ABSTRACT-

Calcarea group is one such group that is frequently used in pediatric practice, here trying to understand it unconventionally, from other directions supported by acute complaints relieved with the help of oyster shell.

KEYWORDS –  Calcarea carb; homeopathy; security; stammering; weather change; pica

INTRODUCTION-

Prepared from the middle layers of the inner part of the oyster shell, the feature of Calcarea is protection and withdrawal. The main theme of Calcarea is stability and security. It is because of overprotective background the child feels safe and secure to take a risk, unable to make his/her decisions.

Ailments from: Fright, grief, disappointed love, malnutrition, imperfect ossification, suppression of eruptions, over-lifting, fracture, exposure to cold moist wind, delayed labor, artificial milk, and snake poison.

Constitution: hydro-genoid; bulky, fleshy, flabby without fitness. There is no edema or retention of water underneath the skin. Skin is fair, waxy, and Shiny. Fatness without fitness, sweat without heat, bones without strength. In children, all milestones are delayed.

TEMPERAMENT: LEUCO –PHLEGMATIC (they are observers who do not involve/spend energy).

THERMAL – Chilly.  Lack of vital heat & chilliness yet craves cold food. (Except, Calc sulph, Calc fluor, Calc silicata).

MIASM: PSORIC, SOME SYCOTIC TRAITS.

Diathesis: SCROFULOUS.

  • Dr. Kent says, ‘Sulphur has heat in patches, Calcarea has a cold in patches & sweat in patches.’
  • Calcarean grows and cures polypi.
  • Calcarea babies are always more or less wormy.

CALCAREA CARB

  • Psoric miasm + some sycotic traits.
  • The central theme of carbonate is of a vital reaction.
  • He seeks the protection he needs by expressing a lot of fear.
  • They don’t want much adventure in life.
  • Calcarea carb is a home builder. Home represents the protective shell he needs around him. Calcarea carb children can be very obstinate and can even get aggressive but this behavior is limited to their home.
  • Outside, they are quiet, timid, fearful, well behave sensitively.
  • Calcareas get anxious from watching/ hearing cruelty. On watching fight scenes Calcarea’s child either leaves the room or closes his eyes.
  • When the life situation of Calcarea carb person changes and he loses the security of his home; Stramonium (that is, an unprotected person out in Dark night, wanting to come home. Whereas Calcarea Carb who is inside the house and not wanting to get out) is developed.
  • If Calcarea carb Women happens to marry a violent drunkard, she can develop into Rhus Toxicodendron. She can become tense, and nervous and feel the threat of being killed inside her own house. Rhus tox – complementary – calcarea carb. Then calcarea carb person comes to the doctor from and protected environment at home, she may weep and ask for protection, Reassurance. So, while narrating her symptoms aggravate equals to pulsatilla weeping plus speaking of consolation while ignoring the nervousness and edginess at home.
  • Bryonia and Calcarea carb are similar remedies. Both have aversion to movement and need for security and stability and the “fear of poverty”. (Incompatible).

CALCAREA ARSENICOSA:

  • Security / support + Mistrustful.

CALCAREA FLUORICA:

  • Stability/security + the fear of being let down and deserted. “Fear of poverty” Calcarea floor also has the dream of efforts. For example, missing the train etc.

CALCAREA IODATA:

  • Terribly disappointed, betrayed, hurt or even starved (Iodum) by the person on whom he is dependent.

CALCAREA PHOSPHORICA:

  • I am not loved at the place of security (home). So, I should seek love elsewhere and come home for security. Calcarea phos are friendly and love to travel. The friends then become their home difference is Phosphorus do not make home where ever they go it is found in Calcarea phos due to Calcarea’s need for stability and security.
  • Calcarea phos – physically + mentally active + sensitive.
  • Tend to be lean, have white spots on nails and sweaty palms. Craves meat, fish, spices, potatoes.

