Book review- a concise repertory of homoeopathic medicines SR Phatak

Dr Divya PP

One of the most reliable alphabetical repertories. It is aimed at reducing the burden of prescriber in every sense of the word.

Other  alphabetical repertories

  • Glazor-First alphabetical  pocket repertory-Leipzig-1833
  • Clofar Muller- Systematic  alphabetical repertory-1848
  • Bryant-An alphabetical  repertory-New York-1851
  • Homoeopathic medical repertory- Dr. Robin Murphy-1993

About the author: Dr. S.R. Phatak was basically an allopathic doctor with M.B.B.S. Degree. He had sound  knowledge  about Homoeopathic Organon and philosophy, Materia Medica and various repertories

His other contributions to homoeopathic field:

  •   Repertory of Biochemic remedies
  •   Homoeopathic Materia medica and Repertory of Homoeopathic medicines( in Marathi)

PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION
Homoeopathy is a difficult art. Good case taking, sound knowledge of MM and skillful use of the reference books are the 3 prerequisites. Remedies for a particular rubric are reduced to minimum possible by a careful selection. No drug is given unless the author has used it in his own practice or unless there is strong justification provided for it, by authorities like Dr. Boger, Dr. Kent Dr. Clarke etc. Dr. Phatak has included rubrics duly verified by him. This repertory does not take the place of exhaustive repertory like Kent’s or Boenninghausen’s repertory.

Plan of the book and How to use it

  • All the headings are arranged alphabetically. All the physiological or pathological conditions, mental symptoms, generals, particulars are arranged alphabetically.
  • Cross references are given where ever necessary.
  • General modality represented in capitals AGG OR AMEL, and particular modality represented in small letters Agg or Amel

Eg: Eyes closing AGG (general modality)

      Eyes cold application Agg (particular modality)

  • Dr Boger has remarkable knack of coining a general rubric from some particular symptom

Eg: The rubric “Awkwardness” in Extremities by JT Kent (particular symptom) but in “Mind” by Boger (general symptom)

AWKWARDNESS (mental, physical) drops things etc

  • Phatak has coined a few new headings from his own experience.

Eg: The rubric “unsteady sensation” whenever patient used to stand for more than a few minutes he used to feel unsteady, not giddy but as if he was not standing firmly on the ground.

UNSTEADY, As if

  • The modality “Holding the breath Amel” given only by Dr Boenninghausen in his BTP gave the author once an opportunity to cure an ulcer on the dorsum of the foot due to thromboangitis obliterans.

BREATH, Holding AMEL – Bell

  • Though medicines are graded, every remedy, high grade  or low grade becomes equally important when it is connected with peculiar concomitant or with an unusual condition or circumstance.
  • Repertorization does not mean mechanical repertorization. Totality of symptoms does not mean  numerical totality but qualitative totality.
  • All the modalities in a case are not equally important. The modality regarding the position or posture of a patient may sometimes be more valuable.

Eg: The patient says he feels better only when he assumes some strange positions. Dr Boger coined a heading “Attitude bizarre” under GENERALITIES.

  • Some modality may be common but when associated with the disease condition with which it has absolutely no connection becomes uncommon or unusual.

Eg: A case of peripheral neuritis. Pain in both the legs was much better when patient belched or passed flatus. Dr Boger gave this modality in the chapter “Flatulence” under “Passing flatus up and down, Amel”

FLATUS, Passing, Up and down AMEL

Story of the book
Dr. S.R. Phatak conceived the idea of preparing and arranging the repertory in one alphabetical order while discussing the uses of various repertories with the doctors who came to him for guidance in the study of Homoeopathy. He felt that repertory should be concise, handy and useful for ready reference. It should reduce the difficulty of the physician in searching a rubric. Though the idea of preparing a repertory was there, his fragile health has prevented him from doing so. Mr. SL Kapadi, a friend of Dr. S.R. Phatak, who knew about the idea, took the author’s rough draft and notes of his Marathi repertory and came out with a skeletal copy of his repertory. The author arranged the work properly and made many additions. Then Dr. Homai A Merchant typed this hand written copy. This copy was lying on authors table for nearly ten years. During  this time many useful  additions were made with the assistance of Mr. Kapadi, author’s son Dr. DS Phatak went through all the sections,  did the preliminary spadework and  with the help of  Mr. DP Datay first edition was printed in September 1963 at Mouj Printing press.

