MIASMA -2009

The National Academy of Homoeopathy, India conducts biannual workshops in the memory of Late Dr. J.N.Kanjilal of Kolkatta. The Central Secretariat (Nagpur) decided that the theme for Academy’s ninth workshop would be Miasmas and the venue was Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Sanskrutik Bhavan, Pune. It was also the moment of installation of “Pune Core Group” of the Academy under the leadership of Dr. Abhijeet Joshi.
Indeed this was a long awaited topic since right from Hahnemann’s times; Miasm has been an ill-understood subject. The scientific program laid out was comprehensive covering the entire panorama of Miasms.
At the outset, the traditional samai was lit by all the Guests and rich tributes were paid to Late Dr. J.N.Kanjilal. Inaugurating the workshop, veteran homoeopath Dr. M. P Arya commented that the concept of Chronic Diseases has divided the homoeopaths into two groups – the non believers and believers. The former only apply the concepts of Similia, minimum and potentization in their practice whilst the latter adhere to all these and that of Miasms in principle & practice. Both senior homoeopaths, Dr. S. Katekari & Dr. S. Phansalkar (Director I.C.R: Pune) agreed with him on this point. They were liberal in their praises for the speakers –Drs. Kasim & Aadil Chimthanawala. Dr. Katekari went on to say that it was the first time that deans of all homoeopathic institutes of Pune had conglomerated on a single dias and the credit goes to the Academy. Dr. P Sethiya (Principal D.S.H.M.C) & Dr. A.Jadhav (Principal Bharathi Vidhyapeeth H.M.C) also shared their views.
The first session was by Dr. Kasim. In his immaculate style he provided an insight of different stages of Dr. Hahnemann’s practice – namely
1. Initially from 1790 – 1810, Hahnemann’s objective was to reduce the dose and prevent the bad effects of crude medicines. The sources of the drugs were from ancient records, herbal medicines, customs and traditions and doctrine of signatures. He gave an example of Thuja for warts because the latter has fruits similar in appearance to warts. Also red chilies with burning taste were given for acute pharyngitis etc.
2. The second stage of Hahnemann’s practice (1811-1827) was on the basis of the three fundamental laws of Similia, dynamization & potentization which he had discovered.
3. When he realized that permanent cure could not be achieved simply on the basis of the 3 fundamental laws, he invented the concept of Chronic Miasms (Aph: 211) and thereafter till death he practiced upon the miasmatic state of disposition.
Dr. Kasim went on to describe vivid details regarding the necessity of the concept, genesis and the retaliation that Hahnemann met upon its introduction, etc.
The subsequent deliberation by Dr. Kasim dealt with what are Miasms, Miasmas are defined as - Natural morbific agents that are invisible, dynamic, disease producing, subversive potens. They are the Prima causa morbii and the Causa causorum. There are different types of miasms with separate attributes. They express on spiritual, mental and physical planes. Discussing about Psora, he commented that episodes are sudden, violent and self-limiting. Psora has functional symptoms, sensations, modalities, concomitants, etc. Psoric pathology is always superficial, reversible and leaves no disease Ultimates. Likewise Syphilitic & Sycotic Miasms were discussed in depth. Concept of elimination was presented with few cases in clinical practice. He gave examples of elimination like confession, seeking pardon, emotions, dreams, mental mechanisms, discharges & eruptions. The subject of relations of different microbial affections in different miasmatic states was totally a new one.
The final lecture was on Tubercular Miasm. He said “Nowadays majority of patients belong to this category of this Miasmatic state. What Psora was at the time of Master Hahnemann is Tubercular Miasm today.” He quoted references from writings of Drs. Robert, J.H.Allen, Phyllis Speight, M.L. Dhawale and J.N.Kanjilal.
Cured cases of Paget’s disease Breast in a 46 years female with Nitric Acid and Primary Infertility & SLE in a 27 years old female with Syphilinum and Natrum Muraticum were presented.

Dr. Aadil Chimthanawala elaborated the role of Miasms in the management of Cardiac cases. He presented homeopathically managed cases of
1. Psoric Angina pectoris treated with Veratrum Album
2. Ischemic Heart Disease, Triple Vessel disease with systemic hypertension – a psoro-syphilitic presentation, managed by Arania and Aurum Met
3. Mucopolysaccharoidosis & VSD in a boy aged 2 years – a psoro-sycotic case that was successfully treated with China. He clearly showed the difference in selection between China and Digitalis.
4. Finally a case of Infective Endocarditis in a girl of 14 years suffering from Rheumatic Heart Disease – a psoro-sycotic presentation where Phosphorus and Medhorrinum were used.

The Pune core group of NAHI comprising of Drs. Abhijeet Joshi, Yashodhar Bhalerao, Amit Tribhovan, Vyankatesh Kulkarni, Rupali Deshmukh, Shailesh & Sarika Doshi and others, accepted the challenge of hosting for the first time a workshop of national level in the city of Pune. They left no stone unturned in making the arrangements for its success so that the homoeopathic fraternity would enjoy the academic feast and their stay at Pune would be left with pleasant memories that will be cherished for a long time.