Asthma

- BENERJEE.P,

Asthma 

 Case no. 12
 17. 9. 1922.
 Mr.-, a Railway official. Age 35 or 36. Well built, fat and fair. Was suffering from asthma for the last 12 years, and all sorts of treatment were had, but without any benefit, and the patient had set it down at last that asthma was incurable. I was only called in one night when the fit was very severe, just to save him from inpending death. He never thought of having a course of Homœopathic treatment. However, I gave him a few doses of Carbo veg., and he slept quietly in a few minutes. It was admitted later on that he had never such quick relief in the past, not even from the gallons of Cod liver oil that he had taken. This fact of the quick relief and the old father's request subsequently induced the patient to place himself under my treatment. And I recorded the case, as below. Evidently the patient was taking me for a fool when I was crossing him for eliciting such symptoms as did not relate directly to the asthma, because he could not find out what connection the condition of the mind, the likes and dislikes for different kinds of food, the history of his past life, as also the history of the parents, and such other symptoms, could have with his asthma.
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 Symptoms:-
 During the fit, the patient had to sit bent forward. There was perspiration on the forehead, and this necessitated continuous fanning. There was an indescribable feeling of despair-as if he would not live, as if he would suffocate. Every breath seemed to be the last. There was profuse expectoration towards the morning, and this used to give some relief. There was burning in the hands, feet and head, and it became necessary to wash these parts with cold water. The patient was growing weaker and weaker every day, and the despair of life was consequently gradually increasing. Temper very irritable. Used to be put out at the slightest cause, and once put out, was not pacified easily. Much about his early history and the history of the family was not available. The only thing that I could gather was that the patient had suffered from itches between the fingers, on the elbow-joints and in the knee, in his childhood. These used to exude pus, and were aggravated in the rainy season. These were cured with ointment externally, and with Ayurvedic medicines internally. Marks of these itches were still visible in the parts mentioned.
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 19. 9. 22. Carbo Veg-200, one dose every morning. There was much relief after three doses, and the patient kept well for about 20 or 25 days. Expectoration increased, and it seemed the patient was on his way to cure. But on 16. 10. 22, information was received that the patient had a very severe fit in the night. Carbo veg-200, but no effect. Then, after 4 days, Sulphur-30 and 200, successively. No effect.
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 3. 11. 22. Carbo Veg-500, and placebo for some days.
 15. 11. 22. A very severe aggravation, so severe that the patient was almost dying. I repented the mistake of my prescription, because, there must have been a mistake, or the patient could not be dying like that. I referred to the record, but could not see that there was a mistake in the prescription. Luckily enough, the patient stated at this moment that his piles had re-appeared. Though there was no mistake in my prescription, as I could at once gather from the re-appearance of this old symptom, I could not congratulate myself on the incompleteness of the record. I ought to have crossed out of the patient that he had piles too. However, I administered at once (16. 11. 22.) Natrum snlph-1,000 in graduated doses, to be taken once every morning. On the second day, the fit of asthma seemed less. On the third day the asthmatic fit was totally gone, and on the fourth day, 19. 11. 22, there was no fit at all. Gave some placebo and left.
 8. 12. 22. The patient complained that the fit might return this night, as he was feeling a heaviness in the chest. This was his usual symptom before an attack, and as anticipated there was some asthmatic breathing that night.
 9. 12. 22. Natrum Sulph-1,000, one dose in the morning. There was no more asthma after this. But the piles continued unabated. After 3 or 4 months, Nitric Acid-200, was used on the totality of symptoms, as they developed then. And I expected to complete the course of treatment, and to cure the patient by Anti-Psoric and Anti-Sycotic treatment, but the opportunity for it was gone, the patient, who was a Railway official, having in the meantime been transferred away from the place, and there being a lack of earnestness on his part, owing to relief from his immediate sufferings. The treatment had therefore to be discontinued.
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 Remarks:-
 (1) Catarrhal asthma is mostly Sycotic, and cure lies in Anti-Sycotic treatment. But where suitable similimums are not available, remedies agreeing with the totality of the symptoms (as distinct from the totality of the Sycotic symptoms) have to be given, and some suitable Anti-Sycotic remedy interpolated occasionally. This may not bring about radical cure in all cases, but substantial benefit is most certainly to be had.
 (2) Where, however, the asthma is not catarrhal, I had often had to use Tuberculinum or Bacillinum in spite of other deep acting Anti-Psorics, for a radical cure of the patient. In fact, I have never cured such cases without these remedies, and I am unable to say what the experiences of others are.
 (3) Asthma cases are very very difficult, as there is always a combination of miasms in them. Besides, while the general symptoms are available, the particulars are mostly absent. This causes difficulty in finding out the similimum.