I now come in conclusion to a gratifying case, which I relate partly
because we make ourselves guilty of sins of omission in certain
instances through neglect of the needful investigation. A woman in her
twentieth year, quite healthy, had been delivered with forceps for the
first time two years before, nominally on account of deficient labor
pains. There was nothing unusual about the confinement. Immediately
after the first getting up, she began to have constant pain in the right
side of the uterine region, and soon a feeling "as if something would
fall out of the parts." The family physician paid no attention to these
persistent complaints for a whole year, until finally a constantly
increasing leucorrhoea demanded an examination. He now expressed
himself as unable to make a diagnosis alone, and the lady was referred
to a celebrated gynaecologist in Leipsic. Cauterizations were now
undergone at the professor's house at short intervals, and further
treatment of a similar character was to be carried out at the patient's
own house, which was, however, discontinued when the patient was
referred to me. Examination showed: metritis following upon
sub-involution of the uterus, anteversion with prolapsus of the whole
organ. Both uterine lips were swollen, and on examination with the
speculum a greenish-yellow discharge was seen to flow from the uterus.
All local treatment was discontinued, the woman received for the first
time in April, 1876, _Aur. mur. nat._, and in June, 1876, again became
pregnant; the treatment with gold was continued until the 8th month of
pregnancy, in consequence of which the uterus was found in its normal
position on examination twelve days after her safe confinement on March
30th. The menses, which up to this time had been very painful, returned
for the first time on the 25th of April, and were quite free from
suffering.
But now let us ask, whether we have in the salts of gold a simile for
the diseases of the female sexual organs under the comprehensive name of
chronic metritis. We find in the homoeopathic proving, inflammatory
affections of the internal organs; fainting depression and emaciation;
great anxiety, sadness, dizziness, whimsical mood, weariness of life,
morbid desires, and headache; nausea, vomiting; pressure in the gastric
region; cardialgia, contractive, drawing pains in the abdomen.
_Stitches in the left hypochondrium, pinching and burning in the right_,
the abdomen sensitive to touch, with distension; dull pains in the
abdomen; drawing and stinging in the whole abdomen; eruption of small
papules above the pubes; _decreased excretion of urine_, pressure on
urinating, burning on urinating; redness, burning, swelling and moisture
of the labia, _discharge of yellow mucus_, menstruation too soon and
lasts too long; amenorrhoea; labor-like pains, as if the menses would
appear; symptoms which certainly correspond to the whole picture of
chronic metritis and its results.
The mode of administration which I have used for _Aur. mur. nat._ is in
trituration. Generally I have had the patient herself divide into three
parts a 10 gr. powder of the 3d trit., and take one of these dry just
one hour after each meal. But I have also used the 1st and 2d
trituration. The effect cannot be seen before four weeks, hence I seldom
make a further examination before that time. Many women notice a
remarkable increase of the appetite during the use of gold. After the
administration of the 1st trit. I have observed frequent, dark stools.
An increase in the urine with a thick, gray sediment is often seen.* * *