General symptoms
Like Lachesis, and many other well known polychrests in the Materia Medica, this remedy met most violent opposition from ignorance and prejudice. It was for years looked upon as one of the novelties or delusions of those who believed in and used the dynamic remedy; yet its wonderful therapeutic powers have slowly but surely overcome every obstacle.
It was successfully used by Dioscorides, Rhasis and Pliny in ancient times, and Sextus recommended it for the removal of the fetus. Sammonicus and Sextus praise it in photophobia, otitis and other affections of the eye and ear. Pliny claimed that it cured ulceration of the internal os. It was then used as an antidote to many deadly poisons.
The use of the remedy was revived by Reisig, of New York, who, while traveling in Europe, heard it lauded as a remedy for throat disease, and on his return used it successfully in an epidemic of malignant diphtheria. He called the attention of Bayard, Wells and Swan to the wonderful results he obtained during that epidemic, and induced them to give it a trial.
Reisig potentized it to the 17th cent., from which the potencies of Swan and Fincke were prepared. The profession is indebted to the indefatigable labor of Swan for its provings, which were made from the 30th, 200th and higher potencies, and published in a small volume by Swan and Berridge, from which it was published in the Medical Advance. The provings of this remedy have placed it among the polychrests of our school and verified and confirmed the clinical accuracies the observers of ancient times.
Cases
THE WORK OF AN ARTIST.
Dr. Wm. P. Wesselhoeft says: No more appropriate tribute can be paid to the memory of Dr. Adolph Lippe than to show his great sagacity in the application of medicine in disease. It was not only his great knowledge of the finer and more subtle indications for remedies, as given in our Materia Medica, or his judicious examination of patients, which made him an acknowledged master of our art, but mainly that freer and winder application of our law which elevated him to the sphere of the true artist. His readiness and rapidity in getting at the gist of symptoms, even in the most complicated case, could never be called careless or hasty. It reminded me of the words of an eminent artist, who said: “The chief difficulty with most painters is that they see too much, and in seeing too much they get confused with endless detail, which leaves their work without character, and they have little to show for their pains.
He knew the value of our art so well that the common places of every disease were almost instinctively avoided by him, and he never lost time in noting worthless signs, always looking and finding with unusual rapidity the salient points in the case before him. He heeded and lived up to the greatest thought of the master: “The physician’s business is only with patients, not with diseases.”
The cure of the following case will demonstrate what I mean by a freer and wider application of our law of cure: I had treated the patient more than eighteen months without improvement, except that his great liability to taking cold had become less.
I copy from my record, taken December, 1881.
G. R., aged forty-five, light brunette, married ten years, general appearance healthy.
For six years has had no discharge of semen during coitus.
Occasionally nocturnal emissions.
Erections usually weak, give out during coitus.
Burning in perineum, worse after going to bed, and when thinking of it.
Drawing pains in testicles, with sensation of weakness of genitals.
Occasionally itching, dry eruptions in crotch and inner upper surface of thighs and anus.
With the sensation of weakness of genitals his eyes feel weak Very sensitive to cold and changes of atmosphere.
Takes cold easily, usually affecting nose and throat first with dryness, then with watery catarrh and sneezing, or he has aching pains in different parts of the body and limbs, changing location frequently.
Twenty years ago had African fever.
Never had gonorrhea, syphilis, or other eruptions than those mentioned above.
All other functions normal.
While on a visit to Philadelphia he applied to Dr. Lippe, at my advice.
Dr. Lippe wrote me the following letter: “I find that your patient had diphtheria about ten years ago, and was treated with inappropriate mercurials and gargles by Dr. The character of the attack was that it went from one side to the other and finally back again to the original side. Great weakness, almost paralytic, followed the attack, and he thinks he has never regained his full vigor and usual strength since this illness. His acute cold has always the character of shifting pains and change of location. I have given him a dose of Lac caninum CM., which may be required to be followed by a dose of Pulsatilla.”
