This explains at once to the Homoeopath why Cinchona, and its alkaloid, are so useful in fevers, because it acts specifically upon the same organs and tissues that are affected in fevers. The poison causing the fever, and the Quinine poison, are so constituted that they have an affinity for each other so strong that the system acting upon them unites them by catalysis, forming an entirely new substance that has no more affinity for the same organs and tissues, consequently are easily thrown off, and the functions of the body become normal again.
Every fever to which the human organism is subject, affects certain organs and tissues peculiar to themselves; for instance the effects of scarlatina differ from those of diphtheria; the specific agents that cause small-pox and morbilli differ greatly in their effects; the same with typhoid fever and malarial fever.
All produce fever, but each specific agent produces changes in the organism peculiar to itself. So it is with our remedies.
Cinchona produces changes in the organism identical with those produced by malarial fever; this makes it the great specific for intermittent fever. The effect of Cinchona being altogether different from the effect of the specific agent that causes typhoid fever, shows us at once why it is not homoeopathic to typhoid fever.
A remedy that is really specific for any disease, must produce changes in the organism similar to those produced by the disease, and affect the same organs and tissues. We find this to be true with Quinine. The cerebro-spinal and ganglionic nervous centres, that are especially invaded in malarial fevers, are the exact centres for the action of Cinchona, and the changes produced by both in the organism are identical. This great truth was first grasped, and shown to the world by the immortal Hahnemann.
We find, then, that the fever to which Cinchona is homoeopathic, is of a malarial character, but not every malarial fever will be cured by Quinine. The fevers curable by Quinine must be malarial in origin, and their symptoms must be similar to those produced in the healthy organism by Cinchona.
The fevers, then, in which it will be found especially useful, are, intermittent, pernicious intermittent, remittent and bilious fevers. Typhus, typhoid, and the various eruptive fevers, will scarcely ever find their homoeopathic remedy in Cinchona; but for some of the sequelae following those diseases, it will sometimes be found of great value. Paludal malaria often, instead of producing intermittent fever, takes the form of neuralgia, and no remedy can compare with Cinchona and its alkaloid for this neuralgia, when it comes on periodically, is worse in the afternoon and evening. It is more apt to be located about the eye, or head, when China is called for. The temperature of the body is greatly elevated by the action of Cinchona and its alkaloid, the sulphate of Quinine. This shows us again the great truth of our law, for in fevers curable by Quinine the temperature of the body is greatly elevated, as shown in intermittents.
For a complete and exhaustive treatise on Cinchona and its alkaloid the sulphate, see my monograph on this remedy published by John W. Munson, Esq., of St. Louis, in 1871. Is was written as my ideal form of a materia medica, and is still my ideal material medica.
GRAND CHARACTERISTICS.
The system has been debilitated by the loss of vital fluids, especially blood, semen, diarrhoea, leucorrhoea, or over- lactation. Patient is worse every other day.
The touching of the affected parts, or motion, brings on the most horrid and intolerable neuralgia.
Head.–Long lasting congestive headache, with deafness and noises in the ears.
Heaviness of the head, with loss of sight, fainting and ringing in the ears.-.
Intense throbbing headache, after excessive hemorrhage.
Congestive throbbing headache, with singing, roaring, hissing noises in the ears, especially if the person has been debilitated by the loss of blood or vital fluids.
Headache, aggravated by a draft of air, in the open air, from the slightest contact, and relieved by hard pressure.-.
Sleeplessness at night; he lies awake nearly all night, thinking, restless and uneasy, and miserable the next day.– HEMPEL.
Full of plans and projects, especially in the evening and night.–HEMPEL.
Headache improves by moving the head up and down.-.
She thinks she is very unfortunate, and constantly harassed by enemies.
Convulsions with rush of blood to the head and chest, with throbbing of the carotids.
Greatly depressed in spirits, aggravated by noise or anything that affects the senses.
Complete deafness, in weak debilitated people from loss of blood. Intermittent neuralgia of the fifth pair of nerves, worse evenings and by contact.
Digestive Organs.–Thick, dirty, yellow coating upon the tongue, with bitter taste.
Complete loss of appetite, in people suffering from malaria.
Great longing for acids.
Canine hunger, especially at night.
Stomach is excessively acid.
Enormous distension of the abdomen, feels packed full, not relieved by eructations or dejections.
Abdomen fell full and tight as if stuffed, eructations give no relief.
Sour vomiting of water, mucus and food.–JAHR.
Diarrhoea, of water, or undigested food, mostly at night.
Infarctions of the liver, with jaundice.
Excessive jaundice in those suffering from malaria.
For gall-stones, Dr. Angel thinks it is a specific.
Diarrhoea of yellow, watery, undigested stools, with much flatulence and no pain.
After eating fruit, undigested stools, sometimes involuntary.-.
Much colic every afternoon.
The liver is swollen, hard, and tender.
Great fermentation in the bowels, with frothy, sour diarrhoea.
Urine dark, scanty, and throws down a brick-dust sediment.
Sexual Organs.–Spermatorrhoea of long standing, where debility is the prominent symptom.
Nocturnal emissions, with great sadness and debility.
Women.–Menses too profuse, with sensation of great distension of the abdomen.
Hemorrhage after miscarriage, with great loss of blood, placenta retained.–F.
She cannot bear to be touched during labor pains, not even her hands.
Metrorrhagia, and menorrhagia, where a great amount of blood has been lost.
Leucorrhoea before the menses, with painful pressure towards the groin and anus or bloody, fetid leucorrhoea, with contractions in the inner parts.
Generalities.–Neuralgia, the pain is excited by merely moving the affected parts, and gradually rises to a most fearful height.
Neuralgia may have disappeared for a moment, but the touching of the affected part brings on the most horrid and intolerable pains. Especially if it is of a malarious origin.
Congestion of any part of the body, with well marked periodicity, worse every other day.
Weakening night-sweats till morning.-.
Very debilitating morning and night sweats.-.
Cough with a granular expectoration during the day, or in the evening, not at night or in the morning.-.
Fever.–Intermittent fever, paroxysms come on an hour or two earlier, every day, or every other day.
The three stages are sharply marked; chill, fever, and perspiration. The chill may be absent, but the fever and perspiration must be present.
There must be perspiration following the fever, or Quinine will be utterly useless.
Recent intermittents, there may, or may not be a chill, but there must be fever, and it must be followed by sweat, and it generally is profuse and exhaustive.
As a rule, chronic, long-lasting intermittents are only aggravated by Quinine.
Recent intermittents, with gastro-bilious symptoms, followed by accompanied by exhaustive perspiration.
Periodicity is the ruling symptom of China.
(1836-1897)
Characteristic materia medica Published 1873
Physiological materia medica, containing all that is known of the physiological action of our remedies; together with their characteristic indications and pharmacology. Published 1881