CASES

CASE1v2

Phytolacca decandra

- Boy, 11 years old

- January 27, 1988

- This is one of the most dangerous cases I ever saw in the Centre.

- Therefore it is important to work together to work together with supervisors.

- You can work homoeopathically for quite a long time, but one day you'll have a case which runs on and on, the disease becomes worse and worse.

- One supervisor asks the other and at the end, before the patient dies they ask me.

- These are the possibilities of a Centre.

- And when the patient dies it was me who treated him the last time.

- In such cases you have to put all emotions aside and you have to rely on your knowledge.

- It was a purulent inflammation of the tonsils and also in this case it is difficult to work only with your Repertory, because this remedy is not under lined enough.

- In Boericke you will find the complete picture of this remedy and you can only recognize this remedy by studying Boericke.

- If you go back to your Repertory you will find the remedy but only in very small rubrics.

- A: This is a very complicated case.

- When did it start?

- When did my colleague see you the first time?

- FP: Surely, on Thursday.

- A: Yes.

- It started on January 14.

- You came here.

- Here it says: inflammation of the throat.

- Difficult swallowing, a kind of influenza with fever.

- This means, it started with a kind of influenza.

- With pain in the muscles and fever?

- FP: Yes.

- This is a case which started with an influenza.

- What is "influenza"?

- A soreness, a sore pain.

- This is from the beginning a very important rubric and often this will lead you immediately to the right remedy.

- If someone comes in and says, "Doctor, I have a soreness all over", where Do we find this rubric?

- In the generalities under " pain, sore" on page 1384 and under "extremities, pain, sore" on page 1126.

GENERALITIES,sore, bruised : Acon., aesc., agar., agn., aloe., alum., alumn., am-c., ammc., ant-c., ant-t., apis., Arg-m., Arn., arum-t., asar., bad., bapt., bar-c., bar-m., berb., bor., bov., bry., calc., calen., canth., carb-ac., carb-an., carb-s., carb-v., caust., cedr., cham., chel., chlor., Cic., Cimic., Cina., clem., cob., coloc., con., crot-h., crot-t., cupr., cycl., dig., Dros., dulc., elaps., eupho., eupi., fago., ferr-ar., ferr-p., gamb., goss., grat., Ham., hep., hipp., hyos., ign., iod., ip., kali-c., kali-n., kalm., lach., lec., led., lil-t., lith., lyc., mag-m., mag-s., mang., med., merc-i-r., merc., mosch., nat-a., nat-c., nat-m., nit-ac., nux-m., nux-v., olnd., par., petr., phos., phyt., Plat., plb., puls., Pyrog., ran-b., raph., rhod., Rhus-t., Ruta., sabad., sabin., seneg., sep., Sil., sol-n., spig., spong., sul-ac., sulph., tarent., tell., teucr., thuj., tub., verat., verb., viol-o., wies., zinc.

EXTREMETIES,PAIN,sore, bruised : Abrot., acon., aesc., agar., all-c., alum., alumn., am-c., ammc., anac., anthr., apis., apoc., arg-m., arg-n., Arn., ars., aster., aur-m-n.,aur., bad., Bapt., bar-c., Bell., bov., bry., bufo., calc., camph., carb-ac., carb-an., Carb-s., Carb-v., caust., cham., Chel., chin-s., chin., chlf.,Cimic., cist., clem., cob., cocc., colch., con., cupr., daph., dros., dulc., elaps., elat., Eup-per., ferr-ar., ferr-i., ferr-p., ferr., gels., gins., graph.,ham., hell., hep., hyper., Ip., kali-bi., kali-br., kali-c., kali-n., kali-p., kalm., kreos., lac-c., lach., lact-ac., lact., lec., led., lil-t., lyc., lyss., mag-c., mag-s., manc., Mang., merc-i-f., merc., mez., nat-a., nat-c., Nat-m., nat-p., Nit-ac., Nux-v., petr., ph-ac., phos., phyt., pic-ac., plb., puls., ran-s.,Rhus-t., rhus-v., Ruta., sec., sel., Sil., sol-n., Spong., stann., Staph., sul-ac., Sulph., tarax., thuj., til., tub., valer., zinc.

- If there is a soreness during the chill and motion amel., there are two remedies: Rhus toxicodendron and Tuberculinum.

- From our experience Rhus toxicodendron and Tuberculinum are two remedies which are used most in influenza.

- If you give Rhus toxicodendron in cases where you had to give Tuberculinum they start coughing and coughing and coughing.

- You look for another remedy, but in the meantime you forgot the first symptom, the sore pain during chill and you put your nose in the Repertory and try to find a remedy for this cough.

- You tried all kinds of remedies, but the cough develops to a pneumonia on which side?

- On the left side and then the patient has to be hospitalised.

- That is the Tuberculinum case.

- In this case there is no subjective feeling of heat or chilliness, therefore we have to take the general rubric 'pain, sore" and there are 250 remedies.

- Remark: " You took the rubric 'sore', probably 'aching' is better, because in this rubric there are the same remedies and some more,"

- A: Yes, maybe, but in Flemish the people say, "ser", this corresponds to the English " sore",

- Remark: " But the remedy which is most known for his pain is Eupatorium perfoliatum, and this is in the rubric 'aching pain'."

- A: Yes, but what kind of pain has Eupatorium perfoliatum?

- Answer: "Pain in the bones."

- A: Yes, as if the bones are broken.

- This is something else.

- They say "as if my vertebral column is broken".

- This is more specific and points to Eupatorium perfoliatum.

- I think, it is very difficult to differentiate between "sore" and "aching" and I have very good experience with the rubric "sore".

- A: You had difficulties in swallowing.

- Right from the beginning.

- During the clinical examination they saw that the throat was swollen, the left tonsil more than the right.

- You got Medorrhinum, because according to the medial card you reacted very well to Medorrhinum

- But it didn't become better.

- Before, he got Medorrhinum from the doctor who is treating him.

- This means, you have to repeat the same remedy, if he reacted well to it the first time- but only if the symptoms correspond to the remedy.

- If you find Medorrhinum symptoms now, you can repeat it, but you should not do it automatically.

- There is no reason for it and certainly not in acute cases.

- Yesterday a homoeopath who doss homeopathy already for a few years told me that 70% of his patients first get Nux vomica.

