Extra-Diagnostic Aid in Homeopathic
Prescribing
by
Anjan
K. Nath
Case
Histories
According to Homeopathic philosophy, organic disease is an
ultimate, the result of preceding changes in the vitality of the
patient and which are manifested by functional changes and
subjective symptoms. As has been noticed is often the case, organic
disease is generally foreshadowed by functional changes. It is these
changes or symptoms of a disordered vitality which are of importance
in selecting a constitutional remedy with the object of correcting
and curing the malady. However, in practice, it is found that these
symptoms are the most difficult to elicit from a patient, and this
may be due to a number of factors, the chief among them being that
the patient is not conscious of the changes, especially the changes
wrought on the mind.
Hahnemann taught that the measure of a man's personality and his
deviations from the normal lay largely in his mental and spiritual
reactions. He further held that the emotional cause of disturbed
functions was an important factor in reestablishing a state of
equilibrium. He believed that the disturbed emotional sphere might
manifest itself in long and varied circumstances and conditions of
environment, training and convention. The consequences of these
disturbed states, while often so deep that they appear to be
permanent, do not always manifest themselves clearly in the mental
sphere, and the homoeopathic physician, in solving one of these
difficult problems, therefore, might have to take recourse to some
extra-diagnostic aids in determining the choice of remedy.
As a man is, so he writes. In this paper we will see how an
individual's handwriting reveals his spiritual or material
orientation, or a practical nature. But before we examine this
aspect, we need to understand the graphological factor called
"zoning."
Handwriting Zones
There are three zones delineated for purposes of handwriting
analysis. For the sake of understanding the implications better, we
shall begin by taking up the characteristics of zone 2.
Zone 2
Zone 2, or the middle zone is the area of mundane reality. It is
the zone where writing, and therefore thinking begins, which is why
it is dealt with first. The middle zone consists of the letters a,
c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, x. Handwritings that emphasize
development of letter forms in zone 2 are characteristic of
individuals who have not committed themselves to either the realm of
spirituality or the plane of materialism. Their primary concern is
with social relationships and transitory matters of the ego, with no
real dedication or interest in the pursuit of the profound life.
Zone 1
Traveling upward, we see that zone 1 symbolizes the abstract
plane of existence. It is on this level that man rises above mundane
interests and finds expression for the needs of his spirit and mind.
Emphasis on forms which reach into zone 1 symbolizes the character
of the spiritually and philosophically minded. Letters involving the
execution of stems and loops in the upper zone are b, d, f, h, k,
l, t. When the stems or loops of these letters are traced to
extreme heights, they indicate that the writer's nature is dominated
by mental processes which operate beyond the control of reason.
Depending upon other characteristics of the writing, over-extended
loops and stems are the signs of creativity, or of thoughts
overshadowed by dreams and fantasy, ruled by illusion.
Zone 3
Zone 3 is the area of material and sensual interests.
Handwritings which place the strongest emphasis on formations in the
lower zone reflect the orientation of individuals whose primary
motives are self-preservation and satisfaction of those needs
originating in the physical senses, including the sex drive. Letters
requiring descending strokes into zone 3 are f, g, j, p, q, y, z.
When the stems and loops of letters which relate to zone 3 descend
below the logical limits of the zone, we find the normal trends
indicated there are distorted and carried to depths where the
conscious mind no longer exercises control. Individuals whose
writings are thus characterized are in the grips of forces which
drive them to seek outlets in sexual fantasies, actions which show
regression to earlier levels of development, and criminal acts.
Zone Limits
A word needs to be said here about how to determine the logical
limits of the three zones. The height of zone 2 (middle) is
determined by the height of the letters requiring no ascending or
descending strokes. The logical limit of zone 1 (upper) is
determined by the height of the ascending strokes in relation to the
letters of the middle zone, and that of the depth of the strokes of
zone 3 is also determined in relation to the height of the letters
of the middle zone. We have to deal with the middle zone first
because this is the zone in which the trends towards zone 1 and zone
3 begin.
Case Histories:
Case 1: A man of 73 years came to see me on Dec. 15, 1977
for treatment of a severe cataract in the left eye. The right eye
was clear and was never affected. The left eye had been operated
upon a few times, but each time the cataract grew back after a few
months and increased in severity each time. After orthodox
treatment, the patient tried homeopathy for a while with apparently
no benefit. The patient was in otherwise good health in spite of his
age and could give no other symptoms on which to make a correct
homeopathic diagnosis.
