Posologie Anhang 2

 

[Homeopathy 4 Health]

The Law of Potentisation

The initial provings were done using mother tincture but as most remedies were poisons a way had to be found to obviate the toxic element whilst at the same time maintaining the curative properties. In other words Hahnemann next needed to establish dose rate for each drug.

The attenuation (detoxification) of the drug was achieved readily enough through a process of serial dilution. However dilution itself was not the full answer because although it eliminated the toxic effect it apparently also eliminated the curative effect obtained from small dosages which was the corner stone of the Law of Similars. Apparently the drug had now became too dilute to cure in small dosages.

Dilution

There are many romantic stories surrounding how Hahnemann evolved the practice of succession as the solution to the problem. One such tale is that the great man became thoroughly frustrated at his inability to produce a curative effect from a dilute solution. In his anger he railed against God saying that although he had been allowed to progress his discoveries so far the ultimate secret was denied him. As a means of venting his pent up emotions he struck the dilution vial he was holding in his hand several times hard against a large tone of the Bible. He was pleasantly surprised when upon later administration of small doses to a patient he obtained a very rapid cure and thus was born the concept of succession.

Glamourous as the story is I suspect however that the idea of succussion arose from something Hahnemann had read during his translation work or as a result of some hint or suggestion he had come across elsewhere. It seems scarcely credible, at least to me, that he discovered that succussion works better than no succussion as a result of chance. The fact that he never claims any personal credit for the technique also suggests that he originally obtained it somewhere else.

What is Succussion?

Is meant the vigourous shaking and impact of a dilution on a hard resilient surface a process which reverses the polarity of the drug such that it becomes curative in effect rather than causative

The Definition of Potentisation

We are now at the point where we can define potentisation as:

The process of minimizing or negating the toxic effects of a mother tincture by Serial Dilution or Trituration and at the same time increasing its dynamic curative properties by Succussion

 

Dilution + Succussion

Potentisation = Dilution + Succussion

 

Dilution Methods

i) Hahnemannian Method

This is still the main method used today and consists of diluting a measured aliquot of the mother tincture in a separate vial with 9 parts of alcohol/water. followed by succussion. In this method

the 1 part is volumetrically measured into a new vial for each dilution/succession sequence. (Sometimes an H is added at the end of the remedy nomenclature to indicate use of the Hahnemannian method of dilution. Thus 30CH means the remedy has been potentised to 30 centesimal dilutions using the Hahnemanian method).

Hahnemannian method of dilution

ii) Korsakovian Method

Similar to the Hahnemannian method except that the mother liquor is not strictly measured out. The dilution vial is just emptied out and a further 9 parts of alcohol added. It is assumed that the residue sticking to the side of the empty vial is adequate. Succussion after each dilution is as before. This method is therefore much quicker and uses only a single diluting vial. (Sometimes a K is added at the end of the remedy nomenclature to indicate use of the Kosakovian method of dilution. Thus 20CK means the remedy has been potentised to 200 centesimal dilutions using the Kosakovian method).

 

Dilution Hahnemannian Method

What is trituration?

Trituration is used for those drugs that are not soluble in liquid media. In this case they are thoroughly ground with lactose in 10% increments up to 7X by which time the drug will be of a sufficiently small particle size as to be solubilised. There is no separate succussion during trituration. The grinding of the particles during each stage is generally considered sufficient.Subsequent potencies from 8X upwards are then executed on a serial dilution and succussion basis. .

Homeopathic Remedy Preparation and Nomenclature

Serial Dilution refers to dissolving the drug in water or alcohol followed by its dilution in a predetermined manner. Generally dilution is done sequentially in 10% or 1% increments. Thus a pure mother tincture which has been diluted to 10% of its original concentration would be called 1X. Similarly a further dilution of the 1X solution to !0% of its concentration would be called 2X.

This process could be carried out to 30X or more and is known as the Decimal series. When the pure mother tincture is diluted in increments of 1% each dilution are similarly termed 1C and 2C

a process which may be continued likewise to 30C or more and is known as the Centesimal series.

i) The Decimal Range (X) - In this system 1 part of mother tincture is diluted with 9 parts (ie a ratio of 1:9) of alcohol/water (giving a total parts ratio of 1+9 = 10). Because the total number of parts adds up to 10 the range is called the "Decimal System". and is denoted by a letter "X" which stands for number 10 in Latin

ii) The Centesimal Range (C) - In this system 1 part of mother tincture is diluted with 99 parts (ie a ratio of 1:99) of alcohol/water (giving a total parts ratio of 1+99 = 100). Because the total number of parts adds up to 100 the range is called the "Centesimal System" and is denoted by a letter "C" which stands for the number 100 in Latin.

For full details use the link below

http://www.homeopathy4health.ie/2history&basis2.htm#remedy

iii) The Fifty Milesimal Range (= LM or Q) - Throughout his life Hahnemanns sole aim was to develop a system of medicine which would cure rapidly and at the same time avoid aggravations. However he often found that when using the Decimal (X) range many cases remained unresolved whilst a change to the Centesimal (C) range would produce an aggravation. There therefore had

to be a better way to obtain his life long objective of a quick, safe, permanent and gentle cure.

He decided therefore after 36 years of raising potencies to raise the ratio of dilution instead. Leaving the 1/100 dilution ratio of the centesimals to one side he started searching for a potency that would fill this role in homoeopathic therapeutics. He hit upon the 1/50,000 dilution ratio. Thus the 50 Millesimal potency or LM range was created. This new LM potency with its much larger dilution ratio significantly transformed homeopathic prescription.

For more information on LM or Q potencies use the link below

http://www.homeopathy4health.ie/2history&basislevel2lmpotencies.htm

Posology

Homeopathic potencies can vary from tincutres at O right through to very high constitutional CM potencies. The following table provides a general descriptive framework

 

Posology Descriptions

Description             Potency

Tincture          0

Low   

2X, 6X, 12X, 6C, to 24X

Medium         

30X, 30C, 200X

High   

200C, 1M

Constitutional             10M, 50M, CM

 

Leon Vannier's Posology Protocol

Drainage/ Detox             6X

Lesional          6C

Functional      30C

Constitutional             >200C

 

For more detailed information on posology click below

http://www.homeopathy4health.ie/2l3homeopathicsposology.htm

 

Validation of the Law of Potentisation

Arndt & Schultz in 1888 (some 77 years after Hahnemann first published his results in 1811) were the first to demonstrate scientifically the effect of potentisation using yeast as a medium.

