SULPHUR
SUPPRESSED MENSTRUATION
Case 14
Emma G., aged about 30 years. Has been an invalid for
years, under the care of an allopathic gynćcologist, who treated her
for ulceration of the cervix. He had succeeded in healing the ulcers by
local cauterizations, etc., but the canal had become so narrow that for
a year he had been obliged to introduce a catheter to draw off the
menstrual fluid. Finally it became so closed that the could not
introduce the instrument at all. Then the patient passed another year
having great pain and fullness in the uterine region at every period,
which confined her to the bed for days, but no appearance of the menses.
I was called to the case and prescribed Pulsatilla
routinely. Visited her when she was due the next month. Found her
suffering as usual, and no relief in any way from the remedy.
Then I sat down and wrote out her case in toto.
I found a history decidedly scrofulous or psoric, and among a quite long
list of symptoms the following :
Frequent flashes of heat all over the body
followed by sweat and debility.
Much burning of the feet, has to put
them out of bed.
Weak, faint spells, especially in the forenoon.
These with the psoric history decided the prescription.
I gave her Sulphur c. m. (Fincke), a
powder, dry on the tongue, once a week (Sac.
lac. in solution between), with a promise that I would come
up the next time when she was due, and if she was no better would make
an examination. So when the time came I took my wife and went up
prepared to do so.
Found the patient instead of upstairs in her bed as usual down in the
parlor entertaining some lady friends who were calling.
She came out where we were, and I said, How about that
examination ? Oh, said she, I am so glad it is not necessary. I am
menstruating perfectly easy, and feel so well. She never failed
afterward to menstruate regularly, and was restored to perfect health.
(Nash.)REMARKS.- It will be observed that the symptoms
leading to this wonderful cure were not local but general, thus
verifying the truth of what Charles G. Raue used to say :
“That the symptoms leading to the choice of the remedy sometimes
lie entirely outside of those which go to make the pathology of the
case.
Gonorrhśal strictures have been cured the same way where the general
symptoms correspond with the remedy. (N.)
LEUCORRHŚA
Case 15
Mrs.
W., age 25 years, married, and has two children : the last was born
fifteen months before I saw her, from which time she has suffered from
profuse yellow leucorrhśa with violent pruritus vulvć ; worse at
night. She has at the same time great bearing down of womb, perfectly
incapacitating her from standing or walking
or doing her household duties, such as ironing and washing.
Most violent chronic headaches, of a throbbing and tensive character,
and arising from the least worry or fatigue, with habitual constipation.
Has been, under allopathic treatment two years without benefit. The
keynotes to the cure were as follows : Heat
and pressure on vertex ; throbbing and tension ;
headaches more or less constant and worse before the menses ;
worried by trifles, and memory impaired. Flushing
of face ; fainting spells without cause ; sinking, empty,
exhausted, craving for food ; worse at eleven o’clock in the
forenoon ; intense icy cold feet ; worse when the
head is bad.
Sulphur, one millionth potency
(Boericke), in one dose of five pellets, cured permanently every
symptom, constipation, leucorrhśa and sensation of prolapsus included
and without repetition. (Skinner). The italics are mine. (N.)
DIARRHŚA
Case 16
I., aged 12 months, had had diarrhśa for nearly a
month. Her flesh was soft and flabby ; open
fontanelles ; tongue coated white at the back. She was thirsty
and drank a good deal of milk and water. The diarrhśa was worse
in the morning, beginning about
4 A. M., continuing more or less until the afternoon. It was dark
yellow, watery, occasionally greenish white
mucus, coming with a gush early in the morning, almost
involuntarily during the day when standing. Child cried a little before
bowels were moved. There was also a cough, worse on lying down at night,
sometimes causing her to vomit ; child
slept with eyes only half closed.
The patient’s appearance suggested Calc.
carb., which was prescribed ; no benefit resulting, Sulphur
6 was given ; the italicized symptoms being very characteristic of
the drug. The diarrhśa ceased, and her health greatly improved in a few
days ; no other remedy being needed. (A. E. Hawkes.)REMARKS.- This case shows that the symptoms may
indicate some other remedy in an apparently Calc.
carb. temperament. But generally the temperament will
correspond with the symptoms. (N.)
CHOREA
Case 17
Chorea of eight years’ standing, affecting right side
only excepting the face, all the muscles of which were affected. Ign.
and Caust. failed. Sepia
55,000 and 100,000 relieved for a few days each, but Sulph.
6,000 given on account of “weak, faint, hungry spells” about
10 A. M. was followed by immediate improvement. (Goodno.)
DEAFNESS
Case 18
Mrs. A., age forty-nine, deaf in right ear for twenty
years, in left ear for five years. Hears no conversation except upon a
high key, and that only when very near. Sensation of heavy pressure and heat
at the vertex, extending to both ears with soreness of the
brain. Soles burn at night, hot flushes on the
face followed by cold sweat ; constipation, faintness
at 10 or 11 A. M. Sulphur300 for
twelve days, with but little improvement. Sulphur
6,000 was followed by restoration of left ear and relief from soreness
and pressure at the vertex. The hearing in the right ear was slowly
restored. (Hoyne.)
METRORRHAGIA
Case 19
Was called to visit Mrs. —–, ćt. fifty-two, June
6, 1879. Found she had been suffering from metrorrhagia, constipation
and concomitants for about ten years. She stated that her medical
adviser had always been an allopath. He who last attended her, after a
protracted and unsuccessful trial of his individual skill, had
accompanied her to New York to consult a now emeritus professor of
surgery of an allopathic medical college, who had made for himself an
enviable reputation as an operating surgeon. The emeritus professor,
after obtaining a history of the case and making his examinations,
endeavored to console the lady by informing her that his
wife was in about the same condition as herself ; that he sent her
to this retreat and that watering place, all of which resulted in little
if any benefit ; and intimated that she might, if she thought well
of it, do the same.