Suffice it to say that my patient never needed the suggested dose of Pulsatilla.
In three months after his visit to Philadelphia his wife was pregnant. She has since borne two remarkably healthy children.
As far as we know Lac caninum has no sexual weakness. That fact disturbed Dr. Lippe very little in his selection. He looked deeper and found the cause and the remedy. This is true homoeopathic pathology. All the knowledge in the world of the special pathology of this case could not have revealed, the remedy to anyone. To the homoeopathic artist, however, it was revealed, and a man regained his manhood an became the father of two children, after ten years of impotence.
Mrs. J. E. B., aged 29, blonde. For a week has felt a sense of impending illness; weary, languid, depressed.
Sleepless, restless, frequent turning, because bed felt so hard.
Fever at 2 P.M. continued all night; chilly on movement; cheeks flushed and hot.
Soreness of entire body; “aches all over.”
Throat dry, with thirst for cold drinks, which relieve.
Profuse saliva; slightly viscid and salty, wetting the pillow during sleep; frequent swallowing.
Throat sharp pains on swallowing agg. right side, neck sensitive externally.
Pain and soreness begun on right side, extended to left.
Tonsils swollen, red, shining, membrane light yellow in color, most on right side, in diffused points size of pin head, but looking like lid of a pepper box; 25 or 30 points on right tonsil, about one-half as many on left. Points and larger irregular patches on posterior and pillars of pharynx.
Offensive breath, characteristic of the graver forms of diphtheria: Lac caninum 45 m., one dose.
The following symptoms, not in the pathogenesis, were cured: Sensation as if bed were too hard; chill on movement; aching all over; great fatigue; desire for and relief from cold drinks.
Stuart Close.
Tommie H. -: About three weeks succeeding the manifestation of diphtheritic disease in the case reported to the Society in which Lac caninum CM. proved curative I was consulted for a condition of paralysis of the muscles of the neck, which has become quite marked, so much as to cause a falling forwards of the head so that it rests on the upper portion of the sternum. There is return of fluid through the nose, and an evident weakness of the muscles of the upper part of the back. Phosphorus on general principles.
August 6th. – His father brings the boy back in a much worse conditions. Three weeks after recovery from diphtheria: Paralysis of muscles of the neck, quite marked, so as to cause a falling forwards of the head until it rested upon the manubrium. Fluids return through the nose, and marked weakness of muscles of the upper part of the back. The paralysis becomes more pronounced, with staggering when walking; stiffness and soreness of the muscles of the neck. After Phosphorus and Rhus, though apparently well indicated, had failed, one dose of Lac caninum cured the diphtheria and amel. the paralysis – Baker.
Characteristics
For nervous, restless, highly sensitive organisms.
Symptoms erratic, pains constantly flying from one part to another [Kali bichromicum, Pulsatilla, Tuberculinum]; changing from side to side every few hours or days.
Very forgetful, absent-minded; makes purchases and walks away without them [Agnus, Anacardium, Causticum, Nat.].
In writing, uses too many words or not the right ones; omits final letter or letters in a word; cannot concentrate the mind to read or study; very nervous [Bovista, Graphites, Lachesis, Nat-c., Sepia].
Despondent, hopeless; thinks her disease incurable; has not a friend living; nothing worth living for; could weep at any moment [Actea, Aurum, Calcarea, Lachesis].
Cross irritable; child cries and screams all the time, especially at night [Jal., Nux vomica, Psorinum].
Fears to be alone [Kali carb.]; of dying [Arsenicum]; of becoming insane [Lilium]; of falling down stairs [Borax] Chronic “blue” condition; everything seems so dark that it cannot grow any darker [Lycopodium, Pulsatilla, Psorinum].
Attacks of rage, cursing and swearing at slightest provocation [Lilium tigrinum, Nat., ac.]; intense ugliness; hateful.
