JOURNAL OF HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE VOL. 4 APRIL-JUNE-1962 NO. 2.pdf
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At^J^JMOEOPATHIC MEDICINE
Published Quarterly
Aude Sapere
Vol. 4
No. 2
APRIL—JUNE 1962
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Dr. S. R. Wadia, m.b., b.s., m.f.hom, (Lond.),
Sr. Hon. Physician, Govt. Homoeopathic Hospital, Bombay.
Dr. K. R. Sethna, m.b., b.s., f.c.e.h.,
Hon. Physician, Universal Health Institute Hospital, Bombay.
Dr. V. V. Athalye, A.v.p., Satara.
Advisory Editors
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Member, Board of Homoeopathic and Biochemic Medicine, Bombay.
Dr. N. M. Jaisoorya, m.d. (Berlin), Hyderabad.
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m.f.hom. (Lond.), New Delhi.
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Editor, Homoeopathic Herald, Calcutta.
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Dr. Otto Leeser, M.D., PH.D. (Berlin), Buckinghamshire,
Former Head of Robert Bosch Homoeopathic Hospital, Stuttgart.
Dr. D. M. Foubister, B.SC., m.b., ch.b., d.c.h., f.f. HOM. (Lond.),
Dean, Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital
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Dr. Kurt Peter, m.d., d.f. HOM. (Lond.), St. Gallen, Switzerland,
Dr. Robert Siestchek, m.d., Vienna,
Dr. G. Gagliardi, m.d., Rome,
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Dr. S. P. Koppikar, B.H.M.S., Madras.
JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINE
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That which restores health is the proper medicine, he who cures the
...
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patient is the best physician
...
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Charaka
...
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Hippocrates
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Hahnemann
Life is short, art is long, opportunity fleeting, experiment dangerous
and judgment difficult
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The physician’s high and only mission is to restore the sick to health
APRIL--JUNE 1962
Vol. 4
No. 2
CONTENTS
Editorial:
Homoeopathic Registration
•.
2.
Pemphigus
..
3.
Pain
4.
Difficulties in Homoeopathic
Practice
Selection and Interpretation
of Symptoms
1.
5.
6.
A most interesting case
I have seen
(Symposium)
35
Dr. V. V. Athalye, A.V.P.
37
Dr. H. K. S. Rao, L.M.P.
38
.
Dr. K. P. Majumdar, B.Sc., D.M.S.
44
.
Dr. P. Sankaran, L.I.M., F.C.E.H.
D.F.Hom. (Lond.)
49
Dr. P. Sankaran, L.I.M., F.C.E.H.,
D.F.Hom. (Lond.) 53
*1
„
Dr. M. C. Batra, B.A., LL.B.,
D.M.S., D.F.Hom.(Lond.)
54
Dr. C. C. Desai, M.B.,B.S., D.M.S.,
M.F.Hom.(Lond.)
55
.
56
Dr. S. P. Koppikar, B.H.M.S.
57
Dr. P. N. Pai
7.
Relationship of Remedies
8.
From our case books:
(i) Metropathia Haemorrhagica
Dr. (Miss) S. M. Nerurkar, L.C.E.H.
61
(ii) Sinusitis
Dr. S. A. Jamdar, L.C.E.H.
62
(iii) Clinical Notes
Dr. A. R. A. Acharya
63
Dr. S. R. Phatak, M.B.,B.S.
64
Dr. A. U. Sriram, M.B.,B.S.,
M.F.Hom.(Lond.)
65
.
(iv) Clinical Notes
(v) Biliary Calculus
.
9.
Abstracts & Extracts
66
10.
News and Notes
67
EDITORIAL
HOMOEOPATHIC REGISTRATION
Hitherto we have consistently abstained from disscussing matters other
than those of purely scientific importance. However, we now propose to discuss
the subject of homoeopathic registration as it is a very important one and has
a great deal to do with the progress of homoeopathy.
Most of the States in India have recognised homoeopathy as a standard
system of medical treatment and have formulated rules for the control and
growth of this system. They have also framed rules for the registration of
homoeopathic practitioners and the formation of Boards of Homoeo
pathy. Since the vast majority of homoeopathic practitioners have been
practising without any medical qualification, naturally therefore the rules
framed have made sufficient provision to include such practitioners. Most of
the States have provided that persons who are able to prove that they have
been in continuous practice for 10-15 years are to be allowed registration in the
first register. It is certainly necessary that all true and sincere practitioners of
homoeopathy, irrespective of whether they are qualified or not, should be includ
ed in the first register of practitioners. Yet, the fact also cannot be ignored that
many persons who have no other vocations are willing and eager to register
themselves as homoeopathic practitioners. Many of these persons have neither
the knowledge nor the interest in this system. But they merely wish to enter
a profession which to their mind will provide an easy, attractive and remune
rative livelihood. While on the one hand the Boards of Homoeopathy or
registering bodies may be tempted to include the largest number of people who
apply so that the corpus of homoeopaths may be considerably enlarged yet on
deeper consideration it will be clear to the perceiving mind that this can very
well defeat the very purpose of registration viz. the regulation and progress of
homoeopathy. A mere enhancement of the number of practitioners by includ
ing those who are not sincere will have a most deleterious effect on the growth
of our system. Such practitioners who get registration but do not have the
necessary background in knowledge or the faith in the art will naturally practise
in a most haphazard fashion. We know of several instances where so-called
homoeopathic practitioners after registration are prescribing more allopathic
medicines than the allopathic practitioners themselves, their knowledge of those
medicines as well as of the homoeopathic ones being derived from the medical
representatives or the catalogues of various medical firms. That such practice
will have a disastrous effect on our profession requires no explanation. But
to the thinking mind no surprise will be caused by the behaviour of such
1 people, for when we include persons in the register who have no knowledge
of or faith in homoeopathy, this situation is bound to arise.
35
It is true that the various registering bodies have to function within the
framework of the Act and register those who provide sufficient proof of their
practice as mentioned in the Act. Yet at the same time the registering autho
rities have a certain degree of latitude or discretion and if they strongly suspect
that even though a person provides enough evidence on paper, he is not a true
practitioner of homoeopathy, (for evidence on paper can be easily manufactured)
then it becomes the responsibility of the registering bodies to reject such
persons. A small body of sincere homoeopaths can do more good than a large
body consisting of insincere gain-seekers. This has been demonstrated all over
the world. Even in the war, a small disciplined army with courage and faith
is more useful than a much bigger army of indisciplined mercenaries.
In certain States provision has been made or agitation for such provision
is being made that even part-time practitioners should be registered and allowed
to practise. To our minds the practice of medicine requires the complete and
devoted attention and energies of the practitioners. In handling human life no
other diversion or consideration should be allowed to enter. If the source of
income of persons is elsewhere, it is but natural that they should pay only divided
attention to the medical practice but this should be discouraged by all thinking
persons and by law. Nowhere in the world is a medical practitioner allowed
to have any other occupation. Whatever may be the enthusiasm of the prac
titioners this is obviously not in the interest of homoeopathy.
EDITORIAL NOTICES
Contributions in the shape of original arti
cles, case reports, extracts, news cuttings,
etc. of interest to the profession are invited.
All authenticated matter and articles of scien
tific interest will be particularly welcomed.
Contributions are accepted on the under
standing that they are submitted exclusively
to the Journal of Homoeopathic Medicine and
that they may be reproduced with permission.
All contributions shall be subject to Editorial
revision. Such contributions, books for re
views, etc., should be addressed to the Chief
Editor, Journal of Homoeopathic Medicine,
13-A, Station Road, Santa Cruz (West), Bom
bay 54, India.
All public and private homoeopathic institu
tions are requested to send us reports of their
activities for purpose of references and record.
The Journal is published quarterly on the
1st day of the month following the quarter of
publication, viz. the 1st day of, January,
April, July and October. Any complaints
from subscribers of non-receipt of copies
should reach us within one month of these
dates.
All communications of a business nature,
dealing with subscriptions, advertisements
etc., should be addressed to the Business
Department.
36
r
•
PEMPHIGUS *
Dr. V. V. Athalye, A.V.P. Satara
Former Member, Court of Examiners in Homoeopathy, Bombay.
It is a skin disease with an. eruption of
bullae. When it is congenital it is called
pemphigus neonatorum syphiliticus. The
bullae or blebs are separate from each
other and usually grouped in threes or
fours. They are of varying sizes from a
pea to a hen’s egg. They are distended
with fluid. The fluid is transparent at first
but soon becomes milky. It is sometimes
sanguinolent. Very often the blebs burst
in a few days. They may develop in the
course of a few hours and generally occur
in successive crops. Sometimes they may
be confluent but are generally distinct.
They very much resemble the blebs which
are caused by burns of flyblisters. Re
currence of the disease is frequent and
cure is slow. In children the prognosis is
rather unfavourable.
I shall describe here only one case of
mine that brought a remarkable success
to Homoeopathic therapeutics.
A boy of six years living at a town 20
miles distant from my place had big bullae
on different parts of his body with a feb
rile reaction since a fortnight before he
was shown to me. He had been very
carefully and sympathetically treated by a
local physician, a follower of modern
medicine. When it was found that there
was no improvement in a fortnight, the
physician himself consulted me for
homoeopathic treatment. The bullae,
when bursting, used to give out watery
fluid which became purulent afterwards,
with a tendency to bleed if pressed.
boy, he was found to have temperature
105° F., pulse 128 per minute and cardiac
bruit that could be distinctly heard. Ho
awakened with trembling at heart. The
discharge from the bullae was acrid and
the acridity was worse at night especially
from warmth of the bed. He had pro
fuse sweat which brought no relief to him.
I advised the physician to give Nux vom.
in high potency, one dose, to antidote the
previous treatment and then Merc. viv.
first in the medium and then in the high
potency. The physician treated the boy
accordingly for two months with some im
provement. Then I was asked to re-exa
mine him.
In the second examination I found that
many old bullae had disappeared but new
ones had cropped up. Some were small
and some big. He was having rise of
temperature every day. I advised the
physician to administer now Sulph. in the
high potency as an intercurrent remedy.
Three days after Sulph. in the high po
tency was given, I was informed that the
rise of temperature was a bit checked that
the bullae had almost subsided. A few
new bullae made their appearance on the
face but were of a very small size. I ad
vised the physician to give one more dose
of Sulph. and to watch further progress
of the disease.
The report I received after a week was
that the rise of temperature was a little
less but that the condition was otherwise
the same with addition of a few symp
toms. And they were:—dread of least cold
On the first day when I examined the
* Extracted from the forthcoming book “Forty-four years of Homoeopathic
Practice” by the author.
37
air, desire for warm clothing and cover,
despair of recovery and filthy smell of
body as also of the bullae when they open
ed.
On the basis of these new symptoms I
thought that Psor. would perhaps act
better than any.other drug and hasten the
cure. So I advised the physician to ad
minister the drug in high potency. Four
days after Psor. was given I got a report
that the fever was much checked, that the
boy had better sleep, that the new bullae
were only a few and that they broke off
rapidly.
After four days one dose of Psor. in high
potency was again given and three days
after that I examined the boy for the third
time. The improvement brought about by
Psor. was wonderful. The bullae, the
filthy smell, die temperature and the des
pair all vanished as if by magic and the
whole atmosphere of die boy’s house was
pervaded by the feelings of surprise and
gratitude.
For two weeks thereafter the boy was
kept on placebo. The boy’s consti
tution was one of Phos. and the car
diac bruit which I had detected in the first
examination had been still diere though
in an abated condition. So Phos. was
given to die boy in the medium potency
for a fortnight and then in die high once
a week for two months after which the
treatment was stopped.
The boy is now 28 years old, a young
healthy person.
I b +
PAIN
Dr. H. K. S. Rao, L.M.P., Bangalore.
Pain is nature’s alarm signal — an S.O.S.
— to indicate diat an injury has been re
ceived or an illness (irritation, inflamma
tion) is present in some part or organ of
die body. Pain is not a disease in itself,
but a very important and annoying symp
tom of most of die diseased conditions. It
is for die relief of the pain that people
mostly come to us and it is our secred duty
to give them such relief as we can.
