User Tools

Site Tools


en:ahr:fincke-b-clinical-cases-and-observations-on-high-potencies-01-158-10450

CLINICAL CASES AND OBSERVATIONS ON HIGH POTENCIES.

BY B. FINCKE, M.D., BROOKLYN, N.Y.

“Mann kann sich fast nicht zu klein geben;” (i.e., one almost cannot give them too fine). Hahnemann Chron. Krankh.,2nd Ed., 1685, I., p. 149.

The following report presents a selection from a series of cases in which I administered High Potencies with success.

The potencies employed in these cases were dilutions made after the centesimal scale, and were prepared by myself about ten years ago; some from triturations, some from tincture fortis, some with succussion by means of a strong steel-spring, and some with a single jerk of the hand.

The prescription is quantitatively denoted by a fraction, the numerator being the number of the globules (about the size of mustard seed) used, and the denominator giving the exact number of the successive centigrade dilutions, including the triturations or tinctures fortis respectively.

The nosological designations of the cases are intended merely as a convenience for registration.

CASES.

1. STRANGURIA. — Mr. D., of Frankfort, on M., Germany, fifty years old, tailor, short and stout, choleric, cured by me of liver complaint within the last year; took the last medicine for it in June, 1851.

On September 31st, 1851, he complained of frequent desire to urinate, with severe pains, during which lumps of blood passed with difficulty through the urethral canal, and pressure after urinating. passed after that clear and without difficulty.

2. PLEURODYNIA TRAUMATICA. — C. G., of Frankfort, on M., Germany, sixteen years old, apprentice, small stature, darkblonde, active, (with inherited gout).

October, 1851. Complained of stinging pain at a spot in the right side of his chest, precisely where he was stabbed some years ago. The pain impaired his respiration. Arnica m.2\1100 After that the pain occurred twice during the next week and never after.

3. ARTHRITIS CHRONICA PEDUM. — The same lad, after the experience just reported, November 29th, 1851, asked for medicine for his gout which he inherited from his father. The pain was in his feet and exceedingly severe, so that he could hardly bear anything on the affected parts. Sulphur 2/1000. Immediately after taking this dose, patient felt a stitch going from the right shoulder-blade toward the middle of the back; this pain increased and went down into both knees. Stinging in the knee-joint, particularly when walking; sometimes the legs got stiff; slow walking in a moderately warm room was pleasant, but brisk walking aggravated. All this occurred the first day after taking the medicine.

December 11th, 1856. Met patient on the South Ferryboat; he stated that since the above occurrence he had suffered no more from gout, nor had the stitch in his side returned. His general appearance had changed very much in his favor.

4. TUSSIS SPASMODICA. — Lottchen L., a girl of Frankfort, on M., Germany, six years old, small in stature, lively and delicate, treated by an eminent allopathic physician for six months for a dry spasmodic exhausting cough and without success. November 28th, 1851, Bellad.1\1400 Cured in a few days

5. TUSSIS SPASMODICA. — George L., eight years old, brother of the above patient, was treated allopathically without effect for a similar long-standing, dry, wheezing, spasmodic cough, which affected his chest very much. November 28th, 1851. Bell.1\300. This one dose cured him in a few days.

6. DYSMENORRHEA. — Miss Sophia H., of Frankfort, on M., Germany, twenty-five years old, dark complexion, small stature, active, but somewhat inclined to depression of spirits, complained of cramps in the abdomen and violent pains in her back previous to menstruating, so that she was compelled to lie down. January 29th, 1852. Puls.2\5000. Prompt relief and no return of the pains.

7. ANGINA FAUCIUM. — Friedrich H., of Frankfort, on M., Germany, seventeen years old, apprentice, of dark complexion, tall, scrofulous, had burning in his throat and a sensation as if it were swollen, exciting a dry cough in the morning. March 13th, 1852. Sulp.2\50000. Cured promptly.

8. HEMORRHOIDES COECAE. — N. of Brunswick, Germany, forty years old, emigrant passenger on board the Jason bound to New York, a sturdy fellow of dark complexion, complained of blind hemorrhoids; itching and burning in the anus; distention of the abdomen and constipation. He had moreover sea-sickness and vomited every thing he took. Sallow countenance. July 20th, 1852. Nux vom.3\100

July 21st. Improvement about the anus; stool; abdomen soft. Soon after all his complaints disappeared and did not come on during the remaining three weeks of the voyage.

