Promotion of bone growth in skull damage

[Andrew Hobson]

Hi there,

I wondered if anybody might be able to give me some advice on
promoting bone growth?

A friend of mine had a very bad head injury 3 years ago which
shattered his skull on the right-hand side. Since then he has suffered
with CSF leakage, despite an operation to patch the small hole in
mastoid area that remained after the accident.

I am looking at remedies to promote bone growth in the hope that the
hole will be filled with new bone, though am uncertain as to whether
remedies like Symphytum or Calc-Phos will help develop bone over a
hole, rather than a more familiar fracture/break. I've also looked at
Hekla Lava but am unclear as to whether this promotes bone growth or
is more a 'bone tumour' remedy. I've also read about parathormone and
it's interaction with calcium and bone formation.

I'm a little confused(!), so if anybody has any experience of this
sort of problem (i.e. not fracture repair, if it makes any difference)
and the effectivenes of therpeutic remedies in bone growth promotion
I'd very much appreciate any guidance.

Many thanks in advance.

Andrew

Registered Society of Homeopaths
www.andrewhobson.co.uk

[Rochelle Marsden]

Look at Thyroidinum in Boreike and see if that suits. It has delayed union
of fractures and at college we were taught to use a 200 for this. I have
never had to use it though.

Rochelle
Registered Homeopath
EFT(Advanced) Practitioner
www.southporthomeopathy.co.uk

[Jean Doherty]

Maybe this should be looked at as a fistula ,/?? silaca low and reedy
to suit picture, Jean
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Gaby Rottler]

Hi Andrew,
going for classical bone-growth-remedies (Symph, Calc-p, Calc-f, Hekla,
Ruta, just to mention a few) is one option.

But I'd rather address the causa first, and there Nat-s comes to mind
(following head-injuries), and it includes bone symptoms like e.g.
fistulae of the bones.

But of course I would first look at this entire group of remedy, and
inquire for symptoms that may only have shown up after the accident, to
narrow down the choice.

Best,

Gaby

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gaby Rottler,
Germany
rottler@curantur.de

http://www.curantur.de
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[muthu kumar]

Hi-
What are the symptoms that are present now apart from this? Is there
a headache or whatever that remains after the incident? That could
guide...

Symphytum and Calc.p are deep acting to help out even in this.

As possibilities:
Head Injury - chronic effects from-Arn, Cic,Hyper, Nat.mur

Skull, Caries- - bone exposed, small piece exfoliated, after a blow -
Natr.m
of mastoid process - Aur.met, Caps, Flour.acid.

Nat.mur?

Once again get all the symptoms currently the patient has since the
accident... any pain? character of it? other changes?

Considering that homeopathy can affect tissues in ways we cannot
explain, I think regrowth is more possible than not...
--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, "Andrew Hobson" wrote:
suffered
the
whether
at
or
and
difference)
promotion

[Robyn]

Hi
I agree with Jean

It is not the skull fracture that is the immediate cause of the continuation of the leakage of
CSF --- rather it is a tear in the dura mater, the lining, which would have ruptured from the
injury.

85% of these post-tramatic fistulas close spontaneosly within 7 days, and if they don't, the longer
it continues, the higher chance of developing meningitis.

The dura forms a watertight layer of tissue, connected by sutures to the skull, suspending the brain
within the skull. There are 3 membrane layers (meninges), the outer one being the dura mater, then
the arachnoid, and then the pia.

Without knowing exactly how deep the tear is in this particular case, it may be worth just knowing
that eg., the dura layer is a tough, fibrous structure with an inner meningeal layer and an outer
periosteal layer, and is vascular, and sends vascular and fibrous extensions into the bone of the
skull, from its outer layer.

The arachnoid layer is avascular and filled with CSF --- the pia is a thin connective tissue
membrane that covers the brain surface.

So, my thought is that, if wanting to repair a tear in one of or more of these layers, prior to
repairing the fracture, then maybe it would be worthwhile to look at remedies that work on the
meninges, periosteum etc........

If you could find one that also works on fractures, then that will be a bonus.

Here are some ideas from RADAR ---- not specific but in the sphere of action.

This kind of injury is termed a 'laceration', with fistula formation, and repairing the meningeal
tears and the underlying bone fracture is the goal.

