Essentials of Boger’s Principles and Practice of Homoeopathy Book Reviewed by Dr Aparna Rajput

Legendary Prof. Dr Shashi Kant Tiwari has diligently collected the scattered valuable writings and documentaries of Dr Boger and interlaced them into a remarkable compilation titled “Essentials of Boger’s Principles and Practice of Homoeopathy.
Dr Boger sternly believed in verifying the principles through practice before advocating them, and this book is a classic assembly of it.
The book outlines a very unique style and comprises 66 chapters, most of the chapters commence with a discussion of the topic with a practical demonstration followed by a panel of discussion by eminent practitioners and stalwarts of Homoeopathy.
This book focuses mainly on the attainment of working knowledge of the law of action and considers it to be the inherent right of every Homoeopathic student.
This book takes through many important topics which convey a deeper understanding of the principles and methodology of rational and successful clinical practice of Homoeopathy.
Dr Boger advises every Homoeopath to have a thorough knowledge of his tools, that is, an insight into the books and literature on Homoeopathy. He states evolution of the Homoeopathic system is mainly attributed to the learned faculty who imbibe knowledge in students. He has clearly defined concepts of susceptibility and central life which should be understood as a unit of expression and disincline towards piece-meal prescription. Boger highlights the advancement of the Materia Medica as the need of the hour, which could take place by systematic, purposeful and planned proving. He stressed considering the symptoms of peculiar characteristics nature in making the choice of the remedy and disregards the reverse methods of using keynotes to decide on the choice of remedy. He convinces physicians to not only find the foci but go beyond, to get the totality. If one intends absolute cure necessity of minute life history is well elicited by Dr Boger.
Dr Boger describes Energy in a threefold form spiritual(mind), dynamic (brain and nervous system) and physical(tissues).
In relation to homoeopathy and Pathology, Dr Boger states every sickness has a personal element and thus disregards the prescription of specific medicines.
To make a rational choice of remedy it should be a true reflection of everything in the patient’s body. Dr Boger emphasizes looking for the characteristics of the patient rather than the characteristics of the remedy, focusing on finer and subjective symptoms and acquainting oneself with the language of disease changes of personality and temperament, expression of the intellectuals and moral peculiarities, the seat of the disease, concomitants and modalities, cravings and aversion, aggravation and amelioration, periodicity of symptoms, analysis of symptoms- generalities, modalities, circumstances, locality, sensation -general /localised.
He states a lot of bearing must be given to the anamnesis, aetiology and heredity of the disease aspects, especially in unilateral cases where family anamnesis is useful in finding the similimum.
He mentions that one-sided diseases are due to the suppressive power of Psora. He discusses the grading of symptoms to particular diseases, organs and individuals. He mentions the trinity in Homoeopathy- law of cure, single remedy and minimum dose. Regarding the topic of suppression, he states everything that distorts the natural image of the disease is suppression, which turns disease movement toward more vital organs. He mentions the significance of a single dose and wait-and-watch policy and defies injudicious repetition of dose.
Relating to the undeveloped picture he insists to look into deeper lying manifestations of an embedded miasm after the acute explosion. He defines the Genus epidemicus in relation to susceptibility and elicits in every case to be a mixture of general drug reactions plus the psoric, idiosyncratic or personal element.
He gives special reference to clinical cases of membranous croup, tuberculosis, liver cases, cancer, Panaritium, the Metals and their relation to the functions of the reproductive organs, points in obstetrical therapeutics, climacteric remedies, diabetic gangrene, choleraic complex, Homoeopathy in diseases of children, he gives special mention to the study, development and genius of Materia Medica, strontium salts, gymnacladus, the doctrine of signature and veterinary Homoeopathy.
Dr Boger offers a deep insight into the science of Homoeopathy through his lectures and discussions of the Principles of Homoeopathic, Philosophy, Materia medica, Therapeutics, Clinical cases, and Repertory and thus would incorporate integrated knowledge to the readers. Each chapter gives the essence and deeper understanding of Homoeopathy and its principles in a distinct language. In most of the chapters, there are clinical cases along with discussions of various stalwarts and practitioners which help the students to practically grasp the concepts of Homoeopathy.
This precious compilation is a great contribution to all the diligent followers of Homoeopathy which would not be possible without the painstaking effort of Prof. Dr Shashi Kant Tiwari.

About Prof. Dr Shashi Kant Tiwari

Prof. Dr Shashi Kant Tiwari is a legendary name in the Homoeopathic system, his passion for the system is obvious through his contribution as a Teacher, Practitioner, and Author. He has authored Essentials of Repertorization, Homoeopathic child care, Boenninghausen -Boger Final General Repertory and various other books. Dr Tiwari is well known for his effective teachings and has an engaging classroom presence; this unique effective style has been infiltered in all his literary works. He is humble, a great enthusiast and very inquisitive about the Homoeopathic art which is well-defined by the service he has rendered to the field of Homoeopathy. Dr Tiwari has a vast knowledge regarding Dr Boger’s principles and practice and is well convinced that his work would help in a deeper understanding of the principles of Homoeopathy. Dr Shashi Kant Tiwari has accomplished this missionary work for all earnest students of Homoeopathy, by compiling a few important articles, clinical cases and discussions which were scattered in various places in a form of a book titled Essentials of Boger’s Principles and Practice of Homoeopathy.