Quite fortunately, I ran into the book “Hahnemann’s Homeopathy, The Classification and Treatment of Disease According to Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, and wrote a review of this book in Hpathy.com December 16, 2020.

This book helped me understand Dr. Samuel Hahnemann’s writings better. Even though you will agree that Hahnemann’s writing smells of ‘old-world’, his prose is dense, and it is also multi-layered and nuanced. I had a few questions for the author, Ewald Stoteler, and his answers, as well as an elegant case that exemplifies how he uses Hahnemann’s teachings in his day-to-day work, ares given in the interview below. Happy reading.

Vatsala Sperling (VS): At what turning point in your life as a homeopath did you recognize that you would focus on the disease tendencies? 

Ewald Stoteler (ES): In 1977 I had the opportunity to translate The Organon, 6^th edition, from German to the Dutch language. For the next 6-7 years, I followed the Kentian method in my practice. And then in 1983-84, I came across The Chronic Diseases, volume 1 and 2.

These books helped me refine how I applied the fundamental concepts of homeopathy for actually treating diseases, just as Hahnemann did in his final years. For every question that I encountered in my practice, I turned to these books and was sure they carried the answers.

These books are based on Hahnemann’s own experience and how he had to refine and re-refine his techniques in his later years. He recognized that the cases that did not get better from his earlier style of giving remedies, had actually remained unresolved because the fundamental disease tendencies in those patients were not addressed.

He began focusing on disease tendencies. I started doing the same from 1983-84 and that is when disease tendencies became the central focus of my work. This changed the nature, scope and outcome of my practice.

VS: What are disease tendencies?

ES: Around 1816-1817, Hahnemann was searching for the origin of chronic diseases. Until 1816, he had treated patients using non-antipsoric remedies because he had not discovered the fundamental cause of chronic diseases yet.

Working with non-antiposric remedies caused Hahnemann much angst because he was not able to treat non-venereal chronic diseases. Based on his observations and research, Hahnemann concluded that incurability of chronic diseases has nothing to do with lack of homeopathic remedies.

Hahnemann had observed that the majority of patients showing symptoms of chronic diseases, had suffered skin eruption prior to the current disease state. Presence of skin eruption in the history of patients led Hahnemann to research further and discover that the ancestral affliction with Leprosy had created psoric miasm in the patients.

With this miasm in place, the patients had a fundamental inability to restore healthy balance. He considered psora as the most basic disease predisposition or tendency. Hahnemann understood that, leprosy took anywhere from 7 to 30 years to manifest symptoms and in this duration, the patients suffered from slowing down of the efficiency of their body chemistry.

For thousands of years, leprosy manifested itself in peripheral nerves and skin symptoms. At the end of middle ages, societal and personal hygiene began improving, skin symptoms were suppressed and the disease became more internal, constitutional. In this manner, leprosy had changed from a communicable skin disease to a psoric disease tendency that manifested as skin eruption as well as deeper, functional and organic disease.

In his journey for discovering the Americas, in 1492, Christopher Columbus’ crew mingled with the population of Haiti who were widely infected with a spirochete, Trepanoma pallidum. The crew brought the disease, Syphilis, to Barcelona, Spain, in 1493.

As a sexually transmitted disease, Syphilis was very different from the skin expression of psora, and it was kept as a secret. It spread very rapidly through  Europe. The orthodox medical treatment with mercury was meant to totally suppress the disease.

Both the disease and the treatment were highly destructive in nature. Suppression of this destructive disease process meant that the destructive energy was now locked inside the body and was transmitted from one generation to the next as an internal miasmatic disease tendency.

Though allopathic doctors of his time treated both syphilis and gonorrhea by the same method, Hahnemann understood the difference between the two diseases. During French emperor Napoleon’s war in the 1800s, he saw that in patients with gonorrhea, there was no slowing down of body chemistry as seen in those with psora, and no destruction of tissues as seen in those with Syphilis.

Gonorrhea manifested a speeding up, over-reaction and excess that expressed as warts primarily on genitals. Due to suppressive treatments, Gonorrhea also became internalized as a miasmatic disease tendency that traveled from one generation to the next.

