But all enumerations of diagnoses will never fix the therapeutic field of action more precisely but will always permit only turning around in a circle. Only the exact determination of the differentiating characteristics by intentional provings gives the necessary directing lines for therapy.
THE IODINE DRUG PICTURE
The provings on the healthy are found: Hahnemann: Chronic Diseases, 2nd Edition, vol.3, p.376, 1837 by the provers Hahnemann, Gersdorff, Hartlaub and Trinks, Gross and Schreter; Hartlaub and Trinks: R.A.M.L, vol.2, 1838. The provings of Trinks, Schreter, Hartlaub; Jorg: Materrialien Zu einer kunftigen Heilmittellehre, vol. I. p. 437, Leipzing, 1825. Provers: Heisterbergk, Kneschke, Otto, Seyffect, siebenhaar, Jorg; Arch. f.d. hom. Helik. (of Stapf), vol. 13, p. 182. Prover: C. Hering.
GENERAL ACTION AND CONSTITUTION
The general actions of iodine are to be considered as an increase of its physiologic endocrine effect, and also to be placed in parallel with the manifestations of a hyperthyroidism. The metabolic increase through oxidative catalysis express itself in the chief symptom: emaciation in spite of good appetite and much eating; bears waiting for food badly and is better from eating. It is entirely possible that in the therapeutic effect the biphasic action of iodine underlies the situation. Because it is also observed that small doses of iodine can depress the metabolism and in particular nitrogen transformation. But in any case it would explain only a part of the mechanism of the therapeutic effect.
The iodine picture is an example of the oxygenoid constitution of Grauvogl, in which the oxygen influence is increased. Thereby sudden and severe reactions occur. Psychically the unrest, the urge of doing something is cardinal, also the impulse for forcible actions; during rest the patient is anxious. These also refer to the present more than the future. Characteristic is the aggravation from heat, in a warm room, and moreover at rest; amelioration from walking around and in the open air. To the internal unrest belongs the sleeplessness with waves of heat; alternating with anxious, alternating with anxious, fearful dreams; furthermore, trembling of the hands, the facial muscles and eyelids, pulsations and rushes of heat over the entire body, palpitation on the least exertion, heat of the skin, marked outbreak of sweat and under certain conditions also fever, in short, the outspoken picture of hyperthyroidism.
The congestive headache and the vertigo have already been mentioned in cerebral arteriosclerosis and the symptoms of angina pectoris in reference to coronary sclerosis. One might trace them to an end stage following excessive demands upon the vessels. The influence on the lymph glands, the ovaries, the testes and mammary glands has been considered in general. Hardness and indolence of swollen glands in emaciated children are indications for iodine. According to Rademacher, iodine is especially a pancreatic remedy and in any case iodine increases the secretion of the pancreas like that of other glandular organs. If in the sexual glands and endocrine influence of the slowly given off potential iodine reserve still prevails, then in the lymph glands the tissue bound, easily freed iodine forms the actual effective iodine reserve.
ORGAN ACTIONS
In any case these are outstanding for the skin and mucous membrane manifestations. In these fields iodine idiosyncrasy not rarely is manifested. Acne and furunculosis of the skin and the gumma-like formations have been mentioned. The coryza and conjunctivitis are extraordinarily severe. The nose runs when the patient is in the open air; in the evening and in a warm room it is occluded;o there is often pain at the root of the nose; to the may be added paroxysmal sneezing and asthmatic-like attacks. The strongly diluted drops of iodine tincture, which has long been known as an agent for coryza in France, outside of homoeopathy has become generalized for the abortion and avoidance of colds through Bier. The laryngitis with huskiness, aphonia, constrictive pain, is especially characterized by the croupy cough. Likewise edema of the glottis frequently appears in the untoward actions of iodine, usually from inhalations of vapors. For the inspiratory dyspnea in such narrowing of the larynx speaks the report. the child throw his head back and grasps at the throat. In diphtheria iodine compounds are satisfactorily employed because of the marked connection with the throat.
In exudative pleuritis, compounds with iodine come into consideration as has been already mentioned. But also in croupous pneumonia in the stage of engorgement Kafka has reported iodine in D1-D3 as frequently successful. It is said to act abortive. Pneumonia occasionally appears in serve iodine intoxications. The entire picture of the subjective and objective symptoms of a beginning pneumonia up to the expectoration of a blood-streaked sputum is described. The cough with iodine is generally worse in warm rooms and one lying on the back.
