4.7.5 Manganum sulphuricum, Case 1
A 50 year old woman complains of tiredness. She has been tired all her life. Two years ago she started to feel dizzy and she suffers from pain and stiffness in her knees for the last few months, worse from bending and stairs. Her neck is often stiff, with a feeling as if it is full of sand. She likes sleeping without a pillow. Her thyroid is a bit under-active.
She is married to a general practitioner. It had always been her dream to marry a doctor or a vicar so she could help him in his work. She feels she has done too much for him. She always fits in with what he wants to do. She feels he doesn’t want her, that he is ashamed of her because she doesn’t fit in with his circle of friends at the hockey club. She wonders what he gets up to with other women when he is with those friends. She wants everyone to like her when they go out together. But her clothes are different and she doesn’t like the superficial conversation of his circle of friends.
She is a biology teacher and likes to help people realise how they can keep the world looking beautiful. She also gives classes in overcoming fears of failure.
She wants to teach others how to promote themselves, but she has difficulty putting this into practice in her own life.
Her mother used to be rather protective; her father was never at home. Her mother helped her father with his career. When she was 9 months old they were sent to a Japanese prisoner of war camp and they often nearly starved. She wanted to get away, and cried when they were locked in after a walk.
She likes to go into depth when she talks to people. She is afraid of being abandoned and of violence in films.
She dreams of being on a journey and of marriage. She also dreamt about a group of people she had to protect; the group was being persecuted by enemies and she was busy trying to shake them off. In another dream she was pursued by a group of men to the edge of hell.
She eats a lot. An X-ray of her lungs showed she had sarcoidosis.
Analysis
She is married to a G.P., had always wanted to marry (Sulphur) someone from the helping professions (Manganum). Helping (Manganum) her partner (Sulphur) is the main theme and really tells us all: the remedy is Manganum sulphuricum.
She has given (Manganum) her husband (Sulphur) too much. Her mother used to help (Manganum) her father (Sulphur) to advance his career (Manganum).
Everybody has to like her (Sulphur) when she goes out with her husband.
Her clothes (Sulphur) are different from the norm (Iron series).
She wants to help (Manganum) people to keep things beautiful (Sulphur).
She gives classes (Manganum) in overcoming fear of failure (Iron series).
Other Manganum symptoms: tiredness, knee problems, < bending, stiff neck, dreams about a group she has to protect.
Sulphur symptoms: sensation of sand in her neck, fear of being abandoned, dreams about marriage, dreams about being pursued by men.
There are some indications that she might need Iodatum: thyroid problems, eating, concentration camp.
Reaction
The pains in her knee had disappeared by the next day. The dizziness also went away quite soon and the tiredness disappeared after an initial aggravation. For the first time in her life she feels completely fit and well. The sarcoidosis also disappeared. One year after she got the remedy she still feels fine and she looks radiant.