Argentum – The Precious Nobel Metal in Homoeopathy

Argentum – The Precious Nobel Metal with Special Reference to Argentum-nitricum

Dr. Ajit Kulkarni   M.D. (Hom.)

Resume: Silver as an important group of remedies in MM…..Silver in parlance, history, essentials, properties, hazards…..Silver nitrate as a substance and a remedy…..Analogical relation….. Themes….. Monogram…..Miasmatic correlation…..Evolutionary, personality study…..Remedy Relations. 

1. The word: 

• The Anglo-Saxon word “siolfur” meaning “silver“.
• The origin of the symbol Ag comes from the Latin word “argentum” meaning “silver“. 

2.  Silver in phrases: Some examples

• ‘Silver lining’: Some basis for hope  or some comforting aspect in the midst of despair,            misfortune etc.
• ‘Silver medal’: A medal given as an award to a person coming in second in competition.
• ‘Silver tongued’/ Speech is ‘silver’: Persuasive, eloquent. 

3. Historic Tale:
In the 4th century B.C. the army of Alexander, the Great, conquered Persia and Phonicia and invaded India. Here the Greek army was struck by an outbreak of a mysterious gastrointestinal disease and the soldiers demanded to be sent home. Interestingly, the Greek military commanders were victim to the disease far less frequently than their soldiers, although they shared all the burdens of camp life with the soldiers. 

More than two hundred years had passed before scientists found an explanation of it. The soldiers drank from tin cups and their superiors from silver ones. It was proved that silver dissolves in water forming a colloid solution that kills pathogenic bacteria and although the solubility of silver in water is low, it is quite enough for disinfection.

This tale explains why silver has been used in making domestic utensils, water vessels, dinner dishes, etc. for preservation of water and food since antiquity.

D. The essentials: 

• Name: silver
• Symbol: Ag
• Atomic number: 47
• Group number: 11
• Group name: Coinage metal
• Period number: 5
• Atomic weight: 107.8682 (2) g 

E. Description:
Silver is available in many forms – crystals, flakes, wire, foil, “evaporation slugs”, granule, needles, powder, tube, mesh, bars, nanosized activated powder, rod, shot and wool, small and large samples of silver foil, sheet, wire, insulated wire etc.  

Besides gold, silver is the most bendable of all metals. Silver is rare and expensive, although not as expensive as gold. Slag dumps in Asia Minor and on islands in the Aegean Sea indicate that man learned to separate silver from lead as early as 3000 B.C. Pure silver has a brilliant white metallic lustre. It is a little harder than gold and is very ductile and malleable. Pure silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of all metals and possesses the lowest contact resistance.

Silver is stable in pure air and water, but tarnishes when exposed to ozone, hydrogen sulphide, or air containing sulphur. This is why silver objects need regular cleaning.

Silver occurs in ores including argentite, lead, lead-zinc, copper and gold found in Mexico, Peru and the USA. Plants can absorb silver. Fungi and green algae may obtain a silver content of 200 ppm (dry mass). Fish contain 11 ppm of silver.

Silver is widely distributed in all tissues of human beings in the range of 0.002-0.008 ug/gm wet/weight. Mean blood concentration of silver is 0.008 ± 0.0002 ug/gm. Cow’s milk contains 0.02 +. 0.54 mg/lit.

F. Uses: 

• Sterling silver is used for jewellery, silverware etc. where appearance is paramount.
• Photography
• Dental alloys
• Making solder and brazing alloys
• Making electrical contacts
• Making high capacity silver-zinc and silver-cadmium batteries
• Silver paints are used for making printed circuits.
• Used in mirror production and may be deposited on glass or metals by chemical deposition, electro-deposition, or by evaporation. When freshly deposited, it is the best reflector of visible light known, but it rapidly tarnishes and loses much of its reflectance.
• Catalyst in oxidation reactions. Other applications are in dentistry and in high-capacity zinc long-life batteries.
• As  reagens in analytical chemistry and as an antiseptic.
• Silver is applied in water purification for swimming pool. Silver is a bactericide and may therefore be applied in water disinfection.
• Silver iodide, AgI, is used for causing clouds to produce rain.
• Silver chloride has interestingly optical properties as it can be made transparent; it is like a cement for glass.
• For coinage.
• For decoration and preservation of food