Based on his own observations and research, Hahnemann concluded that disease symptoms in a patient point to the diseases of the ancestors and primarily, patients express psora, syphilis and sycosis as three basic types of disease tendencies.

In the present time, mixed miasmatic disease tendencies are seen rather frequently as a result of repeated suppression of less severe and simpler diseases.

In the early 1900s, tuberculosis appeared as an epidemic. Tuberculosis manifests as inflammation (excess, sycotic tendency) as a primary symptom and destruction (syphilitic tendency) of inflamed tissues as the secondary symptom. In the last quarter of the 1900s, over-prescription of antibiotics for tuberculosis led to suppression of the disease as well as a global lowering of the immune system.

Lack of immunity to tuberculosis is passed to the next generation as tubercular disease tendency or miasm. Patients might present with restlessness, repeated respiratory infections, pneumonias, allergy for cats, asthma, skin issues that are indicative of the disease tendency, though they might not have tuberculosis themselves.

The disease of our generation, cancer, on taking a closer look, appears to have an early stage of destruction of normal cellular properties (syphilitic tendency). Then the body surrenders to the pathological disease process that spreads to the rest of the body (sycotic tendency).

Though cancer is the disease of modern times, its foundations were laid few hundred years ago when suppression of syphilis and gonorrhea was done routinely, and these suppressed diseases became miasmatically inherited cancer disease tendencies.

Similarly, typhoid and malarial miasms can also be understood as destructive processes (syphilitic tendency). In rheumatism too, there is inflammation followed by tissue destruction and these are sycotic and syphilitic disease tendencies. Interestingly, in patients suffering from rheumatism – inflammation and destruction – we definitely find a tubercular tendency in the background and they benefit from tuberculosis nosode.

Autoimmune diseases (body attacking itself) are an expression of a syphilitic disease tendency. Highly destructive situations like alcoholism, miscarriages, sexual abuse, suicide, accidents, very serious complications of acute diseases and surgeries, all point toward syphilitic disease tendency.

Suppression of diseases lead to passing down the disease traits to the next generation who express disease tendencies. Hahnemann taught us that miasms pass through several generations and express in the patients we see. In addressing their disease tendencies, we cure the family inheritance and we use nosodes like an umbrella, under which all other remedies have a space to work and co-operate with other remedies.

VS: How do the 6^th edition of the Organon and the two volumes of the Chronic Disease help us understand what is health and what is disease?

ES: Hahnemann described acute diseases as resulting from circumstances, the situation and environment of the patient. These are external causes. The Life force itself is not sick. It responds to the impact of morbid agent and produces symptoms of an acute disease.

In Aphorism # 11 of the Organon, 6^th edition, Hahnemann defines diseases, “When a person falls ill, it is only this spiritual, self-acting (automatic) vital force, everywhere present in his organism, that is primarily deranged by the dynamic influence upon it of a moribific agent inimical to life; it is only the vital force, deranged to such an abnormal state, that can furnish the organism with its disagreeable sensations and incline it to the irregular processes which we call disease; for, as a power invisible in itself and only cognizable by its effect on the organism, its morbid derangement only makes itself known by the manifestation of disease in the sensations and functions of those parts of the organism exposed to the senses of the observer and physician, that is, by morbid symptoms and in no other way can it make itself known.”

By reading the Organon, thus, we can very clearly understand what is disease.

Hahnemann’s research points to the fact that chronic diseases have a different origin. A chronic pathological condition reduces the ability of the life force and it is not able to re-establish a balanced state of good health. Chronic diseases are not necessarily dependent on external causes as these diseases are connected with the dysfunction of the life force.

By making this distinction between acute and chronic diseases and how the life force responds to them, Hahnemann has shown us the difference between health and disease. In health, our life force is able to respond well to the morbid agent, and in chronic diseases, life force itself becomes afflicted and begins to express various disease tendencies and is unable to regain health on its own. In these situations, Hahnemann has taught us to restore health and remove blockage by use of nosodes.

