CASES

 Phosphorus

MAN, 38 YEARS OLD

With this case I want to show you a few aspects of this remedy which we know well up to now. You will see that this picture is larger, more extensive than most of us know up to now

What is Bechterew´s disease?

Bechterew´s disease – also called Spondylitis ankylosans – is a stiffening rheumatoid inflammation of the spine, which affects 0,5 - 1 % of the adult population in Central Europe and can lead to a complete stiffening (med.: acampsia) and serious curvature of the spine - in serious cases the lung function and breathing can be restricted. Joints can be afflicted by this disease as well.

A: I gave you the remedy the first time on January, 7, 1986. You reacted perfectly to that remedy.

Your problem is M. Bechterew. Tell me, since when do you have this and how did it develop.

P: I got my first real complaints of the back in 1970, when I was about 21 years old. I went to the doctor, got injections, injections and again injections. I have been hospitalized for three weeks, six weeks in plaster from top to toe. Nothing changed. I ran from one doctor to another: 1971 it was still the same. Then, it has been rather good for three years and in 1975 it started again. Always only complaints in the back, pain in the back and pain in my leg. Then, I was sent to G. I have been in treatment for 11 months, but it has not improved. And 1978 it appeared again and I have been operated on in X, has been in the hospital for 5 weeks. Then, it was all right for six years long. In September 1984 the pain came back, the same pain as in 1978. It was impossible to operate on. Then, I got PAPAINE-injections and three weeks later everything was exactly the same. Then, I had to have an injection every three week. I went to another doctor and he said to have another check up to be sure it is M. Bechterew. That was in December 1985. Three days later I got the results. It was positive. I had to get again an injection by Dr. A every three weeks. I did it, but a little bit stronger, because it didn't improve. Then, I got your address and I came here and the results have been much better.

A: This means, that you had complaints for years and at last they made the diagnosis of M. Bechterew. Was it previously also bechterew?

P: I don't know, I just can't say. I only know that Dr. Y said that I had a discus hernia, ischias and arthrosis. They took out both hernia. Further, they didn't say anything about M. Bechterew. But when everything had been examined, he wanted to know whether it was M. Bechterew.

Do you see what happened with the diagnosis: first they called it arthrosis, then they treated it, but it has not improved. Then, they said, it was ischias, but the treatment was of no use, and because no treatment has cured him, they called it M. Bechterew

M. Bechterew is an incurable disease - and he was also HLA-B 27 positive

What does the diagnosis mean in this case? Nothing at all, you can forget it. They call it M. Bechterew, because the results of the laboratory were positive and after the diagnosis they stopped every treatment and told him that he had to live with this disease because it is incurable

A: Also arthrosis and so on when you were 20 years old.

P: Yes.

A: At that time you already had difficulties with your back.

P: Already when I was 16 years old I had difficulties with my back, but I was one of the very tall persons, a long, narrow person. Maybe, it has something to do with the growing, I don't know.

He was a long and narrow man. Where can we find this in the Repertory? "Lean people"

GENERALITIES,LEAN people : Ambr., arg-n., bry., Calc-p., caust., ign., iod., lach., lyc., nit-ac., nux-v., phos., Sec., sep., sil., Sulph., tub.

(p. 1370; General p. 1130): Ambra grisea, Argentum nitricum, Calcarea phosphorica, Sulphur, Phosphorus, Secale, Lycopodium, Nux vomica, Nitricum acidum

Calcarea phosphorica, at what age is Calcarea phosphorica often indicated? In the growing age, 8, 9, 10 years until 14, 15 years. And what kind of pains does Calcarea phosphorica have? Growing pains

Which is another important remedy in growing pains

Answer: "Guaiacum.

A: And another

Answer: "Apium graveolens.

A: Yes, but the most important is Phosphoricum acidum in fast growing children with weakness and pains. Then, Calcarea phosphorica, discontented people with pain, never contended. Also Apium graveolens, when they have urticaria and boils at the same time. And they have a desire for what? For apples. Then, there is another remedy, Ambra grisea; Ambra usually in old people who become very thin, also Iodium, Lycopodium and Natrum muriaticum in old people

And Sulphur, do not forget Sulphur in tall, lean people

Then, he said that he already had pain in the back when he was 16 years old, this means, that this is a constitutional problem and he needs his constitutional remedy

In this man you observe that he is loosing his hair and we know some remedies which loose their hair early

Besides, you remark that this man is talking with hands and feet, when he is talking, really enthusiastically. He is sitting bent forward, not like Natrum muriaticum or Sulphur or Lycopodium, but he comes forward and when you let him do he will sit on your lap soon. Children who need this remedy really sit on the lap of the doctor and when they go they give the doctor a kiss

P: I started working when I was 14 years old; always heavy work.

A: Previously, you were very tall and thin?

P: Yes.

A: You are still tall, but you have put on weight. Because of the good food? So, when you were 16 years old...

P: Yes, yes. I always have had difficulties with my back. But previously, I worked in a meat factory and I carried sacks of 130 or 140 kg. I did.

These people are long and tall when they are young and when they become older, they become fatter

P: When you are a young person you don't want to look a fool. That's the way it goes. And then in the cold stores where it is minus 18° or 20°C. I don't know whether it has something to do with it. I was 17 when I had difficulties with my left arm, because of rheumatism.

A: Alright, that is the history. Then, you came here. At that time you had quite a lot of pain, that was terrible.

P: Unimaginable. I had to take ten drops three times a day, in the morning, at noon and in the evening. And then I sat like a robot at home. It was as if I was high. When my children wanted something I just said: "Take it." That's how it was. That's why Dr. Z said: "Try to get red of it." At night I got up because of the pain, took a tablet and smoked a cigarette. When it was finished the tablet worked already and then the pain was over. Besides, last year they gave me four Cortisone injections.

A: All right. From character you are... anyway you stopped all the medicines after you took the homoeopathic remedy the first time.

P: Yes.

A: You noticed you would get an influenza, but we will take care of that later. Anyway, the remedy hit the nail on the head, there is no discussion about.

Tell me, you are a rather sensitive person?

P: That is right, yes. When I hear what happens in other families or of a person who died young or who has been killed in an accident I sympathize. At the other side I can be very hard, as hard as stone.

A: But not when something like that happens?

P: No. Absolutely not. I mean when someone treads on my toes, I immediately tread on his. Immediately.

And here, everyone prescribes Nux vomica. He says that he is very quickly offended and that is the reason why everyone prescribes here Nux vomica. But he is very sympathetic

The way you see him here and what he tells about himself, this is a picture of a person who reacts very quickly, a sanguinic way of reaction - but not in the way Vithoulkas describes that these people are so sympathetic and so sensitive - no, not in this case. He is a man who can fight, who can kill. But when something happens that concerns him he is very sympathetic, he goes down

P: Hot tempered, that's the way I am.

A: Easily enraged?

P: Yes. And especially, when it concerns sport.

A: What do you mean?

These people are very good workers. They give themselves completely in their work, they work and work and work, they give themselves completely

P: I mean, when it concerns sport I have to defend my opinion. Then, it often reaches a top at home.

A: While playing billiards, or what?

P: No, about football, about everything.

A: Very strange: very easily enraged and angry, but enormously sensitive for...

P: I can also weep easily. When they tell me something sad, I can just cry. Just like that. I am very sentimental.

A: You can not control your feelings?

P: No.

A: You are someone who is streamed with feelings?

P: Yes.

He can not withhold his feelings, they are so strong that they come out, feelings in both senses, you could say, the good and the bad, but do not forget that we as homoeopath do not have to judge. If a patient needs Medorrhinum, then he needs Medorrhinum, if he needs Syphilinum, he needs Syphilinum. Never try to have positive or negative feelings towards a patient. Homoeopathy means the job to find the right remedy, without judging. Many homoeopaths have made this mistake. They described pictures of remedies and one remedy is a good remedy and another remedy, for example, Lycopodium is a bad remedy - Natrum muriaticum is a good remedy, Nux vomica is a bad remedy. But there are no good and no bad remedies, as there are no good and no bad people

A: Feelings of anger as well as other feelings.

P: Yes.

A: Here, I wrote down that you are especially concerned about your wife and children.

P: Oh yes. That is right. My wife had a cyst in the left breast three months ago. I am really concerned, because she is concerned herself, because she thought she had cancer.

My mother also had a tumor in the breast, first on the left side and later on the right side and died of it. My wife has it on the left side. But she is just overstrained. Besides, she still is. It all came out afterwards.

A: Is she treated yet?

P: Yesterday, she has seen the family doctor, but she has an appointment here on 23. Then, she comes with my eldest son. We also have problems with my eldest son. He is enormously anxious. He is about the same type as I am, besides it is difficult for him to talk about it.

A: I will talk about it with the doctor, the case is not so difficult, it will be solved quickly.

P: I hope so, really, because the boy is really down. He is difficult to handle.

A: He will be all right. Don't worry about that, you will see.

P: I hope so. Maybe it also has to do with the fact that the last two months I drank quite a lot. I want to be rid of that, you know.

A: You are concerned about that.

P: Yes, that is very important. That's how I am. Sir doctor, I am someone... This summer, my youngest is four years old - I will never forget it -

"I I I... will never forget that." The way he is talking is a kind of stammering. He talks like that the whole time (at the beginning a slight hesitation and then he throws everything out). You can often see this in this remedy. It is their sanguinic, sudden way that is expressed in their speech

This remedy is also a stammering remedy, a very important stammering remedy. His son is also stammering and has a lot of anxieties, anxieties about others, anxiety about health and so on

P: It was on a Thursday in the afternoon. He asked a sweet. He was playing and swallowed the wrong way. It remained in his throat, and I was in a panic. I thought he is dying. I took him and hang him upside down. Then, I was in such a panic that I couldn't do anything. I could only hold him. My wife took it out with her fingers. Then, he got air again. Thank God. I can not react in such situations. I am perplexed. That was something typical what happened there. Concerning this my wife keeps her head cool. If I was alone, he would have been dead. Yes, because I stand there and don't know what I shall do, I am so anxious.

When something happens with his child he is so anxious that he starts trembling and does not know what to do, so strong are his feelings at that moment

There is another remedy that also has such strong feelings, by which people are overwhelmed by emotions, and that is Medorrhimum. They have the same sensibility, very strong feelings, exactly the same as Pulsatilla and they cry, cry, cry, like Pulsatilla and they prescribe Pulsatilla. But in Medorrhinum the feelings are so sensual, finer, higher developed as in Pulsatilla

A: Tell me, are you afraid of the dark?

P: No, never.

A: Are you afraid of lightning?

P: No, neither, never.

Often his behaviour reminds of Sulphur, his definite way of saying that he is not afraid of the dark

A: I also remark that you often stammer a little when you are excited.

P: That is possible, yes.

Now, you know, why these people are stammering. They have too much, too strong feelings and they can not talk as fast as the feelings are coming up

P: My son also has it strongly.

A: He has your character?

P: Yes. I would also like to do something if I could get red of it.

A: But I think, it is better. I mean... Your son?

P: Do you know what I have? A kind of feeling of anxiety, an anxiety to fail. If I have to talk to a high-placed person I don't know how I should start.

This is the second wrong prescription after Nux vomica, namely Lycopodium. He has ischias on the right side, a lack of self-confidence and you think already of Lycopodium. I have seen a few times that Lycopodium is prescribed as a second remedy after Nux vomica for patients with Bechterew.

A: And you are frightened easily?

P: Yes, that's right.

A: What are you frightened of?

P: Well, I don't know. When there is someone behind me and I am completely unsuspecting and I turn around and I see him suddenly, then I am so frightened.

A: Are you a person who likes to be alone? Or do you prefer company?

P: There are days I prefer to be alone, so that I don't hear the gossip and all the rest of the cafe.

A: It is remarkable that you are restless, when I see you talking like this. You are constantly moving.

P: Yes.

A: You can not sit still.

P: No. And another thing is, now it is a little bit less, but two or three months ago I had a hand-to-hand fight with one of our clients. And then I am anxious that I will kill this person, because I don't recognize myself anymore. But I know it of the past. As a boy of about 19 years old. Everything came all right, thank to an old man, he took me away, otherwise I would have killed him. I took him in his neck and pressed until he became blue. By coincidence a man came along and he took me away. He said: "You may not do this, boy, you will kill him." When I am angry, I can't stop it.

Again Nux vomica - and which other remedy can kill? Mercurius, also Hepar. Mercurius is holding his anger back for a long, long time and internally he is at a height, and then one day the impulses are coming

Here it is another thing, because of his sanguinic way of reacting, he looses his control, but immediately afterwards he asks frightened: "My God, what have I done?" He was very excited, so excited that he could not withhold his emotions and went too far and afterwards he becomes anxious, "anxiety after excitement" (p. 6; General p. 5).

MIND,ANXIETY,excitement, from : Asaf., phos.

These people go to jail, because they react so sanguinically and they can kill someone, but in fact these are very sensible people. In this point I would like to complete the Phosphorus picture of Vithoulkas. He gives the picture of a very sympathetic, soft, sweet, open person, but this is another kind of man. He is an average, normal, not particularly highly developed person. Highly developed persons can control their actions better and therefore it is more difficult to find a remedy. But here it is very clear, he does not control himself

When you hear of all those people who are in jail because of murder, burglary and all these things and you think homoeopathically about them you can see that this man or that man is a bad person because he is Phosphorus or because he is Mercurius or Anacardium. They have been suppressed a very long time and now they reacted in this way. I think, the only thing I can do is to find the right homoeopathic remedy and to prevent that someone kills

Besides, when you ask him something he starts talking and continues to explain everything, because he wants you to know everything, he tells you everything. If you ask a Natrum muriaticum patient he answers your question and does not say anything else. You have to ask another question to get an answer

Question: "And Argentum nitricum?

A: No, Argentum nitricum is in a hurry the whole time. The central idea is that of a hurry with unexplainable anxieties. Both remedies are difficult to differentiate, but in this case you do not see a hurriedness at all. You feel something suddenly, a sudden burning

Question: "And Causticum?

A: Yes, Causticum is very interesting, because they also are stammering. Causticum is inimical towards Phosphorus, but also looks like it: they are very sympathetic, but withholding. Causticum will never let him go like this patient here, they are much withholding, and that is the reason for their paralysis. They have strong inner feelings, they feel with other, but they are withholding and on account of this suppression they get this paralysis. They are as sympathetic as Phosphorus, but they do not show it. Only when they can not control themselves, the tears are rolling; for example, when they see children crying, it moves them so much that they can not withhold their tears. But what you mostly see in Causticum is that a tear appears in the corner of the eye and then it disappears again. That is very strange. They control themselves very strongly, they do not cry when someone is there. Second, Causticum is a revolutionary, he is fighting for justice. What Vithoulkas said is right. They are oversensitive towards injustice and they can burn themselves to demonstrate that something is not right. Or they fight for others, even when they are in danger themselves

The violence of Causticum arises from inner reasons, mental reasons. They say: "That is not right." Phosphorus has impulses, spontaneous reactions to something, there is a reason. Argentum nitricum has this impulse without reason, just like this. When I say to a Phosphorus person: "You are a bad boy." - "What? I? You are crazy!

You have to push him a little bit and then he will react. In Argentum nitricum it comes suddenly without reason. They are walking somewhere and suddenly they start running. In Causticum it also starts suddenly, but it always has a reason, that something is not right

These are all completely different personalities and that is what I said yesterday about the case of the Sulphur professor: she would never have been Nux vomica, even if 50 symptoms were indicated. Or do you remember the Calcarea case with the woman who had such anxieties while walking or riding on a bicycle, but not while driving a car? At least 50 symptoms were indicated for Argentum nitricum, therefore I have given it her for three years long, until I discovered, that she was anxious that people would discover her problem. That was the real reason and notwithstanding those 50 symptoms which indicated Argentum nitricum there was no real reaction. Then, I gave her Calcarea and she was cured. This means real understanding and that is the only way to make sure prescriptions, not on the symptoms. The symptoms may lead you to certain prescriptions, they may give you ideas, but to be able to prescribe you must have a totally good feeling

A: Wait, can you also bottle up something?

P: Yes, I can, yes.

A: Easily offended?

P: Yes.

A: Or are you easily hot-tempered?

P: I am easily hot-tempered, but it depends on what happened.

Here it concerns the differential diagnosis with Mercurius. Mercurius can also kill, when they have bottled up their anger for a long time. This patient can also internally be angry, but then the anger comes out. Not with Mercurius, the anger does not come out, and then they start trembling because of the long suppression of the anger

P: At that time with the client he was teasing me very much. It lasted for another half an hour and then it was too much.

A: You are not easily offended when, for example, people are in your way?

P: No. But then I said to my wife: "When I see this person somewhere, he only needs to say one word and I will take him by his throat. In the street, in the cafe, it is the same...

A: One wrong word, nothing else?

P: No.

A: Are you really resentful?

P: No, I am not. You don't need to ask what happened there. I will not tell you again, because you are recording it, although I would like to say it.

A: You can say it, it is only for doctors.

P: What he said? He stated that I said that he had a child of a prostitute. And at last he kept telling this and said: "Sign here, then we will go further." And about such things I can really get excited. And the next week on a Sunday he came back, the cafe was full and then he said that I said that he was a rascal and a thief. But I don't put up with it, in no way. Although he is a tall man, but that won't do with me.

A: What I want to show with this often indicates another remedy. But there is a clear difference: you are a person who has his heart on his tongue.

P: Yes.

A: And who is easily angry, but not resentful. You do not bottle it up...

P: No, but I don't want have anything to do with that person. No, never. Because at that time, the first time, he was really lucky, because when there were no clients, I would have knocked him with an empty glass of beer, I just had in my hands... I don't understand that I was so furious, because I would never knock someone with an empty glass of beer. Previously, I always said: "If someone wants to fight, then he has to do this with his fists, but not beat with something." And yet, I would have done it.

A: You are hot-tempered, but you are enormously anxious that you will kill this person.

P: Yes, that's right. When I take someone with his throat, I can not loose him anymore. I just press through. Eleven years ago I had such a case in another cafe. Once, I threw him under the billiard-table, under the football game, there was a large stand and I hang him on it. I have beaten him below. Then, the police came. And that is also something that I don't do. I gave notice that I would never do this, never. And at home I didn't say anything and the next morning my father came: "The police was here for you, what have you done, you rotter?"

A: And when the police come you are anxious?

P: Yes, then I am anxious.

A: When you have beaten someone like this, do you sympathize with him afterwards?

P: Yes, afterwards I keep thinking I shouldn't have done it.

A: Do you easily sympathize?

P: Yes.

A: How was the relation with your mother, what do you feel for her?

P: Oh, that was good. My mother died eight months ago. And for her we did everything. My brother as well as my sisters. She has suffered quite a lot and she had only one wish, she wanted to die in our house, there where she felt at home. And my wife did for her what she could every day.

A: And concerning your father?

P: My father was also a very good, virtuous man. He was much softer than I am, but this does not mean that he can not be angry, then you had to take care that you were gone. Well yes, but you can not compare this with other families. My father drank every day, in cafe. He was in every organisation, with the billiard, playing cards and so on. He was, yes, I'm sorry, but he was every day drunken.

Here, you easily miss with Sulphur. This remedy drinks because other people drink. If someone gives the impulse: "Come on, have a drink with me", then he drinks, then the next comes and at the end of the evening he is drunken. Indeed, it is a thirsty remedy, but in fact he drinks from sympathy. His father also, a very soft man, but when he was angry you should not come before his eyes

He has not the fear that he would kill somebody. The fear comes afterwards, that he would have killed someone. A fear to kill means a fear before he will kill, that is the difference. The fear and the impulse to kill is only in remedies who can withhold. They withhold their feelings the whole time and then the anxiety comes

But he has no time to have fear, because everything goes too quickly. Afterwards the fear comes and therefore it is written: "Anxiety after excitement.

Question: "What about the rubric 'sudden impulse to kill somebody'?

A: No, he has not the impulse to kill, it is not an impulse. He is only offended and can not withhold himself, that is the reason why he could kill, but he has not the intention at all. If his victim will die, then it is only because he has pressed too tightly and too long, but there was never an intention to do so. That is the reason why Phosphorus is not in this rubric. Here, it is an impulse that is so strong that he can not withhold it. Mercurius would beat so strongly that the other dies, he would beat in order to die - but not in this case

A: You like to drink a beer?

P: Yes, but not so much as he does.

A: Tell me, do you drink your glass in one draught?

P: No, with a few draughts.

A: Can you drink a glass of beer in one draught?

P: Yes, easily. When I am thirsty...But how does it happen? Previously, when I went working, I never drank during the week. But now, you are in the middle of it every day and that is the consequence. And that is why I always say and even my doctor says that I have a bad job, and that is right.

A: But I mean the way of drinking. You are someone who gluck, gluck, gluck, gluck empties his glass.

P: Yes, that is right.

A: You are not a person who drinks in little draughts...

P: No, absolutely not.

A: ... drinks cold beer?

P: Yes, beer has to be cold.

A: Do you prefer cold or warm drinks?

P: Well, rather cold, a geneva.

A: Can you eat your soup very warm?

P: Yes, very warm, it has to be very warm for me. And every day meat. I prefer veal, while my wife prefers pork. I also like pork, but I prefer veal.

A: And may it be highly seasoned?

P: Yes, it has to be highly seasoned.

A: And a piece of fat, do you eat that?

P: Yes, absolutely. Except cake and biscuits. I eat that when someone has his birthday. When the others are sitting together, then I eat a piece.

Also here there is the danger to miss with Sulphur. He likes highly seasoned food, drinks large quantities, likes fat - this remedy has to be added in "desire fat" - Sulphur also has this. He likes salt, first he says no, but later you will see that he likes it; besides he likes to eat sweets

P: Give me soup, potatoes, vegetables and veal or chicken or rabbit.

A: And highly seasoned?

P: Yes, it might be.

A: Do you like highly seasoned very much?

P: Yes, absolutely.

A: And salt?

P: I don't eat it.

A: Why not?

P: Because previously they said that it is bad. Then I rather like pepper than salt.

Here the anxiety about health, therefore he does not eat salt. Normally, Phosphorus has desire highly seasoned food, fish, salt, cold things, very strongly ice-cream. If you ask how they eat their soup they say that they are eating on the margin of the dish, and are blowing so that it cools down, but many eat their soup warm

A: And there is no need?

P: There must be some salt on the potatoes, but nothing else.

A: And when you eat eggs, do you use salt?

P: Yes, I put salt on it. With Easter we prepare 130 or 140 eggs. I must say that I can easily eat 20 eggs after each other. I don't care. But then there must be salt on it, otherwise it doesn't taste. But then, you are busy with it.

Everything he does he does with his totality. He is sensitive, does everything for his mother and his father, but when he is fighting he does everything for this enemy. He does everything without reserve, he gives himself in everything he does, also on the sexual level

A: Do you also eat herring ( FISH )?

P: Yes, when I feel faint, otherwise not so much. Fish, every week, lean fish.

A: Do you eat fat?

P: Yes, fat? What is fat?

A: The white of bacon?

P: Oh, I eat bacon every morning, and in the pea-soup. I like a leg of pork in it, so ham. Then, I like to eat it afterwards. Or those sweets, when children are eating sweets, I eat them as well.

A: And chocolate?

P: I don't eat it much. I like it. Dry sausages, when I feel faint, then I take them.

A: Also a little highly seasoned?

Now, something else, or we will sit here until tomorrow morning.

On which side do you sleep?

P: On the left side.

A: On which side? Show me.

P: On the left side, here.

A: But you couldn't sleep on the left side, because you had pain in the left leg?

P: I can not sleep on the right side.

A: Why not?

P: Yes, at that time it was because of the leg, yes. And when I sleep, then I sleep with knees draw up, I still know it of Dr. A, so that the knees are nearly here.

A: That is a slight mistake. Here it says: "I have always slept on the right side."

P: No.

A: On which side do you lie?

P: Of the bed? Yes, when I sleep, I lie on the left side.

A: On the left side of the bed, but on which shoulder do you lie?

P: On this. Previously, I lay on the right side of the bed, now I sleep on the left side.

A: Why have you changed this?

P: I don't know. It was an idea of my wife. I don't know it anymore. We gave our bedroom to the eldest son. We bought a large German bed and now we sleep in that bed.

A: At that time you said that you couldn't sleep on the left side.

P: Then, there must have been a change.

A: "Because I have pain in the right leg." That's right. You have always slept on the left side.

P: I always sleep with this arm under this cushion and with legs draw up, because I still know it very well.

A: Yes, but before you went to him you slept on this side?

P: I don't know.

A: Did you sleep as a child on one side?

P: I don't know. So the doctor said that I had to sleep with the leg upwards and pulled up. He said that this was the best sleep-position.

A: I understand, what you want to say. Are you dizzy sometimes?

P: Now and then, but not so much.

A: When?

P: When I have drunk.

A: Yes, then I am also dizzy. Never scales on the head?

P: Yes, scales.

A: Your hair has rather fallen out. Is that already quite a long time?

P: Yes, according to me it is hereditary. My father was completely bald. My brother who comes here as well.

A: What about your eyes? You wear glasses. For what?

P: For everything.

A: For the nearness and the distance.

P: For everything. I have them for seven years.

A: Do you see well with your glasses?

P: Yes.

A: You don't have difficulties with your eyes?

P: No.

A: You never have headache?

P: Only when I have drunk, otherwise not.

A: Normally, you are fresh in the morning. You never have headache in the morning while waking up?

P: No, today I went to bed at half past three and got up at half past 8, because I had to clean up.

A: Were you fresh?

P: Yes, I was fresh.

A: So, you are a morning person.

P: Yes, in fact. Maybe, it also has to do with my job, I don't know.

A: Bleeding of the gums?

P: Yes.

A: Especially, when you are cleaning your teeth?

P: Yes.

A: Can it occur spontaneously?

P: No.

A: Do you have easily bruises?

P: No.

A: No problems with your nose?

P: No.

A: Never sneezing?

P: Yes, once, but...

A: What about the stool?

P: It is rather good. But I take a powder every day. It is an old prescription of Dr. C and it is very good.

A: Why did you start taking this?

P: Yes, it thickens all the fat and I felt well with it.

When you tell those people to leave out the fat, they will do this because they have a rather large anxiety about health

A: Tell me, I think that you are active on the sexual level.

P: Yes.

A: Always been?

P: Always.

A: Sexual easily excited?

P: Yes, still, but the last months I am unlucky (because of the breast tumor of his wife).

A: Do you need that?

P: Yes.

A: How many times a week do you want to have sexual intercourse?

