CLINICAL CASES

These cases that I offer to the I.H.A. are not unusual. They are very ordinary cases. But each one has something peculiar about it that, the author believes, makes it worthy of comment. And each, it is hoped, will emphasize some truth that is well worth our attention.

IMPONDERABLES

Upon our view of life depends our attitude toward medicine. If we reason that life is a chemical process, or the result of chemical processes, and that there is no vital, formative and animating principle prior to these,we cannot go beyond the gross material of which the body is composed, for our basis of thought and action must be materialistic.

LIFE AND THE VITAL FORCE

This organic substance is built up, developed, maintained,and repaired by the higher active principle the vital dynamism which conditions it. In our study of physiological individually we have sufficiently demonstrated the reality of vital dynamism considered as independent of the organic complex, and as an organizing and directing principle.

TWO LACHESIS CASES

The Guiding Symptoms illuminates the subject with one word, “sphacelus”, which should have such a depressing effect upon the pathological prescriber, that he would perforce drop it from his catalogue of bone remedies. But perhaps I should not inveigh too strongly against pathological prescribing, for most of are guilty at times. The point I wish to make is than in the cases that I am about report Lachesis could not have been selected upon their pathology.

KALI PHOSPHORICUM

Does this not correspond well with those mothers who are worn out physically with nursing and caring for babies, and mentally driven to distraction with the ailing demonstrations of the sick and nervous infant; or of the worn-out man, emaciations and tired to the limit with his own particular worries.

COMMUNICATIONS

The imagination need not be troubled to try to grasp the immensity of this number as that is not our purpose at the present time. What we desire to know is its decision on the question under discussion. The potency where there remains only one molecule in a dose of 1 cubic centimeter is easily found by simple arithmetic. It varies with the molecular weight of the drug in question.

DILUTIONS OR DYNAMISATIONS

Hahnemanns position on the question has never been scientifically refuted, nor has it been scientifically proved, but there seemed to be no doubt in his mind that in the making of a homoeopathic remedy far more than dilution was involved; in fact, that the power inherent in a potency was not at all a matter of dilution, but essentially one of succussion.