THE BOWEL NOSODES
BY
John Paterson M. B., Ch. B., D. P. H. (Camb.), F. F. Hom.
Presented by .
INTRODUCTION
The name of one of your illustrious countrymen, Louis
Pasteur, will forever be remembered as the founder of the science of
bacteriology. It was he who first isolated and identified a specific
germ and related it to a definite clinical entity (disease). Following
upon his discoveries, medical science concentrated on the laboratory
technique for the isolation and identification of a specific germ for
each known disease, and the Koch postulates were accepted as the
standard for declaring any germ capable of pathogenesis -of having power
to cause disease. The motto of the medical profession is stillTolle
Causam, find the cause, and
to-day there are many who consider that germs are the only cause of
disease and are working to discover the specific germ or virus for well
known clinical entities.It must now be accepted as scientific fact that
specific germs, in many cases of disease can be isolated and identified,
but is it a true conclusion that the specific germ is always the cause
of the disease ? The subject is too great to be dealt with in all
its aspects in this short session, but a little time must be given to
considering the general question, namely the role of the Bacterium in
Nature because one’s opinion on this must determine the value one places
on the use of bacterial products -vaccines or nosodes- in the treatment
of disease. As the subject of this paper deals with the intestinal
flora, I propose to limit my remarks to consideration of the role played
by theB. Coli and
coliform organisms found in the intestinal tract.
The role of the intestinal bacteria. B. Coli
can be isolated from the
intestine of all warm blooded animals and have been found on grasses
outside the body, where there seemed to be no possibility of faecal
contamination. Most workers consider the B.* Read to the Rhodacienne Homśopathic Society at the
meeting of the International Homśopathic League Council, August, 1949.Coli
to be a harmless
saprophyte and to be
non-pathogenic in the healthy bowel. Its function is to break up into
the more simple substances the complex molecules of the organic
combinations, which form the bodies of plants and animals, or of the
complex substances which result from the digestive processes in the
intestinal canal and are excreted. It is important to note this function
in the further study of the intestinal flora and its relationship to
disease.In nature, where there is balance, there is no
disease
and the germ, in this case the
B. Coli in
the intestinal tract, performs a useful function. Where the intestinal
mucosa is healthy the B.
Coli is non-pathogenic. Any
change in the host which affects the intestinal mucosa will upset the
balance and will be followed by a change in the habit and the
bio-chemistry of the B.
Coli, which may then be said
to become pathogenic, but it should be noted that the primary change,
the disease originated in the host, which compelled the bacillus to
modify its habit in order to survive. I would ask you to keep this
sequence of events in mind as a great deal of what I have to say about
the intestinal nosodes is based upon this conception which I have
confirmed by clinical and laboratory observations over the last twenty
years.In 1936 I presented a paper to the British
Homśopathic Society, which was published in theirJournal
of April 1936, under the title
of “The potentized Drug and Its Action on the Bowel Flora” and
it dealt with the clinical and bacteriological observations on 12,000
cases. A brief summary of the findings is as follows :(A) Non-lactose fermenting bacilli were isolated in
25 per cent. of the stool specimens examined.(B) The appearance of non-lactose fermenting bacilli
oftenfollowed
and seemed to bear
relationship to the previously administered homśopathic remedy -the
choice of the remedy being made according to “the law of
similars” and prepared by “potentization”.In the laboratory one observed an unexpected
phenomenon, that from a patient who had previously yielded onlyB.
Coli there suddenly appeared a
large percentage of non-lactose fermenting bacilli of a type which. One
associated with the pathogenic group of typhoid and paratyphoid.If one accepts the view, generally held, that the
B.
Coli of the intestinal tract
is a harmless saprophyte and is non-pathogenic it must be concluded
that, so far as the intestinal tract was concerned there was no evidence
of disease in these patients during the first series of examinations.
Now the patient’s stool yielded a large percentage of presumably
pathogenic organisms, and according to the accepted Pasteur and Koch
theory, the patient was suffering from disease. Clinical investigations,
however, revealed that the patient did not feel ill, but had experienced
a sense of well being which he had attributed to the last medicine he
had received. Since the non-lactose fermenting bacilli had appeared
after a definite latent period of 10 to ‘4 days, following the
administration of the remedy, it would seem that the homśopathic potentized
remedy had changed the bowel
flora, and had caused the disease. The pathogenic germ in this case was
the result of
vital action set up in the patient by the potentized remedy. The germ
was not the
cause of the disease.Is the “specific germ” the actual cause of
disease, or is it the result of the action of the vital force (Dynamis)
which characterises all living cells, in their resistance todisease ?
