The presentation discusses the fundamental concept of concordance repertories. The framework, merits and demerits of Gentry concordance repertory and Repertory of Hering’s Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica by Calvin B.Knerr are described in detail.
1. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CONCORDANCE
REPERTORIES
By Dr. Mohit Mathur (Reader)
Dept. of Practice of Medicine
NHMC&H
2. Concordance; definition
The word concordance means
harmony, synchronization;
arrangement in alphabetical order of
important words etc.
The word concordance was first of all
used by Boenninghausen in
homoeopathic literature.
It was replaced by Allen to
“Relationship of remedies”.
3. Concordance repertory
Concordance repertory is a repertory
based on alphabetic arrangement of
symptoms of materia medica in their
original form.
These repertories belongs to the
Puritan group of repertories.
4. The concordance repertories available
to the homoeopathic profession are:
1. Gentry concordance repertory
2. Knerr’s repertory
5. Gentry concordance repertory
Author: William D. Gentry
While searching for a complex
symptom “constant dull frontal
headache, worse in the temples, with
aching in the umbilicus” he came up
with idea of compiling a concordance
repertory.
The repertory is divided in six
volumes. The author had used the
phraseology of materia medica without
6. Gentry concordance repertory
The repertory covers around 420
remedies.
On symptom can be referred to at
many places.
This repertory is an excellent tool for
reference work but is not useful for
systematic repertorization.
7. Repertory of Hering’s Guiding
Symptoms of our Materia Medica
Author: K. B. Knerr
It was published in 1896.
The repertory contains 408 medicines.
The main source of repertory is Hering’s
Materia Medica.
The order of arrangement followed in the
compilation of this repertory is the one
inaugurated by Hahnemann, developed,
perfected and used by Hering in his
Materia Medica, viz. the anatomical
division into 48 chapters.
8. Repertory of Hering’s Guiding
Symptoms of our Materia Medica
There are four marks of distinction:
(II): indicates symptoms repeatedly
verified (carries highest mark)
(I): indicates symptoms verified by cures
(II): indicates symptoms more frequently
confirmed, or if but once confirmed,
strictly in character with the Genius of
the remedy
Perpendicular (…): indicates observation
taken from old school
T: indicates toxicological extracts
9. Repertory of Hering’s Guiding
Symptoms of our Materia Medica
The symptoms are arranged in the
original form and in alphabetical order.
The repertory begins with the chapter
on “mind and disposition” and ends
with chapter on “drug relationship”.
The organ-wise classification follows
Hahnemannian schema till
34thchapter and the remaining
chapters represent the reaction of the
whole body.
10. Repertory of Hering’s Guiding
Symptoms of our Materia Medica
The repertory is meant for reference work and not for
systematic repertorization.
The hierarchy of the repertory benefits the practitioners
if the totality of the case fits into the following order:
1. Temperament and stages of life and constituition.
2. Mind and dispositions with described symptoms/
concomitants.
3. Physical generals (appetite, aversions, desires,
perspiration, etc..)
4. Complaints with special features (modalities,
concomitants, directions, etc)
5. Tissue affinities –sensations and modalities
6. Single symptoms can also be referred with the details,
which would help one to prescribe in an acute case or
so called short case.
11. Salient features of some chapters in
Knerr’s Repertory
Each chapter is alphabetically divided
into sections and rubrics sufficient to
allow full scope for analysis.
Mind and Disposition: Starts from the
rubric abandoned and ends in zoo
magnetic. This chapter has 200
rubrics.
12. SensoriumEg;Vertigo,Intoxication-p86
Taste and Tongue: Disorders of
speech-p334, Disorders of taste -p335
Disorders of tongue-p340 are given as
main rubrics.
Scorbiculum and Stomach: Condition
related to epigastrium-p448, and
stomach-p455 are given.
13. Limbs in General: Deals with the joints -p988.
limbs-p992
Rest, Position and Motion: General
aggravations and ameliorations-p1002.
Time: Afternoon, evening, forenoon, morning,
night, before midnight, after midnight are
given as main rubrics-p1071.
Temperature and Weather: Air, cold dark,
light, seasons, temperature, warmth, water
and weather are given as main rubrics-
p1072.
Attacks and Periodicity: It contains rubrics on
nature of attack, season and periodicity-
p1122.
Locality and Direction-p1124
14. Tissues: Adipose p1129, bones p1129,
cancer p1131, cartilages,
decomposition, degeneration,
emaciation, excretion p1134, fibrous,
fluids, gangrene, glands, granulation
p1135, hypertrophy, induration,
inflammation, ligaments,
metamorphosis, mucous membranes,
stenosis p1138, suppuration, swelling,
tubercles, tumors p1142 and ulcers
are the main rubrics.
15. Touch, Passive, Motion, Injuries: It
contains rubrics, on types of injuries,
reactions to touch and passive
motions-p1147.
Stages of Life & Constitution:
Age1184; (boys; children; girls; men;
old people; women; youth;)
Complexion1189 (dark, fair, eyes, hair,
freckles);
16. Constitutions p1189( life anemic,
asthmatic, carbo-nitrogenous, gouty,
hemorrhodial;) Habits (like drunkards,
high living, drugged subjects);
Occupations (like actors, bookworms,
businessmen and immigrants,
miners); Size (like dwarf, large, tall,
thin;) Temperaments ( like bilious,
choleric, mild, melancholic,
phlegmatic, sanguine) are given as
main rubrics.
18. Merits of Knerr’s repertory
Repertory with prover’s language
Vast information
Section for stages of life
Under constitution rubric 26 types are
mentioned
Under temperments 7 types are
mentioned
Drug relationship chapter
Cross reference
19. Demerits of Knerr’s repertory
Double column arrangement-difficult
to find out sub rubric, sub sub rubric.
Single remedy against each rubric- not
ideal for repertorization.
