Last summer out in the sun, lying down full length; result; very nervous with more itching; then insomnia which pursues him now; little sleep since last summer; loss of weight steady; appetite nearly gone, strained expression of suffering; dulled eyes except when talking, suffering.
When this skin eruption started was going with a girl who about that than began going with someone else; life changed ever since, more serious.
Normally not depressed. Now inferiority complex. With drawing from people.
Warm blooded until had the x-rays; now a little return of
it.
Appetite large always; no preference; now for lack of sleep food not so appealing.
Sleep: taking barbiturates of long time; up and down all night. Now a doctor has given him a new drug which says he may use freely. “Groggy” in the A.M. Restless until this last sedative, now more quite. Going to sleep at his desk lately. Any little sleep, better.
Flushes of heat from waist up into head and even scalp, then moist which increases the itch. Rx Sep. 2c.
Feb. 18: Itching somewhat less; sleep somewhat more; one night 2 times of 4 hours each. All eruption in right hip region gone. Scaling of skin all over front chest. New eruption over the back.
Feb. 26: Looking more rested, rather younger. Skin feels stiff to him or “tough” on face, e.g. rather stiff, better after begins to scale off in a bath. New eruption over front chest and itching worse there. Can do work now without going to sleep. Eruption better face, neck extending arms; worse ankles where ankles where raw spots.
Mar. 20: Coming to a standstill in several respects: Sleep not sound any more, half awake but not from itching. Sleepy early P.M. at work. Itching severe about the waist after a profuse perspiration; and hands severe about the waist after a profuse perspiration; and hands over the region to try to dry it off. End of middle finger, right hand swollen and almost suppurating. Had this few months ago. Arms not better yet; must keep them covered. Rx Sep. 2c.
Mar. 24: New symptom: a nervous tingling all over from waist
up.
Apr. 1: Looking younger and much better. Symptoms on skin scarce above waist; only on forearms; below waist most of the itching and nervous reactions. Still keeps oil on the arms; if does not is a drying process which causes great nervousness. Legs get nervous too, a drying of the skin there which makes nervous tingle.
Apr. 17:Slowly better but itching where scaly areas very bad. Eruption on back gone, back to the thick sensation. Flushes of heat troublesome. Sleep interfered with some nights badly; getting only a little more sleep. Fear or failure very strong; is a perfectionist and cannot reach the goal; this in his business, at home and everywhere. Rx Psor. 1M.
May 1: Sweat very profuse following. Arms look about free of eruption but a tingling which aggravates badly. Sleep good if goes to bed late up about twice to put oil on. Nervous sensation back near neck. Can forger this if much occupied. Legs much better.
May 27: Slight new eruption on neck, front and sides; itching; none on scalp. Arms still covered with eruption, and colorless, no itching if keeps oiled; if not gets same nervous throbbing (just a year ago these arms burned). Lower legs and feet much better, not entirely free yet. Jerking pains cardiac region lately. Whole condition calming down. Rx. Psor. 1M.
June 21: Very much better, able to forgo so much oil to keep off the itching. Arms with scattered papules. Worse anything woollen, especially legs; ankles clearing up.
Sept. 25: 6 weeks ago or so invited out to dinner which was very late; he could not swallow the food when dinner ready; sensation contraction there; this lasted until 11 at night. Lately overcautious; cannot explain it; generally this time of year. Skin chin and below tense;; also in hands as if the thick skin might return. Tiny pimple right wrist today; some itching here and there. Sensation general stiffness lately. Rx. Psor 10M.
Dec. 15: Eruption returning on face and neck. some on hands, not bad. Sensation as if coming on other places. tired more than should be Rx. Psor. 10M.
Dec. 29: Neck cleared entirely. Scalp unusually dry for 3 months. Face now: flesh feels to dry and stiff; no eruption. Hands clearing nicely.
