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Institute for Homoeopathic Medicine. P & W OpenRep, Eastbourne (2025)

15/04/2025

I have a question. It is mainly applicable to medical homeopaths but I would like all practitioners to think about their answer. If a patient comes to the clinic and presents a case of cancer with tumours, would it be correct to allow the patient to have the tumours excised or not. If your answer is yes... Would you mind explaining your reasoning and rationale. If your answer is no... Would you mind explaining your reasoning and rationale.

I am not looking to point in the finger at those that would or of those that would not. 5 years ago I could have given a definitive answer. Now I find myself in a position of indecisive surety. I welcome your reasoned thoughts on the subject.

14/04/2025

30 years ago or more even, I was reading the forewords and instructions of different repertorys and came across words written by Boenninghausen. He was explaining how to use his therapeutic pocketbook in daily life.

Firstly he noted that the doctor would stand at the bedside of the patient or the patient in his office noting all the symptoms. He then said a picture of a remedy would be forming in mind. Then occasionally the patient would mention a symptom that he wasn't sure about was in the remedy he had in mind and then he would refer to his little book to see if it was in the remedy he was thinking of. If it was he could prescribe with some confidence based on his knowledge of the different remedies. However if it was not in the remedy he was considering and the symptom was important and could not be left out he would start again.

This insight into the workings of a magnificent prescriber taught me two things. Number one it is important to learn the remedies. Number two when faced with something we don't know is in the remedy or not be prepared to change direction and learn because we will find another remedy with similar symptoms but specifically the symptom we are looking for.

It is impossible to know more than the working features of about 50 to 100 remedies and know every peculiar symptom a remedy contains. This was the reason boenninghausen made his little aid memoir to check whether his assumption of the remedy was correct or fine the right one or a better one.

If you think about this logically it accentuates the strange rare and peculiar symptoms to a place where only one or few remedies contain the symptom. Strange rare and peculiar symptoms could be as simple as an unexpected occurrence given the nature of the disease in question or indeed something weird.

13/04/2025

Here’s a summarized version of a classic case from Hahnemann’s writings, notably from his book “Chronic Diseases”:

Patient Case: Chronic Headache and Skin Rash

Symptoms:

The patient, a middle-aged man, suffered from severe, periodic headaches for years.

He also had an itchy rash on his arms and legs that would come and go.

His digestion was weak, with frequent bloating and constipation.

Mentally, he was irritable, anxious, and couldn’t tolerate noise.

Conventional Treatments Tried:

The patient had tried various salves and ointments for the rash, which would suppress the skin symptoms temporarily but worsen the headaches.

Hahnemann’s Approach:

Hahnemann observed the suppression of the skin condition led to internal disorders—he viewed this as a classic manifestation of psora.

He prescribed Sulphur, a major anti-psoric remedy in homeopathy, in a highly diluted form.

Outcome:

Initially, the rash returned more strongly, which Hahnemann saw as a good sign—“bringing the disease back to the surface.”

Gradually, the headaches diminished, the skin condition balanced out, and the patient’s overall vitality improved.

Hahnemann emphasized treating the whole person, not just symptoms. He believed in letting the body's vital force re-balance itself once the correct remedy was given.

13/04/2025

Case presented by Samuel Hahnemann.

Patient Summary:
A woman with long-standing, right-sided facial pain and headaches. The pain is neuralgic, worse at night and in cold weather, better from warmth. She craves eggs and feels irritable and restless.

Homeopathic Analysis

1. Totality of Symptoms

Location & Sensation: Right-sided facial neuralgia, sharp, stabbing pain.

Modalities: Worse at night and in cold weather; better with warmth.

Generals: Irritability, restlessness, specific food craving (eggs).

Chronology: Long-standing condition (chronic).

2. Key Remedy: Spigelia anthelmia

Known For: Right-sided neuralgia, especially involving the face, eyes, and temples.

Pains: Sharp, shooting, or stabbing—often described like electric shocks.

Modalities: Worse from cold, movement, and touch; better from warmth and lying with head high.

Emotional State: Restless, anxious, sometimes irritable.

Food Desires: While not a keynote, some Spigelia patients show odd or strong cravings.

Remedy Choice Justification

The key rubric features here:

Facial Neuralgia (right-sided) + shooting pain

Worse at night/cold + better with warmth

Restlessness and irritability

Hahnemann’s choice of Spigelia fits well because of the tight alignment between the modalities and the nature of the pain. This remedy is often seen in neuralgic and rheumatic cases that are periodic and have distinct patterns.

