CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE IN HOMEOPATHY

CONTINUING HOMEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION SERVICES

QUARTERLY HOMEOPATHIC DIGEST

VOL. IV, 1987

Lead me from Untruth to Truth

Lead me from Darkness to Light

Lead me from Death to Immortality

Adyaya I Brahmana 3 Mantra 28

(This service is only for private circulation. Part I of the journal lists the Current literature in

Homeopathy drawn from the well-known homeopathic journals published world-over - India, England,

Germany, France, Belgium, Brazil, USA, etc., discipline-wise, with brief abstracts/extracts. Readers may

refer to the original articles for detailed study. The full names and addresses of the journals covered by

this compilation are given at the end.

Compilation, translation, publication by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan, 1253, 66th Street, Korattur, Chennai - 600

080, India.)

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QHD, VOL.IV,NO.1 MARCH 1987 .................................................................................................................. 3

1.1

MIASMS REVISITED - ANTHONY CAMBELL, MRCP, FFHOM ................................................................. 4

1.2

THE MIASMS IN CONTACT THERMOGBCAPHY - PROF. ARNO ROST AND DR.JUTTA ROST .............. 8

1.3

THE MIASMS THEORY OF ORTEGA IN THE FRAMEWORK OF ITS HUMAN AND UNIVERSAL

IMAGES - J.GNAIGER ................................................................................................................................ 15

1.4

THE MIASMS THEORY OF ORTEGA - J. GNAIGER ............................................................................... 19

1.5

SOME COMMENTS ON THE THEORY OF "MIASMS" - A.ARISTEGUIETA GRAMCKO ........................ 22

1.6

THE VALUE OF PSORIC SYMPTOMS FOR THE PRESCRIPTION AND THE PROGRESS OF THE

CASE - Z.J.BRONFMAN .............................................................................................................................. 26

QHD, VOL.IV, NO.2 MARCH 1987 ............................................................................................................... 30

2.1

A CASE OF DIABETIC PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY TREATED WITH ZINCUM MET. IN LOW

POTENCY - R.A.F.JACK .......................................................................................................................... 31

2.2

THE EFFECT OF FREQUENT REPETITIOUS OF HIGH POTENCY PLATINA IN AN ADOLESCENT

BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM - WILLIAM SHEVIN, M.D., D.HT ................................................................... 37

2.3

TAKING A HISTORY - H MORROW BROWN MD, FRCP.................................................................... 43

2.4

HOMOEOPATHY IN ALLERGIC DISEASES - BY M.WIESENAUER ...................................................... 50

2.5

ARSENICUM ALBUM IN LICHEN RUBER PLANUS - BY DR.H.V.MULLER ....................................... 54

2.6

AN INTERESTING CASE OF ANGINA PECTORIS - BY DR.H.V.MULLER .......................................... 55

2.7

ROUTINE TREATMENT OF MEASLES?- BY M.FREIHERR V.UNGERN-STERNBERG. ............................ 57

2.8

ROUTINE TREATMENT OF SCARLATINA? - BY DR.G.BEHNISCH ..................................................... 61

QHD, VOL. IV, NO.3, SEPTEMBER 1987 .................................................................................................... 64

3.1

SCORPION: REPORT OF A RECENT PROVING - GEORGE GUESS, M.D. ............................................ 65

3.2

A PROVING OF GLONINE - JULIAN WINSTON ....................................................................................... 74

3.3

AN INVOLUNTARY POISONING EXPERIMENT BERBERIS VULGARIS - DR.VON HERBERT

UNGER ........................................................................................................................................................ 78

3.4

A PROVING OF BERBERIS VULGARIS D3 AND D30 - BY G.BAYR. ................................................... 80

3.5

BOOK SHELF ........................................................................................................................................... 90

QHD, VOL.IV, NO.4, DECEMBER 1987 ...................................................................................................... 94

4.1

LACHESIS - L.R. TWENTYMAN, M.B., B.CH., F.F.HOM. ................................................................... 95

4.2

PSYCHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS ON LACHESIS - EDWARD C. WHITMONT, M.D .. 100

4.3

THREE LACHESIS CASES – A. HENNESSY, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., L.R.F.P.S., M.F.HOM .................. 105

4.4

PSYCHOGENIC STIFF-NECK - BY M. STUBLER .................................................................................. 108

4.5

LACHESIS IN A CASE OF PERONAEUS PARALYSIS OF RIGHT LEG - BY ARTUR BRAUN ......... 111

4.6

FEED - BACK .......................................................................................................................................... 113

4.7

BOOK SHELF ......................................................................................................................................... 115

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1 QHD, Vol.IV,No.1 March 1987

Dear Doctor,

What better theme could we choose to commemorate Hahnemann's birthday in April than study

of his monumental work on the theory of Chronic Miasms? We have, therefore dedicated, this number to

the 'Chronic Miasms' of Hahnemann.

Much has been said in the past and being said to-day either doubting his theory or confirming it.

All these are part of the history of Homoeopathy. We are concerned with examining the theory with

reference to its practicability in the clinic. Except the Latin American School and in Germany not much

study of the chronic miasms seems to have been done and practiced either in Britain or America or France

and we have not been able to find any in the journals from those parts, recently; and not a single article, to

the best of our Knowledge, in any of the Indian journals within the past 5 years. This is rather surprising.

To come to the contents of this number Anthony Campbell seems to doubt the practicability of

the miasmatic theory, and goes to the extent of even stating that "the theory has been actively harmful".

Contrast this with the famous Dr.John Paterson's article "PSORA AND SYCOSIS IN RELATION TO

MODERN BACTERIOLOGY"; Dr.T.P.Paschero's "PSORA IDIOSYNCARSY FUNDAMENTAL OF

PATHOLOGY"; Peter Fishher's "NEW TOXICOLOGY: CARCINOGENESIS" and Rost’s "THE

MIASMS IN CONTACT THERMOGRAPHY″ given in this number; these confirm the theory of chronic

miasms and its practicability.

The Latin American School of which Dr.P.S.Ortega has been a great leader has been making very

detailed study and the Vienna school of Dr.Mathias Dorcsi is also associated. Dr.Ortega's theories and

practicability have been clearly brought out in the two articles of Dr.J.Gnaiger who spent a few years in

Ortega’s school and clinic.

From Venezuela Dr. Grammcko; a student of Dr.T.P.Paschero has commented on the chronic

miasms in terms of Eric Berne's Transactional Analysis and lastly Argentinian Dr.Brofmann on the value

of Psoric symptoms for the prescription and follow-up, citing actual case. There is much more on the

chronic miasms but they will come later.

Incidentally it may be seen that great value has been given to our Dr.Ghatak's comments on the

chronic miasms; we however, seem to have forgotten him. Dr.T.P.Paschero a great teacher of

'Constitutional Medicine' expired in August 86 and in his memory we have given the article of

Dr.Brofmann.

May the lights of these guide us.

March 1987.

Yours sincerely,

K.S. SRINIVASAN

1253, 66

Street,

Korattur,

Madras 600 080

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1.1 MIASMS REVISITED - Anthony Cambell, MRCP, FFHOM

Introduction

Generations of homoeopaths since Hahnemann have discussed the miasm theory from

every conceivable angle. Today, it seems, Kentian ideas are becoming more widely accepted

among homoeopaths in many countries, and this has led to an increased emphasis on the

importance of the miasm theory, which is often represented as being essential to homoeopathy.

I propose first, to examine what Hahnemann actually taught about miasms, as opposed to

what he is commonly supposed to have taught, which is by no means the same thing. Next, I

shall briefly review some of the ways in which later homoeopaths interpreted the theory. Finally,

I shall consider the present meaning and value of these ideas.

Hahnemann's formulation of the miasm theory

The outlines of the miasm theory are well known to all homoeopaths. In essence, the

theory states that all chronic diseases not attributable to faulty diet or environment or to

allopathic treatment, is due to one of three "miasms": sycosis, syphilis, and psora. Of these, much

the most importance is psora, which Hahnemann claims is responsible for seven-eighths of all

miasmatic chronic disease.

Hahnemann did not invent the term miasm, which was already in use in orthodox medicine in his

day, but he gave it a new meaning and importance. The word derives from the Greek and means

"taint" or "contamination". Hahnemann supposed that chronic disease occurred by the

introduction into the organism of one of the contaminating agents—miasms—through the skin.

The initial sign of this is a skin lesion of some kind. If the contaminating agent is then "driven

inwards" by misguided allopathic treatment it will become established throughout the organism

and thereby rendered ineradicable.

The clue to an understanding of Hahnemann's idea, therefore, is to realize that he

believed skin disorders to be merely the outward, visible manifestation of a systemic disorder.

He was by no means alone in this view, which he shared with a number of his orthodox

contemporaries, but he emphasized its importance much more than anyone else had done

hitherto.

Each of the three miasms has its own characteristic skin lesion: for sycosis it is fig warts,

for syphilis the chancre, and for psora the itch-vesicle (scabies). Notice, however, that the range

of skin disorders that Hahnemann regards as primary lesions of the miasms is a good deal wider

than the modern labels imply. For example, any warty growth anywhere on the skin is sycotic,

and almost any kind of skin eruption is Psoric. To identify psora with scabies pure and simple is

thus a considerable over-simplification.

Hahnemann's concept of the say in which the chronic miasms act can best be understood

by considering syphilis. Hahnemann held (rightly, from our point of view) that in syphilis the

disease is not confined to the so-called primary lesion—the chancre—but is systemic from the

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outset. Treatment of the chancre alone is therefore ineffective (Hahnemann would say, positively

harmful), and the disease, if left to itself, will produce all kinds of subsequent manifestations.

Sycosis and psora are exactly analogous to syphilis. In each, an apparently trivial skin

lesion is merely the outward sign of a deep-seated disorder that has already become established.

The course of events is therefore as follows.First, the contamination takes place; it becomes

generalized throughout the organism (probably travelling via the nerves); third, it gives rise to a

skin eruption.

The most important miasm, psora, is much more contagious than syphilis, and can be

communicated—especially to children—simply by touching the skin. Almost everyone is

susceptible to contamination with the psoric miasm, whereas sycosis and syphilis are more

selective.

The symptoms of latent psora are almost infinitely varied and are quite impossible to

summarize; they correspond to almost every mental and physical disease imaginable.

Hahnemann gives a confessedly incomplete list.

In summary, Hahnemann's miasm theory depends on the idea of contamination through

the skin by one of three agents. To the modern reader the temptation to equate miasm with

"infective agent" is almost irresistible. We must be clear, however, that Hahnemann himself did

not make this identification; on the contrary, he held that the actual nature of the miasms is

forever unknowable.

Later interpretations

Succeeding generations of homoeopaths have made many attempts to interpret the miasm

idea in the light of medical ideas of the day. In the early part of this century, for example,

orthodox medicine was much preoccupied with the notion that chronic sepsis (in teeth, appendix,

and so on) was an important cause of disease, and consequently we find homoeopaths attempting

to equate psora with sepsis. More recently, ideas of allergy and of autoimmunity have been

invoked.

The Kentians, however, with their scorn for pathology, adopted a different view, which

derived from the teaching of Constantine Hering. This is the notion that the miasms are

hereditary (constitutional). Hering and his followers recognized a number of other miasms in

addition to Hahnemann's (for example, tuberculosis), and developed appropriate nosodes to treat

them.

Today, Kentian and other homoeopaths often claim that Hahnemann made a brilliant

anticipation of the modern orthodox teaching that there exist heritable tendencies to various

diseases (for example, the well-known association between blood groups and certain diseases).

As we have seen, however, there is no justification for this in Hahnemann's own writings, which

make it quite clear that the miasms are acquired and not hereditary. (Hahnemann does not even

appear to have recognized the existence of congenital syphilis.)

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It is an interesting question why it should be so widely believed today among homoeopaths that

the miasms are hereditary. What seems to have happened is that Hahnemann's early followers,

especially in America, introduced a meta-physical element into the miasm theory to explain why

human beings should be liable to contamination in the first place.

The significance of the miasm theory today

The first thing to say about the miasm theory from a modern standpoint is that it is

essentially pathological. As we have seen, it is very easy to equate the miasms with infective

agents, and indeed it is almost impossible today not to make this identification.

Now, Hahnemann, as we know, rejected all theorizing about disease processes, and

taught that disease is nothing more than the sum of its symptoms: no symptom, no disease.

Clearly this is quite inconsistent with the miasm theory, which depends on the idea that the

miasms can persist for long periods without giving rise to overt symptoms. However,

inconsistency never troubled Hahnemann, and his writings contain many glaring examples of it.

At one stage, he did in fact anticipate the modern, microbial, theory of disease, at least in the

case of cholera. Thus he writes of the (acute) miasm responsible for cholera as M probably

consisting of a murderous organism, undetected by our senses, which attaches itself to a man's

skin, hair, etc., or to his clothing and is thus transferred invisibly from man to man." He does not

seem to have made the same suggestion in respect of the chronic miasms, but for us today the

temptation to do it for him is overwhelming. But where does this leave the miasm theory of

chronic disease?

If we equate miasm with infective agent, the theory states that virtually all chronic

disease is due to infection. This seems improbable. We know that many forms of chronic disease

are, in fact, due to infection, but many other things do not appear to be, at least in the light of our

present understanding. On this interpretation, therefore, the miasm theory is a gross over-

simplification.

An alternative way of expressing the miasm theory is to say that all internal disease has a

cutaneous manifestation and vice versa. Again, however, this is a considerable over-statement.

Certainly some diseases may have cutaneous manifestations (cancer, for example), but the

association is by no means invariable or even very frequent.

No doubt many supporters of the miasm theory would reject both these interpretations. If

we do so, however, we are left with some very vague general statements to the effect that chronic

diseases fail to get better because there is some underlying factor which prevents them from

doing so. This is true but trite. It amounts, in fact, to little more than a tautology: chronic diseases

are chronic because they fail to get better. The miasm theory is not only platitudinous; it is

comprehensive to the point where it fails to explain anything at all. Hahnemann lists literally

hundreds of symptom complexes as due to psora. So vast and all-embracing is the list that it is

almost impossible to think of any disease that is not attribute to psora. But a theory that excludes

virtually nothing has almost no explanatory value.

At least if the theory had useful practical implications that would be something. In fact, however,

the choice among the various "antipsoric" remedies still has to be made in the usual way, on the

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similimum principle, so we are not much enlightened. Indeed, it could be argued that the theory

has been actively harmful, in that it has concentrated the minds of homoeopaths on the

"antipsorics" to the relative exclusion of many other remedies that might be indicated. Certainly

if one reads some of the homoeopathic literature of the nineteenth century, written by

homoeopaths who were not over-awed by the miasm idea, one finds much wider range of

remedies being used in chronic disease than is commonly the case today.

[From the BRITISH HOMOEOPATHIC JOURNAL, VOL 72, NO.1, January 1983 abridged

slightly by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan, Madras, for private communication only]

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1.2 THE MIASMS IN CONTACT THERMOGBCAPHY - Prof. Arno Rost

and Dr.Jutta Rost

Hahnemann's miasms, the three categories of chronic disease postulated by him and

confirmed by Ortega, are still not accepted or perhaps not understood by many homoeopathic

physicians today. They doubt that these three miasms, psora, sycosis and syphilis, really exist

and believe Hahnemann's thinking on the subject to be completely out of date, deeming it best to

ignore it.

The terms used to describe the three categories do of course reflect the state of

knowledge in Hahnemann's day. Nothing has changed, however, when it comes to his brilliant

powers of observation in relation to these chronic states. They represent the three ways in which

patients may react, something which became instantly obvious when we analyzed the data

obtained in contact thermography, a method used to monitor and record a patient's capacity for

heat regulation.

One of the symptoms Mezger refers to in many of his drug pictures—usually left to the

last and unfortunately often disregarded-is 'heat regulation', it is a symptom patients do not often

refer to spontaneously.

Heat or warmth is not merely a subjective sensation, for it can be objectively determined.

It is the essential product of intermediary metabolism in any organism, and therefore reflects the

quality of the life processes.

This is no doubt the reason why pathological changes in heat regulation tend to be in

evidence years before any form of functional disorder and hence also subjective symptoms make

their appearance. Subjective symptoms in their turn make their appearance a long time before

organic changes and hence clinical evidence can be registered.

Heat regulation therefore provides very early and extremely valuable data on the total

reactivity of the patient. Recorded in a thermogram it provides indications of both local and

general pathological processes.

The method generally referred to as thermography was introduced more than thirty years

ago by Dr Ernst Schwamm who used an instrument called a bolometer to measure the heat

radiated by the body i.e. infrared radiation, at a distance of a few centimeters.

In clinical medicine somewhat different methods of thermography have been developed.

Electronic thermo vision and later the use of liquid crystals (plate thermography) produce colour

zones to indicate heat distribution in the skin, different colours representing different levels of

temperature.

The above three methods are not adequate to meet our aims, but the most recent

development in the field does meet requirements. This is a direct contact method determining

skin temperatures with highly sensitive thermometers, and the method is therefore known as

contact thermography.

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In general terms, thermography determines and records body temperature. A single

determination would merely relate to a particular moment, and we would fail to utilize the major

diagnostic potential of getting information on the reactive capacity of the system, an assessment

of reactive potential. Determinations are therefore made twice, before and after a specific stress

stimulus consisting in exposure of the body at room temperature. This will cause characteristic

changes in skin temperature. The difference between initial and post-stress readings reflects the

patient's regulatory capacity. It is completely reproducible.

The method consists in first of all recording a standard thermogram by determining skin

temperature in sixty specific sites. Indications of acute or chronic organic processes may be

obtained by relating segmental skin areas to internal organs via the viscero-cutaneous reflex ares.

An integral recorder plots the initial temperatures in black. The patient is then asked to undress

and stay like that for ten minutes at a room temperature of approximately 22°C. This provides

adequate stimulus to provoke a skin temperature reaction. Temperatures are then once again

recorded in the same sites, with the results plotted in red next to the initial readings.

Assessment is based on the following parameters: absolute level of temperature readings, lateral

correspondence, and most important of all the regulatory range: i.e. the difference between initial and second

readings.

No one would of course be expected to show normal values in absolutely' every region, for there is no

such thing as a person with one hundred per cent normal healthy functions. The criteria for a

normothermogram are however known from physiology. The surface of the human body has a characteristic

heat pattern, and there is a temperature gradient from within outwards and above downwards. Laterally

corresponding sites should given equal readings. Regulatory changes after cooling should be no less than 0.5°C

nor more than 1.0°C in the periphery.

Only a small percentage of patients show the characteristic normal pattern of regulation we should like

to see. Individual variations when the overall picture is normal suggest an acute condition which has not yet

caused profound changes. In/such acute cases one gets excessively high readings in individual sites with a poor

or paradoxical regulatory response after cooling. The normality of other readings in the area indicates that the

prognosis is good and that treatment will be straightforward because the patient still functions fully at the level

of autonomic regulation. These are cases where homoeopathic physicians see rapid progress using 'well-

established indications' and the 'short route to drug diagnosis'. They are the cases where we find ourselves

amazed how rapidly homoeopathic treatment takes effect, with the patient responding well.

It may occur to the reader that acute conditions should be diagnosable without the aid of thermography. This is

of course true for the fully developed stage; a contact thermogram will however reveal the process in its nascent

state, long before acute organic symptoms appear. It is possible with this method to find the weak points.

Organotropic homoeopathic treatment given at this early stage can stop the process short and prevent the

disease from evolving.

If homoeopathic physicians could join forces and do research in this area, a completely new

indication for homoeopathy could emerge: prophylactic therapy, a genuine safeguard against disease, which is

sorely lacking in the whole of medicine.

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The thermogram also provides information in acute cases as to whether this is a genuinely acute

process in a terrain or soil that is otherwise untainted, or whether one might not be dealing with an exacerbation

of a deep-seated chronic condition, the tip of the iceberg, as it were. Compared to the good-quality regulatory

capacity of an untainted terrain, the thermogram of a chronic patient shows a completely different picture, and

this is something we have been giving much thought to over a considerable period of time.

From the beginning of our work with thermography, it struck us that there were three highly

characteristic response patterns shown by chronic patients, three extremes of pathological reaction. The first two

have already been described by Pichinger. They consist in 'frozen' or hyporegulation, when there is little or no

regulatory response, and excessive or hyperregulation. These were the only two types of response Pichinger had

been able to find with his method based on the examination of venous blood.

Both types of regulation may also be found in contact thermograms. The regulatory range may be

limited to a decrease in skin temperature of less than 0.5°C, or it may be excessive, with skin temperature

decreases of more than 1.0°C. With these two types, practically all readings will show the one trend or the other,

still under general, though pathological, autonomic control.

Many cases however showed a third type of regulatory pattern where the 60 readings in the

thermogram revealed no general trend and it was impossible to see a uniform response. Excessively high and

excessively low temperature readings occurred within a few centimeters of each other in the abdominal skin, i.e.

hypo and hyper regulation occurred side by side with total lack of co-ordination. The picture which presented

itself was literally 'all over the place’ and it was practically impossible to evaluate it and arrive at a proper

diagnosis. What had happened in these cases? What had caused this obviously pathological

chaos of autonomic regulation?

Hahnemann’s and Ortega’s doctrine of miasms finally offered an explanation that

helped us to understand the chronic conditions presented by our patients.

Thermal hypo regulation, 'frozen' regulation, seemed to correspond to poor autonomic function, indicating a

deficit, a reduction, inadequacy. This surely represented the psoric terrdain.

Thermal hyperregulation in the other hand would reflect a general autonomic hyperreaction,

exaggeration, excess. This, we felt, must correspond to the sycotic terrain.

The chaotic process where there is no evidence of co-ordination would accordingly correspond to the

terrain characterized by destruction, lack of cohesion—the syphilitic miasm.

One would expect regulatory trends to be consistent for all parts of the organism. It is difficult to

imagine that heat regulation is subject to different laws from those pertaining to all other organic functions. It is

fascinating to think that contact thermography may provide us with a method to Confirm, prove and objectively

demonstrate Hahnemann's theory of the three miasms (Table 1). TABLE 1 Types of reaction shown by

diseased organisms.

Psora

Sycosis

Syphilis

feebleness

deficiency

Overreaction

Exaggeration

destruction

disruption

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defect

reduction

failure

paralysis

inability

inadequacy

inundation

excess

ecstasies

lack of moderation

(desperate defence reaction)

perversion

chaos

pointlessness

Hahnemann used the term 'miasm1 to define three types of pathological reaction shown by patients

who did not respond to his medicinal stimuli in the manner expected. The Greek word miasma means

'pollution'. In Hahnemann's day, physicians used the term to describe polluted vapors rising from the ground

which were thought to be responsible for epidemic diseases. Hahnemann (deliberately?) applied the term to

internal rather than external pollution of his patients, considering these polluted state to be the cause of changes

in reactive potential. Did he have an early, almost prophetic, intuition of the basic regulatory system explored

and described by Pichinger? Did he already suspect the possibility of the mesenchyme being filled up,

polluted, with waste products, a concept familiar to us today? Hahnemann found exactly these three types of

potential reaction, no more and no less, and these correspond entirely to the three so clearly demonstrated by

thermography.

There was however a proviso. The connexions which appeared to exist had to remain hypothetical

until the syndromes described by Hahnemann could be clearly shown to correspond to the different types of

thermogram.

We proceeded to look for the most extreme thermograms among the many we had on file—those

showing definite blocks, those showing marked hyper reaction, and the most disparate. It must be clearly

stated that the majority of thermograms lie between these extremes, just as one only rarely finds purely psoric or

sycotic patients in practice. (Ortega actually attempted to express the percentage proportions of different

miasmatic taints in individual patients).

We found 38 hypo reactive, 34 hyper reactive and 39 chaotic thermograms on which to base our

evaluation. These were not large figures, but we were sure that some indications could be obtained.

The data on which our analysis was based derived from the type of record we have been keeping for

years: history; patient’s spontaneous report, specific questions to round out the medical and dental record. These

were case notes taken at earlier dates when miasmatic aspects were not even considered. This lack of bias on the

part of both patient and doctor may be regarded a positive factor, as it excludes any suspicion of preconceived

ideas.

We extracted all relevant data relating to diagnosis and symptomatology from those records and

combined them in a few large rubrics.

The outcome of this somewhat crude method was the following:

At first sight it struck us that the type of reaction shown in the thermogram of a chronic patient does not

necessarily relate to the diagnosis. This makes it difficult for us to present the concept of thermograms to

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orthodox clinicians. Homoeopathic physicians on the other hand find confirmation that—first having made a

proper clinical diagnosis, of course—homoeopathic treatment must be based on the individual symptom

picture if the patient's regulatory capacity is to be restored to order and healthy function.

Let us start by considering Group II, the group of patients whose initial thermal readings tend to be on

the cold side and who then show excessive, i.e. sycotic, reaction. This group has the greatest number of

significant figures. No other group has so many patients with joint and spinal symptoms, with inflammatory as

well as degenerative joint disease, rheumatism as well as gout. The group also has a high incidence of patients

with a history of liver and gall bladder disease or of kidney and bladder conditions, renal colic and surgery in

this area. We had hardly dared hope for such close agreement between thermal records and the typical

syndromes of sycotic patients. Doresi's use of the term 'lithaemia' defines the group very well. By the way,

almost all patients showing hyper regulation admit to a rather high intake of animal protein.

Another group found to come under these headings are patients with a history of powerful drug

therapy. Interestingly enough this relates not only to allopathic drugs, but also to intensive natural

therapies, often and wrongly combining a number of agents, compound drugs given in too great a number

and for much too long.

Group I, the group of patients showing hypo regulation, the psorics, also included many who had a

history of previous treatments of the above kind. It appears, therefore, that this type of reaction is also likely to

occur after the wrong kind of treatment, probably taking the form of suppression, as Hahnemann did actually

suspect.

There was also a relatively high incidence of diffuse, nonspecific symptoms in the hypo regulative

group, with no demonstrable clinical evidence, symptoms interpreted as 'vegetative dystonia'. By the way, this

much maligned, nonspecific term suddenly looks quite different in the light of miasm theory, for these patients

really have a dystopia, subnormal function or hypo regulation of the autonomic system.

Twice as many of these particular patients were however found in the group showing chaotic

regulation. A homoeopathic physician will need to establish the difference on the basis of

symptoms specific to the patient and know how to adapt treatment to the particular miasm. The

difference is immediately apparent in the thermogram. Dorcsi's concept of 'destruction' is tailor-

made for this third group, and the temperature recordings provide a graphic illustration.

The most remarkable finding relating to Group III with its chaotic, syphilinic reaction

patterns was the large number of manifest precancerous conditions: myomas, mastopathies,

polyps, cysts, adenomas. To date, homoeopaths taking the miasmatic view have generally

considered such changes to come under the heading of 'excess, proliferation, hypertrophy' and

therefore sycosis. This opinion will have to be revised, for thermography shows that on too often

they nave a background of autonomic co-ordination breaking down.

The number of actual malignancies is surprisingly almost the same in all three groups. It

appears that every miasm is capable on its own of producing a carcinoma, leukaemia or systemic

malignant disease.

Two other interesting rubrics finally merit special attention in so far as they relate to

matters of principle. In the group with chaotic regulation, a family history of carcinoma is much

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more common than in the other two groups. On the other hand the personal history shows

relatively little evidence of serious illness. This raises the question as to whether and to what

extent miasmatic taints are congenital. Are they something people have for life, something

which cannot be changed? It appeared that the group with chaotic regulation points to some

extent in that direction. Hahnemann's and above all also Ortega's further thoughts on the basis

mentality of an individual and the way this relates to one miasm or another certainly suggest that

the roots are genetic.

No doubt we have to accept that every human being is born with miasmatic taints in

different proportions and that these influence the constitution and diathesis throughout life. Yet if

these were irreversible, any attempt at treatment, even homoeopathic, would be utterly pointless.

This is not the case however, Thermographic monitoring can demonstrate that

environment, life style and above all therapy can achieve much, in a positive as well as a

negative direction. They show that miasmatic taints are a protracted but at the same time also

thankful task for both doctor and patient.

The thermogram of an untreated individual not subject to powerful influences remains

amazingly constant from day to day and week after week. Therapeutic measures will however

be seen to be followed by changes in regulatory capacity—deterioration if the treatment has

failed, and improvement if it has been successful, always parallel to the subjective and objective

condition of the patient.

TABLE 2 Characterizations of the three types of reaction seen in chronic illness

Miasm Psora Sycosis Syphilis Hahnemann

Ortega

Symptomatology Lymphatic Lithaemic Destructive Dorcsi

Characteristic ‘Frozen' Excessive - Pichinger

Thermoregulation

(contact

thermography

Hypo regulation

Hyper

regulation

Chaotic

regulation

Rost and

Rost

Contact thermograms therefore permit us to assess the patient's reactive potential at any given

stage and consequently the miasmatic taint. They provide this information at a very early stage,

often years before the patient becomes aware of the subjective symptoms and is able to describe

them to us. Thermograms may therefore also influence-drug diagnosis, for it is only too often

that we do not suspect a lively person, presenting with no serious complaint, to be carrying a

syphilitic miasm.

If further proof were needed that homoeopathy is a form of therapy aimed at regulatory

processes, the evidence is there in front of our eyes, from the pen of the recorder.

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Samuel Hahnemann taught all this about 150 years ago. He established the laws without

recourse to laboratory reports, X-rays, ECGs or thermographs. Different lines of thought put

forward in two centuries are brought together here and slow remarkable agreement (Table 2).

They have to agree, they have to confirm each other, for they relate to the same law of nature,

that a cure not merely relieves undesirable symptoms; a cure also restores full regulatory

potential. To achieve this, Hahnemann's homoeopathy is for us the therapy of choice.