If one refers in die Kent’s Repertory
under the rubric ‘Pain’ in any of the
regional sections, he will be surprised to
see the number of pages it covers. In fact
these ‘Pain’ sections form die bulk of die
book. Even in the section on ‘Generali
ties’ covering about 81 pages, pain alone
occupies 14 pages. It not only indicates
the importance of ‘pain’ as a symptom, but
also the “particulars of pain” one should
gather for a proper assessment and selec
tion of the remedy. Remedies selected on
die basis of die “Law of Similars” on indi
vidualizing die case (by carefully noting
all the elements that go to make up die
“totality of the case”) are bound to give
not only quick relief, but also may go a
long way in establishing a true cure. To
resort to die indiscriminate use of ano
dynes and pain killers is to admit homoeo
pathic failure or that we do not know our
job well.
A case of pain has to be studied on the
following schemes (As in Kent’s Repertory).
38
1.
Location: That is (i) part or organ
of die body where pain is felt (it)
the structures involved—bone, gland,
muscle, nerve etc.
2.
Character of the pain: Aching, be
numbing, biting, bruised (sore),
indicated chronic miasmatic reme
dies, the underlying mischief can
not be rectified. The French physi
cians call them as ground remedies.
Dr. F. Beronville is of the opinion
that sulphur covers up all psoric
conditions of pain while Thuja is
indicated in sycotic cases. Nat.
sulph. and Thuja also come in hydrogenoid cases as ground remedies
or correcting remedies. We may
also add the nosodes like Medorrhinum, Psorinum, Syphilinum and
Tuberculinum where indicated to
complete cure. To describe all the
possible painful conditions in the
organism is to cover up the entire
field of therapeutics and to indicate
all the possible remedies required
for their cure is to write a complete
materia medica, because there is
not a disease process wherein pain
is not felt in some degree or other
and there is not a remedy that has
not produced some kind of pain or
other in its pathogenesis. So only
an attempt is made to get acquaint
ed with the common remedies and
with their chief sign-posts for ren
dering prescribing easy and to afford
some quick relief in most of the
discrete cases of pain where our
help is sought mainly for that pur
pose.
burning, bursting, constricting, cut
ting, drawing, gnawing, jerldng,
paralytic, pinching, pressing, stitch
ing, shooting, tearing, twisting etc.
3.
4.
Hato the pain begins and ends: (i)
Appears gradually, (ii) and dis
appears gradually, (iii) or sudden
ly, (iv) appear suddenly (v) and
disappear gradually or (vi) suddenlyLaterality and direction: Right or
left. Internally, externally. Ascend
ing, descending, backward, forward,
crosswise, diagnonal, up and down
or wandering.
5.
Causation: To be ascertained as far
as possible, both immediate (excit
ing) and remote (fundamental)
such as exposure to extremes of cold
and or heat, dry cold winds, bath
ing, sudden chilling, mental shock,
fright, anger, disappointment, injury
or trauma, suppression of eruptions,
secretions, discharges or emotions.
6.
Age & Sex : Infants and children have
their special afflictions and troubles
(teething).
Women — menstrual troubles; (be
fore, during and after) — labour
pains — climaxis.
7.
Concomitant symptoms: Common
symptoms associated with the pain
that help to give it “peculiar”
character.
8.
CHARACTERISTIC INDICATIONS OF
THE LEADING REMEDIES
Noting the presence of any stigma of
of old miasmatic history: This really
comes under the heading of causa
tion. It is the fundamental cause
of chronic diseases. Persistent
pains and periodically recurring
pains have a deep-seated miasm as
the background. Unless this is cor
rected by administering one of the
Nash has named “Aconite, Chamomilla
and Coffea” as the three leading “Pain
Remedies”.
The ACONITE pains are intolerable and
generally worse in the evening or night.
Are always attended by the extreme rest
lessness, anxiety and fearfulness, charac
teristic of the remedy. The patient tosses
39
about in agony “cannot bear the pain nor
bear to be touched nor to be uncovered”.
The pains of aconite come on suddenly
and with violence; after an exposure to
dry cold air or after sudden chilling when
heated in severe summer. There may be
associated high fever with burning thirst,
hot dry skin and rapid bounding pulse.
ARNICA MONT: Very painful, bruis
ed, soreness, all over. Crushing pain, bed
feels hard. Fears being struck or ap
proached; Bruised pains, injuries; bruises,
shock, jarring, labour, over-exertion and
sprains; after-pains; symmetrical pain,
eruptions (ache) or painful small boils.
HYPERICUM : Is a remedy “par ex
cellence” for wounded or injured nerves
— from simple puncture from a pin to con
cussion of the spine and brain; Lacerated,
injured or inflamed nerves; mashed
fingers. Very painful sore parts, coccygodynia, intolerably violent, shooting, lanci
nating along nerves; Neuritis after injury
Inflamed piles, dry rectum.
LEDUM : Purple, puffy and chilly, yet
averse to external warmth. Ascending
effects from feet; shifting tearing pains,
rheumatic pains, shooting up, wounds,
punctured from nails, stings etc. foul pus.
Coldness of the parts limbs, aggravation
warm covers; amel. cold application.
BRYONIA : Pains stitching, bursting, or
sore pains; slowly advancing; averse to
least motion. Agg. by least motion, rais
ing up, stooping, coughing or deep breath
ing or exertion. Better by lying quietly, by
pressure on painful side or part; affections
of serous membranes of head, chest, joints
and abdomen. Dryness of the internal
parts; dryness everywhere; inflammations
with exudations.
CHAMOMILLA has been called the
“catnip of Homoeopathy” because it is
particularly adopted to nervous affections
especially of children. The leading key
note is its characteristic mental ‘bad tem
per; frantic irritability; mad during pain’.
Dr. H. Farrington has expressed its main
indications in a tabloid form in the follow
ing seven lines.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
ARSENICUM ALB: Maddening pains;
burning like fire, better by hot applica
tions and hot food and drinks. Very rest
less, increasingly irritable, anguish and
great weakness. Inveterate neuralgias, neu
ritis, multiple neuritis.
7.
The epitome of cantankerous irrita
bility, peevishness and impatience.
Oversensitiveness to pain.
Pain with numbness of the affected
part; thirst and hot sweat.
Chilliness and aversion to open air;
yet tooth ache better from cold i
drink and cold food.
Ailments during dentition (the lead
ing children’s remedy during teeth-1
ing time) from coffee, narcotics, I
anger and chagrin.
Great dread of mind which aggra- i
vates many symptoms.
Relief from passive motion.
COFFEA : Palps are badly borne. It
resembles the above two remedies but only
lacks the bad temper of chamomilla and |
the fear of death of aconite. The pains I
are “insupportable, drive to despair; exas-1
peration, tears, tossing about in agony; I
great sleeplessness. Excitable and over-1
active, oversensitive to noise, pain, plea-1
sure etc. Weeps, laments and tosses about, j
Faints easily. Headache from mental 1
BELLADONNA: Sudden, throbbing,
sharp cutting, shooting pains of madden
ing intensity, coming and going in repeat
ed attacks. Agg. heat of sun (if heated),
drafts, jarring, touch, pressure, motion;
Amel. light covering, bending backward
and rest in bed.
40
COLOCYNTH: Sudden atrocious cramexertion, thinking, talking; one-sided, as if
a nail is driven into the brain, as if the • pings, griping, tearing, making him twist
brain is tom or dashed to pieces; tooth turn or cry out in pain with nausea or
ache > ice water; < as it gets warm. Ner lightning like pains, cutting, pinching,
cramping, gnawing or boring pain; then
vous sleeplessness.
numbness. Constriction, waves of violent,
MAG. PHOS : It is the morphia of
cutting, gripping grasping, clutching or
homoeopathy. It is characterized by sud
radiating abdominal colic double him up;
den violent neuralgias; sudden paroxysms
> hard pressure. Agg. emotions, exertion,
of pain; sharp shooting like lightning;
chagrin, anger, lying on painful side.
colics and cramps; constrictions, spasms
Amel. Hard pressure, heat, gentle motion,
and convulsions. Aggravated by cold, cold
after stool or flatus.
air, draughts, touch, worse during night
CUPRUM : Cramps and spasms of all
and by uncovering; Amel. by warmth, hot
kinds, extort cries; worse, suppression, hot
bathing, pressure, doubling up, rubbing.
It covers every type of pain except burn weather, touch; better cold drinks
(cough).
ing.
DIOSCOREA : A remedy for pains of
The three leading traumatic remedies
all kind. Unbearably sharp, cutting twist
are Arnica, Hypericum and Ledum.
ing, griping or grinding pains; that dart
BELLIS PERENNIS : Related to Ar about or radiate to distant parts, even to
nica; Bruised soreness, aching, squeezing fingers and toes, in paroxysms, ’worse
or throbbing pains, deep trauma or septic doubling up, lying; better stretching out
wounds especially abdominal. Worse or bending backward.
touch, cold baths, cold drinks; better by
EUPATORIUM PERFOLIATUM: Vio
continued motion.
lent, aching, bone breaking pains; bruised
CACTUS : Constructive pains — of hol sore ache; back sore; throbbing head ache;
low muscular organs like heart, bladder, sore, aching eye balls; painful cough hurts
rectum, stomach, uterus. — as if in a vice. head, must hold chest; intense back ache
part feels clutched and released alternate as if broken; worse cold air, motion; better
ly by an iron hand.
vomiting bile; lying on face (cough).
CAPSICUM: Pains burning, smarting
GELSEMIUM: Aching, tired, heavy,
soreness, especially in mucous membrhnes, weak and sore, overpowering aching,
throat, mastoid. Worse by cold and drink heavy dull head ache > profuse urination;
ing, but not better by warmth.
dysmenorrhoea; labour pains go up, back
CIMICIFUGA : Violent pains; achings; ward or down thighs; rigid os. agg. Emo
shooting here and there, shock-like with tions, shock, ordeal, foggy, muggy weather
cries and faints. Bruised sore aching of (■spring, humid) heat of summer; better
muscles. Agg. damp cold wind, draughts, profuse urination; sweating. Alcoholic
menstruation. Amel. Warm wraps, pres stimulants relieve all complaints of Gels.
sure; neckache, throws the head back; patient.
menses irregular in time and amount; more
HEPAR SULPH : Pains sore, sticking,
flow more pain; slow labour with pains like sharp splinters. Every hurt festers. Sup
from side to side; cramps in skeletal puration. Worse : cold dry air, draughts;
muscles; in calves.
Least uncovering, least touch; better : heat,
41
warm wraps (and damp weather) Great
sensitiveness to all impressions.
KALI BICH : Pain in small spots that
can be covered by finger tip; jump about,
wandering; blindness, then pain over the
eye cold pressing on die root of the nose.
Worse damp, 2-3 A.M.; better heat,
motion.
KALI CARB: Sharp stitching, stab
bing chest pains; backache, worse : cold
air, drafts, exertion, lying on painful side,
winter: 2-3 A.M.; better warmth, sitting
with elbows on knees, open air.
KALMIA : Changing pains; shoot out
ward along nerves; or dull tearing, crush
ing, moving downward, then suddenly to
heart; alternating with cardiac pains.
Pains shoot down the arm (brachialgia)
worse : motion, lying on left side; better :
eating, continued motion.
LACHESIS : Congestive pains moving
from left to right; Sepsis, gangrene, etc;
excessive painfulness, of diroat; ulcers,
spots over body. Worse : going to sleep,
during sleep or after sleep; morning; sum
mer heat, hot drinks; empty swallowing;
sensitive to touch, pressure of clodies.
Better open air, free discharges, warm ap
plications; cold drinks; hard pressure.
Note pain in Tibia (may follow sore
diroat); Acute appendicitis, right side
sciatica.
LYCOPODIUM : Sudden pains moving
from right to left. Worse 4-8 P.M. or
A.M., warm applications; better warm
drinks, uncovering, cold application.
heat; better: cold, open air, gentle mo
tion, weeping, sympathy.
RHUS TOX : Rheumatic pains; Stitch
ing, tearing pains; cannot rest in any posi
tion. Sore, bruised or stiff, flesh feels
beaten or torn, loose from bones. Worse:
wet, cold, chill or draught. Better : conti
nued motion, rubbing, heat.
RUTA: Bruised sore aching; restless
ness, rheumatism, gnawing, burning, eye
strain, eye burns; Worse : eye strain, over
exertion, sprains, cold, draughts, better :
lying on back, warmth, motion. Pain and
stiffness in wrists and hands.
SEPIA : Ailments associated with ute
rine troubles; bearing down pains, pains,
and flashes of heat shoot upwards, loss of
affection, sadness, weeping irritability Agg.