9. OPHTHALMIA RHEUMATICA — Mrs. B., of German descent, fifty-two years old, of rheumatic diathesis; caught cold, had stinging pains in the eyes; inflammation of the bulbous and palpebral conjunctiva; could not bear the light and her sight had diminished. April 3rd, 1852. Sulp.2\20000. Got well next day.

10. CORNETTIS. — Johanna F., ten months old, of German descent, scrofulous, presented a milk-white spot as large as a millet-seed on the cornea, the whole conjunctiva and part of the cornea being inflamed; tongue coated white; urinating in the night difficult, with crying August 15th, 1852. Sulp.1\20000. In a few days all the symptoms disappeared.

11. DIARRHEA INFANTILIS — N., a boy of one year and a half old, has a watery diarrhea with colic. January, 1854. Cham. v.1\1730. Recovered promptly.

12. CHOLERA INFANTUM. — Thomas H., of Irish descent, six months old, had convulsions two months ago, and has suffered from vomiting and purging, aggravated a great deal the last eleven days.

August 29th, 1854. In very hot and dry weather, the patient was found extremely emaciated, with a face like an 'old man; hands and feet cold; incessant vomiting of greenish-yellow water and of the milk taken as, he is nursing all the time, watery diarrhea; penetrating cries, with convulsive movements of hands into the pillow and carrying of the hand to the back of the head; abdomen hard; no teeth yet.

Verat a .1\2400 to the child; Verat.a.2\12 to the mother, to be taken in tumbler half full of water, one tea-spoonful every three hours.

August 31st, The child was reported recovered. Patient had no attack of sickness until the following summer, when a very slight touch of the summer complaint was easily overcome.

13. PHTHISIS PULMONALIS. — Mrs. Congetta M., thirty-four years old, a lady of Italian extraction, native of Tunis, in Africa, lived in the East until about two years ago, when she came to this country; was enfeebled by many troubles, physical and mental; mother of seven children, the youngest of whom is one year old; of dark complexion and sanguine nervous temperament; speaks seven languages.

January 17th, 1855. Complained of a hollow hard cough hurting her chest and head, with a pressing forward of the eyes; and thick yellowish purulent expectoration, excited by burning pains in the pit of the throat, which continued during the coughing. Dullness under the right clavicle; mucous rattle in the right upper lung anteriorly, in expiration and inspiration; puerile respiration in the left upper lung; pains under the sternum when sewing; great emaciation; sallow countenance; hollow sunken eyes with dark rings around; irregular chills. There was a small mole over the left brow.

Patient suffered habitually from copious and prolonged menstruation, which, however, she stated was not considered a disorder in the East. In former pregnancies she had submitted to the custom, there prevailing, of bleeding from the arm. Those of her children who were born in the East, are frequently affected with epistaxis. One of her boys, thirteen years old, who has been under my observation for the last six years, is a Hemophile and usually enjoys good health under continued homoeopathic treatment. Phos.2\5000.

January 24th. Patient much improved; she still coughed hard, especially in cold weather. Phos.2\5000. After that all the symptoms disappeared.

14. RHEUMATISMUS PEDUM. — Mr. N., of German descent, forty years old, a full-sized gentleman, blonde, of rheumatic diathesis, complained of weakness in his ankle-joints; sudden bending of the ankles and swelling around them while walking. February 18th, 1856. Carb an. 3\1000. Immediately after taking the medicine, patient felt light and comfortable. The next day the weakness and swelling disappeared.

15. ANASARCA. — The same gentleman complained on a hot Bummer-evening, 1856, of swelling, dryness, tension and heaviness all over and through his whole body; of burning of the feet and Want of energy, so that he was obliged to lie down. Bryonia.2-2000 relieved him instantaneously and permanently.

16. GASTROSIS. — Mr. S. of German descent, married, forty five years old, vender of vegetables, of dark complexion, middle size, coffee-drinker, had attacks of vomiting ever since his eighteenth year. He used a great deal of purgatives for it, and some time ago a white powder, which was followed by the most horrible Vomiting, convulsions, contraction of the feet and cold perspiration. After that he left off every kind of medicine. Patient had a good appetite; liked his food Well peppered and salted; had a constant bitter taste in his mouth: felt nauseated all the time, and vomited immediately Whatever he eat. Moreover, he threw up bitter water all day, and in the night When it Woke him up; rumbling in the bowels; tongue pale, slightly coated; taking pork made him perfectly woe-be-gone; yellow countenance; emaciation, March, 8th, 1856. Nux vom.4/2000.

