Book Review by Dr Rachna Sethi
Repertory of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica By J.T.Kent ,A.M.,M.D.
Enriched Indian edition Reprinted from 6th American edition.
Edited and revised by Clara Louise Kent,M.D.
Published by B.Jain Publisher, New Delhi.
Introduction and Preface :-
DR James Tyler Kent was born in Wood hill , new York ,USA on 31st march 1849, in a Baptist family –son of Stephen Kent and Caroline Tyler ,his wife.
His elementary education and secondary education was in New York .He studied in eclectic medical Institute (1870) and in 1889 homoeopathic medical institution of Missouri ,St.Louis .He began his professional carrier as a physician of the eclectic school –and as a writer and a part of eclectic national college ,St.loiis 1877-78.He was a great scholar and a vicarious writer.
His attention was directed towards homoeopathy when once his wife to which he was much devoted had some serious illness-(insomnia ,neurasthenia and anemia) and failed to respond to eclectic or any other treatment. She was finally cured by Dr.Phelu with the help of homoeopathic medicines.
Encouraged by the remarkable improvement of his ailing wife with homoeopathic treatment ,he decide to thoroughly study the fundamental principles of homoeopathy. he accepted these fundamental principles and philosophy and became a true student of Dr.Hahnemann’s Organon.
He completely converted him to homoeopathy and resigned from the eclectic medical association in 1879.
With in a short time span ,he became a popular teacher as well as physician –through hard working ,and keen interest and unending enthusiasm. After going through hard the 10 volumes of “Herings guiding symptoms “,it brought clear picture of each medicine in his book on Materia Medica.
DR .Kent was the author of the most popular repertory of the 19th century .He was a conscientious and hard working doctor.
He passed away on 6th June 1916 at Stevensville Montada of USA.
Aim of The Repertory:–
- Present master Kent’s repertory of HMM in a clean-cut form that is free from any Mistakes.
- That is fruitful or useful to all homeopaths
- It is successful in practicing homeopathy.
Sources:
- Use of the repertory
- How to study the repertory
- How to use the repertory
- M.L.Tylers and John Weir ‘s remedy relationship’s.
- Reportorial hints on “Gibson Millers hot and cold remedies.
- Boger’s “side of the body and drug affinity “from BTPB.
- Millers’ relationship of remedies and their duration of action
- Some working method by Tyler and John Weir.
Contribution’s:
1,AS A TEACHER
1881—83: Chair to anatomy at homoeopathy medical college of Moussiri.
1883—88:professor of HMM –then professor and dean of HMM in post graduate school of homeopathy. .
Pennsylvania
: Dean and professor of HMM in Dunham homeopathy. Medical college, Chicago
: Dean and professor of HMM in Heinemann med college, Chicago.
1905- -: dean and professor in HMM in herring medical college, Chicago.
2… 35 years and more he has written medical articles.
25 years and more he has been a teacher. And practitioner.
3 Main Contributions To Literature:
1897—Repertory of Material Medica
1900—homeopathy. Philosophy
1905—lectures on HMM
New remedies
Lesser writing
Chemical cases.
1926—aphorisms and principles (?)
4.Attachment’s:
Member of Illinois state homeopathy med society
Member of American homeopathy
“ “ International hahnemanninan association,
: British homeopathy society.
HISTORY
How Kent’s Repertory Was Published} During Kents Time, Lippes and Boenninghausen Rep. Were being used commonly.
Dr Kent liked the format of lippies repertory and stared using it –but he was not satisfied with the rubrics and the number of medicines. Noticing the lacunae, in the present, he keenly felt the need of a comprehensive repertory.
Kent worked on lippies repertory. When he started teaching hmm, he became more and more aware of the vastness of the subject and he keenly felt the need of a better repertory.
Even the symptom register and Allen’s encyclopedia were so incomplete that they lacked half of the symptoms. Jahrs rep was placed next order of imp. But it was considered as a repertory of grand old remedies.
