Allgemeine Homöopathische Zeitung 2005; 250 - 86
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-868694

Estimate of specificity during proving repetition

Studie zur Spezifität bei der Wiederholung einer PrüfungA Signorini 1, A Lubrano 1, G Manuele 1
  • 1Verona, Italy

There is a strong need to repeat provings of the same remedy at different times and in different research groups. § 135 of Organon is the first call for this. Conventional science demands repetition of the experimental trials and the repeatability of specific results in different experiments. In a single-blind pilot study we saw a repetition of about 50% of the symptoms between two provings of Arsenicum bromatum and now we wanted to confirm (or otherwise) this first result.

Method:

  • 31 medical doctors from seven different Italian homeopathic schools were randomly assigned in three groups (Plumbum metallicum 30C, Piper methysticum 30C and placebo) in a double-blind design,

  • diaries and classic supervision,

  • first week: run-in period,

  • second week: administration of the liquid preparation 4–6 times daily,

  • third week: observation without administration.

The phrases with new, strongly aggravated and modified symptoms (excluding ameliorated, moderately aggravated, recurrent and actual symptoms) were selected from diaries. Modalized Symptoms (MS, symptoms with anatomical, physiological, sensorial, chronological, etiological details, aggravation or amelioration) were chosen from the selected phrases of all three groups and compared with MS of an ancient proving of Plumbum 12C (Hartlaub and Trinks, Leipzig, 1828). Also Concordance Percentage was calculated (% of selected phrases containing at least one MS concordant with a MS of the German proving).

Results: 8 (Pip-m.), 2 (placebo) and 30 (Plumbum) MS were found concordant with MS of the German proving while the Concordance Percentage gave results of 9.6%, 27% and 47.5% respectively.

Conclusions: MS may distinguish the specificity of symptoms between two provings of different remedies or of the same remedy. Furthermore a certain repeatability, about 50%, can be expected between two different provings of the same remedy while a repeatability of 10% could be seen between different remedies.

Keywords:

Comparison of two provings of the same remedy, modalized symptoms.

Schlüsselwörter:

Vergleich zweier Prüfungen desselben Arzneimittels, modalisierte Symptome.

Korrespondierender Autor: Andrea Signorini, Alfredo Lubrano, Giusi Manuele, Via Molinara 14, I-37135 Verona, Italy

E-Mail: asignorini@tiscali.it