The disorders of the Digestive Function and Apparatus may be enumerated under the heads of Variations of Appetite; Gastric Disturbance; and Intestine Affections. In the first class will be found Anorexia, Pica or Malacia, and Bulimy; in the second, Nausea and Vomiting, Pyrosis, or Heartburn; in the third, Constipation, Hemorrhoids, Diarrhoea.
I. VARIATIONS OF APPETITE.
Anorexia, or want of appetite and even disgust for food, very frequently make its appearance at the commencement of gestation; less often it is seen only towards its close. In some cases there is a loathing especially for some particular kinds of food; especially meats; in other cases there seems to be simply a general loss of appetite. These symptoms are usually supposed to be the results of the sympathetic relations existing between the stomach and the uterus; but their deeper meaning, already referred to, will the particularly stated in connection with that of the other varieties of appetite.
Malacia, another not uncommon affection of pregnant females, consists in a depravation of taste, in which an almost universal loathing is combined wit an exclusive longing for more particular article of food. Where something injurious, or not used for food, is desired, the abnormality is termed Pica. Chalk, charcoal, pepper, salt food, acids, alkalies, are sometimes very strongly and persistently craved, and eaten. The desire for particular articles of food should be gratified to a reasonable extent. “The common tendency of the appetite in pregnancy is to prefer fresh vegetables, fruits, and cooling drinks, and to avoid stimuli of all kinds. In this the state of pregnancy accords very well with all its requirements. Smith.
Bulimy, or inordinate and insatiable hunger, is another affection of pregnant women, which here, as in other persons generally indicates some disorder of the nutrition or assimilation; although it may be due simply to sympathetic nervous irritation. All these morbid conditions of the appetite are but indications of the various hitherto latent dyscrasia, developed now by the pregnant state. And the careful exhibition of the appropriate remedies will not only relieve the sufferings of the patient; but will also greatly improve her general health, as already stated.
We give the various remedies which have been found useful in these complaints-these should be compared with those more fully stated under Gastric Derangements; and carefully studied in the Materia Medica, in order to determine which is the appropriate remedy in each individual case.
NOTE.- In arranging these remedies for study, we have followed the very valuable Therapeutic Pocket Book of Boenninghausen, now unfortunately out of print in English, and it will be observed that the higher the numbers the more strongly marked is the remedy for the symptom to which it is affixed. Thus I. corresponds to the ordinary type of Boenninghausen; II. to the italics; III. to the small capitals, and IV. to the large capitals or most strongly marked of all.
But while these indications of the relative prominence of particular symptoms in the confirmed pathogenesis of particular remedies are of great value, they will be found infallible only when they lead to the determination of a medicine in accordance with the totality of the symptoms. And yet the totality of the symptoms until often BE INDEXED by the characteristic symptom on the side of the patient, and by the corresponding key-note on the side of the remedy.
Finally, and as elsewhere observed in the present work, the characteristic symptom of a particular case may not be the most prominent or even the most distressing symptom, especially is this seen to be the case where it consists in the time of aggravation, or other similar circumstance; nor yet will the key- note often be the most violent and painful of the pathogenetic results of the drug. The deepest streams are the most still and silent, and the true vital currents of the human frame are far more subtle, profound and spirituelle, than the noisy rivers that rush through the arteries and the veins.
ANOREXIA-WANT OF APPETITE.- I. Aconite, Carb. v., Causticum; Chelid., Cina, Cocculus, Crocus, Caps., Drosera, Graphites, Mosch., Nux moschata, Tart. e.
II. Agaricus, Alumina, Argent., Borax., Chamomilla, Digit., Dulcamara, Ferrum, Helleb., Hepar, Ipecac., Kali Bi., Kali carb., Magnesia carb., Magnesia muriatica, Nitric acid., Pet., Phosphorus, Acid Sulphuricum, Veratrum
III. Anti., c., Arnica, Arsen., Belladonna, Bryonia, Calcarea, Cantharis, Conium., Ignat., Lycop., Mercurius, Natrum mur., Opi., Pulsatilla
IV. China, Cyc., Nux v., Rhus t., Sepia., Silicea, Sulphur
DISGUST OF CERTAIN AILMENTS.
ACID THINGS.- I. Ignatia. II. Cocculus, Nux v. III. Belladonna, Ferrum, Sulphur
BEER.- I. Alumina, Belladonna, Chamomilla, China, Phosphorus II. Spigelia III. Cocc. Nux v., Sulphur
BRANDY.- III. Ignatia, Mercurius
BREAD.- I. Agaricus, Ignat., Kali. c., Magnesia carb., Rhus t. II. Nit. acid., Phosphorus, Sulphur, III. Conium, Lyco., Nux v., Pulsatilla, Sepia. IV. Natrum muriaticum.
RYE BREAD.- I. Pulsatilla II. Kali. c., Nux v., Sulphur III. Lycop.
BROTH.- I. Belladonna, Rhus t. II. Arsen., Graphites III. Arnica.
CHEESE.- Oleander.
COFFEE. I. Belladonna, Carb. v., China, Dulcamara, Mercurius, Rhus t. II. Lycop., Natrum mur., Acid Sulphuricum III. Bryonia, Calcarea c., Chamomilla, Coffea, Phosph. IV. Nux v.
COFFEE WITHOUT SUGAR.- III. Rheum.
FAT FOOD-BUTTER.- I. Calcarea c., Crocus, Helleb., Mercurius, Rhus t., Sepia, II. Cyc. e., Hepar, Sulphur III. Arsen., Bryonia, Carb. a., Carb. v. Natrum mur., Pulsatilla, IV. Petroleum.
FISH.- II. Graphites III. Zincum met.
