In these cases the father had invariably contracted gonorrhoea either before or during marriage, generally before, and the discharge was dried up and was followed by this eruption mentioned, the red mole. Later on in life they sometimes assume a warty nature, but generally they remain about the same all through the life of the patient. The red polka dot eruptions are met with more frequently upon the trunk of the body and anterior surfaces of the extremities. They are positively a diagnostic lesion, and when present, there s should remain no doubt in your mind but that the patient has Sycosis either in the acquired or hereditary form. When you are in doubt your diagnosis look for them and you are pretty certain to, find them.
There is a form of acne that appears as large red angry-looking papules at about the menstrual period; they do not suppurate but are quite sore and sensitive to touch. They are unlike the small, pointed, itching papule of psora or the pustular and suppurating tubercular form of the disease. The chief feature of sycotic acne is the large, reddish, blunt-pointed, angry-looking lesion that is sore and sensitive to touch non-suppurating and appears quite isolated and separate from each other and not in groups as is found in psoric and tubercular forms; they are often found in the psoric and tubercular forms; they are often found on girls at the menstrual period.
Lupus, whether of the erythematous or of the common form belongs without doubt tot he tubercular family of skin diseases, with a sycotic element present. My observation, extending back for many years, has been fully satisfied and convinced of this fact. The malignancies due to Syphilis and Psora are prone to develop about the age of 40, while that of Sycosis at any age, All three miasms, however, will be found in lupus patients, but Psora and Syphilis along will not produced lupus. The proof of this fact, will readily be seen by a carefully-taken history of these cases, as to when the sycotic element entered the organism, and invariably the development of the lupus can be traced to some phase of Sycosis either suppressed or hereditary.
This truth is not altered in the least, by the fact that lupus often appears at an early age. History of these cases will usually point to a suppression in the parent or to an imperfect cure. The reason why this disease is so difficult to cure can now be readily seen, knowing it is to based upon a mixed miasms. The more miasms that are existent in your patient, the more complex, of course are the phenomena presented and the greater the difficulty in finding the similimum of the case. Here is a new field open for investigation in the treatment of lupus and other malignancies, which merit our research and earnest thought.
Many other forms of skin diseases might be enumerated as being of sycotic origin, such as tinea sycosis and tinea barbae. In fact all forms for facial skin diseases that are contracted in barber shops, with perhaps the exception of tinea favosa, are due to the sycotic taint or to a form of that miasms. Tinea circinata commonly meet with, and mentioned by Dr. Burnett as having a tubercular origin, proves quite clearly to me this theory of the mixed miasms. In the scalp as well as in the beard we might mention another form, tinea circumscripta, which causes a form of alopecia and which responds readily to anti-sycotic treatment. In fact in all forms of ringworm, we see this specific sycotic element running all through the manifestations of these very mysteries lesions, of which so little is known. A suppression of ring-worm in any form means a suppression of Sycosis of a specific nature, and the invariable result of its suppression ill health, such as some form of rheumatism, or the development of chronic headaches, stomach troubles, chronic bronchitis, chronic coughs, melancholia, mania, hysteria in women and even malignancies. The suppression of a ring-worm means a suppression of a specific form of Sycosis, usually upon a latent tubercular base, for tubercular patients are the ones who usually contact some for the many forms of tinea.
I question if rubeola and other similar exanthematosus diseases have not a sycotic element as a predisposing cause. Variola, varicella in the their different forms have very marked characteristics of the sycotic element present, or of Syphilis and Sycosis combined. The serum of vaccination has without doubt both of these elements present. It can also be recognized in erythematous eczema erysipelas, especially the phlegmonous variety, herpes, zoster, and impetigo contagiosa. Psoriasis has the gouty element so characteristic of Sycosis and this element has already been recognized. In reviewing Sajou’s Annual and Cyclopedia of Medicine for 1895, ’97, and ’98, we find the statement that Psoriasis is dependent upon a blood state belonging to gout and rheumatism; the uric acid diathesis. Psoriasis, however. depends largely on Psora. The free indulgence in me attends to aggravate these eruptions a and vaccination is generally the exciting causes. Meat, alcoholic beverages, wines, and nitrogenous foods of al kinds aggravate both the gouty condition and the diseases based upon it.
