The constitutional state of the person that predisposes him to a particular disease or a group of diseases because of some structural or metabolic anomalies can be called the diathesis. The Greek word “diatithenai” means “to arrange”.
DIATHESIS = DIATITHENAI = TO ARRANGE
So, the morbid disposition arising from the constitutional defect in the background can be called as the diathesis. The inherited or acquired organic weakness and systemic inferiority are arranged in certain order in the diathesis.
The concept of temperament and diathesis are very limited in the therapeutic field. Some amount of correlation can be found between Hahnemann’s miasms and diathesis, but prescribing only on the basis of diathesis is wrong.
Important Types of Diathesis
1. Lymphatic diathesis
Psoric factors leads to this type of diathesis. Like Psora, skin eruptions and then the affections of inner organs results.
2. Uric acid diathesis
Hahnemann’s sycotic symptom picture resembles this diathesis. This diathesis is also known as lithemic, rheumatic, gouty or hydrogenoid diathesis.
Patient feels aggravated in the cold, damp weather, humid atmosphere, cold applications, by residing at the sea bed, by taking watery vegetables etc.
3. Dyscratic diathesis
Symptom picture of this diathesis is very close to Hahnemann’s syphilitic miasmatic symptoms. The degenerative diseases, cancerous conditions can be studied under this heading.
4. Tubercular diathesis
Characterized by wasting of the body, weakness, destruction of the tissue, with glandular involvement etc. Some thinkers call it as scrofulous diathesis also.
