By W.H. Freeman, M.D.
It should be worth while to show that, even in cases which are incurable, suffering can be relieved much more effectively with individual specifics than it can be with Morphine and similar stupefying agents.
Specific remedies relieves as effectively as Morphine and produce no bad after effects. They also tend to prolong life and to conditions especially, drugs like Morpine often spoil any chances for recovery that may exist.
Mr. H., aged 57, has had locomotor ataxia for fourteen years, during which time he has been under more or less constant treatment with steady progress of the disease and early constant pain of an agonizing character. Romberg’s sign and Argyll-Robertson Pupils are present; he can walk only when assisted; has enuresis, numbness of the legs, loss of tactile sense to a decided degree, lightning-like pains in legs and gastric crises. The more or less constant resort to Morpine relieves him partially, but the after effects are particularly disagreeable and he would like to stop using this drug, if some other way of controlling the pains could be discovered.
For the sake of brevity, characteristic symptoms, only, are enumerated, as follows:
Gastric pains of a dull, sickening character, which occur in paroxysms and come and go quickly the pains are worse while eating and after eating; worse after stool, while thinking of his ailment and during the day; and better after belching, while riding in the auto and during the night.
All food turns to gas with more or less constant bloating and borborygmi. The pressure of the gas causes severe pains in the lungs, heart, bladder and rectum. With the pains there are belching, retching and vomiting.
Exacerbations of pain are always preceded by copious urination and accompanied by groaning and sometimes by shrieking.
He lives chiefly on raw eggs, which disagree least. Craves shell fish and salty things. Thirstlessness. Aversion for water and for fatty things.
Constipation obstinate – no stool without a cathartic. Enemas always precipitate or aggravate the pains and cause excruciating pain in rectum. Pains are worse after catharsis also.
Inability to sweat even in the hottest weather.
< generally in hot weather and in summer.
>generally in winter.
< generally from long automobile rides, which never tire him. After an all day ride he can eat heartily without subsequent pain or discomfort and feels like a new man.
The principal individualizing symptom is relief while riding. Arsenic, Bromine, Kali nitricum, Nitric Acid, and phosphorus, each have relief of symptoms from riding. Of these five drugs, Nitric acid is the one which covers all the other symptoms of the patient and it should control his pains even though a cure is impossible.
Within two weeks after beginning to take Nitric acid in the 200 potency (an occasional dose, as needed, for the control of pain), he was able to eat with but little discomfort, the pains had disappeared almost entirely, the bowels were moving painlessly and naturally, he had better control over the bladder, and he was able to do without Morphine and cathartics.
Since the first prescription, eight months ago, he has taken occasional doses of Nitric acid, off and on, as needed, and has enjoyed a fairly comfortable existence. On several occasions when Nitric acid ceased to help him, Sulphur 200 was given for a few days, after which Nitric acid was again beneficial. On one occasion after Sulphur and Nitric acid had both failed and he had resorted to Morphine tablets for relief, Morphine 30 was given, after which Nitric acid was again effective.
The patient still has occasional attacks of quite severe pain, but at infrequent intervals, and, as he says, “it doesn’t cause him to shriek as it once did.” He expresses himself as well pleased and very grateful. Doesn’t expect to be cured, only wants to be made comfortable while he continues to live.
