Sarcodes Anhang 4

Sarcodes Anhang 4

Adrenalinum

Hypothalamus

[Richard Pitt]

This extract from a forthcoming book called Comparative Materia Medica: Integrating New and Old Remedies by Richard Pitt details the materia medica and therapeutic application of sarcodes (= medicines made from organ of humans or animalsmaterial) in homeopathy. These medicines can be used simply to address specific symptom pictures, and also to help support organs that may be responsible for certain symptom complexes. They may be used to complement constitutional medicines if they are

not fully resolving issues.

Sarcodes

This is a synopsis from the chapter on Sarcodes (Comparative Materia Medica: Integrating New and Old Remedies, forthcoming from Richard Pitt) containing information

on the function of various glands and the materia medica of associated remedies.

Keywords: Sarcodes, organ remedies, complementary/adjunct remedies. Folliculinum.

Sarcodes are medicines made from organ material (Adrenalinum, Hypothalamus, Histaminum, Thyroidinum, Pituitary gland and Anterior and Posterior pituitary).

These medicines can be used simply to address specific symptom pictures, and also to help support organs that may be responsible for certain symptom complexes.

They may be used to complement constitutional medicines if they are not fully resolving issues.

Parathyroid is mentioned in Julian’s New Remedies. This gland is part of the thyroid that produces a hormone that regulates the calcium and phosphor metabolism. Deficiency of this hormone leads to hypo parathyroidism, which can lead to seizures and tetany. Hyperparathyroidism can lead to erosion of the bones, bone fractures, bone deformities, bone cavities and arthritic symptoms and also affects the urinary organs and digestive system. There can be inflammation in the kidneys, kidney stones due to increased calcium and in the digestive tract, ulcers, anorexia and constipation. There may be heart pathology also. In children it may be indicated in difficult dentition and growing pains in children. Here it will be compared particularly with Calc., Calc-p. Phos. and Sil.

Thymus gland situated in the upper part of the chest in front of the trachea. There are two lobes to the gland and they contain lymphocytes – T cells and B-lymphocytes, the latter of which are produced in the bone marrow. The gland is most active from birth to puberty and then declines as the gonads and ovaries become active. It also has much

to do with the metabolism of phosphor and calcium, like the parathyroid. Tumours can form in the thymus leading to its removal. The medicine is discussed in Blackwood’s Manual and briefly in Boericke’s Materia Medica.

[Blackwood]

“This gland has not been employed therapeutically as much as its importance might indicate. It has been employed in certain cases of exophthalmic goitre, when the thymus is enlarged, in rheumatic arthritis, rachitis and marasmus. Hypodermically it has lowered the blood pressure. Care should be exercised in prescribing this to gouty patients, as it is rich in nucleins.” In Doris Beauchamp’s book

she suggests its use in children who have slow development, many acute illnesses, NBWS since childhood illnesses or vaccines, worried-looking babies, extremes of behaviour and children who are extremely affectionate. It would be compared with the major polychrests such as Calc. Calc-p. Carc. Phos. and Tub. In adults she suggests it for overweight and sluggish people, a history of never

being mothered, NBWS since serious road accidents or head injury, NBWS prolonged stress, acute illness and food allergies. It is suggested, as with other sarcodes that it can be given in low potencies

as a support medicine.

Thyroidinum can also be compared with Ovarinum or Oophorinum, made from ovarian extract.

Placenta

Conclusion

There are many remedies in our materia medica that are used very infrequently. Often this reflects a philosophical and strategic position on prescribing. Those that adhere predominantly to a constitutional/essence/sensation style will be less likely to use remedies such as sarcodes than prescribers who feel at ease using remedies to complement others or to look more at pathological patterns and connect this to the physiological impact of certain organs. Sarcodes, however, are well-documented remedies that may deserve more serious reflection in our work today. This is especially the case in sarcodes such as Hypothalamus, Pituitary or Pineal gland, which have such a profound impact on human functioning. Their clinical use has to be of real interest to the homeopathic profession and given the available knowledge of the function of these glands, it can give some essential information of their possible use. Further provings could also be useful to clarify the possible symptom pictures. In conclusion, remedies come from every possible source. Why not look inside the human body and understand more fully the possible therapeutic use of sarcodes?

