The limitations of the dry dose

- Dosage and potency according to the organon (D. Little)

Hahnemann suggested that each edition of the Organon and The Chronic Diseases be studied together as companion volumes. In the 1837 commentary, Hahnemann begins assessing his experience of the dosing procedures that he used during the late 1820's and shares the outcome of his latest research in homeopathy.
 "Since I last addressed the public concerning our healing art I have had among other things also the opportunity to gain experience as to the best possible mode of administering the dose of the medicines to the patients, and I herewith communicate what I have found best in this respect. A small pellet of one of the highest dynamizations of a medicine laid dry upon the tongue, or the moderate smelling of an open vial where one or more such pellets are contained proves itself the smallest and weakest dose with shortest period of duration in its effects."
 Due to the great diversity of constitutions and sensitivity, a homeopath needs a flexible delivery system which allows for the adjustment of the remedy in each individual case. This is something that the medicinal solution supplies. Vide The Chronic Diseases.
 "Nevertheless the incredible variety among patients as to their sensitivity, their age, their spiritual and bodily development, their vital powers, and especially in the nature of their disease necessitates a great variety in their treatment, and also in the administration to them of the doses of medicine."
 Also of great importance is the following revelation which explains why the untimely repetition of an unmodified dose causes complications and explains the reason homeopaths disagree so much about the repetition of doses.
 "Before proceeding, it is important to observe that our vital principle cannot bear well that the same unchanged dose of medicine be given even twice in succession, much less more frequently to a patient. For by this the good effect of the former dose of medicine is either neutralized in part, or new symptoms proper to the medicine, symptoms which have never before been present in the disease appear, impeding the cure. Thus even a well-selected homeopathic medicine produces ill effects and attains its purpose imperfectly or not at all. Thence come the many contradictions of homeopathic physicians with respect to the repetition of doses."
 The observation that the vital force is disturbed by the repetition of an unadjusted dose is the conclusion of around 35 years of experimentation and should not be taken lightly. In the 6th edition of the Organon Hahnemann adds that even with the perfect remedy it is unwise "to let the patient have a second or third dose taken dry." The production of these complications is the main reason why repeating remedies before the relapse of symptoms is counter indicated in the classical homeopathy of the 4th edition of the Organon. The use of the medicinal solution however, overcomes this problem because it can be adjusted with succussions so that the patient never receives the exact same potency twice. Vide The Chronic Diseases.
 "But in taking one and the same medicine repeatedly (which is indispensable to secure the cure of a serious chronic disease) if the dose in every case is varied and modified only a little in its degree of dynamization, then the vital force of the patient will calmly, and as it were willingly, receive the same medicine even at the briefest intervals, very many times in succession with the best results, every time increasing the well being of the patient. This slight change in the degree of dynamization is even effected, if the bottle which contains the solutions of one or more pellets is merely well shaken five or six times."