Schlangen allgemein Anhang 3
[Amati Holle]
Schlangen allgemein
Gemeinsame Schlangenthema sind:
Die Waffen spiegeln die Angst und das Misstrauen gegen die Umwelt. Vorbeugender Angriff; „Ich töte dich, ehe du mir gefährlich wirst *1
Verschlingen oder verschlungen werden.
Angriff durch Schuldzuweisung an den Angegriffenen.
Macht, Schuld, Sexualität und Tod.
Konkurrenzkampf, Manipulation. Verführung.
Mutter- Tochterbeziehung,. Verrat der weiblichen Linie. Verlassenheit. Eifersucht, Besitzergreifend. Intrigen, Misstrauen, Gift.
körperliche Gewalt, bedroht und verfolgt.
Sexualität + Religiösität, Zwiespalt. Dualität. Gut und Böse.
Sprache ( zu viel oder zu wenig ).
Zirkulationsprobleme, Kreislauf. Blutstau. Beengung.
Einseitige Beschwerden.
Verschlechterung: Frühjahr, Alkohol, Wein, Schlaf,
starke Ängste, Angst vor Schlangen
Körperlich.: Blau-rötliche Verfärbung, Blut. Herz.
<: Regnerisches Wetter Schlangen allgemein/
< Sie häuten sich
< Können den Kiefer aushängen um Beute zu verschlingen
< Greifen an wenn sie angegriffen werden
(bei Grenzüberschreitung, sonst selten)
< Hals empfindlichste Stelle, da sie dort zu packen sind
< Keinen Bezug zwischen sich und den Eltern, da sie aus den Eiern sofort
selbständig werden müssen.
< Hypnotisieren die Gegner mit ihrer Intensität
Erscheinung: Durchdringender Blick. In der Anamnese macht sich oft das Gefühl angegriffen zu werden, noch ehe eine ihr zu nah tritt, wehren sich dort wo
wir am verletzlichsten sind. Beißt nur ein mal zu.
[Lize
de la Rouvière]
GROUP ANALYSIS
General characteristics of snake remedies
Sankaran (2005: 46) gives the following as characteristics of remedies
obtained from reptilian, which includes Ophidian, sources:
Themes of superior and inferior
Manipulative, calculative
Jealousy, suspicion
Split in the mind, or antagonism with himself
Vulnerability
Clairvoyance
Sexuality
Hiding, deceit, concealment, never seen, disguise
Closed and no way ahead
Fear of attack, attack from behind, attack from a concealed position
Feeling of being pursued and a desire to hide
Sudden movement
Ross (2007) sees the essential feature of snake remedies as that of
polarity within the individual. This polarity exists between the conscious,
rational, logical, overt, active,
structured, visible qualities; and the emotional, intuitive, creative,
esoteric, passive, illogical side. The challenge presented to the individual
requiring a remedy made from
snake venom is the successful integration of these opposing polarities.
Ross uses this insight to explain many of the well-known modalities of snake
remedies: < on going
to sleep, during sleep and on waking (transition period between the
conscious and unconscious); < spring and autumn (transition between
seasons); < from alcohol which
brings out the unconscious and amelioration from coffee which emphasises
the rational thought processes; < during pregnancy and menopause (transition
periods in a
woman’s life).
In addition to the emotional aspects emphasized by the two authors
above, Thakkar (2007:68) also mentions the following: powerful intensity of
emotions;
religiousness or spirituality, anxiety of conscience and
conscientiousness; suspicion; quarrelsomeness; aggression; impulsivity;
confrontation and territoriality.
In the author’s note to her book, Thakkar (2007) says that she has found
through clinical experience that people requiring snake remedies are „extremely
conscientious,
thoughtful, focused, bright and sensitive‟, and adds that they
seem to have „remarkable control‟ over their negative emotions.
According to Thakkar (2007: 56), some common physical characteristics of
ophidian remedies are:
Dry, lustreless skin. Tendency to suppuration, boils, acne, psoriasis
Cutaneous hyperesthesia
Sense of constriction and aversion to tight clothing around neck and
chest
Dryness of eyes, blurry vision
Acute sense of smell, or anosmia
Vertigo
Warm-bloodedness, with sensitivity to extremes of temperature
Increased appetite with a tendency to overeat. Inability to tolerate
hunger
Sluggish digestion, tendency to acid dyspepsia and heartburn
Respiratory tract complaints, with a tendency to tonsillitis, asthma,
bronchitis
Heart pathology: tachycardia, irregular beats, cardiomyopathy
Premenstrual breast tenderness, premenstrual syndrome
Increased sexual desire and a tendency to masturbation
A comparative extraction was done using the RADAR repertory program
(ARCHIBEL SA, 2006), in which the rubrics common to
Lachesis muta, Naja tripudians, Elaps coralinus and Bitis arietans
arietans were extracted. This yielded the following common symptoms:
In the mind: absentmindedness, anxiety, a desire for company,
indifference, irritability and sadness.
Vertigo: Heaviness of the head, and pain in
the forehead
Epistaxis
Sensation of a lump in the throat and difficulty in swallowing
Increased thirst
Abdominal flatulence and rumbling, and a tendency to constipation
Painful menses
Sense of constriction and oppression in the chest, and heart
palpitations
Pain in the cervical region, and rheumatic pain in the extremities
Coldness of the hands and feet
Deep sleep, sleepiness
Weakness
These symptoms are thus common symptoms to the snake remedies used in
the comparison in this study.
