At the London Lighthouse there was a residential unit where those needing respite could stay for a week or so and receive intensive care by a team of dedicated nurses. I was one of a number of complementary therapists who might be called upon to treat the residents and I remember the nurses were often amazed at the effects of homeopathy and would send me their difficult patients. One such case that sticks in my mind was an African man who was descended from one of the great African leaders. He presented, however, a most pitiful picture. His nurses told me that he was very frightened so much so that he wouldn’t talk to anyone. He had a history of TB, syphilis and many other diseases that I cannot remember now. He looked defeated and his story was remarkable.
This man had been captured and sent to a concentration camp where he suffered the most brutal tortures and humiliations (he recounted how women pissed on his legs as part of this process). He was terrified and would have frightening flashbacks.
Strangely I remember feeling joyful as he recounted his story because I knew homeopathy could make big difference for this man and I was glad he had come for treatment.
I gave him Aconite, Stramonium and Opium in alternation knowing I would only have one chance to treat this patient as he would be gone from the unit after a week.
A different man returned a week later: confident, chatty and laughing. The nurses were amazed (again!)
With these short term residential patients I knew that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to treat the chronic picture over a long period and so necessarily the prescriptions were for acute relief. But the results were nevertheless often gratifying.
Comments