Tag Archives: Case taking

“In seeking for the specific homoeopathic remedy, i. e., in this juxtaposition of the phenomena of the natural disease and the list of symptoms of the medicines, in order to discover a morbid potency corresponding in similitude to the evil to be cured, the more striking, particular, unusual and peculiar (characteristic) signs and symptoms of the case should especially and almost solely be kept in view; for there must especially be some symptoms in the list of the medicine sought for corresponding to this if the remedy should be the one most suitable to effect the cure.’

Strange rare and peculiar is a phrase often used in homoeopathic circles, and one in which it appears to give licence for any symptom to be used in the case taking.  However, from the aphorism 153 taken from the 5th edition above, we can see the explanation and understanding of the meaning clearly, or we should if we dismiss the veil of Swedenborgianism from Kent that obscures the true case-taking skills as outlined by Hahnemann.

All disease is a collection of symptoms that define the ‘type’ of disease, and from this collection of symptoms, a disease can be classified and if well known, the pathology and progression and even prognosis can be elicited from knowledge.. and within that disease, we can pick out the defining expression that is peculiar to the reaction of the sick person to its influence. (this is not dismissing those diseases that have never been seen before and affect the host in a very unique way).

Reading carefully, we can see that the symptoms that are to be used, are the ones that define the host’s reaction to whatever the infection is, in a characteristic way AND also are defined in a remedy in a similar manner.

To complicate matters, the defining symptoms, may or may not be known to be within the sphere of the presenting disorder, yet are present.

Let me give an example from a remedy, and from a presenting symptom. It is my experience, that a marked and strange and characteristic symptom can be present and have nothing to do with the complaint, yet will also contain the symptoms taken in the intake.

Take a patient with a respiratory disorder. Lack of oxygen has caused the lips to discolour. Normally will be blue, yet in this patient, the skin is mottled, blue and orange and red, and diffuse over the lips.

Another patient with severe psoriasis, on close examination, has the same mottled skin all over her legs between the eruptions.

Yet another patient with skin allergies has presented patches of the same discolouration across his back.

In taking the case of each, the characteristic symptom is the skin discolouration. using that, regardless of the problem, there are few remedies, if actually only one, that produces that patterning. In the main, you will also find that other symptoms of each individual disorder are present in the remedy.

That remedy is Psorinum.

If a symptom is present to such a marked degree, it can become characteristic of both the disease AND a remedy..

We will talk more at another time regarding characteristic symptoms.

If you ever want a high paying job other than homoeopathy, Id recommend marine electrician… everyone i contacted is booked out………..

That aside, case taking and why many cases fail.

simply put, it usually is because the wrong remedy is given.

Its not hard to fail. We all do it. In order to overcome a large percentage of failures, we have to examine ‘Why ‘ we fail, and usually, it comes down to a singular reason in the case taking. The bottom line is that we are picking the wrong symptoms, plain and simple.

So what is the key to picking the right symptoms?

During this period of lockdowns and distancing, its a wonderful time to study the Organon in a guided manner……..to REALLY understand what is required to treat a person.

Let me dispel a myth. This singular misunderstanding ruins so many cases that it needs to taught time and time again.

§ 211
This holds good to such an extent, that the state of the disposition of the patient often chiefly determines the selection of the homoeopathic remedy, as being a decidedly characteristic symptom which can least of all remain concealed from the accurately observing physician.

The huge mistake here is not reading the Organon in context. Kent et al use this as the primary state of the patient to prescribe………….and it is incorrect. If you use this as prescribing criteria, you may be prescribing on the personality and not the disease.

Aphorism 210 to 230, is discussing…….

§ 210
Of psoric origin are almost all those diseases that I have above termed one-sided, which appear to be more difficult to cure in consequence of this one-sidedness, all their other morbid symptoms disappearing, as it were, before the single, great, prominent symptom. Of this character are what are termed mental diseases. They do not, however, constitute a class of disease the condition of the disposition and mind is always altered;1 and in all cases of disease we are called on to cure the state of the patient’s disposition is to be particularly noted, along with the totality of the symptoms, if we would trace an accurate picture of the disease, in order to be able therefrom to treat it homoeopathically with success.

So contextually, looking here….

§ 6 Fifth Edition
The unprejudiced observer – well aware of the futility of transcendental speculations which can receive no confirmation from experience – be his powers of penetration ever so great, takes note of nothing in every individual disease, except the changes in the health of the body and of the mind (morbid phenomena, accidents, symptoms) which can be perceived externally by means of the senses; that is to say, he notices only the deviations from the former healthy state of the now diseased individual, which are felt by the patient himself, remarked by those around him and observed by the physician. All these perceptible signs represent the disease in its whole extent, that is, together they form the true and only conceivable portrait of the disease.1

No where does Hahnemann state that anything other than altered symptoms be taken into account….dont base the prescription on personality or desires unless altered and opposite to the norm, and of a marked observable nature….

This one shift in taking a case will raise your prescription success rate higher immediately………..