Archives: Remedies

Euphrasia is a specific kind of plant called Eyebright. The
Homoeopathic medicine is prepared out of it. As the name implies, it
is used in the treatment of cold affecting the eyes, which become
extraordinarily red. The effect of Euphrasia is rather short-lived and certainly neither does
it work for a long time nor does it have any deep effects. Hence,
Euphrasia is useful in the kind of cold which, though severe, is but of
a fleeting nature, especially with th e effect being mostly on the eyes.
Any kind of cold, which attacks the eyes at the outset with
excessive watering, burning and redness, will respond to Euphrasia.
During the daytime, while the eyes are watering and red, the patient
does not have any cough. There is no burning or irritation in the
throat either. As soon as the pa tient retires to bed, the excessive
secretions of the eye divert toward s the throat and injure the windpipe
leading to coughing. At the outset, the cough is only at night, but
after some time, due to persistent burning and irritation, sores develop
in the throat and the cough lingers. It can remain during the day also.
Along with the cold, there is an attack of severe headache. The eyes
feel heavy as if somebody has put a heavy bandage over them. Ulcers
form over the cornea. The secretion of the eye being acidic in nature
shows its ill effects for a long time and can cause blurring of the
vision. A peculiar symptom of Euphrasia is the pain experienced over the
nerves supplying the eyes . Although Euphrasia is an acute i.e. short
acting remedy, however, the resulting eye condition may become
chronic. It mostly afflicts the third cranial nerve (oculomotor). Euphrasia has a distinct benefici al effect in the treatment of German
measles. Measles are treated with Puls atilla, but in German measles
Euphrasia is a must. In this condit ion, the disease process starts at the
eyes, which become extremely red. As such, German measles is not a
dangerous disease but in pregnant women, it can produce severe bad
effects on the foetus. If German measles attack women in the first
trimester, the development of the fo etus stops there and then, and the foetus does not grow. Pregnant women have to be extra careful
during an epidemic of this disease b ecause it is really very dreadful.
In the first three months, the eyes may not form at all or there can be a
serious maldevelopment of the heart. Similarly, the hearing can also
be seriously affected. Sometimes, the child is born completely blind
or completely deaf. Most of these children die in the first few months
after birth. It may be taken as a blessing for the parents otherwise, if
they survive, they become a cause of constant worry and anxiety. If a
woman contracts German measles in the first three months of her
pregnancy, she should be admitted in to a well-equipped clinic and it
should be ensured that the foetus ha s not been afflicted with German
measles. If so afflicted, the doctors would certainly advise abortion
for the benefit of the mother and the child. In Euphrasia, there is extreme hypersensitivity to light. A similar kind
of photophobia is seen in measles al so. The ailments of Euphrasia
become worse in the evening, in hot weather and in bright light. Antidotes: Camphor, Pulsatilla, Causticum
Potency: 30

Eupatorium 323 Commonly, Eupatorium is known as Bone Set medicine because it has
been in vogue for the treatment of bone pains for a long time. In the
Eastern States of America, old ladies have been using it in the form of
home-made tea for the treatment of the common cold. It is very useful in the treatment of influenza, malaria and other fevers
that cause severe bone pains in the body . It is one of the top most
treatments for Dengue fever , which results from the bite of a tiny
mosquito found in dry, hilly areas. It s peculiar characteristic is that
there is severe pain in the bones all over and in the back, which is
unbearable. Eupatorium does not offe r complete cure but relieves the
suffering to a great extent. This feve r has to take its course of seven
days in any case. Once the patient recovers from this, he develops
antibodies and will never get Dengue fever again. This medicine is considered to be one of the best against influenza
and is also very useful in th e treatment of the common cold.