- A that is terrible, very bad.

- You give a remedy because of the symptoms and not because of theorizing like, for example, that everybody took medicine once and therefore they need Nux vomica.

- The symptoms indicated by the patient will lead us to a certain remedy.

- That is Homoeopathy.

- A: He slept very badly.

- The pain was stronger on the right side than on the left side.

- At the beginning it was worse on the left side.

- Where can we find this?

- In the file it is written: pain first here (left), then more pain on the right side.

- In the generalities, "sides, left, then right" on page 1401: Aconite, Aloe, Calcarea phosphorica, colchicum, Dulcamara, Elaps, kali carbonicum, kreosotum, Lachesis, Naja, Nitro muriatic acid, Phytolacca, Rhus toxicodendron, which remedy is very important in inflammation of the throat?

- Lachesis.

- But there are other remedies in this rubric.

- A: Examination: right tonsil smaller, the left tonsil is bigger than the right one painful glands of the throat, on the right side stronger than the left side.

- He has painful, sore glands.

- Where can we find this?

- Under "throat external", " Pain, soreness, cervical glands" on page 473.

Cervical glands : Aesc., ail., Bell., canth., clem., hep., kali-bi., merc., mur-ac., nat-m., phyt., psor., rhus-t., vesp.

- " Sore" often means that it hurt when you touch it, as if you have fallen, like blue ecchymosis.

- In Lachesis the pain is much stronger and not like sore.

- In the rubric we see belladonna, Cantharis, clematis, Hepar, kali bichromicum, Mercurius, muriaticum acidum, Natrum, muriaticum and so on and Vespa.

- Who knows vespa?

- In which circumstances do we give Vespa?

- Answer: " In unconsciousness."

- A: Yes, Vespa has unconsciousness.

- But as a child when you have been bitten by bees how did your mother wash it?

- With vinegar.

- Stings of insects which are better by applications of vinegar, it is Vespa is made from hornet.

- Not only Apis and Ledum are remedies in these cases, also Vespa.

- A: The brother of the father had tuberculosis.

- Tuberculinum has been given.

- Then the pain in the throat became better.

- He slept well at night.

- There was still the swelling of the tonsils, now more on the left side than on the right.

- Besides, he had very enlarged tonsils and glands of the throat and he slept on the abdomen.

- He got Tuberculinum and he was doing well for one night.

- Tuberculinum sleeps on the abdomen, like Medorrhinum, Lycopodium, Sulphur and so on.

- Many remedies sleep on the abdomen, but the most important are Medorrhinum and Tuberculinum.

- Everybody knows that Medorrhinum puts his knee under the abdomen, also like Cina and Stramonium.

- A: You came back on January 18.

- The tonsils were more enlarged, no pus, no glands in the throat.

- Pulsatilla.

- The nest day the 19th, again pain in the throat, worse by swallowing, worse on the right side.

- Pulsatilla M repeated.

- In the evening of the 19 the, so the same day, no amelioration.

- Sulphur 10M was given.

- January 21: speaks with difficulty.

- Tonsils very enlarged, right more than on the left.

- Pus on both tonsils.

- Swallowing with difficulty.

- On swallowing pain in the ear, on the right side.

- A new symptom: pain in the ear while swallowing.

- That is very interesting.

- If we look under throat, "pain, extending to ear" (on page 460) or under ear, "pain, swallowing, on " on page 305 we see some remedies.

swallowing, on : Ail., brom., elaps., gels., kali-bi., kali-c., kali-ma., kali-n., lac-c., lach., merc., Nit-ac., Nux-v., par., phyt., tarent.

- In the first rubric under throat for example, nitricum acidum, Nux vomica, Mercurius, kali bichromicum is there, more on the left side, Lac caninum is there.

- Lac caninum because it seems that it started on the left side, then more on the right side and seemingly wandering to the left side again.

- A: Didn't sleep last night.

- Salivation from the mouth.

- Cant eat or drink anything.

- Has 39º fever.

- Very bad odour from the mouth.

- Then Mercurius has been given.

- All the Mercurius symptoms were there: bad odour forms the mouth, coated tongue, salivation from the mouth at night, but also during the day.

- He doesn't sleep well during the day and he is suffering the whole night.

- So, he got Mercurius.

- A: In 10 M potency.

- It was in the morning.

- At 3 p.m.

- Not better yet.

- Can speak a little bit better.

- Pain only on the right side.

- At 8 p.m.

- Very bad stinking breath.

- Mercurius iodatus flavus.

- Why Mercurius iodatus flavus?

- Because it was on the right side.

- When it is on the left side Mercurius iodatus rubrum is more indicated.

- A: On january22, crack in the tip of the tongue.

- Dry mouth.

- Viscous, stringy mucus.

- Pain in the throat.

- Didn't eat or drink.

- Can put out the tongue?

- He didn't know.

- It was very difficulty.

- Did it hurt when you put out the tongue?

- He didn't know.

- It was very difficult to open the mouth and therefore it was very difficult to put the tongue out.

- Dry lips.

- Abscess of the tonsils.

- Sensitive to the slightest touch.

- The throat is completely closed.

- Very bad breath.

- Stinking salivation.

- Mercurius 10M was given.

- At 5 p.m.

- Yellow mucus came out of the nose.

- The last time he drank was on Wednesday in the afternoon, so he didn't drink for two days anymore.

- Do you see where this leads to.

- The patient can't swallow anymore, he can't drink anymore and now he hasn't has liquid for two days.

- If we look in the repertory, " Throat, swallowing impossible, even a teaspoonful of" on page 469, there is nitricum acidum and Lycopodium.

- This means that they can't swallow anything at all, and there is Nitricum acidum and Lycopodium.

- When you look in the big rubric " swallowing impossible", you see again Lac caninum, Hyoscyamus, nitricum acidum and Stramonium (as capital remedies).

- In the meantime the whole situation has become very dangerous.

- There is an abscess, because the soft palate is swollen, besides the uvula, the tonsils and everything is closed.

- He can't drink anymore and the salivation is running out of his mouth.

- You can imagine in which direction this leads.

- A: The evening of the same day, so on January 22: He can't speak anymore.

- Pain in the ear, more on the right side.