That is a question which l
must ask you to consider and answer for yourselves in the light of the
observations I have placed before you today. Meantime, it will be
sufficient for the purpose of continuing the subject of this paper, if
we agree that each germ is associated with its own peculiar symptom
picture (disease) and that certain conclusions may be made from these
clinical and laboratory observations and translated into the practice of
medicine.
(A) The specific organism is related to the disease.
(B) The specific organism is
related
to the homśopathic remedy.
From my observations I have been able to compile a
list of bowel organisms with their related homśopathic remedies and to
associate a clinical picture i. e. to offer a “proving” for
each type of bowel organism. In this case the word “proving”
is not used in the strict Hahnemannian sense-experiment on the healthy
human -but on clinical observation of the sick person.It is not possible to give a detailed account of each
type in one session, so I propose to give you a brief summary for each,
indicating a keynote, the main action. From this, and your knowledge of
the associated homśopathic remedies, you should be able to formulate a
more complete picture of the symptom complex of these bowel organisms,
and later I shall indicate how this knowledge can be put into practice.
MORGAN
(Bach)
B. MORGAN
is the type of non lactose
organism most frequently found in the stool and it has the greatest
number of associated remedies compared to other types on the list.The keynote for the
Morgan
group is contained in the word
“Congestion”
and if this is used in the
study of the various parts of the body affected it will afford a good
symptom picture of the pathogenesis of the B.
Morgan.
Head.
Congestive headaches, with
flushed face ;
worse from hot atmosphere
; thundery weather
; excitement
; travelling in bus or train.
Vertigo from high blood pressure.
Mentals.
Introspective, anxious and
apprehensive about state of health
; irritability ;
avoids company but often shows mental anxiety if left alone. Mental
depression, often with suicidal tendency.
Digestive System.
Congestion of gastric mucosa
and liver ;
heart-burn pyrosis, dirty tongue, bitter taste in mouth in the morning
with accumulation of mucus causing gagging as soon as rises from bed.
Congestion of liver ;
“bilious attacks” with severe headache which is finally
relieved by vomiting large quantities of bile stained mucus. (A history
of “bilious attacks’, especially occurring at the menopause in
women should lead one to consider the use of the nosode, Morgan
(Bach).) Cholecystitis,
gallstone ;
constipation, hćmorrhoids, pruritus ani.
Respiratory System.
Congestion of nasal and
bronchial membrane, especially in children, broncho- and lobar
pneumonia. (A history of repeated attacks of “congestion of the
lungs” or broncho-pneumonia, in children, is indicative for the use
of the nosode Morgan
(Bach) or one of the sub-types
Morgan-pure (Paterson)
or Morgan-Gaertner
(Paterson).)It is worth noticing, in view of the frequent use of
the Sulpha drugs in the treatment of pneumonia, thatSulphur
is outstanding among the
remedies associated with Bacillus
Morgan of the intestinal
tract.
Genito-urinary System.
The congestive headache
associated with the menstrual onset has already been mentioned, and this
is often accompanied by ovarian pain (congestive dysmenorrhśa) or by
the congestive flushings of the menopause period.
Circulation.
Congestion and sluggish action
is seen by the tendency to hćmorrhoids and varicose veins and the
condition known as “Erythro cyanosis puellorum”, a blueness of
the lower extremities, often in female adolescents and marked by
chilblains of feet and toes.
Fibrous Tissues.
Chronic congestion around the
joints causes arthritic conditions, usually affecting the phalangeal or
knee joint regions.
Skin.
It is here that the
outstanding action of the Bacillus
Morgan group of organisms is
to be found. Morgan
(Bach) is the nosode indicated
where there is congestion of the skin with itching eruption, worse from
heat. The type of eruption which characterises this can be ascertained
from a study of the “provings” of well known skin remedies
found among the list of remedies associated with the Bacillus
Morgan, e. g. Sulphur,
Graphites, Petroleum and Psorinum.