But Kent was not satisfied with these works and felt the need of a comprehensive rep.
Lee was working on lippies repertory for 16 years. Lippie had a strong desire that Kent and lee should work together/jointly to form a repertory. During this time, Kent had already compiled the sections like urinary organs, head, chill, and fever.
Now lee started working with Dr. Kent and started compiling the mind and head sections but Kent was not satisfied with Lees work. After a few days lee became blind and then Kent revised and rearranged the sections and compiled other sections. He started using it for his own practice.
Once Dr.Beigler visited Dr. Kent and went through his work –he was impressed by his work –he expressed his desire to publish Kent’s work.
BUT Kent expressed his difficulties to publish because of the exorbent [high] cost.
Finally Dr.Beigler with the help of Dr. Thurston and Dr.Kimball helped him to get enough sufficient subscription to justify his publication .his work became very popular and his 2nd edition was extensively used.
In 18797,he published the 1st edition of his repertory with 1428 pages and this proved to be the best repertory available till then. This 1st edition received worldwide appreciation.
Before the publication of 3RD EDITION which Kent had already completed but death took him away from us in1916-but he quotes in his own words in his repertory the following lines—“this 3rd edition completes my life work’s have brought it up to date. I have re-arranged and made numerous corrections, in addition to adding many new remedies. I have verified every new symptom in this book. You will find all remedies of any value contain here in. the book is complete.”
Dr, Kent at the time of his death, left 3 hand written and corrected copies of the 3rd edition of his repertory. One copy of his manuscript was with Erhart and Karl” in Chicago
Who published the 3rd edition in 1924 i.e. 8 years after the death of Dr. Kent’s.
The other 2 copies were with F.E.Glandwin and Dr. J.S.Pugh for the purpose of proof correction.Dr.Glandwin found errors in the 3rd edition and began the e work of comparing and correcting it with the hand written copies with her. She took the help of Dr.Clara Louisa Kent (M.D.), wife of Dr.Kent.
Dr.Pierre Schmidt assisted them in revising the 3rd, 4th,and 5th edition.
The 4th a 5th edition’s were published with the help of dr. Clara Louisa Kent.
Dr.Glandwin gave her copy of Kent’s manuscript to Dr.Austin who further gave it to dr. p. Schmidt along with Kent’s diamond ring.
The 6th American edition was published in 1957 and the 6th Indian was published in 1961. Dr.P.Scmidt discovered many serious mistakes in both the American and Indian edition. Theses were omissions, wrong insertions, mistakes in alphabetical order and spellings, incorrect placing of rubrics, errors in grading and punctuations. then Dr.Schmidt went word by word through the original manuscript by Dr. Kent. .
Unfortunately, a selfish man stole this corrected manuscript, which was ready for printing, about 20 years.
Finally, this stolen manuscript was purchased by Dr. Diwan Harish Chand of Delhi from the person who had stolen art, after prolong and continuous persuation.then in May 1974,it was published. Infact,it was supposed to be the 7th edition of Dr. Kent ‘s repertory but now it is called “KENTS FINAL GENERAL REPERTORY OF HMM”.{NOTE: the book which we are presently using is the 6th edition of Dr. Kent but there are no exact day of publication is not there because the data does not publish it.}
Dr.Kent had a burning desire to interpret the true logic of homeopathy and raise it to the status it deserved . Dr.Clara Louisa Kent, MD, brought this great work, much to perfect through her interesting efforts and the sincerity and thus made it fullest after the death of her husband.
Also the whole world of homoeopathy remains indebted to Dr.Harish Chand for his contribution in buying this stolen hand written work, which else would have not seen the day and homeopathic profession would have lost valuable information that is now incorporated in it.
Preface:
This work is offered to the profession as a general repertory of HMM, it has been built from all Sources and it is a compilation of all useful symptoms recorded in our HMM notes of ablest Practitioners. Also some clinical matters have been included. Plan of the repertory is uniform Through out and is expensive, so that more symptoms can be added from time to time. It is Suggested in a case from time to time .it is suggested to proceed in a case from generals to Particulars.