[Dr. AJIT KULKARNI]

(David Lowenfels)

“Sarcodes contain the information of the biological structure of an organ. By resonating the organ structure energetically, similar to plucking a string or ringing a crystal chime, the organ’s natural

healing energy is stimulated; this not only supports optimal organ function, but also tends to throw off toxins (namely inorganic heavy metals) at the same time.”

The dynamized micro-immunotherapy i.e. homoeopathy, is the most advanced therapeutical system that opens up infinite possibilities of the application of the law of similars.

Innumerable substances are required for hundreds of thousands of diseases and homoeopathy uses them from a variety of sources-animal, mineral and plant kingdoms,

imponderabilia, disease products, healthy secretions, tautopathic drugs etc.

We have now more than 6000 drugs in our armory.

H. recognized the importance of proving on healthy human beings and developed an altogether different modality where the action of the drugs is already known through the provers, as their human experiences are recorded to discern the subtleties of the pathogenetic action of the remedies.

Before we address the profession with sarcodes, we have to be conversant with the principles of the law of similars and the concept of identicals and also organotherapy and isopathy.

SIMILARS AND IDENTICALS

Law of Similars - The principle that a substance that in large doses will produce symptoms of a specific disease will, in extremely small doses, cure it.

A substance that has been tested and shown to induce particular symptoms in a healthy person is administered to an individual suffering from those very same symptoms to enhance the body's defense mechanisms.

‘Let likes be cured by likes’ is similia similibus curanture’, which is the basis of homoeopathy.

Concept of Identicals - With the use of the word identical, we talk of ‘exactly equal and alike’; being the same. "Two things are identical if one can be substituted for the other without affecting the truth" (Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Table de definitions).

The principle ‘aequalia aequalibus curantur’ (i.e. likes cure likes) is related to organotherapy.

ISOTHERAPY: THE CAUSE IS THE CURE

Since the most ancient age medicine, isopathy is followed. For example, wolf’s lungs (pulmonus) were recommended to asthma patients by Dioscorides, Xenocrates, Galen, Serapion and by many other physicians of ancient times. Dioscorides and Paulus Egineta, allege that the roasted liver of mad dog was one of the best remedies for its bite post effects.

Later, Xenocrates wrote that wolf’s liver was very useful for the liver treatment. The scorpion’s sting was to be treated by the application of the dead scorpion to the wound, according to Haly Abbas, Celsus and Paulus Egineta. Many physicians of the past, including Oswals Croll, believed and taught that the sound organs of certain animals were useful in the diseases of those organs in human beings.

Isopathy was introduced into homoeopathy by Dr. Lux in 1823, and in part adopted by Dr. Hering. Lux taught that the toxins formed in the body, properly attenuated, are capable of curing the very diseases that give rise to them i.e. every disease is supposed to have within itself its own antidote.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOMOEOPATHY AND ISOPATHY

Homeopathy is related to the “similar” (homeo=similar in Greek). Isopathy is related to the “identical” (iso=identical in Greek).

Homoeopathy uses both similars and identicals. With the use of law of similars, we can use innumerable substances to cope with the disease-dragons. When we treat the disease with identical disease agent, it becomes an isopathic prescription and then we have limited substances to use as remedial agents. In isopathy, we go more for organotherapy. This is because the treatment of a disease, the clinical aspect of practice is a major objective with the use of organ remedies. You have before you a pathological case and you want to deal with this pathology, then organ remedies are used.

You don’t know constitutional prescribing, the words like diathesis, chronic deep-acting constitutional remedy, miasmatic prescribing, intercurrent remedy are outside your brain; you can’t assimilate these concepts or you don’t want to follow these concepts as they exhaust your brain or you are not trained to use these classical concepts or that you get poor results with so called constitutional remedies, then you have the choice of using organ remedies. Organ remedies are used by many homoeopaths in conjunction with constitutional remedy.

