Conquering

FEVERS
with Homoeopathy

Clinical Experiences

Dr. Gajanan V. Dhanipkar MD

1
V.

2
“Life is short, art long…”
- Hippocrates

Some fevers pass on their own,

some get cured with medicine,
and the rest remind the physician
that there is a lot more to learn.

3
This book is dedicated to my dear friend

Dr. Preeti Borkar

Thank you for your strength

and presence in this world.

It was truly an inspiration

and will always be remembered.

Your gentle and kind spirit

will forever be with us.

4
 CONTENTS

Acknowledgements - 7
Author’s Note - 9
Preface - 10
Forewords - 13

CASE TAKING IN FEVERS -15

Observations -17
Causative factors- 21
Pattern/Stages of fever -24
System involvement - 25
Physical Examination -28
Concomitants- 32
Modalities -38
Keynotes -39
History - 41
State - 47
Case-taking in Pediatric Fever - 52

TYPES OF FEVER - 57
Intermittent fever - 59
Recurrent fever - 72
Infective fever - 75
Pathological fever - 87
Pyrexia of unknown origin - 90
Complex Fevers - 92

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS WHEN TREATING FEVER - 99

The Similimum - 101
Management of Fever - 103
When to Administer the Remedy - 104
Posology – 105

5
 Which Repertory and Materia Medica to Use - 107
Remedy Study - 108
Remedy Study: Drugs of Hindustan - 135
FAQs in Fever - 139

CLINICO-PATHO-PHYSIOLOGY OF FEVER -145

What is fever? - 148
The Importance of Investigations - 154
Examining and Investigating PUO - 158

6
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to begin by thanking my mentors, Dr. Rajan Sankaran

and Dr. Sunirmal Sarkar, for their invaluable teachings and support
throughout my learning process. Over the years, I have collected
many clinical gems from these two teachers, which have helped
me a lot in clinical practice.

I deeply thank my dear friends - Dr. Ashok Borkar and his late
wife Dr. Preeti Borkar - who have been a source of inspiration and
motivation for me and have helped me in completing this project.

I would also like to express my gratitude and appreciation for my

assistants, Dr. Kavita Nehete and Dr. Archana Parab. Their tireless
efforts and dedication to patients in the clinic never wavered as
they collected the valuable information and case notes referred
to in this book.

Special credit goes to Dr. Manish Yadav, Dr. Gaurang Gaikwad,

and Dr. Arti Bodhani for their valuable notes, additions and
contributions to this work. Also, many thanks to Ruchita Shah for
proof-reading the book.

My friend Dr. Mrs. Gayatri Vyavhare MD pathologist, has shared

her inputs in the chapter on pathophysiology of fevers and the
relevance of investigations in treating them. Special thanks to
her for her contribution.

I am grateful to the editor of the book, Armeen Jasavala, for her

dedication in making this an easy-to-use handbook that is
applicable for all levels of homeopaths, from the student to the
seasoned practitioner.

7
And Dr. Mrs. Antonia Mendonca, for the final shape and form she
has given to this book, and the fine tuning of language to express
what I want to convey.

Ms. Swati Thakur did a wonderful job on the book cover. She
visualized it beautifully, bringing my imagination into colours on
paper. My heartfelt thanks to her.

And, above all, my mother Mrs. Vaishali Dhanipkar, my father Mr.

Vasant Dhanipkar, and my wife Arti, for their support and love,
and Mrs. Padmavati Kadam for all her help in the making of this
book.

My sincere thanks to you, the readers and students of

homoeopathy. I hope this book inspires and challenges you to
become a better and more confident homeopath, especially when
treating cases of fever.

8
 AUTHOR’S NOTE

“Homoeopathy is very slow to act; so this form of medicine cannot

be used in acute cases, especially in fever.”

This is a common myth that many doctors and patients believe.

However, this declaration is certainly not true.

I believe that acute prescriptions form a major part of our

practice and are more gratifying because of the kind of relief and
results our medicines provide to patients. I think that fever is a
common ailment that often causes more distress to the
homoeopath!

Proper diagnosis, acute observation, careful questioning, detailed

examination and analysis with the help of the Repertory and
Materia Medica help to treat fever effectively.

