Repertory Language Synthesis 9-1

8/9/2019 Repertory Language Synthesis 9-1

1/449

Textbook of Repertory Language

Introduction

This "Textbook of Repertory Language" is the successor of the "Blueprint for a newRepertory". The Blueprint, as the name indicated, was a plan of action explaining the developmentof Synthesis. Successive versions accompanied all editions of Synthesis until version 8.In each of those Blueprint versions, the first line read: "This concept is a proposal". Over the yearsand in the course of many different versions, Synthesis has evolved into an accepted proposal. Inmany schools all over the world Synthesis is the preferred Repertory. It has been translated intomany languages and has been reprinted more often than any other contemporary repertory.

As a result, Synthesis is probably the most widely used repertory nowadays. A lot offeedback has been integrated; a lot of brilliant thinking by many homeopaths has led Synthesis towhere it stands now. Even though the development of Synthesis will continue, the time is ripe topresent to the homeopathic community , which thought processes went into its creation.This is the goal of the Textbook.Here is some specific information about different parts of this Textbook, as adapted for theEssential Synthesis.One important goal of the Essential Synthesis is to offer only the very practical information in avery manageable size and weight. We have followed that concept for the Textbook as well. As aresult we have not printed any section unless it was relevant for daily practice.

.

The main part of the Textbook for Repertory Language, which presented the "Rules ofRepertory Language" was not reprinted. It can be found on the CD. Also, it has not changed incomparison to version 9.1.

The same situation for the "Explanation of Key Symptoms", the "Families of remedies", "Relationships of remedies "Information about new remedies": they are not printed, but can be foundon the CD. A "Veterinary chapter" is an important innovation. There are two lists.

The first one is a list of all symptoms most often relevant for veterinary practice. If thesymptom contains remedies, these are specifically based on veterinary practice. If the symptom isfollowed by a number, this refers to a page number in the Repertory and leads you to the humanrubric to be used.

The second one is a list of veterinary concepts. These express symptoms and behaviortypical for certain animals and are followed by the human symptoms which may apply in thosecases. A goldmine for the beginning vet homeopath!

A limited "Catalogue of remedies" has been printed with only those remedies present in theEssential Synthesis. The abbreviations are followed by the Synthesis name of the remedy. Synonymsfollow between brackets, if applicable. The full catalogue of remedies can be found on the CD.

The "Catalogue of authors" can only be found on the CD as the author references can onlybe found on the CD as well..

An "Index of words" follows with page numbers referring to the main Repertory.

Then we have a list of "Localizations" which is offered in two ways.


2/449

First a list of each localization per chapter. This order corresponds to the way that thelocalizations are sorted in the repertory and will help you to find certain localizations more easily. Second, a list of all single localizations with reference to the abbreviated chapter(s) wherethey can be found.

At last we have included the full article reporting about the "History of Kent's Repertory andTreasure", written by Dr. Ahmed Currim (USA). This article will be most interesting to understandthe value of the current Essential Synthesis.

It is our wish that our work will assist you in finding a treasure for all your patients, the best fittingremedy.

Dr. Frederik Schroyens Peter Vint

Gent, August 4, 2007

Rules of Repertory Language

History of repertories

Repertories in GeneralRepertories have helped conscientious homeopaths in their struggle for the right remedy as long ashomeopathy has existed.Hahnemann himself made some first steps in structuring his information into some kind ofrepertory. However, it was his immediate disciple and collaborator of the first hour Clemens vonBönninghausen who can be credited with creating the first usable Repertory in 1832.

Different authors expanded on previous versions of this repertory, e.g. Allen, Jahr, von Lippe etc.Some created completely new structures, as did Gentry and Knerr.It was Kent, however, who published different parts of a Repertory from 1897 to 1899 with astructure and a hierarchical logic that would stand the test of time. Kent released different versions

of his repertory himself (the second edition in 1908, and a third manuscript edition at his death in1916, only printed in 1924). Later editions1(1) never reached the quality of Kent's manuscript of thethird edition and can be considered as only slightly changed and updated versions edited by hisfollowers and his wife Clara-Louise.Nevertheless, for a few decades no other Repertory succeeded taking up the challenge of progress.

In 1973 Barthel and Klunker started the publication of a first version of their "Synthetic Repertory",adding information from 14, later from 16 authors to the 5 main chapters of the Repertory (mind,generals, sleep and dreams, male and female sexuality). Although Barthel and Klunker did notexpand their work to more authors or to more chapters, many considered their Repertory a newreference.

Other articles report in detail on the evolution of Repertories, now let's turn our attention toSynthesis, the newcomer.


3/449

H istory of Synthesis

The growth of Synthesis

Synthesis is the Repertory linked to the Radar-project.It is based on the Sixth American Edition of Kent's Repertory, and contains all its rubrics andremedies.Since 1987, Synthesis has been used as a database for the Radar program in the daily practice ofleading homeopaths. It has been commented upon and thereby improved over and over again, whichgives it an outstanding label of quality. Indeed, not only additions of an increasing number ofauthors have been added to all chapters, but also corrections of the existing data, including ofKent's work, have been integrated.

Version 2 was released in April 1988 and occupied 10.5 MB2(2) of a hard disk space.Synthesis 3 followed in September 1990 with 11.5 MB: it contained mostly corrections on the

previous version and offered 136.000 additions from about 130 authors compared to Kent's

original Repertory.

0

200000

400000

600000800000

1000000

1200000

1400000

1600000

1800000

2000000

K e n t S y

1 S y

2 S y

3 S y

4 S y

5 S y

6 S y 7

S y 8

S y 9 . 1

Chart 1: Author reference additions: This chart shows the addition of information in successiveversions of Synthesis. The lower (dark) part of each column indicates the number of newadditions compared to the previous version.

In December 1992 the fourth software version of Synthesis was released. It contained 178.000additions from about 200 authors.

At each step the quality has been improved, but especially in the creation of version 5. Comparedto version 4, only a few thousand additions have been added, because we focused on increasing thequality. The reason is that we decided that Synthesis 5 was going to be the first printed version.

Although errors had been corrected in each subsequent version of Synthesis, the decision to printSynthesis caused some extra reflections. If this Repertory was to be printed, it should be done onlyif we could offer a dramatic increase in the quality of the Repertory, its structure, its language andthe consistency of its information. In July 1992 the homeopathic part of the job for Synthesis 4 was

finished3(3) and we focused exclusively on increasing the quality for version 5.


4/449

The publication of Synthesis 5 was a milestone.The homeopathic work was finished on June 21,1993 and it was published in German in August 1993and in English in February 1994. The success was such that in both languages a reprint was neededwithin a few months. Synthesis started to position itself as the new reference repertory in anincreasing number of schools.

On the basis of this much better streamlined version 5, we continued again the work of moreadditions until January 1995. Considering the loose leaflet edition 5 in German, the original ideawas to release an update to edition 5, e.g. some pages with corrections or an updated chapter. Soversion 6 of Synthesis contains additions and corrections most especially in the mind section. Theother innovation of version 6 was the introduction of concepts, a most useful way to find symptoms.In English, Synthesis 6 was only released as software in July 1995 and occupied 28,3 MB.In German it was reprinted in August 1995 as an update to the loose-leaf edition, but also as aone-volume book.Synthesis 6 contains 633.000 author references.

The German users favored the one volume book, so the loose-leaf edition was discontinued and we

completed the information in all chapters now to be ready homeopathically with a fully updatedversion 7 on July 4, 1997.Synthesis 7 came with 682.000 author references and occupied 32,7 MB.

All this time we believed that the best policy was to increase the number of additions stepwise.Every edition of Synthesis was used in hundreds of thousands of cases worldwide and integrating thefeedback of those users was part of our quality policy.Nevertheless the discrepancy between those wanting highly confirmed information only and thosewanting quantity available grew during these years and we changed that policy dramatically whencreating version 8.

As a result Synthesis 8 has 1.071.000 author references and occupies 43,1 MB: a major increase in

quantity. This increase only happened when we had the tool to let everybody decide about thequantity and quality they wanted: confidence levels.

Synthesis has a tradition of caring for the quality of information in the first place.This priority defined the work during the first seven editions without any compromise.Synthesis 8 without any doubt introduced the quantity aspect, but with care. In fact one could saythat we kept on caring for quality but that the individual user had the possibility to choose thequantity of information.

Synthesis 9.0 was finalized on November 21, 2003 and released as a software program in English onNovember 24, 2003 . This version was only translated into German (December 22, 2003) and notprinted in any language. Synthesis 9 was the first version that has been released in two steps.

Synthesis 9.1 has more or less the same content as Synthesis 9.0. The difference between thesetwo versions is that version 9.1 offers an improved access to the information through thestreamlining and restructuring.

Synthesis 9.1 was finalized on June 4, 2004 and released as a software program in English insummer of 2004. Synthesis 9.0 contained 1.491.000 author references and Synthesis 9.1contained 1.773.000 references.

