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SOME COLLECTED WORKS OF Dr. K.S. SRINIVASAN - Chapter II
KALI BICHROMICUM
(ZKH. 32, 4/1988)
25 Feb. 1988: Mr. L. 37 years, complained of persisting headache since 4 days while he was on business tour; it began every day in the morning an hour or an hour and half or within about two hours, after waking up. The pain increases after about an hour and at 9 a.m. reached the peak and remained so till about 10.30 or 11 a.m. and then goes down; by afternoon there would be no pain at all except perhaps a trace sometimes. The pain was situated in the forehead above the right eye; sharp and unbearable between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. He has taken Paracetamol on some days which reduces the intensity of the pain but not total relief; the same pattern again next day and every day. When the pain is at its height felt like covering the eye with the palm, can’t see bright light then. If he wakes up late the pain begins later but the aggravation has always been between 9-11 A.M.
(ZKH. 32, 4/1988)
25 Feb. 1988: Mr. L. 37 years, complained of persisting headache since 4 days while he was on business tour; it began every day in the morning an hour or an hour and half or within about two hours, after waking up. The pain increases after about an hour and at 9 a.m. reached the peak and remained so till about 10.30 or 11 a.m. and then goes down; by afternoon there would be no pain at all except perhaps a trace sometimes. The pain was situated in the forehead above the right eye; sharp and unbearable between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. He has taken Paracetamol on some days which reduces the intensity of the pain but not total relief; the same pattern again next day and every day. When the pain is at its height felt like covering the eye with the palm, can’t see bright light then. If he wakes up late the pain begins later but the aggravation has always been between 9-11 A.M.
He was given Lachesis, Cedron (regular periodicity) and then Natrum muriaticum (peculiar aggravation 9-11 a.m.),Nux vomica. There was no perceptible relief.
Sinusitis was suspected; the peculiar time of aggravation was still considered as significant for Natrum muriaticum. Meanwhile he consulted a Neurologist for ‘review’ since he was on medication since many years for Epilepsy. He has been free from epileptic attacks since 3-4 years and wanted to know whether those drugs can be stopped. After an E.E.G. he was asked to reduce the dosage. An X-ray of the Sinuses was also done because of the right sided persistent headache daily morning. The X-ray confirmed right frontal sinusitis.
He came next day, 9 March 1988 and for the first time said “the pain has always been right here in this spot only” and put his finger on a spot just above the right eye-brow.
He was now given Kali bichromicum C200 (on 9.3.88) and from next day improvement was felt. The dosage was repeated once and by 12.3.88 he was free from the sufferings. Remains well.
This case is reported only to point out the peculiar time of aggravation, 9-11 a.m., under Kali bichromicum. Further clinical verifications of this aggravation time of Kali bichromicum may please be reported in the journal.
[There is nothing ‘great’ in this case. It is reported mainly to indicate that the patient indicated the ‘location’ with a finger point, which made me think of Kali bichromicum. Study of J.H. CLARKE’s Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica – Vol. II – confirmed the right sidedness,of the headache, over only one eye, etc. etc. ; with this above case we know that it has < 9-11 a.m.
Clinical symptoms which later become a ‘guiding’ symptoms are obtained this way = KSS.]
AETHUSA CYANAPIUM
(ZKH. 33, 1/1989)
Boy, born on June 4, 1988, three weeks before due date, first child, normal delivery, birth weight 2.5 kg. was brought for consultation on 1 July 1988.
Right from its birth the child was crying, worse at nights. Not crying much during day but almost the whole night he was crying loudly. Not comfortable in any position, either by being carried, rocked or in any way. Vomited milk after nursing by mother. Milk came out through the nose also. Much flatus while passing stool which was sometimes diarrhoeic.
The child was taken to the Children’s Hospital on 26 June 1988. Necessary tests including an X-ray was done after which it was given ‘Garamycin’ injections besides other medicines. No relief and on return from the hospital the child’s crying during nights became worse.
It was now observed that the umbilicus was protruding out and was tense to feel. Abdomen somewhat distended. The Paediatrician had advised to put the child on abdomen and pat the back vigorously and not to worry about the umbilicus or the crying. However, the mother and grand parents and others at home wanted the nightly crying of the child to be stopped as they were all very tired of the child’s crying.
Calcarea carbonica, Syphillinum gave relief just for a day or so, to the extent that the child stopped crying for short intervals, but a major part of the night it was still crying.
The child was again taken to the Paediatrician who found nothing wrong and again advised to put the child on its abdomen and pat the back vigorously. The mother said that if she did so the vomiting became worse. The Paediatrician also prescribed Piptal (Phenobarbitone, pipenzolate methyl-bromide) for sleep. This did not give the desired effect.
On 16 July 1988 when the child was again brought to me it was crying as before, as if in colic, and passing spluttering stool with flatus. The umbilicus was protruding much more, about 3cm. outward and was much tense. Suspecting umbilical hernia the baby was again sent to the Paediatrician who confirmed umbilical hernia but that no surgery was called for now.
On 23 July 1988 a dose of Jalapa 30 was given. Even this gave only very slight improvement for a day or so. The mother reported now that the vomit was rather ‘curdled’ sometimes and that the child vomited everytime he took the breast-feed. At last now, Aethusa cyanapium 1M (B& T) was given which brought definite improvement.
2 August 1988: Nights: no problem. Vomiting milk very much less. The umbilicus has become normal.
20 August 1988: Continues to remain well. Sleeps at nights for 3 to 4 hours without crying. Umbilicus normal.
18 September 1988: Continues to remain well. Sleeps at night. Umbilical normal. Plays well. Vomiting much less.
Remarks: Weeping and vomiting of milk (intolerance of mother’s milk) were the Key-notes for prescribing Aethusa cyanapium. However, the somnolence after vomiting was absent in this case. Crying of infants at nights has not been mentioned in the Materia Medica. This symptom as also the retraction of umbilical hernia may further be verified clinically.
Literature: CLARKE, J.H.: A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica.
BOGER, C.M.: Synoptic key.
[CLARKE quotes GUERNSEY in his Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Vol. I, p.35 of great anguish and crying … and vomiting of milk. This child had no problems for several years even up to his joining Engineering College! This is Homœopathic cure. = KSS.]
ASARUM EUROPAEUM
(ZKH. 34, 2/1990)
Practice of Homœopathy is fascinating indeed. Often satisfactory results are obtained from remedies chosen in unusual manner. Sometimes, the remedy chosen in the classical ways as taught by the different ‘masters’, like totality of symptoms or the nature of the patient in his environment or the minimum syndrome of maximum value, etc. which one employs according to the case unfolded, fails and a ‘pot shot’ on the basis of one or two ‘strange’ symptoms succeed. Such results are not easily explainable on the basis of the knowledge currently available of that remedy.
Nevertheless the results, namely the patient getting relieved of his sufferings, are there for all to see. Further verification of these clinically obtained ‘cured’ symptoms will add to the Materia Medica and thus the remedy potential enlarges. Dr. George von Keller rightly said “Wir werden immer wieder erfolgreiche Fälle veröffentlichen, immer mehr und immer neue Einzelheiten und Zusammenhänge kennenlernen und auf diese Weise bekannte Leitsymptome ausbauen und neue Leitsymptome bilden …. Wie sie sehen werden, kommt ja durch unsere tägliche Arbeit immer mehr material hinzu……”1 (We will be publishing more successful cases, and learn more and more new individualities and relationships and in this manner develop well known Key notes and also build up new leading symptoms …. As you will see, more material comes out of our daily Practice…”)
Mr. S., 32 years, married, with one child consulted on 15 Aug. 1989 with following complaints:
5. Since few years frequent pain in epigastrium, liver region, right hypochondrium, pain extending to right back. Pinching and pulling at the part and holding so gives some relief. Takes Gelusil (antacid) almost regularly for relief. Have had de-worming and anti-worm treatment;
Mr. S., 32 years, married, with one child consulted on 15 Aug. 1989 with following complaints:
- Pain in both wrists since more than 1½years. If least pressure is applied on the hands, like while getting up or raising oneself up, pain. Even lifting a book in hand causes pain;
- Vertigo in mornings; while walking as if lost his balance. This occurs only if he wakes up early. Even while riding the motor cycle this sense of imbalance occurs;
- Since some months, very very sensitive to noise. T.V., Radio, loud talking etc. cause much irritation, anger. Would like to knock down the person talking loudly, to smash the radio if it is slightly loud in volume; if a child cries, would feel like slapping it;
- Gets angry easily but soon cools down;
5. Since few years frequent pain in epigastrium, liver region, right hypochondrium, pain extending to right back. Pinching and pulling at the part and holding so gives some relief. Takes Gelusil (antacid) almost regularly for relief. Have had de-worming and anti-worm treatment;
- Abdomen very sensitive to touch;
- Once every 2 or 3 months throat infection; repeatedly taken Erythrocin;
- Can’t talk loud or for more than 10 minutes because it would cause much fatigue and even voice would begin to croak or become feeble; have to take deep breath; vertigo after expiration; being a sales and marketing man this becomes a handicap;
- 3-4 stools every day, small quantity every time.
- Can’t tolerate hair grow longer than 1 or 2 inches. Head becomes very sensitive. Hair sensitive to touch, especially if grown longer;
- Does not like to be controlled or directed by anyone else;
- Sometimes head feels heavy. “If I pull my hair and hold it tightly pulled, I get some relief”;
- Pain right lumbar region, right side.
All these complaints more or less chronic and have taken enough allopathic treatment.
Nux vomica 10M.
27 Aug. ’89: All symptoms status quo. Further questioned about sleep and dreams he said that he dreamt of going to his office, market or visiting friends or wherever he may be going, flying like a bird; flying to places.
He complained that the sensitivity of the abdomen to touch, and indigestion were troubling him more and he continued to take antacid.
Lycopodium 1M.
23 Sept. ’89: No improvement at all. All symptoms status quo. Again throat infection since 3 days; felt that his hands have lost their power of grip. Holding or carrying of even least weight like a pillow, causes pain in the wrist and he drops the thing.
Asarum europaeum 200.
8 Oct. ’89: “All symptoms much relieved”. Pain lumbar region completely relieved. Hyper sensitivity to noise is relieved; vertigo, epigastric pain, pain right hypochondrium, sensitivity of hair and scalp, pain wrists – all relieved. Power of grip of hands much better. Throat, slight irritation on some days.
Sac Lac.
Further follow up is awaited.
The oversensitivity to all sounds for no apparent reason was the main consideration for choosing Asarum.
For some of the other symptoms of the patient:
CLARKE2 : “Tension of whole scalp, making hair feel painful; cannot bear combing”
“Imagines he is hovering in the air like a spirit; when walking in the open air”
SR. Vol. I (2nd Edn.) has Asar; under “Delusions: of hovering in air like a spirit;
: Floating in air;
: “Flying, sensation of”
but “Dream of flying” does not contain Asar.
Asarum europaeum is a remedy proved by HAHNEMANN3. In the Materia Medica Pura, the oversensitivity of nerves – Symptom No.227 – is in ordinary type. Clinical experience further elevated this symptom to higher rank so that in JAHR4 we find “Allgemeines; Ueberempfindlichkeit des ganzen Nervensystems” (gesperrt)
Gemüt: “Grosse nervose aufgeregtheit und Lustigkeit”. And in H.C. ALLEN5 the oversensitiveness; imagination of “hovering in the air like a spirit” have become Key- Notes.
References:
1. v KELLER G. : Lilium und die Entstehung unsere Leitsymptome, AHZ,
226, 5, 1981, p.178.
2. CLARKE, J.H.: A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica Vol. I.,
Reprint, Delhi.
3. HAHNEMANN S. : Materia Medica Pura, trans. R.E. DUDGEON, M.D.,
Vol. I M. Bhattacharrya and Company, Calcutta, 1952.
4. JAHR, G.H.G.: Gedrängte Total-uebersicht aller zur Zeit eingeführten
homöopathischen Heilmittel, erste Band, Leipzig 1848,
Nachdruck Bernd von der Lieth, Hamburg.
5. ALLEN, H.C. : Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of the Leading Symptoms of the Materia Medica, Eighth Edition,, Boericke & Tafel, Philadelphia, 1936.
[Long term follow-up confirmed the patient remaining cured = KSS.]
SINGLE DOSE OF DROSERA
(CHQ. 5, 4/1992)
From time to time even experienced homœopaths raise serious doubts about the lasting efficacy of a single dose in so called ‘difficult’ cases or in epidemics. HAHNEMANN’s assertion that one dose of Drosera was curative in whooping cough and a similar claim by Margaret TYLER are doubted. Unfortunately, there is so much in homœopathic therapeutics which have not been documented and this is very seriously affecting the further development of Homœopathy and, of course, the homœopaths. Unless the practitioners make it their duty to report to the journals their important experiences, even if they are anecdotal, we cannot progress.
I have seen bad aggravation from a single dose of Drosera 30 which made me realize that such a single dose could therefore be equally curative.
Mr. N., aged 43 years, married, with one child (a boy of 13 years) consulted me on 10 Jan 1990. His profession: Computer Operator and Programmer in a large Industry. He is in this job for nearly 20 years.
Since 10 years and more, he was suffering from bronchial Asthma. There was a period in between when for nearly 3 years he was not suffering from it.
Has had ‘all laboratory tests’ including ‘allergy tests’ and found that he was allergic to dust, tomatoes, milk, bananas. Has taken different allopathic remedies prescribed by the doctors and still taking ‘Asthalin’, ‘Kenacart’, etc.
Of late – this (1989) winter – it has become worse; never so bad in earlier winters; his condition is generally worse in winter.
His work is in ‘shifts’ – one week from 0730 hours to 1700 hours and next week 1600 hours to 0200 hours. His work room is ‘air-conditioned’.
Attacks almost always begin at about 0200 hours night and persist till about 0500 or 0600 hours. This occurs only when he is in the day shift, i.e., 0730 hours to 1700 hours. During the other week, 1600 hours to 0200 hours shift – no attacks. Takes Asthalin at night before retiring to bed so that he gets undisturbed sleep but then he definitely gets the attack in the morning at 0500 hours. An aura begins in the stomach as if the stomach is full, then cough, then wheezing.
During this stage, perspiration, gasping for air. Not agg. by draft.
