hi everyone,
I am a homoeopathic student, and we are told to make a project on ACIDS.......including general properties & characteristics of acids, difference in action of organic and inorganic acids, there proving,toxicology, clinical symptoms,circumstances,ect ect.....with special reference to Acetic acid, Nitric acid, Sulphuric acid, Acid Mur., Lactic acid.
I would really appreciate any help offered.
thanks in adv
Shelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
project work on acids
Re: project work on acids
Dear Shelly,
Kindly said, I really think you should be doing this work yourself but it is
a daunting project and I would like to offer the following which has
featured in one of my online courses.
Of course it doesn't fulfil your entire brief but it might get you started.
Good luck and best wishes, Joy Lucas RShom
THE ACIDS
What dominates ALL the acids is WEAKNESS.
And each acid has its own particular area of weakness:-
Flouric = sexual; skin; bones; glands;
Gallic = lungs; blood;
Lactic = joints; nerves; digestion, mind
Muriaticum = blood; digestion; skin; mucous membranes; muscles
Nitric = mind; blood; digestion; skin; bones
Oxalic = lungs; muscles; bones; nerves
Phosphoric = mind; sexual; nerves; bones
Picricum = sexual; nerves; mind
Sulphuricum = mind; digestive; lungs; blood
Where the weakness, exhaustion, passivity and apathy prevails you will also
find the opposite - activity, hurriedness, aggression from whence the
diseased state might have begun or encountered en route. So there is also a
degree of feeling separated or isolated, an attempt to bring together the
polar opposites, which in turn exhausts even more. A failed state exists but
many of the acids are very reactive in their emotional outlook. One could
make the analogy that in liquid form the acids appear subdued but when mixed
with another liquid, say water, the result is often explosive, bubbling up,
vicious, burning, spitting, corrosive.
ESSENCE - KEYNOTES - MIASMATIC INFLUENCE - COMPARATIVE REMEDIES
Flouric acid - syphilitic in nature this remedy is all to do with
relationships and breaking them. The family is especially involved. They
have total aversion to the family but behave well with strangers. Everything
in their life is incompatible and there is a hunger to break away. There is
a physical hunger for food as well, and a sexual hunger (the male is always
ogling the opposite? sex). This remedy particularly highlights the
hurriedness, always to be on the move and they have great energy to do this,
fuelled by materialistic desires and also by their fears and anxieties
(running away from them?). They have tremendous fear of suffering themselves
but also are extremely sensitive to the sufferings of others. This fear
won't show itself straight away as they might present as arrogant, fearless
and self satisfied and come with some more minor complaint.
Hurried and walks fast. Aversion to family - ok with strangers. Great fear
of suffering, and anxious about their own health
Very hot. Desires stimulants - alcohol, spicy food, sex - overall a big
appetite for all these.
Warm drinks = diarrhoea. Love cold bathing.
Distorted nails. Teeth decay. Hair loss
Constipation (gets very anxious about this). Copious and painful menses and
gets very anxious if they are delayed - more hurriedness (although this
comes across as a male remedy don't discount female). Varicose veins. Caries
of bones. Cracks everywhere - mouth, tongue, skin, nipples, even cracks in
their relationships which is significantly related to separation and
isolation.
You might think of Sepia or Nux Vom, Silicea especially for some of the
physical sx. Related to Calc sulph; Puls; Sul-ac;
Gallicum acid - more of a mixed miasmatic influence often being used to
treat such things as piles, urticaria, hay fever, copious menses, halting
bleeding, night sweats.
Again there is the weakness coupled with extreme restlessness, rudeness,
cursing, swearing - which is a kind of spitting of the lively acid mixture.
Jealousy is the main motivating emotion, and where there is jealousy the
throat is nearly always involved. Great dryness of mouth and throat, phlegm
in throat, decayed teeth, strange taste in mouth (this acid is an astringent
and perhaps that is the reason why). Fear is also a strong emotion - very
frightened to be on their own, they need to be looked after and know that
someone is watching them. Purulent expectoration from lungs. Lung affections
expulsion of stool difficult.
