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James Tyler Kent - Holistic Homeopathy

James Tyler Kent is said to have contributed as much, to homeopathic medicine as Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. Dr Kent was born in Woodhul, New York in 1849. He graduated from the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati and started practice in St Louis as an eclectic.

He became fascinated in homeopathy in 1878 when his wife was suffering from a severe illness which failed to respond to either eclectic or allopathic treatment and she was eventually cured by a homeopath. He tested, or "proved" in the homeopathy sense many new remedies not considered by Hahnemann, pioneering the use of highly potentised homeopathic preparations which many homeopathic practitioners still adhere to. When he taught, he would inspire his "Kentians" to use these higher potencies; and he held a strong belief that homeopaths must treat patients in their entirety, including the physical body, as well as the mental, emotional and spiritual elements, using these high potencies. Later in his career, however, Kent began using Hahnemann's method of starting with low potencies and working up the scale by threes, 6, 9, 12 etc.

One of his greatest contributions to the profession of homeopathy, and its teachings, was his completely unique style of repertory. Kent's famous work, The Great Repertory published in 1897, is still the popular choice, and has been described as more complete, systematic and precise with more well-described symptoms. Kent is also known for developing pictures of constitutional types of patients. A well-known example would be his description of Sulphur as the ragged philosopher.

Kent was famous for teaching Materia Medica at the Homeopathic Medical College of St Louis from 1881-88, at the School of Homeopathy, Philadelphia from 1890-99, at Hahnemann College and Hospital, Chicago from 1903-9 and also Hering Medical College Hospital. Students from Europe, India and all over the world sought admission to the institutions were he taught his subject. He was the President and Trustee of the Chicago Homeopathic Hospital.