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Editorial: the Hydrocarbons - as unnoticed as plastic
by Carolyn Burdet
This issue of Interhomeopathy is offered in the hope that recognising the themes unseen in the Carbons will direct us towards a remedy for our unresolved cases.
While editing the notes for the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital’s proving of Petroleum supplied for this issue, I changed the word “visible” to “seen” as it had seemed out of context in a theme, “being ‘visible’ in a dream”. It seemed a minor edit at the time. A month (and you’d think, several million firings of the brain synapses later…), this word “visible” was in my mind. I knew I had been mistaken to change it.
The Petroleum proving is such a clear summary of the themes that appear in all these cases, that it seemed safe to send it off to the publishers of this journal. One thing that drives a publisher mad is retracting a piece for revisions after it has been sent. However, this one word “visible” was blinking away like a warning light. I did not know why it was important, until reading in Roger Morrison’s book on Carbon - Organic and Hydrocarbon Remedies in Homeopathy that feeling invisible is a clue to needing a carbon remedy. Elizabeth Thompson knew precisely what she was doing, to say the theme was “visible”.
I knew about “invisible” in relation to plain old carbonate (Carbon remedies feel alone and have fear of ghosts). This invisibility is not the enhancement of a magical cloak, it is the unnoticed quality of plastic which belies the toxicity that appears innocuous enough to contain processed food or chemicals. It is the cheap yet profitable throwaway by-product of our artificial disposable culture, and yet carbon is also the essential building block of life. This, perhaps, is carbon’s quandary over value and self worth.
I had not appreciated the extent to which these themes permeate the homeopathic pictures of diverse substances of the organic carbons and hydrocarbon group – encompassing solids, liquids, gases and volatile compounds, naturally occurring, organic and chemical substances, ranging from diamonds and soot, to gasoline (fuel), and ranging from aromatic plant sap (camphor, eucalyptus, peppermint) to artificial chemical lubricants and man- made plastics, acetates and alcohols. With such a complex group of remedies it is daunting to see how to go straight to the remedy.
Carbon appears in different forms according to how the atoms arrange or combine (diamond, carbon dioxide, petrol, plastic). Carbons perplexingly extend beyond the mineral kingdom. Carbo animalis is in the animal kingdom, Gallic acid (from oak galls or nuts) has a restlessness that may be confused with Nux vomica, Medorrhinum, Tarantula or insect remedies; Camphor is from a tree and puts the “weird” theme in context of the bewildered sensation of Magnoliaceae. Chloroform and other carbon compounds are anaesthetics, appearing confusingly similar to drug remedies.
There may be glimpses of the second series’ themes of the birth process in Carbon or Nitrogen (or both in Glonoine or Benzine nitricum) according to Jan Scholten’s Element Theory, with keynotes of the specific compounds, known since their proving by Hahnemann.
Roger Morrison lists themes of each group of carbon compounds, aromatic carbons, cations and anions, with a personable approach to how they appear in human cases. He points out the sweetness of volatile compounds (esters’ aroma of pear drops or almonds making sense of “dreams of almonds”), blandness of some carbons, contrasting with the explosive volatility, shock and violence of the fuels, whose polluting exhaust fumes are overshadowed by the relentless, ruthless profitability of oil trading, transport, and war. These themes come through in the remedy states.
It calls on our capacity for overview and clarity to see the coherence of themes in this group and to realise in essence that this is a Carbon case. A remedy needed from this highly complex group may go unseen for years. What the cases in this issue have in common is that it was a long and circuitous route to find the remedy that worked deeply to resolve the case.
In sharing these cases, the homeopaths enable us to take a more direct route to the carbons when faced with a patient presenting with a poly-symptomatic picture (which may be characteristised by exhaustion or speed and drive, materialistic ambition or lack of self worth, burning up with heat or icy cold chills). With the help of Roger Morrison’s textbook in one hand and clarity of hindsight in the other, we see how the final remedy always made sense.
