What is a Nosode?

     The greek word, Noso is a prefix indicating a morbid root. It is also

     connected with the Latin word "noxa", meaning noxious or damaging.

     Nosodes are remedies made with dangerous noxious materials as a basis       for  a potentized remedy to treat disease.

     

    Constantine Hering (a student of Hahnemann's) was the first one to study

     the actions of the mineral, plant and animal remedies and was the first

     person to test the animals poisons and nosodes in human beings.

     Hering worked for the Dutch Government doing botanical and zoological

     research in Surinam, South America from 1827 and 1833.

     He took advantage of his position to utilize remedies in the cure and   

     prophylaxis of disease.

  

Hering's contribution to Homeopathy are great. He is responsible for the

use of poisons taken from insects, snakes and other venomeous creatures to  prepare remedies, he prepared remedies from Miasms (will go into miasms in  detail later, but suffice it to say that miasms are diseases caused by  viruses and bacterias) called nosodes.

The use of morbid secretions taken  directly from the patient's body to cure disease (auto-nosodes).

The use of organs, tissues and secretions as remedies (sarcodes).

The use of potentized miasms for the prevention of infectious diseases

   

(Homeoprophylaxis by the use of nosodes) The use of chemial and

  nutritional elements innate to the human organism in potency

(Biochemical  remedies or "tissue salts") and the use of homeopathy to prevent the  infestation of habitats by weeds, insects, animals, etc.,

  

Hering drew inspiration from Paracelcus, the greek alchemical and

homeopath who taught that the IDENTICAL poison could cure poisoning when specially prepared. Another 19th Century homeopath, Lux, is the one

responsible for our present idea of the use of nosodes. Lux started by

using nosodes in the manner in which Paracelcus and Herring had done....

however, soon he started using them in an isopathic manner (meaning that

the remedies were LIKE the disease, but not identical). This started the

use of nosodes based on the "idem" theory.. in other words, not EQUAL to

the disease, but LIKE the disease.

Nosodes hold a very important place in Homeopathy. They serve in several

ways:

     1. As a remedy used during the treatment of disease. i.e., the use of the

     Parvo nosode during the treatment of Parvo. Herring noted that he had

     never succeeded in curing, but only ameliorating diseases when he used

     nosodes. So, nosodes can be used during the treatment of the acute

     diseases, in order to help other more similar remedies to complete the

     cure.

     2. Nosodes are used as inter-current remedies in the treatment of chronic 

     disease. This is the most common use of nosodes in Homeopathic

     practice.

     When during the treatment of chronic disease, the similar remedy stops

     working, the use of the nosode at this point in the healing process, will

     remove the obstacles to cure and allow the similar remedy to continue the

     cure.

     3. As the constitutional remedy during the treatment of chronic disease.

     In this instance, the nosode will be prescribed on the TOTALITY of the

     patient's symptoms just like any other remedy.

     4. Homeopathic Prophylaxis. The first use of a homeopathic remedy in

     prophylaxis was done by Hahnemann, when he used the remedy    

     Belladona as  prophylaxis for scarlatina.

Another one of Hahnemann's famous followers, Boenninghausen, successfully prevented small pox with the use of Variolinum, the nosode for small pox. His work has been misunderstood and  misapplied for many, many years. Boenninghausen's use of Variolinum prevented healthy people from becoming infected with smallpox DURING AN  EPIDEMIC. This is how nosodes should be used in a prophylactic/preventive manner.

Nosodes have a tendency to produce strong aggravations when misused.

This is one reason we see cases of Parvo, (mostly) and Distemper after the use of nosodes that have been used in very high potencies and/or repeated too often. I also see this problem with "combination nosodes".

This is a VERY dangerous practice!

   

It is extremely important to remember several things:

     1. Nosodes are used to prevent disease ONLY during an epidemic. So, the

     use of Parvo or Distemper nosodes should be reserved for those times 

    when there is an epidemic going around, or when the possibility of a           

    young  puppy coming in contact with these diseases is high.

    For example, giving the Parvo nosode in 30c potency (NEVER USE   

    NOSODES IN A POTENCY HIGHER THAN 30C) for 2 or 3 days prior to the

    puppy going to the vet's, or obedience class, where the puppy will come in

    contact with other vaccinated puppies shedding the viruses from

    vaccines.

    With puppies born to breeders who have not vaccinated for many

    generations and who feed  barf, the best protection is a healthy immune

    system.

     2. Nosodes are made with NOXIOUS substances. Although the original

     substance is no longer present in a 30c potency, the ENERGY of the

    disease most certainly is! So, when you give Parvo nosodes to a 3 week

    old puppy, you are giving this puppy the ENERGY of Parvo. Not something

    I want to do!

    I have seen this practice not only not protect during an outbreak, but

    I have seen puppies who have received nosodes at an early age develop

    symptoms of chronic disease by the time they are 10-12 weeks of age.

     3. Nosodes should NEVER been given after a vaccine to "antidote" the

     vaccine. This is another misconception of a classical homeopathic

     practice and should  not be done.

     4. Once you have given a young puppy the nosode in order to keep them

     healthy DURING AN EPIDEMIC, it is not necessary to continue to repeat 

     the nosode. Repetition will only enhance the chances of aggravations  

     and/or nosode induced disease.

     Magda Aguila