Dr. Muhammed Rafeeque discusses LM potencies, including how to make and use them, and some common mistakes.
Though we are familiar with the works of Hahnemann, from his Organon of Medicine to his Lesser Writings, we are not so familiar with his last potency – LM potency. It is also a fact that even Hahnemannian Homeopaths do not often use his potency in practice. Even now, most of us are familiar with the other potencies, hence do not get the expected results in some cases and find medicinal aggravations in our day to day practice. This means that we are still facing the failures our master had faced before he introduced the LM. Before leaving this world, he had made one more choice for his followers to help make cases more successful. Hahnemann never said that everybody must use only his last potency. He himself used the other potencies on certain occasions, even after the invention of his new potency. So, it is the art of the physician to use the potency as per the case. Only the case determines the remedy, potency, dose and repetition. Let’s go through the points I learned from the masters, and also from my little experience.
Why Potency is important in Homeopathy?
The selection of the simillimum alone is not sufficient for a cure. The next step is choosing the exact potency and timely application of the dose. The potency and the dose also should be similar to the case. Let the individuality of the case decide the suitable remedy, potency and dose, not the convenience of the doctor! Still, there are controversies on potency and dose selection in spite of having clear guidelines from the masters.
Why New Potency?
Hahnemann used the centesimal potency as per the 5th edition of Organon for a long time. But he faced several difficulties:
- Gentle and rapid cure not possible due to slow action of centesimal potencies
- Medicinal aggravation even in well selected drugs
- Prolonged action of drugs troubles the patient
- Frequent repetition was dangerous
- In weak patients, lower C potencies could not excite action, and higher C
caused aggravation
Hence, Hahnemann was forced to think of an alternative. The result was, that
after a long experiment and verification he introduced his “new altered but perfect method” of dynamization – LM potencies (50 Millesimal potencies, also called Q potencies in some countries) through his last and near to perfect edition of ‘Organon of Medicine’.
The Mistake we are still making!
Even though Hahnemann completed the manuscripts of the 6th edition of Organon, he could not publish it, so the profession missed it for several years. It was published in 1921, several years after Hahnemann’s death. But even after 1921, homeopaths did not give much value to the most perfect method of Hahnemann. Most of the homeopathic schools and journals did not promote LM potency. Even now, most of us follow the 5th edition and are debating over high and low C potencies. So, it is high time to study and practice the perfect method of Hahnemann.
History of LM Potency
Hahnemann worked hard for five years for 1838 to 1842 to discover the perfect potency and mode of application, and finally wrote the 6th edition of the Organon of Medicine. But he could not publish it, so he shared the details with Boenninghausen and Melanie, his 2nd wife. Still, it was not published until 1921. In § 270 of the 6th edition, he changed the preparation, dose and repetition of medicines.
From 1/100, he changed to 1/50000, and named the medicine, Medicine of Globules. Hahnemann suggested his new potency as the quickest and gentlest and the one that could be repeated frequently. He also changed the mode of application from dry doses to wet doses!
Resurrection of LM Potency
Dr.Richard Haehl published the 6th edition in German in 1920, and William Boericke published its English version in 1921. But LM was popularized mainly by Dr. Pierre Scmidt and Dr. Charles Pahud. Dr. Pierre Schmidt’s French translation of the 6th edition and his article ‘The Hidden Treasures of The Last Organon’ took the attention of Homeopaths. It was Pierre Schmidt who termed this potency “Fifty Millesimal” potencies.
Preparation
1 1st step: Triturate the crude drug substance with sugar of milk up to 3C potency.
2 2nd step: Prepare mother solution by adding 100 mg of 3C to 50 ml of liquid (4 parts of purified water and 1 parts of dispensing alcohol)
3 3rd step: Mix one drop of mother solution with 100 drops of dispensing alcohol and give 100 succussions. This is labeled as 0/1 or LM 1
4 4th step: Take 500 globules of #10 size, and add a drop of the previous potency; take one pill, dissolve with one drop of purified water, add 100 drops of dispensing alcohol, and give 100 succussions to get 0/2 or LM 2
5 And the process is continued up to 0/30
[Point to be noted: There is a slight difference in preparation between some Pharmacopeias]
Potency
As I already mentioned, the remedy, potency, dose and repetition depend upon the case, not the convenience of the physician. Also we must consider this slogan – The higher the similarity, the higher the potency. When LM potency is considered for a case, better start with LM1 (0/1) and increase the potency gradually. Mostly LM3 (0/3) is available in the market. So, under such situations, the available potency will be the best potency. There is no other way, as getting the wanted potency is a Herculean task now a days.
