while the fever exists no food should be taken. Thin gruel, in
teaspoonful doses, once in half an hour, is best. After a day or two,
the juice of beef steak may be given in small quantities but give none
of the meat. No "hearty food" should be allowed for eight or ten days
after recovery. A relapse is most surely fatal.
As _Prophylactics_ (_preventives_) of the fever, _Macrotin_, _Bell._ and
_Aconite_ should be taken, a dose every eight to twelve hours, by every
one that is exposed. These will, no doubt, often prevent an attack, and
if they do not, they will so modify it, that it will be very mild, of
short duration, and very easily arrested.
Pregnant females, and young children were sure to die if attacked, when
treated by the Allopathic medication; but, by the use of these remedies
as _preventives_, their attacks were rendered so mild as to be amenable
to remedies, and all recovered.
Pleurisy--Pleuritis.
This is inflammation of the Pleura of one or both lungs, generally
confined to one side. It is known by sharp pain in the side of the
chest, increased by taking a long breath, or coughing, or by pressing
between the ribs. The cough is dry and painful, the patient makes an
effort to suppress it, from the pain it gives him; the fever is of a
high grade, the pulse full, hard and frequent, with more or less pain in
the head.
TREATMENT.
_Aconite_ is a sovereign remedy. It should be given at intervals
proportionate to the severity of the disease, once in half an hour, for
about three doses, then every hour until the patient is easy and
perspires freely. This is the course I have generally pursued, and
scarce ever failed of relieving in a few hours. Other means may often be
used with advantage at the same time, and not interfere with the action
of the medicine. Put the feet and _hands_ into water as hot as it can be
endured, and apply to the affected side very hot cloths, hot bags of
salt, or mustard. There is no harm in this, and it relieves the pain.
Let the patient drink freely of _hot_ water, into which you may put milk
and sugar to render it palatable. If the case seems to linger, and
perspiration is tardy in appearing, give, in alternation with _Aconite_,
_Eupatorium arom._ This will soon relieve.
Inflammation of the Lungs--Pneumonia.
This disease is often connected with Pleurisy, and consists of
inflammation of the substance of the lungs. As in the former case, it
may attack only one, but may exist in both sides at the same time. If
the pleura is also affected, there will be all the symptoms of pleurisy,
together with those peculiar to inflammation of the lungs proper. They
are, pain in the lungs, oppressed breathing, cough, causing great
distress on account of the soreness of the affected parts: at first,
expectoration from the lungs is nearly wanting, the cough being dry, but
after a time, there is a rattling sound on coughing, and more or less
mucous substance is with difficulty raised. This is, at first, white or
brownish, but soon becomes reddish and frothy, tinged with blood. The
patient lies on the affected side, and cannot rest on the sound side.
The pulse is full, hard and frequent, the fever high, pain in the head,
and sometimes delirium. If the disease is not arrested, the patient
generally dies from suffocation, by the lungs filling up, hepatized, or
abscess and ulceration come on, and then what is called "quick
Consumption" carries him off.
TREATMENT.
In the early stage, _Aconite_ and _Phosphorus_ should be used at
intervals of from half an hour to one hour, in alternation, until the
fever abates, and the oppression in the chest is relieved. If, however,
there is bloody expectoration, _Bryonia_ may be used in place _of
Phosphorus_, though I prefer to use it in rotation with the two others.
These will soon, in all ordinary cases, subdue the most distressing
symptoms, and effect a perfect cure in a day or two. _Belladonna_ should
be used, when there is much delirium, or great pain in the head.
Occasionally, the cough from the beginning, is apparently loose; there
being a rattling sound, but the expectoration is difficult, the fever
high, with some chilly sensations, or at least, coldness of the knees,
feet and hands, a white or brownish fur upon the tongue, and pain in the
bowels, For such symptoms, especially with the pain in the bowels, as
though a diarrhoea would come on, give _Tartar emet._ It is often one
of the best remedies in this disease, affording relief when others have
failed.
After subduing the high febrile symptoms, if there remains cough,
indicating much irritation, or inflammation of the lungs, _Macrotin_
should be used in place of Aconite, with _Phosphorus_ and _Copaiva_, the
three in rotation, two hours between doses.