H. Hazards and Risks: 

• Silver is very toxic to lower organisms. The metal itself causes few problems but silver salts
• Irritate the skin and mucous membranes.
• Silver salts in small amounts may cause death if ingested and may be carcinogenic in very small quantities.
• Eye contact: May cause severe corneal injury. Severe burns, with permanent blindness.
• Skin contact: May cause skin irritation. Repeated and prolonged contact with skin may cause allergic dermatitis. On contact with the skin, the small silver nitrate crystals slowly react and this creates typical black spots (silver stains) that cannot be washed away.
• Inhalation hazards: Exposure to high concentrations of vapors may cause dizziness, breathing difficulty, headaches or respiratory irritation. Extremely high concentrations may cause drowsiness, staggering, confusion, unconsciousness, coma or death. Aspiration of material into lungs if swallowed or if vomiting occurs can cause chemical pneumonitis which can be fatal.
• Ingestion hazards: Moderately toxic. May cause stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting, pain, diarrhea and narcosis.
• Silver itself is not toxic but most of its salts are poisonous and may be carcinogenic.
• Target organs on chronic overexposure: Kidney damage, Lung damage, Liver damage, Anemia, Brain damage, Cardiac abnormalities.

2.    A. Remedies of Silver in Homoeopathy: 

1. Argentum metallicum
2. Argentum fluoride
3. Argentum muriaticum
4. Argentum bromide
5. Argentum iodatum
6. Argentum oxydatum
7. Argentum sulphuricum
8. Argentum  selenide
9. Argentum  telluride
10. Argentum nitricum

2.  B. Introduction: Silver Nitrate
Silver nitrate powder and silver nitrate paste are for setting up thief traps. On contact with  the skin, the  small silver nitrate crystals slowly react and this creates typical black spots (silver stains) that  cannot be  washed away. Due to the reactivity of the powder, certain health risk is connected with its use (for  example, if the powder on fingers is rubbed in the eyes).

Prolonged contact with silver nitrate (AgNO3) causes a second degree chemical burn, characterized by the darkening of the tissues (a sign of tissue necrosis) as well as the leathery appearance of surrounding skin. Unlike other chemical burns, AgNO3 penetrates tissue layers at a slower rate and adverse affects of contacts are often not immediately noticed. Several days after, dead tissue layers began to slough off and raw layers of the dermis and flesh are partially exposed.

Soluble silver salts, specially  AgNO₃, are lethal in concentrations of up to 2g (0.070 oz). Silver compounds can be slowly absorbed by body tissues, with the consequent bluish or blackish skin pigmentation (argyria).

• Silver nitrate is used to remove warts and verrucae on the hands and feet.
• Silver nitrate is available in pencil form.
• Silver nitrate is a bio-accumulative toxic heavy metal like mercury, lead and arsenic.
• Action as an antibiotic comes from the fact that it is a non-selective toxic “biocide.“

 2.C. Toxicological action
 “Silver Nitrate combines with the albumen of the tissues and is a limited escharotic. It excites superficial inflammation, and stains the part black under the influence of light.

In small doses it increases secretion, stimulates the heart, promotes nutrition, and acts as a nerve tonic.

Its continued administration produces gastrointestinal catarrh, waste of tissue, uremia, albuminuria, fatty degeneration of the heart, liver and kidneys, hemorrhages, fluidity of the blood, a slate-colored line along the gums, and a similar discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes, with centric impairment of the nervous system, causing paralysis on a large scale, loss of coordination, convulsions, and finally death by paralysis of respiration. These symptoms are collectively termed Argyria. Large doses produce violent gastro-enteritis and ulcer of the stomach, from thrombosis of its veins.”