P: I will give you an example. About one month, six or seven weeks ago we had sexual intercourse eight times a week. But normally, I can do it three or four times.

A: In one week, but not after each other?

P: Previously, yes. But then I was younger, and then you want to... Then you try everything... I mean, you want to do it this or that way.

A: Experiment.

P: Yes, also.

A: You can have sexual intercourse a few times after each other?

P: Yes.

A: Many people can't.

P: When I hear that, that's right, yes. But I can. Once, I read that sex is the best relaxation.

A: Yes, that's right.

P: Yes, that is possible.

A: Too much is not so good.

P: That counts for everything.

A: But anyway, sex is a good relaxation.

P: That is so. Because I also think of it when there is a party at our home and there are beautiful women, then I think, hmmm, I would like to have... I think of that.

A: And then you also have the tendency to?

P: Yes, absolutely.

A: That means that you are a healthy person.

P: You see that at home. Because I know enough women, when they have drunk something and if you want to, immediately. But that is also because it is my job. Another man who goes working eight hours a day, comes home in the evening and sits only inside. But I see too much. That is a fact.

A: Do you also dream of them?

P: Yes, really, then I can imagine those women vividly.

A: And you dream that you sleep with those women?

P: That I could or would.

A: But you do not dream that you sleep with them?

P: No, not that. I dream - how shall I say this - that I have sexual intercourse with them.

A: That's what I mean. Do you often have a seminal discharge at night?

P: No.

A: You never had?

P: No.

A: Are you easily coarse?

P: No.

A: Neither when you talked too much?

P: No. When I have shouted loudly for three days after each other or sung along, then I could become coarse.

A: Did you ever have inflammations of the lungs?

P: No.

A: Colds?

P: Yes, I have them regularly.

A: Do you also have heart palpitations?

P: Yes, I have. It starts suddenly and now and then I get a stitch. But according to me it is just tension, stress.

A: And when you lie on the side, is it better or worse?

P: I don't know.

A: Anyway, you have slight palpitations of the heart. I think that you also feel them when you are anxious.

P: Yes, and therefore I think it is because of the tension and the stress.

A: Do you often have the feeling that your heart becomes warm?

P: Yes. And I feel it here, in my head.

A: But also that your heart becomes warm?

P: I don't know.

A: Your weak back, do you often have the feeling that your back is broken?

P: Yes, it was terrible.

A: As if it was broken?

P: That I couldn't do anything. When I have to dress my three year old daughter... At that time she was three years old and I was dressing her when she had to go to school. She was standing on a table and I was standing so bent forward and do you think I could come erect? I couldn't.

P: It was as if they stabbed me with a knife.

When these people have pains how do they become better? By massage, rubbing, that is very important.

Many remedies are sensitive to magnetism and can be cured by imposition of hands, others not. And to get cured by magnetism you have to be susceptible to it. That is why massage is good for certain people, not for other people. Therefore, we have to individualize our prescriptions for massage

But never prescribe massage in diseases of the joints, never! Massage is nothing for sick people, only for healthy, unless they had an accident, for a passive mobilisation

A: What about your feet? Do you always have cold feet?

P: No, normal.

A: Do you have problems with burning feet?

P: Yes, often, but it depends on whether I have to stand for a long time and which shoes I am wearing.

A: Do you never have problems with burning feet in your bed so that they are warm?

P: No.

A: You never put them out of the covers?

P: No.

A: Maybe complaints with cold feet?

P: I rather have cold feet than warm feet. But maybe, that is because of the cold perspiration.

A: When you are tired and you fall asleep and then you wake up again, are you fresh?

P: Fresh?

A: When you have eaten, how do you feel then?

P: Good.

A: Are you tired when you have eaten?

P: Yes. Usually, I wash up. When I have eaten, first I smoke a cigarette, then I wash up, then I sit in the couch and then I can drop off.

A: And when you wake up again?

P: Then, everything is all right.

A: Do you often have complaints with cold knees?

P: No.

A: Neither with ischias?

P: No.

There is another remedy that has cold knees, together with impotency and a cold feeling of the genitals, that is Agnus castus

A: How do you feel when it is getting dark?

P: Normal.

A: All right. We have gone through it a little. After the first remedy - you stopped all the other medicines - you had the feeling as if you would get influenza the whole week long. Did you feel something else? That you felt so tired, for example?

P: I don't know: "What I have, I don't know", I said to my wife. "As if the tablet is working?" But I was completely different. More quietly and less talkative. I had a kind of susceptibility for influenza.

A: You were more quietly. You told me afterwards: "My pains are much better, I feel completely different. I even slept better." That lasted three weeks. You didn't touch the drops. And then, three weeks later it came back and you went back to Dr. A and you have you injected and in doing so you trod on my toes. I mean, you didn't know that you had to let it know, when the complaints came back.

A: I gave you a 50M on September, 22. So, you felt completely different.

P: Yes, but very well.

A: Yes, but that is a completely different treatment. You felt that as a whole person you could do more.

P: Yes, surely and quickly, when I compare this with last year. That was terrible. I already said, I sat at home like a robot. It was as if I was high because of the drops.

A: And now you don't take any drops anymore and your pains are good.

P: Yes, I thought that is better than the other cure.

A: You notice that you are better.

P: Yes.

A: Last time I took a firm line with you, because I thought that you drank too much. That is not a reproach, that is only for your health. But you followed my advise, because you felt that the treatment was good.

That is important in practice. When you see that your patients drink too much you have to tell them not to drink so much, because too much alcohol antidotes, that is sure. Because of that he got a relapse

A: I said: "Boy, you have to take care about beer, and pay attention that you rest enough, otherwise you loose too much energy."

P: Yes, resting is very difficult at home.

A: But nevertheless, you work so much, in fact you are busy day and night, the remedy could still work, because the pains have gone.

P: Yesterday, I was busy from half past 9 a.m. until half past 10 p.m.

A: That is fantastic, that is an enormous improvement.

That was 1986. Last time I gave him his remedy in May 1987 and since then he did not need a remedy. I gave him 7 times the remedy, at the beginning a 10M, later a 50M. I have always repeated it when he had a relapse and now since May 1987 he did not have a relapse anymore. In the meantime, I have seen him a few times, because his wife and his son are also in treatment in the centre

Everyone knows that M. Bechterew is an anchylosis of the small joints. Where can we find this in the Repertory, the rubric for M. Bechterew? "Chest, immovable" (p. 835).

CHEST,IMMOVABLE : Phos.

This rubric approaches the picture of M. Bechterew and there is only one remedy: Phosphorus

Another patient, a dentist, also needed Phosphorus. It was very, very difficult to live with his wife, he was at the point of divorcing. After Phosphorus his whole life changed, because he changed. He was much better and the understanding with his wife was much better

You often saw that this patient was theorizing, and also the dentist tried to explain everything. Phosphorus also belongs to the theorizing people and therefore you often miss with Lycopodium. The theorizing is another element of Phosphorus that is not given in the description of Vithoulkas

I showed you this case to indicate that Phosphorus is not always so soft, that they can also give you a picture of Nux vomica or Lycopodium

Question: "That the chest is immovable, is this because the spine is stiff, or...?

A: In Bechterew both are concerned, the spine and the articulations of the rips behind. That is the reason why the spine is stiff and the respiration is difficult, the chest does not move. The stiffness concerns the mobility of the spine as well as the mobility of the chest while inspiring.

Up to now all real Bechterew cases were Phosphorus, I had no really good results with other remedies. There are surely other remedies which are indicated in M. Bechterew patients, like Hepar, Nitricum acidum, but personally I only had Phosphorus cases

Question: "Does the anti-baby pill antidote?

A: You know that with the contraceptive pill the whole hormonal system is suppressed. If a woman gets complaints after she took the contraceptive pill - let us suppose she has asthma, then we have to look in the Repertory under the rubric "asthmatic respiration from suppressed menses" (p. 765). There are Pulsatilla and Spongia. Or someone else gets pain in the back after the contraceptive pill, "pain in the back from suppressed menses" (p. 896). There is again Pulsatilla, also Sepia, Aesculus, Kali carbonicum, Belladonna and other - or "sadness from suppressed menses" (p. 77): Aurum, Conium, Cimifuga, Natrum muriaticum, Nux vomica, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, again Sepia, Sulphur

You see every time that Pulsatilla appears again and normally also Sepia, but not only those two remedies, there are other remedies as well. This means that certain constitutions are sensitive to the fact that they take the pill, others not

The answer to your question is that in some cases the contraceptive pill is suppressing, in others not, and our task is to find out with which constitution we are dealing and when it is Pulsatilla or Sepia you have to tell those women to stop the pill

I would like to tell you something about the iron therapy. After loss of blood, normally, iron is given. If you look in the Repertory you see on p. 1369 the rubric "abuse of iron": Arsenicum, Pulsatilla, Sulphur, Zincum. This is the corresponding rubric when a woman got a lot of iron after a metrorrhagia, and afterwards a lot of symptoms appear. By giving them material iron you can provoke symptoms, you can make them sick

In my practice I never give iron because I do not want to make my patients more sick. I try to find the right remedy so that the bleeding stops.

The most severe bleeding with a very low iron you often see in Sepia, you give Sepia but nothing happens - then it is Kali ferrocyanatum. Kali ferrocyanatum is the remedy with the worst anemia after bleeding, with a very, very low iron

Back to the question about the pill. Also here you have to be flexible, not in every woman the pill is suppressing

I think that the pill can cause many diseases, even cancer. I had a patient with leukemia, where I examined the whole history, but I could find nothing but that she has taken the pill for 12 years long. In the anamnesis I could find nothing that could have been related to the leukemia, also nothing in the family history, nothing at all. I am sure that the pill can cause cancer, but I can not prove it. I am sure because the pill has such a tremendous impact on the whole life, because she works on the hypophysis. It is very deep acting, suppressing all the hormones, therefore, partly, she must have a very profound, deep destructive action

Still other questions? About the pill? About iron? No. All right. I want to show you one of the participants who is clearly Phosphorus

He is really tall and in the meantime strong, but as a boy he must have been thin. Then you see here the freckles. Freckles on the nose are only two remedies: Phosphorus and Sulphur. And the baldness here. The hair are gray in the meantime, but you can still see it at a few places, a kind of redness in the hair, a kind of fire, red. If you see someone like that, you think immediately about Phosphorus

The patient with the M. Bechterew was an ordinary man, a man of the street, from a small village, and this man is highly developed, sophisticated. Often, you have Phosphorus cases where you do not find this frankness. These people are more developed, more intellectual and you prescribe a wrong remedy. If you succeed in drawing them, so that they start talking, then you can also discover Phosphorus in those people

Do not sit at your desk seriously and look strenuously in your books, no talk with your patients and let them tell you their histories. Then, you will see how they react and how you can recognize the remedy. Then, you only need to ask some key-notes. When someone says, that he can not sleep on the left side and that is underlined five times, then we have to think of Phosphorus and Lachesis. When someone says that he can sleep on the right side as well as on the left side, it does not mean that it is not Phosphorus. That would be a negative, a missing symptom, but not every Phosphorus patient must have all the Phosphorus symptoms. Only the existing, positive symptoms are important

Question: "Can Phosphorus be untidy as Sulphur?

A: If they are untidy as Sulphur I don't know, but they can be very untidy. It is difficult to compare, but they can be very untidy

Question: "Can you say what kind of influence an abortion can have on a woman? Can this have an influence on the constitution?

A: That is a very difficult question, a very deep question. The reaction of an abortion depends on the constitution. Some people do not mind at all, other people get very severe depressions. First, it depends on the constitution and then on the education. Often the consequences of an abortion are terrible. I can not say more about the question

CASE2

Hay fever

Phosphorus

BOY, 15 YEARS OLD

P: I get hay fever of grass pollen, cigarette smoke and when the air is dry.

A: What do you get then?

P: My nose is obstructed, my eyes start itching.

A: Is that all?

P: Yes.

A: You don't have to sneeze?

P: Yes, I have to sneeze as well. The nose is tickling.

A: The eyes as well?

P: No, they are itching and tickling. I have to rub quite a lot.

A: How long do you have this?

P: One to two years.

A: Have you been ill before?

FP: Sensitive to drying-up.

That is very interesting, an important symptom: he is allergic to drying-up. As a child he has been in the hospital for that

Do not forget, Phosphorus is a vomiting remedy. Phosphorus dries up very easily and very quickly. Bryonia also, but when Phosphorus starts vomiting, he vomits in such an enthusiastic way that he vomits until he is completely empty, completely dried up. When they tell you this, it is an important symptom to think of Phosphorus

Vomiting immediately after drinking, that is Phosphorus, Bryonia, Bismuthum, Cadmium sulphuratum, Arsenicum. In books it is written that a Phosphorus patient vomits 5 minutes after drinking, when the water has become warm in the stomach. He vomits in such a sympathetic way, you feel that he vomits with a complete delivery

Do not forget Phosphorus in drying-up

FP: Then, he had diarrhoea and vomiting.

Vomiting and at the same time diarrhoea with cold perspiration is which remedy

Veratrum album. Veratrum has cold perspiration, as well as another remedy in cholera: Camphora. The key-note for Camphora is that they are very cold, but they do not want to be covered up

FP: I think that the intestines were dried up, because he had to drink a coke.

There are remedies which are drying-up, but which are not thirsty, but Phosphorus is very thirsty in vomiting, also like Veratrum. Usually, Bryonia is not thirsty: "Dry mouth without thirst" is Bryonia, but they can have a dry mouth with thirst

A: So, he easily got a gastro-enteritis?

MP: Yes, he had this until he was 7 years old.

A: Did he have other diseases?

MP: The children diseases.

A: The fact that he dries up easily means that he is very thirsty?

MP: Yes.

FP: Yes, very thirsty.

Do you see how important the diseases of the past are to give you an indication for the remedy he needs now

A: What do you mean with that?

FP: Yes, coke or water.

A: A very thirsty boy?

FP: Yes, like his father.

Do you see how he smiles? You do not only see his teeth, but even his gums. He really laughs, with open mouth. It is an open laughing, he shows himself

A: Sit next to him. As the tree, so the fruit.

FP: I will get ill of that.

A : No, but I would like to have you on the video as well. You also like to drink?

FP: Yes, now and then a beer.

A: You look the same.

FP: Apparently.

P: Yes.

A: Does he like cold drinks?

FP: Yes, usually cold. Not so much coffee.

MP: Usually cold.

A: What kind of drinks?

P: Water, milk, coke.

A: As long as it is cold.

P: Yes.

A: Does he drink in small draughts or does he swallow it just like that?

FP: He takes rather large draughts.

P: Surely when I have played football.

Do you also see the sensitivity to thirst. He says that he absolutely needs something to drink, because he is so thirsty and hup, he drinks everything at once. You feel very strongly when they are drying up and therefore they have a very strong intensive desire to drink

A: What do you prefer to eat?

MP: He eats everything. In fact, there is nothing that he does not like. He eats very well.

FP: Yes, he eats everything.

A: Tell me what he likes to eat most?

FP: Frites, pizza.

P: Pizza, that's right.

MP: Meat.

P: And vegetables.

FP: Yes, also vegetables.

A: And dessert?

MP: Little.

P: Fruit.

A: Do you like fruit?

P: Yes, apples and bananas.

MP: No pears, but wine-grapes.

P: Yes, wine-grapes.

MP: Mandarins.

A: And for the rest? In the summer?

FP: Ice-cream.

A: Does he like ice-cream?

P: Yes.

That is what I wanted to know. "An ice-cream!", and the way he smiles then! That is not an answer like: "Well yes, I like an ice-cream." No, he says it with twinkling eyes. We also have to observe the reaction, the way he answers, that also means something

A: And papa, does he also like ice-cream?

P: Yes.

FP: You can see at me?

A: May your food, the potatoes or the soup be warm or do you let your soup cool down?

P: Yes.

A: So, you can not eat your soup warm?

P: No.

MP: He does not tolerate the warmth as well. Warm weather or when it is too warm inside.

P: When it is too warm, the nose is immediately obstructed.

A: So, the nose is obstructed in a warm room? Everywhere where it is warm?

"Nose, obstruction, warm room" (p. 341),

NOSE,OBSTRUCTION,warm room : Ant-c., arg-n., ars-i., calc-p., carb-v., cycl., Iod., kali-c., Kali-i., op., phos., pic-ac., plat., Puls., ran-b., sabad., sulph.

Phosphorus is capital

P: Also from cigarette smoke.

A: Do you have the tendency to get headache from certain smells?

P: Yes, from cigarettes.

A: Do you get headache of it?

P: Yes, my eyes starts tickling.

FP: That's the reason why I stopped smoking. One of the reasons.

A: Because you were anxious?

FP: I have never had money nor fear.

A: I would say that you are very anxious, when something is wrong with him.

FP: It is. I only have him one.

A: I see it in your eyes. You are very, very anxious concerning your son. When there is something wrong with him, you are in a panic.

MP: Yes.

FP: That's right.

A: So, you are anxious.

FP: Yes, that's right.

A: And you are not afraid, for example, of lightning?

P: No.

MP: He is especially afraid in the dark, he doesn't dare to stay alone at home.

P: Well yes...

MP: He would do it, but...

FP: You are afraid of the dark.

MP: ...rather not.

A: You also are afraid of lightning?

MP: Yes.

Fear alone, fear of dark, fear of thunderstorm, anxiety about health, all fears of Phosphorus

Often, we miss Phosphorus with Calcarea, because Calcarea also has so many fears. Phosphorus has a little less anxieties

FP: When we are angry he is anxious.

A: He has a lot of anxieties.

FP: Yes.

A: An anxious boy. When he has something, for example, pain or so, is he anxious as well?

FP: Now, he is anxious to say something.

MP: He was nervous when he had to come here.

A: Why is he anxious to say something? Because he has to go to the doctor?

FP: Yes.

A: Like you?

FP: That's right. (Laughs)

A: You have to be careful with men. I just wanted to ask: "Do you put salt in your soup?"

MP: No.

A: Must the pizza be highly seasoned?

P: I don't know, what they put on it.

FP: It is highly seasoned.

MP: But not too much salt.

A: He doesn't like it very much?

P: No.

FP: But, when we go eating mussels they have to be highly seasoned.

A: It has to be highly seasoned, à la provéncale, as they call it?

MP: Yes.

A: So, an aversion to salt. He doesn't like that very much. And fish?

P: Yes, I like that very much.

A: How do you sleep?

P: Usually on my abdomen, sometimes on my back.

A: On which side can you not sleep?

P: I can sleep on both sides.

A: Normally, you sleep on your abdomen?

P: Yes.

A: Did you ever have nose bleeds?

P: No.

A: Never?

MP: No.

A: And gums bleeds?

P: A little.

A: And bruises?

P: No.

A: Does he have fear of height?

P and MP: Yes.

"Fear high places", that is not only Calcarea and Sulphur, but also Phosphorus, Natrum muriaticum, Pulsatilla, Zincum have this anxiety and vertigo high places

A: I think that he is a vivid boy?

MP and FP: Yes.

A: He is easily enthusiastic about something, in the good sense as well as in the bad sense, although good and bad does not exist.

FP: Yes.

A: But also easily excited. Is he also sensitive?

FP: He is also enormously melancholic. He can not easily renounce his father. Also when there is a film on television about a child or something like that, he wipes a tear away.

A: He is sympathetic.

FP: Yes, sympathetic.

He is very sympathetic, he can not withhold himself

A: That must be so. Also very easily angry, but forgotten quickly?

FP: Yes, absolutely.

A: The case is solved! Only this: How long do you have hay fever?

P: When there are grass pollen.

A: And now?

FP: He has it once a week.

That is very important to judge how the remedy has acted

A: Still once a week. So, we can start from that. Now, in September once a week.

MP: Yes, in summer much less.

P: Where they make hay somewhere.

A: But now, they don't make hay. And nevertheless, you often have complaints with that.

FP: He has it at the moment.

MP: Since yesterday evening.

P: (Murmurs something)

A: You get a tablet, let it melt under your tongue and then I see you again in 1 1/2 months, then it has to be all right.

The most important desire of Phosphorus is fish. Also Natrum muriaticum has desire fish, but Phosphorus also has an aversion fish. Usually, Phosphorus has a desire salt, highly seasoned food and ice-cream

Remark: "You can not take the rubric 'desire ice-cream'. I have seen children who like ice-cream very much and who are not Phosphorus. All children like ice-cream.

A: No, no I do not think so, that all the children like ice-cream. If children can really choose between different things and not have to eat what comes on the table, then you really see differences. If all your five children indeed like ice-cream very much, then it means that you have to look for a remedy that likes ice-cream very much

Question: "Has Pulsatilla also a desire ice-cream?

A: Yes, Pulsatilla can like ice-cream

Question: "And Silicea?

A: Yes. Silicea is an addition. Do you know the additions for "desire fat"? That is Argentum metallicum, Carcinosinum, Kali nitricum, Medorrhinum, Mezereum, Natrum carbonicum, Phosphorus, Silicea and Tuberculinum. They all have a desire fat, but it is most strong in Nitricum acidum - and Nitricum acidum has to be added in the rubric "aversion fat"

FEEDBACK (15.3.1988)

A: You were here on October, 4. Hay fever, sensitive to grass pollen and tobacco smoke, with sneezing, obstructed nose and so on.

MP: Yes.

A: Now, it is March; so more than 5 months later. How did it go after the remedy, what did he notice?

MP: He hasn't hardly noticed anything. You said that maybe he would get headache or things like that, but he didn't.

A: You didn't notice anything?

P: No.

A: And what about sneezing?

P: Once on a weekend we were on a visit. The whole room was filled with tobacco smoke. And then he started to sneeze again.

A: Once, when was it?

P: In November.

MP: Yes, November, 1.

A: Where were you then.

MP: In the Ardennes.

A: Previously, you had complaints with it every day, didn't you?

P: No.

MP: From October, 4, when we were here the first time, until November, 1, he nearly didn't have problems.

P: I had it only once.

A: And from November, 1, until now, how often did you have it?

P: None.

A: He only had it that one time.

MP: Yes. Only once, when we were on a visit. They have smoked there, and then it started again.

A: But not so strong.

MP: Otherwise not.

A: And why have you come back?

MP: Because I had to come back. The appointment has been delayed and you called me, that you wanted to make a video record.

A: I made a video of him and wanted to know how the result of the treatment was. I you called because I didn't hear anything of you up to now. Until now you are good. There are no other problems?

P: Yes.

MP: Well yes. I don't know how it is going to be in the future with the grass pollen.

A: You see, before he came in September, he still had it.

MP: Yes.

A: That's all I have to know. He didn't have problems anymore except in the weekend of November, and then only a little.

MP: Yes.

A: The nose is also free?

MP: Yes.

A: You may not drink coffee. For the present, you don't have to make another appointment. If there are problems you call me. All right.

MP: Yes. May I ask something? He had a tooth treatment.

P: An abscess.

MP: Yes. Then, he had to take antibiotics. I called you, but you weren't here. They asked me if I could come with the child, but that was impossible. He was too ill. It is a week ago. I asked the family doctor. He said that he could take the antibiotics. He got your remedy a while ago. The effect of your remedy has ceased. That's what they told me anyway. He took the antibiotics and didn't notice anything.

A: He didn't get it back?

He took antibiotics, but did not have a relapse. He was lucky.

MP: No. But if there is something serious...

A: ... then you come to me. Well yes, when it concerns a tooth.

MP: If he has an accident or if he has to go to the hospital then I should call you.

A: You must do that in any case. Eventually, we can solve it here.

But when he gets hay fever again then you call me, that is a chronic complaint.

If I did not call him they would not have come back. Many patients come, get a remedy and then you see them maybe three years later and you can hardly remember them. We have patients who have been well with one remedy for four, five years long; with Natrum muriaticum, Arsenicum, Phosphorus or things like that

CASE3

Chronic nose obstruction recidivistic coryza

Phosphorus

WOMAN, 19 YEARS OLD

Do you see how sweet she looks

She has recurrent coryza, coryza and bronchitis. Besides, her hair has a red tint

A: Let me have a look at you. You have nice freckles.

P: (Laughs).

The first thing you see when she enters is the freckles

A: She appears as a very nice person to me?

MP: Yes, that's right.

I already know the remedy when they come in, without knowing why they come. I immediately suspect and then I have to ask whether my idea about Phosphorus is right

A: I mean, someone who is contented, a vivid girl.

MP: Yes, she easily makes friends.

A: Easily makes friends with everybody. But first, we have to know what her problem is.

Already from the beginning you have the mental picture: open and friendly towards everybody

P: Always an obstructed nose.

A: And further?

MP: A little watering eyes.

A: Regularly a cold or so?

P: Yes.

MP: Always the nose, no coughing.

P: No pain in the throat.

A: A cold, that is your problem, chronic coryza.

MP: When she goes to someone who has a cold, she has it immediately.

Sympathetic. When she goes to someone who has a cold, she immediately has coryza. A good friend of me had a patient with eczema, by whom he could not find the remedy. It was a girl, whose friend had leukemia and when she heard this she immediately got eczema. Which remedy did she need? Phosphorus - and she was cured. These people get ill, because they sympathize with other people

A: If you go to someone who has pain you also have pain?

MP: No.

P: Yes.

A: Do you have other complaints?

P: No.

A: Do you also have freckles on your arms? No other complaints?

MP: When she has to learn for quite a long time, the eyes start tickling. While studying she often has to stop because of pain in the eyes or headache.

A: Further nothing? Do you also have to sneeze regularly?

P: Yes.

MP: When she has a cold.

A: Is there often blood with?

P: No.

A: You never bleed? No gums bleedings?

P: No, I don't easily bleed, neither my gums.

A: Easily bruises?

P: No.

MP: In fact, no.

In this patient a symptom is missing, she does not have bleedings, the last patient neither. Many homoeopaths say then that it can not be Phosphorus, because there is no tendency to bleeding. But why can it not be Phosphorus? Only because they do no have bleedings? Nevertheless, it is possible, negative symptoms do not exclude a remedy

A: Concerning her character, you are a person who easily makes friends.

MP: Yes, she knows how to deal with people. Oh yes, she always have strongly swollen feet.

A: Easily swollen feet?

MP: Oh yes. She plays volley-ball and when it is warm she can't put on her shoes anymore.

A: Especially with warm weather?

P: Yes, they are swollen until my toes, then I can hardly walk. Especially on the right side, not on the left side.

A: And it just happens like that?

MP: Yes.

A: Do you have this when you exert yourself?

P: Yes, usually after the training, after the sport.

A: No other problems besides the swollen feet?

MP: No.

A: Does she have an open character?

