Dear Members
I was looking at the following:
http://www.simillimum.com/education/.../article03.php
At the end of the page David Little writes:
>>Hahnemann paid close attention to the constitution in both acute and chronic diseases. Vide Sycosis, The Chronic Diseases, the footnote on page 150.
"The miasm of the other common gonorrhoea seem not to penetrate the whole organism, but only to locally stimulate the urinary organs. They yield either to a dose of one drop of fresh parsley juice, when this is indicated by a frequent urgency to urinate, or a small dose of Cannabis, of Cantharides, or of the Copaiva balm, according to their different constitutions and other ailments attending it. [Bolds by DL]"
In this example Hahnemann suggests using the constitutional concomitant symptoms to help in the selection of a remedy. He expects homoeopaths to understand that the term "constitution" simply means the whole living organism. All chronic remedies are "constitutional" in this sense as they reflect the essential nature of the totality of the symptoms. <<
I tried to confirm this footnote on page 150 of the English version of the Chronic Diseases , but I did not find it there.

Searching further I found this footnote on page 83/84 in the English version and on page 105 in the Original.
The footnote continues:

>> These should, however, be always used in the higher and highest dynamization (potencies), unless a psora, slumbering in the body of the patient, has been developed by means of a strongly affected, irritating or weakening treatment by allopathic physicians. In such cases frequently secondary gonorrhoeas remain, which can only be cured by anti-psoric treatment. <<

Here is the German Original from the third edition of the Chronic Diseases page:

>> Die Miasmen der Gemeinen, übrigen Tripper scheint den ganzen Organism nicht zu durchdringen, sondern nur die Harnorgane örtlich zu reizen. Sie weichen entweder einer Gabe frischen Petersiliensaftes, wenn der öftere Harndrang seinen Gebrauch anzeigt, oder einer kleinen Gabe Hanfkraut-Saftes, der Canthariden oder des Kopahu - balsams, je nach der verschiedenen Beschaffenheit und den übrigen Beschwerden dabei, doch immer in der höheren und höchsten Kraftentwicklung- (Potenzierungs-) Graden angewendet, wenn nicht schon vorher eine angreifende, reizende oder schwächende Kur durch allaeopathische Ärzte eine im Körper des Kranken schlummernde Psora zur Entwicklung gebracht hat; da dann , wie häufig, oft sehr langwierige Nachtripper übrig bleiben, welche einzig durch eine antipsorische Kur geheilt werden können. <<

There is a mistake in Tafel’s translation who translates ,,Beschaffenheit,, with Constitution.

The dictionary gives for ,,Beschaffenheit,,:
In the context of condition: State, condition,
In general: Quality, character, nature, structure

The correct translation of the highlighted part reads:
According to the different condition (of the urine) and other ailments attending it.

IMO: This translation makes sense in the context of Urinary infections as the mentioned remedies all differ in the condition of the urine. It also should be born in mind, that Hahnemann refers to NON=-sycotic urinary infections in this footnote.

__________________
Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath
homeopathy study guide: http://www.homeopathyworldcommunity....hy-study-guide

Want of accuracy in quotations.

Dear members
This footnote refers to non- sycotic urinary infections and not to the entire person, as can be seen if the complete footnote is read in the context of hahnemann’s description of Sycosis.
To further elaborate on this matter, I would like to draw attention to the list of remedies in this footnote. I want to draw specific attention to the provings of the above mentioned remedies ( petroselinum, Cannabis sat, Cantharis, Copaiva ).
None of the provings in question show entries regarding constitution. In the area of Bladder –urine, the comparison shows significant differences particularly in the condition of Urine, this can be utilized for differentiation.
This is proof, that Hahnemann did not refer to Beschaffenheit = Constitution in this footnote but to condition (of urine).
Therefore the translation of ‘’Beschaffentheit’’ as ‘’Constitution’’ is technically possible but inappropriate in the context of this footnote.
Further more, the possible meaning of >>Beschaffenheit = Constitution<< is now and was already during Hahnemann’s time obsolete.
So, ‘’Constitution’’ in this footnote is a simple translation mistake of ‘’Beschaffenheit’’.
David little took it without checking neither the context nor the source, which would have made him realize, that Tafel made a mistake, ( by the way not the only one,) in his translation. Hering’s seems to be better.
It also shows the fundamental flaw of the method of forming a hypothesis and then trying to back it up by text particles taken out of context.
References:
Petroselinum: Allgemeine homeopathische Zeitung
Cannabis sativa: Hahnemann MMP: 1 / 139,
Cantharis: Hartlaub and Trinks, Archiv 1. 11
Copaiva Balsam: Hahnemann, Fragmenta de viribus medicorum.

