A Critical Study on Boger's Boenninghausen's Charactrestics and Repertory

This was written by H.A.Roberts. He says that it was Boenninghausen who first evaluated the remedies in relation to the individual symptoms and it was he who introduced various relationship of any given remedy to the individual case. The repertory is based on the original repertory of the Antipsoric remedies of Boenninghausen.

Preface

On the use of Repertories

Repertory is used for discovering particular symptoms as well as for grouping remedies containing similar combinations in their pathogenesis.

The repetition of the dose

The primary and secondary action of many drugs repeats itself alternately, as long as the first dose has not exhausted its action- hence repetition should not be done during this period.

In chronic diseases the action of the remedy must be left undisturbed if we wish to attain success. After the administration of the carefully selected remedy, within 8 days (in acute diseases within few hours ) one of the two events certainly follows either:

In the first case, repetition should be done only when the improvement comes to a visible standstill.

In the second case, which is called as homoeopathic aggravation , nothing further is to be done ; if it is too strong an antidote must be applied, which in most cases will be the smaller doses of the same medicine itself.

In the third case the remedy was incorrect, and that must be exchanged for a suitable one.

If the state of illness remains the same, which is due to want of receptivity, we must seek to remove it either by repeated small doses or by medicines recommended for deficient reactions.

A well correct medicine applied to a sick individual operates within sphere corresponding to its action will overthrow the disease; on the other hand if the reaction remains absent or new symptoms appear during the operation of the drug, the prognosis is grave.

Medicines are described in the anatomical order- for example;

Duration of action of remedies

Remedies are divided into following types depending on their duration of action;

Important hints

He gives the twelve observations of Kent as the important hints for the selection of second prescription.

Boger’s repertory is the combined observations and logic of Boenninghausen and the wide and wise observations garnered by Dr. Boger from long years of study and practice. This is the tribute that Dr. H.A.Roberts paid to Boger.

Boger, while working on Boenninghausen’s repertory, subscribed to the principle of totality of symptoms, which was originally given by Hahneman. He was fully in agreement with the idea of what constitutes a complete symptom, which is studied in relation to four factors, viz., location, sensation, modalities and concomitant.

Boger’s work Boenninghausen’s Characteristics and Repertory is based on the following fundamental concepts:

Concomitants are the symptoms accompanying the main complaint without any pathological relation to the main complaint. They are known as the “unreasonable attendants”.

He tried to make every symptom as far as complete and he included concomitants at the end of each chapter.

These are the general changes in the tissues and parts of the body. They reveal the state of the whole body and its changes in the changes in relation to the constitution. The chapter “ sensations and complaint in general” is full of examples of pathological generals, which include discharges, structural alterations, constitutions, diathesis, etc.

Boger has given adequate importance to causative modality and time modality. Each chapter in this book is followed by a separate sub chapter of time aggravation.

In the absence of characteristic symptoms, clinical conditions are very useful in grouping medicines, which can be further narrowed down with the help of modalities and concomitants and finally selecting one among them. They help the physician in case of advanced pathology.

Boger used the same five grading of medicines as Boenninghausen followed in his Therapeutic Pocket Book. The grading is based on the frequency of appearance of symptoms in the provers. He used five different typography to represent these grades:

This is the unique contribution of Boger. The three stages of fever are followed by time, aggravation, amelioration and concomitants. They helps to repertorise any simple as well as complicated cases of fevers.

Boger indeed helped the profession by pulling all his experiences in the evolution of ‘Portrait of Disease’ (natural as well as artificial). He re-emphasized the following seven points to appreciate the whole picture of the disease.

Boenninghausen’s Characteristics and Repertory has got its own advantages over other repertories. It is well explained, well arranged, follows a definite plan and construction and is based on a sound philosophy. Adequate acquaintance with the repertory with the repertory is needed to put it to maximum use.

Boger has given greater importance to causation, time- dimensions, modalities and generals (pathological, physical and mental). It is obvious that Boger has given importance to causation, modalities, concomitants, general sensations and pathology. Location is given the last place in the order of hierarchy.

While compiling the repertory, Boger followed the basic plan and construction of Boenninghausen’s Repertory of Antipsoric Medicines, which could overcome many difficulties faced in using Therapeutic pocket book.

