Totality
Casetaking series
Getting in touch with the
correct remedy
Abstract
In order to find the right remedy, the practitioner has to understand the importance of the symptoms given and of those
withheld. He must also meet certain inner conditions if the patient is to trust him.
T
o find the right homœopathic remedy,
the simillimum as it is called, means
to save the patient much suffering. It
means that he* is given a great boon:
the possibility of becoming healthy and
happy once again.
A healthy person is one who is
free on all three levels of his existence
— mental, emotional, and physical —
and is therefore able to have a sense of
well-being, a condition vital to a true
sense of happiness. Therefore finding
the correct remedy for a diseased
individual gives this possibility, which
is of course something of immeasurable
value.
I would like to consider, first, the
difficulties that attend such a task,
and, second, the inner conditions
that should prevail on the part of the
patient and of the homœopath in order
to maximize the likelihood of such a
fortunate outcome.
Difficulties inherent in finding the
simillimum
First, let’s look at the difficulties that
the practitioner must overcome in
order to arrive at the right remedy.
We have experienced them in our
everyday practice and know them all
too well.
At the beginning of a case-taking,
everything looks blank; while the
information from the diseased person
is forthcoming, everything is possible,
but as you proceed toward a deeper
and more complete investigation and
evaluation of the case, your mind
gathers momentum in analysing and
combining the symptoms.
The greatest difficulty that you
will then encounter is the evaluation of
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Similia vol. 19 no. 1 June 2007
George Vithoulkas
symptoms.
Which symptoms will you take
into consideration?
Which symptoms will you be
of the time. It
is strange that so
many intellectuals
have told me that,
ignoring? as they understand
The struggle is difficult: you do it, homœopathy
not know whether the patient is giving is very difficult
the whole story, or how reliable the to practise, as it
symptoms are that he is describing requires “very
to you, or whether he is omitting intelligent” patients (like themselves)
substantial information! who are able to correctly describe their
Is he omitting something small symptoms!
but strange or peculiar and therefore The truth is the opposite. Simple,
an important symptom? Does he do so uneducated people tend to describe
because of: their symptoms more clearly than
intellectuals, because they express
• lack of care about his symptoms? directly their feelings without filtering
them as intellectuals do. They tend to
• lack of observation? express nature as it is, while the others
tend to distort nature, interpreting it
• shame and timidity? according to their whims.
• mistaking certain ailments or The inner conditions of both patient
discomforts as being of no concern and practitioner required in finding the
to you? simillimum
• feeling that his symptom is Second, let’s look at the inner
insignificant or irrelevant to conditions required, when the
the case (even though this practitioner and the patient meet, in
“insignificant” symptom order to create the greatest chance of
constitutes the key to the case)? that miracle for the patient: finding the
correct remedy, the simillimum.
• being unaware of having undue If you want to see the true picture
anxiety about his health? of a person’s soul, that person has to
“undress” in front of you. The practice
• being unaware of a most important of days gone by was for the doctor to
thing that is happening to him — have the patient completely undress
perhaps an excessive underlying regardless of the problem. It was
fear of death, a fear of cancer, a symbolic of materialistic medicine:
fear that he is going insane — that the doctor wanted to see everything he
he does not want to acknowledge? could see with his eyes on the physical,
material level.
Intellectuals tend to give an ambiguous The homœopathic practitioner
account of their health condition most deals with the whole person — with
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the physical, emotional, and mental, by projecting subjective thoughts and part must not be mistaken to mean
and also with the subtle energies of feelings, and to make a real effort not superficial familiarity and cheap
the human being. He wants to see the to pass any judgment on the things the exhibition of affection. Rather,
subjective symptoms of the patient patient tells you that personally you it means establishing a nonverbal
as well, all the distorted feelings and may disagree with or not endorse. connection that allows a free and deep
thoughts, in order to understand the Many patients, once they find communication.
totality of the inside structure of the a sympathetic ear, will open up and This is a most fortunate condition
pathology. confess things that will not have been for both you and the patient. As
So the patient has to become said to anybody before. Such is the trust is established unconsciously, the
completely “naked” before the power of your desire to help this patient feels safe and is therefore able
practitioner. person. The moment when the patient to expose his vulnerabilities and speak
But in order for someone to pours out his sufferings to you is a from his innermost being.
“undress” in front of the practitioner solemn moment. Let only your desire It must also be said that if this
— to allow him to see his soul, his to help be obvious. sympathy takes a turn towards the
sorrows, his hurts, his fears, his erotic, there is no chance that the
unnatural desires and perversions, to Second, you must gain the trust of individual will be helped by the healer,
see him totally naked in body, mind, the patient within the short period of as the healer is then seeking out  to
and soul — there are requirements, time for which a consultation lasts. “take” from the patient and not to
understood both implicitly by How is this accomplished? give.
the patient and explicitly by the Whilst it is not difficult, some In my teaching experience, I
practitioner. conditions need to be met. have seen a lot of students who have
(a) The first is that you have the become excited with the teachings
First and foremost is a deep and confidence that you can really help, and have seemed to comprehend the
sincere desire to assist the patient to no matter how difficult a case may material really well but were unable
heal. be. This confidence will spring from to apply it to the cases in front of
This desire is an inherent quality the all-round knowledge you will them, because they lacked this quality.
