Such are the principal constitutional remedies we ought to review. The dilutions in which they ought to be employed are variable enough. In a general way, the high potencies will be reserved for the precancerous state; the low and middle potencies for the confirmed cancers.
Let us hasten to add that the results obtained with these remedies alone are very uncertain, the cases of real cure very rare, simple amelioration very variable in confirmed neoplasms. On the other hand, in multiple precancer cases success is frequent. Unfortunately, it is actually impossible, error of criterium and certainty, to give proof of such accomplishments. The practitioner is deeply convinced of it. It is an impression valuable to himself alone.
They are very numerous in the classical homoeopathic arsenal. We shall study them very briefly by classifying them a little arbitrarily into several groups for the convenience of our work. A. The Most Habitual Remedies. These are the ones which have revealed themselves as having the most constant action on the element as well as the general state.
SEDUM ACRE and SEDUM REPENS: The value of Sedum acre was especially called to my attention by the lamented Abbe Keul. In material doses, mother tincture, IX. and 3x., it has an undeniable action on cancer in general, gives weight to the patients, and occasionally modifies the tumor, or at least retards its progress. Their principal sign is their tendency to mucosal and cutaneous fissures which are so frequent in cancer or the precancerous state. The pathogenesis of these two remedies is incomplete. Because of that we must be satisfied to use them in an empirical fashion. Sedum repens acts especially on the abdominal organs. Sedum teleplium, another plant of the same family, should act especially on the uterus or cancerous rectum with haemorrhages.
SCROFULARIA NODOSA: This remedy acts especially on cancers of breast, skin, uterus, rectum, in low potencies or material doses, especially if there is marked glandular invasion. A Nebel praised its drainage action; Cooper insisted very much on its value.
SEMPERVIVUM TECTORUM: Lingual, breast, rectal and other cancers. Its tendency to aphthae, to malignant ulcers, specially indicate it in the ulcerated cancer. It must also be used in mother tincture or low potencies.
CARBO ANIMALIS: Already studied as a constitutional remedy of great value.
CUNDURANGO: I have personally observed the value of Cundurango in oesophageal, stomach or intestinal cancers. One of its valuable external signs consists in fissures of the labial commissures. It also acts on cancer situated at the junction of mucosa and skin: lips, anus, lids. Low or middle potencies.
CISTUS CANADENSIS: This remedy acts especially in cancer of the breast, pharynx, or neck and gives rise to very marked cervical adenopathy. chronic rhino pharyngitis. Extreme sensitivity to cold.
HYDRASTIS: As good for the breast as for the stomach, Hydrastis is of great value in cancer, ulcerated or not, with progressive debility, wasting emaciation; hypochlorhydria is frequent before and during the phase of gastric cancer.
KREOSOTUM : Bleeding ulcerations, vegetations develop rapidly and emit a burning discharge, excoriating, fetid; such are the principal signs of Kreosote which acts especially well in cancer of the cervix.
ORNITHOGALUM: Already noted by Cooper, then used by Gisevius and other authors, especially in low potencies or material doses. This remedy has a remarkable action in the pyloroduodenal sphere whether it acts on an ulcer or an established cancer.
PHYTOLACCA: Here again is a remedy which must not be neglected in hard or scirrhous tumors, since it can soften and diminish them; or slightly malignant cancers which develop slowly (breast scirrhus) or on suspected tumors which have not yet degenerated (parotids). But it has several indisputable cases of cure to its credit. Syphilis is habitual among its antecedents. Low potencies. B. Remedies for Pain.
ARSENICUM ALBUM and NITRIC ACID, already studied among the constitutional remedies, dominate this group; the first with its burning pains, the second with its sensation of fine needles.
APIS continues the series; burning pricks as with red hot needles.
ARNICA: bruised pains. Especially useful in breast adenoma following traumatism. The adenoma may or may not be degenerated.
BRYONIA: amelioration through rest and strong pressure (especially for breast cancer which ought to be supported or bound).
CALCAREA ACETICA: many pains, often constrictive.
EUPHORBIUM: burning or lancinating pains, pustular ulcerations.
MAGNESIA PHOSPHORICA: spasmodic pains (non burning), (>) by heat.
RUTA: bruised pains, deep pains, osseous or periosteal. Intense weakness. Selective spheres, bone, periosteum, cartilage, rectum. C. Tumor Remedies.
The remedies chosen for their action on the malignant tumor itself have selective effects on a tissue or organ. Let us study here preferably the tissue reserving for drainage and canalization the indications of visceral affinities of these vegetables and minerals.
