BOOK REVIEW
HOMŚOPATHIC PSYCHOLOGY – Personality
Profiles of Major Constitutional Remedies
Author:
Philip. M. Bailey MD, MBBS, MF (Hom)
Editions:
1st Indian Edition in 2002
Reprint in 2004, 2005, 2006
Publisher:
B Jain,
The book contains an introduction, personality profiles of
35 drugs and an appendix and a note about the author.
In the introduction, the author clearly describes the need
for the homśopath to understand the essence of the mental symptoms which is as
important and inevitable as an understanding of the specific symptoms of the
remedy. Besides these, he had also made a commendable contribution by
explaining constitution, constitutional prescription and remedies, pathogenesis
of different layers of ma’s mental development, potency selection and hint for
taking the mental picture of each patient.
Thirty five common personality types are high lightened and
subjected to a thread bare analysis by this intuitive homśopathic practitioner.
He probes deep down with his insight and tries to bring out a remedy that takes
into account not only the physical symptoms but also the person’s personality
type which harmonizes the vital force. The essence of every drug is very
clearly capsuled below it as its keynote. He has portrayed the single constitutional
type that gets differently expressed in men and women and along with its
approximate ration in each type. At the close of each profile he shortlists the
physical characteristic appearance as it closely reflects his personality even
though these may not be the case always.
In the appendix under the heading “An elemental analysis of
constitutional types", he comes out with an original description of the 4
elements (air, water, fire & earth) and how each element influences the
personality of an individual in different aspects. Based on this elemental
influence, he classifies the major constitutional drugs into airy, fiery,
watery & earthy. He even categorizes the drugs in accordance with the most
predominant and also that which comes second in prominence under each element.
This book is an original and innovative work that is purely
based on the author’s experience and not a mere copy or advanced study on any
previous Materia Medica or classical profile. In my honest and humble opinion,
this book could be used as a reliable handbook by any sincere practitioner or
scholar with a research bend of mind. Moreover a clear cut understanding of
these archetypical personalities described in this book equips a physician with
infallible insight into the constitution of the healthy as well as the sick.
Dr. Thanka. R
I MD (Hom)
Hom. Philosophy