoms are classified under different groups. Some of the commonly used classifications are as under: 1. Common symptom and Characterized symptom – common symptoms are those symptoms which are common to any patient suffering from a particular disease whereas characterized symptom is a symptom which ascertains or confirms the presence of a particular disease. 90
2. Concomitant symptom and Chief Complaints – Concomitant symptoms are the ones that follow and complete the chief complaints whereas the chief complaints are the main sufferings of the patient. 3. General symptoms and Particular symptoms – General symptoms are the ones which relate to the patient as a whole, these are expressed by the patient whereas the symptoms that are related to a particular part or organ of the body are called a particular symptom 4. Complete and incomplete symptoms – A symptom is considered to be complete when it has location, sensation, modalities and concomitants whereas incomplete symptoms has one or more of the features of complete symptoms is missing or absent. 5. Recent and old symptoms – Recent symptoms are the symptoms which have started to appear recently whereas old symptoms are the ones which had appeared long time before the appearance of new symptoms, this may either be present with recent symptoms or have been cured earlier. 11.3 HAHNEMANNIANMETHODOFCLASSIFICATION OF SYMPTOMS Hahnemann classified symptoms into two types: • General symptoms: General symptoms are those which are common to the disease process. Examples are fever, headache, diarrhea and loss of appetite in typhoid fever. These symptoms are present in almost all the cases of typhoid patients. These are less important in the selection of a remedy in Homeopathy or to individualize the patient. Therefore these are called General symptoms. • Uncommon symptoms: Uncommon symptoms are the symptoms which are unaccountable, unexplainable to the disease process. These might be seen as absurd or paradoxical by the patient, but are very important to a Homeopath. Examples are the typhoid patient when he feels his bed is very hard, even when lying in a soft bed or answering a question clearly and then going into a coma. Such symptoms are found in the proving of certain medicines, and this symptom becomes the uncommon symptom for the selection of that remedy for the patient with typhoid. Thus the law of Similia is applied to treat the patient. The uncommon symptoms reflect the individuality of the patient in the disease and are also of great value in the selection of the remedy. 91
11.4 BOENNINGHAUSEN’S METHOD OF EVALUATION OF SYMPTOMS This method consists of the following seven points: 1. Quis: Personality of the individual – This includes age, sex, bodily constitution and temperament. 2. Quid: This refers to nature and peculiarity of the disease. 3. Ubi: This is the seat of the disease also known as miasms. 4. Quibis auxilus: These are the associated symptoms 5. Cur: This refers to the cause of the disease 6. Quomodo: These are the modifying factors 7. Q uando: This means of appearance, of aggravation and relief. 11.5 GARTH BOERRICK’S METHOD OF ANALYSIS OF SYMPTOMS Garth Boerrickes’s has divided the symptoms into two classes: • Basic or absolute symptoms: Basic or absolute symptoms are those that appear in every proving and are of a general nature and are essential in diagnosing the disease. Example: Malaise, headache, weakness, anorexia, eructation, fever and pain, etc. They are of little value to determine the homeopathic drug indicated, but taken together furnish a suggestive beginning. • Determinative symptoms: Determinative symptoms are individual or personal ones found in a patient or a characteristic, keynote or guiding symptoms found in a drug’s pathogenesis. Determinative symptoms whether encountered in disease or in a drug proving are alike and usually consist of – modalities, mental symptoms, qualified basic or absolute symptoms, and strange, rare or peculiar symptoms as mentioned by Hahnemann. These symptoms help in the individualisation of the patient and thus help in selecting homoeopathic remedies. 92
11.6 KENT’S METHOD OF ANALYSIS OF SYMPTOMS James Tyler Kent was the first person to introduce the scheme of analysis, evaluation & gradation of symptoms to reach the similimum. He classified symptoms into three main categories. These are • Generals • Common • Particular He attributed these three categories to both mental and physical symptoms. Kent has given the highest emphasis to mental generals reflecting the innermost aspect of the patient then the importance of physical generals including modalities and characteristic particulars for the final stage of differentiation. As per Kent the scheme of evaluation of symptoms is as under: GENERAL SYMPTOMS 1. Mental general: The mental generals are graded as 1st grade mental these are related to Will. The expressions of these symptoms shall be related to Love, hate and emotions such as (suicidal, loathing of life) lasciviousness, revulsion to sex, sexual perversions, fear, greed, homicidal tendencies, suspicion. 2nd grade mental symptoms are those related to Understanding such as Delirium, hallucinations, mental confusions, loss of memory and loss of senses. 3rd grade mental symptoms are those related to Intellect such as Memory, concentration, etc. 2. Physical generals: These are the symptom referring to the body as a whole with regards to the different physical attributes. 1st grade referring to sexual sphere including menstrual general, leucorrhoea, pregnancy, seminal emissions, etc. 2nd grade these are symptoms referring to appetite, desires, cravings, aversions to food etc. 93
3rd grade these are things affecting the entire physical body, they are of greater importance and may be used as eliminating symptoms. e.g. Weather, climate, bathing etc. COMMON SYMPTOMS These symptoms are common to a particular disease or are found in several patients as a common factor. These also refer to the symptoms which are seen in many individuals during drug proving. They are usually of secondary importance and do not play much role in the selection of similimum, unless they have peculiar modalities but they are of high importance in diagnosis of a disease and selection of remedy for a particular disease. PARTICULAR SYMPTOMS The symptoms which are related to a particular part or organ functions of the body are called particular symptoms. According to J.T.Kent “If you are examining any part alone, you are only examining the particulars”. Particular symptoms are important next to the general symptoms because they are exhibiting the sufferings of only one part of the body. 94
CHAPTER PORTRAIT OF DISEASE 12 95
CHAPTER 12 PORTRAIT OF DISEASE LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the concept of portrait of disease. To learn about diseases. To learn about the significance of portrait of disease. 12.1 UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASES Disease is the disturbance in the disturbance in the harmonious state of body and mind. In disease, the patient is not at ease, it is the state of disease. Disease is manifested through the material body as different signs and symptoms. So, the physician should take note of all the changes in the health of the body and of the mind (morbid phenomena accidents, symptoms) in every individual disease which can be perceived externally by means of the senses that is to say, only the deviations from the previous healthy state to the current diseased state where there is presence of signs and symptoms in an individual which are: a) Felt by the patient himself – The signs and symptoms felt by the patient is the primary source of collection of information for the identification and analysis of the disease present in a person. A person at a time can possess a single disease or a multiple disease. This helps in understanding the state of disease. b) Noticed by those around him – These are the signs and symptoms that are recorded and noticed by attendants or people around them. This information comes in handy when the patient is not able to express their symptoms such as infants or children, in unconscious patients, patients with mental instability, etc. They provide a useful insight into the identification of disease c) Observed by the physician – Certain specific signs and symptoms crucial for the diagnosis of a certain disease based on the knowledge of the physician. 96
d) Verified by diagnostic tests – Several diseases have common symptoms which can be observed by the patient, attendants and the physicians but the diagnosis can only be confirmed by laboratory investigations. 12.2 CONCEPT OF DISEASE PORTRAIT All the perceptible signs and symptoms which represent the disease in its whole extent and forms the true and only understanding of portrait of the disease. This portrait is very much useful for selection of the most simillimum remedy which can lead to the process of recovery. So the portrait of the disease refers to all the signs and symptoms of the patient which are felt by the patient, noticed by those around him and observed by the physician. 12.3 CONSTRUCTION OF DISEASE IMAGE Significance of the portrait of a disease gives a complete picture of a disease condition. This helps in 1. Diagnostic purposes – The portrait of disease plays a significant role in diagnosis of a disease. Most of the diseases have more than one symptom associated with it, where a group of symptoms clearly indicates the presence of a particular disease. Eg: If a patient comes with symptoms of headache with nausea or one-sided headache, it indicates that the disease present id Migraine. Similarly, presence of fever followed by fine eruptions can indicate measles. 2. Identification of seat of disease – The portrait of disease helps in understanding of the seat of disease in terms of acute and chronic. Symptoms which indicate that the disease has been present for a few days or few weeks can indicate the presence of acute diseases.Whereas recurrence of symptoms can indicate the presence of chronic disease. 3. To understand the miasmatic background – The collection of symptoms present in a patient not only gives a portrait of a disease but also reflects the miasmatic background of the disease where the physician can identify whether it has psora or syphilis or sycosis in its background. 4. Understanding the prognosis of a disease – The portrait of disease gives an insight into the progress of disease whether it is acute or chronic, whether it is curable or a terminal disease. This helps the physician 97
to devise a plan of treatment and the tentative duration of treatment required. 5. Selection of Remedy based on symptom similarity – The portrait of disease is an essential tool to reach the totality of symptoms. This totality of symptoms helps in selection of remedy based on symptom similarity. 12.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF INDIVIDUALIZATION We all know that every individual is endowed with some unique characters of his own. No two individuals are alike, whether it is in health or disease. The word “individualization” came from a Greek word called “individuous” meaning “not divisible”. Individualization is the process of understanding and differentiating a person, both in health and disease, from the other persons of his group based on his peculiar and uncommon features. In treating a patient, two types of individualizations are done: 1. Individualizing the patient: This is done by noting abnormal, peculiar and uncommon symptoms from his disease point of view. Ex: if we consider two persons suffering from eczema, one gets relieved of his itching by using hot water application, whereas the other from the cold water. The homeopathic physician has to consider such minute differences of the patient before prescribing a remedy. 2. Individualization of the drug: After understanding the individuality of a patient, the physician has to compare it with the similar drug in the Materia Medica. Only that remedy in the Materia Medica which exactly suits the individual characters of the patient will cure the patient. “Homeopathy treats the patient and not the disease.” 98
CHAPTER DISEASE-NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL 13 99
CHAPTER 13 DISEASE-NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the types of disease. To learn about natural diseases. To learn about artificial disease To learn about false chronic diseases Diseases are known as a reflection of disturbances in the functioning of the vital force which is perceived by signs and symptoms. Depending on the nature of disease, it can be classified as acute and chronic disease. 13.1 ACUTE DISEASES: Hahnemann defines acute diseases as the diseases to which man is liable are either rapid morbid processes of the abnormally deranged vital force, which have a tendency to finish their course more or less quickly, but always in a moderate time these are termed as Acute diseases.’ Acute diseases are those diseases that are sudden and short lasting and when left to themselves, without medical aid or medicine, it may terminate in self-recovery of the patient or his death. They are the result of sudden explosion of latent psora by exciting causes. An acute disease is called acute because it is a sudden flare-up of symptoms with a moderately quick termination. The time factor is an important consideration. Its nature is such that if left to itself it may result in the self-recovery of the patient or his death. Whatever the result, it is achieved rather soon. An acute disease is acute because it is a sudden flare-up with a moderately quick termination. The time factor is an important factor besides its very character to identify an acute disease Its nature is such that if left to itself it may result in the self-recovery of the patient or his death, whatever the result it is achieved, rather soon. 100
An acute disease can be acutely painful or it may also be without pain like sudden painless diarrhea. Acute diseases take place by virtue of the derangement of vital force acutely. 13.2 CHRONIC DISEASE: In aphorism 72, Dr. Hahnemann defines chronic diseases as “They are those diseases which begin with small, often imperceptible way, dynamically deranging the living organism, each in its own peculiar manner, causing gradually to deviate from Healthy condition. At the commencement of the disease the vital force opposes but during progress, the resistance of the vital force is imperfect, unsuitable and useless and cannot extinguish the disease itself without the help of the specific remedy, but suffer until at length the organism is destroyed and these are called Chronic diseases.” They are generally caused by dynamic infection with a chronic miasms. A chronic disease is called chronic because the vital force, unaided by a specific remedy, cannot extinguish the disease itself but suffer until the organism is destroyed, i.e. the patient suffers life-long. 13.3 NATURAL CHRONIC DISEASES (APHORISM 78-81): The natural chronic diseases are discussed in aphorisms 78 -81. These are also called natural or miasmatic chronic diseases. True miasmatic chronic diseases are those that arise from chronic miasms like psora, sycosis and syphilis. These diseases are due to the disturbance of vital force by the miasmatic forces. They continue to progress unless controlled by homoeopathic employment of the remedies that are specific to them by their symptomatology. The vital force has the power to fight against certain acute diseases but not against chronic ones. These chronic miasms have a tendency to remain dormant inside the organism. During the youthful years, the patient may look healthy in spite of having a miasm inside, where the miasm remains in latent form but later in life when the patient comes under the influence of social or family worries, or any disturbing affections and inappropriate medicinal treatment, the chronic diseases reappear and assumes a serious character. Natural chronic diseases are of two types, simple miasmatic and complex miasmatic. Simple or single miasmatic diseases are because of a single 101
miasm. They are either caused by psora or syphilis or sycosis which means that only one miasm is exhibiting its symptoms at a given time in the patient. Sycosis and syphilis cannot affect the person unless the psora is in the background i.e. psora remains in the dormant or latent form when the sycosis or syphilis is exhibiting its symptoms. When two or more miasms produce the sickness in one person we term it a complex miasmatic disease. From the above definitions, the characteristics of the true natural chronic diseases may be summarized as: 1. They begin with small, often imperceptible way. 2. They dynamically derange the organism, in their own peceuliar manner causing the living organism to deviate from healthy condition gradually to be ever more abnormally deranged. 3. The life preserving vital force opposes the diseases at their commencement but during their progress, the resistance of the vital force is imperfect, unsuitable and becomes useless. 4. With the robust constitution and the best regulated mode of living, the energetic vital force, without specific medical aid, cannot extinguish the disease itself but suffers lifelong helplessly with aggravated sufferings. 5. At last, they destroy the living organism. 6. They are caused by the dynamic infection with a deep acting, constitutional chronic miasms i.e. Psora, Syphilis and Sycosis, which are morbific influences, inimical to life principle, genetic in nature, transmitted from generation to generation, act constantly but insidiously as weakening, corroding and destroying vital forces in the living organism. 13.4 ARTIFICIAL CHRONIC DISEASES (APHORISM 74-76): The concept of artificial chronic diseases is discussed in aphorisms 74-76. These are also known as iatrogenic chronic diseases. These are the most incurable chronic diseases which are produced as a result of prolonged allopathic heroic medicines in large and ever-increasing doses. These are artificially produced because of their violent and abusive actions such as overdoses of mercurial or silver preparations or purgatives, etc. To protect itself from the violent actions of abusive medicines, the vital force tries to protect itself from such destructive primary action our vital force develops 102
a reaction in the body. This happens as a result of the secondary curative reaction in order to preserve the entire organism. Among the chronic diseases, the artificial chronic diseases produced by allopathic malpractices are the most incurable ones (mentioned in aphorism 75) especially if the treatment was continued for a long time. These artificial diseases have to be treated by the vital force itself. This is possible only in cases where the vitality of the vital force is not deranged totally, where some vitality is still remaining in the body in spite of the destructive therapy. Drug diseases which arise due to continued administration of strong, violent medicines in large increasing doses for years or from drug addictions are called as Artificial chronic disease. According to Dr. Hahnemann these artificially produced drug diseases are the most incurable chronic complex diseases. Hahnemann was the first physician who studied the actions of drugs on living human beings. He also initially proclaimed that drugs, like natural morbific agents, produce diseases. So he was the first to notice the origin and maintenance of chronic diseases produced by the prolonged use of active drugs in large and increasing doses during the antipathic or allopathic mode of treatment of the patients. 13.5 FALSE CHRONIC DISEASES (APHORISMS 77 AND 78): The False chronic diseases are also called pseudo-chronic or inappropriately named chronic diseases. These are diseases which the patients bring upon themselves because of prolonged and continual exposure to avoidable maintenance causes. False chronic diseases are not true chronic diseases because there is no chronic miasm in the background. When the maintaining cause is removed the illness disappears spontaneously. Examples are 1. A habit of taking alcohol or any other kind of addiction. 2 Prolonged abstinence or not taking the things properly that are necessary for the maintenance of life. 3. Residing in unhealthy or marshy localities. 4. Deprivation of exercise and open air. 103
5. Over-exertion of the body and living in constant mental and physical strain etc. In aphorism 77 of ‘Organon of Medicine’, Dr. Hahnemann describes a group of diseases which are called False or Pseudochronic diseases. These are the diseases which arise due to bad hygienic conditions of living and occupational diseases, inappropriately named chronic diseases, which simulate real chronic diseases and which occur in persons who expose themselves continually to avoidable noxious influences such as occupational hazards or they have the habit of indulging in injurious liquors or such other elements. Many of these state of ill-health, which persons bring upon themselves, disappear spontaneously, under an improved mode of living without administration of specific drug stimuli provided that no chronic miasms are lurking in the body. This artificial chronic disease which simulates real chronic diseases and which occur in persons makes it difficult for treatment even with homoeopathic medication These artificial chronic diseases can be seen in patients who are addicted to dissipation or substances of many kinds which undermine the health or when they undergo prolonged abstinence from things that are necessary to support the life such as food and vitamins. These may also occur to patients who reside in unhealthy localities, especially in marshy districts, or are housed in cellars or confined dwellings or persons who are deprived of exercise or open air, which may ruin their health by over exertion of body and mind, persons who live in a constant state of worry, etc. 104
CHAPTER PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ACTION OF MEDICINE 14 105
