Repertory to the Rheumatic Remedies – by Herbert A Roberts Reviewed by Yashasvini JP Hegde

ABSTRACT

This is a book review of The Rheumatic Remedies by Herbert A Roberts which comprises of Materia Medica with remedies that have an affinity with rheumatism and lists the remedy symptoms for each part of the body affected. Homeopathy is based on symptomatological treatment. This book is of great help for doctors treating rheumatic diseases.

INTRODUCTION

• Author: Herbert A Roberts
• Published -1939
• This is the reprint edition in 2005, published by B.Jain publishers -1 February 1996 – Hard cover
• Number of remedies: 206
• Available on Amazon.com $39.95- $49.95 and Flipkrt
• ISBN-10 : 8170214564 /ISBN-13 : 978-8170214564
• Publisher : BJAIN Publishers Pvt. Ltd. (1 February 1996)

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR

• Herbert A. Roberts (1868 – 1950)
• Born: 7 May  1868
• Died:13 October 1950.

Graduated: New York Homoeopathic Medical College,

Practiced: Vermont and then set up practice in Derby Connecticut

• Roberts worked as a medical officer on troop ships during World War 1.
• He was the president of the International Hahnemannian Association (IHA) in 1923
• Editor of the much-respected Homoeopathic Recorder from 1927-1934.
• Roberts was an active writer, researcher, and teacher. Between the IHA transactions and the Homoeopathic Recorder he authored 117 articles and 27 editorials.
• Ex chairman of the American Foundation for Homoeopathy and editor of Homoeopathic Recorder

CONTRIBUTIONS

• Principles and practicability of Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket Book
• Sensation as if
• The Study of Remedies By Comparison
• The Principles and Art of Cure by Homoeopathy
• Rheumatic Remedies

PLAN AND CONSTRUCTION

SECTIONS:

1)   RHEUMATIC REMEDIES

2)   REPERTORY TO RHEUMATIC REMEDIES

RHEUMATIC REMEDIES

• 206 Remedies (Pg 1-234) – Alphabetical order
• Aconite napellus–Zincum metallicum

The scientific name is given in the center –CAPITAL

• Eg: Aconite napellus

• TYPOGRAPHY OF SYMPTOMS:

Evaluation of symptoms is done by the variation in type

CAPITAL

SMALL CAPITAL

Italics

Roman

signs: <worse or aggravated

> better or ameliorated

HEADING UNDER EACH REMEDY

• Chest
• Eyes
• Face
• Head
• Heart
• Neck and back
• Superior extremities
• Inferior extremities
• Extremities in general
• Joints
• Concomitants
• Aggravation
• Amelioration

MICROSTRUCTURE OF MATERIA MEDICA

First paragraph:

the affinity of the remedy to the joint affected  – comparison of a similar

complaint with other remedies.

e.g: Actea spicata with Caulophyllum PG:04

Constitution and adaptability is given

Relationship of remedies is given

E.g: Apis mellifica with Arsenic album Pg: 19

Under separate subheadings: symptoms under each remedy affecting those parts.

Aggravation and Amelioration

REPERTORY TO RHEUMATIC REMEDIES

OF CHAPTERS:25

• Modalities
• Symptoms in general ( concomitants )
• Head
• Eyes
• Ears
• Nose
• Face and Teeth
• Mouth and Tongue
• Throat
• Stomach
• Hypochondria ( liver and spleen )
• Abdomen, Rectum and Stool, etc
• Urinary organs
• Sexual organs – male,
• female
• Voice, Chest, Respiration, Cough
• Heart and Circulation
• Neck
• Back
• Joints
• Extremities in general
• Upper extremities
• Lower extremities
• Chill, fever, and sweat
• Skin

MODALITIES

• No of rubrics:
• Aggravation followed by amelioration is given.
• Aggravation rubrics:
• Amelioration rubrics:
• Modalities, in general, is given

SYMPTOMS IN GENERAL

General concomitants are given here mostly related to rheumatic complaints

Alphabetical order

Mental concomitant symptom are also given here

TYPOGRAPHY OF RUBRIC:

Evaluation of symptoms is done by the variation in type

CAPITAL   –   4 mark

SMALL CAPITAL   -3 mark

Italics – 2 mark

Roman – 1 mark

HEAD

• No of rubrics:
• Modalities are given –aggaravation followed by amelioration
• Modalities are in alphabetical order
• Followed by sensation-new alphabetical order starts

