Spinnen
Anhang e
Vergleich: Siehe: Group Analysis Evaluation
[Dr Marion Weston]
Comparison: Tarent. + Ther. + Lat-h. + Loxo-r. + Aran. (in Sharp:
stinging/stabbing/stitching/burning in various different organs (eyes)/paralytic, paralyzed/numb/spasm, cramp/twitching,
trembling/weakness and
faintness/Sensitive/dull, sore aching/coldness/chill/fullness/heaviness/swelling/motion/restlessness
and
hurried/exhaustion/excitability/irritability/aggressive/vertigo/passion/hysteria/mania/anxiety/nervousness/fear/anger,
rage).
Sensation extraction for spiders
in general ordered from the smallest to the largest: Rubric
|
Number of spider
remedies/rubric |
Total number of
remedies/rubric |
Mind: Tears his books |
2 |
2 |
Mind: MOROSE, SULKY:
FEVER: During: intermittent |
2 |
2 |
Mind: HYSTERIA: LIE
down, must |
2 |
3 |
Back: PAIN: STITCHING,
shooting: Dorsal region: scapulae: below: motion: agg. |
2 |
3 |
Female: LEUKORRHEA: #
bloody discharge, |
2 |
4 |
Mind: DREAMS of SKATING |
2 |
5 |
Extremities: COLD FEET
and heat of body |
2 |
5 |
Teeth: PAIN: < NOISE
|
2 |
5 |
Mind: DREAMS: is
talking with someone |
2 |
5 |
Mind: DACING: DESIRES: WILD |
3 |
6 |
Chill: BATHING: < Cold |
2 |
6 |
Back: SENSITIVE SPINE:
PRESSURE, to |
2 |
6 |
Neck: PAIN: SIDES: Morning |
2 |
6 |
Hearing: REVERBERATING,
ECHOES AND REECHOES: WAKING, on |
2 |
6 |
Male: ERUPTIONS: BOILS, furuncles |
2 |
7 |
Neck: PAIN: MORNING |
2 |
7 |
Female: MENSES:
PAINFUL: Convulsions, with |
2 |
7 |
Chest: PAIN:
STITCHING: Upper: left |
2 |
7 |
Teeth: NOISE < |
2 |
7 |
Vision: ACUTE: COLORS |
2 |
7 |
Neck: TURNING HEAD to
r. < |
2 |
8 |
Head: PAIN after
DREAMING, |
2 |
8 |
Back: PAIN:
APPLICATIONS: Warm, hot |
2 |
8 |
Back: PAIN: STINGING |
2 |
9 |
Urine: YELLOW: BRIGHT |
2 |
9 |
Generalities: FAINTNESS: FAINTING: PERIODIC |
2 |
9 |
Head: PAIN: FOREHEAD:
Afternoon: 15 h. |
2 |
9 |
Stomach: VOMITING:
BILE: Morning |
2 |
10 |
Mind: DREAMS: INSULTS |
2 |
10 |
Vision: FLICKERING: HEADACHE:
Before |
2 |
11 |
Mind: DREAMS: CLOTHING |
2 |
11 |
Head: INTERNAL: DREAMIMG, after |
2 |
11 |
Mind: ATTACK OTHERS:
DESIRE TO |
2 |
12 |
Hearing: NOISES:
MORNING: < on and after waking |
2 |
12 |
Eyes: TWITCHING: LIDS:
Upper: right |
2 |
12 |
Back: PAIN: >
STRAIGHTENING back: |
2 |
12 |
Mind: DREAMS: EYES |
3 |
13 |
Mind: GESTURES, MAKES:
PLAYS with: Fingers |
2 |
13 |
Mind: DANCING, DESIRES: AMEL. |
2 |
13 |
Mind: COLORS: CHARMED by |
2 |
13 |
Generalities: DANCING: AMEL. |
2 |
13 |
Chest: PAIN: EXT. Neck
|
2 |
|
Back: PAIN: SORE,
bruised, beaten: < Pressure: |
2 |
13 |
Stomach: FULL after DINNER, |
2 |
13 |
Chill: < BATHING |
2 |
13 |
Chest: PAIN: UPPER: Left |
4 |
14 |
Generalities: FOOD AND
DRINKS: Desires: BITTER drinks |
2 |
14 |
Mind: GESTURES:
WRINGING hands |
3 |
18 |
Back: SENSITIVE SPINE
(to touch) |
3 |
20 |
Cough: > DRINKING |
3 |
24 |
Generalities: PARALYSIS
< emotional EXCITEMENT |
3 |
27 |
|
3 |
44 |
Back: PAIN: STITCHING,
shooting: Dorsal region: scapulae: below |
3 |
|
A GROUP ANALYSIS EVALUATION OF THE CLASS ARACHNIDA IN TERMS OF KNOWN
MATERIA MEDICA
https://openscholar.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/575
[Dr Marion Weston]
The research indicated there is a strong correlation between the
material medica of a spider remedy and the nature of the original substance it
is prepared from.
Understanding the behavioural patterns of a spider gives an insight into
the characteristics of the substance from which the corresponding homeopathic
remedy is derived. Although the data collected and analyzed was unable to
outline a vital sensation that reflects the core essence of the Araneae group
as a whole, the data were able to indicate
a clear image of the basic reactions and responses of the spider
remedies. Since animal remedies are concerned with different issues than for
example plant or mineral remedies,
a search for a Vital sensation and its opposite
alone, in the researcher’s opinion is not sufficient enough to understand the
complex make up of an animal remedy. Even though evidently good results were
achieved using Sankaran’s (2005) proposed methodology, it was a complicated and
sometimes misleading process. Without the thorough analysis
of the nature of the substance which included
not only the natural history and biological facts but also toxicological
reports and mythology, it would not have been possible to correctly understand
and interpret the amount of information gathered during the extraction process.
Mental and emotional
manifestations of Araneae remedies
The mind is in a state of hyper-excitability, can be caused by music or
high sexual tension, causing extreme restlessness, nervousness and anxiousness
only relieved by constant movement (dancing to strong rhythmical music). Great
hurry, fingers +/o. limbs are in constant motion (wringing hands/drumming with
fingers).
Spiders are known for their sudden movements and this fact is also
expressed for spiders in the materia medica. Sudden pain on the physical level and sudden emotions
with reactive behaviour.
Hysteria is a prominent manifestation of the hyper excitable mind and is
characterized by most violent alternations of moods and destructive impulses.
Irritibality, anger and excitement found to be three emotions that are depicted
as a trio in the material medica of most spider remedies and led to the
question of how spider remedies express their anger. Strong fits of anger in
form of temper tantrums and episodes of rage with a desire to strike oneself or
others. Caused by jealousy, insults or just trifles.
The whole organism is in a state of hypersensitivity (to
music/noise/touch/and colors). There is a heightened awareness of color to the
point where objects are perceived as fluorescent or brilliant in color. Colored
dreams are also mentioned. Noise is intolerable and besides inducing physical
symptoms, can lead to fear, fright and sometimes terror.
Typical fears of Araneae remedies include fear of pain, disease and
death, fear of
Animals (spiders/cats) and fear of narrow places, losing breath or
suffocation. Fear, apprehension and anxiety are mentioned together as one
particular side in the literature of most spider remedies. Together with the
above mentioned trio ‘irritability, anger, anxiety’, these two sets of emotions
seem to be
Significant.
The two most common causative factors derived from the extraction
process would appear to be ‘Ailments from excitement’ and ‘ailments from fright
and fear”.
Clinical aspects of
Araneae remedies
• Neurological diseases: Chorea, Epilepsy, Neuralgia, Paralysis,
Paraesthesia, M.S., ALS, Vertigo, Tinnitus
• Diseases of the eyes and eye lids: Conjunctivitis and other
inflammatory diseases of the eyes and eye lids, visual disturbances, Ptosis
• Muscular skeletal diseases: Disorders of the Spine, Rheuma, Bone
cancer
Diseases of the head: Migraines,
Meningitis
• Diseases of the heart: Arrhythmias, Angina Pectoris, Myocardial
infarction
Mental and behavioural
disorders: ADHD., Neurosis, Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Mania
Sexual organs: Chordea,
Nymphomania, disorders
Themes
a) Extreme restlessness and hurry
with a desire to keep the extremities constantly moving (fingers)
b) Industrious with a mania for work
c) Hysteria
d) Heightened sensitivity and
increased nervous excitability [noise/(rhythmical) music/colors/touch]
e) Desire for dancing
f) Nervousness, apprehension and
anxiety with fear of death, animals and disease.
g) Vertigo and faintness
h) Irritability, anger, aggression
and rage - especially from jealousy and trifles.
i) Delusion that parts of the body
(arms/legs) were greatly swollen and heavy
j) Sensation of fullness in the
stomach - easy satiety.
k) Nervous affections - trembling,
jerking, spasms, cramps, neuralgia (sharp shooting pains), chorea, epilepsy,
numbness, weakness, exhaustion, paralysis.
l) Affections of the eyes and lids -
burning, lancinating pains: weakness, dimness, redness, inflammed: dark circles
around the eyes: inflamed and twitching of the lids.
m) sore bruised pains in back along
the spine and in extremities.
n) Coldness
o) Acuteness, increased intensity
and periodicity of complaints.
Two centuries ago it was possible to practice with only 100 remedies.
Today with the constantly expanding materia medica, complexity itself tempts
the homeopath to remain inside this range of remedies. It is due to the
pioneering work of authors like Scholten (1993) and Sankaran (2005) that the
vast materia medica of today can be summarized and understood through a method
like group analysis which links naturally related substances via their common symptomatology.
This not only offers new aspects to well known remedies, but highlights the
smaller, not so well known remedies, resulting in a more comprehensive
understanding of the materia medica.
The primary sensations extracted and confirmed in the rest of the
Araneae group were stinging, stitching, shooting, sensitive, sore, cold, faint,
paralytic, twitching and full. Significant synonyms of the first order analysis
were heaviness, spasm, cramp, numbness and weakness. Second order and third
order analysis not only provided symptoms
of the mind, but led to the proposed themes common in spider remedies.
The majority of themes like hyperactivity, restlessness, increased sexuality,
impulsive violence and aggression, the periodicity of complaints, heightened
sensitivity to music and the love for dancing are comparable to Mangliavori’s
(2004) clinical findings and to Sankaran’s (2005) proposed spider
characteristics.
A miasmatic differentiation of each member of the sample group was
performed according to Sankaran’s extended miasmatic model (2005:7).
Araneus diademus was found to belong to the
sycotic- as well as malarial miasm,
Latrodectus hasseltii to the syphilitic-,
Loxoceles reclusa to the leprous
Tarentula hispanica and Theridion curassavicum
to the tubercular miasm.
Pathological tendencies of the Araneae remedies were found to involve
the nervous system, eyes, heart, muscular - skeletal system, sexual organs and
the mind. Examples of diseases common in Araneae remedies were found to be:
mental disorders like anxiety neurosis, ADHD, depression, mania, sexual
disturbances, STD’s, neurological disorders, angina pectoris, myocardial
infarction, spinal irritation, migraines, meningitis etc.
The results of this research were found to support group analysis methodology
as outlined by Sankaran (2005). However additional knowledge drawn from
Sankaran’s 2008 most recent research into animal remedies and from the natural
history of spiders was necessary to be able to interpret the results correctly
and to illustrate an in-depth picture of the common characteristic
features of the Araneae remedies.
There is tremendous variety among homeopaths in their knowledge of each
remedy. This knowledge mostly derives from single phenomena listed during a
proving.
With the constantly expanding materia medica, a capacity to discriminate
and decisively weigh the relative importance of the information received is
necessary for the development of a remedy picture (Mangliavori, 2004:28).
For homeopaths, the frame of reference derives from the study of the
patient and the remedy. Using this data a homeopath should be able to match the
signs and symptoms
of the disease to the relevant remedy picture. This process is not
always efficient and the interpretation of the materia medica subjective
(Zwemke, 2004), hence there is a need to increase the awareness of the
substance in use (Mangliavori, 2004:31).
In order to be able to assimilate the quantity of information received during
a proving, the history of the substance, toxicological findings, clinical
material and cured cases have to be considered (Sankaran, 2005:19).
Since Hahnemann (1755 -1843), several homeopaths made the attempt to
create a system of homeopathic prescribing that can assist practitioners
understand the remedies more accurately. One of these systems is referred to as
Group Analysis. It is not an entirely new approach, but has been taken further
in recent years by a number of homeopaths (Scholten,1993:23).
Group analysis is an important method which groups remedies according to
the natural biological classification of organisms and substances. The three
main sources from which homeopathic remedies originate, are plants, animals and
minerals. A remedy from a specific kingdom will share the same themes at a
general level with other remedies
of the same kingdom (Sankaran, 2008:25). The themes and characteristics
that are common to a group are distilled in order to gain better insight of the
core of a specific group (Scholten, 1996:69).
Classification, categorization and grouping are scientific tools and
give homeopathy the strength of prediction (Scholten, 2007:35). With the group
analysis approach it is possible to extend the pictures of little known
remedies, so that they become full and meaningful pictures (Moskowitz, 2002).
Spider remedies make up a relatively small group amongst homeopathic
remedies. Spiders are members of the animal kingdom and belong to the class
Arachnida (Leroy 2003:9). Considering the diversity of spiders in nature, and
the biological importance within the ecosystem, it is surprising that spider
remedies are not better understood and more often used in homeopathy.
The aim of this study analyzing remedies of the class Arachnida, order
Araneae according to the group analysis method proposed by Sankaran (2005), and
to test the validity of the application of this method to an animal class.
1.1 Aim of the group analysis research project
The aim of this non empirical study is to apply Sankaran’s methodology
for group analysis to the Class Arachnida/order Araneae and to compare the
outcome of the formalized computer analysis to existing results and views of
spiders obtained by homeopaths like Mangliavori (2004) and Sankaran (2005).