Cineraria Maritima Sucus (Wilmar Schwabe, Germany) to be
instilled in the eye three times a day and Silicea 30C once
daily in the morning on an empty stomach, was prescribed. After a
month the patient wrote to me (as he lived far away and could not
make a visit) saying that he had got no benefit from the medicines.
The handwriting immediately caught my attention as the stems and
loops of the upper zone (zone 1) were indented on the upper left
portion and the top of the loop was either very faintly traced or
broken in parts in an otherwise robust writing written with an even
pressure. On noticing these characteristics I wrote back to my
patient asking him whether he had ever seriously injured his head
and whether he had been having suicidal tendencies. Both my
observations were confirmed and a few others obtained by a visit in-cognito
by the patient himself a few days later. Natrum Sulph 10M, a
single dose, was now prescribed along with Cineraria much to
the delight of the patient (and myself). Along with the amelioration
of his mental symptoms the cataract began to respond and eventually
thinned out in a remarkable way which I had not seen before and have
not again.
Case 2: A lady aged 32 and of a rather delicate
constitution had been under treatment for several years by some of
the most eminent physicians of the country for a uterine ailment.
She later decided to try homeopathy and got some benefit, but never
felt "cured." Some common friends referred her case to me
and the patient herself had carefully and neatly written out her
symptoms in the strictest homeopathic schemata that I have seen of a
lay person, but omitting any reference to the mental symptoms. But
alas, her handwriting proffered more information than she had.
The "t's" were looped and very faintly crossed at about
the middle of the stem and her writing as a whole was inclined to
the left, showing a person of an introverted and taciturn nature
given in to tenderness of disposition and conscience with a love for
solitude. Ignatia, Natrum-mur, and Carcinosin flashed through
the back of my mind and when I met the patient I learned that her
problems began after a prolonged period of "blues"
resulting from a disappointed love affair. She seemed to have this
feeling of "never being able to love or be loved again."
From knowing better at the time, I gave her both, Ignatia and
then Natrum-mur in several potencies, but they did only
limited good. I then decided to give Carcinosin, beginning
with 200C, which had immediate effect. Not having had much
experience with this remedy, I was hesitant in continuing with the
higher potencies and later switched to the LM scale of potencies and
eventually went up to the LM/6 with very good results. The case was
lost to follow-up as the patient left town the following year.
Case 3: A young man (BBD) once wrote to me asking for a
special appointment as he "wished to discuss some problems of a
personal nature" with which he was afflicted.
The lower zone (zone 3) of this writing was highly exaggerated,
going well below the second and even the third lines of the writing,
showing a man of intense sexual passion. This observation was
confirmed by the heaviness of the writing pressure; moreover, the
loops of the lower-case letters were often doubly looped, showing a
pre-occupation with sexual subjects. And the fact that this man
chose to write rather than come directly or telephone for an
appointment showed a timid person apparently lacking in
self-confidence.
I sent a single dose of a high potency of Staphisagria and
a number of placebos by mail to Mr. D and gave him an appointment
for a fortnight later. He did not appear on the day appointed, but
came to see me well after a month to tell me that he was well on his
way to recovery and did not wish to discuss the earlier problem and
would I repeat the prescription I had sent him. On showing him the
notes I had taken on his handwriting, he was taken aback and readily
admitted that that was the problem he had meant to discuss.
Case 4: In a similar case as the above, a lady (Ms. LC)
wrote to one of my patients to find out from me whether Homeopathy
could be of any benefit to her. Her description of her ailments
seemed to indicate Platina and this I amply confirmed when I
saw her handwriting. The main feature of this writing was the way in
which the capital "I" was written--large, with a very
prominent head--indicating an extremely egoistical person; this was
further supported with an equally flamboyant signature. The lower
zone letters were also strongly emphasized with the loops being
triangular in shape, denoting a person (female in this case)
preoccupied with her own sex and personal beauty. Platina was
prescribed and Platina cured in a relatively short time.
The above cases have been
cited at random as illustrative of how a knowledge of Graphoanalysis
could come to the aid of a homeopath in certain cases where the
indications are clear and where there are a paucity of clear cut
indications and mental symptoms on which to base a prescription. As
has been stressed over and over again, the mental and moral symptoms
are of the utmost importance in the proper selection of a remedy,
yet, these are the very symptoms which are the most difficult to get
the patient to volunteer. The physician, therefore, rather than be
left to guess and chance, has in the patient's handwriting an
extra-diagnostic aid towards confirming a diagnosis.
