MATERIA MEDICA PURA

MATERIA MEDICA PURA

By Samuel Hahnemann

MATERIA MEDICA PURA(LATIN) or REINE ARZNEIMITTELLEHRE (GERMAN) is one of the most important source book of homoeopathic materia medica . The first edition of this invaluable contribution by Dr Samuel Hahnemann was published from 1811 to 1821.1st edition has 6 volumes.

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Vol 1- 12 medicines 6 new and 6 old, in 1811.(Bell,Dul, Cin,CanSat,Cocc,Nux,Op,Mosch,Olean,Mer,Acon,Arn) Vol 2- 8 medicines + 3 magnets , 1816.(Caust,Ars,Fer,Ign,Magnes, Magnes north pole, Magnes south pole ,Puls,Rheum,Rhus,Bry) Vol 3-8 medicines , 1817. (Cham,Cin,Hell,Asar,Ipecac,Scilla,Starm,Verat alb) Vol 4-12 medicines , 1818. (Hyos,Dig,Aur,Guaic,Camp,Led,Rut,Sars,Con,Cheild,Sulph,Argen) Vol 5- 11 medicines, 1819.(Euphr,Meny,Cycl,Samb,Cal acet, Mur acid, Thuj,Tarax, Phosp acid,Spig,Staph) Vol 6- 10 medicines , 1821., (Angust,Mang,Cap,Verbasc,Coloc,Spong,Dros,Bis,Cic,Stann)

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It consisted of 64 medicines (22 medicines from fragmenta) 37 provers. Some occur comparatively rarely, but, some with great frequency. Eg. Franz, Gross, Hahnemanns son Freidrich, Hartmann, Herrmann, Hornburg, Langhammer, Ruckert, Staph, Of the few exceptions of this rule. 1) Langhammers symptoms both mental and moral. This prover deformed in body and unfortunate in his circumstances, was so depressed and altogether morbid in his disposition that his psychical state could at no time be fairly ascertained to the medicine he was taking. His moral symptoms are of very similar character under every drug he proved. .

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2) Staphs Erotic Symptoms & Von Gersdroffs flatuosities should be taken with caution .Proving has been made up on persons in perfect health, living in a contentment and comparative ease. When an extraordinary circumstance of any kind for eg., fright, chagrin, external injuries, excessive enjoyment, of any pleasure, or some event of great importance supervened during the proving, then no symptoms were recorded. When they were of mild variety (slight importance) the symptoms have been placed (-thus informing the reader hat they could not be considered decisively genuine) in brackets.. No information of dose and mode of administration

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Second edition
Vol 1- 1822. Vol 2- 1824 Vol 3 & 4- 1825. Vol 5-1826 Vol 6-1827 66 medicines + 3 new remedies (carbo animalis, carbo veg &ambergris in 6th vol)

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In the first edition the volumes contain no contributions from the fellow provers. But, when these medicines appear in the second edition, their pathogenesis have been freely supplied from fellow provers and largely augmented accordingly. We can see that names of about 37 provers of which some occur comparatively rarely, but some with great frequency.all medicines except 13 have citations from authors.Medicines with citations are observations of poisioning and over dosing.
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Third edition

2 volumes 1830 & 1833. 67 medicines First vol-37 medicines & second vol 30 medicines. Medicine as before, Causticum transferred to Die Chronischen Krankheiten.The chief change that has taken place has been the amalgamation of all symptoms of Hahnemanns own observations with those of others in to one continuous schema. Pathogenesis increased in most instances.More additions of symptoms 30-40 symptoms which are Hahnemanns and his observations on sick. More number of fresh provings.

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The present edition is the third edition.It is translated from the latest German editions by R. E. Dudgeon, M.D. With annotations by Richard Hughes LRCPE. This work consists of 2 volumes. . The essays scattered among the six volumes were divided into two and put as preface in two volumes. Published by: B Jain publishers Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi.

