Attractive hardback. 380 pages. Printed in the UK. 

Here at Minerva, we are big fans of Richard Pitt's work. 

If Richard Pitt's previous title 'Therapeutic Guide and Thematic Materia Medica' is already on your shelf please be aware that there is considerable duplication. The sturdy nature of this hardback will lend itself to travel and extensive use more than the previous work 'Therapeutic Guide and Thematic Materia Medica' however.

Richard Pitt has amassed much practical homeopathic experience working in numerous African countries over many years. Much of this learning can now be gleaned sitting comfortably at home with this book on your lap...

There is an emphasis on tropical conditions, children's illnesses, pregnancy, birth, and accidents along with trauma.

There is an introduction to many of the most important remedies used in homeopathy and a repertory which is an index of symptoms to help navigate the complexity of homeopathic materia medica. The introduction to the book explores the main principles of homeopathic case taking and case analysis and gives a solid foundation in the application of homeopathic principles and practice skills. 

Short Article by Richard Pitt :

The study of Materia Medica is a life long process. We can think we know all there is about a remedy only to find another aspect revealed in clinical practice or deeper study. I spent five years writing a Comparative Materia Medica: Integrating New and Old Remedies. I went back to original texts and provings and then scoured all the solid materia medicas I could, from Kent, Vithoulkas, Vermeulen, and back to Hering, Clarke, Lippe, Phatak, Boger, Borland, Gibson and more. Then I looked to see how I could integrate many of the newer remedies that have evolved into clinical practice through provings and clinical application. My question was how to look at the links and connections that weave a unique tapestry of our materia medica. Although each remedy has its own signature, it also overlaps with many other remedies and can be used complementarily in practice. We look at comparisons from many angles: clinical, miasmatic, etiological, family (zoological/botanical), acute etc. I saw the study of materia medica in this way  as similar to studying a constellation of stars, which at first may seem random and unconnected, only to reveal deeper patterns and connections. 

From there I revisited the idea of a thematic materia medica, how even in the more condensed clinical materia medicas, it is often hard to see the most salient and essential symptoms and themes that should ideally be there when giving the remedy. This led to the 1st phase of a Thematic Materia Medica, where I reviewed 150 important remedies, and using Phatak and Boger as a central source, restructured the remedies, highlighting the main themes of each remedy and then added some more modern and confirmed information on some of the remedies. I am now working on a second phase of this materia medica focusing on smaller and lesser used remedies.

Another form of materia medica historically used has been Clinical Materia Medicas, where differential analysis is done based on clinical conditions and specific pathologies. This can seem contrary to the concept of individualization and treating the whole person, yet in busy clinical practices, this type of quick comparisons of important remedies for certain conditions can be helpful in making clinical comparisons. This can also bring to light smaller remedies that have a more specific affinity for certain conditions or organs. This type of comparison is an important part of clinical experience and knowledge. 

I have recently produced a Clinical Therapeutics book, focusing on important acute and chronic conditions and the main remedies indicated. This grew out of a manual I created for homeopathic students in Kenya where I lived for five years, running a four-year full time homeopathy programme. We were running many outreach clinics, working in the field where we would see anything between 20-75 patients in one day. The need for rapid diagnosis and treatment required a more clinical approach but ideally without compromising the individualization process. However, it encouraged us to seek strong keynotes and to know the essential symptoms needed to give a remedy with confidence. The book expanded from this manual to ideally be of use for practitioners in any situation and country. It is one more tool in our study and practice of homeopathy. I also adapted the thematic materia medica that had originally been put into the first book to make a simplified comparative thematic materia medica, breaking down the essential themes of 40 important remedies and then adding other remedies that can be compared for each theme. This idea was taken from my original Comparative Materia Medica, using the idea of themes in a remedy to compare with other remedies, allowing for rapid comparison when exploring remedies. I also added the 2-3 stages of a remedy picture, termed Intrinsic, Compensated and Decompensated stages, which further allows useful comparison in a remedy picture. I also added one chapter entitled New and Unusual Remedies so I could include some old and new remedies that may deserve more attention now for daily practice.  

The idea of the book was what I called “One Book for Under a Tree,” when working in Africa and having to do outreach clinics under a tree in a village somewhere. Ideally, most prescribing could be done with one book. I also added an abridged version of Kent’s repertory, with the Generalities and Mind section only, and then adding Boger’s aggravations and ameliorations from his Synoptic Key for quick and easy reference. 

I find writing on remedies a very useful way of studying materia medica and a good way to keep up with the evolving body of knowledge of our materia medica. I hope these books will be of use for students and practitioners in their work.