Understanding China off.

Dr. Claudio C. Araujo M.D. F.F.Hom. (Lon.) et al.

On a first approach to the symptoms, there is something that stands before our eyes: China symptoms are mostly related to Loss. Roughly said, we could assume that China is someone sad, lonely, confused and inclined to suicide.

Most of its symptoms had started from bleeding, excess of masturbation and loss of animal fluids, even perspiration. With such a perspective in mind we can now start our study.

Kent: This state of mind comes on after hemorrhage. Insomnia after hemorrhage. A woman, after having suffered great loss of blood, will be sleepless night after night.

Such is the China cachexia, and with this in view, the mental state will scarcely be a surprise to you. It is just such as you would expect in this nervous, sensitive patient.

As we can see, Kent puts on perspective the loss of animal fluids as the starting point of China mental suffering. But we can add to that some other point of view: that is in the China patient that bleeding would bring such a painful outcome. That the effects of bleeding, sweating and other losses will turn to be different at every different personal constitution. So our task here is to find who is the China patient.

Why physical losses will imply in such an array of mental and general symptoms?

Of course, the first thought is – the China patient is already someone at the brink of a physical and mental disaster. On the contrary he would not be so prone to everything that will happen to him after, let’s say, a hemorrhage. Considering a strong constitution, no side effects will be present from the loss of animal fluids. China must be defenseless to such a loss.

Such a state could be brought by two aspects:

First, China could be a Psoric patient, with everything implied on that. Someone living in Latent Psora, ready to start the Developed phase, due to the physical or mental losses.

Second, someone depressed, ready to jump from a high place. Someone in discomfort and in conflict with society, unable to work, living inside his fantasies and plans. This is the person we should find out.

What usually appears to him bright and joyous seems now unattractive, unworthy, and shallow, 

This symptom means that, somewhere in the past, life was bright and full of joy, but for some reason it has become “unworthy”.

What had happened?

Why life has changed, in China’s perspective?

He has been excessively anxious for no apparent reason. He is anxious in the morning, no reason given.

An excessively anxious solicitude about trifles (after one hour and a half), [1]. 

In the morning on waking, anxious thoughts and ideas, [1]. 

An excessively anxious solicitude about trifles. 

China has been used as a tonic, as quoted by Hahnemann, in individuals suffering from exhaustion from a given disease (Malaria?). But he says that it only helps for a while, producing the excitement for only a few hours.

Lively the whole evening, though with staring eyes, [8]. [A kind of unnatural excitement, as in the so-called tonic cures of ordinary physicians when they are unable to cure a patient of his disease and still wish to stimulate strength, power, and activity for a few hours. -H.] 

So, it’s the secondary effect is what we will look for, it should be the opposite of this primary effect.

One symptom points us to the right direction. It says that there is an “imaginary whim” producing a weeping mood.

From time to time she falls into a weeping mood without any external cause, brought on by some self-made imaginary whim, for example, fancied need, something that she could not eat to satisfy her appetite, etc. (after twenty hours) 

Something is missing for her. There is deep in herself an imaginary need. She projects it in many objective elements of reality, such as eating (as quoted) but it could be anything else. She needs to look for it, searching high and low; otherwise this longing will haunt her through out her whole life. She must do something. She must look out for a strategy.

Kent: Lies awake at night making plans, theorizing, building air castles, thinking of the wonderful things he is going to do some day. In the morning he wonders how he could have thought such foolish things. Weakness of mind.

Her life will probably be lived as Kent points us out: is this imaginary realm. It is not clear defined what she is searching for. The text says only that she is mingled in fantasies, plans and projects. It seems that could be anything that brings her out of reality, anything that provides an escape from her daily living. We should not forget that there is something missing and she is very keen to find it out. 

He has many ideas, a variety of things occupy his mind; he builds castles in the air (after a few hours). 

