I Dream of the Dead
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1997 Mar / Apr VOL VI NO 2.
Dr [Mrs] Sunita S Tripathi
'Mag-sul / Mag-sul / Mag-sul

I would like to present the living Materia Medica image of Mag-sulph that I have used in a few cases, on the basis of it being a hot Magnesium and having the characteristic dreams. 

Case 1
22yrs Mrs HMD, married housewife, came to me with a hypopigmented patch on Rt thigh, extending to groin and abdomen. There was itching and burning. No oozing or bleeding. Itching < garlic, sour, spicy. The hypopigmented patch has been since childhood and she presumed it was due to applying some ointment. 

Physical Generals
Perspiration : Not much
Thermal : Hot. Likes winter, fan always, cold bath, does not wear woolens.
Appetite : Good
Craving : Sour++, spicy
Bowels : Occasionally unsatisfactory
Bladder : No complaints
Menses : Regular 6-7/28, smell++, stains+, blackish or greenish, difficult to wash. 

Obstetric History : 1- FTND 2 yrs male, had morning sickness for 5 months
Sleep : Good
Dreams : Death of relatives +++
Family History : PGF - Hypertension, PGM - Cancer, Father - Allergic Rhinitis
Nature : Patient comes from a small middle class family of self, husband and 2 yr old son. The only positive Mentals she gave if wrongly accused I feel very bad, but not being able to answer back, i feel tensed up.

On Examination : Weight 42 kg, lean, thin lady
Rt thigh hypopigmented patch extending to groin and abdomen. Temperature and pain sensations - present.
RS: N
CVS: N BP: 110/60 mm of Hg.

Totality
1. Dreams of death of relatives SR Pg 278
2. Hot
3. Menses stains, indelible BB pg. 678
4. Craving sour, spicy

1. Alumn, Aran, Calc-f, Cast, Chin, Flc, Grat, Levo, Mag-s, Mur-acnicc, Pacon, Plan, Plat
2. Hot: Alumn, Calc-f, Fl-ac, Mag-s, Plat
3. Croc, Mag-c, Med, Sil 

Staining discharge is a characteristic of Magnesium. The patient is hot, and the dream++, Cr. Spicy was covered by Mag-sulph I started the treatment as under
5/8/95 Mag-sulph 30 [7] HS
30/8/95 Patient was not better, Mag-sulph 200 [1] HS;
Placebo TDS * 7 days
6/9/95 1] Skin discolouration > 25% Mag-sulph 200 [2] HS with Placebo tds *7 days
2] Itching > 25%
13/9/95 Brown sports on hypopigmented Patch but itching > 25% only
Mag-sulph 200 [7] HS
21/9/95 Patch same, itching > 50% placebo * 15 days
16/6/96 Patient came after 7-8 months, the patch was covered with pigmentation.


All over itching was > 3.But there were complaints of leucorrhoea, allergic dermatitis, on nape of neck after wearing gold chain.
Again Mag-sulph 200 daily HS was given for 7 days. Later the patient reported infrequently SOS for acute problems if any. Leucorrhoea and allergic dermatitis was also better after Mag-sulph 200 [7] HS.... More indications for Mag-sulph.
1] Suppression of itch, in childhood
Skin - suppressed itch
Boericke Pg no 419

2] Suppression Of Emotion
She was sensitive 3 to accusations, but was not able to express her displeasure. This suppression is also characteristic of Magnesium.

Case 2
Mrs P A, 55 yrs. Married, housewife

Complaints

Past History : Typhoid and Hepatitis
Family History : Father died due to loose motion, vomiting
O/E Weight : 51 kg, Tongue indented RS: Normal CVS Normal, BP: 110/70 

Physical Generals
Perspiration : Whole body+, no smell, no stain
Thermal : Hot, likes winter, fan full in summer, covering
1 blanket in winter, cold water bath throughout, feels more hot.
Craving : Sour++, vegetable++
Aversion : Onion++
Bowels : constipation, motions hard, passes once in 2-3 days, has to take laxatives.
MENOPAUSE : 7 yrs, no < then
OBSTETRIC HISTORY : 3 FTND, male, no < pregnancy. 

