Selection of a Remedy – A Serious Choice

§ 258

“… he must bear in mind the truth, that of medicinal agents that one alone invariably deserves the preferences in every case of disease which corresponds most accurately by similarity to the totality of the characteristic symptoms, and that no paltry prejudice should interfere with this serious choice”.

… Organon of the Healing Art

We have chosen to present the following two cases to highlight exactly that … selecting a simillimum is a serious choice. One cannot fall prey to paltry prejudice, personal favorites and non-favorites in the selection of the remedy for various diseases and then expect a cure! What a sincere homoeopath needs to do is the simple application of the principles, in sketching the portrait of disease and getting a crystal clear totality of characteristic symptoms. What one needs to master is the art of perceiving that which lies hidden from the eyes. As Dr. Stuart Close mentioned under examination of the patient … one should not only know what to look for, but where and how to look for it.

Both these children (Illustrative Case 3 and 4) have undergone an immense amount of suffering, falling seriously ill, and have been in and out of hospitals. Both of them suffered from pneumonia, a serious disease with a potential to go into fatal complications … you simply can’t go wrong!

Illustrative Case 3

This is a case of an 8 ½ year old girl who was brought for consultation in August 2003.

Since the age of 1 ½ years she was suffering from frequent cough with fever. By the age of 3 years she was a full-blown case of bronchial asthma. She was completely dependent on bronchodilators and steroids on a regular basis. Along with frequent attacks of asthma in the last 3 years, she frequently got pneumonia, especially during the months of October to March. Dry, incomplete, tight cough, breathless and constant coryza had become regular features.

Her mother was already under our care when she asked us whether we could cure her daughter. So severe were the asthmatic attacks that her mother was terrified at the thought of stopping bronchodilators and steroids. She was skeptical, as already the child had been under homoeopathic care, but the medicines had not helped her child even a little bit! The mother had got the long list of medicines that her child had been prescribed by her earlier homoeopaths and to name a few they were Antim tart., Blata orientalis, Manganum, Dulcamara … the list was long, not to mention homoeopathic mixtures!

We explained to the mother that once the child is under our care, as we withdraw the suppressive drugs, she was sure to get an asthmatic attack and it will be treated only with homoeopathic medicines. In order to heal the child, it was very important that there was no intervention by any suppressive line of treatment.

It took a full three months for the parents to decide and gather courage before starting of our medication, and the child’s health had plunged downhill very rapidly.

On starting the treatment, initially, as expected, she did get acute attacks of asthma, which were solely taken care of, with homoeopathic medicines. Slowly, steadily the attacks became less frequent and her general health improved. Then in the beginning of December 2005, her old problem of pneumonia recurred; she got extremely sick, she complained of pain in the right side of her chest on coughing and had to hold it while coughing. She also complained of right shoulder pain. The expectoration was either green or yellowish green, easy and of dirty taste. She felt very cold and was shivering. She was running a high fever (103° F) with severe headache. She felt extremely weak.

Observation: cracks in lower lip, which were otherwise always smooth and pink.

Tongue was white coated with red tip.

Cough was very tight … she felt choked. She constantly asked her grandfather or mother to rub her gently on her right shoulder and chest, which would sooth, her pain.

Her mother said, ‘She craves for all the wrong things … ice-cream, oranges, sweet lime juice, juicy fruits, pizza, French fries etc.

She wanted someone to be next to her as she was scared something would happen to her.

Chest skiagram revealed pneumonia.(8-12-2005)

Close up of the same chest Skiagram. (8-12-2005)

Before she took ill, health wise she was doing very well. Just a week before she had a great time at her birthday party by the poolside. She really had fun which her parents never dreamt she could ever do. Then in a week’s time she came down with pneumonia and really felt sick.

Totality of symptoms:

· Well unusually then aggravation.

· Gentle rubbing ameliorates.

· Desires, fruits.

· Desires, ice-cream.

· Cracks, lower lip.

She was given Phosphorous 6 single minimum dose and was repeated in deviated doses.

Follow-up.

Within a day, her fever, which was continuously in the range of 101° F – 103° F, came down and in the next 2 days it became normal. In general she was feeling much better … had no chest pain and gradually her cough disappeared.

Within 7 -10 days she was full of energy and was beaming health. We repeated her chest Skiagram on 22-12- 2005 which was absolutely normal. By then she was all set to go abroad to play in snow!

Normal Chest skiagram. (22-12-2005)