Proving of Hemachatus haemachatus produced all the above symptoms,
except epistaxis.
In an effort to elucidate the differentiating features of the remedies,
a comparative extraction was performed using the rubrics of the Mind section of
the repertory.
This information was used in the comparison below.
[Farokh Master]
I was as a young doctor not much interested in drug proving, for first 6
- 8 years of my life I was indifferent to the whole process, the reason being I
was mostly
trained by doctors from Calcutta who were focused more on clinical
material medica.
In 1987 when I went to Brazil Sao Paulo to study snakes I realized that
snakes in homoeopathy is one big mess, there was huge problem related to taxonomy and
classification of snakes, over there I saw many snakes with very
powerful venom that had yet to be introduced in homoeopathy.
First thing I did after coming back to India was to expand my horizon on
experimental pharmacology for developing a totally new principle for
ascertaining the
curative power of poisonous snakes of Amazon valley.
I collected a small group of dedicated homoeopathic doctors who wanted
to prove homoeopathic medicines.
I had decided long back that I will only prove homoeopathic medicines
made from serpent kingdom so that I can understand the depth of efficacy
related to snakes.
From 1988 till 2013 I have proved 8 snake remedies.
Bitis arietans
Bungarus facitatious
Echis carinatus
Eunectus noteaus
Morelia spilota
Naja haje
Naja mossambica
Ophiophagus hannah
What I learned from proving the above remedies is mentioned below:
Try and select dedicated and experienced provers who can describe the
symptoms in detail and who has a good understanding of his or her body that’s
the reason
why I selected always homoeopathic doctors.
I avoid selecting provers who are anxious or nervous or hypochondriac by
nature.
I keep regular monthly meetings and video the whole meeting to
understand what the provers really felt. I carry on the proving for 18 months
to see long term effects.
When only snake remedies were proved I saw something common that came
through all the remedies.
Following themes emerged.
Activity: Many remedies loved to
keep themselves busy.
Anger: Lot of pent up anger came out
in the form of throwing things, from contradiction, with quick repentance,
sadness after anger.
Anxiety: Very hypochondriac with lot
of issues related to his health.
Concentration: Any literally work
makes them dull and sleepy; confusion of mind, forgetfull, even in well known
streets forgets the way.
Out of Body and De javu: Many
provers had de javu and out of body experiences. This was accompanied by
increased awareness of his body.
Awkwardness: Clumsy movement and
embarrassment from awkwardness
Laziness: in the morning (on waking)
this is followed by sadness (Depression), indifference to work, business and
surroundings.
Fear: of being attacked, being alone
and of impending disease, loosing self control and accidents.
Memory problems: Forgetfulness of
day to day activities, makes mistakes in well known streets, looses the
direction of the road, all this leads to confusion.
Irresolution: Poor confidence and
self depreciation (in snakes from Naja genus). This finally leads to strong
pessimism.
Benign Positional Vertigo: Many
snake remedies I proved have excess of vertigo (any motion of the head or
eyes), this is accompanied by fainting.
Occipital migraine: Many occipital migraine
accompanied by neck stiffness, > drinking coffee/ warm drinks; <
rest/noise/travelling/motion;
Acne: Hormone related eruptions esp.
acne with ugly scars.
Vaso motor rhinitis: Leading to
allergic sinusitis, paroxysmal sneezing, copious discharge, snuffles, nasal
obstruction esp. left sided morning on waking
Maxillary sinusitis.
Ear stopped: Pulsation left sided in
the arteries, stopped sensation, left sided otalgia, hearing impaired in left
side.
Apthae: Apthous stomatitis.
Lump in the throat
Follicular, granular pharyngitis.
Left sided throat affection, draft
of cold air < the throat.
Flatulent colic: extends all over
the abdomen
Severe Intertrigo: Intertrigo in
groins, red rashes in the folds of the skin.
Early morning diarrhea
Diarrhea with severe colic in
abdomen which extends to distant parts
Dreams: The common theme that was
witnessed was being pursued, attacked, violence, robbers and dead relatives.
Menstrual cycle was almost always
affected in most of the snake venoms
Menses late and delayed for many
weeks and when they get the menses it is very scanty.
Leucorrhoea + during or before
menses.
Leucorrhoea is very sticky ,whitish
yellow + itching.
[Shraddha Brijnath]
GENERALS
The general symptoms will be explained as follows:
Table 5.5: Breakdown of the General symptoms
Snake themed symptoms
Symptoms unique to Bitis atropos
Energy
Food and drink
Heat/warmth
Weakness
Direction
In general, there was a feeling as if the prover was going to get sick,
but then did not.
General systemic symptoms common to snake remedies in general:
Energy
There was a polarity of energy, with a great change of energy in 5
provers who felt an abundance, or a surge of mental, physical and spiritual
energy
compared to feelings of complete exhaustion as if you about to get sick,
energy completely depleted and feeling of intense tiredness with the desire to
sleep.
of energy and strength in the last few days”. or the feeling of being
tired although having a normal day or waking up feeling tired.
Heat/warmth
There was a craving for heat and warmth, sitting directly under the sun
or having hot showers till steam comes out of the skin. The warmth of the sun
>
which compares to the basking in the sun of snakes, to regulate their
cold-bloodedness. A common symptom was the sensation of coldness and struggling
to warm up.
In addition one prover had a difficulty to find a temperature that
suited her - too hot when covering and too cold when not, which led to
sleeplessness.