Copyright
1997 Anjan K. Nath.
Basil
Ocimum basilicum Labiatae (Mint Family)
by
Anjan
K. Nath.
A
curious sight in India during the 19th Century was that many
Englishmen had adopted the use of a necklace made of the wood of
the Basil plant like the ones worn by Hindu holy men. This was
not to claim affinity to those over whom they ruled, but rather
for more practical reasons for it was scientifically determined
and proved that basil provides immunity to electrical impulses
and hence acts as preventive to thunder-bolts (lightning). The
plant itself is full of electrical energy and hence aids in
stimulating blood-circulation. It is said that if one wears the
stalk of the basil around the waist, the wearer will be free
from afflictions of the waist, liver, spleen, and the generative
organs.
Because of this
property, the basil-stalk necklaces are worn around the neck,
hands, and over the heart; and, therefore, it is not surprising
that the practice was adopted by the English. Culpeper, the
English physician of old makes a few interesting observations:
"This is the herb which all authors are together about, and rail
at one another (like lawyers). Galen and Dioscorides hold it not
fitting to be taken inwardly; and Chrysippus rails at it with
downright Billingsgate rhetoric; Pliny and the Arabian
physicians defend it." (Complete Herbal 15). He further adds,
"...it was an herb of Mars, and under the scorpion, and perhaps
therefore called basilicon, and it is no marvel if it carry a
virulent quality with it. Being applied to the place bitten by
venomous beasts, or stung by a wasp or hornet, it speedily draws
the poison to it. Every like draws his like. Mizaldus affirms,
that being laid to rot in horse-dung, it will breed venomous
beasts. Hilarius, a French physician, affirms upon his own
knowledge, that an acquaintance of his, by common smelling to
it, had a scorpion bred in his brain... To conclude. It
expelleth both birth and after-birth: and as it helps the
deficiency of Venus in one kind, so it spoils all her actions in
another. I dare write no more of it." (15)
So much for
Culpeper.
In India, the
basil (known as Tulsi or Vrinda) is widely used and several
myths have grown out of its use both, as a medicinal herb and
for religious purposes. The ancient treatises on Ayurveda speak
highly of this plant saying that its regular use keeps palate,
throat, teeth, gums, bronchus and lungs free of infection. Most
traditional Hindu homes grow the plant and believe that an
invisible oil permeates the atmosphere thus keeping it clean and
free of germs. Further, no snake or scorpion will come near a
basil plant and I have personally verified that it also keeps
mosquitoes at bay. It is no wonder that the Hindus have accorded
spiritual status to the plant and revere it almost as a deity.
In fact, the basil is considered to be sacred by many and it is
believed that this plant sprouted on its own over the grave of
Christ. Christians in Eastern Europe still look upon the plant
as a gift of Christ and on St. Basil's day, the womenfolk plant
basil seedlings in their gardens with the same fervor as a
religious rite. Taking a cue from Christ's resurrection, some
even plant basil over the graves of their dear departed in the
hope that it might revive the dead!
Uses of Basil
The uses of
basil are many and varied. Most of its claims have been verified
scientifically, while others remain in the borderline of
skepticism and disbelief. The general uses for which it is
prescribed as a home remedy ranges from the common cough and
cold to blood-pressure symptoms and even paralysis and
hemiplegia. I give below some of the more common ailments and
their treatment with the use of basil alone or in combination
with other herbs.
Acidity
Grind equal
amounts of the dried blossoms of basil, bark of the Neem (Margosa)
tree, and black pepper into a homogenous mixture. Take a level
teaspoonful of this powder morning and evening with a draft of
water, but do not drink milk immediately after. The acidity will
be removed from the body with the sweat and urine.
Blood Pressure
The drinking of
basil-leaf tea keeps the blood pressure even.
Cataracts
Mix a little
honey with the juice of the basil leaves and apply over the eyes
every morning and evening. Fresh cases are dissolved without
surgery, while chronic ones are rendered "ripe" so that they can
be surgically removed quite easily.
Colds & Cough
Make a fine
powder of the following:
Take two
teaspoonfuls of this mixture and boil it with about 500 ml water
till half the quantity of water is left. Add honey (and milk if
preferred) and drink it like tea twice a day.
