ARUM METALLICUM CASES

-GEORGE VITHOULKAS
Cases
1. Mrs. W.L. L., whose family also has several cases of unsound mind; a sister is now committed to a hospital for the insane. This patient has been brilliant mentally but unstable morally and subject to fits of deep depression alternating suddenly with periods of high spirits and great activity. When depressed she could not do housework or care for her baby, was indifferent to everyone and everything.
I gave her Anacardium for the first few months with some improvement, but not much. As soon as I changed to Aurum she snapped right out of it, began to be a responsible housewife and mother and said she had not been depressed for ever so long [when it had been only 2 or 3 weeks]. Whether this will continue time will tell, but it surely is a prompt transformation, stable now for several months.
2. Mr. E. R., a man of large business ability associated with key people in India and New York. There are several cases of insanity in his family; a brother has been in institutions three times.
This patient was sure nothing he attempted would succeed; when it did succeed many times he was as unconvinced as ever. He was sure he was only a trouble to others, that he ought to resign his position, that his mind would not work, that there was no use in anything. He could not read, could not do anything with his hands, could only sit and stare into space. He longed to help in this war; he wanted to get a farm and raise produce, yet was convinced he could have no place in the world.
I deliberated some months before I gave this patient Aurum when presto, everything was changed. He rose up, resigned his position in Washington, although he kept contacts with it in New York; he bought a farm and has been a happy ruddy outdoor man now for a whole year, studying farming, making over his home on the farm and building other buildings, hiring a manager and studying with him.
3. This patient’s husband became involved in some heavy financial trouble and his creditors harassed him all the time, causing him to lose his job and his home. Constant worry over this condition and the fact that he seemed unable to improve his condition much developed in her a neurosis to the point of mild insanity. Her physician failed to relieve her, so she was sent to Cincinnati to consult a specialist, who ordered her into a hospital for an operation; but they, having no money and not being much in sympathy with operations, pressed him to know what he was operating for. He admitted he could find no pathology upon which he could base his treatment, but thought that an exploratory incision might reveal some damage done at childbirth which would help him. When she reported to me, I found her very nervous, and carrying a big bottle of bromides and phenobarbital. In discussing her trouble she would burst out crying and then look up with a smile and say, “Why do I do this?” She was despondent, disgusted with life yet afraid to die, and to mention death or read of one in the papers would upset her for days. Oversensitive and somewhat peevish. Could not sleep and would get up at night and someone would take her out for a walk. She was given Passiflora for a few days until I could study her case further, and then she was given Aurum metallicum 1M. Three doses cured her completely in three weeks.
Choudhuri, N. M., M.D. , A Study On Materia Medica,
4. A boy of thirteen, becoming overheated while roller skating, sat down on a curb stone to cool off. A severe cold resulted with general aching; next rheumatism of knees and ankles developed; worse on motion. Next day it had left the legs and attacked the shoulders and arms. From that point it flew back to the feet, which began to swell. He had received Bryonia, Lachnanthes, Ledum, etc., according to the symptoms, but at this point I was confined myself to my home for some days and had to rely upon the reports of his parents, which were vague and indefinite. They now reported that while the feet continued to swell, the rheumatism was gone, but that now he had pain in his chest; it hurt him to breathe, was impossible for him to take a long breath. I gave Bryonia, then Cimicifuga upon their representation without good results; the boy grew worse. On the sixth day the mother reported that the boy was so weak that he could scarcely speak. I cross-questioned her very closely. Among other things asked, saying upon which side was the pain worse: Oh, exclaimed the poor stupid woman, “I forgot to tell you, he can’t lie down at all. He hasn’t lain down for five nights. We have him in a Morris chair. He sits bent forward all night with his head resting in a chin strap made of towels.” A light broke upon me. Then I knew it was no pleurisy I had to deal with but rheumatism of the heart. I hastened to his home. As I entered the room I was shocked at the pitiful change in the child since I had seen him six days before. The laboured gasps for breath could be heard outside the door, the little figure sat bent forward in the Morris chair, face blue, cyanotic, swollen, feet and ankles swollen as big as watermelons; but the thing that struck me most as I entered was the terrific