Outcome

Improvement after the first dose showed accurate remedy selection.

Continued dosing over time brought full relief without needing to change remedies.

Emotional restlessness faded alongside physical pain—again affirming Hahnemann’s belief in the interconnection of mind and body.

Hahnemann likely chose the remedy based on a close match between the characteristics of the headache and the modalities and symptoms in the Spigelia materia medica.

Reasons for prescribing Spigelia typically include:

1. Location and character of the pain:

Pain often starts in the left temple or eye, radiating to the occiput.

Headache described as neuralgic, stabbing, or burning, often in one-sided (left-sided) pattern.

Sensation as if the head would burst.

2. Modalities (what makes it better or worse):

Worse from motion, touch, and stooping.

Worse with eye movement, noise, and mental exertion.

Often worse in the morning or at noon, and relieved in the evening.

3. Associated symptoms:

Eye strain, or headaches involving the orbital region.

May include palpitations or neuralgic pains elsewhere.

Hypersensitivity to noise and light.

4. Miasmatic background (psoric or sycotic tendencies):

Hahnemann would consider the miasmatic foundation, and if the patient had recurring headaches without identifiable acute cause, he might classify it under a chronic psoric condition.

So, Hahnemann prescribed Spigelia in such a case not just for “headache” as a diagnosis, but because the complete symptom picture—location, sensation, modalities, and perhaps other associated symptoms—matched that of Spigelia in his materia medica and provings.

11/04/2025

The reality of treating illness and case taking.

I suppose because I come from a medical background people will accuse me of being allopathic in approach. The truth is according to Hahnemann we should be treating the person with an illness which has defined parameters and finding the most similar remedy with the sickness in mind and not the personality or likes of the patient.

If you take the time to study the two cases that are presented by hahnemann you will note that all the symptoms he takes are symptoms related to how the disease or disorder affects the patient with a matching correlation to the remedy that can cause the same problem in a healthy person. The whole emphasis of his treatment is the disease itself and not dependant upon the person's mental condition unless it has been directly altered by the disease and is notable as a disease symptom.

We have gone through a whole number of years where certain practitioners have taught some metaphysical aspects of remedies and practised using almost a spiritual or assumptive method of ascertaining the problem in the person.

One of the most misunderstood statements is that we treat the man not the disease. It would be better to say we treat the disease man. Everything that we treat should be part of an altered state that is caused by an interference in his normal well-being and does not allow him to be in a state of balance.

Do not forget that the remedies were made to utilise their inherent power to free a sick person from the clutches of ill health. Be a person sickened with the bacteria or a virus, they still can be healed with the aid of the remedies and the body's self-restorative powers.

07/04/2025

Baron Clemens von Bönninghausen was a significant figure in the early development of homeopathy. His major contributions to homeopathic medicine include:

1. Therapeutic Pocket Book (1846)

This is Bönninghausen’s most famous work. It is a compact and practical repertory designed to help homeopaths quickly find remedies.

He structured it using a system that emphasized the modalities (conditions that make symptoms better or worse), which he considered crucial in remedy selection.

The Pocket Book was praised by Hahnemann himself and became widely used by practitioners.

2. Concept of the "Complete Symptom"

Bönninghausen emphasized the importance of a complete symptom being made up of:

1. Location (where it occurs)

2. Sensation (what it feels like)

3. Modality (what makes it better/worse)

4. Concomitants (other symptoms that appear at the same time)

This approach helped systematize case-taking and improve the accuracy of remedy selection.

3. Use of Generalization

He introduced the idea that if a modality (like aggravation from cold) applies to one part of the body, it may apply generally to the person’s condition.

This principle allowed for a more holistic view of the patient and was a step toward constitutional prescribing.

4. Close Association with Hahnemann

Bönninghausen was a close friend and student of Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy.

He helped edit and promote Hahnemann's work, and his interpretations of Hahnemann's principles have had a long-standing influence.

5. Development of Repertory Science

He was among the first to create repertories—structured indexes of symptoms and remedies—making it easier for physicians to find the correct remedy based on patient symptoms.

06/04/2025

"Why doesn't James Tyler Kent strictly follow Hahnemann’s teachings?"

