Magnetis Poli ambo – Medicine


Magnetis Poli ambo – Medicine.

Introduction

      (The Magn…


Introduction

      (The Magnet) Symptoms produced by touching either pole of the magnet, indiscriminately, or by laying the whole of the magnetic surface upon the body. The potencies have been prepared by triturating milk sugar which had been saturated when exposed to the emanations of the magnet, a method Hahnemann does not appear to have practiced.

The pathogenesis of the magnet as a whole, and of each pole separately, is from Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura. It is to the original provings and observations of Hahnemann that we owe these valuable remedies, and no better or more logical introduction perhaps can be given than he has furnished in the Materia Medica Pura:

To the ordinary, materialistic, and atomistic heads – and there is a vast number of such-it seemed not only paradoxical, but childish and incredible, that, according to the homoeopathic medical doctrine, the administration of doses of only very minute fractions of a grain of the more powerful medicines could be of use.

I grant that it may certainly be more convenient to regard all diseases as accumulations of gross impurities, and active drugs as rough levers and brooms, or as chemical reagents, consequently as palpable things. This may, I repeat, be more convenient than to regard those alterations of the being of living creatures (disease) as pure dynamical affections of the vital force, and medicines as pure, virtual, tone-altering powers, as they are in reality, and to set about curing according to these views.

If we do not adopt these true views, but adhere to those ordinary material ones, the curative powers of medicines must be estimated according to their bulk and the weight of their dose; and hence the scales must determine the efficacy of the dose. But in that case we must first ascertain the weight of the disease, in order to be able to reckon whether a disease weighing so many pounds (it has, indeed, been hitherto not unusual to employ the phrase “grave illness”) could be pried out, as with a lever, by such a weight of medicine. I willingly abandon to those colleagues of mine such atomistic views, by which the business of treatment can be carried on very comfortably, even when half asleep; for as we all know, to us poor mortals nothing is more easy of comprehension than the material, ponderable, palpable, and sensible, because much thinking (and observing), as an Israelis teacher says, is a weariness to the body. I cannot suppose them capable of regarding disease as immaterial alterations of the vitality, as pure dynamic derangements of our state of health, and medicinal powers as mere virtual, almost spiritual, forces. It is impossible to disabuse them of the idea that for such and such a grave disease a dose of medicine of such and such a weight is required, seeing that they could point to the traditional practice of thousands of years, when palpable quantities of medicine must always be poured into the patient from large bottles, pots, and boxes, in order that any effect should be produced in serious diseases, and yet even this did not usually succeed. I can readily believe this; the effect of the ordinary treatment of all times fully corroborates it. But how can they reconcile it with the atomistic, materialistic notions they entertain respecting the action of medicines and their curative powers, that a single imponderable spark from a Leyden jar gives a shock to the strongest man, and yet no ascertainable ponderable substance is communicated to his body.? How can they reconcile with their atomistic, materialistic notions the enormous power of mesmerism, when a powerful man with a strong will to do good approaches the point of this thumb to the pit of the stomach of a nervous patient? How can they, finally, reconcile with their atomistic, materialistic notions respecting the actions of medicines the fact that a carefully constructed magnetic steel rod can effect such a powerful derangement of our health, even when it is not in actual contact with the body, but may even be covered with some thick material (such as cloth, bladder, glass etc.), so that we suffer therefrom violent morbid affections; or what is equally remarkable, that a magnetic rod can quickly and permanently cure the most severe disease for which it is a suitable medicine, when it is brought near the body, for but a short time, even though covered as above described? Atomist! You narrow-minded wiseacre Tell me what ponderable quantity of the magnet entered the body in order to effect these often enormous changes in its state of health? Is not centillionth of a grain ( a fraction of a grain that has 600 ciphers for its denominator ) still infinitely too heavy to represent this absolutely imponderable quantity, the kind of spirit that emanated from the magnetic rod into this living body? Will you now continue to express your amazement at the homoeopathic doses of powerful medicines of the sextillionth, octillionth, the decillionth of a grain, which are gross weight compared with this invisible magnetic power?.

