Authors: Hans Werner, Elke E. von Laue, Hans Broder von Laue

Original title: Die Krankenbiographie als diagnostisches und therapeutisches Element. Der Merkurstab 1995; 48:177-92.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14271/DMS-16695-DE
English by J. Collis, MIL.
This translation is published with the kind permission of the journal Der Merkurstab.

JAM Vol. 12(3), 1995

Introduction
Cancer is a disease of the present time. It creates an atmosphere of fear that makes specific demands on patients, their environment and care providers. Physically it causes chaos in the morphology. As far as vitality is concerned it manifests as unchecked cell growth. Psychologically it opens the door to fears and feelings of hatred. Spiritually it can be a consequence of lacking self-development and failure to shape one's biography. The latter does not apply to childhood malignancies. Although cancer follows certain patterns, the course it takes is as individual as any human biography.

Physicians have to regard cure as the goal of treatment even when the stage the disease has reached takes them to the limit of their courage. The more they feel that their courage and will to heal can be effective even beyond death, the more will they be able to help. To assess the efficacy of treatment as a whole it can be useful to make a prognosis based on the patient's clinical condition and state of mind before treatment begins. During treatment the prognosis and actual progress of the patient are regularly compared.

A number of organism- and tumor-specific parameters have to be considered for assessment of results. For the purposes of this paper the patient's general health and temperature will be the organism-specific parameter, and the growth rate of pulmonary metastases the tumor-specific parameter. We are aware a more differentiated approach may be used but have limited ourselves to these two for the purposes of this paper. The diagnostic and clinical value of eurythmy therapy given at intervals during the whole course of the illness is also considered.

A biography takes shape in time as it unfolds between birth and death. The resulting shape is not an object to be discerned with the senses. It develops over time and arises from the qualities of time - past, present and future. A biography can only be seen inwardly as the panorama of a life if we concentrate on crystallizing out the sequence of experiences and events. From prenatal obscurity every individual brings gifts that may hinder or help. Through a series of metamorphoses governed by specific laws, physical organs as well as mental and spiritual faculties are developed as these gifts interact with external circumstances and events. Capabilities can be used to shape one's sphere of life and to realize ideals and aims. Every human biography is unique since the variety of given and added inner and outer possibilities is so enormous that no life is the same. Yet every biography is founded on a generally valid human blueprint that is modified by personal and suprapersonal influences.

An attitude of reverent reserve and the greatest tact are prerequisites for working with the biography of a sick individual. With practice we can develop faculties that allow us to discern more and more clearly the many and varied interconnections and developments in a life. Understanding what has led to the present life situation of the individual we may be able to draw conclusions as to what might "turn the situation round" in the future. Below, an attempt is made to demonstrate the possibilities that arise out of working with a patient's medical biography. The patient gave her consent.

Citation: Werner, H., & Von Laue, E. E. (1995). A patient’s biography as an aid to diagnosis and therapy (J. Collis, Trans.). Journal of Anthroposophic Medicine, 12(3), 57–75.