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Abstract/Excerpt

Examples with Anhalonium Lewinii and Case Report A. Introduction: The Application of Alfonso Masi Elizalde’s method in case taking allows us to make a hypothesis about the metaphysical origin of the patient’s disease. That is, it allows us to perceive the aspect of divinity the subject is reflecting, which in good part he manifests, and [...]

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Examples with Anhalonium Lewinii and Case Report

A. Introduction:

The Application of Alfonso Masi Elizalde’s method in case taking allows us to make a hypothesis about the metaphysical origin of the patient’s disease. That is, it allows us to perceive the aspect of divinity the subject is reflecting, which in good part he manifests, and also, what he is rejecting of his human nature, and in what he is envious of his Creator.

The objectives of this work are:

Ø  To propose the application of all steps of the method designed by Alfonso Masi Elizalde to the patient’s spontaneous report.

Ø  To deepen one of its steps: the study of modalities, in accordance with the thoughts of Aristotle, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Hahnemann and Flora Dabbah.

The spontaneous report, an invaluable and irreplaceable resource, and place of permanent return, the source of re-readings, of the first discourse and the first impression, and possibility for future consultations, is the basis for our analysis.

The method to categorize the symptoms has the following steps:

1.      Spontaneous report.

2.      Construction of the themes, either by analogy or similarity of symptoms.

3.      Grouping of themes.

4.      Theme of the modalities (Aristotle’s categories).

5.      Formulation of pillars.

6.      Totality of Psora in its secondary stage (projected).

7.      Totality of Psora in its tertiary stage (reactive).

8.      Nuclei of suffering, nuclei of primary Psora.

• a. transgression or guilt.
• b. incapacity or loss
• c. fear of punishment
• d. nostalgia
• e. justification
• f.  nucleus of reconciliation

9.     Study of the altered function according to Aristotelian-Thomistic scheme.

10.   Study of the language.

11.   Hypothesis about the metaphysical origin of the disease for each medicine.

12.   Symbolism, and related ideas, which are used for the confirmation of the hypothesis.

13.   Repertorization of symptoms, lecture of Medical Materia.

14.   Selection of the medicine.

15.   Prognostic observations.

The study of modalities allows us to access the finest observation of the subject’s operations and the analysis of the totality of his sensations and alterations (the material cause), to observe how the functions are directed towards his object and intention (the final cause), and the distillation of the essence (the formal cause).

Aristotle enunciated and described the following categories:

Substance, Quantity (How much?), Quality (How?), Relation (with the other), Location (the motionless area surrounding him), Time (When?), Position (of the parts among each other), Action (What is he doing?), Passion (What is he suffering, the suffering), Habit (clothes, adornments, weapons).

In this way we can, with the specific tool for each thing, form an image before us, which reflects with great precision an important aspect of the patient’s life. There appears an image before us, which will surprise us and the patient, if we did not notice it with the naked eye.

We can use one or another scheme according to the nature of the material we obtain from the report of the patient.

We can transform themes, words, a modality, a gesture or an attitude into symptoms or into the repertory language.

We can conclude directly from the miasmatic dynamics or from the themes to the medicine.

The patient can tell us something with the anecdotes of his life, and the manner in which he bears them, about the nucleus of the loss, the nucleus of the transgression, of the fear of punishment and nostalgia.

The study of the functions of the soul can demonstrate to us the location of the lesion and guide us to one or another medicine.

We can change from one scheme to another, from the beginning to the end, supported by this plot so well thought by our wonderful teacher.

In this way, the method is an invaluable instrument for the selection of the simillimum.

Methodological clarifications:

After this short enumeration of the steps of the method follows:

B. The evolution of thoughts about modalities – concept of substance and accident

C. Examples of accidents with Anhalonium Lewinii, and from patients who have evolved with Anhalonium Lewinii.

B. Study of the modalities

Hahnemann said in the Organon: “Diseases will not cease to be dynamic aberrations of our spirit like life manifested by sensations and actions; that is, immaterial changes in our way of being ...”

In Paragraph 133 he asked the experimenters:

“ On experiencing any particular sensation from the medicine, it is useful, indeed necessary, in order to determine the exact character of the symptom, to assume various positions while it lasts, and to observe whether, by moving the part affected, by walking in the room or the open air, by standing, sitting or lying the symptom is increased, diminished or removed, and whether it returns on again assuming the position in which it was first observed, – whether it is altered by eating or drinking, or by any other condition, or by speaking, coughing, sneezing or any other action of the body, and at the same time to note at what time of the day or night it usually occurs in the most marked manner, whereby what is peculiar to and characteristic of each symptom will become apparent..”

