Translation of Terms 1.

[David Little]

THE NATURE, MAKE UP AND CONDITION OF THE HUMAN BODY

There are many references in the English translations of Hahnemann's
writings to the term constitution. Most of the statements are translations
of the German word, Beschaffenheit, although Hahnemann also used the word
Constitutionen. For example, in the edition of the 6th Organon we find:

1. The “erkennbare Leibes-Beschaffenheit” (ascertainable bodily
constitution §5 - O'Reilly edition).

2. The “angebornen Korper-constituitionen” (the congenital bodily
constitution §81- O'Reilly edition ).

The German word, “Beschaffenheit” has been translated into English as
the constitution throughout the Organon. This definition, however, does not
reflect all the potential usages of the German word. It can be used in a
variety of ways that have nothing to do with the human constitution. This
word can mean the nature, quality, make-up, state or condition of
anything. Just what the term Beschaffenheit means in Hahnemann's writings
depends on the context it is use within the medical sciences.

Because colloquial German does not normally use the Beschaffenheit to
stand for the human constitution some might object to its usage in the
Organon. Medical terminology, however, is a specialize language that is not
the same as common speech on the street. Medical vocabulary is often based
on the Latin and Greek derivations which have special meanings in the
healing arts.

Let us see what scholars have to say about the German term,
Beschaffenheit, and apply that to homoeopathy. The W. Turner’s Dictionary
is a German-English-German dictionary that was published in Leipzig,
Germany in the *1830s during the life time of Samuel Hahnemann*. This
classic work is in the possession of the German-English translator and
homoeopath, Gaby Rottler (Her assistance is always greatly appreciated.) W.
Turner's Dictionary defines Beschaffenheit as nature, quality, temper,
condition, constitution, disposition and circumstance. One can see from
this definition that Beschaffenheit most certainly may refer to the make up
or condition of the physical constitution, the natural disposition, as well
as the mental temperament. Its meaning depends on usage and intent.

Therefore, the use of the term erkennbare Leibes-Beschanffenheit in
aphorism 5 includes all observations about the make up of the physical
constitution, the nature a person's physique, the condition of various
parts that make up the whole, and any visible quality or state. This
definition incorporates recognizable diathetic constitutions like the
psoric or sycotic; the condition of the body like emaciation or obesity;
the nature of tissues like premature gray hair or wrinkled skin; and the
make up of the head, chest, abdomen, pelvis and extremities. A study of the
somatic organism includes all objective signs related to the physical
nature, qualities, make up and condition of the bodily state or
constitution. Symptoms related to such observations may be found throughout
the repertorium and material medica.

CONGENITAL CONSTITUTION, INNATE TEMPERAMENT AND NATURAL DISPOSITION

Hahnemann uses terms like the organic whole, vital unity, the make up
of the body and soul, the organism, and the constitution in the Organon,
the Chronic Diseases and the Lesser Writings. These terms stand for the
unity of life associated with the whole human being and its natural
condition. Hahnemann also used the German-Latin term “angebornen
Korper-constitutionen” to describe the congenital constitution. The English
word, constitution, comes from the Latin word “constituere”, meaning to
constitute, to set up, to establish, to form, or make up, and to appoint,
to give being to. The Latin-German dictionary, Langenscheidts
Taschenworterbuch Latein, defines the Latin word, constitutio, as
(physischer) Zustand and Beschaffenheit. This means the constitution refers
to the physical state or make up. This shows that the English and Latin
terms for constitution are related to the German term, Beschaffenheit.. The
root word “schaffen” means, to do, to make or to work. As a verb Beschaffen
means to procure, make something available. When this root is used as an
adjective it means constituted. All these terms are interrelated in the
medical sciences.

The constitution is the make up or nature of the psyche and/or soma and
refers to the natural disposition. Constitutional means inherent nature as
well as that which pertains to the whole. The genetic constitution includes
traits of the paternal and maternal lineages that manifest as the inherited
dispositions. Here one is referring directly to the innate constitution
which includes genotypes like the Hippocratic temperaments as well as
various types of diathetic constitutions. In the tradition of the Greek
naturalists the terms constitution and temperament are interchangeable
words for the entire mind-body make up. Such terms stand for the natural
disposition of the individual and as well as the condition of the parts
that make up the greater whole.

I do agree that always defining the Beschaffenheit as constitution may
in some instances be too limited or misleading. If one only thinks in term
of constitutions only as genotypes they may forget to review the condition,
nature and qualities of the individual parts that make up the whole. As a
medical term Beschaffenheit incorporates a broad category of medical
applications. In aphorism 136 the term, Leibes und Seelenbeschaffenheit,
has been translated in the Boericke edition of the Organon as “varying in
their corporeal and mental constitution”. The O’Reilly edition translates
this term as the body and soul constitution". It may be less cumbersome to
speak of the individuals who vary in the condition, nature or make-up of
the body and soul. Nevertheless, the basic meaning remains the same as this
term is used to point to the entire mind-body complex.

I hope this clear the air,
Sincerely, David Little
---------------
"It is the life-force which cures diseases because a dead man needs no more
medicines."

Samuel Hahnemann

Visit our website on Hahnemannian Homoeopathy and Cyberspace Homoeopathic
Academy at
http://www.simillimum.com
David Little © 2000

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---------------
"It is the life-force which cures diseases because a dead man needs no more
medicines."

Samuel Hahnemann

Visit our website on Hahnemannian Homoeopathy and Cyberspace Homoeopathic
Academy at
http://www.simillimum.com
David Little © 2000