For this purpose remedies of the order Araneae will be analyzed in terms
of common sensations, responses and reactions they evoke in proving
experiments. The information will be collected from various homeopathic materia
medicae represented in MacRepertory® reference works.
The objectives of this study are:
1. To establish whether it is possible to extract a common set of
sensations running through the order Araneae/class Arachnida.
2. To trace the order’s typical pattern of responses and reactions
evoked in proving trials.
3. To verify whether the results of this formal computer research are
comparable to the existing literature on spider themes, published by Sankaran
(2005) and Mangliavori (2004).
4. To differentiate each member of the sample group in terms of miasmatic
tendencies, according to Sankaran’s (2005:52) extended miasmatic classification
model.
1.2 Rationale for the group analysis evaluation of remedies belonging to
the class Arachnida/ order Araneae
The remedies of the class Arachnida and in particular of the order
Araneae are relatively poorly represented in the literature with respect to
common characteristics (Mangliavori, 2004).
A) Mangliavori’s methodology is based on clinical experience. His data
derives from previous successfully treated clinical cases (Mangliavori, 2004).
B) Sankaran’s methodology is based on a formal repertory search and an
analysis of the materia medica. It has been applied to a number of plant
families with apparent
success (Sankaran, 2005).
Homoeopathic spider remedies are known to be useful in the treatment of
a range of clinical conditions:
Latrodectus mactans in Angina pectoris,
Tarentula hispanica in ADD/ADHD
Tarentula cubensis in Sepsis.
A detailed analysis of the material medica of known spider remedies will
give homeopaths a deeper understanding of their commonalities and allow them to
more accurately utilize a broader range of currently less well proven spider
remedies in the future.
A further rationale of the study is to test the reliability, validity
and consistency of Sankaran’s group analysis methodology.
The purpose of this study is to subject a lesser understood biological
class to a particular investigation with a view to extend the overall group
understanding, and therefore
to allow more utilization of individual members as therapeutic
substances for a range of clinical conditions.
The substances that Hahnemann used in his early provings were crude
medicines in doses that were very small relative to the doses commonly used in
medicine at the time.
He observed that even these small doses caused violent aggravation
during the proving and began to simply divide the remedies into ever - smaller
crude doses.
Later Hahnemann found he could actually enhance the effectiveness of a medicine
by dilution, while adding to its dynamic or energetic state by succussion -
violent shaking
or trituration - grinding in a mortar and pestle (De Schepper, 2001:33).
To fully prove a substance and to determine the exact character of each
symptom and its modality, multiple tests with provers of both genders and
various constitutions are needed (Hahnemann, 1996:157). Symptoms that arise
from a proving are recorded in a materia medica, which is a collection of the
genuine, pure, unmistakable modes of action of simple medicinal substances
(Hahnemann, 2001:161). It was Hahnemann’s belief, that a homeopath should match
the symptoms of the patient with the remedy picture recorded in the materia
medica (Zwemke, 2004:25).
Considering the vast amount of information collected during a proving,
it seems that an encyclopaedic knowledge of materia medica is necessary to
prescribe a remedy.
It therefore became apparent, that a system of homeopathic prescribing
was needed to help practitioners both study the remedies and prescribe more
accurately for each individual (Sankaran, 1994:313).
Hahnemann himself made the first attempt to group the remedies he was
proving according to the notion of Miasms. Well before Koch and Pasteur,
Hahnemann perceived
that diseases entered the body in form of what he described as ‘Miasms’,
- subtle, imperceptible substances that take hold of the Vital Force causing an
internal derangement. He thus anticipated the modern concept of microbial
infection, however clearly indicating that
contagion cannot occur without prior susceptibility (Weiner, 1989:32).
He observed that in chronic disease the best selected medicine often
could not prevent relapses or periodic exacerbations and chronic disease nearly
always followed a pattern that could be related to one of the 3 Miasms:
Psora, Sycosis or Syphilis (Eizayaga, 1994:288). With the classification
of chronic disease and its treatment with anti miasmatic remedies he created
the first system of prescribing in homeopathy, and thus simplified the differentiation
of similar remedies in each prescription (Sankaran, 1994:21).
Today the miasmatic model has been extended. According to depth and pace
of perception, Sankaran (2005:7) distinguishes between ten different Miasms.
Farrington (1992) was one of the first authors who understood the value
of looking for deeper and more systematic levels of similarity by following the
trail of biological and chemical groupings that already existed in nature
(Moskowitz, 2002:2). He realized that if drugs belong to the same family, they
must have a similar action and for the purpose of his lectures, he arranged the
remedies in three grand divisions, according to the kingdom of nature from
which they derived. In recent decades a number of homeopaths have refined and extended
the idea of kingdom classification.
In the past, the most common method of studying homeopathic remedies was
to focus on the individual remedy. Recently the focus shifted to the analysis
of a whole group with the emphasis on extracting commonalities within a group
(Scholten, 1993:23). Amongst other homeopaths, Scholten and Sankaran can be
considered the prime movers
of group analysis of the modern area (Wulfsohn, 2005). The term Group
Analysis however was first coined by Scholten (1993:23), who recognizes that
this method is not entirely new and has been used in the past by Clarke
(1985:358), Morrison (1988:2) and Vithoulkas (1992:235).
In Group Analysis themes and characteristics common to a group of
related remedies are distilled out of the overall picture and subsequently
applied to the lesser known or even unknown remedies within the group
(Scholten, 1993:11). The revelation of a pattern offers the homeopath a broader
therapeutic model for application and the possibility of prediction (Klein, 2005:10).
Group Analysis according to Jan Scholten
For many years Scholten expressed his unhappiness about the gaps and the
lack of System in the knowledge of homeopathic remedies (Stuut,1993:9). This
led him to the investigation of groups of remedies which, although botanically
or chemically related, at first sight hardly seemed to have any homeopathic
relationship with each other. Scholten (1993:11) compared different mineral
remedies - groups of remedies that contain the same
element - and extracted common symptoms. For instance Nat-c. Nat-m.
Nat-p. and Nat-s. are minerals that contain the element Sodium. The themes and
characteristics that
are common to the whole group are distilled out of the overall picture and
subsequently applied to the lesser known or even unknown Sodium salts
(Scholten, 1996:68).
A few years later Scholten went further and applied his theory to the
entire periodic table by creating a materia medica of the elements (Savage,
1996).
His book “Homeopathy and the elements” (Scholten, 1996) describes the
outcome of a comparison of the elements, how they relate to each other and how
compound salts modify the picture of a single element. Scholten was able to
identify a pattern running through the entire periodic table
by themes that are common to vertical rows/series, as well as horizontal
columns/stages. The patterns are more general and the concepts broader than the
ones described in his previous book “Homeopathy and the Minerals” (Scholten,
1993). However Scholten (1996) manages to show a definite evolution of a theme
within each row with the idea of a rise and fall according to the progression
of columns. In this way he is able to forecast trends developing within each
row and to predict themes and characteristics of lesser or unknown mineral
remedies.
Using the current scientific knowledge of the periodic table, Scholten
(2005) introduced a new group of remedies - the Lanthanides - to homeopathy.
The name Lanthanides
means hidden, as many of them are found in other substances and are difficult
to obtain (Klein, 2005:10). To Scholten (2005:10) this fact is already a key to
their homeopathic use. Apparently a number of practitioners have had successful
cures using these new concepts and substances to a point where it now forms an
integral part of homeopathic practice (Klein, 2005:11). This new ‘system’
implies that remedies may be prescribed without prior proving, even though
Scholten (1993) still believes that ultimately these remedies should still be
proved. Despite some dangers that come with the new ‘method’, group analysis
allows for extension of knowledge in a new way.
Group Analysis according to Rajan
Sankaran
While Scholten (1996) mainly explored the periodic table, Sankaran
(2008) focused on the differentiation between the kingdoms (viz. Animal,
Mineral, Plant...) and how
remedies belonging to different kingdoms would present themselves in a
patient. According to Sankaran (2008:17), a differentiation between the
kingdoms cannot be done
at a superficial level e.g. through the patients appearance, his/her
mode of speaking or behavior. This can only give clues. It is the voice of the
source itself speaking from
within that can reveal the nature of the kingdom, as it expresses itself
with subtlety.
Remedies of the same kingdom share common traits as do remedies from the
same order and family. These traits find expression in a patient and so narrow
down the search for a remedy. Once arrived at a biological family the choice of
a particular member of that family will depend on the patient’s description of
his most inner state.
In the foreword to Sankaran’s most recently published book “Survival”,
Schadde (2008:1) notices that even though Hahnemann’s proving taught a lot
about how to understand remedies, there was a missing link, the connection
between the patient’s expression of his inner state and the required remedy’s
expression in nature.
An investigation into the source of the remedy provided a better understanding
of the missing link. Sankaran (2008:49) calls
the specific traits of the source as they express themselves in a
patient “the song of nature” which can be heard and seen when the patient’s
deepest level is reached.
In order to arrive at this level, there was a need to develop a new
specific case taking method. This method allows the patient to access deeper
levels of his consciousness where a connection between the inner state and the
source can be drawn.
Following Hahnemann’s advice in paragraph 83 of the Organon regarding
the individualizing examination of each case of disease and considering
paragraph 9 of the
Organon - the vital force rules the sensations and functions - Sankaran
refined his method of case taking in order to reach the patient’s morbid state
at a level where the source is recognizable (Schadde, 2008:1). By matching the
patient’s expressions of his/her morbid state with the analogue substance in
nature, Sankaran provides an answer to the proposed missing link.
Sankaran (1997) conducted further investigations into the natural
classification of drugs by specifying the distinguishing features of plant,
animal and mineral remedies. According to Sankaran (2008:25), patients who need
a mineral remedy are concerned with issues of structure, e.g. identity,
relationship or performance. Plant remedies deal with sensitivity issues and
animal remedies with issues of survival. The results of Sankaran’s research are
published in his book “Schema” (Sankaran, 2005), “Sensation” (Sankaran, 2004) an
“Sensation refined” (Sankaran, 2007) and show, in summary the different
concepts and information spread over his books.
Group Analysis according to Massimo Mangliavori
Proving symptoms of remedies are recorded in a materia medica and most
often accepted by homeopathic profession as a solid picture. Scholten (2005:17)
expresses his view on the proving picture: “…...the longer one
reflects about it, the more obvious it becomes that the descriptions are
only approximations of what the real picture of a remedy is. The real picture
is something abstract and a proving can only elicit parts of it.
The development of the materia medica is a process, with the proving
only being the start of it”. Further requirements for the development of a
complete remedy picture are a definition of an essence, a verification of
findings through clinical application and a comparison of remedies for the
purpose of classification which Scholten (2005:17) considers to be the first
real step into science and theory formation. “Classification is not impossible
or
leads to false conclusions, ……without classification all information is
unconnected and cannot be put into theory” (Scholten, 2005:17).
Mangliavori (2005:33) agrees that a synthesis of the multitude of
symptoms is vital to define the characteristic aspects of a remedy system. He
emphasizes that “the essence”, “the nucleus”, “the core element”, “the spirit”
were some of the terms used to describe a set of symptoms which needed
to be present in a case for the prescription of a certain remedy. However when
used in a reducing manner these concepts neglect interaction and
connection of data and leave a remedy picture without structure. Only an
appreciation of the coherence of symptoms can lead to a full remedy picture or “Gestalt”
(Mangliavori, 2005:33).
The concepts of Group Analysis are not in contradiction to the
conventional Hahnemannian proving. A conventional proving forms an integral
part in the process of the development of a complete remedy picture. Modern
authors like Scholten, Sankaran or Mangliavori have according to the
ever expanding knowledge during the last centuries merely gone a step further
by adding a structure to the endless amount of data collected during a proving.
In order to progress as a science, homeopathy has to go through the
stage of source description, development of themes, clinical confirmation,
classification and theory formation (Scholten, 2005:17). As Einstein (2005:17)
rightly puts it: “Science without epistemology is, insofar as it is thinkable
at all, primitive and muddled”.
Sankaran’s concepts and methodology
Origins of the kingdom
classification
Homeopathy views disease as an affection of the whole person and
therefore a homeopathic treatment must be holistic and individualistic. For
Sankaran (2008:14) the base of disease is a false perception of reality, a
delusion which causes an inappropriate and disproportioned reaction. According
to the depth of which a situation is perceived, Sankaran differentiates ten
possible degrees of perception and its reactive pattern. A Miasm according to
Sankaran (2005:19) indicates the depth of how a situation is experienced and is
a classification of states (patients’ states as well as remedy states), based
on the pace, rapidity and level of desperation.
A perception can be differentiated according to quality - “how” a
situation is perceived, or character - “what” is perceived in a situation. The
“how” of any phenomenon denotes the “Miasm” and the “what” the “Sensation”
(Sankaran, 2005:13). The sensation concept which describes a state deeper to
the mind and body, was developed by Sankaran (2005:37) as a result of his
investigation into the levels of experience of a human being.
Sankaran (2008:24) found that there are different ways of experiencing
the same situation, namely by viewing it as a competition, a loss of structure
or a sensitivity issue. These different experiences indicate the different
kingdoms, namely the animal, mineral and plant kingdom, from which the remedies
are derived. A patient is treated according to the features of the different
kingdom he presents. Each kingdom deals with a different issue. Sankaran
(2008:26) states: “I understood that the Homeopathic Materia Medica is the
human expression of the source itself. The remedies from various sources heal
humans with similar states within them. These states,
which we call disease must also be, like the remedies, from one of the
three kingdoms”.
