Homoeopathic materia medica in the pre-Boger era – A narrative review

Homoeopathic Materia Medica (HMM) has evolved over the years with the advent of knowledge and new remedy provings. Different authors have tried to define symptomatology using their perspectives. However, as medical science evolved over time, so did the HMM. One needs to understand the changes and philosophy incorporated when writing the HMM. Dr. Cyrus Maxwell Boger, one of the stalwarts of homoeopathy, created Boger’s synoptic key (BSK) after integrating numerous concepts and his experiences. One needs to review the HMM before the first edition of the BSK to understand the concepts used by Dr. Boger to construct the BSK. This study was performed to understand the evolution of different concepts and philosophies of HMM and their influence on Boger.