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| Hpathy Ezine - August, 2006 | ||||
| Homoeopathy in Terminal Conditions and Apparently Incurable Diseases: Is it sufficient? -- Stuart Close, MD |
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Case No. 2. Collapse after operation. A man, 66 years of age, naval constructor, had suffered several years from what had been diagnosed and treated by a homoeopathic physician as cystitis with enlarged prostate. He came under my care during an acute exacerbation of his trouble, brought on by taking cold from getting wet. He was much weakened by his long chronic illness, and was in a grave condition when I first saw him. Urine could only be voided by catheterization. Urinary analysis and microscopical examination of the urinary sediment, taken in connection with the symptoms, suggested the existence of a vesical calculus. This was confirmed by the sound, as soon as the acute symptoms had subsided sufficiently under treatment, to permit its use. Rectal exploration did not reveal any extensive enlargement of the prostate. Operation was advised and accepted, and patient was removed to the hospital as soon as he was deemed strong enough. The supra-pubic operation was performed by Dr. John Hubley Schall and myself. A large, rather friable stone, of phosphatic composition, was found, partly embedded in the tissue surrounding the neck of the bladder, which was greatly thickened and indurated. Several small papillomatous growths were also found in the bladder. The stone, and the largest of the growths near the neck of the bladder were removed. The patient bore the operation well, and everything went well until the third day after the operation when the secretion of urine suddenly ceased, paresis of the intestines came on, the abdomen rapidly inflated, and the patient went into collapse. While awaiting for my arrival the nurse, on her own responsibility, administered a copious hot saline enema and applied heat to the extremities. I found him in extremis; deathlike pallor and expression, pulseless, extremities cold, abdomen enormously distended and tympanitic, almost unconscious. I was unable to account for the sudden collapse, and there was nothing in the symptoms absolutely characteristic of any one remedy. The ordinary collapse remedies, Camphor, Arsenic, Veratrum, and Carbo veg. ran through my mind, but I was unable to decide which, if any, was needed. I dared not make a random selection. A mistake would be fatal. I vainly questioned the nurse for more symptoms, until I bethought me of asking her, "What had the enema brought away from the bowels?" Her answer was illuminating. "The water, with a lot of ragged shreds and strings of white mucous." That completed the picture. Persons poisoned by Colchicum have
presented identical symptoms. Colchicum 200C, in solution, every
five minutes, brought about a reaction in about fifteen minutes;
circulation was restored, flatus passed freely, consciousness returned,
urine began to flow again, and the patient made a rapid and perfect
recovery. I was glad that the nurse had given that enema, and noted
what came away. Case No. 3. Diabetes with gangrene of the right foot and leg.
In November, 1911, I was called to take charge of Captain -, married,
age 49, master of a ship plying between New York and the tropics. The present attack began during a return voyage to New York about two weeks before, as an infection of the left great toe, from cutting the nail too deeply. After three or four days the toe became inflamed, and the septic inflammation rapidly extended up the foot and leg to the knee. It presented the appearance of a malignant vesicular and phlegmonous erysipelas. The foot and leg were swollen, the leg bluish, and the toes and about half the foot nearly black. Gangrene was evidently in progress, and rapidly spreading from the toes upward. His whole body and face were covered with an itching red tropical rash, with a vesicular eruption on the nose. The first examination of the urine showed a specific gravity of 1033, sugar 1.44%, albumen, and granular and hyaline casts, indicating the existence also of a chronic nephritis. Later the sugar content rose as high as 3.40%, fluctuating for some time between these two extremes. Withal, the Captain did not feel seriously ill, his courage and strength were good, and his spirit cheerful, in spite of the fact that he had been told of the exceeding gravity of his condition and the probability of a fatal ending. By great good fortune his ship surgeon was a man of excellent judgment and a deeply interested student of Homoeopathy, although he was practicing as an allopathic physician. This young man recognized the futility of ordinary treatment, turned aside from it, and applied himself to the study of the case from the homoeopathic standpoint. He decided that Lachesis was the only remedy which afforded any hope, and having a case of homoeopathic remedies, he began giving the Captain Lachesis 30, applying meanwhile simple aseptic dressings to the foot and leg and modifying his diet. He thus kept the disease somewhat in check during the homeward voyage, and on arriving at New York, turned the case over to me, and returned to duty on the ship. In order to satisfy friends and relatives who were clamoring for immediate amputation, I called my surgeon, Dr. Schall, and submitted the question of the advisability of operation to him. After getting the history of the case and examining the patient, he advised against operating. To amputate at the knee joint in a diabetic whose gangrene was extending so rapidly, was merely to anticipate the further extension of the gangrene from the flaps up the thigh and a second operation which would inevitably prove fatal, if the patient did not die before it could be performed. Privately, he told me that, in his opinion, the patient would die anyway, and very soon. He had seen a number of such cases in Europe and America, and they had all proved fatal, with operation or without. Here, then, was a desperate situation, calculated to test the faith and resources of the best-equipped Hahnemannian. The Captain and his good wife were game, however, and when the situation was explained to them, the Captain said, "Well, doctor, I pin my faith to you and Homoeopathy. If I've got to die, I will at least make a good fight of it." Thereupon, being myself encouraged by his plucky stand, and knowing how valuable is such courage and the "will to live" as a therapeutic adjunct, I assured him of my belief that he would not die; and that together - he, his wife as nurse, and myself - we would bring the case through to a happy issue. And so we entered into a compact of mutual courage, fidelity and patience, and shook hands upon it. If either of us ever faltered, the others never knew it. I will not go into all the details of the long medicinal treatment of the case, giving indications for the remedies used, as is commonly done. There is not time and that is not the purpose of this paper. I am simply giving my personal testimony to the sufficiency and dependability of pure Homoeopathy in desperate cases, when conditions are right for it; and I am emphasizing the fact that among those conditions, not the least important are the qualities of courage, faith and patience, and loyal co-operation, on the part of patient, nurse and physician.
