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Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics
by E. B. NASH

Presented by Médi-T

   

ALUMEN.

In typhoid hæmorrhages from the bowels. It is an excellent remedy and the stools are of dark clotted blood, in large quantities. It is also excellent for relaxed uvula in sore throat.

   

STICTA PULMONARIA.

Heavy full feeling, and pain and pressure forehead and root of the nose > by discharge.

Secretions in the nose dry up and form crusts; constant inclination to blow the nose, without result, on account of the excessive dryness.

Dry night cough; can't sleep or lie down; must sit up; cough after measles (Coff.).

* * * * *

This remedy, although never anywhere fully proven, has come to be a very useful one. In acute catarrh it is one of the best.

Its characteristic symptom here is heavy pain and pressure in the forehead and root of the nose. This is in the beginning of a cold; when the nose begins to discharge freely the pain ceases or becomes much less. It is also a great value in the form of nasal catarrh, if when the discharges dry up there is this same pain in forehead and frontal sinuses. In these cases the nasal secretions incline to dry up and are hard to discharge, but the irritation is so great that there is a constant inclination to blow the nose, with little result. These secretions become so hard and dry as to form scabby concretions. This condition is next door to the plugs and clinkers of Kali bichromicum, which often go on to ulceration of the septum. I have relieved many cases of chronic catarrh with Sticta; some of years' standing.

You will remember that Kali bichromicum also has a severe frontal headache at the root of the nose, especially from suppressed catarrh, so that all the other symptoms must be considered in choosing between them. The other remedies that resemble Sticta in the acute form of catarrh are Aconite, Ammonium carb., Camphor, Nux vomica and Sambucus, and in the chronic form Ammonium carb. and Lycopodium.

There is never with Sticta the watery or fluent form of coryza, such as calls for Euphrasia, Mercurius, Arsenicum and Kali hydroiodicum. Nor have I ever found it of use in the thick, bland kind of discharge that calls for Pulsatilla, Sepia and Kali sulphuricum. Sticta is also one of our cough remedies and one of the best indications for its use, especially in acute cough, is the aforementioned nasal catarrh attending it. The Sticta cough is also worse at night when lying down and keeps the patient awake, though I do not think the wakefulness is entirely owing to the cough, but that a nervous condition which also comes under the curative range of Sticta contributes to it.

This remedy is one of the best for the obstinacy of cough attending or following measles, and here we remember that sleeplessness is a frequent concomitant. In this respect Sticta is like Coffea cruda, which is wonderfully efficacious here. The cough of Sticta is at fist dry, but later on may become loose; hence it is often found of use in the incessant, racking, wearing coughs of consumptives. In hay fever it is the remedy when the trouble centres in the head and frontal sinuses; the nose is completely plugged up, though there is continual sneezing.

I have found Sticta promptly curative in inflammatory rheumatism of the knee joint. It is very sudden in its attacks and unless promptly relieved by Sticta will go on to the exudative stage and become chronic in character. In one case the pain was so severe that the patient, though a strong, resolute man, became delirious with the pain. Sticta relieved and completely cured him, so that he was able to attend to his business (teamster) within a week. Sticta deserves a thorough proving. There is a nervous symptom that has been several times verified, viz. -"legs felt as if floating in the air, or she felt light and airy as if not resting on the bed." See Asarum and Valerian. Such sensations are often found in hysterical conditions and are very distressing.

   

RUMEX CRISPUS.

Violent incessant dry cough; worse on inhaling the least cold air; covers the mouth to keep the cold air out, with relief.

Brownish diarrhea, < in morning.

Intense itching of the skin when undressing to go to bed.

* * * * *

There are three localities in which this remedy acts very markedly, viz.: Respiratory organs, bowels and skin. "Violent, incessant cough, dry and fatiguing, with very little or no expectoration, aggravated by pressure, talking, and especially by inspiring cold air, and at night" (Dunham.) There is perhaps no remedy under which the sensibility of the mucous membranes of the larynx and trachea become more exalted than this one. The patient must cover up the head in bed in order to protect these membranes from contact with the air, which immediately excites cough. Several other remedies, like Phosphorus and Spongia, have cough aggravated by breathing cold air, but none so markedly as Rumex. Going from warm room into cool air and vice versa. Bryonia and Natrum carbonicum have the opposite. The tickling that excites the cough may locate in the throat-pit, supra-sternal fossa, or down behind the sternum to stomach, where is often added a sensation of soreness or rawness. (Caust.). Again we have found it efficacious in cough, with stitching pain through left lung just below left nipple. (Natrum sulph.).

