Fundamentals of Therapy
GA 27
XVI. Knowledge of Therapeutic Substances
[ 1 ] It is necessary to know the substances that may be considered for use as remedies in such a way that one can judge the possible effects of the forces they contain within and outside the human organism. In this connection the reactions which ordinary chemistry investigates only come into consideration to a small extent; the important thing is, to observe those effects which result from the connection of the inner constitution of the forces in a substance, in relation to the forces that radiate from the earth or stream in towards it.
[ 2 ] Let us consider e.g., grey antimony ore from this point of view. Antimony shows a strong relationship to the sulphur compounds of other metals. Sulphur possesses a number of properties which only remain constant within relatively narrow limits. It is very sensitive to those natural processes such as heating, combustion, etc. This also makes it able to play an important part in the proteins' faculty of completely freeing themselves from the earth-forces and subjecting themselves to the etheric. Antimony will readily partake in this intimate connection with the etheric forces through its affinity with sulphur. Hence it is easy to introduce into the activity of protein in the human body; and it will help the latter in its etheric action when the body itself, through some disease condition, is unable to transform a protein introduced from without, so as to make the protein an integral part of its own activity.
[ 3 ] But antimony shows other characteristics as well. Wherever it can do so, it strives towards a cluster formation. It distributes itself in lines which strive away from the earth, toward the forces that are active in the ether. With antimony, we thus introduce into the human organism something that comes half way to meet the influences of the etheric body. What antimony undergoes in the Seiger process also points to its etheric relationship. Through this process it becomes filamentous. However, the Seiger process is one that begins, as it were, in a physical way from below and passes upwards into the etheric. Antimony integrates itself into this transition.
[ 4 ] In addition, antimony oxidizes at a red heat; in the process of combustion it becomes a white vapour, which, deposited on a cold surface, produces the flowers of antimony.
[ 5 ] Moreover, antimony has some capacity to repel electrical effects. Under certain conditions, when deposited electrolytically on the cathode, it will explode on contact with a metallic point.
[ 6 ] All this shows that antimony has a tendency to pass easily into the etheric element the moment the conditions are present in the slightest degree. All these details merely count as indications for spiritual vision; for this directly perceives the relationship between the ego's activity and the working of antimony; it sees in effect how the antimony processes, when brought into the human organism, work in the same way as the ego-organization.
[ 7 ] As it flows through the human organism, blood shows a tendency to coagulate. This tendency stands under the influences of the ego-organization, by which it must be regulated. Blood is an intermediate organic product. The blood substance, as it originates, has undergone processes which are already on the way to the fully human organism, i.e., to the organization of the ego. It must undergo further processes which fit in with the configuration of this organism. What kind of processes these are, can be seen in the following. As the blood coagulates when removed from the body, it shows that it has in it the tendency to coagulate, but that within the organism it must be perpetually prevented from doing so. Now the power that hinders the coagulation of the blood is that by which it integrates itself into the human organism. It integrates itself into the configuration of the body by virtue of the form forces which lie just before the point of coagulation. If coagulation actually took place, life would be endangered.
[ 8 ] Hence, if we are dealing with a disease condition where the organism is deficient in those forces directed to the coagulation of the blood, antimony will work in one form or another as a therapeutic substance.
[ 9 ] The formation of the organism is essentially a transformation of protein, whereby the latter comes into collaboration with mineralizing forces. Chalk, for instance, contains such forces. The formation of the oyster shell demonstrates this. The oyster must rid itself of the elements which are present in the shell, in order to preserve the nature of the protein. A similar thing happens in the formation of the eggshell.
In the oyster, what is chalky is excreted so as not to integrate it into the protein. This integration must take place in the human organism. The mere action of protein must be transformed into one wherein the formative forces, which can be evoked by the ego-organization from the chalky substances, work as well. This must take place within the formation of the blood. Antimony counteracts the forces that excrete chalk and leads the protein, which wishes to preserve its form, into formlessness; through its kinship with the ether element, this formless state is receptive to the influences of chalky substances or the like.
