ALTERNATION OF REMEDIES 1

 Dr.J.R.Coxe published a paper on alternation in the Feb,

1863 issue of American Homoeopathic Review. Dr.
Dunham is calling the attention to that approach to
Polypharmacy.

 Here we discuss about Alternation of remedies and

Succession of remedies
Alternation of remedies
 Here prescription, at one and the same time, of two or
more remedies to follow each other at short intervals,
the symptoms of these remedies taken altogether being
thought to cover the symptoms of the case more completely
than those of either remedy alone would do.

 The prescription is the result of one single examination

of the patient and of one single comparison of the
symptoms with the Materia Medica.

 It is incompatible with the theory of a true homoeopathic

prescription
 Eg : Acute tonsillitis – Bell to be followed in 4 hrs. by
Merc and again in 4 hrs. by Bell and so on

 This is objectionable –How the prescriber know

beforehand that this effect will be just as to cause the
totality of symptoms at the end of 4 hrs to correspond
exactly to Mercurius and also how he can foresee that the
effect of mercurius will be just such as to cause bell to be
better indicated than any other remedy at the end of
another period of 4 hrs
Succession of remedies
 Either in acute or chronic disease.

 First remedy, having been carefully selected, is allowed to

exhaust its action alone, and then a collection of the
symptoms the patient then presents is made, and the case
is prescribed for afresh, almost as if it were a new case
and the process is repeated, each new prescription being
the subject of a special study, until the case is cured.

 It is compatible with the theory of A true homoeopathic

prescription.
 Dr Payne’s clearly advices that the new study of the case
for every new prescription and if this plan be pursued, the
treatment will be strictly homoeopathic, even though a
dozen of remedies were required in succession before the
case is cured

 Eg case of pleurisy –Bryonia --then sulphur

Hahnemann view regarding this in
aphorism -272, 167, 168, 169

 272- Not requisite to employ more than one medicine at a

time

 167-169 – if the remedy is exactly similar, single dose of

it will suffice. Succession of remedies may be required
when we are dealing with partially similar remedies
Dr Coxe’s reference on Hahnemann

 He says that Hahnemann cured a case by the alternative

use of Bryonia tincture and Pulsatilla

 Hahnemann –Materia Medica Pura vol 2 3rd editions

1838 relates two cases, one of which was cured by single
dose of Bryonia tincture and other by single dose of
Pulsatilla ----Dr Coxe might have blended it
 He also states that Hahnemann used Bryonia and Rhustox
alternately in the treatment of typhus or hospital fever at
present prevailing---Dunham stated that how erroneous
this statement is
 The fever has 2 stages –pain and consciousness;
delirium and mania
1. Pain and consciousness- patient complaints of dizziness,
shooting pain in the head, throat, chest or abdomen etc.
which are felt particularly on moving the part , also
hemorrhage , vomiting, the heat , the thirst , the
nocturnal restlessness – give a single dose of Bryonia
 If the amendment produced by this dose of Bryonia goes
off in the course of 2 ,3, or 4 days and patent complaints of
shooting pain at rest, prostration, anorexia, harassing cough
,threaten paralysis –single drop of Rhustox

2. If the disease passes to the 2nd stage of delirium and

mania ,-then Hyoscyamus will meet the indication

 In the treatment of epidemic disease, the generic symptoms

of the disease are accompanied in the commencement by
one or the other of two groups of characteristic symptoms.
 Hahnemann’s brief and very general hints related to the
treatment of croup are of the same general character. In
the introduction of Spongia –the most remarkable
application of spongia is membranous croup, however the
local inflammation been subdued by small dose of
Aconite. After Spongia there may be such a modification
as to call instead or subsequently for Hep sulph

 The best method is to prescribe after seeing the

patient.
 But the physician is unable to see the case at all, his duty is
then to describe to his client the symptoms which will probably
be present in each stage of the disease, if it appears in the
ordinary form and follow the ordinary course ; to point out the
indications for the appropriate remedy in each stage ; and to
instruct his client to give only ne medicine at a time at each
stage and never to repeat the dose or other remedy so long as
amelioration is manifest .This is the best the physician can do
when treating disease under the disadvantage of never seeing
the patient

 This method is adopted by Hahnemann with reference to

hospital typhus and also Boenninghausen in treating croup
Conclusion

 Hahnemann, Boenninghausen and Hering have never

done alternation of remedies in the true sense .Moreover
they opposed it.