Aurum Metallicum
Aurum foliatum, Aurum purum English: Gold leaf, Pure gold
French: Or en feuilles, Or pur
German: Gold, Blatgold
The essential features
Gold imprints upon the human organism the idea of self-destruction, of annihilation, of death. When introduced into the living organism, it tends to deprive the person of the will to live. It is the principle remedy to develop the state of loathing for life, desire to die, and tendency to commit suicide. As several other remedies correspond to suicidal depression, we must here concentrate upon a description of the particuar type of person, the character of the individual who requires Aurum.
The personality of aurum
The central theme of Aurum is extreme depression and loathing of life which progress to suicidal thoughts and, finally, self-destruction. These elements are clearly described in earlier literature. An extreme depression does not develop overnight, and not without earlier stages. For homeopathic practitioners the very best strategy is to prevent the final stage of the Aurum depression, to prevent the possibility of suicide. To facilitate this recognition we must identify the various characteristics that coincide with the earlier Aurum states such that the patient’s desire to live and capacity to enjoy life can be reinstated.
The pathological Aurum condition usually arises in people who possess a serious and introverted character. They are generally closed people, responsible and quite refined. At the early stages of pathology one can sense that they avoid superficial contact and tend to remain rather aloof or self-contained. Generally they are very disciplined and highly ambitious. They seem to have the fundamental conviction that they are destined for a superior and esteemed position in life. Aurum, we must not forget, is the metal gold. Using an analogy, gold, if it were personified, would feel that it held the highest position possible. It is as if these individuals think that a high position in life is their birthright. This characteristic illustrates the egotistical quality of Aurum, and it is this egotistical element that will cause difficulties for these people later in life. They want to be, and feel they are, more capable than others; they have that conviction. Because they feel that they have a high intrinsic value, like gold, they set very high standards for themselves and work hard to achieve those standards. In fact, their high opinion of themselves is often justified, for Aurum individuals tend to be serious-minded, mentally clear, responsible and intelligent. But through this seriousness, ambition, diligent self-application and industriousness they seem to lose the sense of lightness about life, cheerfulness. They will often say or convey the impression that throughout their life there has been a pervading sense of seriousness with a touch of sadness. It is as if a constant background of sad music had been playing in accompaniment to the events of their life. As the pathology develops, they will eventually go in to a state of self-reproach, self-criticism and, finally, a feeling that they are worthless and incapable of accomplishing anything.
Aurum children
Aurum children tend to be serious and aloof. Even at an early age it is difficult for them to establish close friendships. These children usually are ambitious and frequently attain prominence in their class at school. Their parents will describe them as serious. At the same time one can see a sensitivity and refinement in these children. The weak point of these children, and of Aurum patients in general, lies upon the emotional level. They are vulnerable emotionally though they are intellectually quite strong. Externally one sees a person who appears quite normal; the vulnerability and extreme sensitivity is inside and not readily apparent on the surface. Once they leave the shelter of the home and enter school, they inevitably encounter some difficulty, be it a critical remark by a teacher or fellow students, some problem with school work, etc. Critical remarks will have a tremendous and immediate effect upon these children. Their emotional body cannot tolerate such remarks, and they seem to break down very easily. A normal child will not be so significantly affected by so slight a remark as is the Aurum child. The child will not show his reaction however. Instead, an internal doubt about his own abilities begins to grow, and he begins to feel that the world is not a fit place in which to live. He will not express his doubts and concerns but will continue trying to attain the goals of his ambition — further education, money, positions of prominence, etc. Yet throughout his entire life a sense of bitterness remains, and he continues to feel that the world is a cruel, uninviting place. The world seems to him an environment in which it is not worth living. Eventually this attitude leads to deep depression and a suicidal disposition.
These children are not emotionally expressive, not affectionate or warm. As mentioned, they are introverted and serious; however, they do need and demand affection. Later in life, when they have established for themselves a prominent position in their career or in society, they seem to receive affection because they are esteemed by others. They will receive praise and commendations from parents, teachers, and, later, society. They need this affection and approval in order to survive; it represents food for their weak emotional nature, enabling them to maintain balance. Their exaggerated self-confidence causes them to believe that they deserve the adulation they receive. But with the first grief they encounter they become very hurt and disappointed. They will react angrily to the situation, but the anger remains inside, unexpressed. Eventually they develop resentment.
Aurum and Natrum muriaticum children would seem to have many characteristics in common. Contrasting the two, one sees that the Natrum muriaticum child can be recognized early because of his reserved demeanor and his tendency to be easily offended and resentful. The Aurum child is difficult to recognize unless exposed to significant stresses; he usually looks quite normal and well-behaved. Natrum muriaticum is very closed; also, the hysterical element is quite prominent; he creates an atmosphere about him that clearly states, “Leave me alone!” His parents may describe him as terrible, throwing screaming tantrums whenever he is punished or even worse when somebody is trying to calm him down while in a tantrum.
Natrum muriaticum does not seem to want company; more accurately, he finds it impossible to engage company even if he wants it. When at a party, Natrum muriaticum will sit alone and just observe — a typical wallflower. Nonetheless, the Natrum muriaticum child can be very receptive. To justify presribing Natrum muriaticum to a child one needs to see some shade of the typical aggravation from consolation. Both remedies want affection. Natrum muriaticum may show a liking for an affectionate grandmother if he feels safe with her. In such a relationship the child will open up, revealing the beauty and sensitivity dwelling inside. At the end of the homeopathic interview, if the practitioner has acted very concerned, the Natrum muriaticum child might open up; the Aurum child will never open up.
The Aurum child seeks the company of older persons. He exudes seriousness and most probably wants to understand intellectually what it is that “is causing so much pain in the world.” It is amazing how many questions an Aurum child has and how much he understands without his parents realizing it. It is because of this sensitive nature that he suffers silently with even the slightest of reprimands.
The Aurum child is sure to have been emotionally wounded from his very early years by virtue of the contrast between his own sense of self-importance and the actual degree of importance others seem to attribute to him. He believes in himself, and, if it appears that others do not believe in him, he is destroyed. This is how the conflict emerges from the very beginning. It is interesting to observe that an enormous number of tragedies have unfolded in the history of mankind because of the inflated belief in the significance of gold. Human beings have attached tremendous importance to gold, and when they lose it, they all too readily feel that life is not worth living. Interestingly, it is this very theme, when prominent in mental illness, that gold will cure in high potencies.
The adult
The Aurum adult we have described — possessed of high ideals, great self-confidence, self-discipline, a serious mind and the desire to both dispense and receive justice in life — will at some point experience his first romantic encounter. The dynamics in such a relationship are the following: the idealistic Aurum enters the relationship with the whole of his energy; he gives himself to the relationship entirely. He immerses himself totally in the idealism of the romance. The relationship provides him with the warmth of affection that his Aurum nature needs. After a time in this relationship he will begin to observe various untoward details about his partner, becoming inwardly critical. He begins to withhold his affection for the least thing; such as, if his partner were to just look at another man. Finally he comes to feel that the relationship is not ideal and will at some point abruptly terminate the relationship without the least previous indication of dissatisfaction. He is loathe to face an impending future failure of the relationship; consequently, he tries to paradoxically avoid such a failure by being the one to end it first, but he does so at tremendous emotional cost. Subsequent to the rupture of the relationship he will feel torn to pieces with grief. He will suffer insomnia, often talking to himself when trying to fall asleep. This talking will occur in fits and jerks; it is not continuous. On closing his eyes he will see or relive a scene from the relationship and, in a fit of emotion, will blurt out something; e.g., “No, No, Go away!” This example illustrates an important characteristic of this remedy: when under stress or suffering a grief, Aurum may begin talking to himself. It is an aggressive form of talking, erupting as thoughts come to him. The words seem to jerkily escape from his mouth. During that period he will remain closed, silent, non-communicative and brooding. True to his Aurum nature, he may soon begin to lose his ambition in life, eventually reaching a state of complete lack of ambition with the hope that he will soon find an exit from this wretched and disappointing world.