Acute Bronchitis,
_Inflammation of the Bronchial Tubes._
This is attended with distressing cough, profuse expectoration,
oppressed breathing, pain in the forehead, and general catarrhal
symptoms. _Baptisia_, _Copaiva_ and _Eupatorium arom._ given every hour,
in rotation, will, in general, relieve from the acute affection in a
short time; but the
Chronic Bronchitis
requires the use of _Copaiva_, _Macrotin_ and _Arum triphyllum_, to be
taken morning, noon, and night, in the order named; or, if the cough be
severe, they should be used every three hours. These will be sufficient
to effect a cure.
Coughs
Generally, unless they arise from consumption, yield readily to the
alternate use of _Copaiva_, _Phosphorus_ and _Macrotin_, a dose given
once in from three to six hours. If, however, there is soreness of the
throat, redness and soreness of the tonsils, palate, and fauces, or
soreness of the larynx, with hoarseness, _Arum triphyllum_ and
_Hydrastus Can._ are the surest remedies. They rarely ever fail of
effecting a complete cure in a few days. They should be used three or
four times a day. They may be used with the other medicines recommended
for coughs. In acute
Sore Throat,
arising from sudden cold, _Arum triphyllum_ and _Eupatorium aromaticum_
are the remedies to be relied upon. If the tonsils seem to be mainly
involved, constituting
Quinsy--Tonsilitis,
_Belladonna_ and _Aconite_ should be given, while there is high fever,
then substitute for them, _Arum tri._ and _Phosphorus_; or, these may be
used in rotation with the former, a dose every hour or oftener.
Inflammation of the Bowels.--Enteritis.
This consists in inflammation of the muscular and peritoneal coats of
the intestines, sometimes also involving the mucous coat.
The pain in the abdomen is constant, intense and burning in its
character, felt most at the navel; the abdomen is extremely tender to
pressure, and often bloated or tympanetic.
Thirst is intense, but cold drinks distress and vomit the patient. The
pulse is small, feeble and frequent, and the bowels costive. This is a
very dangerous disease. It is sometimes connected with inflammation of
the stomach, then called gastro-enteritis. The tongue is then red and
pointed, the nausea and vomiting are more violent and constant, the
thirst burning and insatiable.
TREATMENT.
The same medicines are applicable to both _Gastritis_ and _Enteritis_.
_Aconite_, _Arsenicum_ and _Baptisia_ should be used one following the
other every half hour until the symptoms begin to subside, then let the
intervals be lengthened.
In addition to these remedies, I allow the patient to drink often and
freely of hot water, as hot as can be swallowed, and though it is at
first almost instantly rejected by the stomach, by repeating it in a few
minutes in moderate quantities, it gives relief and will soon so allay
the irritation as to remain. In some cases the vomiting is severe, the
bowels are loose, and pain burning. For such, _Tart. Emet._ is the
proper remedy. Cold drinks should not be taken.
Cloths wet in cold water, ice water if it is at hand, and wrung out so
as not to drip, should be laid over the whole abdomen and instantly
covered with two or three thicknesses of warm dry flannel, and the
patient's feet kept warm. This may be considered harsh treatment, but
there is no danger in it; on the contrary I have, in the worst and most
alarming cases of _gastritis_ and _peritonitis_, made such applications,
and in less than an hour have seen my patient easy and beginning to
perspire freely, all danger having passed. It always affords more or
less relief and is never attended with danger. Covering the wet cloths
immediately with plenty of dry ones is very essential.
After the acute inflammation has subsided, it is well to have the bowels
moved, but don't give drastic cathartics. _Nux Vomica_ given at night
and repeated morning and noon, will generally serve to cause an
evacuation. Injections may be used.
Croup.
This is a disease of children. Comes on in consequence of a sudden cold.
Children suffering from Hooping Cough are more subject to it. The cough
is of a peculiar whistling kind, like the crowing of a young chicken,
with rattling in the throat and difficult breathing, fever is present,
and often very violent. It is properly an inflammation of the Larynx,
but the inflammation may also exist in the Pharynx, the tonsils may be
involved, and it may extend to the trachia, (wind pipe). A false
membrane forms in the larynx if the disease is not arrested, and so
obstructs the breathing as to cause death from suffocation.
TREATMENT.