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1.3 THE MIASMS THEORY OF ORTEGA IN THE FRAMEWORK OF ITS

HUMAN AND UNIVERSAL IMAGES - J.Gnaiger

"The miasms are the cause for all human misfortunes," – Ortega.

The image

The Origin of the Miasms

The Miasm and the human race

The Miasm and the Individual

The Health.

What is the general image of the persons and their miasms and their development

according to Ortega's theory?

The personality: The three miasms, Psoric deficiency, Sycotic surplus and Syphilitic

degeneration. Do these "Types" actually exist? Observations and experience indicate that every

individual person has the distinctive features of all the three miasms "Mixture of miasms" and

that they are present in fixed relationship specific to each individual. They are better indicated by

numbers; No.1 indicated Psora, No.2 and 3 for Sycosis and Syphilis. They are indicated in

accordance with the preponderance of one or the other of the miasms. For example 231 indicate

the prevalence of Sycosis over Syphilis and Psora.

Every person comes into the world with some parts of all the three miasms, "miasmatic

inheritance". It is composed of the entire family anamnesis data and follows throughout life as

the basis for the individual reaction.

The environment modulates this inheritance by interfering with it from the beginning.

Which of the miasms will be excited depends upon its influence.

It is a governing rule that every suppression - the central theme of Hahnemann - promotes the

Sycosis, just as every allopathic treatment, every infection and every operation. The same thing

happens in an agitated, superficial, noisy, shrill atmosphere and they awaken the Sycosis.

If a person lives in a hostile, aggressive, demoralizing environment then the destructive

syphilitic element is provoked. Such a person suits himself easily with this environment in

accordance with his syphilitic inheritance (like 321 or 312). If he has inherited preponderantly

the psoric miasms (like 125 or 132) he would respond to the same milieu first with his inhibition

and anxiety conformable to him.

In the same manner a psoric part of the miasms is turned on in a harmonious, calm

atmosphere.

In the course of life everyone passes through the different phases. Similarly, different

aspects of the miasmatic inheritance can rise to the surface. From 312 it can, due to the influence

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of the environment, turn into a 132 and later 231 and so on; "layers of miasms" lie over each

other.

Every phase exhibits the "predominant miasm" appropriate to it which has significance in

the classification and repertorisation. It determines the remedy choice.

According to Ortega by the right therapy "layers of miasm" are removed and of course in

reference to Hering's law in the reverse order of the appearance of the symptoms. It can therefore

occur that a predominantly psoric person may, from the treatment, become unexpectedly violent,

excited, aggressive; which meant that the underlying layer of his biography has more syphilitic

element. In numbers, 132 becomes through therapy, 312; a "so-called rotation of the miasms"

actually experienced in Ortega's clinic.

In the course of the treatment the physician can gain ground down to the inherited

miasms constellation. A truly therapeutic resolution of the ultimate miasm is extremely difficult.

It is therefore said (said to be by a classical American homoeopath: Kent? Hering?) that the

congenital miasmatic taint may be dissolved only in the seventh generation of a family treated

homoeopathically.

Ortega says that with the introduction of this concept in the form of a "miasmatic layers"

and "miasmatic inheritance" it is possible to draw a prognosis in homoeopathy. Further

researches are being carried out in this regard.

Every person brings into his world his miasmatic burden inherited from his forefathers.

The consequence is that the first cause, the "causa prima" of every illness, is fixed in the internal

of every person. Every one carries this in him. The environment, that is the external factors, only

modulate these internal conditions. Ortega refers to this: "People generally look for causes for

their misfortunes in the environment. Diseases have been experienced as due to something

exogenous, from outside. But it is fixed in each one of us, our inner is sick"

The origin of the Miasms: Ortega expresses his ideas about the origin of the miasms in

the clearest terms in his doctoral work "Nature and Homoeopathy". He considers its contents as

relevant even today.

In the beginning the "primitive man" lived as "King of creations" in harmony with Nature

and its Laws Just as now the plants do. One of those days began his selfishness and therewith the

infringement of this natural order and the loss of the balance. It began with the abuse of food,

eating as an end in itself. Ortega links it to Psora whereby the skin manifestations relating to it is

seen as an attempt to throw out the surplus. Then follows the sexual excesses, in accord with

Sycosis and Syphilis.

The infringement began in the Thought and Will of the man. Firstly, in course of time, it

depressed the working of the total organism; and only when the miasm penetrates through the

whole man "We perceive the idiosyncrasy of the miasms". Kent called this infringement as

original sin.

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The Miasms and the Mankind: The removal from the original natural state increased

continually, particularly flagrantly in the era of civilisation. "In what paradise live men!" laments

Ortega about this damage and only perceives that humanity has since then sunk. "Since centuries

man is a criminal and thinks like a criminal while he mishandles the natural law. Self being sick

internally, making all his external situations also sick: the art, the culture, the "spirit of the age".

All these are the play of the internal disorder of the man and mankind affected by the miasms.

Almost all human efforts to know, understand, remained unsuccessful. The sick society

produced its sick thinkers, politicians, doctors and so on. True knowledge is denied to the men

by nature.

If we look unbiasedly at a group of persons we notice innumerable signs of disharmony:

one limps, another deformed, the third has dissimilar ears, another winks, or stammers -almost

every one indicates a deviation of harmony from ideal condition. The miasm is everywhere. It

imprints its stamp on the society and history. All submit to it. It is collective, specific to the

species.

Most will see the ephemeral separate individual. The welfare of the whole humanity is

important. The individual is sacrificed according to the law of preservation, when the miasm in

him gains the upper hand. In this view the infections are strictly rejected and through the acute

disease a true "natural selection" is maintained.

The Miasm and the Individual: In the Dissertation cited of Ortega the individual, personal

dimension of miasms are not the point. They come up later. In accordance with C.G.Jung he

conveys in a lecture, "Personality and Individuality" 1980, new thought: Every person possesses

the crux of true being, his individuality. The form of expression by which this internal being

responds to the circumstance at a given moment is considered as personality. Mostly a large

cleavage exists between this true being and the expression which is found in the here and now,

which presented as mask of its environment. Those which hinder the free natural expression of

man, what estranges him, distort, that is the locus where the miasm dwells.

The core of the Individual, the Spirit, lies outside the scope of the miasm. In the chapter

on Psora this is explained: "What refers to the Spirit, inhibition can neither diminish the

individual, nor weaken the Will nor injure the Understanding but it can determine, arrest, anchor,

hinder..............".

Is the individual totally at the mercy of his miasm? A brief opportunity allows Ortega to

explain the conscious "I" of the individual: If his I, his nature or his indestructible individuality

are in a position to overcome miasmatic state, its weakness, he develops himself amazingly

far,................. naturally within the scope of........ his personal capabilities."

Here is a new view of the miasms in consideration of the individual. He has a definite

place in the total theory.

The Health: "Health is an indescribable and instinctive state of well-being. It should be

interpreted correctly through the void, through emptiness". For Ortega health belongs to this past

state of the primitive man. Contemporary man cannot anymore live according to the natural law.

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He has already moved so far away that the power of nature as well as the vital energy and also

the natural way of cure are not anymore capable of curing him. Homoeopathy is the only

efficacious counter-force which with the help of potentisation of its medicine has the power to

approach nearer to the creator and therefore is efficacious. And then a complete cure, a complete

termination of the miasms which is almost unattainable (over seven generations as explained

above).

Health and Sickness are two states of men. Similarly vital energy and miasms are the two

antitheses. "One could see therein a dualistic principle", Ortega adds in a conversation in this

context.

[From title KLASSISCHE HOMOOPATHIC, No. 1/1983; translated from the German and

abridged by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan, Madras, for private communication only.]

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1.4 THE MIASMS THEORY OF ORTEGA - J. Gnaiger

Hahnemann in his later work "Chronic Disease", tried to lay the basis for all the manifold

individual diseases particularly the chronic, under three miasms: Psora, Sycosis and Syphilis. It

discusses the nature of these three diseases the "primary disease", the "three paths of disease",

(Ortega). Hahnemann's predications are the first sketches. It was for the posterity to carry on

with those sketches, work upon them so that the miasms theory could be properly related to

practical homoeopathy.

For quite long time, Hahnemann's miasms theory remained forgotten in actual practice.

It has now again found itself as the innermost enigmatic nucleus. In this movement the Latin

America, particularly Ortega in Mexico has had the most important role. Ortega more than

anyone characterised the three miasms in clearly and easily understandable manner in the spirit

and teaching of the "vital force" in the Organon, so that this could be used in the daily practice.

Ortega distinguished Psora as Deficiency ("el defecto"), Sycosis as Excess ("el exceso")

and Syphilis as Degeneration ("le perversion"). This is the main idea of the Mexican miasms

theory. Ortega said: "It is evident from our observance of Nature. For example, see this cat

here", he points to the cat slumbering by his side on the couch, “If it is threatened, if it is

touched, it has three basic possible reactions which can enhance into pathology. Either it is

startled, overcomes it and lies in its place and does not attempt to defend itself; it corresponds to

deficiency, the inhibition of Psora. Or it hurriedly takes to its heels, which is analogous to

excess, the "flight to the fore" in which we find Sycosis. Or without any consideration of loss,

without appraising the situation of its own or its opponents ability, kills or itself goes down: the

degeneration, the aggression, the destructive as the element of Syphilis........ "I have found the

same principle in the cellular pathology. To me it was the confirmation."

In all levels these three basic forms of pathological reaction, the deviation of the healthy,

can be found as the basic themes of "miasms" facing the healthy, that is an appropriate coping

with an obstruction, a disturbance, a threat in accordance to a given situation.

1. The personal, individual, existential planes:

The response of an individual to a threat will be basically exactly just as the individual’s

behavior to a particular acute situation like inhibition, flight or aggression and destruction: in his

existential dimension. The three miasms represent difficulties in coping with life.

The 'Psoric' is defined by his inhibition, his deficiency which he himself is aware of and

suffers from: deficiency of self-confidence, deficiency of energy and capability, deficiency in

drive for success. He suffers from his weakness and is dominated by his over-all anxiety of life:

anxiety about his life, to cope with his job, anxiety particularly for anything new, of being

laughed at, of being handicapped, of being passed over and lastly fear of the fear, anxiety that

others would observe his fear. He is incapable of asserting himself. Despite his abundant inner

sentimental, passionate spirit he is insignificant in society. He is disposed to be meditative; he

has an inner relationship with nature, with everything beautiful and great. In those circumstances

he can feel himself sheltered, exactly as while with benevolent friends. He needs protection,

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support, love. He is a romantic and a deeply religious person with a consciousness of the

Almighty, a loving God and Creator.

The "Sycotic" is in a perpetual exaggerated "flight to the fore" with which he overplays

his inner weakness and emptiness. He is egoist for no cause, thoroughly superficial and always

tries to draw attention from, recognition by, others, which nourishes his sense of self-value. He

elbows his way forward at the cost of others. He dominates the scene with his restlessness, his

urge for importance and his bragging. If his speculative, dirty tricks are perceived he then jumps

to falsehood or tries to rescue himself by digression or he absconds through the rear door.

Because he is a coward. His life goal 'is valued only by the present time.

The "Syphilitic" breaks all norms, all forms, and all conformity in inter-human

relationship. He cannot and will not adapt himself, is always an odd character, anarchist. He does

not feel himself as responsible to anything. Honor, pride, life in society as well as with his own

are all same to him. Basically he despises the world, life, his own self. He understands no

limitations, consumes himself and others with his passion. He spreads aggression and destruction

and is ready for every crime: a cold-blooded nihilist.

The personalities are so clear before the homoeopathic eyes and the principles of

inhibition-flight-aggression can be applied widely in practice! It was a theme of a pantomime

play in the Liga Congress in Acapulco in 1980 in which the students of Ortega took part, Mr. &

Mrs. "Psora" in blue dress, the pair "Sycosis" in yellow and the two "Syphilitics" in red, and

played their particular rolls.

In the three basic colours Ortega found the correspondence to the three principles. Blue -

Yellow - Red have been so described that the researches in colour psychology is found better

understood.

In Ortega's circle the discussion of the miasms is so intensive that it has found its place in

the daily practice. We hear such comments as: "With my Psora I do not have confidence in

that." Or he mobilises his Syphilis and bangs," Or: "What a Sycotic atmosphere!" when it is loud

and shrill. A newcomer will be soon asked "What is your miasm? I think......."

2. The Cellular plane: Every cell reacts to a disturbance first with an inhibition of its functions

which then flows into an Over function in its attempt as compensation mechanism. When these

compensatory mechanisms are overburdened, the destructive phase begins with its degeneration

and cell death: Under function, Over-function, degeneration as trios in cellular range.

3. The pathophysiological range: The psora corresponds to deficiency: under function,

hypotone, hypotrophy,' hyposecretion. The Sycosis is indicated by its surplus: Over function,

hypertone, hypertrophy, hypersecretion, metabolic diseases, inflammations and tumours. The

Syphilis is degeneration classified as: defective function, spasms, atony, atrophy, destruction,

haemorrhage, ulcers.

4. The physical symptoms: The psoric deficiency expresses itself in every "too little":of appetite,

the intestinal function, sweat glands function (dry skin) and is diametrically opposite of surplus

of the Sycotic "too much". The abnormal indicates the Syphilis: "Despite good appetite, satiety

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after few mouthful", diarrhoea or obstipation with spasms or intestinal bleeding, rhagades as a

result of dry skin or stinking excoriating perspiration.

Psoric pains are dull, diffuse, pressing, unclear; the sycotic suffers from wandering,

changing, intolerable pains of appealing character and lively embellishments. The syphilis

causes spasmodic, constant, boring, irritating, hectic, inescapable pains.

5. The modalities:

The three modalities correspond successively: aggravation mornings-evenings-nights;

agg. from cold - change of weather, temperature changes - from heat; movement aggravates the

tired sleepy Psoric, while it ameliorates the fluctuating, restless Sycotic and he always tries to

take rest. The Syphilitic presents paradoxical symptoms like: "must keep on moving despite

perpetual weakness," "must move although it is painful" or complete collapse of a function as a

paralysis.

6. The Aetiology: The factors which cause disease and the time also indicate the miasms.

Infection, suppressive allopathic treatments, also operations promote sycosis even as mental

over-excitement or business competitions. An aggressive, heartless, cold negative atmosphere

provides the Syphilitic elements while in a calm, harmonic atmosphere the Psoric constituent

comes forth.

Deficiency - Excess - Degeneration: so fascinatingly simple and elementary this three

principles, the three characteristic traits of the miasms. Everyone can elaborate on this theme. It

will be a thorough comprehension of the miasms in their dynamic and their processes. Every,

single symptom, every sickness of the total organism and its internal situation of a person can be

comprehended this way. This model also brings out the reciprocal dynamics in that it indicates

the sequence of reaction: in a disease the debility comes first, which then in course gets over-

compensated and from continuous duration of the overwhelming disease factor, ends in

destruction. Debility comes first at the beginning in all pathology exactly as Hahnemann pointed

out as the "basic sickness", as "the real origin of all chronic diseases."

[From title KLASSISCHE HOMOOPATHIC, No. 1/1983; translated from the German and

abridged by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan, Madras, for private communication only.]

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1.5 SOME COMMENTS ON THE THEORY OF "MIASMS" -

A.Aristeguieta Gramcko

In the light of today's scientific knowledge the miasms concept do not require much

mental exertion to be understood.

In Latin America there are groups of homoeopaths who have a clear understanding of its

importance and have given special interpretation. These come from Kentian, unicist view with

which the miasms theory can be linked.

In "Miasms" there is the risk that statements which Hahnemann never said are attributed

to him. He is interpreted in this or every other' way and there are endless discussions. Thus we

come to the Latin American contribution of psychiatry to the understanding of miasms. For this

we are much grateful to Thomas Paschero in Buenos Aires; it comes from the direct observations

in psychiatric clinics and of biology.

This psychiatric knowledge has been wonderfully borne out by the Transactional

Analysis of Eric Berne: The human feelings can be divided into two major groups:

The first groups are the so-called positive feelings; they are the feelings of a healthy

individual. There are no unpleasant tensions whose cause is not directly in opposition to the

reality. There is optional ability for activity, meeting other people and for development of

leadership in harmony with groups to which the person belongs. There is no misrepresentation of

reality by erroneous ideas. The healthy human is free and open for original ideas; he is adequate,

successful with joy and intelligence.

The second group is the so-called negatives. This can be divided into three classes - like

the three miasms of Hahnemann with which it is incredibly analogus in its essence.

The first emotion is anxiety. It arises in an individual when his vital equilibrium is

endangered. It may become a depression, a confusion, a certain uneasiness. The natural reaction

of the human is to strengthen and secure the bearings. He searches for one or more ways, by

which he can find security and protection. The existence of this predominant sensation of

anxiety which actually determines the behavior corresponds to the negative sensation states,

which Eric Berne has indicated as: "I am not o.k., you are o.k." In other words, "I am bad, I am

of no value; you are good, you are alright."

The second step of negative emotion follows customarily when the defence mechanism

of the first step fail and the individual discovers that through a negative connection and

aggressive behaviour and dealings attain the desired security. He attempts to get better of that

which threatens him, to destory it and assert himself through his power. There is a real lack of

self-criticism as also the inability to place himself behind others. This existential position, Berne

says: "I am o.k. - you are not o.k.”

The third group of feeling proceeds in the same manner when the individual in his desire

to acquire the original position again, repeatedly fails and is not capable of meeting the demands

of the environment. In this position in which nothing more is of importance and value, the

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person isolates himself, fails and separates himself from the group, incapable of associating

himself with others. His feelings are sadness and sometimes despairs of death. Berne

corresponds this to the existential position: "I am not o.k., you are not o.k.” In other words: “I

am ill, you are ill”.

This scheme of three negative emotions correspond to the three possibilities of reaction

of a microorganism like amoeba or protozoa when they are affected or when the environment

become adverse: the first reaction is Evasion, the second reaction is Attack. They defend

themselves in that they either secrete substances, to envelop with their membrane the enemy or

swallow it up and lock up in its vacuole. The third reaction would be self-destruction if it was

not possible to encapsulate it in the form of a cyst.

When the nature of pathology of animals and humans are observed, it can be not only in

the study of its behaviour modalities and modalities of feelings but also in the Soma, the tissues

and organs, the triple possibilities of the responses to injurious stimuli. Firstly the simple

dysfunction, like a depression in mechanism and functions without further deeper disorders in

the cells. The second response possibility may be a hyperplasia, in that more cells are made.

And the last response may be anything where the cell muscles get damaged and lead to necrosis

with impossibility to 'restitutio ad integrum'.

When we observe the social relations we observe the three possible forms: 1. the person

who is poor in his ability to make bonds, 2. the other who tries immoderately to dominate others,

and 3. the destructive person.

Similarly we can speak of three universal ways of reaction of an organism or an

individual through an aggression, a crisis or a conflict: the simple dysfunction analogous to

Psora intuited by Hahnemann, the second hypertrophy, over-acting reaction corresponding to

Sycosis and the third, the perverse distortion, the Syphilis. All these doubtless, ingenious, which

Hahnemann experienced at that time with his observation and intuition and which are analogous

to current psychiatry, biology and pathology.

A miasm is similar to a disposition, a particular way and manner of the relation and the

personality of the whole individual which responds with its vital energy to the disturbed

equilibrium. At this point when we expound the difference between the miasms and the

constitution, further difficulties arise. The two are, as such, inseparable indeed but conceptually

different. The miasms are difficult to be accepted and, understood because it is without physical

signs and data and also is not measurable. The constitution is difficult like all other concepts

arising out of dynamic psychiatry and not yet accepted by experimental medicine. In para

Organon VI Hahnemann explains that a weaker dynamic disorder is destroyed by another but

stronger disorder. Thus he covers the concept of disease. Exactly here is the point: a dynamic

disorder. What is a dynamic disorder? When is it a dynamic disorder? What is the difference

between a dynamic disorder and one that is not a dynamic disorder?

The traditional scientific physician is trained so that he can understand only an organic

functional disorder. But if he were to change his understanding of pathology from somatic to

something different as when we are to discuss dynamic aspects, then it is not so simple.

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Dynamis means energy. Dynamic disorder is energy disordered in its form, potential and

quality. Energy may be compared to waves and these waves have their own qualities like

intensity, height and timbre, like of musical waves.

To understand the dynamis one must try to understand mankind and the living nature in a

more wider aspect. The human being is an energy field like an energy laden matrix in whose

womb life energy has been condensed and organised. This energy field is already there in

advance and with the Organism contained therein, makes a totality. This unit is inseparable and

this power or energy is the life force (Vital force).

The Chronic diseases are the consequences of the disorders of exactly this dynamis, this

life force. They are cured by another force, as liberated in the best prepared homoeopathic

medicament. If this force become altered in another way, it could be into three different types

and ways: imprint itself in all pathological functions, the tissues or in the human relations and

manifest their own characteristic miasms: Dysfunction - production - destruction; Dysfunction -

hyperplasia - scleroris; furthermore hypo-function - hyper function - perversion.

We know that injuries and pathologic processes of different types and different niveau

could be corrected or cured, as the case may be. If we proceed with the curative action really up

to the basic cause, we then will enter deep. Hahnemann came up to energy and the charged

fields. The true cure is that by which the energy is regained.

If one works in true homoeopathic sense - that is include the totality of the individual,

then the curative remedy works deep and total and extends itself in the entire organism.

Therefore this effect which reach into the deepest, and preserves the human balance can be said

to be real cure.

Now let us discuss the following: A constitutionally curative medicine is really a deep-

acting medicine, but it is not at the same time the appropriate miasmatic medicament. The

curative medicine is miasmatic only when it corresponds to the similarity of the case and chosen

in accordance with the topical symptoms and this medicine corresponds to the personal history of

the patient and his family. It is the total sum from out of the symptoms of the familial and

personal past, which gives the knowledge of the miasmatic remedy, or the pathologic modality

which has taken the energy waves. When the curative medicine is found in this way then one

has found the appropriate homoeo-miasmatic remedy and not merely the constitutional medicine.

To know the modality of the disturbed dynamis (even so the miasm), the mental and

general symptoms the functional and habitual characteristics which define a man are considered;

thus along his whole life and in his genealogic anamnesis and in the nature of his trauma.

Another important point in a therapy based on miasmatic historical points is: In cases different

medicaments come up for the similie choice, the medicine which correspond to the most serious

and destructive miasm must be chosen. The remaining symptoms are to be considered for choice

of a later medicament. None can have a miasms-free life. One can, however, mitigate the

symptoms so that pathological expression of syphilitic scope is removed.

More often all the three miasms are present to a more or lesser extent. The miasms

concept is a form of interpretation of the morbid, low-threshold disposition, which defines the

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nature of becoming ill of each individual. In the same way there is a more or lesser constant

correlation with the heredity.

The greatest endeavour of a homoeopathic physician is to treat the patients so, that the

destructive miasms are mitigated and the psoric miasm is let to prevail as least as practicable so

that the patients have a balanced life till the end of their lives. Very often I have been asked as to

the practical advantages, or usefulness of the differentiation between miasmatic remedies and

constitutional remedies. In the opinion of Sanchez Ortega if the so called constitutional

medicine is taken as the miasmatic remedy there is risk of a diagnostic error. An apparent cure

follows by disappearance of the symptoms, which in reality corresponds to suppression, just as in

allopathic treatment. Thereby the aggravating factors that the disorder has very deep in the

energetic or dynamic realm of the patient still exist. This disorder may thereby become much

serious and the possibility of cure become poorer. Through diagnostic error a sick patient may be

made incurable.

True cure is that which works deep down to the actual origin of the disease and which

corresponds to the energy-fields, to the disordered 'dynamis', just as Hahnemann said in

paragraph 26 of his Organon. Other physicians speak of practical use of the miasmatic concepts

or the therapy on the basis of miasms, as for example Ghatak in India who classifies the

symptoms of the sick in psoric, sycotic and syphilitic and he always begins the treatment of the

last miasm as that is the most difficult. I cannot speak from my experience, anything about

Ghatak's method.

The above stated aspects of practical employment of miasmatic treatment come from the

homoeopathic physicians of Venezuela.

[From the 'Zeitschrift fur KLASSISCHE HOMOOPATHIE und Arzneipotenzierung' Band

28/l984, No.2, March/April 1984; translated from the German. by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan., Madras.

for private communication only]

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1.6 THE VALUE OF PSORIC SYMPTOMS FOR THE PRESCRIPTION

AND THE PROGRESS OF THE CASE - Z.J.Bronfman

As homoeopath it was great concern to me to determine the exact value of the symptoms

of Psora, whether they are acute or latent, for treatment and progress. I would like to share my

thoughts and experiences on this.

Two main points:

a) Psora is the basic illness of man and if that is not cured nothing is cured; only

some symptoms are suppressed for certain time.

b) The aim of homoeopathy is to cure the basic illness of men and their diseases

which disappear as soon as the man becomes healthy. Therefore the simillimum

must cure the man and not the Psora which is only his disease.

These two points contradict each other apparently, but I think that the simillimum cures

the person and thus the Psora also and that therefore it is essential to recognise its symptoms so

as to recognise it in the patient and the simillimum. There is therefore no contradiction. The

intermediary third point is: The object of the simillimum is the cure of the person. The

movement of the developed or active Psora to latency validates cure as Hahnemann asserted in

para 9 of the Organon 6. This transition of the developed Psora into latency allows the alteration

of the direction of life, i.e. cure.

It would apparently therefore be logical and simple to take up the psoric symptoms of the

patient and repertorise -and we have the simillimum. But is it so simple in practice? Let us

consider some examples.

Take Mercurius: what is the Psora of Mercurius? From the pathogenesis I find that its

psoric complaints are to be observed in its feeling of forsakenness, homesickness and qualms of

conscience. These traid enslave and torment the life of Mercurius. If we sum up these three

symptoms the following remedies come up: Aurum, Carbo animalis, Coffea, Hyoscyamus,

Lachesis, Magnesia carbonica, Medorrhinum, Mercurius, Pulsatilla and Veratrum. It is therefore

logically impossible to diagnose the simillimum with these symptoms alone. If we add to this

list other psoric symptoms like lack of self-confidence, fear of death, anxiety about health and

intolerance of contradiction then Aurum, Lachesis, Mercurius and Pulsatilla are added. This

confirms what I have said above: we cannot decide upon the simillimum with psoric symptoms

exclusively. One more example: Aurum. Its basic psoric symptoms around which the whole life

has been built about are: Guilty conscience, feeling of forsakenness and lack of self-confidence.

Add to these three psoric symptoms, the symptom - homesickness. If we repertorise these 4

symptoms, the result: Alumina, Calcarea carbonica, Carbo animalis, Carbo vegetabilis, China,

Hyoscyamus, Lachesis, Mercurius, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox, Stramonium and Veratrum. Conclusion:

On the basis of the psoric symptoms alone we cannot decide the simillimum. But suppose in the

first case, Mercurius, further symptoms like, the patient has an extraordinary craving for butter,

has perspiration, that his dress smells like almonds or that he perspires around head while

sleeping, then we need not hesitate a moment to prescribe Mercurius. Take another patient who

has besides the usual psoric symptoms of Aurum, great desire for hard bread, hatred for those

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who have offended him, who has doubts about his identity; without hesitation we may prescribe

Aurum.

In para 153 of the Organon, Hahnemann has very clearly formulated that only the

characteristic, rare, peculiar symptoms are to be considered. The question rightly arises as to why

if the above symptoms are to be considered the psoric symptoms of the medicines should be

ascertained for prescription of the right medicine. Because that it is the unique sure way, which

allows us to know with certainly whether the patient is on the curative path, whether he has

already been cured and we can give him the discharge certificate, Whether we can hope for cure,

how far we have come and how much more to come with the medicine. And we know

considering an acute pathological picture, how we should handle or not and in cases where we

observe that the psoric symptoms abate it is the rule that nothing should be done and we should

not intervene wrongly with a medicine which would suppress the acute picture and aggravate the

condition of the patient. In the Aurum example we know that he is on the path of cure when his

qualms of conscience, his feeling of forsakenness and lack of self-confidence, all abate and not

just when his desire for hard bread is gone. And in the Mercurius case when his qualms of

conscience, feeling of forsakenness and homesickness all go away and not when his desire for

butter or yellow-staining perspiration, perspiration of head during sleep are all ameliorated. The

disappearance of the symptoms on basis of which we gave the medicine will indicate cure or

suppression of the symptoms. Only the disappearance of the fundamental illness, Psora, with the

alteration of the individual's feelings of life, indicate cure.

Are these psoric symptoms not essential at all for repertorisation of the disease picture?

Do they only serve to enable us to follow the development of the case: The deep psoric

symptoms which indicate how the patient lives his life, how he suffers from loss of values of life,

how the Psora expresses itself in this patient, are characteristic, I would like to even say, they are

so much possibly characteristic, that they won't be lost while repertorising. We should be

thankful to our teacher Paschero for his thorough instructions for diagnosis of the

biopathographic anamnesis, the fundamental basis of the entire clinical homoeopathy.