Eupatorium must be put to use when the common cold is associated
with severe body aches and headache. It will protect the patient from
further complications. In Eupatorium, the bone pains are associated
with a feeling of chills . This symptom is also found in malaria so
Eupatorium is also useful for the treatment of malaria. The chill is felt
more from 6 o’ clock to 9 o’ clock in the morning. The symptoms of
Eupatorium start with the sunrise while the symptoms of Natrum Mur
usually get worse after 9 o’ clock. If malaria appears in the form of epid emic and Eupatorium is found
beneficial in some patients, then mo st other patients will benefit from
Eupatorium as well. To begin with, there is intense thirst. Even in the
winter, the patient wants to drink extremely cold water, which will
cause a chill in the body, but the thirst will still not get quenched. The
patient keeps himself well covered. When the chill comes to an end
and his temperature has risen, he starts vomiting and sweats profusely.
However, this sweating does not lower the temperature. The vomited
material contains bile. The severer the chill at the outset the more is
the feeling of heat after getting feve r. If the temper ature is 103ºF, the Eupatorium 324
patient feels like it is 106ºF. In ot her words, his feelings for both cold
and heat are equally enhanced. Once the fever is at its climax, the
patient stops sweating. He starts sweating when the fever goes down.
This sweating actually hastens the te mperature to decrease. However
the patient develops a severe headache which is a little bizarre because
in the case of malaria, when the fever goes down due to profuse
sweating, his headache also gets better. This peculiar observation, i.e.
the fever is coming down but the he adache is getting worse, is only
found in the nature of a patient of Eupatorium. Physicians have been warned prev iously regarding the treatment of
malaria and it is repeated here once again. In malaria, no medicine
should be given while the fever is coming on. Unless the fever starts
subsiding, no medicine should be given. The best time for the
treatment to be given is between two malarial attacks. If during that
time, the properly indicated medici ne is administered, either the
patient will not get a new attack of malaria or the next one would be
very mild. It may so happen for two or three days; every subsequent
bout of fever will be milder and milder, so much so that the patient
will be completely cured. Eupatorium has also been successfully used in the treatment of
rheumatism. In the patient of Eupatorium, the joints swell and lumps
appear over them. There is pain al ong the course of the nerves. The
gouty pain is mostly on the big toe. Rheumatism patients usually
suffer from headache. They feel nauseated and become dizzy in the
morning, The dizziness is reduced in the evening. A patient of Eupatorium feels pain behind the eyeballs . For the
treatment of pain in the eyes, Ge lsemium and Bryonia can be useful
adjuncts. When the patient develops diarrhoea, the stools are copious
and greenish in colour and thin like water. There may be griping also.
Sometimes, the stools are scanty to start with and then become
plentiful causing severe dehydration and weakness. After that, the
patient becomes constipated, which lasts many days. In Eupatorium, the cough is very troublesome. There is pain over the
chest and the whole body sh ivers. The patient is oversensitive to
cold. Eupatorium, being a treatmen t for the common cold, is also
effective on the lungs. Eupatorium 325
The patients of Eupatorium are depressed by nature. The body tends
to be swollen (oedematous). If such oedema is noticed during the
course of influenza or malaria, one should think of Eupatorium. The ailments of Eupatorium recu r once again after 21 days. The
patient feels comfortable while kept busy in talking. Eupatorium has
an effect on the mucous membrane s of the stomach, liver and the air
passages. Usually, it is useful in the treatment of ailments found in
humid regions, but can also be fo und beneficial in completely dry
weather (such as Dengue fever). Potency: 30 to 200

This remedy is prepared from electricity rays but its preparation is
different from that of Electricitas an d so there is a difference in their
working. It is used to treat rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) and the
paralysis affecting the upper extremities . It is usually given to
patients who happen to be sad and sallow, like those of Pulsatilla, they
tend to heave sighs and are frightened and depressed . They get
extremely frightened at the onset of a storm which aggravates their
symptoms. Long uncontrollable laughter, like that of an insane
person, is also a symptom of Electric ity. Similarly, night blindness,
involuntary bedwetting and asthma are also well within the effect of
Electricity. I would advise the read ers to study further on Electricitas
as well. Potency: 30 to 200

This homoeopathic medicine is prep ared from waves of natural or
industrial electricity. This remedy is related to pati ents who become
affected by thunder or lightning. Before the onset of a storm or with
the onset of stormy conditions, the patient becomes asthmatic or
develops catarrhal conditions . The resultant depression,
restlessness, despair, rapidity of pulse and headache, benefit from
treatment with Electricitas. One should remember that that this
medicine should not be administered to patients who already had the
symptoms of cold before the onset of a stormy condition. The doctors
who have such experience describe it to be a very dangerous practice. Electricitas has been found useful in treating the body aches, chills,
feeling of extreme weakness, tiredn ess, sleeplessness, catching fever
and excessive sweating, all resulting from sudden change of weather.
