The Medical Observer

Dr Amala Cyriac 

Abstract
In this article we discuss about the lesser writing of Hahnemann i.e. THE MEDICAL OBSERVER. In this article Hahnemann clearly described about “how keen a homoeopathic physician should be” and what are the essential qualities of a true physician. So, this article will help the practitioners to brush up their knowledge and for students it will be quick review through the topic.

Published in 1825

In order to be able to observe well, the medical practitioner requires to possess, the capacity & habit of noticing carefully & correctly the phenomena that takes place in natural diseases, as well as those that occur in the morbid states artificially excited by medicines when they are tested upon healthy body, & the ability to describe them in the most appropriate and natural expressions.

To perceive what is to be observed in patients, in order that nothing what is actually preset in the them, which can be ascertained by our senses, may not escape us, we should

• • Direct all our thoughts upon the case in our hands.
  • Come out of ourselves & should attach ourselves with all our powers of concentration on the patient.

Poetic fancies, fantastic wits & speculations must be suspended. Overstrained reasoning, forced interpretations must be suppressed. 

Duty of the physician should be just to take note of the phenomena & their course. What he observes should be understood exactly. This capability of observing accurately is acquired just by practice. He should refine and regulate his perception of senses. A necessary coolness, calmness & firmness of judgement must be preserved. He can sustain till the completion of observation only by great patience & power of will. Observations of medical subjects must be made in a sincere and holy spirit as if we all are under the eyes of all-seeing god who is the judge of all our secret thoughts. 

Dr. Hahnemann says the best opportunity to exercise and perfect our observing skill is to institute experiments with medicines upon ourselves. During these experiments, avoid all foreign medical influences and disturbing mental impressions. After taking medicines all his attention should be on alterations of health that takes place on and within him, so that he can observe and correctly record them with wakeful feelings and senses. By this he will attain the capability of observing all the finest shades of alteration of health. He will also be able to record it in suitable and adequate expressions. Incase of beginners this helps him to make pure, correct and undisturbed observations, which enables him to make accurate observations on others also.

Those who hate mankind can only pursue the disordered state of health in such a superficial and careless manner. They do not want to distinguish these peculiarities of morbid state nor select a appropriate remedy for the case. A conscientious physician will always work much more to distinguish what is there to be observed. No sensations, be it ever so peculiar will escape him. Like a portrait painter who pay attention to the marked peculiarities in the feature of a person whom he has to make a likeliness of, a homoeopathic physician will be able to match the delineation of the morbid picture with similarly acting medicines to affect cure.

A careful observer can only become a true healer of the disease.

Conclusion
True physician should be free from all prejudicated thoughts. He should never neglect a single point expressed by the patient. 

Include few simple points
So, when the physician becomes the best observer, he could attain the exact state of the patient’s totality and also the essence of the miasm evolved. Also proper case taking it selves gives half cure to the patient. Thus, the remedy selection becomes more accurate and the cure follows.

REFERENCE

1. Hahnemann S. The lesser writings of Samuel Hahnemann. B. Jain Publishers; 2002.
2. Dudgeon RE, Boericke W. Organon of Medicine. translation . 2001

Dr. Amala Cyriac
PG Scholar,Dept of Organon of Medicine
Father Muller Homoeopathic Medical College
E mail: amalacyriac94@gmail.com