Single remedy rubrics from homoeopathic therapeutics of diarrhoea by James Bell

February 19, 2026 admin Homeopathic Repertory 0

Dr Kariyajji Soumya Veeranna

Abstract
The homeopathic treatment of gastrointestinal disorders requires a high degree of individualization, often found through specialized clinical repertories. James B. Bell’s The Homeopathic Therapeutics of Diarrhea remains a seminal text for its ability to isolate symptoms that point exclusively to a single medicine. This article explores the clinical utility of “Single Remedy Rubrics”—symptoms so distinctive and clinically verified that they are synonymous with one specific remedy. By focusing on these unique indicators within Bell’s work, practitioners can improve their diagnostic speed and precision, allowing for a more direct path to the simillimum in acute diarrheic cases.

Keywords: Bell’s Diarrhea, Homeopathy, Single remedy rubric, Clinical Keynotes, Gastrointestinal therapeutics.

Introduction
The repertory within Bell’s Therapeutics of Diarrhea is a specialized tool designed to bring order to the complex array of symptoms encountered in clinical practice. Unlike general repertories that provide a vast list of potential medicines for a single symptom, Bell’s work is celebrated for identifying “Single Remedy Rubrics.” These are symptoms of such peculiar and characteristic nature that only one medicine has been found to consistently cover and cure them.

For the clinician, these rubrics act as a vital compass. In the heat of an acute case, where the variety of stools and concomitants can feel overwhelming, recognizing a single-remedy symptom provides an immediate breakthrough. For example, while many remedies share general gastrointestinal distress, Bell highlights specific sensations—such as a particular time of aggravation or a unique physical concomitant—that belong to one remedy alone. By studying these specific symptoms, the homeopathic physician can move from a broad differential diagnosis to a confident, targeted prescription based on the most reliable clinical evidence available in homeopathic literature.

