1.drparamjeet_kaur@yahoo.co.in> wrote:

Respected Sir, Prescribing depends on individual experience and individualization. At times we get results with single medicine and even with single dose only.In some cases specially when the pathology is advanced and in palliative cases we have to prescribe more than one medicine for pain relief and decreasing the pace of further progress of the disease. Prescribing more than one medicine also gives satisfaction to the patient. Biochemics also play a vital role in prescribing and do not interfere with the action of the main medicine. Thanks and regards,Dr.Paramjeet Kaur,CMO, HUnit,GGSGH,Raghubir Nagar,ND-27

2. Dr.vandana76awasthi@yahoo.com> wrote:SINGLE OR MULTIPLE MEDICINE IN PRESCRIPTIONHomoeopathy literally means similar sufferings(Homoeo+ Pathos).To cure a disease a drug has to be selected which is capable of producing similar symptoms in a healthy human being(Drug Proving).All the homoeopathic medicines have been proved as single medicines. Prescribing multiple homoeopathic medicines in a case is like prescribing a unknown substance the effect of which has not been recorded on a healthy human being.There cannot be two similimums for a particular case.

Hence the SINGLE and SIMPLE way is always the best and safest.Thanks ,Dr Vandana AwasthiC.M.O I/c DGD(H) Mangolpuri

3Dr.prasad mahajan wrote:

SINGLE OR MULTIPLE MEDICINES IN PRESCRIPTIONThe science and art of practicing homoeopathy is based upon some good solid foundation and one needs to have a clear knowledge of the concepts of homoeopathy as laid down in organon of medicine.Once the laborious task of case taking is over, we are supposed to arrive at a single remedy which is THE SIMILIMUM for the case. There can be many medicines which come up very close to the one we have selected; but only one will cover the totality-Only one medicine can cover the characteristic symptom of the case.Only one medicine can individualize the case, this individualizing symptom will be found in only one medicine at a time (may be a modality or a concomitant)Only one medicine has the ability to produce similar symptoms in proving and so has the ability to cure it.The final selection of a single medicine depends upon the mental make up, the physical make up and the general make up of an individual and only one medicine can have it altogether!Aphorism 273-274 directs the use of single medicine at a time. Aphorism 211, 213 advocates the consideration of mental disposition for final selection of similimum; and no two remedies can have similar disposition and sensitivities.I had a case in opd wherein the patient was having pain in left shoulder joint as the presenting symptom. After repertorising the case, the acute sector totality showed remedies like Bryonia, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox etc. at this juncture, the patient gave an individualizing modalityhe felt better when he slept on the left (painful) side which made me to give him a dose of Bryona 200.bryonia has the modality of amelioration lying on painful side.One of the chief symptoms in diseases as in $213 is the state of the disposition and as the bryonia causes this symptom in an exactly similar manner, it cured the case.WITH REGARDSDR P V MAHAJANCMOCHANDERNAGAR DISPENSARY4.Dr.nilesh mulay wrote:Dr Hanhemann has sufficiently stressed upon why a single prescription is to be given to a patient and probably he was expecting the same amount of efforts his followers would take to reach to a similimum in order to treat the patient. Dr kents has further elaborated on the (12) remedy reactions we are suppose to observe so as to ascertain whether our remedy is the similimum we are looking for. But by practicing poly-pharmacy we have only tried to minimize our efforts and we are rather exploiting the misconcept prevailing that homoeopathic medicines have no side-effects. Untill we follow certain principles and logic in practice we cannot expect homoeopathy to reach the goal we have set, to make homoeopathy the first line of treatment.Dr. Nilesh Mulay.

