Author:
Jan Scholten
Book:
Homeopathy and Minerals
Type:
Family
Chapter:
69
The Nitricums
Out of all the Nitricums, we only really know Arg-n and Nit-ac reasonably well. The common traits of these two remedies are not very clear, except that they are both extroverted and lively with a capacity to enjoy life to the full. This aspect has been particularly emphasised by Morrison (1988, page 21), although the characteristic of enjoyment may not be so obvious in Nit-ac. We are more familiar with the revengeful side of Nit-ac, but this only happens at a much later stage, when Nit-ac. can’t enjoy life any longer.
Enjoyment
We can find this aspect of the Nitricums in agriculture too. The main component of artificial fertiliser is Nitrate and it makes the crops grow more abundantly.
Enjoying life has many meanings for the Nitricums. In the first place there is a great desire for general happiness. But more concretely this is felt in a strong need for love. In this respect they resemble the Sulphuricums, with whom they also share a common desire to look beautiful. But, in addition, the Nitricums have a strong sexual desire too, as well as a desire for money.
This desire for enjoyment is the central theme of the Nitricums, symbolised by a desire for fat, the richness of life. As long as they can enjoy life, everything is fine, but once the possibilities for enjoyment are beginning to reduce, life becomes difficult for them. They become discontented, and consequently irritable and even aggressive.
The fear of disease is a typical and central expression of this theme: if they are ill the possibilities for enjoyment become greatly restricted.
Desire for space, for expansion, for going out
They also have a great fear of being restricted. They need space to move, in a literal and in a metaphorical sense. The fear of narrow spaces is a clear expression of this. This is such a strong characteristic that we may even use it as a confirmative symptom for the Nitricums. They have a fear of narrow spaces, such as lifts, planes and other spaces with a lot of people. They want to sit near the exit so that they can easily escape. Although this is a well known symptom of Arg-n, it is common to all the Nitricums.
The term 'space' has a special importance to them. They need space, they want to go out. 'Going out' is another typical term. It represents two things: wanting space and wanting to enjoy life. It may be interesting to note that air contains 80% Nitrogen, and Nitrogen is the un-bonded form of Nitrate.
Congestion explosion
Related to this theme is also the congestive trait of the Nitricums. In many of the complaints we find the theme of redness, swelling and heat. We find the same in the headaches of, for instance, glonoine. And again in Amyl nitricum. The latter is used as a 'drug' to stimulate and prolong an erection, in order to increase enjoy-ment.
Because of the congestion, the containment in too narrow a space, we also get a tendency towards explosion. Arg-n has the feeling of being a bottle of soda water.
But nearly all explosive materials contain Nitrate: trinitrotoluene, glonoinum, gunpowder, Nitroglycerine etc. (Carbohydrate bonds also appear to have this explosive power, and particularly combinations of Carbohydrates and Nitricums).
Tension, relaxation
The expressions 'tension and relaxation' are almost a typical description of the nature of the Nitricums. The tension is found in the congestion, the being locked into a space that is too small. The relaxation we see in the enjoyment in going out, savouring the good things in life.
General characteristics
Location: left sided.
Temperature: warm. < heat, outside, < damp.
Time: < 9 am. < summer. The complaints come and go suddenly.
Desire: bacon (3), fat, fatty meat, cheese (3), salt.
Aversion: fat, cheese (2). < cheese, coffee.
Physical: < pressure, pressure of clothes, car rides.
Complaints
The discharges are stinking and foul.
The pains are congested, pulsating, stitching like a splinter (3).
Nose: crusts, difficult to detach and painful. Sneezing. Nosebleeds.
Heart and vascular diseases. Arteriosclerosis. Claudication. Brain haemorrhages.
Diarrhoea, burning.
Skin: red patches and allergies.