- Email: [email protected]
The Heritage of Homœopathic Literature
Book reviews
184
ment of common disorders which include complementary approaches. The appendices include self-help sheets for patients which provide further information on various CM therapies such as ‘What you need to know about naturopathy’ and patient advice sheets on various conditions such as inflammatory joint disorders or irritable bowel syndrome. Finally, there are useful sheets on various diets such as exclusion rotation diet, dairy- and wheat-free diets as well as information concerning various forms of exercise. This part also includes the various administrative and research forms that the Marylebone Health Centre have devised to collect and structure data. This includes the well-known MYMOP questionnaire devised by Dr Charlotte Patterson. This has proved to be a useful tool in the evaluation of GP consultations and outcomes. This excellent book really reveals the nature of the Marylebone Health Centre Practice which, with Glastonbury and Southampton, were used as examples to develop the recommendations made by the House of Lords Select Committee report on Complementary Medicine (November 2000). The successful implementation of this integrative approach depends very much on whether the ideas in this book can help to influence primary care organisations as well as secondary and tertiary care. It will certainly help to stimulate new pilot projects in the future. Equally, it should help to support GP education programmes, CT pathways (ie via NHS Direct), evidence-based commissioning in CT as well as the development of new health-care pathways, including national priority conditions where conventional treatments are unsatisfactory or costly (for example chronic pain, cancer or moderate mental health conditions). The book is well-structured and clearly written with good references, many useful tables and flow charts. It will appeal to all health-care professionals who are interested in trying to achieve an integration of complementary therapies alongside Western orthodox medicine. It will be particularly useful to those in primary care who are trying to influence the development of primary care trusts/primary care organisations in the area of complementary therapies (ideally every Chair or Chief Executive should be given one). Likewise, it will challenge those in medical education, both undergraduates and postgraduates, with its new ideas. At the same time, it includes practical help with patient-centred leaflets and forms for those involved in clinical care and in research. It would be wrong to assume that one could learn details of each therapy as this is not the remit of this book and indeed is covered by other books such as the ABC of Complementary Medicine, published by BMJ Books. In conclusion, I feel this book provides a unique contribution to the emerging health-care debate, I know of no other similar book that has been published in the United Kingdom. As the introduction says ‘ythis is a book for clinicians. It is a snapshot of a Homeopathy
prominent trend in health care: the increasing use of non-conventional treatments by the public and also by the mainstream practitioners. The book provides a moving picture of a reflective approach to use complementary therapies in family practice’. I recommend it wholeheartedly. Michael Cannell 93 Watford Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK PII: S1475-4916(02)00070-X, available online at www.idealibrary.com on
The Heritage of Homœopathic Literature Julian Winston Great Auk Publishing: Wellington, New Zealand, 2001 Price: US$ 35.00, ISBN: 0473079968 This book is described as an Abbreviated Bibliography and Commentary. It lists most homeopathic books published in, or translated into, English during the past two centuries. It is dedicated to TL Bradford who published a Homeopathic Bibliography in 1892 containing 3000 written works. The purpose of this work is:
First, to remind veteran homoeopaths and to show
new homoeopaths the vastness of our literary heritage; Second, to avoid the false impression given by some references that, for example, Nash’s Leaders was written and published in 1984Fthe date of the Jain reprint; and Third, to inspire homoeopaths and others to seek out these works and use them for the valuable information which is buried within.
