FOREWORD to Synthesis 9.1
by Frederik Schroyens
2. BÖNNINGHAUSEN AND BOGER
This brings me to the second major innovation of Synthesis 9 [7]: adding the Repertory information from Bönninghausen and Boger.
[7] Most of the following features apply to Synthesis 9.0 as well as to Synthesis 9.1. From now on, when referring to Synthesis 9, both versions are meant (except where indicated).
Much could be said to explain why this was done. Here are two reasons: Today's homeopathic community is increasingly aware of the value of these authors and Kent only partially included their information in his repertory.
The gap between these two repertory worlds is now closing as both types of information, Kent and Bönninghausen/Boger has become available in Synthesis 9. Here is what we did.
A separate repertory was created for each of the six b-bg repertories8. A team added the symptoms to an Excel file, which was converted into an empty repertory (no remedies). Others then added the remedies to this empty repertory, and while doing so, checked the work of the previous people. Once a separate repertory was complete, it was printed in the same format as the original book, including the remedy abbreviations used in the original book. Again different people checked this printout against the original book.
[8] Bönninghausen's "Therapeutic Pocket Book (b2)" and both volumes of his "Systematisch-Alfabetisches Repertorium (b4, b7)" and Boger's "Bönninghausen Repertory (bg2)" as well as his "Synoptic Key (bg3)" and the "General Analysis (bg11)".
When a b-bg repertory had gone through all these steps, remedy abbreviations were converted to comply with the Synthesis standards. For each repertory the original printed version was used, whether in German or English.
At last, for b4 and b7, the additions and corrections as written down by Bönninghausen's son have been added with the author abbreviations b4a and b7a [9]. These original handwritten additions are preserved in the Library of the Pierre Schmidt Foundation, St. Gallen, Switzerland and were graciously given to us by Hans-Jörg Hee for integration into our databases. This work is substantial as it counts for more than 19,000 author references.
[9] One example: in the rubric MIND . MORNING: Apis with author b7a.de.
As a consequence, a highly accurate and complete version of the repertory work of Bönninghausen and Boger is available for the first time ever. These six repertories, or any single one of them, can be used with Synthesis 9, and symptoms from different repertories can be added to the same repertorization. But we went one challenging step further.
We decided to integrate the b-bg repertory information into Synthesis. This was a challenging decision as you may be aware that the repertory information in the b-bg repertories is based on a different concept than the information in Synthesis.
The b-bg repertories offer predominantly generalized information (e.g.: STOMACH - NOON), which indicates that stomach symptoms of whatever type tend to occur at noon. The corresponding remedies have been added to the new Synthesis rubric STOMACH - NOON. They have been kept separate from any other more specific Synthesis rubrics, such as STOMACH - PAIN - noon.
The same has been done for the generalized b-bg symptoms that describe sides, times, modalities, or localizations. Most chapters in Synthesis 9 have such symptoms, which only contain generalized remedies as coming from the b-bg repertories. As a result, Synthesis 9 is easily recognized because the first rubric now is MIND - DAYTIME.
Most importantly, the existing, individualized known rubrics, from Synthesis 8 or Kent's repertory, were left as they were.
Nevertheless, some symptoms could not easily be integrated into the existing 38 Synthesis chapters. These symptoms described localizations that were more encompassing than the existing chapter.
In order to resolve this, we have created three new chapters:
- Neck (this chapter contains symptoms related to the whole neck - the part joining the head to the body. It should be compared with the chapters "External throat" for the anterior part, and with "Back" (which contains the cervical region) for the posterior part.)
- Urinary organs (all urinary organs as a whole)
- Male and female sex/genitalia (if gender does not play a role, as this is often not specified in the b-bg repertories)
Synthesis 9, at least in the software version, now contains 42 chapters, because of another additional chapter: a Personal chapter. In this chapter you can add symptoms without respect for the structure of the repertory.
As a consequence it will not be possible to exchange these additions with others, nor to add symptoms of someone else's "Personal Chapter" to your Synthesis. Additions to this chapter are only useful as a temporary solution and the best way to add information to Synthesis remains the appropriate place within the existing chapters.
Synthesis 9 was ready to receive the information from the b-bg repertories. One more mammoth task was needed: to link the rubrics of the b-bg repertories to the correct Synthesis symptoms. This was manually done for every b-bg rubric! A special thanks to the people who managed this meticulous part of the job: Paul Debruyn (Belgium), Natasha Pelech (Canada), Dr. P. Sivaraman (India), Erik Van Woensel (Netherlands), and Peter Vint (Germany).
After the links were made, the remedies were copied from one b-bg repertory after the other into Synthesis by a computer program. In this way the vast majority of Bönninghausen's and Boger's repertory work was integrated, adding more than 481,000 author references [10] to Synthesis 9. This figure includes the changes to b2, b4, b7, and bg2. The smaller bg3 and bg11 are already available as separate repertories and will be integrated into a later version of Synthesis.
[10] As some remedies already were present in Synthesis, only an author reference was added for that remedy.
