George Loukas

The following symptoms help us to understand the psychological sphere of Zincum.

• Delusions, sees devil after her.
• Delusions, he has a goitre, has one which he cannot see over when.

• Timidity, alternating with anger.
• Anxiety, alternating with contentment.

• Confidence, want of self.

• Delusions, she is about to be arrested.

• Delusions, she is accused.

• Delusions he had commited a crime.

• Delusions, he is pursued by police.

• Propensity, to handle organs, (Boericke).

Zincum is a person who grew up in a very strict family. He is extremely loyal. He has deep in his conscience the sense of law. But at the same time there is fear of the father or the mother. This element may not be mentioned by the patient but it is easy to find out by asking him about his childhood. This fear about his father and his mother simetimes becomes fear of the police. For example, when a Zincum person is driving he is frequently checking behind him to see if he is beeing followed by a police car. A Zincum student is very obedient, he immediately complies with the teacher’s suggestions. But a Zincum person does not only obey his teachers. He is generally obedient and that is expressed in all his actions, in any of his social activities.

It is interesting to examine the above with relation to a symptom that is mentioned by Boericke. He writes in materia medica: “Child grasps genitals during xough:. There is an oppinion, with which the author agrees, that in many, if not in all, of our physical symptoms there is a symbolism that is related to our psychism. So, in grabing genitals while coughing, there is the symbolism of anxiety of punishment that Zincum person feels. This is related to what psychoanalysis calls anxiety of castration.

There is another phrase that Christians mention which is related to Zincum. This is the phrase “Away from me devil”. This phrase said when one feels that the devil is managing to persuade him to do something he shouldn’t. So we can understand the symptom: “Delusion sees devils after her”. It actually shows the strict (Alter Ego?) of the person which is imposed on any desire. These people are very responsible in their emotional life as well. They are very patient when difficulties appear in their love-relationship They are not the kind of person who will break a relationship on first quarrel. They are patient and persistent. So they show patience in many circumstances. They are devoted to the problem that bothers them and they hardly turn away their attention from that. That explains the symptom: “Delusions, has one goitre which he cannot see over”. All these situations cause the nervous system of the Zincum person to be very sensitive, thing that appears either as irritability or as tremor of the limps, especially when he is angry and doesn’t express his aggression. The restlessness of lower limps is one of the Key-symptoms of Zincum Metallicum. They very often have nightmares or dream of dogs. These symbolise the father and the anxiety of being punished by him, which overwhelms them. They wake up in a bad mood. They want to talk about their problems to the others, to the point of becoming tiresome.

They are very responsible in their job. They don’t cause problems with their employers and ther colleagues. They very often have the feeling that others are angry with them and thre is a conspiracy against them. Of course this happens when the work situation is opressive. This feeling brings up a lot of anxiety and they continually try to be good at their work and to be in good terms with their colleagues. Another characteristic of Zincum is that they are usually superstitious about various events. They are usually very shy. they expect a lot from themselves and every time they don’t manage to achieve their targets, they feel ashamed or anxious and angry.

The above can be seen in the symptoms:

• Ailments from anger.

• Ailments from emotional excitement.
• Ailments from grief.
• Ailments when aroused.
• Anger, with trembling.
• Anxiety, when alone.
• Anxiety, of conscience, as if quilty of a crime.
• Anxiety, on waking from frighitful dreams.
• Anxiety, with fear.
• Anxiety, dunny sleep.
• Anxiety, on waking.
• Cares, about others.

• Delusions, he is persecuted.
• Industrious.
• Religious.
• Remorse.

• Superstitius.

• Timidity, alternating with anger.

• Timidity, alternating with irritability.

In which cases Zincum Metallicum is indicated? At first we must have it in mind in neurotic situations as neurotic anxiety, depressive neurosis, hypochondriac neurosis and personality disorders where anxiety of punishment is predominant. The basic symptoms that will help us to choose Zincum are already described above. But there will be some other, non-specific symptoms, related to each case. For example, in hysteria there will be intense restlessness of the lower limps. Some times twilight-syndrom may appear (in the twilight-syndrom we have consciousness disorders. The person is dissorientated or slightly cloud -minded but is not conscious of it and he acts mechanically or some times like a new personality). Some times somnambulism is also observed. Somnambulism can appear in Zincum children without hysterical neurosis. Nevertheless, in a Zincum-type hysteria we must think of Zincum Valerianicum. In a hypochondriac neurosis the Zincum patient is characterized by a tendency to go around to his friends and relatives and bother them with his health problems.

The above can be seen in the symptoms:

• Chaotic, confused behaviour.

• Company, desire for.

• Confusion of mind, as if in a dream.
• Dream, as if in a.

• Desrair of recovery.
• Fear of death.
• Hypochondriasis.
• Hysteria.

• Sadness when alone.
• Sadness alternating with anger.
• Somnambulism, after suppressed emotions.
• Suicidal disposition.

Menopause is also a period in which depressive symptomatology may appear in Zincum patients. This is easy to imagine if we think how a person with a strict ethical code like Zincum would face increased sexual desire. Usually, a Zincum person is very strict with regard to sexual desire. Sometimes though sexual hypperactivity may appear. So in teenagers an intense tendency for masturbation may appear and in women nymphomania, mainly during puberty, pregnancy or confinement. They feel guilty after having sex. The above can be seen in the symptoms:

• Sadness, when alone.
• Sadness, during climaxis.
• Sadnness, alternating with fear.

• Suicidal disposition.

• Ailments from, sexual excesses.

• Anger, with delusions during climaxis

• Climacteric period agg.

• Nymphomania, during pregnancy.

• Nymphomania, puerperal.

Zincum can be used in psychotic situations where thoughts or feelings are affected. In such cases there may be violence that reminds us of Stramonium or silliness which reminds us of Hyosciamus. Zincum can also help in situations of mania or deppression with suicidal disposition. Also in organic psychosyndroms, like delirium or convalsive paroxism (?), violent symptomatology and restlessness of limps can appear.

The above can be seen in the symptoms:

• Delirium, frightful.

• Delirium, laughing.
• Delirium, maniacal.
• Delirium, raging.
• Delirium, violent.
• Delusions, sees devils.

• Delusions, he will be murdered.
• Delusions, voices from within him speaking.

in abusive and filthy language.

• Insanity, erotic.

• Mania, with rage.

• Unconsciousness, after suppression of eruptions.