A worldwide projectAll aspects of Synthesis will be discussed under the different headings following this introduction.One aspect, however, still needs special attention: our wish that this Repertory stands for

worldwide collaboration between homeopaths. Since the beginning, non-Radar users have beencollaborating with us. The printed versions have increased this input. Our computer technology was


5/449

only the means to create this unique totality of information. With the printing of the book, it isavailable to even more colleagues.

The other feature that is making Synthesis a unique meeting point is the existence of editions innational languages. Homeopathy, despite its German origins, has become very dependent upon theEnglish language. For the level of communication and understanding needed in our profession, itappears that still very many homeopaths have major difficulties with this world language.At this moment there are translations into Czech, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese andSpanish, either as software, as a book or both. Translations in several other languages are ongoing.

The number of homeopaths who is able to use Synthesis is consequently multiplied several times.We trust that the feedback will increase accordingly. We are ready to process all remarks made indifferent languages centrally and all editions will be updated with the sum of all new correctionsand additions.

Symptoms in repertory language

T he repertory symptom formatA symptom is originally a sentence which is perfectly readable and normally structured. For theRepertory it needs to be restructured in order to fit into the hierarchical structure of the Repertory.The main problem is the conflict to maintain maximum readability with a telegram-like conciseness.

Transcribing the symptom into repertorial languageThe richness of the language of the patient should be rephrased and most often synthesized intorepertorial words first. The option of the Repertory is to use words of the common language, not allwords available in the literature or in dictionaries. We use "drink" also when someone says he "tooka draft", he "swallowed his tea" or "tippled" or "swilled".

E.g.: A sentence like "he had a terrible bursting feeling in his head each time he had to sneeze"would become: "bursting pain in head when sneezing".For more information on the language used in Synthesis see "III. Standardizing the Language of theRepertory".

Now we structure the symptom following the hierarchy of the Repertory:- original sentence: word1 word2 word3 word4 word5 word6 word7 word8 word9 word101: step one: CHAPTERdefine the chapter to which the symptom belongs. If more than one possibility exists, insert thesymptom in the most likely chapter and a synonym in the less likely chapter. The chapter might bea word which is not appearing in the symptom.2: step two: HEADRUBRIC

decide which word is the most important one, and split the sentence in only two parts, so that thismost important word (the leading word) becomes word1. A modality is less important than thecomplaint that is affected by the modality (e.g.: "sleepiness after eating" should not go to "generals- eating; sleepiness after", but to "sleep - sleepiness - eating, after")3: step three: SUBRUBRICSdecide which word is the most important one at this stage, and (if necessary) split the remainingpart of the sentence in only two parts, so that this word becomes word1 of that level. When doingso compare with the existing similar symptoms in the Repertory for optimal insertion.

Step 3 has to be repeated as long as there are subrubrics to be created.

Some examples of stepwise transcription of symptoms into Repertory language:Original: "anger with red spots in the face"


6/449

1: MIND - anger with red spots in the face2: MIND - ANGER - with red spots in the face(comment: face is the second most important word as it is there that the anger expresses itself)3a: MIND - ANGER - face; with red spots in the3b: MIND - ANGER - face - red spots in the face; with

Original: "delusion body and mind are separated"

1: MIND - delusion body and mind are separated2: MIND - DELUSION - body and mind are separated(comment: the delusion concerns "separation" as a main issue)3a: MIND - DELUSION - separated; body and mind are3b: MIND - DELUSION - separated - body - mind are separated; body and(comment: "mind" and "body" are the leading words on each level as they are the main constituentsof separation in this case)

Some further hintsThere are "leading words" but also "words not-to-be-in-front". These latter are mostly prepositions.E.g.: "after rising" should be "rising; after", etc.

WORDS NOT TO BE IN FRONT:about; after; and; as if; as soon as; at; before; between; but; during; her; his; in; my; on; or; their;then; they; to; which; while; with, without; you; your;...

Before we said that there is one exception: "and" could be a leading word if the modality indicatesthat the information at this level is there together with the previous level: "Stomach - eructations -afternoon - and evening" This idea has been abandoned since Synthesis 9.0.

Here is the reason why I think that, in general, this should be avoided.This symptom should be split into "Stomach - eructations - afternoon" and "Stomach - eructations -evening". It is the goal of the repertory to show meaningful bits of information. The symptom abovecontains two meaningful bits, which should be presented as two separate symptoms.

Only if the coincidence of the two modalities is relevant, there should be a modality expressing this.In this case the beginning of that symptoms' level should be "accompanied by"E.g.: " Extremities - Pain - Shoulder - accompanied by - cystitis"

Avoid repeating unnecessary words with the same meaning, especially at a following level.E.g.: delusion - he thinks he is

A leading word shall not be repeated on two different levels of one symptom. The leading word ofthe new level, should be different from the leading word of the upper levels, used so far. Readingthe first word of each level will then so to speak summarize the symptom.E.g.: "sensation of dryness of the tongue" should not be "mouth - dryness - tongue - dryness,sensation of", but "mouth - dryness - tongue - sensation of dryness".

The part of the sentence on each level is as readable as possible:either the words are readable in the normal order (word1 word2 word3 word4)or the sentence is split in maximum TWO parts, separated by ";" (begin reading after the sign ";")(word3 word4 word5, word6 word7; word1 word2).The readability of the symptoms is one of the outstanding features of Synthesis since version 5. Weencourage all those who create new symptoms to limit the structure of new symptoms to either of

these two formats. It makes the repertory so much more easy to use.


7/449

The leading word of the previous level can be repeated as such in the subrubric to avoid confusion.No abbreviations are used, except "agg." and "amel.".

The last level of the symptom is the most important, even overruling previous ones. If there is stillsome doubt possible with the above proposals, the symptom can be completed at the last level inorder to make the meaning as clear as needed for easy readability.E.g.: - "excitement - heat - during" as opposed to "excitement - heat - from" therefore become:- excitement - heat - during heat; excitement- excitement - heat - from excitement; heat

Some more examples of a correct symptom format:Kent: Mind - Delusion - scrotum, thinks his, is swollenKent has a lot of symptoms split in more than two parts. Often the correct order is {part 2} {part1}{part3} which makes some of his symptoms difficult to read as in the example above.Synthesis: Mind - Delusion - scrotum is swollen; hisKent: Cough - Sulphur fumes or vapor, sensation of agg.Synthesis: Cough - Sulphur fumes or vapor; cough agg. by sensation of

Kent: Mind - Delusion - inferior, on entering the house after a walk,people seem mentally and physically (including two comma's)Synthesis: Mind - Delusion - inferior, on entering the house after a walk;people seem mentally and physically (";" indicates beginning of sentence)Kent: Cough - Scraping - Trachea, in, fromSynthesis: Cough - Scraping - Trachea; from scraping in

T he hierachical structure of the repertory We have maintained the hierarchical structure of Kent's Repertory because:Kent's Repertory has maintained its position of reference throughout the previous century. It is themost often used Repertory and therefore the one most homeopaths are used to.

All new Repertories that have succeeded in convincing a larger group of homeopaths followed thesame hierarchical structure (Barthel & Klunker "Synthetic Repertory", Künzli "RepertoriumGenerale")It allows immediate comparisons of related rubrics. If "left" is positioned just below "right" theirremedies are compared at a glance. If the patient says "I am worse at 5 or 6 p.m." you don't have toturn pages to see the two rubrics "afternoon - 17 h (5 p.m.)" and "evening - 18 h (6 p.m.)".A logically structured repertory allows a homeopath with some experience to spot quickly the placewhere he should look for the symptom. You don't have to be a repertory-expert to locate theKentian symptom "male - excoriation - penis - prepuce". In one alphabetical repertory you will findit all the same under "male", in another you might expect it as a subrubric of "penis", while in athird one it figures in the "chapter" "prepuce". Kent's logic is still showing its validity.Since Synthesis 9.1 we have merged the alphabet of the modalities and the alphabet of the

descriptions of pain into one alphabet. This was a direct consequence of the streamlining andrestructuring of Synthesis 9.0 into version 9.1. The advantage of doing so is that there is no moreneed to reflect whether "pain - rheumatic" would be a modality or a description of pain. Thesymptom is under the letter "r" of one combined alphabet of modalities and descriptions.We are open to new ideas but they should surpass what we have. The greatest improvement wehave introduced is to carry through this logic at all places in Synthesis. And here are some of therules we have paid special attention to.

Groups of symptomsSymptoms are divided in groups and these groups are always following each other in this sameorder. In Kent's Repertory and in all versions of Synthesis up to version 9.0, this order was: Sides,

Times, Modalities, Extensions, Localizations and Descriptions of pain (S-T-M-E-L-D).Since Synthesis 9.1 is has become (S-T-MD-E-L):


8/449

SIDESTIMESMODALITIES + DESCRIPTIONS OF PAIN / Other descriptionsEXTENSIONSLOCALIZATIONS

E.g.: symptoms present in the various groups of "Head - Pain":sides: right; left; ...times: daytime, day and night, morning; noon; ...modalities: air; coughing; eating; ...descriptions of pain: biting; boring; burning; ... extensions: ear; teeth; ...localizations: brain; forehead; ...

