Patient is a male, 28 years old at time of first visit; single; studying law at night and working in an office days.
Sept. 19, 1923: For two years he has suffered with severe headache every day, violent pain. Oculist fitted glasses 18 months ago, without > of the headache.
Family history: Negative.
Persons history: Pertussis, measles, mumps.
Formerly had much tonsillitis, not in recent years.
Slight attack of flu while in France.
Rheumatic pains in damp weather but never lay patient up.
Chest: Negative.
Gait and station: o.k.
Blood-pressure: 128-108.
Denies venereal infection.
Operated in 1922 for varicocele.
Appetite, functions, sleep: o.k.
Drinks much strong coffee.
Headaches: < excitement, irritation (but is not easily irritated).
< effort to control displeasure or irritation.
< middle of afternoon.
< if coffee is omitted or quantity reduced.
Twelve or fifteen years ago patient fell 15 or 20 feet, striking on the sacrum and probably on the back or head, for he was unconscious for a while and fainted two or three times in going from the barn to the house; did not want his parents to know he had fallen. For several months thereafter he had a severe pain in the centre of the lumbo-sacral region on running, stopping down far, or other jar. The sensation was “as if something were hanging lose.” Subsequently he indulged in all forms of athletics without difficulty.
At this visit Euphrasia was prescribed for an acute coryza and action on the chronic delayed for further observation.
Oct. 10: Headaches have been much better, daily but less severe, but a cough is present and Bry. was prescribed to meet its symptoms as well as of the headache.
Oct. 23: Very severe headache October 21-22. Pain in the temples during the day, in the occiput evenings, shifting about 3 P.M. and continuing until after retiring. Pain always > going to sleep.
Further personal history: Had ptomaine 2 years ago, + very severe headaches. Vaccination: While in high school, was effective, with severe reactions. Vaccinated many times while in the army, without taking. Thuj. 50m.1.
Dec. 8: Headaches much less frequent, very much less severity, and of shorter duration, and patient reported that his normal good disposition had returned. Patient was supplied with one dose of Thuj. 50m. to be taken p.r.n.
Dec. 18: Patient came for treatment for an acute coryza. He had had no occasion to take the dose of Thuj. with which he had been supplied Dec. 8. So instead of prescribing for the acute condition, he was given a dose of Thuj. 50.
Aug. 13, 1924: After a lapse of eight months, patient came in, suffering from an acute coryza, but reported he had had no severe headache for months. At this time he received Lac c. 2c.
May 2 and Dec. 5, 1925, patient received one dose each of Thuj. 50m. and reports to date are that he has practically completely recovered from the old trouble.
The second case is a female, 28 years old, married 32 years, never pregnant. She was never ill in bed a day in her life and never had a doctor till she was 6 years old, when she indulged in a light attack of scarlet fever. She has had measles and chicken pox, both very light. Patient was vaccinated when she started to school, and suffered a very violent reaction.
Dec. 17, 1925: Beginning about 42 years ago-pain in L. iliac region: sometimes a sensation of fullness, sometimes a sharp, stabbing pain. The pain extends through to the sacrum, with a sore spot in the spine at that level. The first attack came on very suddenly, while waiting for a train. The soreness in the back did not begin till several months later, though the pain in L. iliac had been present < or > all the intervening time.
Patient was thoroughly examined by a surgeon in Louisville last fall, who reports “no trouble at all with tube or ovary; uterus very slightly retroflexed”.
Menstrual history: Periods regular; some cramping; occasional clots, without pain. Regularly between periods patient has an attack of leucorrhoea and usually a small amount of blood, especially if the L. iliac pain is severe. These attacks last three days.
Last week, for the first time, patient had pain in the R. iliac region. The attacks of pain are precipitated by nervous shock or fright, though they may and do occur without apparent reason.
Patient has had polypi removed from the uterus.
Thuj. 50m. 1.
Jan. 11, 1926: “My side has felt just real good”. “I know I am decidedly better.” This is the time in between periods when patient usually feels bad, but has no discomfort at all, though there is a very slight discharge.
Jan. 12: Patient telephoned that the pain in pelvis had recurred, so she was sent Thuj. 50m. 1.
In February, 1926, patient had gastric ulcer, and on Feb. 8 she received Thuj. 50m. 1. Eventually the acute symptoms had to receive attention and these cleared up under Puls. 2c, after failure under Ars. 2c though it appeared to be well indicated.
May 21: PAtient reported that she been getting along splendidly: “Did not even know I had a stomach.” Three weeks earlier, she has had a permanent wave put in her hair, which was very nerve- trying. Two days later she took a two-day motor ride, covering over 300 miles, and the jarring always caused her severe discomfort to pain. The result has been recurrence of the pain in pelvis, with leucorrhoea, and more pain than usual with period, which began May 17. You will recall that patient stated that the pelvis symptoms were always induced or < by shock or fright.
Thuj. 50m. 1.
May 30: No >, so patient received another dose of Thuj. 50m.
June 9: Very much >. Patient reports that she was conscious of immediate reaction from the second dose of Thuj. 50m., given May 30, although later she apparently had some homoeopathic aggravation.
Patient is just leaving for a months trip through the West, so she was given Thuj. 50m. 1, to be taken p.r.n.
The third case is of interest chiefly because it is a pedigreed Airedale that in his old age developed warts about the genitalia which entirely disappeared under Thuja.