EYES

• No of rubrics:
• Modalities are given –aggravation followed by amelioration
• Modalities are in alphabetical order followed by sensation- new alphabetical order starts
• Some clinical terms are given followed by cause, sensation, or modality
• g 38 and 42-Kerato-iritis,scleritis

EAR

• no of rubrics:10
• Alphabetical order
• Only sensations given

NOSE

• no of rubrics:13
• Alphabetical order
• Eg: coryza,nosebleed,discharge

FACE AND TEETH

• No of rubrics: 38
• Modalities are given –aggravation followed by amelioration
• Modalities are in alphabetical order
• Followed by sensation-new alphabetical order starts
• Complaints of face, teeth, jaw, and lips are given here
• Eg: caries of teeth, expression of face, stiffness of the jaw

MOUTH AND TONGUE

• No of rubrics:18
• Only sensation has given in alphabetical order
• Complaints of aphthae, breath, tongue and taste is given here
• g: dryness of mouth, aphthae, breath fetid, mapped tongue

THROAT

• No of rubrics:22
• Modalities aggaravation and amelioration followed by sensations
• Clinical terms are also given (check this)
• g: sore, scrapping of throat

STOMACH

• No of rubrics:41
• Modalities are given –aggravation followed by amelioration
• Modalities are in alphabetical order
• Appetite, aversion, desire, heartburn, nausea thirst, vomiting all are given under stomach
• g: Appetite, aversion, desire, heartburn, nausea thirst,vomiting

HYPOCHONDRIA (LIVER AND SPLEEN)

• No of rubrics:21
• Complaints related to the right hypochondrium are given here.
• Sensations are given here.
• Complaints of diarrhoea, constipation, hemorrhoids
• g: swollen spleen, soreness in right hypochondrium, throbbing and beating, in the region of liver

  SEXUAL ORGANS

• No of rubrics:27 rubrics
• Male followed by female
• Male complaints like:
• g: induration of testicles, orchitis, prostatorrhoea
• Some relating to rheumatic complaints
• Female complaints like:
• g: Menstrual troubles, leucorrhoea, ulcerated cervix, uterine trouble, rheumatic conditions associated with.

VOICE, CHEST, RESPIRATION, COUGH

• No of rubric:80
• Aggravation followed by amelioration
• Few complaints of the chest are associated with bones
• g: aggravation eating, after pain behind sternum,
• aggravation touch: painful pressure on the breast bone
• Complaints of respiration, voice, paralysis of vocal cord, dyspnoea, cough, muscle of chest all are given here.

HEART AND CIRCULATION

• No of rubric:43
• Anemia, cyanosis, endocarditis, myocarditis, haemorrhage, metastasis of heart, palpitation
• Under pain rubric aggravation followed by amelioration
• Neck, Back, Joints, Extremities in general, Upper extremities and Lower extremities -these chapters are given elaborately.

NECK

• No of rubric:25
• Aggaravation followed by amelioration
• Main rubrics are pain, swelling, stiffness
• Complaints related top muscles around the neck also given here.-sternocleidomastoid, cervical muscle
• g: weakness of cervical muscles, swelling of muscles, tearing: in the nape

BACK

No of rubric:25

Aggravation followed by amelioration

Main rubrics are Lameness, numbness, stiffness, and swelling

CHILL, FEVER, AND SWEAT

No of rubrics:15

All three stages are given as

• Chill
• Heat
• Perspiration

e.g: chill, chilliness, coldness of, body, shivering, fever, heat, hot flashes, perspiration

  SKIN

• No of rubrics:19
• Sensations is given
• Complaints of eruption, hair, and nail is given under the skin.
• g: Warts, unhealthy, eruptions

SCOPE

• Materia medica and repertory in one book which helps us in easy reference.
• Evaluation of symptoms is done by the variation in type which helps us in the right prescription.
• Relationship of remedies is given which helps us for prescribing
• Constitution and adaptability are given under each remedy.
• For busy physicians this repertory is an easy to guide.
• It has a separate chapter on modalities and general concomitants.
• Cross-references are given
  • g: dyspnoea- see respiration p.g68
• rubric on Metastasis is also given

E.g: metastasis to heart p. 69

• Under pain chapter- rubrics are given elaborately which can be used for easy reference

LIMITATIONS:

• Index to materia medica repertory is not given, time-consuming.
• Common name of the remedies is not given.
• Action of the remedies is not given -like acute or deep acting
• There is no proper arrangement of aggravation and amelioration.

REFERENCES:

1. Robert H. The Rheumatic Remdies. New Delhi: B Jain; 2006.
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/rheumatology/sections/clinical-trials/rsc-20477188