Nosodes: The powerful Army of Homeopathy

Dr. Ajit Kulkarni MD, Director, Homeopathic Research Institute, Pune

> Author Affiliations

Abstract

The author presents the subject of nosodes through unusual cases, comparative study and his reflections on Syphilinum. Cases of Multiple corns, PCOD with sterility, Infantile vomiting, Acute urticaria, Schizophrenia with GB syndrome and acute bronchial asthma are presented. Five nosodes viz. Psorinum, Medorrhinum, Tuberculinum, Syphilinum and Carcinocinum are differentiated at large through ten pivotal points such as Thermal state, Physical built, Mind, Desires and Aversions, Perspiration, Monogram, Sleep and Dreams, Discharges, Tongue and Teeth. The author casts his views on Syphilinum and focuses on the ugly, dirty and disgusting aspects of its personality.

(A) Unusual cases of Nosodes

"Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy".
-Paracelsus

INTRODUCTION

• The term 'nosode' is derived from
• Two Greek words:
• Nosos meaning disease
• Codos meaning appearance
• Connected also to two Latin words:
• Noso is a prefix indicating a morbid root.
• Noxa meaning noxious or harmful.
• Nosodes are the biological preparations made from disease products of human or animal origin, or from pathogens or from products derived from the decomposition of animal organs, cultured micro-organisms or body fluids containing pathogens or pathological agents.
• A nosode is a blend of the disease-potential and the host-response; hence, it represents the dynamic potential of germ, host and their inter-action to become the powerful and complex healing force to meet the inveterate morbific conditions.

CLASSIFICATION

Basic nosodes

• Bacillinum, Carcinocinum, Medorrhinum, Psorinum, Syphilinum

Exanthem nosodes

• Anthracinum, Diptherinum, Influenzinum, Malandrinum, Morbillinum, Parotidinum, Pertussinum, Vaccininum, Variolinum

Isopathicnosodes

• Malaria officinalis, Pyrogenium, Pneumoccocinum, Staphylococcinum, Streptococcinum
• Autogenous nosodes
• Secretions or discharges from the pathological tissues or organs of the patient himself

Intestinal nosodes (Bach or bowel nosodes)

• Bacillus: Proteus, Dysenteria coli, Morgan, faecalis, Mutabile, Gaertner, Bacillus no 7

INDICATIONS TO USE NOSODES

• Never well since the illness
• Poor/ slow/inadequate/short lasting/superficial response to the indicated constitutional remedy
• The influence of Genetic load/Fundamental miasm
• Dominant miasm 'active' and the system depressed
• Morbid constitution → diathesis
• Energy reservoir: Poor
• 'Indolent' system (e.g. 'sycotic' dominance)
• Lack of symptoms/one-sided case/constantly changing symptoms
• Suppression
• As a homeopathic prophylaxis

TUBERCULINUM

CHRONICITY. PSYCHONEUROTIC. ACCELERATED. CHANGEFUL. ALLERGIC.DECLINING. WASTING. CHESTY. DESTRUCTIVE.

HIGHLIGHTS

Rapid oxidation and combustion: Tall, slim, wiry constitution.

Active, nervous and precocious but physically weak (like Phos.).

Lowered vitality, increasing general exhaustion.

Rapid and complete physical break-down without any apparent cause, but generally after acute infections as pneumonia, influenza, no signs of vital reaction.

Pains: Sore bruised feeling all over body (worse in damp cold stormy weather); with aching and weariness in morning on waking. After suppressed eruptions, warts etc. Worse from discharges: more menstrual flow or sweat, more pain (like Cimi., Puls.; unlike Lach., Sep., Zinc.) or no pain no flow. Appear and disappear suddenly. Intense neuralgias; neuritis of influenza or diabetes. Tension throughout body, a nervous tension. Troubles after suppr. pains (Sep.).

Emaciation: Sudden, rapid and pronounced, in spite of good appetite; decidedly losing flesh though feeling and eating well; more marked in legs. Rapid metabolism (Fl-ac.).

Nails: Spotted white (like Sil.); concave; hard, dry and brittle; ribbed; corrugated; glossy ("A sure sign of tubercular taint"-P. Sankaran).

