Learn a remedy thru cases-Medorrhinum
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2004 Jan / Feb VOL VI NO 1.
T K Kasiviswanathan
'Medo
Medorrhinum is an important nosode, effective for
removing the ill effects of sycotic miasm. Allen says that it "bears the
same relation to deep-seated sycotic, chronic affections of spinal and
sympathetic nervous systems that Psorinum has to deep seated affections
of skin and mucous membranes."
An exhaustive discussion on this nosode can be seen in chapters on this remedy in Dr Vithoulkas books:
The Essence of Materia Medica
Talks on Classical Homoeopathy.
He says "Medorrhinum is a remedy that goes to
extremes in its pathology on all three levels (emotional, mental and physical).
It seems incapable of maintaining a neutral stable state." At one end
everything is profusion: in physical discharges, temper, impulses, sexual
indulgence, etc". At the other extreme is inversion, a "turning inward
of the pathology to the point of suppression, timidity and loss of physical,
emotional and mental power."
Like every other remedy, Medorrhinum has a personality
of its own with its characteristic mental symptoms, modalities and
peculiarities. On the mental sphere, there is great hurry; feels that time moves
too slowly; feels matters sensitively before they occur and generally correctly;
very impatient, selfish and forgetful especially of names and words and initial
letters; fear of dark and presentiment of death; gloomy and weeps while
narrating symptoms; cannot speak without weeping. Thinks that some one is behind
her and hears whispering.
On the physical level, there is intense nervousness and state
of collapse; wants to be fanned all the time; ravenous hunger immediately after
eating; insatiable craving for liquor, salt and sweets, ice and oranges.
Nocturnal enuresis.
Peculiar Symptoms: Can pass stools only by leaning very far back; breasts, especially nipples, are cold as ice to touch while the rest of the body is warm. Symptoms are aggravated when thinking of them; agg during day time and at sea shore and amelioration night and lying on the abdomen or in knee-chest position while sleeping
The cases discussed below illustrate the above facets of the
remedy.
Case 1: Many ideas, but uncertain of execution
Hering’s Guiding symptoms under Medorrhinum reads as
Dullness of memory and desire to procrastinate, because business seem long
lasting; as if it could never be accomplished. (Gonorrhoea)"
"Great difficulty in stating her symptoms, loses herself
and has to be asked over again."
"Non-committal" (Dr Pathak)
A male patient, aged 30, consulted Dr Rajan Sankaran, for a
stone in his bladder. Past history revealed that he had gonorrhea 10 years back,
after which, he repeatedly experienced a burning in urethra while urinating.
When he developed pain along with burning, an X-ray was taken which showed a
calculus in his bladder.
O/E he appeared like Baryta-carb. He was very dull and
slow in answering questions. He had a trawler business, but was not attending to
it well. He wanted to do many things, but did not know how to go about doing
them or getting finances for the ventures. He wanted to have a transport service
and enter poultry farming also, but could not commit himself to any of these
ventures and hence most of the time he was idle.
His mental disposition matched the mental symptoms of Medorrhinum
as mentioned above which cured.
Dr Rajan Sankaran, Homoeopathic Heritage,
Dec 1987
Case 2: Clairvoyance
Hering’s Guiding Symptoms says "Is always anticipating; feels most matters sensitively before they occur and generally
correctly. Anticipates death"
"Is sure that she is worse, knows that she is not going
to live, cannot see any improvement even when it is pointed out: has no fear of
death, speaks calmly about it and gives directions as to the disposition of her
affairs." (Compare with Aconite, which has a fear of death and
predicts the day he will die. Life is rendered miserable by fear. In Synthetic
repertory: Ars , Calc, Cimic, Gels, Lac-c, Nit-ac and Phos
have such fear of death, but in Medorrhinum there is no such fear except
anticipation of death and he advises as to how his affairs are to be dealt with
in case he dies.)
I had not come across in the literature available to me,
where this symptom was marked and this remedy was used curatively. Dr Rajan
Sankaran, however, narrates an incident told by one of his patients; her father
became mentally deranged at the young age of 30, but was otherwise healthy. At
the age of 35, suddenly one day, he predicted that he would die in next 3 days.
Knowing his mental disposition, nobody took him seriously, but precisely on the
third day he died without apparent reason, confirming the key mental symptom of
this nosode.
Med is useful in treating certain cases of asthma when the modalities agree. Two cases of cured asthma.
