A case of
myxoma and lymphatic Leukæmia.
By Julia M. Green, M. D.
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet(Read before I. H. A., Bureau of
Clinical Medicine, June 27, 1936.)
Dr Julia M. GreenJ. T. M—., age 5
years, was an unusually healthy child, apparently ; sturdy,
straight, fair, high color in his cheeks, a ravenous appetite always and
strong enough to climb and lift and run equal to boys twice his age. He
lived an outdoor life on a farm.The only suggestion of
chronic miasmatic trouble was nocturnal enuresis, in winter only, and
rather large tonsils.In June, 1935, the
boy’s parents first noticed a swelling on the left temple. This grew
steadily, becoming oval, hard, painless extending toward the eye socket.
About the middle of July, during my absence, he was taken to Dr. Custis
who, suspecting sarcoma, opened the tumor to get a specimen for
laboratory examination. He could not obtain a specimen and closed the
wound, x-ray at this time showed nothing ; skull and periosteum
were intact. The child was as active and rosy and hungry as ever.On September 10, he was
brought to my office ; the growth, was larger by that time, the
size of half a hen’s egg and about that shape ; general health
apparently perfect. I gave him a dose of Silicea
10M. September 24 the tumor was a little flatter and softened about the
lower third, the rest as hard as ever. More x-rays showed nothing new.The growth spread
laterally and at one time protruded from the temple enough to show
beyond the ear when viewed from behind.October 8 the Silicea
10M. was repeated, October 22 the tumor was spreading but flatter,
extending downward toward the jaw enough to interfere slightly with
opening the mouth wide ; also toward the eye and upward further.
General health remained excellent. I gave him Calc.
fluor. CM.The boy’s uncle, one of
our homœopathic doctors, urged x-ray treatment to reduce the tumor,
feeling that this was the only thing to be done. Early in November, the
father decided to try it and the child had treatment November 7, 11, 12,
13, 14, A1/4 erythema dose was used and the length of exposure was
fifteen minutes, I believe. After this series, which reduced the tumor
considerably, there was a rest of two weeks, then another series of
exposures of the same strength on November 28, 30, December 1 and 2. By
this time the whole tumor had apparently disappeared. The child looked a
little less vigorous and acted somewhat listless. We began taking his
temperature regularly and found it between 100 and 102.On December 16, I gave
another dose of Calc. fluor. CM.
because a rim of the tumor remained from which more hard swelling had
spread nearer his eye making him cry with pain and nearer his jaw
causing stiffness there. On account of this he had five more x-ray
treatments on the five days before Christmas, this time using the ray
fifteen minutes about eye and twenty minutes near the jaw.This removed every
vestige of the tumor and it did not return. The hair was burned off
where the x-ray touched it, the skin over the area treated became
discolored a yellow-red, fear of loss of vision in the left eye was
expressed but this did not happen. The temperature never came down to
normal and the maximum was higher, 103.5 ; the curve was erratic,
causing the x-ray man and a laboratory man who was consulted, to search
for some focus of infection never found.From mid-December on
the boy looked ill and acted rather listless, although he ate well and
was very anxious to be up and out to play. After the last series of
x-ray treatments, his nose was filled with bloody crusts necessitating
mouth breathing and causing pathetic nervousness ; the left eye was
closed at first by swelling of the lids which gradually subsided ;
color, whiter or perhaps bluish ; strength waning. He persisted
that he felt welt and wanted to get up and play.Early in January
examination of the blood showed lymphatic leukæmia quite advanced and
highest temperature 104°F and 104.5°F. Blood transfusion was tried
only once, for it sent the temperature to 106 and caused more weakness.No hope was held out
for recovery and he was taken home -on January 10 to die. Weakness
progressed steadily until death February 10.I never had a case
break me up more than this one did. I advised against x-ray treatment
but, naturally, the parents wished to follow the advice of the physician
of the family. This doctor begged me to keep on prescribing and I did
for a time without hope that our potencies would act. Near the time
leukæmia was established, the few symptoms I could find pointed
distinctly to Phosphorus and I gave
two doses without reaction.I have maintained all
along that the x-ray treatment caused the leukæmia because right up to
the time that was started circulation, color and vigor were splendid.
The x-ray man, and the child specialist who was called in, both disagree
with this opinion.Of course no blood
examination was made before the x-rays were started, nor was the
temperature taken, but the fever began very soon afterward. The child
specialist says he has had this fever accompany leukæmia and the x-ray
man says he never used x-rays on so young a child before.It is strange that a
tumor should come on the temple without history of known injury and with
general health unusually good ; this in itself means serious
ultimating of disorder but, in such a vigorous youngster, I believe the
correct remedy would cure.I am reporting this sad
case to show the difficulties under which we must work and in the hope
of useful comment.
Washington, D. C.
DISCUSSION.
Dr Grace StevensDr. Panos :
This excellent paper reminds me of the contrast that was brought out
between Hippocrates and Galen. Galen, of course, never had failures.
Hippocrates had plenty.Dr. Green : brings
before us this failure of the potencies to act. Of course, to many of us
it is clear why the potencies didn’t act. Naturally, with the x-rays and
other interference, we don’t expect much of the potencies, but it is a
very appropriate paper because so far we have had success after success
and it is very well brought out to have some of the failures.
Dr. Stevens
: One of the most
successful physicians that I have ever known said to me that he felt the
x-ray treatment often rendered it absolutely impossible to do anything
with our potencies afterwards.
Dr. Mclaren :
As we know, x-ray and
radium are destructive. They are among the most terribly destructive
agents in the whole universe. For instance, if a woman is having
hæmorrhages from no known cause that can be discovered, and she is a
young woman and doesn’t want to go through a major operation it is quite
customary for them to give a series of x-ray treatments to control the
hæmorrhage. In order to do that they don’t need to give more than eight
exposures, two series of three each or four each ; we will say six
to eight exposures will usually control that and render that woman
sterile for the rest of her life.Anything so powerful that will completely change the
course of that woman’s life from then on is a terribly destructive
agent.What chance have our minute potencies, even though
they are packed with energy, against such destructive bombing ? It
is like comparing the huge guns in the German front to a balloon or a
popgun in a child’s hand.
Source :
Homœopathic Recorder, June,
1937.Copyright © Sylvain
Cazalet 2001
