CASES

CASE1

Baptisia tinctoria

MAN, 35 YEARS OLD

Until now we have seen Bryonia and Rhus toxicodendron and I show you this case to differentiate both remedies. In this case I could diagnose a viral encephalitis, because I was more than 2 years on night-duty in a neurologic department and there I often saw how those patients developed a fever, usually become unconscious, afterwards developing a complete unconsciousness, which often leads to death.

I have seen many people, even young people, dying of this disease. It started with a fever, a fever like this here and then there came a kind of ... You will see it on video.

When I worked in surgery in Zaire for 2 years, he assisted me. He is a nurse.

One night his wife called me and said, that he gave the impression as if he would become unconscious, as if he would fall in coma. Because I knew he had worked in Zaire for 6 years and often had malaria I took Natrum muriaticum. But I did not know that he had been seen by a colleague in the centre, who chose the remedy very well. The remedy was not right, but he could not choose another remedy.

I came with Natrum muriaticum in my pocket - but I did not need it. I found him in the following condition:

A: You were in the centre yesterday.

WP: The day before yesterday.

A: With pain in the back.

P: Yes.

A: Today it is 27th.

P: With back pain as a band. Pain over my whole back, extending towards my testicles, also abdominal pain - below - but really as a band.

A: And it was better, while walking ?

P: When I was walking erect, it was better, when I bent down, it hurt, especially while sleeping.

My colleague made a very good choice. The pain extended to the testicles, to the abdomen. The remedy was Rhus toxicodendron.

P: Then I couldn't lie anymore.

A: It was a clear indication. And what appeared after the remedy ?

P: I got very strong headache. No amelioration of my back. Because of the strong headache I couldn't nearly sleep at night, I was busy all the time.

A: What did you do ?

P: I have filled a large box with blocks. Half awake, half asleep, semi-unconscious.

He has worked, like the other man, but it was not in the desert. He said, "I was busy the whole night." I took the rubric "dreams, busy". Which is the main remedy ? Bryonia. He got Rhus toxicodendron and Rhus toxicodendron is complementary to Bryonia. The only available remedy I could agree with, was Bryonia.

He said, "I was between awake and asleep, semi-conscious." Can you say it is a dream ? No. How can we call it ? "Sleep, semiconscious" (p. 1247) ? Delirium ? It is a confusion with a kind of excitement, together with a disorientation. This means "delirium". It is not easy to define what delirium is. But certainly, this is not a healthy sleep; instead of the rubric "busy dream" I took the rubric "delirium, busy" (p. 18). There are Bryonia, Rhus toxicodendron, Hyoscyamus, Stramonium, Belladonna, and others.

Proposal: "Delirium with sleepiness."

A: Yes, I agree. You can also take this rubric, but to me it is important that he has worked the whole night. That is a very peculiar symptom. I had to find a remedy which has this symptom as well. We know that Bryonia has this also, and Rhus toxicodendron also, but maybe there are other remedies; for example Hyoscyamus and Stramonium have it also, and we know Hyoscyamus in unconsciousness and high fever. Hyoscyamus is a very important remedy, also Helleborus. These are encephalitis remedies, besides Stramonium and Belladonna.

A: You couldn't lie ?

P: No. Then I had 40,5° C fever. By the morning less fever. There was still the sensitiveness. The headache has also decreased a little by the morning, but the sensitiveness remained. And today, the headache started again about 4.00 p.m.

A: Where do you have headache ?

P: On the right side above my eyes. It is a pulsating pain.

A: Is it worse when you are coughing ?

P: Yes.

A: And what about pushing on it ?

P: It ameliorates, but I still feel it.

Headache on this place here. I can not say now which remedy has it, but this pain is a strong indication for that remedy.

He has headache while coughing and the pain is better by pressure. Taking everything into account, that he has had Rhus toxicodendron, with this kind of delirium, that he is working - which remedy can we prescribe ? Bryonia. Then, I gave Bryonia.

A: Do you also have a dry mouth ?

P: Yes, my lips are dry.

A: And you aren't thirsty ?

P: No.

A: I also understood that you aren't so attentive. Why ?

P: I feel, that I am not so present. I am clear in my head, but then I am completely absent again.

A: How do you feel when being absent ?

P: With headache.

A: And those dreams ? Those delusions ?

P: Being busy, I have had this the whole time. Even today. It seems as sleeping the whole day. At noon, I rose. The motion was really good for me.

A: Motion was good ?

P: When I rose. It is all right for a while, but then I have to lie down again. The change does good.

Do you understand the problem ? He has to move, but when he moves he has to lie down again. So I thought, "Which remedy is in between Rhus toxicodendron and Bryonia ?"

