Iridologic Study of Hospitalized Respiratory Patients
An Iridologic Study of Hospitalized Respiratory Patients
(A Proposal for the Use of the Statistical Method in Iridology
by Josep Lluis Berdonces Serra
(M.D., Iridologist)
This work was originally a response to an article published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), Vol. 242 No.13, pp. l,385-1,389, by Drs. Worthen, Simon and Mitas, in 1979.
First of all, we must remark that the difference in the approach to the human being (diseased human being in this case) between the allopathic doctors and the naturopathic doctors, makes this work more difficult to compare with others of allopathic medicine. It is not possible in naturopathic, and so in iridology, to see a patient as a diseased lung or as a diseased kidney, but rather as a unity of function.
This study was conducted in the respiratory ward of the Hospital de la Santa Creu Sant Pau of Barcelona, Spain, between June and August of 1982. It involved 17 interned patients.
Due to the fad that the number of patients wasn't large, and that iridology is not an exact science, and that it is not possible to make an iridological exploration without a certain dose of subjectivity, we must realize that the conclusions of this work will serve more as orientation to further observation. We will refrain from absolute statements.
REGISTER OF OBSERVATIONS
Prior to the observation of the iris photos, we acknowledged the necessity of a standardized chart of observation (fig. 1). The main body of data has a gradation of crosses (0 to 4 crosses), making the further evolution of data easier.
We now briefly define the various criteria for evolution of the data:
Density (Densidad) according to the teachings of D. Hall(1), we have accepted four degrees of density. Other iridologists find three, five or six degrees( it is only an artificial division of a natural gradation or density) .
Color- We have divided the coloration as follows: blue, green, amber, light, chestnut, dark chestnut, and mixed.
Relief- Bourdiol(2) and Jausas(3) affirm that the iris observation with the punctual and lateral light can orient us to a specific relief of the iris, denoting tendencies to specific diseases. Because it is a very subjective evaluation and also because the study is impossible with iris photos alone(except special cases), we have omitted this date in the summation of the work.
Toxemia- Noting the absence or presence and intensity (one to four crosses ) of a central hetero-hyperchromia, a deviation in the basic color of the iris.
Cramp Rings (Anillos nerviosos) It means the absence or presence (and its intensity, one to four crosses) of abnormal topographical circular anomalies. We have also graded the color of their posterior surface (normal, white or dark).
Scurf Rim (Anillo cutaneo) Absence or presence (one to four crosses)
Sodium Ring (AniIlo de sodio) We must give a broader explanation of this sign, due to the fact that the iridographic examination showed us a high rate of incidence in this kind of patients. We must differentiate it from the Arcus Senilis. We have followed the references of Roux(4) about it. The explanations about its presence are contradictory. Several iridologists like Hall affirm that its appearance is due to an imbalance sodium/calcium ratio forming little crystalline deposits she labels it the "Calcium-Sodium Ring." Jensen(5) otherwise calls it the "Cholesterol ring" since he finds a high rate of incidence of this sign in hypercholesterolemics.
All of the iridologists seem to be in accord that its main causes a deep metabolic disorder that favors the production of a vasculopothy,and in consequence, a tissue anoxemia. Furthermore, we cannot rule out that the source of this ring could be iatrogenic (in this case the color of the ring could orientate us).
Arcus Senilis (Arco senil) This indicates an arteriosclorotic tendency and in some cases it has a localization over the cerebral area. In many cases its appear once is in conjunction with the sodium ring. It is more frequent in aged persons. We have expressed its absence or presence (one to four crosses).
Radii Solaris (Radii solaris) Absense or presence (one to four crosses) or radial lines in the iris.
Lymphatic Rosary (Rosario linfatico - Named by other iridologists "muscular resistance points" (Rene' j. Bourdiol) or "snow-flake image" (Gilbert Jausas), we signify its absence or presence (one to four crosses).