This book is a factual display of how administering homoeopathic

treatment in fever cases can be tremendously rewarding.

It is designed to equip students, interns and practitioners of

homoeopathy with an understanding of fevers, and instill
confidence in practice, and prescriptions.

If I can do it, so can you!

9
 PREFACE

It all started when I was a second-year student of medicine. One

night a neighbour of mine came frantically knocking at my door.
To my surprise, the lady had come in search of me! Reluctantly,
I got out of bed to consider the matter. She seemed to be under
tremendous stress. She hurriedly explained to me that her
daughter had high fever and she wanted me to go immediately to
her house to give medicine.

I tried my best to explain that I was merely a second-year student

and I did not know much about treating fevers, nonetheless she
insisted that I see her daughter. So off we went. I was nervous,
and a little hesitant, but I knew that this was a chance for me to
apply whatever little knowledge I had.

We reached their house and I took the case of this young girl in as
much detail as I could. The only remedy I had learned thus far
at college was Belladonna and it seemed that this girl’s symptoms
were a perfect match. I gave her the medicine. Without a second
thought I came home and slept peacefully feeling quite proud that
I could find the remedy. At that point in time I never understood
the situation of fever, otherwise I am sure my sleep would not
have been so peaceful!

The next day the patient and her mother were at my door again.
The patient looked so much better and the fever had vanished!
This was a great moment for me. I had no idea what I had done
or what was indicated, yet I gave the best remedy I knew and it
had worked!

From that day on, many other neighbors started coming to see
me for common ailments like cough, cold and headache. I would
diligently take down the acute totality or picture, repertorize it
and read the Materia Medica for confirmation.

For some reason or another, every case I saw was always an

acute case, and whatever remedies I prescribed were based on

10
the acute totality. With this type of prescription, I gained a lot of
confidence because the patients would respond and improve.
When I reflect on those days and consider how I practice
presently, I feel as if the ability to make these type of acute
prescriptions was gifted to me.

During my higher years of schooling I had met an exceptionally

good and experienced homeopath who took me into various
hospitals. Until this point, my education was mostly done in the
allopathic field; handling emergencies and acute cases. I felt I was
getting good at it and my teacher had faith in my prescription. I
would examine the patient thoroughly from head to toe, consider
the physiology and pathology involved, review the main
symptoms, quickly prescribe the remedy and wait for the results.

When I started to learn from this homeopath, he never gave me

patients that required long case-taking. When he took me to
these hospitals, he would make me attend to patients who had
emergency problems like high fever, coma, chest pain, or severe
allergic reactions. I sensed that he had full confidence in my ability
to handle and manage emergencies.

After college, I started my own clinic but felt as if I was at level

zero again. I was worried about treating these emergencies
without my teacher to monitor me – especially in cases of fever. I
experienced anxiety about whether the remedies would work,
and whether they would work every time. What if the patient
came with fever and after giving the medicine he did not improve?
Would I have to suggest paracetamol, or worse, to be admitted
to the hospital? Or would I ask them to patiently wait for the
effect of the medicine?

Doctors suggested different formulae for fever. They advised

me to prescribe Kali muriaticum, Ferrum phosphoricum or
Pyrogenium to help the fever subside, but I recognized very
early that a formula does not work in every case. One thing that I
realized very early was that homeopathy works on the concept of
individualization and generalization. I knew that in my patients I

11
had to find something that was very peculiar or individual to that
person in the moment of their fever, in addition to evaluating the
general symptoms in the situation.

After taking hundreds of cases, I reaffirmed my belief that there

is always one thing that every patient does that is very peculiar
or illogical when he is not well. Further, I understood that this
peculiar or illogical thing need not be found in the chief complaint,
but could be found anywhere in the generalities, concomitants,
keynotes etc.

I would first hook on to the peculiarity and later I would confirm

the rest of the case with the generals. Then I would read
the materia medica and confirm the sphere of action before
prescribing. I would frequently see that a single dose would bring
about an immediate transformation – a bed-ridden patient would
come back to activity. That is the magic of homeopathy!

Now, 20 years into practice, I am continuously working to become

more specific and sharp. I am committed to treating every kind
of fever and have become habituated to prescribing in a faster,
sharper and more precise manner.

