The Master Remedies #1: Sulphur By Vinton McCabe Ó Vinton McCabe, 2010
Most people who first try a homeopathic remedy on their own tend to buy Arnica and use it for a bump or a bruise. But those whose first remedy is given to them by a homeopath are likely to be given Sulphur. It is perhaps the most useful remedy in the homeopathic pharmacy. It is certainly one of the most interesting as well. Sulphur: From Substance to Remedy Sulfur is an element. It occurs in nature as a brittle crystalline solid substance. This substance is typically found near volcanoes. The word itself is a compound of “Sul” meaning “salt” and “Phur” meaning “fire”. The compound considers sulfur to be “the salt that burns”. It is known for the blue fire with which it burns in open air. In Hindi, the element is called “Gandhak” a term that refers to the strong smell of the substance. Sulfur is known for its smell similar to that of rotten eggs. Along with the metals gold and silver, sulfur was one of the earliest medicinal substances known to the Ayurvedic doctors of ancient India. The earliest uses of the substance were for skin conditions of all sorts. In preparing the remedies, the crystalline “flowers of sulfur” are crushed with milk sugar and then dissolved in alcohol. If the flowers seem impure, it is first washed in alcohol to remove impurities. The use of sulfur has grown over the centuries. Spring waters containing heavy amounts of sulfur have commonly been given as tonics at health spas both here and in Europe. It’s power for restoring health has included uses as a cure for croup, for hives, and for rashes of all sorts. And, the substance has been considered a painkiller as well, and it is said that the British were once fond of carrying a piece of sulfur in their pocket as a cure for rheumatism. History: Sulfur and Paracelsus It is a tribute of sorts to Theophraastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, or Paracelsus (1493-1541) as he named himself, that he remains, more than five centuries since his mysterious death in a barroom brawl, one of medicine’s most controversial figures. Indeed, he would have likely been highly pleased that even today the world is divided by those who think him an early genius of the medical art and those who think him a madman. Paracelsus is important to homeopathy in general and to Sulphur specifically because his search for alchemical remedies that could not only transform lead into gold but also transform a dying man into a Lazarus, caused him to consider the act of dilution as a means by which toxic substances could be into safe medicines. This principle would later become part of the process by
which Samuel Hahnemann would create his homeopathic methods, and remains part of the process to this day. Indeed, it was Paracelsus that began the transformation of the ancient art of alchemy into the modern science of chemistry. And it was he who famously told his fellow alchemists, “Don’t make gold, make medicines.” Few substances were, according to Paracelsus, as curative as sulfur. He considered it to one of the three “Master Substances,” along with salt and mercury. Each stood as an archetype for an aspect of human life: salt for substance or matter, mercury for intellect, reasoned thought and communication, and sulfur for energy. Much of medicine as practiced by Paracelsus, was based in this idea of balance among these three substances. But, even among these three, sulfur is the starting place. It was the energy source that could fire the healing process. Paracelsus, like the Ayurvedic physicians of ancient India, used sulfur for many external afflictions. He used it for rashes of all sorts, for ringworm, for all conditions of the skin. He felt that yellow sulfur was the best for external use, and identified several different categories of sulfur-based medicines and the preparation and uses of each. Hahnemann and Sulphur It is, of course, impossible to overstate the contribution that Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1834) made to homeopathy. He is, quite simply, the Father of Homeopathy. He coined the term from two Latin terms meaning “similar suffering.” In the same way, he coined the term still used today for what we consider to be standard Western medicine. That term, “allopathy” is also taken from two Latin words, meaning “different suffering.” Each term defines an approach to the treatment of diseases and the patients with those diseases. In allopathic medicine, the doctor works against the patient’s symptoms and, in treating them, gives medicines that counter the symptoms that the patient is experiencing. In doing so, the doctor suppresses the patient’s symptoms, masks the patient’s experience of his symptoms, while waiting for the patient’s own immune system to clear the symptoms away and restore the patient to health. In homeopathic medicine, the doctor actually works with the patient’s symptoms and, in treating them, will give the patient a remedy that would, in a healthy patient, artificially create the same symptom patterns that the patient is experiencing. This concept, that “like cures like” is the heart of homeopathy. But homeopathic remedies are also, in their creation, as different from allopathic medicines as they are in their use. Where allopathic medicines are taken from substances and those substances are given in larger and larger doses to increase their medicinal impact (and side effects), homeopathic medicines are given in what is called “micro-doses”, which is to say that they are given in smaller and smaller amounts in the treatment of disease. Homeopathic remedies are, in the process known as “potentizing”, diluted to the point at which the original substance is wiped away, leaving only its energy signature to carry out the cure. Because of this, because homeopathy is a form of energy medicine and not one that relies of substance, homeopathic remedies are safe and create no side effects while they bring about a healing response. The discovery of a pharmacy of homeopathic medicines was, of course, perhaps the greatest challenge that Hahnemann faced. While he could call upon centuries of information on the
