Homeopathy Book Reviews

Text Book of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, by George Royal, MD (1853-1931)

Book Reviews
Written by Hpathy.com

Dr. George Royal’s Text Book of Homoeopathic Materia Medica is reviewed in The Homoeopathic Recorder.

From: The Homoeopathic Recorder  -Vol  XXXVI – 1921 –  R.F. Rabe MD Editor

Dr. George Royal was Professor of Homoeopathic Materia Medica and Therapeutics of the State University of Iowa, senior, ex-president, chairman of the Council of Medical Education of the American Institute of Homoeopathy.

Published by Boericke and Tafel, 1920.

391 pages

Available on Amazon.com    $ 28.95

https://www.amazon.com/Text-Book-Homeopathic-Materia-Medica-George/dp/B00A2WNQ1G/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491418194&sr=1-2&keywords=Text-book+Homeopathic+Materia+Medica       

The subject of materia medica is always a difficult one for students, since no matter how presented or taught, much of the knowledge to be gained is a matter of mere memory. Pathology explains a great deal relative to the action of our remedies, the whys and wherefores as it were, of their pathogeneses. Given an elective affinity for a certain tissue and a definite action upon this tissue, it is fairly easy to determine the logical sequence of events. But no one has explained why Lycopodium, for example, should have a four to eight p.m. aggravation, or why Calcarea carbonica fears that insanity is impending and that this is observed by others. Such symptoms are a question of memory, yet any plan or way of presenting materia medica which will simplify the retention of this vast subject by the student and physician, is to be warmly commended and welcomed.

As an enthusiastic teacher of many years’ experience, Dr. Royal  has evolved his own method of teaching homoeopathic materia  medica, one, be it said, which presents certain distinct advantages over ordinary methods of teaching this subject. He emphasizes the makeup of the patient as it relates to the remedy and lays stress  upon localization, modalities and the uncommon, peculiar, characteristic symptoms or leaders. In short, he does what every homoeopathic prescriber strives to do, — individualize both patient and remedy. Homoeopathy is after all, in great part an art, which has to do with individualization — homoeopathy treats patients, not  diseases.

Materia medica may be studied from various angles, all important and appealing to different students, in different ways. To the student it is wise to have the subject presented from as many angles as  possible and Dr. Royal’s method is one of these angles. As we are all students, or should be, of materia medica, throughout our professional lives, Dr. Royal’s book is bound to be of much value to us and will, therefore take its place in the library of every homoeopath.  An index of remedies is a handy feature of the work, as the remedies are not arranged in alphabetical order. A clinical or therapeutic index and repertory is added and has some value in a suggestive way. It cannot, however be used for the purpose of repertory analysis and is not so intended.

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