This book review is reprinted from The Homoeopath with permission from Nick Churchill of The Society of Homoeopaths.
First Aid Remedy Cards
by Judith Scott & Vivienne Rawnsley
1991
reviewed by Hanna Waldbaum
Hannah Waldbaum is a graduate of the College of Homoeopathy, and works at the Helios Pharmacy.
As the title suggests this is a set of cards in a handy cardboard folder intended for first aid and acute prescribing. Compiled by two practicing homoeopaths already known for their popular poster 'Homoeopathy + First Aid' they have been designed and illustrated 'for the lay person with an interest' as well as for the professional prescriber who may wish to use them for quick reference in acute cases and, those who intend to give First Aid classes, may find the cards useful in preparing their lessons.
Of the sixteen cards twelve deal with common complaints ('Disease cards') and the remaining four contain brief remedy pictures ('Materia Medica cards') describing twenty-four of the fifty odd remedies mentioned in the text. The cards are neatly designed with symptoms listed in logical order and illustrated to emphasize location, modalities, extension, etc. The drawings are amusing and easy to comprehend and help to memorize certain aspects of a remedy.
Though the twenty four remedy pictures on the Materia Medica focus on mental and general symptoms I found on the whole too much emphasis on physical particulars, omission of some important, differentiating generals and almost no mention of mental and emotional symptoms on the 'Disease cards' and this could lead to ineffectual prescriptions. People with no knowledge of Materia Medica when faced with an emergency will look at the tabbed cards headed by familiar disease names. It is here that easily observable general, mental and striking symptoms should be found.
Here are some examples of regrettable omissions:
Nux Vomica's irritability ('Flu', 'Colds' and 'Digestive' cards);
Pulsatilla's thirstlessness and changeability ('Coughs', 'Headaches');
Gelsemium's thirstlessness in fevers ('Flu' card);
Aconite's restlessness ('Colds');
Bryonia's intense thirst and worry about money ('Headaches');
Arsenicum's thirst for sips, restlessness and fear of death;
Ipecac's nausea not relieved by vomiting....
The choice of headings may be a matter of personal preference: I would group the "Colds', 'Coughs' and 'Sore Throats' cards together, thus avoiding unnecessary repetition. "Travel Sickness' is found on the back of the card headed 'Children', where it is least expected. A reference to that effect could be written on the tab of the 'Digestive' card, where the uninitiated would look for it.
What I miss most is a card on 'Emotional Trauma', dealing with shock, grief, disappointment and anticipation. So many ills could be avoided if these were treated with first aid homoeopathy!
The choice of remedies may also be debatable. Many minor remedies are described under various headings yet Ignatia and Argentum nitricum are not mentioned at all.
Despite its flaws I find the idea of illustrated reference cards instead of reference books a brilliant one. Compared with other first aid books of this size the cards are on the expensive side but the quality of recycled card, the use of red, grey and black, and above all the attractive illustrations justify the price.
I will certainly have them on my book display at my next first aid homoeopathy course.
The Homoeopath Vol.11 No.4 1991