TREATMENT.- It is usual to put the patient on milk at first milk only and later a diet consisting mainly of milk. This involves no work for the liver, and patients have been able to recover a large measure of health and keep fairly well by persistence in the diet. Only in cases where milk is unsuitable should raw meat juice be tried. Later when the stools have been reduced in number, scraped meat or very much underdone meat and other articles of diet should be gradually added. Liver soup has been highly praised as an article of diet. At the beginning of treatment the patient should be kept in bed and the abdominal compress is useful.
DRUG TREATMENT. There is no regular orthodox treatment by means of drugs. Fresh bael fruit and Santonin have been advocated. Mouth washes of weak carbolic acid (one per cent.), and boracic acid or alum are helpful, and the small ulcers should be touched with caustic. Lieutenant-Colonel Deane reports that he has found no drugs of any value, even given on homoeopathic grounds, but homoeopathic experience in this disease is not large. The symptoms suggest that Sulphur, Arsenicum, Borax, Phosphorus and others should have value.
264. Beri-beri.
DEFINITION.-A disease often occurring in epidemics, consisting of multiple neuritis,, of both motor and sensory nerves.
This disease is prevalent in China, Japan, and the Philippines and very extensively in the Malay Archipelago. It occurs in India and Burma, South America, the West Indies, and cases in sea-ports of England and U.S. A. are not uncommon.
There is now a mass of evidence accumulated to show that the disease arises from the eating of rice, which has been ” polished,” and thereby deprived of its pericarp. It therefore attacks nearly always those for whom rice is the staple diet. Europeans living on a mixed diet are less susceptible.
SYMPTOMS.-Pain and weakness in the limbs often preceded by catarrh; modifications of sensation; palpitation and shortness of breath. Attacks of this kind may come on and pass off, and recur during a space of years. It is the mild form of the disease. There is inflammation of the nerves (neuritis), and the symptoms are due to this.
There are more severe and dangerous forms:- (a) The Atrophic, where loss of power progresses rapidly with atrophy of muscles and ultimate paralysis. There is usually a good deal of pain.
(b). The Dropsical with less atrophy and pain, but characterised by oedema or dropsy, with (frequently) effusions into chest and abdomen. Palpitation is common.
(c) The Pernicious, where the cardiac symptoms are acute and grave, sometime causing death within twenty-four hours.
The mortality is very variable according to the form of the disease.
TREATMENT.-The use of polished rice must be abandoned and unpolished rice substituted. There is some evidence that it is the phosphatic elements in the polishing that are essential, so the administration of Sanatogen or Ovaltine might supply the deficiency.
DRUG TREATMENT.-The essence of the disease lies in the multiple neuritis, and there are several drugs that have the power of producing neuritis and should therefore be used on homoeopathic grounds. Most prominent is Arsenicum, which should find a place for the treatment of all the forms of Beri-beri. The Iodide of Arsenic might be more valuable in the cardiac forms where also Lachesis might be remembered. After Arsenicum, Carbo-Sulph. suggests itself; Phosphorus and Gelseminum, Aconite in early stages, with more involvement of sensory nerves. Chronic cases should have remedies chosen on the general symptoms.
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."