What are LM potencies?The LM potencies were the last scale of potencies (serial agitated dilutions of homeopathic medicines) developed by Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1842), the founder of Homeopathy. They are also known as Q-potencies and 50 Millesimal potencies. The scale represents a serial dilution of 1:50,000 with each subsequent potency.
Remember, there are two other scales in Homeopathy:
Decimal Scale (X): was created by C. Hering (1800-1880) and has a dilution ratio of 1:10
Centesimal Scale (C or K or CH): was created by Hahnemann and has a dilution ration of 1:100
Who created the LM Scale?
I told you, it was Christian Frederick Samuel Hahnemann, the person who started the system of medicine that we know as Homeopathy.
When?
Between 1837 to 1842, in Paris.
Why?
During his Paris years, Hahnemann found that many of his patients were unusually sensitive and aggravated (homeopathic aggravation) even with the 30C of the centesimal scale. He also felt the need for frequent repetitions in cases with persistent pathology but the dry centesimal doses were not ideal for this. To avoid the aggravations and to find a method effective for frequent repetition, he started diluting the globules in water before administering and gave a part of the liquid as a dose. These experiments later resulted in the development of the LM potencies.
What’s in the name?
Hahnemann mentioned his new potencies by name: divisions infinitésemales (infinitesimal dilutions). He called these preparations medicamens au globule, to distinguish them from the old centesimal potencies, called medicamens a la goutte (medicines of the drop).
Dr. Pierre Schmidt of Geneva termed this new scale as “50 Millesimal”. Rudolf Flury (1903-1977) gave the abbreviation ‘LM’ – ‘L’ for Roman ’50’ and ‘M’ for Roman ‘1000’. However, this denotation is technically incorrect, as the Roman numeral LM would denote the number 950 rather than 50,000. The name ‘Q-potency’ is derived from the Latin word ‘quinquagintamilia’, which literally means 50,000 and was introduced by Jost Kunzli (1915-1992). So ‘Q’ is the correct abbreviation for the 50 Millesimal potencies. However, in spite of being the incorrect abbreviation, ‘LM’ is still in popular use.
What is the range of available LM potencies?
The LM potencies are usually available in dry globules and the potency range is from LM1 to LM 30.
Why is it limited to LM30?
Hahnemann found this range sufficient for most patients. But this is not an absolute limit and many pharmacies will make it for you in dilutions beyond LM30 on custom order.
How are the LM potencies denoted?
The LM potencies are usually written as ‘0/potency number’ like ‘0/1’, ‘0/2′ …’0/30’.
This method of noting this new scale comes straight from Hahnemann’s case records. Hahnemann did not mention anywhere what the small zero or ‘o’ meant. Many historians feel that it denotes the small globule used to dispense the potency.
Many people also denote these potencies as LM1, LM2 …LM30. And some even use the Q as Q1, Q2 …Q30.
Where did Hahnemann describe the LM potencies?
Footnote to aphorism 270 in the 6thedition of Organon of Medicine. See Appendix.
How to make the first LM potency?
Unlike the mother tinctures that are used to prepare the first Decimal and Centesimal scale potencies, the first LM potency is prepared from the 3C trituration of the original drug substance.
So if you want to prepare the LM potencies yourself, you can buy the 3C trituration of the desired medicine from the market or you can do the trituration yourself using the crude drug substance. Remember for preparing the trituration, you will need one part of raw drug substance and 99 parts of sugar of milk. The mixture has to be triturated for 1 hour according to the guidelines given in the Organon to prepare the ‘1C’. To prepare the 2C, you take one part of 1C and 99 parts of sugar of milk and triturate for another hour. Repeat the process with 2C to get the 3C.
So once you have the 3C potency with you, you can start preparing the LM1: – Take a grain in weight (0.062gm) of the 3C powder and dissolve it in 500 drops (30ml) of 20% alcohol making a 1:500 dilution of the 3c.
