A Brief introduction to Oscar Boericke’s Repertory

Oscar E. Boericke‘s “Repertory to Homeopathic Materia Medica” is a Clinical Repertory – covering the Whole body. This was first published in companion with the 9^th edition of Dr. William BÅ“ricke’s ‘Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica‘, in June 1927 from Philadelphia, USA.

1.     There are 25 chapters. The arrangement of the chapters according to the Hahnemannian order – i.e. Mind, Head, Eyes, Ears, ….. etc.

2.     The rubrics and sub-rubrics in each chapter are alphabetically arranged.

3.     Almost all the rubrics are presented in Complete order – e.g. Headache is presented, with caption, in the order of — Cause, Type, Location, Character of pain, Concomitants, Modalities (Aggravation and Amelioration). Side is presented first, Left and then, the Right. Similarly, first, Lower and then, the Upper extremities are presented.

4.     To preserve the uniformity, the technical names of the diseases are bracketed. As it is a ‘clinical repertory and not truly symptomatological index, the technical terms are often selected as main headings and when feasible, the more or less complete symptoms constitute the sub-headings‘.

5.     This repertory deals with 1409 medicines. The medicines are presented alphabetically.

6.     It consists 02 types of typography —-

·        Italics – more frequently verified clinical remedy [Highest rank].

·        Roman – less verified [Lowest rank].

Highest grade single medicine rubrics

1.     EARS – AUDITORY NERVE – Torpor: Chenop.

2.     NOSE – EXTERNAL NOSE – ERUPTIONS – Scales: Causticum

3.     TEETH – MODALITIES – AMELIORATION – Hot liquids: Magnesium phos.

4.     ABDOMEN – CAUSE AND TYPE – Abuse of enema: Opium

5.     URINARY SYSTEM – DIABETES – With gouty symptoms: Lact.ac., Nat.s.

[02 medicines of highest rank]

6.     FEMALE SEXUAL SYSTEM – MENSTRUATION – TYPE: AMENORRHÅ’A – Suppressed, with neuralgic pains about head, face: Gelsemium

7.     FEMALE SEXUAL SYSTEM – VULVA-LABIA – Erysipelas, with edema: Apis.

8.     LOCOMOTOR SYSTEM – LOINS – LUMBAGO: With sciatica – Rhus t.

9.     RESPIRATORY SYSTEM – VOICE – High, piping – Bell.

10.        NERVOUS  SYSTEM – CAUSE – OCCURANCE – Worse, at approach of thunder storm – Agaricus

FULL NAME OF THE MEDICINES USED IN THIS ARTICLE: –

1.         Agaricus         ® Agaricus muscarius.

2.         Apis.           ® Apis mellifica.

3.         Bell              ® Belladonna.

4.         Causticum          ® Causticum.

5.         Chenop.      ® Chenopodium anthelminticum.

6.         Gelsemium           ® Gelsemium.

7.         Lact.ac.       ® Lactic acid.

8.         Mag.p.         ® Magnesia phosphorica.

9.         Nat.s.           ® Natrum sulphuricum.

10.       Opium             ® Opium.

11.       Rhus t.          ® Rhus toxicodendron.

CONCLUSION:

This is a clinical repertory. The drugs written in italics were included after ‘frequent clinical verification‘ by the great clinicians Dr. William BÅ“ricke and Dr. Oscar E. BÅ“ricke.

Although the single medicine rubric in a repertory is less important, I still like to mention that in BÅ“ricke’s clinical repertory, single medicines in italics were included after frequent clinical verification. And, I must say, the mentioned single medicine highest grade rubrics in BÅ“ricke’s Repertory are very useful in clinical practice.

References: –

1.     BÅ“ricke, Dr. William & Oscar E.   – Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory.

2.     Tiwari, Dr. Shashi Kant – Essentials of Repertorization.