THE HOMOEOPATHIC CLINIC PROCESS


The ideal, like unto a reviviscence of former existence and a hope for a future one, is a reflection of intellectual light and an harmonious vibration of noble and generous sentiments. Imbued with high ideals men have been able to realize monumental works and consummate acts of a the most sublime nature.


The ideal, like unto a reviviscence of former existence and a hope for a future one, is a reflection of intellectual light and an harmonious vibration of noble and generous sentiments. Imbued with high ideals men have been able to realize monumental works and consummate acts of a the most sublime nature.

Brought hither by the same ideal, I come before you oblivious of all ethnical and lexical difference such as exist between us, impelled by the force of the emotion that I experience in being among you and by the ideas of truth which attract like magnets and subjugate with sweetest tyranny. With this idea in mind, I have not hesitated to appear before such an assemblage of illustrious colleagues clothed with the modest vestments of my knowledge, bringing within the folds of the same a few maravedis with which to contribute towards the realization of the conquest of humanity by homoeopathy.

The religion of health which must needs transfigure the decadent man of the present epoch into the perfect being of creation, presents to us the stupendous miracle of overcoming. Nature itself, so indomitable and hirsute, with the lever of the Similia as moved by the gentle hand of kindness. “Nature nonnisi parendo vincitur”, says Bacon: Nature is overcome by obeying it.

The physician, the true physician, the apostle of health owing to his love for his fellow creatures, in order to comply with his mission, besides science will employ the full sincerity of his convictions, faith in the successful outcome and sympathetic suggestion, whose beneficent currents coursing through the heart and soul of the one famishing for consolation will constitute the sacred balsam that will take him back to the lost paradise of health. In the exercise of this ministry it is necessary of officiate with the tenderness of a mother and with the prudence of wisdom.

This religion of health can only be homoeopathy, and the minister none but the orthodox homoeopathic physician. I call the physician orthodox who adjusts his methods in accordance with the unvarying principles of truth; for just as the faithless one can never inspire an iota of confidence in the soul of the patient.

It is my intention in the present paper to take up a point that is seemingly a very ordinary one in view of its commonness, but notwithstanding, one of the most difficult to observe in practice, and it is the key to success.

The method followed by the homoeopathic physician in the clinic is more extensive, more laborious and more complicated that that of the physician of the traditional school. This last mentioned one only goes half the distance over the road, because he adjusts one sole measure to a whole morbid species. I ask your indulgence and the same time your attention, as I may be able to interest you and realize a communion of ideas and a concurrence of convictions.

THE HOMOEOPATHIC CLINIC PROCESS, as I have before stated, is more extensive more laborious and more complicated than that of the old school, and this is my theme. In a masterly manner Hahnemann outlines in the Number 83 of his Organon what should be done in each clinic case. He says: “Individualization in the investigation of a case of disease, demands, on the part of the physician, principally unbiased judgment and sound senses, attentive observation, and fidelity in noting down the image of the disease”.

From these resplendent phrases s contained in his medical bible, it is to be understood that the physician should be a scholar, a philosopher and an artist. He should be thoroughly familiar with the healthy man from every scientific viewpoint in order to note the variations of his morbid state; he should be an attentive and profound observer in order to establish analogies and foresee consequences; and he should be an artist, so to speak, in order to apply with precision the rules which emanate from the principles of truth. He should be a scholar in order to crystallize in one phrase the concept of his opinion, and an artist in order to suspect in the convergent or divergent facial lines of the patient, the state of his physiognomy and the fluctuations of his spirit.

In the time of Hahnemann of knowledge was has of clinical propaedeutics such as today serve for the education of the physician and for directing the means of exploration. Hahnemann, over a century ago, foresaw this necessity and therefore mentions it in the second division of his paragraph: perfect senses. these means of communication from the outside world to the interior one (the organs of sense), not only should be perfect owing to their functions as directed by education and perfected by exercise.

Clinical propaedeutics is the preeducation of the physician for the scientific utilization of his senses devoted to observation and perfected by the instruments which science and industry have been able to carry to a culmination. The vision scans the celestial realms just at it penetrates into the primordial elements of the organization, now outlining the cell as well as suspecting the archegonial Monera. With his natural instruments by means of which he consummates the work of his instincts and with the artificial ones that characterize intelligence, the physician presents himself wherever pain with the artificial ones that characterize intelligence, the physician presents himself wherever pain with its tragic mask conceals the reality of an organism that is struggling with manifestations of apparent morbidity, and which, nevertheless, constitute its weapons and its defense.

The principal object of these investigations is to become become familiar with the ailment of the patient; this is the pathologic diagnosis. The does not consist in merely giving a name to the disease, or say to the collection of symptoms and lesions, but in establishing the precise relations existing between the symptoms and the organic modifications which provoke them. Up to this point the old school and ours journey along together, but the old school with these data institutes indications of all kinds. We also do this when the indication is surgical or hygienic; but if it is of a medical order we only go half the distance with it in view of the fact that our investigations require a greater comprehension and a minimum extension, that is, we have to reach the point of morbid and medicamentous individualization. We heal sick persons and not disease, concrete beings and not abstract ones, real entities and not metaphysical ones.

The selfsame patients of ours is our book which furnishes us with data record in his affective and physical sensations as resulting from that which has perturbed his very conscience.

And from that group such as constitutes the physiognomy of the patient we draw his real image for the purpose of finding in the medicament its virtual image which conjugated, will be like unto the lady in front of her mirror.

In order to be able to portray the real image of the patient it is necessary for us to be familiar with all the corresponding organic and hygienic data, as well as with the habits that constitute his idiosyncrasies. In order to secure the virtual image of the medicament it is necessary for us to be familiar with its action by means of pure experiments. And it is necessary for us to be familiar with the general effects of each medicament and its analogies to others, to observe the relation of its symptoms to the organ it affects, and consider the relation as a determinism exiting between the function and the organ or tissue.

We must find in the medicament the image of the sick person. This is a work of analysis that i truly a great labor wherein must intervene the memory, in order to have in mind the most analogous medicament; the understanding, in order to be able to choose among so many medicaments and discern the most appropriate one according to its physiognomy; and lastly, the good will or disposition to be manifested in patient perseverance until the SIMILIMUM is found. Only in this manner will we be practising true homoeopathy.

In order to facilitate the labor of memory, reference is had to the repertorization of the medicaments. This laudable method and index of our debility is the staff of the weary and serves to give some stability to our indication. I prefer the intellectual act which perceives in the manifestations-even though faintly-two similar physiognomies: that of the patient and that of the medicament. The physiognomy is that indefinite, organic and psychic unity such as constitutes an individuality or personality not to be mistaken for another. When a person is perfectly well known, it suffices for us to hear his voice, observe the mobility of his features or see him walk without looking at his face, in order to know who he is. In persons having entirely different characteristics it is easy to perceive this differentiation; but in those who are very who much alike it becomes necessary to note all the minutest details as in the case of twins who are apparently identical and only differ in one or another characteristic that escapes the notice of the none too close observer. The clinic always has an open book in every patient.

Higinio G. Perez