Guide to Kent's Repertory

From the Book

Letter from the author

While all of us use Kent's Repertory; few know of its origins, its manner of construction or its logic.

This tool is meant to be a guide to explain the concepts that Kent brought to the world; it reproduces some of Kent's lesser known articles towards this end. It organizes the anatomy (with many diagrams) and especially helps the practioner to understand the long and arduous sections of pain all through this book.

A comprehensive chapter on case taking further helps the practioner to more effectively carry out his mission of understanding his patient and arriving at the indicated remedy.

A book to help both students and even seasoned homeopathic practitioners to find their way through the great Repertory of Kent, in much the same way as Michelin's famous guides for various cities help travellers find their way and eventually know the city so well that they can find any place quickly.

It should have appeared in1897 after Kent first published his repertory. This book is 99 years late; but "better late than never".

The book will be equally useful with all the newer repertories built on the basic Kent, such as Kunzli, Synthesis and the Complete Repertory.

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Details

Guide To Kent's Repertory, by Ahmed N. Currim, was published in 1966. This book provides a detailed guide to Kent's work. It discusses the structure, philosophy, and logic of Kent's Repertory and how to use it efficiently.

One of the unique sections illustrates the anatomy of the repertory with several diagrams. This is particularly helpful in understanding the multitudinous pain rubrics. Chapters on case taking and reproductions of some of Kent's lesser-known articles complete this work.

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Heritage

A guide to the intricacies of Kent's major work.

Julian Winston writes:
It is overly complex, and while it is probably useful for someone who has used the repertory for a number of years and is looking for something "more," it is not a beginner's book in any sense. Even with Repertory in hand, I found the explanations overly confusing, with too many cross references, footnotes and personal codes.

The author is undoubtedly a master of the work, but has internalized much of his information, so in trying to explain it something is getting lost along the way.

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

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Reviews

Three Reviews:
1. SIMILLIMUM
2. HOMEOPATHY TODAY
3. THE AMERICAN HOMEOPATH



Simillimum
Vol IX No 3
Fall 1996
Reviewed by Durr Elmore

Given how indispensable Kent's Repertory is to the practice of homeopathy, it is surprising that so few books have been devoted to unlocking its treasures to students of our healing art.

The Guide to Kent's Repertory is a concise, articulate and scholarly book that will very likely become not only a guide but also a repertory textbook for students and educators.

Currim's primary objective is to help novices understand Kent's intricate but consistent arrangement of symptoms as rubrics. While the modification of a symptom, best illustrated by the pain rubrics in each chapter of the repertory, is the centerpiece of this book, fascinating articles on the history and construction of the repertory, case taking, case analysis and cross references are included that will satisfy the most experienced of homeopaths.

I particularly enjoyed Currim's clear and articulate style. The information on case taking and analysis is always backed up with references to the appropriate sections of the Organon, and other important foundations of homeopathy.

The guide itself is much easier to use than it is to explain. For starters, it catalogues alphabetically all the sensations of pain included in Kent's Repertory followed by the chapters (anatomical regions) in which they are found. Each chapter of the Repertory is dissected, first listing the anatomy of the chapter (for Larynx and Trachea: Air passages, Larynx, Cartilages of, Epiglottis, Glottis, Throat pit, Trachea).

The chapter then indexes the rest of the pain rubrics showing how the structure of the rubric repeats modifying the symptom over and over with a consistency that makes Kent's Repertory such an incredibly useful tool.

Throughout the guide or index part of the book, Currim inserts corrections and points out inaccuracies often referenced to notations from Kent's personal manuscript, German translations of original materia medicas and other reliable sources.

This book is a must buy for all who are new to, or are studying the repertory.



HOMEOPATHY TODAY
-Reviewed by Julian Winston

One of the great mysteries of homeopathy is Kent's Repertory. I was brand new in homeopathy and looking for books. I found a bookstore in New York that had a homeopathy section. I pulled out the thickest book I could find- Kent's Repertory. I opened it. It was like looking at a phone book. I wanted something to read! I put it back on the shelf.

This arcane text becomes indispensable to the practicing homeopath, but only when one has been initiated into its use. And that is exactly what Dr. Currim hopes that his book will do.

This book consists of twenty sections of which the first twelve serve as an introduction to Kent's massive work which has served countless homeopaths the world over. In this first part, Dr. Currim discusses "Kent's Original Plan," "Problems with Existing Repertories The Classification of Symptoms," "Modifications of Symptoms," "Construction of Rubrics," and offers a number of "Notes and Examples."