VS: Could you please describe how diseases are classified and how this classification leads to choosing remedies?  

ES: Hahnemann’s description of diseases in the Organon and the Chronic Diseases is very vivid. In modern day homeopathic treatment, we have to tackle all these forms of diseases, just as Hahnemann did in his time.

In Aphorism #11, Hahnemann clarified that diseases occur on the dynamic-energetic-spiritual plane and they are not material. Every material change is a result of the disruption of the spiritual vital force that underlies the physical material body. It is a dysfunction of this dynamis.

In the Organon, from Aphorism #72 onwards, Hahnemann makes a distinction between various types of diseases, based on how they manifest, i.e. intensity, dynamics and severity of symptoms.

Acute diseases are classified as individual disease (only one person is affected). They occur suddenly (exogenous cause) and are vehement in their expression. If left untreated, they will follow their natural course, resolve eventually and the organism will regain its health. If the person is weakened prior to the onset of an acute disease, he may not be able to fight it off and his life would be in danger.

In acute functional ailments, the vital force is thrown off balance by a powerful external event (exogenous cause). In both these situations, the vital force itself is not sick. It produces disease symptoms in an attempt to restore equilibrium.

Collective disease, or epidemic diseases are acute diseases that affect a larger group of people. Iatrogenic diseases are caused by allopathic prescription drugs and finally, pseudo-chronic disease occur from permanent exposure to avoidable noxious factors.

Chronic diseases express themselves as the life force’s persistent inability to regain natural equilibrium and heal itself. Chronic diseases are not dependent on external circumstances alone. They are endogenous dysfunction of the life force.

One way to see diseases is in the form of a three-dimensional flower with psora at its core, as psoric disturbance of the vital force happen to be the fundamental origin of disease. From this psoric core, seven petals are emerging, namely, sycosis, syphilis and inherited diseases (endogenous); iatrogenic, epidemic, morbid incidents and acute maismatic disease (exogenous).

An ongoing interplay of natural forces to which the individual is subjected all through his life, ensures that every petal of this flower, every sphere of life, carries a certain energy, which is capable of producing a disease state and elicit symptoms that can throw the patient off balance.

At any given moment in time, one or a few of these petals will be predominant with a heightened energy, pathological activity and expression of symptoms. As is only natural, the flower develops and changes continuously. Pathologic phases and circumstances in the patient’s physical constitution and environment also change likewise.

Though it is difficult to capture life in an image, the schematic representation allows us to visualize disease processes and understand Hahnemann’s classification of diseases as a dynamic interplay between the individual, his inheritance, life circumstances, miasmatic tendencies acute and morbid incidents that affect his vital force and elicit disease symptoms from time to time.

It becomes very obvious from studying Hahnemann’s work in-depth that the patient reacts in each and every pathogenic situation in his life in an individual and characteristic manner, which is unique to him.

In every single situation, he reacts out of his essence, and yet requires a different remedy every time, in order to restore balance. The classification of diseases allows us to completely understand the exact origin of every single symptom and address it, instead of eliminating or disregarding the ones that do not fit in the essence picture.

A human being has a greater range of expression than the range that can be found in any single remedy. Therefore, the chronic treatment of a patient will in nearly all cases call for several remedies in different potencies. Hahnemann has given several examples in the Chronic Diseases where he used remedies in alternation to achieve better results.

VS: Could you please give a case example from your practice where you have used classification of disease, and considered every symptom presented for a choice of the remedy?  

ES: Sure.

Case of a woman with breast cancer, born September 1949.

Medication: Many antibiotics in the past. Waiting for the radiation treatments.

Reason for consultation: Ductal carcinoma, right breast. The tumor has grown 1½ to 2½ inches. (in the past 4 ½ months). Tumor had been there for 2 years but much smaller. It’s still encapsulated. The breast, is painful due to the additional bacterial inflammation.

Familial history: Mother died of cancer. Many maternal relatives died of cancer and heart attacks. Father died of Parkinson’s disease. Many paternal relatives with cancers. A paternal great aunt died of TB.

