. . . continued from May-June issue
We are continuing with our discussion of the chronic miasms and the immune response. Hahnemann came to the realization that there was some internal mechanism that was altered by miasmatic infection and that because of this alteration the individual became more susceptible not only to external infecting agents but also to non-infectious diseases. The concepts of miasmatic constitution and susceptibility can currently be more completely understood from the viewpoint of immunology.
Not all disease processes can be explained on the basis of infection of a pathogenic agent. The active response of the host to the pathogen is also the cause of many pathologic changes. However, when the host cannot respond to the pathogenic organism, there may be no symptoms of disease even though infestation with the pathogen has occurred.
It is usually acknowledged that if a host is unable to protect itself immunologically, invading pathogens will ravage the host. There is now much documentation that indicates that there are conditions in which it is the proper functioning of the immune apparatus that leads to the manifestation of disease symptoms in the host.
An appropriate immune response would seem to indicate that the biofield is reacting against the morbific effects of the miasm and is making all attempts to rid itself of them. Immunosuppression may represent the point at which the miasm has succeeded in winning the battle with the defence mechanism’s efforts. At this point the miasm may completely take over the functional forces of the organism and direct them toward its own advantages and needs. In immunosuppression the vital force is obstructed from pushing the disease process outward, so it maneuvers its way back and inward to more vital organs such as the heart, liver and central nervous system, or even into the mind.
If we consider the specific miasms, we could say that psora represents the initial assault to the immune system that results in weakening of the immune response and lowered resistance to external infectious agents. Psora is thus the factor that creates the susceptibility that allows any infection or any other disease process to successfully catch hold. This psorically weakened defence mechanism is a prerequisite for the syphilitic and sycotic miasms.
Sycosis signifies a progressive deterioration in the functioning of the immune response, and is characterized by acute viral infections in its early stages. When the process progresses to non-specific immunosuppression, the sycotic patient may become susceptible to secondary infections or latent viruses may become reactivated.
Syphillis perverts the immune system and turns it against the host, paving the way for autoimmune phenomena. Once sycosis, syphilis or both are within, the stage is set for crippling chronic diseases and malignancies.
As per Hahnemann: “Homeopathy never deals with an overt disease manifestation (with an infection) but with that disturbance that enables the infection to take hold. It does not deal with the effect of changed chemistry, but with that energy . . . that permits this change of chemistry to occur.”
to be continued . . . .
Dr. Barbara Bova, HOD, Department of Homeopathy