Method

Overview

Exploring the Breadth, Context, and Application of Different Clinical Approaches in the Practice of Homeopathy

The second in Gray's series The Landscape of Homeopathic Medicine. The first title, Case Taking, is also available from WHN Books.

From the Book

Foreword

When I first met Alastair Gray, not even a year ago, I was simultaneously impressed with his fine understanding of homeopathy and with his humble demeanor. Having read the first book of this series (Casetaking 2010), I had invited him to speak at the Joint American Homeopathic Conference in Alexandria, Virginia.

With self-effacing candor, Alastair had the audience laughing about his practice and his encounters with patients in a well used neighborhood of Sydney, where he treated predominantly addicts and other non-traditional homeopathic clients. It was quickly apparent to me that Alastair combined clarity of thought and depth of knowledge with the objectivity required to aim a critical lens at himself and his modality.

Time has only strengthened my impression of a mind deeply rooted in the principles of the Organon, yet spread wide to new ideas in homeopathy.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the second book in a series that, simply for its breadth and objectivity, is certain to become a classic. Method surveys with a scientific eye the prescribing techniques of the best known teachers and practitioners of homeopathy.

From Hahnemann to Sankaran, sixteen different methods of settling on a remedy based on different understandings of the phrase, "totality of symptoms." Included in this volume are critical looks at Hahnemannian and Kentian prescribing (not the same thing!), so-called "constitutional" prescribing, as well as isopathic and tautopathic prescribing, miasmatic and other types of intercurrent prescribing, group and family analyses and vital sensation prescribing, among others.

Alastair begins with the theory behind each method and compares the different approaches. The Organon of Medicine, for example, dictates that we should prescribe for the totality of the disease picture since the patient was last well. This differs substantially from Kent's idea that we should prescribe for the totality of the person. It differs even more from a constitutional prescription that incorporates the totality of a patient's strengths and weaknesses, their typology and their temperament, as well as from a prescription in which the totality is encompassed by a vital sensation.

What are the implications of these various approaches? How would we expect the practitioners of these methods to prescribe? Did their actual prescribing line up with their writings?

Alastair examines these questions as they apply to a dozen different methods of homeopathic prescribing. And he examines the casebooks of these homeopaths to see how their prescribing matched their own writings or differed from their fellows. Where his own understanding of particular methods is not well developed, Alastair brings in three experts in their methods to lead the discussion.

Shilpa Bouraskar, a Sydney homeopath and the developer of the HomeoQuest software, writes on the vital sensation method, when it is best applied, and includes one of her own cases. Jennifer Osbourne, who practices and teaches in Melbourne and Brisbane, gives an overview of miasmatic prescribing. And Greg Cope, a Brisbane homeopath and lecturer at Endeavor College of Natural Health, explains the group analysis approach of Jan Scholten.

The upshot, of course, is that we now have a broad prescribing tradition on which to draw, one that allows the homeopath to individualize method in the same way we individualize the remedy. Any homeopath who has been in practice knows that not everyone with a rash is willing to sit for a two-hour probe into the subconscious. Some patients will need a remedy for the lesion. Later, perhaps they will accept an organopathic remedy, and maybe after months or years will consider a more in-depth prescription.

On the other end of the spectrum, what are your options when, having taken the case, you have no physical or even functional pathology on which to prescribe? One might approach the case from several different angles, so what are the strengths and weaknesses of, say, Kentian, constitutional and vital sensation approaches?

Each might be a good choice, but each grows from a different understanding of the totality of symptoms. Therefore, each method will incorporate different information in its analysis and require a different use of the research tools at hand, whether those be repertory, materia medica or online tools. If we are to use these different methods, we must know what each requires. This is valuable information for the modern clinician wishing to hone her prescribing skills. For the student venturing into clinical work for the first time, Method will help to reconcile what has been taught with what he sees in the exam room.

The great theorists have much to teach us about how homeopathy works ideally, but it often looks different in practice. A good practitioner will be able to navigate the different methods of prescribing, to know which is best for the individual patient and to apply these effectively.

