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Aphorism 4-5
§4

He is likewise a preserver of health if he knows the things that derange health and cause disease, and how to remove them from persons in health.
EXPLANATION
Here Hahnemann talks about the preventive aspect of medicine. It is imperative that one understands what could be the possible cause of disease, during the healthy state of the person e.g. In teenagers the habit of staying up late in the night, watching violent movies maybe the precursors of diseases which can occur in later stages of life.

Something as sanguine as reading traumatic novels can also lead to disappointment in life in later stages of life, like in Cocculus Indicus

Other examples are, smoking cigarettes, eating spicy food, sedentary life, improper regimen can all lead to illnesses specially when patients susceptibility is deranged due to various reasons
§5
Useful to the physician in assisting him to cure are the particulars of the most probable exciting cause of the acute disease, as also the most significant points in the whole history of the chronic disease, to enable him to discover its fundamental cause, which is generally due to a chronic miasm. In these investigations, the ascertainable physical constitution of the patient (especially when the disease is chronic), his moral, and intellectual character, his occupation, mode of living and habits, his social and domestic relations, his age, sexual function, etc. are to be taken into consideration.
EXPLANATION
 Top
In this aphorism, Hahnemann discusses the causes of disease. He says in acute disease, what helps us to cure is, understanding the probable exciting cause. That is possible since the onset is very recent & the picture very clear in the mind of the patient. The exciting causes can be physical or mental.
EXAMPLE
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1.Exposure to damp we rains (Rhus tox)
2.Exposure to dry cold northwest winds (Aconite)
3.A/f, Fear, anticipation (Gelsemium)
4.A/f excessive joy causes insomnia (Coffea)

This is slightly different in case of chronic disease. Here time has elapsed, from the onset of the exciting cause. Therefore Hahnemann says, we need to find out the fundamental cause, for which we have to take help from the following pointers

1.Physical constitution.
2.Moral & intellectual character of the person.
3.Occupation
4.Mode of living & habits.
5.Social and domestic relations.
6.Age
7.Sexual function.

Hence much more detailed case taking & proper understanding of the case taken, is important.

1.Physical constitution :
Like fat fair flabby like Calc-carb lean tall, fair, beautiful with long lashes-Phosphorus fair plethoric chubby, red faced with dilated pupils-Belladonna.
2.Moral & intellectual character of the person :
i.e. the mental makeup of the patient. By moral character, he means one's understanding of social responsibilities, values and principles which again depends on person's relationships, occupation etc.
Intellectual character means an understanding about memory, thinking, perception, and sense of discrimination, volition & behavior.
3.Occupation :
It gives us the inkling of possible maintaining & fundamental cause & this decides the illness the patient gets. For e.g.-a highly placed executive is more prone to blood pressure, acid peptic disorders. etc.
Policeman dealing with crooks, criminals & other antisocial elements develops a peculiar mental make up.
4.Mode of living & habits :
Mode of living and habits-Examples of recent ways of living like having canned & fast food takes a toll on GIT & general health. The mode of living in terms of area where he stays, the endemicity of diseases around and amount of travel from residence to work place will predispose a person to different illnesses.
5.Social and domestic relations :
Social relationships of a person either in a nuclear or joint families will have its own pros & cons
e.g. Behavioral changes in children growing up in nuclear families where there is less adaptability to other beings & suppression of emotions, & lack of privacy in joint families leads to other maladies
6.Age :
Different age groups are prone to different kinds of illnesses.
Example: Infections diseases like chickenpox; mumps are more often “pediatrics priorities”
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Emotional problems due to hormonal changes are more seen in adolescent age group.
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Diseases like arthritis frequently occur in age group above 40 years.
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Benign enlargement of prostate seen above 60 yrs of age.
7. Sexual function :
This is one of the least asked & least said about. The doctor refrains from asking, due to false modesty & from fear of being misunderstood, and patient does not talk about it due to shyness & embarrassment.
Sexual functions are the core of quite a number of illnesses.
Example: Suppressed & unfulfilled sexual desire, leading to physical complaints (Conium)
Over excitable & sexually over demanding husband leads to problems in the wife (Sepia).