As a school boy from his 10th year to about 18th year of age, used to suffer from one-sided (right) headache, above the eyebrow, in the forehead. Severe. Would go and knock his head on the walls. The treatment (allopathic) available then was taken and by about 18th year of age this headache became very mild and infrequent. Still he gets the headache but of far lesser intensity and frequency, perhaps once in 10 or 15 days, but in the same spot, same manner, at any time of the day or night. Has again tried Allopathy, Ayurveda, Siddha, Homœopathy but so far no relief and position remains the same.
Less thirst generally; only 3-4 glasses of water in a day.
Urination also less.
Stool normal.
Sleep: can sleep whenever he wants to, within minutes of lying down: “If you ask me to sleep here and now, I can lie down and soon be asleep”.
Stomach: Feels bloated even after a little food. When the stomach is full, likely to get his attack of wheezing.
This respiratory complaint began one night after taking his usual cup of milk before retiring.
X-ray revealed maxillary sinusitis.
Blood: T.C and D.C.: Normal; ESR: 25mm/hour.
Paternal/Maternal/Fraternal history: No bronchial or any other respiratory illnesses.
He was given Kali bichromicum 30.
20 Jan. 90: Mucus slightly loose; Gastric ‘fullness’ sensation leading to cough and wheezing is lesser, but the morning 0500 hours agg. persists. “Cough is the starting point leading to the wheeze. If this cough could be controlled I will not get the wheeze”.
He was given Drosera 30 one dose.
27 Jan.90: During this week had to take ‘Kenacart’ only on one occasion.
“Cough which triggered the wheezing is not occurring at nights or at 0500 hours mornings and therefore no wheezing”. Gastric problem also is better. There is still slight wheeze or whistle but it is not at all as bad as before. Good relief.
Sac Lac.
31 March 1990: No wheezing or any problem except some gastric ‘fullness’.
Sac Lac.
19 April 1990: No respiratory problem. For the still persistent ‘heaviness as if stone’ in stomach he was given Bryonia30. He has not complained of headache either.
Discussion:
Kali bichromicum was given because of the history of headache above eyes, in a spot and confirmed (by X-ray) maxillary Sinusitis. My experience has been that in these cases – i.e. Sinusitis – relief is quick if the medicine was correct. In this case when no amel. was reported, another remedy had to be chosen. The peculiar time of cough leading to asthmatic breathing, was examined and in BOGER’s Synoptic Key, Drosera was given in ordinary type under ‘Time, 5 am.’ CLARKE says: “The majority of the sufferings appear at night and in the morning, as well as in a warm atmosphere, and during repose”. HERING’s Condensed Materia Medica says, under ‘Cough’: “Wakes at 2 am.” These fitted this case and worked as expected. The amel. within 7 days after the medicine should also be noted. I, therefore, have no doubt about HAHNEMANN’s assertion: “So reicht z.B. eine einzige solche Gabe zur homöopathischen, völligen Heilung ….. Die Heilung erfolgt sicher binnen 7 oder 9 Tagen….”
I have no doubt about Dr. M. TYLER’s claim also when she said that she saw “a good deal of whooping cough during the 1914-18 war” and “cured with a single dose 30 or 200 of Drosera”.
References:
BOGER, C.M. : A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica, Memorial Edition, enlarged, by Dr. N.K. BANERJEE, A.B. Publishers, Calcutta.
JACK, R.A.F.: In the Light of Experience – The Polio Saga of 1958, British Homoœopathic Journal, Vol. 78, 1988. pp. 34-40.
TYLER, M.L. : Homœopathic Drug Pictures, The Homœopathic Publishing Co. Ltd., London, Revised Edition, 1952.
CLARKE, J.H.: A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Vol. I, Reprint, New Delhi, 1975.
HERING, Constantine: Condensed Materia Medica, Revised, Enlarged and Improved by E.A. FARRINGTON. Fourth Edition, Reprint, New Delhi, 1983.
HAHNEMANN, S.: Reine Arzneimittellehre, Sechster Teil, Dresden und Leipzig, 1827.
[Most colleagues tend to give repeated doses; may be they get results, but the question is, was the repetition necessary or was it due to the prescriber’s ‘opinion’. It would do more good if we stick to the Master’s admonition and give a single remedy, in a single dose and observe. = KSS.]
Does The Homoeopathic Medicine By Its Initial Aggravation Cause An Increase Of Pathogenic Organisms Before Eradicating Them?
(ZKH. 38, 2/1994)
In a recent seminar a colleague presented a paper on `Disease aggravation and Homoeopathic aggravation` with regard to skin diseases.
What symptoms and signs would possibly become aggravated followed by amelioration and cure? If for example, in a case of scabies the scabious lesions increase in number and spread quickly to other parts of the body also would it mean that the homoeopathic remedy has helped the increase of the itch `mite` also? Does the homoeopathic remedy cause an increase of the pathogenic organisms also? If not what caused the increase of the scabby-like eruptions?
Let me cite 3 cases in this connection:
Case 1: 1st December 1988: K.C.girl aged 9 years, much lice and vermin on head. She has not had much benefit from external applications.
Sweaty palms and feet.
Sulphur M.
15 December 1988: swollen cervical glands, fever, sores and Ulcers on scalp. Itching.
Psorinum 30.
On 30th December 1988 an abscess had developed on the lower left occiput which was very painful. Vermin had increased and were found crawling all over the head.
9th January 1989: Vermin were less. But the cervical glad swellings and abscess on occiput had increased with severe pain; couln`t turn the head.
Tuberculinum koch 200.
The abscess on the occiput matured, burst opened and discharged on 12 January 1989 after which no pain.
18 January 1989: Lice is the problem. Itching.
Psorinum 200.
5 February 1989: Lice much less. One more abscess on left Occiput discharging thin pus.
14 February 1989: Lice much less but vermin plenty. The abscess still discharging. No persipiration of palms and feet.
Psorinum 200.
15 March 1989: Completely well.
After few months two girls with lice on head were sent to me by this patient.
Case 2: V.S., girl 9 years: Has been getting cervical gland swellings, fever, The girl`s mother, a homœopath, had given her over the years. Drosera, Sulphur, Silica, Tuberculiunum with periodical amelioration.
In August 1989 the girl was brought to me with clearly visible cervical glands on both sides of the neck and many `boils` on the scalp which were painful, itching, Psorinum 200 was given.
Report on 4 October1989: She developed more cervical glands swellings, large and painful with pain in moving the neck; high fever (Up to 104o F) more eruptions on the scalp, all oozing sticky pus, offensive smell, itching. Lice increased. She was weeping and cranky. When the fever went high the mother gave Belladonna M. Because of pain, offensive discharge, tenderness, she was give Hepar Sulphur 200 on 2 October 1989. Fever came down and on 4th October 1989 temperature became normal and all-round improvement.
19 October 1989: A large eruption on top of the occiput, discharging thick pus, very foul odour even from about 10-12 feet distance. Scalp itching, Lot of loose scabs all over the head from other earlier eruptions tangling the hair extending up to the ears.
Psorinum XM.
16 November 1989: All round improvement. But again since two days slight discharge from an abscess but without bad odour; again a cervical gland swelling.
In 1990/1991 at intervals she received as required mainly Tuberculinum M twice, Hepar sulphur 200 and was comparitively well.
In February 1992 it was reported that again there were eruptions on the scalp, small ones, on the occiput, painful some containing pus, Lice. For Fever which was high she had been given Belladonna and fever came down. Now she was givenPsorinum XM on 21 February 1992.
25 Feb. 1992: Eruptions are lesser; stray ones appearing and healing. Head Lice. Glands on neck also appear and disappear. Psorinum XM.
8 August 1992: still few eruptions on scalp; painful, slight discharge. Lice which had increased after Psorinum have decreased but still they are there. Cervical glands swollen. Sulphur M.
29 September 1992: Cervical; glands one on each side of neck, hard. Eruptions still on head, Lice. Calcarea carbonicaXM.
That was the last medicine, since then she has not had any eruptions on scalp, no swelling of cervical glands, no lice, till date. Has grown well and maintaining good health.
In this case too a sharp increase of lice was seen after Psorinum which however soon came down.
Case 3: G.G. 9 years; came to me on January 1992: At age 20 days developed Eczema Capitis. Treated homoeopathically (Graphites). Subsequently she used to get intertrigo upto 3 years age. At 4 years throat infections, tonsillitis, ear ache, ear discharging pus, Treated with Penicillin injections.
After this she used to get wheezing; once hospitalized. She gets occasional colds with cough.
A week ago a small eczema on head was on served. Now it has spread to nape of neck up to the throat; itching; reddish. Isolated very small eruptions on lower extremities and scalp.
Pale spots on the cheeks. Last year Paediatrician (allopath) prescribed Candid B cream which `cured` these discolored spots. Now these spots have reappeared.
Sulphur 30 one dose.
30 January 1992: on 28th January 1992 she developed allergic weals, oedema all over the body with severe itching. This became worse on the next day. Her mother gave her Avil (anti-histamine).
The Eczema on the neck have all healed almost 75%
4 February 1992: The eczema on the nape has spread up ward to the occiput. Suddenly intense itching has developed. She weeps sometimes because of this itching. Itching suddenly passes off. This occurs about 7 or 8 times in 24 hours.
Has few lice on head. Psorinum 200.
11 February 1992: Itching, still some pus in the lesions on the head. Ever since the last medicine she has poor sleep, restless sleep. Hard glands on both sides of neck, painful to touch. Lice increased. The mother says ‘I can see it crawling even up to the ears”. Sac Lac.
16 February 1992: Sleep better, Lice less, not seen. They increased and they have cleared away. This phenomenon occurred in each of the three cases after a dose Psorinum.
Let me also point out that all the three children came from relatively economically well and educated families and were not wanting in cleanliness and other hygienic measures.
Aggravation after a homeopathic remedy, Psorinum in these three cases does not seem to stop with increase of sensations, feelings, pathological lesions, etc. but also an increase of parasitic organism.
Annotations
Psorinum
“Scalp: dry, scaly of moist, fetid, suppurating eruptions; oozing a sticky, offensive fluid.”
“Pustules, boils on head, mostly scalp, which looks dirty and emits an offensive odor”.
“Moist suppurating, fetid, also dy eruptions on scalp.”
“Profusely suppurating, fetid, eruption on head; rawness and soreness behind ears.”
“Pustules and boils on head, containing large quantities of pus; severe itching, ….. Eruption spreads on nape of neck, scalp and most of forehead, the eruption is of very offensice odour,”
“Eruption on head, particularly on occiput completely hiding scalp from view.”
“Humid, scabby itching: offensive smelling eruption on head, full of lice; glandular swellings.”
“Eruption on head: with swelling of glands; with urticaria.”
“Eruptions on the head…..with it hard swellings of the glands in the neck.”
“Eruption on the head …. Heard glandular swellings on the back part of the neck.”
Crawling all over the head. Eczema on head. Itching, Cervical glands; one more gland is seen.
Calcarea Carbonica M.
7 March 1992: Eczema and all skin eruptions healed. Cervical glands smaller. Attending school.
No lice after this.
She again had few small abscesses on scalp and enlarged cervical glands but these healed quickly with Sulphur, Silica and lastly Calcarea carbonica as indicated, up to September 1992.
The mother reported on 5th November 1992 that the child remained well. She has left for Gulf country in November 1992 and said that if there was any recurrence she would contact me. So far she has not contacted and it is assumed that she is well.
Discussion: The phenomena of aggravation after administering a homoeopathic remedy is referred to by HAHNEMANN in paragraphs 157, 158,159,160,161,248,280 and 282 of the Organon.
In the Footnote to Paragraph 160 HAHNEMANN refers to the increase in scabies eruption after Sulphur and facial eczema after Viola tricolor; he says (“wenn der Krätz-Kranke nach Einnahme des Schewefels über vermehrten Ausschlag klagt, so tröstet ihn der Arzt, der hievon die Ursache nicht weise, mit der Versicherung, dass dies Krätze erst recht herauskommen müsse, ehe sie heilen könne; er weiss aber nicht, dass dieses Schwefel-Ausschlag ist, der nur den Schein vermehrter “Krätze annimmt.”) “When the itch diathesis patient complains about increased eruption after the ingestion of the Sulphur his physician not aware of the cause of this consoles him with the assurance that the itch diathesis must come out more than ever before it can heal up. He is not aware that this is a Sulphur eruption that only assumes the appearance of an increase in the itch diathesis.” FN to §160.
However, in all the three cases presented above the lice population showed a clear increase along with the aggravation of the abscess/eczema and the lice population quickly went down more or less with the same speed!
Bibliography:
- ALLEN H.C. : Materia Medica of the Nosodes with provings of the X-Ray, Sett Dey & Co., Calcutta, 1958.
- HAHNEMANN, G.: Organon der Heilkunst. Textkritische Ausgabe der 6. Auflage. Bearbeitet and herausgegeben von Josef M. Schmidt. Karl F. Haug Verlag. Heidelberg.1992.
ALUMINA
(ZKH. 38, 3/1994)
Practice of Homœopathy brings in very happy results almost everyday. While we know apriori what a homœopathically chosen medicine would do, we very often obtain unexpected rapid results. The speed with which an individual responds curatively cannot be known apriori. The range of action of the homœopathic remedy is infinite. The full depth and range of a homœopathic remedy can never be known and so declared “that is all”. Every experience with every patient is new from which the homœopath can learn.
The basis of selection of a remedy is also similarly varying. One should not fault a colleague who may prescribe in a particular case because of a pathology; or on a key-note; or on the so-called essence; or on the totality (which in effect is only the ‘essence’); or on the aetiology, etc. Some definite clue to the puzzle (disease) is what the homœopath looks for and he has to do with the clue that is available at the time. While theorists may arue that this or that method alone is ‘classical’ the practitioner goes ahead with the cases before him, of course without deviating from the basic principle of ‘single remedy’ at a time and that a ‘potentised remedy’. All these from practical experience over the years.
On December 18, 1992 a 33-year-old, married male came with the complaint of “fever since past twenty days; everyday; it is, more or less, constant; sometimes it is not there or rather I don’t feel it. I just want to lie down and sleep. Feel more sleepy and I do sleep too. Feel very tired. No interest in doing any work or anything. No appetite. I get irritated when someone speaks to me. Throat aches while swallowing. For the past over two weeks have been on allopathic medicines but no relief.”