But there is a symptom from Hahnemann’s that can lead us towards the clue. It says:

Just as he falling asleep he is waked by frightful fantasies, 

[Uneasy sleep at night, with dreams that cause anxiety and starting up, on waking from which he cannot collect his senses, or about which he continues to be anxious, is very characteristic of Cinchona. -H.] 

The China patient is frightened. “Frightful fantasies” are haunting him as soon he starts to sleep. Now, what are the symptoms that describe his fears?

An anxious dream: he imagines he is descending a precipice, on which account he awakes, but the dangerous place remains vividly before his fancy (especially on closing the eyes), so that he continues for a long time in a great fright about it, and cannot quiet himself, [1]. 

At night frightful dreams of falling from a height with waking full of uneasiness, with loss of consciousness for the first few moments, 

Two symptoms are describing her outmost fears. Descending, falling, these words can bring us to the myth of incarnation and the fall from Paradise. 

Is China afraid of the world? 

Is she afraid of life, of being here and live the human existence?

Is that the reason why China will live inside her own fantasy world?

There is another group of symptoms shading some light on her perception of the world and its inhabitants:

Fixed idea that he is unhappy, persecuted by enemies. 

She thinks she is very unfortunate and constantly harassed by enemies. θ Pregnancy. 

Discontent; he considers himself unhappy, and thinks he is hindered and tormented by every one (after five hours). 

Dreamed that some one had stabbed his brother, and then he called for his mother; that his mother was dead, and then he cried; that his mother's arm was hurt; on each occasion the impression continued after waking,. 

She is surrounded by murderers and offenders. Folks are threading her and her family. Also our beloved pets and mostly Earth’s beautiful nature is hurting herself to the point she becomes numb to her senses.

Dread of dogs and other animals at night. 

Intolerance of sensual impressions. 

Indifference to all external impressions, with disinclination to talk, [4]. 

It seems that long ago she took pleasure only in her sexual life and it become something that she had to the extreme. But even her former sexual longings are not strong enough to keep her here among Earth’s inhabitants.

Nymphomania of lying in women.

She is unhappy to the extreme. She wants, at the end, to run away from here, taking her life. Frightened, sad and lonely, without any single pleasure by living on this planet, China has decided to leave for good. Suicidal thoughts and impulses will be present in her life.

She must find her way out and it will be hiding herself in her fantasies or, in an extreme decision, by killing herself. But our generally impression is that we will find the China patients amongst those people that have been living inside a dream. And we can count them out with the Cannabis users, alcoholics and any other drug that provides escape from reality.

Low-spirited, gloomy, has no desire to live. 

Inconsolable anxiety, even to suicide. 

Gloomy mood; has no desire to live. 

Compelled to jump out of bed; wants to destroy himself, but lacks courage. 

Intolerable anxiety (about 8 P.M. and 2 A.M.); he springs out of bed and wishes to take his own life, but does not go near the open window, or take a knife; with heat of the body, without thi

China off. Groups

Allen, Hering & Kent

Dr. Claudio C. Araujo, M.D., F.F. Hom. (Lon.)

Humor

Alternating mood

During a cheerful mood, sudden transient screaming and tossing about bed, without any apparent cause. 

Fitful mood; cheerfulness alternating with sadness. 

Disinclination to think; alternating condition of cheerfulness and gloom. 

What usually appears to him bright and joyous seems now unattractive, unworthy and shallow. 

Ill humor; cheerful persons become cross and irritable. 

General excitation during attacks, followed by depression. θ Ciliary neuralgia. 

► *What usually appears to him bright and joyous seems now unattractive, unworthy, and shallow, [18]. 

► *During a cheerful mood, sudden, transient screaming, and tossing about the bed, without any apparent or visible cause, [1]. 

► *Disinclination to think; alternating condition of cheerfulness and gloominess, for three hours (after two hours), [21]. 

Anxiety

► Anxiety,  

► Anxiety at night, on waking from frightful dreams, [11]. 