A small example should throw light on what I have said. A Uruguayan woman, Maria

Julia 39 years, came to my clinic November 1982, for a Lupus erythematosus disseminatus. This

diagnosis had been made through laboratory tests and skin biopsy. Her biopathographic history

gave following clear symptoms: Feeling of forsakenness, constantly dwelling upon unpleasant

past, feeling that she has lost divine grace, anxiety that her sons would die of saturation, fear of

death (worst from the time she learnt of her diagnosis ) very easily excited against her husband

and sons who she won't see for hours, and grudging. Interrogation: Anguish, fear of

hallucinations, fear of heights, she uncovers her feet in bed, disposed to rage before menstruation

and irritable on waking up. The medicine was Sepia, the miasm Syphilis. The medicine brought

about what we expected in serious organ changes: a severe and long continued aggravation,

happily followed by slow and continuous relief which indicated that here before us was a curable

disease, contrary to the clinical diagnosis. From her first consultation till now I had to give 3

doses of this medicine, because of reappearance of the symptoms on which the first prescription

was based, always with progressive improvement of the L.e. till a normal clinical condition

came. 3 months before (July 1984) she rang me up from Rocha where she lived in Uruguay and

said as follows: Since 14 days she has a severe pain in the left shoulder which radiate to the

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pericardial zone and a painful Oedema of the costal cartilages of the first 5 ribs. She went to a

physician in Montevideo, a specialist in diseases of connective tissues who said: "you have the

beginning of a Lupus erythematosus and must immediately take Decadron in high doses intra-

venously". In this situation she rang me up. "The conversation was as follows:

- How are you?

- Overall well, but I am concerned........

- The sensation, which you had earlier reported, of feeling forsaken, is it still so?

- No, no, since over an year I do not feel so any more.

- And how is the anxiety that your husband's job was not good, and that your sons would starve?

- Ah, no, no, that fear I do not anymore have, since long. -- How is your disposition to brood

over the sad things of your childhood and past offences.

- Ah, no, no, I do not any more think of the past

- And the fear of dying?

- No, I do not have it anymore, but because of what the specialist has said I again have fear

- And your feeling that you have fallen from divine grace?

- No, I do not have much of it any more, but now I have that feeling that I am an unlucky person.

I feel, I was well and now I am again ill.

- How are you with your husband?

- Good, as always.

- As always?

- Yes, as always, after I have taken this Sepia powder

- How are you with your sons?

- The small one, I do very well with him and he too is very good.

- Good, now listen to me carefully, you are not sick. You do not have any new Lupus; what you

now are having is a passing indisposition. You require rest with light nutrition, especially

vegetables and you will see that shortly you will become better.

-What medicine should I take?

-Nothing.

-No Sepia powder?

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-No, absolutely nothing. Please come to Buenos Aires when you can and we will discuss further.

A month-and-half later Maria Julia came to my clinic with a thick file full of laboratory

tests reports, all normal, with good laughter and with an expression revealing that she felt well.

She asked: "How could you tell me over the telephone, without examining me, without blood

tests, in such a decisive way that what I felt was not the beginning of a Lupus? Particularly, after

the specialist had told me so categorically and it was so serious?" I wanted to tell her that the

Psora was in a latent state and therefore she could not be sick, that when the Psora is cured, she

too is cured, but instead I said: "My teacher, Hahnemann, Kent, Ghatak and Paschero taught me

to know - and have taught me everything to be known, how these things are ….”

I have, not said anything new and of course Hahnemann has spoken all about it. I wish

that this is accepted by all. We have perhaps progressed a step further if we are united in

accepting that we prescribe on something which is rare, peculiar, particular, that we have in view

the cure of the human entity, that only the pacification of psora, which is the singular enemy

which holds the nature of men in chain, that it is possible to alter the wrong direction of the

patient's life and the path leading him to the world and from the world to him and lead him from

meaningless survival to transcendental fulfillment.

[From the KLASSISCHE H0MOOPATHE, Band 29, 4/1985; translated from the German by

K.S.Srinivasan, Madras; for private communication only.]

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2 QHD, Vol.IV, No.2 March 1987

No.2 June 1987

Dear Doctor,

The theme for this number is THERAPEUTICS.

There has always been, in homoeopathy, the controversy - high potency/low potency;

frequent repetition/no repetition. It is doubtful whether these questions can ever be finally

settled. We have in this, an article on ZINC in low potency; following it, is another case report of

frequent repetition of PLATINA in high potency. You may draw your own conclusion. It may,

however, be pointed out that while the first one was a Neuropathy (pathology) the other was a

behavioural problem (psychology). (Hence perhaps, low in one and high in the other?).

'Allergy' forms a good portion of the practice of a physician. Even those- who visit the

dominant school for other illness come to the homoeopath for a permanent cure of the 'Allergy'.

What should form essential part of 'case-taking' of Allergy has been briefly given by Dr.Morrow

Brown, M.D.,FRCP, with an appendix of questionnaire and interpretation of the answers. It is

felt that this 'questionnaire' will be of great use in our daily practice.

How homoeopathy treats actually allergic cases could be seen in the next article. The

significance of choice of this article is the use of 'new' remedies: Galphimia, Cardiospermum,

Luffa. The MM of these remedies will come in a futare 'DIGEST'.

Next, "ARS.ALB in Lichen Ruber Planus": Although final selection was on 'symptoms'

and'patient type', it was the clinical diagnosis which led to it.

Whoever will give LYSSINUM in Angina pectoris? Only a true homoeopath. Who chose

it on symptom similarity. Note the 'mental' type of LYSSIN. The symptom complex in Hering's

GUIDING SYMPTOMS, p.160, Vol.VII may now be raised to a 're-verified' level.

Can there be such a thing as a 'fixed' medicine, a routine prescriptions, in diseases of

‘fixed’ nature? The two articles on MEASLES & SCARLATINA speak for themselves.

Supporters of vaccination for immunization should note the complications.

June 1987.

Yours sincerely,

Dr.K. S. SRINIVASAN,

1253, 66th Street,

Korattur, Madras 600 080.

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2.1 A CASE OF DIABETIC PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY TREATED

WITH ZINCUM MET. IN LOW POTENCY - R.A.F.JACK

Mrs M.G., age 44, first consulted me on 20.8.82 and gave the following history. She had suffered

from diabetes since 6 years old and had had insulin twice daily for the last 37 years, including

32 years on protamine zinc insulin. All this time she had been under regular hospital

surveillance, and was currently maintained on insulated (pork isophane insulin) 40 strength, 9

units b.d. Her diabetes was still unstable, she could not control her glycosuria satisfactorily, and

still had severe attacks of hypoglycaemia. (She failed to keep one of her subsequent follow-up

appointments, because on that morning her husband found her nearly unconscious, and just

managed to get sugar into her before the ambulance arrived in response to his 999 call.) Ten

years ago she had developed severe diabetic peripheral neuronathy, and in recent years had had a

frozen shoulder (left), a transposition of her left ulnar nerve (1981), and an operation for a left

median carpal tunnel syndrome (1981). To add to her problems she suffered from angina pectoris

and fluid retention.

For the previous year her medication had been:

Dolobid (diflunisal) qid.

Feldene (piroxicam 10mg) tid.

Distalgesic (dextropropoxyphene) 8 tabs daily

Sectral (acebutolol ) 100 mg daily

Frusemide 40 mg on alternate mornings, alternating

with Moduretic (amiloride and hydrochlorothiazide). Despite this heavy dosage with analgesics

she was Still in considerable pain.

She complained of:-

1. Severe pain "like someone permanently sticking needles in the soles of my feet" and "like

electric shocks in my legs and bottom", especially severe at night, and on waking. The

pain was better by cold, so that she spent most evenings sitting on rubber ring with her

legs exposed.

2. Severe cramping pains on sitting, necessitating constant changing of position; she had to

stop the car three times during the 20 miles journey to her consultation, and be helped

out, to stretch her legs, to ease her pain. These pains began about 10 years ago, but had

been very much worse for the last year.

3. Loss of sensation in her legs, and lose of balance after sitting so that she had "to be

helped to get balanced on attempting to stand up and walk". She was only able to walk

about 20 yards,

4. Total bilateral anaesthesia of lower limbs, up to her (She demonstrated how she could

insert a hypo-dermic needle full length into different parts of her thigh without any

feeling of pain).

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5. Inability to dorsiflex her ankles, so that in the days when she was still able to drive, she

had to lift the whole of her foot off the pedal.

6. Inability to stand unless wearing shoes with adequate high heels.

7. Paraesthesia of upper limbs. "My arms go numb, so I don't know where they are." "It

makes me drop my knitting". Wrists and fingers stiff and numb on waking, with

"jumping pains" better by movement.

8. Dependency on others, needing help to get up in the morning and dress. "I have to come

down stairs on my bottom." "All joints from the waist down are painful and stiff on

waking", necessitating movement to ease.

9. Profound lassitude.

10. Ulcers of her ankles and feet, and recurrent sepsis around her toe nails. The ulcers started

about 5 years ago, invariably following minor trauma, last d 6-8 weeks, and there was

usually at least one present at a time.

11. Fluid retention. "If I don't Lake my diuretics I rapidly gain 2 stone (12.7 kg) in weight.

Treatment: As her most pressing need was for relief of pain, I prescribed mainly on her particular

symptoms:

1. Phytolacca 3rd qid until improvement.

2. If no response after 10 days change to Agaricus 3rd qid.

I instructed her to continue taking all her conventional medication, explaining that in her

case homoeopathic medication was an additional therapy, but that she could reduce the

analgesics if she found the pain diminishing. Pnytolacca in its provings produces:

Shooting pains like electric shocks, that radiate,

especially in the distribution of the brachial plexus.

and sciatic distribution.

Rheumatic type of pains—very like those produced by

Rhus tox., i.e., worse am, worse wet, worse cold, worse night& better warmth better dry

but are worse motion (like Bryonia)

In the United States of America the fruit and root of the plant have been used to allay

pain, and as an antirheurnatic.

Agaricus (which contains muscarin) in contrast produces:

Jerkings, twitching, tremblings, chorea -like movements,

and itching.

Neuralgia--painful spasms, tearing pains, with numbness,

coldness and tingling cold movement

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Paralysis of lower limbs

Pains as if pierced by needles of ice

Itching of toes, and feet, as if forozen--burning,

itching, redness

Swelling as if from frost bite (hence its use homoeo-

pathically in the treatment of chilblains)

Ataxia

At her second visit 2 months later (22.10.82) she reported:

Sleeping better

Discontinued all dolobid and feldene, and reduced distalgesic from 8 to 2 daily.

"I have only taken 4 in last 4 days". She considered Agaricus helped more than

Phytolacca, and after 3 weeks had reduced the dose to Agaricus 3rd one nocte only. "It

stops me waking up." She could not sit for short spells without her cushion. Rx Zinc.met,

200 X 1, repeating every 14 days if required. Try withholding Agaricus.

22.12.82: "Zinc, helped for 3-4 days, but best improvement came after reverting to

Agaricus".

"Occasionally wakened by restless legs, then I have to walk the room".

Rx Zinc. met, 10M x 1 and try Zinc. met. 6 tid in place of Agaricus.

19.1.83: "Zinc. 6 suits better than Agaricus 3rd."

She c/o burning, swollen, hot, stinging wrists, swollen

feet and ½ stone (3.2.Kg) weight gain each evening (despite

diuretics) which disappeared each morning.

Rx Apis 3rd qid until relief.

2.3.83: Discontinued all conventional analgesics for last 3 weeks. Apis relived both wrist

pains and fluid retention dramatically.

"I can now move more easily, and walk 50 yards, the best

for over a year."

"I have no jumping pains, and the numbness is considerably

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improved."

9.5.83 No analgesic for last 3 months.

Sleeping isort comfortably—less dependent, more mobile.

Takes Zinc. 6 qh 1-2 doses on days when pain returns, on average on four days each

fortnight. She stated that one or two doses of Zinc.6 predictably stopped her pain.

However, she complained of persistent dyspepsia for last

month with hunger pains, eased by Tagmet (cimetidine)

and Maxolon (metoclopramide).

She was awaiting a cholecystogram.

She was intolerant of fats, admitted to being

"wet eyed" (found her eyes watered when she saw, or heard

anything moving or touching); she liked change. ("My

husband is often surprised when he comes home, because

I've had the furniture rearranged.")

Rx Pulsatilla 30 qh until reaction.

14.5.33: Five days later she attended the Midlands Branch Tutorial at selly Oak Hospital

as a pass demonstration.

She stated her dyspepsia was already much improved, "better than in all the previous

month".

In the discussion that followed, Dr Mollie Hunton observed that there was a relationship

between plasma zinc levels and healing of ulcers, and asked if the patient's ulcers had improved

since using Zinc.6. On learning that there had been no significant chance, she suggested giving

dietary zinc. Dr.Anita Davies, who made a video recording of the demonstration, commented on

the balance between zinc and copper in the body, and that the body used up a lot of zinc in

healing ulcers. She suggested that a plasma zinc estimation might be of value.

12.9.83: Patient is still controlling her neuralgia adequately with Zinc. met.6. "The pain goes

within one hour of taking a tablet." Her cholecystogram and gastric investigation were all

unremarkable.

11.10.83: Not taken any conventional analgesics for the last 8 months.

Pulsatilla no longer eased her dyspepsia, but surprisingly she found that Zinc. met.6 did,

and was more effective - than Maxolon. She needed to take it qid, otherwise her gastralgis lasted

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for hours. Her neuritic pains were still controlled effectively with Zinc. She could now walk 3/4

of a mile—a big improvement on her original limit of 20 yards.

Discussion

McLeod- states that "the most common form of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes

mellitus is a symmetrical, predominantly sensory, polyneuropathy. When there is severe sensory

impairment, perforating ulcers of the feet and neuropathic joints may occur, with associated

sensory ataxia (diabetic pseudo-tabes).

Motor and sensory conduction are impaired.

"Isolated peripheral nerve lesions are common, particularly carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar

nerve lesions at the elbow and radial, femoral and lateral popliteal nerve palsies."

The same author lists the metals and Industrial agents that cause peripheral neuropathy,

and includes arsenic, lead, mercury, thallium and gold (but not zinc).

The reason 1 considered Zinc. met. might be even more effective than Agpricue was

because of two previous occasions when I had prescribed it for diabetic patients with peripheral

neuropathy. Both had received protamine zinc insulin (PZI) for many years, and both found that

low potency Zinc. met. afforded considerable relief. This patient had had PZI for 32 years, and

displayed several of the features one associates with the provings of Zincum:

Severe rain, twitching and trembling of her lower limbs with marked weakness.

Pain temporarily relieved by motion, making her constantly move her legs and change

position ("restless legs", "fidgety feet").

Very sensitive soles of her feet.

Profound prostration, "feeling totally exhausted", with mental apathy.

Dyspepsia.

She claims that Zinc, affords more relief than Agaricus, which certainly helped her.

Summary

This woman was presented at our Tutorial, for teaching purposes only, and not in an

attempt to prove that Zinc, met. in potency would predictably alleviate, or improve diabetic

neuropathy. It is interesting to speculate or, the possible association between her prolonged use

of PZI and the apparent benefit she obtains from low potency Zinc.

It la also worth observing that it often happens, as in this case, that more than one drug in low

potency may help a patient, though none may be the exact simillimum; obviously the one whose

side effects most nearly . match the total cluster of the patient's symptoms should prove the most

effective. Finally, this patient found more benefit from low potency Zinc than high—confirming

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common experience that where there is advanced pathological change, with physical rather than

mental symptoms, low potency prescribing is generally the most successful.

[From the British Homoeopathic Journal, Vol 73, No.1, January 1984; for private

communication only.]

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2.2 THE EFFECT OF FREQUENT REPETITIOUS OF HIGH POTENCY

PLATINA IN AN ADOLESCENT BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM - William

Shevin, M.D., D.Ht

(The following paper was presented to the December 12, 1985 meeting of the Connecticut State

Homoeopathic Medical Society. Participants were, in addition to Dr.Shevin, T.C.Cherian, M.D.,

Ahmed Currim, M.D., William F.McCoy. M.D., and Percy Ryberg, M.D.)

INTRODUCTION: This paper is a report on R.M. who was born on January 12, 1968 and who

first consulted me with his mother on August 8, 1984. His chief complaints were: 1) "confused"

feeling since the fall of 1983, 2) constant fatigue, 3) recurrent low fevers sometimes

accompanied by streptococcal infections mostly in the winter, and 4) headaches.

In childhood, he had chickenpox, but was otherwise healthy. Somewhere around 1982, he

rebelled against his father. His parents were divorced and he thereafter lived with his mother. His

father demanded good marks. The patient had always wanted to go to military school, and

believed his father would support him financially. There was great disappointment when his

father refused to do so. He became furious, but did not direct his anger towards the father. In

September 1982, he developed fatigue and sore throat. The diagnosis of a streptococcal throat

was made and he was treated with antibiotics. In November 1982, he developed dizziness which

he described as a sudden "spinning, black hole". There was no loss of consciousness. He also

had nausea and blood in urine although not much detail is known about these last symptoms. As

of January 1903, he continued to be fatigued. Mononucleosis was diagnosed. No treatment was

offered. By August I983, a confusional state became more prominent, which I shall presently

describe.

Somewhere in late 1982 or early 1983, he began to crave sweets intensely. He

would hide a box of cookies in his room and consume all at once. After the intake of sugars, he

became increasingly fatigued and would sleep for up to 16 hours; he would experience a

"confused" state of mind.

"Confusion" means, in this case, "strange thoughts.'' "For example, while walking down

the street he imagined that a telephone pole would leave the sidewalk and obstruct his path, or

that he would be run over by a car even though where was no car in sight. There was no anxiety

with these thoughts. Following such thoughts would come a state of feeling very powerful, very

strong."A good feeling, like I could do anything I anted to." "Very much in control." Sometimes

he would go out in the woods with friends and shoot animals. Once they physically abused a

schoolmate, but generally the violence took the form of killing animals. This stale would last Tor

approximately 24 hours, and there was no remorse following it.

He became "addicted" to classical music, listening to "stormy" music (Wagner) for hours

on end. He tended to separate from his friends. He didn't like people and felt that music was the

only thing that mattered. He felt that other people wore "beneath" him and sank into a rather

depressed, fatigued state. He felt much, much better if he lifted weights vigorously, or during

thunderstorms. He read a lot of historical novels, focusing on Hitler, extreme violence,

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bloodshed, etc. He developed fantasies of killing which, by the end of 1983, he was acting out as

described above.

In December 1983, his mother diagnosed hypoglycemia and instituted rigid control of his

diet. This resulted in great improvement of his symptoms. The repressive state, with great

interest in violent music, subsided. He became less violent, but was still fascinated by Hitler

memorabilia and had fantasies of being in combat. If he drove in a car with his mother and it

seemed like a pedestrian might; step out in front of them, he delighted in describing, in gory

detail, the consequences of them hitting the person. If he did eat an appreciable amount of

sweets, he would become confused, developing feelings of "power", as described above.

FAMILY HISTORY

Many relatives on the father’s side had allergies (pollens, grasses,.etc.). His mother had

eczema as child. One grand-father had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Hunger made him "weak" and produced a feeing of "don't give a damn," plus defiance.

Other than the symptoms described above, there was very little else. He appeared somewhat

bored during the interview and clearly felt that he was just talking to humor his mother. He

didn't feel that he had any problems even though he was willing to describe his feelings freely to

me. To the question: "How do you cope with stress and conflict?" he answered, "I meet it head

on and destroy," or "I fade out, go into a world where I win." Despite his symptoms, he really

felt that he was in great health. He appeared very muscular, calm, slightly aloof. His goal was to

be a jet fighter pilot in the Air Force. Physical examination unremarkable.

I was struck by the air of superiority of this child. He felt that everyone else in his grade

was "stupid" and that he was biding his time until he could get into the Air Force. He felt all-

powerful. This led me to consider Platina. Hering's Guiding Symptoms lists the following.

- Attacks of cheerfulness; increased feeling of strength.

- Great indifference.

- Arrogant, reserved, absent-minded.

- Pride and overestimation of one's self; looking down with haughtiness on others.

- Very peevish and easily excited; he could have beaten anyone without provocation.

- Everything seems strange and horrible to him.

- Sits alone, sad and morose, without talking.

- Illusions of fantasy on entering the house after walking an hour.

- Talks almost continually about fanciful things or such as having really occurred.

- Mental disturbance after fright,grief, or vexation.

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Hering, makes no mention of complaints following hunger, craving for sweets,

aggravation from sweets, etc. Platina also tends to have many symptoms of anxiety which were

completely absent from this case. The lack of moral feeling was prominent. I also considered

Anacardium, Sepia, and Lycopodium. On August 14, 1984, I gave one dose of Platina 30C and

asked the Mother to call back in three days.

When she called, she said that she had noticed a "drastic" change in her son. For 24 hours

following the dose of Platina, "I had my old son back", He became considerate, more open, etc.

She noted that on a car trip, he was concerned about some pedestrians, warning her to watch out

for them. I ordered Platina- 30C once daily.

SEPTEMBER 12, 1984: He stated "Platinum is great." When eating sweets he still reacted, but

much less so (50% decrease). He said, "It brings me down to earth. I'm not living in my

imagination." He was not reading Hitler stories any longer. Now he was reading The Hobbit, and

mystery stories. He said his "purpose" in selecting reading materials had changed.

Over the next few months, he continued to do well. Platina was continued on a daily

basis, raising the potency from 30 to 200, then to 1M, and by the end of December 1984, he was

taking Platina 10M daily. If he forgot it for, a few days, his mother noted the return of symptoms.

He began to get a few sore throats reminiscent of those he had gotten in 1982, but the treatment

regimen was not changed. The sore throats wore all mild.

JANUARY 21, 1985: He had been off the Platina 1OM for two to three weeks and was starting

to regress. Platina 10M was restarted and he improved.

MARCH 26, 1985: Still taking Platina 10 M. but regressing. My analysis was that either he

needed a higher potency or was proving the remedy after virtually continuous dosage for seven

months. I discontinued Platina.

APRIL. 29, 1985: All symptoms subsided within one week of discontinuing Platina 10M. On the

rare occasions when he did eat sweets, he had no adverse reaction unless he ate chocolate. In

that case, within three minutes, he had the sudden or set of sharp stomach pains with slight

nausea and dizziness. These feelings tapered off after approximately 3 minutes.

He enlisted in the Army with the goal of going into military intelligence, to "crack down

on some communists." His mother (a social worker; was completely satisfied with his status. She

-left that he was completely back to normal and that his interest in the military was acceptable.

He was caring towards her and Sister and doing well socially.

SEPTEMBER 23, 1985: He continues to do well. Concerning his reading materials, he stated:

"I'm getting tired of serious murder mysteries. I want something more- fun." As usual, with the

onset of cold weather, he felt less energetic, preferring to read. "everything goes by slowly," he

said. His mother felt he was continuing to do very well. He had not eaten any chocolate.

(At this point in the meeting Dr.Shevin stepped down and a general discussion ensued.

William Franklin McCoy, M.D., was the first to comment)

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Thank you for presenting this fascinating and instructive case. We in America are not

used to the treatment of chronic cases with the frequent administration of high-potency

homoeopathic remedies. However, in India, this form of treatment is not unknown. Dr.Maganlal

B.Desai (1906-1971) read a paper to the International Homoeopathic Congress in New Delhi in

1967 entitled "Frequent Repetition of High Potencies." Another of his apers. "Use of High

Potencies and Repetition”, appeared in the Silver Jubilee Commemorative Souvenir-—1948-

1973 issue of the Homoeopathic Sandesh.

Dr.Sarabhai Kapadia, a student of Dr.Desai, reported his experience in the frequent

repetition of high potency medications in Area C-4 of Symposium 1 of the Institute of Clinical

Kesearch in Bombay (Copyright I.C.R., Bombay: Symposium Council, May 1978). In that

paper, Dr.Kapadia stated: "Dr.Desai experimented in the use of high potencies in repeated doses

over a prolonged period of time. I have also followed this method consistently and find it highly

effective as well as safe in all curable diseases. In incurable diseases with advanced pathology,

however, it does hasten the destructive process that is already in operation and produces what is

known as 'killer Homoeopathic aggravation.' He further elaborated that in such advanced cases,

the physician should put the patient on a trial prescription of the 30th potency initially to

determine curability. If the patient responds favourably, then one can gradually raise the

potency. He selected the 30th potency following Kent's suggestions regarding initial potencies in

cases of doubtful curability.

The Question I have with respect to long-term daily administration of high potency

remedies to patients concerns the question of the possibility of "grafting" a remedy onto one's

constitution which has been described in the literature with respect to such remedies as Lachesis,

Silica, and Thuja. Is it possible that such grafting occurred because she remedy was close

enough to what the patient needed, but far away enough to be a mismatch? I do not know.

Dr.Kapadia's experience encompassed 25 years with no reports of such grafting.

Returning to the case Dr.Shevin hap presented to us, one -question might be: Was the use

of a nosode considered? Another might be whether the patient was given Sac.lac?

Regardless of the answers to these questions, I cannot argue with success, and I commend

Dr. Shevin for presenting a case which is sure to stir the pot, so to speak.

Dr. Ryber: This is not a clear-cut schizophrenia, as such, according to what is escribed.

There is now a term called schizophreniform disorder, in the DSM.III, where this patient would

be classified, I am struck by the issue of hypoglycemia in this case as I am biochemically

oriented. The confusion and fatigue, lasting up to 16 hours,is unusual for manic-depressive

disorders. When I did many glucose tolerance cases, if found many flat curves, especially in

alcoholics.

Dr.Cherian: This is a very miasmatic ease. This is a sycotic miasm. Bonded to psora, we

see this desire to kill animals. They want to be like a Hitler.

Dr.McCoy: Dr.Shevin poses the question of whether the patient is cured. He seems to

still have certain violent tendencies. He might need, for example, Medorrhinum.

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Dr.Cherian: I still wonder if this case is cured. For this reason, I have to consider

antimiasmatic remedies to follow the Platina.

Dr.Currim: I though the prescription of Platina was a good one in view of the fact that the

patient improved. I believe that he is using the approach of Dr.Eizayaga with the daily

repetitions. I don't know, in view of the patient's response, whether I would have raised the

potency the way he did. Perhaps he night have tried repeating less often with the higher

potencies With Kent's method, you give one dose and wait, when the symptoms return, you

repeat. On one occasion here, the patinet had been off the 10M potency, in January, and relapsed.

He could have done this all throughout. It is also possible that the patient may need Lycopodium

as a constitutional remedy following the Platina. The craving for sweets in this case is so intense

that the patient would get a box of candy and hide it in his room and then eat it. But if you look

under the rubric Cruelty. You have Nux Vomica, which also has the craving for sweets, although

not as intensely as Lycopodium, and is also a remedy of cruelty. So I would consider Nux

vomica. On other symptom in this case, the sensitivity to music, is a strong symptom of Nux

vomica. My may need a nosode, possibly Tuberculinum or Syphilinum. But his first prescription

was a good one. At least the remedy choice was excellent. He describes how he located the

remedy under the delusions of superiority, with Platina the only remedy.

Later comments by Dr.Shevin: Unfortunately, I was not able to be present after the

meeting. I would like to address some of the questions raised in the discussion. It is true that I

had attened Dr.Eizayaga's seminar two months before seeing this patient and I did tend to start

patients with lower potencies (6-30) on a repetitive basis. In this case, however, elected to five a

single dose of the medicine. I spoke with the mother a few days later. She had seen a very

drastic change which lasted only one day. At that point, based on my experience with repetition

over the previous two months with other patients. I elected to repeat the remedy daily.

The regimen was adhered to reasonably well, but he did tend to relapse when not taking

it. At first, these relapses were within just a few days, but gradually the remedy effect was

noticeable for increasingly long periods of time after cessation (because he would run out of

medicine, or forget to take it because he was feeling well, etc.). I raised the potency whenever

there was a relapse (even though he was taking the meoicine daily) or if, after at least several

weeks on a given potency, I felt he was not making enough progress. This is my understanding

of Dr.Eizayaga's technique. The patient continued to improve and stayed on the 10M potency for

quite a while. When he began to get symptomatic again, despite being on the 10M potency, I felt

somewhat reluctant to push him up to the 50M, a potency I rarely find necessary to use. A drug-

free trial was instituted and the symptoms cleared; he has remained well since.

The term "well" in the above paragraph needs clarification, I still feel that there is a very

low-grade illness here. I am particularly grateful to the suggestion of Dr.Cherian and others that

a nosode might be in order, or some indicated anti-sycotic remedy. His mother, however, feels

that he is completely well. She is not unmindful of his reasons for being in the intelligence

branch of the armed forces, but feels that this is acceptable to her. There are some philosophic

questions raised in this situation about the physicians' judgment of "cure" as related to "moral"

judgments. At this point, I am basically waiting to see how the case unfolds.

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The selection of Platina was based on the strong feeling I had that the main presenting

symptom was the arrogance and feelings of superiority. I do not feel that it would be justified, as

yet, to consider the inclusion of Platina in the rubric "Desires sweet," and "Sweets aggravate,"

even though these two symptoms appear to be almost completely clear, "Almost" is the

operative term in this discussion. There is still some reaction to chocolate and sweet cravings

seem to be virtually absent.

As to the allopathic diagnosis, I considered bi-polar illness and schizophrenia as being the

proper diagnostic categories, but could not make either of those on the basis of his condition at

my first visit. Reactive hypoglycemia seemed a more clear-cut diagnosis as well as food allergy.

[From the JOURNAL OF THE AMERICALN INSTITUTE OF HOMOEOPATHY, Vol 79,

No.2 June 1986; For private circulation only]

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2.3 TAKING A HISTORY - H MORROW BROWN MD, FRCP

(Emeritus Consultant Physician, Derby Hospitals and Consultant and Research Director,

Midlands Asthma and Allergy Research Association)

SUMMARY: The taking of a clinical history is of paramount importance in the investigation of

any allergic or suspected allergic situation because it is essential to recognise a demonstrable and

repeatable cause/effect relationship. Guidelines to taking histories and key questions which

should be asked are given.

CARELESS usage of the word 'allergy' by the laity and the media has blurred the meaning of the

word, but its implications are readily understood by everyone: allergic patients are abnormal in

that they produce exaggerated self-damaging defence reactions to substances which are tolerated

perfectly by normal people.

