Addressing the Tubercular miasm in Infective Illnesses
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2002 May / Jun VOL 4 NO 3.
Dr Bhavik Parekh
Dr Reetha Krishnan
'Tub-b / Nux-v / Tub-b / Lyco / Nat-m / Lyco
An indolent system with its aberrant, allergic, hypertrophic,
erratic, spasmodic responses makes a last ditch effort to survive and return to
normalcy, in the presence of continued adverse factors in the environment. There
is forced mobilization despite poor resources and in the face of all odds. The
result under the circumstance would be a foregone conclusion: definite
destruction in the next phase of syphilitic Miasm, which is brought nearer to
the stronger Tubercular response.
The Million Dollar Question? To be able to identify and
understand this stage and state in our Clinical Practice and then take
appropriate Therapeutic Measures which would make all the difference to the
final outcome of the case.
What would be interesting to know? How do we inherit this
miasm and how it gets grooved into our constitution and produces such effects
with a complete inability of the immune system to protect the body? Let us see
this understanding evolve through a series of cases.
CASE I: INHERITANCE OF TUBERCULAR TAINT
6 yr-old Baby NS, landed with high grade fever since 5 days.
She would become delirious during fever with severe teeth grinding. On Day 6,
she was diagnosed as typhoid with Widal positive. The high-grade fever continued
with hepato-splenomegaly. There were no other characteristics.
Past History: Severe worm infestation, Jaundice,
recurrent fissure-in-ano with Bleeding PR and Recurrent Paronychia.
Child had a strong inheritance of tubercular - syphilitic
miasm
à F/H Myocardial Infarction; IDDM; NIDDM, HT and
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Now if we examine and understand the Past illnesses:
(a) Jaundice - as an inflammation of the Gland - liver.
(b) Fissure - as ulceration of Mucous Membrane with
Bleeding.
(c) Paronychia - as recurrent suppuration
(d) Worm infestation - as vulnerability to Biological
opportunistic organism.
In the light of the strong predispositions from the past and
family history, we can appreciate the tubercular aspect of the current state
with high intensity fever, PNE Hypersensitivity, Hyperactivity of Autonomous
Nervous System leading to teeth grinding and the CHAOTIC Hypersensitive
sensorium as evidenced by delirium and absence of characteristics.
The disease that this child is suffering from is Chronic
Remittent fever without any characteristics, so use of deep acting
constitutional treatment is indicated. But appreciation of Tubercular miasmatic
activity is in its pathogenesis and susceptibility, would make it worthwhile in
addressing this miasm before the constitutional. Hence this child received a
single lose of Tub-bov 1M on first day of treatment followed by single
dose of constitutional treatment on Day 2. Idea was to facilitate the action of
constitutional remedy by addressing the hindering miasmatic forces.
Child recovered within 48 hrs of treatment with very short
convalescence. The rising titre of Widal indicated the stimulation of immunity.
CASE 2: RECURRENCE and TUBERCULAR MIASM
Mr AP, a 21yr-old male, with a typically tubercular constitution-tall, lean, thin with sharp features, wheatish complexion and long
slender fingers, presented with Enteric Fever-high grade fever, extreme weakness
from day 1 with poor appetite-not responding to any treatment. Widal was
positive at this point of time. Associated complaints: recurrent tonsillitis and
recurrent fevers every year, lasting at least 3 weeks, not necessarily
tonsillitis every time. The patient had a FGT (Fixed General Totality ie same
general symptoms accompany every disease/fever) of Extreme Exhaustion and
weakness with poor appetite.
On studying his recurrent Patterns of reactivity in past
illnesses, it was observed that there are some generals, which he exhibits
irrespective of the disease diagnosis as well as the stress pattern on RES.
Example
(1) Extreme exhaustion
(2) High grade fever and prolonged fevers
(3) Severe loss of appetite
(4) Recurrent tendencies to infections
(5) Tonsils and payers patches RES
This concept of expression of Fixed General Totality during stress as symptoms as well as immune system reactivity pointed towards the strong activity of the Tubercular Miasm underlying the disease pattern of the individual. He also exhibited Headaches during fever, which had modalities of his constitutional remedy. So we obviously required a deep acting constitutional for his deep-seated chronic disease. Addressing the miasm before, would facilitate the action of his constitutional. So he was given one dose of Tub-bov 1M followed by one dose of constitutional Nux-vom 200. Patient responded within 2 hours, fever gradually decreased; he became afebrile, only to have a relapse of a less intense attack needing the same repetition of I.C and constitutional cycle.
CASE 3: MIXED INFECTION and TUBERCULAR MIASM
Mrs MP, a 50yr-old female with history of recurrent UTI and
Abscess in past, presented with severe UTI with dysuria and fever with rigors.
Widal was positive on Day 6 of fever.
So it was a case presented with Mixed Infections, both
pointing to a Tubercular miasm.
The whole state demonstrated severe infection of bacterial
type both UTI as well as typhoid:
Intense high-grade fever with Extreme Exhaustion. Patient
received a dose of constitutional treatment Tub-bov1M followed by another
dose of same constitutional treatment; recovery within 48hrs with improvement in
both- clinical and laboratory parameters without any relapse of UTI.
CASE 4: SUPPRESSION and TUBERCULAR MIASM
A middle-aged man came from North India with recurrent
classical intermittent fevers recurring every 3 month. Patient had
spleenomegaly; he was diagnosed to have chronic malaria. Constitution with was Calc-carb.
Patient used to take anti-malarial each time, with which the fever would go away
for some time but would revive again. The only characteristic of fever was 4 pm
aggravation. This time anti-malarial had given poor response, so he seeked
Homeopathic treatment.
Understanding the entire pathogenesis of Malaria in its
structure, Form and Function ie involvement of RES and Blood RBCs as the seat of
pathogenesis. Vulnerability to parasitic infections and chronic recurrences,
which form the high-grade fever and 4pm aggravation - pointed towards the
Tubercular Miasm.
Although the constitution was Calc-carb, since there
was definite time modality of 4pm, patient need the related remedy from the
cycle. Single dose of Tub-b1M followed by single dose of Lycopodium
200. There was an obvious suppression in the case with anti-malarials that just
abolished the form without really taking care of the tendencies to recurrent
Malaria.
It was clear that the case would receive more than 1 cycle of
Tub-b1M, followed by Lyc -a phase remedy and then finally followed
up with constitutional Rx to finally abolish the entire tendency and break the
cycles.
