Clinical Cases

Two Cancer Cases

Two cancer cases from 19th century physicians.

A Case of Scirrhus Mammae – Dr. Edmund Carleton

I well remember my first amputation of the breast. It was early in my practice. The patient was an elderly lady, with a scirrhus well under way. An eminent surgeon, with rare generosity, assisted me, and was good enough to speak well of my work. The excision seemed to be ample, and the wound healed quickly. Even then I realized that it would be necessary to medicate, and indulged in hopes of good times to come. But the disease again manifested itself, adjacent to the old spot, and soon triumphed in spite of art. That and other similar experiences set me to thinking. When a daughter of the lady just mentioned, married, nullipara, reached middle life and was threatened with an end like her mother’s we agreed to see what could be done with medicine alone.

The diagnostic signs — irregular, hard, adherent tumor of the right mammary gland, yielding lancinating pains, retracted nipple, with enlarged and indurated axillary glands — were abundantly supplemented. The local veins were prominent. There was a red streak running from breast to axilla. Other red streaks, a few inches in length, radiated from the breast like the spokes of a wheel. There were internal, bleeding, haemorrhoids, sometimes itching; and mucous discharge from the vagina, with burning pain. Examination revealed no uterine lesion. How like hungry and ferocious wolves, gathering together from the deepest recesses of the forest at evening to seek their prey, do the hitherto latent malific forces within the woman of psoric constitution menace her at the climacteric when her powers of resistance are comparatively feeble.

What should be given — Bufo (red streaks), Conium (stony hard breast having sharp pain) , Kreosotum (mucous discharge from vagina, with burning pain), or Sulphur (internal, itching, bleeding piles)? Burning discharges from the natural orifices of the body, especially in women at middle life, always put me on guard. They are commonly important, even significant, and should have great weight in balancing indications. I took the Guiding Symptoms from the shelf, and made close comparisons between the four drugs named. Kreosotum had hard painful lumps in mammae, stitches in mammae, and is prone to haemorrhages. With these additional indications we seemed to have a reasonably good sum total to rest upon; and better than other drugs could show. Therefore, July nineteenth, 1890, she was given Kreosotum, two hundredth, in water every two hours until better. It helped a good deal, but wore out. I surmised that the great antipsoric should have been given at the outset, to meet the chronic condition ; and, therefore, September twenty second, gave sulphur cm. (F.), a dose on the tongue. It was of marked benefit to the hemorrhoids and generally useful for months, when it subsided and gave place to Kreosotum, which worked nine months, and, in turn, yielded to Sulphur.

In December, 1891, we felt encouraged by the results of our seventeen months of steady application, already described. But we were halted. A new symptom, a sensation as if red pepper were on the tip of the tongue, in the anus and in the urethra after urination, caused great annoyance. The affected parts had a natural appearance. The patient was peevish and obstinate. Her cheeks were red. Accordingly she received a dose of Capsicum annuum, cm (F.). It is a mighty remedy, when indicated by symptoms, to rouse the sluggish powers of the sick. It held the field thence forward to the end, being twice repeated in ten months. It finished the case. We had struggled twenty-seven months and felt rewarded.

From: Homoeopathy in Medicine and Surgery by Edmund Carleton, M. D. Dr. Carleton graduated from New York Homeopathic Medical College in 1871. He was president of the IHA in 1894. He was the author of Homeopathy in Medicine and Surgery, published by Boericke & Tafel.

 

Precancerous Bleeding Womb – Dr.James Compton Burnett

Some years since, Mrs. B., sixty years of age, was taken suddenly with hemorrhage from the womb and fainted while on a visit to the house of a patient of mine. The local doctor (a very experienced all-round learned practitioner) was hurriedly sent for, and declared it cancer of the uterus. It transpired that attacks of bleeding had been the rule with her for years past, which her anaemic, cachectic look fully corroborated. The bleedings were very ill-smelling, spoken of as “fleshy,” like ” cold soup.” Patient had a large blood bleb on lower lip of long standing. The diagnosis being called in question, a second opinion of the chief surgeon of a well known cancer hospital was sought, and he fully confirmed it. The lady returned home and had the infirmary doctors of her native city to see what they thought of the case, and they agreed that it was cancer, and recommended immediate operation.

