SYCOTIC CO.

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Hypothesis	Features	Similars
Predisposed types	Overweight, but poor quality diet Sallow; Pale; anaemic. Puffy; greasy skin. Probably dark haired more than fair haired.	Calc carb. Calc phos. Thuja Medorrhinum
Main aetiology	Infective including viral URTI / measles and enterovirus infection
Secondary aetiologies	Immunisations, antibiotics, drugs, stress	Morbillinum
Emergent disturbance	Disturbed surface immunity
Secondary disturbances	Catarrhal states, proliferative conditions
Principle locations	Respiratory mucosae Sinuses, nasopharynx	Bacillinum
Secondary locations	Body orifices Skin GI and genital tracts Synovium + Otorrhoea Vulvovaginitis Dermatitis Arthritis	Borax Thuja Sabina
GI pathophysiology	Chronic irritation of whole alimentary tract; Distended. Children may have digestive difficulties with a history of enterovirus infection. + Nausea. Anorexia. Eructation bilious attacks. Pain and distension in epigastrium. Flatulence. R.I.F. Pain L.I.F.

Mentals

Nervous; tense. Cross; restless; weepy; depressed; shy; sensitive; fussy. Exhausted. Mostly cold sensitive. Bites nails. Nervous irritability; quick temper; outbursts of temper from resentment. Fears of dark and of being left alone; fear of animals and dogs. This nosode is very rich in mental symptoms, which are very similar to Gaertner. The element of fear is outstanding, but there is an additional factor of irritation. This may be manifested by outbursts of temper, suggestive of remedy Lycopodium, which is often complementary to this nosode.

The sycotic patient is always anaemic looking, never carries much colour in the face. Although the mentals of Gaertner and Sycotic Co. are similar, the physical appearance of the child is different. In contrast to the thin, undernourished child in Gaertner, the Sycotic child is often fat and flabby. Head sweat during sleep, chiefly from 12 to 4 am (cf. Calcarea carbonica).

“Calcium carbonate does not entirely cover the picture of the Sycotic child ……but here calcium bears the same relation to Sycotic co. as carbon does to Morgan co.”— William B. Griggs

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. Helleborus). Headaches are chronic, deep-seated in nature, meningeal or sinusal origin. Headache weekly; every Sunday morning. Headache < left side (lasts weeks); throbbing in heat and rest, in noise. Frontal congestive headache which lasts for many days. Sick headache < at menstrual period (before or after). Sweating of head at night. Headache slight, but recurring in child.

Scalp

Alopecia. Painful dry scaly spots. Premature grey hair.

Face

Puffy in morning especially under eyes. Acne rosacea. Erythema. Vesicular eruption on cheeks. Facial neuralgia. Hair on face and upper lip. Facial twitching.

Eyes

Conjunctivitis. Tarsal cysts. Photophobia. Vitreous opacities.

Ears

Deafness. Otorrhoea. Excessive wax. Itching of meatus. Cracks under ears.

Nose

Nasal catarrh. Post nasal catarrh. Turbinates congested, sinus infection. Nose dry; crusting and burning. Polypi. Cracks in angles of nose. Epistaxis. Sense of smell lost. Hay fever. Vasomotor rhinorrhoea.

“Sycotic Co. is a remedy of great value in catarrhal conditions and violent cough.”— T.D. Ross

Mouth

Lips dry/cracked. Angular cheilitis. Persistent herpes. Tongue sore; scalded; dry; fissured; furred. Deep ulcers on tongue. Bad taste; sense of taste lost. Paraesthesiae tongue. Ulcers in mouth. Salivation increased.

Head

Meningitic irritation: Subacute or chronic convulsions, epileptiform crisis, meningism during the attacks of fever (Proteus). For the attack on the kidneys and meningitis syndromes Sycotic Co C.M. and Proteus C.M.

— (Chebath Daniel)

Throat External

Goitre. Glands in the posterior triangle enlarged.

Throat Internal

Hypertrophy of tonsils and adenoids, and enlargement of glands of neck, chest, or abdomen. Tonsillitis (recurring), cheesy masses from tonsil. Quinsy. Throat feels raw; scorched; dry. Profuse mucus from throat in morning. Swallowing difficult; chokes easily. Tracheitis.

Respiration

Asthma and bronchitis generally < with damp and frost and > at the seaside. Wheeze and cough 2–3 A.M. Wheeze and cough on waking. Hard spasmodic cough at night 2 A.M., 4 A.M., or 6 A.M. Irritable cough of croupy nature at night. The sycotic child wakens at 2 A.M. with a cough of croupy nature. Attacks are spasmodic, affected by change in atmosphere, and may be prolonged. Cough still sick next morning. Cough with easy sputum. Frequent bronchial colds.

In winter, the respiratory mucous membrane is congested with chronic cough and recurring croupy cough. Cough bad with tough sputum. Fibrositis chest wall. Fibrositis scapular region. Backache severe; fibrositis back, myositis back. Stiff all over. Neuritis of head and neck. Sebaceous cyst back.

Neck & Back

Lumbosacral pain + +. Pain in loins. Pain sacroiliac joints. Hips stiff. Pain generally < after sitting, at night on beginning to move and > on moving, heat.

Desires & Aversions

Aversion to: egg, fat, milk, milk pudding, cream, salt, sugar, vegetables, tea, vinegar, cheese, meat, bread, potato, and tomato. Upset by: egg (< nausea, vomiting, bilious attack and hay fever). Thought of egg in morning produces nausea. Upset by fat, onion, and oranges.

Averse to breakfast. Nausea with smell of cooking. Fond of: butter, fat, cheese, sweets, milk, and salt.

Stomach

Nausea. Anorexia. Burning pain in stomach. Eructation (acid); bilious attacks. Pain and distension in epigastrium. Flatulence. Nocturnal vomiting — must empty stomach. Acidosis attacks.

Abdomen

Distended colon. Abdomen distended. Pain R.I.F. Pain L.I.F.

Digestive System

Chronic irritation of whole alimentary tract; catarrhal conditions; acute or chronic gastro enteritis in the child. Nausea or sickness after eating eggs (cf Ferrum met). The children have digestive difficulties with a history of looseness of the bowel.

Circulation

Anaemia and hydraemia, usually in the adult.

Upper Limbs

Fibrositis: shoulders. Neuritis: arms. Rheumatic pain in shoulders and arms; elbows and wrists. Arthritis fingers: pain generally > dry day and hot water. Fingers deformed; nodules on fingers. Arthritis metacarpo-phalangeal joints. Arthritis especially of middle finger between metacarpal 2 and 3. Fingers go dead; numb; with spasm of the fingers. Prickly feeling in hands. Nails brittle.

Lower Limbs

Rheumatism of knees. Ankles swollen and stiff + +. Soles of feet painful + +. Feet sweat at night. Big toe joint painful. Feet burning. Heels tender. Feet and legs painful when walking, as if walking on loose bone pieces.