Clinical Cases

A Case of Diabetes Mellitus in a 55 Year Old Man – Phosphoric Acid

Written by S.K.Banerjea

The author presents an interesting case showing good control of the blood sugar achieved within a few months.

Age: 55 years.

Height: 5 ft. 4 inches.

Weight: 64 Kgs.

Present & past occupation: Teacher.

Married.

Only son died six years back.

PRESENTING COMPLAINTS:

1) Weakness and drowsiness more towards evening, aggravated by movement, exertion

2) Frequent urination.

3) Burning after urination: urethra feels scalded.

4) Disturbed sleep.

5) Wormy irritation in anus.

6) Headache occasionally in the evening. Shifting, piercing pain.

7) Hot / Chilly?

HEAD – (1) Hot feeling in vertex. (2) Occasional vertigo after day’s work.

MOUTH – (1) Dryness of mouth ; 2) Foetor oris.

TEETHSwelling of gums.

ABDOMEN – Occasional gas & distension of abdomen.

STOMACH – Appetite : increased.

SWEAT – Profuse sweat, no odour.

URINE – (a) Yellowish colour. Occasionally turbid. (b) 18-20 times per 24 hours. Frequent urination, and profuse. More at night. (c) No odour. (d) Burning after urination. (e) Discomfort and uneasiness in urethra after urination.

STOOL – Regular.

UPPER EXTREMETIES – Occasional stiffness of small joints aggravated severely during new moon and full moon.

JOINTS – Painful stiffness of joints was severe during 1985, a little better after allopathic treatment.

LOWER EXTREMITIES – Occasional weakness & trembling of the lower extremities towards evening, after a day’s work. Stumbles.

MALE GENITAL ORGANS – History of masturbation during youth up to his 30’s, power deficient since. Lax penis.

SKIN DISEASE – (1) Dandruff. (2) Barber’s itch.

MENTAL SYMPTOMS:

Irritable & indifferent attitude. Depression. Likes to be alone, introverted type. Gradual weakness of memory. Weepy +. Works slowly. Fear of incurable diseases.

FIRST CAUSE OF BREAK DOWN OF HEALTH:

Death of his son, 6 years of age: Never Been Well Since (N.B.W.S.)

PAST HISTORY:

History of masturbation during youth up to 30’s.

Allopathic medicines used for the last 4 years without appreciable effect.

(i) History of measles in childhood ; (ii) Malaria 2-3 times; (iii) Stiff joints (rheumatism), barbers’ itch treated with cortisone group of medicines (since 1985-86); (iv) Diabetes; diagnosed 4 years previously. V) Suffered from chicken pox in childhood.

HOMOEOPATHIC GENERALITIES:

Catches cold easily. Food desires: (i) Salty (+) (ii) Milk (+) (iii) Fruits (++) (iv) Chicken (+) (v) Cold food & drinks (+) (vi) Rich & spicy foods (++). Thirsty (+). SLEEP – Disturbed.

FAMILY HISTORY:

History of skin disease and pleurisy with father.

INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT BEFORE AND DURING DR. BANERJEA’S TREATMENT:

8th March 1990: Blood Sugar Post Prandial (BSPP): 228

20th April 1990: BSPP: 171

20th June 1990: BSPP: 95

CASE ANALYSIS, MIASMATIC DIAGNOSIS AND FINAL PRESCRIPTION

i) Provisional diagnosis :- Diabetes Mellitus

(Secondary Type).

ii) Miasmatic diagnosis :- Mixed Miasmatic.

iii) Constitutional remedy :- Acid Phosphorus

MIASMATIC INTERPRETATION OF ACID PHOS CASE :

PSORIC SYCOTIC SYPHILITIC TUBERERCULAR
(1) Likes to be alone (Psora + Syphilis). (1) Stiffness of joints. (1) Urethra feels scalded (irritation & burning of parts). (1) Wormy irritation, pinworms.
(2) Weakness aggravated by exertion, movement. (2) Joint pains are also Sycotic painful stiffness. (2) Depression & indifference. (2) Foetor oris (Psoric + tubercular).
(3) Dandruff. (3) Light physical exertion fatigues – patient stumbles (Syco-tubercular). (3) Introvert. (3) Diabetes is tubercular.
(4) Fear of incurable diseases. (4) Barber’s itch. (4) History of masturbation (++), with weakness of sexual organs.
(5) Gradual weakness of memory. (5) History of pleurisy with father.
(6) Profuse urine (Syco -Tubercular) (6) Weakness after micturition: Tubercular miasm.
(7) Tubercular miasm: Urine loaded with phosphate, sugar, etc. always tubercular miasm.

