Some experience
with Colchicum.
By A. L. Fisher, M. D.
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
Bloating.
About the first that I
remember about the therapeutics of Colchicum dates
back to 1869 or 1870, when Dr. Hering lectured on this remedy in the
Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia.In the course of that
lecture he stated that if cattle after eating clover in the spring time
got enormously bloated, there was no need to stick a knife into the
paunch to let out the gas, as a few dose of Colchicum would always give
relief.In my childlike
simplicity I believed what he told us, and sent a two dram vial of
Colchicum 3x dilution to a farmer brother, with instruction to put two
drops of it into the beast’s mouth. It is now nearly forty years since
the remedy was sent, and the sharp, double-edged knife formerly used to
let the gas escape has not been resorted to since then, but the
Colchicum has been used successfully in scores of such cases in that
neighborhood. And, by the way, that vial of the third dilution is not
empty yet, having been refilled with alcohol whenever contents were
getting low, many times.
Strangulated Hernia.
The next case in which
this medicine was used with exceedingly gratifying results on my
prescription was many years later, when I received a telegram calling me
in haste to see this same farmer brother, fifty miles away. Arriving at
his beside at midnight, I found him in truly a sorry condition. An old
inguinal hernia had become strangulated, and all efforts of his
attending physician to reduce it had failed. Abdomen enormously
distended, constant hiccoughing for twenty-four hours, stomach and
abdomen extremely sensitive to palpation ; there was a profuse flow
of saliva or mucus, and his facial expression, as would be expected
under such circumstances, was indicative of great suffering and a
serious condition. His medical attendant had left him a few hours before
I arrived, and had said that his patient would never see another
sunrise.
As I gave him the first
dose, I said, “Take a few doses of
Colchicum, old boy, and get well.”Between hiccoughs he
managed to say. “I haven’t been eating clover, Doc.” Hiccoughs
ceased in twenty minutes ; within an hour and a half his bowels
moved freely several times ; the bloating went down rapidly, and he
reduced his hernia himself easily. The movement of bowels later became
involuntary, though not without his knowledge, and a dose of Hyoscyamus
was given. By sunrise he was fully convalescent, and the prognosis of
his former physician falsified.
Relief In A Cancer Case.
Some years later I was
called in consultation with a regular. Patient ill with cancer of the
stomach diagnosis confirmed by autopsy. No thought of curative treatment
was entertained by friends who called me, but relief of a distressing
hiccoughing was desired. Here the hiccoughing was accompanied by a
loathing of food, even the smell of it was nauseating. When I suggested
Colchicum for gout and rheumatism, but I don’t see how it can stop the
hiccoughing ; however, as my best efforts for two or three days
have done no good, we will try it. “How will we give
it ?” He had the Wine of Colchicum and I suggested adding five
drops of it to two ounces of water, and to give a teaspoonful of this
every half hour.Two days later I met
him. He said, “The hiccoughing ceased promptly, but I cannot see
how the Colchicum could do it.” He does not know yet, and never
will till he studies drugs in the proper way and then applies them
properly.
In A Neurasthenic Case.
Here is another one, as
recent as March 8th, 1909. Wife of Rev. M. B—., has been getting worse
steadily for ten years. Until now for some time under the treatment of a
specialist and a learned one, too, but friends urged her to try me. She
was a neurasthenic with about all the symptoms peculiar to this
affection, including mucous colitis with its accompanying colicky pains
and abdominal tenesmus, anorexia and hyperchlorhydria. The loss of
appetite extended to loathing of food, and for a day or two recently the
smell of food was unpleasant. The gelatinous, shreddy stools with great
relief after passing them brought Colchicum to mind, and a few doses
initiated the improvement, which went on to complete cure, so that after
a few weeks she did not need any more Placebo, and remains well to-day,
December 1st, 1909.So thoroughly ingrained
were these people against Homœopathy that they say had they known I was
a homœopath they would never have called me. Now they often send me
patients. Her former physician had put her on a rigid diet for the
excessive acidity, and had prescribed various medicated enemata for the
mucous colitis and plenty of medicine. My instructions as to diet were
simple. Eat such food as experience has taught you agrees the best. No
adjuvants whatever were prescribed nor allowed. It was surely not a
faith cure, as the family were not only without faith in Homœopathy,
but were bitterly opposed to even a trial of it.
Source :
Homœopathic World, June 1,
1910.Copyright © Sylvain
Cazalet 2001
