CONSTITUTION

Dr. Manali TyagiMM Deptt.

In the German text Hahnemann used the term, beschaffenheit (make up), which is usually translated into English as the word constitution”

The root word "schaffen" means

"to do, to make, to work".

Beschaffen is a verb that means,

"to procure, make something

available", and as an adjective it

means, "constituted".

The English word, constitution, comes from

the Latin root, constituere, which means

constitutes: to set up, to establish, to form

or make up, to appoint to give being to.

Beschaffenheit is usually translated as

constitution in relationship to the Latin root

"constiture" in homoeopathic works

Chambers Dictionary define constitution

as: the natural condition of the body or

mind; disposition.

•In this sense constitutional means;

inherent in the natural frame, or inherent

nature

The W. Turner’s Dictionary, published in Leipzig in the 1830s, defines the German term, Beschaffenheit, as nature, quality, temper,condition, constitution, disposition and circumstance.

•Therefore, the term Beschaffenheit may include : any circumstance, condition or quality related to the physical constitution and mental temperament as well as dispositions

The term "beschaffenheit" may have the following meanings in German. A quality of someone or something that is inherent or a characteristic trait that serves to define or describe its possessor.

The make-up or way something is composed or arranged, its constitution, composition, construction or nature.

A medical term for inherent traits and qualities of the human being [constitution; make-up and qualities of the body and/or soul].

Constitution is defined as the

structure, composition, physical

makeup or nature of something,

comprising inherited qualities

modified by the environment.

Temperament means a peculiar or

distinguishing mental or physical character

determined by relative proportion of

humors according to the medieval

physiology. It means characteristic or

habitual inclination or mode of emotional

response.

CLASSIFICATION OF CONSTITUTION

CHINESE CONCEPT :

YANG & YIN

AYURVEDIC CONCEPT :

VATHA PITHA KAPHA

HIPPOCRATIC CONCEPT :

short and thick - prone to apoplectic conditions

long and thin. -prone to tubercular affection

SANGUINE MELANCHOLIC

Composition of HUMOURS

CHOLERIC PHLEGMATIC

BAZIN :

SCROFULOUS

GOUTY

SYPHILLITIC

VANNIER’S & ZISSUS :

CARBONIC CONSTITUTION

PHOSPHORIC CONSTITUTION

FLUORIC CONSTITUTION

Carbonic constitution

mentally and physically upright persons

having square white regular teeth

slight acute angle between Iower-arm and upper-arm

orderly, undemonstrative, responsible and capable.

Psoric.

Cal carb, kali carb, mag carb, nat carb, graph, carbo veg, carbo anim

Phosphoric constitution :

Scrofulous or tubercular diathesis.

Tall , thin delicate, easily tired persons long yellow teeth but well fitted.

Arm forms perfect straight line when stretched.

Dislike hardwork but orderly and fastidious. Usually Psychotic. Calc phos, phos acid, kali phos, phos, mag phos

Flouric constitution :

unbalanced irregular body formation obtuse angle of outstretched arm, teeth irregular and ill fitted, untidy, cunning and unreliable. Capable of heroism, sanctity and wickedness. Predisposed to diseases of nervous system, dislocation of the joints and suicide. Mainly Syphillitic. Flouric acid, calc flous are the main drugs.

ERNST KRETSCHNER :

ATHLETIC

ASTHENIC

PYKNIC

•Asthenic refers to frail, linear physique. A defeciency in thickness combined with an average unlessened length. Lean narrow built with a skin poor in secretion, narrow shoulders, muscles, delicately bones limbs, narrow flat chest, sharp rib angle, and thin stomach.

Athletic constitution is characterized by strong development of the skeleton, musculature and skin, a middle sized man with projecting shoulders, superb chest, firm stomach and trunk tapers in its lower edge so that the pelvis and the magnificient leg seem almost graceful compared with the size of the upper limb and particularly hypertrophied shoulder. Pyknic refers to plump physique.

•Constitution is defined as a person’s physical and mental make up which is revealed through his physical built, his characteristic desires, aversions and reactions as well as emotional and intellectual attributes.

To understand the constitution of a person, a physician must know the person’s physical make up, namely, his build,desires, aversions, and disaggrement with foods, characteristics of his discharges and eliminations, information related, and his thermal reactions

It is also important to know mental attributes, namely, emotional and intellectual reactions and performances.•The pattern of reactions to the environment also tells us the quality of susceptibility of the constitution. The study of the quality of susceptibility, in turn, points out the quality of the constitution.•Various concominants expressed in relation to the stressful situations like dentition in a child, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause in a female are important expressions which reveal the quality of a constitution.