The haemorrhagic tendencies would make you think of Phosphorous to compare
and I would include Lachesis and maybe some of the other snakes regarding
the pronounced emotional symptoms.
Lactic acid - tubercular in its influence and not surprisingly a more female
remedy often being used for morning sickness and breast problems. Prominent
diabetes remedy.
Again that mixture of indolence, easily discouraged, great weakness of
memory - thinking is difficult, easily confused and when they can think
clearly there are terrible tormenting thoughts, but they can be
contemptuous, sarcastic, restless and nervous. Acids really hurt - they
smell bad and they burn - so you will always encounter this 'nasty' side of
them. The smell with this acid is SOUR. Lactic acid can get so confused you
find the rubric 'believes all she says is a lie' - it isn't a purposeful
lie, i.e. malicious, but just because their mind is in a mess. They don't
like external stimulii such as noise and smells - it confuses them even more
We are all familiar with joint and muscle pain due to a lack of lactic acid
- lots of pain swelling and stiffness eructations. Mouth dry, hot and sore. Varying appetite but always
very thirsty. Burnings in stomach from gas and eructations. Lots of mucous
and always hawking. Very sweaty feet - might present with this along with
morning sickness.
Bryonia comes to mind with the joint and muscle pains (in fact Bry
antidotes). Worth comparing with lots of other morning sickness type
remedies.
Muriatic acid - again mixed miasm with a more psoric/syphilitic tendency
because they are so anxious and fearful. Used to be called the "Spirit of
Salt" because it is made from salt and sulphuric acid. It is a powerful
disinfectant so expect BURNING anywhere.
Burning, bleeding, cracking, ulcerations, all accompanied with dryness -
there is an obvious low state of health here that is slow and progressive.
It has some strange sensations - mainly physical - (the weakness of this
acid is mainly physical) - they always slide down to the end of the bed - as
if hair stands up on end, as if brain loose, as if mouth glued with mucous.
Low fevers and great prostration but also very restless (again this
mis-matching of energies). The burning heat occurs during the fevers but
they are averse to uncovering. They will probably tell you that they don't
like to be a burden, they like the idea of suffering in silence, but if you
get to talk to a friend or family member they will say the opposite (these
opposites occur all the time) - they will be described as moaners, irritable
and always going on about their sufferings. You can picture the scenario of
an elderly mother who comes to be treated and brings her daughter to help -
they will disagree about everything because they see it all so differently.
There are delusions about time with this remedy so it might be thought of
for elderly people always thinking of the past and mixing it with the
present.
Urinates and stools at the same time, cannot help it, possibly due to
prolapse of rectum.
Usually Baptisia and Bryonia are compared but the Natrums will come to mind
with the cracking and dryness and somewhat closed mind.
Nitric acid - mainly syphilitic in influence (Sankaran says Cancer miasm
because there is a sense of death and danger about this remedy), this is one
of the better known acid remedies. We still have the same exhaustion and
weakness involved, much of it on the emotional level and if we continue with
the fizzing and bubbling of the acid mix we get the sense of the need for
expansion and space which this remedy needs - they need enjoyment, love,
appreciation and will literally exhaust all avenues to get this. If they
don't get this fulfillment it is then that we get the well known picture of
Nitric acid emerging. They become resentful, tense, suspicious, unforgiving
but don't want to give up until exhausted. Depending on the scale of
pathology in which they present you will either get a more relaxed person or
an extremely tense and spiteful one.
There is great fear about death and danger, they feel it will be in there
lives at any time, even expecting it. Great anxiety about their health which
leads to the contrasting 'sympathetic to the suffering of others'.
Very chilly, lots of cracks and ulcers like most of the acids, warts, likes
to eat fatty things (to balance the acidity?), and they crave strange
substances such as earth. Discharges are acrid and offensive.
The acrid remedies are worth comparing such as Merc. or Kreos. Sometimes
easy to confuse with Nat Mur.
Oxalic acid - gastro-enteritis and motor paralysis sum up this acid. Violent
reactions which leave one totally exhausted. Excruciating burning and
neuralgic pains. Think of fruits such as rhubarb and strawberries and many
of the sour fruits which have oxalic acid in them - people with rheumatics
often cannot eat these foods as it agg. the conditions. Limbs are weak,
trembling and numb. The mind is much more actively able than the body.