[ 10 ] Take the case of typhoid fever. The illness clearly consists of a deficient transmutation of protein into blood substance with its formative power. The kind of diarrhoea, occurring in this disease, shows that the incapacity for this transformation begins already in the intestinal tract. The markedly lowered consciousness shows that the ego-organization is driven out of the body and prevented from working. This is due to the fact that the protein cannot approach those mineralizing processes where the ego-organization is able to work. The fact that the excretions carry the danger of infection is also evidence for this viewpoint. Here the tendency to destroy the inner formative forces shows itself enhanced.
[ 11 ] If antimony preparations are used in typhoid manifestations in an appropriate compound, they will prove to be a therapeutic substance. They divest the protein of its own forces and enable it to integrate with the formative forces of the ego-organization.
[ 12 ] From the points of view that are so widespread and habitual today, it will be said: Such conceptions as these about antimony are inexact; and they will emphasize in contrast the scientific exactitude of the methods of ordinary chemistry. But the fact is, the chemical reactions of substances are no more significant for their action within the human organism than is the chemical composition of a paint for its application by the artist. Undoubtedly the artist will do well to have some knowledge of the chemical starting-point from which he works. But how he treats his colour as he paints is derived from another method. It is so for the therapist. He can regard chemistry as a basis which has some meaning for him, but the mode of action of the substances within the human organism has nothing to do with this chemical domain. So long as we only see exactitude in the conclusions of ordinary chemistry—its pharmaceutical branch as well—we destroy the possibility of gaining conceptions of what is taking place within the organism in the processes of healing.
XVI. Heilmittel-Erkenntnis
[ 1 ] Man muß die Substanzen, deren Verwendung als Heil-mittel in Betracht kommen soll, zunächst in der Art kennen, daß man die in ihnen enthaltenen möglichen Kräfte-wirkungen außerhalb und innerhalb des menschlichen Organismus beurteilen kann. Dabei kann es sich nur in einem geringen Grade darum handeln, die Wirkungsmöglichkeiten ins Auge zu fassen, die von der gewöhnlichen Chemie erforscht werden, sondern es kommt darauf an, die Wirkungen zu beobachten, die sich aus dem Zusammenhange der inneren Kräftekonstitution einer Substanz im Verhältnis zu den Kräften ergeben, die von der Erde ausstrahlen oder in sie einstrahlen.
[ 2 ] Man betrachte von diesem Gesichtspunkte aus z. B. den Antimonglanz. Das Antimon hat eine starke Verwandtschaft zu den Schwefelverbindungen anderer Metalle. Der Schwefel hat eine Summe von Eigenschaften, die sich in verhältnismäßig nur engen Grenzen konstant erhält. Er ist empfindlich gegen die Prozesse der Natur wie Erwärmung, Verbrennung usw. Das macht ihn fähig, auch eine bedeutende Rolle innerhalb der sich völlig aus den Erdenkräften herauslösenden und in die ätherischen Wirkungen sich einspannenden Eiweißsubstanzen zu spielen. Indem das Antimon sich verwandtschaftlich an den Schwefel bindet, macht es diese Einspannung in die Ätherwirkungen leicht mit. Es ist daher leicht in die Tätigkeit des Eiweißes im menschlichen Körper hineinzubringen, und diesem zu einer Ätherwirkung zu verhelfen, wenn dieser Körper durch irgendeinen krankhaften Zustand eine von außen eingeführte Eiweißsubstanz nicht selbst so verwandeln kann, daß sie seiner eigenen Tätigkeit sich eingliedert.
[ 3 ] Aber das Antimon zeigt noch andere Eigentümlichkeiten. Wo es nur kann, strebt es die büschelförmige Gestaltung an. Es gliedert sich damit in Linien, die von der Erde weg- und den Kräften entgegenstreben, die im Äther wirken. Man bringt mit dem Antimon somit etwas in den menschlichen Organismus, das der Wirkung des Ätherleibes auf halbem Wege entgegenkommt. Auch dasjenige, was im Seigerprozeß mit dem Antimon vor sich geht, weist auf die Äther-Verwandtschaft dieses Stoffes hin. Es wird durch diesen Prozeß feinfaserig. Nun ist der Seigerprozeß ein solcher, der gewissermaßen unten physisch beginnt und oben in das Ätherische übergeht. Das Antimon gliedert sich in diesen Übergang hinein.