CHAPTER 14 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ACTION OF MEDICINE LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the actions of medicine. To learn about primary action. To learn about secondary action. To learn about secondary counter action To learn about secondary curative action According to Law of nature is best described by Newton’s 3rd Law that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This is one of the fundamental laws of nature. The first action is called the primary action and the reaction is called the secondary action. Hence a good physician or observer always tries to observe the secondary action after the primary action. This applies to each and every science as science is nothing but an attempt to understand Mother Nature. Drugs are substances which possess the power of altering the state of health of a healthy individual. When these drugs are applied to the patient, the physician who is a perfect observer tries to analyze the action of these drugs. Hahnemann describes different actions of the drugs and the reaction of vital force to such actions of the drugs. Two types of actions are noticed in nature 1. Primary action or primary effect. 2. Secondary action or secondary effect. The secondary action is again of two types: a) Secondary counter- action. b) Secondary curative action. 14.1 PRIMARY ACTION OR PRIMARY EFFECT Primary action can be termed as the action of the drug upon the vital force. This action can last either for a shorter or longer period of time. After the application of drug, the vital force plays a passive and receptive role. This happens because of the adaptive character of the vital force. It accepts the simulation produced by the drug without any resistance in the first 106
case. Based on the nature of the primary action of the drug, the vital force produces and exhibits abnormality in the form of altered sensations and functions. The primary action is the product of the medicinal power and the receptive power of the vital force conjointly. This is a fact because medicines cannot produce the same abnormal sensations and functions in a dead body. But still, the primary action is considered primarily because of the adverse influence of the drug substance only. Aphorism 64. The primary action of the artificial disease agents also known as medicines on our healthy bodies, or on our vital force seems to behave in a purely receptive or passive way. It seems that the vital force was forced to receive an artificial power which is acting from within, so allowing its state of health to be changed. Many a times when a condition directly opposite to the primary action does not exist in nature, the vital force tries to revive its healthy condition by extinguishing the alteration brought about in it from without the medicine and re-establishing its normal function which is also known as secondary action, curative action. 14.2 SECONDARY ACTION The secondary action can be termed as the defensive reaction of the vital force to the primary action of the drug. In the case of the primary action, the vital force plays a passive role and receives the influence of the drug without any resistance, but after a short period, the vital force reacts to the primary action of the drug in an opposite manner. This reaction of the vital force against the primary action of the drug is called the secondary action. This secondary action as a rule is always exactly opposite to the primary action. In the secondary, the vital force plays an active role. Hence the secondary action is always due to the vital force only. The main characteristics of secondary action are: 1. Secondary action is the automatic reaction of the vital force to the primary action of the drug. Secondary action is the best quality of the vital force. 2. Every living organism in the world possesses such defensive resistant action against any primary action. 3. The secondary action as a rule is always opposite and equal in strength to the primary action. 107
Secondary action can be of two types: 1. Secondary counter-action. 2.Secondary curative action. 14.3 SECONDARY COUNTER-ACTION Just like any secondary action this action is exactly opposite to the primary action of the drug. When any drug is administered, it produces a set of symptoms as its primary action. In response, the vital force produces exactly opposite symptoms to the set of the primary action. The secondary counter-action is observed in cases of antipathy treatment. In the case of antipathy, the drugs produce opposite symptoms to the disease symptoms. In its primary action it seems that the vital force accepts the drug’s primary action and the disease seems to get neutralized. But this relief of symptoms lasts only for a short period. Later on, the vital force produces the secondary symptoms which are exactly opposite to the primary symptoms of the antipathy drugs. Hence, Hahnemann called the antipathy secondary action as the secondary counter-action. The secondary counter action of antipathy always results into palliation. 14.4 SECONDARY CURATIVE ACTION This type of secondary action is noticed in the homoeopathic method of treatment. This action proves to be curative. When the homoeopathic medicine is administered, it produces primary action that is similar to the disease symptoms. Hence the vital force accepts the primary action of the drug in a passive manner. According to nature’s law of cure, a similar stronger medicinal disease removes the already existing weaker miasmatic disease. As a result, the vital force now suffers only the medicinal disease. Every action has an equal and opposite secondary action that means restoration of health. In other words, secondary action is removing the sick making property. Some of the examples of primary and secondary actions of medicine are: 1. A vigorous continued physical exercise for a long time makes a person warmer. This is the primary action of exercise on the person, but again after a short period, it produces chillness and shivering in the same person as the secondary action. 108
2. When a hand is kept in the cold water first it becomes colder than the other hand which is not kept in the cold water. When the hand is removed from the cold water and allowed to dry, it becomes much hotter than the untreated hand. 3. After taking coffee a person feels lively and active. This is the primary action of the coffee, but in a short span of time the person becomes sluggish and drowsy for a long period of time, this is the secondary counter- action of the organism to the simulative effect of the organism to the simulative effect of coffee. In order to make him more active and joyful further, the person needs more amount of coffee. 4. If a patient suffering from diarrhea is given medicine that induces diarrhea (Law of similia), it produces diarrhea as a primary action. Initially the patient’s condition seems to worsen but in a short while, the vital force produces secondary response which is opposite that means recovery from diarrhea. The secondary in this case is the curative reaction. Hence the homoeopathic secondary curative action alone can bring about a natural cure. The primary action of the remedies produce is perceptible to a keen physician or observer, but the counteraction (secondary action) of the living organism is only as much as is needed to restore the normal condition. *** 109
CHAPTER DRUG PROVING 15 110
CHAPTER 15 DRUG PROVING LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about Drug proving. To learn the advantage and disadvantage of proving on animals. To learn the advantage and disadvantage of proving on humans. To learn the observation of drug action by others. To learn disadvantages of proving the Drugs on the Sick 15.1 CONCEPT AND IMPORTANCE DRUG PROVING Definition: Drug proving is a systematic process of investigating the pathogenic powers of drugs by administering them on healthy human beings of both sexes, all age groups and of different constitution. In other terms drug proving is a way in which the peculiar effects of drugs on the healthy individuals can be ascertained accurately. Drug proving is a more natural way to ascertain what all changes in the form of, symptoms and signs each drug can individually produces on the health of the body and of the mind. That is to say, it is the study of what disease elements each drug is able and tends to produce. Hahnemann defines drug proving in aphorism 105 as “The process of acquiring the knowledge of instruments intended for cure of the natural diseases, investigating the pathogenic power of medicines”. 15.2 PROVING ON HEALTHY HUMAN BEINGS (ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES) The only reliable method of understanding the pathogenic effects of the drugs is the healthy human drug proving (Aphorism 108-109). This is the unique feature of homoeopathy where each individual medicinal substance is proven in all age groups, in both sexes and in different constitutions. 2500 years before Dr. Hahnemann, advocated the theory this way of drug proving on healthy human being was initiated and thought of only by one physician, i.e Albrecht Von Haller who had identified the importance of 111
proving on healthy human beings. But Hahnemann was the first person to practically implement this method into medical practice. Hahnemann incorporated his first proving of 27 drugs in his book “Fragmenta De Viribus Medica Mentorum Positivis Sive In Sano Corpero Humano Observatis”. Later he continued his experiments by entering them into “Reine Arzeimittellehre” in 6 volumes during the years 1811 - 1821 (1811, 1816, 1817, 1818, 1819, and 1821) which was translated later into English language by the name “Materia Medica Pura”. The most rational way of drug proving is an experimental method which is based on actual administration of drugs on living organisms. To fulfill this there are two categories of living beings. a) Animals b) Human beings Advantages and disadvantages of drug proving on human beings: (i) Advantages: The advantages of drug proving on Human beings are 1. Subjective symptoms can be studied. 2. The finer symptoms or the factors which modify the symptoms can be recorded. 3. The modalities or the factor which intensifies or relieves can be recorded. 4. The mental symptoms of the subject can be recorded in great detail. (ii) Disadvantages: 1. Pathological tissue changes cannot be studied without laboratory examinations. 2. Pharmacological action of drugs cannot be studied analytically. 3. The result of long continued employment of drugs in material doses to bring pathological tissue changes cannot be studied. 4. Study of poisons and other toxic substances cannot be studied in large doses. 5. The regulatory framework for trial of drugs on humans in early stages is not allowed in several countries. 112
15.3 PROVING ON ANIMALS (ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES) There are relative advantages and disadvantages in each of this method, the followings: Advantages and disadvantages of drug proving on animals: Advantages: The advantages of drug proving on animals are 1. More violent effects of the drugs can be studied. 2. The result of long continued employment of drugs in material doses to bring about structural changes without killing the animals can be studied. 3. It helps analytical study and interpretation of actual tissue changes by laboratory investigation. 4. The toxic effects of drugs can be studied in the pre-clinical stages. Disadvantages: The disadvantages of drug proving on animals are 1. The subjective symptoms of the animals cannot be studied. 2. The effects of drug action on animals in many cases are different than that from human beings. 3. The mental symptoms cannot be fully studied. 4. The modalities cannot be fully recorded. 15.4 METHODOLOGY OF DRUG PROVING Method: For drug proving several factors are to be taken into consideration. These factors are about a) Medicines: For proving several, simple medicines are to be taken for experiment for their real effects on several healthy human beings. Each of these medicines must be given in a perfectly pure, simple and unadulterated form immediately after its preparation, to several persons of both sexes—male and female, who are free from diseases and of various constitutions. b. Doses: A physician who is supervising drug proving must make sure that moderate doses of simple, single medicine should be given, except narcotic medicines (strong, heroic substances) of which small dose is 113
sufficient to produce changes in the health, even in robust constitution. At the commencement of each experiment, proving must be started with a small dose of the drug and where suitable and requirement is needed then the dose is to be increased gradually from day to day for several days. In a single dose of the medicine 4-6 medicated globules, moistened with a little water is to be taken in morning in empty stomach and let it continue for several days. c. Potentized form of medicines: Medicines which are used for drug proving must be taken in potentized form because in crude form the medicine does not exhibit nearly the full amount of the power that lies within it remains hidden as dormant in it. But when it is taken in high dilutions, i.e in potentized form by proper trituration and succussion, each medicine exhibits its real and peculiar effects in its own way. d. Prover: The subjects of experiment (The prover) must be free from diseases. They must be delicate, irritable and sensitive. The prover pre-eminently must be trustworthy and possesses a sufficient amount of intelligence to be able to express and describe his sensations in accurate term. The prover must be lover of truth about the effects of Medicine. Dr. Hahnemann says that the healthy, unprejudiced and sensitive physician who institutes the experiments on himself is the best prover and these experiments are the best provings of the pure effects of simple medicines because he knows with greatest certainty the things he has experienced in his own person. e. Precautions: Anything of medicinal nature must not be taken by the provers on the same day or on the subsequent days or all the time we wish to observe the effects of the medicines. During all the time of experiment last, the diet of the provers must be strictly regulated. Spices, green vegetables, roots, and all salads and soups, that possess some disturbing medicinal qualities, must be avoided. Only nutritious and simple character of food should be taken. The provers must also avoid over exertion of body and mind. f. Recording: While recording of symptoms each prover must note down distinctly the sensations, sufferings and changes of health he experiences after taking the medicine, mentioning the time of occurrence with detail about period of duration. The physician looks over the report in presence of the experimenter immediately after the experiment is 114
concluded or in every day. If the experimenter is illiterate, the physician must be informed every day, what has occurred to him and how it took place, for noting down the same by the physician in prover’s language. 15.5 SOURCES AND OBSERVATION OF DRUG ACTION The observations done by other authors before Hahnemann where the toxicological symptoms of the crude drug substances were recorded. They observed these symptoms either during accidental poisonings or homicide or suicide. Stuart Close says “The existent materia medica contained only the incidental observations theories and observations, theories and opinions of drug actions of men who gave drugs to the sick or treated cases of poisoning upon purely empherical and speculative assumptions, and these were given not singly but in such combined and mixtures as to render impossible any intelligent conception of what the action of a single drug might be. So, the conclusion is the proving of the other authors and Hahnemann make it clear that medicines have the capacity to produce morbid changes in healthy human beings. This happens on the basis of the fixed and eternal laws of nature. These medicinal substances produce certain, reliable symptoms each according to their peculiar character. 15.6 THE DISADVANTAGES OF PROVING THE DRUGS ON THE SICK The accurate knowledge of the drugs cannot be ascertained by proving them on the sick (aphorism 107) because: • The disease symptoms of the sick will mix up with the symptoms produced by the drug substances. • Sick people are in either hyposensitive or hypersensitive stage; hence either they react too much or too little to the stimulation of the drug. • If the symptoms produced by the drug are similar to the disease symptoms that the sick are suffering from, it may cure the patient without producing any symptoms during drug proving. • If the drug symptoms are opposite to the disease symptoms of the sick person, only few remaining symptoms which are left out after palliative effect is produced. 115
• If the symptoms produced are dissimilar in nature to the disease picture, the resulting picture will be a mixture of both the drug-induced and the disease symptoms. • A powerful deep acting medicine can arouse the latent miasms in the patient making the drug proving more complicated. In the preface to the second edition of Organon, Hahnemann describes the effects of drugs on the healthy human beings as the positive effects and action of the homoeopathic medicines on the sick as negative effects. Because of all these reasons the drug proving cannot be done on the sick. Hence the only reliable method of drug proving is the healthy human drug proving. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann points out for the first time that the pharmacological properties of a drug are not absolutely dependent on their physiological properties. It is a fact of observation that the state of health of a healthy individual is changed by administration of drugs and the state of altered health of a diseased individual is also changed by drugs. So, Dr. Hahnemann recorded in aphorism 21 of his ‘Organon of Medicine’ that we have only to rely on the morbid phenomena which the medicines produce in the healthy body as the sole possible revelation of their in-dwelling curative power in order to learn what disease producing power and at the same time which disease curing power each individual medicine possesses. So, Dr. Hahnemann wants living human beings to be his subjects for experiment of drugs and that human beings should be healthy. The logical necessity of the studying the action of drugs on healthy individual lies in the fact that positive actions of the drugs in the way of deviating the health of the healthy man are to be ascertained. Any attempt to obtain the pathogenetic powers of drugs on a diseased person would defeat its own purpose because the pure action with its full range and scope would be blurred by the existing diseased process in the organism. Even though the drug be administered singly and alone, then little or nothing precise is seen of their true effects, as those peculiar alterations of the health to be expected from the medicine are mixed up with the symptoms of the disease and can seldom be distinguished and distinctly observed. So, Dr. Hahnemann gives a straight-forward reason as to why proving of drugs should be carried out on healthy human beings. He says that since the action of medicines determine man’s life and death, disease and health, medicines must be thoroughly and most carefully distinguished 116
from one another by ascertaining their individual pathogenetic power and real effects. This real knowledge of medicines could be obtained only by proving the drugs on healthy human beings and as such they would enable us to avoid any mistake in their employment in time of need. *** 117
CHAPTER SUSCEPTIBILITY 16 118
CHAPTER 16 SUSCEPTIBILITY LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about Susceptibility. To learn Susceptibility in health. To learn Susceptibility and constitution. To learn Susceptibility and diathesis. To learn Susceptibility and disease. To learn Susceptibility and cure. To learn Susceptibility and influence of the drug on it. To learn Susceptibility and posology. To learn Susceptibility and suppression 16.1 CONCEPT OF SUSCEPTIBILITY Susceptibility can be termed as the fundamental quality of a living organism to react to any sort of stimuli that distinguishes the living from the non- living. Stuart close says “By susceptibility, we mean general quality or capacity of the living organism of receiving impressions, the power to react to stimuli”. H.A. Roberts says “We may define susceptibility primarily as the reaction of the organism to the external and internal influences”. Susceptibility is one of the fundamental attributes of life. All the vital processes like digestion, assimilation and nutrition, healing and repair, secretion, excretion, metabolism, catabolism, and disease process, all depend on the power of the organism to react to specific stimuli. Susceptibility is responsible for the continued existence of life in the world. We can understand the susceptibility when the living organism is in the environment and the signs and symptoms are the best examples of susceptibility of the organisms to any noxious powers, depending upon the level of susceptibility, the living organism in nature is adjusting itself to its surrounding environment. Hence the aim of the physician is to maintain this normal susceptibility of the organism and not to alter it or impair it. 119
Susceptibility can be studied as: 1. Susceptibility in health. 2. Susceptibility and constitution. 3. Susceptibility and diathesis. 4. Susceptibility and disease. 5. Susceptibility and cure. 6. Susceptibility and influence of the drug on it. 7. Susceptibility and posology. 8. Susceptibility and suppression. 16.2 SUSCEPTIBILITY IN HEALTH Health is a condition of a person who is perfectly balancing his functions even in adverse environmental conditions. An organism that is having a perfect balance of body, mind and emotions is considered healthy. In health while we live, we resist, and we act without our subjective awareness. The susceptibility of an organism is equal to the attitude of an organism to internal and external circumstances. It is also one of the defense mechanisms, of the body and a method to survive under the influence of various surrounding stimulus. Balancing the level of susceptibility is important to maintain a healthy state. 16.3 SUSCEPTIBILITY AND CONSTITUTION An individual being partly inherits susceptibility from his ancestors and partly develops it during his lifetime. Hence, the constitution has a direct role in the level of susceptibility. Susceptibility controls the reaction to stimuli and resistance to infection etc. it has a direct relation in the maintenance of health. Disease is nothing but the symptom collection exhibited by the host as a reaction to many noxious agents whether they are mechanical, chemical or dynamic in nature. This nature and the intensity of the symptoms produced are directly dependent on the susceptibility of the host. 16.4 SUSCEPTIBILITY AND DIATHESIS Diathesis represents certain deviations in the nature of susceptibility. The word diathesis is derived from the ancient Greek word ‘Diatithenai’. The 120