Easily excited and appear very cheerful (we might say over the top, too
reactive, inappropriately so), even bordering on insanity depending on the
scale of pathology. As the body closes down the mind over compensates and
becomes unusually lively - representing the concurrent theme of being
separated - the mind and body won't operate on the same level.
Think of the link with food and agg. and you can make a connection with
Arsenicum for comparison.
Phosphoric acid - of mixed syco-syphilitic influence, this is another well
known acid which affects the emotions, nerves, sexual energies and bones.
The exhaustion finds itself first in the emotional level then progresses to
the physical. Apathy is what you witness first. They will have been through
so much, so many adverse circumstances that they can no longer apply
themselves.
Ailments from..........., can be shock, grief, unhappy love, bad news,
injuries, loss of fluids etc, but whatever it is it is likely to have
ravaged the system and they will have suffered in silence. Sometimes they
are so weak they can't talk you properly although the phosphoric element of
wanting to communicate will make they try. Often they go into a kind of
stasis. They settle for how bad things are as this then requires no effort
to make better - they don't go backwards or forwards. They fear the failure
AND the effort.
A great many symptoms follow through the Phosphoric influence - bone pains,
haemorrhages, profuse lienteric stools, lots of distention, short sleep >>>,
intolerance of noise, hair falls out (common with all the acids) sees
colours, and in keeping with the the themes of the bubbling acid mix they
love juicy and fizzy drinks. They crave the refreshing quality of them.
There is also sexual weakness, weak memory, the mind becomes hazy and they
cannot complete anything.
With the emotional aetiology of this remedy it is worth comparing Ignatia,
Nat Mur and Sepia.
Picric acid - again a mixed miasmatic influence and very similar to Phos-Ac
but instead of starting on the emotional plane and going to the physical,
this acid begins in the mental sphere, then goes to the emotions and lastly
to the physical plane.
Exertion of the mind is intolerable to them. It is still a struggle with
adverse conditions leading to collapse but the aetiology is different.
Intellectual achievement (or the lack of it) will be the beginning, perhaps
a disappointment in this area - a failure to succeed? Sometimes this is
because intellectually they have their "heads in the clouds." A common
saying but we can match this with delusions such as "as if arms reach the
clouds" or "as if tongue seems to reach the clouds" or "as if forehead
extends to the clouds."
Yet again extended beyond their limit = collapse and then the complete
reverse of intellectualism resides = can't concentrate, unable to think,
complete aversion to mental work. Then, when it goes to the emotions, they
cannot keep relationships going, they become sexually weak and then finally
the physical pathology is located in the back, kidneys, there is anaemia,
burning pains, even paralysis.
With this is mind, compare with Gels; and Phos.
Sulphuric acid - this is psoric-sycotic and one of the most hottest and
hurried remedies in the Materia Medica. So the resulting weakness and
exhaustion is easily imagined.
Anxiety motivates the rushing (which identifies the psoric influence). The
anxiety is like the constant fizzing and bubbling of the acid mix - hot
burning acid. Anxiety to complete the work, eating, walking, writing.
Remember the themes of separation in the acids - Sulphuric acid is so
anxious and hurried to complete - to make the ends of the circle come
together - this is the motivation. But of course the circle is never ending,
never completed, so they end up chasing their tails.
They will tell you how serious and industrious they are, or you will
certainly feel that about them, but they are so restless they never finish
anything (this is Sulphur and Irresolution).
You still have the sour, acrid and burning discharges, as with many of the
acids. The digestion and blood vessels are effected (they can't keep up!).
They crave stimulants, there is easy haemorrhages anywhere - eyes, nose,
copious menses. Pains increase gradually and end abruptly. Even though hot
they are actually > warmth and hot drinks. The hair falls out, there is
colic and black stools and haemorrhoids (also common to the acids).
Surprisingly they can be quite taciturn and really take their time when
answering - if not they become completely incoherent.
Sulphur, Nux Vom and Lachesis would be worth comparing.
