3. Lymphatic


This third lecture of Dr. Bernoville concerning the drainage of the circulatory system includes the study of drainage of the spleen, lymphatic glands and of interstitial spaces….


This third lecture of Dr. Bernoville concerning the drainage of the circulatory system includes the study of drainage of the spleen, lymphatic glands and of interstitial spaces-the last one we have already studied-of liver and muscles and finally of the bone system, in relation to the circulatory apparatus.

This general study is of considerable interest because it shows the importance of drainage in peripheral circulation and in the circulation on the- surface of some organs.

1. Drainage of the spleen

It is a capital question specially in the treatment of malaria, but it is also necessary to know the importance of drainage of liver while draining the circulatory system in general. The principal remedy in the drainage of the spleen is Ceanothus; the tea of New-Jersey, the American plant having an action electively on the organ, and specially on the left hypochondria.

The pathogenesis of Ceanothus may be summarised in these terms: “Ceanothus is indicated in all splenomegaly, specially in malarial splenomegaly. In leukaemia, its action on the spleen is evidently limited. Ceanothus is to be applied in the 3x by mouth and locally by external method on humid flannel soaked in 10 to 15 drops of the mother tincture.”

In the treatment of malaria Ceanothus is complementary to China, Arsenicum and Chininum Arsenicum and Natrum muriaticum and rarely Natrum sulphuricum. In this case we know the danger of Natrum muriaticum which antidotes quinine. In the colonies and in the acute cases Natrum muriaticum is specially dangerous because as an antidote it may cause aggravation of malaria. In colonies the indicated remedy is Arsenicum in high dilutions.

By the side of Ceanothus let us cite:

Ceanothus thrysiflorous, less important and which will act in pharyngitis.

Polymnia uvedalia in acute splenitis of infected condition.

And Lobelia cerulea which is more interesting though less known and less used. It is indicated in pains localised on the posterior side of the spleen and on the left base of the thorax.

Helianthus is much more important and is used in the same sense as that of Ceanothus. The pathogenesis of this remedy also shows a big spleen which is painful, with pains irradiating to the intestines, possible diarrhoea of black stools, dry mouth, vomiting, aggravation by the heat. Helianthus is at the same time preventive and curative of chronic malaria. In the south of russia the local persons chew the seeds of tournsel for avoiding the disease.

With the remedies of malaria it is necessary to compare the remedies of pernicious anemia such as :Arsenicum album which we find here with its compounds: Ferrum ars., Calcarea ars., and also Phosphorous. Habitual opotherapy is suggested here.

Dr. Bernoville indicates on this subject that in the Homoeopathic Congress of Rome 1930, Dr.Gigliano of Naples, recalled the works of his father on splenomegaly of children of malarial parents and their homoeopathic treatment which was flourishing at that time in the whole of West Italy. The results obtained were remarkable by remedies like Calcarea carbonica, Arsenic and China (let us not forget that in a child suffering from a big spleen the indications of Calcarea carbonica may be found). Splenomegaly of ethylic origin may require Spiritus quercus glandium. This remedy is generally an important drainage remedy of drunkards.

Helonius is a curious remedy. It should not be neglected here. With its classic congestion of uterus and with a possible bearing down sensation (the patient feels her uterus), Helonius has action in acute and sub-acute congestion of the spleen with pains from the left ovary up to the spleen. It is often indicated in women towards the age of forty to fifty, who have become fat and atonic of the type of Thuya and of Sepia. The mentality of Helonius is nearer to Sepia.

2. Drainage of the Lymphatic ganglions

Dominated by two important remedies: Calcarea carbonica and Mercurius solubilis, the first one is hypertrophic without suppuration while the second one is hypertrophic with a tendency to suppurations. The two remedies proceeds towards one to the other. On the same plane we may put Drosera from the point of view of Dr. Tyler of London (Should be used in high dilutions and should be repeated rarely). Aviary and Tuberculins are to be used generally. In cases of hard, small and mobile ganglions Iodium and Silicea; in cases of hard ganglions with possibility of suppuration: Calcarea iodata. And finally for malignant hypertrophy of ganglions: Conium, Iodium and sometimes Silicea.

