Minutus

Dear Joy
You have touched on a very interesting and important point
"Many, many people are sympathetic but they don't all need Nux."
I think it would be a worthwhile exercise if a group we could consider
characteristics in turn and expressed how they vary in different remedies.

That is to say a little bit of compare and contrast.

With your superb MM knowledge, please lead on. (Flattery gets me very
where!!)

Rgds
Soroush

Hi everyone

in my opinion, prescibing on 'character' is asking for gross error.

To be able to assess someone's character requires more than just observation, but requires
'judgement' --- and this is completely different to assessing someones signs/objective and
symptoms/subjective, and results could be influenced by one's 'vantage point'.

If we are going to prescribe on the proving and or toxicological symptoms as offered to us by the
forepersons of Homoeopathy, then we should recognise that these symptoms are not 'character'.

Creative interpretation is a fine art, but I think it is misplaced in the base art of Homoeopathy by
anyone without a plethora of experience not only in Homoeopathy, but in life in general. It is not
necessarily incorrect, but relies on the interpretation of the beholder, and the variables for
confounding that result are too numerous to mention.

Even though guidlines have been offered for constitutional types by Hering, Clarke et al., they are
not set in stone --- and are just guidelines --- indicators to keep an eye out for --- but due to
the nature of their need for observation to be uncovered, are open to error.

Even Sankaran's 'sensations' are symptoms in the real sense, as they are a subjective experience of
the patient.

In every proving there are many variations of results --- this is due to the fact that each prover
is a unique individual. Not every prover produced every symptom. They only can produce those
symptoms their constitution is capable of producing. And, it is told to us in the Organon, that a
remedy can only cure a symptom in an ill person, that it can produce in a healthy person. Even
though this staement is in someways over-simplistic, it is however the basis of our prescribing
method.

Until a better way to establish the effects of remedies, we are at the mercy of the provings, the
toxicological symptoms, and even Sankaran and Scholten type generalisations based on groupings,
which are not a far fetched as some may think. When another way is found, then we can expand our
prescribing methods.

I agree that there is a continuum of symptoms with remedies, however, I do not believe that each
person in illness, (as they weren't in health when providing the proving information), is capable of
producing the whole gamut. So, to NOT prescribe a remedy because something is NOT there, is to me a
complete misinterpretation. This, to me shows the lack of correct education in what to expect in a
patient --- and of interpretation of the results of the provings/toxicology.

The generalisation --- the bringing all the provers information together to form a 'picture' , as is
found in most materia medicas, is imo misleading.

Nux-v works successfully for ailments presenting without the need for the 'character' in place. Look
at Hering at the end of the Nux-v chapter on Nux-v. there are about 12 pages of one liners
describing the people and the symptoms cured by the remedy. The people range in age from 6 weeks
to................. The symptom totality, which can be found easily in works such as Hering and even
Lilienthal, clearly shows you the context of the symptoms, (which is often missed in the materia
medicas).

here is the list of 9 different types that MAY be suited to this remedy --- but surely, are not
enough to prescribe on by themselves!

From Hering:
Nux is especially suited to :
- (1) Very particular, zealous persons, inclined to get angry and excited, or of a spiteful,
malicious disposition.
- (2) Ardent persons; or disposed to anger, spite, or deception; always irritable or impatient.
- (3) Nervous, melancholic people, troubled with indigestion; venous constitution with tendency to
haemorrhoids.
- (4) Thin, irritable, choleric persons with dark hair, who make great mental exertion or lead a
sedentary life.
- (5) Vigorous persons of dry habit, tense fibre, ardent and irascible temperament and tenacious
disposition.
- (6) Bilious temperament.
- (7) Persons addicted to wine, coffee, or pepper and condiments, who live a sedentary life with
much mental exertion.
- (8) Debauchees, thin, irritable, venous.
- (9) Drugged subjects.

Best to you all
Robyn
"The fact is we need any and every way of finding the right remedy; the simple simile, the simple
symptomatic similimum and the farthest reach of all - the pathologic similimum, and I maintain that
we are still well within the lines of Homoeopathy that is expansive, progressive, science fostered
and science fostering." (Dr. J. Compton Burnett)

Saroush wrote:

Dear Joy
You have touched on a very interesting and important point
"Many, many people are sympathetic but they don't all need Nux."
I think it would be a worthwhile exercise if a group we could consider
characteristics in turn and expressed how they vary in different remedies.

