The Most Important Constitutional Remedies
Dr. Kiel Wassily (Circa 1910) describes the constitution of
some important deep acting remedies.
I prefer to speak of the constitution of our remedies instead of
constitutional remedies. You will agree with me that Sulphur,
Calcarea carbonica, Lycopodium, and Thuja should be
mentioned first, if I am to speak of constitutional remedies,
which I shall try to present in pictures.
Sulphur is the most important, the main remedy in
Hahnemann’s psora treatment. It is the best agent where there
is lack of reaction of the body. This lack of reaction is, of
course, more or less dependent upon constitutional conditions.
It is therefore indispensable also in acute conditions, and the
chief remedy in diseases following suppressed skin troubles.
Farrington thinks it is a racial remedy for negroes, because
they are widely suffering from scrofulosis. The constitutional
indication for Sulphur is found in those who have all kinds of
skin affections, unpleasant skin odour, aversion to water and
bathing; they drink much and eat little, have a stooping walk;
all orifices are red, red ears especially in children; they are
vexed easily and tend to melancholia. Intuitively I recognize a
Sulphur patient when he enters the room; he looks dirty. There
is disturbed circulation, irregularity of the blood distribution,
tendency to congestion in any part of the body, sometimes with
burning heat. Sulphur acts especially on the lymph channels
and glands, hence it dominates the scrofulous constitution.
Three cardinal indications are: burning on vertex, burning of
feet evenings in bed, and feeling of hunger at 11 a.m.
Calcarea carbonica is just as important and indispensable. It is
easily differentiated from Sulphur. In the exterior it differs
from the lean, sinewy Sulphur patient in being fat, or at least in
being inclined to be so. The children have pot bellies. The
colour of the face is watery, pale. Temperamentally the patient
is indolent, clumsy and slow in his motions, does not like to
work, while the Sulphur patient is lively and changeable.
Calcarea carbonica acts pre-eminently upon the bony structure,
hence such patients have under-developed bones, disturbed
growth, soft or bent bones. They dispose to glandular
enlargement and swellings, polypi, etc., and to skin affections,
which in contradistinction to Sulphur are more moist. While
Sulphur has heat and burning, the Calcarea patient feels cold,
and complains of cold head, and his feet are cold as “from wet
socks”. Typical are partial perspirations, in children especially
around the head, in men of the sexual organs with sexual
weakness; women have too early and profuse menses with
copious leucorrhoea. Peculiar is the Calcarea patient’s desire
for eggs, while milk is not tolerated, often vomited.
Sulphur is well followed by Calcarea in constitutional
treatment, and then Lycopodium or Silica are usually the
sequence unless some other remedy is more indicated.
Lycopodium is a priceless remedy. Its patient is lean, dark
complexioned and yellow, and appears to be older than he is.
Dark circles around the eyes. His muscles are weak, and he is
disposed to liver affections and uric acid diathesis. He is either
irritable or sad, or dominating, thinks himself important, and
often seems to be haughty. His memory is weak. He is inclined
to varices and naevi. Constipation is always present, contrary
to Sulphur and Calcarea. Older patients are impotent.
Peculiarities are: the Lycopodium patient can never eat to
satiety, suffer from flatulency, distension of lower abdomen
(Carbo veg. of upper, china of entire abdomen), he craves open
air, i.e. he wants open windows. One foot is cold, the other
warm. It acts, especially on the right side, and has aggravation
afternoon from 4 to 8 pm. I had a diphtheria epidemic which
was prevalent in patients of Lycopodium constitution, in which
this remedy quickly cured. During the cholera epidemic in
Hamburg in 1894, Sulphur was always the curative remedy,
when I found the Sulphur constitution at the beginning
presented cholera-like symptoms. This shows how important it
is to pay close attention to the constitution, even in acute
diseases.
Silicea patients give the impression of weak people, physically
and temperamentally, are easily depressed, indecisive and
irritable. This general weakness shows also in the nervous
system with inclination to paralysis. The children are lean
because of poor assimilation; they eat enough, but continue
getting weaker, and may finally die from marasmus.
Characteristic is that inflammations in tissues and bones have a
tendency to suppuration without healing reaction. Foetid
perspiration of feet is frequent. It has cured cases of epilepsy
which had decided aura from the solar plexus, and which
appeared especially during new moon. Also whooping cough
of severest degree was cured by it if the constitution
corresponded.
From Silicea I come to Thuja of the conifer family, because it
is complementary to Silicea. It is Hahnemann’s antisycoticum,
also a great agent. Of course there are constitutions for which
Thuja is suitable, even if contagion has not created that
constitution. There are two poisons: the gonorrhoeal and
vaccination; if they are implanted in the system, they will act
so much more violently in a constitution present, and they even
can create such a constitution. Formerly vaccination was done
from arm to arm, and there I have many observations and
cured many children with Thuja. How does the Thuja patient
look? He is hasty, impatient and quarrelsome, often has fixed
ideas, e.g. that he considers himself fragile like glass, and
permits not one to come near him; he has many symptoms of a
sick nervous system, His hair is thin, dry, and split at the ends.
Warts appear all over the body, or condylomata, or
cauliflower-like excrescences. There is a tendency to
hardening of epithelium, hypertrophies with following
softening. Often we find misshaped nails. Characteristic
perspiration of uncovered parts; sweet smelling perspiration on
genital organs. Women often have the sensation of something
live in the abdomen.