3. Drainage of the liquids of interstitial spaces This question has already been dealt with. It requires a biochemical study. The distribution of water in the interstitial spaces is regulated by the Sodium chloride content and by the bio-electricity of ions of chloride and of Sodium, Potassium and Calcium. The drainage of liquids and of interstitial spaces is dominated by two capital remedies: Natrum muriaticum and Natrum sulphuricum. Natrum muriaticum is to be given in high dilution 200 or M in persons who are young and oxygenoid demineralised also; in lower dilutions 3x of 6x in persons of ripe age, pre-uremic or having retention of chloride. This is a fundamental rule which may, if not closely followed, lead to devastating results. Natrum muriaticum given in 200 or M to a person suffering from Bright’s disease may precipitate confirmed uremia and may cause the oedema to aggravate. Inversely in persons having complete anuria and in whom no medicine acts, specially Serum of Eel, one may give, if the patient has a lower count of plasma-chloride, in a transitory manner some serums with chloride which may cause a diuresis. In the same order of ideas, some persons suffering from Bright’s disease goes rapidly towards uremia if they are kept under salt-less diet for a long time. An important complementary of Natrum muriaticum in oedema is Apis. As regards Natrum sulphuricum it is applied to hepatic hydrogenoids. In fact an important factor intervenes in the equilibrium of interstitial liquid : the cholesterol. The persons suffering from hypercholesterol is somewhat a swollen dehydrated person. His tissues are swollen with water, retained by the excess of cholesterol and he cannot use his liquids of the interstitial spaces for his tissue exchange. Such a person has sudden weakness, which is a characteristic of China. A series of remedies may be used in hypercholesterinemia : Phosphorus and Cholesterin in high dilutions are most important. Lecithin in lower dilutions or in gross doses is an antagonist of cholesterin. Then comes Natrum sulphuricum, Graphites and Calcarea carbonica and Aranea diadema is a frequent complementary of Natrum sulphuricum in hydrogenoid persons suffering from rheumatism.

Finally, Iodide and Silicate are to be considered in the case of the drainage of interstitial spaces, though they are remedies of conjunctive tissues. Iodide acts on wove, Silicea on the conjunctive tissue. Both are the remedies of pre-sclerosis.

In a general way we see that the question of the distribution of the liquids in the interstitial spaces and the tissues, specially in the case of Sodium chloride equilibrium, passes beyond the boundary of Homoeopathy.

Drainage of the liver and muscles We know the biochemical cycle of the bile secretion. In the muscles is formed the bile salts which afterwards, through the passage of blood comes to the liver for being decomposed. The hemoglobin is formed, then bile pigments, which being associated with bile salts and with cholesterin, will form the essential elements of bile. We know that cholesterin does not contain Phosphorous and that it seems that its origin lies in the nerve cells. The biochemistry explains the action of Homoeopathic remedies on the muscles and on the liver. The remedies may be distinguished as follows:

-In choleretics who have an action on the formation of pigments and also bile salts and Cholesterin. This type is that of Natrum sulphuricum of which Charbol has well shown the choleretic action in gross doses. In high dilutions Natrum sulphuricum acts deeply in the formation of bile.

-And the cholagogs that have simple effect of excreting the bile from the bile duct: Its type is like that of Magnesia sulphuricum in ponderable doses or in 3x. The Homoeopathic system has many cholagogs of which we cannot speak here.

Some fundamentals:

-The action of Phosphorous 200 or M on the hepatic cells for its more proper endocrinal function.

-The essential action of Lycopodium is on bile but with some very important modalities: In lower dilutions, 6, 12, Lycopodium is a cholagog; in high dilutions it acts on the hepatic cells acting on the bile regulation.

Berberis is a remedy-type of drainage of persons suffering from cholecystitis with hepatic insufficiency of the type of Phosphorous and Lycopodium of which the bile duct does not work well and whose only deviation should be done through kidneys.

The drainage of the muscles is also important in the sphere of the drainage of the circulatory system according to the classification of Sigaud. The hepatics are often persons who cannot do enough exercise and who have overworked their liver by bad assimilation and by bad drainage of the bile. The remedies having elective action on muscles are arnica and Bellis perennis to which some empirical medicines are to be added.

Mauritius Fortier-Bernoville
Mauritius (Maurice) Fortier Bernoville 1896 – 1939 MD was a French orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy to become the Chief editor of L’Homeopathie Moderne (founded in 1932; ceased publication in 1940), one of the founders of the Laboratoire Homeopathiques Modernes, and the founder of the Institut National Homeopathique Francais.

Bernoville was a major lecturer in homeopathy, and he was active in Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis, and a founder of the le Syndicat national des médecins homœopathes français in 1932, and a member of the French Society of Homeopathy, and the Society of Homeopathy in the Rhone.

Fortier-Bernoville wrote several books, including Une etude sur Phosphorus (1930), L'Homoeopathie en Medecine Infantile (1931), his best known Comment guerir par l'Homoeopathie (1929, 1937), and an interesting work on iridology, Introduction a l'etude de l'Iridologie (1932).

With Louis-Alcime Rousseau, he wrote several booklets, including Diseases of Respiratory and Digestive Systems of Children, Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic Rheumatism, treatment of hay fever (1929), The importance of chemistry and toxicology in the indications of Phosphorus (1931), and Homeopathic Medicine for Children (1931). He also wrote several short pamphlets, including What We Must Not Do in Homoeopathy, which discusses the logistics of drainage and how to avoid aggravations.

He was an opponent of Kentian homeopathy and a proponent of drainage and artificial phylectenular autotherapy as well.