visible throbbing of the carotids, which could be seen across the room. It was with great difficulty that I could examine his heart; he could not endure the least touch, and at each attempt gasped, “O, doctor, give me a little more time.” I finally made out a muffled, tumultuous heart sound, as if beating under water. The temperature was 103 degrees, yet there was a great deal of perspiration, urine very scant, no thirst, no appetite. He had only slept short naps for many nights. I feared the boy was dying. There was a time when I would have treated the heart symptoms with Aconite or Kalmia, and the dropsy with Apocynum, and what not, and so zig-zagged a slow cure or a speedy death. But fortunately I knew better now. I knew that every one of these symptoms are summed up under one remedy, which covers every point exactly. I gave Aurum 10x, dose to be given every three hours. I never saw a more brilliant cure. The first dose was 7 p.m. . I requested that they phone me at 11 p.m. that night. At 11 the message came, “Louis is in a drenching perspiration, he has urinated quantities and his breathing is less laboured.” At 8 o’clock the next morning they phoned that he had slept peacefully most of the night, though still in his upright position with chin strap. That night he could recline in the chair, and the next he could lie down in bed. The urine continued in unbelievable quantities, the perspiration rained from him, and the swelling promptly disappeared. You see what a profound element gold is when homeopathically indicated. The lad made a rapid and complete recovery with no other medication. He received it first in the10x, then I rose to the 30th, then to the 200th, on which I kept him until the poor damaged little heart was quite normal again. You will recall that every one of the above symptoms are recorded by Hering and Hahnemann in these words:
“Rheumatism which jumps from joint to joint and finally fastens upon the heart. Impossible to lie down. Must sit up bent forward. Visible throbbing of carotids. Face cyanotic, gasps for breath, can hardly speak above a whisper. Much perspiration, as in auric fever.”
5. A woman, age forty-two, had been failing for a year. Black specks floating before her eyes for two years. Finally financial troubles affected her mind to such an extent the family physician sent her to Brookside. She was obstinate and fault-finding. Was sure she must go to the poor-house, that her life was wrecked and she would never amount to anything again. A few powders of Aurum met, cured the case in two weeks, the black specks also disappearing, and she returned home in six weeks.
6. Another hospital case, osteomyelitis of tibia. The bone was incised, gouged, curetted and drained. Was absent from home a whole day and a half following operation; during my absence patient suffered great pain in knee, continuously and worse at night; hot applications gave no relief, neither did three hypodermic injections of Morphia, administered by order of superintendent of the hospital before my return. On seeing patient I prescribed Mercurius, with no relief in twelve hours; this was followed by Aurum 6th, every hour, until relieved. Pain disappeard after third dose; it returned four days after; another dose of Aurum put everything in order.
What puzzled the nurses was to see what appeared to be only little sugar pellets succeed so well where the omnipotent morphia had failed.
7. Mr. M., aged fifty-two, of a healthy family, had always enjoyed good health. Had been actively engaged for twenty years as a manufacturer of edge tools and was in financial matters independent. He first became despondent, then melancholy, thought his business affairs were in bad shape, and that he was coming to poverty. From this stage he thought he had committed some great wrong, and could not obtain forgiveness. Next he was in mortal fear of being deserted by his wife [who never left him for a day during his illness], and frequently wept on account of it. A terrible insomnia troubled him from the beginning, and anodyne prescribed for his sleeplessness only made him worse. He had the best allopathic advice, but the medicine appeared to make him worse instead of better, and he soon declined very positively to take any more. Then change of air was advised, and he was taken to the seaside, and from one watering-place to another, but after a time he no sooner reached a place than he wanted to leave again, at some even declining to remain overnight. He was first attacked in March, 1870, and it was now September – six months – and he was steadily growing worse, so that an insane asylum was now advised as a dernier resort. Fifteen powders of Aurum met. 12th trit. were sent, and one every morning was given in his food. His wife wrote that “From the first time the powder was given she noticed a change. He slept better from the first day the remedy was exhibited, so that when nine powders were taken he was almost as well as ever, and the medicine was discontinued. “He remained well for three years, when a slight return was again promptly relieved by Aurum, and he has continued in good health ever since. Dr. H. C. Allen.
