0 – t, an actor, 33 years old, married. 14th January, 1843. For several years he had been frequently subject to sore throat, as also now for a month past. The previous sore throat had lasted six weeks. On swallowing his saliva, a prickling sensation; feeling of contraction and excoriation.
When he has not the sore throat he suffers from a pressure in the anus, with violent excoriative pains; the anus is then inflamed, swollen, and constricted; it is only with a great effort that he can then pass his faeces, when the swollen haemorrhoidal vessels protude.
On the 15th January, he took, in the morning before breakfast a teaspoonful of solution of one globule of belladonna X’ then the lowest dynamization, dissolved in seven tabespoonfuls of water, of which a tablespoonful was well stirred up in a tumberful of water.
15th. – In the evening aggravation of the sore throat.
16th. – Sore throat gone, but the affection of the anus returned as above described; an open fissure with excoriative pain, inflammation, swellings, throbbing pain and constriction; – also in the evening a painful motion.
E confessed having had a chancre eight years previously, which had been, as usual, destroyed by caustics, after which all the above affections had appeared.
18th. – Mercurius Viv. One globule of the lowest new dynamization I, (which contains a vastly smaller amount of matter than the usual kind), prepared in the same manner, and to be taken in the same way as the belladonna (the bottle being shaken each time), one spoonful in a tumberful of water well stirred.
20th. – Almost no sore throat. Anus better, but he still feels there excoriation pain after a motion; he has however no more throbbing, no more swelling of the anus, and no inflammation; anus less contracted.
One globule of merc. Viv. (2/10) the second dynamization of the same kind; prepared in the same way. And taken in the morning.
25th. – Throat almost quite well, but in the anus, raw pain and severe shootings; great pain in the anus after a motion; still some contraction of it and heat.
30th. – In the afternoon, the last dose (one teaspoonful). On the 28th the anus was better; sore throat returned; pretty severe excoriation pain in the throat.
On globule in milk-sugar for seven days; prepared and taken in the same manner.
7th February. – Severe ulcerative pain in the throat. Bellyache, but good stools; several in succession, with great thirst in the anus all is right.
Sulphur 2/10 in seven tablespoonfuls, as above.
13th. – Had ulcerative pain in the throat, especially on swallowing his saliva, of which he has now a large quantity, especially copious on the 11th and 12th. Severe contraction of the anus, especially since yesterday.
He now smelt here merc., and got to take as before merc. V. 2/10 one globule in seven tablespoonfuls of water, and half a spoonful of brandy.
20th. – Throat better since the 18th; he has suffered much with the anus; the motion causes pain when it is passing; less thirst.
Milk-sugar in seven tablespoonfuls.
3d March. – Now more sore throat. On going to stool a bloodless haemorrhoidal knot comes down (formerly this was accompanied with burning and raw pain), now with merely itching on the spot.
To smell acid. Nitri. And then to have milk-sugar in seve…
Almost no more pain after a motion; yesterday some blood along with the motion (an old symptom) Throat well; only a little sensitive when drinking cold water.
Olfaction of acid. Nitri. (olfaction is performed by opening small bottle containing an ounce of alcohol or brandy where one globule is dissolved, and smelt for an instant or two.
He remained permanently cured. [ The following account of an illness with which hahnemann was attacked, which he gives in a letter to the same correspondent, dated 28th April, 1833, will be read with interest. “Although I kept myself very calm, yet the annoyance I receive from * * * * * may have contributed to bring upon the suffocative catarrh, that for seven days before and 14 days after the 10th of April [ Hahnemann’s birthday], threatened to choke me, with instantaneous attacks of intolerable itching in the glottis, that would have caused spasmodic cough, had it not deprived me of breath altogether; irritation of the fauces with the finger, so as to cause sickness, was the only thing that restored the breathing, and that but slowly; there were besides other severe symptoms – very great shortness of breath (without constriction of the chest), total loss of appetite for food and drink, disgust at tobacco, bruised feeling and weariness of all the limbs, constant drowsiness, inability to do the least work, presentiment of death. &c. The whole neighborhood proved their great affection for me by sending so frequently to inquire how I was, that I felt quite ashamed. It is only within these four days that I have felt myself out of danger; I obtained relief by two olfactions, of coff. Cr. X’ first, and then of calc,; ambra too was of use. And so the Great Protector of all that is true and good will grant me as much more life upon this earth as seemeth good to his wisdom.”]
