Hot and Cold Remedies
by Dr. Robert Gibson Miller
Presented by Sylvain CazaletREMEDIES PREDOMINANTLY AGGRAVATED BY
COLD
Robert Gibson MillerAbrot., Acet-ac., Acon., Agar., Agn., Alumen, Alum.,
Al-ph., Alum-sil., Am-c., Apoc., Arg-m., ARS., Ars-s-fl., Asar., Aur., Aur-ars.,
Aur-sulph., Bad., BAR-C., Bar-m., Bell., Benz-ac., Borax., Brom., Cadm.,
Calc-ars., CAL-C., Calc-fl., CALC-PH., Calc-sil., Camph., Canth., CAPS.,
Carb-an., Carb-veg., Carbn-sul., Card-m., Cauloph., CAUST., Cham., Chel., CHINA.,
Chin-a., Cimic., Cistus., Cocc., Coff., Colch., Con., Cycl., DULC., Euphras., FERR.,
Ferr-ars., Form., GRAPH., Guaj., Hell., Helon., HEP., Hyosc., HYPER., Ign.,
KALI-ARS., Kali-bich., KALI-CARB., Kali-chlor., Kali-phos., Kali-sil.,
Kalm., Kreos., Lac-defl., MAGN-CARB., MAGN-PHOS., Mang., MOSCH., Mur-ac.,
Natr-ars., Natr-carb., NITRIC-AC., Nux-m., NUX-VOM., Oxal-ac., Petrol., PHOS.,
Phos-ac., Plb., Pod., PSOR., PYROGEN., RAN-B., Rheum., Rhodo., RHUS., RUMEX, Ruta,
SABAD., Sars., SEPIA, SIL., SPIG., Stann., Staph., Stram., STRONT., Sul-ac.,
Therid., Valer., Viol-t., Zinc.REMEDIES PREDOMINANTLY AGGRAVATED BY
HEATAesc-h., All-c., Aloe, Ambra., APIS, ARG-NIT., Asaf.,
Aur-iod., Aur-m., Bar-iod., Bry., Calad., Calc-iod., Calc-sul., Cocc-cacti., Comoc.,
Crocus., Dros., Fer-iod., FLUOR-AC., Grat., Ham., IOD., KALI-IOD., KALI-SUL., Lach.,
Led., Lil-t., Lyc., NAT-MUR., NAT-SUL., Niccol., Op., Picric-ac., PLAT., Ptelia,
PULS., SABINA, SECALE, Spong., Sul., Sul-iod., Thuj., Tuberc., (Rabe), Ustil., Vespa.,
Viburn.REMEDIES SENSITIVE TO BOTH EXTREMES OF
TEMPERATUREMERC., Ip., Nat-carb., Cinnabar.
Ant-cr., agg. by both geat and cold : agg. by overheating
and radiated heat, though many symptoms amel. by heat.(MERC. in chronic troubles agg. by cold : in acute agg. by
heat).SOME CASES TO SHOW THE METHOD OF WORKING
CASE I
Miss B., æt. 52. Been heavy tea
drinker for twenty years ; had much pain and discomfort in stomach ; with flatulence
immediately after eating ; gradually got better till next meal ; much rumbling in abdomen.
Appetite poor ; bowels fairly regular.Desires – Salt, sweets.
Averse – Fats, acids.
Flushes of heat with sweating which relieved her.
She was very thin ; excitable person – a bundle of nerves.
On further enquiry she was found to be very chilly.
GENERALS
Very Chilly. < Spring. < Before and during thunder-storm.
Irritable in morning.
Anxiety for others.
Fears, Burglars ; something going to happen ; crowds ; being suffocated,
and therefore in tunnel.Impatient.
Suspicious.
Very sensitive ; readily offended ; startled easily with least noise.
CHILLY PATIENT – Used as Eliminating Symptom : only chilly remedies are
given in the following lists.Fears : Something will happen (Kent’s Repertory : p. 45). – Alum.,
Ars., Calc., Carb-v., CAUST., Graph., Kali-ars., Kali-p., Mag-c., Mang.,
Nat-a., PHOS.Fears : suffocation (p. 47) – Carb-an., Phos., Stram..
