Chronic Miasmatic Diseases

Hippocrates was the first physician to use the term “miasm” which has its origins in the Greek word for haint or tault. He postulated that certain infectious diseases were transmitted to humans by air and water tainted by miasms. In 18th century it was common belief that miasms were impure airs that were responsible for the spread of epidemic diseases among groups of people. Hahnemann early in his career made a special preparation called Mercurius Solubis Hahnemanni that was the standard treatment for syphilis throughout Europe.

The discovery of the microscope and publishing the observation of small living “animalcules” by van Leeuwenboek led Hahnemann to believe that microorganisms were that root of many infectious diseases and therefore he suggested that certain skin eruptions, such as “crusta lactea” , were being caused by microscopic “miasmic animalcule” i.e., micro-organisms.

The theory of miasms originates in Hahnemann’s book The Chronic Diseases which was published in 1828, around the same time that he decided to fix 30c as the standard potency for all homoeopaths. He declared that the theory was the result of 12 years of the most painstaking work on difficult cases of a chronic character combined with his own historical research into the diseases of man.

Hahnemann noticed that each of the chronic diseases has three phases, a primary stage, latent stage, and a secondary or tertiary state and can be divided into diseases with fully developed symptoms and diseases with very few symptoms – Non miasmatic and miasmatic. The effects of miasms were then passed form one generation to the next generation by inheritance and caused predispositions to certain disease syndromes.

The three chronic miasms that Hahnemann introduced in 1828 were called Psora (the itch miasm), Sycosis (the gonorrheal miasm), and Syphilis (the chancre miasm). Hahnemann published his miasmic theory long before the presence of germs was widely accepted so most practitioners found it hard to understand. Constantine Hearing later recorded that Hahnemann made further discoveries and developed a new aspect of the theory of Psora with the introduction of a new miasm he called Pseudo-psora. He wrote: “Hahnemann distinguishes the venereal miasms as syphilis and sycosis; and also subdivides psora with pseudo psora”.

Therefore the classification of chonic misms can be divided into two groups:
Non-venereal miasms : Psora (the itch disease) and Pseudo psora (the tubercle disease)
Venereal miasms: Sycosis (the fig wart diseases) and Syphilis (the chancre disease)

Psora, according to Hahnemann, was the only fundamental cause and producer of all (acute and chonic) diseases of non-venereal mature. He observed tat this disease was infectious in nature and possessed primary, latent and secondary symptoms as well as inherited aspects. This is why he made the new classification called Pseudo-psora, the TB miasm. All of these misms may be acquired through a primary infection or their effects can be experienced through heredity.

In Hahnemann’s words, “The true natural chronic diseases are those that arise from a chronic miasm, when left to themselves, improper treatment, go on to increase, growing worse and torment the patient to the end of his life.”
(Organon of Medicine, paragraph 78).

In homeopathy we often speak of the totality of the symptoms as the basis of selecting a remedy, but sometimes we forget to include the causative factors, miasm. The physical signs of a person are fundamental to the treatment of chronic disorders because the constitution and temperament shows the effects of the inherited miasms. Each of the chronic miasm has its own characteristic signs that are an integral part of the totality of the symptoms.

PSORA
The word Psora is derived form the Hebrew “Tsorat” and Greek “Psora” and means a grove or stigma. Hahnemann held that all non venereal chronic diseases are Psoric. That includes most diseases of a chronic nature, all skin diseases, most mental illness other than syphilitic ones, allergies, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, most dysfunctional diseases of organs and systems, etc.

Hahnemann also claimed that psora was the most ancient and insidious miasm, and that it was derived form skin eruptions of varius types in the past, such as scabies (itch) or leprosy and therefore Hahnemann used the term psora to describe the internal itch disease. He also referred to this internal itch disease as the internal psora. (Demitriadis 2005, p.15)

“Psora is that most ancient, most universal, most destructive, and yet most misapprehended chronic mismatic disease which for many thousands of years has disfigured and tortured mankind…and become the mother of all the thousands of incredibly various chronic diseases…” (Chronic Diseases, p.9)

Hahneman also clearly states that this itch provides an indubitable sign of a former infection of this kind. He used the term infection very broadly, to mean an infection from an external stimulus which produces a noticeable reaction. Thus he used it only as a form of vesicle of the primary itch eruptions (Tinea capitis or tetter – herpes). (Demitriadis 2005, p.16, 26)

This psoric disease develops though three separate stages: Primary, latent and secondary