  1. (Diarrhoea)Pathological names: dysentery: periodical in early part of summer every year on same month and day: Kali-bi.
  2. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Alternating with: Constipation during pregnancy: Dios.
  3. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Alternating with: Heat in head: Bell.
  4. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Bilious: Albuminuria in: Ter.
  5. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Biliary coloring matter, deficiency of: Chel.
  6. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Bloody: And slimy separated: Mur-ac.
  7. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Bloody: Coagulated, copious: Am-m.
  8. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Bloody: Coagulated, dark: Merc-c.
  9. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Bloody: Decomposed, looking like charred straw:
  10. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Bloody: Great quantity of: Merc-c.
  11. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Coffee, ground, like: Dig.
  12. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Bluish:
  13. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Light Bluish matter: Colch.
  14. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Clay coloured: Hep.
  15. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Ash gray: Carb-v.
  16. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Green as grass: Ip.
  17. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Green like chopped, spinach: Acon.
  18. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Green like flake of spinach: Arg-n.
  19. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Greenish: Valer.
  20. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Greenish brown, dark: Calc.
  21. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Light red: Nat-s.
  22. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: White jelly like: Hell.
  23. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colour: Whitish: Ang.
  24. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colourless: Bor.
  25. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Colourless increasingly, and watery: Coloc.
  26. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Epithilial substance, masses of: Arg-n.
  27. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Glittering grains: Mez.
  28. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Glue, like thick, in strips like tape: Carb-ac.
  29. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Infrequent, Long intervals between:
  30. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Masses like tallow: Mag carb.
  31. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Membranous:
  32. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Milk, like curdled: Gamb.
  33. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Paint lie dirty white: Ph-ac.
  34. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Pus in small points or flakes: Calc-p.
  35. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Ropy: Kali-bi.
  36. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Scraping like of meat: Am-m.
  37. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Soapsuds like: Benz-ac.
  38. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Strings: Chel.
  39. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Tenacious like pitch: Merc.
  40. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Undigested food of previous day:
  41. (Diarrhoea)Character of stools: Whey like:
  42. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: alone when:
  43. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Ascites in: Acet-ac.
  44. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Bathing after cold: Ant-c.
  45. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Burns after: Ars.
  46. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Castor oil after: Bry.
  47. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Chest after pains in the: Sang.
  48. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Chilly person in: Asar.
  49. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Coffee smell after: Sulph-ac
  50. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Constipation after:
  51. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Constitution weakly: Fl-ac.
  52. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Dampness: Puls.
  53. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Darkness from:
  54. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Debility during: Asar.
  55. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Drinks alcoholic after: Lach.
  56. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Drugging after: Nux-v.
  57. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Exercise bodily after: Rhus-t.
  58. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Fever during gastic: Arn.
  59. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Gouty subjects: Benz-ac.
  60. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Hair after cutting: Bell.
  61. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Headache after: Podo.
  62. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Injuries after mechanical:
  63. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Lead poisoning after: Alum.
  64. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Nephritis during:
  65. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: News bad: Gels.
  66. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: perspiration suppressed after: Acon.
  67. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Pneumonia during: Ant-t
  68. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: School girls in: Calc-p.
  69. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Smoking: Brom.
  70. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Sugar after eating: Ox-ac.
  71. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Warmth:
  72. (Diarrhoea)Aggravation: Winter: Ascl.
  73. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Drinks cold:
  74. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Drinks hot: Chel.
  75. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Ice cream:
  76. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Milk hot: Croto-t.
  77. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Riding when: Nit-ac
  78. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Smoking: Coloc.
  79. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Standing still: Merc.
  80. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Stretching: Mez.
  81. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Suppressing the stool: Cocc.
  82. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Vomiting after: Asar.
  83. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Warmth of bed: Coloc.
  84. (Diarrhoea)Ameliorations: Weather damp: Asar
  85. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Chest feeling of hot water pouring from into abdomen: Sang.
  86. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Genitals pressing towards: Bell.
  87. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Head rush of blood to:
  88. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Headache: Ox-ac.
  89. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Lassitude: Rhus-t.
  90. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Limbs pain in:
  91. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Mucous white discharge of: Kali-c.
  92. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Pain rarely: Ferr.
  93. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Peevishness: Bor.
  94. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Screaming violent: Ars.
  95. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (before stools): Thirst: Ars.
  96. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (During stools): Borborygmus: Coloch.
  97. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (During stools): Cramps in leg: Sulph.
  98. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (During stools): Hunger: Aloe.
  99. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (During stools): Intestine bruised pain in:
  100. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (During stools): Loin pain in to legs:
  101. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (During stools): Shuddering: Bell.
  102. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (During stools): Strangury: Caps.
  103. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (During stools): Urination: Bell.
  104. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (During stools): Worms discharge of round: Cina.
  105. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Anguish: Acon.
  106. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Anxiety: Nit-ac
  107. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Chest pain in: Agar.
  108. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Coldness of body: Croto-t.
  109. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Dullness and forgetfulness: Cycl.
