This post is sort of a public message for awareness about homeopathy. A member of Banerji Protocols User facebook group posted the following question about the dose size of homeopathic remedies as he was confused by the opinion of a homeopath and the instruction given in Banerji protocols: “I’ve heard homeopaths say that one pillule is one dose. Why do the Banerji protocols often say to take 2 or 3 pillules as one dose instead?”
A few days ago, a similar question was asked in another group where I commented in detail. This is a detailed post on the same to clear any doubts regarding the dose size of homeopathic remedies.
Muhammad Sohail Latif (PhD, MSc, DHMS)
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As for the dose size of homeopathic remedies used in Banerji protocols, one thing must be clear in mind that Banerji protocols DO NOT follow homeopathy regarding it’s cardinal principles. The pioneers of Banerji protocols admit ‘although homeopathic remedies are used in Banerji protocols, the approach itself is not homeopathic’. So, the dose size of homeopathic remedies used in Banerji protocols cannot be compared with the same in homeopathy. If someone is using a Banerji protocol then he should stick to the instructions given in the protocol and should not be confused with other homeopath’s opinion.
In homeopathy too, we have two main schools of thought regarding dose size. One is Hahnemannian based on Hahnemann’s instructions as given in his Organon of Medicine while the other one is Kentian based on Dr. Kent’s philosophy. Both are contrary to each other.
One drop or a whole bottle and one pill or pellet or more is basically Dr Kent’s philosophy. Hahnemann’s philosophy is not the same.
Following are cited from lecture 49 (Kent’s Lesser Writings) :
“It never matters whether the remedy is given in water in spoonful doses or given in a few pellets dry on the tongue-the result is the same.”
“The action or power of one pellet, if it acts at all, is as great as ten.”
“If a few pellets be dissolved in water, and the water is given by the tea spoon full, each teaspoonful will act as powerfully as the whole of the powder if given at once, and the whole quantity of water if drank at once will have no greater curative or exaggerative power than one teaspoonful.”
Based on above, David Little in his article “Where Kent Differs with Hahnemann” wrote that “Kent also felt it makes no difference whether you give 1 teaspoon or the entire glass of a medicinal solution. In Kentian homoeopathy the size of the dose is a static factor while only the potency is dynamic.”
In his another article “Adjusting the Size of the Dose”, Little explained the following :
“Now let us look closely at the adjustment of the amounts of the remedy related to the size of the dose. This also has five areas of application.
1. The number of pills used in the solution bottle.
1, or more rarely, 2 pills are commonly used to make a medicinal solution. This is a powerful increase of the energy of the dose because each pill represents an increase in the “quantum” of remedial power. Only the most insensitive constitutions need 2, or increasingly more, pills in the medicinal solution. Hahnemann spoke of a ratio of constitutional sensitivity of 1000 to 1 in aph. 281. I call this the sensitivity scale (1 to 1000). Understanding this is a key to the art of adjusting the dose. Individuals who need an increase of the number of pills are on the lowest end of the sensitivity scale (1-250). I have not used more then 2 pills yet but it could happen any day. This is the first adjustment of the size of the dose.
2. The size of the medicinal solution.”
Although Little continues his discussion on the same, above references are sufficient to differentiate Kent’s concept about the size of the dose from that of Hahnemann.
Readers of this post are encouraged to read aphorisms 275 to 279 in Hahnemann’s 6th edition of the Organon of Medicine (available free on the internet). Below I’m writing the summary of his instructions regarding dose size :
Aphorism 275: “The dose of the homoeopathic remedy should be small, just enough to cause a gentle, imperceptible, yet effective change in the symptoms.”
Aphorism 276: “The smallest dose that will produce a perceptible change in the symptoms is the most suitable.”
Aphorism 278: “The dose should be reduced to the minimum required to produce the desired effect, and no more.”
These aphorisms emphasize the importance of using the smallest possibleveffective dose in homeopathic treatment, avoiding excessive or overpowering doses that might cause unnecessary reactions or suppress symptoms. I hope this post will help clarify the concept of dose size in homeopathy. This post explains the general principles of Hahnemann’s dose size and its comparison with a misrepresentation. In another post, I’ll try to explain about Hahnemann’s practice as regards to the exact number and size of globules/drops.
Muhammad Sohail Latif (PhD, MSc, DHMS)
