Cases
CC Suppressed Menstruation. CC
(14) Case. – Emma G., aged about 30 years. Has been an invalid for years, under the care of an allopathic gynaecologist, who treated her for ulceration of the cervix. He had succeeded in healing the ulcers by local cauterizations, etc., but the canal had become so narrow that for a year he had been obliged to introduce a catheter to draw off the menstrual fluid. Finally it became so closed that he could not introduce the instrument at all. Then the patient passed another year having great pain and fullness in the uterine region at every period, which confined her to the bed for days, but no appearance of the menses. I was called to the case and prescribed Pulsatilla routinely.
Visited her when she was due the next month. Found her suffering as usual, and no relief in any way from the remedy.
Then I sat down and wrote out her case in toto.
I found a history decidedly scrofulous or psoric, and among a quite long list of symptoms the following:
Frequent flashes of heat all over the body followed by sweat and debility.
Much burning of the feet, has to put them out of bed.
Weak, faint spells, especially in the forenoon.
These with the psoric history decided the prescription.
I gave her Sulphur c. m. (Fincke), a powder, dry on the tongue, once a week ( Sac lac. in solution between), with a promise that I would come up the next time when she was due, and if she was no better would make an examination. So when the time came I took my wife and went up prepared to do so.
Found the patient instead of upstairs in her bed as usual down in the parlor entertaining some lady friends who were calling.
She came out where we were, and I said, How about that examination? Oh, said she, I am so glad it is not necessary I am menstruating perfectly easy, and feel so well. She never failed afterward to menstruate regularly, and was restored to perfect health. (Nash.)
Remarks – It will be observed that the symptoms leading to this wonderful cure were not local but general, thus verifying the truth of what Charles G. Raue used to say: “That the symptoms leading to the choice of the remedy sometimes lie entirely outside of those which go to make the pathology of the case.
Gonorrhoeal strictures have been cured the same way where the general symptoms correspond with the remedy. (N.)
(15) Case. – Mrs. W., age 25 years, married, and has two children: the last was born fifteen months before I saw her, from which time she has suffered from profuse yellow leucorrhoea with violent pruritus vulvae; worse at night. She has at the same time great bearing down of womb, perfectly incapacitating her from Standing or walking or doing her household duties, such as ironing and washing.
Most violent chronic headaches, of a throbbing and tensive character, and arising from the least worry or fatigue, with habitual constipation. Has been under allopathic treatment two years without benefit. The keynotes to the cure were as follows: Heat and pressure on vertex; throbbing and tension; headaches more or less constant and worse before the menses; worried by trifles, and memory impaired. Flushing of face; fainting spells without cause; sinking, empty, exhausted, craving for food; worse at eleven o’clock in the forenoon; intense icy cold feet; worse when the head is bad.
Sulphur, one millionth potency (Boericke), in one dose of five pellets, cured permanently every symptom, constipation, leucorrhoea and sensation of prolapsus included and without repetition. (Skinner.) The italics are mine. (N.)
CC Diarrhoea. CC
(16) Case. – I., aged 12 months, had had diarrhoea for nearly a month. Her flesh was soft and flabby; open fontanelles; tongue coated white at the back. She was thirsty and drank a good deal of milk and water. The diarrhoea was worse in the morning, beginning about 4 A.M., continuing more or less until the afternoon. It was dark yellow, watery, occasionally greenish white mucus, coming with a gush early in the morning, almost involuntarily during the day when standing. Child cried a little before bowels were moved. There was also a cough, worse on lying down at night, sometimes causing her to vomit; child slept with eyes only half closed.
The patient’s appearance suggested Calcarea carb., which was prescribed; no benefit resulting, Sulphur 6 was given; the italicized symptoms being very characteristic of the drug. The diarrhoea ceased, and her health greatly improved in a few days; no other remedy being need. (A.E. Hawkes.)
Remarks. – This case shows that the symptoms may indicate some other remedy in an apparently Calcarea carb. temperament. But generally the temperament will correspond with the symptoms. (N.)
CC Chorea. CC
(17) Case. – Chorea of eight years’ standing, affecting right side only excepting the face, all the muscles of which were affected. Ignatia and Causticum failed. Sepia 55,000 and 1,00,000 relieved for a few days each, but Sulph. 6,000 given on account of “weak, faint, hungry spells” about 10 A.M. was followed by immediate improvement. (Goodno.)