There are few eczemas of the
infant at the teething stage or later life, which do not require a dose
of this nosode Morgan
(Bach). It was found possible
to isolate two sub-types of Bacillus
Morgan and to observe the
clinical indications for the use of the respective nosodes.1.
MORGAN-PURE
(Paterson) is indicated
where there is a marked symptom of skin eruption or disturbance of the
liver ;
bilious headache, or actual presence of gallstones.2.
MORGAN-GAERTNER
(Paterson) is also indicated
in skin and liver conditions, but it is likely to be more useful where
there is evidence of acute inflammatory attack, such as that found in
Cholecystitis.
The sub-type Morgan-Gaertner
(Paterson) has often been
found in the stool of patients suffering from renal colic and where
X-ray has demonstrated the presence of renal calculus. The nosode MorganGaertner
(Paterson) should therefore be
considered as a possible remedy in cases of renal colic. It is also
likely to be of value in treatment in any case which has 4-8 p. m.
modality which is also a characteristic of the group prototype remedy-Lycopodium.
For its prototype, Morgan-Pure
(Paterson) has Sulphur
and within the main group
represented by Morgan
(Bach) you will find the well
known trio of remedies mentioned by Kent as working in a cycle of Sulphur,
Calcarea Carbonica and Lycopodium.
PROTEUS
(Bach)
It is difficult to offer you a single word with which
to explain the pathogenesis of the
B.
Proteus, but it will be useful
at the outset to suggest to you that the nosode Proteus
(Bach) will seldom have any
therapeutic action unless there are outstanding symptoms in the case
relative to the central or peripheral nervous systems and symptoms which
appear with degree of suddenness.
Mentals.
Mental symptoms are prominent
in the clinical proving and “Brain Storm” might be taken as
the keynote to indicate this sudden and violent upset of the nervous
system.
Outburst of violent temper, specially if opposed in
any way
;
will throw any missile which is at hand ;
kick or strike ;
the child objecting to parental control will lie on the floor and kick
and scream.
Emotional hysteria, suggestive of the remedy
Ignatia
is also found in the proving
of this B.
Proteus preparation and
convulsive and epileptiform seizures and meningismus in children during
febrile attacks often responds to the action of the nosode Proteus
(Bach). Further indication for
the use of this nosode is disturbance of the peripheral nervous system,
evidenced by spasm
of the peripheral circulation,
e. g. “dead fingers
intermittent claudication in the circulation of the
lower limbs
;
anginal attacks due to spasm of the coronary capillaries. There are two
well known diseases associated with capillary spasm where the nosode Proteus
(Bach) has been found useful
in treatment-Raynaud’s Disease, where there is spasm of the capillary
circulation of the extremities, and Meniere’s Disease where spasm of the
brain circulation results in vertigo attacks.
Digestive System.
It is important to note that
any of the symptoms manifest in the digestive system are secondary to
the action of the central nervous system. It is now being realised that
prolonged nerve strain is a factor in the production of duodenal ulcer,
and in the’ Proteus
proving, this is also to be
found. The type of case is that where there are no prodromal symptoms in
the digestive system and the first sign is that of a hćmatemesis or
melćna. These ulcers have a tendency to perforate, probably due to the
enervation and interference with capillary circulation in that area.
As part of the scientific discussion at this meeting,
a study is to be made of the remedy
Natrum
muriaticum and you will note
that this is given in my list as the outstanding member of the list of
remedies I associate with the Proteus
nosode, and I may have the
opportunity of further discussing with you the significance of the
disturbed chloride metabolism associated with this intestinal organism.
Neuromuscular System.
As one might expect from the
foregoing indications, cramp of muscles is a characteristic symptom and Cuprum
metallicum is also found among
the list of remedies.
Skin.
Angio-neurotic
śdema, which one associates with the remedy Apis
mellifica is found in the
proving of the B.
Proteus preparation and also a
tendency for the production of herpetic eruption at the mucocutaneous
margins.
There is marked sensitivity to exposure to
ultra-violet light.
Before leaving this “proving” of
Proteus
(Bach), it may be of interest
to you to know that in Great Britain since the war years, there has been
a marked increase in the frequency with which one has been able to
isolate B.
Proteus, and this I associate
with long continued “nerve strain”-a factor of considerable
importance of the pathogenesis of this type of bowel organism.