2.D. Analogical Relationship: Some examples
S: Highest electrical conductivity.
A: Life of an electrical type. Charged emotions. Impulsive, impatient.   Used in treatment of epilepsy.  Electric like shooting pains. Acts on nerve fibers causing unsteadiness or shakiness in feeling or gait, incoordination and imbalance.  Stormy weather aggravation.

S: Highest thermal conductivity.
A: Easily angered, excitable, impulsive, hurried.

S: Silver is well known for glittering and shining.
A: Famous in society for their art/ performance as a singer, actor, scientist, fiction story writer etc. and also for their eccentricity.

S: Ductile and malleable.
A: Credulous, superstitious and easily moulded as no rational identity. Sensitive, gentle, timid. Profound nervous breakdown.

S: Used for jewellery, silverware etc. for appearance.
A: Need for ‘show’ and ‘attract’. Tries desperately to keep up the show of distinction.

S: Lowest contact resistant.
A: Timid approach to life. A shirker, an escapist.  Doesn’t accept the challenges. Forsaken.

S: When exposed losses its glitter/ shine and gets darker.
A: Negative side, loses his control, fear of failure.

S: Effects of poisoning:

• Eye contact = severe burns, with permanent blindness.
• Skin contact = severe irritation and burn.
• Repeated exposure to dust or fumes = eyes, nails, inner nose, throat, body organs and skin turns  blue-grey colour.
• Ingestion = violent abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhoea.

A: Similar conditions are covered in pathogenesis.

S: Silver word is used for ‘silver tongue’, Speech is ‘silver.’
A: Good as an orator or a singer.

S: Every cloud has a silver line. Silver represents ‘hope’.
A: A person is ambitious, knowledge seeker and creative.

S: White lustre metal.
A: White swelling: fungus articulosus, hydrops, articuli, tumor, albus genu.

S.Reactivity: Extremely reactive compound. When mixed with ammonia compounds, silver nitrate can form azides which are powerful explosives.
A: Quick-witted. 3 ‘Is’: Impulsive. Irritable. Impatient. Eccentric, whimsical.

S.: Used to make mirrors.
A. The remedy looks in this mirror for its own celestial peace (Silver is the symbol of the moon), for its serenity. He only wants to look into this mirror and ‘talk’ to himself (intelligence that functions in a vicious circle. The voice is affected = no communication with the others) and falls ill when a shock confronts him with reality. Silver lives in contemplation, remembering his nice souvenirs.

S. Chief locus of action of Arg-m. on cartilages i.e. on shock absorbers.
A. The shock absorbers are affected in Argentum-met. Pathologies like Achondroplasia, Chondrodysplasia, calcaneal spur etc.

3.   A. Themes 

1.  The Theme of Kineticism

• Agility
• Momentum
• Potential to Kinetic
• Can’t coordinate
• Roaming
• Vagrant

2.Blocked Exits expressed as

• Crowds
• Closed places
• Bridges
• Tunnels
• High places
• Aeroplanes
• Precipice
• All Exits are blocked; there is no way out of the situation.”

3.Trapped state of the mind being expressed at Time

• Hurried
• Apprehensive
• Time passes slowly
• Suspense

1. Trapped state of the mind being expressed at Space

• Inaccurate Judge of distances
• Expanded, enlarged feeling
• Tightness
• Can’t look down or up

3.B. Monogram:  Argentum-nitricum 

• Agile. Ulcerative. Epileptic. Degenerant. Sclerotic. Catarrhal. Syco-Syphilitic. Cancerous.
• Hemorrhagic.   Neuralgic.  Anxious. Hysterical.  Confused.  Neurotic. Hurried. Tense.
• We take only Degenerant and Sclerotic as examples.