Alastair Gray makes a rare figure in homeopathy today, a practitioner and teacher with the objectivity to analyze the disparate methods of homeopathy without favoring one approach. Alastair has mapped here the entire terrain of homeopathic prescribing, from Kentian to polypharmacy. He surveys this landscape with an honest and critical eye, giving both the new and the seasoned practitioner an opportunity to reflect on what it is we do. I expect this book and its mates will become required reading for all students of homeopathy.
— Kim Elia, Toronto, November 2011

Contents

Forward -- iii
Acknowledgments -- vii
Contributors -- ix
Publisher's Note -- xiii

1. Introduction -- 3
Why This Book -- 6
Literature Review -- 9
Watson's Methodologies -- 10
Nomenclature, Method, and Methodologies -- 15
The Different Methods and Their Classification -- 16
Method at the Coalface of Homeopathy -- A Personal Story -- 17
Flexibility With Principle -- 21
Culture, Football and Buddhism -- 22
What Authors Say, What They Do, and Change Over Time -- 24

2. Hahnemann, Boenninghausen and the Totality of Characteristic Symptoms of the Disease -- 29
Totality of the Characteristic Symptoms of the Disease -- 31
Samuel Hahnemann 1755-1843 -- 33
Hahnemann in Paris -- 42
His Cases / How He Practiced -- 44
Cases Illustrative of Homeopathic Practice -- 45
Some Other Cases -- 53
Underpinnings of Hahnemannian Philosophy -- 57
Peculiarity -- 57
Totality -- 58
Causation -- 59
Health -- 59
Disease -- 61
Cure -- 61
Von Boenninghausen 1785-1864 -- 62
The Therapeutic Pocketbook -- 63
Cases -- 66
Disadvantages of the Method -- 69
Advantages of the Method -- 71
Method in Epidemic Disease -- 73
Further Reading -- 76

3. Kent and the Totality of the Characteristics of the Person -- 77
The Person Not the Disease -- 79
Totality of the Characteristics of the Person -- 80
James Tyler Kent 1849-1916 -- 82
Kent?s Legacy -- 84
Swedenborg -- 86
What is Disease -- 90
Kentianism -- 92
Kent's Other Influences on Homeopathy -- 95
Repertory -- 95
Types -- 96
Books -- 96
Potency and Remedies -- 96
Waiting and Waiting -- 97
Kent?s Hierarchy -- 97
The Mind -- 98
Kent?s Case Work -- 100
Subtle Changes -- 106
Case Examples -- 107
Strategy -- 109
Further Reading -- 110

4. Constitution and Constitutional Prescribing -- 111
Introduction -- 113
The Confusion -- 114
The Prescribing Style in a Nutshell -- 116
The Disadvantages of Constitutional Prescribing -- 118
Kent, Watson and Constitution -- 119
Massive Totality -- 121
Limitations -- 121
Definitions of Constitution -- 125
Etymology of the Word 'Constitution' in the Context of Homeopathy -- 127
Advocates of Constitutional Prescribing -- 129
Hydrogenoid Constitution -- 135
From von Grauvogl's Practice -- 135
Oxygenoid -- 144
Carbo-nitrogenoid Constitution -- 145
Leeser and Nebel -- 149
Carbonic -- 151
Phosphoric -- 152
Fluoric -- 152
Vannier?s Constitution and Types -- 152
Constitutional Prescribing in Light of a True Understanding of Constitution -- 155
Ingredients Needed for a Constitutional Prescription -- 160
Mappa Mundi and Temperaments -- 163
Little on the Phlegmatic Temperaments -- 167
The Temperament of the Phlegmatic -- 167
Phlegmatic Bodily Constitution (Generals) - 170
Phlegmatic Predispositions (Diatheses and Miasms) -- 172
Phlegmatic Remedies -- 174
Conclusions -- 175
Of Practical Use -- 177
Further Reading -- 179

5. Vital Sensation (Shilpa Bhouraskar) -- 181
Introduction -- 185
The Evolution of Homeopathy in Stages -- 188
Comparison of Stages, Disease and Medicine Understanding -- 193
Application of Stages in Practice -- 193
----Confirm Your Prescription Through All the Four Stages -- 193
A Case Example Incorporating All Stages -- 194
Which Approach to Use and When -- 212
The Sensation Method Compared With the Earlier Methods -- 215
Conclusion -- 218
Further Reading -- 218

6. Miasmatic Prescribing (Jennifer Osborne ) -- 219
The Use of Nosodes -- 219
The Use of Anti-miasmatic Remedies -- 220
Faithfulness in Tracing the Picture of the Disease -- 225
What is Miasmatic Prescribing -- 230
Nosodes as the Simillimum and Intercurrents -- 230
Other Application of Intercurrents -- 234
Other Benefits of a Knowledge and Understanding of Miasms -- 236
References -- 240
Further Reading -- 242

