Farrington -A Biography.
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1993 Nov / Dec Vol II NO 6.
Kuhu Das.
Personality Pioneers.

The name of Dr. E.A. Farrington is well known to Homoeopathic world because of his great contribution in the field of Materia Medica. The followers of the Homoeopathic system of healing are indebted to Farrington for his writings specially for his book on Clinical Materia Medica. Farrington's name remains on top of those teachers and authors of Materia Medica which gave the subject a new dimension, a new vision of application and a new instrument for application.

Birth:
Ernest A Farrington was born on 1^st of January, 1847 in Brooklyn a locality then known as Williamsburg, in New York.

Education:
His family left Brooklyn for Philadelphia when Farrington was very young and so he received his education there.
Nature had endowed him with sharp perception, exceptional memory, genial manners and a helping nature. He was distinguished as a pupil and popular amongst his school mates. His powers to grasp and assimilate facts characterised him as a phenomenal pupil in the eyes of his teachers.
In March 1868 he graduated from Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia.

Medical Practice:
He started his practice at 1816 Mount Vernon Street. His studious nature and engagements in practice soon affected his health.
In 1874 he was appointed the Professor of Materia Medica, after the resignation of the famous Dr. Guernsey and thus Farrington attained the dream and aim of his life because it was Materia Medica which was his cherished field of labour, deepest studies and it was in this subject that his lifes work began.
He made deep and analytical studies in the matters of homoeopathic principles, rules, dosage, potency and the contents and the teaching methods of materia medica.

Korndoerfer says, "His daily association with Hering quickened his natural desire and he was soon recognised by that master spirit of our School (i.e. Hering) as one well fitted to a place in the highest rank among the expouders of that most intricate science, Materia Medica. Hering delighted to say - when I am gone, Farrington must finish my Materia Medica".

His Achievements:
Dr. Farrington was a professor and an active worker in various societies for the cultivation of medical science. His valuable writings and papers in different journals have made Homoeopathy rich. His contributions to our literature are of great practical merit and combine completeness of statement, cogency of reasoning and consciousness of expression in a remarkable degree. In latter part of life he was a contributing - editor of the moved print HAHNEMANNIAN MONTHLY for several years.

In 1879 when Hahnemannian Monthly was purchased by the Hahnemannian Club of Philadelphia he was selected as the sole editor of the journal but due to impairment of health and multiplicity of duties he accepted the position of contributing editor.
His writings on Materia Medica alone consisted about two hundred pages in the Hahnemannian Monthly. The American Journal of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, The North American Journal of Homoeopathy and several other journals received valuable articles from his pen.

Literary Contributions:
1874: A Supplement to Gross Comparative Materia Medica.
1887: A Clinical Materia Medica.
1890: The same; 2nd Edition some more drug indications were added to this edition from the authors manuscript.

His other literary contributions -

1. Syllabus to Materia Medica
2. Lesser Writings with Therapeutic Hints.
3. Editing of Herings condensed Materia Medica.
4. Co-editing of the Hahnemannian Monthly.

Source Materials:

1. American Institute of Homoeopathy
2. C. Bartlett: Preface to the first edition: Farringtons Clinical Materia Medica
3. T L Bradford: Bibliography
4. Aug Korndoerfer: Professor E A Farrington, in the Hahnemannian Monthly, January 1886.

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