This technique and experience is what I will share with you as you
traverse this book.

12
 FOREWORDS

Fever cases cause panic in patients and in doctors

too. To handle them requires a sound knowledge
of basic principles and good skill and technique in
practice .

Dr. Gajanan Dhanipkar ’s book comes out of his

clinical experience with several hundred cases of
fever treated successfully by homoeopathy.

What I have liked in the book are the following:

1 – A systematic clinico-pathological aspect of fever

- what is fever, which investigations to get done and
the importance of clinical examination , diagnosis and
prognosis.

2 – Different rubrics for the stages and types of fever

and how to use them clinically.

3 – Case examples with clinical reports, analysis of

remedies and proper follow ups.

4 – Case taking. The case taking even of children in

fever is given , which is interesting learning.

5 – What to do in Pyrexia of Unknown Origin and

complex fever - with cases.

6 – Short Materia Medica – with different remedies.

7 – Important aspects of follow ups in acute cases - how

active we need to be and wait for the new symptoms to
come .

8 – Some cases of lesser known remedies like E-Coli ,

Streptococcinum, Ocimum sanctum.

13
9 – The importance of characteristic symptoms
and individualization of each case e .g. in one case
with the symptom ‘chill beginning from lips’
(along with other symptoms) Bryonia was given .

All these aspects of handling fever cases in a classical

homoeopathic way with carefully taking of the case ,
observing, identifying the peculiarities and then
looking for the remedy in books of reference , are very
well illustrated through various cases. I am sure this
book will encourage and guide practitioners to treat
fevers in their own practice without compromising
on the basic principles of homoeopathy.

Dr Rajan Sankaran

It is hard for me to say in a few and faltering words how I

felt when I had the opportunity to go through Dr. Gajanan’s
book on fever. In a nutshell, I can say he has crystallized all
the thought processes of our old masters in this book. He
has refined and restrained the ‘acute tips’ in such a way
that it will help to solve the puzzle of treating all sorts of
fever homoeopathically. Above all this book is free from
bluff, bravado, bluster and boasting. It will be pointers to the
practitioners.

Dr. Sunirmal Sarkar

14
CASE TAKING IN FEVERS

15
 Introduction

Many homoeopaths have unanswered questions in their minds

when a patient suffers from fever. There is fear about how to
approach the case, how to take the case, what symptoms to look
for and take for repertorization, and how to manage the fever
after the first dose.

There are many important aspects to consider when treating

patients with fever.

Accurate case-taking is the first critical step.

We will look at numerous aspects within the case-taking

framework that are critical and need investigation when a patient
has fever.

They include:
l Observations
l Causative factors
l Pattern/Stages of fever
l System involvement
l Physical Examination
l Concomitants
l Modalities
l Keynotes
l History
l State

We will also look at Case-taking in Paediatric Fever.

16
 OBSERVATIONS

Observation is the ability to carefully examine the significant

details by using our four senses (sight, smell, sound, and touch).

The observation of the patient is of utmost importance in

homoeopathic prescribing and this continues to be true in fever
cases. It begins from the time the patient enters the room and
does not end until he leaves. Everything from what he says or
does, how he walks and talks, his position of comfort/discomfort,
any obvious discoloration, or behavior/reaction to surroundings
can be an indicator of a specific medicine.

Generally, in fevers, the first things you see are very important.
For example, is the patient dull, active, or in a state of torpor?
Does the patient have watery, sunken, red or any specific
discoloration of their eyes? Are they moaning, smiling or laughing
during fever?

According to Dr. Rajan Sankaran, the seven main elements of

observation include:

1. Behavior before consultation.

2. Behavior during consultation: the patient’s pace, expression,
alertness, reserved or animated disposition.
3. Behavior with the doctor and the interactions between doctor
and patient – eye contact while talking, clinging to doctor,
suspicious or trustful or submissive.
4. Disorganized or structured.
5. Trying to be attractive or grab your attention, or being
irritated, shy, embarrassed or uncomfortable.
6. Who the patient has brought with them and their relation with
that person.
7. What they are wearing and what they bring into the
consultation room.

