Achieving and Maintaining the Simillimum

From the Book

What other practitioners have said about
some of Luc De Schepper's previous works

"Your book, Homeopathy and the Periodic Table, is marvelous. I think it is the most valuable book for a homeopathic analysis of the periodic table and one of the most educational books in homeopathy. I enjoyed very much your chapter on dreams. Go on writing!"

Spiros Kivellos, MD,
General Director of Research of the Medical Homeopathic Greek Society

"In its sheer scope and detail, I recommend Hahnemann Revisited as one of the best modern textbooks on the subject that is currently available. It is written with great clarity and might be seen to comprise a modern version of Kent's Lectures, Close's Lectures and Vithoulkas' Science of Homeopathy all rolled in one ...

"Indeed, if a student only purchased this book, a materia medica and a good repertory, it is hard to see how they could not soon become an excellent practitioner. It seems destined to become a classic text in the field for many years to come."

Peter Morell, UK, in Simillimum

"I have just read your Hahnemann Revisited. It is a marvelous book. It is the only book that I read that could explain Hahnemaniann homeopathy simple and true to Hahnemann's own content."

Orjan Repaal, Norway

"Some time ago, I bought your book Hahnemann Revisited and I must say, this is the best book about homeopathy I've bought in many years. Although I studied homeopathy for many years, there were several things in your book that suddenly became clear to me."

Marc Van Wyk, MD, Belgium

"I have finished Hahnemann Revisited and still marvel at this work. It is my favorite book. The writing style is so effective and easy to comprehend, the principles are deep, insightful and ring true."

Alan Lekan, CO, USA
 

The Introduction

by Dr. Luc De Schepper

"We homeopaths better hang together, or most assuredly, we will hang separately." - Modified version of Benjamin Franklin

Although I wrote this book in a spirit of dispassionate inquiry, I cannot expect my critics to always respond in kind. Practicing homeopathy is a challenge and criticizing each other seems to be a national sport.

Truth never needs to fear, and I welcome intelligent well-founded criticism. I have always attributed my writings to Hahnemann, and yet I hear criticism such as, "you think Dr. Luc's way is the only way?"

Never have I mentioned that it is my way. Hahnemann deserves all due credit. But then again he was constantly criticized by pseudo-homeopaths as well, who found it too difficult to adhere to the Laws and Principles of homeopathy. They pretend they have cures too. But what kind of cures?

Do they hold up to what we need to witness in Hering's Set of Observations? Do they keep in account miasmatic blocks, obstructions to the cure, the nature of the disease, the patient, and the remedy? Why do they stick to what Hahnemann called his "barbaric methods, the 4th edition Organon?

It is as if homeopathy froze in time around 1828 as most of the techniques used in modern practice are from this period.

Although Hahnemann's personal practice grew immensely beyond the stage of the 4th edition Organon, homeopathy as a whole did not. Most practitioners are still practicing by the rules laid down in 1828-1829.

This is more than strange as the next 14 years of Hahnemann's career were the most productive of his life. Different reasons exist for this behavior.

Laziness of the practitioner is a universal syndrome in most professions. Statements like "I am doing well enough; I am satisfied; why make more effort; why study more" are all arguments that do not hold up under scrutiny. Why bother to check facts when you can quote a new guru-homeopath's opinion who charmed your shoes off yesterday?

Then there is arrogance: "I am a great practitioner. I do better than most."

Indifference is another prevalent emotion: "I can't spend my time investigating what Hahnemann did in his later 'senile' years."

Maybe, the practitioner is guided by misplaced egotism: "I want to do my own version of homeopathy. Homeopathy did not stop with Hahnemann. He would have been proud with my experiments."

Yes, it is the duty of every generation to go beyond the last one. Hering once said: "It is the duty of all of us to go further in the theory and practice of homeopathy than Hahnemann has done. We ought to seek the truth, which is before us and forsake the errors of the past."

Homeopathy has evolved considerably in the last 150 years. Nevertheless, homeopaths still have much to learn from what Hahnemann taught in his works. I doubt he would be proud if we are sinning against and omitting basic laws and rules.