The method of repertorisation is from generals to particulars. Pathological names have been Used only when the condition Will be found in the rubric. It is suggests writing mental, then physical symptoms. Cross-reference is added wherever Needed. Where ever we find a group of remedies in a rubric, look for cross referance”See”.
Read the entire heading’s of the general rubric from the beginning to the end and get Aquatinted with the plan.
Only by constant use of a repertory can any repertory become companion anhelper.
Repertory study must consist of science and art .the scientific method [classical;] is a method Taking the entire symptom and writing out all this and remedy grading, making summary with Remarks at the end. This work is laborious and time consuming.There is an artistic method that omits the mechanical one, which demands the judgment of symptom and remedies as to their values by the rational mind. The characteristic and important polycrest are related to a pathological cause and all that are common to the disease and to people. The symptom that relate to the patient rather to his parts are more Important .in order of preference, the symptoms are to be taken as—MENTAL”S<PHYSICAL GENERALS<PARTICULARS
We have to work according to the analogy suggested by Boenninghausen and make form the anamnesis by analogy and make use of general rubrics esp. modalities that can be applied to particulars esp. in absence of modalities. As suggested by Menton, for menstrual colic >heat
which is not found in female genitilia, we can see anamnesis by referring under as a general rubric and find out all the remedies which are >heat and warm application’s.
A physician, who prescribes “aconite” for cold, “arsenic” for chills, and “colocynth” for colic, is not a true physician?
A license of degree should not be used to violate the law.
When there are peculiarities in a patient, and where one remedy doesn’t cover the entire symptom, the repertory will help to find out the suitable similar remedy.
Our material medica is cumbersome with out the help a repertory. By cancellation process i.e. ELIMINATING PROCESS it will be seen that only few remedies run through all theses symptoms and after careful comparison of these few remedies, one can ascertain the likely remedy.
The physician should give earnest attention to the patient and to his peculiar and characteristic features. THE CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS ARE NOT COMMON TO THE DISEASE BUT TO THE PATIENT.
Requirement of Repertory Work
The failure often follows the scanty clinical and pathogenic records and correct interpretation of available symptom also equally responsible.
Example: in a case of WRITERS CRAMP, where no other details are available and we have only limited number of remedies to look to cure, but our sources in repertory are unlimited, This may be pains interpreted as follows –instead of taking extremities, rubric {while writing} which will have limited number of remedies,
We take (A) cramp in fingers, hand, and I wrist while writing.
(B) Numbness in fingers, hand and fingers while writing.
(C) Paralytic feeling in hand while writing
Hence it is better to use these rubrics so that we have more number of remedies.Aggravation from writing should be limited to the symptom that are” worse from writing and kept with them as it is not given in generals.
Construction or plan:
1.Kent’s repertory is the only one which ahs been written according to thee schema of HAHNEMANN
2…throughout the pan follow from general to particulars.
3…therefore, this repertory has been universally accepted every where as a proper repertory .it starts with mind and ends with generalities .the rest of the chapters are based on anatomical division which is again followed by FUNCTION and DISCHARGE like sweat, stool, urine, expectoration etc.
4…theses above all are given as separate chapters.
6…in this repertory the symptom pertaining to the different organs of the human body and their relative medicine are given under head to foot in order of their appearance.
7….in the beginning,, the mental symptoms have been elaborated under the section MIND signifying its utmost importance and the last section is of GENERALITIES.
8-mind section is quite elaborate and contains 527rubrics and 95 pages and 3782-sub rubric. It is not important to know the total number of section s but it is important to know where to find what i.e. under which section.
9…till the 6th edition Kent’s repertory was divide into 37 sections or chapters, BUT Dr.peirre Schmidt in Kent’s 7th edition or FINAL GENERAL repertory gave independent status to “smell” and “voice “which in earlier section were under “nose “ and “larynx “.