General systemic symptoms specific to Bitis atropos:
Food and drink
There was an aversion to drinking water and an increased thirst for
water, an amelioration from and craving for coffee, salt and a craving for
chocolate or an aversion to sweets.
Weakness
There was loss of weight, sudden muscle weakness general feeling of
weakness.
[Johannes Wilkens/Rainer
Lüdtke/Frank Stein]
In a retrospective pilot study with 172 patients, two complementary
treatment approaches: one homeopathic, the other following a WALA
anthroposophic treatment were
compared as to their possible efficacy in treating the sequelae of stroke. In both groups, the
treatment consisted chiefly in the use of snake poisons and Arn. in homeopathic
doses. A slightly better result was found with the homeopathic approach.
This practical experience made it possible to take the further step of
designing a therapeutic schema
that proves effective in practice while respecting both approaches, the
need of anthroposophical medicine for a pathophysiological rationale and the
need of homeopathy for
an individualized treatment.
The incidence of stroke in Germany is approx. 150 - 260 per 100,000
population. Its prevalence is estimated at 600/100,000 population. Around 75 –
85% of all strokes are
ischemic insults, about 20% are vascular cerebral haemorrhages, and 5%
venous circulatory dysfunctions. In the mortality statistics of Western
countries, stroke occupies
third place behind cardiovascular and tumorous diseases. The peak age is
around the 70th year of life; men are more frequently affected than women. The
greatest risk factor
is considered hypertension. Nicotine abuse raises the risk by a factor
of three. Other factors are coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes mellitus.
While the institution of the stroke unit has improved the therapy of
stroke, fundamental progress remains insignificant. As Fintelmann rightly
judges, “we are faced with the
incredible phenomenon that to this day modern medicine has been unable
to develop any really effective and reliable therapy for stroke, so that what
we observe is almost
always the spontaneous course” (V. Fintelmann).
Unfortunately much the same statement could be applied to
anthroposophical medicine. The standard treatment, based on R.S.’s indications,
appears to consist solely of Arn.
There are two known treatment cases from him that apply to therapy of
stroke: In two cases mentioned by Hilmar Walter, Arn. (D 4 and D 15) was
recommended.
From the homeopathic side, only two studies are known on apoplexy
(stroke). The two studies, both from England, entailed sole administration of
Arn. in high potency;
each produced a negative result. In anthroposophical medicine no study
on stroke has yet been published.
Towards a broader therapeutic concept
Stroke is essentially a blood clotting/vascular system disease that
secondarily damages the brain tissue. Due to deficient or excessive
(hemorrhagic infarction) blood supply,
the blood-nerve barrier is breeched, resulting in the death of nerve
tissue. Nerve and blood have become dissociated, alienated from one another.
Thus it is a weakness in
the integrative function of the circulatory system that is ultimately
responsible. There is a failure in keeping the condition of balance between too
solid (embolism) and too
fluid (haemorrhage). Secondarily, the nerve tissue is damaged (and here
too the “mean” is not kept: the A. cerebri “media”) and voluntary movement of
the limbs is paralyzed.
In this light, stroke can be seen as a primary failure of the
circulatory system that secondarily damages the nervous system.
Seen in another light, stroke is also the most striking disease of the
symmetry plane of the body. The anatomist Rohen: “The medial/saggital plane
divides the organism into
two mirror-image or at least similar halves. The formative principle
here is that of bilateral symmetry, a formative principle whose nature is not
easily grasped. Essentially,
we find repeated on one side what is already present on the other side
it is mirrored, without anything new or different being formed. The condition
for faithful mirroring
is that the reflecting surface must remain quiet and unchanged: A lake
can reflect the face of the person bending over it only as long as the surface
is unmoving and smooth. (...)
Image-forming of the external world by the sense organs and nervous
system is essentially based on a reflection process. (...) In this sense, the
right-left dimension could
be assigned to reflective representation in the soul-spiritual domain.”
In stroke the two almost identical “twins” of right and left become
alienated, each unable to be reflected in the other. The mirror has been
obscured, the reflecting process disturbed.
A part or even a whole side of the patient is lost from his
“representation” and becomes part of the “outer world.” One side or one part of
a side can no longer be inwardly
grasped (flaccid paralysis), or is too firmly grasped (spastic
paralysis). The patient has lost inner access to himself.
Accordingly, the first aim of a causal therapy will be to regulate blood
coagulation; “repairing” the nerve tissue, i.e. restoring the reflective
function of the body, will be a
secondary task. In the choice of remedies, attention will be given to
those that have an integrative strengthening effect on the vascular system as a
whole, are effective for
thrombosis/embolism and bear a relation to the “asymmetry”
characteristic of the disease.
Anthroposophical medicine will seek in nature for mineral, plant and
animal substances that functionally imitate the disease of stroke. The
homeopathic approach will seek
after substances which, when “proved” on a healthy individual, display a
relationship to a single side of the body and to paralytic symptoms.
Both from the homeopathic approach as well as that of anthroposophical
medicine, one arrives at direct indications that snake poisons should occupy a
special position in
the treatment of stroke. Some of the underlying considerations are
described below.
[Farokh Master]
Phenomenology of snakes
Dangerous animals and in particular those which deliver a poisonous bite
or sting, hold a particular fascination and horror. The words
"venonr" and "poison" are
almost synonymous, but
venom is usually
used to describe
a poison that
is injected by
stinging or biting.