8. Mr. G. P. aged 18. Occupation – farmer. At age 8 he had surgery performed for ruptured appendix and peritonitis. Then, one year later, at age 9 he had surgery for cryptorchitis on right side.
He is quite disappointed with himself for staying in the village and not coming to Athens to learn a trade. He lost a year in his first year in high school; although he studied quite hard he couldn’t learn his subjects, and now he sometimes forgets what he wants to do. Closed in character; he doesn’t answer questions easily. He is bothered by the fact that he cannot leave his village because of his work and that he doesn’t know Athens. He also has no money to leave.
Had iron deficiency anemia 4 months ago, which has been cured. This had been diagnosed because of continuous dizzy spells. He is not doing well in his work, doing it because he has to rather than because he wants to. He’s a sheepherder from morning till night. He has a tendency to always lie down.
He seldom speaks to others, has no energy in his movements, although his outward appearance is good. He is calm, unanxious. He seldom reacts; and does what others tell him. The loneliness he feels in the village disturbs him; the fact is that there are only two or three other people his age in the village. For the last two years he’s closed himself off and rarely speaks to others. He is not thinking of suicide because he likes life, and he would like to be in Athens and have a job there. He doesn’t like life in the village. He does not cry. He rarely gets mad and then he doesn’t speak or he shouts. He’s afraid of thunder and lightning.
He’s never been in love and has never made love (had sexual intercourse). He frequently has erections without thinking about sex and then turns to masturbation. He masturbates quite often. He is shy in approaching the young women of the village. He likes to be be in large groups.
He feels cold. He perspires and his feet smell. He is thirsty for cold water. He is hungry and eats a lot of food. He desires meat, lentils, beans, rice, noodles, macaroni, milk, eggs, sweet fruit, sweets, salty things, feta cheese. He does not want fat, sour things.
Sleeps on the right side. Has different dreams which he doesn’t remember. Sometimes he wakes up at 12-1 A. M. to urinate. Wakes up refreshed, rested.
He was calm and shy during the interview and answered the questions with great hesitancy. He oftentimes would sit resting his head on his hand. Frequently he would touch his face and neck with his left hand.
Parents and brothers are healthy. His uncle was badly treated during the occupation and thus developed melancholia [depression] and phobias.
He was given Aurum met. 1M twice, and his psychological and general condition is much better. He does not forget as much, and there is less tendency to lie down. His feet are no longer malodorous. He has stopped dwelling on his problems.
9. Mr. A. P. aged 38 years old. Civil servant.
His problems began 3 months ago when one afternoon he suddenly felt a pain at the base of his genitals. In half an hour this pain continued from the base of the genitalia diagonally upward and outward to the left and right at a height of about 10 cm. The sensation was that of an orgasm without ejaculation. The pain at these areas has been continuous from then up to the present time. The intensity of the pain varies; it is more intense on the right side.
He feels much worse at sunset; this may be due to the feeling of tiredness at the end of the day. He feels much worse with pressure; when he is sitting doubled over; when his underpants bother him; when his bladder is full; and when he puts pressure on it with his hand. He feels much worse when he is tired. He feels much worse after sudden movements, dancing, walking. During examination of the prostate, involving manual massage of the organ, there was intense pain for two days.
