Dr. Sayeed Ahmad, D.I. Hom. (London)
E-Mail: sayeed_ahmad1@rediffmail.com
RHEUMATISM
Ingrowing toe nails and ulcers about the nails are often most troublesome affections, and the more we confine ourselves to the treatment of these apparently local troubles the worse off we shall be as well as the patient. A few months since I saw a case of this kind in company with another physician. The treatment had been localized, and such remedies as Arn., Merc., Hepar., Nit. ac., had been given. It now turned out that she was full of Rhus tox. symptoms. Restless nights ; was compelled to change her position frequently, and always with relief ; was stiff in joints and muscles on first motion, better after moving for a while ; loss of appetite, etc. Rhus tox. in a high potency gave her good night’s rest ; stiffness of joints and limbs left her ; her appetite returned ; the ulcer and apparent ingrowing toe nail got perfectly well a few weeks later without any tropical applications. (H. N. Guernsey.)
INTERMITTENT FEVER
I was called in consultation to an obstinate case of intermittent fever. It was a case imported from a district in the west where malaria abounds. It had been of years’ standing, having been cured several times by the inevitable Quinine on account of the plasmodium malaria. But of late she had been unable to take Quinine. It made her sicker than the disease. I had suggested Ipec. and again one or two other remedies on the statement of the physician in charge, and because she had been so abused with Quinine, but still the case went on and grew worse until the doctor insisted on my coming to see her. When arrived at the house where the patient was she was just coming out of a very severe chill. She was tossing from side to side, with moaning, low delirium with muttering. I managed to get a look at her tongue, it was red and dry, in a triangular red tip pointing backward. Just then she gave a hard dry cough. What about the cough ? said I. Well, said one of the lady bystanders, that cough is very peculiar. She only coughed during the chill. Probably she won’t cough again now until the next chill. There were other symptoms, of course, which I will not narrate here, because we have enough to prescribe on without fear of failure. Every homœopath knows what it is. Rhus tox. 200 was given. She never had another chill. The doctor was a good prescriber, but he had not seen the case right in the paroxysm, and he was a young practitioner and had never heart of Carroll Dunham’s cough symptom. (Nash.)
SPRAIN
A man sprained his leg in a harvest field. When he presented himself to me he had exhausted the old school remedies. Found a swelling about the size of half an ordinary orange just below the knee-cap at the head of the tibia. Was very lame, worse during rest, at night, before a storm, etc., a complete Rhus case.
Prescribed Rhus 30. In five days he reported no swelling and no pain to speak of. He got but one prescription. He sent another man who had been hurt in the same field ; he had sprained his ankle. The symptoms in this case were precisely the same as in the other ; it was, however, of more recent occurrence, and was located at the ankle instead of at the knee ; but still a clear Rhus case. I gave him the same as I gave the other, with the assurance to the patient that it would cure him in a week. He came to me again not better. I was so sure of the remedy that I gave him the 3d of the same. He reported in a week that the medicine acted like a charm. (W. J. Hawkes.)
RHEUMATISM
German, aged sixty-six, attacked in 1837, from exposure to cold, accompanied by paralysis of the right side from which he slowly recovered. No symptoms of rheumatism until twelve years ago ; since then pains almost constantly in the right side ; decidedly rheumatic in character with marked periodicity, coming on at 10 P. M. and lasting till 6 A. M., worse in winter and before a storm ; during storm pains over the whole body ; intense pain on moving after a rest, but continued motion relieved. Rhus tox. 200, one dose a week, in six weeks well and no rheumatism since. (H. H. Baxter.)
ERYSIPELAS
Mrs. Duane Fuller, age about 65, was taken with severe chill, which was soon followed by aching pains all over, wrist, in back and head. She soon lost consciousness, went into a stupor with low grade delirium muttering and continually tossing from side to side in the bed. The tongue began to grow dry and stiff so that her muttering grew unintelligible. There was an epidemic of typhoid fever in the vicinity, some had died under old school treatment ; so I first prescribed Baptisia with confidence that it would so modify the case that its subsequent treatment would be easy or abort it entirely, as I had done in a number cases before. But it failed. The next day there was no improvement, and I, thinking that psora might be standing in the way, dropped in a dose of Sulphur 200. Then erysipelas of the head and face, the most intense I ever saw, developed. Perhaps the Sulphur brought it out, but there was no amelioration of the other symptoms.
The head and face were so swollen that the eyes were completely closed, and the size of the head it seemed to me was nearly one-third increased. The eruption was decidedly vesicular. Now the remedy was pain. Rhus tox. m. m. was given in solution. The restlessness immediately began to subside, the muttering less, and an easy sleep (though she remained unconscious) followed in which she remained for several days and nights. The swelling gradually subsided, the vesicles dried and scaled off, and when she awoke her mind was clear. In nine days sat up in bed and took nourishment, and made rapid and complete recovery. (Nash).
CANCER
I had a similar case. It was of long standing. The tumor of the stomach or rather just below the pit of the stomach was the size of my two fits ; it was very large. After the coffee grounds vomit appeared twice then came a large wash bowl full of vomitus looking like molasses ; these were signs of dissolution. That case received a dose of Arsenicum at that time, and has never received a dose since, and she has been well for two years. No repetition of the remedy. (Biegler.)
ECZEMA
Florence Johnson, a young woman, had been afflicted a long time with chronic gastritis. She was unable to take ordinary food without great burning and distress in her stomach. This condition of stomach was relieved when she had eczema of both ears, which was intensely painful and burning. She would sometimes succeed in healing the ears, but in proportion as she succeeded in that the stomach symptoms returned. Then she would get very poor in flesh. I had given her Sulphur and Graphites without perceptible benefit and also Arsenicum 30 and 200. Finally I concluded to try the Arsenicum higher. Gave her Arsenicum 37m., made on my own potentizer, and the effect was wonderful. The whole trouble promptly yielded, and she had no trouble since now several years. I forgot to say that she also had scalp trouble of a similar nature with that of the ears, which also subsided. (Nash.)
MEASLES
Jennie Marit, young lady, had measles ; everything went well for a few days. The eruption came out all right, when all at once, in the night, the eruption, without apparent cause, disappeared from the skin, and intense dyspnœa with great restlessness and tossing about in agony and extreme prostration set in. These were all Arsenicum symptoms, and this remedy in frequently repeated doses relieved all those distressing and dangerous symptoms in a very short time, and she made a rapid recovery. (Nash.)