Poisonous snakes use their venom for capturing prey. Snakes and their
venom are important
natural resources and
play an important
part in the
ecological balance of
ecosystems.
Snakes control rodent
populations, thus preventing the destruction of grains and minimizing the
spread of diseases found in rodent populations.
Snakes are the most linear of vertebrates, having only a skull and an
extended spinal column. Most other vertebrates have some sort of appendages for
locomotion -wings, legs, arms, flippers,
fins- but not the snake. On an evolutionary scale, snakes are the
youngest of the reptiles, having appeared only about 150
million years ago. Almost
undoubtedly snakes have
developed
from lizards. Their bodies seem
to have adapted to a life of burrowing.
The legs were
lost because they
would interfere with
burrowing. The ear channel was
sealed off to keep out dirt, and the ear bones, instead of being connected to the
eardrum, are joined
to the lower jaw for sensing
soil vibrations better.
The unique structure
of modern snakes' eyes suggests
that the organs had nearly vanished among ancestral snakes, then re-evolved
when
snakes once more took to the surface and needed vision.
Their paired ribs
arch out from
each of the
hundreds of vertebrae, forming a
concave umbrella that runs the entire length of the body. The amount of
movement between each spinal segment
is limited, but
the net effect is
an animal that
can writhe and
coil sinuously, so
that even the
word we use
to describe such
shapes is "Serpentine." Snakes use four
patterns
of movement: lateral undulation, concertina movement, rectilinear
movement and sidewinding (used by
desert vipers). When
they are at
rest, their bodies
are always
coiled, forming drooping
loops; they never
remain stretched out.
They have delicate spines that can be easily damaged; even the skull is
made up of many small, lightly fused bones, lacking the solidity
of a mammalian
skull. The ribs
are attached to
the
vertebral column and
to each other
with elastic muscles
and tendons and
also to the
skin, which contains
other connecting muscles. Thus,
the snake can
control the movement
of its ribs,
skin and individual scales as well.
Animals are, as
a rule, bilaterally
symmetrical that is,
appendages and paired
organs are the
same size and
positioned opposite to each
other. Snakes, which have already dispensed with
legs, have also broken the rule of symmetry with regard to several
internal organs due to the elongated narrow cylindrical body shape.
Most snakes have one right lung that is elongated filling the whole body
cavity. In snakes that also have a left lung, it may be reduced or vestigial
and non-functional. The
heart is also
somewhat
elongated and like most reptilian hearts, is only partly efficient; it
has three chambers and the chambers allow the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood
to mix. More importantly, a snake lacks an
effective way of creating and maintaining body heat; thus, they are
referred to as "cold-blooded" animals.
The "cold-blooded" characteristic explains
the worldwide distribution of snakes; they are most common
in tropical and warm desert environments, less so in temperate zones, and all
but absent
from the highest latitudes and altitudes. In the tropics, blessed by
constant high temperatures
the year round,
at night as
well as during
day, snakes can
be active with
little concern for
the
weather, ensuring only
that they avoid
direct midday sun.
In temperate regions,
snakes retreat into
hibernation from early
autumn until warmer weather arrives. Hibernating snakes are not
asleep as it is commonly thought, their body temperature simply drops so
low that function becomes impossible - respiration and heartbeat become almost
imperceptible. If the temperature should
dip below freezing, snakes risk death. Many die nevertheless, since
though metabolism diminishes,
it does not
stop completely, and
those snakes which do not have sufficient fat reserves, die.
Snakes can be classed on the structure of their fangs. Non-venomous
snakes such äs the grass snake have no fangs and are called aglyphs. The
back-fanged snakes or opisthoglyphs, have
fangs at the
back of the
mouth. Each fang
has a groove
along which venom flows. To
inject a good dose of venom, the snake hangs on to its victim and chews its
flesh. If such a snake is
struck away immediately from the body it has bitten, the bite will not
be severe. Cobras are
proteroglyphs with fangs at
the front of
the mouth, The
fangs of some
proteroglyphs bear
grooves while, in
others, the sides of the grooves meet to form a canal. The position
of the
fangs and the
canal makes injection
of the venom
more efficient. The mambas are
proteroglyphs
with very potent venom. The black mamba is notoriously aggressive.
The most advanced
biting apparatus belongs
to the solenoglyphs.
The vipers, the
rattlesnakes, fer-de-lance and
others have very long fangs, each
having a canal. When not in use, they are
folded along the
roof of the
mouth. The strike
is rapid, the
fangs are thrown forward. and the snake then withdraws without chewing
like opisthoglyphs an,d proteroglyphs. Proteroglyph venom acts mainly on the
nervous System, while that of the solenoglyphs
attacks the blood System and destroys tissues.
Almost all snakes will bite if provoked, although there is a world of
difference between what
constitutes provocation for
different species. In a confrontation, an animal can kill or maim its
adversary or it may get killed itself. It is far safer to retreat.
For this reason, venomous animals are usually noticed only when they are
forced to fight and have been unable to slip away unseen.
Therefore. snakes have got a reputation for attacking on sight.
Another point to remember is that the bite or sting may not be 100% effective. Snakes
may strike and
miss, and accounts
of snakebites usually
omit the number
of bites, which
have resulted in a little or no venom being injected.