When every encounter with a specific substance produces immediate and/or relayed

reactions which conform to a repeat-able pattern, then that reaction is due to allergy. This

deliberately broad definition emphasises the association of cause with effect, and depends on

clinical observation, Attempts to impose narrow definitions, such as confining 'allergy' to IgE-

mediated reactions, are too restrictive and do not recognise our comparative ignorance of the

mechanisms involved.

Any foreign substance, usually but not always a protein or a combination of a small

molecule with a protein (hapten), may act as an allergen which reaches the sensitised organ or

system by the final common pathway of the blood and extracellular fluids, thus exposing every

cell in the body to the allergen. When the specific allergen reaches the specifically sensitised

piece of tissue a reaction takes place with the liberation of chemical mediators which trigger

muscle spam and local inflammatory changes, producing symptoms according to the function of

the affected tissue. Sensitised bronchi produce asthma and sensitised skin eczema, for example,

but the allergen may be absorbed without a local reaction and pass to a distant sensitised site, the

best example being the seasonal nephrotic syndrome due to grass pollen.

THE INVESTIGATION OF ALLERGY AND INTOLERANCE: In the investigation of any

allergic or suspected allergic situation the neglected art of taking a clinical history is of

paramount importance because it is essential to recognise a demonstrable and repeatable

cause/effect relationship. If such a history can be firmly established, this is better evidence than

can be obtained from laboratory or skin tests. All laboratory tests are only ancillary to clinical

assessment, and I would comment that the modern tendency to regard results from the laboratory

as holy writ without discrimination is to be deprecated. In fact, it is possible to practice good

clinical allergy without performing any immunological tests at all.

History taking may be time-consuming and difficult, but it is well worthwhile when

evidence pointing to a removable or avoidable cause can be obtained. Guidelines to history

taking are given in tables I to IV, which also outline the key questions which should be asked

and how to interpret the replies. Patients will often have observed a great deal about their

problems, but this information is a meaningless jumble unless it is sored out in an orderly

fashion. In my view it is essential to use leading questions to avoid being bogged down and

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confused. When patients find that some questions fit their own observations they begin to react

positively and helpfully, and may then offer significant and useful observations. It is most

important for the examiner to appear interested and to be ready to ask supplementary questions

as they occur. This ensures the future co-operation of the patients, who will by now have decided

that you are on their side and seriously trying to make some sense out of their problems. It is

very important to question the patient in logical sequence; otherwise vital information will be

missed. My custom is firstly to ask about major illnesses, and then enquire about the family

history, with particular reference to asthma, hay fever, polyps and eczema, and then a few

questions about conditions which are only sometimes related to allergy such as colitis, Crohn's

disease, arthritis and migraine, and behaviour problems in children. A unilateral family history

suggests that the problem may be allergic, but a bilateral history makes this much more probable.

The next enquiry, even in elderly patients, should be regarding infant feeding difficulties

which either clear up never to return or are replaced by infantile eczema, which may or may not

persist or change into asthma. It is surprising how much information can be obtained in this way.

At this point, particularly with respiratory problems, it is necessary to separate seasonal

from perennial, unless the case is a combination of both. Perennial problems encompass a much

wider range of possibilities, and the questions regarding observed differences between symptoms

at home, at work or on holiday can given valuable clues and establish characteristic patterns. The

tables of questions given here should help to pin down causative factors. In questioning an

asthmatic the questions regarding cough are absolutely essential, especially because patients

seldom realise how important it is to observe sputum and its consistency.

Many other possibilities, sometimes bizarre, may be suggested by patients as a result of

real or fancied observations. I think it is unwise to dismiss these notions without adequate

enquiry, but essential to cultivate objectivity in the patient and to insist that they demonstrate

repeatability of such reactions on two or preferably three occasions.

FAMILY HISTORY: Some surveys have reported that with a bilateral history the incidence of

allergic disease is 50-70% and when unilateral 25%. Although there is a tendency to inherit the

same type of allergic syndrome, such as asthma or hay fever, this is by no means an invariable

rule. Also, the question of just what is classed as allergic disease and what is not is difficult and

controversial.

Various allergic problems may be caused in different generations, usually due to different

allergens. Milk allergy or intolerance is a remarkable exception as it clearly runs in families but

may produce different allergic syndromes in members of the same family. Thus, removing milk

from the whole family diet can benefit more than one member of that family and be dramatically

successful.

Allergic disease can develop at any time of life and I have frequently been consulted by

the parents or even the grandparents of children I have already been looking after for years

because their elders have now developed an allergic disorder for the first time.

The main importance of the family history is to support the concept that the symptoms

may be allergic in causation, especially when the syndrome being investigated is one of the less

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common ones such as arthritis or a gut problem. When enquiries are made from relatives,

interesting information often comes to light, so it is really essential to find out everything you

can about the family history.

TABLE 1—Key questions for all allergy problems

Question Significance of reply

Is there a family history of allergic disease?

(Inquiry should embrace a fairly wide

range of allergic disease, particularly

asthma, eczema, hay fever, urticaria, angio-

oedema, nasal polyps, perennial rhinitis,

migraine, and also gut problems such as

ulcerative colitis)

Positive history, especially of respiratory

and skin allergy, increases the probability

of the problem being an allergic one,

particularly if on both sides of the family

Any problems with infant feeding? (Should

always be asked no matter what age)

Affirmative answers suggests possibility of

a background milk allergy. Should lead to

supplementary questions about pyloric

stenosis, pylorospasm, diarrhoea,

malabsorption, failure to thrive, eczema

etc.

Are symptoms in summer only?

If a clear 'yes' ignore perennial or

environmental aspects and foods. Go to

seasonal aspects as laid out in tables III and

Are symptoms perennial but also worse in

summer?

Affirmative suggests that this is a

complicated multifactorial problem

Are symptoms the same all year round?

If a clear 'yes' follow the scheme laid out

for perennial allergy investigations (table

II)

What was the age of onset of the first

allergic problem?

This is an important question because the

earlier the allergic problems begin the more

severe they tend to be and the less likely is

spontaneous remission.

Do you have nasal catarrh? Polyps?

Sinusitis? Noises in the ears? Deafness?

Allergic rhinitis, Eustachian dysfunction

and polyps may be missed if not asked for

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Can you smell and taste?

and looked for. Loss of taste and smell is

common

TABLE II—Key questions for perennial allergic problems

Question

Possible interpretation

Are you worse in winter?

Extra

bedding (feather quilt), ducted air heat

(dust, on the move), Aspergillus in damp

cellars, mouldy basements

At week

end?

Working wives have more contact with house

dust mites or pets at weekend. Husbands drink

more beer at weekends

On rising?

House dust

or other bed allergens

At home?

Environmental factors

Inside?

Environmental factors, usually dust mites, or

pets

At night?

Bed allergens, dust mites, pets, bed

time

drinks, sex

On holiday?

Eiderdowns, bedding and caravans, cottages

may cause problems, more wine or change of

diet, other animals, seasonal factors

At work during the week?

Occupational factors of all kinds, old dusty

offices

Visiting relatives and so on?

Usually pets or very dusty house

Outside in summer?

Seasonal factors

Are you

better at Work?

Adverse home environment

Are you better at home?

Adverse work environment

Outside or working in air

conditioning?

Dust or pets and so on, seasonal factors also

better in air-conditioning

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On week

ends away?

Home environment

—

dust mites,

pets

and so on

On holiday in Britain?

Suggests dust or pets at home

On holiday abroad?

Improvement in dry warm Mediterranean

climates, or at high altitudes in central Europe,

suggests environmental or occupational

factors at home, particularly if relapse on

return home is swift. Change in food may also

cause improvement.

TABLE III —Questions for seasonal allergic problems

Question

Possible interpretation

Worse

Easter or before

Local tree pollens, especially birch, hazel, ash,

plane, mainly London in May

Hot, dry, windy,. In the country near

haymaking

Grass pollens can only become airborne when

ripe and dry (June/July)

Grass cutting, especially hover mowers

Pollen stirred up from ground. Moulds are also

disseminated

Warm, humid, during rain, e

specially if near

deciduous trees

Moulds sporulate when temperature and

humidity are optimum

Before rain. Some patients can predict rain

accurately

Moderate rise in humidity before rain may

induce sporulation of yeasts and moulds

In early hours of

morning in July and August

Yeasts and basidiospores are shed by the

million when conditions are right

Near harvesting or combine harvester. Grain

Moulds are disseminated in very large

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driers

numbers by these operations

Dry summer

Pollen count higher in

dry summer

Wet summer

Mould spores mope abundant in wet damp

summer

Better

In rain in June/July

Grass pollen is washed down by the rain

In a dry summer

Moulds and yeasts are much less because

humidity needed to sporulate

In a wet summer

Moulds

and yeasts sporulate

profusely, and several species may sporulate

on the same day

In frost or snow

Mould allergies await the frost

with impatience, as the spores will all

disappear from the air. Will also be well when

at winter sports resorts

Notes: Some seasonal patients sneeze in the pollen season and wheeze in August and September, as the

nose is sensitive to one allergen and the bronchi to another. Careful questioning and well-kept patient

diaries may be helpful, but the British weather is so fickle and variable that no clear pattern may

emerge.

TABLE IV - A guide to seasonal allergies

March,, April and May

Tree pollens

—

rarely a major

Problem. Knowledge of local tree population

helpful.

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Late May, Jun, July

–

worse during w

imbledon.

Fading out end july

Grass pollen. Counts rise earlier in the south.

The season in Spain and the South of France is

May, in the Shetlands, August/ September

End July into August

Some times nettle pollen, often peak for

mould spores and so on. Cladosporium,

Sporobolomyces, Botrytis, Alternaria

Late August into September Or even early

October ceasing at first frost

Phoma, Botrytis, basidiospores (not proven).

Mould spore peaks very greatly from year to

year depending on weather. Skin tests with

moulds are unreliable. Symptoms from moulds

usually occur after the pollen count has

become insignificant.

[From the PRACTITIONER, Vol.231, 8, April 1987; abridged slightly by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan; for private

circulation only.]

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2.4 HOMOEOPATHY IN ALLERGIC DISEASES - by M.Wiesenauer

In accordance with its therapeutic principles and understanding as specific regulations therapy

homoeopathy treats allergic diseases by curing the cause. Consideration of the aetiology and

pathogenesis of allergic diseases will make this more clear.

In many paragraphs in the Organon Hahnemann has discussed the medicines and their

influence on the organism. It will be particularly clear from the summary in paragraph 33 how

much unusually high value Hahnemann awarded to the disease-making power of the medicines

in comparison to the power of the other disease-making noxious agents. Thereby he speaks of a

pathological conversion of the human health. The observation of the medicinal action is within

the hypothesis of the medicinal disease and its related preliminary aggravation. It is evident that

what we now comprehend as allergic reaction belongs to this sphere of observations and

operations.

In the past the nature of allergy object was according to practical observation and its

manifestation was comprehended as idiosyncrasy. In para 117 Hahnemann referred to a

constitutional disposition and the causative thing (= antigen) which are absolutely essential for

causing the idiosyncrasy, but not reacting in the same manner in every Organism. The different

possibilities of the causative allergens are mentioned in paragraph 207. Hollenberg has therefore

rightly given top value for these in treatment of allergic diseases.

In case recording and in grasping the totality this has a special value: In Symptoms

153 is accorded the first grade. Foremost with it, is the causative or aetiologic symptom. Braun

clearly says that the constant grappling with the manifold environmental influences exposes the

temporary immune weakness of the Organism, The causative stimulus may be trivially below

normal and only due to the presence of the corresponding disease disposition (̎ Psora̎), disorders

occur. The causative stimulus as well as the abnormal reaction are absolutely characteristic in the

sense of paragraph 153.

If we find clear aetiologic symptoms we should not then loose sight of it in our search for the

medicine.

Case 1: A mother with her 10 weeks old infant boy. She complained that the child has chronic

tendency to vomit. This began immediately after birth. The child was kept under observation for

a week.

The clinical examination did not reveal anything: all normal for its age. When questioned

further the mother said that the child aid not take the feed sufflciontly full, She further observed

that if the child was fed with something other than mother's milk, there was no vomiting and also

not so profuse.

This confirmed the suspicion "intolerance of mother's milk". The mother was advised as

to how the child was to be nursed further and Aethusa D6, mornings and evenings a tablet to be

given to the infant in its feed.

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Within a week the vomiting became lesser and after two weeks of medication there was

no more vomiting. Follow-up for 6 Months.

Here Aethusa was given because of the aetiology.

ALLERGIC DISPOSITION: In infancy and childhood atopic skin diseases occur which are

summarised as constitutional Eczema and Neurodermatitis. The therapeutic problem in this are

well-known and homoeopathy therefore becomes a necessity. The broad action of homoeopathy,

from pure organ range and histotropic prescriptions extending to treatment with constitutional

medicine and polychrests and thereby the individual treatment, exemplifies per se the different

action points of the homoeopathic remedy.

In this manner homoeopathy can be instituted as prophylactic remedy. Such a

prophylaxis -- right in allergic disposition of the parents -- has been developed by Vannier with

his work on "Eugenic treatment" as pre-natal treatment. As is well-known, a systematic treatment

during the early period of pregnancy, with high potency (Tuberculin Luesin, Sulphur) and then

high potency Calcium derivative is to be carried through. Neurodermatitis and Asthma of the

parents, Milk-crust of the parents which are more likely to be inherited by the children can be

averted by the eugenic treatment. It is of course difficult to statistically state as to how much

foetal development was affected without the eugenic treatment.

CALCIUM AND ITS DERIVATIVES:

The knowledge about the exudative diathesis of the Lymphatic and Scrofulous makes it

clear as to how we can begin to treat the skin diseases of the children within the first seven years

of their life, with Calcium. Purely suppurative processes which develop primarily as such are

treated with Hepar sulphuris, whereas all the bland chronic, constitutional skin ailments of

childhood can be treated by Calcium carbonicum as initial therapy in possible high potency.

Only so can we prepare the ground for a further rational treatment.

In later years also in the treatment of constitutional diseases Calcium carbonicum should

not be ignored although in principle it is a medicine for early childhood and later we can replace

it with Magnesium or Barium.

Such an individualised therapy with constitutional medicine along with intermitting

application of nosodes helps an effective influence on the Atopic after which in case of

suppression-syndrome Sulphur may be employed.

FUNCTIONAL REMEDY: It has also been repeatedly proved in practice that at the same time

we must employ functional and histotropic medicines. Some new medicines proved as valuable

in the aetiology and organ affinity in allergic skin and mucous membrane diseases may be

discussed here. These pre from the botanical medicine researches made by Willmar Schwabe

who has also initiated therapy experiments.

CARDIOSPERMUM: Cardiospermum halicacabum is a creeper plant found in Tropical

countries considered as weed in some places. In its habitat it is considered as non-poisonous

although occasionally it causes allergic reaction in sensitive persons. It was also observed from

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the first trial itself on patients that not only allergic reactions in skin and mucous membranes

were observed more often but that at the same time the prevailing rheumatic symptoms also were

relieved. This additional effect was obtained by use of deep potencies whereas in skin diseases

D3 and D4 were used. In the trials the remedy was used in different potencies, later by injections

and then the effects during prolonged interval were observed; the symptoms were reproduced

when the medicine was given again.

Cardiospermum is indicated, besides in rheumatic diseases in skin diseases. Schwabe

points to cases in which a corticosteroid had been used for months and upto a year without relief

but which became definitely better from Cardiospermum.

Further experience with Cardiospermum as topical application have been mentioned

(Cardiospermum salve). Favourable indications are in inflammatory dermatosis, accompanied by

itching. This form of application of cardiospermum has been found of value in two

pharmacological studies in clinical and ambulant so much so that it compares with a cortisone-

like preparation.

GALPHIMIA GLAUCA: Whereas Cardiospermum halicacabum is suitable in histotropic skin

diseases with allergic aetiology, Galphimia glauca is useful in diseases of skin and mucous

membranes of allergic genesis.

Galphimia glauca (synonym: Thryallis glauca) belongs to a small and unknown plant

family. In the Middle and South America and other tropical countries it is known as an

ornamental plant only. Willmar Schwabe came to know Galphimia while on a botanical

excursion; otherwise there is no hint at all in any literature about its use.

Indication for Galphimia on basis of experience at sick bed are given:

Case 2: 10 years old boy continuously suffering from severe hay fever every early summer in

the flowering season although he avoided the flowering meadows. Particularly difficult now

during the school days especially since the anti-allergic drugs made him very tired.

The child was given therefore Galphimia D4, 5 drops every 3 hours.

A couple of days later came the report that the drops relieved the hay fever promptly and

feeling of tiredness also was not anymore felt.

In the succeeding year the boy got as prophylaxis Galphimia D6, 5 drops in evenings one

month before the flowering period. The effect of Galphimia was clear, since he suffered his usual

hay fever only to a minimum although the "hay weather" was prevalent; further doses of

Galphimia D4 ( 4 X 5 drops daily) made a total cure. Critical observations over a period have

revealed that patients treated with Galphimia improved year by-year needing less and less

medicine and developed hypo-sensitivity to Pollinosis.

This also indicates that Galphlmia may be used in asthmatoid bronchitis and in allergic

bronchial asthma.

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Both Cardiospermum and Galphimia are similar in skin affinity. In 1980 there was a

double-blind trial of Galphimia in hay fever syndrome. Example:

Case 3: 17 years girl, not hyposensitised. Galphimia D4 6 X 10 gtt. The patient suffered from

neuroderma also. Upto the middle of trial period (15 days) while the hay fever was better the

skin condition became worse; during the end of the trial (30 days) both faded away although

heavy pollen dust persisted during the east wind and sunny days.

Herz has also observed similar results in a series of Neurodermatitis patients.

The individual symptoms useful for prescription in accordance with para 153 could be

ascertained if a "proving" is made.

LUFFA: Willmar Schwabe, learnt from one of his botanical tours of South America about Luffa

and its use by the natives in nasal and sinus inflammations.

Therapeutic use of Luffa has been confirmed in many cases of diseases of upper

respiratory passages. This holds good in cases of allergic etiology and allergic genesis. Luffa

may be used in high potency in moist catarrh and in low potencies in dry, irritative conditions of

the mucous membranes.

[From the ALLGSMEINE HQMOOPATHISCHE ZEITUKG, Band 230, no.4, 1985; Translated

from the German by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan, Madras; for private circulation only]

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2.5 ARSENICUM ALBUM IN LICHEN RUBER PLANUS - by

Dr.H.V.Muller

A 61 years old lean woman came for treatment of a skin eruption. She has been suffering

from this since 6 months. She warned to be treated only by homoeopathy and was therefore

referred to me by a colleague. It was a case of Lichen ruber planus of elbow.

My colleague had taken the case in full and has rightly given predominance to the mental

symptoms. As the patient suffered all her complaints from emotional excitement he considered

the rubric "Emotional excitement, ailments from" (Kent, P.40), then "palpitation from

excitement" (Kent, p.875) and lastly "exophthalmus" (Kent, p.240) as characteristic symptoms.

On these and other symptoms he treated her with Aurum, Natrum muriaticum and Phosphorous.

This was not successful. The peculiar symptoms like the blue-red color of the small nodules and

particularly the shining and glittering transparent fish-scales like were not found anywhere in the

KENT either under "Skin eruptions" or "Eruptions on elbows".

I did not know how to proceed now. The appearance of the eruption pointed to the

diagnosis as Lichen ruber planus. But the diagnosis also was of no use since it was not found in

KENT.

I referred next to KNERR and succeeded. I found the rubric "Eruption, lichen" with the

sub-rubric "exudative ruber" wherein 8 remedies were given -- namely, Apis, Arsenicum,

Chininum arsenicosum, Iodum, Kali arsenicosum, Phosphorous, Sarsaparilla and Sulphur.

As I found a mapped tongue in the patient (Kent p.407) and also as the patient's type and

constitution suggested, I chose Arsenicum as the suitable medicine.

Arsenicum C 200 was given as intravenous injection and 4 weeks later the skin eruption

began to fade and finally totally cured.

(“Ed. Note: As differential diagnosis Neurodermatitis may be suggested. However the clinical

diagnosis had only a prognostic value. For choice of medicine only the symptoms are guides, as

in this case." - Necessary additions may be in the Kent Repertory - Dr.K.S.Srinivasan)

[Prom the ALLGEMEINE HOMOOPATHISCHE ZEITUNG, Band 230, No.4, 1985 translated

from the German by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan, Madras; for private circulation only]

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2.6 AN INTERESTING CASE OF ANGINA PECTORIS - by Dr.H.V.Muller

A strong and robust 60 years old patient with rather overweight complained of heart

troubles.

The patient is under my treatment for a fairly long time and I knew that he took his job as

editor of a well-known journal with too much devotion and extraordinary industry. I knew him as

a man of quick reaction and precise expression just as the load of his daily work with its large

monthly earnings demanded of him.

Is it a wonder that he has, since some months, heart complaints, which have by now

increased? And his heart complaints now run thus:

It mostly commences when he sits and works. The pain does not come slowly, but

suddenly and with force. In the chest cage laterally on the right of the sternum he has

particularly severe pain which compels him to stand up and move around, which however does

not ameliorate. These pains were so cramping and crushing that he felt he would die.

He received nitrolingual from a colleague who suffered similarly. In the meanwhile he

purchased some nitrolingual. He took at short intervals two squirts from the sprayer and up to 5

times until the attack was got over.

On days when he got these attacks he mostly woke up with headaches and could not

concentrate on his work then.

A reference to Kent was not helpful since it covered heart ailments poorly. Luckily I

found in Knerr the following indication:

Heart pain constant in lower part: Lyssinum

Dull, all day, with pinching about fourth rib, right Side: Lyssinum.

With corresponding pain in right side, severe sticking and shooting, shortness of breath

and sighing: Lyssinum

Not only the heart symptoms agreed with the drug picture but also the mental symptoms

to Mezger:

"Mostly the mental functions are in a state of increased excitement, which manifest as quick

conception, astoundingly sharp understanding and rapid replies to questions."

The picture became further clear when he answered to my further questions which

matched Lyssinum:

He could not tolerate sun-heat. The sound of running water caused him urging to urinate.

Therapy and progress: After an i.v. Injection of Lyssinum (Hydrophobinum) C 200 the patient

did not anymore suffer heart ailments.

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[From the ALLGEMEINE HOMOOPATHISCHE ZEITUNG, Band 2 7, No.5, 1982; translated

from the German by Dr.K.S,Srinivasan Madras; for private communication only]

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2.7 ROUTINE TREATMENT OF MEASLES?- by M.Freiherr v.Ungern-

Sternberg.

Early May 1984 a very anxious and worried grandmother consulted me whether I could

do anything to her grand-child who now, after the disappearance of her measles eruption, has a

sudden attack of convulsions. Now he is in hospital with continuous convulsions and the doctors

were battling to save him. I knew the lady since 18 years and had helped her often and knew the

child's father also who died under tragic circumstances. He had an epileptic fit and fell on a saw.

The child had suffered during the formative years. The grandmother said that the daughter-in-law

did not, for a whole year, make any contact with others. The measles was treated with the usual

fever remedies and cough syrups since the modern medicine did not have anything else against

viral diseases. Because of this helplessness and the above-mentioned complications and diseases

as consequence, vaccination is being propagated. The suppressed skin eruption and fever

convulsions indicated Cuprum which was prescribed in the C 200 potency. The grandmother

gave it to the boy on the next day without his knowing it and the child recovered. It cannot, of

course, be proved that this single dose brought about the cure of this child once given up as lost.

Complications and sequelae: The question has been in my mind as to how closely the much-

feared complications, complications, particularly the measles Encephalitis, Otitis, Pneumonias,

Noma and so on and not to forget the Pulmonal sequelae, Pertussis and Tuberculosis all belong

originally to the measles - and how much the suppression of symptoms could cause. In the 25

years of my own experience with homoeopathic treatment except two cases of mumps after

measles, I never had any case of complication or sequel diseases, no eye complaints and no heart

involvements. And my mother too had none in her 56 years of practice, our other homoeopathic

doctors also similarly none. Dr.Hauptmann, Paediatrician who was interviewed by me had

observed among his 500 cases only one measles Pneumonia and one Otitis. These complications

are well handled by homoeopathy. It must be evident that the homoeopathically chosen remedy

enables the organism to conquer a disease by a medicinally induced art cure similar to nature's

cure.

Observing physicians have averred about mothers who have spontaneously reported

about children who have made developmental leaps every time the disease had been conquered

has if a blocked stove has been cleaned. I know cases of perpetual tendency to suffer from

repeated infections get over it after they at last come into homoeopathic treatment and the

measles, for which they had been vaccinated, is produced.

Tendency to infections, colds which are taken from where and how they do not know, is a

leading symptom for Tuberculin. Not only the pulmonary complications, but especially the

much-feared sequel Tuberculosis make us think of diathesis disposition. Measles and tuberculous

terrain -this hypothesis is strongly held in theory. It has been observed that measles excites

chronic inflammatory processes in lymphatic regions.

Recent observations have shown the connection of polysclerosis with measles

encephalitis which follows vacccination. H.V.Miller has brought about remission of multiple

sclerosis with high potency Morbillinum. Another preparation found useful by him in this was

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the nosode Distemperinum - in the anamnesis question has to be asked regarding association

with dogs.

Homoeopathic evidences: What does the Master Hahnemann say? The paragraphs 38, 40, 46, 50

and 73 of the Organon are particularly relevant here.

While Hahnemann speaks of two dissimilar diseases in the earlier paragraphs, he then

speaks of the so-called fixed diseases to which measles belonged and which because of its

similarity with whooping cough and skin eruption would remain permanently cured. Para 73

speaks about acute diseases which are flare-ups of latent psora; they may also occur partly as

epidemics or partly sporadically from psychic or physical upsets.

It is therefore eminently essential to give in acute diseases the homoeopathic single

remedy not only to meet the tip of the ice-berg but at the same time to deal with the diathesis.

The correctly chosen remedy gives the clue to the specific follow-up remedies thus minimising

future difficulties. It is a fact borne out by my experience that an individual who displays a

definite affinity to a particular medicine holds that affinity for a very long time in certain

circumstances.

What is homoeopathy's view of measles? The homoeopathic medicines may be found in

the rubric 'eruption, measles' in Kent; we must add to this Tub according to H.C.Allen. The

choice of the remedy is on the type of fever, the time modalities and the patient's reaction to

warmth, rest; touch, constriction, noise, smelt etc., thirst, desires, aversions and especially

peculiar symptoms of mind.

On the first day of measles mostly no eruption is seen until fever sets in and then Acon,

or Bell. is given C 200 occasionally and after a day or two Sulphur may be required as

complementary. In my opinion, a child afflicted by measles and in whom the Koplik's spots are

not seen still, is observed to be"weepy". In addition if thirstlessness in fever is also observed a

dose of Puls. C 200 or M is sufficient to overcome the disease in a few days. In a series of cases

the children had typical swollen face and all symptoms pointed to measles and they had,

however, much thirst for cold water, a bottle of water was at the bed-side and a half-empty glass.

During the dry, racking cough, they rather sat up than lying down. Here I gave Phos. C. 200 and

as soon as the thirst was over I followed with Puls. C.200. Generally I leave the dose of Puls with

the mothers with appropriate instructions.

In one case of a 12 year old girl who 3 weeks after one dose Phos. given for fear of

school, had measles finally. Here I provoked the exanthema to break out through a dose of Sul.

C.200 and then when much thirst appeared Phos LM6 and on the third day Pulsatilla was called

for and after 4 days the measles was cured. If the children do not any more feel unwell then I

have no anxiety.

Most of the cases of measles I had this spring needed this remedy so that it may be almost

called a routine treatment. Nothing of the kind, however, I had Spongia, Ant-tart and other cases.

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Two cases I consider as worth discussing; they date spring 1984: A 9 year old boy who

had got over the trauma of separation of his parents through the loving care of the second wife of

his father and who became very much upset every time after staying with his mother, suffered

from scarlet fever when his mother became pregnant. In my experiences in scarlet fever deep

emotional problems have to be overcome and in this case the coming to terms with the

opposition situations. They consulted an Anthroposophical lady doctor. As I was called the child

had already received for a while Bell. D 6. The foster mother was very anxious as she was much

careful to provide for the child a proper motherly love and care. I prescribed Bell. C.200 by

which the scarlet fever passed off in a few days and the measles followed shortly thereafter for

which Puls. C.200 was given successfully. Through the week-long fever and Bell D.6 the boy

was out and out i11. Who can describe the astonishment of the parents as they stated that the

child had grown 6 cm. and increased 600 grams weight!

On easter Monday the parents of a one year old child called me. All the three children

were suffering from measles but the youngest howled terribly, one cheek was red and the other

pale, was teething and had had Chamomilla C which did not help. I gave C 30 which I

considered appropriate to a one year old child. Evening about 22 hours the parents rang me and I

could hear over the telephone the child's cry and I rushed immediately. The two other children

had been treated by my partner Dr.G.Behnisch, with Acon, and then Sul. This infant was treated

with Puis. The baby wanted to be carried by the mother, continuously wriggling back and forth.

The parents feared brain affection since the child was stretching violently. If the mother put it on

the bed, the child immediately reared itself into Opisthotonos immediately. I gave Bell. C.200

and waited. There was no change in about 20 minutes and now because of the continuous

howling of the child and the exhaustion of the parents I decided to given Cham. C 200 and gave

one globule. Ten minutes later the child became calm much to the relief of the child, parents and

the physician. The C 30 given in the afternoon had brought relief for only about an hour.

