General Diseases



TREATMENT.– Rhus Tox. is generally the first, and unless the symptom mentioned below are prominent, the only remedy required, and under its action the disease soon disappears. Aconitum.– Febrile symptoms. Belladonna.– Headache, flushing of the face, or sore throat. Apis.– Excessive itching with the eruption. Mercurius.– Should any of the vesicles suppurate.

ACCESSORY MEANS.– Too early exposure to cold, especially during the winter or early spring, should be avoided. A milk diet is generally best.

37.– Measles (Morbilli).

DEFINITION.– A continued infectious fever, preceded by severe catarrh, accompanied by a crimson rash, and sometimes followed by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the organs or respiration.

This disease was formerly confounded with Scarlatina; but there are well-marked differences, as pointed out in the table following. Measles is generally unattended with danger, unless improperly treated., unfortunately, however, so constant is this improper treatment, that it is one of the most fatal of diseases, especially amongst children. In England and Wales in the year 1887 no fewer than 16, 765 persons died of it. Thanks, perhaps, to better sanitation this figure has not since been reached, but in 1890 the number was 12,614, in 1895 11,491, in 1910 8,302, and in 1916 5,413.

Children are usually the subjects of its attack; but when adults suffer, it is often a severe disease. Like Scarlatina and Small- pox it is highly contagious, often epidemic, and generally attacks the same person only once.

MODES OF PROPAGATION.– no susceptible person can remain in the same room or house with an infected person without risk of taking the disease; and it is almost impossible to isolate the disease in large establishments or schools. It is propagated by fomites. This is proved by the fact that children’s clothes, sent home in boxes from schools where the disease has raged, communicate the disease; and also by the same circumstance resulting when susceptible children have lain in the same beds, or in the same room, shortly after it has been occupied by patients suffering from the disease (Aitken). The contagion from Measles, Scarlatina, etc. only ceases when desquamation of the cuticle is complete, but is much greater in the early stages.

SYMPTOMS.– Measles passes through its course by stages; there is its period of incubation, lasting from ten to fourteen days; its precursory fever; its eruptive stage; and its decline. The peculiarity of the early symptoms is, their resemblance to those of a common cold, — sneezing; red, swollen, and watery eyes; discharge from the nose; a hoarse, harsh cough; languor; fever; and sometimes diarrhoea and vomiting. Them symptoms usually increase in intensity until about the fourth day the eruption appears, first on the face, then on the neck and breast, and soon after on the whole body. It is in the form of slightly raised red spots, which multiply and coalesce into blotches of a more or less crescentric form, particularly on the face, which is often a good deal swollen. An abundant eruption is more favourable than a scanty one. The eruption is two or three days in coming out, and remains at least three days; the fever then abates, and the eruption declines, becoming browner as it fades, and the outer skin is afterwards thrown off in a fine bran-like scurf. The spots on then mucous membrane of the mouth, known by the name of Koplik, their discoverer, appear before the skin rash, and are therefore of diagnostic value. They are white specks surrounded with red areolae, and appear on a level with the bases of the lower milk molar teeth on each side. As the rash declines, diarrhoea sometimes occurs; this, unless very troublesome, should not be interfered with, as it is often beneficial. The maximum temperature, in the usual run of cases, is 103*; if it rises above this, the case must be regarded as severe; if much below it, mild. The highest temperature is generally reached on the fifth day, after which it rapidly declines. The temperature corresponds to that of most other fevers, and should be measured by a clinical thermometer, by which severe and complicated cases may be early distinguished. In nearly every case the catarrh extends down the larger bronchial tubes, and any sudden increase in the temperature, or the occurrence of any rigors, would indicate the advent of a more serious condition than mere catarrh, either in the lung substance (Pneumonia), or in the small air-tubes (Capillary Bronchitis).

TABLE SHOWING THE CHIEF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEASLES AND SCARLET FEVER.

MEASLES.

1.– Catarrhal symptoms are prominent- watery discharge from then eyes and nose, sneezing, harsh cough, etc.

2.– The rash is of a pinkish-red or raspberry-colour. The white streak produced by the back of the nail is not uniform, and lasts a shorter time than in Scarlet fever.

3.– The eruption is somewhat rough, so as to be felt by passing the hand over the skin, and is in groups of a crescentric form.

