find it interesting.
USING THE BEST CHINA - a comparison of China officinalis; China arsenicosum;
China boliviana; Chininum muriaticum; China salicylicum and China
sulphuricum.
There is a validity in studying a group of related remedies. The fact that
they are connected should mean there has to be similarities but we also have
to look at their important individual differences which renders them
homeopathically more useful.
As a whole the China group has EXTREMES and what appears to be contradictory
elements, creating a push and pull. SENSITIVITY is the at the core of this
and will be encountered in all the Chinas - sensitivity being a sensation of
being pushed, pulled or caught between these extremes.
This sensitivity can be on a par with that of Phosphorus which can take one
to a psychic or spiritual level (perhaps the truer meaning of 'AIR CASTLES'
which is a high ranking symptom of all the China group).
Another strong symptom within the China family is PERIODICITY, and again, I
think this is made more likely where there are extremes present within a
remedy symptom picture. It is like a tight line being drawn which
periodically breaks, it has to because the stress is otherwise too
overwhelming.
I thought it would be useful to make a journey out of each remedy, a journey
from one extreme to the other, incorporating possible causation and likely
as well as unusual diseased states that might be encountered along the way.
Bearing in mind that someone can present with their diseased state at any
part of the journey, one needs to be able to work backwards as well as
forwards in identifying where the case really begins.
CHINA ARSENICOSUM
The first extreme is fright which establishes a more permanent state of
anxiety which is coloured by impatience and irritability. The impatience
will show as a discontent with everything, overly conscientious about
trivial matters which, in itself, is driven by suspicion. This can be day or
night but the characteristic Arsenicum influence will make the suffering
worse at night, driving them out of bed. The irritability factor will be of
a complaining nature "turn the TV down!!", "stop making so much noise!!" -
so very sensitive to the disruption that noise causes (they actually have a
constant ringing of bells in the ears) - perhaps the original fright had
noise as a harmful sensation. Another disruption is their reaction to
criticism as they are very easily offended, and to counteract this they
become very critical in their outlook on life, not just the trivial matters
now, it will extend to everything and can even develop into real anger.
The permanent state of fear is ongoing and shows itself with the anxiety but
more specifically at night, with a fear of evil, of ghosts. At a more
advanced stage delusions can develop along the same lines which causes them
to become sleepless. This mental and emotional strain will produce a
plethora of physical symptoms - the digestion (as in Arsenicum) is easily
disorganised, lots of colic pains > pressure; diarrhoea is common especially
from fish and eggs; craving from sweets and water. The China group is always
thin and there is a definite possibility of eating disorders which may have
evolved out of the initial causative fright.
Pathology will deepen along the lines of recurrent fevers, back pain,
chronic rheumatism, angina with suffocative attacks, asthma (history of
smoking is likely) and epilepsy. China arsenicosum has an affinity to
scarlet fever and diptheria and there might well be a history of these in
the family background. It is both syphilitic and tubercular.
The final end of journey extreme is complete prostration, worn out by
intense periodical attacks of any of the above. There will then be
indifference, indolence, confusion and dullness, despair and loathing of
life, sentimentally sits and thinks only about the past, refuses to talk and
is weepy, anxious and timid.
CHINA BOLIVIANA
This China is very similar to China Officinalis - the two extremes being
timidity and rage which alternate with each other rather than an either/or
situation.
The first extreme is a very active mind and continually making many plans
and constantly thinking only of the future which is the other extreme in the
distance, at the end of the journey (common to all the China's). So there is
a lot of control in putting all the desires and plans into place.
Expectation then becomes another form of stimulation, like an over excited
child. But they appear to suffer not so much from the potential
disappointment that must ultimately occur with so much planning - quite the
reverse (you'll like this) - they suffer from excessive Joy!!!! It is the
enjoyment of the stimulation which beleaguers them, suffering from the over
stimulation, just as in China arsenicosum when the causative fright could be
described as being over stimulating but lacking in the enjoyment factor.
Initially the timid state requires stimulation to wake it up and once this
is achieved we have a very busy person, full of desires and plans, thinking
only of the future. But why the gap? Why make plans for the future and not
for now? Probably because one could not revel in the anticipation so much.
But beware this state of busy enjoyment, because gloom and disappointment
does become part of the roller coaster journey. Gloom alternates with
serenity, one compensating for the other. China's like to sleep and dream,
it always >>>, but remember we are moving towards the other extremity which
is rage and it is interesting to note the descriptive terms which come out
of the provings, all of which are very 'active' with a hint of violence.
Vertigo as after a drunken fit
Violent stabbing pains in left eye
Cough with dagger like pains in right lung
Sensation as if a dagger buried in the lungs, pain extends to liver
Detonation as of a canon in right ear
Violent cold in the head
Biting sensation in anus as from worms
Any sudden movement of neck causes a snap or crack
Dreams are generally of a serene nature, as I said, China's like to sleep,
it refreshes but they can still find time to enjoy their dreams which are
all about the sea, fishes, swimming, and going on a journey!! But, to
counter this they also dream of vomiting worms.
So onwards to the fits of rage, the other extreme of the journey. The rage
can be violent (as rage usually is), blaspeming and swearing is common
during these episodes.
CHINA OFFICINALIS
The most well known of all the Chinas and it has a more diverse range of
extremes, sometimes making it more difficult to locate the causation of what
can become an extremely troubled and destructive state. In many ways China
officinalis brings together ALL the China group, fusing many of the aspects
into one remedy.
China is part of the Rubiaceae family which also includes the Coffees -
another indication of the need for stimulation, industry, theorising and
making of many plans, creative, hyperactive and excitable, sleepless - then
comes the exhaustion and fatigue, the need to sleep or meditate to calm
down. Physically there is a need to literally 'discharge'.
