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| Medorrhinum |
Med.
The human need for love and sex is made to bear the burden of all our bodily starvation for contact and sensation, all our creative starvation, all our need for social contact, and even our needs to find some meaning to our lives.
[Deirdre English]
Signs
Gonorrhoea nosode.
NEISSERIA The genus Neisseria contains a number of species which are normal flora and pathogens of humans and animals; of these, the pathogenic species N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis are of human origin. Strains of N. meningitidis may be carried as normal flora in the throat. Under some circumstances, N. meningitidis may also be pathogenic, causing sporadic cases or epidemics of meningitis. Between 3% and 30% of healthy persons in nonepidemic geographic areas may be asymptomatic carriers of N. meningitidis i.e. , meningococci have colonized their throats without causing disease. The carrier state may persist for many months. N. meningitidis causes epidemic meningitis in many parts of the world such as Sub-Saharan Africa. Certain types of N. meningitidis are usually associated with meningitis. Other Neisseria species are considered to be commensals i.e. , they colonize the host without causing disease. Strains of these species are normal flora in the throat. 1
GONORRHOEA Gonorrhoea is an ancient disease. An Assyrian tablet speaks of thick or cloudy urine, and the Hippocratic writers refer to ‘strangury’. It is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae, named after the German bacteriologist Albert Neisser [1855-1916] who in 1876 identified the gonococcus causing gonorrhoea. The bacterium grows and multiplies quickly in moist, warm areas of the body. Infections are most commonly found in the urethra in males and the cervix in females, and are transmitted by sexual contact. The throat, rectum and eyes of both sexes can also be affected. Gonococcal infections are 1.5 times as common in men than in women, although serious sequelae are much more common in women. Gonorrhoea is a significant health problem worldwide, with approximately 200 million new cases of gonorrhoea appearing each year. In the United States 133 cases occurred per 100,000 people in 1998, showing an increase of 11 cases per 100,000 compared to 1997, while the rate had fallen 64.2% from 1985 to 1997. Due to the dramatic rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of the gonococcus, the treatment of gonorrhoea is also an increasing problem.
SYMPTOMS The onset of symptoms is from 1 to 30 days following infection, with 3-5 days as an average. Common signs are discharge of pus from the urethra and mild to severe burning pain when urinating. Females will have an unusual vaginal discharge, or pain on urination. Up of 20% of infected men will not have any symptoms, whilst 80% of infected women may be without symptoms. More advanced problems, indicating progression to pelvic inflammatory disease [PID], include nausea, vomiting, ovaritis, lower abdominal pain, lower back pain, cramps during and between the menstrual cycle, vaginal discharge, fever, and pain or bleeding associated with intercourse. Internal scarring and blockage of fallopian tubes can result in sterility, tubal pregnancies, chronic pelvic pain and menstrual irregularities. Infected women can pass gonorrhoea to their newborn infants during delivery, causing eye infections in their babies. Blindness from neonatal gonococcal infection is a serious problem in developing countries but is now uncommon in the US and other countries where neonatal prophylaxis [with silver nitrate or erythromycin] is routine. In males, gonorrhoea can cause pain and swelling in the testicles, possibly resulting in sterility. The most common long-term sequelae of gonorrhoea are chronic pelvic pain in women after PID, septic abortion, chorioamnionitis in pregnancy, blindness after neonatal or adult conjunctivitis, and infertility of either sex.
DGI Disseminated gonococcal infection [DGI] occurs following approximately 1% of genital infections. It is seen more frequently in women, especially during menstruation and pregnancy. Patients with DGI may present with symptoms of rash, fever, arthralgias, migratory polyarthritis, septic arthritis, endocarditis, or meningitis. Joint or tendon pain is the most common presenting complaint. About 25% of patients with DGI complain of pain in a single joint, while up to 2/3 describe polyarthralgia, which often is migratory. Severe pain, swelling, and decreased mobility in a single joint suggest a purulent arthritis with effusion. The knee is the most common site of purulent gonococcal arthritis. Tenosynovitis also is common, usually affecting the small joints of the hands. Skin rash is a presenting complaint in approximately 25% of patients, but a careful examination will reveal a rash in the majority of patients with DGI, including maculopapular, pustular, necrotic, or vesicular rash, typically occurring on the torso, limbs, palms, and soles. The rash usually spares the face, scalp, and mouth. Haemorrhagic lesions, erythema nodosum, urticaria, and erythema multiforme occur less frequently. Headache, neck pain and stiffness, fever, and decreased sensorium may indicate gonococcal meningitis. This disease may be clinically indistinguishable from meningococcal meningitis on presentation, although the course of gonococcal meningitis usually is less rapid than that of meningococcal meningitis. Gonococcal endocarditis is more common in men than women. Patients with collagen vascular disease [especially those with systemic lupus erythematosus] also may be more prone to this complication. DGI can cause abscess formation within the soft tissues, presenting as localized tenderness, oedema, and pain with motion. 2
CHLAMYDIA Gonorrhoea often occurs together with chlamydia, another common sexually transmitted disease with an incidence, in the United States, of an estimated 4 million new cases each year. Symptoms usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure, if any symptoms occur at all; 50% of infected women and 25% of infected men develop no symptoms whatsoever. The symptoms of gonorrhoea and chlamydia are so similar that the only definitive way to diagnose chlamydial infection is attempting to grow chlamydia bacteria from a sample of secretions in specialized tissue culture in the laboratory. Up to 40% of women with chlamydia will develop pelvic inflammatory disease. Chlamydia is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Pregnant women may pass the infection to their newborn infants during delivery, with subsequent neonatal conjunctivitis or pneumonia. Infant chlamydia pneumonia in the first month produces rapid, closely spaced staccato coughing with brief inspirations resembling whooping cough but without whoops or fever. In males chlamydia typically causes urethral infection with painful urination, but may also result in complications such as swollen and tender testicles.
