LESSER WRITINGS
by Pr J. T. KENT
presented by Dr Robert Séror
35- Landmarks Of Homoeopathy
It is a source of much astonishment that so many apparently good
homoeopathic physicians depart from the law and order methods of practice and adopt
faith-cure, Christian science, hypnotism, mind cure, osteopathy, etc.
It is undoubtedly because of a lack of knowledge of the science of
Homoeopathy. The Art has been studied, but the Science of the Art has been neglected.
Homoeopathy demands that the prescriber shall use for curing a substance
that is capable of producing similar symptoms upon the healthy. If we must accept the cures of
the hypnotist we must accept the cures from all sources.
The hypnotist does not know the quality or form of the force that he uses.
He does not know the symptoms it will produce upon the healthy. He does not pretend to use it
against symptoms similar to those which it will produce. If this is true why should the
homeopathist think of using it ?
I believe it to be in the interest of Homoeopathy and of the patient to
stand upon our ground – to stand by the Law of Similars.
The symptoms produced by hypnotism are mostly observed on the sick and
feeble, hence are doubtful.
No human being should be deprived of his freedom nor have the latter in
constraint.
It is a fundamental principle in Homoeopathy that cures are changes in the
condition of order from center to circumference. This is not true of any of the isms, pathies
and fads now bidding for patronage in the healing world.
It is familiar to all who know the doctrines of Homoeopathy that removal of
symptoms from place to place, on the surface or from the surface, never benefits the patient
but often proves harmful to him.
Results are often brought forward exhibited as cures, yet no law has been
confirmed, no symptoms have been verified, no directions have been observed in the changes. If
we are to accept such results as cures, we must admit the cures of traditional medicine. If we
are to accept the opinions of men we have no line between Homoeopathy and Old School.
It is the old story of placing experience prior to the law. It is the same
as observed in the numerous followers of the early educators :
Hering, Lippe,
etc. They followed experience and not the doctrines. All who were able to follow the doctrines
were saved from the fall.
We have only to think a moment to conclude. Think of the many who listened
to the teachings of
Hering and how many of them – now practice as he taught ? All
were taught experience; when they saw Hering’s cures they were convinced. When they went out for
themselves they had forgotten the teaching, they could not see through Hering’s spectacles and their results were different.
The Art of Healing must not be taught first. The Science must be taught
first, and the Art next – the law first and experience following.
To convince pupils by the clinic is incorrect teaching.
The proper method is to teach first the Science and convince the mind that
the doctrines are true; then the Art may be taught by Clinics.
This method will end in permanent education. Men who have fallen, were such
as had observed the Art and the results and thereby believed, but lacked the knowledge to do
the work and hence fell away and denied. It is time that our faithful practitioners opened
their eyes to this important fact.
There is nothing simpler ! Why does a man fail ? Simply because he does not
know. His belief may be all right, but he does not know how. The knowing how consists of
knowledges and these have been neglected. No one possessed of these knowledges ever went
wandering into hypnotism, Christian science, faith-healing, osteopathy or employing crude
drugs.
All who possess these knowledges are busy healers of the sick. They are the
successful ones, and unless personally objectionable to the public, are prosperous. The truth
saves men from the hypothetical allurements of medical practices.
To know what and how physicians of the world practice appears to be the
knowledge mostly sought but to know why would more probably lead to successful methods. What
does it signify what is practiced in medicine if there is no good reason for the doings ?
A student leaves his preceptor to enter practice for himself. He applies
the remedies as he thinks his preceptor did but without the same results. The conclusion is
that he was not using the preceptor’s reasons for such practice. It must be concluded that a
successful man is one who has worked out the reason for his doings. Again all who would
imitate his application without his knowledges will fail and fall away from strict methods of
practice.
There is another ism that destroys
Hahnemann’s teaching, viz.,
the misunderstood keynote system. This system appeals to the memory only. It does not train
the mind to know the character of the
remedies. It makes the memory hold only a few fragments of the remedy. It omits
the nature of the remedy or the image of the patient, which was the soul of Hahnemann’s teaching. If we omit from our thoughts this soul, this image, we omit all
upon which a homoeopathic prescription rests, viz., the totality.
I believe it to be the duty of every true man to oppose the fragmentary
short-cut to prescription-making. The publication of small books circulated to make
prescribing easy is sure to make homoeopathic prescriptions impossible to those who use them.
The author has watched the passing of some of these short-cuts but he does not expect to live
to see easy prescribing. The
basis of a
homoeopathic prescription is the totality of the symptoms, which must be
meditated upon until the image appears to the perception.
Full records of the cases must be kept.
Great care in keeping potencies must be observed.
The study of potency as related to persons is important.
Science Of Homoeopathy
must be dwelt upon more, and the Art no less, in order that our honest men be not confused
over faith-cures, hypnotism, osteopathy and other isms too numerous to, mention.
Homoeopathy
is making
wonderful strides in curing chronic miasms but they are upon the lines laid down by Hahnemann. The author has no discovery of his own to introduce to the world. He has
learned to be faithful to, and contented with what has been handed down.
The Law of Similars will direct to curative remedies for all that are
curable and comfort such as are incurable, if we can keep our selfish ends in subjection.