► [Great anxiety, death]. [40b]. [Effects of China taken during the chill of an intermittent fever. -H.] 

► (Excessive anxiety), [53]. 

► *Heavy dreams during the sleep at night, which make him anxious after waking, [1].

► Anxious dreams at night, whereupon he awoke in a half unconscious condition, and remained frightened for some time, [21]. 

An excessively anxious solicitude about trifles. 

► Nameless anxiety, [59]. 

► Excessively anxious carefulness, [1]. 

► *An excessively anxious solicitude about trifles (after one hour and a half), [1]. 

► *In the morning on waking, anxious thoughts and ideas, [1]. 

Excitement

► *Excessive excitability, with despondency and intolerance of noise, [1]. 

► Dreadful feeling of excitement, [71]. 

► Lively the whole evening, though with staring eyes, [8]. [A kind of unnatural excitement, as in the so-called tonic cures of ordinary physicians when they are unable to cure a patient of his disease and still wish to stimulate strength, power, and activity for a few hours. -H.] 

► Uncommonly lively in the forepart of the night until 2 A.M., [14]. 

Dreadful feeling of excitement. 

Ill humor, fretfulness

Ill humor increased by petting and caressing. 

Nervous irritation, with slowness of ideas. 

► Quiet mood, [13]. [It seems to be the curative action. -H.] 

► Silent, ill-humored, disinclined to talk (during the first days), [11]. 

► Earnest mood, [10]. 

► *Absence of the usual lively mood; he prefers to be alone, [9]. 

Indifference, apathy, taciturnity. 

Excessive nervousness, with lowness of spirits and intolerance of noise. 

► [Hypochondriac troubles], [53]. 

► Ill-humor, amounting to the most violent wrath, so that he could have stabbed any once, [1]. 

► Caresses increase his ill-humor, [1]. 

► Fretful, taciturn, absorbed in himself, [18]. 

► Fretful, though neither sad nor quarrelsome, but not inclined to rapid thought, [1]. 

► Fretful and irresolute; she is unable to accomplish her aim, and consequently is indignant (after a few hours), [1].

► Complaining fretfulness, [1]. 

► Sighing fretfulness, [1]. 

► Internally very fretful, [2]. 

► *He is peevish, ill-humored, and easily angered (after four hours), [1]. 

► Peevish when excited, at other times stupid, perplexed, embarrassed, [1]. 

► Morose, inclined to anger, [19].

► *Discontented and sensitive mood, inclined to anger, [21]. 

► He despises everything (after one hour), [1].§

► Want of docility, [1]. 

► Disobedience, [1]. 

Sadness, despair

► Completely beside himself and in despair; tosses about in bed, [1]. 

► Sadness, despair, [7].

► Discouragement, [2]. 

► Despondency, [37]. 

► Inconsolable, [1]. 

► Moaning, complaining, and screaming, [1]. 

► From time to time she falls into a weeping mood without any external cause, brought on by some self-made imaginary whim, for example, fancied need, something that she could not eat to satisfy her appetite, etc. (after twenty hours), [1]. 

With Oneself

Kent: Lies awake at night making plans, theorizing, building air castles, thinking of the wonderful things he is going to do some day. In the morning he wonders how he could have thought such foolish things. Weakness of mind. Inability to think or remember. Full of fear at night. Fear of animals, dogs, of creeping things. Wants to commit suicide, but lacks courage. Gradually the mind grows weaker, he uses wrong expressions or misplaces words.

Plans and projects

He makes many plans and reflects upon their execution. 

Full of projects and ideas, especially in evening and at night. 

► He has many ideas, a variety of things occupy his mind; he builds castles in the air (after a few hours), [21]. 

► A large number of projects, [1]. 

► He makes many plans for the future, [9]. 

► *He makes many plans and reflects upon their execution; many ideas crowd upon him at once, [11]. 

► His head is full of many plans, which he would like to execute, in the evening, [7]. 