A snake's bottom jaw has a hinge which helps the snake to open its mouth
very wide. It can swallow things which are quite big. All snakes are strictly
carnivorous. They can go for extended
periods without any
food because of
slow metabolism. Snake's
teeth (besides fangs)
are fairly simple:
short, backward curving
and very sharp.
They are designed
merely to grip
and
hold, but they lack cutting surfaces and cannot chew or
chop the prey into smaller pieces. It must have some way to force the whole
food into its throat.
Swallowing a large
prey can be
a
lengthy and difficult
process, and may
take over an
hour. With its
mouth plugged, the snake needs a
way to breathe. It does so by extending the glottis, a tube-like organ embedded
in the
floor of the mouth, around the prey. The glottis is the perfect
breathing tubes bypassing the food until it is swallowed completely. The length
of time it takes to digest the
food depends on
the
air temperature. Most
snakes are happy
to eat live
'food' but a
few groups of
large snakes kill
their prey immediately before eating.
The teeth of
a snake,-{apart from
the fangs), are
needle-like, sharp and
pointed. The fish hook-like recurved
teeth point towards the rear of the snake's throat and
pierce prey easily. With
most snakes, having more than 200 teeth, no amount of struggling enables
the prey, once caught, to escape the grasp of the jaws. A snake's
teeth are continually
shed in one of nature's
best
maintenance programs and
are replaced by new teeth
before the older teeth loosen and fall out.
SKIN
The skin of a snake is smooth, cold and dry to touch. Like all reptiles,
snakes are protected by a layer of horny scales growing out of the skin which
may hide the skin completely from view.
Scales come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and textures; there
is even
a scale, called
the brille or
spectacle which covers
the lidless eye.
The outer layer
of a vertebrate's
skin is dead
and must be
replaced as the
animal grows. Human
skin cells slough
off individually äs scurf, but
reptiles and amphibians shed the entire
outer layer at
once, at fairly
regulär intervals. This
is called "molting" and
is especially drastic
among snakes. The
process begins with the release
of hormones which trigger the growth
of a new layer of skin and scales beneath the existing layer. Once
that step is
completed, lymphatic fluid
is pumped into
the microscopic space
between the two
layers, separating them
and causing the eyes to appear
milky. About 24 hours before molting, the fluid is reabsorbed and the eyes
clear. The snake begins to rub its nose against an abrasive surface, until the
tiny rostral scale
comes loose, the same happens with the mental scale at the tip of the
lower lip. Gently rubbing, the snake literally slides out of its old skin,
which peels off inside out, like a long sock. The molted
skin is thin and translucent, but retains a hint of color, and an exact
replica of the snake's scale pattern, right down to the eye brille.
fangs at the
back of the
mouth. Each fang
has a groove
along
which venom flows. To inject a good dose of venom, the snake
hangs on to its victim and chews its flesh. If such a snake is struck
away immediately from the body it has bitten, the bite will not be
severe. Cobras are
proteroglyphs with fangs at
the front of
the mouth, The
fangs of some
proteroglyphs bear grooves
while, in others, the sides of the grooves meet to form
a canal.
The position of the fangs
and the canal
makes injection of
the venom more
efficient. The mambas are proteroglyphs with very potent venom. The
black mamba is notoriously aggressive.
The most advanced
biting apparatus belongs
to the solenoglyphs. The vipers,
the rattlesnakes, fer-de-lance
and others have very long fangs, each having a canal.
When not in use, they
are folded along
the roof of
the mouth. The
strike is rapid,
the fangs are thrown forward. and
the snake then withdraws without chewing like opisthoglyphs an,d proteroglyphs.
Proteroglyph venom acts mainly on the nervous System, while that of the
solenoglyphs attacks the blood System and destroys tissues.
Almost all snakes will bite if provoked, although there is a world of
difference between what
constitutes provocation for
different species. In a confrontation, an animal can kill or maim
its adversary or it may get killed itself. It is far safer to retreat.
For this reason, venomous animals are usually noticed only when they are
forced to fight and have been unable to slip away unseen.
Therefore. snakes have got a reputation for attacking on sight.
Another point to remember is that the bite or sting may not be 100% effective. Snakes
may strike and
miss, and accounts
of snakebites usually
omit the number
of bites, which
have resulted in a little or no venom being injected.
A snake's bottom jaw has a hinge which helps the snake to open its mouth
very wide. It can swallow things which are quite big. All snakes are strictly
carnivorous. They can go for extended
periods without any
food because of
slow metabolism. Snake's
teeth (besides fangs)
are fairly simple:
short, backward curving
and very sharp.
They are designed
merely to grip
and
hold, but they lack cutting surfaces and cannot chew or
chop the prey into smaller pieces. It must have some way to force the whole
food into its throat.
Swallowing a large
prey can be
a
lengthy and difficult
process, and may
take over an
hour. With its
mouth plugged, the snake needs a
way to breathe. It does so by extending the glottis, a tube-like organ embedded
in
the floor of the mouth, around the prey. The glottis is the perfect
breathing tubes bypassing the food until it is swallowed completely. The length
of time it takes to digest the
food depends
on the air
temperature. Most snakes
are happy to
eat live 'food'
but a few groups
of large snakes
kill their prey immediately
before eating.
The teeth of
a snake,-{apart from
the fangs), are
needle-like, sharp and
pointed. The fishhook-like
recurved teeth point
towards the rear of the snake's throat and pierce prey easily.
With most snakes, having more than 200 teeth, no amount of struggling
enables the prey, once caught, to escape the grasp of the jaws. A snake's
teeth are continually
shed in one
of nature's
best maintenance programs
and are replaced
by new teeth
before the older teeth loosen and fall out.