“No,” said patient, “I’ll not be cut about. I have seen enough of that. If I’m to die, I’ll die!”

I put her on Aurum and in three months she was seemingly quite well. Three years later she had bleeding again, and the same remedy again put her right. Two years after this she had another relapse, the smell being very bad. The same remedy was again ordered, and again it put her right, and so she continued when I last heard from her. She must now be about seventy years of age.

From: Change of Life in Women- James Compton Burnett 1840 – 1901 -British physician homeopath and author. He worked at the London Homeopathic Hospital, was Editor of The Homeopathic World, and physician of Lewis Carroll. Burnett introduced the nosodes Bacillinum testium, Coqueluchinum, Carcinosinum, Epihysterinum, Ergotinum, Morbillinum, and also Schirrinum. Among his many book and pamphlets were Fifty Reasons for Being a Homeopath and Cure of Consumption, with 54 cases of TB cured with bacillinum

 

 

About the author

Edward De Beukelaer

Edward De Beukelaer, DVM mrcvs, practices classical homeopathy for animals in the UK (Wiltshire and Gloucestershire). 5 St David's Way Marlborough SN8 1DH 07786213636 c/o Riverside Veterinary Centre, Marlborough, Wiltshire, 0167205140875 Severnside Veterinary Group, Lydney, Gloucestershire, 01594 842185 Visit his websites: www.1-4-homeopathy.com and www.marlboroughvets.co.uk

4 Comments

  • pls let me know if there is any homeopathy treatment for colon cancer/ liver cancer or any kind cancer and become cure for it. Other hand i need homeopathy hospital address and contact number in German.
    waiting for your reply as soon.thanks.

  • Hi Alan

    whether you have latest research about cancer treatment share with me
    thanks
    Rana Zafar

  • Hi Alan,
    Back in October 2013 my husband was diagnosed with a 12mm tumour on his right kidney. It was discovered through a n MRI scan to look at his prostate as he had elevated PSA. Of course surgery was immediately the only option that was given, and a CT scan to see if it the tumour was canerous and if it had spread elsewhere. After the immediate shock of the diagnosis my husband and I decided that that wasnt the route we were going to take. 30 years as a homeopath, countless readings of different material from different therapies allowed us to think that if the body can create this tumour then the given the right environment the body can heal itself. Obviously the body needed alot of help physically and emotionally.
    Our regime has been Raw diet first 3 months now its cooked and raw. No dairy/wheat/Alcohol/Sugar at all.
    Medicated mushrooms and supplements by a Dr who specialises in this kind of treatment/Homeopathy for his emotional and mental well being/daily meditation and recently using an Electromagnetic mat daily. It is almost impossible to find any information on what happens if you leave a kidney tumour as in all cases it is removed. The urologist we are under is quite dismissive of our treatment but equally surprised that my husband 7 months on is well, working, sleeps and eats very well. This is all quite experimental and so far its looking good. We go for another ultra sound in July to see if there is any change in the size of the tumour. My husband experiences no pain whereas before he was experiencing pain and burning sensations in the area of the tumour, which he never spoke!!! theres a remedy right there………..This is not for the faint hearted, it is a way of treating a diseased condition which goes against everything that modern medecine would have us beleive. First Do No Harm is now not part of their code of ethics. A wonderful book written in 1913 by an American Surgeon and Homeopath Edmund Carleton MD, talks about the enthusiasm of his colleagues in the slash and burn tecnique in treating cancer and tumours. He had remarkable success with using homeopathic remedies. Many of his patients in that time acitvely sort him out as they didnt want to have surgery. As homeopaths we have forgotten these wonderful pioneers of homeopathy we either hark back to the very beginning where surgery was never but a crude option or to present day where due to legislation /fear homeopaths dont treat people who havent had some sort of intervention in their cancers. My husband goes to his own homeopath . who is very supportive in the path he has chosen. I will keep you informed on his progress .

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