Jan. 10, 1953: Face much better, but still too red and some what stiff. Eruption forearms, especially right and scratch marks there; skin there too dry. Dry area just above clavicles. Slight cold and otherwise feeling fine. Lower chest anterior itches but no eruption. Rx Psor. 50M.
Jan. 24: Eruption gradually worse because very tense over business worries just now. Forearms; been using oil on face until today none. Sleep poor; appetite fine. Scalp very dry. Tense all over on account of the business.
Feb. 7: Almost cured; no new manifestations. Skin too dry here and there; itching about gone.
Feb. 28: Skin face and upper right chest and under right arm feels too dry. Feels drawn. Scalp: has round dull red spots size small pea, this for long time.
Mar. 15: Coming along all right; some papules around the neck; a little a t the wrists which he keep picking.
Mar. 28: About the same condition of skin plus more fatigue from overstudy. Will take exam in May. Rx Psor 50M.
May 18: Took whole exam and now better physically; stood it it so well was surprised. Eruption not spreading and may be a little better; to go without medicine.
May 28: Very slight sensation face of irritation with a bit of the old stiffness. No eruptions at all and looking more rested.
Illustrates vicious reactions to large doses of x-ray treatment for a patient highly sensitive. We can see depth of results mentally first, later physically even to present time.
This patient was really panicky over his approaching exam, fearful the strain would bring back all of the eruption and also the depression, said wouldn’t go through it all again for anything, would postpone the exam indefinitely, even though had studies hard for it for a year. It was not fear of the edam itself, only of possible mental and physical repercussions. When he came through without any of these he was greatly surprised. The results of x-ray treatment can be vicious and go very deep, long lasting, too.
Case 3: This portrays a patient sensitive emotionally, mentally and physically, an artistic temperament, frustrated all through life so far but determined to overcome her difficulties.
57 years old when I first met her, a tall rangy woman, slender and dark complexioned, she had been ill since 7 years but very well in those first 7 years, for the very bad effects of vaccination at that time had followed her ever since. Her former doctor, a very good prescriber, had her on Thuja probably with that in mind.
In her teens she was so emotional and oversensitive that she lived in the woes of those around her, thus bringing on suppression of her real emotional life. Family difficulties in childhood added to such suppression. Religious conflicts did not help at all. Emotional shocks left deep scars. Loving the beauties of Nature, physical reactions to dampness in the mountains kept her from living there, and this had in influence in separating her from her husband whose work was in mountain districts. Added to all this were the compulsions of poverty.
Physically speaking an early operation to remove haemorrhoids brought disastrous results in debilitating haemorrhages from the rectum with much pain there and in urinary tract. Also suppressions brought on a long line of migraine headache. troubles of vision. Insomnia took a heavy toll.
I think sensitiveness to dampness was a basic symptom, perhaps inherited, as was rheumatic symptoms. She was drifting into deep depression and physical weakness close to nervous break down.
Surely the door needed to be opened wide to this applicant for help.
I chose Sepia her first basic remedy and let her have it in a series of potencies, with Puls., rarely,. for a severe cold or an unusually bad migraine headache.
This remedy did deep basic work for more than 5 months when more did very little for had she was slipping again fundamentally.
Phosphorus then picked up the rail and did wonders slowly for 7 months. Then this failed and Tuberc, came in and did good work for a year. When this failed Phosphorus came in again but not for long because she began to veer toward Thuja.
This brings the case to date with the patient far from well but vastly improved and out of danger form either emotional or physical wrecking. It is interesting to find her now on the same remedy that her former subscriber had chosen. Should I have kept her on it then? I decided against it and the repertory did too.
Case 4: Apr. 29, 1952: Medium height, rather stout (weight 140), medium light complexion, skin clear. Female, married, 36 years.
Much travel, many schools; college. Always wished to be an artist but not allowed to study it; now for 8 years is pursuing
it.
Marriage soon after college, comparatively happy after a period of effort to understand each other fully.
Religion blotted out during her stresses; believed nothing. Conversion in comparatively recent years has helped her a lot.