Vital sensation and the three kingdoms
According to Sankaran (2005:26) symptoms can be divided into sensations
and actions. “Each action arises in response to a corresponding sensation and
each sensation must excite a particular action, even if one does not
perform the action. Sensation and action are equal and opposite”
(Sankaran, 2005:26). For example a perceived insult causes an insulting
response. This concept proves itself useful with remedies where proving or
clinical
cases have yielded only the action or only the sensation (Sankaran,
2005:29).
Sensations can be felt on a physical or mental level and denote an
abstract experience. Sankaran speaks of seven levels of experience, which can
be developed during the case taking process. The aim is to guide the patient to
the sensation level where the differentiation between kingdoms can be
made. “Vital Sensation” is a term coined by Sankaran (2008:74) and describes
the pathological core sensation of a patient. A Vital sensation is expressed
not only at the “Vital level” of a patient’s being which is deeper to
both mind and body, but is also present in his physical symptoms and his mind
state. In health sensations arise from being in the moment, whereas in disease
an abnormal energy pattern and an abnormal fixed sensation prevents a patient
from experiencing life in the moment (Sankaran, 2008:75).
Sankaran (2008:75) thinks that the Vital Sensation is not specific to
human beings, but is shared by all beings and substances on this earth: “It is
terrestrial as opposed to energy which is universal”. A patient’s Vital
Sensation
for example might be that of “pressure”, a theme that is found in nature
as well: certain elements like metal are subject to pressure and certain plants
and animals are sensitive to pressure. In a healthy patient this sensation of
pressure will be transient and only felt when subjected to changing weather
patterns, whereas in a sick individual it will be felt permanently independent
from any outside circumstances.
The Vital sensation that has to be developed in a patient during the
homeopathic case taking process is the expression of the “Source”. The source
indicates the required substance from which a homeopathic remedy is then
prepared. If the remedy is chosen carefully and matched to the energy pattern
of the patient, it can achieve a cure (Sankaran, 2008:18-19). “Depending on
which kingdom is the source, human beings can be mapped into one of
these three kingdoms” (Sankaran, 2008:92). The Vital Sensation has a
different expression in each kingdom. According to Sankaran (2008:25), patients
who need a mineral remedy are concerned with issues of structure, e.g.
identity, relationship or performance. Plant remedies deal with sensitivity
issues and animal remedies with issues of survival.
The plant kingdom
The basic quality of a plant is sensitivity (Sankaran, 2008:93). Due its
inability to move, a plant for its survival needs a heightened sensitivity to
adjust to changes in the internal as well as external environment. A patient
needing a plant remedy has a similar energy to a plant - he/she is of a
sensitive nature. The Vital sensation will be that of heightened sensitivity
and reactivity with the patient continuously adjusting and adapting to the many
internal and external influences. The expressions used are: “I am affected by
this”, “I am sensitive to this”, “this hurts me”, “I can’t bear it”, “this
touches me” (Sankaran, 2005:5). The manner of dressing is sensitive and
shows preference to flowery and irregular patterns. Presentation of the
complaint is descriptive with symptoms described randomly and not completely,
wandering from one subject to the other. Causation is physical and
mental shock or hurt.
The main issue of plant remedies is sensitivity and reactivity. Plant
remedies are affected by circumstances, people’s opinions, temperature, weather
etc. and have one general state, with predominance of one basic, common
sensation as well as its opposite (Sankaran, 2008:27). Sankaran (2005:29)
concludes that remedies from certain plant families share the same sensations
which can be experienced by a patient directly or as the exact opposite.
For example the sensation in the Euphorbiaceae family can vary from the
experience of being “bound, tight or taut” to “released and loose” (Sankaran,
2008:96).
While each plant from a given family shares the same sensation, the pace
and (Miasm) in which the sensation is experienced and the reaction to the
sensation differs from plant to plant.
The mineral kingdom
In 2003 Sankaran, drawing clues from Scholten’s work, began his personal
investigations into the periodic table. In his book ‘Structure”, Sankaran
(2008) depicts the periodic table as a map of human development from the womb
to tomb, each row representing a certain stage of human life and each column a
different development within that stage. The main issue in minerals is about
structure, completeness and incompleteness. The problem lies with the patient
himself and not with the opposite person like in the animal kingdom. The
experience is of something lacking or missing, a feeling of being incomplete
and dependent and the question is about capability as opposed to the question
of adaptability which is predominant in the plant kingdom.
Structure is understood in terms of existence, identity, position,
relationships, security, performance and responsibility with each row showing a
development in regard to these issues (Sankaran, 2008). For example the third
row in the periodic table is concerned with issues of identity the fourth row
with security and the sixth row with issues of responsibility. Each row shows a
rise and fall in the development of one of the above mentioned themes.
The animal kingdom
According to Sankaran (2008:98) the fundamental issue in animals is that
of survival and although the theme of survival of the fittest holds true for
all living creatures, including algae, fungi, plants, etc., it is most evident
in the animal world. It epitomizes a competitive situation of the stronger
versus the weaker, the aggressor against the victim, the predator versus the
prey. One important component of the basic competitive nature is the desire to
attract attention, not only outwardly through certain appearance and pattern of
movement, but also through characteristic behavior and speech which can be
excited, lively, vivacious and animated. Alertness and rapid responses are also
characteristics.
Fears are of being neglected, looked down upon, of failure in
competition, loss of strength and attractiveness, of being dominated,
persecuted, attacked - of being the victim. The issue of dominance is strong
and is experienced as “somebody is doing that to me, I am being victimized
bullied, tortured, abused etc.,” and shows a clear split between self and
others (Sankaran, 2008:101). The conflict is not only with people, but also
with one self and has its basis in a split within oneself. The patient
expresses this split in
the feeling of not being good enough, of being worthless. The delusion
of an existing hierarchy in the sense of “somebody is above me or below” - the
issue
of superiority and inferiority is yet another expression of the
victim/aggressor theme (Sankaran, 2008:24-25).
According to Sankaran (2008:26) each animal has certain physical
characteristics that make it vulnerable to predation of a particular kind and
therefore over the ages has developed certain defence mechanisms. He concludes
that each group of animals is hence distinguished from the other in the
peculiar nature of attack they experience as well as perform and in the type of
defense mechanism they adopt against attack. Both aspects are expressed by the
patient, as victim and aggressor are two sides of the same state.
There are general modes of attack and defence in the animal kingdom
which are described by the patient in the depth of the sensation. These
expressions and behavior patterns when recognized during the case taking
process can give clues to the required remedy. The reaction to the constantly
experienced threat of survival causes a basic and instinctive reaction - “fight
or flight”, depending on the strength of the individual. A sense of loss of
one’s freedom to be oneself and to express oneself can lead to the delusion of
being trapped, caged, captured, defeated, chained or imprisoned with a strong
desire to escape and to be free. This sensation, together with freedom from
being victimized, exists in almost all the animals, but is most marked among
birds (Sankaran, 2008:28).
Sexuality and attractiveness is vital to reproduction. In the animal
remedies the theme of attractiveness/unattractiveness/self disgust and the
theme of jealousy are strongly present. In Sankaran‘s (2008:29) opinion, animal
patients are more often presented in seminars due to their liveliness and
animated behavior. However to understand the sexuality of an animal remedy and
to distinguish it from that of a plant or a mineral, it is necessary to go into
the depth of the sensation of a patient. For example the sexuality in the plant
remedy Hyoscymus at the deepest level is the fear of losing the partner. It is
the sensitivity of the plant that is the basis and the sexuality is the
expression of it.
The mineral remedy Phosphorus at the deepest level has the need to
develop an identity different from his own family - the sexuality in this case
is a matter of structure (Sankaran, 2008:29).
There is a sense of rhythm in most animals with many of them making
sounds in order to communicate. Among all the animals, are Arachnida the most
sensitive to music (rhythm) and vibration (Sankaran, 2008:30).
Unlike plant remedies, animal remedies do not have one main sensation
and its opposite, but one prominent sensation which represents the movement of
that animal and
many others alongside it, representing different aspects like attack and
defence mechanisms, sexuality or jealousy. It is not possible to determine one
pattern in an animal remedy, but according to Sankaran (2008:27) there is a
whole story involved, a process described as “first I fly, then I grip, then I
run, then I eat, then I get trapped and
then I try to free myself”. The multiplicity of sensations and the
unfolding of a process can be discerned as case taking progresses.
The relevance of Miasm
differentiation in the various kingdoms
With plant remedies, where whole families share the same sensation, in
order to differentiate one plant from the other, it is vital to determine the
degree of desperation of
each plant. Only an understanding of the depth to which the sensation is
experienced and the reacting to this perception will give an indication of the
Miasm in each plant. Through classification it is possible to arrive at the
right remedy (Sankaran, 2008:31).
Regarding miasmatic classification of the mineral kingdom, there are
only hypotheses available at this stage. They are controversial and according
to Morrison (2008:67)
still require verification through clinical trials. “In the animal
kingdom, Miasms are a good indicator of where to look, but normally when we
understand all the qualities
of the animal we don’t have to worry about the Miasm - it is
automatically covered” says Sankaran (2008:30). For Mangliavori (2005:33) a
consideration of the miasmatic background of a remedy is not necessary and he
suggests that every remedy can have the power to cure chronic cases, as long as
its specific pattern of reaction fits with the strategy present in the patient.
However, a brief overview of Sankaran’s proposed Miasms is presented in
tabulated form in Appendix A. The keywords that are listed under each of the
ten Miasms describe the intensity, pace and depth of perception of a
situation/sensation and its reaction to it. The name of a Miasm derives from
the disease it closely resembles in terms of action and pace. Sankaran’s
(1991).
Class Arachnida/Order Araneae
Spiders (order Araneae) are the largest order of arachnids and 7th in
total species diversity among all other groups of animals. Spiders are found
worldwide except for the Antarctica, and have become established in nearly
every ecological niche except no air and sea colonization has taken place. As
of 2008, approximately 40.000 spider species, and 109 families have been
recorded by taxonomists (Platnik, 2009).
Arachnids are animals with four pairs of legs, two body parts (except
for mites that have one) and pincer- or claw-like jaws. Spiders belong to this
class, but are distinguished from other Arachnids by having the two body parts
joined by a pedicel, by the fact that they predominantly have eight simple eyes
and an abdomen without segmentation (Leroy, 2003:7).The combined head and
thorax is called cephalothorax and is made up of the cephalic (head) and the thoracic
region. At the front of the cephalic region are
the eyes in various configurations, usually in rows or groups, but
sometimes even clustered together. The amount varies from eight simple eyes
found in the majority of spiders to six, four, two or sometimes even none
(Leroy, 2003:15).
The front half of the body is protected by a hardcover and carries the
jaws (chelicerae), eight legs, two palps (feelers) and the brain. The jointed
legs are made up of seven segments. Adult male spiders have a pair of sex
organs
on the end of their palps. The soft abdomen contains the heart,
digestive tract, reproductive organs, respiratory openings called book lungs
and silk glands. It is expandable when fully fed or swollen with eggs
(Hillyard, 2004:10).
Spiders are air-breathing chelicerate arthropods with chelicerae (jaws)
modified into fangs that inject venom. Of all arthropods, spiders (with
exception of the most primitive group, the Mesothelae) have the most
centralized nervous systems. All their ganglia are fused into one mass in the
cephalothorax. Unlike most arthropods, spiders have no extensor muscles in
their limbs and instead extend them by hydraulic pressure (Foelix, 1996:9).
The abdomen has no appendages except those that form one to four pairs
of short, movable spinnerets, which emit silk. Up to six different silk glands
within the abdomen extrude silk of different types for various uses (Ruppert et
al, 2004:571-584). Silk is mainly composed of a protein very similar to that of
insects. Initially it is liquid, and hardens not by exposure to air but as a
result of being drawn out. This process changes the internal structure of the
protein, which is similar in tensile strength to nylon and biological materials
such as chitin, collagen and cellulose, but much more elastic (Vollrath et al,
2001:541-548).
Spider webs
vary widely in size, shape and the amount of sticky thread used. They range in
complexity from single threads to orb webs with a large number of connections.
Often the species of spider without being seen at all, can be recognized by the
details of the web. Types include sheet webs, lace webs, tangle webs, purse web
or tube webs and space webs (Hillyard, 2004:12).
The best-known method of prey capture is by means of producing sticky
webs, but not all of the spiders build webs. The spider hunting dandy jumping
spider for example feeds on other spiders their eggs and young (Leroy,
2003:41). Varying placement of webs allows different species of spider to trap
insects. Flat horizontal webs trap insects that fly up from vegetation
underneath while flat vertical webs trap insects in horizontal flight (Ruppert
et al, 2004:571-584). Stone nest spiders build retreats in the centre of the
web using silk, sand and pieces of vegetation while other spiders construct
their retreat off their web connecting it with a single strand while monitoring
vibrations from a distance. Flying spiders use silk to travel in a unique way,
known as ballooning or aerial dispersal, while trapdoor spiders live in silk
lined burrows closed with trap doors (Leroy, 2003:41).
Spiders feed by sucking on their prey. The majority of spiders can use
them to inject venom into prey from venom glands in the roots of the chelicerae
(Ruppert et al, 2004:571-584). Once the prey is immobilized, the spider
vomits digestive fluid onto it and then sucks up the digest through
screens of hair located on the mouth part of the cephalothorax (Leroy,
2003:17). Like most arachnids including scorpions, spiders have
a narrow gut that can only cope with liquid food (Ruppert et al,
2004:559-564).
The spiders’ major predators are birds and parasitic wasps. Many spider
species are colored so as to merge with their most common backgrounds. Others
have distinct coloration, stripes and blotches that interrupt their outlines.