Fears :
crowd (p. 43) – Aloe, Ars., Bar-c., Calc., Carb-an., Caust.,
Con., Ferr., Graph., Hep., Kali-ar., K-bi., Kali-c., Kali-p., Nat-a., Nat-c., Nux-v.,
Phos., Plb., Rhus-t., Stann.Anxiety for others (p. 7) – Ars., Bar-c., Cocc., Phos.
Suspicious (p. 85) – ARS., Aur., BAR-C., Bar-m., Bell., Bor.,
Calc-p., Carb-s., Canth., CAUST., Cham., Chin., Cimic., Cocc., Con., Graph., Hyos.,
KALI-ARS., Kali-p., Mur-ac., Nat-a., Nat-c., Nit-ac., Nux-v., Phos.,
Plb., RHUS-T., Ruta, Sep., Sil., Stann., Staph., STRAM., Sul-ac., Viol-t.Offended readily (p. 69) – Agar., Alum., Ars., Aur., Bor., Calc.,
Camph., Caps., Carb-s., Carb-v., Caust., Cham., Chel., Chin., Chin-a., Cocc.,
Cycl., Graph., NUX-V., Petr., Phos., Ran-b., Sars., Sep., Spig., Stram., Zinc.< Approach storm (p. 1403) - Agar., Aur., Caust., Hyper., Kali-bi.,
Nat-c., Nit-ac., Petr., Phos., PSOR., RHOD., Rhus-t., Sep., Sil.< Spring (p. 1403) - Aur., Bar-m., Bell., Calc., Carb-v., Chel.,
Colch., Dulc., Hep., Kali-bi., Nux-v., Rhus-t., Sars., Sep., Sil.Averse fats (p. 480) – Ars., Bell., Calc., Carb-an., Carb-v.,
CHIN., Chin-a., Colch., Cycl., Bell., Hep., Nat-c., PETR., Phos., Rheum,
Rhus-t., Sep.Averse acids (p. 480) – Bell., Cocc., Ferr., Ign., Nux-v.,
Ph-ac., SABAD.Desire salt (p. 486) – Calc., Calc-p., CARB-V., Caust., Cocc.,
Con., Nit-ac., PHOS., Plb.Desire sweets (p. 486) – Am-c., Arg-m., Ars., Bar-c., Calc.,
Carb-v., CHIN., Chin-a., Kali-ars., Kali-c., Kali-p., Nat-c., Nux-v.,
Petr., Plb., Rheum., Rhus-t., Sabad., Sep.Remarks.
The chief remedies running through the case are Ars., Calc.,
Caust., Nat-c., Nux-v., Phos., Rhus., Sep. Giving the different types their values ;
(Capitals = 3 ; Italics = 2 ; Ordinary = 1) ; we find that Ars. appears 8 times to value of
16 = Ars. 816 , Calc. 814, Caust. 713, Nat-c. 69,
Nux-v. 69, Phos. 1018, Rhus-t. 712, Sep. 611.The constitution of the patient suggested either Ars. or Phos.
We have thus come to these two remedies by only considering the general
symptom of the patient.The pain in stomach was > hot drinks ; even wine which suits her
generally had to be given up owing to its coldness, and as Phos. patients crave cold drinks
(even ices) in gastric troubles, we are left with Ars.Ars-alb. 30 – 3 doses at 6-hourly intervals.
Pain > (which had been present for years) in a few days, and in a few
weeks she was almost well, being much less excitable.This case shows the importance of Generals in their order – mental,
climatic, desires and aversions in food ; all of which must be markedly present to be of any
value.CASE II
Mrs. W., æ. 58 – Dec. 6th, 1910
– Complaining of headaches ever since a girl in her teens ; usually requires to go to bed
for at least two days every month (not at period). She has a heaviness all over head as if
in iron case ; and head extremely tender to touch, also much throbbing in left temple.< Warm room ; exposure to sun ; if heated ; east wind ; touch.