What became known as The Arndt-Shultz Law summarised experiments which measured the physiological response of living organism to a stimulus. It says a small amount of a chemical or

electrical or laser or other stimulus will increase physiological activity, a large amount of the same stimulus will kill cells of the organism, whilst an intermediate amount will inhibit

physiological activity. In brief: the physiological response reverses direction when the stimulus changes from small (weak) to large (strong), and vice-versa.

A more recent example of the Arndt-Shultz Law in action is the 1944 observation that a large dose of penicillin will kill a Staphylococcus infection, while a small dose will stimulate its growth.

There is one drawback to the universal application of the Arndt & Schultz Law in that it was carried out using dilutions of less than 1023 the limit set by Avogadro.

Avogadros Hypothesis

There is no greater criticism of Homeopathy by allopathy than that concerning Avogadros Hypothesis. The Italian physicist Avogadro in 1811 (the same year as Hahnemann published his findings

on potentisation) postulated that equal volumes of substances given the same temperature and pressure contain equal numbers of molecules.

He produced a mathematical model to show that the number of molecules in a mole of any substance is approx 6.4 x 1023 Theoretically therefore any potency above 23X with an incremental dilution from the mother tincture of 10% cannot contain any molecules. Thus potencies of 24X or 12C and above do not contain any physical medicament.

Avogadros and Homeopathy

Limitation of Arndt & Schultz

There is one drawback to the universal application of the Arndt & Schultz Law in that it was carried out using dilutions of less than 1023 the limit set by Avogadro.

Reply to Criticism based on Avogadros Hypothesis

For many years the Avogadro criticism could not be answered by Homeopaths in scientific terms. Worldwide empirical data existed to disprove the criticism but good as that was no irrefutable scientific evidence existed until that is 1900.when Max Planck from the University of Kiel concerned himself with observations of the radiation of heated materials from which he propounded

the Quantum theory which simply stated is:

Quantum Theory

Matter is composed of energy (quanta) in the form of waves at discrete vibrations and frequencies.

This Quantum theory was in exact counterpoint to the conventional thinking of the day which was that matter was composed of molecules

Later in 1905 Einstein further refined the energy story by defining how it could be calculated in his formulae

Einstein's Energy Equation

E= MC2

where E= energy,

M = mass and

C= the speed of light

Finally in 1924 Louis de Broglie proposed that there is no fundamental difference in the makeup and behavior of energy and matter.

Louis de Broglie Postulation

Elementary particles of both energy and matter behave like either molecular particles or energy waves depending on the conditions.

Thus science has now moved towards the position that possibly the process of Homeopathic potentisation provides the conditions necessary for the transfer of the remedys molecular particles

into quantum energy waves with each remedy having its own unique vibration and frequency.

 

[Master / Fernandes]

Understanding Posology in Classical Homoeopathy

Plussing Method

In some chronic cases, when we increase the potency of the remedy administered, we observe that there is an aggravation of the existing symptoms of the patient. To avoid this aggravation, and facilitate an improvement, it is advisable that we use an attenuated dose of the previous potency by subjecting it to further succussions.

For example if we increase from 200C to 1M, we see in some cases there is a transient but intense aggravation. To avoid this, if we prepare an attenuation of this medicine, we can avoid this aggravation.

In 1837, Hahnemann in his Theory of Chronic Diseases, p. 59 states that:

'I have, therefore, lately found the following mode of administration preferable with careful patients. From a mixture of about five tablespoonsful of pure water and

five tablespoonsful of pure French brandy - which is kept on hand in a bottle, 200, 300 or 400 drops (according as the solution is to be weaker or stronger) are dropped into a little vial, which may be half-filled with it, and in which the medicinal powder of the pellet or pellets of the medicine have been placed. This vial is stoppered and shaken until the medicine is dissolved. From the solution, one, two, three or several drops, according to the irritability and the vital force of the patient, are dropped into a cup, containing

a spoonful of water; this is then well stirred and given to the patient, and where more especial care is necessary, only the half of it may be given; ... It would be still better if instead of the cup a vial should be used, into which a tablespoonful of water is put, which can then be shaken five or six times and then wholly or half emptied for a dose.'

Preparation of Plussing dose as per Homoeopathic Health Center's (Bombay) instructions:

1 teaspoon = 5 ml.; 1 tablespoon = 15 ml.; 4oz = 118 ml.; 8oz = 236ml.

Five Cup Method

A time-tested method of administration of remedies as introduced by Dr. Hahnemann. This method of administration of medicine brings about quicker, gentler cure without aggravation.

1. Take equal quantities of water (preferably ½ to ¾ ) in five cups.

2. Put one pill of the required medicine in the first cup.

3. Stir the medicine in the first cup 10x with a clean plastic spoon.

4. Lift the spoon vertically straight from the 1st cup and add it to the 2nd cup.

5. Now stir it 10x in the same way in the 2nd cup.

6. Repeat the procedure given above till the 5th cup

7. Discard the fluid in the 1st 4 cups.

8. Finally, from the last cup (5th cup) take the dose of the medicine as prescribed e.g. 1 teaspoonful once/twice/thrice a day.

9. Refrigerate the 5th cup with a lid.

10. Every time a dose is taken from the 5th cup, it has to be stirred 10x, which enhances its medicinal properties.

Stir 10 times before every dose.

 

[Vikas Kumar Verma]

Evolution of Hahnemannian Posology

Posology is described as the science of dosage. The Hahnemannian concept of homoeopathic posology stands for selection of potency, quantity of dose and repetition of the dose, based on the principles of the single remedy, minimum dose and minimum intervention.

