A demonstration of how simple, classical homoeopathy works. The non-confusing, time honoured methodology.
Test your skills with these 12 mini cases
These are cases treated successfully by Dr. Banerjea in his slum clinics of India. The case stories are short and the emphasis is on quick prescribing through striking, singular (which are complete in themselves) symptoms. Please try to solve the cases and then check your answers below
Perhaps you know that classical homoeopaths believe in understanding the materia medica and making a qualitative totality rather than quantitive! Hence I rarely use Repertory and my prescriptions are always based from my knowledge and understanding of materia medica.
Short Case Story-1
This is an interesting case of a woman in her mid 40’s who developed oedema of the foot after her only daughter moved a long distance away after getting married. She feels very resentful about this and cannot cope with this reality. The only thing that is stimulating her is the strong coffee which she loves. She is a single Mum. She also suffers from extreme debility which is worse in the morning, in bed, even before getting up! She also suffers from extreme constipation. She was sitting in front of me and trying to hold her nose. On questioning she revealed that she feels like a headache is coming and that is associated with a tingling in her nose! That was enough for me to prescribe the remedy. The remedy?
Short Case Story-2
This case involves a middle aged woman who suffers from melancholia. She does not like to call it depression but she feels really low. She is a single mother, works hard to support the family. On asking about the development her symptom she mentioned that she is extremely dissatisfied at work, and has been for the last 4 years. Her boss is rude and she feels like leaving the job but she cannot in this economic environment. Therefore there is a prolonged history of dissatisfaction and she feels trapped. She always looks forward to the weekend when she goes for long walks by the sea side (she lives about 80 miles from the city of Calcutta) which totally refreshes her and enables her to return to work on Mondays.
The remedy actually made her better in 9 months. The prescription please?
Short Case Story 3
A young school going girl, aged 14 years suffers from headache and for which different tests have been done but without conclusive results. The optometrist does not think there is any problem with her refraction and even though she tried a different pair of glasses, her headache persists. She also suffers from severe period pains and complaints about heaviness and fullness in the lower abdomen during her period. She also suffers from long standing loose stools (last 8 months). She has bad skin which is quite dry and she has to moisturize it very often, otherwise she looks very congested. This is a story of a young impatient girl who is dissatisfied with life. She is extremely cross in the morning. It only took 2 visits to change the personality of this girl! The remedy?
Short Case story-4
This is the story of a menopausal lady in her late 50’s who has been diagnosed with an ovarian tumour. She also suffers from extreme debility and severe vertigo. When the vertigo comes, she tries to close her eyes and sit still, which make the vertigo better. But interestingly, as soon she closes her eyes, she gets drenched with menopausal hot sweat. That was enough to prescribe a great polychrest, if you know your Materia Medica!
Short Case story-5
This is a story of a debilitated, constipated woman in her mid-30’s suffering from pain in the kidney area, which has been diagnosed as a stone. The pain aggravates in the afternoon. She also suffers from weakness whenever the pain comes. She described herself as a sensitive person but can be stubborn about decisions. Every morning she wakes up with sadness. An interesting thing she mentioned is that she loves green beans but they make her burp. As soon as she said that I held my pen to prescribe!
Short Case story-6
This is a story of a young boy of 12 years who suffers from night terrors. The problem started after a violent fight that broke out in the school between two other lads where he was verbally abused and felt extremely embarrassed. Because of these night terrors he cannot not sleep at night, though he feels sleepy in the morning. He is also having difficulty in turning the lamp off in his room at night. He is really stressed about this and wishes to resolve this problem soon. His parents brought him to me. Another interesting symptom he stated was that he likes cold drinks but that they give him loose stool. Can you prescribe? It took about 11 months to totally alleviate the mental and physical symptoms of this case.
Short Case story-7
I had seen this patient, when she was 9 years old, a pretty girl, but unfortunately she suffers from bedwetting almost every night. She also suffers from constipation and apparently she described to her Mum that there is lot of mucus in the tissue, while cleaning. She had a history of delayed milestones (delayed walking). Interesting aspects of the case were, she does not like sweets or chocolates and her mother said that she is extremely weepy and cries+++ from the slightest thing. Guess the remedy?
Short Case story-8
This is a man in his 70’s who suffers from cough almost every winter, for the last 6 winters. This is making him extremely depressed and he thinks he will die from pneumonia. He also has a lot of post nasal discharge. He coughs a long time in order to expectorate. He also suffers from profuse sweating. An interesting feature was that, though he is age 70, he has a profound appetite and feels hungry constantly. That was a sufficient clue to me to prescribe the medicine. Know your Materia Medica and prescribe with confidence!
