Review on Kent’s comparative repertory of the homoeopathic materia medica
Dr Muhsina Mariam. M. T
MD Organon GHMC Calicut
Medical Officer, Department of Homoeopathy, Govt of Kerala
NAME OF THE BOOK: Kent’s comparative repertory of the homoeopathic materia medica.
AUTHORS: Dr. Dockx and Dr. G.Kokelenberg
EDITION:
- first Indian edition in 1996
- reprint edition 2004 and 2006
PUBLISHED BY : Kuldeep Jain for B.Jain publishers(P)Ltd.
The book contains
- contents
- bibliography
- introduction
- preface
- reference list
- remedies and their abbreviations
- repertory proper.
CONTENTS :- in alphabetical order from ‘Abdomen’ to ‘Vision’ with page numbers
THE BIBLIOGRAPHY: includes a list of 24 authors and 24 books.
INTRODUCTION
The authors say that one of the main problem in homoeopathy is that the conversion of the patient’s symptom into the language of the repertory of the Kent. In order to overcome this one should be able to understand the meaning of each rubric, the rubrics should be as complete as possible, all the additional rubrics and remedies and cross references by a variety of reliable authors should be known. Once this task is done one should be able to differentiate as many remedies as possible in the rubrics in order to pin point the one and only remedy the patient needs to get. They say this book has been made with the purpose of helping doctors to overcome as many of the above mentioned problems as possible by studying the repertory of Kent page by page ,rubric by rubric and wherever possible remedy by remedy.
Regarding the mental symptom: to be acceptable as a mental the symptom must be peculiar and characteristic of the patient. The patient must be recognized by the symptom, it must be a special trait of him.
For a getting a mental symptom: it is better to get the symptom spontaneously from the patient and it is dangerous to convince the patient of the symptom. for e.g.: it is tempting to ask whether the child is very cross on waking when we are considering Lyc., but it is better to ask about his behavior when he wakes up.
During the interview questions should be asked in a way that the patient is unable to answer them by a simple yes or no. We will not ask if the patient is fastidious,but we will try to get examples out of everyday life so that it becomes absolutely clear to us that the patient is fastidious.
It is useful to argue with the patient about the symptoms patient offers you and this is especially so in case of parents talking about their children. In the case of case taking of adults it is always wise to support the opinion by asking questions to close friends or family members.
If we doubt the mental, drop them and prescribe upon generals and locals and key notes.
GRADINGS
STAPH. =Fourth degree
Staph. = third degree
Staph =second degree
Staph. =first degree
OTHER ABBREVIATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN USED ARE
DD=differential diagnosis
Agg=aggravates
Amel=ameliorates
Cross-ref=cross-reference
REFERENCE LIST
Consists of name of 36 authors with the name of the books referred. some of the important ones are
Kent-repertory,leseer writings and lectures on materia medica with new remedies
Knerr.C.B-repertory of Hering’s guiding symptoms
Boger.C.M.-Boenninghausen’s characteristic materia medica
Vithoulkas.G.-the essence of homoeopathic materia medica,Lectures
REMEDIES AND THEIR ABBREVIATIONS
The abbreviations of the remedies used in the repertory with the full name of the remedies are given.
REPERTORY PROPER
The repertory consists of 37 chapters starting from the mind and ending with generalities. The chapters follow the same order as in the Kent’s repertory. The rubrics are arranged in the alphabetical order. Each page is divided into 2 sections by a central line. new rubrics are added wherever necessary and it is given under a heading” a new rubric to add” which is given within two lines.
Wherever possible against each rubric, the meaning of the rubric is given. After the meaning the cross reference is given with the page number in Kent’s repertory. Also if there are any medicines to be added to the rubric, it is also given. After all these, the differentiation of different remedies covering the rubric is given.
For example consider the rubric AMUSEMENT,averse to: people who are averse to entertainment,to distraction,to play,to passing their time in an idle way.
Cross-ref: page50, GOING OUT, averse to
Page55, INDIFFERENCE to pleasure
About the remedies in the rubrics
Sometimes you will see that there are remedies that you feel do not fit in for example nux-v and platina in affectionate. but remember always not stick to a certain image of the remedy. sulphur is not always dirty, lazy and a philosopher. in fact there are in modern times more sulphurs that are properly dressed ,very efficient and very active. there are of course certain drug pictures and they must not be excluded, but they are not exclusive. when you have a person, a patient neatly dressed, pale instead of red, and having everything in order, it still can have a sulphur.
Chilly or hot remedies
Differentiating a remedy hot or chilly is only a clue. usually sulphur will be a warm-blooded person, but it is not necessarily so. it is the total picture of the person, of the patient that reminds you of sulphur.you will base your prescription upon the totality of the symptoms, a mental picture and some key-notes. when you work with homoeopathy you must forget about always or never. Sulphur is always warm, ars is always chilly, sulphur is never orderly, forget it!it is important to know that some remedies can be warm-blooded when a child(calc.,sil,hep.) and become chilly as an adult.
Evolution of remedy
There is some sort of evolution in the symptoms of certain remedy, like the evolution in the character of the people thoughout their life.and the symptom is only a snapshot out of that evolution. For instance in affectionate Nux vomica is a very ethical person in the beginning of his pathology. He is conscientious about everything. He will be friendly with people. But after too much work and too much indulgence he cannot control himself anymore. Then he stops being affectionate and he produces the symptoms of nux-v.
A correction for kent’s repertory is given in the chapter, MOUTH on page 40:pain gums touched when.the first remedy should be arg-metallicum instead of argentum nitricum.
In the chapter mouth under the rubric WARTS,tongue,tip of:it is given that no remedies are known yet,but it is a rubric to remember when you think of AIDS,it is one of the signs!for certain condition like lack of appetite,constipation etctinctures that should be given in combination are given.
At certain places the potency and dosage of the medicine is given
In the beginning of the chapter generalities rubrics concerned with cold,hot and ambithermal remedies are given.rubrics concerned with vaccination are given in different chapters in kent’s repertory and in this repertory all that rubrics are given under the rubric vaccination with the page number.
DRAWBACKS
Kent repertory should be with us while using this repertory.
Some rubrics are underlined the purpose of which is not explained.
Eg:in chapter vertigo WORMS: cina,spig.
In some rubrics medicines are underlined,again it is unexplained
Eg:In chapter head,TUMORS:kali-I is underlined.
REFERENCE : Kkent’s comparative repertory of the homoeopathic materia medica
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