By a LAYMAN.
FORTY or fifty years ago a wise old doctor told me smilingly: If your do not treat a cold it gets well in a fortnight, it you treat it carefully it gets well in two weeks. “Ever since I have treated my colds and chills by not taking much notice of them and allowing them to get well of themselves. A few days ago I went for a long country tramp in ice weather, insufficiently clad and took a cold bath on returning.
A night or two afterwards, sleeping with an open window through which the wind blew straight on to, I felt very cold, but took no notice and had my usual cold bath in the morning. Soon afterwards I noticed that I had a very severe chill. I felt very miserable, icy cold, shivery, throat felt very hot and burning, and I had the distinct feeling that this was not an ordinary chill or cold, but that serious trouble was brewing. So I thought I would try homoeopathic treatment.
Homoeopathy has no specifics for colds, but it acts according to the most pressing symptoms of the moment, which have to be matched with the corresponding drug. As the trouble was undoubtedly caused by exposure to dry cold, I did not trouble to take my temperature, I took a few doses of Aconite, which promptly made me feel warm and comfortable, and then I took a few doses of Belladonna 3x, which promptly improved the inflammation and irritation of the throat. These symptoms being eliminated others appeared.
My nose began to run with thin water. So I left off Belladonna and took a few doses of Arsenic 3, which caused the thin, irritating liquid to disappear. However, the trouble was not settle because then large quantities of thick, sticky, yellow mucus began to come from my nose, and I had the feeling of stuffiness which suggests inflammation of the cavities which stand in connection with the nasal passages. To deal with this trouble I took Kali bichromicum 3x, but as son as symptoms changed I changed over to Aconite, Belladonna, or Arsenic, whichever seemed indicated. The result was that in considerably less than twenty-four hours my apparently very severe chill and cold was completely gone.
If I had dosed myself with aspirin or quinine in accordance with the usual practice, the cold would probably have became very fully developed and it might have lasted the usual fortnight. Homoeopathic treatment is far more complicated than orthodox treatment. It needs care, close observation, and ample knowledge of the characteristics of the various drugs, but it is worth while.
CURE OF AN INFLAMED MASTOID.
SOME years ago a naval officer bearing an historic name told me over the telephone: My wife is suffering from an inflamed mastoid and she has terrible pain. It is driving her frantic. Her sister has had the same trouble and has been operated upon. We would like to avoid an operation. What do you advise ?” I replied: Bring her a look at her.”.
The mastoid cells form a delicate and most sensitive structure at the back of the ear, and they perform very important function. Their inflammation is frequently accompanied by fever, swelling and th formation of pus, and unless help is promptly rendered there is the danger of loss of hearing and of inflammation of the brain and death. In slight cases leeches and hot fomentations are applied and sedative drops are instilled into the ear to give relief. But if the inflammation dose not subside promptly, the mastoid structure is opened surgically and drained.
The telephone call came in the afternoon about tea-time. The officer and his wife be round in about twenty minutes. I asked my secretary to get tea ready and I out some suitable medicines on the tea table. I selected Belladonna 3x, which is an excellent remedy for inflammation in general and Capsicum 3x, which is a specific for mastoid inflammation. We read in Boerickes “Materia Medica” endear the heading “Capsicum”: “Burning and stinging in ears. Swelling and pain behind ears. Inflammation of mastoid. Tenderness over the petrous bone. Extremely sore tender to touch. Otorrhoea and mastoid disease before suppuration”.
The pair arrived. The husband was very nervy. The wifes face was distorted with pain. I asked them to sit down and take tea and immediately gave to the lady a dose of Belladonna. Ten minutes later I gave her a dose of Capsicum. After a further ten minutes she had another dose of Belladonna, following ten minutes later by a second dose of Capsicum.
Meanwhile half an hour gone b and we had talked with the utmost animation about her sisters mastoid operation, operations in general, and various other things. I had observed that the expression of Mrs. C. S. had changed completely in the meantime, and I asked her suddenly: “How is the pain ?” With wide open eyes of amazement the lady exclaimed: “It has gone, completely gone ! It is marvellous !”
The pair stayed a little longer and then they went back to their car with two little boxes of pilules, one containing Belladonna and the other Capsicum, with instructions to take doses alternatively at lengthening intervals and to let me know instantaneously if there should be any further trouble. There was no further trouble.
Some time ago a Mrs. V., of Eltham, an old patient mine, was attacked by mastoid inflammation. Her husband told me this over the telephone. Instead of notifying me at once, the lady had tried treating the trouble herself with hot fomentations and she appealed to me only when the pain had become exceedingly severe. As they had no mother car to send me, further delay was occasioned by the despatch of medicines by post and again I selected Belladonna 3x and Capsicum 3x, which had rendered such excellent service in the previous case. This patient caused me great anxiety. Her attack was exceedingly severe.
The pain was excruciating, the swelling very great, she feared to los her reason. I told them of the danger of delay if an operation should be needed. However, the lady, who had undergone surgical treatment, was quite determined that she would rather die then be operated upon and she caused me the gravest anxiety by refusing to call in a local doctor or surgeon. However, alls well that ends well. The inflammation and swelling became steadily worse, and then it broke open, happily discharging toward the outside. In a few she was he old self again.