The time of infection – incubation period. The disposition to psora, the susceptibility to being infected with the psora miasm - itch, is almost universal. The primary itch skin eruption of internal psora – herper, tinea capitis, milk crust etc. are contagious miasm of psora and the only way of propagation of this disease was following contact and infection with the misms via the fluid contained in the vesicles of the primary skin eruption.
The disappearance either spontaneously of from a superimposed natural disease, or the artificial expulsion by use of ointments will, in time precipitate the development of the latent and later the secondary stage. This is the period during which the whole organism is being penetrated by the disease infused, until it has developed within (incubation period) – internal psora which does little or no harm but the affected person displays an increasing susceptibility to being adversely affected by external stimulus (psora miasm, syphilitic miasm, sycotic miasm).
The secondary stage is the stage when the breaking out of the external ailments, whereby nature externally demonstrates the completion of the internal development of the mismatic malady throughout the whole body - external itching eruption. The pace of development, as well as the specific nature and severity of these secondary symptoms will depend on hereditary factors as well as on circumstances.
(Dimitriadis 2005, p.26-29)

During Hahnemann’s lifetime the English physician, John Hunter (1728 – 1793), was considered to be the sole authority on venereal disease. He believed that the gonorrheal discharge and the syphilitic ulcer were caused by the same veneraeal infection. But Hahnemann disagreed with him as he believed that there was two major venereal diseases, sycosis (GO) and syphilis.

SYCOSIS
He realized that the natures of the two venereal miasms were different so he named the gonorrhea miasm, sycosis, after the Greek word for the “fig”, therefore the name is “Fig – wart” disease (Hahnemann, 1993).

Hahneman’s observations were confirmed 51 years after the publication of his theory in The Chronic Diseases by Albert Neisser in 1879. The bacteria related to gonorrhea, Neisseria gonorrhoeia, in named after him yet it was Hahnemann who first understood the nature of this venereal infection.

The developmental period for sycosis was “several days or several weeks”. In some cases Hahnemann states that it may take many weeks before there are the appearance of the symptoms syndromes and the skin lesions associated with Sycosis. The average incubation period of a primary infection of gonorrhea is usually 2-14 days in males and 2-21 days in female.
In sycotic disease there are primary, latent and tertiary symptoms:
The primary stage is usually accompanied by fear and anxiety with a frequent desire to examine the sexual organs, also a slight tingling, tickling discomfort or an itching sensation in the urethra. This is then followed by a thin discharge of a small quantity of thin, transparent, slimy or milk-like secretion which glues the lips of the urethral orifice. These symptoms can appear also in rectum due to use of these orifices in sexual intercourse. There also may be ocular infections of both new borns and adults.
The gonococcal pharyngitis often appears as an ordinary sore throat with redness, mucopurulent exudates, and an occasionl odema of the uvula. There are sequels that are caused by the presence of Neisseria gonorrhea in the host constitution. Gonococcus can be demonstrated in pus form skin lesions which develop and may by accompanied by sudden onset of fever, severe pain, limitation of movement of multiple joints with pain, tenderness and swelling.
In the tertiary stage the internal functional disorders start to become pathological as the warts, flecks, moles, and cauliflower grows appear. These become site for the chonic skin lesions of sycosis and carry certain viruses related to the miasm. The chronic symptoms develop due to stage of exhaustion where the vital force can not longer maintain the stage of homeostatis.
(Little 2000, on line)

SYPHILIS
While allopathic medicine views the secondary and tertiary phases as part of the natural course of the disease, Hahnemann’s view was that they are the results of suppressive treatment. Hahnemann said that the secondary and tertiary symptoms could not break out as long as the primary symptoms were left untreated. (Hahnemann 2000)

The primary syphilitic symptoms are chancre. Syphilis is second chronic venereal disease and is acquired by sexual intercourse or contact with bodily fluids with infected partner. Therefore it is a sexually transmitted disease. The causative agent is the bacterium Treponema pallidum and the first chancre appears one to six weeks later, when the infection gained entrance to the body. It most often appears on the genitals also on the lips, in the mouth or on the hands. The old masters considered primary syphilis easy to cure with Mercury 30c. (Schepper 1999, p.398, 399)

The chancre can remain untouched in its place for the lifetime if it is not cured. It may increase in size but it will not cause any further secondary symptoms as long as it exists. Once it is destructed by local applications, other local symptoms appear, such as ‘budo’. (Choudhury 1991)

This stage lasts several months with some of its manifestations and the secondary symptoms brake out when local applications are used for the chancre (budo) = if suppressed. The patient often complains of a slight malaise, feeling like a mild attack of flu but rarely severe enough to require bed rest. A non-itching roseolar rash appears on the back, abdomen, front of the arms, face and is followed by ulcers in the mouth and loss of hair. The first maculae appear, typically on the palms and soles.

