Hering’s law of cure. By Dr Roger Schmidt

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Hering’s law of
cure.

By Dr Roger Schmidt

Presented by Sylvain Cazalet

Dr C. Hering

For a series of facts
and phenomena to be the object of a science, they must be united by real
connections, submissive rules, principles and fixed laws. The scientific
mind invents neither facts, nor their relations of causality any more
than their laws and principles. Its mission consists in investigating,
discovering ‘them’ and establishing them on a basis as solid as
possible.

Repeated observations
and experimentation, which is only observation applied to artificially
produced relations of causality, establish the reality of these facts on
the firm basis of experience. When the relations of causality are
permanent and invariable the existence of positive laws may be concluded
from them.

As empirically found
out facts, relations of causality have too, their raison d’être. They derive from more general
laws and have their principles. Leading up to these principles, in so
far as they can be positively established, is the highest mission of
science. On the limit of these positive principles, experimental
sciences stop. If we exceed that limit, we enter the domestic domain of
philosophy, the domain of primary and metaphysical causes. No scientific
man should remain a stranger to this domain. Willingly or not, those
limits are constantly exceeded ; as the search for principles is
imposed upon the human mind by its very nature.

The reality of the
relations of causality, of the principles of laws and the possibility of
proving them by observation, are the first condition of every true
science. Another and quite as necessary condition is the fixity of those
laws. What makes the strength and superiority of homœopathic
therapeutics is that it rests on precise and fixed (LAWS and PRINCIPLES.
Beside our great law SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURANTUR)
which forms the solid basis of the Hahnemannian doctrine, there exists a
secondary one little known : THE LAW OF CURE.

Constantine Hering had
the merit of formulating for the first time the law of the direction of
symptoms, i. e. :

From above downwards.

From within outwards.

From a more important organ to a less important one.

In the reverse order of their coming.

Dr James Tyler
Kent

I have been unable to
find the original work, J. T. Kent in his Lectures
on Homœopathic Philosophy and Lesser Writings speaks of
Hering and of the modus operandi of
cure. Stuart Close likewise mentions the law of cure in his Genius of Homœopathy. As far as I know no
trace of it can be found in the homœopathic literature or elsewhere.

After defining what the
Law is, it is useful to study the expression “cure”

Our illustrious master,
Samuel Hahnemann, took as starting point that the aim of any medicine is
the cure of diseases. This is the true art of healing.

“The perfection of
a cure consists in restoring health in a prompt, mild and permanent
manner : in removing and annihilating disease by the shortest,
safest and most certain means, upon principles that are at once plain
and intelligible”

Hahnemann says restore health and annihilate the whole, the entire
disease, not SUPPRESS certain symptoms. This discrimination
is of capital importance upon which it behooves us to insist very
specially, for people usually call “cure” the disappearance of
certain symptoms or syndromes, external manifestations of disease, such
as constipation, eruptions, leucorrhœa, piles, etc.

A patient calls for the
intervention of the physician for symptom that he finds especially
unpleasant, which make him suffer in his comfort or his vanity. He does
not know what distinguishes PALLIATION from a GENUINE CURE, and he has
no idea that such external manifestation is only one of the episodes of
a deeper affection, one of the parts, often the least important one, of
the general trouble. And the physician, always in a hurry and anxious to
keep the patient as a client, is but too often tempted, alas I to take
the easy but dangerous way of palliation, of the suppression of external
symptoms or pain. For example, this rheumatic patient so quickly freed
from his articular symptoms through the energetic intervention of his
physician, returns to his clever doctor shortly after and says to him,
“You cured my rheumatism so well, why can you not cure my
asthma ?” The physician, and of course the patient, do not
recognize the connection between cause and effect of the peripheral
disturbances to the related and consequent internal manifestations,
which become more and more serious. The clear-sighted homœopathic
physician can observe every day in his practice that connection.

The undeniable proof of
what should be called the “repercussion” in the interior of
the body of external manifestations suppressed, is the return of the
previous symptoms, the reappearance of external manifestations, thanks
to well-chosen homœopathic remedies.

The pains, changes,
sufferings, which occur on the surface of the body, not originating from
any external violence, or merely from the consequences of some slight
external injury, owe their source to an internal affection. It is,
therefore, equally absurd and dangerous to regard these diseases as
symptoms that are purely local, and to treat them exclusively, or nearly
so by topical applications, as if they were surgical cases, in which
manner they have been treated till the present day.

These maladies have
been considered as purely local, and, consequently, received the
appellation of such because they were looked upon as affections that
were in a manner attached to the extreme parts in which the organism
took little or no share, as it was ignorant of their existence.

