Tuberculinum Page1

Tuberculinum
FromVermeulensSynopticMateriaMedica
TubercularNosode(fromabovinetubercularlesion)
Region
LUNGS.Mind.Headocciput.Glands.Larynx.Blood.*Rightside.
Modalities
Worse:CLOSEROOM.Motion;atbeginningofmotion.Exertion.Weather[DAMP
cold;changing].Draft.Awaking.Noise.Mentalexcitement.Thinkingofit.Pressureof
waistband.Beforeastorm.Music.Standing.
Better:Coolwind.Openair.WALKINGFAST.Continuedmotion.
Leadingsymptoms
MLonging.Romanticlonging,neverfindinginnercontentment.UNFULFILLED.
Unbearablesenseofbeingunfulfilled.
MNEEDforCHANGE[stimulatingexperiences].Frequentlychanging[job,house,
partner,interiorofhouse,car,etc.].Fightaconstantbattleagainstboredom.
MDesiretoTRAVEL.
MWanttotryeverything."Lifeissoshort,sowhyrestrainmyself?"
MImpulsetoRUN.
MMALICIOUSNESS,destructiveness[especiallywhenneedforchangeisfrustrated].
Destructivefantasies.
MCOMPULSIVENESS.Ritualistic.Superstitious.
MExtremeIRRITABILITYmorningonWAKING.
MShriekingduringsleep,especiallybeforemenses.
MFearofDOGSandespeciallyCATS.
MOptimistic.Hopeful[2].
MPrecociouschildren.
Gagg.BEFORESTORM.
Gagg.COLDDAMPweather.
GSeashoreagg.oramel..
Gamel.Openair.agg.CLOSEDROOM.Liketodrivethecarwiththewindowsopen.
Gamel.DRYwarmweather.
GStrongcravingforSMOKEDthings,FATandCOLDMILK.
GRavenousHUNGERatnight;drivingoutofbed.
GPROFUSEperspiration;atnight;fromslightexertion.
GTendencytotakecold.MarkeddispositiontoRESPIRATORYailments.
GCropsofsmallboilsoneafteranother.
GGRINDINGofteethduringsleep.
GConstantlychangingsymptoms.Indicatedremediesfailtoimprovepermanently.
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"Obscure,changeableindications"[Boger].
GT.B.[orchronicrespiratoryorallergicaffections]infamilyhistory.
PPeriodicheadaches[weekly,fortnightly].
PBrightrednessoflips;"asifthebloodwouldburstthrough"[Mathur].
PBrownfingertips[Boger].
PSkineasilytanned.
PHeadache;asofanironbandaroundhead.
PDarkhairalongspine[inchildren][KEYNOTE!].
PRollingheadtogettosleep.Strikesheadagainstbed[inchildren].
Repertory
Mind
Anxiety,night,children,in[4].Cursing[2].Discontented[3].Fear,animals,of[3],cats,of
[2],dogs,of[2],waking,on[3].Forgotten,something,feelsconstantlyasifhehad[2].
Hyperactive,children[2].Impulse,morbid,run,to,dromomania[4].Industrious[3].
Lookedat,cannotbeartobe[3].Malicious[3].Offended,easily,takeseverythingin
badpart[4].Shrieking,sleep,during[3],menses,before[3].Striking,knockinghis
headagainstwall[3].Travel,desireto[3].
Head
Pain,chronic[1],coryza,with[1],periodic[2],readingagg.[2],weather,colddampagg.
[1].
Eye
Pain,turningeyessideways[3].Swollenlids,morning,headache,with[1].
Vision
Dim,headache,before[2],nausea,with[1].Disturbancesof,precedeorattendheadache
[1].
Ear
Discharges,purulent[2].Inflammation,media,discharge,withchronic[1].
Nose
Adenoidvegetations[1].Coryza,chronic,longcontinued[2],diarrhoea,followedby[1].
Discharge,offensive,cheese,like[3],thick[3],yellow[3].Stoppedsensation,morning
[2].Perspirationon[1].
Face
Discoloration,bluish,menses,before[1],eyes,circlesaround,menses,before[1],red,lips
[2].
Externalthroat
Indurationofglands,likeknottedcords[3].
Stomach
Appetite,ravenous,emaciation,with[2].Nausea,pressure,abdomen,on[2].Vomiting,
sweetish[2].
Abdomen
Coldness[2].Swelling,inguinalregion,glandsof[2].
Rectum
Constipation,painful[2].Diarrhoea,morning,bed,drivingoutof[2],menses,after[2],
2

