Remedies for Healing XIV
Selection of Potency to be used is dependent on one’s own experience. There are differences amongst various homoeopaths when it comes to deciding on “what potency”. While some say that administration of a medicine should start with 30th potency; others say 200th or 1000th (1M) as a good start point. Some boast that they don’t prescribe anything less than 10M. These statements appear to have no scientific basis.
Master E.K. in his book “Organon” detailed extensively about the Potency to be used, in 246th aphorism. It is a general practice in chronic diseases to start with 30th potency and increase the potency when the power of the medicine wanes. This method helps in curing the disease. Repetition of same potency should be avoided. Otherwise not only the case gets complicated but also the symptoms will get mixed up. The reason being – after the first dose some symptoms would have been left out or a different set of symptoms would have sprung up. The physician should take the latest totality of symptoms every time and then proceed for a curative course. Prescribing the same potency without ascertaining the totality is incorrect.
Administering medicines based on fixed notions that a certain medicine would act for 10 or 15 or 30 days is also not correct. The ‘duration of action’ of a medicine is not constant. It depends on the strength of the vital force and progress of the disease. There are instances where a 30th potency had acted for a very long duration. So the potency to be administered depends on the merits of each case. Hence the physician, by his experience, should observe the strength of patient’s vital force and prescribe the potency apt to the totality of symptoms.
In chronic diseases when mental symptoms are conspicuous, higher potencies can be prescribed. Later, when the symptoms reappear, the potency should be increased progressively but same potency should not be repeated many a time. In acute diseases, lower potencies can be repeated. Similarly, in case of external injuries or wounds lower potencies can be repeated frequently.
Most importantly, potency should always be just enough to bring up the curative power of the vital force. For those whose vital force is weak or old age has set in, lower potencies are best. For middle-aged, since the vital force will be stronger higher potencies can be prescribed if necessary. New patients may be given lower potencies in the beginning until their vital and mental strengths are properly understood.
When the potency is lower than required, the intensity of the disease / symptoms may increase. In such situations if the totality of symptoms doesn’t change then the same medicine of higher potency should be given. The intensity of the disease / symptoms may increase even if the potency is higher than required. In this case, if the medicine given is a match with the totality of symptoms, allowing the medicine already administered a little more time will get the symptoms cured. Patient’s vital force should always be observed and kept in mind.
Medicines from poisonous substances like Lachesis, Crotalus, Naja should not be used in smaller potencies like mother tincture or 3x since, they are closer to their crude form. They might prove dangerous.
One should corroborate the curative process by observing the gestures and mental state of the patient.
As an aid for the user to understand more on this subject, experiences of some of the renowned homoeopaths regarding potency are presented below in their own words –
“Right remedy will act in almost any strength or potency but that the wrong remedy will be impossible whatever strength is selected.” [DR HAHNEMANN]
“Let me impress upon that ‘high potencies’ are not for lay people to play with. A knowledge of metaphysics, mental philosophy and logic, is necessary before one can hope even humbly to understand their action from a distance. I have been horrified at some people who after reading a book or two on Materia Medica, while they are still in a state of mental indigestion, start to throw their weight on friends and acquaintances with repeated dose of high potencies, frequently changing the remedies every few days: in their foolish ignorance and vain glory they do more harm to the cause of homoeopathy than if they kept to the ordinary run of house-hold remedies.” [Dr. Dorothy Shepherd, M.D.]
“The physician who knows how to use the various potencies has ten times the advantage of the one that always uses one potency, no matter what that potency is”. [Dr. Kent, M.D.]
“Every homoeopathic physician who is able to select the right medicine and who avoids the great fault of precipitation which is always injurious, will soon perceive that the high dynamization when given at long intervals and without repetition, are generally preferable to large doses which are repeated or changed too frequently.” [Dr. Boenninghausen]
“The lower potencies have been most successful in the treatment of asthma. The high potencies have not failed. But in all the literature I have been able to see the low potencies have seemed to be successful. Whether this is true or not, I do not know. I only give you facts that you may judge for yourself.” [Dr. Farrington]
to be continued…
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