Differentiation between Bryonia and Ranunculus bulbosus” -Charles W. Hodgkins, M. D. (New Haven, Conn.) – Presented by Dr Robert Séror

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Differentiation
between Bryonia and Ranunculus
bulbosus” –Charles
W. Hodgkins, M. D. (New Haven, Conn.)
Presented by Dr Robert Séror

The
Homoeopathic Recorder, Mars 1939, N° 3, pages 12 à 14.
Read before Connecticut Homoeopathic Medical Society, October 18, 1938.

The purpose of my paper is to differentiate between

Bryonia
alba and Ranunculus
bulbosus – two purely
homoeopathic drugs having no physiological use, the first well known,
the latter less so.

Yet these two remedies are quite similar as to their general
modalities and the tissues upon which they act.

Before discussing these two drugs, I should like to bring forth a
thought which has occurred to me over and over again during my short
time in prescribing homoeopathic remedies.

Why are so many of us prone to use those drugs which have supposedly
given excellent results on previous occasions for like conditions or
states of a disease instead of using a remedy which is little known or
tried but which appears to be more indicated than the one chosen ?

Are we to prescribe drugs for given conditions because someone else
has had favorable response ?

For if that is so we are losing all that homoeopathy stands for-the
personal equation.

Let us not forget that each individual is an entity unto himself and
should be treated as such.

I shall
now discuss the two remedies mentioned above and then give a brief case
which I attended and after careful study chose Ranunculus
bulbosus.

As we all know,

Bryonia
– a member of the
watermelon family, a polychrest-has three great fields of action :

(1) respiratory,

(2) gastrointestinal,

(3) arthritic, the main effect being on serous membranes and the
viscera they contain, as dura, pericardium and pleura.

The

Bryonia
patient is always a toxic case.

It affects the constitution of a robust, firm fiber and dark
complexion with tendency to leanness and irritability.

It prefers the outside, evening, open air, warm weather after cold
days, to manifest its action most markedly.

In the respiratory field we have the hard dry cough, sharp shooting
pains ; or in the gastrointestinal field the coated tongue, dry mucous
membranes, feeling of stone in the stomach, nausea when arising ; and
again in the arthritic field the red, swollen, tender joints-and all
these symptoms explained by dehydration toxicity.

For these reasons we find the

Bryonia
patient sluggish, < on motion ; profuse hot sweat with intense thirst ; < from warmth, exertion and touch ; cannot sit up ; > lying on
painful side, > from rest, pressure and cold things.

The skin is characteristic : yellow, pale, swollen or dropsical, hot
and painful. Hair very greasy. It is a right-sided remedy.

In
the case of Ranunculus
bulbosus or
buttercup we find that this remedy acts especially upon the muscular
tissue and skin and has its most characteristic effects upon the chest
wail as in pleurodynia.

It acts on nerves and serous surfaces and is mainly left-sided.

The sensations are variable as seen with the bruised sensation under
the sternum, ribs, intercostal spaces, to pains of a stitching, shooting
character.

General characteristics of this drug are obtuseness of the senses,
quarrelsome, angry mood, easily provoked, does not like to be left
alone.

The modalities :

Cannot lie on the affected side, < inspiring or moving ; < dampness, cold, drafts, touch.

Can’t rest ; anxious, oppressed breathing ; > sitting up, walking
or bending forward.

Skin : Burning, intense itching. Eczema with vesicles. Corns
sensitive.

On July 11,

1938
a male patient age 67 presented the following picture.

During the first week in July he complained of sharp pain in his
chest, awaking him in the early morning hours.

He found that he had some relief on sitting up or walking, but could
cause the pain to become quite severe by taking a deep breath.

This pain was < on motion while lying down and it was impossible to lie on the affected side.

Breathing appeared dyspnoeic at times.

Patient has had a rheumatic diathesis since

1920.

Five years ago he suffered from coronary attack (thrombosis).

Has had all possible foci of infection removed.

He had been in apparent good health until recent illness which took
place while patient was traveling from

West
Coast east.

Heart and lungs negative. G. U. tract negative.

Physical examination showed on much pressure tenderness over and
above floating rib, left side ; tenderness supra scapular region left
side and less tenderness anterior right chest between sixth and seventh
ribs.

Pain did not radiate, nor was it along course of nerves under ridge
border.

Rheumatic diathesis, < damp weather ; changeable weather.

Patient is of light texture, medium in build and for years has been
troubled with an eczema of face, scaly skin < shaving.

Ranunculus bulbosus 2C., given.

In forty-eight hours much relief.

On July 19 the remedy was repeated in the same potency, with apparent
complete recovery.

Numérisation, vérification, coloration, mise en page, illustration,
pour mes archives et mon site.

Le
Jeudi 25 Avril 2002.

Copyright
© Robert Séror 2002
Photos Copyright © Homéopathe International 2002

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