Resentment and vengefulness
After such a grief, resentment and vengefulness lay claim to his character. He takes his revenge on his next lover, acting very coldly toward her. He gives nothing of himself in this relationship (like Natrum muriaticum and Ignatia, Veratrum album and hyoscyamus, but for different reasons). The relationship is primarily established on an intellectual level, the Aurum individual being considered attractive especially because of his mental capabilities. However, he may display great sexual excitement in this relationship (though not so great as would Platina). Eventually, at some point in the relationship when he feels that his lover has become quite attached to him, he begins to take advantage of her and to treat her coldly and cruelly. He inflicts suffering on her while at the same time suffering himself because of his behavior. This suffering leads to deeper grief which augments the earlier depression. He feels that there is no possibility in this world to have a successful love affair because he recognizes his own weakness in that regard — his fear of rejection. [Still, that which Aurum fears most is a downfall and the loss of his self-esteem and the respect of others.] He feels that he will not survive if he is rejected by his lover; in consequence, his thoughts immediately turn to the ultimate destructive recourse — suicide; however, paradoxically, he also refuses to accept the least flaw in a relationship. (Gold does not accept impurities.) This lack of acceptance on his part is not, of course, the result of some [alchemical] incompatibility between Aurum’s “purity” and his partner’s “impurity,” rather it is an expression of his essentially critical nature, tinged with malice and vindictiveness.
Because Aurum so coincides with the state of depression, it should be strongly considered when a patient presents deep grief without more definitive indications of another remedy and when earlier prescriptions of such remedies as Ignatia, Natrum muriaticum and Staphysagria have failed to act.
The reasons for suicide and the means
Business and financial success are very important to Aurum. They go into business because of a financial dream. Despite being competitive, hard-working businessmen, they retain a high degree of sensitivity. They are very sensitive about their obligations, so much so that when faced with a serious financial failure, with no way to meet their obligations, they will be unable to see any way out of their predicament. They cannot tolerate the possibility of a financial downfall or bankruptcy because of the implications of personal and professional imperfection, the possibility that they are no longer credible to others, the fear that they have lost the esteem in which they were previously held by their colleagues and business associates. They feel that they must ascend the ladder of success; if not, if they fail, they feel that all is finished. They become deeply depressed and want to leave this world. It appears to them impossible to consider starting over again, attempting to rebuild their financial fortunes to the extent that they can repay their debts. When this attitude becomes deeply entrenched and the depression very deep, they will be prone to commit suicide, mostly by jumping from a high place.
It is interesting to observe in this desperate, final act how the idea of an abrupt “fall” from a high place overtakes the individual. The Aurum individual repeatedly displays the tendency to suddenly fall from one psychological state to another. This tendency of Aurum is obviously a very pathological one, the extreme sensitivity to reversals equating with a form of fragility — when put under a specific type of stress, the organism falls down and may self-destruct.
Aurum invests his belief in high ideals, typically wealth, justice and prominence. If disappointed by any of these ideals, he can become quickly disillusioned and depressed. For instance, were he to be treated unjustly by someone in a position of authority, he would react strongly. His painful experience might motivate him to seek reforms in society, to re-establish order and justice in the world, according to his own ability and influence. Such a preoccupation with idealism provides a common ground between those who have attained some success in their lives and those who are disillusioned; consequently, both highly successful young people and passionate anarchists with idealistic attitudes can be Aurum individuals.
The successful Aurum businessman will work diligently towards prominence within the establishment, Aurum being one of the major workaholic remedies. He quickly attains considerable heights in his profession due to his capacity for constant work; however, should something go wrong, should he be unable to meet his financial obligations, he will be totally devastated. The thought of possibly being disgraced is unbearable to him; in his despair he immediately seizes upon the ultimate and absolute solution: suicide.
Constant criticism, especially from his closest associates, can also crush Aurum. He expects everyone to understand his high ideals, his high aspirations and his inborn sense of justice, and he is sorely disturbed when others misunderstand or criticize him.
It is really amazing to see how quickly in such a case Aurum, in high potency, will restore order, remove the extreme emotional coldness, lend warmth and courage to the person so as to enable him to see the positive side of life, providing him the will to try again and to choose to continue living. Margaret Tyler, who lived as a homeopathic physician through the world’s greatest financial crisis, writes: “Some of us could tell tale after tale of patients, in these days of world-wide commercial depression, who, reduced to despair by straightened means and anxiety, threatened suicide, and yet were rapidly restored to life, to hope, to renewed effort by a few doses of homeopathic gold.”In the development of the pathology of such an individual we must keep sight of his cachectic emotional life, the emotional coldness that eventually develops, the continuous “emotional winter” that shapes so much of his actions and decisions. It is, perhaps, of interest to note that countries in the extreme North, with almost “constant winter” climates and prolonged periods of relative darkness, report high suicide rates. An Aurum patient feels that he lives constantly without the sun in his life, without the rays of light, hope and warmth.
The anarchist follows another path. He can be quite passionate about his cause; he can be an extremist or even a terrorist, seeming at times to court death by his activities. Caught in his Aurum psychopathology, he feels no joy in life, and he usually mistakes his inner joylessness for that of the world at large; he projects all of his gloomy perceptions upon the world. Thus, in his eyes, the world is a doomed place, lacking in happiness, and tainted by immorality and rampant injustice. In many instances the Aurum individual will decide to do something about it, even to the point of risking his own life; in fact, the thought that he may die for a good cause actually comforts him. He is excited by the idea of death and even invites it. Consequently, in pursuit of this needed stimulation, he may engage in underground activities that create the risk of death. Interestingly, when such a person arrives at the brink of success, such as when he is just about to assume a position of leadership in his group, he will usually drop out of the group for fear of failure. In such instances one does not see the more typical successful Aurum who may have suffered from a setback, but rather one who avoids success because of his fear of failure and who at the same time carries the idea of death inside him most of the time. Such individuals, after leaving one group, will seek another group, another ideal to serve, eventually with the same consequences.
Aurum, during his depression, thinks that the sun, the light has completely faded from his life, that there is no hope for him; he even believes that in the afterlife he will be lost, that he will not find salvation. All avenues for a reversal of his situation in life seem closed. He feels that “he has failed in every department of his life.” Nothing can give him joy. A cold “metallic stillness” prevails over his emotions. This stillness is complete; there is no movement of feelings. There seems to be a hardness, an “induration” of the feelings which can in the end produce a “malignant emotional ulcer.” After having reached such a state, self-destruction is unavoidable.
[This very same idea of hardness, induration, ugly ulceration runs throughout the remedy, affecting the organs, especially the uterus and testes, the organs that physically express the emotion of love.]
An Aurum individual in such an advanced state of depression, without any hope of change, without any reason to live, may remain in this condition for years. Then some incident, even a relatively trivial one, may occur which upsets his tenuous emotional balance; it is then that the well-known impulse to jump from a high place occurs. When he finds himself in a high place and looks down, he thinks that if he jumps he can put an end to his sufferings. He almost hears a voice murmuring to him, “Jump. Jump. Now is your chance.” At this point he has reached, as Kent says, a state of insanity of the will. Now the very thought of dying brings relief, almost joy. He feels that by jumping he will be jumping into freedom and ending his unbearable sufferings. He experiences no fear of death.
An important point to note is that such a patient may not tell the physician that he suffers from a suicidal depression! He neither believes that anyone can help him nor that he can be saved by a medicine, so he sees no point in mentioning his severe depression. He is convinced that his emotional state is the end result of his factual situation in life, not a reflection of any emotional weakness or illness on his part. Should the physician inquire directly of the patient about any suicidal thoughts or depression, he may answer in the affirmative, but typically not very overtly. Similarly, Aurum will never ask for help or advice from a friend or relative with regard to his problems. Asking for help would be too degrading, and, furthermore, he considers his problems his and his alone.