MP: Yes.

A: Is she easily anxious?

MP: You have to know it, I don't know.

P: No.

A: She is not anxious.

MP: Not in the dark when you have to come home alone?

A: Neither when you have pain here? When there is something wrong with your mother?

P: It doesn't happen.

A: You are not easily hurt?

MP: No.

A: Do you have domestic pets?

P: No.

MP: Yes, she takes quite a lot of nose drops when she has a cold. Usually, I get a bottle of syrup from the pharmacist and then it is over after a few days. But she might get it again after a fortnight. But it is not as bad as previously. Previously, it was every week. Then, I had to go to the doctor nearly every day. And almost always the nose.

A: Is a certain side of the nose obstructed?

P: Usually, it starts on one side and then it comes back on the other side.

A: It changes.

P: Yes.

"Obstruction nose, alternating sides" - which is the capital remedy? Lac caninum. Phosphorus is there two, Nux vomica one, besides Rhododendron, Sabadilla, Sinapis nigra. In Sinapis nigra usually the left side is obstructed

A: Are you afraid of a thunderstorm?

P: No.

MP: No. I am more anxious than she is.

A: Do you have fear of height?

P: Yes.

And now comes the differential diagnosis to Sulphur, because she has dark lips. The differential diagnosis between Phosphorus and Sulphur is not often so easy. Do not forget that Phosphorus also has fear of high places

A: What do you mean with that?

MP: Yes, I don't know. For example, climbing a ladder. But normally not...

P: When I have to climb a stepladder, when I have to stand at the top.

A: What do you feel then?

P: If you look downwards, it is as if you ...

A: A little dizzy?

P: Yes.

MP: She became black before her eyes a few times.

P: I couldn't see anything anymore.

MP: Yes, she suddenly fainted and ran against a wall. Yes, she just ran against a wall. She stood up at night and...

A: Is she sleepwalking?

MP: She did it two, three times. Now, she hasn't done it for quite a long time.

"Somnambulism", where can we find this? Under "mind", "somnambulism" (p. 81):

MIND,SOMNAMBULISM : Acon., agar., alum., anac., ant-c., art-v., bell., bry., cic., croc., cycl., hyos., ign., kali-br., kali-c., kali-p., kali-s., kalm., lach., lyc., meph., mosch.,Nat-m., Op., petr., Phos., plat., rheum., sep., sil., spig., spong., stann., stram., sulph., teucr., verat., zinc.

Phosphorus capital, Opium, Natrum muriaticum and Aconitum capital

MP: And once, when you came from the kitchen to the living-room, when you saw black before your eyes you ran against the wall. You didn't see the wall! She also did a few times, that's right, but that's quite a long time ago.

A: How does she fall asleep? On which side?

P: On both sides, on the right and the left side.

A: If you have to go over a bridge and you look downwards...

P: ... then I become dizzy.

Again the differential diagnosis between Phosphorus and Sulphur. "Walking over a bridge, looking to running water," Sulphur is there, also Ferrum, Bromium, Angustura and others, but Phosphorus is not there. You see, how difficult the differential diagnosis to Sulphur is in this case

MP: And they removed her tonsils when she was 2 1/2 years old. But now the specialist says that they haven't been removed well, at least not at one side.

A: Did you have eczema?

P: At the knees, in the folds of the knees.

MP: More in the winter. Whether it was really eczema, I don't know.

A: Does she tolerate wool?

P: I don't wear a pure wool-pullover, it tickles.

Which remedies have itching from wool? Sulphur, Pulsatilla, Phosphorus and Psorinum

Remark: "Sepia is an addition of Barthel/Klunker.

A: Be careful with additions. Until now, I have not seen it yet with Sepia, nor with Natrum muritiacum, but I will pay attention to that

Do you know that Psorinum is complementary to Sepia and that 80% of all the Sepia women who have itching from the sun need Psorinum

A: Are you easily too cold or easily too warm?

P: Too cold, not too warm.

A: Which parts of the body are easily cold then?

P: The arms.

A: Are you also cold in bed?

P: Not so much anymore.

A: Or often too warm?

P: Surely, not too warm.

Sulphur is also in 40% of the cases chilly and in 60% warm, do not forget this. Do not exclude Sulphur, only because someone is easily chilly

A: What about your appetite?

P: It is very good.

A: What do you like to eat?

MP: In fact everything. But she doesn't like vegetables so much.

A: What do you like to eat v e r y much?

MP: Previously, she liked warm food, but at the present she doesn't eat it so much.

A: What do you like to eat?

P: Rather frites and bread with chicken.

A: Does it have to be highly seasoned?

MP: Yes, lately it has to be.

A: And sweets?

MP: Not so much. Sometimes a sugar-free gum, but otherwise she doesn't eat sweets.

A: Is she thirsty very much?

MP: Yes, she drinks quite a lot of water. She doesn't drink coffee. Lemonade at noon and a beer in the evening and in the weekend.

A: Do you often have headache?

P: Yes, I easily have headache.

MP: Yes, we have been at the oculist for that. Because I also had to wear glasses for my headache. But she doesn't have anything at her eyes. She easily gets headache, that's right. When she has to study quite a lot, during the examination and so on.

Do not forget Phosphorus in myopia. But now, we still have to be careful because of the differential diagnosis with Sulphur, because she also likes highly seasoned food and is very thirsty. Sulphur also is very thirsty

A: Do like fish very much?

P: No.

Aversion fish: Phosphorus, Sulphur, Zincum, Graphites.

A: Fat?

P: Yes, bacon and so on.

A: Fat at the meat?

P: No, I don't like that.

A: Does she drink milk?

P: No.

A: Does she eat ice-cream very much?

P: Yes, very much.

MP: Yes.

It is not good to ask immediately if she likes ice-cream, but you see the way she answers: "Yes, very much!" This means she has a strong desire, even if the question was asked immediately

MP: Yes, lately she likes it very much.

A: You do not get headache of that?

P: No.

Which remedy has headache after ice-cream? Pulsatilla

MP: In the winter not so much, only in the summer.

A: Eggs?

MP: Not so much.

A: What about your menstruation?

P: Good.

MP: Yes, she takes the pill, so that she has them regularly.

A: Is she easily angry?

MP: No, that's all right.

A: Has she easily a disgust of something?

MP: Yes, she has.

A: For what?

P: When something looks disgusting, food.

This means disgusting. Disgusting-remedies are Sulphur and Pulsatilla capital, Phosphorus is there, also Mercurius

MIND,DISGUST (See Loathing) : Ars., cimx., coloc., merc., mez., phos., Puls., Sulph.

You see, how difficult the differential diagnosis between Phosphorus and Sulphur often is: the desires are nearly the same, desire fat or aversion fat, anxiety and vertigo high places, desire highly seasoned food and so on - and the freckles in the face

A: I have the impression that she becomes easily red.

MP: Yes, that's true.

That is a very interesting symptom. You see, it comes suddenly, she gets red suddenly, there are emotions with it. Another remedy which also has this sudden redness, but which is otherwise more pale, is Ferrum

A: Do you think that she has a sympathetic character? That she sympathizes immediately with others?

MP: Yes, she always had. Previously also, she always complied while playing. She agreed with every one very well. She would rather comply than have injustice.

If I can find here a Phosphorus character, then I am sure of my prescription, then I have a good feeling. Therefore it is important to find out, what kind of person she is. Only on the account of the symptoms it could be Sulphur as well, but as a human being Sulphur is completely different. Sulphur always want to be the best and they want to play theatre, but this woman here, she does not play theatre, she is not sitting like that. She is really sensitive, sensitive out of her heart

A: When you see misery on the television?

MP: No, not so strong as my other daughter, she also weeps immediately. She doesn't, not for a movie. But she is very sensitive, she can sense things. Not with movies, but in the daily life. If you look angry at her, she starts weeping.

Of which remedy do you think? When someone is angry, looks at her and starts weeping immediately. That is Pulsatilla

Pulsatilla also has freckles, vertigo on high places, Pulsatilla has another symptom, she said previously, namely, the disgust. Pulsatilla is very sympathetic, weeps easily, has an obstructed nose in warm rooms - you see Pulsatilla, Phosphorus, Sulphur

Question: Headache in schoolgirls from studying, she also has this.

A: Yes, headache in school girls, but you can not differentiate about this remedy. About which remedy can you make the differential diagnosis

About the thirst. Phosphorus is very thirsty. In general, Pulsatilla is thirstless. There are some points at which you can differentiate Phosphorus and Pulsatilla, but on the mental level it is hardly possible. She does not tolerate the sun, Pulsatilla does not tolerate the sun; aversion fat, Phosphorus does not like fat, Pulsatilla also; stomach disorder after fat: Pulsatilla, Phosphorus not

A: And when your girl-friends are ill or have something?

MP: Then, she doesn't weep, but regularly she goes visiting her. But she is not immediately worried.

A: May I see your nails?

MP: Yes, she is biting them.

A: Hand perspiration. All right. I will give you a remedy and in one month I would like to see you again.

I gave her Phosphorus, Phosphorus 10 M. We will see, what happened afterwards

feedback

A: Now, it is one month later. Tell me.

P: Especially, in the first days I had headache and nausea. In the second week I still had a cold, a very bad. And now, it is all right.

A: The cold was bad. This means, that instead of an obstructed nose you had a cold. Did there come mucus out of your nose?

P: No, not really, but the second week I was again sneezing, usually I didn't.

A: How, but stronger?

P: Yes, just the same as otherwise. And the last two weeks I didn't have a cold.

A: And you do not sneeze anymore and the nose is not obstructed anymore?

P: Yes.

A: So, the case is all right.

P: Until now, yes.

A: According to me that is a beautiful reaction. I don't know, if you feel it like that?

P: Yes, it is good now.

A: Then I will give you some tablets in a tube to take home and you call me when there are problems, so that I can give my permission to take one, if necessary.

This was a very good reaction in the sense of a first aggravation with headache and so on; more sneezing and then there was an elimination reaction

Question: "What did you give her to take home?

A: I gave her again Phosphorus 10M to take home, because if there is something wrong with her later, she only needs to call and I can say her at the telephone that she can take the remedy. She does not need to pay again and we save time

Question: "When you treat a chronic disease over years does it happen that you have to give another remedy when the symptoms are changing?

A: It depends on whether you are dealing with suppressions, diseases after suppressed treatments. Often, first you have to give a remedy, then the symptoms change and then you have to give another remedy. But these are, as I call them, complicated cases. For example, a Rhododendron picture can develop to Aconitum and then further to a constitutional remedy. You give Rhododendron on the basis of symptoms and then the hyperventilation is developed that existed 25 years ago and which has been suppressed with allopathic remedies. By this suppression Rhododendron symptoms have developed. After Rhododendron these symptoms disappears and the hyperventilation comes back. This hyperventilation has clear Aconitum symptoms and after Aconitum you see a development in the direction of Sulphur and after Sulphur the patient is completely cured

It all depends on the moment you start treating a disease, whether previously, there was a suppression and so on. Often, this is very complicated and we have to give the remedy that is indicated on account of the symptoms; not only for the reasons that antibiotics have been taken or some injections have been given

Here, in this course I would like to show you some remedies and that will help you a lot, but nevertheless you have to study it yourself. You have to know your Repertory very well, so that you can play with it a few years later and immediately know where you can find the rubric. In the Netherlands there is a Repertorization course of two years, where the whole Repertory is studied. You can do this work of your own and you will learn very much. We need a profound knowledge about the meaning of the different words in our Repertory and where we can find the rubric, otherwise we prescribe wrong remedies

CASE4

Phosphorus

WOMAN, 48 YEARS OLD

Do you see how she is laughing? That is surely not a closed person

Her problem is hair-falling and that is a very big problem, but it is often a constitutional problem and you can not prevent it. You often see this in Baryta carbonica, Lycopodium, Phosphorus and other remedies. But if this is a family disease you have to tell your patients that it is normal for them, that you can not change anything

A: Now, the hair-falling is the main problem? How long does it exist?

P: Already more than one year.

A: Is your hair falling out diffuse or...?

P: No, in the morning when I get up and I comb my hair, then there is quite a lot of hair in my comb. And in the beginning, even before I came to you, usually I was pulling at my hair while watching television in the evening and then I had a hand full with hair. I said to my husband: "There is something wrong."

The first remedy in hair-falling is which remedy? Selenium. And how do you recognize Selenium? Which homoeopathic symptom indicates Selenium? The hair is painful while touched. "Head, hair, painful when touched" (p. 120)

HEAD,HAIR,painful when touched : Alum., am-c., ambr., ars., asar., bell., calc., carb-v., carl., chel., chin-s., chin., cinnb., coloc., ferr., fl-ac., hep., kali-i., lac-c., nat-m., nat-s., nit-ac., nux-v., phos., puls., Sel., sep., spira., stann., sulph., zinc.

, that is Selenium. Hair-falling in spots is which remedy? Fluoricum acidum - and in which kind of professions do we often find Fluoricum acidum

In priests. They have sexual difficulties. I had two priests who have been cured with Fluoricum acidum. They do not have sexual intercourses, but when they see a woman they take all her clothes off in their phantasy. That is Fluoricum acidum. They have strong sexual desires and imaginations which they suppress and when they see a woman they start imagining her naked

P: And then I came to you. I got something that helped for quite a long time. And afterwards it came back and at the moment it is very strong again.

A: In fact, it has never been well?

P: No.

A: Does your head itch?

P: At the beginning, yes. Now, I don't have complaints with it anymore. But at the beginning my head was itching, here below. I also had crusts on my head, not now anymore. I told you that it could have been caused by the dying the hair. But you said that it is was impossible. I was anxious. But you said there are so many women who dye their hair and don't have complaints.

A: Do you have other complaints?

P: At the beginning I was a little bit dizzy. And the stomach.

A: Are you easily dizzy?

P: Yes, previously. When I was here and I went home I took the tablet, then I felt a little bit sick. When I was at home I drank a little sugar water. I said to myself, well yes, it will go over.

A: How many children do you have?

P: Three.

A: How are your children?

P: All right. They are grown up yet. Sometimes you have problems.

A: Regularly, you also had aphthae in your mouth.

P: Yes.

A: Often?

P: Since I am in treatment here, it is better. But normally, I always have one when I have to get my menstruation. When I eat nuts or things like that and it chafes, then I have a vesicle.

A: So, often about the period of your menstruation?

P: Yes, but previously I had it very strongly, you helped me.

A: But it hasn't completely gone yet?

P: No, it hasn't.

A: Are there certain fears, things for which you are anxious?

P: In fact, still in the evening. Especially, when my husband goes out and I am alone with the children, then I am anxious. You helped me very well.

A: Yes, at the beginning it was a very serious psychical thing. At that time you had a remedy that is complementary to that you need now. So, the anxieties have improved very much, but there remained still some anxieties in the background. Especially in the evening, when you are alone with the children. Are there other things for which you are anxious?

P: Swimming. When I am riding on a bicycle with my husband and we are riding along the channel, then I will never ride on the side of the channel. I am anxious that I will fall in the channel. On the other hand: indeed, I learned swimming, but I don't dare to swim in deep water. I don't dare to swim in two to four metres depth.

A: You are afraid of water. Something else?

"Fear of water" is in the Repertory on p. 48

MIND,FEAR,water, of : Acet-ac., bell., cann-i., canth., cupr., gels., Hyos., iod., lach., Lyss., nux-v., phos., plb., ruta., sabad., Stram., tarent.

P: Not that I know.

A: A little bit fear of height?

P: Yes, of height. Then, I become dizzy.

In this case it is important the way she tells the symptoms, the way she behaves, the way she laughs

A: Otherwise, you are not so anxious. But you are worried about the hair-falling? Aren't you?

P: Yes, I think so.

"Yes, I think so" - do you see the anxiety? There is a strong anxiety because of the hair-falling. You can see it in her eyes

A: Tell me, if there is something wrong with your husband and children are you also easily restless?

P: How shall I say? Not so much. I think: "Well yes, I also have it" Because my husband also has hair-falling. What can you say?

A: No, I asked you, if you are worried then?

P: Honestly, no. Also when the children were little. My husband always said: "Let's get the doctor." I said: "Well boy, it will go over. You don't have to panic so easily. It will go over." When I had influenza this winter. Why? I took saltwater. I cured myself. I said: "Why?" It has to be very bad, before I go to the doctor.

A: Can you easily watch every programme on television?

P: If it is beautiful yes, if it is boring not.

A: Do you sympathize?

P: With a beautiful film. Then, I can weep. Oh yes.

A: Are you easily angry?

P: Before the menstruation a little. Before.

A: Then, you have to be left alone?

P: Yes, they may not say anything. Oh no.

A: So, before the menstruation you are irritated, they may not say anything wrong. But you can tolerate that your husband embraces you?

P: I don't care.

A: But do you think that you like it less? That you rather want to be left in peace?

P: No.

A: How are you towards your children before the menstruation?

P: I can't tolerate very much. They throw things here and there. And I can say a hundred times that they have to clean it up, but they don't listen. Then, I am mortally vexed about that.

A: They may not ask you very much?

P: Exactly. And do you know, what is the worst thing?

Remember this symptom very well. The remedy is not in the rubric, but it has to be added. The irritability before menses has especially Sepia and other remedies, but also this remedy has it very strongly. Therefore, you can often miss with Sepia

P: I am worried about that. My son, he will be 14 years old and is in the puberty. That is terrible. He can not tolerate anything: "And the girls may do everything." Oh, this can make me white-hot. This excites me most. About the two girls less, they are quiet, but the boy, oh dear.

A: If you watch something on television that moves you then you sympathize? And the reaction comes rather quickly? Do you annoy yourself easily?

P: If it is so, it comes quickly. When I have something in my hand I could throw with it. Then, I think: "Behave yourself."

A: Did it ever happen that you threw with something."

P: No, not yet. I would like to do it. If I dare, I did.

A: When you have been so angry, how do you feel afterwards?

P: A little bit better. And also, when I have cried a little. Previously, you are nervous, but when I have cried, then the stress is gone. If people come to me and they are complaining, then I say: "Cry, then you get rid of the stress."

You know the rubric "weeping ameliorates" (p. 93; General p. 75)

MIND,WEEPING,ameliorates symptoms : Anac., colch., cycl., dig., graph., ign., lyc., med., merc., nit-ac., phos., plat., sep., tab.

A: You never had ear singing?

P: No.

A: But we may be sure that you can really get vexed.

P: Yes.

A: You also complained about hot feet.

P: At the beginning I said so. Not now anymore. I am always too warm, because my husband says, that I am gold in winter, because I am so warm. And yesterday the children said so. We were sitting in the bedroom and they put their legs on me and I put my hands on their legs and they said: "Mama, your hands are so warm." Always warm, everywhere.

A: Warm-blooded. Of nature. But also from character, in fact.

P: There is temperament in it, yes, quite a lot of sharp pepper.

A: Do you like to eat that?

P: Not so much, but now and then a little.

You are laughing now, but before your patient becomes so open you have to have a good relation with him, you must have cured him

She came with very strong anxieties, that was 1980 or 1981. She was cured with Arsenicum and then she developed to a complementary remedy

Question: "Was she chilly at the time when she had those anxieties?

A: Yes, at the beginning she was really chilly

Question: "If you have very strong symptoms for Arsenicum and the patient is not chilly?

A: Then, you have to give Arsenicum. You can also think of Sulphur or Arsenicum iodatum. We also had some cases with strong Arsenicum symptoms who were warm, after Arsenicum they did beautifully

Chilliness and heat is only a symptom among many other symptoms. If you have a patient with many Sulphur symptoms and he is warm, then you have another symptom for Sulphur. Is he chilly, this is not a reason not to give Sulphur. The same for Arsenicum. Arsenicum is mostly chilly, but when they are warm and nevertheless have the real mental Arsenicum symptoms you have to give Arsenicum

Question: "Vithoulkas says that you must never give Arsenicum in asthmatic cases, if the patient is not chilly.

A: Vassilis also said that you should never give Tuberculinum in acute feverish cases. But what is this? "Never" does not exist in Homoeopathy. I can only tell you that we had a few Arsenicum patients who were warm and before you saw the real chilly Sulphur professor. "Never" does not exist. We have to be flexible

A: Especially, the palms of the hands were warm.

P: Yes.

"Heat of the palms of the hands", Phosphorus is capital. And where is Phosphorus cold in bed at night? At the knees. There is another remedy, a remedy with impotency, which has coldness at night, that is Agnus castus

A: You don't put your feet out of the covers, do you?

P: No, it is too cold. The warmer, the more I like it.

Do not fall over details. If you recognize the remedy clearly by the character you can forget everything. It would be very interesting to get some key-notes. From the lectures of Kent we know that Phosphorus also puts the feet out of the covers, but do not take notice if such details fail

A: How do you lie at the moment to fall asleep?

P: When I come into my bed, first I lie on my back. And my husband lies with his face towards me. After a while he turns around and then I also turn around. And then, I don't know it anymore. Then I fall asleep. On the right side. Usually, I fall asleep on that side. It is this side.

A: That is the left side.

P: Yes, dammed. I fall asleep on this side. Afterwards, we turn around again, but...

A: There is not a certain side on which you have to lie, to sleep well?

P: Yes, on the left side.

A: Concerning your appetite, a preference for highly seasoned food.

P: Yes.

A: And also sour.

P: Yes. But not so much sweets. And especially no ice-cream.

She also does not like ice-cream. I saw it a few times, that Phosphorus has an aversion ice-cream. So, do not go away from Phosphorus if someone says that he does not like ice-cream

P: But whipped cream. They can give me a nap full with whipped cream.

A: And butter-cream?

P: Not so much.

A: Do you have heart palpitations regularly?

P: From time to time. When there is something wrong, when I am frightened, then it returns again. At that time I also told you about the omitting of the heart.

A: Yes, irregularly. And extrasystoles with compensatory pause. It made a pause, then you had an extrasystole and then it was over again.

P: Yes.

A: If you eat something warm, what do you notice then?

P: I also told you at the beginning, then I perspire. Perspiring, oh dear. I said, "What is wrong." But now, it is over again.

Where do we find this

"Perspiration, eating after warm food" (p. 1297).

Someone asked me if Phosphorus has epistaxis from warm food. I do not know. But it could be, because aggravation from warm food is a general characteristic of Phosphorus. Epistaxis is also Phosphorus and if you take both together, it could be

In the rubric "perspiration from warm food" Phosphorus is capital and Sulphuricum acidum is an important remedy in injuries, bruises, and the most important it is in flushes of heat in climacteric, together with physical weakness. And what do you find in the mouth? Aphthae. All the acids have aphthae, all the acids are biting, Nitricum acidum, Fluoricum acidum, Muriaticum acidum, also Sulphuricum acidum. Mentally, there is a certain characteristic in Sulphuricum acidum and that is hurriedness. If women are sitting at the table they get up constantly and run about for every little thing in the kitchen instead of bringing everything together at once. They do not do that, because they forgot something, but that they can get up every time and get something - so restless and hurried while eating

On the same page you see a little bit above the rubric "perspiration after eating warm food" the rubric "perspiration in dyspnoea". Do not forget this rubric! There you see Arsenicum, Carbo vegetabilis, but also Antimonium tartaricum and Lachesis

A: How is your sleep?

P: Very well.

A: Are you very thirsty?

P: Not so much. I should drink more water. I drink too little water.

A: May your soup be warm?

P: Yes.

A: Very warm?

P: Yes.

A: And what do you drink?

P: Yes, I do not drink beer, I don't like it very much. At home we drink very much water and lemonade. But I don't drink it very much, because I know that this sweet thing is not good. It is not healthy.

A: Do you like fish?

P: Yes, I like it very much.

A: And your knees are never cold in bed?

P: I haven't noticed it and my husband hasn't told me yet.

A: I mean, that you don't tolerate fat.

P: No. I don't like it. Bah, that's disgusting. If you fry fat, you see how disgusting it is. I always throw it away.

A: Yes, you got sick of it, I thought.

P: Yes, I don't tolerate much of it. Also the whole family. I always say, it is not so good.

Also this remedy has disgusting, there is not only Sulphur and Pulsatilla

A: You do not tolerate the sun very well?

P: When I am working it is not so bad, but to lie in the sun. Only ten minutes and I am turning around, go away. I don't tolerate it. Previously yes, when I was young.

A: Do you have other complaints?

P: Not that I know.

Never forget to ask if there are other complaints. The patients often come with a certain complaint and think that all the other things are not important. They come because of a migraine and they do not say anything about their eczema, or they come because of pain somewhere, but think, that the constipation or the leucorrhoea has nothing to do with it

A: You are also a little anxious in a crowd, for example, in supermarkets.

P: Previously yes, when I had those nerve crises. Now, I can go to the supermarket without any problems. On Thursday, there was a performance and I said that I would also play something. At the beginning you are all in flame for this performance, to improvise and so on. Then, there was the performance. I dressed myself as a Tyrolean girl and brought an imitated cow. I prepared what I should say, but when I came on stage I started trembling. That was terrible.

Again anticipation fear. You also see the anticipation fear in Phosphorus as you see in Lycopodium, Argentum nitricum, Medorrhinum, Arsenicum and other remedies

A: If your husband holds you too tightly, do you easily have bruises?

P: No. He doesn't hold me tightly. He doesn't have time for that. He only thinks about sport. I told him, "Now and then you should make your wife a compliment. "No," he said, "it rushes to her head." I prefer a compliment to a bunch of flowers. But he doesn't have time for that.

A: And he neither likes dancing?

P: No, not at all.

Why did I ask if he would like to dance? Because of Sepia. I thought, he is pursuing a lot of sport, he is loosing his hair and he does not often hold her tightly, maybe he is Sepia, but he does not like to dance

Do you know that Sepia is better by physical exertion? Like in Rhus toxicodendron. Diarrhoea ameliorated by running is Sepia

A: And if you brush your teeth...

P: ... then they are bleeding. Those few I still have. Yes, in the evening they bleed.

A: And nose bleedings?

P: No.

A: And when you have your teeth extracted?

P: Then, the dentist had to put cotton in the teeth, because they had so long roots.

When you think of Phosphorus then you ask if they have teeth extracted and how it was with the bleeding afterwards. Which is the remedy when the blood is black? Hamamelis, also Arnica and Lachesis

A: All right. Now, you get a remedy and within two months you don't have any hair-loss anymore.

P: I wonder.

A: We will see who is right.

P: Then, I will put a large board before my kitchen window: "Problems with hair-loss, go to Dr. Geukens.!"

The way she said this you clearly see Phosphorus. Also if she does not like ice-cream and everything is against Phosphorus, then I still would have given her Phosphorus

FEEDBACK (28.10.1987)

A: How is your hair-loss?

