Aphorism 5 Organon Of Medicine

[Robert]

Aphorismwas originally used in the world of medicine. Credit Hippocrates, the Greek physician regarded as the father of modern medicine, with influencing our use of the word. He used aphorismos (a Greek ancestor of aphorism meaning "definition" or "aphorism") in titling a book outlining his principles on the diagnosis and treatment of disease. That volume offered many examples that helped to define aphorism, beginning with the statement that starts the book's introduction: "Life is short, Art long, Occasion sudden and dangerous, Experience deceitful, and Judgment difficult." English speakers originally used the term mainly in the realm of the physical sciences but eventually broadened its use to cover principles in other fields.

The concept is generally distinct from those of an adage, brocard, chiasmus, epigram, maxim (legal or philosophical), principle, proverb, and saying; although some of these concepts may be construed as types of aphorism.

Often aphorisms are distinguished from other short sayings by the need for interpretation to make sense of them. In A Theory of the Aphorism, Andrew Hui defined an aphorism as "a short saying that requires interpretation".[2]

The word was first used in the Aphorisms of Hippocrates, a long series of propositions concerning the symptoms and diagnosis of disease and the art of healing and medicine.[3] The often-cited first sentence of this work is: "Ὁ βίος βραχύς, δὲ τέχνη μακρή" - "life is short, art is long", usually reversed in order (Ars longa, vita brevis).

This aphorism was later applied or adapted to physical science and then morphed into multifarious aphorisms of philosophy, morality, and literature. Currently, an aphorism is generally understood to be a concise and eloquent statement of truth.

Aphorisms are distinct from axioms: aphorisms generally originate from experience and custom, whereas axioms are self-evident truths and therefore require no additional proof. Aphorisms have been especially used in subjects to which no methodical or scientific treatment was originally applied, such as agriculture, medicine, jurisprudence, and politics.[3]

Two influential collections of aphorisms published in the twentieth century were Unkempt Thoughts by Stanisław Jerzy Lec (in Polish) and Itch of Wisdom by Mikhail Turovsky (in Russian and English).[4]

Misquoted or misadvised aphorisms are frequently used as a source of humour; for instance, wordplays of aphorisms appear in the works of P. G. Wodehouse, Terry Pratchett, and Douglas Adams. Aphorisms being misquoted by sports players, coaches, and commentators form the basis of Private Eye's Colemanballs section.

Professor of Humanities Andrew Hui, author of A Theory of the Aphorism offered the following definition of an aphorism: "a short saying that requires interpretation".[2] Hui showed that some of the earliest philosophical texts from traditions around the world used an aphoristic style. Some of the earliest texts in the western philosophical canon feature short statements requiring interpretation, as seen in the Pre-Socratics like Heraclitus and Parmenides. In early Hindu literature, the Vedas were composed of many aphorisms. Likewise, in early Chinese philosophy, Taoist texts like the Tao Te Ching and the Confucian Analects relied on an aphoristic style. Francis Bacon, Blaise Pascal, Desiderius Erasmus, and Friedrich Nietzsche rank among some of the most notable philosophers who employed them in the modern time.

Andrew Hui argued that aphorisms played an important role in the history of philosophy, influencing the favored mediums of philosophical traditions. He argued for example, that the Platonic Dialogues served as a response to the difficult to interpret fragments and phrases which Pre-Socratic philosophers were famous for. Hui proposes that aphorisms often arrive before, after, or in response to more systematic argumentative philosophy.[2] For example, aphorisms may come before a systematic philosophy, because the systematic philosophy consists of the attempt to interpret and explain the aphorisms, as he argues is the case with Confucianism. Alternately, aphorisms may be written against systematic philosophy, as a form of challenge or irreverence, as seen in Nietzsche's work. Lastly, aphorisms may come after or following systematic philosophy, as was the case with Francis Bacon, who sought to bring an end to old ways of thinking.[2]

When we read this aphorism (paragraph), it appears as if the meaning of this sentence is very simple. It seems that Dr. Hahnemann is writing the obvious. But if we look at it carefully, the deeper meaning of each word will become clearer. There are certain words in this aphorism that have deeper meaning.