Case 3: Asthma cured on basis of modalities
A girl, five year old had, broncho-pneumonia; given allopathic treatment without much relief. She consulted Dr Dorothy Shepherd. Hers was a typical case of humid asthma: chest was full of numerous mucous rales, with rattling noises,continuously expectorated large quantities of white, thick ropy mucus; there was weakness in the chest; she was under-sized, thin with a pitiful appearance and face bluish. Her ribs were drawn in and upper part of her chest was barrel-shaped. On enquiry the doctor found that she was always worse in wet weather. All these symptoms pointed to Natrum-sulph, prescribed in 30th potency; mother was advised some breathing exercises. On examination after a week: better; chest clear of abnormal sounds, but expectorated large amount of phlegm. Next week, because of the worsening weather, her condition deteriorated; she was helped with Nat-sulph 30 bds x 3 days. She continued to improve, but due to rains during X-mas, health deteriorated; but asthma attack were much shorter and posture much improved. No moist rales found, Nat-sulph 30 given at the clinic with another dose in the night and next morning if there was a fresh attack. The girl was free from asthma for the next two months but was not fully cured even with repetition of that remedy in higher potency. In May next, she had further weekly attacks. Dr Shepherd reviewed her case in detail again. It was found that the patient "lies in knee-chest position with her face buried in pillows during the attack," which clearly indicated Medorrhinum. The doctor therefore prescribed it in 30th potency; she improved and the asthma attacks became less.It was repeated in infrequent intervals. Since July, she did not have any asthma attack for three months, though, the weather was wet and foul. In October, she had attacks during day time only (which is also a characteristic modality of Medorrhinum while night attacks point to Syph); she was given Medorrhinum 1M and later 10M. The attacks became rare and the child gained in weight and turned into a pretty girl from one with a stunted appearance.Dr Shepherd says that she changed the medicine to Medorrhinum on the basis of a clinical tip from the grandmaster Dr Kent who said that when Nat-sulph, well indicated does not hold, the complementary medicine Medorrhinum which goes deeper should be given. (TIP )
Dr Dorothy Shepherd, More Magic of Minimum Dose p 42-47
Dr Shepherd gives the following guidelines for prescribing Medorrhinum in asthma cases. Choking cough;larynx feels as if closed up, so that no air could enter, only improved on lying on face, deep hollow cough worse lying down, better lying on stomach, difficult respiration, wants to be fanned, feels cold yet throws the covers off. Worse from warmth, even when icy cold to the touch and worse by wet, damp, draught and thunderstorms, worse from daylight to sunset, always brighter in the evenings. The general condition is better at the seashore. Always in a hurry and feels that time moves too slowly with a history of vaccination, small pox or gonorrhoea.
Case 4: Asthma
Master KT, aged 6 was brought by his father to Dr Kamlesh
Mehta for bronchial asthma. H/o same complaint father, cured by same doctor. He
gets asthma attacks once in 3 /4 months. This particular attack starts with dry
cough AF ghee and sweets which on Day 3 led to difficult breathing and yellow
discharge. and feverishness. Complaints were worse in the night and mornings; relieved
by lying on abdomen. When breathless, he wanted the fan on top speed
and did not want to be covered. Very cranky and irritable- wants things done his
way. Stools: 4-5 since morning.
Based on: respiratory spasms > lying on abdomen; hot
patient, yellow discharge, cranky child and predominant sycotic miasm, also with
F/H father: Medorrhinum 200 one dose given on 30-12-1995 with one SOS
dose and was asked to report after one month.
The boy improved in health. The boy had fever and cough on
22-1-96, but no breathlessness; the mother gave the SOS dose of Medorrhinum and
then brought him to the clinic. O/E the boy had cough, but no breathlessness.
Hot patient and slept on abdomen. As Medorrhinum already given, we
decided to wait and took the opportunity to get more details about the family
background, etc. This breathlessness started after birth of younger brother.
