Aph 5

[Soroush Ebrahimi]

§ 5
Useful to the physician in assisting him to cure are the particulars of the most probable exciting
cause of the acute disease, as also the most significant points in the whole history of the chronic
disease, to enable him to discover its fundamental cause, which is generally due to a chronic miasm.
In these investigations, the ascertainable physical constitution of the patient (especially when the
disease is chronic), his moral and intellectual character, his occupation, mode of living and
habits, his social and domestic relations, his age, sexual function, etc., are to be taken into
consideration.

[Kerry]

Joe Kellerstein makes a good suggestion about getting all the info needed in a case: he says to the patient "Imagine that I am an alien and know nothing whatsoever about your disease/suffering/ailment. Describe what you are feeling/suffering." People will give info that otherwise they wouldn't provide as they just assume it is normal or the homeopath will know and understand.

Kerry

[Soroush Ebrahimi]

A few times towards the end of the consultation - when I have had the feeling that the patient has not told me every thing that needs to be told I have asked "Is there something that you had decided not to tell me?"
It usually leads to a lot more notes.
Rgds
Soroush
From: minutus@yahoogroups.com [mailto:minutus@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of kerry
Sent: 20 October 2011 06:59
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Minutus] Aph 5
Joe Kellerstein makes a good suggestion about getting all the info needed in a case: he says to the patient "Imagine that I am an alien and know nothing whatsoever about your disease/suffering/ailment. Describe what you are feeling/suffering." People will give info that otherwise they wouldn't provide as they just assume it is normal or the homeopath will know and understand.

Kerry
This aphorism brings up for me how important it is that we, as homeopaths, maintain an atmosphere of non-judgmental acceptance in dealing with our patients. That doesn't mean identifying with the patient; it means making them feel comfortable about speaking freely and honestly. I had a case this summer where one raised eyebrow, one expression of skepticism, would have destroyed the fragile foundation of trust being laid for a patient with very developed psychic gifts. Because I wasn't "weirded out" by what he told me, he was able to present a full and haunting case.
On the other hand, some remedies don't want to be found out, so we sometimes need to factor that into our analysis as well.
Peace,

Dale
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[Paul Booyse]

Hello Dale,
Hahnemann explains about “the unprejudiced observer” a bit later in the Organon. This (aph 5) is mainly teaching us about the totality of the VF and that each area of disturbance and function tells us about the inner disease state, the strengths and weaknesses (e.g. the nature of the exciting cause can tell us about susceptibility), which will allow us (as he explains later) to match a simillimum. The information we get gives us the current disturbance as well as the overall disturbance i.e. what the VF needs now and what may be needed after. If they are the same simillimum, we use that remedy.
So the current disturbance may be “acute miasm” (in Hahnemann terms) and the other info might be “Chronic miasm “ (e.g psora – once again in Hahnemann’s terms). A child has a belladonna fever (acute) but is Calc carb chronic miasm.
This ties up with aph 3 – to determine what is to be cured. You look at the VF state at each stage, during acute and after in chronic. Expanding a bit Hahnemann might feel the patient first needs a psoric, then a syphillitic remedy later once the VF is “revitalized”.
For me what I find important in aph 5 is that we need to look at the factors which derange/affect the VF, not so much VF state itself. Yes there is diarrhoea, cramps etc, but what are the agg/amel , what are the modalities, what the characteristic symptoms (which relate to the primary affects of the remedy, not the secondary effects).
Hahnemann is building up an idea of the totality – which he gets to in aph 7. I love that Hahnemann takes a concept and builds on it to conclusion. The aph’s flow from one to the next, so when you have read an aph, it makes better sense when read in context with preceding aph’s.
On a separate point, I think with discussions on Organon its important to stick with each aph as they appear, so as to not get too distracted with theory discussions that degenerate the process. Some people get so distracted with own theories, they are already talking “polypharmacy – yes or no” at aph 1. And then it goes downhill .....
So, for example Jeff you are saying “where does Hahnemann extoll that only Homeopathy can cure” -- be patient and wait until aph 24 and onward.
regards,
Paul
From: Dale Moss
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 10:22 PM
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Minutus] Aph 5

