How to study and learn materia medica

[Dr Krishna murthy]

LEARN AND PRACTISE HOMOEOPATHY EXACTLY AND ACCURATELY.
There are no ‘theories’ or ‘principles of practice in homoeopathy. [We find in the market books on principles and theories of homoeopathy!] Everything is practical and practical only. It is like learning swimming or car driving. To learn swimming you are first made to get into the water. You do not read page after page at home; so also, to learn car driving, you are first made to sit on the wheel!
Without a good teacher along with actual cases seeing with our naked eyes it is impossible to learn homoeopathy. Let us now explain this:
In the remedy Lycopodium we read, “in nearly all cases where lycopodium is the remedy some evidence of urinary or digestive disturbance will be found.” (Boericke’s Mat. Med.) Does this mean that Lyco is not useful in other diseases. The meaning of this is something different and unless a very good teacher is by your side you may not understand its significance.
Case: A mentally affected person of forty-five years stopped going to office. Even for going to the toilet he wants the company of someone etc. etc. During case taking, the patient remarked:
“Doctor, do not give medicine for your mind. Give me medicine to improve my stomach, digestion etc. Only when my stomach is get upset all the mind symptoms flare up.”
Again under the remedy Gossypium we read, “A powerful emmenagogue…” (Boericke). What does this mean? We only cure the patient and so delayed or suppressed menses would be cured and the patient would start getting regular menses. Only by seeing an actual case one can learn the meaning and significance of what Boericke means.
Case: A forty year old lady walked in complaining of breathlessness, body pain etc. After noting down the symptoms told by her and since everything is vague we asked about her menses. Immediately she spurted out, “Doctor, only when my monthly periods is delayed I get all these bloated feeling in abdomen, body pain etc. Therefore, better give me to regularize the monthly cycle.”
Boericke's mat. med. is written in the language of the patient.
Unless you are an unprejudiced observer and carefully listen to the patient, you can have any success.
A case well taken is half cured.