APPARENTLY both were acute in a gentleman seventy-three years of age. Etiology undiscovered. “Palpitation” and distress in cardiac region first called his attention to the fact that he was not well. Rapid development. Soon obliged to lie down.
Heart sounds muffled and distorted; leaky mitral valve; entire action of a bubbling or rippling character, as if heart were moving in liquid; resonance under percussion; local soreness, tension and weight; obliged to lie upon back; shallow respiration, any attempt at full breathing causing acute pain, shuddering all over, and a sudden stop when inspiration was half accomplished, 32 ; pulse full, even, hard, 100; temperature 103.
My first prescription was a failure–Digitalis, largely on account of the peculiar breathing. Ignatia next palliated only. By that time the analysis of urine was completed by an expert and read thus : “Quantity, fl.z/3 xiv. in 12 hours; colour, light; acid; specific gravity, 1.024; urea. .0350 p.c.; urobilin, diminished; indican increased; earthy phosphates, diminished alkaline phosphates, increased albumin, trace. Sediment, profuse, white; casts, numerous hyaline, coarse granular, fine granular.
I then made a study of the whole case, received excellent advice from a medical friend who had not been retained by the family, and put a few pellets of pulsatilla in potency on the patients tongue. Counsel arrived soon after, confirmed my diagnosis, and pronounced grave prognosis. In compliance with my earnest request, the medicine was allowed to act undisturbed until our next meeting, unless the patient should meanwhile become worse.
“What in the world do you want to give pulsatilla for ?”.
“Because all his life he has wanted to be in the open air; when he was cautioned not to attempt to drive with his wife, he wept; is thirstless; has white, tenacious mucus on tongue; has oppression of the chest; has shallow breathing, each partial inspiration ending abruptly with a shiver; has anguish in region of heart; must lie upon his back; cannot urinate without standing; has tremulous hands, which did not tremble before. Pulsatilla meets all these requirements; no other medicine does”.
Immediate and uninterrupted improvement followed. nineteen days after my first prescription, nothing wrong could be found with heart or kidneys. Doctor and nurse ended their ministrations. The patient felt and seemed well, though weak, and was allowed increasing liberty.
Pulsatilla was not given “for” endocarditis nor “for” nephritis. it was given for the entire individual need; and consequently all ailments disappeared.
In 1888, Dr. Carleton founded a local study group with Wells, Bayard and Butler, the New York Homeopathic Union, "for the study of homeopathy both in respect to its philosophy as a science and its practice as an art."
Dr. Carleton was known to be a first class surgeon. Much ahead of his time, he performed delicate plastic surgeries with great perfection.
Dr. Carleton was a dedicated and much appreciated teacher. For more than twenty-five years he was professor of surgery in the New York Medical College and Hospital for Women. He was also professor of homeopathic philosophy with its clinical application in the New York Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital. He was president of IHA in 1894. He was also the author of Homeopathy in Medicine and Surgery, published by Boericke & Tafel.