Cinchona and Quinine cure ague because they are homoeopathic to most cases of it, and they will cure it often in small doses. Orthodox physicians will give ten to thirty grains or more in twenty-four hours, but frequently doses of two and three grains are sufficient. Tincture of Cinchona proved its efficacy in Malaria years before Quinine was extracted from it, and if the symptoms correspond large doses of Quinine are unnecessary. The typical symptoms for Cinchona are as follow. Thirst before the attack, ceasing when chill begins. Chill without thirst, and heat without thirst, but great thirst in the sweating stage, which is very profuse and debilitating; there is usually hunger and drowsiness (<) by eating and drinking; desire to uncover in hot stage, but chilly when uncovered; pains in the hepatic region; throbbing headache.
Arsenicum- Often when Quinine fails. Great thirst all through for small quantities frequently repeated. Sweat gives relief to symptoms. The chill is often irregularly developed or even absent. Semi-lateral headache is frequent, and intermittent neuralgia.
Ipecacuanha- Nausea, vomiting, and other gastric disturbances, occurring before and during chill and heat; thickly-coated, yellowish, moist fur on the tongue; cold hands and feet; great oppression of the chest.
Ipecac. has a curious power of bringing out a clear symptom- picture for a good prescription in intermittents which have become chronic and endured a great deal of ineffectual treatment. Marked nausea is the chief indication for it, but it will help to clear up almost any obscure case of the disease.
Cedron- It is considered to be a true anti-periodic, and in simple intermittents is said to be infallible. It also is recommended for regularly recurring paroxysms of neuralgia.
Nat-Mur- Chronic intermittents, with bilious vomiting before and during the chill; great thirst, with chill; marked relief from perspiration; blistered lips, and sores about the mouth. Attacks very apt to begin about 8 or 9 a.m. It is in high repute in America, especially in chronic cases. Nat-Mur. is the great antidote to Quinine poisoning.
Carbo-Veg.- Is recommended when the cold stage had greatly predominated. We have found it valuable in chronic cases, and have witnessed its power in preventing a recurrence of the disease. It should be useful in the algid form, and Camphor should also be considered in this connection.
DIET- On the days in which the fits occur, the food should be light, taken in small quantities, and great dietetic precautions observed until the paroxysms entirely disappear. Gruel, arrowroot, tapioca, sago, or corn-flour; mutton or chicken broth, or tender meat may be taken in the intervals between the fits. Cold water ad libitum.
253. Sleeping Sickness.
DEFINITION- A chronic disease characterised by fever, lassitude, weakness, wasting and protracted lethargy. This disease occurs principally in Africa, and has of late years ravaged especially parts of Uganda. It is due to an organism of the order of the Trypanosomata, which is conveyed into the system by the bite of the stinging-fly glossina. The organisms multiply in the blood and in the cerebro-spinal fluid, and give rise to the disease symptoms.
SYMPTOMS- Irregular fever, emaciation, loss of strength, swelling of lymph glands and spleen, then headache, a dull apathetic expression, increasing fever, and difficulty in waking, mumbling speech, tremor of the hands. Increasing drowsiness, ending in a deeper and deeper sleep, in which the patient usually dies of some secondary infection. The course of the disease is often prolonged. The organism can be found generally in the blood and cerebro-spinal fluid.
TREATMENT- The mortality is very high and for some time it seemed to be a uniformly fatal disease. Of late, however, recoveries have been reported. Medical efforts so far have been directed to killing the parasite, and to that end preparations of Arsenic have been used, especially Atoxyl and Salvarsan. Undoubtedly Arsenic is responsible for some cures, but to a homoeopathist it is doubtful whether the effect of the drug is to be explained as a direct action on the parasite, and not as a result of its effect in encouraging bodily resistance indirectly, for assuredly in choosing remedies for this disease on homoeopathic grounds, Arsenicum would be found to come forward prominently. In any case it should be the first drug thought of. Ant-Tart. should also be tried. As far as we know no cases have been treated by homoeopathists, so that there is no experience to guide us, but from the symptomatology, Chloral, Opium and Nux Moschata should be considered as well as Arsenic, and from the involvement of the cerebro-spinal system drugs like Hellebore, Apis and the Serpent poisons, Naja and Lachesis. As a preventive measure, obviously, all care should be taken to avoid the bite of the glossina.
