Organon of Medicine

§ 20 Sixth edition

This spirit-like power to alter man’s state of health (and hence to cure diseases) which lies hidden in the inner nature of medicines can in itself never be discovered by us by a mere effort of reason; it is only by experience of the phenomena it displays when acting on the state of health of man that we can become clearly cognizant of it.

Prasad Rasal:
In this aphorism, Dr Samuel Hahnemann again want to clear the concept of Dynamic Homoeopathic Medicine. Because, number of times, even till today, this question is again & again asked by materialist regarding the action of the Homoeopathic Medicines that How they act?
If the things are Dynamic, how can it be possible to find out the action of Homoeopathic Medicine? We can find out the dynamic hidden power present in Homoeopathic Medicine only by the method of Cause & Effects. Unless, we use it on healthy human beings, we can not get the exact knowledge regarding the medicinal power. There is no scientific instrument available to find out the same & it cannot be discovered because of its dynamic nature.
He has used the same word "Knowledge of Medicinal Powers" again in the aphorism no.3 while explaining the qualities of the Homoeopathic Physician. Here, he want to explain that Medicinal Power of every Drug is different in different potency because the same drug shows a different picture in different potency & it can be cognizable to us only by using it on healthy human beings. For e.g. Rhus t 6 is totally a different medicine than Rhus t 10m as they produce totally different action when used in healthy human being. Rhus-t 6 will show a very superficial action more at the exterior at the level of akin & mucous membranes as in the form of fever blisters while Rhus-t 10m will show the depth of it at the level of more interior at Bones & Mind producing the pains, swellings & restlessness etc.
Drug Proving is the only method thro' which we can perceive this spirit-like power.