Aphorism 161

When I here limit the so-called homoeopathic aggravation, or rather the primary action of the homoeopathic medicine that seems to increase somewhat the symptoms of the original disease, to the first or few first hours, this is certainly true with respect to diseases of a more acute character and of recent origin; (Note: If the action of those medicines to which the longest duration of action is proper, quickly expires in acute diseases most quickly in those that are most acute it is proportionately long lasting in chronic diseases (of psoric origin) and hence it happens that the antipsoric medicines often do not show any such homoeopathic aggravation in the first hours, while they do so later and during various hours for the first eight or ten days.) but where medicines of long action have to combat a malady of considerable or of very long standing, (Note: The remaining lines in this section are re-written in the Sixth edition.) where one dose, consequently, must continue to act for many days, we then occasionally see, during the first six, eight or ten days, the occurrence of some such primary actions of the medicine, some such apparent increase of the symptoms of the original disease (lasting for one or several hours), whilst in the intervening hours amelioration of the whole malady is perceptible. After the lapse of these few days the amelioration resulting from such primary action of the medicine proceeds almost uninterruptedly for several days longer.