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This book by Dr. Satish Rana is a compilation of some useful nuggets
from Dr. Kent's writings. The warnings and advises of Dr. Kent have
been taken from his works - Lectures on Materia Medica, Lectures
on Homeopathy Philosophy, Lesser Writings etc. These nuggets were
initially printed in successive issues of The Similitude (journal
edited by Dr. Rana) starting from Oct. 1999. Now the same have been
compiled in a book form.
Kent, as a homeopath and as an author, has many followers and many
dissenters. This book has substance for both. Kent was undoubtedly
one of the most prolific writer and contributor in homeopathy. His
contribution is of such magnitude that it can not be dismissed by
anyone. His focus on mental generals and inclusion of clinical symptoms
in his repertory has been criticized by many. As an author, Kent
has been read and followed widely, misunderstood and misquoted frequently.
People even suspect if he was a true hahnemannian or not. This book
will help dispel many such doubts by focussing on various excerpts
from Dr. Kent's writings which help one understand the man behind
those books better.
Due to his vast knowledge of our philosophy, command over materia
medica, work on repertory and clinical experience, Dr. Kent remains
a man in his own league. Spread throughout his different works there
are pearls of knowledge and wisdom. These pearls have been picked
up by Dr. Rana and given to us as a beautiful necklace.
While reading his voluminous works on materia medica and philosophy,
we often miss some golden nuggets. This book brings them all together.
There is hardly any topic on homeopathy
which has been left untouched. Be it drug provings, case taking,
examination, pathology, suppression, cure, remedy selection, potency
selection, follow up, miasms, general management, therapeutic hints
- you can find Dr. Kent's views about them all in this well indexed
book. Here is an example of what you can find in this book -
"After thirty years of careful observation
and comparison with the use of the various potencies, it is possible
to lay down the following rules: Every physician should have at
command the 30th, 200th, 1m, 10m, 50m, cm, dm and mm potencies,
made carefully on the centesimal scale. From the 30th to the 10m
will found those curative powers most useful in very sensitive women
and children. From the 10m to the mm all are useful for ordinary
chronic diseases in persons not so sensitive. In acute diseases
the 1m and 10m are most useful. In the sensitive women and children,
it is well to give the 30th or 200th at first, permitting the patient
to improve in a general way, after which the 1m may be used in similar
manner. After improvement with that ceases, the 10m may be required.
In persons suffering from chronic sickness and not so sensitive,
the 10m may first be used, and continued without change so long
as improvement lasts; then the 50m will act precisely in the same
manner, and should be used so long as the patient makes progress
toward health; then the cm may be used in the same manner, and the
dm and mm in succession. By this use of the series of potencies
in a given case, the patient can be held under the influence of
the similimum, or a give remedy, until cured. When the similimum
is found, the remedy will act curatively in a series of potencies.
If the remedy is only partially similar, it will act in only one
or two potencies; then the symptoms will change and a new remedy
will be demanded. Many chronic cases will require a series of carefully
selected remedies to effect a cure, if the remedy is only partially
similar; but the ideal in prescribing is to find that remedy similar
enough to hold the case through a full series to the highest. Each
time the patient will say that the new potency acted, as did the
first one received. The patient can feel the medicine when it is
acting properly. Some have intimated that suggestion is a help to
the action of the remedy; but it is wise to know that suggestion
fails when the wrong remedy has been given."
This book has been compiled in paragraph form. Each para has been
given a suitable title for indexing and alphabetical arrangement.
The book offers a useful insight into Dr. Kent's writing and every
homeopath can find something useful in this vast collection of -
warnings and advises of Dr. Kent.
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