P: My hair is all right. I still lose some, but not so much anymore. But now, I have problems with the nerves, doctor.

She has forgotten the hair-loss completely. Now, she is angry with a mechanic and starts talking about that. I asked her about her hair-falling and she says, "That is over, but..." and now comes the next theme. Also Lachesis does this. They do not answer, they go their own way, like Paris, Agaricus, Lycopodium. They do not answer and they jump from one issue to another. Also Phosphorus can be very, very loquacious and therefore I already gave Phosphorus patients Lachesis. They talked and talked and talked and I thought, it is Lachesis, but it was Phosphorus.

P: With Christmas I have my washing-machine for two years. A fortnight ago it broke down.

A: Your washing-machine?

P: Yes, I asked the technician to come. He thought that it was the programme, he looked at it. And he said, "Probably it is the motor." But that is impossible! The motor of a washing-machine has to do ten years! So, he took the motor out. There was something broken. Now, last Sunday it was broken again and then I had to call him again.

Does someone who is closed tell such stories? Would Natrum muriaticum come and tell you that his washing-machine has broken? No. Only Phosphorus will tell such things

P: Slowly, you get excited, the wash is piling up, I can not wash. He wanted to come on Monday in the afternoon. And on Monday I go to help the invalids. I opened the washing-machine and I looked myself what was wrong, it was again the motor!

A: Then, you felt deceived.

P: Exactly. I payed 65£ for the motor and now it is broken again. I waited and he didn't come. At last, I called him and he said, "I am ill." I said, "You could have let me know something, so that I could go away." Then, you get excited about that. On Tuesday he only came in the afternoon. When I called, they told me I could do my shopping, because he would only be here about 5.00 p.m. And I have been inside the whole day and waited. And when my husband came home in the evening I snapped at him. I told the man at the telephone, "That is nice advertisement that the motor has broken down again!", and he answered, "I don't care whether I loose a customer because of that." Then, the cup was full.

A: Did you seize him by the collar?

P: No. I was at the telephone. At that moment you are speechless, but I should have told him, "You cut yourself in the finger." In the evening I told my husband and he said that probably it doesn't interest him, it is a wholesale trade. I have murmured the whole evening. I had such a cramping feeling in the region of the heart and tickling in my fingers, then I get anxious when it goes until my fingers. Now, I have become more quiet and the tickling in my fingers has disappeared.

A: Does your fingertips tickle?

P: Until my fingertips.

A: Last time you couldn't drive a car, you were anxious. Do you drive a car at the moment?

P: Yes, even in the evening. I have to learn it as well. At the beginning I was anxious that I would hit the cars coming from the other direction and then my husband told me that I should orientate myself on the edge stripes. Now, it is all right.

A: Previously, you were anxious in your stomach while driving a car. Not now anymore.

P: Except when my husband is sitting next to me. He has always to say something and he is always braking. I say, "How do you want to teach your children something when you are always so surly. Then, the children are anxious."

A: You have become surer.

P: Oh yes. Sterner against the children. You have to with growing up children, otherwise they will boss me. If you say nothing then you are the stupid goat. They want to have this, they want to have that, they want to go out. My husband always says, "Ask your mother."

A: Then, he is rid of them.

P: Yes.

A: They seem very temperamental. If the man of the washing-machine would have stood in front of you, you would have seized him by the collar.

P: Yes. I said to my neighbour, "I would have kicked him out, downstairs." "You should not do that", she said. "Why not," I answered, "you should have seen him rolling downstairs with his hands between his legs". (Laughing) Even the little one often says to my husband, "Papa, what kind of temperamental wife you have."

A: Let me feel your palms of the hand again. Are they still hot?

P: No. I came with the car.

A: But before the palms of the hand were warm?

P: I am always warm.

A: But you were complaining about warm palms of the hands?

P: Yes, at that time, I still remember.

A: When there is something wrong with the children, when they are ill, are you easily excited?

P: I am a little ungainly. My husband would rather go to a doctor than I do. I always say, "Rinse it with salt", or "drink milk with honey". I will not go so easy to the doctor. I have taken enough pills, I know what it is. Saltwater will also kill the bacteria when the throat or the nose is tickling.

A: So, with the anxieties it is much better in general?

P: Oh yes.

A: Do you still have gums bleedings?

P: Yes.

A: As strong as previously?

P: Yes. Especially, here in the corner, on the right side.

A: Nowhere else?

P: I have only seven teeth. Do they have to suffer as well?

A: You feel pity for your teeth.

P: What I have noticed since a few months - when I spice a lot, for example, in goulash soup or so...

A: You like to spice?

P: Yes. When I swallow it won't go down. I sit there and I am scraping and they ask, "Mama, what is the matter?" And I say, "It won't go down."

Where do you find this in the Repertory, that they can not swallow when they eat highly seasoned food

"Spices aggravate" (p. 1364), only one remedy: Phosphorus

P: But when I do not spice so much, it does not happen. Why? Is this imagination?

A: Probably, it pulls together because it is irritated.

P: I thought by myself, I would take the toilet brush and I will clean it very well. Then it will be clean. (Laughing) Recently, I have been at the gynecologist and told him, "Take blood to see if there is no casserole in it."

A: No cholesterol?

P: Yes. I said "casserole", and he had to laugh. A few yeas ago I said to the doctor, "Look if the closure hasn't stretched out." Because I had so much flatulence at that time my husband said, "Go to the doctor and have you examined whether the closure hasn't stretched out." I didn't say anything else to the doctor and when I looked up he was sitting there with a completely red head, "Please madam?" I said, "Yes, because I have to fart so much." "Yes, lay down, we will examine this." He examined it and he said, "Say to your husband that the closure is still all right." (Laughing) You can rather laugh than being sad?

A: Yes, yes. That is interesting. I wished I had more patients like you.

P: On Monday I have to go the appointment of the nursing.

A: Do you also work in the nursing?

P: Yes. There is a women whose husband died four months ago. First, she was doing well, but now the shock comes. We always have fun with each other. Now, she told me that she can not sleep very well. I asked her son, "Don't you have a stick?" "Why?" he asked. "If you hit her on her head with this stick she will sleep the whole evening." Even the curate had to laugh.

A: You take it to heart when someone is ill?

P: Yes, when I have done some sick-calls then I feel bad. I take it to heart. Afterwards, I am a little bit broken. And still, I can't say no. I like to cheer up those people. You should not say, "Oh boy." You should not say that, you only have to say something positive.

A: So, with your previous depression, it came all right. Still a little hair-loss, like everyone. Do you have other problems?

P: I already told you, the last time I am excited because of the bloody washing-machine. I shout at the children, scoff at the technician, roar.

A: Buy a new washing-machine.

P: It is only a few years old. My husband already said, "Throw it away and buy another one."

A: Rather a new washing-machine than excite oneself. Or take a good technician.

P: That's right. I already told the last one, "You are a real amateur." My husband said, "You shouldn't have said such things." But what do you do when you are so angry? They put a piece of iron on it and put the motor back. I can do that as well.

A: All right, then I will give something so that you remain healthy. With the washing-machine I can not change that. But there are no other problems?

P: No. Who knows, maybe I get an influenza in the winter.

A: You let me know when there is something wrong.

P: May I ask something because of my husband? The last time he has a tickling in the fingers in the morning. Is there something wrong with his heart?

A: I don't know.

P: Could it be?

A: You are anxious when he has something.

P: No, no, but I am concerned. He also has hair-loss. But he always wait so long before he goes to the doctor.

CASE5

Rheumatic pain

Phosphorus

MAN, 41 YEARS OLD

Rheumatic pain in the little finger. Which finger? The little one

Answer: "The fifth.

A: No, the fourth: thumb, first, second, third, fourth finger. That is how it is counted in the Repertory and it is important to know that. It is not so for the toes, there is no thumb. The big toe is number one, then comes the second, the third, fourth and the fifth toe

P: In fact, I come because of my fingers. I think that my mother had rheumatism and I am predisposed in it.

His mother had rheumatism and because of that he is anxious that the pain in his little fingers is also a rheumatic pain. That is what he says from the beginning. Why does he do this? If he would be Sulphur he would not have told from the beginning that his mother has rheumatism. He would only tell it when I asked for it, if someone else in the family has rheumatism

He says it from the beginning and here you can end the anamnesis

A: Your mother has rheumatism?

P: I am anxious that I am predisposed of it. I felt it in both fingers.

A: In the little fingers.

P: Yes. I feel when the weather changes, do you understand?

Of which remedy do you first have to think in changing of the weather? Of Rhus toxicodendron, but a lot of other remedies have this also. If you see in the rubric "change of weather", you see at least 150 remedies, but this remedy is capital

P: I got something, now it is sleeping.

A: You mean to get rid of the pain?

P: Yes, really terrible sawing pain. It comes suddenly and after two, three days it just goes away. Then, I don't notice anything.

Do you see the way he is sitting there? He is leaning over my desk. If he was Natrum muriaticum he would sit there with his arms and legs crossed, very reserved. Sulphur has another way of sitting, it is his own way of sitting, like a statue. Also the way of sitting has its meaning. He is leaning far forward, over my desk

A: So, the problem is less the pain, but it is more a fright.

WP: Yes.

P: Also fright.

A: You are anxious that you would get it because your mother has it.

P: Yes.

A: All right. What is your profession?

P: I am an independent.

A: What do you do?

P: I am a milkman, as they say in the language of the people.

A: You can get about with people very well?

P: Yes.

A: You are known for your social artery?

P: Yes.

A: The fear you have to get rheumatism eventually, because your mother has this - do you think that you are easily anxious about other things?

P: Yes, that's right.

A: About what?

P: If it doesn't go well at work, then I am concerned.

A: When else? Are you concerned about your job?

P: Yes, very strongly.

A: What else?

P: I don't do much besides my work.

A: And concerning the relation with your children?

P: Yes, also.

A: Do you think that you as a man compared to other men are very concerned about your children?

P: I think normal, like the other men.

A: When there is something wrong with them, you are not in a panic immediately?

P: No.

WP: If it is something serious, he is.

P: Not panic, I don't think so. Then, you are more in a panic than I am.

WP: But sensitive to it.

P: Yes.

A: What about your neighbour? When they come to you, then often there is something wrong, for example an accident has happened, or the children are ill.

P: Yes.

A: How do you react?

P: Well, it is difficult to say. You prefer to go to one person than to another person. With some people you have a lot of contact. There are people where I leave within ten minutes, with some people I stay longer. That is very different.

A: Anyway, when I see you I have the impression that you are an open person, you have a social character. Is that right?

P: Yes.

A: At what time do you go to work in the morning?

P: A quarter past eight, half past eight.

A: When do you come home?

P: That is different every day.

WP: At 7, half past seven in the evening.

A: Then you are on the road the whole day?

P: Yes.

A: You sell milk?

P: Yes, at the doors.

A: Do you take your food?

P: Yes. I don't go out eating.

A: And your drinks?

P: Yes.

A: Do you drink a lot?

P: Yes. I think so.

A: You are a thirsty person.

WP: Uiuiui.

P: I don't get the day through with one litre a day.

A: And do you drink in small draughts?

P: No. I drink with large draughts.

A: Do you take coffee with you?

P: No, no coffee. Usually, I drink water.

A: Rather cold than warm?

P: Cold.

A: And you take your slices of bread?

P: Yes. Usually, two to three.

A: No more than three slices of bread?

WP: He has no time to eat.

A: Oh yes. But he has to drink. You put the bottle at your mouth and gluck, gluck, gluck.

P: Exactly.

A: Anyway, we can say that you are a thirsty person and prefer cold drinks. When you come home in the evening and your soup is ready, may it ladle out hot?

P: Yes.

A: You will eat it immediately?

P: Yes.

A: You do not eat it at the margin, because it is still too hot? You can eat hot soup?

P: Yes, I can.

Until now I have not yet looked in my Repertory. This consultation is like a conversation and all our consultations have to be that way. Not that we are sitting there and put our nose in the books, no, we should talk with the patient about his life, his history, what he does at the moment, this is the way to get all the important symptoms. You can do so when you have a certain impression of the person. He comes in, says something and on account of this impression you can ask in a certain direction. He came and said that his mother had also rheumatism - and immediately I thought, this is an anxious man. Maybe, someone else would say at the beginning that he has this rheumatism because he worked too hard. Maybe, Sulphur would say that, he would try to explain it and would not go to the doctor

With this patient it is something else, here the fear is stronger, then there is the baldness, and the way he is sitting there. With him you can not experience this openness like with other patients. You see, there are different grades of openness

Now, we are talking and everything we say indicates the remedy: he drinks more than he eats, he drinks with large draughts, he drinks no coffee, but cold drinks and so on

A: May the soup be fat, salted or spiced? How do you like it?

WP: Not fat.

P: No, I don't like fat.

A: How do you like it?

P: It may be spiced. The spoon has to stand in the soup.

He does not say that the soup may be thick, but he says, "I like soup," and then he makes a gesture as if the spoon stands in the soup. You see that the Phosphorus element often appears

A: Healthy soup with vegetables in it. And it may be spiced?

P: Yes.

A: Also with salt?

WP: So fried crusts.

A: It may be tasteful for him?

WP: Yes.

A: Dessert, do you eat this often?

P: Yes, if there is some.

A: What?

P: Pudding. Not so much fruit.

A: You don't eat much fruit?

P: Very little. Everything warm.

A: Warm pudding?

WP: Yes.

A: He prefers warm pudding?

WP: Yes.

P: But liquid pudding, the one you can pour. Then, I put a spoonful brown sugar on it. I like that very much.

A: Sweet.

WP: Everything that is sweet.

A: He likes sweets?

P: Yes.

WP: Very much.

"Everything that is sweet." Can this be Lycopodium? The way he is sitting there, the way he is talking? No, not at all. Lycopodium sits in the same way as Sulphur, but you feel a little more the haughtiness. The difference is also that in Sulphur you feel the self-confidence, in Lycopodium on the contrary an uncertainty

Sulphur is very sure of himself: what he says is the truth and he knows it. Lycopodium also says the truth, but he does not know exactly if it is right what he says, internally he is doubting. And then the abuse of power in Lycopodium. If he has the opportunity he would suppress other people like Anacardium, in a very coward way, behind his back, like a tiger

A: The pudding may not be cold.

P: No, I don't like that, not at all.

WP: The yoghurt may be cold, but the pudding not.

P: I don't like cold pudding, the stiff one with a skin, I don't like it.

A: You are dainty in your food.

WP: For certain things.

P: Yes.

A: Do you eat ice-cream?

P: I like it very much.

WP: If it is sweet.

A: How often do you eat it a week?

P: Once, when it is warm. In the winter less, but now once a week.

A: You like that.

P: Yes.

A: How do you lie in bed?

P: On the side.

A: Which one?

P: On the left side.

A: You never sleep on the right side?

P: No.

A: Why not?

P: Because that is the easiest way of lying. I turn immediately over to the left side when I come in bed. Then, I turn over again once. I lay for a while and my right arm is hurting and then I turn over again and fall asleep.

A: On that side you fall asleep?

P: Yes, on the left side.

A: Can you easily tolerate the cold?

P: Yes, I tolerate it very well. Much better than the warmth. I don't tolerate the warmth so well. Last winter it was very cold. I hardly wear a coat. I wear a shirt and two pullovers, that is all.

A: In bed you are not easily too warm?

P: No.

WP: No.

A: Have you already have your teeth extracted?

P: Yes.

A: And what about the bleedings?

P: Oh, I am very anxious about that.

WP: It bled very long.

P: Yes. Normally, I have to let it sewn. At the back I lost quite a few. At that time with Dr. X in N., he didn't sew it. Then, I had to get up at night, to stop the bleeding. The blood was assembled in my mouth. That was very nasty, unbearable.

A: Do you also have easily bruises?

P: No, I haven't.

A: Gums bleedings?

P: Yes.

A: When?

P: When I have brushed my teeth, then it happens.

A: May I see your nails?

All right. I have the impression that you are a hot-tempered person.

P: Oh yes! I am sitting here only for 2 minutes and he knows me already. Enormously hot-tempered. When I have to be here at 4.00 and I am a little bit too late, then it starts already. Maybe it is ridiculous, but I am an independent and I have always a day off, but it is completely programmed. I have to do this and that and prepare this, so that I can start the next morning. (Gesticulates). And then I begin to become nervous (rubs his hands). It lasts.

A: I have the impression that you can be a little bit hot-tempered.

WP: He can.

P: Yes.

A: Especially, when you... - do you know the limit of your anger?

P: Yes, it depends. When they...If you are on the road, they might get on my nerves. Do you know what I do then? I don't say anything to that person anymore. If I would say something it is wrong for me and also for the people. I get angry, turn around, go to the car, open the door and first smoke a cigarette.

A: How old were you when you married?

P: 24.

A: And before you often drank beer in a pub?

P: Yes.

A: Not exaggerated?

P: So normal. On Saturday and Sunday.

A: Never a fight, never a scuffle?

P: No, I never had.

A: You were with a group.

P: Yes, four, five men.

A: Soft people.

P: Yes.

A: So you can say that there is flame inside you?

WP: Yes.

A: Is that also sexually?

WP: Yes.

A: The woman confirms it. You are very potent, you are able to hold your own?

P: Yes, still.

A: You also like it?

P: Yes, even quite a lot.

A: The hair-loss, is that a family disease?

P: Yes, that is a family disease. From my father's side. You can't do anything about it? I hope I won't loose more hair. That's the reason why I have a little bit complexes.

A: Maybe the remedy will help you. I don't know. Do you have other complaints? Do you have hemorrhoids?

P: No.

WP: Often it itches.

P: Yes. Often, I have complaints with it. I think, that I have worms. Is that possible?

A: Yes, it might be. Itching at the rectum. Never bleedings?

P: No.

A: You said that you have pain in your little fingers when the weather is changing?

P: It is not pain. How should I say it... as if... (rubs over it).

A: Does it do good when you rub over it?

P: Yes, it does good, yes. I also do this. Surely in the winter, when the weather becomes worse. Also when it is raining. Then, I do this without my will.

A: So, rubbing improves?

P: Yes.

A: Do you feel when there is a thunderstorm?

P: How do you mean?

A: So with lightning...

P: If I am anxious of it? No.

A: Do you feel it coming?

P: No. But I do when it is raining. How shall I say this? In the winter, you know, when I have cold hands and the weather is changing, then I feel it, then I rub over it.

A: Fear of dark?

P: No.

A: Never had?

P: No.

A: All right. You are not very anxious.

P: No.

A: Also not when you feel something here or there?

P: Yes, I do. Then, I am busy with it.

A: All right. Then, I will give you a remedy. The pain has to disappear completely.

P: Does it have something to do with the fact that is so crooked? (Shows his little finger)

A: That is a kind of arthrosis. You never had this in your back?

P: Not yet.

Everyone knows which remedy he got? You see you have to be sensitive to the remedy to be able to prescribe it. The remedy is not always indicated like the first man, who shows the remedy with a lot of intensity. In this man it appears less intensive, but you can feel that it is the remedy. I gave him the remedy in a M potency

FEEDBACK (26.10.1987

A: You are the milkman?

P: Yes, that's right.

I forgot to tell you that those people always have a kind of red tint, blond hair with a red tint and when they have freckles they are rather red than brown. You know the brown freckles and the café-au-lait spots of Carcinosinum. Here it is more red and you also see this in Causticum, their reddish tint and the red freckles. That makes the differential diagnosis between Phosphorus and Causticum more difficult

A: I saw you on September, 14. Now, it is October, 26. Tell me. You were anxious that you would get rheumatism, you felt it in your little finger when the weather was changing.

P: It isn't better yet.

A: What did you feel when you took the remedy?

P: I noticed very little.

A: No headache or things like that?

P: No, nothing. In fact, I haven't noticed anything.

A: Has something changed?

P: No. I got eczema. Whether it has something to do with it, I don't know.

Now the problem comes: he has not noticed anything and you start doubting. I told myself that the remedy was not wrong and I gave him a 10M. Why not? Maybe that M did not act, I do not know, but I was sure that the remedy was right. I saw him the first time on September, 14 and then on October, 26, five weeks later and nothing happened. At that moment we make mistakes. We start doubting, thinking that the remedy was wrong and we give another remedy and then it is a spoiled case, where you can not find the remedy anymore

A: Eczema at the fingertips on the left side. You didn't have this previously?

P: No, not previously.

That is very interesting. Now, he gets an eczema, this means that the remedy has done something. Apparently, he gets more peripheral symptoms

A: Is the pain as strong as before?

P: It has remained the same. But it is very irregular. Now, we have settled weather. But when it is changing, when raining weather is coming, I still feel it, yes.

A: So, one thing has been added and that is the eczema.

P: Yes.

A: The pain in the joints?

P: Is still the same.

A: The itching at the rectum, what about it?

P: It has been the same.

A: You still sleep on the left side?

P: Normally, yes.

A: You do not have fear of height?

P: No, I don't have that.

Why this question about fear of height? Because of Phosphorus, but also because of Sulphur. There is someone sitting next to me, whom I explain, why I do not change the remedy, but why I give a higher potency

A: Did you drink coffee?

P: Yes, I drank coffee without caffeine.

A: I would like you not to drink this anymore. Only homoeopathic coffee. Did you drink a lot of coffee?

P: Yes.

A: How much decaffeinated coffee did you drink?

P: In the morning about three cups, no more.

A: This might antidote. I think there is still some caffeine in the decaffeinated coffee.

P: Aha.

A: You have to tell your wife that she has to buy Bambu.

P: Where can you buy this?

A: In a natural shop. The remedy has to work without discussion. Or the remedy is not strong enough or it is antidoted, because there is still some caffeine in the coffee. I will give it a little bit stronger, because I don't doubt about the remedy. The gums bleedings are still as strong?

P: They have remained the same. Do they also have to stop?

A: They have to decrease. They have to disappear completely.

P: Aha. It is still the same as before.

A: So, you promise me not to drink any decaffeinated coffee and no peppermint.

P: Peppermint?

A: Chewing-gum and so on.

P: Well, I eat it very seldom, not twice a week.

A: ... if I see you sitting there, and the hair... There is no discussion. So, leave this. You do not drink coke?

P: No.

A: You may not put ointment on the finger. It is good that it comes.

P: I have a kind of ointment, if I put it on it does good. Often, when I have cracks in my finger.

A: Is that especially in the winter?

P: In the winter and a fortnight ago I also had this.

A: So, it has to be. Immediately, melt it under the tongue. You do not smoke?

P: Well yes, very little.

A: Stay sober for one hour. Then, I would like to see you again within one month. I am not satisfied yet.

Yes, 10M, one tablet 10M. Now, the feedback of December 1987

FEEDBACK (1.12.1988)

A: I saw you a second time and the second time I gave you the remedy in M potency, so stronger.

P: Yes.

A: Because, apparently, there was no clear reaction. You only had eczema. The pain went away.

P: Yes, it is better. I hardly feel it.

A: And now something else appeared?

P: A kind of eczema (takes off his shirt). And I have also worms, is that possible?

A: Yes, it is possible.

So, now he forgot the pain, that is no problem anymore, now the eczema is important. Immediately, he takes his clothes off, to show me. Now, you recognize a little bit more of the remedy

Question: "Did he have eczema before?

A: No, he told me that he had no eczema before, but maybe he does not know. Many people have forgotten that they had an eczema once

P: So my son also got that. You know him, he had eruption. But he doesn't have to come anymore. (Shows his left arm-pit).

A: So a little bit eruption. Does it itch?

P: Yes.

A: When especially?

P: In the evening when I lie in bed it itches very much. When it gets warm, I think.

A: Only in the left arm-pit?

P: Yes, always on that side.

A: The itching at the rectum, has it remained the same?

P: Yes.

A: Has there something else changed?

P: No.

A: The appetite has remained the same?

P: Yes. I only didn't drink coffee anymore, only Bambu.

A: Still so thirsty?

P: Yes.

A: The gums bleeding?

P: It is also better. I must say so.

A: The sex is good, it has to remain so.

P: Yes, yes, that has remained the same. A: What about the eczema on the fingertips?

P: It was better, but it came back. You see it yourself. Still a few cracks.

A: So it is about a month ago. I will give you a remedy in a tube to take home. You do not take it yet. Only, when the pains return.

P: Yes.

A: You wait two months. If the pain returns in the meantime you call me. It is too early to repeat the remedy. You do not drink coffee anymore?

P: No. And can you do something about the worms?

A: You let them come out. They have to come out. You didn't notice anything else?

P: No.

A: Nothing changed, for example, that your feet have become too warm, that you have to put them out of the covers?

P: No.

A: All right.

You see, that you have to wait, I mean that you do not have to doubt so quickly. That is the most important thing

Constantly, I have discussions with Vithoulkas about repeating the remedy, that in a beginning relapse you can always repeat the remedy if you are sure that the remedy is right. Maybe, you can also wait, but in beginning relapses we only had good reactions when the remedy was repeated. The only thing is that you have to be sure of your remedy, and if you are, then you can also wait. If you are not sure and you wait, you let the patient suffer. You can wait and wait and wait and say, "Maybe this is a little bit better and that also a little bit better." No, we have to be critical and ask ourselves if the patient is really better. After the first Phosphorus the patient was not better, but because I was sure of the remedy I repeated the remedy in a higher potency. And when he came back afterwards he was really better. You do not believe that

Question: "But he got eczema..." (not understandable

A: Oh no, you understand it wrong. She said that the rheumatic pain were more peripheral symptoms as the eczema. You understood it wrong. Rheumatism is a more deep disturbance than a skin disease, yes? If there appear skin symptoms after a rheumatism this is a good development

We do not know if the eczema is an old symptom, because he does not know it himself, but in the last consultation he said, that the eczema was better first, but it comes back now. Do not doubt too early. I also have to give the patient with the Bechterew disease about seven times Phosphorus and now, since half a year he does not have problems anymore. You have to repeat the remedy a few times, before you are through everything. Then, everything is all right and you do not see them again. Here, it is the same. The last time when I repeated Phosphorus, he did not have rheumatic complaints anymore, but only itching at the rectum because of the oxyuren. His fingers were better and now it starts again. The last time I gave him Phosphorus 10M on March, 28 and since then he does not have problems anymore

Question: "What about over-sensitive people?

