SYMPTOMS-Nausea, flatulence, griping pain in the bowels; followed by loose motions, which may vary as regards consistency- being fluid or watery; in their odour and colour. Furred tongue, foul breath, and acrid eructations, are generally superadded. The circulation, breathing, and other functions are usually unaffected. In Summer-diarrhoea, or English Cholera, the discharge are chiefly bilious, and there are often violent pains in the abdomen, Cramps in the legs, and great prostration.
CAUSES. Excess in. the pleasure of the table.-Over repletion of the stomach may occasion irritation and diarrhoea by the mere quantity of the ailment introduced, but these results more commonly follow the mixture of various kinds of food and drink in one meal.
2. Indigestible kinds of food-Such are especially, -sour, unripe, or decaying fruit or vegetable;s badly cooked food; fatty and rich foods; various kinds of shell-fish-putrid or diseased animal good. Numerous proof shave often been furnished in. the public journals that the flesh of diseased animals is occasional solid for human food.
3. Impure Water-This is a fruitful cause of Diarrhoea. Water contained with sewage or sewage cases, or with decomposing animal matter, is almost certain to produce Diarrhoea, especially in recent visitors to a neighborhood supplied with such water.
4. Atmospheric Influences-The heat of summer, the ho days but chilly nights and morning of autumn, m are frequently exciting causes of Diarrhoea so is the application of cold to the perspiring body, or the sudden checking of perspiration. Hot weather is a frequent exciting cause of Diarrhoea, termed on this account summer of r English Cholera. Dr Farr says that Diarrhoea ‘is as constantly in English towns when the temperature rises above 60 degree as Bronchitis and Catarrh when the temperature falls below 32 degree. Probably, to the influence of the change of temperature-from the excessive heat of the day to the cool of h evening in the autumnal months-may be added that of bad drainage, and springs.
5. Mental Emotions-The depressing influences of fear or anxiety, or the violent excitement of anger are frequent exciting causes. A sudden fright, writes Sir Thomas Watson, Excites in many person the action of the bowels as certainly as, and much more quickly than, a black draught.
6. Functional or organic disease-Diarrhoea is often a symptom of other disease arising from local or constitutions cases, as in Enteric fever; and in Hectic fever and Phthisis, when it is called colliquative diarrhoea, because it appears to melt down the substance of he body cachectic Diarrhoea, a s from chronic malarious diseases; bilious Diarrhoea, from excessive flow of bile, and in hot weather or after passing a gallstone. Looseness of the bowels is a very common precursor of cholera, when that disease is epidemic.
TREATMENT-The attempt to arrest Diarrhoea by the stringent measures of the old school has, in many ways, a most prejudicial effect; for should one symptom be relieved, is to o frequently followed by aggravations of others. when loose evacuations afford relief, the should no be interfered with, for they may be Nature’s mode of curing disease. the evacuations following he too free indulgence of the table, or those of children during teething, a re of this class.
EPITOME OF TREATMENT.-
1. Diarrhoea from indigestible food-Pulsatilla, Ant-C., Ipecac., Nux v.
2. From impure water-bapt., Arsenicum
3. From fruits of acids.-Arsenicum, Coloc.
4. From cold and hygrometric changes-Camph. (with severe chills); Aconite, Bryonia (changes from hot to cold weather); Dulcamara (damp); coloc. (with colic).
5. Summer Diarrhoea.-China ()Simple); Ver-alb. (with cramps) Iris (with vomiting and headache)l; Arsenicum (great prostration_; Ac- Phosphorus (epidemic summer and autumnal Diarrhoea); colch., Podoph.
6. From mental causes.-Ignatia, Verbascum, Chamomilla, china.
7. During Dentition-See Section 135.
8. In weak and aged persons.-Phosphorus, Ac-Phosphorus, Ant-C., Ac.-Ni.
9.Chronic Diarrhoea.-Arsenicum, Phosphorus, Calc-c., Ac-Phosphorus, Iodium, China, sulph., Ferrum-Iod., Ac-Nit.
10.Other conditions_Ipecac. 9with vomiting0; Ferrum, China, Arsenicum undigested food in the stools). Rumex, Nuphar (morning Diarrhoea);Merc-Cor., Caps., Ipecac. (bloody discharges; see also Section on ‘Dysentery); Podoph., Mercurius, China, iris (bilious diarrhoea; Rubini’s Camphor (choleraic Diarrhoea; tetanic Cramps).
