Kent`s cases 22: Cardiac patient Pulsatilla, Psorinum et Naja

In treating heart cases it is very important to be positive in selecting the
remedy and then keep the patient on it, continuously.
If not certain that the remedy selected is the correct one, the prescriber is
apt to expect quick results, and not attaining them will be tempted to
change.
It is necessary to wait for evidences of improvement in such cases.
Miss C. M., 24 years.
Dec. 5, 1904
Gray hair (a family trait). Rheumatism in left shoulder. Small goitre. Rapid
pulse; mitral murmur, dilated left side heart; 0. S. doctors have given no
relief and no encouragement.
Endocarditis. Weight in heart, when tired. Back, pain in region of heart.
Ribs, sore sensation in cardiac region.
Constipation: no action, no desire for evacuation. Tongue, sensation
fullness, at root, from exertion.
Vision dim or rather strained sensation in eyes. This is felt also in heart.
Flatulence in stomach.
Cold feet; when excited; during conversation feet become cold and head
hot.
Excitable, company excites. Must recline during mens. period.
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Aversion to meat. Leucorrhea white. Disposition mild. Not sensitive to cold
except extreme cold.
Puls. 10m.
Dec. 12.
Additional symptoms: Respiration difficult, walking in the wind. Dislikes
vinegar and pickles. Subject to hiccough. Darkness aggravates. Oppressed
in the dark. Aversion to being touched. Improvement since last week:
Bowels normal; Back pain imp.
During the next twelve weeks, prescriptions may be summed up briefly:
Jan. 5,
Puls.10m.
Feb. 23,
Puls. 10m.
March 29,
Psor. 10m.
In that period of time the record includes these changes:
General feeling of improvement; menstrual periods more comfortable; eyes
improved; aversion to meat disappeared but returned; Stronger, rested in
shorter time than formerly; craves outdoor air, which ameliorates; worse
when warm spring weather appears; for several years has become worse at
such time; not so much this year; very comfortable during mens. per. but
worse afterward.
March 29.
Desire to remain indoors, now. The most prominent symptoms in the
record during this period. Complaints from excitement.
If she has a good time, becomes sick afterward; feet and hands cold from
talking with company.
Dreads the dark. Exhausted after shopping; from ascending the stairs;
languid; drowsy in the morning; averse to rising.
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Heat of head and coldness of feet after reading: to herself;
Coldness after a bath; after a sponge bath; skin cold and clammy after a
bath (weak heart). Coldness of feet and hips frequently.
Heat in vertex when standing. Leads a sedentary life. Heart palpitation after
exertion; heavy sensation around the heart; weakness sensation; conscious
of it; pain under left scapula.
Vertigo one day when shopping. Mens. per. late (5 days). Nosebleed before
M. P. Right ankle swollen (old symptom of many years ago, returned).
Larynx sensitive to touch. Neck, glands sore in right side. During much of
this period the symptoms were turning toward Psorinum. but so long as
Pulsatilla benefited her, it was not wise to change the remedy.
During the following seventeen months, she received the following
prescriptions:
June 2,
Psor. 10m.
July 24 and Oct. 20,
Psor. 50m.
Dec. 14 and Jan. 31, 1906
Psor. Cm.
April 10 and June 11
Psor. dm.
The most prominent symptoms during this period, varying in duration and
intensity - the symptoms that characterized her when there was any
discomfort or disturbance - as found in the record are:
Slight swelling of the parotids. (New).
Complaints from excitement; chilliness; as previously mentioned.
Coldness, with desire for fire during wet weather; chilly when tired,
followed by heat. Perspiration after bath; cold; back of hands cold.
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Aggravation from hurry. Very apprehensive; fear on the street; of being run
over. Aggravation from exposure to sun. Wakens with a start; dazed when
waking from sleep. Agg. from fright, cold afterward. Sleepy in evening;
after dinner; with sleeplessness, formerly could sleep.
Tired, aching in limbs and back; Amel. walking in open air.
Mens. per. 5-6 days late; nosebleed when pen is due. Hungry before M.
Chilly before M. L. arm lameness worse after a storm. Lameness in r. knee;
in shoulder and foot.
Bruised sensation in arm and hip. Scapulae, distress in; soreness sensation
between scapulae. Mucus in throat; odor of catarrh in nostrils.