There is strong evidence that spiders' coloration is camouflage and helps them
to evade their predators which have good color vision (Oxford et al,
1998:619-643). Some of the tarantulas and baboon spiders have urticating
hairs that cause intense irritation without being poisonous on their
abdomens and use their legs to flick them at attackers (Cooke et al, 2006). A
few defend themselves by adding very robust threads to their web, buying time
to flee while the predators are struggling with the obstacles
(Blackledge et al, 2001:138). The golden wheeling spider in the Namibian desert
can flip onto its side and escapes by cart wheeling down sand dunes (Armstrong,
1990).
Web-building spiders have poor vision, but are extremely sensitive to
vibration. Spiders produce a variety of sounds that are barely audible to the
human ear, some by drumming, scraping or tapping their pedipalps, some by
vibrating certain body parts.
Baboon spiders known for the hissing sound they make when alarmed. Male
spiders produce sounds to attract females or to intimidate rival males, while
males and females produce sounds to scare off predators (Leroy, 2003:21).
Spiders generally use elaborate courtship rituals and a male needs to
communicate to the female to prevent the large females from eating the small
males before fertilization.
Males of different species have their own unique repertoire of signals,
for example web spinning spiders introduce themselves by vibrating the web in a
certain manner, male hunting spiders dance and wave their colorful legs
and palps while another species seduces the female by offering her food
(Hillyard, 2004:14). This “peace offering” consists of an insect wrapped in
silk. Males carefully need to monitor the females reaction, before copulation
can take place. Male Australian red-back spiders (Latrodectus
hasseltii), after fertilization has taken place swivel around under the female
so that their abdomen is right beneath her fangs in a kind of sexual sacrifice.
The female might or might not eat the male. Some of the crab spider
species wait until the female is preoccupied with food and then spin a soft net
around her, which seems to quiet her down. Other male crab spiders climb
onto the large female abdomen, tap and stroke it as a kind of foreplay
(Leroy, 2003:30).
When males find a suitable female, copulation takes place. The male
inserts one palpal organ after the other into the females genital opening which
is situated on the underside of the abdomen between and slightly posterior
to the book lungs, thus transferring sperm from his pedipalps to her
reproductive organs. Fertilization does not necessarily take place at the time
of mating, but the sperm is stored until the female lays her eggs. This enables
the female to lay several batches of eggs after just one mating. (Leroy,
2003:31).
Females of many species care for their young, by carrying them on their
back or by sharing food with them. However social behavior among spiders is
definitely the exception rather than the rule. A minority of spiders is social
and build communal webs that may house up to 50.000 individuals. Most
adult spiders are solitaire and social behavior ranges from precarious
toleration (widow spiders) to co-operative hunting and food-sharing. Although
most spiders live for a maximum of two years, tarantulas and other
mygalomorph spiders can live up to 25 years in captivity (Wikipedia,2010).
Toxicology
Spider toxins are a family of proteins that function as neurotoxins by
causing a blockage of the calcium or potassium channels (Mackay,
1997:1525-1535). Paralytic substances and contain digestive enzymes. Only 30
species
are poisonous and due to the small amount of venom injected, the
majority of bites is not dangerous to humans. However super infection, the
formation of an abscess or localized necrosis of the surrounding tissue can
occur (Mangliavori, 2004:44-45).
Only a very tiny proportion of spiders known to be of medical importance
are potentially deadly. The Sydney funnel-web spider, Atrax robustus is a
highly venomous spider, fast and when cornered reacts aggressively.
Until recently a number of people in and around Sydney have died from
the toxin, since no antivenin was available (Leroy, 2003:47).
The violin spider, Loxoceles spp. is a nocturnal spider and produces a
cytotoxic poison with some haemotoxic elements that affect the blood. The first
symptom of a violin spider’s bite is a local swelling with the appearance
of a dark discoloration and blistering at the site of the bite. A
sloughing ulcer can develop and can leave a deep ulcerating wound. There are
reports of the symptoms of the venom “travelling” and of ulcerations appearing
elsewhere in the body (Leroy, 2003:51).
The recluse spiders and the six-eyed sand spiders from the family
Sicariidae are known to have necrotic venom. Spiders in this family possess a
known dermonecrotic enzyme which is otherwise found only in a few pathogenic
bacteria (Binford et al, 2009:547-566). Bites by spiders in this family can
produce symptoms ranging from minor localized effects, to severe necrotic
lesions. Systemic reactions include renal failure, and in some cases, death.
Bites usually become painful and itchy within 2 to 8 hours, pain and
other local effects worsen 12 to 36 hours after the bite with the necrosis
developing over the next few days (Schenone, 1989:403-415). As the venom
spreads throughout the body in minutes, initial mild symptoms including nausea,
vomiting, fever, rashes, and muscle and joint pain can be observed. Rarely more
severe symptoms occur including hemolysis, thrombocytopenia, and disseminated
intravascular coagulation (Wasserman, 2005:2029-2030).
Mythology
Throughout history, there have been numerous cultural depictions of
spiders in different cultures, mythology and symbolism. The spider has
symbolized patience for his unique hunting technique of setting webs and
waiting
for prey, as well as malice for its poison and the slow death it causes.
Its venom often has been seen as a curse (Garai, 1973).
The spider mythology within Europe can broadly be split in two - the
more accessible classical, which tends towards the spider as weaver of the web
of creation and good fortune and the darker folklore, which can be tied in
with the human abilities of sympathetic lycanthropy.
"Tarantism" originated in the Italian town of Taranto around
1300BC. A tarantula bite was believed to be deadly unless one took part in a
frenzied, hysterical dance. The town's folk played music while the afflicted
person
would dance nonstop, to ward off the spider's venom (Watson, 2007).
The spider has been compared to vampires due their similar
characteristics - both lure and ensnare prey before sucking the life out of
their victim: both possess the ability to scale walls and cliff faces (Bunson,
1993).
In African folklore, the spider is personified as Anansi, the trickster
god, originated in the Ashanti tribe in Ghana and akin to the Coyote or Raven
trickster found in many Native American cultures. Alternate names include
Kwaku Ananse in West Africa and Aunt Nancy, a variant found in some of
the islands of the West Indies, South America and the United States (Mills,
2003:317). For the Native American Lakota people, the spider is a culture
hero and present as the deity Iktomi, the spider-trickster spirit
(Cooper, 1992).
Taxonomy
Arachnologists identified more than 40.000 living species of spiders and
grouped them into about 110 families and about 3.700 genera (Platnick, 2009).
Spiders fall under the phylum Arthropoda (animals with jointed legs)
which include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others.
Anthropods are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton (external skeleton), a
segmented body, and jointed appendages. The scientific classification system
according to Linnaeus, through which all living things are grouped in a
logical way and given scientific names accordingly, always follows the same
pattern. For example the classification of a specific spider starts at the
broadest category.
Kingdom Animalia,
the phylum Arthropoda,
subphylum chelicerata (animals with
jaws and without antennae),
class Arachnida incl. scorpions, ticks, opiliones, mites, whip spiders,
false scorpions etc.
order Araneae (spiders).
two sub-orders Mesothelae
Opisthothelae
infra-orders Mygalomorphae (baboon
spiders, trapdoor spiders, tarentulas and the so called bird-eating spiders)
Araneomorphae (Coddington,
2005:18-24).
suborder Mesothelae = one family
including 40 species
Araneomorphae (orb-web spiders/wolf
spiders/jumping spiders, and the only known herbivorous spider, Bagheera
kiplingi
For the purpose of this study, the focus lies on the order Araneae. Due
to the broad nature of the class Arachnida and its many orders, a limitation to
the order Araneae seems to be a logical step since this order contains all
spiders with its common characteristics. Except for the scabies mite,
spiders are quantitatively better represented in the materia medica with more
available rubrics and therefore a formalized computer search is expected to
yield better results.
Spiders in homeopathy
The number of extensively proven spider remedies is relatively small
compared to the large number of spiders on this planet.
Most homeopathic observations refer to only a few frequently used spider
remedies, like Tarent-h. Lat-m. Aran-d. Ther. Few provings have been carried
out so far and the rubrics in the repertories derive mainly from clinical
evidence of bites and cultural anthropological material, especially in the case
of Tarantula hispanica. Considering the fact that so far 40.000 species have
been identified and only a few homeopathic spider remedies are in use today, a
group analysis evaluation of the spider remedies will shed more light on the
understanding of spider remedies in general and allow the relatively small
remedies derived from this order to find a place in homeopathic practice.
Justification for using
group analysis evaluation of the class Arachnida/order Araneae
Shore’s (1994) article on spiders outlines a series of preliminary
investigations into the effects of spider venom on the deeper levels of the
human psyche. Initial data gathered from a series of ‘dream provings ‘and
subsequently evaluated in the light of previously recorded materia
medica, entomological studies and clinical experience.
Mangliavori (2004) applies a different approach in examining the
commonalities of spider remedies by analyzing cured clinical cases. The result
of his case-based research is published in the book “Bitten in the Soul”.
Sankaran (2002) has done extensive research especially on the group
analysis of plant remedies, where he convincingly argues for the presence of a
vital sensation and reaction common to each plant family. The same
methodology superficially applied to remedies from the animal kingdom
does not appear to yield the same results (Sankaran, 2008:30). Vogel (2006)
analyzed the class Insecta according to Sankaran’s methodology of group
analysis. Although the data collected and analyzed was unable to outline a
vital sensation that reflects the core essence of the insect group as a whole,
the data was able to indicate a clear image of the basic reactions and
responses of the insect remedies as a whole (Vogel, 2006).
Although some research has been done regarding the understanding of
spider remedies as mentioned above, the group analysis methodology according to
Sankaran has not been applied to the Class Arachnida. This study aims
to fill this gap and to produce results, which not only could provide a
deeper understanding of this particular biological group, but hopefully will be
able to elucidate individual remedies within the Class Arachnida that are
less well known.
Definition of spider remedies
The first step required a definition of the class Arachnida/order
Araneae in terms of current animalia taxonomical knowledge and a listing of the
remedies belonging to the family in study. A literature search was performed
to obtain the names and rubrics of all spider remedies included in
MacRepertory® computer software. This process gave an indication of the relevance
of each remedy in terms of number of rubrics. According to the computer search,
16 spider remedies are currently represented with rubrics in the database of
the program. The results are documented in tabulated form in chapter 4 -
results and discussion (4.1, table 2).
Sample selection
According to Sankaran’s (2005:25) methodology, the overall list was then
reduced to five remedies via a computerised repertory search, using
MacRepertory® computer software. This sampling of remedies was done by first
extracting all the rubrics that contain remedies of the Class Arachnida. Once
this step was completed, the above mentioned rubrics were screened for remedies
that appear most often in those rubrics. Selection preference was
given to those remedies, whose rubrics covered the widest range of the
various, repertory chapters and who were represented with the largest amount of
rubrics (chapter 4.1, table 2).
For the purpose of this research, the following remedies were chosen:
Araneus diademus (Palpal cross spider)
Latrodectus hasselti (Red-back spider)
Loxoceles reclusa (Brown recluse spider)
Tarantula hispanica (Wolf spider)
Theridion curassavicum (Orange spider)
The selected remedies were then subjected to an advanced repertory
search to list those rubrics that contain any two, or in some cases any three
or four of the selected remedies. The list was then limited to only include
rubrics
with less than 50 remedies as the rubrics with more than 50 remedies are
considered large and represent the more ‘common’ nature of a remedy as opposed
to the smaller rubrics, which paint a more ‘characteristic’ picture.
In order to ascertain the significance of the rubrics, they were then
arranged from the ones containing the least remedies to the ones containing the
most. The results are listed in Appendix B, table 3.
Data analysis
The extracted data was then analyzed in order to propose common
sensations of the order Araneae. The extraction results are listed in tabulated
form in chapter 4.2
Extraction and analysis of common rubrics, table 4.
The accuracy of an extracted sensation was established by evaluating its
quantitative representation in the materia medica that means its distribution
throughout the different sections (mind, generals and physical chapters).
Analysis of sensation in case study material contains a summary of the
extracted common sensations and their distribution in the various chapters of
the materia medica with regard to each spider of the sample group.
The significance of the common sensation in terms of its relevance in
other spider remedies was determined by cross-checking the homeopathic materia
medica of the remaining spider remedies for the presence of that
particular sensation and its distribution in the various chapters. For
example stitching was found to be a common sensation in all spider remedies of
the sample group.
The rubric Back: PAIN: STITCHING, shooting:
Dorsal region: scapulae: below contains only 3 remedies with two of them
being spider remedies. Screening the material medica of each spider remedy of
the sample group, stitching was found to be broadly represented in the various
sections. To ascertain whether stitching was a relevant sensation in other
spider remedies as well, a literature search via MacRepertory® reference works
was performed, limited to spider remedies only.
The results proved that stitching was described in the materia medica of
nine out of sixteen spider remedies with a wide distribution in various
chapters of most of the remedies. This represents a significant number
considering
that not all spider remedies are equally extensively proven.
In order to find links between the common extracted sensations, each
sensation was then subjected to a full definition via a dictionary and synonyms
relating to the sensation were identified via a thesaurus. Each synonym in
turn was then subjected to the same literature search via MacRepertory®
reference works to test its validity. Definitions and synonyms are listed in
tabulated form in Appendix C and D.
All extracted data was analyzed in terms of Sankaran’s model of the
Vital sensation in general and its relevance in the animal kingdom in
particular. According to Sankaran (2008) the expression of the Vital force
differs
in each kingdom. In the plant kingdom it expresses itself as a generally
heightened sensitivity, in the mineral kingdom as a structural problem and in
the animal kingdom as fight for survival. Here it epitomizes a competitive
situation of the stronger against the weaker and thus giving importance to issues
of reproduction and sexuality.