Give at first _Aconite_, _Phosphoric Acid_, and _Spongia_, giving them
in the order here named once in ten minutes in a very violent case, and
as the patient improves at intervals of half an hour, and then an hour.
Should the fever subside, and still the tightness in the throat and
cough continue to be troublesome, give _Ipecac_ in place of Aconite. And
when the cough seems to be deep seated use _Bryonia_ instead of spongia.
The patient should be kept in a warm room, and free from exposure to
currents of cold air. The application of a cloth wrung out of cold or
ice water to the throat, covered immediately with dry warm flannels so
as to exclude the air from the wet cloth, will often exert a decidedly
beneficial effect, and there is no danger if managed as here directed.
The feet should be kept warm and the head cool, but _don't_ put _cold_
water on a child's head.
Asthma.
If an attack comes on from sudden cold, take _Aconite_ and _Ipecac_
every hour for a day, and if any symptoms remain, in place of the
Aconite use _Copaiva_, _Arsenicum_ and _Phos. Acid_ with the _Ipecac_,
giving them in rotation, a dose every hour.
In _Chronic Asthma_, where the patient is liable to an attack at any
time, great benefit will be derived from taking these four in rotation
about two hours apart for a day or two, at any time when symptoms of an
attack begin to appear.
I have recently succeeded in alleviating several bad cases, at once, by
these four remedies in succession as here recommended, on whom (some of
them) I had at various times tried all of them, as well as other
medicines, singly at longer intervals, as directed in the Books, without
any decided benefit. After trying these in succession, as here directed,
I found no trouble in arresting the paroxysm in a few hours, and I am
strong in the faith that with some, at least, I have effected _cures_.
It is worth much to _arrest_ the _paroxysm_ if no more.
Hooping Cough.
According to my experience, though this disease may not be entirely
arrested in its course, and not generally much abridged in its duration,
still the use of appropriate medicines will greatly modify it, and
render it a comparatively trifling affection.
In treatment, give at the commencement of the attack _Bell._ and _Phos.
acid_ alternately every twelve hours for a week, then once in six hours,
and if the child should take cold so as to bring on fever, give one
every hour. Continue these, as above directed, for the first two or
three weeks, then, in their stead, after the cough becomes loose, and
the patient vomits easily, give _Copaiva and Ipecac_ in the same manner
as directed, for the two former remedies.
Dyspepsia.
This term is applied so loosely and so indiscriminately to all chronic
derangements of the stomach, that it is difficult to define it. I shall
therefore point out some of the more common ailments of the stomach and
their proper remedies.
For sour eructations with hot, burning, scalding fluid rising up in the
throat, with or without food, give _Phos. acid and Pulsatilla_ in
alternation every half hour, until the stomach is easy. For a feeling of
weight and pain in the stomach, with dull pain in the head, with or
without dizziness, give _Nux. Vom._ every hour until it relieves. If
there is a _burning_ feeling in the stomach as well as the heavy load,
_without_ eructations and rising of fluid, _Arsenicum_ should be
alternated with the _Nux. Vom._, at intervals of two hours. There are
persons who, from imprudence in eating or drinking or both, or which is
more frequent, from _harsh drug medication_, have so enfeebled their
stomachs, that, though by care in selecting their food, and prudence in
taking it, they may suffer but little, are, nevertheless, when from home
or on special occasions, liable to overeat or take the wrong kind of
food, from which unfortunate circumstance they are made to suffer the
most tormenting and intolerable distress in the stomach and bowels,
which may last, more or less severe, for several days. Soon after the
unfortunate meal, perhaps the next morning, or, it may be, in a few
hours, the stomach begins to bloat, by accumulating gas within, which is
belched up every few minutes in large quantities; the stomach and bowels
are racked with the most torturing pains; cold sweat stands on the brow,
and he is the very picture of misery. Thus he may roll and tumble all
night, and remain in misery the next day and several days longer, before
the food will digest. It often passes from the stomach without
digestion, and on its way through the bowels inflicts constant pain. If
he does not take some emetic substance, he is not apt to vomit, his
stomach cramping so as to prevent it.
I have here described one of the bad cases, but bad as it is they are by
no means _very_ rare. There are such cases in abundance, of all grades
from the one here described down to a slight derangement. They all
require a similar course of _treatment_.
