Practice tip:
Bryonia for influenza-like infections 2020, 6th calendar week
By Ulrich Welte
After the "winter" passed without incident as far as influenza-like infections were concerned, for around two weeks and especially since this 6th calendar week an increased number of patients with influenza-like infections have presented in the practice for whom Phosphor seemed indicated, but it did not work. Various other remedies also had no convincing effects, until in the last few days clear, rapid and convincing help with Bryonia was seen in around 6–8 patients. We publish this information with reservation because the number of cases is still small, but on the other hand the remedy was so clearly better than others that we are reporting promptly.
A clear criterion for the remedy is a gradual onset, then progressively becoming more ill, and then a tendency to relapse after an apparent improvement, with renewed high fever and violent cough (thus quite different from the suddenly onset Belladonna or Aconit infections; Bryonia has a rather "typhoid", slower and often biphasic or multipart course). The typical Bryonia constitution also appears: a surly, dismissive behaviour that prefers to turn away, avert its face and does not want to communicate, preferring to be left alone and to silence or treat others with contempt. So they do not show their friendliest side, although the patients are otherwise quite communicative and keen to work.
Case example
A patient, very family-oriented and hardworking, has been ill for two weeks and has been confined to bed for one week with just under 40°C fever, cough and a large cold sore on the lip, inflamed gums and a swollen face, and, contrary to her usually friendly nature, is dismissive; she only wants to be left alone and turns away when someone enters the room. A short-term improvement seemed to occur, which immediately relapsed when she tried to do some work at home. After two weeks the condition was worse than before, and a certain resignation set in. Remedies given up to then were ineffective (Phosphor, Ranunculus bulbosus, Muriaticum acidum and Borax, which she accidentally took instead of the recommended Bryonia). After Bryonia 1000 in the evening she slept well, woke refreshed in the morning, her face was less swollen, the cough was almost gone, only very slightly sniffly but no fever anymore, and above all she was transformed: her old laugh and former cheerfulness were back, and off she went to work. The overall impression improved astonishingly quickly, because this change occurred within one night and she is completely herself again.
The other patients had taken Bryonia D12, 3–4 times daily, also with rapid effect within one night, some having been ill for two weeks with no signs of improvement.
Polarity analysis according to Bönninghausen/Frei: the contraindication of Bry (shaded grey) led to the administration of Phos, but here it probably misled: the patient normally has a very strong desire for fresh air, but she was not asked whether this also applied in the acute case and probably named her otherwise strongly pronounced modality.