GASTRALGIA
Mrs. Hayford, age 35, had severe attacks of gastralgia. They came on a little after midnight and lasted until 3 A. M. I asked her what was the character of the pains. She answered, burning as if my stomach was full of live coals. What have you done four yourself ? Everything I can think of, but the only relief I can get is to walk the floor with a hot water bag held across my stomach. I am blistered now with it, and I am growing weak from pains and loss of rest, fairly prostrated. The veriest tyro would not hesitate to prescribe Arsenicum for such a case, which I did, with a promise to call next day. I was very busy at the time, and forgot all about the case for a week, when, passing the house one day, it came to mind. Then I went in and found the patient at her house work looking bright and happy. Well, said I, how are you ? Are you dead, well or got another doctor ? I forgot you. She answered, I am not dead or sent for another doctor, and I haven’t had any more of those attacks of pain ; but, doctor, would that medicine send out salt rheum ? Ah, you had salt rheum before you had the gastralgia. Yes. You cured or rather suppressed it with an ointment. Yes. That was the cause of your trouble in the stomach. But, doctor, I don’t want either. We’ll try to make you better of both. Which we did by letting the Arsenicum act.
She moved away from Cortland about a year after, and, while not entirely cured of the eczema, was very much better. (Nash.)
A COMPLICATED CASE
Mrs. B., aged 45, had for many years suffered from a very delicate and irritable stomach, from cankerous sore mouth (cured by Phytolacca), all in consequence of what is mistermed scientific treatment. She also had suffered from hay fever, regularly returning every year on the 16th of September.
Mrs. B. returned from Europe, after an absence of several years, on the 26th of July last ; the voyage had been a very unpleasant one ; she had been very seasick all the time. From the time she left Liverpool till she was visited by me, on the 27th of July, she had taken literally no nourishment ; broken ice was the only thing that had passed her lips. I found her sitting up, occasionally straining to vomit, very weak, pulse 116 per minute ; she complained of a violent pain in the occiput, with great heat, which she had tried to relieve by applications of broken ice ; urinary secretions suppressed ; mouth dry and hot ; she had not slept for fortnight, and could not lie down on account of great nervousness, as she expressed it, which compelled her to change her position and her chair so very often ; she wandered about all night from chair to chair ; was very disagreeable ; perfect loathing of food, and for a few days had a watery, very offensive and black looking diarrhœa. The choice of the remedy was easy enough. I gave her one dose of Arsenicum alb. 50m. (Fincke), on her tongue, July 27th (10 A. M.). July 28th had slept in her bed from 10 P. M. till 1 A. M., then became nervous and restless, but says that she feels better. No medicine.
July 29. She has been in bed all night ; slept ; and no return of the diarrhœa ; urinary secretions re-established ; the hot water applications to her head have very much relieved the pain, had later some milk toast, and relished it ; pulse below 90 ; is cheerful and hopeful.
July 31. Had a still better night ; is better in every respect, but complains of severe pains in a bunion on the left foot ; it is much inflamed and stings. I gave her now one dose of Nitric acid. c. m. (Fincke).
August 1. The bunion is less painful, otherwise there is not much change perceptible.
August 2. Bunion still improving, and on August 3rd no more pain or inflammation in it. In the evening, same day, I was again summoned to see her ; found her quite ill ; the diarrhœa and vomiting had returned with great violence ; pulse over 110 ; the same headache as on the 27th had also returned, also the great restlessness. Gave her one dose of Arsenicum album (Fincke) dry on her tongue. Found her better the next day, and the improvement continued ; on the 6th of August her bunion began to pain her again as on the 21st. Gave no medicine. Improvement continued satisfactorily ; when the 16th of September came she had that night, about 1 A. M., some oppression of breathing, which reminded her of the terrible asthmatic attacks she had had years ago ; she had to sit up for half an hour. No medicine. She fully recovered and traveled for some weeks ; had no hay fever ; really has had nothing to complain of since ; enjoys better health than she has had for years (Ad. Lippe.)
SCIATICA
Mrs. Jehial Clark, aged about 60, was afflicted with one of the worst forms of sciatica. Her brother, Charles Sanders, of New York, of “School Reader” fame, was already a cripple from the same disease, allopathically treated. In this patient’s case the pains were intense, with decided burning sensation. They were greatly aggravated from 1 to 3 in the morning. She was greatly prostrated from her suffering. The only way she could get any rest (for she was exceedingly restless, continually wanting to be changed from place to place) was from bags of dry hot salt continually applied along the nerve. There were other symptoms, but these are enough to show the remedy that a homœopath would naturally prescribe. Arsenicum alb. was given in the 30 and 200. To my surprise no good came of it. Then Sulphur was given in the possibility that psora was complicating matters, but with no good result given. Now other remedies were tried, but, of course, ineffectually.
I had one thing in my favor, the history of her brother’s case, which had run much longer than hers. So there was no object in her changing to the old school, especially as he had been left an incurable cripple. It was in the earlier part of my practice, so I had not gotten much above the 200th potency then. But I had a graft of Jenichen’s 8,000th in the office, so as nothing else did any good I concluded to try it. It was given in solution with rapid and permanent relief. She was well in an incredibly short time, and never had a return of the trouble, although she had suffered for four weeks, before she got this preparation. (Nash).
METRORRHAGIA
Mrs. E. G., æt. 36, had been given up to die by her family physician.
She came of a consumptive family, her mother and her mother’s parents having died with the disease. She had always menstruated VERY PROF– USELY, and after having practiced upon herself, within the course of eight or nine years, no less than seven abortions, her menses assumed the type of recurrent hæmorrhages. Her lungs had always been very sensitive ; has had more or less cough ; at first DRY and HACKING, later loose and hollow. Has had pneumonia twice, making a tardy recovery each time. At present was convalescing from a third and severe attack of pneumonia, when some imprudence on her part brought about an unfavourable change, and she failed so rapidly that her case seemed hopeless.
SYMPTOMS. Constant hollow, loose cough, extreme sensitiveness of the lungs to cold air and to far ; profuse and general perspiration at night, of a sour smell. Extreme emaciation, constipation alternating with watery diarrhœa ; great despondency ; constant passive hæmorrhage from the uterus of dark foul blood. Calcarea carb. 30 was the first and only remedy prescribed. Under its use she not only made a good recovery from this attack, but regained by its long continued use a surprising degree of general health. (Arndt.)
