Dear Editors

I would like to add some words of my own to the article of Winston, J. ‘The Reliability of Our Repertory’, Homœopathic Links 2005; 18 (Spring), p. 7 - 8.

This article by Julian Winston is very important. It highlights a major problem in homeopathy round the world: the accurate translation from one language into another, especially the translation of the old homeopathic writings from German into American English. The success of homeopathic therapy is based on the sureness of prescription. This depends on the reliability of the Materia Medica Pura. By this every item in Kent's Repertory must be proved in the genuine literature. Even in the old German repertories of Boenninghausen and Jahr you can find these kinds of mistakes.

An addition and correction:

The symptom no. 530 of Conium maculatum is only correct in the translation of Tafel. The German word in the original symptom is ‘Kriebeln’ (or ‘Kribbeln’). It means in the old German language ‘Jucken’ = itching or ‘Prickeln’ = tingling. But what does it really mean in this symptom? You can only ask the person who has showed this symptom. In the old German language this word is further explained like the symptoms of ergotism. ‘Crawling’ suggests a so-called strong tingling, like a gently stroking of the skin with a finger as opposed to stroking the skin with a brush. The German word ‘Kitzeln’ means ‘tickling’. So if you use Kent's Repertory it is necessary to look for all synonym rubrics in order not to lose any remedy. It is necessary to add references to all articles.