> Rest ; alone ; quiet ; lying down ; pressure.
Menopause, two years ago. Has some bearing down sensation if she strains,
with burning internally and a feeling of distension.Stomach – Appetite fair ; averse fish ; desires fats.
Bowels constipated.
GENERALS
Mental – Fears : dark, robbers. Always in a hurry. Very sensitive
to all impressions. Moody : < consolation (gets angry).Climatic. – < Warmth (faintish ; summer - exposure to sun. Flushes, heat with sweats. < Thunder (hair stands on end, and gets bad headaches).
WARM PATIENT – Therefore following lists only include those drugs
affected by heat.< Consolation (Kent, p. 16) - Lil-t., Lyc., NAT-M., Plat., Thuj.
Fear dark (p. 43) – Calc-s., Lyc., Puls.
Robbers (p. 47) – Arg-n., Lach., Nat-m., Sulph.
Hurry (p. 52) – Aloe, Ambr., Apis, Arg-n., Bry., Calad., Calc-s.,
Grat., Iod., Kali-s., Lach., LIL-T., Lyc., NAT-M., Op., Ptel., Puls., SULPH.,
Thuj.< Thunder (p. 1403) - Bry., Lach., Lyc., Nat-m., Puls., Sulph.,
Thuj., Tub.< Summer (p. 1404) - Arg-n., Bry., FL-AC., Iod., Lach., Lyc.,
Nat-m., Puls., Thuj.Faintish warm room (p. 1361) – Lach., Lil-t., Lyc., PULS.
Faintish crowded room (p. 1359) – Nat-m., Sulph.
Averse fish (p. 480) – Nat-m., Sulph.
Desire fats (p. 485) – Sulph.
Particulars of Headache
< Sun (p. 149) - Aloe, BRY., LACH., Nat-m., PULS., Sulph.
< Warm room (p. 151) - Aloe, APIS, Bry., Coc-c., Croc., Ferr-i.,
Iod., Kali-s., Led., Lil-t. Lyc., Nat-m., PLAT., PULS., Spong.,
Sulph.< Touch (p. 149) - Bry., Grat., Led., Lyc., Nat-m., Sabin.
> Lying (p. 142) – Bry., Calc-s., Coc-c., Fer-i., Fl-ac., Lach., Lyc.,
Nat-m., Spong., Sulph.> Pressure (p. 145) – Apis, Arg-n., BRY., LACH., Lil-t., Lyc.,
NAT-M., Nicc., PULS., Sabin., Sulph., Thuj.Bry. 814 ; Lach. 817 ; Lyc. 1015 ;
Nat-m. 1222 ; Puls. 819 ; Sulph. 1016 .Remarks. Nat-mur. seems to suit the case, not because it is
numerically highest alone, but because it corresponds to the type of the patient. Nat-mur.
has marked aversion to fats, which this patient desires : but that would not rule out the
drug for this reason ; that, though the desires and aversions are general symptoms, they
rank much lower in the scale than the mental symptoms. A strong mental symptom like the
markedly < consolation would rule out many of lesser importance. Puls. again could never suit this case, no matter how great its numerical value, because of the marked < from consolation. Repertory work is never mechanical, and is only a guide to the study of Materia Medica.Dec. 9th, 1910 – Natrum-mur. 200, 3 doses.