“Since yesterday have not eaten or taken any drinks like tea, coffee either. No interest, no desire to eat.”
Excretory functions are normal.
Had undergone allopathic treatment six months ago for fever which doctor diagnosed as Malaria “but I myself felt that it was not Malaria.”
“Sleep good but too much dreams.”
The patient looked dull, sluggish and disinterested. It was closing time for my clinic when he came in and I looked quickly through Bryonia, Gelsemium in the Materia Medica. Although the symptoms were covered by these medicines and Gelsemium seemed closer, somehow I felt that it was not the medicine for him. The patient did not elaborate on his dreams.
I enquired of his personal life and profession. He was a Ph.D. (in Hindi) but unfortunately couldn’t secure an appropriate job and so came down from the North India to here (Madras) and was working as an office Superintendant in a small private Industry manufacturing metal castings. Of course he was not happy with this job, but had to hold on until he got a suitable one in the University.
“What is the metal of which the castings are made in the factory?” I enquired.
“Aluminium castings. Generally my work is restricted to the office. But since about 20 days I was asked to supervise some works in the casting shop also since the regular man there was on leave. I don’t like the work and it is causing me mental strain.” In fact he became ill from the time he was put on the job of supervising the casting also.
In my opinion, the ‘essence’ of a remedy is best but briefly described in BOGER’s ‘Synoptic Key’ and then in PHATAK’s Materia Medica. A quick look into BOGER’s under Alumina made me decide for that remedy; the depressive mental state, the general sluggishness; probably Aluminium toxicity from his visits to workshop.
Alumina 200 one powder was given on the tongue.
On 20 December 1992 evening he came and reported “relief to a good extent. No fever. Yesterday night after 8 p.m. felt much itching, formication, all over as if small eruptions were coming up; this itching was so bad that it disturbed my sleep.”
Small eruptions were actually there on the arms.
Intolerable itching when getting warm in bed is a leading symptom of Alumina.
Placebo.
On 29 December 1992 evening the patient walked in, smiling. “I am well except for the following:
“Pain in left side of the face, head, upto and including left neck. This would begin in the morning about 8 A.M. after my breakfast and would go up till about 1 or 2 p.m. and then slowly go down in the afternoon/evening till about 7 p.m. I applied pain balm last two days (containing Menthol, Camphor, etc.).
“People suggest that I go to Neurologist. I am not doing that because I do not want him to declare that I have some serious problem. I do not want to fall into any serious disease.”
“I have slight pain in the throat today only while eating, not severe. I’m just mentioning it.”
The area of the pain in the face and neck described by the patient indicated that the tri-facial nerves were involved, may be as a result of the cold air prevalent here in December.
Again reference to BOGER, and Spigelia 200, one powder was given.
On 6 January 1993 he reported: “facial and neck pains have been relieved 95%. Left eye vision is defective now, that is, left side vision of the left eye was rather hazy: I have to strain the eye or turn my neck fully left to see with the eyes.”
Since this appeared to be a ‘proving symptom’ of Spigelia (Symptom Number 99 – ‘Beobachtungen Andrer’ – Seite 256, Bd.5, Reine Arzneimittellehre), I gave placebo. The patient did not come after this. However, I learnt few days later from his friend that he was well in every way.
Literature:
1.BOGER, C.M. a Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica, Memorial Edition, A.B. Publishers, Calcutta.
2.HAHNEMANN, S. Reine Arzneimkttellehre, Fünfter Teil, Zweite, vermehrte Auflage, Dresden und Leipzig 1826 (Unveränderter Nachdruck, 1989).
[This patient was working for a poor salary in a position far below his qualification. Although he felt that it was unjust he did not have the courage to ask for higher salary; he was afraid that he may be thrown out if he asked. After givingAlumina, I encouraged him to meet his boss and ask for higher salary. Few days later he did so and he got higher salary! However within next 2 or 3 months he got a job in University = KSS.]
DELUSIONS
(ZKH. 41, 3/1997)
Homœopathy is finding more favour all over the world, books of Homœopathy including reference books like Repertory have also been coming out rather rapidly. For decades we had only the Kent Repertory and the Boger-Boenninghausen.
The clinical data of the post-Kentian period were lying scattered in different books/journals; much useful data were lying in the older literature – HAHNEMANN, BOENNINGHAUSEN – which were all missing in the Repertory. Synthetic Repertory (1973) corrected this deficiency.
We have found that within the past two decades many teachers have sprouted and have been holding seminars and symposiums. Of late in most of these the ‘Mental’ symptoms are being stressed exclusively and in fact paragraph 211 of the Organon is quoted in support. It may also be pointed out that in the general scientific world also attention has been more on the Mind and Mysticism and scientists have been writing on these subjects, for example David BOHM, Fritjof CAPRA, Rupert SHELDRAKE, Larry DOSSEY, Deepak CHOPRA, etc. All these have brought about a radical paradigm change.
However, ‘proving’ which is fundamental in Homœopathy has been far few in this period. The repertory was given far more importance than the study of the provings. Mental symptoms came to be even exclusively used for selecting the homœopathic remedy.
The rubrics of Mind were interpreted with the help of a Dictionary and one’s own vast imagination instead of in the light of the provings. In fact a separate school has grown which uses only one Chapter of a reference book, that is the Mind chapter in the repertory; this school discards everything else including the Materia Medica. One teacher said that you seek the ‘essence of the remedy’ and compare it with the ‘essence of the patient’s disease’; another said that ‘Delusion’ was disease; that ‘Dreams’ analysis would lead to the remedy; one spoke of the ‘wound’ and ‘wall’; there are other ideas too. All these centred around the rubrics in the Mind section of the repertory.
Then synthetic Materia Medicas came along. These Materia Medica were based on the repertories. Instead of a repertory compiled out of Materia Medica which would contain nothing but facts, which means provings and clinically verified symptoms only, the process was reversed and Materia Medica was compiled from the repertory! Since the repertory is only an index to the fragments of full symptoms, such Materia Medica also carried only fragments of symptoms instead of a full symptom and thus one cannot easily or properly comprehend the picture of a remedy. It will be like the five blind people comprehending the picture of an elephant.
“Sensations as if” are expressions used by a prover to explain his/her subjective experience; for example when the patient says “I feel the heat as if I am standing near a furnace” it only means the strong sensation of heat and not a “Delusion, near a furnace he is”, “I feel breathless as if have walked up a steep hill” only expresses the respiratory difficulty and not “Delusion, climbed a mountain”; “in the morning I was in an ugly mood” is not a “Delusion, he is ugly”. Yet the latest repertories and the Materia Medica compiled out of these repertories carry all these as “Delusion”(!) merely because the ‘sensation as if’ has been interpreted as ‘delusion’.
Whereas James WARD’s ‘Sensations as if’ gives the complete symptom, ROBERTS’ gives truncated, fragmented. The ‘Delusion’ section in the Synthesis Repertory of Frederik SCHROYENS and the Comple Repertory (Mind) of Roger van ZANDVOORT have taken many of these symptoms from ROBERTS’.
In the Synthesis “Delusion as if climbing a steep mountain; Prunus spinosa” has been given. The source for this is H.A. ROBERTS’ ‘Sensations As If’. When this symptom was verified in the Encyclopaedia the following was found “Shortness of breath, while walking; sighing as if he were climbing a high and steep mountain” (Symptom Nr.154). For further verification STAPF’s Archiv was referred which contains the actual proving symptom conveyed by WAHLE (Symptom Nr. 147): “Kurzathmigkeit im Gehen; als wenn er einen hohen und steilen Berg bestiege”
JAHR’sSymptomenkodex also says “Keuchend wie beim Ersteigen einen steilen hohe”.
All these indicate the shortness of breath and difficult respiration in respiratory disease. The prover suffered no delusion or hallucination or imagination of climbing a mountain, he only explained his breathing difficulty as one would if one had climbed a steep hill. But because this is given as a “Delusion” in the repertory it is taken as a ‘mental’ symptom, which is wrong. In the Transaction of the LIGA Congress, New Delhi, 1995 there is an article titled “Prunus spinosa, Sintomas Mentales” by Dr. Maria M. Salvucci in which this ‘Delusion’ is stressed as a ‘peculiar’ symptom of Prunus spinosa. What a ‘delusion’!
In the Synthesis and Complete Repertory there is “Delusion, is ugly; Tub.” The source is H.C. ALLEN’s Materia Medica of the Nosodes. This symptom was looked up in the Materia Medica of the Nosodes and the symptom reads: “Felt positively ugly; personal aversions became almost a mania”. The symptoms preceding this and the symptoms following it point clearly that it is ugly mood of the patient and it has nothing to do with ‘Delusion’ or ‘Hallucination’ that he is ugly-looking. The Complete Repertory also gives this under “Delusion ugly, is”. I will not be surprised if someone spins a long case and theorises on this ‘Delusion, is ugly’ as has been done in Prunus spinosa!
Under ‘Delusions’ is given in the Synthesis “creep in to his own body; he would crouch together as much as he could; cimic.rb2”. The’Cimic.rb2” is an error; it should be “cimxrb2” (rb2 ROBERTS Herbert A. “Sensation As If”.) The Complete Repertory gives “Delusions; creep into himself, has to, he could not sufficiently crouch together; Cimx.54 (54 is KNERR, C.B.).
Verification of the Encyclopaedia shows that there was no ‘Mind’ symptom in the proving of WAHLE. But Under Inferior Extremities, Symptom No. 57 says: “Pain in the recti muscles of the thighs, with oppression of the chest, shortness of breath, and frequent deep inspiration, with a sensation as if he would creep into himself, and on that account could not sufficiently crouch together”. It would be evident that the ‘creeping’ was due to the inability to stretch the limb and hence he had to crouch. Unfortunately the Guiding Symptom has given under Mind: “Sensation as if he would creep into himself, and on that account could not sufficiently crouch together.” KNERR has taken this from the Guiding Symptom. As explained above this is Not a ‘mind’ symptom but refers to the pain in recti muscles which compelled to keep as much crouched as possible.
In the light of these studies one cannot be certain that all the additions, especially the ‘delusion’, in the modern repertories are totally reliable or meaningful; one has to verify them with the provings and understand the full import of the fragmented symptom.
The many fascinating portrayals of remedies in seminars/articles on the basis of such fragmented ‘mental’ symptoms in the repertory appear to be mostly from the fertile imagination of the individual. Let us study the provings; stick to the pure Materia Medica and the facts in them.
REFERENCES:
1. Frederik SCHROYENS: Synthesis, Edition 5, Homœopathic Book Publishers, London, 1993.
2. Roger van ZANDVOORT: The Complete Repertory – Mind, Institute for Research in Homœopathy Information and Symptomatology, Netherlands, 1994.
3. Herbert A.ROBERTS: Sensations as if, Second Indian Edition, Calcutta, Roy Publishing House, 1970.
4. H.C.ALLEN: The Materia Medica of the Nosodes, Sett Dey & Co., Calcutta, 1958.
5. J.W.WARD: Unabridged Dictionary of the Sensations ‘as if’ – Jain Publishing Co., New Delhi (Reprint).
6. T.F.ALLEN: The Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi, Vol. III and Vol. VIII. (Reprint).
7. C.HERING: The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi, Vol.IV, Vol. VIII. (Reprint).
8. Dr. Maria SALVUCCI: Prunus spinosa, Sintomas Mentales, Cordoba, Argentina presented at LIGA Congress, New Delhi, 1995.
9. G.H.G.JAHR: Symptomenkodex, Zweiter Band, Verlag von HERMANN BETHMANN, Leipzig, 1848.
10. GYPSER/WALDECKER (Hrsg): Gesammellte Arzneiprufungen aus Stapfs “Archiv fur die homöopathische Heilkunst (1822-1848) Band 2: F-R, Haug, 1991.
HOMŒOPATHIC SPECIALITIES
(ZKH. 42, 2/1998)
There are, even among the Homœopathy practitioners, persons who speak of ‘Homœopathic Specialities’, like Orthopaedist, Neurologist, Rheumatologist, Cardiologist, Opthalmologist, Endocrinologist, etc. However, a homœopath who has many years of busy practice behind him knows that he has all the ‘specialities’ within him; and that nohomœopathic medicine can be enclosed in an exclusive ‘speciality’ box. The range and spectrum of a homœopathic medicine is vast and no one knows it decisively. We cannot say fixedly of a homœopathic remedy’s ‘centre’ or ‘periphery’ or even ‘essence’. For example, Arsenicum has been given with satisfactory results in a case in which when there was no restlessness and Ignatia where there was no ‘grief’ or ‘contradictory’ symptoms. The medicine being pure energy its centre is everywhere and circumference is nowhere.
Few cases from my practice:
I. Mr.C.S. 45 year-old man, married, one daughter; Electrical Engineer, in Government service:
On the 12 February 1996 evening wife of Mr.C.S. asked that I see immediately her husband who has been hospitalized in a private hospital. (Many ‘prestigious’ private hospitals have come up in the Corporate sector in India in the past decade. )
CS was found sitting up in his bed. He was a modestly built person; rarely fell ill.
On the 31 January 1996 evening he felt pain in the back between the shoulders right in the middle (D1/2). He had this pain since last few days but they were not bothering him much. On 31 January however it was much more. He rubbed pain-balm and got relieved and he went to bed. The next day the pain recurred still more and was not relieved by rubbing pain-balm. He went to the hospital where he was admitted and a provisional diagnosis of Cervical Spondylosis was made. Traction was applied which gave some relief. Pain-relieving tablets and injections were also given.
He was in the hospital since 12 days now. All laboratory tests including ECG, X-rays etc. have been carried out but nothing definite was found.
Now, Mr.CS complained of pain in a spot in the back in the D1 – D2 region; pain in the middle of right upper arm; pain in the right forearm. Pain in the act of lying down, getting up from the bed, turning in bed. Pain was not continuous, but when pain was there he couldn’t move the arm and the pain was excruciating with no relief by lying or sitting, in any position.
No history of trauma before these pains began. However, CS said that he was prone to accidents (he drives a Scooter). Fifteen years ago he suffered fracture of right leg due to a fall from height. He has mostly suffered only right-sided injuries. His present ailment is also right-sided.
