Iron Hand in a Velvet Glove
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1996 Sep / Oct Vol V No 5. 
Rajesh Shah.
Cases.
` Ferr

Case 1

Mr. J.S., aged 42 years, came for consultation for his Psoriasis on 7 April 1993. He had been suffering from Psoriasis for the past 8-10 years without any remission. He had bilateral eruption on his soles, but more on his right sole. The eruptions were dry with immense itching, more at night, after midnight and during winter. They were better by cold application and during day time. He also has had homoeopathic treatment for the previous six months without any relief besides taking allopathic medicines.

He also suffered from pain in right shoulder joint since last two years which is probably related to weight lifting. He was treated by an orthopaedic surgeon for this complaint with temporary relief. Secondly he also had frequent attacks of migraine for the last 5-7 years. Headaches occurred once every 2 weeks lasting for a day or two, worse on taking ice-cold drinks, ice and mental stress.

Physical generals : - good appetite. craves sweets, sour +++, milk, tomatoes. He is worse by ice. No strong dislikes. Average thirst and perspiration. Ambithermal. Good sleep. no specific dreams.

Life space.

The patient belonged to very rich family, living in a joint family with brothers and uncles. He had three brothers and a sister and all the brothers and uncles were running a family business since long. About four or five years ago there was a tremendous financial crisis in the business and consequently they went bankrupt. They had to leave their huge palace like bungalow as all their properties were attached by the court. Since then the patient had been having a very stressful time as on the one hand their business was in ruins and there were court cases to attend to and on the other hand all the members of the family had to look out for alternate accommodation, from luxurious apartments to ordinary rooms. It was a true riches to rag story.

When asked as to how he felt about this sudden calamity in his life and business, he replied I take life as a challenge. I am quite and cool person. It does not bother me what people think of me. When I know that I am right. i Though on the outside he appeared to be cool about his business loss and social stigma, yet internally he was very much bothered about his prestige. His wife also admitted saying i His concern is about his prestige. i The patient added further i we are simple and sober in our business. We do not play malicious tricks. People know that what I say is precisely what I mean. I am a straight forward person. I am not very aggressive type but I get terribly annoyed and wild if I am contradicted; then I express my anger through speedily driving the car, screaming or throwing things.

I like to live a luxurious life. I cannot manage with less comforts or any strenuous life style. I am not the one to opt for any hardship in life. I will opt for only I class travelling,. even with the change in my financial status. I do not like a walk down even a short distance or take a bus but prefer to take a taxi.i.

I am conscientious and hard working in my business all my life. I am ambitious and obstinate. i He looks very confident and is always well dressed !.

Past history : not significant.

Family history ;.

Brothers: eczema, psoriasis Uncle :Psoriasis Father :.Eczema.

Case analysis and totality of symptoms.

Self esteem, high.
Anger, least contradiction.
Haughty.
Obstinate.
Domineering.
Fells he is right.
Recurrent headaches.
Headache, constant, lasting for 1-2 days.
Desire : sour, tomatoes.
Eruption, sloes.
Pain, shoulder, right.

Treatment :.

7-4-93 : Ferrum met 1 M ,! dose.

Follow-up.

17-4-93.
Skin eruption >+; pain shoulder : > ++.
placebo for two weeks.
21-05-93.
Skin was better but relapse of itching since 4-5 days headache : > ++; hoarseness :>+; cracking in ears Placebo.
2-6-93.
headache ; >++.
Placebo given.
31-7-93.
Skin eruption: >+++ 90 percent.
Headache : >+++ (no attacks).
He is still aggressive, says his wife.
Placebo.
4-9-93.
Skin : no eruption.
No headache.

Remarks.

The patient is in touch with us for the treatment of his family. Reported in April 1995 and in 1996 to say that he is completely free from any eruptions and headaches.

Discussion.

The mentals and generals , with consideration of the tendency to migraine headache, led to the selection of Ferrum-met for the patient.

The obstinacy and a strong of pride makes him hypersensitive to contradiction. He is otherwise a sober man. He could react violently if contradicted.

Simple, straight forward and yet domineering is the guiding characteristic of Ferrum. It is very important to consider the associated physical affinity in the patient and in the remedy. At the physical level the organism shows susceptibility to migraine headaches in response to stress along with affection of the right shoulder and the skin eruptions. The longer lasting headache itself is a strong indication suggesting the remedy. Right shoulder affinity in Ferrum is well-known.

