SYCOTIC CO. (Paterson)

This organism is not of bacillary form but is a non-lactose fermenting coccus found in the intestinal tract. The details of this organism and the manner in which it was identified) is to be found in the original work published in the British Homœopathic Journal of April, 1933.

The keynote for the nosode Sycotic Co. (Paterson) is "irritability" and this has special reference to mucous and synovial membrane.

Mentals. Nervous irritability ; tempery (cf. Lycopodium) ; fear of dark ; of being left alone ; twitching of facial muscles, blinking of eyelids.

Head. Irritation of meninges, sub-acute or chronic ; headache from infection of sinuses ; persistent headache-particularly in a child-which may be the prodromal sign of a tubercular meningitis (cf. Hellebore). Sweating of head at night, profuse.

Digestive System. Chronic irritation of the whole alimentary tract ; catarrhal conditions ; acute or chronic gastroenteritis in the child ; loose offensive stool, excoriating (cf. Medorrhinum) ; urgent call to stool as soon as rising out of bed ; constipation unusual ; diarrhœa common ; nausea or sickness after eating eggs (Cf. Ferrum met.).

Respiratory. Acute, sub-acute, chronic bronchial catarrh ; catarrh of mucous membranes of nose, throat (enlarged tonsils and adenoids in child). Irritable cough at night, 2 a. m.

I regard Sycotic co. (Paterson) as a pre-tubercular remedy.

Circulation. Anæmia and hydræmia, usually in the adult.

(The Sycotic patient is always anæmic looking, never carries much colour in the face.)

Neuro-muscular System. General rheumatic fibrositis, aggravated from dampness, alter a period of rest (Cf. Rhus tox.). Feet painful when walking, as if walking on loose cobble stones, pain in the me tarsal bones, fidgety feet at night in bed.

Skin. Sallow complexion, oily skill) vesicular or varicellar type of eruption on face or body : (After administration of Sycotic Co. (Paterson) to children, a rash varicellar in type, resembling, and often mistaken for chicken-pox may appear.) Warts on mucocutaneous surfaces.

Genito-urinary System. Sycotic Co. (Paterson) has marked action of the whole of the genito-urinary tract causing irritation of mucous membranes from the kidney to the urethral tract ; albuminuria ; pyelitis ; cystitis ; urethritis ; vulvo-vaginitis ; balanitis.

Female. Pain in left ovary at menstrual period ; tic ovaries ; tubal infection (tubercular or gonococcal) ; profuse leucorrhœa.

It will be evident that this coccal organism of the intestinal tract is related morphologically and clinically to the Gonococcus. Hahnemann related what he called "The Sycotic Miasm" to the disease, Gonorrhœa, but this disease is only one form of catarrhal infection of the mucous membrane of the urinary tract. There are many other non-gonorrhœal organisms associated with the symptom picture of "catarrh" and I suggest that the miasm "Sycosis" may be considered synonymous with "Catarrh". Gonorrhœa is an infection of mucous membrane (i. e. it is a sycotic manifestation) but catarrhal manifestations (Sycotic) are not all due to gonorrhœal infection.

These are the nosodes prepared from the non-lactose fermenting organisms of the bowel which are most generally called for in practice, but there are two other members which are found occasionally in the stool and which are not well proved and seldom used.