About a third of untreated cases develop to the tertiary stage, which can begin anywhere from three to 40 years after the primary infection and can last indefinitely. It is described as a result of complications with psora. Gumas (devastating, destructive lesions) may form in the skin, muscles, lungs, spleen, eyes, etc., they may break down and form chronic abscesses. The patient complains of persistent bone pains, worse at night, and a frequent, persistent or periodic unilateral, parietal and occipital headache. Nervous system is affected, causing deafness, blindness or insanity (neurosyphilis).

When suppressed (just as in sycosis), the disease can be transferred from husband to wife and can develop in secondary or latent stage. Then if they have a baby, it will be VDRL negative but will have the latent symptoms of the syphilitic miasm. There will be not primary symptoms. Common symptoms of hereditary syphilis include Hutchinson’s teeth, deafness or congenital heart disease.
(Schepper 1999)

TUBERCULOSIS (pseudo – psora)
Koch discovered the tubercle bacillus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in 1882. At that time the disease was know as “phthisis” or “consumption”. Hahnemann successfully treated it homeopathically long before Koch’s discovery resulted in allopathic treatment. The tubercular miasm is one of the “new miasms” like cancer and AIDS, added to the miasmatic theory after Hahnemann by Compton Burnett and later homeopaths. (Schepper 1999)

It is also called “pseudo – psora” because it primarily combines psoric and syphilitic characteristic and most commonly infect the lungs, especially the right apex of the lung. It can also spread to serous membranes like the pleura, peritoneum, and pericardium. In children it may infect the bones (Pott’s disease), joints, and lymph nodes. While psora first attacks the outer skin of the body, pseudo – psora directly assaults the inner membranes, organs and bones. It was not also a mixed miasm because it had its own separate pathogenic agent, own causative miasmic organisms and unique symptoms. (Little 1996, on line)

The disease can be transmitted through infested cow’s milk, an infected person’s utensils, and spitting in public, coughing or sneezing by infected persons. The hereditary form is passed through the placenta. People susceptible to TB or infected by it tended to be delicate, frail, easily tired, lean and elegant, with beautiful porcelain skin, large eyes, long lashes and fine hair; they were apt to be very talented in the arts, literature or music, and tended to die an early, tragic death. (Schepper 1999)
The main characteristics in the progress of TB are:
In pulmonary TB: fatigue, loss of weight, anorexia, morning and evening rise of temperature, productive cough, dyspnoea and chest pain.
In gastro-intestinal tract: ulceration, perforation or obstruction with the same above mentioned symptoms.
In other organs: destructions of organs and loss of organ functions.
(Choudhury 1991)

Kent gave several warnings about using remedies that may set up dangerous eliminations in advanced TB cases. It the advanced stages the tubercles and cavities created by the bacteria are too well developed to use deep acting anti-miasmic remedies and nosodes. There is no need to use remedies such as Sulphur, Silica, Lycodium, Phosporus, Thyrodim, Tuberculinum, Bacillinum because it is a product of diseases from a very deep-seated constitutional condition. It goes deep into the life and affects constitutions more deeply than most remedies. If these remedies are to be used it must be done with the biggest caution and only when they are extremely well indicates as the aggravations may exhaust the vital force of the constitution and damage tissue. (Little 1996, on line)

General treatment for TB, before the modern age of antibiotics, was to send the patient into sanitoriums in the mountains, where they could enjoy fresh air, a restfull life and healing food to counteract the wasting tendency of the disease. It strengthened their Vital Force as craving for fresh air is strong indication for this miasm. The allopathic treatments results in suppression, creating the tubercular miasm and the next generations suffer from in. The miasm is also introduced through the Mantoux test (positive skin reaction introduced into skin by a scratch) and BCG vaccinations. (Schepper 1991)

CANCER
The cancer miasm is the mixed miasm. When we see it in the family history, we can be sure that the family has at least two of the miasm active. It is one of the “new miasm” and therefore is not defined in Hahnemann’s literature and all four of the other miasms are necessary to develop the cancer miasm.

