With this reserve it is, however, necessary that very often we may get clear preventive effects thanks to Homoeopathy in Parkinson’s disease. Actually it is thought that almost all the syndromes of Parkinson’s disease, thought not all, should be considered as the sequelae of an encephalitis. But an encephalitis well treated homoeopathically will not be followed by a Parkinsonian state. This is quite clear according to our personal practice.
On the other hand, the modern life, continual trepidations, obliging the nervous system a continual overwork for which it is good to fight not only by putting the subject to rest every-time when it is possible but also by giving him some well indicated remedies such as Ignatia, Gelsemium, Nux vomica, and specially Argentum nitricum which are to be placed in the first rank of the preventive remedies of the Parkinson’s disease when the patient is always in haste and since sometimes is running with the clock.
Before studying the Homoeopathic treatment common to sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, let us compare the two diseases, giving as we pass on the names of the remedies that are the most indicated by their symptoms.
Multiple Scleroses:
Anatomo-pathology (Plumbum).
No trembling in rest.
Trembling during work (Phosphorus, Argentum nitricum: very emotive, always hasty, Zincum: Pains and spasms, Oxalic acid: Violent pains). Slow tremblings: Six to seven oscillations per second, growing amplitude while working, vertigo.
Apoplectiform attacks.
Occular troubles ( Kali phosphoricum, Magnesia phosphoricum).
Increased reflexes ( Lathyrus sativus).
Sometimes spasmodic paralysis.
Periodic remission.
Parkinson’s Disease:
Anatomo-pathology.
Permanent tremblings in rest. Stops while sleeping, diminishes while standing and in movement (Physostigma).
Slow tremblings, 4 to 5 oscillations per second.
Weak amplitude, coordinated, movement simulating the execution, infinitely repeated voluntary movements.
More and more muscular rigidity (Sarcolactic acid).
Salivation (Mercurius).
Continued evolution.
Treatment:
First of all we must think of the five metals and their salts; Silver, Lead, Manganese, Mercury and Zincum met.
Argentum Nitricum. A good remedy of multiple sclerosis. Trembling of the legs. Tremblings aggravated by the least motion, Tremblings followed by numbness of the hands and feet.
The patient is always in haste, Mania for haste.
This medicine should act in the beginning of multiple scleroses when there is the mania for hastiness ( A remedy of contemporary times and of civilisation, of city life full of trepidations and stress).
Pressing pains (Arms, body and legs).
Plumbum: From anatomo-pathological point of view it reproduces exactly the lesions of multiple scleroses and it intoxication in the tremblings, paralysis and atrophies of the muscles, but it does not act in old sclerosis or sclerosis in evolution. It can only check the progress. Paralytic weakness of the limbs, very great muscular atrophies. Trembling of the legs.
Manganum: Boy has shown the similarity of the intoxication with Parkinson’s disease. The German doctors insist on this remedy. It is also used in dementia precocce. I have used in Parkinson’s disease always with failure.
The patient walks bending forward. Runs after his centre of gravity. Degeneration, pseudo-sclerosis.
Rigidness cramps.
Congested face like a mask.
Bulbar paralysis of workers working with manganese.
Mercurius: Almost “forgotten” by most authors in books of therapeutics. Actions on salivation ( if often aggravates salivation) Tremblings flax swollen tongue, imprint of teeth on the borders. Humid mouth with thirst.
Zincum: Incessant movements of the legs and feet. Tremblings of the legs. Lumber weakness, weakness of the legs while walking. Paralysis of the bladder. Loss of muscular power. Violent tremblings and numbness. Painful tensions of muscles during movements.
Zincum phosphoricum and Zincum oxydatum: Sexual excitation.
Zincum Picricum: Has been very much praised (Medical century). Because of the process of degeneration, Phosphorus should be thought of and also of its compounds which are to be placed in the first rank.
Phosphorus: Cerebral paralysis. Trembling of hands, numbness, weakness. Weakness with tremblings by the least movement. Degeneration and necrosis.
A remedy of senile tremblings.
Kali phosphoricum: Paralytic weakness of extremities, aggravated by exercise. Occular troubles, ptosis, weak eye sight.
Magnesia Phosphoricum: Intense pain. Amelioration by heat. Misty of eye sight.