On the gastro-intestinal canal iodine has little that is characteristic. Ravenous hunger and tormenting thirst are manifestations of increased metabolism. The other symptoms are vegetative, as nagging pain in the upper part of the stomach which, in combination with the important after eating, has been used as indications for gastric ulcer at times; moreover, a form of watery, foamy diarrhea which may be associated with attacks of constipation with unsuccessful urging. Through certain foods, in particular cold milk, the constipation is again removed. The vegetative diarrhea in Basedow’s disease will also b;e lessened by milk or other foods such, as spinach.
The iodine disturbances in the remaining organs have little that is characteristic. Frequent, light flow of urine accompanies metabolic increase. The urine is said frequently to have a transparent sheen on the surface, a cuticula which is probably due to the increased excretion of phosphates.
On the sexual organs the toxic atrophy is preceded by an irritative phase. Formerly iodine was used as an emmenagogue. Too early and too profuse menses are the most frequent form of menstrual disturbance with iodine. The influence of mammary secretion is also biphasic.
SUMMARY
Type: Oxygenoid constitution.
Mental Symptoms: Restlessness, anxiety, urge to action.
Trends of Action: (a) Indirect, endocrine
Thyroid (goiter, Basedow), sexual glands Metabolic increase
Sympathetic excitation (b) Direct Mucous membranes, especially respiratory and throat
Skin: acne, granuloma
Lymph glands: hard indolent swellings
Leading Symptoms and Modalities:
Emaciation in spite of good appetite, ravenous hunger.
Better from satiety. Worse in warmth and from rest.
DOSE:
The dose require exact consideration of iodine sensitivity. The selection is usually taken from the 3rd to 30th potencies.
IODINE COMPOUNDS
In iodine compounds the rapidly occurring but not long maintained iodine influence is markedly different. Sodium iodat. is proven and is very rarely used, outside of the lower potencies for securing an organotropic action of iodine.
Potassium iodat. is proven: Hartlaub and Trinks: Reine Arzneimittell vol.3, p. 37, 1831. It possesses a rheumatic pain component besides the organotorpic iodine action; rheumatic pains in the neck, back, and especially the heels and soles of the feet. The chilliness, also neuralgia and marked tendency to edema (which also appears transiently’ in iodine, especially on the eyelids) permit the distinct recognition of the potassium influence; it also directs attention to the nerves, muscles, and connective tissue. There still remains, outside of the organotropic iodine relations, also the iodine modalities, particularly the aggravation from warmth and in general improvement from movement. Aggravation on lying on the diseased side is a potassium modality, like wise the aggravation from damp weather.
Ammonium iodat. (see under ammonium compounds);;unities the iodine influence very acutely to the respiratory passages, threatening inflammation of the larynx, the bronchi, the bronchioles bronchopneumonia with threatening pulmonary edema and impending respiratory paralysis.
Calcium iodat. joins to the lymph glands; it has more chronic affection but acts more acutely than calc. carb.
Barium iodat. has chronic glandular and tonsillar swelling but acts more on the great vessels (aorta); similar is stront. iodat.
Sulphur iodat. is a so-called eutectic mixture, that is, a mixture which remains saturated on freezing and has a constant freezing point as a chemically uniform body. This preparation has preference in skin affections as acne, furunculosis, and herpes tonsurans.
Arsenicum iodat. permits the arsenic manifestations to appear most strongly. Exudative inflammations, pleuritis, pulmonary tuberculosis, acrid secretion, tendency to septic processes and diseases of the blood, great malignancy, great prostration and hectic emaciation are the indications.
The heavy mental compounds of iodine have an accord to the mental. Only the mental actions is more acute and often joined to a site of predilection which is common to the iodine and the individual metal, for example mercur. iodat., the throat; aurum iod., the heart and vessels; stannum iod., bronchi; plumbum iodat., the vessels
Leeser, a Consultant Physician at the Stuttgart Homeopathic Hospital and a member of the German Central Society of Homeopathic Physicians, fled Germany in 1933 after being expelled by the German Medical Association. In England Otto Leeser joined the staff of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. He returned to Germany in the 1950s to run the Robert Bosch Homeopathic Hospital in Stuttgart, but died shortly after.
Otto Leeser wrote Textbook of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Leesers Lehrbuch der Homöopathie, Actionsand Medicinal use of Snake Venoms, Solanaceae, The Contribution of Homeopathy to the Development of Medicine, Homeopathy and chemotherapy, and many articles submitted to The British Homeopathic Journal,