. . . continued from previous issue
Based on this knowledge we can presume that subtle energy fields dictate the differentiation of the developing embryo into three germ layers. In the same context we could also conjecture that each of the miasms has a particular affinity for one of the respective primitive germ layers. The opposite may also be true, so that each of the respective primitive germ layers would be especially susceptible to the influences of a particular miasm.
Rather than thinking of the miasms as separate sources of the chronic diseases, it is conceivable that the miasms represent different stages of disturbances of the underlying energy fields. We can take psora to be the most subtle of the miasms, as this agrees with Hahnemann’s theory that psora is the foundation of 7/8’s of all non-venereal chronic diseases, and its presence is required before syphilis and sycosis can infect the organism. Syphilis and sycosis represent progressive stages of the underlying disease process. Thus the chronic diseases that are the most complicated and most difficult to treat represent an intermingling of many different morbific fields that include the entire spectrum from psora to syphilis to sycosis.
The following relationships between the miasms and the primitive germ layers can be concluded as follows. Since ectoderm is the germ layer that gives rise to the nervous system, the most subtle system of the physical body and which is responsible for the functioning of the other systems, we can conclude that disturbances in tissues that are derived from ectoderm are psoric in character. The grosser, tertiary expressions of psora are characteristically found on the skin, which can be considered to be an outer extension of the nervous system. Since the nervous system and skin are derived from the same morphogenetic field, it is obvious that the suppression of skin eruptions would result in the morbific disease process being forced back into the central nervous system, having profound repercussions on the health of the entire organism.
Continuing along the same line of thought, the syphilitic miasm, being an underlying destructive force and thus responsible for structural deformities, is closely related with endoderm structures. Likewise those tissues and structures that are derived from mesoderm are more subject to sycotic disorders. These ideas may help to elucidate one of the most distressing problems in obstetrics and neonatology, the etiology of congenital defects. In spite of the fact that there is now documented evidence for a large number of determinants in birth defects, more than 50% of abnormalities remain unexplained. If we presume that the differentiation of the three germ layers is under the direction of morphogenetic fields, any inherent weakness at this subtle level of existence could conceivably result in disturbances of the respective tissues that are generated from the prospective germ layers. In homeopathy we would say the defects in these embryogenic fields are due to the miasms.
Dr. Barbara Bova, HOD, Department of Homeopathy
(to be continued)