This case, involving the most intense suffering, was the result of a violent accident, that of being trampled upon by a spirited horse. While visiting the farm of Chancellor Nicholson of Dover, Del., he invited my attention to his farmer who was suffering at that time from the following symptoms:
Rheumatism in left side, no pain elsewhere, worse in hands to wrists and knees to hips. Pain like a knife sticking in him, had not had such an attack for a long time. Agg. in bed, can’t sleep for the pain.
Does not feel sleepy, gets mad because he cannot sleep.
Gets stiff all over when sits or lies down.
Amel. from pressure or moving about.
Having learned that Mrs. Nicholson had given Rhus about the 30th potency after the accident, and that it had worked well, and the symptoms seeming to agree, I gave him one dose of Rhus. mm on Oct. 27, 1897. This had only a temporary effect, as will be seen by the following letter from the Chancellor:
SYMPTOMS OF R R E
Dec. 1, 1897
Since the days of his apprenticeship in a Vienna Brewery he has been a very poor sleeper.
Immediately after taking your last powder he slept for four or five nights, “better than in all his life,” say four or five hours of good sleep each night. Since then has not slept at all. Says positively that in the whole time, day and night put together, he has not been asleep two hours. His eyes wide open all night long except when he holds his hands over them. Has waking dreams all day. Sees and talks with his father, and with me. Sees what he reads all over the world, particularly military scenes, such as battles in Cuba, etc. (He served through Franco- Prussian War in the Bavarian cavalry.)
Is very nervous and startles at any sound during the night, “not scared exactly, but nervous all over down to the tips of his fingers.” This is something very novel to him.
Has nearly the whole time what he calls a “humming in his ears,” usually not very loud, “like a bumble-bee in a hollow board.” If he gets up very slowly and carefully he escapes this. With the loud “humming” a pain comes across the top of his head from ear to ear running back to the point where the hair centers.
Pain in his head comes when he lies down, on the side he is lying on. On account of this he always lies on his back with his head propped high. This pain goes away when he sits up or stands. His forehead always feels very heavy, and frequently at the top of it, on the left hand side, he has a sharp throbbing pain for a little while. About eighteen months ago my big colt trampled on his head about this place. His memory has been bad ever since then and he has had great suffering with his head at the injured point especially.
He sweats very easily and profusely, which makes him feel cold and take cold very frequently in his ordinary outdoor work.
His breast is now very sore to the touch in the region of the ribs and breast bones, the muscles apparently.
He seems tireless in his work, says he feels no fatigue when he works all day long and is full of restless energy. Have noticed frequently of late a wild look in his eyes.
The terrible sleeplessness in the one symptom upon which he himself dwells, and which he tells me “his wife says is driving him crazy.”
He drinks coffee three times a day, but says that if you direct him to stop it he will not miss it. Has very little appetite. Is habitually a small eater and the sight of any large quantities of food on the table is so repulsive to him that it makes it impossible for him to eat anything.
If these symptoms do not clearly indicate a remedy, please let me know and I will send him up to you, provided you think his condition serious.
On these symptoms I sent, to be taken once, one powder of Natrum-sulph. 20 m.
On December 28th the following report was received:
“Effect of last powder is amazing; patient sleeps well and looks like another man. The wrinkles are smoothed out and his eyes are mild and youthful. Two days after the powder he was worse, but he later became sleepy and then sleep came normally.”.
In 1881, Kent accepted a position as professor of anatomy at the Homeopathic College of Missouri, an institution with which he remained affiliated until 1888. In 1890, Kent moved to Pennsylvania to take a position as Dean of Professors at the Post-Graduate Homeopathic Medical School of Philadelphia. In 1897 Kent published his magnum opus, Repertory of the Homœopathic Materia Medica. Kent moved to Chicago in 1903, where he taught at Hahnemann Medical College.