Hope you find this useful. Joy Lucas RSHom.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Kindly said, I really think you should be doing this work yourself but it is
a daunting project and I would like to offer the following which has
featured in one of my online courses.
Of course it doesn't fulfil your entire brief but it might get you started.
Good luck and best wishes, Joy Lucas RShom
THE ACIDS
What dominates ALL the acids is WEAKNESS.
And each acid has its own particular area of weakness:-
Flouric = sexual; skin; bones; glands;
Gallic = lungs; blood;
Lactic = joints; nerves; digestion, mind
Muriaticum = blood; digestion; skin; mucous membranes; muscles
Nitric = mind; blood; digestion; skin; bones
Oxalic = lungs; muscles; bones; nerves
Phosphoric = mind; sexual; nerves; bones
Picricum = sexual; nerves; mind
Sulphuricum = mind; digestive; lungs; blood
Where the weakness, exhaustion, passivity and apathy prevails you will also
find the opposite - activity, hurriedness, aggression from whence the
diseased state might have begun or encountered en route. So there is also a
degree of feeling separated or isolated, an attempt to bring together the
polar opposites, which in turn exhausts even more. A failed state exists but
many of the acids are very reactive in their emotional outlook. One could
make the analogy that in liquid form the acids appear subdued but when mixed
with another liquid, say water, the result is often explosive, bubbling up,
vicious, burning, spitting, corrosive.
ESSENCE - KEYNOTES - MIASMATIC INFLUENCE - COMPARATIVE REMEDIES
Flouric acid - syphilitic in nature this remedy is all to do with
relationships and breaking them. The family is especially involved. They
have total aversion to the family but behave well with strangers. Everything
in their life is incompatible and there is a hunger to break away. There is
a physical hunger for food as well, and a sexual hunger (the male is always
ogling the opposite? sex). This remedy particularly highlights the
hurriedness, always to be on the move and they have great energy to do this,
fuelled by materialistic desires and also by their fears and anxieties
(running away from them?). They have tremendous fear of suffering themselves
but also are extremely sensitive to the sufferings of others. This fear
won't show itself straight away as they might present as arrogant, fearless
and self satisfied and come with some more minor complaint.
Hurried and walks fast. Aversion to family - ok with strangers. Great fear
of suffering, and anxious about their own health
Very hot. Desires stimulants - alcohol, spicy food, sex - overall a big
appetite for all these.
Warm drinks = diarrhoea. Love cold bathing.
Distorted nails. Teeth decay. Hair loss
Constipation (gets very anxious about this). Copious and painful menses and
gets very anxious if they are delayed - more hurriedness (although this
comes across as a male remedy don't discount female). Varicose veins. Caries
of bones. Cracks everywhere - mouth, tongue, skin, nipples, even cracks in
their relationships which is significantly related to separation and
isolation.
You might think of Sepia or Nux Vom, Silicea especially for some of the
physical sx. Related to Calc sulph; Puls; Sul-ac;
Gallicum acid - more of a mixed miasmatic influence often being used to
treat such things as piles, urticaria, hay fever, copious menses, halting
bleeding, night sweats.
Again there is the weakness coupled with extreme restlessness, rudeness,
cursing, swearing - which is a kind of spitting of the lively acid mixture.
Jealousy is the main motivating emotion, and where there is jealousy the
throat is nearly always involved. Great dryness of mouth and throat, phlegm
in throat, decayed teeth, strange taste in mouth (this acid is an astringent
and perhaps that is the reason why). Fear is also a strong emotion - very
frightened to be on their own, they need to be looked after and know that
someone is watching them. Purulent expectoration from lungs. Lung affections
expulsion of stool difficult.
The haemorrhagic tendencies would make you think of Phosphorous to compare
and I would include Lachesis and maybe some of the other snakes regarding
the pronounced emotional symptoms.
Lactic acid - tubercular in its influence and not surprisingly a more female
remedy often being used for morning sickness and breast problems. Prominent
diabetes remedy.
