Calcarea Renalis Praeparata

PREPARATION.--There are two kinds of renal calculi, the phosphatic and

the uric, which should be triturated as separate preparations.



(The Homoeopathric Examiner, 1846, contained the

following paper, by Dr. Bredenoll. We may add that the

remedy is reported to be peculiarly beneficial in Rigg's

disease of the teeth.)



My professional engagements do not permit me to spend mu h time in

writing; the following case, however, I deem worthy of note.



Born of healthy parents, I remained quite healthy until my twenty-third

year. I had no trouble in getting over the diseases to which children

are generally liable. Some of them, scarlet fever and measles, attacked

me when I was already engaged in my professional career. I am now

fifty-seven years old.



In the year 1808, while vaccinating children, I caught the itch from one

of them. Although I washed myself with soap water immediately, yet a

pustule made its appearance in about eight days, between the little

finger and ring finger of the left hand; afterwards a few more came on

at the same place and some others between the ring and middle finger. I

hastened to repel this eruption as fast as possible, which I

unfortunately succeeded in doing within the period of eight days.



This suppression of the eruption was followed by a host of diseases:

Liability to catching cold; frequent catarrh; rheumatic complaints;

toothache; attacks of hemicrania, with vomiting; continual heartburn;

haemorrhoidal complaints, at times tumors, at times fluent; excessive

emaciation; afterwards a pustulous eruption over the whole body; painful

swelling of the joints, arthritic nodosities in different places; a

copper-colored eruption in the face, especially on and about the nose,

which made me look like a confirmed drunkard, etc., etc.



These affections tormented me more or less, until in the year 1833 I

visited Hahnemann at Coethen, for the purpose of studying homoeopathia

with him. Hahnemann treated me for three weeks, and I continued the

treatment at my native place. My health improved steadily, and at the

end of a year I considered myself cured. This lasted until October,

1836, when I was attacked with violent colic in one night. The pain was

felt in the region of the left kidney, lancinating, pinching, sore;

retching ensued, resulting in vomiting of mucus, and lastly bile. I took

a few pellets of Nux v. x; after this the pain disappeared gradually,

and the vomiting ceased. Next day I was well again. Two days afterwards

I discovered gravel in the urine, and my sufferings had vanished.



One year elapsed in this way; however, I occasionally experienced an

uncomfortable sensation in the region of the left kidney, especially

when riding on horseback, driving in a carriage, or walking fast; I took

at times Lycopod., at times Nux v., in proportion as one or the

other of these two remedies appeared indicated.



In November, 1837, I was suddenly attacked with vomiting, accompanied

with violent lancinating, sore or pinching pains in the region of the

left kidney. The horrible anguish and pain which I experienced extorted

from me involuntary screams; I was writhing like a worm in the dust. A

calculus had descended into the ureter and had become incarcerated in

it. Repeated doses of Nux relieved the incarceration, and I distinctly

felt that the calculus was descending towards the bladder. After

twenty-four hours of horrible suffering the vomiting ceased, the pain

became duller and was felt in the region where the ureter dips into and

becomes interwoven with the tissue of the bladder: it continued for

three days and then disappeared all of a sudden (the stone had not got

into the bladder). Thirty-six hours afterwards the calculus entered the

bulb of the urethra. I felt a frequent desire to urinate; the urine was

turbid and bloody, until at last a calculus of four grains made its

appearance in the urine. After this I frequently passed gravel and

calculi, at times with slight, at times violent pains, sometimes

accompanied with vomiting; I kept the larger calculi, with a view of

using them hereafter as a curative agent.



Professor Nasse, of Bonn, where my son studied medicine at the time, has

analyzed the calculi, and has found them to be urate of lime. He advised

me to take Merc. dulcis and the Sulphate of Soda for some time; it

is scarcely necessary for me to say that I did not follow his advice.



On the fifteenth of February, 1839, I felt the precursory symptoms of a

new attack, which really did break out in all its fury on the 16th, and

continued on the 17th and 18th. I now caused 5 grains of my calculi to

be triturated in my presence with 95 grains of sugar of milk, according

to the fashion of Hahnemann, and took 1/2 grain in the evening of the

17th, another 1/2 grain in the morning of the 18th. On this day I passed

very turbid urine with a considerable quantity of gravel; however, in

the region where the ureter dips into the bladder, I experienced an

uncomfortable sensation, but was well otherwise. On the 19th I was

obliged to visit a patient at the distance of two miles; on my journey I

felt that the calculus was descending into the bladder; the urine which

I emitted shortly afterwards was very turbid and bloody. That same

evening, after returning home, I felt the stone in the bulb of the

urethra, and on the morning of the 20th it came off during stool, but

unfortunately got lost among the excrement. To judge from my feeling it

must have been larger than any of the preceding calculi, and also

rougher, for its passage through the urethra was very painful and

followed by an oozing out of blood.



The uncomfortable feeling in the region of the left kidney never

disappeared completely; it became especially painful when pressing upon

that place, when riding on horseback or in a carriage, when taking

exercise or turning the body. It seems to me that the whole pelvis of

the kidneys must have been full of gravel and calculi. I now took 1/2

grain at intervals of eight days; the result was that I passed gravel

and small calculi at every micturition. On the 30th of November my

condition got worse, and I continued to take 1/2 grain of Calc. ren.

praep., at longer or shorter intervals, until October 18th, 1840. After

this period I ceased to pass any gravel, and I felt entirely well. On

the 3d of February I passed some more gravel. Another dose of 1/2 grain

of Lapis renalis; another dose on June 3d. On June 17th precursors of

another attack; on the 18th vomiting accompanied by all the frightful

circumstances which I have detailed above; the vomiting of mucus, bile,

ingesta, continued at short intervals until the 26th; my tongue was

coated with yellow mucus, and my appetite had completely disappeared.

Bryon., Nux v. and Pulsat. relieved the gastric symptom; on the

26th, in the afternoon, I passed a calculus of the size of a pea. I now

resume the use of Calc. ren. praep. in 1/2 grain doses, at irregular

intervals. On the 23d of October I passed a calculus of the size of a

pea, without vomiting; there were no other precursory symptoms except

the uncomfortable feeling in the region of the kidney a few days

previous. I have felt well ever since and free from all complaint,

although I continue the occasional use of 1/2 a grain of Calc. ren.

praep., lest I should have a relapse.



Every time I took a dose of Calc. ren. pr. I found that the so-called

tartar on the teeth became detached a few days afterwards. A short while

ago a nodosity, hard as a stone, which had appeared on the extensor

tendon of the right middle finger, about nine months ago, and which

threatened to increase more and more, disappeared. I consider the tartar

on the teeth, calculi renales and arthritic nodosities very similar

morbid products.



In conclusion I beg leave to offer the following remarks:



1. Hahnemann's theory of psora is no chimera, as many theoreticians

would have us believe. I was perfectly healthy previous to my being

infected with itch. What a host of sufferings have I been obliged to

endure after the suppression of the itch!



2. Isopathy deserves especial notice.



It is true, the most suitable homoeopathic remedies afforded me

relief; the incarceration of calculi in the ureter especially was

relieved by Nux; but they were unable to put a stop to the formation

of calculi; this result was only attained by the preparation of Calc.

ren.