Greek verb diatithenai means ‘to dipose’. This concept has a long history in medical terminology. The predisposition of certain somatotypes causes the development of certain diseases which leads to the discovery of the doctrine of susceptible constitutions and diathesis. This concept can be used successfully in preventive medicine. But this concept is not fully understood in the pathogenic sphere. The word diathesis was known to the world before the discovery of modern science. Dr. Hahnemann never used the word diathesis. He used the word predisposition. In § no.7 in Organon of Medicine, he used the word accessary circumstances. It is understood that diathesis is not a disease, but a predisposition, which under certain conditions of the external environment can be transformed into a disease. It can also be called a condition of the body which makes the tissues react in a special way to certain stimuli and thus tends to make the person more susceptible to certain diseases. Diathesis is a state or condition of the body or a combination of attributes in an individual causing a susceptibility to disease. In other words diathesis represents certain deviations in susceptibility which is not sufficient to label the disease. Many types of diathesis are described by different stalwarts and some of these diathesis are listed below: 1. Lymphatic Diathesis 2. Dyscratic Diathesis 3. Rheumatic or Gouty Diathesis 4. Tubercular Diathesis 5. Hemorrhagic Diathesis 6. Scrofulous Diathesis 16.5 SUSCEPTIBILITY AND DISEASE Adjustment of the organism to adverse environmental states is the result of normal susceptibility. A normal level of susceptibility is responsible for the maintenance of a healthy state, but prolonged exposure to adverse environmental effects may lead to a change in the state of susceptibility. These adverse factors can be either mechanical, chemical or dynamic in 121
nature. If such adverse conditions are not controlled in time, uneasiness is exhibited by the host which leads to the production of disturbances in the organism in the form of signs and symptoms which is called disease. Hence, disturbance in the levels of susceptibility disturbs the capacity of adaptability of the host and leads to the development of disease. In disease, the susceptibility may be either increased or decreased or destroyed. There are several factors that determine the susceptibility in diseases condition such as the nature of disease where the susceptibility is higher in acute cases as compared to chronic cases. Diseases with psora in background has higher susceptibility as compared to syphilis or sycosis in the background. Susceptibility also varies with age where children have higher susceptibility as compared to adults. 16.6 SUSCEPTIBILITY AND CURE Cure is nothing but the result of satisfying the morbid or altered susceptibility. “When susceptibility is satisfied, there is cessation of cause and when cause ceases to flow in to the organism, an ultimate cure is obtained. Here not only do ultimate disease cease but case itself has already ceased” Dr. Kent says ‘As hunger demands food, so disease demands medicine’. But the demand is consistent with universal law. It is for the symptomatically similar medicine because that is the only thing that really satisfies the susceptibility. Stuart close says, “The kind and degree of reaction to medicines depends upon the degree of susceptibility of the patient”. Hence cure is brought by simply satisfying the morbid susceptibility of the patient by similar remedies. After careful selection and administration of the remedy, sometimes elimination of the toxicities in the form of diarrhoea, profuse sweating etc. may result in cure. If such changes are observed, they should not be interfered and further repetition of the indicated remedy or any other remedy has to be stopped immediately. Drugs are the substances which have the capacity to alter the state of a healthy individual. This capacity to alter the state of health is dependent on two factors. The first factor is the susceptibility of the prover to that particular drug substance and second factor is the specific capacity of the drug substance to affect the health of the individual. These two factors differ from drug to drug and individual to individual. When we prove a remedy, the array of symptoms that follow represents the reaction of the susceptible organism to the specific drug stimulation administered. 122
16.7 SUSCEPTIBILITY AND POSOLOGY Doctrine of posology always revolves around the degree of susceptibility. The general rule “higher the susceptibility higher will be the potency” has been derived by the experiences of the pioneers. Susceptibility of the Patient is generally and rightly regarded as the most important guide in the selection of the dose. After selection of the more similar the remedy, the greater the susceptibility to that remedy, and the higher the potency is required. Factors that modify susceptibility are: • Age: Children and young, vigorous persons are susceptible to higher potencies whereas Increase in age leads to decreases in the potency. • Susceptibility is modified by Constitution and Temperament: High potency is suitable to sensitive persons of the nervous, sanguine or choleric temperament, also to intelligent, intellectual persons who are quick to act and react and to zealous and impulsive persons. Whereas low potency is suitable to torpid and phlegmatic individuals, who are dull of comprehension and slow to act. It is also suitable to coarse fibered, sluggish individuals of gross habits. It is also suitable to those who possess great muscular power but who require a powerful stimulus to excite them. • Susceptibility is modified by Habit and Environment: High potency is suitable to people of intellectual occupation or people who are easily influenced by excitement of the imagination and emotions or by sedentary occupations or by long sleep or by a slow and dull paced life. Whereas Low potency serves best to long and severe labourer’s, who sleeps less, and are exposed continuously to some drugs, tobacco, perfume etc. • Susceptibility is modified by Pathological Conditions: In terminal conditions the power of the organism to react, even to the indicated homoeopathic remedy, may become so low that only material doses can arouse it. 16.8 SUSCEPTIBILITY AND SUPPRESSION The susceptibility cannot be destroyed but it can only be modified by the power of medicines or noxious agents. The curative homoeopathic remedy modifies this susceptibility and satisfies it, this cure results with 123
the disappearance of symptoms. Instead of taking such step, when the susceptibility of one channel is suppressed the energy flows into another channel i.e. the reverse order of the Hering’s law of cure leading to suppression. Example: Suppression of eczema may result into expression of asthma, the foul sweat replaced by neuralgic headache, the suppression of leucorrhoea lead to the development of abdominal cramps and arthritis in some patients. Susceptibility and reaction are the fundamental characteristics of an organism. Preservation of this normal level of susceptibility is very much essential for maintenance of health. The rational system always aims at bringing back this normal susceptibility of the sick. *** 124
CHAPTER THEORY OF CHRONIC DISEASE 17 125
CHAPTER 17 THEORY OF CHRONIC DISEASE LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the origin of the theory of chronic diseases. To learn the classification of miasms. To learn about Aphorisms 72 and 78. 17.1 ORIGIN OF CHRONIC DISEASE THEORY Dr Samuel Hahnemann practiced homoeopathy for 30 years (1790 - 1820 AD) and preached homoeopathy for 18 years (1810 - 1828 AD). During this period Hahnemann observed that acute diseases were successfully treated by the homoeopathic medicines, but the chronic diseases were not controlled by homoeopathic medicines. Despite all efforts, these chronic diseases grew worse from year to year. In spite of treating all these diseases accurately according to homoeopathic principles, they still remained uncured. Their beginning was quiet promising, the continuation became less favourable and outcome was hopeless. Hahnemann observed that “The non-venereal chronic disease of psoric origin after being time and again removed homeopathically by remedies fully proved up to the present time. They always returned in more or less varied form with new symptoms, they reappeared annually with an increase of symptoms” His publication in 1828 about The Chronic Diseases, opened up an entirely new chapter by exploring the underlying causes of disease as rooted solely in three ancient dyscrasias: skin diseases as Psora, gonorrhea as Sycosis and Syphilis. From “frequent observations, Hahnemann had discovered that chronic maladies had some connection with a previous outbreak of Psora.” To Hahnemann, Psora was “a disease or disposition to disease, hereditary from generation to generation for thousands of years, and the fostering soil for every possible diseased condition. The theory “did not receive unanimous support from his followers, even after Hahnemann’s death.” The theory of chronic disease was first introduced into the 4th edition of the organon of medicine in the year 1829. This theory is known as a result of Hahnemann’s practical and clinical experience. After 12 years 126
of investigating the source of chronic disease, based on the ascertained proofs, he came to the conclusion that the cause of all chronic diseases is Psora. Before the discovery of this theory, all homoeopaths including Hahnemann treated each and every disease as an idiopathic disease which was based on the totality of symptoms alone. But the theory of chronic diseases revolutionized the treatment of diseases in homoeopathy. The theory of psora has given a theoretical explanation to the fundamental cause of the diseases of the world. After a prolong research, Hahnemann came to the conclusion that the major obstacle and the cause of failure of homoeopathic remedies in curing the chronic diseases is the miasm. Complete cure is only possible by fully eradicating these miasms from the organism and understanding them properly. To understand the miasmatic basis of the disease, enquiry of the personal history, treatment history to find any suppressions etc. the genetic history or the family history of the patient is very essential. Definition of Miasms: These are dynamic disease producing powers which pollute the human organisms and produce all the possible diseases. The word “miasm” has originated from the Greek word “Miasma” which literally means a) Polluting exhalations, b) Malarial poison, c) Morbific origins and sources, d) Purulent organic matter e) Harmful odors or discharges arising from the bodies of the patients. Any miasms including both acute diseases as well as chronic miasmatic diseases develops in the following three important movements: First movement: The time of infection/ the mode of infection. The first exposure to disease causing agents. Second movement: (Internal development) the period of time taken by the disease to penetrate until it develops fully within also known as the incubation period of a disease. Third movement: Manifestation of the external disease, breaking out of the external ailments, as a proof of the development of internal miasmatic malady. 127
17.2 CLASSIFICATION OF MIASMS Miasms have been classified into four types: Acute Miasms: Acute miasm is a dynamic disease-causing agent which causes the specific infectious diseases having almost fixed manifestations. These are of two types A. Recurrent acute miasms: Those types of acute miasms that recur in the same manner more than once in a life time of a particular person are called recurrent acute miasms. Example: Asiatic cholera, Viral fever, yellow fever of the sea coast, etc. B. Non-recurrent acute miasm: This is also called as the fixed miasm. These types of acute miasms are the ones which attack a person only once in a life- time, these are called the non - recurrent or fixed miasms. Example: small pox, whooping cough etc. • Half spiritual Miasm: The half spiritual miasm was explained by Hahnemann in his writings of “Chronic diseases”. He explained that the miasm behind measles, scarlet fever, pox, etc. are called the half spiritual miasms because after completing their parasitical existence in the system for some period they die out leaving the organism to recover soon, if the patient does not die by the time. • Half Acute Miasm: The miasm behind the disease of hydrophobia has been termed as half acute miasm. The miasms take effect the moment a person gets bitten by a mad dog. The poison of the miasm gets communicated to the nearest nerves. As soon as the malady of the disease develops inside the organism, the madness breaks out as an acute, quickly fatal disease. • Accessory Miasm: Apart from the protective matter, the lymph of the inoculated cow-pox contains an additional miasm by which it produces a characteristic cutaneous eruption on the skin. This additional miasm is called the accessory miasm by Hahnemann. This miasm usually consists of small dry pimples resting on small red areola, frequently intermingled with round red cutaneous spot and is often accompanied by most violent itching. In many children the eruption actually appears several days before, but more frequently after the red areola of cow pox and they vanish in few days leaving behind small red and hard spots on the skin. It was testified by many observers that because of its similarity, that this accessory miasm, i.e. the inoculated cow-pox cures 128
perfectly and permanently, similar cutaneous eruptions in children are of very low standing and troublesome character. 17.3 PSORA, SYCOSIS AND SYPHILIS Chronic Miasm: The Chronic miasms are known to be the fundamental causes of all the chronic diseases. They are capable to produce the true or the natural miasmatic chronic diseases. They thus predispose human beings to various types of acute disease also. During the study of chronic diseases Hahnemann identified 3 types of chronic miasms namely Psora, Syphilis and Sycosis. The chronic miasms go on worsening inside in spite of the best physical and mental routine. They torture the patient till the end of life. They cannot be eradicated by the vital force alone without the help of dynamic homoeopathic medicines. They also have the tendency to transfer from one generation to another generation. Hahnemann’s approach to identify the predominant miasm that is present in the patient and causing the disease. 17.4 RELEVANT APHORISMS (72 and 78) In aphorism 78 of ‘Organon of Medicine’, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann defines true, natural miasmatic chronic diseases as, “The true, natural chronic diseases are those diseases that arise from a chronic miasm, which when left to themselves, and unchecked by the employment of those remedies that are specific for them, always go on increasing and growing worse, notwithstanding the best mental and corporeal regimen, and torment the patient to the end of his life with ever aggravated sufferings. The most robust constitution, the best regulated mode of living and the most vigorous energy of the vital force are insufficient for their eradication”. In aphorism 72 of ‘Organon of Medicine’, Dr. Hahnemann classifies true, natural, curable dynamic diseases into two classes – a) Acute b) Chronic diseases. He defines chronic diseases as “they are diseases of such a character that, with small, often imperceptible beginnings, dynamically derange the living organism, each in its own peculiar manner, and cause it gradually 129
to deviate from the healthy condition, in such a way that the automatic life energy, called vital force, whose office is to preserve the health, only appears to them at the commencement and during their progress imperfect, unsuitable, useless resistance, but is unable of itself to extinguish them, but must helplessly suffer (them to spread and) itself to be ever more and more abnormally deranged, until at length the organism is destroyed, these are termed, chronic diseases. They are caused by dynamic infection with a chronic miasm”. From the above definitions, the characteristics of the true natural chronic diseases may be summarized as follows: 1. They begin with small, often imperceptible way. 2. They dynamically derange the organism, in their own peculiar manner causing the living organism to deviate from healthy condition gradually to be ever more abnormally deranged. 3. The life preserving vital force opposes the diseases at their commencement but during their progress, the resistance of the vital force is imperfect, unsuitable and useless. 4. With the robust constitution and the best regulated mode of living, the energetic vital force, without specific medical aid, cannot extinguish the disease itself but suffers lifelong helplessly with aggravated sufferings. 5. At last, they destroy the living organism. 6. They are caused by the dynamic infection with a deep acting, constitutional chronic miasm—Psora, Syphilis and Sycosis, which are morbific influences, inimical to life principle, genetic in nature, transmitted from generation to generation, act constantly but insidiously as weakening, corroding and destroying forces in the living organism. *** 130
CHAPTER REMEDY REACTION 18 131
LEARNING OBJECTIVE 18.1 Concept of Remedy Reaction 18.2 Kent’s Twelve Observations 18.1 CONCEPT OF REMEDY REACTION When a well selected simillimum remedy is administered to a patient, the different reactions to that remedy are best described by Dr J.T. Kent. According to Kent symptoms always guide the physician in making observations. After administering suitable remedies the change of symptoms, the disappearance of symptoms, aggravation of symptoms, and amelioration of symptoms are to be studied. 18.2 KENT’S TWELVE OBSERVATIONS After administering a similimum, Kent explains that any one of the following 12 possibilities can be noticed in the patient: • First observation: A prolonged aggravation and final decline of the patient. After the first prescription if this observation is found, the physician has to understand that the case was an incurable one and prognosis is always unfavorable. It means that certain Pathological destruction may have already taken place in this case. Steps to be taken: The best method to handle this case is to Antidote the remedy immediately. The physician has to understand that the case is an incurable one, so the prognosis will be bad if not antidoted. • Second observation: Long aggravation with final slow improvement. This observation indicates that the disease is still in the curable state. The organic or pathological changes are not so advanced. The tissue change is in the beginning stage. The vital force is still in the form of reactive stage so the aggravation has lasted for a long time, followed with final slow improvement. CHAPTER 18 REMEDY REACTION (KENTS 12 OBSERVATIONS) 132
Steps to be taken: The physician must understand that the case is curable. Prognosis of the case is good, there is no need to repeat any remedy, all that needs to be done is wait and watch for the reaction. • Third observation: Aggravation is Quick, short and strong with rapid improvement of the patient. This kind of reaction to the remedy is also known as the classical homoeopathic aggravation. It is the most favorable condition any homoeopathic physician would like to observe. This indicates that the selected remedy is a correct one. Steps to be taken: This reaction indicates that the case is in a good condition, the physician must wait and watch. They should also stop any repetition of the remedy. • Fourth observation: No aggravation with recovery of the patient. This observation is an indication of the classical homoeopathic cure. Here it is understood that the selected remedy, its potency and the dose are exactly suitable to the case. It also indicates that there is no pathological change in the patient. The disease is in its functional level and belongs to the nerves and its functions. Steps to be taken: If such observation is seen in both acute and chronic cases if the fourth observation is noticed, then any repetition of the remedy has to be stopped. In acute cases it proves to be curative to the disease. In chronic diseases it is difficult to judge, so any repetition of the doses has to be stopped because this may interrupt the action of the curative remedy that has been given. The case has to be kept under observation. • Fifth observation: Amelioration comes first and the aggravation comes afterwards. When this observation is seen then it has to be understood that condition is unfavorable. The remedy prescribed has either acted superficially or in the palliative manner This also happens in some cases where the patient was in an incurable case and he was administered partially suitable remedy based on the most annoying symptoms alone or on the basis of the most characteristic/ prominent symptoms. Steps to be taken: In this condition the physician must re- examine the 133
symptomatology and find out the following Whether the selected remedy was chosen based on the totality of symptoms? Whether the remedy is covering the characteristic totality of the case? Whether the patient is in the curable state or we are handling a case which is incurable? Whether the selected remedy is the constitutional, deep -acting one or the acute superficially acting remedy? • Sixth observation: Too short relief of symptoms. It has been observed that the higher potencies act for a longer time. The curative remedy relieves the patient for a long time. In some cases, the physician finds that initially the reports that the patient has been doing well and improving but after a long gap he may complain that he has been running down. Steps to be taken: If this is observed then the conditions require the following investigations. There may be some obstacles to cure. The patient may have done something to interrupt the action of the remedy or spoil the curative action of the remedy. If such obstacles are not present in acute cases, the sixth observation indicates high grade inflammatory conditions which may interfere with the prognosis and the improvement of the case. In chronic cases the sixth observation indicates that the case is pathologically advanced one and the structural changes have taken place in the patient already. Hence the prognosis is bad. • Seventh observation: A full-time amelioration of symptoms yet no special relief to the patient. This finding is seen where there is partial and irreversible damage. Here the patient who develops such conditions does not improve above this state. Eg; a patient with one kidney can improve to a certain degree only depending on his organic development and limited symptoms. These symptoms will be ameliorated from time to time with remedies but the patient is only curable to certain extent a permanent cure cannot be seen. He cannot rise above such state. 134