The repertory embraces the psoric and the anti-psoric repertories, the sides of body, the repertory part of the intermittent fever and of whooping cough as well as a large number of paragraphs from the aphorisms of Hippocrates.

BOGERS REPERTORY	BTPB
MIND	MIND INTELLECT
SENSORIUM
VERTIGO	INCLUDED IN INELLECT
HEAD—INTERNAL ---EXTERNAL	INTERAL HEAD EXTERNAL HEAD
EYES—EYE BROWS --ORBITS --EYE LIDS --CANTHI --VISION	EYES VISION
EARS-HEARING	EARS HEARING
NOSE—SMELL	NOSE SMELL
CORYZA
FACE—LIPS --LOWER JAW AND MAXILLARY JOINTS --CHIN	FACE LOCATIONS OF SENSATIONS
TEETH—GUMS	TEETH
MOUTH—PALATE --THROAT AND GULLET --SALIVA --TONGUE	MOUTH THROAT MOUTH AND FAUCES
APPETITE	HUNGER AND THIRST
THIRST
TASTE	TASTE
ERUCTATION	ERUCTATIONS
WATER BRASH AND HEARTBURN
HICCOUGH
NAUSEA AND VOMING	NAUSEA AND VOMITING
STOMACH
EPIGASTRIUM
HYPOCHONDRIA	HYPOCHONDRIA
ABDOMEN	ABDOMEN INTERNAL ABDOMEN ABDOMINAL RINGS
EXTERNAL ABDOMEN	EXTERNAL ABDOMEN
INGUINAL AND PUBIC REGION
FLATULENCE	FLATULENCE
STOOL—CONCOMITANTS BEFORE STOOL -- CONCOMITANTS DURING STOOL --CONCOMITANTS AFTER STOOL	STOOL
ANUS AND RECTUM
PERINEUM
PROSTATE GLAND
URINE—SEDIMENT --MICTURITION --BEFORE URINATION --DURING URINATION --AT CLOSE OF URINATION --AFTER URINATION --CONDITIONS OF URINATION	URINE MICTURITION
URINARY ORGANS—KIDNEYS --URETERS --BLADDER ---URETHRA meatus	URINARY ORGANS
GENITALIA—MALE ORGANS --PENIS --GLANS --PREPUCE --SPERMATIC CORD --TESTIS --SCROTUM --FEMALE ORGANS	SEXUAL ORGANS
SEXUAL IMPULSE
MENSTRUATION—CONCOMITANTS BEFORE MENSES -- CONCOMITANTS AT START OF MENSES --CONCOMITANTS DURING MENSES --CONCOMITANTS AFTER MENSES --LEUCORRHOEA	MENSTRUATION LEUCORRHOEA
RESPIRATION—IMPEDED BY	RESPIRATION
COUGH—EXCITED OR AGGRAVATED BY --EXPECTORATION --EXPECTORATION,TASTE OF --EXPECTORATION,ODOUR OF	COUGH
LARYNX AND TRACHEA	AIR PASSAGES
VOICE AND SPEECH
NECK AND EXTERNAL THROAT --NAPE	EXTERNAL THROAT AND NECK NECK AND NAPE OF NECK
CHEST—INNER --EXTERNAL --AXILLAE --MAMMAE --NIPPLES --HEART AND REGION OF	CHEST
BACK—SCAPULAR REGION --BACK PROPER(DORSAL REGION) --LUMBAR REGION-SMALL OF BACK IN GENERAL --SACRUM AND COCCYX --SPINAL COLUMN AND VERTEBRAE	BACK
UPPER EXTRIMITIES	UPPER EXTRIMITIES
LOWER EXTRIMITIES	LOWER EXTRIMITIES
SENSATIONS AND COMPLAINTS IN GENERAL	SENSATIONS
GLANDS	GLANDS
BONES	BONES
SKIN AND EXTERIOR BODY	SKIN
SLEEP—POSITIONS DURING SLEEP ---WAKING	SLEEP—POSITION IN SLEEP
DREAMS	DREAMS
FEVER—PATHOLOGICAL TYPES
BLOOD
CIRCULATION—PALPITATION --HEART BEAT --PULSE --CHILL --PARTIAL CHILL --COLDNESS --PARTIAL COLDNESS --SHIVERING	CIRCULATION
HEAT AND FEVER IN GENERAL ---PARTIAL HEAT
SWEAT—PARTIAL SWEAT
COMPOUND FEVER --BEGINNING WITH CHILL --BEGINNING WITH SHIVERING --BEGINNING WITH HEAT --BEGINNING WITH SWEAT
CONDITIONS IN GENERAL
CONDITIONS OF AGGRAVATION AND AMELIORATION IN GENERAL	AGGRAVATIONS AMELIORATION
CONCORDANCE	RELATIONSHIP OF REMEDIES

