Guide · Clinical reference
Homeopathic Repertories Compared: Kent, Boericke, Boger, and More
A repertory is the homeopath's index into the Materia Medica — a structured catalogue of symptoms (rubrics) with the remedies known to produce or cure them. Choosing the right repertory shapes the totality you build and the remedies your repertorization surfaces. This guide compares the major homeopathic repertories and shows how to select one for the case in front of you.
Why the choice of repertory matters
Every repertory reflects its author's philosophy. Kent weighted mentals and generals highly; Boger built his work around modalities and concomitants; Boericke stayed close to bedside clinical experience. The same symptoms fed through different repertories can rank different remedies first — so an intentional source choice is part of good repertorization, not a footnote.
The major repertories at a glance
Kent's Repertory
by James Tyler Kent
Deep mental and generals section, hierarchical structure emphasising constitutional prescribing. The de-facto teaching repertory in classical homeopathy.
Best for: Chronic constitutional cases where mind and generals lead the totality.
Boericke's Repertory
by William Boericke
Concise, clinically oriented rubrics arranged by region. Excellent for quick acute prescribing and beginners.
Best for: Acute cases, common clinical conditions, and rapid confirmatory look-ups.
Boger-Boenninghausen's Characteristics
by C. M. Boger
Generalised rubrics with modalities and concomitants as the core of case analysis. Strong on causation and sensations.
Best for: Cases dominated by clear modalities, sensations, and one-sided presentations.
Murphy's Repertory
by Robin Murphy
Alphabetical clinical arrangement with modern rubrics and disease names, making it approachable for contemporary practice.
Best for: Clinicians who prefer disease-name entry points alongside classical rubrics.
Complete Repertory
by Roger van Zandvoort
Massive integrated repertory combining Kent, Boger, Boericke, and modern additions with source references.
Best for: Comprehensive case analysis when you need breadth across authors.
Synthesis
by Frederik Schroyens
Modern successor to Kent with tens of thousands of added rubrics, contemporary provings, and clear source attribution.
Best for: Contemporary classical practice that respects Kentian structure but needs modern additions.
How to choose for a given case
- Constitutional, chronic case: start with Kent or Synthesis for the mental and general rubrics.
- Acute, well-defined clinical picture: Boericke gives fast, dependable confirmations.
- Case led by modalities and sensations: Boger's generalised rubrics keep the totality tight.
- Modern clinical entry points: Murphy or Complete when you want disease-name access alongside classical rubrics.
Repertorizing across sources in The Similimum
The Similimum lets you pick your repertory source before analysis, so the rubrics and ranked remedies stay faithful to the tradition you are working in. You can switch sources on the same case to see how Kent, Boericke, Boger, Murphy, Complete, and Synthesis each rank the totality — and confirm your similimum against the Materia Medica in the same workspace.
Try source-aware repertorization
Build a case, pick your repertory, and compare remedies side-by-side.