She concluded not to think well of it, and so returned as she went, like
the door upon its hinges, unprofited.
Her physician, after an attendance of several years, during which his
patient became gradually worse, abandoned the case. She had the
assurance, however, to inform me that if he had only persevered in his
attendance she supposed he would have relieved her.
She gave me to understand, moreover, that it was at the instance of some
of her friends that I had been called, and not because she had any
confidence in Homśopathy.
Her metrorrhagia, which had been exceedingly prostrating and annoying in
many ways from its incipiency, had continued constantly for the last six
months with the exception of two weeks, and was of a passive or active
character, accompanied by very little pain.
At time it consisted of a slight oozing, the discharge presenting a dark
appearance ; at others it passed in considerable gushes, and was a
bright red color, with very few clots.
To procure alvine evacuations, it was her custom to resort to enemata or
cathartics. She complained bitterly of painful hćmorrhoids. Her general
appearance was bloated, and her extremities śdematous. She had an
annoying bearing down sensation, especially when
on the feet, so that she moved about with difficulty. She had
occasional stitches from right to left, across the epigastrium, and was
quite sensitive to a jolt or jar.
The symptoms which led to the selection of the similimum
were the following : Frequent hot flushes
to the face ; feet habitually cold or burning soles.
(Feet so cold she must sit with them in the oven of the kitchen stove,
or soles so hot at night that she must put them from under the bedcovers
to cool them). Heat in the vertex. An empty,
faint sensation at the epigastrium about 11 A. M., rendering
it necessary to partake of some food. Unable to lie on the left side or
back ; must lie on the right side. (Lying on the left
side was followed by intolerable unrest, on the back by nightmare). Drinks
much, eats little.
During treatment the importance of keeping quiet was not enjoined upon
the patient, but she was allowed to exert herself in any way she deemed
proper, nor was she restricted in the least in regard to her diet.
A few pellets of Sulph. m. m. were
given her dry on the tongue, June 6, 1876, and the dose was not repeated
nor any other remedy given for four months. As she had been subjected
for many years to allopathic dosing, she was provided with the usual
placebo, with direction to take three pellets at night if she felt that
she needed them. She was also directed to call me at any time if
warranted by any change in her symptoms. On the 6th of October, 1876,
being in the immediate vicinity of her residence, I called on my patient
to ascertain particulars, having heard, incidentally only, that she was
better. She soon presented herself, exhibiting an appearance very
different from that of four months previously. Her first exclamation
was, “Under God I am indebted to you for my restoration to
health.” She further stated, “A week after commencing the
medicine the hćmorrhage ceased, and has not returned. At the time the
hćmorrhage disappeared my bowels became regular in their evacuations,
and have remained so. My painful hćmorrhoids have ceased to exist. At
my monthly periods I menstruate normally for two or three days.” I
inquired, “What about your other symptoms ?” She replied,
“Oh, the hot flushes to my face, my cold feet or burning soles, the
all-gone feeling at the stomach about 11 o’clock A. M., the inability to
lie on the left side or back, the disposition to drink frequently and
largely, and not being able to eat much have all disappeared, and I
really feel as if I could not be sufficiently grateful.” (L.
Shafer, M. D.)
CHRONIC URETHRITIS
Case 20
Mrs. S—–, a married woman of fifty years of age,
of light complexion, blue eyes, auburn hair. A nervous sort of body,
complained for nearly six months as follows :
Frequent micturition day and night. Urine passed in small quantities –
about a large spoonful at once – with urgency before, pain, smarting,
burning, scalding, after each passage. There was a sensation of pressure
upon the bladder also. The above were all the symptoms she gave, all I
could get, at the time.
The above condition was distressing and kept her from church and social
gathering. Without any comparison of remedies, for such condition, I
gave Cantharis 200, which gave some
relief, but only that. At the third call, I questioned her more closely
and found she had, in addition to the foregoing symptoms, the following.
Had much prurigo of labia, groins, upper part of thighs : the
itching being so intense she wore out her clothing rubbing and
scratching the parts.
The labia vestibulum, meatus urinarius and otium vaginć, together with
the adjacent skin, were inflamed and the labia majora dry and cracked.
All these areas were subject to attacks of intense itching, burning and
smarting upon scratching, daily. She was
subject to frequent flushes of heat with redness of face, followed by
slight perspiration. Got chilly easily and warm as easily. Heat and work
aggravated her symptoms. Had considerable thirst ; and less hunger.
Often had burning of feet, both day and night ; worse nights.
She had used all sorts of medicines, salves and ointments, hot and cold
water, but only to repel the local irritation from time to time. This is
what had been done, just prior to the time she first called on me, and
this accounted for the paucity of symptoms given at first and second
call. On the basis of the last symptoms, I gave her Sulphur
500, three doses, and a subsequent prescription of Sac.
lac. At the end of a week she was materially better, and from
that time to this she had no more trouble. The Sulphur
was given Feb. 22, 1890. (Stow.)REMARKS.- Here are six cases, illustrating the
curative action of this great polychrest and antipsoric. A large book
might be written in the same way, with a hundred able and scientific
physicians adding corroborative testimony. We cannot give the time and
space, but will refer the reader to my monograph on “Sulphur and
Comparisons,” where I have endeavored to give a more full account
of the remedy. (It is published by Boericke & Tafel.)
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