Case Quizes Clinical Cases

Revisiting: What Remedy Is Frasier Crane?

Frasier and Niles

Elaine gives the answer to another in our series of Famous-Person quizzes

This is it, ladies and gentlemen, what can I say except: Here is…

Shana and Lloyd Price!

Shana and Lloyd

I can go and die now!  Who is Lloyd Price?  Only the king of rock n roll!  He may have had the first rock n roll record in 1952 with “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”.

And now for this month’s quiz!

Mom, wait a minute, you need to report on the concert we went to at the Kimmel Center first, hosted by Jerry Blavat!

You’re right Shana, disc jockey, Jerry Blavat, has kept our music alive for the past 60 years, God bless him!

The Kimmel Center

The Kimmel Center

OK, OK!  Chuck Jackson was stunningly great with his booming baritone voice, sounding literally like his records!  In fact he even had the nerve to start off “Any Day Now” with NO accompaniment from the orchestra whatsoever!!!!

Oh, and I found out that “Any Day Now” was written by Burt Bacharach, so, no wonder it’s great!  Maxine Brown looked wonderful and blew me away with “Oh No, Not My Baby” written by Carole King.

Chuck and Maxine

And of course, Lloyd Price, “Mr. Personality”, what can I say about him?

That he doesn’t look 81?

Well that’s an understatement!  And I could also say he’s a living legend!  He may, arguably, have had the first Rock ‘n’ Roll record with “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” in 1952.  Here he is talking about how the song came to be:

It will be hard to top this concert is all I’m saying!

So now it’s time to start the Quiz!

We are having another one of our “famous person” quizzes today.  How many of you have watched “Frasier” on TV?  Frasier and his brother Niles Crane are two somewhat snobby, aristocratic, pedantic and punctilious psychiatrists practicing in Seattle, Washington, who are a great irritation to their down-to-earth “Sulphur” father, Marty Crane.  Frasier is the host of a radio call-in show where he hands out extravagant advice with the air of a Shakespearean actor, often going unappreciated by his earthy mass audience.  When all is said and done, he is sympathetic and bent on doing the right thing no matter what the cost.

Watch this video Shana has picked out for you below (Frasier, Season 2, Episode 18, “The Club”) and tell me, What Constitutional Remedy Is Frasier Crane?  If you know the answer, write to me at [email protected] and let me know. 

I have to begin, however, by apologizing!  No full episodes of “Frasier” are on Youtube, so, to watch the video, click below, and hopefully it’s still there!   

The Club

Let me summarize it for you, as some of my readers don’t speak English that well.  Niles Crane has gotten himself into a snobby club called The Empire Club.  There are 2 openings so he and his brother, Frasier, go there to be auditioned along with other hopefuls.  Frasier is selected and Niles is devastated.  Seeing how devastated Niles is, Frasier relinquishes his membership in favor of Niles; but Niles is not happy!  He doesn’t want charity!  He goes to the club, and makes a scene, saying he does not want their charity…meanwhile, Frasier is trying to get his attention, it seems the Club made a mistake, mixed up their two names and Niles really did get in; but, Niles won’t shut up, so he is unceremoniously thrown out!  “Niles,” says Frasier, “I was trying to tell you, you actually did get in!”  Of course, now the irony is, Niles caused such a scene, it’s too late for him to redeem himself. 

Anyway, if you look at ANY video of “Frasier” at all on Youtube, even just the 2 minute snippets they’re allowed to show without breaking the copyright laws, it will at least allow you to get a taste of the dignified, professorial, morally incorruptible scholar and raconteur that is… Dr. Frasier Crane!

____________________________

Votes:

Lycopodium

Nat-mur-3

Platina-2

Nux v.

Aurum

_________________

Any opinions about Frasier Crane’s remedy?

Frasier Crane is Lycopodium.  He’s a pompous blowhard who is full of insecurities.

Dr. Larry Malerba

Thank you, Larry!  He certainly does seem like a pompous blowhard; but, are you a regular watcher of “Frasier”?   I purposely didn’t ask, “Which remedy is Niles Crane” because I do think that Niles is Lycopodium.  Frasier, I suspect, is Aurum.  He seems more mature, high-minded and responsible than Niles.  For instance, note that Frasier’s elderly father is living with Frasier and not with Niles!

Catherine Coulter says about Aurum:  “He is a serious, conscientious, self-respecting individual of solid values who harbors delicate scruples and a strong sense of responsibility and is the personification of trustworthiness, sound understanding and innate authority. … Clark [states] that he has ‘excessive scruples of conscience’.”