Steps to be taken: This observation reveals that the case is only suitable to homoeopathic palliation and the prognosis with these palliative remedies will be good. But the patient is not cured and is never cured. • Eighth observation: Some patients prove every remedy they get. When such condition is observed, we have to think that the patient is an idiosyncratic person. These patients are known to be hysterical, over wrought, oversensitive to many things. Such patients are great provers; they will prove higher potencies of medicines. After they get out of one proving, they are quite ready to repeat it or go into another. Steps to be taken: These over-sensitive patients are sometimes incurable. These types of cases will have bad prognosis. • Ninth observation: Action of the medicine upon provers. Healthy provers are always benefited by the proving, if they are properly conducted. The process includes that constitutional symptoms of the prover have to be carefully noted down and subtracted from the symptoms of the drug proved. These symptoms of the prover will not very commonly appear during the proving, if they do note the change in them. • Tenth observation: New symptoms appearing after the remedy. If array of new symptoms appears after administration of the remedy, then the prescription has to be suspected. Under such circumstances it has to be noted that the prescription is not the right one. The condition of the patient will be unfavorable. Steps to be taken: Before coming to any conclusion about the case, the new symptoms have to be verified by the physician with the help of patient and his attendants. In some instances, it has been observed that the new symptoms turn out to be old symptoms which the patient may have forgotten to mention during case taking or considering them to be unimportant. If these symptoms were never observed by anybody before, appearance of new symptoms is an unfavorable condition. The remedy has to be antidoted or changed. • Eleventh observation: When old symptoms are observed to reappear. When the old symptoms reappear, it is observed that the condition is much favorable. The disease is curable one. If the symptoms are following the reverse order of appearance of symptoms and following 135
Herings’s law of cure, cure is inevitable. Patient is on the road to recovery. Steps to be taken. In this situation the selected remedy has to be left to complete its action. Further repetition of dose is not advisable at this stage, as it may interrupt the action of the remedy. If the old symptoms come back to stay, a repetition of dose is often necessary. The patient must be encouraged that he is on the road to recovery. • Twelfth observation: Symptoms take wrong direction. When symptoms take a wrong direction then we observe that it is not a good condition. Here the symptoms are not following Hering’s law of cure. It has to be noted that the administered medicine is not the perfect similimum. The medicine was not selected properly by considering the general symptoms, but it was selected based on the particular symptom. Here Prognosis of the case would be bad, as the remedy is suppressing the disease manifestations. Steps to be taken: The physician must be prompt enough to antidote the medicine immediately. Otherwise, structural changes would take place in the new site. *** 136
CHAPTER POSOLOGY 19 137
LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the concept of Posology. To learn about Guidelines for the selection of potency To learn about Repetition of doses. To learn Effect of the Remedy. To learn The Law of Dosage. 19.1 DEFINITION AND SCOPE According to the essays of Dr Stuart Close, By posology (from the Greek, posos, how much) we mean the science or doctrine of dosage. Small doses are often associated with homœopathic drugs and are commonly regarded as synonymous terms. People who have an idea of the medicinal effects are favorably inclined toward homœopathy, it is as likely to be so because they have heard that these medicines are “pleasant to take” as for any other reason. While such an impression, makes it the duty of the physician to instruct the public in the principles of homœopathy. Although Homoeopathy practices gentle medication, undoubtedly the subject of the dose in homœopathy is a very important one. The three essential elements of the system are the principle, the remedy and the dose where the three are of equal importance. Posology, and the related subject of Potentiation were the subjects of so much misunderstanding, discussion and controversy in the early days of homœopathy which was later on solved with the remarkable work of the pioneers of Homoeopathy. Definition: Posology is the doctrine of science of doses. It is the science which teaches us about selection, administration and repetition of doses. The meaning of the word posology came from the Greek word “posos” means “how much” and “logos” means “science” Health is a state of equilibrium, where the vital force is balancing the harmonious functioning of different parts of the body in a perfect manner. Where Disease is the disturbance of this harmonious functioning of the CHAPTER 19 POSOLOGY 138
organism caused by an inimical dynamic force called miasm. This is because the vital force on its own is unable to restore the disturbed state of the organism as the miasmatic force is powerful than the vital force. Hence in diseased conditions the medicinal force has to be employed in such a way that the medicinal force is not only similar but also stronger than the miasmatic force. This alone can remove the miasmatic force and the health is restored as per the nature’s law of cure. The knowledge of susceptibility and remedy reaction is very important to understand the posological principles of homoeopathic medicines. The idea about the site of the disease, intensity of the disease, duration of the treatment and the previous treatment taken by the patient has to be kept in view while selecting a dose and potency to the patient. Hahnemann in his chronic diseases says that any physician can make three mistakes while practicing. The first one is in the selection of the similimum, the second one is in the selection of proper potency and dose and the third one and the most important one is the repetition of the dose and potency selected. Hence the posology has become the important artistic aspect of the homoeopathic practice. The knowledge of susceptibility and remedy reaction is instrumental in understanding the posological principles of homoeopathy. The idea about the site of the disease, intensity of the disease, duration of treatment and the previous treatment taken by the patient has to be kept in view while selecting a dose and potency to the patient. 19.2 SELECTION OF POTENCY This is an important aspect which determines the direction of cure. The potency must always be selected upon the basis of the susceptibility of the patient. The general rule to determine potency is “greater the susceptibility of the patient, higher will be the potency”. “The quality of the action of homoeopathic remedy is determined by its quantity”. This law is also called as the posological principle of homoeopathy. According to Stuart Close, the following five indicators help in choosing the potency: • Susceptibility of the patient. • Seat of the disease. • Nature and intensity of symptoms. • Stage and duration of the disease. • Previous treatment of the patient. 139
• Susceptibility of the patient: Susceptibility of the patient varies from age, temperament, constitution, habits, character of disease, and environment. “The more similar the remedy, the more clearly and positively the symptoms of the patient take on peculiar and characteristic form of the remedy, the greater the susceptibility to the remedy and higher the potency is required”. • Susceptibility and age: Susceptibility to medicine or disease is greater in children and young people and it gradually decreases with the age. • Susceptibility, constitution and temperament: People who are Sensitive, nervous, sanguine and chlorotic temperaments are more susceptible. Intelligent, impulsive, and zealous persons have increased susceptibility. Torpid, phlegmatic, dull, sluggish individuals are less susceptible; hence they need low potencies. • Susceptibility, habits and environment: Patients of highly intellectual characters, emotional people and patients with long sleeping hours have lower susceptibility hence they need high potencies. • Seat of disease: The disease characterized by diminished vital reaction requires low potencies, while disease characterized by increased vital reaction responds better to higher potencies. Closer the similarity of the symptoms in the case and the selected remedy the higher the potency must be given provided there are no contraindications for the usage of higher potencies. The more the similarity in the case for mental symptoms the higher will be the potency. If the prescription is based on poor indications, the remedy should not be given in higher potency, but lower potencies like 30th will be safer. In chronic cases it is preferred to choose higher potency but if the higher potencies do not work or cease to work, in such condition it is best to change the potency to 30th and repeat it. In terminal conditions, when the patient does not react to well selected remedies, nor to the recurrent reaction remedies given in potentized form and small doses, resort to the crude drug and increase the dose to the point of reaction. The Nature and intensity of the disease: The nature and intensity of disease have some bearing upon the question of the dose certain malignant or rapidly fatal diseases, like cholera, may require material doses or low potencies of the indicated drug. Eg; Hahnemann’s famous prescription 140
of Camphor in drop doses of the strong tincture, given every five or ten minutes, with which so many thousands of lives have been saved, is an illustration. Later, after reaction has been established and other remedies, corresponding to the symptoms of later stages of the disease come into view, the higher potencies are required. Generally speaking, diseases characterized by diminished vital action require the lower potencies while diseases characterized by increased vital action respond better to high potencies, but this is again modified by the temperament and constitution of the patient. In a condition where either susceptibility of the patient has been exhausted, or a drug idiosyncrasy has been developed. The drugs must be antidoted and the further treatment should be carried on by higher potencies. If the selected medicine is inert in nature, here crude substance in its natural form works curatively then it should be administered in the highly dynamized form. E.g. Carbo veg, Natrum mur, etc. 19.3 REPETITION OF DOSE The topic of Repetition of doses is as important as selection of remedy. The selection of the remedy can hardly be said to be finished until the potency and dosage have been decided upon. There are three factors i.e. remedy, potency and dosage, which are necessary aspects of prescribing. None of them can be neglected or disregarded. For repetition of doses, The first challenge for the physician is whether to give one dose or repeated doses. The second challenge is, if we give one dose when shall we repeat it? The Third is, if we give repeated doses, how often shall we repeat the doses and when shall we stop dosing? The only safe rule is to repeat the dose only when improvement ceases. It is best to allow a dose, or a remedy, to act as long as the improvement produced by it is sustained which is a good practice. In Par. 245 Hahnemann gives this general rule as: “Perceptible and continued progress of improvement in an acute or chronic disease, is a condition which, as long as it lasts, invariably counter indicates the repetition of any medicine whatever, because the beneficial effect which 141
the medicine continues to exert is rapidly approaching its perfection. Under these circumstances every new dose of medicine would disturb the proccess of recovery.” In the long note to Par. 246, Hahnemann qualifies the statement and indicates the circumstances under which it is advisable to repeat the doses of the same remedy. In Par. 247-8, Hahnemann says: “These periods” (marked by the repetition of doses) “are always to be determined by the more or less acute course of the disease and by the nature of the remedy employed. The dose of the same medicine is to be repeated several times, if necessary, but only until recovery ensues, or until the remedy ceases to produce improvement, at that period the remainder of the disease, having suffered a change in its group of symptoms, requires another homœopathic medicine.” The single dose of the indicated remedy, should be repeated whenever improvement ceases, as long as new or changed symptoms do not indicate a change of remedy, it is adapted to all cases, but especially to chronic cases and to such acute cases as can be seen frequently and watched closely. The nature and progress of the disease will determine how often the dose is to be repeated. Effect of the Remedy. - The next point to be considered under the subject of Homeopathic Posology is The Effect of the Remedy. 19.4 FACTORS INFLUENCING DOSAGE After we have selected what we believe to be the indicated remedy and administered it in proper potency and dosage, it is the duty of the physician to observe the changes in the patient carefully and interpret them in the patient’s condition, as revealed by the symptoms, this further determine our subsequent action in the treatment of the case. The first thing to be determined by the physician is whether the remedy has acted at all or not. If the remedy has not acted, we have next to determine the reason of failure whether the failure to act is due to an error in the selection of the remedy, or to the selection of the wrong potency of the remedy. If in carefully reviewing our symptom-record, we find the remedy is rightly chosen, then we change the potency to a higher or lower potency, as circumstances may require, after a reconsideration of the patient’s degree of susceptibility. 142
Upon analyzing the character of changes in a patient, the further process depends our further course of action. A remedy shows its action, 1. By producing new symptoms; An improperly chosen remedy may change the condition of an oversensitive patient by producing new symptoms not related to the disease and detrimental to his welfare. These are pathogenetic symptoms. Their appearance indicates that the remedy is not curing the patient, but merely making a proving. In this case Discontinuance and an antidote is recommended. 2. By the disappearance of symptoms; A slight aggravation or intensification of the symptoms, appearing quickly after giving the remedy and soon passing away is a good sign. It calls for a suspension of medication until the after-following improvement ceases or the symptoms change again. It is the first and best evidence of the curative action of a well-chosen remedy. 3. By the increase or aggravation of symptoms; A correctly, chosen remedy given in too low or sometimes too high a potency, or in too many doses, may cause an aggravation of the existing symptoms so severe as to endanger the life of the patient; especially if the patient be a child or a sensitive person and if a vital organ, like the brain or lungs be affected. 4. By the amelioration of symptoms; The more accurate the selection of the medicine, the greater must be the care exercised not to injure the patient by prescribing potencies too low and doses too numerous. Medication should be stopped on the first appearance of such aggravations. An antidote should be administered if they do not speedily diminish. The careless prescriber rarely recognizes such aggravations. When he notices the symptoms, he usually attributes them to the natural course of the disease or calls it a “complication.” In functional diseases, or in the beginning of acute organic diseases, accompanied perhaps by severe pain, the administration of the appropriate dose of the indicated remedy may be followed by rapid disappearance of symptoms without any aggravation. This is a cure of the most satisfactory kind, pleasing alike to physician and patient. Remedy and potency were both exactly right. 5. By a change in the order and direction of symptoms: A prolonged aggravation without amelioration and with progressive decline of the patient is sometimes seen in chronic, deep-seated disease as a result of 143
the over-action of a deeply acting anti-psoric or anti-syphilitic medicine, given in too high a potency in the beginning of treatment. If the potency is too high its action may be too deep and far-reaching, and the reaction too great for the weakened vital power to carry on. Eg; Remedies as Sulphur, Calcarea, Mercury, Arsenic and Phosphorus, given in the 50 M. or C.M., potencies, have sometimes hastened tubercular or tertiary syphilitic cases into the grave. In beginning treatment of suspicious or possibly incurable cases it is better to use medium potencies, like the 30th or 200th and go higher gradually, if necessary, as treatment progresses and the patient improves. The change following the administration of a remedy may be a quick, short amelioration followed by a relapse to the original or a worse condition. This may be because the remedy was only partly similar, or insufficient as to dosage; but where this occurrence is observed several times in succession and lasting improvement does not follow carefully selected remedies, it means that the case is incurable. There is not vitality enough to sustain a curative reaction, and dissolution is, imminent. 19.5 MANAGEMENT AFTER ADMINISTRATION The Law of Dosage. - Summing up the matter, it appears that the law of dosage is contained in the law of similars, or the law of equivalents, both of which expressions are merely paraphrases of the law of Mutual Action. The law might be stated as the curative dose, like the remedy, must be similar in quantity and quality to the dose of the morbific agent which caused the disease. The homœopathic doctrine of dosage, 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 it medicine of, the Law of Mutual Action - the third Newtonian law of motion - “Action and Reaction are Equal and Opposite.” Everyone at all 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, arid in small doses, under certain, conditions, will cure the same. Closely allied to this is the primary and secondary action of drugs, in, which we see many drugs, in the first or primary stage of their action producing 144
one group of symptoms, and in the second stage a directly opposite set of phenomena as when the deep sleep of the primary action of Opium is followed by a much longer lasting wakefulness; or where the diarrhea induced by a cathartic is followed by a longer lasting constipation. This applies, of course, only to drugs given in tangible form and considerable quantities, in what are called “physiological doses.” *** 145
CHAPTER APHORISM 245-285 20 146
CHAPTER 20 APHORISM 245-285 LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the Aphorism 245-285. 20.1 REPETITION OF DOSE (245–250) § 245 Sixth Edition In this aphorism Hahnemann discusses the reaction of remedies on diseases and their repetition. He says that repetition of doses should not be done as long there is progressive and strikingly increase in amelioration in both acute and chronic diseases. If repeated frequently then every new dose of any medicine whatsoever, even of the one last administered, that has hitherto shown it’s action, would in this case disturb the work of amelioration. § 246 Sixth Edition In this aphorism Hahnemann says that when a progressive amelioration is observed, the best option is wait for the completion of action of the medicine. In acute diseases this action is rather faster but in more chronic diseases, on the other hand, a single dose of an appropriately selected homoeopathic remedy will at times complete even with but slowly progressive improvement and give help to the patient which such a remedy naturally within 40- 100 days. In acute cases the repetition period should be diminished to one-half, one-quarter, and even still less, so that a much more rapid cure might be obtained. This kind of reaction is seen under the following conditions: firstly, if the medicine selected with the utmost care was perfectly homoeopathic; secondly, if it is highly potentized, dissolved in water and given in proper small dose is most suitable in definite intervals for the quickest accomplishment of the cure. It is always advised to start treatment with lower potencies and move upwards. § 247 Sixth Edition In this aphorism Hahnemann says that It is impractical to repeat the same unchanged dose of a remedy once, not to mention its frequent repetition 147
at short intervals in order not only delay the cure rather it create new symptom corresponding to the medicine that is administered. § 248 Sixth Edition For this purpose, we potentize the fresh medicinal solution1 with perhaps 8, 10, 12 succussions from which we give the patient one or increasingly several teaspoonful doses, in long lasting diseases daily or every second day, in acute diseases every two to six hours and in very urgent cases every hour or oftener. Thus, in chronic diseases, every correctly chosen homoeopathic medicine, even those whose action is of long duration, may be repeated daily for months with ever increasing success. If the solution is used up (in seven to fifteen days) it is necessary to add to the next solution of the same medicine if still indicated one or (though rarely) several pellets of a higher potency with which we continue so long as the patient experiences continued improvement without encountering one or another complaint that he never had before in his life. 20.2 MODIFICATION OF DOSE (251–260) § 249 – 251 Sixth Edition When the medicine prescribed for a case of disease produces new and troublesome symptoms not appertaining to the disease to be cured, then it must, either first partially neutralized as soon as possible by an antidote before giving the next remedy chosen more accurately according to similarity of action or if the troublesome symptoms be not very violent, the next remedy must be given immediately, in order to take the place of the improperly selected one. Here the case must be restudied and mistakes must be analyzed and selection of more similar drug must be done. There are some medicines (e.g., ignatia, also bryonia and rhus, and sometimes belladonna) whose power of altering man’s health consists chiefly in alternating actions which is a kind of primary-action symptoms that are in part opposed to each other. Should the practitioner find, on prescribing one of these, selected on strict homoeopathic principles, that no improvement follows, he will in most cases soon effect his object by giving (in acute diseases, even within a few hours) a fresh and equally small dose of the same medicine. 148
