Role Of Nosodes.
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1994 Mar / Apr Vol III No 2.
Bhatnagar.
Materia Medica.
` Nosodes.
Whenever a germ can with confidence be reckoned as a causal agent in producing a disease, experience teaches us that one of the best agents for calling out the resistance of the body and so achieving cure, can be prepared from the causal germ itself.
Years before bacteriologists of the likes of Louis Pasteur discovered and introduced the vaccinations where the dead bacilli were generally injected to evoke a specific resistance in an attempt to produce active immunity the Homoeopaths were already aware of the principles of this latter day discovery and were using remedies by potentising the disease products. Dr. Burnett used Bacillinum, Dr. Lippe used Lac-caninum and Lyssin, and the master, Hahnemann himself used Ambra-grisea way back in 1827.
So, the products of a disease afford another source of Homoeopathic remedies called Nosodes.
Nosodes when prescribed on the characteristics elicited by extensive provings on healthy human beings, cure many ailments and conditions either connected or quite unconnected with the disease of which they are products.
In fact, before his death Dr. H.C. Allen, after years of painstaking observations and experiments had managed to compile a treatise on the provings of Nosodes. He regarded these drugs as Homoeopathic and prescribed according to the totality of symptoms. The role of Nosodes is highlighted when well selected remedies fail to relieve or effect a permanent cure.
Dr. Kent emphasised that the Nosode is NOT used merely because it is a Nosodes. The prevailing idea is that being a product of that disease it should be used for that disease eg anything related to Syphilis must be treated with Syphilinum; or anything related to Gonorrhoea be treated with Medorrhinum; or anything Psoric be treated with Psorinum; or related to Tuberculosis be treated with Tuberculinum. This is a grossly erroneous and irrational doctrine based on unsound principles. Actually these nosodes too are deep acting constitutionals as they are products of a disease from a very deep seated constitutional condition and are to be used as per the principles of Homoeopathy and the Law of Similars and NOT by the name of the disease or its products.
Let me enumerate the characteristics of some of the Nosodes in brief:-
Psorinum: is triturated from a seropurulent matter contained in the scabies vesicle.
Through the great vegetative nervous system, it has two special centres of action. The lymphatic glandular system with acrid excretions and cerebrospinal system with profound debility.
Therapeutic individuality of this Nosode is seen where Sulphur is indicated but fails to act. Patient shows a psoric trait but the well chosen remedy fails.
Great weakness from loss of vital fluids and after an acute illness. Debility independent of any organic disease, a state of paretic weakness. Feels unusually well a day before the attack.
Ambra-grisea: made from the morbid product found in the sperm whale. It has a special centre of action in the animal nervous system, causing Hysterical Hyperaesthesia.
Adapted to excessively hysterical women who are delicate, lean and have frequent fainting fits.
Memory impaired, distorted images, melancholy. Sits weeping for days with great weakness and constipation. Great weakness in head with vertigo, must lie down, cannot sleep, must get up. Feels in a hurry, jumping from one subject to another. Music is intolerable. Confusion of mind, presence of other persons aggravate. Indifference. Prematurely old.
Anthracinum: Prepared from the spleen of cattle, ill with a disease caused by Anthrax poisoning.
This Nosode is a great remedy for septic inflammations. Septicaemia. Carbuncles with horrible burning pains. Swollen glands, cellular tissues, oedematous and indurated. Malignant ulcers.
Bacillinum: Prepared from typical Tuberculous lung. It is especially indicated for lungs of old people with chronic catarrh and feeble pulmonary circulation with cough and suffocation in the night. Constant disposition to take a cold. Another marked feature recorded by Dr. Burnett was its use in ringworm.
Cholesterinum: Most effective in case of severe gallstone colic. Obstinate liver engorgements. Burning pains.
Diphtherinum: Indicated in post diphtheritic paralysis. Catarrhal affections of respiratory organs. Scrofulous individuals.
Hydrophobinum or Lyssin: Prepared from the saliva of a rabid dog. Affects mainly the nervous system. Fear of water especially running water or even its sound. Convulsions from bright dazzling light.
Malandrinum: An effective protection against small pox. Dreadful ill effects of vaccinations.
