A Text-Book of
Materia Medica.
(Characteristic,
Analytical, and Comparative.)
By Pr.
Allen Corson Cowperthwaite, M. D., PH. D., LL. D.
Preface.
A
Text-Book of Materia Medica.
(Characteristic,
Analytical, and Comparative. )
by
Pr. Allen Corson Cowperthwaite, M. D., PH. D., LL. D. (1848-1926)
Professor of Materia Medica and Diseases of Women in the University
ofIowa.
Professor of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in
the University ofMichigan.
Formerly Chairman of the Bureaux of Materia Medica and Provings of
the American Institute of Homoeopathy, of the Western Academy
of Homśopathy, of the Northwestern Academy of Medicine, and of
The Hahnemann Medical Association of Iowa.Fourth edition. revised and enlarged. with clinical index. Chicago
: Gross & Delbridge.1887.
(717 pages, format 16 cms. X 24 cms) ; 490 pages, format A4)To
The Faculty of the Homoeopathic Medical Department of The State
University of Iowa, this volume is respectfully dedicated by their
colleague.The author.
Preface to the first edition.
I
n presenting to
medical students and to the profession another Text Book of Materia
Medica a few words of explanation may not be inappropriate.Homoeopathic literature already abounds with valuable compilations
of Materia Medica obtained from the most authentic sources, and it is
not the ambition of the author that the present volume shall, in any
sense, supersede these or render their use unnecessary, but rather
does he desire that it may, by presenting in a clear and concise
manner the prominent feature of our most important remedies, furnish
the beginner with a systematic basis of knowledge, that may facilitate
his study of the complete Materia Medica, and enable him the more
readily to comprehend the wider application of drug action as there
afforded.How well this task has been performed the reception of this book
alone will tell.Certainly no one is more conscious of its defects than is the
author himself, who can only bespeak the charity of such as may not
realize the difficulties to overcome in condensing the symptoms of the
Homoeopathic Materia Medica, retaining only those which are
essentially characteristic, and sifting out only those which are of
less importance.Up to the present time even the most condensed works on Materia
Medica present to the mind of the student only a vast array of
unmeaning symptoms, with nothing to point out their comparative value,
or to assist in their practical application, so that, as a result, he
stands discouraged at the outset, with little prospect but that the
subject which should be to him the most entertaining, and of necessity
the most important, will ever remain a confused mass of symptoms,
which he surveys with mysterious awe, but which, in fact, he scarcely
attempts to unravel or to comprehend.In view of this fact it has been the aim of the author to present
in this volume only the characteristic points of the Homoeopathic
Materia Medica, and to include these as full and complete as possible.In so doing he has first given in brief the action of each drug
from a physiological standpoint, hoping thus, by presenting the
general action of the drug, to better prepare the student for a
detailed study of its special action as afforded by as pathogenesis.For practical study the symptoms of the Materia Medica may be
readily divided into four groups.First :
Those which occur very often in provings, and which have been
repeatedly verified in practice ; these we may designate as
“grand characteristics.”Second :
Those which occur less often in provings, but which have been
frequently verified in practice ; these we may designate as
“characteristics.”Third :
Those which come next in order, being important, yet falling short
of characteristic expression ; and,Fourth :
Those which occur seldom in provings and which lack clinical
verification.All these groups of symptoms find their place in an ”
Encyclopaedia,” while it is usually intended to incorporate the
first three groups in manuals and text books.The present volume, however, only includes the first two, and of
these the first group or ” grand characteristics ” are
printed initalics, while the second group are
given in ordinary
text.While most of the symptoms given are pathogenetic – that is, are
the result of provings on the healthy – yet it has not been deemed
advisable to throw out altogether those distinctively curative
symptoms which have been so repeatedly verified as to render them
unquestionably characteristic, and such only of curative symptoms are
given.To facilitate the use of this volume, the names of remedies
possessing similar symptoms have been recorded in the text for
comparison.In presenting the therapeutic range of each drug only those
diseases or morbid conditions have been named in which the symptoms of
the drug are most apt to occur, and in which clinical experience has
most often verified its use, yet it must ever be remembered that
diseases are not treated by name, and that it is only when the
totality of the symptoms presented by the patient correspond to those
of the drug that its use becomes Homoeopathic.In the preparation of the material for this volume, reference has
been freely made to every available work on Materia Medica published,
and to some which have long been out of print ; yet the author desires
to especially acknowledge his indebtedness to :Hahnemann’s
Materia Medica Pura,
Hahnemann’s
Chronic Diseases,
Allen’s
Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica,
Hering’s
Condensed Materia Medica,
Lippe’s
Text
Book of Materia Medica,Jahr’s
New
Manual, by Hull,Hale’s
New
Remedies,Hughes’
Pharmaco-Dynamics, and
Dunham’s
Lectures.
With the hope that the work may assist in accomplishing the purpose
where unto it was conceived, it is now submitted to the profession.
December 10, 1879.
Preface to the second edition.
The hearty acceptance afforded the first edition of this book has
encouraged the author to incorporate a number of remedies in the
present edition which were not included in the first, while the
original remedies have been thoroughly revised and many, symptoms
added.
The remedies for comparison have also been revised, and are now
more extensive and reliable than before, those having the symptoms as
a “grand characteristic” (see preface to first edition)
being usually given in italics.
The term “elementary” has been omitted from the title,
for the reason that while the book is intended to cover only the
essential and characteristic points, of each remedy, it is a question
whether the study of Materia Medica can be considered in any sense, as
elementary.
It has been the aim of the author to furnish a strictly reliable
Text Book of the Materia Medica, and while it is probable that errors
still exist, yet it is hoped that these may not prove of a serious
character-
Preface to the third edition.
In preparing this edition the author has not deviated from the plan
adopted in the second edition.
It is hoped, however, that the careful revision to which the work
has been subjected may have eliminated most of the errors appearing in
former editions.
The text has been entirely re-written, and many symptoms,
especially clinical, have been added, while nearly one hundred
remedies, not included in the second edition, have been incorporated.
For the sake of uniformity in the literature of Homoeopathic
Materia Medica the author has changed the nomenclature of
Actea Racemosa and Calcarea Ostrearum respectively to Cimicifuga, Racemosa and Calcarea Carbonica.
The thanks of the author are due to Dr. Jas. E.
Gross for the valuable pronouncing index he has
prepared for this edition.
It has been compiled from the most recent and reliable authorities,
and it is hoped may materially aid in making the pronunciation of
these terms more uniform.
Hoping that these additions and changes may add to the usefulness
of the book, and render it still more acceptable, it is again
submitted to the profession, with the thanks of the author for the
many expressions of favor and appreciation which the former editions
have elicited.
A. C. Cowperthwaite.
Iowa City, August 1, 1885.
Preface to the fourth edition.
In the present edition the author has endeavored to, eliminate the
errors still remaining in the third edition, and has added a Clinical
Index, which, it is hoped, will facilitate the use of the volume.
As regards the latter, however, I would reiterate that which was
said in the preface to the first edition, viz.:
“It must ever be remembered that diseases are not treated by
name, and that it is only when the totality of the symptoms presented
by the patient correspond to those of the drug that its use becomes
Homoeopathic.”
The Clinical Index is simply indicative of the remedies most apt to
be employed in a given diseased state, and to that extent may aid the
physician in the selection of a remedy.
A. C. Cowperthwaite.
Iowa City, January 1, 1887.