Zincum metallicum- the effect of mind on the body

Dr Vinod Kalmgera

Zinc has its place as the lightest member in group 12 of the periodic table, with cadmium and mercury as the two other group members. It is present in red blood cells and is a component of some 200 enzymes and is involved in more enzymatic reactions than any other mineral. It is a constituent of insulin, growth hormones and sex hormones, and is richly contained in human sperm and is also required for the maturation and the proper functioning of the sex glands, particularly the prostate. An attempt has been made to understand Zincum metallicum homeopathically, and how the state of mind affects and produces symptoms in the body.

CHILDHOOD- In their childhood, they have a history of being dominated by the paternal figure who had a castrating effect on them, in the psychoanalytical sense of the word. In everyday life, this fear of the father extends to paternal substitutes, guardians of the law: teachers, police, judges, fear of the law etc.

Here the emphasis will have been on intellectual achievement, having to score high marks at school, otherwise they won’t count. It is often the father who exerts this sort of pressure and it is remarkable that these children are usually accompanied by their father when they come for a consultation. He is constantly under pressure and gets tense before his examination results, because he fears his father’s reactions. He tries to work hard to fulfil his father’s expectations.

STAGE OF EXCITEMENT:

THEME– they feel a constant attack to their position of security and protection which is difficult to handle anymore. This leads to constant excitement in the nervous system.

So the patient is alert, agile, defensive all the time.

They are restlessness, fidgety, mostly in the feet and toes, moving all the time which keeps him awake.

They are oversensitive to NOISE, to VOICES,they hear other people talk, from within him speaking in abusive and filthy language. They scream at night without being aware of it.

There is a presentiment of death. There are certain delusions that he is accused, devil is after him and he  persecuted by the devil for crimes he had never done.

Mood changes are marked with sadness alternating with cheerfulness, Sadness alternating with fear.

Horrible things, sad stories have a profound effect. Basically they have a yeilding and quiet disposition.

[ This is because zinc is more easily oxidized than iron, and if corrosion occurs, the zinc rather than the iron reacts.]

Then again we have nymphomania, the result of intense sexual erethism.

  • Anxiety, conscience, as if commited a crime
  • Delusion, accused he is
  • Delusion, arrested is about to be
  • Delusion, crime committed, he had
  • Delusion, devils, after her, devils is
  • Delusion, murdered he will be
  • Delusion, pursued by enemies
  • Delusion, pursued by police
  • Starting, startled, sleep, falling asleep on
  • Delirium, violent, restrained, calmed with great difficulty is

AILMENTS FROM- LOSS of SLEEP, FRIGHT, STRESS, exhausting diseases, Alcoholism.

STAGE OF DULLNESS
The constantly excited nervous system becomes enfeebled and this is reflected in his want of the power or reaction. Nothing stimulates. There is defective vitality, brain or nerve power too weak to develop exanthemata, or menses; to expectorate; to urinate; to comprehend; to memorize.

Cant throw things off. the person comes again and again and complains and complains and complains, and all the people in the family are suffering. Torments everyone with his complaints.

The cause of the misdiagnosis is due to the central idea of this remedy – the lack of productivity on all levels, leading to scant production of symptoms.

There is a lack of production on all planes.

On the mental plane there is lack of thoughts. His brain is too feeble to understand and to remember, to

The patient has a lack of productivity of thoughts with difficulty in concentrating, thinking, communicate and to remember. During the interview, this trait manifests in the difficulty the patient has answering the doctor immediately and therefore needs the questions to be repeated two or three times to buy time,  to think. Also children who repeat everything the doctor says, who repeat the discussion heard, are zincums. The child may not speak well on his own, rather repeating phrases which he hears around him.

Old people who need an exceptionally long time to answer.

An odd finding for this remedy is that during the interview, you may notice a patient who has very open eyes, because his mind is not working properly he must open his eyes wide to try with his soul to feel what the doctor is asking.

  • Dullness when closing eyes
  • Mind – dullness – understand; does not – questions addressed to her – repetition; only after
  • Mind – dullness – vertigo; during
  • Mind – dullness – wine, after

He forgets even those things that have been done in the course of the day.

The cerebral exhaustion referred to above, makes mental operations extremely difficult.

He finds it difficult to grasp ideas and co-ordinate thoughts

  • Insanity, suppressed emotions after
  • Answers, repeat questions first
  • Prostration of mind, brain fag

On the emotional plane there is lack of happiness. Suppression of emotions leads to somnambulism.

On the physical level, there is lack of production of discharge, eruptions, urine, menses, and expectoration.

  • The special point to base the prescription of Zincum metallicum is when there is suppression of eruptions.
  • The current epidemic use of cortisone has created a vast group of people with suppressed eruptions.
  • It is a prime remedy after meningitis or encephalitis, even if it occurred in the distant past, possibly in childhood.
  • Mental or psychological disturbance after suppression of eruptions,
  • The first remedy to think of if complaints occur after vaccination for measles or any eruptions, or diminished mental functioning after vaccination.

Menses- Zincum metallicum may lack the ability to produce a full flowing menses, which leads to  hysteria. Suppression of menses by hysterectomy, or by using hormones to not have menses,which is a chemical suppression, or during pregnancy, all these conditions lead to hysteria and become better after the menstrual flow commences.

Urine- Zincum metallicum is indicated for retarded urination which is only relieved by sitting and leaning back on the toilet. They will have to sit on the toilet, tapping their feet, waiting to urinate. It is the first remedy to consider for women with urinary retention with, or alternating with, hysterical behavior.

  • Diarrhea ameliorates all of the symptoms, suppression on a daily basis that this is one way to balance out.
  • There is to be seen a complete loss of sexual desire as befits a patient in a state of extreme enervation.
  • great relaxation and depression of the parts.
  • There is usually a history of abuse with the inevitable consequence that follows all excesses.
  • The sexual organ becomes lax, flaccid and dormant.
  • It is easily excited and emission follows rapidly after an embrace.
  • Copious discharge of prostatic juice without any apparent cause.

REFERENCES

  • Vermulen Prisma
  • Teste A- The Homoepathic Materia Medica
  • Scholten J- Homoeopathy And The Elements
  • New England Journal Of Homeopathy
  • A Study On Materia Medica By N M Choudhari
  • Sankaran R- The Spirit Of Homeopathy.

Dr Vinod Kalmgera
MD PART 1
MATERIA MEDICA DEPARTMENT
GOVERNMENT HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL-BENGALURU
EMAIL- vinodvspatil@Gmail.Com

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*