Hahnemann observed that Nux vomica was a useful remedy for “the evil consequences of coffee and wine drinking” and since than Nux vomica had been extensively used for the after effects of drugs in general. Pulsatilla has been found effective in treating patients upset by iron. Nat. mur., and other remedies have been used to counteract the effects of prolonged drugging with quinine in malarious districts.
Thus certain relationships have been established between constitution and the influences of drugs. As a rule constitutional treatment can deal with the after-effects of drugs once the drug has been excreted. There are also many records of drug effects being antidoted by the same drug given in potency. It is better to prescribe constitutionally first, as a potency of the drug may work dramatically or not at all. It is interesting that the same applies to the nosodes of acute infection in respect of ill health following an acute illness as already mentioned.
Dr. Charles C. Bowes related a cases in which a potency of the chemical responsible for the illness was successful in curing. “A child of four years falling into short spells of unconsciousness, unable to control the flow of urine day or night, was absolutely cured by a dose of Terebinth 1M. The history of the case that the child had drunk a lot of turpentine when eighteen months old and had gone from bad to worse ever since. She never had a fit after that dose and gradually but quickly got over the enuresis.”
Some years ago I treated a child suffering from an almost purely allergic type of asthma. The attacks occurred about once a week on an average. The first had been apparently caused by inhaling Sulphur fumes. In this case the constitutional remedy was Sulphur which was give in the 30th, later the 200th, potency at long intervals, repeating when there was a relapse. The child was completely cured.
A woman of forty-two developed psoriasis consisting of rounded areas about 2 centimeters in diameter, widely distributed over her trunk and limbs, after treatment for tonsillitis with Sulphapyridine. Arsenicum alb. was prescribed but without any effect and a month later she was give, Sulphapyridine. 30. The psoriasis cleared up completely and had not returned six years later. Many cases of this kind have been reported in the homoeopathic literature in respected of a wide range of chemicals.,
Sometimes the chill may be affected by drugs taken by the mother. In another case previously recorded, a boy of 14 years of age was said by his teachers to be intelligent but somehow “could not use his brain.” His mother had been taking Pethidine during pregnancy of account of osteomyelitis. The boy was given Pethidine 30 and his ability to study shot up.
It is interesting to speculate on what exactly happens in such cases when the drug which had adversely influenced a patient helps dramatically when given in potency. Is it that in these successful case that drug is in fact one of the constitutional remedies for that individual, that it would have helped in any case whether the patient had had an overdose of it or not?
For some years now I have taken the “anaesthetic history” of every patient and this is occasionally very rewarding constitutional prescribing. The most definite feature which has emerged is that patients suffering from liver or gall bladder disease who have had a bad reaction to chloroform, usually benefit from chloroform in potency. Such a history is often obtainable from older patients.
It is probable that this just means that chloroform, with its known toxic effect on the liver, may be a useful “pathological” liver remedy. An infant of six months old kept her parents awake through flatulence although there was no obvious feeding mismanagement. Lycopodium and Raphanus were helpful, but the parents were getting worn out through lack of sleep despite this. The child had been born by caesarean section in 1961. and it is very unlikely that any chloroform was given. As there was a possibility of some very slight liver damage I tried Chloroform 30, and there has been no trouble for the past nine months.
A man of forty-five who had suffered from a very severe attacks of asthma for ten years responded to some extent to constitutional treatment. He been born under chloroform anaesthesia, and his mother had been greatly upset by the anaesthesia, Nat, sulph, and Lachesis, both liver remedies, had seemed to help him. He was given Chloroform 30, and later 200, and he had been practically free from asthma for over three years.
A woman of twenty complained of bouts of colicky epigastric pains which began at the age of eight. The attacks had become much more frequent and more severe during the previous year. Investigations were all negative. Colocynth 3x was found to be an effective remedy in relieving the pains, but despite careful constitutional treatment the number of attacks, about one in two weeks, was not reduced. There was a strong family history of cancer and four siblings had been helped by Carcinosin.
Carcinosin adenostum 30 was given, but without apparent effect. She was the only one of the family born under chloroform anaesthesia and on this fact, together with symptoms of liver dysfunction, Chloroform 30 was tried. The attacks cleared for three months and then returned, but not so severely. Chloroform 100 was given and followed by practically complete freedom for over years. She became pregnant, and during pregnancy the colicky pains returned quite severely. She came to see me in July 1962 and Chloroform 200 wiped out the pains.
He was the Dean of Faculty of Homeopathy London. D. M. Foubister was Assistant Physician, Diseases of Children, to the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital. Circa 1950’s. He authored the following works:
The Carcinosin Drug Pictures.
Constitutional Effects of Anaesthesia.
Homeopathy and Pediatrics.
Lac caninum.
Paediatrics
Significance of Past History in Homoeopathy.
Therapeutic Hints For Students.
Tutorials On Homeopathy.