Nux vomica Inflammation of the labia with frequent calls to go to stool, or to pass urine; often with little or no discharge of either.
Phosphorus. Dull tearing pain in the labia during and after a walk in the open air.
Sepia. Violent stitches, sometimes extending as far as the umbilicus. Severe itching of the vulva. Swelling, and humid itching eruption on the inner labia. Fetid urine; depositing a clay-colored sediment which adheres to the chamber with great tenacity. Troublesome itching of the vulva, with pimples all around. Painless vesicles in the outer parts of the vulva. Also compare the indications given for Sepia, in other diseases peculiar to the external generative organs of the female, such as varices, burning of the vulva, &c.
Sulphur. Where the predominant symptoms of the inflammation are those well known characteristics of this remedy, flashes of heat; hot soles of the feet; weak faint spells; heat on the top of the head, &c.
Sulphuric acid. Great exhaustion. Tremulous sensation in the whole body without trembling.
Thuya. Swelling of both labia. All the itching burning and pains, are excited and aggravated either during or after a walk, or from touching the parts. Cramp pain in the vulva and perineum, on rising from a seat.
ERYSIPELAS, ERYSIPELATOUS OR PHLEGMONOUS INFLAMMATION
May result in certain constitutions from causes which, in other persons, would produce only the simple form of inflammation above described. In phlegmonous inflammation, the deeper tissues appear involved; or where suppuration sets, in as it may very suddenly, instead of being confined to a single abscess, it may assume the diffused form common to erysipelas. This variety of inflammation is in reality a general erysipelatous affection, which is constitutional to the female herself, but which some provoking cause has sufficed to develop locally in these parts.
Both the skin and the subcutaneous cellular tissue are involved; and in whatever particular organ of the external genitals the disease first makes its appearance, it presently includes them all, and even extends to the inguinal glands. The parts immediately affected, become hot swollen and red: with severe throbbing pain, especially as the suppurative process extends through the tissues. All the neighboring organs sympathize more or less;l and the pain is so great that it is almost impossible for the patient to remain quiet, and yet the distress is severely aggravated by movement. In the more rapid forms of this variety of inflammation, the suppurative process may be established in from twenty-four to forty-eight hours, and it is usually ushered in and attended by chills, which if not very strongly marked, still afford a reliable indication of the progress of the disease.
The following remedies should be carefully studied in these cases.
Apis. Characterized by stinging pains; and absence of thirst.
Belladonna. Great redness of the parts; redness extending in radii. Heat and throbbing.
Croton t. Vesicles, -very small, -itching terribly. The itching is partially relieved by slightly tickling the vesicles. These minute vesicle may extend far around the inflamed parts.
Graphites. A vesicular eruption which is very painful, with itching.
Hepar. s. c. Tendency to the formation of abscesses.
Lachesis. Tickling and jerking in the affected parts. Worse after sleeping.
Mercurius. The parts are much swollen; with raw, sore feeling; and the sufferings are much worse at night.
Pulsatilla. The erysipelatous affection changes from one part to another; and inclines to spread far around on the buttocks and thighs.
Rhus tox. The mons veneris is most affected; the inflammation extending downwards; intense itching and burning; large vesicles, which are not particularly troublesome.
CATARRHAL OR CHRONIC INFLAMMATION, which by some authors is termed the subacute form of inflammation, may attack the mucous lining membrane of the external organs of generation. This form of disease is more apt to appear in children; and may be attributed in most instances ton exposure to cold and wet, and perhaps to want of cleanliness. The inflammation itself is of a mild form; although from the well known disposition of disease in the mucous tissues to spread, it may extend to the vagina. And thus a catarrhal discharge may be established in the vagina as well as from the vulva. The treatment for this affection will not be different from that for catarrhal leucorrhoea of the vagina.
CUTANEOUS AFFECTIONS OF THE EXTERNAL GENITALS.
Many and distressing forms of skin disease develop themselves on the external organs of generation in the female. These are either the local manifestations of constitutional psora, which the extreme tenderness of the parts and the acrimonious discharges and other irritating influences to which they are subjects, cause to make their appearance in this vicinity, or they are the external a manifestations of some severe, perhaps obscure irritation, which infests the internal organs. The former come under the general head of eczema. And, like some forms of leucorrhoea, may immediately result from too free indulgence in stimulating and highly-seasoned food. The latter are commonly known as prurigo or pruritus; and may consist in a most intolerable itching, with little or no exanthematous appearance except what is developed by the scratching itself. In addition to the intense itching there is usually present an equally intolerable burning, stinging and prickling. It is impossible to resist rubbing the affected parts, although all the sensations are rather aggravated than relieved by such friction. The prurigo is always the result of some deep-seated affection, usually in the internal, generative organs. And in many instances it is one of the first indications of the invasion of cancer of the womb. Thus a careful attention to this severe irritation, and its cure by remedies suited to its special symptoms and to those which are attendant and constitutional, may be the means of arresting and preventing the most painful, distressing and, in its advanced stages, incurable malady which can attack the female organism. Pruritus is also said to be the precursor, as it may likewise prove the efficient cause, of nymphomania.
From the constitutional nature of the eczema or other actual eruptions which appear on the external genitals, it must be evident that all attempts to remove them by external applications must be injurious just in proportion as they are successful. While as regards the pruritus, in so far as that may be due to irritation caused by actual disease in the interior genitals, it must be apparent that all attempts to remedy it, which do not embrace the cure of its provoking cause, must be apparent that all attempts to remedy it, which do not embrace the cure of its provoking cause, must be futile. And in fact so it is found, in the allopathic treatment directed against the prurigo itself, that it is exceedingly intractable, if not absolutely incurable by such means; while in the homoeopathic treatment, guided by these external forms and by the attendant constitutional symptoms, we may often prevent or remove important disorders, of whose threatened onset or actual presence we were not positively aware.
These two forms are the most frequent and the most severe of the eruptions which attack the labia, vulva and adjacent external organs.
But besides these, may be more particularly mentioned:-
1. Erythema, which consists merely in diffused redness, more superficial than that of erysipelas, but still connected with constitutional disturbance, either directly, or indirectly as the consequence of some peculiarly acrid and irritating secretions, such as leucorrhoea.
2. Herpes, in which the “vesicles leave behind them superficial excoriations, which soon become covered with crusts, and underneath which fresh vesicles appear.
3. Lichen, characterized by papulae occupying an erythematous base; they cause an intolerable itching which increases towards evening or at night and which, after scratching, is followed by excoriations that secrete a bloody serum, and then become covered with crusts. Lichen differs from prurigo, principally in its papillae being somewhat smaller and in the voluptuous itching being less intense.
Erysipelas is considered as a distinct eruption; but we regard it rather as an acute and exceedingly aggravated attack of some constitutional psora, (Herpes, salt and have included what needed to be said of it under the head of phlegmonous inflammation.
Ambra grisea. Pain as from soreness, and violent itching. The affected parts are sometimes swollen and very sore.,
Apis m. Eruptions stinging like bee-stings.
Bryonia a. Hard, black pustule on a swollen portion of the labia.
Calcarea carb. Itching and stitches either in the internal or external vulva, or both at the same time. Also in cases which present the usual constitutional symptoms of this remedy.
Cantharis Burning and violent itching; particularly if there be the cantharis dysuria; frequent micturition with burning and cutting.