CALCAREA SULPHURICA:

  • Tendency to boils and suppuration with yellow pus. The desire for fruits and tea. Hot patient; desire for cold bathing. cracks in the field in cold weather. Tendency to fungal infections like tinea, eczema, etc. Fears dark, jealousy, and obstinate. Hatred for persons; agree with him, lamenting, appreciated because he is not.

FARRINGTON’S ELECTRO-POSITIVE MINERAL ELEMENT: CALCAREA

  • The electro positives act on the chest in the morning and on the bowels in the latter part of the day. That is, they act upward on the body during the morning. (H+ ions are excess) they are > fog weather, likes washing.

CASE No. 01

  • NAME:  Master. ABC
  • AGE: 4 years
  • SEX: Male child
  • RELIGION: Hinduism
  • OCCUPATION:   Student 
  • ADDRESS: Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh
  • DATE: 17/2/22

PRESENTING COMPLAINTS-

COMPLAINTS, LOCATION & DURATIONSENSATIONMODALITIESA/F AND CONCOMITANTS
UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT: Cold and cough for 6-7 days. GIT: Vomiting of cough.   Dry.                  < exertionGets irritable when hungry.     Small round hypo-pigmented spots present on forearms B/L.
MOUTH: Stammering present.   

H/O PRESENTING ILLNESS – The patient was apparently well one week before. He developed symptoms of runny nose afterward which is better now. A dry cough persists which is aggravated by physical exertion.

H/O PAST ILLNESS: Suffers from recurrent attacks of cold and cough at any slight change of weather.

FAMILY Hx: NOT SPECIFIED.

  • Parents are obese.

MIND DISPOSITION

  • Being a single child, he is very much pampered.
  • Restless and hyperactive.
  • Not angered easily.

PHYSICAL GENERALS

  • APPETITE- increased (wants food every 3-4 hrs)
  • THIRST – normal (4-5 glasses /day)
  • SLEEP: Position – On the abdomen.
  • SWEAT: Profuse, wets the pillow.
  • STOOL: Normal.
  • URINE: Normal
  • DREAMS: not specified
  • INTOLERANCE: Being covered
  • THERMAL REACTIONS: HOT patient
  • HABIT – Not specified
  • DESIRE: proper meal
  • AVERSION:  Fruits and dry fruits

MENTAL GENERALS –

  • The patient is restless.
  • Talkative. (His stammering doesn’t hinder him to talk about random things)
  • Gets irritable when hungry
  • Likes bathing

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

 GENERAL EXAMINATION:

  • OBSERVATION: patient is fair, chubby and talkative.
  • INSPECTION- General condition – good, Temp – 37℃, P/R – 98/ min, R/R -22/min
  • Tongue – clean and moist.
  • Tonsils – non -enlarged / non – tender.
  • Small, multiple hypo- pigmented spots present on fore-arms B/L.

SYSTEMIC EXAMINATION:

  • PALPATION: Respiratory system: B/L lungs are clear.
  • Cardio-vascular system: S1 and S2 audible. No added murmur.

LABORATORY INVESTIGATION: Not required for now.

PROBABLE DIAGNOSIS: Allergic rhinitis.

REPERTORISATION: by Complete Dynamics Software

PRESCRIPTION:

  • Sulphur 30 – 4 pills, stat dose (early morning)
  • Calcarea carb 30 – 4 pills, OD x 3 days.

 1st Follow-up – 20-02-2022 – Cough is absent.

  • Calcarea Carb 200, 4 pills, stat dose.
  • Rubrum 30, 4 pills, BD x 7 days.

 2nd Follow up – 25-02-2022 – overall improvement in the patient, as stated by attendants.

  • Irritability decreased.
  • Fussiness decreased.
  • Hunger issues decreased.
  • Sac lac 30 – 4 pills, OD x 15 days.

