Synoptic Key to Materia Medica

Heritage

A brief repertory/materia medica combination. Only 323 remedies are covered.

The repertory section is divided into four categories:
a) the periods of aggravation (times)
b) conditions of aggravation and amelioration
c) generalities (sensations and general conditions)
d) regional repertory (parts of the body affected)

Although it is not as "full" as the Boericke book (in terms of remedies covered), many practitioners find it an ideal reference book at the bedside.

Many people have bought the book, but few read the introduction which outlines Boger's ideas about how to "order" the case, and explains that the materia medica of each remedy is presented in that "order."

Once this is understood, and time is spent concentrating on the details of the case-taking (as Boger explains it), the book takes on a new level of usefulness.

JW writes:
Boger is one whose entire being oozed the ability to abstract, condense, and then condense further. His writing, likewise, is condensed and abstracted, and one can easily miss the depth of meaning because a paragraph is so short.

Phatak described the need to have Boger's "intellect and acumen," and said the work is useful if "well understood." Thus said, this volume could serve as the only book one might need as a reference for general practice.

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

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Author

Dr. Cyrus Maxwell Boger, M.D.

(1861 - 1935)

Dr. C. M. Boger graduated from the Philadelphia College of Medicine.

He later studied at the Hahnemann Homoeopathic Medical College in Philadelphia, from which he graduated. During his long career in medical practice and research, Dr. Boger contributed important scientific textbooks including the Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica in addition to his authorship of a number of articles for medical journals.

His authorship of several scientific textbooks, his analysis and construction of a Repertory, his lively translation of several medical books from notable German authors and his indefatigable labour for the production of original works, like The Times of the Remedies and Moon Phases and his Provings of Samarskite made him universally recognized as an author and physician of great eminence.

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Reviews

From
HOMEOPATHY TODAY
Reviewed by Jay Yasgur, RPh, MSc

"The strain which runs through every pathogenetic symptom complex has been called the 'genius' of the drug. To give this its proper place the prescription should be the ideal of every prescriber. To this end is this book written."
-A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica, introduction

And so Dr. Boger begins his important little book. His foreword includes a brief, yet well laid out discussion of modalities, sensations, remedy differentiation, and general pointers.

The book itself is divided into three parts:

1) an 80- page repertory
2) a 215-page materia medica which is laid out in physiological spheres of activities with modalities and relationships included and
3) a 110-page section of four appendices

• duration of remedy action
  
• complementary remedy action
  
• antagonistic remedy action and
  
• a supplemental reference table, which is actually an alphabetical clinical listing of symptoms, body parts, sensations, etc., and their associated remedies linked via page numbers to the 80-page repertory located in the front of the book.

I guess you could say I cut my teeth on this special little book because it was one of the first to join my library as my homeopathic studies commenced some twenty years ago.

Special? Yes, because of its fascinating layout and concept. Each of the 323 remedies is presented in outline form, diagrams, or is it graphic representation? I don't really know how to describe it, yet it caught my attention then and continues to hold it to this day.

Take for example, the remedy Naja tripudans. In Boger's layout you can easily see that it poignantly affects the nerves, particularly those of the heart. The left side of the body seems to be targeted and open air ameliorates. There, at a glance, you have it. All the remedies are depicted in a similar way and followed by a paragraph of text.

As an example, the section on Naja is reproduced at right.

Unfortunately, the repertory is not as good. Nevertheless, it too is instructive in its own way and many hints can be gleaned from its unusual layout. This description can also be applied to the "supplemental reference table."

Something which I'd like to do but haven't, is to purchase another copy, cut and tape it up, and arrange it in families of remedies instead of alphabetically. That way I could put all the snake remedies together and place the spider remedies beside them, etc. That way one could get an enhanced appreciation for how all these "cousins" relate. One could place Crataegus next to
Strophanthus or Glonoine or Spigelia.

This is a great book and considering how inexpensive it is, everyone should have it. It is too bad that Boger (1861-1935) is not around to update it. I am sure he would have grand fun creating diagrams for all the other important remedies which have been added to the materia medica since the good doctor's last effort some seventy years ago.