Isopathy ignores central tenets of homeopathy, primarily its holistic concept. Isopathy thus ceases to be homeopathy in many aspects. There is much more causal similarity in isopathic prescribing.

You know the causal agent and you want to use it as a remedy. You are unconcerned here about the effects/sequelae/complications of a disease process. Totality is cause and effects merged together.

But as the use of isopathy is not based on totality, your prescription with it becomes not an all pervading one. Hence, rather than a primary or main line treatment, isopathy has more role like adjuvant/auxiliary/catalyst agent(s). Isopathy can’t be the similimum, but the identical, the aequalium. Isopathy, in other words, is the offshoot of homoeopathy. Can it be called as a special branch of homoeopathy?

In ‘Homoeopathy: Human Medicine’, Leon Vannier summarizes aptly, “One is a therapy specifically adapted to the individual and based on relationship of similarities existing between the remedy and the individual: Homoeopathy. Other is a therapy specifically adapted to the disease itself and based on the relationship between the remedy and the nature of the disease: Isotherapy.”

Opinions on isotherapy are varied.

[J.H. Allen]: “I will give proof that I think will be fully convincing to most minds that so called Isopathy is but the highest phase of similia in the highest sense”

(The Medical Advance, volume XXXII, no. 2, 1894, p. 59). Allen goes to the extreme in favour of isotherapy. It is difficult to accept ‘The highest phase of similia

in the highest sense’ when we see that similia is more at pathological level.

Let us take an example of headache of idiopathic type. You can’t treat this case only with isopathic preparation. You require some material as a remedy and you can’t link with any material.

You can argue that a potency can be made of brain tissue used as a remedy. But this logic is meaningless. If at all an isopathic remedy is well proved and you can use it on the basis of symptom similarity, then the issue is different.

ORGANOTHERAPY

This therapy is used to rectify diseased organs, glands and tissues by means of glandular and tissue extracts, diluted and dynamized according to homeopathic principles. Organotherapy uses organs,

glands, and tissues obtained from healthy animals. Usually it is administered in low centesimal potency to repair the damage caused by the toxins.

Organotherapy is based on two fundamental laws: 1. Identical organs and 2. Activity by potency.

1. Identical organs: When a diseased organ is present, an identical healthy organ extract is administered to rectify the organ.

2. Activity by Potency: Organotherapy is based on the idea and understanding that organs respond to those tissues that have an affinity for the same tissues in the human body.

In Organotherapy, the understanding is that every living organ is capable of recognizing its own signature and responding.This is what is called tissue memory, and

it stimulates the exact reproduction of the cells of the tissue in a diseased state.

There is difference in organ remedies and organotherapy. In organotherapy, glandular and tissue extracts are used as remedial agents. The concept with ‘organ remedies’ is related to organ affinity, which is due to pathogenetic action of the remedy to affect certain specific system or organ or tissues. One can use organ remedies as isopathic or as homoeopathic. They can be prescribed as palliative too. Organ remedy, sometimes, can cover the essence of the case and can act curatively.

THE RESPONSE OF ORGANS TO REMEDIES

The response of a malfunctioning or diseased organ to an organotherapeutic remedy is that the function of the organ or tissue concerned is supported in its healing, regulation and balance. Another possible way is the understanding that Organotherapy remedies can also act as if to replace an organ, which was removed partially or totally with surgery. These remedies may also be used to facilitate drainage in order to restore function to organs that are affected by progressing disease. In other words, sarcodes

can be employed for detoxification.

SARCODES

"The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician. Therefore the physician must start from nature, with an open mind." Paracelsus

Sarcodes are medicines prepared from healthy animal tissues and secretions. They belong to animal kingdom. Hence it is important to remember that when you use

a sarcode, you use an animal remedy and you use the class of animals from lower to higher.

The journey of Sarcodes is from physiology to pathology i.e. we use Sarcodes as a source of healthy secretion or tissues where it is assumed that normal homeostasis

is present in the animal system.

We use sarcodes as therapeutic agents for pathological conditions. This is in line with Hahnemann’s evolution of disease from functional to structural, from common

to gross, from physiology to pathology.

