The characteristic features of different medicines have
been investigated for thousands of years. People have repeatedly faced
different poisons and have known their nature. Socrates was made to drink
Conium 2500 years ago. Although people knew the effects of this poison before
this, the personal experience and the moment-by-moment, detailed description of
the effects of this poison as given by Socrates had never been known as before.
As the poisonous symptoms gradually worsened, he kept describing to his
attendants precisely as to what, where and in what order was his body being
affected by the poison. Dr. Hahnemann
also tried many poisons on himself, in diluted form, and also noted the effects
that had been minutely described by Socrates. He also found that when a
weakened poison is administered in small doses repeatedly, its unique
properties become manifest but do not last forever. This process of registering minute details of the actions of the
poison and like substances is called “Proving”. Along similar lines to Dr. Hahnemann, many homoeopaths have
experimented on themselves with various poisons and noted their detailed
effects. In this way, “homoeopathic Materia Medica” has steadily expanded.
Extended proving cannot be based on one person’s experimentation. For proper
acceptance, the proving has to be done by many: in different times, weather and
localities and on people with different dispositions. Proper registry into the
Materia Medica is attained after collective group discussions on the methods
and results of proving arrived at individually, as some drugs may work better
on obese people and some on thin and lean people. The volunteers of these
experiments are not told of what and from what source they have been given a
substance. Experimentation is repeated
in different seasons and the effects are noted on the body as well as the mind.
All studies are carefully scrutinised and determined. Dr. Hahnemann has given
the most weight to the effect on the mind. One remedy has a similar effect on
two patients with similar mental symptoms, but may not have a similar effect on
two patients with similar physical appearance.