Dec. 15th, 1910 – A marked aggravation of the headache three days
after taking the powders.February 14th, 1911 – Not had a bad headache since ; no heaviness
or caged-in feeling. Bowels began to act naturally soon after the medicine. Hardly any
flushes of heat. Much better generally ; got up after influenza and not felt shaky, used to
take her weeks to recover. No medicine.February 20th,
1911 – Got bad colic due to chill which caused return
of headache for one day only. Natrum-mur. 200, 3 doses.April 7th, 1911 – No real headache since last note, slight
attempts ; no caged-in feeling. Bowels quite regular. Bearing down with burning and
distension entirely gone. No flushes of heat. No medicine.May 16th,
1911 – A little vertigo on first lying down : goes off
immediately. Headache absent despite severe thunderstorm which formerly caused her to go to
bed ; not once the cased-in sensation. Bowels still good.Generally a different person in every way ; brighter ; more cheerful ;
husband declares her to be a different person to live with. Nat-m. 200, 3 doses.December 27th, 1911 – May have had a slight attempt at headache,
but never came to anything ; feels a new creature ; able to do much more work ; very
energetic ; general health excellent. Had no medicine since above.CASE III
Miss C. æt. 35 – June 13th, 1910
– Sleepless since 20 years age ; brought on by excessive musical study ; never taken any
sleeping drugs. She lies quite wide awake at night, brain active all the time, especially
after lights are out. Often kept awake by persistent tunes ; hardly ever falls asleep for
three hours after going to bed ; readily wakened by the least gleam of light : even if
drowsy becomes sleepless immediately on getting into bed. Dreams always ; nightmare.General health has been good. Throat : painless hoarseness : all colds
fly here.Stomach : Appetite good. Averse fats, milk. Craves ices, cold food.
Emptiness without hunger soon after getting into bed which might prevent sleep. > Eating.
Emptiness at 11 a.m.M. P. normal.
Mental : Very excitable to music : irritable ; impatient ; discontented.
Fears : in a crowd ; being hemmed in; fire; suffocation. Indifferent to people, especially
relatives. Depressed easily.Chilly : Hates the cold ; < thunderstorms.
CHILLY, used as an “eliminating symptom” to cut all the warm
remedies, in all the following lists.Indifference relations (Kent, p. 55) – Hell., Hep., Nat-c., PHOS., SEP.
Fears crowd (p. 43) – Ars., Aur., Bar-c., Calc., Carb-an., Caust., Con., Ferr.,
Ferr-ars., Graph., Hep., Kali-ar., Kali-bi., Kali-c., Kali-p., Nat-a., Nat-c., Nux-v.,
Phos., Plb., Rhus-t., Stann.
Fears suffocation (p. 47) – Carb-an., Phos., Stram.
Fears fire (p. 45) – Cupr.
< Thunder (p. 1403) - Agar., Aur., Caust., Hyper., Kali-bi., Nat-c., Nit-ac.,
Petr., Phos., PSOR., RHOD., Rhus-t., Sep., Sil.
Averse fats (p. 480) – Ars., Bell., Calc., Carb-an., Carb-v., CHIN.,
Chin-a., Colch., Cycl., Hell., Hep., Nat-c., PETR., Phos., Rheum, Rhus-t., Sep.
Averse milk (p. 481) – Am-c., Bell., Calc., Carb-v., Guaj., Ign., LAC-D.,
Mag-c., NAT-C., Nux-v., Phos., Rheum, Sep., Sil.
Desires cold food (p. 484) – Am-c., PHOS., Sil., Zinc.
Desires ices (p. 485) – Calc., PHOS.
Emptiness 11 a.m. (p. 488) – Alumen, Nat-c., Phos., Sep., Zinc.
Emptiness without hunger (p. 489) – Agar., Alum., Ars., Bar-c., Chin.,
Cocc., Dulc., Hell., Mur-ac., Phos., Rhus-t., Sil., Sul-ac.
Sleepless after going to bed (p. 1252) – Bor., Carb-v., Mag-c., Phos., Ph-ac.
Same idea (tune) always repeated (p. 1254) – Bar-c., Calc., Coff., Graph., Petr.
Hoarseness, painless (p. 760) – CALC., CARB-V., Caust., Phos.
= Calc. 611 ; Nat-c. 610 ; Phos. 1224 ; Sep. 510.Remarks. The larger rubrics such as sensitive to noise,
impatience, etc., are left out as all the competing remedies are in them.Phos. not only best indicated, but it has the important peculiar
symptoms, – indifference to relations ; all the fears (except fire) ; and the marked craving
for ices.June 16th, 1910 – Phos. 10M. 3 doses, 6 hours apart.
