Old Wine In A New Bottle.
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1993 May / Jun Vol II No 3. 
Ranga Krishnan.
` Ambr.

I want to share with you some cases and the joy of discovering a common remedial thread running through them, indicating an old remedy in a new light. That thrill of reconfirmation of the philosophy and the science of homoeopathy for the umpteenth time, still fascinates.

Case 1 :
Mrs. J M, aged 30, a mother of 2 kids, 12 and 6 years, came with constipation and bleeding fissures; hemorrhage and pain in rectum, worse during stool and travelling. All this had started since her first pregnancy.

Although living in an extremely orthodox joint family, in a small town in the south, she was determined to finish her BA. She was married at the age of 17, was very tense and unable to take a decision, whenever her husband was out of town. Cervical spondylitis since 4 years. Pain in the right side, radiating to the breast; unable to raise hand freely. Extremities cold with clammy sweat, love to wear heavy silk sarees with large gold borders. Inexplicable minor tremors always present all over.

A single dose turned this shy, puny housewife around within six months. She gained some weight, hardly constipated, no bleeding or trembling. She even passed her BA examinations.

Case 2 :
PP, a boy aged 15, 5 feet 4 inches in height, the only child of middle class parents, came with painful cracks in the heels, and cracked toe nails. He also had frequent attacks of colds. Ever since he had come to Madras 2 years ago, he had not been faring well at school. He had headaches regularly. He was very scared of his father. Loved ice cold water, cold baths, action films and hot spicy food. Sweats (2+). Constipated. Very dry and rough skin of the legs.

In the new school, the teacher rebuked him in front of the whole class; subsequently he was very scared of teachers. The skin problem began a little after that. He is very shy, easily frightened, very careful about answering questions and never cries in the presence of his parents. Headache comes on whenever sad, especially on getting low marks. Tense before exams even though well prepared. According to his mother, the patient does not mix with strangers and has only one friend whom he visits often. He is allergic to sulpha drugs. Since 6 months, he has occasional trembling all over the body which lasts a few seconds. Never goeson a giant wheels or merry-go rounds and hardly smiles. Maternal grandfather had diabetes.

Treatment and Follow -up:
The remedy, one dose, was given in 10 M potency.
16^th March 92 : Did well in exams, constipation better, cracks in heel better, no pain. Trembling still present but feels mentally more confident. SL given.
21^st May 1992 : Cracks returned. Skin also thick in heel area. 
Pain returned. 10 M, second dose.
12^th June 92 : Patient relaxed and smiling. Goes to school confidently. Cracks better. No constipation. Given SL.
8^th July 92 : Very anxious about fathers transfer due in a couple of months. Dandruff present. Nails still cracked, skin still rough and dry. Skin around the knee and lower leg becomes blue when apprehensive. Body gives a foul odour.
A/f Anticipation (SR Vol I Pg 15). Arg-nit 1 M -one dose.
23^rd July 92 : makes more friends now. Not so scared of teachers. Cracks of the left foot better while that of the right foot still present. Given SL.
28^th July 92 : cracks came but went by itself. Nails dry and yellow with white areas around the toes. Cheerful and relaxed. Given Sulphur to complete the healing.
5^th Oct 92: Mother reported that the patient was happy at his fathers transfer and has joined a new school. No more constipation or cracked nails.

Case 3 : 18th Jan 1993
Mrs M N, a 19 year old daughter of well to do parents, was married last year. She had a H/O wheezing. Very mild wheezing since she was a child, which stopped suddenly when she was 14 years of age. Now, since 3 months, the wheezing has returned. It is worse in damp cold, < oranges, <dust, <cold drinks, during menses and in the house of her inlaws. During an attack of wheezing she has no appetite. It starts with a blocked nose progressing to throat pain, dry cough and then wheeze. She has no headache, however. Her sleep is normal. She does not like pets and is afraid of dogs. Likes hot food, hot bath and ice-cream which are well tolerated.

Last year she passed a lot of long worms in her stools. She usually likes winter but it doesnt suit her. Menarche at 12. Menses 7 / 32, flow normal, wheezing all seven days with pain in abdomen. She has a maternal history of rheumatism and gout.

Her husband is studying in the US. So presently she stays with her parents and attends a nearby city college. She plays the Veena (a musical instrument). According to her cousin, the patient was intelligent and married a boy not as intelligent, but from a rich family. Since then she became an introvert.

Treatment and Follow -up:
The remedy was prescribed in 1 M potency, one dose.
27^th Jan 93 : Menses lasted for only 4 days. No wheezing. Bland watery discharge from nose worse early morning. Feels better overall. Prescribed SL.
11^th Feb 92 : Menses after 16 days. Flow lasted for 2 days without any pain, discomfort or wheezing. Early morning sneezing present with a dry nose. O/E Nose, throat, chest clear. Kunzli Pg 294 Nose, sneezing with dry nose. Remedy still working. No medicine was prescribed.
13^th May 93 : Her cousin reported that the patient was preparing for her exams and had no episode of wheezing, cough or cold. She was fine.

Case 4:
Master PK, a 13 year old son of a middle class family, obese and very intelligent, has won gold medals consistently for ranking first since he was in his I class. He has won a number of prizes in Science and Mathematics at the national level. He likes to play cricket and chess. Gets easily injured with hairline fractures. He is very shy and never looks at the listeners eyes while speaking. Wants to be computer engineer. Sweats profusely mainly on the head and upper body. Likes hot bath and cold drinks.

Conscious of being teased about his excess weight. He has recently become fussy about his food. Regular occipital headaches. Very tense before the exams inspite of preparing well. All teachers like him yet he is afraid of them. Very close to mother. While casetaking he sat bent forward and let his mother do all the answering. Various remedies like Calc-c, Sil, Tub, Sulph, Arg-n were tried without any results. All the remedies would give temporary relief. The shyness and nervousness continued.

The remedy was given in 10 M potency.
The patient grew taller and also lost weight. He started enjoying games. He now sits straight and answers the questions by himself.
Conclusion:
The common thread-

1. Well Dressed
   Women trifle overdressed. Compensatory mechanism for being timid and bashful.
2. Timid, Bashful, Shy, Blush Easily
3. Very Intelligent and Hard Working
4. Anxiety, Fear, Terrified of strangers, crowds
5. Frightened of Authority (spouse, parent, teacher)
   Feels unable to meet expectation of person in authority.
6. Ailments from overwhelming new environment
7. Sadness
   (Is unable to overcome the situation inspite of being intelligent enough to see it.)
8. Mild anger
   Dare not express it due to fear
9. Rectum
   Hemorrhoids, constipation
10. Fissures of connective tissues
    Skin, gums, heels, anus, hairline fractures

I am sure that by now you have guessed the remedy which has been proved by Dr. Hahnemann and is present in the Materia Medica Pura Vol.I

Yes, the remedy is Ambra-Grisea.

DD - Arg-nit. Inspite of the fears Arg-nit faces the situation while Ambra does not even venture. Baryta-carb. Not so intelligent and seat of problem is throat and growth.

Ambra Grisea has helped me whenever a patient has come with problems, directly related to maladaption to a very pushy, new environment, being very timid, gentle and shy, be it the new bride entering the joint family or the kid joining a new school or somebody joining a new profession. Is it not one of the wonders of nature that a product of the largest creature present on Earth the Whale, should favour ones so intensely shy?

Sometimes I wonder, if according to Herrings law, one can recognise the Ambra state becoming less prominent when in reply to the question on how he or she enjoyed the party, the patient says that he had a WHALE OF A TIME.....!.