Following the idea of Hahnemann, and based on her observation of the construction of repertories and materia medicas, Flora Dabbah elaborated the following classification:

A) Symptoms of the way of being permanent, worthy of cure.

B) Characteristic symptoms, symptoms of the way of being temporary.

A) The symptoms of the way of being are fixed, and do not change dependent on circumstances.

These are the symptoms of the personality. Characteristic symptoms:

Ø    Characteristics per se:

• Illusions
• Dreams
• Sensations as if
• Gestures
• Attitudes
• Behavior
  • Intensity
  • Frequency or alternation
  • Characteristic symptoms depend on circumstances – accidents

They answer the questions: How? When? Where?

Circumstances:

1 – Time

frequencies – constant – day and night – periodically – alternating

2 – Weather – change of weather – seasons

open air – hot air – wet air – sun – storm – heat – moon

3 – Movement

walking – fast – in open air – ascending – descending – traveling – dancing – rocking – closing eyes – physical exertion – crossing the street – rest – etc.

4 – Occupations

mental effort – thoughts – memory – studying – concentration – reading – writing – calculating – playing piano – sewing – sedentary occupation

5 – Position and laterality

upwards – downwards – backward – outward – inward – sitting – standing – lying- bending – rising

6 – Location

streets – closed places – narrow places – high places – in the house – room – bed – darkness – crowd

7 – Others

alone – in company – conversing – talking – if interrupted  – when touched – if looked at – if carried – screams – rudeness

8 – Cause

causeless – by trifles – bad news – horrible things – music – noise – drafts – nightmares

9 – Emotions

anger – sorrow – crying – depression – lamentation – mortification – reproaches – fright – excitement

10 – Functions

eating – breakfast – lunch – dinner – drinking – wine – alcohol – beer – coffee – hot drinks – cold drinks – perspiration – urination – evacuation – loss of fluids  – getting wet – coitus -  menstruation – pregnancy – nursing – menopause – sleeping – waking  – falling asleep – when opening the eyes

Until this point it is what Flora Dabbah described.

And in Paragraph 15 Hahnemann said:

“ The affection of the morbidly deranged, spirit-like dynamis (vital force) that animates our body in the invisible interior, and the totality of the outwardly cognizable symptoms produced by it in the organism and representing the existing malady, constitute a whole; they are one and the same. The organism is indeed the material instrument of the life, but it is not conceivable without the animation imparted to it by the instinctively perceiving and regulating vital force (just as the vital force is not conceivable without the organism), consequently the two together constitute a unity, although in thought our mind separates this unity into two distinct conceptions for the sake of facilitating the comprehension of it..”

This seems to respond then to Aristotle’s concept of Substance and Accident:

The Substance (from Latin: substantia, sub: under, and stare: be (estar), what’s below, the essence or entity of something

The Substance is what is called “a this” like men, animals, plants (“what is not said of a subject”)

The thing that exists in itself and not in another.

Accidents are only “ways of being this”. Accidents are the ways in which the substance manifests.

The thing which does exist in another being.

Words, if taken in isolation, express one of the following things: substance, quantity, quality, relation, location, time, position, action, habit, passion.

If, in this particular case, the word is applied to the human or animal, we can say:

These are the modalities, modes, ways, and circumstances in which any suffering or thing that happens to us men or to our animals can combine and transform into symptoms.

We could say, for example:

·          Usually we all suffer hunger, thirst, sleepiness, tiredness, fear, boredom, hurry, impatience, pain.

·          We all remain sitting, standing, lying, walking or running, or can bend and turn in the bed, alternately, and according to our physical ability.

·          We all sometimes like to stretch the body, to lay in bed, rest.

·          We all are more or less jealous, loving, bossy, orderly, meticulous, industrious, ill-humored.

·          We all are affected by changes, death and financial loss, journeys, farewell.

·          Sometimes, we all like to be alone, or together with friends, to get visits, to watch and be watched.

·          We can all crush the finger in a door, stumble, take something forward, or fall.

·          We all are more or less sleepy on waking, or drowsy after eating.

·          All babies need more attention in the evening, and we are all tired at the end of the day.

·          We all like to get home, to take one’s clothes and shoes off, and to have a warm shower.