Mouth, offensive breath in mornings. R. ankle swollen, first for short
periods; then continually; pitting on pressure. This is frequently mentioned
at the same time that the patient reports herself splendid and improving.
Uncertain sensation when walking on the street, after the July dose.
Heart: consciousness of it after dentistry; after mental or physical exertion;
heavy after exertion. Pulsation quickened, heavy, after reading to herself a
few hours; when excited.
Strained sensation in heart; fluttering in heart; sore sensation in left side.
Restlessness referred to stomach; physical exertion occasions fatigue in the
stomach. Cold perspiration while walking one day. Cold feet. Weakness
from bodily and mental exertion. Flatulence in stomach.
Cheeks hot when tired; head hot when excited; heat in body; after rapid
walking; heat flashes from much walking, amel, reclining (May '06).
Agg. in hot weather, pressure in ears and throat. Neck discomfort from
collar; fullness sensation. Vertigo.
Changes during this period of seventeen months include:
General improvement after Mar. 29 and frequently through the record.
Stronger; can lift better. Symptoms all lessened. Face less purple than
formerly. Gain in flesh on body and about waist. Mens. per. felt very well
during period; very comfortable during period. M. on time; period one to
three days early; mens. per. made scarcely any difference to her; attended
social gatherings.
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Very active, following accustomed routine during mens. per. Has been
shopping much, enjoyed social gatherings, talking with people, attended
concerts, and enjoyed all without discomfort or the heat in head she used to
have following such meetings. Nosebleed slight. Better in warm than in
cold weather.
Out nearly every day without fatigue (Nov.). Sensitive to heat (summer of
'06). Better when active; ameliorated by long walks; worked all day and
was amel. by it. Pulse regular then rapid, otherwise heart appears normal.
It was about twelve months after beginning treatment that examination of
the heart revealed no evidences of organic disorder, and since that time
heart symptoms have been only functional.
After Psorinum ceased to give results, no distinctive symptoms developing,
Naja was prescribed. In many cases of heart weakness in children, where
there are no distinctive symptoms, cardiac murmurs and cardiac
disturbances being associated with nervousness, Naja has cleared away the
cardiac troubles and changed the patients to robust children. On that bags
the prescription was made, in this instance.
In 1906 she received NAJA 10m, Aug. 15 and Oct. 18. NAJA 50m, Dec.
18 and Jan. 21, 07.
In Sept. '06
she reported she felt the heart very slightly during the summer; she
perspired freely and felt no fatigue; Desired open air, fond of walking in
open air; chilly in morning.
Jan. 21, '07
she reported having "taken cold" which she said was just such as she had
when she began with "heart disease." It was assumed to have been brought
out by Naja and considered a good action.
In Feb. '07
she reported having had considerable excitement one evening without any
heart symptoms.
In March '07
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some liver disturbance with jaundice was the occasion of a prescription of
NAT. SUL. 10m. The remedy was repeated in 50m potency and then there
was no report for six months.
From Dec. 3 to June 20, 1908,
there were two prescriptions of Pulsatilla cm, two of puls. Dm, and one of
mm, followed in Aug. by Psor. mm.
During this period the record contains few symptoms, the chief ones being:
Nearly faints when first going to bed if reclines on back. Agg. in spring.
Fear in dark, must have light in sleeping room. If wakens in the dark is
frightened. Sleepiness. Nosebleed. Chilly before mens. per. Lameness left
arm. Heart: weakness sensation amel. by eructation. Soreness sensation in
heart and fullness in throat, waking at night. Feet: puffy swelling. White
line along upper lip.
The changes reported during this time are most interesting:
Generally feeling splendid. Fright when waking in the dark improved.
Sleeps without a light in the room (June 1). Uses only summer clothing in
cold weather. This is new for her and indicates how remedies will cure
coldness. Mens. per. late. Reclines Rat on back to rest, when tired.
1908.
Well all summer; had long walks and much strength; Mens. per. normal,
two days late.
After progressing, through a series of Pulsatilla, Psorinum and Naja, the
patient turned again to Pulsatilla and that remedy carried her steadily
toward health, leading again to Psorinum.
Thus do the remedies take up the work, in alternating succession, while the
patient advances steadily.
Frequent examination of the heart since the summer of 1908 have revealed
no indication of organic changes, at any time.
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