17
 CAUSATIVE FACTORS

Understanding the cause is one of the most important aspects of

case-taking. It helps in accurate prescribing as well as knowing
the prognosis of the case.

The cause of the fever may be an infection, or an inflammation.

The immune response involving fever may also be triggered by
what we call “exciting factors” such as emotions, exposure to
a different climate or environmental factor. The differentiation
between causes and exciting factors is not merely an academic
exercise. The important thing is to know how to use them
clinically and come to a remedy.

Remember, if there is a fever, there must be a cause!

The rare exceptions to this are cases of fever of unknown origin

(FUO/PUO – Pyrexia of Unknown Origin), which we will examine
later.

The following are suggestions for the cause of fever:

l Physical trauma

l Infection by bacteria or virus

l Dietetic errors

l Water contamination

l Change in weather

l Exposure to temperature change

l Humidity

l Mental stress, grief, anxiety, fear, etc.

Any factor which produces a physical, mental, physiological or

pathological change, is of utmost importance.

This is not only important in cases of fever but it is important in

every case. The probable cause must be ascertained because

21
 PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

Physical examination of a patient is often a neglected area in

the homoeopathic clinic. However, physical examination of a
patient provides us with a lot of valuable symptoms, like local
warmth, coldness, or sweat.

During physical examination, the physician carefully examines

the patient from head to toe to ascertain symptoms and to
find something peculiar to help select the remedy. Physical
examination involves general examination as well as a systemic
examination.

We can look for many rubrics in the following areas during

examination:

• Head: perspiration, coldness or heat, discoloration of any part

• Eyes: discharge, vision problems, discoloration, general
• Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT): this examination is a must in
children
• Throat and tonsils: glandular swellings, discoloration
(redness, etc), eruptions
• Tongue: color and coating
• Torso: coldness, heat, sweat, discoloration
• Skin: rashes
• Chest: wheezing, rhonchi, rales etc.
• Abdomen: distention, peristalsis, organomegaly etc.
• Auscultation: to rule out abnormal breath and heart sounds
• Pulse: fast, slow, gentle, feeble, strong etc.

Examination of all vital parameters including pulse, temperature

and blood pressure along with assessment of the level of
orientation, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, central
nervous system, and local examination, will help to define the
patient.

28
 CONCOMITANTS

The word “concomitant” means “accompanying”, and originates

from the early 17th century Latin word “concomitari”
(companion).

We may define a concomitant symptom as:

• A symptom that co-exists with the main symptoms without

having any pathological or physiological relationship with it.
The only relationship is a time association.
• A symptom, that neither has a separate existence nor has any
cause for its existence.

Concomitants are of invaluable help in narrowing down the search

for the remedy.

We can look for concomitants occurring before, during and just

after the fever, and during the stages of fever (heat, chill, sweat).

We can also find concomitant symptoms on clinical examination.

The concomitants/peculiars are only a window to the totality or

the state. The physical generals and the other important
symptoms must be covered by the same remedy.

Man covering face

A patient asked me to treat him for high fever. When I entered

the room, I saw that he had covered his face with a towel and was
wearing a woollen cap. He said he was feeling very chilly.

I thought it was very peculiar that he was covering only his face!
I asked him why he covered only his face. He explained that since
the fever and chills began, his face felt as if it was burning and he

32
 MODALITIES

Modalities are factors that have an influence on the intensity of

discomfort of the patient. They make the patient in general or the
chief complaint worse or better.

What ameliorates or aggravates the patient?

Is it an extrinsic factor or emotional factor that makes the patient
better or worse?
Do they want to cover or not? Does it help them or not? Are they
moving around or lying still? If so, why?
Does any type of food make them feel better or worse?
Does application of hot or cold things help them? Or worsen their
discomfort?
How do light and sound affect them?

Once you have a general idea about these things, then one can
dwell more specifically on areas like thermals and cravings or
aversions during fever.

The modalities will not become an indication for prescribing

unless they are very peculiar.

Some interesting modality rubrics include:

EXERTION after amel. (3)

1 ign, 2 sep, 1 stann

UNCOVERING amel. (17)

1 acon, 2 ars, 2 bov, 2 cham, 1 chin, 1 chin-ar, 1 coloc, 1 ferr,
1 ign, 2 led, 1 lyc, 1 mur-ac, 1 nux-v, 1 plat, 2 puls, 2 staph,1
verat

38
 HISTORY

History is another area that is sometimes neglected in cases of

fever.