I do agree that too much dogma is always counterproductive and that an open mind is an important part of growth. I can hope that we all can progress beyond Hahnemann's knowledge, but we are not going to arrive there by denying that the Organon had anything to do with it.

The Organon is the text on which homeopathic healing is based. I never thought it was a religious document to be followed blindly, but I do treat it with the utmost respect, because without it there would be no homeopathy.

Insults from "well-known" homeopaths such as "religious dogma," "stuck in the past," and "that old, dusty bible," are used to undermine the careful observations of several generations of experienced homeopaths.

To "modernize" homeopathy by ignoring its legacy is like throwing the baby out with the bath water. It is like building the proverbial house on a base of sand instead of upon rock. As soon as the winds of difficulty blow, and the rains of hard times fall, the house will come crashing down. Kent, in his Lesser Writings (1994, p. 210), states:

'Eclectics building upon the uncertain sands of theory need to be continually rebuilding, as each new theory causes a shifting of their foundation. Homeopaths, building upon the unchangeable rock of law, need never rebuild.'

I am reminded of the present state in which "progressive" homeopaths use the words "dogma and old books" to belittle Hahnemann's true teachings, when I read an article by Adolph Lippe, a famous homeopath of the 19th century:

'The progressive, anti-dogma wing of the homeopathic school, yearning for recognition, have distinguished themselves once more, and have given rise to a new phase of the history of medicine.

As it cannot be long before the recognition craze will evaporate, it may be as well to put on record the events of a few years, if for no other purpose than to complete history, and exhibit the folly of the recognition seekers, showing them how they are not only successful in their attempts to patch up a peace, but how in fact, they receive a severe rebuke from the other side of the house' (Lippe, 1887).

It would be more fruitful for us to study what really is in the Organon. The foundation is based upon the hard works of countless men and women who came before us and dedicated their entire lives to the enrichment of homeopathy.

The speed of light has not changed over the centuries, and neither have the homeopathic laws of healing.

Maybe the practitioner is guided by ignorance, but we should remember that ignorance is a crime when you deal with people's health. What fits on the solid foundation, confirmed through experience in the field, we will use and develop further. What does not work in harmony with these well-proven methods, we must leave behind.

The history of homeopathy is just like all other discoveries in the world. Christopher Columbus in 1492 discovered a small island; his successors found a vast continent. As Columbus forever will be the discoverer of the Americas, Hahnemann always will be the founder of homeopathy.

Patients want "promises" from the profession but Hahnemann calls one "ignorant" who can lightly promise the cure of a difficult disease. We may have to wait for centuries for a "Hahnemann" to come again and lead us to completion of the work he left us. So far, no one has been able to pick up where he left.

The advanced methods of the Organon are artistic ones that must be individualized to the patient. No preconceived schedules or protocols can guide the practitioner. You need to remain flexible and alert as the daily dose might be correct for one case, while one dose a week or even once a month is sufficient for other cases.

In very acute cases, one single dose may suffice, or it may be necessary to repeat the dose at very short intervals. In chronic diseases, one dose might act for days, weeks, even months, or it may become necessary to repeat the dose daily or more often for a day, a week or even for months. In all this the practitioner must be guided by his individual judgment based on the advanced methods that Hahnemann taught.

As a classical homeopath, I have learned great respect for these principles, because over the years I also have given wrong remedies and caused negative effects, suppressed symptoms with partial simillimums, disrupted the Vital Force with untimely repetition, and aggravated to the point that antidoting was necessary.

Some say they have never seen any problems, suppressions or aggravations caused by giving homeopathic remedies. Bunkum!

Such claims sound very, very hollow as this would mean that all the great masters who preceded us were incompetent souls including Hahnemann, Kent and Hering! The wisdom of the rules of homeopathy are the result of two centuries of clinical experience, not religious dogma, fundamentalism or fanaticism.

It is not always easy to be diplomatic when one is being called derogatory names and the blood, sweat and hard work of one's experience is being called dogma.

