A Concise Account of The Kent’s Repertory 

Abstract

“ Kent still lives ! His influence still shines as a burning torch to reveal truth ! ”

Repertory is a tool that helps a homoeopath for searching similium easily and fastly. In the field of homoeopathy there are many repertories like fragmenta de viribus, Boenninghausen therapeutic pocket book,  Boger Boenninghausen’s characteristics and repertory and many more. With the advent of technology now we have many computer repertories also like Hompath, RADAR, CARA, Mac Repertory. Whenever we talk about homoeopathic repertories the most popular , widely used , precursor of almost all modern repertories is center point of discussion as it is like pole star in field of homeopathic repertory, Repertory of the Homoeopathic materia medica by Dr James Tyler Kent. It proves to be a guiding treatise for many modern repertories. This repertory has been accepted universally as a proper repertory. 

Keywords 

Kent Repertory, Deductive logic, Generals, Rubrics

Introduction

Kent repertory is a logico-utilitarian group of repertory. Based on deductive logic it follows the principle of general to particular, giving prime importance to generals. In this repertory almost all the sources and recorded symptoms in homoeopathic materia medica have been considered. The Plan is uniform throughout, this repertory starts with MIND chapter, which has been given prime importance and the last chapter is generalities which contains physical generals and physical general modalities. All rubrics arranged alphabetically in all the chapters. Rubrics are arranged from generals to particulars. The Generalities section is large and elaborate and it contains many rubrics on general modalities and some rubrics on clinical conditions. Many rubrics which appear as particular under proper anatomical sections or main headings may also appear in this section, if they refer to the general conditions; for example, modalities related to perspiration, menses, food, etc. After the completion of the work Kent started using it in his clinical practice. On demand from the profession it was taken up for publication. As the cost of publication was high it was decided to publish the book in sections and subscriptions were sought from the profession. 200 subscriptions were obtained at $30

1. Title :  Repertory of the homoeopathic materia medica 

2. Author : Dr James Tyler Kent { 31 March 1849 – 06 June 1916 }

• Father : Stephen Kent
• Mother : Caroline Tyler
• Birth place : Woodhull, Steuben, New York 
• Wife :      Ellen (1^st wife), 

Clara Louise Kent (2^nd wife)

• Elementary & Secondary education : Franklin Academy, Prattsburg
• Higher education :  Madison (now Colgate) university, Hamilton , New York
  •  Ph.B (Bachelor of Philosophy) in 1868
  • A.M. ( Bachelor of alternative medicine) in 1870
• Educated in medicine
  •  at Eclectic medical institute, Cincinnati, Ohio in 1871
  • At Homeopathic medical college of Missouri, St. Louis in 1889
• Physician of Eclectic school at St. Louis
• 1877-78 : Kent`s wife got seriously ill, all other systems of medicine failed & finally through homoeopathy she got cured (By Dr Richard Phelan).
• Treatment of his wife through homoeopathy resulted in conversion of dr kent to homoeopathy.
• 1879 : resigns from Eclectic Medical Association
• 1881-1883 : Chair of Anatomy at Homoeopathic medical college of Missouri
• 1883-1888 : Professor of Materia Medica, Homoeopathic medical college of Missouri, St. Louis
• 1890 – 1899 : Professor Department of materia medica , Dean of Post Graduate School of Homoeopathy , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 1903-1909 : Professor, Department of materia medica, Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago
• Dean & Professor , Department of materia medica , Dunham medical college, Chicago
• Dean & Professor , Department of materia medica , Hering medical college, Chicago
• Member of Illinois State Homoeopathic Medical Society 
• Member of American Institute of Homoeopathy 
• Member of the International Hahnemannian Association
• Honorary Member in British Homoeopathic Medical Society

3. Contributions & Books By Dr J.T Kent :

• Dr Kent became famous as high potency homoeopath, advocating use of 30,200, 1 M, 50 M, CM, DM & MM Potencies.
• He introduced  SERIES IN DEGREE  in the treatment of chronic diseases. He found when the action of 30 potency is completed, the patient needs 200 potency, when the action of 200 potency is exhausted, the patient requires 1M potency and so on.
• Dr Kent laid greatest importance to WILL, UNDERSTANDING & MEMORY of the patient. These form the innermost essence of the man.

• Books :-
  • Repertory of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica
  • Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica with new remedies.
  • Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy
  • Use of Repertory, How to Study the Repertory, How to use the Repertory
  • New Remedies, Clinical cases, Lesser Writings, Aphorisms and Percepts.
  • What the Doctor needs to know in order to make a successful Prescription.