(8) Catches cold easily.

(9) Polyuria, nocturnal.

(10) Small joint stiffness aggravated at full and new moon.

MIASMATIC DERIVATION FROM THE PATHOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW

MIXED MIASMATIC : It is a secondary type of diabetes mellitus (a resultant effect of some primary degenerative condition or the after effects of some heroic drugs: here in this case prolonged cortisone-therapy). From the homoeopathic point of view, this secondary type of diabetes mellitus is caused by suppression of rheumatism by cortisone therapy –> resulting in diabetes mellitus.

Note : A dose of Causticum to end with, which will also follow Acid Phosphorus, as well as Sycotic coverage and deep acting from the Psychic side too.

PROGNOSIS :

As here in this case the primary degenerative condition, rheumatism, was suppressed and currently is not present at its peak –> with the homoeopathic remedy the suppressed condition could flare up –> if it does not reach its peak –> the total status of the patient is favourable and curable.

FINAL PRESCRIPTION:

1) Increased appetite.

2) Desire cold food / drinks, fruits++.

3) Mental – Kirritable / Indifferent – Gradual Weakenss of memory and Weepy+

4) Sleep – Disturbed.

POINTS FAVOURING THE CHOICE OF ACID PHOS.

1) Weakness and drowsiness : the system has been exposed to the ravages of excesses & grief.

2) Dryness of the mouth with polyurea (Clarke).

3) Vertigo towards evening (Boericke).

4) Profuse sweat (Clarke).

5) Burning after urination (Boericke). Polyurea at night (Boericke).

6) Great debility of the lower extremities & stumbles easily (Boericke).

7) History of prolonged vital drainage: masturbation.

8 ) Though always thinks of sexual enjoyment, but due to prolonged history of masturbation, the sexual power is deficient and the penis is lax.

9) The legs tremble whilst walking and the hands are as difficult to control as the thoughts (Clarke).

10) History of shock from the death of his son; since last 6 years. Effects of grief and mental shock (Boericke).

11) The miasmatic breakdown of Phosphorus acid is: Psora ++, Sycosis ++, Syphilis +, Tubercular +++.

PHOSPHORIC ACID : PSORIC+SYCOTIC+DEEP ACTING TUBERCULAR

1) Apathetic, listless, absent mindedness, indifferent attitude. It has the indifference of Sepia + Apis.

2) Mental debility first, later physical (–reverse Mur. acid)

3) Initial indifference –> mental prostration.

Phosphorus acid is considered an anti-tubercular remedy: so if the symptoms are suppressed during the youth –> by non-homoeopathic means –> debilitated tubercular state. So therefore the ill-effects of prolonged masturbation, polyurea, chronic diarrhoea or the indifference arising from a typhoid state and thereby resulting in debility –> if suppressed –> the lungs are affected.

4) Indigestion –> undigested food particles with stool –> yet canine hunger peculiarly uncommon –> associated with chronic diarrhoea –> empty all gone sensation (Anacardium, Chelid., Sepia, Sulphur, Phosphorus, Zinc met.) –> though eats well, but indigestion –> so diarrhoea aggravates –> so the emptiness aggravates –> more hunger: alternately resulting profound apathetic, indifferent states –> thin and debilitated. The specific gravity of urine in diabetes mellitus is 1010 or below (Dr.N.M. Chowdhury says high). Whey, milky urine :–>weakness after urination –> empty, all gone sensation in lungs (chest),  abdomen & urinary bladder (like Phosphorus).

5) There is also a post urination sensation of dryness in the entire skin –> characterised by the sensation as if the white portion of an egg was applied to the skin and dried up. Remember, Phosphorus acid patient is capable of getting up from the bed to go to the toilet even in the advanced stages of the disease, but due to profound melancholic mental prostration & indifferent apathetic attitude –> he does not have the intention to get up –> “let it go” feeling (attitude)–> lies like a log. The essence here is that the exhaustion is less in comparison to his advanced physical status.

