The remedies were given at longer intervals and in higher dilutions while the diet remained unchanged. When the haemorrhage again returned I gave Natrum mur. 9, two drops every two hours and after a few days the haemorrhage was again controlled. A few months later I was informed that she was pregnant. CASE XVIII.
Sycotic Tumour. Hepar 3x, Thuja 30 and Nat. sulph. 3x.
Johann v. T., 37, of strong, robust constitution, a cavalry officer, consulted me in August, 1869, concerning a swelling on the thigh which had existed since 1859, and for the post seven years he had been unable to walk except with the help of a cane, and even then not without limping. The swelling was on the left thigh, almost at the middle, in the rectus femoris muscles, having an elliptical shape and measuring 6 1/2 inches long, 3 1/2 inches broad and 3 inches high. It was slightly movable, lay embedded between the muscles, was hard and even, feeling like a convolution of a hardened gland and only slightly painful on handling. A portion of the skin covering it was of normal hue; on the other portion was seated superficial, livid-bluish ulcerations, with a watery, serous, transparent, but at times reddish discharge. A few of the ulcers, of irregular size and varying shape, were cicatrised and had formed dark, dirty blue and livid spots, while others were only apparently covered over, and underneath suppuration was active, discharging through a small fistula. On the side of the swelling towards the knee the ulcers are close together, a few of them in long sinuses extending into the swelling itself, pressure upon which caused a profuse discharge similar to the above. On th lower leg and over the body were numerous livid, blue superficial spots, the results of former furunculi. The pain is not severe but is (<) by motion and disappears almost entirely by rest. The face had a dirty yellowish colour, but not marked; the patient was not emaciated, and digestion, appetite and sleep were not disturbed. The limited motion in the limb, especially at the knee-joint, rendered it difficult to bring the joint into more than a very obtuse angle, so that the limping gait was very similar to that caused by disease of the knee-joint. There was pain in the swelling, knee- joint and leg on attempting to bend forwards. Physical examination of the chest and abdomen revealed nothing abnormal; the left testicle was somewhat larger than the right and felt harder but pain was not present.
The general condition, although satisfactory, had, in declined. The mind was weakened, spirits depressed, He was easily excited to anger, especially over trifles, which was not the case formerly.
The previous history was as follows: He had never suffered from an acute affection but, on the contrary, had always enjoyed unusually good health. In February, 1855, he had, after an illicit intercourse, a small slimy, itching sore on the inner surface of the foreskin which healed of itself in a short time. In October, on account of a similar cause, the same sore appeared, was pronounced syphilitic, was treated in the usual manner and healed in a mouth.
In the Spring of 1856 he was attacked with intermittent fever which continued for several months, showing first a tertian and then a quotidian type. After the fever had been cured with large doses of Quinine there again appeared an ulcer following as before an exposure, which was treated with Mercury but was slow in healing. The intermittent fever appearing during the period, the Mercury was alternated with Quinine, and now the ulcer and the intermittent promptly disappeared. A few months later balanitis appeared but was promptly relieved with a lead wash.
In the winter of 1857, the sore which was supposed to have been healed in the previous year again opened, and was healed as before with the sublimate. The ulcer again healed, and in the Summer the patient took on his own responsibility, to cleanse the blood, a so-called “Spring-cure,” or Sarsaparilla decoction. But in order to secure a sure result he mixed Colbert’s essence with the decoction. In the winter of 1858 the ulcer again appeared without apparent cause in spite of the previous prophylaxis; probably the blood-cleansing liquid had not washed it sufficiently. Colbert’s essence was given and the ulcer again disappeared to be followed by a balanitis, which was also cured.
Now the patient began to feel weak and exhausted, with falling out of the hair and an uncomfortable feeling of weight in the left thigh, with difficulty in bending the limb, especially at the knee-joint. Later there was an increase in the circumference of the limb. In 1859 he had a left-sided orchitis, without apparent cause, and now Kali iodatum and leeches joined the series. These benefited the orchitis, but it was followed by a furuncle on the lower leg with long-continued suppuration which was healed with Muriate of Soda. To these conditions was added a dry cough, accompanied with retching and continuing throughout the day accompanied each evening with chilliness. This was treated with Rhubarb and Quinine pills. The swelling in the thigh now increased rapidly and had in 1863 reached quite a size. In 1865 the trouble had increased still more, notwithstanding the use of Mercurius iod. and Sublimate and other remedies, including baths and ointments, with the result only of producing numerous furunculi over the whole body. Finally, losing all hope of relief, since several consultations of professors had been held over his case, he came to me.