- The lips are peeling.

- Pain on the right side, not on the left side.

- Can open the mouth only one centimetre.

- Enormous swelling.

- Impossible to drink.

- Danger of dehydration.

- Now the homoeopathic doctor starts trembling.

- He says, "My God, he can't drink anymore and I can't give him an infusion, so I have to send him to the hospital."

- A: Then, on January 23, I saw him: Pain in the ears was a little bit less after Mercurius 10M.

- Can open the mouth a little bit further.

- He spits yellow pus.

- Is not thirsty.

- In general better.

- In the evening he got 50M.

- Apparently, there was a good reaction, but then, one day later, on January 25: Tonsils Very restless.

- Turns around constantly from the right to the left side and vice versa.

- In the meantime lost 11 kilos.

- In a few days he lost 11 kilos.

- Indeed, you can say it is normal when someone who does not drink loss 11 kilos in a few days time, but it is not normal.

- There must be a remedy which we know that has quick emaciation.

- Where do we find this in the Repertory?

- Is there a rubric which helps us to solve this problem?

- No, there is not a rubric " quick emaciation" or something like that.

- It is still interesting to see how this boy is holding his lips all the time.

- I will tell you something about this later.

- A: Wasn't thirsty at all.

- Enormous pain when he tried to swallow.

- It was just impossible to swallow.

- Often stitches in the tongue.

- He started to have pain in the region of the kidneys.

- That was on January 25.

- I repeated Mercurius 50M to be sure.

- Now, he starts having pain in the kidneys.

- What can we expect?

- A nephritis.

- And further?

- Albumin.

- That is the development.

- Which remedy is known for tonsillitis, swelling of the glands and nephritis because of this inflammation of the tonsils?

- Think about it.

- But the people who know the remedy shouldn't tell it.

- The remedy has also inflammations of the joints, rheumatism after throat inflammations.

- Often, this is Calcarea carbonica, but not always.

- A: On January 25, in the evening you cam e back.

- In the meantime you saw a specialist and he said that probably it was mononucleosis.

- Without telling me he saw a specialist, a doctor for the throat, ear and nose who said that probably it was a mononucleosis.

- Apparently, later on he took blood and it seemed that it was not a mononucleosis.

- A: I asked about cancer in the family and apparently your grandfather and two of his brothers died of cancer.

- Then, the suspicion of mononucleosis-it was only a suspicion, because there was no examination of the blood.

- Therefore, Carcinosin was given.

- Apparently, the next day there was an improvement.

- Which remedy do we know for mononucleosis, for recurrent mononucleosis?

- Carcinosin.

- Especially with cancer in the family history Carcinosin is one of the most important remedies which we have to think of.

- We don't know anything about Carcinosin in acute diseases, we still need experience.

- There is no description of acute situations like in Tuberculinum.

- Of Tuberculinum there are some descriptions of acute states in the Repertory and we already experienced the left sided pneumonias and the acute rheumatism of Tuberculinum.

- A: The next day I gave there times Carcinosin 10M.

- It was on January 26 and yesterday evening I gave another remedy and apparently this solved the case.

- Last night we gave an infusion of three litters of liquids, because he didn't drink anymore.

- The urine was very dark, although not excessive, but it didn't stink.

- The examination to the urine was positive three times for albumin.

- Again, this is a new symptom.

- We can say that the albumin in the urine is a symptom of a normal development, the nevertheless we must look in the Repertory.

- " Urine, albumin's" on page 681.

- The inflammation of the throat is really a serious inflammation with white patches.

- Here we can take the subrubric "diphtheria, after".

- The remedies her are Arsenicum, Apis, carbolic acid, hellebores, Hepar, Kali chloricum, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Mercurius, Mercurius cyanatus and Phytolacca.

- A: Yesterday evening I called you.

- I asked you whether he had pain in his ear sometimes which suddenly appeared and also suddenly disappeared.

- You clearly confirmed this.

- He said that he had a stitching pain in his ear, which disappeared suddenly.

- Of which remedy do we think?

- Of Belladonna, but other remedies have this also.

- A: It was also remarkable at the examination that not only the tonsils were swollen, but there was also an oedematous swelling of the soft palate and the uvula.

- He had a feeling of fullness in the throat, a feeling as if everything was full.

- He lost 11 lost 11 kilos, was exhausted, restless and apparently completely indifferent towards everything that happened around him.

- " Well yes, maybe I better go to the hospital."

- While the other propel of his neighborhood reacted in a very panicked way, he seemingly didn't.

- It was very remarkable.

- FP: Well yes, of course he is convinced that this is better than classical medicine and of course he thought that never again he would get an inflammation of the throat if he got over this.

- A: Yes, but by nature you are scared or you are scared.

- It was remarkable that he lost so much weight in such a short time.

- When someone else doesn't eat for three or four days, he doesn't lose 11 kilos.

- P: Yes, but this might be because of the pain, isn't it?

- A: Yes, but there is still the fact.

- He was completely exhausted, and also the restlessness was a fact.

- The glands of throat were enormous, painful and swollen, really knots.

- Put out your tongue again.

- P: (Puts out his tongue)

- A: You see that the tip of the tongue is red.

- The tongue is coated in the middle, a stinking breath, but also mucus salivation, which came out in strings.

- Then, almost no urine.

- He hardly drank, but he also hardly urinated, and albumin after a diphtheria inflammation of the throat.

- Yesterday evening I gave him the remedy in 10M potency.

- Suddenly I recognized the remedy, I called him and told him which remedy he needed, and this lead him in the right direction.

- Lets take the pain, which wanders from right to left and the sudden appearance and disappearance of the pain; with sudden appearance and disappearance capital remedies are belladonna, Kali bichromicum and nitricum acidum, second degree remedies are Argentum nitricum and Phytolacca and as a one besides other remedies also Mercurius he got Mercurius in 50M, but without a reaction.

- If we compare both rubrics with each other, only these two, there are not so many remedies left.

- It was and inflammation of the throat like membranes, swollen tonsils, swollen palate.

- The salivation was viscid.

- When you look, for example, under "mouth, "mouth, "saliva, viscid" on page 417 or under "saliva ropy"- this means the same a viscid- there you see Ferrum, Iris, Kali Bichromicum, Lachesis, Lyssinum, Phytolacca, Sanicula.

ropy (See Viscid) : Ferr., iris., Kali-bi., lach., lyss., phyt., sanic.

