CASE 1.
Mrs. X., aged about 46 years, had been suffering from sinkng sensation for about the last six months. Had been to many local physicians–they seemed to have helped her temporarily– but she is getting worse gradually. The physical examination is negative except for small nodosities of the finger joints and a systolic murmur at the apex of the heart which is worse on exertion. She presented the following picture:.
1. A tall, slender person, pale.
2. Nature very sensitive.
3. Moves continually, cannot sit still for a long time.
4. Perception acute, mind active.
5. Bleeding from genus from time to time.
6. Vertigo, seems everything unbalances her, feels as if the floor is kind of wavy and she cannot stand still, has to lie down.
7. Appetite is not good, and nothing seems to stay in stomach. Is afraid she has gastric ulcer.
8. Craves juicy refreshing drinks, wants ice cream.
9. A weak spell from time to time amounting to fainting. Cannot talk at such times, staring look with clenched teeth.
10. A weak, all-gone feeling all the time in the chest.
11. Constipated, has to take some kind of physic all the time.
12. Vomited, a blackish-red substances, not exactly coffee grounds. Had X-ray sometime ago that disclosed no definite diagnosis.
13. Lack of vital heat. Always wants to be in a warm room, says she catches cold on coming into open air.
14. Cough every day at night time, especially when she lies down on the left side.
On the strength of these symptoms Phosphorus 200 was given on January 18, 1931. She grew much worse the following two nights, could not sleep and the sinking feeling became too much for her to tolerate. She reported on the 19th, 20th and 21st of the same month asking for some medicine to help her in some way. She could not live in that way very long.
On general physical examination nothing untoward was seen except the systolic murmur of the heart. The symptoms were not changed except that they seemed too much aggravated. Sac. lac. was given for 3 days, asking her to report when the powders were finished. She came back to say that she had not felt so well for a very long time and Sac. lac. was repeated. She is still taking Sac. lac., reporting improvement all the time.
