Introduction

    Rapid cure and avoidance of unwanted Homoeopathic aggravation lies in the fact that the most appropriately selected medicine. Prof. Dr.J.D Patil, Post Graduate Director, DKMM Homoeopathic Medical College, shares his practical views potency selection. He has written many books on Homoeopathy and also holds many positions in Dr. Baba sahib Ambedkar Marathwada University in Mahatrastra state.

     There is a difference in the action of the various potencies of homeopathic remedies. The selection of the correct potency is just as important as the remedy itself. The remedy will fail if the wrong potency is used. ; Any illness may be tackled by any potency but when the correct indicated potency is administered the cure may be accelerated and permanent.

     Hahnemann spent his life systematically exploring the ramifications of similia similibus. He found the drugs are very toxic, reasoned that if diluted they might be less toxic. To his pleasant surprise he found the strange powers of producing symptoms. He proved that if the symptoms of the drugs matched with those of the disease, a cure would be effected permanently based on our natural law. Finally he developed the concept of potentisation by which real power of healing could be possible.

     The entire series of potency has been compared to the music scales. "A skillful artist may construct a harmony with various vibrations of the same cord 1but by the use of a proper combination of all sounds a more beautiful and perfect harmony might be constructed".

     When starting a remedy we must use first the lowest potency, and then work our way up, jumping on each note. Like in music-gradually going up the harmonious scale.

     We now come to the question of the basic difference between low and high potencies. If the low potencies are like artillery (missile) shell, the higher potencies are like atom bomb.

     Centesimal potencies are widely used than Decimal and LM potencies. If the potency is above than 30 Centismal is categorised as higher potency and below potencies are labeled as lower potencies. The high or low range of potency is selected on the basis of the following:

1. The Susceptibility of the patient.
2. Nature of the disease.
3. Nature of the medicine.
4. Similarity of the medicine with the disease.
5. The pervious treatment.

     The susceptibility of the patients. The greater the susceptibility of the patient, the higher the potency is required. The children, young robust persons, sensitive, irritable, nervous and intellectual persons all possess high susceptibility requiring higher potencies. The old aged, phlegmatic, dull and sluggish individuals, laborers, deaf and dumb etc. possess less susceptibility and therefore require low potencies.

     Nature of the disease - The cases in which the mental symptoms dominate or the symptoms are mostly of functional disturbances require high potencies.

Korsakoff Potentising Machine

     The cases with pathological symptoms indicating gross structural changes in the tissues and organs require low and medium potencies.

     The malignant, rapidly fatal diseases require low potencies .

     When the vital reaction of the patient is poor the patient requires low potencies but in disease where the patient has increased vital reaction high potencies are needed. In terminal conditions when the vitality is very low Dr. Hahnemann advised use of antipathic remedies, mesmerism and the kind.

     Nature of the medicine Nosodes and medicines prepared from inert substances should be administered in high potencies. Organ remedies and biochemic remedies are generally administered in low or medium potencies. Medicines having powerful action in crude state are better given in higher potencies.

     Similarity of the medicine with the disease The greater the similarity of the pathogenesis of medicine with the disease, the greater is the susceptibility of the patients requiring higher potencies. When there is less similarity and the medicine is partially indicated low and medium potencies are used.

     The previous treatment Persons who have already taken a particular potency with no apparent benefit (though the medicine is indicated) may be administered higher or lower potency. If a person has already taken large number of drugs in material doses his susceptibility is lowered, requiring low potencies. Later when the drug effects pass off medium and higher potencies can be given with benefit.

     Hypersensitive patients, which prove every remedy they take, should be administered low and medium potencies. Persons continually exposed to influence of drugs require low potencies.