The homoeopathic Materia Medica is so rich in therapeutic worth that one wonders what need there is for new remedies.
But as we use the Materia Medica and study its vast store house of knowledge, we consider new and valuable aspects to our well-proven polychrests and many of our partial and fragmentarily proven remedies needing further study and development, as such study often brings most happy results in difficult and baffling cases of illness.
Regarding new remedies, it is patent that we need many more of the type corresponding to the chronic diseases that are constantly increasing and which, because of the complexities of living conditions now prevailing, become more resistant to treatment, such as cancer and the various blood diseases and many others of the degenerative type, to say nothing of the great increase in mental and nervous breakdowns, Insanity and psychopathic abnormalities are increasing so fast that it is becoming difficult to house and care for them properly. Hence the bad effects of overcrowding and inadequate personnel to treat and care for them and all this tends to aggravate rather than help these unfortunates.
A few examples are set forth here to illustrate the possibility of curative power residing in the remedy best adapted to the individual patient for whom it is selected.
Euphorbium is one of our fairly well-proven remedies and it has been found useful in a goodly number of chronic and difficult diseases, including cancer and bone diseases. Especially has it been efficacious in the relief of the severe burning pains of cancer.
Clarke describes a desperate case of sarcoma of the pelvic bones that found relief in repeated doses of this remedy.
In its pathogenesis can be found the prostration and weakness with the burning pains and restlessness that belongs to Arsenicum. The pains are worse during rest and at night like Ars., the patient is chilly and shudders with the cold. The anxiety in Euphorbium is not as marked as the dreadful fear of death found in the Ars., provings. It is easy to differentiate between these two very similar remedies by their polarity, Euphorbium being negative magnetically and Arsenicum being bi- polar.
Diseases that are magnetically positive, such as cancer, require a remedy from the magnetically negative group, the totality of symptoms finally decides.
An aged lady in her seventies had been under careful homoeopathic prescribing for several years with only a moderate degree of help. A sudden acute condition came on which caused her family to be alarmed. Her physician was not available at the time so a local physician (allopathic) was called in to attend her. She was rushed to the hospital and given all the tests and soon her family was told that she had cancer of the liver in late stages and nothing could be done but palliation until the end.
The old lady, full of faith and assurance that her homoeopathic doctor could help her insisted on going back to this treatment. The family, feeling there was nothing to lose, consented and sent for a remedy as the patient was unable to come to the office. A small sample of blood on blotting paper was submitted and Euphorbium came through, symptomatically and magnetically.
It was given in the 10M with astounding results. The jaundice and weakness cleared rapidly, the emaciation was changed to plumpness and all pain and discomfort ceased, enabling the patient to sleep and enjoy all her usual routine even to the resumption of household duties. Two years have gone by and the patient remains well and happy, This may not be a cure but at least there has been several years of comfortable living.
Euphorbium should be studied more, as I believe it to be one of our so-called forgotten remedies. Gangrene, with burning pain, in old persons who are weak and cold; erysipelas bullosa; persistent stomach ulcers that fail to respond to the more usual remedies like Phos. and Ars. will heal under Euphorbium. Indolent ulcers that burn like coals of fire and resist the usually well- selected remedies will heal under this remedy.
A chronic cough that comes on as soon as the patient touches the bed, coming in two violent attacks and continued as long as she remains lying down; cough accompanied by pain in right temple, cold feet and a pain in the heel. After failure of many remedies Euphorbium off., drop doses of tincture in a glass of water, to be sipped occasionally, gave instant relief, but the patient had to continue the remedy or the cough returned. (Clarkes Dictionary), page 738, Muminghoff case report.).
Sudden starting up in bed as from electric shock is an unusual symptom that belongs to this remedy. Periodic cramps and convulsions with loss of consciousness is a feature. Most symptoms are worse at night and in the morning. Rest aggravates, motion relieves (Rhus. tox., Ars. and Kali iod.) Heat aggravates, cool applications relieve, a differentiating symptom from Ars.
