Introducing the first episode of Eva Pick’s translation of Boenninghausen’s Triduum Homœopathicum I remarked that the baron’s use of several medicines to effect a cure arose from the methods he had developed, somewhat independent of Hahnemann, and the paucity of remedies in his day.
I would like to comment further, drawing attention to Boenninghausen’s use of intercurrents. An intercurrent is prescribed to advance a case progressing slower than expected on a well chosen remedy, or when the case is not progressing at all, or to fit predictable symptom changes.
It is rare for a single remedy to be all that is required to effect a cure in a chronic condition, even today; sometimes there is a need for another remedy to be inserted between doses of the main one - this is the intercurrent. For example when Rhus tox, though a close match to the patient’s symptoms, seems to have lost its effectiveness and progress stalls, or the patient slips back, Rhus tox can be punctuated with Bryonia. Similarly Lycopodium with Carbo vegetabilis, and so on.
A list of popular intercurrents is given in Kent on page 1397 under the rubric REACTION, lack of. Many people seem to misunderstand the meaning of the rubric, thinking it to mean the patient is not responding to environmental stimuli, or is unaware of them, as in a coma - this meaning fits only a few entries.
The intelligent use of an intercurrent is virtually a lost art, it being confined now to prescribing Sulphur, Tuberculinum, Psorinum or Carcinosinum and several similar remedies prescribed on the grounds they were needed to clear a miasm - or some more esoteric blockage.
Today when the progress of a case stalls the usual solution is to give a higher potency - in my view this is rarely a good idea unless you are a very experienced prescriber.
It would be a very good thing if a set of easily comprehended rules on the use of intercurrents was available: I have not yet found one in the old homœopathic literature, but I am continuing to look.
Some insight into their use can be gained from studying the cases of non-Kentian masters, and pondering on the composition, and gradings, of the “lack of reaction” remedies in repertories, though you will find confusion between “Poor reaction”, “Want of reaction”, “Lack of physical irritability” and similar rubrics.
Some repertories have combined such rubrics with differing meanings to make one over-long entry of little value.
Of course a possible intercurrent may very well be found outside any repertory consultation - for example Compton Burnett’s use of Levico aqua. Many potentised mineral waters may serve as intercurrents; one of my favourites is Kissingen aqua.
Maybe potentised cimetidine could be a valuable intercurrent; a great deal more attention needs to be paid to the use of intercurrents.
Bruce Barwell
One Comment
Very often one or more supporting biochemic medicines have been found to be very effective. For example, for cold allergy & hay fever, seasonal fever and flue, asthma etc., Ferrum phos 6x + Kali mur 6x may be given 2~ 3 times a day after the main homoeopathic dose in potentized form 200 c once in a week (say arsenic alb/iod or Nux vom or Pulsatilla or Rhus tox or ipecac as the need be). Similarly, for arthritis/gout/rheumatism etc Mag phos 30x + Biocombination 19 may be given 2 ~ 3 times a day to support the main homoeo temedy (e.g. Thus toc or Bryonia 200 c potency once i 7 ~ 10 days as the case may be).
Plz try and see the efficay of this treatment protoco.
Thanx
T K Banerjee