Hahnemann, in Organon, II 104, 152, of the Organon, gives explicit directions for its selection; he tells us how the choice should be made from among the drugs which exhibit effects simulating those of the whole disease picture at hand and shows how the final differentiation depends upon the individualistic or peculiar symptoms. A truly scientific procedure.
The interpretations of what constitutes a striking or singular symptom, except as pointed out in 86 and the following seven considerations: 1. Changes of personality and temperament are particularly to be noted, especially when striking alternations, even if rare, occur; the latter often supplant or by their prominence may obscure the physical manifestations and consequently correspond to but few remedies. Taking written notes II of every case gradually drills the mind into recognizing types (personalities) and their corresponding remedies.
The expressions of the intellectual and moral proclivities are inter-dependent and their combined character affords the best and almost sole indication in the choice of remedies for mental affections.
2. It is self evident that the nature and peculiarities of disease, as well as the virtues of drugs, must be thoroughly known before we can hope to give practical aid in sickness. The homoeopath soon realizes that for him everything in medicine is generalized too much; the most diverse diseases needing quite different remedies are designated by a common title which excludes every precise indication that might lead to the most suitable remedy, hence he can make only a limited use of diagnosis. For the same reason every allopath orders a different medicine or mixes his drugs to cover the various indications.
The most accurate and indubitable diagnosis of a disease form as depicted in pathological (allopathic) treaties can seldom or never suffice for the sure selection of the similar (homoeopathic) remedy in a concrete case. It can, at most, but not invariably, severe to exclude from the comparison all medicines which do not correspond to the comparison all medicines which do not correspond to the nature of the disease, but which on the contrary seem to expend themselves upon other parts of the living organism.
3. The seat of the disease frequently points to the decisive indications for almost every drug acts more definitely upon certain parts of the organism, the whole body seldom being affected equally, even in kind; differences occur in the so- called local disease, as well as in the affections designated as general; such are gout and rheumatism. At times the right, then again the left side suffers more, or the pains may appear diagonally, etc., etc.
The amount of attention to be given to the affected part is necessarily proportioned to the magnitude of the general illness of which it is a portion. Such general terms, therefore, as headache, toothache, bellyache, etc., every when the nature of a the pains is expressed, cannot contribute even the least towards a rational choice of the remedy.
It is essential to ascertain the seat of the local disease with accuracy; for every experienced homoeopath knows how, in toothache for instance, it is necessary to select the remedy which in its provings has repeatedly acted upon the very tooth that suffers. The specific curative power of Sepia in those stubborn and sometimes fatal joint abscesses of the fingers and toes is extraordinarily conclusive evidence upon this point, for they differ from similar gatherings in location only, while the remedies so suitable for abscess elsewhere remain ineffectual here.
Had the niceties of physical diagnosis of our times been known during the age of Hahnemann he would doubtless have localized his remedies more accurately than merely giving such vague designations, as above, below, right or left, etc., It would become our contemporaries infinitely better to fill up these gaps than to keep on repeating well known symptoms or discovering others which are almost invariably of no importance.
In the treatment of disease the value of modern methods is far less therapeutic than prognostic. The internal physical signs and and objective material changes never represent the dynamic disease, but are its product, developing as it progresses. when, as is often possible, such disorganizations can be nipped in the bud by well selected remedies it is unpardonable to await their appreciable ravages. This equally true of homoeopathic prophylaxis.
4. In finding the similimum for the whole case the concomitants, above all, demand the most thorough examination. While carefully elucidated characteristics strikingly portray the leading features of a case they are always modified by the peculiarities of the relief before the picture can be said to be accurate. Common-place or well known accompaniments are unimportant unless they are present in an extraordinary degree or appear in a singular manner.
We must, therefore, examine carefully all those accessory symptoms which are:
(A) Rarely found combined with the main affection, hence also infrequent under the same conditions in the provings.
(B) All those belonging to another sphere of disease than that of the main one.
