Homeopathy Book Reviews

The Essence of Materia Medica

The Essence of Materia Medica

Author: George Vithoulkas

Publisher: B. Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd. (India)

Reviewed By: Dr. Medini Daterao & Dr. Manish Bhatia

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We all know that human organism works as an integrated totality, whether performing its normal functions or defending itself from morbific stimuli. As a doctor our duty is to stimulate/strengthen that mechanism by prescribing a correct similimum in case of deviation from any normal state. Simillimum is the medicine which matches with the resonant frequency of an individual. To find the simillimum it is necessary to acquire the totality of symptoms by collecting the most intimate and meaningful expressions of the patient’s life on all the three levels (mental,emotional,physical). It is necessary to elicit the core of the patient with those expressions and then match it with the essence of materia medica.

In the The Essence of Materia Medica, George Vithoulkas has painted the essence/core/nucleus of 51 remedies. While reading every remedy, a clear portrait of the patient with minute details comes out in front of you. George Vithoulkas has given a description of the type of person most commonly affected by a remedy at the start of most remedy portraits, for e.g. the Kali carb patient with a strong sense of duty heightened to an inflexible, rigid degree. In every medicine Vithoulkas has described a common thread/theme going at all three levels of the patient, for e.g. in Alumina, the theme of delayed action and slowness is visible at all the three levels.

Many medicines are compared with other closely related medicines having similar symptoms. The comparison of the essence of various related medicines helps a lot in choosing a remedy.

This book is reflective of the vast clinical experience and knowledge of Vithoulkas. With this book, Vithoulkas has carried the efforts of Kent in creating the remedy portraits to the next level. Vithoulkas has himself acknowledged that he has drawn a lot from the Kent’s Materia Medica and Repertory. Vithoulkas has been able to show the development of remedy pictures in a very evolutionary manner, which helps in creating a better understanding of the medicines presented in this work. The book is well compiled and the presentation of the material is very lucid and systematic.

George Vithoulkas and his work needs no introduction or recommendation. Yet, this is a book which I would like to recommend to every homeopath.

About the author

Dr. Manish Bhatia

- BHMS, BCA, M.Sc Homeopathy (UK), CICH (Greece), MD (Hom)
- Associate Professor, Organon & Homeopathic Philosophy, SKH Medical College, Jaipur
- Founder Director of Hpathy.com
- Editor, Homeopathy for Everyone
- Co-author - Homeopathy and Mental Health Care: Integrative Practice, Principles and Research
- Author - Lectures on Organon of Medicine vol 1, 2, 3. CCH Approved. (English, German, Bulgarian)
- Awardee - Raja Pajwan Dev Award for Excellence in the Field of Medicine; APJ Abdul Kalam Award for Excellence in Homeopathy Education
- Visit Dr. Bhatia's website

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