Tuesday, March 27, 2018

A wonderful case of Post-partum Melancholia - Dr. E. W. BERRIDGE, M. D.

—June 26th, 1878.
—Mrs. was delivered of her third child three months ago; was much worried, and had extra labor a month before the event, and felt worried afterward. After delivery had strange fancies, e. g., that the nurse's face was powdered; much excitement; milk ceased in fourteen days; was sleepless; felt that her Lead was enlarged and that she was too tall or too short; with intolerance of noise. She took from an allopath, Sal Volatile, Valeria, Lavender, Chloroform, and Bromide of Potash.
This treatment removed the intolerance of noise, but left the following symptoms, which the doctor says will disappear in the course of time; but with this comforting assurance, she is not satisfied.
Present state : feels indifferent to things, even to her children; indifferent to pleasant things, but alive to disagreeable ; sits without thinking or doing anything ; hopeless of recovery ; desire for solitude ; more cheerful after meals ; intense longing to get out of her mental state, of which she is quite conscious ; weeps at times, but it does not relieve her ; forgets the word she is going to use, and what she is about to do ; desire to die ; restlessness, only to the house as if she must walk about ; confusion of head if she thinks much about her household duties. Ever since confinement, feeling of want of faith in Providence; took the last dose of the Bromide and Chloroform tins morning. Diagnosis of Remedy.—Taking as the starting point the " more, striking, singular, uncommon and peculiar (characteristic) " symptom of the relief of the mental symptoms from food. I found that Sulph. has " weeping relieved by eating and as it corresponded well with the other symptoms, I gave one dose of Sulph., D. M. (Skinner s F. C).
28th. Reports not so well; increased restlessness, and greater aversion to doing any work, but has slept as well since leaving off the sedative as before. This latter feature convinced me that the increase of symptoms was an aggravation from the Sulph. and not the effect of stopping the allopathic treatment. No medicine.
July 5th. Reports that she feels much better; not so restless. No medicine.
July 10th. Has had more restlessness and despondency, but is much better today.
Sept, 30th. Her husband reports that she has remained well
ever since.

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