Who Schuessler Was and What He Proposed
Wilhelm Heinrich Schuessler (1821 to 1898) practised as a homeopathic physician in Oldenburg, Germany. In 1873 he published An Abridged Therapy, proposing that many diseases arise from a disturbance in the balance of a few inorganic salts in the body's cells. He took these salts from analyses of the mineral ash of human tissue, and reasoned that supplying the right salt in a fine, easily absorbed form would help the cells restore their balance.
He prepared them by trituration, usually at 6X, with some salts commonly given at 12X. He named his method biochemistry in the sense of the chemistry of life, which is different from the modern science of biochemistry.
How Biochemic Medicine Differs from Classical Homeopathy
- Basis: classical homeopathy rests on the law of similars and provings on healthy people; Schuessler based his salts on tissue chemistry and a theory of deficiency, and did not use provings to select them.
- Range: classical homeopathy draws on hundreds of proved remedies; Schuessler limited himself to twelve, later eleven.
- Selection: a classical remedy is chosen on the totality of symptoms, mind included; Schuessler chose salts mainly on local signs, stage of inflammation and type of discharge.
- Potency: biochemic salts stay in the low decimal range; classical practice uses the full range of potencies.
- Combinations: Schuessler allowed salts to be alternated; classical homeopathy, following the Organon, gives a single remedy at a time.
Study Table: The 12 Tissue Salts
This table summarises Schuessler's own teaching for study. It is not a guide to treating any complaint, and the spheres listed are his theory, not proven uses.
| Salt | Abbreviation | Common Bangla name | Sphere in Schuessler's teaching |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcarea fluorica | Calc. fluor. | ক্যালকেরিয়া ফ্লোর | Elastic fibres, the surface of bone and tooth enamel |
| Calcarea phosphorica | Calc. phos. | ক্যালকেরিয়া ফস | Bone formation, growth and nutrition, convalescence |
| Calcarea sulphurica | Calc. sulph. | ক্যালকেরিয়া সালফ | Later stage of suppuration; Schuessler dropped it from his later lists |
| Ferrum phosphoricum | Ferr. phos. | ফেরাম ফস | First stage of inflammation and fever |
| Kali muriaticum | Kali mur. | ক্যালি মিউর | Second stage of inflammation, thick white exudates |
| Kali phosphoricum | Kali phos. | ক্যালি ফস | Nerve tissue, nervous and mental exhaustion |
| Kali sulphuricum | Kali sulph. | ক্যালি সালফ | Third stage of inflammation, yellow discharges, skin scaling |
| Magnesia phosphorica | Mag. phos. | ম্যাগ ফস | Muscle and nerve, cramping and spasmodic pains |
| Natrum muriaticum | Nat. mur. | নেট্রাম মিউর | Distribution of water in the body, watery discharges |
| Natrum phosphoricum | Nat. phos. | নেট্রাম ফস | Acid conditions and acid balance |
| Natrum sulphuricum | Nat. sulph. | নেট্রাম সালফ | Elimination of excess water, liver and bile |
| Silicea | Sil. | সাইলিসিয়া | Connective tissue, suppuration, hair, skin and nails |
Schuessler's spheres for the three inflammation salts, Ferrum phosphoricum, Kali muriaticum and Kali sulphuricum, follow a simple sequence of first, second and third stage. Students find this easy to remember, but note that it is a model of his own, not drawn from provings.
Combinations Sold in Bangladesh
Pharmacies in Bangladesh stock the single salts as tablets, usually 3X, 6X or 12X, and also numbered biochemic combinations, often sold as a series from 1 to 28. Each number is a fixed mix of several salts, labelled by the maker for a complaint such as a cold, acidity, hair fall or weakness. There are also biochemic tonics and syrups. These combinations were developed by manufacturers after Schuessler. They are not part of Schuessler's own method, which used single salts, and they are not part of classical homeopathy.
Why We Do Not Advise Self-Medicating
- A label names a complaint, not a person. Two people with hair fall may have completely different causes, from thyroid disease to anaemia to stress.
- Taking a tablet for weeks can delay a proper diagnosis of something that needs tests or conventional treatment.
- Long-term use of a fixed mix can blur the symptom picture a doctor needs to read later.
- The tablets are made on a milk sugar base, which matters for people with lactose intolerance.
Diabetes, blood pressure, heart, epilepsy, thyroid and mental-health medicines are never stopped suddenly or by the patient on their own, including when starting biochemic or homeopathic medicine. Dr. Ismail may advise carefully on reducing other conventional medicines.
High fever that does not come down, breathing difficulty, chest pain, severe abdominal pain, or blood in vomit or stool needs urgent care, not a tablet from the shelf. Go to the nearest hospital or call 999.
How the Salts Relate to the Remedy Pages
Several of Schuessler's salts were also proved and are full remedies in classical homeopathy, with far wider pictures than Schuessler's spheres. Kent lectured on many of them, including Calcarea Phosphorica, Kali Phosphoricum, Magnesia Phosphorica, Natrum Muriaticum and Silica. Compare Kent's lecture on Natrum Muriaticum, with its grief, reserve and craving for salt, with the single line on water balance in the table above. That contrast is a clear way to see the difference between the two systems. You can find these lectures in our Materia Medica library.