Gelsemium : My favourite remedy that never let me despaired.
by

Dr. Kumar

 

Gelsemium is my favourite remedy that plays an important role in my practice. Many practitioners are still unaware of its value and utility. They know this remedy simply as a medicine of remittent fever, cold, sneezing and measles; moreover, they would use it when the patient passes through the symptoms of three D. While, in fact, it is the remedy of multiple diseases firmly entangled with one another, which has a great power of expelling an obstinate disease out of human body to such a wide extent that the disease once stricken by this remedy never dare seeing back again. The neophytes are always keen interested in seeking the rare remedies out of the materia madicas and repertories paying no attention to a common remedy, however, it may prove more effective than one, which is being searched out by them.

 

Years ago, I came across Gelsemium and its miraculous results at first time, when a young lady, aged 32, maddened by the abuse of quinine was brought to my clinic, whom every physician had referred to the mental hospital. Actually, she was too aggravated that no one could dare facing her. She had made many an attempt to suicide very scarcely husband could get her controlled. I tried to find out the symptomatic clues, but failed except the only clue, the abuse of quinine. Therefore, I managed for three doses of Gelsemium 30,TDS daily that controlled her mental state too much and within a fortnight, she became quite normal. Two typical cases like it, which cured with Gelsemium are being laid down as under:

 

 

Case: 1

On 15th January 2004 a lady was brought to my clinic for the treatment. At a slight look, I noticed her feet tottering as soon as she got down her car. Two persons who were helping her in walking ahead followed her. Before she could enter my chamber, I observed some of her symptoms like depression, dullness and upset state of her mind. She was much irritable and looked annoyed during investigation. According to her, she had been tired of being treated by so many doctors, jadu-tona experts (Tantrik) and the physicians of deferent therapeutics but no relief was to her. She requested me to let her be alone. I asked her if she told all about her trouble, she definitely would have been all right.

She whispered about to scream, "Who told you I am troubled. I am quite O.K. doctor! Please do one thing if you can."

 

"What should I do." I asked her very gently. " Please let me go home back. I am in need of rest." She replied.

I was agreeing her, because her drowsiness was enough to prove it. Therefore, I offered her a bed, lying aside in my clinic and called her husband and mother-in-law to enquire about the case. Her mother-in-law told me that a few-month ago, she had given birth to a dead issue, since she had reached such a position. In the very beginning she had a strong inclination to suicide and made several attempts of falling herself down from the highest roof of her house. She used to tell later on that she herself couldn’t know why it all happened so.

 

As we were talking about, all of a sudden we heard a loud scream that burst from her mouth. All of us rushed towards her side and got her quivering with a great sensation that all her body from head to toe appeared trembling as if she was frightened of somewhat. Before I could say, her mother-in-law said to me, " Doctor sahib, she often goes in such a position. First she says to be let alone and later on she calls us to accompany her."

I asked her (the patient) reason of these contrary wills and of screaming out. She said, "When I find myself alone I feel as if, I am going to lose all my senses and self-control. A nervous rigors run all over the body down to fingers and toes. If I attempt to think consecutively a painful but vacant feeling of mind attacks me then I find myself surrounded with a cataleptic immobility, confusion and dullness of mental state. I begin to think if I don’t move a little, my heart beating will stop, so being enforced by this idea I scream out. Though, I dislike accompanying someone else and want to lie down silently, but with the fear of any mishap I want having a person near me."

She continued talking as it was. "My eyelids become so heavy that everyone thinks as I am under the effects of evil spirits." All the narration she produced about herself was not clearly uttered due to trembling tongue and unconnected ideas.

 

Rubrics taken from:

1. Desire to be let alone
2. Dullness of mental state
3. Dread of being alone
4. Strong inclination to suicide
5. Subject of three ‘Ds’
6. Wills having contrary streams
7. Irritability
8. Tottering like a drunkard
9. Trembling, the tongue of,
10. Ill effects, mentally shocked of,
11. Quivering, whole the body of,

Observing all the symptoms, I managed of Gelsemium 30 one dose at the very time and the second for the bedtime, instructing her to come two days later. No placebo or phytum followed Gelsemium. When she came next time appeared much improved. I asked her about the trouble; she smiled a little and said that she was better than ever been before. Now she was mannered and polite too. She begged her pardon for her rude behavior that she showed previous day clarifying that she had been much depressed and tired of her sickness.

 

"O! Never mind we have to face such a patient all the day and night." I said and then gave her Gelsemium 30 in sugar of milk one dose daily for a week. She came next time with some good news that her suppressed menstruation, which was disappeared after the birth of a dead issue, began to discharge. It was, really, good news to me. I gave her Gelsemium 30 for one week more and then stopped it. I noted that no further recurrence was there.

 

 

Case: 2

 

Mr. Singh of 33 a well-known businessman of the city, came to my clinic last year with the two serious complaints, first he got diarrheic while intending to go on a journey and the second that he had been suffering from drowsiness all the time for last two years.

 

Actually, the drowsiness was so severe and obstinate that caused him so many injuries during driving a vehicle whether it was a car or a motorbike. It seems not the least strange to say that he was well acquainted to every one all over the city for his drowsiness. Some mischievous minds began to call him ‘Kumbhkaran’. Mr. Singh told me that he would find himself much helpless when someone addressed him like that. He requested me for getting rid of that bloody title ‘Kumbhkaran’. However, I had thought of a suitable remedy for him, but to make it sure I had to get in to the depth of the investigations. During investigation patient’s wife told me about many a thing, which revealed the case clearly.

 

She said, "My husband has lost all his courage and irritates soon in disfavourable circumstances with a great shivering in the whole body. He feels better by sleeping but after getting up with heavy eyelids reaches the same position." "Did he like to visit a fair or a theater etc? Have both of you ever gone any hill station for a visit?"

I said to her. She replied, "Not at all in the recent time since he has got this disease because he becomes diarrheic. Though, long ago, we had gone many a time to visit hilly places, as he likes a calm atmosphere since very beginning."

 

The symptoms were enough for the selection of a remedy that he needed. Nevertheless, the clue that I received in the last was most important, which left no room vacant for suspicion. I felt as if I had won a great fort in the battlefield. Now I knew all about the case how it had been complicated and worst. Mr. Singh told me that long ago, an allopathic physician had given him the access doses of quinine to subside malaria fever since he had been suffering from. It proved as a keynote that made my work easy.

 

Rubrics taken:

1. Diarrheic while going on journey.
2. Drowsiness accompanied by dizziness & dullness.
3. Adverse effect of the quinine.
4. Deficiency of courage.
5. Longing for sleeping.
6. Heavy eyelids.

Wasting not even a moment, I gave him a single dose of Gelsemium Semper 1M and called him just three days later. On the prescribed day, when Mr. Singh came I noticed a surprising change on his face. He looked far better than he would have ever been. Giving a smile to his face, he showed a deep satisfaction. Now he was given some false doses for three days and suggested to come after finishing them.

 

Thus, Mr. Singh used to come weekly, constantly, for six months and he was given very few doses of Gelsemium 1m with the gap of a fortnight. In this long duration, Mr. Singh was quite O.K. In the last only two doses of Lachesis 1M were given with an interval of two weeks, which had entirely rooted out all his problems.

 

 

Copyright © Dr Kumar 2004