PROVINGS •• [1] Swan and Berridge [collection of provings] – 45-50 provers [about 50% females, and 50% males], c. 1888; method: various high potencies, such as 1M, 10M, 20M, 40M, 60M, and MM; manner not stated; contains also cured symptoms.
[1] Bacterial STD Branch, Division of AIDS, STD, and TB Laboratory Research, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. A. [2] Behrman, Gonococcal infection; University of Pennsylvania Medical Center; website.
Affinity
Mind. Nerves. Mucous membranes. Lymphatics. Cellular tissue [lungs; pelvis; joints]. Spine. Kidneys. Left ovary.
Modalities
Worse: Damp; cold. Daytime. 3-4 A.M. After urinating. Touch. Closed room. Thinking of disease. Heat. Sun. Thunderstorm. Least movement. Perspiration. Stretching. Leaning head forward. Salt bath.
Better: LYING ON ABDOMEN. Bending backward [> constipation]. Fresh air. Uncovering. Hard rubbing. Seaside. Dampness. Sunset.
Main symptoms
M TIME passes too SLOWLY.
• Time moves so slowly that things done an hour ago appear to have occurred a year since; asked the time of day, and in five minutes insisted that half an hour had elapsed and could not believe it had not till she had seen the watch.” [H.C. Allen]
HURRY.
• “Always rushing on and ANTICIPATING, yet without any concrete cause and lacking the desire for realization.” [Barbancy]
• “These individuals have a problem with time. They are constantly projecting into the future. ‘What comes next?’ This question, which is constantly on their lips, ruins the present for them. Mother Medorrhinum is a perpetual planner. We know that in one week we are having dinner with these people, then in a month we are going to that place, in two months we’ll start our Christmas shopping, and so on. In addition, people benefiting from Med. are endowed with clairvoyance, but only foresee catastrophes or negative events. For example, they think of someone and then that person calls to say he is sick.” [Grandgeorge]
• “Is always anticipating; feels most matters sensitively before they occur and generally correctly.” [H.C. Allen]
Restlessness, cannot keep still, but feels greatly relieved by clutching the hand very tight. [Berridge]
M Everything seems UNREAL, as if in a dream.
Feels FAR OFF.
Confusion as to his identity.
Sensation of unbearable inner EMPTINESS.
Sensation of being superfluous or rejected.
Delusion he is doomed.
Weird thoughts.
All resulting in efforts to escape.
M EXTREMES; exceeding all limits.
No bounds [due to lack of orientation points – parental or intrinsic].
• “Medorrhinums are adventurers. Some explore the physical world, fearlessly drinking in the nectar of new experiences as they travel the globe. Some explore the world of emotion, forming one intense relationship after another, often with widely differing personalities. Others explore the vast vistas of intellectual ideas, devouring philosophies as eagerly as they devour scientific theories and developments. And some take heady excursions into the realms of imagination and mystical insight. Most Medorrhinums are enthusiastic adventurers in all of these aspects of life, willing to learn from the unknown, and optimistic that they will survive its perils.” [Bailey]
Fears boredom most of all; ‘attention junkies’; ‘party animals’.
Needs sex, and more of it [partners]. 1
M Contrasting extremes in ONE person.
c Passionate, maniacal, wild, strong sex drive, lack of self-control, cruel, impatient, SELF-CENTRED.
c Overwhelmed by inner unformed impulses – contrasting with: withdrawal from outer world into inner dream world [self-centred, feels far off, as if in a dream, forgetful, absent-minded, sensitive to beauty, nice things, nature, flowers, etc.].
c Or EITHER state in a person.
M Shuns RESPONSIBILITIES.
• “I often see the situation of Medorrhinum as that of a young prince whose father, the King, is about to die. The prince is weak and not yet ready to face the responsibilities that lie ahead. He is surrounded by uncles and ministers ready to take advantage of his weakness and usurp the throne. In order to survive, the young prince has to put a very bold, egoistic, rude and aggressive front, and not let his inner powerlessness be exposed. This situation would also help us understand the unwillingness of Medorrhinum to take up responsibilities and his non-committal stance; he feels that if he commits and is then unable to fulfil that commitment, his weakness will be exposed.” [Sankaran]
Can work hard, but only for short periods.