- Remark: "But it is normal that the salivation is viscid when you don't drink anything for three days."

- A: No, it is not normal.

- Why should it be viscid, why?

- In Homoeopathy it is dangerous to theorize.

- We have to take the symptoms the way they are and they will lead to the solution.

- When you take Boericke and read about Phytolacca, you will recognize the exact description of this story: "Aching, soreness", both are there; "restlessness", he couldn't sleep at night; and "prostration" are general symptoms guiding to Phytolacca".

- The differential diagnosis because of the restlessness is Rhus toxicodendron.

- "Pre-eminently a glandular remedy.

- Glandular swellings with heat and inflammation.

- Has a powerful effect on fibrous and osseous tissue.

- Syphilitic bone pains; chronic rheumatism.

- Sore throat, quinsy, and opisthotonos.

- Decrease of weight.

- Retarded dentition."

- Decrease of weight is indicated especially in Phytolacca.

- Why does he write this? ? "Indifference."

- That's what the patient exactly told us.

- " Disregard of surrounding objects."

- Then: "Mouth: teething children with irresistible desire to bit the teeth together.

- Teeth clenched; lower lip drawn down; lips everted."

- Did you see his appearance? ?

- The lips were a little bit everted.

- Normally, because of the pain in the throat they sit with forward bending head; the chin on the sternum.

- And don't, forget Phytolacca in teething children who are clenching the teeth all the time.

- "Tongue red tip,..., bleeding from mouth; blisters on side.

- Mapped, indented, fissured, with yellow patch down centre.

- Much stringy saliva.

- Throat: Dark red or bluish red.

- Much pain a root of tongue; soft palate and tonsils swollen."

- You can find this in the repertory, but everywhere there are so many remedies that you must recognize this picture.

- "Sensation of lump in throat.

- Throat feels rough, narrow, hot tonsils swollen, especially right; dark red appearance.

- Shooting pain into ears on swallowing.

- Pseudo-membranous exudation, grayish white;....

- Cannot swallow anything hot.

- Tension and pressure in parotid gland.

- Ulcerated sore throat and diphtheria; throat feels very hot; pain at root of tongue extending to ear."

- He also could not protrude his tongue, this was painful.

- " Uvula large, dropsical.

- Quinsy; tonsils and fauces swollen, ... cannot swallow even water."

- That's what he said.

- He couldn't even swallow water.

- Phytolacca has to be added in the rubric " swallowing impossible, even a teaspoonful of", then: "Urine: Scanty, suppressed, with pain in kidney region.

- Nephritis." You see, this is a very serious situation and unless you give the right remedy he will end up with kidney damage and a chronic albuminuria.

- Herewith, I wanted to indicate the most important remedy in the differential diagnosis with Mercurius.

- Remark: "It's also called the vegetable Mercurius."

- A: Yes, it is called the Mercurius of the plants.

- Who knows the complementary remedy to Phytolacca?

- Maybe he needs this remedy afterwards when he starts coughing, with yellow expectoration, pain in the sternum extending to the back and congestion of the head?

- It is kali iodatum.

- It is a complementary remedy to Phytolacca.

- If there is an exudation on the tonsils and the uvula you have to take the rubric " membranes" on page 455 under "throat".

- There you see all the remedies.

- Also look at the rubric "membrane, right side": Lycopodium, also Apis, Phytolacca and others, then "extending to the left": Lac caninum, Lycopodium, sulphur and then: "left side, extending to right", and there hey forget Phytolacca.

- In the rubric "gray membrane" Phytolacca is capital and also Lac caninum comes back.

- Then "membrane, wash leather", you know, the kind of tissue where the women clean the windows with, again Phytolacca capital, also in the rubric " membrane on the uvula".

- A: How did you sleep last night?

- Before you almost didn't sleep.

- P: I don't know, I slept, but...

- FP: Maybe I can tell it.

- I can't tell for sure whether it is because of the remedy.

- He also got an infusion and immediately after wards he became very tired.

- At 4 o'clock at night he woke up again and he wanted to put away the infusion.

- He had to go to the toilet.

- A: Did he have diarrhoea?

- FP: Yes.

- He came back and he wanted to go to the terrace outside.

- It was very strange, in fact it was the first time that I was so worried.

- A: Was it last night?

- FP: Yes.

- A: But he slept the whole night through until the morning?

- FP: Yes, he slept very much.

- A: I know what an infusion can do.

- It is salt and sugar and doesn't have a healing effect on the restlessness.

- FP: No, of course not.

- A: You slept very much afterwards.

- P: Yes.

- A: He looks much better.

- FP: Yes.

- A: He couldn't drink at all.

- FP: No, no.

- A: Now, did he drink something during the day?

- FP: Yes, at least three big glasses.

- A: Three glasses of what?

- FP: Mild.

- A: Let's have a look at your mouth.

- It is coated and membranous.

- When I push on your tongue, does it hurt?

- P: No.

- A: Between the tonsils there is an opening of a few millimetres, but you can't go through.

- The soft palate is not swollen anymore.

- The tonsils are still red.

- What about the pain?

- P: It is better.

- A: What do you mean?

- P: I still feel it a little bit.

- And when I swallow ...

- A: When you swallow, do you still have pain in the ears?

- P: Yes.

- A: Does it extend from the throat to the ears, or how does it feel?

- P: From the throat... (points to his ears)

- A: Ah, form the throat to the ears.

- That is clear.

- You can't urinate at the moment?

- P: No.

- A: The urine has to be checked for albumin tomorrow.

- The difference between yesterday evening and today is very big., isn't it?

- P: Yes.

- A: I want to see you again tomorrow.

- Remark: " When I repertorize al the symptoms I get Lycopodium."

- A: Yes, that is right.

- There are quite a lot of Lycopodium symptoms.

- The right sided swelling, albumin in the urine, the loss of weight, the red tip of the tongue, in which rubric is Lycopodium not there?

- Answer: "Pin, root of the tongue."

- A: Lycopodium also has the viscid saliva, but it is not the rubric "pain, throat, extending to the ear on swallowing", and that is the most important symptom.