According to Sankaran (2008:24), the following characteristics must be
appreciated when analyzing the sensation in an animal remedy (Sankaran,
2008:24):
• At the deepest level, the patient’s experience of the sensation is
that of being a victim or aggressor.
• The patient is concerned with issues of survival and modes of attack
and defense are present.
• There is not one sensation and its opposite, but several sensations at
different times.
• The totality of sensations is not static but a process.
• Sexuality is an issue in the animal kingdom.
Chauhan (2007) and Sankaran (2007) share the view, that animal remedies
experience the sensation as a process of survival, e.g. a fight and flight
mechanism, rather than an increase in sensitivity, as seen in plant remedies.
With this in mind, the results were screened for possible reactions and
themes typical for the animal kingdom and to see whether Sankaran’s hypothesis
regarding the Vital Force and the animal kingdom could be confirmed.
Once a sensation/reaction/theme was found to be relevant, references of
spiders’ behavioral patterns in nature were obtained in order to put the
results in context with the spiders’ natural history.
The different spider remedies of the sample group were then individually
studied and classified in terms of their miasmatic tendencies, applying
Sankaran’s (2005:53) extended miasmatic model by performing miasmatic
keyword searches, limited to the sample group only.
The overall attempt was to postulate a set of common sensations/
reactions/themes manifesting in homeopathic remedies belonging to the class
Arachnida/order Araneae, to then differentiate the members of the sample group
according to their miasmatic tendencies and to compare the extracted sensations/reactions/themes
to those proposed by Sankaran (2005) and Mangliavori (2004).
The results of the group analysis evaluation of the class
Arachnida/order Araneae will hopefully contribute to an extended understanding
of this particular zoological class and an increased utilization of previously
under- represented remedies in new context.
Spiders in homeopathy
There are relatively few spider remedies that are documented in the
materia medica and found in the repertories, not only in relation to the huge amount
of different species which constitutes the zoological order of the Araneae,
but also in terms of conducted provings. So far, except for Tarantula
hispanica, which was proven in the 19th century by Nunez (Gibson, 1987:507) and
since then extensively used by homeopaths around the world, only a
few of the spider remedies are of homeopathic significance and their use
is mostly limited to clinical applications.
Listed below is a table of the spider species that are represented with
rubrics in the literature of MacRepertory® computer software:
Table 2: Spider remedies used in homeopathy and the relative homeopathic
significance in terms of number of rubrics (the larger the rubric size,
the greater the representation in the materia medica)
Scientific name Common
name Family Homeopathic significance
Tarantula hispanica Wolf
spider Lycosidae 5355
rubrics
Theridion curassavicum Orange spider Theridiidae 1985
rubrics
Latrodectus hasselti Redback
spider Theridiidae 2090 rubrics
Loxosceles reclusa Brown
recluse spider Sicariidae 1748
rubrics
Araneus diademus Palpal
cross spider Araneidae 1520
rubrics
Tela araneae Spider web Web of Black spider 1266 rubrics
Tegenaria atrica House
spider Agelenitae 1253
rubrics
Tarantula cubensis Cuban
wolf spider Lycosidae 1003
rubrics
Aranea ixobola Black
cross spider Araneidae 729
rubrics
Aranea scinencia Gray
spider Araneidae 111
rubrics
Mygale lassiodor Black
Cuban spider Theraphosidae 633 rubrics
Latrodectus mactans Black
widow spider Theridiidae 522
rubrics
Atrax robustus Funnel
web spider Hexathelidae 272
rubrics
Aranea scinencia Gray
spider Araneidae 111
rubrics
Loxosceles laeta Chilean
recluse spider Sicariidae 67
rubrics
Latrodectus katipa Katipa Theridiidae 43
rubrics
Loxosceles panama Panama
recluse spider Sicariidae 10
rubrics
The list of the above mentioned 16 extracted spider remedies was
narrowed down to the following five remedies with the highest rubric
representation:
Tarantula hispanica (tarent.), Theridion curassavicum (ther.),
Latrodectus hasselti (lat-h.), Loxosceles reclusa (loxo-r) and Araneus diademus
(aran.).
4.2 Extraction and analysis of common rubrics
To get an indication of how many different rubrics containing spider
remedies exist in the repertories of MacRepertory® computer software, a search
including all the spider remedies listed above was performed. The result
revealed the existence of 93 spider rubrics, of which 19 rubrics contain more
than 50 remedies and 74 rubrics less than 50.
Next a limited search was performed with remedies from the sample group
only. Parameters were set to exclude rubrics containing more than 50 remedies
and to include rubrics that contain at least 2 of the selected remedies.
The rubrics were then ranked from smallest (in terms of number of
remedies) to largest, in order to assess the relative significance of the
rubric. A list of these selected and ordered 53 common rubrics is attached in
Appendix B.
The extracted rubrics were then scanned for words representing
sensations and for other animal features which according to Sankaran
(2008:24-31) are:
1. Survival responses - modes of attack and defense
2. Themes of sexuality and attractiveness
3. Delusion of being victim and/or aggressor (predator/prey etc)
4. Signs of conflict with others or within themselves
4.3 Analysis of sensation in case study material
The sensation was defined using Collin concise dictionary and synonyms
relating to the sensation were searched via a thesaurus. The results are listed
in tabulated form in Appendix C, table 5 and Appendix D, table 6.
In order to test its validity, the extracted common sensations and the
correlating synonyms/keywords then subjected to a litterature search via Mac
reference work, limiting the search to spider remedies only.
This process was necessary to ensure that the
sensations/synonyms/keywords relate to
the group Araneae as a whole.
the common sensations identified via the computer extraction process
were stitching, shooting, coldness/chill, sensitive: stinging: faintness:
flickering: twitching: fullness: sore, bruised, beaten and paralytic. However
pain
without any described quality or specific
sensation was most commonly found (Back, Head, Neck, Chest).
In order to assess the significance of the extracted sensation, each
sensation was
analyzed according to its quantitative representation in the repertory.
The extracted sensations and the sections of the repertory. The extracted
sensations and the sections of the repertory in which they appear are listed
below.
Araneus diademus
Stitching
(head/eye/mouth/throat/abdomen/chest/extremities/chill/fever)/shooting
(head/eyes/abdomen/bladder/fever)/twitching (extremities)/soreness, sore
(urethra/bladder/kidneys/extremities/chill fever)/coldness
(head/hearing/mouth/abdomen/chest/nose/extremities/sleep/chill/fever)/sensitive
(natural history/generals/mind/mouth/stomach/chill)/fullness
(generals/abdomen/fever)/paralytic (generals/mouth)/acute
(generals/ears/kidneys/urethra/bladder/back/extremities)/faintness
(generals/abdomen/stomach)
Latrodectus hasselthii
Stitching (chest/back)/shooting
(generals/mind/head/chest/back/extremities)/stinging (eyes/female
organs)/twitching (toxicology/generals/mind/face)/soreness/sore
(mind/head/eye/kidneys/female organs/chest/back/extremities)/coldness
(generals/nose/kidney/extremities)/sensitive (introduction/generals/mind/female
organs/back/extremities)/fullness head)/paralytic
(toxicology/generals/mind)/acute (toxicology/natural history/generals/mind/nose/mouth)/faintness
generals
Loxoceles recluse
Stitching (generals/chest/extremities)/shooting (generals/ears)/
stinging (natural history/generals/head)/soreness, sore
(generals/mind/nose/face/teeth/throat/stomach/back/extremities)/coldness
(mind/ears/face/expectoration/sleep/skin)/sensitive (mind/back)/fullness
(generals/head/ears)/acute (generals/back)/faintness (generals/stomach)
Tarentula hispanica
Stitching
(generals/head/eye/ear/nose/face/throat/abdomen/stomach/rectum/stool/kidneys/urethra/bladder/female-/male
organs/chest/back/extremities)/shooting
(generals/head/nose/eye/ear/throat/abdoment/stomach/urethra/bladsder/female
organs/male organs/chest/back/extremities)/stinging
(generals/mind/head/eye/ear/throat)/twitching (generals/mind/eye/male-/female organs/extremities/sleep/fever)/soreness,
sore (generals/head/eye/face/throat/external
throat/stomach/abdomen/urethra/kidneys/bladder/male-/female
organs/chest/back/extremities/sleep/chill/fever/skin)/coldness,
cold (generals/head/eye/face/mouth/teeth/throat/stomach/abdomen/female
organs/male organs/chest/back/extremities/sleep/chill/fever/skin)/sensitive
(generals/mind/throat/male organs/female
organs/extremities/fever/skin)/Fullness (generals, head, nose, stomach,
abdomen, chest)/paralytic (toxicology/generals/mind/head/throat/rectum/urethra/bladder/back/extremities/fever)/faintness
(generals/mind/abdomen/stomach/rectum/stool)
Theridion curassavicum
Stitching (generals/head/abdomen/chest/back/extremities)/shooting
(generals/chest)/stinging (generals/head/stomach/abdomen/back/extremities/skin)/twitching
(generals/eye/vision)/soreness/sore
(generals/mouth/teeth/throat/stomach/abdomen/female organs/
Back/extremities/sleep)/coldness (natural
history/generals/vertigo/head/eye/vision/nose/teeth/stomach/back/female
organs/extremities/skin)/
Sensitive (natural history, generals, mind, head, eye, vision, ear,
hearing, nose, teeth/stomachback/female organs/extremities/skin)/fullness
(generals/head/ear/hearing/abdomen/extremities)/acute (generals/head/hearing/nose/chest)/ Faintness
(generals/head/vertigo/stomach/fever/female organs).
First order analysis
Stinging (13/16) and coldness (13/16) were the most represented
sensations during the
initial repertory search, followed by acute (12/16), sensitive (11/16),
twitching (11/16),
shooting (10/16), paralytic (10/16), fullness
(10/16) and faintness (9/16).
Significant synonyms found via a thesaurus search were severe (13/16),
extending (13/16), dull
3/16), heavy (13/16), numb (11/16), reactive (11/16), trembling
(11/16)and weakness
3/16).
the extracted sensations and their relevant synonyms are summarized in
tabulated
Table 7: First order analysis from original sensations extracted
Common orginal First order sensations/themes
Sensations extracted
Stitching Acute,
sharp, pain, sore, spasm, cramp, stinging
Shooting Acute,
sharp, stabbing, spasm, cramp, extending
Stinging Sharp
burning
Twitching Trembling,
jerking, spasm, cramp
Coldness Chill
Soreness Dull,
aching, inflamed, burning, severe, extreme
Sensitivity Reactivity
Fullness Heaviness
Paralytic Paralyzed,
numb
Faintness Weakness
The extracted sensations and synonyms were then grouped according to their
relationship to each other and listed in order of their significance:
1.
stinging
(13/16) is part of various sharp (11/16) sensations: stabbing (10/16) and
stitching (9/10): first order
2.
intense
(14/16), severe (13/16) and extreme
(11/16)
3.
extending (13/16) - a synonym (11/16)
4.
dull
(13/16) and aching (11/16) - synonyms of soreness (11/16)
5.
coldness
(13/16): first order
6.
heaviness
(13/16) - synonym of fullness (10/16)
7.
weakness
(13/16) - a synonym of faintness (9/16)
8.
acute
(12/16): first order
9.
burning
(12/16) - a synonym of stinging (13/16) and soreness (11/16)
10.
sensitive
(11/16) and paralyzed (10/16) - synonyms of paralytic (10/16)
11.
numb
(11/16) and paralyzed (10/16) - synonyms of paralytic (10/16)
12.
twitching
(11/16) and its synonym trembling (11/16)
13.
spasm
(10/16) and cramp (10/16) - synonyms of stitching (9/16)
Considering the variety of sensations extracted, it was very soon
apparent that the remedies subjected to the search derived most likely from the
animal kingdom.
According to Sankaran (2005), the presence of main sensation and its
opposite would be a typical finding in plant remedies, where as many sensations
present simultaneously or at different times are indicative for the animal
kingdom. The particular survival strategy of a species in terms of instinctive
beheavior and adaptation in nature determines the vital sensation in an animal
remedy (Sankaran, 2008).
Following sensations/themes significant in spider remedies.
Sharp/burning/sore/bruised sensations/pains in different areas on the
physical level.
Pains: acute/intense/severe/extreme/periodic/shooting/ext. (Neuralgia)
Heightened sensitivity of the nervous system to external stimuli:
music/noise/colors/touch. And tends to overreact.
Nervous system: twitching/trembling/numbness/spasm/cramps/paralysis. In
“hyper-excitable state” causing weakness and faintness.
Sharp:
stinging/stabbing/stitching
It is not surprising that sharp sensations like stinging and stitching
proved to be significant in spider remedies when examining some of the spiders hunting
and survival techniques. A spider injects not only its venom into the prey to
paralyze the victim but also digestive fluid to dissolve and liquefy the
tissues as part of a pre digestive process
(Leroy, 2003:16).
Coldness as well as heaviness and fullness are extracted sensations that
proved to be common to remedies from the order Araneae.
The often described shooting (10) aspect of the sharp pains led to the
investigation into neuralgia (8) which was found to be a common complaint in at
least all spiders of the sample group.