I am looking forward to other opinions backed up by valid references.

__________________
Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath
homeopathy study guide: http://www.homeopathyworldcommunity....hy-study-guide

Dear Hans
I dont agree with your oppinion either.(Posted double on two forums adding to dr. Leela's comment on HPATHY.com)
Why not discuss this point with the author "David Little"?

There are thousands of classical homeopaths that use the theory of constitutional prescribing two such homeopaths are Sankaran and Banerjea both come from long lines of homeopaths.

It's never failed me....................
GT

__________________
"Great ideas often recieve violent opposition from mediocre minds"...................Einstein

Dear Gina, dear members

Opinions, --such like Gina’s -- remain irrelevant, unless they are properly backed up by facts.
I welcome anyone’s contribution, substantiated by references to back-up.
This discussion is not about whether Gina’s approach works for her or not, as this is not the question here at all.

Till now no contradicting evidence has been presented, so my evaluation stands as factual and referenced.
If David Little feels like joining in, he is more than welcome

__________________
Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath
homeopathy study guide: http://www.homeopathyworldcommunity....hy-study-guide

from "Psyche and Substance" by Edward Whitmond
Essays on homeopathy in the light of Jungian Psychology;
"Thus we may say that constitution is the inherit tendency to respond automatically along qualitatively predetermined individual,characteristic patterns. Constitutional differences are the differences of response patterns to indentical situations. Constitutions can be defined by characterizing these fixed response patterns.".........................(p.37)
Read the full chapter for more detailed picture.

"The Alchemy of Healing" Psyche and Soma..............same author

"The psychological equivalent to constitution is what we call personality"
"Constitution and personality rest on both the a priori and learned responses and behavioral qualities which may have become so deeply ingrained that we can change them only to a limited degree."...................(p.97)
Read full chapter for more detailed picture.

GT

__________________
"Great ideas often recieve violent opposition from mediocre minds"...................Einstein

Dear Members, dear Gina

Thanks for the two passages, which reflect opinions of another author and have no relevance in the context of this tread.
The question is not whether or not there are Constitutions as such, or whether or not they should be utilized to determine a remedy.

The question I rose was, whether this text fragment (part of a footnote out of context) does actually support David Little’s view, that Hahnemann utilized Constitution as a basis for the determination of homeopathic remedies.
To my knowledge it does not, as he utilized a miss translation out of context. This raises serious questions about the validity of other claims he makes.

The result of my search should caution anyone who blindly copies information from this author in the belief, that it is all factual what he writes.

Unfortionally time does not permit to go through his teachings with a fine rake.

__________________
Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath
homeopathy study guide: http://www.homeopathyworldcommunity....hy-study-guide

http://www.heilkunst.com/reflections.html

Wim

Hi Wim, dear members
The heilkunst article has a few different missconceptions , not concerning this thread. Could be discussed another time.

__________________
Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath
homeopathy study guide: http://www.homeopathyworldcommunity....hy-study-guide

Dear Hans
A great article by Homeopath Gabby Rottler at www.curantur.de
"Constitution and chronic diseases,the value of constitutional symptoms as seen by JAHR".............

(thanks Gabby!)

GT

__________________
"Great ideas often recieve violent opposition from mediocre minds"...................Einstein