The Orthopaedic Surgeon told the patient that it would take quite some time for the pain to go and that he should take pain relievers.
As he has been in the hospital 12 days already and he continued to suffer and treatment in these hospitals involved high expenses, I was called.
Mercurius iodatum flavus 6 was chosen. Six powders were given, to be taken six hourly.
On 14 February 1996 report was that he was much better and he slept well on the 12th and 13th February nights; pain was only very minimal.
Mercurius iodatum flavus 6, six powders 8 hourly.
CS was discharged from the hospital on the 17 February 1996 since he felt very much better. Pains were not intense. Pain only in some parts in the right arm. “Good relief”.
Mercurius iodatum flavus 30 one dose and placebo 10 powders.
2 March 1996: Some pain in the lower half of upper arm and upper half of forearm; however, the duration of the pain and frequency are very much less. Some pain still in the back(D1) in a spot. “Feel my right arm is less powerful”. “Overall I am well”.
Mercurius iodatum flavus 30 five powders one daily. Placebo 10, one to be taken every third day.
2 May 1996: Free from all pain.
Follow up until August 1996: Patient is totally free of all pains and fully active.
II. Now for case of trauma and consequent bone pains:
1. Mrs. MR. 45 years, married, one child: Professor in a college.
On the 8th January 1988 she reported that about 10 days ago she slipped and fell flat on her bottom while descending down a few stairs in her college. She blacked out for a minute or two because of the impact; soon began to feel severe pain in back, in the Sacrum and Coccyx region was worse; couldn’t sit or lie or move. Every movement produced pain. She contacted me over the telephone and since it was clearly an injury to the Coccyx she was asked to take Hypericum200/3 doses one every 6 hours until she felt better.
Next day she reported only very little amelioration; she could lie and she was advised to continue Hypericum 200 twice a day until further improved.
Next day she said that pain seemed to have become stable in the Coccyx region only. She has to sit down very carefully and slowly; rising from a seat was very painful. Least touch on the spot extorted cry. Meanwhile she consulted an Orthopaedic surgeon who ruled out fracture and also said that the pain would be there for quite some time and would go only slowly and that she has to put up with it until then; painkiller tablets would help keep the pain minimum.
Repertory mentions only four remedies for “Pain, Coccyx, after a fall” – HYPER, MEZ., RUTA, SIL… Since Hyper. has not produced the expected result speedily the other remedies were referred to in CLARKE’s Materia Medica, and underMezereum it was found “Sacral pains – (Coccyx tender and sore, from a fall)”
Mezereum 200 one dose was given and on the very next day (11th January) she reported “remarkable relief”. However on 13th January there was some return of the pain which was allowed to pass off by itself.
Mrs. MR. resumed her work in the college from 11th January 1988 itself and remains well until today.
2. Mr.S., 52 years, married, 2 children, came on 5 November 1994 and said that a week ago while coming down stairs, he slipped and fell on his back and his bottom hit the hard, concrete stair.
Now there was severe pain in the Coccyx and slight swelling also. Can’t bear the part to be touched. He has taken some pain-killer tablets given by Medical Officer of his Factory, but no relief.
Mezereum 200 one dose was given and prompt relief set in.
Incidentally a pain he had since somedays in the bone at the base of right hand thumb due to carrying weight also vanished after Mezereum.
In the light of these experiences I consider Mezereum as more relevant to injury to coccyx, than Hypericum, Silica. If some more cases are reported, then Mezereum can be upgraded in the Repertory for injury to Coccyx. [We may add black dot (‘Künzli dot’) to Mez.!]
III. Now for ‘Psychiatry’:
I am a ‘family physician’ to Ms.RS., 28 years, unmarried, Musician.
On 20 February 1996 she came and said “Last month on 20th I was in my menstrual period. That evening around 20.00hrs., I suffered a ‘fright’. My neighbour, a middle-aged woman, was playing with my nephew (3 year-old boy); she was running and the child was chasing. I had visited the toilet which was in the backyard and was returning. It was dark and I suddenly saw this woman turning the corner laughing and was about to collide. I was shocked but after only two minutes I recovered and went to the house. I developed palpitations, severe sleep disturbances, fever, unknown fear, depression, etc. Underwent allopathic treatment but the medicines have not helped. I was then sent to a Psychiatrist (M.D. in Psychiatry). This person told me that my problems were due to my being unmarried, that perhaps I loved someone and couldn’t marry, etc. he also advised me to abandon my music activities. I became very annoyed and simply returned home. I feel very tired.”
It is now one month exactly since I began to suffer and still not out of it. Appetite also lost. Until January 20, 1996 I was perfectly well.”
Her expression revealed her suffering.
Aconitum napellus XM was given on 20th February 1996.
25 February 1996: “Sleep well. Appetite well. But still am very tired and unrefreshed even after good sleep and have no inclination to work.”
Opium 200.
Since then well and her usual self in every way.
IV. Baby P. Girl (born 17 April 1990; second child, one elder brother) was under treatment in a big, reputed hospital (Corporate sector for (Idiopathic) Premature Thelarche Variant (Isolated Sexual Precocity). She was admitted to the Hospital on 30 Dec. 1992, with history of breast enlargement since two months and white discharge per Vagina since 15 days. Clinical examination revealed bilateral breast enlargement. MRI of sella and supra sellar region was done which was normal. LH, FSH and oestrogen was within normal limits. The hospital advice (Endocrinology department) was
1. to maintain height record
2. tab. Cyproterone Acetati 50mg. ½ tablet daily.
3. tab. Tamokifen 10mg. . ½ tablet twice daily.
They have been visiting the hospital at regular intervals as directed by the physician and carrying out the prescriptions.
A prescription dated 20 July 1994 is for “1. Tab. Androcur (50mg); 2. Tab. Danoyol, and 3. Tab. Eltroxin (0.1mg.): to be reviewed after 3 months.”
The parents said that they had been told by the hospital that the treatment should be continued for quite a long time (may be years) and that any break in the medication would bring forth severe adverse state. They also said that this treatment has been costing them lot of money and now they were tired with all these. The child still had enlarged breasts and since July 1994 fever every month during the first week of the month which was diagnosed as ‘Clinical Malaria’.
On 2 August 1994 this child was brought to me for homœopathic treatment. The parents were very sceptical of Homœopathy's efficiency in dealing with such ‘serious’ endocrine diseases and were also afraid of withdrawing the current medications.
The child was shy, sluggish; she will not mix with other children and run about; she would only mix with children who are slow. Very responsible; will turn to herself and play alone; interest in drawing and painting. Fear of dogs, dark. Complains of burning during urination.
The mother underwent abortion of the first pregnancy; subsequently two pregnancies were ‘premature’ deliveries at seventh month, and the births did not survive. Because of this history the mother was put on ‘Dynazol’ for about seven months when she was carrying Baby P.
Calcarea carbonica M was given on 2 August 1994 and the allopathic drugs were gradually reduced and withdrawn totally over a period of 3-4 months.
Calcarea carbonica M was repeated on 31 December 1994 and XM on 1 May 1995 and 16 October 1995.
4 September 1996: The mother reported slight leucorrhoea was observed on two or three days. Calcarea carbonica XM one dose was repeated.
The breasts did not grow further. The child’s growth of height, weight etc. have all been normal. She plays well, studies well.
She has been given other medicines like Arsenicum, Pulsatilla, Belladonna for acute cold, cough, fever diarrhea as and when called for. [She attained puberty, is a grown up girl and doing well, as on date. = Apr. 2007.]
V. Mr. M.A., 46 years, married, having one grown-up son. He is under my care for such periodical complaints as colds, joint pains etc. from time to time. He is a business consultant and travels all over the country. Always under stress to complete time-bound projects.
On 24 July he came to me and said that since May 95 he developed a skin disease – dry, itchy patches in beard, chest, supra-pubic and pubic region (all hairy parts). He had allopathic (Dermatologist) consultation. The Dermatalogist had scraped from the itching parts, carried out laboratory tests to identify the organism responsible for this disease and then given medicines. Unfortunately he had not relief until now. He said that the process of scraping and testing besides causing him sufferings costed him a fat amount of money.
On the basis of his symptom totality he was given a single dose of Rhus toxicodendron 200 on 24 July 1995.
July 1995: “Remarkably good, rapid improvement. Still some slight formication sometimes.”
Placebo.
19 August 1995: “Have been very well. Now since last three or four days itching, a kind of formication in beard, neck, chest, pubic region. Not severe. Burst of heat in these areas, slight rubbing would ameliorate.”
Sulphur 200.
14 September 1995: Till about ten days ago was absolutely “free”. Then recurrence of the formication, face, lower chin.
Sulphur M.
No formication. No itching. One or two small ‘boils’ came up on the chest which healed spontaneously.
Follow-up: June 1996: remains well.
More cases: Gynaecological, Cardiological etc. can be reported. But these are enough now.
So now about homœopathic specialist: In having treated these cases cited above, what was I?: Orthopaedist, Psychiatrist, Endorinologist, Dermatologist? Who am I? well, I am a Homœopath.
[Dear Reader, you too would surely have treated cases like these successfully. Wouldn’t that make you more confident, and shouldn’t you speak out loudly for classical Homœopathy? – KSS.]
SOME CONFUSIONS/ERRORS IN THE REPERTORIES
(ZKH. 43, 1/1999)
In ‘The Delusions’ (ZKH 3/97) I have pointed out some of the confusions in our repertories, particularly the latest ones, between an actual ‘delusion’ and a ‘sensation as if’ expressed by a person to qualify that experience. The mistake of conversion of all ‘as if’ symptoms as ‘delusions’ has been very clearly discussed by Dr. Will KLUNKER in the ZKH. 31, 5/1987.
Quite a number of ‘errors’ and ‘confusions’ in the repertories have been observed and these have been noted and furnished in this article. This is not a complete essay on errors/confusions in the repertory but only those that have been noted in the course of day-to-day use of the repertory. Further errors that may be observed will also placed before the profession in due course.
Let me hasten to say that this is not meant to be an adverse criticism of the great works like the KENT Repertory, the Synthetic Repertory, KÜNZLI’s Repertorium Generale, Synthesis Repertory, etc. With entries that may be many thousands, errors cannot be avoided totally, be it man or machine. However, since our aim is to achieve as much an error-free publication as possible, these need to be corrected, particularly since the repertory plays now a major role in our therapeutics.
This is much more necessary today than in the earlier days of Homœopathy because there is now a tendency to prescribe a remedy given in the repertory without verifying the Materia Medica. Further, ‘Synthetic’Materia Medicas (instead of ‘pure’ Materia Medica enjoined by HAHNEMANN) are being prepared based on the Repertory (putting the cart before the horse?) and therefore errors/confusions in the repertory will be carried into the (Synthetic) Materia Medicas.
Practitioners should always verify the original sources and interpret the rubrics. Of course verification of the source is possible only in respect of remedies proved thoroughly. The new provings, however, are not available to all. We all know that the proved symptoms are more valuable than clinically obtained ones. The practice of interpreting the rubrics according to the meanings given in the language dictionaries also will lead to arbitrary understanding.
I give here below, in two parts, the notings made so far. All the available source references have been carefully gone through before these were confirmed as errors and therefore need to be corrected.
I. CONFUSION IN REMEDY LISTINGS:
1. Ailments from anger (BB 2) Ol-an. (instead of Olnd.)
Reference to the Materia Medica Pura confirms that the entry should be Oleander. The other Repertories viz. SR I, SYN., and CR Mind have listed Olnd. correctly.
2. Anxiety, night, children, in (Chlor. (instead of Chlol.) (SYN 14, CR Mind 24).
The source quoted in Knerr’s Repertory, (KNR 46) wherein only Chloralum is mentioned. A search in the Guiding Symptoms (GS IV, p.88) also proves negative for Chlorum. Only Chlol. Should be retained. Further, “Fear, Night, Children”, is the appropriate rubric, rather than “Anxiety, night”.
But under Chloralum “night terrors of children” is given.
3. Confusion, walking, when (K 16, KRG 13, KNR 110, SR I 178, SYN 35, CR MIND 69) Asar.
EN I, p.563, s.14; and GS II, p.205: Asarum.
“Confusion of the head, less perceptible when walking than when sitting.”
Knerr’ Repertory has omitted the modality ‘amel.’ which mistake has been carried into the other Repertories.
Confusion, walking amel. Agar.
(KRG 13, SR I 178, SYN 36, CR Mind 69) (instead of Asar.)
Except in Kent Repertory, Agar. appears as a misprint for Asar. in the other Repertories. See source reference above.
4. Delusion, Crime; commit about to; committed has: (KNR 34, SR I 259, SYN 51, CR Mind 96) Kali-bi.
This is a wrong addition to the already correctly listed Kali-br.
GS VI, p.360: “Frightful imaginings at night (in pregnant women in latter months) that they are under the impression that they have committed, or about commit, some great crime and cruelty such as murdering their children or husband.” –Kali bromatum.
The error in Knerr’s Repertory has been taken over in the other Repertories.
5. Delusion, dead, her child is(KNR 34, SR I 262, SYN 51, Kali-bi.
CR Mind 97)
This too is a wrong addition from the Knerr Repertory to the already correctly listed Kali-br.
GS VI, p.360: “Delirium with delusions; that her child is dead, etc.” - Kali bromatum.
6. Fear, poisoned, of being (KNR 46, SR I 517, SYN 106, Kali-bi.
CR Mind 200)
Wrong addition from the Knerr Repertory to the correctly listed Kali-br.
GS VI, p.360: “Delirium with delusions …. will be poisoned.” – Kali bromatum.
In 4, 5, and 6 above, the error in Knerr Repertory should also be corrected.
7. Homesickness (SR I 576, SYN 116, CR Mind 217) Eup-per.
Wrong addition to the correctly listed Eup-pur.
The source mentioned for this addition is the Index to the Encyclopaedia of T.F.ALLEN. but in the above Index the rubric ‘Homesickness’ is not traceable. But in EN IV, p.237, s.5: “Homesick, though occupying her own home and surrounded by her family. – Eupatorium purpureum”. In the EN there are no Mind symptoms under Eupatorium perfoliatum.
8. Moaning, sleeplessness, with (KNR 63, SR I 758, Crot-c.
SYN 149) (instead of Crot-h.)