December 1st, 1858. Patient got well directly, and has been growing stout ever since.

17. DIARRHEA INFANTILIS — N., an infant was affected for some time with a greenish diarrhea, which lately changed to brownish slimy discharges. July 7th, 1856. China 1\8000 in a tumbler half full of water, one tea-spoonful every three hours. Before one-half of this solution was taken, the child was well.

18. HEMICRANIA MERCURIALIS — Mrs. Sarah A., a widow, forty-five years old, probably of Irish extraction, slender and small in stature, dark complexion, nervous temperament, patient of the Brooklyn Horn. Dispensary; suffered from excruciating stinging pain all over the left side of her head, including the region of the left eye and ear, commencing at five, p.m., and increasing during the night to the extreme. Gums spongy and dark red; teeth almost all decayed from the abuse of mercury; trembling all over; extreme sensitiveness. Bell.3 Bell.0, Nux v.0 Ver. 0 Ars.1, from June 17th to July 15th, had been given without the desired effect.

August 1st, 1856. Patient was entirely given up to despair, and used latterly large doses of Asafetida in order to kill the pain, also without effect. Merc. v.2\3000.

August 4th. Patient reported that she had been relieved of the pain immediately, and that she had come to report it and thought she did not need any more medicine.

19. FEBRIS GASTRICA. — Ellen, an Irish cook, about twenty-five years old, dark complexion, good-natured, complained after hard working and lifting of soreness in and tenderness of the epigastrium; nausea; disagreeable taste; pressure in the forehead, worse in stooping; want of appetite; tongue furred and coated yellow; fever; small, quick, and frequent pulse; dry, hot skin; flushed face; great weakness. She suffered usually in the morning from cramp in the stomach. August 27th, 1856. Nux vom. 2\5000; after some aggravation patient got well next day.

20. ABSCESSUS PROCESSUS MASTOIDEI. — Ernest D., a boy of German descent, eight years old, two years ago put a bean into his right ear. It was taken out with severe pain and some injection made into the ear. Since that time stinking matter has been discharged from the ear every now and then. His hearing was not impaired. A few days before seeing him an abscess formed behind the right ear, covering the mastoid process, causing the most excruciating pain; preventing rest and sleep; fluctuating slightly; face sallow and disfigured; entire want of appetite for some time. After warm Chamomile poultice, highly offensive matter ran out of the ear, but the pains continued unabated.

August 8th, 1856, 4, p.m. — Directed the poultice to be taken oft and gave him some pellets Hep. s. c.1760 to be taken in tumbler half full of water, one tea-spoonful every three hours.

After the first dose the patient felt immediate relief. The abscess opened the same night during sleep, and healed without further trouble.

21. TUSSIS STOMACHCIA. — Mary M., of German descent, tw and a half years old, blonde, played with a kitten four or five months previous to my seeing her. Since then she coughed every night with effort to vomit and was wasting away gradually. An allopathic physician supposing that some of the kitten's hair had got into her stomach, relieved her somewhat by purgatives for a few nights, but then the complaint returned every night so that she could not sleep. Eating sugar and drinking water ameliorated; stools frequent, of pale clayey color, three or four times a day; she had whooping cough when nine months old. November 22nd, 1856. Sulph.1/20000.

November 29th. The very night after taking the medicine, the cough subsided and the child has slept well ever since.

22. RETENTIO URINAE. — Martin K., of Irish descent sixteen months old, had retention of urine from twelve o'clock, a.m., to two, p.m., with great tenderness of abdomen an then passage of some hot dark colored urine, staining the clothes; no urine passed since; top of the head very hot, with beating of the pulse in the fontanel which was not entirely closed; cold perspiration; screaming wildly. Before the retention, urine was passed profusely; rather inclined to costiveness. The mother had piles and liver complaint, and was nursing the patient. July 1st, 1857. Nux vom. 1/5000 to the baby; Nux vom.2/5000 to the mother.

July 31st. Patient has been well since he took the medicine.

23. CHOLERA NOSTRA. — Mr. S., mason by trade, forty-two years old, single, of German descent, temperate, tall, lean, dark blonde, stammering, had worked hard in Gowanus during the heat in July, 185T, and had drunk much bad water there.

July 19th. He lost his appetite entirely, loathing of meat at his meal.