There is one further aspect to this integration. In the separate repertories, the degrees were entered as in the original. The definition of degrees in the b-bg repertories is quite different from what we are used to in Kent and Synthesis. Looking at the rubrics of any of these repertories immediately shows that there are many more remedies in the third degree. These degrees were converted to the Synthesis standard following this table:
| b-bg degree | Synthesis degree |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 2 |
| 4 | 3 |
The table corresponds to the way Kent converted b-bg degrees in his repertory for the rubrics he did use [11]. Maintaining the degrees definition of Kent and previous versions of Synthesis guarantees a stable consistency in our repertorization results, where the degree sometimes is a deciding factor.
[11] See the Textbook about this topic.
This integration of b-bg repertories has been abundantly documented. In every separate repertory each symptom contains two types of information:
- Its origin: the page number, and for bg2 even the symptom number on the page (at the bg2 symptom MIND - Homicidal, murder, etc.: you read {{BG2-0203-24}} in the symptom note (user).
- The Synthesis symptom text to which this b-bg symptom is linked (at the same symptom you read {{Synthesis: MIND - KILL; desire to}} in the symptom note (Synthesis).
This shows, (in this order):
the source, the page number (B2.DE-171) :: the original symptom text:: the remedy abbreviation with the original degree (acon. 2) :: the degree as used in Synthesis (DG1).
In some instances, several b-bg symptoms are linked to the same Synthesis symptom. This is why some author references in Synthesis contain more than one link. This is especially the case in bg2, where a lot of information was repeated.
Clicking on bg2 at Agn. (in the same symptom) shows: [BG2-0208-22 :: MIND - Intellect, impaired, mental exhaustion, weakness of, etc. :: agn.1 ::DG1] [BG2-0935-11 :: SENSATIONS AND COMPLAINTS IN GENERAL - Weakness, exhaustion, prostration, infirmity - nervous, nervous debility, neurasthenia :: agn.1 ::DG1]
In other words, the source information has been integrated into Synthesis with the greatest care. Together with the Materia Medica notes integrated into Synthesis, we now have about 488,000 notes, with source information in Synthesis 9. When printed, this source information alone would amount to 21,480 pages, using Courier font 10. This is why we decided, with some pride, to give this Synthesis the epithet of The Source Repertory.
3. OTHER FEATURES
The b-bg repertories were made available as separate repertories for another reason: if anyone wants to use just one of these repertories (with Radar) he can do so. In a similar way additional separate repertories are available for the software user [12]. The relevance for Synthesis is that the repertories of Boericke and Phatak have been integrated into Synthesis 9, following the same procedure as for the b-bg repertories. This amounts to 70,078 and 63,791 additional author references respectively, including source information as explained above.
[12] The known repertories of Boericke, Clarke, Phatak, Roberts and Ward as well as the "Repertory Compilation 1.0" which contains 9 smaller separate repertories on specific topics. Finally, three different repertories by Roger Van Zandvoort are now available with Radar 9.
We will integrate the information of other separate repertories into a later version of Synthesis [13]. Even as separate repertories are offered, we maintain our vision to synthesize all homeopathic information, contained in these repertories, into one work.
[13] Except for the repertories of Roger Van Zandvoort.
I have always stressed that copying remedies to superrubrics had to be a thoughtful process. As explained above, this has now been done for the remedies hidden in the subrubrics of the descriptions of pain. This was also done for the whole Mind chapter, but not blindly. Each mind rubric received a label indicating whether the remedies should be copied to superrubrics or not.
An example is that remedies of MIND - JESTING - aversion were not copied to its superrubric MIND - JESTING. If remedies were to be copied, then superrubrics to which the remedies should not be copied were indicated as needed. It is only after this careful labeling of each single rubric that the computer took over and copied the remedies to the appropriate superrubrics of Mind.
Another feature of Synthesis 9.1 [14] concerns one further step-the sorting of symptoms. Sorting all symptoms in alphabetical order may appear to be the ultimate solution, yet it is not. There is a homeopathically meaningful relationship between certain symptoms and it makes sense to have these on the same page, rather than scattered because of the alphabet.
[14] Not yet applied to Synthesis 9.0.
Here is the way that Synthesis 9.1 sorts symptoms according to this new perspective.
- The symptoms of sides have been kept together so you can easily compare the remedies that affect either the left or the right side.
- The symptoms expressing time have been kept together so you can easily compare the remedies that have an aggravation at certain times of the day or night.
- The modalities and descriptions of pain are sorted alphabetically within one alphabet. You do not need to reflect any more whether pain - rheumatic would be a modality or a description of pain.
- All extensions are listed under the rubric extending to and are sorted alphabetically
- All localizations are sorted alphabetically. [15]
[15] In Synthesis 8, all localizations were already sorted alphabetically, except for EXTREMITIES (which remained anatomically sorted). In Synthesis 9.1 the localizations in the EXTREMITIES chapter are now sorted alphabetically.
