method

The method of repertorisation is a fundamental and indispensable analytical process in classical homeopathic practice, serving as a bridge between the vastness of the homeopathic Materia Medica and the unique symptom totality of an individual patient. It is a systematic tool designed to assist the homeopath in identifying the most similar remedy (the *simillimum*) from a multitude of potential medicines, based on the characteristic symptoms presented by the patient.

To fully understand the “Method of Repertorisation,” it is essential to delineate its purpose, the sequential steps involved, and the various approaches employed by practitioners.

Purpose of Repertorisation

The primary objectives of repertorisation are:

• To navigate the Materia Medica: With thousands of remedies and tens of thousands of symptoms documented, manually comparing a patient’s symptom picture with every remedy’s profile is practically impossible. Repertories organize symptoms into a structured index, making them searchable.
• To identify the *Simillimum*: By systematically matching the patient’s characteristic symptoms with rubrics (symptom entries) in the repertory, a list of potential remedies emerges, ranked by their coverage and intensity of the patient’s symptoms.
• To confirm remedy selection: It helps to confirm the choice of remedy by providing a statistical or qualitative representation of how well a remedy covers the case.
• To differentiate between similar remedies: When several remedies appear similar, repertorisation can highlight subtle differences based on the presence or absence of specific rubrics.
• To uncover less common remedies: It can bring to light remedies that might not immediately come to mind but are highly indicated by the patient’s unique symptom presentation.

The Overall Process of Repertorisation

Repertorisation is not a standalone act but an integral part of a comprehensive case analysis process. It typically involves the following stages:

1. Thorough Case Taking: This is the most crucial initial step, involving meticulous elicitation of the patient’s physical, mental, and emotional symptoms, including their modalities (aggravating and ameliorating factors), concomitants, and causative factors. The goal is to capture the complete and characteristic individuality of the patient.
2. Case Analysis and Evaluation of Symptoms:
   • Individualization: Identifying the unique, peculiar, and characteristic symptoms that distinguish the patient’s illness from common ailments.
   • Hierarchy of Symptoms: Applying principles like Kent’s hierarchy (mental generals > physical generals > particulars) or Boenninghausen’s complete symptom concept (location, sensation, modalities, concomitants) to prioritize symptoms.
   • Grading of Symptoms: Assigning a relative importance or intensity to each symptom based on its clarity, reliability, and characteristic nature.
3. Selection of Characteristic Symptoms for Repertorisation: From the totality of symptoms, only the most characteristic, reliable, and differentiating symptoms are chosen for entry into the repertory. Common symptoms that do not individualize the case are generally excluded or given less weight.
4. Translation of Symptoms into Repertorial Rubrics: This step requires a deep understanding of repertorial language and structure. The homeopath must accurately translate the patient’s expressions into the precise rubrics found in the chosen repertory. This often involves finding synonyms, understanding the scope of rubrics, and using cross-references.
5. The Act of Repertorisation: This is the mechanical or computational process of recording and analyzing the selected rubrics and the remedies listed under them.
6. Analysis of the Repertorial Result: The outcome of repertorisation is a list of remedies, often ranked by various parameters (e.g., number of rubrics covered, sum of grades, elimination). The homeopath must critically evaluate this result.
7. Materia Medica Consultation and Final Remedy Selection: The repertorial result is never taken as the final answer. The top remedies from the repertorisation are then studied in detail in the Materia Medica to confirm their suitability, ensuring that the entire symptom picture of the patient aligns with the chosen remedy’s profile, including its essence and key characteristics.

Methods of Repertorisation (The Act Itself)

The actual process of matching symptoms to rubrics and compiling results can be broadly categorized into two main methods:

1. Manual Repertorisation

This traditional method involves using physical repertory books or card repertories.

