No Fleeing away from Psora

There is no fleeing away from psora, once infected. The great observer that Dr. Hahnemann was, would not be contended with his treatment methodology after he started observing the diseases recurring, inspite of following his principles discovered till then. It was always the complete restoration of the sick to health, his aim, as told in the Organon; he practised what he preached.Further observations and experimentations eventually lead to the discovery of miasms. It is worthwhile to remember that it was an eventful painstaking research for 12 years before he made it known to the world of this turning point in the homoeopathic treatment methodology. The reasons behind the discovery of miasms, the nature and the cure are all treated in detail in The Chronic Diseases and Organon of Medicine. Then why are miasms misinterpreted to suit the needs of some theories?

Miasms are a mighty force to reckon with. Just a reminder that, I am talking about the three chronic miasms, namely psora, sycosis and syphilis, which are the cause of all chronic diseases. In Organon of Medicine, in aphorism 5, Hahnemann says, “.....as also the significant points in the whole history of the chronic disease, to enable him to discover its fundamental cause, which is generally due to a chronic miasm......” Sycosis and syphilis are the venereal miasms. It is the psora, the non venereal miasm, the cause of “all the thousands of incredibly various (acute and) chronic (non-venereal) diseases” as said in The Chronic Diseases.

HomoeoProphylaxis Part 2

When the world is making great strides in promoting hygiene, Hahnemann clearly evaluated the principles of hygiene and isolation of the sick during an epidemic. The isolation of the sick from the rest of the population limits the spread of disease. Is it not amazing to note that Hahnemann has given detailed instructions on how to set up an isolation (ward) for the infected people? Sterile masks and gowns were unknown then, Hahnemann has proposed the use of  an oil cloth cloak covering till foot while visiting the sick and change of the same while going out. Disinfecting, airing of the rooms, sterilizing the rooms where the sick had lived; importance of fresh air; clean and nourishing food; even the minutest detail had been thought of by the master. We have had a previous post on Homoeoprophylaxis which can be read here and a discussion on facebook which can be read here.

Continuing from the previous post on Homoeoprophylaxis, where I have described the method Hahnemann adopted in scarlet fever with the use of Belladonna as a prophylactic against scarlet fever. There is a specific way of preparing prophylactic medicines.

HomoeoProphylaxis

Aren't we all approached by patients for prophylactic medicines against common epidemics? A prophylaxis is a treatment given or action taken to prevent diseases. While speaking of prophylaxis, it is the practice of vaccination that is immediately recalled. Prophylaxis was practiced by medical men from long time. It was after Edward Jenner started inoculation with cow pox for protection against small pox, that the procedure started being called vaccination. Edward Jenner observed this effect in nature, that a person infected with milder cowpox was afforded protection against the more virulent small pox.  But then we cannot depend on nature alone for prophylaxis; for nature has its own happy go lucky operations.

The aim of prophylaxis is to offer protection against infectious diseases. Today, more and more people are turning to homoeopathy for prophylactic medications. They are disillusioned with the modern vaccination regime. Are we doing homoeoprophylaxis in the right way? Hahnemann has left no gaps in applying the principles of homoeopathy to every possible ailments of mankind. The organon of Medicine, sixth edition has given a complete set of guidelines to treating and preventing epidemic diseases. Examples of application of his methodology can be found in his Lesser Writings. In chronic diseases too, he makes a mention of how anti psoric treatment be altered when the patient is affected with epidemics. His ardent followers too made use of his wise philosophy.

The 50Millesimal Scale of Potentization as Described in Sixth Edition of Organon of Medicine

This post is an attempt to give a brief introduction of 50 millesimal scale of dynamization as portrayed in the sixth edition of Organon of Medicine, written by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. This scale introduced in the sixth edition is called as the perfected method of dynamization by Hahnemann. The name 50 millesimal potencies for this latest and perfected method of potentization of Hahnemann was given by Dr.Pierre Schmidt.

The Organon of Medicine is the reference book for LM potency. Till the sixth edition, the centesimal scale was used often. There were some difficulties while using the medicines in centesimal scale. I know most of us face similar problems. What would they be? It is every sincere physician's wish to provide the gentlest and the swiftest cure to the patient.

Nash's Trios of Flatulence: Learn A Drug Challenge

Books Referred : Leaders in Homeopathic Therapeutics, Nash
                              Lectures on Clinical Materia Medica, Farrington
                              A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Clarke
                              Allen's Keynotes


 Nash's trios of flatulence are Carbo Veg, Lycopodium and Cinchona, well known to every student of homoeopathy. Nash is definitely a master when it comes to grouping of medicines, making our life easier. Carbo Veg has flatulence in the upper abdomen, Lycopodium in the lower abdomen and Cinchona in the entire abdomen. There is a lot more in the symptomatology of these drugs which would help us in selecting the similimum wisely.