ENTERO-COLITIS
Peckham, child at 18 months. Fair haired, blue eyes, chubby when born, but with open fontanelles and sweaty headed. Has for a few weeks past had what her doctor called cholera infantum. All sorts of foods had been tried until now, when they called me in, the diarrhœa, of a sour smell and light colored, was almost incessant ; every diaper. There was also frequent vomiting of sour substance and the milk came up in very large curds. There was great emaciation and child when it slept did so with half open eyes, and the sweat on the head wet the pillow far around. I put Calcarea carb. 6m. (Jenichen) in the child’s food, as suggested by Dr. Hering, and in a few days marked improvement set in and continued until the patient was perfectly well. Many such cases are on record. (Nash.)
CARIES
Rank W., a lad aged 10, blue eyes, light thin hair, pale, thin face and of a scrofulous disposition. One year previous to my call a periostitis set up in the shaft of the left tibia upon the inner side. Case as presented to me the first time ; bone has exfoliated along the whole length of the shaft ; ulcer is so deep that not more than one-half of the supporting structure remains and leg is much bent ; ulcer keeps up a continuous discharge which has left little vital resource behind. Patient is not only badly emaciated, but has a hectic fever and a bad cough, with dullness in the right apex. Cough is dry and harasses him in the evening ; has night sweats. Was given Calcarea carbonica 6, and urged to use milk freely as a diet, to which added the amount of three tablespoonfuls of brandy every twenty-four hours. Ulcers were fully healed and bone reparation complete within the next twelve months. All traces of lung trouble also passed away and I have never known of subsequent trouble, though case passed from my observation in the course of half a dozen years. We will here add that we have many times succeeded in curing these bone ulcers, commonly called “fever sores,” with the use of Calcarea carb., milk and brandy, and they all remain cured so far as we know. (G. N. Brigham.)
MARASMUS
Eddie D., 18 months old. Oct. 30, 1881, the mother brought him to me, saying she had done all she could, and now desired me to treat him, if I thought I could do him any good.
The child was pale, flabby and very weak ; has pale blue eyes and golden hair ; had diarrhœa three months, which nothing could stop. According to the mother’s ingenuity, “He’s a good child and never cries much.” Was eating a biscuit when his mother entered the office with him. I told her the child was forming a bad habit. She immediately answered, “I must always carry something for him to eat wherever I go, because he wants to eat all the time, and he just loves eggs, but I don’t know whether he ought to have them or not ; they make his bowels run off, and he takes a very bad spell once a month. I have noticed it now three times.”
Question : What time of the month ?
Answer : When the moon fulls.
I noticed a watery coryza and rattling in the chest. Every time the mother opened her mouth I thought more of Calcarea, which I gave in the 85m potency, one dose, dry on the tongue, in the office, and thirteen powders of Sac. lac., a powder to be dissolved in a half glass of water, and a teaspoonful to be given every two hours. The mother desired to know about letting him have the eggs. I told her that his craving for them would gradually decrease, and that I could not withhold them from him.
November 14. Much better in every respect. “He does not crave eggs quite so much and his bowels are better, but he cannot walk yet.” I told her she should not expect the child to be entirely well in two weeks, when it had been sick three months.
Sac. lac., 13 powders to be taken in the same manner.
Dec. 9. Still improving. Is beginning to walk again and does not crave eggs any more, though he likes to eat them. Mother thinks his bowels are natural now. I could detect no rattling in the chest, and nose had stopped running.
Sac. lac., nine powders. Told the mother she need not come back unless the child got worse, and then to let me know immediately. I have heard from the child repeatedly and he is still “hearty.” (Tom Hagen.).
SUPPRESSED INTERMITTENT FEVER
In the year 18– I was called on to visit a Mrs. D., aged 40, who had come some forty miles to place herself under my care for the treatment of an obstinate and grave inflammation to both eyes, supposed to have arisen from cold, and which had hitherto resisted all attempts at cure. The inflammation was severe, and the eyes so extremely sensitive that any examination beyond a mere glance was out of the question, and I hesitated somewhat to assume the responsibility of the case. Without delay she was placed under the use of such remedies as seemed indicated by the ascertained totality of symptoms, the names of which, writing from memory, cannot now be recalled.
This treatment continued about three weeks, the only beneficial result obtained being a slight mitigation of the symptoms. Not satisfied with so poor a return, and diligently searching for some cause for this partial success, I conceived that the history of the case might not have fully reached me. So I sat down for a patient inquiry, from which was gathered that Mrs. D., with her husband, emigrated from the city of London some years before this and had purchased a piece of land on our Northern Railroad contiguous to a marsh, the proximity of which induced recurring attacks of intermittent fever, for which Quinine had been freely and often taken, with the usual effect of at length “breaking the chills,” as it is termed, and, as our patient supposed, of curing the disease. Unfortunately, when the ague ceased its chill, etc., the eyes, which had hitherto been sound, became greatly inflamed, and so persistent and severe that at times total loss of vision seemed imminent.
My inference from this statement was that the intermittent fever had not been cured by the Quinine, but suppressed, and so thrown back into the system to concentrate its baneful effects in another form, which I conceived to be this affection of the eyes. Should these deductions be correct, it was further premised that no improvement in the eyes was possible unless the restraining and suppressive action of the Quinine on the primary disease could be antidoted ; and if this were predicable, the intermittent might return. Actuated by these thoughts, and the presence of nausea as a prominent but hitherto unrecognized symptom, I gave Ipecac 30, four times daily, during several days, when, to my surprise and delight, one morning about 9 o’clock a very decided chill set in more severe than any which the patient had yet experienced, followed by intense fever and subsequent perspiration.
The next day was an intermission, succeeded on the third day by a renewal of all the symptoms, time etc., of the first I had then a clear tertian, beginning at 9 A. M., from which, and other symptoms now forgotten, there remained no reasonable ground for rejecting Nat. mur. as the remedy. It was accordingly administered in the 30th potency four times daily for a while, an after three paroxysms, occupying nine days, the disease ceased to return, being, as the sequel showed, completely cured ; and, to my great delight, the Natrum had acted so beneficially that nothing else was required, and I shortly had the pleasure of sending my patient home, cured of both the malarial fever and the terrible effect on the eyes of its having been suppressed. (John Hall).