SARCODES: LIST OF REMEDIES

(Around 133 sarcodes are available in homoeopathy)

ACTH. adeps-s. adren. ambr. amn-l. aorta. arte. cartil. cartil-s. cast. cast-eq. cereb. cereb-cort. cho. chol. colon. colos. conj. corp-l. cortico. cortiso. dens. dens-e. derma. des-ac. diaphr. disc-i. duod. embry-s. excr-can. fel. fibrin. foll. funi-umb. guan. hemog. hepar. hipp. hist. hom. hypoth. ig-a. igf. il-two. ingluv. insul. interf. iodot. labyr. lac-al. lac-as. lac-c. lac-cpr. lac-d. lac-del. lac-drom. lac-el-m. lac-eq. lac-f. lac-h. lac-l-g. lac-leo. lac-lox-a. lac-lup. lac-m. lac-mac. lac-pan-t. lac-su. lac-urs. lac-v. lac-v-b. lac-v-c. lac-v-f. lac-v-fl. lec,. lymph. mamm. medul-o. medul-os-su. medul-s. melat. muc-nas. myocard. nerv-au. ol-an. ol-j. orch. ory-c. oste. ov. ovar. ovi-p. pancreat. parath. parathyr. pep. pineal. pitu-a. pitu-gl. pitu-p. plac. plac-s. prost. pulm. . pulm-v. ren. retin. rib-ac. secret. semen-h. ser-ang. ser-eq. serot. splen. stom. suis-pan. supren. supren-cort. testis. thala. thym-gl. thymin. thyr. thyreotr. tuba. urea. ur-ac. urin. urin-eq. uter. val-fel. vena. ves-u.

SARCODES: INDICATIONS

As a complementary to the constitutional remedy – both as an acute or chronic e.g. Thyroidinum as an acute of Nat-m. in an acute case of urticaria or Thyroidinum as a deeper acting constitutional remedy in an acute case of angina pectoris which was treated with Adrenalinum.

As an organ stimulator when the affected organ is functionally or structurally affected e.g. Pituitarium glandula as an intercurrent organ remedy in a case of pituitary microadenoma

Clinical conditions, where the organ loses its very function or structure or conditions characterized by atrophy e. g. cirrhosis of liver, spinal cord neoplasm, cerebellar degeneration etc. and one can prescribe Hepar suis, Medulla spinalis or Cerebellum respectively in such cases.

Clinical conditions characterized by hyper functioning of organs e.g. adrenal hyperfunction (like cushing syndrome, adrenal cortex adenoma or adrenal cortex carcinoma etc.) where one can use a sarcode like Adren. It may be overgrowth, acromegaly or obesity. On the same analogical thinking, malignant pathologies also come under pathogenesis of sarcodes.

When a single organ is the basis of the general condition of serious order, a prescription of a sarcode can be thought of e.g. if a patient of myocardial ischemia has now CCF and constitutional and organ remedies based on indications are not helping the case, a sarcode like Myocardium can be thought of or if a single diseased organ of kidney has caused systemic effects on the system, one use a sarcode like Ren. or an inveterate case that has suffered from multiple skin conditions (from simple dermatitis to psoriasis for example) throughout the life of a patient and which has baffled many good prescriptions, a sarcode like Derma can be prescribed.

Paucity of symptoms in a case of either functional or structural type where it is difficult to find a constitutional remedy.

A case of pathological museum where multiple vital organs are affected in the system. One can use many sarcodes during the treatment span, not in combination but singly in a sequential way.

The disease shows its ‘play’ in some organs that are bound together by a system e.g. a combination of diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism and PCOD in a case where endocrinological system is affected.

Exorbitant investigatory reports in a functional or structural case e.g. high cholesterol, high bilirubin, high creatinine or blood urea etc.

Status quo condition in a pathological case when nothing ‘moves’ towards recovery after the administration of several remedies.