James Tyler Kent was a major figure in the development of homeopathy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While he was deeply influenced by Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, Kent introduced some ideas and practices that diverged from Hahnemann’s original principles:

1. Spiritual and Philosophical Approach: Kent infused homeopathy with Swedenborgian and metaphysical ideas, focusing more on the spiritual and vitalistic aspects of disease, while Hahnemann was more empirical and focused on observable symptoms.

2. Use of High Potencies: Kent favored extremely high dilutions (like 10M or 50M), whereas Hahnemann was more cautious and developed the LM potencies later in his life to allow gentler dosing.

3. Less Emphasis on Miasms: Although Kent did talk about miasms, Hahnemann’s later work (especially in Chronic Diseases) gave great importance to the concept of miasms as underlying causes of chronic disease. Kent was less systematic about this.

4. Kentian Repertory and Case Taking: Kent developed his own style of case analysis and repertorization that emphasized mental and emotional symptoms more than Hahnemann might have.

So while Kent respected Hahnemann, he interpreted and expanded homeopathy in his own way, which sometimes conflicted with the original teachings.

04/04/2025

LM potencies (also called 50 millesimal or Q potencies) are a special scale of homeopathic dilution developed by Samuel Hahnemann in the 6th edition of the Organon of Medicine. They're considered gentle yet deep-acting, and they are especially suited for chronic conditions, sensitive patients, or cases requiring frequent repetition. Gentle is a relative term.. the extra dilution factor somehow makes it easier on the economy to take the healing power. It does not negate the ability to treat the condition.

Here’s a basic guide on how to use LM potencies:

1. Choosing the Right LM Potency

Usually starts with LM1, then moves gradually to LM2, LM3, etc.

Lower numbers are used initially; potency is gradually increased over time.

2. Preparation Before Administration

LM potencies are generally administered in a liquid form. Here's the typical method:

Dissolve 1-2 drops or 1 globule of the LM potency into a 4 oz (120 ml) bottle of distilled water or clean spring water.

Add a little alcohol (like brandy or vodka) as a preservative if you plan to store it.

Shake the bottle 10 times (succussions) before each dose.

3. Dosage

Typically, 1 teaspoon (or a few drops) is taken from the bottle.

Can be taken daily, every other day, or as advised, depending on the case sensitivity.

In very sensitive patients, you might dilute a teaspoon from the stock bottle in a glass of water and take just a sip.

4. Observing the Reaction

Look for a healing response: improvement in symptoms, better energy, mood, etc.

If symptoms intensify (aggravation), pause the remedy until the aggravation subsides.

Once improvement stalls or plateaus, the next LM potency (e.g., LM2 after LM1) may be used.

5. When to Repeat or Stop

Do not repeat if there’s a strong, lasting improvement.

Repeat when the effect of the last dose begins to wane or if improvement stalls.

Personally my medical pharmacy is 98% Lm potencies... I usually have LM1 to LM5 in stock of the medicines.

I rarely have to use beyond LM2 or 3 to achieve the curative response. But if you have to go up and keep seeing a very good response do not be afraid to go up to the level that cures.

04/04/2025

One of the things that bother me is that people studying or learning homoeopathy medicine are at the mercy of teachers who have been using their therapy for years. One imagines that they will truthfully or unbiasedly teach accurate understanding of Samuel Hahnemann's therapy. Well sadly some very well known names in the field of homoeopathy have misled generations of students even including the most well-known and copied homeopath in the 19th and 20th century called James Tyler Kent.

I do not think it necessary to itemize every failure and misdirection that homeopaths make as it is easy to see when a student does his or hers study and due diligence.

Today I wish to talk a little about medicine and potencies used in our therapy. There is much assumption in the centesimal (5th edition. Organon) about the different use of potencies divided into low potencies and high potencies.

There is an understanding that high potencies are stronger in action than the 6th or 30th potency of the medicine in question. Study and research will show that Hahnemann in his early days only used potencies up to 30c. He had many cures. Now today we ascend the potencies from a lower one to a higher one. If we read the cases of Hahnemann, we will see he started a case with a 30c and descended back to a lower potency for example he gave 30c 29c 28c the most important thing is to understand that Hahnemann was talking about the change of potency and did not specify anything but a change of potency.

It was Kent who intertwined his swedenborgan religious ideas with the practise and methodology of homoeopathy. The use of certain potencies was based on wheel used in the Swedenborgian religion of mind affinities and strengths. Research on your part will bear this out.