1. A CASE OF MULTIPLE CORNS

• A resistant case of multiple corns
• Hardened, raised bumps (corns) two on tops and sides of the toes and two between the toes on both sides.
• Painful when pressed. Often complains of burning.
• Two large bumps on the palms (calluses)
• One-sided case, no strong mental and physical generals.
• Many remedies like Antim crude, Thuja, Calc-flour, Silicea, Graphites were tried.
• Carcinocinum 200c two times every week for over two months yielded the result and all corns and calluses disappeared. There is no recurrence of them since five years.

CARCINOCINUM DATA FROM ABSOLUTE MATERIA MEDICA

• Growths: Corn-like, with severe burning on touch (with Rad-met.).
• Painful swelling at the spot of injection, Led. not helping.
• Exuding cicatrix after a scald.
• Reduces incidence of keloid scars if given pre-operatively to patients undergoing (plastic) surgery.

2. A CASE OF PCOD WITH STERILITY

• Mrs. S. B. 36 years. A married woman aspiring to be a mother. Married 10 years back. Tried all therapies- Hormonal, Intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) many times, Ayurveda, Homeopathy etc. but without result.
• Depressed. Feels as if life is inadequate and she is missing the vital part of life.

Life space

Childhood

• Childhood in a village at Greece.
• Father: Alcoholic, aggressive and used to beat mother and patient. She used to fear father and was constantly under stress. Mother kept her at her maternal grandparents but they were old and couldn't nurture her; rather she had to do all domestic work. No friends to play with her and grandmother was very controlling and restraining. She used to weep and beg mother to live with her. But it was difficult for the mother.
• Mother took the divorce when the patient was 10 years of age. Bad memories from the childhood.

University

• The patient completed the school and went at Athens for university and began staying at a hostel. She couldn't adjust with the city life, was very reserved and used to remain alone. She was told by the hostel authorities not to open the door. But one day a man knocked her room's door and pretended to be a plumber and she opened the door. She was raped.
• She returned back to the village and refused to attend to university at Athens.

Marriage

• She has a good voice and her only hobby is music. She likes to sing songs but afraid to sing before the public.
• She got married with a pop-singer at her 26 years. They met at a party and fell in love with each other.
• Husband: A nice person; takes care of her but he has a harsh voice and all of his music shows are speedy, loud and with a lot of ecstasy. After marriage, she joined husband's music group. She liked the songs which were expressive of revolt of youths against the conformity of authorities. But she left the group as she couldn't tolerate the tempo and loudness, much to the disappointment of her husband.

Current state

• Now both have become indifferent to each other over the years. Husband comes late at home and he is not interested in her. She does some job as an accountant in a hotel and sings songs on special occasions.
• She feels neglected, lonely and diffident. Lately, thoughts of suicide creep in the mind and feels that her life is worthless. There is a lot of self-reproach.
• Mother lives with a new partner and relations with her are distant.
• Can't hurt others. Very soft spoken.

INVESTIGATIONS

• Endometriosis. Thickness: 12mm.
• Multiple cysts in both ovaries.

PHYSICAL DATA

• Warm blooded.
• Desires: Fat meat, eggs, chocolates.
• Breast congestion before menses.
• Menses: Irregular; usually delayed; every 2-3 months. Flow-Profuse, clotted, dark and offensive. Severe dysmenorrhoea first two days; Pain after sex.
• Has put on weight. No hypothyroidism. “I don't like my body. It is disfigured.”
• No significant past and family history.

TREATMENT

• Many remedies were tried such as Aurum-mur-natronatum, Calc-carb, Lachesis, Mag-carb, Nat-mur, etc. but no result.
• Carcinocinum was finally given in LM scale; LM/4 daily two doses for five days and then a gap of five days and then again Carc. for five days. Ascending scale was used as and when necessary.
• The above schedule yielded the result.
• Endometrial thickness reduced, pain after sex reduced and menses became regular and less profuse.
• She became pregnant after six months of Carc. and delivered a baby boy.

CARCINOCINUM DATA FROM ABSOLUTE MATERIA MEDICA

• "A scape-goat." A victim of sexual abuse. Under excessive parental control (over-disciplinized) (Foll., Mag-c., Nat-m.).Therefore cowardice (fear of being punished or humiliated), self-depreciated.
• Psychogenic causes like rejection, deprivation and disappointment of love, shock, prolonged and unresolved grief, bad news, harsh upbringing, fright, anticipation, reproaches, etc.
• Penalty of unlived life (Whitmont).
• Endometriosis (cp. Thyr.)
• Fibroids
• Ovarian cysts
• Sterility
• Menses: Dark; clotted, offensive; painful. Menorrhagia.