It is said that this medicine a nnuls the bad aftereffects of Mercury
also. This medicine is one of the most recently discovered, to which some
homoeopaths give a great importa nce but personally I am of the
opinion that in the above situation, the previously well-tried
homoeopathic remedies should be further studied and mastered.
However, I have entered this remedy in my book for those who intend
to do further experimentation. If good well-experienced doctors, be
they homoeopaths or allopaths, experiment on such medicines and
then let the homoeopathic board know about their successful
observations, this can be very useful for others. Some amateurs and
lay Homoeopaths make lofty claims about the success of this remedy
and keep writing to me. But, I have generally found it to be their own
vain imagination only, I find it di fficult to accept their reports as
reliable. Potency: 30 or 200

Dulcamara is prepared from a pl ant which grows abundantly in the
continents of Europe and America. Its branches are quite long and
spread out, bearing purple coloured flowers. Its stem and roots make
the mouth bitter when chewed, but la ter on there is a sweet after-taste
in the mouth. That is the reason why it is called bitter sweet. The
homoeopathic medicine prepared from the extract of the fresh plant is
called Dulcamara. The main function of Dulcamara is on the inner linings (i.e. the
mucous membranes). The most sa lient point is that any kind of
sudden change of weather, from hot to cold or from cold to hot, from
moist to dry and vice versa, aff ects the mucous membranes of the
body, especially when the change is very prompt and sudden. For this
kind of condition, Dulcamara would pr obably be the most appropriate
treatment. The common cold spreads far and wide during a change
of weather . Dulcamara would certainly be useful to treat a patient
who catches a cold with every change of weather, even if the other
symptoms of the patient do not give a clear picture. After a vigorous game, some player s change their clothes while the
body is still hot. They develop nasal catarrh. Similarly, sudden
exposure to hot weather from a cold situation also causes a cold. The
symptoms get worse at night and on resting. The cat arrhal changes
can affect the kidneys, the intestines as well as the stomach, leading to
frequent urination and the onset of diarrhoea, the reason being the
same (i.e. irritation of the mucous linings of these organs). The
symptoms aggravate in moist climate and wet weather. If during summer a person contracts cold while visiting hill stations or
coming back from the hill stations, Dulcamara would certainly be the
indicated treatment. Some people develop dysentery instead of
diarrhoea on exposure to cold. This type of dysentery would also be
amenable to Dulcamara. Dulcamara given in high potency works as a
sure preventive measure, so much so that sudden changes in weather
would not affect such patients at all. Dulcamara will also be useful in treating the symptoms which result
from suppression of sweating on entry into a cold place. The cold due to Dulcamara starts at the nose and settles in the eyes.
The eyes become heavy and discharge yellowish liquid. The
secretion is thin like water. The ey elids get swollen as well. If not
treated adequately with Dulcamara, the cold becomes chronic. In
Dulcamara, the cold is usually of dry nature, associated with
blockage of the nose. The thick ye llow secretion sticks in the nose.
The nasal catarrh returns on exposure to even the sli ghtest cold. The
nose also bleeds. Dulcamara is also the treatment for chronic ulcers of the inner linings
(mucous membranes), as well as of the skin. The eczema like lesions
develop on the skin of the face, which then spread rapidly and get
covered with yellow scabs. Clusters of blisters develop and spread
widely. The similar symptom is well seen in Arsenic also, though
their nature is different. In Arse nic, the wounds can progress to the
formation of gangrene, although there is no such tendency in
Dulcamara. Dulcamara results in the formation of ulcers over the
superficial bones, which are separated from the outside only by skin
e.g., Shin bone. Regarding the wounds and sores of Arsenic and
Dulcamara, the difference is that in Arsenic, there is formation of
lumps similar to those found in plague. The glands in the armpits
(axilla) also enlarge and pus form s in them. In Dulcamara, the
enlargement of the glands does not lead to the formation of pus. They
only get hardened. In Dulcamara, scabs form over the scalp which can weep at the
edges. This symptom is also found in Mezereum however, in
Mezerum the eczema-type of lesion gets covered with a membrane-
like structure. Under this structur e, there is formation of pus, which
obviously smells foul. In Dulcamara, the symptoms are not as severe
and progressive. The other remedies that produce ecze ma like signs are Sepia, Arsenic,
Graphites, Petroleum, Sulphur, Calcaria salts and Rhus Tox. All these
will have to be distinguished on the basis of their peculiar symptoms.