Lac-caninum: Made from dogs milk. This remedy is of undoubted value in sore throats, diphtheria and rheumatism. Keynote symptoms are erratic pains and alternating sides, great prostration, despondent and visions of snakes.
Pyrogenium: Used in septic states with intense restlessness. Great value as a Homoeopathic dynamic anti-septic. All discharges are horribly offensive. Pulse abnormally rapid and out of proportion to temperature. Bed feels too hard.
Medorrhinum: is made from the Gonorrhoeal discharge. A powerful and deep acting remedy used often in ailments due to suppressed gonorrhoea. Great irritability of the nervous system. Neuralgias. Fear of dark. Time moves slowly. Terrible dreams of ghosts and the dead. Children dwarfed and stunted in growth. It has profound action on cerebrospinal system. Affinity for heart and blood vessels. Inhibitory paralysis of the heart. Pulse diminished. Tonic arterial contractions. Veins dilated. Body temperature lowered. Can cause abortions. Violent emesis. Gangrene. Ameliorated from cold. Unnatural ravenous appetite.
Syphilinum: Prepared from the succussion of Syphilitic abscesses. Craving for alcohol in any form. Recurrent inflammations. Ailments worse from sunset to sunrise. Despair of recovery. Always washing hands. Rheumatism. Neuralgias.
Tuberculinum: A Nosode from tubercular abscess. Of undoubted value in the treatment of incipient tuberculosis; in renal affections. When symptoms are constantly changing and well selected remedies fail to act. Slightest exposure causes a cold. Emaciation. Constitutional periodical headaches.
Ustilago: Prepared from Smut corn. Has a prominent action on the blood vessels. Long lasting arterial contractions and dilatation of veins. Passive haemorrhages. Congestions. Hypertrophy, flabby conditions of the uterus.
BOWEL NOSODES: As we have the Nosodes prepared from disease products, a noted bacteriologist Dr. Bach, along with his Homoeopathic colleagues, gave the world valuable remedial agents called the Bowel Nosodes. These were prepared from the cultures of Non-Lactose fermenting flora of the intestinal tract.
Hahnemann declared the hydraheaded monster psora as the universal mother of all chronic diseases and the most destructive of all chronic miasms. In what he termed as Latent Psora, the symptoms are all related to gastrointestinal disturbances and are toxic in origin.
Dr. Bachs concept that the non-lactose fermenting bacilli in the bowels are closely related to the causation of the many manifestations of psora, gives us, through the nosodes of these bacilli a means of producing a systematic reaction which cleans the bowels and, in practice, mitigates or clears all the symptoms. This includes the skin eruptions which is the final active expression of Psora which predisposed the individual to infections. Disease is not an entity to be expelled from the body but a dynamic error in the life force, an imbalance in vital functions that can be corrected only by the recuperative power within the living cells themselves. Bacteriology does not interpret Homoeopathy but Homoeopathy explains the significance of Bacteriology. The bacteria cannot be looked upon as the sole cause of disease. It has been proved that during systemic curative reaction the flora of the bowel changes and then becomes more natural under the influence of a curative reaction set up either by the Similimum or a suitable Nosode when applied in consonance with the Law of Similars.
Let me give in brief the general indications of the Bowel nosodes as outlined by Dr. Bach.
Garter: Tired, Lack of vital reaction. Lack of initiative. Affection of ductless
glands. Tumors.
Proteus: Rigidity of both mind and the body. Stubborn, violent, irresponsible. Fixed
ideas. Most difficult to treat. Quarrelsome. Prone to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis,
fibrositis, epilepsy.
Morgan: Most helpful. Optimistic. Suffers from migraine. Skin ailment. Has many
similarities with Sulphur. Weakness, spasticity. Callosities. Deformities of joints.
Dysentery-co: Associated with all forms of cardiovascular ailments. Angina, tachycardia,
Ischaemic heart disease. Mentally highstrung, sensitive to all impressions, apprehensive,
lacks confidence and courage. Restlessness. Irritability of the nervous system.
In conclusion, let me recapitulate the role of nosodes in the armament of the healing art. Nosodes are indeed Homoeopathic and are used in consonance with the principles of Homoeopathy and the Law of Similars. Being constitutionally deep acting and deep seated remedies, they are to be used with utmost care when the indicated, well selected remedy fails to act. Use in infrequent doses and higher potencies.