In Hahnemann’s era all physicians were using massive doses as a matter of course, and Hahnemann, being a product of the best training of that day, followed, in his early career, in the footsteps of his predecessors. Even after Hahnemann began to see the light of the LAW OF CURE he continued to use massive doses, and it is to be remembered that he made cures with massive doses of crude medicine. From that he found that he was obtaining drug effects oftener than he was making a successful cure. When he became convinced of this, he reduced the dose, dividing and again dividing the dose, watching closely the results. He soon found that the smaller the dose, the more beneficent the results. His experiments with reducing the dose did not come until he had discovered the dynamic action of disease; then with his logical mind he correlated his results from the larger doses and brought his ideas of infinitesimal dynamic dosage into correlation with the same concept. For if disease be dynamic in nature, the use of a remedy to cure, or even to reach the disease, must be dynamic, rather than physiological, in form and power.

HISTORY OF EVOLUTION OF HOMOEOPATHIC POSOLOGY:

When a correct remedy has been chosen according to the law of similia, only one half of the difficulty of homoeopathic treatment has been overcome. It is often more difficult to decide what quantity of the suitable remedy will be most adaptable to the sick organism. Hahnemann devoted more than fifty years of his life to the solution of this problem.

Before discovering the law of similia Hahnemann’s medicinal treatment of his patients differed very slightly from that of other physicians. By his university training he was equipped with nothing different from the rest. In the young physician’s publications of the seventies’ and eighties’ his prescriptions correspond in composition, weight and quantities with those of his contemporaries. In the “Directions for the cure of old sores and ulcers” (1784) he still recommends 5-50 grains (.25-2.5 grams) of crude pulverised antimony to be taken daily for the purification of the blood etc. But with his deep insight and warm philanthropic tendencies, the failures of these prescriptions based upon unscientific, casual, and thoughtless imitation must have soon sobered him. So, for many long years he abandoned medical practice.

In 1796, he first made known the principles of homoeopathy in “Essay On A New Principle…”. He frequently recommended the administration of “small doses”, but did not then say what he meant by “small”. From then onwards he selected his remedies from the standpoint of similarity, still administering fairly large doses. In 1797, he prescribed 4 powders of veratrum album, each containing 4 grains in a “case of rapidly cured colicodynia”.

Inception of the small dose

In 1799, he announced very small infinitesimal doses. Most probably it is to be assumed that the unwelcome homoeopathic aggravations and secondary effects which followed upon the remedies prescribed according to the law of similia induced this keen and careful observer to decrease the doses more and more.

In 1800, he says in the “Treasury of Medicine”: As the physicians of to-day will not consider giving one ten millionth part of a remedy, therefore Arsenic is not a medicine for them.

Inception of serial dilution and drop dose:

In 1801, the first detailed statements about dilution were made in “Cure and Prevention of Scarlet Fever”, where he states, “for internal use I used one drop of the tincture thoroughly mixed with 500 drops of very dilute spirits of wine, and of this mixture I took one drop again carefully mixed with 500 drops of spirits of wine likewise much diluted. Of this diluted tincture of poppy juice (which contains in every drop a five millionth of a grain of poppy juice) one drop for a child of about 4 years and two drops for a child of 10, given internally were more than sufficient to cure the disease. These doses will not have to be repeated before 4-8 hours, sometimes only every 24 hours, and at times only occasionally during the whole fever, according to the more frequent or more seldom occurrence of the (previously mentioned) symptoms.”

In speaking of the prophylactic action of Belladonna, He also gives us very precise directions for a serial dilution that leads to a dilution of 1/24,000,000. In 1805, in “Medicine of Experience” he mentioned the 100th, 1,000th, or 1,000,000th part of a medicinal dose, where he says for curative purposes incredibly small doses are sufficient. “If instead of smaller and smaller doses, increasingly large one were given, then there arise merely medicinal symptoms, a kind of artificial and unnecessary disease.” Hahnemann is still groping and experimenting without making his decision. This is the impression made by the entries in the patients’ registers of these years. But he was standing firmly on the ground of the similarity between disease and remedy, and he only prescribed one medicine at a time.

In 1809, in the “Information concerning the prevailing fever”, he recommends Nux vomica trillionth part (corresponding to 9c) and Arsenicum sextillionth part (18c) as curative agents for a fever.

Inception of dynamic and infinitesimal Posology:

In 1813, “Spirit of the New Theory of Healing”, states: “The spiritual power of the medicine attains its purpose not by quantity but by quality (dynamic suitability)”.

Definite statements about the use of small quantities of medicine are to be found in 1814, in the article : “The treatment of Typhus fever” . He used Bry. and Rhus-t. in the 12 C and Hyos in 8C.

In 1816, in “Materia Medica Pura” 2nd volume, he has given instructions for each individual remedy concerning dilution and size of dose. For example, one drop of the original is recommended in the 12th, 18th and 30th dilution; Ign. said to be particularly efficacious in the 9th and 12th potency, Puls. the 12th, with Rhus-t. the 12th or 15th, and with Bry. the 18th potency.

In 1818, in the 4th volume of “Materia Medica Pura” he described 12 medicines and gave exact instructions about the doses. E.g.- Hyos was preferred in the 12th, 15th or 18th dilution; Dig in the 15th; Aur-met is to be used in the 1st and 2nd trituration.

In 1819, the 5th volume of “Materia Medica Pura” states that Thuja is administered in very small doses of the 30C, Spig. and Staph. are recommended in 30C.

Inception of medicated globules:

In 1821, in the 6th volume of the “Materia Medica Pura” There appears the expression “the smallest part of a drop”. Now Hahnemann was starting to adopt the use of globules, whereby the small fraction of a drop could be administered more easily.

Inception of higher potency:

During 1824 to 1827, from the 2nd edition of the “Materia Medica Pura” and Hahnemann’s correspondence, particularly with his friend and colleague Stapf, he gradually increased the dilution of remedies. He recommends Thuja in the 60C for treating gonorrhoea.

1828 : “The Chronic Diseases”. For Sycosis he recommends chiefly Thuja 30C and Nit-ac. 6 C; for Syphilis, Merc. 6 C and for recent itch a globule saturated with Sul Q.

Up to this time Hahnemann had made use of the most varied degrees of dilution, from the original tincture or the viscous juice up to the 30th centesimal dilution. But even then there existed a small body of over-zealous students, anxious to out step the Master in potentising. The 30th potency was by no means high enough for them and so they produced a 90th, a 200th and finally even a 1,500th potency. Among these enthusiasts the principal part was played by Dr. Gross in Jütterbogk, Dr. Schréter in Lemberg and General Korsakoff in Russia.

