LUMP IN BREAST.
Cure by Cundurango.
CASE 1.
July 9th, 1927. Miss L., aged 36, came to me, complaining of a lump in her right breast, which she only discovered recently. She is a healthy-looking florid girl of a sanguine temperament, and generally has had good health. Catamenia normal. An aunt said to have died of cancer. The lump is small, is felt deep in breast and seems fairly defined and is not tender to examination. She feels a slight ache in it.
Cundurango 2x was prescribed, 3 drops to be taken three times daily in water. Three weeks later she wrote saying she felt much better, and is sure the medicine is doing her good.
September 19th. She came to see me; I found the lump had quite gone. She said the medicine had the effect of making her feel much better altogether in herself. She has kept well since.
TUMOUR OF BREAST.
CASE II.
October 24th, 1901. Miss S., aged 37.
For a week has had a hard lump in right breast causing her discomfort, though not acute pain.
As a girl between 14 and 19, she had an abscess in the breast, which for some time discharged, healed, and then opened again. Caused she thinks by a blow. Then nine months ago she got a blow running against the corner of a blind, so her breast has had several injuries. She is “regular”, but her general health is not too good, and she is inclined to be under weight. Advised to feed up and to keep warm and quiet.
Bellis perennis 2x, 3 drops four times a day, prescribed, and a compress at night to be applied to breast of the mother tincture, 20 drops to 2 ozs. water.
November 1st. Temperature 99.6 in axilla.
In upper left quadrant of breast there is a hard caked swelling which is hot and tender to the touch.
Diagnosis. Chronic mastitis, with tendency to another abscess.
As her symptoms pointed to approaching suppuration, Hepar sulph, was kept in mind.
Phytolacca 1x was given every two hours, and warm foments applied to breast.
After two weeks of this treatment she reported relief the lump was smaller and it gave her no pain. Feeling stronger than she has done all this year.
From now at times the lump would get harder, but on the whole less painful. Phytolacca was continued, internally and externally.
By December 11th she reported a gain in weight of 3 lbs., which makes her weight more than for twenty years, as it is always difficult for her to put on weight.
23rd. Writes “Lump has practically disappeared, and has ceased to trouble.” Two years later she reported herself as “still a cure”.
This ladys case must be looked on as one of a lump in breast tending to abscess formation in a delicate constitution. Such conditions may lead ultimately to cancer, if unchecked, cancerous degeneration being easily caused by any prolonged irritation of the gland tissue; and we know that frequently injuries such as blows or contusion lead to a similar result. It is therefore important to get complete disappearance of any mammary hardening, in view of future possibilities.
CASE III.
A case which caused great anxiety to the lady herself and her family came under my care many years ago. She was a middle-aged lady of a rheumatic constitution. Both breasts were affected by a number of hard movable nodules. The sensation on examination was as if one were handling a bag of stones, and a multiform cystic adenoma seemed to be in evidence, an exceedingly formidable tumour, for which total excision of both breasts would be the usual surgical treatment.
However, judging by the clearly indicated constitutional tendency of the lady, I prescribed a course of Bryonia, with the most satisfactory results. The threatening condition quite cleared up. The lumps dissolved, and the lady lived for many years afterwards, without to my knowledge any return of the disease.
Lumps and tumours of a hard fibrous nature are very apt to occur in women of a rheumatic temperament. I have had frequently to treat such cases, and they are often at first not very obvious, and seem to indicate a more serious disease. They usually yield to appropriate Homoeopathic treatment. Bryonia is often indicated, and I have found it very useful in resolving these tumours.
CASE IV.
Miss C., a stout unmarried lady of 44, came under my care in August, 1894.
Some six weeks ago she first discovered a lump about the size of a walnut in her right breast at first painless, but latterly it became painful. She had been treated by several doctors, who had given her Conium, Arsenic and Phytolacca. I found a firm tumour about 2 inches in diameter. The skin not adherent, nipple indrawn, rather tender on pressure.
Phytolacca was continued, and a Hydrastis compress applied to breast.
August 24th. The tumour swelled at Catamenia, but after this was over it seemed smaller and softer. She feels very well and is sure Phytolacca suits her and regulates her bowels. On examination growth seems very much less in evidence. It is softer since last examination and the edges feel smoother and less tender on pressure.
Continued Phytolacca.
September 25th. It is difficult to feel sure of size of tumour as it lies deeply in breast tissue and she is very fat. But on deep pressure and moving breast laterally one detects a largish solid growth internally, giving the sensation of being deeper if anything than it seemed at first. She has gained weight and is now over 12 stone.
Some rash shows on skin. Compress stopped and Graphites 6x, 3 grains three times a day prescribed.
October 4th. Some inflammation of eyes from a chill, through getting wet, and some hyperaesthesia of breast, but less hardness to the touch. Graphites 30, 3 grains three times a day.
23rd. In bed with a neglected cold and sore throat; a foul white tongue. Mercur. biniod., 3 t.d.s.
26th. Tongue cleaned off. Throat intensely red and raw. Bell. 1x, two hours, and a gargle of Calendula in water.
Treatment of breast was here interrupted for somedays, while she was suffering from a sore throat attack, at one time almost diphtheritic, followed by great debility.
November 5th. By now much better, and been up and out of doors, having quite got over her throat attack. Breast going on favourably; tumour less defined, some fullness and tenderness remains.
Phytolacca O 3 drops three times a day.
January 26th, 1895. For some time she tells me she has been unable to detect any swelling by the touch, nor has she had any of her former sensations in the breast. On careful examination the tumour seems to have completely disappeared, and nothing is to be felt whatever of it now. She has got stouter, but breasts are entirely equal.
Taking no medicine, and able now to take active exercise playing at Badminton, etc. and she remained to my knowledge years after cured of the tumour.
Tumours of the breast are by the dominant school of medicine so completely consigned to surgical operation that little else from that quarter can be expected. But in hundreds of cases the steady medical treatment of such by Homoeopathy has proved entirely successful.
Careful study of the case, taking closely into consideration the constitutional temperament, is important, and then perseverance in following up the treatment is essential (if necessary for many months) and has, as Dr. Burnetts cases have shown, been crowned with success at last, even when there has been more than a suspicion that the growth was cancerous.
Homeopath and physician in Torquay.
Graduation from Edinburgh (1873), member of homeopathic society.