By Ernest Franz, M.D. Berne, Ind.
The theme assigned to me to prepare a few brief remarks. Had been accepted with pleasure, and it shall be my opportunity to publicly proclaim my doings as a servant and follower of the law of similia similibus curantur.
Having had the observation in the prescribing of the homoeopathic remedy from childhood up, first by my father, although a layman, who had in possession a so-called family chest, fitted with about thirty remedies, prepared in pellets of low attenuation. He also had the well known guide of Dr. Lutze, of Germany, and following his method precisely the most brilliant results were obtained. Upon entering the medical studies with my preceptor, the late Dr. P.A. Sprunger, of my town, observations have also been that he used mostly the lower potencies; in very few remedies did he use anything higher than the 30x.
And as a close prescribe he was crowned with great success; nevertheless occasions presented themselves that he was at a loss to know what to give, and jumping from one remedy to another with aggravations every time, a light dawned in my studies, the if by a low potency aggravation would be manifested, cease with the drugging and give nature a chance to present a different picture, and if by the same symptoms and no amelioration then give a higher one.
When attending lectures at college and listening to the teachings of our worthy Prof. H.C. Allen, of Chicago, really the true teacher in Homoeopathy, my aspirations were that if on entering the field of practice I would only follow the art of prescribing the higher potencies.
But very soon I had the experience that my wings which were at first carrying me in the lofty air of the high potency alone became weakened and the feathers steadily dropping out, and the consequence I found myself in the lower altitude, which compelled me to search for the aid given to every student of materia medica, as low as even the original tincture when the occasion demanded.
My principal potency in almost every acute disease is selected from the 3x. Why? Take a case in severe high fever, I find that I can not rely upon the high potency alone, as something must be done in order to aid my case, and the lower potency will always give me the most speedy result.
Remedies out of the vegetable and some from the anial kingdom I select mostly in the 3x, while the ones out of the mineral kingdom are giving me better results in the 6x, 12x and 30x.
Treating the chronic ailments my experience is that success is best obtained by the 200th up to the 1m or even higher, as high as I can get them.
The nosodes I seldom use lower than the 1m with the exception of one, the Pertussion, which was as yet not obtainable higher than the 200th, and wish that it could be gotten in the 1m or the 50m, as I know I could get better results, though I have had with it the most brilliant results in the treatment of whooping cough. Boericke & Tafel were the first people to get it from Dr. Clark, of London, who also wrote a little book on Pertussin.
As already stated some remedies. From the animal kingdom are selected and given in the 3x, the Apis is the only remedy which is given in the low potency; all the others are rarely selected lower than the 30x. Not saying by this that Apis is not given in a high potency, as you will upon investigation in my prescription case, find it in the 200th, 1m and the C.M. also.
Years ago I have been using the Natrum mur. In the Schuessler’s preparation of the 3x, but found that it will act better in the 30x and higher, yes, up to the C.M. In order to avoid taking up unnecessary time by going over the many remedies which I am using and their potencies, I wish to make the statement in summary, that, as I have at my command all the remedies in the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia, I do not obligate myself to the use of any potency alone in every case as long as I adhere to the similimum; there is no principal potency I mostly use. Why? The selection of the remedy according to the indication, in any potency to the requirement of the individual, even if it should have to be taken from the tincture.