RELATIONSHIP OF REMEDIES AS A TOOL

• A blend of Magnesium ('non-protected') and Natrum ('ill-protected') childhood.
• A blend of Sacch-a ('I am sweet, but the world is bitter') and Lac-h. ('understand me as a human').
• An offspring of Sulph. and Tub., it helps all polychrests and nosodes, as also Anthr., Hippz., Ins., Streptoc., Thuj. when they prove insufficient.
• Counterpart: DNA [a big brother (knowledge hunter, bipolarity, < unusual responsibility, rigid conscience, refined, F/H of grave illnesses)].

CASE III

• An infant of 8 months. Persistent vomiting of curdled type.
• Cries more during daytime and usually sleeps calmly at night.
• Stomach; vomiting; milk; curdled: AETH ANT-C ANT-T but-ac CALC CALC-ACET calencochcuph ip MAG-C mag-m mangi med mercmerc-c NAT-M nat-p past podo sabinsambsanicSILsul-ac SULPH VALER
• No response to Aethusa, Mag-carb, Calcarea carb and Silicea.

TREATMENT

• A single dose of Medorrhinum 200c cured the case within a week and there was no recurrence of vomiting.

DATA FROM ABSOLUTE MATERIA MEDICA

• Vomiting: Infantile, curdled and sour
• Cry always, or all day, quiet all night (Opp. Carc.)

CASE IV

• The patient of 30 years.
• An acute case of giant urticaria.
• Suffering since the last five days. It began after eating meat.
• Itching, < sun exposure, > cold application, rather ice application.
• Apismel, Urticaurens and Dulcamara were ineffective.

TREATMENT

• Medorrhinum 30c repeated every hour gave relief within two hours and didn't recur at all.

DATA FROM ABSOLUTE MATERIA MEDICA

• Intense pruritus: < daytime, thinking of it, scratching (causes burning); > rubbing, washing (preferably with cold water).

CASE V

Mr. V. I. 30 years.

• Date of consultation: 27th March 2016

HISTORY

• Car accident in 4th December 2016. He was driving fast, and he couldn't control the car and it banged against the tree. Fortunately, only car was injured.
• However, he was severely frightened. He was sleepless for four days and was constantly thinking of accident.

EVOLUTION

• 11th December: Developed influenzal symptoms, subsided with some medicines but a week after developed high fever with severe throat pain and was diagnosed for septic tonsillitis and was treated with antibiotics.
• 25th December: Developed weakness of lower limbs and on the second day, unable to move his legs. Swallowing and breathing became difficult and was admitted in a hospital in ICU. Tracheostomy was done.
• Diagnosed for Guillian-Barre (GB) syndrome. Treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), steroids, etc.
• He slowly improved and was discharged from the hospital. He was referred to the rehabilitation center and was put on steroids for a long time.

CURRENT STATUS

• He can't walk fast, need support. Ascending/Descending stairs difficult. Pain in feet while walking; feet are swollen and feel numbness and heaviness.
• Restless, nervous, sleepless and aggressive since GB. Induction sleep: poor; difficult to fall asleep.
• Mental deterioration worsened after GB. He is a known patient of schizophrenia. His chronic delusion that someone is chasing him became so intense that every few minutes he would look at the back to see who is behind.

PHYSICAL DATA

• Desire: Salt4, Alcohol4.
• Thermal: C2H3. After GB, hands and feet are cold.

PAST HISTORY

• Head injury during childhood (no convulsions, mild concussion, no remnants left).
• At 5 years burn injury to left cheek. Minor scar on the face.
• 3 years back fracture of tibia, left

FAMILY HISTORY

• Maternal Aunt: Schizophrenia with depression.
• MGF: Heart disease, Ca colon.