The diarrhœa of Rumex is similar to that of Natrum sulph., Sulphur and Podophyllum, in that it occurs in the morning, but it is a brown diarrhœa and is apt to be accompanied with, or an accompaniment of, the cough. On the skin it cures an eruption which is characterized by intense itching when undressing to go to bed. This eruption may be vesicular, like army or prairie itch, or may look like simple urticaria. Itching on undressing is also found under Natrum sulphuricum and Oleander, but with Natrum this itching is apt to be found in connection with jaundice or malarial symptoms. If we should get intense itching over the body, which was aggravated by warmth, especially warmth of the bed, we would think of Mercurius solubilis or protoiodide.

   

ARUM TRIPHYLLUM.

Raw, red, bloody surface of lips, nose, buccal cavity; patients pick and bore into them incessantly, though they are so sore and painful.

Hoarseness, with changing voice when exciting it; from high to low and vice versa.

Discharges generally very acrid or corrosive; exceptionally bland.

* * * * *

This is a very unique remedy. I do not know of one that stands so far apart from any and all others, and its peculiar and characteristic symptoms are capable of such remarkable verification in different diseases as would, or ought to, convince the most skeptical of the truth of Similia Similibus Curantur, etc.

Hering's "Guiding Symptoms", gives it in the best rendering. Let us quote a few of the best symptoms: "Appearance of raw, bloody surface, on lips, buccal cavity, nose, etc." "Patients often pick and bore into the raw surfaces, though doing so gives great pain, and they scream with it but keep up the boring.". (Hellebor. nig.) There is also one other symptom not so well expressed in Hering, viz.: That these raw surfaces are very red, like a piece of fresh beefsteak in appearance. Notice that in Hering these symptoms of mouth, tongue and nose are given in connection with Scarlatina mainly. I want to say that they are also found in typhoid and typhus fevers. Whenever, in any disease, this red, raw condition of the mouth, nose and lips, at which the patient bores and picks, continually appears, give Arum triphyllum. Another important use of this remedy is in affections of the larynx and bronchia. Hoarseness or loss of voice, or voice uncontrollable; it breaks when trying to sing or speak in a high tone or key. This is often found in clergyman's sore throat, or in operatic singers. Aggravation of hoarseness from singing is also found under Argentum nitricum, Arnica, Selenium, Phosphorus and Causticum.

   

ARNICA MONTANA.

Bruised, sore feeling all over; bed feels too hard.

Head, or head and face hot; body and extremities cold.

Ecchymoses; as from bruises.

Stupor; answers, then falls back into stupor (fevers).

Taste and eructations and stool like rotten eggs.

Recent and remote affections from injuries, especially contusions or blows.

Hæmorrhages, the result of mechanical injuries.

* * * * *

This is the leading remedy for bruises and the results therefrom, and the symptoms -"Weakness, weariness, sensation as of being bruised." "Felt as if bruised over the whole body," as found in the provings, explain the reason and the many cures it has made, even in the high and highest potencies, of both acute and chronic affections. The result of trauma is another evidence of the truth of our law of cure. One of the best characteristics is "Everything on which he lies seems too hard" (Pyrogen.); he must keep changing his position to get relief. This is because of the sensation of soreness as if bruised all over.

Baptisia has -"Feels as if lying on a board; changes position bed feels so hard, makes him feel sore and bruised."

Phytolacca has- "Feels sore all over from head to foot; muscles sore and stiff, can hardly move without groaning."

Rhus toxicod. has -"Soreness in every muscle, which passes of during exercise; feels stiff and sore on first beginning to move."

Ruta has -"All parts of the body on which he lies are painful as if bruised."