Nutrition Nightmares- Part 2

A child was brought into my clinic by a loving father and a doting grand father. The 2 year old kid has a cold and a cough, seasonal, I would say. The dad says the daughter has a cold and a loss of appetite. How do you prescribe for a running nose, an everyday dilemma of a homeopath. I need more details. Anything else, "No, just the cold and she is not eating anything." We have been warned by our teachers not to ask leading questions to our patients. I am at a loss. We engage in a Q&A session, still yielding only an affirmative for cough and a no for fever. The father doesn't know other details or has failed to notice the changes in her routine, that would have been really helpful to me. He is back to the loss of appetite now. Here is what I have to say. You have a cold, the body identifies that something is out of sorts with your body. Who would want to stuff on an elaborate meal? At least this little girl is active and playing about. A cranky child would be a lot in the parents hands. No matter how serious or how superfluous the disease is, there is this obsession about "Not eating anything". The body has its turn offs and its absolutely normal to not want to eat much, when you are sick. The care should be on providing the required nutrients for the body to recover in the shortest possible time, without much damage.

A Comprehensive Guide to Select a Remedy for Suppuration : Learn A Drug Challenge

Books Referred:  Lectures on Clinical Materia Medica, Farrington
                            Kent's Materia Medica
                            Nash's Leaders in Homeopathic Therapeutics

For any given diagnosis or for any given set of symptoms, there are several drugs in our materia medica to choose from. Suppurations are one difficult case for me to treat. A wrong move could easily spoil the case, further it could lead them to a surgeon's knife. Farrington, in his Clinical Materia Medica gives a list of drugs for inflammations that has gone into suppurations, whether the disease be a boil, a tonsillitis or any other form of inflammation. They are Belladonna, Hepar, Mercurius, Lachesis, Silicea and Sulphur.

Belladonna is at the head of the list. Belladonna is the preferred remedy in the beginning of inflammation as in tonsillitis. A point of importance in Bell is the sudden and violent onset.There is intense heat and burning in the parts involved. The person cannot tolerate any jar, he will not even let the bed to be moved. The throat is bright red and swollen, difficulty in swallowing fluids and sharp pains. The pains come suddenly, they remain longer or shorter and goes suddenly. The fever too is never continuous. There is often a thirst in Bell fever, sometimes in large quantities other times constantly to wet the dry mouth. In fever the Bell has hot head with cold extremities. We may think of Bell in an abscess, when pus develops with lightning like rapidity.

How to Differentiate Rhus Tox and Bryonia in Fever : Learn A Drug Challenge

Books Referred: Lectures on Clinical Materia Medica, Farrington
                           A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Clarke
                           Lectures on Materia Medica, Kent
                           Homoeopathic Treatment of Influenzas, D. M. Borland

While still a student, any cases of fever with body pains would always bring a picture of Rhus Tox or Bryonia to my mind. It was not until later, I realized that there are much more drugs with body pains along with fever. It takes a lot of reading to retain the finer points of drug differentiation. Bryonia and Rhus Tox are complementary remedies. This week in Learn A Drug Challenge, is a humble attempt to highlight the similarities and the differences between the two in fever.

A/F
The complaints of Bryonia comes from exposure to cold air. The influenza, pneumonia, pleurisy, rheumatism etc. all could be caused after exposure to cold air. Bryonia is also indicted for complaints that come when warm weather sets in, taking cold or getting hot in summer. In Rhus Tox, it is usually the dampness that brings on the complaints. Lying on damp ground, too much summer bathing in river or lake, exposure to damp cold weather etc.

A Photo Diary of Bryonia: Learn A Drug Challenge

Books Referred:  Allen's Keynotes
                             A Dictionary of Practical  Materia  Medica,  Clarke
                             Leaders in Homoeopathic  Therapeuics , Nash

The weather is taking a turn; I wouldn't say it is for the better. In this part of the world it is always hot and hotter. The rains bring a respite in the heat,it becomes mildly pleasant when the rest of the world is hugging fire and now it’s hot again. Bryonia would soon be at your beck and call. The Allen’s Keynotes describes Bryonia for complaints: when warm weather sets in, after cold days; from cold drinks or ice in hot weather; after taking cold or getting hot in summer; from chilling when overheated.

This drug study of Bryonia for week 5 of Learn a Drug challenge is a photo diary of all the prominent  symptoms of Bryonia. Bryonia is a broad spectrum drug and one that no  homoeopath can  live without. Hence, this week, I present some of the most prominent symptoms  of  Bryonia through photos/ posters whatever you would like to call it.

Bryonia  patients irritable, inclined to be angry. They like to be left  alone. They get angry when questioned.

Chelidonium, More than a Liver Remedy: Learn A Drug Challenge

Books Referred:  The Essence of Materia Medica, Vithoulkas

                              Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics, Nash

                              Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, Kent

                             A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Clarke

The Essence of Materia Medica was a much neglected book in my library. It was out of sheer disappointment in finding a similimum to a close acquaintance whose mental generals were a common knowledge in our household that I happened to chance upon this book. The similimum was selected, prescribed and the patient was cured. Thus started my love for this book and I started reading this book religiously for a long time.