A third important case is from my partner Gotthard Behnisch. A child with Asthma

complicated by Neurodermatitis was treated by a lady colleague with complex remedy with

seeming success; the child immediately got Angina which was treated with Silicea which was

followed by Hepar Sul, and Merc. that is exactly the wrong sequence. The child developed

thereby an exanthema which quickly vanished. As the child then got Meningitis the parents

called Dr.Bfehnisch Bell. 10M was given but then restlessness, stiffness of neck and jerking of

limb began again. Because of the suppressed skin eruption, Zincum was now prescribed and the

child got measles. It was ill about 6 weeks totally, and this spring its eczema of one year's

duration has been cured; for the first time it has no asthma and a vicarious hay fever also was

cured.

We observe that every patient received individual medicine even in a "fixed disease" like

measles and there cannot be, in homoeopathy, a routine treatment even considering the genius

epidemicus.

(From the KLASSISCHE HOMOOPATHIC, Band 28, No.6/1984; translated from the

German by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan, Madras for private circulation only.

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Dr. H.V. Muller's case of Multiple sclerosis in which the nosode DISTEMPERINUM was used

has been given in art ‘Qrtly Hom DIGEST’ Vol, I. No.2 September 1984]

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2.8 ROUTINE TREATMENT OF SCARLATINA? - by Dr.G.Behnisch

In paragraph 100 of the Organon VI edition Hahnemann speaks of the treatment of the infectious

diseases and sporadic diseases; "the epidemics of fixed nature" like pox, measles, scarlatina etc.

are exceptions. For scarlatina Hahnemann gave, according to his Pure Materia Medica,

Belladonna C 30. Can that substantiate a routine treatment of scarlatina?

Case 1: J.B. a young Sam woman and teacher came with her son A.B. from a place about 35 Km.

away, on 6.11.1980 Tor her septic sinusitis which was cured by a single dose of Thuja CM; In

May 1961 her corn disappeared. An intestinal influenza and left sided tonsillitis were cured

without any medicine.

On 28.7.1981, Sepia C 30 was prescribed for prolapsus uteri. On 24.2.1982 left tonsillitis

reappeared which likewise went off without any particular treatment. On 10.6.1982 Hepar sulph.

C 30 was prescribed for reappearance of a left sided suppurative tonsillitis which was cured 2

days.

During summer she suffered from prolapse feeling during menses for which on 27.8.1982

Sepia CM was given with good result.

On 15.11.1982 she telephoned that he tonsils here red since 2 days and in the meanwhile

the right tonsil had become septic. She herself had taken on the previous day at 1800 hrs

Belladonna C 30 and at 2000 hrs because of the septic condition and chilliness with 39°c

temperature, Hepar sul. C 30. Because of painfulness of hair when touched (Kent p.120; binding

up the hair, p.137), I waited. Telephone: severe pallia while swallowing, stitching pains and now

the left tonsil much swollen. I ordered a single dose of Lyc. C 200. On 17.11.1982 throat still

dark-red, right tonsil septic, stitching and pulsating pain in the right half of head and temple and

ear, very negligible scarlet exanthema. Wait!

22.11.1982: The scarlatina has completely gone; she felt tired, mild desqamation. Throat

is not irritating, tonsils have regained normal size.

Case 2: At the same time her daughter with right tonsillitis. 1 immediately took a swab and sent

for haemolysing streptococcus and in the meanwhile a dose of Bell. C 200. The daughter Alice

then had a normal scarlatina with primary tonsillitis, fever, the typical scarlet exanthema for few

days and finally normal temperature, desquamation and complete cure. Both the patients had no

complications till now of any of the much-feared sequel diseases.

In my experiences 80% of the case terminate in this way. But the mo her required

Lycopodium which is given in Kent in 3 grace.

Case 3: Last year (19.5.1983) a mother from neighbourhood rang me: "My son R.F. has a septic

right tonsillar inflammation and 39°c fever". Instructions: Throat swab (result after six days -

haemolysing streptococcus positive) The child has already cough. He got a single dose of

Belladonna C 200. The scarlatina was cured in the usual 7 days period. No sequel diseases.

Case 4: Mrs.Roseraarie F the mother was again seen by me on 16.5.1983; she was well. Last two

years she had been successfully treated with single doses of Nat.m., Tub., Calc. carb,

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On 1.6.1983.12 days after the illness of her son called me on Saturday afternoon: "Right-

sided throat pain, pain in right sinus, 39.6°c fever". Prescription: A single dose of Belladonna C

200. Sunday, 2.6.1983: 40.2° c temperature, without thirst. Ho symptoms of sinusitis anymore,

temperature dropped to 39.40 c and going down during the course of the day. Otherwise the

severe throat pain not altered. Hence re-examinations: left tonsil purulent. Swab positive.

Lachesis C 200 one dose. Severe pain left throat. Tonsil farther septic, light erythema which

transformed into a scarlatina exanthema.

10.6.1983: Swab negative. Patient felt well. Case 5: 12 years old girl came recently with

a diagnosis of PCP. Within this short period of life she has been given different penicillins 70

times and had thrice suffered scarlatina. During the second infection with haemolysing

streptococcus the mother of the child asked the paediatrician! "Can one not suffer scarlatina once

only during life?" Answer: "The first time the Scarlet fever as treated with Penicillin too early!"

Naturally it is much easier to successfully treat an acute scarlatina homoeopathically,

rather than complicated and frequently occurring diseases a result of suppression of an acute

exacerbation. Children's ailments are signiflcant markers in the development of the child and its

defence mechanism. (See the article of Dr.v.Ungern-Sternberg in this DIGEST).

Of course, if we heed to Hahnemann's tenets we will not become discouraged Aad

surrender to the sequel diseases or chronic diseases.

What do we learn by the example cases cited above?

1. Homoeopathy treats and cures according to the paragraphs 153, 164, 211 etc., according to

indicated

Symptoms. An exact and complete anamnesis is pre-requisite for finding the remedy and the

result.

2. And in a stereotypically flowing disease condition Like scarlatina provoked by the

haemolysin streptococcus we must analyse the symptoms to find the apt homoeopathic remedy

In Kent (p.1286) there are about 30 remedies for scarlatina and Its sequel diseases.

There are no routine prescriptions in homoeopathic treatment in the narrow sense. In any case

there is no specific treatment according to disease indications (diagnosis) or by poorly sketched

disease pictures (“fixed diseases").

We must never escape our responsibility to know the individual behind the disease and

find the singular cause for the individual's acute disease. That is, we cannot conclude: Scarlatina

= Haemolytic Streptococcus = Penicillin. (Statistics in the USA showed that treatment of

scarlatina by Penicillin curtailed the disease duration of course, but increased the risks of sequel

diseases. Not treating scarlatina by Penicillin is less risky.)

In homoeopathic therapeutics it would be: scarlatina, tonsillitis acuta = Belladonna. That is our

experience of course which confirms Hahnemann'a but that is not all.

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If we dedicate ourselves to the examination and interrogation of he patient to arrive at the

totality of the picture then we can achieve the utmost benefit to the

patient and always practically avoid sequel diseases. The patients are generally already cured by

the time the laboratory results come.

I have been practicing homoeopathy since 17 years, 5 years in private practice. If the

homoeopathic treatment according to Hahnemann's principles, the prescription

of high potencies in single doses were ineffective, should be starving since long. Fact is that we

homoeopaths have not grown to meet the rush of patients.

We should not, because of that take it easy and fall into routinsm. or polyprescrlptions! If

we treat out patients by the individual remedies according to their disease picture (paragraphs 71

- 104) in future at least a few physicians will learn from it to treat on these principles.

[From the KLASSISCHE HOMOOPATHIE, Band 28, No.6/1984; translated from

Dr.K,S.Srinivasan, Madras;for private circulation only].

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3 QHD, Vol. IV, No.3, September 1987

Dear Doctor,

The theme for this number of our DIGEST is "PROVINGS". Hahnemann said: "In

practical science there is no place for speculation. Neither the source, color, smell, taste nor

chemical structure of the medicines can reveal anything about medicines' curative powers, in the

living organism; experiment on animals cannot reveal anything about the sensations aroused by

the medicines since animals are dumb creatures. Therefore experiments on healthy humans alone

could reveal the medicinal powers. Every medicine arouses in human body its specific kind of

disease …..... Imitate nature . . ... and give in a disease that is to be cured a medicine which has

been found to be capable of producing symptoms similar to the disease to be cured . . . Similia

similibus"

Thus, the very foundation of homoeotherapeutics is based on practical experiments, that

are called 'provings'. Our Materia Medlca has been built on provings by the pioneer homoeopaths

who carried out on their own and their families'

bodies (and mind) these experiments, not withstanding doubts raised by Anthony Campbell and

his likes.

This spirit is sadly lacking in the modern homoeopaths. However, there have been/are,

experiments from time to time which bring out new facets of known homoeopathic remedies as

such. These are our very 'weapons' which enable us to fight diseases and help restore health.

I am sure that you will carefully study the material in this number and benefit.

'Verifications' of the symptoms given in these provings will be eagerly awaited. Please do

report.

A new column has been added: BOOK SHELF.

September 1987

Yours sincerely,

K.S. SRINIVASAN

1253, 66

Street,

Korattur,

Madras 600 080

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3.1 SCORPION: REPORT OF A RECENT PROVING - George Guess,

M.D.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this paper is to introduce the reader to the exciting results of

a proving recently conducted by Mr.Jeremy Sherr, an Israeli homeopath currently living in

England, where the proving was conducted. The proving illuminates a great deal of

symptomatology, especially in the mental and emotional realm that has never before been

reported. There is a definite possibility that Scorpion will, when more widely recognized,

become a very valuable and effective remedy.

TOXIC EFFECTS OF THE SCORPION: To reacquaint you with the toxic properties of

Scorpion, let us review the effects of the sting:

"The pain resulting from the sting is extremely severe, its character is sharp and burning.

The pain spreads very quickly up the affected limb. There is not usually any local swelling or

redness, just a small accumulation of tiny sweat beads. Later constitutional symptoms may

appear—headache, chest pain, dyspnoea, nausea and vomiting, sweating, frequent sneezing,

increased salivation and lachrymation.

"The pains are unbearable and are ameliorated by ice packs. There are also severe chills

and shivering and loss of consciousness; blood pressure rises, and there are irregular heart beats

and tachycardia. The pupils dilate, and later there may be white froth from the mouth. The hands

and feet turn blue, and the abdomen becomes swollen, hard and painful. Death may result, the

post mortem examination revealing a picture similar to that of pulmonary edema."

Different species of scorpions have differing toxic effects In Israel alone there are at least

twenty species. The severity of the sting is directly related to the maturity of the scorpion. The

stronger poisons are known to be six times more lethal than that of the viper. The toxin is

considered primarily a neurotoxin, affecting the autonomic nervous system and subsequently the

heart.

There is an interesting phenomenon of apparent allergic reactions to scorpions in people

who handle them regularly. Such reactions can occur even if the scorpion is only in a

neighboring room. The reactions resemble a "flu-like" syndrome with constant sneezing, profuse

nasal secretions, lachrymation, nausea, headache (as if hammers were beating inside the head);

the eyes burn and the hands tremble. All symptoms are better in the fresh air. Similar "flus"

appeared in the provings.

PAST REFERENCES TO SCORPION: Referring to Clarke's Dictionary, one is struck by the

paucity of information provided on Scorpion. There are two partial provings of Scorpion in

existence: one by a Dr.Rzam of Rigiers which was presented at the International Congress at

Berlin in 1939, the other by Dr.Vincent de Laurier which appeared in the British Homoeopathic

Journal of 1939. The more pronounced symptoms revealed by these provings were as follows:

LOCAL SYMPTOMS

1) Pain with numbness and a "pins and needles" sensation.

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2) Radiating pains

3) Choking sensation "as if there was a pad of cotton-wool in the throat".

4) Rubbing the nose.

5) Salivation

GENERAL SENSATIONS

1) Pins and needles all over.

2) Objects seem large when touched.

3) Sense of a veil before the eyes.

4) 4-8 pm aggravation.

5) Everything tastes like a lemon.

MENTALS

1) Mental fatigue, inability to perform mental effort.

2) Lack of will or drive.

3) Desire to criticize.

4) Memory deficit, almost aphasic.

PREPARATION OF THE REMEDY The type of scorpion used by Mr.Sherr for this proving

was the Androctonos Amurreuxi Hebraeus. It was obtained in Israel at the Hebrew University in

Jerusalem. This species of scorpion is known to be extremely dangerous. The specimen used was

a full-grown, yellow male. It was killed by injecting 95% alcohol. Most of the scorption was

dissolved except for a small portion of the exoskeleton. This solution was then potentized

manually using thiry succussions per potency.

PROVING METHODOLOGY Thirty-two provers, nineteen female and twelve male, served as

the subjects in this proving. Most were students of homoeopathy. The remedy was given in

potencies ranging from 6C to 60C, usually three times a day. Three persons served as controls

and were given placebos. As much as possible, all provers were supervised by a homeopath.

Remedies were taken until definite symptoms arose, after which the remedy was discontinued.

All antidoting factors such as coffee, camphor, and mint were discouraged. Communication

between provers about symptoms experienced was discouraged.

RESULTS OF THE PROVING A rich variety of symptoms and sensations was produced during

this proving. Many of the symptoms were described quite vividly and, especially in the mental

realm, there seemed to be a large degree of overlapping of symptomatology suggesting that it

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was, indeed, the remedy that was responsible for the production of the altered mental states. A

condensed summary of what appeared to be the salient characteristics of the remedy follows.

MIND A sense of detachment was one prevailing symptom that appeared, detachment from other

people, from the world in general, and from one's own pain and discomfort. There was a

pervading disinterest in other people, in the opinions of others, and in one's usual sources of

pleasure and intellectual stimulation. Often accompanying this state of detachment was a state of

dreaminess or a feeling as of being drugged.

"I feel entirely alone, that I am viewing the world through one hole, for it all seems just a

picture, and the rest of the world shares a different view-finder altogether. I don't want to

join theirs though".

"I felt disconnected from the human race, as if everyone were another species.

Directionless". "Felt remote and ineffectual, a dreamy state. Felt more like a spectator

than a participant".

An especially intriguing symptom that appeared was a diminished sense of guilt that

could, on the basis of its expression in the proving, easily be interpreted as indicative of

developing amorality. There were close parallels between the statements of the provers and the

lack of moral discrimination associated with psychopathic personalities.

"I pushed the kids out of bed with no compassion. I would usually have felt very guilty

doing this".

"I feel much more self-centered. I have given up all the permanent favors I do for people.

I don't want to do any more. I feel I need more time for me. I must feel guilt, but I don't

think I do. I feel the nasty side of my character is emerging; I'm much more aggressive

and domineering. I don't want people's good opinion of me as someone who is nice. This

is very unusual".

"Able to argue without upsetting feelings of guild which felt marvelous”.

A trait which greatly flavored the proving was the emergence of an impressive amount of

irritability, censoriousness, and anger. Hostility, maliciousness, and a desire to hurt others were

strong components of the proving image.

"Felt increased irritability, a 'How dare you!'" feeling. Felt like tearing offenders to pieces

with my bare hands. I felt an enormous surge of violent emotions at trifles and had to

exercise great control to stop outbursts of violence and impulses to hurt others. Felt that

everyone were 'creeps', could not be bothered with anyone".

"Assertive, impatient, aggressive. Felt resentful and abused. Had no control over her

temper. Bellowed and lashed out at everyone. In the evening was furious for no apparent

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reason. Wanted to kill her husband and children, banged doors and threw things. By bed

time she felt fine, but the intensity of her evil thoughts was very frightening."

"Had a very caustic conversation with someone she hardly knew. Enjoyed her rudeness

and was surprised by it".

"Pursued conflict almost with relish".

".... am free from pressing, nagging responsibilities. Just a black thunder sits within me,

and I feel afraid of what I might do next. My eyes are staring and full of hate. Just

looking at the children sends them frantic. I have no control over my emotions. Then

after 9 pm a sense of deadness resumes and I feel O.K., but the end of myself as I usually

am".

Some provers reported such feeling lessening by mid to late evening; others complained of

irritability in the evening. In addition to the hostility, there was evidence of suspiciousness.

"When talking to friends felt 'paranoid', suspicious and guilty. When asked questions, he

becomes hot and sweaty; he felt it was a game of who was cleverer and tried to lie and

outwit his friend, though this gave no satisfaction. His friends reported that he seemed

unusually distant and cool".

The remedy seems to convey a strong sense of self-confidence, cheerfulness, and vitality.

If these feeling are extrapolated to a pathological degree, possibly characteristic symptoms of

Scorpion might well be an exaggerated sense of confidence and an inappropriate sense of well-

being.

"Felt very self-confident that everything would turn out fine, both now and in the future.

Self-assured, could not care about anyone or anything. He felt much stronger in

personality, that he would take a firm line on things in the future instead of his usual

weak response". "Felt more energetic, self-assertive and confident. She has lots of

energy, worked hard and exercised. She was very bouncy and happy to be busy".

"Pretended to feel well although sick".

In two cases this sense of confidence was distinctly immature and potentially dangerous,

either to self or to others. A sense of adolescent omnipotence, of invulnerability emerged.

"It seemed as though he was a different person, very similar to the way he had been in

adolescence, but in a much more powerful manner. These emotions were so intense he

wanted to rip his chest apart to let them out. He lost all control over his emotions which

seemed to come from a deep and distant part of himself, a darker side. He desired to

continue the proving for the rest of his life".

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"Although absent minded, he was not bothered by it. Did not notice people he knew on

the street, even though he knew them. Began reading a newspaper while driving—as if

the car would go on without him....."

This later quotation also illustrates the marked tendency to absent-mindedness which the

remedy produced in a number of the provers. There was a significant disturbance of

concentration and mental disorganization.

There were expressions of reclusiveness, of a self-imposed isolation.

"Felt constrained and had a gloomy approach to everything. Averse to company, a desire

to be alone. I feel people will not want to talk to me or be with me."

"Desired company but could not be bothered to see anyone; felt lonely as if he didn't

belong".

Six provers displayed significant fearfulness. Specifically, fears of being attacked on the

street, of a dog, and of the occult were mentioned. Two provers commented that the fearfulness

occurred when lying in bed; in one the sense of panic was relieved by sitting up. One prover's

fear was ameliorated in the dark. A fear of driving was expressed. Finally, one prover reported

an episode of panic and visual illusions as being very similar to an LSD experience he had had

previously. This comparison, in addition to a number of other references to feeling "drugged" or

stoned, suggests that Scorpion may have a use in reversing chronic psychological states induced

by street drugs, alcoholism, etc.

"Overwhelmed by terror, panic and fear, like a psychic attack. Then become specifically

fearful of being psychically tested, as if confronted by something absolutely horrible, as

in a 'cult initiation ordeal.' He felt so scared he had to shut the door with a feeling that

something would appear from behind it if he left it open".

Additional mental symptoms that appeared were anxiety, depression, apathy, changeable

moods, frequent mistakes—in writing, spelling, with details, etc.—impatience, hurriedness. A

few provers were clumsy and accident prone. Two provers enjoyed a strong reaction to music;

both were ameliorated by music, and one engaged in frenzied dancing.

VERTIGO: There were several expressions of vertigo and dizziness without any clear modifying

influences. One prover’s dizziness was aggravated from 6 to 9 pm.

HEAD: Headaches emerged quite strongly in the proving with fourteen provers developing

symptoms. Generally, the headaches were left-sided, focused mostly in the occiput and temple.

The quality of the pains varied but were mostly described as heaviness, pressure, or throbbing.

Modalities were mixed; two provers' headaches were ameliorated by fresh or cold air. Nausea

and vomiting and dullness not infrequently accompanied the headaches.

EYES: The remedy provoked eye irritation, heaviness, and photophobia. There was also

difficulty with accommodation.

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EARS: There was a tendency for affections of the left ear involving pain, itching, or ringing.

NOSE: There was a suggestion that the left side of the nose would be more frequently involved.

Coughing and sneezing were present. One prover's nasal discharge was worse in a warm room

and better in the open air.

FACE: The face was more often pale in coloring, and the lips cracked.

THROAT: A sore, dry throat appeared rather strongly. Throat pain was better from warm drinks

in two provers. The sensation of a lump or of a foreign body in the throat was common, often

with a desire to swallow. In one prover, the throat pain was worse after 6 pm.

STOMACH: Thirst was pronounced. A great deal of nausea was produced and vomiting. Nausea

was better from lying down in two provers. One cured clinical case displayed nausea which was

worse lying and better sitting up. A craving for milk emerged; one prover desired and was

ameliorated by warm milk. There was also a desire for warm drinks and an amelioration of

nausea from warm drinks.

RECTUM: The rectal area produced many symptoms. There was much rectal pain from

hemorrhoids, fissures, and a vesicular eruption. The rectal pain tended to be better from hot

bathing. There was diarrhea with urging, and constipation. The diarrheic stool was brick red in

one case, and smelled like rank fish in another. An interesting sensation made its appearance in

the rectum.

"Sensation as if parts above rectum in an iron fist, closing in on parts and dragging them

down...."

BLADDER/URINE: Frequent urination, nocturia, and dribbling were produced.

GENITALIA – FEMALE: Dysmenorrhea occurred with a dragging, gripping or bearing down

sensation.

SEX – MALE: Five male provers displayed an increase in sexual desire. There were increased

sexual thoughts, erotic dreams, and intense orgasms.

"Felt as if he would explode with sexuality".

SEX – FEMALE: Two female provers experienced an increase in sexual desire. One prover was

especially profoundly affected by the remedy; she displayed very intense sexual desire, increased

after intercourse. Her desire seemed situated in the genitals. She complained of an irritating

arousal and painful sensitivity of the genital area.

CHEST: Palpitations were the most frequently appearing symptom in the chest.

BACK Much pain in the back was produced, focusing on the cervical area (more on the left

side), between and about the scapulae, and the lumbosacral area. The lumbosacral pain extended

to the thigh, down the leg, to the sides, or to other parts of the back.

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EXTREMITIES: There was much heaviness and aching of the limbs. Burning and itching of the

thighs was present. Pronounced pain of the heels and soles was experienced by one prover.

Awkwardness was a complaint. Pins and needles, as from hot water on the skin, arose in one

prover (see 1939 proving). One prover, while suffering pain in the right hip, complained of a

peculiar sensation "as if his leg was held back"; another complained of a floating sensation in the

thighs.

SLEEP: There were complaints of sleepiness, unrefreshed sleep, and waking during the night.

DREAMS: Several provers noted having a number of dreams. Many of the dreams centered

around such themes as violence, murder, being chased, etc.

FEVER/CHILL: Fever and chill made their appearance. One prover experienced an impressive

syndrome with fever—bruised, sore pains as if beaten, requiring frequent, slight changes of

position; beaten sensation in the joints and bones which was better from stretching, worse

movement, worse lying still.

GENERALITIES: The majority of provers were worse in the evening; several experienced the

onset of symptoms or a general worsening at 6 pm, one from 6 to 9 pm. Three provers were more

mentally alert late at night. A desire for and amelioration from fresh air was a strong

characteristic. More persons were cold than warm. An amelioration from lying down was the

most notable effect of posture. (Interestingly, Mr.Sherr had occasion to treat a patient for the ill

effects of a wasp sting with Scorpion. A symptom which proved useful was nausea with a desire

to lie down; however, lying down aggravated the nausea while sitting up ameliorated it.)

Exhaustion, lethargy, and fatigue were frequent complaints. There was no consistent effect of

motion. Warm applications were noted to ameliorate a number of symptoms, including vomiting,

rectal pain, and extremity pain.

DISCHARGES: The color orange, or yellow-red, may well prove to be very characteristic of

Scorpion discharges. Many discharges occurring during the proving were of this color, including

nasal discharge, vomitus, diarrheic stool, urine, vaginal discharge. There was even a dream of

orange-red walls.

SUMMARY: If we were to sketch a hypothetical Scorpion individual by utilizing all of the

predominant symptoms that emerged from this proving in their more extreme form, we would

probably picture a person who is detached, disinterested aloof, lacking in moral feeling, hostile,

malicious, suspicious, overly-confident (and potentially arrogant), and lascivious. This person

could also be absent-minded, rather fearful, hurried, and subject to mental states similar to drug-

induced or dream-like states.

Associated with these personality characteristics there may also be a tendency for left-

sided headaches, left ear pain, left-sided nasal discharges, a sensation as of a lump in the throat, a

disposition to swallow, sensitive genitalia, and bruised, sore extremities.

COMPARISONS: The image of Scorpion that emerges invites comparison with other

established homoeopathic remedies. One of the first remedies that come to mind is Lachesis. The

egotistical, malicious, suspicious, critical, and ¦ sexual elements of both remedies are similar.

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Further, the lump in the throat, disposition to swallow, suggestion of left-sidedness of some

complaints, and the slurred speech tend to confirm the validity of this comparison.

Platina also has similarities with this remedy. The potential for arrogance of Scorpion, the

lustfulness, and the sensitivity of the genitalia are shared characteristics.

There are also similarities with Sepia. Detachment, indifference, irritability, the caustic

tongue, the dancing element, left-sided headaches, the disposition to swallow, and an

amelioration at night are comparable symptoms of each remedy.

Some of the provers' induced mental and emotional states bear a relationship to Thuja,

especially the distrust, self-centered, aloofness, and the suggestion of deceptive caginess. These

characteristics coupled with left-sided headaches invite a comparison of the two remedies.

Another sycotic remedy, Medorrhinum, shares a few elements with Scorpion.

The extreme hostility and urge to kill, combined with other qualities such as hurriedness,

dancing, increased sexuality, etc., bring to mind such remedies as Tarentula hisp., Stramonium,

Hyoscyamus, Nux vomica, and Hepar sul..

Certainly, the absent-mindedness, dreamy or drugged quality, and the potential euphoria

suggest Cannabis indica as another relaxed remedy.

Want of moral feeling, changeable moods (anticipating the vacillation of moods between

the extremes of anger or indifference and cheerfulness), plus dancing suggest Crocus sativa.

The detached, self-assured critical Sulphur personality type also shares some qualities

with Scorpion.

Finally, the flu-like syndrome that was apparently produced during the proving evokes

associations with Rhus tox, and Arnica (especially Arnica when we couple the physical

sensations with one mental symptom that arose in the proving, namely, "pretended to feel well

although sick”).

FINAL COMMENTS Again, it is quite likely that Scorpion has the potential of being a very

powerful and effective homeopathic remedy, especially for mental and emotional pathology. The

sizeable amount of material elicited by this proving was rich and colorful. Of course, the next

step incumbent upon us as homeopaths is to undertake to repeat the proving of Scorpion that we

might verify and supplement the material already obtained. Only after this verification and

subsequent clinical cures will the actual essence of the remedy be discernable.

The primary flaw of the proving (and of most previous provings appearing in our

literature) is, in my opinion, the lack of a sufficient number of controls and a recording of the

symptoms that arose in the controls during the experiment. However, this inadequacy is

insignificant beside the valuable addition to our knowledge of this remedy that Mr.Sherr has

provided us. We are indebted to him.

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[From the AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF HOMOEOPATHY, Vol.79, No.1, March, 1986; for

private circulation only]

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3.2 A PROVING OF GLONINE - Julian Winston

BACKGROUND: With a firm belief that the essentials of the Materia Medica are inexorably

linked to the concept of the provings - the testing of the medical substance upon healthy people -

the faculty at the National Center for Instruction in Homoeopathy and Homoeotherapeutics

decided that a proving should become an integral part of the instructional program. The choice of

the substance to be proved posed some interesting questions. Since the provers would be part of

an ongoing instructional program, the substance to be proved should meet the following criteria:

1. It should be well proved in the homoeopathic literature.

2. Its known action should be of short duration.

3. It should not have serious gastro intestinal upset as parts of the known picture, nor any

physical symptoms that would cause extreme discomfort for an extended period of time.

4. The onset of symptoms should happen within the first few doses.

An examination of Allen's Encylopedia of Pure Materia Medica and Hughes' and Dake's

Cylopedia of Drug Pathogenesy revealed several substances that met the criteria. The majority of

the provings done with this substance have been done with 1st and 2nd decimal dilutions. The

headaches produced by a single dose of this substance have been recorded as starting within one-

to-three minutes. These dilutions are mentioned often in the literature as being used by

homoeopaths to convince others of the power of the minute dose. Nash talks about keeping a

bottle of the 1st centesimal dilution at hard to "convince the unbelievers," and James C. Wood in

his book An Old Doctor Of The New School tells of the homoeopathic students passing a bottle

of "sugar pellets" -in reality a 2X Glonine - to the unsuspecting allopathic students in his class at

Ann Arbor.

It should be noted that the dilutions which are spoken of in the homoeopathic literature

are now used in regular medical practice as a sublingual administration of nitroglycerine for

angina pain. It was felt that if we used a 2X in a 1 grain tablet, then some of the provers might

feel that the results were physiological. For this reason we decided to use a higher potency.

PROCEDURE: The proving was done with 12X Glonine provided of John A.Boreneman and

Sons. It was not a double blind study. The entire group met on the evening of Monday, July ll,

1983 to discuss the concept of homoeopathic provings. Fifteen of those present decided to take

part. Each person was given a cup with 10 one grain tablets. The dose was to be one tablet every

10 minutes. The participants had the option of taking all ten doses or stopping whenever they felt

symptoms develop. All participants took all 10 doses. The provers were instructed to write down

any symptom they noticed. They were asked to record the time at which the symptom occurred.

They were asked not to speak to each other about the proving and to continue with the work at

hand - exercises in the use of Kent's Repertory. The records were collected at noon the next day

and tabulated. A discussion was held that following evening.

OBJECTIVE OBSERVATIONS: Within 20 minutes of the first dose, everyone seemed to be

dutifully at work. The room was unusually quiet. There were some conversations. Several people

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seemed to be giddy. Within an hour, several people complained of the room being "very warm".

