To the newcomer desiring to learn
homoeopathy:
In homoeopathy one and the same remedy may be
indicated for typhoid in one patient and for diabetes in another
patient. If this is so, we come to the question as to what is
the basis for making a homoeopathic prescription which is
different from allopathy or other systems of medicine.
Classification of patients for making the prescription in
homoeopathy is not on the name of diseases or pathology; but
it is on an altogether different classification. Such classifications are already existing in different patients from time
immemorial.
We have already learnt some of the classifications:
‘Symptoms disposed to appear periodically and in
groups.’ This straightaway points to the homoeo medicine
Cuprum met. Whatever may be the name of disease that the
patient may be suffering, if a patient reports this syndrome
this remedy would cure the underlying pathology.
Before making use of repertories you must learn the
different terms, most of which have no relevance to other
systems of medicine.
‘Plethora’ means ‘excess or abundant energy in body.’ These
persons are called plethoric individuals.
The dictionary defines ‘plethora’ as over-fullness or excess in
any way; an excess of bodily fluid, particularly blood.
Excessive fullness of blood.
Plethoric persons can do the job of ten persons singlehandedly, both quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Other
examples of plethoric persons are those who have done
several Ph.D.s or who do Ph. D. at their sixtieth year of age;
also those who have done several postgraduate studies in
many subjects; also those who start studying, learning and
mastering a subject or art even at their forty-five years of age.
The term ‘tiredness’ is not in their vocabulary. Work for
them is worship. The workaholics. Old age is not a deterrent
for them.
Therefore, if you find the patient is of the above type you
cannot ignore the term ‘plethora’ which is a general symptom.
Under some remedies in some materia medicas you
would find the term ‘abdominal plethora.’ Let us explain this.
(l) Mr. Y drinks country liquor daily; does not care for food.
Any amount of liquor would be withstood by his abdomen
(whereas if we take that country liquor even for one day, we
would vomit or get abdominal pain). Here, Mr. Y is said to
be having abdominal plethora.
If a practitioner does not learn these terms, he would
be a signal failure in practice and it is because of this
reason, failures are more and thus homoeopathy has gone
into disrepute.
Plethoric individuals – 1, Acon., Aur-met., Bell., Cal-c., Lyc.,
Phos., Sep., Sulph.; 2, Arn., Bry., Chin., Ferr., Nat-m.,
Nux v., Rhus, Thuj.
—Complaints of plethoric, debilitated, hypochondriac, or
nervous individuals. The principal remedies are: Acon.,
Amb., Am-c., Arn., Aur-met., Bell., Bry., Cal-c., Carb-v.,
Caust., Chin., Croc., Fer., Hep., Iod., Kalm., Kreos., Lyc.,
Natr-m., Nux-v., Op., Petr., Phos., Phos-ac., Rhus.,
Samb., Sarsap., Senn., Sep., Sil., Stann., Sulph., Thuj.
—Nervous, very irritable individuals: Acon., Amb., Arn.,
Aur-met., Bell., Cal-c., Chin., Ferr., Lyc., Nux v., Petr.,
Samb. [See page 930 of Lilienthal.]