Here are five remedies which seem much alike, and other might be added, like Staphisagria, which has -All the limbs are sore as if bruised, and as if there were no strength in them, and

China -"He is sore all over, in the joints, the bones, and the periosteum, as if they had been sprained, like a drawing, tearing, especially in the spine, the sacrum, the knees and thighs." Now to know thus far of these remedies would be of little use for therapeutic purposes, for it would be senseless to prescribe all of these remedies mixed together, and full as much so to prescribe one of them to the exclusion of all the rest without a good reason for so doing. Fortunately there is always a possibility of making choice between them, but it is not always easy. Take, for instance, Arnica and Baptisia. Both have the symptom of sore bruised feeling. Both have feeling as if the bed were too hard. Both have stupor, from which they can be aroused, but fall quickly back into it again. Both have a dark streak running through the tongue.

Both have a deep red face, and all these similarities often occur in the course of a typhoid fever. How are we to choose between them? Look further. If in addition to these symptoms the patient "tosses about the bed, reaching here and there, and in his delirium complaining that he cannot get himself together." Baptisia is the remedy, or if the stool, urine and sweat are extremely offensive, it is Baptisia. If the stool and urine are passed unconsciously and there appear suggillations under the skin, Arnica is the remedy. Now here are only a few of the characteristic differences. There are others, and we must "watch out" for them. It is no harder to choose between these two remedies than it is to choose sometimes between Hyoscyamus and Opium in the same disease. Here is the place where the old physician might exhort the young as Paul did Timothy. "Study to show thyself approved, * * * a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the truth, etc." Such close prescribing is business of course, and is also successful. If I came to a case that had the bruised sensation very markedly in connection with a diphtheritic throat I would not give Arnica, because it does not have that kind of throat; but Phytolacca has, and it has one other symptom of Arnica, viz.: heat and redness of head and face, while the body and limbs are cool or cold.

I have met many such cases of diphtheria, and if prescribed early Phytolacca cures without the aid of any other remedy. Again if I found a patient with the sore, bruised sensation, who was brought into that condition by getting wet while perspiring, or by lying on damp ground, or between damp sheets, or from a strain of the muscles, Rhus toxicodendron would be the remedy.

If in cases of actual injury I should find the bruise in the periosteum or bone, I should expect more benefit from Ruta, which seems to be better also than Rhus tox. in one kind of muscular strain, viz., strain of the ciliary muscles. I have often relieved sewing girls or students of pains in the eyes from this cause and have sometimes enabled them to lay off the glasses that had been prescribed by the opticians. It is much better to use this remedy in a weakened power of accommodation than to try and compensate for it with artificial lenses. Of course where the impaired vision is purely optical this cannot be done.

So we might go on to draw the diagnostic symptoms between all the various remedies having a similar symptom if we had time and space. But it would not be the best thing to do, for every physician should get in the habit of doing this for himself.

In addition to all that has been said about the great value of the sore as if bruised sensation of this remedy, it should always be remembered in affections, acute or chronic, which are the result of trauma. Among these are concussion; fracture of the skull with compression of the brain; headaches of long standing; meningitis: apoplexy; inflammation of the eyes with suggillations, or even retinal hæmorrhages, where it expedites the absorption of the blood clots, deafness, epistaxis, newly filled teeth, affections from blows on stomach or other viscera. I once cured a man who had suffered from what he and his physician had called dyspepsia for several years. He had been obliged to give up his business because he could not eat enough to support his strength. He had been told by his physician that he would never be well again and had given up hopes himself. This condition was caused by the kick of a horse upon the region of the stomach. A few doses of Arnica 200th cured him in a short time and he resumed his business. Now I will conclude Arnica with a few characteristics that are genuine, and have been, with me, of inestimable value.

"Stupor with involuntary discharge of fæces and urine."

"Fears being struck or touched by those coming towards him."

"Putrid smell from the mouth."

"Offensive eructations or flatus, smelling like rotten eggs."

"Bruised sore feeling in uterine region, cannot walk erect."

"Soreness of parts after labor prevents hæmorrhages or pyæmia."

"Cough; child cries before paroxysms, as if sore."

"While answering falls into a deep stupor before finishing."

"Head alone, or face alone, hot, rest of body cool."

"Many small boils, painful, one after another, extremely sore."

"Prevents suppuration and septicæmia and promotes absorption."

