Cases cured by
metals.
By William P. Wesselhoeft, M. D.
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
Dr Bernhardt Fincke1. Cuprum Met. :
C. F—., æt. 65.
Robust, healthy man. November 19th, 1879. Was attacked three days ago,
very suddenly with watery running from the nose, asthmatic breathing,
spasms of suffocation, cough with gagging and expectoration of tough
tenacious mucus.The attacks come on
very suddenly every hour or two and are worse nights, waking him
suddenly with coughing and gagging.There are coarse mucus
rales throughout both lungs, occasionally sibilant, but characterized
mostly by coarse bubbling, which can be heard some distance from the
bed.He is very anxious, and
fears he will choke to death in one of these attacks. These paroxysms of
dyspnœa pass off very suddenly after a furious effort of gagging and
coughing, followed by great prostration. Then follows an interval of
comparative ease and he gets, perhaps a little nap between the attacks,
but the bubbling respiration is constant all the time.Has disgust for all
food, with some nausea. Tongue thickly coated white. No thirst. Pulse
100.Has been under
allopathic treatment, but steadily growing worse.Had a similar attack,
but much less distressing, fifteen years ago, from which he slowly
recovered after many months, and during which his life was despaired of.I gave Antim.
tart. c. m. (S) in water, a teaspoon full to be taken every
two hours, at 8 P. M.Next morning, November
20th, has had not quite as many coughing and gagging spells, but the
dyspnœa and rattling breathing are fully as severe. Complains of
terrible sinking faintness in abdomen with constant nausea, and the same
aversion to food.I had studied the case
very carefully the evening before, and determined to give Cuprum,
if Antim. tart.
produced no decided change.I selected Cuprum
chiefly on account of the paroxysmal character of the attacks, coming
suddenly and decreasing suddenly ; the convulsive spasmodic
gagging, and the coarse mucus rales.This metal was given in
a single dose, c. m. (S) potency. It proved to be the simillimum. He had
not a single spasm afterward, slept the night through, and on the 26th
of November not a vestige of rattling remained in his lungs, and he went
his way rejoicing.
2. Cuprum Met. :
C. A.
F—., aged six weeks, a grandson of the above patient.February 16th,
1880 : When two weeks’ old, was attacked with spasmodic cough and
dry, stuffed nose. The latter symptom was so distressing, that the child
had the greatest difficult in nursing, indeed, the mother’s milk was
mostly given him by the spoon, after being pumped from the breast. The
child was thought to have the whooping cough, and had been treated by a
homœopathist without material change ; the cough and obstructed
nose remaining the same. As the mother was suffering greatly with pain
in her breast and nipples, owing to the frequent and unnatural process
of obtaining nourishment for the child, my first thought was to relieve
this obstinate nose trouble by Sambucus.
After using this remedy for 36 hours (in solution, every three hours)
there was not the slightest change.During this time,
however, I had opportunity of observing several paroxysms of coughing.
The attack was preceded by short whistling breathing, followed by
violent paroxysms of coughing, the face becoming a deep red color, the
child’s body rigidly stretched out. All this reminded me of Cuprum,
remembering at the same time the success of the remedy with the
grandfather three or four months before. I gave the remedy in the same
potency, in water, every three hours a teaspoonful during 24 hours.
The effect was quite gratifying and astonishing as before. The child was
discharged cured, on the 22nd of February, and could take the breast
without difficulty.On the 1st of April,
1881, a little more than a year after this-attack, he had another
similar, but lighter one. The same remedy, in the same potency,
relieved.Hahnemann mentions,
“stuffed nose” as one of the prominent symptoms cured by this
remedy, in his introduction to Cuprum
(Chronic Diseases). It may become a valuable remedy in the very common
trouble of infants, usually called “sniffles” when other
remedies fail. I have not yet had occasion to test it.Although both of these
cases were of an acute nature, one of them having lasted only three
days, the other four weeks, yet I cannot well conceive how the direct
curative effect of the metal in both cases can be denied, unless
remedial action is declared untrue in any potency above the 6th
trituration, because it cannot be seen under the microscope. I, for one,
prefer the test in disease. In my humble opinion, it was Cuprum
met. alone potentized from the 3rd trituration which effected
the cures, because it was the most homœopathic remedy in both cases.
