Burnett Rediscovered: Clinical Strategies of the Great Homeopath for Modern Practice – Line of Action of Remedies – Organ Remedies – Pathological Similimum – Vaccinosis

By Dion Tabrett

James Compton Burnett (1840-1901) was one of the greatest and most successful English homeopaths, renowned for his intrepid style. He was above all a practitioner, putting results above doctrine. This meant he was always ready to expand his knowledge and methods in unorthodox ways. His astonishing ability to heal even the most severe pathology demonstrates the validity of his ideas.

Dion Tabrett has been working in the tradition of Burnett for more than 20 years so he is the ideal author to pioneer the rediscovery of this venerable old master. In this book he presents Burnett’s therapeutic approach and showcases his versatility using current examples from his own practice. Tabrett thereby casts Burnett in a refreshing new light, elucidating the true depth of his thinking and highlighting its continuing relevance for our modern age. We see the old treasures vividly come to life once more in a contemporary homeopathic practice.

Burnett’s flexible therapeutic strategies for casetaking, analysis and treatment are presented systematically. Topics such as the clinical line of action of the remedies and organopathy are described, as is the prescription of alternating remedies. Burnett offered new definitions of the law of similars and showed the difference between a symptomatic and a pathological simillimum. He stressed the value of the nosodes, introduced new remedies such as Bacillinum and coined the term vaccinosis.

If you are looking for a fresh impetus to your homeopathic prescribing, this book may well be just what you need..

“Burnett was a therapeutic pioneer and master in solving complicated cases. He has been my reliable “Clinical Compass” for the last 24 years.”
– DION TABRETT

• Language: English
• Publisher: Narayana Verlag GmbH
• Release date: Nov 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9783955822422

Book preview

Introduction

Welcome to the world of James Compton Burnett. He was a very successful homoeopath and author of many books on homoeopathic medicine. Lots of cured cases of tumours, tuberculosis and vaccinosis. Lots of nosode prescriptions and organ remedies. And an ever-widening, expanding definition of the Law of Similars. What’s not to like about Burnett?

This book is for undergraduate students of homoeopathy as well as for postgraduates. For undergraduates it is best read after one year of study and after the basic principles of homoeopathic philosophy, materia medica, miasm theory and anatomy and physiology have been covered. An understanding of classical homoeopathic methodology is assumed. Postgraduates and practicing homoeopaths can refresh their studies of Burnett, or, if new to Burnett then this book may be used as a navigation tool through his works. Note: This book will be a companion text to students who study the Orion postgraduate course.

Burnett wrote for the prescriber more so than for the student, so have a comprehensive materia medica close to hand and a medical dictionary.

Chitkaras’ work, Best of Burnett, is strongly recommended but, as Chitkaras writes in his introduction, it does not replace Burnett’s original works. Best of Burnett can be considered The Greatest Hits compilation double LP. But, as every music aficionado knows, you have to listen to the original albums to get the true understanding. This book has no intention of replacing his original works but hopes to stimulate interest and reading (and indeed re-reading) of Burnett’s work.

Burnett loved philology: the science of language and the love of learning and literature. This is probably why he used interchangeable terms and invented new terms to serve his ideas. His knowledge of French, German, Greek and Latin also contributed to his approach. It can make studying his writings somewhat tricky. Therefore, to help navigate through the original books I have used many of Burnett’s terms (printed in Bold type) and included a glossary, defining each one. The glossary also contains general homoeopathic terminology for students.

Burnett has been my reliable Clinical Compass for the last 24 years. In an attempt to understand Burnett’s work in relation to case analysis I have found that he took a broad and deep approach, pulling in different disciplines as needed and creating new ones where none existed. He was a therapeutic trailblazer, who, despite his fantastic clinical work and results, was heavily criticised.