Arnica, although an old remedy, is not so often used as it should be in general practice.

   

HAMAMELIS VIRGINICA.

Venous hæmorrhages (very dark and clotted); veins full, enlarged and sore to touch.

* * * * *

Hamamelis Virginica is another remedy having the symptom "soreness as if bruised" in a marked degree, and which I did not mention when writing of Arnica. This soreness is sometimes found in rheumatism and Hamamelis has cured when Arnica failed. But one of the chief distinctions between these two remedies is that Arnica acts more upon the capillaries, causing their relaxation, whereby suggillations take place, while Hamamelis acts more upon the veins, which are very full, enlarged and sore. One author says:

"It is the Aconite of the veins."

From clinical use we know enough of the remedy to value it highly in varicosities of almost all kinds. (Fluoric acid.) It is here a powerful rival of Pulsatilla, but except the soreness of the veins we do not know of guiding symptoms for its use.

It has produced, in provings, severe hæmorrhages, and clinical use has defined the bleeding to be of very dark clotted, venous blood. There is no doubt of its power over such hæmorrhages, whether occurring from the nose, bowels, uterus, lungs or bladder. I have used it in every place with satisfaction. It is not a powerful poison and can be used low without bad effects. One of its best uses is in orchitis and inflammation of the spermatic veins, the provings markedly indicating its homœopathicity here. In hæmorrhages from the anus, whether from piles or typhoid fever, if the blood is of the above described appearance, Hamamelis is excellent.

Like Arnica and Calendula, Hamamelis has often seemed to act well as a local application. I am not in favor, generally, of using remedies in this way, unless it be for external injuries, which are not diseases.

   

COLOCYNTHIS.

Disinclined to talk, to see friends, impatient, easily offended, danger within indignation; colic or other complaints as a consequence.

Colic, terrible; they seek relief by bending double or pressing something hard against the abdomen.

Dysentery-like diarrhœa; renewed after least food or drink, often with the characteristic colic pains.

Frequent urging to urinate, scanty; urine sometimes thick, fœtid, viscid, jelly-like.

Crampy pain in sciatic nerve, from hip down posterior portion of thigh; > from hard pressure and from heat; < in repose, driving patient desperate.

Tendency to painful cramps, with all pains.

Modalities: < evening, anger; after eating; > from coffee, bending double and hard pressure.

* * * * *

No remedy produces more severe colic than this one, and no remedy cures more promptly.

Dr. T. L. Brown once said to me in substance: If I was disposed to be skeptical as to the power of the small dose to cure, Colocynthis would convince me, for I have so promptly cured severe colic in many cases, from a child to adults, and even in horses. Of course, every true Homœopath can respond amen to that.

The colic of Colocynthis is terrible, and is only bearable by bending double, or pressing something hard against the abdomen. He leans over chairs, the table or bed posts to get relief. This colic is neuralgic in character, and is often attended with vomiting and diarrhœa, which seems to be a result of the great pain more than any particular derangement of the stomach or bowels. We often find it in connection with dysentery. My experience has been that it does not, as a rule, occur in the first stage of the disease, but later, when the disease has not been fully controlled by Aconite, Mercurius, Nux vomica and that class of remedies, but has extended upward to the small intestines. The pains are of a crampy nature. The remedy that comes nearest to Colocynth for colic is Magnesia phosphorica especially in colic in children. They both have the cramping pains, but the pains of Magnesia phos. are most relieved by hot applications like Arsenicum. Both Colocynth and Magnesia phos. are also equally efficacious for neuralgic affections in other localities, for instance, in sciatica and prosopalgia, and even uterine colic of a neuralgic nature, though in this latter affection Magnesia phos. leads. Remember the modalities, for upon the individualization depends the choice between them. Chamomilla and Colocynth resemble each other, in that both have colic from a fit of anger or other neuralgic affections from the same cause. Chamomilla succeeds in the colic of children, if there is much wind which distends the abdomen; the child tosses about in agony, but does not double up like Colocynth. Other symptoms often come in of course and help to choose between them. If both fail I have succeeded with Magnesia phos. Staphisagria is also a remedy for colicky children, with disposition like Colocynth and Chamomilla. In such children the teeth grow black and decay early. Again the Staphisagria child is often troubled with sore eyelids. In such a case there is chronic tendency to colic and Staphisagria is sometimes the only remedy. Veratrum album also has colic, bending the patient double, similar to Colocynth, but the patient walks about for relief, or is much prostrated and has cold sweats, especially on the forehead. Bovista has colic relieved by bending double, after eating.

