THERAPEUTIC

DRUG PICTURE TYPE

&

COMPARATIVE

MATERIA MEDICA STUDY

INTRODUCTION

MODIFIED MATERIA MEDICA

STUDY

From the time of discovery of Homoeopathy, till

today Homoeopathic materia medica has been

viewed and represented by various scholars in

different ways. In view of increasing number of

proved drugs and clinical symptoms, various

types of materia medica have emerged. Each

type has its own utility in day to day practice.

Study of Materia Medica in 3 ways :

1. Therapeutic type

2. Drug picture type

3. Comparative type

What is their Need ?

They are needed for the better understanding &

utility of Homoeopathic Materia Medica.

Homoeopathic Materia Medica :

TheRecord book of the effects of drugs on human

beings

Homoeopathic Materia Medica is based on the

principles of “Drug Proving”

{105-145}

Albrecht von Halter (1708-77) – he suggested that

medicines should be proved on human beings.

A. THERAPEUTIC MATERIA MEDICA

The drug indications are given under the

headings of different diseases.

Ex:- ( Vertigo, Gastric ulcer etc)

VERTIGO

CONIUM

THER.

MORPH.

TAB.

GASTRIC ULCER

ARSENIC

HYDR.

ATROPIN

PHOS

THERAPEUTIC MATERIA MEDICA

Few Examples of Books :

• Practical Homoeopathic Therapeutics –

Dr. W.A.Dewey.

• Select your Remedy –

Dr. R.B.Bishamber das.

• Pointers to Homoeopathic Therapeutics –

Dr. M.L. Tyler.

• Homoeopathic Therapeutics – Dr. Lilienthal

THERAPEUTIC MATERIA MEDICA

•MERITS

Quick selection of a remedy for a given case.

•DEMERITS

No comprehensive drug picture.

B. PICTURE TYPE OF MATERIA

MEDICA

The individual picture of each drug is

represented in an artistic & comprehensive

manner.

The word picture or “portraits”

in materia medca signifies---A

portrait painter selects certain

features to reveal his subjects

true character. The same is true

for these descriptions of

homoeopathic polycrests.

Symptoms are are selectively

emphasied to recognise the

portrait rather than

comprehensive presentations.

PICTURE TYPE OF MATERIA MEDICA

First substantial work of this kind was

“Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica”

by J.T.Kent, based on the lectures given by

him at Hering Homoeopathic medical

college.

In this work Kent followed a definite

schema while representing each drug .

( Discovery of new

approach )

KENT

SWEDENBORG’S

CONCEPT KENT

SOUL ( Higher

degree )

MIND BODY ( Lower

degree )

Higher degree always influences the lower degree,

so inorder to cure the disorders of the lower plane,

the higher plane is to be influenced.

That is why Kent gave emphasis to the mental

symptoms(inner man) while drawing totality.

So, while lecturing on homoeopathic

materia medica in Hering Homoeopathic

Medical College

He presented a drug picture by which the personality of a drug

was made out in boldest headlines, its action on the man as a

whole and its action on different organs, tissues and parts of the

human body. So that each drugs can be individualized for its

administration to an individually sick person.

Lectures on Materia Medica –

(1904) – 267Medicines

Picture wise description of drugs

He was able to create continuity of a symptom picture

from all the disjoined symptoms listed in standard books by

analogy based on his experience. He was the one who

could see a running red strand through all the symptoms

and give us a living picture as if in flesh

It is comprehensive, not very vast & can be

practically used in practice

He followed a scheme with regards to all the

drugs on which he lectured as follows :

1. Mental symptoms: Will – Love – Hate – Fear.

Understanding – With delusion, delirium.

Memory.

2. Strange, rare and peculiar symptoms : These may occur among mentals, generals or

particulars and must therefore be of varying

importance and ranks.

3. Physical symptoms : Sexual perversion ( Loves, hates, physical).

Stomach – desire and aversion for food.

4. Physical generals Reaction to heat and cold.

Characters of discharges.

5. Particular symptoms Referring to different anatomical points of the

body.

In this type of Materia medica,

mental symptoms and psychological sphere

are analyzed and probed so that the drugs are

individualized on the basis of their personality,

temperament, understanding etc.

Picture of Calcarea carb patient

Less dynamic creature of sea, prefers to stay

safely inside its shells, clinging to a root for

security

Lachesis, Sulph - Likes for excitement & Glory

Calc carb. - Prefers to stay at home ,

- Watch Television

- Preferably some one to cuddle

& good supply of high

calorie ribbles

SECURITY

Calcarea Carb

Pulsatilla

Aurum

Lycopodium

Lyco Sought through approval of others

Aurum Wealth & Prestige

Puls Reassure to be loved

Calcarea Familiar

Any changing threatening

SECURITY

SIMPLICITY

Calcarea Carb

SULPHUR

ARSENIC & SILICEA

LYCOPODIUM

Cal carb. Simple, homely, down to earth and

pragmatic

- More Sensual type (Puls, Medo., Baryta)

- Getting more pleasure from the senses

Lyco, Sulph Intellectual

Ars, Sil. Sophisticated, enjoy

SIMPLICITY

Parochialism and Pettiness

Sulph Inspired, but oblivious of

practical realities

Kali Logical, but lack imagination.