As we know, fever generally presents as an acute phenomenon

and is treated considering the symptoms that are predominant at
that moment. The goal is to find the remedy of that state and we
usually prescribe on peculiar symptoms, concomitants and
physical generals to which the patient responds well.

However, in some cases of recurrent, long-standing or infective

and intermittent fevers, the fever recurs despite choosing the
well indicated remedy. The remedy seems to work but then the
fever returns. Usually after the fever recurs we try changing
the potency or try to look for something we have missed. Most of
the time, we have missed significant points in the history.

If a good history of the case is taken at the onset, we would

choose a better remedy; one which would also include the traits
in the past.

For example, if we have a patient who comes with fever and

a history of sore throats, we can think of Streptococcinum if
indicated.

History from birth until the present age should be elicited. By

doing this we know exact traits and in the case of a recurrence,
we can give an intermittent remedy that removes the block to
cure.

Man with active tuberculosis

A young man of 22 years, diagnosed with Multi-Drug Resistant

Tuberculosis, consulted me for treatment.

41
 STATE

In some cases, irrespective of the pathology, causative factor, and

physiological change, patients may present with a mental or
emotional state that predominates the physical complaint.

After observing and ascertaining the diagnosis and cause of

disease, the state of the patient (the changes seen in the patient
physically and mentally since being unwell) can be determined
or elicited.

There can be both subjective as well as objective changes

displayed by the patient in fever.

Physical indications of the state:

• Activity (torpor / dullness / playfulness / hyperactivity)
• Aggravating and ameliorating modalities
• Thirst in quantity and frequency
• Thermal state - chilliness / hotness
• Coverings (preferring / avoiding)

Mental indications of the state:

• Sensorium – alertness/delirium
• Speech and ideas
• Mood: Irritability / mildness / quietness / indifference
• Emotions such as fears, grief
• Reaction to the surrounding persons or to conversation
(prefers / avoids)
• Reaction towards his duty (in school / work / home /
family / kids)
• Moaning

47
 CASE-TAKING IN PEDIATRIC FEVER

Introduction

In any clinical practice, roughly 40% of patients are pediatric cases.

Children commonly suffer from recurrent illnesses including cold,
cough and fever. In most cases, antibiotics do not help them in
preventing recurrence, and this is where homeopathy can play an
important role. Homeopathy can help the fever in the acute stage
and if it is recurring.

Case-taking in pediatric cases is like adult cases. The major

difference is that we need to observe the patient keenly, especially
their reactions and/or behavior during fever.

Getting the information from the parent is the real art in case-
taking because most of the information given by the parents is full
of their own anxieties and worries, rather than the information
about the patient’s suffering.

In these cases, the questions need to be so specific that the

parents give objective information about the child rather than
their feeling about the problem.

For example, the parents should be asked which part is hot or

cold, what is the pattern of fever, what are the changes they
have observed in the child since he fell sick, what is the coping
mechanism of the child (behavior and physical generals), whether
there is any significant history, causative factors, and/or family
history (for example, both mother and child may have bronchial
asthma).

In my experience, it is very difficult to elicit the various symptoms

in each stage of fever [namely in the heat, sweat and chill
stages] in children and infants. However, in pediatric cases the
observations, physical examination, concomitants, cause, state
and modalities are the most important.

52
TYPES OF FEVER

57
 Introduction

In this section I have classified fevers based on the different

approaches to them with homoeopathic treatment.

I. Intermittent fever
II. Recurrent fever
III. Infective fever
IV. Pathological fever
V. Pyrexia of Unknown Origin or P.U.O.

We will also discuss the treatment of Complex Fevers.

Note: Most of the acronyms used in the following chapters are

explained in the last section on Clinico-pathophysiology.

58
 INTERMITTENT FEVER

Definition: An intermittent fever is a fever where there are

intervals of normal temperature (for example: malaria, kala-
azar, pyemia, or septicemia).

