Post by Admin - Joy Lucas on Jun 13, 2021 7:19:01 GMT
Comparative Materia Medica
Most rubrics have more than one remedy in them and we always need to keep in mind that a remedy is placed in a particular rubric because of its own special reason pertaining to the overall symptom picture. Comparing remedies for our final analysis of a case is the crux of what we have to do to find the simillimum - just because a remedy appears in a rubric doesn’t mean to say that remedy will be the simillimum required.
RUBRICS -
SKIN CRACKS IN WINTER
MOONLIGHT AGGRAVATES
REMEDIES
CALCAREA SULPHURICA - sulphate of lime, plaster of paris.
When plaster of paris is applied to a broken limb it warms up, dries and then would crack if it weren't held together with a fibre of some kind. Security and stability is very precious to the Calc sulph case.
They often harbour many fears and insecurities and yet they are hateful towards those who do not agree with them - thus they are both repellent and needy. They have a desperate need to be wanted and appreciated and become hardened, like the plaster, if this cannot be achieved. Jealousy often instigates this state. They cannot go against the people who they are dependent upon in case they lose out, so they just moan and grumble at them instead. A contrary state prevails. This is enhanced by the fact they there are both calcarea and sulphur aspects. The calcarea provides the fears and anxieties and the sulphur contributes the stubborn, obstinate, impatient, jealous, irritable and quarrelsome qualities. Both also contribute to the physical states encountered with this remedy.
The physical tendency is for cystic tumours and suppuration (yellow, purulent discharges) and affecting the glands, skin, bones and mucous membranes.
Skin on any part of the body can be affected but especially the face, head, soles of feet. Any cuts or wounds are slow to heal. They discharge a yellow pus and usually crust over, sometimes they are dry. Crops of pimples appear around hair margins or under the hair. The skin cracks, (again, like the plaster) when it is exposed to the cold. Generally it is a chilly remedy but there are contrary temperature modalities.
PETROLEUM - crude rock oil
Has an affinity with the skin and sub-cutaneous tissue, nutrition, nervous and respiratory disorders.
Repetition, expansion and a sense of loss are the themes running through this remedy. Repetition can be seen in the allergies, always coming every summer as in Hay Fever, or returning at other times of the year (<<< winter). And during delirium they have the tendency to repeat the same subject over and over again.
The vapours of petroleum are responsible for some strange delusions - that she has three arms; that there are 2 babies in the bed; that one limb is double; has three legs; fancies someone is lying near to them; sees thieves, that the body is scattered about the bed; body divided in two (sense of duality). Alongside the errors of identity are some strange sensations which pertain to these errors - sensation as if a veil before the eyes, as if sand in the eyes - they cannot see things for what they really are.
They also imagine themselves to be very sick as if about to die and so they rush a round putting their affairs in order. They also lose themselves in familiar places, forget the name of streets and where they are. This combines the expansion and sense of loss together into errors of identity (which is additive) and a fear that something will be taken from them (which is subtractive) - their health, their life, their home (very homesick), their memory, their sight, that something will be stolen from them (sees thieves), loses hair.
So they often feel crowded out (very sensitive hearing and cannot listen to a lot of people talking at once) and will be irritable, angry, discontented, critical, greedy and hungry all the time and even abusive during the additive times or confused, despairing, sad, depressed, fearful and inconsolable when in the subtractive phase.
Oscillating between these two states is difficult, creates a lot of motion (emotion as well as physical motion) and Petroleum is one of the first remedies one thinks about for travel sickness.
It has a large range of skin conditions - usually affecting the folds of the skin, where deep cracks appear and there is great itching and burning sensations. The skin becomes hard, rough and thick and then raw and heals with difficulty. The cracks bleed easily and are also worse in winter. Chilblains are also a complaint that occurs during winter.