SILICEA: constitutional remedy which acts on the connective and interstitial tissues; satellites are Silicic acid, praised by Fargas; Calcarea silicata (emaciation, sensitive to cold); Lapis albus so useful in simple uterine fibromas with adhesions (Calcium silico-fluoride).
BARYTA CARBONICA: acts also on the sclerosed or indurated tissues, especially in breast adenomas, degenerated or not; Arum metallicum, Aurum arsenicum and Aurum muriaticum natronatum and Plumbum iodatum, all act especially on the indurated, scirrhous, non-vegetating forms.
SELENIUM is also praised here; debility, wasting, possible tendency to sarcomas.
Let us not forget the Calcareas which act on the lymphatic glands; Calcarea fluorica has a double action, connective tissues and glands.
On osseous tissue: Silicea, Aurum, Ruta (which also acts in rectal cancer) and especially Symphytum.
D. Several Minerals and Acids. Secondly, different mineral slats and acids have been proposed in the treatment of cancer with variable results, most often negative. Let us rapidly enumerate after Nitric acid, which has already been studied and is of value: Acetic acid, used internally and externally by W. Owens; Carbolic acid, whose sudden pains are terrible, the discharges putrid; this remedy acts well, especially in ulcerating cancer of the uterine cervix; Formic acid, used in low potencies, 3x and 4x. and is as good in cancer as in deforming rheumatism.
After Calcarea iodata, Calcarea oxalica, Kali iodatum, Kali arsenicum, Kali cyanatum. Plumbum iodatum-already cited above- let us indicate Cinnabaris, the value of which Dr. LeTellier recently pointed out to me when used in the 3c. alternating with Thuja 6 in the cancroids of the face (following his personal practice, after having observed a case of Dr. Conan, Sr.). Carboneum sulphuratum is also useful in neuritis and paralyses; Ova tosta used for the cancer pains and warts; Arsenicum bromatum in the indurated tumors with weakness and eruptive or ulcerating tendency; Antimonium chloridum in mucosal cancers with great prostration. E. Other Remedies. GALIUM APARINE: Incomplete pathogenesis. Ulcerated cancers and nodular tumors of the skin and tongue developing on the surface. Acts also on the urinary organs (urinary lithiasis).
FULIGO LIGNI: Useful in epitheliomata of the skin and for irritated mucosa, especially uterus and scrotum. Related to Kreosotum.
HOANG-NAN: Exhaustion and vertigo. Capable of ameliorating the fetidity and haemorrhages of cancer by causing an improvement in the general condition. Related to Arsenicum album.
CINNAMONUM: Pain, haemorrhage, fetidity. Should act especially in uterine cancer.
ANANTHERUM: Ulcerated cancers, inflamed lymphatic glands. Induration of breasts or tongue or uterine cervix.
CHOLINE: Alkaloid of Taraxacum used by Adam-kiewicz. Taraxacum is a good drainer of the precancerous state through its action on the liver.
CHOLESTERINUM: In hepatic cancer.
EOSINE: Burning pains of cancer, according to Woodbury.
RADIUM BROMIDE: Weakness, vertigo, tendency to cutaneous epitheliomata.
X-RAYS: According to Dr. Chiron these two remedies antidote each other. Radium bromide antidotes the bad effects of X- irradiation in a patient who has been treated too intensely. Likewise the x-rays antidote the unfortunate effects of radium in patients who have been treated by it.
We will note in a general way that all these medicaments ought to be employed in low potencies, occasionally even in material doses, in mother tincture for the vegetables. A number of them will also be used in local applications. The indefiniteness of their pathogenic indications will have to be compensated little by little through clinical experience, and especially by new experimentation to be carried out in the future.
Bernoville was a major lecturer in homeopathy, and he was active in Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis, and a founder of the le Syndicat national des médecins homœopathes français in 1932, and a member of the French Society of Homeopathy, and the Society of Homeopathy in the Rhone.
Fortier-Bernoville wrote several books, including Une etude sur Phosphorus (1930), L'Homoeopathie en Medecine Infantile (1931), his best known Comment guerir par l'Homoeopathie (1929, 1937), and an interesting work on iridology, Introduction a l'etude de l'Iridologie (1932).
With Louis-Alcime Rousseau, he wrote several booklets, including Diseases of Respiratory and Digestive Systems of Children, Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic Rheumatism, treatment of hay fever (1929), The importance of chemistry and toxicology in the indications of Phosphorus (1931), and Homeopathic Medicine for Children (1931). He also wrote several short pamphlets, including What We Must Not Do in Homoeopathy, which discusses the logistics of drainage and how to avoid aggravations.
He was an opponent of Kentian homeopathy and a proponent of drainage and artificial phylectenular autotherapy as well.