Croton, Anagalis and Anacardium may al so be very useful in treating
such conditions. The eczematous lesions of Anagalis, Croton and Rhus Tox are mostly on the lower part of the body and around the
thighs, while in Anacardium, the eczema affects the entire body In Dulcamara, the headache gets worse in the cold and wet weather.
The patient feels light headed. The head is heavy, and there is pain
on the temple areas . The ears ache and buzz, affecting the
capability to hear. The glands arou nd the ears become inflamed. The
cheeks hurt badly and the pain sp reads towards the ears, eyes and
jaws. The tongue becomes dry and rough. Paralysis of the tongue is
also prominent. The neuralgic pain on the face as described gets
worse on exposure to cold. The patient hates food. There is a non-ending urge to drink water.
There is burning in the stomach, along with the tendency for nausea
and vomiting. The vomiting contains white sticky secretions. During
the act of vomiting, the patient feels very cold. On exposure to cold,
the bladder becomes inflamed and irritable , leading to frequent
urination. There is a constant de sire to pass urine which comes in
drops. The ailments of Dulcamara are relieved by lying on the side, but
become aggravated on lying on the back or bending forwards.
Movement ameliorates the symptoms, which increase in the evening
and at night. The symptoms also get worse during the change of
weather or on getting wet in humid weather or taking cold beverages,
etc. Adjuvan: Baryta Carb
Antidote: Camphor, Cuprum
Potency: 30 to 200

Drosera is a plant which is carnivorous in nature (it devours insects).
Its leaves have a reddish, hair y structure on the surface, which
produce a secretion to attract insects and helps to digest them. This
secretion glitters like dew in the sunlight. The leaves remain spread
on the surface of the ground. As soon as an insect comes near they
immediately close and the insect becomes their food. In the 16
th century, Drosera became very famous in the treatment of
tuberculosis, but it killed more people than it saved from the disease.
Besides tuberculosis, it was also used for the treatment of toothache,
insanity and problems related to childbirth. In homoeopathy, the medicine is prep ared from an extract of the plant
and is commonly used for the treatment of cough. Its use has mostly
been restricted to whooping cough. It has a much wider range of
action in the treatment of convulsive disorders . Drosera is not only
of use in coughs, but is also used for the treatment of convulsions
related to other diseases. Therefore, it is also useful in the treatment
of epilepsy. The Drosera patient becomes very worried and anxious
after the convulsion and the subsequent unconsciousness. Drosera is a
very highly effective remedy for the treatment of this confusion,
perhaps an aftereffect of the convulsion. Drosera should also be used in the treatment of menopausal
syndrome because the symptoms of Drosera are very similar to that
of menopause, such as flushing of the face, selective congestion of
any part of the body and restlessness. A Drosera patient is afraid of being alone and suspicious . He will
not even trust his close friends. Such symptoms are also seen in the
case of medicines prepared from snake venom. A patient of the
constitution of Drosera is the victim of superstitions . He is restless,
cowardly and a pessimist as well as extremely irritable. There is
headache, especially over the forehead, which radiates outward
through the cheekbones. The patient feels dizzy in the open and has a
fear of falling on the left side. A fe eling of severe cold and a stinging pain on the left side of the face while the right side of the face is dry
and warm, are all typical features of Drosera. Drosera may be of use to treat the cough arising out of irritation inside
the windpipe after taking food. An epidemic cough spreads wide during the formation of pods on the
wild Acacia trees, Drosera is very useful in treating this cough. In