– One drop of this solution is then further diluted in 99 drops of 95% alcohol, filling two thirds of a glass vial, giving a (1 in 500 x 100 = 50,000) solution of the 3c powder.
– This tube is then succussed 100 times against a firm but elastic object (like a leather bound book) to create the LM 1 medicating liquid.
– The LM 1 liquid is then poured onto some poppy-seed granules of which a hundred weigh 1 grain (0.06gm). The granules are so small that one drop of the alcoholic LM 1 liquid can completely wet at least 500 of them. Thus just one granule absorbs at least a 500th of a drop.
– Many homeopaths use globules of size 10, instead of the smaller ones recommended by Hahnemann.
– The globules are then dried and filed in glass vials. This gives you the first LM potency that you get from the market.
Why do you attain the dilution of 1:50000 using (500) globules and alcohol (100 drops)? Why not just use liquid for the dilution?
One could theoretically dilute with one drop to 50,000 drops. Since 100 drops of 95% alcohol equal 3.6mls, 50,000 drops would mean 1.75 liters. The bottle to be succussed 100 times would need to be at least 2 liters in size – not a practical size for the average human being to work with! But there are some pharmacies that make their LM’s with the alcohol only and without using the globules.
How do you make the subsequent LM potencies?
– Take one granule of LM1 and dissolve it in a drop of water
– Add 99 drops of alcohol to the bottle/vial.
– Succuss 100 times. This gives you the LM2 liquid solution.
– Medicate 500 globules with one drop of this LM2 liquid solution. Dry on blotting paper and fill in a well-corked bottle. Your LM2 is ready!
The LM 2 solution contains a 1/500th x 100 = 1/50,000th of the previous LM 1 liquid. The process is continued in this way by using the granule as the intermediary to transfer a 500th of a drop instead of the direct addition of a whole drop, as is the case with the centesimal 1:100 ratio.
How do you administer LM potencies?
1. Take a 4oz (120ml) to 6oz (180ml) clean glass bottle. Fill it 3/4th with water. Take 1 or 2 globules of the desired potency (often starting at LM 0/1) and place it into the bottle. Add a few drops of pure alcohol.
2. Succuss the bottle just prior to ingestion 1 to 12 times depending on the sensitivity of the patient. This slightly raises the potency and activates the remedy.
3. Take 1, or more teaspoons of the medicinal solution and place it into 8 to 10 tablespoons of water in a dilution glass and stir it. Most cases are started with 1 teaspoon and the amount is increased only if necessary. In children the amount should be 1/2 teaspoon. Infants may only need 1/4 of a teaspoon.
4. Take 1, (or rarely, 2 or 3) teaspoons from the dilution glass as a dose. Most cases are started with 1 teaspoon and the amount increased only if necessary. Children should be given 1/2 teaspoon. Infants should receive 1/4 or less of a teaspoon.
The dosage of the medicinal solution can be carefully adjusted to suit the sensitivity of the individual’s constitution.
Can LM potencies aggravate like centesimal scale potencies?
Since Hahnemann created the new scale to avoid homeopathic aggravations, many people think that LM’s do not aggravate at all. Some people also believe that LM’s aggravate at the end of treatment, whereas centesimal potencies aggravate at the beginning.
Both the notions are incorrect. LM’s are definitely gentler than centesimal scale but they can aggravate just like the C scale in sensitive patients. Aggravations are apparently less because the medicines are diluted so much and also the same potency is never repeated twice. But the aggravations can and do happen with LM potencies, so don’t use them blindly.
How do you repeat medicines in the LM scale?
The rule is to repeat the medicine once or twice daily, till a significant positive change becomes visible. After that medicine should not be used mechanically. But repetition entirely depends upon the individual sensitivity and the patient’s reaction. Ask the patient to report/call after 3 and 7 days or if he/she sees any significant reaction, to judge the initial reaction and modify the dose and repetition accordingly.
In acute cases, you can even repeat every few hours or even every few minutes.
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