Some practitioners ask, "Why go through all the trouble and work to use the watery solutions of the 5th and 6th edition, when I have satisfactory results using the dry dose of the 4th edition?" For some using bottles, spoons, brandy, etc., is just too "expensive" and too great a bother. It is just so "easy" to throw an undetermined amount of pills in someone's mouth.

The answer is simple.

• Do you want to treat the most chronically ill with their strong miasmatic background?
   
• Do you want to prevent unneeded similar aggravation?
   
• Do you want to treat the most sensitive patients, a group which seems to increase daily in numbers?
   
• Do you want to speed up the time to cure by half, a quarter or less the time that it takes with a dry dose?
   
• Do you want to be successful with heavily suppressed cases and with illnesses deemed "incurable"?
   
• Do you want to use Hahnemann's most advanced methods and walk in his footsteps?

If you do, then this book is for you. What do you have to lose? That your patient is cured more rapidly? That you seem to be able to help people more than other homeopaths? That your patient suffers less and often has no similar aggravation? It is a win-win situation for homeopath and patient alike.

So far, few have responded to Hahnemann's promises of 1833 (5th edition), and 1842 (6th edition). A little more effort and dedication from the homeopath will be well worth the efforts to relieve the suffering of mankind.

Let's remember Hahnemann's warning:

'I must warn the reader that indolence, love of ease and obstinacy preclude effective service at the altar of truth, and truly freedom from prejudice and untiring zeal qualify for the most sacred of all human occupations, the practice of the true system of medicine.'
(1810, Preface to First Edition of the Organon)

Let's also remember Mark Twain's immortal words: "Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you want."

It is in the spirit of studiousness and accuracy that I offer this work. May it unite all homeopaths. If some challengers can overcome their repugnance to what they deem as "mere blind faith and fanaticism," they will find much to learn.

The door is open!

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Details

Whereas Luc De Schepper's Hahnemann Revisited represented the Science of Homeopathy — Laws, case taking and finding the simillimum — his Achieving and Maintaining the Simillimum focuses on the other side of the coin — the Art of Homeopathy.

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Author

Luc De Schepper, MD, PhD, Lic.Ac, is known to hundreds as a brilliant and inspiring lecturer and to patients as a gentle and compassionate healer.

Soon after receiving his medical degree in his native Belgium in 1971, he began studying homeopathy as part of a PhD program in acupuncture. He also studied with Robin Murphy and with the British Institute of Homeopathy but learned the most by spending years studying the Old Masters in thousands of old journals.

Dr. Luc began incorporating classical homeopathy into his holistic practice upon moving in 1981, and he has been using homeopathy exclusively since 1991. His Renaissance Institute of Classical Homeopathy provides professional training in Boston, MA, Secaucus, NJ and Las Vegas, NV to healthcare professionals.

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Reviews

Those familiar with Dr. Luc De Schepper's approach will find him in his latest work as tough-minded as ever.

Throughout, the reader will find a point supported by principle, by citation of aphorism from the Organon and/or by the author's findings from his own practice, or from that of various of his own students.

The author addresses every issue methodically, whether with regard to potency selection, to the maintenance of a remedy that has shown curative action or to the diagnosis and resolution of an impeded case through miasmatic prescribing. The second prescription receives considerable attention.

The author has various bones to pick with his contemporaries - above all, he objects to the use of the dry dose as described by Hahnemann in the Fourth edition of the Organon. Dr. De Schepper picks over various of these contentious bones carefully and always with reference to aphorism, to Hahnemann’s own case practice, and to the Sixth edition of the Organon.

Carefully reasoned arguments are made for following the Sixth edition, all clearly laid out for the reader.

For example, after a step by step procedure is set out for the split-dose method (Fifth edition), the author then turns to the LM potencies, considers various myths about LM prescribing, and compares this approach favorably to the split-dose method.

This may stand as an example: the author follows the issue historically, as it develops in Hahnemann's records of his practice – and this is done with the express purpose of demonstrating that these writings are the highest and most relevant guide for truly homeopathic practice.

The author's lively regard for the classics is evident throughout. To the highest rank he assigns only Hahnemann, Boenninghausen and Hering, adding Adolph Lippe as 'a beacon of light, the one whom we would like to imitate in our practice' (p. 353).