I shall now mention a constitutional remedy which many do
not consider capable of changing the body or soul. Natrum
muriaticum, a remedy for nordic races. For many years in my
practice not a day passed that was without Natrum muriaticum
constitutions, or that I did not have to treat patients for
ailments springing from this constitution. I have previously
pointed out that chiefly climatic, geologic and nutritive
conditions may be causative factors which a malaria cachexia
develops. These “salt men” are tall, spare build, have thin
necks, and often a very severe countenance, are serious,
unapproachable, hypochondriacal, not tolerating contradiction,
unforgiving; the nordic soul lives in them. If skin affections
appear, they are most liable to show at the hair margins and
flexor surfaces of joints. The entire digestive tract from mouth
to anus can show diseased conditions. Lips and corners of
mouth are cracked and dry. The products of the mucous
membranes are watery and clear. The heart beats are felt all
through the body, or there may be fluttering of the heart or
intermittent pulse. Backache better from leaning against
something hard. Needlework aggravates all symptoms. In
women displacement of the uterus may cause these troubles.
Characteristic is the great changeableness of the symptoms.
Aggravations are between 11 and 12 a.m., when shivers occur
as concomitants. The peculiar sensation of a hair on the tongue
I have often observed. Many anaemics have been cured by
Natrum muriaticum.
These are the most important constitutional remedies, which all
should know well. Of course, a number of others can be
indicated, depending upon constitution, location, clime, types
and races, of which I wish briefly to characterize a few in their
individual peculiar symptoms.
The Phosphorus constitution is of a neuropathic, haemorrhagic
character; they are tall, pale, of a consumptive habitus, which
have grown up too quickly; oversensitive to all external
impressions, fear to be alone, and during thunder. They incline
to clairvoyance and somnambulism, and get easily ecstatic.
They are disposed to haemorrhage, even small wounds bleed
profusely. Their pains they feel as burning. While they are
inclined to emaciation, their organs are inclined to fatty
degeneration. During or after loss of body fluids they get nerve
troubles, especially diseases of the spinal spinal cord.
Generally speaking, their nervous system and respiratory
organs are puncta minoris resistentiae. It is characteristic that
they cannot lie on the left side, and that their hands burn; they
are sleepy in day time. They perspire during sleep, which stops
when they awaken, but begins again when they go to sleep.
Kali carbonicum is complementary to phosphorus and follows
advantageously. Such patients are anemic, of irritable, nervous
temperament; their faces are often bloated with swollen upper
eyelids. Like phosphorus it is suitable for individuals
weakened by loss of body fluids or after a long siege of
sickness. They are sensitive to cold and local congestion. Their
pains are stitching and independent of motion. Circulation and
metabolism are low, muscle degeneration and weakness extend
even to the heart. Characteristic are the great weakness and
pain in the small of the back and loins; all aggravations are
between 2 and 3 a.m. If there is inclination to perspiration the
sweat is not connected with sleep as in phosphorus.
Graphites was designated by Hahnemann as a deep acting anti-
psorinum, with the characteristic especially on the skin, usually
in the form of moist eruptions, predominating on and behind
the ears and on the eyelids with honey-like, viscous secretions.
The patients are usually fat, bloated, sad and depressed, with
lack of body warmth and poor circulation. The nails of fingers
and toes are thickened and deformed. The rectum and anus are
points of minor resistance.
Iodum is another important constitutional remedy, much
abused, but very valuable in torpid forms of scrofulosis and
luetic conditions. These people are lean, brunette with dark
hair and eyes; they have unclean skin. They dispose to diseases
of glandular organs and hyperplasias of connective tissues. The
ductless glands function poorly, or wrongly (Basedow). The
mucous membranes show increased secretions, which are acrid
and corroding. They are always hungry and feel better after
eating. They dislike warmth or warm rooms, prefer cool air,
and love to walk in the open.
Ferrum is almost as much abused as Iodum. It is indicated in
young, slender people, healthy countenance in consequence of
false erethism when excited, but in reality they have sallow,
pale complexions, and pale mucous membranes. The gums are
almost white. Local congestions are often found all over. Their
system is not strong enough to assimilate the iron from the
food. They have aversion to meat, but love bread and butter.
The haemorrhages are bright red and coagulated. The time of
aggravation is midnight or a little later, especially in asthmatic
conditions.
Finally I wish to say a few words about Tuberculinum, which I
consider a great constitutional remedy for all scrofulous or
tubercular disposed patients. They incline to catarrh of all
mucous membranes, and to colds more than the previously
mentioned constitutional remedies. Tuberculinum patients
have coryza constantly, periodic skin eruptions, which can be
considered nature’s way of catabolism. Generally the symptom
picture is changeable. If in chronic and constitutional diseases
there is no real improvement, regardless of what form of
pathology is present, a dose of Tuberculinum koch 100 or 200
will help. The action is biologic, like all remedies chosen
according to the law of similia, by aiding the efforts of nature
to ward off disease.
These named important constitutional remedies are to heal
body and spirit from inside, and thoroughly. All should always
be given in higher potency. I never dispense below the 30th
centesimal potency, and often give the 200th. I teach myself
and my patients to have patience in awaiting the action.