Bouts of hopelessness.
M CONFUSION.
Loses thread of conversation.
• “In conversation he would occasionally stop, and on resuming make remark that he could not think what word he wanted to use.”
• “Great difficulty in stating her symptoms, loses herself and has to be asked over again.”
• “Seems to herself to make wrong statements, because she does not know what to say next, begins all right but does not know how to finish; weight on vertex, which seems to affect mind.” [H.C. Allen]
• “Went up to a strange gentleman and embraced him, thinking it was her husband.”2
Weeping when telling her symptoms [due to CONFUSION].
M Fear of DARK.
Delusion someone is behind her – fear that someone is behind her.
• “Thinks someone is behind her, hears whispering; sees faces that peer at her from behind bed and furniture.”
• “Persons come in, look at her, whisper, and say ‘come’.” [H.C. Allen]
M BITING NAILS.
G “Can be chilly or warm; tend to the warm side.” [Morrison]
Craving for fresh air.
G Strong desire for all sorts of DIFFERENT things [e.g. sweets + sour + spicy + salt].
• “Great craving for sweets, the necessity of having candy is a case of life and death.”
• “Craved and ate hard green fruit without discomfort.”
• “Intense craving for ice, calling for it while unconscious.”3
G > EVENING; night people.
• “It is well known that Medorrhinum feels better after sunset. This is true not only physically, but also emotionally. More specifically, Medorrhinum switches at sunset from the rational, objective mode of being to the more spontaneous, lyrical and romantic mode. In such a state he sees the world more from the viewpoint of the poet or the artist, and is disinclined to pursue logical trains of thought. He may be quite happy keeping down an office-job from nine to five, so long as he can switch off in the evening and enjoy the beauty of life.” [Bailey]
G > Discharges.
G > SEASIDE.
G > Lying on ABDOMEN or in knee-elbow position.
G FISHY odour [of discharges].
G Personal or family history of GONORRHOEA.
G Early MASTURBATION.
G Dwarfish children; slow learning to talk, children that continue to crawl.
Fear of dark [very insecure; always keep a toy close to them].
Very thirsty.
Asthma + biting nails.
G Almost specific in Reiter’s syndrome [urethritis, conjunctivitis + arthritis].
P Asthma only > lying on abdomen and sticking out tongue. [Allen]
P Coldness of breasts, esp. of nipples [rest of body warm, esp. during menses].
P Burning hands and FEET; wants them uncovered.
P Oversensitivity of SOLES of FEET.
P Peculiar: Feeling as if joints were out of joint on getting up; she shakes herself to get them into place. [Berridge]
[1] Wallace, Remedy Notes. [2-3] Berridge, Medorrhinum; International Hahn. Association, 1889.
Rubrics
Mind
Alcoholism resulting in timidity [1; Merc.]. Anxiety if a time is set [1]. Boaster [2]. Colours, aversion to black [1], desire for white [1]. Cursing, has to restrain himself in order not to curse [1]. Delusions, of being caressed on head by someone [1/1], sees faces wherever he turns his eyes, or faces looking out from corners [1], of hearing footsteps behind him [1], things done today occurred a week ago [1/1], someone is talking behind him [1/1]. Despair from the smallest criticism [1/1]. Exhilaration at night [2/1]. Fear, of being alone at night [2], that someone is behind him [1], of cats [1]. Hurry, everybody moves too slowly [1]. Playing, desire to play at night [2]. Talking of nothing but one subject [1]. Always washing her hands [2]. Weeping, > [2], when telling of her sickness [2]. Wild feeling in head [2].
Head
Motions of head, sideways, rocks head from side to side to relieve pain [2].
Eye
Pain, as if eyes were being pulled out [1], when shut [1/1]. Sensation of protrusion [2]. Sensation as if staring [1/1].
Vision
Colours before the eyes, brown [1]. Objects seem small [1].
Nose
Coryza, > bathing in the sea [1/1].
Mouth
Protruding tongue > [1; > asthma].
Rectum
Constipation, must lean far back to pass stool [2/1]. Diarrhoea, from riding in a train [1/1]. Moisture, smelling like fish-brine [2].
Female
Coition, enjoyment absent [2]. Sexual desire increased at night, rousing her [2].
Chest
Sensation of emptiness in heart region [1].
Limbs
Wants hands and feet fanned [2/1].
Sleep
Position, on back with hands over the head [1]; kneeling [2]; on knees with face forced into pillow [1]. Waking, as having slept one’s fill, even after a short sleep [1]; from vertigo [2].
Dreams
Of pain [2].
Food
Aversion: [2]: Cold drinks; cold food; eggplant. [1]: Salt [*]; slimy food; sweets.
Desire: [2]: Alcohol; ale; beer; eel; fat; fat + sweets; fish; green fruit; ice; lemons; salty things; salt + sweets; sour; sweets. [1]: Cheese; chocolate; fat + salt; juicy things; oranges; potatoes; raw onions; smoking; warm drinks.
Worse: [1]: Brandy; meat; oranges; orange juice; sweets.
* Repertory addition [Berridge].