July 25th. Patient presented himself in a pitiable condition; very much debilitated; face of earthen hue; tongue thickly coated yellow, with bitter taste; moderate thirst; throwing up whatever he drinks, sometimes immediately after taking it; at the same time, yellowish watery diarrhea; severe cramps in the calves during the passage, and pains around the navel after it; pulse slow and hard, not very full. Verat a. 6/2400 in tumbler half full of water, one teaspoonful every two hours. He rallied very soon and has been well since.

24. STRANGURIA. — Miss N., an American lady, thirteen years old, of unusual embonpoint, suffered for many years past from difficulties in urinating, and was under homoeopathic treatment.

In September, 1857, she complained of painful urging to pass urine, followed by not more than one drop of dark colored urine at a time under the most excruciating pain. Canth. 2/1030 in tumbler half full of water, one tea-spoonful every two hours. After the first dose the difficulty disappeared.

25. INTERMITTENS. — Mr. H., clerk, twenty-six years of age, of German descent, dark blonde, phlegmatic, had been affected with a cold in his head for a week. Two nights before seeing him, he noticed a disagreeable taste in his mouth; dry lips; flatulency and nausea. The next morning, pressing heaviness over the eyes, much aggravated on moving the eyeballs, on making a step and at the least noise. He took some gin, which rose up continually from his stomach; took only a cup of chocolate for dinner. About five, p.m., shaking chill, as if his body were suspended in the air and shaken, with clattering of his teeth; cold hands and coldness of the skin for one hour.

After a few pellets of Aconite30 in some water, which he took for himself, the shaking left hut the chilliness continued. No sleep; terrible heat; pains in the back, moving from the sacrum upward to the region between the shoulders; aching over the eyes; toward midnight, perspiration with griping in the bowels; then one or two hours of sleep. At three, a.m., awoke with head-ache, which was ameliorated by laying the head higher; his bowels had been moved the day before; pains along the lower part of his back as far as the shoulderblades. This forenoon, while writing, a stitch along the back which drew him crookedly together, with an involuntary loud cry; now and then showers; pulse small, quick, 96; pressing heaviness upon the eyeballs on moving them; no appetite; no thirst; periodical nausea; dry tickling cough December 15, 1857. Puls. 4/5000.

December 16th. When he got home from the office, he slept very well until three or four, a.m., next morning. On waking, he found himself in a profuse perspiration which lasted until seven or half-past, a.m. The head-ache was less severe and went to the vertex, and thence to the occiput and to the nape of the neck. The griping in the abdomen was of a spasmodic character and occurred every ten minutes, better after passing wind. Constipation; felt tolerably well all day until five, p.m., when he got a chill lasting ten minutes, but less severe than the last one, with pain in the vertex and in the nape of the neck, higher up than before. The patient slept well and woke up at five, a.m., next morning in perspiration, but otherwise comfortable; no appetite; pulse small and soft; weakness; head-ache gone and returning only after continued writing; rising of wind with running water in the mouth; hands sometimes warm, sometimes cold, and in the latter case the nails turn blue. Sacch. lac., three powders, one every night. The patient had no further attack and felt stronger than ever before.

26. HERNIA INGUINALIS INCARCERATA.-Charles C., of German descent, nineteen months old, was brought to the office from New York, June 6th, 1858, three, p.m., with the following symptoms: — Since morning, short laborious breathing; inclination to vomit; stool in the morning green, probably from vegetables he took the day before; left inguinal hernia as large as his fist, bluish-red, hard and extremely sensitive to the touch when lying down, better when sitting up. Every attempt to reduce it by taxis was out of the question. Frequent, almost uncountable pulse; hot hands; continual gasping. Acon. 10/1100.

Shortly after the patient was carried away in the arms of his mother, he fell asleep, and when he got home it was found that the hernia had receded.

27. INTERMITTENS. — Mrs. R., an Irish washer-woman, about forty years old, got wet on the upper part of her body, and since then has had chills every day after dinner, followed by heat in the evening; night before seeing me, perspiration after the heat, all without thirst. Much dull pain in the head especially in the forehead, across the chest and in the arms; stiffness of the neck; pulse weak; tongue torn, red; looks most miserable. September 19th, 1858, nine, a.m. Puls. 6/5000.

After some dizziness in the head next day, she got well without another paroxysm.