They don't know exactly what is the cause of a dural breach that doesn't heal, but ideas are that is
may be due to blood products and/or inflammatory adhesions at the site of the dural breach and the
associated skull fracture.

of the below, Calc phos stands out as covering bone and inflammation etc.....

HEAD - PHENOMENA - SWELLING - general - dura mater

amyg. anthraci. con. plb.

HEAD - FRACTURES - skull; of

arn. Calen.

HEAD - FRACTURES - skull; of - slow repair of broken skull

calc-p. symph.

GENERALS - INJURIES - Bones; fractures of - slow repair of broken bones

anthraci. asaf. calc-ar. calc-f. calc-i. CALC-P. CALC. calen. des-ac. Ferr. fl-ac. iod. lyc.
mang-act. mang. merc. Mez. nit-ac. Ph-ac. phos. puls. RUTA sep. Sil. staph. succ-ac. sulph. SYMPH.
Thyr.

HEAD - MODALITIES - INJURIES, ailments from - fracture of skull, splintered bones

acon. ARN. calc-p. CALEN. COCC. glon. HYPER. rhus-t. ruta SYMPH.

HEAD - BRAIN; complaints of - Arachnoid - Subarachnoid

gels.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - INFLAMMATION - arachnoid

chlor.

Brain - MENINGITIS - chronic - effusion of serum into cavity of arachnoid, with

APIS

HEAD - HYDROCEPHALUS

abrot. acon. am-c. APIS apoc. arg-n. Arn. ars-i. Ars. art-v. atro-s. aur-ar. aur-s. Aur. Bac. bar-c.
bell. Bism. Bry. cadm-s. calc-i. Calc-p. calc-sil. CALC. canth. carb-ac. caust. Chin. chinin-s. cina
coloc. Con. crot-h. cupr-act. cupr. cypr. cyt-l. Dig. ferr-i. Ferr. galv. gels. grat. Hell. Hyos.
ign. indg. Iod. iodof. Ip. kali-br. Kali-i. kali-p. lach. LYC. mag-m. Merc. Nat-m. nux-v. oeno. Op.
ph-ac. Phos. plat. podo. Puls. rhus-t. samb. sep. SIL. sol-ni. spig. squil. Stram. Sulph. thuj.
toxo-g. tub. verat-v. verat. viol-t. zinc-br. Zinc-m. zinc.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - HYDROCEPHALUS, dropsy

abrot. acon. alco. am-c. amyg. APIS APISIN. apoc. arg-met. arg-n. ARN. ars-i. ARS. ART-V. aur-ar.
aur-s. AUR. bac. bar-c. BELL. BRY. calc-hp. calc-i. CALC-P. CALC-SIL. CALC. canth. carb-ac. caust.
CHIN. chinin-s. CINA COLCH. CON. crot-h. cupr-act. CUPR-M. cupr. cur. CYPR. cyt-l. DIG. ferr-i.
FERR. gels. hed. HELL. HYOS. ign. indg. IOD. iodof. IP. KALI-BR. kali-hp. KALI-I. kali-p. lach. LYC.
lys. mag-m. merc. NAT-M. nux-v. oeno. OP. petr. ph-ac. PHOS. plat. PODO. PULS. rhus-t. samb. santin.
sep. SIL. sol-ni. spig. squil. STRAM. sulfon. SULPH. thuj. TUB. verat. viol-t. vip. zinc-br. zinc-m.
ZINC.

HEAD - Meninges

Bell. Bry. canth. Lyc. Zinc.

Brain - ENCEPHALITIS, inflammation, brain

Acon. aeth. apis apoc. arn. ars. bapt. BELL. Bry. cadm-s. calc-p. calc. Camph. canth. carb-ac. cham.
chin. chinin-s. chr-o. cic. cina Con. crot-h. Cupr-ar. Cupr. dig. gels. glon. Hell. hydr-ac. Hyos.
hyper. iod. iodof. kali-i. kreos. lach. merc-c. merc-d. Merc. mosch. nux-v. Op. ox-ac. par. Phos.
phys. plb. puls. rhus-t. Sil. sol-ni. stram. sulph. Tub. verat-v. vip. zinc.

