Prescribing on the basis of Specific Similarity

The proving of Cinchona bark by Hahnemann on himself brought out the similar symptoms to Ague Fever. He felt that the chill, fever, sweating, followed by Apyrexia are very symptoms common to the Ague fever. Thus he concluded that the remedy which in its proving produce similar symptoms of a disease is a specific homoeopathic remedy because it acts though the vital force and produces a similar disease. On the basis of this he laid down the 'Law of Similars'.

A number of drugs having specific similarity to other diseases has also been noticed by Hahnemann in his further provings. For example,  for Measles Pulsatilla; Chickenpox Antum Tart; Whooping cough Drosera; Dengue Fever Eupatorium Perf;  Yellow Fever Crotalus Hor; Scarlet Fever Belladonna; Cholera Veratrum Alb; Pulmonary Tuberculosis Ars Iod.; For Secondary Syphilis Kali Iod. etc.

Next we found Arnica is specific for blunt injuries; Ledum for punctured wounds; Hypericum for Nerve injuries; Cantharis for burns; Carbo Veg for sudden shocks; Raphnus for post operative gas pains; Causticum for post operative retention of urine etc.

Dr. Boericke in his 'Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica & Therapeutic Index' provided homoeopathic specific remedies for various ailments but he advised that these specific remedies should only be prescribed when other principles of prescribing are not applicable. 

The place of specific remedies lies between the homoeopathic and physiological remedies. The more similar they are in the symptomatology of acute diseases, the more they are homoeopathic to the sick individual and act in minimal and infinitesimal potencies but the more they are similar in pathological sphere, the more they belong to the organopathic nature of the disease and act in lower potencies. 

Following is the list of few medicines which are specific to the indications given against each*:

* Kindly note that this is not a complete list. It only covers most frequently used specifics.