INTERMITTENT FEVER
I was called to Mrs. Shultz, a young married woman, who had a short time before (three months, I think) had a miscarriage. She had, under the care of an old school physician, who stood high in the profession, not recovered her health, but had grown anæmic, weak and emaciated, and a bad cough, with considerable expectoration, had set in. Now the doctor gave it as his opinion that she had consumption and an unfavourable prognosis.
This of course was discouraging, and as he had treated her so long with this result they concluded to change doctors.
I took charge of the case with some misgivings, as the former physician was a man of acknowledged ability, but, as I watched the case, after a few days I observed that what the doctor had called hectic fever every afternoon was preceded by a distinct chill every day at 10 A. M. with clock-like regularity. I also noticed that the high fever was accompanied with very red face and throbbing headache, and was followed by sweat, which relieved all the suffering, and the rapid pulse became nearly normal in the morning. I also observed that the patient lived right on the banks of a swampy marsh. So I concluded to ignore the name the doctor had given the disease and give the remedy covering the symptoms. I gave Natrum mur., although it had never cured a case of consumption, and cured the patient, completely and rapidly. (Nash.)
SUPPRESSED INTERMITTENT FEVER
Woman aged 53. She complains of a dull heavy feeling all over her ; almost continual headache, which is worse in cloudy and damp weather ; extremely sensitive to cold air, especially the head and feet ; sleeps well, but dreams bad dreams. There are also unmistakable evidences of liver trouble, which she says have existed for twenty-five years. The period of aggravation of all her symptoms, especially headache, is between 10 A. M. and 12 noon ; the appetite is generally fair ; has a craving for salt. The history of this case shows that when she was a girl she had frequent and protracted attacks of fever and ague, during which she took large quantities of Quinine in some form or other. She says she has never been well since then ; she continually experiences a dull and heavy feeling throughout her whole body.
Her only recollection of these attacks, of the fever and ague, is that she was at that time fond of salt ; craved salt. It is very evident that this patient, when she had the fever and ague, was a subject for Natrum mur., and the probability is that had she had the remedy administered at that time her life would not have been so miserable an existence during the interim. The remedy is clearly indicated at the present time, especially by the craving for salt, and the persistent headache agg. between 10 A. M. and 12 noon and the bad reams. Jan. 29th three powders of Nat. mur. 1 m were prescribed.
Feb. 5th. Headache less, dull heavy feeling of body less, and no bad dreams. Sac. lac. prescribed.
Feb. 12th. Same report ; still improving.
Feb. 19th. Continual improvement.
March 4th. The patient seemed almost well and said she had improved more during the past week than in any previous week since taking the medicine, notwithstanding she had taken no medicine except that prescribed at her first visit. (C. M. Boger.)
INTERMITTENT FEVER
R., boy aged four years, had for fourteen months continued attacks of tertian intermittent. Quinine had been given until the little fellow sensibly refused to take more.
In August, 1880, I learned that he had had a paroxysm every other day for seven months. The malarial and quinine cachexia was well marked, and with the chill, which began between 10 and 11 A. M., there was intense thirst for large draughts of water, and during the fever which followed he complained of his head “hurting and jumping.” One dose of Natrum mur. (30) was given at the end of a paroxysm. He remained free from another attack until in the following October, when, the same symptoms presenting, another dose of Nat. mur. was given, and he has no chills since (May, 1881), and has continued to live in the same place, and his health is constantly improving. This case came under observation while I was visiting the section in which he resides with his parents, and on learning that many cases of a similar character were in the neighborhood I felt a vial of Nat. mur., with directions to give one dose to any case met with ; and I learned a few months afterwards that several cases had been cured with that remedy. (Geo. H. Clarke.)
LIVER DISEASE
R., lad, æt. 12, living at Park-gate. He suffered for some time from constipation, loss of appetite, dirty looking complexion, emaciation, frontal headache going round to the back, sleepiness towards evening and, first thing in the morning, urine thick, with nasty smell.
Excepting the “nasty” smell, which the boy could not define, I find these symptoms in the pathogenesis of Natrum muriaticum in Allen’s Encyclopædia of Pure Materia Medica and numbered respectively 529, 353, 251, 885, 64, 970, 561. Therefore, Natrum mur. 6, and that six grains in water, forenoon and afternoon. After taking 24 powders he returned, cured of all the symptoms except the odor of the urine and the emaciation, and “feeling very much better.” The prescription was repeated and the patient did not return. His father subsequently informed me that the cure was complete. (Burnett.)
RHEUMATISM
Mrs. Dr. Keese was attacked with a severe inflammatory rheumatism of the knee. The swelling was very red and painful. There was high temperature, quick pulse, great restlessness and exceeding sensitiveness to the pain.
Aconite brought very little if any relief, and Bryonia next on account of the < on movement and great thirst suffered like defeat. Now (said the patient) why don’t you help me ? I know you can if you have a mind to. That was flattering, and I naturally wanted to “make good.” I turned down the bed clothes to view the situation. As I put out my hand to feel of the knee, she exclaimed in terror, Oh ! don’t touch it. The least touch is unbearable and brings on the pain for hours.
I said you hold still, and put my hand carefully on the inflamed knee and gradually increased the pressure until I pressed it hard and firm. The patient looked astonished and ashamed as she said why, doctor, that don’t hurt me, but I tell you that the least touch has put me in agony before. I took off the pressure as gradually as I had put it on, and the usual severe < did not follow. She then got China 200th, and when I visited her twenty-four hours later she exclaimed, there, I knew you could help me if you wanted to. No other remedy was needed. (Nash.)
NEURALGIA
Chas. P., a tailor, came to see me at the dispensary, having suffered a long time from facial neuralgia. Had been treated by several old school doctors, but each one after treating for some time with remedies and liniments with hardly any relief told him that he would have to be operated on to have the diseased nerve cut out, as it was the only way he could ever be cured. This was to him always a signal to try another doctor, as he did not relish the idea of an operation. He had been so long unable to work and had spent all his savings for doctors and drugs that he was now compelled to try the free dispensary.
The pain was entirely on the left side of the face and neck. It would come and shoot through the face like lightning, especially in the house, especially if the tried to sew on the machine, or the children made any noise. The only relief he could get was by walking slowly about in the open air. He could only sleep after applying cloths, wet with cold water, to the left side of the face and head ; when these got warm the pains would awaken him, but on re-applying them he could go to sleep again. The relief from cold, open air and slow motion decided me to give him Pulsatilla c. m., but all in vain.