Cold air, sexual excess; morning and even
ing, before menses Amel. violent motion,
warmth cold drinks.
SPIGELIA: Pain in violent attacks,
radiating, nerves, eyes, teeth, left sided.
Worse: touch, motion, jar, periodically
with the sun, Better : lying on right side
with head high.
PAIN-A SHORT REPERTORY
LOCATION : (Too many to be included
here).
TISSUE OR STRUCTURE: Blood ves
sels — Aeon; Am; Bell; Carb, v.; Fl.
ac; Gio; Ham; Hyos; Lach; Phos;
Pul; See; Thuja; Vip.
LAC CAN : Pains alternate sides. Over
sensitive parts, cannot have fingers touch
each other. Worse: touch, jar, during,
menses. Better: open air. Remember this
old remedy for throat affection, diphtheria
or tonsils.
PULSATILLA : Wandering pains, worse
' 42
Bones : Asaf; Aur; Calc; Calc, phos; Merc;
Nit. ac; Phos; Pho. ac.; Pul; Sil; Sul;
Bursae (Ganglia) : Rut.
Glands : Bar; c.; Bell; Calc, c.; Carb, an;
Clem; Con.; Lach; Lyc; Mere; Phos;;
Phyt.; Pul.; Sil.; Sul.
Membranes: Arg. n; Ars.; Bell; Bry.;
Caps.; Cham.; Dul.; Hep; Hyds.;
Merc.; Nux.; Pul.; Stram.; Sul.
Radiating: Berb.; Colo.; Cup.;
Dios.; Merc.
Up and down: Gel.; Gio.; Lyc.;
Phos.; Pul. Sul.; Ver. a.
Serous : Aeon.; Ap.; Bry.; Canth.; Kali, c.;
Sul.
Muscles : Am.; Ars.; Bell.; Bry.; Calc, c.;
Caus.; Cimi.; Eup. per.; Mur. ac,;
Rhus, t.; Ver. a.
Nature of pain : Aching : Bapt.; Chin.;
Cimi.; Eup. per.; Gel.; Phyt.
Boring : Arg. n.; Bell.; Colo.; Lach.;
Merc.; Mez.; Pul.; Ran. b.; Spi.; Zn.
Burning : Aco.; Ars.; Canth.; Caus.;
Merc.; Nat. m.; Nux.; Sil.; Sul.
Compressing: Anae.; Ant. t.; Cact.;
Carb, v.; Colo.; Merc.; Nat. m.; Plat.
Constricting: Bell.; Cact.; Chin.;
Ign.; Lach.; Nit. ac.; Plat.; Pul.,
Phyt.
Cramping: Bell.; Cact.; Calc, c.;
Cham.; Colo.; Cup.; Dios.; Grap.;
Ign.; Lyc.; Nit. ac.; Nux. v.; Plat.;
Sul.; Ver. a.
Nerves : Aeon.; Ars.; Bell.; Bry.; Cham.;
Coff.; Colo.; Dros.; Gel.; Hyper.;
Ign.; Iris.; Kali, c.; Lyc.; Mag. p.;
Merc.; Nux. v.; Psor.; Rhus, t.;
Sang.; Spig.; Sul.; Ver. a
Mode of onset. Increasing and decreas
ing gradually: Gio.; Nat. m.; Plat.;
Sang.; Spig.; Stan.; Strop.; Syph.
Increasing and decreasing quickly:
Arg. n.; Bell.; Berb.; Cimi.; Colo.;
Dios.; Lyc.; Mag. p.; Sul.
Sides (laterally) Right: Ap.; Bell.; Bry.;
Calc.; Chel.; Lyc.
Right to left: Ap.; Bell.; Chel.;
Lyc.; Merc. i. f.; Sang.; Ver. a.
Left: Asaf.; Euphor.; Lach.; Lith.;
Mez.; Rhus, t; Sep.; Spig; Sul.;
Thuj.
Left to right: Lach.; Rhus, t.; Stan.
Pain goes to side lain on: Bry.;
Kali, c.; Pho. ac.; Pul.
Pain goes to side not lain on : Ign.;
Kali bi.; Rhus. t.
Cutting: Bell.; Bry.; Calc.; Canth.;
Colo.; Con.; Kai. c.; Nat. m.; Nux.
v.; Sul.
Drawing : Bry.; Caust.; Rhus. t.
Gnawing: Grap.; Ign.; Lach.;
Phos.; Plat; Pul. Sil.; Sul.
Shooting : Aco.; Agar.; Bell.; Berb.;
Cur.; Colo.; Dios.; Lyc.; Mag. p.;
Sul.
Sore: (bruised) : Ap.; Am.; Bap.;
Bell.; Bry.; Carb, v.; Caust.; Chin.;
Con.; Eup.p. ; Gel.; Lach.; Nit. ac.;
Nux. v.; Pul.; Rhus, t; Rut.; Sil.;
Sul.
Stitching : Bry.; Kali, c.; Merc.; Nit.
ac.; Rhus, t.; Sil.; Spi.; Sul.
Tearing: (very severe) : Aeon.;
Am.; Bell.; Calc.; Carb, v.; Caust.;
Chin.; Lyc.; Merc.; Nit. ac.; Plat.;
Pul.; Rhod.; Rhus. t.
Direction Ascending: Bell.; Gio.; Ign.;
Lach.; Led.; Naja.; Phos.; Pul.;
Sang.; Sep.; Sil.; Sul.
Backward : Bry.; Chel.; Kali, bi.;
Nat. m.; Sep.; Sul.
Crosswise (across) : Bell.; Chel.;
Chin.; Lact.; Sil.; Sul.; Ver. a.
Diagonal: Agar.; Alu.; Kai. m.;
Mang.; Phos.; Rhus. t. Sul. ac.
Downward : Berb.; Kahn.
Forward: Gel.; Lac. c.; Sabi.;
Sang.; Sep.; Spi.
Outward : Asaf.; Bell.; Bry.; Sep.;
Vai.
Throbbing (pulsating) : Bell.; Bry.;
Calc, c.; Gio.; Phos.; Pul.; Sep.; Sul.
43
MODALITY
Amelioration
Aggravation
Periodically :
Ars.; Chin.; Eup. pf.; Natan.;
Nux.v.,
Ced.; Chin.; Saba.
Chin.; Nat.m.
At same hour :
Alternate Day :
Clothes, Pressure of :
Lying :
Pressure :
Bending: Calc.; Colo.; Mag.p.;
Rhus.t.; Sep.; Sul.
Lach.; Lyc.; Nux.v.; Sil.
Ars. Aur.; Caps.; Cham.; Con.;
Dros.; Fer.; Hyos.; Lyc.; Plat.;
Pul.; Rhus.t.
Change of position: Ign.; Rhus.t.
Hot application: Ars.; Hep.;
Mag.p.; Rhus.t.; Sil.
Lying: Bry.; Nux.v.
On abdomen: Bell.; Colo.; Med.;
Phos.; Psor.; Sep.
Motion: Ars.; Aur.; Caps.; Con.;
Cyc.; Dulc; Euphor.; Fer.; Flu.
ac.; Pul.; Rhod.; Rhus.t.; Saba.;
Sep.; Vai.
Agar.; Bar.c.; Carb.v.; Cina.;
Hep.; lod.; Lach.; Lyc.; Nux.v.;
Sil.
Pressure: Bry.; Chin.; Colo.;
Ign.; Mag.p.; Pul.; Rhus.t.;
Stan.
References:
Kent: Repertory.
Nash : Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics.
Allen: Key Notes.
Boger: Sypnotic Key.
4.
4.
DIFFICULTIES IN HOMOEOPATHIC PRACTICE
*
Dr. K. P. Majumdar B.Sc., D.M.S., Bombay.
Lecturer, Bombay Homoeopathic Medical College.
Difficulties from the patient’s side,
Those from the doctor’s side,
Those from the pharmacist’s side.
and the others who come from the allo
pathic doctors.
In the Calcutta hospital, I have seen
even children giving symptoms of homoeo
pathic value. This is not so in Maha
rashtra because this science is new here.
The majority of patients do not understand
the necessity for the subtle and awkward
questions we ask and, therefore, are un
able to provide the answer so that it be
comes difficult for us to prescribe.
The Patient: Patients can be grouped
under two headings. Those who have some
idea of how the homoeopath takes the case
The second point is that homoeopathic
treatment may aggravate. For example,
when, a case of suppressed skin disease
When I was studying in the medical col
lege, I did not realize that there would be
so many difficulties in practice.
I propose to discuss them here to see
if some of you can help me. I shall
classify the difficulties into 3 broad cate
gories :
(1)
(2)
(3)
* Talk given at the Clinical meeting of the Govt. Homoeopathic Hospital,
Bombay, 11-2-1962.
44
*
comes to us, and we inform him that his
original eczema or his other old symptoms
may return, then the patient dislikes this
prospect. Sometimes even if he feels
better, he stops coming.
became completely well. This is the effect
of suggestion.
Concerning the physician, Hahnemann
has said that three main difficulties may
arise. The young homoeopath may
(a) think that the dose may be too small,
The time factor also comes in our way.
(b) repeat the medicine too frequently,
Patients want very speedy relief. So we
(c) may not know how to wait intelligently.
may have to resort to palliation. If your
Sometimes in a possible surgical case, we
Materia Medica is very good, then you
are not sure whether to wait or to send it
can hit the remedy and cure but if the
to the surgeon. In a case of diphtheria or
patient does not give symptoms, we can’t
tetanus, we are afraid to treat for fear of
li01p. ' Sometimes, he is not in a position
failures and so we may send to the allo
to believe in the efficacy of the small doses
pathic hospital.
as he is used to taking much bigger doses
Too much reliance on repertorisation
from allopathic doctors.
may be a fault. Repertorising in acute
I had the pleasure of working under Dr. cases may rob us of our knowledge of
B. K. Sarkar, Dr. B. K. Bose, Dr. J. N. Sar- Materia Medica. In chronic cases select
kar etc., and I may give one instance of ing different rubrics may give us different
speedy relief.
remedies. Personally I would not like to
I myself slipped and fell down and got repertorise. I may be wrong in reperto
a swelling in the arm. Am., Rhus tox and rising. In Calcutta, repertorising is not
much appreciated.
all other routine injury remedies were
One college Principal at Calcutta who
tried but failed. There was severe pain.
The surgeon had said that it was only a was highly qualified in allopathy, used to
tom ligament. Dr. B. K. Bose, whom I prescribe much on pathological symptoms.
consulted, prescribed Ham., 6X, one dose; This is not quite good.
Concerning prophylaxis, definite data
by evening to my greatest surprise I felt
better and by next day I was 50% better. are not available. We have no statistical
In one more day I was completely well. data. I do not know how and when to
Even the minimum dose gives maximum give the prophylactic remedy. We are,
therefore, worried whether we should take
relief.
up the responsibility of giving homoeo
The fifth point is the question of exter
pathic prophylactic remedies as against
nal application. Patients desire and expect
well tried allopathic methods.
to have external application. Some inno
The Drugs We have to totally depend
cuous ointment has to be given. Some
times these ointments even help psycho upon the Pharmacists. If the remedy fails,
logically. Once a patient had the delusion we dp not know whether it is the prescrip
that he had eaten a lizard and started tion that failed or the drug that was
losing weight. No treatment or advice wrong.
helped. My uncle admitted him in die
Sometimes there is a characteristic pic
hospital and we brought before him a dead ture of a drug. e.g. Nux vom., but Nux
lizard and convinced him that he had pass vom., may not help die case. Is it be
ed it in liis stool. He then improved and cause there may be some other drug that
45
is similar to the Nux vom., so far not yet
proved?
Such and numerous questions and prob
lems await solution by frank discussion
and research.
DISCUSSION
Dr. Pai : About homoeopathic aggravavation there are such varied opinions
that we cannot make out the truth. I
have tried single doses and repeated
doses and I feel that some cases come
round quicker with repeated doses,
especially skin cases. I have not
found so much aggravation even when
I have repeated the doses for months.
Sometimes the aggravation may be
due to disease and not due to
medicine.
many doctors prescribe Bell, in high
fever. I think pathological indica
tions are very important. I feel that
if we develop these indications more,
it would be very helpful. Such re
search is more urgent.
My own difficulty is this : We must
cure more acute cases and then only
we can earn a name, for example,
Typhoid, Pneumonia, Gastroenteritis.
What are the remedies we have got ?