Araneus diademus
HEAD - Pain STINGING during chill
Fever - during chill
EYES - STINGING
FACE - STINGING, root of the nose
Back - stinging in nape of neck
EXTREMITIES - STINGING pain in all joints
Knees - stitching
Teeth - sharp sensations
HEAD - STITCHING SHOOTING with chill
MOUTH - STITCHES in palate and larynx
EXTREMITIES - STITCHES during chill in knee
Latrodectus hasselti
EYES - STINGING
FEMALE organs - STINGING in vagina
HEAD - SHARP fleeting pain, left temple: SHARp l. forehead
FACE - SHARP pain, lower jaw
CHEST - sharp pain under l. breast: sharp knife like pain in region of
heart: sharp pain in
right pectoral muscle
Back - SHARP pain under l. shoulder blade: sharp pain in sacrum´
Pain stitching,
fleeting, stabbing under left scapula
Pain STITCHING in lower
back
EXTREMITIES - SHARP pain r. palm. SHARP l. big toe
HEAD - Pain SHARP, stabbing, fleeting over left temple extending over l.
eye
CHEST - SHARP pain under left breast: SHARP knife like pain, region of the
heart;
S
BACK - SHARP pain under left shoulder blade: SHARP pain, sacrum
EXTREMITIES - SHARP pain right palm: SHARP left big toe HEAD - Pain SHARP,
STABBING
CHEST - Pain STITCHING, fleeting, SHOOTING pains
Loxoceles reclusa
GENERALS - stinging after bite?
HEAD - fleeting, brief SHARP pains, right forehead: SHARP brief,
stabbing pain over right eye
Singing
EAR - SHARP Pain r. ext. jaw. Sharp pain swallowing, l.
STOMACH - sudden, sharp pain l.
BACK - brief sharp pain, middle lower back
HEAD - Pain STABBING over left eye
CHEST - Pain STITCHING in breast
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - STINGING pains
HEAD - STINGING pain in forehead and STINGING in hypogastrium
EYES - STINGING as if pricked with pins
EARS - STINGING pain in the meatus
THROAT - STINGING in cervical and submaxillary glands
ABDOMEN - STINGING left side of umbilicus
CHEST - STINGIN pain severe
FEVER - STINging in kidney
GENERALS - strong sharp prickings all over
HEAD - SHARP pains, forehead
THROAT - SHARP stinging pains in cervical and submaxillary glands
ABDOMEN - SHARP pains, umbilical regiom around navel
CHEST - sudden, cutting SHARP pains, region of the heart
BACK - Sharp shooting pains under l. scapula
HEAD - cutting darting STABBING in temples
HEAD - STITCHES in temples, STITCHES in forehead
EARS - STITCHES, right
EYES - STITCHES, swallowing
FACE - stitches
NOSE - STITCHES ext. head
Throat - Stitching in tonsils
Abdomen - Pain stitching, sticking in hypochondrium, stitching in
inguinal region
RECTUM - Pain STITCHING
KIDNEYS - Pain STITCHING
FEMALE ORGANS - Pain stitching in uterus
CHEST - Stitching in the heart, l.
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM - STITCHING in aorta/stitching in heart
BACK - STITCHING SHOOTING in dorsal region under scapula, Pain stitching/shooting
in coccyx
EXTREMITIES - Pain STITCHING upper limbs, STITCHING in lower limbs
G in heart, Pain STITCHING in Aorta
Theridion curassavicum
GENERALS - Stinging in various parts
Characertistic - STINGING thrusts everywhere
Head - stinging in l. temple
ABDOMEN - STINGING l. side over anterior side of spleen
STITCHING in spleen
BACK - STINGING between scapulae
EXTREMITIES - STINGING from elbow to shoulder
STITCHING in elbow ext.
shoulder
SKIN - STINGING thrusts everywhere/STABS everywhere
STINGING in l. temple: STITCHES from shoulder to throat and pectoral
muscle
HEAD - SHARP pain in brain
STITCHING in temples
CHEST - SHARP pain radiating to arm and l. shoulder
Violent STITCHES
through chest ext. back
Burning in various different organs (eyes).
Spider bite: burning sensations as part of an inflammatory process,
severe burning, lymphangitis/abscess formation (cytotoxic toxin).
Leroy (2003:50) spiders carry a great amount of bacteria in their saliva
which together
with cytotoxic venom can cause rapid inflammation and extensive
destruction of body
tissue.
Araneus diademus
HEAD - headache with BURNING eyes and heat in the face
EYES - BURNING, STINGING, SHOOTING
STOMACH - pain burning during chill
Latrodectans haseltii
EYES - BURNING
BLADDER - BURNING urination
EXTREMITIES - violent BURNING pains preceding paralysis
Loxoceles reclusa
EYES - BURNING
RECTUM - BURING
HEAD - frontal headache with BURNING
EXTREMITIES - limbs, joint pains ACHING, cutting and BURNING
BACK-BURNING
Tarentula hispanica
HEAD - BURNING heat in occiput with pricking and itching over the whole
body
EYES - BURNING
EARS - BURNING in right ear canal
NOSE - catarrh with dryness and BURNING
FACE - flushed with BURNING heat
STOMACH - intense BURNING pain: intense BURNING
thirst
ABDOMEN- liver BURNING in cancer
RECTUM - Pain BURNING in anus after stool
BLADDER - Pain BURNING
URETHRA - Pain BURNING after urination
FEMALE ORGANS - BURNING in uterus with every
movement. Cancer of cervix. Leucorrhea BURNING
CHEST - sensation as if heart was BURNING
EXTREMITIES - BURNING forearm: BURNING hands: BURNING hip, knee, leg
SKIN - carbuncle with BURNING and STINGING: boils with BURNING
Theridion curssavicum
CHARACTERISTICS - BURNING pains
EYES - BURNING
MOUTH - BURNING
CHEST - pains from
Paralytic, paralyzed
Paralyzing and numbing its prey is a spider’s way of killing its victim.
A large number of spider venoms are neurotoxic and cause increased neural
activity which interferes with
normal bodily functions. The neurological symptoms described in point
4.3.1.3 till 4.3.1.6 consistent with toxicological reports of spider bites
described in various literatures.
Araneus diademus
MOUTH - tongue seemed paralyzed
Latrodectus hasselti
MIND - PARALYZED
EXTREMITIES - PARALYSIS of limb with wasting
Loxoceles recluse
No symptoms
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - PARALYSIS agitans
EXTREMITIES - PARALYSIS of limbs after repressed sexual desire
Theridion curassavicum
GENERALS - Paralysis after emotions
Numb
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - sensation of NUMBNESS, swelling and coldness in parts
sensation of enormous enlargement in parts
HEAD - numbed
EXTREMITIES - arms and legs feel NUMB: NUMBNESS of the parts supplied by
ulnar nerve: leg feels NUMB as if missing
RECTUM - diarrhoea with NUMB sensation of arms and legs
Latrodectus hasselti
GENERALS - Numbness, tinging, pins
and needles
Loxoceles reclusa
Extremities - NUMBNESS ext. down l. arm: Numbness in r. arm
NUMBNESS upper shoulder
Tarentula hispanica
MIND - NUMBNESS and PARALYSIS after repressed sexual desire
EXTREMITIES - NUMBNESSof legs: NUMBNESS with hyperaesthesia (fingertips)
SKIN - sensation of formication and NUMBNESS
Theridion curassavicum
EXTREMITIES - NUMBNESS in l. arm, hand and fingers
Mouth - NUMBNESS
Spasm, cramp
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - general SPASMS
NERVOUS SYSTEM - trembling, lameness, SPASM
STOMACH - SPASMODIC pain with anxiety: SPASMODIC pain with confusion
EMALE - SPASMODIC pain beginning in stomach
CRAMPS, colic, twitching
STOMACH - CRAMPS with other complaints
Latrodectans hasselti
STOMACH - CRAMPS
GENERALS - stiffness, twitching, titanic SPASMS
Loxoceles reclusa
STOMACH - CRAMPS
RECTUM - diarrhoea with CRAMPING before stool
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - SPASM in general: clonic with jerks
MIND - hysteria with SPASMS
VERTIGO - followed by SPASM
HEAD - motion SPASMODIC, convulsive
EYES - wide open, SPASMODICALLY staring
MOUTH - SPASMS in tongue
THROAT - SPASMS in pharynx, convulsive
URINARY ORGANS - SPASM and tenesmus
BLADDER - SPASM
FEMALE ORGANS - profuse menstruation with frequent erotic SPASM
COUGH - dry, SPASMODIC
EXTREMITIES - limbs, SPASMODIC paralysis
SLEEP - SPASMODIC - yawning/symptoms during sleep
FEVER - slight touch along the spine provokes SPASMODIC pain in chest
and
cardiac region
NERVOUS SYSTEM - SPASMODIC hysterical symptoms
ABDOMEN - CRAMPING, griping
STOMACH - CRAMPING, griping
FEMALE ORGANS - leucorrhoea with CRAMPING pains
CHEST - CRAMP like pains in heart and chest + by extreme weakness
STOOL and RECTUM - severe CRAMPS in bowels and pain in bladder with
vomiting, chill and great nervousness, pulse weak and no thirst
Theridion curassavicum
BACK - SPASM
RECTUM- SPASMODIC constriction of rectum and anus
COUGH - violent with convulsive SPASMODIC jerking with head forward and
knees upward
CHEST - esophagus, pressure and CRAMP like pain ext. epigastrium
Twitching, trembling
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - CRAMPS, colic and TWITCHING
EYES - TWITCHING
EXTREMITIES - TWITCHING
NERVOUS SYSTEM - TWITCHING
BACK - JERKING in back with vertigo
EXTREMITIES - JERKING
GENERALS - TREMBLING: feeling of nausea, vertigo and cold sweat
EXTREMITIES - TREMBLING
STOMACH - spasm with TREMBLING
EYES - TREMBLING sensation in eyes
Latrodectus hasselti
GENERALS- stiffness, TWITCHING, tetanic spasms
FACE - TWITCHING around mouth
GENERALS - TREMBLING inside
EXTREMITIES - TREMBLING invisible
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - TWITCHING and JERKING of muscles: choreatic movements,
TWITCHING and JERKING
MIND - Fainting, TWITCHING, choking, jerking
SLEEP - TWITCHING, < sleep
EXTREMITIES - TWITCHING and jerking
GENERALS - JERKING mostly on right side: TREMBLING, TWITCHING and
JERKING
HEAD - shocks, blows, JERKS morning on rising
MIND - TREMBLING with fear: joy and strong emotions with TREMBLING
GENERALS - JERKING mostly r./TREMBLING/ TWITCHING and JERKING
MOUTH - tongue TREMBLING
CHEST - heart TREMBLING “As from fright”
EXTREMITIES - general TREMBLING, TWITCHING, JERKING: legs
REMBLING especially when quiet
Theridion curassavicum
EYE - TWITCHING in right eye
COUGH - cough JERKS body
GENERALS - sensation of TREMBLING without physical trembling: TREMBLING
externally
MIND - weakness/coldness, TREMBLING (in hysteria), faintness and anxiety
EXTREMITIES - weakness with TREMBLING of limbs
CHEST - heart TREMBLING
Weakness and faintness
According to Prins (1986:21) faintness can be experienced as one of the
cardinal symptoms after a spider bite with neurotoxic venom. “….. weakness and
muscle pain may persist for a long time, even up to a month.”
Other major symptoms of a spider bite: anxiety, dizziness/severe stomach
cramps, nausea, vomiting, sweating, watery eyes and excessive salivation,
change in body temperature, pains and pressure in the chest/abdomen/
lower back, swelling and redness of the site of the bite (sometimes a
rash).
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - WEAKNESS
MIND - mental WEAKNESS
VERTIGO - WEAK with vertigo
EYES - WEAKNESS
EXTREMITIES - WEAKNESS
GENERALS - feeling of FAINTNESS, vertigo, nausea, trembling and cold
sweat
FAINTNESS periodic
STOMACH - epigastric FAINTNESS
Latrodectus hasselti
GENERALS - WEAKNESS
MIND - mental WEAKNESS
EXTREMITIES - WEAK ankles
GENERALS - FAINTNESS
Loxoceles reclusa
GENERALS - WEAKNESS, palpitation, nervousness, fear
MIND - WEAKNESS
Stomach - FAINT feeling
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - great WEAKNESS and prostration
MIND - WEAKNESS of memory: WEAKNESS in hysteria
EYES - WEAK
VISION - WEAK
STOMACH - empty WEAK feeling
ABDOMEN sensation of WEAKNESS
EXTREMITIES - WEAKNESS
CHEST - Heart, pulse WEAK and slow
RECTUM - WEAKNESS of sphincter ani.
GENERALS - FAINTNESS from hunger, FAINTNESS periodic
MIND - feigning paroxysms of FAINTING
RECTUM - diarrhoea with FAINTING
Theridion curassavicum
GENERALS - WEAKNESS and EXHAUSTION
MIND - WEAKNESS of memory: WEAKNESS in hysteria
EYES - WEAK
VISION - WEAK
STOMACH - empty WEAK feeling
BACK - WEAKNESS
EXTREMITIES - WEAKNESS, all limbs tremble
SEXUAL ORGANS - WEAK erection during coition
GENERALS - FAINTNESS after very exertion: vertigo and FAINTNESS
FAINTNESS - periodic
Sensitive
Sensitivity was found to be a common sensation amongst spider remedies
[colors (13), touch (12), music (11) - in particular strong rhythmical music,
noise (10), odors (8)]. From a qualitative aspect, sensitivity to music and
noise appears to be a typical theme in spider remedies since it is
expressed in bold letters in the materia medica of all spiders of the sample
group. A search of the term music revealed another theme of the Araneae order.
Desire for wild dancing is one of the original rubrics and contains 6
remedies of which 3 belong to the order Araneae.
Most spiders are nocturnal and their eyes are sensitive to light. Some
species can see polarized light and their eyes, therefore play an important
role in navigation (Leroy, 2003:25).
In the literature of the spider remedies this fact is expressed as a
high sensitivity to colors and light in general, but also as a liking for
bright and fluorescent colors.
Spiders are well known for their sensitivity and quick reaction to
sensori stimuli. Fine hairs that work as receptors are called Trichobothria and
cover the whole body (limbs).