It is very seldom that we see in Aurum a fear of dying. When it exists, the patient will exhibit a definite loathing of life while at the same time abhorring the idea of death. In such instances the fear of death is so intense that even the mention of the word “death” is tremendously upsetting.
The industriousness
Aurum suicides very often catch others by complete surprise. The depressed Aurum hides his depression from others and offsets it with industriouness. Despite his emotional turmoil, he maintains control over his mind, and he engages in mental occupation to avoid his emotional woes. His work is not in the least compromised by his sadness; he performs very competently right up to the moment he commits suicide. His sense of responsibility is so strong that he cannot do otherwise even though he might secretly wish to quit working. It is for this reason one should think of Aurum when confronted with a workaholic with a constant background depression.
In other cases, along with the depression, the patient may feel that he has lost all ability to think and perform; he feels weary and listless yet does not find relaxation by resting. His sleep is disturbed. He feels that he is incapable of meeting his obligations, yet this “incapacity” is not easily perceived by others because his work is essentially still quite good. Aurum is especially indicated if the patient senses such changes within himself and is, as a result, extremely disturbed. Well before reaching a state of actual imbecility Aurum will commit suicide. However, on occasion the pathology can rapidly progress towards imbecility, imbecility being within the sphere of action of this medicine.
Anger, Violence and Self-Reproach
Self-reproach, self-criticism and anger are common to Aurum. The self-reproach can take a self-destructive turn — excessive smoking, drug and alcohol abuse are examples of this. For example, a depressed executive with a hectic emotional life might be criticized by his boss. He says nothing to anyone, instead sitting silently and brooding. His wife perceives the change in him, but when she asks him about it, he replies that nothing is the matter. He sits there and tries to find solutions by himself, but the more he thinks, the more dejected and depressed he becomes. He becomes intolerant of being pressured, intolerant of any kind of contradiction. If his wife should begin to nag him or interfere with his silent brooding, he flies into an outburst of violent anger.
When in the grip of anger, Aurum can be quite violent, breaking objects, striking walls or windows with his fists; he loses his self-control, becoming hysterical and possibly very nasty toward others. However, he is very seldom physically violent toward others. Soon after an hysterical outburst of anger he feels great exhaustion, remorse and, eventually, deep sadness; it is at this stage that physical symptoms will begin to surface. The primary organ to suffer will be the heart, anginal pains being a common result.
Usually Aurum directs his anger at himself rather than others; he will never have the urge to kill another but often wishes to annihilate, to destroy himself. Deep down, he views his own suicide as an act of revenge toward those who care about him, who love him and who will be hurt deeply by this final act. He contemplates such a course of twisted vengeance because he believes that his loved ones do not care enough about him.
One rather common scenario the Aurum patient describes is that when in a fit of despair and anger, he will go for a drive in his car. In his despair he accelerates the car faster and faster with the thought in mind of disappearing from the face of the earth, of having an accident, of smashing the care against a tree or wall. The acceleration, imminent danger and possibility of death eventually relieve him enough that in time he calms down, sees the irrationality of his behavior and slows down the car… but Aurum can also kill himself in this situation.
Praying
Another aspect of Aurum is the praying in which they engage. But before describing this characteristic of the remedy, let me stress that it is incumbent upon us to understand the different reactions of the remedy-patient in a logical and sequential manner.
A disease or remedy imprint upon a human being has its own “logic,” its own seal that is unique and that has a specific personality. It is our duty to understand and unravel this “logic” if we really want to relieve our patients of their suffering.
Aurum people pray as a result of different psychological states and for different reasons. In certain cases they themselves have difficulty explaining and understanding their need for prayer. It is usually manifest in younger people: they pray and pray for hours, being unable to stop without really knowing why. The fact of the matter is that they are unconsciously depressed, dejected, and disappointed by life. If one inquires about the possibility of prayer with seriousness and concern, they may confess their need. They find that praying diverts their attention from their background depression, enough to almost provide them with a deep sense of relief and joy. The compulsion to pray in such a fashion — for hours on end without stop — occurs several years before the deep suicidal depression appears. These patients will confess that they like to pray, and they find nothing wrong with their praying apart from the fact that it consumes too much time and they cannot stop themselves. This excessive praying usually occurs when they have established contact with some religious group. Apart from this habit, they behave rationally in every other way. One should be careful not to confuse this protracted and almost mechanistic praying with the natural tendency and need that certain pious or religious people have to pray; Aurum prayer is truly pathological.
There is another type of praying which arises out of the deep suicidal depression of Aurum, depression characterised by tremendous hopelessness and worthlessness and a profound sense of alienation from all others, even those close to them. Those in such a depression feel totally isolated from any form of life on this earth. They also fear that spiritually they are so undeserving that they will not win God’s salvation after death; they feel completely lost. It is then that the conviction comes upon them that the only thing that can save them is God, the only being upon whom they can rely is God. Having completely given up all connections with actual life, God becomes their only recourse, their only source of hope; nothing else matters. This conclusion is not a derivative of logical thought, but rather of instinctual impulse, a desperate final impulse to survive.
They begin to pray with their mind, not with their heart: “God help me! God help me!” they repeatedly plead in despair, sometimes voicing the words as if talking to themselves. Inside, their emotions remain totally frozen, hard, detached, as if they are composed of cold metal. Nothing moves; they are cold and immovable. During this earlier phase they do not pray for long periods of time, but as soon as their depression becomes deeper and more unbearable, they start to do so almost impulsively; then, as soon as they are out of this depth of depression they stop. This second group of patients, those who pray in the manner just described, although deriving some relief from such prayer, do not experience as much satisfaction or pleasure as the former group of patients. Their praying is far more desperate, their state of mental health very precarious.
The fear of heart disease
Here we must stress the tremendous fear of having heart disease, reaching states of panic. They are convinced that they are going to have a heart attack and will go from cardiologist to cardiologist again and again for a check up. The case looks similar to Kali-arsenicum or Arsenicum. Aurum people during their anxiety like to have somebody near them, they also want reassurance from the doctor. But they will not tell anyone about their problem except the specialist, the psychiatrist or the homeopath, and only to the one they trust. And it takes a lot to give their trust.
The mind seems to be obsessed with the idea of there being something wrong with the heart. Reassurance from their doctor affects the patient for a short while, but immediately after that the mind goes back to the problem. Such a state can come after a deep disappointment in their work, from not been appreciated for what they have done; this disappointment, instead of creating in them a desire to fight, and to ask for their dues, takes the form of the phobia which torments them. These are the cases of phobia that will be lifted totally while they are taking an allopathic antidepressant drug, but of course the whole situation returns as soon as they stop it. Actually it is a depression that is expressed through this fear.
Remarks and Comparisons
After the correct prescription of Aurum for depression, one may witness significant irritability replacing the previous sadness plus the emergence of previously repressed anger that can appear as violent outbursts. One should not be in haste to prescribe another remedy in such a case; if one waits long enough, the anger and irritability will subside. Also, when prescribing a remedy for a really suicidal patient, it is wise to take some precautions [watchful attendance of the patient] during the first two or three days after prescribing the remedy as one can never be certain of the full extent of the patient’s problems at the moment; it is prudent in such situations to protect the patient until the remedy has enough time to act. Usually such depressions will respond within forty-eight hours. The Aurum patient is definitely syphilitic. Frequently in practice it has been observed that patients who have responded to another syphilitic remedy, namely Mercurius, can easily go into Aurum states. There is a definite complementary relationship between these two remedies that has not, as of yet, been fully understood or adequately exploited in treatment. To give them together would be hazardous; to prescribe them, in succession, at the appropriate times can be life saving.
