Chapter 1 – Introduction

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An introduction to the basics of homeopathic case taking process with clinical insights….

HOW TO TAKE THE CASE AND HOW TO USE OUR REPERTORIES AND MATERIA MEDICAS

At the close of the afternoon session, held in the library of the Lapland on July 300, a physician came to me with the following statement: “Dr., Royal, you have given us your methods of proving drugs for the purpose of securing methods of proving drugs for the purpose of securing symptoms and have also given us your method for grouping and ranking them. Will you not give me a grouping and ranking them. Will you not give me a little them tomorrow to tell me how you take the case, and then what books, and how you use the books for selecting the indicated remedy?”

The next afternoon he had another physician and myself met in the corner of the library and I gave them some of the following; I also promised to put what I gave them into pamphlet or book form, elaborating it by illustrative cases and adding the umber of the pages in the books; also the number and name of the journals mentioned during our conference. The following is the result of that promise:

Time is the most important essential for taking the case, especially when the patient is a babe. To the statement, made by my boyhood friend and others who think, talk, and act as he did, viz., that memory and life are too short to study and remember all the provings, let me say that time is a relative term, and that an additional hour spent in taking the case and selecting the remedy may be worth years of comfort and even life to the patient.

One of the first and most essential steps in taking the case of office patients is to so arrange your private room that the light from the windows may fall upon the patient’s face and your back. This will enable you to note the general complexion, color of the skin, lips, and mucous membrane. The light, if possible, should not be artificial. My office has two large north windows, double- paned, each of the four panes 3×3 ft. 6 inches. The door through which the patient enters is at the south end. My chair is nearly in the center of the room. The patient’s chair is in the southwest corner of the room. By this arrangement I can observe the patient as he or she is ushered in by the office girl and takes his or her seat. This first observation (sight), together with the Entrance Complaint, viz., his or her answer to my question, “What can I do for you?” determines the selection of the remedy in many cases. Below is a diagram of the office:

1 and 2, large windows; 3, door; 4, patient’s chair; 5, physician’s chair; 6, book case; 7, examining table.

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George Royal
George Royal M. D, born July 15, 1853, graduated New York Homœopathic Medical College 1882, served as president of the American Institute of Homœopathy, professor of materia medica and therapeutics, and also dean of the College of Homœopathic Medicine of the State University of Iowa.