I'm an herbalist lurking here, interested in using more homeopathic remedies. Would list members be willing to tell me about their favorite homeopathic materia medica and repertory....and why they like the particular one that they name? Naive question: Is there a materia medica that is considered "definitive?"
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Susan Marynowski
sumar@fastmail.fm

I tend to use Kent and Clarke. But many use a computerised version. Bit confusing!.

It is often useful to look at Culpepper - which I am sure you know.

Also to consult the Doctrine of Signatures.

-Synthesis/Schroyens et.al. - most up to date

-Clarke Materia Medica - extensive, draws on Allen and Hering
-Not really

Dear Members
i tend to recommend Boger-Boenninghausen One 1905---

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Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath

Hi Susan,

Besides your background with herbs, do you have training specifically in homeopathy? If not, you should start with something like an introductory or lay prescribing book, not just repertory and materia medica--and which will be best for you, depends in part on what type of prescribing you're intending to do, whether you're using computer or (I assume) books, and other factors such as convenience (size of the books--if it's too hard to use, it doesn't *matter* how good it is!) and cost.

I'd agree with Kenneth's suggestions, but if they appear to be more than you need at present, you could also get a good start with Kent's rep and Boericke's materia medica.

Re a "definitive" materia medica-- :-))) we can only wish!!! Tho there are several that are accepted as useful starting points--Boericke, Gibson, Vermeullen, Morrison--but there are so many, and more all the time!

Cheers,
Shannon

Hi Susan,

In your case I should recommend Phatak - both his MM and his Repertory.

It is short - Phatak uses (by his own statement) only those symptoms he has experience with and found reliable - the repertory is easy to use for a beginner.

Further, a good complimentary: Nash - Leading Symptoms. It is a MM with a "clinical" repertory attached.

And well - of course, everyone should eventually use the Kent.

Strangely enough, in spite of the size, I find Herings Guiding Symptoms very profitable and easy reading. If you are prepared to spend $ 20,- you can browse this (and a LOT more)on the net.

http://homeoint.org

It might be worth it to spend this money and take a look at the MMs and repertories - then you can find out which suits you best.

Phatak, however, is not there. This you can get from Jain - or whoever sells the Jain books where you live.

Hope this helps.

Quote:

Naive question: Is there a materia medica that is considered "definitive?"

No:-)

Regards

Luise

Does anyone consult Roger Morrison's Materia Medica? This is the one that I am familiar with and wondered how many out there refer to any of his texts?

Yes, it's one I use regularly, and recommend!

Shannon

I have Morrison's "Desktop Guide" but rarely refer to it as it really has few advantages over say even Boericke.

Well, maybe that depends upon what type of information you're looking for? The two are *very* different. It seems to me that Boericke might be better for acute prescribing, since it goes more into extremes of the symptomatology, but Morrison is IMO far more useful for its descriptions of the mental states (and range of mental states), and also incorporates contemporary information that can be useful.

E.g. for Sulphur in Boericke, the entire thing is one paragraph:

"Very forgetful. Difficult thinking. Delusions; thinks rags beautiful things -- that he is immensely wealthy. Busy all the time. Childish peevishness in grown people. Irritable. Affections vitiated;VERY SELFISH, no regard for others. Religious melancholy. Averse to busienss; loafs--too lazy to arouse himself. Imagining giving wrong things to people, causing their death. Sulphur subjects are nearly always irritable, depressed, thin and weak, even with good appetite."

If this is your defining vision of Sulphur mentals, you WILL miss a number of sulphur prescriptions!

By contrast Morrison has a good page or more on Sulphur mentals, e.g.:
"It is almost impossible to make brief the essential points about Sulphur, for the scope of the remedy is so vast that almost any characteristic which can be mentioned, may seem to be contradicted by equally characteristic but opposite symptoms. Sulphur is certainly our most frequently prescribed remedy, and as Kent once said, one cannot tell the difference between an experienced prescriber and a novice on the basis of how often he uses Sulphur--only on how successfully he uses it.
... There are two main types of personalities for this remedy:
1) The philosophical type... (details)
2) The "practical idealist", whose main focus is on service and social interaction [contrast this with Boericke's description!!!]. This type ... tends to be extroverted, frie3ndly, charming, and to some extent innocent. ..."

And more, but I'm not able to copy now...

I would NOT want to be limited to Boericke for constitutional prescribing!!! Tho it's an excellent start (IMO) for learning remedies, and for acute prescribing. Personally, I would not want to be without *either* of the two!

Shannon