The preparation used also convinced me that the fluxion potencies are as
reliable as those prepared by succussion.
3. Plumbum Metallicum :
J. J. C—., boy aged
11. Light brunette.The past three years,
has had attacks of severe pain in abdomen, coming in paroxysms which
lasted several weeks. It is sometimes entirely free from the pain for a
week or ten days at a time. The pain is in the region of the navel, of a
sharp cutting or contracting character, with a sensation drawing inward
towards the spine.It Is worse from any
excitement, and when attending school ; is diffident, and afraid of
the dark. Has a tolerable appetite, but afraid to eat, fearing the pain
will be increased by it, which his mother, however, does not think is
the case. Is generally worse mornings. It subject to harsh, dry cough,
and takes cold easily. All functions normal.September 24th, 1878. I
gave him a dose of Plumbum met.
c. m., selected especially on account of the contracting pains in the
region of the navel.On the 5th of October,
reports pain much improved. Has a good appetite, and less afraid to eat.Entire freedom from
pain continued, under S. L., till
the 7th of January, 1879, when after eating freely of candy, the pain
returned, and he received another dose of Plumbum
met. c. m., which relieved him until the 28th of January, so
that he was practically without pain from September 24, 1878, till
January 28, 1879 -four months.After this, the pain
returned at irregular intervals less severe, but accompanied by a
craving hunger. Plumbum given again
did not relieve him. It was followed by Psorinum
and later Sulphur, with indifferent
success. The cure, however, was interrupted by the patient’s leaving in
March, 1879, for Europe, since which time I have heard nothing from
him ;Although this case
cannot be enumerated among the cures by Plumbum
met. it had, nevertheless, a most
marked effect, and both patient and mother were gratified with the
result.I merely record it as a
case relieved by a highly potentized metal, and which I had every hope
of curing, had time and opportunity allowed a further selection of
antipsorics.
4. Platinum :
Mrs. R.
D. R—., aged 25. Brunette, healthy color, good complexion, and well
nourished.May 4th, 1880 has been
afflicted with obstinate constipation of bowels from her youth. Has
purged more or less all her life.Under homœopathic
treatment for three months, before applying to me, without relief.Is five or six days
without a desire to go to stool. No power in rectum to expel the stool.
Feels as if the load of fæces was lying at the opening of the anus,
unable to expel it unless she has taken an aperient medicine, or used an
enema. The stool is of large form, composed of small and very hard
balls.Since her confinement,
three months ago, feels very weal’s. During her pregnancy, took apparent
medicine every day or two. Has little appetite, and nauseated after
eating. Feels particularly miserable about 11 A. M., with a hungry,
faint feeling, but cannot eat. This feeling lasts till past noon.Had ulcers on both
legs, between her 11th and 12th year. Has occasional sharp twitching
pains in left ovarian region. Menstruation is normal.Knowing that she must
have had Nux vom. “ad
nauseam” from her previous physician, that remedy was excluded
without further thought. The faint feeling at noon decided me to give
her one dose of Sulphur c. m., to be
dissolved in four table spoonfuls of water, a table-spoonful to be taken
morning and evening until used up, followed by S. L. for one week, with
directions to take no other medicine nor use injections. Her diet, which
was correct was not changed.May 12th. No
improvement. After five days had a very difficult stool ; anus is
sore, and several small piles have appeared on edge of anus. Tired ache
in upper sacral region. Gave S. L.
May 21st. Had no stool
until four days ago, could not it, until she took an enema of tepid
water. The following day had a stool without enema, which she thought
was part of the fæces remaining from the incomplete stool of the
previous day. White glairy mucus from vagina followed the last stool.
Pain in sacrum, and soreness of anus continues, the former worse in
early morning. Faintness at noon is better-Nat.
mur. c. m. one dose dry, followed by S.
L.
