[Abstract: This article deals with the understanding of the Role of the Second Prescription in our Homoeopathy Practice, on the light of the teaching of our Organon of Medicine & Homoeopathic Philosophy, and the qualities of the Homoeopathic classical prescriptions are also expressed in this article.]
Keywords: Second prescription-definition-importance-types-qualities of homoeopathic classical
prescriptions.
Definition: The Second Prescription is the prescription, which is given after the first prescription that has acted. Hence, the question of Second Prescription arise, when the medicine prescribe for the first time after a proper case taking, has bring fourth some changes on the human’s derange Vital Economy.
Importance:
Before Second Prescription, we must wait and observe the case whether;
The patient comes to a stand-still stage or not.
Certain symptoms are relieved.
Old symptoms may reappear, or New symptoms may appear or not.
Following Instruction should be Remember:
A hurried Second Prescription should be avoided.
The early repetition of the remedy and the continuous giving of the same remedy will prevent anything like an opportunity for the making of a Second Prescription and finally spoil the case. Placebo should be given in the mid-time, for the remedial action continues freely. It makes no difference, whether the physician is so extremely conscientious that he does not want to give Sac. Lac., (placebo) or whether he is so ignorant that he does not know how to give it – the result is the same.
Types of Second Prescription:
The Second Prescription may be either of the following:
Repetition of the First Prescription, or Change in the Second Prescription.
Repetition of the First Prescription:
It is consider when the First Prescription acts favorable for the benefit of the cure of the patient. It would not be done, unless the record has been fully studied again and again. If the symptoms return, somewhat as they were differing, slightly in their intensity – increased or decreased – means good sign. Now, the duty of the physician, to wait for the return of the original symptoms and observe whether the case come to a stand-still stage or not.
Therefore, we may conclude that the Second Prescription is the First Prescription is in two conditions:
Re-appearance of the Original Symptoms:
The disappearance of symptoms following, “Hering’s Law of Cure”, with re-appearance of certain Old symptoms.
The medicine should not be repeated unless the old symptoms persist for a long time.
And then, repeat the same medicine in same potency or by potency increase.
When the case come in a Stand-still stage for a long time:
When further improvements are not shown, but the patient feel somewhat better from his previous original disease condition. Then, to accelerate the rate of progress, repetition of the same medicine in same potency or by increasing potency is necessary.
Change in the Second Prescription:
When the new symptoms appear and previously indicated remedy has done all the good, it can for the patient and has been tried in the whole range of potencies – the change is needed.
It may be done by Antidote the first, Change of first remedy, Complementary or Cognate change, and Change of plan of treatment.
Antidote to the first prescription:
When the first prescription create severe aggravation, life threatening situation and disobey the “Hering’s Law of Cure”, then it is consider. If the administration of the First Prescription, result in appearance of the new symptoms, not of
mild but violent – life threatening in nature, or with general worsening of the patient; it is to be Antidote immediately. The new symptoms should be examined, whether they belong – to the Pathogenesis of the medicine, or to the Progress of the Disease, and the new such symptoms has never experienced by the patient, before.
These worsening indicate the selection of the previous medicine for the First Prescription was either wrong or partially correct or too high in potency. In this situation Antidote must be done by as per needs; Specific Antidotal Medicine, like Acet. acid antidote Amyl. nit.; General Antidotal Medicine, like Camphor for all Vegetable remedies;
Incompatible Medicine, like Causticum and Phosphorus; Low potency of the previous Medicine; or High potency of the previous Medicine, (vice-versa) etc.
Change of First Remedy:
When the symptoms change without any improvement of the patient, the change of the remedy is indicated.
Ensure that, the new symptoms appearing are not the old symptoms to which the patient has become accustomed due to its long suffering or apparently trivial in nature. Change of the remedy is also indicated when the remedy previously indicated has done all the good it can for the patient and has been tried in the whole range of potencies.
Complementary to the First Prescription:
It is also a change of the remedy but the medicine now to be selected for the Complements the action of the First Remedy. To complete the action of the First Remedy, a Constitutional remedy is to be needed in some cases. It is usually the case when the First Remedy is an acute one and it is to be complemented with the Constitutional medicine. For e.g., Bryonia with Natrum mure, Belladonna with Calc. carb., Aconite with Sulphur etc.
To be remember that the Constitutional remedy is indicated when the acute trouble is over. Cognate Remedy to the First Prescription: Those medicines which are closely related to each other are called Cognate relation of the remedies. After the administration of the First Prescription, the ‘emerging totality’ changed the “totality of the patient”. And a medicine always leads to one of its Cognates. For e.g., a bilious fever in a Sepia constitution is likely to call for Nux. vom. and as soon as that bilious fever or remittent fever has subsided the symptoms of the Sepia come out immediately. Sulphur, Calc. carb., Lycopodium has same type of relationship.
Change of Plan of Treatment:
When a patient is treated for a particular miasm with anti-miasmatic remedies often it found that the signs and symptoms of other miasm start to appear with the disappearance of the previous miasmatic symptoms. For e.g., when a patient is treated with anti-psoric remedies, Psoric symptoms are subsided and the old Syphilitic or old Sycotic symptoms come up. These Miasmatic states are alter with each other, one being dominate others are recessive at one time or vice versa. In such situation plan of treatment should be change, a new medicine belonging to different miasmatic group according to the indication to be given. For e.g., during the treatment with Sulphur 200 CH, patient develops bone pain, night aggravation, like Syphilitic symptoms, hence Mer.sol. is to be given. These Change of Plan of Treatment may be anti-miasmatic change, inter-current, or by block. remedy, tautopathy, organo-pathy etc.
Conclusion:
Actually, the Qualities of a Classical Homoeopathic physician depend upon the commend – the confident on the subjects of Organon of Medicine and Homoeopathic Philosophy … First Prescription is very easy to select but the Second Prescription totally depend upon the applied practical knowledge of Organon of Medicine and Homoeopathic Philosophy. Hence, after a careful and prolong study of the case we can make a rational Second Prescription. And the Qualities of the Second prescription verify and confirm the quality of the Homoeopaths, in our therapeutic practice.
Bibliography:
KENT J.T., Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy; Memorial edition, B. Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd.,
New Delhi, 1990
About Author:
Prof. (Dr.) Goutam Das M.D. (Homoeopathy)
Dept. of Organon of Medicine, MHMC&H, Basna, Mehsana (Gujarat)
Assist by: Dr. Annu Patel B.H.M.S.