On the past and family history of certain clinical conditions that might have a dynamic effect over the constitution e.g. history of hypo-/hyper-thyroidism in family history or during pregnancy where one can prescribe Thyroidinum

Preponderance of structural zone of illness with low susceptibility

A case of advanced pathological case where the vitality is at low ebb and it is inappropriate to prescribe a constitutional remedy as it may result in a killer aggravation. Preference should be given to a sarcode than a nosode in such cases as the fuse can be burnt with a nosode.

Clinical confirmation can be a source of use of a sarcode e.g. pituitarin in conditions of delayed puberty and undeveloped breasts.

For the sake of detoxification.

SARCODES AND HUMAN SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE

We all know that the oldest, the most profound, the most universal of all symbols is the human body and the laws, elements, and powers of the universe are epitomized in the human constitution. Everything, which exists outside of man, has its analogue within man. A man beholds in part that celestial effulgence (shining forth brilliantly) in which all creation is bathed.

Each emotion has a related organ or organs. Emotions are capable of causing physiological and anatomical alterations in organs. So, looking backwards, every pathological state can be traced back to its emotional origin.

Every organ has its secret meaning.

Each sarcode remedy carries within it the symbolic language of the human system and of the organs and this could be utilized for developing the theme and for selection of the appropriate sarcode remedy.

EXAMPLES

1. Breast(s): The human symbolic language of breasts represents mothering, nurturing and nourishment. We all know the importance of mother’s milk. It not only provides the nutrition and protection to the child, but also provides care and affection.

Illnesses (like cysts, lumps, soreness, mastitis etc.) represent refusal to nourish the self and putting everyone else first.

We have a Lac group of remedies more than 25, prepared from milk of many animals. Indications of Lac group of remedies are related to deprivation of love, faulty nurturing, and forsaken and inferiority feeling.

2. Colon: There are two symbolic languages of colon - Fear of letting go and holding on to the past. When these two themes are available in a case, a sarcode like Colon can be thought of.

3. Pituitary gland: Represents the control center. We all know that pituitary is important in controlling growth and development and the functioning of the other endocrine glands. It’s like the central government that controls the whole country. Anarchy at center results in chaos at all levels and this is the theme with three sarcodes: Pituitaria (glandula) anterior, Pituitaria (glandula) and Pituitaria (glandula) posterior.

SARCODES: POSOLOGY

It depends on a particular case in hand that determines which potencies are to be used.

If sarcodes are used as organopathic remedies, they are to be used in low potencies in frequent repetition schedule.

If the mental symptoms are distinctly available at cause, expression, disposition, mental state and concomitant levels, a sarcode can be used in high potency but infrequently. One should be wary of its

chronic use if it is used below Avagadro’s number.

About the use of a sarcode as an intercurrent remedy, assessment of vitality will be the pivotal point.

CONCLUSION

The arsenal of sarcodes has been presented through various angles. Although most of the sarcodes today are used as organopathic remedies, they need adequate proving to use them as constitutional

remedies. Nevertheless, their importance should not be underestimated. They carry within them the very quintessence of the source from which they are prepared. They carry within them the wisdom

of evolution, which human and other species have crystallized for the sake of adaptation for maintaining the state of homeostasis.

Sarcodes are integral to us! They are we, made up of different parts with their molecules, with their chemistry and with their multiple resonating functions! This is made superbly with the precise

components fit perfectly together for the purpose of higher consciousness. The bountiful nature created the animals with their hues and characters and provided the healing agents within! Sarcodes

emphatically render the message “ we are the healers”.

[Carolyn Burdet]

Sarcode remedies - processes of life

According to the Indian (Bombay) method of sensation homeopathy, someone who needs a sarcode remedy will describe everything in terms of a physiological process.

Homeopaths who enjoy teaching will tell you that homeopathy is a path for someone who embraces lifelong learning. There will always be more to learn.

Sarcodes is a newly discovered kingdom, and the terrain is vast. Thyroidinium has been prescribed as an intercurrent remedy for organ support. At the sensation level of case-taking, though, the vital

force goes to the source of the remedy, and someone needing a sarcode remedy may be describing any cellular process.

