Page 20 - Summer 18

Lac-can is often the victim of abuse. It is interesting to note that the victims, Arg-nit, Carcinosin, Causticum, Lac- can, Nat-mur, Thuja and to a lesser degree Staphysagria, all have a ‘desire for salt,’ which is often evidence of unresolved issues and the cherishing [preserving] of past grievances [Nit-ac], and most have brooding resentment and desire revenge. Carcinosin shares with Lac-can many characteristics, including the alternation of symptoms from side to side, the history of a difficult childhood, often marred by abuse and molestation, and frequently suffers from the C type personality.
So close are these two remedies that each facilitates the action of the other.
Although Lac-can relates strongly to both left and right sides of the body, to both the feminine and masculine principles as well as the swing between these opposites, throughout the mythology of the dog we find a greater bias towards the feminine, hence it is often the companion and guardian of goddesses, especially those associated with the moon, Artemis and Hecate, and symptoms, although moving from side to side, more commonly commence on the left. Its clinical picture presents far more symptoms relating to the female hormonal cycle, reproductive functions and organs than the male. The belief in Lycanthropy, the turning of men into werewolves, points to the moon as the trigger for this nightmarish metamorphosis, which symbolises fears of demonic possession as well as unleashed male violence and sadism.
In the wild, wolves irresistibly bay at the full moon. The metal of the moon is silver and Argentum and Arg-nit
share many symptoms with Lac-can. There is a love of nature, dogs, freedom, independence, romance and fantasy; left-sidedness; anticipatory fears; stage fright; fear of failure; fear of falling; claustrophobia; fear of being alone; dreams of snakes; delusions – heavy, black clouds enveloping her – has incurable disease; healing power; and, of course, aggravation at the full moon.
Solar dogs were revered as firebringers and masters of fire [Prometheus – Phosphorus, Stannum], destroying the enemies of light. The metal of the sun is gold and Aurum and Lac-can are closely related remedies. Only Aurum and Lac-can are in highest grade in the rubric – ‘desires death’ – and both may represent the ‘wounded child’ within the adult.
They both have right-sidedness; loathing of life; fear of failure in the presence of great ability; ailments from – wounded honour, humiliation, betrayed friendship, unusual responsibility, bereavement, suppressed anger, resentment, sexual abuse; sense of mission and purpose – often a spiritual commitment; a religious, devotional nature; nobility; deep sense of responsibility and duty; anxiety of conscience; self-reproach; feelings of self- condemnation and utter worthlessness; fear of business failure; violent anger; brooding resentment; jealousy; a private, closed and secretive nature. In its sense of destiny, devotional nature, nobility, commitment to duty and responsibility, sense of guilt and failure, which they fear, their brooding on past grievances, and tendency to attract hostility and abuse, Lac-can shows a close relationship to Naja, the cobra.
18