Sherrie now had "a real appetite" instead of sporadic urges. She no longer experienced "that special taste for pickles." Sherrie needed two doses of the Veratrum over the next year and a half, then discontinued treatment because she felt well. She did not resume taking Ritalin. As her treatment progressed, Sherrie was able to notice whenever she felt even a little hyperactive and could stop it by telling herself to relax. Before beginning homeopathic treatment, Sherrie had been unable to notice or control her behavior patterns. Now she became fidgety only once in a while instead of all the time. When her voice became loud, she quieted down, which was also impossible in the past. "It's like somebody opened the curtains and let me see."

The Dijeridu Kid from Down Under
Angela's mother brought her to see us when she was twenty-two months old. The Australian family was visiting

the United States during Angela's father's didgeridoo concert tour. The didgeridoo is a rhythmic Aboriginal instrument. Angela had a red rash on her face. She had not gotten one good night's sleep (nor had her parents!) since birth. When her mother weaned her at seven months, Angela refused cow's milk. Angela had a pattern of waking in the middle of the night crying, distressed, and disoriented. Her parents tried to soothe her despair by letting her sleep with them; otherwise she woke repeatedly crying for her mother. She fought for hours against going to sleep. Her mother described her as being "in a frenzy every night." Angela's exhausted parents had even resorted unsuccessfully to giving their little darling sleeping pills.

Angela was extremely willful. It was extremely nerve wracking to travel with her, which was a conflict with her father's entertainment career. Angela screamed at the top of her lungs during most of our interview with her. She became inconsolable. Even when her mother offered her a bottle of her favorite juice, she refused. She had the habit of throwing herself on the floor when unhappy.

Angela loved people. She was a very lively baby and did not want to nap. She lived in a busy household where friends and family members were always coming and going. She had walked at nine months and ran at ten. She climbed fearlessly on anything within her reach. She loved playing with animals and putting on her mother's lipstick. When we inquired about Angela's musical affinity, her mother told us that as soon as the music came on, Angela squirmed and danced. Even at her very young age, she sat at the piano bench and tried to bang on the keys. She loved to play her father's guitar when he held her on his knee. Family friends often commented on the child's rhythmical talents.

Angela had been diagnosed with an unusual skin condition called dermatomyositis, which showed up as purplish, red, scarred areas on her fingers resembling tiny splinters.

We gave Angela one dose of homeopathic Tarentula.This medicine, made from the Spanish spider, is for overactive children who are extremely lively, love to be the center of attention, climb like little spiders, and love dancing and rhythmic music. They can have tantrums and fits and often have a mischievous, manipulative quality. It is understandable that Angela, raised in an environment of music and dance, needed this lively medicine. A wellrespected Italian homeopathic physician, Massimo Mangialavori, recounts a story of a small southern village in