July 4th, 1910 – She writes “been sleeping better and have
been much quieter mentally at night.” No medicine.July 27th,
1910 – “Very much better generally ; sleeping better,
even with worrying times. Not half so tired as usual ; no emptiness even at 11 a.m. ; not
restless mentally at night ; no persistent tunes or thoughts ; not dreaming so much ;
extraordinary better.” No medicine.Oct. 10th,
1910 – Abroad, tiring journey, so took Phos. 10M, 3
doses, 6-hourly.January 27th, 1911 – Been sleeping perfectly well and much better
in every way ; no persistent tunes at night ; hardly ever dreams. No medicine.Jan. 14th,
1912 – “Still sleeping quite well ; have absolutely
nothing to complain about.” No medicine.CASE IV
Mr. B. æt. 28 – May 6th, 1910
– Pain and distension abdomen for last three years, especially 6 a.m. or 4 p.m. ; felt like
bubble inside ; been taking Sod-bicarb. all the time. Distension, not for some time after
eating.> Escape flatus (offensive) ; > hot drinks. Sleeps well till
wakened at 6 a.m. by pain.Appetite good ; no special desires or aversions ; some heartburn.
Rheumatic pains general ; no special modalities.
Weather conditions do not affect him.
Mental : < In himself if angry. Neither care nor worry. Quick tempered but controls it. Weak concentration.
Lycop. 1M, 4 doses, 6-hourly.
May 19th, 1910 – Not had slightest effect. Gave additional
symptoms. Pain especially at 6 a.m. comes in waves or spasms ; has to draw up knees on
abdomen, causes him to roll in discomfort.< If he gets angry. > Coffee.
Gets cramp in arms readily when rowing.
Abdomen
Pain < 6 a.m. (Kent, p. 555) - Coloc., Ox-ac.
< 4 p.m. (p. 555) - Caust., Coloc., Bell., LYC., Mag-m., Phys.
< anger (p. 556) - Cham., Cocc., Coloc., Nux-v., Staph., Sulph.
> coffee (p. 557) – COLOC.Coloc. 1M, 4 doses, 6-hourly.
May 27th, 1910 – Been practically well last few days. No
medicine.June 3rd,
1910 – “Nothing wrong with me.” No medicine.
June 29th,
1910 – Not wakened at 6 a.m. now ; never feels pain at 4
p.m. ; sleeping perfectly ; but some flatulence still about ; no heartburn ; distension
hardly present ; rheumatic pains gone. Almost but not quite well. No medicine.Coloc.
10M, 4 doses, 6-hourly.
June 18th, 1911 – Mother reports that the medicine upset him
somewhat at first, but since then and now is perfectly well : not least trouble.Remarks. We had here nothing but particulars to work with, but
they were so definite ; though not obtained till second visit.Lycop. had the 4 p.m. aggravation, also generally < after anger, and the > escape flatus. We thus see the great difficulty of prescribing on particulars. We
had Hering’s “three legs to our stool,” but that was not enough.CASE V
A. M., (32). Sept. 30th, 1911
– (An outpatient case). Headache vertex and eye all his life. Getting much worse. Lasts from
three days to three weeks. So severe, hardly knows what to do. Worse sleep. Head very
tender, can’t bear being touched. Sickness last ten hours, and vomits every ten minutes.
Always got a headache. Can’t eat, therefore very weak.Feels well before attack.
Good family history ; also general history good. No better for
anything. Burrows head in pillow. Eyes good, tested lately. Tongue indented. Feels as if
suffocated after eating, which greatly aggravates the headache.Averse : Fats, milk.
Very sleepy at 8 p.m. Dreams exciting. Alopecia areata.
< Heat ; thunder ; sleep. Depressed < Consolation. Wants to be alone.
