CASE NO 1
Case of Right-sided Hemiplegia with aphasia.
A Hindu male, aged 50 years, complained at giddiness & diminished power in the Right Upper & Right Lower Extremity with indistinct speech in October 1940. He was examined & the following signs & symptoms were recorded:
The onset of present illness was gradual, i.e., he was feeling giddy and was having headache, about a month before the present attack of paralysis. On examination the following points were noted :
(1) Right-side of face paralysed, patient unable to speak.
(2) Right upper & lower extremities were also paralysed. Before this attack of paralysis he frequently complained numbness, heaviness and formication on the right side of the body.
(3) Scalp and skin of beard completely covered with patches of psoriasis.
(4) Otorrhoea from right ear, discharge bloody, very offensive and excoriating.
(5) Back & space between the scrotum and thighs covered with ringworm, intensely itching.
(6) Pyorrhoea-alveolaris markedly present.
(7) Thirst for large quantities of cold water and often .
(8) Burning of the whole body, desire to sleep on pavement at night, could not cover his body with clothes at night which increased the burning.
(9) Mentally – highly excitable.
(10) Blood – Pressure 200/120 m.m. of Hg.
(11) He could never eat anything hot or warm, but always cold.
(12) Urine:- examined found to contain a trace of albumin.
The relatives of the patient desire to have the opinion of a consultant and a consultation was arranged accordingly.
His advice was as follows:-
“As it was a case of Hemiplegia with aphasia from Hypertension something should be done to reduce the Blood-Pressure, therefore give.
(1) Serpina tablets, one, T.D.S.
(2) Absolute rest in bed;
(3) In case the Blood-Pressure was not reduced recourse should be had to Blood-letting either by the application of leeches or by venesection.
(4) Low nonstimulating diet.
(5) A general mixture of Soda- Bicarb, Potash Bromide etc.
This treatment was carried our for fifteen days. Patient felt a bit better.
His Systolic-Pressure fell from 200 to 190 and Diastolic from 120 to 100 m.m. of Hg.
But then the relatives, as there was nobody to took after him, removed him outside Bombay.
After about a year, in 1941, he came to my dispensary walking with the characteristic Hemiplegia gait, i.e. the gait of circumduction, complaining that he could not use his Rt. hand, that he was unable to write letters as before, therefore was not in a position to resume duty.
His blood-pressure was still high 195/110 m.m of Hg.
I decided therefore to treat his case homoeopathically.
The following rubrics were chosen from the history:
(1) Warm food or drink aggravates.
(2) Discharge from ear bloody.
(3) Discharge from ear offensive.
(4) Psoriasis.
(5) Ringworm.
(6) Paralysis one sided.
(7) Sea-sickness i.e. aggravation on ship-board.
(8) Hot-Bath aggr.
(9) Uncovering ameliorates.
Two drugs which came very high in the list were Sepia & Sulphur.
But Sepia is chilly and is absent under the heading Paralysis one-sided, hence was knocked out. Sulphur was absent under the Rubric aggravation on Ship-Board.
But as the generalities of Sulphur such as the Burning, Thirst, Aggravation by warmth and the presence of skin troubles Psoriasis and Ringworm were seen clearly in the case, Sulphur 200, one dose, was given on 26-8-41.
Next-day there was reaction in the Rt. ear, viz. increase in the amount of pain and discharge.
In lessened on 28-8-41 and the reaction disappeared on 29-8-41.
On 30-8-41 the discharge from the ear became much less offensive and became watery instead of bloody.
In continued for about a month and then completely stopped.
There was general improvement seen in the condition of the skin.
The scaly and pigmented patches of Psoriasis and the Ringworm had diminished by about 50 percent
He was able to write a few lines with his Rt. hand. His Blood- Pressure was 190/165 m.m. of Hq.
This improvement continued for sometimes, then the progress was stationary.
After two months i.e. on 26-10-41 he was given one dose of Sulphur 1000.
Now he is much better. He has joined his duty, and he is given some figure work.