  110. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Extremities lower pain in: Rhus-t.
  111. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Headache worse:
  112. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Hypogastrium griping in: Agar.
  113. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Knees weakness in: Trom.
  114. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Nausea with retching: Kali-bi.
  115. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Shuddering: Canth.
  116. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Solar plexus distress in: Bol.
  117. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Throat dryness of: Ox-ac.
  118. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Urination involuntary: Alum.
  119. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Vomiting: Arg-n.
  120. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (After stools): Waterbrash:
  121. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Agitation nervous: Valer.
  122. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Clumsiness:
  123. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Dullness almost idiocity: Agar.
  124. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Distrustful mood: Ant-c.
  125. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Faintness:
  126. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Fretting: Psor.
  127. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Homesickness: Caps.
  128. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Hopelessness:
  129. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Impatience: Carb-ac.
  130. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Inability to perform tasks feeling of: Lil-t.
  131. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Intoxication: Gels.
  132. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Moaning: Cham.
  133. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Moroseness: Agar.
  134. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Peevish tearful: Ferr.
  135. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Selfwill: Agar.
  136. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Sentim ental mood: Ant-c.
  137. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Seriousness: Alum.
  138. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Strikes and bites:
  139. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Stubbornness: Agar.
  140. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Stupidity: Bar-c
  141. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Time seems to pass slowly: Arg-n
  142. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Whinning restlessness:
  143. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mind and mood): Will power lack of: Pic-ac.
  144. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Head): Bones cranial soft and thin: Calc-phos.
  145. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Head): Sweat on forehead warm: Croto-t.
  146. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Ear ringing in):
  147. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Nose): Nostrils sore cracked and crusty:Ant-c.
  148. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Mouth): Palate wrinkled: Bor.
  149. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Throat): Goiter: Cist.
  150. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Acid foods: Cist.
  151. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Apples: Aloe.
  152. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Butter:
  153. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Cheese: Cist.
  154. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Choclate: Lyss.
  155. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Eggs:
  156. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Fluids only: Acet-ac.
  157. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Indigestable substance:
  158. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Milk cold: Rhu-tox.
  159. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Oranges:
  160. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Salt: Nat-mur.
  161. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Desire for): Warm food: Cupr.
  162. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Anus): Itching of: Aesc.
  163. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Urine): Dysuria: Rheum.
  164. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Urine): Ureters pain extending down:
  165. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Sexual Organ): Erection priapismic: Pic-ac.
  166. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Sexual organ): Ovarian irritation: Lil-t.
  167. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Sexual Organ): Sexual weakness:
  168. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Back and neck): Shoulders rheumatic pain in: Acon.
  169. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Extremities): Calves cramps in: Merc-c
  170. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Extremities): Shoulders painful cutting jerks from right towards head: Cham.
  171. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (Pulse): Pulse: Intermitting every third beat: Mur-ac
  172. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Alteration chest and bowel symptoms: Dig.
  173. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Attack sudden without cause: Hyos.
  174. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Automatic motion of one side body:
  175. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Brain fig: Pic-ac.
  176. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Cyanosis: Dig.
  177. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Dentition very painful: Kreos.
  178. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Desire to go in open air: Lyc.
  179. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Ebulition of blood: Am-m.
  180. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Expansion feeling of in various parts: Arg-n.
  181. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Feels particularly well the day before an attack: Psor.
  182. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Jactitation: Kali-br.
  183. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Jar every little is painful: Bell.
  184. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Jerks: Valer.
  185. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Joints aching in: Bol.
  186. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Mucous membrane dryness:
  187. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Pain appears and disappears suddenly:
  188. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Pain over sensitiveness to: Hep.
  189. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Paralysis: Tab.
  190. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Peristalsis generally reversed:
  191. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Petechiae: Arn.
  192. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Slide down in bed tendency to: Mur-ac.
  193. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Softness of flesh: Podo.
  194. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Stammering:Merc.
  195. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Subsultus: Hyos.
  196. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Talk slow in learning to: Nat-mur.
  197. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Termination of coryza catarrh pains in chest by diarrhoea: Sang.
  198. (Diarrhoea) Concomitants (General symptoms): Trismus and tetanus: Camph.

Conclusion
The application of single-remedy rubrics from Bell’s Therapeutics of Diarrhea represents the highest form of clinical efficiency in homeopathy. These rubrics serve as the “red strand” through the labyrinth of gastrointestinal symptoms, offering a clear and undisputed link between a patient’s unique suffering and the curative medicine.

By prioritizing these exclusive symptoms, the physician transcends the mechanical process of counting symptoms and instead practices the art of recognizing the essential character of the disease. The clinical importance of these rubrics lies in their ability to provide certainty in practice. Ultimately, mastering these single-remedy indicators allows the practitioner to prescribe with greater frequency and success, proving that in homeopathy, the most specific and peculiar symptom is often the most powerful tool for restoration of health.

Bibliography:

Bell JB. The Homoeopathic Therapeutics of Diarrhoea. In: Zomeo Repertory [Software]. Version 8.0. Mumbai: Envision Corporation; 2026.

Dr. Kariyajji Soumya Veeranna
PG Scholar, MD(HOM) Part 1
Department of Homoeopathic repertory and case taking
Father muller homoeopathic medical college, Mangalore.
Email : Email: ssvk8719@gmail.com
UDG of : Dr. Anita Lobo
HOD and Professor
Department of Homoeopathic repertory and case taking

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