Earache
Add a little
tincture of camphor to the juice of 10 leaves of basil. Instill
a drop or two of the mixture in the ear for instant relief.
Eye Troubles
The juice of
basil leaves mixed with honey is recommended for all sorts of
eye troubles associated with pain and burning sensation. The
mixture may be stored in an air-tight bottle. In the case of
trachoma, grind ten leaves of basil with a clove and apply to
the eyes every four hours. For swelling of the eyes, the juice
of the leaves of basil with a pinch of alum applied to the eyes
is prescribed.
Epilepsy
Massage the body
daily with the juice of basil leaves (a massage oil may be made
with a mineral oil base and the essential oil of basil). Make a
habit of smelling the blossoms of basil (or essential oil of the
blossoms) kept in a handkerchief; also grow a basil plant
somewhere near the bedroom. During loss of consciousness during
an attack, grind 11 leaves of basil, add a pinch of salt to it
and instill a few drops of this juice in the nostrils of the
patient.
Flatulence
Mix together 10
gms of basil juice, 10 gms of dry ginger and 20 gms of jaggery
(raw sugar); make small tablets/pills/capsules from this
mixture. Take a pill/capsule swallowed with a little water three
times a day. It is advisable to either fast or to eat only
easily digestible foods during the period of the treatment.
Female Disorders
Basil juice is a
good tonic for women and its regular use keeps them free from
the disorders of the female generative organs.
Fever/Flu:
Boil about 10
gms of basil leaves in 250 ml water till the water is reduced to
125 ml, then add a little rock salt to taste. This tea produces
immediate sweating and relieves the fever. An option is to drink
tea made of basil leaves, black pepper, and candy sugar.
Hoarseness
Add a little
honey to the juice of 10 basil leaves and lick slowly. A
spoonful is sufficient to restore the voice.
Hair Loss
Massage the
scalp evenly with the oil of basil and after an hour or so wash
the hair with cold water. Good for dandruff too.
Heart Ailments
As basil has a
positive effect over blood pressure and also a de-toxicant, its
regular use prevents heart attacks. A tonic may be prepared by
mixing 1 gm of dry basil leaves with a spoonful of butter and
some candy sugar or honey. Take twice a day; first thing in the
morning and before going to bed at night. The wearing of a
garland of basil stalks is said to prevent heart attacks. It was
common to see Englishmen wearing these "necklaces" during the
19th century in India.
Hysteria
Smell the
crushed leaves of basil and drink the juice of five basil
leaves.
Indigestion
Crush a few
basil leaves with a little rock salt and swallow with a little
water. Drinking the tea made of dried basil leaves also gives
quick relief by inducing sweating and urination.
Insomnia
The best
solution to this tricky problem is to place a few leaves of
basil inside the pillow; a specific number of 51 is prescribed,
with 50 being placed inside the pillow case and the 51st being
chewed upon by the patient. Basil leaves may also be placed
around the corners and head of the bed under the bed sheet.
Itching
Massage the
itching areas with the juice of basil leaves. In chronic cases,
make a massage oil by mixing two parts of basil juice with one
part of sesame/mineral oil and warming over a water bath; cool
and store in a bottle. Use this oil for itches of any type for
local relief. For a permanent cure, see a qualified Homoeopathic
physician.
Jaundice
Add two
teaspoons of basil juice to 50ml of radish juice; sweeten with a
little jaggery (raw sugar). Drink this juice twice or three
times a day for a month for total relief.
Kidney Ailments
Basil juice is
unparalleled in the treatment of all sorts of kidney troubles.
Soak overnight about 5-7 gms (one teaspoonful) of Basil seeds in
water; next morning grind the seeds with candy sugar and drink
the combination. Copious micturition will be induced and soon
the congestion will be relieved and infection (if any) will be
removed.
Leucoderma (Vitiligo)
To a little
basil juice add a few drops of lime-juice and apply on the
affected area. Or, grind 10gms of basil leaves with a clove of
garlic and apply the paste on the affected area daily for 10
days. It is also advised to chew 5 basil leaves every morning,
afternoon, and evening or licking a mixture of basil juice and
honey in addition to the local application.
Lethargy
The tea made
from dried basil leaves is an instant pick-me-up and drunk
regularly, keeps one free from colds and other ailments
associated with phlegm in the body.
