Minutus

This is a look at the delusional clouds that hang over the Ammonia group of
remedies - Ammonium Aceticum; Benzoicum; Bromatum; Carbonicum; Causticum;
Iodatum; Muriaticum; Nitricum; Phosphoricum; Picricum; Sulphuricum;
Valerianicum.

Chemistry preamble - these are mere snippets which might pertain to the
homeopathic pictures.

Ammonia is also called volatile alkali. Ammonia is a transparent, colourless
and consequently invisible gas. This gas has an exceedingly pungent smell
well known by the old name of 'spirits of hartshorn.' An animal plunged into
it speedily dies. It extinguishes combustion but being itself somewhat
combustible, the flame of a taper immersed in it will enlarge before going
out. By exposing this gas to very low temperatures it can be liquified. It
has a very acrid taste. Water condenses it rapidly. Ammonia expands during
condensation with water. Water is capable of dissolving easily about one
third of its weight of ammoniacal gas, hence, when placed in contact with a
tube filled with this gas water rushes into it with explosive velocity. When
mixed with oxygen it also explodes with electric spark. The alkaline nature
of ammonia is demonstrated by its neutralising of acid and changing
vegetable reds to purple or green. Sal ammoniac was originally fabricated in
Egypt, the dung of camels and other animals constituted the chief fuel used
from which the original soot is formed.
There is a volatile nature but it is transparent and virtually invisible. It
is pungent and attacking, can kill. It both extinguishes combustion but also
aids it. Its state can easily be altered. It is very acrid. It has an
intimate relationship with water and other liquids. It is expansive and also
dissolving, it is explosive and yet neutralising. It has an affinity to the
digestive system!!

And from this we have:-

An angry temperament that tries to be suppressed but if let lose can really
attack. They are closed and held in but they try hard to dissolve or escape
the disappointments in life but generally fail. Mood changes. Acrid and acid
risings. Has an affinity to water or liquids in a variety of symptoms and
modalities. There are many swellings and other states of 'being large' which
includes obesity.
AMMONIUM ACETICUM - has a cooling sweetish taste and the compound was
formerly called the Spirit of Mindererus. It was used medicinally as a
febrifuge sudorific. So the cloud that hangs of this remedy is that of fever
and an outpouring of liquid in the form of perspiration and urine (diabetes
is common). They are bathed in sweat. Heat emanates from the abdomen, skin
and face. The head hangs heavy with this cloud accompanied with a scraping
sensation in the throat.
AMMONIUM BENZOICUM - the cloud hanging over this remedy is one of heaviness
and a need to enlarge and then escape.

The head is heavy and they feel stupid and gloomy. Many parts of the body
become swollen or bloated, especially the eyes, lids, face, tongue. Escape
comes in the form of rising warmth from the stomach which turns into
eructations which can be acid. There is mucous in the throat with a need to
spit it out (an escape), there is an urgent need for stool to escape. Urine
though is retained and scanty and there is an unusual symptom with the urine
- it is smoky - this might be a connection with original soot of the
ammonia.

The Benzoicum brings to this remedy a gouty constitution, usually just right
sided. Gout is all about retention and accumulation of crystals and stones -
emotionally with the ammoniums it is disappointments. The Benzoicum also
dwells persistently on the past - they hear voices that might be connected
to the past - they want to be carried, cuddled and nursed (protected).

AMMONIUM BROMATUM - the delusional cloud here is guilt, again with a need to
escape. The guilt is accompanied with nervousness and fear. The nervousness
makes them restless and bite their nails. They want to be on their own,
afraid of people coming especially strangers, they fear they might be
strangled, suffocated or killed in some other manner. They are so nervous
with this guilt they even misspell words and numbers in their haste. The
nervous state can lead to epilepsy. Consequently they adopt a timid, hiding
and thoroughly discouraged outlook on life.

There are physical counterparts to this sense or fear of being strangulated
- the head feels bound up, there is a nervous and constant cough which makes
them feel as if they will be strangled with it, mucous sticks in the throat
which aggravates this sensation. Whooping cough.

Strange symptoms include the mouth hanging open due to the heat in the
throat and lungs, the mouth is the door in which this can escape; and
sneezing (which is also thought of as spirits escaping), when they raise
their arms.

There are a number of symptoms to do with the eyes - SAI sand in the eyes;
SAI right eye bathed in water; vision is clouded (an attempt to alter their
delusion).
AMMONIUM CARBONICUM - the clouds here are of fear, anxiety, excitement and
abuse. They awake in the morning burdened with guilt, this anxiety rises to
fear later in the morning, as if some misfortune will take place, then back
to more anxiety in the late afternoon. By evening they are dwelling on all
the things that others have done to displease them until finally they become
abusive and angry at someone. Scholten says it is the father. Sometimes the
father has died and they can do nothing about an unresolved problem with the
relationship and this is why they harbour the past and have delusions of
dead people. A lack of love can certainly be the aetiology.

Whether it is the father or not, there is grief, guilt and blame all
combusting inside until it comes out as hate. Sometimes this hate is
sublimated into various other outlets - sadness, extravagance, a refusal to
speak, chaos, confusion (this remedy also makes a lot of calculating
errors), insanity, laziness, heedless daring, they reveal their secrets
during sleep, they take to a religion for solace. On the physical plane an
outlet is provided by haemorrhage.