§ 252 Sixth Edition But should we find, during the employment of the other medicines in chronic (psoric) diseases, that the best selected homoeopathic (antipsoric) medicine in the suitable (minutest) dose does not affect an improvement, this is a sure sign that the cause that keeps up the disease still persists, and that there is some circumstances in the mode of life of the patient or in the situation in which he is placed, that must be removed in order that a permanent cure may be ensured. § 253 Sixth Edition The signs of improvement in the disposition and mind, however, may be expected only soon after the medicine has been taken when the dose has been sufficiently minute (i.e., as small as possible), an unnecessary large dose of even the most suitable homoeopathic medicine acts too violently, and at first produces too great and too lasting a disturbance of the mind and disposition to allow us soon to perceive the improvement in them. § 254 Sixth Edition The other new or increased symptoms or, on the contrary, the diminution of the original ones without any addition of new ones, will soon dispel all doubts from the mind of the attentively observing and investigating practitioner with regard to the aggravation or amelioration; though there are among patient’s persons who are either incapable of giving an account of this amelioration or aggravation, or are unwilling to confess it. § 255 Sixth Edition When the physician find that the patient complains of no new unusual symptoms in addition to these, and that none of the old symptoms are worse. If this be the case, and if an improvement in the disposition and mind has already been observed, the medicine must have effected positive diminution of the disease. Now, supposing the remedy is perfectly appropriate, if the improvement is delay too long in making its appearance, this depends either on some error of conduct on the part of the patient, or on other interfering circumstances. § 256 Sixth Edition On the other hand, if the patient mention the occurrence of some fresh accidents and symptoms of importance – signs that the medicine chosen has not been strictly homoeopathic – even though he should good-naturedly 149
assure us that he feels better, as is not infrequently the case in phthisical patients with lung abscess, we must not believe this assurance, but regard his state as aggravated as it will soon be perfectly apparent it is. § 257 Sixth Edition The true physician will take care to avoid making favorite remedies of medicines, the employment of which he has, by chance, perhaps found often useful, and which he has had opportunities of using with good effect. If he does so, some remedies or rarer use, which would have been more homoeopathically suitable, consequently more serviceable, will often be neglected. § 258 Sixth Edition The true practitioner, moreover, will not in his practice with mistrustful weakness neglect the employment of those remedies that he may now and then have employed with bad effects, owing to an erroneous selection (from his own fault, therefore), or avoid them for other (false) reasons, as that they were unhomoeopathic for the case of disease before him; he must bear in mind the truth, that of medicinal agents that one alone invariably deserves the preference in every case of disease which correspond most accurately by similarity to the totality of the characteristic symptoms, and that no paltry prejudices should interfere with this serious choice. § 259 Sixth Edition Considering the minuteness of the doses necessary and proper in homoeopathic treatment, we can easily understand that during the treatment everything must be removed from the diet and regimen which can have any medicinal action, in order that the small dose may not be overwhelmed and extinguished or disturbed by any foreign medicinal irritant. 20.3 LM POTENCY AND ITS USE (261–270) § 260 Sixth Edition Hence the careful investigation into such obstacles to cure is so much the more necessary in the case of patients affected by chronic diseases, as their diseases are usually aggravated by such noxious influences and other disease-causing errors in the diet and regimen, which often pass unnoticed. 150
Eg; coffee, herbal tea, spiced chocolate, perfumes, others are heated rooms, a sedentary life in close apartments, or the frequent indulgence in mere passive exercise (such as riding, driving or swinging), prolonged suckling, taking a long sitting job in a recumbent posture in bed, sitting up long at night, uncleanliness, Onanism or imperfect or suppressed intercourse in order to prevent conception, subjects of anger, grief or vexation, a passion for play, over-exertion of the mind or body, especially after meals, dwelling in marshy districts, damp rooms, penurious living, etc. All these things must be as far as possible avoided or removed, in order that the cure may not be obstructed or rendered impossible. § 261 Sixth Edition The most appropriate regimen during the employment of medicine in chronic diseases consists in the removal of such obstacles to recovery, and in supplying where necessary the reverse innocent moral and intellectual recreation, active exercise in the open air in almost all kinds of weather (daily walks, slight manual labor), suitable, nutritious, unmedicinal food and drink, etc. § 262 Sixth Edition In acute diseases, on the other hand – except in cases of mental alienation – the subtle, unerring internal sense of the awakened life-preserving faculty determines so clearly and precisely, that the physician only requires to counsel the friends and attendants to put no obstacles in the way of this voice of nature by refusing anything the patient urgently desires in the way of food, or by trying to persuade him to partake of anything injurious. § 263 Sixth Edition The desire of the patient affected by an acute disease with regard to food and drink is certainly chiefly for things that give palliative relief: they are, however, not strictly speaking of a medicinal character, and merely supply a sort of want. The slight hindrances that the gratification of this desire, within moderate bounds, could oppose to the radical removal of the disease1 will be amply counteracted and overcome by the power of the homoeopathically suited medicine and the vital force set free by it, as also by the refreshment that follows from taking what has been so ardently longed for. In like manner, in acute diseases the temperature of the room and the heat or coolness of the bed-coverings must also be arranged entirely in conformity with the patients’ wish. He must be kept free from all over-exertion of mind and exciting emotions. 151
§ 264 Sixth Edition The true physician must be provided with genuine medicines of unimpaired strength, so that he may be able to rely upon their therapeutic powers; he must be able, himself, to judge of their genuineness. § 265 Sixth Edition It should be a matter of conscience with him to be thoroughly convinced in every case that the patient always takes the right medicine and therefore he must give the patient the correctly chosen medicine prepared, moreover, by himself. § 266 Sixth Edition Substances belonging to the animal and vegetable kingdoms possess their medicinal qualities most perfectly in their raw state. All crude animal and vegetable substances have a greater or less amount of medicinal power, and are capable of altering man’s health, each in its own peculiar way and they differ from the others in this that their medicinal powers in their raw state are either not very great in themselves, or are diminished by the culinary processes they are subjected to in cooking for domestic use, By merely standing a long time, the expressed juice of the most deadly plants becomes quite powerless; even at moderate atmospheric temperature it rapidly takes on the vinous fermentation and thereby loses much of its medicinal power. § 267 Sixth Edition We gain possession of the powers of indigenous plants and of such as may be had in a fresh state in the most complete and certain manner by mixing their freshly expressed juice immediately with equal parts of spirits of wine of a strength sufficient to burn in a lamp. After this has stood a day and a night in a close stoppered bottle and deposited the fibrinous and albuminous matters, the clear superincumbent fluid is then to be decanted off for medicinal use. All fermentation of the vegetable juice will be at once checked by the spirits of wine mixed with it and rendered impossible for the future, and the entire medicinal power of the vegetable juice is thus retained (perfect and uninjured) for ever by keeping the preparation in well-corked bottles and excluded from the sun’s light. Alcohol has certainly been sometimes before this used for mixing with vegetable juices, e.g., to preserve them some time before making extracts of them, but never with the view of administering them in this form. 152
Although equal parts of alcohol and freshly expressed juice are usually the most suitable proportion for affecting the deposition of the fibrinous and albuminous matters, yet for plants that contain much thick mucus (e.g. Symphytum officinale, Viola tricolor, etc.), or an excess of albumen (e.g., Aethusa cynapium, Solanum nigrum, etc.), a double proportion of alcohol is generally required for this object. Plants that are very deficient in juice, as Oleander, Buxus, Taxus, Ledum, Sabina, etc., must first be pounded up alone into a moist, fine mass and the stirred up with a double quantity of alcohol, in order that the juice may combine with it, and being thus extracted by the alcohol, may be pressed out; these latter may also when dried be brought with milk-sugar to the millionfold trituration, and then be further diluted and potentized. § 268 Sixth Edition The other exotic plants, barks, seeds and roots that cannot be obtained in the fresh state the sensible practitioner will first convince himself of their genuineness in their crude, entire state before making any employment of them. In order to preserve them in the form of powder, a precaution is requisite that has hitherto been usually neglected by druggists, and hence powders, even of well-dried animal and vegetable substances could not be preserved uninjured even in well-corked bottles. The entire crude vegetable substances, though perfectly dry, yet contain, as an indispensable condition of the cohesion of their texture, a certain quantity of moisture, which dose not indeed prevent the unpulverized drug from remaining in as dry a state as is requisite to preserve it from corruption, but which is quite too much for the finely pulverized state. The animal or vegetable substance which in its entire state was perfectly dry, furnishes, therefore, when finely pulverized, a somewhat moist powder, which without rapidly becoming spoilt and mouldy, can yet not be preserved in corked bottles if not previously freed from this superfluous moisture. This is the best effected by spreading out the powder in a flat tin saucer with a raised edge, which floats in a vessel full of boiling water (i.e. a water-bath), and, by means of stirring it about, drying it to such a degree that all the small atoms of it (no longer stick together in lumps, but) like dry, fine sand, are easily separated from each other, and are readily converted into dust. In this dry state the fine powders may be kept forever uninjured in well-corked and sealed bottles, in all their original complete medicinal power, without ever being injured by mites or mould; and they are best preserved when the bottles are kept 153
protected from the daylight (in covered boxes, chests, cases). If not shut up in air-tight vessels, and not preserved from the access of the light of the sun and day, all animal and vegetable substances in time gradually lose their medicinal power more and more, even in the entire state, but still more in the form of powder. § 269 Sixth Edition The homoeopathic system of medicine develops for its special use, to a hitherto unheard-of degree, the inner medicinal powers of the crude substances by means of a process peculiar to it and which has hitherto never been tried, where by only they all become immeasurably and penetratingly efficacious and remedial, even those that in the crude state give no evidence of the slightest medicinal power on the human body. This is affected by mechanical action upon their smallest particles by means of rubbing and shaking and through the addition of an indifferent substance, dry of fluid, are separated from each other. This process is called dynamizing, potentizing (development of medicinal power) and the products are dynamizations or potencies in different degrees. On this account it refers to the increase and stronger development of their power to cause changes in the health of animals and men if these natural substances in this improved state, are brought very near to the living sensitive fibre or come in contact with it (by means of intake or olfaction). Just as a magnetic bar especially if its magnetic force is increased (dynamized) can show magnetic power only in a needle of steel whose pole is near or touches it. The steel itself remains unchanged in the remaining chemical and physical properties and can bring about no changes in other metals (for instance, in brass), just as little as dynamized medicines can have any action upon lifeless things. We hear daily how homoeopathic medicinal potencies are called mere dilutions, when they are the very opposite, i.e., a true opening up of the natural substances bringing to light and revealing the hidden specific medicinal powers contained within and brought forth by rubbing and shaking. The aid of a chosen, unmedicinal medium of attenuation is but a secondary condition. Simple dilution, for instance, the solution of a grain of salt will become water, the grain of salt will disappear in the dilution with much water and will never develop into medicinal salt which by means of our well- prepared dynamization, is raised to most marvellous power. 154
§ 270 Sixth Edition In order to best obtain this development of power, a small part of the substance to be dynamized, say one grain, is triturated for three hours with three times one hundred grains sugar of milk according to the method described below up to the one-millionth part in powder form. For reasons given below one grain of this powder is dissolved in 500 drops of a mixture of one part of alcohol and four parts of distilled water, of which one drop is put in a vial. To this are added 100 drops of pure alcohol and given one hundred strong succussions with the hand against a hard but elastic body. This is the medicine in the first degree of dynamization with which small sugar globules may then be moistened and quickly spread on blotting paper to dry and kept in a well-corked vial with the sign of (I) degree of potency. Only one 6 globules of this is taken for further dynamization, put in a second new vial (with a drop a water in order to dissolve it) and then with 100 powerful succussions. With this alcoholic medicinal fluid globules are again moistened, spread upon blotting paper and dried quickly, put into a well-stoppered vial and protected from heat and sun light and given the sign (II) of the second potency. And in this way the process is continued until the twenty-ninth is reached. Then with 100 drops of alcohol by means of 100 succussions, an alcoholic medicinal fluid is formed with which the thirtieth dynamization degree is given to properly moistened and dried sugar globules. By means of this manipulation of crude drugs are produced preparations which only in this way reach the full capacity to forcibly influence the suffering parts of the sick organism. In this way, by means of similar artificial morbid affection, the influence of the natural disease on the life principle present within is neutralized. By means of this mechanical procedure, provided it is carried out regularly according to the above teaching, a change is affected in the given drug, which in its crude state shows itself only as material, at at times as unmedicinal material but by means of such higher and higher dynamization, it is changed and subtilized at last into spirit-like7 medicinal power, which, indeed, in itself does not fall within our senses but for which the medicinally prepared globule, dry, but more so when dissolved in water, becomes the carrier, and in this condition, manifests the healing power of this invisible force in the sick body. 155
1 One-third of one hundred grains sugar of milk is put in a glazed porcelain mortar, the bottom dulled previously by rubbing it with fine, moist sand. Upon this powder is put one grain of the powdered drug to be triturated (one drop of quicksilver, petroleum, etc.). The sugar of milk used for dynamization must be of that special pure quality that is crystallized on strings and comes to us in the shape of long bars. For a moment the medicines and powder are mixed with a porcelain spatula and triturated rather strongly, six to seven minutes, with the pestle rubbed dull, then the mass is scraped from the bottom of the mortar and from the pestle for three to four minutes, in order to make it homogeneous. This is followed by triturating it in the same way 6 – 7 minutes without adding anything more and again scraping 3 – 4 minutes from what adhered to the mortar and pestle. The second third of the sugar of milk is now added, mixed with the spatula and again triturated 6 – 7 minutes, followed by the scraping for 3 – 4 minutes and trituration without further addition for 6 – 7 minutes. The last third of sugar of milk is then added, mixed with the spatula and triturated as before 6 -7 minutes with most careful scraping together. The powder thus prepared is put in a vial, well corked, protected from direct sunlight to which the name of the substance and the designation of the first product marked /100 is given. In order to raise this product to /10000, one grain of the powdered /100 is mixed with the third part of 100 grains of powdered sugar of milk and then proceed as before, but every third must be carefully triturated twice thoroughly each time for 6 -7 minutes and scraped together 3 -4 minutes before the second and last third of sugar of milk is added. After each third, the same procedure is taken. When all is finished, the powder is put in a well corked vial and labelled /10000, i.e., (I), each grain containing 1/1,000,000 the original substance. Accordingly, such a trituration of the three degrees requires six times six to seven minutes for triturating and six times 3 -4 minutes for scraping, thus one hour for every degree. After one hour such trituration of the first degree, each grain will contain 1/000; of the second 1/10,000; and in the third 1/1,000,000 of the drug used.* Mortar and spatula must be cleaned well before they are used for another medicine. Washed first with warm water and dried, both mortar and pestle, as well as spatula are then put in a kettle of boiling water for half an hour. precaution might be used to such an extent as to put these utensils on a coal fire exposed to a glowing heat. * These are the three degrees of the dry powder trituration, which if carried out correctly, will effect a good beginning for the dynamization of the medicinal substance. 156
2 The vial used for potentizing is filled two-thirds full. 3 Perhaps on a leather bound book. 4 They are prepared under supervision by the confectioner from starch and sugar and the small globules freed from fine dusty parts by passing them through a sieve. Then they are put through a strainer that will permit only 100 to pass through weighing one grain, the most serviceable size for the needs of a homoeopathic physician. 5 A small cylindrical vessel shaped like a thimble, made of glass, porcelain or silver, with a small opening at the bottom in which the globules are put to be medicated. They are moistened with some of the dynamized medicinal alcohol, stirred and poured out on blotting paper, in order to dry them quickly. 6 According to first directions, one drop of the liquid of a lower potency was to be taken to 100 drops of alcohol for higher potentiation. This proportion of the medicine of attenuation to the medicine that is to be dynamized (100:1) was found altogether too limited to develop thoroughly and to a high degree the power of the medicine by means of a number of such succussions without specially using great force of which wearisome experiments have convinced me. But if only one such globule be taken, of which 100 weigh one grain, and dynamize it with 100 drops of alcohol, the proportion of 1 to 50,000 and even greater will be had, for 500 such globules can hardly absorb one drop, for their saturation. With this disproportionate higher ratio between medicine and diluting medium many successive strokes of the vial filled two-thirds with alcohol can produce a much greater development of power. But with so small a diluting medium as 100 to 1 of the medicine, if many succussions by means of a powerful machine are forced into it, medicines are then developed which, especially in the higher degrees of dynamization, act almost immediately, but with furious, even dangerous violence, especially in weakly patients, without having a lasting, mild reaction of the vital principle. But the method described by me, on the contrary, produces medicines of highest development of power and mildest action, which, however, if well chosen, touches all suffering parts curatively. In acute fevers, the small doses of the lowest dynamization degrees of these thus perfected medicinal preparations, even of medicines of long continued action (for instance, belladonna) may be repeated in short intervals. In the treatment of chronic diseases, it is best to begin 157