of a healer, and patients seem to know have as a result of your studies. This Such individuals will turn to other
the difference when the practitioner confidence is the number one condition avenues of expressing their talents,
possesses it. If you do have this desire, that will make even the most surly and such as research, or academic careers,
even minimally in the beginning, it closed patient open up and trust you. where they may excel; they will never
can be augmented by the years of The more insecure the practitioner become successful in practising classical
experience and dedication that will feels about the case, the less homœopathy.
follow after you have seen the positive information he will be receiving. This I remember a characteristic
results of your prescribing. is a strange phenomenon, because example from my student years in
Most patients perceive quickly the no words are spoken concerning the India. In the college where I was
inner intentions of the healer. If these matter. The practitioner will not studying at the time, we had a teacher
are egotistical or out of self interest, he express in words that he is finding of materia medica who was able to
will not open up, he will not “undress”, difficulties with the case, yet there is an reproduce by heart in great detail all
regardless of the effort put in. atmosphere through which the patient the remedies and do it without any
There are practitioners who perceives on a subconscious level what assistance from notes. This teacher was
become impatient with the patient; is going on, positive or negative. totally unable to match and apply this
as they cannot see the right remedy, Even a false overconfidence will knowledge to patients. All the students
they push the patient to say what they cause the patient to extend some sensed that, and no one would go to
want in order to fit the case to their trust to the doctor. Such are the him to ask for help in cases where they
preconceived idea of a specific remedy. cases in which people are exploited had a health problem themselves.
There are others who have been unable by charlatans who seem to have Do not be seduced into thinking
to unravel the mystery and so end up an absolute confidence in their that, because some patients have been
prescribing several remedies together in “medicines”, no matter whether they cured without all these requirements,
the hope that one of them will be the are effective or not. you can be successful through bluffing.
correct one. (b) The second is that you show Rather it is that the patient has
The sign that the practitioner has a deep knowledge of the pathology of no other chance, or has no way of
the talent or the ability to cure the the case at hand. Then you will be comparing, as he has not experienced
sick is the initial enthusiasm that is able to demonstrate that the pathology the warmth of the really interested
generated in the heart of the student is understood perfectly by you. In healer against the coldness of a
who first comes in contact with order to have this quality, you need cool intellectual examiner with a
homœopathy. Later, what is needed is not only to have a thorough knowledge professional veneer.
great patience to listen properly to the of clinical medicine but also to be (d) The fourth condition is respect
patient’s suffering without interference able to combine this knowledge with for the freedom and the integrity of
from preconceived ideas, without knowledge of the materia medica and the patient. Do not try to intrude
the noise of your thoughts and feelings. with your clinical experience. and violate his soul by rude force just
The aware practitioner will sit in (c) The third is a mutual sympathy because you want to find the remedy.
front of the patient as if he was a white or “homogeneity”, which can occur Do not try to investigate things out
board onto which the true symptoms spontaneously or be developed as the of curiosity, or out of an urge to see
of the patient will be written. It is process of taking the case proceeds. similarities in your own life and justify
vital as a practitioner not to interfere This trust and openness on your yourself. If you do this, you will be

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 unable to find the correct remedy most When the patient has given you • The male gender is used purely for
of the time. all the information necessary and you purposes of convenience and is not
From the moment the information have taken the pieces and are collating intended to discriminate in regard to
given is enough for you to prescribe them, this is a time for analysis gender.
with certainty, then you must and synthesis of the information.
immediately stop your inquiries. You This is best done through an inner
may be thinking that there were other silent moment, which looks like a George Vithoulkas has taught
interesting events that the patient could meaningless pause or a meditation. homœopathic medicine since 1967. He
relate, especially concerning his private You become silent for quite some time. holds chairs at several universities and
moments, but you should refrain from The patient will perceive it as a gap in is the 1996 winner of the Alternative
asking, as this further information is the process but will never be irritated Nobel Prize for his efforts to upgrade
not crucial to finding the remedy. by it. You may be looking through the homœopathy to the standards of a
repertory or your computer, and the science, and is generally held to be largely
A third inner condition is that you patient will sit patiently waiting for responsible for the worldwide resurgence
have great perseverance in search of the your next move. in homœopathy in Europe and the U.S.
symptoms, especially in difficult cases. Through such a process of since the 1960s.
Many times my students have constructing the information into a
been exasperated in attending the remedy picture, suddenly the right Professor Vithoulkas is the author of a
taking of a case by my perseverance to remedy clicks in your mind and then popular book introducing the subject,
find the key notes to confirm the right you know you have arrived at the Homeopathy: Medicine of the New
remedy. Unless you have this quality, correct answer. Man, Arco, 1970 (republished, slightly
you are going to miss a lot of cases. In The miracle has been expanded, as Homeopathy: Medicine for
frustration, you will give up and you accomplished! the New Millennium, IACH, 2000) as well
will choose a remedy when you are It is a great moment, one that as the classic textbook The Science of
unsure about its correctness. It is better gives enormous satisfaction to the Homeopathy, vol. 1, Grove, 1980, and
to say that you do not know what to practitioner even before he has seen the a materia medica that so far is eleven
do than to knowingly give the wrong actual result of his prescription. volumes in length, Materia Medica Viva,
prescription. When this click takes place, the IACH.
homœopath knows that the patient
The last inner condition I’d like to will do well, as he has the certainty of Professor Vithoulkas is currently at work
discuss here is a silent moment of having found the right remedy. on The Science of Homeopathy vol. 2.
meditation.

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