Inception of optimum potency:

In1829, he felt the necessity of a limit in potentising and declared the ultimate degree of dilution to be the 30th centesimal potency. He wrote a letter to Dr. Schréter of Lemberg stating “I do not approve of your potentising medicines higher than to 36 and 66, there must be a limit to the matter, it cannot go on indefinitely.” In 1829 Hahnemann came upon the strange idea of setting up a kind of standard dose for all curative remedies used in homoeopathy. This was to be the 30C.

Inception of olfaction dose:

From 1829 onwards Hahnemann’s was no content with administering a few globules of the 30C as a dose; he began now to restrict himself to letting the patient smell a single globule the size of a poppy seed of the 30C. This smelling of the medicine is first mentioned by Hahnemann in his preface to Boenninghausen’s “Repertory of the anti-psoric medicines”

Inception of single dose:

In the 1st to 4th editions of Organon of Medicine, he recommended the wait and watch method, which was totally committed to the first dose. If the case comes to a stand-still after some improvement, he recommended not to repeat a 2nd dose of previous medicine but do a fresh case-taking and give a dose of new similar remedy after expiry of duration of the previous one. (201-214)1st , (241-247)4th

Posology is described as the science of dosage. The Hahnemannian concept of homoeopathic posology stands for selection of potency, quantity of dose and repetition of the dose, based on the principles of the single remedy, minimum dose and minimum intervention.

In Hahnemann’s era all physicians were using massive doses as a matter of course, and Hahnemann, being a product of the best training of that day, followed, in his early career, in the footsteps of

his predecessors. Even after Hahnemann began to see the light of the LAW OF CURE he continued to use massive doses, and it is to be remembered that he made cures with massive doses of crude medicine. From that he found that he was obtaining drug effects oftener than he was making a successful cure. When he became convinced of this, he reduced the dose, dividing and again dividing the dose, watching closely the results. He soon found that the smaller the dose, the more beneficent the results. His experiments with reducing the dose did not come until he had discovered the dynamic action of disease; then with his logical mind he correlated his results from the larger doses and brought his ideas of infinitesimal dynamic dosage into correlation with the same concept. For if disease be dynamic in nature, the use of a remedy to cure, or even to reach the disease, must be dynamic, rather than physiological, in form and power.

HISTORY OF EVOLUTION OF HOMOEOPATHIC POSOLOGY:

When a correct remedy has been chosen according to the law of similia, only one half of the difficulty of homoeopathic treatment has been overcome. It is often more difficult to decide what quantity of the suitable remedy will be most adaptable to the sick organism. Hahnemann devoted more than fifty years of his life to the solution of this problem.

Before discovering the law of similia Hahnemann’s medicinal treatment of his patients differed very slightly from that of other physicians. By his university training he was equipped with nothing different from the rest. In the young physician’s publications of the seventies’ and eighties’ his prescriptions correspond in composition, weight and quantities with those of his contemporaries. In the “Directions for the cure of old sores and ulcers” (1784) he still recommends 5-50 grains (.25-2.5 grams) of crude pulverised antimony to be taken daily for the purification of the blood etc. But with his deep insight and warm philanthropic tendencies, the failures of these prescriptions based upon unscientific, casual, and thoughtless imitation must have soon sobered him. So, for many long years he abandoned medical practice.

In 1796, he first made known the principles of homoeopathy in “Essay On A New Principle…”. He frequently recommended the administration of “small doses”, but did not then say what he meant by “small”. From then onwards he selected his remedies from the standpoint of similarity, still administering fairly large doses. In 1797, he prescribed 4 powders of Veratrum album, each containing 4 grains in a “case of rapidly cured colicodynia”.

Inception of the small dose

In 1799, he announced very small infinitesimal doses. Most probably it is to be assumed that the unwelcome homoeopathic aggravations and secondary effects which followed upon the remedies prescribed according to the law of similia induced this keen and careful observer to decrease the doses more and more.

In 1800, he says in the “Treasury of Medicine”: As the physicians of to-day will not consider giving one ten millionth part of a remedy, therefore Arsenic is not a medicine for them.

Inception of serial dilution and drop dose:

In 1801, the first detailed statements about dilution were made in “Cure and Prevention of Scarlet Fever”, where he states, “for internal use I used one drop of the tincture thoroughly mixed with 500 drops of very dilute spirits of wine, and of this mixture I took one drop again carefully mixed with 500 drops of spirits of wine likewise much diluted. Of this diluted tincture of poppy juice (which contains in every drop a five millionth of a grain of poppy juice) one drop for a child of about 4 years and two drops for a child of 10, given internally were more than sufficient to cure the disease. These doses will not have to be repeated before 4-8 hours, sometimes only every 24 hours, and at times only occasionally during the whole fever, according to the more frequent or more seldom occurrence of the (previously mentioned) symptoms.”

In speaking of the prophylactic action of Belladonna, He also gives us very precise directions for a serial dilution that leads to a dilution of 1/24,000,000. In 1805, in “Medicine of Experience” he mentioned the 100th, 1,000th, or 1,000,000th part of a medicinal dose, where he says for curative purposes incredibly small doses are sufficient. “If instead of smaller and smaller doses, increasingly large one were given, then there arise merely medicinal symptoms, a kind of artificial and unnecessary disease.” Hahnemann is still groping and experimenting without making his decision. This is the impression made by the entries in the patients’ registers of these years. But he was standing firmly on the ground of the similarity between disease and remedy, and he only prescribed one medicine at a time.

In 1809, in the “Information concerning the prevailing fever”, he recommends Nux vomica trillionth part (corresponding to 9c) and Arsenicum sextillionth part (18c) as curative agents for a fever.

Inception of dynamic and infinitesimal Posology:

In 1813, “Spirit of the New Theory of Healing”, states: “The spiritual power of the medicine attains its purpose not by quantity but by quality (dynamic suitability)”.

Definite statements about the use of small quantities of medicine are to be found in 1814, in the article : “The treatment of Typhus fever” . He used Bry. and Rhus-t. in the 12 C and Hyos in 8C.