Quite a heavy cloud then. In fact, cloudy days make them so much worse, but
neither can they tolerate the shaking up of a storm. They are under
oxygenated, they need a breath of fresh air, they are trapped inside the
test tube of ammonia in distilled water. They refuse to wash and become
unclean - cannot bear to be near the water or mixed with it. They are lazy
(you might mistake then for Sulphur), the most they can manage is stretching
the limbs as a way of extending themselves out of the test tube. Constricted
in this way it is understandable that heart symptoms prevail and oppressed
breathing, the nose gets blocked and they snore. Because of the lack of
oxygen they are always sleepy and chilly. When cold and damp there is
collapse and when hot and fiery they are expansive.

One can recognise a typical teenager - heedless and disobedient, morose and
ill humoured, rebellious, disorganised, blames others, hates washing, wants
to escape the family, resentful, discontented, desires junk food, envy (feel
they have had a raw deal).

A curious symptom - there is a SAI the teeth are loose when walking.
AMMONIUM CAUSTICUM - the cloud here is one of timidity which activates a
driving restlessness especially at night.

Again we see the action of this remedy on the upper digestive system where
there are lots of burning and caustic symptoms and the timidity shows itself
in the form of a weak and low voice, they find it difficult speaking at all
sometimes. The face carries an expression of extreme suffering, very easily
frightened, will faint with fear, get excited with fear, cannot breathe and
they have to gasp for air. This ammonium will tolerate water, in fact they
have an intense thirst, trying to put out the burning pains in the
oesophagus.

The need to escape comes as a strange sensation in the brain, as if it is
trying to expand out of the skull - SAI brain protruded at the centre,
forward, on both sides and the skull was quartered (sounds like
Frankenstein!). Swellings, haemorrhages and rheumatism also prevail.
AMMONIUM IODATUM - the cloud here is again disappointment, they are only
ever partially relieved of their oppressive symptoms, whether it be
laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, oedema of the lungs. Disappointment and
the lungs are intimately linked.
Meniere's disease is common and it is often thought that this is due to an
excess of endolymph triggered by stress - the stress being any of the
exciting causes that belong to the ammonium group.

As with many of the ammoniums this one also carries the burdens with a heavy
head, dull headaches and a stupid feeling and look. A young person's remedy?
AMMONIUM MURIATICUM - the hanging cloud here is the enemy. The enemy is
either under the bed or above with a sword swinging. A fear of darkness
develops.

This time Scholten says it is the mother who is the enemy (Muriaticum) and
we see this in 'antipathy to certain persons.'

Very similar to ammonium carbonicum - prostration, obesity, burnings,
swellings, chilly, sluggish and obstructed, constantly feel tired and sore,
all this physically as well as mentally.

They react to the enemy somewhat like Nat mur - there is a lot of grief and
they want to cry but they can't. They hold it in reserve and will show it
either as fear and anxiety, heedless indifference or sulky and taciturn.
Very generalised symptoms but I think you will recognise the sad, gloomy,
disappointed but also angry and taciturn Ammonium Mur when you see one.

Often teenagers, they boil up inside (boiling sensation) and don't really
want to tell you their problems, they don't want to eat (very conscious
about their weight), they might come to see you because of respiratory
problems or sinus problems - anything that doesn't involve too much
intimacy, and nine times out of ten you will prescribe Nat mur first.
AMMONIUM NITRICUM - they live under a cloud of confusion, and that's as good
as it gets. What more could you expect from a combination of the closed,
disappointed, sulky and angry ammonium and the expanding, explosive
nitricum. Which way to turn??
AMMONIUM PHOSPHORICUM - the cloud here is one of being trapped, of being
paralysed, of being too heavy to move or breathe. Even a slight draft of air
affects them profoundly.

Dominated by gout, bronchitis and facial paralysis, the most they can muster
is sneezing (as with other ammoniums) and this provides an outlet for the
spirits.
AMMONIUM PICRICUM - a cloud of bitter bile, bitterness dominates this
remedy. Whatever has gone wrong in their life it has made them very bitter
and sour in their outlook. Affects the liver (obviously), there is
periodicity, violent headaches rising from the occiput, congestion about the
brain and spinal cord. They cannot function due to a wild feeling this
creates. Might be a history of whooping cough (common with the ammoniums).
Generally right sided.
AMMONIUM SULPHURICUM - clouds of jealousy.

Scholten now says this is against the partner, sealing the triad of mother,
father and now partner within the ammonium group.

Someone requiring one of the ammoniums is always going to be disappointed in
some way and when you add the sulphur aspects of haughtiness, jealousy,
volcanic temper, etc then the partner is in for a hard time themselves.
Sulphur also has a poor relationship with water as do the ammoniums, so I
imagine their physical appearance will be a big clue.
AMMONIUM VALERIANICUM - clouds of disappointment find their way to the
nerves and heart and establish a suffering of insomnia, pains around the
heart, headaches and excessive nervous stimulation. Weak but also wild.
IN SUMMARY - clouds of grief which tend to be internalised but show as anger
and abuse or sulky and morose discontent.

The head and neck are nearly always effected, always burning and acid
digestive disorders and there is always a need for escape, on the physical
level as well as the mental and emotional, if there can be no escape then
symptoms take on a 'trapped' nature - as in trapped wind, swellings,
wildness, internal combustion and sensations of 'largeness', thus making
nearly all the ammoniums obese.

Thanks for reading. I will place this on the website soon.

Best wishes, Joy Lucas RSHom

www.homeopathicmateriamedica.com
_______________________________________________
Homeopathy Mailing List
homeopathy@homeolist.com
http://www.homeolist.com/mailman/listinfo/homeopathy