philosophy of homeopathy—the concepts that Hahnemann would codify and name “homeopathic” date easily back to Hippocrates—Hahnemann had no reference guide to use to create his remedies. Therefore, he turned to the common substances, minerals and herbs mostly, that were used by the allopaths of his day and worked with them to make them safer and more effective. To make them into homeopathic remedies. And so it is only natural that he would very early in his career turn his attention to sulfur. Sulphur is one of Hahnemann’s first remedies. In his Materia Medica, he lists some 151 symptoms that are treatable with Sulphur. Hahnemann wrote that sulfur was used as a medicinal substance at least 2,000 years ago and that a great deal of medicine, both allopathic and homeopathic, is based upon the use of sulfur. In his Materia Medica Pura, Hahnemann dedicates 28 pages to spelling out the symptoms to which Sulphur speaks and the ways in which the remedy is indicated. He writes that the substance sulfur was first used medicinally in the treatment of rash and of itch, specifically the itching of those allergic to wool. He also notes that he commonly uses the remedy in the smallest doses and finds it effective. In that Hahnemann’s chief contribution to the medical art is this concept of “micro-dose” in which his medicines are greatly diluted from their natural states before being given medicinally, it is not surprising that he would come to this conclusion. But in that homeopathic remedies are somewhat paradoxically known to grow stronger with each new state of dilution, it is important to note that what Hahnemann is telling us is that Sulphur, unlike many other remedies, often works best in lower dilutions, at a stage of dilution that is close to the natural substance. This is perhaps because the original substance is non-toxic (toxic agents and poisons always require a larger degree of homeopathic dilution to render them both safe and effective as medicines), but also because, by its very nature as a mineral substance, it is most effective as a grounding remedy, one that helps the patient to heal himself from a state of confusion and/or oversensitivity (as witnessed by its regular use in assisting patients with allergies of all sorts). In that Hahnemann had at his disposal only a handful of remedies compared with today’s pharmacy of literally thousands of homeopathic remedies that have been discovered since his time, it stands to reason that he used Sulphur quite often and with good results. However, unlike some of Hahnemann’s other original remedies, Sulphur has withstood over two hundred years of clinical use and remains one of our most prescribed remedies. Kent and Sulphur James Tyler Kent (1849-1916) is perhaps still to be considered America’s finest homeopath. He was an eclectic physician, what today we would call a “naturopath” who dedicated his life to the study of homeopathy after he witnessed seemingly miraculous cures brought about through the use of common homeopathic remedies. Kent’s influence on the American practice of homeopathy was especially great, in that he, as a brilliant teacher, guided an entire generation of young homeopaths, who canonized his methods in the practice of homeopathy in the United States. In his Lectures on Homeopathic Materia Medica, Kent tells us that “Sulphur is such a full remedy that it is difficult to tell where to begin. It seems to contain a likeness to all sicknesses, and a beginner reading over the provings of Sulphur might naturally think that there is no need of any other remedy, as the image of all sicknesses seems to be contained in it...but it will not cure all the sicknesses of man, and must not be used indiscriminately...It seems that the less a physician knows
Materia Medica the oftener he gives Sulphur; but it is very frequently given by good prescribers, so that the line between physician’s knowledge and ignorance cannot be drawn from the frequency of their use of Sulphur, but by how successfully he uses it.”[i] It is important to note there that, like the miasm of Psora, the “taint” of chronic functional illness which we will discuss in the pages ahead and which Sulphur represents in many pages of homeopathic literature, Sulphur actually has a Biblical component. Just as Kent likens Psora (see below for more information on “Psora”) to “Original Sin”, to the process of wounded ego that leads the individual to place his or her own needs above and beyond those of anyone else, so, too, do many classical homeopaths compare Sulphur to the Biblical Lake of Fire, into which sinners are cast in eternal damnation. Like this lava lake, the aches and pains of Sulphur seem without end, particularly the burning and itching sensations that are central issues with the remedy type. Indeed, the Sulphur who is wearing a wool sweater may well consider himself to have been cast into pool of pure discomfort, and even the parts of his body untouched by the wool itself, may testify the discomfort with redness, burning and itch. Sulphur is the major remedy of what is called the “oxygenoid” group, that group of persons whose systems cannot easily extract oxygen from the air. These types, with Sulphur chief among them, want fresh, and often cool air. They prefer to be outdoors, even if their symptoms are worse outdoors. They feel that they can never quite catch their breath, and often will respond to any form of stress by stopping breathing altogether. Using Sulphur Again, given its long history as a medicine, both allopathic (in the form of substance) and homeopathic (in the form of energy medicine), Sulphur is a remedy with many uses. It is also a remedy with many levels of treatment. It may be used as a remedy for cases of simple acute illness. Or it may be used on a deeper level, in what we call “constitutional” treatments. These are those that treat more chronic or serious illnesses. They are treatments that seek not only to release the patient from his illness, but to also substantially increase his vitality and is ability to ward off future illness. Still deeper, as we shall see, is the use of Sulphur in what we call “miasmic” medicine. This term relates to the later part of Samuel Hahnemann’s life, when he revisited his lifetime of cases and cures and reconsidered those cases that he failed to cure. He sought to understand the deepest level of disease—that which we most often consider to be genetic in today’s world. His explanation for diseases that resisted treatment, even with the best-selected remedies from the master himself, brought about the coining of the word “miasm”, which means “taint.” This inborn taint, this point of vulnerability, for Hahnemann meant that a patient was resistant not only to treatment, but to recovery. That the illness had taken hold so deeply—perhaps over a number of generations—that is was all but incurable. As we shall see, Hahnemann concluded that Sulphur was a powerful tool to be used in the clearing of miasms. And his conclusions have been clinically proven again and again over the centuries since his own practice. Sulphur: Its Acute Uses Sulphur is considered to be a homeopathic “polycrest” remedy. This means several things.