In 1816, in “Materia Medica Pura” 2nd volume, he has given instructions for each individual remedy concerning dilution and size of dose. For example, one drop of the original is recommended in the 12th, 18th and 30th dilution; Ignatia is said to be particularly efficacious in the 9th and 12th potency, Puls. the 12th, with Rhus-t. the 12th or 15th and with Bry. the 18th potency.

In 1818, in the 4th volume of “Materia Medica Pura” he described 12 medicines and gave exact instructions about the doses. E.g.- Hyos was preferred in the 12th, 15th or 18th dilution; Dig in the 15th h; Aur-met is to be used in the 1st and 2nd trituration.

In 1819, the 5th volume of “Materia Medica Pura” states that Thuja is administered in very small doses of the 30C, Spig and Staph are recommended in 30C.

Inception of medicated globules:

In 1821, in the 6th volume of the “Materia Medica Pura” There appears the expression “the smallest part of a drop”. Now Hahnemann was starting to adopt the use of globules, whereby the small fraction of a drop could be administered more easily.

Inception of higher potency:

During 1824 to 1827, from the 2nd edition of the “Materia Medica Pura” and Hahnemann’s correspondence, particularly with his friend and colleague Stapf, he gradually increased the dilution of remedies. He recommends Thuja in the 60C for treating gonorrhoea.

1828 : “The Chronic Diseases”. For Sycosis he recommends chiefly Thuja 30C and Nitac. 6 C; for Syphilis, Merc sol 6 C and for recent itch a globule saturated with Sul Q.

Up to this time Hahnemann had made use of the most varied degrees of dilution, from the original tincture or the viscous juice up to the 30th centesimal dilution. But even then there existed a small body of over-zealous students, anxious to out step the Master in potentising. The 30th potency was by no means high enough for them and so they produced a 90th, a 200th and finally even a 1,500th potency. Among these enthusiasts the principal part was played by Dr. Gross in Jütterbogk, Dr. Schréter in Lemberg and General Korsakoff in Russia.

Inception of optimum potency:

In1829, he felt the necessity of a limit in potentising and declared the ultimate degree of dilution to be the 30th centesimal potency. He wrote a letter to Dr. Schréter of Lemberg stating “I do not approve of your potentising medicines higher than to 36 and 66, there must be a limit to the matter, it cannot go on indefinitely.” In 1829 Hahnemann came upon the strange idea of setting up a kind of standard dose for all curative remedies used in homoeopathy. This was to be the 30C.

Inception of olfaction dose:

From 1829 onwards Hahnemann’s was no content with administering a few globules of the 30C as a dose; he began now to restrict himself to letting the patient smell a single globule the size of a poppy seed of the 30C. This smelling of the medicine is first mentioned by Hahnemann in his preface to Boenninghausen’s “Repertory of the anti-psoric medicines”

Inception of single dose:

In the 1st to 4th editions of Organon of Medicine, he recommended the wait and watch method, which was totally committed to the first dose. If the case comes to a stand-still after some improvement, he recommended not to repeat a 2nd dose of previous medicine but do a fresh case-taking and give a dose of new similar remedy after expiry of duration of the previous one. (201-214)1st, (241-247)4th

(iii). Olfaction dose: If medicine is to be administered by olfaction then it should be dispensed as follows:

Take 1 globule of desired potency and dissolve it in 1 dram dilute alcohol- it may be used with 8 to 10 succussions each time before inspiring every 1, 3, or 4 days. (248) 6th

Conclusion

On the basis of this study of posology we may conclude that it is necessary that homoeopath do comparative study of all the writings, of every Edition of Organon of Medicine and Chronic disease written by Dr. Hahnemann to grasp the exact concept of Hahnemannian Posology.

 

[Dr Varsharani Jadhav (Satara)]

Sir, what is plus potency? And how is it prepared?

Plus potency and its preparation is clearly outlined in the 5th and 6th editions of the organon. Dr Elizabeth Wright: Plussing means dissolving the dose of the remedy in 1/3 glass of water.

Take 2 spoonfuls of the same and throw away the rest. Now add water up to the original quantity, stirring and succussing and again taking 2 spoonfuls as the second dose and so on. This raises the potency slightly between each of the doses, and gives a wider range of action. Such one or several teaspoonful doses are given daily or every second day in chronic diseases. Whereas in acute cases, it can be repeated every 2-6 hrs and in urgent cases every hour or as and when required. It is particularly indicated in stubborn and refractory cases.

[Dr Varsharani Jadhav (Satara)Megan Jones]

Plussed potency: Remedies given in water when frequent repetition is required (Vithoulkas, 2004 pg 263). It is based on the ability of potentized water to transmit its potency to unmedicated water (Gray, 2000 pg 160)

[Elaine Lewis]

Prescribing for Hypersensitives, Avoiding Antidotes & Hering’s Law

Hello Elaine.

I wanted to thank you so much for suggesting the book Hahnemann Revisited by Dr. Luc DeSchepper.

As you said, it is easy to read and understand.

            Yes, it truly is!

I really enjoyed reading it, rereading some chapters, even though not done with the whole book yet. I also reread some of your articles, maybe because there are quite a few new things for me to learn, I think I got a little bit lost and confused. So I wanted to ask you a few questions if I may.

You are saying that the case can’t be moved forward with dry pellets for chronic cases (except for the first dose) and dry pellets should not be repeated in order to avoid an accidental antidote, proving or aggravation, especially for hypersensitive people, if I understand correctly.

Yes. It was actually Hahnemann who said that. The first dose can be dry, but subsequent doses should be in water with roughly 5 succussions before each dose. Or, if the remedy is in a cup, stir the remedy before each dose.  But don’t use the good silverware. Use a straw or a plastic spoon. And use a paper or plastic cup, not the good glasses that the whole family uses.

Dr. Luc writes (in Potencies) that hypersensitive chronic cases may tolerate 1 pellet of dry 6c potency better and may use one pellet dry daily for some time.

Dr. Luc says that 6C dry is a lower potency than 6C in water, and since hypersensitives can sometimes only tolerate the lowest potencies, therefore they can only take the dry dose. But, that means you can only repeat the remedy when the case starts to relapse! Otherwise, you risk that this person will aggravate. What I, personally, would do, and have done, is put one pellet of the 6C into a large bottle of spring water, and give the following directions: “Take one small sip and wait.” Often, that’s all they need, because of how sensitive they are. Hypersensitive patients are a real challenge! They can become very sick from all medicines, including homeopathy. If they tell you they’re allergic to numerous things, you have to assume they’re hypersensitive.