Brain - MENINGITIS

acon. aeth. Agar. ail. APIS apoc. arg-n. Arn. ars. atro. bapt. BELL. Bry. calc-br. Calc-p. Calc.
camph. canth. carb-ac. chin. chinin-s. chr-o. Cic. cimic. Cina Cocc. crot-c. crot-h. Cupr-act.
Cupr-m. Cupr. dig. echi. Gels. Glon. HELL. Hippoz. Hydr-ac. Hyos. hyper. iod. iodof. ip. Kali-br.
kali-i. kreos. Lach. med. merc-c. merc-d. Merc. mosch. Nat-m. nat-s. Op. oreo. ox-ac. Phos. phys.
Plb. Rhus-t. Sil. sol-ni. STRAM. Sulph. Tub. verat-v. vip. Zinc-c. Zinc-m. ZINC.

Diseases - EDEMA, general, external - meningitis

apis ars. Calc. Dig. Graph. helon. merc. senec.

Diseases - ENCEPHALITIS, brain

Acon. aeth. apis apoc. arn. ars. bapt. BELL. Bry. cadm-s. calc-p. calc. Camph. canth. carb-ac. cham.
chin. chinin-s. chr-o. cic. cina Con. crot-h. Cupr-ar. Cupr. dig. gels. glon. Hell. hydr-ac. Hyos.
hyper. iod. iodof. kali-i. kreos. lach. merc-c. merc-d. Merc. mosch. nux-v. Op. ox-ac. par. Phos.
phys. plb. puls. rhus-t. Sil. sol-ni. stram. sulph. Tub. verat-v. vip. zinc.

Diseases - MENINGITIS, brain

acon. aeth. Agar. ail. APIS apoc. arg-n. Arn. ars. atro. bapt. BELL. Bry. calc-br. Calc-p. Calc.
camph. canth. carb-ac. chin. chinin-s. chr-o. Cic. cimic. Cina Cocc. crot-c. crot-h. Cupr-act.
Cupr-m. Cupr. dig. echi. Gels. Glon. HELL. Hippoz. Hydr-ac. Hyos. hyper. iod. iodof. ip. Kali-br.
kali-i. kreos. Lach. med. merc-c. merc-d. Merc. mosch. Nat-m. nat-s. Op. oreo. ox-ac. Phos. phys.
Plb. Rhus-t. Sil. sol-ni. STRAM. Sulph. Tub. verat-v. vip. Zinc-c. Zinc-m. ZINC.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - INFLAMMATION - exsudativa, meninges

HELL.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - INFLAMMATION - incipient, basilar, meninges

kali-br.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - INFLAMMATION - serosa, meninges

oena.
Hope this will be of some help to this serious problem

Robyn
Saalome gam naan ben uurda, gan njjber asaala hesporoona!

Peace be on Earth, and among all beings!

[radha rani]

I have read about the soham medicines which are of radio ionics. Claimed are of 3 kinds of combinations for which the imabalance, growth, injuries , and uniformity of bones and skull are prometed. I have not tried but they should be having a history of cure. I guess a past history of curing such injuries is a worth considering for further proceeding , instead of going on theoritically.
Though symphytom, calc phos, heklalava , parathyroidum, hydrausties(mastoid growth) are said to have action .......does they work on the mechanical or accidental injury is a worth considering question which might be answered only by the practitioner who treated the particular cases. To code the MMP we have many. But a practical speedy answer is what expected from the seeker i guess........
I have gone through a book of radio ionics of soham medicines.............and They have lot of mixtures prepared specifically with radioinic system. There are 3 or 4 combinations i have read about the skull or bone injury....
1. OM3 Bone Irregularity..... combination...parathyroid, periostenum.
2.BR 23 skeletal Balance 50m - arnica, aurum met , bellis per, calc flour, calc phos, causticum, conium, fucus, hecla lava, pinussylvester, sepia, symphytum
3.SOHAM skeletal 200...comb 36.....
I do not sure about the efficacy or history of the system......But they present the case evidences.....and there are books available with them......its a free service indeed.....i can provide the address if needed. radharani........
For mechanical injury as said above......a physical damage has occured......and this physical damage is to be corrected within the growth time....by internal aswell as external means........specific skilled ortho specialist is needed here to make any suggestions or advanced suggessions .....
we see people in china are breaking the bones and getting them screwd to grow height.........is it so difficult with a skillful surgeon ?????????????
3.

Robyn wrote:
Hi
I agree with Jean

It is not the skull fracture that is the immediate cause of the continuation of the leakage of
CSF --- rather it is a tear in the dura mater, the lining, which would have ruptured from the
injury.