A: Over-sensitive towards high potencies? That does not exist. We all have fear for high potencies, but what are high potencies? It is the sae energy, maybe more intensive, stronger. In children we give 10M, 50M in very dangerous pneumonia. We may not think in a material way, we have to think energetically. If that is the energy that the patient needs, then you give him high potencies. Maybe, a C30 is also enough, but I say that it goes quicker with high potencies of the right remedy. I am not afraid of aggravations, when I am sure of a remedy. But if I would have given, for example, Graphites in a high potency to a Bufo eczema this would be very dangerous. Because it seems like Graphites, so he must be sensitive to Graphites. There would have been a very big aggravation, the eczema would have been very bad and you would have thought, it is a very good reaction. And then it would last weeks, months before the eczema disappears again. You surely would do damages to the patient. The only important thing is to be sure of the remedy

CASE6

Phosphorus

BOY, 6 YEARS OLD

The parents phoned me because the child had a rectal bleeding. Because I knew the child and the mother I prescribed Phosphorus, Phosphorus 10M at the telephone

Look very well at the child and the mother and try to understand them both, to feel them

A: Tell me what was the matter on October 19, when you phoned me.

MP: Yes, we were at my uncle and my son had to go to the toilet. He went on his potty there and I noticed that there was blood in the stool. I was worried then.

A: Which colour did the blood have?

MP: It was brightly red. The family said I should not get in a panic, probably it was because of a varicose vein or from pressing. Then, I waited until Monday and Tuesday, and I called you on Wednesday.

A: Did he still bleed on Monday and Tuesday?

P: Yes.

A: With every stool?

MP: Nearly with every stool. Sometimes more, sometimes less, therefore I thought, probably it is because of the pressing.

A: It was from Sunday to Tuesday. Also on Wednesday?

MP: Yes, and then I didn't want to wait any longer.

A: Was it rather a lot of blood?

MP: Often, it was rather much, quite a lot for a child, I thought.

A: On Wednesday you came, no, you called.

MP: I could come immediately, but that was impossible for me. On Thursday my husband collected the remedy after his work in the evening.

A: I said that I knew what I had to give, because I know the mother and also the children. Your husband came on October, 23 to get the remedy. He has bled since Sunday, October, 19. On Thursday evening he got the remedy.

MP: On Friday dissolved in water, as you said.

A: I gave a 10M potency of a remedy that you had to dissolve in water. How did he react to that?

MP: On Thursday he stayed up longer, until his daddy came home. Then, he went to bed quietly. Then next day I gave it him three times, until the glass was empty. In fact, I haven't noticed anything anymore.

A: So since he took the remedy he hasn't lost any blood anymore?

MP: No. I think that I noticed a little bit of blood the next morning. But I also thought, it has only been in his body for one night. And then I haven't noticed anything anymore. And later neither, because I controlled that.

A: In the meantime it is November, 11, so a fortnight later. Tell me about the character of the child.

MP: Yes, previously he was a rebellious child. Very impetuous and impulsive, and he wants to destroy everything. Yes, doctor, that is right, he destroyed everything.

Yes, now it becomes difficult. "He destroys everything." You see, this destructiveness, that is not only Tuberculinum, but also Phosphorus can be destructive

MP: Now, he goes to the third class of the children garden, and now we see that he becomes visibly more lovable. So sweet. The child is completely different.

A: I have treated him.

MP: Of course, you have treated him since he was little.

A: Yes, because of the treatment he has changed and because I knew which remedy he needed.

MP: Probably, that is right. You also said, as the tree, so the fruit.

A: The mother has the same constitution. But tell me something about him, how he was previously, when he was according to you less sweet.

MP: He was an extremely difficult child, in the sense that he made me complete angry and I was really exhausted when I put him in bed in the evening. In fact, I can say no more about him. My husband also had to get angry. Often, we had to give him a smack at his bottom, to make him quiet. But apparently, it isn't necessary anymore.

A: What do you mean with impulsive?

MP: Then he was running about and immediately the car had to go. It had to function immediately, otherwise he would throw it over or under the table.

A: Do you think he is a sensitive child?

MP: Yes, very sensitive.

A: How do you mean?

MP: He sympathizes very much with the suffering of other people. He also sees that. Yesterday we were driving to school and there was a man whom I know. In fact, it is a social case, but the boy doesn't know it. So, he was driving his motorbike and was only wearing a very thin jacket. The boy said to me, "Mama, maybe he has no thicker jacket." He sees things like that.

A: Is he sympathetic?

MP: Oh yes. I often say to my husband, because he also is so busy, "Say something nice to him." But he does it himself. He does it from nature. He will say himself, "Mother, you don't have to be sad." Or, "Mama, I am with you." He comes to me in bed, when daddy is away at night. Aren't you, my boy? Indeed, we don't sleep well, because he is...

A: ...tossing about.

MP: Yes.

A: But he sympathizes with other people.

MP: He is very sympathetic, also with his sister. He gets her out of bed and says, "Come to your little brother." So, motherly. But his sister will not do this, his sister is completely different.

Do you see the mother? Real Phosphorus. She is talking, and talking..

A: Can he get angry?

MP: Yes, surely.

A: Very angry?

MP: Yes, but I have the impression... he often plays with children who are older than he is. The children of the neighbour and also the nieces and the nephews are all older than he is and I have the impression that he undergoes everything, because they all are older. But from his sister I learned that there are a few fighters at school and that he is one of them. How it is the last months I don't know. But in the first and the second year of the children garden he was really a fighter.

A: Can he get so angry that he might hit someone?

MP: Yes, absolutely. I noticed it already. But this is less. I will also do.

A: And does he regret afterwards?

MP: I think so.

P: A little.

MP: Yes, afterwards he comes to me and says that he will not do it anymore, that he thinks it is really bad. Don't you boy? On Saturday evening he broke the needle of the record-player and he found it terrible. We all found it very bad.

P: Especially, daddy.

A: Is he often anxious?

MP: Are you anxious? Are you often afraid? Often, he calls at night. When we have seen something, a film or so.

P: Yes, a Rambo...

MP: We have never seen such a film, boy. You imagine such things.

A: For thunder?

MP: Yes. I am also anxious for that. Then, we creep together.

A: Your daughter doesn't have fear of that?

MP: She is different.

P: If it is clear not, but if it is dark I am.

A: Do you have fear of dark?

MP: Yes. Once, we saw a movie, in which I was really wrong - how is it called ?

P: Tarzan and the magic kettle.

MP: Yes, we saw that film and since then I have to let the light on in his bedroom. We have seen that, but not a Rambo film.

A: What about his appetite?

MP: Very well. He eats everything. Fruit, slices of bread, potatoes, vegetables. He eats very well.

A: Does he also drink something?

MP: Yes, but not exaggerated.

A: Do you think that he does not drink very much?

MP: Not exaggerated, no.

A: Does he drink with small draughts?

MP: No, greedy, because I often have to say, "Not so greedy!" With large draughts.

A: Rather cold or warm?

MP: What do you prefer?

P: It is the same for me.

A: Does he take something out of the refrigerator and does he drink it?

MP: In the morning he drinks a little bit warm coffee with milk or warm chocolate milk. When he comes home from school, he usually drinks something cold.

A: How does he lie in bed?

MP: On the side.

A: On which side?

MP: I can not say, that is different.

A: On which side does the mother lie?

MP: I always lie on the left side. When I fall asleep, always on the left side.

A: Does he have easily bruises?

MP: Very easily. I also. Let me see your legs. It is blue with the slightest touch.

A: Does he often have gums bleedings?

MP: I haven't noticed it yet.

A: What does he like to eat?

MP: Spaghetti.

P: And soup.

A: May the spaghetti be spiced?

MP: I do not spice it so strongly, when I make it for him.

A: But would he like that?

MP: He likes spaghetti very much. At home nobody likes it. But I often have to prepare it for him, because he likes it so much.

A: What about ice-cream?

MP: He also likes it very much.

A: Can he eat much of it?

MP: That is normal.

A: But very much?

MP: He likes it very much, yes.

A: Does he have other distinct desires concerning his food?

MP: Yes. He also likes chocolate and biscuits.

A: Cakes?

MP: Yes, and of course eclairs.

A: If there is something wrong, is he easily worried?

MP: No, but he comes to me to tell it immediately. "I fell down", or "I have pain in the abdomen". Yes, and I have to advice him. I understand it immediately. Often, it is also without reason. But I listen to him and I let him feel that he is there and that I also sympathize with him.

A: Do you sympathize with him?

MP: Yes.

A: And you are also worried?

MP: Very worried. When there was, for example, blood in his stool, then I was very anxious, also on Sunday. I wanted to go home, because I couldn't talk with anyone about it. I wanted to tell it at home. I was scared.

A: Does he wear his heart on his sleeve?

MP: Yes, he has a very great heart.

A: An open character?

MP: Yes. His sister is also a good child, but she is different.

A: I know enough. He has reacted spectacular to the remedy.

MP: Very well. I was very satisfied.

The mother is Phosphorus, one child is Phosphorus, the father is Calcarea and the other child also Calcarea, that is the whole family. This bleeding, I do not know, where it came from. Often, it is from hemorrhoids. Which is the remedy for hemorrhoids in children? In little children, usually boys? Muriaticum acidum.

What do you do in a very strong bleeding that does not stop after Phosphorus? Which is the remedy? Crotalus horridus. Do not be afraid to give Crotalus horridus. In people who are bleeding very, very much, for example after the extraction of a tooth, you give Phosphorus and it does nothing or it even bleeds more, then you have to give Crotalus horridus

Crotalus horridus is together with Phosphorus a very important remedy in hemophilia. Also in AIDS Crotalus horridus is very important, besides in old people. And what do you see at the lips of Crotalus horridus? Varicose veins, that is what you often see in Crotalus horridus.

Which side is usually affected in Crotalus horridus? In Lachesis it is the left side, in Crotalus horridus it is the right side. It is a very important remedy

CASE7

Phosphorus

MAN, 43 YEARS OLD

A: Tell me where do you have headache?

P: In the front, above my eyes. And on the right side until the neck.

A: Does it influence another part of the body?

Why did I ask this? He has headache and I asked him if it has an influence on another part of the body. I always try to find out if there are other symptoms together with the headache, for example vertigo or bad vision, to get to the small rubrics

P: As if the eyes are falling down. A sleepy feeling.

Where can we find a rubric that indicates what he says? "I have pain in my forehead, so that the eyes are falling down.

"Eyes, falling of lids during headache", it is only one remedy

EYE,FALLING OF LIDS,during headache : Sep.

Answer: "Desire to close eyes during headache.

A: No, he does not say that. He says that his eyelids fall down when he has headache

Answer: "Heaviness, lids.

A: Yes, that is possible

Answer: "Falling of lids.

A: It is an expression of the headache of this remedy. It is a headache that presses upon the eyes, so that the eyes have to close. It is a pressing headache upon the eyes, in the forehead

Answer: "You could also say, 'Closing eyes amel.'.

A: No, he doesn't say that, he doesn't have to close his eyes for that reason. This would mean that he has a pressure on the eyes and the pressure closes his eyes

Look in the rubric "headache, pressing, downward" (p. 190; General p. 158). There are several remedies, one capital is Phosphorus, then also Asarum, Paris quadrifolia and others

Answer: "There is another rubric, 'headache, pressing pain, forehead, extending downward towards eyes.

A: Extending to the eyes, I do not know if he means that

A: As if your eyes are closing. Do you think that it is the headache that closes your eyes?

P: Yes, it feels like that.

A: I mean, is there a kind of pressure on your forehead?

P: Yes, there is a pressure in the head.

A: And it presses on the eyes?

P: Yes.

A: You said that you had a feeling of heaviness in your eyes. Isn't it described better as a pressing pain that presses downwards?

P: Yes, exactly.

A: That is the main complaint.

P: Yes, and then also the vertigo.

A: Do you think that the headache appears at certain periods, under the influence of certain facts?

P: Yes, at certain times and especially caused by certain products, for example, glue.

A: Does this also influence your vertigo?

P: I don't know, if this has an influence on my brains. It is a feeling as if I would fade away.

Where can we find this? He has vertigo from odors. In the Repertory there is only the rubric "vertigo from odors of flowers": Hyoscyamus, Nux vomica, Phosphorus

Maybe the proovers of that time did get vertigo when they stood near flowers, but maybe they would have had vertigo with other odors. I think you can take that rubric. He is a painter and when he is painting he is breathing all these synthetic things and he gets vertigo from this odor

A: What aggravates your headache?

P: Stress. When I feel tensed. For example, during the holidays, I don't feel anything. But the day I come home it starts again.

A: Is it a nervous headache?

P: Stress-headache.

A: These are the two important complaints? Other complaints?

P: Yes, pain in the back. A feeling of stiffness. Apparently, my back is in a bad situation. I think they call it arthrosis, wear and tear of the spine.

A: You are a painter and you have to lift quite a lot. Where exactly do you have pain?

P: Below in the back. It is very deep.

A: Under the belt or in the region of the belt?

P: Below. It is a gnawing pain, so like tooth-ache. I have it the whole day.

A: But it is only below the belt, not higher?

P: No, not higher.

A: Is it only pain, or is it also a stiffness?

P: A stiff feeling when I get up in the morning. When I have sat on the floor too long, so on the knees, and when I have to get up, then I am stiff.

A: Does your back ever feels soft, loose?

P: Yes, I just had massages and afterwards the back was soft. There was no tension in the muscles anymore.

A: Does massages do you good?

P: It has. But immediately after the massage certain parts were painful.

A: If you have massages with the hand, does it do you good at that moment?

P: It did. Only on the places where it was probably tensed, it hurt.

A: Because he presses hard on it, or why?

P: Yes.

A: Did you ever asked your wife to massage your back?

P: No.

A: Does it do good when your back is rubbed or when it is hold tightly?

P: It does, yes.

"Pain in the back, rubbing amel." (p. 897; General p. 755). Also here, you can differentiate between Natrum muriaticum

BACK,PAIN,rubbing amel. : Aeth., kali-n., lach., lil-t., nat-s., Phos., plb., puls., thuj.

Remark: "Natrum muriaticum is an addition in the rubric.

A: No, forget the addition. Natrum muriaticum has an improvement from psychological being. I mean a deep, hard pressure ameliorates, lying on something hard. They do not like superficial relations, they need very deep, strong relations on which they can rely on. The improvement by lying on something hard is an expression of their psychological being. If Natrum muriaticum has a relation they give them totally, but if it breaks down it means a complete destruction in their life. They just do not go from one to another. For Natrum muriaticum every other person is a friend or nothing at all, there is nothing in between. They do everything for their friends, but if they are hurt by them, really deeply hurt, it is finished for ever. They do everything for you if you really trust them. And when they ask you to come there when they have problems then you have to be there. That is very important. The expression of the kind of the pain and how it ameliorates is an expression of the psychological being.

The same thing with Kali bichromicum. Everyone knows that Kali bichromicum has a small spot pain and psychologically, Kali bichromicum has limited interests. The interests of Kali bichromicum are limited to the woman, the children, the house and the garden

The kind of pain is an expression of the psychological being of the man. We often do not see it. We are too materialistic to understand

A: Do you have other complaints?

P: No, I don't think so. Only colds.

A: Regularly?

P: Yes, so an obstructed feeling, and that extends to my head.

A: Can you tell me something about your character?

P: Very hot-tempered, but also very quickly quiet. I am very quickly hot-tempered, but then I withhold myself quickly and think about what I really do.

A: Are you temperamental?

P: Yes.

A: A sanguinic way to react. In the good way as well as in the bad way.

P: Yes.

A: Can you easily wrap up in something?

P: Yes. I can be very enthusiastic.

A: Give me an example.

P: When I buy a new car, I am in a blaze.

A: Do you also sympathize when you see, for example, something on the television?

P: Yes, very strongly. For example, the pictures of Biafra at that time, of Ethiopia. I think there has to be done something.

A: Do you feel that?

P: Yes. Here, we live in a situation where we have everything and the people over there don't have anything. Somewhere, I don't think it is right. I think that the people here have to work a little bit more for the people there.

A: When you see a romantic film, something that interests you, are you emotionally involved?

P: Yes. When, for example, children are playing in the film, who are weeping, then my tears come up.

A: So you are someone who sympathizes?

P: Yes.

A: You can also be enormously offended?

P: Yes, I can. And also immediately fight things out.

A: Did you ever hit someone?

P: Not now anymore, but I did previously. When they did something to me, I immediately hit out freely.

A: And afterwards? Were you anxious, "What have I just done?"

P: Yes, I did. But I am also this kind of man: when I am really angry with someone then I go immediately to him to discuss the matter. So many things are said, in fact what is right? Then, the matter will be settled.

A: Do you think that you are also anxious?

P: Often yes.

A: For what?

P: When my children and wife stay away too long. When they are gone with the car.

A: If there is something wrong with your children, then you are anxious, then you get in a panic?

P: Not immediately. It comes later, when it lasts too long.

A: And what about your wife?

P: Yes, also.

A: If you have an acquaintance, a good friend, and he would have lung cancer, what would you do?

P: I would take this a little bit at heart.

A: And if you have it yourself?

P: Then I would think, "I don't smoke, how can I get this? He has it, but I can't get it."

A: Because you do not smoke?

P: Yes, because maybe I live differently than he does.

A: Do you think that you care very much about your health? That you would do everything?

P: No, not particularly, average. I also work with products of which I know that they are poisonous. But I do this because of my job. I would take precautions, for example, ventilate, or if necessary to wear masks. Now, we are wearing masks, when we use those products.

A: How do you lie to fall asleep?

P: Normally on the back or on the right side.

50% of Phosphorus patients sleep on the right side and 50% on the left side, but it is only important when they say that they can not sleep on the left side. Which remedy can this neither? Lachesis

A: Are you someone who drinks little?

P: I drink a lot of water.

A: Do you drink that in small draughts?

P: I drink a glass at once. And when I come home from riding bicycle it is 1 1/2 litre water. I nearly never take water when I go riding on a bicycle. When it is warm and I come back home it is about 1 or 1 1/2 litre water.

A: This means that you easily dry up?

P: Yes, maybe I perspire very much, when I ride on a bicycle.

A: Do you easily perspire?

P: Yes, very easily. When I ride on a bicycle I like to exhaust myself. Then, I perspire very much.

A: So, you easily loose liquid. Do you tend to eat salt then?

P: No.

A: It doesn't say anything to you?

P: No. When I drink water it tastes salt. Then, I say to my wife, "It tastes as if you put salt in it."

Then I taste the salt.

A: It is not so that your food tastes salt?

P: No, I don't think so. Because we use very little salt. Things like smoked meat, it tastes very salty, I would not eat things like that. When I have something on my slice of bread I have to drink quite a lot afterwards.

A: Do you prefer your drinks rather warm or cold?

P: Rather cold.

A: Can you eat your soup very hot?

P: No, not hot. I always let it cool down. Maybe, also because of reasons of time. I like to eat very quickly. Especially, when I go home at noon. Then, eat very quickly and back to work. When I have time I eat more quietly, but then my soup has to be cooled down as well, not hot.

A: The rest of the meal, the potatoes and so on; rather not too hot?

P: Just not too hot.

A: So, the food may not be salty.

P: No, but also not too insipid. There might be a little bit salt on it, because salt is unhealthy. We have shaped our life accordingly. I will neither eat bread with butter. I always eat my bread dry. I put cheese, sausage or jam on it, but never butter.

A: It may be spicy?

P: Yes, Chinese, for example, highly seasoned.

A: What about fish?

P: I like it very much, and I prefer it with lemon.

A: Do you also like meat?

P: Yes, but always without gravy. Almost always naturally.

How can you for example see, for example while eating that someone is Phosphorus

He eats the soup from the border. He does not take the soup from the middle of the dish, but superficially from the border. Often, they also blow to cool down the soup

A: Can you say that you have quite a lot of difficulties with the cold?

P: I can tolerate the cold very well, but no moistness, wetness and wind. I can't.

A: What do you feel then?

P: Then I am cold and I am sensitive to inflammations of the throat and so on. I like cold weather and also warm.

A: So, wet coldness is not good?

P: When it is wet, cold, windy, it is a bad day for me. I like warm weather but also frost.

A: So dry.

P: Yes.

A: Do you have bleedings?

P: No.

A: Do you have gums-bleedings when brushing teeth?

P: No.

A: Never had?

P: I don't know, but not the last years.

A: Complaints with nose-bleedings or bruises?

P: No. Bruises only when I have knocked somewhere at work, but not remarkable.

A: Did you have teeth extracted?

P: Above I have false teeth.

A: Did it bleed long after the extraction?

P: No, maybe 1/2 day.

A: Not very long...?

P: No.

A: I will give you a remedy and would like to see you again within three or four weeks. The headache and the vertigo have to be disappeared and less pain in the back.

Which remedy did he get? Phosphorus

But it was not an easy case. He is a polite, a well-educated man, he comes from a very good family, not from a family who has a cafe like the other patient with the M. Bechterew. He is a refined man and it was not easy to recognize the remedy. You couldn't see it on the video, but I have seen a red tint in his black beard

FEEDBACK (ABOUT FOUR WEEKS LATER

A: You also have a red tint in your beard. Also the eyebrows. Your hair is dark. But tell me, how did it go?

P: The day after I took the remedy something changed. I didn't have headache anymore. Two days later I really didn't feel anything. A fortnight later it was as if the headache started again. It was as if there was something in my head that pushed away that headache. First, I wanted to keep my eyes closed and it was as if the remedy started to work against it. It was that kind of feeling. At the moment I hardly feel anything. The first fortnight, three weeks it has been better than at the moment.

A: Does it start again now?

P: Well yes, I feel my back again, but it is not so strong as before. Also a little feeling of heaviness in the head. But no headache anymore.

A: Colds?

P: No, no problem.

A: You reacted beautifully.

P: Yes, really, I was completely astonished. I really thought that tablet was a miracle. In fact, I don't feel anything of my back, no pain. I am working at the moment. Will this give problems?

A: It might be that you will get a relapse, but then you have to take the remedy again.

P: But it won't become worse? My back is weak, but I don't have pain, so I just go to work. If there is something that weighs 50 kg, then I lift it up. But I know that I would let it stand there when I have pain in my back. Does this have...?

A: Not in this curing method, because the pain is not suppressed. You become stronger.

Did you understand what he asked? "Now, I don't have pain. Can it do damage when I lift this 50 kg?" He thinks that we are suppressing this pain and that he does more harm to his spine when he is lifting something and therefore he is anxious. You see, the anxiety about the future, the anxiety about his health is there

A: At the moment you get this pain in the back again, it means that your energy has decreased and that you need the remedy again. When you always take painkillers and go on working, it is dangerous. But so you feel immediately when there is something wrong, because the pain is not suppressed. Your energy is becoming stronger, so that you get in equilibrium and don't have complaints anymore. You don't have to be anxious.

P: I was a little bit afraid. I thought, when I don't feel anything I just go on working. With the floor I often have to take a roll to the third floor. That is very heavy. The back is suffering from that. Previously, I would have left it there, I just didn't dare to do it.

A: If you get pain again you just can call me. I know what you need. And what about the vertigo?

P: It has nearly disappeared. I noticed it, like lately... Then I think, what do I do in fact? But I work from 7.00 o'clock in the morning until 10.00 o'clock in the evening and maybe that is a little bit too much. We are busy on a building that is quite a distance from home and we want to get it ready as soon as possible.

A: You have to be careful. That might be a reason, that you have a relapse, because you give to much energy.

P: Yes, but it is limited in time.

A: Even when you are exposed to odors, the vertigo doesn't return?

P: It is not so as it was previously.

CASE8

Phosphorus

BOY, 6 YEARS OLD

A: What is the problem with the boy?

MP: In fact, it exists already two years. It started in June 1986. He swallowed his soup the wrong way.

A: Tell me quietly. Before June 1986 there were no problems?

MP: No, in fact he has never been ill. After he swallowed his soup the wrong way he started coughing very much. The next morning after he got up he was wheezing while breathing. Then, I got the doctor. Some vegetables of the soup were attached and within one day mucus has been formed around them. He got a bronchitis. He got medicines. Do you want me to say what he got?

A: If you have written it down you can tell me what he got.

MP: BEROTEC, it didn't help much. He was still coughing, had mucus. On June, 23, I went back to the doctor. In the hospital they took radiographs of the lungs, because they said I had to be careful, it could become worse. They couldn't see anything on the radiographs. Then, again he got medicines, BRICANYL. He has taken it for quite a long time. Two years ago, on July, 14 we went to see the children's specialist in the hospital. Normally, I don't go there, but he was coughing too long. Since then, it all went wrong.

A: What do you mean?

MP: In fact, they never found something on his lungs as a consequence of the choking. There, they were only looking in the direction of allergy. Then, they said he would get shortage of breath again, new radiographs of the lungs had to be made. These were negative. The examination of the blood as well. Nothing could be found. Again, he got medicines, SONOPHYLLINE. On July, 18 we had to go back to the children's specialist. He determined an increased IgE in the blood.

A: So allergic?

MP: Yes. We still had to give the medicines for one week. On July, 25 we had to go back. It was not better. Then, I got other medicines. They tried with an aerosol apparatus. He lost some weight during these weeks. He started to get fever, had a shortage of breath and was sick.

A: He also had a shortage of breath?

MP: Yes. During these weeks he became worse: shortage of breath, bad appetite, shivering, high fever. Aerosol with ATROVENT, BEROTEC, LOMIDAL. The doctor said, that this was the last thing he tried, it had to improve. On July, 27 he got 40,5°C fever. The other day it still was 39°C. According to the children's specialist the child was completely healthy. We had to wait a few days, because probably he would get a childhood disease. I agreed. I was in treatment with a specialist. The fever lasted and on July, 31 he got 41° fever. I went back to the children's specialist, he had so many medicines, I did not know what to do anymore. The children's specialist said that I had to come back if he still had fever the next day. The next morning, while we were having our breakfast he had completely blue lips, blue nails and a very strange colour in the face. I went back to the family doctor, but he was on holidays and before we already saw the substitute. This child was enormously sick and could hardly stand on his legs. Our family doctor said that the child must have something on his lungs.

A: An aspiration pneumonia.

MP: Then, we were sent to the hospital and there they found a spot on his lung.

A: Everything started after the choking. Did they put the diagnosis aspiration pneumonia?

MP: The family suspected it. In X they sent us further to Y. There they examined him completely. By knocking the lungs it sounded dull. He didn't eat or drink the whole day. Therefore, they immediately did a bronchoscope under anesthesia. In the evening the professor told us that they took a pus- and mucus swab out of the lungs. He has been there for ten days and they treated him intravenous, because he still had 41,5°C after the bronchoscope. At home he still had to take three bottles CLAMOXYL. On August, 19 there was a check up and everything was all right, the radiographs were negative. But afterwards he has been ill very much. In January 1987. ..