I then assured him he must be mistaken about his symptoms, for, if correct, I thought he ought to have been cured, but he persisted that he had given his symptoms correctly, and continued : “If I only touch my nose or cheek ever so slightly, thus,” suiting the action to the word, “I can bring on that pain,” and the expression of his face and his groans showed that he had been more than successful. He was still worse from any noise indoors, heat, lying on the left side of the face and from eating, better from fresh open air, walking slowly and from cold in general. Stools daily, but almost black, urine dark yellow. I now gave him China 200, to take one powder mornings and evenings. After three days he returned, saying : “I have had no more neuralgia since taking the second powder, and have slept well every night since without the cold cloths. You are the thirteenth doctor who has treated me for this, but the only one who has cured me.” (F. H. Lutze.)
TYMPANITES
J. Hall, a young man, unmarried, has had for a long time great bloating of the abdomen, with severe paroxysms of colic. When I was called to him he had been in bed some time, a number of days, as the colic and bloating was getting worse continually. He was a dark complexioned, medium height and build, dark hair and eyes. He was jaundiced and had a yellow, watery diarrhœa, which passed with much flatus, but did not relieve the pain or reduce the size of the abdomen. The abdomen was as full as that of a woman ready to be confined ; very tympanitic, and the convolutions of the whole length of the colon bulged out so that they could be seen as well as felt through the thin abdominal wall, for he was quite emaciated generally. He laid straightened out on the bed on his back, except when the painful paroxysms came on, when he would throw himself about in agony and groan.
I tried various remedies, among which were Colocynth., Arsenicum, Nux vomica, and finally Dioscorea, which I thought would certainly relieve him, because he bent backward instead of doubled up with the pain, and Dioscorea is a great flatulent remedy, and had served me well in such cases. China, Carbo v. and Lycopod. had also been tried. They were all used in the 30th and below. But no good from any of them. It was a poor family, and the mother being worn out with night watching (no nurse to help her) fell asleep, and the patient became delirious with the pain and escaped from the bed, and in his night clothes was overtaken three miles from home and taken back. Of course, things got serious, but they had one advantage, they were too poor to change doctors or to pay for an operation of any kind. Well, as has been my custom, I sat down and studied up the case again. Nearly all his symptoms called for China. But he had had China low. Now the only thing to do was to try it high. What, in such a desperate case ? Yep. Only thing to do. So I gave him some China 5m. made on my own potentizer (so I knew what it was). The result was all a Lippe could desire. The terrible pain grew promptly but gradually less, the tympany gradually subsided, the diarrhœa stopped, and in a month from its first administration he was working on the road with the rest of his fellow laborers. There was no return. Now there was a very prominent subjective symptom in the case which I have not mentioned. As H. N. Guernsey used to give it : “Uncomfortable distention in the abdomen, with a wish to belch up, or sensation as though the abdomen were packed full, not in the least relieved by eructations.” In this case neither belching nor stool relieved in the least. (Nash.)
NEURALGIA
Mrs. R., age 65, had been treated during five or six years at different times by two homœopaths for torpid liver. During all this time she had not had a natural evacuation, the stool had to be washed out by an enema ; there had not been the least desire for stool, nor any urging.
She had become very feeble and emaciated and suffered frequently and severely from neuralgia on the right side of the face, which the treatment of her physicians did not seem to relieve. An allopath being called in gave her a lengthy prescription, containing Quinine, Strychnia, Aloe, Podophyllum, Euonymus, etc., to be made into pills to take two mornings and evenings. The first dose aggravated her so much that she did not take the second dose until the following morning ; this making her still worse, the pills were abandoned and I was called. I found her delirious, temperature 104 degrees, but could obtain no symptoms.
Nux vom. 200, given at bed-time, produced a favourable change by next morning, but in the evening neuralgia of right side of head and face appeared, with symptoms of Bellad., and this soon relieved the neuralgia, as also another attack a month later. During the interval and after the second attack she was treated according to symptoms, but after two months the neuralgia made its appearance again ; this time on the left side of the head, face and neck, with exactly the same symptoms, but Bellad. gave no relief whatever ; she was rather worse in the afternoon. Mrs. R. then told me that the slightest touch would not only aggravate the pain, but actually reproduce it in its worst form, if touched when she was free from it. Chin. sulph. covering all the symptoms, including the reproduction of pain by touch, which is not found under Bellad., I gave her a dose of Chin. sulph. 45m in water, to take two teaspoonfuls every two hours, which gradually improved her, so that she was free from pain in four hours and never had another attack of neuralgia. (F. H. Lutze, 1893.)
DIARRHŒA
A delicate girl, three years old, has had an exhausting diarrhœa three weeks. It is now painless, consisting of brownish yellow fluid, with much undigested food. She has ten or twelve operations in twenty-four hours, and is much debilitated. China 200, every two hours, produced decided improvement in thirty-six hours, and complete convalescence in two days more. (J. B. Bell.)
RHEUMATISM
I was called to see a man with rheumatism. He had been confined to his bed and arm chair for many months, and had suffered greatly from the disease and many doctors. Had not tried homœopathy, for there was “nothing in it.” I found joints swollen (hands, feet, knees, body). The affection had continued all the time to move from joint to joint since he was attacked.
Heat did not > but <.
Tongue coated white, poor appetite, no thirst.
Very greatly discouraged, depressed.
Temperament, fair ; mild disposition. There were other symptoms, but these were leading. He received Pulsatilla c. m. (Fincke). He improved promptly, but in a few days sent for me. He showed me a discharge from the urethra that looked gonorrhœal in character. That was in the days of long ago, when we did not know so much about bacteriology. He said that his wife had given it to him, for he had, as everybody knew, not been able to get away from home. The wife indignantly denied the imputation. Both looked to me for a solution of the mystery. I said to him – did you ever have clap before ? He hesitated under the scrutiny of the flashing eyes of his wife. Then said : Yes, I did when I was a young man, before I was married. I said your rheumatism is improving since this discharge appeared. Yes. How were you cured of the clap ? By an injection. Well, then, I said neither you nor your wife are guilty of inconstancy toward each other. This rheumatism from which you are now suffering is the result of that suppressed gonorrhœa of twenty years ago, and you will get well of both under the action of appropriate medication. But no more local injections, please. He recovered rapidly. I have seen other cases similar from such suppressions and am careful not to resort to them. I did not know of the history of gonorrhœa in the case, but treated it on the symptomatic indications. (Nash.)