This order of groups is repeated at each level if needed. You can expect a hierarchical structure likethis at several levels (each symptom depends on the one tabbed on its left):

SIDE time modalities / descriptions of pain extensionTIME side modality / description of pain extensionMODALITY / DESCRIPTION OF PAIN side time

modality / description of pain time description of pain extension extensionEXTENSION modality / description of painLOCALIZATION SIDE time modality extension

TIME side MODALITY / DESCRIPTION OF PAIN side time

modality / description of pain time modality extension EXTENSION modality / description of pain

This scheme is different from the Kentian one and from the one used in previous versions ofSynthesis. In those previous schemes "description of pain" always was at level 3 of the symptom,


9/449

while now it can be at lower levels of the symptom as well4(4).

Specific versus generalized symptomsOf course every entry in a repertory as such to a certain level is an abstraction, mainly on the levelof the language, where often more abstract terms are used instead of the language of the patient,but also on the level of the contents, where you might talk of pointed objects instead of listeningall possible pointed objects.Yet there is a kind of abstraction that reaches further and which often was and still is a big subjectof much dispute within the homeopathic community: Specific symptoms versus generalizedsymptoms.

Specific SymptomsMost of the symptoms in Kent's repertory are specific symptoms, they are concrete symptoms

consisting at least of one specific complaint5(5) (such as pain, swelling, pulsation etc.). In mostcases there are many subrubrics with "details" which are divided into the well-known sides, times,modalities, descriptions, extensions and localizations. Just as a note: this should not be confusedwith the discussion about complete symptoms, where a symptom should have a modality, asensation and a localization. A specific symptom can but does not have to be complete.

Generalized SymptomsGeneralized symptoms are all symptoms, where at least one part of the symptom (side, modality,localization, etc.) has been generalized, i.e. is applicable to more than one specific symptom. Ageneralized modality like motion is applicable to any complaint (e.g. stiffness, pain, numbness), ageneralized time like morning is applicable to any complaint in the morning, etc.We are using the terms "generalizing" and "generalization" in order to avoid confusion with "general"symptoms, a term that has been used a lot in discussions with Kent (amongst others) regardingBönninghausen, etc.

The generalization was introduced into repertories by Bönninghausen, who actually talked aboutanalogy as the leading principle to build up such "generalized" symptoms. Starting from the factthat no repertory can ever be considered complete and that we have to cope with "gaps" in everyrepertory, he considered it appropriate to "conclude" [schließen] that if a remedy showed manysymptoms "worse from cold" in the stomach, it should be thought of in any case of such a modalityin the stomach.Thus he collected such "generalizations" on all possible levels, from the well-known generalizationsthat nowadays make up the chapter Generals to generalized times in a local chapters like stomach.

For a homeopath this now means that according to Bönninghausen in order to find the possible

remedies for a specific symptom (i.e. burning pain in the stomach in the morning, agg. frommotion) you could as well choose the generalizations: Burning, Morning, Motion - agg. and Stomach -Complaints of and thus "synthesize" the symptom. Which (of many) generalized rubrics you shouldtake in such a case will depend very much on your conception and understanding of the method youare going to use.The different degrees of generalization for each of the possible groups of symptoms will beexplained both in meaning and in their special symptom format at the beginning of each specificgroup.

Conflict between specific versus generalized repertories ?When reading the explanations of the different degrees of generalization, it will become obvious,that even these terms just reflect two extremes on an continuous scale, since even the most clear"specific" symptoms often already include some degree of generalization itself (e.g. from motionhas been generalized from possibly very many different motions such as stepping, walking, getting


10/449

up, etc.).Therefore on close inspection, it is not (!) surprising, that you will find many generalized symptomsin Kent (each symptom from chapter Skin is in itself such a generalization) and you also find manyspecific symptoms in Bönninghausen's Alphabetic Repertory (b4, b7) and in Boger's main repertorybg2 (like toothache in the upper left molars).

"Sides"The block "sides" consists of these symptoms (in this order !):one sidealternating sidesrightleftEach of these levels may have subrubrics, e.g.: "... - one side - afternoon"

RemarksIn some chapters, the "sides" are considered as localizations: head, external throat, chest andabdomen. The result is that "head - sides" is positioned after the extensions and not as the firstblock of head.There also are generalized sides in the repertory. As generalized sides they refer to "any complaint"on a certain side and therefore they are always subrubrics of a generalized localization. For therules about generalized localizations see II. 9. "LOCALIZATIONS".E.g. FACE - COMPLAINTS of face - left side

Some special combinations are formatted as follows:Extremities - pain - shoulder -- right - accompanied by - leg; pain in left- right - followed by - shoulder; pain in left[instead of: "... - right - and left"

"... - right - then left"]

An extension at this level is sometimes indicated as "to left", but must get the format "extendingto".E.g.: "... - left - extending to - right"

"Side lain on" and "side not lain on" are considered as a localization.

"Times"Times in the repertory include more or less precise starting or ending points of complaints of anykind, which is to say they do not include seasons such as winter or the type of reappearance ofsymptoms, which figures under rubrics like periodically, suddenly, etc.

Beside the most obvious time as a concrete modality of a specific symptom as in Head - pain -evening - 18 h where the time relates to a specific "situation", there are several types ofgeneralized times as well.The most generalized type of time is to be found in chapter Generals and has been used by Kent(e.g. Generals - Morning). It describes the general aggravation of the state of the patient and/orthe majority of symptoms at a certain time of day.

Another equally generalized type of time was introduced by Bönninghausen for chapter Mind, whereyou find generalized times like Mind - morning, which stands for a general aggravation orappearance of complaints in relation to the mental-emotional state of the patient.

Another three generalizations can be found at the level of chapters. Here times are also headrubrics


11/449

(e.g. Stool - morning).Firstly you have chapters which are complaints (vertigo, cough, expectoration, chill, fever, andperspiration): These rubrics simply stand for aggravation and/or appearance of the given complaint(rubrics used by Kent).

Secondly there are the chapters stool, respiration, both male and female genitalia/sex, and vision,where the times stand for "any complaint in relation to" which is a grand abstraction esp. for stool(it could relate to smell, discoloration, etc.).

Finally the times as headrubrics in "local" chapters from the head-to-foot schema (such as head,face, stomach, etc.). Here a time (like Stomach - morning) again stands for the grand generalizationof "any complaint" at that location at this time. The last two generalizations of times whereintroduced by Bönninghausen.

All time schedules are formatted following the same standards. The "a.m. - p.m." was replaced bythe international timetable "0 - 24 h".

Note the time symptoms always in the most compact possible way and in such a way they fit intothe above structure:E.g.: do not write "lasting until 17 h" but "17 h; until"

If "until" is present at a new level of a symptom, it is considered as a time as well.E.g.: in the symptom "... - 17 h - until", "until" is a time

The hierarchy of the parts of the day was organized better.

All hours are expressed in numbers, but no other symptom is expressed in numbers (E.g.: do notwrite "6th rib" but "sixth rib"). This increases the search possibilities with the computer.Periods of time include a dash and no spaces, such as "10-11", which again allows to search for

these symptoms.

For details see Appendix.

"Modalities"

General remarksAGG. is often not mentioned! Check if the meaning of the rubric is clear if you and read themodality the reverse way adding "... causes or aggravates x". E.g.: "Head - pain - lying": read: "lyingcauses or aggravates: head - pain".

However, any rubric which can contain a subrubric "amel." and some other subrubrics MUST have"agg." mentioned as a separate level (do not create a new symptom "breathing agg.", but "breathing- agg."). The reason is that it must be possible to put together all rubrics indicating aggravation asdepending from "agg." and other rubrics as depending from "amel."E.g.: Generals - breathing deep - agg. Generals - breathing deep - amel.Note: if agg. would be eliminated here as a separate level, "breathing deep" would mean "agg.".

AMEL. is most often the last level of a symptom, especially if ambiguity arises concerning thesubrubrics that depend on it.E.g.: - "pain - stitching - walking, amel - open air": ambiguous presentation of the symptom: does

the amel apply to "walking" or also to "open air"? MM Hahnemann: Thuja: Prickling pain in themuscles of the cheek, only when walking in the open air =} symptom changed as " ...- walking - air;


12/449

in open".

One exception: {any food} amel. {specification of that type of food}.As in "Generals - food", any type of food has four subrubrics: "agg. / amel. / aversion / desire". If afurther specification is needed, it is included as a subrubric of these.E.g.: do not write "Generals - food - olive - oil - agg", nor "... - olive - agg. - oil",but - as a type of oil is concerned- write "... - oil - agg. - olive".All the same, write "abdomen - pain - milk - amel. - warm".