Just as a patient can have the sycotic miasm without ever having had gonorrhea, or the tubercular miasm without any signs of TB in his past medical history, a patient can have the cancer miasm without necessarily having cancer, either as the Chief Complaint in the past. Cancer itself can be treated homeopathically, as the old masters of the past century demonstrated many times. But these homeopaths did not have to deal with the severely suppressive treatments of our era, chemotherapy and radiation, which weaken the Vital Force.

The cancer miasm was not identified as a miasm until after the Second World War. Two homeopaths in England at that time, Dr. Foubister and Templeton, happened to deliver children of two different mothers, each with breast cancer during her pregnancy. These childern had remarkably similar symptoms, including Insomnia, crying all night, café au lait spots all over the body,, numerous moles, and blue sclera. They were identified as children who were carrying the cancer miasm and treated with remedy probably potentized form a breast epithelioma. If Foubister saw children identical to the ones identical to the ones described, even if they were not born from mother with cancer, he was able to treat their symptoms with Carcinosin. He found that the “Carcinosin” would treat everyone with that kind of family background rather than just cancer. This confirms Kent’s observation that cancer is the result of suppressed psora.

It is a neoplastic disease and the prognosis depends on the miasmatic background of the tumor. A malignant tumor that kills a patient suddenly combines the speed of the sycotic miasm with the destruction of the syphilitic. One that is slow-growing for many years is predominantly psoric. Thus the prognosis is good for a psoric cancer. Skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma are slow-growing psoric tumors. A tumor can arise from any one of the miasms, or a combination of two or three of them. It does not necessarily indicate the presence of the cancer miasm, which requires an active combination of at least two of the other miasms. Homeopathy also searches for the trauma or trigger which activates the dormant miasm.
(Schepper, 1991)

Environmental mutagens can induce mutations which can also arise as a spontaneous error during replication of DNA at any time in the life of a cell. They may take place at any time in the patient’s life and the incubation periods can be 10 to 20 years back. Among 150 different types, 5 major groups of cancer are recognized:
Carcinomas form in the eptithelial cells
Sarcomas form in the bones and sort connective and supportive tissues surrounding organs
Leukamias form in the blood and bone narrow
Lymphomas are cancer of the lymph glands
Myelomas arise in the antibody-producing plasma cells

Cancer in general is characterized by a wide range of cell differentiation, form well differentiated to completely undifferentiated cells. Another indications of cancer miasm are any growth, malformation, excrescence, gland in any part of the body, any ulceration of non-healing type, difficulty in swallowing, black discoloration of skin or tongue or any changes in colour and size of birth marks.

Carcinosins are very refined, private people, keeping their thoughts to themselves. They can be very introverted, living in their own world, and making no contact with others. They hide their feeling for fear of hurting others. Carcinosins are also very sensitive to people, to animals, and to beauty and they love animals.
(Schepper 1999)

PHYSICAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE MIASMS
The body and mind work together as a unit and the disturbances are expressed in both spheres.

Psoric miasm: The reaction of body on exposure to environmental stimuli, to ones surroundings, like noise, light, and odors, producing functional disturbances like headache, nausea, and discomfort.
Sycotic miasm: Hypersensitive (hypertrophic) response to something specific, arising from a deficiency of the normal response like tumors, allergies, keloids. Deficient feeling gives rise to an increased attempt to repair the fault.

Syphilitic miasm: Not manageable, tissue destruction like gangrene, ulceration. Body and mind destroy itself, give-up.
Tubercular miasm: Respiratory imbalance, weak lings, offensive discharges, head sweating, worse from exposure to cold, reccourring epistaxis, bleeding lungs, long eyelashes, craving for salt, enuresis, bloody stools, milk disagrees causing diarrhea, anemic, weakness, ringworm, acne, white spots on nails, nightmares.

PERSONALITY TYPES
Psoric miasm: Highs and lows, struggling with outside world, becomes apparent ant times of stress, lack of confidence, constant anxiety feeling, fear, like he can’t do it, insecurity, anxiety about the future but always having hope, mentally alert.
Sycotic miasm: Secretiveness, hides his weakness, tense, constantly covering up situations, fixed habits, suspicious, jealous, forgetful.
Syphilitic miasm: Strong, pessimistic view on life, cannot modify what is wrong, gives-up, destroy, no point in trying to adjust, sudden impulsive violence directed at himself or others, distorted rigid ideas, Mental paralysis, mentally dull, suicidal, stupid, stubborn, and homicidal.
Tubercular miasm: Dissatisfaction, lack of tolerance, changes everything, does harmful thing one’s self.