First, it ranks it among the most important and most used remedies. Second, it means that Sulphur may be used as a remedy for simple, acute conditions, or may be used on a deeper level, to combat chronic conditions. Finally, it is believed that the handful of homeopathics that are called polycrests have impact upon the whole of a patient’s system, bringing healing to every part of the patient’s body. In home use, Sulphur is mostly and acute remedy. One that belongs in every household kit. Sulphur, as an acute remedy, should be considered as in the following situations: 1. Diarrhea: after midnight. Painless diarrhea that drives the patient out of bed: particularly in the very early morning. Foul smelling. Patient will experience a burning and itching of the anus. 2. Constipation: stool is dry and dark, as if burnt. Stool is painful to pass. 3. Headache: for sick headaches that occur with a regular pattern: every week or every other week. Headaches that weaken the whole system. Headaches in the forehead that have burning sensation to the pain. Headaches with a hot head and cold feet. 4. Alcoholism: for those whose drinking is similarly patterned: they stop drinking time and time again only to start once more. Happy drunks. Loud drunks. Look for the characteristic red nose and cheeks. 5. Pneumonia: Deep cases. Patient cannot breathe. Hot head. Much sweat. Look for the patient to stick their feet out from under the covers of the bed, in that they are so hot and burn so much. 6. Common Clinical Uses: Absesses, Acne, Adenoids, Allergies, Alcoholism, Angina, Anxiety, Arrhythmia, Arthritis, Asthma, Boils, Bronchitis, Bursitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Cirrhosis, Colitis, Congestive Heart Failure, Conjunctivits, Constipation, Consumption, Dandruff, Dementia, Depression, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Eczema, Eye affectations, Gout, Hemorrhoids, Headache, Hepatitis, Herpes, Hiatus Hernia, Hypertension, Impetigo, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Liver Disorders, Low Back Pain, Lumbago, Lupus, Measles, Menopause, Menstrual Disorders, Migraine, After-Effects of Miscarriage, Multiple Sclerosis, Nasal Polyps, Otitis Media, Peptic Ulcer, Pericarditis, Pneumonia, Pregnancy Disorders, Prostatitis, Psoriasis, Rectal Fissure, Reflux, Rheumatic Disorders, Rhinitis, Rashes of all sorts, Sciatica, Sinusitis, Sleep Disorders, Tonsillitis, Disorders brought on by vaccination, Worms. Finally, in all acute cases, think of Sulphur when only partial relief comes from the remedy or remedies that seem called for, that should bring about cure, or when the patient’s complaints continue relapsing again and again and a simple acute begins to seem on the way to becoming a chronic condition, or when a well-selected remedy suddenly stops working. And think of Sulphur in any acute case in which there are simply too few symptoms to make a skillful remedy selection. A dose of Sulphur will uncover the full range of symptoms and bring to the surface anything that has been hidden. Contraindications for the Use of Sulphur
While Sulphur is certainly one of our most useful remedies—indeed, it would be a toss-up as to which is used more often, Sulphur or Arnica—there are circumstances that indicate that it not only is not the remedy of best choice, but that its use could even be harmful to the patient. Among these contraindications are: 1. Sulphur should not be given at night to persons who do not suffer from a loss of sleep. It tends to be an energizing remedy, and, unless it is being used specifically to combat insomnia, it may well make it impossible for the patient to sleep. 2. It should not be given after Calcarea Carbonica or Aurum Metallicum. It does not follow either of these remedies well and may actually undo any good that the remedies have done. In saying that it should not follow these remedies, I mean that it should never be used immediately after their use. Another remedy may be used between the two (as in the common cycle of Sulphur, followed by Lycopodium and then followed by Calcarea), or a period of time may be allowed for the first remedy to complete its action before Sulphur is used. Sulphur: A Remedy Portrait The central image in this portrait has to do with an itch. The Sulphur type is in a constant state of itch: mentally, emotionally and physically. Often, the itch sensation is combined with a burning. (Sulphur, along with Arsenicum and Phosphorus, make up our “Burn Trio” of remedies, in which all aches and pains seem to be accompanied by a burning sensation.) The patient who experiences a combination of itching and burning almost anywhere on their body may well be in need of the remedy Sulphur. In the home, Sulphur will be called upon for cases of cold, flus, sore throats, allergies, skin conditions, indigestion, and smelly armpits. For everything from chronic fatigue to hangnails. It is one of the most needed and most used remedies in the home kit. No matter the circumstances that call for treatment, there are certain symptoms that will nearly always be present in the Sulphur case. Look for the patient to have an aggravation in the later morning, usually at or around 11 a.m. The patient with low blood sugar will suddenly need to eat at this time, and will usually want to eat a candy bar or a doughnut. This patient and others may feel faint at this time, may have a spell of low energy. Patients with fever will experience chills at this time, as well as exhaustion. But every Sulphur patient will have some aggravation of symptoms at this time. (Sometimes the Sulphur patient will have their aggravation at 11 p.m. and may have to eat something before they go to sleep. Keep an eye out for this as well.) The Sulphur patient will also be a hot patient. They will complain of a sensation of heat that may run all throughout their body, but which will certainly be centered in their head. Sweat and heat are combined symptoms for the Sulphur. They may sweat over their whole body, but it is more common for the Sulphur to sweat only on one side of their body. Or the patient will have sweat and heat in specific areas of the body. They will have a hot, sweaty head. Or the sweat may be located only on the patient’s neck. They will have hot and sweaty hands and/or feet. The sensation of heat will be accompanied by a throbbing sensation that will also be located in specific areas of the body. Look for the Sulphur patient to want to remove or loosen clothing because of a general sensation of heat. Look for this patient to become worse from the heat of their bed, and look for them to stick their feet out from under the covers in order to sleep comfortably. The Sulphur patient is also