2) MOONLIGHT AGGRAVATES
REMEDIES
PHOSPHOROUS - the element
Many writings about this remedy talk about how friendly, sympathetic and lovely Phosphorous people are. These are, of course, healthy aspects and we wouldn't be prescribing on these, we should be looking at the diseased state of this remedy. But it is true, no matter how ill a Phosphorous person is they often remain friendly and warm towards the world and this is nearly always evident during the case taking.
I see 4 main areas of PHOSPHOROUS, the main triggers being fear and instability
DIFFUSION - HAEMORRHAGE - FEARS - CANCER
1) Diffusion:- Bearing in mind what Phosphorous is (to bring light) - there is luminosity, light, effervescence (used in the manufacture of matches!! - strike a light - here one second and gone the next) and because of this there is a great feeling of transience. They are all over the place, never finish anything, can't hold onto information (learn poorly).
There is magnetism, they capture your imagination, the eyes sparkle, easily excited, very sympathetic and sensitive to others. Very expansive in their responses to others, they virtually never complain or criticise. They are openly affectionate - they need to give this out so they are desperate for company to do this - cannot be alone for long.
They are often clairvoyant, see auras, anticipate events - so sensitive to everything that it can become a burden to be like this.
Sensitive to sound, smells, changes in temperatures, pain, light and dark, etc.
So their own self is of prime importance, always directing attention to themselves, there can be a love of self, egocentric and others cannot compete - they might have many partners during life (can't hold on to people). Also exhibitionist, will act out and mimic. Children can tell dreadful fibs with great convincing, innocence and charm of course. A strong sexual appetite comes under this force.
2) Haemorrhage:- The theme of diffusion continues with the haemorrhage - they can bleed easily, profuse and from anywhere. The blood is overflowing like the personality. Bloody diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, heavy menses (menorrhagia), nose bleeds, haemoptysis (lungs), haematuria (urine), extravasation of blood under the skin, gums bleed easily etc. They flush up easily. Red blood and even red haired and if not red haired the hair will have some tint of red somewhere.
3) Fears:- So many fears many stemming from their intense sensitivity. Fear of being rejected or criticised, cannot be happy if others around them are not so (delusion of being noble - self importance). Fear of anything even slightly unpleasant - effects them immensely, even pleasurable activities can make them fearful of the emotions spent. They can even fear their own sensitivity. Fear of ghosts, spirits, the dark - think they see things, twilight (hovering between light and dark). Fear of noises, thunderstorms and not surprisingly fireworks. Fear of illness, being poisoned, the future, death, that something will happen, of robbers. Fear of being alone, of failure.
4) Cancer:- Phosphorous is a big cancer remedy and it is interesting that there appears to be a link between Lupus and the incidence of Cancer. Phosphorous is an exceedingly poisonous substance but is also an essential element in the body structure. The vapour is absorbed by the lungs and there is an affinity to lungs, bones and nerve tissue. But almost any organ can be susceptible and especially - liver, skin, lungs, bowels, stomach, blood.
Other pathology = strong tubercular influence so the whole respiratory system can be involved - bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, coughs of all sorts. Phosphorous will often present with stomach and/or digestive complaints. The bones are also nearly always affected - people working with Phosphorous used to get "phossy jaw" - necrosis of bones. Nearly always cold but crave cold drinks and many pains are of a burning nature. The energy aspect of this remedy is vital - always tired, needs cat naps.
It is easy to see the importance of the moon to a remedy like Phosphorous - always coming and going, the diffusion, the light. But it is not always a friendly alliance, they can compete with each other and this is why moonlight can aggravate a Phosphorous case - too much moonlight means they cannot shine as much as they would like to and there is jealousy towards a more dominant being - delusion they are great. And, of course, night time is the fearful time for Phosphorous.
BRYONIA ALBA - wild hops
Bryonia affects all serous membranes causing great inflammation and fever of many kinds. The circulation and the blood is disordered. Aggravation from any movement at all, they have to be still and resting. There is physical weakness when attempting to move. There are stitching, tearing, bursting pains. 'Bry is dry' - mucous membranes are dry and they are very thirsty, discharges are scant, menses are suppressed, joints seem to lack lubrication - hot, red and swollen, skin rashes recede or do not develop - a definite with-holding state.