85% of these post-tramatic fistulas close spontaneosly within 7 days, and if they don't, the longer
it continues, the higher chance of developing meningitis.

The dura forms a watertight layer of tissue, connected by sutures to the skull, suspending the brain
within the skull. There are 3 membrane layers (meninges), the outer one being the dura mater, then
the arachnoid, and then the pia.

Without knowing exactly how deep the tear is in this particular case, it may be worth just knowing
that eg., the dura layer is a tough, fibrous structure with an inner meningeal layer and an outer
periosteal layer, and is vascular, and sends vascular and fibrous extensions into the bone of the
skull, from its outer layer.

The arachnoid layer is avascular and filled with CSF --- the pia is a thin connective tissue
membrane that covers the brain surface.

So, my thought is that, if wanting to repair a tear in one of or more of these layers, prior to
repairing the fracture, then maybe it would be worthwhile to look at remedies that work on the
meninges, periosteum etc........

If you could find one that also works on fractures, then that will be a bonus.

Here are some ideas from RADAR ---- not specific but in the sphere of action.

This kind of injury is termed a 'laceration', with fistula formation, and repairing the meningeal
tears and the underlying bone fracture is the goal.

They don't know exactly what is the cause of a dural breach that doesn't heal, but ideas are that is
may be due to blood products and/or inflammatory adhesions at the site of the dural breach and the
associated skull fracture.

of the below, Calc phos stands out as covering bone and inflammation etc.....

HEAD - PHENOMENA - SWELLING - general - dura mater

amyg. anthraci. con. plb.

HEAD - FRACTURES - skull; of

arn. Calen.

HEAD - FRACTURES - skull; of - slow repair of broken skull

calc-p. symph.

GENERALS - INJURIES - Bones; fractures of - slow repair of broken bones

anthraci. asaf. calc-ar. calc-f. calc-i. CALC-P. CALC. calen. des-ac. Ferr. fl-ac. iod. lyc.
mang-act. mang. merc. Mez. nit-ac. Ph-ac. phos. puls. RUTA sep. Sil. staph. succ-ac. sulph. SYMPH.
Thyr.

HEAD - MODALITIES - INJURIES, ailments from - fracture of skull, splintered bones

acon. ARN. calc-p. CALEN. COCC. glon. HYPER. rhus-t. ruta SYMPH.

HEAD - BRAIN; complaints of - Arachnoid - Subarachnoid

gels.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - INFLAMMATION - arachnoid

chlor.

Brain - MENINGITIS - chronic - effusion of serum into cavity of arachnoid, with

APIS

HEAD - HYDROCEPHALUS

abrot. acon. am-c. APIS apoc. arg-n. Arn. ars-i. Ars. art-v. atro-s. aur-ar. aur-s. Aur. Bac. bar-c.
bell. Bism. Bry. cadm-s. calc-i. Calc-p. calc-sil. CALC. canth. carb-ac. caust. Chin. chinin-s. cina
coloc. Con. crot-h. cupr-act. cupr. cypr. cyt-l. Dig. ferr-i. Ferr. galv. gels. grat. Hell. Hyos.
ign. indg. Iod. iodof. Ip. kali-br. Kali-i. kali-p. lach. LYC. mag-m. Merc. Nat-m. nux-v. oeno. Op.
ph-ac. Phos. plat. podo. Puls. rhus-t. samb. sep. SIL. sol-ni. spig. squil. Stram. Sulph. thuj.
toxo-g. tub. verat-v. verat. viol-t. zinc-br. Zinc-m. zinc.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - HYDROCEPHALUS, dropsy

abrot. acon. alco. am-c. amyg. APIS APISIN. apoc. arg-met. arg-n. ARN. ars-i. ARS. ART-V. aur-ar.
aur-s. AUR. bac. bar-c. BELL. BRY. calc-hp. calc-i. CALC-P. CALC-SIL. CALC. canth. carb-ac. caust.
CHIN. chinin-s. CINA COLCH. CON. crot-h. cupr-act. CUPR-M. cupr. cur. CYPR. cyt-l. DIG. ferr-i.
FERR. gels. hed. HELL. HYOS. ign. indg. IOD. iodof. IP. KALI-BR. kali-hp. KALI-I. kali-p. lach. LYC.
lys. mag-m. merc. NAT-M. nux-v. oeno. OP. petr. ph-ac. PHOS. plat. PODO. PULS. rhus-t. samb. santin.
sep. SIL. sol-ni. spig. squil. STRAM. sulfon. SULPH. thuj. TUB. verat. viol-t. vip. zinc-br. zinc-m.
ZINC.