CC Deafness. CC
(18) Case. – Mrs. A., age forty – nine, deaf in right ear for twenty years, in left ear for five years. Hears no conversation except upon a high key, and that only when very near. Sensation of heavy pressure and heat at the vertex, extending to both ears with soreness of the brain. Soles burn at night, hot flushes on the face followed by cold sweat; constipation, faintness at 10 or 11 A.M. Sulphur 300 for twelve days, with but little improvement. Sulphur 6,000 was followed by restoration of left ear and relief from soreness and pressure at the vertex. The hearing in the right ear was slowly restored. (Hoyne.)
CC Metrorrhagia. CC
(19) Case. – Was called to visit Mrs. -, aet. fifty – two, June 6, 1879. Found she had been suffering from metrorrhagia, constipation and concomitants for about ten years. She stated that her medical adviser had always been an allopath. He who last attended her, after a protracted and unsuccessful trial of his individual skill, had accompanied her to New York to consult a now emeritus professor of surgery of an allopathic medical college, who had made for himself an enviable reputation as an operating surgeon. The emeritus professor, after obtaining a history of the case and making his examinations, endeavored to console the lady by informing her that his wife was in about the same condition as herself; that he sent her to this retreat and that watering place, all of which resulted in little if any benefit; and intimated that she might, if she thought well of it, do the same.
She concluded not to think well of it, and so returned as she went, like the door upon its hinges, unprofited.
Her physician, after an attendance of several years, during which his patient became gradually worse, abandoned the case. She had the assurance, however to inform me that if he had only persevered in his attendance she supposed he would have relieved her.
She gave me to understand, moreover, that it was at the instance of some of her friends that I had been called, and not because she had any confidence in Homoeopathy.
Her metrorrhagia, which had been exceedingly prostrating and annoying in many ways from its incipiency, had continued constantly for the last six months with the exception of two weeks, and was of a passive or active character, accompanied by very little pain.
At times it consisted of a slight oozing, the discharge presenting a dark appearance; at others it passed in considerable gushes, and was a bright red color, with very few clots.
To procure alvine evacuation, it was her custom to resort to enemata or cathartics. She complained bitterly of painful haemorrhoids. Her general appearance was bloated, and her extremities oedematous. She had an annoying bearing down sensation, especially when on the feet, so that she moved about with difficulty. She had occasional stitches from right to left, across the epigastrium, and was quite sensitive to a jolt or jar.
The symptoms which led to the selection of the similimum were the following: Frequent hot flushes to the face; feet habitually cold or burning soles. (feet so cold she must sit with them in the oven of the kitchen stove, or soles so hot at night that she must put them from under the bed covers to cool them.) Heat in the vertex. An empty, faint sensation at the epigastrium about 11 A.M., rendering it necessary to partake of some food. Unable to lie on the left side of back; must lie on the right side. (Lying on the left side was followed by intolerable unrest, on the back by nightmare.) Drinks much, eats little.
During treatment the importance of keeping quiet was not enjoyed upon the patient, but she was allowed to exert herself in any way she deemed proper, nor was she restricted in the least in regard to her diet.
A few pellets of Sulph. m. m. were given her dry on the tongue, June 6, 1876, and the dose was not repeated nor any other remedy given for four months. As she had been subjected for many years to allopathic dosing, she was provided with the usual placebo, with direction to take three pellets at night if she felt that she needed them. She was also directed to call me at any time if warranted by any change in her symptoms. On the 6th of October, 1876, being in the immediate vicinity of her residence, I called on my patient to ascertain particulars, having heard, incidentally only, that she was better. She soon presented herself, exhibiting an appearance very different from that of four months previously. Her first exclamation was, “Under God I am indebted to you for my restoration to health.” She further stated,”A week after commencing the medicine the haemorrhage ceased, and has not returned. At the time the haemorrhage disappeared my bowels became regular in their evacuations, and have remained so. My painful haemorrhoids have ceased to exist. At my monthly periods menstruate normally for two or three days.” I inquired, “What about your other symptoms? She replied, “Oh, the hot flushes to my face, my cold feet or burning soles, the all – gone feeling at the stomach about 11 o’clock A.M., the inability to lie on the left side or back, the disposition to drink frequently and largely, and not being able to eat much have all disappeared and I really feel as if I could not be sufficiently grateful.” (L. Shafer, M. D.)