Homeopathy Today, July 2002
Reprinted with permission from the National Center for Homeopathy

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Contents

Abrotanum -- 109
Aconite -- 109
Actea Spicata -- 111
Adonis -- 111
Aesculus -- 112
Aethusa -- 112
Agaricus -- 113
Agnus Castus -- 114
Ailanthus -- 114
Aletris -- 115
Aloe -- 115
Alumina -- 116
Ambra -- 117
Ammonium Carb. -- 118
Ammonium Mur. -- 119
Amyl Nit. -- 119
Anacardium -- 120
Anthraxin. -- 121
Antimonium Crud -- 121
Antrmonium Tart -- 122
Apis -- 123
Apocynum -- 125
Aralia Racemosa -- 125
Aranea Diadema -- 125
Argentum Met. -- 126
Argentum Nit. -- 126
Arnica -- 128
Arsenicum -- 129
Arsenicum Iodatum -- 131
Arum Triphyllum -- 132
Asafoetida -- 132
Asarum -- 133
Asclepias Tuberosa -- 133
Asterias Rubens -- 134
Aurum -- 134
Badiaga -- 135
Baptisia -- 135
Baryta Carb. -- 136
Belladonna -- 137
Bellis Perennis -- 138
Benzoic Acid -- 139
Berberis Vulgaris -- 139
Bismuth -- 140
Borax -- 141
Bovista -- 142
Bromium -- 142
Bryonia -- 143
Bufo -- 145
Bursa Pastoris -- 145
Cactus Grandiflora -- 146
Cadmium Sulf -- 146
Caladium -- 147
Calcarea Fluorica -- 147
Calcarea Hypophos. -- 148
Calcarea Ostrearum -- 148
Calcarea Phosphorica -- 150
Calcarea Sulphurica -- 151
Calendula -- 151
Camphor -- 152
Cancer Fluviatilis -- 152
Cannabis -- 153
Cantharis -- 153
Capsicum -- 154
Carbo Animalis -- 155
Carbo Vegetabilis -- 156
Carbolic Acid -- 158
Carduus Marianus -- 158
Castoreum -- 159
Caulophyllum -- 159
Causticum -- 160
Ceanothus -- 161
Cedron -- 161
Cepa -- 162
Chamomilla -- 162
Chelidonium -- 163
Chenopodium -- 164
Chimaphila -- 164
China -- 165
Chininum Ars. -- 166
Chininum Sulf. -- 166
Chionanthus -- 167
Chloral Hydrate -- 167
Chlorum -- 167
Cleuta -- 168
Cimicifuga -- 168
Cina -- 170
Cinnabar. -- 171
Cistus -- 171
Clematis -- 172
Coca -- 172
Cocculus Indicus -- 173
Coccus Cacti -- 174
Coffea -- 175
Colchicum -- 175
Collinsonia -- 176
Colocynth -- 177
Comocladia -- 178
Conium -- 178
Copaiva -- 179
Corallium Rubrum -- 179
Cornus -- 180
Cratnegus Oxy. -- 180
Crocus -- 181
Crotalus Horridus -- 181
Croton Tiglium -- 182
Cubeba -- 182
Culex Musca -- 183
Cuprum -- 183
Cuprum Arsenicum -- 184
Cyclamen -- 185
Daphne Indica -- 185
Dictamnus -- 186
Digitalis -- 186
Dioscorea -- 187
Diphtherinum -- 188
Drosera -- 188
Dulcamara -- 189
Echinacea Ag. -- 190
Elaps -- 190
Epiphegus -- 191
Equisetum -- 191
Erigeron -- 191
Eucalyptus -- 192
Euonymus -- 192
Eupatorium Perfol. -- 193
Eupatorium Purpur -- 193
Euphorbium -- 193
Euphrasia -- 194
Fagopyrum -- 194
Ferrum -- 195
Ferrum Phosphoricum -- 196
Fluoric Acid -- 197
Fornica -- 198
Fraxinum -- 198
Gambogia -- 198
Gelsemium -- 199
Glonoin -- 200
Gnaphalium -- 201
Gossyplum -- 201
Graphites -- 202
Gratiola -- 203
Grindelia -- 204
Guaiacum -- 204
Gymnocladus -- 205
Hamamelis -- 205
Hellebore -- 206
Helonias -- 207
Hepar -- 207
Hydrastis -- 209
Hydrocyanic Acid -- 209
Hyoscyamus -- 210
Hypericum -- 211
Ignatia -- 211
Iodum -- 213
Ipecac. -- 214
Iris Versicolor -- 215
Jaborandi -- 216
Jalapa -- 216