Strychnia Phosphoricum: It is a very good remedy (Royal). Weakness, stiffness, irregular pulse. Hypertrophy of heart.
Phosphoric acid: Great weakness after sorrow.
Among the remedies of mineral origin there is a very important remedy for pains resulting out of lesions of sclerosis of nerves.
Oxalic acid: Violent lancinating pains in electric shocks (Kalmia), on localised points (Kali bichromicum); periodical pains with periodic remissions.
Sclerosis of nerves. Tremblings of legs. Numbness of fingers and toes. Prostration and muscular atrophies.
Oxalic acid may be a remedy of multiple sclerosis but in my opinion it does not act in Parkinson’s disease.
Among the vegetables we have Lathyrus Sativus and Physostigma (contains Eserine).
Lathyrus sativus: A remedy of athetosis. Action on the pyramidal tract. Lateral amyotrophic paralysis. Affects the antero-lateral chords of the marrow (lathyrism).
No pain: Spasmodic paralysis with exaggerated reflexes.
Physostigma: Insecurity while walking, specially with closed eyes or in darkness (Alumina). Must have a sick.
Fibrillar tremblings: Spinal degeneration; palpitations, weak pulse. Total loss of power of the muscles of the extremities. Has some action on Parkinson’s disease; acts rather on multiple scleroses. The other remedies from the vegetable kingdom are less important. Let us consider Strychninum, Nux vomica and Ignatia.
Strychninum: This remedy is to be tried in these diseases. We have obtained beautiful cures of cramps of writers which are often related to medullar troubles and are similar to some localised sclerosis. The spasms are intense; muscular contraction are often painful.
Compare with Strychnia phosphoricum.
Nux vomica: It should be used as a ground remedy basing on its general symptoms.
Ignatia: To be used like Nux vomica on the totality of symptoms.
Hyoscyamus: Very marked spasms, with troubles of sleep and of the mind specially when there is persecution mania.
Scopolamine: An alkaloid of Hyoscyamus. Generally used by the Allopaths in gross doses in Parkinson’s disease when there is a mechanical irritation of nerves. Its use in lower dilutions is preferable.
Hypericum perfoliatum: Goldsborough speaks highly of this medicine in Parkinson’s disease when there exists mechanical irritation of nerves. The author uses it systematically.
Agaricus muscarius: In some forms of sclerosis Agaricus is to be placed in the first rank, specially for choreic tremblings with stiffness and in rheumatic pains of the limbs. The patient complains of palpitation and has rapid, weak and irregular pulse.
To these cases the habitual remedies of sclerosis are to be prescribed: Aurum metallicum and its salts. Baryta carbonica, or Baryta muriatica, Plumbum metallicum and its salts, Iodium, Silicea. Finally we must insist on Phosphorus and its compounds of which the indications are quite rational in the diseases where the lesions of tissues are preceded by sclerosis.
Nosodes: Finally, because it is necessary always to give a Homoeopathic etiological treatment as in all other methods of therapeutics. We should not forget to try the nosodes in relation to the affection in cause. The Tuberculins. Particularly, Denys, T.R., Syphilinum, everytime when acquired or hereditary syphilis is suspected and Medorrhinum which is very little thought of. In the pathogenesis of this remedy tremblings of disseminated sclerosis are seen.
As a result of old gonorrhoea, or suppressed gonorrhoea the sycotic condition may set in, which may cause in some persons a predisposition to sclerosis of the nerve tissues.
Vaccinations may also give rise to such results.
If we want to get more appreciable results in the future in the treatment of these affections, it will be necessary to re-study the Materia Medica on a really scientific basis, always searching for the evolution of slow intoxications in the animal and studying in a deep manner the medico-legal toxicology, particularly among workers slowly poisoned by such and such substances. We must not lose hope. We will always try to advance our doctrine even when we stumble against obstacle of this type.
Zincum: Incessant movements of the legs and feet. Tremblings of the legs. Lumber weakness, weakness of the legs while walking. Paralysis of the bladder. Loss of muscular power. Violent tremblings and numbness. Painful tensions of muscles during movements.
Zincum phosphoricum and Zincum oxydatum: Sexual excitation.
Zincum picricum: Has been very much praised (Medical century). Because of the process of degeneration, Phosphorus should be thought of and also of its compounds which are to be placed in the first rank.
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.