CURES OF A BEGINNER


Remedy changed to Rhus tox. 3x for one month. On April 7th patient called; no pain in last month– swelling gone and both feet and hands absolutely flexible. The feet so flexible that I discontinued further treatment lest there be some trouble in the opposite direction to that which existed primarily. This is, naturally, may real pet case to date.


DEAR MR. BARKER,– Early this year I purchased Clarkes Materia Medica, Repertory and Prescriber and Allens for the purpose of proving to my own satisfaction the claims for or against homoeopathy. I have a large practice dealing principally with foot ailments and it was easy to choose between thirty and forty cases, suffering from conditions for which the allopath has little to offer in the way of effective treatment — conditions which he is able to diagnose but for which he has no curative medicine so long as he practises in the orthodox fashion.

In short I was converted in about one month– results have been beyond my expectations, whilst a few cases each cost me as much as three evenings and into the small hours of the morning. I was all set to satisfy myself first, and made every effort to arrive at the remedy.

Here are a few cases to date:.

February 24th. Miss M. complained of having suffered from nettlerash since August of last year. She had allopathic treatment, including injections, all along, and with no effect. Arms and legs only affected and most severe when warm in bed. I gave Apis 3x on February 24th to 28th and Sulphur on March 6th to 13th. The irritation and rash had completely gone but a boil appeared on the back of neck which was allowed to run its course and cleared up in eight days. There has been no further trouble.

February 15th. Mrs. W., age 81. OEdema from knees down — pain and burning in feet –cannot keep feet under bedclothes at night– vertigo worst in morning — pain across lumbar region– takes salts daily. I prescribed Silica 3x for one week, thrice daily, Sulphur 6 one day and return to Silica 3x. All discomfort gone and swelling negligible in two weeks or thereby. (This old lady informed me that she had brought up her children on homoeopathy and it was so far encouraging to find a person who had survived to the age of 81 years after what some of my allopathic friends had expressed to me re homoeopathy.).

February 4th. Mrs. R., aged 49, suffered from rheumatoid arthritis — ankles and feet almost fixed and deformed and very painful. Hands — dorsi flexion deformity –joints enlarged and inflamed, unable to do much work. Melancholy– eyes inflamed — occasional sore throat — trembling of body. Calcarea carbonica 3 was used for three weeks followed by Sulphur. Patient returned on March 3rd greatly improved, usual household duties resumed.

Remedy changed to Rhus tox. 3x for one month. On April 7th patient called; no pain in last month– swelling gone and both feet and hands absolutely flexible. The feet so flexible that I discontinued further treatment lest there be some trouble in the opposite direction to that which existed primarily. This is, naturally, may real pet case to date.

February 15th. Mrs. R. Restless, melancholy, depressed, excitable, headache. Flushing distress in stomach when cold or chest and stomach when facing cold wind and when hurried. Pains in back. Anidrosis. Redness of and shining of skin of toes, great toe particularly uncomfortable, feeling of inflammation in toes.

I worked the case out to Thyroidinum and was surprised to learn on a subsequent visit that this patient had been taking Thyroid Extract for six years following myxoedema and was instructed to continue taking same for life. I di not interfere but was pleased to have arrived at Thyroidinum without having been previously told of the taking of this drug.

I could go on with many more but must not tire you altogether with my new born enthusiasm.

I am going to leave a great deal more of my chiropody, etc., to my assistants and practice homoeopathy, which is not only the most interesting study I have approached but also the most positive in therapeutic action. I intend to specialize in the treatment of rheumatism and kindred ailments and only trust that pressure of work will not induce me to jump to conclusions as many homoeopaths must now do in order to get over the number of patient they have, instead of individualization. If you care I would welcome any criticism of my treatments or remedies used. They may appear amateurish but the results can be vouched for by the living proofs.

J. Ellis Barker
James Ellis Barker 1870 – 1948 was a Jewish German lay homeopath, born in Cologne in Germany. He settled in Britain to become the editor of The Homeopathic World in 1931 (which he later renamed as Heal Thyself) for sixteen years, and he wrote a great deal about homeopathy during this time.

James Ellis Barker wrote a very large number of books, both under the name James Ellis Barker and under his real German name Otto Julius Eltzbacher, The Truth about Homœopathy; Rough Notes on Remedies with William Murray; Chronic Constipation; The Story of My Eyes; Miracles Of Healing and How They are Done; Good Health and Happiness; New Lives for Old: How to Cure the Incurable; My Testament of Healing; Cancer, the Surgeon and the Researcher; Cancer, how it is Caused, how it Can be Prevented with a foreward by William Arbuthnot Lane; Cancer and the Black Man etc.