Degeneration

• Fatty: of liver, kidneys, glands (Vanad ).
• Pigmentary: abdomen, retina.
• Softening: brain, stomach.
• Gangrenous tendency in stomach.
• Atherosclerosis.
• Thickening [eyelids, cornea, skin (like Bar-c, Arg-met)].
• Melan (tongue, vomit, stool, skin).
• Melanotic cancer.
• Degenerations find fulfillment in Aur-m, Bar-m, Caust, Nat-m.

Sclerosis

• Disseminated.
• Multiple.
• Amyotrophic.
• Cerebral (also softening).
• Posterior spinal (locomotor ataxia).
• Lateral spinal sclerosis (spastic paraplegia); after epilepsy.

C. Miasmatic Cleavage
Arg-nit covers all the four miasms in its pathogenesis.

The evolution PSORA è SYCOSIS è TUBERCLE è SYPHILITIC (end stage) is exhibited in Arg-nit through functional and structural disturbances of a progressive character. We take for instance ‘inflammation’ for the sake of categorization. The first action on mucous membranes of simple inflammation suggest PSORA; the phagocytic fight, however failing, and the progression developing into inflammation with congestion; producing thick, tenacious, greenish discharges point towards SYCOTIC taint; the suppurative inflammation of intensity and destruction more of borderline type (e.g. purulent ophthalmia) and in vital organs like liver, brain, kidneys etc. indicate TUBERCULAR miasmatic expression. The progression resulting in irreparable damage of vital tissues suggests the syphilitic expression.

The most central action of Arg-nit over CNS in general again point towards SYPHILITIC character, as also the action on blood: destruction of RBC’s; hemolytic anemia etc. 

A. Evolution of Argentum nitricum
1.    Mother’s state during pregnancy and delivery status:
If the mother has sustained the fright or the threatening situation where the ‘trapped’ feeling is marked, this paves the fertile ground for the state of a baby of Arg-nit.

The mother who experiences an intense anticipation of delivery, the tedious and sudden ‘show’ which makes the panicky situation, the premature delivery where the situation is to go for caesarean, a sort of life and death issue, threatening, terrifying situation; the blocked exit, the narrow space and the trapped state both for mother and the infant- all these are major issues in the evolution of Arg-nit at the time of birth.

2. Infant stage:
Born premature, with perverted nutrition and assimilation, leading to the typology of puny, oldish looking, mummy like; dried up; dwarfish; stunted; wrinkled skin; history of hypoxia soon after birth to develop variable clinical conditions of cerebral palsy, mental retardness, spasticity, epilepsy, microcephaly, autism, ADHD, etc. characterize the infantile stage.

The hereditary stock of syco-syphilitic nature being transmitted from previous generation is responsible for the onward march of journey in the subsequent stages of life. The first expression is revealed through ‘ophtahlmia neonatrum’ where the discharge is muco-purulent, yellow, bland and scanty.

Gastro-Intestinal Tract is the main butt; the digestion is profoundly affected. The lack of digestive enzymes like peptides, amylase etc. cause recurrent metoriorism, tympanitis, incarcerated flatulence and loud burping. There are often gastric crises due to trapped gas in the abdomen and infant cries for long unless there is deflation. The sensitive and vulnerable abdomen, the defective absorbent system can’t digest proteins, starch and fats.

One more feature is the inability to thrive; weight remains as it is or increases very gradually. The glucose metabolism is the chief locus and overfeeding the child with sugar, milk, chocolate, and rich food further disturbs the system; recurrent chronic diarrhoea, lactose intolerance diarrhea further drain the system. These recurrent manifestations are more of Sycotic origin with a tinge of Tubercle.

The infant however is sharp, responding, and active, the eyes are full with brightness and it maintains alertness in his immediate surroundings. 

3. Childhood:
There are two distinct phases – delayed milestones or precocious development.

The child is born timid and has multiple fears. Fear to strangers is the first instance and the child refuses to be on the lap of others; a dependent child who does not leave the parents. At every step of crossing the roads, ascending the stairs, to play the games like roller-coaster, giant wheel, dashing cars, columbus etc., the child is very apprehensive. The child is scared of everything and always seeks the company.