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Contents of volume 1
Translators preface. Preface by author Spirit of the Homeopathic Medical Doctrine Preamble

Total 37 drugs ( from Aconite to Ipecac ) No. of pages 718 .

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Contents of volume 2 :

Nota Bene For my Reviewers Examination of the sources of the common materia medica A Reminiscence The medical observer a fragment

The power of small dose of homeopathic medicine. Total 30 drugs ( ledum to verbascum ) No. of pages -- 709

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Translators preface

The materia medica pura as left to us by Hahnemann consist of six volumes, two of which ( vol 1 $ 2 ) had reached a third edition ,while the remainder did not get beyond the second . Dates of publication of these volumes are : Volume 1 -- 1830. Volume 2 -- 1833. Volume 3 $ 4 -- 1825. Volume 5 -- 1826. Volume 6 1827. Earlier editions, the pathogenesis of the various medicines not arranged in the same way as they are in the latest .

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Thus in the former editions -- Hahnemanns observations are put first, separately numbered ; the symptoms observed by his disciples under his superintendence and those derived from the work of other observers being arranged together in a different list and specially numbered . In the third edition, to which only the first two volumes attained, the arrangement is different. Here all the symptoms of each medicine whether observed by Hahnemann himself or his disciples or taken from the old school authorities are combined in one schema and numbered continuously.

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Hahnemanns own observations being distinguished by having no name or sign attached, while those of his pupils are indicated by an abbreviation of the name of each appended to their respective observations. The authorities of the old school are named after the symptom for which they are responsible. Another peculiarity in the work, as it has been left to us, is that the medicines are not arranged alphabetically. Each volume contain a varying number of medicines, arranged alphabetically according to their common German names, but there is no attempt to maintain the alphabetical arrangement in respect to the whole work.

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If the work had been translated as such (German original), this would give 6 volumes of various sizes and their contents differently arranged. It would reproduce the work as it exists in the German original, but it would like that, be difficult to use as a book of reference; and if the minor details of the German work were also preserved it would involve a considerable additional amount of printing without any advantage there from.

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MERITS OF TRANSLATED WORK

Medicines arranged alphabetically, according to their English & latin names symptoms arranged in the plan adopted in the latest editions. 2. To give out the work in two handsome volume of equal size. (Instead of publishing the work in six volumes of very unequal size, with no general alphabetical arrangement of the medicines.) 3. Greater utility and literary homogeneity of the work. 4.Hahnemanns abbreviations of his provers name are not always the same, but uniformity has been maintained in this translation
1.

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PLAN ADOPTED FOR THE WORK (Translation)

The essays distributed throughout the original volume have been divided between the two volume of the translation, so as to form appropriate prefaces to each. The alteration introduced by Hahnemann in his latest editions with regard to the indication of the name of the prover by an abbreviation has been extended to all the medicines in this translation These abbreviations are printed in italics. The names of old school authorities for symptoms are printed in small capitals can see it at a glance by the student or a casual reader, whether the symptom is one produced by an intentional proving, or is the result of the generally accidental poisoning or over dose of an old school observer.

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As in the original, the symptoms with no name or abbreviation appended are those observed by Hahnemann himself. Subjoined is a list of Hahnemanns fellow provers, the abbreviation of their names employed in this work and the medicines proved by each. Eg : Stapf , Ernst ---- Stf ( acon, ars, arn, asr, bel, bry, cam, can, cha, chi,gui, hel,mt-n,men, mer,mux,oln,phx,rut,sam,sar,spi,spo,squ,stn,stp,thu,vrb) Adam, DrAd(cb-a, cb-v) Hempel, H - - - -Hpl.(bell)

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Of these provers ADAM was a Russian physician.VON GERSDORFF a nobleman residing in Eisenach, Nenning a surgeon who furnished many of the symptoms of materia medica of Hartlaub and Trinks , from whose work Hahnemann took some symptoms, Indicated by the abbreviation of their names Hb, Ts , either singly or conjointly. The remainders of the provers are more properly Hahnemanns own disciples. Most, if not all of these provers were medical men many of them well known as eminent practitioners of homeopathy, and some distinguished by their valuable contributions to Homoeopathic literature.