Suffice to say, that the treatment extended over a period of eight
months. Remedies were selected with scrupulous care, and given,
with only two or three exceptions, in potencies ranging from the
200th upward. He was kept on a modified, but not a rigidly anti-diabetic
diet. Necessarily, in a case of such character, many remedies were needed. The case was one of long standing, chronic and complicated in character. Many different phases presented themselves. Two, and possibly three chronic miasms were actively expressing themselves. The case was in its terminal stage, and the termination, according to accepted medical, as well as surgical standards, should have been death. The key to the situation lay in the recognition of the fundamental miasm expressing itself in the diabetes, of which the gangrene was merely a terminal condition. But neither the gangrene nor the diabetes were the object of treatment, as such. Unless remedies could be adapted to each phase of the case as it developed, the process of dissolution would go on to the end. Control of the gangrene depended upon control of the diabetes, and both upon the characteristic symptoms of the patient; in other words, upon individualization of both case and remedy under the principle of similia. For about a week, Lachesis, in the 200th potency, instead of the 30th, was continued. Under this remedy, the erysipelatous condition of the leg began to subside, and the area of livid discoloration to recede downward towards the foot. The gangrenous area of the toes and foot extended upward slightly and a line of demarcation developed dorsally at the base of the third, fourth and fifth toes, extending on the middle plantar surface of the foot, however, well back towards the arch. Sloughing began at the toes, and a little later, on the sole of the foot. One after the other, after sloughing had progressed considerably, I disarticulated and removed the third, fourth and fifth toes at the metatarsal-phalanged articulation. I also made a central longitudinal incision two inches long in the sole of the foot for free drainage, for the sloughing process extended well up into the metatarsal region, and the plantar incision opened into spaces which communicated with the openings at the end where I had disarticulated the toes. Through these openings, pus, blood, fragments of bone, fascia, tendons and ligaments were continually escaping or being removed. The nerves were destroyed, as well as a part of the plantar arch and its branches, which I removed piece-meal, from time to time. There was but little hemorrhage at any time, and that was easily controllable. The spaces and sinuses were cleansed twice daily by injecting either Dioxygen or Electrozone, and dressing with aseptic gauze. After granulation began, diluted Calendula was used part of the time for injecting in dressing. The discharges gradually diminished, and the spaces began to fill with healthy granulations, until finally, all were closed solid except one very small sinus from which there is still a slight discharge - sufficient to make a spot a quarter of an inch in diameter on the bandage which is still worn. The patient is still under observation. During all this time the sugar in the urine was steadily diminishing and the patient's general condition improving. At the end of the fourth month the urine was normal and has since remained so. The patient resumed duty and took charge of his ship in January last, thirteen months after beginning of attack, and is today in perfect health, weighing 220 pounds. He has a good solid, serviceable foot, minus three lesser toes, and walks without a perceptible limp. The skiagraphic report made October 16th, 1912, before healing was complete, was as follows : X-Ray findings : -The tarsals present no abnormality of any kind. The first metatarsal and phalanges of the great toe are normal. There has been destruction of the head of the second metatarsal, and of the base of the corresponding proximal phalanx. There is some active disease present in the head of the metatarsal, and a considerable amount of bony detritus in the metatarso-phalangeal articulation. The head of the third metatarsal has been the seat of a necrosis, and there is only a portion of the proximal phalanx present. There is no active disease present in these parts. A similar condition exists about the fourth and fifth metatarso-phalangeal articulation, but in the latter, the remains of the phalanx appears fused to the metatarsal. The arteries of the foot are markedly sclerosed. Diagnosis : -There is an old necrosis about the second, third, fourth and fifth metatarso-phalangeal articulations with the loss of practically all the third, fourth and fifth toes. Arteriosclerosis-sclerosis is present to a marked degree. The principal remedies prescribed as the symptoms called for a change were, Lachesis (frequently returned to as the principal remedy during the more active stage), Arsenicum, China, Secale, Sulphur, Silicea, Thuja, Mercury, Phosphoric Acid, and Lycopodium.
