In examining the history and constitution of the patient it appeared to me very reasonable to consider the swelling as a result of a sycotic rheumatoid dyscrasia, and with this view I ordered Thuja 30 and Nat. Sul 2x, the former morning and evening and the;latter every two hours during the day, and top follow the diet of this constitution. On March 23rd the abscess was smaller, the overlying skin relaxed, the muscular system was in firmer condition, the patient felt m, much better and the colour of the face was improved. Remedies continued.
On march 31 st the abscess had lessened one halt in size and the chronic epididymitis was smaller while the general health of the patient was still improving. Remedies continued. On April 8th the abscess was reduced to a minimum and the epididymitis gone entirely. He was now compelled to return home to resume his duties, but it August I heard from him that he was then in excellent health, all traces of the abscess having disappeared. CASE XVI
Intermittent with Skin Conditions-Nux 3x and Arsen. 3x, Thuja 30 and Nat. sul 2x, then Silicea3.
M.L., 32, whose sister had been a servant in my house for eleven years, of large size and good constitution, now in her thirteenth year of married life; childless; and when a child and also since her marriage, a scrofulous, oozing eruption on the head and face. She had had only measles out of the list of children’s diseases. The menses appeared when she was fifteen. The eruptions on the head were finally removed after the long use of salves and ointments. Soon after this she noticed a small painful induration at the angle of the right lower jaw, which slowly increased in size. In the autumn of the same year, 1867, she was seized with a severe tertian fever with a hard and long- lasting chill, the attack persisting for three months in spite of the use of Quinine and other remedies. Immediately after the disappearance of the fever the above-mentioned induration began to enlarge rapidly, became inflamed and suppurated; the latter continued for several weeks with considerable destruction of tissue leaving an unsightly wound. In the Spring of 1868 she had another attack of tertian fever, which again lasted three months, reappearing again in the Summer for a short time and again in the beginning of July, this attack lasting for one week.
Towards the end of July an eruption of tubercles appeared on the forehead, continually spreading and covered with a thick crust, underneath which was a copious, pus-like secretion. This continued for a long time and left behind a red, irregular, hard, puffy-looking sore. The eruption slowly spread over the forehead and temporal regions and upwards into the hair, and was accompanied by an intolerable itching. At the same time, with this eruption, there began a violent, at times sleep-preventing, dull tearing pain in the right upper jaw, which was (<) in damp weather and accompanied with swelling which extended up to the eye. This swelling rapidly increased so that by the end of September the right eye could be only partially opened.
The anxiety due to the trouble with the eyes sent her from the country where she had been up to this time, into the next government town, Nishny Novgorod. After a trial of remedies, resection was advised, but to this she would not consent without my opinion. This was in the end of September, 1868. Her condition was now as follows:
Long continued chilliness with flashes of heat; weak, feeble, emaciated, sallow complexion; on the forehead and above- described eruption. The swelling of the right jaw was very prominent, almost the size of my fist and reached to a level with the cornea, covering nearly the whole cheek. It felt as hard as a bone, the skin over it was unaltered, movable and of natural colour and structure. Pressure on the swelling caused no pain. Examination within the mouth showed no alteration of the hard palate. The teeth were in normal position and firmness. but many were carious and nearly all of them blackened, which was due, as the patient said, to severe toothache, which came on like an intermittent, was long continued and suddenly ceased. The space between the eyelids was greatly lessened, and the eye continually watering, a trouble which had affected both eyes since childhood. The vision was distorted; the pain was described as dull, tearing and greatly (<) at night and in stormy weather; no headache, menses regular, no leucorrhoea.
The appetite is fair, stool regular, lungs normal; no trouble with digestion; aversion to fish, which she cannot look at, to say nothing of eating, nor can she bear warm or cold baths since these produce either fever or toothache or pains in the limbs or headache, so that the very seldom, ore only for the sake of cleanliness, uses of bath-tub.
