1. Study Phosphorus, a remedy of excitement, of sensitivity to other people. Paschero says the Phosphorus patient must not be introverted, modest or calm. It is noted for burning pains, for bleeding, thirstiness for icy drinks, desire for salt. It is often hard to distinguish from Natrum muriaticum in many symptoms, but very different at the deeper levels – sensitivity, perhaps uncomfortable oversensitivity to others; warm, excited extroversion rather than the vulnerability, withdrawal, inner hurt of Natrum mur.
2. Study the case below, 11/9/78-SY-32yf. Follow-up and my suggested work-up appear on p. 45 & 46.
Case: 11/9/78-SY-32yf
11/9/78-SY-32yf – bright; computer analyst; active and effective in life. quiet, alert, active, attractive, thin; tearful at times & labile.
ups and downs – mood varies over minutes to days – even the high’s are scary, too hig
lonely tearful
scared by how I felt unstable – within myself
drinking a lot – to get numb, relieve inhibitions
?times – up betw. 5:30-8am – hard to get going, sleepy, sometimes bitchy after arising – coffee, cereal, muffin (sometimes doesn’t eat)
energy low through AM until mid afternoon ca. 2-3pm, then stays up and peaks as best time late night ca 11-12pm
to bed MN-1 & to sleep without difficulty – gets up in night to smoke, walk around – this will be at 4am or if twice, between 3-5am
eats at 11:30-noon = full lunch – hot or sandwich & water; then at 9pm = full dinner
eats bran in AM or gets constipated alt with cramps & diarrhea; BM in AM and occasionally. mid day; takes vitamins -ABCE; coffee = 2-10c/d, pot ca q d; no Rx or other meds.
thirsty a lot for water – pref room temp – lately
better cool, but enjoys sauna, sweating, hot sun if dressed for it; enjoys chilly if dressed for it sweats a lot – past 2 mo
?physical symptoms – had a cold not long ago – runny nose, sneezing, cough, tired, no energy – not with aches
recent lack of energy
likes salt,- tastes food first – usually adds salt
exercise – softball 2/wk, occas racket ball; feel much better with exercise – body feels healthy, toned; mentally better
no pref. re open air or inside
sleeps with heat off, cold – window closed unless hot; if warm is uncomfortable & wakes with stuffed head & groggy;
?irrit – not usually, but yes lately impatient- when others indecisive
annoyed by odors – garbage in house
fastidious – “in all ways” – house picked up, clean; self clean; clothes clean, pressed; desk neat;
bothered if messy – I like the way things look when towels folded, dishes done, sink clean. can’t stand grease on things (shudders) “creepy” on a surface, or hands
recently muscles and body feel great – young – esp after exercise
?cry – a lot – “ridiculous things” – feeling I’m not a good softball player, humiliated or angry, frustrated
?fearful – no – that people wont like me, respect me
?competitive – yes – sports, work – like to be recognized in authority (important that others know)
11/12 – remedy given
11/30 (18 days after remedy) moodiness “significantly better” – even husband commented felt calmer, more energy day after remedy (had nausea, tiredness, abdominal cramps for 2 h the evening after getting remedy; mouth was dry for a while, lips chapped)
easy to get up in AM – “amazing”
increased appetite, gained weight – esp. notes desires sweets (unusual for her)
1/14/79 no tearfulness after the remedy, sleeping 5 h/night and feeling very good, was sweating less, and less desire for salt. At X-mas had 1 cup coffee with no significant response – so – just after New Years had 3 cups of coffee, got very speedy, tense, and next day was irritable, tired and symptoms have been getting worse since. Some return of ups and downs – not severe. Minimal loneliness – was entirely gone. Tearful again in job stress. Sleeping 8-9h and not rested. Sweating more again. Most of all feels “bitchy,” impatient, irritable.
1/14 – remedy given
Studying the Case
Assessment of vital force:
Freedom – active, alert, effective, good relationships F = 8 Old – not aged nor severely ill at a young age O = 7 Relatives – family history not known R = ?
Center of gravity – mental symptoms minimal, emotional marked C = 5
Emergencies – job is often stress & crisis oriented; some recent difficulties, e.g. when criticized, alone E = 7
Sensitivity (Hypersensitivity) – no allergies, food sens; emotional S = 7
Overall = 7
Selecting rubrics related to her symptoms, and ranking them according to Mental-Emotional- Physical-General-Local also Unusual-Common and also Underlining (for clarity, intensity, spontaneity).
fastidious (p. 42; 8 remedies including the additions) – ANAC Ars carc Graph Nat-m Nat-s Nux-v thuj
impatient (p. 53; about 80 remedies)
moods alternating (p. 67; about 60 remedies)
disgust (p. 37; 8 remedies) – ars cimx coloc Merc mez phos PULS SULPH lassitude (p. 1370; about 150 remedies)
weeping, involuntary (p. 93; 23 remedies) – Alum Aur Bell Cann-i Caust cina coff cupr IGN lach merc mosch NAT-M phos PLAT plb PULS RHUS-T SEP stann stram verat viol-o
exercise ameliorates (p. 1358; 9 remedies including additions) – canth Ign nat-m plb RHUS-T SEP sil stann tril
irritable (p. 57; about 250 remedies) thirsty (p. 527; about 200 remedies)
stomach, desires salt (p.486; 35 remedies) – Aloe ARG-N atro Calc Calc-p calc-s CARB-V Caust Cocc con Cor-r LAC-C Lvss Manc Med meph merc-i-f merc-i-r NAT-M Nit-ac PHOS Plb Sanic sel sulph Tarent teucr thuj Tub VERAT aur-m-n Chin scarlatina sil uva
Using the five rubrics above which seem to be a workable size, that is 1, 4, 6, 7 & 10, I turned up only three remedies which appear more than twice: nat-m (9/4), phos (5/3), plb (4/3).
Checking these back against the other 5 larger rubrics, I found nat-m had 1, 2, 2, 3, 3** phos had 1, 0, 2, 3, 3 plb had 0, 0, 2, 2, 0
So for overall ratings for these 10 rubrics, nat-m = 20/9** phos = 14/7 plb = 8/5
The next, and very important step is to read the materia medica (preferably more than one) to see if one of these remedies seems to fit the patient. If not, rethink. the case and look for more correctly applicable and ranked rubrics. (Remedy given p. 49).