Categories: Editorials
Keywords: editorial
Remedies:
Carbon and Hydrocarbons; a common element with a slippery identity
by Roger Morrison
Carbon is the common building block of life on earth. Organic carbon based compounds derive mainly from petroleum and there has been an explosion in the use of petrochemicals in manmade plastics, polymers, additives, as detergent, solvents and lubricants, in food production and medicines, building materials, pipes and cables, and hydrocarbons, combustible petrochemicals, crude oil and natural gas as a source of energy for heating, lighting and electricity because of the energy produced when burnt, and fuel for transport.
Hahnemann did the first provings of the carbon remedies: Petroleum, Graphites and Camphora, and the charcoal remedies Carbo vegetabils and Carbo animalis. He also proved several acetate remedies: Mercurius, Manganum; Calcarea carbonicum; and Baryta carbonicum.
Organic carbons take many forms including hard solids, smooth compounds (plastics), liquid polymers (like paints and dyes), volatile fuels, and plant terpenes, alkaloids and phenolics. Carbon compounds are not confined to the mineral kingdom. Of the 150 or so carbon based remedies only four are pure carbon: Adamas (diamond), Graphites, Carbo animalis, Carbo vegetabilis. The others are compounds including Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Sulphur.
Carbon themes include invisibility or lack of identity, blankness, value, self worth, blandness. These bland colourless compounds appear innocuous (like plastic) yet they can be poisonous or pollutants. A recurring theme in Carbon remedies is confusion, feeling lost in an unfamiliar place; in contrast with the fiery hydrocarbon themes of fuel, power, transport, travelling at speed in vehicles, industrial and technology, materialism, exploitation, explosive, volatility and violence.
Some Carbon remedies comprise only three elements: Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen. The structural arrangement and how the element combine, makes a vastly different substance and gives different symptoms in a remedy. Luckily, each group has reliable similarities eg. Carboxylics, Carbonyls (Camphor) or all Alcohols. Through provings and cured cases, we have gained some insight into the various groups:
Alcohol - Bravado/Inhibition
Aliphatic - Passivity
Amine - Grudge, Withdrawal
Aromatic - Mental excess
Carbonyl - Persecution
Carboxylic - Fear and Clinging
Ether - Disassociation
Nitrate - Explosion
Nitrile - Betrayal
Sugar - Hunger
Terpene - Excitement, Stimulation
ALCOHOLS - Bravado / vs Inhibition
The alcohols have inhibition, or disinhibition with over-familiar behaviour. The patient is withdrawn or flagrantly egotistical, with immoderate laughter and gesticulation. These two characteristics can alternate, giving a manic state. They can flare up over long-held grudges, be offensive or abusive to family or friends. There may be childish bravado, which appears aggressive. His dependency feels threatening to him – he believes those who have helped him may let him down or abuse him. He has a desperate need to be understood and valued. He alternates between an attempt to cover up or overcome his flaws, then aggressiveness when his needs are not heard. Note that these remedies can be used in the treatment of alcoholism. Sycotic miasm.
Alcohols Rubrics
Abusive: Alco. Carb-Ac. Ferr-Pic. Gall-Ac. Lac-Ac. Sac-Alb.
Abusive of family and friends: Alco. Ferr-Pic. Gall-Ac. Lac-Ac.
Affectionate, distasteful: Carb-Ac.
Dipsomania: Alco. Carb-Ac. Chlol. Kreos. Lac-Ac. Sac-Alb.
Egotism/selfishness: Alco. Gall-Ac. Sac-Alb.
Forsaken feeling: Alco. Sac-Alb. Sac-L.
Gesticulating: Alco. Kres. Sac-Alb.
Guilt/embarrassment/shame: Alco. Kreos.
Immoderate: Alco. Carb-Ac.
Loquacity: Alco. Kres. Lac-Ac. Sac-Alb. Thymol.
Shame: Pic-Ac. Sac-Alb.
Shameless: Alco.
Talkativeness, untimely confessions: Alco.
Alcohols Provings and Cases
Alco: The modest blush of shame vanishes, improper, undignified acts are committed.