GS IV, p.485: “Moaning and groaning, with Sleeplessness.” – Crotalus horridus. The entry in KNR is correct. The GS does not include Crotalus cascavella and therefore no such entry is possible in the KNR. Wrongly taken as Crot-c. in SR I and SYN.
9. Speech, nonsensical(K 82, SR I 942, SYN 182) Kali-br.
(instead of Kali-bi.)
EN V, p.215, s.19: “She found herself talking nonsense.” – Kali bichromicum.
10. Suspicious, mistrustful(EN XII 1076, SR I 983, SYN 190, Kali-bi.
(CR Mind 336)
This is a wrong addition to the correctly listed Kali-br. EN V, p.266, s.3: “She has become excessively timid and suspicious; suspicious of every trifling circumstance.” - Kali bromatum. The BB Repertory lists both Kali-bi. and Kali-br.Under ‘Mistrust, Suspicion’ but the source for Kali-bi. is not traceable.
11. Touched, averse to being (EN XI 133, SR I 1028, SYN 198, Lachn.
CR Mind 351)
This is a wrong addition from the Index to the EN to the correctly listed Lach.
EN V, p.463, s.1308: “Slight touch is intolerable, almost puts him into a rage.”
Lachesis
12. Vertigo, lying while; sinking down through Benz-ac.
or with bed, as if (K 101,KRG 164, SYN 218) (instead of Benz.)
EN II, p.130, s.33: “Sensation of falling through bed and floor.” – Benzenum. Oscar BOERICKE: “sensation of falling through bed and floor.” Benzoic acid does not have this symptom, in any of the Materia Medicas. Hence should be corrected as Benz. in K, KRG and SYN.
13. Mouth, salivation, apoplexy, in (KRG 354, SYN 554) Ant-c.
(instead of Anac.)
KRG and SYN., quoting the GS as source, have listed the above symptom. But in GS I, P.292: “Water flows together in mouth and runs out.” – Apoplexy. - Anacardium.
14. Appetite increased:
- Fever, during Eup-pur.
(instead of Eup-per.)
- Fever, after (K 477, KRG 408, SYN 618) Eup-per.
(instead of Eup-pur.)
GS V, p.222: “Canine hunger before or with ague.” – Eupatorium perfoliatum. GS V, P.237: “Loss of appetite with fever; desire to eat immediately after.” – Eupatorium purpureum.
15. Kidneys, Pain, sore, bruised, region of (K 665, KRG 569, Mang.
SYN 820) (instead of Manc.)
GS VII, p.266: “Sensation of weakness, as if bruised, in region of kidneys.” – Mancinella.
16. Back, pain, dorsal. scapulae, under left Apis.
(K 902, KRG 759, SYN 1082) (instead of Aphis)
GS I, p.413: “Pain below left shoulder blade.” – Aphis chenopodii glauci.
17. Extremities, pain, lower limbs, sciatica, right Graph.
(BB 673, SYN 1234) (instead of Gnaph.)
GS V, p.434: “Pain dull or darting or cutting from right hip joint posteriorly downward to foot.”
“Intense pain along sciatic nerve.” Gnaphalium. Not found in Graphites in EN., GS.
18. Food & Drinks, Beer agg. intoxicated easily Chim.
(SR II 220, SYN 1594) (instead of Chin.)
GS IV, p.178: “Beer intoxicates easily.” – China. Not found in Chimphila.
19. Growth in length too fast, young people Hippoz.
(KNR 1188, SR II 288, SYN 1611) (instead of Hipp.)
GS VI, p.46: Stages of life, constitution: “After growing too fast – Chorea.” – Hippomanes. Not found in Hippozaenium.
II. CONFUSION IN PLACEMENT OF RUBRICS
1. Anguish, clothes too tight when walking in Arg-met.
open air, as if (SR 1 43, SYN 10, CR Mind 18) (listed in Mind)
(Mind chapter instead of Generalities.)
EN I, p.448, s.417: “Lassitude and heat all over when walking in open air; he has no sweat, and feels a sort of anguish, as if his clothes were too tight.” The Materia Medica Pura (translated by R.E. DUDGEON) mentions ‘anxiety’ (‘ängstlich’) and not ‘anguish’. The EN gives this under Generalities. This is not a ‘mind’ symptom merely because the word anxiety or anguish occurs in the symptom. The proving symptom explains it. ‘Heat, sensation’ and ‘Lassitude’ are appropriate rubrics in Generalities.
2. Delusion, mountain, climbing up a steep(SYN 51) ` Prun.
EN VII, p.161, s.154: “Shortness of breath, while walking; sighing, as if he were climbing a high and steep mountain.”
Obviously this is only an expression of the severe breathlessness and not a delusion.
It should be placed in the chapter ‘Respiration’.
(I have already mentioned this in ‘Die Wahnideen’ – ZKH. 3/1992)
3. Delusion, creep into his own body, he would crouch Cimx.
He would crouch together as much as he could, and
(SYN 51) (CR Mind 96)
EN III, p.295, s.52: “Pain in the recti muscles of the thighs, with oppression of the chest, shortness of breath, and frequent deep inspiration, as if he would creep into himself, and on that occasion could not sufficiently crouch together.” “Every attempt to stretch out the arms and legs causes tensive pain in these parts, and he suffers thirst rather than move.” On account of the pain from stretching the legs, the prover crouches together so much as if he would crouch into himself; this certainly is not a ‘delusion’. (I have mentioned this also in ‘Die wahmideen’ – ZKH 3/1997).
4. Delusion, dimension of things reversed Camph-br.
(SR I 267, SYN 53, BR 692, CR Mind 98) (‘Dimension’ instead of ‘direction’)
Delusion, reversed, dimension of things (SYN 71)
BOERICKE’s Materia Medica: p.160: “Directions appear reversed, i.e., north seems south, east seems west.” – Camphor monobromatum. The list of abbreviations in the SYN says Camph-br. For Camphor bromatum and Camph-mbr. ForCamphor monobromatum. However, CLARKE in his Dictionary of Materia Medica gives Camphora bromata (Camphor monobromide) as a single remedy.
5. Delusion, flying, must fly, as if (SYN 59) Ars-s-f. Bell., Verat.
Delusion, run away, must (CR Mind 103) (Error in interpretation of the symptom)
GS II, p.145: Sensorium: “When walking, he felt as if dancing up and down, as if he must fly.” – Ars-s-f . This is a physical sensation of floating, or sensation of lightness and not a ‘delusion’. The rubric ‘Lightness, sensation of’ in Generalities is again cross-referenced to ‘Delusion, light, is’ in the SYN. Which seems to be incorrect.
EN II, p.74, s.156 gives the proving symptom: “By day great anxiety; she has no peace anywhere; it seemed to her as if she must flee away.” – Bell. In the GS II, p.371, the word ‘flee’ appears misprinted as ‘fly’. The symptom describes only an anxious restlessness and desire to seek peach elsewhere, to escape from the restlessness and not a ‘delusion’.
GS X, p. 416: Nerves: “Nervous, as if she would have to fly away.” – Veratrum album. This is a nervous restlessness, not a ‘delusion’.
6. Delusion, fluids go right through him (CR Mind 103) Arg-n. (wrong listing in
Mind Chapter)
GS I, p.521. Eating and drinking: Fluids go “right through him.” – Cholera infantum, etc. In the SYN. (P.763) the symptom is correctly placed under ‘Diarrhoea, drinking, fluids go right through him after drinking.’ (From BOERICKE’s Materia Medica). This is only diarrhoea worse drinking fluids, not at all a ‘delusion’.
7. Delusion, flying away, what he holds in his hands Coloc. Dulc., Staph.
(CR Mind 103) (‘Flying away’ instead of ‘flying away’)
BB Repertory: “Flying away, what he holds in his hands, inclination to.”
GS IV, p.364: “Anger, with indignation and extreme irritability; throws things out of his hands.” – Colocynthis.
EN IV, p.179. s.11: “Impatient in the morning; he stamps the feet, throws everything away from him, begins to rave, and at last to cry.” – Dulcamara.
EN IX, p.148, s.17: “Very peevish (in the morning); he wishes to throw from him everything which he takes in his hand.” – Staphysagria.
GS X, p.6: “Children are ill-humored, and cry for things, which, after getting, they petulantly push or throw away; worse early in the morning. – Staphysagria. These are not ‘delusions’ ‘Throws things away’ and ‘Anger, throws things away’ are the appropriate rubrics.
8. Delusion, lose control, he would lose his emotional Lact.
self-control (SYN 65)
The SYN mentions the source of the rubric as ‘Sensations as if’ of H.A. ROBERTS, wherein we find: p.30: “lose all self-control, she would” – Gels. Samars.; p.36: “Self-control, one would lose all” – Gels. samars. Lactuca is not in these rubrics.
9. Fear, knaves, of(BB 11, SR I 508, alum. ars. chin. hyos. lyss.
SYN 105M CR MIND 196)
In the BB Repertory ‘knaves’ is a misprint for ‘knives’. The same error appears in SR I, SYN., and CR Mind, while the correct entry ‘Fear, knives, of’ is also there. The wrong rubric should be removed.
10. Fear, knives, of (CR Mind 196) Lac-c.
The source mentioned, KNR (p.46) has the rubric: “Fear, of knives or the like; thinks how horrible it would be if a sharp pain like a knife should go through her, on lying down causing mental distress.” – Lac-c.
GS VII, p.515: “On lying down either by day or night begins to think how horrible it would be if a very sharp pain, like a knife, should go through her and thought of it causes mental distress.” In KNR ‘knives’ has been used as a key-word. But from the GS it is clear that this is an ‘apprehension of a pain that she may suffer’ and not ‘fear of knives’.
11. Feces, swallows his own (SR I 533, SYN 109, Camph.
CR Mind 205)
GS III, p.265: “Mania … wants to lie on bare floor, and wallows in his own filth.”
Knerr Repertory has correctly recorded this symptom, but in the SR I ‘wallows’ has been wrongly taken as ‘swallows’ and the same error has passed on to SYN and CR Mind. A fresh rubric ‘Filth, wallows in his own: Camph.’ should be added.
12. Gestures, grasping, wrong things, at Lyss.
(KNR 49, SR I 558, SYN 113, CR Mind 211) (inappropriate rubric)
GS VII, p. 159: “p.159: “Fits of abstraction. Takes hold of wrong things, often does not know what he wants.” This is not a ‘gesture’ at all: this should be placed under ‘Absent-mindedness’ or ‘Abstraction of mind.’
13. Kill a woman, irresistible impulse to(KNR 56, SYN 136) Iod.
GS VI, p206: “. . . at times most terrible thoughts take possession of him, and he hardly dares go home for fear of doing some dreadful deed; on one occasion was seized with an almost irresistible impulse to murder a woman who was acting as a guide for him, he having lost his way; these attacks of mania come on at most unexpected times.” This should mean only a maniacal impulse to do a dreadful deed like killing someone, not particularly or necessarily kill a woman.
14. Nibble, desire to(SR I 784, SYN 154) Bar.-c. mag.-m., nat.-c.
EN II, p.54, s.261: “Desire to nibble.” – Baryta carbonica. EN VI, p.117, s.225: “Inclination to nibble; he sees a piece of cake and slyly breaks off some to eat.” - Magnesia muriatica. EN.VI, P.507, S.383: “Disposed to nibble; as soon as he sees anything eatable, he wishes to taste it.” -Natrum carbonicum. It is clear that this rubric should be in the chapter stomach, under Appetite, and not in Mind chapter.
14. Speech, nasal (SYN 182)
This rubric should be merged in the Larynx/Trachea chapter, under Voice, nasal (p.941).
15. Head, pain agg. (SYN 267) Phyt.
The full rubric should be ‘Head, Pain, rain agg.’ Source: BB repertory, PHATAK’s Materia Medica.
16. Prostate gland, induration, chronic (SYN 823). The rubric should be ‘Prostate gland, inflammation, chronic.’ Source: BOERICKE’s Repertory.
17. Chest, pain, heart, extending to leg. Right Alumn.
(K 850, KRG 717, SYN 1029) and KNR 832
EN I, p. 200, s.288: “From the heart pain shooting to the lower part of the right lung.”
In the rubric, ‘leg’ should be corrected as ‘lung’. The same error also appears in GS I, p.143. J.H. CLARKE has mentioned this error in his ‘errata’.
19. Air passing, sensation of, Glands, through Spong.
(K 1344. SR II 30. KRG 1110. SYN 1551)
GS IX, p.478: “On breathing, sensation as if air passing into glands of neck.” (In Goitre).
GS. IX. P.494: “As if air were passing up and down thyroid and cervical Glands.” The rubric should be in Throat chapter, not in Generalities.
20. Air passing, through him, sensation of (SR II30. SYN 1551) Calc. coloc
These are additions from BB. From the rubric ‘Air, through him, seems to go’ (Sensations and complaints in general, p.692). The correct meaning of the rubric is rendered in BOGER”s Synoptic key (p.356, supplementary Reference Table): “Air, penetrating, too.” -Calc. Coloc. Apparently this is an extreme sensitivity to air of draft and not a sensation of air passing through. May be placed as sub-rubric under “Air, draft agg. (SYN 1549). In addition, J.H. CLARKE in his Dictionary of Materia Medica gives under the characteristics of Cimicfuga: “Cold air seems to penetrate the system: is very sensitive to it.” The addition of Cimicifuga to the above rubric should be considered.
Abbreviations used:
1. K: KENT, J.T. Repertory for the Homœopathic Materia Medica, Third Indian Ed. (Reprinted
From the sixth American Ed.) Roy Publishing House, Calcutta 1971.
2. KNR: Calvin B. KNERR: Repertory of HERING’sGuiding Symptoms of our Materia Mdica.
Reprint, B.Jain Publishers. New Delhi. 1986.
3. KRG: Jost KÜNZLI, KENT’s Repertorium Generale. Barthel & Barthel Publishing Corp., Germany. 1987. Indian Reprint B. Jain Publishers, N.Delhi.
4. BR: William BOERICKE and Oscar BOERICKE.
Pocket Manual of Homœopathic Materia Medica(with Repertory), Ninth Ed. Reprint B.Jain
publishers. New Delhi
5. SR: Synthetic Repertory, by Horst BARTHEL Karl F.Haug verlaug, Heidelberg, 1973. Indian
Ed. B Jin Publishers, New Delhi.
