Book Review by Dr Kulsum Sameen at A Clinical Repertory to The Dictionary of Material Medica Homeopathic Book

The book, “A clinical repertory to the dictionary of material medica” authored by J.H.Clarke  is a book which is divided into 5 parts. Starting with list of remedies with abbreviations it becomes handy to search for the drug .

Part I consist of two things first introduction to clinical repertories where he mentions about the use of the book  and secondly it consist of  clinical repertory which have  various clinical rubrics with their medicines are given in this part.

Part II consists of Prefatory note to repertory of causation and repertory of causation. Symptoms are made better or bad by cold, heat, rest, motion by day by night etc many remedies are related to the effects of certain conditions, causation and aggravations are not same they are closely allied such type of relationship for eg Arnica removed morbid condition caused by falls and Ruta relieves the effect of bruised bones such type of relations are arranged under a separate heading in the dictionary. The name of the few remedies have been added which do not occur in the Dictionary of Materia Medica.

Part III comprises of Temperaments, disposition, constitutions and states in this part remedies which have been found to act most favourable in certain types of person, temperaments, sex ,age are mentioned.

Part IV consists of Prefatory Note to Clinical relationships. In this chapter there is tabular representation of all remedies of the materia medica. They are included under the following headings: complementary remedies, remedy follows well, remedy is followed well by, compatible remedies, incompatible remedies, remedy antidotes, remedy is antidote by, duration of action of remedies.

Part V consisits of introduction to repertory of natural relationships. The chapter shows remedies belonging to the different kingdoms of nature arranged in the order of their natural kinship.

Repertory of natural relationships in that it have  ELEMENTS which have 3 parts alphabetical  list according to atomic weight, mendeleeff’s groups.

Vegetable kingdom which have alphabetical list of natural orders and systemic arrangement of natural orders.

Animal kingdom it have alphabetical list of natural orders. Systematic arrangement of natural orders.

Sarcodes: there is a list of sarcodes, along with it there is list of supplementary list of remedies derived from altered tissues and secretions as Urea and Uric acid etc.

The chapter ends with Nosodes which are remedies made up from morbid tisses and secretions containing the specific virus of diseases.

In short the book contains the tools for reaching towards the remedy in a short and easy way.