Very often our cases recover naturally
and not through our treatment.
We have been repeating what Hahne
mann wrote but we do no research at
all. We treat cases for years. The
potency, repetition etc. are all not
standardized.
Dr. Pereira : A case of appendicitis was
treated by me sometime. He felt
much better. One day he had a sud
den attack of pain; he was operated
and the appendix showed a healed
lesion.
I have given Nat. mur. in headaches
and even there have not found any
aggravation, though the books warn
us not to give Nat. mur in such a
stage.
There is no harm in giving Placebo if
the patient requires it. We can give
coloured powders or in coloured
packets also.
About repertorization, a patient, a
football player had numbness of the
arm, with a history of an injury; he
was cured by Kali c. selected from the
repertory. Dr. Grimmer has written
a series of articles on prophylaxis.
No one should depend upon repertorization. Repertories should be used
.as reference books only because we
cannot remember all the symptoms of
all drugs. About drugs from pharma
cies, greedy pharmacists may supply
any potency of any drug, even those
not really available.
Dr. Subhash Shah : Research mainly con
sists of bedside experimentation. Dif
ficulties about acute Cases have been
experienced. Dr. McKillop of Royal
London Homoeopathic Hospital cured
a ease of ruptured appendix with
Peritonitis with Ver. a. Dr. P. Schmidt
cured a similar case with Arnica.
In course of time we may be able to
analyse the energies of the homoeo
pathic potencies and label our poten
cies with the actual names of the ener
gies. Regarding pathological prescrip
tions, there is nothing much wrong
because we are also unconsciously
thinking along these lines. For e.g.
Dr. J. N. Sarkar saw a case of Diphtheria,
took a swab and sent it to the labora
tory. He then gave Merc. Cyan. The
patient was 50% better by die time
the report came as positive.
46
We also get failures. In a case of
congestive cardiac failure, the patient
was given Phos. but he collapsed in
half an hour. The benefit depends up
on the similitude we get. The diffi
culty is to know whether the drug is
the simillimum. At times we are sure
of our selection and yet we may fail.
In acute cases, it may cost lives.
Dr. Stearns has developed the pulse,
pupil and percussion methods of drug
selection. Such methods may help
homoeopathy mueh.
If repertorization is done mechanically
without knowing the spirit of the
drugs, it may misguide but if you
know if is not the end but the way,
then it may be very useful. Dr. Kent
has taken greatest care to prepare his
repertory from most reliable symp
toms.
Dr. Pai :I remember a case of acute appen
dicitis which was cured by Bell: 10M
within 10 hours. This case was seen
by Dr. Sankaran also. Similarly many
other cases have been cured'. I have
seen several successful cases of Diph
theria, Encephalitis, typhoid etc.
Dr. Shaikh : What palliation can be done
when the remedy is not dear ?
Regarding dummy ointments, some
times die patients think the cure is
due to the ointment.
Dr. Sankaran: I must thank Dr. Majumdar for giving rise to an interesting
discussion. He is a very intelligent
and progressive homeopath and the
points raised by him require consi
deration. I shall contribute some of
my own thoughts regarding these
problems.
The homoeopathic aggravation is un
fortunately a mueh misunderstood
47
subject. The true homoeopathic ag
gravation is a very mild and almost
imperceptible increase of the symp
toms. But even in spite of this slight
est aggravation, the patient as a whole
feels better. He may say that all his
symptoms are worse and yet he feels
better. In other words, a sense of im
provement or wellbeing is the first to
appear as a reaction, though it is ac
companied by a little mild aggrava
tion of symptoms. An improvement
thus starts in the mind and is a very
healthy sign. But unfortunately most
violent aggravations, arising from
wrong remedies and wrong potencies
and even the exacerbations of the
disease are labelled as homoeopathic
aggravation, with the result that the
patients in general have come to
dread the so-called homoeopathic
aggravation. I must say that in my
experience and in the experience of
my many-friends, such violent aggra
vations are extremely rare.
Secondly, Dr. Majumdar said that
patients may dread reappearance of
the old symptoms. Here again there
is a misconception. Where the treat
ment has been correct and the im
provement on proper lines, the new
set of more troublesome symptoms
are replaced by the old set of less
troublesome symptoms. For example,
the patient of Asthma with the history
of skin disease may feel better in the
Asthma and get back the skin condi
tions. Similarly a case of headache
may improve with the reappear
ance of an old nasal discharge. In
all these cases we will have to remem
ber that the patient feels better with
the reappearance of the old symptoms.
If the patient does not feel better, re
appearance of the old symptom is not
wait too long. I knew one illustrious
doctor who used to wait upto one
month even if the dose did not act.
I think this is carrying the idea to the
extreme. Dr. Subhash Shah has al
ready mentioned about the limitations
of the repertory. .1 may add that I
would not like to be without a reper
tory even for one hour.
indicative of real progress. There
fore, really there is no need for any
patient to dread the prospect of a re
appearance of the old symptoms.
The third point in our favour is the
fact that generally speaking almost all
cases which come to us, the patient
has tried and exhausted every possi
bility and comes to homoeopathy as
a last resort. Therefore, he does not
know where else to go after our
treatment. Coming to the interroga
tion of the patient, I have found that
the most experienced homoeopaths do
not ask as many questions as we
do. They fill up the gaps more
by observations and imagination. I
know some doctors who ask very few
questions and yet are very successful
in selecting the remedy.
About the doses and repetition of pro
phylactic remedies etc., Dr. P. Schmidt
has given directions in a paper read by
him in the International Congress at
London in 1956. Dr. Grimmer has
also read several papers on the sub
ject.
Unfortunately some of the pharmacies
in our field do not realize the great
responsibility that they are shoulder
ing. While deceitful pharmacies may
be few, careless dispensers are many. I
may give you a very interesting ex
periment done by certain homoeopaths
in the U.S. around the beginning of
this century. They wrote down a list
of remedies. Some of the remedies
were genuine, some were completely
fictitious in name. This list was sent to
several pharmacies and many of them
supplied, even the fictitious remedies I
The question of dependability of
symptoms is coming up and I must
again refer to Dr. Pulford’s valuable
book in which he has graded the
symptom in a most efficient manner.
As regards the smaller doses, again I
beg to differ from Dr. Majumdar be
cause once the patient comes to us
he is prepared to give a trial for some
time, a week or two, with or without
the faith in the smaller doses. Only
when we fail to give relief within this
period he starts losing faith. As re
gards the low potency, I may mention
a case of chronic headache treated
with Nat. m. I prescribed Nat. m.
6th potency of the 50 millisimal scale.
By mistake the patient was given only
Nat. m. 6th potency and yet relief was
so great that I was much surprised.
About the repetition of medicine, I
must mention, that some physicians
I thank you all for the discussion.
+
48
+
♦
SELECTION & INTERPRETATION OF SYMPTOMS *
Dr. P. Sankaran, L.I.M., F.C.E.H., D.F. Hom (Lond.)
Hon. Physician, Govt. Homoeopathic Hospital, Bombay.
dered most important. To quote an exam
ple, when I find strong desires and
aversions I give great importance to them
whereas the senior homoeopath does not
give so much value. I shall now quote
some cases to illustrate my points :
Homoeopathy is a most interesting and
sometimes intriguing science. As we study
the Materia Medica, our mind is impress
ed by the drug pictures given. Some
times we have a thorough idea of the drug
picture but when we practise we are faced
by the fact that only a few cases come
before us with all the characteristic symp
toms of the drug. Many cases appear only
with a few characteristic symptoms, some
times with only one or two, and in these
cases we have to select the drug by infer
ring from the available picture what is
hidden. As we practise more and more,
we realize more and more the value of
selection and interpretation of symptoms.
In this respect my experience has been
very varied. I have had opportunity to
consult several eminent homoeopaths for
several cases and I have often been sur
prised or even puzzled at the way in which
different prescribers have laid emphasis on
different symptoms of the same case. Even
though we are all agreed that we prescribe
on the ‘symptom-totality’, this totality of
symptoms seems to mean different tilings
to different persons. In this totality, we
naturally do not include in practice every
thing that is present. We omit certain
details and lay emphasis^ on certain other
details. In this omitting and putting em
phasis, there seems to be differences in the
approach of different homoeopaths. For
instance, I may tell you that I have pres
cribed in many cases giving importance to
certain symptoms and when I have taken
these very same cases to a senior homoeo
path, I have found that he has rejected
those very symptoms which I had consi
(1) I once saw a case of a married
young man aged 25 who was suffering
from recurrent attacks of epididimo-orchitis. The peculiarity of this case was
that as long as the man lived with his wife
he had no attack at all. When he left his
wife and came away to Bombay, a month
or so later he would start getting attacks
which would become more and more fre
quent. The attack itself would subside if
he got a seminal emission. He consulted
several doctors but they could advise him
nothing beyond penicillin injections for the
attacks. When he came to me I took the
symptom “Ailments from suppression of
sex desire” as the main symptom and on
tills basis I prescribed several drugs like
Staph., Con. etc., all without producing
any relief. Ultimately tin’s patient went to
another doctor who prescribed for him
Lach, interpreting the symptom as “Dis
charge, Amel.’ and cured this case. This
case illustrates the results of a slight dif
ference in the interpretation of symptoms.
(2) I may give you another case of a
doctor aged 45 who used to suffer from
certain symptoms like discharge of black
blood from the nose etc., which required
Lach, from time to time but when Con was
given because he was remaining in a single
blessed state, there was great relief
in general.
* Discussion held at the Clinical meeting of the Govt. Homoeopathic Hospital,
Bombay, on 11-3-1962.
49
(3) Another case of skin disease was
treated by me. She had all the symptoms
of Sul. such as itching, worse by heat,
worse by bathing etc. but Sulphur did not
help. When the patient casually mention
ed that she gets palpitation after bath I
found the drug Amm. carb, to be her
remedy which gave her tremendous relief,
in all her symptoms. But for her men
tioning this symptom, I would have missed
the whole case.
DISCUSSION
Dr. Pai: Today’s subject is very im
portant. Because of lack of understand
ing, we fail often. We can see what
Hahnemann has said. He has said that
we must always pick out the strange, un
common, characteristic symptoms. Prob
ably he meant the symptom peculiar in the
disease. For example, in asthma almost
every case is restless, worse at midnight,
anxious etc., indicating Ars. but we fail
with Ars. because these symptoms are
(4) Another case with several symptoms
common in the disease. As Dr. Weir said
of Lyco. did not improve under Lyco. But
and Dr. Schmidt repeated we must take
one day the patient mentioned the symp “the minimum symptoms of maximum im
tom that he gets a pain in the heart be portance”. Take a patient with aversion
fore, during and after urination. This to milk or agg. from milk, it becomes im
symptom on reference to the Kent’s portant. But in a child if aversion
Repertory (p. 850) pointed out to Lifh. to milk or agg. from milk has appeared
which gave lot of relief to all his symp during the illness, then only it is important.
toms.
I do not think congenital defects can be
(5) Recently, we had a case of convul corrected by homoeopathy. Homoeopathic
sions in a child aged 2 years with scream reports unfortunately deal only with
ing before attacks, grinding of teeth, para successes.
lysis of lower limb, squint and bluish dis
I remember a case of Rheumatic fever,
colouration of face during attack. We a very fat patient with anorexia, thirstlessprescribed Cup. acet, with partial relief ness etc. I gave Puls. He felt better; at
but the senior homoeopath when consulted tire end of a month he was quite well. But
changed to Aeth. because the patient could I cannot take credit because as you know,
not hold up head. This drug gave great cases of rheumatic fever would have come
relief.
round anyhow in 2 weeks. Very often
(6) Asthma in a boy since infancy. He nature cures and our prescription may not
was prescribed Nat. m. because as an in have helped.
fant he did not cry when he was bom.
A boy of 9 years, had attack of Tetanus.
This drug gave prolonged relief.
After he was cured, he became very
I am not trying to confuse but I merely rowdy, became irrational, wild, would un
want to say that whereas in many cases by strip and run round; would cry, spit and
orthodox prescription, I have failed, other curse, and wanted to be carried. I gave
homoeopaths have succeeded by unortho Hyos. 30, 200 and IM, with no improve
dox prescribing, and also vice-versa. So ment. But he was cured by Cham., based
my object in speaking these words is mere on the last symptom.
