What is Zufalle & Erscheinungen in homeopathy?

It’s very difficult to pronounce such foreign language words i.e. Zufälle  & ERSCHEINUNGEN, we recommend you always use Online Pronouncing Tool for that. As it’s a controversial topic & we don’t want it to get more complexed.

As these words are Extracted from Dr. B.K.Sarkar “Hahnemann’s Organon”, let’s get their simpler meaning first.

• ZUFALLE = CAUSAL EVENTS
• ERSCHEINUNGEN = PERCEPTIBLE PHENOMENON

In §8 of the 6th edition of Organon, we find the word “Perceptible Phenomenon”. (The synonym in German for this word is “Ercheinungen”)

Dr. Philip Rice (M.D, F.R.C.S.) in his article “The Cause and Cure of Homeopathic ills” (published in the year 1952, issue of the journal of the American Institute of homeopathy) criticized the translator ‘Dudgeon’ that in the original German version of Organon, Master Hahnemann used the word “Zufalle” and not “Erscheinungen”.

The meaning of the word Zufalle is “causal events” and not “perceptible phenomenon” as translated by the translator. So, Dr. Rice believed that this mistake in the translation had changed the meaning of §8 of the 5th and 6th editions.

When we study this aphorism by placing the word perceptible phenomenon (Erscheinungen), we tend to understand only the “visible disease”, that is, the chief symptom of the patient present in front of the physician during case taking.

Instead, if we place the word “causal events” (Zufalle) in its place, the meaning becomes still purified and clear. It gives the entire message of Hahnemann regarding the inquiry of causation of the disease. This inquiry of causation can only be ascertained by inquiring about the past history of the patient that has led him to the present condition.

According to Hahnemannian teaching, pathological disease is a result of dynamic disturbances that have taken place in the life of the patient. The pathological or nosological diseases are the results of the disease, whereas the dynamic disturbance taken place in the vital force by the miasmatic forces is the cause of the disease.

Other articles to read:

• What is Moral Remedy in Homeopathy?
• What are the Scope and Limitations of Homeopathy?
• How to become a True Preserver of Health?

For example: In our materia medica, we have medicines for dynamic disturbances of the patient and not for pathological diseases. Like for disappointed love we have Antimonium crudum and suffering resulting due to insults, we have Staphysagria, etc.

This approach of Hahnemann is more close to the cause and effect theory. Hahnemann always supported the inquiry of the patient’s past, present, personal, and family history to know the hidden causal events in the history of the patient. Once the cause for the disease is found, it is easy to cure the patient effectively. So, the “causal events” (Zufalle) is the appropriate word in §8 than “perceptible phenomenon”(Erscheinungen).