Comprehensive Materia Medica of Mind by H L Chitkara

Book review by Mansoor Ali 

Full name of the book : New Comprehensive Materia Medica of Mind.
Author : H.L.Chitkara assisted by Ashok gupta
Published by : B Jain publishers New Delhi
Price : Rs. 150
First edition 1994
Hard bound, 700 pages
Cover design : Aloke kashyap from picture dictionary for children
Total medicines 892
Based on Synthetic Repertory Vol.1

About the author. :
Dr. Harban Lal Chitkara a native of Pakistan from the family of Unani Doctors, was a teacher,examiner,editor and a prominent participant in national and international Homoeopathic congresses and seminars. he has a deep knowledge of about 11 languages. Now about 75and still a bachelor.
The word Promisalone in the title of the series “ Technique Promisalone Homoeopathique “ is an acronym for Prescribing On Mind Symptoms ALONE.
This compilation is more comprehensive, more authentic and more accurate than any work of this kind. it will prove as an invaluable book of reference besides serving as a useful hand book for daily practice.

The material medica of mind covers 892 medicines and is made up of rubric of mind ,mostly from Synthetic repertory,with additions from authentic sources.

The Synthetic Repertory Vlo.1 deals
with the Mind provides a delightful gamut of mind rubrics most gratifying and welcome in Homoeopathic practice. But after the repertorisation we are in veil, to refer a material medica of mind as a court of appeal. But this work fulfill the need for referring on mind symptoms alone.
This material medica is from repertory, each remedy is therefore presented in the form of repertory and as a co rally, also retain the features of Synthetic Repertory.
According to author, this work was thoroughly screened to exclude non authentic materials and bring about conformity in the compilation.

It include all 892 medicines from Synthetic Repertory with many new additional rubrics. Particular care have been taken to exclude all doubtful and non authentic rubrics.
Indicates singular symptoms
Indicates the new additions

Some Rare Remedies
Adelheid aqua,Arum italicum,Corticotrophinum,Gettysburg aqua,
Harapagophytum procumbens,Okubaka aurberevillie,
Paronychia illecebrum,Siegesbeckia orientalis,Thioproperazinum
Mate…..

Features
Only 3 gradations as in Kent’s repertory
Spellings are corrected to American English
The word am. ( which also mean forenoon ) used in the sense of amelioration was replaced by amel. To avoid confusion
24 hour timings instead of 6am,9pm etc.
Duplication of the rubrics in the Repertory has retained in compilation as Delusion ,driving sheep and Delusion,sheep driving
Names of the remedies as in synthetic repertory
Follows the style of German pharmacopia
Bowel nosodes represented as Dysenterei first then bacillus in bracket
Shifted Embarrassment under Ailments from to an independent position as Embarrassment ailments after Revision
In the process of transferring the rubrics to the remedies, each remedy was given a once over and in this way numerous errors of print and diction were noticed and corrected.
Eg. Page 175 SR Confusion, scratching    corrected as Confusion, scratching
Behind the ear on behind the ear, in
1078 of SR weeping emotions after light weeping emotions after slight

Suspected references
324 of SR Delusion,move hears things that are high up near him out of sight ( Kent,kunzli ) corrected as Delusion,move,hears invisible things ( Boger)

Advantages 

  • Accurate authentic and comprehensive
  • Rare medicines are many
  • Handy and cost effective
  • Readable and understandable arrangement of sub rubrics

Demerits

  • Source books for additions not given
  • Only 3 grades
  • No remedy abbreviations
  • Source of preparations of medicines not mentioned

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