THE PSORIC MIASM :

- Phyllis speight.

The word Psora was used widely in Hahnemann's time for most of the varied skin troubles known since the earliest times, and so he did not coin the word but rather gave it a deeper meaning. We will quote his own words: Psora it is, that oldest, most universal, most pernicious and yet that least known of chronic miasmatic disease, which has been deforming and torturing the nations for thousands of years the oldest history of the oldest nation does not reach its origin.'

Seven eighths of all chronic maladies prevalent, are ascribed by Hahnemann to psora the itch.

He says: It is an internal disease and may exist with or without an eruption on the skin... psora became, therefore, the common mother of most chronic diseases... the eruptions itch and burn.

It must be clearly understood, therefore, that psora is an internal disease and that the skin eruption is the manifestation of the disease when it is allowed or forced to come to the surface and this is the only way it can be eradicated.

Dr. Haehl in The Life of Hahnemann says To Hahnemann psora is the disease or disposition to disease, hereditary from generation for thousands of years and it is the fostering soil for every possible diseased condition. At the same time it is the most infectious of all. Contact with the general external skin is quite sufficient for transference of the disease in contrast with sycosis and syphilis, in which cases a certain amount of friction on the tenderest parts of our bodies, where most nerves are congregated, and where the cuticle is thinnest, is requisite for infection. But everyone is exposed to psora almost under any circumstances.

Hereditary transmission for thousands of years, has of course, generated an increasing number of the forms of disease, so that their polymorphous symptoms are nowadays almost innumerable. Hahnemann says that psora, breaking out from its latent state, can be observed in the most variable forms imaginable, according to the bodily constitution, the deficiencies of up-bringing, the habits, the mode of occupation and the external conditions of the individual.

An unusually large number of diseases, stated in the pathology of the older school to be definitely self-existing, are simply the characteristic, secondary symptoms of the underlying miasmatic malady now coming to light namely psora, this thousand headed monster so long undiscovered, so pregnant with misery.'

Hahnemann's great principle in the treatment of psora demands that no skin eruption shall be removed by external remedies. For he realised that a skin eruption is not a local disease but a manifestation of an internal disorder of unhealthiness in fact it is a sign of psora.

He says: If the physician desires to proceed in a conscientious and intelligent manner, no skin eruption whatever its nature, should be removed by external remedies. The human skin cannot without the help of the rest of the living body produce from itself an eruption. It will never become diseases in any way unless the general diseased condition, the abnormal state of the whole organism, compels it. In every case, an improper condition of the whole body, of the inner living organism, is at the root of the trouble and therefore this must first be considered and should be removed by internal medicines which will alter, improve and cure the whole. Thereupon the eruption depending for existence on the internal disease, will cure itself and disappear often more speedily than by external remedies.'


Primary Itch.

The remedies which have a pronounced action in combating this miasm are termed anti-Psoric' their favourable action being demonstrated by the appearance of an eruption or discharge after administration.

The following is a list of the chief anti-psoric remedies:

Agaricus

Alumina

Ammonium carb.

Ammonium mur.

Anacardium

Arsenicum alb.

Aurum

Baryta carb.

Belladonna

Boracic acid

Bovista

Calcarea carb.

Carbo animalis

Carbo veg

Causticum

Clematis

Colocynth

Conium

Digitalis

Dulcamara

Euphorbium

Graphites

Guaiacum

Hepar sulph.

Iodine

Kali carb

Kali nit

Lycopodium

Magnesium carb

Magnesium mur.

Manganum

Mezereum

Muriatic acid

Natrum carb.

Natrum mur.

Nitric acid

Petroleum

Phosphorus

Phosphorus

Phosphoric acid

Platinum

Rhododendron

Sarsaparilla

Senega

Sepia

Silica

Stannum

Strontium

Sulphur

Sulphuric acid

Zincum.

The anti-psoric remedies are selected in the usual way according to the symptoms and given one dose at a time which must be allowed to work in the body until its action ceases and this may take 30, 40 or even 50 days but the fundamental rule is:

To allow the dose of the medicine, which has been carefully selected for its homoeopathic suitability according to the symptoms of the particular case of disease, to have its effect without interruption as long as it is visibly helping on the cure and increasing to an appreciable extent the improvement of the malady.'

Dr. Haehl says: Slight ailments and additional symptoms, such as headache, stiff neck, slight diarrhoea, etc., which may occur during the anti-psoric cure, should not induce a patient to have instant recourse to other medicines, as the effect of the anti- psoric may easily be thereby disturbed or opposed. Such symptoms are very often only the consequence of the remedy acting a homoeopathic aggravation' of moderate extent, a sign of the cure beginning which one may hope with tolerable certainty to see achieved.'

Symptoms of Psora Psora manifests itself in any part of the body and in many ways, but unless combined with one of the other miasms it never causes structural changes, its sphere being functional disturbances. In order to give you a clearer picture of its action we set out below some of the indications of this miasm:

Mind: Mental activity, quick, alert, but easily prostrated from exertion, both mental and physical. A consequent dread of exertion. Anxiety fears of death, that health will fail, of being unable to succeed. Despondency and mental depression. Thoughts vanish while reading or writing. Ill-effects from strong emotions grief, fear, etc. Restlessness, and often a longing for travel. Alternating states of gaiety and moodiness.

Head: Vertigo, often specks before the eyes, brought on by motion, looking up quickly, rising from sitting or lying. Morning headache, constantly returning, persistent, frontal usually. Headaches getting worse during day and improving as night approaches. Hair dry, lustreless, tangles easily, breaks and splits easily. Hair falls out after illness. White spots in the hair. Dry eruptions on the scalp with much itching. Migraine headaches from emotional disturbances.

