On above history, left sided location and apparent stasis, Dr. Burnett prescribed Bellis tincture, drops five, every four hours. There soon occurred a great reduction in the size of the tumor and the patient passed vast quantities of urine. In about ten weeks the tumor had disappeared; the glands of the left side which had been much enlarged were non-palpable and the man bade Dr. Burnett good bye, to report at frequent intervals for a long period, and he continued well.
In this quartette of remedies under discussion, this fact is pertinent: The whole body of mankind is serviced, as we have proved above as to the locations of Arnica and Bellis. Now we find that Ruta relieves the symptoms from trauma to tendons, ligaments and periosteum while Symphytum goes to the bottom of things and aids in repair of the bony structure.
DR. B. C. WOODBURY: I have had under my care, since Dr. Patchs death, a woman who had the left breast removed, probably about 1913. The thing was diagnosed as malignant by microscopic section. Six months later if appeared in the other breast. Despairing of all hope from surgery, she sought Dr. Patchs advice, and the remedy he found for her was so successful in changing that whole condition, not only to one of palliation but one of apparent cure, that she has been all these years practically free from any very marked trouble. I have seen her at least two or three times a year.
The interesting thing about it was that Dr. Patch gave her in a sealed envelope the name of the remedy which had been beneficial in her case. She told me only the other day, “I know what that remedy is, Doctor, and Dr. Patch told me if I at any time could not get hold of a homoeopathic physician, and I could obtain some of it, I could take it myself.” That remedy was Carbo animalis. He gave her the 200th potency. I have a record of the case and know the times and seasons in which he gave it to her. There came a time, soon after I saw her, when Carbo animalis no longer did her any good. She was apparently at the end of the rope. She had severe bronchitis that started the old breast trouble, and every cough was torture.
Bryonia did her no good. I was at my wits end. Finally I thought of Bellis and gave it to her in the third decimal. Immediately she was relieved. Finally I went back and looked over the records and found that Dr. Patch himself had evidently been in the same dilemma, for he had given her Bellis in the 30th potency. I never had to give it higher than the 3rd to 4th to her. I always keep the record, and if she ever needs it in a higher potency than the 3rd or 4th, I shall remember that Dr. Patch used it in the 30th. It is a very definite case. The woman is absolutely sure of the fact that Dr. Patchs remedies, particularly the Carbo animalis, saved her from inevitable results in recurrent cancer of the breast.
DR. P. L. BENTHACK: I have a case of a woman with a tumor just above the breast. When I inquired about the history of the case, she said her grown son had hit her there. I gave her Bellis in the tincture three times a day, and inside a month it is only half the size.
This is a very interesting paper, but unless I missed something, I didnt hear much about Bellis. I dont know of any one remedy that covers as many symptoms as Bellis, with a history like this: “I have never been well since I worked in the harvest and got warm and then all at once cooled off.” “I got very warm and then went in the water and went swimming.” I had a woman tell me that during her monthly period she went in the water and never was well again; she had not been well for years. I couldnt get very clear symptoms out of that for one remedy, and I gave her Bellis. She made a wonderful improvement.
I can say one thing about Ruta that I did not hear mentioned. If a school girl or any professional person has trouble with the eyes, Ruta is a good remedy. Many peoples eyes hurt when they read. There are a great many people who will not need glasses if you give Ruta.
DR. B. C. WOODBURY: I have used Ruta, generally in the 50M, in ganglion. It will remove it almost without fail.
DR. J. W. OVERPECK: I would like to ask for some information. I have Bellis in tincture in my office, but never have used it. The only thing I know about it is that it is said to be good for pains resulting from nerve pressure. I dont know whether that can be confirmed or not.
Some time ago I treated a man who had three of his teeth pulled, two lower incisors and the next one to them. They healed up nicely, but he has had pains a good part of the time since in the gum, right where those teeth were extracted, little shooting pains like needle pains coming and going. It is very much like Belladonna, and Belladonna has done him some good, but never cures him. I think I have given it as high as the 10M. He has gone to different doctors since I treated him, and is back with me again, getting some results from Belladonna, in fact very good results, but it does not cure him. Just the day before I came away, I was thinking of giving him Bellis, on account of the pressure of the nerves, which I think is causing the trouble. I would like to have some information as to what remedy to give if Belladonna doesnt cure it.
DR. P. L. BENTHACK: I would give Hypericum.
DR. W. W. WILSON: So would I.
CHAIRMAN A. H. GRIMMER: It depends on the diagnosis in this case, whether it is really the pressure of the nerves or lacerated tissues. That would make a difference.
DR. J. W. OVERPECK: I know a great deal about Hypericum, but I am ashamed to say I didnt think of it.
CHAIRMAN A. H. GRIMMER: Hypericum could be used. If it fails, you could try Colocynthis.
There is another remedy where we have pains after incised wounds, and pains where there is great stretching of the sphincters producing tremendous agony, and that is Staphisagria. It often is a wonderful help.
DR. R. E. S. HAYES: One peculiar thing about Bellis that you might remember is that it has aggravation of sudden cooling, but the local complaints are relieved by cold instead of being aggravated.
CHAIRMAN A. H. GRIMMER: That is a nice distinction between Rhus and Bellis. They both enter in there. Thank you for the point.
DR. A. F. SCHWARTZ: In the case of a bookkeeper, whose eyes were used a great deal of course, Ruta gave great relief, and also corrected some of her medical symptoms and cardiac palpitation. After the effects wore off, I repeated it, and her eyes were in better shape than they had been for some years.
DR. C. WOODBURY: I have also verified Ruta in eye strain, especially from overwork.
Those of our school who insist upon pathology as a basis of therapeutics, who look upon the single objective symptom and its nearest organic origin as the subject for treatment, and who deride the notion of prescribing upon the totality of the symptoms, and claim to be more than symptom coverers, in that they discover and aim to remove the cause of the disease–these colleagues are as false in their pathology, according to the highest old-school authorities, as they are faithless to the doctrines, and impotent as to the successes of the founder of the homoeopathic school.–CARROLL DUNHAM, M.D.