Periodical intermittent fever can be classified into three types:

I. Quotidian fever : with a periodicity of 24 hours, typical

of Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax malaria
II. Tertian fever : with a 48-hour periodicity, typical of
Plasmodium vivax or Plasmodium ovale malaria
III. Quartan fever : with a 72 - hour periodicity, typical of
Plasmodium malariae malaria

Causes of intermittent fever:

• Systemic diseases
• Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (PUO)
• Infective diseases

Hahnemann’s Aphorisms about Intermittent Fever:

59
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
WHEN TREATING FEVER

99
 Introduction

• The Similimum
• Management of Fever
• When to Administer the Remedy
• Potency and Remedy Repetition
• Which Repertory and Materia Medica to Use
• Remedy Study
• FAQs in Fever

100
 THE SIMILIMUM

What is the similimum?

In my understanding, the similimum is not the remedy that covers

what we call the “totality” only, but it is the remedy that covers
the peculiarity, the physical general symptoms, the concomitants
and has all the symptoms in its sphere of action (physiologically,
pathologically or emotionally).

Generally, when we make a totality of the patient’s characteristic

symptoms in an acute case we come to the most common
remedies.

For a remedy to be the similimum, the genius of the remedy

should match the genius of the patient. For example, if you get
Arsenicum in repertorization and the patient does not have
restlessness or mental anxiety, the patient does not need
Arsenicum. The genius of the remedy must be there!

The ‘genius’ of a remedy is a distillation of the most important

symptoms and pictures of a remedy – the genius is the center of a
remedy. It is the essential nature and pattern of the remedy. It is
the main idea or flavor of the remedy.

Suppose a patient is toxic or has a septic infection, you cannot

give a remedy that has only inflammation as it’s genius and does
not have sepsis. For example, if a patient is having septicemia or
a urinary tract infection, when you take the common and general
rubrics, a common remedy that comes up is Belladonna. However,
this remedy may not have the same efficacy as the remedy
Pyrogen or China in toxic or septic states because ‘sepsis’ is not
in the genius of Belladonna.

The similimum in fever may not be the same as the constitutional

remedy that the person has previously received. This point is very
important. The similimum used in fever is specifically for the
superimposed fever state or any other acute state that has taken
over the constitution for that moment.
101
 REMEDY STUDY

I give in this chapter remedies that I have found useful in

my clinical experience with fevers. The information is based on
my clinical findings and verifications. These are not the entire
pictures of the remedies, but the symptoms given are those that
I have witnessed in my practice. With this understanding of the
medicines, treating various kinds of fevers in practice has been
very effective.
1. Acidum phosphoricum
2. Aconitum napellus
3. Anthracinum
4. Aranea diadema
5. Arnica montana
6. Arsenicum album
7. Baptisia tinctoria
8. Belladonna
9. Bryonia alba
10. Cedron
11. Chininum sulphuricum
12. Cimex
13. Cinchona officinalis
14. Eupatorium perfoliatum
15. Ferrum phosphoricum
16. Gelsemium sempervivens
17. Hepar sulphuris
18. Ignatia amara
19. Ipecacuanha
20. Lachesis
21. Muriaticum acidum
22. Nux vomica
23. Ocimum sanctum
24. Phosphorus
25. Pulsatilla
26. Pyrogenium
27. Rhus toxicodendron
28. Sabadilla
29. Sulphur

108
 Remedy Study
Drugs of Hindustan
Shared by Dr. Gaurang Gaikwad

In cases of fever, we often see that it is difficult to elicit exact

symptoms and a proper history of the origin, duration and
progression of fever. Because of this, choosing the appropriate
homeopathic medicine can be difficult.

In 2012-2013, I visited Kolkata for the first time to learn from Dr.
Sunirmal Sarkar and many other experienced homeopaths. I
stayed in West Bengal for more than seven months.

In this region of India, I realized that many patients depended on

homeopathic medicines. Here, I learned the art and technique of
using various drugs of Hindustan, especially in cases where the
characteristic symptoms were not clear. I learned from these
masters in West Bengal, that there is a certain art and level of
skill required to prescribe these drugs. They were highly skilled
in observation and in finding objective symptoms.