June 2nd. Has had five
natural stools, without enema, occurring every other day. Decidedly more
power to expel stool. No soreness of anus or piles. This improvement
continued under S. L. till June
27th.June 28th. Reports
stools occur only once in three days, larger in form, and of lighter
color ; more effort required to expel stool. Wakes between 3 A. M.
and 5 A. M. with nausea. Gave Kali carb. c. m. (S)
one dose dry. This remedy again relieved her, and she had easy stools
every 48 hours. During the menses, bowels moved daily.August 22nd. Reports by
letter from the West, where she has been travelling for several weeks,
that her bowels are again very constipated, having an operation but once
in five to seven days, with the same difficulty of expulsion. No return
of pain in sacrum or soreness of anus.Dr. J. B. Bell, in my
absence, sent her one dose of Platinum. c. m. (S)
followed by S. L.
On the 4th of October,
reports great improvement after Platinum.
Has now every day a natural stool ; and has had since receiving the
last medicine. Stools are normal in size and require but little effort
at ejection.I saw this lady a month
ago, when she came to engage me for her confinement, being at time over
two months pregnant. She told her bowels had been in excellent order up
to the second week of pregnancy, since which time they had moved
comfortably every other day. With this state of things she was perfectly
satisfied, particularly when she called to mind the torture and wretched
condition during her previous pregnancy.This case, greatly
relieved by Natrum mur., followed by
Kali carb., was undoubtedly cured by
Platinum ; at all events the cure was completed by this metal,
although given only on the indication, “constipation worse while
travelling.” It not only relieved the symptom while travelling but
so regulated this function, that for the first time since early
childhood she had stools without pain or inconvenience.The controversy, so
long and bitterly waged regarding the dose, appears at last to have some
show of coming to an end. The astonishing results of Prof. Jæger’s
observations with the chronoscope have all been obtained by olfaction,
and the machine has recorded the nerve oscillations with such wonderful
accuracy, unison and agreement, that there is every reason to hope not
only the potentized substance itself may be discerned by its own
characteristic cures, but the degree of potency employed in each
experiment.To have Hahnemann’s
observations confirmed, for which he has been so generally maligned,
that olfaction is often the better mode of administering the remedy,
will be of incalculable value for an additional estimate of this great
man’s genius in observing the most delicate phenomena of disease.Prof. Jæger, himself
an unwilling convert to the powers of homœopathic attenuations, makes
the following remarks regarding his persecutions and the malignity with
which his discoveries have been received. He, like Hahnemann, challenges
his opponents to make the experiment, but make it as he directs. These
are his words :“I do not expect
or wish that my assertions should be blindly accepted ; but I think
I have a right to demand that these assertions should be examined, and
proved or disproved. I have a right to assert that he who judges without
having experimented, does not deserve the name of a scientist not even
that of a man of honor. I wall know how inconvenient and uncomfortable
it will be to many to have my investigations confirmed ; this
however, gives no man the right to heap upon me personal abuse.
Honorable men must endure the truth, no matter how bitter it may prove.“When Harvey
discovered the circulation of the blood ; Soemmering the
telegraph ; Pleysonell proclaimed the animal nature of the
Coral ; when Robert Mayor found the equivalent of heat, etc. ;
these discoveries were not only received with malicious phrases, but the
discoverers pronounced consummate nonsense. The names of the discoverers
were held up to public scorn by attaching to them insulting attributes.
Harvey was called “the circulator” for several
centuries ; attempts were made to dispossess him of office and
honors, to alienate his dependants, and had not the King interfered in
his behalf, he would have died a ruined man.“If any one
believes that these dark ages have passed away ; that such things
are impossible in our enlightened century, I regret to be obliged to say
that affairs are precisely the same now as they were then.”This sounds very much
as if poor Jæger was undergoing similar persecutions with which
Hahnemann was honored in Germany. Hahnemann found an asylum in
France ; Prof. Jæger may be obliged to seek one in America. If
what he proclaims proves true, we Homœopaths of America should pension
him liberally during his life-time.Should, however, the
entire work and observations of Jæger be disproved by a “consensus
of the competent”, no Hahnemannian will wince, for he has the
certain knowledge that metals-do act in the highest potencies, and that
we have not yet found the limit of their divisibility.
Source :
I. H. A. 1881.
Copyright © Sylvain
Cazalet 2001