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Many of the symptoms have the time of occurrence after taking the medicine. This is indicated by contractions between brackets. Here m means minutes, h hours and d days. This is not the first English translation of Hahnemanns Materia Medica Pura. In 1846 Dr. Hempel published a translation. But as Dr. Hughes has pointed out, Hempels translation is extremely imperfect. Later Dr.Quin translated Materia Medica. The first volume was completed and printed, but was destroyed by a fire at printing press. The only copy saved is in the library of British Homoeopathic Society. It has neither preface nor even a title page. The first volume is translated from the second edition. But, the medicines it contains do not altogether correspond with the original. The arrangement of symptoms is not that of Hahnemenn.

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The present is the first attempt to give a faithful and complete English translation of the latest editions of the work. Dr. Hughes helped in this work. He has done the careful revision of the proof sheets and has given numerous suggestions of improved versions of the original , where by both the faithfulness and readableness of the translation have been greatly improved. It is of course, impossible to render exactly into English the expressions peculiar to the German language or to give an exact translation of every word. So the translator has given the English equivalents for German phrases where such exist or to give English expressions that most nearly correspond with the German originals.

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There are certain German words and phrases used by Hahnemann, for which we have no precise English equivalent. Sometimes two totally different things are expressed by one English word only.

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For eg :

The German Hals used for both throat and neck. Brust either chest or mammae. Fuss -- denotes foot, sometimes leg upto knees, sometimes the whole lower extremities. Schenkel thigh, sometimes leg, occasionally the whole lower limb . Schooss the groin or iliac region occasionally the whole hypogastrium. Gesicht -- sight or face. Druckend pressive sometime aching. And it is not always easy to determine which English equivalent should be used, no hard and fast rule can be adopted and the translator must determine from the context or sometimes from his inner consciousness which translation should be employed. As a rule druckend, followed by auf or an must mean pressive, whereas if followed by in it probably means aching.

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Forwards by Hughes who assisted Dr. Dudgeon in this work Hughes refers to the Hahnemanns quotations from authors. These are absent from few of his pathogenesis and in many are very numerous , so as to number in the whole material medica pura upwards to4000. It is obvious that no new editions of a work so full of citations can be satisfactory, which does not examine these in their originals for purpose of verification and of correction ( if necessary ) . Therefore to make this translation of the Materia Medica Pura as accurate as possible, it should be desirable that all the citations contained in this work should be verified from their original sources and renewed from thence. It often adds to the value of a symptom that, we should know the object and circumstances of its occurrence, the dose by which it was produced and so forth Hahnemann rarely gives such information.

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We long for the daybooks of the experiments, which gave us these, in the case of the cited symptom we have them. On the first mention of any authority in each pathogenesis, he has stated the nature of his observations, and to each symptom that has required it, he has appended such explanations and corrections as might be necessary to set it forth in its full meaning and value. All these matter will be found in the notes at the bottom of the pages, designated by small figures 1, 2, etc and divided by a line from Hahnemanns own annotations which have the usual *, +, &c.

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AUTHORS PREFACE [ From volume 1, 3rd edition 1830 ]

It gives a detailed amount of the futile endeavors hither to made to determine the powers of medicines from their colour, taste, and smell. It shows how chemistry has been applied to, in order by wet and dry distillation to extract from medicinal substances phlegma, ethereal oils, empyreumatic acids and oils, volatile salts and from the residuary caput mortum fixed salts and earths call nearly identical with one another. It is well known that not a single one of the innumerable medicinal substances, in spite of all these technical torturing could be brought to reveal what sort of healing power it was possessed of. Certainly the material substances extracted from them were not the spirit animating every single substance which enable it cure certain morbid stages. This spirit could not be laid hold of by the hands; it can only be recognized by its effects on the living body.
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Hahnemann criticizes the old school prescription of different drugs in combinations and says that the day of true knowledge of medicine and of the true healing art will dawn when physicians shall trust the cure of complete cases of disease to a single medicinal substance, and when regardless of traditional systems they will employ for the extinction and cure of a case of disease, whose symptom they have investigated, one single medicinal substance whose positive effects they have ascertained, which can show among these effects a group of symptoms very similar to those presented by the case of disease.