Dr. N.M. Chowdhury suggests, indifferent, listlessness & apathy (ILA) are the red-strands of the remedy.

Impotency is the natural sequence, but it is not the total and complete impotence of Selenium. The sensibility of the penis is still there, erections happen, but they are weak and inefficient.

To make matters worse, they are troubled with a constant desire to urinate. The urine passed is larger in quantity than usual and is intensely debilitating.

Tripod for the choice of Phosphorus Acid in diabetes :

PRESCRIPTION CHART

Date Report after Last Medication Prescription done

on the basis of

Treatment
19th Mar’90 Acid Phos, 200 C : 2 doses.
23rd Apr’90 Sac Lac
23rd May’90 As a whole much better. Sac Lac
25th Jun’90 Blood sugar normal. Sac Lac

Authenticity of cure :

Web Link:

Mr. M.L.M., a case of Diabetes, before treatment.

 

About the author

S.K.Banerjea

Dr. Subrata Kumar Banerjea was born in Calcutta, India in 1957, the fourth generation of a distinguished and widely respected homoeopathic family. He graduated in Homoeopathy from the University of Calcutta with a record number of honours passes in nine medical subjects and with five gold medals to his name, setting himself on a path to become an internationally acclaimed homoeopathic clinician, lecturer and author. He is considered the world"™s leading authority on miasmatic prescribing.
Dr. Banerjea is an Honoured Fellow of several academies; Director and Principal Lecturer of the Bengal Allen Medical Institute, Calcutta; Principal and Chief Lecturer of Materia Medica and Clinical Therapeutics at the Allen College of Homoeopathy, Essex, England. When he is not lecturing, he divides his time between his clinical practices in the UK and in India where he also acts as Clinical Consultant in various rural and slum clinics. Dr. Banerjea has a passion for homeopathy which he imparts to his students.
Dr. Banerjea together with his brother Joy, son Saptarshi and wife Janet, also play an active role in the Kamala Banerjee Fund, a charity which distributes milk to the poor children of Calcutta.
Visit Dr. Banerjea at his Website : www.homoeopathy-course.com

9 Comments

  • The systematic attack on the insidious villain of diabetes in the case under reference is really superb.Conrgrats doctor.

  • Dear Dr Banerjea,
    In my opinion, this case is an incomplete presentation. This case will not
    bring any credit to homeopathy in critical study. Only coming down the
    blood sugar level is not the parameter of improvement in a case. There are
    plenty of cases where after initial improvement , the BS level goes high
    and then no homeopathic medicine could bring it down and patient goes to an allopath. In Hahnemann’s time, when there was no scope to know the BS level, it was not a point to mention.
    The real parameter is whether the patient is getting better health following Hering’s Law of Direction of Cure or not. You mentioned the miasmatic diagnosis categorically but did not mention the antimiasmatic treatment from one miasm to another as Hahnemann described in his book of chronic disease.
    BS level is merely laboratory findings which may go up and down for many reasons?
    What about the improvement of symptoms which you have elaborately
    mentioned in this case?

    With Regards.

    Dr Md Emdadul Hossain
    Kolkata

  • a wonderful cure. proves the efficacy of h.pathy’s golden rule of like cure likes. it goes without saying that finding out the cause of the sufferring denotes the remedy. THE LOSS OF the ONLY SON is the cause in this instant case which the skillful doctor diaognised very brilliantly.
    hats of to Dr.S.K.Benerjea for this wonderful case which throws more light to many young doctors to follow.thanks for bringing such a nice article.
    thanks&regards
    sitaram

    • To SK PANCHAL
      I see this comment is some years old, but for the benefit of others:

      1) This is a case report, and is not the place to ask unless it is a question about this patient.

      2) Homeopathy is prescribed on a whole-person basis, not on the basis of some generalised diagnosis. Prescribing like a conventional medicine-peddler will get you no-where.

      3) For a condition like this, you need to consult an experienced homeopath, and follow instruction.

      Go to a real homeopath who uses single-remedy method and understands constitutional approaches, miasms, and obstructions to cure, along with lifestyle changes. (Some alternative doctors do not really understand homeopathy but try to pass themselves off while using herbs and such – do not use those people)
      You will also have to change the way you eat and exercise.

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