Chronic Cases
The Homoeopathic physician must possess a complete picture of the disease which he is to cure. He is to know everything about his patient before he can give his prescription. Tracing the picture of the disease is the most difficult part of his task. This art of symptom examination requires a good deal of skill and a strong common sense. The method of examination of a chronic disease is shown below:-
A. (statement made by patient)
1. First allow the patient to describe his symptoms. Let him say what he has got to say regarding himself and his disease. He should be given sufficient time to do it. Do not be in haste. You should be alone with the patient, ask all other persons to leave the room. At the very beginning ask him to open his whole heart to you, he should narrate all facts about him without any reservation. His statement should be committed to writing.
2. When the patient has finished his story he should be allowed to leave the room. Now ask the father and mother of the patient to appear before you. Let them narrate the symptoms of the patient without exaggeration. Exaggeration is an obstacle to cure. Their statement should be carefully noted. Encourage them to give a full history of the patient from his very infancy. The past history and the present history will make a complete picture.
3. Now let them go and ask other members of the family or his relatives to come and describe his symptoms as far as they know. If necessary the neighbours should be called to make a statement about the man, his disease and character.
4. Now you are to examine each particular symptom and ask the narrator such questions as will elicit more accurate information respecting it. Ask him to answer your questions in plain words and he should speak slowly so that you can take down his answer in writing.
(B. Physicians own observation)
1. Watch carefully whether the patient is quick or slow in his movements, speaks fast or slowly and mark well the colour of his tongue, lips, face and other orifices of the body. See the condition of his hairs, nails, skin and teeth. See as much as you can with naked eyes. The eye observation is important. Here you need not ask him any question. These symptoms should be noted with care. Mark well the expression of the face, see whether it is anxious or cheerful.
2. Then comes the observation by sense of touch. Touch his feet, soles of feet, tip of toes, hands, fingers, palms of hands, finger tips, lips, face, forehead, occiput, top of head, ears, tip of tongue, and know, whether these particular parts are cold to touch or hot, whether one part is cold and another part is hot, touch the skin and feel whether it is hot or cold, rough or smooth or oily; dry or moist. Here also you need not ask him any question. Your observation should be committed to writing.
3. Observation by sense of smell. As soon as you enter the room you will probably be unable to stay there long because of an offensive smell about the patient or in the room. Now you understand that he is an offensive patient and his discharges are fetid. This is a strong indication.
4. Then examine the condition of the room in which he lies, the surroundings of the house. The position of his dwelling will give you much valuable information. Take into account the climate condition of the locality.
5. Now you are to know what he usually eats. What food he ate or what did he do or where did he go before the first invasion of the disease.
6. It is very important to discover the fundamental cause of the disease. You success will largely depend on your ability to find out the exciting cause of the disease. If you can discover the cause and remove it, your task will be easy. If the disease is caused by living on damp ground or in moist climate, send him elsewhere where the ground is dry or the climate is not moist.
If sexual excesses be responsible for the growth of the disease, such excesses should be first stopped. If excesses is eating and drinking seem to create or perpetuate the disease care should be taken to use them in moderation. If grief or disappointment seems to have caused the disease the causes of such grief or disappointment should be studied and removed.
7. Family history or personal history of syphilis, gonorrhoea, tubercular diseases, asthma, eczema, cancer, ringworm, psora, etc. Should be carefully noted.
8. Find out whether the patient was vaccinated once or every year or very frequently. See whether the present ailment was preceded by Pneumonia, Whooping cough, Pleurisy, measles, Small- pox etc.
Calcutta