NEURALGIA
Mrs. G., age 35, a farmer’s wife, called to get some medicine for neuralgia, stating that the whole right side of the head was involved. The pains would come and go gradually at very irregular periods, shoot into the ear along the side of the neck and under the eye, and were always made worse by putting anything cold in the mouth. To the question if the pain was relieved by putting anything warm in the mouth, she answered : “Oh, no ; that makes it a great deal worse.” The pains, although mostly confined to the right side of the face, were moving about frequently, often after leaving the head appearing in the left leg or heel ; she was always chilly, easily moved to tears, and felt decidedly better in the open air. I gave her Pulsatilla 30, two powders, to dissolve one in four teaspoonfuls of water, and take one every two hours. The neuralgia was cured with the first powder and remained so ; she had no need of the second. (F. H. Lutze.)
SUPPRESSED MENSTRUATION
Emma G., aged about 30 years. Has been an invalid for years, under the care of an allopathic gynæcologist, who treated her for ulceration of the cervix. He had succeeded in healing the ulcers by local cauterizations, etc., but the canal had become so narrow that for a year he had been obliged to introduce a catheter to draw off the menstrual fluid. Finally it became so closed that the could not introduce the instrument at all. Then the patient passed another year having great pain and fullness in the uterine region at every period, which confined her to the bed for days, but no appearance of the menses. I was called to the case and prescribed Pulsatilla routinely. Visited her when she was due the next month. Found her suffering as usual, and no relief in any way from the remedy.
Then I sat down and wrote out her case in toto.
I found a history decidedly scrofulous or psoric, and among a quite long list of symptoms the following :
Frequent flashes of heat all over the body followed by sweat and debility.
Much burning of the feet, has to put them out of bed.
Weak, faint spells, especially in the forenoon.
These with the psoric history decided the prescription.
I gave her Sulphur c. m. (Fincke), a powder, dry on the tongue, once a week (Sac. lac. in solution between), with a promise that I would come up the next time when she was due, and if she was no better would make an examination. So when the time came I took my wife and went up prepared to do so.
Found the patient instead of upstairs in her bed as usual down in the parlor entertaining some lady friends who were calling.
She came out where we were, and I said, How about that examination ? Oh, said she, I am so glad it is not necessary. I am menstruating perfectly easy, and feel so well. She never failed afterward to menstruate regularly, and was restored to perfect health. (Nash.)
LEUCORRHŒA
Mrs. W., age 25 years, married, and has two children : the last was born fifteen months before I saw her, from which time she has suffered from profuse yellow leucorrhœa with violent pruritus vulvæ ; worse at night. She has at the same time great bearing down of womb, perfectly incapacitating her from standing or walking or doing her household duties, such as ironing and washing.
Most violent chronic headaches, of a throbbing and tensive character, and arising from the least worry or fatigue, with habitual constipation. Has been, under allopathic treatment two years without benefit. The keynotes to the cure were as follows : Heat and pressure on vertex ; throbbing and tension ; headaches more or less constant and worse before the menses ; worried by trifles, and memory impaired. Flushing of face ; fainting spells without cause ; sinking, empty, exhausted, craving for food ; worse at eleven o’clock in the forenoon ; intense icy cold feet ; worse when the head is bad.
Sulphur, one millionth potency (Boericke), in one dose of five pellets, cured permanently every symptom, constipation, leucorrhœa and sensation of prolapsus included and without repetition. (Skinner).
DIARRHŒA
I., aged 12 months, had had diarrhœa for nearly a month. Her flesh was soft and flabby ; open fontanelles ; tongue coated white at the back. She was thirsty and drank a good deal of milk and water. The diarrhœa was worse in the morning, beginning about 4 A. M., continuing more or less until the afternoon. It was dark yellow, watery, occasionally greenish white mucus, coming with a gush early in the morning, almost involuntarily during the day when standing. Child cried a little before bowels were moved. There was also a cough, worse on lying down at night, sometimes causing her to vomit ; child slept with eyes only half closed.
The patient’s appearance suggested Calc. carb., which was prescribed ; no benefit resulting, Sulphur 6 was given ; the italicized symptoms being very characteristic of the drug. The diarrhœa ceased, and her health greatly improved in a few days ; no other remedy being needed. (A. E. Hawkes.)
CHOREA
Chorea of eight years’ standing, affecting right side only excepting the face, all the muscles of which were affected. Ign. and Caust. failed. Sepia 55,000 and 100,000 relieved for a few days each, but Sulph. 6,000 given on account of “weak, faint, hungry spells” about 10 A. M. was followed by immediate improvement. (Goodno.)
DEAFNESS
Mrs. A., age forty-nine, deaf in right ear for twenty years, in left ear for five years. Hears no conversation except upon a high key, and that only when very near. Sensation of heavy pressure and heat at the vertex, extending to both ears with soreness of the brain. Soles burn at night, hot flushes on the face followed by cold sweat ; constipation, faintness at 10 or 11 A. M. Sulphur300 for twelve days, with but little improvement. Sulphur 6,000 was followed by restoration of left ear and relief from soreness and pressure at the vertex. The hearing in the right ear was slowly restored. (Hoyne.)
METRORRHAGIA
Was called to visit Mrs. —–, æt. fifty-two, June 6, 1879. Found she had been suffering from metrorrhagia, constipation and concomitants for about ten years. She stated that her medical adviser had always been an allopath. He who last attended her, after a protracted and unsuccessful trial of his individual skill, had accompanied her to New York to consult a now emeritus professor of surgery of an allopathic medical college, who had made for himself an enviable reputation as an operating surgeon. The emeritus professor, after obtaining a history of the case and making his examinations, endeavored to console the lady by informing her that his wife was in about the same condition as herself ; that he sent her to this retreat and that watering place, all of which resulted in little if any benefit ; and intimated that she might, if she thought well of it, do the same.
She concluded not to think well of it, and so returned as she went, like the door upon its hinges, unprofited.
Her physician, after an attendance of several years, during which his patient became gradually worse, abandoned the case. She had the assurance, however, to inform me that if he had only persevered in his attendance she supposed he would have relieved her.