- Lycopodium is in the rubric "pain in the throat, extending to the ear", but not "on swallowing".

- Lycopodium is also one in the rubric "sudden appearance and sudden disappearance of the pain."

Question: "Can you tell me something about the differential diagnosis with Carbolic acid?

- It also has the albumin and.."

- A: Until now, I never had a Carbolic acid case.

- Carbolic acid causes very dangerous states; for example you can see these kind of states in stings of insects.

- Oh yes, we had a case, a purulent ozeana, stinking discharge from the nose and at the same time a very big sensitivity to smell.

- A big sensitivity to smell is a very important guiding symptom for Carbolic acid.

- The peculiarity in this case was the strange sensitivity towards smells notwithstanding the purulent discharge.

- That is the peculiarity in Carbolic acid.

- But I haven't seen it yet in diphtheria inflammations.

Feedback (january 29, 1988)

- A: Yesterday, you took three times a spoonful.

- FP: Yes.

- The day before yesterday he was here.

- At 1 o'clock in the night I got up.

- He didn't sleep yet and had mucus in the throat.

- He took this tablet again and then the situation with the mucus lasted for another hour and afterwards it became better.

- A: The albumin is now negative, the urine is clear, no problem at all in the region of the kidney.

- Has the pain gone?

- P: Yes.

- Before the albumin was positive three times and after the remedy the urine is normal.

- Before the remedy he also got an infusion with NaCl 0.9% and glucose of 5% without disappearance of the albumin in the urine.

- A: Let's have a look at the throat...

- He reacted rather quickly.

- FP: Yes.

- One hour later he still had this mucus, but afterwards I didn't get up anymore.

- A: With what does he rinse?

- FP: With water, orange juice.

- A: Open your mouth a little bit further.

- P: (open his mouth very far)

- A: Have the lymph nodes gone?

- P: Yes.

- A: Does it still hurt?

- P: Yes, there it still hurts a little bit, on the right side.

- A: You hardly feel anything.

- The day before yesterday it was very clearly painful on the left side.

- It is better.

- Do you drink mild now?

- P: Yes.

- A: And when you swallow, does it hurt?

- P: Yes.

- A: Swallow!

- P: (swallows)

- A: All right, it has become much better.

- P: All right, it has become much better.

- P: There it still hurts.

- When he swallows automatically he bends his head forward, so that his head touches the sternum.

- That is exactly the way it is written in Boericke.

- When you see someone who bends his head downwards on swallowing you have to think of Phytolacca.

- A: Does it still pull in you ears when you swallow?

- P: No.

- FP: Yesterday early, it still came out of his nose.

- It has improved further, but...

- A: It is not completely cured.

- Do you have pain in the joints?

- P: I have pain in the legs.

- A: The muscles hurt.

- Do you sleep well?

- Do you sleep a lot?

- FP: Yesterday he slept very much.

- A: How much did you drink during the day?

- P: Two litters, two litters milk and orange juice.

- A: Two litters milk and orange juice?

- A: Two litres milk and orange juice?

- P: Do you think it is too much?

- A: You may drink as much as you want.

- All right.

- Do you still have the remedy?

- FP: Yes, we still have one.

- A: You only give it when the complaints return.

Feedback (february 2, 1988)

- A: How is your throat?

- P: Better.

- A: Does it still hurt?

- P: No, it doesn't hurt anymore.

- Only when I open my mouth very far, then it still hurts.

- A: Open your mouth.

- P: (opens his mouth)

- A: All right.

- The swelling is much better.

- The membranous coating has gone.

- The tongue is less coated.

- You can still feel the lymph nodes a little bit.

- Do they still hurt?

- P: Yes, a little bit.

- A: Do you sleep well?

- P: Yes.

- A: Do you eat well?

- P: Yes.

- FP: Yesterday he ate rice.

- A: In general, it has improved very much for the last three days.

- FP: Yes.

- A: Do you have other complaints?

- P: Yes, in the back.

- A: On which side?

- FP: On the right side.

- At the time when he couldn't drink he also had difficult with it.

- A: For how long do you suffer form it?

- P: Since yesterday.

- A: Especially when does it hurt?

- P: I don't know.

- Also while lying.

- A: Does it hurt very much?

- P: Sometimes.

- A: Does it come in groups?

- P: No, not really.

- A: Show me exactly, where it hurts.

- P: There.

- A: Does it hurt?

- P: Yes.

- A: It is there, under the last rib.

- It is at one point here.

- Does it hurt?

- (knocks on the region of the kidneys)

- P: No.

- When I knocked on the kidneys he didn't have pain.

- A: I don't think it has anything to do with the kidneys.

- The albumin has been checked.

- FP: Yes.

- The sticks are 10 years old already, I don't know, whether it is right.

- A: The last time the albumin was all right.

- FP: I thought it was still a little bit green, but now it is completely normal.

- A: This means that the sticks are still good, when they have been kept in a dry place.

- FP: Yes.

- A: The urine is clear.

- No fever at all.

- Do you sleep much?

- P: Yes.

- A: You have to stay at home for the rest of this week.

- You still have a remedy at home?

- FP: Yes, another two.

- He got four tablets.

- A: But now, he doesn't have to take anything.

- This was the case.

- So, don't be too quick to believe it is always Mercurius with a coated tongue and saliva.

- Also Phytolacca is very important.

- Also the restlessness at night can mislead you and you think it is Mercurius because of the nightly aggravation, but also Phytolacca has this symptom.

- You also see that Mercurius cannot do the work for Phytolacca is indicated.

- There is only one particular remedy which can solve this problem.

- Question: " What about Apis?"

- A: In Apis cases you see the shiny swelling, an intense redness, a choking sensation, a strong aversion towards heat and a very strong thirstlessness.

- Beside, the swelling around the eyes is very strong thirstlessness.

- Besides, the swelling around the eyes is very strong in Apis.

- In Apis it concerns acute problems like albumin...

- Remark: "And kidney problems."

CASE2 v2

Mastitis

(painful infection of the breast tissue. )

Phytolacca decandra

- Woman, 35 years old

- AUGUST 1985

- Everybody knows where we can find this, mastitis, abscess of the mammae?

- Under "chest, inflammation, mammae" on page 836 or " abscess, mammae" on page 822.