with the lowest degrees of dynamization and when necessary advance to higher, even more powerful but mildly acting degrees. * In very rare cases, notwithstanding almost full recovery of health and with good vital strength, an old annoying local trouble continuing undisturbed it is wholly permitted and even indispensably necessary, to administer in increasing doses the homoeopathic remedy that has proved itself efficacious but potenized to a very high degree by means of many succussions by hand. Such a local disease will often then disappear in a wonderful way. 7 This assertion will not appear improbable, if one considers that by means of this method of dynamization (the preparations thus produced, I have found after many laborious experiments and counter-experiments, to be the most powerful and at the same time mildest in action, i.e., as the most perfected) the material part of the medicine is lessened with each degree of dynamization 50,000 times yet incredibly increased in power, so that the further dynamization of 125 and 18 ciphers reaches only the third degree of dynamization. The thirtieth thus progressively prepared would give a fraction almost impossible to be expressed in numbers. It becomes uncommonly evident that the material part by means of such dynamization (development of its true, inner medicinal essence) will ultimately dissolve into its individual spirit-like, (conceptual) essence. In its crude state therefore, it may be considered to consist really only of this underdeveloped conceptual essence. 20.4 MANAGEMENT AND FOLLOW-UP (271–285) § 271 Sixth Edition If the physician prepares his homoeopathic medicines himself, as he should reasonably do in order to save men from sickness,1 he may use the fresh plant itself, as but little of the crude article is required, if he does not need the expressed juice perhaps for purposes of healing. He takes a few grains in a mortar and with 100 grains sugar of milk three distinct times brings them to the one-millionth trituration (§ 270) before further potentizing of a small portion of this by means of shaking is undertaken, a procedure to be observed also with the rest of crude drugs of either dry or oily nature. Until the State, in the future, after having attained insight into the indispensability of perfectly prepared homoeopathic medicines, will have them manufactured by a competent impartial person, in order to give 158
them free of charge to homoeopathic physicians trained in homoeopathic hospitals, who have been examined theoretically and practically, and thus legally qualified. The physician may then become convinced of these divine tools for purposes of healing, but also to give them free of charge to his patients – rich and poor. § 272 Sixth Edition Such a globule,1 placed dry upon the tongue, is one of the smallest doses for a moderate recent case of illness. Here but few nerves are touched by the medicine. A similar globule, crushed with some sugar of milk and dissolved in a good deal of water (§ 247) and stirred well before every administration will produce a far more powerful medicine for the use of several days. Every dose, no matter how minute, touches, on the contrary, many nerves. These globules (§ 270) retain their medicinal virtue for many years, if protected against sunlight and heat. § 273 Sixth Edition In no case under treatment is it necessary and therefore not permissible to administer to a patient more than one single, simple medicinal substance at one time. It is inconceivable how the slightest doubt could exist as to whether it was more consistent with nature and more rational to prescribe a single, simple medicine at one time in a disease or a mixture of several differently acting drugs. It is absolutely not allowed in homoeopathy, the one true, simple and natural art of healing, to give the patient at one time two different medicinal substance. § 274 Sixth Edition As the true physician finds in simple medicines, administered singly and uncombined, all that he can possibly desire (artificial disease- force which are able by homoeopathic power completely to overpower, extinguish, and permanently cure natural diseases), he will, mindful of the wise maxim that “it is wrong to attempt to employ complex means when simple means suffice,” never think of giving as a remedy any but a single, simple medicinal substance; for these reasons also, because even though the simple medicines were thoroughly proved with respect to their pure peculiar effects on the unimpaired healthy state of man, it is yet impossible to foresee how two and more medicinal substances might, when compounded, hinder and alter each other’s actions on the human 159
body; and because, on the other hand, a simple medicinal substance when used in diseases, the totality of whose symptoms is accurately known, renders efficient aid by itself alone, if it be homoeopathically selected; and supposing the worst case to happen, that it was not chosen in strict conformity to similarity of symptoms, and therefore does no good, it is yet so far useful that it promoted our knowledge of therapeutic agents, because, by the new symptoms excited by it in such a case, those symptoms which this medicinal substance had already shown in experiments on the healthy human body are confirmed, an advantage that is lost by the employment of all compound remedies. When the rational physician has chosen the perfectly homoeopathic medicine for the well-considered case of disease and administered it internally. § 275 Sixth Edition The suitableness of a medicine for any given case of disease does not depend on its accurate homoeopathic selection alone, but likewise on the proper size, or rather smallness, of the dose. If we give too strong a dose of a medicine which may have been even quite homoeopathically chosen for the morbid state before us, it must, notwithstanding the inherent beneficial character of its nature, prove injurious by its mere magnitude, and by the unnecessary, too strong impression which, by virtue of its homoeopathic similarity of action, it makes upon the vital force which it attacks and, through the vital force, upon those parts of the organism which are the most sensitive, and are already most affected by the natural disease. § 276 Sixth Edition For this reason, a medicine, even though it may be homoeopathically suited to the case of disease, does harm in every dose that is too large, the more harm the larger the dose, and by the magnitude of the dose and in strong doses’ it does more harm the greater its homoeopathicity and the higher the potency selected, and it does much more injury than any equally large dose of a medicine that is unhomoeopathic, and in no respect adapted to the morbid state (allopathic). Too large doses of an accurately chosen homoeopathic medicine, and especially when frequently repeated, bring about much trouble as a rule. They put the patient not seldom in danger of life or make this disease almost incurable. They do indeed extinguish the natural disease so far as the sensation of the life principle is concerned and the patient no longer suffers from the original disease from the moment the too strong dose of the 160
homoeopathic medicine acted upon him but he is in consequence more ill with the similar but more violent medicinal disease which is most difficult to destroy. The praise bestowed of late years by some homoeopathists on the larger doses is owing to this, either that they chose low dynamizations of the medicine to be administered (as I myself used to do twenty years ago, from nor knowing any better), or that the medicines selected were not homoeopathic and imperfectly prepared by their manufacturers. § 277 Sixth Edition For the same reason, and because a medicine, provided the dose of it was sufficiently small, is all the more salutary and almost marvellously efficacious the more accurately homoeopathic its selection has been, a medicine whose selection has been accurately homoeopathic must be all the more salutary the more its dose is reduced to the degree of minuteness appropriate for a gentle remedial effect. § 278 Sixth Edition Here the question arises, what is this most suitable degree of minuteness for sure and gentle remedial effect; how small, in other words, must be the dose of each individual medicine, homoeopathically selected for a case of disease, to effect the best cure? To solve this problem, and to determine for every particular medicine, what dose of it will suffice for homoeopathic therapeutic purposes and yet be so minute that the gentlest and most rapid cure may be thereby obtained Pure experiment, careful observation of the sensitiveness of each patient, and accurate experience can alone determine this and it were absurd to adduce the large doses of unsuitable (allopathic) medicines of the old system, which do not touch the diseased side of the organism homoeopathically, but only attack the parts unaffected by the disease, in opposition to what pure experience pronounces respecting the smallness of the doses required for homoeopathic cures. § 279 Sixth Edition This pure experience shows UNIVERSALLY, that if the disease do not manifestly depend on a considerable deterioration of an important viscus (even though it belong to the chronic and complicated diseases), and if during the treatment all other alien medicinal influences are kept away from the patients, the dose of the homoeopathically selected and highly potentized remedy for the beginning of treatment of an important, especially chronic disease can never be prepared so small that it shall not be stronger than the natural disease and shall not be able to overpower it, 161
at least in part and extinguish it from the sensation of the principle of life and thus make a beginning of a cure. § 280 Sixth Edition The dose of the medicine that continues serviceable without producing new troublesome symptoms is to be continued while gradually ascending, so long as the patient with general improvement, begins to feel in a mild degree the return of one or several old original complaints. This indicates an approaching cure through a gradual ascending of the moderate doses modified each time by succussion. It indicates that the vital principal no longer needs to be affected by the similar medicinal disease in order to lose the sensation of the natural disease. It indicates that the life principle now free from the natural disease begins to suffer only something of the medicinal disease hitherto known as homoeopathic aggravation § 281 Sixth Edition In order to be convinced of this, the patient is left without any medicine for eight, ten of fifteen days, meanwhile giving him only some powders of sugar of milk. If the few last complaints are due to the medicine simulating the former original disease symptoms, then these complaints will disappear in a few days or hours. If during these days without medicine, while continuing good hygienic regulations nothing more of the original disease is seen, he is probably cured. But if in the later days traces of the former morbid symptoms should show themselves, they are remnants of the original disease not wholly extinguished, which must be treated with renewed higher potencies of the remedy as directed before. If a cure is to follow, the first small doses must likewise be again gradually raised higher, but less and more slowly in patients where considerable irritability is evident than in those of less susceptibility, where the advance to higher dosage may be more rapid. There are patients whose impressionability compared to that of the insusceptible ones is like the ratio as 1000 to 1. § 282 Sixth Edition It would be a certain sign that the doses were altogether too large, if during treatment, especially in chronic disease, the first dose should bring forth a so-called homoeopathic aggravation, that is, a marked increase of the original morbid symptoms first discovered and in the same way every repeated dose (§ 247) however modified somewhat by shaking before its administration (i.e., more highly dynamized). 162
The rule to commence the homoeopathic treatment if chronic diseases with the smallest possible doses and only gradually to augment them is subject to a notable exception in the treatment of the three great miasms while they still effloresce on the skin, i.e., recently erupted itch, the untouched chancre (on the sexual organs, labia, mouth or lips, and so forth), and the figwarts. These not only tolerate, but indeed require, from the very beginning large doses of their specific remedies of ever higher and higher degrees of dynamization daily (possibly also several times daily). If this course be pursued, there is no danger to be feared as is the case in the treatment of diseases hidden within, that the excessive dose while it extinguishes the disease, initiates and by continued usage possible produces a chronic medicinal disease. During external manifestations of these three miasms this is not the case for from the daily progress of their treatment it can be observed and judged to what degree the large dose withdraws the sensation of the disease from the vital principle day by day for none of these three can be cured without giving the physician the conviction through their disappearance that there is no longer any further need of these medicines. Since diseases in general are but dynamic attacks upon the life principle and nothing material – no materia peccans – as their basis (as the old school in its delusion has fabulated for a thousand years and treated the sick accordingly to their ruin) there is also in these cases nothing material to take away, nothing to smear away, to burn or tie or cut away, without making the patient endlessly sicker and more incurable, than he was before local treatment of these three miasms was instituted. The dynamic, inimical principle exerting its influence upon the vital energy is the essence of these external signs of the inner malignant miasms that can be extinguished solely by the action of a homoeopathic medicine upon the vital principle which affects it in a similar but stronger manner and thus extracts the sensation of internal and external spirit-like (conceptual) disease enemy in such a way that it no longer exists for the life principle (for the organism) and thus releases the patient of his illness and he is cured. Experience, however, teaches that the itch, plus its external manifestations, as well as the chancre, together with the inner venereal miasm, can and must be cured only by means of specific medicines taken internally. But the figwarts, if they have existed for some time without treatment, have need for their perfect cure, the external application of their specific medicines as well as their internal use at the same time. 163
§ 283 Sixth Edition In order to work wholly according to nature, the true healing artist will prescribe the accurately chosen homoeopathic medicine most suitable in all respects in so small a dose on account of this alone. For should he be misled by human weakness to employ an unsuitable medicine, the disadvantage of its wrong relation to the disease would be so small that the patient could through his own vital powers and by means of early opposition (§ 249) of the correctly chosen remedy according to symptom similarly (and this also in the smallest dose) rapidly extinguish and repair it. § 284 Sixth Edition Besides the tongue, mouth and stomach, which are most commonly affected by the administration of medicine, the nose and respiratory organs are receptive of the action of medicines in fluid form by means of olfaction and inhalation through the mouth. But the whole remaining skin of the body clothed with epidermis, is adapted to the action of medicinal solutions, especially if the injunction is connected with simultaneous internal administration. The power of medicines acting upon the infant through the milk of the mother or wet nurse is wonderfully helpful. Every disease in a child yield to the rightly chosen homoeopathic medicines given in moderate doses to the nursing mother and so administered, is more easily and certainly utilized by these new world-citizens than is possible in later years. Since most infants usually have imparted to them psora through the milk of the nurse, if they do not already possess it through heredity from the mother, they may be at the same time protected antipsorically by means of the milk of the nurse rendered medicinally in this manner. But the case of mothers in their (first) pregnancy by means of a mild antipsoric treatment, especially with sulphur dynamizations prepared according to the directions in this edition (§ 270), is indispensable in order to destroy the psora – that producer of most chronic diseases – which is given them hereditarily destroy it both within themselves and in the foetus, thereby protecting posterity in advance. This is true of pregnant women thus treated; they have given birth to children usually more healthy and stronger, to the astonishment of everybody. A new confirmation of the great truth of the psora theory discovered by me. 164
§ 285 Sixth Edition In this way, the cure of very old disease may be furthered by the physician applying externally, rubbing it in the back, arms, extremities, the same medicine he gives internally and which showed itself curatively. In doing so, he must avoid parts subject to pain or spasm or skin eruption. From this fact may be explained those marvellous cures, however infrequent, where chronic deformed patients, whose skin nevertheless was sound and clean, were cured quickly and permanently after a few baths whose medicinal constituents (by, chance) were homoeopathically related. On the other hand, the mineral baths very often brought on increased injury with patients, whose eruptions on the skin were suppressed. After a brief period of well-being, the life principle allowed the inner, uncured malady to appear elsewhere, more important for life and health. At times, instead, the ocular nerve would become paralyzed and produce amaurosis, sometimes the crystalline lens would become clouded, hearing lost, mania or suffocating asthma would follow or an apoplexy would end the sufferings of the deluded patient. A fundamental principle of the homoeopathic physician (which distinguishes him from every physician of all older schools) is this, that he never employs for any patient a medicine, whose effects on the healthy human has not previously been carefully proven and thus made known to him (§§ 20,21). To prescribe for the sick on mere conjecture of some possible usefulness for some similar disease or from hearsay “that a remedy has helped in such and such a disease” – such conscienceless venture the philanthropic homoeopathist will leave to the allopath. A genuine physician and practitioner or our art will therefore never send the sick to any of the numerous mineral baths, because almost all are unknown so far as their accurate, positive effects on the healthy human organism is concerned, and when misused, must be counted among the most violent and dangerous drugs. In this way, out of a thousand sent to the most celebrated of these baths by ignorant physicians allopathically uncured and blindly sent there perhaps one or two are cured by chance more often return only apparently cured and the miracle is proclaimed aloud. Hundreds, meanwhile sneak quietly away, more or less worse and the rest remain to prepare themselves for their eternal resting place, a fact that is verified by the presence of numerous well-filled graveyards surrounding the most celebrated of these spas 165
A true homoeopathic physician, one who never acts without correct fundamental principles, never gambles with the life of the sick entrusted to him as in a lottery where the winner is in the ratio of 1 to 500 or 1000 (blanks here consisting of aggravation or death), will never expose any one of his patients to such danger and send him for good luck to a mineral bath, as is done so frequently by allopath’s in order to get rid of the sick in an acceptable manner spoiled by him or others. *** 166
CHAPTER SOURCES OF HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA 21 167
LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about a brief history of Materia Medica before Hahnemann. To learn about different sources of homeopathic materia medica To learn about source books of homeopathic materia medica To learn contributions of Homoeopathic Materia Medica by different pioneers of Homoeopathy. 21.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF MATERIA MEDICA Hahnemann incorporated his first provings of 27 drugs in his book “Fragmenta De Viribus Medica Mentorum Positivis Sive In Sano Corpero Humano Observatis”. Later he continued his experiments by entering them into “Reine Arzeimittellehre” in 6 volumes during the years 1811 - 1821 (1811, 1816, 1817, 1818, 1819, and 1821) which was translated later into English language by the name “Materia Medica Pura”. Hahnemann called this book Materia Medica Pura because this book contains the pure, real and reliable symptoms produced by single drug substances on healthy human beings. This book consisted of symptoms of 61 drug substances. The symptoms are recorded in the very own words into medical terms was done. Hence it is a pure derivative of both subjective and objective expressions of the provers. 21.2 DIFFERENT SOURCES OF HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA Hahnemann explained about the sources of common materia medica of the orthodox school of his times in an article published by him in the year 1817. The knowledge regarding the pharmacological and therapeutic actions of drugs was based on tradition, hearsay, uncertainties, haphazard observations and chance of occurrences. CHAPTER 21 SOURCES OF HOMEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA 168
The first source of common materia medica of the regular medicine practiced before Hahnemann’s time was a result of guess work and fiction. No proof was given on the efficacy or the reliability of such medical practice. The second source of materia medica before Hahnemann’s time was from the inference of nature of nature of action of drugs of substances from their physical appearances and properties. The doctrine of signature is one of such procedures. The third source of materia medica before Hahnemann was from knowledge of chemistry. Chemistry can never supply the sick curing capacity of a drug substance but it can give only the indirect evidence of its action on the human beings. The fourth source of the common materia medica before Hahnemann was the knowledge of drug actions in mixture form. When two or more chemical substances are mixed together, they form a third chemical substance. The answer to the question “which medicine was effective against which condition?” remained uncertain. Hence on such practices, Hahnemann comments, “Nothing at all was learned” DIFFERENT SOURCES OF HOMEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA 1. Proving on Human Beings i. Proving of homeopathic medicines on healthy human beings is the best method to obtain signs and symptoms of the drug. ii. This is the real and scientific way of getting signs and symptoms of the medicine lately known as clinical trial. iii. By this we can record every sign and symptom in a systematic way. iv. It is a very good source to build up a materia medica. 2. Proving on Healthy Animals i. By proving homeopathic drugs on healthy animals we can get a few objective symptoms, up to some extent. ii. By proving on lower animals we can also get knowledge of the pathological changes that have taken place in the animal’s body. iii. It is also a supporting source to build up materia medica. 3. Clinical Observations In practice, after the application of medicine to the patient, we can observe some new symptoms produced by the 169