A: So, that is four months later. There were no problems during the four months?

MP: No, until January, 19, 1987. Then, he had pseudo croup. The family doctor prescribed drops for it.

A: Was it THEOPHYLLINE?

MP: I don't know. Anyway, I had to give them a few days long, because it could return again. But if he would get fever, I had to call him. He was still coughing and on January, 25 he had again 40,5°C fever. Our family doctor was not on duty and the substitute said it was again mucus on the right lung. Again, he got CLAMOXYL. After one week, on January, 30, he still had mucus on the lungs, although he has been taken CLAMOXYL for one week. In fact, the problem is that he constantly produces mucus and is coughing. Then, he got another antibiotic. Two days later, on February, 2, we had to have radiographs of his right lung taken again. In the middle of September he went back to school and at the beginning of October it started again.

Again to the doctor, taking antibiotics. From October 1987 until now he took 15 bottles of antibiotics.

If we consider this economically we can see how much this costed in two years, all the radiographs, all the antibiotics. You know that in Belgium a certain part of the antibiotics is paid by the government. I think it is the same in Germany. From October 1987 until May 1988 he took 15 bottles antibiotics - a very strong child

A: And apparently, it doesn't help in the sense that he becomes stronger.

MP: No. In fact, he can't go to school, because it starts again every time. In November he had bronchitis again, had to take EUSAPRIM and SADITEN. On December, 18, he was still coughing and had to go to Y to take radiographs, because he had mucus on his lung again and an angina. He got antibiotics for this angina. In Y they examined the mucus and took six tubes of blood. He had again a beginning lung inflammation and they prescribed two bottles ERYTHROCINE. On January, 5, we went for a check up and he still had a little bit mucus on his lungs. He still had to take two bottles ERYTHROCINE. In fact, he doesn't look as if he is ill.

On February, 2, he got again pseudo croup. I don't know if he got medicines for that. Then, it was all right for a few months. On March, 23 inflammation of the throat, antibiotics. On April, 24 inflammation of the ear and the throat, bronchitis, mucus on the lungs, antibiotics. Now, on May, 3, again fever, inflammation of the throat, antibiotics. That day he also got chicken pox. He got knocking massage. Normally, it helps after five days. Now, he has had knocking massage for ten days and the mucus is still there.

A: He is still coughing?

MP: Not much anymore, but when he is coughing, you hear that there is still quite a lot of mucus. Normally, we had to go back to the family doctor. If he continues to cough like that it will become a pneumonia again. But this winter he has had antibiotics 15 times. It can't go on like this!

A: Then, we will take care that it will be all right quickly. The problem is that the diseases have been treated, but the child has not become stronger. He is bad since the choking. Apparently, his resistance has decreased. During the summer of last year he has been good a few times and now, although the weather has been good for quite a long time, he doesn't improve.

MP: No.

A: He looks very vividly.

MP: Yes. You don't see at him that he has been ill very much.

A: If you talk to him he immediately goes further into the matter. He is very open and attentive.

MP: Yes.

A: May I ask you a question concerning the past? You are the father?

FP: Yes.

A: You look healthy, did you have one or other disease?

FP: No.

A: Neither the mother?

MP: No.

A: What about your parents?

FP: My father had recidivistic heart problems, no lung diseases.

A: And the parents of the mother?

MP: Completely healthy.

A: Nobody has been in the sanatorium?

MP: No.

Why did I ask this? Because of Tuberculinum

A: So an open, vivid boy. Does he have freckles? A little bit on the nose.

FP: Yes, on the nose.

A: The father and the mother also. Has the child certain anxieties?

FP: For thunderstorm.

MP: Yes. He wouldn't go and look if there is a thunderstorm.

A: No other anxieties?

MP: No.

A: He is a very vivid child, in the sense that he has an impulsive character, in the good sense as well as in the bad sense. He can easily be delighted. If he sees something on television, does he feel pity internally?

FP: No. He is not really a television freak. But often he can hit his little brother over the head, and then they are again the closest friends.

A: Yes, that is what I mean. Does he sympathize?

MP: Yes.

A: He sympathizes very much, where he was very choleric before. If he did something to his little brother...

MP: ...he is sorry afterwards.

A: You also?

MP: Yes.

A: He likes to be cuddled. Does he like you to go through his hair?

MP: Yes.

Children who start weeping when they have fallen are very sensitive children. If they have, for example, injured their hand, they come to you weeping, you caress it, you give a kiss and immediately they stop weeping and go on playing

A: What does he like to eat?

MP: He eats everything.

FP: Except meat.

MP: It has to be soft, ground.

A: Minced meat?

MP: Yes.

Minced meat. That indicates which remedy? Tuberculinum, that is prominently Tuberculinum. Tuberculinum has an aversion to meat and a desire of sausages and minced meat. It seems as if they are too lazy to munch. I do not know it exactly, anyway, they like these hamburgers and things like that

A: And fish?

FP: In fact, not.

A: Does he like a certain desert?

FP: Pudding.

MP : Pudding and ice-cream.

A: You said ice-cream?

MP: Yes, at the moment they do not eat it much.

A: Because you don't give them ice-cream?

MP: I don't give them now, because I think it is too cold in winter.

A: But you like it very much?

MP: Yes.

A: Does he drink?

FP: Yes, much.

A: What?

FP: Very much milk.

MP: Yes, very much.

A: Warm?

MP: No. But not too cold. The milk is never in the refrigerator.

A: For me it is important what you do, I have to know how he likes it.

MP: Normal, room temperature.

A: Not warm?

MP: No.

A: Does he drink at once or with small draughts?

MP: He drinks at once.

A: Does he have a fear for certain animals?

FP: Yes.

A: For which?

VP: For a great dog.

A: Only for a great one?

FP: He would dare to go to a small dog.

Again something that indicates Tuberculinum. Fear of animals is also Bufo, think of it

A: And for a cat?

MP: For all animals. Even with rabbits he is carefully. He is afraid that they would bite him.

Can this be Tuberculinum? Is this possible

Answer: "He is not restless enough.

A: Yes, that is the reason, he is not restless enough. If this would be Tuberculinum he would not sit on the lap of his mother. Why does he stay there

Because he need the contact, that is why he stays there. That is not Tuberculinum. Tuberculinum would immediately run about in the place and see this and that, and take this and that. They are very restless

You see that you always make the differential diagnosis upon psychological things, not upon the food and things like that. To be sure you have to take the emotional signs. That is surer than the desires or other symptoms

A: Is he more afraid of animals than of a thunderstorm?

MP: No. He is very anxious of a thunderstorm.

A: Is he grinding teeth at night?

MP: No.

A: Never heard?

MP: Yes, previously I also heard it, but not now anymore. They all do in our family. Although, I think he did it more often previously. Maybe, when he was teething.

A: Do you think that he easily has bruises, when he is knocking against something?

MP: I don't know.

FP: He has some bruises.

A: Does he have nose bleedings or gums bleedings?

MP: No.

A: How does he lie in bed to sleep?

FP: On his abdomen.

A: What does he do with his knees?

MP: Normally, he lies at full length.

A: Never the knees under the abdomen?

MP: No.

A: He is not a difficult child?

MP: No.

A: Does he get itches from certain clothes?

MP: Not that I know. He doesn't have problems with that.

Why this question for itching by wool? Which remedies have this? Sulphur, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Hepar sulphuris and Psorinum

A: For the rest he eats everything, he is not dainty with his food?

MP: No, he eats everything.

A: I give him a remedy and I want to see him again within two months. You compare the last two months with the next. It is summer now. You can say something afterwards, because the weather is good, but certainly you will determine that he is better. No antibiotics anymore. If there are problems you call me. We will take care that his resistance will increase, that he conquers the diseases himself and that he is doing better.

MP: May he go to school next week?

A: Yes.

MP: On Tuesday they have to go to the medical check up.

A: It has little sense in his case, he has been examined from top to toe.

MP: Yes.

A: He doesn't have to go there. But let him go to school next week.

I gave him Phosphorus - M or 10 M, that is not so important

FEEDBACK (July, 8 1988

A: I saw him the first time 1 1/2 months ago. In the meantime you have been here on June, 22 , because he had a purulent inflammation of the tonsils. I repeated the remedy. What did he have the next day?

MP: In the evening he had eruptions from top to toe. Many children in his class had this. Apparently, it was a childhood disease.

A: Further, you didn't do anything?

MP: No.

A: Tell me how it went on.

MP: The week after he has been here the first time he got another tablet and one on June, 22. After a few days he was better again. In between he was still coughing. But it went away of itself. He was also coarse a few times.

A: The cough always disappeared spontaneously?

MP: Yes, it always disappeared of itself.

A: Did he still take BEROTEC or things like that?

MP: No, nothing.

FP: No fever remedy?

MP: He had a high fever after I was here the last time, but we have decreased it without medicines. In the morning it was better when he got up.

A: Then, I will check up the throat... Fine. The tonsils are swollen...

MP: Yes, he has thick tonsils. Say what you don't drink anymore!

P: I don't drink coke anymore.

A: Has he put on weight?

MP: I don't know.

FP: I think so.

A: Anyway, he looks very well.

MP: Yes, he is doing very well. Every day he rides to the school with his bicycle. He couldn't ride on a bicycle for one year. Immediately, he would start coughing. Now, when the weather is fine he rides to school on his bicycle.

FP: He plays again outside. Very well dressed. Where do we go tomorrow, say it.

P: To the sea.

A: Well, that is good.

MP: He won't get ill, will he?

A: I will give you a few tablets. You don't need to come anymore, unless, he is acute ill, then you call again. Have you seen the family doctor yet?

MP: No, it wasn't necessary anymore.

A: Does he know that you are in treatment here?

FP: No, we haven't seen him again. Previously, we had to go there every week. As soon as I see him, I will tell him.

I gave him Phosphorus three times. The first time I repeated it after two weeks. Maybe, it was too early, but he is doing very well. That is how it goes in practice, the child has a relapse, you repeat the remedy and he is doing very well

Question: "What would you do if he needs Phosphorus again later, when he is 10, 20 or 60 years old? Do you give a higher potency then

A: No, it is not necessary to give a higher potency. If one potency is good you can stick to that potency. Why should you give a higher potency? Kent writes in his "Lectures": "Two times the same potency, then two times a higher potency and so on.

I think as long as the child reacts well to Phosphorus M, he gets the M potency. If you feel it is not really better after the M potency you can give a higher potency.

Maybe, later you can give low potencies again like C30 or C200. You can not prove anything, we only can learn from our practice

I gave - only to try out - a C30 after a Sulphur M and the reaction to it was very well. It is very seldom. I think it depends on the case and on the potency. If you get a 10M potency of the pharmacist, what does this mean? Is this really a 10M or a 250 m or what is it? Nobody knows, these are so high dilutions or potencies that nobody can measure this. The only thing we can do is to try out in practice and to make our conclusions of what we see. But every time we are dealing with another person and everybody reacts in a different way

The second thing is that you can never do things twice. If we have given a patient a C30 we can not give him a C200 in the same situation. I can only tell you what I have seen in practice and that was in this case that I had to give him three times Phosphorus. Another time maybe you only have to give Phosphorus once and this will be sufficient for the next three years

For example, the patient with the M. Bechterew got six times Phosphorus the first year and then the next 1 1/2 year nothing. Why it is so, I do not know. If you give Phosphorus only once and say that this one dose has to cure you will loose your patients. We have to think practically and stand with both feet on the ground

Remark: "I observed another symptom in this case. The first consultation the boy was constantly yawning, and in this rubric Phosphorus is there.

A: Yes, good, "constant yawning", there is Phosphorus

Also his eyes have changed. The second consultation he looked at me and was much more engaged. You could see at his eyes that he was much better

Remark: "He was making grimaces the whole time and I would like to know, if you can take the rubric "plays antics" (p. 4) or if there is another rubric for it.

A: No. You have to take the rubric "sympathetic", because he sees himself in the monitor and then he was playing

"Plays antics" means behave like a clown

Another rubric is also "grimaces"

CASE9

Meniere's disease

Phosphorus

WOMAN, 35 YEARS OLD

She is cured now, but first I prescribed the wrong remedy. Only later I found the right remedy and then she was cured. I will show you where I missed and I hope you will not do the same thing

A: I saw you the first time in 1982, in March, because of the problem of sterility. At that time you didn't have children and you couldn't get any.

P: No.

A: How many children do you have in the meantime?

P: Two girls.

A: You have been in all kinds of hospitals.

P: Yes, everywhere.

A: You got the remedy on March, 2, 1982.

P: And shortly afterwards I was pregnant.

A: One month later.

P: Yes, in December the first child was born.

A: Very strange. After you tried everything for 6 years long. Then I treated you further; in the meantime you developed gradually the disease of M. Menière, with attacks. Tell me, how this was.

P: It was attended with vertigo, strangling and vomiting. It came suddenly. And I had problems with the hearing.

A: And what else did you get with the attacks? Noises in the ear?

P: Yes, I still have it constantly. It remains.

A: It was the combination of the three symptoms: sudden attack of noises in the ear, vomiting and vertigo. You have also seen the specialist.

P: Also in L., yes.

A: And there they put the diagnosis.

P: Disease of M. Menière, yes.

This symptom is clear. Noises in the ear together with vertigo, that is the disease of M. Menière. "Ear, noises, vertigo, with" (p. 294; General p. 248)

EAR,NOISES,vertigo, with : Alum., arg-m., arg-n., ars., bell., calc., camph., carb-v., caust., Chin-s., cic., cocc., colch., com., crot-h., crot-t., dig., glon., gran., hell., kali-c., kali-p., kalm., laur., mag-c., myric., nat-a., nat-c., nat-m., nat-p., nat-s., nux-v., op., petr., ph-ac., Phos., pic-ac., psor., puls., sal-ac., sang., seneg., sep., sil., stann., zinc.

In this disease there are two capital remedies, China sulphuricum and Phosphorus. China sulphuricum has a particular symptom, and an over-sensitivity of the 7th vertebra. You know that while bending the head something is coming out and if you press hard it hurts. Often, the pain is extended to the head. This is an information from Voegeli, our old Swiss homoeopath

The disease of M. Menière in China sulphuricum has which cause? The prophylaxis of malaria, the poison with NIVAQUINE. The side effects of NIVAQUINE are noises in the ear and China sulphuricum will cure this disease of M. Menière in people who have stayed in tropic countries for quite a long time

A: Did you get the attacks very often?

P: Yes, especially at the beginning of the year, in January, February. No three weeks passed without having a new attack.

A: Was it this year?

P: Yes, this year.

A: The first time I gave you the remedy on April, 14 this year. Was it the same as previously, that you got those attacks very often?

P: Yes.

A: It was vertigo with strangling, often with vomiting, worse by motion, better on closing the eyes, and worse by motion of the eyes.

P: Yes, while opening the eyes.

A: And at the same time there were noises in the ear, attended with vertigo. A second remarkable characteristic was that you were very moody at that time, also before. That was already so for months. And angry. Tell me how the situation was towards your husband and your children.

P: They were not allowed to do or to say something or I became angry immediately. "Leave me alone, leave me in peace." They were not allowed to come to me in the kitchen. If they asked what they would have for dinner I only said, "Leave me alone, let me prepare it alone, I am angry," or things like that. They had to go away. I had to be alone. I couldn't tolerate anyone around me.

What kind of picture is this, when she is telling this? Sepia, clearly Sepia, "Leave me alone, don't touch me, angry towards the children and the husband, irritability, irritable before the menses. Terrible, very irritable, very sharp. If you look in the Repertory under "mind, company, aversion to", but especially "company, aversion to, amel., when alone" (p. 12) and the aversion to the husband and the children you find on page 55: "Mind, indifference, loved ones, to" and "to relations.

Besides, she cried during the consultation. "Weeping on telling sickness": Sepia - all Sepia

What did I do? I gave her Sepia. She could not tolerate her husband anymore, she did not love him anymore: Sepia. I was sure it had to be Sepia

A: I mean, that was especially before the menses?

P: Yes, a week before it increased.

A: It was also bad in relation to your husband.

P: Yes, I was very angry with him. He couldn't do anything right.

A: Also sexually, it wasn't good.

P: No. I didn't like physical contact. I preferred that he left me in peace and didn't approach me. Then, there were more tensions.

Also sexually nothing. "Leave me alone, don't touch me, don't touch my breast." Aversion to sex, the capital remedy is Sepia

A: And at last you were desperate.

P: Yes, I was a wreck.

A: And then there has been a consultation, the most beautiful we had. Also for you, wasn't it?

P: I did nothing else but weeping. I was depressed. I didn't know what to do anymore. I wanted to die. If they told me I would be dead after an hour, I wouldn't care.

A: Enormously angry and desperate. You were indifferent to the fact you are alive or dead.

P: Yes, it was the same for me.

Where can we find this? "Loathing of life" (p. 62, Generale p. 49/50)

A: On the other hand there was an anxiety that your husband would leave you alone.

P: That he would leave me, yes. This caused the tensions; I didn't want any physical contact between the two of us, because in fact I was always refusing him. And because of my behaviour he was looking for someone else so that I was looking for him again. Maybe, I have to be blamed, my behaviour.

A: On the other hand you could not tolerate that your husband was angry with you.

P: No. But, well yes, he reacted that way. When I am angry and short-tempered, then he also reacted that way. He would never take the first step to reconcile, that I will forget it or so. That is his character.

A: Do you also have this character?

P: No, but during that period I had. Well yes. At the moment I make concessions myself.

A: That was too emotionally and it went too far. But at that time you even couldn't make concessions yourself.

P: No, because I was indifferent. In fact, I couldn't tolerate that he was angry and was living beside me and yet... I couldn't force myself to be friendly to him, to say a nice word.

A: And if your were fighting you don't forget it?

P: No, it always remained.

A: You were weeping when you were telling your complaints.

Everything indicates Sepia. When she had a fight with her husband she could not forgive him anymore, she was not the kind of person who could take the first step

A: And you did nothing else but weeping.

P: Yes, for the most trivial things, if someone told me something, or something happened, when I saw somebody and it rouses my pity, I had to weep immediately.

She starts weeping when she sees someone in trouble. That is something what Sepia does not do at all. All right, in Homoeopathy you have to be careful with "never", but mostly, Sepia men or women are not so sympathetic, that they start weeping when they see that someone else is suffering. That is a strange element in this Sepia case

P: When I saw my husband going to his work on his bicycle when the weather was bad, then I could start weeping immediately. It strikes me.

A: And regularly you had a lump sensation in your throat.

P: Yes, it was stuck here. I could only swallow with difficulties. It was as if laced up.

So, a lump. Which remedy is complementary to Sepia? Ignatia. Maybe, she is depressive. Maybe, she has a Sepia character, but does not react on Sepia, and then this lump sensation in the throat - maybe it is Ignatia, why not

A: And you had a light feeling, like a constant vertigo feeling, that never goes away.

She had this vertigo. Where can we find this? "Chronic vertigo" (p. 98). Capital there are Natrum muriaticum, Nux vomica, Phosphorus, Secale

P: Always a kind of light feeling in the head. And always the anxiety to get an attack. That was the main problem.

A: Anxiety to get an attack. A panic anxiety. You told me, "I am easily offended, but I have forgotten it immediately."

How can you translate this? Anxiety to get an attack? "Fear of having a fit" (p. 45). There is not only Argentum nitricum, but also other remedies: Agaricus, Alumina, Argentum nitricum, Cannabis indica, Carbo animalis, Nux moschata, Phosphorus and Pulsatilla. Sepia is not there

A: That was the consultation of April, 14. And you said, "Often I am surly." You couldn't tolerate that your husband remained angry with you for a long time, although you...

P: Yes, he is often right, but I am the one who has always to make concessions.

"I am the one who has to take the first step." Sepia will never take the first step - almost never

A: You were also anxious to get an attack in the car.

P: I often had the children with me in the car and they were so little. I couldn't send them alone on the street to get someone. If you get something what should you do in fact? Fortunately, I almost got it at night or in the morning.

A: You also told me that you couldn't resist chocolate.

P: Yes, I snoop quite a lot.

A: Chocolate?

P: Yes, especially chocolate biscuits or a piece of chocolate.

A: And the anxiety to get an attack.

P: Yes, you can not believe how I feel. In the evening when I go to bed: "Will I still be alive in the morning?" And when I open my eyes in the morning, "Oh, everything remains the same." It is a special kind of feeling that I feel inside. A kind of feeling, "Here I am again." Like, "I may live today. I am still there, what next?"

A: Do you have fear of dead?

P: No. For vertigo, because I am so sick of it. And that lasted about four hours, if I could go through it, I was all right. But I am influenced for another three or four days. I have a heavy feeling in the legs and the head feels so light and I don't tolerate anything, no noise, nothing.

A: There were also periods that you had difficulties with hemorrhoids. Regularly, painful hemorrhoids that also bled.

P: Yes.

A: Stitching pain that returned regularly during the stool. Also regularly gums bleedings. You also had pain in the ear because of noises.

P: Especially in the right ear, in the good ear.

A: Your good ear was sensitive to noise. On the left side there was a kind of numbness, that is still there.

"Pain in the ear from noises" (p. 305). Do you know which remedy gets headache from noises? Terebinthina. Terebinthina has headache from noises, also toothache from noises. But pain in the ear from noises, the remedies are Belladonna, Conium, Opium, Phosphorus, Sanguinaria, Sulphur

They say that people who are dying hear very well. They know from people who were dying but who have returned back to life. They said that they understood exactly what was said, even when it was very silent. Which remedy is this? Opium. Opium is very sensitive to noises, they hear very well in coma. Opium is second in the rubric "pain in the ear from noises"

You can also see at people who are dying that they react when they hear something, that they want to react, but they can not. You can see at their eyes or when they are lying in coma you can see at their reaction that they understand you

P: Yes. In fact, it came suddenly, at the beginning, after the birth of my daughter. I didn't have attacks then. She was born in February and the first attack appeared in April. Do you remember? Then I went to the family doctor to have my ear examined, if it wasn't obstructed and he sent me further.

A: And because of all these symptoms I gave you some remedies, which didn't help. Until I gave you the right remedy. I have to remark that you have freckles.

P: Also on my arms.

A: On which side do you fall asleep?

P: On the left side. Oh no, on the right side.

A: You can not sleep on the left side?

P: Yes.

A: Further you told me that you have a strong fear of height, even on a chair.

P: Yes.

A: Then the strong indifference before the menstruation. It came always back. Also regularly sleeping arms and hands, also the upper arms. It always came back. You had enormous itching at the vagina for quite a long time, especially before the menses with leucorrhea.

That is also a Sepia symptom, "Itching and leucorrhea before the menses.

A: You were chilly. You couldn't tolerate the cold very well. Also regularly, pain in the back.

P: Yes, pain in the back.

A: That is about the history. You also said that you couldn't tolerate the sun very well.

Until now I have never seen that someone who reacts good to Sepia can not tolerate the sun. When I think of Sepia and he/she says that he/she can not tolerate the sun, I start doubting. It is possible but until now I have never a good reaction in someone with Sepia who could not tolerate the sun

P: No, then I think it is too warm. I can not tolerate the warmth and the cold.

A: There was also a kind of impulsiveness. You want to do everything quickly. You can not wait. If you have something in mind, it has to happen immediately.

P: Yes.

A: Concerning your appetite: you like to eat chocolate. What else?

P: Bread.

A: What about highly seasoned food?

P: Not so much.

A: Are there other things you don't like to eat very much?

P: Not special things, no.

A: I mean, you had a desire for fish.

P: Yes.

A: And that you were rather thirsty - no, not very thirsty.

P: Not very thirsty.

A: But then you drank a glass at once.

P: Yes.

A: Cold or warm?

P: Luke. Not too cold. I don't like it from the refrigerator.

A: Do you have other desires besides chocolate?

P: No, I don't think so.

Which remedy has the strongest desire for chocolate? Carcinosinum. If someone is longing for chocolate the first remedy you have to think of is Carcinosinum; besides also Sepia and Phosphorus

A: Is there something else you don't like?

P: No.

A: I gave you a remedy on April, 14. Three weeks before you had an attack. A month later on May, 26 you came back: no attacks every since. The heavy feeling in the legs was decreased. The weeping still often comes up, but it goes away. The light feeling in the head is better. Also less gums bleedings, less attack of rages. The noises in the ear were better; not so strong anymore as before. In general you felt much better. And indeed, there is a difference of day and night compared to before.

P: Yes.

A: Then in June you still had an attack, but less bad than before. Then you took the remedy again. Afterwards, you didn't feel well the next three days and then it went away again.

P: Until now.

A: Further, you have much more courage, weep less. In October I saw you again, that was the last time. I wrote down: "She looks well."

P: (Is laughing). Yes, you said so.

A: You said that you felt very well. You had a little cold, a little bit coughing. And you had pain in the throat when you were anxious. You said that the noises in the ear were less but that it is still there.

P: Yes, yes. It appears more when I am tired. Whether I pay more attention, or hear more, when I sit still in the evening? But when I sit here and hear then I also have it. When I am busy with my work I don't pay so much attention to it.

A: Is it less?

P: Compared to previously, yes.

A: Here it also says that your family is doing well.

P: Yes, it is better.

A: Your husband has changed himself?

P: Yes, I also changed. I say to myself, "If I am good to him, he is good to me."

Aha, the husband changed. But why did he change? Because she has changed

If there is no good relation between you and someone else, first, look at yourself. If the other does this as well, there are no problems

P: If I let him do the way he wants to do it, then it is all right. But when I contradict, he is irritated and ...

A: But you remain anxious, that is a little bit your being.

P: Yes.

A: It goes with your personality. You remain who you are, namely someone who is anxious. How does it still express itself at the moment? You are over-concerned?

P: Yes, about the children, about the husband, he is on the road every day. If he comes home 5 minutes later, I immediately think, "Did something happen? Couldn't they reach him? What is the matter?"

Anxiety, that something happens, Phosphorus capital

A: Anxious concerned.

P: Although it is less the last time; I feel rather good, but I have become more indifferent.

A: You got the remedy the last time in May.

P: No, in October, because I had a cold.

A: Yes, that was Foliata squalosa, especially for the cold.

P: Yes, before I got three tablets. I still have one. In June, when I had the attack I took the second.

A: That was the last time you took one and now you feel that you become weaker?