LIFE SPACE

Family dynamics

• Father: Calm and caring. He had an affair and he was with one woman for 6 years. He didn't marry with the woman, but they lived together. Now father lives with another woman as the second woman left him.
• Mother: Emotional; a good person; caring; wants to help people.
• Brother: 5 years elder. Quick-tempered. Unmarried, lives with his girlfriend, relations good.
• Parents divorced at patient's 19 years and symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia began afterwards. It was difficult for him to accept the divorce. He was angry and frustrated and started drinking alcohol.
• Mother didn't marry again.

Patient's dynamics

• At 20 years, his girlfriend left him. “She cheated me”. She was from other country and refused to leave her country. He was angry over her, hatred. Now no relation with ex-girlfriend.
• He completed graduation from the university.
• He married with a girl at 27 years. But she couldn't adjust with him. She couldn't keep pace with his sexual energy. He doesn't remember when the divorce occurred with her, may be after 2-3 years.
• Now he lives alone. He has high libido and he keeps relations with prostitutes. Recently he bought a sex doll and he is happy with her. “My woman doesn't demand anything, just a battery charger”.
• Sometimes panic attacks, hands sweating, suffocation; > alcohol.
• He wants to be alone and he has claustrophobia.
• Job: Machine operator in a company. He is frequently on leave due to sickness.

Mothers comments

• Since childhood: Reserved, doesn't share, lives in his world, sensitive, emotional. Can't face criticism. But he is always ready to blame others. He can be rude to others. His behaviour with women is not good. Anxious. Lately, he feels guilty. Divorce  mind disturbed. Walking difficulty persists.
• Now he is getting along well with father.

CURRENT TREATMENT

• Anti-psychotic drugs. In the past, he abruptly stopped the drugs and there was recurrence and he had to be admitted. During attack he becomes restless, aggressive to others, drinks a lot of water and would break things.

PAST HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT

• Aur-met LM/5, Carcinocin 1M Nat-mur 1M, Conium 1M, Nux-vom 30 frequently, Oxalic acid 200, Pic-acid 200
• In the hospital: Ars, Gels.

REPERTORIZATION

Mind; delusions, imaginations; pursued, of being:

absinadan aids alcoalloxametANACaq-mar arsaurbellbrycann-icarn-g CHIN choc cic COCAIN coff-t con crot-h culx-p cupr cupr-acetcycldrosfalco-p germ hell HYOS KALI-BR lac-eq LACH lepilsdlyc mag-s mant-r med melimeli-a mercmusc-d nat-c niobnux-v pass-d phos plat plbplut-n posit PULS ran-b ratt-n rhus-t ros-g rosmsam-co-m sanicsil sol spectspong staph stramstrysuccthalthal-acetthujuv-lux verat-v vip zinc

SELECTION OF THE REMEDY

MEDORRHINUM LM/4 twice per day for two months

REASONS FOR MEDORRHINUM (From Absolute Materia medica)

Mental data

• Touchy; easily upset, by any noise, confusion, a harsh word or disorder, although his nerves themselves are in disorder.
• Misanthropy; abrupt, curt and censorious; selfish; quarrelling, even cruel. Rude, but sensitive to rudeness of others.
• Nervous, restless and tense: hurry, worry, flurry. Anxious and panicky (Arg-n.). Anticipating anxiety, almost clairvoyant (Phos.). Hallucinations about things (they seem strange or unreal), about time, (about space a far-off feeling), about persons (haunting).
• Subsequent depression: Introversy, non-committance, self-accusation, remorse. Despondency, abject pessimism (Sel.);apathy; melancholia.

Physical data

• Warm-blooded.
• Desire: Salt,
• Desire: Alcohol.

Relationship of remedies as a tool

• As Psor. is to skin and mucous membranes so is Med. to spine and nerves.
• Both Sulph. and Zinc. are combined in Med.

FOLLOW-UP

• The patient was followed up for around a year and there is improvement in both mental and physical symptoms.
• Still he is on anti-psychotic drugs, but we have been able to reduce them. In spite of reduction, he maintains his behavioural patterns within limits.
• Every time, when we decided to reduce the drugs, Medo was given in ascending scale.
• GB paralysis has almost recovered. He walks as if healthy, no problem in stair walking.

CASE VI

This is to give you the report of a case of acute bronchial asthma that responded to a few doses of Streptococcinum 1M given repeatedly.