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sleep,during[2],weakness,without[2].
Femalegenitalia
Leucorrhoea,walkingagg.[2].Menses,delayedingirls,firstmenses[2],excitement,
returnswithleast[1],mentalexcitementagg.[1].
Respiration
Difficult,air,inopen,amel.{2],lying,while[3].
Cough
Readingaloudagg.[2].Talkingloud[2].
Chest
Milk,menses,before[2],menses,during[2].Swelling,mammae,menses,before[2],
menses,during[2],secretionofmilk,with[2].
Extremities
Pain,motionamel.[2],wetweather[2];lowerlimbs,cold,becoming[2],walkingamel.[2].
Fever
RElapscorallinusing[2].
Perspiration
Motion,bringsonchilliness[2].
Skin
Allergy,milk,to[3].Eruptions,itching,heatofstoveamel.[2;Rumx.].Itching,coldair,in
[2],heatofstoveamel.[3].
Generalities
Activity,increased[2].Air,open,desirefor[2],amel.[3].Weather,wind,ridingin,amel.
[1].
Food
Aversion:Meat[2];acids[1];cheese[1];coffee,smellof[1];eggs[1];milk[1];milk,cold
[1];pineapple[1];wine[1].
Desire:Delicacies[3];smokedmeat[3];alcohol[2];bacon[2];fat[2];fatham[2];milk
[2];milk,cold[2];pork[2];refreshingthings[2];saltythings[2];sweets[2];bananas
[1];colddrinks[1];coldfood[1];fat+salt[1];fat+sweets[1];icecream[1];meat[1];
potatoes[1];salami[1];saltythings+sweets[1];warmdrinks[1].
Worse:Coffee,smellof[1];hotfood[1].
Nucleus
1.Desireforchange.Romanticlonging.Violentwhenneedforchangeisfrustrated.
2.Constantlychangingsymptoms.Recurrentrespiratorytroubles.
3.Desireforopenair.agg.Closeroom.
4.agg.Colddampweather.
5.Cravingforsmokedmeat,sweetsandcoldmilk.
6.Easyperspiration;atnight.

Tuberculinum
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PaulHerscu,fromalecturein1993
Restless,pumpledup,hyperchild,likestodo,togo.Fights,tantrums,kicking,biting,
punching.Duringatantrummightbangtheirhead.Mightkicktheparents(Veratrum,
Hyoscyamus,Tarentula,Stramonium).Restlessnesswithdesireforchange.Medorrhinumis
reallyintheearth,earthynature.Theyactivelydothingswiththeirbody.Maybicyclemiles
inNepal,aremorephysciallyinvolved.Tuberculinummoreofatourist,lessphysical
activity.
Medorrhinumlikesthebeach.Ameliorationatbeachandinocean.Headaches,eczema,
asthma,arthritismightbebetteratbeach.
AnothertypeofTuberculinumisfrequentlyseen:childrenbornwithcongenital
anomallies.Theymayhavetherestlessness,butmighthaveadullness,retardation,idiocy.Or
kidsmightbebright,butafteranillnessdevelopdullness,inabilitytoconcentrate.
Fears:Animals,especiallydogsandcats.Maypunishorhurtanimals,throwthemacross
theroom.
Theartisticqualityisaminorpart.Maybe5%willhavethatasmajorcharacteristic.
Music,art,etc.
Determinedmaliciousness.Violent,breakthings.Deceitfulness(Verat,Hyosc,Tub).Lie
andsteal.
UsuallyTubgetssocializedandtheintensitydrops,soastheygetoldertheydontgetinto
fights,etc.(thisisoftentrueforMedorrhinumalso.)
YoullseemanymoreTuberculinumchildrenthanadults.Byage12or13manyneeda
differentremedy.Medismoreconfusion.Tubmoredullness.
80%ofmyTuberculinumprescriptionsgotokids.60%ofMedorrhinumprescriptionsgo
tokids.

