The Honeymoon Membranous Tonsillits
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2003 Jan / Feb VOL V NO 1.
Dr N L Tiwari
'Merc-cyn

Mr X, 20 years old, just married, consulted me on 3rd May 1980 for the following complaints:

1. Sore throat, with severe cutting pain in throat at night
2. Difficulty in swallowing even liquids
3. Difficulty in talking, low voice and hoarseness
4. Appetite poor. if tries to eat gets nausea.

He requested me to visit him because he was feeling profound weakness; could not sit for even five minutes. I visited the patient at 8.30 am. He had toxic look , sunken face, drooled saliva from mouth, and could not even speak clearly.

On 2^nd day of his honeymoon in Mahableshwar, he developed sore throat + sudden fever 102O F. The local doctor gave him Antibiotics and Antipyretics for five days. Fever came down to normal next day, but he left him extremely weak, unable to swallow even liquids and nausea at the sight of food. He consulted me next morning at 7 am.

O/E Afebrile, Toxic look, Pulse - 80/per minute, regular,feeble. Body cold to touch
Throat tonsil enlarged ² Thick white yellow member with blue tinge on both tonsils. Salivation increased. Offensive³ smell.

The patient felt profound weakness refusing everything: food, fruit or water. Thirst-Normal Appetite was so poor there was no desire to eat or drink.
The following remedies came to my mind:

Ars-alb, Phos, Hep-sul and Mercury.
I referred Kent Repertory = throat membrane white yellow - Pg 456.
Nat-phos3, Merc, Merc-cyn2, Sul2, Kali-bi, Lac, Lach.

It was difficult to differentiate the remedies. I put my mind to how the whole thing has evolved. The evolution was sudden fever, extreme prostration within just two days. Toxic look, coldness, salivation, throat < night³, loss of appetite < swallowing³, < speaking³.
Ars, Phos, Hep-sul. Ruled out on the basis of evolution of illness and specific characteristic tongue.

Merc-cynide was selected on the basis of early rapid extreme prostration, coldness, toxic look, thick yellow membrane, Salivation and night aggravation and specificity of the disease.
Merc-cyn 30, 6 pills in 6 teaspoon of water 2 doses 2 hrly. If 50% better give four hrly.

I was little apprehensive about treating the case at residence because it appeared to be diphtheria. I told him I will observe for 24 hrs or then he has to get hospitalized. Next morning the patient reported pain was much better: more then 50%; so much better that he could sleep at night. His voice too sounded better. He took one piece of bread and warm milk and had a desire to eat. I asked him to continue Merc-cynide 30 4 hrly and report to me in the evening.
O/E: Better in every way yellow membrane 50% better salivation less offensiveness, his coldness has gone. The whole thing got resolved in 48 hrs.

(Editor: In this case, especially when the treating physician already suspected diphtheria, a positive smear culture from the membrane, would have made the medical fraternity sit up and take notice of the results homoeopathy can give. Today, tissue diagnosis is THE yard stick for a definitive diagnosis. I think all of us Homoeopath can make investigations an integral part of our clinical practice. It will help us and our science to stand up to all scrutiny.)