Two Cases from Hahnemann's Note Book

 

Case I

[These cases are communicated by letter, dated 24^th April, 1843, to Dr. Von Boenninghausen, and published in the Neues Archiv, Vol.i. 1844.]

Julie M. a country girl; 14 years old; not yet menstruated. 12^th September, 1842. A month previously she had slept in the sun. Four days after this sleeping in the sun, the frightful idea took possession of her that she saw a wolf, and six days thereafter she felt as if she had received a great blow on the head. She now spoke irrationally; became as if mad; wept much; had sometimes difficulty in breathing; spat white mucus; could not tell any of her sensations.

She got Belladona-60, weakened dynamization, in seven tablespoonfuls in a glass of water, and after stirring this, one teaspoonful to be taken in the morning

16^th September- Some what quieter; she can blow her nose, which she was unable to do during her madness; she still talks as much nonsense, but does not make so many grimaces while talking. She wept much last night. Good motion. Tolerable sleep. She is still very restless, but was more so before the Belladonna. The white of eye full of red vessels. She seems to have a pain in the nape of neck.

From the glass in which one tablespoonful was stirred, one teaspoonful is to be taken and stirred in a second glassful of water, and of this from two to four tea spoonfuls (increasing the dose daily by one teaspoonful) are to be taken in the morning.

 20^th September- Much better; speaks more rationally; works a little; recognizes and names me; and wishes to kiss a lady present. She now begins to show her amorous propensities; is easily put in a passion, and takes things in bad part; sleep well; weeps very often; becomes angry about trifle; eats more than usual; when she comes to her senses she likes to play, but only just as a little child would.

Belladonna, a globule of a higher potency: seven tablespoonfuls shaken in two glasses, 6 teaspoonfuls from the second glass early in the morning.

 28^th September- On the 22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th, very much excited day and night; great lasciviousness in her actions and words; she pulls up her cloths and seeks to touch the genitals of others; she readily gets in to a rage and beats every one.

Hyoscyamus X⁰ in, seven tablespoonfuls, &c., one tablespoonful in one tumbler of water; in the morning a teaspoonful.

5^th October- For five days she would eat nothing; complains of belly-ache; for the last few days less malicious and less lascivious; stool rather loose; itching all over the body, especially on her genitals; sleep good.

Sacch. Lactis for seven days, in seven tablespoonfuls, &c.

10^th October- On the 7^th, fit for excessive anger; she sought to strike every one. The next day, the 8^th, attack of fright and fear, almost like the commencement of her illness (fear of an imaginary wolf); fear least she would be burnt. Since then she has become quiet, and talks rationally and nothing incident for the last two days.  

Sacch. Lactis , &c.

14^th October- Quite good and sensible.

18^th October- The same, but severe headache; inclination to sleep by day; not so cheerful.

New Sulphur-60 (new dynamization of the smallest material portion) one globule in three tumblers; in the morning one teaspoonful.

22^nd October- Very well; very headache.

Sulphur, the next dynamization in two tumblers.

She went on with the sulphur occasionally until November, at which time she was and still remains a healthy, rational, amiable girl.

 Case II

O-t, an actor, 33years old, married. 14^th January, 1843. For several years he had been frequently subjected to the sore throat, as also now for a month past. The previous sore throat had lasted six weeks. On swallowing his saliva, a pricking sensation; feeling of contraction and excoriation.

When he has not the sore throat he suffers from a pressure in the anus, with violent excoriating pains; the anus is then inflamed, swollen and constricted; it is only with a great effort then he can then pass his faeces, when the swollen haemorrhoidal vessels protrude.

On the 15^th January, he took, in the morning before breakfast a teaspoonful of a solution of one globule of Belladonna X^o then the lowest dynamization, dissolved in seven tablespoonfuls of water, of which a tablespoonful was well stirred up in a tumblerful of water.

15^th January- In the evening aggravation of the sore throat.

16^thJanuary -Sore throat gone, but the affection of the anus returned as above described; an open fissure with excoriating pain, inflammation, swelling, throbbing pain and constriction;- also in the evening a painful motion.

He confessed having had a chancre eight years previously, which had been, as usual, destroyed by caustics, after which all the above affections had appeared.

18^th January.-Merc. viv. One globule of the lowest new dynamization I, (which contains a vastly smaller amount of matter than the usual kind), prepared in in the same manner, and to be taken in the same way as the belladonna (the bottle being shaken each time), one spoonful in a tumblerful of water well stirred.

20^th January - Almost no sore throat. Anus better, but he still feels there excoriating pain after a motion; he has however no more throbbing, no more swelling of the anus, and no inflammation; anus less contracted.

One globule of Merc. viv. (2/0) the second dynamization of the same kind; prepared in the same way, and taken in the morning.

25^th January - Throat almost quite well; but in the anus, raw pain and severe shootings; great pain in the anus after a motion; still some contraction of it and heat.

30^th January - In the afternoon, the last dose (one teaspoonful). On the 28^th the anus was better; sore throat returned; pretty severe excoriation pain in the throat.

One globule in milk-sugar for seven days; prepared and taken in the same manner.

7^th February- Severe ulcerative pain in the throat. Bellyache, but good stools; several in succession, with great thirst. In the anus all is right.

Sulphur 2/0 in seven tablespoonfuls, as above.

13^th February - Had ulcerative pain in throat, especially on swallowing his saliva, of of which he has now a large quantity, especially copious on the 11^th and 12^th. Severe contraction of the anus, especially since yesterday.

He now smelt here Merc., and got to take as before Merc.v.2/0, one globule in seven tablespoonfuls of water, and half a spoonful of brandy.

20^th February - throat better since the 18^th; he has suffered much with anus; the motion causes pain when it is passing; less thirst.

Milk-sugar in seven tablepoonfuls.

3^rd March- No more sore throat. On going to stool a bloodless haemorrhoidal knot comes down (formerly this was accompanied with burning and raw pain), now with merely itching on the spot.

To smell Acid. nitri. And then to have milk-sugar  seven days.

24^th April - Almost no more pain after a motion; yesterday some blood along with the motion (an old symptom). Throat well; only a little sensitive when drinking cold water.

Olfaction of Acid. nitri. (olfaction is performed by opening small bottle containing an ounce of alcohol or brandy where one globule is dissolved, and smelt for an instant or two.

He remains permanently cured.

(Our aim in presenting these articles is to help our readers understand the way our master took his case, his choice of medicines and how he preferred to administer them.)