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He also quotes that among the observations from extraneous sources in the following pages are some which were observed in patients, these observations are not altogether valueless, at all events they serve occasionally to confirm similar or identical symptoms that may appear in pure experiments on the healthy.

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In Hahnemanns own experiments and those of his disciples, every possible care was taken to ensure their purity, in order that the true powers of each medicinal substance might be clearly expressed in the observed effects. They were performed on persons as healthy as possible and under regulated external conditions as nearly as possible alike. If during the experiments some extra ordinary circumstances from without happened which might be supposed to be capable of altering the results, from that time, no symptoms in the experiment was registered, they were rejected.

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Hahnemann says that duration of action of medicine can be learned only from experiments on the healthiest possible persons. The very small doses prescribed by Homeopathy produce the uncommon effect, they do just because they are not so large as to render it necessary for the organism to get rid of them by the revolutionary process of evacuations, in cases of disease where the remedy has been unsuitably and not accurately homeopathically chosen.

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Hahnemann mentions Organon of Medicine and say that men who has understood this will perceive that if a work on materia medica can reveal the precise qualities of medicines, it must be one from which all mere assumption and empty speculations about reputed qualities of drugs are excluded and which only records what medicines express concerning their true mode of action in the symptoms they produce in the human body. The dynamically acting medicines extinguish diseases only in accordance with the similarity of their symptoms.

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 The usual order of symptoms produced by a remedy

is arranged as follows: -Vertigo, Confusion,Deficient mental power,Loss of memory; Headache internal, external, Forehead, hair, Face in general [vultus] , Eyes and sight( Visus ), Ears; hearing ,Nose, smell, Lips, Chin , Lower jaw , Teeth, Tongue (impediments to speech) ,Saliva; Internal throat, Fauces, oesophagus, Taste, Eructation , heartburn, hiccough, Nausea,Vomiting ,Desire for food and drink , hunger ,Scorbiculus cordis ;eStomach ; Abdomen; epigastrium; hepatic region ;hypochondria ,Hypogastrium , Lumbar region ,Groin, inguinal region ,Rectum; anus;perineum ,Alvine evacuation, Urine, bladder, urethra, Genital organs, Sexual desire, Sexual power, emission of semen,Menstrual flux, leucorrhoea, Sneezing, coryza, catarrh, hoarseness,Cough , Breathing,Chest, Hearts movements, Sacral region, lumbar vertebra ,Back,

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Scapulae,Nape,External throat, Shoulders ( axilla ) ,Arms, hands, Hips, pelvis,Buttocks,Thighs, legs, feet; General corporeal sufferings and cutaneous affection, Sufferings from open air ,Exhalations , temperature of the body , disposition to catch cold, sprains, paroxysms , Convulsions, paralysis, weakness, fainting , Yawning, sleepiness, slumber, sleep, nocturnal ailments, dreams , Fever, chill, heat, perspiration , Anxiety, palpitation of heart, restlessness, trembling , Disturbances of the disposition, affections of the mind .

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In footnote it is mentioned that this order of symptoms is not always preserved; the mental symptoms are sometimes placed at the end of the list of symptoms . the incovience of separating mental and emotional symptoms is tacticly acknowledged by Hahnemann , as he places them together in chronic diseases.