28. INTERMITTENS. — Mrs. N., an American lady, thirty years old, dark blonde, mother of six children, did not feel quite well for some days last Week, being up at night with the baby several times. While sitting in church this forenoon, she got an internal chill all over, though the skin was warm to the touch; with nausea; thirst; ghastly face; throbbing in her head, on the top and in her temples; and red eyes, lasting until half-past two, p.m., when it passed into a heat with less redness of the eyes, continual head-ache, and bloatedness of the face. Patient had an old rheumatic pain for two weeks in the lower back and on the top of right hip, which returned the night before last and last night, and a very little this morning. Tongue coarse; bowels regular; nurses a baby eight months old; but has not much milk; had fever and ague when a child and was then treated by large doses of Peruvian bark. February 13th, 1859. Nat. mur. 2/350 after the paroxysm in the evening.

February 14th, four, p.m. The chill passed off; head-ache lasted until this morning. Patient could not sleep on account of feeling as if bruised all over, weak and tired.

February 15th. Patient felt quite well; she remained so without another chill.

29. SCIRRHUS MAMMAE,. — Mrs. B., a woman of Swiss descent, thirty-seven years old, three weeks married, thin, of dark complexion, had always regularly menstruated until her voyage from Europe to this country, when her menses got out of order, but was regular for three months previous to consulting me. While on board the ship, she drank Chamomile tea instead of coffee. She had several years ago an abscess at the left hip-joint. Her teeth almost all decayed. In the fall of 1858, a hard lump gradually grew accompanied by severe darting pains on the upper part of her sternum, attaining in ten or twelve days the size of a hen's egg; it then decreased under the application of warm poultices and of a yellow ointment, getting softer and softer until it disappeared.

April 4th, 1859. Patient had suffered for a fortnight from a swelling of her right mamma. It presents a stone-hard lump, extending from the left half of her right mamma to the median line of the sternum, overlapping the normal boundary as large as her fist. Since the 3rd instant, the lower part of the sternum projected considerably as if the bone were swollen. Small hard tumor of hazel-nut size in the arm-pit. Severe darting pains in the right side of the chest, all over the right mamma and in the swelling at the breastbone, lancinating as far as the arm-pit and along the right side of the chest toward the back. These pains prevent sleep, as they become insufferable when in bed. Although, she had a good appetite, patient appeared ill-fed and had then some red blotches on the upper part of the chest anteriorly. She could not lie down otherwise than on her back, nor turn from that position on account of the pains. Used flax-seed poultice, which did not case the pain nor help any thing. Carb. an. 2/1000.

April 28th, 1859. During the first three days after giving the medicine, the pains were aggravated and then decreased gradually; only now and then a darting pain was felt in the hard places. The lumps were less hard and nothing of the tumor under the axilla was left. No more medicine given.

March 6th, 1859. Patient is very well; was delivered of a vigorous boy a fortnight ago, and her mammary apparatus is in the best condition. Lumps and pains had by the end of May gradually and wholly disappeared.

30. CEPHALALGIA AB ABLACTATIONE. — Mrs. N., twenty years old, dark complexion, phlegmatic, complained of heavy acute pain across the forehead over the eyes, worse in stooping, the eyes were quite red when she rose up again. Patient was weaning a baby and has a superabundance of milk flowing away involuntarily. Depression of spirits; very slight leucorrhea; was very hot the previous night and took Acon.3 for it, which moderated the heat but not the head-ache. October 23rd, 1859. Puls. 3/7000.

October 25th. One hour after taking the medicine the head-ache was gone, the milk dried up without further inconvenience and she recovered.

31. DENTITIO DIFFICILIS. — Sophia S., of German descent, two years old, with light blonde hair and blue eyes, complained for some time of her legs. The last molar tooth was just cutting through with its first point. In the afternoon, effort to vomit and choking; toward evening, apparently itching in the arms; in the night, delirium, talking during sleep, pointing with the finger to the forehead, better by laying the hand on it; floccilegium; much heat, alternately in head and hands; sometimes large round red spots on both cheeks; much thirst; watery discharge from her nose; watering of the eyes, which look pale and have a staring expression; dry cough. January 9th, 1860. Bell. 1/6000 in Sacch. lactis.

February 3rd. Patient got well immediately after taking this dose.

32. DISTORTIO CARPI. — Mrs. N., thirty years old, of German descent, full habit, sprained her left wrist last August on lifting by her left hand a heavy bowl of peaches over the table. Since then, she has suffered when using the hand with shooting pains in the wrist, as in inflammatory rheumatism, very much aggravated at night in led. Patient used Opodeldoc liniment at the time of the accident to no avail. The pains had been more severe for the last few days and nights. There was a slight swelling upon the middle of the left wrist, and want of strength in the part. March 29th, 1860. Rhus tox. 2/10000.