6. SYN: Frederik SCHROYENS. Synthesis RepertoriumHomœopathic Book Publishers. London 1993.
7. CR: Roger van ZANDVOORT. The Complete Repertory- published by the author, Netherlands. 1994
8. EN: T.F.ALLEN, Encylopaedia of Pure Materia Medica, Reprint. B.Jain Publishsers. New Delhi.
9. GS: C.HERING. The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica, Reprint B. Jain Publishers.
New Delhi.
10. BB: BOGER BOENNINGHAUSEN’s Repertory, Third Ed. B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi.
11. BOGER, C.M.: A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica, Memorial Edition, A.B. Publishers, Calcutta.
12. PHATAK, S.R.: Materia Medica of Homœopathic Medicines, Indian Books and Periodicals
Syndicate, New Delhi, Reprint 1982.
[We do not know how many colleagues have taken the trouble to make the corrections in their copies of Repertories. But we do know that many have not. Is our exercise to verify closely and publish these a wasteful one? However, even if it benefits a very small numbers the exercise is well worth = KSS.]
ALUMEN and ALUMINA in the Repertories:
(ZKH. 43, 2/1999)
There is need to re-check all the listings of Alumen and Alumina in the current repertories. The source of errors (one remedy being listed instead of the other or both remedies being listed, where only one should be are: (i) Errors in the Kent Repertory (ii) Errors in Knerr Repertory (iii) Errors in the later repertories, viz. Synthetic Repertory. Synthesis and Complete Repertory, as a result of carrying the errors in Kent and Knerr. (iv) In addition, Knerr has used a different abbreviation. Alum. for Alumen. and Alumin for Alumina. If this is not borne in mind while making addition, errors creep in. (v) Errors in the Index to the Encyclopaedia of Allen, which are added as they are in the later repertories.
A random check into the Mind rubrics was made, and the following errors noticed. A more thorough and elaborate check is warranted.
I. Alumina in the Encyclopaedia/Guiding symptoms, represented as Alumen in the repertories.
EN. KNR. SR. I SYN. CR
INDEX MIND
1. Fear misfortune
(EN 11) alumn. - alumn. alumn alumn.
2. Morose, ill-humour
(EN15) alumn. - alumn. alumn. -
3 Indifference
(EN 35) alumn. - alumn. alumn. alumn
4. Timidity(EN 37) alumn. - alumn. alumn. alumn
5. Memory weak
(EN 48, 50) alumn _ alumn. alumn. alumn.
6. Fear, uncons-
ciousness (EN55) alumn. - alumn. alumn. alumn.
7. Confusion, identity
(KNR. p.28) - alumn. - alumn. -
8. Crazy, going,
as if (KNR 29); - alumn. - - -
Fear, insanity
(EN 24) alumn. - alumn. alumn. alumn.
9. Aversion,
everything, to
(EN 27) alumn. - alumn. alumn. alumn.
K 9: alumn.
10. Company, averse to
(EN 6) alumn. - alumn. alumn. alumn.
11. Weeping, alternating with laughter
(EN 1005) alumn. - alumn. alumn. alumn.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
In the above table, the two entries in KNR appear as ‘alum.’ Which is KNERR’s abbreviation for alumen. To avoid confusion they are shown as ‘alumn.’ (KENT’s abbreviation for alumen)
II. Alumen from the Guiding Symptoms, correctly listed in KNR as ‘alum.’ (KNERR’s abbr. for alumen) but added in the later repertories as Alumina.
CR
KNR. SR I SYN. MIND
______________________________________________________________________________________
1. Ailments from bad news alumn. - alum. alum.
2. Violent, drunk, as if alumn. - - alum.
3. Excitement, with
palpitation alumn. alum. alum. alum.
4. Thinking of complaints
agg. alumn. alum. alum. alum.
K 87: Alum.
____________________________________________________________________________________
In the above the entry in KNERR Repertory is ‘alum.’ for alumen. but taken as alumina in the other Repertories.
(ONCE AGAIN – DOES THE HOMŒOPATHIC MEDICINE BY ITS INITIAL AGGRAVATION CAUSE AN INCREASE OF PATHOGENING ORGANISMS BEFORE ERADICATING THEM?
(ZKH. 43, 3/1999)
In the ZKH Band 38, 2/1994, I had reported three cases (all young girls) who were given Psorinum and it was observed that the head-lice in each of these patients increased dramatically after the Psorinum dose and the lice disappeared equally soon. A question was raised whether the potentised homœopathic medicines actually stimulated the growth and multiplication of parasitic organisms, and not just aggravate sensations and feelings, i.e. the subjective symptom, before eradicating them totally. It is unfortunate that there has been no response from colleagues to the above poser.
I would like to report now another case:
A 30-year-old, married woman, thin, anaemic; has one child 7 years age. She has been only under homœopathic treatment since some years for her various ailments, like Leucorrhoea, Ulcers in mouth, Corns on soles, etc. None of these have as yet been ‘cured’.
She became pregnant again and delivered a male child on 9 December 1994. On 24 January 1995 she came with the infant who had swelling in the umbilical region; protrude when it cried (umbilical hernia) Aethusa cynapium M was given to the mother of the child (ref. HAHNEMANN’s advice.)
2 February 1995: “Since last 3 days lice on my head worse” (She had fever when she came on 24 January 1995). “Itching severe; rash-like eruptions on scalp, burning after scratching. Left side cervical gland swollen, painful.”
Placebo.
6 February 1995: She came seeking urgent relief. Eruptions on scalp aggravated. Swelling of the cervical gland aggravated. Lice on head less. (The protrusion of umbilicus in baby is same.)
Calcarea carbonica 200.
8 February 1995: Eruption on scalp still worse. Fever since yesterday.
9 February 1995: No fever. In the mid-forehead (glabella) a swelling; also swelling of upper eyelids; general puffiness spreading to lower lids.
Small pinhead eruptions on arms, itching.
Scalp: Some eruptions itching; purulent discharge; matting of hair.
Placebo.
11 February 1995: Swelling on forehead lesser. Eye lids much swollen. Cervical/sub-mandibular glands swollen and hence unable to open the mouth without much pain.
Eruptions on scalp continues to discharge with much foul odour.
Rhus toxicodendron 30.
12 February 1995: Puffiness, oedema of forehead and upper lids lesser. Puffiness of lower lids, cheeks, etc. also much less. Lice on head: Plenty, too much. The eruptions are still discharging, thin; very bad odour; hair matted. Lice so much worse that at night they crawl out on forehead causing sleeplessness. She asked her mother to pick them but mother couldn’t pick them with the speed with which so many of them were crawling on the forehead. Feels very miserable with these eruptions on head and lice.
Placebo.
20 February 1995: Lice and vermin very much less. No oedema. No pain. Scalp: still to heal fully. Still bad odour, since head had not been washed for past 20 days.
Placebo.
23 February 1995: Some of the sores on scalp which had dried up discharging again; foul, itchy. Few lice again.
Placebo.
25 February 1995: Lice on head increased. Swelling under the eyes. Eruptions all over the head oozing, bloody, sticky, swelling. The cloth with which she covers the head sticks to the sores.
Graphites 30.
4 March 1995: Feels much better.
Placebo.
11 March 1995: Again lice and vermin increased. Scalp itching. Eruptions on scalp, again sores. Ulcers, bad smelling, worse after scratching. Itching worse at nights. Itching of arms, legs; aversion to food, though hungry.
Sulphur 30.
18 March 1995: Over-all good improvement. Still some unhealed sores on occiput; itching on occiput++. Lice/vermin increase and decrease.
Placebo.
28 March 1995: Except two sores, all other on head healed. Still lice slightly worse.
Psorinum 30.
20 April 1995: Lice had reduced after last medicine. Now again lice with many ‘eggs’ on scalp since last 10 days. Itching++. Small eruptions come up after scratching. Rashes on arms; these are simultaneous with eruptions on head.
Psorinum 30.
1 May 1995: Since four days itching of scalp more. Weeps and despairs of the itching; worse morning, at dusk; Itching so severe that she feels it would be better to die.
Sulphur 200.
18 May 1995: Itching became less but again worse. No ulcers on scalp. More lice on head.
Sulphur 200.
5 June 1995: Still lice and vermin plenty; Itching. No eruptions.
Tuberculinum 200.
19 July 1995: Head lice worse; Itching. No eruptions.
Calcarea carbonica 30.
16 August 1995: Lice much less but not gone fully. No eruptions.
Tuberculinum 200.
2 September 1995: No lice; No eruptions; No itching. Till date, October 1996, no eruptions, no lice, no itching.
Another proof of the hahnemannian concept of the miasm ‘Psora’ was thus exhibited.
So now through this case I again raise the question of the increase of parasites after some of the potentised medicines, before they became less and went away. Does the potentised medicine stimulate reproduction of parasitic organisms before eradicating?
[Unfortunately, there has been no response to this article also from the colleagues. I feel that this is a ‘fundamental’ research not only in respect of Homœopathy but only in respect of ‘Science’ as such = KSS.]
SOME ERRORS AND CONFUSIONS IN OUR MATERIA MEDICAS AND REPERTORIES
In the KH. 42, 5/1997, Dr. P. Andersch-Hartner has pointed out certain errors in the ‘Mind’ Chapter of Complete Repertory and Synthetic Repertory, Vol. I., vis-à-vis O.A. JULIAN’s Materia Medica of New Homœopathic Remedies with regard to the remedy Aqua marina.
What about the symptoms under the ‘particular’ – Head, Eyes, Nose, Throat etc. of the JULIAN Materia Medica of New Remedies? We therefore carefully compared the original Provings Report of Dr. P. SANKARAN published in the Collected Works of Sankaran under the title ‘The Elements of Homœopathy’ Vol. I. It was found that in the JULIAN Materia Medica translation by Virginia MUNDAY published by Beaconsfield publishers, almost all the aggravation/amelioration have been reversed. We compared the JULIAN Materia Medica translation by Raj Kumar Mukherji, published by B. Jain Publishers. The same errors appeared in both the independent English translations. It would therefore appear that the error lay in the original French version (translated from Sankaran’s original English). Moreover, the two translations do not include the entire symptoms form Sankaran’s provings (JULIAN seems to have left out many of the symptoms; why, we do not know). It is necessary that
(i) the Materia Medica includes all the proving symptoms of Sankaran
(ii) additions to the Repertory should be on the basis of Sankaran’s record.
Given below are the comparisons between the symptoms as recorded by SANKARAN (vide – Elements of Homœopathy, Vol.I) and as found in JULIAN’s Materia Medica.
SANKARAN JULIAN
MIND
Anxiety: Anxiety:
Amel. fast motion agg. by walking, talking,
(cf. Ars., Sept.) in company, by iced drinks,
amel. riding in carriage agg. by perspiration;
(cf. Ars., Nit-ac.) improved between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
moving (cf. Ars.), amel.
perspiration, amel. icy cold
drinks (cf. Phos., Sep.)
amel. cool open air,
amel. talking.
Anxiety:
Company, amel.
Walking, amel. direct wind on head. agg. 2 to 4 p.m.
HEAD NERVOUS
Frontal Headache Headaches with vertigo,
amel. pressure, agg. around 6 p.m., by pressure,
amel. pressing teeth together. eating, heat, movement; improved after sleep.
Headache
amel. eating, amel. sleep.
Occipital Headaches
with heaviness at 6 p.m. amel. motion
Thick, white, offensive, dropping
from posterior nares copious in
morning. Mucous from left side.
Mucous, discharge, amel. after food, Thick, foetid mucus falling into the
amel. after sleep. back of throat.
Burning Water Discharge Agg. after eating and sleep, perspiration.
amel. perspiration. (‘Agg by respiration’ in )
Pain in the left side of the palate in
the morning on getting up which
disappeared after 2 hours,
amel. cold drinks, agg. empty
swallowing.
Pain in epigastrium just below Epigastric pain at the tip of the xyphoid
the xiphisternum felt in morning cartilage, increasing in the morning,
on opening the eyes, gradually agg. pressure and hot applications,
increased after motion, hot bath; Rest agg., improved by
amel. after hot bath, agg. straining, exercise.
amel. resting.
Pain in the lower 3 inter costal spaces,
Both sides on rising in morning,
disappeared after half an hour. Diffuse
pain in the lower 4th or 5th intercostal
space in morning on rising,
amel. pressure.
Pain in the left side of back under the In the Jain Publishers edition:
lower angle of scapula in the evening. Pain in the chest, of the scapula
(left) in the evening. (Correct as in
SANKARAN in the Beaconsfield
edition.)
Pain in neck, right side, behind, mandible Pain in neck, back and thorax,
amel. by hot drinks. agg. hot drinks, heat pressure, contact.
Stitching pain in chest amel. warmth of
warm drinks, agg. by slightest touch,
agg. slightest pressure.
Involuntary movement of leg medially Involuntary movement of legs when
only when resting legs on floor. they are touching the ground.
***********************************
CASE OF HAEMOPHILIA
(ZKH. 49, 2/2005)
Sometime ago I read a true story (‘Weeding out the Tears’, by Jeanne WHITE, Readers Digest Condensed Books – 1977) about a boy who was haemophilic from birth and was given ‘Factor’ regularly. This was during the 1970s. Unfortunately a good number of the ‘Factor’ were contaminated with AIDS and so those haemophiliacs suffered from AIDS. This boy died of AIDS at 18 year age. Several people were estimated to have got AIDS through contaminated ‘Factor’. This story was very moving.
In so far as Homœopathy is concerned Case Reports on treatment of haemophiliacs are very scarce.
There was a very interesting article in the British Homœopathic Journal, Vol. 80, April 1991 by Mollie Hunton narrating 6 cases of Haemophilia. The ultimate result was that these patients needed less ‘Factor’ after homœopathic treatment. ‘Factor’ is expensive and in spite of all cares there are risks still.
Generally haemophiliacs are straightaway referred to the Haematologist; it is extremely rare that a homœopath is approached.
Hence, for whatever it is worth, I would like to report a case.
Xavier G, male 22 years, student, was diagnosed at 4 year-age, as suffering from Haemophilia. He has been on ‘Factor VIII’ periodically since then.