HEAD - Meninges

Bell. Bry. canth. Lyc. Zinc.

Brain - ENCEPHALITIS, inflammation, brain

Acon. aeth. apis apoc. arn. ars. bapt. BELL. Bry. cadm-s. calc-p. calc. Camph. canth. carb-ac. cham.
chin. chinin-s. chr-o. cic. cina Con. crot-h. Cupr-ar. Cupr. dig. gels. glon. Hell. hydr-ac. Hyos.
hyper. iod. iodof. kali-i. kreos. lach. merc-c. merc-d. Merc. mosch. nux-v. Op. ox-ac. par. Phos.
phys. plb. puls. rhus-t. Sil. sol-ni. stram. sulph. Tub. verat-v. vip. zinc.

Brain - MENINGITIS

acon. aeth. Agar. ail. APIS apoc. arg-n. Arn. ars. atro. bapt. BELL. Bry. calc-br. Calc-p. Calc.
camph. canth. carb-ac. chin. chinin-s. chr-o. Cic. cimic. Cina Cocc. crot-c. crot-h. Cupr-act.
Cupr-m. Cupr. dig. echi. Gels. Glon. HELL. Hippoz. Hydr-ac. Hyos. hyper. iod. iodof. ip. Kali-br.
kali-i. kreos. Lach. med. merc-c. merc-d. Merc. mosch. Nat-m. nat-s. Op. oreo. ox-ac. Phos. phys.
Plb. Rhus-t. Sil. sol-ni. STRAM. Sulph. Tub. verat-v. vip. Zinc-c. Zinc-m. ZINC.

Diseases - EDEMA, general, external - meningitis

apis ars. Calc. Dig. Graph. helon. merc. senec.

Diseases - ENCEPHALITIS, brain

Acon. aeth. apis apoc. arn. ars. bapt. BELL. Bry. cadm-s. calc-p. calc. Camph. canth. carb-ac. cham.
chin. chinin-s. chr-o. cic. cina Con. crot-h. Cupr-ar. Cupr. dig. gels. glon. Hell. hydr-ac. Hyos.
hyper. iod. iodof. kali-i. kreos. lach. merc-c. merc-d. Merc. mosch. nux-v. Op. ox-ac. par. Phos.
phys. plb. puls. rhus-t. Sil. sol-ni. stram. sulph. Tub. verat-v. vip. zinc.

Diseases - MENINGITIS, brain

acon. aeth. Agar. ail. APIS apoc. arg-n. Arn. ars. atro. bapt. BELL. Bry. calc-br. Calc-p. Calc.
camph. canth. carb-ac. chin. chinin-s. chr-o. Cic. cimic. Cina Cocc. crot-c. crot-h. Cupr-act.
Cupr-m. Cupr. dig. echi. Gels. Glon. HELL. Hippoz. Hydr-ac. Hyos. hyper. iod. iodof. ip. Kali-br.
kali-i. kreos. Lach. med. merc-c. merc-d. Merc. mosch. Nat-m. nat-s. Op. oreo. ox-ac. Phos. phys.
Plb. Rhus-t. Sil. sol-ni. STRAM. Sulph. Tub. verat-v. vip. Zinc-c. Zinc-m. ZINC.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - INFLAMMATION - exsudativa, meninges

HELL.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - INFLAMMATION - incipient, basilar, meninges

kali-br.

HEAD - PHENOMENA - INFLAMMATION - serosa, meninges

oena.

Hope this will be of some help to this serious problem

Robyn

Saalome gam naan ben uurda, gan njjber asaala hesporoona!

Peace be on Earth, and among all beings!

[andyh]

Pursuant on Jean and Robyn's diagnostic analysis of the nature of the case
as possibly one of meningeal fistula and Robyn's expert summary -- a
couple of searches as possibilities to study:

===============================================
EH – meninges - in same sentence as - fistula
lyss. marmorek nat-s. tub.

