“It is a real pleasure to send you another good report for the third week under your treatment. I started the fresh lot of pills for walking capacity, Stramonium 1x, last Friday. My legs are most surely getting stronger. I started going out for walks alone this week, and went through an number of lanes. While not yet walking quite normally, I do not use my stick at all heavily, as I have done for the past two-and-a-half years. I find my legs are much stronger, and I imagine that the long hill which I walked up was a good test.
I do not lose my breath so quickly, and in fact I am ever so much better in every way. I am quite ready for my food and enjoy it. I gained 1 1/4 lbs. this week. My whole body seems to function better each day and my spirits are much brighter. In myself I really feel better than I ever remember being. It is just wonderful, and I am deeply thankful”.
I was highly pleased with the report. As she had done so well, I sent my patient the same medicines which she had had previously. In the next report, dated May 28th, she wrote:.
“It will be four weeks to-morrow since I came to see you. The result of the Stramonium is, I believe, a better tread, and ankle and knee joints are much looser, knees do not suddenly give out now, the numbness is disappearing, and I am gaining confidence and getting on without the support of a stick. The left leg is still shaky when it touches the ground, but my general health is ever so much better in every way. I have this week gained 1 3/4 lbs., which means a gain of 5 lbs. in three weeks.
The flesh of my body is firmer, my skin is a better colour, and I feel flesh of my body is firmer, my skin is a better colour, and I feel an entirely different woman. I can now face difficulties without getting upset, and although I do not get long hours of sleep, it is much more restful, and I am so thankful that words are difficult to find to express what I feel”.
The medicines were continued as before, only Sulphur 6x was replaced by Sulphur 12x. Mrs. A. had improved very rapidly, perhaps too rapidly. In her joy she overexerted herself and sprained her ankle badly. She wrote on June 5th:.
“Up to yesterday there was a steady increases in every way, both in nerve and body strength, with a gain last week of 2 1/2 lbs. Yesterday I got a slight set-back. My ankle turned over suddenly and have a nasty sprain. I cannot use the leg for the time being, and as the other leg is not strong enough I am forced to rest. I fear it was my own fault. I think I walked too far, and my leg gave out just as I got back inside the house”.
Her neighbour, who knows something about homoeopathy, wrapped the ankle with a bandage moistened in Rhus tox. lotion, and I gave her some Rhus tox. by the mouth. I sent her Calcarea phosphorica 3x for strengthening her joints and ligaments, to be taken night and morning, and Arnica 3x for the injury, to be taken between meals. A week later, on June 12th, Mrs. A. wrote:.
“I am still making splendid progress. I am now sleeping very much better, and my foot has recovered so I can walk about again. I feet that my knee and ankle joints are getting looser. I feel stronger and better every day. The nerves also are vastly better. II do not now need in the bedroom at night”.
I sent her more Calcarea phosphorica 3x to be taken night and morning, and Stramonium 1x to be taken between meals. I also sent Stramonium 30 to be taken once a week. Improvement continued, and on June 19th Mrs. A. wrote:.
“I feel an entirely different being to the one who came to see you just seven weeks ago to-day. I am steadily and surely gaining health and strength every day. I am sure my limbs are improving, and loosening, and my left leg touches the ground more firmly. Also, I can hold my pen now without my hand cramping so badly. I feel ever so different in general health. I am no longer cold and clammy, but my body has comfortable warmness about it. (I was never really warm even on very hot days last summer) ad did not go very long without chilblains. I gained 1 lb. 10 ozs. in weight last week.
I am now 8 st. 6 lbs. 2 ozs. a gain of 9 lbs. in six weeks. My clothes are all a tighter fit now. A friend remarked the other day, The days of miracles are not over.” I have proved that our God answers prayer. It was after much prayer I wrote to you. I shall always be grateful for all you have done for me. I feel in time I shall be quite well again.
As the lady was doing very well with the medicines she had had hitherto I sent her a further supply of the previous combination. She wrote to me on June 26th, full of joy:.