P: Yes. I am angry again, indifferent. My father has been hospitalized last week and normally I would have reacted differently. Now it was like, "Yes, he lies there and if it is something malicious, well yes, then it is so." Normally, I wouldn't react this way, I think. And I was also angry and short-tempered towards my mother. "You have to sleep alone, you have to go through it yourself." Previously, I wouldn't have said things like that. Somewhere, I am ashamed that I have reacted that way. Otherwise, I would have said, "Well mama, I will stay the night with you, or we will arrange it this way." But now: All right, she has to do it alone. She couldn't do it alone, that is impossible for such a woman. She is 76 years old and she can't. But I just let it happen that way.

A: And that is a sign that you feel less well?

P: I don't know.

A: You also said that you were easier angry.

P: Yes. I am angry with the children. When they come and ask if they may play this or that, I say, "Get lost, I am preparing the meal. Leave me alone or something will happen." That's the way of reacting again.

A: It is time that you get your remedy again. Not because of the disease of M. Menière, that is all right. But you feel that you are emotionally not in equilibrium. And that is also an indication to repeat the remedy.

P: But does this remedy still work? You always give me the same remedy. But I am still so anxious the whole time. In the evening I think, "Dear God, let me get up in the morning." Or when I have to go away, "Let me do this or that." And in the morning, "Oh, I am still there, how good." The remedy that you give me gives me more resistance, but will this remain?

A: Energy.

P: It has to stop somewhere? Or if it becomes a custom? Will this help me further?

A: Do you regret that you have to eat every day to stay alive?

P: Sometimes yes, haha. No.

A: You can compare with it: at the moment that your energy becomes weaker, that you get out of equilibrium, you have to take the remedy again, to get the energy back. If you eat nothing for ten days, you don't feel well either. Now, you only need the remedy if you loose energy. You have two children and very much to do, and it might be that your energy is again a little bit weaker and that you need a push. But the last time you took it in June, five months ago. So, to me it seems to be a very good slice of bread where you can take energy for five months. We do not need to worry about it. If you stay five months in equilibrium, that is not bad?

P: I also think it is good. I am grateful for that.

A: Yes, but it is not me who does this, it is the remedy.

P: Yes, but you found the remedy and gave it to me.

A: That is of secondary importance. You are anxious from nature and therefore you ask the question, if it doesn't help. Although your M. Menière hasn't returned ever since. And previously you took BETASERC?

P: They prescribed it, but I didn't take it. Does this remedy I got from you also have side effects?

A: No.

P: None?

A: That is general energy. That is force.

P: Because I noticed - you also gave something to the children - that their pants are dirtier now. There have more excretions, greenish.

A: That can be a reaction, a purification process.

P: So that is normal? In fact, it is good?

A: Yes, that is good.

P: I also had more excretions before the menses. It had a strong odor. Now, it is gone. Is this a sign that the remedy lost its effect?

A: No. If you have excretions, this mean that something has to be excreted, for example perspiration or a cold. If you give the remedy and the patient becomes stronger, then he conquers the cause and then the excretions aren't necessary anymore. An excretion is a reaction to something. And if you can excrete, this means that you are relatively strong. If you can't do it anymore the matter is moved inwards. An elimination by the vagina, by the nose or the lung trachea, perspiration or eczema is good. It means that you bring something outwards. And if you give the right remedy you conquer it and it cures. If you go in the wrong direction then the excretion stops, but you get ill internally. You suppress the energy, a little bit to get it outward. Then, it goes inside, in the form of a tumor and things like that. But that is not the case with you. With you it concerns a curing process on the basis of your own resistance.

She relapsed and at that time I did not know why. But then she came back in January or February and then I heard that she loved the brother of her husband. She started a relation with him because she feels attracted to him, but at the same time she had strong guilty feelings. Therefore she had this relapse. The last time I had to give her Ignatia and she reacted beautifully to it. She was in a real hysterical state, again a kind of vertigo, then this lump sensation and then this story with the relation of the brother of her husband

Therefore I tell you, if you give a remedy and there are constantly relapses, or the remedy is wrong or the patient loose his energy somewhere. You can loose the most energy with internal fights. Everyone of us has something inside that tells him what is right and what is wrong, and it is up to us to listen to it. If you do not do it, because you do not have time or because of other reasons, one day we will feel these internal fights, we will notice that you do not do what you really has to do. Then, you loose energy and that antidotes the remedy. That is what happened in this case and I have also seen this in other patients. If you do not do what you have to do you will get ill

How can you explain that this is not Sepia, but Phosphorus? Who knows the rubric for that? She can not tolerate her husband and the children, she is irritated and so on, but on the other hand she is sympathetic. We know the sympathetic element of Phosphorus, but that other element is the indifference. In the rubric "indifference, loved ones, to", "indifference, relations to" (p. 55) every time Phosphorus and Sepia are capital. Now, the point is to differentiate Phosphorus and Sepia. Often, both have a redness in the hair, both have freckles. The differential diagnosis is difficult. Only the disease of M. Menière indicates very strongly Phosphorus, she can not sleep on the left side, that is very strong Phosphorus

We do not know this Phosphorus type, with this strong aversion or indifference towards the husband, that she does not want to be touched

Now, the aversion to the husband starts again, but maybe this time because of another reason, maybe because she is in love with the brother of her husband. Many say that they only want to be with those people who they are in love with, and do not want to be touched by anyone else

All right. You see, Phosphorus has also other elements, the same as Sepia. Both can be very indifferent, but Phosphorus has the anxiety about others, anxiety about health, anxiety to get an attack and she is so sympathetic. She is weeping when someone else is weeping

Another symptom was that she was crying the whole time of the consultation, and in fact I do not know this element in Phosphorus. Therefore I gave her the wrong remedy

Question: "On which remedy did she get pregnant?

A: It was Lachesis. She came on March, 2, 1981 and on April, 2, 1981 she was pregnant. At that time she said that she could not get pregnant, that she was very jealous, that she could not tolerate the sun, that she could not tolerate tight clothes and so on. Then I gave her Lachesis, Lachesis C200, and she became pregnant

Remark: "Before you asked for Sepia patients who do not like to lie in the sun. I had three such patients.

A: No, no, I did not say that they do not like to lie in the sun, but I said that they do not get complaints when they lie in the sun. That is something else. There are Sepia patients who have to be busy all the time and therefore do not like to lie in the sun, but they like to work in the sun. Sepia often gets itching of the skin, but not the headache, they do not feel ill, we have not seen this yet in Sepia

Be careful with people who have an aversion to sex and who do not want to be touched by their partner. We all say immediately: Sepia, but we see that this case is one of the cases where this indifference is not Sepia. The picture that we know of Phosphorus does not have this indifference, nor this enormous anger we saw in one of the last cases. You see that the picture of Phosphorus is more extensive as we think

In postnatal depressions we almost always think of Sepia, but it is nearly as much Phosphorus. The background of Phosphorus is the anxiety that something is not right with the child. They are worried the whole time and after the delivery the breakdown comes. As soon as the child cries a little bit they become anxious, that is Phosphorus

Try to find out how they felt during the pregnancy, if they were really concerned, not because of the pain during the delivery, but because of the child - instead of about others

Besides, you can see with those people, like in this case, a complete aversion to the husband. We all give then Sepia, but here it is Phosphorus

Phosphorus can have very, very deep depressions. We have seen a case where it was so deep that the patient was sitting there without any contact with the surrounding. We thought of Helleborus but she was so thirsty, she was drinking the whole day. She was completely indifferent, she was sitting there like a statue, was completely depressive and you could not find a reason for it, because she did not talk to anyone. In such cases you have to watch the physical symptoms, these are very important then. It is not right that the physical symptoms disappear or are unimportant if the problem lies only on the mental level. In such cases the physical symptoms tell you where you can find the remedy. She drank the whole time, large quantities, that was the only symptom that lead us to Phosphorus - and two days after Phosphorus the depressive state was over

CASE10

Anxieties

Phosphorus

MAN, 26 YEARS OLD

A: How old are you?

P: 26 years old.

A: 26 and you are already nervous.

P: Excited, stressed and so on. I have never been quiet. I could never do something quietly, I am always in hurry.

A: Which profession do you have? Are you an employee?

P: Yes.

A: At a construction firm?

P: Yes.

A: Now, you are 26 years old?

P: Yes, I will be 26 years old.

A: Since when are you so nervous?

P: It was worst when the little child of an acquaintance was ill, it was given up, so as to say. I have experienced this together with the family. Then, I am anxious again to get children. Besides, I have one of my own. In fact, it is nonsense.

So the remedy is clear, isn't it

How long did the consultation last? 2 1/2 minutes and the remedy is clear. Now, I will try to make clearer why it is this remedy, which remedy he needs. He is anxious, because the child of a friend of him is ill. This means that he is very sympathetic, he is anxious about the others and that is the main point. Now, I will try to find out the constitutional symptoms of this remedy

A: We want to work out the remedy. You are a person who sympathizes very much?

P: With someone else? Yes, that might be.

A: That is your problem, your nerves are affected because of the fact that the child was bad.

P: Yes, I was really ill.

A: How old is your child? You have one of your own?

P: Seven weeks old.

A: Are you also anxious about her?

P: Yes. You hear quiet a lot of sudden infant death. If she moves at night I am immediately awake. Then, I don't trust it anymore, not in myself. I play football and when I am catching the ball I am anxious to fall. Previously, I didn't have this. When I pull myself together it is quickly over, but I am not so sure anymore.

A: Don't worry, it will be solved quickly. Do you have brothers and sisters?

P: Yes, five sisters and a brother.

A: How is the relation to your mother?

P: All right.

A: Very good. You are worried about her as well?

P: Well yes, she never has problems.

A: And your father?

P: He neither has problems.

A: You are anxious, but I believe that you are also someone who is very industrious. There is fire inside of you, isn't there?

P: Yes.

A: Tell me something about it.

P: On what level? At work?

A: On every level.

P: I have to seize things.

A: Immediately.

P: Yes, when there is a car coming I won't go out of the way but it has to go smoothly. I am not afraid of work.

A: Yes, I know. But in association you are a person who is easy excited. Cheerful. You react...

P: ... directly, directly aggressive.

A: Quickly offended, quickly angry.

P: Yes, also quickly angry.

A: But also easily forgotten.

P: Yes, immediately. I can not have a fight with someone. I can have a fight with someone, but then it has to be over quickly.

Do you see this sudden, sanguinic way, suddenly there and over again. And he is so sensitive, so anxious

A: Forgotten.

P: Yes, It doesn't help you if you keep on grumbling. When I have a fight with someone, notwithstanding I will not hit him.

A: You never did?

P: Yes, I did.

A: I did.

P: So when going out I nearly never have a fight with someone.

A: But you can?

P: Yes.

A: How do you feel afterwards?

P: I am sorry what I have done. Well yes, it was in school and I sympathized with someone who was feeble-minded. Someone was always teasing him, made him always angry. The boy started gasping for breath, he couldn't defend himself. Then, I can't withhold myself.

There is one rubric "anxiety from excitement" (p. 6), two remedies: Asafoetida and Phosphorus. This means, that if someone is so angry, so excited and is anxious after having hit someone, he becomes anxious, maybe anxiety about the heart, anxiety to die

A: Do you like to drink a beer?

P: Yes, during the weekend and after the football, on parties.

A: You are someone who is very active on every level. Also sexually?

P: Yes.

A: You are able to hold your own?

P: Yes.

A: Also easily excited?

P: Yes.

A: All right. While drinking a beer, do you have to drink 20 times before the glass is empty?

P: No, once. When I drink 25 beers, then I can not spread it, for example, from 9.00 o'clock until 4 o'clock in the morning.

A: You can't.

P: No. It doesn't go quickly enough. I always drink beer at once. Also when eating. It can't go quickly enough. I don't like to go out eating, for example at the Chinese. I like to do this with my wife, but I prefer to eat at home, everything after each other.

A: Does your beer have to be cold? You do not prefer do drink luke beer, do you?

P: No, no.

A: You eat quickly. And if the soup is too hot?

P: No. Then, I blow, well yes, it has to be cooled down.

A: You prefer the soup a little bit less hot?

P: Yes. When I eat frites ( FRENCH FRIES ), there are some people who eat one after the other. I must put my mouth full and then...

A: ...go on. That's how you are.

Here you see again the activity on all levels: while eating, while having sex, while drinking, every where

P: That's right. I can't loose.

A: What do you mean?

P: When I think I am right, then I don't admit. That is so. When I have to loose, then it is finished, I am excited.

A: You are very excited.

P: Many can say it friendly, but I just say it the way it comes. I say it immediately at that moment. And afterwards I am thinking about it why I can't withhold myself and what the people will think of me now. Unless the people know me. They know that they can make me easily excited.

He is asking what the others think about him. It makes you think of which remedy? Of Calcarea carbonica. But his way of acting, of behaving is not Calcarea. Calcarea is slower.

A: What do you like to eat? You like frites. There may not be salt on it?

P: Yes, it may.

A: There has to be salt on it?

P: No, I like frites without salt.

It is good to ask negative questions like: "You don't like salt?" - "Yes, yes, I need salt." So, you can see the way how they react

A: It doesn't matter for you, only that you have something to eat.

P: Yes.

A: What do you take with it?

P: Boulettes or brochettes, and mayonnaise.

A: Does it have to be highly seasoned?

P: No, it doesn't have to be. I like it, but it doesn't have to be.

A: Do you like goulash?

P: Yes.

A: It is highly seasoned, isn't it?

P: Yes. I like it, but it doesn't have to be.

A: But you prefer that your meal tastes?

P: Yes.

A: You don't snoop?

P: No. Often, I eat a whole pocket of chips, when I come home, but it is only every fortnight.

A: Chips with salt?

P: With paprika or with salt. Also often peanuts.

A: But you like salt?

P: Yes.

Do you see the way he laughs? That is an open laugh

A: You are a thirsty man. When you come home you take something cold from the refrigerator?

P: No, I don't. Maybe in summer. When I was on the road with the truck I drank three litres a day.

A: Three litre? You dry up easily?

P: So, in a truck, yes. I also perspire very quickly. I am immediately wet.

A: What do you like to eat in the summer?

P: Not too warm. But I need a warm meal, for example macaroni.

Yes, farinaceous meals. It is not in the Repertory, but we have noticed, that those people like to eat this

Phosphorus has surely to be added in "desire farinaceous food"

A: Does this also have to be highly seasoned?

P: Yes.

A: As desert, what do you like to eat?

P: I like ice-cream very much.

"What do you like to eat?" "Ice-cream!". He says spontaneously: "Ice-cream." Do you see that I was right what I thought after 2 1/2 minutes

A: Can you eat very much of it?

P: In fact, I don't care about desert. I never eat pudding.

A: But you eat ice-cream?

P: Yes.

A: How often do you eat ice-cream in the summer?

P: Two, three times a week.

A: What about fish?

P: I like all kinds of fish.

A: So, we can go on asking like this, but it is clear. You get a tablet. You do not have to believe in it. You have never been here.

P: No.

A: Your problem is anxiety, over concerned. Another question: on which side do you fall asleep?

P: On the left side.

A: Very interesting. So, let the tablet melt under your tongue.

P: Another thing. At my work, towards my boss, when I know that he is not right, and he does not agree - I don't say it.

A: Then you are anxious for that?

P: I am anxious that he places obstacles in my way. In fact, you may say everything that is true. But I don't dare. I am really anxious for that. I have to be really angry. Then, I say everything.

You see again, like in Lycopodium, a kind of lack of self-confidence. If they are in a low energetic state, they are unsure. You also find this in Phosphorus

A: Once, you started...

P: ... then I go on.

A: What about your teeth?

P: All right.

A: Never gums bleedings?

P: No.

A: Neither when brushing the teeth?

P: I brush them only three times a year.

Now, you could think it is Sulphur - but it is not Sulphur

A: Three times a year?

P: Well yes, when I think of it. Then, I brush them so long that they start bleeding.

A: And bruises?

P: No. Only at my toes, blue nails.

A: Nose bleedings?

P: No.

A: I see that you have an obstructed nose. You are sniffing.

P: Yes.

A: It has to disappear. Think about it next time. Do you have a cold regularly?

P: Yes, but I never have to stay at home. So, I'm never really ill.

A: Aren't you allergic?

P: No.

Look at his card: that is all what I wrote down. Four words: anxiety, very thirsty, offended easily, position sleep: on the left side. That is all what I wrote down. With good anamnesis it is better to write down nothing - for the conversation, but not for the colleague. If you see such notes, you could think that he has been sleeping. Indeed you should write down everything , but if you are so sure and there is no doubt, you do not need to write anything. The best consultations are those where you do not need a book and no paper, but where you just sit down and talk

His problem is anxieties that bothered him and only that has to disappear. Do not think that his hurriedness, his sexual desire, his thirst or his character changes. Let it be the way it is, he needs it

FEEDBACK (1.19.1988

A: What has the remedy done?

P: Not very much.

A: What do you mean?

P: I am still nervous and am afraid to fail.

A: In fact, your problem was an anxiety that was caused by the fact that something happened with the acquaintance of you. Are these anxieties still as strong?

P: No, they aren't.

A: That was your main problem.

P: Yes.

A: Have you become more quiet in your relation?

P: Yes.

A: Easy being offended, excited has it remained the same?

P: Yes.

A: We can not let it disappear, it is your character. But do you still have so much complaints because of the anxieties?

P: At the beginning I was anxious, that my little child would die because of sudden infant death, that is not so strong anymore.

A: The anxieties about the child have disappeared or better, let's say, less. It seems to me that you are hurried at your job. What about it?

P: Something has to move.

A: Internally, you are so hurried?

P: It is less.

A: Have you put on weight?

P: I think so.

A: How much?

P: Three kilo.

A: Why?

P: I think, because I have trained less.

A: Before, you trained?

P: Yes, football. Still now. I also put on weight because of the public holidays in December.

A: Well yes. I think that you have become more quiet. At the moment you are not fat, but you have become more full. Would you still have come to the consultation with the complaints you still have?

P: I think so.

A: Yes. What are the main complaints?

P: So, myself.

A: Yes.

P: I am always anxious that I say something wrong. The thought, "What would other people think of me."

A: That remains so. Are you concerned about what other people think of you?

P: I think so. It is a little bit the problem that I want to be the best in sport. For example, in the team if it is my fault that a fault happened I am very concerned about it.

A: You were very thirsty. Are you still?

P: Yes. It can not go quickly enough.

A: The feet are never warm in bed?

P: No.

A: You never put them out of the covers?

P: No.

A: Do you have fear of height?

P: No.

A: Do you eat quite a lot of eggs?

P: Not so much.

A: No special desire for it?

P: No.

A: How long do you work in the firm where you are at the moment?

P: Nine years.

A: Do you think that you are unsure? I don't have the impression.

P: No. Well yes, until last year I nearly always drove with the truck. In fact, not.

A: So, at your work you are less unsure?

P: Yes. But I am not always with my thoughts at my work.

A: What do you mean?

P: Yes, in the last time I try to raise something independent.

He tries to build an own firm. That is a good sign. He has been working at a construction material firm the whole time, but now he is looking for something where he can develop himself better, where he can earn more money

A: That is good. Why?

P: Then, I am my own boss. It is something what I would like to do.

A: Also in the construction branch?

P: No, a casino.

A: I don't quite understand where you are anxious for. Apparently, not at your work. Where then? While pursuing sport?

P: Yes, also. For example, Saturday evening we had a party of the football. We sit together with friends. The thought... it is difficult to say... I drank something and was drunken and then I ask myself: "What would those people think of me?" The others were also drunken.

Do you see the differential diagnosis with Calcarea, and on the other side with Sulphur

Sulphur: he wants to be the best

Calcarea: what will people think of me. But this only happens when he can not control himself anymore, when he has drunk too much. After drinking, again a kind of anxiety: now, I have done this or that, because I could not withhold myself. That is something different as with Calcarea. This is because his excitement let him go. Calcarea thinks when he is walking on the street what the other people will think about his thin legs, or about the shoes, or when they drive with the car: "What will other people say if the car is not washed, or in a family who have a small garden before their house, the grass has to be cut every Saturday, because on Sunday all the people who are going to the church pass. What would they say if the grass is not cut? Besides, every Sunday, the whole house has to be cleaned, because if someone comes in by accident what would he say about this mess? That is Calcarea

A: Well yes, in that way. But not if you are walking in the street, that you ask yourself what would people think of me?

P: No.

A: You do not make a shy impression.

P: No, no.

A: So, especially when you have drunk something, when you let yourself go, then you think, "What have I said, maybe I have hurt someone."

P: I know well what I said. But it is not only, when I drank a little bit. Normally, it is also often.

A: Especially, when you have been yourself.

P: Yes...

A: I mean, when you have let yourself go, when you don't have a control over yourself?

P: Yes - under control? With alcohol you mean?

A: No, in discussions.

P: Yes, in discussion or so.

A: Because you are hot-tempered from character, it often happens that you say something before you notice it?

P: Yes, that might be.

A: Do you still sleep on the left side?

P: I can also on the right side, but mostly on the left side. Last night I haven't slept.

A: Why not?

P: The child was ill.

A: And then you don't worry anymore?

P: Yes. She can not sleep, because she has an inflammation of the throat. So, a red throat. Then I have to get up and walk about with her. Often, I can make her sleep again for a few hours.

A: But then you get up, and not your wife?

P: She is also ill.

A: How do you feel then?

P: Tired.

A: Not anxious, when the child is ill?

P: No.

A: So, it has become clearly less. The anxieties have decreased.

P: Yes.

A: Of course, you can not make an apple tree out of a prune tree. If your main problem is all right we have to be satisfied. I give you a tablet to take home. At the moment, you don't need anything. Only when you become so anxious. You have come because of your anxiety, your panic. Now, you aren't anymore, although your child is ill. That is strange. If this would have happened three months ago...

P: I would have thought the worst thing...

A: ... that she would die.

P: Yes, that was so.

A: How is the child treated now? With antibiotics?

P: No, I don't think so. With drops for the nose and a syrup for the cough. It is difficult with such a little child.

A: I know you as a person. If you have difficulties with the child you can call me, if you want to. Usually, the apple does not fall far from the tree.

P: You can deduce that from me?

A: Often yes. Often, you also have to see the mother as well. You perspire, don't you?

P: When I work or run.

A: Where?

P: Everywhere.

A: Do you often perspire in bed?

P: Seldom.

A: Can you run long?

P: Yes. I can not give up.

That is never Calcarea. Someone who can run a long time is never Calcarea. Calcarea is very easy out of breath, already after a short distance they do not have any breath anymore. Phosphorus can run a long distance, Sepia can run very long, Lycopodium also, but never Calcarea

A: You have the constitution to run.

P: No.

A: What do you mean?

P: It is more my character. After two kilometres I can be very exhausted, but I say to myself: "You must do it", and I go on.

A: Yes, but first it is necessary you can before you do. You can run six kilometres, can't you?

P: Yes. Can it have something to do with smoking?

A: It surely has an influence.

P: You can get a heavy head of it.

A: That might be. But you do not have to worry about it. Do you smoke a lot?

P: One packet a day, often more.

A: Well yes.

P: I can't stop it. When I have the intention in the morning, I am longing for one and then I smoke twice as much.

A: If you think of it, you smoke more. When you are strongly concerned with your work, you do not think of smoking.

P: Well yes, less.

The more you think of something the more you do it. Therefore, it is bad that children watch television so much. Everything what we absorb, we put it in ourselves and then also do it somewhere

CASE11

Phosphorus

MAN, 43 YEARS OLD

This patient has been seen by a colleague for a constitutional eczema that exists since his birth. He has used cortisone his whole life long and one day he had a cushing-syndrome. He was completely blow up and in urgency he went to the University hospital. There, they criticized his family doctor who has given him cortisone and they stopped it

His problem was itching, wandering itching, burning itching, especially in the face. He could tolerate warmth and coldness, put the feet out of the covers, he liked to be in the sun and he had a very strong, four times underlined aggravation from wet weather. Besides, he had salivation at night, an aggravation from bathing, in the wood where it is wet. The itching was worse from wool, from becoming warm and better in the sun. He sleeps on his back, but mostly on the left side. He had no fear of height. Desires fish, fat and highly seasoned food, beer, brandy, chocolate and so on, an aversion to meat. The colleague also writes: anxiety about his health, open character, discontented, unrefreshed sleep in the morning

This was a very good consultation, really very good - and then he got which remedy? Sulphur -and then the trouble started. After Sulphur he had an Apis reaction, a terrible aggravation, but without a following improvement and so the colleague presented him to me

You see, he is completely blown up, a swelling around the eyes. That was worse previously. He has scratched very much, everything is scratched and you see that he has suffered from it

In this consultation I will ask for his mental- and emotional symptoms. I do this only for teaching purposes, to show you his character

A: Your problem is an eczema since you were two years old or immediately after your birth.

P: Immediately after birth.

A: This case is not so simple. Therefore, we are looking for the remedy. It seems not to be so easy, although I believe I found something.

If we give a survey of what you told us - the first few times you have been seen by a colleague - there is an eczema form birth on and in the face. It is clearly to see. In your life time you used quite a lot of cortisone. Then, they stopped the cortisone and you had a reaction, a swelling of hands, feet, eyelids, the whole face.

P: The whole legs and also the elbows.

A: It was a rather martyrdom. You said, "Because of the itching I scratched until it was open."

P: I can't leave it.

A: And the itching changed from place.

P: Yes, first I was scratching here, half a minute later I was scratching somewhere else.

A: It is especially a burning itching, a burning feeling. And remarkably worse by changes of the weather, especially when it became wet. Also wet weather has a meaning. Eruption and the itching was better in the sun. Further it says here: improvement by a luke-warm bath.

P: That is not so clear.

A: It is not underlined. You think it is not clear. Worse in the wood because of the dampness.

P: Yes, I think because of the evaporation.

A: Worse by wool. Sleeps on the left side.

P: Yes, left, more on the abdomen.

A: No fear of height. Disgust for dogs and cats.

P: Well yes, disgust. I do not like to have them as pets.

A: Likes fish, frites, beefsteak, fat, whipped cream, highly seasoned food, beer, wine, brandy, sweets, fruit. Rather sweet. Is that right?

P: Yes, that is right.

A: Aversion: does not like butter and meat very much. I don't know if that is true.

P: I deny myself it a little bit. I have appetite for it, but not, that I...

A: Here it says: does not feel so good in the morning, not fresh in the morning.

"Sleep, unrefreshing" (p. 1255)

SLEEP,UNREFRESHING,morning : Bry., con., graph., hep., nux-v., op., Sulph.

A: In the last time discontented with the eruption.

P: Depressive.

A: What I also remarked - and we will go further into that matter - about the eczema there is nothing else to say as I already said...

P: At the beginning you said that it was only in the face. Previously it was also on the arms.

