She had been operated upon the year previously for appendicitis. the only venture I could make in this instance was that too often perhaps fallen back upon, namely-abdominal adhesions. the symptoms extended from left to right across the abdomen, from the left to the right hypochondrium, suffering perhaps a gall-bladder reflex, but the sensitiveness was more definitely localized in the symptoms for about one week,the pains shifted in direction from right to left,were very sharp and intermitting. There was slight fever, rapid pulsed, redness of the face,and extreme sensitiveness and hyperaesthesia of the abdomen. Belladonna 1M was then given, and the a patient was quickly relieved, and, sop far as I can ascertain,there has been no return during the past nine or ten months.
CASE VI-BRYONIA IN APPENDICEAL ABSCESS.
The case here given was than of a grand-aunt,in her eighty- second year, who became suddenly ill with severe abdominal pains, on the evening of March eighth, in the present year. She has had a good many similar attacks which had been diagnosed (and rightly) by Dr.Richard S.True,her former physician,as appendicitis. Up to this attack there had been tenderness and intense pain, but no deeper pathological reaction. She had previously (in my own experience) been relieved by Bryonia, usually in the 1M potency. The symptoms in this instance seemed to call for a Magnesia phosphorica, which was given.
No improvement followed this medicine, which, despite certain superficial symptoms,was not apparently the correct remedy. The pain continued, the tenderness was extreme. and the patient was apparently forming worse rapidly. Dr.H.E.Maynard saw her at this juncture,and gave as his opinion that we were dealing with an abscessed appendix. A blood count showing a marked leucocytosis confirmed the presence of pus, and there was a welldefined mass that could definitely be made our in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen. Dr.Maynard concurred in my feeling that the symptoms again called for Bryonia,which had previously relieved, and she was given the 1M in water. the case progressed fairly well for about forty-eight hours,with relief of the pain and tenderness.
Then appeared great weakness of the pulse, with much irregularity,and delirium and labored dreams. Dr.Maynard did not favor draining the abscess owing to the age of the patient, and the risk involved. In this her family concurred. the Bryonia was again given in water (it had been discontinued after the first twenty-four hours and the mental phase soon passed. the patient continued to improve, with gradual subsidence of the major symptoms. After the Bryonia had done its work, there developed a great deal of weakness coldness,and abdominal fermentation with peripheral cyanosis, especially of the left arm and hand. She then received a dose of Carbo veg. 1M,with marked improvements in the circulation. Things went on without interruption, will at the present time she is up and about the house, pain, swelling and soreness gone-in fact quite recovered.
CASE VII-BRYONIA AFTER ASPIRATION IN STREPTOCOCCIC PLEURISY.
This case was a pleuritic effusion,occurring in a colored man about forty-five years of age, who was aspirated at the Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals by the surgical staff, after which the effusion showing a pure culture of streptococcus and he was turned over to the medical service,with a bad prognosis. Our internee at the time stated that time stated that cases showing this pathological date were practically doomed so for as any treatment was concerned. He was seen by me on a Sundry afternoon, and as it seemed in my judgment as much a matter of life as death,and the indications being clear, he was given Bryonia 1M. He showed much improvement under this remedy, which was repeated by much improvement under this remedy, which was repeated by Dr.Houghton in due time,and the a patient made uninterrupted progress to recovery , with no other remedy.
In conclusion I may say that homoeopathy is missing great opportunities in not publishing its proven results as established prior to treatment by modern methods of diagnostic precision. Comparatively small expenditure along this line would make possible the establishment of homoeopathic prescribing upon a scientific basis that would be secure and unavailable.
BOSTON,MASS.
Benjamin Collins Woodbury was born August 13, 1882, at Patten, Maine. He was the son of Dr. Benjamin Collins, a homeopathic physician, and Matidle Albina (Knowles). He attended Patten Academy and received his M.D. from Boston University Medical School in 1906. Following graduation Dr. Woodbury began his practice in Lewiston and Winthrop, Maine, and in 1907 moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he practiced for the next nine years. Dr. Woodbury married Miss Gertrude Fancis O'Neill of Boston at Eliot, Maine on June 18, 1915.
In March, 1919, Dr. Woodbury left the Islands and located in San Francisco where he practiced for two years and then returned to the East and established a practice in Boston. He was a trustee and a member of the staff of the Hahnemann Hospital, Boston, and in 1947 was elected president if the International Hahnemann Institute, Washington, D.C. He also gave many lectures on homeopathy at Boston University and at postgraduate sessions of the American foundation of Homeopathy.
Dr. Woodbury died on January 22, 1948, in Boston at the age of 65.
The doctor was the author of "Materia Medica for Nurses", published in 1922 and of many articles in medical journals in England, India, and the United States. Dr. Woodbury was also a writer of plays and poetry.