The structure as described in the paragraph above, may be applied in other cases as well tocontrast the difference between all subrubrics indicating aggravation as opposed to all the onesindicating amelioration.

Most of the times in Kent agg. and amel. refer to a specific symptom, but aggravation andamelioration also exist as a generalized modalities. A generalized aggravation or amelioration is anymodality that does not just apply to a specific complaint (such as Head - Pain - Forehead - motion -agg.) but to a larger group of symptoms.

The most general of this can be found in the Kentian rubrics of chapter Generals. Actually you couldstate that almost the whole chapter consists of generalizations, because the modalities describedtherein relate to the patient as a whole.

The second type of such generalized modalities can be found in chapter Mind and were introducedinto repertories by Bönninghausen, where remedies are listed where a certain modality has aninfluence on the mental/emotional state in general. In a way Kent used a similar approach with hismind rubric "Ailments from"E.g. "MIND - WRITING - agg."

The most frequent generalized modality can be found as headrubric in other chapters where themodality relates to "any complaint". This level of generalization has not been used by Kent and was

introduced by Bönninghausen.E.g. "STOMACH - YAWNING - agg."E.g. "VISION - RUBBING - amel."

Prepositions are often not mentioned when they do not add to the meaning of the symptom. Thisapplies especially to prepositions such as "when, during, from, on, while, ..." where the prepositionin fact only means "aggravates or causes".E.g.: rising, on =} rising lying, while =} lying drinking, from =} drinking dancing, when =} dancing

On the contrary: "rising - after" has to remain as such.E.g.: "head - pain - stitching - morning - rising" means that the headache is caused or aggravated byrising (you could say "rising; on")."Head - pain - stitching - morning - rising - after" means that the headache only begins after he rosefrom the bed.

Modalities are sorted alphabetically. In the former versions of Synthesis, exceptions were made forthe words " before during, when, after", but this has been revised in version 8 when the sorting wasdone by computer.Also "agg." and "amel." are sorted alphabetically between the modalities since version 8.

Depending upon the modality itself either "during" or "when" are used (E.g.: stool - during > < eating

- when), whatever is most appropriate in the language.


13/449


14/449

Under "accompanied by" we find all subrubrics which are concomitant to the given symptom."Accompanied by" is only used* to stress the concomitant appearance of two pathologies. E.g.: "Vertigo - accompanied by - asthma"* to indicate the peculiar coincidence of two pains or other symptoms E.g.: "Extremities - pain - shoulder - right - accompanied by - leg; pain in left"

There are also "generalized" concomitants, which means to indicate that a given complaint usuallyis accompanied by a second one (i.e. typically does not appear just on its own). This generalizationhas been introduced into repertories by Bönninghausen and leaded in Boger Bg2 to very unclearsymptoms such as "Coryza - Concomitants". In Synthesis the phrase "accompanied by" is followed by"complaints; other" for all such cases.E.g. NOSE - CORYZA - accompanied by - complaints; other

We keep the known way for expressing concomitant symptoms:* if a mental symptom is accompanied by a pathology (MIND - SADNESS - taste - bitter taste in

mouth; with a). The remedy is present in the chapter MIND, except when the physical complaint isclearly caused by the indicated mental state.E.g.: "Sighing - leukorrhea; with",but: "Palpitation - grief; from", etc. (grief causes palpitations)* if two concomitant mind symptoms are present: E.g.: "laughing - anxiety - during"; "anger - laughing; with burst of", etc.* if the modality is"chill; during""fever; during""perspiration; during""apyrexia; during"E.g.: Hot breath - chill; during

In some other cases of chill-, fever- or perspiration symptoms, the difference is made betweenthese two situations:1/ a symptom may be occurring during and because of the chill, fever or perspiration stage of afeverish disease: E.g.: "Stomach - Vomiting - perspiration - during" (= the vomiting occurs typically during andbecause of the stage of perspiration of a feverish disease; first the perspiration, then the vomitingbecause of the perspiration)

2/ the symptom is not caused by the chill, fever or perspiration. When the complaint arises, thensome chill, fever or perspiration come up as well. In the last case, the format "accompanied by" is

followed.

E.g.: "Stomach - Vomiting - accompanied by - perspiration" (= perspiration accompanies thevomiting in this particular patient; when he is vomiting, perspiration comes as well; first thevomiting, then the perspiration because of the vomiting)

In the following case we explicitly confirm the use of the new syntax:if one of the concomitants is: "nausea; with"E.g.: "HEAD - Pain - accompanied by - nausea"

For each concomitant symptom, there is at least one referring rubric. The choice of the main rubricas opposed to the referring rubric is defined according to the same rules as for the alternating

symptoms.


15/449

If the concomitant involves a sensation in a certain localization, then first write the localization:E.g.: do not write "accompanied by - stitches in the heart", but write:"accompanied by - Heart; stitches in the"(also note that the localization is written with a capital letter since version 8)

Sometimes there have to be TWO referring rubrics , for example when the first referring rubric doesnot follow the format of "accompanied by" and does refer to another section in the repertory. Thisis especially the case if a well known rubric is converted into a referring rubric in order to apply therules set for referring rubrics.E.g.: "Stomach - Nausea - headache; during" is a well known rubric, but according to our rules, theremedies should be present in the more vital chapter HEAD. Two referring rubrics are created:"Stomach - Nausea - accompanied by - headache (see ...)", but also "Stomach - Nausea - headache;during (see ...)"

In some cases, the referring rubric to the chill, fever, perspiration rubrics may follow the newformat of "accompanied by":E.g.: the referring rubric "CHILL - Accompanied by - hot breath" points to "RESPIRATION - Hot

breath - chill; during".

Concomitant colors of tongue are also indicated with "accompanied by". The remedy is written as asubrubric of the most important color and a referring rubric is existing at the other color.E.g.: Discoloration - tongue - white - accompanied by - sides - clean"

Sometimes more than two features are relevant concomitants. The expression "accompanied by"should be used only once within one symptom. As usual the remedy is present only at one place towhich all other symptoms refer.E.g.: a white tongue with a black streak in the centre accompanying liver diseases. The remedy is inthe main rubric "ABDOMEN - LIVER and region of liver; complaints of - accompanied by - Tonguewhite, heavily coated and black streak down centre".

The referring rubric to this symptom is: 'MOUTH - DISCOLORATION - Tongue - white - heavily coated- accompanied by - Centre and liver disease; black streak down'.

Another example of more than two relevant concomitants:MM: dry, white tongue in endocarditisSynthesis: the remedy is present in the most vital rubric (therefore in Chest): "CHEST -INFLAMMATION - Heart - Endocardium - accompanied by - Tongue; dry and white"

Sequence of symptomsSequences of symptoms are indicated as follows:Extremities - pain - shoulder - right - followed by - shoulder; pain in left

Perspiration - followed by - vomitingAll rules for "accompanied by" apply for "followed by".

Ailments (Level 2 in MIND and in GENERALS)This level-2 rubric contains all symptoms which cause the persons' general health to be deterioratedas a consequence of either the mental or general influence:If the causation is a mental state, it is found under "MIND - AILMENTS from".If it is a general cause, not mentally, it is under "GENERALS - AILMENTS from".

Be aware of the rubrics under "GENERALS - CONVALESCENCE; ailments during", which include "neverwell since" and which are similar to these ailments rubrics. Under "2Convalescence" you will find the

remedies with ailments since a given disease.


16/449

In the majority of the cases "xxx - AILMENTS from" indicates the same as "xxx - agg.". To avoidrepetition, only the latter rubric has been maintained in these cases (E.g.: Generals - food - wine -agg = generals - food - wine - ailments, from).The difference of a shorter or a longer aggravation from wine for example is a nuance which doesnot allow to differentiate the remedy in most cases. Agg. would be used if the symptoms stay forsome hours, maybe some days; ailments from when the symptoms stay for some days, weeks,months ...The energetic direction of the remedy in both cases is nevertheless exactly the same.

Periodically recurrent events are often difficult to find"skin -discoloration - bluish - recurring annually", but:"skin -discoloration - spots, as if burnt - yearly returning".We made all periodically recurrent events subrubrics of the rubric "periodical". (you get: skin -discoloration - bluish - periodical - annually).The level "periodical" is positioned on the highest level, according to the logic of the repertory.Most often this will occur at level 3.E.g.: do not write: "head - pain - forehead - morning- periodical - alternate morning", but "... -forehead - periodical - morning - alternate morning"

RemarksThe period of time after which a symptom recurs is indicated as a multiple of hours, days, weeks ormonths. If a number of days coincides with a (smaller) number of weeks, the number of weeks isused in preference.E.g.: three daysten daystwo weeks instead of fourteen daystwenty-five days"Recurrent" is most often not a subrubric of "periodical" as it does not imply any regularity or

periodicity in its re-occurrence. If an event is recurrent, but not periodically recurrent, the rubricremains "recurrent"E.g.: Eye - styes - recurrent"

For the way in which rubrics expressing periodicity are sorted: see appendix

Illogical superrubricsKent's Repertory is filled with "illogical superrubrics", often caused by the simplicity of the lay-out.This means that a certain superrubric does not make sense for the subrubrics that depend on it. InSynthesis such illogical superrubrics have been modified so that you can clearly read all levels ofany subrubric after another and they still make sense.E.g.: "extremities - drawing up limbs agg. - amel." is modified into "... - drawing up limbs - amel.";"urine - color - yellow, light - dark" into "... - yellow - dark"; ...