given to night sweats. Their sweat will not bring them relief. Their sweat may have a strong, sulfurish smell, like rotten eggs. Along with the heat and sweat, look for the Sulphur patient to experience burning pains. Remember, that burn “burn trio” of Sulphur along with Arsenicum and Phosphorus. In each of these remedies, all symptoms will have burning sensation. In the case of Sulphur, the burning pains will be accompanied by the sensations of heat and sweat. This will especially be true of the Sulphur’s head. The patient will complain of a constant sensation of head in their head, especially on the top of their head. Sulphur’s headaches will usually be centered in the forehead. The patient will complain of head and pressure and a burning sensation in their forehead. They will experience vertigo with their headache. The headache may extend to the vertex, the top of the head, or into the temples. The vertex will be the center of the sensation of heat for the patient’s whole body. Consider this remedy for the patient who has a hot head and cold feet. Also consider this remedy for the patient who has a headache--particularly a sick or migraine headache--on a regular cycle. The classic texts refer to patients with headaches every Sunday, (this is actually quite common, as the Sulphur type will become sick when they stop working or when their regular schedule is changed--they will become sick on Sunday because it is the day that they let their guard down, in the same way, they will typically become sick when they go on vacation) but consider this remedy for the patient who has a headache every other day, or every fourth day, or on any other regular cycle. Look for this cycle in other ailments as well, especially for Sulphur cases of digestive disorder. The Sulphur patient’s skin will be a strong indicator of the remedy. Look for the Sulphur patient to have skin that is not only hot and sweaty but also red. It is most common for the Sulphur to have red skin across their cheeks and nose, or to have a red face (especially during headache), but the Sulphur may have redness of their skin in any affected area of the body. Consider Sulphur for virtually any rash. Especially when the patient’s general condition matches the remedy picture. The rash will be red, it will be hot, and it will be itchy. Any itch that a Sulphur patient experiences will be worse from heat of any kind, but especially worse from the heat of the bed. The Sulphur patient will be all but driven crazy by the itch and heat that they feel when it bed. They will kick off their covers in order to sleep. The rash will be itchy and will be burning in character if the patient scratches it. The rash will also be sensitive to air, wind and washing. The rash will be much worse if the patient washes it or bathes. The Sulphur patient will always feel worse from bathing. In acute ailments, even colds and flu, you may have a patient who does not want to bathe. This is not from sheer laziness, the patient will actually have an aggravation from bathing. Consider Sulphur for such diverse conditions of the skin as eczema, boils, acne and pimples, even abscesses and ulcers of all sorts. Look for the skin conditions--especially in chronic cases--to alternate with other conditions, especially with digestive disorders and with respiratory troubles, especially asthma. Especially in chronic cases, expect the Sulphur’s skin to look unhealthy. And consider this remedy, along with Silicea, for skin conditions that will not readily heal. In respiratory infections, the Sulphur will continue with the same combination of symptoms: burning, sweating and heat. The patient’s eyes will be red and hot. The patient will complain of burning in their eyes and of a sensation as if they had sand or glass in their eye. This is a remedy to consider in cases of ulceration of the margins of the eyelids. This is a remedy to consider in any case in which the patient complains of a bursting sensation in their eyeball, especially if it is associated with burning and heat. Look for the eyes to water and tear, and for the tears to seem
somewhat oily or thick. The patient will also complain of a sensation of heat in their ears. They will complain of throbbing and congestion. The patient’s external ear will be very red. It will be hot to the touch. The patient will insist that they, when they move their head, can feel water sloshing around inside their ear. They will alternate between deafness and very acute hearing. They will complain of a whizzing or hissing sound in their ears. Look for the patient’s ears to discharge on a regular cycle, usually once a week or every eighth day. Look at the patient’s face for indications of the remedy. The patient will have red cheeks, and a red band across their nose. They may also have the large red, swollen nose that we associate with W.C. Fields. (Sulphur is a major remedy for alcoholism and the Sulphur drinker will almost always exhibit this symptom of the swollen nose, often a red nose with very purple veins in it.) The patient’s lips will be bright red. The upper lip may be swollen. They lips may appear rough, dry and cracked. The patient will complain of a sensation of dryness and burning in the lips and mouth. They will have gums that bleed easily, as will Rhus Tox and Phosphorus. The Sulphur’s gums will also be red and swollen. The patient may complain of a throbbing sensation in their gums and of extreme sensitivity in their teeth. Look for shooting and throbbing pains in the patient’s teeth. The patient may also grind their teeth, especially when they are asleep. The patient’s tongue will be coated white, with a red tip and red borders. This is an important remedy to consider for cases of thrush. For any case involving aphthae. The patient’s