They are immensely sensitive to air currents and low frequency
vibrations. Slit sense organs which are small, slit - like depressions in the
exoskeleton are other organs sensitive to vibrations, gravity and the spiders
own
movement. In addition expanded web spiders also use their web as
expanded vibration receptors (Leroy, 2003:2).
Spiders produce different sounds in order to communicate with their own
kind and to scare off predators. They do this by vibrating certain body parts,
or by drumming with their legs or abdomen on leaves or other objects,
which act as amplifiers. This ability to receive and send out rhythmical
information enables a male spider to attract a female during courtship or to
intimidate rival males (Leroy, 2003).
Araneus diademus
NATURAL HISTORY - they are SENSITIVE to noise: vibration: legs sensitive
to tension and vibration
GENERALS - abnormal SENSITIVENESS to cold and damp: SENSITIVE to music,
noise, vibration: SENSITIVE persons (touch/noise/light)
MIND - OVERSENSITIVE to rhythmic music
TEETH - lower incisors
SENSITIVE on drawing in air
Latrodectus hasselti
GENERALS - SENSITIVE to slightest
noise: SENSITIVE to voices
MIND - SENSITIVE to everything: want
of SENSITIVITY
Loxoceles reclusa
MIND - OVERSENSITIVE
BACK - sore and SENSITIVE
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - very SENSITIVE to cold: SENSITIVE
to light, noise, music, colors, touch
MIND - OVERSENSITIVE to rhytjmic
music (drums)
MALE ORGANS - SENSITIVE genitals
FEMALE ORGANS - SENSITIVE genitals: ovaries SENSITIVE to pressure: dysmenorrhea.x with SENSITIVE ovaries
BACK - painfully SENSITIVE spine
EXTREMITIES - extreme SENSITIVENESS of fingertips
Theridion curssavivum
GENERALS - indicated in highly SENSITIVE individuals: SENSITIVE to
noise, light, jar, odor, continued motion, pressure on the spine, closing the
eyes, external impressions
MIND - painful SENSITIVE to noise (crackling of paper): SENSITIVE
(slightest/penetrating/shrill/bells) noise/OVERSENSITIVE to pain: painful
OVERSENSITIVITY
VISION - SENSITIVE to light
STOMACH - SENSITIVENESS of region of stomach
FEMALE ORGANS - pain in ovaries and SENSITIVENESS of cervix
BACK - spine SENSITIVE to pressure and jar: must sit sideways
SKIN - skin of thighs SENSITIVE with stinging thrusts everywhere
Dull, sore aching
A different set of sensations is described as dull 13), aching (11) and
sore (11) and appears to have a strong link to the head region, back and
extremities. In nature spiders have to go through a process of molting in which
they shed their exoskeleton. They have to molt in order to grow, as the
cuticle on the cephalothorax and limbs is hard and cannot stretch beyond a
certain point. This process is often difficult and the loss of a leg or
sometime
life is not uncommon during this transition (Leroy, 2003:32).
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - DULL, digging bone pains in every part
HEAD - DULL heavy pain: DULL pain in forehead: DULL pain above r, eye:
DULL pain temporal and on vertex
EYES - DULL expression with spasmodic pains in stomach
EXTREMITIES - DULL, digging, burrowing pains in bones
BACK - DULL pain
SENSATIONS - DULLNESS in head
BLADDER - SORENESS on either side
EXTREMITIES - Limbs, SORENESS with chill
FEVER - SORENESS either side of of bladder and limbs
CHILL - SORENESS limbs
Latrodectus hasselthi
MIND - mental DULLNESS
HEAD - DULL pain temporal and on top of head: DULL heavy pain: DULL pain
in forehead (above r. eye):
EYE - DULL ACHE in right eye
EAR - DULL ACHE in l. ear: fleeting DULL pain
BACK - DULL ACHE lower back, right: DULL ACHE lumbar region
HEAD - SORE in spots on scalp: SORE right side
EYES - SORE and stinging
Kidneys - SORE l. and r.
FEMALE ORGANS - clithoris, SORE touch, tender and sensitive
CHEST - Nipples SORE: Pain SORE r. breast: Pain SORE and BRUISED
EXTREMITIES - Pain SORE and BRUISED l. heel
Loxoceles reclusa
HEAD - DULL ACHE (frontal)
NOSE - SORE, tip of nose, right centre, inside
FACE - Pain SORE, above the right cheek bone like a pimple
TEETH - Pain SORE, tooth - abscess
THROAT - SORE
STOMACH - SORE after nausea
BACK - SORE and sensitive low back
EXTREMITIES - Pain SORE left buttocks: Pain SORE right shoulder and
neck;
Neck Stiff and SORE, neuralgic pain ext. arm
Tarentula hispanica
MIND - DULLNESS, sluggishness, difficult thinking and comprehending
EAR - DULL pain in right ear with DULLNESS of hearing
MOUTH - DULL pain in all teeth
STOMACH - DULL pain
URINARY ORGANS - DULL pain in kidney
BACK - DULL pain
EXTREMITIES - weakness, numbness and DULLNESS in lower limbs
GENERALS - SORE and BRUISED all over
HEAD - SORE, BRUISED in occiput and temples
EYES - SORE, BRUISED, lids tender “As from splitter”
FACE - SORE, BRUISED in bones
THROAT - Pain SORE right: Pain SORE, BRUISED (with gastric derangement)
ABDOMEN - Pain SORE right hypochondrium: pain sore liver
URINARY ORGANS - kidneys SORE to touch
MALE - Pain SORE, BRUISED testes
FEMALE ORGANS - Pain SORE, tender vulva, labia - ovaries - uterus: pain
sore
bruised
CHEST - Pain SORE, bruised - ribs/sdides
BACK - Neck SORE: Bruised, beaten SORE - cervical region/spine;
EXTREMITIES - joints of knee stiff and SORE: SORE, bruised -
hip/leg/knee
Theridion curassavicum
CHARACTERISTICS - DULL heavy pressure behind eyes
EYES - DULL heavy pressure behind eyes
MIND - DULLNESS, sluggishness, difficult thin king and comprehending
VERTIGO - with DULLNESS of senses
HEAD - headache frontal with DULL pressing pain behind the eyes
MOUTH - SORENESS of gums
THROAT - SORE with chilliness and SORE pain in bones
STOMACH - SORE, bruised, beaten, tenderness
Abdomen - SORE inguinal region
FEMALE ORGANS - SORE, bruised, tender ovaries
BACK - SORE, bruised beaten spine
EXTREMITIES - SORE, ulcerative bones, lower limbs
SENSATIONS - SORENESS in throat and bones
Coldness/Chill
Despite their great adaptility, spiders are far more abundant in
tropical regions where warm conditions with high humidity prevail. However
spiders have developed several adaptations to survive adverse conditions like
cold
and dampness. It has been found that a spider’s haemolymph contains glycerol. acting as
an freezing agent. This fact may account for a spider’s relatively resistance
to cold (Vermeulen, 2004:136).
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - COLD feeling on drawing in air, marked sensitivity to
COLDNESS and damp, symptoms are characterized by periodicity and COLD, COLDNESS
not relieved by anything, COLD to the bone, constant CHILLINESS
MOUTH - painful feeling of COLDNESS in r. lower incissors
HEAD - COLD
ABDOMEN - Colic after COLD
EXTREMITIES - COLDNESS hand/feet/bobes (“As if made of ice”)/ COLDNESS
of upper limbs
CHILL - constant CHILL and COLDNESS
Heart and circulation - shivering and cold sweats
Latrodectus hasselti
GENERALS - increased sensitivity to heat and COLD/> COLD weather
KIDNEYS - sensation of CHILL
EXTREMITIES - hot to the touch but feet COLD
CHILL - instant CHILL on exposure of parts
Loxoceles reclusa
GENERALS - feeling hot # COLD
MIND - overwhelmed, depressed and COLD
EARS - pain < COLD
ETREMITIES - COLD hands
SKIN - increased sensivity to COLD
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - Pain in the bitten part with general COLDNESS, CHILL and COLD
sweat of the whole body, tremulousness and COLDNESS of the whole body,
shivering and COLDNESS from every emotion < COLD
HEAD - COLDNESS, CHILLINESS - at vertex (“As if cold water was poured
over)/temples/occiput;
EYES - COLDNESS l. “As if cold water was poured over
MOUTH - Sensation of COLDNESS in teeth and r. cheek
THROAT - Sensation of COLDNESS “As if COLD water was constantly dropping
down” STOMACH - Pain from COLD drinks
ABDOMEN - Acute pain in hepatic region heat # cold/pain in groins <
COLD
FEMALE - Head and legs icy COLD and female complaints
CHEST - Pain in l. subclavian region with COLD feet: Pain in region of
the heart. < putting hands in cold water
EXTREMITIES - COLDNESS in limbs, extreme COLDNESS
CHILL - COLDNESS in general: icy COLDNESS
FEVER - Great COLDNESS and shaking: feet constantly COLD during fever:
constant CHILL and COLDNESS for days. COLD stage intense
SKIN - icy COLDNESS: COLDNESS in spots as if cold matter was flowing or
dropping on parts: COLD spots with purplish discoloration
Theridion curassavicum
GENERALS - WEAKNESS, TREMBLING, COLDNESS (internal), anxiety and easily
excited, COLD sweat
HEAD - pain with COLD perspiration
VERTIGO - COLDNESS with vertigo, with COLD sweat
EYES - sensitive to light with COLD hands
TEETH - sensation of COLD penetrating teeth, when water taken into the
mouth
EXTREMITIES - COLDNESS - hands/hips/legs: COLDNESS internal and external
SLEEP - COLD sweat during sleep
CHILL - COLDNESS in general: internal COLDNESS
FEVER - violent COLDNEESS: COLD hands with flickering of the eyes and
nausea internal
COLD sweat excited easily: icy COLDNESS of the whole body with vertigo
Fullness
A common sensation in ten out of sixteen spiders and predominately
refers to the headand the abdominal region. A sensation of fullness at the
sight of food is described in all spiders of the sample group except Loxoceles
has sensation of fullness predominately in the head region. In a spider, the
digestive gland in which the liquid food is sucked up, branches out into
several pouches and can store a lot of food at one time. This allows spiders to
“fill up” and go for long periods without food (Vermeulen, 2002: 136)
Araneus diademus
ABDOMEN - sensation of FULLNESS, FULLNESS at the sight of food:
sensation of heaviness and FULLNESS in lower abdomen: FULLNESS in lower abdomen
and hepatic region
Latrodectus hasselti
HEAD - FULLNES
ABDOMEN - sensation of FULLNESS at
the sight of food
Loxoles reclusa
GENERALS - sensation of FULLNESS in l. side of body
HEAD - sensation of FULLNESS in left temple
EARS - awareness of FULLNESS in ears
Tarentula hispanica
HEAD - FULLNESS in head with throbbing carotids > epistaxis
ABDOMEN - sensation of FULLNESS (at the sight of food)/sensation of FULLNESS during hunger
BLADDER - FULL
HEAD - dull
Theridion curassavicum
HEAD - dullness and
FULLNESS in the head
ABDOMEN - FULLNESS at
the sight of food
Heaviness
In the literature heaviness was found in 13 spider remedies as a
significant common sensation: focus on the abdominal region, limbs, head, mind
and generals. The sensation described as a delusion of heaviness as opposed to
being the result of a true pathological process.
An interesting fact that could explain this perceived sensation of
heaviness is the peculiar way spiders spend most of their time waiting for
prey. According to Leroy (2003:41) most of the web-living spiders do not walk
on
their webs but hang on them.
They also hang suspended on a thread during molting and are especially
vulnerable to predators during that time.
Silk allows certain spiders to travel in a unique way, known as aerial
dispersal or ballooning’. The silk is attached to the substrate and the spider walks
a distance to extend the silken lines. While doing so he lifts his abdomen
and extends his legs, till a breeze carries him and the silk away
(Leroy, 2003:45).
Another interesting fact which could contribute to the understanding of
this peculiar sensation (felt in the extremities), is that spiders do not move
in the same way as humans or most other creatures do. Spider’s legs are
extended by means of a hydraulic system of fluid which requires the
transmission of a force through a confined liquid (Vermeulen, 2002: 133)
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - HEAVINESS internal, enlargement end sensation of HEAVINESS
MIND - delusion: he is HEAVY
CHEST - sensation of HEAVINESS “As if heart was made out of lead”
EXTREMITIES - sensation of increased volume and HEAVINESS in upper limbs
HEAVINESS in thighs
ABDOMEN - HEAVINESS and sensation of repletion in intestines
SLEEP - sleepless with HEAVY feeling in forearms and hands: wakes from a
sensation of HEAVINESS
Latrodectus hasselti
MIND - sensation of warmth and
HEAVINESS
Loxoceles reclusa
MIND - sensation of tiredness and HEAVINESS: sensation of spaced out and
HEAVY: mood HEAVY:
GENERALS - left sided HEAVINESS
HEAD - sensation of HEAVINESS
CHEST - itchy and HEAVy with a
slight cough
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - sensation of HEAVINESS
HEAD - HEAVINESS and pain in the head: HEAVY ache in left parietal bone
EYES - HEAVINESS of upper lids
SLEEPY with HEAVINESS of the head
Theridion curssavivum
GENERALS - general sense of oppression and HEAVINESS
MIND - mood HEAVY and oppressed
HEAD - hard HEAVY pressure behind the eyes
MALE - prostate enlarged, sense of a lump and HEAVINESS in the perineum
EXTREMITIES - HEAVINESS in limbs before chill
4.3.2 Second order analysis
First order: Second order
Inflammation Swelling, redness, heat
Trembling Motion, chorea
Weakness Exhaustion, faintness
Reactive Restless, hurried, excitable,
aggressive
It was noted that the second
order analysis was a confirmation of most themes that emerged during the first
order and that second order sensations went full circle to the original common sensations extracted.