Aggravation-both mental and physical conditions are given in alphabetical order. Some concomitants are given in this like abdominal complaints with, menses during, before, after

Internal-in general, regions like forehead (F) temples (T), vertex (V) occiput (O),sides are not given first but in various subdivisions like parietals, temples. And then sensation in alphabetical order

External-sensation in general, then sides, then subdivisions sensations in alphabetical order

Concomitants-in general, then complaints of concomitants are
given in alphabetical order

M-entire muscular and fleshy part of the limb or foot,sides,sublocations in descending anatomical order, then joints in descending anatomical order

Yawning in general, fall asleep unable to after once awaking, falling to sleep late, and sleepiness during day, sleepiness, character of sleep, during sleep

Concomitants-concomitants are given under each location in anatomical schema under each location complaints are given

Conditions are given and aggravations and ameliorations are given under each condition.eg: ascending steps agg, amel

Remedies are given under which various locations are given as in the original repertory plan and construction. Under each location a group of medicines are given. Related remedies, antidotes.

Eg:ammonium carb-mind,localities,sensations,glands,bones,skin,sleep and dreams, blood circulation and fever,time,aggravation,related remedies, antidote

Names of main chapters are given in dark capitals. According to that there are 58 chapters given. In index only 53 chapters are listed. Sub chapters are given in ordinary capital

Chapters are arranged following boenninghausens original idea i.e. mainly in 7 sections

2. Parts of the body-in this the parts arranged in anatomical schema and importance is given from important organs to lesser important organs ,from internal organs to external organs, from above down wards.eg;in head chapter first head internal and then external head. In back sub chapter starts from scapular region, dorsal region, lumbar region, sacrum, and coccyx,

LOCATION or part of the body or organ: remedies having affinity towards these particular organs and help when there is paucity of symptoms. Location is further divided into subdivisions, sides, extension. In most of the chapter sides are given first but in head sides are not given. Instead it’s given under the temples and parietal region. In extremities locations are given in descending order like starting from shoulder to fingers nails. Then joints are given separately in descending order. Like from shoulder joints to finger joints. Subdivisions of locations are represented by their abbreviations usually first letters.

SENSATIONS: begins after the end of locations. Sensations are separated by a horizontal line from locations. Different sensations and pathological conditions are mentioned under sensations in alphabetical order. Each sensation again has sub rubrics in which subdivisions of location are given.

TIME: time modality is given at the end of sensations. Medicines are grouped under morning, forenoon, noon, afternoon, evening, night, at midnight. Specific time modalities are not usually used. As the day progresses in clock wise direction

AGGRAVATIONS: factors which increases the complaints, excite or bring out the complaints are given in this division. Some concomitants are also found in this section. In such divisions no concomitants follows.boger has given more importance to aggravations as they are easier to obtain from the patients. Parts of body ameliorate and aggravation is given in separately. In conditions of aggravation and amelioration it’s given under various conditions.

AMELIORATIONS: this session contains rubrics which relieves the complaints. Very less no of rubrics are given in this session.

CONCOMITANTS: boger has given more importance to concomitants and has given separate sessions for concomitants under each chapter. Thus meeting the criticism met by boenninghausen. Rubrics are arranged alphabetically. There are some chapters where concomitants are not given. In coryza chapter concomitants are given in condition wise. Menstruation concomitants are given under locations and there are a group of remedies. Fever chapter is rich with concomitants which is arranged in various subsections starting from mind to sleep. In fever chapter this two are comprised. That is concomitants given under various locations under which the various conditions are given.

CROSS REFERENCES: cross references are given under each chapter which helps us to understand similar rubrics in other chapters.