Short Case story-9
This is the story of a young Indian woman suffering from Polycystic ovarian syndrome disease. She got married about 6 years back and has no children. Her husband works in Dubai and only visits home once in a year. She looks after the elderly in-laws, which is the reason she can not join her husband in Dubai. She is very sad about this. She also suffers from extreme physical and mental weakness, e.g. while walking her knees suddenly give up which is extremely unusual for a woman in her late-30’s! She is also gradually losing weight. Her menstruation is extremely scanty, she suffers from night sweats and she thinks that she is heading for pre-mature menopause!
Short Case story-10
This young man came to the slum clinic in India with lots of gas+++ which is not better by belching. He has noticed that a few vegetables produce a lot of gas, especially when he has salad with onion and cucumber after which he really feels bloated and full of gas. Come on for rapid prescribing!
Short Case story-11
This is a woman in her mid-40’s suffering from weakness+ and heaviness+++ which is tremendously aggravated by walking. This heaviness almost incapacitates her. She is an anxious, impatient lady who has profuse thirst and craves sweets and chocolates. Another interesting aspect of the case was that she suffers from small painful spots / boils during her menstruation!
Short Case story-12
This young girl in her middle 20’s was suffering from extreme physical weakness, which surprised me. She mentioned that her weakness started after her first delivery when she had quite bit of bleeding (post partum hemorrhage). While describing her symptoms, one of the interesting things she mentioned was that she has an extreme degree of sensitivity to food (many foods affect her and produce lots of gas, sour eructation and even choking). She is also very reclusive and does not like to be touched, and rather prefers her own space! I thought there are enough clues for the right prescription.
Please be discrete in sharing the answers, as given below, so that readers can have a chance to think about the medicines!
Prescriptions for the Above Cases
Short Case story-1
Oedema foot (retention) after her only daughter moved away. Very resentful.
Only thing that is stimulating her is the strong coffee which she loves.
She is a single Mum. Debility, worse morning in bed. Extreme constipation.
Trying to hold her nose–tingling. When headache is coming, that is associated with a tingling in nose.
Natrum Mur, 200 à 1M.
Short Case story-2
Melancholia. She is a single mother, works hard to support the family.
Extremely dissatisfied at work. Boss is rude. Prolonged history of dissatisfaction and she feels trapped. A long walk by the seaside totally refreshes her.
Carcinosin, 200 à 1M.
Short Case story-3:
A young school girl suffers from headache. She also suffers from severe period pains. She complaints about heaviness and fullness in the lower abdomen during period. Suffers from loose stools for last 8 months. Bad skin which is quite dry, which can look very congested. Impatient girl who is dissatisfied about life.
Extremely cross in the morning.
Tuberculinum, 200
Short Case story-4:
Menopausal lady been diagnosed with ovarian tumour. Extreme debility and severe vertigo. Vertigo is better by closing the eyes and sitting still. As soon as she closes her eyes, she gets drenched with menopausal hot sweat.
Conium, 200
Short Case story-5:
A debilitated, constipated woman. Pain in the kidney area, which has been diagnosed as a stone. The pain aggravates in the afternoon. Weakness whenever the pain comes. A sensitive person but can be stubborn about decisions.
Morning sadness. She loves green beans but that makes her burp.
Lycopodium, 200
Short Case story-6:
Night terrors. The problem started after a violent fight that broke up in the school between two other lads and he was verbally abused and felt extremely embarrassed: humiliation, suppressed anger. Night terrors so he cannot not sleep at night Feels sleepy in the morning. Cannot turn the lamp off in his room at night. Stressed about this. Likes cold drinks but that gives him loose stool.
Staphysagria 200–> 1M
Short Case story-7 Bedwetting almost every night. Constipation with lot of mucus. Delayed milestone à delayed walking. She does not like sweets or chocolates. Extremely weepy and cries+++ from the slightest thing.
Causticum, 200
Short Case story-8
Cough every winter, for last 6 winters. Extremely depressed and he thinks he will die from pneumonia. Post nasal discharge. Coughs a long time in order to expectorate. Profuse sweating. Profound appetite and feels hungry constantly.
Psorinum, 30
Short Case story-9:
Polycystic ovarian syndrome. Her husband works in Dubai and only visits home once in a year: Sexual suppression –> Abstinence. Very sad. Extreme physical and mental weakness, while walking knees suddenly gives up.
Gradually losing weight. Menstruation is extremely scanty. Night sweats.
Conium, 200 à 1M
Short Case story-10
Lots of gas+++ which is not better by belching. He has noticed that a few vegetables produce a lot of gas, especially when he has salad with onion and cucumber, when he really feels bloated and full of gas.
Lycopodium, 200
Short Case story-11:
Weakness+ and heaviness+++ aggravated by walking. Anxious, impatient lady.
Profuse thirst. Craves sweets and chocolates. Small painful spots/boils during her menstruation!
Medorrhinum, 200
Short Case story-12:
Extreme physical weakness. Weakness started after post partum hemorrhage.
Extreme degree of sensitivity to food. Many foods produces lots of gas, sour eructation and even choking. Very reclusive and does not like to be touched.
Prefers her own space.
Kali Carb, 200