We have presented only a very brief synopsis of this wonderful remedy. It will repay the physician magnificently for his study of it.
Malaria officinalis has been called the vegetable Pyrogen and it seems appropriate, as it is produced from decaying vegetation while Pyrogen is the product of decaying flesh. This remedy is magnetically neutral and fits in with neutral diseases such as “flu,” T.B. and malaria.
There are instances where malaria has cured tubercular disease. As great an authority as Hering relates an experience of his own in a converse sense. He was exposed to the swampy Isthmus of Panama for nine days, on the ships return several of the sailors who were, like him, exposed to swampy influences were prostrated with Panama fever, while Hering who had formerly suffered from tubercular disease of the lungs was unaffected by the experience.
Dr. Bowen of Indiana, the producer and prover of this remarkable remedy, gave to a lady apparently in the last stages of consumption, herself the last survivor of five, the rest of her family having died of consumption as well as several of the preceding generation, a dose of a watery solution of the remedy. On the fifth day she had a fairly perceptible chill and a harder one on the sixth and seventh day. Antidotes were required but when cured of her malaria her tuberculous infection was also cured.
Another case of Bowens was Mrs. R., forty five years old, weight 240 lbs. who could scarcely walk from rheumatism in back and limbs. This was of two years standing. Materia off. 1X was given, ten pills three or four times a day. In a week all rheumatism and lameness was gone.
Mr. S., foreman in a large saw mill, where his work involved frequent wettings, had rheumatism of malarial nature worse by quinine and external applications. He was given Malaria off. 1X. In three days he was better and soon had relief from pain and was greatly improved in general health.
Mr. I. S., aged fifty-five, a veteran and pensioner, bronzed in colour was unable to walk for years. He had heart, chest and hemorrhoidal troubles which were remedied but still he could not walk or get out of a chair. His back had been injured while in the army.
Ruta and Rhus enabled him to get up and take one or two steps. Bowen concluded that the complaint was really rheumatism of malarial origin and gave Malaria off. 1X, ten pills three or four times a day. In a week the patient went to Bowens home and walked up and down a flight of steps alone. In five more days he walked three miles in one morning. He put on flesh and seemed ten years younger.
Dr. Yingling was equally successful with the use of this remedy in potencies ranging to the 1M.
The clinical application of this remarkable remedy demonstrates its value and effectiveness in serious states of illness after the failure of other remedies. It needs further provings and study. It has proven effective in very resistant, relapsing types of fever, especially those based on tubercular or malarial causation.
Ocimum canum, a remedy of fragmentary proving, was introduced to Homoeopathy by Mure who tells us that it is used in Brazil as a specific for disease of the kidneys, bladder and urethra.
This is one of the most useful and effective remedies in renal colic. It has cured severe cases after material doses of opium failed to relieve. Swelling of the inguinal glands, even bubo, has been cured. In the female, swelling and prolapsus of the vagina has been cured.
Physicians do not use the remedy as much as they should. It is one of our best for very serious and painful complaints.
Paeonia is another little remedy too often overlooked by the profession in the treatment of hemorrhoids, fissure and ulcerating conditions of the rectum.
The Female sexual organs are markedly disturbed with this remedy. The external genitals are swollen and painful.
Sleep is greatly disturbed by dreams, many unremembered but others voluptuous with emissions, or anxious, vivid dreams of death, or frightful deaths of relatives which make sleep unrefreshing.
Ratanhia, Nitric acid and Silica need be compared with this remedy in the special conditions mentioned, those referring to rectal and hemorrhoidal complaints.
In his book The Collected Works of Arthur Hill Grimmer, Grimmer spoke out against the fluoridation of water and vaccinations. Grimmer wrote prodigeously, Gnaphalium, Homeopathic Prophylaxis and Homeopathic Medicine and Cancer: The Philosophy and Clinical Experiences of Dr. A.H. Grimmer, M.D.