Thus in the 7th edition 2 more sections were added, thus making a total Of 39 chapters/section.
But John Kunzle thought that if the special sense were put under that respective organ –
Smell under Nose
Voice under larynx
Vision under eye
Hearing under ears
External throat under throat.
Kidney, bladder, prostrate, urethra, urine under urinary organs.
But while printing them under separate section, erroneously printed them under separate sections making the total number to 37.so the total number of sections in kents repertory up to the 6th edition are 37 but in kents final general repertory by p. Schmidt are 39 and in kents repertorium generale by dr. J.kunzle are 27 sections. NOTE: hence, there is a controversy that there are 37 or 39 sections.
10…some conditions like vertigo, heat, fever, chill, vision, cough, and hearing are given as separate chapters.
11.all the rubrics are arranged in alphabetical order in all the sections
12.thre are total 37 sections out of which 5 sections are devoted to the urinary organs
13…the largest sections extremities chapter which occupies 292 pages
14…the smallest chapter is prostrate gland which occupies 2 pages.
15…certain anatomical sections have no corresponding sections in the repertory-
E.g.: neck is given under external throat.
Pulse is given under generalities.
Wound is given under generalities.
Esophagus is given under stomach
Breast milk is given under chest
Maxilla is given under chest
Snoring is given under respiration
Yawning is given under sleep
Seashore under air in generalities
Arrangement of the Rubric:
Introduction
Θ)……all the rubrics are arranged in alphabetic order in all the chapters
Θ)……Rubrics are arranged from generals to particulars
A rubric starts with a general symptom or state with a list of large group of medicines. This is followed by SIDE, TIME, MODALITY and EXTENSION .
Θ)…..this arrangement is strictly followed in all the chapters –a general rubric is again followed by a sub-rubric.
The 3 sections are divided into rubrics that are further divided into sub-rubrics. These are all arranged in alphabetic order for easy reference. (Except time)
Θ)……Each section begins with a general rubric of that symptom is further modified into 6 modifications—
1..Side {Right and Left}
2)..Time {Morning ,Evening…..}
3).Modality{Condition and Circumstances }
4)..Extension to {not extending from}
5)..Location
6)..Characteristic of pain / symptom.
Example:Under eye:1st pain –side of pain , time , character of pain …etc.
It is very important to know that all these 6 modification need not be present under the general rubric because only those rubric may have been recorded / are present in Materia Medica are present in these repertory .So, any modality / modification that the patient has not felt while proving the medicine have not been reflected in the repertory.
1].SIDE :if symptom cannot be divided into side example generalities , sleep ,mind – naturally side will not find any place here ,when ever the rubric can be divided into sides , the general rubric is followed immediately by side .
first RIGHT then LEFT
example :see chapter –Extremities .
there is an alteration in the sequence of modification in case of head as the head being one and round. In rubric under HEAD , sides are not given immediately after general rubric.It is separate sub-rubric which comes after the parts affected like occiput ,forehead ,temples .Some rubrics where side cannot be given or are not given ,time immediately follows the general rubric.
TIME: here also Kent’s has followed the principal of generals to particulars.
They arranged from morning to mid-night .
They are Daytime :In General
Morning :5 to 10am
Forenoon :10 to 12am
Noon :12am to 1pm
Afternoon :1 to 6pm
Evening :6 to 9pm
Night :9 to 5 pm
Before midnight :before 12,
Mid-night :12
After Midnight : After 12am
If one division of time as listed above is not given ,the next division follows.
Example: Anxiety is followed by sub-rubric daytime while Anger is followed by sub – rubric Morning.
MODALITY: the symptom of the patient s aggravation r ameliorations as the case may be according to the position they are brought in regard to the Sun.
Now the classification of the season s is
Autumn :sept ,oct ,nov.
Winter :dec , jan ,feb.
