Cichorium-the egoist. These people desire to use others for their own purposes, they are possessive, the opposite of the loving self-sacrificing mother. They are loquacious, with rapid continuous talking, and weary others with their chatter. They are poor listeners, always bringing the conversation back to their own interests. They fuss and worry others over trivial things, they seem to desire to give others no peace, no rest. They are self-centered, hard natures, and full of their own affairs Their very vivacity, at first perhaps entertaining and attractive, soon wearies those around.
They desire company and have to be alone, in fact fear solitude, since they depend upon others for their supply of vitality. They obtain pity and attention through tales of self- pity, and through their maladies; they make much of their troubles, and will simulate illness if they find it brings to them care from others.
When unable to have their own way on important things, they are spiteful, revengeful, vindictive, and cruel. They are very persistent and scheming to obtain their own ends.
As relations or friends, they are demanding, and, although it is not always realized, they are a great drain of vitality.
They are often thin and pale, greasy skin, feel the cold. Chronic headache, indigestion, constipation, catarrh, colds and irritability are common ailments. Worry upsets them much, often causing abdominal discomfort or pain. Appetite large.
The remedy, in addition to relieving symptoms of this class of patients, stimulates sympathy with others, which is their lesson; hence turns their attention more from themselves, and so, out of sympathy for their victims, they cease their aggression and become of service to those previously devitalized.
The lesson is, through devotion to others, to become selfless. As indicated above the Cichorium patient is possessive and dominant, desirous to control others. They will use any means in their power to attract attention to themselves, and to interfere with the happiness and freedom of others.
They are often talkative, fussy, nagging, and may simulate or use illness to obtain sympathy.
CASE I-FEMALE, AGE. 70.
HISTORY: Indigestion with pain over heart, attacks for some years, but worse of late. The cardiac pain and fluttering necessitating rest in bed for one or two weeks at a time.
CHARACTER: Patient for forty years has been a trial to her husband and family. Always worrying them over trifles, and never allowing them rest or peace. Always fussing over details, demanding attention, devoid of all affection, a cold, hard nature. DOSAGE: August 30, 1930, two doses of the third potency. August 27, 1930, one dose of the third potency. September 3, 1930, two doses of the third potency for three days.
PROGRESS: Improvement began at once, and the trouble has entirely disappeared since the completion of the last doses in early September, over six months ago. Moreover, the character has markedly softened and developed a certain amount of gentleness and consideration for others.
CASE II-MALE, AGE-45.
HISTORY: Left-sided sciatica, with great washing of the left leg, for two years. The patient has had to be off duty eight months during 1929, and five months during 1930. Always in pain, at times in bed for six weeks. Sleep and appetite very poor, patient wasted, color said.
CHARACTER: A hard, thankless, domineering type, expecting his family to wait upon him, and using his malady to enforce attention.
DOSAGE: Year 1931.
January 16 – Third potency, two doses for three days.
January 20 – Third potency, two doses for three days.
January 26 – Third potency, two doses for three days.
January 31 – Third potency, two doses for three days.
February 9 – Third potency, two doses for three days.
February 21- Third potency, two doses for three days.
March 5 – Third potency, two doses for three days.
March 18 – Third potency, two doses for three days.
PROGRESS: The patients has steadily improved, and there has been but little pain the last month. In spite of a severe winter, and his work being out of doors, he has not missed one days work since treatment was begun. His color, appetite and sleeping are better and he has gained in weight.
CASE III – MALE, AGE 47.
HISTORY: Great irritability and nervous depression for some years. Difficulty to attend to business, and at home a great trial to his family. Wife feels unable to stand the strain any longer.
CHARACTER: Forceful, determined nature, insistent on having his own way, and caring little for others in his effort to obtain it.
DOSAGE: January 18, 1931, third potency, two doses for three days.
PROGRESS: Immediate improvement with loss of irritability and depression, which has been maintained without further doses for over two months.
CASE IV – FEMALE, AGE 38.
HISTORY: Catarrh and moderate deafness for one year. The difficulty of hearing is getting worse and interfering with her business capacity.
CHARACTER: A cold, hard, demanding nature, always attempting to over-persuade others to do her wishes.
DOSAGE: December 19 and 29, 1930, a third potency, two doses for three days. February 5, 1931, a third potency, two doses for three days.
PROGRESS: The first series of doses caused marked improvement in both the catarrh and deafness, and by the middle of February her condition was normal. The character is a little less dominant.
CASE V – FEMALE, AGE. 58.
HISTORY: Chronic rheumatism of hands, wrists, feet and ankles for several years.
CHARACTER: A thin, puritanical type of woman who has ruled her household with a rod of iron. Not a spark of affection of sympathy.
DOSAGE: October 23, 1930, a third potency, two doses for three days. February 28, 1931, a third potency, two doses for three days.
PROGRESS: Improvement began after the first doses and steadily continued for four months. Since the second series her physical condition has almost reached normal.
CASE VI – FEMALE, AGE 49.
HISTORY: Violent outbursts of temper for our years. Husbands health wrecked, contemplating separation.
CHARACTER: An intensely irritating, jealous, nervy woman who has made slaves of her whole family for years.
DOSAGE: September 16, 1930, a third potency, two doses for three days.
PROGRESS: The result was so good, and the improvement so well maintained, that it has not been necessary to repeat the dose (six months later). A letter of thanks was received from the patient recently.
A professed homoeopathic physician ought to know that homoeopathy requires the utmost minuteness of detail and individualization; and that symptoms apparently insignificant, and to the pathologist, utterly inexplicable, often decide the choice between two or more allied remedies-a choice which makes all the difference between a tedious and a rapid cure. But to carry this into actual every day practice requires hard work, patience, and an earnest-often very arduous-search into the repertories and materia medica, even in the presence of the patient.
This is too laborious for some who are lazy; to infra dig. for others who desire to play the part of the fashionable profess to their deluded dupes that they can “see their case at a glance”, allotting to the investigation of their condition a brief modicum of time, equivalent to about three minutes per corpus vile. The painstaking method has its reward.- E.W.BERRIDGE, M.D. 1879.