Whatever the diagnosis, the eruptions could not be definitely defined, since the spot was covered with a thick crust from beneath which could be pressed in large quantities a purulent watery discharge. The previous attack had left no scarring. In consideration of the papules, the profuse suppuration and the existing bone swelling I could only conclude there was tuberculous infection with lepra characteristics. The swelling of the upper jaw was diagnosed as an enchondroma. The ground on which this affection grew must, according to all examples be due undoubtedly to the sycotic-hydrogenoid constitution, and this was confirmed when we know that the patient had always lived near the Volga, and that in the Spring the high water reaches to the windows, and the land itself was low and boggy. On account of the frequent returns of the intermittent fever, which was not cured, as shown by the still long-continued chilliness, and seeing that it had probably been suppressed by the large doses of Quinine, I gave Nux 3x and Arsen 3x. in hourly alternation of three to four drops each; also the wine diet and strict avoidance of articles forbidden by the hydrogenoid constitution.
By the middle of October there was general improvement. As I did not expect these remedies to have any marked effect on the eruptions and bone swelling. I Thuja 30 and Nat. Sulph.2x in the same manner as before.
In the beginning of November the eruptions had almost disappeared, there was no discharge, and the itching and reddish discolouration had lessened, while the swelling, at least, had not increased and the pain was very much reduced. At the end of November the tumour had softened and lessened. On December 12th there was a further change in the tumour but the eruption had entirely disappeared. At this time she was called home and received Silica 3, a powder morning and evening. In the beginning of May the patient wrote that all her troubles had disappeared. Anyone who has studied the constitution and has learned to apply the results in practice with be convinced that Silica would not have performed so prompt a cure had not its relationship to the diseased constitution been so marked.
CASE XVII Hydrogenoid Menorrhagia. Nux and Arsen: Natrum muriaticum
Madame A.L-, mother of two children, of robust constitution, fleshy, never had a severe illness, menstruation regular and copious until the Autumn of 1867, when her menses came on in an unusually severe form. At first she thought little of it, but as it continued beyond the accustomed time she became worried and consulted me. Careful examination failed to discover any cause for this menorrhagia. The appearance of the flow was about natural but the quantity had increased to a haemorrhage. There was no pain, functions of the body normal, and before the onset of the menorrhagia there and before the onset of the menorrhagia there had been nothing to complain of. Under these circumstances it was not easy to apply a remedy, and one after the other of those prominently indicated for haemorrhage was tried and failed. Salina afforded a passing improvement for one week only. She was nursing her youngest boy and thinking this might be a possible cause it was forbidden. With the onset of Winter, which was a dry and unusually sever one, the menorrhagia ceased. She was neither emaciated nor weak, although the haemorrhage, with brief interruptions, had lasted two months. During the winter the menses appeared several times in normal quality and quantity. In the early Spring, which was a very damp one, the haemorrhage returned, and as the patient had lost confidence in homoeopathy and myself another physician was consulted. He ordered injections of Ferrum sesquichlor, and gave internally Iron, Secale cornutum and acids, but without the slightest relief.
In October, 1868, on my return home after an absence of several months, I was again called to see the patient and learned that the haemorrhage ceased on the outset of warm and pleasant weather, but that at the beginning of the rains and cold weather- which was in the early Autumn-the haemorrhage had again returned and with the same conditions. A most thorough examination failed as before to show the slightest cause for the condition. Nothing now that the attacks ceased in Summer and came on in the Autumn I asked concerning damp weather or baths, and whether fish, milk and fruit agreed, but to these questions no definite or satisfactory answers were obtained. However, Nux 3x and Arsen. 3x were given in hourly doses, and the wine and hydrogenoid diet ordered. On the next day the haemorrhage ceased and remained away two weeks, but returned again after the patient had been out on a very wet day. I strictly forbade going out in similar weather, gave the same remedies and ordered the whole body to be rubbed every morning with brandy. The next day the haemorrhage ceased and did not return until July, 1869, after she had remained for a long time during rainy weather in a building which was not perfectly dry. During this time the menses appeared in normal quality and quantity and without pain.
