“He who trusts solely the experience and observations of others, and thinks that by means of published collections of cases he will also attain accuracy in the selection of medicines in individual cases, or find a similar accuracy in his general views of medicinal agents – such a one constantly remains in a state of dependence, moving merely in the narrow circle which others have chalked out. “He who relies only on his own experience for knowledge of medicines can only attain a very limited understanding. His personal knowledge will be quite imperfect as regards individual remedial agents.” ~ Constantine Hering, M.D.
start by studying a single remedy with a pen and pad at hand.
Read the symptoms through from beginning to end over and over, and with each reading, pay attention to one of the following:
Overall impression: what is your overall sense about the remedy?
Affinities to particular organs or areas: which organs or areas of the body have the most symptoms?
Symptoms: what is the character of the symptoms, i.e., the pains, the sensations, and the discharges, etc.?
General modalities: what factors affect the person in general, making them feel better or worse overall, e.g., cold, heat, time, position, motion, pressure, side, etc.?
Particular modalities: what factors (cold, heat, motion etc.) affect the person’s symptoms (pains, discharges, etc)? Are the modalities of the symptoms different from the modalities of the person in general?
Combined symptoms: are there any symptoms or diseases that follow each other or groups of symptoms or diseases in combination? For example, liver complaints with headache, or diarrhea with fatigue.
Etiology: list any causations or etiologies. That is, to what is a person who needs this remedy vulnerable – mentally, emotionally, and/or physically?
Origin or source: use encyclopedias or the Internet, etc., to check the remedy’s origins and “close relatives” from its own family (botanical, chemical, zoological, etc.).
Similar remedies: which remedies are similar because of the similarity of the symptoms
“Man’s mind is composed of more than memory. Memory is the impression made on the mind by a fact.” ~ Ernest A. Farrington, M.D.
Study another remedy that is similar to the first one and compare the two paying special attention to:
What is similar (markedly or strongly similar) between the two remedies including:
Affinities
Symptoms/diseases
Modalities
Etiology
What is opposite in terms of symptoms (or very different)? Pay special attention to modalities and specific locations.
What’s unique to each remedy?
Study a third remedy that is similar to the first and the second one, and compare the three of them paying attention to 1–3 above.
recommended books
The original provings from Hahnemann, Allen, etc.
T.F. Allen’s Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica
S. Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura
S. Hahnemann’s Chronic Diseases
Contemporary provings from Julian, Sherr, Eising, and Herrick, etc.
O. Julian’s Materia Medica of New Homeopathic Remedies
Jeremy Sherr’s Dynamic Materia Medica
Nuala Eising, Nancy Herrick, Todd Rowe’s published provings, etc.
Provings.info … add details
Boger’s Synoptic Key for affinities.
Phatak’s Materia Medica for one of the best general pictures including general symptoms, etiologies, and modalities.
Clarke’s Dictionary , Vermeulen’s Concordant Materia Medica , or Murphy’s Materia Medica for an expanded materia medica. Hering’s Guiding Symptoms (10 volumes) for a very complete materia medica for serious students and practitioners.
Kent’s Lectures on Materia Medica and Tyler’s Drug Pictures for more digested materia medica.
Roger Morrison’s Desktop Guide and Vermeulen’s Synoptic Materia Medica for confirmatory keynotes and contemporary snapshots.
Kent’s Repertory , Schroyen’s Synthesis Repertory or VanZandvoort’s Complete Repertory for rubrics.
Any book or listing of relationships of remedies (there’s one in the back of Kent’s Repertory ).
Quotes in this article can be found in the 42-page, carefully curated collection for you to read or download below. It contains written pieces about studying remedies from homeopathic illuminati …Julia Green, Constantine Hering, Will Taylor and Julian Winston… and more! These foundational writings from respected teachers across generations offer thoughtful guidance on how to truly study and understand the materia medica. A multi-layered perspective on developing familiarity, discernment, and depth in remedy study provides options for a variety of learners.
Whether you are a student just beginning or a practitioner refining your art, this collection offers timeless insight into how remedies become living knowledge.
Author, teacher, homeopath! I am a British homeopath who has been living in the US since 1994 and in Florida since 2002. I am author The Complete Homeopathy Handbook, Homeopathy for Mother and Baby (Homeopathy for Pregnancy, Birth and Your Baby’s First Years in the US), and A Homeopathic Guide to Stress. I believe that homeopathy is 'medicine for the people' and my articles are packed with healing insights and homeopathic help. I live, write and garden in Gainesville Florida!