Discoloration (Decoloraciones) We looked for the absence or presence (one to lour crosses) of this sign. and the localization of the areas of discoloration in relation to the basic color of the iris.
Toxin Spots (Manchas toxinicas) Referring to the overlapping color spots of the iris, we rated absence or presence (one to four crosses). We haven't dis-cussed its localization due to the fact that the main body of iridologists we consulted felt that they don't haven topographical significance.
PUPIL: ITS POSITION AND CONFORMATION
Even in iridology field is not well explained, but we have included it for a broader statistical study. We have included the following phenomena:
Shapelessness (Deformation) is the modification in the circularity of the pupil. We have divided it into two kinds of deformity: Ovalizations, indicating in this case the major axis, if it is bilateral; and flattening, with variations in size of flattened segments. Several authors indicate that these signs suggest the tendency towards neurological diseases or troubles.
Decentering (Descentramiento) The pupil isn't found in the geometric center of the iris, but is lightly nasal and superior.
VEGETATIVE TONUS
Owing to the fact that the iris is a richly inervated structure,it is possible to find valuable data about the neurovegtative tonus of the body.
Pamsympathetic tonus (Tonus,para-simpatico) have graded it by means of primary and secondary characteristics. The main criteria is the absence or presence, and coloration of the pupillar rib. Normally we find a pupillar rib not well clean-cut in its surroundings, with a color of light-dark chestnut. If this rim is reddish, we can deduce hypertonus; if it is very dark chestnut or black, we can deduce hypotonus, according to Jensen.
The secondary criteria is the appearance of the attached ring (stomach area in classical iridology). Several French iridologists agree that this ring has a clear parasympathetic relationship. It is this location of the pupil sphincter muscle that has a parasympathetic enervation, in as much as the stomach has an enervation(mainly parasympathetic) via the vagus nerve.
Sympathetic tonus (Tono simpatico) have appraised it by the composition of the nerve wreath, or sympathetic crown of the iris, that is, the location of the minor arterial circle of the iris. As a main criteria we have graded the degree of evolution of this nerve wreath over the attached stroma, as well as its topography; as a secondary criteria we have graded the degree of circularity of that crown, indicating an abnormality tones corresponding to adjacent reaction fields.
Circular Analysis (Analisis circular -We have followed the explanations of Kriege(6), and Jensen.
Sectoral Analysis (Analisis sectorial) - The reason for doing this work in a respiratory ward is due to the fact that the lung position has the same tophogaphic area according to all iridologists (there are important differences in other localization between the classic school and the new French school). In the retake of data we have exposed the hour of localization, its size, type and coloration of the iridic sign. We have made the statistical evaluation only of the signs found in that specific area, pointing out, perhaps subjectively, if those signs were really significant.
We have agreed upon the following areas for bronchial and lung localization: Lungs: 8 to 10 hours in the right iris, ciliary zone; 2 to 4 hours in the left iris,ciliary zone. Bronchia: Attached to the nerve wreath, the same location of lungs, and 2 to 4 hours in the right iris and 8 to 10 hours in the left iris, also attached to the sympathetic localization.
These are the most accepted localization, according to Jensen.
RECOLLECTION OF DATA
Before the performance of iris photography, we noted the main symptoms and the clinical history of every patient on the ward. We must explain now that there is a high difference of pathological enteric between allopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine. The clinical histories at the hospital were impregnated with the organic concept of medicine, resulting in consequence, in a parcelization of the human body into several organs or systems a concept that runs against the vitalist concept of human body that follows the naturopathic and iridologic point of view. -In spite of this, we realize the necessity of using this data for the background information, adding objectival but with an iridologic orientation.
We must admit also that the most interesting patients (the most diseased), were not in condition to cope with the iridologic exploration. They were receiving constant oxygenation and were not able to have their photos taken.