A child of 11 years with eczema all over
ly to stimulate a frank discussion about
the selection and interpretation of symp body, worse by bathing, enjoyed bathing
— Psor. cured.
toms.
50
A patient was craving for pickles. Hep.
sul. cured the case.
I would give much importance to stages
like Dentition, Puberty etc. I feel that we
in the case of Orchitis, the peculiar should go to the beginning of the case and
symptom was the amelioration by emissions we must standardise the practice, though
this idea may be apparently against
which led to Lach.
homoeopathy. We have to go behind the
I remember a case of a child of 21 symptoms. This is also very risk}7 and
months with convulsions. Because the requires very much experience. In case of
child was rickety, Calc. c. 200 was given dentition, you may give Cham, and get
and it cured. Aethusa is more a remedy for good results. Grap, has aversion to sweet
encephalopathy than for Tetanus because and salt. But there was a case of gastric
the eyeballs are turned downwards.
ulcer cured by Grap, who always craved
When children do not cry after birth, it for sweets. We must study all cases cured
may be due to intrauterine trauma or and collect all the symptoms. Every case
has to be studied in its own way and has
asphyxia.
to
be interpreted in its own way. After
Dr. Havewala : We have an important
talking
a lot about the totality, still we
subject for discussion. I know that suc
cess lies in getting at the proper symptoms would find that we are nowhere.
and interpreting them correctly. I had a
They say that Homeopathy is slow. The
lady patient who did not want to cover actual truth is that we are slow in selecting
her body. I gave her Murex because she the correct remedy, once it is selected the
did not want anything to touch the action is quick.
pudenda. She wanted her legs crossed
lit is a pity we do not study the symp
even when lying down as she felt the con
toms
from the original sources e.g., Mate
tents would extrude.
ria Medica Pura. We thus miss many
In children, the objective symptoms, valuable symptoms.
have to be carefully interpreted. One
It is not possible for us to come to any
who inteiprets correctly is more successful.
conclusion except that we have to indi
Dr. Sarabhai: Today’s subject is very vidualise each patient.
peculiar. The difficulty about Homoeo
I have seen Thu. giving much improve
pathy is that we are forced to individualise.
Tins is the essence of homoeopathy. We ment in many cases but I have never come
have accepted that it is not possible to go across the peculiar sweat of Thu. Dr. Bur
to the root of the matter and we have to nett did not go too much by the symptoms
visualise the whole from what is visible. but yet he was very successful. We may
We have to take also the past. In the even gradually work out specific remedies
totality we have to see that there is no con for specific conditions, for example, in
traindication. Regular research is required pneumonias, Bryo. is usually very success
into these things. Then only homoeopathy ful.
will grow.
In the first ease quoted by Dr. Sankaran
For example, the shortest totality I have
read of is that slow pulse with jaundice
is the totality of Dig. Our knowledge
depends upon several things.
I would have also given Con. but since he
was better on Lach., we must find out if
he had relief from any other discharge.
When we place too much emphasis on
51
has been practically missed by every one.
If I may repeat or make it clear, I want
to mention that we all agree to prescribe
on the totality of symptoms. So far the
When we give Psor. or Sul. to produce actual totality is made up by certain pecu
a reaction, we have got some basis be liar and characteristic symptoms. Which
cause Psor. and Sul. have a wide range symptoms are to be taken as peculiar and
and symptoms. I do not agree with Dr. characteristic is of course explained in the
Kent that every patient will require only books, but in actual practice we are very
a single drug. This is contradicted by the much guided by our experience. There
fore, the new prescriber or student be* I
need for Trio drugs e.g., Sul-Calc.-Lyco.
Even failure of our prescriptions should comes greatly confused and I feel that un
throw some light. In every case the less we lay down certain standard proce
causative factor must also be taken into dures, the student will not be helped very , 1
consideration. Very rarely the patient’s sufficiently. Of course, we can tell the
symptom picture is completely filled in by student that you have to individualise
every case but that does not take him very
a drug.
far.
Dr. Pai : In the first case this patient
To give you an example, We are three
was clearly suffering from sexual suppres
sion. Regarding Graph., desires and aver honoraries, and the batches of students
sion are not final. Grap, has also burning posted in the hospital attend our out-door
in abdomen better lying down. By the and indoor work. They ask me sometimes
way why do you say Ars. is not antisycoiic? that how is that when the very same pa
Dr. Sarabhai: Just because some things tient is seen by different honoraries, we
are explainable we need not ignore them. tend to give emphasis to different symp
A case of Diabetic gangrene was very toms in the same patient and thereby we
slowly improving on various drugs. He tend to select different drugs for the same
had a great craving for sour things. On patient although we all swear by the tota
lity of symptoms. It is with this view, to
Phos. he improved immediately.
answer this problem that I had today
Dr. Pai : It may not depend on its un initiated the discussion. I am afraid we
explainable nature but its uncommon oc have only gone round and come back to
*
currence.
the same point. Therefore, I propose that
Dr. Sankaran (replying to the discus we adjourn this discussion and meet and
sion) I thank all the members for the inte discuss this same subject after one or two t
resting discussion. But I am afraid that years to see if we have become wiser in
the point that I have been trying to stress the meanwhile.
Keynotes, we may fail. You cannot cure
a case of Tub. with Bacill. if he has taken
quinine. You have to antidote the quinine
first.
52
A MOST INTERESING CASE THAT I HAVE SEEN *
(I)
Dr. P. Sankaran, L.I.M., F.C.E.H., D.F. Hom. (Lond.), Bombay,
Hon. Physician, Govt. Homoeopathic Hospital, Bombay.
I must first explain the idea of this sym
posium. Many of us are treating many
cases, some of them most interesting but
homoeopathic practitioners being mostly
lazy, such cases are not recorded with the
result much of these experiences go simply
unheard of. Therefore, I feel that from
time to time we must organize such sym
posia so that each person can contribute a
little from his experience which could be
stimulating or thought provoking.
Now today’s subject is ‘A Most Interest
ing Case that I have seen’. What do we
mean by ‘A Most Interesting Case’ ?
A case can be interesting from several
points of view, from the point of view of
diagnosis, from the point of view of symp
toms, or from the point of view of the
disease or the prescription. Therefore, it
becomes very difficult to generalize and
say that such and such case was the most
interesting case that I have seen. Each
case can have some interesting aspect.
Now I shall describe one case and I
shall select an acute case. Because there
is a notion that homoeopathy is fit only for
chronic cases, less number of acute cases
come to us. They go to some allopathic
doctor and take some penicillin or some
such drug and they come to the homoeo
path only when they do not find relief or
when they find only temporary relief.
In the beginning of my practice, I was
practising in a suburb of Bombay. One
day two or three persons came running to
me and said ‘Will you please come to our
house as there is a serious case?’ We
engaged a taxi and reached a hut outside
the city. It was a labourer’s hut and in
side I saw a man lying unconscious on the
ground. The history was that
*
over the
last 48 hours he had been having vomiting
and purging. He was vomiting 40-50
times a day with equal number of stools.
As I was feeling the pulse trying to count
it, I found it extremely fast and thready
so that I could not feel it sometimes. The
extremities were icy cold as also his nose
and breath. I felt that he might die in
a minute or two. It was in fact the most
moribund case I have seen. I told the
relatives of the patient that I was sorry
this was too serious a case for me to handle
and so I advised them to remove the pa
tient at once to the Infectious Disease
Hospital, for it was most probably a case
of cholera. But they requested me to give
some medicine which could be used at
least till the patient was removed to the
hospital. With no confidence or hope, I
prepared one dose of Carbo veg. I told
them to dissolve it in a glass of water and
to give it to the patient one drop every
second continuously. As soon as they
reached the Infectious Disease Hospital
gate, fey were to stop giving this medi
cine and hand over the patient to the hos
pital authorities. I was practically certain
that the patient would not survive till he
reached the hospital. In fact, I felt that
he might expire even before I left the hut.
This was in the morning. In the even
ing the relatives of the patient came to
* Symposium held at the Govt. Homoeopathic Hospital Clinical Society on 8-4-62.
53
me. I enquired of them how the patient ambulance driver then told them that he
was in the hospital. They replied that the would go back but if the patient did not
patient was still in the house only, and had improve, they were to call him and he
not been taken to the hospital. As you would come at once. But till evening
know, generally when we advise the poor there was no vomiting nor any stool. He
patients to go to hospital, the more serious took some liquid nourishment and retain
the case the more they avoid it since to ed that too. This was why he had not
their ignorant mind a patient who goes to been shifted to the hospital.
the hospital will never return. So, as soon
In spite of all these details, I was still
as I heard that he was not removed to worried. Even now, I told them, if he
hospital I. was extremely upset and angrily gets any vomit or stool, he should be im
scolded them. The relatives pleaded that mediately shifted to the hospital. They
I should at least listen to them before were not to depend upon my powder too
judging. Then they described that as I had much. So saying I gave them one more
instructed they put the medicine in a glass dose of Carbo, veg. to be dissolved in
of water and started giving it drop by water and given every 2 hours.
drop. In the meantime they telephoned
Next day they came and reported’ to me
for an ambulance. The ambulance reach
ed therri in half-an-hour. By that time die that the patient was quite well. When I
vomiting and stools had stopped. The heard this I was very much surprised. I
ambulance driver told them that since the expressed a wish to see the patient. But
patient seemed slightly less serious, they the relatives told me that I could not see
could wait and see half an hour more. the patient as being a poor man, he had
Accordingly they waited half an hour gone back to work 1
I cannot forget this case, wherein two
more; The man opened the eyes and ask
ed for some water, drank it and retained powders of Garbo veg, dissolved in water
it. The body regained some warmth. The apparently saved a man from death.
(H)
Dr. M. C. Batra, B.A. (Hon), LL.B., D.M.S., D.F. Hom. (Lond.),
Principal, Bombay Homoeopathic Medical College, Bombay.
went there the man was sitting. I asked
him, “Do you feel worse by hot or cold?”
He said he liked a little warm water.
There was slight burning. I asked “Do
you keep any record of the temperature?”
He said “No”. I found there was aggra
vation at noon time, in chilliness. I could
not get even one key symptom. So I
questioned him again and again and I got
three symptoms :
Pain is like burning but not very
much.
Before I report my case, I am afraid, I
have to admit that as Dr. Sankaran has
made a general remark, I have been lazy
too.
An old man had come to meet his
daughter because he had to go to Pakistan.
It was 1949-50 — after my return from U.K.
He had come only for a short stay. He
had developed just one crack between tire
toes and leg had swollen up. Tire leg had
become discoloured, blackish. He was
running temperature also. But when I
54
this case, I will have to take up the res
ponsibility but if I succeeded the patient
might be able to retain the whole leg. The
patient said, ‘I will retain the leg if I can,
otherwise I prefer to die.’
At noon agg. of temp, and the pa
tient is slightly chilly.
Had been advised amputation, so
since then he has become little more
restless.
It looked like a well known remedy but
it would not fit in. There was something
of Ars. picture but not complete. That
reminded me what my professor used to
shout. “Remember Rhus tox when Ars.
seems indicated but does not fit in.” I had
never heard about Rhus tox given in a case
of gangrene. In any case I thought it is
not a case worth taking up. They asked
my opinion. I thought I would be losing
my reputation by taking up this case
(though I had no reputation then since I
had just started practising). If I took up
I took out six doses of Rhus tox and ask
ed him to take them. I asked them to
inform me about the condition the next
morning. The information never came. I
was hesitating whether to visit the patient
or not. However, I went there. The
report was that the patient had slept well,
the swelling had subsided. He said he
was a little more comfortable. He wanted
to continue the medicine. I gave S. L.
Later on I had to give him, Sulphur 200,
one dose and Rhus tox 200, one dose, be
fore he was completely cured.
Ill
Dr. C. C. Desai, M.B.B.S., D.M.S., M.F. Hom.
(Lond.),
Hon. Physician, Govt. Homoeopathic Hospital, Bombay.
My case is interesting in one sense that
it is a condition for which even in this ad
vanced ’modem age, no drug has been
found.
A boy of 15 had haemophilia. It is a
family disease. The case did not come to
my clinic nor the patient was at his resi
dence. He was in a nursing home. The
boy was lying in bed. There was a big
bandage. The diameter of feet had become
one more inch. I was told that when lie
was bom, he was circumcised. All Mus
lims do this operation. The small boy had
then bled for 3 days. This happened at
the age of one year-. One year later he
fell down and had a bleeding from the
nose which continued for 2 days. Cal
cium injections were given but the bleed
ing had continued for spine days.