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SPIRIT OF THE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICAL DOCTRINE

[From volume 2 , 3rd edition 1833, this essay appeared in a journal in March 1813, but these words were not listened to] In this section Hahnemann says that it is impossible to understand internal essential nature of diseases and the changes they produce in hidden parts of the body and also that it is absurd to frame a system of treatment on such hypothetical surmises and assumptions. It is also impossible to derive the medicinal properties of remedies from any chemical hypothesis or from their smell, colour, or taste and it is useless to attempt from such hypothetical surmises and assumption, to apply to the treatment of diseases these substances which are so hurtful when wrongly administered. For the removal of all morbid symptoms nothing remains but health.he explains different modes of treatment i.e. allopathy,antiopathy& homoeopathy. He also explains predisposition,susceptibility, natures law of cure & importance of small doses.
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PREAMBLE

[ From volume 2, 3rd edition 1833 ] In Homeopathy the treatment is not directed towards imaginary or invented internal causes of the disease, not yet towards names of diseases invented by man of which nature knows nothing. As every case of non-miasmatic disease is a distinct individuality, independent, peculiar, a complex of symptoms always differing in nature, so inorder to effect a cure we should take every aggregate of morbid symptoms as complete as can be met within any single known drug. Hahnemann refers to organon of medicine for directions applied in practice.the physician should contribute by proving drug on himself to ascertain the dynamic and curative power of drug. Without this investigation to know the pure pathogenetic action on the healthy individual all treatment of disease will continue to be not only foolish but also a criminal action, a dangerous attack upon human life.

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Regarding the experimenter if he suffer from slight ailments during these provings of the powers of medicines, then these symptoms should be placed in brackets, there by indicating that they are not confirmed or dubious. But this will not often happen, being that during the action upon a previously healthy person of a sufficient strong dose of the medicine, he is under the influence of the medicine alone and it is seldom that any other symptom can show itself during the first days. In order to investigate the symptoms of medicine for chronic diseases for e.g. in order to develop the cutaneous diseases we must not be contended with taking one or two doses of it only, but continue its use for several days to the amount of two adequate doses daily to experience an action from it and also should continue to observe the diet and regimen.

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The mode of preparing the medicinal substances for homeopathic treatment will be found in the 5th edition of organon of medicine aphorism 269 291 and also in the second part of the chronic diseases. For the proving of medicines on healthy individuals, dilutions and dynamization are to employed as high as are used for the treatment of diseases, namely globules moistened with the decillionth development of power. The symptoms obtained from proving should be questioned repeatedly to ascertain the exactness of their sensations and sufferings and to ascertain with exactness the conditions under which the symptoms occurred. Diet should be regulated and the prover should be free of mental tensions, in order to be able to observe the alterations .In their health purely and obviously due to the medicines taken. Hahnemann also details 2 examples of homoeopathic cure by Bryonia & Pulsatilla. By conducting the trials in this manner, we become careful, sensitive observers and if with this combine pure moral conduct and the acquisition of other useful branches of knowledge we will become proficient in the healing art.

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Volume-2

NOTE BENE FOR MY REVIEWERS

Hahnemann adds these paragrapgh to show how much enmity the better healing art had to endure from the allopathic doctors up to the year 1817. On the beginning of the note Hahnemann points several unfair criticisms he met on the 2nd part of Materia Medica Pura especially on the essay spirit of homeopathic medical doctrine and provides a strong reply. In the foot note Hahnemann criticizes for printing homopathy and homopathic in place of homoeopathic and homoeopathy as these 2 are having two different meanings , one means common , identical & the same and the other similar. And redicules that the critics should have some idea of the meaning of the word homoeopathy. Hahnemann advices to repeat the experiments carefully and accurately to find the doctrine confirmed at every step. The homoeopathic medical doctrine will stand out in more prominent relief appear to great advantage against the foil of this nonsense and will dispel the nocturnal darkness of antiquated stupidities for it teaches how to afford certain benefit in diseases.
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Examination of the Sources of the Common Materia Medica