The sorting order of symptoms therefore is:
- sides
- times (in chronological order)
- modalities and descriptions of pain (one alphabet)
- extensions (all subrubrics of extending to)
- localizations (alphabetical)
In addition, from this Synthesis version onwards, the sorting order on all levels is now the same. You may not have been aware but in Kent's repertory, in Synthesis 8 and previous versions, level 2 [16] was the exception to whatever rules were used elsewhere. In most chapters, the sorting order on that level was: sides / times / the rest of the symptoms [17]. In Synthesis 9.1, if you look for a localization at level 2, you will need to look at the end of the chapter, just as for any other level of symptom (where you were doing so already).
[16] Level 2 is the level of pain, as in HEAD - PAIN.
[17] To mention one exception most of us were used to: 'sides' are in the beginning of the chapter, except in Generals, where it is in the middle of the alphabet. Were you aware of this? In Synthesis 9.1 'sides' is in the beginning of the Generals chapter, as in all other chapters.
This is important if you look for generalized b-bg localization rubrics, such as ABDOMEN - SOLAR PLEXUS; complaints of. Also some known Kentian rubrics, incoherently sorted, have now been moved applying only this one scheme: PERSPIRATION - SINGLE parts; FEVER - COVERED PARTS; CHILL - SIDE not lain on, etc.
4. NEW CONCEPTS CHAPTERS
Concepts are a fabulous tool to more easily find symptoms in Synthesis. Four new concept chapters bring thousands of new concepts and a greater ability to find physical, mental, pediatric and latent psora symptoms.
Up to this point Concepts were mostly focused on mind symptoms. The work of Dorin Dragos (Rumania) applies this process in a wonderful way for the physical symptoms. It is based on Roger Morrison's DeskTop Companion, with his kind permission. Roger initially divided the main complaints of the local chapters in the repertory into several categories. Example: Headache related to weather, to cold air, to emotions, etc.
Dorin has taken this work a step further by adding numerous symptoms of Synthesis to all these categories. For instance, this means you can find all the symptoms where cold air affects headaches in one easy step. In this example, as in many other, there are many more symptoms for this category than the known rubric head - pain - cold air agg. All together there are about 1,000 new concepts to choose from.
Dorin Dragos also divided the symptoms of the Mind into several practical categories. In order to do so, he used the classification of mental symptoms of Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases (new edition prepared by Betty Kirkpatrick MA, Penguin Books Ltd, London, 1999).
One example: thinking is divided into three possible disturbances: increased, decreased, and difficult thinking. For each category the repertory offers several precise symptoms, which are now easy to find. There are about 200 new concepts to choose from.
Roberto Petrucci (Italy) listed more than 2,900 children's symptoms in meaningful categories. This includes groups such as dentition, infectious diseases, and development. Other concepts come straight out of Roberto's practice and make many unknown repertory symptoms easily accessible: attitude towards animals, attitude towards family, observations during the night, non-verbal symptoms - observed by the parents, etc.
Hahnemann drew our attention to the symptoms of Latent Psora in his "Chronic Diseases". Isidre Lara (Spain) has collected these symptoms for each chapter so that they are an easily referenced during the consultation.
5. NEW FAMILIES REPERTORY version 2.1
Concepts is in fact a repertory working in the background of the software version of Synthesis. There is still another source of information, operating in the background: the Families Repertory [18].
[18] The functioning of these Concepts and Families repertories is most relevant for the software version of Synthesis.
There is a rapidly growing interest among homeopaths to investigate the concordances between remedies bearing a familial relationship to one another. This may be by way of taxonomic classification, chemical composition, source, or other forms of presumed association.
In order to meet that interest, Radar 9 expands its Families Repertory with several new and improved functions useful in case analysis.
The previous version of the Families repertory has been thoroughly upgraded through two year's work by Will Taylor (USA).
The Families 2.1 Repertory now offers a choice of more than 4,000 associations. The Kingdoms (minerals, plants and animals) are divided into 455 families and the Periodic Table contains 175 different families. For plants, they offer the three main classification systems: Cronquist, Dahlgren and Uppsala (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group).
Other families include: Bönninghausen Concordances [19], Bowel Nosode related remedies, Boyd's Groups of remedies, Dorsci's Diathesis and Notions, families according to the five elements, Miasms, Nosodes, related remedies (more than 1,800 categories), families of state of matter and Teste's groups of remedies.
[19] Based on the Therapeutic Pocket Book (b2).
In addition there is a "Preferences" chapter where the user can create their own families.
These statistics do not reveal all the effort Will made, with the help of other specialists [20], to assure that obsolete homeopathic remedy names were correctly interpreted. Due to their monumental effort Synthesis 9 has the most complete and accurate homeopathic remedy family information available so far!
[20] Vilma Bharatan (Department of Botany, The Natural History Museum, London, England), Bernhard Bloesy (Germany), Michael Bonnet (England), Mitch Fleisher (USA), Caroline Vandeschoor (Homeoden-Heel, Belgium), Emiel Van Galen (Medicines Evaluations Board, Ministry of Health, Den Haag, Netherlands) and Prof. Walter Verraes (Department of Biology, University of Gent, Belgium)
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