Tuberculinum

from a lecture by Roger Morrison on 8/22/93

Tuberculosis is the source of Tuberculinum. The early symptoms of tuberculosis are nondescript: malaise, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, night sweats, mild cough, dyspnea,
fever in the afternoon. These are also the symptoms of the remedy. Tuberculosis is found in
the repertory as phthisis, which means wasting. Tuberculosis was also called consumption.
The idea is that the body is being metabolized, burned up. We think of tuberculosis as being
primarily a pulmonary infection, but it is a systemic disease. It starts from getting exposed
to small drops of sputum that are coughed in our faces. There is also involvement in bones,
kidneys, brain, sometimes the heart. Tuberculinum is important in all these organs. In the
bones it is good for osteomyelitis. In the joints, it is one of the most important remedies for
rheumatism, especially RA and septic arthritis. In Tuberculinum there is weight loss,
headache and convulsions.
The acute infection is like influenza, then the purulent phase in the respiratory tract,
and then the tertiary tuberculosis in the kidneys, with renal failure, etc. The natural history
of disease is set by nature. We can eradicate the bug with antibiotics, but the natural
history of the disease does not change. Even in the absence of the TB organism, there can
be tubercular renal failure in an individual that has the tubercular miasm. Pneumocystis
pneumonia is really no different from TB in the sense that it causes wasting, respiratory
disease, and premature death. The disease finds its expression.
Tuberculinum comes in three varieties: Tuberculinum (bovine variety), Bacillinum
(taken from the sputum of a TB patient that contained tubercles, which are calcified cysts
from the lungs) and Tuberculinum aviary (a bird version of tuberculosis). The bovine variety
is the principle remedy in use today. Other remedies in the tubercular miasm include
Phosphorus, Stannum, Calcarea, Calcarea phosphorica, Lycopodium, Silica, Sulphur, all of
the Kalis, Lobelia, Puls and Drosera.

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Burnett was the first person to use Tuberculinum. He was a maverick. The remedy
he used was made by Swan, and was a Bacillinum preparation. Swan made many of the
nosodes still in use today. Koch made up the first preparation of Tub bovinum, and most
homeopaths today use grafts of Kents original Tub bovinum, which he triturated himself.
Consumption is something that is burned from an inner fire. Doc Holliday died from
consumption. Gunfight at the OK Corral is one of his classic movies. He expended himself
on women and drink. He lived a short, charismatic, violent existence. He had burning in his
lung. Another movie portraying tuberculinum is A song to remember, about Chopin, who
died from TB. Other famous people who had TB include Bela Bartok, Elizabeth Browning and
Edna St Vincent Malay. All of these people are romantic types. Burning ones candle at
both ends is a key to the remedy. Tuberculinum begins as a smolder, and ends as a raging
fire. Physically there is fever, weight loss, sweat, insatiable appetite, hyperactivity, passion,
intensity, romance, anger, movement, restlessness, destructiveness (like a forest fire), and
finally a burned out state, with exhaustion, depression, ennui. In the early stage the patient
is often very bright. Then they have mania, industriousness, a burned out stage, dullness
and compulsive neuroses.
The essence of the remedy is romantic longing. Something inside feels unfulfilled.
This can take the form of an aspiration, a feeling that they need something just out of reach.
Romantic, artistic, poetic, sensitive types. They see into the nature of the heart. Refined
tastes. Erotic in the broadest sense. Burning, ardent love. They are indescribable
romantics. They dress in a romantic way, wearing deep purple, etc, and can be bohemian
and flamboyant.
Where does this essence come from? In the early stage they may be idealistic,
energetic, sensitive, creative, open, adventuresome and curious. Vibrating with the
possibilities of the world. The pathology is not yet formed, but the seed is there. The
longing is there, in a tender leaf.
Then they become restless. The longing becomes more frantic. There is a feeling
that something is missing. In the early stage they feel that there are so many possibilities,
but now they feel that something is missing. They will seek out that thing. They will travel,
change on every level. It is hard for them to stick with things. They may have some
accomplishments in an area, but then they have to switch. They are erratic. They feel that
life is too short. This is still the early stage of pathology which doesnt have any malicious
quality to it. The patient is a romantic, searching person, who is charming in many respects.
The next phase is frustration. They are never satisfied, never at rest, never
peaceful. They are never happy. They make life difficult for people around them. Chekhovs
Three Sisters is about three women who long to go to Moscow all their lives, and never
make it. This is a classic Tub story.
The next stage is a sort of decadent phase. Promiscuity, drugs, alcohol, dangerous
sports, etc. This is the jet set. They no longer believe that what they were longing for
actually exists. They go into indulgence to dull the pain of disappointment with life. They
are nihilistic. They have ennui and boredom.
When they get beyond the boredom stage, they get to anger. It may be with
moodiness, and they can have substance abuse. The last stage involves maliciousness,
where there is an inner discontent that cant find peace, and they take it out on others.
They are jealous of people that feel fulfilled. They have a frustration in which they have the
desire to break things. They might find the thing that you love the most and break it. They
dont have remorse after doing something destructive, as might be seen in Aurum.
Tub children: Tub is an excellent remedy for developmental disorders, congenital
anomalies, mental retardation, failure to thrive and autism. The next group of conditions
well treated by Tub is recurring infections, especially in the chest, but also in the ears or the
throat (tonsillitis). It can also be recurrent cystitis or diarrhea. The third group is behavioral
disorders, including attention deficit, hyperactivity, dyslexia and learning disorders. In the
full blown case, the parents complain of difficulty managing the kid. They will say he is the
worst imaginable child. The parent may give up the pretense that this is a child that they
love. The kids are never happy, are obstinate, dissatisfied, irritable, snappish. In the earlier
phases, the parent will bring them in for recurrent infections or congenital disorders. In the
early stages, they can be charming, lively and intelligent. In the typical behavioral problem,
there will be tantrums, fighting, biting, hitting, getting on the floor and hitting the floor.