I didn’t find where he would write when to start trying 6C in water. He says 6C in water in chronic cases can be too strong for hypersensitives.

            Yes, exactly, but maybe he didn’t think of using a very large bottle of water.

Does he talk about 4oz of water?

            Yes, for the average person, he says 4 oz. is fine.

Will it be the same strength if diluted in 8 or a 16 oz. bottle?

No, the more water you use, the less likely a person is to aggravate.

Will taking tsp. vs drops make a difference?

Yes, for sensitive people, you may have to say “One drop, or as close to a drop as you can make it.” Some people have REALLY, somehow, deranged their immune systems and consequently

over-react to everything! I don’t know how it happens!  Maybe it’s repeated rounds of antibiotics, flu shots, processed food; I don’t know, but, I’ve seen some horrible cases where people

are hyper-reacting to everything–odors, foods, fragrances and of course, remedies! Normally, I just say to a person, “One pellet in a small half-filled bottle of spring water, one sip and wait 24

hours, see what happens, let me know.” This way you find out how sensitive a person is. Luckily, most aren’t so hypersensitive; but, far too many are.

I tried one 6c pellet in 4oz of water, 1 tsp. and got an immediate aggravation

            If it’s still present, do the aggravation zapper.

The Aggravation Zapper

(Seems like old symptoms). After trying one 6c dry, I fell asleep deep, good sign I thought.

It IS a good sign! And that should have been your cue to stop dosing! Let me repeat that for our audience: People, when you take a remedy and fall into a deep sleep, that’s it, you’re done! No more dosing for you, unless you relapse, then repeat. Repeating too soon can cause an unintended antidote!

Next day, at one point, I started to feel, by some symptoms, that I needed to redose (took one 6c dry). It didn’t work well; again, kind of strong aggravations.

See, and I say this to everyone, this is why you should not be treating yourself for a chronic case, because you are not trained to know what to look for. Let me explain it this way. You are a pinball machine (yes, you are!), and the remedy is the ball. It starts at the top (think of the top as your head–the mentals/emotionals.) The mentals always improve first and you feel much more normal; but, meanwhile, the “ball” (remedy) is bouncing off of one thing and another on its way down. (“Healing takes place from above, downward”–Hering.) So, instead of your whole body just suddenly getting better all at once, it gets better “here” and worse “there”; better here, worse there. It can make you think, “Oh no, I’m getting worse! I have a lumbar pain now! I better repeat the remedy!” No, no, not as long as you’ve improved mentally and emotionally! That should be all that’s guiding you! But of course, your average person doesn’t know that and here is where he ruins his case by either repeating the remedy too soon–which causes an antidote; or, starting a new remedy when he had the right one all along!

Here’s what happened to you, try and follow along: First dose (6C in water): aggravation. Second dose: 6C dry antidoted the aggravation of the 1st dose! 3rd dose (6C dry): you antidoted your remedy! Don’t repeat while a remedy is working! Also, you said, “I started to feel by some symptoms that I needed to redose.” See, this is where you need a professional to guide you. There are frequently symptoms after a remedy as I explained above, and how do you evaluate them is the question! What do these symptoms mean– a relapse? Return of old symptoms? Aggravation? “Exteriorization”? Remedy proving? And after you determine what the symptoms mean, you have to determine what the appropriate action is to take. If it’s “exteriorization” (“center to the periphery”), you do nothing! In fact, you may feel better because of it, like the child with a Belladonna fever who’s given Belladonna, he throws up (“exteriorization”), and then he’s fine and goes right to sleep! That’s a curative response, it means we do nothing! We do not need to find a remedy for “vomiting”, and we do not need to look for a way to antidote Belladonna! That was Hering’s Law, it’s just what we want to see!

So, you have to know how to evaluate the symptoms that crop up after taking a remedy. Sometimes these symptoms can be a good sign, sometimes they’re a bad sign and action is needed. Generally it’s bad if no amelioration took place at the mental/ emotional level; so, you might be considering the “Aggravation Zapper” if something like that took place.

I decided to wait at least a few days and not take it but managed to go without only one day. I took another dry at night and got some aggravations but then fell asleep deep for several hours and felt not bad next day. Now I feel I would like to redose.

            Why? You got a curative response, that means no more dosing.

Did I antidote the remedy with second dry dose?

            Yes, that’s what you did. You should not keep trying to manage your case on your own, for obvious reasons.

Tips from Dr. Luc:

Dr. Luc wrote a book called The People’s Repertory. In it he has a set of questions and answers which may help our readers in general, here are just a few of them:

What’s the best way to take the remedies?

            Take the remedies in water. … Take one pellet and dissolve it in 4 ounces of water. … When you are completely well, stop the remedy.

Why doesn’t the label say to dissolve the remedy in water?

Maybe because they can sell more tubes this way! Or maybe they just don’t know. Hahnemann…developed this method at the very end of his life. The manuscript in which he described it

was lost for nearly 100 years. Even now it is not well know. The people who manufacture homeopathic remedies may never have read it.

Are there any situations when it’s better to take the remedy dry?

Preventively, the remedies should always be taken dry. People who are sensitive to remedies should only take one pellet. In acute situations, use a remedy dry only if it’s impractical to take it in water. Here’s another secret: if you are going to be out all day, put the remedy in a small bottle and take it with you. Then each time you take the remedy, you can succuss it (give it a hard thwack….). This gradually increases the potency of the remedy and it will work even better this way.

How many pellets for a 16 oz. bottle of spring water?

            Just one. You don’t need 4 just because it’s four times as much water. … It’s a little more dilute this way but succussing it will keep increasing the potency….

Some people say you have to go through an aggravation to be cured…would you agree with that?

            Not at all! Hahnemann developed the water method to save people from the discomfort of aggravations. A similar aggravation always means that you took a little more than you really

            needed. So you wait until the effect wears off and then take a little less or take the dose less frequently.

Thank you. And if I dare, I would like to ask you a few more questions.

            There goes my snack!

