4 Short Quick Cases
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2004 Jul / Aug VOL VI NO 4.
Dr H Balasubramanian
'Gels / Puls / Kali-bi / Plat

Case 1: Difficulty Of Deglutition
On 24/7/93 MrVKV was in his 60's.

Past history paralytic attack left side and recovered.

Family history of strokes and paralysis.

Last month he suffered from continuous hiccough. He was admitted in a speciality nursing home and after treatment hiccough stopped. But he could not swallow anything and vomited everything immediately. Specialists diagnosed it as paralysis of deglutition. As there was no response to the treatment, feeding was done through a nasogastric tube. Simultaneously he started Homoeopathy.

Prescription: Gelsemium 30 (dilution/liquid form) only 4 drops mixed in boiled and cooled water of one tumbler. First 4 times every half an hour and then every one-hour. During sleep no medicine. Before giving the mixture must be stirred well. After completing that mixture, to give 200 potency mixture every hour. But to be given through mouth even if it is vomited rather then through tube. Both the potencies to be completed within 3 ½ days. No further medicine.

7/8/93 Son reported that the patient is able to swallow liquids. After one month in consultation with the specialist the tube was removed. Till date (20/7/04) no complaint and he is normal.

Reference: Kent repertory, W. Boericke's Materia Medica, C. Herring's Guiding Symptom, the Clinic Repertory By S W Shedd, A Repertory of Most Characteristic Symptoms of the Materia Medica by G W M Winterburn. Choice of the medicine was done by the last reference.

Method adapted for selection of remedy: Therapeutics.

Case 2: Coryza
Master S, 6 yr. Discharge of yellow thick putrid, mucus from posterior nares. No headache or fever. Coryza. Loss of smell. Foul smelling discharge.

Prescription: Puls 6 four times a day for 3 days.

Reference

1. A Repertory of the most characteristic symptoms of the Materia Medica. by Dr G W M Winterburn (Page 74).
2. Boericke's Materia Medica.

Guiding symptom for prescription: Putrid yellow discharge abundant in morning. Remember Puls is also a hydrogenoid constitutional remedy.

Method adapted for selection of remedy: Repertorisation.

Case 3: Occupational Hazards
Mr M, 30 yr, Sneezing continuously in the morning on rising from bed with watery discharges and irritation in the eyes, since 6 yr. Salty saliva, thick in the morning only. Complaints aggravated by cold drinks. He is working in a chrome leather factory.

Prescription: Sulph and Dulc did not help. Kali-bich 6 twice for a fortnight relieved his complaint.
Chrome factory workers: Coryza, Indigestion. Kali-bichromicum.

Reference: "Homoeopathy for all professionals By M Fayazuddin, Kakinada.

Case 4: Haemorrhoids
Mr Rao 45, Pure vegetarian, no tobacco or alcohol habits, employed in a Nationalised bank in Madras city, married and having grownup children, suffering, since three years, from external piles, bleeding only occasionally.. He is taking homoeopathic treatment for this complaint for more than 1½ years from elsewhere. They have prescribed specific piles remedies at different intervals along with one or two biomedicines as per their custom. About 8 months back he came to me for treatment.

Patient as a Person: His nature of work is sitting in office, going out in his motorcycle (sitting). On official work he often goes on tour. Piles trouble more when constipated. Invariably, when on tour, he is constipated. In his general discussion with me about him, I understood the following: He is a Madhva Brahmin, rigidly following the religious rituals. In his leisure, he has much religious activity, and often acquaintance with religious heads. The point I noticed in his conversation is that he is very proud of his religious/spiritualistic activities and at the same time looks down on those pursuing materialistic life.

Selection Of Remedy
KR (608) Rectum, Constipation, travelling while: Alum, Nux-v, Op, Plat. (All the medicines 2 marks)
KR 608) Rectum, Constipation, sedentary habits, from: Aloe, Ambr, Bry, Lyc, Nux-v, Op, Plat, Podo, Sep, Sulph.
(Nux-v and Platina 3 marks. Op. 2 marks. Alum not available hence eliminated.)
The word sedentary means as per Oxford dictionary-

1. Sitting,(of works etc.)
2. Characterised by much sitting and little physical exercises.
3. (of a person) spending much time seated.
4. KR (620)Haemorrhoids, external : Abrot, Aesc, All-c, Aloe, Alum, Am-c, Anac, Ang, Ant-c, Apis, Apoc, Arn, Ars-i, Ars, Aur, Bar-c, Bar-m, Berb, Brom, Bry, Cact, Calc-p, Calc-s, Calc, Caps, Carb-ac, Carb-an, Carb-s, Carb-v, Caust, Coll, Coloc, Dios, Ferr-ar, Ferr-i, Ferr-p, Ferr, Fl-ac, Gran, Graph, Grat, Ham, Hep, Iod, Kali-ar, Kali-c, Kali-n, Kali-p, Kali-s, Lach, Lyc, Med, Merc, Mur-ac, Nat-m, Nit-ac, Nux-v, Paeon, Ph-ac, Phos, Phys, Plat, Podo, Puls, Rat, Rhus-t, Rumx, Sep, Sil, Sul-ac, Sulph, Ter, Thuj, Tub, Verat, Zinc

In this Opium not available, hence eliminated. Nux-v 1 mark, Plat 2 marks

KR (71) Mind, Religious affections: Nux-v 1 mark and Plat 2 marks

KR Mind, Pride (See Haughty, Mortification): (51) Haughty: Nux-v 1 mark and Plat 3 marks KR (68) Mortification, ailments after: Both Nux-v and Plat are 1 mark

The following are from "The guiding symptoms of our Materia Medica" by C Hering.

Platinum: Mind: Pride and overestimation of one's self, looking down with haughtiness on others³.

Stool And Rectum: Constipation: while travelling; frequent urging, with expulsion of only small portions, with grat straining; obstinate cases after failure of Nux-v; in sedentary subjects.

During stool: cutting pains, burning and protrusion of haemorrhoids; burning in rectum.

Prescription: Platina 30 while travelling and whenever constipated. After 4 months he came to me and reported that during this period no constipation or piles. But on that day only, he had bleeding PR during stool. Hamamelis 200 one dose. No complaints after that.