Personal history: Had all vaccinations as a child. H/o lot of whooping cough and throat infections. H/o psychotic breakdown in 1983. Collapsed with a kind of split personality symptoms, since then I feel a difference between the left and the right side of my body. Cysts in the breast sixteen years ago. 4-6 cysts per breast. Breast inflamed and painful before menstruation. I never had breast infection. I have no children

January 2004: I’ve had that pain in my right breast since November. My GP gave me antibiotics but after the first pill I immediately reacted very badly. Got pain in the stomach and kidneys which subsided by itself after stopping the antibiotics. The chest just hurts. Sometimes it is worse and then less. Sometimes it is very bad. I especially have a reaction to tensions. I am a very sensitive type. I always respond in an adverse manner. The breast tenderness started in the midst of November. Am very shocked by this pain and the growth of the lumps.

I get panic attacks from the threat of amputation of breast. I experience the hospital environment as life threatening. As a child I was very anxious and even now, I get scared quickly.

Domestic situation and biography: It was very difficult for me at home with lots of physical violence between parents. As a child I never felt welcome and experienced plenty of physical and mental abuse. Mother was unfit for life. She couldn’t care for me. Father didn’t want to know anything about me.

I had to protect myself against them. More or less like you don’t get to see me or you don’t get to me so you can’t hurt me. If I started crying when beaten, I was beaten even more. I felt every tension between my parents. I was very sensitive. I was just a toddler and I really needed my parents. There was no security and I was a skittish and scared child. The unsafe feeling in myself has remained. I learned to close my feelings and that’s why I could just do whatever I had to and survive. I was a completely closed child and never dared to open up.

When I was 34 years-old I collapsed drastically. My complete exhaustion was followed by a lot of energy through my body. I was unable to sit still, just kept walking. All images from the past that came up for three days in a row. I did not feel like myself.

I felt the state the other person is in. My left side feels like it is 10 meters behind me. It’s a tired and lame feeling. I am on a journey back to myself. I have been ill a lot and every time I get a bit of feeling back in the left side. It all started in 1983. I can still feel it in my heart, stomach and throat. The heart feels totally squeezed. I can’t protect it.

I felt totally rejected by my parents and siblings. My femininity feels rejected too. Father always humiliated me and posed a sexual threat. When I was 16-17, he started undressing me with his eyes. Mom got sick when I was 15. I was compelled to care for my family. That has all been very tough. In the end I went to live by myself, renting a room, but still went home 3 times a week to take care of the family, Like Cinderella, I won’t let anyone down anyway. Parents dominated me I was afraid to stand up for myself, after all, I had learned that I was a bad child. Insecurity felt as normal and therefore as safe. I did not know anything else.

From the age of 20, I did all kinds of things that were bad for my back. Now I have deformities in the lower and upper back. I am very tired, but I always keep going, I never give up. I’ve had the fatigue for 20 years. (I haven’t been able to work for 20 years). I never was my real self.

A split in my body between the left and the right side. The left side is the <side. I started to develop my creativity. I developed as an artist but I’ve always been laughed about that at home. I started painting, sculpting, drama, poems and singing etc.

4 years ago, during a move from my studio, a piece of the ceiling dropped on my head. I saw stars and flashes of light. Afterwards I couldn’t do anything anymore, so tired. I became very sensitivity to high-pitched sounds. I always put myself under pressure and that << my overall condition. Always doing my best, I’ve learned to walk on tiptoe.

Menses has always been good. Heavy bleeding in the last few months, lasting 7 weeks at a time. <the last 2 years. I haven’t been menstruating for a few months now.

I never dare to express feelings. After all, I am a very bad person. Always blame myself first. I have a very angry child in me and that child never came out.

Classification of symptoms: The classification of the different disease forms enables us to distinguish between the different groups of remedies. Every disease form has its specific remedy group, with an occasional exception and overlap.

