Physiological effects of medicinal substances upon man are the safest and most useful guide to their selection in diseased state. An elaboration of the characteristics, toxic symptoms, doses used, and therapeutic uses. A step away from basic proving.

George Vithoulkas and his work needs no introduction or recommendation, Yet, this is a book which we would like to recommend to every homeopath. In the “Essence of Materia Medica”, he has painted the essence of 51 remedies. While reading every remedy, a clear portrait of the patient with minute details comes out in front of you. He has given a description of the type of person most commonly affected by a remedy at the start of most remedy portraits for example, the Kalium carbonicum patient with a strong sense of duty heightened to an inflexible, rigid degree. In every medicine Vithoulkas has described a common thread/theme going at all three levels of the patient, for example in Alumina, the theme of delayed action and slowness is visible at all the three levels. Many medicines are compared with other closely related medicines having similar symptoms. The comparison of the essence of various related medicines helps a lot in choosing a correct remedy. This book is reflective of the vast clinical experience and knowledge of the author. With this book, he has carried the efforts of Kent in creating the remedy portraits to the next level. He has himself acknowledged that he has drawn a lot from the Kents Materia Medica and Repertory. He has been able to show the development of remedy pictures in a very evolutionary manner, which helps in creating a better understanding of the medicines presented in this work. The book is well compiled and the presentation of the material is very lucid and systematic.