[Friedrich Husemann] “The snakes, along with the turtles and crocodiles,
make up the class of reptiles. Like the amphibians, they are still
poikilothermic (of variable body temperature), but like the birds they possess
an amnion and reproduce through eggs that are no longer dependant on an
external watery environment but are covered with calciferous shell. (...)
Snakes might be called the purest reptiles: Their four limbs having regressed,
they slither over the earth and up trees, burrow into sand or even swim in the
water? (...) Serpentine nature has accommodated itself to a tubular body that
has lost its limbs. (...) On the other hand, the snakes are deaf, lacking a
middle ear.”
Snakes are most closely bound to the earth. In the structure of their
body there is also a pronounced asymmetry. The higher snakes have only a right
lung, the left one being absent. Other organs, such as the ovaries, are
arranged asymmetrically, the left or right ovary being situated higher than the
other. It is similar with the other organs. (For details, see Husemann) Snakes
have a “swallowing disorder”, a pronounced dysphagia. The linguistic
relationship between schlingen (“to gulp down”) and Schlange (“snake”) is not
accidental. Considering their darting tongue and hissing, one might also say
they are characterized by “dysarthria.”
Snake poisons
Of the 300 – 400 different venomous snakes in existence, only a good
dozen have been put to medical use. Terrestrial venomous snakes can be divided
into three large groups:
• true vipers (Viperidae), =
cytotoxic (= an isolated necrosis/a metabolic disorder)
• pit vipers incl. rattlesnakes
(Crotalidae/Lach), chiefly haemoxic (a clotting disorder)
• cobras, coral snakes, mambas, etc. (Elapidae/Naja).
chiefly neurotoxic/curara-like neurotoxins, to paralyses (disorders in the
nervous system)
Snake venoms were introduced by Constantin Hering in 1837 and have
become an integral part of the homeopathic pharmacopeia. His very first remedy
proving already provided a comprehensive portrayal of the essential
characteristics of Lach. For the most part, 8 snake venoms are now commonly
employed: Lach. Crot-h. Crot-durissus-t. Naja. Vip. Both. Cench. Elaps.
In remedy provings almost all snakes display an emphasis on one side of
the body, i.e. their effects are felt more strongly on the left or the right
side. This is true of Lach. (left) and Crot-h. (right).
Clotting disorders (black and blue marks), swallowing disorders and
sensations of constriction in the throat region are also very common.
On the soul (“mind”) level, there are indications for “loquacity”
(Lach.) as well as for a quiet, withdrawn state and aphasia (Crot-h./Both.)
(Mezger for more details). With these (and many other) symptoms, snake venoms
produce an “ideal image” of stroke.
Retrospective evaluation of therapy
It remains to be proved whether in fact these considerations can result
in a viable therapeutic concept. Before putting this question to the test in a
prospective study, a systematic evaluation of collected past experiences with a
homeopathic and an anthroposophical concept was conducted at the Alexander von
Humboldt-Klinik in Bad Steben. To this end all patient data from the period of
9/00 – 8/01 were gathered. (Since 9/00 the computer system Geridoc of the AFGiB
has been in use at the clinic, which has considerably facilitated data
gathering.)
Alongside of the essential therapies provided by the department for
physio- and ergotherapy, the clinic’s integrative therapy concept embraces
treatment according to the principles of classical homeopathy and to a lesser
extent, those of anthroposophical medicine and phytotherapy.
Between 9/00 and 8/01, the pilot study accepted all patients who had
suffered a stroke (even if it had occurred years or decades earlier) and were
still suffering from its consequences. The treatment phase lasted from a
minimum of 3 weeks to however long the patient remained in the clinic.
Basic Therapy
The basic therapy consists of treatment within the framework of
conventional medicine [administration of ASA (aspirin) or Marcumar] if the
patient was already accustomed to these). When the cause was ascertained as
cerebral haemorrhage, no specific therapy was given. In particular, the
following measures were provided to each patient: ergotherapy, speech therapy
and physiotherapy, individually tailored to patients' condition. Adequate
supply of accessories (wheelchairs, rollators, walkers, canes) was provided
for. The help of an in-house neurologist and/or associated urologist and/or
orthopedist was called in as needed. All types of medically necessary
accompanying therapy were permitted, in particular:
all drugs, remedies or therapies
needed by the patient for illnesses other than the stroke,
all drugs or remedies for
treatment of the stroke to which the patient was accustomed and which in the
judgment of the supervising physician should be continued,
all new medications deemed
necessary for treatment of the stroke by the supervising physician,
all diagnostic procedures and
tests,
the standard therapy with Aspirin
100 or in rare cases Marcumar.
Homeopathic therapy
Conducted most frequently with snake venoms. The majority received
either Lach. (left-sided) or Crot-h. (right-sided), generally in D 30.
The plant remedies most used were Arn. and the nightshades
(Bell./Nicotiana/Stram./Hyos.) as well as the Logoniaceae (Nux-v./Ign./Gels.).
Preference among the metals fell on silver (Arg-met.) and lead (Plumbum
mellitum).
Extreme vertigo, additional use of Vertigoheel® (Heel GmbH, Baden-Baden)
proved highly effective; CHD patients frequently received additional treatment
with Crataegus comp.® w. Cancer
patients were given courses of mistletoe therapy (Abnoba viscum, Iscucin and
Iscador).