Worse heat is used as an eliminating symptom to cut out all the
cold remedies from the following lists.< Consolation (p. 16) - Lyc., Merc., NAT-M., Plat., Thuj.
< Thunder (p. 1403) - Aur., Bry., K-bi., Lach., Lyc., Nat-m., Puls., Sul., Thuj., Tub.
Averse fat (p. 480) – Bry., Merc., Nat-m., PTEL., PULS., Sul.
Averse milk (p. 481) – Bry., Puls., Sul.
Headache < sleep (p. 148) - Arg-n., Aur., Bry., K-bi., LACH., Lyc., Merc.,
NAT-M., Puls., Sul., Thuj.
= Lach. 25, Lyc. 35, Merc. 34, Nat-m. 49,
Puls. 47, Sul. 47, Thuj. 34.Puls. could never come in, outruled by “< consolation" test, and by look of patient. Leaves Nat-m., and Sul. Aspect
typical Nat-mur., Nat-mur. 30, 4 doses 6-hourly.October 21st – Not been laid up with his headaches for the last
three weeks ; and not been sick, but hardly so well in himself. Has had a cold and is heavy
and dull. No medicine.November 11th –
One attack threatened but passed off. If they came on
before, they always laid him up for a week. He feels stronger, brighter, more heart for
things. Sleep less heavy ; dreams the same. Hair the same. No medicine.December 7th –
Had bilious attack on the 3rd inst., but was not sick
; only headache ; same character. No medicine.January 4th,
1912 – Had four attacks since here, two bad. Same
character. Bry. 30, 6 doses, 3-hourly.Remarks. It is never wise during an acute exacerbation of a
chronic malady to prescribe the chronic remedy, as you are apt to increase needlessly the
sufferings of your patient. Under such circumstances one prescribes a more superficial
remedy corresponding to the immediate modalties : e.g., Bry. in a Nat-mur. case :
Bell. in a Calc-c. case, &c.January 11th – Cannot eat ; though headache. Nat-mur. 200,
4 doses, 6-hourly.February 1st – Not had an attack since here, despite heavy work,
feels very well. No medicine.February 22nd –
Not had a headache for 2 months. Indigestion
immediately p.c. Feels better in himself. No medicine.March 14th –
Only a slight headache since here, but was able to stop
at work ; and right again. No medicine.CASE VI
Miss R.G., (20). (Outpatient,
Hospital). Feb.15th, 1912 – Pain, back, when she catches cold. Head, burning pain on
vertex : > on closing eyes. Feels, sick with headache daily : < at M.P. Cough on and off for four years. Been treated at hospitals or privately all the time ; really never free from cough. No pain : no sputum. Worse heat.Faintish in warm room. Depressed,
consolation. Irritable with noises. Fidgety.< Heat - (used as eliminating symptom to cut out cold remedies from lists).
< Consolation (Kent, p. 16) - Lil-t., Lyc., NAT-M., Plat., Thuj.
Noises = irritable (p. 59) – Iod., Nat-m., (later addition to Repertory).
Faint in warm room (p. 1361) – Lach., Lil-t., Lyc., PULS.
Faint in crowd (p. 1359) – Nat-m., Sul.
Headache > closing eyes (p. 137) – Aloe, Bry., Iod., Nat-m., Plat., Sul.
Pain, burning vertex (p. 177) – Bry., Lach., Nat-m., Nat-s., Sul.
Pain, burning, vertex at M.P. (p. 177) – Lach., Nat-m., Sul.
= Bry. 24 ; Lach. 36 ; Lyc. 22 ; Nat-m. 611
; Sul. 47.
Nat-mur. 30, 4 doses, 6-hourly.