Physiological processes

Sarcode remedies are made from healthy tissue, secretions, hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitters, molecules such as DNA, RNA and compounds like ADP-ATP from cellular processes such as the

Krebs cycle. The sarcode kingdom opens up endless possibilities for us to revise our knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

Ghanshyam Kalathia and Meeta Nihlani are experts at sensation case-taking. Their cases of Adrenaline and ATP, in this issue, focus on physiological processes – differentiating specific enzymes or organ functions from the energy produced.

Functioning perfectly

In a healthy body, each organ and enzyme has a role and everything functions perfectly when each part performs its task within set parameters. UK sensation homeopaths at the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital see the sarcode issue as being about ‘functioning’. An indication for a sarcode remedy is when everything must be done perfectly, within appropriate boundaries, to ensure that life runs properly. The worry is someone not being appropriate or feeling they are not functioning properly.

Geoff Johnson’s Sensational Sarcodes masterclass for the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital ventured into this uncharted territory in order to explore the language and themes of sarcodes at sensation level.

The hormones have their own language.

Appropriate boundaries

Bristol Homeopathic Hospital’s dream proving of Progesterone (in March 2014) brought out themes of sea, rivers, flowing or blocked, staying within appropriate boundaries, or rivers bursting their banks, overflowing the boundary, causing chaos when there is a hormonal imbalance. These themes also emerged in the hospital’s proving

of Testosterone (in 2011) and in clinicians’ cases of Folliculinum – in the language of Geoff Johnson’s case of Folliculinum in this issue.

The Progesterone proving had themes of exodus along a river, protecting children in the sea, making a boat to keep a baby safe, just as the hormone holds a baby in the womb throughout the pregnancy.

There was a theme of women’s wisdom, of influence without authority, taking orders and acting at the appropriate moment.

Love and loss

Hormones have a talent for bypassing reason and gender politics, so it is not surprising that love and sexual relationships are a theme of the reproductive hormones. Hormones effect transitions from one stage of sexual development to the next, such as puberty, fertility, pregnancy and menopause, and they affect our emotions, desires

and infatuations, however unrequited these feelings.

The Progesterone proving had an emphasis on past love and loss. It was interesting to see how this female reproductive hormone is also relevant to men as a homeopathic remedy. The women provers dreamt of a past partner. Male provers had a sense of looking back at past relationships with a sense of loss; they felt the sexual opportunity had passed.

One of Geoff Johnson’s Testosterone cases in this issue is a man in midlife crisis, whose infatuation was making him stressed.

In my Folliculinum cases, I notice a theme of romantic yearning; the love affair is within their sights but just out of reach, unattainable for some reason.

Having a newborn baby is akin to falling in love. In an Oxytocin case shared at the sensational sarcodes masterclass, a woman had had problems breastfeeding, which affected her ability to bond with the baby. Years later she was addicted to the excitement of casual sexual liaisons, blaming the other person for “inappropriate boundaries”. The remedy helped her find connection with family and loved ones instead of obsessively seeking “closeness” with strangers.

Love, caring and protection

The hormones are deeply human. Testosterone is not only about machismo; in its essence, Testosterone has a strong desire to protect and take care of loved ones, animals and the planet for future generations, as Geoff Johnson’s Testosterone cases in this issue portray.

Homeopathy works in mysterious ways. While working on this issue over the past few months, naturally sarcode cases presented themselves. One very sad case was

a young woman with ovarian cancer, who had given and given of herself, to her own detriment. She was dying, leaving her young child orphaned, with no-one to care for him. Folliculinum has an urge to mother everyone, not just their own children; they want to rescue and care for orphans. Through encountering this woman I touched on this desire to rescue others. Folliculinum is incredibly compassionate and soft, yet taking the remedy strengthens the inner emotional core.

Geoff Johnson has many beautiful cases of Folliculinum which show this pattern – the one published in this issue illustrates the themes and language to perfection.

Processes of life

The cases in this issue teach us a lot about the language and themes of the sarcodes kingdom, which opens the vista for endless possible remedies from the processes of life. The inspiring Mitochondria case by Meeta Nihlani identifies the spark of life, spirit. Mitochondria are origins of life on this planet. Sarcodes are from healthy tissue and as such they have the potential to restore healthy tissue; these remedies may be our answer to stem cell research.

