Hahnemann categorized diseases into two types, i.e., Acute and Chronic.
Chickenpox, measles, sunstroke, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, contagious fevers, pertussis etc., belong to the category of acute diseases. These spread rapidly. Their progression is also quick. They either subside by themselves or lead to death.
Acute diseases can be cured by giving select medicines in short intervals, taking the ‘totality of symptoms’ and ‘peculiar symptoms’ into account. In general, potencies of 30 or 200 are enough to tackle acute diseases. There is usually no need to prescribe Antipsoric or Polychrest remedies in such cases. In such cases, medicines such as Aconite, Belladonna, Bryonia, Camphor, Veratrum, Phosphorus are to be given in quick succession, based on the progress of the disease. However, miasmatic based acute rapid diseases cannot be cured unless deep polychrest remedies are prescribed.
Chronic diseases spread very slowly. They result in life-long suffering. They spread deep inside, from one organ to another. Finally, they damage the main organs i.e. heart, kidneys, lungs etc. These cannot be cured unless deep acting remedies are used on long term basis. Both doctor and the patient must be very persevering. One must wait and watch. Hahnemann himself stated that, it takes at least two years to cure chronic diseases.
Acute diseases can be cured with medicine within a short period of time. However, chronic diseases, in many cases, surface to the skin before healing completely. In such situations, if one uses any ointments, the disease again becomes dormant. Then, it becomes difficult to cure. Also, chronic diseases require deep medicines to be used in infrequent alternation. Acute diseases get cured right away with a single medicine or a couple of them, when repeated at regular intervals.
The main characteristic of homeopathic medicine is that the patient never suffers from weakness after the disease is cured. Patient gets cured completely and immediately. With Allopathic medicines, the disease disappears, but not weakness. This is the proof that it is not a cure, but merely a suppression of the disease. To recover from this weakness, tonics are to be used, further.
Chronic diseases may require potencies such as 1M, 10M, 50M, CM, MM, and DM. These potencies should not be alternated too frequently. If observed carefully, each dose works for months together.
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