4. Sources of Kent Repertory :

• C. Lipee`s repertory (1879, Repertory of the more characteristic symptoms of materia medica)
• Gentry’s Concordance repertory
• BTPB
• Minton`s uterine therapeutics
• Allen`s Encyclopaedia of homoeopathic materia medica
• Biegler`s diary
• Allen`s symptoms register
• Jahr`s symptoms codex

5. Year of Publication :  1897  

Different editions	Year of publication
1st	1897
2nd	1908 {Till death of Dr J T Kent}
3rd	1924
4th	1935
5th	1945
6th	1957
Indian edition (Made from 6th )	1961
Kent final general repertory (Diwan Harishchand & Pierre Schimdt)	1974

6. Preface : 

• Separate publisher`s preface given for all different editions, in almost all gratitude is expressed to Dr Kent for his valuable contribution to homoeopathy in the form of this repertory.
• In the original edition:

• The plan of the repertory is uniform throughout.
• It has been attempted to proceed in every case general to particular.
• Aim has been to give first of all a general rubric containing all the remedies which have produced the symptoms followed by particulars i.e, time of occurrence, the circumstances and lastly the extensions.
• A circumstance that makes the whole being feel better or worse is of much greater importance than when the same circumstance only affects the painful parts. 
• It is suggested that those who use this repertory should first of all read all headings of the general rubrics from the beginning to end & thus become acquainted with the plan of the repertory.
• Only by constant use can any repertory become a companion and a helper.

7. Philosophical Background :

• Kent’s repertory is based on the philosophy of DEDUCTIVE LOGIC.
• Here generals are dealt with in detail followed by particulars and minute peculiars.
• By working out a case in the other direction i.e. from generals to particulars the general rubric will include all the remedies that are related to the symptom.
• The medicine selected should cover the patient and should cover the pathognomonic symptom. For this find the strange rare and peculiar symptom, see that no generals are contradicting. It will be the similimum. This method was adopted by Kent.
• So under the chapter mind mental generals are given. They contain rubrics related to will /understanding and memory. The physical generals are mostly listed under the chapter generalities and a few in other chapters.
• Grading- Three types of Grading of Remedies:

GRADES	REPRESENTATION	EXAMPLE	MARKS	CRITERIA
1st	Bold roman	Apis	3	*Majority provers have given * Confirmed in reproving, * Verified on sick
2nd	Italics	Apis	2	*  Brought out by few    provers, * Confirmed in reproving, * Verified occasionally
3rd	Roman	Apis	1	*  In some provers only,*  Not confirmed in reproving, * Clinically verified

8. Plan And Construction :

• Repertory is divided into 37 chapters (including sub chapters of urinary organs) spanning into 1423 pages arranged in double columns. 

CHAPTERS OF KENT REPERTORY
Mind	20.  Prostate gland
Vertigo	21.  Urethra
Head	22.  Urine
Eye	23.  Genitalia male
Vision	24.  Genitalia female
Ear	25.  Larynx and trachea
Hearing	26.  Respiration
Nose	27.  Cough
Face	28.  Expectoration
Mouth	29.  Chest
Teeth	30.  Back
Throat	31.  Extremities
External throat	32.  Sleep
Stomach	33.  Chill
Abdomen	34.  Fever
Rectum	35.  Perspiration
Stool	36.  Skin
Urinary organ – Bladder	37.  Generalities
Kidney

• The repertory starts with MIND chapter, which has been given prime importance.
•  Last chapter is on generalities which contains physical generals and physical general modalities. 

9. Total No. of Remedies : 648   

• Six drugs in index are repeated as their synonyms also given so actual remedies = 648 – 6 = 642

DRUG	ITS SYNONYM
Hippozaenium	Glanderine
Illicium anisatum	Anisum stellatum
Alumina silicate	Kaolin
Lappa arctium	Lappa major
Nux Juglans	Juglans regia
Ictodes foetida	Pothos foetidus

10. Arrangement  inside Chapters :

• Rubrics are of two types  General Rubrics and Sub rubrics
• All rubrics arranged alphabetically in all the chapters. Rubrics are arranged from generals to particulars.
• A rubric starts with general symptoms or a state with a list of large groups of medicines.
• Side, Time, Modality & Extension –  {S T M E} This order is followed generally in each rubric & sub rubric.
• Wherever rubrics can be divided into sides, the general rubric is followed immediately by side, firstly right side, then left.