Intoxicated

► Feels intoxicated; inclined to be jolly, [69]. 

► Slightly intoxicated after each dose, [68]. 

► Slight intoxication (2 ounces), [67]. 

Alone

► He is quiet and will not answer, [1]. 

► Obstinate silence; he will answer nothing, [1]. 

Disposition to be alone. 

Suicidal

Low-spirited, gloomy, has no desire to live. 

Inconsolable anxiety, even to suicide. 

► Gloomy mood; has no desire to live, [1]. 

Compelled to jump out of bed; wants to destroy himself, but lacks courage. 

► Intolerable anxiety (about 8 P.M. and 2 A.M.); he springs out of bed and wishes to take his own life, but does not go near the open window, or take a knife; with heat of the body, without thirst, [1]. [30.] 

Danger and fear

► At night frightful dreams of falling from a height with waking full of uneasiness, with loss of consciousness for the first few moments, [21 

► A frightful dream at night (after eight hours), [1]. 

Towards the Others

Unhappiness

 

► Frightful dreams of unhappiness, which awoke him, without however, his being able to come to his senses, [7]. 

Fixed idea that he is unhappy, persecuted by enemies. 

She thinks she is very unfortunate and constantly harassed by enemies. θ Pregnancy. 

► Discontent; he considers himself unhappy, and thinks he is hindered and tormented by every one (after five hours), [1]. 

Reproaching others

► Extremely inclined to become angry, and to seek every opportunity for being angry; afterwards quarrelsome, and inclined to grieve and reproach others (after two hours), [1].

Inclined to reproach and vex others. 

► Dreamed that some one had stabbed his brother, and then he called for his mother; that his mother was dead, and then he cried; that his mother's arm was hurt; on each occasion the impression continued after waking, [75]. 

► As soon as she closes her eyes to sleep, dreams of horrible things, [1].

With the Environment

Dread of dogs and other animals at night. 

 

Intolerance of sensual impressions. 

► Indifference to all external impressions, with disinclination to talk, [4]. 

Descending a precipice

An anxious dream; he imagines he is descending a precipice, on which account he awakes, but the dangerous place remains vividly before his fancy (especially on closing the eyes), so that he continues for a long time in a great fright about it, and cannot quiet himself, [1]. 

Work

Kent: Unable to entertain any mental proposition that, means work. He dreads work. He is apathetic, indifferent, low spirited, silent, disinclined to think. He is unable to control the mind, to make it do what he wants it to do. You see it is not as yet a real insanity.

Dislike to all mental or physical exertion. 

Hypochondriacal mood and inability to work, especially after a meal. 

► No desire for work; he is inactive, [1]. 

► Disinclination for mental labor, with sleepiness, [11]. 

► Disinclination for intellectual and serious business, [4]. 

► Desire for work, to red, to write, to reflect; a general, remarkable activity and industriousness, [1]. [Curative action.] 

Male Sexuality

► Increased sexual desire, [1]. 

► Nightly emissions, [1]. 

► In each of the four succeeding nights, a not insignificant emission (120 drops), [61].

► An excessive emission at night, at 3 o'clock, [4]. 

► Voluptuous dreams, with emissions, [12]. 

Sexual desire too strong and too continuous. 

Morbid sexual desire; lascivious fancies. 

► Frequent erections (after six hours), [1]. 

► Awoke thrice in the night, with erections (second day), [63]. 

 [1]. 

Impotence, with lascivious fancies. 

Impotence from overindulgence. 

Nocturnal emissions too frequent and debilitating; particularly after onanism. 

Consequences of excessive or long-continued seminal losses.

Chorea from great loss of arterial blood or from masturbation. 

Paralysis: from loss of fluids; after arsenical poisoning; after onanism. 

Complaints from loss of animal fluids.

Female Sexuality

Ovaritis from sexual excess or hemorrhage, parts very sensitive to slight touch.

Nymphomania of lying in women.