While we certainly cannot fault allopathic medical science for the widespread suppression of syphilis from a public health standpoint, that suppression, in my opinion, has had its consequences, adversely affecting the overall health of mankind. It is my contention that the suppression of syphilis by the administration of penicillin (and other antibiotics) undermines the vitality of the host organism (in this case man) at the very central core of its being, the mental and emotional levels. It is for this reason that the syphilitic miasm is so prominent in the younger generations and why Aurum is so very frequently indicated today. Without exaggerating, I would estimate that almost 20% of patients treated homeopathically will need a dose of Aurum at some time in the course of their treatment. I believe syphilis has inflicted much more harm upon the human race than we realize.
The Aurum depression can be compared to that of Natrum muriaticum and Natrum sulphuricum. The Natrum muriaticum depression is not as deep as that of Aurum.
Natrum muriaticum patients also will not talk of their depression. They can also be prone to drink a lot, though they will not become alcoholics (like Lachesis, Nux vomica, and Sulphur). They drink to relax, to somewhat release their pent-up emotional state. A taciturn Natrum muriaticum person, when intoxicated, can become very loquacious. He becomes another person entirely when he drinks. (The loquacity of Natrum muriaticum appears when the person is either mentally deranged or intoxicated.) The Natrum muriaticum loquacity is not characterized by the rapid change of subject that is so typical of Lachesis. Interestingly, Aurum can also be quite talkative, appearing in italics in the corresponding rubric.
Natrum sulphuricum’s depression usually arises because of family troubles; repeated familial difficulties lead to emotional exhaustion. The Natrum sulphuricum person wants to give of himself to the family, to be responsible, but he finally grows so weary of the difficulties that he feels he would be better off dead. He is genuinely interested in others, being the least closed of all the Natrums. As he contemplates suicide he may be dissuaded by the thought of the effect his death will have on his family.
The Aurum impulse to jump can be compared to that of Gelsemium, the other major remedy with that symptom. In Gelsemium the desire to jump arises because of the extreme tiredness and confusion of the mind. He feels as if in a daze, always wanting to just lie down. When in a high place, he has the instinctive urge to jump to end his tired life.
In all our medicines there are several evolutional stages of pathology; consequently, we should never limit our understanding of a remedy solely to one aspect or pathological stage, but rather develop an awareness of the full range and depth of each remedy’s potential. Only in this way can we prescribe appropriately on a consistent basis.
Generalities
Pains in general bring on such despair that Aurum wants to jump from a window or commit suicide by shooting himself. The pains are deep, boring and aggravated at night, obliging the patient to get up and walk.
Kent best describes the peculiarities of this remedy’s reaction to weather conditions: “There is one grand feature running through the Aurum state; it is the manner in which he is affected by temperature, and by the weather. Here are some symptoms that relate to the whole man, which must be examined in this connection. “Desire for open air.” This patient ranks along with Pulsatilla as to temperature; but Aurum is not mild, gentle and yielding; he is obstinate, irascible, the very opposite of the Pulsatilla patient. ‘Generally >> growing warm.’ This is in connection with the headaches. ‘Cold water ameliorates pain in eyes.’ ‘Averse to uncover,’ but he desires open air like Pulsatilla. ‘Warm air, asthma worse.’ Many symptoms disappear after washing, especially cold washing; but whenever the patient is suffering from great excitement, turmoil and vascularity, pulsations, he wants the doors and windows open, wants to get out in the cool air; wants the clothing thrown off. This state of excitement and pulsation is ameliorated by the open air. It has those flushes of heat so common to women at the critical period, and these are followed by sweat, sometimes by chilliness.”
We have, in Aurum, general amelioration from cool bathing, music, walking in the open air, the evening, and moonlight.
The remedy affects the lymphatic and glandular system producing congestions, indurations and tumors; we find lumps in the mammary glands. The ovaries and testes are also affected. It affects the heart and is full of rheumatic affections with swelling of the joints, etc. that many times eventuate in heart problems: angina, enlargement of the heart. There are affections of the cartilage and bone, inflammation of the periosteum, thickening and induration of the periosteum. Aurum is prone to suffer lassitude from mental exertion; he feels tired and weary from studying. There is trembling internally from vexation. Periods of lassitude alternate with activity. There may be a sensation of pulsation externally which is ameliorated in the open air. They are ameliorated by walking slowly.
Emaciation, marasmus in pining boys. Obesity in old people. Ailments in puberty in girls. Fatty degeneration of organs. There is a periodicity of every 21st day.
Head
There is violent headache, especially if located in a small area (size of a coin) on the left or right side of the base of the nose. Headaches are sometimes so strong that patient thinks he is losing his sanity; he is in agony and confused, and, in anger, he thinks of committing suicide. There are long periods of severe headaches that alternate with periods of suicidal depression; when the pains are present, the depression disappears and vice-versa. Headache with mental confusion. Headache after contradiction. Headache after mental exertion. We have headaches associated with heart disease, especially occipital headaches. Headache, in general, with tearing, rending pain in occiput, extending foreward and to the forehead. During the headache there are flushes of heat to the head making the face red and shiny; the headache is relieved by wrapping up the head. Headache, aggravated by blowing the nose.
The head feels sore as if it were bruised, and, if it is not kept warm, it feels as if air were passing through the brain. There is chilliness and coldness of the head, which is ameliorated by covering it up. Trigeminal neuralgia. Congestion, hyperaemia of the head with anxiety.
Hair falling out profusely in young men who are closed, ambitious and studious.
Skull sensitive to touch. Boils on the scalp. Exostoses, painful exostoses of skull.
Vertigo
Vertigo on stooping and a tendency to fall to the left. With vertigo he has to lie down, is worse from any motion, and often notes associated sparks before the eyes and diplopia. Vertigo in syphilitic patients. Vertigo is ameliorated while rising.
Eyes
Ulcerations and infiltration of the various coatings of the eye. Inflammation of the conjunctiva with burning heat and lachrymation, which is ameliorated in the moonlight and on closing the eyes, and worse from light. The pain is such that the eye must be closed. Cold bathing ameliorates the burning, smarting, and biting pain in the eye. Pain in canthi.
Scaly, herpetic eruptions on the margins of eyelids. Injected cornea. Melanosis of the eye. Photophobia. A sensation of pressure from without inward on the right or left eyeball; touching aggravates. Iritis with severe cutting pains in and around the eyeball. Deep internal diseases of the eyes; such as, iritis, choreoretinitis and glaucoma, with pressure in the eyeballs from within outwards, worse when touched and when fixing the eyes, better on closing them. Tensive pain, worse when he fixes the eyes on something.
Tension in the eyes that interferes with vision. Double vision: one object seems to be mixed with another, objects seem jumbled up, indistinguishable; black spots, sparks, flames, fiery objects in front of eyes. There are spots, specks, etc. on the cornea. Hemiopia — upper half of objects invisible — found mostly in detachment of the retina, with foggy vision.
Protrusion of eyes such as noted in exophthalmos, with involvement of the heart (enlargement).
Kent, in his lecture on Aurum in his Materia Medica, made an important remark while speaking about the pathology of the eyes that could not be truer with regard to prescribing correctly. He said to his students, “I am going now to read to you from the books but remember the constitution that we must always have in view.” Extreme tension in the eyes with diminution of the visual power; he cannot distinguish anything because he sees everything double and objects run into one another. Sometimes the exertion of vision can result in an amelioration of the eyesight. Dim vision which is improved by looking steadily. Yellow spots before the eyes; crescent-shaped bodies floating obliquely upwards. Sees fiery points.
Horizontal hemiopia; upper lost, lower lost. Moonlight ameliorates vision. Sparks in vision from exertion of mind.
