Simple Tip In Understanding: Case Taking

Author:
Dr Jenita Fernandes
Prof. & HOD
Dept. of Organon of Medicine
Yenepoya Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Mangalore

When taking a case. “No prejudices;
Kent says – “A well taken case is half cured”
The art of Interrogation helps develop the intimacy and win the confidence of the patient to get the cream of the case through the life space development of the Patient which surfaces out his mentals, his hereditary traits , the lurking miasm and the travel of the miasm.

In case-taking, it is important that the homeopath be empathetic but detached and objective. The homeopath should understand, feel, and be sensitive, but guard against coming from an emotional level. The homeopath must take the case from a “deep level.”

One has to be Silent and go on collecting the data as per given by the Patient “ Listening much and asking as and when there is pause or need inputs play a important role to be followed by the Physician, as mentioned by Dr Hahnemann in the 6^th edition of the Organon of Medicine in Aphorism 83 to Aphorism 104.

There is no cause and effect. that everything that happens in our life is an excuse. We have a state inside that needs validation and so we create the situation that will provide validation. We create an experience that fits the belief we hold about ourselves. In short, the world is how we create it. Events happen; how we perceive those events, how we project onto those events, creates our realities. Even illness is invited. The homeopath then, in order to restore health, must identify the state that desperately needs validation – the state that created the pathology. Once the state in a patient is identified, and a remedy selected which matches that state, health can be restored.

Consequently, the homeopath needs to identify that internal un-validated state. To do that, one must “get to the vital level.” Once that is accomplished, the lives of patients become understandable. The un-validated state is where a development delay has occurred. It could result from any cause; the cause is of little importance. It is through effective case taking that the homeopath takes the person to the “source,” that vital level revealing the state needing validation.

To reach the vital level, one has to ascertain “Where the energy of the case lies.” In addition to the story a patient tells and the words used, one gets to the energy of the case through careful observation of gestures and body language.

To get to the energy level, “the patient must pass from levels of naming and factual relating, to feeling, and through delusion to reach the sensation and energy levels.” An example from one of his cases illustrates the point, “Whenever the patient is talking about panic, he takes a breath, grimaces, and jerks.” He is always, “Jumping, jumping, jumping.”
“Hand gestures and repetitive gestures are very important. Gestures show the sensation and energy levels. Facial expressions generally mean the person is at the emotional level. When eyes start searching upwards, it is the delusional level. When hands start to move, it is the sensation level.”

One is guided to the correct kingdom through tracing the patient’s words. The following guidelines direct one to the correct kingdom.

Mineral – Individuals who need a mineral talk about, “lacking something; lacking capacity, identify.” They may state, “The problem is me. I lack or I will lose. I am unable to do this because of this limitation. I am the problem. I wish I could do this….” They discuss structuring the life, relationship, role, performance, power, attack and defence.

Plant – Individuals who need plant remedies discuss being, “Stuck in one place and being unable to react,” or they show some “sensitivity to a situation and then react.” They talk about how things affect them. “This bothers me, this affects me.” For example, “I have been choked, contracted, constricted.” Plants show the feature of one basic sensation and the opposite. For example, tight and loose; pain and numbness; or tied and untied.

Animal – Individuals who need animal remedies generally speak about, “Not being the problem. Someone else is the problem.” For example, “My mother-in-law has made my life miserable.” They talk about another person. They talk about issues of survival, victim and aggressor, and attractiveness.

As identified below, each row in the Periodic Table relates to specific stages of development.
Row One – Hydrogen: Existence and Conception;
Row Two – Lithium: Separation.
Row Three – Natrum: Identity (the infant line)
Row Four – Calcium: Security, Tasks, Finances, Job, House.
Row Five – Rubidium: Creativity and Performance
Row Five – Barium: Responsibility and Leadership
Row Six – Radium: Disintegration, Death, the “Blank,” pure energy

One proceeds across a row from left to right of the Periodic Table, the traits or stages of development build, climax and then begin to disintegrate the father one goes to the right. For example, he explained, “Many individuals with panic disorders need remedies from Row Two, the Lithium line.” Therefore, moving from left to right across the Lithium row, one can identify the stages of the birth process reflected in each element.

Lithium – the baby is still part of the mother. The process of childbirth has not yet begun. He gave the illustration of a child having difficulty growing up, and being unable to detach from her parents. The individual would like to have remained in a “protective environment, i.e., the womb.” For example, the patient might say, “I go into a shell, want to shut myself out from the world.”

Beryllium – the baby has completed nine months in the womb. It is the beginning of the process of separation, but the baby is still very connected. The question becomes, “I have been comfortable for 9 months, and should I change?” This reflects a person who can’t change, can’t separate from the parents. They may stay in the same job forever. “I am in the womb, I can move around, but I can’t imagine not being here,” and “I can’t exist without them.”

Boron – the infant is descending the birth canal. The baby has emerged from the uterus and is moving down the birth canal. The feelings become, “Do I want to be attached or do I want to be separated?” The individual may have a fear of downward motion. He/she may be hesitant, confused about his identity and feel like a robot or puppet because the parents control. The individual wants to hold on. As children, they had to obey and didn’t feel heard. What was said as a child was of no significance to the parent.

Carbon – reflects further descent and engagement. Now there is no going back. This is the “get set stage.” The questions become, “Can I be on my own or do I need to remain here? I have to let go. Can I let go? Am I capable of being on my own?”

Nitrogen – The baby is still bound to the mother and now has to be released. Thus there is an attachment to the mother figure which gets too claustrophobic (bound) which has to be released (like a gas). The feeling is, “I don’t want to be bound, I want to be released and free, nothing should bind me.”

Oxygen – The stage where the baby is released and takes its first breath. The patient views support as completely suffocating and damaging. “It’s like taking my air away.” Individuals may be totally indifferent and aggressive towards the slightest advice or support from the parents. They are “combustible” in their approach.

Fluorine– The umbilical cord is cut. The baby and mother are now two distinct individuals. Consequently, attachment to a person becomes burdensome and the separate (i.e., Fluoric Acid: capacity to destroy relationships – Delusion: betrothal, engagement must be broken).

Neon – the feeling is being content with the separation, but feeling exposed and vulnerable thus needing to develop nourishment and protection within the self, without the need for the womb.