Dispensing- From Dry Dose to Wet Dose!
1 1st step: Take a glass bottle of convenient size and put in two pellets of LM potency.
2 2nd step: Put pure water up to 3/4th of the bottle, and add a few drops of dispensing alcohol
3 3rd step: Give 10 succussions, label the bottle with the name of the patient and dispense.
Administration by the Patient
Each day, after giving 10 succussions, put 5 drops from the above bottle into a glass of pure water. Each ten succussions make the next dose slightly higher than the previous dose, as suggested by Hahnemann.
Stir it well, and take one spoon from the glass as one dose. The repetition depends upon the case. Next day, repeat the same process as per the instruction.
Repetition
1 Very urgent cases – Take the medicine every hour or oftener.
2 Acute disease – Repeat the medicine every two to six hours.
3 Chronic disease – Repeat the medicine daily or on alternative days.
Management of Medicinal Aggravation:
With LM’s, medicinal aggravation is rarely seen. If by chance it occurs, stop the medicine for a few hours or days. Once the aggravation subsides, restart the medicine, if the symptomatology is same. Preferably use the 3rd, 4th or 5th cup method to reduce aggravation.
Common Mistakes Made using LM’s
1 Many start with 0/3 – Rather, start it with 0/1, then increase gradually.
2 Many dispense the medicine as pills – Give the same in liquid form (wet dose as suggested by the master)
3 Many put the drops on the tongue – Use divided doses from a glass of water.
4 Using LM for all cases – Use LM only when the similarity is higher.
5 Mixing several medicines together – Since proving is done on single medicines, will not be useful.
6 Using the same bottle again – Every time use a fresh bottle.
Advantages
1 Useful for cases with high similarity
2 No side effects and medicinal aggravation
3 Can be repeated as per the case
4 It can be given to terminally ill patients
5 Useful in cases with gross pathology
6 Faster action than other potencies
7 If the previous remedy was wrong, another medicine can be given
immediately (no need to antidote)
8 Cure can be achieved within a short period.
9 Very economical for the physician, but gives maximum results.
10 Potency selection is easy.
11 Very easy to use.
12 Useful in both acute and chronic cases
Disadvantages
1 Some patients consider liquid medicine uncomfortable
2 Liquid medicine is not allowed in postal service, especially sending out of
the country.
3 Without the alcohol spirits, water easily gets damaged
4 Failure in cases with partial similarity
5 Not so successful in specific treatment and keynote prescribing.
Conclusion
When Hahnemann had some failures with the other potencies, he experimented with a new potency. Unfortunately, it did not reach the public, as the 6th edition of Organon was not available. Hence, homeopaths became more familiar with the other potencies. Dr. Pierre Scmidt really deserves a big salute for bringing forth the hidden treasure of Hahnemann’s final potency. I take this opportunity to salute him for this great service to the Homeopathic fraternity.
So, friends, let’s start experimenting with the last potency of our Master.
References:
- Organon of medicine 6th edition, Dr Hahnemann, B Jain Publishers, New
Delhi.
- The Hidden Treasures of the Last Organon, Dr. Pierre Scmidt.
- Organon lectures by Dr Kasim Chimthanawala, NAHI, Nagpur.
- Hypothesis on new invention of dispensing LM potencies, Dr Sailendra
Kumar G N, hom*oeobook.com
- Practical LM – Potencies, Dr Hans Weitbrecht, Homeopathy world
community.com
- Articles on LM Potencies by David little, simillimum.com
© Dr Muhammed Rafeeque 2015
Medical Officer Department of Homeopathy
Govt of Kerala