Dioscorea is a good remedy for wind Colic. The Pain begins right at the umbilicus, and then radiates all over the abdomen, and even to extremities (Plumbum, with walls retracted), and, unlike Colocynth, the pain is aggravated by bending forward and relieved by straightening the body out. Stannum is a colic remedy, and the only way the child is relieved is by being carried with the abdomen on the mother's shoulder. I have cured a case of this kind. It was a very obstinate case of long standing in a weakly child. The usual remedies had signally failed. Jalapa cured one of the most obstinate cases of long standing that I ever saw, the child crying almost continually day and night for weeks. There was in this case diarrhœa all the time. Both colic and diarrhœa were very quickly cured. I have lengthened out these indications for colic remedies in connection with Colocynth because there is great temptation, especially with young physicians, to give "paregoric," soothing syrups, etc., because it is not always easy to find the homœopathic remedy. I never have to do it, and I cure my cases. Of course there are many other remedies for the same trouble, and all have their particular guiding symptoms.

Colocynth not only cures neuralgic affections originating in the abdominal region, but has been very efficacious in facial and sciatic neuralgia. The pains in these localities, like those in the abdomen, are of a decidedly crampy nature. Here also Magnesia phos. often disputes place with Colocynth, in the fact of its also having characteristically the same kind of pains. The relief from heat, although found under both remedies, is most marked under Magnesia phos. In sciatica, the pain of Colocynth extends from the hip down the posterior portion of the thigh into the popliteal fossa (> lying on painful side, Bryonia). Phytolacca, the pains run down the outer side of the thigh. These two remedies, with Gnaphalium, are the leading remedies for the treatment of this most distressing malady. But of course other remedies often have to be given, and the indications are sometimes found outside of the local trouble, as they are in many other diseases. One of the worst cases of sciatica I ever saw was cured with Arsenicum album, on the indications, worse at midnight, especially from 1 to 3 o'clock; burning pains; and the only temporary relief during the paroxysms, was from bags of hot, dry salt applied to the painful part.

The lady was a sister of Charles Saunders, of New York, of school reader fame, who was himself a cripple from allopathically treated sciatica. She, after suffering indescribable agony for six weeks, was cured rapidly and permanently with a dose of Jenichen's 8m of Arsenicum album. So we see again that no remedy and no particular set of remedies can be entirely relied upon, but the indicated one can. These are the chief uses of Colocynth.

   

PETROLEUM.

Eczemas, on scalp, behind ears, scrotum, anus, hands, feet, legs; hands chap and bleed; all < in winter; get better in summer.

Diarrhœa preceded by colic, only in the day-time.

Headache, or heaviness like lead in the occiput; sometimes with nausea on vomiting; < by motion, as in riding in boat or carriage.

* * * * *

One of our best anti-psoric remedies. The eruptions that it causes and cures are very similar in appearance to those of Graphites. They appear on different parts of the body, as scalp, behind ears, on scrotum, female genitals, hands, feet and legs, etc.

There is one very marked characteristic symptom that guides to this remedy out of a large list having similar eruptions, and that is that the eruption is worse during the winter season (Aloe, Alumina, Psorinum). There is no other remedy that has this so prominently. The hands chap, crack and bleed, and are all covered with eczema during the winter and get well in summer. I hake cured a case of eczema of the lower legs of twenty years' standing, always worse in winter, with one prescription of the 200th. I have cured chapped hands the same way. I once had a very obstinate case of chronic diarrhœa, but as soon as the fact that he had eczema of the hands in winter came to light I cured him quickly of the whole trouble with Petroleum 200th. Chilblains (Agaricus), which are moist, and itch and burn much in cold weather, are also cured by it. Petroleum; also has a symptom similar to Hepar sulphuris, viz., the slightest scratch of abrasion of the skin suppurates. You remember that Hepar sulphuris is also worse in cold weather or cold air. Petroleum has headache in the occiput, which is as heavy as lead, also vertigo in the occiput.

