Review on Lee and Clark’s Cough and Expectoration

Dr Jaimin R Chotaliya 

Full name: – Lee and Clark’s Cough and Expectoration (A repertorial index of their symptoms)

Name of Author: – Dr. Geo H. Clark, M.D.

Edition: – 1^st edition – 1884, 2^nd edition – 1894

Published by: – A. L. Chatterton & Co., New York

About the Book

The book is divided into three parts,

1. Preface (1^st edition, 2^nd edition)
2. List of remedies with their abbreviations
3. Repertory proper. It is further sub-divided into two sub-sections,

Part – I = Cough symptoms

Part – II = Expectoration 

Preface 

In the preface, the author said about the Aim & Object of this work he said, “Cough with its attendant, aches and pains, debility and emaciation, is one of the commonest complaints with which the physician has to deal. The object, then, of this repertory is to include under one head, and so to render more available, all the valuable and reliable symptoms connected with the cough and expectoration found hitherto scattered through many volumes”.

The author has taken the symptomatology from the reliable and authentic sources and number them all to refer easily. 

In the 1^st edition of this repertory a supplementary section has been added which contains symptoms and remedies omitted from the repertory proper, also those not repeated under proper headings, and those less frequently met with.

The author also said that, “This repertory is intended to be merely an index to the Materia Medica. Before prescribing, the drug should be studied there.”

List of remedies and their abbreviations

Alphabetically, starting with abbreviation then full name of remedy. Remedies are starting from ABSINTHINUM to ZIZIA. 

Plan & Construction

The repertory part is further sub-divided into two sections as follow,

I – Cough symptoms (From Abdomen to Zona)

II – Expectoration (From Acid (sour) to Yellow)

Arrangement of Rubrics, sub-rubric and other levels

• Alphabetically arranged. 
• According,
  • To anatomical part affected,
  • Under the name of cough,
  • With reference to the time in which it occurs or aggravated,
  • Under the exciting cause.
• Rubrics are printed in BOLD CAPITAL.
• Sub-rubrics are printed in Bold. They are given with one indentation.
• Sub-sub-rubrics and other levels of rubrics are printed in Roman. They are given with two, three, four, five… indentions respectively.

Arrangement of medicines

• Alphabetically throughout the repertory.
• Medicines are given with their side affinity into ‘Bracket’ (). 

For example, ABDOMEN, pain (undefine) in, from coughing: Psor. (r) 

• Medicines are given with superscript numbers, which indicates the medicine is taken from that particular source.
• The number at the end of block signifies that all remedies, excepting those otherwise numbered, are from the author to whom the figure refers. 
• All unnumbered symptoms, as well as those marked with I, are from Allen’s encyclopaedia.  

For example, ABDOMEN, sides of stitches in, on coughing: Bell. (I), Sulph. (I)

• Note – In the 2^nd edition the author has removed numbers that indicate the sources because he thinks that, “Every symptoms, no matter how apparently trivial, and no matter whence it came, is of value, and every faithful disciple of Hahnemann will, at some time, to be able to make use of it.”
• Total no. of Medicines – 440

Cross reference

• They are given as “(See…)” after the end of main rubric. 

For example, AFTERNOON and evening, cough agg. – Bad. (See – Evening)

Gradations 

• 1^st grade – Italics
• 2^nd grade – Roman

Special features: –

• The sources are very reliable and authentic ones, which are from various journals, transactions of various associations – particularly from the transactions from International Hahnemannian Association, and from private communications.
• Causative factors and time modalities are elaborated nicely and in detail. 
• Concomitants are given abundantly. So, that one can differentiate on remedy to another.
• Anatomical parts are given as rubrics. i. e. Epiglottis, Fauces, etc.
• Symptoms related to cough during gestational phase are also mentioned as rubric. 

For example, LABOR, dry cough following difficult labor or abortion, with backache and sweat: Kali. C.

• Symptoms related to different phase of life are given as rubric. 

For example, OLD men, cough in: conium. 

• • while some are given in sub-rubrics. For example, GRIEF or sorrow, cough from in children: Arn., Asar., Cham.
• Symptoms related to food are given as rubric and sub-rubrics.
  • FRUIT or fat food agg. Cough: Mag. Mur
  • STOMACH, gnawing in; better from food: Grat., Nat-c.  
• Mental symptoms are given as rubric and sub-rubrics.
  • ANGER, before coughing:  Asar.
  • SUFFOCATIVE (choking) cough, chest, hollow, suffocating cough, resembling whooping cough, provoked by tickling in chest, throat, larynx, and suprasternal fossa; worse at night and from anger: Cham.  
• Symptoms related to season are present as rubrics and also in sub-rubrics
  • WEATHER, on change to colder: Lycops. 
  • CHEST Pressure, hoarseness, sudden and violent, with dry cough and pressure on chest, during rough weather: Mag. m.
• Some rubrics are very special as they are even not present in Modern Repertory like Complete Repertory.
  • Supplement in first edition- DYSPEPTIC cough:  Lob. s.
  • Expectoration chapter- GUM-WATER, like: Raph. 

Merits: –

• As this is classified under clinical repertory, it will be useful guide for case taking in respiratory complaints like cough and expectoration.
• This repertory is may be useful in study of Materia Medica as it is rich in concomitants and causative factors.
• Clinical terms are also found in this repertory such as Asthma, Pneumonia, Chicken-pox.
• Classification/types of coughs are beautifully elaborated in this repertory. For example, Cachectic cough, Autumnal cough, Biting cough, Dyspeptic cough, Concussive cough, Crepitant cough. 

Demerits: – 

• Mental symptoms which are not found in Materia Medicas available at that time, were omitted.
• Limited numbers of medicines.  

Dr. Jaimin R. Chotaliya (M.D. Part – II)
Department of Repertory
jaiminchotaliya@gmail.com
Dr. V. H. Dave Homoeopathic medical college and research Centre, Hahnemann House, Amul dairy road, Anand, Gujarat. 388001