(Comment: Nat-s combines head injuries with meningitis and general
fistulae tendency -- so etiology and pathological result appear together
in same rx. Although the meningitis in Nat-s is probably most often
separate from actual head trauma, Nat-s does affect meninges. This rx may
have already been used in the case, however, post-head trauma. )

=====
Lyssin
(i) All varieties of spastic paralysis; (ii) Bronchial asthma; (iii)
Cerebro-vascular accident; (iv) Cirrhosis of liver; (v) Congenital deaf
and dumb; (vi) Congenital sinuses and
(ii)
(iii)

(iv)
(v) (vii) Diabetes mellitis; (viii) Epilepsy; (ix) Essential hypertension;
(x) Hydrocephalus; (xi) Insanity, Schizzophrenia after prolonged grief;
(xii) Microcephaly; (xiii) Mongolism; (xiv) Motor-neurone diseases; (xv)
Nephrotic syndrome; (xvi) Optic Neuritis; (xvii) Pancreatitis; (xviii)
Pernicious anaemia; (xix)
(vi)
(vii)
(viii)

=======
Marmorek
- 8. Marmorek antituberculous serum: A serum obtained by injecting animals
with young sultures of tubercle germs which have been grown on a leuko
toxic serum and obtained from tuberculous patients. Drs. Nabel and Leon
Vannier of France use this anti-tuberculous serum to stimulate anti-bodies
production in both Tuberculinics (Corisumptiveness of Burneet or disposed
to tuberculosis) and actually suffering from tubercular infection or
manifest tuberculosis, Pulmonary, peritoneal,

They employed the 6th, 10th, or 30th centesimal potencies.

========
NAT-S
A liver remedy, esp. indicated for the so-called hydrogenoid constitution,
where the complaints are such as are due to living in damp houses,
basements, cellars. They are agg. in rainy weather, water in any form.
Feels every change from dry to wet; can't even eat plants growing near
water, nor fish. Always feels best in warm, dry air. Clinically, it has
been found a
mental troubles therefrom. Every spring, return of skin affections.
Tendency to warts. Fingers and toes affected. Chronic gout [Lyc.]. 2
Affects OCCIPUT, LIVER and pancreas. Sudden violent effects; in ailing
patients. Piercing pains; at short ribs [l.]; in hip [l.], agg. rising or
sitting down. Yellow, watery secretions, stool, skin, vesicles, etc. Thick
yellow-green pus. Fulness. Sycosis. Pain agg. thinking of it. Epilepsy, or
petit mal, after head injuries. Suppressed gonorrhoea. Dropsy. 5 General
agg. lying on l. side. General amel. open air. 6 General agg. spring and
warm wet weather. 11 Nat-s. regulates water capacity of venous system,
Nat-m., that of arterial system.
broad, bluish line, burrowing.

Sycosis, hydraemia or leukemia, thrombosis in hydrogenoid constitutions,
esp. with affections of glands.
========
Tub bov
PULMONARY TB Pulmonary tuberculosis in 20% of cases in adults immediately
follows the initial infection. Four out of five cases, however, represent
reactivation after a variable period of dormancy [even sixty years].
Reactivation TB typically occurs in nodular scars in the apex of one or
both lungs and may spread through the bronchi to other portions. "The
onset of pulmonary TB is insidious, and the early symptoms are
constitutional: fever in the evening or afternoon, night sweats, malaise,
irritability and depression at the end of the day. Weight loss may or may
not occur. A cough is commonly found, worse in the morning [on rising],
and productive of yellow or green or blood-streaked sputum, which is
usually odourless. The complications of pulmonary tuberculosis include
haemoptysis, pleural effusion,

bronchopleural fistula

and empyema."7 The British physician William Heberden [1710-1801] was not
only the first to use the term angina pectoris, but he also gave an
accurate description of consumption, based upon a life-time of taking
histories and close observation: "The phthisis pulmonum usually begins
with a dry cough, so light and inconsiderable, that little or no notice is
taken of it, till its continuance, and gradual increase, begin to make it
regarded. Such a cough has lasted for a few years without bringing on
other complaints. It has sometimes wholly ceased, and after a truce of a
very uncertain length it has returned, and after frequent recoveries and
relapses the patient begins at last to find an accession of other
symptoms, which in bad cases will very soon follow the appearance of the
first cough. These are shortness of breath, hoarseness, loss of appetite,
wasting of the flesh and strength, pains in the breast, profuse sweats
during sleep, spitting of blood and matter, shiverings succeeded by hot
fits, with flushings of the face, and burning of the hands and feet, and a
pulse constantly above ninety, a swelling of the legs, and an obstruction
of the menstrua in women; a very small stone has sometimes been coughed
up, and in the last stages of this illness a diarrhoea helps to waste the
little remainder of flesh and strength."8
===================
Regional angle (of lesser interest, but included for completeness -- if
mastoid location is accurate enough) yields (not all results copied):