Name: Master A.S.M. Age – 7 years. Date of consultation – 18. 6. 96

Patient as a person: Fat, flabby musculature. Wt. 36kg. Dark complexion.

Perspiration: Profuse esp. on scalp[^3] wetting the pillow; neck[^3], palms. Smell: Nil. Stains: Nil.

Craving: Sweets[^3], sour[^3], milk[^3], salt[^2]

Vaccinations: All given, no reaction.

Dispositions: Fear of darkness, of being alone. Playful; but overall lethargic. Obstinate[^3].

REMEDY SELECTION

1. Calc. as a chronic constitutional remedy on the basis of a chilly patient, mentals, cravings, body constitution, modalities and perspiration.
2. Acute remedy: Arsenic album. D.D. Streptococcinum.

In view of degree and level of similarity being achieved superbly, Streptoc. was given as an acute remedy. The patient got relief of acute bronchial asthma within 2 hours after ½ hourly frequent repetitions of Streptoc.1M.

STREPTOCOCCINUM (From Absolute MM)

MONOGRAM

DEPRAVED. INFECTIVE. RHEUMATIC. HEMORRHAGIC. SEPTIC.

Region

• Tonsils
• Nutrition
• Glands
• Right side

Worse

• Cold
• Wet weather: Damp. Winter
• Loss of sleep
• Breakfast. Eggs
• Vaccination
• Surgery, removal of organ
• Infections

Better

• Warmth
• Seashore
• Open air

HIGHLIGHTS

• Troubles after (medical) mismanagement:
• Surgical removal of any organ: Mastoid, tonsils, gastrectomy, appendix, ovary, uterus; of growths (fibroid, lipoma)
• Never well since: (Repeated) tonsillitis, diphtheria, scarlatina, pneumonia or such infections
• Family history of serious diseases like diabetes, cancer, tuberculosis (Carc.)
• History of streptococcal infections in the mother during pregnancy
• Especially after tonsillectomy, predisposition to: eye troubles (e.g. irido-cyclitis); deafness; sinusitis; PN catarrh; throat cancer; thyrotoxicosis; flatulent dyspepsia; dysentery; repeated urinary tract infections; bronchitis; asthma; rheumatic heart; osteo-myelitis; rheumatisms; arthritis; paraplegia, infantile; recurring high fevers; chorea; (puny) stunted growth; emaciation, decline (Sil., Tub.); dermatitis, eczema; sclerosis; spondylosis (too perhaps). A first or intercurrent remedy here.
• Hemorrhagic diathesis.
• Tendency to pus formation. Septic symptoms in infectious diseases. Boils, abscesses and other septic processes, like quinsy and peri-tonsillar abscesses.
• Relapsing tendency: Recurrent suppurations, eruptions, and asthma. Lesions renewing at place of origin.
• Pain from injuries, even of long ago (Arn., Con.).
• Chilly, wants heavy clothing; sensitive to everything cold. Low resistance to colds and infections.
• General debility, wants always to lie down, tired and sleepy. Neurasthenia, after hysterectomy etc. Local paralyses.
• Retarded growth; dwarfed, delicate, puny, stunted children.
• A mighty medicine, says Tyler. Enlarged tonsils are in many cases a forerunner of tuberculosis according to Farrington.

Mind:

• High-strung; irritable, in morning; restless, at night. Loss of spirits; depressed; emotional; apprehensive; melancholy; listless; indolent. Timidity; aggravation incompany (also from noises); sympathy causes weeping

Respiratory:

• Asthma; after pneumonia; < winter, > at seashore. Cough; < during sleep, at night; after 'cold' substances (curds, banana etc.). Bronchitis. Pneumonia; troubles after. Axillary (or cervical) glands swollen. Stitches in left chest.

Relations:

• Compare: Calc., Carc., Guai., Lach., Pyrog., Rhus-t., Staphycoc., Sulph., Syc-co., Syph., Thuj., Tub.
• "Midway between Phos. and Psor.

(B) Comparative study of Nosodes

(C) Syphilinum: A forbidden fruit

"Sinful and forbidden pleasures are like poisoned bread; they may satisfy appetite for the moment, but there is death in them at the end". -Tryon Edwards

When I look at the beautiful life - green trees of red roses that bloom for all of us, skies of blue and clouds of white and the colors of the rainbow around me, my heart throbs with joy. The sunrise and sunset charm me and the moon in its full brightness tranquil me.

