Dr. Claude E. Forkner defines leukaemia as “an invariably fatal systemic disease of unknown etiology, primarily involving the blood-forming organs and characterized by wide spread, rapid and disorderly proliferation of the leucocytes and their precursors and by the presence, almost without exception, at some time during the course of the disease, of immature leucocytes in the blood, often in very large numbers.” Lymphatic leukaemia is a disease of the lymphatic glands and assumes two forms, the leukaemic and the subleukaemic or aleukaemic. In the leukaemic form the lymphocytes are discharged into the blood stream and as a result you have a white blood count of form 30, 000 to 150,000. In the aleukaemic or subleukaemic form the lymphocytes remain in the tissues, therefore the white blood count remains normal or subnormal.
The spleen is enlarged and indurated. The mesenteric glands show the greatest enlargement. There is lymphocytic infiltration both inside and outside the blood vessels. This is very evident in the portal circulation as well as in the intertubular spaces of the kidney and the capillary bed in the heart muscle.
Secondary anaemia is a prominent feature and haemorrhage from the mucous membranes is common. In many cases death occurs from cerebral haemorrhage.
Professor Laning of Chicago used to tell us in the classroom in 1890 that leukaemia was nearly always fatal within two years.
My preceptor always taught me that, in his opinion, all acute sickness should be curable.
Hahnemann taught us that the true physician should know what is curable as well as what is curative.
The dominant school maintain that leukaemia is a fatal disease and that the only way to prolong life is to use daily injections of liver extract, multiple transfusion, x-ray, Fowlers solution and bone marrow.
From the view point of the homoeopathic physician the patients complain, long before any pathology in noted, or any increase in white blood cells, of dislike to work, so tired and prostrated, dull pain in spleen region, headache, some vertigo, ringing in ears, dyspnoea and palpitation, and some enlargement of the lymphatic, cervical, inguinal and axillary glands.
What is the cause of this train of symptoms? Not necessarily leukaemia, for we find enlarged spleens and lymphatic glands where there is no leukaemia.
The older homoeopathic physicians considered leukaemia as the result of a sycotic contamination.
I will to relate my experience with six cases of leukaemia.
Mrs.C., 33 years of age, developed a typical case of lymphatic leukaemia, leucocytes count was from 80,000 to 90,000. The indicated homoeopathic remedies, chiefly Arsenicum alb. and Ceanothus Amer., gave her great relief. The spleen was enlarged and very hard. This annoyed her friends very much and at their insistent advice she had x-ray treatments which softened the hard mass and rejoiced her friends and greatly discounted, to their minds, the value of homoeopathy. She died very suddenly at 2 a.m. after being assured the previous day that she was better and on the road to a cure. What happened?.
Contrast this case with the case of Mrs.J., 68 years old, who also was a typical case of lymphatic leukaemia with very high white blood count, about 90,000. Spleen enlarged and indurated, lymphatic, mesenteric and inguinal glands greatly enlarged. The heart, liver and kidney are all seriously embarrassed. But the use of the indicated remedies, chiefly Arsenicum alb., Natrum sulph., Ceanothus, Thuja, Hepar sulph. and Bryonia, have the last ten years given her much comfort and enabled her to keep on with her life work.
Mrs. H., 48 years old, was a case of mixed infection, lymphogenous leukaemia, with high blood count averaging 75,000, myxoedema at times making the patient almost unrecognizable and an aggravated secondary anaemia. The thyroid gland did not show any change. Ferrum metallicum, Arsenicum alb., Apocyanum and potentized Thyroid have kept her able to care for her husband and four children for the last twelve years.
Mrs. B., 68 years of age, was a typical case of myelogenic. leukaemia. The x-ray revealed large areas of osteosclerosis and arthritis as well as lymph nodes, more particularly of the cervical and inguinal chains. The Calcareas and especially the Fluoride of Calcium and some Helonias dioica have enabled Mrs.B. for the last fifteen years to keep about her work, under restriction of course and receiving and imparting much courage and joy as she mingles with her friends.
Mrs. C., 80 window of a homoeopathic physician, has to my knowledge been a sufferer from leukaemia polyneuritis for twelve years. The spleen and mesenteric glands are involved. The remedies, chiefly Arsenicum alb. and Kali. phos., have enabled her to continue doing her own house work.
Miss B., 30, has suffered from lymphogenous leukaemia for the past four years. This is accompanied by an aggravated form of acromegaly. The administration of a 3x.trituration of Pituitary gland over a period of several weeks, has apparently affected a cure. The blood count, lymph nodes and clinical picture have for the last six months remained normal. The symptom picture for which I prescribed Pituitary was complete inertia, lassitude and indifference to everything and everybody, “leave me alone and do not ask me to do or say anything”, skin sallow, eyes heavy, speech thick. This was all changed after taking Pituitary 3X.
SUMMARY.
Lymphatic leukaemia is a fatal disease and any form of treatment can only hope to prolong life at this stage of our knowledge. X-ray is given by spraying the body at intervals, and by the dominant school is termed the only treatment of known value, but there is always the possibility of causing capillary haemorrhage. Haemorrhage was doubtless the cause of death in my first mentioned case.
Personally my experience with x-ray in cases of leukaemia as well as cases of cancer has caused me to stand in great fear of it. I trust that some of you may be able to reinforce my knowledge and courage. Based on experience of years I know that the homoeopathic remedy is the only safe way of treating leukaemia and at least prolonging life.
I place these records before you not perfect, not faultless, not eminently satisfactory, but five lives have been prolonged by homoeopathic therapeutics.
I await your judgment, and solicit constructive criticism and suggestions based on your experience, under similar conditions.
Come over and help me and let us reason together.
“To cure sometimes to relieve often, to comfort always,” is a physicians job. SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
DISCUSSION.
DR.GRIMMER: I think Dr. Brown experiences have been like those of most of us. We do not make so very many cures in these conditions, but we certainly do prolong life and comfort for most of them.
I certainly can confirm his observations regarding x-rays. I have never seen anything but harm done by their application. It might be a suggestion that x-ray potency given internally might help some of those cases. I rather think it would if we could get indications for it.