He is not bothered by the pain at night, in his sleep. Pain is worse right after a bowel movement. Pain is worse right after urination; he felt as if something was being emptied and that the bladder walls were collapsing, sticking to one another. The problem is unrelated to sexual intercourse, ejaculation. The doctors assumed it to be a problem with the prostate, the seminiferous tubules, but of course they left many questions unanswered. He was probably disturbed by the warm dressings used.
He has taken many antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs [anti-infectious agents] until now without result.
The pain is continuous. The prostate was not found to be swollen. The examination and culture of the sperm was normal. The urine exam was normal; only a few crystals of calcium oxalate were found.
He suffered from a feeling of bloatedness and intense belching for years, but ever since this problem materialized (3 months) there has been no more bloatedness or belching.
About six years ago he had an ulcer in his small intestine which was painful, but he controlled it with diet and a drug called Tagamet. It was during this time, 3 years ago, that the feeling of bloatedness and belching started. Now, and for three months, he has had no symptoms of bloatedness or belching. Such a remission has occurred at times in the past but never for as long as 3 months at a time.
He had adenopathy when he was 6 and 12 years old; a cyst has been excised from his thyroid; a hydrocele was removed from his right testicle; he’s suffered from chalazion on his left eye. His mother suffers from cardiac problems. His father suffered from hydrocele, ulcer of the small intestine, and prostate cancer with metastases.
He is much better at night: “I’m a night person.” He is worse in the morning. He has difficulty getting started in the morning on waking up. He wants to prolong his sleep-time in the morning, and he needs a few hours before he is fully himself. He begins to feel like himself and to really start moving at around 2 to 3 in the afternoon, and at around 7 P.M. he feels his head clearing. He has difficulty in falling asleep before 2-3 in the morning, and this has become a nightmare for him.
He feels warm, has warm hands and feet. The sun is his enemy. He likes rain and snow and is generally feels much better when he is moving, doing something. He does not want tight clothing. His appetite is normal. His thirst: 1 liter of tap water. He desires: sweets, salt, fat, eggs, chocolate.
He sleeps on his stomach, always with a pillow over his head. He snores, and makes jerky movements in his sleep. He wakes up horribly. He has infrequent nightmares of his parents being dead. At night he perspires around the neck area, wetting his pillow. Urinary function is normal. Urine is normal. Desire for sex is normal.
“I am very closed; I don’t show my emotions, anger, sadness or joy. Someone might have angered me to the point where I would want to kill him, but I would never show it.” He has great difficulty in his contacts with people, in fitting in (people, situations, etc.).
“I have intense feelings or emotions that are always ruled by logic; intense feelings of fair-mindedness or righteousness without ever acting upon them.”
“I could be a perfect criminal master-mind but am so only in my imagination.” He is fastidious. He is not egocentric. He is angered by bad and dishonest behavior, but he does not react; he would rather remove himself from the source of aggravation. If he does react, he does so only at home in a fight with his wife or brother by shouting and breaking objects (sometimes even valuable objects). Thus, when he is made angry or when he is unjustly accused, he does not react, but in his imagination he plans the perfect “eye for an eye” retaliation; this is what he means when he says he becomes a criminal master-mind with a certain plan in mind.
He is sensitive, having a somewhat childish sensitivity. He does not cry easily; it is very difficult for him in front of others. His crying is somewhat like “a spasm, like a shaking, not like crying.”
He feels a pathological attachment to his parents. His mother suffered a cardiac episode when she was 77 years old. He developed an ulcer at this time, he feels, because he was with her in the hospital constantly for 20 days. He feels the same for his father. His father’s prostate cancer appeared about a year ago. He feels fear or anger just from thinking about someone bothering his parents.
He feels anxiety about his business. He is full of anxiety when he has to depend on other people to get things done instead of doing it himself. He is anxious about keeping his appointments, meeting people at a certain time — whether he will to make it, if he will be able to come through all right, etc. He is quite punctual in his appointments. He does not easily offend people, excepting those in his immediate family.
