I will give this a try, there are far better historians on this list than I am.
You are correct that we try to give a remedy for the deepest totality we can perceive.
There are times when that perception is not going to be very accurate due to many factors both mental and physical, so we get the best information we can.
Sometimes there are 'entwined' disease states and those are very difficult to unwind and handle, we need to go 'low and slow' in my opinion to try to open them up and make sense of what we are seeing.
And then, there are two different disease states (or maybe more) that alternate in a person. For this situation we address what we feel is the strongest of the two states and find a remedy that covers the totality of what we perceive in that state.
If we are correct, those disease symptoms start to come under control and then up pops the second, or alternating state.
If you see that state you need to find a remedy that addresses, the best you can, the totality of that second state. Because when those second state symptoms come up that is what needs to be addressed and your first set of symptoms have appear to be gone so we cannot treat that state anymore as there are no symptoms to match. You then give the second remedy for the totality you are seeing (and I want to note that we hopefully can find a remedy that is complementary to the first remedy we gave. Now you wait and see what comes up, you may indeed end up alternating remedies. Treat the tea, that is what is taking the patient's Time, Energy and Attention.
You need to wait long enough for a symptom complex to show up.
I have not treated too much that way, but I do follow the presenting symptoms. I have given incompatible remedies, I try not to, but you give what the symptoms require.
warmly, Maria
________________________________
From: "bluemax722"
To:
minutus@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, February 2, 2013 2:43:10 PM
Subject: [Minutus] incompatible medicines
Hahnemann taught to find one medicine to cover all symptoms. I'm not sure but I remember reading somewhere, maybe Hahnemann, that if one medicine doesn't cover all symptoms then we can use a second medicine. Assuming that this is true. My question is this. If the two medicines are incompatible, should the second medicine be given at all? And if so, is there a general rule about how long to wait before giving the second medicine after having given the first.
Does anyone's memory serve them better than mine. Thank You.