Words: Dr Manfred MUELLER
He looked older than his 59 years, with grey-white hair and wrinkled skin. Bill had worked for the local government as tax assessor, but had retired early because of his illness. He seemed withdrawn, as if profoundly depressed, and despite his regular habit of dressing in a suit and tie, he had dishevelled and unkempt look.
We first saw Bill on January 31, 2001. He had already seen two neurologists. The diagnosis? Neurological exams confirmed the physical signs of Parkinson’s, although MRI and CT scans were not conclusive. However, the two neurologists made the diagnosis independently of another.
Bill had first noticed some intention tremor in his late forties but thought nothing of it. Gradually, over the next ten years he developed tightness of the muscles in arms and difficulty with certain tasks, such as operating his lawn mower. His arm muscles became quite painful and stiff. He also had some ‘strange vision symptoms’ [as he relayed], including a floating spot in his field of vision. All of this contributed greatly to a certain amount of anxiety with Bill feeling profoundly hopeless. Fortunately, his medical interventions were limited to pain medication — at his insistence.
At our initial consultation, his facial muscles appeared somewhat rigid, but by no means noticeable to the casual observer. Bill’s speech was normal; however slow. He appeared absent-minded. He had difficulty focusing, and had the habit of picking on his sweater, or jacket. His general characteristics fit what in homeopathy we call the ‘cancer diathesis’ — a distinct psychophysical syndrome found in those with a family history, or history of cancer.
Health History
In exploring Bill’s health history we found a mouthful of 14 mercury amalgam dental fillings [the silver ones], most had been there since childhood, and many of them quite corroded. He had a history of rheumatic fever in early childhood. He had routine flu shots over the past five years, which could have triggered the onset of the illness, and tetanus shots several times over the years. He had a history of grief: his wife had died ten years ago of cancer, and he had remained unmarried.
The plan was to replace mercury amalgam fillings; mercury detoxification [with oral chelation]; clearing for the secondary long-term effects of medications, vaccines and toxins like round-up and other pesticides he’d been exposed to. The homeopathic treatment would commence with Duboisinum in the 30C potency [the only potency I could find; I’d have preferred using ascending Q-potencies, to cover the neurological symptoms, alternating with Natrum muriaticum, in the ascending Q-potencies, addressing the state of grief. Additionally, he eliminated the use of cell and cordless phones as they are also known to cause, or aggravate, neurological symptoms and they also interfere with the efficacy of homeopathic treatment.
At the first three-week follow-up, we noted good improvement in his depression, and even some improvement in his stiffness and muscle pain, although he had a brief aggravation during the clearing of the tetanus shot for which we switched from drop dosing to olfactory [sniff] and the aggravation subsided. The amalgam removal went smoothly according to our protocol; however, it took nearly eight months to finish. Half-seven were replaced in first two weeks, the rest were done in three subsequent sessions. There was a lot of dental restoration to do. An oral detoxification regimen with cilantro and chlorella was done religiously. Over the next six months we noticed no more improvement in the neurological symptoms, although he was clearly more motivated and talked about his possible recovery for the first time. After almost three months of clearing [RCT protocol] Carcinosinum in ascending Q-potencies was added, and given in alternation with the other two daily remedies. Four months later Duboisinum was dropped and switched to Plumbum metallicum in ascending Q-potencies because of recurrent muscle pain and several other symptoms that indicated it. Over the next few months there was some good improvement in pain and muscle tightness.
Good News
By end of 2002, the good news was, there had not been any progression of the disease, but only modest improvement so far. Muscle rigidity had improved, but tremors had increased, especially in the right hand. In a moment of despair, Bill even complained he was back to where he started. However, we informed him that, according to Hering’s Law, this was a good sign, as it could mean a reversal of symptoms. He had a hard time with this view, and undoubtedly thought we were merely trying to cheer him up. But, this is not uncommon during homeopathic treatment of chronic disorders. The disorder must be literally reversed to its origins before it can dissipate.
The return of old symptoms warranted a new remedy: Agaricus muscarius [again, in ascending Q-potencies], and this seemed to improve the hand tremor noticeably. However, the progress again plateaued a few months later, as general frustration with old memories and bitterness became again more pronounced. Bill recalled the frustration of his wife’s ordeal with cancer treatment, which lasted five years before she died, and his anger at the doctors, and even at god, with subsequent despair. His silent grief had kept him from considering a new relationship. Additionally, he reluctantly confirmed a problem he had only hinted at earlier in the treatment. He was a religious man and he had remained celibate and it had been difficult at times. This deep-seated frustration could have been the obstacle that prevented Agaricus from achieving its full effect.
Tangible Progress
This was an indication for Conium maculatum. He took it in lieu of the Agaricus in standard daily doses and experienced generalised improvement in his mental and physical state. He started to groom himself again. He looked and appeared more at ease now and his muscle tightness improved. This was followed eight months later by Aurum metallicum when irregular heart beat and fleeting joint pains reminiscent of those that remained after his childhood rheumatic fever reappeared. Could the old streptococcal infection be kept in place to protect against cell-death caused by mercury as Dr Dietrich Klinghardt theorised?
After two-and-a-half years into homeopathic treatment and mercury detox protocol, Bill was taking daily doses of Q-potencies of Natrum muriaticum, Aurum and Carcinosinum in alternation. This was joined by Hepar sulphuricum, Dr Samuel Hahnemann’s great mercury antidote, given in low decimal potency, after he noticed that nightly leg pains, salivation and drooling, night sweats appeared. Since these are strong mercury symptoms he had to make an adjustment in his mercury detox protocol, while reducing the speed of his chelation. He reduced the amount of cilantro taken to one-half teaspoon per day. Over the next six months, the above remedies along with the mercury detox regimen completed the recovery. By January 2004, he was free from neurological symptoms. There has not been a recurrence of the symptoms since.
It takes a minimum of three years to detox mercury and a minimum of 4-5 years when it is the cause of a neurological disorder. In this case the homeopathic treatment resolved the condition before the mercury was completely removed. I would have, however, preferred for Bill to remain in treatment and doing mercury chelation for at least another 18 months.
