(first published here for PAID subscribers in September 2023)
CHOKING COUGH with gagging, retching, and vomiting of stringy white mucous since five days with 39° fever in a 10 month old, breast fed, baby boy.
First appointment March 2018, Western Australia.
Possible causation Air travel.
Modalities <Lying flat; 8-9pm; First thing in the morning. >Outside.
Extension to other parts Obstructed nose with rumbling sound which worsens when crying and coughing. Aversion to solid foods since cough developed.
Medications and vaccinations Nil.
Other Sudden fiery red cervical rash at 7moths of age when fish was introduced.
Diseases in the family Paternal – Asthma.
Mental and emotional symptoms A happy baby who loves to interact, play, & chat.
Conclusion A strong paternal history of asthma combined with birth by caesarean – which is known to delay or impair foetal lung fluid clearance1 - appears to have set up increased susceptibility to respiratory complaints in this wee boy,2 which, after travel by plane, resulted in development of a choking cough. This may be further understood when we consider the lungs as critical to countering and balancing the physiological responses induced by exposure to high altitude.3
Repertorization of symptoms
Figure 1 repertorization Vithoulkas Compass, 20234
Differentiation of remedies
COCCUS CACTI Paroxysmal coughs associated with retching or vomiting producing a thick, ropy mucous <6am or 1130pm. Choking cough. > open air.5
KALI BICHROMATUM Ropy, tenacious, gelatinous, copious, long, stringy yellow or yellowish-green expectoration.6
Remedy Coccus cacti (Dactylopius coccus. Cochineal bug.)7
Potency 200C
Regimen One dose to begin.
Characteristic symptoms “…striking, singular, uncommon and peculiar signs and symptoms… chiefly and solely to be kept in view; for it is more particularly these that very similar ones in the list of symptoms of the selected medicine must correspond to…” (Hahnemann’s aphorism §153),8 were the focus for this prescription.
Dactylopius coccus (the cochineal bug) infects cacti, mainly Opuntia ficus-indica the prickly pear cactus. The homeopathic medicine Coccus cacti is prepared from a trituration of dried female insects, whose exudate is used to make carmine, a beautiful and once highly prized dye. 9
Reaction Mum followed up the next day ’he instantly threw up a whole lot of phlegm and has not vomited since.' His fever had broken, and 'a slight random chesty cough' resulting in ‘crying but no retching, gagging, or vomiting mucous’ remained – a clear and quick initial aggravation of the main physical complaint resulting in amelioration.10
For your interest, over the ensuing five years’ this boy has received Tub., chronic nocturnal cough with destructive behaviours (June 2019; 2021), Puls., lingering morning cough with weeping (Aug 2019) and Calc carb., for lack of confidence and strong, overwhelming fears (2022; 2023).
Multiple peer-reviewed studies of homeopathy and Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI) associated symptoms of cough, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, otitis media, acute sinusitis, etc., find positive overall results with faster resolution, reduced use of antibiotics, and possible prophylactic and longer-term benefits.11
In primary care, homeopathic treatment for acute respiratory and ear complaints has been shown as not inferior to conventional treatment,12 however Cochrane Review finds no evidence to support the efficacy of homeopathic medicinal products in acute paediatric respiratory tract infections.13
Figure 2 Homeopathic and conventional treatment for acute respiratory and ear complaints: a comparative study on outcome in the primary care setting14
‘‘In contrast to frequent claims, the available Meta Analyses of homoeopathy in placebo-controlled randomised trials for any indication show significant positive effects beyond placebo. Compared to other medical interventions, the quality of evidence for efficacy of homoeopathy was similar or higher than for 90% of interventions across medicine. Accordingly, the efficacy evidence from placebo-controlled randomised trials provides no justification for regulatory or political actions against homoeopathy in health-care systems.’’15
Khasawneh et al., 2020. The impact of cesarean section on neonatal outcomes at a university-based tertiary hospital in Jordan. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. Jun 1;20(1):335. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32487165/
Vithoulkas, G. 2017. Levels of Health, The second volume of the Science of Homeopathy, revised edition. Alonissos: International Academy of Classical Homeopathy.
Ahmad et al., 2015. The proteome of Hypobaric Induced Hypoxic Lung: Insights from Temporal Proteomic Profiling for Biomarker Discovery. Scientific Reports. May 29;5:10681. Erratum in: Sci Rep. 2022 Feb 1;12(1):1981. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26022216/
Vithoulkas Compass, 2023. Vithoulkas Compass Homeopathy Software [computer program]. Greece.
Morrison, R. 1993. Desktop Guide to Keynotes and Confirmatory Symptoms. Grass Valley. Hahnemann Clinic Publishing.
Vithoulkas, G. 2021. Materia Medica Viva: Volume 13. Alonissos, Greece, International Academy of Classical Homeopathy.
Vermeulen, F. 2011. Concordant Reference - Complete Classic Materia Medica. Assesse, Belgium. B.Jain Archibel s.p.r.l.
Hahnemann, S. 2005. Organon of Medicine. Sixth edition. Translated from German by W. Boericke. New Delhi. Indian Books & Periodicals Publishers. (Originally published in 1842).
Clarke. Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica.
Vithoulkas, G. 2017. Levels of Health, The second volume of the Science of Homeopathy, revised edition. Alonissos: International Academy of Classical Homeopathy.
Fixsen A. 2018. Homeopathy in the Age of Antimicrobial Resistance: Is It a Viable Treatment for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections? Homeopathy. May;107(2):99-114. Feb 5. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29767829/
Haidvogl et al., 2007. Homeopathic and conventional treatment for acute respiratory and ear complaints: a comparative study on outcome in the primary care setting. BMC Complement Altern Med. Mar 2;7:7. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17335565/
Hawke et al., 2022. Homeopathic medicinal products for preventing and treating acute respiratory tract infections in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Dec 13;12(12):CD005974. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36511520/
Haidvogl et al., 2007. Homeopathic and conventional treatment for acute respiratory and ear complaints: a comparative study on outcome in the primary care setting. BMC Complement Altern Med. Mar 2;7:7. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17335565/
Hamre et al., 2023. Efficacy of homoeopathic treatment: Systematic review of meta-analyses of randomised placebo-controlled homoeopathy trials for any indication. Systematic Rev. Oct 7;12(1):191. https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-023-02313-2#Abs1)