Cravings for bread, butter and sweets and items made in ghee. Aversion to
vegetables, cabbage and potatoes. Mother hyperemesis gravidum throughout 1st
trimester, from sheer smell of cooking; particularly odour of ghee, which felt
like fish during that period. She had craving for sour and sweet items. Father
was an asthmatic; tense from business worries and frequent tours. The family
lived in an area reclaimed from a creek. The patient was very jealous of
his younger brother for the attention, he was getting and would cry loudly,
which brought on the cough. There were frequent fights with his younger brother,
who was mischievous and irritating. The patient was very restless and very
active and could not sit in one place; hasty and hurried in all his work
Totality of the case
A/f Envy, jealousy leading to spasms; H/o convulsions
Hurried, restless even during sleep
Sensitive and feels neglected leading to crying and spasms
and cough. Cravings for sweets, fatty food and tasty food; sleeps on abdomen
Respiratory problem of asthma; inherited sycotic miasm
All these confirmed the original prescription of Medorrhinum
Follow-up: The boy continued to improve; had only mild
cough. On 9th April ’96, he had dysentery; given Nux-vomica
200, but cough re-started. So was given Ars-iod 200 to which he responded
well. The case was followed up for the next few months without any more
medication. The boy vontinued to improve in health.
Dr Kamlesh Mehta- Wandering physician and Little wonders-
IJHM vol 31/4
He has also discussed in detail in this issue another case of
asthma cured with this nosode
Case 5: Rheumatism
In 1875, a patient, aged 60, with acute rheumatism consulted Dr H C Allen.
After some treatment he was relieved, but was a wreck and it was thought that
outdoor active life would restore his health with passage of time. But weeks and
months passed without change. He could only walk leaning on a cane, bent over
and wrapped up to his ears. His wife had given up hopes of his recovery and blamed his condition on his age. Dr Allen was very troubled. Thinking intensely about his condition, he wondered whether there was any miasmatic block such as a gonorrheal taint. He could not, for sake of delicacy, ask the patient of such a history. Taking a cue from Dr Swann’s
suggestion that an obstinate case of rheumatism might be due to latent gonorrhea
and Medorrhinum high would cure it and that in many cases where
improvement stops at a stage, Medorrhinum has removed the obstruction and
resulted in complete cure, Dr Allen gave three doses of Medorrhinum high
to be taken every morning. Within 10 days, the patient was much better and was
given one more dose to be taken after some time. That was the last prescription.
In one month, "patient dropped his cane and muffler and walked the street
erect with a firm step, a perfectly well man" says Allen. He also gained in
weight.
Materia Medica of the Nosodes-HC Allen, p328
Dr Nash also had remarkable cures with this nosode in chronic forms of rheumatism. Here is one of his cases:
Case 6: Rheumatism
A middle aged lady was not able to attend church, though it
not very far from her residence, because of stiffness of her ankles. Her ankles
and soles were so tender that she could barely walk. Dr Nash says that Antim-crudum
which had cured such similar cases for him did not help in this case, but Medorrhinum
CM one dose so improved her condition that she could walk where she pleased. Dr
Tyler also refers to a case of a man who, because of suppressed gonorrhoea, had
such a tender sole that he could walk only on his knees and was cured with Medorrhinum.
He says: "Since writing the above, I have experimented
more with the so-called nosodes and have had seemingly very good results from
this remedy as well as Syphilinum in intractable cases of chronic
rheumatism. The most characteristic difference between them is that with Medorrhinum
the pains are worse in the day-time and with Syphilinum in the night"
In this case, the guiding symptom was "Tenderness of soles so that he could
not stand on them at all and had to walk on his knees. Suppressed
gonorrhea". ( Hering)
Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics- Dr Nash, p 424
Case 7
Mrs C S, a stout woman of 45 yr suffered from rheumatism off
and on from the age of 12. After marriage, she contracted gonorrhoea from her
husband. She suffered from several complaints and her uterus, ovaries and
appendix were removed. She complained of hot flushes as she was in menopause.
When she consulted Dr Farrington her symptoms were:
Spells of sadness almost driving her to suicide.
Difficulty in concentration.
Attacks of hysteria along with numbness of different parts of
the body; numbness of the hands while sewing or grasping anything; great
flatulence.
Headache in vertex and occiput < before thunderstorm.
Sudden, very sensitive swelling of joints, esp of knees and fingers of right
hand < using them.
Lameness and stiffness of the larger joints < change of
weather from warm to cold and from continued motion. Calluses and great
sensitiveness of balls of the feet; cracks between toes, at times bleeding and
also cracks and sores at the corners of mouth. Puffy swelling of the feet. No
albumin in urine.
Based on the italicized symptoms which correspond to Medorrhinum,
the patient received six doses of this nosode in DMM potency at long intervals
over 1 ½ years. The patient recovered completely. Dr Nash, Homoeopathic
Recorder Dec 1921