Two or three people looked quite flushed. One doctor, who was not participating in the proving,

asked if we were proving Cannabis. He said that the group appeared to be quite "stoned". People

were having trouble remembering their thoughts, and many kept losing track of what they were

doing. After about two hours the group broke up and retired for the night.

THE PROVING:-

MIND: Spacey/giddy/impatient/difficulty concentrating/ place gets lost in the book,

cannot remember where I left off/ light-headed (60 min)/using caring words improperly,

transposing words (80 min)/feel "energized" (115 min)/lack of concentration (30 min)/feel

"stoned"/disoriented/difficult to concentrate (90 min)/lack of mental acuity, dullness of mind (60

min)/sensitive to noise worse lying down (90 min)/ upon awakening; hands seem to expand in

size (12 hours)/ "spacey", vague fullness in the head (40 min)/feel "spaced out" (30

min)/difficulty in keeping mind on work at hand (60 min)/spaced out" (45 min) tired and sleepy

(50 min)/time seems to be passing slowly (75 min)/light headedness upon rising (59

min)/"foggy" sensation (1 hr.20 min)/feels as if "high" (10 min)/sensation of being "high", esp.

when turning head quickly (10 min)/feels "out of it", tired (30 min)/ getting very sleepy (50

min)/numbness/lack of caring about condition (60 min)/mind is active, although body is relaxed

(90 min) "foggy" and tired upon awakening (12 hrs.)/disassociated/other people's movements

seem exaggerated (30 min)/ very animated when talking (80 min)/time seem to pass slowly (1 hr.

30 min) general mental dullness (1hr 30 min)/slow in speaking (20 min).

VERTIGO: dizziness when bending over (2 hrs. 30 min). "Buzzing" of head like a

spinning top when closing eyes (2 hrs)/ dizziness better closing eyes better rubbing eyes (80

min).

HEAD: Pain in right temple (17 min)/tightness between temples - as if pulled together

(50 min)/pain between eyebrows/dull occipital headaches (30 min)/dull ache between eyebrows

(40 min)/pain between eyes/pain below temples, (50 min)/pain between eyes/face flushed (1 hr)

pressure in head/throbbing under right eye/tightness in occiput/headache (30 min)/face flushed

(80 min)/tight pulling pain below right chin (60 min). Pain under right ear at angle of jaw (65

min)/ sharp stabbing pain over night eye - started after first dose (60 min)/throbbing headache,

especially on vertex (1 hr. 32 min)/frontal pain goes to vertex, then right front side (50

min)/pressure in entire head (40 min)/tightness in temples (30 sec)/tightness across temples (10

min)/ "buzzing" 'sensation (20 min)/pressure from within (1 hr. 20 min)/pain in temples moving

to back (40 min)/feeling of heaviness (40 min)/ forehead very warm (100 min)/throbbing

headache over eyes worse right side (10 min) pain over eyes (40 min)/fullness at root of nose (40

min)/pain over eyes moving to temples, lasting four minutes (50 min)/slight pressing pain in

temples worse left side (1 hr 30 min)/slight pounding especially left temple moving to right (3

hrs).

EYES: pupils dilated (1 hr)/eyes feel heavy and droopy (60 min)/burning sensation (1 hr.

20 min)/heavy feeling, better rubbing (10 min)/heaviness of lids (50 min)/sensation of pulling

under lids (70 min)/heaviness (3 hrs)/constant blinking (30 min).

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EAR: right ear ringing (1 hr)/sensation of tightness (1 hr)/burning inside right ear.

VISION: tendency to go out of focus. "aura" appeared around paper while reading (30

min)/sensation of sluggishness (1 hr. 50 min)slowness in reading print (20 min).

FACE: feels as if bug is on face (25 min)/lower lip peeling (11 hours)/cheeks feel warm

(50 min)/feels as if cheeks are drooping (90 min)/red and blotchy (3 hrs 20 min).

NOSE: tickling in nose, sneezing, sniffles (1 hr. 40 min)/ sneezing (30 min).

MOUTH: metallic taste (2 min)/dryness of mouth (1 hr)/ dry mouth/ "slimy" taste/gums

feel tight, upper inner teeth, left side have a metallic taste, (5 min)/aching in left upper molars(25

min)/metallic taste (55 min)/yawning (40 min)/flat taste (40 min)/ "flat" taste (4 hrs)/ "metallic"

taste (1 hr) lasts for about a week.

THROAT: dry, as if getting a sore throat (50 min)/spre throat, scratchy worse from cold

air (3 hrs).

NECK: aching pain in neck (45 min)/sensation of heat along right side of neck (25

min)/sensation of heat at rear of neck and ear lobes, more on left (50 min)/stiffness (2 hours)/

sharp intense pain ton right side, fading slowly (90 min) 'stiffness in right neck near shoulder (3

hrs. 20 min) very stiff, better twisting, with headache to temple (2 hrs).

STOMACH: hunger, empty eructations (100 min)/eructations (40 min)/eructacions (80

min)/eructations (3 hrs. 30 min).

ABDOMEN: drawing, pulling pain to the left of the umbilicus (90 min)/throbbing pain in

right inguinal region (60 min)/pressure as from gas (50 min)/feeling of gas and bloating when

lying down (3 hrs, 30 min).

STOOL constipation (two days later)/constipation, black stools (2 days later-lasting

seven days)/constipation with black stools (three days lasting a week)

CHEST: brief cardiac awareness (90 min)/"pulse" of pain in left chest (70 min)/pain in

left side as if heart were grabbed (10 min)/sharp, grabbing pain three minutes after taking dose

(for 4 doses)/pain in left chest worse when standing (30 min) /sharp pain running from center of

chest to left shoulder (30 min)/sharp pain in chest, momentary (60 min).

EXTREMITIES: unsteadiness of gait (2 hrs )perspiration on ankles and feet (8

min)/sharp momentary pain in left leg just below knee (55 min)/trembling in arms which feel

weak especially left arm (1 hr)/legs weak (80 min)/feet and legs ache (90 min)/ stiff neck (90

min)/restlessness, moving of legs, twitching of feet, (100 min)/hands feel hot when lying down

(90 min)/pain, outside of left upper arm (1 min)/breaking out in a sweat on back, legs, buttocks

(55 min)/knees very sweaty (60 min)/ muscular soreness (2 hours)/sensation of dry heat on face

and arms (88 min)/left wrist hurting as if from a blow (40 min)/ feet cold when lying down (4

hrs)/sharp pain in right knee when walking (2 hrs)/weakness in lower limbs (1 hr. 30 min)/

weakness of knees lasting for several days.

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BACK: sharp pain on right side worse sitting (90 min).

SLEEP: difficulty falling asleep (2 hrs)/difficulty falling asleep (4 hrs.)/poor sleep.

SKIN: red, flat, rash with itching on right lower interior chest (3-4 hours)/insect bite on

neck itching badly (2 hrs)/intense itching of two insect bites (2 hrs. 30 min).

GENERAL: sensation of heat as if in warm stuffy room, sensation moves across chest

and rises, perspiration, (30 min)/ Itchy all over (30 min)/heat, especially nape of neck, top of

thigh (1 hr. 37 min)/sensation of warmth in upper body (1 hr. 55 min)/itching all over, first left

side then right side (80 min)/sleepy (1 hr, 17 min)/tiredness in body (30 min)/ sensation of

weakness as if after wine (60 min)/feeling very relaxed (70 min)/body feels loose and relaxed

(80 min)/head and body feel heavy (100 min)/feeling warm and flushed (30 min)/ awareness of

pulse when lying down (70 min).

SUMMARY: At our evening meeting we read to the groups the proved symptoms of

Glonine from Clarke's Dictionary of Materia Medica. The recorded symptoms were duplicated

by many of our provers, and our group was amazed at the similarity between the recorded

symptoms in Clarke and the ones which they had experienced. We then told them about the

name of the substance they had proven.

All who took part in the proving felt that it was a valuable experience and felt that they

would be willing to do another proving in the future. We look forward to doing one in 1984.

Hopefully, that one will be a full double blind proving. We encourage all homoeopaths to

partake in this essential part of homoeopathy. When one has experienced the symptoms in his

own body then he can appreciate and clearly recognize the symptoms that are presented to him

by a patient. All the great masters of homoeopathy have talked about the importance of the

proving. It feels good to be doing it again.

(From the JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITURE OF HOMOEOPATHY, Vol.76,No.4,

December 1983 for private circulation only).

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3.3 AN INVOLUNTARY POISONING EXPERIMENT BERBERIS

VULGARIS - Dr.Von Herbert Unger

A Review

THE FOLLOWING is a condensed report of a long time observation of a three year old

child who had an involuntary poisoning with Berberis vulgaris. The case was observed and

treated by a pediatrician and a urologist, and the accurate observations of her intelligent parents.

K.R.was born February 11 1957. She had the usual childhood diseases of measles,

mumps, scarlet fever and whooping cough. In the summer of 1960 she began to have daily bitter

gall-like vomiting, and also some diarrhea. The illness continued to the end of summer although

she was given medical care, and the usual dietetic counter measures. A coincidence brought? the

mother's attention to the probable pathogenesis. The mother found in the child's dress pocket

some leaves and berries. Upon questioning the child, it was found that she had been picking and

eating the leaves and berries of this bushy scrub that grew in the yard at her nursery school she

attended daily. In the winter the symptoms became less frequent as the plant became dormant

during the cold weather. The berries were available through September.

K.R.renewed her intake of berries that summer and the mother noticed in September of

1961 small amounts of blood in the urine. This micro hematuria was not given much importance

by the physician who was treating her then. In October a new episode of hematuria cause the

parents to contact another physician, and to point out to him the possible connection that might

exist between the berries and the hematuria.

The Botanical Institute of the University of Jena had identified scrub as Berberis vulgaris. The

attention of this homoeopathically oriented physician was immediately directed to the effects of

Berberis vulgaris in the recorded provings of this remedy. The hematuria continued and at the

end of October the child was hospitalized in the children's clinic of the district hospital where she

stayed until December 20.

Several specimens of bacteriologically sterile urine were obtained by catheterization. The

urine contained large quantities of erythrocytes and noticeable mucus formation. The salts

present or the Ph was not checked. The consulting physician in view of the hematuria did

observe large amounts of oxalates. The blood picture at the time of entering the clinic showed

Hb—74% (= 11.8 gms.%), E.-3.6, FI-1.02, Lymph. 8100. Differential blood count: relative

lymphocytes 38%. The post operative blood picture showed 56% Hb. Especially noteworthy

were the increased values of cholestrin (230 mg.%) and gamma globulin (9.0%). The repeatedly

performed pylegrams (because of the left kidney pain) showed a suspicious shadow of a

concretion of the left kidney cavity.

The concerned parents connected their child's illness with the effects of Berberis vulgaris

and felt that such poisonous scrubs should be abolished where children could so easily be

attracted to eat the berries. A consulting toxicologist was contacted, and he stated that to his best

knowledge poisonings by this plant were unknown. In complete opposition to the toxicologists

report, the pediatrician and the pharmacist at the hospital insisted that the active principle of the

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Berberis plant can and does produce nephritis and hemorrhages in experimental animals.

(Angaben von Lewin).

The child went home for the holidays, and was again hospitalized January 20, 1962 until

March 5, 1962 in the Urological Department.

She was given several cystoscopies and pylographies which confirmed the stone in the

left kidney cavity. A pyelostomy was performed Feb.13, which confirmed the analysis of

accumulation of fragmented calcareous deposits in the left kidney cavity. Unfortunately a

chemical analysis of the stones were not made.

Rightfully the clinical authorities arranged for the removal of the Berberis vulgaris scrubs

from the garden of the day nursery.

A particular point made concerning this case of poisoning is that only the leaves and

stems of Berberis can be the carriers of poisonous substances. The scarlet red oblong berries

existed only in September. The main content of these berries is malic acid, high molecular

polysaccharides, gums, and vitamin C which are not considered poisonous even when the fruit is

ripening. The dried berries are extracted by boiling or by tinctures and used popularly as a

medicine against bronchial catarrhs, enterecolitis. A second peculiarity in this case was the long

time nearly two years that this chronic poisoning continued after the child stopped eating the

Berberis Leaves.

(The remaining report is an analytical consideration of the differential action of the

natural substances contained in the leaves and the stems, and the morphological and biochemical

details concerning them. He also points to earlier observations in the 17th and 19th century

which bear on the analysis of Berberis). The summary concludes: In view of the correct analyses

made of the substances contained in the plant, and the substances which are effective in Berberis

vulgaris which were established in the 18th and 19th century, it is necessary for an early

diagnosis to be made to prevent chronic sequela as seen in this case from occurring.

Homoeopathic physicians have confirmed the need for an early diagnosis many times in their

case.

[From the JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITURE OF HOMOEOPATHY, Vol.62,

No.7, 8, 9, 1969; for private circulation only]

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3.4 A PROVING OF BERBERIS VULGARIS D3 AND D30 - by G.Bayr.

In spring 1982, the German Central Union Of Homoeopathic Physicians and the Austrian

Society 0f Homoeopathy carried out a medicinal proving with new criteriae for the execution and

evaluation of provings. It was a double-blind study in which a low potency and a high potency

were both experimented and a statistical comparison of remedy—placebo was done. The

evaluation of the proving was for 3 weeks. Those who attended the course in Bad Bruckenau and

in Baden bei Wien offered themselves as provers. They were divided into 3 groups. First week

all the 3 groups received placebo, in the 2nd and 3rd week the first group received medicine D3

the 2nd group in D30 and the 3rd group placebo. All the provers were to take daily 5 drops.

In the 2nd and 3rd week of provings 22 provers under D3 reported 142 symptoms, 23

provers under D30 161 symptoms and 24 under placebo 149 symptoms. The full details have

been published in a book separately.

The condensed list of 51 symptoms of the remedy picture given herein has been from the

303 symptoms which the 45 provers observed during the period they took the drug.

THE PROVING PICTURE:

Euphoria: On the 11th, 19th and 21st days "optimistic'' and capable “than at other times",

on the 11th day despite short sleep and 19th day despite heavy strain.

Euphoria in 5 provers, once under D3, four times under D30.

Restlessness: 16th to 19th day "restlessness" cannot read longer time, happiest to be

physically occupied. Restlessness in 2 provers under D30. Irritability: On 8th and from 12th to

14th day irritable, discontented and unbalanced temperament. On 8th day "very irritable".

Irritability in 5 provers, thrice under D3, twice under D30

Illusions: On 12th , 16th and 20th day: On 12th day in the neon while falling asleep sees

a face with distorted mouth and has the feeling as if lying in a very large room. On the 16th day

behaves as if many of the well-known persons were strangers and thinks saw two of her sons

who were living away "rapidly one after the other". Awoke on 20th day with the feeling that she

has had a separation from her husband.

57 yrs. old woman prover under D30. "I have never before experienced such confusions

and illusions."

Depressive mood: On 10th, 13th and 14th day sad and depressive, on 10th day inclined to

weep after music. Depressive mood in 6 provers thrice under D3, thrice under D30.

Concentration: Inability to concentrate on 8th and 9th days, was followed by "increased

ability to concentrate" on the 16th and 18th days in the evening with least tiredness.

Inability to concentrate in a prover, under D30.

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Exhaustion: from 9th to 14th day and on 21st day tiredness, as if beaten and exhaustion;

on the 13 day evening suddenly occurring "leaden" exhaustion and on the morning of the 14th

day after "death-like" sleep renewed "leaden" exhaustion

Exhaustion in 6 provers, thrice under D3, thrice under D30.

Nightly vertigo: On 21st day night vertigo particularly from change of lying position;

consequently nausea and inclination to vomit in morning and during the entire day. Vertigo in 6

provers, 4 times under D3, twice under D30; ones "as if the head was too large", under D3.

Waking after midnight: On 8th day after taking the proving material for the first time on

the evening before, by otherwise good sleep, wakes up with increased pulse at 3 a.m. and lying

awake for longer time.

Waking at 2, 3 or 4 a.m. in 5 provers

four times under D3 once under D30.

Waking up with headache: From tendency to headache on the 18th day wakes up at 4

a.m. with severe headache; at 5 a.m. vomiting and diarrhoea; the headache continued the whole

day despite analgesics. Under D3.

Pressing headache: On 9th, 14th and 15th day pressing headache both sides parietal

region; on 9th day from 14 hours; on 15th day am. of the headache which was there since the

previous day, after taking the proving material.

Pressing headaches in 4 provers once under D3,

thrice under D30; in 3 provers on early afternoon.

Dull headache: On 11th day forenoon dull feeling in the forehead and "drawing from the

forehead up to the soft palate".

Dull headache in 3 provers, under D3.

Trigeminus neuralgia: One year ago severe trigeminus neuralgia after chilling in wind.

On 8th day after eating warm soup slight complaints in the region of 2nd branch of the right

trigeminus. Udder D30.

Dimness in the field of vision: from 12th to 21st day-symptom similar to what was 1½

years ago: "from looking down at bright objects a wandering gray screen from left side of field

of vision, which again passed off" or "as if a gray oil moved from the left side of field of vision,

as if the spectacles have been smudged" on 13th day in the morning, from 17th day onwards

passed off.

59 years old prover (woman) under D30.

Oedema of the upper lid: On the 12th day evening itching in right eye and clearly "never

before" observed oedema of right upper lid.

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Under D30. In another prover on 8th day

evening "feeling of swelling around both eyes", under D3.

Burning of eyes: From 8th to 10th day conjunctivitis of both eyes with reddening but

without much burning, on morning of the 9th day somewhat agglutinated lids.

Burning of eyes in 5 provers four times under D3, once under D30.

Discharge from nose: Already before and at the commencement of proving rhinitis

through 2 weeks. From 10th to 19th day considerable agg. of the existing rhinitis; on 13th and

14th day profuse watery nasal secretion and frequent sneezing "as if from pollinosis but had

never before had such complaints"; on 14th day "acrid secretion"; on 15th day changes to "thick

cold". Simultaneously temporary catarrh of the eustachian tubes, pharyngitis with lymph nodes

sensitive to pressure, cough, occipital headaches and tendency perspire.

Rhinitis in 4 provers under D3, twice under D30; twice only retronasal flow.

Throat pain: From 10th to 15th and on 20th day throat pains, partly sore, pulling, partly

raw, dry sensation with am. from drinking:. The throat pains began always in the a.m. mostly at

15 hrs. only on 21st day around 23 hours. In the morning everything was again completely

normal. The pains were always on the right side, on the 11th day on the left side in a small

measure; on 13th day the pains extended after an hour to the left. On the 20th day there was pain

from swallowing which extended into the ear, also the feeling "as if something too large was

there". On 11th day swelling of the cervical lymph nodes was clearly observed.

Throat pain in 10 provers, 5 times under D3,

5 times under D30; once only on right side under D3,

twice shifting from right to left under D30;

Amelioration from drinking twice under D30,

out of which once from drinking cold;

radiation into the ears thrice; splitting pain once;

cervical lymph nodes twice under D30.

Globus feeling; sensation of enlargement,

pressure or constriction in throat in three of these provers and in 3 others, thrice

under D3, thrice under D30.

Dry cough: From 8th to 13th day paroxysmal spastic cough, particularly nights.

Dry cough in 4 provers, twice under D3, twice under D30.

Cough with expectoration: On 16th impulse to cough with salty tasting expectoration.

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Expectoration in 3 provers. Once under D3 twice under D30.

Tachycardia: From Extrasystole which has seldom appeared befere on the 9th, 10th and

14th day "faster heart beat", than at other times.

Tachycardia in 2 provers once under D3, once under D30.

Palpitation: On 8th and 9th day heart beat at normal frequence, on 8th evening before

going to sleep, on 9th day while lying at 13 hours. The beat was heavy, could be felt upto the

threat and could be heard in the ears "as if I had taken too much coffee (I do not at all take

coffee)" Palpitation in 2 provers under D30.

Stenocardia: Paroxysmal tachycardia till stopping smoking 15 years ago. On 16th and

17th day heart pains, on 16th day at 22 hours stitches. On 17th day from 14 to 15 hours drawing

pains which radiated to left arm.

Stenocardia in 5 provers once under D3, four times under D30.

Thirst: On 19th and 2Cth day much thirst for cold drinks.

Thirst in 4 provers, for cold drink in 2 provers, once under D3, thrice under D30.

Ravenous appetite: On 19th and 20th day much appetite.

"Overeating in 4 persons, without becoming satisfied."

Ravenous hunger in 2 provers under D30.

Stomatitis: From 8th to 15th day painful swelling "as large as a coin" in the middle of the

hard, palate. After slow increase on the 11th day the spot is "swollen thick, curved in front,

painful", on 15th day tongue distinguishable and no more painful.

Stomatitis in 7 provers, thrice under D3, four times under D30;

thrice right, once left; twice swellings, twice aphthae.

Nausea: On 10th and 11th day nausea in mid-day before meal, on 11th day "frantic"

before meals and am. from meals.

Nausea in 8 provers 4 times under D3;

twice vomiting, once under D3; once under D30.

Stomach pain: On 12th and 16th day stomach pains

After cold drinks: On 12th day midday after a hasty swallow of ice cold coca cola a severe pain,

as if "a hole being bored in the skin in the stomach region".

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Stomach pains in 7 provers, thrice under D3,

four times under D30; twice as if from stones;

once better from eating.

Pain in the gall bladder region: On 17th day from 14 hours a pressure in upper abdomen

"as if a stone lying under the gall bladder", lasting for 2 to 3 hours.

Pains in the gall bladder region in 2 provers under D30;

once shining stool, under D3.

Meteorism: On 9th day at about 20 hours after meals a feeling of fullness, "that I was

aware of nothing else", and am. after a glass of red wine.

Meteorism in 4 provers, thrice under D3,

Once under D30; once with bad smelling but relieving flatus.

Haemorrhoidal bleeding: For years trifling complaints from haemorrhoids "on rare

occasions" and "very small quantity blood". On 15th day morning after taking the proving

material "fairly heavy" haemorrhoidal bleeding, about a thimble full; concomitantly from 15th to

18th itching haemorrhoids.

Under D3

Frequent evacuation of stool: From a tendency to obstipation on 8th, 18th and 19th day

mere number of stool in a day; on 8th and 18th thrice, on 19th twice.

Unusually frequent stool in 4 provers,

Under D30

Imperative urging for steal: During the usual two to three times daily stools imperative

urge on 14th and 21st day. "The urge comes very suddenly and I must then go quickly".

Under D30

Tenesmus: Disposed to obstipation during the proving although easy stool. On the 16th

day after the stool, feeling of "not finished".

Under D30

Diarrhoea: After complete absence of symptoms in the first two weeks on 15th day night

2 O' clock woke up with nausea, diarrhoea, perspiration with consequent weakness. The

diarrhoea remained for 3 days upto the 17th day and the proving had to be abandoned.

Under D3. Diarrhoea in 5 provers thrice under D3,

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twice under D30, once at 5 hours morning once stinking like carrion, burning &

corroding, once with relapse of anal fissure.

Obstipation: Disposed to diarrhoea and on 4th, 5th and 7th days diarrhoea under placebo.

On 12th and 13th day profuse and voluminous stool of normal consistency. On 17th and 19th

day scanty and dry stool.

Obstipation in 7 provers, four times under D3, thrice under D30, Of them, 3

provers under D30 scanty stool after earlier having had profuse stools: Once from

disposition to diarrhoea on 2. days scanty stool (see above); once after usual

evacuation of soft stool two to three in a day, on 19th day frequent urge but only

scanty evacuation; once with otherwise normal stool on 17th day three

evacuations of a formed stool and on 20th and 21

days obstipated.

From 4 provers indications of spastic obstipation; Under D3 every 1 to 2 days

once "spastic", once "sheep dung like" and once "large balls" stool; under D30 on

one day frequent urge, but scanty evacuation (see above)

Frequent urge for urination: Recurring urinary tract infection; on 4th day under placebo

already frequent strong urge far urination, "and that when the bladder was not full yet", but then

this only on some one day. On 13th, 14th, 16th, 20th and 21st day frequent and sudden severe

urging; had to wake up on 16th day at 4.30 hours and on 21st day at 6 hours; "that has never

before happened to me".

Bladder symptoms in 4 provers: frequent urinary urge twice, once under D3, once

under D30, once burning while urinating an 11th day under D3; urine once scanty

lemon-yellow urine on 20th day under D30.

Testicles pain: On the 11th, 12th and from 17th to 19th day continuous drawing in left

testicle.

Under D3

Painful mammae, uterine pain and leucorrhoea: From 17th to 19th day pains in uterus as

only during the menses period (the 17th proving day was the 21st day of the cycle); an 18th and

19th day downward pressing pain. At the same time from 17th to 20th day sensation of strain and

pressive pain in the breasts as normally 2 days before period. From 19th to 21st day first white at

commencement, later yellowish and bad smelling leucorrhoea, which causes itching of vulva and

burning.

Painful mammae in 3 provers, under D30;

once only painful nipples,

first right, then left. Under D3.

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Uterine pain in 2 provers, under D30;

Once from the 21st day of the cycle (see above)

Once unusually during the menses and radiating to sacrum and the trochanter.

Libido and Potency: On 18th and 19th day intense" sexual desire" and despite "intense

sexual activity unusually fresh".

Sexual symptoms in 6 provers: Four times much increased libido in 2 provers

under B3 (see above), in one female prover and in one male prover under D30;

once frequent erections on 20th day under D30; once from 16th to 19th day "no

desire for sexual intercourse" in one prover under D3.

Neck pain: From 10 to 14th day painful stiffness of left side of neck.

Neck pains in 2 provers, under D3.

Intercostal neuralgia: On 12th, 19th and 20th day. On 12th day at 16 hours, severe,

circular pain along lower thorax aperture. On 19th and 20th days 3 to 4 times light

pressure in the 3rd intercostal space right parasternal, lasting few minutes.

Intercostal neuralgia in 4 provers,Twice under D3,

twice under D30;twice pressing, twice stitching;

twice right, once left.

Backpain: With incidental Lumbar syndrome from 16th to 20th day paravertebral pains

in the lower lumbar vertebra which extends to the right flank; on 16th day with an intensity not

experienced since 15 years; holding the part am.; the pain which was independent of movement

slowly passed off upto 20th day.

Back pains in 4 provers, twice under D3,

twice under D30; twice right, once on

one day right side and following day on the left.

Pain in arm: On 20th day "pain on movement" in the joints of the 4th and 5th fingers, on

21st day drawing pains in the left upper arm.

Pain in one upper extremity in 5 provers, twice under D3,

thrice under D30; Once left right, four times left;

localisation now in shoulder joint, now in upper arm (see above),

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in elbow, in wrist joints and left finger joints (see above).

Pain legs: On 12th and 13th day drawing pains from gluteal to dorsal thigh right.

Pains in the lower extremities in 5 provers, once under D3, four times under D30,

twice right, twice left; once on 10th, 11th day pain in knees, right on the 10th

day, on 11th day first right and then left, with am. at rest. Further localisations

once in the achilles tendon (see below) once in the anterior part of the ankle joint

and once on 4th days stitching pains in the left big toe as if pricking by needles

"for the first time".

Pains in achilles tendons: On the 13th day and to a lesser extent on the previous day a

drawing pain in the right achilles tendon, which felt "as if too short" and, in the heel.

Under D3

Paresthesia in extremities: From the 8th to 10th day weak feeling in the right arm with

sensation as if swollen and "furriness" and with limited movement of finger.

Paresthesia in 3 provers once under D3, twice under D30; further localisation:

once numb feeling on back of left hand on three days and once

"crawling" in the soles of feet while sitting with sensation of warmth.

Blotches, Blisters and Pustules: On 10th day a pin-head sized efflorescence en the right

lower lip and a blister on the left thumb which bursted on the 12th day and formed crust; en 12th

day an itching blotch on the left calf; en 14th day three efflorescences on the right under lip; on

15th day "violently itching" blotches on left lower arm and right upper abdomen; on 19th day a

pustule on borders of lower lid.

Under D30. In a 2nd prover under D3 from 17th to 21st day a pustule on the right

angle of mouth and from 20th to 21st day a painful reddening of upper left half of

throat.

Pimples: From 11th to 20th day on the face and hands isolated eruptions of pinhead size

to pea-size bright, dry. In the course of the day the earlier eruptions begin to disappear while new

eruptions come up.

Papules in 4 provers twice under D3,

twice under D30; localisation in left

angle of jaw, on the hair roots on neck,

over the sternum with itching and on the

radial side of the index finger.

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Chill sensation: General need for coolness. On 8th and from 12th to 17th day cool feeling

in evening, first at 18 hours, en 15th and 16th day from 21 hours; on 8th and 15th day especially

cold hands and feet; en 15th day after meals "much freezing"; en 16th day felt that despite the

warm weather no perspiration unlike other times.

Cold feeling or unpleasant coldness in 10 provers,

in 10 provers, twice under D3, eight times under D30.

Warmth sensation: From 7th to 11th and from 13th day "sensation of good peripheral

blood flow", light warm flushes; "not disagreeable", the cold shower bath could be had without

shivering.

Warm sensation without perspiration in

5 provers, once under D3, four times under D30.

Warm sensation with perspiration in

further 4 provers, thrice under D3, once under D30

Laboratory findings: Increase of serum bilirubin: Under D3 from 1.0 mg% before

proving to 1.2. mg% after the proving.

Increase of GPT and Gamma GT under D3 in another prover: Before proving GPT

11mU and Gamma GPT 8mU; after the proving GPT 34 mU and Gamma GT 32 mU.

Decrease of urea in serum. Within the normal values under D30: before the proving 41.1

mg% after the proving 28.1 mg. In another prover: before the proving 40 mg%, after the

proving 26.8 mg%.