Eyes: Not greatly affected by psora. Functional disturbances only. Intolerance of daylight or sunlight. Spots before the eyes.

Nose: Increased sensitivity of smell. Greatly affected by odours of any kind which produce nausea, headaches, vertigo, etc.

Face: May be pale, sallow, earthy coloured. Lips very red. Skin usually dry, rough and pimply, having an unwashed or unclean appearance. Acne. In fevers, often red, hot and shining.

Mouth: Taste sour, sweet, or bitter. Perversions of taste generally. Thrush and stomatitis. Herpes.

Chest: Dry, teasing, spasmodic coughs. Functional disturbances of the heart. Violent palpitations with beating of the whole body. Band sensations about the chest. Neuralgic pains about the heart.

Stomach: Always hungry, even with a full stomach. Craving for sweets, acids, sour things. Weak, all-gone sensations. Hunger at night. Hunger and all-gone sensation between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Greasy foods aggravate although craved. Prefers hot food.

Abdomen: Flatulence, distention, rumbling, worse at night. Flabby muscles. Cannot tolerate pressure. Abdominal symptoms better from heat.

Urine: Involuntary passing of urine when sneezing, coughing, or laughing. Smarting and burning after urinating.

Stool: Diarrhoeas induced by over-eating, anticipation, usually worse early morning. No desire for stool. Stool dry, scanty, hard, and difficult to expel. Alternation between constipation and diarrhoea. Pin-worms.

Skin: Appears unwashed, and no amount of washing seems to improve it. Dry, rough, dirty, or unhealthy looking. Pruritis. Eruptions worse in open air, better at night. Dry scaly, eruptions. Great itching, with little suppuration.

Extremities: Neuralgic pains. Hands and feet dry, hot, with burning sensations in palms and soles.

Modalities: Worse sunrise to sunset, after eating, heat of room, standing, approach of menses, new moon. Better lying down and being quite ( this is an outstanding characteristic in most complaints), heat slow movement, weeping, diarrhoeas, perspiration, urinating.

Generals: Functional disturbances. Weak and debilitated persons. Dropsical symptoms. Coldness in most ailments. Easy fatigue. The great unwashed'.

Read and study Chapter 23, 24 and 25 of Roberts' The Principles and Art of Cure by Homoeopathy

EXPECTORATION

Expectoration varies considerably in character according to the diseases with which it is associated.

An important consideration is the ease with which the sputum is expectorated. Where it is expelled by an effort, such as repeated hawking or coughing, or where there is more or less acute pain or soreness in the effort to detach it, a continued irritation and obstruction of the air-cells and passages is evidenced. On the other hand, when the sputum is discharged with ease, there is no pain, and great relief is experienced, it is an indication that the acute stage of any inflammatory condition of the throat or lungs has passed. The appearance of the expectoration at this time may be of a thick yellowish nature, occasionally modified by a few slight streaks of blood.

At the beginning of inflammatory conditions, such as acute bronchitis or inflammation of the throat, there may be much cough yet little expectoration. The cough is usually painful and dry. During the greater part of an attack of acute bronchitis, particularly in old people, the expectoration is of a watery, frothy character and is brought up in considerable quantities.

Where the sputum appears jelly-like or sticky and is tinged with a rusty' colour, a severe inflammation of the lungs is indicated. This type of expectoration is found when the patient is suffering from pneumonia and often the sputum in this disease is so sticky that it adheres to the vessel into which it is expectorated, even when the latter is turned upside down.

Haemoptysis, or bleeding from the lungs, is an extremely serious condition and medical aid must be sought immediately. Usually, it indicates pulmonary tuberculosis or carcinoma of the lung.

It should be borne in mind, however, that spitting of blood may be due merely to a bleeding from the nose when the blood has run into the throat; or to the rupture of a small vessel on the wall of the throat when this part of the air passage is inflamed.

Bleeding from the stomach is different from Haemoptysis as it is usually dark brown and granular in appearance. It should be noted that blood from the stomach is always vomited and results generally from some ulcerated or congested state.

Expectoration like prune juice' occurring in the course of pneumonia is an ominous sign, and usually indicates that softening of parts of the lungs has begun.

A yellow, bitter-tasting expectoration indicates an affection of the liver.

THE TONGUE

Many of the most important indications associated with derangement of the digestive functions can be observed from the state of the tongue. In health the surface of the tongue should be smooth with a slight groove in the middle. The edge of the tongue should be sharp and even. It is under the control of the will and can be moved in any direction.

Where the tongue is flabby, large and pale, and shows teeth marks along its edge, a condition of general debility in the muscular system is indicated.

Tremulousness when the tongue is protruded is indicative of a nervous condition usually found in persons who indulge too heavily in alcoholic drinks; a symptom of considerable importance, as it may be the only sign of this weakness.

Dryness of the tongue points to diminished secretion, and is common in acute and inflammatory diseases.

In eruptive fevers a very red tongue is often observed. In gastric and bilious fevers, and in severe indigestion, the redness may be limited to the edges and tip.

In scarlet fever there is often seen what is called a Strawberry Tongue', the general surface being covered with a white fur, through which project the red and inflamed points of the larger papillae with which the tongue is studded.

Thickly furred, dirty white, and possibly slimy indicates derangement of the lining membrane of the stomach. Where the fur is of a yellowish colour, the liver is also possibly involved.

Where the tongue shows white patches interspersed with sharply marked red, bare areas, the condition is known as a mapped or geographical tongue. It is a mild form of inflammation in which the surface layer of the mucous membrane on the tongue peels off, and it is usually associated with digestive disorders and a degree of general debility.

In all complaints the gradual cleaning of the tongue, first from the tip and edges, shows a tendency to health and indicates general cleansing of the whole alimentary tract.

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