The Fanatic Husband
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1993 May / Jun Vol II No 3. 
Dr Vishpala Parthasarathy.
` Lach

[Hypothesis: The case we are about to discuss, very clearly pointed to one remedy which clearly helped her. But there were two important characteristic of the remedy, which were conspicuous by their absence. Strangely these characteristic were strongly found in the patients close family the husband and the sister.

Can this be of any real value ? Could some traits get somehow transposed to the family and thus get a whole?

This is just a single instance of the hypothesis. May be if we look, we would find it in other cases too. I request readers to think, see and communicate to us. Please bear in mind :

1. This is just a hypothesis. Not a verified clinical truth.
2. This in no way distracts from the case which stands on its own merit.-- EDITOR.]

A female patient, Mrs. E P, aged 35, a divorcee came in March 1991. She related the following story - She was the second of three children. She had a 37 years old elder brother who was an executive, and a younger sister who was a secretary and was 33 years old. Her father was in the army with frequent transfers and as a result she had few close friends. Fortunately, she compensated by being very brilliant, excelling in everything she took up. She did double MA and then PhD in organizational Behaviour.

Her father gradually became an alcoholic. He was also possessive and demanding. He had claustrophobia. Eventually in 1978, he had to be hospitalised, treated and rehabilitated. Her mother was very charming, spontaneous and also a singer, but was quite timid.

While in college, the patient fell in love with a handsome young Iraqi boy. Her parents were not particularly happy but eventually accepted. They got married in 1978 and were living happily in Iraq. Her husband encouraged her to study. In 1981 they had a son. Soon war broke out and since the husband did not want to be drafted in the army, they came back to Bombay and stayed with the patients family. The patient started looking after the family and also started her PhD. Her husband meanwhile got involved with a religious fanatic sect, which believed in "God will provide. Do only Gods work. Job and studies not allowed, as this is the devils work". He left his job. She bore it. Then he told her to stop working and also stop her PhD. She, however, put her foot down. The pestering continued, as unless the family was also involved, he could not become a priest. He became a shadow of his previous self-violent and abusive. Divorce was thus the only solution. This was in 1984.

She started her own training programmes. This triggered and intensified the squabble with her sister. Her sister was very beautiful (her only strong point) and she was very jealous of the patient's achievement. Knowing this, the patient had, right from childhood, kept a low profile, especially in dressing, cooking, flower arrangement, singing- to avoid competition. So friction was kept to a minimum. She even got sympathy during the divorce.

But now with working and establishing herself, she had to dress well, go out - a step into her sister's domain. Jealousy reared its head again. Things became bad at home. As she had to stay in her parents home, she had no choice but to put her son in a boarding school. When her son came for holidays, her sister would create trouble - saying there was no space for his trunks and so on. This was the major tension area, when the patient walked into my clinic in May 1991. By 1992 this got sorted out. Her sister married the "Boss" and became the "Memsahib" with a chauffeur driven car, luxurious house" the typical life of the brown "Sahib".

Her Physical complaints :

1. Menopausal : A F Hysterectomy in 1989, with bloating, flushing, sweats, pain in left abdomen and knee, acne and occasional bleeding.
2. Frequent laryngitis with fever for about two days per week, with pain and hoarseness, worse at night and worse by swallowing.
3. Backache twice a week after hysterectomy.

Physical Generals:
Height - Short, 5 feet 2 inches. 
Weight - 52 Kgs.
Perspiration - P / H profuse, stains.
Appetite - good. Flatulence.
Craving - cold (3+), Salt (3+), Sour (3+), spices.
Sun aggravates, causes fainting. 
Menses - Splitting headache for three days before menses and is better by appearance of menses. Stains yellow.
Mentals : Very intense(3+), strong willed, perfectionist, takes time to make friends, broods, weeps alone. Has few but close friends. Worries about the future but not panicky. Takes time to decide, weighs pros and cons. Sleeps 11-6 am
Dreams - business.

The Remedy was clearly: Lachesis

1. Left sided
2. Worse before menses
3. Better by menstrual flow.
4. Aggravation at menopause.
5. Menses stains.
6. Ecchymosis
7. Sun aggravates.
8. Throat worse at night and sleep.
9. Strong willed, outgoing when necessary.

The strong mental traits - Jealousy and Religious fanatism were found in her immediate family. Could there be any connection ? Do we draw to us, our kind? Just as a miserable person attracts misery... as an extension... can hidden traits be attracted in family? Can Lachesis attract jealousy or fanaticism?

Follow -up: Patient clearly did well with Lachesis 30, 200 till 1M then Lachesis 0 / 3 too.
The interesting part and relevant to this liver issue, is that on 30^th October 1992 she developed jaundice. Unfortunately I was out of town. She was given Hepar sulph 200 and Ars alb 200 for fever before the jaundice was diagnosed. Later Phos200 was  given.
When I came back she had lost 6kgs. Her SGPT was 2570, SGOT 1170, Liver was 2 finger palpable and patient was icteric. I was understandably panicky and so I gave her Nat-phos 6X, Card-mar Q 5 drops and Chelidonium 30, all tds.
She rapidly improved. Itching started. Carduus was stopped by 10^th November. SGOT was down. Developed a low backache, left leg pain in the evening, flushes of heat and weeping was present. Pulsatilla 200 helped her a little. The remedy was clearly Lachesis and so on 17th Nov Lachesis 0 / 3 one dose: gave intense aggravation for a day and was ameliorated gradually. The itching decreased, the yellowness was fading, the pain started decreasing and the old complaints of abdominal pain and throat pain reappeared, which in a few days settled under Lach0 / 3.

Probably Lachesis itself could have been given in jaundice and could have brought faster relief?
This case has been mainly given for the hypothetical merit and request readers would write their experiences.
[The woman hurried home from her doctors appointment, devastated by the medical report she had just received. When her husband came from work she told him, "Darling the doctor said I have only 12 more hours to live. So Ive decided we should go to bed and make passionate love through the night. How does that sound dearest?"
"Hay that's fine for you," replied husband. "You dont have to get up in the morning!".]