When I was a child, the smile (the key that fits the lock of everybody's heart) of the people around me motivated me to look at the life with joy and eagerness. Appreciation of my monkeying did help me in adolescence, to do such acts with more vigour (but with less appreciation). I was a cocoon and my family's umbrella protected me from the scorching sun and torrential rains. Adulthood brought forth so many liabilities and responsibilities on my shoulders that I got absorbed in them. My image of the world was sober, soft, beautiful and stylish. What a wonderful world!

I continued my ride, with joy and peace. And I took a long time to realize that 'All that glitters is not gold.'

I found that I am surrounded by angels and devils. I also came across 'an angel when pleased, a devil when indignant'. I came across devils that have forgotten their very purpose of life, their worth and their nobility. On a wider scale, when my kaleidoscope was able to visualize the world through a large lens, I could see that the devils have encroached upon life and living of the human species and they are now threatening the very existence of life! Unfortunately, these devils are humans themselves; they belong to the same Homo sapiens, to which everyone of us are evolutionarily linked to! Why did humans start embracing the evil? I know the story of Eve who ate the Apple and landed the humans in trouble! I thought how an apple can become a misfortune creating destiny fruit for the humans and someone told me that apple became the 'forbidden fruit' because of misunderstanding of the Latin 'Malum' where Malum as an adjective means evil, but as a noun means apple.

We have evolved from primitive apelike beings and retain many of their traits. We share around 98% DNA similarity with other primates and hence it is hardly surprising that we as a species have tendencies of our ancestors.

The devil continued its ride too! It continued through DNA and through the environment-through nature and nurture. The evolution continued… with the devil, relentlessly.

It was mandatory on the part of the medical disciplines to find out the evil, to find out the tools to eradicate the devil, to find out the means to conquer it and to restore the sick to health. Hahnemann recognized the evil and destructive part of syphilis long before 'Treponema pallidum' was invented and he propounded the cause of chronic diseases based on the disease 'Syphilis'. It is strange that humans are the only known possessors of the natural reservoir of T. pallidum and now we can appreciate why Hahnemann attributed so much significance to this destructive disease. The complete genome for T. Pallidum was sequenced in 1998. The genome consists of double-stranded circular DNA chromosome 1,138,006 base pairs long. It contains approximately 1,090 genes which encode approximately 1,041 proteins. Harris Coulter even proposed that AIDS is nothing but extended syphilis.

If I were to note the ugly, dirty and disgusting part of the life, I would honour Syph.as a highly ranked remedy in our wide armamentarium. The first suggestion that it could be used as a nosode came from Lux in 1830. Swan made first proving in 1880 and its clinico-pathological study was published by Wildes in 1891.

Should I mention why I call Syph. as a forbidden apple of our Materia medica?

Syph. patient is a 'matter of fact', exploiter, schemer; worse still a fanatic, antisocial, hooligan, cruel, liar and cheater. He is abnormal and perverted. Amorous and has incendiary impulses. It is one of the prominent remedies for violently angry people who have the impulse to act in a horrible way. Crazy and unpredictable people who can't be relied upon. It's like T. pallidum organism that causes progressive deterioration and primary, secondary and tertiary changes in the mind. The mental operations get disorganized, a person loses his reasoning capacity. Finally, he loses his mental equilibrium and becomes insane. During the fit of insanity, he forgets that he is a man human and becomes human devil instead.

Syph. gets the destructive traits from his ancestors and from his nurturing through 'dehumanization'. The imprint of 'you are bad' along with constant punishment during formative years activates the devilinside. His 'bottom line' conviction is that he deserves nothing but the very worst. He engages in things like crisis-and catastrophe-courting self-set ups, chaos-and confusion-creating, and even termination-seeking, out of the belief that he has to experience such things to 'atone' for his badness and wildness.

When terrorism has spawned over the globe, homeopathy offers a remedy like Syph. that has the capacity to heal from within. Syph. deals with the perverted, obsessed and disenfranchised people who have the fixed bigoted notion 'the world is here to torture me!' and being violent is the only means to react.

Syph. renders the healing message to ride on the path from 'man devil to man human!

Life is indeed beautiful and wonderful!!