Childhood

Stubborn, disobedient, longing for dainties; face pale, or at times red; restless all night; children. 

Intellect

Confusion

► Sleep disturbed by confused, interrupted dreams, with frequent waking; on waking he did not become perfectly conscious, [4]. 

► *Confused, senseless dreams after midnight, mingled with half unconscious waking, [11]. 

Chooses wrong expressions, or misplaces them. 

Head very much confused in morning, as after intoxication, with dryness of mouth. 

► If he wakes at night he is unable to collect his senses, [1]. 

► *He cannot arrange his thoughts in order; he makes mistakes when writing or speaking, places words in reversed order; the talking of others disturbs him very much (after two hours), [1]. 

Confused fancies

► Confused fancies, in the evening on falling asleep, on which account he awoke again (after sixteen hours), [22]. 

Mind constantly changing from one thing to another. 

In morning on waking, anxious thoughts and ideas. 

► Confused, senseless dreams, from which he frequently awoke, [1]. 

► Just as he falling asleep he is waked by frightful fantasies, [1]. [Uneasy sleep at night, with dreams that cause anxiety and starting up, on waking from which he cannot collect his senses, or about which he continues to be anxious, is very characteristic of Cinchona. -H.] 

► He is rapt (extasiado) in thought (as if the flow of ideas stood still), (after three hours), [1]. 

Excessive vividness of mind and fancy, with headache. 

Difficulty to think

► *Disinclination to think; alternating condition of cheerfulness and gloominess, for three hours (after two hours), [21]. 

Slow train of ideas, as though there was a difficulty in thinking. 

► His perception is slow, has great aversion to motion, and is more inclined to sit and lie, [1]. 

► Slow flow of ideas, [1]. 

Worse after exerting mind. 

► Periodic stoppage of thought, [14]. 

Neurological

Quite unconscious to pinching; loudly calling into ears arouses some momentary consciousness; answers to questions unintelligible. θ Coma. 

Delirium after depletion; on closing eyes, sees persons. 

Maniacal condition, says and does foolish things and runs about. θ Intermittent. 

Indifference to his pains, great lassitude and weakness. θ Typhoid. 

Fainting after loss of blood or other animal fluids, with ringing in ears, cold skin, loss of pulse, cold perspiration. 

Convulsions: rush of blood to head, throbbing carotids; from great loss of blood, and debilitating causes. 

► (Delirium), [30], [37]. [From its use in intermittent fever. -H.] 

► (Delirium during the fever), [52].

► (Stupidity), [29].

Generals

Kent: This state of mind comes on after haemorrhage. Insomnia after haemorrhage. A woman, after having suffered great loss of blood, will be sleepless night after night.

Such is the China cachexia, and with this in view, the mental state will scarcely be a surprise to you. It is just such as you would expect in this nervous, sensitive patient.

 

Excessive sensitiveness of nervous system; special senses, sight, smell, hearing and taste seem too acute; his internal sensibility is offended, and his mind is unpleasantly affected; a morbid sensation of general weakness; mental and physical languor. 

Sensation of weakness, especially on rising from sitting; is much inclined to sit down, and even sinks back upon a chair if he does not exert the muscles; whereupon a comfortable sensation of rest follows. 

Weakness from loss of animal fluids (blood, etc.), or after severe and exhausting illness. 

Weakness: with coldness of skin; with inability to undergo the least fatigue; even < while sitting, still more while walking; with excessive irritability and sensibility.

Great debility; trembling; averse to all exercise; nervous; sensitive to pain, to draughts of air; sleepless; disposition to sweat during exercise or sleep; from overstudy; from loss of blood. 

Torpor and paralytic weakness of affected parts. 

After continued or repeated hemorrhage (subacute), occur prostration, nervous agitation, anxious manner; can hardly respire at all; very pale and ghastly; pulse failing; hemorrhage of dark blood; sensation as if it flowed warm from the heart.