This aphorism brings up for me how important it is that we, as homeopaths, maintain an atmosphere of non-judgmental acceptance in dealing with our patients. That doesn't mean identifying with the patient; it means making them feel comfortable about speaking freely and honestly. I had a case this summer where one raised eyebrow, one expression of skepticism, would have destroyed the fragile foundation of trust being laid for a patient with very developed psychic gifts. Because I wasn't "weirded out" by what he told me, he was able to present a full and haunting case.
On the other hand, some remedies don't want to be found out, so we sometimes need to factor that into our analysis as well.
Peace,
Dale

[jtikari]

Yes, Paul, Aph 24 does state as you say...and I was wrong.
But some other disciplines do have excellent remedies and when
appropriate I use them.
Jeff

[Ananda Ruchira]

Hi Soroush and all
Really, I feel lucky to say that I've had the opportunity to practice in kenya rather than more industrialized countries, so my perspectives are slightly different. (Of course, things are changing fast in kenya as drugs and fast foods inundate the country - Kenya is "catching up" - as diabetes in teens, hypertension, autism and so forth is on the rise.)

Well to my comments.
I want to take this aph as a chance to discuss "constitution" and "constitutional remedy"

I've met a number of visiting homeopaths, over the years, who -apparently - take the above aph to an extreme - that is they base their prescription solely or near-so solely on the constitution. For example: I remember one homeopath saying to me "I don't even consider the particulars, I'm looking for the constitutional."

On one hand I agree that getting a "constitutional" remedy (sic to others terminology, not my word) is the "holy grail" of prescribing. If you get it without obstacles to the cure, you'll usually see a wonderful cure. But pinning down a constitutional isn't always easy or possible and in many cases I see, not particularly applicable (ie some curative remedies are small and have very little to recommend themselves as "constitutional")

I note that SH says "taken into consideration" - and not "must be the basis of..."

Soroush, I wonder if (1) you would speak to us a little on what is "constitution" as SH understood it. (2) And your ideas on what's popularly called "constitutional prescribing"?

As a bit on Q2 - in prescribing I tend towards an Eizenyaga-type layers-type view - that is what often presents itself is anything but the constitutional layer. What's more likely to present itself is a lesional or chronic layer, which due to the nature of the disease could be masking the "constitution". (Hence I shy from the term "constitutional remedy").

EG: A ulcer patient may present a very irritable (Ars a) temperment, nothing like his original contented self (calc). You meeting him for the first time, may not be able to ascertain his original temperment because it is so masked by the disease.
Sincerely,
Didi Ananda Ruchira | Director | Tels: +254 (0)733-895466 / +254 (0)723-869133 | www.abhalight.org

[Fran Sheffield]

Hi Soroush,

What a fantastic question to ask. I will have to implement it. I should imagine it would be very revealing when used appropriately.

[Tanya Marquette]

Yes, it has often been my experience that at the end of the consult when a person is leaving and there
is some casual talk ongoing, that the pt will give you some of the most profound insights into their case.
Usualy because they are relaxed and not seeing what they are saying as consequential--butit always is.
tanya

[Elham Mohajer]

When reading the organon please be careful about the language. For example in Aph 5 SH uses the term 'useful to the physician'. Therefore whatever is said in the Aph is only useful it is not indispensable. I am saying this because many people have made aph 5 the golden rule for their practice. What is indispensable is written in Aph 6 and 7.

Somebody had talked about the constitutional remedy. This concept of a remedy that will cure all your problems is very unfortunate and alien to the Organon. Please read Aph 171 as an example. A chronic disease demands a series of remedies one after the other based on the changing image.

Best regards
Elham
It is good to know the cause of the disease if you can or