Chelidonium was a drug you prescribed in tincture form for those with liver troubles, which summed up my knowledge of Chelidonium till I read Vithoulkas’s Essence of Materia Medica. Chelidonium does have a mind of its own. “Constant pain under the lower and inner angle of right scapula”, a dark lettered symptom in Allen’s Keynotes is known to one and all, who know about Chelidonium.  Nash goes on to add that “This very characteristic symptom may be found in connection with general jaundice, cough, diarrhea, pneumonia, menses, loss of milk, exhaustion etc., in fact, no matter what the name of the disease this symptom present should always bring to mind Chelidonium and close scouting will generally reveal hepatic troubles or complications as would be naturally expected with such a remedy.”

Chelidonium are forceful, dictatorial individuals. They like to force their opinions on others.

Check list of Symptoms of Ferrum Phosphoricum in Fevers :Learn A Drug Challenge

Books Referred: Lectures on Materia Medica, Dr. J. T. Kent

                            A Synoptic Key to Materia Medica, C. M. Boger

                           Homoeopathic Drug Pictures, M. L. Tyler

Ferrum Phosphoricum is widely used for the treatment of fever, to control or bring down the fever. It was widely promoted by Schussler as part of his twelve tissue remedies. His practice was to use it in the first stage of inflammatory fevers. This post is about the symptoms of Ferrum Phos in fever, but let me quote from Kent to remind you not to restrict it in fevers alone. Kent says, “While it has been used by Schuessler's followers for the first stage of inflammatory fevers, it is useful in the higher potencies in chronic diseases, and is a deep acting anti-psoric.”

I have NO Time to Play

Once, while visiting my grandmother, she asked my little boy, “Why don’t you come here often to play?” The little one replied, “I have no time to play!” He then listed out a series of activities; he had to do in a day: waking up, getting dressed and off to school, freshening up after school, eat, study and sleep. Yes, his day is full of activities but I try to get him some quality time to play as well. Maybe this wasn’t enough.

As a parent I want to give the best care to my kids so do you. But we are stuck up in certain situations, those little parenting worries that aren’t little to us at all. Those times, when we are not sure, what impact our words or actions will have on our dear little kids.

The Mental Makeup of the Barytas: Learn A Drug Challenge

Book Referred: Genetic Materia Medica by Dr. Prafull Vijayakar

                          The Essence of Materia Medica by George Vithoulkas

Do not hold a Baryta trapped into a personality born with lower than normal intelligence. A Baryta could be a person holding a high post or could be very good in studies. Their brain could work like a computer unless you feed in something off  the track.

 “If one understands this remedy properly, one will see that there are many more Baryta constitutions around, than the world can ever dream of. Baryta Carb could even compete with the likes of Calcarea Carb and Nux Vomica in terms of frequent encounters.” says Dr. Vijayakar.

The Best Way to Learn Thuja: Learn A Drug Challenge

Books Referred: Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, Dr. J.T.Kent
                Lectures on Clinical Materia Medica, E. A. Farrington
                The Essence of Materia Medica, George Vithoulkas
                Allen's Keynotes

 I whole-heartedly agree with Dr. Vithoulkas when he says, "The symptamatology in Thuja is usually UNCLEAR. You feel there is something there which you cannot quite grasp. Consequently, it is rare that you feel fully confident of a thuja prescription. The full image is never clear because the patient never opens up enough." Modern repertorisation software makes the selection of a drug less difficult. But the knowledge of the physician is tested when he has to make the final decision, the selection of the similimum, that which alters the health of the patient and aids him in speedy recovery.

Reading Challenge #Learn-A-Drug

We all need to read, read to know, read to learn, read to update. Those in the medical profession need to read even more, for the same reasons. Plus it is mandatory to keep up with the expanding medical and professional innovations. What better way than to take up a reading challenge?

Aim

It is a common knowledge that reading the materia medica is absolutely necessary to help us become the better prescriber for the survival of the fittest.

Dr. J. T. Kent's Clinical Cases: Observations

Your doubts are answered. The single medicines work effectively. Higher potencies do cure acute and chronic diseases. Medicines may have to be changed when the symptoms take a turn. Medicines need no repetition until they exhaust their action.  Homoeopathy revives a terminally ill case. These and much more are evident in the Clinical Cases. The Clinical cases I am referring to here are from Dr. J. T. Kent’s “New Remedies, Clinical Cases, Lesser Writings, Aphorisms and Percepts”.

Homoeopathic Treatment of Influenzas By D. M. Borland- A Review

I am in love with this book. If you are looking for an alphabetical arrangement of drugs with their corresponding symptoms, then this book is not for you. This book is all about the practical application of material medica in the clinic. He describes not the drug, but the everyday influenza patient. He starts slowly as how the patient is before the occurrence then builds on how the disease and the patient progresses and so on.