Alco: “My mother was an alcoholic. I was made to take care of her. I was invisible.” Morrison
Carb-Ac: “I hold grudges. I take a lot of guff for a long time then I explode. I can be bold and audacious.
If people are mean and nasty I can be obnoxious.” Reichenberg-Ullman
Kres: Loquacious. Gesticulation. Wants to embrace the whole world.
Kreos: “Guilt has been a big motivation. When her mother was dying, the patient gave up her career to care for her.” Baker
Lac-Ac: Hatefulness; writes mean things to her friends.
Sac-L: Cross and fault-finding, could not speak a pleasant word to anyone.
Alcohol Remedies
Alco. Carb-Ac. Chlol. Chrys-Ac. Cit-Ac. Gall-Ac. Glyc. Guajol. Kres. Kreos. Lac-Ac. Menthol. Meth-Sal. Naphtol. Pic-Ac. Res. Sac-Alb. Sac-L. Sal-Ac. Salin. Salol. Sarcol-Ac. Tann-Ac. Tart-Ac. Thymol. Ur-Ac. Vanil. Related Remedies: Menth. Ol-Sant. All Citrates. Picrates. Tartrates. All Sugars.
ALIPHATICS - Passivity
Over 20 aliphatic compounds are used in homeopathy, including Aceticum Acidum, Aetherum, Alcoholus, Amyl Nitrosum, Chloralum, Glonoinum and Oxalicum Acidum.
The main homeopathic characteristic is passivity. Aceticum Acidum is known for its desperate anxiety and irritability. Despite this, when under stress, there is utter passivity; lack of reactivity mentally and physically; whereas the aromatic remedies confront stress by excessive mental activity.
The carbons’ characteristic of confusion and slowed thinking is emphasized in this group of small, lipid soluble molecules that readily pass the blood-brain barrier. The passivity and lack of assertiveness is related to the carbons’ general theme of lack of self-worth and invisibility. A common complaint for Alcoholus patients is that they were never heard or listened to.
Aliphatic Physical symptoms
Circulatory dysfunction, pulsations, arrhythmia, ecchymosis, faintness.
Aliphatic Rubrics
Ailments from quarrels: Glon.
Indifference: Acet-Ac. Alco. But-Ac. Chlol Glon. Glyc. Lac-Ac. Nit-S-D. Ox-Ac. Sulfon.
Head: Pulsating blood vessels: Aether. Alco. Aml-N. Cit-Ac. Glon. Glyc. Lac-Ac. Ox-Ac. Paraf.
Chest, Pulsation: Acet-Ac. Alco. Aml-N. Chlol. Glon. Nit-S-D.
General; Faintness: Acet-Ac. Aether. Alco. Aml-N. Chlol. Cit-Ac. Glon. Lac-Ac. Nit-S-D. Ox-Ac. Sulfon.
Thios.
Aliphatic Provings and Cases
Acon-Ac: Dream: “I was a character who kept dying and coming back to life with a decomposing body.”
Alco: “I didn’t exist as far as the family was concerned, not being listened to.”
Carbn-H: “When she wants to change her clothes, she calls for her mother to help her. She needs help with simple tasks. She is not concerned about things. She just smiles and plays.”
Chlol: From having strong will and excellent mental power, she became listless and peevish, childish.
Cupr-Acet: They become totally apathetic, don’t want anything, except to be dead, at least there will be no more demands. Failing that, the least you can do for them is leave them alone to rest and sleep. Scholten
Glon: Describing her character: "I hate arguments."
Thios: Quiet, melancholic demeanor. Gives the impression of having suffered emotional trauma in life.
Aliphatic Remedies
Acet-Ac. Aceton. Acon-Ac. Aether. Aethyl-Br. Aethyl-N. Alco. Aml-N. Amylam. But-Ac. Carbn-H. Chlol. Cit-Ac. Cosm. Croto-Chlol. Glon. Glyc. Keto-Ac. Lac-Ac. Meth-Ae-Ae. Nit-S-D. Ox-Ac. Paraf. Sarcol-Ac. Succ-ac. Tart-Ac. Thios. Related Remedies: Acetyls-Ac. Benz-P. Benzin. Hip-Ac. Keroso. Nat-Pyruv. Petr. Phenac. Sulfon. Thymol. Trion. All Acetates. Citrates. Lactates. Oxalates. Succinates. Tartrates. Valerates.
