MR. R., aet. 54 years, tall, strong, well-built, called at my dispensary five weeks ago in a very depressed state. He complained of pain running up left arm, across his back and finishing up in the region of the heart. He said he had been treated by his panel doctor for rheumatism for twelve months and was none the better, but much the worse. His chest, he said, was held as if in a vice, he had great difficulty in breathing, the pain was so intense at times that death would have been welcome.
Any doctor should know the name of this trouble, but homoeopaths do not treat the names of diseases, but people. We have a medicine which in large doses causes “constriction of the chest as if bound, hindering respiration. Heart constriction as from an iron band.” There could be no mistake about the remedy: Cactus 3. The patient returned in four days in joyful mood. “I walked down town yesterday with my wife, did our shopping, and walked home without any pain.” He has had a few twinges since but he is now quite well.
Mr. A. had rather a busy day in the City one Saturday. He was taken with excruciating pain in the heart. He was hurried into a London hospital near at hand, and after examination was told there was a clot of blood in one of the arteries of the heart. He was advised to stay in hospital as it was very serious. However, he declined and struggled home. He had a very bad night and I was called in early on Sunday morning. The second dose of the Cactus cleared away the pain and breathlessness and he has been well since.