That is to say a little bit of compare and contrast.

With your superb MM knowledge, please lead on. (Flattery gets me very
where!!)
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Dear Soroush, if by characteristics you mean 'red line sx' of a remedy,
or 'keynotes', or 'characteristic' sx etc, then let's begin with
SYMPATHETIC and take 6 remedies that have sympathy as a sx. Will have
to be brief and I think this would work better if others suggested the
sx.

1) Causticum - has to do with 'ailments from' and this includes any
emotion that has has come on suddenly, been long lasting and over
powering, the sympathy often evolves out of an error of judgement and
is nearly always accompanied by anxiety and guilt, the error of
judgment renders them suspicious and thus they show sympathy
inappropriately - this is reflected in the fact that they make
spoonerisms, i.e. confounds words

2) Nat mur - arises out of a sense of duty (and this in turn possibly
from guilt) and an anxiety about their own salvation and they can also
be quite indifferent as opposed to sympathetic - well known for their
own lack of desire to receive sympathy (possibly because this adds to
their feeling they will have to reciprocate and makes the dutiful
burden even heavier)

3) Nitric acid - all about separation and Nitric acid really need to be
full blown and expand and if they are cherished and loved they can have
enormous sympathy for others who are suffering but if they are scorned
in any way (when a separation is enforced) they burn, hurt, explode,
can become really nasty, so their sympathetic characteristic is
dependent on an unhealthy need for safety

4) Cocculus - another 'ailments from' - excessive emotions and
sensitivity (not just sympathy), which stuns them into a profound state
that often is ruled by sadness but more importantly it becomes a fixed
state but it can be almost anything, fear, confusion, hysteria,
introspection, loquacity, anxiety, cheerfulness etc - either way always
inappropriate to health and harmony

5) Cicuta - comes mainly from them being profoundly affected by sad
stories - at least that is what it can look like but this is sometimes
because they take on such a grimace and distortion with convulsive
states but in fact almost any disturbance can activate their
sensitivity - even 'seeing others happy makes them sad' which
contradicts sympathy per se but true to the rx this is a disturbance
that activates their so called sympathy, way over the top

6) Mancinella - evolves out of a complex depressed state linked with
sexuality, they need company to alleviate their fear of going crazy and
will adopt a sympathetic nature to achieve this.

Hope useful and you need to bear in mind that 'sympathy' means mutual
susceptibility and in terms of diseased states goes outside of being
kindhearted, compassionate or loving and moves more towards something
more contemptuous and uncontrolled. Best wishes, Joy

http://www.homeopathicmateriamedica.com
http://www.homeopathicmateriamedica.blogspot.com
http://homepage.mac.com/joylucas/
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Dear Robin

You have taken this point to somewhere which was not in my intension.

Let us take the 'characteristic' loquacity.
It has different forms in different remedies.

That is what I was aiming out.
So what I am saying is that a decision is made that the patient has a
certain characteristic for which a rubric needs to be found.
So we have decided that the patient is timid. So is the timidity of Sil the
same as that of Bar-c, Phos or Lyc or Puls?
If not what are the differences

I hope this has clearly expressed my idea
Rgds
Soroush

Yes, thank you!!!!
I wish I had that information about more remedies. Where do you have
it from?
Shannon
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Shannon,
Below is Mathur's delineation of the overall sphere of Nux vomica (Mathur
does a good job of this on most remedies he covers but then he also did not
have Banerji's extended totalities. And his coverage cannot be considered
complete, though it will likely be enough to confirm or rule out in
virtually all cases). Hope this helpful.

Best,A

===============
Characteristics
IT IS NOT A VERY DEEP ACTING REMEDY.