Burnett rarely looked to cover an entire case with one remedy. And the more complex or hybrid the case the more remedies he was likely to use. It is strongly evident throughout his work that he cast his inquiring mind broadly over each case, searching for organ remedies, symptomatic similar remedies and symptom patterns for nosodes, vaccinosis and aetiologies — similar to the astronomer who searches the night sky for familiar stars and constellations. At times we may recognise particular stars and patterns such as Ursa Major but at other times we are lost until we recognise a sequence and are guided to our goal. Therefore, I have introduced a new term, Constellation of Symptoms, which I hope will convey the meaning of looking for and recognising distinct and different symptom patterns that are indicative of distinct and different remedies in an individual’s case history. Just like stars in the night sky that form constellations so too symptoms and remedies make up case histories.

This book is divided into three main parts:

Organopathic Medicine

Symptom Similarity (Hahnemann’s Homoeopathy)

Medical Doctrines (Miasms/Nosodes, Vaccinosis, Aetiologies)

We start with the discipline of organ remedies and then progress to the increasingly more complex ideas of The Law of Similars and finally to the Medical Doctrines. At the end of the book there is an A to Z Therapeutic List based upon Burnett’s clinical work.

There are two people whom I must thank in the writing of this book. Both are fine homoeopaths (and both also fine chess players). Firstly, Lynn Forte who introduced me to homoeopathy quite a few years ago. A great prescriber with a profound knowledge of materia medica. Lynn is a reliable friend that I frequently talk to regarding ideas and thoughts about homeopathic medicine.

Secondly, Mike Bridger, to whom I remain in debt for the generous sharing of his ideas on remedy relationships, triads, case mapping and constellations of remedies. Mike is the only other homoeopath I know who prescribes and teaches in a truly Burnettian style with the addition of a strong understanding of Kent’s clinical cases and materia medica.

In 1994, I gave my first lecture to students at The London College of Homoeopathy at Regents Park College. That lecture was James Compton Burnett where I described his approach to practice. Now, 20 years have raced by and I still give a similar, but much updated version of that lecture.

It has been very enjoyable researching and preparing this book and each time I re-read one of Burnett’s books I learn something new. But I must make it very clear that to attempt to take all his books and distil them and concentrate the best parts into this book cannot be done. I cannot take a large quantity and pour it into a small vessel, be it beer glass or a book about Burnett.

Dion Tabrett

1 Organopathie

Introduction

The first part of this book covers Organopathic medicine and includes a definition of organopathy and an introduction to Pathological Similimum. There is a comprehensive list of organ remedies and a materia medica section. To deepen our understanding of organopathy, Burnett’s term Synorganopathy is fully explored. It is an approach that is seldom taught alongside the teaching of organ remedies but it makes perfect sense, combined with an understanding of anatomy and physiology.

1.1 Definition of Organopathy

Organopathic Medicine

Organopathic medicine is the treatment of Organ Diseases with Organ Remedies.

Organ diseases may be conditions, diagnosed by a medical practitioner, such as jaundice or gallstones in the liver and gallbladder, respectively, or fibroids or polyps in the uterus. Inflammations, hyper-function and hypo-function as well as any pathology can be classified as an organ disease.

Organ remedies are medicines that have an elective affinity for specific locations in the body. Classic examples of organ remedies found in the Materia Medica are:

Ceanothus (Cean) for the spleen

Chelidonium (Chel) for the liver

Thlaspi bursa pastoris (Thlas) for the uterus

Organ remedies are predominantly but not exclusively of plant origin. For example, Chelidonium is Celandine, Thlaspi bursa pastoris is Shepherd’s Purse. Some organ remedies are of mineral and also of animal origin. (See full list in section 2.3.)

Well known Polycrest remedies such as Arsenicum album, Lycopodium and Nux vomica, also organ remedies, are used to treat liver disturbances as well as having multiple uses within their spectrum. When a patient’s symptoms indicate a polycrest remedy, which fully covers the organ disease, then smaller organ remedies are rarely needed.