Chronic:

-Inherited (Nosodes)

-Constitutional (Anti-psoric mineral remedies)

Acute:

-Biographical, Acute miasmatic and Epidemic (Plant, animal remedies, biographical nosodes)

-Iatrogenic (Intercurrent remedies and specifics)

-Degenerative organ diseases (Organ remedies, Tissue salts)

-Sexual transmitted diseases (Merc, Thuja, Nit.ac Nosodes)

The classification of this case is as follows:

Inherited miasms/ dynamic disease tendencies: We are looking for the indicated nosode.

-many maternal relatives suffered from and died of cancer and heart attacks.

-Mother died of cancer.

-Father died of Parkinson’s disease. Many paternal relatives with cancer.

-Dad’s great aunt died of TB

Epidemic diseases. We are looking for the indicated plant or animal remedies.

-Had a lot of whooping cough.

Acute Miasmatic diseases: Acute flare up of constitutional miasms. We are looking for the indicated plant or animal remedies and nosode. The acute prescription must be followed by a constitutional prescription.

-Cysts in the breast sixteen years ago. 4-6 cysts per breast. (mainly right).

-Had some sort of psychosis in 1983. Collapsed with a kind of split personality symptoms, since then I feel a difference between the left and the right side of my body.

-From the age of 18 I had a lot of throat infections.

-The breast, is painful due to the additional bacterial inflammation. I’ve had that pain in my right breast since November. The chest just hurts. Sometimes it is worse and then less.

-When I was 34 years-old I completely collapsed. That was very drastic. I was completely exhausted which was followed by a lot of energy through my body and not being

able to sit still, just walking, all images from the past that came up for three days in a row.

-I don’t feel myself, I feel the state the other person is in.

-My left side feels like it is 10 meters behind me. It’s a tired and lame feeling.

I am on a journey back to myself. I have been sick frequently, and every time I get a bit of feeling back in the left side. It all started in 1983. I can still feel it in my heart, stomach and throat. The heart feels totally squeezed. I can’t protect it.

-Menses has always been good. The last months very heavy bleeding, sometimes 7 weeks at a time. <the last 2 years. I haven’t been menstruating for a few months now.

Degenerative organ disease: Organon # 279. We are looking for the indicated organ remedies)

-The tumor has grown 1½ to 2½ inches. (in the past 4 ½ months.) Before that it had been there for already 2 years but much smaller. It’s still encapsulated.

Iatrogenic symptoms: We are looking a specific to neutralize the side effects, or the indicated intercurrent remedy.

– Had all vaccinations as a child

– I had a lot of antibiotics. Got pain in the stomach and kidneys which subsided by itself after stopping the antibiotics.

-Coming radiation treatment

Chronic Constitutional:  We are looking for the indicated constitutional, mineral, remedy.

– Cysts in the breast sixteen years ago. 4-6 cysts per breast. (mainly right).

– Ductal breast carcinoma. Right breast. There were lime spots outside the mammary glands.

– I am a very sensitive type. I always respond in an adverse manner.

– Even as a child I was already very anxious and I still get scared quickly.

– I was a completely closed child and never dared to open up.

– From the age of 20 I did all kinds of things that were bad for my back and that I could not handle. As a result, I now have deformities in the lower and upper back.

– I am very tired but always keep going, I never give up. I’ve had the fatigue for 20 years. (I haven’t been able to work for 20 years). I never was my real self. A split in my body between the left and the right side. The left side is the <side. I started to develop my creativity. I developed as an artist but I’ve always been laughed about that at home. I started painting and sculpting. Expression in art belongs to me (Drama, poems, singing etc).
– I always put myself under pressure and that << my overall condition. Always doing your best, I’ve learned to walk on tiptoe.

-Menses has always been good. I haven’t been menstruating for a few months now.

Biographical symptoms: We are primarily looking for the indicated plant and animal remedies and nosodes.

– I especially have a reaction to tensions. (<< hospital visit). I experience the hospital environment as life threatening.

– Am very shocked by this pain and the growth of the lumps.

– I get panic attacks from the threat of amputation. Very anxious just at the idea that the breast has to be amputated.

– It was very difficult at home. There was a lot of physical violence between my father and mother. Lots of physical and mental abuse.

