Chapter 7 – Books


When some allopathic physician asks me for advice about books I give him Case’s advice and add Hughes and Farrington’s Clinical Materia Medica. Both of these books I read every year. My text book on Homoeopathic Materia Medica I recommend for those who wish to make the tissue and organs the basis of their study. …


BOOKS AND JOURNALS

We have enjoyed what Doctors Green and McAdams had to say about repertories and how they used them. I use them all as I have shown above where I have also illustrated how I use them. Now for other homeopathy books and how to use them. Next to what T.F. Allen has written, viz., his Primer, his symptom Register, his Hand book and his Encyclopedia, I have received more help from Erastus Case’s Clinical Cases. This for two reasons: first, because he practiced in Connecticut among my relatives and acquaintances and I observed the effects of the remedies he mentions; second, because he saved me from going back to the “fresh pots of Egypt.” When, after deciding to change from Allopathy to Homoeopathy I chose Dr. Chas.

Beach as my preceptor, he, Beach, told me to get Hering’s Condensed Materia Medica and study Rhus tox. as my first remedy. I followed Dr. Beach’s advice but gave up in disgust as there was neither rhyme, rhythm, nor reason in it, no sense in the schema- form as found in Hering. At this point Dr. Case came to see a friend of mind and I told him my troubles. Case replied: “The foolish man! Why did he not give you Hughes’ Pharmaco-dynamics first? Get that and read it through. Then you can appreciate Hering.” I did, and recognized the fact that Case had an excellent knowledge of human nature and a large fund of common sense. As a result when some allopathic physician asks me for advice about books I give him Case’s advice and add Hughes and Farrington’s Clinical Materia Medica. Both of these books I read every year. My text book on Homoeopathic Materia Medica I recommend for those who wish to make the tissue and organs the basis of their study. The Materia Medica which is the best for every-day use, is Wm. Boericke ‘s, because, as I have already stated, it is both condensed and yet comprehensive, and more because it is reliable, giving the experience of a practical man with a large practice. I also turn to this book for the modalities; also for the relationship of one remedy for another, i.e., whether inimical or complementary, and if the latter, which should precede and which should follow the other, and finally for the potency.

For works on practice, Prof. W.H. Dickinson’s stands as the head of the list, because it also is concise, comprehensive and practical.

His diagnosis and prognosis are excellent. However, it is old and has but little to suggest as auxiliary treatment. As a counterpart, W.S. Mills is nearer up-to-date and is reliable.

In my own practice I give not only a good deal of space to auxiliary treatment, but also cite several cases illustrating the grouping and the potency of the remedy.

Lillienthal’s Therapeutics I have had at my left hand ever since I graduated. He gives the remedies under headings representing the different organs. He puts in italics the remedies, and also the symptoms of those remedies which he has found most useful under the different headings. However, he does not mention the potencies.

For diseases of women I place Ludlam at the head. I have already referred to him and his books. Southwick I use a great deal because he also cites many illustrative cases and is very practical in regard to the administration of the remedy. Woods ‘ Gynecology I refer to frequently when I am in doubt as to what tissue or organ is affected and how affected.

For surgery my old Prof. Helmuth’s book is not only excellent in diagnosis and technique, but he was also a good prescriber. Gilchrist’s Surgery I am quite familiar with, because we worked together for years in the State University of Iowa. He was also an excellent prescriber, using remedies in all potencies.

James W. Ward has also been very helpful to me with his articles, which have appeared in different journals, especially the one found in the Transactions of the A.I.H. of the year 1906. On nervous diseases, besides Lillienthal’s lectures, of which I have full notes, I have O’Connor’s Nervous Diseases and John Wilson’s book on Nervous Diseases. The latter I prize and use frequently, because we have been acquainted since boyhood. Wilson’s book is a good deal like Bartlett’s Practice of Medicine, in that he goes very extensively into all the different subjects. If I want to get a large view of the subject Neurology I sit down and read Wilson.

In my Homoeopathic Therapy of Deceases of the Brain and Nerves, I cite many cases, the treatment for which I received information from the above author. In addition to that I have very full index, including one on illustrative cases and another on comparison of remedies.

Remedy Journal

PAGE 1

Aconite Pacific Coast, November, 1929

PAGE 151

Hamamelis Midwest, December, 1929

PAGE 225

Fierrin Phosphorus Homoeopathic Recorder, April,

1929

PAGE 299

Veronal Hahnemannian Monthly, Sept,

1929

PAGE 375

Vitamins Your Health, December 1929

PAGE 625

Blood, Sugar & Diabetes Journal A.I.H., April, 1929

PAGE 675

Cardeovasculos Syphilis Hahnemannian Monthly, Sept,

1929

PAGE 691

Bronco-Pneumonia of Children Homoeopathic Recorder, Sept.,

1929

Author Subject

PAGE 2

James Ward Surgical Shock PAGE 152

Lucy S. Hartzog. M.D. Varicose Veins PAGE 226

George Royal, M.d. A Study of F.P. PAGE 300

Albert A. Super, M.D. Clinical Observation PAGE

376

W.E. Allyn, M.D. Study of V. PAGE 626

L.S. Kleiner, Ph. D. General Consideration of PAGE

676

E.R. Snider, M.D. The Medium Conception of- PAGE

692

Herbert A. Roberts, M.D. Treatment of –

My only book on skin diseases is Dearborn’s. This is an excellent book in every particular. I was well acquainted with the senior Dearborn and fairly well acquainted with the junior. What they give in their books is comprehensive and practical.

My advice to you older practitioners is to stick to the books you are familiar with, and gradually add to them others only as fast as you have time to carefully read and thoroughly assimilate. Let me illustrate. On one of my trips to Iowa City from Des Moines I was in a railroad accident. The road engineer came and looked over the wreck to find out what was needed to clear it up. He gave me the privilege of going back with him to the division station and watch his men work. The engineer’s first order was: “Make 500 wedges, two feet long, from the pile of twelve-foot planks.” I noticed that the tools

used by the men were an adz, a broadax, a hand ax or hatchet, a saw, and a drawplane. There was but little difference in the time it took each man to make a wedge. However, the only one I could have used was the saw. And so each of you can best use the tools you are familiar with.

Now as to the journals. I took the North American Journal of Homoeopathy from ’82 until it was sold and for several years after that. I have taken The Hahnemannian Monthly from the time I graduated until the present day. I have bound copies of both of the above journals. I took the Advance for years when H.C. Allen was editor. The Homoeopathic Recorder I have taken for years. I took this because of the articles contributed to it by Stuart Close who for many years was editor of Homoeopathic Philosophy. I am still taking it receive much benefit from reading it because it cites cases for which the high potencies have been used and is of much assistance in showing me how to take the case.

These are journals for everyone beginning the practice of Homoeopathy, The Journal of the A.I.H., The Hahnemannian Monthly, and The Homoeopathic Recorder. These publish the best articles from those who claim to practice scientific homoeopathy, pure Hahnemannian homoeopathy, and practical homoeopathy; the high and low and the all-potency men. You get articles on theory, on philosophy, in these three. Then if you want news, take the Midwest News Journal, a growing, vigorous youngster.

In closing on the journal question, let me suggest a plan which will greatly enhance their value. Get a book such as is commonly used as a ledger, say of seven hundred pages. Then as your journals are read each month, record the contents in the ledger, as indicated on the foregoing two pages. If the recent graduate will bind his journals each year after cataloguing them, according to the plan suggested, he will soon have a good reference library.

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.