I saw the case on 30-12-1961. About
two to three weeks earlier, hie had
55
some injury and had developed a
bleeding wound.- In the beginning an
Allopathic doctor was attending on
him. He incised the wound and took
out the haematoma. He started bleed
ing continuously.
So they had to
dress daily. It became more and more
and the wound became septic. Blood
transfusion had to be given. They still
widened the wound. When I went there
on 30-12-1961 I could not see the wound
because the wound was covered. So I
asked the Sister how is the condition. The
Sister told me it is a very terrific wound.
Blood transfusion had been given and
they were thinking of amputation on
next evening. I was not sure if this
case could be treated. We have cer
tain drugs to stop this bleeding. I told
them if I were to treat the case it will have
to be shifted to home. They also agreed
to take the ease to home. So I started
treating on Saturday evening. I prescribed
Phos. 10M, 8 doses, 4 times in a day. There
were no characteristic symptoms. One
point was that he had one sister who had
tuberculosis.
10M, 2 doses. Within 7-8 days, he started
feeling better. When we allow nature to
cure it makes wonder. Within two-three
weeks, the wound became very superficial.
On Monday (1-1-1962) I went to the
patient’s home. I started undressing the
wound. I took out 20 to 30 feet of band
age. It was about 6-15 p.m. and I thought
it will become 8 p.m. and still I will not
be able to take out the full bandage. The
next day another M.B.B.S. doctor came to
help. Phos. 10M was continued. Wound
was 10" long. Again continued Phos. 10M.
Every alternate day dressing was done. I
started then Arnica IM, 4 doses and Phos.
I had to give him later, Caust., Silicea and
Nit. ac. I gave some Calendula in potency
and in the end Calendula ointment. With
in one month practically the case cleared
up. In the month of February he came
walking to my clinic. The clotting time
had been 11-12 minutes when I saw him
first. It had once gone up to 22 minutes
(normal is 8 minutes). After treatment,
the clotting time has come down to 2
minutes, 68 seconds by 22-2-1962.
IV
Dr. P. N. Pai, Bomba’’
We have heard one case of Cholera
■dying cured by Carbo veg., one case of
Rhus tox and another case of Phos. A case
can be interesting in many respects and in
many aspects. A case is worth reporting
for which a remedy has been logically
.selected, properly administered and pro
perly managed and cured and where the
•case remained cured after two years. We
must also admit. that nature is the best
physician because she cures three fourth
•of the diseases.
A patient of 28 years from Poona came
for treatment. He was suffering from
•mental imbalance and he had some fear
•of cancer. He usually did not work much.
Wife was healthy. After getting 2 child
ren he became sick, became violent, beat
his wife, did not talk to wife, would not
talk to any one, did not like company, and
became religious minded. In Poona doc
tors who were treating him could not
diagnose the case. He was quite normal—
physically. He was afraid to talk to any
one — even to his own mother and sister.
He said ‘I have got two children, I have no
money, I am depending upon my parents
for everything and that is why I do not like
my wife”. On enquiry he admitted that
he had abstained from sex for two years
for fear of getting children. I advised him
to follow a normal sex life and gave him
some Placebo. This cured him.
4*
56
+
+
RELATIONSHIP OF REMEDIES
Dr. S. P. Koppikab, B.H.M.S., Madras
Every drug in almost all our textbooks
on Materia Medica has a paragraph devo
ted to it detailing its relationship with
other drugs. In that paragraph, some
drugs are mentioned as “antidotes”, others
as ‘complementary’ or “compatible" and
some again as “incompatible” or “ini
mical”. Clarke in his Clinical Repertory
has tabulated these related drugs and has
added other columns like “follows well”,
“followed well by” and also “natural rela
tionships” to these tables.
It would be interesting and instructive
to see how these lists have been prepared,
and to investigate the basis for regarding
a certain remedy as antidotal or comple
mentary to a certain other remedy ?
Several questions also arise in regard to
this matter. After administering a parti
cular medicine, when a change of pres
cription becomes necessary, should we
necessarily refer to these lists and then
only select the appropriate drug that is
supposed to follow it well ? Should we
invariably avoid the medicine listed as
antidotal or beware against giving those
listed as the inimical ones ? Unless we
ascertain and comprehend the basis for
arriving at these relationships, we shall not
be able to develop and add to these lists
but we shall have to be satisfied with the
existing ones prepared so carefully more
than fifty years ago, making a mechanical
selection from these lists which may en
courage a tendency to routinism. The
several blank columns of Clarke’s Tables
of Relationships have yet to be filled in
The numerous drugs introduced by or in
common use in other systems of medicine
require to come into these lists, so that we
may know at least their appropriate anti
dotes for us to use as “wall-breakers”
57
when patients under these systems come
to the homeopaths for treatment.
We shall first define a few terms used
in denoting relationships : (1) Antidote :
is defined in Oxford Dictionary as a medi
cine given to counteract a poison or a
disease. In our literature we use “anti
dotes” to counteract, minimize or moderate
the overaction or undesired effects of a
drug either during a proving or during its
therapeutic use. (2) Complement: that
which continues or completes the work of
the medicine already given, (3) Compa
tible : able to co-exist; that which can
be used along with.
Naturally we expect/that a complemen
tary medicine will be also compatible.
(4) Incompatible or Inimical: is a
medicine which will harm the patient or
increase his sufferings, or spoil the case,
if used immediately before or after the
medicine under consideration.
We shall first take up the antidotal rela
tionship for detailed consideration.
ANTIDOTAL RELATIONSHIP
Perhaps the first relationship discovered
and made use of by Hahnemann was the
“antidotal” one, as antidotes to drugs were
very urgently required while he was pro
ving them. When a particular drug acted
too violently to control its overaction was
an important and urgent problem. Again,
in the early years of his homoeopathic ex
periments before he had discovered, by
necessity, his later system of diluting and
potentising his medicines; fairly severe
aggravations must have been common.
Methods or drugs for the relief Of these
aggravations naturally had to be worked
out, strictly on the basis of the Law of
cines in these groups, besides being com
plementary as suggested by Teste, are
likely to have an antidotal relationship to
one another.
Homoeopathy — “A weaker dynamic affec
tion is permanently extinguished in the
living organism by a stronger one if the
latter, (while differing in kind) is very
similar to it in its manifestations”1. In the
Organon he divided diseases into natural
and artificial (drug) diseases and dealt
mostly with the cure of the former by the
administration of drugs capable of indu
cing similar disease effects. If a natural
disease could be removed by a similar
artificial disease (drug or drug effects),
there was no reason why one artificial
disease, produced during the proving of a
drug, could not be removed or moderated
by another similar artificial disease (i.e.
drug effects or drug). So, the troublesome
symptoms produced by the drug were
noted down carefully and a search was
made from available provings for a similar
remedy which was given to remove them.
Now, in our practice we are required
sometimes to antidote our high potencies,
administered for therapeutic purposes,
when they cause severe aggravations. As
a rule, we should allow these aggravations
to pass off by themselves. But if a high
potency, IM and above, of a deep acting
remedy results in a prolonged reaction
with final decline of the patient3 a suitable
homoeopathic remedy preferably of the
vegetable kingdom, and of the drainage
type0 should be administered as an anti
dote and repeated in the lower potencies
until the patient is well recouped. Many
a time such aggravations can be made
milder by one or two doses of a low
potency of the same medicine.
Before proceeding further, it may be
emphasized here that “Symptom Simi
larity” is the only basis for all the compa
risons and all antidotal relationships of
medicines. Still medicines are seldom
completely similar to one another in all
respects and in all regions of the body.
There are some medicines, however, which
though of different kind or origin (vegeta
ble, mineral and so on) are very similar in
their main spheres of action. Teste2 who
had a profound knowledge of the materia
medica, arranged these similar medicines
under 20 groups, e.g., Arnica group, Mer
cury group, Pulsatilla group and so on. In
his Text Book he not only gives symptoms
common to drugs in the group but also the
subtle variations between them. Medi
There are occasions when our medicines
used in low potency repeatedly and for
long periods, as advised in some books on
“Domestic Treatment”■ give rise to trouble
some ailments which persist and tend to
hinder proper treatment. In such cases it
has been found that they yield to the
action of high and very high potencies of
the same medicine. Stuart Close4 has said
“It is a fact that the high potency of a
drug is sometimes the best antidote for the
effects of the crude ding.”
Nowadays our biggest problem is to un
do the suppressions and damage that are
caused by the very powerful drugs of the
other schools. Especially when the hor
mones, antibiotics etc., are used in large
♦ Drainage : The French homoeopaths feel that when constitutional medi
cines or nosodes are given, the discomforts and aggravations caused are due to non
elimination of toxins released by the medicine during its curative action. They have
suggested that even before the administration of the powerful high potency of these
medicines, some special medicines which have the quality of helping the eliminating
organs, should be administered. These remedies are designated “Drainage Remedies”.
58
f
•
*>
tolerated doses, either the body is unable
to eliminate them completely so that they
leave their stamp on the economy of the
patient, or they deflect the vital force from
its normal functioning, for life. In the
Organon, Hanhemann has drawn a very
gloomy picture of similar cases. After
describing the dangers of drugging by
medicines in use in those days in Section
74, he says in Section 75 “These inroads
on man’s health effected by the Allopathic
(non-healing) art particularly in recent
times are of all chronic diseases the most
deplorable, the most incurable and I regret
to add that it is apparently impossible to
discover or to hit upon any remedy for
their cure when they have reached consi
derable height.” It is true that in Hahne
mann’s time drugs were administered in
massive, toxic or even lethal doses, but
present day drugging though different in
nature is similar in effect. Now the drugs
are infinitely more subtle and penetrating:
they are injected directly into the blood;
they are extremely complex chemical sub
stances their number multiplying daily, the
dose of each one of them just stopping
short of the maximum tolerable dose.
Should we not feel that the situation for
these patients is more hopeless ?
But I think that the later experiences of
the disciples of Hahnemann have placed
new tools and methods in the hands of
homoeopaths for combating this evil, so
that there is some hope for the hopeless.
I refer to the development and extension
of the idea of “Isopathy”, and the tech
nique of potentising medicines to very
high stages.
In Organon, Hahnemann has in a way
ridiculed the idea of Isopathy (Section 56,
footnote), which according to him was
treatment by “Identical” disease product
including the largeness of the dose or in
fection. Actually, Isopathy should mean
only the treatment of one disease by the
identical disease product—the dose not
coming into the definition. It looks absurd
to treat a particular disease by the same
disease product. But potentising alters
the disease product in such a way that it
acts like a homoeopathic remedy. Nosodes
when used for the cure of the identical
diseases in high potencies are given on this
principle — Isopathy. And when we give,
say, a very high potency of Mercury to
cure or counteract the bad effects of mer
cury poisoning or overdosing, this again
is on the same principle.
So, now we can say that there are two
ways of antidoting these conditions open
to us as a result of modem experience.
One is to find a homoeopathic (similar)
remedy indicated by the symptoms pro
duced by the drugs. Usually in the medi
cal journals and other literature supplied
by the manufacturers the curative effects
as well as the harmful symptoms produced
by over-dosage or as side-effects are men
tioned. These symptoms added to those
produced in various patients should be
collected carefully by homoeopaths and
studied for this purpose. By the collective
experience of a number of close observers
in the homoeopathic profession coming to
gether, standard antidotal homoeopathic
remedies for most of the common drugs
of other schools can be determined.
The other way of antidoting the dele
terious effects of such drugs is through the
administration of high potencies of the
same drugs, in infrequent doses.” These
♦ It is high time the leading Homoeopathic pharmacies potentise the commonly
used drugs like the Sulphas, Penicillin, Streptomycin, Cortisone and others right up
to CM. I am sure there will be a good demand for these potencies, as every good
homoeopath is likely to need them more and more in years to come.
59
antidotal doses can be interpolated during
the course of treatment between the other
wise indicated remedies, especially in
chronic cases. In this connection mention
must be made of the experiments on the
elimination of Sulphur by Dr. Bier,® and
of Arsenic and Bismuth performed by Lise
Wurmser." Is it possible that this is the
modus operand! in the antidotal treatment
by Isopathic high potencies ?
Another problem of antidoting arises
when tire drug has been imbibed in very
large doses (poisoning). In these cases
the main idea of treatment is two-fold.