She gave me to understand, moreover, that it was at the instance of some of her friends that I had been called, and not because she had any confidence in Homœopathy.
Her metrorrhagia, which had been exceedingly prostrating and annoying in many ways from its incipiency, had continued constantly for the last six months with the exception of two weeks, and was of a passive or active character, accompanied by very little pain.
At time it consisted of a slight oozing, the discharge presenting a dark appearance ; at others it passed in considerable gushes, and was a bright red color, with very few clots.
To procure alvine evacuations, it was her custom to resort to enemata or cathartics. She complained bitterly of painful hæmorrhoids. Her general appearance was bloated, and her extremities œdematous. She had an annoying bearing down sensation, especially when on the feet, so that she moved about with difficulty. She had occasional stitches from right to left, across the epigastrium, and was quite sensitive to a jolt or jar.
The symptoms which led to the selection of the similimum were the following : Frequent hot flushes to the face ; feet habitually cold or burning soles. (Feet so cold she must sit with them in the oven of the kitchen stove, or soles so hot at night that she must put them from under the bedcovers to cool them). Heat in the vertex. An empty, faint sensation at the epigastrium about 11 A. M., rendering it necessary to partake of some food. Unable to lie on the left side or back ; must lie on the right side. (Lying on the left side was followed by intolerable unrest, on the back by nightmare). Drinks much, eats little.
During treatment the importance of keeping quiet was not enjoined upon the patient, but she was allowed to exert herself in any way she deemed proper, nor was she restricted in the least in regard to her diet.
A few pellets of Sulph. m. m. were given her dry on the tongue, June 6, 1876, and the dose was not repeated nor any other remedy given for four months. As she had been subjected for many years to allopathic dosing, she was provided with the usual placebo, with direction to take three pellets at night if she felt that she needed them. She was also directed to call me at any time if warranted by any change in her symptoms. On the 6th of October, 1876, being in the immediate vicinity of her residence, I called on my patient to ascertain particulars, having heard, incidentally only, that she was better. She soon presented herself, exhibiting an appearance very different from that of four months previously. Her first exclamation was, “Under God I am indebted to you for my restoration to health.” She further stated, “A week after commencing the medicine the hæmorrhage ceased, and has not returned. At the time the hæmorrhage disappeared my bowels became regular in their evacuations, and have remained so. My painful hæmorrhoids have ceased to exist. At my monthly periods I menstruate normally for two or three days.” I inquired, “What about your other symptoms ?” She replied, “Oh, the hot flushes to my face, my cold feet or burning soles, the all-gone feeling at the stomach about 11 o’clock A. M., the inability to lie on the left side or back, the disposition to drink frequently and largely, and not being able to eat much have all disappeared, and I really feel as if I could not be sufficiently grateful.” (L. Shafer, M. D.)
CHRONIC URETHRITIS
Mrs. S—–, a married woman of fifty years of age, of light complexion, blue eyes, auburn hair. A nervous sort of body, complained for nearly six months as follows :
Frequent micturition day and night. Urine passed in small quantities – about a large spoonful at once – with urgency before, pain, smarting, burning, scalding, after each passage. There was a sensation of pressure upon the bladder also. The above were all the symptoms she gave, all I could get, at the time.
The above condition was distressing and kept her from church and social gathering. Without any comparison of remedies, for such condition, I gave Cantharis 200, which gave some relief, but only that. At the third call, I questioned her more closely and found she had, in addition to the foregoing symptoms, the following. Had much prurigo of labia, groins, upper part of thighs : the itching being so intense she wore out her clothing rubbing and scratching the parts.
The labia vestibulum, meatus urinarius and otium vaginæ, together with the adjacent skin, were inflamed and the labia majora dry and cracked. All these areas were subject to attacks of intense itching, burning and smarting upon scratching, daily. She was subject to frequent flushes of heat with redness of face, followed by slight perspiration. Got chilly easily and warm as easily. Heat and work aggravated her symptoms. Had considerable thirst ; and less hunger. Often had burning of feet, both day and night ; worse nights.
She had used all sorts of medicines, salves and ointments, hot and cold water, but only to repel the local irritation from time to time. This is what had been done, just prior to the time she first called on me, and this accounted for the paucity of symptoms given at first and second call. On the basis of the last symptoms, I gave her Sulphur 500, three doses, and a subsequent prescription of Sac. lac. At the end of a week she was materially better, and from that time to this she had no more trouble. The Sulphur was given Feb. 22, 1890. (Stow.)
CHOLERA
It was in 1851, on one of those unsurpassably hot mornings that prevail here in August, that I was summoned to see a case of cholera at a great distance. A Redemptorist Father had been with him during the night, and finding his apparently homœopathic treatment not as successful as he desired wished further advice. The patient was an emaciated, sharp-faced German, a tailor, about 50 years old. He had indulged on the previous day for his supper in blood pudding and cucumber salad. He was taken about 11 P. M. with Asiatic cholera ; he still continued to vomit and to be purged, with violent cramp at short intervals. All of these cramps and rice-water discharges ceased during that day, the principal remedy had been Arsenicum ; but from that evening till the next evening he continued to vomit, and apparently was sinking from exhaustion.
Thirst was very great ; he had to drink large quantities of cold water, and felt better afterwards, till the water became warm in his stomach in from fifteen to twenty minutes, and then he had to vomit it up again, to be relieved of this exhausting painful vomiting and thirst by drinking another large quantity of water. A number of remedies administered produced not the slightest relief.
The symptom found by the clinical experiment in this case – cold water drunk is vomited up as soon as it becomes warm in the stomach – was not to be found in our Materia Medica. But there was found, after a long search, under Phosphorus, in the fifth volume of Hahnemann’s Chronic Diseases, Symptom 745 : “In the most terrible agonies he vainly tried to vomit ; only the drinking of cold water relieved.” Nothing could be found in a search for a similar remedy but this symptom, and now we gave this suffering man one dose of Phosphorus 19m. about 9 P. M., with the order to repeat it every two hours until he was relieved. On the next morning we found that he had been given no more than this solitary dose, and that he was rapidly improving. He recovered without needing any more medicine.