The books are sorted into 15 sections; The Organon, Principles, Materia Medica, Repertory, Therapeutics, Domestic Manuals, Veterinary Manuals, Anatomy Physiology and Diagnosis, Pharmacy, Popular Books, Critical Works, History, Biography, Other Books, Journals. The appendices start with an article by Benjamin Woodbury, written in 1931 and entitled ‘The Literary Armamentarium or Books that the Homoeopathic Physician cannot do without and something about them’. This is followed by a list of publishers and indices by date and author, a Glossary, graphs and final thoughts. Each section lists the books by date of first publication with the original publisher’s name. (Details of the publishers are given in an appendix.) For each book there is usually a brief summary, sometimes with quotes from the author’s introduction or from reviews. In some cases this is followed by comments by Winston. The Organon, not surprisingly, has a section to itself. Forty-one editions are listed. Julian Winston gives the
Book reviews
185
original German editions as well as their translations into European languages, and many editions in English. In his introduction, he tells the story of how the sixth edition finally came to be published, and describes the mysteries that have become attached to this great work. The next chapter deals with some 60 books on ‘Principles’. It begins with Hahnemann’s ‘Chronic Diseases’ and includes Dudgeon’s Lectures, Kent, Wheeler, Allen, Burnett’s 50 reasons, Boericke, Boenninghausen and other well known names. But other books, of which many will not have heard, are also listed. Thus he recommends Close’s ‘The Genius of Homoeopathy’ as the book of choice on the principles of homeopathy. He describes Rosenstein’s Theory and Practice of Homoeopathy (1840) as the first book, independent of Hahnemann, to discuss homeopathic principles. Von Grauvogl’s Textbook, is regrettably virtually unknown but ‘not crystal clear’. But Boericke’s Compend of Homoeopathic Principles is ‘a crystal clear work’. He prefers Kent’s Minor Writings edited by Gypser (1987) to the earlier edition, entitled ‘Lesser Writings’ (1926). He warns that Vithoulkas’s Science of Homoeopathy is homeopathy through Vithoulkas’s filtersFnot those of Hahnemann. The Materia Medica section is large, containing 150 books. It is subdivided into Provings, Comparative, Materia Medica with repertory and Regional. All the standard works by Hahnemann, Jahr, Allen, Hering, Clarke, Nash and Julian are included; also many small books such as those of Burnett. Foubister’s Carcinosin also gets a place. Tyler’s Drug Pictures is included, as is Catherine Coulter’s Portraits of Homoeopathic Medicines. Repertories, small and large are listed, 123 in all. Winston warns that they are tools to be used in conjunction with the Materia Medica. He points out the deficiencies of Kent, and welcomes the newer books that reference information derived from the literature. He recognises that the Synthesis and Complete Repertories are now the standard but hopes that the new edition of Boenninghausen will revive its use after 75 years. He describes the amazing power of computer repertories, which allow searches of almost all the homeopathic literature; but also draws attention to the disadvantages of a generation that has stopped reading the primary texts. Such people have the power to find a symptom spoken of in exact terms in the Materia Medica but can never understand the wholeness of the writer or his thinking. ‘This is the failure of computer repertories/materia medicaFthey can give us results without wholeness’. The remaining sections containing some 400 books, are of less immediate interest to the practitioner but contain a mine of information for any concerned homeopath. I cannot comment on the veterinary or pharmacy sections but I am surprised that the Journals selected do not include Homeopathic Heritage which reproduces articles by the old masters, nor Medizin Gesellschaft und Gesichte,
published by the Institute in Stuttgart and containing articles in both English and German on the history of homeopathy. Faculty members get a mixed reception. Gibson’s First Aid, Margery Blackie’s The Patient not the Cure, Bob Leckridge’s Homeopathy in Primary Care and Stephen Kayne’s Homoeopathic Pharmacy are recommended, while Classical Homoeopathy, Foubister’s Tutorials and Bodman’s Insights are merely described. Noel Pratt’s Prescriber is ‘one of the many useless books’. Campbell’s Two Faces of Homoeopathy is ‘an interesting book flawed by many assumptions and inaccurate details’. Peter Webb’s Family Encyclopaedia of Homoeopathic Medicine, based on Tyler’s Pointers, is, to my surprise, excluded. Andrew Lockie’s Family Guide to Homoeopathy is ‘another book with a wide, double standard’. The Heritage of Homeopathic Literature is very difficult to review because it contains so much information. In a therapy where ‘the book’ is so important and the Organon has almost biblical status, Winston fears for the future. He fears that the new generation of homeopaths brought up on extracts of the literature in computer programs, will miss getting a real understanding of the thinking that led to the ideas in those extracts. There is also, according to me, the risk that we will forget how effective homeopathy can be. I remember a doctor on the Jimmy Young Show telling a patient who asked whether she should see a homeopath ‘Go to your doctor and if he says there is nothing wrong, by all means see a homeopath.’ We are perhaps tending to become the therapists for hay fever, eczema, and Chronic Fatigue SyndromeFnon-life threatening conditions. We are amazed when a patient with secondary carcinoma is kept alive. But Burnett and Clarke treated Cancer, Nash claimed to cure valvular heart disease, and Margery Blackie cured lobar pneumonia overnight. There should be limits on what we attempt, but if we have read the old masters, we will have a better idea of where that limit should be. This is a marvellous book for someone like me who cannot resist books or history. It has reminded me of books I have read in the past and has drawn my attention to others I should read. Sadly I am not sure whether it will sell. Many practitioners will see no need for it, drawn as they are to the computer. Perhaps it should be issued on CD ROM. Certainly all librarians should study it to assist them in recommending books for study. I repeat this is a marvellous book. One may disagree with some of the author’s comments or with his selection but these are minor points. I thoroughly recommend it to all interested in homeopathy.