nose will have a constant flow of mucus. The mucus will be watery. The patient’s nose may also be filled with crusts of dried mucus that will bleed when removed. The patient will sneeze constantly. They will sneeze more and will have more nasal discharge when they are outdoors (the Sulphur’s nose will become blocked when they go indoors), yet the patient will, as a whole, feel better when they are outdoors and may stay outside in spite of their worsened nasal symptoms. It is an important symptom of Sulphur that the patient may have a blocked nose, but their sense of smell remains acute. Especially for specific smells. The Sulphur will be sensitive to particular smells. Some will be sensitive to perfumes, others to chemical smells, especially gasoline and other petroleum products. These smells will stay in the patient’s nose long after they have actually smelled them. Perhaps for days and weeks afterward, the patient will insist that all they can smell is that perfume or chemical. Sulphur will also tend to smell imaginary odors. They will insist that they can smell something that no one else can smell. They will also be unaware of their own terrible body odor, or they will be hyper-aware of their own scent and in despair as to what to do about it. Often, the Sulphur patient will smell like the brimstone that is associated with the remedy. It will often be part of the remedy’s picture or a necessary part of the healing process as they sweat out their toxins. Either way, there will be little or nothing that the patient can do about it, as it is a smell that cannot be washed away. And the Sulphur patient, who cannot tolerate the smell of perfume, will be unable to cover it over with artificial scents. Consider Sulphur for any cold or flu that has the picture of the remedy present. But especially consider Sulphur for cases of seasonal allergy that are attended by the overall sensation of heat, or burning, or sweat and of nasal symptoms as listed above. There is perhaps, with the exception of Natrum Muriaticum and Sabadilla, no remedy that is as valuable for those who suffer from seasonal allergies as Sulphur. Sulphur is also considered, like Calcarea, to be a general tonic remedy. It is the first
remedy considered in cases in which the indicated remedy does not work, or works only for a short time. The classic texts suggest that a dose or two of Sulphur will help any other remedy to work more effectively. Sulphur is a major remedy for all sorts of digestive disorders as well. Especially when the disorders are associated with a poor diet or with food allergies. The Sulphur will tend, either in the acute or chronic case, to be drawn to salty, sweet and greasy foods. They love fast foods. They tend to think that either everything is too salty, like a Natrum Muriaticum, or to feel that their is never enough salt on anything. They tend to either crave meat or to be totally averse to it. They will become ill from milk and usually will not like it at all. They tend to crave sweet things of all sorts, and to become ill from eating them. (Sulphur is perhaps the most important remedy to consider for patients with low blood sugar.) And they crave cold drinks, especially sweet and bubbly drinks, like sodas of all sorts, and cold alcoholic beverages, especially beer. They tend to like any drink that causes them to belch. The Sulphur patient is a belchy patient who feels better from their belching. They may belch just for the pure joy of it. The Sulphur’s belch may taste like rotten eggs, it may be smelly as well. They will especially be belchy if they have drunk milk or eaten any dairy product. This is a very thirsty patient. They will complain of burning and heat in their throat that will be better from liquids, especially cold liquids. Their sore throat will also be better from eating salty things, especially potato chips. The patient will have a voice that is deepened by their sore throat. They will have redness of the external as well as the internal throat. They will have a cough that tends to be dry, except in the morning when their cough is loose and their chest rattles with mucus. This is a remedy that should be strongly considered for the patient with acid indigestion. The Sulphur patient will have a great deal of stomach acid. They will feel a burning sensation in their stomach if they eat anything they shouldn’t, and, as they tend to pretty much always eat things they shouldn’t, this burning sensation is pretty much ongoing. The Sulphur patient will feel an improvement in their burning pressure in their stomach if they eat something--this will be especially true at 11 a.m. or 11 p.m., at which time the Sulphur’s digestive complaints will be accompanied by a fainting sensation. The Sulphur patient may vomit. They may feel very nauseous. Consider Sulphur an important remedy for pregnant women who have morning sickness. The Sulphur’s abdomen will be very sensitive to pressure. It will also feel heavy. There may also be the sensation of a ball or lump in the patient’s abdomen, as with Sepia. The patient may also complain of the sensation of something alive and moving in their abdomen, as will the Thuja patient. Consider this remedy for the patient who is colicky, especially for the colicky baby. Consider this remedy if the patient has cramping pain in their abdomen that comes on after they eat, and that forces the patient to bend double to attain relief. The pain will center in the area of the patient’s naval. Consider this remedy for the patient who has a large, swollen abdomen, especially if that enlarged abdomen is accompanied by thin or emaciated limbs, especially arms. Sulphur is the remedy of choice for children and teens who grow quickly and run to a hot body temperature and have large abdomens and thin arms. The Sulphur patient will complain of burning and itching in their anus. It is an important symptom of this remedy that the patient will be driven out of bed in the morning by diarrhea. They will be awakened by their urging. The diarrhea will be painless and quickly expelled. The patient’s anus will be red. The Sulphur will have diarrhea from drinking milk or eating any dairy product. Look for the diarrhea to be accompanied by a good deal of sweating.
