A woman of 50 visited me for eczema on hands, legs and soles for the last 12 years. Her other chief complaint was varicose veins for 17 years. Itching, bleeding after scratching were prominent symptoms. She had chronic stress due to an alcoholic husband and financial issues. Highly sensitive. Constipated occasionally. Chilly patient. Easly angered. Irritable but introverted. She suppressed the eczema with anti-allergic medicine and topical ointments.
She said “I am a simple homemaker, saving money for my kid’s future. In past my financial condition was not good but now we are doing well. I do not want to be in trouble again. I told you that I am happy with my family but this eczema is making me nervous and sad. I gave up the hope of recovery. For 12 years I am just seeing doctor after doctor. Every medicine works for a while and then there is recurrence. Will it never be cured? I sometimes feel to kill myself!”
The skin looks dirty. From the mental picture and past history of suppressed eczema, I prescribed Psorinum 200 one dose, which did well for a few months. I was glad at how easily I solved the case!
It was a delusion. If it would be that simple then why would she have suffered for 12 years! Her real picture came up after a few months when she applied hair dye. She went to attend a wedding in another city and sent me the pictures of face swelling, itching, discoloration of skin as well increase in eczema. The eczema became moist, oozing liquid.
At the next appointment I prescribed Psorinum 1m which pulled out the suppressed allergy and inflammation. I waited for 2 days but she was desperate for relief.
I started Histaminum 30 twice a day, which gradually reduced the agony, but eczema was still a problem. I understood that it is a waste of time to give remedies to pull out eruptions and then somehow subside it. It was as if I made the patient sit on a seesaw.
In retaking the case she said: “I am avoiding outings due to my eczema. I prefer long dresses to hide it. May be due to my age, I am having hot flushes and skin keeps on burning all the time. I am so depressed especially after the reaction of hair dye; I just feel like committng suicide.
As per my understanding, this case needed a nosode as there was long suppression of symptoms, paucity of symptoms and already it had responded well to Psorinum. Clinically I experienced that, once you prescribed nosode as a constitutional remedy, either go for a complementary nosode or change the potency of the same remedy (which I already did and faced aggravation).
I Prescribed Morgan Pure bacillus pure 30 one dose.
Why Morgan Pure?
Morgan has a selected action upon the skin producing congestion and hyperemia and it often clears up obstinate cases where Sulphur, Psorinum, Medorrinum etc. seem indicated but do not finish the work, or where there is deep internal venous stasis (hot flushes and varicose veins in the present case).
Morgan Pure and Morgan Gaertner are the subtypes of Morgan Bach. The keynote of Morgan. seems to be the congestion action both internally and externally. Dr. John Paterson has suggested as the keynote of Morgan co. the word “congestion”
Morgan Bach seems to reach those cases of skin lesions where the skin is red, raw and exudes freely a serous, watery fluid with intolerable itching causing incessant scratching which further exacerbates the skin problem.1
Indications of Morgan P.2
– Congestion in mucus membrane
-Congestion in venous circulation-varicose veins, hot flushes.
-Eczema with swelling and exudation.
-Anxiety about disease, children and financial matters of family.
-Suicidal thoughts from disease.
-Congestive, thick, inflamed skin bleeds from scratching
-No apparent clear modalities
-When the patient has improved and then there is standstill.
Why 30c Potency?
With outstanding ‘mentals’, Dr. John Paterson prefers prescribing nosodes in 1M potency or higher, but if there is obvious evidence of advanced pathological conditions, Paterson would rather employ the 6C potency and give this in a daily dose over a period, the duration of which would be determined by clinical observation and evidence of reaction.3
Dr. Paterson finds an intermediate level of potency-the 30C (between these extremes) useful in conditions where there is a combination of acute and chronic, like acute allergic reaction to hair dye with chronic eczema in this case.
I followed up after 3 days, 6 days and one month.
Follow up after a month
She said: “I have severe burning and itching in eczema. Eruptions are observable on my feet but my thighs are better now except slight discoloration. No swelling in face at all.”
I did not prescribe anything.
Dr. Paterson in his book Bowel Nosodes by John Peterson stated not to repeat a bowel nosode within three months.
Follow up after four months
Slight eruptions on the sole is left. I have to deal with discoloration now. This case proved not only the complementary action of bowel nosodes but also the direction of cure we call Hering’s law. First suppressed eruptions came out, inflammation and congestion relieved and finally eruptions on feet with clearance of thighs.
Varicose veins is well controlled, she even forgot to talk about it!
Follow up after six months
She complained that the eczema has appeared more on feet towards fingers and even on fingers of hands which was not there previously. Discoloration on face is better.
This case proved not only the complimentary action of bowel nosode but also the direction of cure or we can call it Hering’s law. First suppressed eruptions came out, inflammation and congestion relieved and finally patient complaint of eruptions on feet and fingers with clearance of thighs.
Varicose veins is well controlled, she even forgot to talk about it!
Follow up after eight months
Discoloration on face was better.
Eczema near fingertips was the chief complaint. The rest was the same. I did not bother as it was according to Hering’s Law.
Conclusion- Pioneers will be pioneers always! Eczema does not require years to treat if an appropriate remedy is chosen! Sometimes we get stuck when a case is at status quo. Desire to learn as a student throughout your life makes you successful. When we treat such cases, patient starts believing in homeopathy and the myth that homeopathy is a long-term therapy collapses. Reading and following the instructions given by pioneers really helps. I salute John Peterson for his contribution to Homeopathy.
References:
- Clinical experience and homoeopathic research with the morgan bacillus pure (W. Griggs)
- Classical Homeopathy for an Impatient World (Dr. Subrata K. Banerjea)
- Bowel Nosodes by John Paterson