Often affects people who are normally of a robust and determined constitution, the complaints develop slowly, they do not succumb quickly.
The trigger with Bryonia is all to do with clinging, protection and the fear of being scorned, of losing that protection.
Bryonia is a clinging and climbing vine. The climbing aspect might well relate to the normal robustness of this remedy - they often do well in life, reach sociable heights, are always talking of their business (even when ill). The clinging relates to the amount of protection they really do need, their fear of being scorned - ailments from being scorned - and as a plant that needs something to cling to the 'home' is a likely source of discontent.
Anxiety in the house
Delusion is away from home
Delusion as if in a strange land
Attempts to escape
Desires to go home
Talks of home
For people who fear being scorned and have a need to cling then Bryonia goes about it with an unlikely attitude. They are so irritable, to the point of rage. They want to be left alone (good thing too!), very ugly behaviour, taciturn. Usually so robust they cannot come to terms with being ill so they are extremely apprehensive about their condition, and fear for their future, but the overwhelming emotions are irritability and complaining.
The need to cling and fear of losing protection comes in the form of:-
Delusion is being injured
Delusion he is pursued
Delusion under the control of strangers
Delusion he is unfortunate
Despair of recovery
Fear of being alone
Fear of being poisoned
Fear of suffering
Ailments from scorn
Aversion to being touched
Feels unfortunate
Interestingly Bryonia is one of the remedies mentioned under Kleptomania - magpie like, stealing for self gratification, needing to reward the self at any cost, etc which highlights the selfish and needy aspect of this remedy.
The Moon can be a demanding pull on many people's lives, male and female alike, children too have a fascination. But from a demanding point of view, Bryonia cannot 'grow' at night, with or without the light of the moon. In fact its preference is for cloudy and damp days. Bryonia cannot tolerate being vexed, touched, talked to, and the Moon's pull is just another aggravation to a very selfish Bryonia state.
Joy Lucas
Most rubrics have more than one remedy in them and we always need to keep in mind that a remedy is placed in a particular rubric because of its own special reason pertaining to the overall symptom picture. Comparing remedies for our final analysis of a case is the crux of what we have to do to find the simillimum - just because a remedy appears in a rubric doesn’t mean to say that remedy will be the simillimum required.
RUBRICS -
SKIN CRACKS IN WINTER
MOONLIGHT AGGRAVATES
REMEDIES
CALCAREA SULPHURICA - sulphate of lime, plaster of paris.
When plaster of paris is applied to a broken limb it warms up, dries and then would crack if it weren't held together with a fibre of some kind. Security and stability is very precious to the Calc sulph case.
They often harbour many fears and insecurities and yet they are hateful towards those who do not agree with them - thus they are both repellent and needy. They have a desperate need to be wanted and appreciated and become hardened, like the plaster, if this cannot be achieved. Jealousy often instigates this state. They cannot go against the people who they are dependent upon in case they lose out, so they just moan and grumble at them instead. A contrary state prevails. This is enhanced by the fact they there are both calcarea and sulphur aspects. The calcarea provides the fears and anxieties and the sulphur contributes the stubborn, obstinate, impatient, jealous, irritable and quarrelsome qualities. Both also contribute to the physical states encountered with this remedy.
The physical tendency is for cystic tumours and suppuration (yellow, purulent discharges) and affecting the glands, skin, bones and mucous membranes.
Skin on any part of the body can be affected but especially the face, head, soles of feet. Any cuts or wounds are slow to heal. They discharge a yellow pus and usually crust over, sometimes they are dry. Crops of pimples appear around hair margins or under the hair. The skin cracks, (again, like the plaster) when it is exposed to the cold. Generally it is a chilly remedy but there are contrary temperature modalities.
PETROLEUM - crude rock oil
Has an affinity with the skin and sub-cutaneous tissue, nutrition, nervous and respiratory disorders.
