Author:
Jan Scholten
Book:
Homeopathy and Minerals
Type:
Info
Chapter:
1
Introduction
Contents of the book
Knowledge of new remedies
In homeopathic practice it has been observed that in many cases it is difficult to achieve a good and rapid cure. There can be many causes for this. An important cause is that a little known remedy is needed. The aim of this book is to add to the amount of remedies at our disposal.
Group analysis
An important method used in this book is the study of groups of remedies. For this I will use the term 'group analysis'. Groups of remedies which contain the same element will be compared and the common symptoms extracted. Afterwards those symptoms will be applied again to the various remedies which contain that element.
This method will also be used in the Ferrum group,a group of chemically related metals. Because the characteristics of this group are a bit more diverse the common traits are a little more general.
The method is not entirely new, but the way it is being applied here is. For a description of the method I would like to refer to the chapter Group analysis.
Abstraction
In one aspect this book is unusual in homoeopathy. It is the first book in which we look at the remedies from a more abstract point of view than before. The abstraction is not that we go deep into the theme of one particular remedy but that we go deep into the theme of a group of remedies: for instance the Natrums. This creates a new level of looking at remedies, one could call it a 'meta' level. This abstraction even makes it possible to predict, to a certain extent, the picture of unknown remedies. In practice these predictions prove to be largely correct.
Themes
Together with the group analysis the development of 'themes' has taken place. These themes appear to be an effective way of handling the information given by the patients. This in turn influences the course of the interview. Information about the history of the patient and the situational causes prove to lead to remedies. Especially the link of the Carbonicums to the father, the Muriaticums to the mother, the Sulphuricums to the partner and the Phosphoricums to the brothers and friends has led to many positive results.
Mind picture
While comparing and describing the remedies the emphasis will be on the mind pictures. The group analysis has appeared to give the best results with the mind pictures of the remedies. This is also because the mind picture is always present in one form or another in a remedy, whilst the physical complaints may vary. The different ways to look at diseases will be talked about in the chapter 'Disease as creation'.
Aimed at
This book has been written for practising homoeopaths. It should not be viewed as a book for beginners. The well known materia medica will not be discussed in detail. It will only be quoted to clarify new remedies and to compare them with known remedies. Besides this however, new aspects of old remedies will also be highlighted. This book has also been written for every interested reader.
Structure of the book
Sections
To clarify the emphasis on the mind picture I started with the chapter 'Disease as creation'. Following this is a chapter on group analysis, its meaning and its use.
After this come the basic remedies, first the Cations:Calcarea's, Magnesiums, Kali's, Natrums and single elements. Then the Carbon element and the Carbonicums separately. And so on with the Muriaticums, the Sulphuricums and the Phosphoricums.
Next come the lesser used groups with the remedies belonging to them: the Baryta's, the Acidums, the Ammoniums, the Nitricums, the Fluoratums, the Broma-tums and the Iodatums. Lastly come the remedies of the Ferrum group.
As an extra I describe Argentum metallicum and a search strategy that has proved to be very valuable to me, namely a timetable.
From the general to the detail
Every time the group analysis will be given first and afterwards the results of that analysis will be applied to the remedies belonging to the group. This approach was more practical for me than doing it the other way around. In practice the group analysis has involved a constant switch between materia medica, repertory and patients' notes. But by sticking to this order the book has become clearer and easier to follow. The disadvantage of this method is that in the introduction of a remedy group the symptoms sometimes appear to be 'out of the blue'. The disadvantage of doing it the other way around would be that everything would seem to be detective work and therefore difficult to follow.
Structure of the chapters
In the chapters about groups (for instance the Calcarea's) the themes of that group will be discussed one by one. Following this will be the general traits (the influence of weather, the times, food, menses, sleep and movement) and the most important complaints.
The chapters on the individual remedies start with a short introduction. Then follows the part with the key concepts. I have added this part to be able to work more quickly with these concepts and to be able to imagine new combinations. Then follows a look at the remedy according to the group analysis. The lesser known remedies will be illustrated with a case, together with analysis and remedy reactions. Finally I will give the picture of the remedy, wherein I have included all those symptoms which are in my view the most important in order to be able to prescribe the remedy.
Cases.
The lesser known remedies will be discussed at greater length,illustrated with a case. I have tried to present the cases in the most complete and exact way possible. I did do some restructuring to keep them readable as a whole. The cases were taken by myself unless otherwise mentioned. They are meant as illustrations of the theme.
Criteria for selection of a case were:
to be illustrative
a clear reaction, preferably with an initial aggravation
a clear and lasting improvement, both physically and mentally
an insight in the accompanying problem
change, letting go of the problem.
Notations
< worse from
> better from
<< caused by
>> disappears by
= is not influenced by (This in contrast to the older literature like Clarke (1985,vol.1 page 11) where '=' is used as 'causes complaint'.
For this I use the notation'<<' already mentioned. This use is however not in accordance with the common meaning of '=' as in mathematics)
-> desires
<- aversion
(3) the number in brackets indicates the grade of strength of the preceding symptom.
Times are mentioned on an am/pm scale.
Abbr. Abbreviations are as in Kent (1983 b) or the Complete Repertory
(Zandvoort 1992). Some abbreviations are new, such as Bar-f. The abbreviations are in that case formed by analogy with existing ones.
Calcarea's are 'persons in a Calcarea state behave like'. This abbreviation was to keep the book more readable.
DD Differential diagnosis. Under this heading similar remedies will be discussed
Disease will always be used for 'root disturbance'. It does not mean the
the expression or the complaint.