The thirteenth section consists of one hundred pages and concentrates on the rubric "Pain." This chapter, "Descriptions of Pain;" is the major portion of the book, and is of great value.

One of the most frequent complaints a homeopath hears is that of pain. Dr Currim examines the "pain" section of all the chapters in the repertory. If one gets through this daunting section, one will better understand the structure of the repertory.

In the remaining chapters Dr. Currim offers essays on:

• Special Rubrics and Cross References
• History and Case Taking-Basic Rules
• Repertorization
• Advantages of Using the Repertory
• and one of Kent's published papers, "The Development and Formation of the Repertory"

A number of anatomical diagrams are included to assist the homeopath in understanding the anatomical references in the repertory.

There is an error in the order of rubrics as found in Kent's Repertory on pages 166-168. Currim has corrected this and included those corrections. This is just another valuable piece of information tucked away in this gem of a book.

The sections on Taking the Case, History and Case Taking; Questionnaire, and Repertorization might be of great use to the practitioner. The patient interview is a subtle, sensitive process and Dr. Currim offers several hints to aid the process.

Another aspect of understanding the Repertory is to understand the logic which Kent used when he grouped the rubrics. Dr. Currim explains this in great detail in the section, Modification of Symptoms. Once one is familiar with this scheme, one can see the logic of the Repertory as well as the many errors in rubric placement which it contains.

Dr. Currim has his PhD in mathematics, and approaches the material with an intensely analytical flair. His use of abbreviations (e.g, KR, HP C, P) was, to me, distracting, even though he explains the codes clearly (i.e., Knerr's Repertory, Hahnemann's Materia Medica Pura, chest, prostate). I had to keep going back to look for the meaning.

For example, the simple paragraph about the understanding of chronic miasms, reads: "Discovered by Hahnemann (HCD) Elaborated further by KHP, KLW, KMM." Somehow, the code gets in the way.

Would it not be easier to comprehend by saying "Discovered by Hahnemann (in Chronic Diseases), and elaborated on by Kent in his Philosophy, Materia Medica and in his Lesser Writings."

When I asked about the book on the homeopathic mail list on the Internet, several people mentioned that they found the book invaluable in gaining a deeper understanding of the relationship between the case taking and the repertory.

There are good diagrams explaining the exact location of the anatomical references found in the Kent Repertory.

This is not a book for light bedtime reading. The best use of it would be with the Repertory itself close at hand, to follow along in the text.

It is certainly a book that anyone that uses the Kent Repertory needs to have.

HOMEOPATHY TODAY
SEPTEMBER 1997
Reprinted with the permission of the
National Center for Homeopathy



From
The American Homeopath
1997-01
Reviewed by Jay Yasgur

With his recently published Guide To Kent's Repertory, Dr. Currim offers a detailed overview of Kent's Repertory. This guide consists of twenty sections of which the first 12 serve as introduction to Kent's massive work, which has served countless homeopaths the world over.

In these dozen essays (25 pages) Ahmed discusses 'Kent's Original Plan', 'Problems with Existing Repertories', 'The Classification of Symptoms', 'Modifications of Symptoms', 'Construction of Rubrics,' and offers a number of 'Notes and Examples.'

The thirteenth section consists of one hundred pages and concentrates on pain. This chapter, 'Descriptions of Pain,' is the major portion of the book, and is of great value. Pain, admittedly one of the most frequent complaints homeopaths hear about, is examined in all the repertory sections.

This should certainly help one get a better understanding of pain as handled by the repertory. As the headache modalities of heat and cold are scattered throughout the HEAD section, Ahmed has skillfully assembled them together on one page (p. 30).

In the remaining chapters Dr. Currim offers essays on 'Special Rubrics and Cross References', 'History and Case Taking-Basic Rules', 'Repertorization', 'Advantages of Using the Repertory,' and one of Kent's published papers 'The Development and Formation of the Repertory.'

A number of diagrams are included, 18 in all, to assist the homeopath in understanding the anatomy as contained in the repertory. There is an error in the order of rubrics as found in Kent's Repertory on pages 166-168. Currim has corrected this and included those corrections. Just another gem which this book possesses.

The sections on 'Taking the Case', 'History and Case Taking,' 'Questionnaire,' and 'Repertorization' are particularly interesting and useful for the beginning student. Currim offers material gleaned from Pierre Schmidt's articles, 'L'Examen du Malade.'

