Origin – According to Hahnemann the 3 miasms resulted from the suppression of acute diseases
* Thus psora resulted from suppression of itch disease which we now call scabies
* Sycosis resulted from suppression of gonorrhoea
* Syphilis resulted from suppression of the chancre disease
* Hahnemann spent 12 long years in observing and identifying these 3 profound and morbidly predisposing pathologies.
* He accepted and confirmed the possible coexistence in the same patient of two or even 3 of the miasms which overlapped each other.
* He insisted that the physician needs to recognize and handle them adequately
* Hahnemann stated that it was necessary to deal with these one by one whenever one discovered their simultaneous co-existence in the patient.[ This can be included in his definition of dissimilar disease]
* It is necessary to employ ,serially but at the correct and necessary intervals, different homoeo-miasmatic remedies according to the symptom pictures that follow each other during the curative process.
The basis for recognizing the different miasms
* The birth of cellular pathology, with its extensive laboratory demonstrations confirmed the ever- present correspondence of the whole with every one of its parts.
* Cellular pathology demonstrated that every transcending disturbance in the cell begins in the nutritive processes , that is in the function of assimilation.
* These disturbances can only be of three types : deficiency, excess or deviation
Theory and practical application
* Numerous efforts have been made to explain
* However ,this always ended up by being a personal conception of whoever was studying it.
* Initially pathology dealt with the tissues, then with the cell and finally it has given way to an interest in molecular pathology.
* All the advances in biochemistry and genetics have been integrated into this research.
* In spite of the many discoveries and the never ending future discoveries and interpretations, the fundamental notion of an imbalance in the organism, as seen by a deficiency, an excess or a deviation , still holds true.
* This is confirmed by the fact that in the realm of physiology and psychology these same morbid tendencies can be recognized.
* The most surprising thing is that these disturbances each correspond to Hahnemann’s three miasms of chronic diseases
* Deficiency or lack, with resulting hypofunctional physiology ,and its inhibitions are characteristic of psora.
* In physiological hyperactivity, anatomical hyperplasia and psychological expansion correspond perfectly with Hahnemann’s sycosis.
* Deviation, the syphilitic stigma will be characterized anatomically and physiologically by dystrophies, dysplasias and dysfunctions.
* The syphilitic psyche will manifest itself by involution and degeneration.
* The above considerations simplify and facilitate the classification of all possible symptoms for each of the Hahnemannian miasms
* For example , a hypotonic intestine that brings about constipation due to lack of motility will correspond to psora.
* A colon with hypermotility will correspond to sycosis, while one with spasmodic dystonia or perverse movement will be of a syphilitic nature.
* A dry unhealthy skin will be of psoric nature, while an oily skin with copious perspiration and a tendency to the formation of excrescences will be sycotic.
* A skin which is ulcerated with a tendency towards degeneration will present the syphilitic condition.
* A slow, sluggish or depressed mind will be psoric.
* A hyperactive, hurried psyche with a changing unstable nature will make evident ” the hypertrophy of the ego” in the sycotic individual.
* The degenerative deprivation that clouds the spirit with its tendency towards destruction and death will constitute the syphilitic position.
Summary
* To summarize we may state that psora will be all that which means inhibition, sense of inferiority, coldness, functional deficiency, lack of productivity or of holding back.
* For example we can think of symptoms such as shyness, anxiety, irritability [holding back of anger], dryness, impotence, lassitude, weakness [whether it be general or of an organ or a part of the body]
Sycosis
* Will be manifested by expansion, precipitancy, hypersensitivity, hyperactivity, hypersecretion, pride , exaggerated fears, irascibility [ manifest anger ] , hyperthermia, neoplasms, hurried
Syphilis
Syphilitic manifestations will include:
* Degradation
* Indifference
* Loathing life
* A perversion of biological functions
* Abnormal secretions
* Rage [blinding anger]
* Convulsions, spasms, deformities
* Haemorrhages, putrefactions and destructive tendencies in the tissues as well as in the mind
Examples from Kent’s repertory and Allen’s materia medica
* Sadness is of a psoric nature because of its inhibitory quality.
* Grief is the sycotic manifestation of sadness because of its expansive quality.
* Prostration of mind exhibits the destructive syphilitic quality of sadness.
* Fear, when it is psorically inhibited is manifested by anxiety
* Specific fear [ different fears ] outwardly manifested is sycotic in nature.
* In anguish there is a fear with an implicitly destructive syphilitic tendency.
* The psoric individual will manifest a weakness of memory
* The sycotic patient would be absent minded due to his characteristic instability whereas the syphilitic will be forgetful in the sense of having memory lapses which demonstrate the destructive tendencies.
* A slow pulse can be classified as psoric, a rapid pulse as sycotic and irregular one as syphilitic.
* In the extremities weakness is psoric, restlessness is sycotic and ataxia syphilitic.
* Erections incomplete, short or wanting are psoric; frequent and strong erections are sycotic and erections troublesome, painful or without sexual desire are syphilitic.
Examples of pains
* Pains that are sore, bruised, pressive and demand that the patient rest, indicate psoric inactivity with its lack of tone.
* Stitching , pulsating and wandering pains manifest irritability. Hyperfunction, hypertonus consistent with sycosis.
* Burning, bursting and burning pains indicate the syphilitic destructive, disordered nature.