It’s a perfect description of Frasier!  It’s spot-on!

A part of Frasier wants the “honor” and prestige that go with belonging to that aristocratic club; but, he also knows that what he’s seeking is phony, unworthy and in the end, he makes the magnanimous gesture of stepping aside so that Niles can have it, in true Aurum fashion.  He always makes the moral and responsible choice.

Philip Bailey says about Aurum, “He is one of the least spontaneous of all constitutional types.  This can be seen in his body, which has a tense, rigid quality to it, like steel and in his movements which tend to be precise.”  

OMG!  Another spot-on description of Frasier!

Lycopodium, according to Bailey, is an opportunist, far more likely to put personal gain ahead of morality.  Aurum has a highly developed moral compass as exemplified in Frasier’s giving up his membership in the club in favor of Niles.  Then, as if to confirm Aurum as a remedy choice, it turns out there’s a suicide attempt in Frasier’s past!  So, I’m going to have to go with Aurum.  (Aurum, in case you didn’t know, can become so despairing if they fail, especially if others were depending on him, that the idea of suicide is something they will actually consider.)

***

Hi Elaine and Shana,

Hi Maria!!!

I enjoyed the episode of “Frasier” but I must say it is the first time I heard of this show.

Really?

Subtitles were not available so I didn’t “catch” all of the dialogue but I think I got the picture.

So my vote for this character is Nat-mur.  While I was watching the episode the remedy picture popped in my mind from a great book “Homeopathic Psychology” by Philip M. Bailey.  The following rubrics are from his book and I think they fit to Frasier:

High morals

Yes, I agree.

Sympathetic

True.

Integrity

Yes.

Sensitivity

Yes.

Conscientious

Yes.

Sense of humor

Sense of humor????  He does have a dry, sophisticated wit that sails over the heads of most people.

Diplomatic

Yes.

Snob*

And yes.

I think Frasier is a somewhat of a “healthy” picture of Nat-mur.
*In the book it is explained very detailed and we see in the episode the huge difference between the two brothers and their father:
“The origin of the mentality of the Nouveau snob is interesting.  In some people it is a case of ‘Like father, like son’, but in others the Natrum child grew up in a poor family with no sophistication, and was deeply ashamed of her origins.  In this case she attempts to disown her family as soon as possible, or to return in splendour to lord it over them.”

(The underlining is mine).  We see it, I think, in the expression on their faces in the living room when the 2 brothers are talking and the father spits beer in his face.

Actually, Marty Crane’s beer can explodes and he wipes his face with his shirt sleeve, so typical of Sulphur!j  But, what you couldn’t have known is that Frasier and Niles are just like their mother!  She was sophisticated, educated and a musician—a lover of opera— so, they take after her.  But, do continue!  Oh, you’re finished?  OK!  So, I think your list is mostly accurate.  But, here’s my question, what other remedy has all the things you just mentioned plus a suicide attempt (even though he tried to play it down as an attention-getting ploy) in his past?

By the way, Elaine, the last quiz was also great, difficult enough but we need to learn to master cases like this.

Oh, thank you!  What was the last quiz?  Wait a minute, don’t tell me… don’t tell me….Tell me!

It was the Arsenicum “crawling” case.  Brilliant!

Oh right, the skin crawling!  Formication!  Very unusual complaint!

But, Aurum????  I thought of Aurum too, but he said, regarding the suicide attempt, he was just trying to get attention; so, I couldn’t know what was the true story.  He seemed honest about it so I didn’t consider it further.  What if he really was trying to just get attention?

Think about it Maria, if you want to get a lady’s attention, think of all the possible ways there are of doing that.  Is faking a suicide attempt one of the ways you’d come up with?  I think it’s bizarre!  It would have to be suggestive of something!

I guess you are right, it is suggestive of something!

In the Repertory, “Mind: suicidal disposition, height, throwing himself from a”–only 25 remedies and only 2 in bold–Aurum and Belladonna.  Did you read my Tidbits article last month?  “Tidbits-23, Can Somebody Pick Me Up At the Airport?”  If so, did you see my segment on Aurum?  I wrote that knowing I’d be doing a Frasier quiz this month, and I thought, “This way, everyone will be prepared with the answer!” but, I guess not!

