Hahnemann received in his office on one occasion a patient who complained of some symptoms about the genital organs, which were, to say the least, suspicious. There was a thick purulent discharge from the urethra, with burning on urinating. There was also small pimples, attended with itching, about the glans penis, and some swelling of the parts. Hahnemann charged his patient with having contracted gonorrhoea. This was strongly denied by the patient, who, was a theological student. Hahnemann determined to give the young man no medicine, and directed him to report in 3 days. At the end of that time he came back well, Hahnemann was puzzled. He questioned the patient closely, but found no cause. Then the young gentleman remembered that as he walk through a garden a few days before he picked some leaves of the arbor vitae and chewed them. This led Hahnemann to investigate the properties of Thuja.