Jatropha -- 216
Justitia -- 217
Kali Arsenicum -- 217
Kali Brom. -- 219
Kali Carb. -- 219
Kali Chloricum -- 221
Kali Iod. -- 221
Kali Mur. -- 222
Kali Nitr. -- 223
Kali Phos. -- 224
Kali Sulf. -- 225
Kalmia -- 225
Kobaltum -- 226
Kreosotum -- 226
Lac Caninum -- 227
Lac Defloratum -- 228
Lachesis -- 229
Lappa -- 230
Latrodecius -- 230
Laurocerasus -- 231
Ledum -- 232
Leptandra -- 232
Lilium Tigrinum -- 232
Lobelia -- 234
Lycopodium -- 235
Lycopus -- 237
Lyssin -- 238
Magnesia Carb. -- 238
Magnesia Mur. -- 239
Magnesia Phos. -- 240
Magnesia Sulf. -- 240
Mancinella -- 241
Manganum -- 241
Marum Verum -- 242
Medorrhinum -- 242
Mellilotus -- 244
Menyanthes -- 244
Mephitis -- 245
Mercurius -- 245
Mercurium Corrosivus -- 247
Mercurius Cyanatus -- 248
Mercurium Dulcis -- 248
Mercurius Iod. Flav. -- 249
Mercurius Iod. Rub. -- 249
Mercurius Precip. Rub. -- 250
Mezerium -- 250
Millefolium -- 251
Moschus -- 251
Murex -- 252
Muriatic Acid -- 252
Mygale -- 253
Myrica Cerifera -- 253
Naja -- 254
Natrum Carb. -- 255
Natrum Mur. -- 256
Natrum Phos. -- 257
Natrum Sulph. -- 258
Nitric Acid -- 259
Nux Moschata -- 261
Nux Vomica -- 262
Ocimum Canum -- 264
CEnanthe Crocata -- 264
Oleander -- 264
Oleum Animale -- 265
Oleum Jecoris -- 266
Onosmodium -- 266
Oplum -- 267
Osmium -- 268
Oxalic Acid -- 268
Paeonia -- 268
Palladium -- 269
Pareira Brava -- 269
Paris Quod. -- 269
Petroleum -- 270
Phellandrium -- 271
Phosphoric Acid -- 271
Phosphorus -- 272
Physostigma -- 275
Phytolacca -- 276
Picric Acidv277
Plantago -- 277
Platinum -- 278
Plumbum -- 279
Podophyllum -- 280
Polygonum Sag. -- 281
Prunus Spinosa -- 281
Psorinum -- 281
Pulsatilla -- 283
Pyrogen -- 285
Radium -- 285
Ranunculus Bulbosus -- 286
Ranunculus Scleratus -- 287
Raphanus -- 287
Ratanbia -- 287
Rheum -- 288
Rhododendron -- 288
Rhus Tox. -- 289
Robinia -- 291
Rumex -- 291
Ruta -- 292
Sabadilla -- 293
Sabal Serr. -- 293
Sabina -- 294
Sambucus -- 294
Sangulnaria -- 295
Sanicula -- 296
Sarsaparilla -- 296
Scoparius -- 297
Scutellaria -- 297
Secale -- 298
Selenium -- 299
Senecio -- 299
Senega -- 300
Sepia -- 301
Silica -- 303
Solidago -- 304
Spigelia -- 305
Spongia -- 305
Squilla -- 306
Stannum -- 307
Staphysagria -- 308
Sticta -- 309
Stramonium -- 309
Strontium Carb. -- 310
Strophanthus -- 311
Sulphur -- 312
Sulphuric Acid -- 314
Sulphur Iod. -- 315
Sumbul -- 315
Symphytum -- 316
Syphilinum -- 316
Tabacum -- 317
Taraxacum -- 318
Tarentula -- 318
Tarentula Cubensis -- 319
Tellurium -- 320
Terebinthina -- 320
Theridion -- 321
Thuja -- 322
Thyroidin -- 323
Tilia -- 324
Trillium -- 324
Tuberculinum -- 325
Urtica Urens -- 326
Ustilago -- 326
Valeriana -- 327
Variolinum -- 328
Veratrum Album -- 328
Veratrum Viridi -- 329
Verbascum -- 330
Viburnum -- 331
Vinca Minor -- 331
Viola Odorata -- 331
Viola Tricolor -- 332
Vipera -- 332
Viscum Album -- 332
Xanthoxylum -- 333
Zincum -- 333
Zinc Arsenite -- 334
Zinc Chromate -- 334
Zinc Iodide -- 335
Zinc Phos -- 335
Zinc Valerianate -- 335

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