A Curare Case
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1993 Nov / Dec Vol II NO 6. 
Dr Venkatachalam. 
` Cur

Curare is an arrow poison used by South American Indians. It produces muscular paralysis without affecting either muscle substance or the nerve substance and without impairing sensation and consciousness. The motor nerve endings are paralysed by Curare.

Case:
A lady, Mrs. D aged 47 years, consulted me for wrist drop of left hand. She narrated that soon after she took an intra muscular injection of B12 for her anaemic condition from her family doctor, she fainted and was given first aid to regain consciousness. Then she felt her wrist drop and was unable to lift her left hand. Fingers were folded inward and was unable to extend them. She tried physiotherapy, Ayurvedic treatment and consulted a Surgeon who suggested an operation for her ailment but she opted for homoeopathy.

Patient lean, very active, used to play Veena. After the episode she found her skin over the left hand very rough with burning pain from the upper hand to right thumb terminus. O/E two ash coloured warts on the dorsum of the left hand.

Treatment:
09-1-90; Hypericum 6 tds for 3 days followed by placebos.
12-1-90; Patient experienced pain in affected part. No other improvement.
15-1-90; Hypericum 1M O D for 2 days
19-1-90; Patient felt warmth over the left hand.
22-1-90; Ruta 30 bd for 3 days.
06-2-90; Thuja 1M 1 dose
06-3-90; Patient had an attack of severe cold, cough and phlegm with throat irritation and spitting of blood in February and took to allopathic treatment. Since it did not help much, she came to me.
Rhus tox 200 tds for 3 days followed by Tuberculinum 1M, Phosphorus 1M and placebos, on subsequent days. Only general condition improved but wrist drop and connected ailments remained the same.
30-4-90 Curare 200 1 dose was given followed by placebo for 2 weeks and improvement started. Patient could now extend the fingers. Curare weekly doses were given with placebos. Gradually the patient started lifting the hand. Wrist drop improved.
22-6-90 Now the patient was able to play the Veena, do the household work without difficulty. But the warts remained the same.

References:

1. "Arms weak, heavy, cannot lift fingers weakness of hands and fingers in pianists - W. Boerickes - Homoeopathic Materia Medica P 24
2. Clarkes dictionary of HMM.
3. A R Majumdar: Pharmacology and Modern Therapeutic Guide.

Editor: There is no doubt that Curare helped and all other remedies were useless. However, it is imperative that case reports reflect the thought processes of the physicians.