Thanksgiving
To Dr Merchant, Son Dr DS Phatak, Mr Kapadi and to all those masters of Homoeopathy from whose works he has drawn freely to make this book as useful as possible.

SECOND EDITION PREFACE-S.R.PHATAK-1977 OCTOBER

  • After the 1st edition he compiled a Materia medica for which he referred different Materia medica literature mainly Boger, Boericke, Clark, Hering, Kent and many others.
  • By doing so he found many clinical and pathological symptoms which were added in his 2nd edition.
  • Thanks to Dr P Sankaran (colleague) had taken the responsibility of publishing this 2nd edition.
  • Thanks to Dr Homai Merchant who typed out the whole manuscript.
  • Thanks to God (for preserving him in spite of his old age and poor health to see this edition published).

THIRD EDITION PREFACE-D.S PHATAK-JUNE 2000.

  • 23 years after 2nd edition, additions were made to it by Dr. D.S. Phatak and published as the 3rd edition in 2000 through B Jain Publishers.
  • Number of pages increased because of bigger type, still the book remains handy.
  • In this edition, the additions made by Dr DS Phatak were marked  with + sign.

Eg. ABDOMEN, Pain, paralytic + : Grat

FOURTH EDITION –PUBLISHERS NOTE-KULDEEP JAIN
A concise repertory of homoeopathic medicines is an alphabetized reworking of Boger and Boenninghausen. By getting constant suggestions and advice on corrections and change in style of presentation of this book from Dr C Jeevanandam (an intelligent reader) the repertory was corrected and improved to the new user friendly form.

CHANGES IN CURRENT FOURTH EDITION

1. Text takes a new format with distinctive style for each level of symptoms (5)

Level 1 MAMMAE

Level 2   Right

Level 3       •Below

Level 4      -cough, with – menses

Level 5     at  between

2. With successive level, the symptoms of the previous level is repeated

  • MAMMAE –left-pain -head to

3. To retain natural language as far as possible, after head word in a symptom, sequence of the rest of words are rearranged.

4. Although repertory is alphabetical – for major organs, rubrics on location are arranged first followed by complaints and sensations. Under location, the right side is followed by the left.

5. In certain modalities pertaining to stools, menses, etc… order of appearance (before, during and after) has been maintained.

6. Alternating  symptoms (2 types)

  • Alternating sides within the same organ /location – under Locations
  • Symptom alternating with other organs – under Complaints.

7. Additions made by DS Phatak are placed in appropriate place and indicated by + sign.

8. Gradation of remedies are restored

9. Abbreviation follows those of Boger. A full list of abbreviation of remedies given to avoid confusion.

10. Cross reference within the same first level rubric is indicated by roman, where they refer to a different first level rubric, they are indicated by CAPITALS.

11. Indication of general AGG and AMEL in caps and particular agg and amel in romans has been consistently followed.

12. Each column begins with full details of the rubric. Where a rubric is broken between two columns, the continuation on second column is indicated by rubric head followed by two dots.

13. Header indicates the beginning and ending first level rubric word in each page.

14. In few cases, more than one abbreviation was found for the same remedy. This has been  corrected.

ABBREVIATION AND THEIR REMEDIES

  • Ab-c Abies Canadensies
  • Ziz Zizia

REPERTORY PROPER

Editions:

  • 1st edition: 1963
  • 2nd edition: 1977
  • 3rd edition: 2000
  • 4th revised edition: 2005

Gradations:

  • 1st grade – CAPITAL
  • 2nd grade – italics
  • 3rd grade – roman

PLAN OF CONSTRUCTION

  • The repertory is printed in 2 columns in each page. All the headings are arranged alphabetically. Repertory begins with Abdomen, affections in general & ends in Zygomae. Number of main rubrics is 1971
  • Number of medicines 393 

RUBRIC CONSTRUCTION

  • Rubric start with BOLD CAPITAL
  • Sub rubric- bold roman
  • Sub sub rubric in roman

 Location/sensations – affections in general

Side- Right

           Left

Alternating sides

Extension

Sublocation/ subsensation, Aggravation, Amelioration and concomitants are intermingled and given alphabetically.