Chelidonium is well known for having a strong elective affinity for the liver. Burnett called this affinity for a particular organ its Specificity of Seat. The pathological state of the organ he termed as the Primary Seat. He wrote that the quickest way to cure is to identify the primary seat of disease and then prescribe a remedy, or remedies, which has an affinity for location and pathology. In other words, the pathological state of an organ (Primary Seat) is referenced to medicines that can produce/cure a similar pathology (Specificity of Seat), and a prescription is given.

Organ remedy pathological affinity reflects patient’s organ pathology.

Specificity of seat matches primary seat.

The approach of using the characteristic mental/emotional, physical-general and physical-particular (Totality of Symptoms) need not necessarily be used when analysing a case using Burnett’s system. However, a confirmation of remedy selection requires a pathological diagnosis e.g. gallstones or jaundice.

Burnett considered organopathic medicine to be Elementary Homoeopathy, or Homoeopathy of the First Degree (Diseases of the Spleen p.vii) and wrote that organ remedies are the foundations of our homoeopathic house. (Organ Diseases of Women p.60) His reasoning is a simple one: an organ disease is matched to an organ remedy. A prescription based solely upon the totality of symptoms is termed the Similimum; whereas the use of organ treatment (organopathy) alone was termed by Burnett as the Simile.

It is important to emphasise that when an indicated homoeopathic remedy, the Similimum, covers the pathological organ state, fully, then organ remedies are not needed. Often, a polycrest will cover both symptoms and pathology, but at least equally as often, it will not, and an organ remedy is useful. The degree of similarity in organopathic treatment is less when compared to general homoeopathic treatment. For this reason, Burnett gave Tincture (Ø), low Decimal (x) or low Centesimal (c) doses. Tincture doses ranged from 5 to 20 drops given twice or three times a day. Decimal dose was generally 1x to 3x given two to three times a day. Centesimal was 1c to 5c given two to three times a day. Each prescription was continued for two to four weeks and then reviewed. The duration of organopathic treatment is typically one to six months. The results can be very effective, even though low potencies are employed.

If homoeopathy is the mighty oak then organopathy may be described as the acorn.

Burnett traced the origin of organopathic medicine back to Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus Von Hohenheim (1493–1541), who is better known as Paracelsus. He was the first to formulate organopathic medicine in so far as he thought organs had counterparts in nature that could be curative to diseased states.

Johann Gottfried Rademacher (1772–1850) later resuscitated and extended Paracelsus’s theory. However, the practice of organopathic medicine largely passed away again after Rademacher. If Rademacher resuscitated Hohenheim’s organopathy then Burnett attached the electrodes, delivered a therapeutic dose of electrical energy causing defibrillation, jump starting the heart of organ medicines and extending it further still. Burnett was the leader of this approach of homoeopathic treatment in Britain and this was in no small part aided by his studies of anatomy. Burnett studied medicine initially at Vienna University and qualified in 1869. He was so interested in the science of anatomy that he devoted two extra years of study to this subject. Then he came back to Britain and enrolled at Glasgow University to study medicine, qualifying in 1872. His final anatomy exam lasted one and a half hours and the professor conducting the exam shook Burnett’s hand afterwards and stated that he had never encountered such a brilliant pupil with such a deep and thorough knowledge of anatomy. In 1875 he submitted his thesis of Specific Therapeutics for the MD degree. Due to its homoeopathic leanings, however, the examiners turned it down. Burnett waited a year, re-submitted a second, more acceptable thesis and passed in 1876.

With his thorough anatomical knowledge Burnett examined patients using techniques such as palpation, percussion and auscultation to ascertain the condition of the internal organs and to diagnose the primary seat of the disease. For instance, inflammation of the liver in different locations could help to differentiate between certain hepatic remedies as Carduus marianus, Chelidonium, or Chelone glabra. (See Organ Remedies Materia Medica, line of action diagram.) From such examination he would form a diagnosis and then initiate the appropriate treatment. However, historically, organopaths would frequently use Organ Testing. This