Dulcamara. Indicated in thick brown herpetic crusts on the face, forehead, temple and chin, with reddish border, bleeding when scratched.
Graphites. The eruption exudes a transparent, glutinous fluid, which causes the crusts to fall off, when more form to fall again in turn; meanwhile the eruption extends over a still larger surface. It appears more particularly on the chin, and behind the ears, although no portion of the surface is entirely exempt.
Hepar. The eruption spreads by means of new pimples appearing just beyond the main disease, which finally become incorporated with those which came first.
Jacea. Violently itching eruption, worse every night, and urine smelling like cat’s urine.
Lycopodium. When the eruption has a bad smell and bleeds very easily.
Mercurius sol. Much salivation and scorbutic gums.
Psorine. This remedy should be studied is seemingly intractable cases.
Rhus t. A bright edge of inflammation surrounds every portion of the eruption; and there is much itching, particularly at night.
Sarsaparilla. The entire base of the eruption is much inflames; the child cries much and is very uneasy; also the crusts become detaches in the open air, and the skin adjoining becomes chapped.
Sepia. Eruption very moist, almost constantly discharging pus-like matter; the child often jerks its head to and fro.
Staphysagria. When the scales are yellow, moist, offensive, and itch violently.
Sulphur. Where the eruption extends more or less over the whole body, with much itching, although the main affection appears upon the head.
Viola tri. Trick incrustations, pouring out a large quantity of thick yellow fluid, which agglutinates the hair.
DANDRUFF PITYRIASIS.
This is a superficial, scurfy, bran-like eruption, which appears, sometimes on the forehead, but principally upon the hairy scalp of infants. The minute scales, exfoliation of the external cuticle, fall off, leaving temporarily a white surface, to be replaced presently by a similar scurfy formation; this process occurs again and again.
More severe forms of furfuraceous (bran-like) eruption are known by the name of Porrigo; Herpes furfuraceus, Tinea. The pityriasis versicolor is said by Watson to be a sample of the vegetable parasites with which the human integuments are liable to be defaced. Viewed through a microscope, these bran-like scales, present the spora and filaments of a minute cryptogamous plant or fungus, the microsporum furfurans. Although the knowledge of this or any other eruption being of such parasitic nature is of less use is Homoeopathic than in Allopathic prescribing: still it will be interesting to examine any such scales with a microscope, to determine if they are fungi; and then to see them entirely disappear, not under the too often ineffectual application of external means, or the use of any other remedies directed principally to the skin; but under the influence of the proper antipsoric, which removes the disorder form the skin by first curing the internal dyscrasia from which it was developed, and by which it is still supported. Study the following medicines, as well as those previously mentioned under Crusta Lactea. Be careful in cleansing the child’s head, not to try to was or rub off the dandruff. Cure the child; and that will disappear of itself!
Arsenicum. Eruption dry and scaly; scurf or scales constantly falling off; often destroying the hair.
Bryonia. When the scalp is extremely sensitive and the dandruff rough and uneven.
Calcarea c. The dandruff accumulates evenly all over the scalp, which is smooth and seems to become thickened. This remedy alone cures the most of such cases.
Dulcamara. Marked aggravations in the child’s general symptoms occur with every cool change in the weather.
Graphites. Occasionally there is seen a transparent, glutinous exudation upon the scalp.
Lycopodium. The head smells very badly.
Mercurius. When there are the general mercurial symptoms in connection with the dandruff.
Psorine. This remedy will sometimes be requires, where Sulphur or Calcarea fails to cure.
Sepia. The dandruff seems to come in circles like ring-worm, (annular herpes).
Silicea. This remedy is indicated is cases similar to those cured by Calcarea, but the child has less of the leucophlegmatic temperament,
Sulphur. General Sulphur symptoms with the dandruff.
NAEVI MATERNI-MOTHER’S-MOLES.
