Homeopathy Papers

Denial of Suppression – Skepticism of Conceit!

Written by H. C. Allen

A member of the American Institute of Homoeopathy, responds to a critic who denied the existence of suppression. The member gives two case examples. Session of 1887.

It is certainly not a little remarkable that one who has seen so much, has “seen no bad results” from “suppressed eruptions,” when the world is really so full of them. They are to be seen every day and any day by one who has eyes to see what is before him. The gentlemen’s skepticism as to the matters under discussion is of just no importance whatever. He had seen nothing of the bad results from suppressed eruptions and therefore he knew nothing of them, and therefore his skepticism is not of the least consequence to anyone except himself and his patients.

Here is one instance of such bad results from external application to an eruption on the scalp of a child of nine years. The eruption was of the kind which in common language is spoken of as “ringworm of the scalp.” The application was bruised leaves of the black walnut tree. The spot on the head denuded of hair, with small herpetic vesicles at its circumference, was described to me as circular and of the size of a half dollar. The bruised leaves were laid on this spot, and the eruption disappeared.

The hair returned as it was before the appearance of the disease, and lo a cure, which might greatly please and satisfy old physics. But this disappearance of the eruption and the reappearance of the hair was almost immediately followed by most violent neuralgic pains, which pierced the bodily trunk in all its parts. They were so violent as to destroy the consciousness of the patient. Her motions were convulsive,

and her moans, which were constant, were mingled with cries to her attendants not to allow imaginary beings “to thrust those knives into me.” This is but a weak description of the paroxysm for which I was first called to prescribe. She had had many such before I saw her. They came at intervals of a week or ten days. I soon relieved

the pains of this paroxysm, but was, after the usual interval, called again to a similar paroxysm, and then to a third and a fourth, and the relief of the paroxysms by the most similar remedy not preventing their return, led to enquiry into the history of the case, when the facts as given above came out.

This led to a new study of the case, and to its more perfect understanding. I was fresh from the study of the Organon, and was, as I have been ever since, a firm believer in the truth of its philosophy. I was a beginner in practical Homoeopathy but I recognized the suppressed eruption as the cause of the sufferings I had relieved, but whose return I had not been able to prevent.

I told the parents of the child that I regarded this suppressed eruption as the cause of their child’s sufferings, and that these paroxysms would return and torture their child till the eruption was brought again to the surface. The new study of the case, under the guidance of this new view of its nature, brought to light a remedy which in a short time reproduced the eruption on the scalp, with intolerable itching. This was now cured by proper specific medication, and the paroxysms of neuralgia returned no more. At the end of this cure could there be any reasonable doubt as to the true cause of these paroxysms?

We will give one more example of “bad results” following external application to a case of cutaneous disease, not as a “convincing suggestion” to this member, whom the skepticism of conceit has evidently carried away beyond all hope of relief from facts unless he has “seen” them “himself, personally. We think the case may be instructive to some who may be less unfortunately constituted.

The sufferer was my own son. It was during my absence from the country, and in his first college year, that he contracted what my substitute, in my absence, called scabies. And, apparently, with  little fear of “bad results” he proceeded to treat this eruption with a plentiful supply of Sulphur ointment, well rubbed in. The

eruption disappeared, and behold a cure of the disease – but what of the boy? It was a notable example of that practice which “treats the disease and not the patient”, often fearfully at the patient’s expense. The disease was cured, according to the traditions of old physic. But, the young man, heretofore an example of young health and vigor, had never been sick, except as he passed through his experiences of measles, whooping-cough, etc. – the almost necessary accompaniments of young life – was now emaciated, had embarrassed breathing with violent cough, expectoration, loss of strength (he had, before this blundering crime, been counted as the second best gymnast in his college). His mental powers followed the decay of his physical, and it became necessary to take him from his studies, which he was able to resume only after a year of sick-suffering, which was finally conquered and his health restored by twelve months of carefully considered antipsoric treatment. This young man has enjoyed uninterrupted good health since this cure, which was effected in the year 1859.

 

Excerpted from  -The Medical Advance – VOLUME XIX -1887 – Edited And Published By Henry C. Allen, M. D.

About the author

H. C. Allen

Dr. Henry C. Allen, M. D. - Born in Middlesex county, Ont., Oct. 2, 1836. He was Professor of Materia Medica and the Institutes of Medicine and Dean of the faculty of Hahnemann Medical College. He served as editor and publisher of the Medical Advance. He also authored Keynotes of Leading Remedies, Materia Medica of the Nosodes, Therapeutics of Fevers and Therapeutics of Intermittent Fever.

2 Comments

  • This article although from older homeopathic references, I feel is very relavant now for unexplained neurological and debilitating illnesses. So much medications are given freely to all patients for same ailment. In 2006 I was given a medication that resulted in what the article described very well as the painful convulsions while I was awake after a week of severe headaches. I was put in intensive care for two days and was put on depokote. But later one doctor told me she thought I had conversion disorder! What I like about homeopathy is no odd symptom, behavior or thought is ignored. For allopathic doctors if it is not in medical textbooks or show up on an MRI,etc., then it does not exist and the patient suffers.

  • Such a beautiful illustration of the direction of cure and what ‘suppression’ will do the the mind and the body. Sadly, today the patient goes for a check up at the doctor’s office with a list short or long of little annoyances or irritations, a few were listed above in Allen’s story, such as ‘itch’ whether of the scalp, limbs, eyes, palate or skin. The quick response from the physician with a glib tone, “oh! We can fix that right away, no problems.” Oh, the patient so comforted and happy leaves with a tube of steroid cream. You can imagine the result when the itch disappears, usually temporarily, and upon the return to the doctor, the deepened debility of lungs, intestines, muscles or memory. Thank you dear Dr Allen for this voice from the past. http://www.twitter.com/DebbyBruck

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