Also it is important to remember that it is the similarity of the remedy that cures. Fine tuning of that remedy is the potency. Do not feel that it has to be a high potency only because the many many cures of hahnemann were up to 30C and down from 30C.

In later years, boenninghausen settled on 200c as his potency of choice through his experience but he also used 6c up to30c in daily practise.

Later we will discuss the reason for and use of LM potencies and methodologies involved.

03/04/2025

As I get older I read and reread the main points in the organanon again and again to be sure the new practitioners understand.

Aphorism 1 of The Organon of the Healing Art by Samuel Hahnemann is foundational to homeopathy. It states:

"The physician’s highest and only calling is to restore the sick to health, which is called healing."

Key Points to Note:

1. Primary Duty of a Physician – Hahnemann establishes that the sole purpose of a medical practitioner is to heal the sick, emphasizing a patient-centered approach.

2. Ethical and Holistic Approach – The statement implies that medicine should focus purely on the well-being of the patient rather than profit, prestige, or unnecessary interventions. In the broader view healing involves utilizing other practises including diet, manual help and perhaps some mental therapy if required.

3. Foundation of Homeopathy – This aphorism sets the tone for the entire philosophy of homeopathy, which seeks to treat illness using natural principles rather than symptomatic suppression. In other words... The patient comes first.

4. Contrast with Conventional Medicine – Hahnemann’s perspective was critical of the medical practices of his time, which often relied on harsh treatments like bloodletting and excessive medication. Today we utilise the knife cut things out, and radiation for certain treatments which will burn. In these areas nothing has changed just the implements are different.

5. Simplicity and Universality – The aphorism is straightforward, yet profound, underscoring that healing is the ultimate goal regardless of the method used.

This aphorism serves as a guiding principle for homeopathy and natural medicine, focusing on restoring balance and health rather than merely treating symptoms.

02/04/2025

Sticking to principles in the practice of homeopathy is crucial for maintaining its integrity and effectiveness. Here are some key principles and how they should be upheld in practice:

1. The Law of Similars (Similia Similibus Curentur)

This foundational principle states that a substance that causes symptoms in a healthy person can be used to treat similar symptoms in a sick person.

Practitioners must carefully match the remedy to the patient’s symptoms, rather than just focusing on the disease diagnosis.

2. Individualization of Treatment

Homeopathy does not follow a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Each patient is treated as a unique individual, considering physical, mental, and emotional symptoms.

This means taking a comprehensive case history and selecting a remedy that matches the whole symptom picture.

3. The Minimum Dose

Homeopathy emphasizes using the smallest possible dose to stimulate the body’s healing response.

Practitioners should resist the temptation to over-prescribe or use higher potencies unnecessarily.

4. The Single Remedy (Hahnemann’s Principle)

Ideally, only one remedy should be given at a time to ensure clarity in the healing process.

Using multiple remedies simultaneously can obscure which one is working and may interfere with the body’s response.

5. Potentization and Dilution

Remedies are prepared using serial dilution and succussion, making them highly potent yet free from material toxicity.

Practitioners must use properly prepared remedies and avoid prescribing crude substances.

31/03/2025

One of the things that has always bothered me is the blind belief that some practitioners have, is the belief in the ability of homoeopathic medicine to cure everything. Now don't get me wrong, I do feel it's the most amazing curative response to a disease state in most people. But there are a couple of things where life is at stake or disability is imminent that homoeopathy in general is not fast enough to resolve.
One of those things is elevated blood pressure. In over 40 years of practise I have found it extremely difficult to treat as a symptom that appears without other symptoms to correlate for a remedy selection.
It has been my practise after many failures some involving other practitioners who have much experience to give them appropriate blood pressure allopathic medication to alleviate the immediate problem. I feel there is no time to waste when the pressure is above 160/30.

It is not a failure in treatment of a disorder where time is critical to maintain the life of preventing a stroke or heart issues first.

The second area where I default to antibiotics after 2 hours, is when there is a overwhelming staphylococcus infection of the eyes. If left to run untreated there is a risk of blindness.
This does not mean I do not treat with homoeopathy. It just means that when you know the imminent dangers the object, is to save the patient and deal with the problem to stop it reoccurring with the appropriate remedy. Using allopathic preventatives an emergency situations, gives time to ascertain the correct symptoms for homoeopathic medicine to treat the underlying cause and therefore cure the patient.

Institute for Homoeopathic Medicine. P & W OpenRep

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