Temporary cessation of or irregularity of the menses, when such symptoms arise in connection with chlorosis; inflammation of the neck of the womb; uterine polypi; uterine fibrous tumors; uterine hydatids; uterine cancer, and even pregnancy, have all been mistaken for the change of life.
Puberty, “pregnancy, parturition, lactation, are all critical periods, curing some complaints and giving greater activity to others; and when after having lasted thirty-two years the action of the reproductive organs is withdrawn from the system, prolonged ill-health is the frequent result. Then arise a series of beautiful critical movements, the object of which is to endow the woman with a greater degree of strength than she had previously enjoyed. Thus the floodings, leucorrhoea, diarrhoea, and perspirations which occur in the great majority of cases of the change of life are eminently critical and restore to health a large proportion of those who are judiciously treated. And there are many women who have suffered in various ways, for years with general poor health, who, upon the occurrence of the change of life, may either spontaneously recover, or will oftener be entirely cured by means of the appropriate medication. What is called by some authors the dodging time, covers the period which extends from the first beginning of declining and irregular menstruation, till the final cessation of this function. This period may vary from a few months to six or seven years; and while it affords a most important season for the application of Homoeopathic remedies, it will be very much abbreviated by their skilful employment.
But in addition to those forms of disease, which as purely critical may be regarded as the salutary result of vital action, – such as the occasional hemorrhages, leucorrhoeas and diarrhoeas already referred to, – there are other and more positive disorders, developed under the general influence of the profound disturbance of the nervous and sanguineous systems which in many instances is inseparable from the abrogation of the long- accustomed nervo-sanguineous function of ovulation and menstruation. All these require to be treated, in the usual manner, – by remedies carefully selected to meet the existing conditions; and with strong hope of success, even in the severest cases; – a hope all the greater from the fact of the temporary nature of the influence which stimulate and sustains these forms of disease. And this remark applies even to those malignant and cancerous forms of disease which are so frequently developed at the critical age. Unless the system has been previously exhausted by the hardships and sufferings imposed upon a constitution originally feeble, there is always hope for success in the early application of Homoeopathic medicines in these cases.
Treatment. – In this place it will be sufficient to refer to the different disorders already described and to their corresponding medicines, – such as Hemorrhage, Flooding, Diarrhoea, Cancer & c., & c., for the treatment of the various forms of disease that arise at the change of life. Let the similar remedy be always found for the existing symptoms and conditions of the individual case; let it be given in the best form (not too low); and let its full action be patiently a waited, and the physician will have the unspeakable satisfaction of seeing permanent health take the place of the most complicated, distressing and protracted forms of disease at the critical age. The remedies most frequently useful in disorders of the critical age will be found indicated under the head of menstrual disorders, such as Amenorrhoea, Dysmenorrhoea, Menorrhagia, Metrorrhagia; and also under the head of Diarrhoea, and other affections which may be the most prominent of those which attend the change of life. – The remedies which are remarkably adapted to relieve the disorders incident to change of life, and which therefore are found to be most frequently called for apt: Lachesis; Cocculus; Pulsatilla; Sulphur; Crocus; Conium; Sepia; Ignatia; and Sanguinaria. But whatever remedy includes the symptoms of the patient in most characteristic manner, i.e., has its own characteristics the characteristics of the patient, – will prove curative. And in the more severe forms of tumors, cancers, or other organic disease which may be developed subsequent to or in connection with the change of life, endeavor always to find the remedy which has all the constitutional and characteristic symptoms and conditions of the patient, as well as those relating to the particular form of structural disease which presents.
