A Concise Repertory of Homoeopathic Medicines by Pathak

Book Review by  Dr Sudheera A P  BHMS,MD(Hom)

One of the most reliable alphabetical repertory by Dr. S.R.Phatak

Aimed at reducing the burden of prescriber, in every sense of the word

Other alphabetical repertories are;
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 (Chapters in alphabetical order)

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 are,

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

Dr. S.R. Phatak conceived the idea of preparing and arranging the repertory in an alphabetical order while teaching to his fellow doctors, 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.

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.
For construction Dr. Phatak relied up on the following authors
Dr. Kent
Dr. Boger
Dr.Clarke

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.

Every remedy high grade or low grade becomes equally important when it is connected
With peculiar concomitant or with an unusual condition or circumstance

Story of the book:
Though the idea of preparing a repertory was there , his fragile health has prevented him from doing so . Mr.S.L. Kapadi, a friend of Dr. S.R. Phatak, who knew about the idea , took the author’s rough draft and notes of his Marathy repertory and came out with a skeletal copy of his repertory. The author arranged the work properly and made many additions.
Then Dr. Homai 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.D.S. Phatak, went through all the sections, did the preliminary spade work and with the help of Mr. Datay first edition was printed in September 1963 at Mouj Printing press. After first edition he compiled a Materia medica for which he referred different Materia medica literatures mainly Boger, Boericke, Clark, Hering and Kent.
By doing so he found many clinical and pathological symptoms which were added in his second edition (1977- October – with the help of  Dr. P. Sankaran-Jakap Printers). Due to demand this book went for reprint edition. 23 years after second edition, additions were made to it by Dr. D.S. Phatak and published as the third edition in 2000 through B Jain Publishers. In this edition, the additions made by Dr. D.S. Phatak were marked with + sign.
Eg. Abdomen pain + coffee amel.

Gradations:
Drugs are graded in to three like that of Kent
First grade- CAPITAL
Second grade-Italics
Third grade – Roman

Index:
There is no list of remedies or the index.
Abreviations which are well known or self explanatory such as Sul. for Sulphur, Sil. for Silica etc. are not listed. However a list of 114 drugs which represents those drugs which are liable to be misunderstood with respect to abreviations Eg. Ambro. for Ambrosia)

Plan and Construction:
Repertory is printed in two columns in each page

Alphabetical arrangement. Unlike Kent and Boenninghausen there are no sections in this repertory . All the headings are arranged alphabetically.
Repertory begins with Abdomen affections in general and ends with Zygomae 
All the physiological or pathological, mental symptoms, generals, particulars are arranged alphabetically

Rubric construction
Location/sensation, affections in general
Side-right
Left
Alternating sides
Extension
Sublocation/ subsensation, Aggravation,Amelioration and Concomittants
Eg.:Chest , lungs affection in general
Right
Left
Alternating sides
Arms in to
Backward, extending
Abscess lungs of

Cross references are given wherever necessary
Eg. Abdomen inactive, see Paralysis
Answers aversion to, see Aversion
Barber’s itch ,see under Itch

Special features:
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.

Desires and Cravings are two separate rubrics in this repertory. Under Desires, we find all mental rubrics. Under Craving- rubrics related to food and drinks:
Eg.:Desires more than she needs:ars.
Things then throws them away-sec.
Craving alcoholic drinks
Strange things

Aversion- both mental and food aversions are given
Eg.:Aversion meat
Members of family

Under Food and drinks- Agg. And Amel. of food items given
Condiments, spices agg.
Fruits agg.

Difference between 2nd and 3rd editions:
No of pages increased
New additions are marked with + mark
Rubric plan:
Main rubric capital capital bold

Subrubric small capital with 1 intendation small capital with bold first
Alphabet and indentation

Subsubrubric roman with 2 indentation same

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
Alternating
diagonal
left upper, right lower
Drug abuse of in general
Anaesthetic vapour
Iodide
Tetanus antitoxin-Mag.p.
Moon phases
Rubrics and remedies are reduced to minimum, based on
Authors own experience
Justified by authors like Boger, Clarke, Kent
New rubrics from his experience
Eg. Spoonerism (interchange of initial sounds of two words):caust.,chin.

Author has incorporated some rubrics from 
1. Boger’s Synoptic key
Itching, in diabetes:Mang.
Attitudes bizarre
2. Boenninghause’s Therapeutic pocket book
Holding the breath amel.
Blood pressure high
Low
Sudden rise
Diabetes mellitus with subrubrics like boils successive with:Nat.p.
Children in:Crataegus
Female affection in general
Puberty and affections of youth
Uric acid diathesis
Bed wetting, specific for- Lac.c.
Prophylactics: Mumps:Triof. ?
Abortion habitual second month- Ap.,cimi.,kali.c.,vib.,
Preventive—Rat.,vib.
Awkwardness, pregnancy during: Calc.
Envy see Jealousy: Envy is more of a positive quality, but no demarcation in this repertory

Ear, behind crack-Graph
Eczema- tell
Herpes –sep.

Mind affections in general
Head, School girls agg.
Hearing , bad, deafness, impared, Adenoids from: Staph
Heart, valves
Never well since
Lactation- Milk absent, scanty-Lact.v.-3 (In synthesis Lact. is given with one mark)
Lecithin
Urticaria given separately
Vomiting, pessary in vagina from: Nux m.
General rubric for some organs like ear, duodenum:etc.
Ear lobule ulceration- Kali.m.,med.,stann.
Time with a lot of subrubrics

Clinical rubrics like
Beriberi
Plague
Blood pressure low, high
Nutrition affected
Streptococcal infection: Ail.,arn.,sul.ac.
Fibroid: Thyr., tril not in kent’s repertory
Burning : Lap.alb.
Joint, water: Hydrothorax
Female organs sterility: Acid vaginal secretion form: Nat.p.
Atrophy of mammae and ovary from: Iod.

Rare terms given:
Branny (desquamation)
Mollitis ossium- Osteomalacia
Pompous(Phos.,plat.) Empty show
Dotage;Weakness of mind caused by old age. Aeth.,ars.
Jaded rakes:Agn.(Worn out immoral man)
Nibbling- to bite in bits