ABSTRACT
To understand susceptibility: the great quality of living organism, many of our stalwarts has given their own perceptions in their own words. Master Hahnemann explains it in aphorism no.31 of organon of medicine in 5th edition as cause of entry of disease in the human body, Dr.J.T.Kent explained it as ceasation of influx of cause of disease , Dr. H.A.Robert views it as expression of vaccum in an Individual, Dr. Stuart Close explains it’s importance selection of dose and potency to cure the disease. Understanding of this concept makes Homoeopath to perceive disease clearly and cure it permenantly.
KEYWORDS
Susceptibility, Stalwarts, Perception, Organon of Medicine, Dr. Hahnemann, Dr. J.T.Kent, Dr. H.A.Robert, Dr. Stuart Close.
INTRODUCTION
In today’s world we become habitual to do things very quick and fast. Everybody wants the things to be done instantly, everybody wants instant response even nowadays meal also can be prepared in 2 minutes. Quick or slow responsiveness of human body & different reflexes are the characteristics of Nervous system but when it comes to reaction of the organism as a whole the capacity of reaction is called Susceptibility and this makes us unique, because sensitivity to situations is different for each of us. We do share some susceptibility however which is best demonstrated by epidemic situations where we are affected by same contagion and produce similar reactions and symptoms.
Organisms all functioning, all vital processes, physiological and pathological depends upon susceptibility which separates living from dead body. Susceptibility is responsible for continuous existence of life in this world. Depending upon the level of Susceptibility, the living organism in the nature is adjusting itself to the surrounding environment. Alteration in the level of this makes organism to express it on the surface as signs and symptoms and so the physician’s aim should be maintain the level of susceptibility of the patient and not to impair it.
DR. HAHNEMANN’S PERCEPTION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY
Aphorism no 31 : “ The inimical forces, partly physical , to which our terrestrial existence is exposed , which are termed morbific noxious agent, do not possesses the power of morbidly deranging the health of man unconditionally; but we are make ill by them only when our organism is sufficiently disposed and susceptible………………….nor at all times.”
In the thirty-first paragraph Dr. Hahnemann says that disease causes are limited in there ability to effect changes in health, to certain conditions and states it means Susceptibility. The effect and symptoms produced by a morbific influence depend on the susceptibility of the individual. Susceptibility is intensified irritability of the organism. Individual irritability depends upon constitution and disposition determind largely by living regemen. Bacteria or morbific agents are of secondary importance in infection. A healthy individual does not readily become infected until its susceptibility becomes irritable or changed.
DR.J.T.KENT’S PERCEPTION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY
In his book ‘Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy”, we can find perception of Dr.Kent about Susceptibility. He writes “Cause of contagion flows in direction of least resistance but when resistance appears influx ceases, the cause no longer flows in. When the disease is in stage of contagion there is a limit of influx, if man continued to receive the cause of disease he would receive enough to kill him. But when the susceptibility is satisfied, there is a ceasation of cause, and when cause ceases to flow into ultimates, not only ultimates cease but cause itself has already ceases”.
We can understand it as disease causes enters in the human body continuously until the individual’s susceptibility is satisfied. If there were no limit to this influx, the disease would run its course until the person’s death. Here Dr. Kent tries to explain that when cause of the disease stop to flow in the body due to resistance appear because of susceptibility and at that time disease also declines.
Dr. Kent explains this thing very nicely by an example of Diphtheria that the disease begins, susceptibility ceases, a change takes place that protects the man from any further disease cause flowing into the body, and the disease develops and manifests itself by its symptoms.
Dr. Kent further explains that it is not true that man will go out of one state of susceptibility to a disease, and in a few days go into another state of susceptibility to that same disease. There must be a change, a cycle, which means a certain length of time. Now if we talk about cure, it would seem that a certain dose of medicine administered had lasted a certain time and then it would seem no long effective because its Homoeopathicity to that state of susceptibility has been changed. Undue repetition of same medicine will act depressingly and it will act on the artificial susceptibility of the patient.
In his lecture about protection of sickness, he mentions that some people with severe diseases may not be susceptible to a violent epidemic. The reason for these people’s lake of susceptibility to epidemic is their older disease is not only dissimilar but stronger than newer epidemic.
DR.H.A.ROBERT’S PERCEPTION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY
Dr. H.A.Robert defines susceptibility primarily as the reaction of the organism to external and internal influences. In his book ‘The Principles and Art of Cure by Homoeopathy’ , he explains susceptibility as a factor to individualize person by saying “ One man’s meat is another man’s poison’ because the power of assimilation and nutrition is depends on susceptibility of individual.
Dr.H.A.Robert analyses it as an expression of a vacuum (void/space) which is because of constitutional weakness in the individual which attracts and pulls the things most needed, that are on the same plane of vibration as the want of the body e.g contagious diseases thrive in childhood. Once they correct the miasmatic deficiency the child becomes immune to further affection.
By saying “Susceptibility varies in degree in different patients, and at different times in the same patient”, he means the need of the patient for homoeopathic medicine is different in all the patient and also in the same patient in different states for satisfying the natural susceptibility.
He writes that Susceptibility can be increased, diminished or destroyed so it is depend on the physician to recognize, conserve and utilize normal susceptibility, to physical environments, to foods, to remedies and to toxic agencies. Physician’s aim should maintain it normal because the status of health depends on normal susceptibility. At last Dr.H.A.Robert says susceptibility and reaction are basic principles which a homoeopathic physician must seriously consider for healing the sick. “THE SIMILAR REMEDEY OR THE SIMILAR DISEASE, SATISFIES SUSCEPTIBILITY AND ESTABLISHES IMMUNITY”.
DR.STUART CLOSE’S PERCEPTION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY
Dr. Stuart close, in his book ‘The Genius of Homoeopathy’ defines susceptibility as general quality or capability of the living organism of receiving impressions; the power to react to stimuli. When Homoeopathically selected medicine is administered to a sick person, the disappearance of the symptoms and restoration of the patient to health represents the reaction of the susceptible organism to the curative remedy, even the ‘Homoeopathic Aggravation’ is merely reaction of susceptible organism.
According to him Homoeopathic Physician should possess art to modify the susceptibility of patient because cure consists simply in satisfying the morbid susceptibility of the organism. To fulfill this task physician must know that susceptibility implies and includes affinity, attitude, desire, hunger, need which becomes perverted and cause disease.
Susceptibility can be exaggerated or diminished: Exaggeration of susceptibility may be seen where the patient proves every medicine given to him as in hypersensitivity and Diminished susceptibility seen in chronic cases where improvement ceases and well selected remedy doesn’t act.
The successful treatment of disease depends not only upon conserving and utilizing the natural susceptibility of living organism but on properly adjusting dose so that susceptibility shall be satisfied.
In his book in Chapter XIII : Homoepathic Posology, Dr. Stuart Close gives guidelines about choosing the potency & dose on the basis of susceptibility. He writes;
“THE GREATER THE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO THAT REMEDY, THE HIGHER THE POTENCY”.
He also explains in detail all the factors which can modify susceptibility like Age, Constitution, Temperament, Habit & Environment, Pathological conditions.
CONCLUSION
As we gone through perception of different stalwarts about the unique quality that is SUSCEPTIBILITY we clearly understood that each of them explains kaleidoscopically its importance as cause of disease. This will help Homoeopathic physician to understand the disease basically and selecting the medicine appropriately to perform an art of healing.
