Cancer Views From Masters.
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1995 May / Jun Vol IV No 3.
Kasivishwanathan T K.
The Homoeopathic treatment of cancer consists first in the selection of specific remedy from the group that includes all three of the miasms in their symptomatology, together with the group specifically related to trauma in its numerous forms; second, in the removal of any or all irritations that may act as exacting or actuating causes (Injury to a part, irritations to the gastro intestinal tract through faulty foods, habits, adulterated foods, coal-tar based medicinal preparations, use of serums and vaccines for the prevention and cure of acute infectious diseases, use of extensive radium treatment, environmental pollutions are the irritants) third, in the Homoeopathic selection of the proper diet and avoiding foods that irritate the patient and giving those which agree and nourish him, such foods to be based on needs of each patient rather than for a diseased condition and last, the buoying up of the patients morale and mental status and inspiring courage by explaining processes by which disease comes under broken law and goes under resorted law. Armed with these forces and the knowledge that we work in unison with the resistless throb of universal order inspires us to face with confidence this baffling problem agitating the world today".
Dr. A.H. GRIMMER
Dr. Grimmer identified the following remedies and states "a careful study and wide knowledge of these remedies will reward the industrious physician with a harvest of cure in cancer conditions undreamed of without such complete knowledge".
The remedies are -
1) Alumina, 2) Arnica, 3) Ars-alb, 4) Bellis-per 5) Brom, 6) Cadm, 7) Caust, 8) Conium, 9) Graph, 10) Hydrastis, 11) Kali-bich, 12) Kali-cyn, 13) Kali-iod, 14) Kali-sulph, 15) LAch, 16) Lyc, 17) Merc-viv 18) Nit-acid, 19) Phos, 20) Phyt, 21) Ruta, 22) Sab, 23) Kali-par, 24) Sepia, 25) Sil, 26) Sulph, 27) Thuja, 28) Tarax.
Clinical indications for some of these remedies:
Conium:
"Remembering that disease gets well in the inverse order of the appearance of its symptoms we may well understand why a breast cancer whose immediate and last manifestation of cell growth follows an injury would readily yield Homoeopathically to such remedies as Bellis-Per, Conium or Phyt (Dr. Grimmer)".
"We possess in Conium a remedy of precious value in antidoting the scrofulous, tuberculous and cancerous cachexias. It has undoubtedly checked if not cured cancers of the breast, lip and stomach (Dewey)".
"In many cases, Conium may be regarded as "Aconite of Chronic Diseases" (Dr. J.H. Clarke)".
(Bombay Hospital Medical Research Centre found Conium as a useful supportive medicine in elderly debilitated cancer patients).
Hydrastis
"In the glandular tumours (carcinoma) I prefer Hydrastis" (Dr. Hughes).
"I should contend, led by my own experience, that the Hydrastis treatment is the very best yet known for this dire disease. It improves the appetite and condition of the patient generally; under its use, the complexion alters, the state of blood improves. It marvellously allays the pain of cancer; in this respect altogether surpassing Opium, morphine or any so called anodyne (Dr. Gutteridge quoted by Dr. Hughes)".
Arsenicum
"The priceless value of Arsenic has been witnessed in many malignant tumours. It restores and maintains patients general health. Arsenicum is low dilution is found most remedial. "Judging from our own experience, Hydrastis must yield palm to Arsenic for we have repeatedly witnessed the most decided improvement from a course of Arsenic" (Drs. Ruddock and Nixon)".
Ruta
It should be remembered in cases of inoperable cancer of regions of rectum (Dr. Ruddock).
Carcinoma affecting lower bowels (Dr. W. Boericke).
Kreosote
"In cancer of the uterus, with terrible offensive, bloody and fetid discharges, Kreosotum has at least palliated and made the neighborhood of the patient bearable" (Dr. M L Tyler).
"The acridity of the leucorrhoea marks clearly the divergence of Kreosote from Sepia and Murex. This led to the employment of the drug in cancerous and other ulcerations of the cervix uteri" (Dr. Farrington).
Graphites
Carcinoma of uterus with pain in vagina; lymphatic vessels enlarged, cervix indurated or covered with fungus excrescences; patient complains of stitches through the thighs and hypogastrium like electric shock. Useful in carcinoma of mammae from old scars and repeated abscesses (Sundaravaradan).
Cadmium
For carcinoma of uterus even after failure with Radium treatment, Cad-met, CAd-iod and Cad-sulph are valuable if given in this order in CM potency. (Sundaravaradan)
Dr. Grimmer advises Cad-ars, Cad-phos or Cad-sulph when Ars., Phos or Sulphur are respectively indicated as these salts give better results.
CM Boger states that Nitric-acid and Silicea have given cures in recurrence of cancer after operation. After operations new mammary nodules respond to Bellis-per.
Carcinosin
Though this is a nosode prepared from epithelioma of breast, stomach, bladder, etc. and may be useful as a constitutional remedy for patients having a strong family history of Cancer, Diabetes or Tuberculosis. Dr. FOUBISTER states that "it is not easy to find a single case of cancer treated by Carcinosin alone and it seems to be of very doubtful value in the treatment of the disease. In fact it almost seems that further away you get from actual cancer as in childhood the more useful Carcinosin is a constitutional remedy".
PAIN RELIEVERS IN CANCER
Aconitum-radix
This remedy relieves agonizing sufferings of Carcinoma even when opium and morphia could not be borne. It calms the nervous excitement. (Dr. Ruddock).
Morphia
For extreme susceptibility to pain; pains are so violent as to threaten convulsions or cause twitching and jerking of the limbs; it does not cure but relieves the pains not as an opiate but according to laws of Homoeopathy. (Dr. Farrington).
Sabal-serrulata
It controls the stinging pains of cancer of the urinary tract and prolongs life to great lengths. (Dr. Boger).
Nitric Acid - Silicea
There have been cases where these two remedies brought great relief from pain in cancer patients.
Echinacea
Dr. Anschutz recommends giving 5 to 20 drops of this remedy in tincture internally and cancer to be kept dressed with free application of the tincture externally for great relief and even cure may be looked for.
Other remedies
Robinia in gastric cancer, Mag-phos, Cholesterinum, Euphorbinum, Eucalyptus, Citric acid are also useful in relieving pain.
Reducing the Adverse Side-Effects of Chemo or Radio Therapy.
Again and again, one finds clear symptoms of Radium Bromatum in patients who receive radio therapy (important are the modalities better warm bath, better by motion etc, and sometimes of X-ray. To help reduce these negative effects Radium Bromatum, X-ray, Okoubaka (made from bark of a west African jungle tree) have been found useful. (Dietmar Payrhuber).
Conclusion
The present approach to treatment of cancer is to combine Allopathic and Homoeopathic methods. Dr. Arvind Kulkarni, Medical Research Centre. Bombay Hospital has cited many cases where administration of appropriate Homoeopathic drugs along with radiotherapy provided excellent palliative and supportive care.
Modern medicine now clearly recognizes the psychosomatic links in disease conditions. As Homoeopathy gives great importance to mental symptoms and considers that it is the individual who is sick it plays an important role in preventing, or curing or alleviating the pains of cancer cases.
Sources:
- Application of Homoeopathic Remedies to Cancer - Dr. A.H. Grimmer - Homoeopathic Heritage, July 1991
- A Birds Eyeview of Carcinoma - Dr. V Sundaravaradan, IJHM, 1963 issue.
- Clinical Materia medica - Farrington
- Drug Pictures - ML Tyler
- Homoeopathic Links, 2-95
- The Carcinosin Drug Picture - D M Foubister
- Pharmacodynamics Dr. Hughes.