Reflection, however,
will suffice to explain why an external malady (which has not been
occasioned by an important external violence) cannot arise, continue, or
much less grow worse, without some internal cause, the co-operation of
the whole system, the latter consequently being diseases. (Organon. §. 187, 188, 189)

Dr Paul Carton

Behind all local
affections, says Dr. P. Carton, even the most insignificant ones,
seemingly the most localized, such as anthrax, eczema, coryza, sick
headache, etc., is hidden a humoral alteration, an attack against the
general condition, a fall of vital resistance’s, which really form the
essence of the malady. But it is principally in the so-called
specialties (malady of the eye, ear or nose, etc.) that it is absolutely
necessary to know that the eye, nose, ear must not be treated as if they
were, so to say, placed on a tray, independently of the value of the
general reactions of the patient. Insofar, any localized alteration
(ulcer, fistula, abscess ganglion, etc.) can he looked upon as a
barometer of the general state.

Disease, therefore, is
always general, it affects the individual as a whole, physical and
psychical, and it is not possible to speak of cure unless the disturbed
order has been completely restored in the whole individual and unless
the symptoms have altogether disappeared.

The human body can be
considered as a sort of confederation of organs, animated by a vital,
immaterial principle. The control of all the functions is effected from the centre to the circumference,
so as to secure harmony and fulfil the purpose assigned to the organism.
The morbific agent always affects the centre of government first, and it
produces at first functional disorders before producing organic
diseases. This is especially evident in acute maladies : every
acute malady begins by general disturbances, modifications of the temper
and character, then troubles of sleep, appetite, etc., appear. And only
later after a more or less long period (called incubation period) are
the manifestations localized in such or such part of the organism
(static period). In chronic disease that process remains the same,
though it is far more difficult to detect.

The medica mental
provings show a movement quite analogous in the intoxicating action on
the economy from centre to circumference. As the centre of government is
affected first, the whole economy feels that modifying influence, that
is why we can observe signs and symptoms in the whole body, with
predominance in such or such system or organ, giving thus to the picture
of intoxication its proper physiognomy.

Then, if the malady
affects first the interior of the individual, not his outside tissues
and organs, it is obvious that it is the inside which must first be put
in order, and the outside afterwards. The cure must then proceed from centre to circumference, i. e.

From above downwards.

From within outwards.

From the more important organs to the lesser.

From the head to the hands and feet.

The law of cure is
infinitely precious to the physician ; it is his compass and rudder
in the struggle against disease. It explains to him clearly in what
manner the morbific principle evolves. The practitioner knows with
certainty, which makes his strength and his success, that if the
symptoms are developed in the direction indicated by the law, the
patient will be cured and the symptoms will permanently disappear. He
knows also when the symptoms take a country direction that the remedy
was not well-chosen, that it acts as a palliative and that the patient
will grow worse.

I will quote now two
cases that wilt illustrate better than any theoretical considerations,
what the law of cure is in the daily practice.

CASE 1 :

Mr. G. B—., 72 years
old, told me he suffered, when he, was about 40, from an obdurate eczema
which had extended from the feet to the sexual parts, then onto the
trunk, and at last to the eyelids and scalp. But for the eczema, he
thought at that time, that he was very strong and in perfect health. It
required years of various treatment and the use of numerous ointments to
suppress little by little this eruption, traces of which are still to be
seen on the scalp and eyelids. During more than twenty years since the
time he had at last succeeded in ridding himself of his eczema, he
suffered from frequent influenza, then from bronchitis, which tittle by
little turned into asthma. He attributes all these phenomena, from which
he never suffered before, to chills and these grew worse in spite of
every care. Little by little rheumatism set in (a question of time
perhaps) which made him suffer cruelly, in the shoulders, hands and
lower limbs. Every winter he had one or two attacks of lumbago and
sciatica, without mentioning attacks of bronchitis and asthma.

Now he has a pityriasis
erythema on the scalp, dry eczema of the eyelids and conjunctivitis. The
skin all over the body is extremely dry and covered with little white
scales, especially abundant on the limbs. When auscultating the
globulous thorax, one hears big rhonci and, numerous sibilances spread
about. The cough is noisy, paroxysmal, turns loose and dry. Solar plexus
painful when pressed, when the patient is standing (signal pain
according to Leven), which denotes a gastric ptosis. The liver, very
sensitive to touch, continues beyond the ribs a little. The patient
complains of lack of appetite and constipation. Dry arthritis of the
shoulders and knees. Heart normal. Pulse 75. Tendon reflexes not very
much marked. Numerous nodosities around the articulations of both hands.
The nails of the big toes are very much thickened. The patient is
frequently disturbed in his sleep by his cough and after 5 in the
morning he cannot sleep at all.