In all, the homeopathic treatment adhered only partially to the rules of
classical homeopathy, admitting the use of complex remedies and simultaneous
administration of
2 or 3 remedies individually tailored. Also, the frequency of administration
was too high for advocates of classical homeopathy. However, since in our
judgment stroke must be treated as an acute illness, even from the homeopathic
point of view we saw no error in the use of frequent doses. The potencies
generally used were D 6 and D 30.
In most cases therapy was carried out with:
Lachesis (44 x),
Arn. (43 x),
Crot-h. (18 x),
Nicotiana tabacum (12 x),
Phos. (7 x),
Led. (5 x),
Gels. (5 x),
Dig. (5 x),
Lath. (7 x).
Complex complementary remedies: Crataegus comp.
(27 x for severe CHD) and Vertigoheel (17 x for severe vertigo) were frequent.
The anthroposophical concept
No real concept had been available in the field of anthroposophical
therapy, so we turned to the research division of WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Bad
Boll. They graciously told us of a therapeutic concept that was to prove
effective in practice, one essentially based on a combination of two important
remedies in stroke (Arn. and Lachesis) along with organ preparations of the
affected region. Indirectly, this provided a test of the efficacy of organ
preparations and the efficacy of injections. The anthroposophical WALA study
concept is quite comprehensive, providing for:
• taking of complex or single
homeopathic remedies, as well as
• phytotherapeutic measures,
• embrocations and baths,
• movement exercises from the
field of curative eurythmy.
The total treatment concept includes injections, embrocations and baths.
In practice, only the medicinal applications could be implemented in the pilot
study, since the oil dispersion baths were not yet at our disposal for
financial reasons?the artistic therapies could not be generally implemented.
Therapy groups
Patients were not assigned to the therapies randomly, but according to
the station at which they were admitted. The patients at stations 1 and 2
always (almost always) received homeopathic treatment. The treatment received
by patients at station 4 followed the anthroposophical therapy concept. The
assignment of the patients to stations was dictated by the capacities of the
stations. Thus it can be assumed that the assignment followed solely from
capacity considerations (only in rare cases following patients’ requests) and
was not guided by the severity of illness or considerations of possible therapeutic
success.
Results
In all, the data of 172 patients were documented and evaluated. Of
these, 24 were treated anthroposophically, 143 homeopathically and 5 according
to neither of the two concepts. More than two thirds of the patients were
female. There was little age difference between the two groups and the average
age of 79 was relatively high in comparison to other studies.
Results
There was a significant difference in length of treatment between the
two therapy groups: The treatment of the patients in the WALA group lasted on
average 35.3 days (median: 40 days), while the homeopathically treated patients
were released after only 29.6 days (median, 21 days). At the same time, a good
to very good result is documented in almost 60% of the homeopathic group but
only 33% of the WALA group. This was true despite the fact that 10 patients in
the homeopathic group died (7.0%, registering statistically as a Barthel 0 at
discharge), while in the anthroposophical group there were no deaths.
Similarly, good to very good improvement in avoidance of dependency was
achieved in almost 60% of the homeopathic group, but in only just under 37% of
the group treated according to the WALA schema. In correlation with this, the
Barthel Index in the homeopathic group improved by an average of 29.5 points,
but by only 17.6 points in the WALA group (table 3). Figure 2 shows the course
of the Barthel Index as registered weekly. On the Rankin Scale, the average
improvement was 1.0 points in both groups. On the SSS, the homeopathic group
rose by 1.0 points, the WALA group by 0.4.
Discussion
The results of the pilot study show that both homeopathic as well as
anthroposophical treatment of stroke can produce good to very good results:
After an average of 4 weeks of inpatient treatment, almost no patients were
left with a Barthel Index under 20, and the Barthel Index as a whole displayed
quite a respectable rise?a rise of a kind very seldom met with, to judge by
comparable Bavarian data in our possession.
This increase in the Barthel Index, averaging 27.7 points, is remarkable
when compared to the prospective study of Meier-Baumgartner, which showed an
average rise of 24 Barthel points?from 42 to 66?at an average treatment period
of 55.7 days and an average age of 75 years [5]). It should also be considered
that the Barthel Index in our study actually reflects a lowering effect caused
by inclusion of all patients, without selection for those with “better
prognoses.”
On a critical note, it should be pointed out that it is standard clinical
practice to record the initial Barthel Index from the application form for
geriatric rehabilitation. As a rule, this form had already been filled out at
the interim clinic several days before admission. The Barthel score was
frequently lower (though in some cases better) than the one ascertained by us.
We must assume a systematic error here, the extent of which is difficult to
judge.
The differences between the remedy concept derived from anthroposophical
medicine and the homeopathic concept are satisfactorily explained by the
greater severity of the condition of the stroke patients in the WALA part of
the study?an aspect that is poorly reflected by the Barthel Index. Hence in
this respect great caution is necessary in interpreting the results. An indication
of similar efficacy is in fact found in the almost identical change in the
Rankin Scale in both groups.
The best results were obtained with use of a snake venom and (parallel)
use of Tabacum and/or Arn.. In cases of weakness involving the arm (left-sided)
and BAA Syndrome, Digitalis proved effective. Cases of contracture (esp. in
alcoholics) frequently show significant improvement with Ledum D6; with smokers
and multi-infarction syndromes, very good improvement is very regularly noted
using Nicotiana tabacum D6–30. Mistletoe therapy too appears to have a
favorable influence on healing.