Eg: EARS

           Right

           Left

         Alternating

                Abdomen with

  • Behind
  • Below
  • Between
  • External
  • Internal
  • Glands, of
  • Abscess
  • Cold agg
  •  discharge
  •  Deafness with
  • There is a difference in general modality represented in capitals AGG OR AMEL, and modality related to the part represented in small letters Agg or Amel

Eg: Eyes closing AGG (general agg)
Eyes cold application Agg (particular modality)

  • Cross-reference is given where ever necessary.

Eg: Maramus (See EMACIATION)

  • Desires and cravings are two separate rubrics in this repertory.

Under desires, we find all mental rubrics.

Eg: DESIRE, change, always : Tub

             DESIRES,To cut others : Lyss

Under cravings we find rubrics regarding food and drinks.

Eg: CRAVINGS, Cabbage : Cic

SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. General modality represented in capitals  AGG. or  AMEL. And modality related to a particular  part  is represented by small letters Agg.or Amel.

         Eg. Eyes closing  AGG. (it modifies the general  symptom as well as those of  eyes)

               Eyes closing AMEL.

               Eyes  cold application Agg.

2. Desires and Cravings  are two separate rubrics in this repertory.

Under Desires, we find all mental rubrics.

Eg. DESIRES, More than she needs: ars.

        DESIRES, Things  then throws them away : sec.

Under cravings we find rubrics regarding food and drinks.

Eg: CRAVING: coffee

3. In aversion rubric both mental and food aversions are given.

Eg. AVERSIONS, Meat

            AVERSIONS, Members of the family

4. Rubrics and remedies are reduced to minimum.

Eg: SPONDYLITIS, cervical: Phos-ac

5. Some new rubrics are coined from experience.

Eg: SPOONERISM (See SPEECH): Caus, Chin – Interchange of initial sounds of two words.

6. Under FOOD AND DRINKS – Agg. And Amel. of food items given
Condiments, spices Agg.
Fruits Agg.
Indian foods are also included: Chillies agg, tamarind water agg.

MERITS

  • It is a handbook for easy reference.
  • Alphabetical arrangement of rubrics.
  • The limited number of remedies and rubrics.
  • Under food and drinks, Indian diet is given.
  • There are a number of clinical and pathological rubrics.
  • It includes the clinical experience of many years collected together.
  • More number of clinical rubrics is added than in Kent’s repertory. Eg: Acromegaly, Arteriosclerosis

CRITICISM:

  • Mental symptoms are scattered
  • Rubrics and remedies are minimized
  • Exact sources of words not known
  • A concise repertory can never replace  exhaustive repertories like Kent’s Repertory
  • No full remedy index
  • Certain rubrics are not defined well. Eg. Associated effects, Axilla menses before agg
  • Fainting menses during, Menses faints at—Change in medicines
  • Spelling mistake
  • Rare drugs are rarely represented though given in the abbreviation after the preface

Comparison with Kent’s repertory:
(RUBRICS NOT IN KENT’S REPERTORY)

  • Direction of symptoms
  • Drug abuse of
  • Moon phase
  • Females
  • Puberty and affections of youth
  • Uric acid diathesis, lithemia
  • Prophylactics
  • Abortion habitual

Second month- Ap,cimi,kali.c,vib
Preventive—Rat, vib.

  • Awkwardness, pregnancy  during: Calc.
  • Mind affections in general
  • Head, School girls agg.
  • Heart, valves
  • Never well since
  • Envy see Jealousy: Envy is more of a positive quality, but no demarcation in this repertory
  • Author has incorporated some rubrics from  Boger’s Synoptic key

  Itching,  diabetes in : Mang.

  Attitudes bizarre

  • Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic pocket book

  Holding the breath amel.

  • Urticaria  given separately
  • Vomiting, pessary in vagina from: Nux m.
  • General rubric  for some organs like ear, duodenum etc.
  • Time with a lot of subrubrics

Rare terms given:

  • Branny  (desquamation)
  • Mollitis ossium – Osteomalacia
  • Pompous – Empty  show
  • Dotage – Weakness of mind caused by old age. Aeth, ars.
  • Jaded rakes – Agn.(Worn out immoral man)
  • Nibbling – to bite in bits 

REFERENCE

  • A Concise Repertory  of Homoeopathic Medicines by Dr.S.R.Phatak – fourth edition
  • Essentials of repertorization by  Dr S.K Tiwari – fourth edition
  • www.homeobook.com

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