IDIOSYNCRASY (§ 116-117)

The word “idio” means “one’s own”, “syn” means “along with” and “crasy” means “constitution”. Idiosyncrasy is the person’s own peculiar personality. During drug proving, few symptoms of the drug are constantly produced by majority of the provers, but only few rare symptoms along with the other symptoms are produced by very few provers. The second group of the provers is called the idiosyncratic personalities by Hahnemann (§ 116). This ability of a person to produce rare symptoms which other provers could not produce, depends upon the level of susceptibility of that individual.

Definition: Idiosyncrasies are the peculiar corporeal constitutions which although otherwise healthy, possess the disposition to be brought into more or less morbid state by certain things that seem to produce no impression and no change in many other individuals (§ 117). Example: (Footnote to § 117)

1. Few persons faint by the smell of roses.
2. Few persons get more abnormal morbid and even morbid dangerous states by mussels (a type of shell fish), crabs and roe (the eggs or sperms of fish).
3. Some persons develop abnormal sensations and morbid states by touching leaves of some kind of sumach.

This ability to produce rare and uncommon symptoms by few provers depends not only upon the inherent sick making capacity of the drug substance, but also the reactive capacity of the vital force of the prover.

Types of Idiosyncrasy

It is of 2 types:

1. Inherited
2. Acquired

Both the inherited and the acquired idiosyncrasies may be because of various causes. Any history of abuse of drugs by the patient or suppression of mental or physical morbid conditions may play a major role in the development of idiosyncratic personalities. Idiosyncrasy can be traced out by enquiring the patient’s past history, any incidence of poisoning, or the abuse of some drugs etc. Modern understanding also makes it clear that when a person is poisoned by one drug substance, he will remain hypersensitive to the same substance in the later years of his life. The modern medicine calls this as the anaphylactic reaction or the hypersensitive reaction. Observations of some physicians suggest that the badly treated or the suppressed acute diseases can contribute in the later years for the development of the idiosyncratic personalities. But homeopathically treated case will never develop into such abnormal conditions.

Importance of Idiosyncrasy In Therapeutics (footnote to § 117)

The peculiar reactive tendencies of idiosyncratic personalities help us in indepth study of the pathogenetic powers of the drugs. Even the rare symptoms which are not usually produced in the regular provers can be noticed in idiosyncratic persons. Hence H.A.Roberts says, “Idiosyncratic are the good provers for the drugs for which they are idiosyncratic”. Idiosyncrasy helps the physician in studying the peculiar sick making properties of the drugs. Physician can use such medicines in all the patients for curative purposes. Example:

1. Princess Maria prophyroghnita restored her brother, the emperor Alexis, who suffered from fainting by sprinkling with rose water in the presence of his aunt Eudoxia.
2. Horsitus saw greater benefit from rose vinegar in case of syncope.
3. J.H.Clarke in his “Homeopathy explained” gives a beautiful example of a highly sensitive person called “Casper Hauser”. This case in fact, was published by Dudgeon in October 1897 issue of the “Homeopathic world”. Casper Hauser was an extremely sensitive, mysterious and unfortunate person. Throughout his life he had to survive on black bread and water, as he developed lot of problems like diarrhoea, breathlessness etc by any other food substance. He spent most of his times in dark and seggregated areas because bright light and loud noises painfully affected him. He was so sensitive that he could distinguish colors even in dark. Perfumes could bring convulsive attacks on him. Dr. Preu, an eminent homeopath, used to treat his health problems with homeopathic medicines in olfactory method because oral intake of minutest dose of medicines brought aggravations.

Only idiosyncratic can produce the peculiar, individualistic symptoms of the drugs in proving. Hence, the study of entire pathogenetic power of the drug and study of the drug picture of the drug becomes complete. These types of symptoms will help the physicians in unlocking the cases where individualization is difficult. Only such peculiar symptoms will help in finalizing and selecting the similimum.

Treatment

According to one group of homeopaths, if one person is found to be idiosyncratic to one substance, the same substance in high potencies can be used to cure the idiosyncratic. Dr.J.H.Allen does not consider the idiosyncratic as healthy personalities. According to him psora and tubercular miasms are responsible for such peculiar corporeal constitutions. He recommends anti-miasmatic drugs to such people.