But Aurum’s are regal, they speak with authority and confidence; you can see that Frasier sometimes sounds like he’s delivering lines from Shakespeare.  Plus he wants to join a club called, of all things, “The Empire Club”.  Empire!  He aspires to power, greatness, to be the leader, just where you’d expect to find GOLD–leading the pack, out in front!  Naturally, as Aurum, he thinks he belongs there, it’s his rightful place!  But as you noted, his conscientiousness, integrity, and as Catherine Coulter noted, “his delicate scruples”, won’t allow him to take the membership away from Niles who, he thinks, has fought for it longer and harder and, therefore, deserves it more.  He sacrifices the thing he’s longed for out of high-mindedness, which to me is what is most striking about the case!  The remedy would have to have such scruples as a characteristic, a finely-tuned sense of morality, incapable of selfishness in the final analysis, which leaves out a lot of seemingly close remedies like Lycopodium who only seeks advancement for adulation and flattery.

WOW you nailed it!
And I am a HUGE fan of “Tidbits”, PURE GOLD (speaking of Aurum 😛 )
And the photos you chose were very successful too!  I laughed a lot at Medorrhinum!
And for this month’s Tidbits on “Organo-phobia”, I have to say, I wasn’t aware of those books you were suggesting for us.  I will buy them.  Thank you, you are making homeopathy a safer practice 🙂

Well, Maria, as I was saying to Gina Tyler just the other day, it’s Big Pharma’s job to make people worse, not ours!  Homeopathic remedies are safe when prescribed according to The Organon but in the majority of cases, they are prescribed like drugs, and I’ve said this many times: the homeopath’s model, far too often, unfortunately, is allopathic medicine!  Therefore it should come as no surprise to anyone that a lot of our patients are getting the same results they’re getting from their doctors–aggravations and permanent drug diseases!  But yes, here are the three books that will put a stop to this nonsense and I’m asking everyone to read them–Hahnemann Revisited by Dr. Luc De Schepper, Homeopathic Medicine in the Home by Jonathan Breslow and The Organon, Kunzli translation (it’s the least expensive of the modern translations) and if the homeopathy schools don’t have these as their text books?  What are they thinking?

I just want to add, this whole journal is a gem!
You are the best, Hpathy Team!

You’re right, Maria!  Let’s hear it for our 2 fearless leaders–Alan Schmukler and Dr. B–who sacrifice so much to get the ezine out each month!

         Yay Alan and Dr. B!!!!!

***

Hi Elaine!

Hi Wayne!

Hope you are not too snowed under over there.

No, that would be Boston.  Here it’s just cold!  9 degrees F!

In Adelaide today its over 100 degrees.

OMG!  I think I’ll take the cold weather over 100 degree heat!

I think the constitution of Frasier Crane is Platina.

You do?  Do you remember our Platina case?  The dog, whom I likened to Zsa Zsa Gabor?  She felt she was too good to greet people at the door; so, they had to come to her!

Here are the rubrics I used:

Egotism

Envy

Critical

Censorious

Deceitful

Jealousy

Intellectual

Pompous

Fastidious

Guilt

Domineering

I don’t think that fits for Frasier.  I think Frasier is Aurum.  Aurum has terrible pangs of conscience, and without a moment’s hesitation, Frasier announces to his father, “I’m dropping out so that Niles can have my membership in the club.”  Clark says that Aurum has, “Excessive scruples of conscience.”  It’s funny, everything on your list was negative, everything on Maria’s list was positive!

But, if you paid close attention, we were given a clue– Frasier’s suicide attempt, despite his effort at making light of it, should have made us think of Aurum, especially since he apparently went out on the ledge of a building!

Great that your daughter met Lloyd Price – great photo!

Oh, it is, it’s the best photo ever!!!  Thanks! 🙂

***

Hi Elaine, I love your quizzes!

Thanks!

Frasier was such a brilliant show.

I thought so too.

Frasier I think is Nat. mur – his need to help, his fastidiousness and search for the ideal partner.  To me Niles’ obsession with germs is straight out of Arsenicum’s playbook, but, other aspects remind me of Lycopodium, and he’s too sweet in relationships to compare to some Arsenicums I have observed with their need to control their romantic relationships and therefore, I would choose Lycopodium (although…his germaphobic behaviour is soooo Arsenicum).

I know, I have been back and forth in the same way.  But I think Frasier is Aurum. He’s very high-minded and responsible; you know, Aurum is listed under “fastidious” and “fault-finding”, which explains some of his Arsenicum-like behaviors, but, the selfishness isn’t there, and then, you see the tell-tale “suicide attempt” in the history and you realize it’s Aurum.