Spring :march,apr. , May
Summer :June,July,and Aug.
Now all the classification of weather as Clear ,Cloudy ,Foggy ,Stromy,Windy , Dry ,Cold .Wet etc BUT we have no rubric as “Weather “and all the weather conditions are under calphabetical order.
Example:<wet weather : SEE “Generalities”-wet weather.
Headache<wet weather :SEE”head ,pain ,<wet weather .
The modality includes the different factors which influence the symptoms .they are arranged as follows—
1..A/F[ailments from]
2..alternating with
3..Factors aggravating
4..Factors Ameliorating
5..Including Concomitant Before
“ During
“ After
example se page 1044—Extremities pain alternating with
EXTENSION: this is the last rubric and is mainly found under pain rubric. The above order is followed
by each rubric and sub-rubric.
NOTE: in BBCR repertory it is given as “location , sensation , modality ,and concomitant”
***Since the Generalities chapter deals with mostly aggravation and ameliorations , here this order of STME[side ,time ,modality and extension ]is not possible in this subdivision –hence this order has been slightly modified According to the rubrics here and there .
*…Skin , fever,pespiration and sleep do not follow this arrangement but in these chapters .Also we find n alphabetical arrangement from generals to minute particulars.
*…No rubrics begin with Sensation as if ,Aggravation from ,Amelioration from .We will have to see Sensation and Condition of Aggravation and Amelioration.
Similar (allied rubrics i.e. Same rubrics given at 2 or more place’s)often appears.
Eg:Dysmenorrhoea is given under generalities
Female –menses may include Abdomen pain during menses.
*…Pathological generals are generally seen under generalities and occasionally seen under particulars of sub-parts.
Eg:Goitre –Ext.throat –should be under Generalities but is under particulars.
*..It admits plan of kents repertory is unique .It admits indefinite expansion of each section so that remedies can be added from time to time i.e. new remedies can be added to the same old/ original repertory.
Gradation of the Rubrics: –
Medicines are given under 3 grades—3 marks
2 marks
1 marks
Marks Letter Gradation of medicine
3 Bold Proved and Re-Proved and Clinically verified.
2 Italics Proved and Re-Proved and Occasionally verified
1 Roman Not proved or found Clinically verified or useful again and again.
So , Symptoms are-1).Recorded
2).Confirmed by reproving
3).Verified upon the sick
under this important phenomenon of gradation of the symptom and
medicine ,now the relation that it has with susceptibility of the patient .DrKent in his lectures on Homoeopathic philosophy under the chapter of susceptibility states that ,”Because of these varying degree of susceptibility some are protected from disease cause and some are made sick –The one who is made sick is susceptible to the disease cause in accordance with the plane he is in and the degree of attenuation that to be present at the time of cognition .The degree of disease causes fits into his susceptibility at the moment he is made sic.
Eg:In an epidemic, not every one gets affected of the disease but only those who are susceptible to get disease and or who do not have the power to resist get affected or are made sick. Thus there are 2 things which make the man disease –strength of a man to resist the disease.
An epidemic disease attacks esp. those men who have less vitality or power of resistence.A disease that is mild will affect only a few people with less resistance but disease that is strong will affect more people even with high resistance.
Similarly when any medicine is proved upon healthy prover ,those symptoms that are present in a higher degree of intensity will be produced by more or all provers. This shows that the symptom was able to make its impact on maximum provers.
But the symptom that are of a less degree of intensity will be produced in less number of provers and will make their impact on maximum provers who could be susceptible to them .The symptom with less susceptibility will be produced in les number of provers / whose vitality is less / who are over sensitive people.
Therefore medicine are graded according to the intensity of the symptoms present I it and the number of provers the remedy was capable of making susceptible to those symptoms.
Thus–
1.Grade Bold Symptoms that were present very intensity a medicine.
2.Grade Italics Symptoms that were present in less intensity.
3.Grade Roman Symptoms that were present in mild intensity .