Is it possible to cure a not so chronic (I mean not badly screwed up case) with one or two doses 30c 3 pellets dry for good? Or it may be just helped but not cured? And if those doses would hold for a month or more and then the symptoms come back again, is it still ok to use dry 30c or this time in water, and if in water, would it be same 3 pellets or one is enough?

            You’re asking the wrong question. “Potencies” don’t cure. The right remedy cures. Potency is selected based on the intensity of the complaint and the sensitivity of the patient. Repetition is

            based on how well the patient did after the first dose. You can never know in advance what your dosing schedule will be. Common sense approaches to potency would be as follows:

In chronic cases– start with a 6C because you don’t know how sensitive your patient is. You might assume you’re going to give 6C in water three times a day with 5 succussions before each dose; but, what happens after the first dose may change all of that! An aggravation will certainly make you rethink everything! Over 50% improvement after just one dose will make you want to stop and wait and watch and see how long this improvement lasts. When it finally starts to wear off, you will succuss your Remedy Solution Bottle a few times and dose again. Those are the two extremes: aggravation, meaning “stop”, and striking improvement, meaning “stop”.

            In between those two extremes, you may find yourself starting with 6C 3x daily, perhaps raising the potency to 7C or 9C if the results seem slow and plodding; you’re constantly re-thinking

            your dosing schedule, re-evaluating your potency based on how the case is moving. It’s just like riding your bike–you would never say in advance of leaving your house, “I will be pedaling at

            a speed of 15 mph until I reach the corner, at which time I will be getting up to 20 mph until I reach the intersection, at which point I will increase my speed to 30 miles per hour ….” Really?

            How can you know all these things in advance? What if there’s traffic? The truth is, you’re going to be rethinking your speed at all times based the feedback you’re getting from the ride. 

            Isn’t that right? So it is with case-management. No one starts a case saying, “I’m going to cure this case with 2 doses of 30C.” That’s like saying, “I’m going to get home going 50 MPH.”

            How do you know? No one knows these things! But you would be surprised how many homeopaths actually prescribe this way! They have it all figured out! “Thuja 30C 1x daily for 3

            weeks, followed by Lyssin 200C once a day….” And then, of course, yes! Very unsatisfactory results for the patient!

            In acute cases–A sensible place to start in an average acute is 30C. Wait roughly an hour. If nothing happens at all, succuss your bottle and give another dose. Wait an hour. If no results at

            all, you might want to try a different remedy. However, in a case with a lot of suffering that just came on, like from eating bad food, if you haven’t seen a response from the 30C in half an

            hour or less, I would try the 200C if you were confident in your remedy choice. And if that brings about no response within half an hour, I would try another remedy. I have written an article

            called “Dosing in Acute Cases” which should help you:

Dosing In Acute Cases: How Often to Take the Remedy and in What Potency?

Regarding the number of pellets you use. This only matters in hypersensitive patients. If you’re worried about your patient aggravating, use only one pellet and start with a lower potency than

what you might ordinarily use.

In badly screwed up hypersensitive cases (like mine) , if not using LM potencies and staying with C’s , would it always be 6c’s in water with succussions or at some point 30c +/o. higher dry and in water will be needed. And could 6c only in water cure the case (if it’s curable)?

            Actually, in badly screwed up hypersensitive cases, starting with LM1 might be too high a potency. I would start with 1 pellet of 6C in a large bottle of spring water, a dose being a very small

            sip, possibly even a drop. If I had to dose again, I would succuss the bottle lightly two times. And don’t ask if a 6C can cure the case, it’s like asking, “Can I get home going 6 mph?” I don’t

            know! You decide these things as you go; you have to adapt to conditions! If traffic is very slow, you may well wind up going 6 mph the whole way home, but you can never know these

            things in advance.

 

Hi Elaine,

just to keep you posted. I have decided to go for Nux Vomica 6c, as you proposed. I have taken the first dose a few moments ago. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

            OK, good luck!

I am not ready for Carcinosin, I don’t like the idea of taking a remedy made from a cancerous discharge.

But you just took Nux vomica which is Latin for “poison nut”! The bottom line is that there is nothing left of the original substance in a homeopathic remedy. Almost all of our remedies are made from poisons: snake venom, bee venom, arsenic, aconite… and the reason for this is because of our law: “What causes can cure.” So, if a substance can’t cause anything, it most likely can’t cure anything either, making the most valuable remedy in our Materia Medica the “worst” remedy in the world!

A remedy like rattle snake venom (Crotalus horridus) can cure ebola, one of the worst diseases there is. I can tell you that there is no homeopath in the world who has an aversion to remedies based on what they’re made from; but commonly, patients do; and this is why so many homeopaths won’t tell their patients what they’re getting! And this makes it very hard for the next homeopath who gets the patient to keep the case moving; for example, I will often get a patient who will say, “I have this problem, my previous homeopath cured it but now it’s back.” and

I of course say, “What remedy did he give you?” and they inevitably say, “He didn’t tell me.” This drives me crazy! But can you blame them if patients are going to refuse to take remedies based on prejudice?

            So I think both sides are going to have to give a little on this issue and make the effort to come to the center.

            The homeopath will have to take the time to explain to the patient that there is nothing left of the original substance in a homeopathic remedy other than a vibration and the patient will have to

            be willing to trust the practitioner on this.

            When I think of remedies, I don’t think of what they were made from, I think of the people or personalities they have come to represent! For example, do you know who’s a Carcinosin?

Jerry Seinfeld! He’s a comedian who had his own show called “Seinfeld” for 9 years, here he is now:

            One feature of Carcinosin, according to Philip Bailey (author of Homeopathic Psychology) is that the eyes are relatively set close together. Take a look at Jerry’s eyes! Also they have an

            artistic, aesthetic sensibility, their outfits match, they dress in good taste, their apartments are harmoniously and tastefully decorated; they are very responsible people, very neat and very

            concerned with cleanliness and hygiene, which was a running theme on “Seinfeld”, that he couldn’t tolerate germs and messes, and the other aspect of Carcinosin he exemplified was that he

            couldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings and he couldn’t say “No!” He wanted to change barbers once but was afraid of hurting his barber’s feelings; so, he had to see his new barber in secret.

            So, when you think of Carcinosin, you can choose to think of tumors, or you can think of Jerry Seinfeld! That’s what I do! What if you lose or spill your remedy bottle?