AMINES - Grudge, Withdrawal
In our materia medica some 20 remedies include amine groups. Ammonium salts (NH4 ions) are related to amines. Scholten has written about ammonium salts in "Homeopathy and Minerals" identifying resentment, bitterness, grudges from disappointment. There are similar themes in the amines. The patient has a feeling of impending misfortune, disease or injury, difficulty with trust, poor communication skills. Dreams of thwarted attempts to communicate by telephone. He withdraws, becomes a loner, dislikes consolation; defensiveness, acting brusquely, cursing or impolite behavior. Impulsiveness and hurry, later indifferent to external things. Internally timid. Feels taken advantage of, persecuted, victimized. Amines are products of excretion, and these remedies are in the Leprosy miasm.
Amines Physical Symptoms
Renal disorders. Temperature regulation is disordered with marked chilliness. Headache and nausea, weakness and prostration.
Amines Rubrics
Company, aversion to: Allox. Prop. Skat. Thios.
Cursing: Allox. Skat.
Dictatorial: Allox.
Dreams animals: Allox. Indol.
Forsaken: Allox
Washing the hands: Allox.
Amines Provings and Cases
Allox: “I often dream of mice… disgusting animals. Two of them coming from a cemetery and then they mated… it was awful.” Mangialavori
Allox: Feels dirty, keeps washing hands.
Prop: Morose, with great desire to be let alone.
Skat: Despondency, hopelessness. Not apprehension. Irritability, peeved.
Thios: A loner, claims there is no one she can relate to. Riley
Thios: “I sometimes think I am great, other times I think I am worthless. Sometimes I just want to be left alone, but I hate that, too.” Riley
Amine Remedies
Acetan. Allox. Ami-Sal-ac. Amylam. Anil. Anil-S. Antipyrin. Hip-Ac. Indol. Lysid. Methyl.
Oro-Ac. Paraph. Phenac. Pipe. Prop. Skat. Sulfa. Sulpha. Sulfonam. Thios. Ur-Ac. Urea.
Amides (aminoesters) Hip-Ac. Phenac. Sulfonam.
AROMATICS - Mental overactivity
Mentally, the benzene derivatives’ mind is racing with ideas, loquacious, speedy, pressured in speech and movement. Starting. Sexual arousal, excitement, excessive erections, nocturnal emissions, fantasy. Preoccupation with the past, and sad or unpleasant memories.
Aromatics Rubrics
Thoughts rapid: Carb-Ac. Pic-Ac.
Ideas abundant: Carb-Ac. Kreos. Pic-Ac.
Excitement: Sal-Ac.
Loquacity: Benz-N. Kres. Thymol. Sal-Ac.
Lascivious: Carb-Ac. Pic-Ac. Sal-Ac. Zinc-Pic.
Aromatics Provings and Cases
Benz-D: “I must be constantly stimulated... interesting things. Internal restlessness. Driven. In a state of alert.” Morrison
Gall-Ac: “Nocturnal erections, annoyingly hard. I try to stop the sexual fantasies – they’re too much. It’s an addiction.” Morrison
Gall-Ac: “Thoughts are going all the time. My left temple stays locked all day long. This keeps my mind wired. I am a workaholic. I get obsessed with projects. But I also want to escape the real world. I want to just get the idea and have others carry it out. Poor mental focus.” Morrison
Aromatics / Benzene Physical Symptoms
Haemorrhage, anemia. Weakness during menses. Band-like sensations. Vertigo and Meniere’s syndrome. Amelioration in the open air. Retinitis and retinal haemorrhage. Hay fever. Tinnitus. Glossitis. Inflammation of prostate. Kidney stones. Emphysema. Heaviness or inflammation of the spine and spinal cord. Ataxia (related to spinal difficulties). Oedema. Gout and podagra. Gangrenous burns.