I remember extensively (and so clearly) my own case of fever. I

had developed fever with haematuria during my stay. The urine
was bright red and I had slight pain in the renal angle. I was bed-
ridden. I spoke to Dr. Sarkar about my health and he prescribed
Ocimum canum 6C, every 3 hours. The next day, my urine was
totally normal and I did not get a spike of fever after that. I never
understood why he prescribed this medicine, but I was surprised
at how I miraculously got better overnight. Such is the magic of
these remedies from Hindustan.

Throughout my time in West Bengal I collected many pointers of

these remedies and how to use them. The following materia
medica information comes from my personal experience with
these remedies.

Just a word of caution for the readers: these remedies should be

used only when other indications are not available.
135
CLINICOPATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF FEVER
By Dr. Gayatri Vyavhare (M.D. Pathologist)

145
 Introduction

This section is included for review purposes and it contains

important clinical information and details pertaining to fever.

It is also designed to explain the clinic-pathophysiology of fever to

those individuals who have not studied it previously.

In this section, we will examine two things: What is fever?

Importance of Investigations

Some of the information in this section follows more of a

‘medicalized’ approach to understanding fever including the
language and various medical acronyms.

LEGEND

The following legend will be helpful to those readers who are not
too familiar with medical acronyms or for those who need a
review. You will come across many of these short forms as we pass
through the next few sections.

ANA — Antinuclear Antibody Test

BM — Basal Metabolic

CBC — Complete Blood Cell Count

CML — Chronic myelogenous leukemia

CMV — Cytomegalovirus

CNS — Central Nervous System

CRP — C-Reactive Protein

CT Scan — Computed Tomography scan

CVD — Cardio vascular disease DNA – Deoxyribonucleic acid EBV –
Epstein–Barr Virus

ESR — Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate

EVS – Enteroviruses

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 WHAT IS FEVER?

Fever can be the simplest or the most difficult and challenging

symptom to treat. In the patient’s eyes, fever is one symptom.
However, the doctor must consider the hundreds of causes.

It is important to know the history of common febrile illnesses

to rationalize a diagnosis and treatment plan and it is beneficial
to have this background knowledge when it comes to applying it
to the patients.

Definition:
Fever is an increase in body temperature above the normal
circadian range (i.e. 36.8 to 37.8 Celsius). This occurs because
of a change in the thermo-regulatory center in the anterior
hypothalamus.

Pathophysiology:
Causative agent: bacteria, virus, toxins etc.
• Trigger release of mediators of inflammation and pyrogens
• Act on the anterior hypothalamus
• Thermoregulatory set point of hypothalamus is increased
• Vasoconstriction at periphery
• Increased heat production and increased heat conservation
• Fever

Fever has a protective role by inhibiting the virulence and

growth of the causative organism but at the same time it causes
discomfort to the patient, increases oxygen consumption and
calorie consumption in the body.

Though fever can be treated by antipyretics it is important to find

its cause and treat its causative factors for effective treatment.

Types of Fever:

In this chapter, we will consider only two types of fever.

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 RESOuRCES

BOOK CONCEPT(S)
The Elements of This book illustrates practically every aspect of
Homoeopathy homoeopathic medicine, whether it is the study of Materia
medica, Hints on Case-Taking, Value of Repertory, Cross
by Dr. P. Sankaran
References to the Repertory, Difficulties in Practice, and
The Scope of Homoeopathy.

The Spirit of Homoeopathy This book is divided into four sections: Philosophy, The
Mind, Case-Taking and Finding the Remedy, and Materia
medica. The first section looks at what disease is - the
origin and the dynamics of disease. The second investigates
the understanding of delusions, mental state as a whole and
body-mind connection. The third section covers the artistic
aspect of homoeopathy, understanding the patient. The
final section furthers the understanding of remedies, and
includes remedies as examples.

The Substance of This book illustrates how delusions can be classified

Homoeopathy using Hahnemann’s theory of miasms. With numerous
illustrative cases, this classification can be used as a map
of disease to facilitate remedy selection. A detailed study
of homoeopathic drugs with reference to their source revels
the purpose of the traditional classification into plant,
animal and mineral kingdom.

The Soul of Remedies Clear, concise, confirmed descriptions of the inner view of
a hundred different remedies and how they express this in
clinical situations.