 

Hello Elaine.

In your articles when you talk about dosing you say to always succuss 5 times before each dose. Is there any explanation for this number? Dr. Luc in his book mentions 2-8 succussions.

            Right, and 5 is right in the middle of that, right?

I understand that sensitive people would need to succuss less. How far would one go with succussions with non sensitive patient?

            A non-sensitive patient might need 10 or 12 succussions before each dose.

Also you say one sip from the bottle and video shows after succussions to put one teaspoon in a glass of water and take one teaspoon from there. Is it necessary to do that?

            The video does show that the person is succussing the bottle, taking a teaspoon from the bottle, adding it to one glass of water, stirring, then adding a teaspoon from glass-1 to glass-2 and

            stirring and taking a teaspoon dose from glass-2. It is only necessary to do this if your patient is sensitive; but, I have eliminated teaspoons and glasses altogether. Why? Because nobody

            travels around with teaspoons and glasses!

I might tell someone, “Put one pellet of your remedy in a small spring water bottle, shake it up, and take one sip from the 3rd cup.” Now, what does that mean? It means a drop from the spring water remedy bottle goes into a disposable cup of water, the cold water faucet is turned on, and the cup is dumped and refilled 3 times and a sip is then taken–from the third cup. That’s for sensitive people. If it works, I say, “Make a new remedy bottle out of the 3rd cup.” And how do you do that? Drop a drop of the third cup into a half-filled bottle of spring water and lable it: “Thuja 30C, 3rd cup”. Then each time they take it, they succuss the bottle 2 times and take a sip. Two times because of how sensitive they are.

You also mention that if someone is on a certain remedy for a treatment of a chronic condition and gets something acute, acute symptoms should be treated first and then go back to other remedy. My question is, wouldn’t the remedy we took for acute symptoms (can be 30C, 200C, 1m potency) still be in the body working and preventing the chronic remedy (that we went back to) from working since this remedy will be in lower potency (as you said should be for chronic conditions)?

No because the illness eats up the acute remedy. After you take it, if your chronic condition is still there, no better than before, then you can go back to your chronic dosing schedule. What I’ve seen a number of times, for some crazy reason, is that after you give a remedy for an acute disease or injury, the chronic case actually improves, crazy as it sounds! Unfortunately, I haven’t seen it last, and eventually the chronic symptoms come back. Then you have to go back to your chronic remedy again.

You said that when we’re almost done with RSB (remedy solution bottle, or spring water bottle) not to add any more pellets, just fill it back up with water.

            That’s right.

And succuss the bottle 40 times.

            Assuming you want the potency to go up to the next level.

What if the RSB, not yet finished, got spilled or lost?

If you spilled your bottle, just refill the bottle with water and the remedy is back, that’s all you have to do, even if there is “nothing” left, just refill it! If you lost your remedy solution bottle, you have to start all over again with a new pellet and new bottle of water. BUT, you also would have to add all the succussions back to it that were in the old bottle! Let’s say you lost it after two days and you had taken 3 doses a day with 5 succussions before each dose. How many succussions were in that bottle? 30! You’d have to succuss your new bottle 30 times to get back to where you were!

But, you can see how this can get ridiculous if you had your remedy bottle for two weeks! So that being the case, I would simply raise the potency of the new bottle. If it were a 6C, I would raise

it to 9C by plussing the bottle or I would buy the 9C at the health food store or even the 12C or 30X if they didn’t have the 9C. Plussing instructions are here:

 

It’s not good to take dry same potency or to make a new bottle with the same potency?

You can make a new bottle of the exact same potency for the following reasons:

1) you spilled the old bottle (just fill it back up to where it was before you spilled it)

2) you think your remedy bottle is getting germy and old (just pour a drop from the old bottle into a new half-filled bottle and shake it up)

3) your bottle’s almost empty but you want to stay at the same potency because you’re doing so well on it. Just add more water. But now that you have your new RSB (remedy solution bottle) always remember to succuss it a few times before each dose.

If someone had some event like surgery, MRI, X-Ray, do these procedures antidote the remedy someone is on?

            Maybe, and heaven knows, surgery requires a whole set of remedies be given after it! See my article on homeopathy after surgery:

But I wouldn’t assume that just because I had a dental X-ray that my remedy had been antidoted; but, basically, you know your remedy has been antidoted if it stops working and your complaint comes back, that’s how you know, it’s not a great mystery.

You also mention that disposable cups/spoons should be used for homeopathic remedies.

            Absolutely! Don’t use the good glassware and silverware.

I was thinking In Hahnemann’s times they didn’t have disposable things. Is there a proven or new information/study that supports it. Obviously, not all homeopath doctors heard of it.

If the remedy didn’t stick to things, it wouldn’t stick to the blank sugar pellets it’s dropped on! But here’s a story, a really sad story, a person from the hpathy discussion board was proving Nitric acid, it took her a long time to figure out that that’s what was wrong with her! So, she was using her REAL glasses to put the remedy in! So she emptied the glass down the drain, thinking that would be the end of it, and then proceeded to wash the glass with dishwashing liquid and water, all she did was wash the glass in the sink, and in doing so, she got another dose of the remedy and started proving it all over again! Why? Because when the glass was refilled with water, it became Nitric acid all over again! So, this is no joke, about using only disposable items when working with remedies.

Is there any easy to understand Repertory that you would recommend to have.

            Yes, Robin Murphy’s Repertory is the only one that’s alphabetical. There is no mystery about how to find things, plus, he’s added new chapters, like “Food”, “Time”, “Taste” and

“Pregnancy”, making it really easy to find what you’re looking for. I should say “easier” because there are still many things that are difficult to find, like, how do you find the common cold in the Repertory? It’s under “Nose: coryza”. I know, crazy! But, by and large, I think Robin’s goal was to make a repertory that was self-explanatory.

Or is there any other books on homeopathy you can recommend?

You’ll need at least one acute prescribing book, like Alan Schmukler’s: Homeopathy: an A-Z Home Handbook and you’ll need Dr. Luc De Schepper’s Hahnemann Revisited and to learn how

to solve acute cases, you’ll need Jonathan Breslow’s Homeopathic Medicine In The Home.

 

 

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