Unveiling Tuberculinum: Understanding Its History, Miasmatic Background, and Therapeutic Insights

Unveiling Tuberculinum: Understanding Its History, Miasmatic Background, and Therapeutic Insights

Exploring the Origins, Mental and Physical Characteristics, and Distinctions from Bacillinum

Written by

Prof. Dr. Deepak Sharma

BHMS, MD, Ph.D. (Scholar)

Homeopathic Physician and Educator

Founder – Orbit Clinics (World Class Homeopathic Clinics Worldwide)

+91-9711153617 | responseds@gmail.com | wwww.orbitclinics.com

 History 

Originator of this nosode was Swan, but its therapeutic importance and recognition was given by Burnett. In 1882, German physician Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch discovered that a preparation of dead Tuberculinum bacilli obtain from the infected pus of lungs could be used to prevent and treat tuberculosis (TB). Between 1885 and 1890, James Compton Burnett conducted a series of experiments using lung tissues infected with Mycobacterium tuberculi from tubercular patient and proved as a homeopathic remedy named Bacillinum, which is used to treat ailments that affect the respiratory tract. Many writers say that there is clinically no difference between Tuberculinum and Bacillinum but it’s not true and I will explain in the last of this lecture. 

Miasmatic Background 

It belongs to tubercular miasm. This miasm is a cross link between the Psoric miasm and the Syphilitic miasm, and the combination makes a tubercular personality. Other remedies for tubercular miasm are Baryta phosphorica, Calcarea phosphorica Phosphorous, Pulsatlla and Zincum metallicum. 

Mental Generals 

A combination of psora and syphilis makes the tubercular miasm the Tuberculinum patient can be in real terms called as a wanderer, a nomad. Always keeps on changing, change everything like change places, change doctors, professions etc. that gives a keynote of Tuberculinum that is DISSATISFACTION. The only thing that is present on the mouth of these persons is that I want to go somewhere (desire to travel), do something different but when they achieve the things they refuse it. These people are very anxious; there is a strong feeling of discontent whereby the individual can’t ever seem to get settled. They may feel that they are never fulfilled, and they shape their behaviors accordingly. This can evolve into malicious or destructive behavior. Tends to be very intense in nature. They have a constant sense of yearning meaning they are constantly looking for stimulation and a way to make necessary changes. This thought process and behavior may involve changing partners or jobs quite frequently. Tends to be destructive in their behavior, often times because they are working towards a means of fulfilling their need to constantly change things. Contradictory characteristics of Tuberculinum are irritable, insomnia, mania and melancholia sometime depressed sometime cheerful, FEAR OF DOGS AND CATS, desire to use foul languages, curse and swear every time. 

Some peculiar symptoms/sensations of Tuberculinum- 

  • • As if brain were squeezed with an iron ring. 
  • • As if teeth were jammed together and as if there were many teeth in the jaw. 
  • • As if clothes on the back were wet. 
  • • Catch cold easily. 
  • • Desire to travel. 
  • • Desire for meat and sometime for fat. 
  • • Great weakness in limbs after dinner. 
  • • Shivering when beginning to sleep. 
  • • Cold feet in bed. 
  • • Sensitive to music. Crushed he would be, everyone is rushing by 
  • • Fear buried alive being. 
  • • Enlarged people are 
  • • People behind him 
  • • Room too large 
  • • Strange everything is 
  • • Delirium that he is ugly 
  • • Dreams shameful 

Physical Generals 

Head Headaches with intense neuralgias, everything seems strange, Intense pain, as of an iron band around head, Meningitis. When critical discharges appear, sweat, polyuria, diarrhea. 

Ear 

Persistent, offensive discharge, Perforation in membrana tympani, with ragged edges

Stomach 

Desire for meat, All-gone, hungry sensation, Desire for cold milk. 

Abdomen 

Early-morning, sudden diarrhea, Stools dark-brown, offensive, discharged with much force. 

Female 

Benign mammary tumors, Menses too early, too profuse, long-lasting, Dysmenorrhea, Pains increase with the establishment of the flow

Coughs and Acute Bronchitis: 

Cough is dry and associated with fever, pain felt in the lungs, and the lymph glands in the neck are enlarged. If bronchitis is present, there is often a shortness of breath, wheezing, and a persistent and painful cough. Shortness of breath, even with plenty of fresh air, Longs for cold air. Broncho-pneumonia in children. Hard, hacking cough, profuse sweating and loss of weight, rales all over chest. Deposits begin in apex of lung . 

Arthritic Pains: 

Limb pains that move from one part of the body to the joints tend to get tired easily and are sore or restless a majority of the time. 

Sleep Poor; wakes early. Overpowering sleepiness in daytime. Dreams vivid and distressing. 

Fever Post-critical temperature of a remittent type, here repeat dose every two hours (Macfarlane). Profuse sweat. General chilliness. 

Modalities Worse, motion, music; before a storm; standing; dampness; from draught; early morning, and after sleep. Better, open air. 

Dosage selection 

Burnett recommended it to be given in high if there is a strong tubercular element in the case. 

Complementary: Psorinum, Sulphur 

Tuberculinum should not be given without a most careful cardiac examination. 

Differences between Bacillinum and Tuberculinum…. 

BACILLINUM 1. A HOT patient 2. More acute in nature 3. Transudative, rather dryness is more marked. 4. Patients sweat negligible 5. Less expectoration 6. Patient may be toxic like Baptisia and Pyrogen 7. Purulence more, marked, bronchial secretion threatening to occlude the lungs (Dr.Cartier) 8. More suffocation 9. There is mixed infection. 10.No wasting so far been observed. 11.Good looking & backward in nature, frightened particularly by dogs(Dr.J.H.Clarke) A case of insanity with pityriasis yielded rapidly to the remedy (Dr.J.H.Clarke) 12.Non allergic, herpetic eruption may be cancerous one. Ring worm particularly over the scalp is suggestive. 13. Preferably used in children, adult in few cases may be helpful 14. Worse in wet weather mostly. 15. Mainly sycotic miasm in the back-ground. 16. Pre-tubercular diathesis.

TUBERCULINUM 1. A CHILLY patient 2. More chronic in nature 3. Exudative in character. 4. Patient is sweaty one 5. More expectoration 6. Patient is non toxic like Sulph Psorinum, Rhus Tox etc. 7. No such 8. No such 9. There are many infections like carcinosin 10.Wasting is the key note (Abrot iod.) 11.Patient is blond(Phos, Puls) intelligent, sharp, aggressive, irritable fretful. Malicious, selfish, prefers any artistic activity like classical and melodious music drawing, painting, drama etc. cosmopolitan i.e. wants to travel (Calc. P, Merc.S) 12.Allergic, erythematous and eczematous eruption, plica polonica. 13. Mostly used in adult but in some cases children get help from it. 14. Worse in dry or wet weather. 15. Mainly Psora-sycotic miasm back-ground 16.Tubercular diathesis.