Parallel to therapy with snake venoms, a therapy of the risk factors
should always take place: Nicotiana tabacum for nicotine abuse, Crataegus comp.
or the like for CHD (proven results!), and so on. In addition, it is expected
that the accompanying therapy with oil dispersion baths and curative eurythmy,
which could not yet be implemented for this study, will make it possible to
achieve further improvement.
Further Considerations
Initial empirical confirmation now exists that an approach based on
complementary medicine can treat stroke with good to very good results.
Following this first evaluation, our intention has been to explore whether, on the
basis of the experiences described here, the stroke treatment provided might
not be still further optimized using therapeutic remedies.
This in fact appears to be the case. In the months after conclusion of
the pilot study, it was possible to achieve marked improvements in very severe
cases (aphasia in particular) using the snake venom mixture Naja comp. w (2–3 x week s.c.). The improvement was
also seen in old cases. With Naja comp., the rise in the Bartel Index averaged
30 points (after 15 cases)! If the physician has no experience with homeopathy,
for routine practice Naja comp. is recommended (2–3 x week).
The Naja comp. w consists of
Lach., Naja, Crot-h. and Vip. in various potencies, thus covering all 3 venom
types (hemotoxic, neurotoxic and cytotoxic). It represents a kind of
“archetypal” snake venom. In as much as stroke too represents a disorder on all
three planes (circumscribed cytolysis in the area of infarction;
the coagulation disorder that is nearly always present; and the
neurological losses), the surest treatment for it will employ all three types
of snake venom.
Based on our current level of knowledge, we believe that the optimal
medical treatment will combine a complex remedy specifically matched to the
pathophysiology of the disease (Naja comp.)
In accordance with the intentions of anthroposophical medicine and a
carefully chosen single homeopathic remedy (in most cases Arn., Dig., Led.,
Phos. or Tab.) after the intentions of classical homeopathy. In this way,
anthroposophical breadth ideally complemented by the individualized precision
of homeopathy.
It is astonishing that Naja comp. has scarcely been known in the
anthroposophical treatment of stroke. Much the same is true of Nicotiana
tabacum in homeopathy.
In order to verify or possibly falsify the results presented here, as
well as to render them more precise, a multicenter prospective study would be
called for. Our clinic envisions initiating such a study in 4/02.
[Farokh Master]
Bitis arietans
Bungarus facitatious
Echis carinatus
Eunectus noteaus
Morelia spilota
Naja haje
Naja mossambica
Ophiophagus hannah
What I learned from proving the above remedies is mentioned below:
Try and select dedicated and experienced provers who can describe the
symptoms in detail and have a good understanding of his or her body that’s the
reason why I selected always homoeopathic doctors.
I avoid selecting provers who are anxious or nervous or hypochondriac by
nature.
I keep regular monthly meetings and video the whole meeting to
understand what the provers really felt.
I carry on the proving for 18 months to see long term effects.
When only snake remedies were proved I saw something common that came
through all the remedies.
Following themes emerged.
Activity: Many remedies loved to keep themselves busy.
Anger: Lot of pent up anger came out in the form of throwing things,
from contradiction, with quick repentance, sadness after anger.
Anxiety: Very hypochondriac with lot of issues related to his health.
Concentration: Any literally work makes them dull and sleepy; confusion
of mind, forgetfull, forgets the way even in well known streets.
Out of Body and Dejavu: Many provers had déjavue and out of body
experiences. This was + increased awareness of his body.
Awkwardness: Clumsy movement and embarrassment from awkwardness
Laziness: in the morning (on waking), this is followed by sadness
(Depression), indifference to work, business and surroundings.
Fear: of being attacked, being alone and of impending disease, loosing
self control and accidents.
Memory problems: Forgetfulness of day to day activities, makes mistakes
in well known streets, looses the direction of the road, all this leads to confusion.
Irresolution: Poor confidence and self depreciation (Naja genus). This
finally leads to strong pessimism.
Benign Positional Vertigo: Many snake remedies I proved have excess of
(any motion of the head or eyes), + fainting.
Occipital migraine: Many occipital migraine + neck stiffness, >
drinking coffee or warm drinks < rest/noise/travelling/motion.
Acne: Hormone related eruptions (with ugly scars).
Vaso motor rhinitis: Leading to allergic sinusitis, paroxysmal sneezing,
copious discharge, snuffles, nasal obstruction esp. left sided morning on
waking. Maxillary sinusitis.
Ear stopped
Pulsation left sided in the arteries, stopped sensation, left sided
otalgia, hearing impaired in left side.
Apthae
Apthous stomatitis.
Lump in the throat
Follicular, granular pharyngitis.
Left sided throat affection, draft of cold air aggravate around the
throat.
Flatulent colic (that extends all over the abdomen)
Severe Intertrigo
Intertrigo in groins, red rashes in the folds of the skin.
Early morning diarrhea
Diarrhea with severe colic in abdomen which extends to distant parts
Dreams
The common theme that was witnessed was being pursued, attacked,
violence, robbers and dead relatives.
Menstrual cycle was almost always affected in most of the snake venoms
Menses late and delayed for many weeks and when they get the menses it
is very scanty.
Leucorrhoea +, during or before menses.
Leucorrhoea is very sticky, whitish yellow accompanied by itching.
Vorwort/Suchen Zeichen/Abkürzungen Impressum