BACILLUS
No. “7” (Paterson)
This is so named because it was the 7th
non-lactose fermenting type of bacillus to be observed in the
laboratory, and as it did not conform to any of the previously known
groups, it was given the numeral “7”.
As a keynote for the use of this nosode I suggest
“Mental
and Physical Fatigue”. The
“proving” of Bacillus
No. “7” is not
unlike that of Proteus
(Bach) as it has similar
relationship ;
Proteus (Bach)
is related to Chlorine
whereas Bacillus
No. “7” seems to
have a closer relationship to the two halogens, Bromine
and iodine,
often in combination with Potassium.
Mentals.
The outstanding symptom is
mental fatigue, a feeling of unfitness for any mental effort, which
produces a sense of extreme physical exhaustion.
Digestive System.
All the symptoms can be
related to general lack of nerve and muscle tone ;
a sense of fullness after food ;
flatulence and distension of the stomach ;
enteroptosis.
Genito-urinary System.
Feeble urinary flow ;
loss of sexual function, premature senility.
Respiratory System.
Asthma ;
bronchial catarrh ;
tough sticky mucus, difficult to raise.
(Compare the symptom picture of
Kali
carb., which is one of the
associated remedies.)
Circulation.
Slow pulse rate, often with
lowered blood pressure ;
myocardial weakness.
(Potassium
has
a specific action on cardiac muscle.)
Neuro-muscular System.
Relaxed fibrous tissue, with
tendency to the formation of “rheumatic nodules” ;
backache, cannot stand long without feeling of faintness ;
tendency to syncope after sudden exertion.
Skin.
Nothing
outstanding ;
sensitive to cold, to draughts and cold damp air.
GAERTNER
(Bach)
The keynote for this nosode is
“malnutrition”
and as this would imply, it is
the nosode applicable to the treatment of many diseases of childhood,
but it is also found to be of value in the other extreme of life
associated with malignancy. Marked emaciation may be taken as an
indication for the use of the Gaertner
nosode.
Mentals.
Mostly
observed in the child ;
hypersensitive to all impressions, psychical or physical ;
overactive brain with under-nourished body.
Digestion.
It is in the digestive tract
that the B.
Gaertner has its greatest
action, and this often manifests itself about the age of 6 months at the
time when the infant is put on to artificial feeding.
The inability to digest
fat
-cśliac disease ;
ketosis ;
“intestinal infantilism”- are all disease
complexes found under the “proving” of the B.
Gaertner preparations ;
also chronic
gastro-enteritis ;
tabes mesenterica ;
threadworms. The clearing of
threadworms is difficult and usually requires prolonged treatment.
If you combine the clinical picture of three well
known remedies with which you are familiar,
Phosphorus,
Silicea, Merc. viv., you will
have before you a very good clinical picture of the “proving”
of Gaertner (Bach).
DYS.
CO. (Bach)
This is the nosode prepared from
B.
Dysenterić and the keynote
for its use is nervous tension
of a peculiar type and best
described as “anticipatory”,
since it is that sense of
nerve tension which a student might feel immediately before facing his
examiners, or a business man before attending an important engagement.
Mentals.
Nervous tension, mental
uneasiness in anticipation of some event ;
hypersensitive to criticism ;
shyness and uneasiness among
strangers ;
mental uneasiness shows itself by physical restlessness, cannot keep
still, fidgets, choreic movements of facial muscles, or limbs. Headache,
frontal over the eyes, or in vertex, brought on by excitement ;
often occurs at regular time periods of 7 or 14 days’ cycle.
Digestive System.
B. Dysenterić has been shown
to have selective action on the pylorus causing spasm and retention of
digested contents ;
dilatation of stomach ;
wakened at 12 midnight to I a. m. with acute pain in stomach, relieved
by vomiting of a large quantity of mucous material.
In some children, diagnosed as- suffering from
congenital
pyloric stenosis considerable
success has followed the use of Dys.
Co. (Bach), which would
suggest that in these cases the condition had been due to pyloric spasm
rather than to congenital malformation, of the pylorus.
Duodenal ulcer often calls for the use of the nosode
Dys.
