Today is the last day of miasmatic theory, and it is different again. If you have been with me all along, thank you for reading. I have put hours of time and research into this, and they have taken me over 6 weeks to write.
Louis Klein has two excellent books on Miasms and Nosodes that are a fantastic reference. He looks at the different microbes and discusses miasms, for which he has expanded on Sankaran’s 10 miasms in order to fit them Jan Scholten’s stages, which classifies remedies based on where they are on the periodic table.
This was a revolutionary work when Scholten published his book in 1996, and not only gave us the information needed to prescribe new remedies that hadn’t been proved, but also helped explain why some remedies did have similarities, and this is to do with their relationship in the periodic table, whether they fit in the same row or column. I am not going to go too much more into this, just enough to say that each stage or column of the periodic table has its own themes, and these are seen in the way that people deal with their environment and react to problems and life in general.
Klein suggests that by classifying the miasms into stages, the client could first be given the applicable mineral remedy and then later follow with the nosode from that stage. As always though this requires clinical judgement and a look at the totality of the case, and is not a rule to be followed. Another cornerstone of homeopathic practice is Individuality, so any prescriptive suggestion of how to treat a client which doesn’t take into account them as an individual and the totality of everything that is happening for them is in fact not Homeopathic at all.
I will only briefly discuss the miasms that I have already discussed over the past 8 days, focusing more on the other eight miasms that I have not discussed.
Stage 1 is the Acute Viral Miasm. Klein describes it as obvious, from simple spontaneity, and says that they are instinctive and initiate things but may seem naive.
Stage 2: the Typhoid Miasm with the theme protect from crisis and criticism. They are more sensitive of other people judging them, and may have problems with their self worth.
Stage 3 is the Ringworm miasm, but also the Bacteria Pleomorphism miasm. Pleomorphic bacteria are interesting, in that they change their shape (morphology) or the function or reproduction in response to what they are exposed to in the environment. Klein notes the theme for this is Rivalry from comparing and split identity, and stage 3 is that of imposter syndrome, and a constant need to adapt.
Stage 4 is the Measles miasm, and the first new one. The measles nosode is Morbillinum, and is not actually covered in either of Klein’s books, but nonetheless has been around for over a hundred years. This stage has a feeling of amazement, where they are unsure but halfway in to a project. He likens it to the developmental leap that was common after measles infection.
Stage 5, the Malaria miasm has a theme of caution from avoidance. Klein also categorises Clostridium perfringens and Leptospirosis as miasms of this stage. Stage 5 has a lot of skepticism and lack of faith. The malaria nosode has a lot of toxic emotions, problems with family including family feuds, and big ideas but with a lot of doubt.
Stage 6 is the Corynebacterium miasm. This includes the Diphtheria and Propionibacterium acnes nosodes. The theme here is daring, and this is the stage that feels like nothing can touch them, they are impervious. Physically diphtheria forms a thick membrane, and other remedies of this stage have thick or stringy mucus (Kali Bich is one). Diphtherinum as a remedy has a lot of courage and daring, but also a theme around family, death of relatives and an attachment to tradition. The Propionibacterium acnes nosode also has a family theme, although more around obligations and expectations.
Stage 7 is Herpes Zoster with the theme of helpfulness, helping others learn and sharing their wisdom. Klein does not discuss these remedies further, but fors call this later the shingles miasm. It is not clear whether he means the whole Herpesviridae family which includes both Herpes Simplex 1 and 2, responsible for oral cold sores and genital herpes, and also Varicella Zoster, which is chickenpox and shingles. Sankaran fit Herpes Simplex into the Ringworm miasm because of their outbreaks and then long periods of latency.
Stage 8 is the Tetanus Miasm and Burkholderiales Miasm. The theme here is of persistence and having to force their way through tasks and life. There are lots of feelings of pressure and force. Tetanus is a well known disease (although fortunately much less prevalent than in times past for a number of reasons). The Burkholderiaceae bacteria family includes Burkholderia bacteria species which are particularly a problem in cystic fibrosis (although there is no remedy made from them), a remedy Hippozaenium which is the disease Glanders in animals, and the most well known, Pertussis, or Whooping Cough with the remedy Pertussin. The Tetanus nosode has a love or affinity for horses, and Glanders is a disease primarily of horses.
