The life-work of the student of the homœopathic Materia Medica is one of constant comparison and differentiation. He must compare the pathogenesis of a remedy with the recorded anamnesis of the patient; he must differentiate the apparently similar symptoms of two or more medicinal agents in order to select the simillimum. To enable the student or practitioner to do this correctly and rapidly he must have as a basis for comparison some knowledge of the individuality of the remedy; something that is peculiar, uncommon, or sufficiently characteristic in the confirmed pathogenesis of a polychrest remedy that may be used as a pivotal point of comparison. It may be a so-called “keynote,” a “characteristic,” the “red strand of the rope,” and central modality or principle—as the aggravation from motion of Bryonia, the amelioration from motion of Rhus, the furious, vicious delirium of Belladonna or the apathetic indifference of Phosphoric acid—some familiar landmark around which the symptoms may be arranged in the mind for comparison.

Something of this kind seems indispensable to enable us to intelligently and successfully use our voluminous symptomatology. Also, if we may judge from the small number of homœopathic physicians who rely on the single remedy in practice, and the almost constant demand for a “revision” of the Materia Medica, its study in the past, as well as at present, has not been altogether satisfactory to the majority.

An attempt to render the student’s task less difficult, to simplify its study, to make it both interesting and useful, to place its mastery within the reach of every intelligent man or woman in the profession, is the apology for the addition of another monograph to our present works of reference.

It is all-important that the first step in the study of homœopathic therapeutics be correctly taken, for the pathway is then more direct and the view more comprehensive. The object of this work is to aid the student to master that which is guiding and characteristic in the individuality of each remedy and thus utilize more readily the symptomatology of the Homœopathic Materia Medica, the most comprehensive and practical work for the cure of the sick ever given the medical profession. It is the result of years of study as student, practitioner and teacher, and is published at the earnest solicitation of many alumni of Hering College, with the hope that it may be of as much benefit to the beginner as it has been to the compiler.