Kent's cases 104: Severe Maladies. Acute Mania Medorrhinum Belladonna Hyosciamus Lachesis Phosphorus

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R. T., aged twenty-three years, had gonorrhoea which was treated
allopathically for four months before it was controlled.
Habits of secret vice. Was sent home from college for treatment. Mental
condition, diagnosed by a specialist "Dementia praecox"; Weeping; Forgets
everything; Answers no questions, makes unintelligible, slight mumbling;
Hears voices; Think she is a criminal; Thought he was Christ; Thought he
was to be buried alive; Hears officers coming to arrest him; Mind appears
to be gone; Hands and feet clammy.
Violent --- had to be tied and held in bed. Face red; continually flaming
red. Head--pain in occiput > in middle of the day. Ears-pressed-in
sensation. Constipation. Wakens with a start. Noise <. Light>.
L. pupil appears larger than right.
Medor. 10.
Given to test the case to determine if it were a case of suppressed sycosis.
No response followed and the case was thus determined not due to
suppression. Under observation day and night by day and night nurse.
Mar. 23.
Hears voice from a distance: of father: of mother: of policeman.
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Voice called him a liar; voices said he was dead; told him to "run for it;" of
mother, told him to say "Lord" very loud.
Thinks he is damned; that people are laughing at him. Somewhat religious
phases of delirium: commanded by one of the voices to say the Apostles'
Creed.
Breath fetid, ever since he came home, now better. Fecal evacuations were
black when first returned home.
Voices: Bell., cann.-ind., carb.-s., cinch., cham., crot-c., elaps., hyos., kali-
br., lach., lyc., med., phos., stram.; many more not related to him.
Religious affections: Bell., carb.-s., cham., Hyos., kali-br., LACH., lyc.,
med., stram.
Weeps: Bell., CARB-S., cham., hyos., KALI-BR., lach., LYC., med.,
Stram.
Mania: BELL., HYOS., KALI-BR., lach., LYC., STRAM.
Insanity: BELL., HYOS., kali-br., lach., LYC., STRAM.
Answers incoherent: Hyos.
Irrelevant: Hyos.
Confused speech: Bell., hyos., lach., med.
Incoherent speech: Bell., HYOS., kali-br., LACH., STRAM.
Confusion: BELL., hyos., kali-br., lach., med., stram. Delirium: BELL.,
HYOS., kali-br., LACH., STRAM.
Delirium raving: BELL., HYOS., LYC., stram.
Chill: Bell., hyos., lach., stram.
Summary: Bell. 24; Hyos. 27; Lach. 20; Stram. 21.
Hot head: Bell., hyos., lach., stram.
Cold feet: BELL., hyos., LACH., STRAM.
Clothing < neck: Bell., LACH.
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Occipital pain: BELL., hyos., lach., stram.
Starting on waking: BELL., HYOS., stram.
Light <: Bell., hyos., lach., stram.
Noise <: BELL., hyos., lach.
Summary: Bell. 44; Hyos. 38; Stram. 34.
Though Bell. stands highest in the anamnesis, the bodily heat of the remedy
is lacking and the case may later demand Hyos., as the mania is not active
enough for Stram.
Bell. 10m.
S. L. two hours in water.
Mar. 25.
Struck his nose twice; Bell., hyos., stram.
Thinks he is about to be arrested: Bell.
Just ascertained that he has lost all shame. No other change.
Hyos. 10m.
Mar. 26.
Thinks his medicine is poison. Breath less offensive. Hears scarcely any
noises. Sach, lact.
April 4.
Voices say he is dead and he wants to know when they are going to have
the funeral. Wants to dig his own grave. Wants to be buried. Thinks his
coffin is in the house or cellar. Rubs his nose much, it itches. Thinks the
medicine is poison. Collar fits too close.
Lach. 10m.
April 9.
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Thought that he was dead only once; voices less. Feet and hands cold.
Sach. lac.
April 12.
Struck his attendant several times. Quarrelsome; wants to fight. Thinks he
is a criminal. Appears worse on Lachesis.
Hyos. 10m.
April 13.
No more fighting since last remedy. More quiet; appearance improved; face
less red; nose itches less, does not rub it constantly, as he did.
April 18.
Laughs much. Hears voices of the family and of the nurse. Thinks he is a
criminal. No initiative: Waits for commands before acting; when told to eat
he eats; to go to bed, he goes to bed, stands until told to sit and sits until
told to stand-; when told to do anything lie does it, almost mechanically.
Irresolution. Does not talk; appears unable to answer. Sach. lac.
May 2.
Heat in head marked; > by cold. Aversion to hot soup. Intense fear.
Nervous. Voices. Delusions. Irresolution.
Phos. 10m.
Remedies heretofore used removed the violence and the intensity of the
mania, so that he could eat at the table with the family. He was constantly
under the observation of a carefully observant nurse, who at this time
noticed that he could not take hot soup.
In connection with the other symptoms, it was evident that Phosphorus was
closely related throughout the case. Hence the prescription.
May 28.
Much improved; no delusions; seldom hears voices. Now very nervous.
Aversion to being touched. Likes cold water.
Phos. 10m.
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This case was finished by a repetition of Phos. in 50m. potency, a month
later. By the middle of June, the mental symptoms had disappeared and he
had gained much flesh. Since that he has been normal and robust, traveling
about the city as would any one else.
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