• Using Book Repertories:
  • The homeopath selects a characteristic symptom and locates the corresponding rubric in the chosen repertory (e.g., Kent’s Repertory, Synthesis Repertory, Complete Repertory).
  • For each selected rubric, the remedies listed under it are noted down.
  • A systematic method, such as drawing lines on a sheet of paper (a ‘repertory sheet’ or ‘repertory grid’), is used. Each column represents a remedy, and each row represents a rubric. When a remedy appears under a rubric, a mark (often a tally or a numerical grade corresponding to the remedy’s intensity in that rubric) is placed in the intersection.
  • After marking all selected rubrics, the marks for each remedy are totaled. Remedies are then ranked based on the number of rubrics they cover and/or the sum of their grades.
  • This method is meticulous, time-consuming, and prone to human error, but it fosters a deep understanding of repertorial structure and remedy relationships.
• Using Card Repertories (e.g., Boger’s Card Repertory):
  • Each card represents a remedy, and the symptoms (rubrics) that remedy covers are listed on it. Alternatively, in some systems, each card represents a symptom, and the remedies covering it are listed.
  • To repertorise, the homeopath pulls out the cards corresponding to the selected characteristic symptoms.
  • By superimposing or comparing these cards, remedies that appear on multiple cards (i.e., cover multiple symptoms) are identified.
  • This method is faster than book repertorisation for a limited number of rubrics but can be cumbersome for complex cases with many symptoms.

2. Computer-Aided Repertorisation (Software Repertorisation)

With advancements in technology, specialized software programs have become the predominant method for repertorisation.

• Process:
  • The homeopath enters the selected characteristic symptoms into the software.
  • The software provides a search function to find appropriate rubrics from its integrated repertories (often multiple repertories like Kent, Synthesis, Complete, Boenninghausen, Boger, etc.).
  • Once rubrics are selected, they are added to a ‘clipboard’ or ‘analysis sheet’ within the software.
  • The software instantly performs the calculation, presenting a ranked list of remedies based on various analytical strategies (e.g., total sum of grades, number of rubrics covered, elimination, specific weighting methods).
  • Many software programs also offer advanced features like cross-referencing, symptom comparison, family analysis, and direct links to Materia Medica texts.
• Advantages:
  • Speed and Efficiency: Significantly reduces the time required for calculation, allowing more focus on case analysis and Materia Medica study.
  • Accuracy: Eliminates human calculation errors.
  • Vastness: Can access multiple repertories and Materia Medica texts simultaneously.
  • Flexibility: Allows for easy modification of rubrics, addition/removal of symptoms, and application of different analytical strategies.
  • Advanced Analysis: Offers sophisticated algorithms for weighting symptoms, comparing remedies, and visualizing results.
• Common Software Examples: RadarOpus, MacRepertory, Hompath, Complete Dynamics, Zomeo, Vithoulkas Compass, etc.

Analytical Strategies and Approaches within Repertorisation

Beyond the mechanical act of finding and tallying rubrics, different schools of thought and prominent homeopaths have developed specific strategies for selecting symptoms and interpreting repertorial results. These are often integrated into modern software.

• Kent’s Method: Emphasizes a hierarchical approach, prioritizing mental generals, then physical generals, followed by particular symptoms, and finally common symptoms. Modalities and concomitants are crucial for individualization. The aim is to find a remedy that covers the highest grade of the most characteristic symptoms.
• Boenninghausen’s Method (Therapeutic Pocket Book): Focuses on the “complete symptom” (Location, Sensation, Modalities, Concomitants – L.S.M.C.). It emphasizes the importance of modalities and concomitants, which can apply to multiple symptoms. This method often uses a repertory structured to facilitate this cross-referencing, such as Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket Book or Boger’s Synoptic Key. The concept of “concordances” (remedies sharing similar modalities) is central.
• Boger’s Method (Synoptic Key, Card Repertory): Builds upon Boenninghausen, emphasizing common generals, time modalities, and the pathological general. It looks for remedies that cover the “genius” or “spirit” of the disease.
• Elimination Method: Involves using a few very strong, peculiar, and reliable general symptoms to eliminate remedies that do not possess these characteristics, thereby narrowing down the field of potential remedies quickly.
• Phatak’s Method: A specific grading system for symptoms (e.g., Grade 4 for peculiar, Grade 3 for characteristic, Grade 2 for common, Grade 1 for vague). The repertorial result is then analyzed based on these weighted grades.
• Totality of Symptoms Approach: The classical approach, where the aim is to find the remedy that covers the greatest number of characteristic symptoms with the highest intensity, reflecting the patient’s unique totality.