When the homoeopathic physician is called to see an acute case what are the chances that the exactly similar remedy will be selected? Among the best prescribers, probably seventy-five to ninety percent. The average homoeopathist will score a much smaller percentage of hits. Acute cases tend naturally toward recovery and if the illness runs its complete cycle no credit is really due the doctor no matter how hard he may have apparently worked on the case. A spontaneous recovery is not a cure.
What are the odds in chronic work? In what percentage of chronic cases does the Hahnemannian hit the bulls eye? This is rather hard to estimate as naturally there are no statistics available. Each physician should reflect somewhat upon his own successes and failure. How often has he found his first prescription to be in error?.
There are many confusing factors in chronic work which make remedy selection more difficult than in acute illness. We can claim anything, can state any percentage we choose, but if the absolutely correct remedy were consistently prescribed in fifty per cent of chronic cases coming under observation homoeopathy would shine with outstanding brilliance and could never be denied its rightful place in the sun.
If there were no symptomatic duplications in the materia medica, if each remedy stood clear, distinct and isolated in a field of its own and disease manifestation and symptomatology were equally clear cut and if distinct there would be no occasion and no excuse for an erroneous prescription. In fact anyone, even a school boy, could easily learn to successfully prescribe for the sick.
Hahnemannians often speak of a remedy picture and in studying a case we are hoping to see the image or picture of some remedy in the symptom ensemble of the patient.
A few simple colors variously combined can be employed so as to produce a multitude of effects, pictures of endless variety. Symptoms of every shade and hue are included in the totality of disease manifestation and in the corresponding totality as pictured in the materia medica. As in a painting certain color tones predominate, so in each remedy there is a basic symptom grouping which colors the entire picture.
Pain, indigestion and constipation in varying combinations and degree are present in the vast majority of chronic cases. In fact digestive dysfunction is the primary or basic derangement underlying much of both acute and chronic sickness and suffering. As a cause of disease the many kinds of perversion and overindulgence of the appetite must take precedence over our old friend Psora and with increasing knowledge of the science of nutrition as well as of the effects of suppression, we may one day have to bid our inherited theory a final farewell.
Pain is an exceedingly common symptom and consequently we find pain in the pathogenesis of nearly all remedies. Constipation is an almost universal complaint and the materia medica also carries this symptoms as standard equipment. If such common manifestations were not reflected or pictured in a vast number of pathogenesis our remedies would be hopelessly inadequate and deficient. Common symptoms we will always find in both patients and remedies but they are in themselves, as isolated facts, almost useless for purposes of remedy selection.
A vast array of common, particular and unrelated items mean very little. A few complete, well rounded and fully described symptoms are worth more than pages of incomplete and isolated ones. sometimes even a common symptom can be so completely described that it becomes of real value in remedy selection. Take the common symptom pain, build it up, round it out, locate it, describe it, determine its modalities and often we have gone far toward seeing the indicated remedy, although without additional evidence we are not justified in prescribing the medicine.
PAIN:.
Where is the pain? How large an area does it cover? Is it superficial or deep? Does it stay in one place or move about? Where does it start? In what direction does it go? What kind of pain is it? When did it first come on? What seemed to cause it? What time of day or night is it apt to be worse? What aggravates the pain? What relieves it?.
When you get trail of a symptom hunt it down, chase it to its lair. Find out all about it.
Every Hahnemannian is familiar with a certain complete and well rounded symptom of Kali carb., namely, stitching pains in the lower right chest, coming on independent of motion or respiration, not particularly relieved by pressure and generally worse between two and five a.m. Here a pain symptom fully described almost spots the remedy.
The Bryonia pain is a duplication as to character but totally different as to it modifying modalities. Pulsatilla and Kali bichromicum often have wandering pains but a thorough description of the pain as outlined above should make differentiation easy.
Many remedies have a trio or more of outstanding characteristic symptoms. Lachesis is famous for its left sided complaints, its aggravation after sleep and its sense of, or aversion to, constriction. Any one of these symptoms is duplicated many times in the materia medica but the grouping is highly characteristic.
Again in a sensitive, nervous individual with overpowering sleepiness, so-called gas indigestion and extreme dryness of the mouth, if the patient is thirstless it is Nux moschata and no doubt about it. Individually the symptoms are duplicated time and again. In a compact group they give us the picture of the remedy.
Constant and consistent study of the materia medica gives one a broad knowledge of symptoms groupings and greatly facilitates accurate prescribing. No amount of cleverness in repertory analysis can take the place of personal acquaintance with each remedy. Conversely no materia medica expert can afford to practise homoeopathy without the aid of one or more standard repertories. The materia medica and the repertory bear a complemental and supplemental relation to each other. It is impossible to consistently practise correct homoeopathy without a good working knowledge and use of each.
PHILADELPHIA PENNA.
Eugene passed away at his country home on Spring Hill, Tuscarora Township, Bradford County, PA. He had been in ill health for several months. His wife, the former Caroline Davis, whom he had married in Philadelphia in 1910, had passed away in 1961. They spent most of their marriage lives in Swarthmore, PA.
Dr. Underhill was a member of the United Lodge of Theosophy, a member of the Philadelphia County Medical Society, and the Pennsylvania Medical Society. He was also the editor of the Homœopathic Recorder.