Review on Guernsey’s Keynote Repertory: Complementary Repertory to BTPB

Dr Jaimin R Chotaliya

ABSTRACT:
Repertory is Homoeopathic reference tool which helps the physician to manage his/her cases effectively and rapidly. Many Repertories were there in past to guide physicians but only some of them gain popularity while others included under hidden treasures. Among these hidden treasures, Repertory to keynotes to the materia medica by Guernsey shines with its special place.  Repertory made its special place by exclusively reflecting index of keynote symptoms of remedies. This repertory is reflecting the experience of three well known Pioneers, i. e. Boenninghausen, Dunham and Guernsey. So, Let’s explore this repertory which ultimately enhances our skill in learning keynotes as well as handling acute cases in OPD / IPD.

KEYWORDS: Dunham, Guernsey, Homoeopathy, Keynote, Repertory

INTRODUCTION:

“Keynote symptoms”- a word known by all the persons who belong from the Homoeopathic Science and everyone wants to master its concept to get massive success in their practice. Many materia medica of keynotes were present during past and many new ones are emerging in present time. Apart from materia medica of Keynotes, Repertory of keynotes will be interesting tool to study this keynote concept and its application in Clinical Practice.

INTRODUCTION OF AUTHOR AND LIFE SKETCH:

Dr. Henry Newell Guernsey

Born: 10-2-1817

Died: 27-06-1885

Henry Newell Guernsey, M.D., was born on the 10^th of February, 1817 in Rochester, Vermont. In 1842, he received his medical degree from New York University. In 1856, he went to Philadelphia. He was professor of obstetrics at the New York Homoeopathic Medical College. He was an earnest, Honest and Conscientious disciples of Hahnemann. He was renowned as a teacher of materia medica.

He wrote the classic text: “The location of the Principles and Practice of Homoeopathy to Obstetrics and Disorders Peculiar to Women and Young Children.” He wrote the “Keynote”. He was the first public teacher of the “Single Remedy” and the “High Potency”.

In 1879, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Many people tried to prescribe for him but he always gave the same reply “I wish nothing but the Similimum in my case. As I have lined and practiced for others, I will do by myself, for I know it is the right way. If I must die, I wish it recorded that I died true to my principles.”

REPERTORY

History of Repertory:

Repertory of keynote symptoms is attached with Dr. Henry N. Guernsey’s Keynotes to the Materia Medica.

Dr. Joseph C. Guernsey mentioned about the evolution of this repertory in following words, “The addition of the repertory is to be specially noted. A year or two before his death, Dr. Carrol Dunham presented to Professor Guernsey a copy of Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket Book, containing copious addenda of confirmations and additions by Boenninghausen and by Himself. These were still further added to by Professor Guernsey, and the whole are now included in the Repertory attached to this volume.”

Construction of Repertory:

• Arrangement of chapters: as per BTPB
• Arrangement of subsection: as per BTPB
• Arrangement of rubrics: Alphabetical (but not maintained throughout repertory)
  • Typography:
    • Rubric – Roman Bold
    • Sub rubric – -Roman Bold (after one indentation, at some place followed by “,” Coma e.g., Teeth subsection)
    • Sub-Sub rubric – –Roman Bold (after two indentations)
  • Arrangement of Medicine – Roman typography with alphabetical presentation
  • Name of Chapters:
  • Mental
  • Parts of body
  • Sensation and Complaints
  • Sleep and dreams
  • Fever
  • Aggravation
  • Amelioration
  • Subsection of Chapters:
  • Mental
    1. Moral
    2. Intellect

• Memory

1. Cloudiness

• Parts of body (starts with heading head)
  1. Head
     1. Internal head
     2. External head
  2. Eyes

• Sight

1. Ears
2. Hearing
3. Nose

• Smell
• Face
  1. Outward appearance
  2. Affections of (pain etc.) or appearing on (rash, pimples etc.)

1. Teeth
2. Mouth
3. Stomach
   1. Hunger and thirst

• Taste
• Eructation
• Nausea and vomiting

1. Inner abdomen

• External abdomen
• Flatulency
• Stool
  1. Complaints attending the stool
• Anus, rectum etc.
  1. Sediment
  2. Discharge of urine

• Concomitant complaints

1. Urinary passages

• Genitals
  1. Male genitals
  2. Female genitals
• Sexual desire
• Menstruation
  1. Concomitant complaints
• Leucorrhoea
• Catarrh
• Breath
• Cough
• Windpipe
• Neck
• Chest
• Back
• Extremities upper
• Extremities lower

• Sensation and Complaints
  1. External and internal parts of body in general
  2. Glands

• Bones

1. Skin and external parts
   1. Color of the skin
   2. Affection of the skin

• Excrescences

1. Itching
2. Ulcers, suppurating

• Sleep and dreams
  1. Sleep
     1. Positions during sleep
  2. dreams
• Fever
  1. Circulation of the blood
  2. Coldness

• Heat

1. Shuddering
2. Perspiration
3. Compound fevers

• Aggravation
  1. According to time
  2. Aggravation according to situation and circumstances

• From different kinds of nourishment, food and drink

• Amelioration
  1. From different kinds of nourishment

NOTE:

• In some subchapters Concomitants are given as separate section (e.g., Menstruation Subchapters) while at some place mentioned as Rubric (e.g., leucorrhoea, breath Subchapters)
• Specific parts or locations are given as rubrics under particular subsection. (e.g., eyelid, orbit in eye)
• Synonyms or explanation regarding terminologies are given along with rubrics or sub rubrics in bracket for e.g., scurfy (crusty), Formication (crawling in the skin, as of insects)
• Cross references are given in bracket along with see e.g., leather, skin like – (see Hardness)

Merits and Demerits of Repertory:

Merits:

• Presence of Concomitant symptoms make it useful for the cases with Complete symptoms
• Rubrics of keynote symptoms makes it more useful for quick prescriptions in acute and emergency cases
• Useful in study of materia medica as good representation of Polycrest medicines with their keynotes
• Presence of clinical rubrics increases its efficacy in clinical practice. (e.g., Epilepsy, haemorrhoids etc.)
• Good number of general symptoms increases its efficacy in cases with marked Physical generals.

Demerits:

• Less number of medicines and more emphasis on Polycrest Medicines
• Less number of Clinical Rubrics
• Less number of mental generals restricts its utility in cases with marked mental Generals.
• Difficult to apply various methods of Repertorization as there is absence of Gradation in Medicines

CONCLUSION:
Repertories from old Pioneers and their works help us to embrace our knowledge in Homoeopathic Field. There are many data available in Homoeopathic field with full of knowledge regarding experiences and advises of Pioneers that could solve many difficulties in Homoeopathic Practice but the unfortunate thing is that huge amount of the data is scattered and falls under category of obsolete. Rediscovery of these data will help us to explore new dimensions and aspects of Homoeopathic Science.

REFERENCES:

• Joseph C. Guernsey, Keynotes to the Materia Medica as taught by Henry N. Guernsey. India: Indian Books and Periodicals Syndicate India.

Dr. Jaimin R. Chotaliya, M.D. (Hom.)
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Repertory
Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College, Dethali, Gujarat.