Male Sexual
Problems
The regular
consumption of basil leaves maintains an even blood pressure and
keeps a man's urges well within control, making him neither
lecherous nor impotent. Venereal diseases are said to be cured
with the use of basil juice in combination with cardamom and
yogurt drink. Further, the stalk of the basil plant worn around
the waist prevents lower-back pain and maintains sexual health.
Migraine
Dry some basil
blossoms in the shade and grind to a fine powder; mix two grams
of the powder with a dessert-spoonful of honey and lick it
slowly. A second dose, if needed, may be taken in the evening.
An excellent remedy, when others have failed!
Malaria
Grind 1gm of
black pepper in 10 gms of basil juice and administer at two hour
intervals for 5 to six days. In addition give the patient basil
tea. The fever along with the malarial symptoms will be totally
relieved in a couple of days.
This treatment
should be effective in Dengue, too.
Nose-Bleeding (Epistaxis)
Keep some basil
blossoms with you and smell them every now and again. In chronic
cases, a drop of the essence of basil blossom put in the
handkerchief and smelt at intervals cures the problem almost
totally. Drinking basil juice with honey is also recommended.
Paralysis/Hemiplegia
Massage the
affected limbs with the oil of basil or boil a few leaves of
basil in 200ml of water; when cool, strain and use this water
for massage. The internal intake of the juice is also
recommended.
Pneumonia
Rub the oil of
basil on the chest of the patient and give internally the juice
of 5 leaves of basil mixed with a little ground black pepper at
six hourly intervals. This will induce sweating and relieve the
patient.
Skin
Basil leaves'
juice is an astringent and excellent tonic for the skin.
Sluggish Liver
Grind the
following into a homogenous powder: Basil leaves 5 nos; Cumin
seeds (roasted) 2 gms; Rock salt (black) 2 gms. To this mixture
add an equal amount of the kernel of wood-apple and then combine
the whole with 100 gms of yogurt and eat it with a meal or by
itself. For most digestive disorders, a spoonful of a mixture of
basil juice and ginger juice gives prompt relief.
Stones (Bladder)
Make the patient
sit on a steam bath prepared with about 100 gms of basil
blossoms to a liter of water. Continue treatment daily for a
week. Depending on the size and nature of the calculii, they
should dissolve and be flushed out with the urine.
Snake-Bite
Grind 5 gms each
of basil leaves and black pepper; instill a drop of this in each
nostril of the victim. Or, grind the root of the basil plant in
a little butter and apply on the bitten part. Thirdly, you can
administer a spoonful of basil juice internally every hour.
Tuberculosis
Grind 5 gms each
of basil leaves and black pepper and mix with a spoon of honey.
The patient should take this twice daily for about two months.
In the winter, a little ginger juice and a pinch of salt may
also be added. Externally, a mixture of basil and ginger juice
may be rubbed over the chest.
Urinary Troubles
Soak overnight
about a teaspoonful of basil seeds in water and in the morning
grind them with a little candy sugar and drink in two
doses--morning and afternoon. A week's treatment should clear up
all symptoms.
Whooping Cough
Grind together
equal amounts of basil leaves and black pepper and add a little
honey so as to have a consistency to make small tablets. These
tablets, sucked slowly, should be taken four times a day. In the
case of dry cough, take a mixture of equal amounts of the juices
of basil seeds, ginger and onion. In the case of loose cough,
add candy sugar.
References
Culpeper's Complete Herbal, and English Physician. Leicester:
Magna Books, 1992.
Copyright ©1997 Anjan K. Nath.
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Dr. Anjan K. Nath is Associate Professor of
English Language and Literature at Tunghai
University and Providence University, Taiwan. He has been actively
involved in Homeopathic studies for over 25 years and is currently
pioneering the teaching and propagation of Homeopathy on Taiwan
through his auspices of the Department of Acupuncture, China Medical
College, Taichung. His other interests
include psychology, myth and mysticism, and Yogic and Vedantic
philosophy.
Dr
Anjan K Nath was also awarded the ROC (Republic of China)
Premier's Medal for excellence in teaching and continued service and
contribution for the cause of education in the Republic of China
(Taiwan). Dr Nath is the youngest son
of late Rajmohan Nath, the noted engineer, philosopher, historian and
antiquarian of Assam.
For more details visit his website:
www.myshillong.info
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