This is an important remedy for patients with hemorrhoids that are associated with burning, with itching and with redness of the anus. For external hemorrhoids that are red, swollen and sore. Sulphur is also an important remedy to consider in cases of chronic digestive disorder. For the patient who alternates between constipation and diarrhea. For those with irritable bowel syndrome. For those whose poor diet has stressed their organs of digestion and elimination. Consider it also for gassy patients, when the gas is hot and smelly--smelling like rotten eggs. Consider this remedy for the patient with kidney pain as well. Especially for the patient who experiences itching and burning pain in their left kidney. (Sulphur is primarily considered to be a left-sided remedy, although its symptoms may appear anywhere and everywhere in the body.) The patient may pass urine and/or pus in their urine. And the urine itself may cause the parts of the body through which it passes to burn and ache. Look for the patient to pass a good deal of clear, watery urine, and look for them to urinate involuntarily when they pass gas. (The patient will also urinate when they cough or laugh.) Sulphur is an important pain remedy as well. It is a rheumatic remedy and may be considered for any rheumatic pain, even arthritic pain, that is accompanied by a sensation of heat and burning. The affected joints will be swollen and red. They will also feel stiff. Especially the patient’s knees and ankles will feel stiff. The patient will complain of numbness of their arms, especially of the left arm. They may also complain of numbness in their hands, especially in their fingers. This is an important remedy for patients with whitlows, ulcers around the fingernails, that are hot and buring and stinging and throbbing. The patient’s hands will alternate between being hot and dry and hot and sweaty. The skin on the palms of their hands may be rough and cracked. The patient may complain that their hands tighten up painfully, that the muscles of their hands contract painfully when they try to lift anything. The patient will feel a sensation of heat in their feet, especially in the soles of their feet. The patient will have feet that are hot and sweaty and smelly. The Sulphur patient will have trouble straightening up. They will not want to stand or walk upright. The Sulphur will have trouble in a standing position. They will slump, lean, anything other than stand upright. They will also walk in a slump. They will feel that their body is too heavy to hold upright. This sensation of heaviness will be felt all through the body, but especially in the patient’s shoulders. They will thrust their shoulders forward. It is all but impossible for the Sulphur to push their shoulders back into an upright position. In terms of respiration, the Sulphur will need open or cool air in order to feel as if they can breathe. They will easily feel as if they are suffocating, especially at night. They will have to sleep with a fan on or the windows open. Consider Sulphur for the patient who has a loose cough in association with a cold. The mucus that is coughed up will be greenish. They will expel mucus most copiously in the late morning. Consider Sulphur also for cases of asthma that comes on after a cold. Also for cases of chronic asthma that follow the Sulphur picture. For the patient who has a violent cough that is accompanied by a headache. For the cough that grows worse when the patient lies on their back. This is also a remedy for those with pneumonia, especially when it centers in the left lung. Mentally and emotionally, the Sulphur patient will be crabby, but will want company, especially company that gets their mind off their troubles. They will want to watch TV, play cards,
read magazines or gossip. They will also want to talk about conspiracy theories and cosmic philosophies. Only the Lachesis patient will be more talkative. The Sulphur patients are selfish patients. They will run their caretakers ragged if given the chance. They love to be waited on, and will want gifts when they feel ill. They will not, however, want flowers. They want books, movies on tape or candy. Especially candy. Keynote Symptoms: The fact that the Sulphur will have an aggravation at 11 a.m. (and sometimes at 11 p.m.) is a common keynote. This will be a period of low blood sugar, during which the Sulphur will demand something to eat. They will usually want a donut or a candy bar at this time of day. It is keynote that the Sulphur patient will be sloppy. Will look and smell unwashed even if they have just bathed. This can be true even in simple colds, but it is more often the case that the Sulphur patient, who will feel averse to water, simply will not take a shower and choose instead to walk around in his pajamas until late afternoon, with his hair standing on end from having slept on it last night, and three days growth of beard. Sulphur patients are hot, sweaty and sloppy. They do not want to be bothered with any details, or with any form of work. Often they are not very sick, but choose to use an illness as a reason to throw themselves down in front of the television set with a bag of potato chips by their side. Look for the Sulphur patient to crave junk food. They want salt, fat, and sugar. They want French fries and hamburgers and pizza. They want cold soda or cold beer to drink. Sulphur patients are thirsty. They will want cold liquids of all sorts, especially if they are sparkling, sweet or alcoholic. If there are no cold liquids, they will drink anyway, drink whatever you have. They will drink straight out of the kitchen sink if they have to. It is also important to note that Sulphur is considered a general tonic remedy and is often given in a single dose when the remedy that seems to be called for has failed to work. Often, with that single dose, the suggested remedy will then begin its action. The Sulphur “Type” Our classic texts list the indications of the patient who has moved beyond an acute need for the remedy and into a constitutional situation as follows: 1. Children who are dirty, filthy. Who have an aversion to bathing. Look for a big belly and emaciated limbs. They put everything in their mouths. They watch people when they are eating. Look for red lips and other orifices. They are restless at night, they kick off their covers, even in cold weather. They will cry loudly for no reason. Their perspiration has the peculiar sulphur smell. They tend toward rashes and skin conditions. They tend to have worms. 2. Nervous Persons. Quick motions. Quick temper. They are very sensitive to changes in the weather and they will show this sensitivity with their skin. Sulphur has two body types: lean, lank, hungry and dyspeptic persons with stooped shoulder; or fat, round, well-fed persons who lead sedentary lives, confined to their studies, taking no exercise. These will often over time find that they have to eat simpler and simpler foods in order to be able to digest them. Sulphurs will typically have red faces. They are messy, and undisturbed by clutter. Yet they are overly sensitive to smells and have exaggerated senses of smell. They will often experience imaginary smells, or feel that they have a particular smell caught in their nose for a long
