A Study on Materia Medica by NM Choudhuri

ABOUT THE AUTHOUR
Dr. N.M Choudhuri, M.D
He was a former student of the Hering Medical College.
Ex-Principal and Senior Professor of Materia Medica, Bengal Allen Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Calcutta
He was also editor, “Home and Homoeopathy”

INTRODUCTION
This treatise is the outcome of N.M. Choudhuri’s lectures to students of Bengal Allen Homoeopathic Medical College. It incorporates the teachings and experience of many masters, supported by his own experience of twenty years.

In the 2nd edition a Concise Repertory was added to make the study of Materia medica easy and also to use it in an appropriate manner.

Title: A Study on Materia Medica

Subtitle: An Ideal Text-Book for Homoeopathic Students

Authour: N.M. Choudhuri

Editions: 2(1916, 1929)

BOOK PROPER

  • Title page – A Study on Materia medica( An Ideal Text-Book for Homoeopathic Students) by N. M. Choudhuri
  • Photograph of Dr. N. M. Choudhuri
  • Preface of 2nd edition
  • Preface of 1st edition
  • Materia Medica
  • Repertory
  • Index

PREFACES

PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION
1st edition published in1916, dated 1st Dec 1916

This work on Materia Medica, the result of years of patient labour, has its origin in my by-gone student-days. The author has talked about the compilation of the Materia medica part and has thanked all his teachers and various stalwarts for their guidance.

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION

2nd edition – 1929, dated 1st Jun 1929

A short and a concise repertory has been affixed to help in study of materia medica.

Reason, why a repertory part has been added to this volume, is because practical homoeopathy is identical with Repertory practice.

Negligence and inaptitude in handling repertory are frequent cause of failures

Repertory forms a valuable aid in proper understanding and management of Homoeopathic Materia medica and a valuable aid in achieving the goal of finding the similimum.

At the end of it he has shown gratitude towards few of his colleagues for their suggestions and support.

MATERIA MEDICA

Sources

  • H.C.Allen
  • J.H.Clarke
  • H.N.Guernsey
  • J.B.Bell
  • C.M.Conant
  • N.B.Bose
  • E.M.Hales
  • J.T.Kent
  • E.B.Nash
  • Samuel Lilienthal
  • Salzer
  • Constantine Hering
  • E.A.Farrington
  • American Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia

Also incorporated many important practical hints from Dr. P.C.  Majumdar. He has also enriched materia medica with experiences of Eastern Masters viz: Dr. B.L.Bhaduri, Dr.Salzer and Dr. M.L.Sarkar.

452 drugs

9 given as to be referred

Alphabetically arranged and described

Abies canadensis- Zizia aurea

ARRANGEMENT

  • Name of the medicine
  • A brief depiction of every drug given
  • Common name
  • Family, preparation procedures, habitat, properties, prover, etc given.
  • Physiological action is described.
  • There is no anatomical order.
  • Symptomatology given in descriptive form,  not under any heading.
  • Modalities given along with particulars
  • Comparative study of each symptoms given in a very simple language
  • Each compared drug is given in bold letters.
  • Examples of case histories along with the drugs are given correspondingly
  • Mentions about the medicines given with the prescribed potency
  • Source is also given

REPERTORY

49 chapters

Organs in their order of natural arrangement

Most of the unreliable and unauthenticated matter has been left out to make the repertory portion useful and easy for reference.

SOURCES

  • Kent Repertory
  • Knerr Repertory
  • Lippe Repertory
  • Boenninghausen Repertory
  • Boericke Repertory
  • Conant and other popular authors

CHAPTERS

  1. Aggravation
  2. Amelioration
  3. Mind and Disposition
  4. Head
  5. Sensorium
  6. Face
  7. Eye and sight
  8. Ears and Hearing
  9. Nose and Smell
  10. Mouth
  11. Tongue
  12. Teeth
  13. Fauces, Pharynx and Oesophagus
  14. Gums
  15. Stomach
  16. Throat external
  17. Appetite
  18. Taste
  19. Thirst
  20. Eructations
  21. Heartburn
  22. Nausea
  23. Vomiting
  24. Hiccough
  25. Intestine
  26. Rectum and Anus
  27. Stool
  28. Larynx and Trachea
  29. Voice
  30. Chest
  31. Bladder
  32. Kidneys
  33. Prostate
  34. Prostatic fluid
  35. Urethra
  36. Urine
  37. Male Genitalia
  38. Female genitalia
  39. Upper extremities
  40. Lower extremities
  41. Sleep
  42. Postures in Sleep
  43. Dream
  44. Fever
  45. Pulse
  46. Skin
  47. Desires and Aversions
  48. Cough
  49. Expectoration

GENERAL CONSTRUCTION

The printed matter is in two columns on each page.

Chapter name given in BOLD CAPITALS, repeated on each page, exception

Rubrics given in CAPITALS, alphabetically arranged

Sub-rubrics follows in ordinary roman with one indentation and are not necessarily arranged alphabetically.

Gradations: 2- Italics

– Roman

Chapters pertaining to specific parts begin with Ailments common

Followed by sub-rubrics which may have causative modality, specific modalities, associated symptoms etc.

INDEX

INDEX OF REMEDIES

INDEX TO REPERTORY

THERAPEUTIC INDEX

INDEX OF REMEDIES

  • Remedies are alphabetically arranged
  • Main clinical conditions are arranged alphabetically along with page numbers in which they are mentioned

INDEX TO REPERTORY

  • Chapters are given in alphabetical order along with page numbers

THERAPEUTIC INDEX

Clinical conditions are arranged in alphabetical order

Compiled by Prabhakra Rao

Abortion to Wounds

Corresponding remedies of each condition in alphabetical are also mentioned below along with page numbers

MERITS

  • It’s a must-read for all students and an all-time guide for practitioners
  • The author has given a brief of all the drugs in a story format, to form a clinical picture and describes the personality in a beautiful way.
  • A comparative study is given in the very simple language
  • The examples of cases given help in obtaining the practical aspect of the drug.
  • Repertory also included for easy reference

DEMERITS

  • Relationship of remedies not given
  • The number of drugs is less in comparison with other General repertories like Kent’s repertory.
  • Misplaced chapters in repertory
  • Eg: External throat given between two chapters of stomach
  • Misplaced rubrics

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