It is a CONSTITUTIONAL remedy for patients:
1. Who are oversensitive; Oversensitive to noise, light, touch, cold
air, surroundings, food, spices, rich food, hot food, over - eating, tea,
coffee, narcotics, allopathic drugs, wine, alcoholic preparations.
2. Who are irritable, touchy, offended even by harmless words;
inclination to commit suicide, but is afraid to die; easily excited or
angered. Cannot bear contradiction, trifling ailments and pains are
unbearable.
3. Who are sedentary in habits, undergo mental exertion; loss of sleep;
anxious, full of worries.
4. Who are chilly, always taking cold which extends from nose to chest,
worse from draft of cold air; worse from uncovering; must be covered in
every stage of fever.
5. Who have a tendency to faint; from odours; after eating; after every
labour pain; in morning.

It is a SPECIFIC remedy for the following conditions:
1. Ailments: from bad effects of: coffee, alcohol, tobacco, spicy food,
over - eating, loss of sleep.
2. Convulsions with consciousness: worse from anger, emotions, touch
and moving.
3. Pains are tingling, sticking, aching, worse from motion and contact.
4. Fever with severe chill, must be covered in every stage of fever,
chill is worse from motion.
5. Strangulated umbilical hernia of infants and children.
6. Snuffles of infants; stoppage of nose.
7. Constipation; with frequent unsuccessful desire; sensation as if not
finished.
8. Menses: irregular, never at right time; every two weeks; stopping
and starting again.
9. Labour pains: violent, spasmodic, cause fainting, urging to stool or
urinate.
10. One of the best remedies with which to commence treatment in cases
who are drugged by hot and strong medicines. It desensitizes their effects.
CONTRAINDICATED in cases: where the constitutional symptoms are absent;
where there is not desire for stool at all.

Convulsions with consciousness worse touch and motion, anger, emotion.
Tendency to faint; from odours; after every labour pain; after eating.
Oversensitive to pain. Headache: from chagrin or anger; alcohol; coffee;
spices; rich food; loss of sleep with vertigo; with haemorrhoids;
congestive; desires to press the head. Infra - orbital neuralgia with
watering of eyes. Optic nerve atrophy from habitual use of intoxicants.
Nasal catarrh: snuffles of infants: coryza dry at night, fluent by day;
worse in warm room, better in cold air; sitting in cold places. Eructations:
sour bitter; after eating Nausea and vomiting every morning with depression
of spirits. Nausea constant: after eating; from smoking; and feels if I
could only vomit I would be much better." Stomach: pressure an hour or two
after eating; pyrosis, tightness, must loosen clothing; cannot use the mind
for two or three hours after a meal; sleepy after dinner. Indigestion: from
anxiety, worry, brandy, coffee, drugs, night watching, high living.
Strangulated umbilical hernia. Umbilical hernia of infants. Constipation
with frequent ineffectual urgings; irregular peristaltic action. Alternate
constipation and diarrhoea. Dysentery: stool relieves pains for a time.
Menses: irregular never at right time; every two weeks; stopping and
starting again; rectum of old symptoms during and after menses. Backache:
must sit up to turn over in bed; from sexual weakness, masturbation. Must
cover to prevent chilliness during fever. Cold stage predominates.

=======
General
Alcohol, coffee, narcotics. Anger. Mental exertion. Cold air. Tea, tobacco.
Spices. Hot medicines. Rich food. Over - eating. Debauchery. Sexual
excesses. Masturbation. Loss of sleep. Ailments: from spraining, or
straining a single part, muscle or tendon (Calc c, Rhus t). Morning sickness
of pregnancy (Sep) Sight and though of food sickens (Sep, Ars, Colch).
Affinities: Mind. Nerves. Digestion Stomach; Liver. Intestines. Rectum.
Respiration.
Thin, males. Bilious, sanguine, irritable, sullen, nervous, extremely
sensitive, quarrelsome, fault finding, spiteful, malicious, impatient,
deceptive melancholic. Anxious with irritability, hypochondriac drunkards,
sedentary habits, studious, dyspeptics, overdrugged, zealous, offended
easily. No desire to do any work. Chilly. Intolerant to noise, talk, strong
odours, bright light. Cannot sleep after three AM. Sexual dreams with
excitement, and discharge. Oversensitiveness of all senses (Cham, Val).

====
Amel
Lying down. While at rest. In evening. Damp, wet weather.

====
Agg
Mental exertion after eating, over eating, anger, touch, noise odours bright
light. Spices, narcotics rich food. Morning (Aloe, Sulph); waking at four
AM. In cold air. Dry weather.