Bernard Leary Windycroft, Brimington, Chesterfield Derbyshisre, UK Homeopathy
184
ment of common disorders which include complementary approaches. The appendices include self-help sheets for patients which provide further information on various CM therapies such as ‘What you need to know about naturopathy’ and patient advice sheets on various conditions such as inflammatory joint disorders or irritable bowel syndrome. Finally, there are useful sheets on various diets such as exclusion rotation diet, dairy- and wheat-free diets as well as information concerning various forms of exercise. This part also includes the various administrative and research forms that the Marylebone Health Centre have devised to collect and structure data. This includes the well-known MYMOP questionnaire devised by Dr Charlotte Patterson. This has proved to be a useful tool in the evaluation of GP consultations and outcomes. This excellent book really reveals the nature of the Marylebone Health Centre Practice which, with Glastonbury and Southampton, were used as examples to develop the recommendations made by the House of Lords Select Committee report on Complementary Medicine (November 2000). The successful implementation of this integrative approach depends very much on whether the ideas in this book can help to influence primary care organisations as well as secondary and tertiary care. It will certainly help to stimulate new pilot projects in the future. Equally, it should help to support GP education programmes, CT pathways (ie via NHS Direct), evidence-based commissioning in CT as well as the development of new health-care pathways, including national priority conditions where conventional treatments are unsatisfactory or costly (for example chronic pain, cancer or moderate mental health conditions). The book is well-structured and clearly written with good references, many useful tables and flow charts. It will appeal to all health-care professionals who are interested in trying to achieve an integration of complementary therapies alongside Western orthodox medicine. It will be particularly useful to those in primary care who are trying to influence the development of primary care trusts/primary care organisations in the area of complementary therapies (ideally every Chair or Chief Executive should be given one). Likewise, it will challenge those in medical education, both undergraduates and postgraduates, with its new ideas. At the same time, it includes practical help with patient-centred leaflets and forms for those involved in clinical care and in research. It would be wrong to assume that one could learn details of each therapy as this is not the remit of this book and indeed is covered by other books such as the ABC of Complementary Medicine, published by BMJ Books. In conclusion, I feel this book provides a unique contribution to the emerging health-care debate, I know of no other similar book that has been published in the United Kingdom. As the introduction says ‘ythis is a book for clinicians. It is a snapshot of a Homeopathy
prominent trend in health care: the increasing use of non-conventional treatments by the public and also by the mainstream practitioners. The book provides a moving picture of a reflective approach to use complementary therapies in family practice’. I recommend it wholeheartedly. Michael Cannell 93 Watford Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK PII: S1475-4916(02)00070-X, available online at www.idealibrary.com on
The Heritage of Homœopathic Literature Julian Winston Great Auk Publishing: Wellington, New Zealand, 2001 Price: US$ 35.00, ISBN: 0473079968 This book is described as an Abbreviated Bibliography and Commentary. It lists most homeopathic books published in, or translated into, English during the past two centuries. It is dedicated to TL Bradford who published a Homeopathic Bibliography in 1892 containing 3000 written works. The purpose of this work is:
First, to remind veteran homoeopaths and to show
new homoeopaths the vastness of our literary heritage; Second, to avoid the false impression given by some references that, for example, Nash’s Leaders was written and published in 1984Fthe date of the Jain reprint; and Third, to inspire homoeopaths and others to seek out these works and use them for the valuable information which is buried within.