LEADING INDICATIONS.-
Camphor-In sudden and recent cases, with chilliness, shivering, cold creeping of he skin, severed pain in the stomach and bowels, cold face and hands. Two drops on a small piece of loaf sugar, repeated every twenty or thirty minutes for three or four times. If this remedy acts at all, it does so promptly, and no good follows its continued use.
Dulcamara-diarrhoea from cold and wet, particularly in the summer or autumn; nocturnal evacuations, which a slimy or bilious; Impaired appetite and dejection of spirits.
Pulsatilla. Purging from fatty or rich food, bitter taste in the mouth, nausea, ructations, and colicky pains, specially at night; mucus Diarrhoea, especially in children.
Ant-Crud-Watery Diarrhoea, with disordered stomach, loss of appetite, white coated tongue, eructations, and nausea. It is more especially adapted to the aged.
China-Simple Summer Diarrhoea; also after eating, or in he night, or early morning, a nd containing undigested food, painless or with Colic; brownish motions; debility- thirst, and loss of appetite.
Apis-Painless, greenish-yellow Diarrhoea, recurring every morning.
Iris Versicolour-English Cholera of Summer -diarrhoea; bilious evacuations, with vomiting and Headache.
Arsenicum-Diarrhoea accompanied or ushered in by vomiting, with heat in the stomach, and a burning sensation attempting the effort of expelling the motions with griping or tearing pains in the abdomen. It is well indicated in Diarrhoea with extreme weakness, emaciation, coldness of the extremities, pallor, sunken cheeks, etc. It is therefore more suited to Diarrhoea associated with deep-seated disease than to merc functional disorder.
Mercurius Cor-Bilious or body stools, preceded by colic and griping, and followed by painful straining also clay-coloured or yellow stools.
Bryonia-diarrhoea a during the heat of summer from heat to cold wind.
Podophyllum-Dysenteric and bilious diarrhoea with prolapse of the bowel.
Aloes.- diarrhoea, with feeling of uncertainty as to the power of retaining the contents of the bowel.
Veratrum-Copious, dark, water evacuations, w with Cramps, great thirst, vomiting coldness of the body, and rapid sinking.
Acid-Phos-Chronic, exhausting, painless Diarrhoea, particularly when there is involuntary action of the bowels.
Phosphorus-Weakly, nervous patients, especially young persons with a tendency to Phthisis. Iodium is also valuable.
Ferrum-Anaemic patients; chronic Diarrhoea, with undigested food.
Calcarea Carb-Chronic diarrhoea, with weakness, emaciation, pale face, and sometimes variable appetite, It is especially useful in scrofulous persons.
DIET-In recent cases of Diarrhoea, food should be given sparingly, consisting of light, non-irritating articles(gruel, rice, arrowroot, arrowroot biscuits Neave’s Good prepared with an extra quantity of milk, and other farinaceous substances, which should be taken cool In chronic Diarrhoea, t he diet should be nutritious, but restricted tot he most digestible kinds of food- mutton, chicken, Pigeon, game, and white fish are generally suitable, if not over-cooked. Beef, pork, and veal and all tough portions of meat should b avoided. STarchy goods- arrowroot, sago, etc.-are insufficient for prolonged cases of Diarrhoea, but are improved by admixture with good milk. Old rice well-cooked, with milk, taken directly it is prepared, is excellent nourishment. Raw or half-cooked eggs, and wholesome ripe fruit in moderation, may generally be taken Mucilaginous drinks-barely-water, gum-water, nitric lemonade, linseed tea, etc. are the most suitable. Probably, however, the best diet is milk-and lime water; it may be iced in feverish conditions, and soda-water occasionally substituted for lime- water. Restricting patient entirely to this diet is often alone sufficient to cure all kinds of Diarrhoea not depending on a permanent chronic cause. Even him the alter case much temporary benefit is gained. the alkaline milk diet may be taken frequently and in small quantities.
ACCESSORY MEANS-The extremities should de kept warm, and exposure to cold or wet avoided. Rest, in the recumbent posture, is desirable in acute cases.?Severe griping pains may be relieved by heated flannel applied to the abdomen, dry, or wrung out of hot water a roll of flannel, fitting moderately tight round the abdomen, is very comforting and hastens the cure. Persons liable diarrhoea should always wear flannel Persons liable Diarrhoea should always wear flannel and abdominal – belts. Night air and alter hours presdispose to attacks., Except in severs cases, moderate out of -door exercise should be taken daily. One recovery from diarrhoea, relapses should de guarded against by shunning all assorting causes in good, clothing,, etc.; mental excitement, and excessive or prolonged exertion should also be avoided.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."