Drosera, the windpipe f eels tight and contract ed. Drosera is very
useful for the treatment of the cough associated with constant irritation
in the throat, which is not reliev ed even after coughing. Any kind of
cough which starts after midnight or which gets worse on talking will
respond to Drosera. In children, bouts of whooping cough come on
as soon as the child puts his head on the pillow, and then continue for
two to three hours. Constant co ughing makes them exhausted and
there is no relief. If such a patient contracts fever, he feels very cold and shivers. The
face is flushed, while the hands become cold. There is complete
absence of thirst. Typically, th e Drosera cough becomes worse on
lying down, laughing and singing or due to the warmth of the bed. Antidote: Camphor
Potency: 6 or 30 up to 200

Diphtherinum 311
Diphtherinum Diphtherinum is prepared from the toxin of Diphtheri a. All such
remedies prepared from the toxic ma terial obtained from diseases are
called Nosode. In general, the Nosode is not used to treat the sickness
from which it has been derived; but rather for the treatment of similar
types of ailments. Yet, the admi nistration of Dipht herinum affects
conspicuously on Diphtheria. In this way, it is a very important
treatment for Diphtheria. So far no better medicine or remedy has
been found as effective for Diphtheria. The traditional anti-Diphtheria
vaccination is no match to it re garding prevention. During the
epidemic of Diphtheria, a few doses in 200 potency not only dispel the
immediate danger of contracting Di phtheria, but also may not be
required for another eight years. The traditional vaccination is
effective for three years at the mo st. A few doses of Diphtherinum
200 should be followed a few months later with Diphtherinum CM.
This will offer protection against Diphtheria for life. Diphtherinum
has been compared to the formal vaccination. It was found that some
of the children who were given the vaccination still contracted
Diphtheria or developed some ailmen t as a reaction to the vaccination
itself, while in the case of Dipht herinum, not one child contracted
Diphtheria nor were there any other complications or side effects. Diphtherinum has also been found useful in the prevention of
influenza. During an influenza epidemic, the combination of
Influenzinum, Bacillinum and Dipht herinum is a potent preventive
treatment. Diphtherinum has also b een found very effective in weak
and paralysed muscles of swallowing . Diphtherinum will also be
useful in the treatment of the affliction of the heart due to influenza. Diphtherinum is also of use in all those diseases which exhibit
Diphtheria like symptoms. It is extremely beneficial in the treatment
of enlarged tonsils, a thick red tongue, foul smelling excretions,
difficulty in swallowing or, re gurgitation of th e food and water
through the nose. Potency: 30 to CM

Dioscorea is prepared from the thic k voluminous root of the wild yam
plant that commonly grows in Afri ca. Dioscorea is an important,
commonly used medicine. It best works on the gall bladder,
especially on biliary colic associated with stones in the gall
bladder, if other symptoms of Dioscorea are present. A peculiar sign is that the colicky pain may be over the gall bladder or
on any part of the abdomen. It becomes worse on pressure, while
yawning relieves the pain by decreasi ng pressure on the affected area.
The dysentery is associated with severe gripe . The patient of
Dioscorea feels better on walking about because it relieves the
pressure inside the abdomen. The pa in radiates towards the back and
the shoulders like waves. In Dioscorea, the pain is always of
radiating nature. The spastic pain of the gall bladder (colic) can be
referred over the chest and to the sh oulders or even on the arms and
the hands. The pain of renal colic usually refers towards the liver.
Similarly, the severe pain of the piles also radiates towards the liver.