On 26-10-41 his Blood-Pressure read as 180/105. m. m. of Hg.
CASE NO 2
Another case of Hemiplegia in an elderly lady about 55 years old, very weak and asthenic having Low Blood-Pressure 110/65 m.m. Hg.
Digestion poor. History of hereditary asthma. Suffered severely from asthma last 20 years, off and no suffered from watery diarrhoea because she had lost all her teeth on account pyorrhoea alveolaris. Was pale. Bronchitic signs present in chest.
On 16-2-45 She got the attack of paralysis.
The onset of the attack as in the last case was gradual.
Before the attack she complained of numbness and formication in the Rt. upper and lower extremity and some headache. This continued for about 4-5 days until at she got she stroke at night on 16-2-45.
She was unable to speak properly, neither could she move her right side limbs.
I saw the case and an Ayurvedic Physician, a relative of the lady, saw her. The case was placed under his care.
She took his treatment for about 3 weeks during which the paralysis was partially recovered. Then the began to complain of severe giddiness; had to keep her eyes closed all the while on account of vertigo.
She also complained of intense burning in the throat. As the Ayurvedic medicines had no effect on these symptom she gave it up, and the case was transferred to me for homoeopathic treatment.
I saw her and the following rubrics were chosen from the history.
(1) Turning over in bed, aggravates. (2) Hot-Bath, aggravate.
(3) Warm-wraps, aggravates.
(4) Warm food, aggravates.
(5) Burning in throat.
(6) Amelioration in open air.
(7) Paralysis one-sided.
(8) Vertigo worse on opening eyes.
(9) Burning external.
Sulphur was the only remedy which covered all the rubrics.
Sulphur 30 was given on 17-8-45 one dose and the patient began to improve and is improving still.
The vertigo has disappeared and the weakness and the burning are much less.
The following are the number of marks obtained by remedies coming very high. Sulphur 27/9 – covered all rubrics.
Lachesis 25 – about in 8 and besides Lachesis is aggravated after sleep.
Pulsatilla 31 – absent in 8 and 7. CASE NO 3
A case of Hypertension in a Hindu male aged 52 years. History is as follows:-
(1) Violent sneezing early in the morning with profuse watery discharge from nose and eyes.
Discharge from nose excoriating.
(2) Breathlessness on ascending stair-cases and walking fast.
(3) Cough (Bronchitic signs in chest).
(4) Headache in the evening worse reading.
(5) Desire for warm drinks.
(6) Lying with head low aggravated the cough.
(7) Pressure external ameliorated the headache.
(8) Nausea during headache.
(9) Was chilly and was worse from wind.
Urine contained sugar and albumin. Heart was dilated and hypertrophied. Blood-Pressure was 195/115 m.m. of Hg.
He had take lot of allopathic medicines for these complaints until at last he gave it up because he became worse, was unable to sleep in bed but could only sleep in an easy chair with head high.
Diagnosis of the case was Hypertension.
The following rubrics were chosen.
(1) Ascending steps, aggravates.
(2) Walking fast aggravates.
(3) Lying with head low aggravates.
(4) Pressure external, ameliorates.
(5) Desire for open air.
(6) Nausea, during headache.
Sulphur covered all the rubrics and got 26 marks, next came Arsenic and Phosphorus getting 25 and 22 marks respectively.
Phosphorous was eliminated on account of the desire for warm drinks.
Out of the remaining two, arsenic was selected because of the predominance of catarrh symptoms, highly acrid and watery discharge from the nose and chilliness and desire for warm drinks.
It was given on 7-9-45 in the 200 potency an single dose.
Improvement was seen the next day.
Sneezing much less, slept well in his bed without being disturbed by cough and the breathlessness was also less.
This improvement continued for about 10 days. and then the cough became worse.
It was ameliorated temporarily by drinking cold water, on this modality Sulphur 200 one dose was given and the cough became gradually less and less.
No Insulin injections were given inspite of the presence of sugar in urine, but his diet was regulated.
The Blood-Pressure record after a fortnights treatment was 170/105 m.m. Hg.