[ 4 ] Des weiteren zeigt das Antimon, das beim Glühen oxydiert, beim Verbrennen einen aus ihm entstehenden weißen Rauch, der an kalten Körpern sich anlegt und die Antimonblumen erzeugt.
[ 5 ] Ferner hat das Antimon eine gewisse Abwehrkraft gegen die elektrischen Wirkungen. Wird es elektrolytisch in einer gewissen Art behandelt und an die Kathode als Niederschlag gebracht, so explodiert dieser bei Berührung mit einer Metallspitze.
[ 6 ] Alles dieses zeigt, daß im Antimon die Tendenz enthalten ist, in das Ätherelement in dem Augenblick leicht überzugehen, in dem dazu die Bedingungen auch nur in geringem Grade vorhanden sind. Dem geistigen Schauen gelten alle diese Einzelheiten nur als Andeutungen; denn dieses nimmt die Beziehung zwischen Ich-Tätigkeit und Antimon-Wirksamkeit unmittelbar so wahr, daß die Antimonprozesse, in den menschlichen Organismus gebracht, s o wirken, wie die Ich-Organisation.
[ 7 ] Im menschlichen Organismus zeigt das Blut in seiner Strömung eine Tendenz, zu gerinnen. Diese Tendenz ist diejenige, die unter dem Einfluß der Ich-Organisation steht und unter ihr die Regulierung erfahren muß. Blut ist ein organisches Mittelprodukt. Was im Blute entsteht, hat Vorgänge durchgemacht, die auf dem Wege sind, solche des menschlichenVollorganismus, d.h. der Ich-Organisation zu werden. Es muß noch Vorgänge durchmachen, die in die Gestaltung dieses Organismus sich einfügen. Welcher Art diese sind, kann aus Folgendem erkannt werden. Indem das Blut beim Entfernen aus dem Körper gerinnt, zeigt es, daß es durch sich selbst die Tendenz zum Gerinnen hat, aber im menschlichen Organismus an diesem Gerinnen fortdauernd verhindert werden muß. Was Blut am Gerinnen verhindert, ist die Kraft, durch die es der Organismus sich eingliedert. Es gliedert sich in die Körpergestaltung durch die Formkräfte ein, die gerade noch vor dem Gerinnen liegen. Würde das Gerinnen eintreten, wäre das Leben gefährdet.
[ 8 ] Hat man es daher im Organismus mit einem krankhaften Zustande zu tun, der in einem Mangel dieser nach der Blutgerinnung hinzielenden Kräfte besteht, so wirkt das Antimon in dieser oder jener Form als Heilmittel.
[ 9 ] Die Gestaltung des Organismus ist im wesentlichen eine solche Verwandlung der Eiweißsubstanz, durch die diese zum Zusammenwirken mit mineralisierenden Kräften kommt. Solche sind z. B. in dem Kalk enthalten. Was hier in Betracht kommt, zeigt anschaulich die Schalen bildung der Auster. Die Auster muß sich desjenigen, was in der Schalenbildung vorliegt, entledigen, um die Eiweißsubstanz in ihrer Eigenart zu behalten. Ähnliches ist auch bei der Schalenbildung des Eies vorhanden. Bei der Auster wird das Kalkartige abgesondert, um es der Eiweißwirkung nicht einzugliedern. Im menschlichen Organismus muß diese Eingliederung stattfinden. Die bloße Eiweißwirkung muß in eine solche umgewandelt werden, in der mitwirkt, was im Kalkartigen durch die Ich-Organisation an gestaltenden Kräften hervorgerufen werden kann. Das muß sich innerhalb der Blutbildung abspielen. Das Antimon wirkt der kalkausscheidenden Kraft entgegen und führt das Eiweiß, das seine Form bewahren will, durch seine Verwandtschaft mit dem Äther-Elemente in die Formlosigkeit hinüber, die für die Einflüsse des Kalkartigen oder Ähnlichem empfänglich ist.