(C) Finally those which bear the distinctive marks of some drug, even if they have nerve before been noted in the preceding relation A concomitant may so distinctly and decidedly depict the nature of a drug, and consequently indicate it, as to acquire an importance far outranking the symptoms of the main disease; it then points to the most suitable medicine. Such symptoms above all others evidently belong to those which Hahnemann called striking, extraordinary, and peculiar (characteristic)_and are to receive our almost exclusive attention because they lend their individuality to the totality. A number of efficient and partly specific remedies for various disorders are almost solely discoverable from among them because the disease symptoms proper, for lack of peculiarities, offer no possible assistance in the choice. The system of con concomitants also makes Homoeopathy distinctly safer, rendering it less dependent upon a previously constructed diagnosis which is often deceptive.
5. The cause. Pathological explanations and speculations are too far removed from our entirely practical method to have any great value in a therapy and cure Diseases are logically divided into internal and external. The former arise from the natural disposition, which is sometimes highly susceptible (idiosyncrasy). The latter can excite disease principally by means of external impressions when there is already a natural predisposition thereto.
The modified natural tendency to disease depends according to Hahnemann, upon the uneradicated miasms of psora, syphilis and sycosis. When it does not originate in these it is mostly composed of remnants and sequels of the acute affections which so largely go to make up drug diseases and poisonings; but we not infrequently see both factors combine to undermine the health, thus presenting a proportionately deeper rooted disease just that much harder to combat. In such cases antipsoric remedies very much excel all others in efficacy. (The scrofulous diathesis- psora-is constantly being extended by the practice of vaccination; our view of the matter receives confirmation from the fact that in very many cases of such diseases which are essentially acute antipsoric remedies that rapid and durable cures can be effected). Preface to Whooping Cough.
Whether or not we believe the psoric theory, the fact remains that the best selected remedy is often ineffectual unless preceded by the proper antipsoric, antisycotic or antisyphilitic, as the case may be, but because of their almost identical symptom lists, it is generally chosen with difficulty by differentiating and searching out the few true characteristics.
Drug diseases and poisoning do not differ in their health destroying power. The drug given should be ascertained and properly antidoted. Simple poisons are easily detected by their effects, but a drug disease is generally a compound result which fails to show a clear and accurate picture, hence a knowledge of the contents of former prescriptions taken is a necessity and lightens the labor.
Practice has extracted and rendered the anamnesic symptoms easy of access, thus greatly restricting the list from which the selection is to be made, so that attention to but a few characteristics quickly determines an accurate choice. This is especially true of sprains, bruises, burns, etc. Colds are more complicated, because of the diverse manner in which they are contracted and the different parts which they affect point to different remedies; for instance, it makes a great difference whether they are contracted while sweating by exposure of a part, being drenched all over or partly, etc. Various remedies must be considered according to whether the symptoms localize themselves internally (stomach, chest, abdomen, etc.), or externally (head, feet, back, etc.). Such remedies are not to be too readily thrown aside unless certainly found dissimilar in other respects-So much depends upon a knowledge of the cause (Anamnesis) of disease, that without it the choice of a homoeopathic remedy cannot be made with safety: Aphorisms Hippocrates VII., 12.
Born in Western Pennsylvania, he graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and subsequently Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia. He moved to Parkersburg, W. Va., in 1888, practicing there, but also consulting worldwide. He gave lectures at the Pulte Medical College in Cincinnati and taught philosophy, materia medica, and repertory at the American Foundation for Homoeopathy Postgraduate School. Boger brought BÅ“nninghausen's Characteristics and Repertory into the English Language in 1905. His publications include :
Boenninghausen's Characteristics and Repertory
Boenninghausen's Antipsorics
Boger's Diphtheria, (The Homoeopathic Therapeutics of)
A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica, 1915
General Analysis with Card Index, 1931
Samarskite-A Proving
The Times Which Characterize the Appearance and Aggravation of the Symptoms and their Remedies