Knees, elbows very tender. If he leans his elbow on the table for sometime there will be pain and swelling.
Knees: right knee worse, after a fall from motorcycle. The right knee became easily susceptible to strain; he uses an elastic binder to the knee always; strain would lead to swelling, pain.
Wrist, fingers pain severely when writing for long during his examination.
Severe examination anxiety.
Very keen to maintain his rank in examination. Prefers to be alone. Hates sympathy. Hates directions even by parents. Cold aggravates. Has been needing ‘Factor VIII’ once in 2-3 months.
20 Dec. 2003: Graphites Q1/ 5 gtt. once daily.
3 Jan. 2004: Pain right forearm hanging the limb, pain elbow. Keeps the arm raised supporting with the left arm. Has worked long on Computer and handling the mouse for long could have caused. No medicine.
18 Jan. 2004: Severe pain right knee, with large swelling. Has never before had such a large swelling nor so much pain. Whole night he has been standing up with head bowed. No fever.
Arsenicum album 30.
19 Jan. 2004: No relief. Still standing holding a chair, all through the 24 hrs.
Arnica montana 200 one dose every 2 hours until better.
20 Jan. 2004: Swelling still; very hot. Stitching pain. Can’t bear least touch. Does not allow anyone to come near lest they touch his knee.
Arnica montana Q1 every 2-3 hours.
26 Jan. 2004: His father reported that he passed dark blood clots in urine. To continue the medicine 4 hrly.
28 Jan. 2004: Swelling, pain are very less. Still passes clotted blood in urine.
Since two days observed swelling left hip, the part lain on. Walks about the house, limping.
‘Factor VIII’ has been given 6 months before. Advised to consult the Haemotologist and if necessary give ‘Plasma’ or ‘Factor’ as required.
To continue Arnica. (After Q1, Q2)
19 Feb. 2004: ‘Factor’ given ten days ago, and ‘Plasma’ before that.
On Arnica Q2 No swellings/pain anywhere until yesterday. Today slight swelling in right elbow.
Calcarea carbonica Q1 5 gtt. once daily.
22 March 2004: He is very much better. Went through a severe period in Feb. 2004.
27 March 2004: Phosphorus Q2, 5 gtt. once daily.
13 April 2004: Has been well. He knelt for some length of time during Easter and there was swelling of the knee (although he was on Phosphorus Q2)
Calcarea carbonica Q2, 5 gtt. once daily.
1 May 2004: Has wheezing (which he had earlier; not revealed so far). Taken ‘Betnesol’, allopathic prescription.
11 May 2004: Feet ache. Unable to plant them on floor. This after he moved about much, standing long, etc., in his uncle’s wedding recently.
Sac lac.
17 May 2004: Stitching pains of the left leg since few days. Cannot put the leg down. Has examination and as before, pain before examination. On 14 May Gelsemium 200 one dose given and he improved. However, again at night severe pain throughout the night.
Phosphorus 200 one dose.
29 May 2004: Pain left medial malleolus region. Had a long car journey. Least touch caused pain. This after he had much physical exertion in a wedding.
Arnica montana Q3, 10 gtt. t.d.s. until better.
23 June 2004: Still some pain on stepping. To continue Arnica Q3.
6 July 2004: mild swelling of right big toe. To stop Arnica. Wait.
Plays Badminton and other games. Slight swelling which subsides on it own.
10 Nov. 2004: Examination approaching and an episode of swelling and pain.
Arnica montana Q4.
25 Nov. 2004: Arnica montana Q5.
As on date of writing this – 20 Dec. 2004 – he is well. For past nearly seven months no serious complaints.
The patient lives more than 600 Km. away from where I am and all prescriptions except the first interview were on telephonic reports. A colleague who practices in the patient’s town, monitored the case throughout.
29 Jan. 2005: Came in person. He is working on a project. No bleeding, no swelling, no pains. He has sneezing bout in morning when exposed to cold air. Has wheezing from 0100hr. for about an hour; or at 0400hr. He would sit up for sometime and then the wheezing would be relieved.
He has put on weight. Cheerful. No Factor VIII needed after February 2004, until date. He was prescribed Sac Lac. Inquiries reveal that as of now (April 2007), he is maintaining well. Can we not say he has been ‘cured’? of Haemophilia since he has had no ‘Factor’ or ‘Plasma’ since 3 years if not more?
COARCTATION OF AORTA – AURUM METALLICUM
(ZKH. 51, 3/2007)
Often we receive patients with congenital defects causing pains which surgery alone is believed to relieve. The general world of Medicine accepts these as ‘final’ statements. If any other Medicine presents case recording non-surgical, much less expensive, without post-operative complications etc. it is either brow-beaten into silence or dubbed as charlatanry. However, we must go on recording for whatever it is worth these cases without hesitation.
Mr.DB, 33 years, an industrialist, a known hypertensive complained of intermittent pains in chest, on some days. He consulted two different reputed hospitals. The cardiologists in both hospitals diagnosed, after Echocardiogram studies, that he had Coarctation of proximal descending Aorta, a congenital heart disease. A catheterization was proposed. However, the patient was unwilling.
He consulted me in this state. He was prescribed on 11 Nov. 1993 Aurum metallicum 30/6 powders one every week.
He returned after this on 30 Dec. 1993 and said that he had nothing specific to complain. Had gone on tours, climbed up hill, more than normal number of steps, walked about much, without any problem. However, had experienced few short pains in chest. He has undergone cleft lip surgery in childhood; recurrent styes. He was now given one dose ofSyphillinum 200.
8 Feb. 1994: Acute bronchitis, greenish expectoration. Had chest pain thrice in between 30 Dec. 1993 and 8 Feb. 1994. His Blood Pressure was 154/100 mmHg. Aurum metallicum M one dose.
23 Feb. 1994: Blood pressure 144/96 mm/Hg. He had been to the Hospital and met the Cardiologist who without examining him wanted to fix the date for Catheterization. DB told me that as he felt that he was overall better since the beginning of the homœopathic treatment (which he had not revealed to the Cardiologist) he requested the Cardiologist to examine him once again since he wanted to “confirm the state of Coaractation. The Cardiologist considered another scan unnecessary. However on my insistance it was agreed. “The doctor couldn’t find coarct in this scan and he repeatedly asked me whether I was sure that I had earlier been diagnosed so. I then produced the earlier report. The assistant who did the scan also told me that nothing could be found in the scan. Nevertheless they prepared a report as if there was a coarctation!”. No Catheterization procedure.
23 March 1994: “Nothing to complain”. Blood Pressure 134/94mmHg. Aurum metallicum M one dose.
27 April 1994: “No problem.” Blood Pressure 134/94 mmHg. Aurum metallicum M one dose.
13 June 1994: “No problem”. Blood Pressure 134/88 mmHg. Sac lac.
23 Aug. 1994: “Have had in this interval slight giddiness 2-3 times”. Blood Pressure 150/94 mmHg. Aurum metallicum M.
Follow-up upto December 2003: No pains in chest. No giddiness. Has not complained of blood pressure. He came, between 1995 and 2000 for recurrent styes and haemorrhoids. In 2002 DB came once for throat irritation, dry cough, fever which were not relieved by allopathic medication. Tongue coated dirty yellow. Carbo vegetabilis 200 one dose.
On 20 December 2003: DB came for pain in both heels, worse nights. Rhus toxicodendran 30.
When enquired recently, he said that he had no complaints.
------------
Mr A. ……. A retired Police Officer, who held the highest post in Police service including the ‘Interpol’; famed for his honesty, discipline, fearlessness etc. He and his family were followers of Homœopathy. His wife herself was a homœopath.
He has been suffering from difficulty in swallowing, over the past 12 or 13 days. He felt that his swallowing was becoming worser and worser and now when I saw him he was not able to swallow even his own saliva! Over these 12 days doctors have treated him but he was getting worser. He couldn’t even talk and he was writing his complaints in slips of paper. When I was with him a senior Neurosurgeon came and examined him and ruled out neurological involvement. It was at this time that I was called. He said that he felt his throat had become narrow and was getting narrower every day; “ If I take 4 tablespoon of soup hardly few drops enter and the remaining have to be spat out; at this rate within next 3 or 4 days my throat will completely close and I will choke and die! Please give something to overcome this suffering since last 13 days.” He was much afraid that he would choke and have a painful death. He wouldn’t go to a hospital and he insisted that I get him out of this.
Now, I have to find a quick acting medicine, and I have to find it out quickly. I looked into Kent Repertory under “Throat, Narrow sensation, and there were several remedies with BELL having 3 marks. Materia Medica confirmed ‘throat constriction’ and ‘difficulty swallowing’.
A dose of Belladonna 30 was given and from that day he was improving and by the 4th day he noted “Praise be the Lord, for the first time after 17 days I was able to swallow down by the middle of my gullet.” He never had a throat complaint after that for next 15 years until he passed away at 87 year age.
[I have ‘published’ this, to maintain the confidential relationship between the patient and the Homœopathy Practitioner. Since the patient has passed away and later his good wife also, I am just recording it. = KSS.]
A Q POTENCY TREATMENT OF
A CASE OF AORTIC STENOSIS
(ZKH. 51, 4/2007)
In spite of recorded, repeatedly successful, cures of difficult cases through genuine Homoeopathy, the dominant Medical School asks for “evidence”! The cured cases stand there for all to see but the critics refuse to see. Doing genuine Homoeopathy for over four decades and treated successfully rank skeptics who used to doubt “how can such small powders relieve the suffering when ‘strong’, ‘latest’ anti-biotics prescribed by ‘specialist’ doctor has not helped? – in fact there was one, who, while putting the powder on his tongue said ”I do not think that this lactose powder will relieve my complaint, I am taking this because my wife is pressing”, came the next morning excitedly to confess that he was relieved of his complaint – we are tired of producing evidence when the most clear evidence, the cured patient is right there before you. I am standing alive right there before you but you want a doctor to certify that I am alive! Unfortunately we see homoeopaths who join the band of the critics who cry for ‘evidence’ and devise methodologies that are unsuited in the context of Homoeopathy. Of course those interested in scientific laboratory evidences may continue their efforts and succeed in finding the elusive evidence. We sincerely wish them success.
I report herewith a ‘severe’ heart case treated with the Q potency.
13 Oct. 2004: SR, Male 69 years, retired Cotton Mill Worker.
Two months ago had bad cough, breathlessness, and was suspected to be heart disease. He consulted a prestigious ‘International Centre for Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Diseases’ hospital, Department of Cardiology. The diagnosis was:
“Severely Calcific Aortic Stenosis”, “Severe LV dysfunction”, “EF 32%”
“Gross Cardiomegaly”. Mr. SR was given poor prognosis.
Recently he was also diagnosed as diabetic.
Suffered Pulmonary Tuberculosis at 36-year age. Underwent Anti tubercular treatment for three months.
In 1974, Right Hemiplegia, recovered in 10 days with homœopathic treatment.
Three years ago, Herpes on right abdomen.
Since two years, right eye Cataract.
Dryness of mouth and throat frequent during night hours awakening him.
Sensation of a ball rising from right abdomen on rising from stooping, since six months. “Descends when I drink water. Felt when I strain.”
Urination more during nights.
Sleepless till 2330 hours. Then disturbed sleep. Can sleep only by lying on back. [Peculiar symptom for ‘severe’ heart pathology.]
Because his diet is controlled as also his movements due to his Pathology he was much irritated. Can’t tolerate noises, moves away.
Cough from smell of onions.
On 13 October 2004: Digitalis purpurea Q-1, in 10ml aqueous solution
5 gtt. once a day, 5 succussions each time.
20 Nov. 2004: No sensation of ball in throat.
Urination at night thrice.
Weakness after stools amel.
No knee pains.
Sleep better.
No drenching sweats now.
Mobility has improved.
No trembling of fingers.
Digitalis purpurea Q-2, 5 gtt. to be taken as before.
2 Jan. 2005: Except for burning in stomach all other complaints much reduced. Digitalis purpurea Q-3 to be taken as before.
9 Feb. 2005: He consulted the Cardiologist; it was found that the Ejection Factor has improved to 50%! (It was 32% on 27 Oct. 2004). SR said “The team of cardiologists expressed their disbelief, as they had ‘given up’ my case earlier. They kept the report for discussion among themselves”.
Improved in all respects.
Burning heat in the abdomen right side.
No breathlessness.
No ball sensation.
No constipation.
No drenching sweats.
Digitalis purpurea Q-4, to be taken as before.
30 May 2005: Since 30 days, sweating on back when lain on. Distension of abdomen with flatulence persists.
Breathlessness on walking fast.
Urination at night only twice.
Sensitivity to noise persists.
Trembling of fingers persists.
Occasional burning in stomach.
Kalmia latifolia Q-1, 10 ml, 5gtt once daily, 5 succussions every time.
27 June 2005: All complaints much less.
Kalmia latifolia Q-2 to be taken as before.
8 Aug. 2005: Pain knees after walking 500 metres.
Vesicular eruptions in axillae since 2 days. Itching and burning.
Placebo.
11 Sep. 2005: Vesicular eruptions relieved.
Placebo.
9 Oct. 2005: Bilateral knees pain: movement agg.
Feels too exhausted. Profuse sweat. Frequent urination; more during nights; has to wait for the urine to start; flow intermits.
Kali carbonicum Q-1 to be taken as before.
13 Nov. 2005: Had sensation of ball rising from right abdomen four days ago and it was amel. after drinking water. (Old symptom reappeared). Blood sugar, cholesterol levels are all normal.
Placebo.
18 Oct. 2006 (Eleven months after last prescription):
Remains well. Wants further medicines.
Placebo.
It may be noted that SR has been free from breathlessness or exertion dyspnoea, cough etc., for over an year. Getting on only on Placebo.
SR cannot afford the cost of repeat laboratory tests.
He remains comfortable and well until this date – 9 Nov. 2006 and feels that is good enough for him. He will come if needed. I agreed.
[ The patient peacefully passed away in 2010 at his home = KSS.]