"Homeopathy is like an oak tree growing in the fertile soil of the Organon of the Healing Art, its roots are the Materia Medica Pura, and its branches are the repertory. All later homeopaths are its multiple leaves: homeopaths who have used these reference works over the centuries to cure their patients.

But none of these later homeopaths, except perhaps J.T. Kent and T. F. Allen, has ever contributed anything as valuable as did the four above-mentioned gentlemen."
(p. 353)

While the author begins by mentioning the 'spirit of dispassionate inquiry' the reader will find plenty of passion in this book with regard to matters of principle!

In this spirit, guidance is offered with regard to manifold occurrences and difficulties in practice and case management. There is, for example, a summary chapter, entitled 'Management Inquiries,' all presented in Question and Answer format.

In another chapter within a mere ten pages we are given remedy relations culled 'from the Old Masters' - acute and the chronic complement (p. 203), remedies in series (p. 205) - along with discussions of complementarity, inimicals and antidotes, and the ever present admonitions against routine, mechanical or lazy prescribing!

Selecting at random, we are also offered remedy differentiation (say, between the nosodes Carcinosin and Medorrhinum), clinical examples, a detailed study of Hahnemann’s later years (theory and techniques) - the 357 pages of text are packed full: the reader will be glad of the large print, clear pages and wide margins.

The volume throughout has examples from clinical practice - in most instances, annotated as an example of the action of a particular aphorism - with advice and strategies forged from principle.

We may end this review by giving an example from one of the 'Question and Answer' sessions that Dr. De Schepper offers:

"Q: If the homeopathic remedy is all-supreme, why is it then that some patients who have been under our care for many years develop cancer, arteriosclerosis, chronic nephritis, etc.?

A: I must play the devil's advocate with this question, as my answer is a litany of more questions.

• Have you removed the obstacles to the cure - of course the patient most likely has something to do with that too!
   
• Have you had the full and honest cooperation from the patient: rule number one, "the patient always 'lies' or hides information."
   
• Have you really given the simillimum?
   
• How many administered remedies were truly homeopathic to the case?
   
• Have you used the advanced methods of the 5th/6th edition (90% among you must answer no to this question)?
   
• Have you applied knowledge of miasmatic predisposition (again the majority have to answer in the negative!) so that faulty inheritance was eradicated?
   

The failures are ours. Homeopathy has not failed. Whether from indolence, ignorance, love of ease, or prejudice, we have simply not completed all the necessary conditions to achieve success."
(Part Three: 'Management Inquiries,' p.246)

Iain Marrs 2004

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Contents

Introduction
Key

Part One
Ch 1: Similar and Dissimilar Diseases

Ch 2: Primary and Secondary Action

Ch 3: Potency Selection and Management:
Organon 4th Edition

Ch 4: Potency Selection and Management:
Organon 5th Edition

Ch 5: Potency Selection and Management:
Organon 6th Edition

Addendum:
Chart of Potency Selection in Chronic Diseases

Part Two
Ch 6: The Significances of Accessory Symptoms
and Related Problems.

Ch 7: External Symptoms or Local Diseases -
The Problem of Suppression (Aphorisms 185-203)

Ch 8: Modern Homeopathic Myths
and Misconceptions

Ch 9: Lifestyle and Other Obstructions
to the Cure

Ch 10: Acute Intercurrent or Intermediate Remedies
in Chronic Diseases

Ch 11: Chronic Intercurrent Remedies or
Nosodes in Chronic Diseases

Ch 12: The Second Prescription -
Different Scenarios for the Second and Subsequent
Prescriptions in the Management of Chronic Diseases

Ch 13: Complementary Remedies and
Remedies That Follow Well - Compatible Remedies

Part Three
Management Inquiries

Part Four
Clinical Examples of Management

Part 5
Hahnemann's Paris Casebooks (1835-1843)

Appendix A:
Responses After the Test Dose

Appendix B:
Sample Remedy Instructions

Epilogue
Bibliography
Index

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