GENERAL NATURE OF THE MIASM
Psoric miasm: Itching, burning, inflammation leading to congestion – philosopher, selfish, restless, weak, fears.
Sycotic miasm: Over production, growth like warts, condylomata, fibrous tissue, attack internal organs, pelvis, and sexual organs.
Syphilitic miasm: Destructive, disorder everywhere, ulceration, fissures, deformities, ignorance, suicidal, depressed, memory diminished.
Tubercular miasm: Changing symptomology, vague, weakness, shifting in location, depletion, dissatisfaction, lack of tolerance, careless, “problem child”, cravings that are not good for them.

DERMATOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF THE MIASM
Psoric miasm: Dirty, dry itching without pus or discharge, burning, scaly eruptions, eczema, cracks in hands and feet, sweat profuse < during sleep, offensive.

Sycotic miasm: Warts, moles, unnatural thickening of skin, herpes, scars, mails are thick, irregular & corrugated, oily skin with oozing, disturbed pigment patches.

Syphilitic miasm: Ulcers, boils, discharge of fluids and pus, offensive, slow to heal, leprosy, copper colored eruptions < by get of bed, spoon shaped thin nails that tear easily.
Tubercular miasm: Ringworm, eczema, urticaria, herpes, recurring boils, with pus and fever, does not heal fast, leprosy < by warmth of bed > by cold; nails, white spots.

PAINS OF MIASM
Psoric miasm: Neurological type, sore, bruised, >rest <motion.
Sycotic miasm: Joint pains, rheumatic pains are <cold, damp >motion, stitching, pulsating, wandering.
Syphilitic miasm: Bone pains, tearing, bursting, burning.
Tubercular miasm: Great exhaustion, never enough rest, sun ameliorates, gives strength.

MIASMATIC CLINICAL DISEASES
Psoric miasm: Acidity, burning, cancer, sarcomas, constipation, epilepsy, flatulence, hoarseness, etching of skin, leprosy, burning of spinal cord, watery discharge from nose and eyes with burning.
Sycotic miasm: Abortion, acne without pus, angina pectoris, anemia, appendicitis, cough (whooping), colic, pelvic disease + sexual organs, piles, prostatitus, nephritis (kidney), gout, arthritis, astma, dysmenorrhoea, herpes, rheumatism, warts, urinary ailments, swellings without any cause, overgrowth of tissue anywhere in the body, begin enlargements.
Syphilitic miasm: Discharges putrified, blindness, ulceration in veins and bones, carcinomas, fistulas, gangrene, hyperextension, bone marrow inflammation, insanity due to depression, leucorrhoea, rheumatism of long bones, skin disease with ooze + pus, ulcerated sore throat, history of abortions, sterility, immature death, ischemic heart disease, suicidal deaths, insanity, destructive/last stage of cancer, disseminated tuberculosis, ulcers of ear, nose, urinary organs, mouth.
Tubercular miasm: Aching pain in knees, swelling, bedwetting, cancer, carious teeth, destruction of bone marrow, diabetes, dry cough (barking), eczema, emaciation, epilepsy, extreme fatigue, weakness, glands enlarged, tonsils, influenza, insanity, obstruction of intestines, malaria, insomnia, nocturnal perspiration, palpitation, profuse hemorrhage of any orifice, pneumonia, ring worm, short temper, nasal coryza, worms.
(Speight 1977)

Conclusion
Hahnemann wrote about all miasm in his theory of Chronic Disease: The physician skilled in anti-miasmatic prescribing dips deeper into the case and applies an agent that has a deeper and closer relationship with the perverted life force. The results are always better.

A knowledge of all miasmatic phenomena would be a complete knowledge of all that is known as disease. Hahnemann discovered the miasms due to the fact these ailments kept coming back, year after year. Even when the correct remedy was given, there was no permanent cure. Hahnemann’s proof of the existence of miasms was the persistency of these chronic diseases even after taking care of other disease causing factors like diet, hygiene etc. They seem to come from within the organism, from some peculiar dynamis within, form something that was deranged within the life-force itself, ingerent, prE-existing within the dynamis.

References
Hahnemann, S. 1993, The Chronic Disease –Theoretical part, B. Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Schepper, L. 1999, Hahnemann revisited, Fullot Life Publication, USA

Speight P. 1977, Comparisons of the Chronic Miasms, Double & Brendon Ltd, London

Choudhury, H. 1991, Indication of miasm, B. Jain publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Dimitiadis, G. 2005, The Theory of Chronic Disease, 2nd.edn., Southwood Press, Sydney

Little, D. 2000, Miasm in classical homeopathy, on line 20/10/2005,
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