Co. (Bach) but there must
always be present also evidence of nervous tension, which always
precedes the physical symptom and which the patient feels and refers to
his “stomach and heart area”. This is in contrast to the type
of duodenal ulcer found associated with the B.
Proteus, where the nerve
tension is insidious in action, unperceived by the patient, and the
physical condition-the ulcer-tends to come on as a “crisis”
without previous warning.
Cardio-vascular.
Functional disturbance of
heart action, associated with nerve tension ;
palpitation before important events ;
anticipatory discomfort in the cardiac area.
These are the outstanding symptoms found in the
clinical proving of the nosode
Dys.
Co. (Bach),
and you will find in them something of each of the associated remedies, Arsen.
Alb. ;
Argent. Nit. ;
Kalmia.
SYCOTIC
CO. (Paterson)
This organism is not of bacillary form but is a
non-lactose fermenting coccus found in the intestinal tract. The details
of this organism and the manner in which it was identified) is to be
found in the original work published in the British Homśopathic Journal
of April, 1933.
The keynote for the nosode Sycotic Co. (Paterson)
is “irritability
”
and this has special reference to mucous and synovial membrane.
Mentals.
Nervous irritability ;
tempery (cf. Lycopodium) ;
fear of dark ;
of being left alone ;
twitching of facial muscles, blinking of eyelids.
Head.
Irritation of meninges,
sub-acute or chronic ;
headache from infection of sinuses ;
persistent headache-particularly in a child-which may be the prodromal
sign of a tubercular meningitis (cf. Hellebore).
Sweating of head at night,
profuse.
Digestive System.
Chronic irritation of the
whole alimentary tract ;
catarrhal conditions ;
acute or chronic gastroenteritis in the child ;
loose offensive stool, excoriating (cf. Medorrhinum) ;
urgent call to stool as soon
as rising out of bed ;
constipation unusual ;
diarrhśa common ;
nausea or sickness after eating eggs (Cf. Ferrum
met.).
Respiratory.
Acute, sub-acute, chronic
bronchial catarrh ;
catarrh of mucous membranes of nose, throat (enlarged tonsils and
adenoids in child). Irritable cough at night, 2 a. m.
I regard
Sycotic
co. (Paterson) as a
pre-tubercular remedy.
Circulation.
Anćmia
and hydrćmia, usually in the adult.
(The
Sycotic
patient is always anćmic
looking, never carries much colour in the face.)
Neuro-muscular System.
General rheumatic fibrositis,
aggravated from dampness, alter a period of rest (Cf. Rhus
tox.). Feet painful when
walking, as if walking on loose cobble stones, pain in the me tarsal
bones, fidgety feet at night in bed.
Skin.
Sallow complexion, oily skill)
vesicular or varicellar type of eruption on face or body : (After
administration of Sycotic
Co. (Paterson) to children, a
rash varicellar in type, resembling, and often mistaken for chicken-pox
may appear.) Warts on
mucocutaneous surfaces.
Genito-urinary System.
Sycotic Co. (Paterson) has
marked action of the whole of the genito-urinary tract causing
irritation of mucous membranes from the kidney to the urethral tract ;
albuminuria ;
pyelitis ;
cystitis ;
urethritis ;
vulvo-vaginitis ;
balanitis.
Female.
Pain in left ovary at
menstrual period ;
tic ovaries ;
tubal infection (tubercular or gonococcal) ;
profuse leucorrhśa.
It will be evident that this coccal organism of the
intestinal tract is related morphologically and clinically to the
Gonococcus. Hahnemann related what he called “The Sycotic
Miasm” to the disease, Gonorrhśa, but this disease is only one
form of catarrhal infection of the mucous membrane of the urinary tract.
There are many other non-gonorrhśal organisms associated with the
symptom picture of “catarrh” and I suggest that the miasm
“Sycosis” may be considered synonymous with
“Catarrh”. Gonorrhśa is an infection of mucous membrane (i.
e. it is a sycotic manifestation) but catarrhal manifestations
(Sycotic)
are not all due to gonorrhśal
infection.
These are the nosodes prepared from the non-lactose
fermenting organisms of the bowel which are most generally called for in
practice, but there are two other members which are found occasionally
in the stool and which are not well proved and seldom used.
MUTABILE
(Bach)
This bacillus is so named because it
mutates
almost as soon as it is
sub-cultured from a non-lactose to a lactose fermenter and is of
interest mainly from a bacteriological point of view as the Bacillus
Mutabile is an intermediary
form between the B.
