Hey...when are the homeopaths going to show how they come up with a remedy? Come on....do it. Please.

Dear Members
I have been away for a few days and I am pleasantly surprised to see all this interest in this topic.
Why the characteristics?

This is a concise and complete compilation of the most important points of the provings gathered by Boenninghausen. It is kind of a mini materia medica, which gives the centre of the remedy. It is printed in front of the Repertory part of Boger-Boenninghausen’s repertory, But, in fact, it’s a book in its own. We found, that this exercise furnishes in a very short time a good working knowledge of what’s important in each remedy. Once this exercise is done, a further study may be conducted by comparison of the actual provings with the TT in a similar fashion.

Here is a point, which brings us a bit away from the original heading:

Homeopathic prescribtion in a nutshell

It is outlined in the paragraphs,7, 71, 153/154, 164, 211/212 et.al, that the homeopathic prescription is based on:
1) The totality of disease symptoms, of which
2) The group of strange rare and peculiar symptoms needs special attention, and
3) the changes of the mood take the importance, to often be decicive in the final differentiation.

This group of par 153 symptoms is matched by characteristics of the remedy.

This is the method advocated by Hahnemann and used by Boenninghausen in their works and defines the homeopathic method as such. I term this after these two Gentlemen to highlight other ways and means of prescribing, such as the Kentian approach, or the more recent varieties.

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Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath

HEllo HAns,

Thank you for that nutshell.

First the study of the MAteria MEdica.
YEs I heard you say before to study MAteria MEdica the Source books with proving symptoms.
We studied various other books (Allens Keynotes, Boericke, Clarke's Dictionary), but used the source books for reference (we were encouraged to do that but how many of us had the time?).

The reason being I think is similar to what you say - use the TPB to highlight what is clinically significant and characteristic in the remedy as those symptoms appear as higher grading in the repertory.
I think "secondary" books like Allens KEynotes, Boericke, Clarke's Dictionary, etc do essentially highlight clinically significant symptoms. BUT NO SINGLE book was considered adequate study.

So as we were constantly encouraged that the study of the Materia NEVER ENDS...we're still studying and restudying remedies even as we prescribe them (source books as well as modern approaches).

One more Proven method from you on how to do this is certainly helpful, thanks.

Regarding prescribing:
I think yes, this is the method we were taught, and I think we use (in our present practice), especially in cases with obvious physical characteristics. For acute prescriptions we use this method all the time.
For chronic cases, I woudl say it depends on the emphasis of the case. There are patients who concentrate mainly on their physicals and a lot of PQRS symptoms are given. Then one only needs the mentals for confirmation, as you stated.

Then there are cases that have deep emotional trauma, which very obviously seem to be preceding the onset of very vague physicals, and here I think modern approaches and KNOWING HOW to use them, can be wonderful for prescription. LIke Opium and others stated.

The ESSENTIAL thing finally in all cases I believe, is being able to recognize the "movement" and healing of the patients suffering, miasmatically or according to HErings LAw etc. Constant monitoring of whether the case is moving the way of cure and not palliation or suppression is of utmost importance.
SO a proper knowledge of the principles of homeopathy and disease is then essential, whatever the method being used.

Thanks for the discussion.
doctorleela

[ 20. March 2003, 14:58: Message edited by: doctorleela ]

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http://www.homeopathy2health.com

dear doctor
are you acquainted with eric clapton?

Hi guys,

Thanks for the very interesting topic. This is exactly what I'm struggling with now. At school we are given 4 remedies to study each month. I keep asking everyone how they manage not to get lost in symptoms. There is no way you can memorize them all. They say it will come with practice, but it is 4 years ahead and I need to remember now. Before I even touch MMs, I try to create a remedy image from different sources, but I don't think this image can ever be complete, so many of the symptoms just don't make sense to me. So with time constraints in mind, I'm looking for a practical method of studying remedies. Would appreciate any advice. Thank you.

Valerie

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like things like, whatever one may ail; there is certain help (Goethe)

Dear Anna,
YEs I have.
Tell me why?

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http://www.homeopathy2health.com

It turns out to be curious me that our method of study can be considered here as an approach "modern". It is not any offense, I want to clarify, but in Europe and also in Argentina, of where leave in certain form our teachings, with the Dr. Masi Elizalde, we are you considered as "too much classics" or "too much orthodox". By kentistas, I suppose that we deserve this fame and by defending the unique remedy for all the life, that of "too much purists".

Certainly, Eric Clapton one of the better musicians of the world in its kind seems. Its guitar and its voice doing black music of white, result me a wonder. Anna ¿I can ask also why?

Well, I certainly hope this is not the intended analogy...white blues musician doing mere imitation of real black music = modern homoeopath pretending to understand and do Boenninghausen homoeopathy. If it is, why not just keep on explaining the methodology, point out inconsistancies and give pertinent examples until it becomes clearer to those making genuine inquiry, and in the meantime put a hold on the sarcasm.

can't believe no one got it.
the most famous song...?

Hi Valerie,

Noone is meant to memorize ALL the symptoms. Characteristics do become more familiar with time, especially when you have the opportunity to witness them in person clinically. There is always a sense of amazement when you hear a patient report a "keynote" symptom straight from a text book, but really, the important thing in homoeopathy is how to *perceive* a characteristic symptom , making sure you have understood what the patient has said to you in the proper context, and then find the relevant rubric in a repertory.

To begin studying a remedy I personally tend to get an 'overall' view from Boericke, as a start, for this purpose - Boericke is already a composite of various sources and clinical verifications and easy to read. From there I look at other sources, MMP or CD if it is in there, but it is always important to try to locate symptoms of the remedy in the repertories. This has the double advantage of understanding the meaning of the rubric itself, - not always an easy task - and understanding why the remedy has been placed there in the context of that rubric.

You really do need to know how to source any symptom you read about. Find its real context. Homoeopathy is all about symptom similarity - but in proper context. This is not always a black and white absolute literal context, but you need to be <sigh> somewhat contained in your interpretation in the meaning of words and descriptions. Keep asking the patient why, what, how, when, where, they mean by such and such until you understand how it is for them. Don't assume you know what they mean, it could be two totally different realities. If your patient complains you are driving them demented, feel satisfied you are doing a competent job.

So if you know how to perceive a characteristic symptom from what your patient displays or reveals, you can then discern whether it is relevant to the case at hand via directions in the Organon, locate the symptom via a rubric in a repertory, then a smaller relevant symptom group will be revealed to you (if you have a reliable repertory). Then it is a matter of matching the proving symptoms to the small group of remedies in your profile. Try to avoid the pitfall of merely relying on the results of a repertorization alone, or selecting a remedy from those included in one rubric. The repertory is not the presiding factor in a prescription. It is only part of the process.

So it comes full circle...get an overview of a remedy, learn the substance of it, study the characteristics from the texts, glean clinical verifications to make it all fall into place in your mind, learn how to apply the characteristics to the rubrics in the repertories, then when you can take a case you can look at the results of repertorization, and look for those characteristic symptom similarities in the provings to substantiate your selection.

It's not that you have to memorize every symptom of every remedy. The *method* to finding the smaller group of remedies containing the characteristic symptoms is more realistic. Sorry if this is too convoluted, it's late, and a sad sorry day for humanity, maybe someone else can say it more simply tomorrow...