Another diseases to be considered, as positively of sycotic origin, is gouty or the gouty diathesis. This disease of ancient origin has usually been associated with people of wealth, who live indolent lives, and who indulge in all sorts of luxuries and excesses in eating and drinking, but this not strictly true. It is a well known fact that the excessive use of a rich diet, especially of a ferry and of a nutrogenous nature, the free use of wines and intoxicants, will develop a gouty diathesis. Sycosis, however, has the power to do this work without he aid of such foods or stimulants, although it is greatly accelerated by their use. Often, these people have a sycotic element in a latent form, and it is roused into action by their sedentary life and dietetic excesses. This gouty state of the system many present itself as a gouty rheumatism or as it is commonly termed, rheumatic gout all these condition belongs to the tertiary state of Sycosis. When the joints are not affected or he gouty concretions are absent, we have another form of it, known as gouty liver, gout of the eyes, of the stomach, intestines, bladder, gout of the muscles. Gout of the heart and stomach are of such common occurrence today that sudden deaths from it are increasing greatly, especially in the higher walks of life, among the wealthy.
Examine these patients and we find all sorts of pathological changes, changes in the form or size of the organs, changes in the valves, hy pertrophies, softening of the valves, salutations and slow, soft, or intermittent pulse. In cardiac diseases they have no pain to speak of, occasionally a sharp thrust or a dull ache. Serious and dangerous conditions develop, while the patient is oblivious of the fact. How frequently do we hear of she sudden death of our great men, senators, business men, and those who lead a sedentary life, who take their spiced or imported wines and other intoxicants; wines in any form are more harmful to them, than any other of the stimulants or intoxicants. Those people are found of aromatics, mustard, pepper, commandments of all kinds, rich and stimulating foods. Narcotics, mustard, pepper, commandments of all kinds, rich and stimulating foods. Narocitiscs of all forms are the great excitant of a gouty diathesis. They meet with sudden death often from valvular diseases of the heart, from pneumonia, peritonitis, gastritis, or hepatitis. Many of them have dropsies, diabetes, Bright’s disease of the kidneys, cirrhosis of the liver, congestion of the base of a brain, and even true insanity. they are subject to vertigo, dyspnoea, apoplexy, and hemiplegia. They have shortness of breath, puffing respiration with any over-exertion such as climbing a height. In acute diseases, especially where local inflammations or congestions are present, they snuff out like candle. They can drink moderately of whisky all their lives with no special disturbance from it, but put them upon wines and stimulating foods and the luxuries of the rich, and soon they develop the gouty diathesis. hear every day of sudden deaths in this class of patients. If you will watch the vital statistics of these people who consume much wine, and who eat a rich stimulating diet, especially where much meat is consumed, you will have your attention called to the frequency of sudden deaths. They die with out warning from pneumonia, from congestion and from diseases of the heart, lungs, stomach, brain and intestinal tract.
Many of these patients suffer from prostatic and bladder troubles, and often the whole troubles seems located in the neck of the bladder, as frequently found in women as in men. Nothing seems to help these sufferers. The treatment does little more than palliate them, and many cases have come o me that nothing has helped. Then I found out the true history or cause, tracing it back many years to an early suppressed sycotic infection, which, although it had remained latent for a while, suddenly turned its whole force upon the bladder. Often these patients complain simply of a soreness along the urethral canal; occasionally felt when passing urine, more so when it becomes strongly acid. This may be thee only symptom showing the disease is still there, but in a latent state. I recall now, only case in a young married man who came to me from St. Louis, who had complained for that symptoms for fourteen years. A careful analysis of his case revealed Psorinum to be his remedy, which reproduced an old suppressed to gonorrhoea, that was cured later on with Capsicum. His wife had suffered for years from hypertrophied uterus, and had had a number of physicians treat her with no permanent benefit. For the past two years of her life, she had received some relief upon a charge if climate and from mineral baths. In June, 1899, she began to take Homoeopathic treatment which was continued for ninety days, when she became pregnant and went through to full term. A male child was borne perfectly healthy, and as far as came be seen now, is free from any sycotic taint. The mother weighted only 9 pounds, but suffered scarcely any inconvenience during gestation; had an easy labor, and today is in the best of health. This history is one of an army of cases that find no relief until treated with homoeopathy.
J.H. Allen was a student of H.C. Allen. He was the president of the IHA in 1900. Dr. Allen taught at the Hering Medical College in Chicago. Dr. Allen died August 1, 1925
Books by John Henry Allen:
Diseases and Therapeutics of the Skin 1902
The Chronic Miasms: Psora and Pseudo Psora 1908
The Chronic Miasms: Sycosis 1908