It is among the peculiar symptoms that we find the so-called keynotes that are used by so many prescribers who take three, (or many are content with but one) characteristic outstanding symptoms, ignoring all others and overlooking the fact that there must be a general relation between the symptoms of the patient and those of the remedy.
This keynote system of prescribing is highly attractive to many minds, because it looks so easy and does away with all tedious comparison of drugs and also from the fact that many brilliant cures were made by means of keynotes in the hands of Lippe, Allen and other advocates of the system. But you must remember that these men, as well as any others who have been successful with keynotes, have had a keen enough perception into totalities and the pathogenesis of remedies so that they used the keynote which was not ruled out by contradicting general symptoms of the patient.
Many of the so-called keynotes are both general and particular (aggravation from motion of Bryonia and sore, bruised sensations of Arnica).
The great trouble with the keynotes is that they are so often misused. Keynotes are often valuable characteristic symptoms, but if these keynotes are taken as final and the generals do not confirm then failures will come.