Mammæ : Acon., anan., apis., Bell., Bry., bufo., cact., calc., carb-an., carb-s., carb-v., card-m., cham., cist., clem., con., crot-t., cur., Hep.,lach., lyc., merc., phos., Phyt., plb., puls., rhus-t., Sil., Sulph., ust., verat-v.

- The first remedy is Apis.

- Apis is very red, but not dark red, with stitching pain, aggravated by heat and sensitive to touch.

- Usually it is on which side?

- On the right side.

- And what is the general symptom?

- Thirstlessness.

- And there is an intolerance to?

- Heat.

- That is Apis.

- Then belladonna.

- The onset of Belladonna after delivery is Belladonna fever with central congestion and cold hands and feet, worse in the afternoon and at 3 o'clock at night.

- And usually, it is on which side?

- On the right side.

- Belladonna is very sensitive to touch and the pains in these abscesses are sudden shooting pains and then they are gone immediately.

- Bryonia is a totally different aspect of the patient.

- In breast abscesses they are noted, but usually pale, have a dry mouth, are very thirsty, but often also thirstless, the pains are stitching, worse by movement and they want to be left alone.

- They don't want their children around them, " disturbed, averse to being" on page 3 7:Bryonia and Gelsemium.

DISTURBED, averse to being : Bry., gels.

- Bufo is also a very interesting remedy and I would like to underline it again, Bufo abscesses always have intense pain extending to the armpits and the neck, with a tendency to lymphangitis.

- Bufo is also a very important remedy in panaritium is very hot, burning pains and it becomes better in warm water, the Materia medica, which can solve the problem when Hepar doesn't help and Silicea doesn't help.

- A remedy for abscesses and carbuncles with pain in and under the nails- like which other remedies?

- Like Fluoricum acidum.

- It is Myristica sebifera, which has with this inflammation a swelling of the phalanx, of the distal joints of the fingers, with pain in the nails and a taste of copper in the mouth.

- Further with an inflammation of the breast: Camphora has a lot of perspiration and what does she want?

- To be covered up.

- Cold perspiration and wants to be covered up.

- Cistus canadensis is chilly, I don't know more about it in mastitis.

- Crotalus horridus is usually on which side?

- On the right side.

- And what do we see?

- On the skin?

- Ecchymoses, bleeding, bleeding of the nipple and so on.

- Further Graphites, Hepar.

- Hepar is sensitive to touch and what else?

- To cold draft of air.

- Kreosotum, Lachesis usually on the left side, we already talked about Mercurius and a Phosphorus mastitis looks like a Phosphorus face: not very deep red, light red, rather pink.

- Then Phytolacca, Silicea, sulphur and of course Tarantula cubensis is an abscess remedy.

- When do they have pain?

- And how is the pain?

- Burning pain, strong burning pain at night.

- A: You are in homoeopathic treatment and in the meantime you delivered.

- When was the delivery?

- P: The second of June.

- Now, it is August.

- It is about three months ago.

- A: After the birth of the child you became ill.

- What happened?

- P: I had pain in the left ear.

- The doctor told me it was an inflammation of the ear.

- I didn't want to take CLAMOXYL and therefore I called you and I got Bryonia.

- The fever went away and I didn't have pain in my ear anymore, it was gone the next day.

- Later on, I had again a fever of 40º, again called the family doctor and he said that I had an inflammation of the breast.

- A: You had pain everywhere.

- P: Yes, I had pain everywhere.

- In the back, in the legs, in my head.

- I thought it was because of the fever.

- The doctor told me it was an inflammation of the breast and I had to be treated for it urgently.

- A: Describe the pain you felt everywhere.

- What did you feel?

- P: Pain in the muscles of the legs, pain in the back, pain at the back of my head, in the forehead and stitches in my breast.

- A: Just pain in the muscles, stitches and puling in the breast.

- I thought it was because the milk came up, but the next day I had red spots.

- A: So you had pain in the left ear which went away with Bryonia.

- P: It was completely gone.

- A: Then you took antibiotics.

- P: Yes, because the family doctor advised me.

- He frightened me and said that they had to cut if it became worse.

- Therefore, I had to take three doses CLAMOXYL and slowly it became better.

- I was still weak and tired.

- A: That was the first part of the story.

- You came here and you said, "Give me my remedy so that I will feel better again." I gave your constitutional remedy, Calcarea carbonica.

- Before, we cured you with this remedy.

- I thought it was her constitutional remedy, but I was wrong.

- P: Yes, I felt much stronger.

- A: You got Calcarea, and what happened then?

- P: On Sunday last week I got stitches in my left ear again.

- A: Tell me, what did you feel.

- Do you understand what happened?

- It is very interesting.

- First, she got pain in the left ear which went away with Bryonia.

- Answer: "Suppression."

- A: Yes, that's right.

- Then inflammation of the breast, antibiotics, again suppression.

- Calcarea pushes everything to the from and she asks for the remedy which is indicated at that moment.

- You see that even with a wrong homeopathic remedy, also in high potencies, like antibiotics you can suppress.

- Then, she got Calcarea, because before she reacted very well and afterwards the whole picture form before appeared again.

- Again she had the strength to push forward what had been suppressed before.

- P: I feel a stitch in my ear and when I push on it, it goes away slowly, but infect I have pain constantly.

- A: Which appeared suddenly.

- P: Yes.

- A: And also disappeared suddenly.

- P: Yes.

- It appeared, became worse and disappeared again.

- It is a pain which comes suddenly and then disappears, not very slowly, but quickly.

- This is again the rubric " pain appears suddenly and disappears suddenly with capital remedies: Belladonna, kali bichromicum and nitricum acidum.

- Do you know the kind of pain of Nitricum acidum?

- Pain like a splinter.

- And to be sure that is a Nitricum acidum case you have to ask for?

- Answer: "Easily bleeding?"

- And when it doesn't bleed at all?

- Answer: "For the desires?

- A: In and acute case?

- Yes, all right, desire fat, it might be.

- Desire fat can also be Nux vomica, and they also have a stitching pain.

- Hepar also, but they are rather cold, that's why we can exclude Hepar.

- Answer: " Cracks?"

- Cracks, yes.

- But it is an acute case, he doesn't have time to get cracks.

