THE following case is, I think, although not very successful interesting: A lady, aet. 64, widow of a staff officer, has resided many years in India. She has cataract of both eyes these four years, worse of the right. Previously to the discovery of the cataract she had slept for four years in a room lined with arsenical wall paper. In this room she lay with diseased kidneys for nine months. She dreads an operation, and has already received mercury, iodide of potash, sulphate of zinc, and borax either topically or internally.
The opacity of the right lens has a stellate appearance. There is constant and great photophobia, and much secretion and morning agglutination.
The treatment was begun with Nux Vomica 3, and Sulphur 30. This was in June, 1876.
July 22. Eyes more comfortable. To take Belladonna 2, and Lithium carb. Carb. 3 trituration.
Sept. 12. General health decidedly improved. To bathe the eye-lids with a weak infusion of Calendula and take Zincum met. Mur. 3.
Sept. 30. Calcarea Carb. 3 trit.
Nov. 21. Sight and everything decidedly better. Arnica 6, and Gelseminum 6.
Dec. 12. Santon. 3.
Feb. 12th, 1877. Improvement in sight; can see better to read and write. Zincum met. Cyan. 3.
March. Euphrasia Off. (mother tincture).
April 25. The painfulness after dinner and on first waking is gone. Sight better. On examining with the ophthalmoscope one can see only very slight opacity of left lens; that of the right is whitish and opaque in its upper and outer portion.
Rep. and Phosphorus 30.
June. 5. More pricking in the eye and more secretion, Arnica Montana.
July 5. Sight better, but pain worse. Glonoin and Euphrasia.
Aug 9. The edge of the opacity seems a little less defined. Acid. Oxal. 2x.
Sept. 24. Eyes very painful. Calcarea Mur., 30
Jan. 12th, 1878. Ferrum phos. 6 trit.
Feb. 7. Kali Chlorum 6 trit
March 7. Nat. Mur. 6 trit.
April 10. Eyelids look much better, not being so inflamed, and the secretion is far less. Rep.
May 15. Worse. Kali Chlorum 6.
June 20. No better. Santonine 3 trit.
Sept. 25. Slight indications of gout in big toe. Nat Mur.
30. Dec. 28. No better. Pulsatilla Nut.1.
Feb. 5. 1879. No better. Aurum Fol. 1 trit.
March 11. Eyelids dreadfully bad; they smart very much, as if they contained pepper. Zincum met. Sul. 3 trit.
April 25. Eyelids as sore as ever. Lithium carb. Carb. 3.
May 29. Calcarea Mur. 30.
July 12. Eyelids better. Elaps. Cor. 6.
This is the sum of three years treatment, and is certainly not very encouraging. Still, I think the cataract is arrested, but the eyelids continue to be very troublesome.
I intend next trying a high dilution of Arsenicum to see if it will antidote the old arsenical poisoning which persistently resists medication, and the locus minoris resistentioe once established by the arsenicism seems fed by the gout. Could the chronic arsenical ophthalmia tarsi be got rid of, and some good reaction to the periphery be obtained a good result may yet be looked for. Patient’s general health is very good.
I give this case to show the immensely difficult task before me, and to try to get at the real truth, since I am neither desirous of deceiving my own mind nor the minds of others.
My next case was an aged lady treated at the Wirral Homoeopathic Dispensary; I gave her many medicines during a considerable period, and did her no good at all.
OBS. IV.-Mrs.-, aet. 66, came first under observation at the beginning of March, 1877. For eight years previously her sight had been failing, and twelve months before coming from Scotland to consult me, she was examined by Dr. Argyll. Robertson, of Edinburgh, who diagnosed double cataract, that of the left eye advanced, and less so that of the right. She has an elder brother with cataract that began at about the same age as did hers.
She has photophobia; great dimness of vision; objects do not seem distinct; cannot see anything at a distance; things at times appear double; her dimness of vision is unquestionably increasing.
I examine the eyes with the ophthalmoscope and note that the opacities are stellate in both eyes, that of the left much larger. Pupils react well to light: very slight arcus senilis; is breathless on going upstairs; suffers from flatulence; flushes readily; gets severe spasms at odd times over the stomach; has had erysipelas of the head and face six times, the first time more than forty years ago, and the last time three or four years ago; has haemorrhoids; often gets indigestion.