Modalities grouped under a global superrubricSome modalities are not present one by one, but as subrubrics under a common heading. In this waythe symptoms can be found more easily at one place.

***Beginning ofWhen the symptom is aggravated or caused at the beginning of a modality, then this should beindicated as a subrubric of "during".E.g.: - menses - during - beginning of menses - agg. - urination - during - beginning of - agg.

***End of


17/449

When the symptom is aggravated or caused at the end of a modality, then this should be indicatedas a subrubric of "during".E.g.: - eating - while - end of eating - urination - during - end of

*** ChildrenThe internationally accepted categories are:newborn 0 - 4 weeksnurslings 0 - 1 yearinfants 1 - 6 yearschildren 6 years and abovepuberty; during

Remarks: A child between 0 and 1 year of age, which is not nursing is still called a nursling."Baby" is a popular expression and may refer to several of the categories mentioned. Therefore it isto be avoided as it is not precise.

"Children" indicates the general term of all human beings between 0 and 18 years of age and alsoindicates a precise category of youngsters between 6 and 18 years of age.

Therefore these categories are correctly represented in the following hierarchical scheme:childrennewborns (= newborn infant)nurslings (= nursing infant; suckling infant)infants

So the accepted categories are:babies } children - babiesinfants } children - infants

newborns } children - newbornsnursing infants } children - nurslingschoolgirls } children - schoolgirls

*** Icy cold / HotThe difference between warm and hot was maintained as it was considered relevant: itchingameliorated from a hot bath is not necessarily improved from a warm bath. Nevertheless, thetemperature modalities were grouped in a global superrubric as follows:icy cold } cold - icy coldhot } warm - hot

Until ambiguity is solved: the following can be used as well:

heat } warmth - heatThe modalities which depend upon these should be written as follows (the modalities "agg." or"amel." are repeated in order to avoid confusion ):hot stove amel. } warm - stove - amel. - hot amel.heat agg. } warmth - agg. - heat agg.

*** ColorsDifferent colors are made subrubrics of the main colors:chestnut } brown - chestnutmaroon } red - maroonmahogany } red - mahogany

In some rubrics the colors are grouped under a global superrubric "colors":Mind - Colors: indicates general influence of colors on the mental state


18/449

Mind - Anger - colors: symptoms with influence of colors on anger only (there are a few rubrics likethis)

Note: In all other rubrics the global superrubric refers only to the color itself: "STOOL - Brown - ...";"EAR - Discoloration - red - ...", etc.

We understand that there is a difference between "yellowish green" and "greenish yellow". The nounindicates the main shade of the color, so they will not be considered synonyms in Synthesis. On theother hand "yellow-green" and "yellowish green" are considered synonyms, but the later is preferredexpression for clarity.

*** Discoloration (only at level 2)EYE - Blueness } EYE - Discoloration - bluenessI found no other occurrences where this has to be changed except in eye.

*** Lightartificial light } light - artificial

bright light } light - brightcolor light } light - colorfirelight } light - firelightgaslight } light - gaslightsunlight } light - sun, of the

*** OffensiveAll offensive odors will depend of "offensive".spoiled egg; like } offensive - spoiled eggs; like

This NEW RULE implies a lot of changes: we have not yet executed all these changes (E.g.:: mouth -odor -offensive), but take it into consideration when adding new symptoms.

*** Seasons (only in generals - NOT so in the other chapters)winter - agg } GENERALS - Seasons - winter - agg

*** Weather (for all chapters)cloudy } MIND - Weather - cloudywet weather } GENERALS - Weather - wetchange of weather } HEAD - pain - weather - change of

*** Wind (for all chapters)Cold - wind } EAR - PAIN - wind - cold - agg.Cold - dry - wind } FACE - PAIN - wind - cold - dry - agg.

Food and Drinks (agg., amel., aversion and desire)All other food modalities are subrubrics of the four leading food-modalities: agg., amel., aversionand desire."Ailments": Note that: "wine -ailments, after" is considered to be the same as "wine - agg". Only thelatter is maintained (cfr. section 4d).

In STOMACH: you will find empty rubrics "2Desire" and "2Aversion". All additions to these rubrics arein "GENERALS - Food"

Expressions of more than one word


19/449

If an expression is composed of two or more words and its meaning is only clearly understood whenthese two words are combined, then this modality is inserted in the way that the expression is usedin common language.E.g.: mental exertion can be found under "mental exertion" and under "exertion, mental". As"mental exertion" is one expression with a specific meaning, Synthesis inserts all these symptoms as"mental exertion". These expressions are integrated in the list of "preferred words".If you are in doubt whether two words have to be kept together as one expression, considerwhether they have to be translated by one word in any other language. If yes, it becomesmandatory to add them as an expression. (E.g.: mental work = Geistesarbeit)

If such expressions occur at level 2, both words need to be written in capitals.

Combined modalitiesThousands of modalities refer to two or more modalities at the same time: cold air, warmth of bed,open air, draft of air, warm drinks, cold bathing, warm applications amel, etc. About half of themare written with the "temperature - component" as leading word (= cold bathing amel), and half ofthem with the other component as leading word (= bathing - cold amel). (e.g.: extremities - pain -upper limbs - washing - cold water, but: extremities - pain - tearing - fingers - cold washing).

Another example: "cold wet weather" refers to 14 symptoms in the original Kent. "Cold dampweather" to 28. So far, additions have been made in both ways. In both cases, some symptoms arenot to be found under c(old) or d(amp) but under w for weather!

To solve this confusion, we have elaborated a format for "combined modalities" to which wetranscribe all new symptoms.As much as possible we have already reformatted existing symptoms along the same lines.

For the list of combined modalities: see appendix

Modalities with a temperature-componentThe modalities which include a temperature component have all been streamlined so that thetemperature part comes first:cold - applicationscold - airwarm - roomcold - bathingwarm - foodetc.The reason for doing so is that in these case the temperature is often the most important part ofthat modality. When someone is "better bathing in cold water", what strikes us is that he bathes incold water, not so much that he is taking a bath.

The exception to this rule are the modalities of wind, weather and draft of air:weather - coldwind - warmdraft; of air - coldThis exception is made because one or more of the following reasons:there too may differentiations of these modalities (e.g. so many types of weather, not just warmand cold weather)

it is practical to have these modalities close together as may help to differentiate remediestheir position in the Repertory is well known and uniform already


20/449

Synonymous rubricsAs a rule synonymous rubrics are merged into only one rubric, which is the only one to contain theremedies. All other rubrics refer to the latter. The rubric with the remedies and with the subrubricsis the one in the more vital chapter.

E.g.: "mind - excitement - alternating with - convulsions" is the same as "generals - convulsions -alternating with - excitement". There will be a synonym in the chapter "generals" and the remedieswill be found in "mind", the more vital chapter.

See also "STANDARDIZING THE LANGUAGE OF THE REPERTORY- Combining too similar rubrics".

Splitting of a symptom into more or less levelsIn principle every level is split if it belongs to a different "group", such as time, modality, etc.E.g.: "noon after eating" (even if it as a small rubric) will become:"noon - eating, after"

"Descriptions of pain"A description of pain consists of at least one subrubric below the headrubric pain (level 2) thatexplains the pain in more detail (e.g. burning, stitching, drawing, etc.). In spoken language as wellas in certain repertories - the word pain very often is omitted (e.g. "my eyes burn").

Descriptions of pain are (as from Synthesis version 9.1) positioned at the end of the symptom in thepain sections of the repertory, i.e. they form the last level of the symptom and therefore aftertimes, sides, modalities, extensions or localizations.The homeopathic reason for this position is the experience of both patients and homeopaths thatnothing is more difficult to define than the way a pain feels.E.g.: "Eye - pain - morning - stitching pain": The description stitching is now at the end of the

symptom as the last rubric.

If yet another description of pain is added to explain the main one in more detail, the latter ispositioned as a direct subrubric of the first description. This way all "sub-descriptions" of a certaindescription are always to be found in one single group because a description only has otherdescriptions as subrubrics.The directions of a pain, esp. as expressed in terms like inward, forward, outward, upward,downward, etc. is also considered a description of pain because it doesn't modify (i.e. change) thepain, it furthermore does not depict an extension (which needs both a beginning and an end), but itexplains (i.e. describes) it.E.g.: "Eye - pain - stitching pain - burning": burning is sorted directly behind the chief descriptionstitching.

E.g.: "Eye - pain - stitching - pain - inward": inward is not - as it was in Kent - a subrubric ofextending to anymore.