April 7th. Patient had no pain the next night after the medicine, but the following day all along, severe, jumping, shooting, stinging, flashing, hot pains, such as are observed in inflammatory rheumatism, not only in the affected spot which appeared slightly swollen, but all around and through the whole wrist, and almost as far as the elbow. Toward night the pains subsided. Since then the wrist has been wholly free from pain and swelling, and as strong as ever.

OBSERVATIONS.

In conclusion I beg to submit the following observations:

1. That the action and efficiency of homoeopathic remedies are not limited to the lower preparations, nor to the thirtieth or 200th potency, but their healing properties are preserved, propagated, and exalted through a series of still higher potencies, being evident even in the 20,000th centigrade dilution of Sulphur.

2. That the question, where the terminus of the medical action and efficacy of the homoeopathic remedies is to be found at all by potentization, is still open.

3. That high potencies prove efficacious and curative in single doses.

4. That high potencies sometimes present the phenomenon of homoeopathic aggravation.

5. That high potencies prepared by dilution with a single jerk of the hand, prove efficacious and curative.

6. That high potencies prepared by dilution with a strong succussion, sometimes do not present any homoeopathic aggravation.

7. That higher potentization seems to be the means of rendering the remedy assimilable and thus homoeopathically active.

8. That the curative, action and effect of homoeopathic remedies, as already foreseen by Hahnemann (Organon, fifth edition, p. 275), is in every individual case conditioned and governed by the dose as well as by the homoeopathicity of the drug.

9. That the curative action and effect of high potencies being established as a fact, any potency and consequently any high potency may be the dose in any given case.

10. That from this arises a necessity to individualize the dose as well as the remedy.

11. That the chances of individualizing the dose increase in the ratio, in which, by experience, a greater variety of potencies is placed under our command.

12. That in this view the posological problem grows in importance, and as it can only be conquered by “pure experiments, careful observation, and correct experience,” (Organon, p. 278,) it is of the greatest moment to multiply the experiments with higher potencies.

13. That such experiments should be made with the experimenters' own preparations and on the human organism, which so far, and especially in its diseased condition, appears to be the only re-agent or test delicate enough for substances as fine as such medicines.

14. The homoeopathic potencies, that is to say, those fine preparations of medicaments which are effected by the peculiar method and operation of Hahnemann's invention, are in fact, and strictly speaking, not mere divisions only of the drug into its parts, but are rather differentiations and progressions, being at the same time, as it were, successive reproductions and propagations of the medical properties of the drug and its given part.

15. That for the required calculations, a mere arithmetical enumeration of the particles into which potentization is assumed to divide the given quantity of the drug is insufficient and dubious, being apt to cause mistake and confusion as it has done already; and unwieldly, on account of the immense array of its figures; and in fact, not adequately corresponding to the real truth of the matter.

16. That for a theory of potentization, the labors of Korsakoff and Joslin are pre-eminently valuable.

17. That for the practice with high potencies, by experience so far, the rule holds good; the more susceptible the organism, the higher the potency and the finer its doses.

18. That for a scientific explanation of the curative action and efficiency of high potencies it might serve to apply to Therapeia, a certain law of nature which was discovered and mathematically established by Maupertuis. This is the law of the least quantity of action: by others called — lex parsimonide; ridiculed by Voltaire, defended and explained by Euler, and happily touched upon by Franklin, It is thus enunciated by the discoverer: — “La quantite d'action necessaire pour causer quelque changement dans la nature est la plus petite qu il soit possible” — i.e., the quantity of action necessary to effect any change in nature is the least possible.

According to this general principle, the decisive moment is always a minimum, an infinitesimal. Apply this to our therapeutics, and it will be perceived that the least possible dose is the highest potency and necessarily sufficient to turn the scale, that is, to effect the cure — always provided the remedy being homoeopathically correct.

19. That this law of the least action (minimis maxima) appears to be an essential and necessary complement of the law of homoeopathicity (similia similibus), and co-ordinate with it.


DOCUMENT DESCRIPTOR

Source: The American Homoeopathic Review Vol. 02 No. 06-07, 1860, pages 282-288, pages 327-336
Description: Clinical Cases and Observations on High Potencies 01.
Author: Fincke, B.
Year: 1860
Editing: errors only; interlinks; formatting
Attribution: Legatum Homeopathicum
You could leave a comment if you were logged in.
en/ahr/fincke-b-clinical-cases-and-observations-on-high-potencies-01-158-10450.txt · Last modified: 2012/07/12 10:56 (external edit)