This book review is reprinted with the permission of the National Center for Homeopathy
The Homeopathic Treatment of Eczema
by Robin Logan FSHom
1998, ISBN 0-906584-47-7
Threadsewn Paperback, 152 pages
reviewed by Francis Treuherz MA, FSHom
[Read an Interview
of Francis Treuherz]
Recent homeopathic publishing has concentrated in a few areas such as new forms of materia medica, expanded repertory, provings, research,inspirational philosophy, introductory texts for lay people, and some history. There have not been many books on therapeutics for practitioners, with notable exceptions like Idarius, Moskowitz and Perko in pregnancy and childbirth, and Hershoff in musculoskeletal problems. Many of the old nineteenth century (or modern Indian?) therapeutics books simply extracted the symptoms from materia medica for the relevant pathology or body section. Some like Lilienthal's monumental Therapeutics were more ambitious and attempted to deal with the whole of human sickness in one volume.
This new text on eczema by a former editor of The Homeopath is welcome in that it is carefully created within a context of holistic classical prescribing. Robin Logan reassesses the relationship of mental and pathological and particular rubrics from a classical standpoint. He also looks at the symbolic and linguistic meanings of how patients express themselves verbally and through their symptoms. There are discussions on topics like small and large totalities, and one sided cases. These aspects are of general value and takes the book beyond eczema, so that the principles could be generally applied to any pathology.
The book begins with dermatology, to explain the diagnoses and terminology, to distinguish both the language used and the different approaches of the allopaths and the homeopaths. This is necessary to ensure that all readers are at the same starting point. There is an emphasis on the need for the homeopath to be in contact and collaboration with the medical general practitioner where possible.
The succeeding chapters predictably centre around taking, analysing and managing the case, with an examination of reasons for failure, and aggravations. These are all illustrated with short cases. Much of the data for helping the reader through the different typical eruptions comes from Roger van Zandvoort's Complete Repertory. Throughout the book there are short extractions of 4 or 5 relevant rubrics from MacRepertory and a general acknowledgment that using the computer repertory is helpful. These short rubric listings are most interesting and really help to emphasis one of the central messages: that accuracy in case taking can lead to locating precise skin and other rubrics, and that these rubrics are valuable. My only criticism is that the familiar repertory charts were not shown, with the possibility of visual comparisons between remedies and families, and I hope that this can be improved in a future edition; indeed I shall offer to help create them.
There is a comprehensive materia medica, with short mental and general indications as a context for the skin symptoms and what the author calls "the itch." Included are such small gems as Oleander and Skookum chuck alongside the predicable polychrests. The index is very thorough with an index of remedies, and of rubrics in addition to the usual general index.
One might say that Robin Logan is economical with the truth. His style is focused, brief and to the point, and his descriptions and suggestions are accurate, based on experience and he is honest about difficulties as well as successes. This book may be usefully read by students and experienced prescribers. Excuse me while I go and have a good scratch.
Homeopathy Today
October 1998