A brilliant and curious child, but timid, a backbencher, a coward, always on the run, restless and hurried. There is rich vocabulary but defective pronunciation. It all creates humor in others. The child thus learns the art of being witty. The child is famous for his silver tongue. He often wins the heart of others by his acting, mimicry and wittiness. He is overprotected and this adds to his nature of dependency.

The parents’ strict behaviour, high expectations and punishments add fuel to make the child more diffident.

4. Adolescence:
Sharp intellect coupled with timidity and diffidence – this combination makes the system to take on the rout of eccentricity. Whatever may be the energy, depleted or full, it has to be channelized into a rational way. But Arg-nit can not channelize it properly and it goes weird and bizarre. This starts expressing in adolescence phase in terms of bizarre, eccentric ideas and behaviour. He sheds off conventionality and routines and adopts something unusual. Wearing of unconventional dress, full of odd colour combinations, unusual hair styles are some of the examples. This makes him funny and awkward. He is appreciated for his intelligence and novel ideas and also mocked at for his whimsical behaviour. Singing, acting, art, science, literature are his favorite subjects. He is often a singer on the gathering day of the school or college and if trained well his performance is excellent.

He is creative, performer in his own way and vivacious too. ‘Jack of everything but Master of nothing’ is an appropriate phrase for Arg-nit. He is not for focus and concentration. He is dispersed more and above all he is incoordinated.

A big incidence of insult or failure in performance can have long impressions in an already diffident state.
Imaginations and fantasies and not sticking to the realism characterize this phase. 

5.    Adult:
The problem of tuning the energy to the demands takes its toll. The energy of Argentums is not of a sort of condensation. He can’t keep the energy ‘potential’, it has to be forced into ‘kinetic’ form; hence he becomes the candidate of category of ‘anti-rest’ personality.  Neither can he accomplishes the task due to lack of perseverance, nor has be the capacity to take the work from others. Rarely may he manifest himself as a dictatorial, but this is more due to emotional overtone than with substantial judgment.

The pattern of energy of Arg-nit is of the sort of a pendulum in motion. He can’t keep the energy stable. It moves in two poles- the phase of excitability and the phase of depression and can’t tune with the dimensions of time and space. The energy often goes in a wrong direction and hence Arg-nit represents incoordination, irrationality and perversion. He has hidden irrational motives for his actions. He has strange notions, ideas, impulses and fears. May be a liar, or a superstitious person. A cynic, loath to give credit, plays down others’ claims or succor received. Has a queerest objection or arguments against whatever was proposed; ever ready with (unconvincing) explanations. He may have an artistic temperament, a musical bent, yet not of a benevolent kind (and yet may not perhaps be a cynic, may be officious, altruism does not contraindicate); perhaps also a person with understanding winning over passion or sentiment, and having a courage of conviction; lastly, deceitful; an “oh no” chronic liar.

The strong emotion which Arg-nit exhibits is anxiety. The typical energy of putting everything in ‘motion’ allows anxiety to take on various forms: agitational, anticipatory, depressive etc. in almost all areas of life: social, familial and work. The anxiety takes on the form of an alarming situation. At the base of the anxiety is the cowardice which snatches Argentum from the rich resource of courage. He tries to keep up the show of distinction but the efforts end futile. With fears, anxieties and worries, he goes into a confused state of the mind, loses the rationality and becomes even crazy. Imaginations run riot, various illusions and delusions subsequently get developed.

The mental state of Arg-nit can be better understood if we consider the state of a ‘trapped’ person. The person feels that all exits are blocked (e.g. claustrophobia), there is no way out of the situation (problem with space). The person becomes impatient to get over the situation. Thus, any suspense or waiting intensifies the anxiety and the person develops the feeling that ‘time passes too slowly’ (problem with time) urging him to walk rapidly. The person, thus, develops problem with both time and space.