But with China officinalis there lurks a driving force which underlies their
extreme sensitivity, and that is one of torment, persecution and fear. You
might be able to trace the case of an adult China back to pre-teenager years
- they would have been creative and artistic children but somewhat moody and
introverted as well, quite self willed and disobedient - the typical angst
that often accompanies creativity. As they get older the creativity becomes
more intense and they become crowded out with all that they wish to
accomplish in life. They are idealistic in their outlook and ambitions, they
become enclosed in a brooding, theoretical, sleepless and sensitive state,
very touchy and fly into a rage if offended (most teenagers then
). Justlike Nat mur they will remember every bad word said against them and hang on
to past grievances.
The physical complaints will begin now if they haven't already, as there is
a real need to discharge in the form of haemorrhages, diarrhoea with
flatulence, excessive suppuration. There will be periodic bouts of these -
periodicity being such a strong symptom of all the Chinas. And these
discharges completely wear them out.
If the physicals recover they will return to the need for stimulants, either
mental, emotional or physical, continue making plans, expressing their
creativity and developing a taste for substance stimulants such as alcohol.
The will is weak and so alcohol soon takes a grip.
Increasingly they want to live alone and seem to become gloomy and
depressed, a much deeper form of being introverted. They are still plagued
by periodical bouts of physical complaints, each time getting weaker and
weaker, worn out and more difficult to recover. Apathy sets in and they lack
courage to execute any of their many plans. The thinking becomes muddled and
diffused, all over the place, easily confused. What was once planned and
laid out to perfection becomes like a broken jigsaw that cannot be put back
together - a kind of dyslexic vision.
The early brooding nature moves into 'attack' mode as their fears and
anxieties take over, their chosen defence mechanism is cruelty. They often
have a great fear of animals and will be cruel to them. Delusional states
might come now as the diseased state progresses to persecution,
schizophrenia and possibly suicide - you cannot reach out to them, you will
be unworthy to them and consolation of any kind is lost. The physical
discharging state can become internalised into rheumatics, gout, gangrene,
liver complaints such as gall stones, lungs also become a target with
suffocative catarrh, asthma and haemorrhage from the lungs. A turbulent
journey indeed.
CHINA MURIATICUM
This is the gin and tonic remedy within the group - that wonderful age old
colonial drink, drunk by the british in India, loads of quinine in the tonic
giving it that slightly bitter taste and mixing deliciously with the dryness
of the gin.
I labour this point because alcoholism is one of the extremes of this remedy
(I would say common to all of the China group). There is a great sensitivity
to alcohol and tobacco, causing headaches which affect the eyes.
Quinine is well known to have an affect on the eyes. A great deal of damage
is done to the eyes when quinine was/is used as an allopathic drug to
alleviate the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
The other extreme is complete prostration and weakness but on a more
intermittent level rather than a chronic state and usually accompanying the
physical complaints.
So, one extreme = alcohol = liver damage = irritability, the ongoing
dependency on alcohol = a very pitiful state. Perhaps this is the muriate
component at work, lots of self pity which has evolved out of a lack of love
and nurture.
The other extreme is the craving for tobacco = lungs = broncho-pneumonia
with a cough which causes fatigue and weakness, rattling in the lungs but no
ability to expectorate.
Fusing these extremes are lots of headaches, fevers and chills (at 5 am, the
morning after the night before!), neuralgic pains, ulcerations of the cornea
and other eye affections, gastritis.
A strange sensation is one of feelings of enlargement, especially the eyes
and tongue.
CHINA SALICYLICUM
Salicylates are found in many plants and they are both acrid and sweet,
already we have two extremes. They also have disinfectant, antiseptic and
preserving qualities.
Although China salicylicum has yet to be proved (??), Salicylic acid is a
remedy in its own right and would bring to China salicylic affinities such
as Meniere's disease, deafness with vertigo and lots of noises in ears such
as music, bees and flies, plus arthritic and rheumatic conditions especially
in the acute phase. There is also Diabetes, asthma, ulcers and canker sores,
gastric conditions dominated by flatulent dyspepsia, urticaria and ailments
from suppressed foot sweat. But all of this with china aspects, to
distinguish it from Salicylic acid - sensitivity, periodicity, expansion and
prostration, sweetness and acridity, creative and destructive.
CHINA SULPHURICUM
This remedy also lives in the future tense - as with all the China group
there are many plans to be made, fantasies, very inventive and proud of what
they might do but are prevented and obstructed, letting opportunities go by
- this is the sulphur part, so irresolute.
One extreme then is ambition, getting very excited about the future,
accompanied by the need for praise, greedy for praise (greedy is again the
sulphur at work). But they are also anxious about the future and then they
encounter the obstruction which is often fear - fear of misfortune, fear of
evil and this renders them indifferent, discouraged, sluggish and irresolute
and they never realise their ambitions. Then very sad, tearful and depressed
which can turn into rage and intense restlessness and no goals.
These periodic fits of anxiety often make them speechless and deaf as a way
of shutting out the world. The sensation is that of sinking, sinking away
from the future and falling backwards which negates their ambitions and this
becomes the obstruction. Delusion the bed is sinking, weak and nervous with
an inability to remain standing, they fall down, want to lie down and not go
forward. Ambition is stunted by irresolution and when stuck like this more
physical complaints appear.
They are oversensitive like all the Chinas, especially to external
influences and the sensitivity centres around the spine, joints, ears
kidneys, bowels skin.
There is also a sensation of a foreign body lodged, causing an obstruction
in various parts of the body. But they try to keep their ambitions intact
with extravagant dreams and fantasies.
So next time you get out the China, make sure it is the best one.
Thanks for reading.
Best wishes, Joy
PS this will soon be on the website as a pdf file
www.homeopathicmateriamedica.com