REPERTORY TO THE MORE CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS OF THE MATERIA MEDICA

By Constantine Lippe

Lippe’s Repertory is based on ‘The Repertory to the Manual’ published in Allentown in 1838 by Hering.

It includes information from the literature of Guernsey, Hering, Jahr, Adolph von Lippe, Bell and Boenninghausen.

He says that his book is an index to the more characteristic symptoms of the Materia Medica and presents only such symptoms that have been proved to be characteristic by experiences of many.

1^st edition – 1879 by Boericke and Tafel

1^st Indian edition – 1933 bt Bhattacharya and Co.

5^th edition – 1972 by B. Jain Publishers

Lippe’s Repertory can be divided into three parts:

Part I – Preface

Part II – Repertory

Part III – List of remedies

PHILOSOPHICAL BACKGROUND

Lippe followed deductive logic that is from general to particular, which was later adopted by Kent.

GRADATION

1^st grade: Italics

2^nd grade: Roman

NUMBER OF REMEDIES: 301

PLAN AND CONSTRUCTION

The repertory is divided into 34 chapters – starting from Mind and dispositionup to Generalities – Aggravations and Ameliorations.

Rubrics are arranged alphabetically.

FEATURES

1. The repertory is based on the concept of deductive logic.

2. The method of construction is not fixed. It varies from section to section.

3. The chapter of Generalities mainly consists of aggravations and ameliorations, which is similar to that of Therapeutic Pocket Book.

4. Some mental symptoms are misplaced and are included in Generalities.

5. Concomitant symptoms in relation to stool, urination, menses are included in Generalities as well as in respective sections.

6. Rubrics in relation to food and drinks are mentioned alphabetically. Kent grouped them into aversions and desires

7. Rubrics of temperaments are given alphabetically. Boger included them under the rubric Temperament.

8. There is a special note in the Preface, stating that all sections are to be compared with the section “Generalities”.

9. Time modalities are arranged alphabetically. Kent includes them at the beginning in chronological order.

10. Pain sensations are arranged alphabetically by Lippe. Kent arranged them under the rubric Pain.

LIPPE’S INFLUENCE OVER KENT

A need was felt by Kent for a new and a more complete and useful repertory. Initially, Kent used Therapeutic Pocket Book but was soon dissatisfied with its philosophy and he started to go through the repertories published up to that time.

The first step in this direction was the Repertory to the more Characteristic Symptoms of our Materia Medica by Constantine Lippe. In this repertory modalities were given in detail. The concepts were broadened and put to maximum benefit In Kent's repertory.

He liked the plan and arrangement of Lippe's repertory.

Dr. Kent had a thorough knowledge of Materia Medica and he found that many medicines were lacking in Lippe's repertory. So he added notes to each symptom or rubric. This was interleaved many times. Hence Kent got into contact with Lippe, who wanted Kent to work along with Lee who was preparing a 3^rd edition of Lippe's repertory. By this time Dr. Kent had prepared a repertory of urinary organs, chill, fever, sweat, etc.

Hence, it can be said that Lippe’s work was the base for Kent’s Repertory.

DR. SUMIT GOEL M.D. (Hom)

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