Life Situation : Family consists of husband, 3 sons, 1 daughter in law, 2 granddaughters. Husband does not care for patient's sentiments, scolds her in front of everyone. Patient keeps quite, never retaliates or expresses her dissatisfaction. D-I-L is working, a self willed woman, does not care much for patient. Here too patient keeps quiet, does not argue. Keeps her dissatisfaction to herself. When patient was newly married, husband was not financially comfortable. They were dependent on FIL. Who was an arrogant person and used to remind them of his importance. He would insult the patient off and on, but patient never retaliated and used to suppress her emotion.
Sleep : Good but disturbed, if someone is sick at home ie her son or husband.
Dreams : Of dead relatives, that is FIL and Father.
Most striking was the way patient dealt with all her relations. She withdrew and suppressed her emotions. This was reflected at the level of her dreams. That is dead FIL. Still hurts and perhaps she seeks support from dead father in her dreams.
This tendency to withdraw and suppression of emotions, made me think of Magnesium. Since she was hot, I thought of Mag-mur and Mag-sulph and since the specific dreams of dead relatives, was covered by Mag-sulph, I started the patient on,
27-9-95 Mag-sulph 30 daily HS [7]
10-10-95 Better 25% only Mag-sulph 200 [1] dose.
And gradually to Mag-sulph 200 daily HS.
Patient continued treatment for a couple of months and last reported follow-up was that she was 75% better in all respects, that is joints, R S, motions, apthous and other functional complaints including sleep. 

Case 3
Mrs S B S aged 55 yrs, a very close family friend, approached me for Diabetes Mellitus. Her Diabetes was detected in 1980. She was on 30 units morning and 20 units HS of insulin. Still her Blood Sugar level was remaining 240 since last 2 yrs. Patient was also on Ayurvedic medicines, specific for D M including powder of jambul seeds, Sygium- jambolicum, methi powder etc. Patient was very active and meticulous about her diet.
It was observed that whenever her Blood Sugar increased she suffered from:
Backache, headache, appetite, urine yellow and offensive [not much in volume] and tearing pain in left leg.
NECK: Since 2-3 yrs, cervical spondylosis at C-C5 level.

Physical General Perspiration : Not much
Thermal : Hot, likes winter, 1 sheet in winter, otherwise no covering
Wool : Not required, cold water bath throughout
Fan : Full in summer, and slow in winter
APPETITE : Craving sweets++, now controlled
Bowel : Chronic constipation
Sleep : Good, disturbed if thoughts++
Dreams : ++ of death of relatives and husband [husband expired 4 yrs back due to heart attack]
Menses : Hysterectomy done at the age of 29 yrs, due to menorrhagia till then H/O normal menses.
Obstetric History : 4 FTND = all males, < during pregnancy nausea++. After last delivery sciatic pain in Lt leg. 

Past History
1. Renal Calculus 1987 - hospitalized and passed the stones without surgery
2. Typhoid 1985
3. UTI 

Life Situation : Patient is a widow with 4 well educated and well settled sons. She is staying with the youngest son and his family, all others staying separately. Cordial and amicable relations amongst all, with mutual understanding and no disputes. Other relatives, 2 BIL and 2 SIL, try to create misunderstanding within the family because of their jealousy at the family's progress. Even though they are unsuccessful, this disturbs the patient and leads to thoughts ++ and loss of sleep but, as usual, she never expresses her disapproval, instead keeps grumbling afterwards.
As mentioned earlier, she used to take husband's unjustified anger without even a whimper. She does not reveal her pains, emotional or physical, to others. Anger is felt internally, but never expressed, and disturbs her sleep. Same pattern existed in all her relationships, both in family and in society. 

I was, in two minds whether she is Natrum or Magnesium. But I ruled out Natrum, because Natrum though suppresses emotions and weeps alone, does not tolerate domination [husband in this case]. And even if situation forces there will be instances, when Natrum will give back. This lady has tolerated and suffered throughout her life and ultimately broken down. Patient was hot and had dreams of dead husband and relatives so I settled for Mag-sulph 30 TDS. Since inspite of previous medication BSL was not under control, I did not disturb her previous schedule of Allopathic and Ayurvedic treatment. 

Physical Examination
BP: 130/80
RS: Normal CVS: Normal
SKIN: Her heel cracks++ < winter
MM: Normal
Random BSL before treatment was 310 on 27/11/96
Patient was put on Mag-sulph 30 TDS 15 days
Report on 20-10-96 Random BSL 156
MOTIONS: > ++joint pains >++ sleep > 50%
Mag-sulph has certainly helped in reducing the BSL. As all other parameters were kept constant, Mag-sulph 30 was introduced in her treatment regime. This case has taught me that to start with Homoeopathic medicine, it is not always necessary to stop previous medication. If our medicine is rightly indicated, it has to and will act inspite of any other treatment going on, because it acts at a different plane that is dynamic plane whereas the other medicine act on the physiological plane.
Before starting the treatment, patients son had requested not to stop any of the previous medicines. His request was granted and he is happy with the result. 

Conclusion : The common thread which I found in the above cases were:
1] dreams of dead or death of relatives
2] suppression of emotion and withdrawal tendency
3] thermal state: hot which helped me to decide on Magnesia ie Mag-sulph.