Dr. Kent also says that in Homeopathy, we consider the person as a whole is affected. It is the man who is sick and not the parts or the organs. We can never say that a part is not connected with the rest of the organism. All parts and organs are always connected with each other.

As seen earlier, the symptoms develop long before the tissue changes have taken place. So, as Homeopaths, we are at an advantage to treat patients in the beginning of the disease process and not let the disease progress till the tissue changes to take place.

FOOTNOTE: In the times of Dr. Hahnemann, the treatment with medicines was not based on any fixed principles. There were only theories and speculations (guesswork). They used to only imagine what might be wrong with the patient. Every physician created his own theory. Based on these theories, he used to decide the treatment for his patients. But as there were no principles, the treatment never helped all patients. Frequently the treatment made the patients worse than before. So a new theory was created, followed by a different treatment. This went on for years. E.g. treatment for eczema (a type of skin disease) was purgatives or the treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure) was blood-letting (bleeding), etc. Since the treatment was based only on theories, Dr. Hahnemann called this

Physician is one who has acquired knowledge and skills to practice medicine by undergoing training and who is recognized and competent as such, by the authorities of the land, by possessing a valid license to examine and care for the sick. This definition is sufficient as far as the law and common perception goes. However, a physician is much more than this. Let us examine more closely the scope of medicine as a whole and what role the physician has to play in it.

Medicine is a learned profession, deeply rooted in a number of sciences and entrusted with the obligation to apply them for the benefit of mankind. Medicine applies its knowledge and skills for the preservation of health, prevention of diseases, cure of diseases and the amelioration of the sufferings of mind and body. Medicine is not only a science but an art as well. Here, not only the scientific principles are applied for some biological aberration in order to have uniformity in its approach and consistency in its interventional outcome, but also its focus is on the patient, whose welfare is its continuous purpose and aim.

Patient is not a repository of diseased organs but a living human being in distress, who needs medical help and assistance. As long as medicine is an art, its chief and characteristic instrument must be the human faculty. Practice of medicine requires not only deep knowledge and skills, but also human understanding and sound judgment. Competence in medical practice is based on

continuing pursuit of acquiring and refining these skills, updating the knowledge and an understanding of human nature. A physician must be quite familiar with disease in all its manifestations and guises. But in this medical art, he is also an advocate of the patient first and an adversary of the disease next. It is the patient who is personified and not the disease. These finer aspects of the medical art do not occur spontaneously but could be acquired with patience, right practice and experience.

Medical art is the most difficult of all the arts. It requires an independent thinking, indefatigable work culture, correct discrimination and conscientiousness in work on the part of the physician. It is a reflective or an intellectual exercise every time the physician treats a case. Higher functioning of human intellect, unfettered judgment and valid reasoning of selection and determination are the essential mental qualities one should possess to enter the field of medicine. Above all, the physician should possess empathy towards the sick, a compassion for the welfare of human beings and a positive attitude and passion of service above self.

Each physician, like each patient, is unique with innate strengths and weaknesses and cannot be passively molded into the medical professional. A physician enters this profession with established values and traditions of ethical conduct and responsibilities of human life that is at stake. In order to meet the needs and expectations of the patients and profession, the new entrant must imbibe these standards for himself or herself.

The qualities of an ideal physician are easy to state but difficult to attain. Compassion, sincere interest in the welfare of fellow human beings, knowledge of human nature, tact, equanimity, sustained scholarship, curiosity and high ethical standards are some of the basic traits a physician must possess, including physical and mental vigor.

The physician should never use any medicine on his patients, whose effects, on the healthy human body have not been previously known through careful experiments on healthy human beings (proving). Also, use only a single medicine, in a minimum doses, at one time according to its indications in the patient, in other words, he has to use just sufficient and correct medicine to arouse the defense mechanism of the body, to take over the curative processes. He should never prescribe any medicine, on mere conjecture of some possible usefulness in a disease or from hearsay that that remedy has helped in such and such disease. A true homoeopathic physician is one who never acts without correct fundamental principles, never gambles with the life of the patient entrusted to him. This distinguishes a homoeopathic physician from every physician of all older schools of medicine.

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