Firstly we try to eliminate the poison from
the system by stomach wash or purgative
or we try to neutralize them by means of
chemical antidotes and secondly we try
to protect the patient from being over
powered by its toxic effects by means of
equally powerful drugs with opposite
(antipathic) action, e.g., stimulants for
narcotics, sedatives for brain irritants etc.
Hahnemann8 advises — “Only in the most
urgent cases, where danger to life and
imminent death allow no time for the ac
tion of a homoeopathic remedy, ... it is
admissible and judicious .... to stimulate
the irritability and sensibility (the physi
cal life), with palliative, as for instance
gentle electric shocks, strong coffee etc.
To this category belong the various anti
dotes to sudden poisonings, alkalis for
mineral acids, Hepar sulphuris for metal
poisoning, coffee and camphor for opium
etc.” Standard books on pharmacopoeia of
the 'allopathic system
*
usually devote a
chapter to poisons and their antidotes.
After the physio-chemical and antipathic
measures have accomplished their purpose,
the residual dynamic after-effects of acute
poisonings have to be removed by anti
dotes homoeopathically selected-.
Of all the drugs used as antidotes the
most unique is Camphor. It is a short
acting but powerful remedy. “It antidotes
(homoeopathically) Cantharis., Cuprum,
Lycopodium, Squilla, and the effects of
so-called worm medicines, tobacco, bitter
almonds, and other fruits containing prus
sic acid; likewise for the secondary affec
tions remaining after poisoning with acids,
salts, metals, poisonous mushrooms etc. In
most other cases, the smelling of Camphor
is not antidotal, but palliative, by produ
cing die symptom “pain better while
thinking of it’’0. So, a prover who is suf
fering much from some pain or other can
smell or take a drop or two of camphor.
As Camphor acts quickly, he feels relieved,
because whenever he thinks of his pains
they are better. Actually die palliation is
quite short lived, and the provings can go
on widiout much hindrance. Hering has
made a clear distinction between the anti
dotal and palliative action of Camphor.
Later writers however have simply re
presented camphor as a universal antidote
and patients are warned against it, even
against burning it on festive occasions as
is done in Hindu temples.
Another quality of Camphor, its very
strong and penetrating odour especially in
the tincture or crude state has perhaps led
to this belief. It can penetrate through the
best corks and spoil the medicines in
bottles kept in die same boxes. Kent10
says, “The Camphor bottle is a great mis
chief in the house, as Camphor antidotes
most of our drugs. A Camphor bottle
should not be kept near your potencies;
put it away in the other end of the house.”
Camphor in higher potencies has no such
action and can be kept along with otirer
bottles of medicines. It is, however, worth
while verifying the truth of this statement
by exposing a few bottles of potentised
medicines to the fumes of Camphor, to see
whether their medicinal powers are des-
60
troyed or not. Will Radiaesthesia be able
to find this out ?
ances have to be removed by homoeo
pathic medicine.
Kent11 says that the patient of Nux Vo
mica is oversensitive to medicine. Sup
pose a person is oversensitive to a drug,
may be as a result of a previous poisoning
with it, and every time it is administered,
he suffers too much, a dose or two of Nux
Vomica will remove the “oversensitive
ness” and allow the medicine to act nor
mally. Clarke,12 says “When ‘all medi
cines disagree’ Nux will often cure the
morbid sensitiveness and other troubles
with it.”
In conclusion, the various methods in
the field of antidoting may be summarised
as follows :
1. In the case of acute poisonings,
mechanical, physico-chemical and anti
pathic measures should be employed to
save life. The residual dynamic disturb
2. In the case of overaction of drugs
during their proving or therapeutic use,
the best antidote is a homoeopathic (simi
lar) medicine. It is better if this is of a
different kind or origin, preferably from
another (mineral, plant or animal) king
dom. Every successful antidote must be
added to the tables of relationships and
reported in homoeopatliic journals.
3. It is seen by experience that the
harmful effects of a drug in crude form or
low potencies are sometimes antidoted by
high potencies of the same drug. Simi
larly low potencies often modify the over
action of high potencies. This suggests a
way of attempting to antidote the ill-effects
of the new drugs of other schools of
medicine.
(To be continued)
References:
1. Hahnemann : Organon, Section 26, 6th Edition.
2. Teste : Materia Medica.
3. Kent J.T. : Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy, p. 267.
4. Beronville and Nebel : Tuberculosis, p. 205.
5. Close, Stuart: Genius of Homoeopathy, p. 120.
6. Bier, Augustus: What shall be our attitude to Homoeopathy ?
7. Sankaran P. : Some Recent Research and Advances in Homoeopathy, p. 12.
8. Hahnemann : Organon, footnote to Section 67.
9. Hering C :. Guiding Symptoms.
10. Kent J.T. : Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, p. 345.
11. Ibid.
12. Clarke J.H. : Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, p. 617.
FROM OUR CASE BOOKS
METROPATHIA HAEMORRHAGICA
Dr. (Miss) S. M. Nerurkar, L.C.E.H., Bombay
House Physician, Govt. Homoeopathic Hospital, Bombay.
Mrs. Z, aged 40 years, was admitted in
to the Government Homoeopatliic Hospi
tal on 20-1-1962 with a history of bleeding
per vaginum of three months’ duration.
She was highly anaemic and examination
of the blood revealed that the haemoglo
bin was only 4 gms. (32%) and R.B.C.
count 1.8 million per cmm. Gynaeco
logical examination revealed uterus of
normal size, easily mobile cervix, patulous,
61
tongue: pale, smooth, fissured. Pulse:
120 PM, B. P.: 90/54, Resp. : 20 P.M.
Temp.: normal.
A diagnosis of Metropathia Haemorrhogica was made and the case was repertorised (in Boger’s Synoptic Key, p. 38),
on the following symptoms viz :
Haemorrhages,
Sleeplessness, early (p. 103)
Thirst for cold drinks, (p. 73).
Only Phos. and Rhus tox came through.
We selected for her Phos. 200 of which
three doses were given T.D.S. By the
time die third dose was given, die bleed
ing had become slighdy less but she deve
loped burning of soles and limbs. Consi
dering this as a medicinal aggravation, we
gave her Phos. 30, to partly antidote. The
bleeding became less, as also die burning
and the pain. We continued Phos. 30,
twice a day for 5 days, by which time she
was 90% better. Then we changed over to
S.L. and by 1-2-1962 the bleeding had
completely stopped and she was quite
normal, excepting for die resulting anae
mia. She was kept under observation
upto 11-2-1962 and then discharged. A
slight bleeding again occurred on 18-2-1962
but one dose of Phos. 30 controlled that.
Till die day of reporting (1-4-1962) the
bleeding had not recurred.
Acknowledgement: I am grateful to
Dr. P. Sankaran, Hon. Physician and Dr.
S. R. Wadia, Senior Hon. Physician, for
permission to report this case.
There was no palpable tumour and both
fornices were clear. The mucous mem
brane was markedly pale, the blood was
coming out through the os. The bleeding
was continuous, sometimes gushing. She
had also a craving for ice-cold drinks and
had sleeplessness.
Origin, Duration, Progress: Bleeding
PV started 3 months ago, otherwise she
used to menstruate regularly but profuse
ly except one year back when once her
period had lasted one month. Flow bright
red partly clotted, partly fluid and can be
washed easily. Painless flow, not offensive.
Worse by sitting in squatting position,
worse during day, worse by walking. She
also had intermittent attack of Stomatitis
for the last 9 years, worse by eating spicy
food.
Family History: Father and mother
died many years ago, cause unknown,
brother living healthy; husband living
healthy; two daughters and one son, all
healthy.
Previous History: Nothing contribu
tory.
Bowels sometimes constipated, for two
■days she does not pass stool. Has a de
sire for cold air; sleeplessness upto
1 a.m. and again from 4 a.m.; feels sleepy
but cannot sleep.
Obstetric History: 3 Full Term normal
deliveries. Last delivery was 20 years ago,
On examination: fairly built and poorly
nourished, nails and conjunctiva pale,
SINUSITIS
Dr. Si A. Jamdab, L.C.E.H.
House Physician, Govt. Homoeopathic Hospital, Bombay.
Mrs. S. G., aged 30 years; was admitted
with the following history on 27-1-1962.
Headache of 2 years’ duration in die
occipital region extending towards fore
head, aggravation by eating, by sun, better
in open air, better sitting, lying down.
Headache was associated with thirst, lach
rymation and blurring of vision. She also
62
had Leucorrhoea — transparent, thick,
whitish, smelling like spoilt fish with itch
ing of external pudenda.
Head, pain, sun agg. (p. 149)
Head, pain, open air amel. (p. 136)
Head, pain, sitting amel. (p. 147)
Head, pain, lying amel. (p. 142)
Thirst, with headache (p. 529)
Itching, leucorrhoea (p. 720)
Pain, head, turning head (p. 150)
Dreams, of robbers (p. 1242)
Pain, stitching, mammae (p. 866)
Pain, vagina, during coition (p. 734)
All these symptoms were covered by
Nat. mur. So Nat. m.,-was selected. We
prescribed one dose of Nat. m. 6 LM (50
millisimal scale potency). But owing to
oversight, she was given Nat. m. 6C(centisimal) scale. But within 24 hours she
felt 50% better in the headache, burning
of feet etc. From then on, she was given
S.L. till 5-2-1962 and she continued to im
prove. On 5-2-1962 with a view to see
if the improvement can be speeded up.
we gave her Nat. m. IM one dose, after
which the improvement was much quicker.
By 10-2-1962, she was practically normal
and she was discharged. Till the day of
reporting (1-4-1962) she remained well.
Her past history: In the past she had
suffered from epileptic convulsions and
some skin eruptions and boils of no definite
chronological order. Personal history
showed thirst ++, headache worse by turn
ing the head towards left, worse at 12
noon, in summer, better by eating hard
substances, constipated with no desire for
stool. Sleep was disturbed due to head
ache and she had fearful dreams of rob
bers. Menstrual cycle regular, moderate,
painless and obstetric history suggested 3
repeated abortions.
She had tingling and numbness
of both the hands after sleep. Stitching
pain in the breasts which were sensi
tive to touch. Headache was worse
by eating fish. She had also dyspareunia
(pain during coition) with desire to stay
alone.
On examination, patient was found well
nourished, well built, all systems were
normal and her blood pressure was 110/74.
There was slight tenderness over the
sinuses. Had brownish hyperpigmented
patches on either cheeks. Urine reports
were NAD
Comment: Under “fishy smelling leu
corrhoea” and ‘agg. from fish’, Nat. m. is
not found in the repertory. But in view
of this case report and in view of the
fact that Nat m. comes from the sea, most
probably Nat m. covers these symptoms.
Acknowledgement: I am grateful to
Dr. P. Sankaran, Hon. Physician and Dr.
S. R. Wadia, Senior Honorary Physician,
for permission to report the case.
Her case was repertorised on Kent’s
Repertory as follows
Head, pain, occiput ’ext. to forehead
(p. 165)
Head, pain, eating after (p. 139)
CLINICAL NOTES
Dr. A. R. A. Achakya, Bangalore.
medicine contained only Sil. It was given
mixed in water — 4 doses in one day.
Thereafter the threatened abscess gradual
ly subsided and within a week there was
Once a boy developed a swelling in the
groin, reddish sensitive to touch, with
general chilliness. I was trying to choose
between Hepar and Sil. but my chest of
63
no trace of it and he was able to walk.
There is no wonder about this now. But
this incident which happened about 30
years back when I knew very little of
homoeopathy, encouraged me to study the
art of healing.
2. A pregnant lady woke up and com
plained of agonizing toothache and de
manded some poison to put an end to her
wretched life as she could not tolerate the
maddening pains. The night aggravation
and the bone pain (carious tooth) sug
gested to me Syphilinum. One dose of
tliis medicine IM, was given and within
15 minutes she slept, and there was no
return of the pain or thought of suicide
again.
iod. CM was given to the child and 1 dose
to the mother as she was nursing the child
still. I waited for nearly 6 weeks. No
change was visible. Another dose was
given to the mother. In the meanwhile,
a surgeon on examining the child said that
the tumour was not dangerous and even
if it was to be operated, that could be done
after a year or two. But after 3 months
the fleshy growth started shrinking gra
dually and disappeared by the end of 4th
month.
The boy is now 7 years old and there is
no recurrence.