On the basis of the symptoms I had to prescribe Bryonia, but you feel, when the remedy is right - in this case I was not satisfied at all, therefore I came back the next day in the afternoon.

A: Now you are lying.

P: Now I have to lie down, but I don't lie very well. The pain in my back started again. It is pulling in my leg and feet.

A: You have had malaria for several times.

P: Yes.

How beautiful what Boericke writes about this remedy: "The symptoms of this ... are of an asthenic type, simulating low fever, septic conditions of the blood. Malarial poisoning and extrem prostration. Indescribable sick feeling. Great muscular soreness and putride phenomena ... "

This means with "malarial poisoning" - he has had malaria. You see, how beautifully you find it in Boericke.

Some of you have seen this case, they have to be quiet, we want to develop the remedy. We are standing before a difficult situation, therefore you will never forget this.

There is a difficulty between Rhus toxicodendron and Bryonia, and when you read the case again, you will be reminded of this difficulty. You will never forget a difficulty in your life - therefore we make it a little difficult here.

A: Now, you take 3 spoonfuls of this remedy at night. Again once, when you wake up. Three times at night and then tomorrow during the day and we have a check up tomorrow.

FEEDBACK

P: Yesterday, I took Bryonia. I have slept well for about 3 hours. Then, the busy dreams started again. I had dug and couldn't reach the end and so on. I also had pain in the back, so difficult. And headache. But it is less, it is not so pulsating anymore.

A: What about the fever ?

P: Yesterday it was 38.6° C. Now, it decreased quite a lot. I didn't take it anymore.

A: Do you still have a dry mouth ?

P: Yes, and I drink more now.

A: Do you like fresh air ?

P: Yes, I like to open the window.

A: How do you feel compared to yesterday about this time ?

P: An hour ago, I had the impression that it would start again, that "sinking down", but it is especially when I lie down and close my eyes, then indeed, I feel less well.

A: Do you have to be busy ?

P: It is all right when I rise, and then I have the need to lie down again, but when I lie down, I don't feel well. And then it starts again.

A: The fever has disappeared, pain in the back and headache is less.

P: Yes.

A: Then I give you a higher potency.

Now, he got Bryonia 10 M.

NEXT DAY

P: The higher potency has changed nothing. I took it once before I went to sleep and about 3 hours afterwards. But I haven't slept well for one moment.

A: Wait. The fever has disappeared yet.

P: Yes, this morning it was 37° C.

A: The main symptom was being busy during sleep, is it still there or is there something else ?

P: No, I have been busy the whole time. Tonight I have been gluing tubes. I was busy the whole time. One after the other, unbelievable. Now, I have also quite a lot of problems with my eyes. But when I got up a minute ago, the symptoms have improved. I took a bath and felt better afterwards.

Pay attention to his appearance. You said Bryonia was the remedy, but you saw the last Bryonia case. Can you say that he has the same appearance ?

P: Tonight it seemed as if there was something before my eyes, really, as if there were hooks before my eyes, keeping off all the influences.

A: When you closed your eyes ?

P: I had the need to close my eyes, but then I got headache. When I opened my eyes, I felt well, but then I had the need to close them again. I am indifferent to everything.

A: You don't have pain in your back, but you are indifferent, weak ? You said on the telephone, "When I close my eyes, I see all possible things."

P: Nothing particular.

A: When you close your eyes, what kind of pictures appear before your eyes ?

P: These are no pictures, these are loose things. It seems as if something is inside my eyes. I had the impression ...

A: Did you sleep this afternoon ?

P: I have been lying in bed, but I was tossing about; after a while I don't lie very well.

A: Do you have the feeling that it feels hard ?

P: Yes.

At this moment I was thinking of the remedy; now, at this moment I found the remedy and I asked him, if he had the feeling that his bed was too hard. He said yes. In the Repertory "sensation as if the bed is too hard" (p. 1365): Arnica, Arsenicum, Baptisia, Bryonia, Rhus toxicodendron, Pyrogenium and others.

When you think of a remedy in an anamnesis you have to help the patient to express clearly the symptoms.

P: That it becomes too hard after a while. Besides, yesterday I had less difficulties. I took a bath and felt better. Afterwards, it started again. But the feelings which I have at the moment, I have never had before.

A: How do you mean ?

P: That I feel sorry for myself.

A: Anxious.

P: Not really anxious, no. I don't see a way out.

A: How do you mean ?

P: I don't see the end.

A: Since when have you had the feeling that your bed feels too hard ?

P: Since yesterday. And a very bad taste in my mouth.

A: Show me your tongue. It is not very coated, but dry lips. Are you still thirsty ?

