Listen and Observe
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1996 Nov / Dec Vol V No 6.
Rama Marathe. 

As a young student of Homoeopathy, 15 years back, I always read that individualization is the beauty, grace and soul of a Homoeopathic prescription and the approach to a case should be aimed at individualization. But how to do this! was not clear enough in my mind then. Over the years, treating a variety of patients, I realized that by carefully listening to the complaints and observing the patient closely one can elicit and identify PQRS symptoms which characterize and individualize the patient.

Case 1:

For example Mrs. UJ age 38 was referred to me by a leading dentist in Belgaum, for pain in lower jaw for last 2 years. She had already been seen by 3-4 dentists in Mumbai and subjected to extraction of lower incisors and other manipulations with no result.

At the case taking, the patient requested me Doctor! will you please stop the printer? I feel as if this noise is hitting my jaw and making the pain worse..

I consider this as a prominent, important and peculiar symptom. Dr. kents Rep: TEETH: PAIN: noise agg 437 -- Calc, Coff., Tarent, Ther. Dr. Boerickes Rep: TEETH : Odontalgia: Modalities, Agg, from shrill sounds -- Ther (1) single remedy.

Referring to Boerickes Materia Medica, Theridion a symptom is printed in italics (1st grade) "Sensitive to noise, it penetrates the body especially teeth.".

the patient was lean and thin. And this symptom was not found this was described under Calc., Coff., tarent, or any other remedy. this confirmed my Remedial Diagnosis. theridion 30 was prescribed. As patient gave H/O - concussion on lower jaw Arnica 1M also was prescribed intercurrently. Case was diagnosed as Trigeminal Neuralgia and patient was advised a diet rich in Vit B - complex.

Patient was relieved of the pain which was troubling her for last 2 years in six weeks. Here, this peculiar characteristic symptom was the soul of the prescription and a rare remedy with rare symptom, got prescribed and helped the patient. This mode has helped me many times.

Aetiological factors and definite medicines to meet them are found out through drug provings and clinical experiences. We get records of this in Homoeopathic literature.

What the mind does not know, the eyes dont see nor do the ears hear. This is very true for Homoeopathy. Constant reading, analysing, contemplating over repertory, materia medica and therapeutic books some times prove to be very useful.

See how it helped me treat a rather difficult case of vitiligo with complex aetiology, seemingly "very easily".

Case 2:

Mr. R.P., age 47 years, extensive vitiligo, almost 60 percent of the body affected. Very talkative - ask him a single question and he will continue to talk and repeat the sentence, very much excited while talking, sweating on face while talking. His son also has vitiligo who is also under my treatment. Vitiligo patches showed a border darker than surrounding normal skin. He was a fat and flabby, in middle-aged Marwari. He was given Calc. carb. 1M as a constitutional remedy due to clear indications. But no promising improvement was seen.

After 1 month, during 2nd interview he revealed that he had a burn on the shin at the age of 4 years and he developed 1st patch of Leucoderma at the burn site at the age of 12 years. This made me think of Causticum. Boerickes Materia Medica, page 183 under Causticum - skin we find Ill effects of burns.

Dr. Boerickes Repertory in Generalities, Injuries, Burns, ill effects of (page 963)Carbo-ac, Causticum (1).

A clinical Repertory to the Dictionary of Materia Medica by JH Clarke.
Repertory of Causation (139).
Burns - Caust, Kali-mur, Urtica-urens, Plantago

Reciprocal Repertorization of characteristic mental symptoms:.
Dr. Kents Repertory.

·         Mind loquacity (63) Caust (1).

·         Mind Loquacity, forenoon only - (one remedy) Causticum

Dr. Kents Repertory.

- Mind Excitement - (40) - Caust (2), Calc-carb (2).

Study of relationships of remedies showed that Caust follows well and is followed well by Calc the constitutional remedy.

So Causticum was prescribed twice at an interval of month followed by Calc-carband to  my surprise, the patient was showered with black spots within 2 months. The most encouraging and appealing aspect was that he developed pigmented spots even on the parts unexposed to sun.