Seventeen years before I saw him he had had a “boil” form near the anus, and ever since then after great exertion he had a recurrence of anal abscess and fistula. The last time was eight months before. It bled much but had never formed again, and since that time his indigestion had been worse. He had been a great smoker, but for ten months had not smoked at all.
When he came to me he was having attacks every week of violent vomiting. In two minutes he would vomit as much as a gallon of fluid, sour or sweet. The least exertion caused him to vomit. There was pain, though not severe, in the stomach, and great thirst. The stomach I found to be considerably dilated, the spleen somewhat enlarged, and there were some enlarged glands in the groin.
The tongue was dirty; often there was a bad taste, and the mouth was clammy and sticky in the morning. Up till ten years before, the bowels had been regular, but since then has had constipation, which he has taken purgatives to relieve. The piles were not painful, but bled, and at times came down. He had cramp in the calves, and cold, dry feet. Sleep was restless. He took long to go off, and waked early in the morning. He was very irritable and wished to be left alone.
I gave him Sulphur 30 three times a day, and told him to take no purgatives, but to use enemata if necessary.
In a month he reported himself very much better, and it was plain to see that he was quite a different man. He had much fewer attacks, and those that came were less severe. He had been able to eat meat again without discomfort, though he had been subsisting on porridge and gruel chiefly before. The excessive thirst had gone, and though the constipation remained, the piles were very much better. The urine, which had been thick and offensive, was now normal. Sleeps better, though he still wakes at 4 a.m. Sulphur 30 twice a day, and Nux v. at bedtime.
In another month still further improvement was apparent. He had filled out to such an extent that he did not all belie his photograph. He complained chiefly of his appetite being too good, being most hungry in the afternoons. At times the thirst returned, and he had flatulence sometimes. There was still a tendency to early waking.
Lycopodium was now given, and that completed the cure.
Now this was a decidedly constitutional case. The indigestion was only one manifestation of his ailment, and this became worse when the fistula healed. The fistula and the indigestion were not two complaints –but one; and only deeply acting constitutional remedies, homoeopathically related to all affected parts of the organism, could have cured the patient. Severe measures, such as surgical treatment of the piles, or acids or alkalies to correct the state of the stomach, though sanctified by the approval of the highest scientific authority in the old school, is the merest cobbling work, and no true cure at all.
CASE XX.-A CHRONIC CASE
ARISING FROM AN IMPROPERLY
TREATED SKIN AFFECTION-
Sulphur, Nux moschata.
This patient was a clerk in the City in the early twenties, and he complained of having had indigestion twelve months. It came on suddenly one day after taking tea, and he could not account for it in any way. His principal symptom was that his food lay like a weight at the umbilical region. Sour eructations, and rising into the throat of bits of the last food taken. Bad taste in the mouth at times; good appetite; takes rather much salt. Thirsty after dinner, which he takes in the evening, and which is the meal which gives most trouble. Spirits low; headache occasionally. Sleepy after meals. Prefers cold weather, but always feels cold and is sensitive to draughts. Is a total abstainer and a non-smoker.
Sulph. 30 ter die.
A fortnight later he reported himself as much better, and for several weeks under Pulsatilla, Lycopodium, and Sulph. the improvement went on with fluctuations.
One day he mentioned, among other symptoms, that his saliva was very thick, like cotton.
Rx. Nux mosch. 30 ter die for a week, to be followed with Sulph. 30 for the next week.
Whilst taking the Nux moschata the symptoms of indigestion vanished; but, to quote his own words, “singularly enough, the same eruption appeared as existed before I had the indigestion.” The Sulph. rather sent matters back this time, so I gave Nux mosch. again.
I now for the first time obtained the history of the eruption.
It was one of acne, which had been “cured” by local applications. In other words, the complaint had been driven from his skin to his internal organs.
He was subject to eruptions when young Shaving was now difficult, the skin being so tender. Carbo animalis put that right. The Nux moschata made him less chilly, and he did not require much medicine after these had done their work.
Rheumatic dyspepsia will find its specifics in Bryonia, Kali bichromicum (especially where rheumatic pains and dyspeptic symptoms alternate), or Sulphur. The psoric individual will require very careful treating. The medicine of the widest range in the treatment of these cases is Sulphur, but the symptoms will require close study and accurate comparison with the symptoms of the drugs in order to find the drug that most closely corresponds. For the hydrogenoid or sycotic constitution, in which the patient suffers intermittently from indigestion, with other symptoms, worse on every change of the weather, and especially when the air is damp and cold, Arsen., Nux vomica, Ipecac., and Natrum mur. will be found most useful according to the indications given in the Materia Medica.
