§ 149 Fifth Edition
When the suitable homœopathic remedy has been thus selected and
rightly employed, the acute disease we wish to cure, even though it be of a grave
character and attended by many sufferings subsides insensibly, in a few hours if it be of
recent date, in a few days if it be of a somewhat longer standing, along with all traces
of indisposition, and nothing or almost nothing more of the artificial medicinal disease
is perceived; there occurs, by rapid, imperceptible transitions, noting but restored
health, recovery. Disease of long standing (and especially such as are of a complicated
character) require for their cure a proportionately longer time. More especially do the
chronic medicinal dyscrasia so often produced by allopathic bungling, along with the
natural disease left uncured by it, require a much longer time for their recovery; often,
indeed, are they incurable, in consequence of the shameful robbery of the patient’s
strength and juices, the principal feat performed by allopathy in its so-called methods of
treatment.
§ 149 Sixth Edition
Diseases of long standing (and especially such as are of a complicated
character) require for their cure a proportionately longer time. More especially do the
chronic medicinal dyscrasia so often produced by allopathic bungling along with the
natural disease left uncured by it, require a much longer time for their recovery; often,
indeed, are they incurable, in consequence of the shameful robbery of the patient’s
strength and juices (venesections, purgatives, etc.), on account of long continued use of
large doses of violently acting remedies given on the basis of empty, false theories for
alleged usefulness in cases of disease appearing similar, also in prescribing unsuitable
mineral baths, etc., the principal feat performed by allopathy in its so-called methods of
treatment.
If a patient complain of one or more trivial symptoms, that have been
only observed a short time previously, the physician should not regard this as a fully
developed disease but requires serious medical aid. A slight alteration in the diet and
regimen will usually suffice to dispel such an indisposition.
But if the patient complain of a few violent sufferings, the physician
will usually find, on investigation, several other symptoms besides, although of a
slighter character, which furnish a complete picture of the disease.
The worse of the acute disease is, of so much the more numerous and
striking symptoms is it generally composed, but with so much the more certainly may a
suitable remedy for it be found, if there be a sufficient number of medicines known, with
respect to their positive action, to choose from. Among the lists of symptoms of many
medicines it will not be difficult to find one from whose separate disease elements an
antitype of curative artificial disease, very like the totality of the symptoms of the
natural disease, may be constructed, and such a medicine is the desired remedy.
In this search for a homœopathic specific remedy, that is to say, in this comparison of the collective symptoms of the natural disease with the list of symptoms of known medicines, in order to find among these an artificial morbific agent corresponding by similarity to the disease to be cured, the more striking, singular, uncommon and peculiar (characteristic) signs and symptoms
1 of the case of disease are chiefly and most solely to be kept in view; for it is more particularly these that very similar ones in the list of symptoms of the selected medicine must correspond to, in order to constitute it the most suitable for effecting the cure. The more general and undefined symptoms: loss of appetite, headache, debility, restless sleep, discomfort, and so forth, demand but little attention when of that vague and indefinite character, if they cannot be more accurately described, as symptoms of such a general nature are observed in almost every disease and from almost every drug.1 Dr.
von Bonninghausen, who has already distinguished himself by his labours in connection with
the new system of medicine, has lately increased our obligation to him by the publication
of his important little book setting forth the characteristic symptoms, more particularly
of the antipsoric medicines, entitled Uebersicht der Hauptwirkungs-Sphure der antips.
Arz., Munster, bei Coppenrath, 1883, and the appendix thereto (containing the
antisyphilitic and the antisycotic medicines) at the end of the second edition of his
Systematisch-alphabetisches Repertorium der antipsorischen Arzneien, bei Coppenrath in
Munster.
§ 153 Sixth Edition
In this search for a homœopathic specific remedy, that is to say, in this comparison of the collective symptoms of the natural disease with the list of symptoms of known medicines, in order to find among these an artificial morbific agent corresponding by similarity to the disease to be cured, the more striking, singular, uncommon and peculiar (characteristic) signs and symptoms1 of the case of disease are chiefly and most solely to be kept in view; for it is more particularly these that very similar ones in the list of symptoms of the selected medicine must correspond to, in order to constitute it the most suitable for effecting the cure. The more general and undefined symptoms: loss of appetite, headache, debility, restless sleep, discomfort, and so forth, demand but little attention when of that vague and indefinite character, if they cannot be more accurately described, as symptoms of such a general nature are observed in almost every disease and from almost every drug.
1 Dr.
von Bonninghausen, by the publication of the characteristic symptoms of homœopathic
medicines and his repertory has rendered a great service to homœopathy as well as Dr.
J.H.G. Jahr in his handbook of principal symptoms.
If the antitype constructed from the list of symptoms of the most suitable medicine contain those peculiar, uncommon, singular and distinguishing (characteristic) symptoms, which are to be met with in the disease to be cured in the greatest number and in the greatest similarity, this medicine is the most appropriate homœopathic specific remedy for this morbid state; the disease, if it be not one of very long standing, will generally be removed and extinguished by the first dose of it, without any considerable disturbance.