A constitutional prescription should be based on the totality of the mental and physical reactions.

It should be able to cover the level of susceptibility, the tendencies, the behavioural pattern and the underlying miasms.

Constitutional medicine should be prescribed only after the acute crisis which is overcome with the help of acute medicine in order to facilitate the individual to have a quick and uneventful convalescence.

It also effectively checks the tendency to relaps.

VON GRAUVOGL CLASSIFICATION

Classified according to excess or deficiency of certain elements in the tissues and blood.

The concept broadly classifies the type and nature of the physical make up which is prone to certain ailments in given situations.

According to him respiration is a function which is not confined to the lungs, but all parts of the body respire and consequently oxygen is found in all organs and tissue, sometimes as ozone (neutral), and sometimes as antozone (positive). The air we breath is composed of Oxygen , Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen of which the whole Organism is composed and which are even contained free in the blood

3 CONSTITUTIONS OF GRAUVOGL

Hydrogenoid constitution

excess of hydrogen and consequently water in the blood and tissues.

corresponds closely to Hahnemann’s Sycosis, but it covers a much wider area and is not by any means confined to the acquired or inherited result of Gonorrhoeal infection.

The vaccinosis too comes under this constitution.

Hydrogenoid constitution is characterized by the excess of water in the body. They are aggravated by moisture and humidity Prone to dropsy and anasarca Suffers from tissue growth of benign type. They belong to the Sycotic group. Marked periodicity of complaints. Ars, dulc, nat suiph, nitr acid phytolacca, rhustox, thuja, dig, Ant.tart, Ipecac etc are the main drugs.

= / < cold or damp weather and in rain. exposure to both water and water products. For example, bath, fishes, plants and fruits grown in water can increase the complaints. cold weather, cold food and drinks,

sour, milk, hard eggs, cucumbers and mushrooms. living in the proximity of ponds, rivers and sea, as well as stagnant water.

complaints which are aggravated by electric disturbance find a special place under this constitution. Nat.sulph, Thuja, Ant.tart, Ipecac, etc.

Oxygenoid constitution :

Oxygenoid constitution is characterized by the accumulation of excess of oxygen with resultant destruction of tissues.

Body is thin and thus ill on change of season.

Destructive, disorders involving the genitalia and diseases of central nervous system.

Body is prone to ulcerations and self-Destruction.

excess of Oxygen thin and complain of weight loss inspite of having food appetite and eating well. prominent glands, weak bones, and anaemia.like fats and have aversion of carbohydrates. worse when dryness is changing to humidity, before storms and before and during tempestuous winds. better when it begins to rain and snow. worse in foggy weather.

nervous individuals and are characterized by increased physical and mental activities. corresponds to Hahnemann’s Syphilis.

Calc-phos, ferr-phos, nat-phos, phos, phos-acid, iod, sil, calc, natr-mur, hell, tuberc, syph, merc-sol, kali-iod, ferrum.

Carbon- Nitrogenoid Constitution excess of carbon and nitrogen or insufficient oxygenation complaints are caused by retarded nutrition. This constitution is marked by obesity, which is followed by emaciation in due course. The respiration is faster and shallow. erratic working of the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen etc Other marked features are short breath, rapid pulse, constipation followed by diarrhoea, flatulence, urinary troubles, dullness, yawning, irritability and impatience.

They are mostly tired individuals and do not like to take any active work. They have unhealthy smell, offensive and irritating perspiration, boils etc. =/< are overfeeding, exertion or anything which hinders the use of energy or which results in the wastage of energy. constitution corresponds to Hahnemann’s Psora. Medicines like Lyco, Phos, Sulph., Ars, ars-iod, calc-phos, carbo-veg, hep, iod, kali-bich, lach, lyco, natr-mur, zinc-met

Rubrics related to constitutional diathesis

Hysterical constitutions Hemorrhagic constitutions Lymphatic constitutions Venous constitutions Plethoric constitutions Rheumatic constitutions Scrofulous constitution Paralytic constitutions Gouty, constitutions Tubercular, constitutions Asthmatic constitutions

Rubrics related to the bodily constitution

Lean, thin people Large fat, people, bloated Emaciated constitutions Fibre, lax, constitutions Fibre rigid constitutions Tall lean constitutions; Dwarfish constitutions

Rubrics related to the Hippocratic temperaments and humours

Bilious constitutions Choleric constitutions Phlegmatic constitutions Sanguine constitutions Melancholic constitutions Nervous constitutions

Rubrics related to the miasms :

Psoric constitutions Sycotic constitutions Tubercular constitutions Syphilitic constitutions Cancerous constitutions (mixed miasms).

ITS STUDY IS NEVER ENOUGH……