- Answer: " The smell."

- Yes, the smell.

- The smell of the urine.

- This leads you to the choice of the remedy.

- Ask them to urinate and smell the urine yourself, and you will fall backward.

- That's what you have to do.

- Nowadays, there are no night- pots anymore and the modern toilets don't smell anymore.

- At the time of Kent it was better, there were more symptoms.

- Nowadays, you have to smell the urine yourself, often it has the smell of tobacco.

- P: I also couldn't bear the light and I was very tired.

- In between I also had a stitch in the breast.

- The same pain in the breast as in the ear, stitching pain, which appeared suddenly and which disappeared suddenly.

- This means it was the same pain in the breast and in the ear.

- A: When you called you had pain in the left ear and pain in the left breast.

- P: Yes.

- I also had a red spot on the left breast.

- The next day the pain went from left to right.

- That is very interesting.

- The pain went from the left breast to the right breast.

- Very strange.

- A: You live in A., that is rather far away.

- I told you on the telephone to take Lachesis, because the pain was in the left ear and the left breast.

- She lives 100 kilometres away form the Centre and when I heard on the telephone that the pain went from left to right, I reacted spontaneously and said, " Take Lachesis."

- A: The next day it was better on the left side, but it became worse on the right side.

- And then I said," now you have to come, we have to check the case."

- You came on August 23, so on Friday, with 40º fever, still pain on the right side, also still pain in the left ear.

- P: It was less.

- A: But still pain in the left ear, pain in the right breast, quite a lot of pain, and you also had pain in the right leg.

- P: In the right hip, and it was extending downwards on the outside.

- Now, she has a new symptom, pain on the outside of the right thigh.

- Where do we find this?

- "Extremities, pain, thigh, outer side of' on page 1071, there is only one bold remedy: Phytolacca.

outer side of : Agar., am-m., anag., chin-s., com., fl-ac., kreos., lil-t., merc-i-f., phyt.

- We can also take the rubric" pain, lower limbs, sciatica, right" on page 1064: Carboneum sulphuratum, Chelidonium, China sulphuricum, Colocynthis, Dioscorea, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Phytolacca, Plantago major, Sepia and Tellurium.

- What is the difference between Chelidonium and Lycopodium?

- Motion ameliorates and in Chelidonium motion aggravates.

- That is a big difference.

- Until now we have first pain in the ear.

- Then pain in the breast, first on the left side wandering to the right side, pain in the right thigh and fever.

- She has 3 has 39º fever.

- A: First, we will ask for the symptoms again.

- You had three symptoms: first pain in the ear, we don't know whether it was inflamed or not.

- Second, again clearly mastitis, inflammation of the breast and then also a kind of sciatica on the right side.

- Where did you have pain?

- P: It was on the outer side of the leg.

- A: You also looked a little bit swollen.

- I gave you a remedy and you solved it.

- P: Yes, I took three times a spoonful.

- A: You were here on Friday evening.

- P: Yes, at 8, and at half past 9 I took the remedy.

- The fever went down to 39.5º and on Sunday it was still over 37.3º.

- I didn't have pain in my hip anymore.

- The pain in the hip appeared as the last symptom but disappeared first.

- P: The pain in the ear went away and the pain in the breast ha s still lasted of three, four days, then it became better.

- Often, I still have a stitch.

- Sometimes I suffer form pain in the back but it was gone after three or four days.

- A: The pain disappeared in reverse order of appearance.

- The symptom which appeared last disappeared first.

- This is the law of Hering: the symptom which appears last disappears first.

- A: The treatment was a suppressive treatment, otherwise your breast abscess wouldn't have appeared again after Calcarea.

- Now, you didn't take any medicine but this homoeopathic remedy, of which we won't mention the name.

- Without any other remedy the case was solved in three days.

- Already the next day the pain in the breast was better.

- So we did the work of an ear, nose and throat specialist, an orthopedist and a gynecologist, and all this without any chemistry.

- P: Sometimes I feel a stitch for a few days.

- A: Have you seen the family doctor in between?

- P: No.

- A: How do you feel?

- I have the impression that you have flourished.

- P: Yes, I feel much better.

Feedback (july 12, 1987)

- This is a few years later.

- The first consultation was in 1985, where she was cured with Phytolacca.

- Now, she had another child and we will hear the story...

- A: Tell me.

- P: I delivered and this time it was much more difficult than the last time.

- The child was in an unfavorable position, the child came with the head first.

- There was a sign that the child was born too early.

- The gynecologist calculated two dates, first on March 25, and the second on March 6, and she was born on March 12.

- I had quite a lot of pain during the delivery.

- Now, this is over.

- Afterwards, I had X-Rays taken of my back in the hospital.

- The orthopedist advised massage and exercises for the pelvis.

- On Wednesday I had to stop it, because I got and inflammation of the breast.

- A: The problem is that you have an inflammation of the breast since Wednesday.

- P: In fact, already before.

- I had stitches in my head and pain in my left leg.

- A: Where?

- P: In the left thigh.

- It was along the outside of the thigh.

- I had stitches in my left ear and everywhere in my head.

- She had exactly the same symptoms: stitching pains, now in the head, pain on the outside of the thigh and again an inflammation of the breast.

- Because she had exactly the same symptoms, probably she is constitutionally Phytolacca.

- Therefore I recorded her twice and tried to understand her psychologically, but it is not so easy to differentiate it from the other remedies.

- P: It is strange, but when someone opened the door and I felt the draft of air I felt it in my breast.

- At the beginning of the week I noticed how it started, also with cold shivers, but then I didn't have fever yet.

- On Wednesday it really hurt and I thought it might be form overstrain.

- A: On Tuesday you had pain when the child was breast feeding.

- P: Yes, I thought it was because the milk came up or something like that.

- In the late afternoon I got red spots and in the evening a slight fever.

- She had pain in the breast when she was nursing the child.

- Where can we find this?

- It is a very interesting rubric.

- "Pain, chest, mammae, nurses, while child" on page 846: Croton tiglium, Pulsatilla and Silicea.

nurses, while child : Crot-t., puls., Sil.

- How is the pain in Croton tiglium?

- They extend backwards, but with a feeling as if they are drawing with a string.

- She says she has pain in the breast, but probably she has pain in the nipple.