• Time : Dr Kent follows the logic of general to particulars.
  • Daytime ( fraction of day)
  • Morning (fraction)
  • Forenoon (fraction)
  • Noon (fraction)
  • Afternoon (fraction)
  • Evening (fraction)
  • Twilight (fraction)
  • Night (fraction)
  • Midnight (fraction)
  • After midnight (fraction)

• Modalities : It includes different factors which influence symptoms 

• Ailments from
• Alternating with
• Modifying factors, aggravation & amelioration (including concomitant, before, during and after).

• Extension : This is the last sub rubric and found mainly under  ‘pain’ rubric.

• Cross References :

• Found mainly in MIND chapter
• There are 2 types of cross references used in this repertory- SYNONYMS & SIMILAR WORDS.
• SYNONYMS – Main rubric contains synonyms in brackets without giving any medicine against it. Helps to locate the appropriate rubric.  { MIND– ABANDONED : (See Forsaken)}
• SIMILAR WORDS – Main rubric contains some terms, which are similar in meaning . It also contains a group of medicines. Helps us to compare drugs mentioned at both places.

{ MIND– ABSENT MINDED : (See Forgetful ) ; Acon. – zinc.}

11.  Methods of Repertorization :

TYPE OF SYMPTOMS
General symptoms	Mental general – Will, Understanding,Memory	Will (emotion)– love & hate, fear, grief, sadness, happy, rage, violent, cheerful, laughing Understanding (Intellectual) – delusion, illusion, dullness, insanity, confusion , idiocy Memory – forgetful, absentminded Ailment from, aggravation and amelioration , any other qualified symptoms
	Physical general – Sleep, fever, side of body, general sensation, general pathological changes , desire, aversion etc	Physical symptoms – eating habits, bowel habits, discharge character, menstrual history  Ailment from, aggravation , amelioration etc
Particular symptoms		Peculiar and characteristics or qualified Modalities of affected part – pain in leg , numbness in calf muscle etc
Common symptoms	These are Hahnemann`s general symptoms	Headache, fever, diarrhea, weakness etc

12.  Adaptability of Kent Repertory :

• Most useful in cases where mental symptoms are predominant.
• Cases where generals are prominent.
• Cases where symptoms are well defined.
• Cases where there is presence of characteristic symptoms.
• Cases where symptoms are qualified.

13. Additions in Indian Enriched Edition of Kent Repertory :

• Use of the Repertory by Dr J T Kent

• Symptoms most peculiar to the patient must be taken first, then those less and less peculiar until the symptoms that are common and not peculiar are reached.
• Symptoms to be taken: First-are those relating to the loves and hates, or desires and aversions.
• Next-are those belonging to the rational  mind, so-called intellectual mind.
• Thirdly-those belonging to the memory.
• The symptoms that are next most important are those related to the entire man and his entire body or his blood and fluids: as sensitive to heat, to cold, to storm, to rest, to night, to day, to time. They include both symptoms and modalities.
• Preference must be given to discharges from ulcers, from uterus during menstruation, from ears, and from other parts, as those are very closely related to the vital operation of the body.
• Next must be used the modalities of the parts affected, and frequently these will be found to be the very opposite of the modalities  of the patient himself.
• The artistic prescriber must study Materia Medica long and earnestly to enable him to fix in his mind sick images, which, when needed, will infill the sick personalities of human beings.

• How to study the Repertory Dr J T Kent
• How to use the Repertory Dr J T Kent
• Repertorision by Dr M L Tyler & John Weir
• Hot and Cold remedies by Dr Gibson Miller

• Remedies predominantly aggravated by COLD
• Remedies predominantly aggravated by HEAT
• Remedies sensitive to both extremes of temperature

• Relationship of remedies and their duration of action by Dr Gibson Miller
• The Sides of the body and Drug affinities by Boger taken from BTPB

14. Repertories Based on Kent Repertory :

• SYNTHETIC REPERTORY (1973, Bartel & klunker) 
• SYNTHESIS REPERTORY ( 1993, Frederik schroyens)
• KENT`S REPERTORIUM GENERALE (1987, Jost Kunzli)
• HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICAL REPERTORY (1993, Robin Murphy)
• COMPLETE REPERTORY (1996, Roger Van Zandvoort)
• REPERTORIUM UNIVERSALE (2003, Roger Van Zandvoort)

15. Special Features of Kent Repertory :

• Smallest / largest chapters of Kent’s Repertory :