It is useful for such patients to take at once large quantities of
lukewarm water, and repeat the draught every ten to fifteen minutes,
until free and thorough vomiting is induced, so as to throw off all the
food from the stomach.
But even this does not often cure these bad cases. If it did, it is not
always convenient to do it. The medicine that is quite certain to afford
relief at once is _Podophyllin_. Let it be given, and the dose repeated
in an hour. A third dose is rarely necessary. After relief from this
attack, the medicine should be taken night and morning for a month or
more until the stomach is restored. In the meantime care should be taken
not to overload the stomach.
Constipation.
The medicine for this affection is _Nux vom._, to be taken at night on
retiring. If there is fulness and pain in the head from costiveness,
_Bell._ should be used in the morning, and at noon. Let the patient
contract a habit of drinking _cold water_ freely on rising in the
morning, at least half an hour before eating. The patient _should not
take physic_.
For constipation of children, _Nux_ and _Bryonia_ are to be given Nux at
night and Bryonia in the morning. _Opium_ is useful.
Much needless alarm is often felt by persons on account of a costive
state of the bowels. If no pain is felt from it, there is no cause for
alarm.
"Heartburn."
This peculiar burning and distressed feeling at the stomach depends on
imperfect digestion, but is _not_ ordinarily, as is generally supposed,
connected with a sour or acid state of the fluids in the stomach. The
condition of the fluids is alkaline, in most cases, though it is
sometimes acid. If it depends upon biliary derangement, _Nux Vomica_ and
_Podophyllin_ are the remedies for a male; _Pulsatilla_ and
_Podophyllin_ for a female.
Erysipelas.
This is a disease of the skin, producing redness, burning and itching
pains, appearing in patches, in adults, most apt to appear about the
head and face, but in children, upon the limbs, or in very young
children, beginning at the umbilicus. It sometimes begins at one point,
and continues to spread for a time, then suddenly disappears, and
reappears at some other point.
_Simple Erysipelas_ only affects the surface, with redness and smarting.
_Vessicular_, produces vessicular eruption, or blisters filled with a
limpid fluid, somewhat like the blisters from a burn.
The _Phlegmonous Erysipelas_ affects the whole thickness of the skin and
cellular tissues beneath it, producing swelling, and not unfrequently,
resulting in suppuration, ulceration or gangrene and sloughing of the
parts. It is a dangerous disease, especially when on the head.
TREATMENT.
For the simple kind, _Bell._ is all that will be needed, unless there
should be considerable fever, when _Aconite_ should be alternated with
the _Bell._ For the _vessicular_ kind, where there are blisters, _Rhus
tox._ should be used with _Bell_. For the _Phlegmonous_, with deep
seated swellings, _Apis mel_ is the most important remedy. I prefer to
use three of these remedies, giving them in rotation, beginning with the
_Bell._, followed with _Rhus_, and then by _Apis mel._ giving them one
hour apart. In a mild case, or after the patient begins to recover, give
them at longer intervals. The _Apis_ alone will often be sufficient.
During the whole time, the affected parts should be kept covered with
dry, superfine flour, some say Buckwheat flour acts most favorably. The
diet should be very spare. Eat as little as possible, until the disease
begins to subside.
A very important part of the treatment of this affection is to keep the
patient in a room that is comfortably warm, say at a temperature of from
65 to 75°, and keep the temperature _uniformly the same_, as nearly as
possible, night and day. Do not, by any means, expose him suddenly to
cold air, or a cold breeze, as on going into a cold room, going out into
cold air, or undressing or dressing in a cold room. Uniformly warm
temperature is of great importance.
Burns and Scalds.