– As a child I never felt welcome. I had to protect myself against them. More or less like you don’t get to see me or you don’t get to me so you can’t hurt me. If I started crying when beaten, I was beaten even more. I felt every tension between my parents. I was very sensitive. I was just a toddler and I really needed my parents. There was no security and I was a skittish and scared child. I was a completely closed child and never dared to open up. Insecurity felt as normal and therefore as safe. I did not know anything else.

– Mother was not fit for life, she couldn’t take care of me and my father didn’t want to know anything about me.

– The unsafe feeling in myself has remained. I learned to close my feelings and that’s why I could just do whatever I had to and survive.

– I felt totally rejected by mom, my dad, my brother and my sisters. Feel rejected of my being as a female, the feminine side of me should never be. Father always posed a sexual threat, he always humiliated me. When I was 16-17, he started to undress me with his eyes.

– My mom got sick when I was 15. I was compelled to take care of the family. That has all been very tough. In the end I went to live by myself, renting a room, but still went home 3 times a week to take care of the family, Like Cinderella, I won’t let anyone down anyway.

– Both parents were dominant, had power over me and I was afraid to stand up for myself, after all, I had learned that I was a bad child.

– I never dare to express feelings. After all, I am a very bad person. Always blame myself first.

I have a very angry child in me and that child never came out.

-4 years ago, during a move from my studio, a piece of the ceiling dropped on my head. I saw stars and flashes of light. Afterwards I couldn’t do anything anymore, so tired. I became very sensitivity to high-pitched sounds.

Analysis and repertorisation:

Clipboard 1: Constitutional symptoms

The first three remedies are anti-psoric constitutional remedies – Silica, Phosphorus and Lycopodium. Lycopodium was already mentioned as an exception to the rule that plant remedies cannot be indicated as constitutional remedies.

Lachesis, is another exception mentioned by Hahnemann.  Sepia might be considered to be of equal constitutional importance. Prior to prescribing a constitutional remedy, we must neutralize the other more superficial pathological disease tendencies which we find in the following clipboards. Silica or Phosphorus however might be indicated as a constitutional remedy at a later stage.

Clipboard 2: The acute miasmatic symptoms

The acute miasmatic diseases are very much a burden to the patient making them feel very ill and making normal functioning impossible. Very often the patient is bedridden in these acute situations. Our patient however is still able to function relatively well.

The Inflammatory condition of her breast however is very painful and she is very much at risk that this inflammatory condition will aggravate her cancerous development also. The remedy in front is an important anti-syphilitic remedy. Phytolacca decandra has the power to reduce the inflammatory condition quickly and thus paving the way for the indicated deeper-acting homeopathic remedies at a later stage.

Next remedy, Pulsatilla, is the acute of the most likely indicated constitutional remedy Silica. The next remedy Conium is known to be one of the most important for the treatment of breast cancer. Also, Cistus canadensis might be indicated based on a syphilitic, carcinogenous or tuberculonic background, depending of the etiology of these and the other symptoms of the patient.

Clipboard 3: Biographical symptoms

In the biographical detail, we are looking for the indicated plant or animal remedies but also the particular nosodes that might be a good match for the patient’s life circumstances. The most important nosode here is Carcinosin and it is before Medorrhinum which is much less similar to the actual self-awareness of the patient.

Plant remedies:

In the same biographical clip-board we look for the plant remedies. See the clipboard below. We see Lycopodium up front but as this is a possible constitutional, we do not prescribe as a first remedy. The second remedy is an important one.

Thuja is the primary remedy for the sycotic miasm and is very often indicated in biographical circumstances where being resented, neglected or not appreciated, not being loved play a major role. In the Banerji protocols it is used to slow down the speed of tumor development. It also is one of the major remedies in the treatment of cysts etc. Moreover, it is one of the acute remedies complementary to Silica. It might be a good option to start the treatment with Thuja as one of the remedies (differential between Phytolacca, Conium, Clematis, Staphisagria, Hyoscyamus and Anacardium). The latter has a more intimate connection with the syphilitic miasm as the basic soil in the background. We also come across Pulsatilla once again. Ignatia is very likely indicated as an acute remedy if grieving circumstances occur in our patient’s life.

