Low Potency-Testimony of the Clinic
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2001 Jan / Feb VOL III NO 1.
Compiled by
T K Kasiviswanathan
'Nux-v / Kali-c / Puls / Puls / Sulp / Merc-viv / Phos / Podo / Carb-v / Grat / Graph / Ran-b / Myrica / Hecla-lava
We present a few cases from our rich Homoeopathic literature where the low potency of the appropriate Homoeopathic remedy brought cure in he patient.
Case 1: Bronchial Asthma
Mr W, aged 63 years, suffered from bronchial asthma, which was not responding to treatment in orthodox medicine. Dr I M Burns prescribed Ars-alb 30 on the basis of symptoms but it did not have any effect; he was asked to visit the patient urgently one evening. The patient was wrapped in blankets before a roaring fire and yet was feeling cold. He was gasping for breath and he was very irritable. On the basis of these presenting symptoms Dr Burns prescribed Nux-vom 1x 15 drops in a half a tumbler of water with instructions to take one teaspoonful to be taken every half hour until relieved and then reduce the dose to every 3 hours. The patient was relieved within an hour and by next morning all spasms had disappeared. He would take the above medicine for 2-3 weeks whenever there was a slightest sign of relapse or wheeze. He kept up like it for next 20 years and he was never seriously troubled by asthma again till his death.
Case 2: Stubborn Asthma
A retired colleague of Dr Burns used to suffer from cough. The cough would wake him up at around 5AM and will persist off and on during the day. He had tried various Homoeopathic remedies without benefit. The sputum was white, copious and a little frothy. He was prescribed Kali-carb 30 but it had little effect. When Dr Burns asked his colleague to try Puls he was skeptical. However on persuasion he took Puls 3x three times a day and after three days he reported that he was amazed by the effect of the low potency. The cough and sputum began to clear up after 24 hours and were practically absent when he reported next. His chest also remained clear.
The same remedy in the same dilution cleared a stubborn case of asthma of 14 years duration and was prescribed on the basis of nasal catarrh, greenish discharge and stuffiness of the nose; after taking Kali-carb 30, 3 doses, Puls 3x was continued for 3 months; after 2 years when there was a relapse he was given one dose of Kali-carb 30 and Puls 3x for one month which completely relieved. (Dr Burns)
Case 3: A Case Of Rheumatism
A father of a 14-year-old boy consulted Dr E B Nash for the latter’s rheumatic complaint, which did not respond to allopathic treatment. Because of the severe pain the patient could not sleep at nights. Dr Nash found the pain, swelling and suffering in the right hip. Initially the pain was in the feet and it traveled up to the knees and then the hip. Covering or warm applications did not relieve. Dr Nash prescribed Puls 4 in solution, a teaspoon to be taken every two hours and report. After 3 hours Dr E B Nash visited the house and found the grandfather of the boy walking on the veranda; the latter enquired of doctor as to whether he had given morphine and when replied no, he said that the boy went to sleep half an hour after the first dose and had not awakened as yet. In three days, the boy was completely all right. The remedy was prescribed on characteristics such as weepy disposition, changeable remedy - pains and swelling travel from joint to joint Modality is < in warm room and warm applications. (DR E B Nash)
Case 4: Diarrhea
A child, aged 12 months, had diarrhea for nearly a month. Her flesh was soft and flabby; open fontanel’s; tongue coated white at the back. She was thirsty and drank a good deal of milk and water. The diarrhea was worse in the morning, beginning about 4 AM, continuing more or less till afternoon. It was dark yellow, watery, and occasionally greenish white mucus, coming on with a gush early in the morning almost involuntarily during the day when standing. The child cried a little before bowels were moved. There was also a cough, worse on lying down at night sometimes resulting in vomit; the child slept with eyes half closed. The patient’s appearance suggested Calc-carb, which was given without any benefit. Sulphur 6 was then given, as the italicized symptoms were the characteristics of the drug. The diarrhea ceased and her health generally improved in a few days and no other remedy was needed. (Dr AE Hawkes quoted by Dr Nash)
Case 5: Pleuro Pneumonia
Mrs EK, aged 35, suffered from a severe attack of pleuro-pneumonia. Initially took Aconite and Bryonia rather routinely. No relief and she presented with the following symptoms: severe pain through the lower right chest, high fever with thirst, and profuse and persistent sweating, which did not relieve. Tongue moist flabby, showing indentations of teeth. Cough with expectoration of rusty or blood-streaked mucus. All symptoms were worse at night. Dr Nash prescribed Merc-viv 6th potency every two hours and it brought prompt relief and patient recovered fully. (DR EB Nash)
Case 6: Diarrhea
Mr VH, middle aged and very tall, suffered from profuse light-coloured, grayish white diarrhoea. It poured away from him like water from a hydrant. Every motion was followed by a very weak and gone feeling in the abdomen. Phos-acid, China and Arsenic-alb and Veratrum-alb and other remedies failed to check this diarrhea, though the quantity at each time was less. Dr Nash looked at the stools again and again on the third day and noticed little white particles looking like sago, or little lamps of tallow, floating on the surface. This along with stool coming out like a hydrant was a keynote of Phos. It was prescribed in 3rd dilution, a teaspoonful after each stool cured the patient completely. (Nash)
Case 7: Fever
Mr O aged 40, stout and of bilious temperament had to travel on business in malarial districts in USA. After he returned he was attacked with intermittent fever. The chills occurred in the morning and were very severe, continuing till 10-11 AM, when he would go to the former stage, which was very intense and this would be followed with profuse sweat. The patient after a few days became loquaciously delirious during the chill and heat. He slept heavily during perspiration. Add to these complaints was a very pronounced jaundice. The loquacity was so great that Dr Nash thought of prescribing Stramonium. If it had been typhoid fever instead of intermittent fever Dr Nash said that he would have given it. He therefore went on searching the materia medica for the similimum He found that this loquacious condition in black letters under Podophyllum in Allen’s Intermittent Fevers. (In Therapeutics of Fevers by HC Allen he writes under Podo: "Great loquacity; consciousness, but cannot talk, because he forgets words; or tries to talk continually, but forgets the words he wants to employ. Chilly on first lying down in the evening with incoherent talking during the imperfect semi-sleep. "Sleep during perspiration also appears in black type in that write-up. Dr Allen under the Analysis of the remedy in that book says "The loquacity during chill and far into heat with complete forgetfulness afterwards of all that has happened is characteristic." Dr Nash gave Podo in 12th potency and in a few days the patient was cured. (Dr Nash)