R. Tc. Aurum Muriaticum 3x. One drop at bed-time.
April 14. Better in general health, but the eyes are no better except that work does not strain them so much.
R. Glonoin 2 and Iodium 2.
May 16. Still better in general health; fancies she sees better.
To continue the medicines.
June 14. “I am thankful to say I do feel a shade of improvement in these bright sunny days. I used to feel the sunshine very blinding; but within the last fortnight I have felt my vision clear for distant objects.”
To continue the medicines.
September 1. “I feel thankful to say I do feel a shade better, can discern objects more clearly.”
To continue the medicines.
October 24. “I am not sensible of further improvement, but am better in general health.”
R. Hydrastis Canadensis 1x.
November. “…..; about my eyes-I am thankful to say I feel a little improvement, objects are clearer.”
To continue the medicine.
January 16, 1878. Much the same.
R. Ferrum Phosphoricum 6 trituration. Six grains night and morning.
March 9. has been reduced by a bad attack of bronchitis.
R. Acidum Nitricum 1. Three drops of water three times a day. April 26. I feel my eyes stronger; improvement in my sight is apparent.”
To continue the medicine.
May 22. Much the same. Natrum Muriaticum 6 trit.
July 3. No worse.
R. Santonine 3 trit., grana vj.
September 20. Have taken two lots of the powders (=72); no change. But after I had taken some seven of the powders AN ERUPTION CAME OUT ON MT ARMS AND SHOULDERS.”
R. Tc. Pulsatilla Nuttaliana 1. Two drops in water forenoon and afternoon.
December 13. “I have continued the `drops,’ which. I procured at Mr. Pottage’s in Edinburgh and am glad to say they have done me good; I do feel less of dimness and see things clearer than for some time previous… I do feel hopeful that the cataract is being checked, as I am feeling my sight better than it was six months ago.-P.S. My general health is very good. I have scarcely had a headache since I came under your treatment.”
To continue the medicine.
February 17, 1879. Is continuing to improve, but reminds me that she is very deaf these many years.
R. Tc. Elaps. Cor. 6.
April 22. “I am glad to say the drops have really done me good; my eyes seem clearer and I am quite sensible of improvement. Shall be in Edinburgh next week, and can get what you prescribe while there from Mr. Pottage. We have had a very severe winter, but I have kept well, and the longer experience makes me more convinced that the homoeopathic medicines agree very well with my constitution.”
To continue the medicines.
June 27. “I have again exhausted my little bottle I got filled, when in Edinburgh, and feel thankful to be able to say, my eyes are wonderfully improved; I am more sensible of this by the last medicine than I have felt by former drops or powders, and my constitution seems in good order considering my years.”
To continue the medicine.
September 5. It is two months since I wrote to you; my eyes are wonderfully improved, sometimes I can read a little without the aid of my spectacles; I feel my constitution to be in a very healthy state; I am free of all headaches, and stomach and bowels in good order.
As this lady has been taking medicines now for about two years and a half, and is so well in her general health, and the sight evidently not only vastly improved but still improving, I advise abstention from all medication for a time.
I have given the extracts from this lady’s letters, and thus my readers can judge for themselves. I have not seen her since the commencement of the treatment. I call attention to the appearance of the eruption, to the lady’s age-now nearly 69-to the fact that her brother has also cataract, and to the vast improvement in her general health.
Cataract is a constitutional complaint, and we must treat the person, not the cataract. Thus in this case my first prescription was given for the heart symptoms, and it is very evident that the Aurum really benefited the heart, and that was the first step up the therapeutical ladder.
As far as I know, an advanced cataract, of eight year’s growth, does not thus behave between the ages of 66 and 69 when let alone.
November 1879. The report runs: “My breathing is no better, but my eyes continue well, my sight is wonderfully strong.”
OBS. V.-Gentleman of high position, 59 years of age, has cataract of right eye, left eye doubtful; his mother had double cataract; 47 years ago an apple hit his left eye and permanently injured it; thus more work had been thrown on right eye.
When looking at the moon or a candle, he sees a disk of red.
May 1877. R. Arnica Montana, 1.
June 20. Has an impression that the left eye (which was injured) is a little improved.
Burnett was one of the first to speak about vaccination triggering illness. This was discussed in his book, Vaccinosis, published in 1884. He introduced the remedy Bacillinum. He authored twenty books, including the much loved "Fifty Reason for Being a Homeopath." He was the editor of The Homoeopathic World.