No matter what the nature and extent of the burn may be, the very best
of all medicines of which I have any knowledge, is _Soap_. If the parts
affected, are immediately immersed or enveloped in Soft Soap, the pain
will be greatly lessened, and the inflammation that would otherwise
follow, will be essentially modified, if not entirely prevented. It acts
like magic; no one who has never tried it can have any idea of its
potency for the relief of pain, together with the prevention of bad
consequences following severe burning. Under the influence of the _Soap_
applications, burns and scalds will often be rendered comparatively
insignificant injuries. Instead of endangering the life of the sufferer
from the excessive pain, or the ulceration, or gangrene and sloughing
that would follow if the pain in the first instance does not destroy
life, the pain ceases, or becomes bearable in a short time, and either
little or no suppuration or sloughing takes place, or the sore assumes
the appearance of healthy suppuration, and heals kindly--avoiding those
unsightly deformities that so commonly follow severe burning. If
practicable, the soap, as before suggested, should be applied
immediately after the burn, the sooner the better. The part may be put
into soft soap, or cloths saturated with it can be wrapped around or
covered over the affected surface, to any desirable extent. The parts
should not be exposed to the air for a single moment, when possible to
prevent it. During the first two or three days, dressings need not be
removed, unless they cause irritation after the first severe pain has
subsided. They should be kept all of the time moist, and as far as
practicable, in a condition to be impervious to the air.
When it is necessary to remove them, let the affected surface be
immersed in strong soap suds, at a temperature of about 75 or 80°, and
the dressing removed while it is under water, and others applied while
in the same situation. In ordinary cases, however, even of extensive
burns, after the fever consequent upon it has subsided, and the part is
tolerably free from pain and smarting, the dressings may be removed in
the air, but others should be in readiness and applied as speedily as
possible. The soap dressings are to be continued from the beginning
until the inflammation has subsided and the sore has lost all symptoms
that distinguish it from an ordinary healthy suppurating sore.
After the first few days, or in case of a slight burn at the beginning,
an excellent mode of applying the soap, is to make a strong thick
"_Lather_" with soft water and good soap, such as Castile, or any other
good hard soap, as a barber would for shaving, and apply that to the
affected part with a soft shaving brush; apply it as carefully as
possible, so as to cover every part of the surface, and go over it
several times, letting the former coat dry a little before applying
another, forming a thick crust impervious to the air. In small burns,
and even in pretty extensive and severe ones, this is the best mode of
application, and the only one necessary.
In many cases of very severe and dangerous burns, under the influence of
this application, the inflammation subsides, and after a week or more,
the crust of lather comes off, exposing the surface smooth and well.
Although it is important to apply the _soap_ early, and the case does
much better if that has been done, still I have found it the best remedy
even as late as the second or third day. In such a case, the _lather_
application is the best.
For the fever and general nervous disturbance, _Aconite_ and _Bell._
should be given alternately, as often as every half hour, and the
_Aconite_ should be given in appreciable doses; it acts powerfully as an
anodyne. The soap treatment, or at least, the mode of applying it was
first suggested to me by Dr. J. TIFFT, of Norwalk, Ohio, some six or
seven years ago, since which time I have had opportunities of testing
its virtues in all forms of burns and scalds, some of which were of the
severest and most dangerous character, and I am quite sure in several
cases, no other remedy or process known to the medical profession, could
have relieved and restored as this did.
The application of finely pulverized common salt, triturated with an
equal part of superfine flour, acts very beneficially on burns. It seems
to have the specific effect to "extract the heat," literally putting out
the fire. It is particularly useful for deep burns where the surface is
abraded. Some may suppose this would be severe and cause too much pain
when applied to a raw surface, but so far from that being the case, it
is a most soothing application. It often so changes the condition of
even the severest burns, in a short time, as to render them of no more
importance and no more dangerous than ordinary abrasions to the same
extent, by causes unconnected with heat. _Urtica urens_ is directed for
burns, and is useful, but the _Urtica dioica_ is better. For
Chilblains,
That follow freezing or chilling the feet, causing most distressing
uneasiness and itching of the feet and toes, take these remedies, _Rhus_
and _Apis_, the former at night and the latter in the morning. In bad
cases, they should be used once in six hours. Applications of _Oil of
Arnica_ to the affected parts at night, warming them before a fire, will
serve greatly to palliate the sufferings, and frequently effect a
perfect cure. The _Urtica Dioica_ will relieve recent cases,
immediately, and is one of the best remedies for the chronic affection.
It should be taken at the 2d dilution, and the tincture applied to the
affected part every night.
Hoarseness.
This arises generally, from inflammation of the mucous membrane of the
_Larynx_, in ordinary cases but slight. It is a frequent accompaniment
of Bronchitis.
The remedies most useful, and those which will, in almost all ordinary
cases, remove this affection at once, are _Arum tri._ and _Copaiva_, to
be taken a dose every three hours in alternation.