Again that mixture of indolence, easily discouraged, great weakness of
memory - thinking is difficult, easily confused and when they can think
clearly there are terrible tormenting thoughts, but they can be
contemptuous, sarcastic, restless and nervous. Acids really hurt - they
smell bad and they burn - so you will always encounter this 'nasty' side of
them. The smell with this acid is SOUR. Lactic acid can get so confused you
find the rubric 'believes all she says is a lie' - it isn't a purposeful
lie, i.e. malicious, but just because their mind is in a mess. They don't
like external stimulii such as noise and smells - it confuses them even more
We are all familiar with joint and muscle pain due to a lack of lactic acid
- lots of pain swelling and stiffness eructations. Mouth dry, hot and sore. Varying appetite but always
very thirsty. Burnings in stomach from gas and eructations. Lots of mucous
and always hawking. Very sweaty feet - might present with this along with
morning sickness.
Bryonia comes to mind with the joint and muscle pains (in fact Bry
antidotes). Worth comparing with lots of other morning sickness type
remedies.
Muriatic acid - again mixed miasm with a more psoric/syphilitic tendency
because they are so anxious and fearful. Used to be called the "Spirit of
Salt" because it is made from salt and sulphuric acid. It is a powerful
disinfectant so expect BURNING anywhere.
Burning, bleeding, cracking, ulcerations, all accompanied with dryness -
there is an obvious low state of health here that is slow and progressive.
It has some strange sensations - mainly physical - (the weakness of this
acid is mainly physical) - they always slide down to the end of the bed - as
if hair stands up on end, as if brain loose, as if mouth glued with mucous.
Low fevers and great prostration but also very restless (again this
mis-matching of energies). The burning heat occurs during the fevers but
they are averse to uncovering. They will probably tell you that they don't
like to be a burden, they like the idea of suffering in silence, but if you
get to talk to a friend or family member they will say the opposite (these
opposites occur all the time) - they will be described as moaners, irritable
and always going on about their sufferings. You can picture the scenario of
an elderly mother who comes to be treated and brings her daughter to help -
they will disagree about everything because they see it all so differently.
There are delusions about time with this remedy so it might be thought of
for elderly people always thinking of the past and mixing it with the
present.
Urinates and stools at the same time, cannot help it, possibly due to
prolapse of rectum.
Usually Baptisia and Bryonia are compared but the Natrums will come to mind
with the cracking and dryness and somewhat closed mind.
Nitric acid - mainly syphilitic in influence (Sankaran says Cancer miasm
because there is a sense of death and danger about this remedy), this is one
of the better known acid remedies. We still have the same exhaustion and
weakness involved, much of it on the emotional level and if we continue with
the fizzing and bubbling of the acid mix we get the sense of the need for
expansion and space which this remedy needs - they need enjoyment, love,
appreciation and will literally exhaust all avenues to get this. If they
don't get this fulfillment it is then that we get the well known picture of
Nitric acid emerging. They become resentful, tense, suspicious, unforgiving
but don't want to give up until exhausted. Depending on the scale of
pathology in which they present you will either get a more relaxed person or
an extremely tense and spiteful one.
There is great fear about death and danger, they feel it will be in there
lives at any time, even expecting it. Great anxiety about their health which
leads to the contrasting 'sympathetic to the suffering of others'.
Very chilly, lots of cracks and ulcers like most of the acids, warts, likes
to eat fatty things (to balance the acidity?), and they crave strange
substances such as earth. Discharges are acrid and offensive.
The acrid remedies are worth comparing such as Merc. or Kreos. Sometimes
easy to confuse with Nat Mur.
Oxalic acid - gastro-enteritis and motor paralysis sum up this acid. Violent
reactions which leave one totally exhausted. Excruciating burning and
neuralgic pains. Think of fruits such as rhubarb and strawberries and many
of the sour fruits which have oxalic acid in them - people with rheumatics
often cannot eat these foods as it agg. the conditions. Limbs are weak,
trembling and numb. The mind is much more actively able than the body.
Easily excited and appear very cheerful (we might say over the top, too
reactive, inappropriately so), even bordering on insanity depending on the
scale of pathology. As the body closes down the mind over compensates and
becomes unusually lively - representing the concurrent theme of being
separated - the mind and body won't operate on the same level.
Think of the link with food and agg. and you can make a connection with
Arsenicum for comparison.
