Homeopathic PuZZle? Winter 2022

Clinical Cases
P. C. Majumdar, MD

Pneumonia cured by Chelidonium majus.

R. Marwari’s daughter, age – 3 years [old], had a fever with catarrh of nose and slight cough. After a day, she got diarrhea and was doing very poorly. I was called on the 4th [of ] January 1917. Extreme prostration, loose mucous rales in the chest; pain on the right side of the upper chest. Frequent diarrhea of loose yellow stools. Tongue coated white; nausea and some occasional vomiting. Dullness of percussion on the right side of the chest and small crepitant rales audible to the extent of about an inch.

[Probable pneumonia based on this presentation with tachypnea and diarrhea leading to dehydration in a young child.]

[Prescription]

Antimonium crudum 30, three times a day, to be given that day. [There was] no improvement [the] next day; breathing more hurried and pains seemed to be increased; diarrhea worse; [though] cough a little bit better.

[Change of prescription]

5th evening. No medicine the whole day, weakness increased, stools copious and yellow (bright). ___________ 3X [started] every six hours a dose.

6th morning. Four doses of [the same remedy] ____________3X taken and every symptom is better.

Answers Below

5th evening. No medicine the whole day, weakness increased, stools copious and yellow (bright). Chelidonium majus 3X, every six hours a dose.

6th morning. Four doses of Chelidonium majus [3X] taken and every symptom is better.

7th. Continued Chelidonium majus 3X, three times, today. Reported still better.

9th. Placebo three doses. Diarrhea almost stopped. Cough less, once vomiting of copious quantity of viscid sputa.

12th. All right, no more medicine [needed]. Nourishing food, milk and sujee [curry made with green peas] [was] given [and we assume tolerated]. (1)—if at all—was the inflammation of the liver in this child.)

Analysis

Characteristic symptoms: Extreme prostration, pain on the right side of the upper chest, diarrhea of loose bright yellow stools, tongue coated white, and respiration rattling in children. Though Antimonium crudum has the white coated tongue, but it does not have the bright yellow stool, nor is it a big remedy for right-sided chest complaints.

Materia Medica

Chelidonium majus, “Acts powerfully upon the hepatic system, giving rise to congestion, inflammation, jaundice, and a train of general symptoms indicative of serious hepatic disturbance. It also acts sympathetically on the lungs, especially the right, producing congestion, inflammation, and symptoms of hepatization … Short and oppressed breathing with sensation of constriction in chest …

Stool: thin, pasty, bright yellow (Aeth., Borax) …Frequently useful in catarrhal affections of the respiratory tract, especially in what is known as bilious pneumonia, when affecting the right lung …” (2)

(I would encourage the reader to browse J.H. Clarke’s Characteristics section on this remedy in his Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica for helpful prescribing hints and more cases and browse as well as C.M. Boger’s Synoptic Key. – Editor)

1. The Indian Homeopathic Review. Ed. PC Majumdar, MD and J.N. Majumdar. Vol. XXIX. No. 2. February 1920. p. 26
2. Cowperthwaite, AC. A Text-Book of Materia Medica and Therapeutics. Characteristic, Analytical and Comparative. Philadelphia. Boericke and Tafel. 1909. p. 226 – 229