Illustrative case No. 2
This is a case of a 15 years old girl. In July 2005 she drank fruit juice from a roadside vendor and within two days she developed severe offensive diarrhoea. She started feeling very thirsty and the next day she developed very high fever – 104° F, severe vomiting and intense pain in the abdomen. On carefully investigating the details of her suffering, we found the following totality.
She was feeling extremely hot in spite of running 104°F temperature. She wanted the fan to be very fast and didn’t want her abdomen to be covered. She would lie down under the fan and would lift her dress all the way up. She didn’t want anything to be tied around the waist, not even her regular undergarment. Also, she desired to drink cold water. She had no appetite and would vomit on eating. She felt intense nausea from smell of food. As there was no clear totality coming up as yet, so we gave her placebo for a day and decided to review any further development of symptoms the next day. Also, as we clinically suspected infectious hepatitis, we asked for her Liver function test, which was highly abnormal.
Liver function test: date: 14.7.2005
Total Bilirubin 3.8 mg/dl
Direct Bilirubin 2.2 mg/dl
Indirect Bilirubin 1.6 mg/dl
SGPT 1703.5 I.U./lit
SGOT 980 I.U./lit
On going into further details the next day and on listening to her patiently, we found that her vitality was throwing peculiar symptoms. She now complained of severe pain localized in the liver region. Her mother told us that she wanted to be rubbed in that region and that was the only thing making her feel better from the pain. “She wants us to rub gently up and down.” While we took her for the physical examination, we asked her to demonstrate exactly how she wanted to be rubbed and where. She was very specific and clearly mentioned that she felt immensely better by stroking the liver region. She still felt nausea from the smell of food. Her desire for cold water was persistent. She was feeling very hot and wanted the fan full. Stools were watery and offensive. Urine was dark yellow in colour. Tongue had thick, white coating. Emotionally she was feeling “tired of this illness.”
Our perception:
As one goes through the careful investigation and details of her case, we are sure the remedy will simply stand right in front of you! The whole totality is so strikingly simple and clear. We gave her Podophyllum 30 single, minimum dose on the following totality of symptoms on 14th July 2005.
Rubrics:
• Abdomen, Pain, liver, rubbing ameliorates.
• Better: Rubbing or stroking liver. (Phatak’s materia medica)
• Stomach, Nausea, food , smell of
• Desires, cold water
What we intend to highlight through this case is the beauty of case receiving. Having patience and carefully going into the details of the case are of prime importance. It is not necessary for you to prescribe something for the patient immediately.
She received the remedy on the seventh day from the start of her suffering. It takes some time for the totality to develop and patiently waiting is the best thing to do, for to do something otherwise will spoil the case.
She started feeling better in every respect. Her fever subsided and gradually over the next two days her pain in the liver region disappeared. Her appetite improved. In seven days she was smiling and energetic. We repeated her liver function test …
Liver function test: date: 25. 8. 2005
Total Bilirubin 0.5 mg/dl
Direct Bilirubin 0.2 mg/dl
Indirect Bilirubin 0.3 mg/dl
SGPT 26 I.U./lit
SGOT 34 I.U./lit
In achieving such rapid, gentle and permanent healing, what matters is the application of the law. All of us are students of homoeopathy, striving continuously to sharpen our skills; but if one indulges in theorizing, this quality of healing will be out of reach and yes, there is no alternative to hard work!
It is an interesting case ideally treated with the application of law as the doctors emphasize and the cure established might have been permanent. It certainly was neither rapid nor gentle. For seven days no remedy was prescribed except placebo when the patient has been agonizingly suffering from high fever (104º F), severe offensive diarrhea, severe vomiting and intense abdominal pain for full one week without any relief. No sane parents would allow their sibling to suffer for such a long time, believing in doctor’s assurance that he is waiting for the totality to come out.
So the cure besides being permanent has also to be rapid & gentle
hello sir, its very nice and excellent case. sir why u select potency 30 why not 1m if medicine is similimum
hello sir, its very nice & excellence case. sir why u select 30 potency, why not given 1m though medicine is similimum
I agree with you as to the opportunity to observe the case trying to have the totality of symptoms but one week of suffering is really too much. I do not think I would have had the courage to wait such a long time.
I hope the patient was under phlebo in the meantime. But a good case all the same. Thanks