period of time. They may or may not be aware of their own strong body odor. 3. Persons who are warm-blooded. They are worse for becoming too warm, especially from the warmth of bed. Burning sensations throughout their body. In specific spots-usually in areas for the system where congestion is present. Burning in lungs, in stomach, in anus. Burning upon urination. Burning of the palms of the hands and the souls of the feet. 4. Persons who cannot stand still. Standing is the worst position for the Sulphur type. They can sit, lie down, lean, walk about aimlessly or do anything else but stand. If you have a doubt as to whether a given patient needs Sulphur just give them a simple test and ask them to stand up nice and tall and stay nice and still. Don’t tell them for how long. Feign that you are looking through papers, but keep an eye of them. A true Sulphur will very soon reveal himself as he suffers, truly suffers in trying to keep still. Look for them to also have cramps in their calves and feet at night. 5. Lazy persons: persons who are disinclined to work. Who are too lazy to get out of bed in the morning. Depressed persons, who are too unhappy to live. The Deeper Uses of Sulphur In that Sulphur may be said to be the embodiment of the concept of Psora, which was the name that Hahnemann gave to the miasm, or “taint” that described the functional diseases—acute or chronic—that could undermine the lives of his patients. His miasms were inborn tendency toward specific diseases. They are often inherited weaknesses, although they may also develop during a patient’s lifetime through the use of deeply suppressive allopathic drugs, or through poor lifestyle choices, like the use of recreational drugs. Sulphur is the most important remedy used to combat the miasm Psora. Indeed, it is often considered the embodiment of Psora, in that the Sulphur patient will be given to any number of functional disorders in various parts of their being. Because of Sulphur’s ability to combat the basic predisposition to disease, there are times in which this remedy is used directly to combat the miasm, rather than as an acute or constitutional remedy. Among the indications for this deeper use are: 1. Sulphur is used when the indicated remedy fails to work. This is particularly true in acute situations. Once Sulphur is given, the first selected remedy will begin to work. Sulphur, in that it often is used to clear the Psoric miasm, will stir up the body’s natural defenses and strengthen Vital Force. It will lay the groundwork so that a curative remedy may then be used. 2. Sulphur is very helpful in nonspecific cases that involve a lack of Vital Force, or a very slow recovery time from a specific acute condition. Sulphur may be thought of as a general tonic for the patient who lacks vitality and who cannot throw off disease. Again, in these cases, Sulphur will tend to not be curative, but will lay the groundwork for cure. 3. Sulphur is the first remedy to think of in cases involving suppressed eruptions: asthma, epilepsy, convulsions, diarrhea, insanity, vertigo, and other ailments brought on from the use of suppressive materials, or treated in a suppressive fashion. This is particularly true in cases of chronic ailments brought on by suppressed venereal disease. Because of the volcanic nature of this
remedy, it may be used in any case in which suppression is considered to be hindering cure. Sulphur can be counted on to uncover anything that has been covered over. 4. Think of Sulphur in cases of any of the above that may have been created by the use of a vaccination. Aggravations and Ameliorations One of the best tools to use in selecting any remedy is knowing what makes the patient feel better or worse as a whole being, and what specific things make his or her symptoms feel better or worse. It is always important to learn about a patients aggravations and to know what ameliorates his aches and pains. In identifying the need for Sulphur, the following may be of some help: 1. Sulphur is warm blooded and aggravated by heat (some however may be chilly). They can be so aggravated that even the heat of their bed is intolerable. Both general and local aggravations come on in bed. 2. Aggravation in winter. While the Sulphur type is warm-blooded and often aggravated by heat, especially the heat of the bed, the Sulphur type is most often very vulnerable to winter cold. It may be difficult for the Sulphur to feel cold easily, but once they become cold, they are miserable and quite vulnerable to illness. 3. Aggravation at 11 a.m. (or 11 p.m.). At this time, they may experience low blood sugar and will likely get a headache or experience sudden hunger. Often the Sulphur must eat at 11:00 p.m. in order to fall asleep. 4. Aggravation from standing. The position aggravates everything in their nature. They will slump, sit, or lean, but they will not willingly just stand still for any amount of time. The Sulphur in any line of people will be the one swaying from side to side. 5. Aversion to bathing and aggravation from bathing. The Sulphur does not feel comfortable in water and will not feel better for his bath. 6. Offensive discharges: urine, stool and sweat all have strong sulfur smell. The same is true for any eruption: pus, and the like. Sweats excessively. The Sulphur sweats easily and in great amounts. Aggravation from suppressed discharges. More than any other type, Sulphur is react systemically to any suppression. 7. They are worse from unpleasant odors. Often the Sulphur patient will complain of a bad smell that is “stuck in his nose.” They may even be offended by the smell of their own body. But they still will not want to bathe. 8. Burning pains and general itch run through the whole system.
9. They are worse from riding in a car. Better for walking. Especially in the open air. 10. Look for an aggravation on weekend, on days of no work or responsibility. The Sulphur will often be able to get through the workweek, only to become ill every weekend. And aggravation of symptoms every seven days is common to the type. Look for the Sulphur to suffer diarrhea, for instance, every Sunday, only to recover and pull himself together by Monday. Consider this remedy for any case that involves a seven-day cycle of symptoms. 11. Cravings: sweets, chocolate, ice cream, fats (this is the only warm-blooded type that craves fats, chilly Sulphurs—and they do exist—will not), spices, alcohol (especially beer and whiskey), meat, apples. The Sulphur especially loves cold drinks. Drinks great quantities of fluid. They tend to have large appetites and love to eat. Even when they are having digestive symptoms they may still have strong appetites. 12. Aversions: Eggs, especially eggs with runny yokes. Fish of all sort. Sour things. Olives, squash, liver. No matter how ill they might be, they are never averse to sweets. 13. Ameliorations: The Sulphur patient will be better in dry, warm weather. They love sunshine and love the summer. They are better from lying on their right side. They are better from being in open air, and better from being in motion, as opposed to being at rest. They are also most often made better by company and by entertainment. In fact, the Sulphur patient may seem as if their illness has evaporated if they are sufficiently entertained or are the center of attention, only to fall into a worsening of symptoms when they are left on their own. Dosage and Potency Sulphur is one of our homeopathic remedies that is best used in lower potencies. A little Sulphur can go a long way. In that it will bring to the surface anything that is suppressed within, you have to be careful not to give too powerful a dose, especially in the early part of the case. For this reason, the 1M potency (which is the 1,000th level of dilution, and a very powerful level of treatment) and above should be used with caution, as it may set off a powerful aggravation. Indeed, this level of potency is best reserved for use by medical professionals. I have always found that the 12C potency is an excellent place to begin when it comes to Sulphur. This remedy and this specific potency are well suited to each other. Sulphur may also be given in the 30C potency—that which is available most often in health food stores—quite safely. Either of these potencies are entirely appropriate to home use. The lower potencies may be repeated as needed in acute situations, the high potencies work best in single dose. Use Sulphur in low potency for asthma, rheumatism and the early treatment of chronic conditions. It is usually considered that the 12C potency is the best to use to begin the treatment of chronic disease. Sulphur may be used in all potencies, from lowest to highest, and may be repeated as needed.