7. Jan Scholten`s Group Analysis (Greg Cope) -- 243
Jan Scholten -- 247
Group Analysis -- 249
Reverse Law of Similars -- 251
Homeopathy and the Minerals -- 251
Homeopathy and the Elements - 255
The Plant Kingdom -- 260
Prescribing Techniques -- 261
Case Example -- 263
References -- 269
Further Reading -- 270

8. Eizayaga (Ben Gadd) -- 271
Introduction -- 275
About Eizayaga -- 278
Treating the Patient versus the Disease -- 279
Different Types of Similitude -- 280
Totality of Symptoms -- 284
Classification of Symptoms -- 285
Layers -- 287
Lesion Layer -- 287
Fundamental Layer -- 289
Constitutional Layer -- 290
Miasmatic Layer -- 293
Prescribing -- 294
Posology -- 295
Repertory -- 296
Criticisms of Eizayaga's Approach -- 297
Case Example -- 298
Conclusion -- 303
References and Further Reading -- 304

9. Keynote Prescribing -- 307
Definitions -- 309
Keynote Materia Medicae -- 310
Why Keynote Prescribing at All? -- 311
Misapplication -- 313
History and Development of Keynote Prescribing -- 314
The Components of the Method -- 316
----Totality Again -- 316
Redline Symptoms -- 317
Will Taylor and Meg Ryan -- Practical Keynote Prescribing -- 318
What are the Characteristic Features of a Keynote -- 320
The "Three-legged Stool Approach" to Keynotes -- 321
Storming the Fortress -- Achieving Breakthrough at the Weak Spots -- 322
Minimum Syndrome of Maximum Value -- 323
Experts at Work, a Few More Examples -- 324
Analogous Parts -- 328
Ruling Features of the Case Reflect the "Genius" of the Remedy -- 328
Other Leading Proponents -- 332
Advantages of Keynote Prescribing -- 339
Disadvantages of Keynote Prescribing -- 342
Further Reading -- 344

10. Isopathy - 345
Definitions -- 348
Introduction -- 348
Practicalities -- 350
Context -- 351
Isopathy and Pre-Homeopathic History -- 352
Advocates -- 357
The Response top Isopathy -- 361
Collet and Others -- 364
The Controversy -- 365
Refining the Method -- 379
Advantages and Some Extraordinary Examples -- 380
Conclusion -- 385
Further Reading -- 385
Appendix -- 387

11. Tautopathy -- 397
Definition -- 400
What Exactly Is the Method? -- 400
Why Do We Need It? -- 402
Review of the Literature -- 404
Application of Tautopathy -- 417
The Pill, Naprosyn, Cortisone, and Vaccinations -- 418
Intercurrent Prescribing -- 419
Case Examples -- Patel -- 420
Who Uses It Today? -- 422
Limitations -- 423
Provings and Tautopathy -- 423
Further Reading -- 424
Appendix -- 425

12. Organ Prescribing, Organopathy and Burnett -- 429
Introduction -- 432
Background -- 432
Affinity, Organ Prescribing, Organopathy, Supporting the Organs -- 434
Specificity of Seat -- 435
Locality -- 439
The Limitations of the Totality of Symptoms -- 439
Drilling Deeper: Burnett's Influences -- 446
Rademacher and the Organ Remedies -- 447
Burnett's Cases -- 449
Burnett's Use of Potency -- 454
The Organ Remedies -- 455
Random Gems from Burnett, Rademacher, and Others -- 456
Nosodes -- 459
For and Against -- 460
Computers and Burnett -- 462
Burnett's Works -- 462
Conclusion -- 463
Further Reading -- 466

13. Polypharmacy, Complexes, and Combinations -- 467
Definitions -- 469
Literature and Opinion -- 469
Controversy, Mongrelism, Mutilation, and Perversion -- 470
The Double Remedy Experiments of 1833 -- 472
The Technique Itself -- 487
Why NO! Opinions ?Past and Present -- 489
Contemporary Opposition - 501
Why YES! Opinions ?Past and Present ?509
Some Commonly Used Combinations -- 510
When Is it Best to Use Polypharmacy? -- 514
Further Reading -- 516

14. Conclusion -- 519
Method and Totality -- 519
If You Meet Hahnemann On The Road -- Kill Him -- 526
The Influence of Hahnemann -- 527
The Implications of Individualism in Homeopathy -- 532
Teachers in Contemporary Homeopathy -- 537
Method Or No Method -- 539
Implications For Practice -- 543

References -- 545
Index -- 559

Alastair Gray
MSc (UK) BA Hons (NZ) ADH (NZ) DSH (UK) PCH (UK) PCHom (Malaysia)

Alastair Gray heads up the homeopathy department at Endeavour College of Natural Health in Australia. He has lectured undergraduate homeopathic medicine in New Zealand and Australia for over a decade.