Again, Petroleum is one of our best remedies for seasickness. In this it resembles Cocculus. Another curious symptom is cracking of the joints. This is like Causticum. Both of these remedies are valuable in chronic rheumatism, especially where this symptom is present. Petroleum has, with Chelidonium and Anacardium, a symptom, pain in stomach, relieved by eating. Again it is valuable in diarrhœa and dysentery, which is worse during the day. Petroleum deserves to be classed with the leading anti-psorics, such as Sulphur, Graphites, Causticum and Lycopodium.

   

HYDRASTIS CANADENSIS.

Pain and very weak, faint, gone feeling in stomach, which is sometimes actually sunken.

Affections of the mucous membranes, where there is viscid stringy discharge; stomach, bronchi, uterus, etc.

Chronic constipation, that is remarkable for its absence of any other symptoms.

* * * * *

This is more celebrated remedy with the eclectics than with us. They especially value it for what they call its tonic properties and its specific action in the way of healing ulcerations in mucous membranes. We have also found it useful in such cases, but we have more decided indications for its use. For instance, in stomach troubles, where they attribute it curative powers to its tonic properties, we find it especially valuable only when we have this symptom present: "Dull aching pain in stomach which causes a very weak, faint, gone feeling in the epigastrium." The stomach is sometimes actually sunken (objectively). There are two other remedies that have this symptom to a degree almost equal, viz., Sepia and Ignatia, but Sepia is generally in connection with uterine affections while Ignatia is purely nervous. Hydrastis is a good remedy for chronic constipation. E. M. Hale taught that it must be used in tincture or very low dilution. I have found it most efficacious in the 200th. (B. & T.). I once cured a case that was of years' standing, had worn cathartics out, and all the way she could live (her words) was to swallow a spoonful of whole flaxseed with every meal. I have used it in infantile constipation successfully, and it is almost useful when all other symptoms aside from the constipation are conspicuous for their absence. Again, Hydrastis is indicated in affections of mucous membranes where there is a viscid stringy discharge. This is like Kali bichromicum, but the other symptoms of these two remedies are not much alike.

Chronic bronchitis of old debilitated people is sometimes greatly relieved by it; also leucorrhœa, with the stringy discharge as above described.

   

CAMPHOR.

Great coldness of the external surface, with sudden and complete prostration of the vital force; collapse.

The patient objects to being covered, notwithstanding the objective coldness; throws off all the covering.

Pains disappear when thinking of them; exceedingly sensitive to cold air.

* * * * *

The great characteristic around which the whole action of Camphor seems to revolve is: "Great coldness of the external surface, with sudden and complete prostration of the vital forces." It is no wonder Hahnemann headed his trio (Camphor, Cuprum and Hellebore) of cholera remedies with Camphor. If we were to sum up the same condition in one word it would be collapse. No remedy comes nearer to Camphor than the last of the trio, viz., Veratrum album, but Camphor has the collapse with painless stool or even no stool at all, while Veratrum has the collapse seemingly as a consequence of the very profuse evacuations of stomach and bowels. Both have great external coldness, but Veratrum has a very marked appearance of cold sweat upon the hippocratic face, especially forehead. Cuprum leads the trio, when the cramp in stomach and extremities is the most prominent symptom. These remedies are indicated when these characteristic symptoms appear, not only in cholera, but in any disease. There is one peculiarity in the coldness of Camphor, viz., the patient will not be covered, or objects to it, no matter how objectively cold he is. Secale coldness or collapse is exactly like this, and even in gangrena senilis it proves a great remedy on the same indications. The signal success of Dr. Rubini, of Naples, in treating five hundred and ninety-two cases of cholera with Camphor verified the prediction of Hahnemann beyond question.

Collapse with cold surface and aversion to heat may come on in retrocedent exanthema, or in the later stage of so-called cholera infantum, in pneumonia, or capillary bronchitis, from exposure to intense cold or traumatic shock. Indeed it does not matter from what cause except death. Camphor is the first remedy to be thought of, and according to susceptibility or strength of the patient the dose must be varied from tincture to highest potency.

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