6. Old age:
Incoordinated and uncontrolled energy goes deep into the economy in the decrepit, wrecked senile state. The pathologies, more of degeneration and destruction, are more manifested at the central nervous system, the spine, the nerves, the neuro-musculatures, the cardiovascular system, the blood and the blood vessels but little. Brain deterioration / degeneration; GPI (general paresis, dementia paralytica). Post-apoplectic dementia, staggering gait, slurred speech, malignancies etc. are some of the clinical conditions confronted.

At the mind level depression and neurasthenia; of the overwrought, overtired, over-shocked; after fright or grief, over-eating, alcoholism or sex-excesses. Brain fag with tremulous weakness, confusion; failing memory; hypochondriasis; tormented by a forsaken feeling, or as if surrounded by unfriendly people.

An imbecility; does foolish things. Paranoid, schizoid or obsessive states; preceded by attacks of strange ideas and emotions (more at night); incoherent, ill-assorted and disquieting thoughts running riot at night in bed (like Graph., Sil.). Bouts of depression and suicidal mania (Aur, continuous). Cyclothymic imbalance. Mental deterioration of paranoiac type (Agar., Stry-p., Zinc-p.); after apoplexy; this usually comes very late (later than in the metal), of disposition and behaviour comes earlier; indicative of a syphilitic trait. Confusion, vanishing of thoughts, failure of senses, with stupefaction, even loss of identity (thrombotic).

B. Relations:
1. “Arg-n is an offspring of Med and Sulph.”
The reasons for understanding the above statement: See the marked resemblances between Arg-nit, Med and Sulph.

Medorrhinum
Characters

• Acts on nerves-solar plexus, neuro-musculature, glands and liver.
• Hurried, time passes too slowly. Nervous, restless and tense. Confused.
• Impatient, insanity, irritable, selfish, forgetful.
• Anxious, panicky, anticipatory anxiety, hallucination about things, timid.
• Fear of night, darkness, evil, insanity, misfortune.
• Subsequent depressions, attacks of desentio, black out, vanishing of senses, loss of personal  identity.

Children 

• Pale, puny, scrawny, dwarfed.

Physicals

• Fits at every menstrual period.
• Craving-sweets, salt, stimulants.

Modalities

• < heat of sun, room, wet or dry weather, sleep: during and after, emotions – bad news, sweets.
• > open air.

Sulphur

Physicals

• Warm-blooded constitution.
• A/F suppressed catarrhs and eruptions.
• Burning – palms and soles. Restless legs at night.
• Offensive, purulent discharges.
• Too light, frequent waking, frightful and agitated sleep.

Children

• Defective assimilation, hungry yet emaciated, old looking.

Modalities

• < sweets, night, alcohol, becoming heated, looking down.
• > open air, motion, walking.

Action 

• Mind, nutrition, absorption, GIT, respiratory tract, nerves, solar plexus, blood, glands and skin etc. Left side.

Mind

• Nervous, Quick-tempered, forgetful, selfish, irritable, depressed, impatient about trifles, quarrelsome.
• Impulsive tendency to suicide by drowning or jumping from window.
• Anxiety – prevents sleep, from pressure on chest, waking at night, about friends.
• Fear – ghost, poverty, robbers, starving.

To further understand this relation, the following three statements are to be understood.

• Arg-n is an intensified, sycotic sulph.
• Med is a sycotic and intensified sulph.
• Hence Arg-nit is an intensified, Sycotic Med.

Sulph may be useful after Med. Med is (like X-ray) a sycotic and intensified Sulph because  they share   warm blooded; burning of palms and soles; restless legs in bed; wants sweets; A.F. suppressed catarrhs and eruptions. 

Med is tense, has anticipatory anxiety and panic, and it also has craving for sweets and salt and also warm bloodedness like Arg-nit.