It is important to note that the drug reperorizaton it is not the maximum number that a medicine carries but it is the intensity of the symptoms of the patient and medicine should correspond and matters.
Philosophical Background:–
1)…Individualization of the patient by forming the portrait of the patient taking into consideration –Mentals
Physical General’s
Physical Particular’s
2)…Kent gives highest importance to the mental symptoms because they show the individuality of the patient.Eg:Aversion to company.
3)…It should be remembered that only characterized mentals are given importance and not the common ones.
4)…Then comes the physical Generals which are related to the patient as a whole.
5)…then PQRS.
6)…Lastly the particulars re to be taken into account to find out the similimum.
Eg: Anger, Anxiety, Quarrelsome, Weeping etc.
7).Kent and Hering have strongly criticized the grand generalization by Boenninghausen –the reason being modalities applicable to one part , may not be applicable to the other part/ whole .
For Eg: Phosphorus craves cold things for his stomach but is chilly(DIFFERENTIAL MODALALITY)but afterwards Kent found out that this condition is found I few cases and such symptoms became characteristic. Kent says when a modality or a Sensation is present at 2 / more than 2 places ,then only it should be generalized .This should be generalized .This is called KENT’S PARTIAL GNERALISATION.
Kent’s Concept of Totality
Introduction—(1)Mental Generals—Will
Understanding
Intellect
(2)Physical General’s—Aversion and Desires
Discharges from ulcers, uterus etc.
PQRS
(3)Physical Particulars—Characteristics
Common
Kent’s gives importance to Generals. There fore Generals symptom in the case should be found out and at 1st the mental symptom should be written –followed by particulars.
Kent says Mentals are important but some of these are very common such as weeping ,irritability ,anger etc..so,these are not based to begin with .
Mental Symptoms are specified by certain factors like Aggravation and Amelioration of A/F or Associated with are more important than 2 general symptom for repertorisation .Qualified Mentals not only help to individualize the person but it also narrows down the field of choice of the remedy.
He gave importance to mentals esp. Causation emotional modalities.
He divided mentals into –Will (And Affection)
Understanding(Logic)
Intellect/Mwmory
Then Ailment from
Aggravation and Amelioration
Qualified Mentals
MENTAL GENERAL’S:-for the 1st general group of symptoms are of the highest value –are the symptoms of mind .
these are divided into 3 groups-Will ,Understanding and Intellect
{1}…WILL:-the group of symptoms referred to will are the 1st importance for individualization of the case for repertory study. In sickness the patients nature changes ,the mental symptoms are manifested .They may be quarrelsome ,anger , irritability,terfulness.They may hate their loved ones,Fearful,intolerance,Sadnes,Loquacity
Or A/F :Anger ,Bad news , Grief , Joy ,Jelous,Sexual excess.
[other view of will as follows]
According to Kent , the will has 2 components –
1].External Will—which is voluntary and is always responsive to external influences , tempting the patient to do evil ,acts of violence and injustice.
2].internal Will—the conscious that is pure and unchanging and restrains the person from doing evil. Internal will is deepest and cannot be affected by medicines.
Difference between internal and External Will:–
Reason is the highest faculty of nerves which guides the person in discriminating amongst the choice affected and help him to make decisions.
2)…UNDERSTANDINGS:-this takes the 2nd place in the value for repertory work. This includes illusion ,delusion,hallucination,absorbed ,clairvoyance ,dullness .confusion ,and imbecility.
Eg:Delusion as if neglected –stramomium
Delusion as if Cancer –Arsenic
Delusion as if heart disease—Lac Can.
This means the understanding of the day to day life ,the perception and the rationalizing power to differentiate.
When day-to-day life is involved,it is understanding that gives the common ground for man to interact and have its say in the society.
INTELLECT / MEMORY:–it consist of–
(A)PERCEPTION: Abnormality in it results in hallucination and delusion.
