Minutus

Dear All,

Does anyone out there have any advice - homeopathic or otherwise- for elephantiasis.

This is practically a "single symptom" case.
All typical signs of disease, swollen right leg, rough hard cracked scaly skin, discolouration, etc.
A few other features of the patient:
-one horny large rough wart on the left hand
-smelly foot sweat from the feet

No other symptoms, at this time, could be extracted from the patient, neither mental nor physical.
Sincerely,
Didi Ananda Ruchira
Director, Abha Light
visit: www.abhalight.org
tel: +254 20 787310 / cell: 0733-895466

Sincerely,
Didi Ananda Ruchira
Director, Abha Light
visit: www.abhalight.org
tel: +254 20 787310 / cell: 0733-895466

Any evidence of worm infestation? (Could give you an etiology, repertorizable symptom if you know and include the cause...) Rosemary

The horny wart and cracked skin might lead one to Ant Crud which P
Banerjee uses a lot in 6c alternating in some manner with Ars Album
2ooc. which could have the black discolouration r
??Vipera for Lymphoedema if leg more comfortable raised. Then there is
the question of the filariasis, worms parasites. with their own
rubrics.
I have often wondered what Paucity of mind symptoms indicated.
Have wondered this morning about asking you what you thought about
Crotalus H in treatment of Ebola. There is an outbreak of Ebola type
virus in Angola and one of the caring Drs has died?//

Hi, Didi

A case of elephantiasis I saw treated in India involved a woman whose right
leg was massively swollen with pitting and acute inflammation. (Pitting is
usually present in elephantiasis, I understand; acute inflammation signals a
secondary infection.) She preferred warm drinks, warm water. The Px was
treated with Ars. 200c, split dose. The DD was Secale (because she was
chilly, but averse to covers, though Ars. can also have a desire to
uncover).

Peace, Cinnabar

Dear All,

Thanks, so far, for your suggestions. All very helpful. The remedies mentioned are mostly the same we've been considering.

re: filaria, worms, etc
yes we are considering it as a filaria infestation. I forgot to mention the disease is about 8 years old.

We have been researching what to do. We'll let you know if we get forward on this one. Your further suggestions are still helpful.
The two who saw this case (1 volunteer, 1 Kenyan) tried to extract some CLAMS, mentals and whatnot. None forthcoming. This patient finally asked "why are you asking so many questions...." So our homeopaths stopped, empty-handed still.

Culturally, generally Kenyans are reticent to share out personal information. (very "thuja'ish"). One knowing another's "secrets" (ie one's inner self, history, etc) is to hold power over another. Relatively few people willingly share and become suspicious if you ask too much. This mentality can *sometimes* go as far as accusations of devilry.....

On the other hand, this is such type of a disease that the pathology is so strong, there's little else to notice in the patient.
Sincerely,
Didi Ananda Ruchira
Director, Abha Light
visit: www.abhalight.org
tel: +254 20 787310 / cell: 0733-895466

Hi Didi,

When the pt asked, "Why are you asking all of these questions," did the
homeopaths try to *explain* why, explain that that is the information
they *need* for good prescribing? With untaught patients we have the
same problem here in the US (probably everywhere), who are accustomed
to the quick and superficial diagnosis and treatments of drug-based
medicine, but when the situation is explained, most are willing to at
least *try* to open up a little. (And yeah, some aren't...)

Might there be any value in asking the patient (or better, his/her
family or friends) what changes they might have noticed since the
disease began? M/E, generals, appetite, etc.? I do understand how a
culturally taught reticence makes "deep" casetaking hard, but it seems
there should be *something* to work with, other than observation of the
skin itself? I assume you/they tried to explain the reason for "all
these questions"... But maybe asking "what changed" would not seem too
threatening, and maybe if the patient understands that "all these
questions" are what lead us to the remedy??? Easier said than done, I
know!
Best,
Shannon

Hey Cinnabar!
Always good to hear from you!

At 26-03-2005 Saturday, you wrote:
Thank you for this report. Did you see the follow through - that is, was the patient eventually cured or at least the active infestation of filaria cured?

What is considered "cured" in such a case? The killing of the parasite only, or the leg reverting to normal?

Our further research leads us to believe that it would be possible to kill the parasite, thereby stopping further progression. However, the disfiguration is permanent and irreversable. That's too sad.
An allopath friend says "the only thing to do is amputate".

The allo drug diethylcarbamazine kills the parasite only. If not well monitored, infection (from the now-dead parasites?) and gangrene could follow forcing amputation.

In particular, do any of our tropic & sub-tropic list-readers know any case homeo, allo, ayurvedic or otherwise where the leg has reduced in size, ameliorated or reverted to normal?
Sincerely,
Didi Ananda Ruchira
Director, Abha Light
visit: www.abhalight.org
tel: +254 20 787310 / cell: 0733-895466

Dear Shannon,

At 27-03-2005 Sunday, you wrote:
Good point. Yes, we teach our students to educate the patients as to why we ask so many Q's, and they generally do. I wasn't in this consultation, so I can't confirm what really happened. Both homepaths (volunteer & Kenyan grad) are experienced, so I took their report at face value and assumed they did their best.
Sincerely,
Didi Ananda Ruchira
Director, Abha Light
visit: www.abhalight.org
tel: +254 20 787310 / cell: 0733-895466

Hi, Didi Ruchira --

Alas, I did not see the follow-up, as the case came close to the end of my
stay. She'd had elephantiasis in her leg for three years when she came.
Another case, also involving the R leg, was in a woman who'd had an
operation (!!) for fialiarisis -- they'd cut from knee to ankle, I guess to
remove the worms manually. (Ugh.) She was on allopathic meds, so the docs
declined to treat homeopathically.

It sounds as if the best course would be to kill the parasite with
diethylcarbamazine, and treat any ensuing infections homeopathically
(Ars-iod. comes to mind there). I assume you would also need to do drainage
work to reduce the pitting. If the parasites are killed, what tissue
changes prevent the leg from reverting to its former size?

Peace,
Cinnabar

Hi
I am curious about treating elephantitis . Surely since this is from
an infectious organism there is only one totality of this disease and
then the only rational is the remedy that fits that totality. There
cannot be two as one will do, provided it covers the totality.
Obviously I am making a point here. I cannot see how any disease due
to a parasite can be treated best by a partial remedy which partly
covers the person and partly covers the disease. I think the disease
symptoms belong to the disease vital force which I think is much
stronger than our own, since the parasite - nematode worm
Caenorhabditis elegans has probably been in existance a billion years
longer than we have. Since the infection may have nothing to do with
the individual and a lot to do with external circumstances, I think
that the remedy for the worm is better indicated.
You can read relevant other ideas under
wwww.vitalremedies.com /influenza and worms
Bye
Peter