DIGITALIS.
It would be difficult to estimate the number of lives that have been sacrificed in old-school practice to this potent drug; which is invaluable if properly used and deadly when abused. Its dangers are so great when given in the massive doses of the allopaths that the efforts of their therapeutists are largely directed to finding “substitutes for Digitalis.” There are no “substitutes” for Digitalis, for its action is characteristic and unique, and in homoeopathic form it is as innocent as it is powerful.
Other heart-poisons may be discovered, but they cannot take the place of Digitalis.
I remember in my student days Dr. George Balfour, of Edinburgh, pointing out in patients under the influence of Digitalis, that as soon as the pulse became accelerated and irregular on the patient rising from the recumbent to the sitting position the drug ought to be suspended. This is a characteristic feature of Digitalis: aggravation on changing position, and especially on rising from the horizontal. In many a patient has fatal syncope occurred when less careful prescribers have failed to stop the drug in time. For one feature of Digitalis is its “cumulative” effect; that is, the effects of repeated doses accumulate in the system, and sudden symptoms of poisoning appear, as if all had been given in one large dose.
The condition of heart which calls for Digitalis is a weakened heart, or a dilated heart. Among the symptoms that indicate it are irregular, feeble, rapid action, on any exertion, ad rising up from the recumbent position. “Faintness on sitting up.” “Sudden sensation as though the heart stood still, with great anxiety and necessity for holding the breath.” “Feels as if the heart would stop if he dared to move.” (Gelsem. has the opposite of this-“feels as if the heart would stop if he ceased to move”). “Angina pectoris; tearing pains in left side of chest and left border of sternum, extending to nape of and shoulders; great anxiety and fear of death; slow pulse.”
“Angina brought on by any careless, quick movement; pain extending down left arm.” “Pulse and breathing slow, intermittent; irregular, small.
Among the other symptoms of Digitalis are-“Weakness of memory; difficult thinking; anxiety; low spirits; desire to be alone.” “Pallor of face, especially on rising from recumbent position.” “Faintness and sinking at the stomach, as if he would die.” “Soreness and hardness in the region of the liver. White stools.” In the male there is “weakness and erethism of the genital system with spermatorrhoea and great weakness. “Heaviness and paralytic weakness of left arm.” “Fingers go to sleep easily; coldness of limbs.” “Cyanosis.”
GELSEMIUM.
“Pain in heart when rising from a seat.” “Effects of grief- oppression and palpitation, worse when thinking of it or spoken to of his loss; sensation of soreness about the heart.” “Irregular action; palpitation; hysterical palpitation.” “Slow, feeble action of heart” pulse can hardly be felt.” “Fear that unless constantly moving her heart will cease beating; with fear of death.” “Pulse frequent soft, weak, almost imperceptible; slow pulse.” “Hands and feet cold.”
The key-note symptom of Glonoin (or Nitro glycerine), as might be anticipated from the nature of the substance, is a sensation of bursting, and throbbing as if about to burst. In the heart itself there is a sense of fullness. “Blood seems to rush to heart and mount rapidly to head.” “Violent action of heart, distinct pulsation over whole body.” “Palpitation with throbbing, bursting headache.” “Sharp pains in heart.” “Laborious action of heart; oppression; frequent pulse.” “Sensation of fullness and heaviness with laboured breathing.” “Severe stitches in heart, extending into back between shoulders.” “Patient must have head high; worse lying on the left side; better lying on right.”
Glonoin has a prominent has a prominent place in climacteric flushings.
IBERIS.
Palpitation plainly visible over whole chest; worse by walking; better sitting still, but renewed by slightest exertion. Stabbing pains in heart, with constriction in throat. Palpitation with vertigo and choking after walking. Much pain over base of heart, with dull, heavy pain in left arm, and tingling and numbness in finger tips. Weight and pressure in region of heart with occasional sharp, stinging pains, passing from before backward. Hypertrophy of heart.
IGNATIA.