Case No. 4. Sunstroke. A man aged 82; overcome in the street on one of the hottest days in August; unconscious, pupils dilated, face and scalp hot, temporal and carotid vessels throbbing, respiration and heart action labored, pulse full, rapid, skin dry, temperature 110. It may be taken for granted that the condition portrayed by these symptoms, existing in a man 82 years of age, is a grave one, closely bordering on dissolution. I have little doubt that the institution of the ordinary modern treatment for such cases, by ice packs and antipyretics would have speedily brought about the catastrophe; but I remembered the spicy wisdom of our old friend Raue in his "Special Therapeutics," read over twenty-five years ago and never forgotten. A dose of Glonoine 200 was given. The bath tub was then half filled with cool water (as drawn from the cold water faucet) and the patient's body was submerged in it, the head and neck being supported. He was kept in the bath about fifteen minutes, water being constantly dipped up from the tub and poured over his head. By this time consciousness began to return and he was lifted from the tub, wrapped in a sheet, and put to bed with a wet towel on his head. A few doses of Glonoine 200 in solution were given. His temperature dropped rapidly, and in about twelve hours was normal. In three days he was going about as usual.
Case No. 5. Entero-Colitis. At three o'clock in the morning on November 28th, 1907, my telephone rang and a voice said, "This is Dr. H. I am at the house of Dr. B. with three of my colleagues, all in consultation upon the case of Dr. B's baby. We have been here all night, and at the last conference, a few minutes ago, it was decided that the case was hopeless and the baby dying. I have suggested that you be asked to come over and see if you can do anything to save her, and they have accepted the suggestion. Will you come?" I replied that I would. The doctor came for me in his motor car, and in a few minutes I was at the bedside of the little sufferer with the five physicians assembled in the room to observe my procedure. They told me that they had exhausted their resources, including the measures advised by an eminent allopathic specialist in the dietetics and treatment of children's diseases, who had been called in several days before. They placed the case unreservedly in my hands, being themselves hopeless. This is what I observed. The baby, nine months of age, was lying on her back unconscious; eyes half open, sunken and turned upward; face drawn; head bent backward; fingers clenched upon inturned thumbs; nose cold; breath cold; respiration groaning, 50 to 60; mouth and tongue dry; chewing motion of the mouth; convulsive motions of arms; at times biting the fingers; truly a serious condition, likely to end very shortly in death unless the curative remedy could be found. I learned that the attack had begun with a diarrhoea ten days before. For four weeks before this, however, there had been no gain in weight, although she had been previously healthy, this being her first illness. There had been from three to six stools daily, at first brown fecal, then yellow, later green. The stools had been undigested, containing lumps of casein. All dietetic and hygienic measures adopted, and all remedies given had failed. Twenty-four hours before, forcible, or projectile vomiting had begun; she became thirsty for cold drinks which were vomited; was restless, pale, weak, refused food, and sank rapidly into the condition in which I found her. Cham., China, Calc. Phos., Bry., Cicuta and Helleb. had been given, all in low dilutions, without benefit. What was to be done? Five able young men, all "up to the minute" in modern dietetics and hygienic methods, and considered fairly good homoeopathic prescribers, reinforced by one eminent allopathic child-specialist, had failed, and frankly acknowledged their failure. Had they sounded the depths of homoeopathic resources? Reviewing the case, I thought not. With Boenninghausen, and my penciled notes in hand, I worked out the case before them, commenting as I worked. It appeared that the characteristic symptoms, insensibility, coldness, head bent backward, eyes turned upward, desire for cold water, forcible vomiting, respiration groaning, hands clenched, were covered only by Nux vomica, which corresponded also to the general character of the original gastrointestinal disorder. I called for a glass half full of water and dropped a few pellets of Nux vom. 200 in it. I directed that a teaspoonful of the solution be given every two hours until three doses had been given, and that then I should be informed of the condition of the patient. One of the physicians remarked sotto voce, "She'll be dead before that". I reassured them, and went home. At eight A.M. , four hours after the first dose had been given, my telephone rang again and my friend in a jubilant tone of voice said, "Doctor, you were right! The baby has reacted. She is now warm and convulsive symptoms have all ceased. She has taken a drink of water without vomiting, and is now sleeping naturally with her eyes closed! It is a miracle!" From this time on the case was simple. On the third day she was up and dressed. No other medicine was given until the fourth day, when a single dose of Nux vom. 45 M was required to remove a few remaining symptoms, after which she was in perfect health.
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