The ancient teaching of the four elements is reflected both in the natural sciences and in homeopathy. Life on our planet arose from the bonding of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. At the very beginning, there was Hydrogenium, which also stands for human procreation in the Theory of the Elements, whereas Carboneum, Nitrogenium, and Oxygenium represent the actual process of birth.
Due to their unique importance, “Spectrum” is dedicating an entire issue to these four elements. As in chemistry itself, the main focus of this issue is carbon. We discuss the homeopathic significance of carbon's typical compounds from the organic acids via alcohols and sugars to the hydrocarbons – naturally featuring those authors with particular experience in this area. We also look at the significance of the first and second rows of the periodic table with, as usual, a wide range of practical case studies.