Unfortunately, time does not allow of my dwelling for long upon the merits of this old friend of mine in this present paper, which is directed towards reviewing the whole situation rather than extolling the virtues of any particular remedy., At the same time I should like to detail briefly a recent cases which has some unique features. It is that of an Ironmaster from the North, aged 57, a well-developed man of fair complexion, who consulted me in 1921 for Rectal Carcinoma.; He had refused to have any apportion owing to his wife having died four months after removal of a cancerous growth in the breast, and had tried Radium without any benefit., Briefly the growth was of the usual pedunculated, fleshy consistence occupying the upper rectum, and the usual symptoms of passage of mucus and blood, & c, were present. Under treatment, mainly with Ruta in various potencies, he became to all appearances perfectly well from an outsider’s point of view. He passed normal sized, regular actions, had a healthy appetite, and was full of vigour for taking exercise and for carrying on his work. The growth, however, though considerably reduced, remained, and mucous discharge persisted obstinately.
This though inconvenient, was obviously a blessing in disguise, and he had the sense to realize it himself. Would that all patients were as clear-sighted! This outwardly apparent robust health continued for four years, till in fact, October, 1925, when is resisting powers became undermined by some outside debilitating causes, resulting in a definite setback. The actions became irregular, often a day or more being passed without a faecal action., Sensations of internal pressure with urging to pass an increased amount of mucus, were present, together with backache and general distress. Coincidently proctoscopic and digital examination showed a marked increased in the growth, which had become hard and nodular. Strangely enough, but most important to note, apart from this local distress, his general health and strength seemed very little impaired. From this I deduced that it was the “local” resistance and not the “general’ which was impaired, and decided that local stimulation of the healthy cells was needed. I thought it reasonable to hope that Radium might be more effective now that the general constitutional resistance had been augmented by medicinal action that it was originally. This surmise proved correct, for after two applications, at long intervals, the growth by March, 1926, had become much reduced and softer. He, however, continued to have difficulty with the bowels, constipation being a marked feature, with discomfort and backache. During this time I had been keeping him on ruta in high dilutions, and I now bethought me of trying it in unit Arborivital doses again. The effect was notable. I gave the first dose on May 12, 1926, and had a letter from him on June 1 in which he reported “;less pain, easier and better formed motions, less backache, appetite better, and a feeling of general improvement.” From that time he never looked back, I continued ruta a similar doses at intervals till October last, when all remedies were stopped entirely, and when I saw him three months ago he said, “he had not felt so well for years. He had had harder work to do than for years, and felt no ill effects. Bowels act daily once or twice with formed motions, and the mucus had become very much reduced and thinner, like water. He had been as long as ten hours and the day without passing any, being seldom disturbed at night.” He added”that he could do anything without fatigue, and that he had incidentally developed a remarkable resistance to colds an influenza”
All that I could detect in the rectum was a ring of hardness at the site of the growth, a few soft lumps representing the former pendulous masses. No further remedies were given, and it was arranged that he would let me know if he had any untoward symptoms. I need not add more than that I have not heard from him again except in April to say he was off to Switzerland, and was keeping very well indeed.
In my next case I amn introducing to polite society a remedy which has been discredited and neglected owing to the disreputable company it has kept in the past. I refer to Mentha Pulegium (fig 11), more familiarly known to its boon companions as “Pennuyroual:”
Mrs. M., aged 64, was brought to me on December 19, 1915, with a history of having been seized with severe intestinal pain and vomiting requiring morphia a month before. The local doctor had found a lump in the pelvis and brought her up to see a specialist in London, who operated on October 31 and found a Carcinomatous Tumour “of the size two fists” lying to the left of and involving the uterus. It was found to press on the intestine, but there seemed to be an element of doubt as to whether the bowel was actually involved at any part. Removal being impracticable, colotomy was mooted, but this was fortunately deferred to a later date, it being considered none the less certain that this would eventually be necessary. A hopeless verdict was given to the family, as it was decided that nothing further could be done, and she left the nursing home on December 6 with the certainty of death at no distant date hanging over her. She herself was fortunately saved much mental suffering by being kept in ignorance of the nature of the complaint.
Apart from the existence of the tumour as above described it is important, in view of subsequent events, to note that I found the uterus enlarged, retroverted, and firmly fixed in the pelvis. No amount of pressure would move it, and it was surprising that she was able to pass formed motions, considering how little space seemed to be left in the pelvis. No doubt it was this fixation which rendered it irremovable, this suggesting not merely impaction, but adhesions of a very tough character due presumably to infiltration from the growth. I emphasize these points to show that the growth must have been fairly far advanced. Except for the effect of the operation, her general health was much better than one might have expected, and her past history was excellent. It was therefore evident to me that I had a good constitution to work upon.
After obtaining some improvement in general health for a month with the help of Carcinosin 200, given in intermittent doses, in other words, having dealt to some extent with the “specific element” to which I shall refer later on, I decided to employ a remedy which would help us by stimulating the local healthy cells by its direct “specificity of action” on the uterus, and owing to disappointment in the past with the better known uterine remedies, I decided to give Mentha Pulegium, which I did in the tincture.
The first dose was not followed by a reaction, owing possibly to the action of Carcinosin having preceded it, so I now continued it in fortnightly doses, Carcinosin being given in between at similar intervals, the result being that on March 12, 1916 (i.e., in three months) I was able to record that the uterus was apparently slightly smaller and softer, and the tumour itself obviously decreasing. Fixation continued to obturate till the following month, when it was possible to detect slight response to pressure, and by December of the same year I could raise the funds sufficiently to feel string-like adhesions binding it down.
A year later the fundus had risen so much that the uterus lay horizontally in the pelvis, there being no separate tumour detectable, and the uterus itself being much smaller. Decrease in size was rapid after this, till finally it became difficult to feel the organ at all, it lying far back in the pelvis, free from any abnormality, and freely movable. In fact, it had assumed the normal menopausic condition.
This patient has continued in vigorous health ever since, and appears much younger in her tissues and energy than one usually finds at the age of 76.
It is of course impossible for me to bring this lady from Cornwall for your inspection, the more so as she has no idea of what she has escaped, but if any member wishes, I will introduce him to the family with a view to independent inquiry. This same offer applies to all my cases, whether described now or in the past.
This case may seem delightfully simple, but I can assure you I have not found them all so, and the anxiety and strain I have been through with some of the derelicts resulting from the storm- tossed seas of previous mistaken and inept treatment have been very great. Still one is repaid by a case like this which sails smoothly onward on an unruffled sea to finally reach the harbour of recovered health, without a single mishap.
I have mentioned “Carcinosin,” and it is important that I should devote a little time to this nosode. I regard it as having special effect in countering the “constitutional,” as apart from the “local” condition. I do not think it has much effect in stimulating the healthy cells immediately adjacent to a tumour, except in an indirect way, and I have never known it, or any nosode, capable of inducing absorption or exfoliation of new growth when present in the system in large amount. That it has some such effect, however when this amount is very small I give the following case to illustrate.
