by
Dr. Kumar
Gelsemium is my favourite remedy that plays an important role in my
practice. Many practitioners are still unaware of its value and utility.
They know this remedy simply as a medicine of remittent fever, cold,
sneezing and measles; moreover, they would use it when the patient
passes through the symptoms of three D. While, in fact, it is the remedy
of multiple diseases firmly entangled with one another, which has a
great power of expelling an obstinate disease out of human body to such
a wide extent that the disease once stricken by this remedy never dare
seeing back again. The neophytes are always keen interested in seeking
the rare remedies out of the materia madicas and repertories paying no
attention to a common remedy, however, it may prove more effective than
one, which is being searched out by them.
Years ago, I came across Gelsemium and its miraculous results at first
time, when a young lady, aged 32, maddened by the abuse of quinine was
brought to my clinic, whom every physician had referred to the mental
hospital. Actually, she was too aggravated that no one could dare facing
her. She had made many an attempt to suicide very scarcely husband could
get her controlled. I tried to find out the symptomatic clues, but
failed except the only clue, the abuse of quinine. Therefore, I managed
for three doses of Gelsemium 30,TDS daily that controlled her mental
state too much and within a fortnight, she became quite normal. Two
typical cases like it, which cured with Gelsemium are being laid down as
under:
Case: 1
On 15th January 2004 a lady was brought to my clinic for the treatment.
At a slight look, I noticed her feet tottering as soon as she got down
her car. Two persons who were helping her in walking ahead followed her.
Before she could enter my chamber, I observed some of her symptoms like
depression, dullness and upset state of her mind. She was much irritable
and looked annoyed during investigation. According to her, she had been
tired of being treated by so many doctors, jadu-tona experts (Tantrik)
and the physicians of deferent therapeutics but no relief was to her.
She requested me to let her be alone. I asked her if she told all about
her trouble, she definitely would have been all right.
She whispered about to scream, "Who told you I am troubled. I am quite
O.K. doctor! Please do one thing if you can."
"What should I do." I asked her very gently. " Please let me go home
back. I am in need of rest." She replied.
I was agreeing her, because her drowsiness was enough to prove it. Therefore, I offered her a bed, lying aside in my clinic and called her husband and mother-in-law to enquire about the case. Her mother-in-law told me that a few-month ago, she had given birth to a dead issue, since she had reached such a position. In the very beginning she had a strong inclination to suicide and made several attempts of falling herself down from the highest roof of her house. She used to tell later on that she herself couldn’t know why it all happened so.
As we were talking about, all of a sudden we heard a loud scream that
burst from her mouth. All of us rushed towards her side and got her
quivering with a great sensation that all her body from head to toe
appeared trembling as if she was frightened of somewhat. Before I could
say, her mother-in-law said to me, " Doctor sahib, she often goes in
such a position. First she says to be let alone and later on she calls
us to accompany her."
I asked her (the patient) reason of these contrary wills and of screaming out. She said, "When I find myself alone I feel as if, I am going to lose all my senses and self-control. A nervous rigors run all over the body down to fingers and toes. If I attempt to think consecutively a painful but vacant feeling of mind attacks me then I find myself surrounded with a cataleptic immobility, confusion and dullness of mental state. I begin to think if I don’t move a little, my heart beating will stop, so being enforced by this idea I scream out. Though, I dislike accompanying someone else and want to lie down silently, but with the fear of any mishap I want having a person near me."
She continued talking as it was. "My eyelids become so heavy that everyone thinks as I am under the effects of evil spirits." All the narration she produced about herself was not clearly uttered due to trembling tongue and unconnected ideas.
Rubrics taken from:
1. Desire to be let alone
2. Dullness of mental state
3. Dread of being alone
4. Strong inclination to suicide
5. Subject of three ‘Ds’
6. Wills having contrary streams
7. Irritability
8. Tottering like a drunkard
9. Trembling, the tongue of,
10. Ill effects, mentally shocked of,
11. Quivering, whole the body of,
Observing all the symptoms, I managed of Gelsemium 30 one dose at the
very time and the second for the bedtime, instructing her to come two
days later. No placebo or phytum followed Gelsemium. When she came next
time appeared much improved. I asked her about the trouble; she smiled a
little and said that she was better than ever been before. Now she was
mannered and polite too. She begged her pardon for her rude behavior
that she showed previous day clarifying that she had been much depressed
and tired of her sickness.
"O! Never mind we have to face such a patient all the day and night." I
said and then gave her Gelsemium 30 in sugar of milk one dose daily for
a week. She came next time with some good news that her suppressed
menstruation, which was disappeared after the birth of a dead issue,
began to discharge. It was, really, good news to me. I gave her
Gelsemium 30 for one week more and then stopped it. I noted that no
further recurrence was there.