·          We all like to listen to music, to talk, listen, converse, and also to remain silent.

·          We all perspire, suffer from heat, cold or  tiredness.

Any of these situations is our life.

Isolated or combined at random does not mean anything.

United, with each other, in a fixed way, constitutes a symptom.

We give now, if possible, an example of accidents of the substance Anhalonium Lewinii for each of the classifications

QUANTITY:

Increased analytic discrimination.

The sexual desire came back dramatically at 1 p.m.

Many abundant ideas.

QUALITY

Aristotle divides the quality into four groups:

a)     According to the effects on the subject in terms of quantity: THE FIGURE

b)     According to whether the subject is capable of activities: POTENCE AND IMPOTENCE

c)      According to whether the subject is susceptible to alteration: THE PASSIBLE QUALITY AND PASSION

d)     In respect of whether he can be good or bad, conditioned as nature: HABIT-CAPACITY AND DISPOSITION.

a) FIGURE: The respective disposition of his different parts

b) POTENCE AND IMPOTENCE: That which the substance has immediately at it’s disposal for the operations. The immediate principle of operation. A certain way of being, in this or another way. The physical strength to execute or not. In case of impotence one refers to the potence if it is weak.

Drank much water and did not need to urinate.

The vision surpasses all mental functions.

Loss of execution because of an excessive visual sensation.

Cerebral dissociation accompanied by numbness of the limbs and tongue.

Loss of execution.

Lost mobility, the body is as if moving through thick molasses.

Feeling of impotence, sorrow and shock.

Tired legs, sensation of a weight upwards.

Extreme fatigue, did not want to do anything, dozing.

c) THE PASSIBLE QUALITY AND PASSION

Susceptible to alteration; follows or produces a sensible alteration. The alteration is verified; sensible qualities of the matter, color, sound, odor, taste and heat, and the physical properties of bodies: solid, liquid or gaseous. The passible quality is durable, the passion is ephemeral and temporary.

Emotional action in all perceptions.

The residual image lasts all day.

Acute vision, in sunlight.

Cloudy vision with headache.

Green is experienced as taste.

The images are internalized into the ear, sound.

Hypersensitivity of senses.

Sensitivity to odors, there is an unusual ginger odor, and although it is so strong, it is not noticed by anybody, I felt I could suffocate.

Coldness, pallor. Feels cold. Pale discoloration of the cheek.

Coldness of genitals.

Partial peripheral anesthesia.

Lack of vital heat.

Blurred vision, ameliorates by warm bathing.

Dreams of pleasantly warm water.

Frontal headache, dull, like a cramp.

Dryness of the scleras, internal dryness.

Softer stool than usual, less gases.

Feels dead. Cold.

Sensation as if the heart had stopped.

d.1. HABIT – CAPACITY :

To be good or bad, in being or activity. If they are close to being good, virtue; if they are far from being good, vice.

Division between the conscious and unconscious life.

Depersonalization. Loss of self conscience. Loss of feeling.

Introverted. Loss of the existential horizon. Feeling of the lost position.

Handles everything concentrated now. I feel strong, firm, capable to take charge of the world, I felt comfortable. Feet and arms could move, and I could walk there, open and balanced, I‘m in my world and take charge of it well.

Cautious, firm and alert. Feels free.

Always ready, alert, conscious. Increased vibration.

Cosmic mysticism. Egotism. Flight of ideas.

Egocentric introversion. Euphoria, ecstasy, enjoyment.

Beautiful food. Full of color. Organic.

d.2 THE DISPOSITION: The dispositions change without difficulty, are changeable. They refer to the internal senses.

Detached, lonely, mistrust. Withdraw from reality, retreat.

I don’t feel so self conscious while talking to others.

Standing beside/by himself.

Desire to experiment with himself (masturbation?)

Wants to do the things in slow motion, as if the mind and body were moving through thick molasses.

Ability to draw abstract conclusions.

Spontaneous, open to expressing happiness, feel tired inside in the true sense.

Related posts:

1. A Case of Vipera According to the Method of Dr. Masi Elizalde and development of the materia medica by Dr Fayeton
2. Virtue, Vice and Mean[1]: Aristotle’s Categories and Their Practical Application to Masi Elizalde´s Aristotelic-Tomist Concept[2]
3. An Homage to Dr. Alfonso Masi Elisalde
4. Goodbye Dr. Masi Elizalde
5. A Reflection on Dr. Alfonso Masi-Elizade