In the same biographical clip-board we find some remedies of animal origin that might be worth considering at a certain point or life circumstances. Lac caninum with very little self-esteem has a more syphilitic and tuberculonic than cancerous background. Asterias reubens is worth considering because of it being indicated in the treatment of breast tumors and its left-sided complaints.

Clipboard 4: Inherited disease tendencies

In the clipboard of the inherited disease tendencies, we find Carcinosin at the first place. The disease history, her biographical circumstances and her actual disease situation most definitely point toward Carcinosin as the indicated nosode.

The prescription:

Since the intercurrent remedies normally do not show very clearly in our repertorization, we often have to prescribe them based on our knowledge and experience. The first prescribed intercurrent remedy was Carbo animalis based on the following symptoms:

Carbo animalis:

-Lack of reaction in patients from a cancerous parentage (Carc, Scirr, Syph.)

-Cold blooded, cachectic people. Very much exhausted.

-Elderly people.

-Loathing of life. (Aur, Ph.ac.)

–History of endocrine problems. (Sepia, Lach, Puls, Cimic, etc.)

–Menstrual problems, diabetes, Addison’s disease, thyroid problems, etc.

–Emotional imbalance.

-Severe intestinal problems like colitis. (Merc. c, Sulph. Tub, Syph. etc.)

-As an intercurrent remedy during the treatment of cancer patients. (Any cancer patient but mainly with glandular and also stomach and uterus cancers).

–Affections of glands. Stony hard. (Sil, Calc.Fl, Kali Mur.)

–Chronic consequences of loss of vital fluids.

This intercurrent remedy Carbo animalis fits our patient well and was prescribed in Q (LM)1

The nosode Carcinosin is quite obvious and was prescribed in Q3.

Because of the start of radiation therapy, Radium bromatum was prescribed as an anti-iatrogenic remedy in the very beginning, in order to prevent side effects like burns, excessive scar tissue or the development of metastasis occurring in the scar tissue. She was given Q2 in the first week, Q3 in the second week and so on, till moving up to Q8 on week seven. And the better condition of the patient is also a better starting point for the further homeopathic treatment.

First prescription:

1) Carb animalis Q2 in liquid form twice a day, 5 succussions and olfaction.

2) Carcinosin Q3 in liquid form twice a day, 5 succussions and olfaction.

3) Radium brom Q2 in liquid form, 5 succussions and olfaction, as often as needed. 2-7 times a day during radiation therapy.

Based on her biography, cancerous predisposition and physical characteristic symptoms, subsequently, she was also given Thuja, from Q1 all the way till Q18. This remedy is being continued.

The number of prescribed remedies is three at the most, in any given moment in time. This is based on natural law:

• We all have parents and therefore the inheritance
• We all poses a body
• Because we live, we all have a biography.

These three building blocks are a necessity for every human being. With one of these aspects missing, a human being cannot be born and does not exist.

In the treatment of chronic diseases, all of these three elements are involved and must be taken into consideration before starting treatment. It is possible and most often necessary to treat these different layers by prescribing the indicated remedy alternately for every individual disease level – Inherited, constitutional and biographical.

This patient settled on radiation therapy and homeopathy. Did not need her breast removed. Tumor is gone. No relapse in spite of years of emotional turmoil and disappointments. Now 16 years later she is still alive and well. Contact with her family is restored.

This case that Ewald Stoteler shared with me, gives us a direct evidence for how understanding every single symptom at its origin, giving importance to each and every symptom (because, in the end, all symptoms originate from the essence of the patient), classification of disease, and addressing the various areas of a patient’s presentation with suitable remedies constitute a form of addressing diseases at its root.

This approach is based on the 6^th edition of the Organon, and the two volumes of the Chronic Diseases written by Hahnemann. It is delightful to know how Hahnemann’s work can help us understand and address the diseases we encounter as homeopaths every day of our practice, and using his teachings to the letter, we can try to bring relief to our patients.