4.– Liquid, tender, watery eye.

5.– The cuticle is thrown off in minute portions, like scales of fine bran.

6.– The most common sequelae are diseases of the lungs, eyes, ears, and skin.

SCARLET FEVER

1.– Catarrhal symptoms are usually absent, but there is great heat of the skin, sore throat, and sometimes delirium.

2. — The eruption is of a bright scarlet colour, and by drawing the back of the nail over the skin a white skin is produced, which lasts two or three minutes.

3.- The rash usually presents no inequalities to sight or touch, and is so minute and closely crowded as to give the skin a uniformly red appearance.

4.– A peculiar brilliant stare, as if the eyes were glistened by an ethereal lustre (Duggan).

5.– Desquamation of the cuticle is in large patches, especially from the hands and feet.

6.– The most frequent sequelae are dropsy, especially after mild cases, and glandular swellings.

DANGERS.– Pneumonia, Bronchitis, and inflammation of the larynx are the chief causes of danger during the course of the disease. In grave attacks the eruption is of a dark purple colour, and should always excite anxiety. Dangers may also follow the attack, as pointed out under Sequelae.

EPITOME OF TREATMENT.–

1. Primary Fever.– Aconite and warm bath (See Secale 26).

2. The rash and catarrhal derangement.– Pulsatilla, Gelsemium Euphr. (copious watery discharge from the eyes and nose).

3. Slow development of the eruption.– Belladonna (drowsiness, startings, etc.), Pulsatilla( troublesome gastric symptoms), and the warm bath (see Secale 26), Ammonium Carb., (tendency to relapse).

4. Retrocession of the eruption.– Gelsemium, Ammon-Carb., Bryonia,, Zincum met., Cuprum., Sulphur

5. Troublesome cough.– K.-Bich., Spongia, bell., Bryonia, Ant., Tart., Ipecac.

6. Severe and complicated cases.– Camph., Arsenicum, Murex-Ac., Phosphorus, bell., rhus.

SPECIAL INDICATIONS.– Aconitum.– Well-marked febrile symptoms at the outset, or to control inflammatory action during the process of the disease. A dose every two, three of four hours. Dr. Von Grauvogl gives Aconite alone in Measles, and also top cure the sequelae, if these arise, as they often do, when the disease has been treated with Aconite See Text-book of homoeopathy, Part I.

Veratrum Vir.– Useful during the febrile stage, if congestion of the lungs, or convulsions are feared.

Pulsatilla.– Cough worse towards evening or during the night, with rattle of mucus in the air-passages or thick yellowish or whitish expectoration; thick greenish or yellowish discharge from the nose; Epistaxis; catarrhal derangement of the stomach, and diarrhoea. Pulsatilla may follow Aconite

Gelsemium.– When the eruption is slow in making its appearance, or is imperfect, or too suddenly recedes, especially when there is a tendency to convulsions, it may be given in frequently repeated doses. Some give in instead of puls.

Ammonium- Carb.– Imperfect or retrocedent eruption.

Belladonna.– Sore throat, with painful and difficult swallowing; dry spasmodic cough; inflammation of the eyes, restlessness, and tendency to delirium.

Ipecacuanha.– Retching, vomiting, and much cough.

Bryonia.– This valuable remedy may be given in the first stage, in alternation with Acon; when the temperature begins to fall, with Puls,; and thus the tendency to the development of Bronchitis or Pneumonias often averted. Bryonia is also useful, especially when alternated with Antim tart. where cough is the prominent symptoms. The hot bath or pack will aid the medicines. (See Secale 26).

Mercurius.– Glandular swellings in the neck, ulcers in the mouth and throat, bilious diarrhoea, dysenteric stools, etc.

Phosphorus.– Pale, imperfect, or irregular eruptions; dry, hollow cough; pain in the chest; nervous or typhoid symptoms. It is especially called for in the Pneumonia which is a common sequel of Measles.

Sulphur.– During the decline of the disease, as well as after the eruption has completed its natural course and the other medicines are discontinued, to prevent the usual a after- effects. A dose twice or thrice daily for four days; afterwards, once or twice for a like period.

Edward Harris Ruddock
Ruddock, E. H. (Edward Harris), 1822-1875. M.D.
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."