medicine which has not been observed in the proving of that medicine 4. Accidental Source- By this source some medicines are prepared from those substances whose action is accidentally known, for example, Blatta orientalis in asthma. 5. Toxicological Source- Signs and symptoms produced due to toxic effects can be obtained by unfortunate overdosing of drugs, from which we can understand the drug up to a certain extent. 6. Chemical Source i. The study of phytochemical properties gives an insight about the signs and symptoms of the drugs by studying its chemistry that is, physical and chemical properties, action, etc. ii. But as the human being is itself a big chemical factory, the actual signs and symptoms produced by the drugs in the body may be different, but by studying the chemistry of drugs we can get an idea about its action on the body iii. It is a good source to understand drugs. 7. Indigenous Source i. It is a traditional source of knowledge of medicinal properties of drugs. ii. This can be observed from the general therapeutic study of a drug, a knowledge which has been passed down since olden day’s that is, from the discovery of the drug, we know the medicinal properties of drugs; for example, potentised Calendula is used for injury, it is best used as an antiseptic. 8. Proving on Plants i. For Drug trial on plants some symptoms of the drugs can be studied by proving them on plants because homeopathic drugs act on all living things like animals, plants, etc. ii. By performing experiments on plants and by studying the morphological and histological characteristic changes occurring in them due to the action of drugs on plants, we can get an idea about the action of that drug up to some extent. iii. We can also see the pathological changes caused by the drug on the plant 170
9. Doctrine of Signature i. It is the relation between the external physical properties of the drug substance and the signs and symptoms present in the patient. ii. Doctrine of signature is one of the sources of materia medica. iii. This is present in a few drugs and by this we can remember and learn the materia medica of that drug up to a certain limit. iv. This can be observed from the general therapeutic study of a drug. Since olden day’s that is, from the discovery of drug, we know the medicinal properties of drugs. Here, it deals with the doctrine of signature, for example: a. A drug prepared from plants flowering during the summer season produces an aggravation during summers. b. Drugs prepared from yellow flowers of Gelsemium act better in jaundice. c. All red-looking plants or the red extract of plants acts better on blood d. Tarantula hispanica is prepared from Spanish spider, which is sensitive to drum beats; similarly, the patient is oversensitive to music. 21.3 CONTRIBUTIONS OF HOMOEOPATHIC PIONEERS SOURCE BOOKS OF HOMEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA Homeopathic Materia medica is a record of the symptoms produced by the drugs on healthy human beings. The sole approach of homeopathic materia medica is a study of individualistic action of drugs. The main source books of homeopathic materia medica are as follows: Materia Medica Pura written by Dr Hahnemann and published during the year 1811 – 21. Chronic Diseases written by Dr Hahnemann and published in 1828. As per Dr Boericke, the final source books of homeopathic materia medica in which all the homeopathic medicines up to the year 1929 were compiled from are as follows: i. Dr T.F. Allen’s Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica (10 volumes). 171
ii. R. Hughes and J.P. Dakes A Cyclopedia of Drug Pathogenesis (4 volumes). iii. Hering’s Guiding Symptoms of Materia Medica (10 volumes). iv. J.H. Clarke’s A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica (3 volumes). v. Dr Constantine Hering’s Condensed Materia Medica. vi. Provings by American Prover’s Union. vii. Provings of Dr Jorg’s, Professor of Leipzic University. viii. Pathogenesis by Hartlaub and Trinks. ix. Dr E. N. Hale’s contribution in his Special Symptomatology of New Remedies (2 volumes). x. Provings done by the American Institute of Homoeopathy and State Societies which have beenpublished in journals from time to time. xi. Drugs of Hindoostan by Dr S. C. Ghosh.xii. Drugs of India by Dr D. N. Chatterjee (4 volumes). xiii. Proving’s done by the Austrian Society. Some of the major contributing books of Homoeopathic Materia Medica are: 1. Samuel Hahnemann in his Materia Medica Pura (1811-21) includes 67 medicines and his Chronic Diseases: Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure (1828) contains 48 medicines of which15 are also included in Materia Medica Pura. 2. C. Hering in the Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica (1878- 1891) includes 410 medicines. Hering’s Condensed Materia Medica (1877) contains 208 medicines. 3. Boger’s Boeninghausen’s Characteristic Materia Medica and Repertory (1937) contains 140 medicines. His Repertory of Antipsorics (1832) contains 52 medicines and his Therapeutic Pocket Book (1848), though it contains no list of medicines refers to 342 medicines. 4. T.F. Allen’s The Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica (1874-1879) contains 691 medicines, his General Symptom Register (1880) contains 820 medicines. A Handbook of Materia Medica (1889) contains only 387 medicines and in A Primer of Materia Medica, he gives only 265 medicines. 172
5. Richard Hughes and J.P. Dake in their encyclopedia of Drug Pathogenesis (1888) included 412medicines. Richard Hughes in his A Manual of Pharmacodynamics (1868) described 300 medicines 6. J.H. Clarke’s A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica (1900) contains 1002 medicines whereas his Clinical Repertory (1904) contains 919 medicines 7. W. Boericke’s A Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica (1927) contains 1414 medicines. 8. M. Bhattacharya and Co’s Leading Symptoms of Thousand Remedies (1953) contains 1000 remedies. 9. M.E. Douglas’s Characteristics of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica (1901) describes 771 medicines 10. M.W. Van Denburg’s Therapeutics of the Respiratory System, A Work on Repertory and Materia Medica (1960) contains 782 medicines. 11. A.C. Cowperthwaite’s A Textbook of Materia Medica (1887) contains 246 medicines. 12. Carrol Dunham in his Lectures on Materia Medica includes 53 remedies. 13. Adolph Lippe’s Textbook of Materia Medica (1975) contains 230 medicines 14. M.L. Tyler in her Homoeopathic Drug Pictures (1952) includes only 125 medicines. 15. Edwin M. Hale’s Materia Medica and Special Therapeutics of the New Remedies (1880) contains a total of 548 medicines 16. Otto Lesser’s Textbook of Homoeopathic Materia Medica (1935) contains 125 medicines. 17. J.T. Kent’s Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica (1904) contains 174 medicines; his New Remedies contains 28 medicines, 18. John Gilmore Malcolm and Oscar Burnham Moss’s A Regional and Comparative Material Medica (1893) contains 260 medicines. 19. N.M. Choudhuri’s A Study on Materia Medica contains 442 medicines. 20. S.C. Ghosh’s Drugs of Hindustan (1959) contains 47 medicines. 173
21. O.A. Julian’s Materia Medica of the Nosodes (1982) contains 66 drugs; his Materia Medica of New Homoeopathic Remedies (1979) contains 106 medicines and Dictionary of Homoeopathic Materia Medica (1984) contains 131 medicines. 22. T.F. Allen’s A General Handbook of Symptom Register, as mentioned earlier, contains 820 medicines. *** 174
CHAPTER HOMEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA 22 175
LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about Homoeopathic Materia Medica. To learn about definition of homeopathic materia medica. To learn about aphorisms on Materia Medica. The true Homoeopathic Materia Medica is the book that contains the collection of pure, reliable, unaltered, real effects produced by the simple single drug substance on provers. This is done by proving them on healthy humans, on both sexes, on all age groups and in all age groups and in all different constitutions. Hahnemann called it Materia Medica Pura (pure) because it contained collective statements of the perceptible reactions felt by the healthy provers brought upon by the drugs and recorded in the words of the provers without any alterations either according to the medical terminologies or the accepted scientific terms. 22.1 DEFINITION OF HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA Definition: Homoeopathic Materia Medica can be defined as collection of signs and symptoms from the study of the action of drugs on healthy human being as a whole taking into consideration individual susceptibility and its reaction to various circumstances and time. It is evident from the studies that each drug in Homeopathic Materia Medica not only has its own personality with its mental and physical constitution but also has its own affinity to an area, direction, spread, tissue, organ, system. Study of a drug in context of altered sensation, function and structure covers the pathology caused by it, which is also expressed in the pathogenesis of the drugs. Materia Medica also has symptoms from toxicological and clinical proving. Apart from the source books of Materia Medica there are different types of Materia Medica constructed on different philosophical backgrounds CHAPTER 22 HOMEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA 176
by different authors. Materia Medica also forms the platform of various repertories. Materia Medica is also a branch of medical science which deals with study of the origin of drugs, preparation of drugs, effect of drugs on human being, their dosage and their mode of administration. Hahnemann has clearly stated the nature of Homoeopathic Materia Medica in Organon of Medicine. In aphorism 143 it has been clearly described that how to develop the symptoms of drugs tested on healthy individuals a considerable number of simple medicines and carefully and faithfully registered all the diseases elements and symptoms they are capable of developing as artificial disease produces then only, we have a true materia medica collection of real pure, reliable modes of action of simple substances. In aphorism 111 it has been described that the medicinal substances act in a morbid change they produce in the healthy human body according to fixed, eternal laws of nature and by virtue of these are enabled to produce certain reliable disease symptoms each according to its own peculiar character. 22.2 CONSTRUCTION OF MATERIA MEDICA True Materia Medica can only be formed by: Careful and faithful recording of the symptoms, as told by the prover. Recording of the symptoms in prover’s own words, without making any alteration. In recording the symptoms all conjecture, fiction, imagination and supposition has to be avoided altogether. Nenning’s symptoms (Nenning was a prolific collector of provings, but it’s said he never experienced any of the symptoms he recorded.): Hahnemann says that the hiring of the provers for drug proving almost makes the condition uncertain and doubtful. The trustworthiness of such provers cannot be assured. When drug proving was not strictly according to Hahnemannian method, reliability of such symptoms was questioned. Construction of materia medica and inclusion of the proven symptoms into it is a responsible act. 177
Hence the physician is the best prover to construct a true homoeopathic materia medica. The symptoms have to be written down after careful interrogation. (Aphorism 144 & 145). Before recording the symptoms, each drug substance has to be proved on healthy individuals of different age groups, both sexes and different constitutions. 22.3 METHODS OF RECORDING OF SYMPTOMS In recording the symptoms in materia medica, two methods are in practice. Schematic method or anatomical method: This method was introduced by Samuel Hahnemann. The symptoms produced during proving are arranged according to the anatomical parts of the body. Majority of the materia medica available today are constructed according to this method. This scheme is very useful and serves as the catalogue with recording of all the individual symptoms the drug is capable of producing. The disadvantage of this method is that the drug picture cannot be studied in this manner. Sequential method: This method records the symptoms in their order of appearance in a prover, during drug proving. The evolution of the pathological effect of a drug can be studied beautifully by this method. But this method is not in use and only few authors have followed this method. *** 178
CHAPTER COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA WITH OTHER SYSTEMS OF MEDICINE 23 179
LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about different therapeutic methods. To learn about Antipathy or Enantiopathy. To learn about aphorisms on Allopathy or Heteropathy. To learn about Homeopathy. To learn about Isopathy. To learn about Tautopathy. History shows that different therapeutic methods were practiced by different physicians in different parts of the world. Hahnemann identified the following methods of treatments as the important ones. 23.1 ANTIPATHY OR ENANTIOPATHY Antipathy is also known as enantiopathy. The word antipathy is made of two words namely “anti” means opposite, and “pathos” means suffering. Antipathy is a system of medicine that treats the patient by administration of drugs that produce exactly opposite symptoms from the suffering symptoms of the patient. The law of antipathy is “Contraria contraris curenture” which means “opposite cures opposite”. The founder and supporter of this system is Galen. According to Galen diseases or symptoms related to a disease can be cured by administering drugs which produces an equal and opposite reaction. E.g.; to a case of constipation an antipathy doctor prescribes a remedy that has the capacity to produce diarrhoea i.e. opposite condition to the patient’s condition to the patient’s presenting complaint. The same applies for other conditions as well. There are Historical evidences say that before the discovery of Antipathy by Galen Hippocrates advocated two systems of medicine. One is similia similibus curanture, i.e. law of similars. The other is law of dissimilar or antipathy. Hahnemann described about Antipathy in Aphorism 22, 23, 56 to 62 and 69. CHAPTER 23 COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA WITH OTHER SYSTEMS OF MEDICINE 180
23.2 ALLOPATHY OR HETEROPATHY Allopathy or Heteropathy (Footnote to aphorism 22 and 54, 55 and 56). Originally Hahnemann called this system as allopathy, in the later years his followers called it as allopathy. The Greek word, allopathy is made up of two words “alloin” means dissimilar or different or heterogeneous “pathos” means suffering. The name allopathy was first coined by Hahnemann. Allopathy also known as the modern system of medicine can be defined as the medical therapy which has no relation between the drug symptoms and the disease symptoms. They employ those drugs which are neither opposite nor similar to the symptoms of the disease, and there is no direct pathological relation between the medicinal action and the disease. They make use of the most appropriate procedures and medications which they think most adapted to the given case. Allopathy uses large crude doses and external applications of medicines The medicines that are applied are also made from synthetic sources and repetition of doses are done on completion of the half-life of the molecule used to prepare them. They also use compound mixtures which usually make the disease incurable by converting them into compounded diseases. In allopathy the disease is diagnosed by isolating the material substance as the causative factor of disease. 23.3 HOMEOPATHY Homeopathy is a rational therapeutic system with the aim of curing the sufferings of a person by administration of drugs which have been experimentally proved on healthy human beings and have the capacity to produce similar sufferings. It is based on the law, “Similia similibus curentur” which means ‘let likes be cured by likes. The founding father was Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. The meaning of the word homoeopathy is “similar suffering”. 23.4 ISOPATHY Isopathy (Footnote to aphorism 56). The word Isopathy is made of two words, “iso” means “same” and “pathos” means “suffering”. This system is based on the axiom “equalia equilibus curenture” which means “same cures same”. Dr. Willium lux, a homoeopathic veterinary surgeon is considered as the founder of this system. He lived in Leipzig during the 181
years of 1833. The clear origin of this principle is not known. Dr Willium Lux wrote a book called “The Isopathy of contagions”. Isopathy can be defined as a method of treating the disease by same contagious principle that produces disease. Isopathy is not homoeopathy; there is a clear difference between the same and the similia. Nosodes in homoeopathy like influenzinum, psorinum, etc though look like Isopathy, work according to the similia principle. Every nosode in homoeopathy has been proved on healthy human beings and clinically checked by homeopaths before introducing them into Materia Medica. Moreover, the causative agent is potentised or dynamised before proving. Isopathic treatment almost died during the time of Hahnemann itself because it is not a true curative treatment. 23.5 TAUTOPATHY Tautopathy is a method of treating a condition or syndrome by administering the same drug that caused it, but in a potentized form. The term “tautopathy” comes from the words “to auto”, which is contracted to “tauto” meaning “same”. Tautopathy is different from homeopathy, which uses similars instead of identicals. In homeopathy, remedies are made from diluted herbs, plants, minerals, and other substances that are shaken vigorously between each dilution. This process is called potentization. A leading pharmacist in England called D.W. Everitt has named this system as “Tautopathy”. This approach is said to be based on the “Arndt-Schultz Law”. This law was first introduced by a German psychiatrist and Rudolph Arndt (1835- 1900) and a German pharmacologist and toxicologist Hugo Paul Friedrich Schultz (1853 - 1932), in separate instances. Both of them formulated a physiological law “For every substance small doses stimulate, moderate doses inhibit, large doses kill”. There is a pharmacological law in which it is explained that a drug in its small dose will have the opposite effects than when it is used in its larger dose, these two phases of the same drug action is called the “biphasic response of the drug”. The Arnt- Schultz law is a law to describe the action of the drugs in different doses. This law helps in explaining the homoeopathic principles of dilutions. Homoeopathy operates in the area where simulation occurs whereas allopathy operates in the inhibitory areas of dosages. Arnd - Schultz law is found in the old pharmacological books of allopathy. It supports the dynamisation of drugs and the effects of small doses. 182
There have been many evidences among research studies, in support of Tautopathy, proving it to be efficacious in removing toxicological effects of the drug. Tautopathy is one such system that provides treatment by the similimum for toxicological effects of the drugs. Cases treated with homoeopathy and related researches make a better understanding about the efficacy of Tautopathy. *** 183
CHAPTER SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF HOMOEOPATHIC THERAPEUTICS 24 184
CHAPTER 24 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF HOMOEOPATHIC THERAPEUTICS LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the scopes of Homoeopathy. To learn about the limitations of Homoeopathy. 24.1 SCOPE OF HOMOEOPATHY: 1. In dynamic diseases homoeopathy has a large scope: Homoeopathy can be well defined as the science of vital dynamics. It has a great scope in the field of vital dynamics, vital phenomenon and functional changes in the individual patient irrespective of the name of the disease or its cause. Homoeopathy is confined and operative in the field of the vital dynamics. 2. There are different causes which are affecting a human being. According to Stuart close, a living being can be affected primarily by three ways i) mechanical. Mechanical causes can only be treated by surgical means, physical therapeutics and hygiene eg, trauma accidents, injuries and fractures. ii) Chemical causes, these can only be treated by physiological or chemical antidotes and then followed by appropriated homoeopathic treatment for functional derangement that follows. E.g. poisoning iii) Dynamic causes of diseases those are caused by miasms, these are best treated by homoeopathy. 3. The effects of dynamic causes like intangible medicinal and toxic agents that constantly disturb the mind and body of the patient come under the scope of similia. E.g. mental or physical, atmospheric, climacteric, contagious, infectious diseases can be cured by homoeopathy. 4. T he disorders arising from prolonged abuse of drugs fall under the scope of homeopathy such as iatrogenic diseases. 5. The disorders arising from bacterial causes or pathogenic microorganisms, producing their effects through their toxins or alkaloids, here homoeopathy is much more effective. 185