“Anxious feeling in precordia.” “Mental agitation and nervousness accompanying heart affections.” “Constriction at heart, with anxiety and disposition to cry.” “Palpitation at night and in morning in bed.” “Palpitation on the least worry or excitement, or from grief.” Ignatia when indicated by local or general symptoms is of the greatest service, both in organic and functional disorders of the heart.
IODIUM.
This medicine is called for in cases of hypertrophy and over-action of the heart, whether occasioned by valvular disease;or not; also in aneurism and diseases of blood vessels, and exophthalmic goitre. There is palpitation, especially after exertion. There is a sensation as if the heart was being squeezed with an iron band. A sense of “goneness” or excessive weakness at the chest and in the heart. Precordial anxiety; constant, heavy, oppressive pain in region of heart. Pulse-accelerated by every exertion; large, hard and frequent; rapid, but weak and thread- like; small, but very quick and irregular.
Iodium causes extreme emaciation with canine hunger; or, entire loss of appetite; excessive excitability; intolerance of warmth. It is more especially suitable to persons with dark hair and eyes.
KALI CARBONICUM.
Stitching pains are very characteristic of Kali carb., and these are found in the heart as elsewhere; “Stitches about heart and through to scapula.” But Kali carb. has a peculiar sensation which is quite characteristic: “Pinching or cramping pains in or by the heart, as if the heart were hanging by tightly drawn cords.” Aggravation from 2 to 5 a.m.
KALI IODATUM.
This is another drug which is frightfully abused by the old school. It is one of the most profoundly action agents in the Materia Medica. There is nothing that will reduce weight and strength beyond the point of possible recovery more surely than Iodide of potassium. It is regarded as an anti-syphilitic almost entirely, and is used as a means of diagnosis. Whenever syphilis is suspected, Iodide of potassium is prescribed; if it cures, it is considered that syphilis was present, and if it kills, it is concluded that it was not syphilis. Mr. Jonathan Hutchinson has put on record one of the many cases of this kind. An unfortunate man was admitted to hospital suffering from a skin affection, which was diagnosed as syphilitic, though the patient strongly denied ever having had a primary sore. Iodide of potassium was given, and as the man got worse it was concluded that the dose was not strong enough; thereupon it was largely increased.
The patient then became much worse, purple tumours somewhat like syphilitic nodes appeared in all parts of his body. It was then discovered that these tumours were caused by the drug, which was then suspended. But it was too late-the patient died of the “scientific.” treatment to which he had been subjected.
A case of a somewhat different kind came under my notice a short time ago.
A gentleman;, aged 74, who had had robust health all his life till the last two years, and who looked, except for his appearance of illness, much younger than his age, consulted me recently about his digestion. His history was this. Some two years before, he began to be troubled with an eruption, which appeared in patches about arms and body, and he put himself under the care of a well-known homoeopath. The skin did not get well, though his general health remained excellent. By the advice of a relative, an old school practitioner, he consulted a well-known syphilographer, who at once and unhesitatingly pronounced his disease to be syphilitic. In this case also the patient denied ever having had a primary sore. Iodide of potassium was ordered, and in doses so massive that the medical relative was alarmed, and refused to allow the full amount to be taken. Sufficient, however, was taken to produce the profoundest depression and lowering.
The old man cried like a child without knowing why. And besides this, his digestion, which had been excellent before, was never good after. But-the skin affection disappeared in a fortnight, and the patient congratulated himself on his “cure”
When he came into my consulting room he was plainly a broken man; there was a dusky, drawn, anxious look about him; his weight had dropped from ten stone to little over nine. He could eat very little without distress and a full sensation; attacks of palpitation came on at all times and kept him awake at night. His hands trembled, so that he could not write his usual steady hand. His pulse was extremely frequent, and very small. Here is a sphygmogram I took from his right radial with a pressure of 3 1/2. The valve sounds were clear and no bruit could be detected. His heart had been declared sound by several eminent practitioners, and so it was so far as auscultation could tell; but auscultation cannot discern the Iodide of potassium disease.