Thus, the concept of Arg-nit as offspring of Medo (as a father) and Sulph (as a mother) has been evolved and presented.

2.  Further Relations

• Close-ups: Chel  (in liver), Ran-b (in chest), Dios (in heart).
• Nearest analogues: Calc, Caust, Con, Lac., Lyc, Puls.
• Symbiotics: Ars, Calc, Glon, kali-i, Lach, Lyc, Med, Merc, Nat-m, Nit-ac, Puls, Syph, Sulph.
• Precede well: Ars, Bry, Caust, Gels, Glon, Nux-v, Ran-b, Spig, Spong, Verat-a.
• Counterparts: Calc, Caust, Chel, Ign, Kali-c, Lach, Lyc.
• Follow well: Bar-m, Cal-c, Kali-c, Lyc, Merc, Nat-m, Puls, Sel, Sep, Sulph.
• Acutes: Ambr, Ant-c, Ars, Bry, Cact, Cham, Chel, Colch, Coloc, Dios, Gels, Glon, Lach, Merc, Naja, Puls, Ran-b, Rhus-t, Sep.
• Similars: Aeth, Arg-m, Cup-m, Dys, Lach, Lol, Nit-ac, Onos, Plb_r Psor, Puls, Tarax, Zinc.
• Arg-n, Caust, Con, Lyc: a collateral quartet.
• Is a mild snake (i.e. Lach etc.); it is Lach of Nat-m people; Arg-n walks out while Lach, talks out (and Kali-i doing both) tensions.

Explanation: Venom exerts its action in a rapid and intense way; hence the metal Arg-nit has been called as a mild snake.

The meaning of the sentence’ Arg-nit is Lach of Nat-m people’: When a patient whose constitutional remedy has been decided as Nat-m develops symptoms at CVS or GIT level, instead of giving Lach it is better to think of Arg-nit as it corresponds to Nat-m in a far better way. In other words, Arg-nit is a better choice as an acute complimentary.

Compare: Aur, Kali-bi, Merc and Plat in catarrhs and action on CNS. Merc has more active inflammations.  Aur and Plat have a slant for nervous system, Kali-bi for mucous membranes. Arg-n resembles the ‘thin tuberculinic’ as opposed to Aur which suits the ‘ fat psoro-luetic ‘ (Zissu).

Gels: Arg-n is restless, active, tense, hurried, impatient, impulsive while Gels is slow, sluggish, dull and doesn’t want to be disturbed. Gels is a vegetable analogue of Arg-nit.

Arg-m: Depression of mental – intellectual faculties, not affection (contra Arg-n); Arg-m is more chilly, more reserved and less impulsive than Arg-n. Arg-m acts more on cartilages,   Arg-n more on mucous membranes. Arg-m is sycotic Sil while Arg-nit is sycotic Sulph.

Bapt is connected to Arg-n through Gels, which is acute of both Bapt and Arg-n. Bapt – Arg-n- Gels a trio.

To understand this relation, we must focus on indications of Arg-nit, Gels and Bapt in typhus.  I quote here only the indications of Arg-nit.

Typhus: Stupor with muttering delirium, (complete) deafness, tongue black, fetid breath, voluntary motion impossible, general (but esp. arm) trembling, erysipelatous bed sores at left shoulder, nervousness, oppression of chest etc. Utter insensibility of body but sensibility to lowered temp, stays, involuntary stool and urine, hemorrhage, temp, subnormal, no sordes.

Phos: Both Arg-n and Phos are open, enthusiastic, intelligent; have multiple fears and panic attacks of anxiety; both crave salt, but Arg-n has craving for sweet and sugar while Phos has aversion to both; Arg-n warm blooded while Phos is chilly; Phos maintains the method in art, Arg-n is unmethodical; ice-cream desire more marked in Phos than Arg-n; Phos is frankly hemorrhagic, tubercular and destructive.

