Understanding Aphorism 80

§ 80

After introducing the venereal miasms which were more easily perceived as chronic expressions following infection in his day, Hahnemann next introduces his perception of Psora. To those in his time, it was probably the most ridiculous theory of disease ever propounded and yet he persisted with it, facing all the criticism and ridicule with courage. “Aude sapare”, he said. The ridicule and lack of acceptance was however, not only restricted to the allopaths, but also some homeopathic colleagues, many of whom had not fully understood or applied the law of similars.

Hahnemann considered Psora to be the most important of the three miasms, for various reasons which he begins to explain below. Let us see if we can follow his line of thought.

In Miasms I, I had explained the observations made by Hahnemann in The Chronic Diseases regarding the venereal maisms. He talks of the miasmatic change caused in the ENTIRE BEING BEFORE the external manifestation of disease, after the point of infection with the miasma. While these are easily attributable to specific organisms with common symptoms in almost all affected people, Psora too has such a miasmatic expression, but the expression and its subsequent development varies widely.

Psoric activity is initially observed by a cutaneous eruption often resembling vesicular rashes, but incredibly itchy. Most often, today an individual will not even remember such a history in their past or in childhood, as almost immediately an antihistaminic cream would have been applied, or an anti-allergic remedy given along with a soothing lotion. In Hahnemann’s day, Sulphur based applications were one of the commonest modes of treatment. This inevitably suppressed Psora into latency which quietly progressed into secondary and tertiary manifestations. These manifestations he has enumerated below:

The secondary and tertiary expressions of Psora, range from the mind, to the brain, to the bones and includes cancer, asthma, hemorrhage, etc. Quite confusing isn’t it?
Subsequently, in the development of Hahnemann’s philosophical concept of miasms, HC Allen and his students which included TF Allen, re-organized the conditions and pathological expressions of secondary and tertiary psora; then relegating some of these expressions to Sycosis, Tubercle and Syphilis. The Dhawle’s (2003) school further understood the patho-physiology of the symptoms expression and re-classified the expressions of each miasm which can be read here: Miasms II.

Authors like Subrata Banerjee offer clear tabulation and classification of symptomatic expression without the patho-physiological explanation, found in his books on Miasms. Gina Tyler has written an article on Miasms, based on this tabulation and classification.

Appended to this aphorism is a lengthy footnote, numbered 77 in Boericke’s translation of the Organon. He explains here, how he began to conceive of his Miasm theory after serious reflection and observation that spanned 12 years, starting as early 1818. We will discuss this footnote further when elaborating on Aphorism 81 next month.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Hahnemann, Samuel C, MD: (1896) The Chronic Diseases, Volume 1; Translation by Tafel, LH; BJain Publishers.

2. Hahnemann, Samuel C, MD: (1921) Organon of Medicine, 6th Edition; Translated by William Boericke, MD, BJain Publishers Ltd, Reprint edition 1986.

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Last accessed Sept 2007

10. Kent, James T, MD ; (1926) Lesser Writings – Part II; Editor W.W. Sherwood, p. 292-310; B. Jain Publishers, India, Reprint edition 1997

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14. Banerjea, SK: Miasmatic Diagnosis (Notes from seminars).

15. Little, David: Case Management available on www.simillimum.com
at http://www.simillimum.com/education/little-library/case-mana gement/aicr/article.php
Last accessed June 2007