Calc-carb. Simplicity accompanied

with small mindedness.

EMOTION

Pulsatilla Flux of emotions

Calcarea Earthiness

(More stable than Puls.)

Puls Graph Calc

Physicals Generals

Slow Stairs climbing

Sweat Swelling glands

Sour Profuse

Sluggish Polyp

Suture Plodding

Fat

Fair

Flabby

Fatigue

Full moon

Curvature

Coldness

Congestion

Cravings

cramps

Pale Phlegmatic

Physical general contd….

Homoeopathic Drug Picture by –

Dr. M. L. Tyler

Homoeopathic Materia Medica of Graphical

Drug Pictures –

Dr. Pulford

Examples of books are :

PICTURE TYPE OF MATERIA MEDICA

MERITS :

Picture type of materia medica gives a comprehensive

picture of the sick individual, rather than enumerating the

vast number of symptoms, which makes the study of

materia medica more interesting.

COMPARATIVE MATERIA MEDICA

a) At the level of : Group –

•Sphere of action

•Pathogenesis

•Symptom

SPHERE OF ACTION

NAJA HEART / MITRAL VALVE

CACTUS HEART CIRCULAR MUSCLE

RT, CIRCULATION, CHEST

DIGITALIS VAGUS NERVE, H. MUSCLE

CIRCULATION

BARYTA CARB BLOOD VESSELS

ACONITE ARTERIAL CIRCULATION,

VAGUS

STROPHANTUS HEART STRIPPED MUSCLE

PATHOGENESIS

DISEASE PROCESS

ACTION DIFFERENT LOCATION

DIFFERENT PATHOLOGY & SENSATION

SP. DIAGNOSTIC SYMPTOMS &

CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS

SIMILIMUM

SO NOT ONLY LOCATION but PATHOLOGY IS

ALSO IMPORTANT

Symptoms

Ipecac – Persistent nausea which is not relieved by

vomiting. Feels just as sick as before. Tongue may be

slightly coated or perfectly clean.

Iris vers. – Vomiting of stringy, glairy, ropy mucus;

hangs in strings down to receptacle on the floor.

Vomiting may be sour, bitter or sweetish. There is also

profuse flow of saliva.

Kali bich. – Affections of gastric mucosa with tough,

stringy, adherent vomiting which can be drawn into

long strings. Migratory pains. Yellow coating at base of

tongue or dry, smooth, cracked tongue.

Sulph acid. – Sour stomach with sour vomiting.

Weakened subjects with a sense of internal trembling.

Aphthous ulcers.

Antim crud. – Nausea & vomiting of curdled

milk esp. from overeating or overheating by

Sun rays. Hungry again but refuses to nurse.

Child has thick, milky white coated tongue.

Child cannot bear to be touched or looked at.

Aethusa cynap. – milk comes up as soon as

swallowed by a great effort, or if stays down

longer it finally comes up in very sour curds, so

large that it would seem almost impossible the

child could have ejected them. Hungry &

drowsy soon after vomiting.

Silicea – Aversion to mother’s milk or vomits it

soon after nursing. Scrofulous children, large

belies & weak ankles, much sweat about head.

b) At the level of Materia Medica.

•Merc.cor. & Merc.sol (substance)

•Antim tart & Ipecac. (action)

•Graphites & Calc.carb. (characteristic

expression)

STUDY OF REMEDY

SPIGELIA

A REMEDY KNOWN FOR IT’S

PAIN

CHARACTERISTICS :

• SHOOTING , STABBING , STICHING LIGHTENING

• NEURALGIC

• RADIATING FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER

• WITHIN OUTWARD

CLINICAL CONDITIONS :

• ANGINA PECTORIS

• RHEUMATIC HEART

• AFFECTIONS OF

PERICARDITIS

TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

CILIARY NEURALGIA

MIGRAINE

WORM INFESTATION

VIOLENT AUDIBLE BEATING OF HEART

NERVOUS PALPITATION

Glonoine,

Kali nit,

Thuja,

Ver alb

Cactus

Digitalis

SHAKES THE CHEST , SOUNDS ARE

AUDIBLE FROM SEVERAL INCHES AWAY

COMPARATIVE MATERIA MEDICA

Represents the comparative study of

drugs having similar pathogenensis.

As per the field of comparison, this

type includes 3 sub types.

1) At symptomatic level

2) At orgaan level

3) At drug level

COMPARATIVE MATERIA MEDICA

1) At symptomatic level – comparison based upon signs

and symptoms produced by a drug.

i) The Comparative Materia Medica – E.A.Farrington

ii) Comparative Materia Medica – Gross

iii) Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics – Dr. E. B. Nash

2) At organ level:- drugs are compared with theirindications

at a particular organ.

i) Therapeutics by K.C.Bhanja

3) At drug level:- drugs with much resemblance to each

other are compared.

i) Children types – Douglas

COMPARATIVE MATERIA MEDICA

MERITS :

Helps to differentiate between seemingly similar

remedies & to reach a similimum.