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A better method that demands that judgment be passed on all the symptoms after the case is carefully taken.
The value of these symptoms are in proportion as they relate to the patient rather than to his parts.
The order of symptoms to take are those most peculiar to the patient and then those less and less peculiar until those that are common.
Generalities first: aggravations and ameliorations of the general state or many of their symptoms.
Mental symptoms are then to be taken in this order:
Loves and hates, or desires and aversions
Rational or intellectual mind
Memory
Omit all symptoms that relate to a pathological cause and all that are common to disease and to people.
Then a group of five to ten or so remedies will appear which can then be compared and related to the remaining symptoms of the case.
The physical symptoms are next to be taken:
Generalities related to the entire man and his entire body, or his blood and fluids. Includes both symptoms and modalities. All the remedies that are found here are to be retained with the mental group.
Particulars of the regions of the body, organs, parts and extremities. Preferences are given to discharges from ulcers, menstruation, ears, etc., as these are closely related to health.
Modalities of the parts affected which often are the opposite of the patient.
Strange and rare symptoms are to be ranked much higher.
Keynote symptoms can guide to cure or help a case provided that the mental and the physical generals do not contradict the modalities.
-- Kent, Lectures on Philosophy