Phosphoric acid - of mixed syco-syphilitic influence, this is another well
known acid which affects the emotions, nerves, sexual energies and bones.
The exhaustion finds itself first in the emotional level then progresses to
the physical. Apathy is what you witness first. They will have been through
so much, so many adverse circumstances that they can no longer apply
themselves.
Ailments from..........., can be shock, grief, unhappy love, bad news,
injuries, loss of fluids etc, but whatever it is it is likely to have
ravaged the system and they will have suffered in silence. Sometimes they
are so weak they can't talk you properly although the phosphoric element of
wanting to communicate will make they try. Often they go into a kind of
stasis. They settle for how bad things are as this then requires no effort
to make better - they don't go backwards or forwards. They fear the failure
AND the effort.
A great many symptoms follow through the Phosphoric influence - bone pains,
haemorrhages, profuse lienteric stools, lots of distention, short sleep >>>,
intolerance of noise, hair falls out (common with all the acids) sees
colours, and in keeping with the the themes of the bubbling acid mix they
love juicy and fizzy drinks. They crave the refreshing quality of them.
There is also sexual weakness, weak memory, the mind becomes hazy and they
cannot complete anything.
With the emotional aetiology of this remedy it is worth comparing Ignatia,
Nat Mur and Sepia.
Picric acid - again a mixed miasmatic influence and very similar to Phos-Ac
but instead of starting on the emotional plane and going to the physical,
this acid begins in the mental sphere, then goes to the emotions and lastly
to the physical plane.
Exertion of the mind is intolerable to them. It is still a struggle with
adverse conditions leading to collapse but the aetiology is different.
Intellectual achievement (or the lack of it) will be the beginning, perhaps
a disappointment in this area - a failure to succeed? Sometimes this is
because intellectually they have their "heads in the clouds." A common
saying but we can match this with delusions such as "as if arms reach the
clouds" or "as if tongue seems to reach the clouds" or "as if forehead
extends to the clouds."
Yet again extended beyond their limit = collapse and then the complete
reverse of intellectualism resides = can't concentrate, unable to think,
complete aversion to mental work. Then, when it goes to the emotions, they
cannot keep relationships going, they become sexually weak and then finally
the physical pathology is located in the back, kidneys, there is anaemia,
burning pains, even paralysis.
With this is mind, compare with Gels; and Phos.
Sulphuric acid - this is psoric-sycotic and one of the most hottest and
hurried remedies in the Materia Medica. So the resulting weakness and
exhaustion is easily imagined.
Anxiety motivates the rushing (which identifies the psoric influence). The
anxiety is like the constant fizzing and bubbling of the acid mix - hot
burning acid. Anxiety to complete the work, eating, walking, writing.
Remember the themes of separation in the acids - Sulphuric acid is so
anxious and hurried to complete - to make the ends of the circle come
together - this is the motivation. But of course the circle is never ending,
never completed, so they end up chasing their tails.
They will tell you how serious and industrious they are, or you will
certainly feel that about them, but they are so restless they never finish
anything (this is Sulphur and Irresolution).
You still have the sour, acrid and burning discharges, as with many of the
acids. The digestion and blood vessels are effected (they can't keep up!).
They crave stimulants, there is easy haemorrhages anywhere - eyes, nose,
copious menses. Pains increase gradually and end abruptly. Even though hot
they are actually > warmth and hot drinks. The hair falls out, there is
colic and black stools and haemorrhoids (also common to the acids).
Surprisingly they can be quite taciturn and really take their time when
answering - if not they become completely incoherent.
Sulphur, Nux Vom and Lachesis would be worth comparing.
Hope you find this useful. Joy Lucas RSHom.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: project work on acids
Hi
E.A. Farrington in his Clinical Mat. Med., talks about the various acids and
is worth a read.
Regards
Robyn
The ignorance of yesterday is the knowledge of today
which in turn becomes the ignorance of tomorrow
E.A. Farrington in his Clinical Mat. Med., talks about the various acids and
is worth a read.
Regards
Robyn
The ignorance of yesterday is the knowledge of today
which in turn becomes the ignorance of tomorrow