Ears
Obstinate offensive discharge. Deafness with embarrassed speech. They hear roaring noises in bed in the morning. Acute hearing; music ameliorates.
Abscess behind ear. Mastoiditis, with severe pain driving the patient to suicide.
Threatened caries. There are sequelae to discharges from ears. Suppressed discharges. Pain behind left ear; boring pain behind left ear. Pricking pain in ear.
Nose
The most interesting observations here come from Kent and concern the purely syphilitic aspect of the remedy. Today we do not see clinical pictures such as these, but it is an important aspect of the remedy and might be of use as analogy — “The bones of the nose necrose: syphilitic necrosis, the nose flattens down; the bones are discharged. You see these people walking about with flattened down noses, and if you get near enough to them, the stench will be observed. They are nearly all syphilitics. A few remedies have the power of curing this syphilitic nose condition; Aurum, Mercury and Hepar are three of them. I once cured a man after the bones were completely softened, so that when the nose was handled it would bend right over; only a sort of cartilaginous structure held the nose in place. I gave the patient Hepar. It cured him of syphilis after he had been filled in vain with Mercury. Tip of nose nobby, red, like Lachesis; strawberry nose. Little nobs on the nose composed of varicose veins in heart cases with disturbance of the right side of the heart..”
Agglutination of nostrils. Inflammation of the bones of the nose. Nodosities in the nose. Pain, boring, in the night, worse by any touch. Ulceration with pain in the right nostril. Ulcerative pain on the right side, inside of nose. Fetid, purulent, bloody discharge. Catarrh is ameliorated by the open air. Albuminous discharge from the nose. Cancer of the nose. Cracks in nostrils. Pain at night; boring pain in bones. Obstruction of nose in children [snuffles]. Imaginary and real odors that are offensive, putrid on blowing nose. On blowing the nose there is sore, bruised external pain. Knotty swelling of nose. Knobby tip of nose.
Face
Face seems bloated because of swelling under eyes. Cyanotic discoloration.
Cancer (Epithelioma) near wing of nose. Caries of bone. Inflammation of periosteum. Burning pain, caries in face. Pain in face on touching parotid gland. Boring pain in zygoma, aggravated by walking.
Mouth
Sour, bitter taste is a keynote. Syphilitic ulcers in the mouth, especially on palate. Redness and darkness of the gums. Breath’s odor is cheesy. Milky taste in mouth. Caries on palate. Boring pain in palate.
Stomach
Aversion to food in general, but most especially to meat. His food tastes good but does not satisfy his appetite, has to eat again (in cases of depression). Desire for stimulants, especially coffee. A feeling of uneasiness in the stomach, difficult to describe. Pain in the stomach as if from hunger. Swelling of the epigastrium with shooting pain on touching. Anxiety, which is ameliorated during eating. Nausea from mental exertion. Pressing pain at noon, expiration aggravates.
Abdomen
Dropsical conditions (hydrops). Swollen glands. Hardness and enlargement of the liver. Inguinal hernia in children. Flatulence, obstructed, descending colon – constipation. Bubo after suppressed gonorrhea. Aching, dull pain in right hypochondrium. Aching, dull pain, pressing hypochondria while walking. Tension on sides of abdomen.
Urinary organs
Urinary and kidney affections with frequent urination and urine that is watery or like buttermilk with thick mucus. Retention of urine with paralytic pain and strong urgency to urinate. Urine that is greater in quantity than the amount of liquid drunk. Stitches in side of bladder when breathing. Ineffectual urging to urinate, aggravated during menses. Inflammation of the kidneys with cardiac and hepatic affections.
Genitalia – male
Sexually the Aurum patient is very active and passionate; he finds sex to be a balm for his emotional difficulties and inability of expression. But, as he has been hurt once, it is only the pleasure of physical contact he seeks, without emotional attachment. The lack of emotional investment in his relationships can lead him to have multiple contacts without achieving any deep satisfaction. He seems to need frequent sexual contact to balance his depression. This practice, though, will eventually deepen his depression.
Another unique characteristic is that should his sexual partner end their relationship before he does, Aurum will be devastated and extremely depressed, even suicidal, this despite the fact that he felt no real attachment to this other person. It is the wounded ego of Aurum that suffers unbelievably in such a situation, accounting for a suicidal depression with little apparent provocation.
On another occasion one may find an Aurum married man, already deeply disappointed from his work (though he may be succesful) and progressing toward depression, who can no longer be aroused by his wife and consequently seeks and finds excitement outside his marriage. In this illicit activity he can be very passionately sexual. Eventually, though, as any deeper involvement is lacking, he becomes less and less aroused by this person and seeks another such relationship, and so on until, in time, he has the desire but not the capacity (no erection) to have sex.
Sometimes Aurum patients will resort to masturbation in order to relieve themselves, but the sense that they are doing something wrong complicates matters and eventually makes the depression worse. 1*
Nightly emissions. Atrophy of the testicles with a kind of hypochondriasis.
Enlargement of the right testicle. Induration of the testes. Epididymitis. Orchitis, balanitis. Sarcocele. Condylomata of the scrotum. Young boys whose testes have not descended and who portray other Aurum characteristics may be spared surgery by taking Aurum.
Genitalia – female
Induration and ulceration of the uterus, especially if preceded by frequent abortions. These indurations — fibromas — are much more prominent in another Aurum, Aurum muriaticum natronatum. In this remedy we see more of the somatic hardness and induration of the Aurums, which is so excessive that Aurum-m-n is used almost as a specific by keynote prescribers for fibromas of the uterus that are very big and diffuse.
The menses are late and scanty, or they are completely absent, in which case a deep depression may ensue. Complaints of the uterus (abortion) from raising arms (reaching up) and straining. Prolapse of uterus. Sterility, which causes deep depression. Thick, white leucorrhea which is worse while walking. Inflammation of the vagina. Labor pains make her feel desperate and that it is better to die.
Chest
Heart – In Aurum children we may have complaints of violent palpitations around the time of puberty, when the sexual instincts are aroused and changes in the hormonal system ensue.
There are flushes of heat followed by perspiration and palpitations. Palpitations with great anxiety — almost agony and fear that they have a serious heart disease. Arrhythmia, which is aggravated by sudden noises or excitement during a discussion, especially if a different opinion is expressed or there is opposition. Extra systoles, with the feeling that the heart stops for a while and then starts with a hard, strong beat. When walking feels as if the heart is loose inside the chest. Sensation as if the heart had stopped and stood still. Strong or feeble, irregular palpitations that compel them to stop walking for a while. Carotids throb visibly. Extreme oppression in the region of the heart on walking fast and going upstairs, with edema of the lower limbs. Rheumatic pains that ultimately progress to heart ailments. Pain in the heart region which extends down to the left arm and fingers. Cardiac hypertrophy. Angina pectoris. Problems of the aorta. Stenocardia.
Respiration – Though in the midst of a severe depression, Aurum will likely not mention it to anyone; however, at night during sleep, when the logical mind can no longer inhibit its expression, the depression may find an outlet in strong sobbing.
Cardiac asthma. Kent writes in his lectures on materia medica: “The symptoms of asthma and of difficult breathing you would naturally expect to be associated with the cardiac affections. Notice this also that the difficult breathing is of two kinds, such breathing as involves the lungs, and such breathing as involves the heart. So it is we have an asthmatic condition of dyspnoea that is cardiac in character; one belongs to such remedies as have a predominance of action on the affections, and another belonging to those having a predominance of action on the intelligence; one will involve the lung and finally bring on emphysema; the other one is entirely different in its character, with irregular heart action, and only secondarily associated with emphysema. Study your pathology with these things in mind and you will be able to perceive the nature of sickness and its results. These things are not mere observation, whims and theories, but are the outcome of studying things from internal to external.”
