Nails As Indicators Of Disease.
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1995 Nov / Dec VOL VI NO 6.
Kasivishwanathan T K.
Some of our best prescribers" wrote Dr. Elizabeth Hubbard "stress the importance of objective symptoms which cannot lie. All doctors know the importance of minute observation, for diagnosis and prognosis of sensing through odour, gait, skin texture etc., the deep processes going on of which the patient is often unaware. There are physicians who claim that, by thorough knowledge of certain small parts of the body, they can diagnose the hidden condition of the whole and even of its parts. There are those who feel that a study of the tongue will teach you much or of the iris of the eye; or of the sensitivity of the nasal mucous membrane. I have a passion for hands and hence study finger nails to learn what may be read from them".
Nail symptoms in nervous and mental disorders -
- White spots in nails occur in tired, tense, nervous patients and disappear when anxiety and stress disappear.
- Fan shaped (figure 1) People with softened and fan shaped nails are very sensitive and are seldom satisfied; they are critical and naggers.
- Long and narrow nails (figure 2) mostly occurring in women suggests nervousness and possessors of such nails are usually frustrated artists and actors.
- Very short nails (figure 3) are a sign of peculiar neurotic behaviour in persons who have an urge to contradict everyone and to argue.
GLOSSY FINGER NAILS:
Late Dr. P. Sankaran, a noted Homoeopath of Bombay, while treating a large number of poor patients in OPD, noticed that many of them had glossy or shining finger nails which stood in marked contrast to their malnourished and unclean appearances. On probing further he found that either they suffered from TB in the past or their blood relation had TB. He said "I have become reliant on this so much that when I see a patient who does not respond to the carefully selected remedy, I examine the finger nails and if I find that they are glossy, I invariably give him a dose of tuberculinum as an intercurrent remedy.
Some illustrative cases where the nail formations helped in the selection of the remedy are given below:-
CASE 1: (Dr. Sankaran)
A lady, aged 30 years was suffering from acute rheumatic fever with swelling of joints, high temperature. Her remedy based on the symptoms was clearly Rhus-tox. That remedy given in various potencies did not yield any result. On the other hand, on the 5th or 6th day her condition became very much worse and she developed a severe form of conjunctivitis and keratitis. Her vision became blurred and she was unable to see anything. When Dr. Sankaran examined the patient very closely, he found that the lady had markedly glossy finger nails. Even though she and her parents denied any TB history, yet the doctor gave her Tuberculinum 1M one dose and repeated Rhus-tox. The response was dramatic and within a few hours she became much more comfortable; the pains and swellings in the joints and temperature abated. She improved steadily and became normal in a short time.
CASE 2: (Dr. E.W. Hubbard)
A delicate flower-like lady of 45 years consulted the doctor for chronic constipation with stools receding and uterine fibroid. She was weepy and desired cold food and ice-cream. Her stockings were always damp. Worse before thunderstorm. She was nervous, lacked self confidence, fastidious. Her nails were delicate and were constantly breaking. On these symptoms Silicea 1M - one dose was given. In two weeks the nails looked perfect and stopped breaking. Other symptoms greatly improved; the fibroid became very small and could not be located. When the nails became brittle again Silicea 1M dose repeated - she became normal and remained so.
(Brittle nails - KR p. 954 - This rubric lists Alum, Ambra, Dios, Flu-acid, Graph, Nit-acid, Psor, Sil, Sulph, and Thuja prominently).
CASE 3: (Dr. E.W. Hubbard)
A woman of 30 with recent thyroid difficulty had slight exophthalmos, pulse 104, fine tremor, with diarrhoeic tendency, salt craving; gets prostrated in the sun, worse in forenoon. Her nails were spotted and with depression. Natrum-mur 1M, one dose repeated after 8 months made her all right. Her nails cleared and pulse 88 and eyes became clear.
Sources:
1) A doctors guide to better health through Palmistry - E Scheimann MD.
Constitutional remedies in the treatment of nails and hair - Dr. E. W. Hubbard; Hahnemannian Gleanings, May 1981.
3) An observation - Glossy finger nails - Dr. P. Sankaran - an old issue of IJHM.