Stage 9 is the Yersinia Miasm and Mycoplasma miasm and has the theme of retreat from success when they are almost at the peak. Yersinia is the plague, the Black Death that was the scourge of the Middle Ages, and is named after the scientist Yersin who discovered the bacillus responsible. There are two nosodes, Yersinia Pestis which is the plague, and Yersinia Enterocolitica which is associated with food poisoning and there may be a link to autoimmune thyroiditis. In this stage there is the theme of nearly achieving their goals, but not quite, and self approval with sometimes a disdain of authority or approval from others.
Stage 10 is Neisseriales aka the Sycotic miasm with the theme of being obvious about their success, plenty of egotism and self confidence.
Stage 11 is the Cholera Miasm, and also Toxoplasmosis. The theme for stage 11 is about protecting and preserving their success – they reached the pinnacle in stage 10 and are now desperately trying to hold onto it. The cholera nosode has a lot of rules and rituals that they will maintain in order to hold onto their social position, and have ailments from loss of social status or wealth.
Stage 12 is the Cancer Miasm, with the core word rival When discussing the stages early in the second volume he states the Staphylococcus Miasm is also part of stage 12, but later he says it more fits stage 3 (which has the same core word of Rival). Staphylococcus has a wide range of disease from skin lesions- impetigo, boils, styes – through to deeper and more serious abscesses, cellulitis, mastitis, urinary tract infections, endocarditis and pneumonia.
Stage 13 is the Prion and Amyloid Miasm, and also the Chlamydia Miasm. The core word is maze, like stage 4, but the theme is maze/confuse with on and off withdrawal. They are starting to disengage with the world, more sarcasm and giving up on things. Chlamydia has a lot of secrecy and hiding their true self, alternating indifference with sensitivity. Klein likens it to online bullying where the perpetrator hides their own identity. Prion and Amyloid disease, which are Creutzfreldt-Jakob disease and Alzheimer’s respectively have no specific nosodes, but Klein puts them in this group with the confusion from loss of cognitive abilities.
Stage 14 is the Polio Paralysis Miasm, and also the Botulinum and Pneumococcinum Miasms. The core word is caution, with a theme of looking at all sides with indifference. Polio and Botulin toxin both have significant paralysis, and the weakness and caution of this stage can distance or paralyse them.
Stage 15 is the Tubercular Miasm with the core word dare. Klein also says there are deep feelings of loss, which may be seen in the Tubercular restlessness where they may run away from their problems.
Stage 16 is the Leprosy Miasm, also the bowel nosodes, Colibacillinum and Borrelia, and the theme is helpless with rot and laziness. We discussed Leprosy yesterday, and the bowel nosodes are an interesting addition as they have many different indications (which deserve their own post). Colibacillinum is E Coli, and is not only implicated in disease from sewage contamination, but there is also a link with dementia. Borrelia is the spirochete responsible for Lyme disease, and has themes of helplessness and persecution, which many people with Lyme disease have experienced as medical gas lighting before they can finally get a diagnosis, which leaves them isolated and feeling trapped.
Stage 17 is the Syphilitic Miasm, and like Sankaran’s placing it shows the destructive nature. Also included in stage 17 is the Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis which is responsible for Johne’s disease, a chronic and often fatal disease of cattle. The core word is persevere, but it is the destructive nature of obsessive and uncontrolled actions.
Finally, Stage 18 is the Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) miasm. The foreword is retreat, and in this stage they are stuck and dissociative. This is a parasitic disease which despite its name does not cause a Sandman like sleep where they do not wake, initially it causes fever and swollen lymph glands, which later become a neurological disorder including alteration of the circadian rhythms, slurred speech and difficulty walking and talking. It usually takes years to reach that stage.
Louis Klein’s work is going to take time to digest, and certainly has opened some very interesting theories around miasmatic disease, going in a different direction to Sankaran’s work. For a discussion of different nosodes his books are a fantastic reference that I highly recommend.
I hope you have enjoyed this series about miasmatic theory. I have tried to make it as complete as possible, and yet there is still a lot of information not covered, so if you are a Homeopath or a student then I highly recommend you delve into some or all of the books I have mentioned throughout the series.