4. I will not say no to external application
in our system of treatment. Hydrastis in
Glycerine for throat touch, Calendula +
3.
About 6 years ago, a friend’s child, a olive oil for massaging the loose gums,
boy, had a lumpy growth near the left Euphrasia tincture in distilled water for
axilla. There was no pain. It was not
eye drops and Mullen oil for ear drops are
very hard and was movable. This had
freely recommended by me. For painful
developed after an attack of measles. The
boy had had once vaccination also in the piles Hamamelis or Hypericum ointment
early months of his growth. I remember is given. I am of the opinion that we
ed having read in an old Homoeopathic must adopt all reasonable auxiliary mea
Recorder that Kali iod. in high potency sures to relieve the pains and sufferings
caused disappearance of tumours and of the patient and thus conserve the vital
nodules of long standing. A dose of Kali energy of the patient.
CLINICAL NOTES
Dr. S. R. Phatak, M.B.B.S., Bombay
1. A patient consulted me for severe
vertigo worse turning head left or right or
in any direction. He had to walk looking
straight ahead. He used to feel better by
resting his forehead on his hands or on
die table.
The first symptom was covered by Con.
and the second by Sabadilla. I gave first
Con. with no improvement. Then I gave
Sabadilla also without any relief. Then
gave both remedies in alternation and then
he improved very well.
64
2. A girl of 22 years was suffering from
headache of 4 years’ duration.. All her
symptoms were under Nat. s..
I prescribed Nat. s., 6X, one dose; pain
completely disappeared. Therefore medi
cine was stopped. After 8 days pain re
lapsed. Again 6X one dose was given.
She felt better again. After some days I
gave IM. She felt worse. Except 6X
every other potency aggravated her head
ache, even 12X and 30X.
Irgapyrin was given by the allopathic
physician with no relief.
I gave her Calc. c. IM, one dose daily
for 3 days. She felt no better. I waited
for some time and gave her Calc. c. 200 (9)
T.D.S.
On the 6th day she felt 50% better and
after 8 days more she had no pain.
3. 3 years back a patient had influenzal
type of temperature for 3 days. Since
then she developed pain in the dorsal
region, in 2 or 3 vertebrae. Pain was <
pressure, < stooping, < exertion < dur
ing attacks of temperature. From time to
time she had temperature for 2 days with
coryza.
BILIARY CALCULUS
Dr. A. U. Srdram, M.B.B.S., M.F. Hom. (Lend.), Tiruchirapalli.
Sulphur is such a comprehensive remedy
that it is Justifiable to say that Sulphur can
do anything and in practice we do see
‘anything’ turning into a Sulphur case.
That is the capital delicacy of Homoeo
pathy. Though we have a list of remedies
under a particular head, remedies outside
that list cannot be ignored especially if
the totality is pronouncedly pointing to a
remedy. Sulphur takes a big share of
such occurrences. This patient has con
solation <, and that could be Lyco. or
Nat. sulph (i.e. Sulphur combined with
the natrum element) but his marked aver
sion for sweets is outside Lyco. Sulphur
is generally very fond of sweets but can
be averse to it too. So also the sensitive
ness to noise is a part of Lyco or Nat.
sulph., but the rest of the picture does not
agree with either of these remedies. Ex
treme fondness for milk is Sulphur and
Sulphur has marked aggravation from milk,
a symptom which usually brings Aeth.
cy., Calc., Lac. d. or Sil. to our mind. In
cidentally Lyco, and Nat. sulph. too have
this aggravation from milk. His not be
ing fastidious and the absence of anti
cipation do not prompt us towards either
Nat. sulph. or Lyco. So, Sulphur was
chosen though it was not found under the
rubrics : (i) Sensitive to noise (ii) Con
solation <. And Lyco. as well as Nat.
sulph. were rejected even as against the
This was a case of periodical attacks of
colicky pain in the right hypochondrium
extending backwards. Pain is ameliorated
by passing wind and the patient has had
relief after urination. That is strange but
anyway it was a case .of biliary colic,
stones in the gall bladder being seen in
the X-ray. He has had headaches while
reading.
A hot patient but covers himself in
winter (In South India winter is not as
cold as in the North). Marked features
of this case are aversion to sweets, fond
ness for milk + + -|- but milk causes flatu
lence. lie does not reveal his troubles to
others (consolation < ). Hates noises.
Has numbness of parts lain on. No anti
cipation agg. Not fastidious, rather posi
tively shabby. Sulphur 200 was adminis
tered on 17-7-1958.
His next visit was on 29-3-19621 Even
then he has only come to introduce his
friend for treatment of abdominal pain. I
then came to understand that since the
treatment on 17-7-1958 he did not have
any attack and a subsequent check up re
vealed no stones in the X-ray.
Comments: This is an instance where
Sulphur has removed the calculi found in
the gall-bladder. Lycopodium^ Calcarea,
Natrum-sulph, and Cholesterinum are the
others that generally come to one’s mind.
65
knowledge of their being useful in cases
of gall-stone colic, since the totality did
not fit in with them well. That the
chosen remedy has been the needed
remedy is obvious from the result. Hence
the lesson that repertorising is not the last
step; we should ‘get back’ to the materia
medica before prescribing.
+ + +
ABSTRACTS AND EXTRACTS
CHINESE ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTION
Lu Chih-chun
President, Research Institute of Chinese Medicine.
Chen-Chiu (acupuncture and moxibustion) is a precious heritage of Chinese
medicine. It can be applied to a wide
range of diseases with good results. Simple
and easy to practise, it is very popular
among the broad masses of the Chinese
people.
Chen (acupuncture) and Chiu (moxibustion) are different in their ways of ap
plication. Chen is a form of treatment
wherein a needle is inserted into a certain
spot of the human body whereas Chiu is
performed by heating or cauterizing a
spot with a piece of burning wormwood.
As these two forms of treatment have a
great deal in common and are often used
jointly, they are referred to together as
Chen-Chiu.
Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion
has a long history. In the course of its
practice, the Chinese people have deve
loped it, and more and more books have
been written about it. During the Ching
Dynasty (1644-1911), there were no less
than four hundred works on the subject.
Actual clinical observations have shown
that it is effective for more than two hund
red diseases, and for some sixty of them,
its results are particularly noteworthy. For
instance, most of the acute appendicitis
cases can be cured by acupuncture alone.
Excellent results have also been obtained
in the treatment of infantile paralysis. To
day acupuncture and moxibustion are
widely used in China in the relief of pain,
66
in emergency cases, in certain nervous
diseases, gastro-intestinal disorders as well
as arthritis.
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXI
BUSTION EFFECT SUCH CURES 1
Our research has shown that in the case
of the digestive organs, this traditional
Chinese treatment can promote the peris
talsis of the gastro-intestinal organs and
enhance the digestive and absorptive
functions. It can bring about a relaxation
of spasms of the gastro-intestinal tract. In
the case of the circulatory organs, it can
strengthen a weakened heart and improve
the blood circulation. In the case of the
respiratory system, it relieves spasms of
the bronchial tubes, frees the bronchi of
obstructions as well as brings about normal
breathing. In the case of the urinary
organs, it improves the function of the
kidney and regulates the movements of
the reproductive organs, it promotes the
functions of the uterus and fallopian tubes
as well as regulates the menstrual cycle.
In the case of limbs of the body, it relieves
muscle cramps and strengthens the con
tracting power of the muscles when they
are in a state of exhaustion. The results of
these experiments prove that acupuncture
and moxibustion have a regulative effect
on the functioning of the organs.
Today the Chinese medical circles re
gard acupuncture as a stimulative therapy.
In the course of the treatment the sensory
nerves in the vicinity of the acupuncture
spots are subjected to stimulation, which
in turn produces a reaction on the nervous
system. At the same tife, the damage to
the tissues at tire acupuncture spots pro
duces new chemical substances which are
carried by the lymphatic and circulatory
systems to all parts of the body where they
produce certain effects. The changes in
the tissues give a prolonged stimulation to
the nervous system. Aside from the chemi
cal actions which affect the whole body,
the nervous reactions depend on the diffe
rent locations of the acupuncture spots.
For instance, acupuncture at the “tsu-san-li
spot” in the front of tire leg tends to affect
the gastro-intestinal organs, while at the
“san-vin-chao spot” on the inner side of
the leg the urinary and reproductive
organs. This is due to the peculiar struc
ture of the nervous system.
The Central Nervous System is connect
ed with the body surface and the internal
organs by innumerable routes. Stimula
tions produced by acupuncture at different
spots are transmitted to the central ner
vous system by way of various routes and
then relayed to different internal organs.
They can also be transmitted to the higher
centre of the central nervous system — the
cortex of tire brain. Changes in the higher
centre of the nervous system frequently
affect more than one organ, but the whole
body, or the body fluids, such as the blood,
internal secretions and metabolism. Re
actions in the body fluids are sustained
over a rather long period, thus prolonging
the regulative effect on the body and the
curative effect of acupuncture.
(For further information on this subject
please contact the Embassy of the People’s
Republic of China, New Delhi —Editor
From : “Advance Therapy”, Vol. 28, No. 1.
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NEWS AND NOTES
HOMOEOPATHIC
DISPENSARIES
Northern and Southern Railways have
decided to set up one Homoeopathic dis
pensary each in a populous Railway Colony
in their respective regions. These dispen
saries will be financed out of the staff
benefit fund.
Other Zonal Railways are also examining
IN RAILWAYS
the possibility of setting up of homoeo
pathic or ayurvedic dispensaries in their
zones.
These dispensaries, however, will not be
recognised officially or treated as a “Gov
ernment Hospital” under the Medical
Attendance Rules.
Dr. K. G. SAXENA AS ADVISER
We are glad to learn that Dr. K. G.
Saxena of Delhi has been selected as Hon.
Adviser to the Government of India for
homoeopathic affairs. We offer him our
congratulations and hope this appointment
will give more strength to his shoulders.
We also hope that in due course he will
become the director of Homoeopathy.
FEE CONCESSION TO STUDENTS
in the Athurashram Homoeopathic Medical College, Kottayam.
The Government of Kerala has sanctioned special fee concession to scheduled class
students studying in the D.H.M. course
HAHNEMANN DAY CELEBRATIONS
We have received reports of Hahnemann Day celebrations held in various centres
in India.
67
Dr. S. P. KOPPIKAR, B.H.M.S.
We welcome to our Editorial Advisory Board Dr. S. P. Koppikar, the well known
homoeopath of Madras and former Editor of the Madras Homoeopathic Journal.
*
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The following journals were received :
The Homoeopathic World (Eng.), London.
The Homoeopathic Bulletin (Eng.), Calcutta.
The Pakistan Journal of Homoeopathy (Eng. & Bengali), Dacca,
The Torch of Homoeopathy (Eng. & Hindi), Jaipur.
The Indian Journal of Homoeopathy (Eng.), Bombay.
Homoeopathic Magazine (Eng. & Urdu), Lahore.
The Hindustan Medical Magazine (Eng. & Hindi), Bihar,
The Homoeopathic Sandesh (Eng. & Hindi), Delhi.
The Madras Homoeopathic Journal (Eng.), Madras.
Saludy Vida (Spanish), Barcelona.
Homoeopathy (Tamil), Kumbakonam.
Homoeopathy (Eng.), Kumbakonam,
Athurashram Homoeopathic Medical College Magazine (Eng.), Kottayam.
Khassisghe Homoeopathic (German), Ulm/Donau.
Homceo Darishan (Hindi & Eng.), Rajasthan.
Homoeo-Doot, (Marathi & Eng.), Nasik.
The Indian Homoeopathic Gazette (Eng.)
Chowghat.
The Pakistan Journal of Homoeopathy (Eng.), Dacca.
Samuel Hahnemann (Eng. & Malayalam), Quilin.
The Homoeopathic Magazine (Eng.), Lahore.
Homceopatia (Spanish), Rio De Janeiro.
The Australian Naturopath (Eng.),
The Homceo Biochemist (Eng.), Bombay.
The Hahnemannian Gleanings (Eng.), Calcutta.
Homoeopathic Herald (Eng.), Calcutta,
Homceo Sudha (Hindi), Bikanir.
Homeopathic Vikas (Eng. & Hindi), Gwalior.
Organon (Tamil), Madurai.
Homeo Mitran (Tamil).
Health and Life (Eng.), London.
Homoeopathic Reporter (Telugu), Elluru.
Homoeopathic Outlook (Eng. & Urdu), Lahore;
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