Back
Stitches below right scapula near spine. Stiffness of the whole back starting from the coccyx and ascending up to the nape of neck. Sensation as if warm air is streaming up spine to the head. Pain in spine in the morning so intense as to preclude movement of the limbs. Heat starting from the region of the kidneys and extending to the bladder.
Extremities
Aurum is a great remedy for psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis when there is early involvement of the heart and when the patient is closed, duty bound, miserable and depressed. Nightly pains drive him to think of the relief death would bring. The arthritic pains wander from joint to joint and finally localize in the heart. Think of Aurum for sufferers of rheumatic-arthritic conditions who develop angina pectoris as their rheumatic suffering subsides. Limbs swollen and painful and easily ankylosed.
Peculiar symptoms in such rheumatic-arthritic diseases are: Sensation as if extremities were bandaged. Sensation as if knee were bandaged while walking. Rush of blood from the head to the lower limbs. Cold hands with hot head. Cold hands at night. Cold feet (soles of feet) in bed, in the evening. Herpetic eruption on palm of hand. Pain in joints, in the morning, in bed. Paralytic pain, especially of the knees which give way easily, feel feeble. Boring pain in left shoulder with a feeling of paralysis. Numbness (tingling) while lying, on waking, in lower limbs in the morning, in bed. Sore, bruised pain in the morning. Pain in toes. Swelling of upper limbs, wrist, hand. Swelling of leg; swelling of leg in the morning — this swelling is ameliorated by walking. Limbs go to sleep easily; awakens with numb extremities. Dropsy of lower limbs, pitting on pressure, worse at night and better in the morning, with profound depression.
Sleep
In the night great mental activity that prevents sleep. He can be sleepless all night, yet there is no lassitute or tiredness in the morning. Sleep restless and anxious. Sleeplessness after morning hours, 4 A.M., with tossing about in bed and with short interrupted periods of restless and anxious sleep. Dreams of death, of fear, of sorrow. Frightful dreams about thieves with loud screaming. Talks in his sleep. Frequent yawning with stretching of limbs on waking in the morning. Sobs loudly during sleep. Wakes up frequently in the night as from a fright.
Fever
Shivering through the whole body with gooseflesh on the thighs and a feeling as if the brain were loose in the frontal area. General chilliness prevails during stages of fever, but he wants the window open. Craves warm drinks during chills. Difficult respiration during chills. Coldness of the extremities; coldness of legs as far as the knees. A feeling as if the blood were boiling in the veins.
Skin
Warts, after abuse of mercury. Chronic ulcers with bloody discharge and burning or cutting pains. Psoriasis. The skin is dry and rough. Eczema that disappears and is succeeded by depression.
Clinical
Mental
Suicidal depression.
Children
Pining boys with weak memories, low-spirited, lifeless, with undeveloped testes. Ear affections with excessive fetid discharge.
Kidneys
Chronic inflammation of kidneys, associated with cardiac and hepatic dysfunction. Edema of lower limbs. Albuminuria.
Heart
Hypertrophy of the heart with tendency to fatty degeneration. Bacterial endocarditis during rheumatic fever. Angina pectoris.
Extremities
Syphilitic and mercurial affections of bones. Rheumatic and arthritic affections ending in heart diseases. Locomotor ataxia.
Other affections
Effects of alcohol. Asthma. Corpulency. Erysipelas. Hemiopia. Hydrocele. Jaundice. Leucorrhea. Melanosis. Nasopharyngeal catarrh. Night terrors. Ozena. Paralysis. Disordered smell. Nodules on tongue. Tumors. Induration of uterus. Vertigo. Disordered vision.
Causation
Effects of grief, fright, anger, disappointed love, mortification, reserved displeasure, financial ruin, thwarted ambitions. Poison from mercury. Alcohol.
Relationships
Remedies that follow well: Nitricum acidum, Aconitum, Belladonna, Calcarea carbonica, China officinalis, Lycopodium, Mercury, Pulsatilla, Rhus toxicodendron, Sepia, Sulphur, Syphilinum.
Antidotes
Antidoted by: Belladonna, China officinalis, Cocculus, Coffea, coffee, Cuprum metallicum, Mercury, Pulsatilla, Spigelia, Solanum nigrum. Antidote to: Mercury, Spigelia, Chronic effects of alcohol, Kali iodatum.
Dosage
From 6x up to the highest potencies.
Cases
- Mrs. W.L. L., whose family also has several cases of unsound mind; a sister is now committed to a hospital for the insane. This patient has been brilliant mentally but unstable morally and subject to fits of deep depression alternating suddenly with periods of high spirits and great activity. When depressed she could not do housework or care for her baby, was indifferent to everyone and everything.
I gave her Anacardium for the first few months with some improvement, but not much. As soon as I changed to Aurum she snapped right out of it, began to be a responsible housewife and mother and said she had not been depressed for ever so long [when it had been only 2 or 3 weeks]. Whether this will continue time will tell, but it surely is a prompt transformation, stable now for several months.
Mr. E. R., a man of large business ability associated with key people in India and New York. There are several cases of insanity in his family; a brother has been in institutions three times.
This patient was sure nothing he attempted would succeed; when it did succeed many times he was as unconvinced as ever. He was sure he was only a trouble to others, that he ought to resign his position, that his mind would not work, that there was no use in anything. He could not read, could not do anything with his hands, could only sit and stare into space. He longed to help in this war; he wanted to get a farm and raise produce, yet was convinced he could have no place in the world. I deliberated some months before I gave this patient Aurum when presto, everything was changed. He rose up, resigned his position in Washington, although he kept contacts with it in New York; he bought a farm and has been a happy ruddy outdoor man now for a whole year, studying farming, making over his home on the farm and building other buildings, hiring a manager and studying with him.
This patient’s husband became involved in some heavy financial trouble and his creditors harassed him all the time, causing him to lose his job and his home. Constant worry over this condition and the fact that he seemed unable to improve his condition much developed in her a neurosis to the point of mild insanity. Her physician failed to relieve her, so she was sent to Cincinnati to consult a specialist, who ordered her into a hospital for an operation; but they, having no money and not being much in sympathy with operations, pressed him to know what he was operating for. He admitted he could find no pathology upon which he could base his treatment, but thought that an exploratory incision might reveal some damage done at childbirth which would help him. When she reported to me, I found her very nervous, and carrying a big bottle of bromides and phenobarbital. In discussing her trouble she would burst out crying and then look up with a smile and say, “Why do I do this?” She was despondent, disgusted with life yet afraid to die, and to mention death or read of one in the papers would upset her for days. Oversensitive and somewhat peevish. Could not sleep and would get up at night and someone would take her out for a walk. She was given Passiflora for a few days until I could study her case further, and then she was given Aurum metallicum 1M. Three doses cured her completely in three weeks.
