A Road-side Romeo
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1996 Jul / Aug Vol V No 4.
Meena Mankani.
Cases.
` Calad.

A 32 years old husband of a 30 year old patient of mine came to me on 5th April 1995. She said that he was gradually getting impotent. They had been married for the past 10 years but had no issues as yet owing to the deficient function of her ovaries, and now here was a new problem. His sperm count on 21st of May 1995 was 2.3 million per ml (Normal range: 23-375 million per ml) with the total number of active sperms amounting to 1.2 millions. His complaints were progressively failing erection and premature ejaculations.

But she said, "Doctor, I dont know whether I can bring him to you because he can never behave decently with any woman. He is no less than a typical roadside romeo, though a bit sophisticated. It is very easy for him to get shamelessly informal and physical with every female that he comes across, with all sensible caution and accepted social norms thrown to dogs.".

He was a highly educated businessman, on MBA and also had advanced training in many related matters in UK and USA. He owned a grand and reputed showroom of sarees and dress materials in the heart of Mumbai city. He was intelligent and efficient in his business. However, as far as his interaction with the fairer sex was concerned, he always ended up making a fool of himself, much to his own despair and frustration.

His wife lamented disgustedly," His business being such, he has to deal with all kinds of women day in and day out. And that is what he enjoys the most. Every woman, no matter how she looks, get fixed greedy gazes from him, much to the embarrassment of every one around. Moreover, he addresses all his female customers only as "My dear" and "Darling". There are a few who get absolutely smitten by his charms, but there are many others who get extremely offended by his lustful glares, shameless address, and openly insult him in front of his whole staff much to his embarrassment. But inspite of realizing his weakness he finds it very difficult to overcome it. And every now and then he falls into the vicious cycle of staring and talking foolishly and getting insulted therefrom.".

I still insisted that she get the patient to see me.He came with his wife and greeted me, "Hi Meena dear! How are you?" He was extremely loquacious and spoke mainly about the colourful fabrics that he enjoys draping over the lovely female figures and about his various girlfriends. To him, no woman seemed less than an Apsara.

In the end, as they were leaving, he suddenly turned towards me and said, "Why are you breaking your head on these useless books all the time? You must also see night life. You must come out with me for a disco. I tell you, it would be great."

Family history:

1. Mother aged 55, has leucoderma and diabetes.
2. Father aged 60, has hypertension and diabetes.
3. Brother aged 30, has acidity.

Past history:

1. Acne during teenage.
2. Circumcision done at 5 years.
3. Typhoid and jaundice at the age of 13 and 17 respectively.

Physical generals and particulars:

Appetite--Good. Can tolerate hunger.
Thirst--4-5 glasses / day. Liked cold water.
Cravings--Chicken (3), sweets (2) and prawns (2).
Aversions--None
Urine / Stools--NAD
Sweat--Scanty- on forehead, chest and axilla.
Sleep--Position particularly on left side. Salivation ++ and snoring ++ during sleep.
Hot--Must have his air-conditioner on all year round.
Bath--Lukewarm water.
Dreams--bizarre, sex, anything.

My understanding of the case: In this case the intellectual performance and other functions of the patient were intact. The area mainly affected in him was the axis of the generative sphere; thereby grossly disrupting even the healthy sensual functioning necessary for the final sexual act.

Moreover, his realisation of this disturbance and despair over his inability to overcome it, suggests the intensity of it. Further, this focal disturbance is described in the most characteristically specific way by his wife. She identifies him to a Roadside Romeo and in this one phrase is contained the essence of the whole case. Always be on the lookout for these descriptive phrases given by relatives. These are often the crux of the case and lead to the simillimum when translated in the repertorial language.

A Roadside Romeo is one who stand idly on the streets, shamelessly looking lustfully at all the female figures passing by and also making obscene remarks. For this typical behaviour, the most appropriate rubric would be:.

1. Phataks repertory page 207--Lascivious, Ogling women on the street. If we were to correlate this to our patient, he is doing exactly in his "shop" what such typical romeos do on the roads.
   Secondly, such a behaviour in itself demands a lot of unhealthy boldness, which was very classically encountered when he very overtly invited me out with him in our very first meeting right in front of his wife.
2. Synthetic Repertory page 21--Audacity--And the only remedy that we get throughout this study is Caladium-seguinum. This whole case is beautifully explained in just one sentence by Dr Phatak in his Materia Medica on Caladium-seguinum. It reads, Lascivious, ogles women on the street; but impotent." Herein lies the crux of the whole case.
   
   Mentioned in this remedy is the trait of impudence as seen in the patient as Foolish boldness. It is a kind of boldness wherein there is no consideration for sensible social behaviour and moral conduct; and hence foolish.
   
   So we further take the rubrics:.
3. Synthesis pg 125--Indiscretion.
4. Synthesis pg 112--Frivolous.
5. Synthesis pg 140--Loquacity.
6. Synthesis pg 137--Lascivious, lustful, impotence with.
7. Phataks repertory pg 305--Sexual Desire, Increased, Physical Weakness, with.

He was given one dose of Caladium-seguinum 10M on 30th of April 1995 followed by placebo. Gradually, to the patients own amazement, every woman stopped looking like an Apsara. And although still quite fascinated by their feminine charms, he manages to save himself from the embarrassment of repeated insults.

The sperm count repeated on the 7th of September 1995 and 37 Million per ml. The remedy was repeated in the same potency on and off whenever required. Last he received one dose of it in 50M potency on 21st of February 1996. His wife conceived in May 1996 and is now looking forward to a happy motherhood with, perhaps, a loving husband by her side.