- We will see this later.

- What other symptom does Silicea almost always have with pain in the breast and a beginning breast abscess?

- To find Silicea only on the basis of breast symptoms is very difficult.

- What other symptom can you almost always find in such a situation?

- Answer: "Pain in the uterus."

- A: Yes, pain in the uterus.

- What other symptom?

- Answer: "Sore nipples."

- A: Yes, but a lot of remedies have sore nipples.

- Answer: " Blood."

- A: Yes, bleeding, vaginal bleeding during the nursing, Silicea is the only remedy in metrorrhagia during nursing, on page 730.

- All right.

- Croton tiglium has the pain as if pulled by a rope which starts in the nipple.

- For which disease in men is Croton tiglium the only remedy?

- Eruption at the scrotum, as if excoriated, red, very sensitive and they can scratch, only rub.

- In this case you also see the pain in the nipples while nursing.

- She also has pain in the nipples while nursing and this pain radiates in Phytolacca over the whole body.

- She feels it over the whole body.

- Comocladia also has pain in the nipples.

- It radiates to the scapulae, to the back like in Croton tiglium.

- Comocladia has which other symptom?

- Protrusion of the right eye.

- Is Fluoricum acidum cold or warm blooded?

- Warm blooded, very warm blooded, and is complementary to a certain very cold remedy, to Silicea.

- And what is the strongest desire of Fluoricum acidum?

- Highly seasoned food.

- If you have a Belladonna inflammation of the breast, a Belladonna abscess of the breast wandering to the left side, it is Lycopodium, you can tell in advance.

- P: I had 37.5º fever and then I called you.

- I talked to a doctor here and he thought there were too few symptoms.

- A: I already treated you before for an abscess of the breast.

- Then you also had pain in the ear and pain in the right thigh.

- The pain was on the outside of the leg and was extending downwards.

- You had pain in the left ear which was wandering to the right ear.

- P: This time I didn't have pain in the right ear.

- But this time the pain wandered from the thigh to the right thigh, because on Wednesday suddenly I had strong pain in the right hip.

- A: I gave you a remedy to take home in case you would have another child.

- This time it is your fourth child - just in case you had another breast abscess you should take this remedy again.

- This remedy has something to do with your constitution, because all the other symptoms disappeared as well, for example, also the pain in the back.

- It was very remarkable.

- You called me, but you didn't take the remedy.

- P: I did, at night I took it because I had 40º fever and I couldn't tolerate the pain anymore.

- The red stripes became hard in the meantime.

- From the afternoon until the evening it became very bad.

- I couldn't tolerate the pain anymore, the pain in the leg, the high fever.

- A: In the meantime the pain wandered from the left to the right leg.

- P: Yes.

- I said to my husband, "I just take the remedy, it won't do any damage.

- According to me, I have the same symptoms as last time." I took the remedy at night, at half past 4, at half past six and at half past 8.

- When I got up on Thursday morning I nearly fell down.

- I perspired with the least exertion.

- Less fever, but the pain in the leg was still as bad, and also in the breast.

- I didn't dare to take the remedy again.

- I thought, maybe the reaction is too strong.

- In the evening I took another spoonful and then I called you on Friday.

- Now, it is Sunday.

- A: Did you take it since then?

- P: You advised me to take two spoonfuls on Friday, on Saturday morning and evening, as I did.

- A: How is the fever and the pain?

- P: On Friday I still had 38.5º and today no fever anymore.

- Since Saturday evening I haven't had pain in the legs anymore.

- The redness slowly disappeared.

- The pain I still have is because of the coming up of the milk.

- The milk lets down when the child starts crying.

- When she starts crying when she wants to be nursed then I still feel a stitch.

- A: Even when the child doesn't touch the breast?

- It is from a distance?

- P: Yes.

- I think may be it is because the milk lets down.

- The pain in not the same as before.

- A: So the pain is gone, the fever is gone and the ear is gone as well.

- P: Still a few stitches.

- A: Where?

- P: In my head.

- Not continuously, but sometimes.

- It became much better.

- A: All right.

- So it was exactly the same story as before.

- P: Yes.

- Therefore I took the remedy again.

- A: I will give you the remedy to take home again, just in case you relapse again.

- That happened the last time.

- P; I had a 10 M potency.

- I still have one at home.

- A: All right, then you still have one spare tablet.

- P: I asked for it.

- A: I asked for it.

- A: All right, then I will give you some tablets in 50M potency.

- P: Will I get it back even when I don't nurse the child?

- A: You don't nurse you child anymore?

- P: I stopped nursing the child because it hurt so much, I couldn't tolerate it anymore.

- A: You don't take any medicines, do you?

- P: No.

- You see, two years later exactly the same story, a Phytolacca case.

- Ear, thigh and breast.

- Don't forget Phytolacca in breast cancer.

- It is a very important remedy.

- The remedies for breast cancer you see on page 824.

- Bufo is capital and Conium, both capital in epithelioma and br4ast cancer.

- Phytolacca also in inflammation of the throat, inflammation of the glands, in rheumatic complaints as a consequence of an inflammation of the throat, in inflammation of the kidneys with albuminuria as a consequence of throat inflammation, inflammation of the breast with high fever and pain while nursing and the sciatica of Phytolacca on the outside of the thigh, a numb feeling of the foot, also often in the leg.

- Who knows the other remedies with numbness in sciatica?

- Answer: " Gnaphalium."

- A: Yes, Gnaphalium, and?

- Answer: " Rhus toxicodendron."

- A Rhus toxicodendron, Colocynthis and which other?

- Nux vomica.

- Another Phytolacca situation is teething children, which constantly bite the teeth or on other things.

- These are the main indications for Phytolacca and no other remedy can replace it when it is indicated.

EXTRA

This child came back later with a retropharyngeal abscess (collection of pus in the tissues in the back of the throat. ) on the left side with severe swelling. It had a bluish appearance like Lachesis and was on the left side. Within a few days she lost 6 kg, had pain in the throat and in the ear on the left side. On swallowing she pushed her chin to the sternum; this is the typical motion on swallowing of Phytolacca. I was doubting and first I gave Sepia officinalis, no reaction, then Lachesis, also no clear amelioration, and then Phytolacca, and this helped.

CASES