diseases and disorders

"What diseases does it cure?" "What pathological generality is its 'character?'" The true Hahnemannian examines each case to get such symptoms as distinguish this case from all others. He observes the strictest individualisation; like a portrait painter, he wants a photography of each single case of sickness.
Such symptoms or groups of symptoms as distinguish the case before him from others, are the characteristic symptoms he aims at. The same in proving; we want the characteristics of a medicine, i.e.such symptoms as distinguish it from all others. Hahnemann's rule sets forth, that we must aim to get all symptoms, particularly such as have hitherto been over-looked, neglected, not listened to and sneered at, to get what we necessarily must know. It is the same with provings of drugs. By collecting all and every symptom and particularly the so-called minutiae, we obtain the characteristics. The common old schools are satisfied with a general pathological character by which drugs may be divided into classes, but never can be individualised.
Hahnemann's first rule is, the characteristics of the case must be similar to the characteristics of the drug (compare Organon, § 153, and others.)

This rule has also been expressed in the following words : The symptoms of a case and the symptoms of a medicine must not only be alike, one by one, but in both the same symptoms must also be of a like rank.It is thus the rank, according to which we arrange the symptoms obtained by the examination of a case, - the rank, the value, the importance of the respective symptoms of the drug, which decides when, as it often will happen, several different drugs have apparently the same similarity; it is this rank which decides in the selection. Hahnemann has given us a second rule in his Chronic diseases. We may either adopt his psoric theory or not; but, if we follow his practical advice laid down in the said work, we shall, in proportion, have far better success and will be forced to adopt at least all the practical rules contained in said theory.
All symptoms of inward affections, all the symptoms of the mind or other inward actions, are, according to it, of much higher value than the most molesting or destructive symptoms on the surface of the body. A decrease or an amelioration of outward symptoms, with an increase of inward complaints, even if the latter apparently are of little importance, will be an indication for us, that our patient is getting worse, and we must try to find out, among his symptoms, the leading one, to indicate another, a real curative medicine.