Practice Potpourri
Joseph Kellerstein, DC, ND
Case Study 1
Nicholas is eight years old. He comes from a family of intellectual achievers. Mom is very concerned because his skills of socialization just don’t seem to be there. He keeps to himself and has few friends. He seems prone to outbursts – OK, tantrums – and will storm off to his room and slam the door shut. His feelings are hurt easily, and he will remember who insulted him for quite a while.
While sitting in the office, I noticed the serious, almost contorted look on his face. Nicholas did not want to make eye contact at all and preferred to speak quietly only through his mother.
Recently he has been occasionally bursting into loud bouts of weeping over seemingly small events. He is more prone to these if hungry. Normally, this young man is very attentive to anyone in the family who is ill and constantly inquires as to their health. Fairness is very important to him.
The rubric (see accompanying box), sulky, was a very valuable one in the original Kentian repertory. It described a particular behavior, where the patient would become angered and indignant, then stomp off to his room and slam the door. When I see a clear example of this, I do not use the large rubric “morose”, but switch to the Kent repertory view and use the original rubric. I have found it useful.
The remedy prescribed was Natrum Mur 30C, one dose of a single pellet. My original inclination was a 200C, but the recent emotional sensitivity gave me the feeling that I need to be cautious due to heightened reactivity (recent spasms of weeping).
Sure enough, it hadn’t been three days before I received an irate phone call: Nicholas is worse. The weeping is intense and more often. He is sensitive more often. Everything gets on his nerves.
I know what you’re thinking, and of course I explained that things get worse before they get better. Mom was not impressed.
Despite my shaky debut, the first follow-up appointment at approximately six weeks was wonderful. After an aggravation period of less than a week, there has been a total turnaround. Nicholas’s temperament has stabilized and he is far more social, with no sign of relapse yet.
Case Study 2
This last story put me in mind of another recent case of Nat. mur. Samuel is a one-year-old growing concern. He is bright and cute and in your face. His only complaint is a pretty awful case of molluscum contagiosum.
They have been there for some months and seem absolutely resistant to medical treatment. Eruptions are more numerous on the legs. They seem asymptomatic. In fact, Samuel seems asymptomatic. Not a decent clue in sight.
Desperation made me lean on the timeline for etiology in family life. Sure enough, the eruptions appeared after the death of a grandfather. I confirmed the prescription by asking the question about photophobia, which is often so prominent in Nat. mur cases, and sure enough the mother confirmed that when in the car, the strong sun will cause him to squint and complain to a notable degree. Prescribed remedy: Natrum mur 30C, one pellet every three days. The lesions resolved in about two weeks.
Rubric for Nicholas
Indignation (45): acon, ambr, androc, ant-c, ars, aur, bell, bry, calc-p, caps, carb-v, cham, chin, chin-s, cocc, coloc, croc, ferr, ferr-p, gels, germ, graph, hecla, hep, ign, ip, led, m-p-a, med, nat-c, nat-m, nitro-o, nux-v, oena, op, ozone5071, pip-m, plat, psor, Puls, sabad, spig, STAPH, sulph, verat
MIND; SULKY (see Morose, sulky) (0)
GENERALITIES; HUNGER agg. (K1367, SII-311, SII-312, G1128) (Fasting) (Starving) (Trembling; hungry, when) (38)
MIND; SYMPATHETIC, compassionate (K86, SI-985, G69) (Affectionate) (Anxiety; children – friends – others) (Benevolence) (Mildness) (Weeping; tendency; sympathy with others) (46)
MIND; WEEPING, tearful mood; tendency; involuntary (K93, SI-1080, G75) (32)
Case Update from Sept. Column
Our young Scorpion case (Andoctronus), Niraj, is doing quite well still on a single dose. The parents, however, are quite troubled by the demand that he be medicated in order to get back into school. I have advocated for home schooling with more controlled socialization rather than controlled neurology at this point, especially given the miraculous response of this young man.
It is a hard thing for a parent to take on even more demand given the considerable stress already borne. Stay tuned! More cases are lost through management issues than from poor prescribing.
Joe Kellerstein, DC, ND graduated as a chiropractor in 1980 and as an ND in 1984. He graduated with a specialty in homeopathy from the Canadian Academy for Homeopathy, and subsequently lectured there for two years. He also lectured in homeopathy for several years at CCNM; for eight years at the Toronto School of Homeopathic Medicine; and for two years at the British Institute for Homeopathy. Dr. Kellerstein’s mission is the exploration of natural medicine in a holistic context, especially homeopathy and facilitating the experience of healing in clients.