Next, in Appendix 1, 'Advantages of Using the Repertory,' Currim puts forth more than 30 numbered reasons for the use of the repertory. Each of these is followed by an explanatory paragraph. Some reasons are 'deeper' than others but all contain truth.

Take No. 15 for instance: " 15.2 There are certain rubrics in "Kent's Repertory' which are constant repertorial reminders in case taking. Among them are the rubrics concerning the trinity of loves of man, pertaining to his Will, Food and Sex; also the rubrics concerning his reactions to climate, weather and position, etc.

Dr. Dienst of the USA once had difficulty in comprehending a young lady who was suffering from malarial fever. When he called to see her, she attempted to make love and in the midst of her chattering, divulged that she had a date with a doctor in Pennsylvania to attend the theatre, and that she believed Dr. Dienst to be this doctor.

With the help of the repertory, he recognized Stramonium in her symptoms, and within half an hour of receiving a dose of Stramonium, she presented a rational aspect and her malarial fever had ceased. Dr. Dienst said that although Stramonium probably has no intermittent fever in its proving, yet the patient had intermittent fever and by prescribing for her, he freed her of the fever.

Love in a treble form incites man to action: The sick and even the healthy, are known by the manifestations of love in the treble form; upon the three manifestations of love, as upon a tripod, rest this repertory:

15.2.1 Intellect or reason is the flaming beacon casting a blaze afar upon the sea of passions and in the darkness of errors while the Will pilots the ship of the Ego. The light illumines the way and signals the dangers, but the pilot holds the life of the ship in his hands; hence the Will is the master of our destiny.

15.2.2 Loves and hates regarding food relate to the preservation of the entire body.

15.2.3 Loves and hates pertaining to the sexual sphere including woman's menstruation, etc., are the exponents of the love of the species.

They are related to the entire individual seen as the propagator of his species. Take away this tripod and this repertory falls. Similarly, exclude the three manifestations of love from the study of a patient, and we lose the power of healing as described in the first article of the "Organon" and only hasten the progress of the chronic miasmatic sickness by deceiving our patient (KHP xxxvii paragraph 3) through the ten methods of hybrid prescribing which we shall mention later.

Dr. Dienst had a case of a lady of 68 who had drawing down of the comers of mouth and habit of shrugging shoulders. She told a long story of nervousness. Finally it was discovered that she did not love her husband, and never had. Of what did she think? Could not bear to see a sharp knife, without an impulse to cut her throat (85 R); nor to see a rope without the desire to hang herself. These revealed suicidal tendencies. Alumina straightened the case, entirely. Grimmer, p. 214,5.A

Another important aspect of understanding Kent's Repertory is the logic by which he grouped rubrics. Currim explains this in great detail (it is tough going here) in the section on 'Modification of Symptoms.' This is the first time I have seen this material in print, and it has certainly helped me gain a deeper understanding of the construction of the Repertory.

For this alone, Currim should be thanked. Currim obtained much of this material during his many visits to Pierre Schmidt, M.D. in the late 60s and early 70s. Schmidt was in the line of Kent's descendants having learned from Frederica Gladwin and Alonzo Austin.

Much, more could be said about this, the second golden egg which Ahmed has recently produced, the first being The Collected Works of A.H. Grimmer,

The repertory expert and student alike will find this a most useful book. It contains information for all - history (there is a marvelous letter on repertorization Kent wrote to Margaret Tyler), repertory schematics, descriptions of pain, case taking, anatomical charts (they are small), etc.

The book suffers from the lack of an Index which could've been easily included. There is no 'Key Word/Abbreviation List'. One can find the meaning of abbreviations (NR, NSW, MVA, CV, C, P, KR, KHP, JTK, etc.) by hunting, but that is so time consuming. A concise listing could have been easily included.

The physical aspects of the book, binding, paper, font selection, etc., are excellent. Simply put, this book is useful to learn Kent's Repertory. It is meant to be read and studied.

Ahmed maintains that you will get the most from it if you sit at your desk and read it with the repertory open. He is right. This is not light reading. A bedroom book, or a commute book it is not. This book should help deepen one's understanding of this, and for that matter any, repertory.