These spots are congenital, as their name indicates; and they are not only hardly every amenable to surgical treatment, but have in many cases been rendered much worse by such injudicious interference. Some remarkable naevi reproduce upon the skin of the child while yet unborn the vivid impression made upon the mind of the mother. Another and more profound influence of the same kind, or one exerted in a earlier stage of pregnancy, results in actual deformities and monstrosities. Naevi materni may be arranged in three distinct classes, in the order of their gravity.
I. Moles; the most common of all; whose character and harmlessness is well known; and which are generally attributed to some alteration in the structure of the rete mucosum.
II. Venous Aneurisms, Anastomosis of Venous Capillaries. These form a dark-red circumscribed stain, which generally appears on one side of the face, and is sometimes of considerable extent. These “marks” which appear to be simple dilatations of the sub- cuticular capillary vessels, may increase in extent till puberty, and then remain stationary.
III. Aneurisms and Dilatations of the Arterial Capillaries. These form the most important of the naevi; they are apt to enlarge in after-life, especially when stimulated by external irritation; and they may give rise to dangerous hemorrhage if improperly meddled with. They form slightly elevated sports, with well defined margin and a granular surface, which consist of tan erectile vascular margin and a granular surface, which consist of an erectile vascular tissue. These granulated tumors, raised above the skin, may in fact be constituted of venous, or of arterial vessels. In the former case, they may be of a dark blue or livid color; in the latter of a brighter red.
The following remedies should be carefully studied, in order to find the simile in each case: this being found, it should be given sufficiently high, and at long intervals, in order to remove as rapidly as possible from the system the morbid condition which sustains these irregularities of the circulation; and to enable nature to remedy the deficiency in structural organization form which perhaps they originally sprung.
If the arterial capillaries appear involved:
Belladonna. Will be indicated by red radii extending from the centre.
Calcarea c. In leucophlegmatic temperaments.
Lycopodium. In hypertrophied capillary tumors, both venous and arterial. If the venous capillaries and involved:
Carbo veget. PArticularly when the slightest irritation causes free hemorrhage.
Phosphorus. “Small wounds bleed much” this may be either venous or arterial. Study also : Nux v., Sulphur.
In cases of encysted tumors, (Rupia, or Naevi lipomatodes), study in connection with all the constitutional and concomitant symptoms and conditions: Baryta c., Calcarea c., Hepar, Graphites, Phosphorus, Silicea, Sulphur.
Naevus verrucosus-Wens, Warts: Calcarea c., Causticum, Dulcamara, Lycopodium, Nitric acid, Psorinum, Rhus t., Sepia, Thuya, should be similarly studied; or any other remedies to which attention may be turned by peculiarities of the individual case.
CEPHALHAEMATOMA-SANGUINEOUS TUMOR OF THE HEAD.
Of the sanguineous tumors sometimes developed upon the pericranium and bones of the head of new-born children, the writer has met with quite a number. And he has always been successful in curing them in a few days with a single dose of Calcarea c., high. Hartman recommends Arnica, or Rhus 30.
If there should result an ichorous discharge and caries of the bone, and prostration, the same author prescribes China, and afterwards Silicea. But in my opinion, Calcarea c., Given at the first, will save any further trouble.
ECCHYMOSES on the surface of the scalp of young infants are the result of contusion of the cranium in parturition; they disappear by absorption; but their removal may be hastened by the application of Arnica lotion.
RANULA. This swelling under the tongue consists in an enlargement of the sublingual bursae mucosae. The cyst contains usually a limpid or thick albuminous fluid; although there have been instances in which the contents were more solid concretion. The puncture of the tumor, although evacuating the contents, does no good; and should in no case be resorted to. The disease takes its rise in some scrofulous (or possibly syphilitic) dyscrasia; and can only be radically cured by remedies capable of removing such taint from the system.
Ambra g. Is recommended by Jahr.
Calcarea c. Should always be studies in connection with cases of this kind occurring n leucophlegmatic temperaments.
Mercurius. Much salivation. Suspicion of a syphilitic taint.
Natrum mur. In the opinion of Hartman deserves the preference over Ambra.