P: I have exerted myself to drink quite a lot, but then I have a tendency to vomit. But I didn't vomit. Yesterday I wanted to eat something and had to stop suddenly. I didn't have to vomit, but ...

A: Do you have pain while urinating ?

P: No, not at all. I have concentrated urine.

A: Is it dark ?

P: Yes.

Why did I ask if he has pain while urinating ? Cantharis has also the feeling that his bed is too hard.

A: You were busy during your sleep the whole night ?

P: Yes, until this morning.

A: Do you have pain while coughing ?

P: I had a little pulsations above my eyes, but not so much. Yesterday, it was much worse.

A: So, you have a bad taste. Does the urine smell strongly ?

P: No.

A: Those ideas coming into your mind while lying down, are they confused ?

P: Confused and they really concern me.

A: How do you mean ?

P: All those things, those impressions, coming into my mind, concerning me.

A: What do you mean ? Try to say it again.

P: It goes as follow, "I don't lie well and I feel so ... Indeed, I think it is too much related to me."

This is a kind of confusion. How can you translate this in the language of the Repertory ? "Confusion about his identity" (p. 15). The first remedy is Alumina, but with Alumina it is another kind of confusion. They look in the mirror and ask, "Is this really me ?" When they speak, they ask themselves if it is really they who are speaking. And Alumina has also the feeling, as if they are someone else, that someone else speaks through them. The cause in Alumina is that he has worked too much. That is what you see with MS in young men, who work very hard, who work in the coal mine or somewhere else during the day and build their house at the same time. They work day and night and when the house is ready, they get MS - that is Alumina.

A grief, a deep disappointment for a long time, these are important indications for Alumina. Afterwards, the weakness begins slowly. The first thing you see is the deviation of the eyes outwards. You also see this in Natrum muriaticum, the divergent strabismus.

It is also typical for Alumina that they have corns at the foot-soles, which are very sensitive, very painful.

In Guillain-Barré or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis you often mix Alumina with Sepia.

It is also strange that they like rice, but not potatoes. Not all kind of potatoes, they like fried potatoes, chips, but not boiled potatoes, they like rice.

I had a very severe case. I took him away from the psychiatry. His wife died, and since then he was very confused. It was terrible, I could not find the remedy. I searched 1 1/2 or 2 years, until I knew it was Alumina. They all have a strong aggravation in the morning; only at 9.00, 10.00 a.m. it becomes better. When they have to start working early - it is impossible. They become themselves slowly by 10.00 a.m. In the evening they feel well, together with Medorrhinum, Sepia and Aurum.

This man always said that he was all right when he could do things he has to do in his own tempo. When he has to do something quickly, he can not.

After the remedy he could drive the car again. In Alumina it is very difficult, to cure them completely; usually it is irreversible, but it is possible to stop the disease.

Until a certain point it is reversible, but usually they can not become completely healthy.

A: Is it possible that as it was you don't have your body ...

P: ... under control. Yes, that's right. As it was it lies away from me. I have no hold over it.

A: And you are tossing about in bed.

P: Yes, to lie quietly.

A: And to get control over your body.

P: And to lie down quietly.

A: The indifference has increased ?

P: Yes.

A: You even have the tendency to fall asleep while I'm talking.

P: I don't feel like that.

A: But you give me the impression.

P: Yes, this morning I had it very strongly.

A: You give me a very sleepy impression. You are also very depressed, melancholic.

P: Yes, yes.

A: You have pain at the nose root ?

P: Yes, now it is not so strong anymore, it is more here. Yesterday it was more central.

A: Do you have to sip while drinking ?

P: I almost don't drink.

A: Do you have pain in the neck ?

P: No, no pain, but much mucus.

A: You have real busy dreams ? Sleepless ...

P: Yes. It is not so that I wake up, but I know that I am always busy with the same thing. Indeed, the last four nights I almost haven't slept.

A: Do you also think that you are confused in your head ?

Last night ? Do you work the whole time or do you do other things ?

P: The working was the main thing. I know that a number of things came in between, but the working was continuously. Everything comes together, I try to lie down, then it is hard again.

A: The pulse ?

Why do I have to know that ? Because of Pyrogenium. You know the abuse between pulse and temperature with Pyrogenium.

A: Regularly, a little fast.

Look at his drunken appearance.

A: Breathing, with open mouth. It looks like an influenza syndrome.

P: But it feels completely different.

A: Yes, I know. You are also anxious. What are you anxious of ?

P: That it doesn't improve.

A: And that you can't keep yourself under control. You didn't perspire ?

P: I did this morning.

A: All right, call me soon.

It was half past eleven and he came at 7.00 p. m the same day again. It is difficult to make a connection between what he said and the Repertory.