On account of the often-reported, falsely considered syphilitic and mercury mis-treated ulcer, the balanitis, orchitis, furunculi, the characteristic scarrings, the appearance of the same general affections in different organs as well as the intermittents and the characteristic cough, due to the long- continued use of Quinine, it was only possible to arrive at one diagnosis, namely, a blood infection on a sycotic or hydrogenoid basis. The swelling on the thigh was also considered a neoplasmus due to the same cause.
There could be no doubt about the preliminary treatment. All salves and ointments were laid aside and dry charpie applied to the suppurating sores, and a wine and hydrogenoid diet ordered. In order to antidote the effects of the Mercury, although no salivation had been produced, I gave in August, 1869, three drops, three times daily of Hepar sulph. 3x. In September there was a general improvement and now Thuja 30 and Nat. sulph, 3x was given. In the latter part of October the pains in the leg had disappeared, the swelling had greatly lessened and he was able to move so well that at an evening company he had been able to dance a polka. In December, 1869, the swelling measured exactly 1 1/2 c.m. long and about the same width. All ulceration as well as the hard scars or spots had disappeared. He walked freely without a cane and could move the limb without difficulty in any direction.
The remedies were repeated at longer intervals. I often saw this patient during the following ten years; he had married, was a father and was not again sick. CONCLUDING REMARKS BY DR. BOJANUS. Whoever will take the trouble to compare what is here written upon the causes and character of the disease-relation with what Grauvogl has stated in his writings on ” Intermittents” will see that very much of that is there written is here fully confirmed. At the same time he will also see the necessity of asking himself this question-Whether it is possible, without the knowledge and recognition of these constitutions, to cure such cases as safely and in as comparatively a short time with such moderate therapeutic measures?
I am well aware that the history of special cases of sickness is convincing only to those under whose eyes they take place, and who themselves are interested in them in their professional character. This is also to be regretted because of an inviolable law that man never becomes wise by the experience of others but only by his own, it he becomes so at all. We should think and hope, therefore, that in a science like ours, in which three or four life times, if they were allotted to one human being, would not suffice to learn more than a small part of it by personal experience, that the experience of others should at least stimulate examination especially by the more highly educated classes to which physicians belong as well as by those who are advanced in mental culture. And this the more as they put off prejudices and reject them, and when men who on the field of research have made their mark point out doctrines that differ from ordinarily accepted views it by no means follow that they are incorrect or false.
Thus, for example, B.H. Gross, who in matters of science must have more than one voice if this achievements are appreciated, says concerning the doctrines of the constitutions of Grauvogl :
” Grauvogl’s fundamental laws have been declared impracticable by men of opposite views, by some out of mere dogmatic habit, by others because they found it too inconvenient to bind their accustomed arbitrary proceedings to study laws. Were they aware how much labour they could save by Grauvogl’s works they would study them for their own interest; for the fundamental characters of constitution alone render it possible, to a certain degree, to generalise without becoming unfaithful to homoeopathy. As epidemic constitutions they must be very important for the diagnosis and treatment of climatic diseases in all countries of the world. They make it possible to cure with one single remedy a complicated constitutional ailment.” Dr. B.H. Gross quotes the following pertinent Motto. ” A physician is he who lays open the wonder-works of God to each and every one. For what is in the sea that may be hidden from the physician? Nothing! What is in the earth that he should not open? Nothing! He shall bring it forth and not alone in the sea, in the earth, in the air, in the firmament! Requirimus in medico non solum microcosmi sed etram universoe naturalis philosophioe cognitionnem, non ex phantasmibus as speculatoribus sed sensuum et experimentioe judicio exortam.” PARACELSUS.