GARLIC.- III. Sabad.
MEAT.- I. Alumina, Arnica, Causticum, Helleb., Kali. c., Magnesia carb., Nux v., Opi., Pulsatilla II. Arsen., Bryonia, Ferrum, Ignat., Mercurius, Natrum mur., Nit. acid., III. Calcarea c., Carb. v., Graphites, Lycop., Rhus t., Sabad., Sepia, Zincum met. IV. Mur. acid., Pet., Sulphur
MEAL AND FLUOR, (Dishes of.)- I. Arsen. III. Phosphorus
MILK.- Arnica, Belladonna, Nux v., Phosphorus II. Carb. v., Cina, Ignat. III. Bryonia, Calcarea c., Pulsatilla, Sepia, Silicea, Sulphur
SALT.- I. Graphites II. Car. v. III. Selenium.
SOLID FOOD.- I. Mercurius II. Ferrum III. Staphysagria
SWEETS.- I. Graphites, Zincum met. II. Mercurius, Acid nitricum, Phosphorus III. Arsen., Causticum, Sulphur
VEGETABLES.- II. Magnesia carb. III. Helleb.
WATER.- I. Cantharis, Causticum, Chi., Lycop. II. Bryonia, Natrum mur. III. Apis, Belladonna, Nux v., Stramonium
WINE.- Lachesis, Sulphur II. Ignat. III. Mercurius, Rhus t., Sabad.
LONGINGS – CRAVINGS FOR FOOD.
BULIMY-CANINE HUNGER-II. Helleb., Hyoscyamus, Kali carb., Mercurius, Opi., Pet. III. Bryonia, Coccul., Nat. mur., Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Rhus, Sabad., IV. Calcarea c., China, Jod., Lycop., Nux v., Silicea, Sulphur, Veratrum
ACIDS.- II(>) Ignat, Kali carb., Pulsatilla, Secale, Sepia. III. Anti. c., Arnica, Arsen., Bryonia, Chamomilla, Hepar., Phosphorus, Stramonium, Sulphur IV. Veratrum
BEER.- II. Opi. III. Bryonia, Causticum, Coccul., Mercurius, Nux v., Petroleum, Pulsatilla, Sabad., Sulphur
BITTER THINGS.- II. Digit. III. Natrum mur.
BREAD.- Belladonna, Ferrum, Helleb., Ignat., II. Nat m., Pulsatilla III. Arsen.
BREAD (WHEAT).- Arnica
BREAD AND BUTTER.- Ferrum, Ignat., Mercurius III. Magnesia carb.
BRANDY.- I. Bryonia, Calcarea c., China, Pulsatilla II. Sulph. Acid. III. Aconite, Arsen., Hepar, Nux v., Sepia., Sulphur IV. Opium.
COAL.- Cicuta.
CAKES.- Plumbum.
CHEESE.- Ignatia.
COFFEE.- I. Mosch., Nux moschata II. Arsen., China, Conium. III. Bryonia IV. Angust.
CUCUMBERS.- I. Veratrum II. Anti. c.
FAT FOOD.- II. Nitric Acid. III. Nux v.
FRUIT.- I. China, Magnes., Pulsatilla, II. Alumina III. Ignatia, Sulphur acid. IV. Veratrum
HERRINGS.- I. Veratrum. II. Nitric acid.
JUICY THINGS.- Phosph. acid.
LIME-CHALK.-III. Nitric acid., Nux. v.
LIQUID FOOD (SOUPS).- I. Mercurius II. Angust. Ferrum III. Staphysagria, Sulphur
MEAT.- I. Helleb., Sulphur II. Magnesia carb.
MEAL AND FLOUR (DISHES).- II. Sabadilla.
MILK.- I. Magnes., Natrum mur., Rhus. II. Arsen., Bryonia, Calcarea c., Phosphorus acid., Staphysagria III. Chelid, Mercurius, Sabad., Silica.
REFRESHING THINGS.- II. Causticum, Rheum. III. Coccul., Phosphorus, Phosphorus acid., Valerian.
SALT THINGS.- I. Phosph. II. Calcarea c., Conium, Nitric acid. III. Causticum, Veratrum
SMOKED THINGS.- Causticum.
SOUR KROUT.- I. Chamomilla II. Carbo. an.
SWEET THINGS.- Calcarea c., Carbo vegetabilis, Nux v., Petroleum II. Ipecac., Magnes. m., Sulphur III. China, Kali carb., Lycop., Nat m., Rhus, Sabad.
VEGETABLES.- II. Alumina III. Magn. c.
WARM FOOD.- I. Cyclam. II. Lycop. III. Ferrum.
WINE.- I. Aconite, Calcarea c., China, Pulsatilla II. Bryonia, Lachesis, Spigelia III. Hepar., Sepia, Sulphur
RAW POTATOES and DRY FLOUR, each eaten separately and alternately for half an hour, as bread and cheese, Calcarea carbonica.
II. GASTRIC DERANGEMENTS.
Nausea and Vomiting-Morning Sickness.- In many females nausea and vomiting set in at an early period of pregnancy, and are simply the result of a peculiar reflex irritation of the stomach; in these cases this affection usually continues but a short time. Those forms of nausea and vomiting which principally appear in the later months, result not from sympathetic irritation or reflex action, but from the direct irritation of the stomach and perhaps also of the diaphragm by the upward displacement. Next to the cessation of the catamenia, and especially in conjunction with it, morning sickness becomes one of the earliest as well as one of the most reliable original sings of pregnancy; while for all those who have ever before experienced it, there is little room for mistake in regard to its nature. For in each individual in whom it occurs it has a uniform type and well remembered character.