The books are sorted into 15 sections; The Organon, Principles, Materia Medica, Repertory, Therapeutics, Domestic Manuals, Veterinary Manuals, Anatomy Physiology and Diagnosis, Pharmacy, Popular Books, Critical Works, History, Biography, Other Books, Journals. The appendices start with an article by Benjamin Woodbury, written in 1931 and entitled ‘The Literary Armamentarium or Books that the Homoeopathic Physician cannot do without and something about them’. This is followed by a list of publishers and indices by date and author, a Glossary, graphs and final thoughts. Each section lists the books by date of first publication with the original publisher’s name. (Details of the publishers are given in an appendix.) For each book there is usually a brief summary, sometimes with quotes from the author’s introduction or from reviews. In some cases this is followed by comments by Winston. The Organon, not surprisingly, has a section to itself. Forty-one editions are listed. Julian Winston gives the
Book reviews
185
original German editions as well as their translations into European languages, and many editions in English. In his introduction, he tells the story of how the sixth edition finally came to be published, and describes the mysteries that have become attached to this great work. The next chapter deals with some 60 books on ‘Principles’. It begins with Hahnemann’s ‘Chronic Diseases’ and includes Dudgeon’s Lectures, Kent, Wheeler, Allen, Burnett’s 50 reasons, Boericke, Boenninghausen and other well known names. But other books, of which many will not have heard, are also listed. Thus he recommends Close’s ‘The Genius of Homoeopathy’ as the book of choice on the principles of homeopathy. He describes Rosenstein’s Theory and Practice of Homoeopathy (1840) as the first book, independent of Hahnemann, to discuss homeopathic principles. Von Grauvogl’s Textbook, is regrettably virtually unknown but ‘not crystal clear’. But Boericke’s Compend of Homoeopathic Principles is ‘a crystal clear work’. He prefers Kent’s Minor Writings edited by Gypser (1987) to the earlier edition, entitled ‘Lesser Writings’ (1926). He warns that Vithoulkas’s Science of Homoeopathy is homeopathy through Vithoulkas’s filtersFnot those of Hahnemann. The Materia Medica section is large, containing 150 books. It is subdivided into Provings, Comparative, Materia Medica with repertory and Regional. All the standard works by Hahnemann, Jahr, Allen, Hering, Clarke, Nash and Julian are included; also many small books such as those of Burnett. Foubister’s Carcinosin also gets a place. Tyler’s Drug Pictures is included, as is Catherine Coulter’s Portraits of Homoeopathic Medicines. Repertories, small and large are listed, 123 in all. Winston warns that they are tools to be used in conjunction with the Materia Medica. He points out the deficiencies of Kent, and welcomes the newer books that reference information derived from the literature. He recognises that the Synthesis and Complete Repertories are now the standard but hopes that the new edition of Boenninghausen will revive its use after 75 years. He describes the amazing power of computer repertories, which allow searches of almost all the homeopathic literature; but also draws attention to the disadvantages of a generation that has stopped reading the primary texts. Such people have the power to find a symptom spoken of in exact terms in the Materia Medica but can never understand the wholeness of the writer or his thinking. ‘This is the failure of computer repertories/materia medicaFthey can give us results without wholeness’. The remaining sections containing some 400 books, are of less immediate interest to the practitioner but contain a mine of information for any concerned homeopath. I cannot comment on the veterinary or pharmacy sections but I am surprised that the Journals selected do not include Homeopathic Heritage which reproduces articles by the old masters, nor Medizin Gesellschaft und Gesichte,
published by the Institute in Stuttgart and containing articles in both English and German on the history of homeopathy. Faculty members get a mixed reception. Gibson’s First Aid, Margery Blackie’s The Patient not the Cure, Bob Leckridge’s Homeopathy in Primary Care and Stephen Kayne’s Homoeopathic Pharmacy are recommended, while Classical Homoeopathy, Foubister’s Tutorials and Bodman’s Insights are merely described. Noel Pratt’s Prescriber is ‘one of the many useless books’. Campbell’s Two Faces of Homoeopathy is ‘an interesting book flawed by many assumptions and inaccurate details’. Peter Webb’s Family Encyclopaedia of Homoeopathic Medicine, based on Tyler’s Pointers, is, to my surprise, excluded. Andrew Lockie’s Family Guide to Homoeopathy is ‘another book with a wide, double standard’. The Heritage of Homeopathic Literature is very difficult to review because it contains so much information. In a therapy where ‘the book’ is so important and the Organon has almost biblical status, Winston fears for the future. He fears that the new generation of homeopaths brought up on extracts of the literature in computer programs, will miss getting a real understanding of the thinking that led to the ideas in those extracts. There is also, according to me, the risk that we will forget how effective homeopathy can be. I remember a doctor on the Jimmy Young Show telling a patient who asked whether she should see a homeopath ‘Go to your doctor and if he says there is nothing wrong, by all means see a homeopath.’ We are perhaps tending to become the therapists for hay fever, eczema, and Chronic Fatigue SyndromeFnon-life threatening conditions. We are amazed when a patient with secondary carcinoma is kept alive. But Burnett and Clarke treated Cancer, Nash claimed to cure valvular heart disease, and Margery Blackie cured lobar pneumonia overnight. There should be limits on what we attempt, but if we have read the old masters, we will have a better idea of where that limit should be. This is a marvellous book for someone like me who cannot resist books or history. It has reminded me of books I have read in the past and has drawn my attention to others I should read. Sadly I am not sure whether it will sell. Many practitioners will see no need for it, drawn as they are to the computer. Perhaps it should be issued on CD ROM. Certainly all librarians should study it to assist them in recommending books for study. I repeat this is a marvellous book. One may disagree with some of the author’s comments or with his selection but these are minor points. I thoroughly recommend it to all interested in homeopathy.
Bernard Leary Windycroft, Brimington, Chesterfield Derbyshisre, UK Homeopathy