Nosodes

A nosode is a preparation from the morbid tissue of a person suffering from the disease for which a remedy is required. Hahnemann himself was the first to use nosodes, and he introduced Medorrhinum, the nosode of gonorrhoea, Syphilinum the nosode of syphilis, and Psorinum, the nosode of psoriasis. Other nosodes were added to the list by various people as time went on, including Variollnum, the nosode of smallpox, Bacillinum the nosode of lung tuberculosis, Diphtherinum the nosode of diphtheria, Pertussin the nosode of whooping cough, Parotidinum the nosode of mumps, Morbillinum the nosode of measles, etc.

They serve in several ways:

1. As a remedy used during the treatment of disease. i.e. the use of the Parvo nosode during the treatment of Parvo. Herring noted that he had never succeeded in curing, but only ameliorating diseases when he used nosodes. So, nosodes can be used during the treatment of acute diseases, in order to help other more similar remedies to complete the cure.

2. Nosodes are used as inter-current remedies in the treatment of chronic disease. This is the most common use of nosodes in Homeopathic practice.

3. When during the treatment of chronic disease, the similar remedy stops working, the use of the nosode at this point in the healing process, will remove the obstacles to cure and allow the similar remedy to continue the cure.

4. As the constitutional remedy during the treatment of chronic disease. In this instance, the nosode will be prescribed on the totality of the patient’s symptoms just like any other remedy.

5. Homeopathic Prophylaxis. The first use of a homeopathic remedy in prophylaxis was done by Hahnemann when he used the remedy Belladonna as prophylaxis for scarlatina.

    An important modern field for the use of nosodes is prophylaxis against epidemic and other acute infectious diseases. Experiments have shown that the nosode of a disease, when administered to healthy persons in small infrequent doses, will protect against that disease, and this method of protection is far safer than inoculation or vaccination with serums obtained from the bodies of animals. The usual method of administering nosodes as prophylactics is to give one dose of the nosode once a week for about six weeks. Experiments made in France tend to show that the higher potencies protect for longer periods than the lower potencies.

CLASSIFICATION OF NOSODES:

1. Basic nosodes: Psorinum, Bacillinum, Syphilinum, Medorrhinum, and Carcinosinum.

2. Exanthem nosodes: Morbillinum, Parotidinum, Vaccininum, Pertussinum,Diphtherinum, anthracinum, Malandrinum, Variolinum and Influenzinum.

3. Isopathic nosodes: Streptococcinum, Pneumococcinum, Staphylococcinum, Malaria officinalis and pyroginum.

4. Autogenous nosodes: secretions or discharges from the pathological tissues or organs of the patient himself for the treatment (Tautopathy).

5. Intestinal nosodes: Dr. Bach and Dr. Wheeler.

6. Bach nosodes or Bowel nosodes: Bacillus proteus, Bacillus dysenteria coli, Bacillus morgan, Bacillus faecalis, Bacillus mutabile, Bacillus gaertner, Bacillus No 7.

Commonly used nosodes: (well proved): Tuberculinum, Psorinum, Medorrhinum, Syphillinum, Pyrogenium.

Other remedies: Influenzinum, Leuticum, Pneumococcinum, Streptococcinum, Staphylococcinum, Typhinum, Parotidinum, Morbillinum, Scarlatinum, Eosinum, Typhoidinum, Osteo arthritic nosode, Ambra griesea, Anthracinum, Eel serum, Cholestrinum, Lyssin, Maladrinum, Diphtherinum, Malaria officinalis, Pertussin, Scirrhinum, Variolinum, Vaccininum, Carcinocin.

Indications of nosodes:

1. As a constitutional remedy.

2. When well-chosen remedies do not act.

3. When there is a lack of symptoms.

4. “Never well since syndrome” (NWSS).

5. When a partial picture of the constitutional remedies manifests yet no one remedy completely fits the case.

6. The miasmatic intercurrent.

7. Related to genus disease – pertussin – Clarke's – whooping cough.

8. As homeopathic prophylaxis.

9. As an Auto – Nosodes.

Contra-indications of nosodes:

1. In the active phase of acute disease.

2. In the explosive stage of miasm.

3. During the active phase of recurrent attacks.

4. In an infectious stage i.e. do not use Tuberculinum in established tuberculosis.

Precautions:

        First, they should only be used in high potency, and while the actual potency is a matter for the conditions of the particular case, a good general rule is not to go below 30C. The 30C, the 200C, and the 1M potencies are probably the most frequently used, and all can be highly effective. 

        Secondly, they should not be repeated too often—usually not at intervals of less than a week. Thirdly when confronted with acute conditions, it is advisable not to prescribe nosodes without really expert advice, in case an aggravation is produced. Lastly, one must not get the impression that, because a disease condition has its origin in one of the chronic miasms—psora, syphilis or sycosis—that it can be treated with the nosode of that miasm. The general symptoms of the patient must agree with the symptoms of the nosode as ascertained by provings on healthy individuals. In other words, nosodes must be administered according to the law of similars, just like other remedies.

        Hay fever is another chronic complaint that may best be treated by a nosode—Psorinum. The remedy should not be given during the hay fever season, but during the off-season, and three or four doses are often sufficient to effect great improvement. Sometimes, in the midst of a plethora of particular symptoms, a patient will exhibit some marked general symptoms such as severe nightly aggravation, prostration on waking in the morning, or amelioration in the mountain air. If these symptoms were shown, Syphilinum would of course be indicated. Again, mental conditions such as forgetfulness, constant tension, and a constant state of a hurry would be an indication of Medorrhinum, and a dislike of washing coupled with unhealthy skin and offensiveness of the bodily discharges, an indication of Psorinum.