(B)THINKING/IDEATION:-Abbreviation results I delusion , fixed ideas , fancies ,fantasies and paranoid states.
(C )REASON :- Understanding ,determination and decision making.
(D)MEMORY :-It is the ability to grasp and remember.
Kent has given importance to intellect because it varies from person to person. It is a common denomination all but the extent and ability to this in different field of different persons.
These are of the lowest value of mental symptom .They include perversion of memory such as absent minded , error in answering ,mistakes in writing and speech ,disordered speech etc.
Only these mental symptoms are important which are characterized by Aggravation ,Amelioration and Concomitant.
The next order of importance are Physical Generals and Characteristic Particulars.
Physical General’s:–
Many symptoms which are related to the patient as a whole .
It includes—
!].Sensitivity to heat and cold.
2].General and Common Modalities.
3].C/F Eg:A/F getting wet.
4].Aversion and desires –1t aversion and then desires.
5].type of Discharges from ulcers ,uterus ,during menses .These are closely related to the vital operations of the body.
6].PQRS.
Physical Particulars::-Characteristic Common.
The particular symptom are t be evaluated lastly .The generals always rule out non-agreeing particulars.Under common symptoms we find all these which is common is always pathognomic
.Eg:Pleurisy.
It would be common thing to keep the chest wall quite and you will get the symptom <Motion.One of the keynotes of Bryonia but if there are no other symptoms of Bryonia present ,we could not make a prescription on that rubric alone. These are evolved last.Common symptoms are related to many remedies are found I large rubrics in the repertory.
Eg:Common –Constipation
The above becomes peculiar when their circumstances become peculiar
Eg;trembling during stool.
;trembling during urination,etc.
Kent says we must not expect a remedy that has generals, must have the little symptoms. It is a waste of time to run out all the little symptoms if the remedy has generals. Learn to omit useless particulars (common ones).They are less important than strong PQRS and then see to it that there are no generals in the case that oppose(or contradict.)
Kents view was that sometimes the remedy can be selected only on single Keynote provided that generals don’t contradict .Common symptoms are evaluated at last.
Boenninghausen says that the remedy is hardly ever indicated by single symptom .how ever peculiar it may be , you should consider the totality –Location ,Sensation, Modality and Concomitant. All these Concomitants of Boenninghausen were included by Kent’s under Modality.
Eg:Vomiting before ,during , after Headache.
Before Kent finding out a similimum was a lengthy ,mechanical work.Kent gave an artistic view to it.It reduced Materia Medica to drug personalities. Therefore, finding the similium was reduced to matching of drug personality to diseased patient and not merely of symptoms.
I Kents view of totality,the place of generalization and Concomitant is very limited .this is quit contrary to the totality given by Boenninghausen.
Use’s/Advantages of Kent’s Repertory:–
1) Kent’s repertory is based on philosophy of Generals to Particulars and it follows this principle in arrangement too. Thus making it easier to search the rubric.
2) It is the best repertory among the available repertory and widely used in the world.
3) It consists 648 medicines which are more than the other 2 repertories-BBCR and BTPB
4) It has 3 gradation –3,2,1 which are more practical –unlike 5 grades of BBCR and BTPB
5) Mental Symptoms are given in full detail .Cases are having PQRS symptom are easily solved with the help of this repertory.
6) Mind section contains many rubrics and sub-rubrics .It also contains qualified mentals (with modality),which are very helpful for repertorization.
Eg:<Least Jar
<Least contradiction.
7)>this repertory is handy to use i.e. Thumb index.
8) This repertory is expansible. So, that medicines can be added from time to time.
9) It contains most of the symptoms related to particular as well as generals, thus one who uses this repertory rarely, need to refer other repertories.
10) A long index, helps for the beginners to find out the rubric.
11).GENERAL SECTION:-is large and elaborate .It contains many rubrics on general modalities and some rubrics on “Clinical condition “.Many rubrics which appears as particulars under proper anatomical section or headings may also appear in this section ,if they refer to get condition .Eg: Modalities related to perspiration, food, menses etc. .
