Clinical Materia Medica

Details

Clinical Materia Medica, by Ernest Albert Farrington, was published in 1887. This book was edited by Lilienthal and is made up of 72 of Farrington's lectures at the Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia.

Truly there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to homeopathic interest in family groupings. Over 100 years before the current fascination with plant families, animal remedies, and the Periodic Table, Farrington presented these lectures related to the three kingdoms.

The materia medica of the remedies is grouped by families-Arachnidae, Ophidiae, Compositae, Umbelliferae, the Ammoniums, etc. More than a listing of symptoms Farrington provides an extensive comparison of remedies within and across groups.

The therapeutics is organized in such a way that you can find remedies indexed by disease and diseases indexed by remedy.

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Heritage

Farrington, a protege of Hering, died at the early age of 38 in 1885. This edition was edited by Lilienthal and is comprised of Farrington's lectures to his class at Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia that were "reported phonographically."

The material is presented in "family" order. A lecture on Spiders- The Arachnida; A lecture on the Compositae (Arnica, Aremisia, Millefolium, etc.); the Umbelliferae; The acids; The Ammonium preparations, etc.

In the 72 transcribed lectures, he discusses the topic and then compares the remedies to others- a comparative materia medica. The lecture on Halogens includes a part about Spongia- as it is rich in iodine and shares many symptoms of that group.

A second edition was published by Hahnemann Printing House in 1890.

Julian Winston writes:
With the current trend to looking at the "families" of remedies, it is interesting to reexamine this work and see that there is not much new, but a lot to be re-discovered.

From:
The Heritage of Homoeopathic Literature
copyright 2001 by Julian Winston
Reprinted with the permission of the author

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Author

Dr. Ernest A. Farrington, M.D.

(1847 - 1885)

E. A. Farrington was born in Williamsburg, NY, on January 1, 1847. Dr. Farrington manifested an aptitude for study from an early age. He had a ready discernment and a retentive memory that placed him first among his schoolmates.

He graduated from the Philadelphia High School at the age of nineteen, attaining the highest marks that anyone had ever achieved.

He began his study of medicine under the preceptorship of his brother, Harvey W. Farrington, MD. In 1866 he graduated from the Homoeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania. In 1867 he entered the Hahnemann Medical College, graduating in 1868. He entered practice immediately after his graduation, establishing himself on Mount Vernon Street.

His preeminence among his classmates indicated his future calling as a teacher. Within a year after leaving college he was engaged as lecturer on forensic medicine in the same institution, and still later transferred to the chair of pathology and diagnosis.

These positions were stepping stones to that most important and difficult department of homoeopathic medicine, the chair of materia medica, to which he was elected in 1874 upon the resignation of Prof. Guernsey.

Dr. Farrington was a member of the State Society and joined the American Institute of Homoeopathy in 1872. In 1884 the Institute appointed him a member of its Editorial Consulting Committee on the new Cyclopaedia of Drug Pathogenesy. In all these tasks he was an assiduous and conscientious worker. In debate he was an active speaker, logical in argument, choice in expression.

Farrington carried out deep and thorough research and study upon every involved question in the subject of homoeopathy; the law, dosage, and potency questions all were subjects of much interest. Above all, his focus lay in the study of the Materia Medica.

His daily association with Hering quickened this his natural desire, to the point where Hering said, "When I am gone Farrington must finish my Materia Medica."

His labors in Materia Medica were not restricted to simply reviewing old provings. He personally supervised provings of both old and new drugs.

The most prominent feature of his teaching was considered to have been his ability to thoroughly analyze the specific drug action, showing not only the superficial but also the deeper relationship of symptoms. Family and class relationship of drugs was a particular interest. In fact, his Clinical Materia Medica was the first classic in this field.

His writings all bear the mark of a superior mind. Already in 1871, barely three years after his graduation, he was writing about the philosophical elucidation of drug prescribing, in language indicating a great depth of knowledge. His articles were published in the American Journal of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, the Hahnemannian Monthly, the North American Journal of Homoeopathy, and other journals.

In December 1879, when the Hahnemannian Monthly was purchased by the Hahnemann Club of Philadelphia, he was selected by his colleagues of the Club as the sole editor of the journal, but on account of poor health and multiplicity of duties he declined the offer.

Later, at the earnest solicitation of the Club, he accepted the position of Contributing Editor, which position he filled until the time of his death. His last article, a book review, was written but a few weeks prior to his decease.

In December 1884, a neglected cold and subsequent unavoidable exposure resulted in an attack of acute laryngitis. Farrington continued his class lectures and thus a severe bronchitis developed. He then sailed for Europe in the Spring of 1885 with the hope that change of air and scene would cure him.

But the disease steadily progressed and he returned to Philadelphia, working until the end of his days. Some of his lay friends strongly urged him to seek the care of a prominent allopath. This he positively refused, afterwards remarking,

"If I must die, I want to die a Christian."

He died shortly afterwards on December 15, 1885.

