Book Review on What If the Indicated Remedy Fails? by Dr. Satyajit Kuchar

When I came to know about the name of the book for the first time, I thought it might contain excerpts from Organon and Philosophy that would help in difficult cases especially when indicated remedy fails. But the book gives indications of remedies and therapeutic hints especially when indicated remedy fails.

The first remedy that made me a supporter and appreciator of this Book is the example of Yucca filamentosa. I used to think that this is such a rare remedy, even if this remedy was not there in Materia Medica, there would be no void in Materia Medica. My thoughts changed after what I read in this book. Think of Yucca filamentosa in cases of liver affections where Chelidonium seems indicated but fails to relieve.

Another interesting example is that of the remedy Cainca racemosa. Boericke’s Materia Medica mentions several remedies useful in dropsy, rare as well as polychrests. Noteworthy about Cainca is – The author says, think of this remedy in cases of dropsy where Apocynum, although indicated, fails to relieve.

Vipera – usually we think when – Indicated in inflammation of veins with great swelling; bursting sensation, when they are allowed to hang down, it seems as if they would burst, and the pain is unbearable. Varicose veins and acute phlebitis.

But this book mentions a tip from Dr. Farokh Master Sir – Think of Vipera when symptoms are very acute and indicated drugs show little amelioration in brachial neuralgia.

I studied about Mother tinctures from various books and used them a lot. This books gave me some new information like:

Think of Gautteria Gaumeri in patients of high triglycerides and cholesterol who have some Lycopodium and Chelidonium symptoms. Before reading that I used to use this mother tincture as a near specific for hyperlipidaemia especially when other remedies were not specifically indicated.

Another example that I would like to give is that of Janosia Asoka – Dr. Sunirmal Sarkar says that we think of this when there is Pulsatilla like personality. For years together I have been using this remedy rampantly without knowing this.

A unique feature of this book is an appendix which tells us which remedies to look for when an indicated or used remedy fails. Take example of a polychrest like Bryonia when it fails then we can think of remedies like Abrotanum, Ammonium carb, Aesclepius tub, Cadmium sulph, Colchicum, Gettysburg aqua, Influenzinum, Kali carb, Phytolacca, Ptelea t, Ranunculus bulb, Senega – for different indications of course.

I have mentioned some references and excerpts from the book, giving any more details about the content in a review would be unfair, I would appeal to the Homoeopathic fraternity to read the book for more such content.

The back cover describes something which is very appropriate – This book aims to fill a significant gap in Homoeopathic literature by focusing on a crucial but often overlooked aspect of practice that is the indications of the remedies ‘When a well selected remedy fails’ to deliver the desired therapeutic outcome. Such insights are not readily available under a single umbrella, making this book a one-of-a-kind contribution to the field of homoeopathy.

We all encounter such cases where we are required to think out of the box and this book will be very useful in that.

Not only remedy indications, this book also contains cases, rubrics and comparative tables etc. A must have book in every practicing Homoeopath’s personal library.

Dr. Satyajit kuchar