The neurological symptoms and their
consequences, described in the first order analysis were confirmed and more
sensations relating to this group of symptoms were found e.g. excitable,
restlessness, chorea, exhaustion etc.
The magnitude of the effects of spider remedies
on the nervous system become more and more apparent. In addition the second order analysis brought
out some important mental symptom like hurried, aggressive and irritable
as well as typical mannerisms like the need for constant motion.
The cardinal symptoms of inflammation - redness, heat, pain and swelling
were searched since all terms produced seemingly significant results in terms
of quantitative representation. However a more in depth examination
of the literature did not support a great relevance of the above
mentioned symptoms in regard to inflammation in various parts of the body and
in terms of their joined appearance during
this process.
Redness and heat we found to be significant in the head region, eyes,
skin.
Different kind of skin conditions ranging from harmless rashes to
ulcerating wounds and lymphangitis were desribed, depending on the various
spider remedies.
An interesting finding was made during the search of the sensation
swelling. Patients and provers described a peculiar sensation “As if parts were
swollen”. Representations from the literature are illustrated below.
Swelling
Araneus diademus
Mind - delusion SWOLLEN
Head - and hands feel
SWOLLEN
Face - cheeks “As if
SWOLLEN“
Abdomen - SWOLLEN
spleen
Extremities- feeling
„As if hands and arms greatly SWOLLEN
Latrodectus hasselti
Face - cheeks “As if
SWOLLEN”
EXTREMITIES - feels “As if nerves and
muscles SWOLLEN and inflamed”
Tarentula hispanica
Throat - SWOLLEN
BLADDER - “As if SWOLLEN”
FEMALE ORGANS - uterus and overies
SWOLLEN
MALE ORGANS - heaviness and SWELLING
of the testes and cord
BACK - “As if SWOLLEN”
Theridion curassavicum
GENERALS - glands
SWELLING scrofulous
ABDOMEN - sudden
SWELLING
EXTREMITIES - sudden
SWELLING of the feet
SKIN - hard SWELLING
Motion
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - desire to keep constantly
moving, > CONSTANT MOTION
Latrodectus hasselti
GENERALS - slowness in MOTION,
< MOTION
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - extreme
RESTLESSNESS with relief from CONSTANT MOT
CHOREA major with relief from
CONSTANT MOTION
EXTREMITIES - hands are kept in
CONSTANT MOTION to relieve over excitability: arms and legs in irregular CONSTANT
MOTION
Theridion curassavicu
GENERALS - nausea, vomiting on least
MOTION: complaints worse least MOTION
Restlessness and
hurried
Araneus diademus
MIND - RESTLESSNES, nervousness: vivacious and RESTLESS: RESTLESS active,
aggressive RESTLESSNESS, has to change position often and moves her fingers
nervously
SLEEP - RESTLESS with frequent yawning
MIND - HURRIED
Latrodectus hasselti
MIND - very RESTLESS, anxious, couldn’t settle to anything: RESTLESSNESS
must wring the hands
Loxoceles recluse
MIND - RESTLESSNESS
MIND - hurried
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - RESTLESSNESS, must keep in CONSTANT MOTION
MIND - intense RESTLESSNESS (chorea/epilepsy/hysteria)
RESTLESSNESS, fidgety,hurried, jerking, twitching, must keep arms and
legs in CONSTANT MOTION
SLEEP - nervous RESTLESSNESS, tossing about
EXTREMITIES - RESTLESSNESS of hands: great RESTLESSNESS and agitation in
lower limbs
MIND - HURRY, everyone must HURRY: tendency to HURRY: RESTLESS, fidgety,
HURRIED
Theridion curassavicum
MIND - RESTLESSNESS, busy
SLEEP - RESTLESS
EXTREMITIES - RESTLESS feeling in hands, wrings them
MIND - HURRY, everyone must hurry, tendency to hurry: hurried and hectic
activity
Exhaustion
Mental and physical exhaustion was found to be a major theme in the
Araneae family.
Vermeulen (2003: 125) writes about spiders: “Although they are sluggish
animals, they can strike very quickly”.
Tesats have shown that a spider’s respitory system can restrict its
dimensions. A rapid movement kept up for a few seconds can exhaust a spider and
increase its
heartbeat to four times its normal rate.”
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - great
EXHAUSTION
Latrodectans hasselti
GENERALS - EXHAUSTED
and HEAVY
Loxoceles reclusa
MIND - totally
EXHAUSTED
Tarentula hispanica
MIND - EXHAUSTED:
singing and dancing until hoarse and EXHAUSTED
Theridion curassavicum
GENERALS - great EXHAUSTION
SLEEP - horrible insomnia though
EXHAUSTED
Excitability
Araneus diademus
GENERALS -extreme
SENSITI and nervous EXCITABILITY
Latrodectus hasselti
MIND - ailments from EXCITEMENT:
EXCITEMENT, anticipating
Loxoceles recluse
MIND - feeling of
EXCITEMENT
Tarentula hispanica
MIND - (nervous)
EXCITEMENT: restlessness, passion with irresistible: desire to move legs
constantly: music causes great EXCITEMENT
MALE ORGANS - extreme
sexual EXCITEMENT, almost to insanity
FEMALE ORGANS - extreme sexual
EXCITEMENT, nymphomania
SLEEPLESS from EXCITEMENT
Theridion curassavicum
MIND - nervous EXCITEMENT irritability
Irritability
Araneus diademus
MIND - great
RESTLESSNESS, Irritability and
fear of death
FEVER - wioth Irritability
FEMALE ORGANS - Irritability during menses
Loxoceles reclusa
MIND - Irritability, ANGER, EXCITEMENT
Tarentula hispanica
MIND - great Irritability, rage and fury, desire to
strike himself and others
FEMALE ORGANS - Irritable uterus
BACK - spine IrritabilE from touch
Theridion curassavicum
MIND - IRRITABLE and
oversensitive to noise: Irritability,
ANGER
EXCITEMENT
BACK - spine very IrritabilE
Aggressive
The results of the original rubric already indicated that aggression was
a prominent theme of spider remedies. 2 Rubrics contain only 2 remedies and
both are spiders:
Mind: Tears his books
Mind: Morose, sulky during
intermittent fever.
Another rubric contains 12 remedies and 2 of them are spiders:
Mind: Desires to attack others.
In the animal kingdom aggression is part of the natural defense
mechanism, for example when facing a predator or defending the young.
Most adult members of the order araneae are solitary and devote the
greater part of their lives catching prey, which can include prospective mates.
Hostility and aggression towards members of their own kind is typical of
most spiders (Leroy, 2003:26).
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - RESTLESS,
active, AGGRESSIVE
Latrodectus hasselti
MIND - AGGRESSIVE
behaviour
Loxoceles reclusa
MIND - AGGRESSIVE
Tarentula hispanica
MIND - AGGRESSIVE
Theridion curassavicum
MIND - noise makes
AGGRESSIVE
It was noticed that second order sensations led back to first order
sensations and that the themes that started to emerge pointed towards the
mental symptoms of the spider remedies. To get a better overview of what
potentially could become significant mind themes.
The third order analysis, using synonyms from second order words was
conducted with following results.
Again only those themes that proved significant were choosen and listed.
Third order analysis Table 9: Third order analysis from second order
sensations/themes:
Second order sensations/themes Third order sensations/themes
Exhaustion Weakness/vertigo/faintness
Excitement Passion/hysteria/mania
Restlessness Anxiety/nervousness/fear
Aggression Anger/rage
Vertigo
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - VERTIGO even
when in bed
RECTUM - violent
attacks of diarrhoea, VERTIGO and FAINTNESS
Latrodectus hasselti
GENERALS - VERTIGO and
FAINTNESS
CHARACTERISTICS - VERTIGO with
tendency to fall forward
Tarentula hispanica
GENERALS - VERTIGO: epileptic
VERTIGO different kinds of VERTIGO
MIND - VERTIGO from grief
STOMACH - VERTIGO after breakfast
with bad taste
EARS - deafness with VERTIGO
EXTREMITIES - spasma preceded by
VERTIGO
Theridion curassavicum
GENERALS - VERTIGO on
closing eyes: VERTIGO < sounds
SLEEP - VERTIGO on
waking
Passion/hysteria/mania
Araneus diademus
GENERALS - PASSION for
knitting
FEMALE ORGANS - bearing
down pains, HYSTERIA and much fatigue
Latrodectus hasselti
MIND - PSSIONATE
MIND - HYSTERIA
MIND - MANIA with rage:
industrious, MANIA for work
Loxoceles recluse
MIND - HYSTERIA
MIND - industrious,
MANIA for work
Tarentula hispanica
MIND - PASSIONATE:
PASSION for dancing
MIND - HYSTERIA (from attention/after fright/lascivious/ludricous),
chorea, nymphomania,
HYSTERO-EPILEPSY with Hyperaesthesia
MIND - industrious,
MANIA (for work/dancing/destructive)/tears: sexual MANIA in men: erotic 2
Theridion curassavicum
MIND - PASSIONATE about
gambling: PASSION making money
MIND - HYSTERIA (at
climaxis/in puberty/and anxiety)
VISION - dim/”As if looking through
a veil in HYSTERIA
STOMACH - desires fruit, oranges in
HYSTERIA
BACK - HYSTERIA from spinal
irritation
GENERALS - trembling and itching in
HYSTERIA: FAINTING with HYSTERIA after exertion
MIND - industrious, MANIA for work
Anxiety/nervousness/fear
Araneus diademus
MIND - ANXIETY: ANXIOUS dreams: fear apprehension,
STOMACH - spasmodic pain with great ANXIETY
CHEST - ANXIETY
MIND - periodical NERVOUS complaints: NERVOUSNESS and restlessness in
children
MND - FEAR of - narrow places/death/loud noises/loud singing/bells:
APPREHENSION, ANXIETY
URETHRA - FEARFUL pain starting from glans
SLEEP - disturbed by FEARFUL dreams
Latrodectus hasselti
MIND - intense mental ANXIETY and
apprehension, fear of death and psychosis: anticipatory ANXIETY
(health/future/when alone)
GENERALS - NERVOUS twitching all
over: fidgety and NERVOUS.
NERVOUS and Jittery
MIND - FEAR of animals
(spiders)/Fear of - contagious diseases/being alone: APPREHENSION, ANXIETY
Loxoceles reclusa
MIND - ANXIETY with suffocating feeling
MIND - NERVOUSNESS in the dark
MIND - FEAR of the dark: FEAR of animals: FEAR of bats
Tarentula hispanica
MIND - fear, apprehension and
ANXIETY: ANXIOUS agitation: ANXIOUS RESTLESSNESS, has to walk: ANXIETY - >
exercise/about health
CHEST - precordial
ANXIETY
MIND - NERVOUS crises/nervous trembling: great NERVOUS
restlessness and agitation with HYSTERIC
and choreic disturbances: patient hysterical
nervous
GENERALS - all kind of
NERVOUS diseases (disposition)/extreme NERVOUSNESS
MIND - FEAR
(death/animals/spiders/approaching of others/people/being insulted/of
assault/going out/being alone/disease/consumption/to drink/music/of noise/of
touch/impending calamity/face real opposition/
causing hysteria): APPREHENSION, ANXIETY:
Theridion curassavicum
MIND - WEAKNESS, TREMBLING, COLDNESS and ANXIETY: hysterical ANXIETY:
ANXIETY from noise
CHEST - ANXIETY about the heart: cardiac ANXIETY with pain
MIND - extreme sensitive and NERVOUS with fruitless activity
HEAD - NERVOUS pain (migraine)
MIND - FEAR, APPREHENSION, ANXIETY: FEAR (from
noise/cats/dogs/tremulous)
Anger, rage
Araneus diademus
MIND - IRRITABILITY, ANGER,
EXCITEMENT
Latrodectus hasselti
MIND - ANGER with jealousy: shrieking during ANGER: ANGER suppressed
DREAMS - ANGER
MIND - RAGE after insults: RAGE from trifles
Loxoceles recluse
MIND - RAGE, fury,
ANGER # quick repentance: fits from anger
Tarentula hispanica
MIND - ANGER (violent/from contradiction/temper tantrums/striking
from/when touched): IRRITABILITY, ANGER, EXcitement
MIND - ailments from RAGE (insanity/striking himself/with MANIA/and
nervous excitation)
Theridion curassavicum
MIND - IRRITABILITY, ANGER,
EXCITEMENT
Araneae remedies
Groups of sensations that have been isolated through the extraction
Stinging Sore Burning
Sensitive Twitching Paralyzed Full
Cold
Sharp Aching Inflamed Trembling
Weak Heavy
Stabbing Swollen Cramping Numb Dull
Stitching Spasmodic Faint
Intense
Extrem
Shooting
Acute
Comparison with Sankaran’s
and Mangliavori’s homeopathic spider themes
Shared by both authors:
Spiders are extremely
restless with constant desire to move and to be busy.
General
hypersensitivity
Seeking attention
Hypochondriac
Hysterical
Loves/> rhythmical
music
Loves dancing
Periodicity
Coldness physical.
Sankaran Mangliavori
Intense pace/speed/hyperactivity Increased activity/busy/industrious
Busy always moving Domineering females
Pretence Hypochondria
Attention seeking Complaining
Mischievous Aversion
being touched
Dance/music Rhythmical
music and dance
Colours, fluorescence Hypersensitivity
Periodicity Periodicity
Thythmic Stinging
pains
Sudden Altered
sense of time
Impulsive violence and aggression Irresolute, capricious and hysteric
Caught and trapped Desires liquids, light food and
tobacco
Deceit, cunning Dyskinesia
Sudden fear of death Persecution
Vorwort/Suchen Zeichen/Abkürzungen Impressum