Coli and the true non-lactose
fermenting type. Its associated remedy is Pulsatilla
and the nosode Mutabile
(Bach) is likely to be of
value in treatment where there is alteration of symptoms, e. g. where
skin eruption alternates with asthmatic symptoms.
FAECALIS
(Bach)
I have never found this nosode made from the
B.
Faecalis of much value in
treatment, but where I have found the organism in the stool, the
clinical symptoms have led me to choose Sepia
as the indicated remedy.
Biochemistry
of the Bowel Organisms and their associated Remedies.
I would ask you now to refer to the list before you
and to note the group remedies which have been found associated with
each type of non lactose fermenting organism of the bowel.
B. MORGAN (Bach)
In this group two elements are outstanding, i. e.,
Sulphur
and Carbon.
In this group also there are
complex remedies from the plant world, e. g. Lycopodium
and from the venom of a snake,
i. e. Lachesis.
B. Proteus (Bach)
Here the outstanding element is
Chlorine.
BACILLUS No. “7” (Paterson)
Bromine
and
iodine.
B. GAERTNER (Bach)
Silicea
;
Phosphorus ;
Fluorine ;
Merc. Viv.
From this list it will be evident that each organism
is associated with remedies which have a central element with which
other elements may combine to form remedies of varying chemical
complexity. The practice of Homeopathy is founded on the hypothesis That
the true
simillimum
(the homśopathic remedy) is
related to the disturbed metabolism (the disease) and now it can be
demonstrated that the non -lactose fermenting organism of the bowel is
biochemically related to the disease and the homśopathic remedy.
The potentized vaccine -the nosode- prepared from
culture of the organism can be considered to be a complex biochemical
substance having the characteristic of the disturbed metabolism, and
thus to be similar to the disease and according to the law of similars,
to have specific therapeutic power to restore balance, a condition of
ease -i. e. health.
The individual members of each group may have some
therapeutic action in a specific disease, but the action of the simpler
elements may be incomplete and require the assistance of the more,
Complex remedies, and on this hypothesis one can formulate a series of
working rules for the use of the remedies and the nosodes and in actual
practice demonstrate how one may complement the action of the other.
INDICATIONS
FOR THE USE OF THE BOWEL NOSODES IN DISEASE
My remarks will be addressed, on this occasion, to
those doctors ho have no means of obtaining bacteriological reports on
stool culture, but who may wish to try out the use of these nosodes in
their practice.
I suggest that we divide the cases to be considered
into two groups :
(1) New Case
.
A patient who has not
received homśopathic treatment.
(2) Old Case
.
A patient who has been under
homśopathic treatment but who may not be responding to the treatment
given.
In using the bowel nosodes it must always be
remembered that they are deep acting remedies and cover the totality of
symptoms from the highest level, the “mentals”, to the lowest
level of gross pathology”
and
that they also cover the life
history of a patient from earliest childhood to adult life or old age.
The “taking of the case history” is
therefore of great importance in the choice of the nosode for a
particular case, and attention must be given to the “past” as
well as the “present” symptom
New Case
.
Where this is a definite
symptom picture which points to a remedy, this should be given, and not
a nosode. In many cases, how-ever, the choice may lie within a number of
possible remedies and it is in this difficulty that one may use the list
of remedies and the associated bowel nosodes. If ;
for example, Sulphur,
Calcarea Carbonica,
Graphites were among the list
of possible remedies, reference to the table would show that the nosode Morgan-pure
(Paterson) was related to each
of these arid could be considered to cover the totality of the symptoms.
In practice this is found to be so and proves the bowel nosodes to be
deep and broad acting remedies.
As another example, the choice might lie within the
group of remedies
Merc.
viv., Phosphorus, Silicea, in
which case the nosode Gaertner
(Bach) would be indicated.
In this way it is possible to choose the nosode from
the list of possible remedies for a given case, but the next question to
decide is that of potency and repetition of dose.
As in general homśopathic practice the more obvious
the “mentals” the higher the potency, but if there are marked
pathological symptoms the general rule is to employ the lower potencies.