COMMENTS. The case here briefly stated might be claimed to belong to the “Causes célèbres.” Ever since this case was cured and published everybody has admitted into our Materia Medica this so frequently confirmed Phosphorus symptom – “vomiting of what has been drunk as soon as it becomes warm in the stomach.” Everybody knows it, and the knowing ones have and will continue to cure this not infrequently recurring symptom with Phosphorus. The case illustrates the manner in which our Materia Medica has been developed ; how symptoms observed by provers only similar to the symptoms observed on the sick as the result of disease may be cured by a given drug, and that the confirmation of such cures entitle this symptoms – the result of the clinical experiment – to as much importance as if it had been observed on a dozen of provers.
Upon reflection, the men who persistently insist in the sifting of our Materia Medica may think the better of it. (Ad. Lippe.)
DYSENTERY
Several years ago I treated a child suffering for two weeks from an obstinate attack of dysentery. Several remedies had failed utterly. Counsel was called, but our combined efforts were equally unsuccessful. At one of my visits the mother chanced to be changing the child’s diaper. I noticed that the anus was wide open. I could have inserted my little finger to the depth of two inches without touching the bloody mucus-lined walls. (The tenesmus was almost continuous). Neither Jahr’s Manual (snelling), Bell on Diarrhœa, nor Hering’s Condensed contain this important symptom. Finally I discovered this under Phosphorus in Lippe’s Textbook. Three days after the use of the remedy naught remained of the troublesome disease except the resulting weakness. (Nash.)
HEADACHE
Mrs. M., æt. 30, dark hair, dark complexion, medium size, WHENEVER SHE WASHES CLOTHES, or walks fast, has the following symptoms : Rush of blood to the head, red face and eyes, heat in the head, sensitiveness of the scalp to touch, sudden shooting pains in the head, especially in the vertex. She has a permanent hard protuberance on the left side of the head, where phrenologists locate ideality ; also one on the metacarpal bone of her left hand, and one on the right foot. These parts, after washing, become very much swollen, red and hot, with shooting pains.
There is a small ulcer on the left foot, near the little toe. All the above symptoms are so severe, especially the pains in the head, as to necessitate her lying in bed. The pains in the head are also experienced when walking fast, as well as after washing, but much more after washing. After a few doses of Phosphorus c. m. she found she could wash or walk fast without experiencing any return of the above symptoms. The ulcer on the foot healed. (Compare Am. c., Ant. m., Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Calc. phos., Carb. v., Clem., Dulc., Lycop., Merc., Nux m., Puls., Rhus, Sars., Sep., sulph. – Eds.).
Note by the Editor (Dr. Geo G. Gale.) : “On receiving this extremely interesting case, from Dr. Gale, we happened to have on hand one exactly similar, viz., head symptoms, of a most chronic type, in a washer-woman, rendering her occupation at times quite impossible ; always worse when washing clothes or walking fast, but much more after washing. Her symptoms were identical with those of Dr. Gale’s patient, which are italicized. Considerable relief was obtained from the administration of Pulsatilla c. m., followed, a week after, by Sulphur m. m., Mercurius 10 m (for toothache in a carious tooth, and faceache, caused by washing clothes), and Lycopod. d. m. for sadness, gloomy sadness, and ill humor before menses ; severe dysmenia, with back as if broken ; coldness of left foot. But is was reserved for Dr. Gale to effect a speedy and permanent cure by the similimum. Rush of blood to face and head with heat ; the scalp is sensitive to touch, with sudden shooting pains in the head, especially in the vertex, induced and always aggravated when washing clothes or walking fast.”
Phosphorus will cure.
On the 17th of last September a washer-woman to the family was fairly “hors de combat” with these symptoms and the following : Sinking at the epigastrium ; nausea and loss of appetite ; sleepless, and when she does sleep she wakes always with a congestive headache and giddiness. She is afraid to wash. Phosphorus c. m. was given then and there, one powder dry on the tongue. We did not see her again till the 21st of Sept., when she informed us that “the last medicine had done her more good than all the rest put together.” Thanks to Providence and his servant, Dr. Gale. We left her on the 21st of Oct., perfectly well and healthy, pursuing her vocation in comfort. (Skinner).
PNEUMONIA
C. H. Nearing, about 30 years of age, was attacked with pneumonia (double). The right side worst. There was great oppression of breathing, very high temperature and quick pulse, circumscribed redness of the cheeks, right most, not much pain, rather apathetic, the cough (without much expectoration at first), and oppression much worse when lying on the left side. What little pain was complained of was located in the lower right lobe, but the hepatization was general over that side and in evidence to quite a degree on the left. All this condition followed a chill at the beginning. Aconite did not do much good, though it had a fair chance. Then I gave Phosphorus 1 m in solution, to be repeated once in two hours.
In the night the wife came running to my office, saying she feared Mr. N. had gone into a stupor, and wished me to come immediately. I was at the bedside in a few moments, and instead of a stupor found my patient sleeping soundly enough, but quietly, and breathing quite a good deal more naturally, and bathed in a nice warm perspiration. I awoke him and he drew a long breath and said how much better I feel. Then he coughed and raised easily a mouthful of bloody sputum, with great relief, and made a rapid and complete recovery. (Nash).
PNEUMONIA
In the year 1876, in the course of a severe attack of typhus fever, during my residence in Liverpool, my state, as I am told (for I was in delirium), suddenly became very critical through pneumonic consolidation of the right lung.
Phosphorus was the remedy selected by Drs. Drysdale, Hayward and Hawkes, who attended me, and under its action I made a rapid recovery. Hard, dry cough, rusty sputum ; increased at twilight and until midnight ; < lying on left side ; > lying on right side ; abdomen distended, sore, very sensitive to touch ; stools offensive, bloody, involuntary ; the anus appearing to remain open. Each one of the symptoms I have italicized is a keynote of Phosphorus. When any of them are present (with or without pneumonia) Phosphorus is likely to be the remedy. (John. H. Clarke.)
DIARRHŒA
Mr. Van Hoesen, middle aged, very large tall man, was attacked with a profuse light-colored, grayish-white diarrhœa. It poured away from him like water form a hydrant. Every passage was followed by a very weak, gone feeling in the abdomen. Phosphoric acid., China, Arsenic, Verat. album and other remedies failed to check the discharges, although they grew a little less in quantity at each time. Looking at the stools again and again, on the third day I discovered little white particles looking like sago, or little lumps of tallow, floating on the surface. This was a keynote. Then I could see Phosphorus in the whole case. This remedy in the 3d in solution, a teaspoonful after each stool, cured promptly. (Nash.)
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