3rd Follow-Up – 13-03-2022 – Calcarea carb 200, 2 pills, stat dose.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:

After prescribing anti-miasmatic medicine as per the reportorial totality and for clearing the case; followed by Calcarea carb, the patient was very much relieved. His complaints improved to a degree. After giving the second dose of CALCAREA CARB 200, relief in cough was followed by improvement in appetite and reduced fussiness. To complete the case, a stat dose of CALCAREA CARB 200 was given.


CASE No. 02

  • NAME:  Baby XYZ
  • AGE: 2 ½ years
  • SEX: Female child
  • RELIGION: Hinduism
  • ADDRESS: Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh
  • DATE: 19/03/2022

PRESENTING COMPLAINTS:

COMPLAINTS & DURATIONLOCATIONSENSATIONMODALITIESA/F AND CONCOMITANTS
Cough for 5-6 days Upper respiratory tract  Unable to expectorate< day -timeOffensive urination Nail biting
Pica  GIT   

H/O PRESENTING ILLNESS: The patient was apparently well 6 days ago, after getting exposed to a change of weather she developed cough, which is dry in nature with no other symptoms.

H/O PAST ILLNESS: she has a habit of eating undigestible things.

FAMILY Hx: NAD

PHYSICAL GENERALS

  • APPETITE: normal. (½ – 1 chapatti/meal)
  • THIRST: Normal
  • SLEEP: Normal
  • SWEAT: profuse, wets the pillow.
  • STOOL: Normal
  • URINE: Offensive
  • DREAMS: not specified
  • INTOLERANCE: covering
  • THERMAL REACTIONS: HOT
  • HABIT: Biting nails
    • Eating chalk, raw rice, and paint
  •  DESIRE: milk++, eggs +
  • AVERSION: not specified

MENTAL GENERALS:

  • Active child.
  • Spontaneous answering.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

GENERAL EXAMINATION –

  • The child is fair, flabby, and active.
  • INSPECTION:
    • Tongue – clean and moist
    • Tonsils – Non enlarged
  • Temperature – 37°C, P/R – 108/min, R/R – 24/min

SYSTEMIC EXAMINATION –

  • PALPATION: Respiratory system – B/L lungs are clear.

DIAGNOSIS: Pica

REPERTORISATION: by Complete Dynamics Software

PRESCRIPTION:

  • Calcarea carb 200, 3 pills, OD x 2 days.

1ST Follow up on 24/03/22:

  • The cough was gone.
  • Offensiveness in urine is also reduced.
  • Rx Sac lac 30, 4 pills, OD x 15 days

2nd Follow up on 8/04/22:

  • The patient feels overall improvement
  • The desire for chalk and raw rice is reduced
  • No episode of runny nose/cough during the course of medicine given.
  • Rx Calcarea carb 200, 4 pills, stat dose.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:

On the basis of reportorial totality and potential differential fields. Calcarea carb has been given consecutively, with a gap of 15 days which miraculously decreased the desire for undigestible things in the patient with a reduction in susceptibility to change of weather.

REFERENCES

  1. Dr. Patil J.D., Group study in Homeopathic Materia Medica,1st edition, B.Jain publishers, isbn no- 9788131901700, 2006
  2. Farrington E.A., Clinical Materia medica, reprint edition. B.jain publishers,1995
  3. Dr. Allen T F, Handbook of Materia Medica, reprint edition 1994, B Jain publishers, 2001
  4. The Soul of Remedies – Dr. Rajan Shankaran
  5. Farrington’s Materia Medica
  6. Allen’s keynote Materia Medica

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Dr. Maherukh Siddiqui (B.H.M.S; MD Hom. Paediatrics Scholar)

Government Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Bhopal

  • Ardent Homoeopathic scholar with the ability to perceive the needed call for the patients, assisting in patients’ assessments, documenting patient care, and maintains medical records with perseverance.
  • Won Dr. Malati Noble Award in 2019 as final BHMS toppers of India and Bangladesh.
  • Done DAFE from IGNOU and REIKI Certified consultant.
  • Practising and abiding by the Homoeopathic mode of treatment to treat various disorders in patients.