Book Review by Dr Ibrahim U. Mhaisker.
The Homoeopathic Therapeutics of Diarrhoea, Dysentry, Cholera, Cholera Morbus, Cholera Infantum, and All other Loose Evacuations of the Bowels. Dr. James B. Bell.
It is one of the type of clinical repertories which is based on the loose evacuations of the bowels. It was originally prepared for the personal use of the author as a time saving notes. Basic intention behind the book was not to include all remedies producing diarrhea, but only those remedies of which symptoms regarding;
- Type of stool.
- Condition of Aggravation, Amelioration & Causation.
- Concomitants.
Editions:
The first edition came in the year 1869.
Second edition – 1881.
In this edition Dr. W.T. Laird added 32 new remedies & more than 100 pages & also remodeled the Repertory part. Dr. A. Lippe also has contributed 2 annotated copies & many suggestions.
Third edition – 1888.
Fourth edition – 1896.
Till date 13 editions have come.
Sources:
- Own clinical experience of about 10 years.
- From various journals.
- Hahnemann. Chronic diseases.
- Jahr. New manual. Repertory
- Lippe. Materia Medica
- Hale. Materia Medica
- Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket book
- Hartmann.
- Wells Diarrhoea etc.
This book is in 2 parts.
Part 1: Remedies with their indications.
Part 2: Repertory proper.
Part 1: The 141 number of Remedies have been dealt in detail with respect to following points;
1) Type of stools.
2) Aggravations.
3) Ameliorations.
4) Before stool.
5) During stool.
6) After stool.
7) Accompaniments.
8) During convalescence – given only in few drugs.
Under each of the best known remedies some symptoms will be found italicized. These, it will be understood, are the symptoms which have been frequently observed & which also serve to most sharply distinguish that remedy from others. The more of these emphasized symptoms we have under any one remedy the easier the selection.
Part – 2: Repertory proper.
It is based on ;
- The doctrine of complete symptoms.
- The doctrine of concomitants.
- The doctrine of evaluation of remedies.
Gradations used: 4 Types of gradations are used.
- Roman bold. — First grade. —- 4 Marks.
- Italics. — Second grade —- 3 Marks.
- Simple roman. — Third grade —- 2 Marks.
- ( Roman ). — Fourth grade —- 1 Mark.
Total number of remedies—- 141.
Plan & Construction:
Repertory has been divided into 5 parts;
1) Pathological names.
2) Character of stools.
3) Conditions of the stools & of the accompanying symptoms ( Modalities )
a. Aggravation.
b. Amelioration.
4) Accompaniments of the evacuations.
a. Before stool.
b. During stool.
c. After stool.
5) General accompaniments.
23 Subsections are given.
1) Mind & mood.
2) Head.
3) Eyes & ears.
4) Nose.
5) Face.
6) Mouth.
7) Throat.
8) Oesophagus.
9) Appetite.
10) Eructations.
11) Nausea & vomiting.
12) Stomach.
13) Abdomen.
14) Anus.
15) Urine.
16) Sexual organs.
17) Chest.
18) Back & neck.
19) Extremities.
20) Sleep.
21) Fever –
a. Chill.
b. Heat.
c. Sweat.
d. Pulse.
22) Skin
23) General symptoms.
Arrangement of Rubrics:
Under all chapters and subchapter the rubrics are arranged alphabetically.
Chapter 1:Pathological names.
This chapter gives direct pathological rubrics like –
Cholera
Cholera infantum
Cholera morbus
Diarrhoea
Dysentery etc
Chapter 2: Character of the Stools.
This Chapter deals with the different types of Stool.
For example: Albuminous
Bilious
Bloody
Coffee ground like
Copious
Frothy etc.
Chapter 3: Conditions of Stools and of the accompanying symptoms.
This chapter is divided into two sub chapters,
a.Aggravation.
b.Amelioration.
Under the heading aggravations not only aggravating modalities are given but also many causative modalities are placed.
For example: Acids after
Beer after
Cabbage after
Fruit after etc.
Chapter 4: Accompaniments of the evacuations
This chapter is divided into three subchapters.
a.Before stool
b.During stool
c.After stool
In this Chapter all the symptoms that accompany diarrhea before, during and after are included
For example: Anguish before stool
Anguish during stool
Anguish after stool etc
Chapter 5: General accompaniments
There are 23 subchapters are given which are arranged according to Hahnemannian schema. Under each heading peculiar concomitant state of patient suffering from diarrhea is given.
For example: Mind and Mood – anxiety
Crying
Depression
Irritability etc.
Appetite – Aversions
Desires
Thirst etc.
Method of Using This Repertory:
Any patient suffering from diarrhea, his detailed case history is taken with respect to;
Sensation
Modality
Concomitants
Once this is done then case can be repertorised easily as in case of other repertories.
The Administration of The Remedy:
The author’s experience had been most satisfactory with the use of the twelfth, fifteenth, thirtieth, two hundredth, & often higher potencies, of our remedies, administered in water, & repeated every one to six hours according to the urgency of the symptoms, & suspended as soon as decided improvement appeared.
Special Features:
1.Handy & very concise.
2.Contains rubrics related to diarrhoeal diseases with concomitants at one place.
3.In first part common indications of remedies in diarrhea are given.
Criticism:
1.Number of remedies is very less
2.Remedies in each rubric are very less.
Bibliography:
1.The principles & practice of repertorisation By Dr. K. Harinadham.
2.The Homoeopathic therapeutics of diarrhea By Dr. J. B. Bell.
Dr. Ibrahim U. Mhaisker.MD(Hom)
Lecturer, Department of Repertory,
Yerala Homoeopathic Medical College,
Kharghar, Navi-Mumbai.
E mail: dribrahim123@rediffmail.com
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