Reprinted with permission from the
North American Society of Homeopaths

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Contents

Introduction -- v-vi
How to Use This Guide -- vii-viii
1. Prerequisites to Practicing Homeopathy -- 1
2. Brief History of Homeopathy in USA -- 1
3. Kent's Orginal Plan -- 2
4. Problems with Exisitng Repertories -- 3-5
5. Ideals of Kent -- 5-8
6. To Ensure Reliability of Repertory -- 8
7. Definition of Terms -- 9-11
8. Classification of Symptoms -- 11-13
9. Modifications of Symptoms -- 13
10. Construction of Rubrics -- 14-15
11. Arrangement of the Reperory -- 16
12. Notes and Examples -- 17-23
13. Descriptions of Pain and the Sections in Which They are Found -- 24-29
Head -- 30-33
Regions of Head -- 33-36
Sensations of Pain in Head -- 37-39
Eye -- 40-41
Regions of Eye -- 40
Sensations of Pain in Eye -- 40-41
Ear -- 42-43
Regions of Ear -- 42
Sensations of Pain in Ear -- 42-43
Nose -- 44-45
Regions of Nose -- 44
Sensations of Pain in Nose -- 44-45
Face -- 46-47
Regions of Face -- 46
Sensations of Pain in Face -- 46-47
Mouth -- 48-49
Regions of Mouth -- 48
Sensations of Pain in Mouth -- 48-49
Teeth -- 50-52
Regions of Teeth -- 50-51
Sensations of Pain in Teeth -- 51-52
Throat -- 53
Regions of Throat -- 53
Sensations of Pain in Throat -- 53
Stomach -- 54
Regions of Stomach -- 54
Sensations of Pain in Stomach -- 54
Abdomen -- 55-56
Regions of Abdomen -- 55
Sensations of Pain in Abdomen -- 55-56
Rectum -- 57
Regions of Rectum -- 57
Sensations of Pain in Rectum -- 57
Bladder -- 58
Regions of Bladder -- 58
Sensations of Pain in Bladder -- 58
Kidneys -- 59
Regions of Kidneys -- 59
Sensations of Pain in Kidneys -- 59
Prostate Gland -- 60
Regions of Prostate Gland -- 60
Sensations of Pain in Prostate Gland -- 60
Urethra -- 61-62
Regions of Urethra -- 61
Sensations of Pain in Urethra -- 61-62
Genitalia (Male) -- 63-64
Regions of Genitalia (Male) -- 63
Sensations of Pain in Genitalia (Male) -- 63-64
Genitalia (Female) -- 65-66
Regions of Genitalia (Female) -- 65
Sensations of Pain in Genitalia (Female) -- 65-66
Larynx and Trachea -- 67
Regions of Larynx and Trachea -- 67
Sensations of Pain in Larynx and Trachea -- 67
Chest -- 68-74
Regions of Chest -- 68-73
Sensations of Pain in Chest -- 73-74
Back -- 75-84
Regions of Back -- 75-84
Sensations of Pain in Back -- 84
Extremities -- 85-114
Regions of Extremities -- 85-90
Sensations of Pain in Extremities -- 91-113
Generalities -- 114
Modalities of Generalities -- 116-120
Regions of Generalities -- 116
Sensations of Pain In Generalities -- 116-120
14. Special Rubrics and Cross References -- 121-129
15. History & Case Taking - Basic Rules -- 130-141
Summary of Basic Rules -- 141-142
Taking the Case -- 143-154
Questionaire -- 155-188
Questionaire Summary -- 189-190
16. Repertorization -- 191-203
Kent's Letter to Dr. Margaret Tyler -- 191-193
How to Repertorize the Case -- 194-203
17. Advantages of Using the Repertory (Appendix I) -- 204-226
18. The Development and Formation of the Repertory (Appendix II) By James Tyler Kent -- 227-230
19. Bibliography -- 231-232
20. Diagrams -- 233-253
Diagram 1 - Eye -- 233
Diagram 2 - Eye Structures -- 234
Diagram 3 - Cross Section of Eye -- 235
Diagram 4 - Muscles of the Eye -- 236
Diagram 5 - Lacrimal Passages -- 237
Diagram 6 - Upper Eyelid -- 238
Diagram 7 - Ear -- 239
Diagram 8 - Tympanic Membrane -- 240
Diagram 9 - Nose -- 241
Diagram 10 - Tongue and Mouth -- 242
Diagram 11 - Face -- 243
Diagram 12 - External Throat and Upper Shoulder -- 244
Diagram 13 - Regions of the Abdomen -- 245
Diagram 14 - Male Genitalia -- 246
Diagram 15 - Female Genitalia -- 247
Diagram 16 - Regions of the Back -- 248
Diagram 17 a, b - Diagram for Example 1, p.17 -- 249-250
Diagram 18 a, b, c - Explanation of Sides of Head, pp.34-36 -- 251-253

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