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 PRESCRIPTION
Homoeopathy 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 Awasthi
C.M.O I/c DGD(H) Mangolpuri


3Dr.prasad mahajan <delhidoc@rediffmail.com> wrote:

SINGLE OR MULTIPLE MEDICINES IN PRESCRIPTION
The 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 REGARDS
DR P V MAHAJAN
CMO
CHANDERNAGAR DISPENSARY
4.Dr.nilesh mulay <nilesh_mulay2002@yahoo.co.in> 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 <dramritdwarka19@yahoo.com> 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 Kalsi
Chief Medical Officer (H)

6. Dr SHIPRA GOEL
SINGLE OR MULTIPLE MEDICINE
Any prescription may be classified broadly into best,better or good depending
on nature of
disease,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 1
st
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