He presents regular Seminars in Kuala Lumpur, Toronto, Boulder, San Francisco, Galway in Ireland, Preston and Nottingham in England and Bangkok.

He continues to teach the residential Fusion Sessions, a post-graduate program in natural medicine offered in New Zealand and Australia online.

He works to bring out the best of enthusiastic natural medicine graduates through fostering enthusiasm, yet grounding it in the dual realities of modern complementary medicine professional standards and ethics, and the necessities of running successful natural medicine businesses.

In addition, Alastair runs a general natural medicine practice in the inner west and east of Sydney Australia. Clinical practice remains a significant feature of his work with a focus in the treatment of anxiety, depression, addiction and men's Health.

Alastair's ongoing commitment to quality research in homeopathy and natural medicine underpins his work.

Contact www.grayhomeopathy.com

Reviews

Method by Alastair Gray
from "Hpathy", July 17, 2012

George Engel, the father of biopsychosocial medicine, once stated 'How physicians approach patients and the problems they present is very much influenced by the conceptual models which organize their knowledge and experience. Commonly however physicians are largely unaware of the power such models exert on their thinking and behavior.' Clearly this statement applies to homeopaths and homeopathic practice as well.

Alistair Gray's excellent Method greatly expands our awareness of the conceptual models by which we interact with clients, how we explore and comprehend "totality" in homeopathy, and in turn, how we match that totality with a remedy.

This user-friendly book explores the breath, context and application of different clinical approaches in the practice of homeopathy. Method is the second in a series of seven books intended to summarize the landscape of homeopathic medicine. Building upon Mathur's Principles of Prescribing, Tyler's Different Ways of Finding the Remedy, and Watson's A Guide to the Methodologies of Homeopathy, one of Gray's primary motivations for writing this book was to reconcile apparent inconsistencies within the profession.

Through many examples he demonstrates how various approaches are a benefit to the profession. Rather than carrying a bias for or against certain methods, depending on the situation we may need to employ different strategies beyond our usual "modus operandi".

Gray begins by describing Hahnemann's and Boenninghausen's practices in relation to the totality of characteristic symptoms of disease. Then he considers Kent's significant influence on homeopathic practice through the emphasis on the totality of the characteristics of the person. This is followed by an in-depth exploration of the definitions of constitution and constitutional prescribing.

All of this provides background for authors of other chapters to articulate the concepts of vital sensation, miasmatic prescribing, Scholten's analysis and Eizayaga's method. The final chapters by Gray outline the respective rationale, justification for, and limitations of keynote prescribing, isopathy, tautopathy, organopathy, and even polypharmacy.

Gray states: "There is no one right way to practice homeopathy that can be applied to every clinical situation . . .One dimensional homeopathic practice, even when practiced well or even brilliantly, will only be successful in a certain number of cases.

"Evidence suggests that a thriving practice and successful prescriptions require flexibility of method, and equal flexibility in good measure as a part of one's psychological make-up. This flexibility allows homeopaths to know when to stop one line of thinking and treatment, and move to another strategy."

There is so much information condensed into this single book, one can't help but to learn something new each and every time it's read. As with the first book Case-Taking, even the introduction and conclusion are enough to spark the reader into reflecting on one's own practice and the profession as a whole.

Method is a thorough and unbiased critique of all the better known methods in homeopathy, and Gray also reminds the reader how technical skills and methods, while essential, are not enough.

He states 'Our work should force us to look into ourselves, to question our own processes and to use homeopathy to help us in our own evolution. We cannot separate this personal evolution from that of our patients. We are implicated by our actions and our relationship with our patients and fellow practitioners . . . the future of homeopathy as a viable profession is dependent on how we conduct ourselves as practitioners . . . it is by our humanity that we will ultimately be measured'.

In summary, Method is a timely and well-researched journey through homeopathic approaches to "totality"l, as well as what is required of us personally as homeopathic practitioners. I believe it will enrich the practice of each and every homeopath who reads it! Bravo, Alastair!
— David Johnson