Choudhuri, N. M., M.D. , A Study On Materia Medica,
A boy of thirteen, becoming overheated while roller skating, sat down on a curb stone to cool off. A severe cold resulted with general aching; next rheumatism of knees and ankles developed; worse on motion. Next day it had left the legs and attacked the shoulders and arms. From that point it flew back to the feet, which began to swell. He had received Bryonia, Lachnanthes, Ledum, etc., according to the symptoms, but at this point I was confined myself to my home for some days and had to rely upon the reports of his parents, which were vague and indefinite. They now reported that while the feet continued to swell, the rheumatism was gone, but that now he had pain in his chest; it hurt him to breathe, was impossible for him to take a long breath. I gave Bryonia, then Cimicifuga upon their representation without good results; the boy grew worse. On the sixth day the mother reported that the boy was so weak that he could scarcely speak. I cross-questioned her very closely. Among other things asked, saying upon which side was the pain worse: Oh, exclaimed the poor stupid woman, “I forgot to tell you, he can’t lie down at all. He hasn’t lain down for five nights. We have him in a Morris chair. He sits bent forward all night with his head resting in a chin strap made of towels.” A light broke upon me. Then I knew it was no pleurisy I had to deal with but rheumatism of the heart. I hastened to his home. As I entered the room I was shocked at the pitiful change in the child since I had seen him six days before. The laboured gasps for breath could be heard outside the door, the little figure sat bent forward in the Morris chair, face blue, cyanotic, swollen, feet and ankles swollen as big as watermelons; but the thing that struck me most as I entered was the terrific visible throbbing of the carotids, which could be seen across the room. It was with great difficulty that I could examine his heart; he could not endure the least touch, and at each attempt gasped, “O, doctor, give me a little more time.” I finally made out a muffled, tumultuous heart sound, as if beating under water. The temperature was 103 degrees, yet there was a great deal of perspiration, urine very scant, no thirst, no appetite. He had only slept short naps for many nights. I feared the boy was dying. There was a time when I would have treated the heart symptoms with Aconite or Kalmia, and the dropsy with Apocynum, and what not, and so zig-zagged a slow cure or a speedy death. But fortunately I knew better now. I knew that every one of these symptoms are summed up under one remedy, which covers every point exactly. I gave Aurum 10x, dose to be given every three hours. I never saw a more brilliant cure. The first dose was 7 p.m. . I requested that they phone me at 11 p.m. that night. At 11 the message came, “Louis is in a drenching perspiration, he has urinated quantities and his breathing is less laboured.” At 8 o’clock the next morning they phoned that he had slept peacefully most of the night, though still in his upright position with chin strap. That night he could recline in the chair, and the next he could lie down in bed. The urine continued in unbelievable quantities, the perspiration rained from him, and the swelling promptly disappeared. You see what a profound element gold is when homeopathically indicated. The lad made a rapid and complete recovery with no other medication. He received it first in the10x, then I rose to the 30th, then to the 200th, on which I kept him until the poor damaged little heart was quite normal again. You will recall that every one of the above symptoms are recorded by Hering and Hahnemann in these words:
“Rheumatism which jumps from joint to joint and finally fastens upon the heart. Impossible to lie down. Must sit up bent forward. Visible throbbing of carotids. Face cyanotic, gasps for breath, can hardly speak above a whisper. Much perspiration, as in auric fever.”
A woman, age forty-two, had been failing for a year. Black specks floating before her eyes for two years. Finally financial troubles affected her mind to such an extent the family physician sent her to Brookside. She was obstinate and fault-finding. Was sure she must go to the poor-house, that her life was wrecked and she would never amount to anything again. A few powders of Aurum met, cured the case in two weeks, the black specks also disappearing, and she returned home in six weeks.
Another hospital case, osteomyelitis of tibia. The bone was incised, gouged, curetted and drained. Was absent from home a whole day and a half following operation; during my absence patient suffered great pain in knee, continuously and worse at night; hot applications gave no relief, neither did three hypodermic injections of Morphia, administered by order of superintendent of the hospital before my return. On seeing patient I prescribed Mercurius, with no relief in twelve hours; this was followed by Aurum 6th, every hour, until relieved. Pain disappeard after third dose; it returned four days after; another dose of Aurum put everything in order.
What puzzled the nurses was to see what appeared to be only little sugar pellets succeed so well where the omnipotent morphia had failed.
Mr. M., aged fifty-two, of a healthy family, had always enjoyed good health. Had been actively engaged for twenty years as a manufacturer of edge tools and was in financial matters independent. He first became despondent, then melancholy, thought his business affairs were in bad shape, and that he was coming to poverty. From this stage he thought he had committed some great wrong, and could not obtain forgiveness. Next he was in mortal fear of being deserted by his wife [who never left him for a day during his illness], and frequently wept on account of it. A terrible insomnia troubled him from the beginning, and anodyne prescribed for his sleeplessness only made him worse. He had the best allopathic advice, but the medicine appeared to make him worse instead of better, and he soon declined very positively to take any more. Then change of air was advised, and he was taken to the seaside, and from one watering-place to another, but after a time he no sooner reached a place than he wanted to leave again, at some even declining to remain overnight. He was first attacked in March, 1870, and it was now September – six months – and he was steadily growing worse, so that an insane asylum was now advised as a dernier resort. Fifteen powders of Aurum met. 12th trit. were sent, and one every morning was given in his food. His wife wrote that “From the first time the powder was given she noticed a change. He slept better from the first day the remedy was exhibited, so that when nine powders were taken he was almost as well as ever, and the medicine was discontinued. “He remained well for three years, when a slight return was again promptly relieved by Aurum, and he has continued in good health ever since. Dr. H. C. Allen.
Mr. G. P. aged 18. Occupation – farmer. At age 8 he had surgery performed for ruptured appendix and peritonitis. Then, one year later, at age 9 he had surgery for cryptorchitis on right side.
He is quite disappointed with himself for staying in the village and not coming to Athens to learn a trade. He lost a year in his first year in high school; although he studied quite hard he couldn’t learn his subjects, and now he sometimes forgets what he wants to do. Closed in character; he doesn’t answer questions easily. He is bothered by the fact that he cannot leave his village because of his work and that he doesn’t know Athens. He also has no money to leave.
Had iron deficiency anemia 4 months ago, which has been cured. This had been diagnosed because of continuous dizzy spells. He is not doing well in his work, doing it because he has to rather than because he wants to. He’s a sheepherder from morning till night. He has a tendency to always lie down.
He seldom speaks to others, has no energy in his movements, although his outward appearance is good. He is calm, unanxious. He seldom reacts; and does what others tell him. The loneliness he feels in the village disturbs him; the fact is that there are only two or three other people his age in the village. For the last two years he’s closed himself off and rarely speaks to others. He is not thinking of suicide because he likes life, and he would like to be in Athens and have a job there. He doesn’t like life in the village. He does not cry. He rarely gets mad and then he doesn’t speak or he shouts. He’s afraid of thunder and lightning.
He’s never been in love and has never made love (had sexual intercourse). He frequently has erections without thinking about sex and then turns to masturbation. He masturbates quite often. He is shy in approaching the young women of the village. He likes to be be in large groups.
He feels cold. He perspires and his feet smell. He is thirsty for cold water. He is hungry and eats a lot of food. He desires meat, lentils, beans, rice, noodles, macaroni, milk, eggs, sweet fruit, sweets, salty things, feta cheese. He does not want fat, sour things.
Sleeps on the right side. Has different dreams which he doesn’t remember. Sometimes he wakes up at 12-1 A. M. to urinate. Wakes up refreshed, rested.
He was calm and shy during the interview and answered the questions with great hesitancy. He oftentimes would sit resting his head on his hand. Frequently he would touch his face and neck with his left hand.
Parents and brothers are healthy. His uncle was badly treated during the occupation and thus developed melancholia [depression] and phobias.
He was given Aurum met. 1M twice, and his psychological and general condition is much better. He does not forget as much, and there is less tendency to lie down. His feet are no longer malodorous. He has stopped dwelling on his problems.
- Mr. A. P. aged 38 years old. Civil servant.
His problems began 3 months ago when one afternoon he suddenly felt a pain at the base of his genitals. In half an hour this pain continued from the base of the genitalia diagonally upward and outward to the left and right at a height of about 10 cm. The sensation was that of an orgasm without ejaculation. The pain at these areas has been continuous from then up to the present time. The intensity of the pain varies; it is more intense on the right side.
He feels much worse at sunset; this may be due to the feeling of tiredness at the end of the day. He feels much worse with pressure; when he is sitting doubled over; when his underpants bother him; when his bladder is full; and when he puts pressure on it with his hand. He feels much worse when he is tired. He feels much worse after sudden movements, dancing, walking. During examination of the prostate, involving manual massage of the organ, there was intense pain for two days. He is not bothered by the pain at night, in his sleep. Pain is worse right after a bowel movement. Pain is worse right after urination; he felt as if something was being emptied and that the bladder walls were collapsing, sticking to one another. The problem is unrelated to sexual intercourse, ejaculation. The doctors assumed it to be a problem with the prostate, the seminiferous tubules, but of course they left many questions unanswered. He was probably disturbed by the warm dressings used.
