Materia Medica Pura

Overview

Hahnemann's investigations of a host of substances morphed between 1811 and 1833 to become the venerable mother of all our materia medica; ultimately containing 53 remedies.

Details

Materia Medica Pura, 2 volumes, by Samuel Hahnemann, was published from 1811-1821. The first English translation was done by Charles Hempel and published in 1846.

67 remedies are given with symptoms from provings and poisonings. Includes Dr. Richard Hughes' comments about the circumstances under which the symptoms were observed. Complete with Hahnemann's notes on the history, preparation, and main features of each remedy.

A distinctive materia medica in that the names of the provers are given for each symptom. Also, the time of the occurrence of a symptom after ingestion of the homeopathic dose is often referenced.

Hahnemann set out to create a new type of materia medica, one specific to his new system of medicine. No other work of the day was so based in actual experience, as opposed to theory. These remedy descriptions are as useful today as they were 182 years ago.

Contents

Preface -- 1-5
Spirit of the Homeopathic Medical Doctrine -- 6-17
Preamble -- 18-23
Aconitum -- 24-45
Ambra Grisea -- 46-62
Angustura -- 63-76
Argentum -- 77-88
Arnica -- 89-112
Arsenicum -- 113-165
Asarum -- 166-178
Aurum -- 179-197
Belladonna -- 198-255
Bismuthum -- 56-261
Bryonia -- 262-290
Calcarea Acetica -- 291-303
Camphora -- 304-319
Cannabis -- 320-333
Capsicum -- 334-346
Carbo Animilis -- 347-353
Carbo Vegetabilis -- 354-378
Chamomilla -- 379-399
Chelidonium -- 400-407
China -- 408-466
Cicuta -- 467-477
CIna -- 478-490
Cocculus -- 491-510
Colocynthis -- 511-523
Conium -- 521-540
Cyclamen -- 541-550
Digitalis -- 551-569
Drosera -- 570-582
Dulcamara -- 583-599
Euphrasia -- 600-605
Ferrum -- 606-618
Gualacum -- 619-625
Helleborus Niger -- 626-638
Hepar Sulphuris Calcareum -- 639-649
Hyoscyamus -- 650-673
Ignatia -- 674-707
Ipecacuanha -- 708-718
Note Bene For My Reviewer -- 1-4
Examination of the Sources of the Common Materia Medica -- 5-29
A Reminiscence -- 30-39
The Medical Observer, A Fragment -- 40-42
How Can Small Doses of Such Very Attenuated Medicine As Homeopathy Employs Still Possess Great Power? -- 43-46
Ledum -- 47-59
Magnes -- 60-82
Magnetis Polus Arcticus -- 83-99
Magnetis Polus Australis -- 100-113
Manganum Aceticum -- 114-129
Menyanthes Trifoliata -- 130-143
Mercurius -- 144-199
Moschus -- 200-208
Muriaticum Acidum -- 209-222
Nux Vomica -- 223-269
Oleander -- 270-283
Opium -- 284-318
Phosphoricum Acidum -- 319-344
Pulsatilla -- 345-390
Rheum -- 391-399
Rhus -- 400-438
Ruta -- 439-451
Sambucus -- 452-458
Sarsaparilla -- 459-465
Scilla -- 466-478
Spigelia -- 479-508
Spongia -- 509-525
Stannum -- 526-554
Staphisagria -- 555-585
Stramonium -- 586-609
Sulphur -- 610-637
Taraxacum -- 638-648
Thuja -- 649-672
Veratrum -- 673-701
Verbascum -- 702-709

Dr. Samuel Christian Frederic Hahnemann, M.D.

(1755 - 1843)

Samuel Hahnemann was the founder of Homoeopathy. He established the fundamental principles of the science and art of Homoeopathy.

He is called the Father of Experimental Pharmacology because he was the first physician to prepare medicines in a specialized way; proving them on healthy human beings, to determine how the medicines acted to cure diseases. Before Hahnemann, medicines were given on speculative indications, mainly on the basis of authority without experimental verification.

Hahnemann discovered the remedial powers of drugs and inert substances such as gold, platinum, silica, vegetable charcoal, lycopodium, etc. By preparing the medicines through potentization, these inert and insoluble substances became soluble in alcohol or water and were charged with medicinal force.

Dr. Hahnemann espoused the law of cure known as "Similia Similibus Curentur", or "Like Cures Like". This means that a remedy that produces symptoms in a healthy person will cure those same symptoms when manifested by a person in a diseased state. This law of cure has been verified by millions of homoeopaths all over the world since the time of Hahnemann.

Hahnemann discovered the primary and secondary actions of remedies. The primary action results from the first encounter between the vital force and the external agent, and the secondary action is a result of the vital force's reaction to the symptoms of that primary encounter. This discovery led him to the curative powers of poisonous substances.

Dr. Hahnemann described the different aspects of 'acute' and 'chronic' diseases. Acute diseases are transitory; they have a beginning and an end, whereas the chronic diseases are co-existent with life. Either they are present in a manifest or a latent state. From this work came the chronic miasms of Psora, Syphilis, and Sycosis.

Dr. Hahnemann was the progenitor of several modern medical approaches. Deeming the treatment of insane patients to be cruel and harmful, he advised a humane treatment for the insane. He cured many insane patients with homeopathy, and became famous for this success.

Dr. Hahnemann was quick to recognize poor hygiene as a contributory cause to the spread of disease. His success with cholera and typhoid fever was in part due to this recognition.

Hahnemann also emphasized the importance of nursing, diet, bed rest, and isolation of patients during epidemic diseases. Hahnemann described 'Noxious' principles as the precursors of certain disease states.

Hahnemann's three major publications illumine the development of homeopathy. In the 'Organon of Medicine' (revised six times), we see the fundamentals laid out.

'Materia Medica Pura' records the exact symptoms of the remedy provings. In his book, 'The Chronic Diseases, Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure', he showed us how the natural diseases become chronic in nature when suppressed by improper treatment.

Dr. Hahnemann treated thousands of difficult and chronic cases that defied the best care from allopaths all over Europe. Thus, he became so famous that physicians from Europe and America came to him for coaching in the new science and art of healing, called Homoeopathy.

Heritage

The second edition (in six volumes) was published between 1822-1827. The third edition (in two volumes) was published between 1830-1833.

Of the 53 remedies, 15 were found to be of an antipsoric nature and were included, in expanded form, in The Chronic Diseases. The first English translation was done by Charles Hempel, and published by William Radde in 1846.

R.E. Dudgeon did a translation that was published by the Hahnemann Publishing House(London) in 1880

From:
The Heritage of Homoeopathic Literature
copyright 2001 by Julian Winston
Reprinted with the permission of the author