254. Kala-Azar (Dum dum fever).
DEFINITION- A chronic disease, characterized by enlarged spleen, anaemia, irregular fever. It is associated with a protozoan parasite. The disease occurs in India, Assam, Ceylon, China and Egypt. Europeans are rarely attacked.
SYMPTOMS- Enlarged spleen always; enlarged liver frequently; earthy pallor, emaciation, muscular atrophy. Long continued irregular remittent fever. Tendency to haemorrhage from gums, and to purpuric eruptions. Transitory oedemas. Anaemia. Secondary infections are common.
TREATMENT- Arsenicum. Fever, oedema, anaemia. Phosphorus- Tendency to haemorrhage.
Ceanothus and Carduus- Enlarged spleen and liver.
China, or Quinine, Ac-Phosphorus, and preparations of Iron would no doubt be found useful. Also perhaps Apis and Lachesis or Crot..
255. Yellow Fever.
DEFINITION- A fever of tropical and sub-tropical countries. Its characteristics are toxaemia of varying intensity with jaundice, albuminuria and marked tendency to haemorrhage, especially from the stomach (black vomit).
The cause of the disease is a spirochaete, the leptospira icteroides. It is transmitted by the bite of a particular kind of mosquito (Stegomyia), and this fact has enabled the prophylaxis of the disease to be very satisfactorily carried out. The disease prevails in certain parts of the Spanish Main and the West Indies Islands, and spreads at times to other parts of America, the Southern States of U.S.A., and South America countries. In the past great epidemics have taken place, but now that mosquito transmission has been proved, they should never occur again.
SYMPTOMS- After a period of incubation of uncertain length during which there may be merely a little depression, loss of appetite and nausea violent shivering and vomiting occur. The chill is rapidly followed by intense fever, rapid pulse, high temperature (101 degree to 106 degree), excruciating headache, backache, and pain in the limbs. Retention of urine and costiveness are present. The countenance is sad or stern, and the mind is affected. In from twenty-four to sixty hours an abatement occurs, and good nursing leads to rapid recovery, but as there is a great depression of the vital powers the time is critical. Voracious hunger, dyspeptic symptoms, wakefulness, a lemon tint in the eyes, and depressed mind are of ominous import. The third stage is one of collapse. This, the most fatal stage, is marked by increasing yellowness of the skin; burning pain in the throat, stomach, and bowels; dark-coloured urine; diarrhoea; restlessness; delirium; hiccough; and the much-dreaded black vomit resembling coffee-grounds, or soot, or snuff, suspended in water; this condition is the result of haemorrhage into the stomach. In an advanced stage bloody furuncles occur, or Haemorrhage from various parts or organs simultaneously; the urine is albuminous or suppressed, coma and convulsions supervene, and the life of the patient is terminated by exhaustion or syncope.
TREATMENT- Prophylactic. The essence of this treatment consists in destroying the mosquitoes in every way possible, and in screening all rooms at night to prevent their access to human beings; measures of drainage and disinfection of all shallow waters, breeding grounds of mosquitoes, cleaning away and destruction of refuse are therefore, as in the parallel case of Malaria, of supreme importance. Rigid measures of this kind have stamped the disease out to all intents and purposes in Havana and the Panama Canal zone. Indeed, the building of the Canal has mainly been rendered possible by the success of the doctors in dealing with Malaria and Yellow Fever.
MEDICINAL TREATMENT- The disease is very deadly, the mortality varying from fifteen to eighty-five per cent. in different epidemics. Homoeopathy, as usual, has had much better results, whenever it has been employed.
EPITOME OF TREATMENT:-
1. First stage- Camph. (chills and shivering); Aconite alt. Belladonna every hour (intense fever and pain in the head); Gelsemium alt. Bryonia, unless fever be much reduced in twenty-four hours; Cimic. (rheumatic pains in back, limbs and head); Ipecac. (nausea and vomiting); Ant-T. should Ipecac. prove insufficient; China (prostration after haemorrhage).
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."