He has taken many antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs [anti-infectious agents] until now without result.
The pain is continuous. The prostate was not found to be swollen. The examination and culture of the sperm was normal. The urine exam was normal; only a few crystals of calcium oxalate were found.
He suffered from a feeling of bloatedness and intense belching for years, but ever since this problem materialized (3 months) there has been no more bloatedness or belching.
About six years ago he had an ulcer in his small intestine which was painful, but he controlled it with diet and a drug called Tagamet. It was during this time, 3 years ago, that the feeling of bloatedness and belching started. Now, and for three months, he has had no symptoms of bloatedness or belching. Such a remission has occurred at times in the past but never for as long as 3 months at a time.
He had adenopathy when he was 6 and 12 years old; a cyst has been excised from his thyroid; a hydrocele was removed from his right testicle; he’s suffered from chalazion on his left eye. His mother suffers from cardiac problems. His father suffered from hydrocele, ulcer of the small intestine, and prostate cancer with metastases.
He is much better at night: “I’m a night person.” He is worse in the morning. He has difficulty getting started in the morning on waking up. He wants to prolong his sleep-time in the morning, and he needs a few hours before he is fully himself. He begins to feel like himself and to really start moving at around 2 to 3 in the afternoon, and at around 7 P.M. he feels his head clearing. He has difficulty in falling asleep before 2-3 in the morning, and this has become a nightmare for him. He feels warm, has warm hands and feet. The sun is his enemy. He likes rain and snow and is generally feels much better when he is moving, doing something. He does not want tight clothing. His appetite is normal. His thirst: 1 liter of tap water. He desires: sweets, salt, fat, eggs, chocolate.
He sleeps on his stomach, always with a pillow over his head. He snores, and makes jerky movements in his sleep. He wakes up horribly. He has infrequent nightmares of his parents being dead. At night he perspires around the neck area, wetting his pillow. Urinary function is normal. Urine is normal. Desire for sex is normal.
“I am very closed; I don’t show my emotions, anger, sadness or joy. Someone might have angered me to the point where I would want to kill him, but I would never show it.” He has great difficulty in his contacts with people, in fitting in (people, situations, etc.).
“I have intense feelings or emotions that are always ruled by logic; intense feelings of fair-mindedness or righteousness without ever acting upon them.”
“I could be a perfect criminal master-mind but am so only in my imagination.” He is fastidious. He is not egocentric. He is angered by bad and dishonest behavior, but he does not react; he would rather remove himself from the source of aggravation. If he does react, he does so only at home in a fight with his wife or brother by shouting and breaking objects (sometimes even valuable objects). Thus, when he is made angry or when he is unjustly accused, he does not react, but in his imagination he plans the perfect “eye for an eye” retaliation; this is what he means when he says he becomes a criminal master-mind with a certain plan in mind.
He is sensitive, having a somewhat childish sensitivity. He does not cry easily; it is very difficult for him in front of others. His crying is somewhat like “a spasm, like a shaking, not like crying.”
He feels a pathological attachment to his parents. His mother suffered a cardiac episode when she was 77 years old. He developed an ulcer at this time, he feels, because he was with her in the hospital constantly for 20 days. He feels the same for his father. His father’s prostate cancer appeared about a year ago. He feels fear or anger just from thinking about someone bothering his parents.
He feels anxiety about his business. He is full of anxiety when he has to depend on other people to get things done instead of doing it himself. He is anxious about keeping his appointments, meeting people at a certain time — whether he will to make it, if he will be able to come through all right, etc. He is quite punctual in his appointments. He does not easily offend people, excepting those in his immediate family.
“I live in a fortress, alone and enclosed within a circle consisting of my wife and parents; other people outside do not interest me. I am indifferent to them; I do not offend them, and I am not offended by them; however, I am concerned lest someone else in this closed circle be disturbed by them.”
He has anxiety and fear concerning the death of his parents. Unsociable and a loner, he has difficulty in making friends. He never opens up to people, regarding the discussion of one’s problems as uncivilized. He does not expect to receive answers or solutions to his problems from others; he expects to find these by himself.
He is afraid of snakes. He is pessimistic. He always feels that he should have the right to take a step backwards, to retract his action. He is cowardly.
When he was younger, he liked to go into cemeteries and attend funerals. Three things triggered feelings of repulsion and attraction in him. He was at the same time attracted and repulsed by funerals. It was as if a magnet was pulling him to these things. He was also attracted by deep wells; he went close enough to see them but at the same time was afraid of them. Reptiles also produced this ambiguous feeling of attraction and repulsion-fear. The same thing occurred with things dealing with death — funerals, cemeteries. He liked to go to cemeteries at night although he was frightened of them. This occurs less often now. The same thing happens with fires and lakes — he does not know what is on the bottom; they attract and repel or frighten him at the same time. This does not occur when he views the sea or ocean.
If need be, he can be quite patient. Consolation aggravates him. He is not jealous. Sometimes he thinks of suicide; this thought is not strange to him since he has become bored with life. He easily forgets faces but remembers objects, situations, places. He is not easily led by others. He cannot stand to see a philosophical play or movie or read a philosophical book.
Aurum met. 1M was given. The patient came back three weeks later with this report:
“I think I am better.” In the first week the problems were intensified for two days. For the following two weeks there was a gradual improvement in the intensity and duration of the crises. The pain has lessened in intensity now, and it seems to always appear after a bowel movement, lasting from 5 to 6 hours. As the days pass the duration of the pain lessens, especially within the last four days. The pain before was independent of the bowel movements and was continuous. The pain is such that pressure from his underpants and full bladder no longer intensify it. He has no problem when moving, dancing or walking. He has no problem after urinating. He continues not to have any problem with his stomach — since his stomach problems stopped when this major problem first appeared. There is still difficulty in waking up; he becomes himself in the afternoon. He sees a lot of dreams — “I lead a second life at night; it’s like being at the movies.”
He is late on going to sleep; sleep does not come to him. He is probably thinking of the past. He sees himself flying in his dreams. He jumps at first 2-3 times, then he flies. He has not seen any nightmares involving his parents. He thinks he has less anxiety.
The things that attracted him and repulsed him before (deep wells, reptiles, death, etc.) no longer have an effect on him. His wife says that he is more sociable and open, though this is a small change. The suicide idea has not entered his mind, but he still regards it as a familiar thought.
He likes nature quite a lot; he feels better in nature. He likes travelling a lot; he yearns for these trips. Travelling is an experience for which he never plans. He starts out to go someplace and ends up somewhere else. He views making plans or developing a program for his life as a defense mechanism, something he would rather avoid. It just so happens that when he plans for a trip, he gets sick, catches a cold or his stomach hurts.
Cases 8-9: Greek paper cases from The Center of Homeopathic Medicine, Athens, Greece.
1* We must be aware that the sexual behavior of both sexes is many times influenced by the type of psychopathology these individuals are suffering from, and this pathology may make it very difficult for them, even if possessed of strong moral convictions, to restrain or alter their impulses, desires, and perversions. A great part of our Western population has deteriorated to such degrees of sickness and deviation, to such extreme states of hormonal imbalance that people today talk about abnormal sexual deviations as if they were quite natural. Soon nobody will be able to establish where the boundaries of normal sexual behavior lie, and the sexual mores of contemporary societies will become absolutely chaotic. Homeopathy can correct such aberrations and reestablish order provided the individual is willing to go along with the changes. It has the power to alter sexual behavior because our remedies can affect the sexual shpere as well as other realms.