With outstanding “mentals” I prefer the
nosode in 1m potency or higher, if obtainable, but if there is obvious
evidence of advanced pathological conditions such as advanced rheumatoid
arthritis, or malignancy, I would employ the
6c
potency and give this in a
daily dose over a period, the duration of which would be determined by
clinical observation and evidence of reaction.
Between these extremes there is an intermediate level
of potency -The 30C- which I have found useful where there is a
combination of acute and chronic, e. g. in acute broncho-pneumonia
superimposed upon a chronic condition, with a miasmatic background, a
tubercular diathesis.
The number and frequency of the doses of the chosen
nosode can be determined only by clinical observation and experience.
The higher the potency chosen the less frequent the
repetition and number of doses, is a good working rule for the use of
the nosodes, but it has been found a useful practice to complement the
action of a nosode in single high potency dose, with repeated doses of
the low potency of an associated remedy. As example, a case of skin
eruption may call for a single dose of
Morgan-pure
(Paterson) 1M but the
intolerable itch may also call for Sulphur
in the 3X
to the 6c potency in repeated
doss. Also in chronic arthritis, alter a dose of the appropriate nosode
for the case, considerable benefit to the patient may follow the use of
a low potency remedy, chosen from the list of associated remedies, and
given over a considerable period of time.
Old Case
.
This is where the patient may
have had homśopathic treatment over a period and received a
considerable number of remedies with a varying degree of success or
failure. These are difficult cases, even from the nosode point of view ;
when there is no evidence available from stool culture to give a clue to
the group of remedies likely to be useful, or as to the phase in which
the patient is at the moment. It must he remembered that the potentized
remedy can alter the bowel flora and that in an “old case” the
remedies already given may have caused a positive phase, i. e. changed
the B. Coli to
non-lactose fermenting bacilli, and consideration must be given to the
extent of this change. If I find a percentage of non-lactose fermenting
organisms in a stool greater than 50 per cent., I at once determine that
the administration of a bowel nosode is contraindicated, and experience
has shown that a nosode given at such a time produces a negative phase
with a corresponding period of vital depression in the patient.
With this uncertainty in an old case, which has had
potentized remedies within one month, it is wiser to use a nosode in the
& potency in the first instance, and so avoid the chance of a
violent negative reaction.
The choice of a nosode for any case can be determined
by a study of the clinical history and noting the remedies which have
given the greatest, although not sustained, effect. Tabulate this list
of remedies and compare it with the Nosode list and the associated
remedies and choose the nosode which has the greatest number within its
group. In many cases there may not be much apparent effect from the
nosode, but it would seem that the giving of the nosode had in some
manner readjusted the case, because thereafter considerable benefit
follows the remedy previously given without much effect. If there seems
no apparent benefit from the nosode, do not be disappointed but repeat
the remedy which has given the evidence of partial reaction before, and
this time you can expect more permanent action.
One last remark, and that of warning, do not repeat a
bowel nosode within three months ; but if it is necessary to
prescribe, select a remedy within the group, and give the remedy in high
or low potency as you find indicated from the symptoms present. Finally,
do not expect too much from these bowel nosodes, and then be
disappointed in their use. They are valuable therapeutic agents when
properly used, and their great value is in the treatment of chronic
disease, in cases which are generally considered to be very resistant to
any form of treatment.
Note on Nomenclature.
3x =
3rd
decimal Hahnemannian
6c =
6
centesimal Hahnemannian
30c =
30
centesimal Hahnemannian
1m =
1,000
centesimal Hahnemannian
AMENDED
LIST (SEPTEMBER, 1949).
|
(A) Morgan-Pure |
Alumina |
Graphites SULPHUR |
|
(B) Morgan-Gaertner |
Chelidonium |
LYCOPODIUM |
|
PROTEUS |
Ac. mur. |
Calc. mur. NATRUM |
|
MUTABILE |
Ferrum phos. PULSATILLA |
|
|
BACILLUS No. “7” |
Arsen. iod. Bromium |
Kali. brom. KALI. Merc. iod. |
|
GAERTNER |
Calc. fluor. MERC. |
Nat. Sil. Fluor. |
|
Dys. Co. |
Anacardium ARSENICUM |
Kalmia |
|
SYCOTIC Co. |
Ac. nit. |
Natrum sulph. Thuja |
|
FAECALIS |
SEPIA |