Relationship of
the behavior of children to homœopathic prescribing.
By Julia M. Green, M. D.
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
Dr Julia M. GreenChildren are entirely
honest and frank. Their natural behavior does not admit or subterfuge,
flattery or exaggeration. They are true to what they observe, what they
see, hear, touch, etc. Granted they are mimics and through this means of
development learn much that would be better unlearned. Some uneducated
adults too approach the innocence and frankness of children. A small boy
of four sat at the table gazing at his very fleshy square-shouldered
aunt across the table from him.During a pause in
general conversation-“Auntie Belle’s head almost goes down into her
clothes I” A boy of six came to my office the other day to be
vaccinated. His mother and grandmother told me he had dreaded the
experience. The little patient sat quiet, looking at me. Then
suddenly,” / thought I was going to have some young person and look
what I got I” A colored man came to my clinic long years ago to
report about his “rheumatic.” I asked him where the pain was.
“Right here. Miss, right here, right in a use of it.” He was
holding his hand over his hip joint.Another dapper
“German” with a cane and a rich vocabulary of his own, came
for help for some bladder trouble. I inquired if it bothered much in the
night. “Oh ! yes. Miss, ah has de desire frequent, but ah
doesn’t adhere to it !” Lack of the effects of civilization is
not always a disadvantage. Neither is the lack of speech in babies and
animals for, with good powers of observation, the doctor can learn much
more than from the patients who report nothing but pathology, surgery,
etc., and are loquacious until the end of an interview.The importance of
treatment of children for chronic ills-cannot be over-estimated for
these are to be the adults of the future, ready to transmit their
overall state of health (or lack of it) to future generations.Prescriptions should
take into account inheritance, on
both sides of the family, extending, more or less, into side
lines ; environment, including family characteristics as well as
those of the neighborhood ; nervous and emotional make-up of the
small patient in comparison with that of elders in the family and of
brothers and sisters. In importance all this comes before observation of
the actual symptoms of the patient in emotional, mental and physical
spheres.After the first
prescription comes a long watching period in which symptoms must be
evaluated for reactions of aggravation, of progress or back-sliding of
complications to the detriment of the patient, of pointers to the next
remedy, etc. The relationship of remedies plays an important part here.
When acute attacks lay the patient low, the doctor must decide whether
the chronic remedy will suffice without interruption, whether this
remedy has an acute one Which covers the need, or whether an acute
remedy with no relationship to the chronic must be sought. If the last
named, then a pause should be made after acute symptoms are gone to
judge whether the chronic remedy is still active curatively or another
potency or another remedy is needed.If all these
considerations can be handled successfully and environment is not too
interfering, progress to freedom and health of the child concerned will
be reached. The length of time required for this depends on depth of
chronic ills, cooperation of parents, wisdom of the doctor and several
minor factors. Far be it from the mind of any homœopathic physician to
feel that he is wholly equal to the task. When failures come, he must
analyze them and endeavor to do better next time ; he should not be
discouraged and the goal is ever beyond him and its value to the patient
and the patient’s descendants is so great as to be incomprehensible to
any one thinker.This is the way your
humble seeker after truth visualizes the problem of the chronic child
after fifty years in the practice of homœopathic medicine.Washington. D. C.
Source :
Homœopathic Recorder, Sept.
1950.Copyright © Sylvain
Cazalet 2001