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Contents

In Memoriam -- 9-16
1. Introductory -- 17-24
2. Animal Kingdom -- 25-32
3. The Ophidia-Lachesis -- 33-48
4. The Ophidia-Lachesis (continued) -- 49-61
5. The Ophidia-Lachesis (continued) -- 62-72
6. Archnida-Mygale, Lycosa Tarentula, Tarentula Cubensis, Aranea Diadema and Theridion Curassavicum -- 73-83
7. Cantharis -- 4-97
8. Hymenotera - Apis Mellifica -- 98-114
9. Moschus -- 15-121
10. Sepia -- 22-132
11. Sepia (continued) -- 133-146
12. Nosodes - Psorinum and Ambra Grisea -- 147-152
13. Secale Cornutum -- 53-160
14. The Vegetable Kingdom - Apocynaceae; Apocynum Cannabinum, Oleander, Vinca Minor, and Alstonia Scholaris -- 161-168
15. Gelsemium Sempervirens -- 69-176
16. Nux Vomica -- 77-196
17. Ignatia -- 97-204
18. Spigelia Anthelmintica, Curare and the Junglandaceae -- 205-207
19. Araceae - Arum Triphyllum, Caladium, Dracontinum and Pothos Foetida -- 208-216
20. Anacardiaceae - Anacardium Orientale -- 17-222
21. Rhus Toxicodendron -- 23-236
22. Composite - Arnica Montana, Artemisia Vulgaris, Absinthium, Millefolium, Taraxacum, Eupatorium Perfoliatum, Artemisia Abrotanum -- 237-245
23. Cina and Chamomilla -- 246--250
24. Melantheaceae, Colchicum, Veratrum Album, Veratrum Viride and Sabadilla -- 251-258
25. Menispermaceae, Cocculus Indicus -- 259-263
26. Papaveraceae, Opium -- 264-273
27. Sanguinaria and Chelidonium -- 274-283
28. Cucurbitaceae, Colocynth -- 284-288
29. Bryonia Alba -- 289-303
30. Coniferae, Abies Nigra, Sabina Juniperis, Terebinthina, Pix Liquida and Thuja Occidentalis, Euphorbiaceae, Croton Tiglium, Etc. -- 304-313
31. Ranuncurlaceae, Aconitum Napellus -- 314-325
32. Actea Racemosa, Ranunculus Bulbosus and Ranunculus Sceleratus -- 326-333
33. Helleborus and Staphisagria -- 334-342
34. Pulsatilla -- 343-362
35. Rubiaceae, Cinchona Rubra -- 363-375
36. Ipecacuanha and Coffea -- 376-386
37. Scrophulariaceae, Digitalis Purpurea, Linaria Vulgaris, Verbascum, Gratiola, Leptandra Virginica and Euphrasia -- 387-398
38. Baptisia Tinctoria -- 399-403
39. Solanaceae, Belladonna -- 404-422
40. Stramonium and Hyoscyamus -- 423-431
41. Tabacum, Dulcamara, Capsicum and Glonoin -- 432-438
42. Lycopodium Clavatum -- 439-446
43. The Umbelliferae, Conium Maculatum, Ammoniacum Gummi, Asafoetida, Aethusa Cynapium, the Berberidaceae, Berberis and Podophyllum -- 447-453
44. Mineral Kingdom - Selenium -- 454-462
45. Sulphur -- 463-478
46. The Carbon Group, Carbo Vegetabilis -- 479-487
47. Carbo Animalis, Graphites and Petroleum -- 488-500
48. Halogens, Bromine and Iodine, and Spongia -- 501-514
49. The Acids, Fluoric and Muriatic Acids -- 515-525
50. Phosphoric and Sulphuric Acids -- 526-532
51. Nitric, Hydrocyanic and Picric Acids -- 533-541
52. Silicea -- 542-548
53. Arsenicum Album -- 549-561
54. Phosphorus -- 562-575
55. The Preparations of Antimony - Antimonium Crudum and Antimonium Tartaricum -- 576-583
56. The Preparations of Mercury -- 584-599
57. The Noble Metals, Aurum -- 600-604
58. The Preparations of Silver - Argentum Nitricum and Argentum Metallicum -- 605-611
59. Plantina, Palladium and Alumina -- 612-620
60. Plumbum and Stannum -- 621-627
61. Cuprum and Zincum -- 628-638
62. Ferrum and the Magnesia Salts, Magnesia Carb, and Magnesia Mur. -- 639-648
63. Baryta Carb., Strontiana Carb. and Lithium Carb. -- 649-656
64. The Ammonium Preparations, Ammonium Carb., Ammonium Mur. and Ammonium Phos. -- 657-665
65. Salts of Lime, Calcarea Ostrearum -- 666-677
66. Calcarea Phosphorica and Hepar. -- 678-688
67. Preparations of Soda, Natrum Carb. and Natrum Sulph. -- 689-695
68. Natrum Muriaticum and Natrum Arsenicatum -- 696-705
69. Borax Veneta -- 706-711
70. Salts of Potash, Kali Bromatum and Kali Hydriodicum -- 712-719
71. Kali Bichromicum -- 720-728
72. Causticum -- 729-735
73. Kali Carb. -- 736-742
Index of Remedies -- 743-782
Therapeutic Index -- 783-826

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