A: Anyway, constitutional, since your birth complaints with eczema. Let us say: of the whole body.

P: Yes.

A: Here there are other expressions: you are anxious concerning your health and you are an open person from character. I want to go further into this matter to be sure it is the right remedy. I also noticed when you called that you are a person who is rather enthusiastic.

P: Yes.

A: In summary we can say that you are a rather sympathetic person.

P: That is right.

A: Sympathetic. I describe now the remedy of which I am thinking and you have to see whether it is right. Sympathetic not only in the positive, but also in a negative sense. If you see someone who is suffering, do you sympathize?

P: Yes.

A: If a child is dying in the neighbour or an accident happens, are you emotionally concerned?

P: Yes.

A: You are not only sensitive in the positive way, you can also get excited very easily - in the negative sense - in a discussion or if someone contradicts, you get angry.

P: Yes.

A: The excitement is in a sanguinic way. Rather quickly. In this way in a positive as well as in a negative sense.

P: You just said that I am anxious if there is something wrong with me. I had it last weekend again. Then I just think that I am dying, that is really so.

A: Then you think...

P: I always think the worse, for example that I get a heart attack. I don't know why I have this.

A: Then you think: "Couldn't that be cancer or this or that?"

P: Yes.

A: If you are angry, does it happen that you tremble for anger?

P: Yes, then it has heaped up.

A: Do you think that the anxieties are stronger at a certain period of the day?

P: Yes, I think at moments when I sit still. When I am busy with something I think less of it.

A: Do you think that it occurs more often in the evening than during the day?

P: Yes, I think so.

A: More, when it starts getting dark?

P: That might be, I don't know.

That is not sure. It might be, that it comes, when he does nothing, it can also be that it comes when it starts getting dark. This means twilight aggravates

A: You haven't noticed it yet. Anyway, more in the evening than during the day. You explain this also that you are more busy during the day than in the evening.

P: Yes, when I have distraction it is less.

A: Does the anxieties increase when you are alone?

P: Yes.

A: If you are among people you suffer less from anxiety about health. Also very anxious concerning the health and also concerning the future. "What will happen with me within two, three years, couldn't it be this or that...?"

P: Less. But it is so.

A: We can say an abnormal anxiety concerning the health. With the false thought of having a serious disease. Yes?

That is a hypochondric anxiety. He thinks that he has a serious disease and this anxiety makes him sad

P: Yes, that is right for 100%. Besides, they threw it in my teeth very often. My mother also says it very often.

A: You also have an anxiety concerning other people. So, that you are over-concerned - no, that is not the right word - that you are anxious concerning your mother, for example, your father, people whom you are close with. You are anxious that something could happen to them.

P: Not in the sense that it concerns my own health.

A: Yes, but when they have something...

P: Yes, I do.

A: Also now, you are concerned. Do you think that emotionally, you can be in a good mood, that can change easily in a sadness?

P: Yes.

A: Alternating. Sometimes in a very good mood, another time very depressive.

P: Yes.

A: Are there moments in your life that you notice that you are clairvoyant?

P: Yes, I think so. Often, I had the presentiment that they become true.

So he is cheerful and then sad, "cheerfulness alternating with sadness" (p. 11),

MIND,CHEERFULL,ALTERNATING,sadness, with : Acon., agar., asar., canth., carb-an., caust., chin., cimic., clem., croc., ferr., fl-ac., gels., hell., ign., iod., kali-chl., lyc., med., nat-c., nat-m., nit-ac., nux-m., phos., plat., psor., senec., sep., spig., tarent., zinc., ziz.

and then he thinks that something will happen afterwards. This indicates which rubric? "Clairvoyance" (p. 11).

MIND,CLAIRVOYANCE : Acon., anac., arn., calc., cann-i., crot-c., hyos., lach., lyss., med., nux-m., op., phos., pyrus., sil., stann., stram., tarent.

Here, Phosphorus is second, also in "cheerfulness alternating with sadness" Phosphorus is two

A: Clairvoyance. No dreams that come true?

P: No.

A: But presentiment?

P: Yes, I have.

Do you see the difference with Sulphur? Sulphur dreams of things that did not take place yet. He does not. He has presentiments, is clairvoyant, that is not Sulphur. Medorrhinum is also clairvoyant, do not forget that. Many clairvoyances are Medorrhinum, many of them

A: You are also someone who likes company.

P: Yes, very much. I must have to deal with persons.

A: You don't like the dark very much, we know, although it is not an exaggerated anxiety.

P: No, not exaggerated.

A: But an enormous anxiety for death, I think so.

P: Yes, that is right. I don't know where I have this from, but...

A: You never had suicidal tendencies?

P: Yes, often I had, especially in a depressive period.

A: Do you often have so strange thoughts: "It is as if this or that..." So imaginations? I think you believe, for example, that someone is coming out the corner, when it is dark?

P: No.

A: And you are still doubting about your cure?

P: Yes, that is normal, I think. I have this already for quite a long time and I never had a real improvement. Except with cortisone, but that is only a suppression.

"Doubtful about recovery", Phosphorus is there

MIND,DOUBTFUL, recovery, of : Acon., agn., bry., calc., ign., kali-c., lach., nux-v., ph-ac., phos., psor., puls., sep., sulph.

soul's welfare, of : Ars., Aur., bell., calc., chel., croc., dig., hyos., Lach., lil-t., lyc., nux-v., Puls., sel., stram., verat.

A: For thunderstorm?

P: I am not anxious for that.

A: Don't you feel the pressing weather before a thunderstorm?

P: I can't say.

A: Are you anxious for water, or do you like to swim?

P: I would have liked to swim very much, but I never could because of my eczema. I did it once, but not...

A: We still know this. We talked about that last time - that you are not backwards concerning sex. I mean, you are sexually very active. You can imagine a nice girl. Rather stark sexually active, like a person.

P: Yes, yes.

A: Likes a glass of beer and then I think that we can say that in general you are a rather soft person?

P: Yes.

A: That's how you are described. That is the complete mental picture.

P: A little bit retiring. As a child I was more a little bit retiring. They often say so at home.

A: And also a little bit restless.

P: Yes, that is true.

A: Also, surely anxious restlessness.

P: Yes.

A: A restlessness driven by an anxious feeling.

P: An anxious feeling, yes.

A: And also a sensitive, sensible person. Very sensitive for example when children are weeping, you sympathize?

P: Yes, yes, yes.

A: Also sensitive to external impressions. You easily enter into a person's feelings. You come somewhere and you feel: There has been a fight here, or...

P: Yes, that's right, I feel it immediately.

A: Or you feel when someone has a negative attitude towards you?

P: Yes, immediately, yes, yes.

A: You have a good sense of perception, also this clairvoyance, but also enter into situations.

P: Yes, yes, yes.

Sensitive to external influences

A: Also music, do you like music?

P: Yes, very much.

A: You are also rather sentimental. Do you often wake up with a start?

P: Wake up suddenly? No. I can't remember that.

A: Yes, yes, retiring, as your father told me. You are rather timid, shy.

P: A little bit, they always say. I don't know if I have this from my... I don't know, I always try to say my opinion. I have no fear to present myself in public.

A: Yes, that's right. I think that the whole picture of personality...

P: That you are rather right, yes.

A: Then another thing: Do you prefer warm or cold drinks?

P: What do you mean? When I am thirsty normally?

A: Yes.

P: Then, I like to drink something cold.

A: Do you drink with small or with large draughts?

P: Not with little, except when I drink brandy.

A: Remarkable, what I want to tell, burning itching and also the swelling in your face that is a little bit less, but that was originally very important, that's how I found the remedy. You told me, it is as if something is coming out of my face that smells like sulphur. But I would say that your perspiration smells like sulphur. I don't know if you felt it like that.

P: No.

A: Then you must try to...

It is as if his perspiration smells like sulphur and previously he got Sulphur. Where can we find this in the Repertory? "Perspiration, odor, sulphur" (p. 1299), only one remedy: Phosphorus

P: But how is it possible, when it is itching and I scratched it and when I smell my hands, they smell exactly the same as sulphur.

A: Yes, you have to... I think that your perspiration smells like sulphur, but that is not so important.

P: Couldn't it be the first remedy?

A: At that time you got Sulphur. It can't be from that. I am sure now, because it is something that I examined further and then I found your remedy.

P: But I have never noticed it before, it is only now, after this treatment.

A: It only appeared after this treatment, this means that first the wrong remedy has been given a few times, then the symptomatology is pushed forward, appears very clean.

Then another thing: you have been operated on an inguinal rupture. That corresponds with the remedy. I will give you your remedy immediately, because I also sympathize a little bit. As doctor you shouldn't do this exaggerated, but I think that we must try to free a person as soon as possible from his complaints. First, there might be an aggravation, you don't have to worry about that. The last time you said, "I felt differently, as if I would get an influenza." In that way. It doesn't necessary need to be this way, but remember, that this is also your constitutional remedy. It is also the remedy you needed as a child.

All right, Phosphorus M or 10M, I don't know it exactly

He is a teacher and he was completely against Homoeopathy. In school where he is working there are some people coming to our centre and he has always laughed about them, that they believed in such rubbish. He never believed in Homoeopathy when he came, but then..

FEEDBACK (11.5.1987

A: The last time I saw you on April, 10. Then, I gave you the remedy. So, the first time in October 1986 and then I repeated a few times the remedy. The first few times in M potency and then in 10M. At that time it was discussed on video, what kind of eczema it was. How did it develop until now?

As a child you had eczema and used very much cortisone. At last you developed a cushing syndrome, therefore you have been in X. How did it go further, concerning this eczema, but also as a person, because you were also depressive?

P: Terrific, yes. It is understandable, because I come from a real depth and at last, with the last remedy - not with the first - you still remember - it has improved. I felt it at that time that it wasn't right. And afterwards I must tell you the first period until the second remedy, but I knew this before - it became worse - I had to go through it and persevere - as I had been told. I did with the necessary grinding of teeth and I succeeded. Now, I feel very well, very well at the moment. Only I must say that I have an itching after the last remedy.

A: When did you take this?

P: Probably, you can see it better, I don't know it by heart.

A: That was in April.

P: The last, that might be.

A: April, and now it is November. But since the last remedy it has aggravated?

P: No, no, it has always been good. But I am very sensitive to dampness, you know.

In eczema that aggravates by wet weather, Phosphorus is a capital remedy, also in an aggravation by change of weather. This rubric is not in the Repertory. I have seen this often in Phosphorus patients and I think Phosphorus has to be capital in the rubric "wet weather aggravates"

P: At the beginning, I had very little complaints with it, until the last weeks. Now, I have much more complaints with it, but that is probably because of the season.

A: No, no. You need the remedy again, if you get more complaints.

P: But the season plays a role, I think, when the air is more wet.

A: But how did it go afterwards, concerning the itching, the eruption and the general situation? Tell me, the period from May until October.

P: I can say that most people who know me noticed that I did it less. Those, who know me, knew that I was scratching regularly. That was less notable. Everyone whom I saw, said, "You look very well, only a little bit thinner." But I know it had something to do with cortisone.

A: By stopping the cortisone you gradually lost liquid.

P: Previously, I was fatter as I am normally, and that is again normal. I can not say that I lost more weight. I have my normal weight at the moment. I am very satisfied with it.

A: How do you feel emotionally?

P: Very well.

A: Do you like to work?

P: Yes. I mean, you can have a problem at work. But the things immediately related to the eczema, it is a difference like day and night.

A: Also in general more optimistic, I have the impression.

P: Yes, Also, because I am convinced that it helped, that it gave an amelioration and also because I heard from other people, "You look well", that cheers you up. That is really true! As I said in the last time I remark that I have more complaints, but I connect it immediately with the dampness, because I know that the end of the year is very wet. I want to say, in Summer you can also have wet days, but then I had it less as the last months.

A: This summer it rained quite a lot.

P: Yes, but listen, it doesn't have to do with the rain. If it is not raining, there might be a lot of dampness in the air. It has 100% to do with it. I think that there is a dampness in the air of 95%. In the summer I felt very little with 95%.

A: Maybe, the coldness plays a role as well.

P: That might be, because Chris often said to me, "Go to the doctor." Because she noticed it. I am not so conscious about it, when I am sitting there and scratching. At last, it has become a custom. But other people say, that they notice that I... I think, that we can not eliminate the dampness from nature...

A: We don't need to. We must leave the dampness the way it is. We have to correct ourselves, this means that over-sensitiveness against it has to disappear. This should happen with this treatment gradually.

P: What I still feel is that my skin has become much stronger. As if it has been built up again. During the time I used cortisone it was so thin as cigarette paper. And also the redness. I don't know what happened with it, but previously it was notable. That is understandable, isn't it? Now, I feel clearly that the skin got the opportunity to build it up again.

A: How many years did you use cortisone?

P: I can hardly say, surely ten years. It might be longer. But there were periods that it was not so bad, then I used less. But at last, before I came here, according to me I went too far with the cortisone. In X, they told me so.

A: You feel yourself to what you react.

P: Yes, surely, I would say when I used cortisone, I was at ease for a while. I didn't explain myself what cortisone can do. And gradually... You don't know what they all prescribe. I knew that it was cortisone, but I had never worried about it, whether it was strong or what the effect could be. At last the skin became worse because of that. I didn't think about it until the moment that it didn't help anymore.

A: Well yes...

P: I am very happy that I got rid of it and don't have to put any ointment anymore. I don't rub anything on it.

A: All right, boy.

Do you see how Phosphorus becomes clear? He comes now, he is leaning on my desk

P: And I also notice it in the morning. I never take water with soap, but source water, and then before I had to put the ointment on the face immediately. Now, I only wash it with water. I wipe it off immediately and after about five minutes the skin is normal. I don't feel anything of it.

A: Yes, but it will improve further. Until the effect of the cortisone has disappeared, that will last very long. Often, it lasts a year, before...

P: Yes, because the skin was longing for it constantly, I felt it myself...

A: No, also because of the suppression of the adrenal, where the natural cortisone is built. If you control the cortisol level in the blood you can see that the values are influenced because the adrenal didn't work properly. It has worked, but less. Before this is working completely again, it takes one to two years.

Question: "How long lasts the aggravation in this case

A: After Phosphorus there was no real aggravation anymore. After Sulphur he was very bad, much worse than after Phosphorus. After Phosphorus the eczema did not aggravate at all

CASE12

Rectal incontinence

Phosphorus

BOY, 12 YEARS OLD

A: The boy has never been ill. His problem is rectal incontinence. He just looses his stool?

MP: Yes.

A: For how long time does he do this?

MP: In 1980 we have radiographs taken, then he was five years old. According to me he always had this, but with such a child you don't pay attention to it. We have seen the family doctor for that problem. He sent us to have radiographs taken. They told us that the end intestine was too long and was full of balls with excrements, the stool is heaping up there.

The end intestine is too long, they say. Then, you give a remedy and the end intestine becomes shorter. These are all theories

We had a Sepia patient with obstruction or something like that. In the hospital they made radiographs and then they said that the reason for her complaints was that the small intestine was one metre too long. She got Sepia and suddenly the intestine was one metre shorter: I mean, the complaints disappeared

MP: If it would have grown out, it would have been cured. We have waited for that. In fact, many years, because the doctor said that nothing could be done about that.

A: And the specialist said that nothing could be done about that.

MP: Yes. Nothing could be done about that, just let it grow out. That's why we waited the whole time, but now he becomes taller and it annoys him. Next year, he has to go to high school.

This would mean that the end intestine does not grow if the child is growing up

A: In what class are you at the moment?

P: In the sixth.

A: Already in the sixth. It always has been a problem. Now, he is twelve years old.

P: Yes.

A: So, nothing would help. He could not be cured. You had to learn to live with it.

MP: First, when it didn't help notwithstanding the growing, the family doctor checked the constrictor. Then, he said, to wait further.

A: On whose advice did you come here?

MP: Our mother.

A: She was here and I told her that everything would be all right. Well, that is a risk. But anyway, you have been here on October, 24. Tell me, at which moment did you especially loose your stool?

P: Not at night, during the day.

A: When you did something?

P: Well, when I didn't have time. When I was playing.

A: Just loose stool?

MP: Yes. But I don't know. He said that he doesn't feel it.

A: But never at night. It was always when he was busy.

MP: Not at night.

A: The stool itself was soft?

MP: No, thick stool, normal stool.

A: All right. Did he have other complaints?

MP: Yes, he is always so nervous and irritable and has to drink quite a lot.

A: Was this also a complaint? Was it more than normal?

MP: Yes, he is always very thirsty.

A: Did he have nose bleedings?

MP: Gums bleedings.

A: He had them quite a lot.

P: And vesicles in the mouth.

A: You also have this regularly?

P: Yes.

A: My analysis was that he is a child that has freckles on the nose. I will try to show it in close up. You don't see it very well, but well yes, it was remarkable. Second, he is a child that is vivid. Easily excited.

MP: Yes, very easily.

A: Easily angry, yes?

MP: For the slightest thing.

A: But also easily forgotten.

MP: Yes, as quickly as it came.

A: He is a sympathetic child. He sympathizes, doesn't he?

MP: Yes, very strongly.

A: What do you mean?

MP: He takes the problems of everybody to his heart.

A: In what sense?

MP: Also with animals. For example, if I punish the little sister he starts weeping. He is anxious to hurt someone else.

A: Very sympathetic, but on the other hand very easily angry.

MP: Yes, yes.

A: Can you also hit someone?

P: Yes.

A: That is strange. If his sister gets a thrashing he is weeping and on the other hand he can beat someone.

MP: Yes. I only need to say that she gets thrashing. Then he says, "She didn't do it", or things like that.

A: Can he torment an animal?

MP: No, in fact he can't.

A: Can he see when chicken are slaughtered?

MP: No.

A: Can you see when a chicken is killed?

P: Yes, at grandfather.

MP: Yes, only from a distance.

A: Are you standing there? Do you like to see it?

P: No.

A: You rather don't like to see it?

P: No.

MP: If they are slaughtering pigs he is always away.

A: Is he also concerned about you and his father?

MP: Yes, very much.

A: How is his behaviour in school? Not so quiet, isn't it? Because you say that he has become more quiet.

MP: In school, I don't know.

A: He is always thirsty, likes cold drinks and likes ice-cream.

P: Yes.

A: It was not difficult to find the homoeopathic remedy, only a few minutes. Last time it really only took a few minutes. He got the remedy in M potency and he didn't react at all. Nothing. That was on October, 24.

MP: The next day he had diarrhoea only once and then nothing anymore.

A: I heard from your mother that the child wasn't better. Then I said, that is not right, you had to come once again. You came back on November, 28, 1986. I examined him again and came to the conclusion that this remedy had to be right. I repeated it in 10M. How did he react to that?

MP: The next day his pants were dirty again, so diarrhoea.

A: The first time he also had diarrhoea. So, there was a reaction.

MP: He complained about abdominal pain and vomited. Surely, he complained for three days about it, and since then he didn't have stool in his pants anymore.

A: Since the third day?

MP: No, after the diarrhoea not anymore. He took the remedy on Friday evening. In the morning he had stool again in his pants?

P: Hmmmmm.

MP: And since then, nothing anymore.

A: All right. Has something else changed about him?

MP: He has become more quietly this week.

A: Now he is prepared to go to the big school?

P: Yes.

A: All right. That is all.

I think after Phosphorus M his behaviour has changed, he has become more quiet. If I didn't give him that 10M, probably he would have been cured spontaneously. But I repeated Phosphorus 10M and immediately afterwards everything was all right. This means that he needs more energy to conquer the disease. But then he had a relapse

FEEDBACK after one year (10.9.1987

A: Previously, he didn't have time to go to the toilet.

MP: Yes.

A: We won't go further into the matter. He is very thirsty, likes cold drinks, likes ice-cream. I gave him Phosphorus 10M on October, 24, 1986 - no, in November '86. He reacted beautifully. But then he has again involuntary stool. I repeated Phosphorus 10M - nothing. Phosphorus 50M - nothing, it didn't improve. Because he likes cold milk, also Phosphorus, ice-cream, I gave him Tuberculinum 10M on May, 12, 1987. It didn't help. Then, I gave you again Phosphorus 10M on June, 17, after I have given Tuberculinum. He reacted to that. The situation improved. How is it now?

MP: Now, in fact it is good. It still happens once a week, but not so large quantities.

A: It happens maximum once a week?

MP: Yes. And his character has also changed very much. He has become much softer. Now, he goes to the great school. He likes to go there. If this plays a role, I don't know.

A: The development is all right. Maximum once a week. But no further problems. Okay, my boy, then we do nothing, we just wait.

MP: Sometimes he says that he becomes dizzy. Maybe, he can say it himself.

A: What do you mean?

P: When I have eaten or run and if I sit down for a cup of coffee and get up again to play football, then I am so dizzy.

A: Are you ill as well?

P: No.

A: So you become dizzy when you get up after sitting down?

P: Yes.

MP: Also when he plays football or tennis.

A: All right, then I repeat the remedy. Since when do you have this? Do you have this for quite a long time?

P: Hmmmm.

A: How often did you get this?

P: Ten times.

A: Ten times, in which period?

P: Since a few months.

A: Has it increased or is it once every fortnight?

P: At the beginning I had it often, but now it is only seldom.

A: When and how often?

P: During the weekends or often when I am training.

A: We may not forget that he got Phosphorus 10M on June, 17. Now it is October, 5. So: "Vertigo rising from seat": Phosphorus one, "vertigo after rising" also Phosphorus. I found the vertigo a reason to repeat the remedy. I think it is the same remedy he needs again.

MP: When he got this then you said that maybe he takes something that antidotes the remedy and he has always eaten peppermint chewing gum. He omitted it and the remedy worked again.

A: Yes, yes. We can have a look there.

P: I haven't eaten chewing gum anymore.

A: When did you omit the stimorol chewing gum?

MP: He has been here twice after each other, because the remedy didn't work and then you said it. When I collected him after his sport, I saw that he was eating chewing gum. I talked to him and he stopped it immediately.

A: Regularly, he has eating chewing gum. By doing so you drove me into a corner. So, anyway omit the chewing gum. He doesn't need to come back, unless it comes back.

FEEDBACK (4.10.1988

Now it is a clearer picture. You can recognize the freckles. You can see something else, namely the crack in the middle of the lower lip. You see this in Natrum muriaticum, but also Phosphorus has this. It is very important to pay attention to all these little symptoms, for example, also crack in the corners of the mouth

A: (Repetition of the development of October 1987 until June 1987 with a dose of Phosphorus 10M, Phosphorus 50M, Tuberculinum 10M and again once Phosphorus 10M) In July he had now and then involuntary stool, but the good period from the beginning didn't come back. Then we remembered that he had eaten chewing gum. In August, you came back for a check up.

MP: In October also once.

A: Because of a cold.

MP: Oh yes, I didn't know it anymore.

A: How is the stool at the moment?

MP: Completely cured. He didn't have complaints with it anymore. It didn't happened again at all.

A: In January he came once again because of headache. I repeated the same remedy and it was quickly over, wasn't it?

MP: Yes.

A: We can determine that everything is all right since June, 1987.

MP: Yes.

A: We may also be sure that the remedy didn't help during the period he has eaten peppermint.

MP: Yes, then it came back.

A: And it worked when he stopped eating chewing gum?

P: Yes.

A: It is about nine months ago, that it is all right.

MP: Yes.

A: That is a proof that the peppermint antidotes.

MP: If we go out eating and we don't know if there is something in the food that...

A: That is not so bad, but regularly eating chewing gum, especially at the beginning after the administration, it can antidote the remedy. It might be that he can eat chewing gum without getting a relapse. Have you eating chewing gum lately?

P: No.

MP: Yes, recently, and I told you that you better omitted it.

P: That was without peppermint.

MP: Really?

P: Yes.

A: Anyway it has been good. In what class are you at the moment?

P: I am in the middle class.

A: Our aim was that you wouldn't have any problems with your stool anymore, and we succeeded.

P: Yes.

This means that his rectum has become shorter during the year. That is a real miracle

EXTRA

MIND,ANXIETY,hypochondriacal : Am-c., anac., arn., ars., asaf., calad., canth., cham., dros., ferr-p., grat., kali-chl., kali-p., mosch., Nat-m., nit-ac., ph-ac., Phos., valer.

I see, for example, someone there: he has blue eyes, red hair, and when he laughs you can probably see his gums, because he opens his mouth very far. And I know of phosphorus that they have red hair and so on, that they are narrow, lean people. So, I think of Phosphorus.

HEAD,DANDRUF,white : Kali-chl., mez., Nat-m., phos., Thuj.

Phosphorus wants to be magnetised. Phosphorus are people who can be cured by laying on hands. They are very sensitive to that, just like Silicea. They are also sensitive to electricity. These people have an amelioration by kinetic therapy. Pain in the back, all kinds of pain ameliorate by rubbing. If Phosphorus children fall, they want to be caressed, a kiss on it and everything is all right.

He doesn't want to have anybody around, so Arsenicum and Phosphorus are out of question.

MP: He needs a lot of affection.

That is a Phosphorus element. In this remedy you nearly always see Phosphorus symptoms, a kind of sympathy.

You see that he can be very angry with a red head. Then, he is very sympathetic and likes to sit on the lap of his mother - desire to be magnetized - maybe it is also Phosphorus

MP: When there is something wrong, for example, last week the eldest had a concussion of the brain, then he is ... He can fight with him constantly, but at that moment he would do everything for him. If he sees there is something wrong with someone, immediately he is prepared to help. I think he has taken it to heart, that they have separated. Especially, he missed his friend.

Do you see the Phosphorus element again. He is very sympathetic

I gave Phosphorus because of the cough, the freckles in the face and the desire for cold drinks.

Another case of vomiting after drinking little water

- He doesn't want to have anybody around, so Arsenicum and Phosphorus are out of question.

I don't know whether you have had the experience, but Medorrhinum children often give the impression of Phosphorus children. Sometimes they also have red hair and they are very vivid.

- Phosphorus is an important remedy in dry skin, ichthyosis (A group of skin disorders characterized by dry, scaly, or thickened skin.) , dry fish-like skin and so on, but here it is Tuberculinum.

- Again a symptom for Phosphorus.

- Sometimes Phosphorus likes a thunderstorm, not only Carcinosin and Sepia are the only remedies.

- We had such a Phosphorus patient, who liked a thunderstorm very much.

Anxiety about others, pain which improved on rubbing, this is which remedy?

Audience: Phosphorus.

A : Can she be Phosphorus? She is really anxious, the anxiety about her health is very strong. When there is something wrong with her daughter immediately she becomes anxious.

You will see that she might be Phosphorus.

CASES