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Beyond Hahnemann
Even during the life of Hahnemann there was a split among homeopaths.
A section believed in the use of potentized remedies and another
believed in crude doses on the basis of Simila. Among those who
used the potentized remedies, most were not in favor of very high
potencies. During the later years of Hahnemann, the proponents of
the crude doses decreased and the higher potencies came into greater
use.
Homeopaths of all times have remained divided over the question
of potency selection and even 160 years after Hahnemann's death,
the question of potency selection is still open-ended. Let us take
a look at the views of some leading homeopaths of different eras.
Boenninghausen, a contemporary of Hahnemann, was clearly
in favor of high potencies. He wrote many papers in support of high
potencies and listed therein many advantages like -
1. The sphere of action continually enlarges with high potencies
so that in chronic ailments they hasten the cure,
2. In acute diseases, the effect appears quicker, and
3. They act in spite of discretion in diet.
Homeopaths like T. F. Allen, Richard Hughes, Dr. Wilson, Dr. Henry
Dearborn, J. H. Clarke, Dr. George Royal, Boericke, Pierce, Edgar
were in favor of low potencies and advised the same in most cases.
On the other hand homeopaths like Boenninghausen, Hering, Lippe,
Guernsey, Raue, Dunham, H. C. Allen, Kent, Boger, Nash, Roberts
were all in favor of medium and high potencies. We can add to this
list the names of Bell, Beronville, Borland, Stuart Close, Curie,
Dewey, Gross, Fincke, Swan, Skinner, Jenichen, Ghose, Grauvogl,
Hubbard, Sir John Weir, Margaret Tyler, Pulford, Templeton, Yingling,
Waffensmith, P.P. Wells and Pierre Schmidt etc. All these homeopaths
used the higher potencies with great success.
Most modern homeopaths like George Vithoulkas, Rajan Sankran, Jan
Scholten, Prafull Vijayakar, Bill Gray, Robin Murphy, Alfons Geukens,
Vesalis Ghegas, Massimo Mangilavori, Banerjeea, Anne Schadde, Luc
de Schepper, Andre Saine, Eileen Naumann, Jayesh Shah, Jermey Sherr,
Tinus Smits, Wolfgang Springer, Alize Timmerman etc. seem to be
in favor of using higher potencies. Being in favor of high potencies
does not mean using the high potencies to the exclusion of lower
ones. The master homeopaths of the past and the present have been
able to use the full range of potencies, from lowest to the highest,
depending upon the case. The potencies most commonly used now a
days are 6C, 30C, 200C, 1M, 10M, CM and the LM scale.
The LM scale has not been very popular among homeopaths, primarily
due to historical reasons. It now seems to be coming into greater
use as modern homeopaths are experimenting with it more and more.
The likes of Schmidt, Kunzli, Voegeli, Patel, Chaudhary and Sankaran
etc. have reported many cures with the use of LM potencies.
Now let us go through the views of some of these homeopaths in
detail.
Boger seems to have utilized all potencies but was partial
towards very high potencies. His favorite prescription appears to
have been a single dose of DMM.
Borland says that in treating purely local conditions, remedies
for the organ or tissues may be used in low potencies, as also in
advanced pathological conditions and sensitive patients. When there
is general similarity in addition to local indications, medium or
high potencies may be preferred. He also says the more acute the
disease, the higher the potency.
Clarke says that for ordinary practice, with acute illness,
the lower dilutions from the 1C to 3C will be most useful. For chronic
diseases, the higher dilutions would be required.
Close gives the following considerations that influence
the choice of the dose -
1. The greater the characteristic symptoms of the drug in the case,
the greater the susceptibility to the remedy and the higher the
potency required.
2. Age: medium and higher potencies for children
3. Higher potencies for sensitive, intelligent persons.
4. Higher potencies for persons of intellectual or sedentary occupation
and those exposed to excitement or to the continual influence of
drugs.
5. In terminal conditions even the crude drugs may be required
He also writes "Different potencies act differently in different
cases and individuals at different times under different conditions.
All may be needed. No one potency, high or low, will meet the requirement
of all cases at all times."
Curie opines that in acute diseases the low dilutions are to be
preferred but in chronic diseases, the high dilutions promise greater
success.
Edgar reports having treated cases successfully for twenty-five
years with low dilutions and mother tinctures.
Gentry feels that in progressive diseases such as fevers
and contagions, remedies must be given in medium or low potencies.
Blackie reports that in cases of real organic change due
to infective causes a high potency might clear them up.
Grauvogl enumerates some rules for the use of potencies.
He writes -
1. If we have to act on single parts, against single qualitative
cause, we had better use low dilutions, as in haemorrahge before
or after childbirth.
2. With high potencies, symptoms pass away quietly leaving no trace.
3. In dealing with a change of process of reduction or of oxidation
or vice-versa, we must use the low dilutions.
4. But to dissolve process of retention, high potencies are indicated.
5. Nutritive remedies act better in low dilutions, functional remedies
in high dilutions.
6. A chronic case, esp., when based upon retention in a carbo-nitrogenoid
constitution, can be cured best by high potencies.
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