This story and the
complex of the present symptoms clearly indicate Sulphur. On January 11, I gave Sulphur 30 every morning in the plus method.
On February 3., the patient returns saying : “I feel better I
sleep better, till 6.30. The cough disappeared two days ago, the
breathing is deeper, the stairs much less difficult to ascend. I have an
appetite again, my bowels evacuate two or three times a day.” The
only shadow in the picture is the increase of rheumatism nearly
everywhere. I give Placebo.

On February 27, the
above mentioned improvements are maintained. The head is lighter, the
mind more active, the ideas clearer. The itching and the erythema of the
scalp have disappeared. The eyes are getting better. On the contrary,
the rheumatic pains are stronger in the hands and feet. “An
extraordinary thing, doctor, my previous perspirations and my eczema of
20 years ago, on the genital parts, on the hands and feet have returned.
I don’t want to re-commence the comedy of yore”. I warn my patient
and tell him to abstain from any external medicinal application and I
speak to him of the law of cure explaining to him that his symptoms are
following exactly the desired direction :

From above downward

(the head is better, the lower parts of the body worse).

From within outward

(the
cough, asthma, breathing, digestive functions are very much improved,
whilst the extremities show serious aggravation).

And in the reverse
order of the coming of the symptoms

(reappearance of the
previous eczema and perspiration). Of course I give Placebo.

On April 2. I see my
patient again. He declares that his state has rapidly improved, until a
recent journey during which he indulged in an indiscretion of diet,
which brought a strong aggravation of all skin symptoms. The rheumatism
is better but has not completely disappeared. I order a dose of Sulphur 200 and Placebo.
(The duration of Sulphur 30 was 10
weeks).

On July 6, the patient
returns to thank me. He is cured and wishes to make me endorse his
opinion.

CASE II :

Mrs. A. G—. 35 years
old, comes to consult me for her general state of health. She is
sensitive person, and her symptoms would cover numerous pages,
therefore, I will only mention the most important. Her state of health
was entirely modified after the birth of her daughter eight years ago,
in spite of the care of several physicians, it was growing worse and
worse. Giddiness in the morning, when standing and when going down the
stairs. Sick headaches accompanied with nausea and vomiting of bile,
especially before and after the menses. Her head is often flushed in the
region of the vertex. The nape of the neck is the seat of heavy pains.
She always feels too hot and cannot bear heat ; the warmth of the
bed gives agonies in the legs, her feet are so burning that she
stretches them out of the bed or walks barefooted on the cold stones of
her kitchen to cool them. Violent fits of sneezing in the morning after
leaving bed, followed by tears ; itching of the eyelids. Her sight
is weakened and her eyes easily get tired. She has too much saliva which
obliges her to swallow constantly, thence aerophagia. She is more
thirsty than hungry. The stomach and abdomen, very much swollen, are as
if bruised. Many eructations and intestinal gases. The menses have
nothing special, except that they are followed by “whites”.
Her back often hurts. Her very damp hands show an eczema of the palm for
the last eight years. Pains in the shoulders, worse at night. Heaviness
in the legs, which feel as if swollen. Very sudden pains in the sciatic
nerve, when walking. Sleep is very troubled, because of a burning
feeling of the feet, starlings and shakings of the entire body. In the
morning, when awaking, she is more fatigued than when going to bed. This
symptomological ensemble contains good indications of Sulphur.

On April 5, I give Sulphur 30, 200M, 10M one dose of each
dilution every morning and Placebo.

On April 16, the
patient tells me she felt far worse during the four days which followed
her visit to my office, and she didn’t close her eyes during these four
nights. Then, she felt relieved, stronger, the headaches have not
re-appeared, nor the giddiness either. The nape of the neck is getting
better too. The thirst has disappeared ; but she has the greatest
difficulties in coming to my office, as she suffers so much in the back
arid lower limbs. The eczema of the hand is increased. All this
discourages her very much. I exhort her to have patience and reassure
her in explaining the LAW OF CURE : “All that will go down and
out, never to return”.

Indeed, on April 30,
the pains in the back have gradually disappeared after the last
consultation. The hands are getting freed from the eruption. The sleep
would be excellent, if the legs and especially the feet did not give her
a foretaste of hell fire ; Placebo.

See my patient only 10
weeks later, on July 16, for the good reason that she is perfectly well
and cured.

Source :

Homœopathic Recorder, Feb. 1929.

Copyright © Sylvain
Cazalet 2001

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