======
DOSAGE:
First to 30th potency and higher.
Lower potencies are indicated in mental derangements of drunkards:
trembling, headaches, gastric derangements, Amaurosis from excessive use of
tobacco, vomiting during pregnancy.
Higher potencies are indicated in Hypochondriasis; epilepsy, tetanus;
convulsions; constipation.
Should not be given in mother tincture in constipation, should not be
repeated frequently.
REPETITION: Single dose; may be repeated when the symptoms call for it.
DURATION OF ACTION: 1 to 7 days (Clarke).

Hi Andy,
I looked at Mathur's MM and thought is strange. Only a few rubrics per remedy. Is this what you are talking about? Also, what are Banerji's "extended totalities"?
Blessings,
Ellen

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It interesting how experienced homeopaths can have different views
even of the polychrests. I dont agree that nat mur's sympathy is from
a sense of duty or that nit ac is about seperation but the main reason
for posting is this:
Guess the ONLY remedy in all these rubrics in my version of the rep.:

MIND; ABRUPT (K1, SI-1, G1) (Answers; abruptly) (Harshness) (Impolite)
(Irritability; questioned, when) (Talk; abrupt) (Talk; indisposed to)
(19) ***
MIND; ANGER, irascibility; tendency; talk; indisposed to (SI-37)
(Talk; indisposed) (10) *
MIND; BOASTER, braggart (SI-115) (Haughty) (Vanity) (19) *
MIND; COMPANY; aversion to, agg. (K12, SI-144, G10) (Disturbed)
(Dullness; company, in) (Estranged; society, from) (Fear; people)
(Indifference; company, while in) (Misanthropy) (Restlessness;
tendency; company, in) (Sadness; company) (Strangers; presence of)
(Suspicious; solitude) (187) **
MIND; CONTEMPTUOUS (K16, SI-181, G13) (Abusive) (Egotism) (Haughty)
(Insolent) (Laughing; contemptuous) (Mocking) (Presumptuous)
(Rudeness) (Smiling; sardonic) (48) *
MIND; CURSING, swearing; curses, desire to curse (K17, SI-191, G14)
(Abusive) (Despair; rage; cursing and imprecations) (Discouraged;
cursing) (Insolent) (Malicious) (Rage) (Rudeness) (Slander;
disposition to) (70) *
MIND; COURAGEOUS (K17, SI-187, G14) (Ardent) (Audacity) (Deeds; feels
like he could do great) (Fearlessness) (High-spirited) (29) **
MIND; DEFIANT (K17, SI-201, G15) (Contrary) (Contradict; disposition
to) (Disobedience) (Fight; wants to) (Inciting others) (Insolent)
(Obstinate) (Pertinacity) (Positiveness) (Presumptuous)
(Quarrelsomeness) (28) *
MIND; RESERVED (K72, SI-833, G57) (Asks; nothing, for) (Company;
aversion to) (Introspection) (Quiet; disposition) (Secretive) (Talk;
indisposed to) (Timidity) (99) **
MIND; TALK, talking, talks; indisposed to, desire to be silent,
taciturn (K86, SI-986, G69) (Abrupt) (Anger; tendency; talk) (Answers;
aversion - monosyllable - refuses) (Indifference; taciturn)
(Irritability; taciturn - silent) (Loathing; talking) (Morose; talk,
disinclined to) (Quiet; disposition) (Reserved) (266) ***
Pulsatilla is the answer. The facets and phases of remedies is an
interesting study

on 1/26/06 3:09 PM, Kathryn Ellen Madono at kemadono@ybb.ne.jp wrote:
+++ Not really rubrics, but the summary different pathological facets and
constitutional characteristics of the remedy. A really nice synoptic
materia medica IMHO.
Also, what are Banerji's

+++ From Banerji's materia medicas and philosophy in 3 volumes up to
Cantharis. Hard to get hold of (out of print -- may be able to get used in
aussiland, NZ, or Calcutta.). Dr. B is working on finishing his materia
medica. At that time the material will probably be available again in toto
republished.

Best,
A

You would have to contact Paul Herscu directly.
I think it is material that he wants to publish
eventually and he is only giving it out to his
students.

Roger