Tuberculinum Page6
They are unmoved by punishment. This is a strong characteristic.
Appearance: Tub kids are wiry, thin, tall, quite strong, but may be emaciated. The
skin is pale, although the hair can be luxuriant. May be born with a full head of hair. The
eyelashes are long. The hair may be fine. They may have hair along the spine, which can
be gone by the age of five. They have bluish sclerae. They may be plump and soft,
especially the women.
The greatest fear of Tub is animals, especially dogs. And fear of cats is nearly
pathognomonic for Tuberculinum. They may also have great love of animals. Very often
they have aversion to cats, or aversion to any furry animal. Or they may have allergy to
cats. [China and Stram may also have fear of cats and other animals as well.]
They may have mental dullness. They cant think for a long time. Their mind gets
lazy. They still have force in their mind, and can read something complicated if they really
need to, but are averse to that. They make excuses for not reading things. They will do the
easy things, and put off the things they have to think about. Their mind becomes duller and
duller. They have the feeling constantly that they have forgotten something. They may
develop a compulsion for checking things. [Caust] They lose confidence in their mental
capacity. They may become weak, complaining, whining, like Sepia. They often develop
funny nervous habits, and later compulsions and rituals. They have lack of trust in their
memory, and they have the feeling that they forgot to tell you something, and they will call
you or come back to the office to tell you some small detail of their history. They are weak
and small minded.
Physical Generals: Aggravated from storms. Agg from cold and cold damp, from
getting wet and from cold bathing. They get chills from uncovering. They are better in
warm dry environments, and sometimes in cool crisp weather. Any change of weather is
aggravating. Better in the mountains, especially in pine forests. Ameliorated in open air or
driving with windows open. Night sweats. One of most important remedies for this.
Emaciation despite tremendous appetite. [Sulph, Phos, Psor] Recurrent fevers. Cold sweats
during chills. (add to Desktop Guide) #1 remedy for milk allergies (also Nat carb).
Migraine, recurrent headaches. Headache like an iron band (RM has only seen this one time)
Periodic headaches. #1 for bruxism. Angry head banging, as in tantrums, and in autism.
Alopecia in the beard is characteristic. Tinea of scalp is also a strong characteristic. They
get a circumscribed, red flush high up on the cheek. Fevers with swollen glands is big for
Tub. Recurrent diarrhea, which may chase them out of bed in the morning. Recurrent
respiratory illness. (Think of Tub first for this.) Hard dry cough in isolation, a single hard
cough. Left sided pleurisy and pneumonia. Arthritis with modalities of Rhus tox. It is hard
to differentiate these two remedies constitutionally as well. Tub often is irritable in the
morning. Tub is good for dysmenorrhea or amenorrhea, ailments at menopause, painful
breasts before menses. Tub is one of the best remedies for autoimmune diseases, especially
lupus, especially discoid lupus with alopecia, RA, scleroderma. Any connective disease.
Raynauds syndrome is also seen.
If a patient looks like Tub but they crave pickles or vinegar, Bacillinum is a better remedy.
Differentiating Tub and Carc: Carc has dependency on the family. 90% of Tub are worse at
the sea, while 90% of Carc are better at the sea. Tub has night sweats and bruxism. Tub
doesnt have the fastidiousness of Carc.

