Book Review
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2002 Jul / Aug VOL 4 NO 4.
Reviewed by
Dr Vishpala Parthasarathy
Koppikar’s Clinical experience of 70 yrs in Homoeopathy
New Delhi 110 055 Tel 011-23670430
Email bjain@vsnl.com
Author: Dr S P Koppikar
Price: Rs 250
Edition: 1st Ed., Dec 2002
Pages: 405
If you think that the best way to integrate theory with practice is to learn from the experience of others, then this book is right up your alley. For a doctor the best way to learn, integrate the new learning with the old and grow, is through the real experience of others- the stalwarts in the field. This is the raison’detre for Journals such as ours, where this is the type of learning offered.
This book under review, is by the famous and today’s oldest
living legend of Homoeopathy in India. Dr Koppikar who, at 88, is still working,
teaching and writing, lives in Chennai. He has indeed repaid his dept to
Homoeopathy by writing this book. Most people leave this too late or do not
finish all that they wanted to say.
1. He has talked about everything for how to acquire knowledge of MM, various aspects of prescribing, case taking, case analysis, chronic disease and role of anti-miasmatic. He has cited difficult conditions. This book in the words of Dr Jugol Kishore, who has written in his preface, will be a great source of learning.
Dr Koppikar delineates his evolution into a versatile
Homoeopath right from his student days. He has citied every step along the way.
2. He has given some pearls of wisdom:
a. In very bad cases we must not merely brag about greatness of Homoeopathy or
promise cures, but set a deadline for the trial of our system, a time limit,
after which patient can choose which way to go.
b. The best explanation he has given, is that in a given case there may not only
be 1 remedy which is the similimum which will cure, but it could be of any of
4-5 remedies. Eg in a case of measles with added pneumonia- any one of these
would work- Tub-avaire 200, Rhus-tox 200, Antim-tart, Phos,
or Morb 1000: just 2-3 doses would clear it up. This then would explain
why so many Homoeopaths get results with different approaches.
2. He has talked about the contribution of each Master and how they went about finding out which was the best way to treat.
3. He has discussed many cases of strange PQRS symptoms in various, even serious conditions, which work like magic
4. Unique ways of using remedied: digitalis in Jaundice- slow pulse with missing beats, in prostate enlargement and so on. Petroleum in gastric ulcer and Aesculus.
The way the book has been written, it takes us on journey through his learning, each step at a time. It almost feels that if you follow these steps, you will come out a good homoeopath.
I cannot think when I last enjoyed a book so much, the 405 pages went so fast!
