Materia Medica
The books that content the names and the indications of each remedy is called a materia medica. Each materia medica has different layouts. The earliest materia medica is the one written by Samuel Hahnemann called the Materia Medica Pura. Other famous materia medica include Allen’s Keynotes, Boericke‘s Materia Medica, Clarkes Dictionary of Materia Medica.
Drug Proving
A homeopathic drug proving is when a medicine is studied by the effects it produces when administered to a healthy human being. Another name for drug proving is homeopathic drug pathogenetic trial.[1] Each homeopathic medicine will be administered to healthy volunteers in various strengths and the effects will then be recorded. The most recent drug provings have been conducted with much more rigorous procedures and methods. In which the methods used are matched to scientific research standards. In India the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), Drysdales Double Blind Technique in which neither the Proving Master nor the Prover knows the name of the drug and its potencies being proven on them.
Isopathy
This term (noun \ī-ˈsäp-ə-thē\, plural isop•a•thies) describes the prescribing of a substance that is the causative agent of the disease.[2] As an example, if a person has the adverse effects of taking a prescribed drug, the same drug is given to the patient but in a diluted form prepared according to the homeopathic pharmacopeia.
Nosode
A nosode [3] is a homeopathy medicine that is prepared from diseased material. For example, carcinocin [4] is a homeopathic remedy that is made from cancerous tissue.
Sarcode
A sarcode [5] is a homeopathic medicine that is made from the tissues of an organ in the body. An example of a sarcode would be the remedy – Thyroidinum [6] which is made from the thyroid gland.
Repertory and Repertorization
A repertory is a book or a software program which has a list of symptoms and the medicine that are indicated for the symptom. The symptoms themselves are called rubrics. Repertorizing involves taking a case and then converting the case into a set of symptoms and then looking it up in the repertory to see which medicine covers the symptoms. A medicine that can cover the most symptoms is usually selected. There are other criteria of selection than just symptom matching.[5]
Succussion
This term describes the process of making a homeopathic medicine. It refers to the action of shaking the medicine in such a way that the medicine is suitably agitated usually by striking the liquid medicine which is in its bottle against a surface which is flexible but firm for example, a stack of books.[5]
Potentization
This term refers to the process of making a homeopathic remedy where the remedy is diluted. A potentised medicine is one that has undergone the process of dilution and succussion in a serial manner.[5]
Vital force
The vital force is the energy that keeps the person alive. When a person dies, it is because the vital force has left the person. Hahnemann speaks about the vital force in paragraphs 9 to 12 of the Organon of the Art of Healing.[7] He also calls It Life force.
References
- Teut M. et. al. Protocol for a Phase 1 Homeopathic Drug Proving Trial. Trials. 2010; 11:80. http://www.trialsjournal.com [Accessed 12 dis 2011
- Merriam Webster. Isopathy. Available from: http://www.merriam-webster.com [Accessed 20th Sept 2011]
- Farlex. Nosode. Available from: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com [Accessed 20th Sept 2011]
- Homeopathy for women. Carcinocin. Available from: http://www.homeopathyforwomen.org/nosodes.htm [Accessed 20th Sept 2011]
- Whole Health Now. Glossary of Homeopathy Terms. Available from: http://www.wholehealthnow.com [Accessed 20th Sept 2011]
- International Academy Of Classical Homeopath. Thyroidinum. Available from: http://www.vithoulkas.com [Accessed 20th Sept 2011]
- Hahnemann SCF. Organon of Medicine. 6th ed. Available from: http://www.homeopathyhome.com [Accessed 6th Oct 2009].