5.Dr., Amrit Kalsi wrote:

Basis of homoeopathy is that we look at the totality of symptoms paying particular attention to individualizing i.e matching the symptom to the similar remedy in materia medica. After the similimum is given what we hope in every prescription is that the symptoms are removed. Sometimes the remedy may not be the similimum. It is partially similar remedy which may produce a new symptoms in that patient.By giving single remedy action o f the remedy can be observed and appropriate action can be taken ...repeat or higher potency. Presciber thereby learns about the remedy with proper feedback. This improves quality of work for future prescribing. Giving two medicines will only generate confusion. Also medicines were proved singly and should be administered singly. Complex of medicines (Polypharmacy) was never proved, hence law of similars cannot be applied . A combination of skillfulness in the practitioner during anamnesis, remedy selection, and case management is required to achieve true homoeopathic cure based the scientific procedures as given in Aphorism 33 of Organon of medicine. When two similar diseases meet in the living organism and the later one is in more intensity, then it will overpower or annihilate the weaker one. Regardsr. Amrit KalsiChief Medical Officer (H)

6. Dr SHIPRA GOELSINGLE OR MULTIPLE MEDICINEAny prescription may be classified broadly into best,better or good depending on nature ofdisease,stage of disease and prescribing symptoms available,time at disposal etc.BEST PRSCRIPTION:Single medicine prescription is the best whenever done as it is the only ,actually,genuinely HOMOEOPATHIC prescription which is possible only when strong mental,physical,peculiar,keynote and characteristic symptoms are elicited .Single medicine in high potency should be given whenever sure.BETTER PRESCRIPTION:But as is the rule exceptions are always ther e and very often when prescribing symptoms are few and insufficient,in acute cases, or when unsure help of two or more medicines may be taken without feeling guilty otherwise patient in search of quick relief may resort to more harmful pathies in desperation.e.g a patient presents with involuntary and mucoid stools,nausea and vomiting after a party where he consumed all sorts of sinful food ,icecreams cut fruits and has a thirst for small quantities of water with anxiety - Arsenic Alb and Aloes can both be prescribed to .GOOD PRESCRIPTION:In incurable and terminal cases,certain lifestyle disorders like diabetes ,hypertension etc where lab values are to be corrected in a time frame to win patients confidence and cure is not our aim and palliation is sought multiple prescriptions ,mother tinctures ,ointments and biochemics which are not very homoeopathic and may really annoy a devout homoeopath can be tried harmlessly.IN THESE TIME STRAPPED TIMES WHEN THERE IS NO TIME FOR TRIAL AND ERROR ,MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH CAN BE AMAGAMATED WITH PURIST IDEOLOGY WHENEVER INDISPENSABLE Thanks and regards Dr SHIPRA GOEL, CMO(H)

Though the participation by doctors in the discussion cannot be rated as overwhelming, however they can be considered the sample of the group. All have been honest and have written about their experience. Academic discussions are intellectual exercises, which are not only recapitulations but allow us to get to know other mans perspective too. Single or multiple- this itself leads to a number of points for discussion: single or multiple doses, alternation of medicines or succession of medicines, role of case record ,need of follow up, knowledge of duration of action of drug, second prescription, role of knowing drug relationship and their role and influence on single medicine or multiple medicines in a prescription . For some time now I have heard discussions on change in environment from Hahnemanns time and now .Some have been heard lamenting on the efficacy of 200 year old proving, the therapeutic effectiveness of the drug on fast modern life. There are cries for reproving. Is this not the typical example of bad carpenters blaming their tools.I always wonder why doubts regarding principles of homoeopathy arise. If there has ever been a sound principle in science of medicine, it is homoeopathy. If I consider myself immune to mistakes and my perception of patients and homoeopathic materia medica as the best achievable then I run the risk of criticising the principles of homoeopathy. Single medicine has never meant a single element or a compound. Single medicine may be having many elements, compounds, alkaloids etc. But it will always be in the same composition and has been proved in that form. Whatever symptoms were produced in the prover was the result of abstinence of any other medicinal substance during the course of proving. It also means that if the prover was under any other medication it should have resulted in hindering the symptom production. Course of action of single homoeopathic medicine on sick is given in Organon of medicine. Is there any explanation on the course of action of mixtures of potency? Is it justifiable to use a mixture whose action is unknown even to the prescriber? A shot in dark may win sometimes, but is it worth a discussion? Hahnemann in the preface of 1st edition of Organon of medicine wrote I must warn the reader that indolence, love of ease and obstinacy preclude effective service at the altar of truth, and only freedom from prejudice and untiring zeal qualify for the most sacred of all human occupation, the practice of true system of medicine