Amelioration:

Short duration of the usually recurring stomatitis aphthosa: The stomatitis aphthosa

which appeared again on 9th day disappeared on the 12th day "surprisingly fast". "Otherwise it

remained for a full week". Under D30.

Cessation of the usual Nycturia: Must wake up every night for urination. On 10th and

11th day no urge for urination at night. Under D30.

Amelioration of Incontinence of urine: Urine incontinence since myoma operation done

15 years ago. From the nineth proving day clear amelioration of urinary incontinence. Under

D30.

Disappearance of Insectophilia: Six weeks after the end of the proving the prover

(woman) reported "strange: in spite of much midges and gnats, extreme heat and corresponding

perspiration during my holidays with horse riding, not even a single sting by insects. Normally

every early summer full of insect stings". After D3.

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The identification of the proving substance: The appropriate symptoms already taken up

through repertorisation lead to an ambiguous result. It was therefore attempted to proceed from

the above mentioned laboratory results. The increase in GPT and the gamma GT speaks in

favour of the action of the proving substance on the liver. The subsidence of the urea value was,

although the output value was within the normal value, estimated as result of a tendency to

improvement of metabolism or excretory function of the kidneys, especially when the symptom

in two provers were observed. Whether it was a primary action or whether because the urea

value subsided both times under D30 it was not more likely a homoeopathically caused, contrary

action by high output values, is not discussed here further.

An organotropic affinity of Berberies to liver and kidney comes for foremost

consideration.

Because this was of course an uncertain allusion, a comparison of the proving symptoms

was made with drug picture of Berberis. The comparison was made with the drug picture of

Berberis in Dr.von Kellers monograph on Berberis and was found to concur in respect of a large

number of peculiar symptoms and thus the proving remedy was confirmed as Berberis.

The dry root of Berberis was taken for proving substance. The potencies used in the

proving were supplied by the DHU which also supported the organisational management of these

provings.

(From the ALLGEMEINE HOMOOPATHISCHE ZEITUNG, Band 28, No.5/1983;

translated from the German by Dr.K.S.Srinivasan, Madras; for private communication only)

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3.5 BOOK SHELF

(A review of books recently read including those received 'for review')

1. THE HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINE, Vol.1, compiled and arranged by Satyaprakash, with a

brief introduction by Dr.H.L.Chitkara P.O.Box No.13 Gurgaon-122 001 (Haryana), pp 552,

Hardbound.

With the renewed interest in homoeopathy the world over, and the 'timelessness’ of its

law and basis of therapeutics has come a great interest in the past treasures. The

HOMOEOPATHIC HERITAGE which has been publishing material culled from these old real

masters of the art of prescribing has been very much appreciated. However, the extent of

material is so vast and scattered that it is feared that much may become lost. It is to preserve

them that the present series have been proposed.

This first volume holds much promise of what are to follow. The compiler has under-

taken a big task of about 100 volumes.

The book is divided into sections: History, Philosophy, Materia Medica, Pharmacy,

Therapeutics, Obstetrics and Gyanaecology, Paediatrics, Jurisprudence, Dietetics, Veterinary,

etc. in chronological order. There are 63 articles in this first volume with a useful index at the

end.

We find Hering, Drysdale, Hale, Hempel, Marcy, Wesselhoeft, Pierce, Kent, Ad.Lippe,

Farrington, Berridge, Guernsey, Boyce, Burt, Raue and many others. A great galaxy indeed!

Personally, I found to my greatest joy an article in this volume which I have been

searching for a very long time. It is Hering's essay in which he has, for the first time, mentioned

the famous 'law of cure'. The late Dr.J.N.Kanjilal had written and spoken to me personally more

than once wishing to locate the essay. Since then I have been searching and learnt that it was in

the 'Hahnemannian Monthly' Vol.1, No.1, We find the complete essay in this volume.

"Let every one come out with every little observation, even if it be not "certain", or if it

be "incomplete", and that not only with respect to the old remedies, but also as to the new. What

is there in the world that is complete? What certain? There is no end to doubt when we once

begin. Let us have one observation, and hope for more; if more follow, the first may be

established, and by thus ascertaining one thing after another, we shall in time, render all

complete" (FRAGMENTARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO MATERIA MEDICA AND

THERAPEUTICS by CHERING, Feb.1851)

"I find PHOSPHOROUS more frequently indicated for stricture of the oesophagus than

any other remedy" says H.N.Guernsey in the article "STRICTURE OF OESOPHAGUS"

(Sep.1871)

A report on Homoeopathic Congresses, 1850 says that Des Guidis offered a price of 300

francs to the best essay on the indication of a useful method of determining exactly the

characteristic peculiarities of remedies which have been tried on healthy persons; as applied to

Calcarea, Lycopodium, Silicea and Causticum.

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Dasasi offered a price of 500 francs to the best essay on the question: 'In what potency

have the homoeopathic remedies most efficacy in acute diseases? What characters of disease

decide the superiority of one potency over another? What conclusion can we form as to the

repetition of the dose?'

These are just one or two samples. It is hoped that apart from the foreign journals the

compiler will also draw, for the future volumes, from the old Indian Journals in which some of

the greatest Indian homoeopaths like Dr.Ghosh, N.M.Chaudhuri, Sarkar and many others made

original contributions.

Printed on good paper with very few printing errors and well-bound, the book is warmly

recommended for all interested not only in homoeotherapeutics but also in the history and

development of homoeopathy the world-over. Every homoeopathic college must have a copy of

this in their library.

2. "PSYCHE & SUBSTANCE, Essays on Homoeopathy in the light of Jungian Psychology", by

Edward Whitmont, M.D., North Atlantic Books, USA 1982, 204 pp.

Dr.Whitmont had training in Adlerian psychology and he studied homoeopathy with the

late Dr.Elizabeth Wright Hubbard. Later he met Carl G.Jung and studied Jungian therapy. His

approach to medicine is holistic.

Those who have read some of his earlier articles in the homoeopathic journals will know

his 'constitutional' approach.

In the book under review: the first part is devoted to an 'overview' which include 'basic

law of psychic and somatic interrelationships', 'the law of similars in analytic psychology' and

'constitution and disposition'. The second part deals with 'homoeopathic remedies and their

archetypal forms', 'Psychosomatic studies of SujLphur, Lycopodium, Sepia, Phosphor, Lachesis,

Carbo animalis, Mandragora and Aristolochia clematis'; 'a comparison of Calcarea and

Magnesia', 'Additional Symptoms of Latrodectus mactans'. ["A peculiar strain of conservatism

and slowness runs through all shades of Lycopodium personalities. It is the caution of a person

who has learned to rely not on physical strength and impulsiveness but upon the slower pace of

deliberation and careful scrutiny (CONSCIENTIOUS EVEN ABOUT TRIPLES) ..........

Frequently Lycopodium is indicated in tuberculous conditions. It would be an interesting task to

investigate to what extent a personality type that, as it were, over-reaches himself in his mental

efforts is characteristic of the tuberculous make up."

" ....... A good many of the less known Magnesium indications are simply duplications of

Calcarea indications. The ignorance of this fact will make the prescriber consider Calcarea only

in the face of symptoms which would actually call for Magnesium.

"........ Lactrodectus Mactans presents itself as a medicine with characteristic symptoms of

broad range and deep effect upon the vital force. It probably deserves an important place in our

therapeutic armamentarium. We should consider it in acute emergencies of surgical as well as of

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circulatory nature, as well as in the spastic paralytic and neuralgic syndromes which conform

with the mental and general symptoms thus far elicited.

" ........ In routine office work, first consideration is to be given to Aristolochia clematis

before any other remedy (unless definitely indicated) in any case of suppressed or deficient

menstruation (such as usually associated with Pulsatilla), as well as in the average case of

cystitis. As a vulnerary, it seems to be superior to Calendula)."

Next part deals with 'problems of chronic prescribing1, 'a differential diagnosis' of

"impatience", Surgery, an attitude of present day medicine'.

The last part deals with 'allergic diathesis', 'new or forgotten indications of Tuberculin', 'the

intestinal nosodes' and 'the chronic miasms'. ["Thyroidin is the nosode for the allergically,

hysterically and emotionally disturbed vasomotor constitution."]

An excellent book, recommended to all homoeopathy practitioners.

3. FRUHZEIT DER HOMOOPATHIE von Renate Wittern, Hippokrates Verlag, Stuttgart, 1984,

223 pages, hard bound, DM 48. (THE EARLY DAYS OF HOMOEOPATHY by Renate

Wittern)

The loyal disciples of Samuel Hahnemann, ERNST STAPF, G.W.GROSS and MORITZ

MULLER started in 1822 in Leipzig the publication of a journal titled ARCHIVS FUR DIE

HOMOOPATHISCHE HEILKUNST - the first Journal of homoeopathy. With the creation of

this first homoeopathic journal began a new epoc in the history of homoeopathy. The journal had

a clear concept: every issue had five parts: basic work in general, cures, aphorisms and ideas of

the past and present masters of the art, debate on homoeopathic and non-homoeopathic writings

and lastly proving reports.

The ARCHIV survived till 1848 - in 23 volumes with 3 supplements.

For 8 years the ARCHIV was the only homoeopathic journal. In 1830 HARTLAUB and

TRINKS brought out the ANNMALEN DER HOMOOPATHISCHEN KLINIK. The same year

SCHWEIKERT brought out another journal. And in 1832 the ALLGEMEINE

HOMOOPATHISCHE ZEITUNG was brought out by GROSS and HARTMANN; this journal is

existing till date, since 155 years. Some other journals like the HYGEA appeared and

disappeared after some time.

The book under review contains 12 articles culled out of the ARCHIV from 1822 to

1838. We have articles from- the earliest followers of Hahnemann - Moritz Muller, Benjamin

Schweikert, Paul Wolf, Caspari, Wilhelm Gross, Jakob Rummel, von Korsakoff, Hartlaub. The

book is in three parts: Distinctive features of Homoeopathy,

Homoeopathy-Allopathy, aspects of the homoeopathic dosage. At the end there are brief

biographies of the authors of the articles. Two facsimile prints from the original letters to

Hahnemann by von Korsakoff and Hartlaub are also given.

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The book enables us to form a fair picture of the early days of homoeopathy; the

potencies generally used then, the struggles and the successes. The originals of the material are

in the Robert-Bosch Stifftung, Stuttgart, Medical Historians in general and Homoeopathy

historians in particular are much obliged to Renate Wittern for this work.

Printed on art paper, excellent get up and well bound.

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4 QHD, Vol.IV, No.4, December 1987

Dear Doctor,

If we are to single out one man but for whom homoeopathy would not have spread world-

wide it will be CONSTANTINE HERING. It will be a separate and lengthy essay if we were to

write about this great homoeopath and his works.

HERING was born on 1st January, 1800 and therefore we felt that the NEW YEAR

should be heralded with celebration of HERING's birth anniversary. No better tribute can be paid

to HERING than to recall his works and master the materia medica he built up.

HERING proved many remedies; however LACHESIS is considered as his 'pet child'.

This number of our DIGEST is therefore devoted to LACHESIS.

We have presented an archetypal study by Dr. Twentyman and a study according to

Jungian psychology by Dr. Edward Whitmont; followed by clinical case reports.

A section 'Feed back' has been added. 'Book-shelf discusses two books.

December 31, 1987

Yours sincerely,

K.S. SRINIVASAN

1253, 66

Street,

Korattur,

Madras 600 080

P.S. PLEASE REMIT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION OF Rs.50- FOR 1988 BEFORE 28 FEB. 1988.

POSITIVELY. M.O.s/DRAFTS MAY PLEASE BE MADE ONLY ON MY NAME. NO

CHEQUES PLEASE.

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4.1 LACHESIS - L.R. TWENTYMAN, M.B., B.CH., F.F.HOM.

In spite of all that has been said perhaps it is Justified to attempt yet a further look at

Lachesis. It behoves us to do all that we can to bring out the genuine wholeness in our drug

pictures, for mostly these present themselves to us, still, more or loss as agglomerations of

paradoxical symptoms. We are faced with the question whether the source or only the chemical

nature of this venom is significant. The chemical nature was the basis of Otto Leeser's study and

must be allowed to stand, but the serpent nature, as revealed in myth, forms the basis of

Whitmont's interpretation. Both approaches convince us of their validity.

Let us these begin with the serpents. Some of them are poisonous, most of them are not.

In evolution they appeared as polar opposites to the birds, both developing from primordial

reptiles, but in opposite directions, clearing the air, so to speak, for the mammals and man to

make their appearance in the middle. Whereas in birds the whole trunk has been condensed into

a sort of cage serving altogether as a head, in the snakes everything has become digestive.

Snakes, as Jaworski also saw, are intestines served by other organs. Everything in them is

concerned with swallowing and digesting. The digestive capacity of these creatures is staggering,

they do not eat it or chew, and they swallow it whole. The digestive force is so strong that

practically only pure uric acid is eliminated. In this elimination of uric acid they resemble the

birds; mammals eliminate urea, with the strange exception of Dalmatian dogs which also excrete

uric acid. This colossal digestive capacity is true of both the poisonous and non-poisonous

varieties.

The snakes are a series of almost non-ending vertebrae, up to 400. They have lost their

legs and pelvic and shoulder girdles. Their heads with attached jaws are almost just a simple

continuation of the vertebrae, with ribs for jaws. There is no sternum, no thorax, and the jaws can

move separately so that the snakes can, so to speak, walk over their prey. In them segmentation,

metamerism, reaches its highest expression but it is entirely in service to the digestive function.

They have usually only one lung, the left is greatly reduced or practically absent. Here the

asymmetry which governs the abdomen extends strongly into the lungs, again showing how

everything has dropped backwards or fallen downwards in these creatures. Just as in the birds

everything has jumped ahead, so in snakes everything has become intestine has fallen down. It is

interesting also to note how in lizards and kindred forms, as legs diminish towards limbless

forms the number of vertebrae correspondingly increase.

In the realm of the senses similar tendencies meet us. The eyes of the snake, contrasting

with the ever-open eyes of the cuttlefish, are forever sealed; the eyelids have become transparent

but are closed. It seems, too that the snake only sees movement. Stationary objects it cannot see.

It probably has no sense for colour.

The sense of sight therefore can be said to have fallen out of its true sphere into a sense of

movement. The tongue, flickering in and out through a small hole in the closed lips, seems rather

to touch the air around than to taste anything. The swallowing whole of the victim is against any

real tasting.

The tongue, with horny tips, seems to be an Extended organ of touch, not taste, The ears

are scarcely developed, the middle ear, with the three ossicles, morphologically representing

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thigh, leg and foot, is absent, as is to be expected inccreatures without limbs. Hearing has

become a sense for mere vibration extended through the length of the creature. The senses also

are fallen degraded lower than their proper station. We have the impression that everything has

slipped down a stage, is out of its proper place.

In the birds, a great range of colourful motifs and gestures come to outer expression in

plumage, ritual dances and behaviours, and in song. In the snakes very little of all this psychic

world, which the birds have around them, manifests outwardly. No bird is poisonous. In the

snakes, we are compelled to see that all this rich realm of psychic forces has entered into the very

metabolic, digestive processes. It is this world of forces, penetrating too deeply into the

physiological realm that gives rise to the poison. Is it not also this occulted world of the psychic

which has become concealed in, rather than manifested around, the creature, that is the wisdom

of the serpent. Like the blind sage Teiresias, like the blind Homer, the snake’s attention is

towards an inner world in which profoundest wisdom is concealed.

But the endless repetition of the vertebra, the inability as it were, of the snake to put an

end to it, is skill enigmatic. The vertebral note sounded again and again, like the repeated nodes

of plant growth, points to immense vegetative forces of life. The bringing of this to a conclusion

in skull and pelvis, as in root and blossom, belongs to other than purely vegetative forces. In the

snake these other psychic forces have gone entirely into the digestive realm, neither can they

bring forth limbs, and proper lungs from which inner sound can come forth. The snake can only

hiss.

The snake often has a sexual, phallic, significance. This again is enigmatic, seeing that its

life patterns are much more digestive than sexual. In considering the cuttlefish, Sepia off., we are

faced with the bipolarity of sex; the cuttlefish and cephalopods can represent both the uterus and

head. Conception in mankind is predominantly female in the uterus and male in the brain, and we

are reminded of how the bisexual primitive forms became divided into separate sexes as Plato

indicates in the Symposium and as indicated also in Genesis. This moment of division is usually

associated with the fall of Man and we have been seeing how much the serpent is a revelation of

fallen state. Now we also saw in the molluses how the oyster is a polar contrast to the octopus

and cuttlefish, and how the oyster strikes a predominantly cephalic note, the octopus a

predominantly uterine one. In the case of the snakes, we shall have to look to the birds to find the

complementary form. Taken alone, the serpent represents a sexuality concerned only with

sexuality and reproduction. The higher pole of sexuality concerned with knowledge and

consciousness is missing, sex has also collapsed into a fallen, or partial aspect which again for

this reason fills the soul with a horror, the meaninglessness of mere feeding and reproduction, the

horror of the snake pit.

How far can this picture of the snake help us to unriddle the drug picture of Lachesis?

The greed of the snake which compels it to swallow its victim whole finds it place in the egotism

of Lachesis. The great emphasis on swallowing must be related to all throat symptoms of all the

snake venoms, but particularly Lachesis. In the egg-eating snake this note is most tellingly

expressed. Special bony knobs on some of the vertebrae break right through into the oesophagus.

The egg, swallowed with difficulty, is held behind the head as a great bulge; then it is cracked

against the vertebral bones and the shell sent up, the egg contents swallowed down. In the globus

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hystericus, which in minor degreed is a common symptom, we sense a difficulty in swallowing, a

reluctance to swallow the bitter pill of truth, a fear of being poisoned.

The question of the throat, of swallowing, so central to the Lachesis picture, calls for our

further consideration. The throat is the gateway to the world of the belly, the world of the

unconscious, the underworld. When we swallow something it passes from the sphere of

consciousness into the unconscious, there we digest it and absorb it and are ourselves changed in

the process. We swallow not only food but experience. We are often reluctant to swallow

unpleasant truths and experiences and thus they stick in our gullet, but then we cannot forget

them either, nor can we grow through their digestion. The throat is a threshold and we learn from

mythology that at doorways or thresholds there are guardians.

Now in the mythology of the healing god Asklepios, snakes and dogs are

interchangeable. In the Roman museum at Bath there is an altar to Asklepios and on one side

there is a snake, on another a dog. San Rocco, the patron saint of the plague and mediaeval saint

of healing, is always portrayed with a dog. It is indeed strange to find that Lac caninum, our

remedy from bitches' milk, has also this predilection for the throat and with Lachesis and

Mercurius is one of three great remedies for sore throats and diphtheria. The God Mercury, of

course, carries the Caduceus and is the psychopompus, the guide to the underworld, whilst our

remedy Lac caninum is characterized by dreams of snakes.

The egotism of Lachesis may also be based on the selfishness of the snake digestion

which gives so little back to the earth. In contrast we have to think of the cow, another sacred

animal, which however, with its profound and mysterious digestion gives to the earth the potent

restoring manure of the excrement and bestows its beneficent milk.

The great sensitivity of the throat to touch in the Lachesis patient belongs partly to the

general throatiness of snakes we have been considering and partly to the extreme sensitivity to

touch altogether shown by these patients.

Bearing in mind the main features of our characterization of the snake, the predominance

of the digestive function and the fall of other-function to a lower status than normal, we have to

see how certain main symptoms of the Lachesis picture fall into place.

Firstly, there is the aggravation of symptoms during and after sleep, with waking into an

aggravation of symptoms. The predominantly katabolic activity of the brain and nervous system

during waking life gives way during sleep to a predominantly anabolic life. The balance tilts

decisively during sleep in the direction of anabolism and those symptoms and disease processes

which arise from anabolic superfluity are exaggerated. These are exactly the Lachesis conditions.

Over-sleeping can be as much a cause of illness as under sleeping, which falls more into the Nux

vomica field of action. Sepia conditions can be ameliorated or aggravated by sleep, in my

experience they are often ameliorated and Phosphorus is usually better for even short sleeps.

Secondly, symptoms are relieved by the onset of discharges, whether nasal, menstrual or

other. Again here we see how a disbalance which has developed under anabolic supremacy is

restored to harmony by the excretory, katabolic functions culminating in discharges.

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Thirdly there is the extreme sensitivity to touch and particularly to constriction of any

form. It is a little like the Ignatia hypersensitivity and is more to light touch than firm pressure. It

seems to be associated with hypersensitive, hysterical types of women and it may be connected

with the definite tendency for hysterical symptoms to manifest more on the left side of the body.

Hysterical symptoms proper reflect a predominance of the metabolic pole, in contrast to

neurasthenic symptomatology which expresses the overweighting of the balance in the direction

of the nerves and senses pole. This connection with the left right polarity is also suggestive. The

left side is both the feminine and the unconscious side and so here again we are brought up

against the balance of conscious and unconscious which we have considered in relation to the

throat. We should also bring it into relationship with the arterial-venous polarity. The left side is

the arterial and centrifugal side, whereas the right side is venous and centripetal. The Lachesis

tendency to purplish, venous discoloration is thus found to be related to the left-sidedness and

sensitivity to constriction. Any constriction, more particularly on the left, centrifugal, side, will

result in congestion and venous distention. A firm enough pressure will also result in stopping

the arteriolar flow and hence will prevent the venous overfilling. This preponderance of the

venous side of the circulation may well be the basis also for the desire for air, for open windows,

characterizing these patients. The aggravation from warmth with the relation to digestive and

metabolic activities and its tendency to dilate the skin circulation is to be expected, as is the

aggravation from alcohol. The Lachesis headaches of congestive type, aggravated by heat or sun

and often left-sided, can be included here.

There is one further mental symptom which needs to be mentioned, the loquacity

sometimes seen in and indicating this remedy. It is an endless chatter of unrelated themes in

which no real expression of the personality is achieved no real communication. Any restriction

on their logorrhea is felt as a constriction in the physical symptoms. It reminds, too, of the

endless repetition of the vertebrae, with the inability to put a stop to it, and finally the flashing in

and out of the tongue, restlessly touching the air as the chatter seems to be more a feeling, a

testing of the environment than an utterance from within. The snake can only hiss, it cannot

sound forth its inner world.

The Lachesis patient may have a craving for oysters which seems indeed another telling

symptoms'. The oyster as head puts an end to and a crown on top of the vertebral column and so

it is indeed what the snake in us seeks; as a healing and completion of its exaggerated one-

sidedness.

Amongst the general indications for Lachesis we find the menopause and this seems to be

related to certain features, two of them already familiar to us. The menopause marks the

threshold of a new phase of existence; it marks the time when the individual can begin to take in

hand his or her renewal, when the primary tasks of reproductive life are over. It is the transition

from tasks of generation to those of regeneration. The cessation of the healing discharge of

menstruation adds another note. The other feature of the snake which finds expression here is the

changing of the skin, the renewal which it experiences every spring. We can also relate the

spring and autumn aggravations to these same dynamics.

So far we have attempted to sketch the relation of the Lachesis drug picture to the serpent

archetype, using as a help the essential features revealed by biology and mythology. It is perhaps

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surprising how far this can go, especially when we consider that the remedy is prepared from the

venom rather than from the snake itself. It does seem that the mental and general symptoms and

modalities are more understandable in terms of the characterization of the serpent as a whole

than in terms of the chemistry of the venom and the acute symptoms of snake bite.

The acute picture of snake bite depends on the injection of venom, usually some mls, into

the flesh of the victim. The venom, considered as a complex mixture of enzymes, is also

understood as a powerful secretion of salivary or digestive glands, The presence of such

powerful enzymes in salivary or modified salivary glands again relates these glands of the mouth

to the intestinal and pancreatic juices. The same note which we have observed before is again

struck here and emphasized by the presence in snake venom of zinc, which is a normal

constituent of the pancreas. Powerful digestive processes, normally only occurring in the secret

coils of the intestine, are after snake bite unveiled to our observation, Perhaps this is one further

reason for the dread they invoke. These processes should not happen to the living, intact, victim.

They should be reserved for the digestion of the chewed up, masticated portions of already killed

prey. Understood in this way, these phenomena find their natural place within our overall

picture. They manifest clinically in the severe septicaemic states which in the pre-antibiotic era

were one of the chief successes in the Lachesis claim to fame. The crude toxic phenomena of

snake bite then find their disease correlate in the toxic inflammatory states. The phenomena of

provings, in which potencies are ingested, find their general correlation in the organs and regions

of the body, e.g. the throat, in laterality and in the modalities. The mentals on the whole seem to

be correlated with those 'provings', as I would maintain that are expressed in myth and legend

and which are the response to the total impact made by the serpent through all the senses of the

soul and not merely through the sense of taste.

[From The British Homoeopathic Journal published by Volume LXIV – 1975; abridged by Dr.

K.S.Srinivasan, Madras; slightly for private circulation only]

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4.2 PSYCHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS ON LACHESIS -

EDWARD C. WHITMONT, M.D

I am going to confront you with an approach to the remedy that is entirely different from

any you have been hearing. It comes not from the physiological angle but from that of depth

psychology; I might almost say, from a spiritual angle.

To begin, I would like to say, that in thinking in holistic terms, Hahnemann was ahead of

his own as well as our time with his anticipation of an overall pattern which encompasses not

only substance but also what we now call energy. This was his most revolutionary discovery, a

oneness that underlies illness and cure as one and the same. Both have begun to be repostulated

in our time by modern physics, biology and depth psychology.

Our drug pictures constitute what in German are called Sinnbilder. Translated, Sinnbild

means image of meaning, or symbol. Through the symbol we grasp the way the forces of cosmic

and biological energy operate meaningfully. The symbolic model is now used in nuclear physics,

in depth psychology and to a certain extent in modern biology but has not as yet, by and large

reached the science of medicine. It is unconsciously inherent in Hahnemann's approach. I now

propose to use the symbolic approach for the sake of understanding more fully the dynamic force

of the serpent, the snake remedies, the foremost of which is Lachesis.

Let me diverge for a moment and say that a good deal of clinical pathology can be

understood in terms of body symbolism. It is for instance true that when you analyse the

psychosomatic background of cardiac disorder, you will nearly always find very central

problems of feeling that have been repressed. This is in keeping with the old tradition, the old

intuitive insight, of the heart symbolizing the functions of feeling. With gastric of duodenal

ulcers, you might ask yourself the question. "What is eating this person, emotionally?" This is an

organism that devours itself. The typical rheumatic state is somehow indicating a rigidifying

tendency in the personality as well as the body.

Also when in psychiatry we aim at understanding the unconscious psyche we proceed by

relating its dynamics of dream and fantasy images to mythological and symbolic motives

(themes) which are the languages of the unconscious psyche. Mythological symbolism offers the

most ancient as well as the most modern, and therefore timeless, comprehension of man's

relationship to the action of cosmic forces.

Now let us look at the image pattern, the Gestalt or form, the symbol of the serpent as

though it were a dream of nature in which a particular state of man, a particular potential state of

pathology is represented. The serpent is one of our most ancient and most grandiose

mythological motives. May I remind you that the staff of Aesculapius features the serpent wound

around a central staff. The serpent is the image of primordial, autonomous, impersonal life

energy underlying and creating existence and consciousness. It is the image of the instinctual

life-will, of desirousness, hunger for life (Latin, libido), the urge to taste life, to learn and grow

through testing life. In Eastern tradition it represents what is called Maya, namely the illusion of

existence, and the manifestation of primordial energy, Prakriti. You are given a feeling about the

consciousness-offering quality of the snake in the Old Testament; it is the urge to taste from the

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tree of life and of knowledge. Hahnemann referred to it when he prefaced his Organon with

"Aude sapere" - Dare to taste and understand Sapere means both taste and understand. Hence the

snake force involves us in life and living, not theoretically, but by deeply emptying the cup. It is

a force which is wrapped around the tree of life and knowledge in the story of Paradise, leading

to the fall from Paradise but also to life's healing forces in the staff of Aesculapius.

You also find the serpent on the cross, substituted for Christ in the Christian Gnostic

tradition. It is that which involves the fall of man and again leads him out of it. The serpent is to

be elevated, to be brought to a higher level. It is the force which leads to life and into life and is

being developed into consciousness, but, and here is the great paradox, in this development of

consciousness life has turned against itself.

Therefore the image of the snake which eats its own tail, the uroboros, is the symbol of

the infinity of life. In the development toward consciousness, toward an ego, life of necessity

turns against itself. Ego development rests upon at least partial repression of instinctual urges. If

we are not willing to live like animals, we must take a stand against our spontaneous emotional

and instinctual drives; and this is the split within the life forces of the serpent itself. It is a de-

integration, a fragmentation, which rends the harmonious wholeness. Where logos apposes bios,

spirit stands against life and you encounter the pathology of the serpent. The serpent pathology is

the unintegrated life impulse, the unintegrated libido, the unintegrated instinct split off and split

in itself. It is the rebellion or paralysis of the life urge or libido; you can say Lachesis is the

penalty of unlived life. Thus you have the egocentricity of Lachesis and on the other hand, the

motif that appeared in the dream in Dr. Stubler's paper, with the depth psychological symbolism

quite evident. In a woman's dream that motif of cutting up one's own husband means cutting

one's own unconscious maleness. Cutting up the "totally other", namely the unconscious side,

amounts to the destruction of the unconscious libido. This is a dream which I would say is indeed

typical of Lachesis inasmuch as the woman is severing herself psychologically from all the life

impulses, but it need not refer only to Lachesis (Let me say in parenthesis that the rubric on

dreams in Kent ought to be taken with a grain, or several grains, of salt. They often fit, but owing

to the lack of psychodynamic understanding and dream symbolism one can easily be led astray.)