“I live in a fortress, alone and enclosed within a circle consisting of my wife and parents; other people outside do not interest me. I am indifferent to them; I do not offend them, and I am not offended by them; however, I am concerned lest someone else in this closed circle be disturbed by them.”
He has anxiety and fear concerning the death of his parents. Unsociable and a loner, he has difficulty in making friends. He never opens up to people, regarding the discussion of one’s problems as uncivilized. He does not expect to receive answers or solutions to his problems from others; he expects to find these by himself.
He is afraid of snakes. He is pessimistic. He always feels that he should have the right to take a step backwards, to retract his action. He is cowardly.
When he was younger, he liked to go into cemeteries and attend funerals. Three things triggered feelings of repulsion and attraction in him. He was at the same time attracted and repulsed by funerals. It was as if a magnet was pulling him to these things. He was also attracted by deep wells; he went close enough to see them but at the same time was afraid of them. Reptiles also produced this ambiguous feeling of attraction and repulsion-fear. The same thing occurred with things dealing with death — funerals, cemeteries. He liked to go to cemeteries at night although he was frightened of them. This occurs less often now. The same thing happens with fires and lakes — he does not know what is on the bottom; they attract and repel or frighten him at the same time. This does not occur when he views the sea or ocean.
If need be, he can be quite patient. Consolation aggravates him. He is not jealous. Sometimes he thinks of suicide; this thought is not strange to him since he has become bored with life. He easily forgets faces but remembers objects, situations, places. He is not easily led by others. He cannot stand to see a philosophical play or movie or read a philosophical book.
Aurum met. 1M was given. The patient came back three weeks later with this report:
“I think I am better.” In the first week the problems were intensified for two days. For the following two weeks there was a gradual improvement in the intensity and duration of the crises. The pain has lessened in intensity now, and it seems to always appear after a bowel movement, lasting from 5 to 6 hours. As the days pass the duration of the pain lessens, especially within the last four days. The pain before was independent of the bowel movements and was continuous. The pain is such that pressure from his underpants and full bladder no longer intensify it. He has no problem when moving, dancing or walking. He has no problem after urinating.
He continues not to have any problem with his stomach — since his stomach problems stopped when this major problem first appeared. There is still difficulty in waking up; he becomes himself in the afternoon. He sees a lot of dreams — “I lead a second life at night; it’s like being at the movies.”
He is late on going to sleep; sleep does not come to him. He is probably thinking of the past. He sees himself flying in his dreams. He jumps at first 2-3 times, then he flies. He has not seen any nightmares involving his parents. He thinks he has less anxiety.
The things that attracted him and repulsed him before (deep wells, reptiles, death, etc.) no longer have an effect on him. His wife says that he is more sociable and open, though this is a small change. The suicide idea has not entered his mind, but he still regards it as a familiar thought.
He likes nature quite a lot; he feels better in nature. He likes travelling a lot; he yearns for these trips. Travelling is an experience for which he never plans. He starts out to go someplace and ends up somewhere else. He views making plans or developing a program for his life as a defense mechanism, something he would rather avoid. It just so happens that when he plans for a trip, he gets sick, catches a cold or his stomach hurts.
Cases 8-9: Greek paper cases from The Center of Homeopathic Medicine, Athens, Greece.
1 * We must be aware that the sexual behavior of both sexes is many times influenced by the type of psychopathology these individuals are suffering from, and this pathology may make it very difficult for them, even if possessed of strong moral convictions, to restrain or alter their impulses, desires, and perversions.
A great part of our Western population has deteriorated to such degrees of sickness and deviation, to such extreme states of hormonal imbalance that people today talk about abnormal sexual deviations as if they were quite natural. Soon nobody will be able to establish where the boundaries of normal sexual behavior lie, and the sexual mores of contemporary societies will become absolutely chaotic. Homeopathy can correct such aberrations and reestablish order provided the individual is willing to go along with the changes. It has the power to alter sexual behavior because our remedies can affect the sexual shpere as well as other realms.