Desires and Aversions by Wm. J. Guernsey

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“The uncommon sensations, likes, and dislikes are often the guiding symptoms in selecting the similimum.” – Wm. J. Guernsey

For every BHMS student preparing for university examinations or learning practical repertorization, William Jefferson Guernsey’s Repertory of Desires and Aversions is one of the most concise yet clinically valuable specialized repertories. It focuses exclusively on patients’ food desires and aversions, which are considered important physical general symptoms in homoeopathic prescribing.

This article explains the repertory in a simple, examination-oriented manner.

Who was Wm. J. Guernsey?

William Jefferson Guernsey (1854–1935) was an American homoeopathic physician and repertory compiler. He contributed several specialized repertories including:

  • Repertory on Menstruation
  • Homoeo-Therapeutics of Haemorrhoids
  • Repertory of Desires and Aversions
  • Repertory on Location and Direction of Head Pains
  • Repertory on Diphtheria

His Repertory of Desires and Aversions was first published in 1883 and remains a useful reference for repertorizing food cravings and dislikes

Why are Desires and Aversions Important?

According to Hahnemann, peculiar, uncommon and characteristic symptoms deserve the greatest attention while selecting a remedy.

Food desires and aversions are:

  • Physical generals
  • Individualizing symptoms
  • Often persistent in chronic diseases
  • Helpful in differentiating remedies having similar pathological symptoms
  • Useful when mental symptoms are insufficient

For example:

  • Desire for salt
  • Desire for eggs
  • Aversion to milk
  • Desire for sour things
  • Aversion to meat

These symptoms frequently help narrow down remedy selection

Desires and Aversions by WM. J. Guernsey.

The abbreviated names of the remedies are accompanied with their full names

Ab. Can – Abies Canadensis

Ace. ac. – Acetic Acid

Acon. n. – Aconitum napellus

Adelhe. – Adelheitsquelle

Aethusa – Aethusa cynapium

Agar. m. – Agaricus castus

Ailant – Ailanthus glandulosa

Alcohol – Alcohol sulphuris

Al. cep. – Allium cepa

Aloe s. – Aloe socotrina

Alumen – Alumen

Alumin. – Alumina

Am. car. – Ammonium carbonicum

Am. mur. – Ammonium muriaticum

Anacar. – Anacardium orientale

Angust. – Angustura

Ant. cr. – Antimonium crudum

Ant. ta. – Antimonium tartaricum

Apis m. – Apis mellifica

Arg. met. – Argentum metallicum

Arg. ni. – Argentum nitricum

Arnica – Arnica montana

Ars. al. – Arsenicum album

Arum t. – Arum triphyllum

Arundo – Arundo mauritanica

Asafoet – Asafoetida

Asarum – Asarum Europoeum

Asc. tu. – Asclepias tuberosa

Ast. ru. – Asterias rubens

Atropi. – Atropine

Au. met. – Aurum metallicum

Baptis. – Baptisia Tinctoria

Bar. cb. – Baryta carbonica

Bellad.- Belladonna

Benzn. – Benzoin

Borax – Borax

Bovist.- Bovista

Bromim.- Bromium

Bryoni. – Bryonia alba

Bufo c. – Bufo cinereus

Caladi. – Caladium seguinum

Cal. cb. – Calcarea carbonica

Cal. ph. – Calcarea phosphorica

Cal. sl.- Calcarea sulphurica

Camphr. – Camphora

Can. In.- Cannabis Indica

Cantha. – Cantharis

Capsic. – Capsicum annuum

Carb. a. – Carbo animalis

Carb. ac.- Carbolic acid

Carb. s.- Carboneum sulphuratum

Carb. v. – Carbo vegetabilis

Carlsb. – Carlsbad salz

Cascar. – Cascarilla

Cast. e. – Castor equi

Caustic – Causticum

Cedr. – Cedron

Chamom – Chamomilla

Che. ma.- Chelidonium majus

Chenop. – Chenopodium anthelminticum

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