To learn more about how this change of position of descriptions has been achieved, please read thechapter "STREAMLINING AND RESTRUCTURING".

"Other descriptions "In a limited number of rubrics, the modalities (or extensions, whichever group of symptoms happensto be the last) are followed by a second alphabetically ordered group of symptoms. These are notdescriptions of pain, but rather descriptions of the characteristics of the symptom.In these symptoms, the alphabet will start a second time to describe these "other descriptions".

This is the case for the following 2-level symptoms:


21/449

head - noisesvision - colorsear - noisesnose - dischargein all chapters - eruptions: modalities and descriptions are put mixed (they will be split again laterafter some more streamlining for eruptions)

There is yet another exception within these other descriptions, where a complaint that does notnecessarily have to be painful is being described as "painful" or vice versa: an often painfulcomplaint like an ulcer is being described as "painless". The words painful and painful simplydescribe the complaint as such (e.g. an ulcer, a swelling) without modifying it. In all occurrences ofthese expressions, they are at the end of a symptom (i.e. at the last level of it) and are sortedtogether with the modalities in one group.E.g. constipation - painfulerections - painfulhemorrhage - painfulinflammation - painful

shocks - painful, etc.tumors - painlessswelling - painlessinduration - painlesspulsating - painless

One should be aware of the fact that still the word "pain" also occurs in modalities, most often inthe meaning: a complaint that is worse during or after certain or general pains.E.g. Mind - Weeping - pains - with the (the pain causes the weeping)E.g. CHEST - Palpitation of heart - pain; during (the pain modifies the palpitation)

"Extensions" (in pain sections)The format of these symptoms always begins as follows:.... - extending to - {whatever region}There are in fact two types of information that can follow "extending ...":extending to (back, ...)extending into (heart, ...)As "extending ..." has to be the expression preceding any of the possibilities above, we prefer theone that is most frequently correct grammatically (extending to), because it is most frequentlyoccurring.

Another ambiguity is avoided by applying the rule above: the repertorial expression "extending -leg" can have two meanings ("extending the leg" and " extending to the leg") unless "extending to" is

systematically indicating it is an extension.

The leading keyword of the level below "extending" should be the localization of the extension andnot a specification of the latter. This specification may be a side or a part of the major localization.Do not write: but write:extending to - pit of stomach extending to - stomach - pit of stomach left shoulder shoulder - left

The extension is always described from origin to end. Symptoms in the repertory that make anexception to this rule have been moved, possibly to another chapter.E.g.: - "urethra - pain - drawing - extending to anus - from anus through urethra": has been movedto "rectum - pain - drawing - ...". Nevertheless a referring rubric in chapter urethra still points to

the correct position of the rubric which some homeopaths would otherwise search in vain (urethra -pain - drawing - extending from anus to urethra (see 1RECTUM - Pain - drawing - extending to -


22/449

urethra).

Since Synthesis 9.1, extensions into a certain direction are not any longer subrubrics of "extendingto", if they are a description of pain (such as "extending to - upwards").The reason is that these "extensions" express the description of the pain, they make the descriptionof pain more precise. Therefore the level "extending to" has been removed and the level "upwards"has been labeled with a D.E.g.: "stitching - extending to - upwards" has been replaced by "stitching - upwards".

Another reason for doing so, is that Repertory language now is again closer to spoken language.The same has been done for "downward, inward, outward, forward, backward, up and down" ifthese levels were specifying a description of pain and subrubrics of "extending to".

"Localizations"The first letter of a localization is always upper case.If the localization is composed, only the first letter is upper caseE.g.: Upper limbs

In the previous Synthesis versions the sub-localizations were small case, but this has been changedin version 8.Beside the obvious "specific localization" which gives the part of body, region, organ, etc. where agiven complaint can be localized, there are several types of generalized localizations, none ofwhich were applied by Kent and all introduced by Bönninghausen.

The highest level of generalization (abstraction) are localizations at the level of chapter, for suchchapters which themselves are localizations. In Bg2 you therefore find rubrics like "Stomach -stomach". In order to a) improve the readability and b) not to repeat the name of the chapter atthe level of the headrubric, those headrubrics start with a leading "Complaints of"

E.g. "STOMACH - COMPLAINTS of the stomach"Similarly if the localization is not a name of a chapter but one of the main organs, regions, bodyparts of a chapter, they are listed as headrubrics of their own right starting with the name of thelocalization, followed by the expression "complaints of", thus again making clear that this rubricdoes not stand for a specific complaint, but for a generalization.E.g. "ABDOMEN - PANCREAS; complaints of"E.g. "EYE - CONJUNCTIVA; complaints of"

In case of "smaller" localizations, e.g. parts of such bigger localizations, positions within them, etc.the localizations are given below the respective "bigger" localizationsE.g. "EXTREMITIES - FINGERS; complaints of - Tips"

E.g. "EYE - LIDS; complaints of - Margins of lids"E.g. "EAR - COMPLAINTS of ears - Behind the ear"

All these headrubrics are considered localizations and therefore logically sorted at the end of eachchapter.

Remarks:Only in some chapters, the "sides" are considered as localizations: head, external throat, neck,chest and abdomen. In all other chapters "sides" are part of the "group of the sides". The result isthat "head - sides" is positioned after the extensions and not as the first block of head. In all otheroccasions "side" is part of the first block of symptoms "sides".

"Side (not) lain on" is considered as a localization.


23/449

Standardizing the language of the repertory The language of the Repertory is different from the language of the Materia Medica and differentfrom the language of the patient because the Repertory has to use a more limited vocabulary. It isimportant to remember this quality especially as more and more new rubrics are created.

People may use different words and descriptions to express the same thing. This richness will bereflected in the exact wording of the Materia Medica. The core of the expressed symptom or ideawill only be found in one way in the Repertory. Otherwise, consulting the Repertory becomes alaborious task: for each expression we would have to think of all possible synonyms and similar waysof expressing the same thing, before we know all corresponding remedies. Now we go to the onerubric, possibly guided by synonyms that point to it.

Preferred words, expressions and spellingIf we use the Repertory regularly, we begin to perceive that certain words or expressions are moreoften used than others. It would be very laborious to make a complete list of preferred words andexpressions and we would have to conclude that it has not been fully applied anyway.

However, we should be aware of the advantages of this "restricted vocabulary" when editing oradding new symptoms. It allows us to find the symptoms more easily.One example: A typical Repertory expression is the modality "ameliorated by". It is so often used, ithas been abbreviated by "amel."However the idea of "ameliorated by" is still expressed in different ways in the Repertory: " xxxameliorate"; "better from xxx"; "disappearing from xxx"; relieved by or after xxx"; etc... All theseexpressions have been replaced by "amel." in Synthesis.

The same can be said regarding spelling. For the spelling of words, we have replaced Kent'snineteenth century American spelling by modern American English spelling, using WebsterDictionary as a reference.

Altogether we have tried to bring the language of Synthesis as close as possible to everydaylanguage. For medical expressions we have preferred the more commonly used disease names.The choices made by limiting the vocabulary have been made accessible by creating numeroussynonyms and cross-references.

* Punctuationeach comma or semi-colon has to be followed by a single space in a phrasepunctuation marks immediately follow a word (no space in front of them)abbreviations are followed by a full stop (especially agg. and amel.)no comma or full stop at the end of a level of a symptomnot "skin - cicatrices," but "skin - cicatrices"

* Use of high and low cast:CHAPTER NAME: high castHEADRUBRIC: first word high cast, following words low cast (except if the first word is a composedword, e.g.: GOOSE FLESH or part of an expression, e.g.: mental exertion)rubrics: all letters low cast, except if required otherwise because of spelling rules and except for(the first letter of) a localization in the Pain sections

Note:do not write but write

Lower Limbs Lower limbsThroat Pit Throat pit


24/449

Upper Limbs Upper limbsUpper Arm Upper arm

* Singular / Pluralprefer the plural if it can be used as well as the single:foot -} feeteruption -} eruptionstoe -} toesmembrane -} membranes

animal names: use pluralE.g.: use "geese" in stead of "goose"

* Tense of verbsThere are two preferred tenses of the verbs:if the symptom is expressed by the subject of the action, prefer the present continuing tenseif the symptom is expressed by the object of the action, prefer the past principle

E.g.: Talking >< Talked to; beingLooking >< Looked at; being

In the subrubrics of these rubrics, an inclination of the verb can be used to clarify the meaning of asymptom or to make the level of that symptom readable.E.g.: Talking - learning to talk; slow

If there is a choice, which may be the case especially in the local chapters, then prefer the presentcontinuous tense:E.g.: "Eyes - Swelling" in stead of "Eyes - Swollen"However, if the meaning becomes different, this should not be done!E.g.: Eyes - turning = the eyes are turning

Eyes - turned = they are not turning any more

If there is a noun expressing the same idea, this should be preferred as it is more easy to addmodalities to it (modalities are most often adjectives). To make sure, look in the list of preferredwords.E.g.: the modality "moving" should be replaced by "motion"

