The 'Keynotes and Characteristics' being the basis of studying Homoeopathic Materia Medica and for the differentiation and selection of apparently similar homoeopathic medicines is an indispensable tool for the Homoeopaths to enable them to intelligently and successfully use our voluminous symptomatology. This book is an attempt to render the student's task less difficult, to simplify its study, to make it both interesting and useful, to place its mastery within the reach of every intelligent man or woman in the profession. The object of this work is to aid the student to master that which is guiding and characteristic in the individuality of each remedy and thus utilize more readily the symptomatology of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica.

The base of this book is Allen's Keynotes and Characteristics with incorporation of more characteristics symptoms from other Materia Medicas. The originality of the Allen's Keynotes is preserved in the book, as the symptoms with their gradation are not changed, but are arranged schematically into different anatomical headings to give more clarity to the reader.

With the above mentioned objectives the initiative taken by the 'Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy' for compilation of the "Keynotes Materia Medica, Vol-1" was a great success among the homoeopathic fraternity, especially students, which is an indication for the need of another volume of this book including medicines of Homoeopathic Materia Medica syllabus of 2nd B.H.M.S. fulfilling the aim to impart authentic, handy and systematic information of keynotes of remedies. This edition has following features:

Introduction has been given in all drugs, including its historical and general use.

A glossary of difficult, uncommon and medically important terms is added.

Formatting has been changed wherein "additions" from other sources have been given separate fonts.

For valuable considerations in the compilation of this work, the Council expresses heartfelt thanks to the members of the Expert Committee, Prof. (Dr.) Chaturbhuja Nayak, Prof. (Dr.) S. K. Bhattacharya, Prof. (Dr.) L. K. Nanda, Dr. Sunirmal Sarkar for their valuable service, clinical experience and knowledge rendered by them.

The term Keynotes was first introduced in the homoeopathic literature by Dr. Henry N. Guernsey, while teaching homoeopathic Materia Medica in the Hahnemann Homoeopathic Medical college, Philadelphia during 1871 73, with the aim to present characteristics of a drug to turn the students mind in the direction of a proper remedy and to illustrate finer shades of difference between remedies which more or less resembled each other. This work of keynotes has been carried forward in a glorious way by various stalwarts.

The composition present in the various Materia Medicas is the most authentic and as valuable to-day, as when it was conceived, but seeing its year of publication there are terms that have become obsolete now and because of lack of latest important clinical data, omissions of some characteristics symptoms of certain medicines, its silence about the pharmacopoeial data etc. there is need for writing another Keynote Materia Medica since nobody had, however, tried to improve the previous edition either by revising or by adding the newer data which has accumulated till date. So, there is a genuine demand by the profession for an edition which will be within the reach of every student and practicing homoeopath.

This book is made with the purpose to give most authentic information to the homoeopathic fraternity in the simplest and easily comprehensible way (like homoeopathy itself). The actual symptom of each drug, as given by Dr. H. C. Allen are herewith presented with additions of more characteristics from other sources like Hering's Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica, Hahnemann's Materia Medica Pura, J. H. Clarke's Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Pocket manual of Materia Medica by William Boerick and Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India, to suit the requirements of our syllabi of undergraduate courses of Homoeopathic Materia Medica. The gradation of Symptoms of Allen's keynotes into bold, italics and roman has been preserved in this book.

**Contents and Sample Pages**