Introduction-
Dr. Samuel Hahnemann believed in the dynamic origin of the disease and could not accept the nosological classification of the diseases. He observed the patient and disease as an individual entity.
Disease for Hahnemann is the deviated state of health where vital force (automatic) is dynamically deranged by morbific dynamic influence which is presented to physician in form of signs and symptoms. Thus, he believed that it is not merely the mechanical or chemical imbalance of the material substance of the body but it is the qualitative derangement of the vital force which is presented as totality of symptoms and so the mission of the physician is to study this totality of symptoms not merely the disease and its cause.
Hahnemannian broad classification (aphorism 72)–
1. Indisposition (footnote to § 7 and 150).
2. Surgical diseases.
3. Dynamic diseases.
1. Indisposition
It is a slight alteration in the state of health manifested by one or more trivial symptoms that have been observed only for a short time which can be controlled by slight alteration in the diet and regimen. Hippocrates also termed it as the ‘Vis medicatrix naturae’.
2. Surgical Diseases
Hahnemann in aphorism 13 and 29 clearly stated that surgical diseases are limitations of homeopathy as they are not dynamic or miasmatic in origin so they have to be managed surgically not by homoeopathy. For an example in cases of fractures, etc. which are mechanical trauma not a dynamic disease so it must be treated accordingly and to be labeled as pure surgical disease.
3. Dynamic Diseases
In aphorism 72 it is described into two types-
i. Acute diseases (aphorism 72 &73)
ii. Chronic diseases (aphorism 72 -80, 204-209)
i. Acute diseases
They are due to transient explosion of latent psora due to some exciting causes which can be characterized by
sudden onset, more or less fixed course of duration and end in death or recovery with or without treatment.
Dr. Hahnemann defines it as “rapid processes of the abnormally deranged vital force, which have a tendency to finish their course more or less quickly, but always in a moderate time.”
These are of 3 types as follows–
1) Individual
2) Sporadic
3) Epidemic
This is a disease that attacks humans individually mean here and there with different types of symptoms due to exposure to some exciting cause such as overheating, excitement, etc. at different or same time.
In individual type, patient recover on their own in some cases but this recovery is done at cost of some damage to the patient’s vitality which will result in death or recovery without treatment, so best approach is to be treated based on acute totality for quick and safe recovery without any serious damage to vital force.
2)Sporadic diseases
They attack several persons at the same time here and there, by means of meteoric (atmospheric, climatic or physical agents), telluric (soil, water influences) or injurious agents. In this case only morbidly susceptible persons are being affected by it. Every sporadic disease must be considered as a new one at every incidence and treated based on the totality of symptoms.
3) Epidemic diseases
It affects many persons with very similar sufferings from the same cause (epidemically). Dr. Hahnemann uses the word infectious, in this context, because the epidemic disease becomes infectious when it spreads among the thickly populated areas. The cause of the epidemic diseases may be due to natural causes like famine, floods, etc. or due to human made like in case of current Covid 19 which is not only epidemic when considered within a country but also comes under the category of ‘pandemic’ as it involves multiple countries at the same time.
ii. Chronic diseases
According to Dr. Hahnemann-“ diseases of such a character that, with small, often imperceptible beginnings, dynamically derange the living organism, each in its own peculiar manner, and cause it gradually to deviate from the healthy condition, in such a way that the automatic life energy, called vital force, whose office is to preserve the health, only opposes to them at the commencement and during their progress imperfect, unsuitable, useless resistance, but is unable of itself to extinguish them, but must helplessly suffer (them to spread and) itself to be ever more and more abnormally deranged, until at length the organism is destroyed; these are termed chronic diseases. They are caused by infection with a chronic miasm.
Types of chronic diseases are-
2)Artificial chronic diseases.
3)True natural chronic diseases.
1) Pseudo-chronic diseases-
It is also known as false chronic disease which persons bring upon themselves due to continuous exposure to some avoidable noxious influences termed as maintaining cause (aphorism 77), like- addictions, lack of exercise, overthinking, stress, housing issues, etc. These imitate as chronic disease as they are present for a longer duration but they get better by removing maintaining cause only shows no miasm is present in background so they cannot be classified as true chronic disease.
2)Artificial chronic diseases-
It can be explained as an allopathic medicine side effect induced disease state due to prolonged use and they are most problematic and most complicated to treat in most of the cases, if vital force is not too much weakened then disease can be remedied by vital force itself if no miasm is involved in the background of the case.
3)True natural chronic diseases-
In aphorism 78 of Fifth Edition of organon Dr. Hahnemann explained it as-
‘’The true natural chronic diseases are those that arise from a chronic miasm, which when left to themselves, and unchecked by the employment of those remedies that are specific for them, always go on increasing and growing worse, notwithstanding the best mental and corporeal regimen, and torment the patient to the end of his life with ever aggravated sufferings. These are the most numerous and greatest scourges of the human race; for the most robust constitution, the best regulated mode of living and the most vigorous energy of the vital force are insufficient for their eradication.’’
Further in aphorism 78 of 6th edition of organon he explained that true natural chronic diseases are those that arise from a chronic miasm, which when left to themselves, and unchecked by the employment of those remedies that are specific for them, always go on increasing and growing worse, notwithstanding the best mental and corporeal regimen, and torment the patient to the end of his life with ever aggravated sufferings when not treated in time based on totality of symptoms.
In aphorism 79 he has gives explaination about 2 types of chronic miasmatic diseases. First of all ‘‘syphilis’’ a type of chronic miasmatic disease, which when uncured ceases only with the termination of life. Secondly ‘’Sycosis’’ (the condyloma disease), equally ineradicable by the vital force without proper medicinal treatment, was not recognized as a chronic miasmatic disease in other system of medicine but it has also background which remains even after superficial removal of the growths which again resurface after some time which proves it is a true miasmatic disease.
In aphorism 80 he well explained the mother of all disease ‘’Psora’’ which is incalculably greater and more important than syphilis and sycosis, these two reveal their specific internal dyscrasia, the one by the venereal chancre, the other by the cauliflower-like growths, while in case of psora after the completion of the internal infection of the whole organism, they appear in a form of peculiar cutaneous eruption, sometimes consisting only of a few vesicles accompanied by intolerable voluptuous tickling itching (and a peculiar odor) but they are the manifestation of monstrous internal chronic miasm – the psora, the only real fundamental cause and producer of all the diseases. It may includes under the names of nervous debility, hysteria, hypochondriasis, mania, melancholia, imbecility, madness, epilepsy and convulsions of all sorts, softening of the bones (rachitis), scoliosis, caries, cancer, fungus nematodes, neoplasms, gout, hemorrhoids, jaundice, cyanosis, dropsy, amenorrhea, hemorrhage from the stomach, nose, lungs, bladder and womb, of asthma and ulceration of the lungs, of impotence and barrenness, of megrim, deafness, cataract, amaurosis, urinary calculus, paralysis, defects of the senses and pains of thousands of kinds, etc.
Other than these three single true miasmatic chronic diseases they can co-exist in the person in the following ways-
2) Psora-Sycosis.
3)Sycosis-Syphilis.
4) Psora-Syphilis-Sycosis.
Dr. Hahnemann explained that the management of chronic disease always needs an analysis of whether the chronic disease has taken its natural course, it is single or complex in character or has been interfered with by suppressive drugs or been treated in past by different modes of treatment as these are vital in prognosis of disease and to achieve the goal of ideal cure in every individual case.
Contributor- Dr. Apurva Varangi
Lovely, Thanks 👍