He is confused, but he tried to keep everything under control. In the Repertory there is a corresponding rubric: "Delusion, body scattered about bed, tossed about to get the pieces together" (p. 22): Baptisia. He tries to keep himself under control.

Then, you have this kind of delirium "busy delirium": Baptisia. I should have known this remedy from the beginning, because his wife called me and said that it seemed as if he would immediately fall in coma. In the Repertory "answer, stupor returns quickly after answer" (p. 4). And that is what he said. This means, he can answer and he answers correctly, but then he falls into a kind of unconsciousness again. The first night he said, "Now, I have the feeling of sinking down again." Look at "unconsciousness, answers correctly when spoken to, but delirium and unconsciousness return at once" (p. 19): Arnica, Baptisia, Hyoscyamus.

But now, do you see the difficulty and the difference ? He has symptoms of Bryonia and Rhus toxicodendron, it lies in between. This constantly tossing about, together with the confusion and the effort to keep himself under control - I hope you will never ever forget this again.

FEEDBACK

A: What did you feel ? How often did you take it ?

P: I took it three times. First, at half past 12.00, then it was a little better, but quickly afterwards I felt the same as before: again busy incoherently with all kinds of things. At 3.00 p.m. I took it again. Then it improved; I felt that I had a hold on myself again. First, it only concerned me, it was discouraging to be busy only with myself. Since then I felt very well. Besides, at 1.00 p.m. I took also something. About 4.00 p.m. I went to sleep. I slept very well. Then, the children woke me up and I fell asleep again until the telephone rang. I haven't been busy with certain things. I slept very well.

The tingling in my body, so that I often didn't feel my hands and fingers, is over. Now, it is itching everywhere, at the beginning the itching was worse, now it has decreased.

A: What about the headache ?

P: Still the same, but more enlarged. Yesterday evening and this morning I had headache between my eyes. Still now, when I do something difficult, an exertion, or when I'm busy with the children, then I feel that numb feeling again. But no pain like yesterday.

A: So, the intensity of the pain is less. What about your back ?

P: It is much better. Still a little pain.

A: What percent has the pain improved in 6 hours ?

P: I can't compare it.

A: You could have died. You thought, "I don't know what happens to me, but ..."

P: I really didn't know anymore what happened to me.

A: You were afraid and thought, "Am I going to be crazy or what is the matter ?" You couldn't keep yourself under control and within six hours you have become someone else.

P: I feel completely different.

A: Do you have fever ?

P: No.

A: Now, you don't take anything. The moment you feel it is coming back, you take it again.

You couldn't sleep, constantly busy in your head. Now, you have slept well. All right.

Otitis media, left

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EXTRA

Constitutionally, she was Sepia and when she came she had high fever, was very weak, a bad smell from the mouth, and later there was the diarrhoea; this was clearly Baptisia and the constitutional remedy did not do anything. The strongest symptom was the weakness, so I had to take that.

another case >

lying on" (p. 1385). Why can Baptisia not lie on one side ? Because of the pain ? What kind of feeling has Baptisia ? The bed is too hard. Then he tries to lie on the other side and again the bed is too hard - but in this case it is not so, the bed is too hard only on the side which is painful. Baptisia feels this soreness on every side - on the right side, on the left side, in whichever position he lies. He lies on this side for a while, and then he has to turn over.

That is a symptom for which remedy? For Baptisia. When someone can not hold his thoughts together and he has to turn around the whole time, that is Baptisia

A: Does your breath smell? Open your mouth.

Why do I ask this question? Again because of Baptisia. Baptisia has this bad odor from mouth, do not forget that. The first remedy in bad odor from mouth is which remedy? Mercurius, with white and flabby tongue

Baptisia also has this bad odor from mouth, this stinking flatus, this stinking perspiration, the restlessness of Rhus toxicodendron and the busy dreams of Bryonia. Mercurius, Rhus toxicodendron and Bryonia together, that is Baptisia

If you doubt in a case whether it is really Mercurius, because he is so restless at night, think of Bryonia, because he is so thirsty, but the restlessness does not fit here; also Rhus toxicodendron, but Rhus toxicodendron is not so thirsty and then Mercurius because of the bad taste in the mouth, but Mercurius is not thirsty...

You are not satisfied with any decision. Then you see: tired, like besotted: Baptisia

These situations appear more often than you know; also in fever and influenza in pregnancy. First, think of Baptisia, because it is a remedy for abortion due to the fever

Before the malaria attack he came once again after the Baptisia encephalitis, because he started to have a bad taste in the mouth, a kind of confusion about who he really was, the flatus was smelling very terrible, and therefore I repeated Baptisia and he became healthy again.

CASES