The subjoined symptoms occurred from various powerful magnets brought in contact with various sensitive individuals, without distinction of the poles. They were observed in experiments conducted for half a year for the purpose of ascertaining the proper and most efficacious mode of stroking the steel with magnets, in which a horse-shoe magnet capable of lifting twelve pounds was held in the hands, which were in contact with both poles for an hour at a time.

General symptoms

      Early in the morning, when lying on the side, he feels a continuous, intolerable, simple or bruised pain in all the joints, where the cartilages of the two bones touch one another; the pain abates as soon as one turns on the back, with the head bent backward, and the knees bent and at a distance from one another.

Bruised pain in the joints of that side on which one rests, in the evening when in bed.

Bruised pain of all the joints, or rheumatic pain of the ligaments of the arms and of all the joints of the chest, back, and nape of the neck, during motion and during an expiration.

Paralytic pain in all the joints, especially those of the small of the back, loins and chest, or pain as if the joints were crushed, broken and bruised; worse during motion and when standing accompanied with a drawing and tearing sensation, especially in the ligaments and tendons, where they are inserted in the bones, particularly early in the morning after rising, and in the evening before lying down the parts are painless when touched; the pains are relieved by emission of flatulence; an increase of pain obliges one to close the eyes.

The joints are painful when moving the limbs, as if they had been sprained.

Sensation in the limbs during motion, as is felt in the arm when knocking the ulnar nerve in the region of the elbow against anything hard.

The limbs go to sleep, especially when standing or walking, after rising from a seat.

In the morning, when lying in bed, and resisting a desire for an embrace, he is attacked with a kind of arthritic pain in the small of the back, knees and all the joints, the pains are bruised or weary pains.

Burning emanation from the head, down the right side; immediately after, the whole body is covered with sweat.

Burning emanations through every part of the body in every direction.

Intolerable burning from the head to the feet, with pain as if the limbs were being torn and divided.

Burning and pricking pains.

During the burning pains there was neither external heat, nor redness of the parts.

Sensation as of flying sparks over the body.

Sensation in every part as if cut up.

Heaviness in all the limbs, and palpitation of the heart from omitting the usual imposition of the magnets.

Dull numb pain.

Drawing and pricking pain, mingled with itching.

Shuddering movement through whole body.

The joints are painful when touched.

The places on which the magnets lie, burn as if hot coal were lying near them.

The place where the magnet had been imposed goes to sleep, becomes numb and insensible.

Jerking shock, causing the trunk to bend violently upward and forward as low down as the hips, with cries.

The trunk, while in a recumbent position, is jerked up spasmodically as it were, the head being jerked forward upon the bed, and then again backward upon the cushion.

The upper part of the body is spasmodically lifted and jerked forward, and then again backward on one side.

Violent shocks causing a general tremor of the body, burning in the chest and through either arm, and sweat all over.

None of the convulsions excited by the magnet after the pulse.

A sort of starting through the body, afterwards sweat on either hand.

Paralysis for ten days, with loss of sensation, the limb having its natural temperature and being moist.

Shocks deprive him of consciousness.

The spasmodic rising and jerkings of the body forward, are followed by a long-lasting loss of consciousness, followed by blowing with the mouth as when one experiences a great heat; after which consciousness and cheerfulness return.

H. C. Allen
Dr. Henry C. Allen, M. D. - Born in Middlesex county, Ont., Oct. 2, 1836. He was Professor of Materia Medica and the Institutes of Medicine and Dean of the faculty of Hahnemann Medical College. He served as editor and publisher of the Medical Advance. He also authored Keynotes of Leading Remedies, Materia Medica of the Nosodes, Therapeutics of Fevers and Therapeutics of Intermittent Fever.