The colicky pain of the stomach radi ates towards the heart. Dioscorea
is useful in all such symptoms and ailments. Until the proper
treatment for the gall bladder be comes known, I always include
Dioscorea as an essential part of my formulary. In Cactus too, the radiation of th e undulating type of pain from the
affected area to other organs is a essential symptom. But, the
diagnosis of Cactus is based on different symptoms altogether, for
example, waves of pain produced by spasm in the membranes of the
brain or external organs radiating down to the big toe. Dioscorea is a panacea for the ill effects of the excessive drinking of
tea. A Dioscorea patient passes foul smelling gas. In the morning,
the taste in the mouth is bitter along with the formation of white thick
crust on the tongue. Dioscorea is al so useful in the treatment of
neurogenic type of pain in the abdomen . Its patient remembers and
recalls the names of the objects incorrectly. There is mild pain over
both the temples, which gets better on light pressure. In Dioscorea, bleeding piles also occur. The piles are in the form of
large bunches of red grapes. There may be diarrhoea, which is worse
in the morning. There is a fe eling of burning at the time of
defaecation. The Dioscorea patient feels his chest is tight and tense.
He cannot expand his chest to its full extent so his breathing is
shallow. The fingernails are brittle and break easily. The symptoms
of Dioscorea become worse in the evening, on lying on the stomach or
on bending forward. On standing upri ght or on walking slowly, and
with application of light pressu re, the symptoms get better.
Chamomilla and Camphor are its antidotes. Potency: 30

Digitalis is a renowned form of treatment used frequently in the
diseases of the heart. In allopathy, it is used to control rapid heartbeat
(tachychardia), as well as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). It slows
down the pulse rate and controls its irregularity. However, it has to be
used for longer periods with incr easing dosage, but its beneficial
effects last only for a s hort period. Since it needs to be given in more
and more amounts, it can accumulate in the body and cause an
injurious effect. Under these circum stances, all allopathic doctors are
compelled to stop this medication. As soon as it is stopped, the
beating of the heart becomes extremel y fast and uncontrollable again.
The power of the heart muscles be comes like an ineffective flutter
after which the heart starts to fail. In fact, the slowing of the heart is a
temporary effect. It does not incr ease the strength of the muscles of
the heart. It only restricts the heartbeat to a certain limit. The result is
that these muscles, gradually, fail completely. Fluid starts
accumulating in the lungs due to the backlog of blood that cannot be
satisfactorily pumped through the valv es of the heart. The obvious
result is that the person cannot breathe (cardiac dyspnoea). The
homoeopathic use of Digitalis, howev er, is without these dangers. In
fact, it is a very useful and good cardiac tonic. The homoeopathic form of Digitalis works in every heart patient in
whom the liver function has also been deranged and the pulse has
become light and weak. It also ha s a beneficial effect on the function
of the liver, spleen, as well as the lungs. Homoeopathic use of
Digitalis should not be abandoned for the reason that its allopathic use
is not completely successful. It must always be remembered in the
treatment of heart diseases . According to Dr. Kent, who has been
practising allopathy for a long time , the misuse of Digitalis has
resulted in more deaths than savi ng lives. Its action is very short-
lived. It deteriorates the heart muscles and knocks out the conducting
system of the heart. This comme nt of his does not apply to the
homoeopathic use of Digitalis but unfortunately, some homoeopathic
doctors are still very fearful of using it. One thing to remember is that in Digitalis, the patient does not have a
fever, except occasionally. The pulse is slow; the liver is enlarged and
tender to touch. Once the liver dysfunction has set in, the stools become either light-coloured or cl ay-coloured. The patient may have
jaundice. There is a feeling of emptiness and a sinking sensation over
the stomach. This particular symptom is noted only in a few
remedies. The patient of Sulphur also feels weakness however, he will
find relief on taking food. But in Digitalis, food does not relieve the
symptoms. This particular sensation is not due to a stomach upset, but
it is due to the weakness of the hear t (sinking of the heart). It is an
established fact that sometimes the pain due to the heart is perceived
over the stomach or in the left, upper part of the abdomen, so much so
that even the expert cardiologist may not be able to diagnose it in
time. Similarly, some stomach problems may be referred to the heart
and will not respond to treatment with cardiac medication. If the food increases rather than decreases the discomfort at the
stomach and the blood pressure rise s, this is a symptom of a heart
problem and of Digitalis. In Digitalis, the patient is very restless during his sleep . He
experiences nightmares in which he observes many frightful scenes, a
sensation of falling down and a desi re to run. He dreams of falling
from heights. In fact, it is the sinking of the heart that results in the
dreams of falling down. During his sleep, the patient may feel jolted
due to the weakness of his heart an d nervous system. As soon as he
goes to sleep, sudden jolting wakes him up (similar to Grindelia). In Digitalis, there is bluish di scoloration on the face due to the
disturbance of the blood circulation. The hands and feet also become
cyanotic, while in Grindelia, there is no such symptom. However,
blue coloration is found in Cuprum also, which is due to the other
ailments rather than due to the weakness of the heart. In Digitalis, the pulse is slow at the onset of disease, but later on
becomes fast. If the basic symptoms of Digitalis are present it will be
the most appropriate medication, even if the pulse is very rapid to start
with. Its use should not be discarded due to the rapidity of the pulse.
