IN REPRINT: Three pieces of gold

Review

This book review is reprinted with the permission of the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians

Three Pieces of Gold is a 220-page book creatively and accurately describing three important remedies, Aurum muriaticum natronatum, Aurum arsenicum, and Aurum sulphuratum. The author's knowledge has been gained through clinical experience with each remedy in numerous cured cases. Roger Morrison's forward testifies to the enthusiasm and brilliancy of the author, and I was not disappointed in reading and studying this valuable book.

My introduction to the importance of the Aurum salts came with Nancy Herrick's wonderful presentation at the first IFH case conference in 1989, where she presented a case of Aurum muriaticum and one of Aurum muriaticum natronatum. (Incidentally, the now defunct IFH published seven books of these conferences. If any are still available, buy them. All seven books are outstanding.) A few years later Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman presented a case of Aurum arsenicum at an HANP case conference. I began to realize the importance of the Aurum salts, but still didn't feel I had a deep understanding of them. The existing materia medicas gave very little information. Even Vithoulkas' Materia Medica Viva, Volume 3, which describes Aurum iodatum, Aurum muriaticum, Aurum muriaticum natronatum, and Aurum sulphuratum, didn't satisfy me. I read these remedies from Vithoulkas several times, but needed more.

My introduction to the writing of Terje Wulfsberg came with a great article he wrote for Simillimum, comprised of two Aurum arsenicum cases and a discussion of the remedy (Simillimum, volume 9, #3, Fall 1996). When I received a review copy of Three Pieces of Gold, I anticipated a useful addition to our materia medica. This book was greater than my expectations. After reading and studying Terje's book, I finally really understood these remedies, and have used them effectively with many of my patients.

In his Introduction, Terje states, "Aurum muriaticum natronatum and Aurum sulphuratum definitely deserve a place among the polycrests, Aurum muriaticum natronatum being the most important." When I first read these words I thought Terje was being over-enthusiastic, perhaps exaggerating the importance of the Aurum salts. I was mistaken. Now, over a year later, I wholeheartedly agree with him. These Aurum salts are immensely important.

The syphilitic miasm seems to be permeating our culture. Depression is almost epidemic. Is it any wonder the Aurum salts are so important? Many cases that have some Aurum traits will not respond to Aurum metallicum, but you will find a beautiful match in one of these Aurum salts.

The key, of course, is knowledge of materia medica. Until we understand a remedy well, it is not easy to spot it in a patient. But when we get that understanding, homeopathy gets a lot easier. Three Pieces of Gold is a jewel that gives the reader that clear understanding of these remedies. Roger Morrison writes in the Forward:
Between the lines we can follow a relentless mind struggling with the living puzzle of a patient's life. He shares with us his well-deserved sense of triumph at his discoveries. In fact this book should serve as a template for homeopathic authors - it is focused on a very specific topic which is explored intensively. Furthermore, Terje's dedication to basing his conclusions on reliable cases and repertory increases the reader's confidence and makes this book a significant contribution to homeopathic literature.

The main focus of the book is on Aurum muriaticum natronatum. It has been Terje's experience that this is the most commonly seen Aurum salt, the closest of the Aurum salts to polycrest status (my experience confirms his observation.). It would be a disservice for me to attempt to summarize the materia medica of these three remedies. Buy the book and mine the gold. Read it carefully. Fortunately it is an easy book to read and study. It is well-written and well-organized, giving stages of the remedy, and explaining major characteristics, causations, and typical traits of patients who have responded to the remedy. This is followed by an excellent summary, and a section describing children needing the remedy. Differential diagnosis is included, along with suggested repertory additions. We are given several descriptive cases of the remedies. I highly recommend Three Pieces of Gold by Terje Wulfsberg - it is a gold mine of valuable knowledge, beautifully presented, and an essential addition to the library of every serious homeopath.

More information about this book Three Pieces of Gold can be viewed at http://home.sol.no/~share/tpog

SIMILLIMUM
Fall 1999
Volume 12, Number 3

This book review is reprinted from The Homoeopath with permission from Nick Churchill of The Society of Homoeopaths.

In his introduction, the author, Norwegian homoeopath Terje Wulfsberg points out that we live in a syphilitic era, and should therefore expand our array of anti-syphilitic remedies. Incorporating many reliable sources and using his rich clinical experience which brings him to the conclusion that not only Aurum metallicum but 'also some of the Aurum salts are frequently indicated' (p. 17), he undertakes to facilitate the use of three of them. He does so by sharing his insights into what he considers as underestimated, underrepresented and underused polychrests, namely Aurum muriaticum natronatum and Aurum sulphuratum (which is identical, in his view, to Aurum sulphuricum). Aurum arsenicum, the third remedy considered, is given a much smaller platform.