“everyone tells me how well I took, and I am able to answer truly that I feel well. You will be interested to hear that I have been written to from various places for information regarding you and your treatment, Bournemouth, Lancing, Maidstone and Hollingbourne. I feel a deep gratitude for all your care and interest in me”.
Calcarea phosphorica and Stramonium were continued. The next weekly report, dated July 3rd, told me:.
“I can still write of continued improvement. I am still getting stronger and gained 2 lb. in weight last week, and I am confident my legs and arms are much looser. I feel the time is not far distant when they will feel normal. For years I have been quite unable to tie a bow or button a button unless I could see what I was doing, and now find myself doing both without seeing.
This proves that after fifteen years my hands are getting better. Isnt it wonderful? I have felt a distinct improvement in my limbs since I have had those special doses of Stramonium 30. Yesterday I went to the top of the Downs. I had so longed to put my feet again on the Downs and feared I never I never should. I have much cause for thankfulness”.
As Mrs. A. had done so well with Calcarea phosphorica I thought I would give her that medicine in a higher potency. On July 4th I sent her Calcarea phosphorica 30, a dose to be taken first thing in the morning. Her next report on July 10th ran:.
“This week I broke the record for increase in weight. In one week I have gained 2 lbs. 9 ozs., and my total weight is now. 8 st. 9 ozs., nearly a stone gained in ten weeks under your care. I feel the benefit of the Calcarea phosphorica 30 and Arnica 30, I feel the healthy and well and am gaining strength, but I am afraid I am missing the Stramonium. This last week my legs have been a little troublesome, particularly the left leg which seems to cramp and tighten up and the knees ache a little more.
It may be due to delayed menstruation. I usually get a nerve pain much worse in the left leg before the flow appears. It troubles me most when trying to rest or concentrated, and I find rubbing with oil soothing and it seems to rest the nerves. I have made such rapid and splendid progress, it is strange to get any setback”.
There had indeed been a setback, but it was very slight. As there was delay in her menstruation, I sent her Pulsatilla 3x, a dose of three pilules to be taken between meals, not only because her menstrual symptoms pointed towards that remedy, but also because she was of the Pulsatilla type, affectionate, sentimental, loathing fat, feeling best in the open air, etc. Also sent her a further helping of Stramonium 30, and told her to take an occasional dose of three pilules as required.
For emergencies I sent Cuprum 6 for cramps, a dose to be taken as needed. From my point of view, cuprum was required as the menstrual pain was distinctly of a cramping nature. On July 17th the patient reported.
“I am making steady and good progress every week and in every way. Pulsatilla has distinctly helped me and I did not have the usual pains prior to menstruation, although menstruation has not yet come as I now get longer periods between, and very likely I shall soon lose it altogether. I am taking a dose of Stramonium 30 each other night. I am sure my legs are slowly loosening and I feel certain that the medicine acts distinctly on them, and they are always more normal after these doses.
They are very much stronger, and I do not et tired so easily now. I gained 9 ozs. in weight during the week and feel happy and bright all the time and so thankful. It is hard to find words to express it, but I know you understand how I appreciate all you have done for me and are doing for me”.
I sent her a further supply of the previous medicines, and learnt on July 24th that she was still making splendid progress and was gaining weight. On July 31st the patient wrote:.
After having given Calcarea phosphorica in the 3x and 30th potency, I went down for a change to the 1x potency. The patient was to take the Calcarea phosphorica night and morning and Pulsatilla 3x between meals. On August 7th Mrs. A. wrote:.
“… I am still making good progress in every way. I feel well in my general health, my nerves are much stronger, and I have deep cause for thankfulness”.
In three months time a completely broken-down and hopeless woman, afflicted with a disease pronounced absolutely incurable by leading specialists who had seen her, had made the most wonderful recovery. It seems merely a question of time until something like complete normality will be established in her case. As the disease had been in existence for thirty years, a rapid recovery could hardly be expected. Hahnemann taught that the cure of a chronic disease takes at least two years.
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.