S. No.	CHAPTER	NO. OF RUBRIC	NO. OF PAGES	REMARK
1.	MIND	529	95 {1-95}	Largest chapter as per no. of rubrics
2.	HEARING	04	03 {321-323}	Smallest chapter as per no. of rubrics
3.	PROSTATE	21	02 {667-668}	Smallest chapter as per no. of pages
4.	COUGH	348	34 {778- 811}	2nd  largest chapter as per no. of rubrics
5.	EXTREMITIES	267	282 {952 – 1233}	Largest chapter as per no. of pages

• Kent’s repertory is based on the philosophy of generals to particulars and it follows this principle in arrangement too, thus making it easier to search for rubrics.
•  It contains-648 medicines in the Index (some study finds that only 591 medicines are used) which is more than the other two repertories in use, that is, Therapeutic Pocket Book and Boger’s repertory.
•  It has three gradations of medicines – 3, 2, 1, which is more practical unlike five gradations of Boenninghausen and Boger.
•  Mind section contains many rubrics and sub rubrics. It also contains qualified symptoms, which are very helpful in repertorization.
•  The Generalities section is large and elaborate and it contains many rubrics on general modalities and some rubrics on clinical conditions. Many rubrics which appear as particular under proper anatomical sections or main headings may also appear in this section, if they refer to the general conditions; for example, modalities related to perspiration, menses, food, etc.
•  It contains most of the symptoms related to parts as well as generals, thus one who uses this repertory rarely needs to refer to other repertories.
•  Sub Rubrics are placed alphabetically according to the arrangement. Subrubrics are also given relating to children, which is helpful in narrowing the field of choice.

16. Criticism of Kent’s Repertory :

• In some parts the rubrics are generalized (chapter mind) whereas in some other  parts the rubrics are over particularized (chapter Extremities).
• Similar rubrics, with different remedies and with different evaluation are given in many chapters. This poses difficulties in working out a case, because the chances of missing out on a remedy is great. Example – “Liquids taken are forced into the nose” (page 454) also under the chapter Nose “Liquids come out through the nose on attempting to swallow”.
• There are many similar rubrics, which cause confusion for the beginners, thus repertorisation becomes difficult for them. For example, fear, timidity, being frightened easily, etc.
• Some rubrics, especially sub rubrics, with similar meaning appear at different places with slight differences in drugs. 

                                   For example:

SYMPTOMS	RUBRICS
Do not want the doctor.	Well, says he isDelusion, well thinks he isIrritability – sends the doctor home, says not sickObstinate – declares nothing matter with him.
‘Dislikes opposite sex	Opposite sex – indifferent toReligious – horror of opposite sexWomen aversion to

• Modalities, which are the main qualifying factors, list different groups of medicines in general rubrics and in sub rubrics. 

           For example:

Head, pain, reading while	In the first rubric, Natrium muriaticum gets high marks, which is not mentioned in the second rubric.
Head, pain – forehead, reading while.	The second one, though a smaller rubric, contains five medicines, which are not given in the modality of the first (main) rubric.

• Some Nosodes are found scattered under some rubrics but they are not represented well.

• Many rubrics suffer from omission of drugs. Some information, which is found in the materia medica and even in his Lectures on Materia Medica, does not find a proper place in his repertory, thereby the purpose of indexing remains incomplete.

 For example:

Faintness – menses during, Cyclamen is absent, but in his materia medica, this symptom is described under the drug.

Conclusion 

We all homoeopaths are indebted to Dr Kent for giving us the most proper repertory, the magnum opus of homoeopathic repertory REPERTORY OF THE HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA. Kent repertory is much helpful in different cases and it is easy to understand thus making us frequent user of Kent repertory. 

Reference

1.	Kent JT. Repertory of Homoeopathic Materia Medica and a Word Index. New Delhi, India: B Jain; 2004.
2.	Kent JT. Lectures on homoeopathic philosophy. Legare Street Press; 2022.
3.	Siju PV. Reference to repertories for homeopathic students. New Delhi, India: B Jain; 2023.
4.	Tiwari SK. Essentials of repertorization: A comprehensive textbook on case taking & repertorisation: 4th edition. 4th ed. New Delhi, India: B Jain; 2023.
5.	Me A. Homeobook- everything on Homoeopathy [Internet]. Homeopathy Resource by Homeobook.com. Homeobook; 2016 [cited 2024 Aug 2]. Available from: https://www.homeobook.com/
6.	HOMEOPATHE INTERNATIONAL – ENGLISH [Internet]. Homeoint.org. [cited 2024 Aug 2]. Available from: http://homeoint.org/english/