6. The homoeopathic.materia. medica contains a large number of drugs and each drug having many symptoms. Hence there is no difficulty in selecting a ‘SIMILIMUM’ for disease condition. 7. Homoeopathy is useful for treatment even before any pathological changes can takes place, or before a diagnosis is made. 8. Homoeopathic materia medica as compared to all the other encompassed the largest number of subjective symptoms, collected from the human proving. While receiving a case, the patient usually narrates his subjective symptoms. As drugs have been proved on human beings, the exact sensation, location, modality, and concomitants are collected. So, there is no difficulty in choosing the nearest SIMILIMUM disease states where drug may be useful. 9. We have reported the dynamic pathological states (pre-nosological) state in the materia medica.For this symptomatology of dynamic pathology, we can draw easy inference as to the actual disease states where drug may be useful. Whatever may be the disease, if we get the symptoms of dynamic pathology of the drug in that particular pt, then we can safely administer that drug in that irrespective if the disease the individual suffering. 10.In homoeopathy symptoms are collected by proving on healthy human being of various age groups, in both the sexes, and of different constitutions. Now clearly knowing the pathogenesis of the drug substances, especially its effects on healthy human being, it is not rational to apply it for curative purpose. While susceptibility differs from person to person, we can get a wide range of symptoms during proving, hence we avail on opportunity to apply it on a sick individual in a various condition. 24.2 LIMITATIONS OF HOMOEOPATHY: Stuart Close explains about the Dake’s postulates in his “Genius of homoeopathy” which gives a clear picture of the limitations of homoeopathy. The postulates are: Homoeopathy relates primarily to no affections of health where the exciting and maintaining cause of disease is constantly present and operative. 186
Homoeopathy relates primarily to no affections of health which will of themselves cease after the removal of exciting cause or hygienic measures. E.g.; deficiency diseases can be treated by supplying the essential nutrients without the need of homoeopathic medicines. People living in the slums areas on poor dwellings are easily prone to numerous communicable diseases which can be eradicated by mere improving the standard of living. Homoeopathy relates primarily to no affections of health occasioned by the injury or destruction of tissues which are incapable restoration. E.g.) emergency and life-threatening conditions. ii) Accidental and severe cases of injuries suchas drowning, suffocation, freezing, poisoning,etc. iii) Cases with irreversible pathological changes, in the pathologically advanced conditions, the vitality of the vital force may not be sufficient enough to restore the health by producing the secondary curative response to the primary action of the homoeopathic remedy. Homoeopathy relates primarily to no affections of health where the vital reactive power of the organism to medicine is exhausted or prevented. A homoeopathic medicine produces similar type of primary action after its administration. As a response to this primary action, the vital force produces secondary curative response to this primary action, hence cure takes place. So in conditions where the vital force does not possess the power of reactivity, homoeopathic medicines cannot produce the desired curative response. In the pure surgical and obstetrical techniques homoeopathy has no role to play, such cases must be left to the concerned departments. Idiosyncratic patients are quite difficult to cure because of their peculiar corporeal constitutions; they prove every remedy they get especially in higher potencies. Limitation because of homoeopathic Materia Medica: It is very difficult for any homoeopath to remember all the symptoms mentioned in the Materia Medica. The lack of proper scientific evaluation in this subject makes some to suspect the reliability of the symptoms recorded. The Materia Medica is constructed after the drug proving is done but trustworthiness of the prover determines the reliability and the effectiveness of the symptoms in Materia Medica. 187
Homoeopathic Materia Medica contains very few remedies that are well proven according to the Hahnemannian standards. There are still many medicines which require through proving. All the symptoms recorded are the functional disturbances noticed in the prover during drug proving. Hence handling the patient with the structural changes is the limitation of Materia Medica, as the proving was never directed in that direction. In the footnote to aphorism 67, Hahnemann said that “In the most urgent cases, where the danger to life, and imminent death allows no time for the action of homoeopathic remedy. In such accidents occurring to previously healthy individuals for example in asphyxia and suspended animation from lightening, from suffocation, freezing, drowning, sudden poisoning etc.” to certain level the antipathy can be used till the vitality becomes normal and the patient is out of danger. Highly dependable preoperative, post-operative, well proven and preventive medications are not available in homoeopathy. Many pioneers have contributed various preventive medications in their literary works but the efficacy of such medicines in today’s context has to be evaluated through research work. Role of the homoeopathic medicines in this field has to develop yet. Homoeopathic system depends solely on the natural process and the natural laws, it has a limitation in the practice of applying medicines to control the natural occurrences such as contraception, anesthesia, drug induced abortion, etc. Bias selection of the remedy and individualization: Different methods of analysis and evaluation proceed advocated by various physicians contributed to the development of controversial views in the process of individualization of the patient. Bias of prescription has led to confusions and trial and error method as the only way. The theory of vital force and the dynamization of medicines are very difficult to explain by the existing material sciences. Hence homoeopathy has been targeted and terminated by illiterates as well as the material scientists, as the unscientific medical system. Lot of research has to be done in the field of homoeopathy. Homoeopathic materia medica is unimaginably vast. One can very well assess its vastness by studying very common medicine Apis melifica that 188
has covered 64 pages in Hering’s Guiding symptoms and sulphur 99 pages in Allen’s Encyclopedia. Even a genius cannot remember this ocean of symptoms. No proving records are available on pathological changes in homoeopathic materia medica, because during proving, the medicines are discontinued before the occurrence of pathological changes. The present mode of Homoeopathy cannot be strictly called classical Homoeopathy, because inorganic diseases changed pathology is not covered by a single simple medicine, nor we have anyproving records. Because we rarely come across the pathological symptoms in our homoeopathic materia medica. Many of symptoms are collected from clinical practice and few are from record of poisoning. Due to absence of detailed pathological proving, disease with advanced pathological changes cannot be treated as efficiently. *** 189
CHAPTER LIFE HISTORY OF SCHUSSLER AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS 25 190
CHAPTER 25 LIFE HISTORY OF SCHUSSLER AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS LEARNING OBJECTIVE To learn about the life history of Schuessler. 25.1 LIFE HISTORY OF DR SCHUSSLER The concept of biochemic cell salts, also known as tissue salts or just cell salts, was developed by Dr. Wilhelm Heinrich Schuessler (1821-1898), a German physician, in the late 1800s. They are chemically pure salts, homogeneous to the cell minerals in the human body, physiologically and chemically in close relation to them. The use of Schuessler Salts is beneficial to compliment the disturbed molecular motion, and imbalance of these minerals in the cells can be corrected thus restoring the health of the individual. Dr. Wilhelm Heinrich Schuessler was born in Oldenburg, Germany in 1821. After school, he earned his money by teaching foreign languages. He also worked in the medical field as a healer, but without proper education and study. So he soon had conflicts with the resident doctors. For that reason, he started studying medicine in Paris, France in 1853 at the age of 32 and continued his studies in Berlin and Giessen, Germany. In a very short time, after two and a half years, he has conferred the title of doctor in medicine. But he could not finish his studies with the final examination because he had not completed his school education. He, therefore, went back to school in Oldenburg, Germany to take the exams. Finally, in 1857 he obtained the Degree in medicine which allowed him to practice as a doctor. In the beginning, he focused on homeopathy but eventually distanced himself from it because of the unmanageable number of different medications as he put it. He wanted to get away from a large number of homeopathic remedies and to develop a new therapy with a small and manageable set of remedies. The late 19th century saw significant advancements in medicine, marked by groundbreaking discoveries and fundamental shifts in understanding. 191
During this period, prominent scientists like Rudolf Virchow and Jacob Moleschott made crucial contributions to the field. Virchow’s work in cellular pathology and Moleschott’s research on the importance of mineral salts in bodily functions laid the foundation for further investigation. Inspired by these pioneers, Wilhelm Schuessler embarked on his own research journey, seeking a novel approach to treatment. Through meticulous study and experimentation, Schuessler analyzed the mineral content of human ashes, revealing that specific mineral salts predominated in particular tissues and organs. His findings included: 1. Potassium phosphate and magnesium phosphate were predominantly present in muscle tissue. 2. Potassium chloride was found in mucous membranes. 3. Calcium phosphate was identified in bone tissue. Schuessler theorized that these mineral salts played a vital role in maintaining tissue health and function. He proposed that deficiencies in these tissue salts could lead to dysfunction and illness. Consequently, Schuessler believed that replenishing these mineral imbalances through tissue salt supplementation was essential for the healing process. Wilhelm Heinrich Schuessler, a pioneer in biochemistry, developed a novel approach to treating diseases. He believed that inorganic salts, essential components of the human body, held the key to restoring health. Schuessler’s theory posited that these salts must reach the affected cells directly to facilitate healing. To achieve this, Schuessler adopted a production method similar to homeopathy, involving repeated dilution to distribute the salt particles evenly. This process enabled the salts to penetrate individual cells, stimulating the body’s natural healing processes. Schuessler’s biochemic healing method aimed to correct deviations in physiological chemistry by providing the body with the necessary inorganic salts. However, his approach differed from conventional mineral supplementation. Instead of replenishing deficient minerals, Schuessler’s salts stimulated the body to improve its absorption and utilization of these essential nutrients. 192
25.2 CONTRIBUTIONS OF DR SCHUSSLER Through clinical testing, Schuessler validated his theories, achieving remarkable results. One notable example was the successful treatment of a patient suffering from muscle cramps using magnesium phosphate. During his lifetime, Schuessler identified 12 essential mineral salts, which he documented in his publication “An Abbrevated Therapy” (1874). His work laid the foundation for a concise system of treatment based on scientific principles. The term “biochemistry” originates from the Greek words “bios” (life) and “chemistry” (the study of substances and their transformations). Schuessler’s work in this field has had a lasting impact, with his tissue salts remaining a popular alternative therapy alongside homeopathy. Today, Schuessler’s tissue salts are available in various potencies (3X, 6X, 12X, 30X, and 200X) in tablet form, using lactose powder as a base. They can also be obtained as ointments. In 1873, Dr. Med. Schuessler, of Oldenburg, Germany, wrote an article in the Leipzig Homoeopathic Gazette entitled: “A Shortened Homoeopathic Therapeutics,” in which he said: ‘’About a year ago I intended to find out by experiments on the sick, if it were not possible to heal them, provided their diseases were curable at all with some substances that are the natural, i. e., physiological function remedies. Dr. Lorbacher, of Leipzig, made some criticisms on this article, and called forth a detailed reply from Schuessler, which ran through seven numbers of the journal. He denominated the new theory that Abridged System of Therapeutics. Mr. H. C. G. Luyties translated Schuessler’s original communication into the English language, and first published in the Homoeopathic News. Later, Dr. C. Hering, one of the great apostles of the Homoeopathic school, wrote a small work on the “Twelve Tissue Remedies” and recommended for investigation this interesting and valuable discovery. Several editions of the work were published in rapid succession. The twelfth edition of Schuessler’s work was translated by J. T. O’Connor, M. D., and another by M. Docetti Walker, of Dundee, Scotland, which was 193
considerably enlarged by the addition of an appendix, popularizing the biochemic method. Several years ago, Doctors Boericke and Dewey, edited a work of 300 pages on the subject of “The Twelve Tissue Remedies” which was well received. In the early spring of 1894, “The Biochemic System of Medicine’’ was published by F. August Luyties, and has already run through a large edition. All of the above works were written especially for the medical profession, and the author believes he is the first to give to the people a thoroughly domestic treatise on the subject of Biochemistry. Since 1832, when the great key-note of Biochemistry was struck with study of all the essential mineral constituent parts of the human body are great remedies the subject has been thoroughly investigated and endorsed by thousands of broad-minded, progressive physicians of the old and new continents. The sun of the new science peeped over the eastern horizon in 1832, and as the years roll on it mounts higher toward the zenith, bathing the world with its increasing warmth and brightness. *** 194
CHAPTER TWELVE TISSUE REMEDY BY SCHUSSLER 26 195
LEARNING OBJECTIVE Explain the history and development of Dr. Schüssler’s Biochemic System of Medicine. Describe the fundamental principles of the Biochemic Method and the concept of cellular nutrition. Describe the sources and pharmaceutical preparation of Schüssler’s tissue remedies. Explain the similarities and differences between Schüssler’s Biochemic Therapy and Classical Homoeopathy. List the twelve primary tissue salts with their chemical names, abbreviations, and formulae. 26.1 A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE BIOCHEMIC METHOD Schuessler’s Biochemic Therapeutics is based on the physiological principle that the structure and vitality of bodily organs rely on specific quantities and proportions of inorganic constituents. These essential minerals remain after tissue combustion, forming the basis of the body’s ashes. Inorganic constituents play a vital role in maintaining the integrity and functional activity of organs and tissues. According to Schuessler’s theory, disturbances in the molecular motion of these cell salts, caused by deficiencies, lead to disease. Rectifying this imbalance by administering small quantities of the same mineral salts can re-establish equilibrium and restore health. This therapeutic approach, termed the Biochemic method, operates on the principle of chemical affinity in histology. Schuessler’s method is purportedly aligned with established facts and laws in physiological CHAPTER 26 TWELVE TISSUE REMEDY BY SCHUSSLER 196
chemistry and related sciences, emphasizing the importance of mineral balance in maintaining optimal health. CELLULAR COMPOSITION INORGANIC ELEMENTS Cells comprising various tissues contain distinct inorganic constituents essential for their structure and function. Different cells have different affinities listed as: • Nerve cells: Magnesium phosphate, potassium phosphate, sodium, and iron are prominent inorganic materials. • Muscle cells: In addition to the aforementioned substances, potassium chloride is also present. • Connective tissue cells: Silica is the primary inorganic constituent. • Elastic tissue cells: Calcium fluoride likely plays a crucial role. • Bone cells: Calcium fluoride, magnesium phosphate, and a significant proportion of calcium phosphate are found. • Cartilage and mucous cells: Sodium chloride is the specific inorganic material. Interestingly, calcium phosphate is also present in smaller quantities in muscle, nerve, brain, and connective tissue cells. Furthermore, iron is found in hair and the crystalline lens, among other inorganic substances. Research suggests that carbonates do not significantly influence cell formation, according to Moleschott’s findings. DOSE, OR QUANTITY OF TISSUE SALT REQUIRED TO RE-ESTABLISH NORMAL CELL EQUILIBRIUM. The Efficacy of Minimal Doses in Biochemic Remedies In the natural world, atoms and molecules form the foundation of all processes. The growth of living organisms, for instance, relies on the accumulation of new atoms and molecules. This fundamental principle is exemplified by the effects of light on plant growth, where even imperceptible amounts of light can trigger molecular movements, leading to the decomposition of carbonic acid. 197
Similarly, in biochemic treatment, the use of minimal doses is a necessity rooted in chemico-physiological principles. When administering remedies, it is crucial to ensure that they reach the targeted areas without causing harm to healthy cells. For example, when using Glauber’s salt (Natrum sulph.), a concentrated solution can only affect the intestinal canal, leading to undesirable side effects. In contrast, a diluted solution can penetrate the bloodstream and intercellular fluids, inducing the desired therapeutic effects. To achieve optimal results, biochemic remedies must be sufficiently diluted to: 1. Avoid disrupting the function of healthy cells 2. Restore balance to disturbed cellular functions Interestingly, in healthy organisms, salts are typically found in solution, corresponding to dilutions of 3x, 4x, or 5x. This natural balance serves as a guiding principle for biochemic practitioners when selecting and administering remedies. One litre (a little over a quart) suffices for the daily food of an infant weighing about 6 kilogrammes (13 pounds). Now if 6 centigrammes (3.5 of a grain) of magnesia are sufficient to cover the needful daily supply of magnesia for an infant, how minute must be the dose of magnesia to be given for a neuralgia which is caused by an inconceivably small deficiency of this salt in a minute portion of the nerve tissue. 26.2 PREPARATION AND DOSE Tissue remedies are prepared using a process similar to that of homeopathic remedies, involving decimal or centesimal scale trituration or solution. The process begins with a chemically pure substance, which is then mixed with sugar of milk in a 1:9 ratio. This mixture is triturated for at least an hour to create the first decimal trituration. 198
In this initial trituration, each grain contains one-tenth of a grain of the cell salt. To create the next potency, one part of the first decimal trituration is mixed with nine parts of sugar of milk and triturated again for an hour. This results in the second decimal trituration, equivalent to the first centesimal trituration. However, experience has shown that even this level of subdivision can be too coarse for certain applications in the body. As a result, the trituration and subdivision process is often continued to achieve higher potencies, such as the sixth, twelfth, or even higher preparations. SCHUESSLER’S APPROACH TO POTENCY SELECTION Initially, Schuessler employed the sixth centesimal or twelfth decimal trituration in his practice. However, he soon adopted the sixth decimal preparation as his preferred choice for general use. Recent experience has shown that lower triturations, such as the third decimal for Potassium and Sodium salts, and the fourth and fifth decimals for other salts, can yield equally effective results. In his publication “Abgekürzte Therapie,” Schuessler shared his approach to potency selection and dosing: “In my practice, I typically use the sixth decimal trituration. For certain remedies like Ferrum phos., Silicea, and Calcarea fluor., I often opt for the 12th trituration. When treating acute conditions, I recommend administering a pea-sized dose every hour or two. For chronic conditions, 3-4 doses per day are sufficient. The powder can be taken dry or dissolved in water.” Our own experience has yielded excellent results with the sixth decimal trituration, with occasional use of higher or lower potencies. We prefer administering remedies in solution, dissolving a generous amount of powder in half a glass of water and giving teaspoonful doses every hour or two. Liquid solutions can also be used, with a few drops dissolved in water or administered via saturated pellets or disks, especially suitable for children. 199
DOSING AND ADMINISTRATION OF BIOCHEMIC REMEDIES In acute cases, frequent dosing every hour or two is recommended, while in severe, painful conditions, doses can be administered as often as every 10-15 minutes. For chronic conditions, 1-4 doses per day are typically sufficient. In addition to oral administration, biochemic remedies can also be applied externally in suitable cases. For this purpose, the second, third, or sixth trituration can be used. When determining the dose of a biochemic remedy, the quantity of the underlying imbalance is not a critical factor. Even a minute deficiency in a specific cell salt can have a significant impact, and conversely, a small supply of the same salt can bring about substantial relief. Practitioners can select the appropriate dose of a biochemic remedy based on the relative quantities of the cell salts involved. Notably, even a tiny amount of a substance, such as one milligram (1/100 grain), contains an estimated 16 trillion molecules. According to this estimate, the sixth decimal trituration of a substance would contain approximately 16 billion molecules, which is more than sufficient to restore normal molecular motion. One potential concern is that the molecules of a given salt administered as a medicine might combine with similar molecules in the blood, rendering any curative effect negligible. However, this combination is prevented by the presence of carbonic acid in the blood, which acts as an isolating medium for the salts. 26.3 THE RELATIONSHIPBETWEEN SCHUSSLERISM AND HOMEOPATHY A long-standing debate has centered on whether Schusslerism is equivalent to homeopathy. While some argue that they are one and the same, others, including Schuessler himself, contend that they are distinct. Schuessler positions biochemistry as a novel medical system, emphasizing that tissue remedies operate by addressing deficiencies. 200