This report concerns a 54-year-old woman. with a ten-week history of a pustular edematous skin condition of the extremities. Her case was presented at the January symposium, and the story exemplifies the approach toward rehabilitation of the body that might be taken if both physician and patient are mentally structured in a constructive manner and cooperative toward a healing regimen.
This woman had been treated unsuccessfully with penicillin and hydrocortisone cream prior to her being seen by a member of the Cooperating Doctors’ Program. Subjective symptoms at the time of examination included severe pruritus, especially of both feet and hands, severe pain on walking, probably secondary to lesions on the feet, complaint of cold areas, rather hypersensitive to temperature changes, especially on both feet. On physical examination, it was noted that 65 % of the left foot was cyanotic superficially; the skin was edematous from approximately the medial malleolus including the entire anterior section of the left foot. In addition, the foot was covered with pustular lesions ranging in size from one centimeter to three centimeters in diameter. Numerous areas over her body, especially on the hands and feet, were noted to have marks of irritation probably secondary to the pruritic nature of the lesions.
The patient was placed on the general basic diet, given mullein tea twice daily, given weekly colonics and a massage of half peanut oil and half olive oil twice weekly. Ray’s Ointment was applied to all the lesions twice during the day. In the evening and morning, bands and feet were soaked in epsom salts baths followed by castor oil packs with heat, and the castor oil packs remained on throughout the night.
The patient’s foot was markedly less edematous and cyanotic on her next visit, one week later. There was a remarkable absence of any pustular or prurient lesions on the hands and feet, and the pruritus had subsided substantially. The patient was told to continue with the previous recommendations.
She was again seen six days later, at which time her improvement was subjectively estimated at 90%. At this time, her left foot was mildly cyanotic in only 30 % of the area which had previously been affected. All pustular lesions were gone. Her hands had improved remarkably, and the dermatitis that was generalized previous to this had now been reduced to a few sparse areas of only a few square centimeters on the thighs and arms.
[† May, 1974, Volume 9, No. 3, page 125, Copyright © 1974 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation, Virginia Beach, VA.]
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