Non-English Terminology in Organon of Medicine (Deciphering the terminology )

 Latin words:

• Ab usu in morbis – Knowledge obtained from the use of medicines in diseases

• Adjuvantia – Assisting medicine to principle medicine

• Aequalia aequalibus curantur – Treat equals by equals; Identicals by identicals

• Aude Sapere – ‘Dare to know’, ‘Have courage of your own convictions; dare to be wise'

• Beruf-  ‘Vocation’ or ‘Profession’ used by Hahnemann

• Berufung- Historically, Beruf is derived from Berufung which means a ‘calling’ or ‘mission’

• Causa chronicorum morborum  – Causes of chronic diseases

• Causa effectus chronicorum non venorium – Cause of non-venereal chronic diseases

• Causa occassionalis – Manifest exciting and maintaining cause

• Cessat effectus cessat causa – If the effects (diseases) cease then cause ceases too

• Cito, toto et jucunde – Quickly, safely and pleasantly (It was the motto of Asclepiades) 

• Confortantia- Stimulating or Strengthening medicine

• Contraria contrariis curentur- Let opposites be cured by opposites

• Corrigens – Corrective remedy

• Darup treasure- Sixth edition of Organon of Medicine was termed as Darup treasure

• Duce Nature- Follow the nature

• De morborum epidemicorum – On the epidemic diseases

• Disease per se- Morbid process of functioning of the life principle

• Diseases sui generic- Different kind of diseases

• Duce natura – ‘Follow the nature’ or ‘guided by nature’

• Echte helbig – Real path of healing

• Excitantia and Roborantia- Exciting and stimulating medicine

• Fragmenta deviribus medica mentorum positivis sivi insano corpora humano observatis – ‘Fragmentary observation relative to positive power of medicine on human body’

• Genus epidemicus – Specific medicine which becomes indicated in a particular epidemic at least for most of the cases

• Insuratio magma: It is the work of Bacon. It means great instauration.

• Lege artis – According to the law of art

• Materia pecans – Material cause of disease

• Minister naturae- ‘Helpers of nature’ or ‘Servant of crude power of nature'

• Nervina- ‘Stimulating medicines’ or ‘tonica’

• Non inutilis vixi – Not lived in vain (It is the inscription on Hahnemann’s grave.)

• Non plus ultra – There is nothing more beyond, than to imitate nature

• Nota bena- Note well

• Novum organum scientiarum: It is the work of Lord Bacon (written in 1620). It means new organ of logical works.

• O tempora! O mores! – O the time! O the way

• Placere – To please

• Prima causa morbi- Primary cause of disease

• Psora agria – Psora

• Secundum artem – According to rule

• Similia similibus curantur – Treat similar by similar

• Similia similibus curentur – Let similar be treated by similar

• Si modo essent – If only they were or if existed

• Status morbi – The diseases state

• Supporters- Supporting medicine

• Surrogatus or surrogate- ‘One medicine in place of other’ or Substitute.

• Tolle causam – Remove the cause

• Ungueta nervina – Strengthening medicine

• Vis medicatrix – Instead of medicine

• Vis medicatrix naturae – Depend on nature instead of medicine, The healing power of nature

Greek words:

• Anamnesis - ‘Cause of diseases’- Hippocrates

• Dynamis – Vital principle

• Epidemion- Epidemic

• Gnothi seauton- know thyself

• Homoeopathos – Homoeo meaning ‘similar’ or like’ and pathos means ‘sufferings’

• Heikunde der erfahrung: Medicine of experience published in 1805.  It is considered as the forerunner of Organon.

• Idiosyncrasy- An individual’s constitutional peculiarity

• Medicamens au globule: It means medicine of the globules. It was the name given to 50 millesimal potency.

• Medicamens a la goultte: It means medicines of the drop. It was the name given to Centesimal potency.

• Miasma: It means heavy vaporous exhalations, noxious influences, polluted material, putrid vegetable matter etc.

• Organon: It was Aristotle who used this word for the first time. It means instrument of work, a method of scientific investigation.

• Psora- Groove or stigma

• Sycosis- Fig

German words :

• Die Chronische Krankheiten – The chronic diseases

• Die wirkuugen des kaffee’s- The effects of coffee

• Medicaments a la goutte – centesimal scale

• Medicaments au globule – 50 millesimal scale

• Mongrel sects – Cross breed dogs

• Organon der heilkunst- Organon of healing art

• Organon der rationellen heilkunde- Organon of the rational of healing art, first edition of Organon of Medicine 

• Reine arzneimittellehre – Materia medica pura

French words:

• Drogue – A dry herb

• Ague- Fever, usually malarial

• Medicine electrisitas- Electricity as medicine

Hebrew word:

• Tsorat- Psora