EH - mastoid in same sentence as meninges
aur.* bry.* caps. carb-ac.* prot.* thuj tub

====
Caps
- Particularly in mastoid disease, with great tenderness over the petrous
bone,
In all inflammatory conditions Capsicum is chiefly indicated by the
peculiar peppery burning character of the pains, usually accompanied by
chilliness. Coryza, with violent tickling, sneezing and burning. An
excellent remedy in chronic suppuration of the ear; also of middle ear;
with perforation of the tympanum;

brain. Tonsillitis, pharyngitis, etc.,. with burning pains, spasmodic
contraction; pains worse when not swallowing; especially when occurring in
those who smoke and use alcoholic liquors. Elongation of the uvula (both
locally and internally). Diphtheria with same symptoms,
gangrenous sloughs forming (also may be used as a gargle). Dyspepsia;
heartburn; water-brash; burning in stomach. Stomatitis. Haemorrhoids
with burning, itching and soreness. Diarrhoea and dysentery; bloody,
mucous stools, violent burning and tenesmus; stools after each drink; also
thirst after stool, drink causes shivering; pain in back after stool.
Catarrhal asthma. Threatening gangrene of the lung, each cough expelling
an offensive odor. Cystitis; catarrh of bladder; strangury; gonorrhoea;
all characterized by violent burning, tenesmus, etc. In impotence. In
intermittent fever, with symptoms already named,
Capsicum is an excellent remedy. It may also be indicated in typhoid and
scarlet fever. Also recommended for complaints from drinking
coffee. Fevers from or after abuse of quinine.

====
Thuj
The gonorrheal headache that diagnoses mastoiditis, and even
driven in at a particular spot, preferably over the mastoid, or as if a
gimlet were being bored into the brain. Thuja may avoid a
mastoidotomy.

[Andrew Hobson]

Just wanted to say thanks to all for your help on this. This was my
first post I've been bowled over with people's helpfulness. The
responses served to remind me of the need to treat the whole case and
not just look at therapeutics, which I was tending to do as this is a
friend whose full case I was reluctant to take really. I've also got
tons of material to look into.

Thanks again, will let you know how things go - though this is a
long-term one I suspect.

Regards,
Andrew

--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, andyh@... wrote:
the case
rx may
hypertension;
(xv)
animals
anti-bodies
disposed
constitution,
rising or
Thick
Epilepsy, or
immediately
represent
malaise,
or may
was not
notice is
make it
appetite,
and a
obstruction
waste the
petrous
occurring in
(both
drink; also
expelling
typhoid and

[andyh]

> ...The responses served to remind me of the need to treat the whole case
and ot just look at therapeutics, which I was tending to do as this is a

((( HI Andrew,
Meant as comfort not as a truism: the equilibrium between looking at the
whole case- and addressing the pathology- is a line that is tough to walk.
A case may only be possible to perceive as a lesional layer; even though
the rx determined by physicals alone turns out to be the simillimum for
the whole case -- at least as it appears on the *surface*.

This added point: if mastoid is clearly the locus, this could(conceivably)
have been a problem area *before* the head injury caused structural
failure at that point. Caps has affinity for that area, and has:

===> Caps
swelling... with great tenderness over the petrous bone... tendency to
involve meninges of brain;
===
Caps is a possible that one might overlook. The pathological center of the
case as pointed out by you, and others on the list, is one of meninges;
and apparent deficiency of bone growth. Caps is in this bandwidth - *if*
the locus is the mastoid area.

Characteristic symptoms may be missing or diminished after other rx have
removed them over the last three years. If such is the situation, then
-absence of usual keynotes - may receive at least some discount of
importance in the overall analysis. Also -what his subjective sensation
was --right after the injury (if he recalls and was conscious before
hospital)-- may be useful if available...

Goodspeed.

A