In general, the pulse is weak in Di gitalis, yet it may be fast at times.
In Arsenic, the pulse is rapid but thready and tense. Digitalis is also useful in the treatment of heart problems arising out of
grief. The heart flutters or may even be felt to be stopping altogether.
There is intense restlessness. The feeling that the heart is going to stop is typical of Digitalis. Digitalis would cure the cough due to heart
failure (cardiac dyspnoea). It doe s not work on the cough arising
primarily from lung diseases. Some times, the patient wakes up from
sleep due to the feeling of su ffocation even without any obvious
jerking. This means that the sensat ion of the breathing being about to
stop was due to the disturbance of the automatic system of breathing
(Herring Breaur reflex). When the respiration rate starts decreasing
progressively, the patient must be awakened periodically or he may
die in the state of sleep. A progres sive slowing down of the breathing
is also a sign of the gastric patient. This is due to the build-up of
pressure in the stomach, pressing on the diaphragm. The difference is
that in a heart patient this conditio n is constant, while in a gastric
patient the condition is occasional and noticed during gastric upset. A
feeling of suffocation or choking is also seen in Lachesis, Phosphorus
and Carbo Vegetabilis. Unfortunately, the use of Digitalis has been attached to heart disease
only, so most physicians do not consid er using it for any other kind of
ailment. Yet, it is a strong and effective treatment for an enlarged
prostate in older age. The enlargement of the prostate at any age has
been found to respond well to Saba l Serrulata and Chimaphila in
Mother Tincture form. However, this form of treatment should be
continued for a long period. Also , Belladonna, Arseni c and Thuja in
high potency have also proved to be useful. However, if the prostatic
problem is associated with a heart ailment then Digitalis should be the
first choice. It makes the prostate gland gradually shrink back to
normal size. In fact, very few medicines have the capability of
reducing the size of enlarged glands. So, Digitalis should be used in
low potency of 30 over a long period. Such conditions that establish
and progress gradually will not re spond to the high potency but will
respond well to lower potency used over a longer period. The potency
may, however, be increased later o n. In my practice, I have used
Digitalis in potency 30. I have not found it necessary to use a higher
potency. But, if the original relief offered by Digitalis 30 has stopped,
it should be tried in higher potency. Loss of appetite and intense thirst are peculiar to Digitalis.
Sometimes, as in Colchicum, even the smell of food may suppress the
appetite altogether, yet in Digitali s, unlike Colchicum, there is no
vomiting or tendency to become unc onscious. The thirst flares up
while the appetite gradually disappears. This symptom is common in the liver diseases and jaundice. If the constitutional symptoms of
Digitalis are found in the patient, Digitalis alone may be curative. The restlessness of Digita lis is even worse than that of Arsenic. The
restlessness of Arsenic intensifies on lying down or remaining still in
one position, while the restlessness of Digitalis is constant. It does not
decrease by taking rest or by physical movement . If restlessness is
due to the progressive weakness of the heart muscles, Digitalis alone
should be administered. I am of the opinion that the deleterious
effects on the heart resulting from excessive prolonged allopathic use
of Digitalis may be treatable w ith high potency like Digitalis CM,
although I have not experimented this in my practice. I suggest that if
at all a homoeopathic doctor wants to try this, he may do so only on a
patient in moribund state with no apparent hope of survival, and that
too, after getting permission from the patient and his relatives. Itching is also found in Digitalis. Red spots appear on the back.