Another purpose of putting his notions on paper is to confirm his 'claims about their usefulness' in order that they eventually become 'valued as gold' (p. 18). It is unclear to me whether it is the potentised gold he refers to, but unattenuated or not, I'm sure many readers will agree once they will have read his book.

We have numerous sources on Aurum metallicum: everything seems to have been said on that polychrest, and since Terje largely focuses on the emotional aspect of these 'neglected' Aurum salts, a short statistic in that respect might be illuminating: Aurum metallicum is mentioned 716 times in the Mind section of the Complete Repertory, whereas Aurum sulphuratum appears in 74 rubrics and Aurum muriaticum natronatum only in ten. The knowledge we have on these combination remedies seems to be specific and focused on very definite, somewhat limited spheres of action. The author aims at shifting those centres of gravity and thus enable three remedies which have hitherto been overshadowed (or rather, outshined) by their successful 'parents' (Aurum, Natrum muriaticum, Sulphur and Arsenicum album) to play a more active role in our practice.

Terje considers his work as an expansion of a knowledge already prevailing, merely 'filling in gaps', as he puts it (p.9). By no means does he aim at the reader who first comes across these remedies. Thorough, well structured and following a coherent inner logic, the book allocates as little as possible to the physical aspects of the remedies, apparently mentioning only the clinically verified symptoms. True, there is no point in slavishly repeating Materia Medica that can be read elsewhere, and of course every homoeopath must bear in mind aphorism #211. Nevertheless, when reading this book, remember it emphasizes the mental aspect (p.81), and before you have it for your main course, be sure to have an appetizer first. In other words, be sure to take along a good map of the entire terrain when climbing that mountain.

The table of contents reveals both the scope and the depth of the work the author wishes to cover, and also serves as a synopsis for the entire book. Proceeding from generals to particulars, he first speaks about gold as an element, compares it to people who need Aurum salts, and then refers to stages in the pathological development of these syphilitic remedies.

When examining the first two remedies, he follows a sensible configuration: first giving a main theme, he then describes the pattern - namely the personality types, the causation for their state, the strategy they adopt, the compensation, and characterising traits. All this is later further illustrated in relation to children, which undoubtedly makes this book an invaluable source of information.

Throughout his study, Terje is continuously backed up by well-acclaimed authors and various clinical examples. The differential diagnosis with several polychrests these remedies might be mistaken for puts the description in a more practical frame of reference, as do the suggestions to repertory additions. Several case examples later given are extremely important in fixing the picture in our mind. They are followed by a repertorisation, analysis using the Vithoulkas Expert System, and a long-term follow up, indicating a lasting improvement, often a cure. Terje doesn't hesitate to share his doubts and initial failures, he even uses them to emphasize the fine differences between the Aurum salts and polychrests indicated otherwise.

I found all these additions extremely valuable in avoiding future mistakes - so far the remedies have been missed for lack of knowledge or because they did not come through in repertorisation.

My fascination with this book goes beyond its being a comprehensive, 'total package' guide to unknown aspects of these remedies. Typographically, it has an elegant layout, useful subtitles and highlighted key sentences, which make it both aesthetic and convenient. I nevertheless think the inclusion of a word index would have made the book even more practical and userfriendly. It would facilitate its use as a reference for readers, who thoroughly read the book once and wish to access it later when making a differential diagnosis - the one available definitely captures the core, but the fine details are naturally scattered throughout.

Future editions of this book, I hope, will also see the spelling mistakes left out - trifling as it may sound and insignificant on the whole, it doesn't go hand in hand with the high, Aurum-y standards the author set for this book.

Another thing I would have liked to see is the expansion of the discussion on Aurum arsenicum. The author thinks it is 'a small remedy and therefore more rarely needed', smaller than Aurum muriaticum natronatum (p.21 2), which is, in his view, 'a neglected polychrest' (p.29). Yet the discussion of the latter takes up two thirds of the book, whereas Aurum arsenicum is again underrepresented with less than 5% allocated to it.

Terje Wulfsberg is not the first homoeopath to dedicate a whole work to a limited number of infrequently used remedies. Those reluctant to buy this kind of book might want to think how irreplaceable it can be when a seemingly well-indicated polychrest fails to cure, when gold veins are unmistakably traced in the case, and yet Aurum doesn't bring the recovery expected, or when an amalgamation of several elements is certainly recognized in a given case.

Terje's ability to observe the fine nuances and at the same time perceive and maintain the whole pattern, his extensive knowledge and his clear, methodical and flowing presentation make this a brilliant and promising book. I can easily predict the Golden Age of these Aurum salts.

The Homoeopath - Number 71
Autumn 1998