1 The first source of the MM (Dioscorides & reechoed by his successors ) is mere guesswork and fiction, which set forth the general therapeutic virtues of drugs. These substances are resolvent, deodstruent, diuretic, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, sedative, antispasmodics, cathartic etc. Hahnemann describes the highly commendable ways (quoting egs of Kampfs clysters and use of calomel) in which a medicine is raised to the undeserved honour of being a resolvent, deobstruent. 2. The second source of virtue of drugs in the Materia Medica is their sensible properties from which their action may be inferred. Hahnemann critizes the doctrine of signature Eg. 1) Testicle Shaped Orchis root to restore the manly vigour. 2) Phallus Impudicus to strengthen weak erections. 3) Yellow Turmeric to cure jaundice. 3

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3. The third source is by Chemistry by Geofroy. To attain the knowledge of real pure action of remedies on the human frame by means of vegetable and animal chemistry. Animal chemistry can merely separate from animal substances such inanimate matters as show a different chemical action with chemical reagents. Chemical constituents shown by vegetable chemistry to exist in plants also act in the same way. Thus, chemistry can only give chemical information with respect to medicinal substances. But, cannot tell what spiritual dynamic changes they are capable of affecting in the health of the human being.

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4. The fourth source The most common of all the sources. It is the clinical and special therapeutic indications for employment in the ordinary material medica, namely the employment of medicines in actual diseases where by it was imagined that information could be obtained with respect to the diseases in which the different medicines are useful. 5. By accident. These specific cannot be always because the diseases were not constant in their nature. 6. Testing experimentally their pure effects which form the pure materia medica.

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A REMINISCENCE(from vol, iv, 2nd edition, 1825_)

The actual morbid state was attributed to pathology by the old school of medicines and it was given special names and recorded in nosological works. For these specially named diseases they gave special modes of treatment and this constituted science of therapeutics. Diseases are nothing more than alterations of the sound, normal state of health, manifested by signs and symptoms. So, the honest physician should investigate the peculiar character of the disease before him in order to restore the patient with certainty. The simple natural way alone remains for us to ascertain with certainty the power of medicines to healthy individuals. Such a medicine will never fail to cure the disease

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THE MEDICAL OBSERVER

The medeical observer is taken from volIV, 2ND edition , 1825. In this Hahnemann explains In order to be able to observe well, the medical practitioner requires to possess the capacity and habit of noticing carefully and correcting the phenomena that take place in natural diseases as well as those that occur in the morbid states artificially exited by medicines when they are tested upon the healthy body and the ability to describe them in the most appropriate and natural expressions. The duty of the observer is only to take notice of the phenomena and their course ; his attention should be on the watch , not only that nothing actually present escape his observation,but also what he observes he understood exactly as it is.

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HOW CAN SMALL DOSES OF SUCH VERY ATTENUATED MEDICINES AS HOMOEOPATHY EMPLOYS STILL POSSESS GREAT POWER

When a small portion of medicine is added to water or alcohol, it liberates the dynamic powers of the medicine by means of succussion or trituration. Every part should contain an equal portion of the drop of medicine. This effect is developed by friction by which not only the internal physical properties are roused but also the dynamic medicinal powers are released.

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SCHEME OF ARRANGEMENT IN EACH MEDICINE

1) Name of the drug Common Name / Latin Name. 2) Brief description of its preparation its part used, its properties, poisonous effects etc. 3) Names of Hahnemanns disciples who assisted him in the proving of drugs. Eg. Abner, Gross, Staph, Frederic Hahnemann, Ruckert senior, Stapf,Whale in Aconite Authorities of traditional medicines quoted by Hahnemann for the recorded effects of the drugs. Eg. Abano,Pet. De, De Venenis, cap.30, 1496. Bacon, Vinc.,philosoph. Transacxtions, xxxviii. Durr , hufel journ.,ix, 4 etc from Aconite 4) The number of symptoms the drug has in fragmenta de viribus,first,second & third edition of Materia medica pura 5) Name of the drug in capital. 6) Order of Symptoms.

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