12) Sub-rubrics are placed alphabetically according to arrangements .
13) Sub-rubrics are also given related to children which is helpful in narrowing the field of choice (but scattered).
Eg: Irritabity – Children in } it
Restlessness-– Children in } narrows
Sadness-– Children in } the
Respiratory Asthmatic–Children in } field of repertotisation.
14) Cross reference have been inserted where ever Kent thought they we may be needed esp. in mind section.
15) Languages used in Kent is very comprehensive.
16) Useful in acute as well as chronic cases.
17) P.Schmidt says “it is a golden book”.
18) Thumb index is very easy to search.
Limitation / Dis- Advantages of Kent’s Repertory:–
1) It is only a help and guide to select the similimum .One must have good working
knowledge of Materia Medica to find out the similimum.
2).It should be remembered that the remedies like Puls, Nux Vom ,calc Carb, Sulph etc almost always come out numerically high. therefore they have so thoroughly been proved .So, proper evaluation is necessary with the help of Materia Medica.
3) When a case is full of particular ,it is a poor repertory.
4) NOSODE”S:-Some are found scattered under some rubric.Nosodes are not represented well though Kent used them frequently in his practice.
5) Kent has advocated the use of bigger general rubrics to avoid error of omission while repertorisation but at the some places general rubrics themselves do not represent medicines which are mentioned in sub-rubrics.
Eg: in General Fear –Kali Carb is not given.
but—sub-rubrics of fear—Evening –Kali Carb
—-3 am –Kali Carb.
—Alone of being –Kali Carb.
6) It consists many clinical conditions which do not serve the purpose of repertorisation according to is own repertorisation.
7) Extremities chapters is the largest chapter but is the least important to use for repertorisation.It has 284 pages which are not worth devote to this chapter
8) There are many similar rubrics which causes confirmation for the beginner .their repertorising is difficult.
Eg: Fear ,frightened ,timidity, frightened easily.
9) Some rubrics with similar meaning appear with difference in medicine—
Eg: do not want the doctor for the symptom
For this symptom some rubrics found I the repertory are Well, says he is….
“Delusion ,Well ,thinks he is .”
“Irritable ,Sends doctor home..”
“Says , not sick………..”
“Obstinate ,Declares nothing wrong with him”.
Eg :Dislikes opposite sex.. …Opposite sex indifference to
Horror of opposite sex.
Women aversion for.
10) Some of the general modalities also appear in parts which also been under general section.
Eg:1.wetting feet <Under extremities.
Wet feet given in Generalities
11) Over generalization in mind and over particularization extremities which’s not helpful for repertorisation.i.e. 284 pages are not worth devoting.
12) Many rubrics suffer from omission of drugs. some information found in Materia Medica “does not find proper place I the repertory therefore, the purpose of index remains incomplete.
13) Many mentals rubrics have single remedy cannot be used for repertorisation.
Eg:-Consolation ameliorates : puls
Lacrymation while laughing :Natrum Mur.
14) Give much importance to thermal condition of the patient [chilly/hot/ambi?]but unfortunately, there are no single definite rubrics which can guide us in this purpose.
15) It covers only 648 medicines.
16) Concomitant are not given separately. they are included in modalities. they are not represented well.
17) Many modalities are missing.
18) Few printing errors Eg:Sumb instead of Samb.
19) Number of sub-rubrics motioned against the particular rubric at many places are scanty and there by mislead the particulars. limited sub-rubrics rea found.
20) Some of the modalities which should have been mentioned In generalities appear in parts.<wetting feet-under extremities.
Wet feet- generalities
ALLIED RUBRICS:-Children affection of
Air castles
Capriciousness
Eat refuses to
Kleptomania
Cosmopolitan
Industrious
Leukemia
Suicidal disposition
Septicemia
Dr Rachna Sethi
Email : drrachnasethi@rediffmail.com
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