(ZKH. 53, 1/2009)
There are several remedies in the homœopathic Materia Medica which are rarely used. These are termed as lesser-used remedies. Many of them are of great use in serious or difficult and intractable cases. Some of these have been introduced by reliable Masters after verifying repeatedly. The success rate in our practice would go up steeply if only we learn to use these ‘lesser used’ or ‘rarely used’ remedies. In the early days and even the 1940s – 50s when abscesses were difficult to be healed, and surgery was also quite painful, Gun Powder 3x was the wonder medicine. There was no homœopath of those days who did not know J.H. CLARKE’s booklet ‘Gun powder as a War Remedy’. Wounds were saved from becoming septic with this remedy. A homœopath who is a famous nonagenerian now, used to say that at least 50% of his earnings, he owed to Gun powder and Arnica! After Penicillin and the antibiotics came there was no need for Gun Powder and it has been forgotten.
13 Nov. 2005: Had sensation of ball rising from right abdomen four days ago and it was amel. after drinking water. (Old symptom reappeared). Blood sugar, cholesterol levels are all normal.
Placebo.
18 Oct. 2006 (Eleven months after last prescription):
Remains well. Wants further medicines.
Placebo.
It may be noted that SR has been free from breathlessness or exertion dyspnoea, cough etc., for over an year. Getting on only on Placebo.
SR cannot afford the cost of repeat laboratory tests.
He remains comfortable and well until this date – 9 Nov. 2006 and feels that is good enough for him. He will come if needed. I agreed.
[ The patient peacefully passed away in 2010 at his home = KSS.]
LAPIS ALBUS
(ZKH. 53, 1/2009)
There are several remedies in the homœopathic Materia Medica which are rarely used. These are termed as lesser-used remedies. Many of them are of great use in serious or difficult and intractable cases. Some of these have been introduced by reliable Masters after verifying repeatedly. The success rate in our practice would go up steeply if only we learn to use these ‘lesser used’ or ‘rarely used’ remedies. In the early days and even the 1940s – 50s when abscesses were difficult to be healed, and surgery was also quite painful, Gun Powder 3x was the wonder medicine. There was no homœopath of those days who did not know J.H. CLARKE’s booklet ‘Gun powder as a War Remedy’. Wounds were saved from becoming septic with this remedy. A homœopath who is a famous nonagenerian now, used to say that at least 50% of his earnings, he owed to Gun powder and Arnica! After Penicillin and the antibiotics came there was no need for Gun Powder and it has been forgotten.
In the last quarter Century Homœopathy has found great reassertion in the Medical World and there have been (and still there are) many teachers holding Seminars throughout Europe and the USA. However most of these ‘teachers’ have assumed a ‘guru’ status and speak of their own Homœopathy and most of them seem to be doing one-up-manship over the old Samuel HAHNEMANN. Pages and pages of ‘mental’ symptoms and ‘Dreams’ are attributed to the remedies. ‘Themes’ are spun and hitherto unknown (to the ordinary ‘orthodox’ homœopaths) remedies are prescribed, e.g. Salmon (“all my life has been a swim against the current”), or Lac equinum (“dreamt of horses”), pages after pages of the articles teach JUNG’s archetypes, Semiology and so on. I can only shout “Quo vadis”
It would be worthwhile if we shake ourselves off of these fancies and go back to the Old Masters and work-out cases as we had read in the Homœopathic Recorder, Medical Advance, International Hahnemannian Transactions, etc.
Here I give two cases of Lapis albus.
1. Mr. SR, 30 yrs., Software Engineer, strong and well-built, complained on 17 Sep. 2005, of painless enlargement of Lymph nodes in the cervical region, since six months: three on the left neck and one on the right, one under the right mandible. No other symptoms were available.
GS. VII. P.26: “enlargement and induration of glands, especially cervical; glandular tumors where no glands are usually found”
Lapis albus Q1 one dose daily.
14 Nov. 2005: Swellings reduced in size
Lapis albus Q2 one dose daily.
17 Dec. 2005: Swelling, further reduced
Lapis albus Q3 one dose daily
21 Jan. 2006: One swelling – in the left neck, decreased well, one has softened, one remains hard. However all the 5 lumps have reduced in size.
Placebo.
18 March 2006: There is gradual lessening of the size of the swellings
Placebo.
3 June 2006: 1 July 2006: Further slow improvement.
Placebo.
5 Aug. 2006: Still gradually reducing.
There are two lumps on the left cervical region and two on the right.
Lapis albus 30
[Lapis albus beyond Q3 was not available]
2 Sept. 2006: Swellings further reduced.
Lapis albus 30.
Continued up to 11 Nov. 2006 with intervals of Placebo.
17 March 2007: Swellings are not obvious now.
9 June 2007: Review: No swellings palpable or seen.
2. Ms. A., 21 yrs age. Came on 9 Oct. 2006. Sarcoma in left thigh. The patient was non-communicative. No other symptoms with regard to the main complaint could be got.
No childhood diseases.
Tendency to ulcers in the mouth.
Had itchy scales on scalp due to dandruff.
Sweat: Scarcely
Fear: Ghosts; heights; of being alone in an elevator.
Dreams: Snakes
Leucorrhoea
She has now come for a ‘Sarcoma’ in the left thigh. First observed in May 2006; It was diagnosed after Biopsy (25 May 2006): “Spindle Cell Sarcoma – morphologically malignant peripheral nerve sheath Tumor Low grade.”
Surgically “wide encompassing Resection done” on 8 June 2006.
MRI on 25 Sept. 2006:
“a second mural nodule developed newly.”
The patient complained of very weighty feeling of the left leg if she walked for some distance or stood for more length of time.
Opium 200.
16 Nov. 2006: Leg below the knee is weighty. No other change.
Lapis albus Q1, 5 gtt. daily.
4 Jan. 2007: The size of the swelling has reduced 50%. Pain still,
< standing; < on rising from sitting. Leucorrhoea less.
Heaviness of the left leg persists. No new symptoms or any aggravation.
Lapis albus Q2, 5 gtt. one dose daily.
24 June 2007: Chest catarrh: the swelling in the left thigh appears smaller and diffused; “ pain only if I sit for long”.
No leucorrhoea.
Have had no problems in this interval.
Hair-fall, worse, hair-ends split.
Lapis albus Q3, 5 gtt. one dose daily.
7 Jan. 2008: ‘Cold’ frequent. Leucorrhoea more since two months.
There is no swelling in the left thigh.
MRI taken on 24.9.2007 revealed “compared to the previous MRI dated 25.9.2006, nodules are not seen now; normal study”.
Placebo.
13 Mar. 2008: Leucorrhoea >.
Pain left calf off and on, mostly when standing for sometime.
Placebo.
The complete ‘Proving’ of Lapis albus is not available to me. The GS contains only a one-page clinical picture. It also says that five cases of Uterine Carcinoma was cured with this remedy as well as ten cases of Goitre. Von GRAUVOGL’s ‘Lehrbuch der Homoopathie’(1866) does not mention Lapis albus anywhere. However, BURNETT mentions this remedy in several places particularly in his two booklets, Curability of Tumours and Tumours of the Breast.
References:
1. Constantine HERING, Guiding Symptoms, Vol.VII, Philadelphia. 1888. P.26. Republished by B.
Jain Publishers, New Delhi – 110 016.
2. J. COMPTON BURNETT, Tumours of the Breast, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi – 110 055.
3. J. COMPTON BURNETT, M.D., Curability of Tumours, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi – 110 055.
4 v. GRAUVOGL, Lehrbuch der Homöopathie, Nürenberg, 1866.
A CASE OF VERY RAPIDLY CURED
QUADRIPLEGIA
(ZKH. 55, 3/2011)
Of late the asking for “Evidence-based Homœopathy” is the fashion – as if all these years the homœopathic cures have not been “evident”, as if they, the thousands and thousands of persons (and animals) of all ages from new-born infants to nonagenerians, all cured, are ‘myths’? This “evidence-based” is the “in thing” even with homœopaths. It is not just the Hegemony Medicine which has been saying this but homœopaths and homœopathic organizations seem to have joined the cry - may be because they want not to be left out of the ‘Scientific Club’. I would like to declare here that this is my personal view.
Let these be.
Dr. K.C.: 55 years, married, two children, with several years of experience in hospitals and later since some years exclusively Homœopathy. KC is a doctor committed to heal the needy and he considered that Medicine must be available to common man and that it should not be shut in 5-star expensive hospitals. His experience in large hospitals led him toHomœopathy – the people’s medicine. A homœopathic hospital was built deep down in South India in a beautiful landscape to serve a large section of the people and this hospital under K.C. is doing great work at a low cost.
Dr. K.C. is a restless, hurried person, very much committed to his work. He also had undergone earlier de-addiction (alchohol) treatment. Of late he has been indulging in alcohol but not often.
On the 23rd Dec. 2010 he was very angry and quarrelsome with his wife. In the afternoon after finishing his out-patients, he complained of unsteadiness while walking. His gait was not normal. He was still very angry. He also took ‘drink’.
24 Dec. 2010: Early morning he complained of inability to walk steadily. Felt his lower limbs were very weak. Was unable to raise his leg. It began in the left lower limb and then the right lower limb. He took Causticum 200 at 6 a.m. At 7 a.m. he was found to be very anxious, much difficulty in walking. He noted that while bathing he observed that his upper limbs too had become weak and he found it difficult to use. He took one dose of Nux vomica Q3.
25 Dec. 2010: At 6 a.m. he was found with his face expressing shock, fear. He had difficulty in using both the upper and lower limbs. He found them very heavy. He said that in the morning when he tried to walk his knees buckled and he fell down. He said that he lost all hope, and said loudly “I am finished”; he found himself now to be quadriplegic. He called his wife and arranged to sign with great difficulty all papers making-over all properties etc. to his wife. He clearly felt that his limbs were completely inactive, and someone had to carry him to the toilet, etc. He refused to undergo any investigation since he “knew well that he was now quadriplegic and that’s a fact; what more will be known by any tests?” He was much afraid. His colleague gave him Gelsemium 200/1 dose, repeated 2 hrs. later.
He seemed very anxious, restless and tried to move his limbs but could not. The weakness progressed. His lower limbs were cold, but he couldn’t note it. He asked everyone around him whether he would be cured and regain his health.
At this stage on the evening of 25 December, I was consulted over telephone. I obtained the above history over telephone. I also learnt that he had quarrelled badly at home and then had taken alcohol, heavy. I prescribed Nux vomica XM one dose in a spoon of water. He slept well that night.
On the 26th Dec. 2010 he woke up at 0600 hrs. and expressed his vexation. He was anxious whether he would be restored. Some urticarial rashes appeared here and there all over his body. In the evening his allopathic colleagues visited him and examined him; they diagnosed as Guillain-Barre Syndrome and recommended immediate hospitalization which KC refused. They pleaded with him to listen to their advice. KC bluntly refused allopathic treatment. That evening I was again called over telephone and the position was explained. I prescribed again one dose of Nux vomica XM water dose.
27 Dec. 2010: Morning on waking up he felt refreshed. He had a dream that he was running. He had good perspiration. Few urticarial rashes appeared on his body. It was itching, better by exposure to cool air. He felt much hopeful. He was able to move his limbs; he did not appear sick.
Nux vomica 6c 4 times a day was given and the patient continued to improve rapidly from this day.
28th Dec. 2010: He was able to rise from bed and sit; he could use his hands; use a spoon to eat, etc. Mind was very clear. Urticarial rashes appeared.
30 Dec. 2010: Nux vomica 6 was continued. He was able to stand for few minutes; his upper limbs were gradually, but steadily, gaining strength.
31 Dec. 2010 to 4 Jan. 2011: Went on improving; could walk some steps; he was able to rise without any assistance; also bathe and dress.
6 Jan. 2011: He sat on the pillion of motorcycle and went around the hospital premises; was able to squat and rise. Nux vomica 6 was continued t.d.s.; he could walk without support. Hold pen and write.
On 7th Jan. 2011: He did few sit-ups! Began to go about his routine; see patients.
8th Jan . 2011: Nux vomica 6 c was to be taken b.d. His limbs were normal.
In the ‘workshop’ on Organon that we had arranged on 9th Jan. 2011 he personally stood up and narrated in detail his falling ill and the rapid recovery with Homœopathy alone! Several of his allopathic colleagues who had seen him when he became quadriplegic with a very discouraging prognosis, came to see his remarkable rapid and full recovery with homœopathic medicine (simple medicine!) alone. Nux vomica was now stopped. He was going up and down the stairs, fast, as he was accustomed to.
11 Jan. 2011: Maintaining well. No complaints. He was much hurried always. With this hurry and history of alcohol, he was given Sulphuric acid 200. Looking back, this was perhaps unnecessary. It did no harm.
Some of his close relatives who were doctors came to see him and were surprised at his recovery. On the 13th Jan. when we left him he was moving about well, felt himself quite normal in every way.
17th Jan. 2011: Telephonic report: Maintaining well.
24th Jan. – 26th Jan.: Daily Telephonic report: remains normal.
However, on 24th he told (over telephone) that he had all these days a very mild ache in a spot in the left knee. This mild ache was lingering ever so lightly, until 24th Jan. On this date, 24th Jan. 2011, he felt that this lingering pain too passed off; he recalled that his pain and weakness began actually from this spot in the left knee. With the passing away of this last vestige of his complaints, he felt 100% well.
The law of direction of cure is vindicated by this observation.
I would like to draw attention of colleagues to a very interesting observation of that giant in Homœopathy, J.C. BURNETT. When I was discussing this case with my colleague he pointed out that J.C. BURNETT had indeed said this. We searched in BURNETT’s Monographs and found it in his Diseases of Liver. BURNETT refers to RADEMACHER’S observation: “He recommends his readers to note well where the last trace of pain is felt as it dies away as that is likely to be the primary seat of the real disease” (p. 69 of Diseases of Liver). It may be noted in our present case that Dr. KC said that . his “weakness” was felt first in the left lower limb and this was the last to go.
Please note the ‘dream’ he reported. I felt that was then that his ‘cure’ happened.
No repertory was consulted before the prescription of Nux vomica. The remedy picture was very well-known and it matched the disease picture. The patient was also well-known. I would like to confess that some colleagues discouraged me saying that GB Syndrome was too serious and needed to be hospitalized. I was fully confident when I gave the porescription. As on the date of writing this, 28th February 2011 Dr. KC.remains well, running about and working several hours a day; I spoke to him before mailing this. I would like to add that KC has kept himself off the ‘bottle’!
So here is the “evidence”, I have placed it before you, all ‘facts’.