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POTENTISATION
(Introduction)
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Potentisation or Dynamisation, explained by Dr. Hahnemann
Drug attenuation is really Dr. Hahnemann’s original discovery, without which practice of homoeopathy would have been impossible.
“Homoeopathic dynamizations are processes by which the medicinal properties, which are latent in natural substances while in their crude state, become aroused, and then become enabled to act in an almost spiritual manner on our life, i.e. on our sensible and irritable fibre. The development of the properties of crude natural substances (Dynamization) takes place in the case of dry substance by means of trituration in a mortar, but in the case of fluid substances by means of shaking or succession, which is also a trituration.”
(Preface to the 5th volume of Chronic diseases).
“Homoeopathy, by a certain treatment of the crude medicinal substances, which had not been invented before its foundation and development, advances them into the state of progressive and high development of their indwelling forces, in order that it may then use them in curing in the most perfect manner. Some of these medicines in their crude state seem to have a very imperfect, insignificant medicinal action, e.g. common salt and the pollen of Lycopodium. Others e.g. Gold, Quartz, Alumina etc. seem to have none at all, but all of them become highly curative by the preparation peculiar to Homoeopathy. Other substances, on the other hand, in their crude state are, even in the smallest quantities, so violent in their effect that if they touch the animal fiber, they act upon it in a corroding and dectructive manner e.g., Aresenic and Corrosive Sublimate of Mercury and these medicines are rendered by the same preparation peculiar to Homoeopathy not only mild in their effects, but also incredibly developed in their medicinal powers.
The changes which take place in the material substances, especially in medicinal ones, through long continued trituration with a non-medicinal powder, or when dissolved, through continued shaking with a non medicinal fluid, are so incredible, that they approach the miraculous, and it is a cause of joy that the discovery of these wonderful changes belong to Homoeopathy.”
“Not only, do these medicinal substances there by develop their powers in a prodigious degree, but they also change their physico chemical demeanour in such a way, that if no one before could ever perceive in their crude form any solubility in alcohol or water, after this peculiar transmulation they become wholly soluble in water, as well as in alcohol—a discovery invaluable to the healing art.”
(Chronic Diseases by Dr. Hahnemann. 2nd Ed. Page 143).
From these paragraphs themselves the originality, the property of taming poisonous substances to highly useful medicines, converting neutral substances into powerful healing drugs, and making many insoluble materials into soluable substances, which the dynamization possesses are very clear. Dynamization or potantization is absolutely different from simple dilution.
By simple dilution, “ a solution of salty and bitter substances becomes continually more deprived of its taste the more water is added, and eventually it has hardly any taste, no matter how much it may be shaken. So, also a solution of coloring matter, by the ad mixture of more and more water, becomes at least almost colorless, and any amount of shaking will not increase its colour” (Hahnamann). But after dynamization though many of the physical properties are lost, the power to alter human health is kept with its individual peculiarities.
METHODS OF POTENTISATION – DIFFERENT SCALES IN PRACTICE
There are three scales of potentisation in use.
1. Decimal Scale : Introduced by Dr. Constantine Hering. According to this scale the first potency shoul;d contain 1/10th part of the drug substance, and the second potency, 1/10th of the first potency and so on. This is identified by Putting “X” after the number of potency.
2. Centesimal Scale: This is the ordinary potency put forward by Hahnemann. In it each attenuation or potency should contain 1/100th part of the drug substance as the preceding one. These potency are marked by using simple numericals or the number followed by letter “C”.
3. Millesimal Scal: This is another scale introduced by Hahnemann in his latter part of life, which come came in his 6th edition of Organon of Medicine after his death. Here the drug is diluted with 500,00 parts of diluent and potentised . the strength of the potency is marked by simple Roman numbers s I, II, V etc. or as 0/I, 0/2, 0/5 etc.
PREPARATION OF DRUGS INTO REMEDIES
Preparation of Liquid potencies:
The liquid potencies are usually made from mother tincture according to the decimal and centesimal scale. According to the modern method as the drug power of almost all mother tinctures is 1/10, the mother tincture itself is the first decimal potency or 1x. But in preparing potencies in any scale from the mother tincture prepared according to the old method with different drug power, the amount of mother tincture taken should be such that it would represent one part of the drug in proportion to its solvents. That is, if the drug power is ½ , 1/6 or 1/10 the amount of mother tincture taken should be 2, 6 and 10 parts, respectively, representing, one part of the drug. Then the vehicle is added making up the total volume ten times or hundred times according to the decimal or centesimal scale. Or when the drug power is ½ , two drops or parts of mother tincture is taken and 8 drops or 98 drops or parts, respectively, of the vehicales. If the drug power is 1/6, 6 drops or parts of mother tincture and 4 drops or 94 drops or parts of vehicle is to be taken. If 1/10, 10 parts taken and 90 parts vehicle added according to the centesimal scale.
Procedure : A sutiable strong, round perfectly clean and new bottle of natural glass is selected, so that after taking the whole mixture at least 1/4th of the bottle remains vacant.
A tight fitting new cork is put on the bottle and the name of the medicine as well as the number and scale of potency (2x, 3x or 2 or 3) marked on the label. The mother tincture is now poured into the bottle, calculating the quantity accurately according to the drug power. The vehicle (water, dilute alcohol or officinal alcohol) is added, according to the decimal or centesimal scale i.e. making the total volume ten times or hundred times accurately, keeping in view the different drug power of the mother tincture.
The bottle is corked firmly and held in the right hand, with the thumb on the cork and ten shakes are given. The shaking should be done, by raising the hand above the shoulder, and powerfully striking downwards, letting each stroke to determine in a jerk, by striking the closed right hand against the open palm of the left hand. The process is repeated ten times. The potency is ready now.
The next potency can he prepared by taking one part of the first and 9 or 99 parts of the vehicle and repeating the same process of shaking. The succeeding potencies are prepared in the same manner, taking fresh bottle, one part of the proceding potency and the required amount of the vehicle.
Importance of number of shakes :
Dr. Hahnemann’s Final decision about the number of shakes to be given while potentising came very late. He himself tried many --- “ if we wish to attenuate a drop of sundew, to the decillionth (30th) but shake each bottle with twenty or more successions from a powerful arm, in the hand of which the bottle is held.” (Meteria Medica Pura) or “ I dissolved a grain of soda in an ounce of water mixed with alcohol, in a vial which was there by half full, and shook this solution continuously for half an hour and this was in dynamisation and energy equal to the 30th development of potency.” But later on he found that too many successions or strokes are potentising the medicine to a very high degree bringing about much unwanted aggravation on the patients. So to avoid this aggravation and bring the number of shakes to a fixed standard he advised two strokes. But again he changed the decision and made the standard to be 10 strokes.
“When I was still giving the medicines in undividing portions, each with some water at a time, I often found that the potentizing in the attenuating glasses effected by ten shakes was too strong (i.e., the medicinal action too strongly developed) and I, therefore, advised only two successions. But during the last year, since I have been giving every dose of medicine in an incorruptible solution, divided over fifteen, twenty or thirty days and even more, no potentising in an attenuating vial is found too strong and I again use ten strokes with each. So I here-with take back what I wrote on this subject three years ago in the first volume of this book” (Chronic Diseases 2nd edition). Accordingly, it is clear that ten strokes for the centesimal scale of potentisation is the standard specified by Hahnemann. But for the 50 Millesimal he has specified 100 strokes for potentisation—(6th edition of Organon). In case of decimal potencies also ten successions are considered to be the standard.
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