Repetition, expansion and a sense of loss are the themes running through this remedy. Repetition can be seen in the allergies, always coming every summer as in Hay Fever, or returning at other times of the year (<<< winter). And during delirium they have the tendency to repeat the same subject over and over again.
The vapours of petroleum are responsible for some strange delusions - that she has three arms; that there are 2 babies in the bed; that one limb is double; has three legs; fancies someone is lying near to them; sees thieves, that the body is scattered about the bed; body divided in two (sense of duality). Alongside the errors of identity are some strange sensations which pertain to these errors - sensation as if a veil before the eyes, as if sand in the eyes - they cannot see things for what they really are.
They also imagine themselves to be very sick as if about to die and so they rush a round putting their affairs in order. They also lose themselves in familiar places, forget the name of streets and where they are. This combines the expansion and sense of loss together into errors of identity (which is additive) and a fear that something will be taken from them (which is subtractive) - their health, their life, their home (very homesick), their memory, their sight, that something will be stolen from them (sees thieves), loses hair.
So they often feel crowded out (very sensitive hearing and cannot listen to a lot of people talking at once) and will be irritable, angry, discontented, critical, greedy and hungry all the time and even abusive during the additive times or confused, despairing, sad, depressed, fearful and inconsolable when in the subtractive phase.
Oscillating between these two states is difficult, creates a lot of motion (emotion as well as physical motion) and Petroleum is one of the first remedies one thinks about for travel sickness.
It has a large range of skin conditions - usually affecting the folds of the skin, where deep cracks appear and there is great itching and burning sensations. The skin becomes hard, rough and thick and then raw and heals with difficulty. The cracks bleed easily and are also worse in winter. Chilblains are also a complaint that occurs during winter.
2) MOONLIGHT AGGRAVATES
REMEDIES
PHOSPHOROUS - the element
Many writings about this remedy talk about how friendly, sympathetic and lovely Phosphorous people are. These are, of course, healthy aspects and we wouldn't be prescribing on these, we should be looking at the diseased state of this remedy. But it is true, no matter how ill a Phosphorous person is they often remain friendly and warm towards the world and this is nearly always evident during the case taking.
I see 4 main areas of PHOSPHOROUS, the main triggers being fear and instability
DIFFUSION - HAEMORRHAGE - FEARS - CANCER
1) Diffusion:- Bearing in mind what Phosphorous is (to bring light) - there is luminosity, light, effervescence (used in the manufacture of matches!! - strike a light - here one second and gone the next) and because of this there is a great feeling of transience. They are all over the place, never finish anything, can't hold onto information (learn poorly).
There is magnetism, they capture your imagination, the eyes sparkle, easily excited, very sympathetic and sensitive to others. Very expansive in their responses to others, they virtually never complain or criticise. They are openly affectionate - they need to give this out so they are desperate for company to do this - cannot be alone for long.
They are often clairvoyant, see auras, anticipate events - so sensitive to everything that it can become a burden to be like this.
Sensitive to sound, smells, changes in temperatures, pain, light and dark, etc.
So their own self is of prime importance, always directing attention to themselves, there can be a love of self, egocentric and others cannot compete - they might have many partners during life (can't hold on to people). Also exhibitionist, will act out and mimic. Children can tell dreadful fibs with great convincing, innocence and charm of course. A strong sexual appetite comes under this force.
2) Haemorrhage:- The theme of diffusion continues with the haemorrhage - they can bleed easily, profuse and from anywhere. The blood is overflowing like the personality. Bloody diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, heavy menses (menorrhagia), nose bleeds, haemoptysis (lungs), haematuria (urine), extravasation of blood under the skin, gums bleed easily etc. They flush up easily. Red blood and even red haired and if not red haired the hair will have some tint of red somewhere.