Symptoms are made worse on sitting tiptoes after food or listening
to music , whereas the open air and empty stomach ameliorate the
symptoms. Camphor relieves the ill effects of Digitalis. China is not
compatible with Digitalis. So China and Digitalis should only be used
one after the other with utmost ca re. Crataegus happens to be an
important adjuvant medicine. Potency: 30

Cyclamen Europaeum is prepared from the root of a plant famous for
the bizarre stories surrounding it. Cyclamen is the remedy full of conf licting qualities. Its patient does
not want to move at all, ev en though movement relieves his
symptoms. The patient is afraid of going into the open although the
open air relieves his symptoms, especially those of cold and cough.
His desire not to move or walk around is based on the weakness of his
body. Associated with this reme dy are the symptoms of severe
diarrhoea and vomiting, severe stomach upset, and a salty taste in the
mouth. In women, the menstr uation becomes irregular. Periods
become more frequent, copious in amount and the blood is black
and clotted. With movement, the bleedin g becomes less. All these
are signs of Cyclamen. Cyclamen is very important in the treatment
of progressive anaemia resulting fr om excessive menstrual bleeding.
Both sexes can have various kinds of disorders of the urinary system
and of sexual weakness. The Cyclamen patient is very restless at night. He feels weak on
walking, although, walking relieves hi s aches and pains to some
extent.
In a patient of Cyclamen, the mental state fluctuates. Out of sudden
happiness, he may become delirious or then feel tired and down. His
mind is empty. He does not even want to speak. He is irritable and
hates to do anything. A female Cyclamen patient feels lonely and presumes that everybody
is talking ill of her. A number of young girls have the same feeling. I
have tried Sulphur and Stramonium to treat such girls, but did not find
any obvious beneficial effects. Pe rhaps, Cyclamen could have been
useful.
In Cyclamen, the headache is very severe. It f eels as if the head is
going to explode. It starts in th e morning. The patient sees stars
before the eyes. The eyesight becomes blurred. A peculiar type of
eye squint, in which the eyeballs turn inwards, is very amenable to
treatment with Cyclamen. The eyes feel warm. There is double
vision (diplopia). At times, the eye conditions can be secondary to the
stomach upset. The pupils become dila ted. Half of the field of vision is lost (hemianopia) and spots of di fferent colours appear before the
eyes.
In Cyclamen the right ear hurts , feeling drawn in. Thundering
noises are heard in the ears so the hearing is also affected. In Cyclamen, there is a feeling of burning, dryness and scraping in
the throat. The patient does not usually feel thirsty, but during a fever,
especially in the evening, he feels very thirsty. The stomach symptoms of Cyclamen are comparable to those of
Pulsatilla. The patient hates fatt y food. His stomach feels hot and
burns and is much worse after drin king coffee. A typical symptom of
Cyclamen is that every time the patient drinks coffee, he will have
diarrhoea. The hiccuping associated with stomach upset is also a
characteristic of Cyclamen. Cyclamen is similar to Gelsemium
regarding the feeling of the dryness of the mouth, lack of thirst and
excessive urination . Usually, the patient also sweats much less,
however, while sick, he sweats a lot. The quantity of the urine is
much increased . The urine is colour less like water and passed
frequently. The phlegm in a patient of Cyclamen is whitish. It means that the
invasion by the bacteria has not been severe and the obvious infection
has not been established. In Cy clamen, the patient experiences a
suffocating cough. The superficial bones hurt. There is severe cramping of the right
thumb and the index finger , which becomes worse on writing. The
heel of the foot thro bs like an abscess . Sometimes this kind of pain
may be associated with the formation of bone spurs which need
needing prolonged treatment as a result of which, the excessive
outgrowth of the bone may stop. Once these spurs develop to a
significant size, surgery is indicated. The remedies implied to relieve
this kind of heel pain are Arnica, Ledum, Ruta, Calcarea Flour, Rhus
Tox, as well as Calcarea Carb. In Cyclamen, scratching relieves th e itching. The itchiness (pruritis)
is relieved at the onset of menstruation. Potency 30 to 200