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.

Colchicum Autumnale, L.

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."

Colchicum Autumnale, L.

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 Homopathy that they say had they
known I was a homopath 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 Homopathy, but were bitterly opposed to even a trial of it.

Source : Homopathic World, June 1, 1910.

An aggravation from Phosphorus.

By A. L. Fisher, M. D.
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet

In 1870 the late Dr. R. R. Gregg wrote as follows : "Phosphorus we have prescribed for years
in cases where there was pain, more particularly acute pain, in the lower portion of the left lung,
aggravated by lying upon left side."
Following this was a differential comparison of Phosphorus and Pulsatilla, which latter
remedy has, so far, the identical conditions of Phosphorus. Following this comparison he said,
"To those who will be warned by what we say, we must insist in regard to Phosphorus that they
must not give it in repeated doses in any potency upon the foregoing indications, or they will
surely drive their patients into phthisis, who have not already reached that condition, and will
greatly hasten on the disease in those who have, while they may cure all the former, and some of
the latter by due caution in the administration of medicine."
In August 1875, I had under treatment a married lady 25 years of age who had not only the
pains in left side as given above, but who was a typical Phosphorus patient ; black hair ; eyes of a
suspiciously brilliant black ; thin, delicate skin ; hectic fever ; night sweats and a harassing, dry
cough, that had for some weeks previously withstood my best efforts. Phosphorus-200 was given
in a single dose. Improvement was plain in a week and continued uninterruptedly till the
following October, she having meantime received no more medicine. At this time while I was
away on my annual outing, she called to have her vial refilled and the student who knew no
better, looked up her remedy in my prescription record and filled the vial with Phosphorus 6x.
On my return home, a week later, there was an order waiting for me to visit her. Imagine my
surprise and grief when I found her worse off than ever before with a similar set of symptoms
and hmoptysis added. The refilled vial told the story, and Gregg's prophesy was being fulfilled.
However, after nearly a year of zig zagging, during which time she received half a dozen
different remedies, prominently among them being Sepia, Sanguinaria and Sulphur, she
recovered a fair degree of health which she has maintained to the present time ; in fact she is as
well as the majority of women at her age.
(There are several other remedies equally efficacious to cure, and equally capable of
producing irreparable injury in diseases of the lungs if improperly used or too frequently
repeated.)

Source : Medical Advance, 1891.