The main heading of serpent pathology is the repression and cutting off of vital forces as

a price to be paid for personal and personality development. This covers all that which

Hahnemann intuited under the heading of Psora, the universal sickness of man. Consequently we

have Kent's remark that the basic snake nature is that which we all have. In a way, I would

consider the snake venom a most violent anti-psoric medicine.

Now, I would say Lachesis is a particular, special version of this, as all snakes have their

own personalities and diversions of pathology. Lachesis represents what I Would call a jungle

variety of this libido aspect. It is the emotionally and sexually charged picture which reminds me

somewhat of a chronic Gelsemium with its sultry sensuousness. It is something like a thick smell

of repressed emotionally and sensuality which makes me think of Lachesis.

Now, having this model in view, how does it establish a sense of order among the chaos

of clinical and proving symptoms? How does it apply to the materia medica? Let us take the

guiding symptoms one by one. First, the left sidedness of left to right; here you have an

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extension, an invasion, as it were, of pathology from the left side. The left side is the sinistra

side, the sinister aide, because left has always been equated with unconscious function. It is the

heart side the relatively receptive not to say passive side. Therefore it is the feeling and

emotional side. You will find that the left side is always overburdened emotionally and

programmed toward the unconscious; with all this we also think of Sepia and Phosphorus. These

two are predominantly unconscious-determined, oversensitive even clairvoyant medicines.

Lachesis also has this, as well as Sepia, a heavily repressed emotional type. You have here the

classical typical invasion of repressed energy from the unconscious, emotional personality.

The next keynote is constrictiveness, constriction anywhere but particularly of the throat.

I find this quite frequently as a psychiatric syndrome when the capacity to ascertain oneself as a

personality is threatened. The globus hysterieus for instance is a typical response for the throat

when the ego has a difficult time holding its own against the invasion of emotional and

especially sexual forces. The constrictiveness is a response to unseen yet powerfully experienced

forces.

Next is the breakdown of the blood life and the autonomous nerve control. You may

remember that Nazi slogan was "Blood and Soil". With all its viciousness in the political

circumstances this was a profoundly moving symbolic image psychologically. It would not have

been so vicious, had it not been so valid. Blood is indeed the deepest, most basic expression of

life and living. When life is repressed, it is cut off. The constriction of blood, of life force, is a

physiological constriction corresponding to the psychological image of cut-off emotion. Think of

the anaemic young ladies of the Victorian age whose goodness did not allow them to live a red-

blooded life.

Finally, the epitome of unlived life is to be found in the tendency for carcinoma. To me

cancer is number one on the list of psychosomatic disorders arising from unlived life which

assumes concrete form as autonomous unintegrated growth. It then exceeds the total organism

and does not fit into the whole. In cancer pathology you will always find a sense of hopelessness,

disappointment bitterness, grimness, resentment against existence, whether events have

precipitated these feelings or not. Even in the Rorschach pattern these personality traits have

been confirmed, namely the constrictive, over-controlled personality that has come to a

breakdown of controls. It is not merely the "repressed" personality, since everyone nowadays is

found to be repressed in one way or another but specifically the personality repressed with

respect to the life-supporting qualities of aggression, emotion and sexuality. It is a repression of

emotional intensity, of violent intensity underlying a controlled surface. Hence this personality is

suspicious to the degree of paranoia, tense and depressed. I do not believe too much in jealousy

as a leading or helpful symptom because as in the case of repression, everyone has it. Rather the

condition is similar to that of a snake lying quiescent ready at the slightest provocation to strike,

to bite. With a acceptability to hallucinatory and ecstatic states the slightest triggers the crack-up

that may lead to explosion.

From this standpoint, the intense aggressive urge is also more comprehensible. The

Lachesis personality is very uptight and the underlying tendency to close off hides a vicious hate,

meanness and even cruelty, the revenge for a life not lived. There is restraint, a seeming shyness

overlaying a bitter tongue. We also find states that are the result of grief, fright, suppressed love,

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a danger encountered or a sorrow which could be integrated into the overall feeling life of the

personality. The flow of life is stopped, blocked on both the physical and the psychological level.

Body fluids, menstrual or other, are blocked in their flow. So it is understandable that a keynote

of Lachesis is improvement from the opening of discharges.

Lastly the climactic point, the last chance at the change of life for the juices to flow. The

change of life represents a critical point for the Lachesis symptomatology. In this last-change

situation, the life force and the emotions produce something akin to the eruption of a volcano.

There is also aggravation from sleep. In sleep all of our conscious controls are relaxed.

The same, by the way, applies to the effects of alcohol, also a keynote of aggravation. The

consciously controlled activities are relaxed and the unconscious can take, over, and it takes its

compensating revenge. When we wake up, what do we find? We find ourselves overwhelmed by

all the forces and impulses we cannot consciously accept and permit. We try to pull down the lid

again, and conflict and aggravation ensue from the rebound toward repression.

Aggravation from touch, You know when you are pressed or hit, psychologically, you

bound back but when the soft approach is used, you are "touched" Your feeling overrules your

defences and comes forth. This is what the Lachesis person's repressed life, feelings and

emotions cannot afford. Touch evokes feeling, evokes emotion, and thus evokes an aggravation

of the repressed tendencies. On the other hand hard pressure improves because we can respond

by tightening and shaping up to the pressure. However there is oversensitivity to anything

constricting, because the constrictive tendency is a threat to vital functioning. This is a poignant

example of how body function, taken symbolically reflects the working of the archetype.

Finally we have aggravation in the autumn but foremost in the spring. These seasons of

transition, of budding love and life, lower the conscious defences and are times of Lachesis

aggravation. Conversely, motion, cold, fresh air, wakeful activity, stimulate conscious control

and close and lid effectively on the intense unconscious upsurge.

Let us now consider the development of organ pathology, head, throat, heart, ovary and

veins, and blood decomposition.

The head is the centre of ego consciousness. When pathology is no longer head in check,

the superior, most controlled organ breaks down first. When a revolt succeeds, it first topples the

ruling chiefs. Take for instance migraine headaches: migraine expressing the psychological state

of forcing one's head through a wall. The wall doesn't suffer, but the head does.

The throat area we have already characterized as the area of conflict between continued

control of the sense of identity on the one hand and the onrush of unconscious emotions on the

other.

The heart is the centre and the seat for validating life qualities and life feelings.

The ovaries and sexual organs evidently are the centre of repressed libido, sexual and

biological urges.

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The veins are the channels where the life flow becomes relatively turgid. Remember

again the image of the sultry jungle world of Lachesis. Ac the life flow slows, stagnation sets in,

in waters already stilled. Whatever the organ, whenever the lower half of the body is reached by

the repressive effects, the vital functions are most centrally threatened.

I have attempted to give you a sense of the personality traits of Lachesis, the Gestalt

underlying isolated keynote symptoms that you may recognize, in the pathological state of

Lachesis, this picture of a repressed intense life urge pushing back.

Let me close with the remark made by Fritsche, "that whoever attempts to speak

plausibly of Homoeopathy, regresses to the time of the powdered wig", to the Zopfzeit.

I hope I have talked plausibly, but not rationally in the sense of our medical confreres'

particularistic tradition. I believe that a readiness to perceive those holistic, psychosomatic,

indeed personality patterns, such as is now, albeit slowly, making its advent into some branches

of modern psychology, may be able to bring us a step nearer to the profound mystery of

Homoeopathy, The contradictions in Homoeopathy may eventually open a way toward

comprehension of it.

Yet this mystery is the mystery of life and of its paradox of the hidden unity of suffering

and healing, the mystery of the snake and the mystery of how Homoeopathy heals.

[From the British Homoeopathic Journal Volume LXIV – 1975; Slightly abridged by Dr.

K.S.Srinivasan, Madras; for private circulation only]

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4.3 THREE LACHESIS CASES – A. HENNESSY, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S.,

L.R.F.P.S., M.F.HOM

First case: Mrs.X, age now 49. I met her first socially 8 years ago. As she comes from

the same part of the world as I do, we became friendly. She also consults me as a patient at

intervals of 2 to 6 months. Her father was an aristocrat, a widower with 3 grown-up children

when he married his second wife - my patient's mother, who had a small daughter from her

previous marriage.

Mrs. X was a very spoiled child, looked after by servants whom she did not obey, and she

told me once that if the maid angered her she defaecated on to the carpet for her to clean away.

My theory is, a spoiled child remains so all through her life. Mrs. X was, and still is,

unreasonably Jealous.

I was ill some time ago, and because a friend of mine was looking after me she did not

come to see me for many months. She maintained she should have been asked first, although she

could not have stayed with me.

That all is typical of Lachesis, the Surucuccu snake which has her domain in the dark

forests of Brazil where any creature that enters will be attacked fiercely by her.

According to D. G. Fabre, this creature is of extraordinary malevolence. It will attach anything,

even a Jaguar and a campfire.

My patient is charming to meet, lively, talkative full of fun, but gets depressed easily,

also angered. Has people round her whom she dislikes intensely. She may cry. One day she told

me, whatever faults she has, she never lies, whereupon I said - "but you do, I never know which

is the right version of a happening you are telling". She sat down and cried all afternoon,

relieving herself with a flow of words, being accused of telling too much, etc., and etc. She is

often unpredictable, incredible also in her emotions. She has a strange pride of being better than

others mingled with inferiority complexes. She fears to fly by plane, fears the dentist neglecting

her teeth. She is the most egocentric person I have ever met. She also can be very helpful, if it

suits her.

Her appearance is attractive and liked by the opposite sex. Although married she is

suffering from some kind of nymphomania, picking her prey with a very refined art of seduction.

She is active and industrious, music loving, was at one time a chorus girl in the opera, cannot

stand T.V. being too noisy and poor programmes. She likes a good alcoholic drink in which she

over-indulges at times, suffering from its ill-effects afterwards. Appetite is good, avoids sweet,

and desires savouries and acidy food and potatoes. Thirst for cold drinks.

Sleep: always poor, even after a sleep not refreshed. A long lie upsets her even more.

Generally: Cannot stand excessive heat, nor cold, desires fresh air, flushes easily, cannot

stand any constriction.

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She came to me as a patient for the first time in January 1967. Her periods were very

heavy, lasted a week, were regular. She felt worse before, wakens with a headache and often also

with anginal pain. Also pain in the liver region, and backache.

O.E. - thin, slightly flushed face with oedema under her eyes. B.P. 140/100. Heart NAD.

Chest - clear. Abdomen: tender liver and gall-bladder. Urine - NAD. Lachesis 200/3 and placebo

for one month given.

Seeing her after a month, she felt much better, calmer, but complained of much flatulence

and fullness. Lycopodium 30/3 given. She was well up to June. Then Lachesis was repeated, and

again in October. In November 1967. Wheezy dry throat, nervous terrified from having to fly

home to see her mother. Gels. IOM helped her then. In December still coughing, palpitations at

night, afraid to sleep in case she would not waken. B.P. 170/100. Lachesis kept her going until

next August when she lost her job from the information desk at the Airport. She felt tired; loss of

appetite, Lachesis M/1 and placebo helped her. In October 1968, again extremely tired,

headaches, backache, blown-up in the afternoon, Lycopodium M/3 repeated. In December,

bronchitis. Her B.P. was 210/110. Morgan Bach 30/6 helped, she was well up to February 1969,

when she wakened again not feeling well. Lachesis 30/3 given.

All these years she has had Lachesis in different potencies up to IOM at different times.

Now she phones me when she is feeling under the weather asking for the "Snake Powders". In

that time she has had 5 different jobs. Has had ups-and-downs, now also with her menstruation

which is irregular, Lachesis keeps her going.

Second case: Here is another lady who has had nearly nothing else but Lachesis for the

past 4 years. She was hypertensive and developed loss of speech, and paralysis of her right arm

and leg in June 1969. She was in the Homoeopathic Hospital in Glasgow up to September 1969.

She had improved with hospital care and physiotherapy. Her speech is still slow and she can

walk slowly with the aid of a stick. She has still a poor grip in her right arm which is also much

weaker. She is able to do the cooking for her husband and has had further courses of

physiotherapy at intervals.

An X-ray of her chest shows the heart to be considerably enlarged with congestion of

pulmonary vessels.

Opposite to the former case this lady has a very nice and considerate personality, but she

is very anxious, easily hurt, easily excited. Her BP. varies between 180 and 160/100 and 110.

She has a flushed face. She always wakens full of anxiety and unwell. She has an oscillating

tongue. She also has some "turns" of a kind of convulsions with breathlessness which waken her.

She is also wakened by nightmares. Also this lady knows she is having "snake" powders and

'phones for me to come every 2 or 3 months. It is Lachesis 50M, without placebo, which keeps

her going.

Third case: A man aged 51 years; he was the driver of a disposal van when he came to

see me on 2/8/63. He wakened daily with an occipital and frontal headache. He had taken ill with

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a slight right-sided hemiplegia 2 months previously and had been in a hospital that time. His

speech had been slurred. He got drugs for lowering his BP to which he was allergic, he got a

rash. Aspirins helped his headache for a very short time only. Otherwise he had never been ill.

Mentally he was depressed and irritable, had a good appetite, eating anything. Thirst for

cold water.

Sleeping well but wakening with this headache.

O.E. - normal build, well coloured - clean oscillating tongue. C.V.S. B.P. 230/140, heart -

NAD. RS - NAD. Abdomen - NAD. CNS - NAD. Lachesis 30/6 and placebo given.

He came back on 30/8/63, feeling much better, Wakened only once at 5 a.m. with a

headache - right leg was Jerking - B.P. 230/140. Placebo given.

On 27/9/63, he was very much better, no headache, B.P. 220/140. Lachesis 200/3 was

given, and was repeated on 6 December 1973. when the headache had returned. He was not yet

working. He had been in a convalescent home.

On 10/1/64, he complained of a slight headache, of breathlessness on exertion - also some

stiffness -B.P. 210/140. Sulph. 30/3 and C.G.P. 6x (Carbo veg., Glonoin, Passiflora) t.i.d.

He was well in August, his B.P. was 200/130. He was on C.G.P. 6x constantly. June

1965, the BP was the same - as he was tired a.m. he again got Lachesis 30/3 and placebo and did

so at 2/3 monthly intervals up to June 1972, when he retired, and I have lost touch with him.

[A paper read to the 29th International Homoeopathic Congress of Homoeopathic Medicine,

Washington, May/June 1974 - From the British Homoeopathic Journal Vol.LXIV, 1975]

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4.4 PSYCHOGENIC STIFF-NECK - by M. Stubler

Mrs. Helga V., born 16-5-43 came on 5-9-80: She lived in a small town, about 250 KM

away. She has been married since 1960, has a good husband and had normal parturitions in 1965

and 1968. She has never visited a hospital or for that matter never ill as such.

In 1975: She purchased meat from the butcher and some sausages. A dog followed her

for one KM and sprang upon her from behind causing her great alarm. Apparently it had smelt

the meat. From this terror and shock she had fever of 39° and had to be in bed for a day. On the

next day she observed that her neck was not freely moveable. In the next 4 months the twist to

the left side slowly increased to such an extent that she could not see her feet and then her right

hand and she could not work with her right hand any more. Besides the household work she had

a special liking for sewing. She had to give it up completely. She worked for clients, did it well

and with interest.

First she went to the family doctor, who ordered irradiation, then to a Neurologist in a

larger town, finally was directed to the University Neurology Clinic at Munich where she was

thoroughly examined. It was diagnosed as "psychogenic stiff-neck". A lumbar puncture was

made and she was in-patient for two weeks. Different treatments were undertaken. An operation

was also thought of to which she could not agree. In the meantime the right sterno-cleido-

mastoid muscle became thick and stiff, while she attempted to move the neck forcibly. The

muscle was longer, it made the neck inclined to left. Much general restlessness with fidgetiness

of the hands and the entire body. She could not therefore go to the church which she liked to.

Modalities:

Better while lying. Can move the head to the left and right while lying. She slept on her

abdomen with her head to the right. She can bear that. The menses was punctual. It had no effect

on the condition.

She had prophetic dreams, for example: A relative of her was pregnant and hoped for a

boy. The patient however dreamed that it would be a girl, large and weighty which would then

die. The child actually died when 8 months old. She had also dreamed of the name of the child in

advance.

The case was worked out on the "Practical Repertory" of Dr. R.Flury:

Card 100, visionary, Clairvoyant, Prophetic dreams.

Card 184, Lying am.

Card 320, Fright agg. (The causative trauma)

Lachesis came through all the cards.

I questioned further thoroughly for such Lachesis symptoms, as those relating to Periods,

Warmth, Sun, Mental attributes, which one otherwise finds with Lachesis. These attributes were

all not perceivable. She is neither sad nor Jealous.

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Progress: 5-10-80 first dose Lachesis C 10,000. In a short time amelioration set in, she was more

relaxed, could turn her head to the right more, could once again use her right hand. This she

could not do earlier as she could not bring her hand before the field of vision. 2-3-81 second dose

Lachesis C10, 000. The first dose acted till then repeated. This dose also acted for a longer time.

24-7-81 third dose Lachesis C10, 000. It acted further. This time the improvement lasted till

December 1981. 5-12-81 fourth dose Lachesis C10, 000. This does worked best so far. She can

see straight on, can turn the head to the right and left. She can again go the church since there

was no more restlessness. She is very much impressed by the improvement.

Remarks:

And I was also very much impressed by the success. I prescribe Lachesis in high potency

only when the emotional and mental attributes typical of Lachesis are presented. It was not so in

this case. It was a case of an openhearted, gentle, good-natured, uncomplicated lady and mother.

Secondly, the causative factor. In Kent, amongst a large no. of remedies Lachesis has

been given in 2nd grade. In Synthetic Repertory Vol.I. P.17 Lachesis has been given in 2nd

grade. This rubric is larger and contain more no. of actually well-established remedies. Both in

Kent as well as in Barthel, Pulsatilla is given in the 1

grade, which would have suited this lady

better. For the choice of Lachesis the strong, impressive and dominating symptoms of left-

sidedness was decisive.

I mention this case which has been treated with a single medicine, for two reasons to be

discussed:

1. Lachesis has been chosen in high potency on basis of local manifestations add it has

Worked.

2. The action of Lachesis C10, 000 runs to about 90 days, considerably much more than

what was hitherto observed and then repetition was needed.

Sufficient amount of time existed before and after the administration so that the action of

the medicament is clear.

Perhaps one can consider the prophetic dreams as a rare, striking, characteristic symptom

in terms of para 153. It is found both in Kent as well as in the Synthetic Repertory. In the latter

one in Vol.1 page 135, where different medicines have been given in grade, Lachesis only in

third grade. In '(clairvoyant dreams' only small number of medicines have been given but

actually Lachesis not given. The patient suffered from this rare symptom, when she dreamed of

the death, but she did not speak about it.

In a discussion with a psychiatrist it was asked whether during the period of treatment

1980-82 the patient had any changes in the personal and family relationships. This was not so in

this case. He opined that from psychiatric point of view the case may be one of hysterical

conversion neurosis. Every psychiatrist wo61d like to ask as to what stresses have been suffered

between 1975 and 1980? What else in connection with the stresses between 1980 and 82? The

answers are negative. In consultations with the patient she could not say of any period of stress

neither in 1975-80 nor 1980-82. Her husband whom I have come to know, she described a good,

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with the two children only the usual problems of rearing up 10 - 17 years old children. These all

were however for the patient not much of a stress to upset her.

As this case has thrown up different problems I will be thankful if experienced

homeopathic physicians express their views.

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4.5 LACHESIS IN A CASE OF PERONAEUS PARALYSIS OF RIGHT

LEG - by Artur BRAUN

17th July 1978: 41 years old women, sporty, suffering since 5 weeks from an atonic

paralysis of right foot. Orthopaedic, neurologic examinations and treatment did not bring about

the desired result and the paralysis remained.

The ailment came suddenly when apparently healthy. One morning on awaking she

observed the paralysis of the right foot, without any pain, sickness, fever or inflammatory

processes before the paralysis. The foot became from then on somewhat numb. She recalled that

on the previous day her left foot pastern surprising often "cracked", but the right feet cracked

perhaps only once or twice. She has never had so before. She had taken part much in sports

especially tennis, but could not now anymore.

She consulted an Orthopaedist the same day morning. He straightaway referred her to a

Neurologist. EEG and other neurological investigations were carried out. Ultimately she was

referred to the Neurology department of the Technical University of Munich where it was

diagnosed as paralysis of the peripheral nerves below the head of the fibula. Nothing except

stimulation of the part was considered first. For 5 days she was treated by a chiropractitioner and

there was slight amelioration. She could move to a little extent "walk on lawn without much

uncertainty".

I found the patient suffering from paralysis of Peronaeus. The front part of the right foot

could not be raised or turned sideways. These remained as they

were. At best it could be turned slightly inward. Turning outward was the most difficult. The

measures so far taken helped improve the function of raising the foot 60%, Such a relatively

acute disease is to be treated homoeopathically on the data of most probable cause (Paragraph 5,

Organon Of Medicine). The interrogation revealed finally that a day before the foot joint

"cracked", which the patient felt as the loss of "her stability", she experienced an upset. She

caught her husband in an apparent infidelity which, however, did not develop seriously. While

narrating this patient tried to control her tears.

She is married since 19 years, happy and with three children.

The significant cause is jealousy. The ailments began on the left ankle joint and then

settled itself in the left foot.

I prescribed LACHESIS LM18 once a day 5 drops in water and with instructions to

success with 8-10-12 strokes before taking the medicine daily and vary the water content and

drops of medicine slightly (see paragraph 248, Organon).

For choice of medicine I consulted the repertory rubrics "ailments from jealousy" and

"from left to right" in Synthetic Repertory and LACHESIS came out as the only medicine. In

Hering's "Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica", VoL.VI p.610 "Gressus galllnaceus" is

given as typical symptom which indicates Peronaeus paralysis.

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In 4-5 weeks everything became well. On 26th September, 1978 she said that her

movements were normal and that she has resumed playing tennis.

[From the "KLASSISCHE HOMOOPATHIE", Band 26, 2/1982, translated from the German by

Dr.K.S. Srinivasan, Madras; for private circulation only. *LACH. is one of the 5 medicines in

Kent Rep. p.1223 under the rubric: WALKING, Gressus gallinaceus = K.S.S.]

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4.6 FEED - BACK

[The following are excerpts from a 'Note' from Dr. D. Lakshminarayanan, Ph.D.,

Hyderabad, with reference to the article 'Routine treatment of Measles', in our 'Quarterly

Homoeopathic DIGEST" Vol.IV No.2, 1987]

The three most often indicated drugs for measles are Euphrasia, Pulsatilla, and Kali

Bichrom. To this trio, I have added Gelsemium and Bryonia as often indicated in the epidemic

conditions obtaining in A.P. State. Morbillin comes in as a 'block' remedy to treat all conditions

referred to as "not-well-since measles". Another Clinically important use for this drug is

congenital deafness, though here 'Rubella' would probably be much more appropriate.

An attack of 'Measles' now does not follow the pattern of the pre-antibiotic era. One sees

large varieties of atypical manifestations of Measles-like conditions- eruptions without fever,

eruption with a fleeting fever of 99-100F for a few hours, eruptions which disappear within

hours, no itching or minimal itching, little or no cough or eye, nose symptoms and attacks in the

cold months in the Indian winter.

But since an year or two, typical attacks with high fever, acrid lachrymation, sneezing

and coryza, followed (2-3 days later) by slow rash like eruptions on body, gradually invading

other parts and finally the face. Itching becomes troublesome at this stage and will last a number

of days even after the eruptions disappear. With the onset of eruptions, the temperature becomes

stable and starts to reduce slowly at first and rapidly within 48 hours after eruptions reach the

peak. Cough becomes troublesome as the coryza and eye symptoms recede. Cough will continue

for a more or less long period even after all other symptoms have cleared. Sleep becomes

impossible as a result.

Euphrasia is required in the first stage for acridity in the eye symptoms. Violent sneezing

and coryza; Pulsatilla in cases where discharges from eye and nose are bland, non-irritating,

substitutes for Euphrasia. Kali-Bich. is required for ameliorating the cough - not withstanding

Kent, who has included this drug under Skin-Eruption-Measles. Kent's drugs for cough in

Measles would come in where the characteristic symptoms of each drug are manifested in a case.

I am proposing Kali Bich, as a specific remedy for the cough 'per se-cough-measles' where

individualising is not possible.

The role of Gelsemium and Bryonia in Measles is based on very clear cut unique

symptoms of these two remedies in eruptive fevers unmatched by any other drug in the whole

Materia Medica. The keynotes of Gelsemium are 1) Drowsiness, sleepiness including spells of

deep sleep 2) Thirstlessness in febrile condition 3) Coryza, sneezing and lachrymation, not

necessarily bland or acrid. 4) Dullness, dizziness, mental apathy. Bryonia has 1) Thirst for large

quantities at long intervals 2) desire to remain quietly in one position 3) slow evolution of rash in

eruptive fevers 4) eruptions receding in eruptive fevers 5) symptoms worse in warm weather

after cold days.

In the 200, M and 10M potencies not one case had any sequelae. The course of the

disease was short 4 - 5 days to reach normal temperature and eruptions to begin receding. Itching

and cough could last a few days more, cough being the last symptom to go. The doctrine that a

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child of a few months requires a lower potency in an acute disease is not supported by clinical

experience. In a viral disease of great toxicity, the use of the higher and highest potencies

particularly in young persons from infants up, is the most effective method in altering 'dis-ease'

into 'ease' rapidly, cutting short the normal self-limiting duration, and period of convalescence

and avoiding sequelae. The side effects of prophylactic measles inoculation can be met either by

Gelsemium or Morbillinum.

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4.7 BOOK SHELF

(A review of books which have recently come including those received 'for review')

1.(LESSER WRITINGS OF BOENNINGHAUSEN) BONNINGHAUSENS KLEINE

MEDIZINISCHE SCHRIFTEN edited by Klaus-Henning Gypser, ARKANA-VERLAG,

HEIDELBERG, 1984, DM 145/-

The English version of Boenninghausen’s "Lesser writings" was first compiled by T.L.

Bradford and published by Boerieke and Tafel, Philadelphia in 1908. This book "presumably

includes all the magazine articles by Boenninghausen and a few of the smaller pamphlets written

by him ............ collected after very carefully examining all the German and French journals". It,

however, seems that quite a few days of

Von Boenninghausen have not found their place in the Bradford edition. A thorough review of

all the German and French Journals pertaining to the period was carried out by Dr. Med. Klaus-

Henning Gypser and a complete list was made and a facsimilie edition has now been brought out

as above.

The essays have been printed as they were first published in the respective journals in

English, German and French and not in translation. Thus the authenticity and correctness is

maintained. A quick study reveals that there are errors in the Bradford translation edition and

some essays have also been truncated like for example the essay "On the use of High

Attenkations in Homoeopathic Practice". This essay in the Bradford edition contain 12 'cases'

whereas the original essay contains 20 cases. It is very interesting to read the small case No.20:

"I conclude with the cure of a bird. The professor of languages to my children called eight days

ago to tell me that two of this canary birds bad died, and the third was about to die, apparently of

the same complaint. The bird ate constantly in the cage, but everything passed from him

undigested. Pulsatilla 2000 cured him completely, to the great astonishment of the professor".

Besides, there are also other errors like the mention of potencies etc. in the Bradford

edition; there are 15 essays in this German edition which are not "found in the Bradford edition.

All the articles have been put in chronological order with source, etc. There is also a brief

biography of von Boenninghausen. An index, an excellent portrait of von Boenninghausen,

photocopies of Samuel Hahnemann's certificate and the Royal license to von Boenninghausen to

practice homoeopathy completes this very valuable book published to coincide with the 200th

birth anniversary of von Boenninghausen.

2. LECTUKES ON HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA-SIXTEEN POLYCHRESTS BY

Robin Murphy, N.D... edited by Kathi Head 321 pp (photocopy of typed notes) $35.00, available

from Homoeopathic Educational Services 2124, Kittredge St., Berkeley, CA. 94704, USA.

As the title indicates these are transcriptions of lectures delivered by Robin Murphy,

N.D., of 16 polychrest remedies: Ars.alb., Calc., Ign., Kali-c., Lach., Lyco., . Med., Nat-m.,

Nux-v., Phos., Puls., Sep., Sil., Staph., Sulph., Tub.

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The lectures are mostly 'mental' portraits and 'physical generals' e.g.; Ars.alb. "They just

want security… Their need for security is so strong that they would go to great lengths to keep

someone around. They demonstrate financial dependence, emotional dependence. Ars. is one of

the remedies that, expresses the roots of survival - keeping warm., keeping fed, companionship

... it's- real survival -originated remedy ... They come to your office and they cling to you.

'You've got to help me; you've got to help me. I've got this I’ve got that. Please help me'. They

call you up every couple of days. 'The remedy is not working, I'm getting worse'. They make a

lot of demands on you. The doctor feels oppressed by these people ....,".

Ign.: Deep in the essence of this person he is idealistic. They're extremely idealistic. They always

see how things are and that gets them into trouble.... They have high expectations of other

people, especially in relationships, and secondarily, in career type of things as well as in

politics..... They are perfectionists, desiring to be perfect. They're always living with this image

in their mind of hero they should. If they're in a relationship they want the relationship to be

perfect."

Phosphorous: "When we think of Phosphor we think of champagne. You get a glass of

champagne that's very clear and bubbly; it put, out little twinkles here and there. This is the type

of personality these people have. They're very bubbly, twinkly type of people. A patient walks

in, sits down and there’s twinkle in his eyes. They have this little twinkle of excitement, of

interest."

These are some examples of the very interesting drug pictures.