Learn A Remedy Through Cases : Opium
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2000 July / Aug VOL II NO 4.
Section Editor:
T K Kasiviswanathan
'Op

We are starting a new section with this issue. Homeopathic Materia Medica is a dry subject and confusing. Symptoms of many remedies are similar but the modalities are different. Several remedies are given under many Repertorial rubrics with intensity of the drugs in producing that symptom graded. But each remedy under the same rubric has different situational connotation. Though repertorisation of the case symptoms is a very good guide to finding the similimum, the ultimate court of appeal is the Materia Medica.

Unless one is conversant with the major characteristics of many remedies with differential diagnosis of allied or similar remedies, one cannot correctly prescribe in practice. Studying cured cases of each remedy and analyzing the basis on which the particular Homoeopath had prescribed the remedy will promote a deeper understanding of that remedy and hone the skills of the practitioners. Our armamentarium of remedies is great and varied. Not all Homoeopaths will have experience with several remedies as each Homeopath's practice is conditioned by the environment in which he is practicing. Attending seminars is another lve way to enrich our experience but here again the exposure will be limited to few remedies and days.

Without taking copious notes and mulling over the cases presented, and working them out, his knowledge of the remedy will not be assimilated. Further in each case where the same remedy is used to cure, only certain characteristic symptoms of the remedy will be in evidence. In order to get a more full picture one has to collect as many cases as possible where the same remedy has been used by different prescribers and study them. Fortunately our stalwart homeopaths, both past and present, had taken the trouble of leaving written records of cases cured with case analysis, but the cases are scattered in journals and publications. It is true that there are some articles devoted to one particular remedy or group.

If new comers to Homoeopathy and old veterans are to improve their skills in prescribing, continuous attempt should be made to collect and bring out a case bank for each remedy so that as many cases as possible on each remedy are 'deposited ' in that bank to be drawn upon for education and for improving one's practice. As Homoeopathic practice is an art, study of each case under one remedy will reveal different approaches to case taking and analysis.

With this thought in mind we give you a study of Opium in this issue.