As we recognize the Sarcodes language in our cases, we will discover more shared themes. Ghanshyam Kalathia runs the Sarcodes in Homeopathy page on Facebook and welcomes sharing knowledge of sarcodes with other homeopaths around the world.

Homeopathic Materia Medica of Sarcodes by Chaturbhuja Nayak, Smita Brahmachari, Syed Afsar Ali is reviewed by Dr. Joe Rozencwajg.

Homeopathic Materia Medica of Sarcodes
Chaturbhuja Nayak, Smita Brahmachari, Syed Afsar Ali
B.Jain Publishers. Softcover. 405 pages. ISBN: 978-81-319-3600-9.

I have been using sarcodes in my practice almost since I started seeing patients, with one indication: the repair of tissues and organs that have been injured or are not working properly; organotherapy. Moreover, I always had that notion that sarcodes had not been proved.

This is why I was very enthusiastic to see this book appear on my radar; it is only when I received it that I realised it was a 2020 reprint of a book published in 2016; and looking at the 39 sarcodes listed, I had to quickly change my concept about this category of remedies.

To start by the end, for those who are in a hurry, let me say that this is a remarkable work, now standing handy on a shelf next to my desk; it was extremely instructive and

a pleasure to read it. I highly recommend it to every practitioner.

This long sentence means that what you are going to read now is by no way to be understood as being a negative criticism, as I have nothing bad to write about it. It is my collection of reactions and thoughts, which I also offer to the authors in the hope that they will publish an update on their work.

Many things have been written on sarcodes and many discussions have been had. It would widely benefit all of us to enlarge the scope of sarcodes and add the only thing really missing: a repertory.

The introduction is not to be missed, and especially the discussion about what a sarcode is. The general agreement being that it is “a medicine prepared from the healthy tissues, secretions of the endocrine glands and normal secretions of the living human beings and lower animals”; it seems though that some “flexibility” has been introduced, which contradicts that definition, as is discussed on pages 4 and 5.

The sarcode Cortisone in the synthetic form of cortisone; folliculinum is a synthetic form of oestrogen: that makes them tautopathic or isotherapic remedies, not real sarcodes. Milk curd (lac vaccinum coagulatum), defatted cow milk (lac defloratum), cream of milk (lac vaccinum flos) and lactose (saccharum lactis) are artificial modifications of secretions.

This does not remove anything from the value and interest of their Materia Medica, and they have to fit somewhere, especially the milks, but still, the fastidious, concerned about trifles “me”, had to say something about it.

While writing about the Milks, there is some involuntary humour to be found: all of the Milks, with the exception of Lac Humanum, are described as coming from “the female lactating animal” … thanks for the chuckle. I was disappointed not to see Lac Maternum included and especially an interesting differential discussion with Lac Humanum.

Each remedy is presented in a similar format: a definition (introduction), its source, its preparation, the provings when available, the sphere of action (at least the major ones), some clinical conditions where it could be indicated, the characteristic features (the major points of impact of the remedy), the symptomatology, going through the different sections according to the Hahnemannian listing, the dose and potency according to the authors (many of us have different opinions about that), cautions when necessary for remedies that can cause problems, the extremely important and useful section of comparison with remedies having similar symptoms and signs, allowing us to make a reasoned choice and not an automatic application, some success stories of famous clinicians, which unfortunately do not explain why that sarcode was chosen and not another one, finishing with a list of references.

As I already wrote, the only missing part in this book is a repertory. It is my experience that when using the available repertories, be it manually or in a software, sarcodes, like nosodes rarely appear as much indicated, which is totally contradicted by what you will read in this book.

To conclude as I started, there should be no hesitation in acquiring and reading it. It is an extra tool, and an important one at that, in our armamentarium. Don’t be without it!

Nosodes and Sarcodes

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/37030/1/IJTK%2016%281%29%20158-163.pdf

Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 16 (1), January 2017, pp. 158-163

Vorwort/Suchen Zeichen/Abkürzungen Impressum