Nat-m: touches tangentially, esp. in degenerations; exhibits salt abuse while Arg-n, exhibits sugar-abuse and has more cachexy. Nat-m is pale, Arg-n is withered. It may be timid like  Arg-n but more often it is bold. Nat-m exhibits brooding and miserability; Arg-n confusion and tenseness; Nat-m harbours resentment, Arg-n anxiety. Silver nitrate is antidoted by Nat-m.   Nat-m patients require a preparatory course of Arg-n to bring up tone.

When you are undecided between Arg-n and Lyc, think of Sep.

 Ars-a: Both are anxious, restless, active, sharp, hypochondriac and panicky; but Ars is more cautious, perfectionist and domineering; Ars chilly, Arg-n warm-blooded; Ars tubercular,     Arg-n more sycotic; offensiveness and destructiveness more marked in Ars.

• Nux-v: (unlike Arg-n) starts from nerves and then goes to MM. Both have anxiety but Nux-v is more irritable, ambitious and abusive.
• Puls activates Arg-n and leads it to Calc (in sycotic) or to Sil (in syphilitic).
• Ran-b is a remarkable blend of Bry, Arg-n and Kali-c.
• lod is a midway between Arg-n and Tub also between Arg-n and Kali-i.   

Lyc and Arg-n often run on the same line marking a choice sometimes difficult. Both Arg-n and Lyc have their focal points in the G.I. tract with flatulence and ailments from fright. Both crave sweets. But Arg-n craves cold drinks while Lyc craves hot drinks. Craving for salt in Arg-n is a point of differentiation. In addition to GIT action, Arg.-n affects the spinal cord and the cerebellum with resulting ataxia and involuntary movements. Arg-n prefers the left side, Lyc the right However there is no bar in Arg-n ripening with Lyc (which is an aged Arg-n).

More points of differentiation at the level of personality:

• Arg-n: Recessive. Impulsive-emotional. Credulous. Trepid.
• Lyc: Dominant. Calculative. Sober thinker. Cautious. Fagged.
• Arg-n: Hustler – impatient. Generous. Sophist. Initially neurotic.
• Lyc: Slow-steady. Greedy. Snobbish. Initially neurasthenic.
• Arg-n: Insanity more. Shaky. Scrawny. Slipshod. Unmethodical. Non-persisting. Inconstancy. Resists ageing.
• Not much responsibility-sense.
• Lyc: Imbecility more. Puffy. Prone to ageing. Greater sense of responsibility.
• Arg-n: Tense. Escapist. Deceptive-minded. Kleptomaniac.
• Lyc: Tranquil. Responsible. Honest. Sincere.
• Arg–n: Leads to Nat-m.
• Lyc: Leads to Sulph.
• Arg-n: Cognate with Sulph (But Sulph. is shabby, careless and has ‘let go’ attitude).
• Lyc: Cognate with Sil (But Lyc has fatigue in mediocre brains, Sil in the bright.) (Kent)

4. C. Ackowledgement:
I thank my assistants Dr. Sarita Rasal, Dr. Vrishali Pharande and Dr. Rupali Khomane for their  help in preparation of this article.

4. D. References:

1. A select homoeopathic materia medica- P. I. Tarkas & Ajit Kulkarni
2. Homoeopathy and the elements- Jan Scolten
3. A dictionary of practical materia medica- J. H. Clark
4. Lotus materia medica- Murphy
5. Homoeopathy and minerals- Jan scolten
6. Concordant materia medica- Vermeulin
7. Substance of homoeopathy- Rajan Sankaran
8. ICR symposium
9. Lectures on Homoeopathic materia medica-  J.T. Kent

Dr Ajit Kulkarni
Prestige Chambers, Powai naka, Ravivar peth, Satara-415001
Director: Homoeopathic Research Institute, Satara, India
International Teacher on Homoeopathy
www.ajitkulkarni.com
E-mail: dr_ajitkulkarni@rediffmail.com
Phone: 91-2162-234842