[ 10 ] Beim Typhus ist es klar, daß der krankhafte Zustand in einer mangelnden Überführung der Eiweißsubstanz in gestaltungs fähige Blutsubs tanz besteht. Die Form der Diarrhöen, die auftritt, zeigt, daß schon im Darm die Unfähigkeit zu dieser Umwandlung beginnt. Die schweren Bewußtseins-Beeinträchtigungen, die sich einstellen, zeigen, daß die Ich-Organisation aus dem Körper herausgetrieben wird und nicht wirken kann. Das ist aus dem Grunde, weil die Eiweißsubstanz nicht an die mineralisierenden Kräfte, in denen die Ich-Organisation wirken kann, herankommt. Ein Beweis für diese Anschauung ist auch die Tatsache, daß die Entleerungen die Ansteckungsgefahr bringen. In diesen erweist sich die Tendenz zur Zerstörung der gestaltenden Kräfte gesteigert.
[ 11 ] Wendet man bei typhösen Erscheinungen Antimonpräparate in entsprechender Zusammensetzung an, so erweisen sich diese als Heilmittel. Sie entkleiden die Eiweißsubstanz ihrer Eigenkräfte und machen sie geneigt, den Gestaltungskräften der Ich-Organisation sich einzufügen.
[ 12 ] Man wird von Gesichtspunkten aus, die in der Gegenwart vielfach üblich sind, sagen: solche Ansichten wie die hier über das Antimon angedeutete, seien nicht exakt; und man wird dagegen auf die Exaktheit der gewöhnlichen chemischen Methoden hinweisen. Aber für die Wirkung im menschlichen Organismus kommen in Wahrheit die chemischen Wirkungen der Stoffe so wenig in Betracht wie die chemische Zusammensetzung eines Farbstoffes für die Handhabung dieses Stoffes durch den Maler. Gewiß, der Maler tut gut, von dem chemischen Ausgangspunkt etwas zu wissen. Aber wie er die Farbstoffe im Malen behandelt, das kommt von einer andern Methodik. Und so ist es für den Therapeuten. Dieser kann die Chemie als eine Grundlage betrachten, die für ihn etwas 0bedeutet; die Wirkungsweise der Stoffe im menschlichen Organismus hat aber nichts mehr mit diesem Chemischen zu tun. Wer Exaktheit nur in dem sieht, was die Chemie - auch die pharmazeutische - feststellt, der vernichtet die Möglichkeit, Anschauungen darüber zu gewinnen, was im Organismus bei Heilungsvorgängen geschieht.
XVI Knowledge of remedies
[ 1 ] The substances whose use as remedies is to be considered must first be known in such a way that the possible effects of the forces they contain, both outside and inside the human organism, can be assessed. This can only to a small degree be a matter of considering the possible effects that are investigated by ordinary chemistry, but it is important to observe the effects that result from the connection of the inner constitution of a substance in relation to the forces that radiate from the earth or radiate into it.
[ 2 ] From this point of view, consider, for example, the antimony luster. Antimony is closely related to the sulphur compounds of other metals. Sulphur has a sum of properties that remain constant within relatively narrow limits. It is sensitive to natural processes such as heating, combustion, etc. This makes it capable of playing an important role within the protein substances that are completely detached from the forces of the earth and are incorporated into the etheric effects. As antimony is related to sulphur, it easily participates in this incorporation into the etheric effects. It is therefore easy to bring it into the activity of the protein in the human body and to help it to an etheric effect if this body, through some pathological condition, cannot itself transform a protein substance introduced from outside in such a way that it integrates itself into its own activity.
