Kent suggests that the best way to study materia medica is through provings, where healthy individuals take remedies and carefully record all symptoms experienced. Hahnemann pioneered this method by proving remedies on himself, such as China which revealed symptoms matching intermittent fever, demonstrating the "law of similars." During a proving, a master prover distributes an unknown remedy in low potencies to observers who record all new symptoms without interference. This process avoids risks of crude drugs and builds an accurate picture of a remedy's effects on the healthy human form.

1. 28. The study of provings
Kent

2. Questions
• The study of proving -5M
• Describe the methodology of studying materia medica as per kent-
5M
• Why does kent suggest the study of proving as best method of
studying materia medica - 5M
• Discuss the utility of studying of provings as per Kent - 3M

3. • In allopathic system of medicine there is no plan laid down for acquiring knowledge of medicine,
except by proving them on sick.
• Hahnemann condemns this as dangerous because it subjects humans to hardships because of its
uncertainity.
• Hahnemann had no materia medica to start with. He could not to go to books and find remedies.
So it was necessary to build materia medica.
• A true and pure materia medica must be formed by observing the action of medicines upon
healthy human race.
• Hahnemann did not start by feeding these medicines to others, he took the peruvian bark by
himself and felt its affects upon himself. Thus, he proved the drug China and the first remedy
known to man was discovered.
• Hahnemann searched the literature to find out other effects of China which was discovered
accidentally, and he came to know that it was in harmony with what he had discovered.
• The symptoms produced by China where in close resembelance with intermittent fever. So he saw
the similarity between them. Hence he thought that “Law of cure” is “Law of similars”.
• Every drug he proved after that proved the law more and more. And it added one more remedy
to materia medica which finally became the Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura and Materia
Medica of Chronic Diseases.

4. • The best way to study a remedy is to make a proving of it.
• Suppose the class were entering a proving . Each member should devote themself a week in
examining carefully all the symptoms he/she is the victim of. They have to observe the symptoms
at present time and recurring symptoms which were present many months back.
• Each student should note down the symptoms carefully in an orderly manner and places them by
themself. This group of symptoms is considered as the diseased state of that individual.
• A master prover is selected - he will prepare the drug substance unknown to the class and to all
provers, known to only himself.
• He will begin with the tincture and potentise it to 30th potency and add it in a separate vial for
member of the class.
• The provers do not know what they are taking and they should not discuss their symptoms with
other provers.
• When their own original symptoms appear the effect of remedy upon the chronic symptoms is
simply noted whether cured or exaggerated or weather or not interfered with.
• When symptoms occurs in natural way without being increased or diminished it may be
considered as natural things of that particular prover and it is eliminated.
• Generally if a remedy takes a marked hold of a prover all the chronic symptoms will subside , but
when it takes partial hold it may only create few symptoms.These few symptoms when added to
symptoms of other provers the effect of the remedy on humans is known.

5. Methodology of studying materia medica or proving
• After master prover deals out these vials, each prover takes a single dose and waits to see the
effect. If he is sensitive to that medicine single dose will produce symptoms and they must not be
interfered.
• In proving an acute remedy the master prover may tell the class , “if you are going to get effects
from the remedy you will get effects in next 3 to 4 days. It will not be necessary to wait longer.”.
For chronic remedies he may tell the class to not interfere with medicine for atleast 30 days.
Because its prodrome(incubation period) maybe 30 days.
• prodrome, period of progress, period of decline should be kept in mind when studying mm and
miasms.
• The master prover will indicate the class whether they should wait for a longer time before taking
another dose and from this the class will only know whether the drug is acute or chronic.
• Multiple dose : if first dose of medicine produces no effect and enough time has been provided to
be sure that prover is not sensitive to it then we have to create sensitiveness(Rhus and Arsenic
poisoning). To make the proving and to intensify the effect dissolve the medicine in water and tell
him to take every 2 hours for next 24 to 48 hours until the symptoms arise. As soon as symptoms
appear stop taking the drug.

6. • Danger comes from taking a medicine for a few days (multiple dose) and the stopping it and then
taking it again. For eg. you are proving arsenic and you find that you are not sensitive to it and
after waiting for 30 days you start again and take it in water for 3 to 4 days and symptoms appear
now now wait. let it come and spread and go away on its own do not interfere with it. if you
interfere it should be with only a true antidote. If you interfere to brighten up the symptoms then
you will impart upon your constitution with arsenic diathesis from which you will never be cured.
• Another portion of class will not get symptoms no matter how they abuse the remedy and they
will have to take crude dose of the drug but it will give only the toxic effects of the drugs with only
grossest character without finer details (Toxicological effects).
• Aph 107-122 : When patient is under poisonous effect of drug it does not seem to flow in the
direction of vital force but when reaction comes the drug seems to flow in direction of vital
action. Then the symptoms arise are of best order and it should be noted down as these
symptoms do not suspend the vital force but only disturb it.(poison - suspend the VF ;Drug-
disturb the VF).
• Homoeopathy looks towards administration of medicine that are given for creating order in
higher potencies. For disturbing in lower potencies.
• We should never use crude drugs for proving unless for temporaray experiments.Because they
give only fragmenatry idea.