Thanks for your insights!  I thought of Aurum at first, but then changed my mind due to the hyper-competitiveness.

You mean trying to get into the “Empire Club”?  But you see, he feels he BELONGS there–at the top!  After all, Aurum is the king!

Yes, being a doctor, leader in society and caring do lend itself to Aurum.  I had forgotten about the suicide attempt — darn 🙂 – that does nail it for Aurum and the number of times Frasier said “but, I belong here” at the apex of society’s uppermost establishments.

Best,

Zoe

***

Oh look!  It’s Miroslav and Jitka!

Hello, Elaine and Shana,

here are our solutions to the February quiz:

Miroslav says:

I believe Frasier is Nux vomica for the two following reasons:

– He is ambitious, behaves like the right leader, yet is compassionate, affectionate– relinquishes his membership on behalf his brother who is likely a Lycopodium who would never do it for Frasier.. 🙂

You know, that’s what I thought too!

– Attempted suicide by jumping from a height

I’m glad you noticed that; but, he was only “faking” to impress Lilith–he said.

– A hedonist–ordered a 18-year-old whiskey, his father feeds the dog with prosciutto, in the final scene gives the prosciutto to the dog, on the table in front of them is a glass of wine

Well, that drove Frasier crazy–that Marty, his dad, gave his expensive ham to the dog!

– Gives his listeners extravagant lessons

But Miroslav, would Nux vomica relinquish a prize?  Nux vomica needs to win at any cost, they have to be number-one and they’ll stop at nothing!  They’ll roll over anyone who gets in their way!

Jitka says:

At first I was thinking about Nux vomica, but his suicidal attempt to jump out the window because of his girlfriend (love), turned my attention to Aurum.

Aha!  Now we’re gettin’ somewhere!

In addition, I’m not sure whether Nux vomica would go apologize as first to Lycopodium.  Frasier seemed to me snobbish, aristocratic, conservatively nicely dressed, appreciating the finer things (the leather chair) and excellent drinks and food.  His father called him “good boy”, and I’m not sure if Nux vomicas are doing an impression of “good boys”…. and so on.  I tried to find some positive image about Aurum, like he behaves in a balanced state.  But all sources are saying that he is sullen, depressed man who is thinking only about suicide.  Even Phillip Bailey says in his book, that Aurum is even less nice than Nux vomica.  Nevertheless, I managed to collect a few rubrics in Repertory and information relating to the Aurum, which suit according to me on Frasier.

Mind; behaviour; industrious;

Mind; suicidal disposition; love, from disappointed

Mind; behaviour; jumping; from window (see suicide)

Ambition; much, ambitious

Responsibility, too much

Head; hair; falling;

Mind; talking, conversation; intolerant of contradiction;

Vain, arrogant and somewhat haughty, the “sun type” is nevertheless very warm-hearted and kind.  Once you get past the vanity, you see that they are kind givers who love to throw parties and splash out on big shows.  They are music lovers and especially like opera.  They make loyal friends, and though intent on big schemes, will always help others in need.  Gold people succeed very easily and are gifted as natural.

the duty-bound son

Aurum patient is neat in appearance,

conservatively dressed in an old fashion way,

Knobby tip of the nose.

These are individuals with many good qualities: they are intelligent, well-mannered, honest, responsible, hard-working and successful.

Best regards, Jitka

Wow, Jitka, you really nailed it!  Brilliant!  Yes, that is Frasier Crane exactly!  Well, it is now time for us to congratulate our winner…oh, and Jitka, it’s you! 

Bye everybody, see you again next month for another much celebrated Hpathy Quiz!

_____________________________

Elaine Lewis, D.Hom., C.Hom.

Elaine takes online cases! Write to her at [email protected]

Visit her website: elaineLewis.hpathy.com

About the author

Elaine Lewis

Elaine Lewis, D.Hom., C.Hom.
Elaine is a passionate homeopath, helping people offline as well as online. Contact her at [email protected]
Elaine is a graduate of Robin Murphy's Hahnemann Academy of North America and author of many articles on homeopathy including her monthly feature in the Hpathy ezine, "The Quiz". Visit her website at:
https://elainelewis.hpathy.com/ and TheSilhouettes.org

About the author

Shana Lewis

Shana spices up the Hpathy Quiz with her timely announcements and reviews on the latest in pop culture. Her vast knowledge of music before her time has inspired the nickname: "Shanapedia"!

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