CASE I.
A man came to me in July 1927 wearing dark glasses and a heavy pad over the right eye. It was a bad case of chronic ophthalmia of ten years standing, caused by a steel splinter penetrating the eye during the war. All this time it would heal up for brief periods only, and soon break out again. He could not hold a job long on account of these recurrent attacks which knocked him out for three of four months each time. He had been almost constantly in the hands of eye specialists, and what they did to the eye was worse than the original injury.
The corneal ulcers had been frequently cauterized, in addition to the constant use of astringent solution; there was apparently not much hope of a good recovery. Throbbing carotids and pulsating pains in the eye were sufficient indications for the remedy, and he received Belladonna CM, one dose, followed by most satisfactory improvement. About three weeks later Sulphur 200 was given, with continued steady improvement all summer until Sept.17th. When a slight recurrence required another dose of Belladonna. He remains perfectly well ever since with a far better eye than I had dared hope for.
CASE II.
A troublesome condition of the eyelashes which curl over inwards, and irritate the conjunctiva in a young child. This was doubtless caused by the free use of boric acid in the eyes; one dose of Borax MM cured promptly and permanently.
CASE III.
A young girl was brought to me from two hundred miles away, coming direct to my office from the train. There was a history of six days illness; the first three days rapidly sinking, and the second three days critically ill. The allopath in attendance called it spinal meningitis, and warned them against attempting the journey. After looking her over I gave Stramonium 3M; this was followed by profuse sweating and rapid recovery. No other treatment was required. She is a fine healthy girl today.
CASE IV.
A boy about ten or eleven, always the least robust child of the family, was just getting over an attack of measles when this crisis occurred in the night. He moaned and twitched,talked and grasped at flocks, the eyes were rolling, bright and shining, skin cold and dry, and no pulse was to be felt. The entire body was exceedingly cold. External warmth was provided and his mother lay beside him the rest of the night to keep life in his body. In the morning she came to my office. On inquiring I found the child had always like a little light at night, and could never bear to be left alone. Stramonium not only cured the acute condition but changed him from a delicate, quiet little fellow to a more normal boy, able to play with the others and hold his own.
CASE V.@
A young lady came in great distress one Sunday morning after a very bad night. She had been trying a new cosmetic for the face the evening before. The eyes were puffy and swollen almost like Apis, and a burning, irritating rash had broken out on her neck and the upper part of chest. She had been unable to remain in bed, up and down all night. The diagnosis was arsenical poisoning, and Arsenicum 70M was given. she came again next day, no better as to appearance, but as she had slept better I knew the remedy was doing good, and gave Placebo. All the symptoms subsided in a day or two.
CASE VI.
A thirteen months old child was brought to me suffering from post-scarlatinal dropsy. Face waxy, eyes puffy and almost closed. Urine scanty and frequent, and full of albumen. Apis CM made a quick recovery, and a second dose a month later completed the cure.
CASE VII.
I was summoned to a child eight years of age. On entering the house, her screams told the tale. She was unconscious, or only semi-conscious during quiet spells, restless, waving one hand in the air, rolling the head on pillow, tossing about trying to throw herself out of bed unless restrained. Evidently serious meningeal trouble was threatening. Apis 50M resulted in a steady improvement and by the fourth day recovery was complete.
CASE VIII.
Chronic diarrhoea in a man 39 years of age, following dysentery during the war. Painless; no formed stool for ten years or over; stool always loose; regularly a stool on rising in the morning; one prolonged soft stool or at most two; sometimes acute attacks with frequent and scanty, bloody, mucous stools. On March 6, 1927, he consulted me during one of these acute attacks. Belladonna Cm gave prompt relief. I did not see him again until May 2nd. when Sulphur 200 was administered. Complete cure resulted and he remains well to date.
CASE IX.
A man of 40, tall and fair, was losing weight. He had scabies badly during the war, and an appendectomy four years ago. He now vomits easily, has a bad stomach, with frequent regurgitations of bitter fluid, great thirst for cold drinks, and an empty weak feeling relieved for a short time by drinking cold water, after which it begins again. Phosphorus 200. When he came back in three weeks, the change was marvelous; he was eating well, keeping his food down, and getting back his old snap and vigor.
CASE X:
A man about 37 years of age had been badly wounded during the war and had acquired the liquor habit at the same time. There were frequent outbreaks of drunkenness to the despair of his family and friends. Shortly before Christmas last, he developed eczema all over his head, face and neck. This almost disappeared under Sulphur when a huge carbuncle came on the nape of the neck. This yielded nicely to Rhus tox., but in two or three weeks the annoying eczema broke out again, with a new symptom; a strong disposition to curse and swear. This furnished the classic trio, viz: the eruption, aggravation from prolonged dipsomania and the mental condition. Anacardium 10x completed the cure and now there has been six months freedom from the craving for liquor. OTTAWA, CANADA.
DISCUSSION.
DR.MACFARLAN: We havent had very good results with Belladonna in eye cases. About a year ago I made a proving of Cuprum metallicum. I was surprised to find out the number of eye symptoms it produced. It has the most remarkable eye symptoms you ever saw in your life.
I went to the Chronic Diseases, and I found them all corroborated by Hahnemann. I produced hypermetropia, which we see in these chronic diseases. I produced twitching of the eye, which is characteristic; photophobia, and many other eye symptoms. I never thought that Cuprum metallicum would do it. I found it out through proving.
I was glad Dr. Woodbury spoke this morning of the value of provings. You learn things from provings which you really learn in no other way. It indelibly impresses on your mind certain indications which you associate with definite individuals.
I worked one time at the navy yard in Philadelphia.
I proved china on man there. I have never forgotten it.
I could even close my eyes and draw the chair that he sat on. He used to sit in the chair in certain way, and whenever I see a man who needs China, I always think of that fellow. When you see it in the natural disease, you make very good cures, and very quick ones.
DR.GRIMMER: I would like to add a little note on the remedies of eye lacerations. Last year I had brought to me a little child whose eye was punctured near the pupil so that the vitreous humor was exuding. Of course I didnt want the case. I told the mother it was a case for a specialist, but I didnt think they could do anything about the sight. She said, “Doctor, you have done so many wonderful things, I think you can help us out here.” I gave the child a powder of Cineraria 10M on condition that she go to a good ophthalmologist whom I named. The specialist said there was nothing to do but wait and keep the inflammation down with cold compresses (which I permitted). The wound healed, there was no other treatment needed and the sight today is perfect. I am sure we save the childs vision with Cineraria, so it is well worth remembering along with other remedies.
Only a few weeks ago a gentleman called for medicine for his wife. Knowing he had been under homoeopathic treatment for a catarrh of long standing, I asked him how he got along. “Oh, finely, but your little doses wont do, they are too slow for my case; they are the thing for my wife, but they didnt do up my catarrh. I went to an allopathic doctor and have had two injections of nitrate of silver, pretty severe. but my catarrh is most well”. I congratulated him and thought that if that old catarrh was being so suddenly stopped, such speedy cures are impossible, he would have trouble.
Not long after, he returned to the slow method; he had become frightened, for after three or four applications he began to grow deaf. There is not one here but has noted the production of tubercles in the lugs following the suppression of nasal or laryngeal catarrh; the treatment drives it down out of reach as well as the patient. Intelligent persons are learning that it is dangerous to suppress haemorrhoids, scrofulous glandular swellings, etc., etc. They are finding out the same things as regards catarrhs and, in fact, all local manifestations. We must keep in advance of our patients.-T.F.ALLEN, 1865.