[ 3 ] But antimony also exhibits other peculiarities. Wherever it can, it strives for a tufted shape. It thus divides itself into lines, which move away from the earth and towards the forces acting in the ether. Thus with antimony something is introduced into the human organism that meets the action of the etheric body halfway. What happens to antimony in the Seiger process also points to the etheric relationship of this substance. It becomes fine-fibered through this process. Now the segregation process is one that begins physically at the bottom, so to speak, and passes into the etheric at the top. The antimony integrates itself into this transition.
[ 4 ] Furthermore, antimony, which oxidizes when it glows, produces a white smoke when it burns, which clings to cold bodies and produces antimony flowers.
[ 5 ] Furthermore, antimony has a certain resistance to electrical effects. If it is treated electrolytically in a certain way and brought to the cathode as a precipitate, this explodes on contact with a metal tip.
[ 6 ] All this shows that antimony contains the tendency to change easily into the ether element at the moment when the conditions for this are present, even to a small degree. To the spiritual vision all these details are only hints; for this perceives the relationship between ego activity and antimony activity directly in such a way that the antimony processes, brought into the human organism, act like the ego organization.
[ 7 ] In the human organism, the blood shows a tendency to coagulate in its flow. This tendency is the one that is under the influence of the ego organization and must be regulated by it. Blood is an organic medium product. What arises in the blood has undergone processes that are on the way to becoming those of the full human organism, i.e. the ego-organization. It still has to undergo processes that fit into the formation of this organism. The nature of these processes can be recognized from the following. In that the blood coagulates when removed from the body, it shows that it has a tendency to coagulate by itself, but must be continually prevented from coagulating in the human organism. What prevents blood from clotting is the force by which the organism incorporates it. It integrates itself into the body through the formative forces that lie just before coagulation. If clotting were to occur, life would be endangered.
[ 8 ] If the organism is therefore dealing with a pathological condition that consists of a deficiency of these forces aimed at blood clotting, antimony acts as a remedy in one form or another.
[ 9 ] The formation of the organism is essentially such a transformation of the protein substance through which it comes to interact with mineralizing forces. Such forces are contained in lime, for example. The shell formation of the oyster is an illustration of what is involved here. The oyster must get rid of that which is present in the shell formation in order to retain the protein substance in its own nature. Something similar is also present in the shell formation of the egg. In the oyster, the calcareous substance is separated in order to not incorporate it into the protein action. This incorporation must take place in the human organism. The mere protein effect must be transformed into one in which the formative forces that can be evoked in the calcareous organism by the ego organization are involved. This must take place within the blood formation. Antimony counteracts the calcifying force and, through its relationship with the ether element, leads the protein, which wants to preserve its form, over into formlessness, which is susceptible to the influences of the calcareous or similar elements.
[ 10 ] In typhoid fever it is clear that the pathological condition consists in a lack of transformation of the protein substance into a formative blood substance. The form of diarrhea that occurs shows that the incapacity for this transformation already begins in the intestine. The severe impairment of consciousness that occurs shows that the ego organization is driven out of the body and cannot work. This is because the protein substance cannot reach the mineralizing forces in which the ego organization can work. Proof of this view is also the fact that the emptying brings the danger of infection. In these, the tendency to destroy the formative forces is increased.
[ 11 ] If antimony preparations in the appropriate composition are used for typhoid phenomena, they prove to be a remedy. They strip the protein substance of its inherent forces and make it inclined to adapt to the formative forces of the ego organization.
[ 12 ] From points of view that are often common in the present day, one will say that views such as the one indicated here about antimony are not exact; and one will point to the exactness of the usual chemical methods. But in truth, the chemical effects of the substances are as irrelevant to the effect in the human organism as the chemical composition of a dye is to the handling of this substance by the painter. Certainly, the painter does well to know something of the chemical starting point. But how he treats the colorants in painting comes from a different methodology. And so it is for the therapist. He can regard chemistry as a basis that means something to him, but the way the substances work in the human organism has nothing to do with this chemistry. Anyone who sees exactness only in what chemistry - including pharmaceutical chemistry - determines destroys the possibility of gaining an understanding of what happens in the organism during healing processes.