3) Fears:- So many fears many stemming from their intense sensitivity. Fear of being rejected or criticised, cannot be happy if others around them are not so (delusion of being noble - self importance). Fear of anything even slightly unpleasant - effects them immensely, even pleasurable activities can make them fearful of the emotions spent. They can even fear their own sensitivity. Fear of ghosts, spirits, the dark - think they see things, twilight (hovering between light and dark). Fear of noises, thunderstorms and not surprisingly fireworks. Fear of illness, being poisoned, the future, death, that something will happen, of robbers. Fear of being alone, of failure.
4) Cancer:- Phosphorous is a big cancer remedy and it is interesting that there appears to be a link between Lupus and the incidence of Cancer. Phosphorous is an exceedingly poisonous substance but is also an essential element in the body structure. The vapour is absorbed by the lungs and there is an affinity to lungs, bones and nerve tissue. But almost any organ can be susceptible and especially - liver, skin, lungs, bowels, stomach, blood.
Other pathology = strong tubercular influence so the whole respiratory system can be involved - bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, coughs of all sorts. Phosphorous will often present with stomach and/or digestive complaints. The bones are also nearly always affected - people working with Phosphorous used to get "phossy jaw" - necrosis of bones. Nearly always cold but crave cold drinks and many pains are of a burning nature. The energy aspect of this remedy is vital - always tired, needs cat naps.
It is easy to see the importance of the moon to a remedy like Phosphorous - always coming and going, the diffusion, the light. But it is not always a friendly alliance, they can compete with each other and this is why moonlight can aggravate a Phosphorous case - too much moonlight means they cannot shine as much as they would like to and there is jealousy towards a more dominant being - delusion they are great. And, of course, night time is the fearful time for Phosphorous.
BRYONIA ALBA - wild hops
Bryonia affects all serous membranes causing great inflammation and fever of many kinds. The circulation and the blood is disordered. Aggravation from any movement at all, they have to be still and resting. There is physical weakness when attempting to move. There are stitching, tearing, bursting pains. 'Bry is dry' - mucous membranes are dry and they are very thirsty, discharges are scant, menses are suppressed, joints seem to lack lubrication - hot, red and swollen, skin rashes recede or do not develop - a definite with-holding state.
Often affects people who are normally of a robust and determined constitution, the complaints develop slowly, they do not succumb quickly.
The trigger with Bryonia is all to do with clinging, protection and the fear of being scorned, of losing that protection.
Bryonia is a clinging and climbing vine. The climbing aspect might well relate to the normal robustness of this remedy - they often do well in life, reach sociable heights, are always talking of their business (even when ill). The clinging relates to the amount of protection they really do need, their fear of being scorned - ailments from being scorned - and as a plant that needs something to cling to the 'home' is a likely source of discontent.
Anxiety in the house
Delusion is away from home
Delusion as if in a strange land
Attempts to escape
Desires to go home
Talks of home
For people who fear being scorned and have a need to cling then Bryonia goes about it with an unlikely attitude. They are so irritable, to the point of rage. They want to be left alone (good thing too!), very ugly behaviour, taciturn. Usually so robust they cannot come to terms with being ill so they are extremely apprehensive about their condition, and fear for their future, but the overwhelming emotions are irritability and complaining.
The need to cling and fear of losing protection comes in the form of:-
Delusion is being injured
Delusion he is pursued
Delusion under the control of strangers
Delusion he is unfortunate
Despair of recovery
Fear of being alone
Fear of being poisoned
Fear of suffering
Ailments from scorn
Aversion to being touched
Feels unfortunate
Interestingly Bryonia is one of the remedies mentioned under Kleptomania - magpie like, stealing for self gratification, needing to reward the self at any cost, etc which highlights the selfish and needy aspect of this remedy.
The Moon can be a demanding pull on many people's lives, male and female alike, children too have a fascination. But from a demanding point of view, Bryonia cannot 'grow' at night, with or without the light of the moon. In fact its preference is for cloudy and damp days. Bryonia cannot tolerate being vexed, touched, talked to, and the Moon's pull is just another aggravation to a very selfish Bryonia state.
Joy Lucas