TAKING OF IRIS PHOTOGRAPHS
They were taken by means of a specially designed apparatus composed of the following pieces:
Stand with chin and forehead holder, connected to the photographic system by a magnetic supporter; Photographic system composed of reflex camera bellow or extension tubes, lens 50 mm 1:1, 8, wire release, and electronic flash DIA 18; The light for focusing was made by a simple 100 Watt bulb, held in line with the flash; The system was placed on a typewriter table, expediting its movement.
The patients' rooms were not darkened. The flash distance was always the same (20 cm.) and the diaphragm opening was the same for chestnut iris and for blue or clear iris. Due to the Set that the photographs were taken in the hospital sometimes precariously in comparison to the set up at my office, only about 70 percent of the photos were usable.
The selection was made, going to a predetermined ward. We could distinguish three groups of patients in this initial selection. Initially we took 25 patients. finally there were only 17, divided into three groups:
COLD group-The main affliction was the Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease.They had dyspnea as main symptom. there were nine patients in this group. TBC group - The main affliction was tuberculosis. All were chronic. One of the three patients of the group suffered a low grade dyspnea. NCNT group - It means "not COLD, not TBC." There were five patients difficult to classify. The following is a summary of their pathologies:
1. Patients with chronic bronchial asthma and cardiac troubles.
2. Patients with chronic heart disease, and with a beginning of pulmonary oedema.
3. Patients awaiting their diagnosis.
One for presumption of lung tuberculosis, and the other for suspicion of carcinoma of the right medial lobe of the lung. All the early explorations were negative Mantoux, Lowenstein, smear and puncture smear and biopsy).
DATA EVALUATION AND RESULTS
All the results were the arithmetical mean in the three groups.
AGE-COLD: 68, 2; TBC: 67. 3; NCNT:57.
DENSITY-COLD: 2, 61; TBC: 2, 3; NCNT:2, 6, without any expressive difference.
TOXEMIA - COLD: 1, 8; TBC 3, 3; NCNT: 1, 6; It seems to indicate that tuberculosis has certain relation with the central hyperchromia of the iris. All of the iridologists seem to be in accord in that this sign means an overload of the body, a toxemia. It is in accordance with the naturopathic criteria regarding the diathesis or tuberculosis.
CRAMP RINGS-Cold:l, l; TBC:2, 3; NCNT:2; There are dispersed data, not valuable.
SCURF RIM - COLD:1,4; TBC:2, 3; NCNT:2
SODIUM RING - COLD:2, 4; TBC:0, 3; NCNT:1, 2; We have considered it a significant difference in the COLD group for several reasons. Although this sign has a clear relation with the age, all of the COLD patients had this sign to a high degree (except the youngest one, 50 years old). Among the TBC patients, only one had this sign, and this patient had dyspnea. We cannot explain the slightly higher arithmetical mean in the NCNT group. In normal explorations, this sign can be pointed out as abnormal. It has an unusual presentation, but in the COLD group had a very high rate of presentation. We explain it as an expression of tissue anoxemia.
ARCUS SENILIS-COLD:1,5; TBC:1,3; NCNT:1,8.
RADII SOLARIS-COLD:0, 5; TBC: 0, 6; NCNT:2,0; this evaluation in the NCNT group was significant in two patients of the group. In the three others it was normal. We have not considered it a significant difference.
LYMPHATIC ROSARY-COLD: 0, 2; TBC:1; NCNT:0, 8; we must explain that this sign was well noted only in two patients of the COLD group, because the presence of the sodium ring obscured it. In the other three patients the observation was doubtful.in four patients it was completely impossible to do.
TOXIN SPOTS-COLD:0, 9; TBC:2, 3; NCNT:1, 5; we must indicate that several iridologists affirm that this sign has a clear relationship to tuberculosis. Perhaps the slightly elevated rate in the TBC group is not sufficient, but it opens an extensive field for research. The iridologists/homeopaths use to call it "psoric spots" pointing to its relationship with a "psoric" tendency," homeopathically speaking.
DISCOLORATIONS-COLD: 1, 1; TBC: 0, 3; NCNT: 1, 4; we could not evaluate two patients of the COLD group.
