Review Of The Book “Comparative Materia Medica” by Dr G. Nagendra Babu

Reading homeopathic materia medica is fun and mastering materia medica is rewarding to every homeopath. Mastering materia medica is impossible without comparative materia medica. DR. E.A. FARRINGTON’S COMPARATIVE MATERIA MEDICA IS A FORERUNNER IN TRAINING THE ENTHUSIASTS IN THIS TASK OF COMPARISON OF DRUGS. This work helps in understanding the remedies that agree, disagree, similar, inimical in relation etc. Understanding remedy relationships like antidotes, complimentary etc. have been elaborately exposed. DIFFERENTIATING INDIVIDUAL REMEDY WITH OTHER DRUG PICTURES CAN BE DONE IN VARIOUS DEGREES LIKE DISEASE LEVEL, SYSTEMIC LEVEL AND FINALLY CONSTITUTIONAL LEVELS. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MATERIA MEDICA REDUCES THE POSSIBILITIES OF ERRORS IN FINAL PRESCRIPTION. The errors in prescription as stated by Farrington himself may arise form defective judgement, imperfect proving, and clinical reports, imperfect comprehension of comparative symptoms.

Dr Boger says to master materia medica, master one remedy at a time. Once this is done we can proceed to comparison of remedies. In my opinion Farrington’s “Comparative Materia Medica” is a Magnum opus of its kind. Author with his mastery over the subject tried to differentiated remedies in materia medica under various headings as follows.

1. “Differentiations of similar remedies” in this chapter author tried to compare remedies under each clinical / pathological disease condition. This sure helps the beginner as a bedside therapeutic index too.
2. The second chapter “comparison of remedies” theoretically compares drug pictures of remedies that share common symptoms. This reminds us the conventional study of materia medica with comparative twist to it.
3. “Comparison of remedies of the same stock” is a chapter that deals with comparison between group remedies. Ex: comparison of halogens on glands.
4. Comparison of allied remedies is a chapter that compares remedies with similar pathological conditions.
5. Chapter “therapeutic hints for bedside reference” is a ready reckoner for both beginners as well as busy practitioners. This chapter makes the book a must at bed side clinic too.

Comparative Matera Medica must be attempted only after the reader gets a basic knowledge of conventional materia medica and drug pictures of individual remedies. E.A. Farrington’s Comparative Materia Medica fulfils all the essentials a learned homeopath looks for.

B.Jain publishers in credible manner tried their level best to retain the originality of the work. THE “INDEX” AT THE END WORKS AS BOTH READY RECKONER AS WELL AS BEDSIDE THERAPEUTIC INDEX IN CLINICAL PRACTICE. The legible print lucid text makes it readable. Hope the homeopathic medical fraternity makes the maximum use of this exclusive book as they have been doing so far.