Avoiding ambiguitiesEvery language has its ambiguous words and expressions. We want to draw your attention to a fewexamples of particular interest for the Repertory. Wherever it has been possible, the ambiguity hasbeen solved. We suggest you take them into account especially when creating new symptoms.

alcoholics alcoholic drinksdrunkards (as opposed to "drunkenness; during")

angina inflammation of throatangina pectoris

bathing see explanation under washing

birth = concerns the infant being born, but use:delivery if the mother is concerned

biting = modality (from the verb "to bite"): write "biting; when"description of pain


25/449

breast = use either "chest"or "mammae""Breast" may be used in expressions (e.g. chicken breast, milk breast) or nonmedical rubrics (e.g.man suckling at her breast; dying)

cardialgia = heartburn (burning sensation at the pit of the stomach)= pain heart

cold agg/amel be more precise which cold is involvedcold applications; cold weather; cold air; cold water; ...

cold; taking = use "cold; taking a" when getting a flu is meantuse "cold; becoming" for exposure to cold temperature

crying use "weeping" if grief and tears are involveduse "shrieking" if screaming aloud is indicated

dinner = meal at noon (Kent's terminology)This will have to be changed some day as it does not correspond with nowadays language. In themean time it is better to stick to the way Kent used these words (meal in the evening = supper)≠ meal in the evening

heat = stage of heat during feverin all other instances "warmth" or "warm" should be preferred to avoid ambiguity (e.g.: do not write"heat - bed", but "warm - bed")>< fever: heat is only one stage of fever (chill or perspiration exist as well)

inspiration = taking in the air (as opposed to expiration)

≠ breathing (= both respiratory movements continued for some time)

leg = part of lower limb under the kneedo not use leg = lower limb

lie = to be in a recumbent position (complete phrase to avoid ambiguity)to make an untrue statement (same for tense "lying")

light = to the word "light", add either (low weight) or(brightness) if meaning cannot be understood from context

men = men (use only when exclusively male persons are meant);

otherwise use: humankind

nursing = breastfeeding a child: use "nursing the child"being breastfed: use "nursed; when the child is"watching the sick: use "watching the sick" or "night watching"

orange = use "oranges" for the fruit. If still ambiguity may exist, use"orange colored" (if the color is meant)

patient = a sick person (always write "a patient")not impatient

respiration if respiration = inhaling air: use inspirationif respiration = both respiratory movements: use breathing


26/449

storm = use "weather - stormy weather" if mostly windy weather is meantuse "thunderstorm" if thunder and lightning is involved

vertex = upper part of headthe anatomical bonethe occiput (confused by mistake)the central place from where of the hair starts to grow (use crown)

waking = waking up from sleep (still in bed, anyway no motion yet)use "rising" if "getting out of bed" (= motion) is involved

waking = waking any time of the day from sleep (waking is OK)waking in the morning especially: write "morning - waking; on"

warmth "warm - application" if locally applied warmth is meant; OR:"warm - air" if warmth in general is meant (no local application)

"weather - warm", "warm - bed" and "warm - room" are still other possibilities

washing = washing a part of the bodyif the whole body is washed, use "bathing"do not use bathing for a part of the body

water = water, drinking (when the water is drunk)("water, drinking - cold" is a possible subrubric of cold drinks)cold applications (when the water is applied externally)PS 1: for different symptoms we will need some more time to investigate the sources to seewhether the drinking or the application was meant. This problem arises also with subrubrics such as"cold water", "warm water", when the two possibilities are feasible.

PS 2: when the act of drinking is indicated, that is to say not especially drinking water, then use"drinking".

Combining too similar rubricsDifferent rubrics should only continue to exist if they express a difference which is expressed by thecommon people, not by linguists.The underlined rubric is the one to be preferred:

MIND - Money, from losing {} Ailments - money; loss ofMIND - Ailments - punishment {} MIND - Punishment - agg mental symptoms

Cross-references, synonyms and referring rubricsThe difference we are making between synonyms and cross-references is based on a technicaldifference in the repertories in making references from one rubric to another:

CROSS-REFERENCES are rubrics with remedies referring to other rubrics with remedies. The meaningof cross-referenced rubrics is similar, but sufficiently different to legitimate a different rubric.Remedies and subrubrics are added to the most appropriate rubric.

SYNONYMS follow the master synonym to which they relate.E.g.: Discontented (= displeased, dissatisfied)Discontented is the master synonym which is followed by some synonyms, such as displeased.

You will find these synonyms themselves also as (referring) rubrics in their logical place in therepertory. If one looks for that symptom he will be referred to the master synonym.


27/449

E.g.: Displeased (see Discontented)Displeased as a regular rubric is called a referring rubric, pointing you to look at the mastersynonym "discontented".

Hence REFERRING RUBRICS are rubrics without remedies nor subrubrics referring to a rubric (MasterSynonym) which contains the remedies. In repertorial language, the referring rubrics (containing thesynonyms) are considered synonymous with the master synonym. The remedies and subrubrics areadded only under the master synonym.

A special case are the alternating symptoms. In the original repertory of Kent remedies may figureunder both entries (e.g.: anger alternating with cheerful and cheerful alternating with anger). InSynthesis we have selected always only one rubric as the "master" one and the other became areferring rubric. Remedies are only added at the master rubric.The choice which rubric is to be considered as a master one is discussed under the headingalternating symptoms.

There are some referring rubrics which do not add to the meaning of the headrubric, but which are

only there to localize more easily the headrubric / master synonym.E.g.: Sadness - alternating with - irritability (see 2Irritability - alternating with - sadness)These referring rubrics are called "explanatory referring rubrics"

There is also a syntax which we are systematically using to create consistency and ease of usethroughout Synthesis.

Cross reference syntax: if x-ref is present in:1CHAPTER - Headrubric - rubric in different chapter2Headrubric in same chapter3rubric in same headrubric (level 3)

Cross references are positioned after the remedies of the rubric.

Referring rubric syntax: if synonym is present in:SYMPTOM (see 1CHAPTER - Headrubric - rubric) in different chapterSYMPTOM (see 2Headrubric) in same chapterSYMPTOM; symptom (see 3rubric) in rubric at level 3

Referring rubrics never contain remedies, subrubrics, nor x-references.

Master Synonym syntax:MASTER SYNONYM (synonym1/synonym2 - level 3/text text; text - synonym3).In principle, the master synonym repeats all the synonyms it is referred from.

Different synonyms following the same master synonym are separated by a slash (/).Synonyms precede the remedies of the rubric.The master synonym contains remedies and may have subrubrics or x-references.

In all instances the following rules are respected:from version 6.0 onwards, we use "(see ..." in stead of "(See ...".

each cross-reference following a rubric or each synonym following a referring rubric begins withlevel 1, 2 , 3 or ... of the symptom. This is indicated by adding the number corresponding to thelevel just in front of the first letter of that level.E.g.: x-ref at: Discouraged x-ref: 2Confidence - lackE.g.: synonym: Displeased (see 2Discontented)

E.g.: x-ref at a more level symptom:Pain - stitching - leg - calf - stepping x-ref: 3lancinating - leg calf - stepping


28/449

E.g.: synonym at a more level symptom:Pain - stitching - leg - calf - stepping (see 6walking)

the introduction of one or more words at each level should be sufficient to find the symptom withthe "search - symptom" function.E.g.: "2Jealousy " is enoughE.g.: "1MIND - Air" is not enough; you need "1MIND - Air castles" as another entry with "mind - air"exists.Therefore, at each level at least the first word is written. If at any level ambiguity persists, then asecond or more words are written unless ambiguity is resolved.

If a concept is only expressed with precision by more than one word, these two or more words willbe written in the referring part of the cross-reference or synonymous rubric.This is necessary as these expressions may have the same first word in English, but not yet identicalmeanings.E.g.: "mental" may be the first word of: mental exertion mental power

mental symptoms

Also think about the translation for the same reason:E.g.: see run may be translated by voir courrirwhereassee run over may be translated by voir renverser

Each level of a symptom is separated by "{space}-{space}" (as opposed to words with the same sign"-", such as throat-pit).

Text of a symptom can be never put between round brackets. Text between brackets alwaysindicates a synonym.

If a word needs clarification, this may be done by using square brackets within the text of thesymptom.:E.g.: MIND - DELUSIONS - light [= brightness] as opposed toMIND - DELUSIONS - light [= low weight]

Making additionsWhen I started practicing homeopathy (1978), there was an important group of homeopaths whobelieved no additions should be made to Kent's Repertory. The idea was that the Repertorycontained wisely selected information and that additions could only increase the bias of too muchinformation. One would be tempted to believe that this was Kent's vision as well, as he introduced

the third edition of his Repertory as follows: "You will find all remedies of any value containedherein. The book is complete." But a conversation has been reported, shortly before his death,where he contradicted his wife who was making the same statement. He confessed to Dr. FrederikaGladwin that "his job was almost done. If it had to continue, his students had to take care of it."