PUPIL SIGNS
SHAPELESSNESS-We have combined in the statistics the flattenings and the ovilizations. The combined presence of a flattening and an ovalization was evaluated separately, the data was: COLD: 0.875; TBC: 0, 7; NCNT: 1, 4. We must say that in the COLD group we found a high rate of shapelessness (5 over 9), but a low grade of intensity. We can affirm that there is a higher incidence of shapelessness in this respiratory group than usual. Bourdiol asserts that the pupil ovalizations signify a central nervous trouble, and the flattenings signify sometimes a central nervous trouble and sometimes a relationship to the adjacent
iris area.In our group we have not found this relationship in the flattenings or in the ovalizations. We want to explain also that these signs are only discussed in the latest publications in iridology and are not well studied.
DECENTERING-COLD:0, 4; TBC: 0; NCNT:0,3; we can consider it in the normal range.
NEUROVEGETATIVE TONUS
PARASYMPATHETIC TONUS --The evaluation of the parasympathetic tonus was different than the others. When it was normal(normotonus) it was punctuated 0, and was punctuated 1 or 2 positive the light and high hypertonus, a reason that made this evaluation more subjective than the others. The results were: COLD:0, 1; TBC:0, 6; NCNT:0, 8; a light hypertonus, not evaluated.
SYMPATHETIC TONUS - All the previous explanations about the parasympathetic tonus were applicable in the sympathetic tonus. We think that its evolution is something more objective. The results were: COLD:0; TBC: 1; NCNT:0, 6; it is also not significant.
SECTORAL ANALYSIS
We have found it extremely difficult to make a statistical analysis with this kind of sign, because there are several variables. The topographic localization can't be ruled out. The signs can be more or less important; and there were two main localization and two accessory localization. Over a maximum of six points assigning one or two points at each main localization, and zero, half, or on point at each accessory localization, depending on the specific meaning of its signs. The results were:COLD:4, 3; TBC: 4; NCNT:3,8.
CONCLUSION
Considering the difficulties we've mentioned, we can affirm:
We have found a higher degree of significant signs among the general signs than in the sectoral signs.
The topographical analysis seems to indicate a tendency to presenting signs in the elected areas. This needs further study with a control group.
The sodium ring was present in all the patients affected with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, indicating a clear relationship. But we cannot consider it as a specific or pathognomic sign.
We have observed also a certain tendency for a high rate of toxemia to show in the tuberculosis patients. A high rate of toxin spots were also observed.
Finally, we observed a high incidence of shapelessness of the pupil in the three studied groups.
AUTHOR
Josep Lluis Berdonces works as an M.D. in primary health care at the town of Agullana Spain. Its member of the Spanish Association of Naturist M.Ds and editor of the Spanish journal Natura Medicatrix. Is working in the field of iridology since 1977, using it in allopathic and naturopathic medicine. He is cur-rently starting a natural health clinic in La Mota (Girona), the first of its kind in Spain. The author is an M.D., Doctor in Medicine by the University of Madrid, and specialist in hydrology by the French University of Montpellier. He has lectured and taught courses about iridology in many cities of Spain.
1. Hall. Dorothy. Iridology, Nelson books,
Melbourne Australia, 1980.
2. Bourdiol, Rene. Traite d'Irido-Diagnosic.
Maisonneuve Editeur. Sainte Ruffine,
France, 1975.
3. Jausas, Gilbert. L'Iridoloie Renovee.
Maloine S.A. Editeur. Paris, France, 1978.
4. Roux, Andre' Iridologi, Notions fondamentales,
Edinat, La Seyne sur Mer, France, 1981
5. Jensen, Bernard. Science and Practice of Iri-
dology. B. Jensen Publishing Division,
Escondido, Calif., USA, 1952.
6. Kriege Theodor, Fundamental Basis of Irisi
Diagnosis, LN. Fowler & COL. Romford-
Essex, England, 1975
postamble();