Application of homoeopathic Principles in of Mental States


Application of homoeopathic Principles in of Mental States. THE object of this paper is to reveal and evaluate homoeopathic principles in the treatment of mental reactions. Such an approach is being practiced at the Middletown State homoeopathic Hospital where our observations were made. In this paper we will also bring forth the observations and conclusions arrived at by others as to the effects of certain homoeopathic remedies in the treatment of certain mental states.


THE object of this paper is to reveal and evaluate homoeopathic principles in the treatment of mental reactions. Such an approach is being practiced at the Middletown State homoeopathic Hospital where our observations were made. In this paper we will also bring forth the observations and conclusions arrived at by others as to the effects of certain homoeopathic remedies in the treatment of certain mental states. As Dr. Talcott once wrote, “The means used for the recovery of patients are numerous and varied. We cannot pin our faith to a single measure. We week to adopt all which experience has proved likely to be beneficial.”

It will be out chief aim to show just what homoeopathic remedies are most effective in mental disease, the principles behind their administration, and to stress in what way they are effective. There is no absolute way of gauging the value of our procedure accurately except by statistical corelations which, of course, do not mean much because of the numerous actors and variables. Such variables as the introduction of other treatment methods and other factors and relationships which cannot be controlled. make it too difficult a task to evaluate the drug per se. However, we will include a few statistical accumulations for those who may wish to make comparisons.

The material for this paper comprises the personal observations and studies made of the authors own cases and we present only a few of our cases to illustrate our remarks.

Homoeopathy is a method of drug therapeutics and plays only a small part in treatment of disease. Other methods, especially in mental disease, are of greater importance than drugs, and are so recognized by used. Such means which we refer to as hygienic, which includes regulation of diet and regimen of patient, habit training, rest and seclusion, choice of environment, cleanliness, kindness, proper education diversion; occupational therapy; psychotherapy of all sorts; use of various forces of nature, such as employment of water in various forms, referred to as hydrotherapy; application of electricity, light rays, heat, grouped under physiotherapy, are employed by us. Endocrinotherapy, vaccine therapy, together with allopathic drugs which have been found palliative or specific are given wherever indicated. They are not being undervalued, but rather excluded from our consideration as we are concerned here with the value of homoeopathic drugs in the treatment of mental disorders.

Briefly, homoeopathy can be defined as a therapeutic method formulated in the “similia similibus curentur” principle-let likes be treated by likes. The two elements of comparison implied in the above statement are the effects if drugs on the healthy body and the clinical features of disease, in either case, both the subjective elements of the disease which is appreciated by the patient as well as the objective manifestations as observed by the physician being taken into account.

Medicines administered on this plan are usually single and in small doses, at least below the generally accepted pharmacologic and so-called physiologic dose. It is a method, not a doctrine or a system. It is a therapy complete in itself and independent of the allied sciences of physiology and pathology so far as these consist of changing doctrines and conceptions. It is a practical method, or organon, as its originator Hahnemann used it for effecting in the best manner a certain end, namely, the cure of disease.

Application of an agent which produces in a healthy individual the symptoms similar to those found in a specific disease process was recognized by Hippocrates and others.

Hippocrates stated that disease was cured through a method of treatment which contracts it and a method where the disease of treatment which counteracts it and a method of treatment which counteracts it and a method where the disease is removed through remedies which produce similar symptoms to the disease. We find that before Hahnemann seized this principle as a general basis, tested and worked out this thought and formulated it as a rule for medical practice, physicians were treating vomiting with an emetic, preparations of organs of animals were given for disorders of the same organ in man, application of heat to burns, acid to acidity of stomach, etc.

Nowadays actually these two principles of Hippocrates for representing remedy finding have been successful. Sometimes both of these principles, although through different thought process, lead to the same remedy.

For instance, in one school of thought mercury is given to oppose the action of a bacillary dysentery by destroying the cause, in the other case the drug is given because it produces a similar picture in a healthy person when given in large doses, but its deadening effect is removed when given in small doses for then it stimulates the resistance, defensive and curative powers of the organism against the disease. Parenthetically, we may insert the fact that it has been shown, for instance, in case or adrenalin, by Renty, and others, that adrenalin dilates rather than constricts in 1/1000, but in the more dilute forms it stimulates the vessels by constriction.

There are three recognizable kinds of actions possessed by drugs which can be referred to as mechanical, chemical and dynamic, respectively. It is in this last chemical and dynamic, respectively. It is in this last class of action of drugs that homoeopathy works its rule of similia. If we avail ourselves of the mechanical or chemical properties of substances, we do so on mechanical and chemical principles.

On the other hand, the dynamic principle which is here involved depends on there being a changed physical state which gives a substance energy to reach and affect tissues. Drug energy, no drug material, is dealt with. The drug mass by its division and agitation energizes the super imposed menstrum (alcohol or sugar) which, when taken into the body, stimulates suitable tissues.

The next principles is important so far as psychiatry is concerned and that is the doctrine of the totality of symptoms which includes the entire reactions of the patient, both subjective and subjective The totality of symptoms, including the sufferings, feeling, reactions of the patient the general and local manifestations of the disease, constitutes the disease. General and local manifestations of the disease, constitutes the disease. General and local symptoms constitute only a small part in the total picture. This concept enables us to treat maladies in their formative state, in state of subjective experiences before the pathologic process has progressed to state of physical diagnosis.

We know that early states and recognizable mainly by symptoms of subjective nature. This concept is taken into cognizance in the general medical aphorism, “Treat the patient, not the disease.” This holds especially true in mental disease where we get the reactions of the patient to the disease before the latter is discernible. Our chief goal is, therefore, to cover the totality of symptoms. This doctrine fits in very well with the concept of the total personality. We must restore the normal integrated pattern in all its aspects, and should not treat the diseased element along. That is what we try to do in using was referred to as hygienic measures.

Our therapeutics are biologically based not entirely on cause, but on organismal reactions, that is on the reactions of human beings as a whole to the situations confronted, on the physical make-up, the constitution, the functional alterations, the pathologic state, the causative factors, presence or absence of past causes both predisposing and exciting, the mental symptoms, reactions of the organism to environment, in short and complete picture of the diseased state in a particular individual. By so coordinating the relationship between the diseased state and drugs effect and by individualizing the case, the smaller is the effective dose which is necessary, so that there is no chance of doing any harm. The smallest amount of the agent that will prove effective is administered.

An important keynote in our prescribing is the individualization of the case. A study of the special factors that differentiate two cases of the same disease from one another as well as a study of the disease itself is important. Such a differentiation is necessary in homoeopathic prescribing. It is not sufficient to stop with the classifications of the diseased state as an entity. Not all individuals are alike in form, functional response, mental and physical make-up, psychologic reactions, etc.

This has been shown by Draper and others who have studied the constitutional make up associated with diseases. We cannot expect dissimilar individuals to react in the same way to same causative agent of diseases. One individuals to react in the same way to same causative agent of diseases. One individual is sensitive to a certain drug whereas another tolerates it.

One can readily see how difficult it would be in mental disease with all its variegated number of mental symptoms, to uncover a “similimum” which would cover he “totality of symptoms.” Although each case has its own individuality, there are basic uniform manifestations in a single disease or drug group, which are common to the disease or group of drugs. For instance, in a case of general paralysis there are certain basis subject and objective symptoms. In the same fashion, a group of drugs give base symptoms referable to the predilected tissues.

Murray Bergmann