Today there seems to be little doubt as to the necessity of additions. But another problem isemerging: an increasing number of homeopaths is questioning the reliability of those colleagueswho suddenly report hundreds if not thousands of additions based on their clinical experience. Ibelieve we should take a resolute stand and treat each other's "fever for additions". Moreover, weshould balance it with "fastidiousness about correct additions".

T he sources


29/449

Current additionsFrom which sources have the additions previously been made?You will find the additions from the Repertories that are primarily used today: Boger's version ofBönninghausen Repertory, Oscar Boericke's Repertory, Phatak's Repertory, etc.

Information from different Materia Medica books has been integrated, especially from the classicalauthors such as:- Hahnemann: surprisingly, many of Hahnemann's symptoms seem not to have been integrated intoKent's Repertory- Kent's Materia Medica (fully integrated on the basis of Dr. Linda Johnston's tremendous work (LosAngeles, USA)- Hering's Encyclopedia (this source was preferred over copying from the secondary source, Knerr'sRepertory, which contains the same material)- Allen's Encyclopedia (the original book, not the index, which contains many mistakes andomissions as we found with key-word searches using Radar. Whenever possible we have indicated ifthe information came from Allen's full text or from the Index to his Encyclopedia)- Roberts "Sensations as if". Although some consider it as a Repertory, it is a full text structured lineby line. It takes much time to transcribe it to a correct repertory structure, but the book is beingintegrated into Kent's Repertory.- other Materia Medicas have been integrated, although most of them partially, due to the amountof work involved. Worth mentioning: Clarke's Dictionary, William Boericke's Materia Medica,Phatak's Materia Medica, Borland's books, Tyler's Drug Pictures, etc.Special thanks at this level goes to the European homeopaths collaborating under the coordinationof Thomas Lowes (Munich, Germany) and to the members of the American rhus-tox study group.

Many other homeopaths have done great jobs on particular remedies taken from different sources,or from research according to their interest. Since Synthesis 5, for example, you will find much

more complete pictures of the nosodes: additions from Henry Allen's Nosodes, reviews ofcarcinosinum, psorinum, different strains of tuberculinum and medorrhinum.

An important number of clinical observations from different "living" authorities has been added.The largest number of additions in this category is derived from George Vithoulkas. We have takengreat care to make sure that Synthesis is the best reflection of his clinical experience, which isprobably the largest in homeopathy to date.

George Vithoulkas has gathered a great number of homeopaths in a Clinical Centre in Athens. Allconsultations are supervised by more experienced homeopaths or by him. Today 34 medical doctorsare working in the Centre and Vithoulkas estimates to have seen more than 150.000 cases.

Vithoulkas himself has not published his additions and the best source so far is Dr. Bill Gray'sbooklet of notes taken during his stay in Athens (1979).For the first time, George Vithoulkas himself has been writing down his additions for the chaptermind, and these are now integrated in Synthesis. The chapter MIND has now more than 1600controlled additions from his hand. Many of these additions have been confirmed by other authors.On his instructions, more additions to other chapters have been added in successive versions ofSynthesis. In this version we have also included his indications on changes of degrees (most often ahigher degree).

When a remedy has a higher (lower) degree according to Vithoulkas, it is followed by a sign:"merc.3vh" means that for this rubric, "merc." should be in the third degree instead of the second

degree. There are more than 1.000 such instances and one is free to follow this advice or not.


30/449

Future additionsIt is misleading to call any Repertory complete. More work will always be needed to further improvethe quality and increase the content of Synthesis and it is certain that this job will never becompletely finished. So, as a consequence, all current collaborators and, in fact, anyone is invited

to go on with this collaboration.

The most productive contributions are made when everyone does what interests him or her: theremedy he needs, the author she likes, etc. Nevertheless a few suggestions:If you plan to undertake a big job, check to see that the work has not been done or started alreadyby someone else.In any event it is beneficial to check again encoded additions, as we have done for some earlieradditions.The priority set by most of our collaborators is to encode all information of the so-called classicalauthors (Hahnemann, Kent, Allen, Hering, Clarke and Boericke).We should continue to give priority to the most reliable information. Written sources andconfirmation of existing material will remain the best choice for a long time. It is more valuable tohave a confirmation by someone not belonging to the same school as the one whose information isto be confirmed.

And finally: the most reliable symptoms are found when you use the source in the originallanguage.

T he criteria to make an addition

Confidence in additionsNot all homeopaths agree with each other's additions or criteria to make additions.

In the book, the only way to solve this is to clearly indicate the source, permitting each one tomake his decision6(6).But there are some perspectives. To the presence of any remedy a confidence level will be givenbased on homeopathic criteria allowing one to select only the most confident additions at anystage.The lowest level of confidence means that it is a one-time addition from just anyone. If otherhomeopaths start making the same observation and reporting the same addition, the confidence inthis information will increase. A confidence level of 2 may appear if the remedy belongs to theoriginal Repertory of Kent, or if the information is supported by at least three different authors,etc.

The confidence level is NOT reflected in the degrees of the remedies. It is entirely possible thatdifferent authorities confirm that a symptom is sometimes, but not often, found for a remedy: inthis case the confidence level will increase, but not its degree.

At first this tool will only be usable by those working with the computer, as we have yet to imaginehow this information can be translated to the printed form. Our only reasonable solution now seemsto be to accept everybody's additions with consideration, provided they have been added withcaution and precision. There is no selection that would please everybody. Can we refuse to takeadditions from the Latin-American schools ? Or include only their additions ? Not everybody wouldbe pleased.We are toolmakers and Synthesis is like a violin. We can make it sound very charming, but wecannot define which music will be played on it: Mozart, a bohemian rhapsody or a cacophony.

Literature versus words


31/449

"Verba volant, scripta manent"7(7): it is common-sense that what is written has more scientificvalue than what is told. Our first attention goes to the integration of written information.Another point of attention has unfortunately proved to be the following. When homeopath X quotesan addition from colleague Y, he should be sure that Y has been quoting from his own experience.

The most relevant question when additions are proposed is: "From whom?". If there is no reassuringanswer to this question, we are better off with no addition at all.

Provings versus clinical experienceA proving has always been the primary source of homeopathic information. As most provings aresupervised by more experienced homeopaths and are, in fact, a scientific study, the results tend tobe more reliable. The rules to extract useful symptoms from a proving have sufficiently been laid

down, but nevertheless, quoting Jeremy Sherr, "good supervision is the key to a good proving".8(8)

It is different with clinical information since homeopaths are so different. One homeopath mentionswith some reluctance one new addition after ten years of practice, while another one shouts with

joy at his ten additions within his first year of practice.I do not want to dictate rules, but I believe that the general concern is that one should have atleast ten years of full time homeopathic practice before "offering" additions to the community.

Even more experienced homeopaths agree that the additions purely on clinical experience should beintegrated with caution. That is why we added the additions from living "authors" in the first degreein Synthesis, unless they get confirmation, which may affect a higher degree.

Then finally: when do symptoms of a cured case become possible additions?There is a difference in the attitude to be taken towards acute or chronic cases.A chronic case can yield additions if:the reaction to the remedy is clear-cut, which means

no interference from positive circumstancesno mix up with other remedies or therapiesthe reaction to the remedy is spectacular and repeated. A strong reaction to one dose is notsufficient proof of the remedy's action: we must have placebo-awareness. If the same symptomsdisappear a second and a third time, we feel already more confident about the causative agent.the duration of action should clearly exceed the possible placebo effect, e.g. from a "niceconversation"It might take several years before you can decide whether a chronic case is "good enough" to use foradditions.

An acute case can yield additions if:the reaction is clear-cut (see above)

the reaction to the remedy is spectacular and carries the patient to a prompt cure (no furtherremedies nor therapy needed)the speed of onset of improvement should be considered. In a full hit acute case, useful foradditions, this should be within 24, preferentially 12 hours after the dose. Be aware that someacute cases get better on their own, if you wait long enough. We should prefer to consider only thevery spectacular cases.

In both acute and chronic cases, placebo-awareness is a key. For this reason homeopaths wereadvised by Dr. Jacques Imberechts (Brussels, Belgium) to first prescribe a placebo.

Procedure for additions

Once the symptom and remedy to be added are firm, it should be established whether the symptomfound is a specific symptom or a generalized symptom (and if the latter is the case, to which


32/449

degree).This is very important, because this will decide where in the repertory to check, whether or not thissymptom already exists. Both in Materia Medica and in the different repertories you might find bothtypes of symptoms as a few examples for generalized symptoms will illustrate. For the fulldiscussion on the meaning and importance of this distinction see "II. 2. Specific versus generalizedsymptoms.E.g. Bg2 Materia Medica: Characteristics: Aconitum napellus

Repertory Language Synthesis 9-1

Documents

Transcript of Repertory Language Synthesis 9-1