The potency of 200C must be reached in the treatment of chronics, and usually higher potencies will be called upon as well. In cases of suppressions, a single dose high potency works best. One dose of Sulphur works for 40 to 60 days. So make sure not to use it too often, as overuse may spoil the case and undo any good work that has been done. A good rule of thumb is to follow the symptoms and the general vitality of the patient. As long as the improvement of symptoms continues, and the patient is feeling better in general (even if all symptoms have not been cleared), then there is no reason to give the remedy again. Should symptoms grow worse or return, or the patient’s vitality begin to fail, then another dose may be given. Relationships: Sulphur and Other Remedies Knowing Sulphur can lead to an understanding of other remedies as well. I have often suggested to my students who are new to homeopathy and who have just bought themselves their first materia media that they look at the remedies that have a relationship with Sulphur, good or bad, and learn those remedies next, and then look at the remedies that have a relationship with those remedies and, in this way, build an understanding that homeopathic remedies come in families, with some members working in harmony with others, and some working against the family as a whole. If as student approaches the study of the materica medica in this way, they soon have a working knowledge of the remedies in their home kit. Complementary Remedies: These are those remedies that work well with Sulphur. They may either proceed or follow Sulphur in a given case as needed. These remedies include: Aconite, Aloe, Nux V, and, in miasmic cases, Psorinum. Remedies that precede Sulphur well include: Apis, Belladonna, Carbo Vegetabilis, Graphities, Kali Carbonica, Nitric Acid, Phosphorus, Podophyllum, Pulsatilla, Rhus Toxicodendron Remedies that follow Sulphur well include: Calcarea Carbonica, Psorinum Antidotes: Camphor, Chinchona, Mercurius, Pulsatilla, Rhus Toxicodendron, Sepia Remedies that Sulphur Antidotes: Chinchona, Mercurius, Nitric Acid, Rhus Toxicodendron, Sepia Bowel Nosode Group: Morgan Pure Miasmatic Groups: Anti-Psoric, Anti-Sycotic, Anti-Tubucular In Conclusion Sulphur, like Arnica, belongs in every home. And every student of homeopathy, no matter how new to the study or how wary of the remedies, should learn its uses and not be afraid to give it when the situation suggests its use. Remember that in acute cases, Sulphur may be a completely curative remedy. One dose, or a handful of doses given as needed (follow the symptoms—remember?) can bring about dramatic cures. However, in deeper cases, Sulphur is most often given to “open” the case, to uncover the secrets of all that has been suppressed by the patient on every level of his being. As it brings to the surface all that has been hidden it will most often strengthen the patient’s vitality and more clearly show what remedy or remedies may be used to complete the cure.
It is impossible to know how many cases of chronic disease may have been averted had a wise parent known to treat diaper rash with a simple dose of Sulphur instead of suppressive allopathic creams. With suppression, the simple itch becomes a deeper illness, an allergy, or an ear infection. As these still-simple things are suppressed deeper with increasingly strong allopathic drugs, the tendency toward disease becomes stronger and the resulting symptoms harder to cure. Remember Sulphur. It is a simple remedy, and, whether allopathic or homeopathic, represents one of our most ancient medicines. And yet, it still today offers the same hope for cure that it did centuries ago. It is an important remedy to know and understand and to wisely use.
[i]
Lectures on Homeopathic Materia Medica, by James Tyler Kent, New Delhi: B Jain Publishers (reprint edition, 1986), page 951.
About Vinton McCabe Vinton McCabe has studied homeopathy for the past thirty years, and served as the president of the Connecticut Homeopathic Association from the establishment of that non-profit organization in 1985 until his move to rural Connecticut in the year 2000. As the chief educator for that organization, he has been responsible for training thousands of lay persons and medical professionals alike in the basics of homeopathic philosophy and in the proper uses of homeopathic remedies. McCabe has worked with medical professionals, including acupuncturists, naturopaths and chiropractors, as a homeopathic consultant. He also is a trained vision therapist, and practiced vision therapy for seven years (1993-2000) at the Rye Learning Center in Rye, New York. Vinton McCabe has also worked as a producer, a writer and a host in both television and radio. He was producer and host of the PBS series Artsweek, and creator and Executive Producer of Healthplan, an award-winning health care special produced by Connecticut Public Television. As a print journalist, he has done features work for many weekly and daily papers and monthly publications, including New England Monthly, The Stamford Advocate and The New York Times. He lives in Litchfield County, Connecticut.
Books by Vinton McCabe (All Books Available at Amazon.com): Let Like Cure Like (released in paperback with the title Homeopathy, Healing & You in 1998), published by St. Martin’s Press (1997). Practical Homeopathy, published by St. Martin’s Press (2000). Greater Vision, Co-authored by Dr. Marc Grossman, published by Keats Publishing/McGraw Hill (2002). Household Homeopathy, published by Basic Health Books (2005). The Healing Enigma: Demystifying Homeopathy, published by Basic Health Books (2007). The Healing Bouquet: Exploring Bach Flower Remedies, published by Basic Health (2008). The Healing Echo: Discovering Cells Salt Remedies, published by Basic Health Books (2009).
