Homoeopathic Queries & Solutions
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2002 Jan / Feb VOL 4 NO 1.
Prof Dr Kasim Chimthanawala
1.What is the difference between Similimum and True
Similimum? And between a Similar and the Most Similar Remedy?
Dr (Mrs) Monika Singh, New Delhi
After Master Hahnemann discovered the concept of Chronic Miasms, he qualified the term Similimum to True Similimum. He said that a Similimum is the most appropriate homoeopathically indicated remedy, selected on the law of Similars. But a True Similimum is a Similimum, which takes into account the basic characteristics - expressions of the inherited Miasmatic complex into consideration. In the Treatise on Chronic Miasms, Dr T F Allen adds that the similimum alleviates the presenting (altered) totality but a true similimum will tackle the miasmatic state (cause for the causes) thereby preventing relapses and initiating the curative process.
2. Sir, I request you to please advice, what to do to gain
confidence for Homoeopathic practice?. At college, we never got any such
clinical experience.
Dr Vaibhav Mahamne, Intern, Satara
I understand that majority of good students who wish to
practice Homoeopathy in its true form, go astray because of mis-directions at
the right appropriate time. Some go towards allopathy due to inadequate clinical
knowledge and some get attracted towards so called modernizers of Homoeopathy,
when they demonstrate unbelievable results with a rare remedy, by hifi
techniques.
My sincere advice is that you must try to get yourself
attached to a good Homoeopath of your area. Work under him/her till you are
confident of yourself in the application of Homoeopathic principles and remedies
in practice. If you get a chance then attend short term courses run by voluntary
organizations like ICR, NAH, in India and others. Nowadays there are a number of
homoeopathic seminars conducted all over the country. Attend them but take only
that knowledge which has the sanction of Organon of Medicine. Simply because a
particular case was claimed to have "Cured" with a rare remedy does
not make it a good homoeopathic prescription.
3. Sir, which is the best Repertory-Dr Kent’s, Robin
Murphy’s, Synthetic, Synthesis. Even Dr Kent’s Repertory is available in
different formats; so please advice which to follow?
Dr Ujjwal Patil,
Kolhapur
There are a number of Repertories in the market. Every
Repertory has its own significance, scope and limitations. Out of the 4 you have
mentioned, remember only Dr Kent’s Repertory is an original compilation by Dr
Kent himself. (preface to 3rd edition). The rest are
computerized compilations from a number of sources, some of them unheard of. But
because a Repertory is basically a dictionary, its clinical value is only
suggestive. For final selection of the drug, one must go to the Materia Medica.
Hence my advice is that you should first start with Kent’s
Repertory and go on upgrading it from other reliable sources. The rest of the
Repertories must be used as reference books only if Kent’s Repertory does not
help. Mind you the best Repertory is the one which you make by yourself.
4. Sir, should I continue my studies for MD or start
practice immediately after I finish my internship. What is your advice?
-Dr Irfan Ansari Intern (Bhopal)
As you are well aware of the fact that Homeopathy is a scientific art it has to be essentially imbibed directly from an artist, while at work. Hence if you have decided to enter into the profession then follow its golden rule and that is "as early as possible". If you are confident of yourself and our drugs then start practice without wasting time. Few extra alphabets under your name are not going to bring more patients. Rather practice flourishes with results and the quantum of Homoeopathicity you harbour and develop with experience.
5. Sir, in Homoeopathy, is it possible to cure each and
every patient, like Cancer patients even if they come in terminal stages?
-Mrs Tasneem Chintanwala, Nagpur
It will be absolutely wrong for any physician to claim to cure each and every case who comes to him or her. Every system has its own scope and limitations. Homoeopathy can cure only true natural diseases. Unfortunately this group of patients are fast dwindling. Today majority of cases are complex. They are multi-miasmatic, drug-miasmatic and at times even iatrogenic. Quite a few are one-sided, hence difficult to cure. All those in whom gross irreversible structural changes have taken place, cannot be cured. We can palliate the distressing complaints of the disease or its effects. So on the whole, senior homoeopaths of fifteen or twenty years of standing get only 30 to 40% of the cases in the curable stage. Majority of the patients come in late stages after all the other therapies have failed. Hence such cases have to be managed with palliative remedies.
