In the 19th Annual Session of the International Hahnemannian Association, held at Atlantic City, N.J., USA, from June 14-16, 1898, Dr. Cyrus Maxwell Boger shared a compelling clinical experience that highlighted both the life-saving power of homeopathy and the immense contribution of Dr. Constantine Hering in developing the remedy Lachesis mutus.
Dr. Boger, in his address, paid tribute to Hering, acknowledging his pioneering work in homeopathy and his immense contribution to the development of Lachesis:
“There is not a man in the world that has done more in developing Lachesis than Dr. Constantine Hering, and I think he deserves a monument by the side of Hahnemann’s at Washington for bringing out this wonderful remedy.”
He then narrated a deeply personal case that tested his skills not just as a physician but as a father. His two-year-old child was struck with acute capillary bronchitis, a grave condition in young children. Despite his knowledge and efforts, the case continued to deteriorate:
“One of my children when two years old was attacked with acute capillary bronchitis.
We all recognize the great gravity of such cases in very young children, besides she was extremely backward in development, and the case went from bad to worse.
I did not seem able to control it for some reason or other.”
The child’s condition worsened, leaving Dr. Boger in despair. His wife, driven by deep religious faith, insisted that their child be baptized before her possible demise. A minister was called, and the ceremony was performed.
Then, in an almost fateful moment of realization, Dr. Boger observed a key symptom that led him to the correct remedy:
“I could not see why, until finally my wife who has a religious conviction that children ought to be baptized before they die, insisted upon sending for the minister, and he baptized the baby.
That evening Lachesis was indicated for her case; she began to try to pull the collar away from her throat, her face being blue; the respirations were exceedingly rapid.”
Recognizing the classical symptoms of Lachesis—aggravation from constriction, cyanosis, and rapid breathing—he administered the remedy. The transformation was miraculous.
The next morning, Dr. Boger met the minister in town and inquired why he had left so quickly after the baptism. The minister candidly admitted:
The next morning I met our minister down town and questioned him as to why he left the house so quickly.
He said “Doctor, to be candid with you, I was afraid that child would die before I left the room.”
Yet, she recovered.
This case, shared at the IHA session of 1898, remains a powerful testament to the precision of homeopathy, the importance of careful observation, and the immeasurable contribution of Dr. Constantine Hering in expanding the materia medica. It serves as an inspiration for every homeopath to trust the principles laid down by the masters and to always be guided by the symptoms, even in the face of personal despair.
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