Case: 12 yr old girl with recurrent chronic bronchitis, which is seasonal. In the fifth grade
she had pneumonia. She gets wheezing in cold weather. Mucus in the throat, which she
cant clear. The infections start as a cold, then she gets post nasal discharge, and this
wakes her at night. She craves pickles and vinegar. She is averse fish, fat, milk. Restless
sleep. Puts feet out of covers. She doesnt like other peoples expectations. She is very
responsible. She is artistic, and sympathetic. She likes open air. She is stubborn.

Tuberculinum Page7
Rx: Bacillinum 200C. (Looks like Tub, but with the craving for pickles and vinegar,
Bacillinum is better.)
Case: Woman who is a classic early stage Tub. She has migraine headaches since age 20, a
few times a week. These are mainly related to her menstrual cycle. She was previously a
hippy, and was married to a poet and construction worker. She worked as an actress. She
has had a lot of changes in her life. She lives internally and fights demons on the inside.
She has an internal feeling of wanting to die. She has had strong romantic desires. She
wanted to fall in love, travel to far away places. She cries easily, like Puls, but she has a
strong will. She is sympathetic. She is somewhat like Phos. Her headaches go in one eye
and out the other. During these headaches she cant function. This is the only time when
she slows down and asks for help. She is dissatisfied with her marriage because there is no
romance there. [Tub will create romance in some way.] She has history for asthma for 3
years following a bout of pneumonia. She has strong allergy to dog dander. (The asthma is
relatively mild in Tub most times.) She is worse in cold damp weather. She had pneumonia
for the first time at age 12, requiring hospitalization. She has cats, and is allergic to them.
She loves her cats, and cant give them up.
Followup: She feels better. She had a transient aggravation of her headaches. She had
lighter bleeding with her menses. She felt a surge of new energy.
Case: Woman with a breathy, sexy voice. She had been given Tub 7 years earlier and did
well. She doesnt like cats. History of bronchiectasis, which cleared up completely after the
remedy. For the past year she has been tired all the time, she has had to stay home from
work to rest.
Followup: Craving for barbecued beef.

She did great with her second dose of Tub.

Case: Man with recurrence of fatigue after previously doing well with Tub. He is very
exhausted. He had recurrence of throat complaints. He doesnt have the mental power to
concentrate. He doesnt want to fix the mind on anything. He is active physically, but
mentally tired. He is restless, he cant finish projects. He is not relaxed, he is hyper in his
brain. He is polished, cosmopolitan, but world weary. He has a strong sexual desire. He has
a decadent quality. He has lost all sense of romance. He falls in love 10 times a day. He
describes it as love, rather than sex. He falls in love with the image of the woman, but he
gets over it easily. He says he has lots of affection inside, and that he just had a relationship
with a woman for 3 months that was intense. He admits that he overdid it, taking up her
time, he consumed her, and wanted to be consumed by her. This turned his partner off. He
is dissatisfied. He feels unfulfilled. He never watches the same TV show for more than 1
minute. He is very close to his cat. It is the magic feeling that he wants in a relationship,
not the person.
Followup: He looks fresher, less weary, more vulnerable. His concentration is better.
Overall he had a very good response.