The System of Homoeopathy Illustrating the method of case-taking, case analysis

and follow-up, this book includes detailed cases and a
number of short cases, through which emerges a System
of Homoeopathy. Hints and guidelines about understanding
the mental state, eliciting the mind and body connection,
central delusion, what to do and what not to do with dreams,
plus a further understanding of miasms and kingdoms.

The Sensation in Using numerous case examples, this book gives one the
Homoeopathy ability to know at all times in a given case, where to begin
and where to aim, through The Seven Levels of Experience.
This way of working gives a definitive pathway for case-
taking, a means by which to observe and utilize the
active energy patterns of the patient (hand gestures and
movements), plus a way of matching the patient’s level to
the remedy and potency that is required.

162
BOOK CONCEPT(S)

An Insight into Plants - This book provides a framework of how the plant kingdom
Volumes 1, 2, 3 can be classified and understood. Tracing the common
sensation of each family, this book shows how this sensation
can be seen in the remedies in that family. The remedies are
differentiated by the miasm to which they belong.

Sankaran's Schema This book aims to bring in a nut shell, in a tabulated

form, the different concepts and information spread over
Dr. Sankaran’s books - The Spirit of Homoeopathy, The
Substance of Homoeopathy, The System of Homoeopathy,
The Sensation in Homoeopathy, and An Insight into Plants
(Volume I, II, III), and Sensation Refined.

Structure - Experiences with The periodic table readily lends itself to the task of
the Mineral Kingdom classification. Its seven rows and 18 columns can be
understood, seen and experienced as stages of human
development. Recent explorations into the rows, backed
by several clinical cases, provings and research, have
thrown new light on the Mineral Kingdom that makes it
significantly easier to recognize the remedies in practice.

Sensation Refined This book addresses the problems and pitfalls that seekers
in this method face. It answers many queries about the
sensation and its expression, and how to understand it
better, in a clearer and simpler way. Here, there is a deeper
understanding of the experience, living it and seeing almost
nothing else.

Survival - The Mollusc Within are described the qualities of Mollusca in nature, its
subdivisions, and expressions in the human being. Each of
these is described with source words, proving information
and clinical cases, to make it easy to recognize in clinical
practice.

Survival - The Reptile Within are described the qualities of Reptilia in nature, its
(Volume 1 and 2) subdivisions, and expressions in the human being. Each of
these is described with source words, proving information
and clinical cases, to make it easy to recognize in clinical
practice.

163
BOOK CONCEPT(S)

The Synergy in An integrated approach to case-taking and analysis. Never

Homoeopathy - before has the connection between the patient and the
An integrated approach to remedy been so clear - symptoms and system are two
case-taking and analysis sides of the same coin and this results from an integrated
approach. Both the factual and conceptual aspects of
the patient and the remedy must be seen together. The
knowledge of old masters, such as C.M. Boger, is explained
in detail. Through illustrative cases, the secret of success
is depicted through this integrated approach. Through a
seamless blending of the old and new, conventional and
contemporary, the results are proof of a quantum leap in
homoeopathic practice.

Synergy Synopsis This book is a small handbook, updated with the latest
developments in advanced homoeopathic practice. It is
intended to be a ready reference guide for participants
who attend seminars, and for others who wish to have an
overview of this system of practice.

Just You See This is a book which brings to light the many different
approaches and clinical Materia medica of Dr. Sunirmal
broadening The
Sarkar. He is one of busiest homeopathic practitioners
Homoeopathic Horizon
in Kolkota, India and sees up to 100 patients a day, 50
Dr. Sunirmal Sarkar of which are cancer cases. This book also describes in
depth the different sources and methods which help to
solve cases, such as Materia medica, the Repertory, Indian
Drugs, Potentised Allopathic Drugs, Sarcodes, and Organ
Remedies amongst others.

From Similia to Synergy From Similia to Synergy guides the reader through the full
Dr. Rajan Sankaran spectrum of homoeopathic knowledge. Sankaran demonstrates
integration with actual case sudies. Case-taking discourses
have been transcribed and parsed to allow the reader to
understand the Sankaran's thought processes. Thoughout, the
reader is encouraged to refer to supporting bodies of work for
further research and comprehension.

164