This case is one of those rare cases where a single dose of the remedy produced such a lasting remission in a deep seated disease. It has been my observation in several cases that the metal remedies (Ferrum, Cuprum, Selenium,Alumina) in particular, if anyone of them constitutes the similimum in a a case and if administered in the correct potency, produces an unusually lasting response, calling for much less frequent repetition, particularly in the dermatological conditions. The repetition schedule differs in other conditions as shown in the following case.

Case 2

Mr. H. R. a 24 year old male, consulted me on 14th April 1993, with the chief complaint of recurrent upper respiratory tract affections since he was 6 years old. This trouble has become of grave concern to him since it is getting much more pronounced in the last five years. He gets the attacks once every week lasting for about four days.

The attack of cold begins with multiple, spasmodic sneezings, which is more in the morning hours after waking up. Sneezing is aggravated by exposure to dust change of climates, in monsoon as well as in summer. Bouts of sneezing makes his nose and throat sore and painful. Mere touching of the nose causes sneezing a times. On sneezing he gets perspiration on his face.

During the severe attacks he gets heaviness of the head, blocking of ears, watering of eyes and a little mucoid phlegm. there is no cough. He complains of tired feeling with desire to lie down.

Other details :.

His appetite is good. No specific likes or dislikes. Moderately increased thirst. Sweat on forehead +++., face +++, hands; on exertion; offensive. Ambithermal. Normal bowels and micturition. Sleeps on the left side, sound sleep; no significance dreams.

Mentals: Father, an electrical mechanic; 2 brothers. He did his diploma in industrial electronics, doing a job in a leading company.

During the interview he looked quite confident, bright, sincere and pleasant. He was sitting erect in the chair. .He is most attached to his parents and is mixing and social.

He says, he cannot tolerate anything wrong. He get excited and may either shout or just smile or divert his mind.

He has anxiety about financial matters and about the work in the office. He is sincere in his work. He says work with full concentration, irrespective of the natural work, even if it is a sweeping job.

Self-confident. He very often gets into arguments. Especially when I have enough evidence.

He is very ambitious and extremely hard working.

He got increment in the salary three times in one year, which was an exception in the 50 years history of the company.

He says, he likes to accept challenges.

Past History : Not significant.

Family History : G M : Bronchial Asthma, Rec. URTI F : Rec.URTI.

Case Analysis and Totality :.

Self-willed.
Earnest, sober.
Argumentative.
Allergies.

Treatment.

Date Symptoms Treatment.

14-4-93 Ferr met 200 1. 
21-4-93 Better, no cold, sneezing better. Ear block.
>, mild roughness in the throat.:Placebo.
5-5-93 Better, sore throat with congestive headache.
sneezing better :Ferrum met.
20-5-93 Recurrent URTI > 70 percent. Mild congestive headache.
continues. Sore throat daily since a week: Placebo.
4-6-93 Better :Ferr met 200 I.:
29-6-93 Almost symptoms free sneezing, once a week :Placebo.
10-7-93 Relapse of cold-congestion :Ferrum met IM I.
7-8-93 Cold, coryza-better. Some ill defined skin eruption since a week: Placebo.
27-9-93 70-80 percent better: Placebo.
15-10-93 Acute cold, cough, sinusitis since 10 days. Difficult and sticky expectoration. Headache: Kali bi 200/2 wks. 
1-11-94 Occasional cough mucus in throat. Skin,sensitive to certain chemicals :Ferrum CM I. 
8-12-94 Much better Placebo.
6-4-94 Much better except for frequent sneezing. every morning since 20 days and bouts of cough Ferrum CM I. 
27-4-94 No change in subacute cold and cough Thuja 1 M.
13-5-94 Cough and cold > suggested to report after
6 months. No medicine suggested.
Jan95 He kept alright except for some episodes of.
cough, which subsided without medicine No medicine

Comments and discussion :.

Ferrum metallicum was selected in the case based on the totality shown above. I always wondered why has the role of such a common metal remained less recognised in this era when are all surrounded by iron. So much so that almost every by receives a dose of iron before the birth.

It is interesting to view the full length of the follow up with Ferrum. The unusually lasting response generated by a single dose o Ferrum in the case-1 should thoughtfully be compared with the repeated stimuli required in increasing potency in the case-II. It all depends on the individual susceptibility,the organ involvement and the miasmatic back-ground. Dermatological disorders call for much less and cautious repetition, May it be eczematous dermatitis psoriasis or chronic urticarial rash. The respiratory affections lower and upper,of atopic origin with strong sycotic back ground demand relatively frequent repetition as seen in the second case. Such cases often required the assistance of as so called miasmatic remedy, to supplement. enhance or complete the cure.

Dr. Rajesh Shah is involved in the homoeopathic education and research since last 15 years.