March 14th, 1912 – Very much better in herself. Hardly had a
headache. No burning vertex. Not the least faintish. Pain in back gone. No cough : never
been so free of cough since it began years ago. No medicine.Of course there are heaps of
cases, where you cannot get any mental or other general symptoms so definitely marked as in
the foregoing, and where your have got to be most careful not to take symptoms too easily
for “eliminating” purposes, or to knock out drugs on insufficient cause. If you
do, you will find yourself landed with – Sepia probably, most times : though you
might very often do worse.Times of day, if very definite,
help. Some people are perfectly well all day, but their nights are purgatorial. Some are in
pain all day long, but perfectly well at night. Some rise feeling miserably ill and tired after
a good night’s rest, and with nothing to account for it (it is important to ascertain
this !) and only feel pretty well as the day wears on, and are bright and happy and ready
for work, mental and physical, in the evening, when you might expect them to be tired.
Others have all their weariness and languor, all their sufferings, in the evening – after
days neither strenuous nor fatiguing. These are important generals, and very useful in
helping to determine the drug. Some drugs have their very hour on the face of the clock :
and others a very marked periodicity. The worse-in-evening people, by the way, have a talent
for working out at Lycopodium.Worse from damp,
and worse from dry
weather are deep-seated, and very important : if strongly marked in the patient, they
may be used as eliminating symptoms. “I feel ten years younger to-day because it is
raining ; all my joints are quite loose, and I can move freely” said a patient a few
days ago : while others stiffen and ache for a mere passing shower. There is a small
important list, patient better in wet weather which is not in Kent’s Repertory* –
Alum., Ars., ASAR., Bell., Bov. BRY., Carb-an., Carb-v., CAUST., Cham., Fl-ac., HEP.,
Ip., Laur., Mang., Med., Mez., Mur-ac., Nit-ac., NUX., Plat., Rhod.,
Saba., Sep., Sil., Spig., Spong., Staph., Sulph., Zinc. (Rheumatic pain better
in wet weather, means practically, Caust., Hep., or Nux-v.). Dr. G. Miller
says, “in rheumatism where we expect as a rule to have an agg. from weather changes,
its absence becomes peculiar ; where the patient is not affected by change of
weather, exclude Dulc., Nux-mos., Phos., Ran-b., Rhodo., Rhus., Sil., Tuberc. And where the
patient is not affected by wet weather exclude Calc., Merc., Nat-c., Nat-s., Ruta.* Dr. Kent points out
that this rubric appears in his Repertory as “Dry weather agg.” p. 1357, and
“Cold dry weather agg.” p. 1349.
Then there are patients who
never dare to get into a bath, who are obliged to “wash in sections” as one of
them expressed it ; since they feel faint, or actually do faint, as soon as the water flows
over their skins : while in a lesser degree, others feel miserably weak and ill after a
bath. Such symptoms must be very marked and definite to carry great weight or to rule out
drugs ; but they help immensely : the last may give the casting vote between Puls. and
Sulph.Last, and least important of all, comes
the name of the patient’s malady. Look it up, if you like, at the very end, and it may
joyfully confirm your choice of drug, which it must not unduly bias. If your patient
is an asthmatic patient, it is comforting to know that the drug his symptoms demand has
again and again cured bad cases of asthma. But remedies that have never been recorded as
having cured asthma will do the trick, if the symptoms of the patient cry out for them, as
their simillimum. Drugs have not all been pushed far enough to produce lesions, and their
voices do not carry, as a rule, deeper than function – except in the cases of accidental
poisoning. But get the right drug, the stimulus needed, and you will find the reaction of
the organism deep enough in all conscience, and long-sustained. Then KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF !
Wait long for a second very definite cry, before you dare to interfere. You may have to wait
months – then wait ! Remember, it is the patient who has to cure himself ; the drug cannot
cure him ; the drug is only the stimulus that starts the vital reaction. So long as curative
reaction is in progress, it is senseless – criminal – to interfere. This is the way to crush
your work, to vitiate your experience, to break your heart. So long the patient is
improving, let him be, and never meddle till he begins to slip back : that is the
first possible moment to repeat, or to reconsider the case. It is safer to be a little late
than a little soon. You must “go fast slowly,” there is no other way.Dr. Robert Gibson Miller
(Extracted from Dr. Kent’s Works, etc.)Copyright © Sylvain Cazalet
1999
