In the Guiding Symptoms is a record,
“Pain in the head, as if the head had a tight hoop of iron around it,” an iron band.
Headache, with frequent sharp cutting pains. Headache, worse from motion. In the Guiding Symptoms,
“A sullen, taciturn, irritable” condition of mind.
“Screams in his sleep.
Is very restless at night.
Sister died of tubercular meningitis.”
That symptom was given by Burnett. It has cured hydrocephalus.
Many years ago Doctor Biegler cured a case of tubercular meningitis with Tuberc. In many instances it has cured tubercular meningitis and tubercular diseases of the brain in the early stages. The face becomes red, even to purple, during the chill, and during the heat. Aversion to all foods. Such aversion to meat that it becomes impossible to eat it.
Thirst during the chill and heat, for large quantities of cold water. It has cured tubercular meningitis with effusion, where the head was greatly enlarged. Craving for cold milk. Emptiness in the abdomen, with faint feeling. Anxiety in the abdomen and stomach, much like the Sulphur sensation described. An all gone, hungry feeling, that drives him to eat. This has been cured by Tuberc. after Sulphur had failed.
All know what a marked feature emaciation is in persons who are going into phthisis. The emaciation often begins before there is any sign of phthisis, gradually losing flesh. A gradually growing weakness, a gradually increasing fatigue.
This is a prominent place for Tuberc., if the symptoms agree. Always let that stand out boldly, IF THE SYMPTOMS AGREE, and WHEN THE SYMPTOMS AGREE. Of course it will be said that Tuberc. has cured when there are few symptoms this is granted, but should not be lauded as a clinical practice.
Bowels and rectum: It is a common feature of tubercular affections of the brain and of the meninges to suffer from constipation.
Stool large and hard; or, constipation alternating with diarrhoea. It is a well-known clinical fact. Constipation is a strong feature of Tuberc.
“Constipation, stool large and hard; then diarrhoea.
Itching of the anus.
Sudden diarrhoea before breakfast, with nausea.
Inguinal glands indurated and visible.
Excessive sweat in chronic diarrhea.”
That symptom was brought out by Burnett. It was merely a clinical symptom. Burnett dwells on this phase of it;
“Tabes Mesenterica.”
“Swelling on left side, also on right; complains of a stitch in side after running; languid and indisposed to talk.
Nervous and irritable.
Talks in his sleep; grinds his teeth.
Appetite poor.
Hands blue.
Indurated and palpable glands everywhere.
A drum belly.
Spleen region bulging out.”
That was one of Burnett’s clinical cases. That was cured by Burnett’s Bacillinum. In most instances, I am informed, he used the Bacillinum 200 th.
It is a common feature of Sulphur to be driven out of bed in the morning by a diarrhoea. It is a very common feature in cases of phthisis, and patients going into phthisis. In advanced stage of phthisis, driven out of bed with a diarrhoea; or, diarrhoea worse in the morning than at any other time in the twenty-four hours. This is a common feature of phthisis that Tuberc. has cured, and it has been verified many times, although it is a clinical symptom.
General relaxation. Weakness and hanging down of the genitals. Relaxed scrotum.
Menses too early, too profuse, long lasting. Amenorrhoea. Dysmenorrhœa.
Cough before, and during chill.
Suffocation; worn in a warm room. Tubercular deposits in apices of lungs (left).
The uterus sags down and is heavy at the menstrual period, a relaxation, as if the inner parts would come out.
Dry hacking cough before the evening chill (Rhus t.). and the hacking cough lasts sometimes during the chill, and sometimes during the fever, but be knows the chill is coming by the cough. The patient has been cured perhaps a number of times by remedies. Intermittent fever has been cured a number of times by remedies well selected.
The fever goes away promptly under the action of the remedy; but from slight exposure, as was mentioned, it comes back again. Now at the end of three, four or five weeks – often two or three – he says,
“I know my old chills are coming back again, because of the cough I have.”
The previous remedies have not been successful. They are not deep enough acting, they are not long enough acting.
When the homoeopathic remedy is really and truly able to cure the diseased condition it will hold that case, so that when the symptoms come back again the same remedy will be indicated, and only a changed potency, perhaps will be necessary.
The same remedy is called for; but it is an indication for Tuberc, when at every coming back of the case it calls for a new remedy. Calcarea breaks up the case once, and the next time it comes back it calls for something else, and the next time for something else, and it keeps turning around.
Perhaps a number of times it calls for the same remedies again. Changing about. That very changing and unsatisfied symptom image is a strong indication for this medicine.
Respiration: Suffocation in a warm room.
Can find easy breathing only when riding in the cold wind. When phthisical patients find no comfort except riding in the cold wind – which is a rare symptom, but has been noticed. This was a symptom specially marked in the lamented Gregg, of Buffalo. He would ride out in the cold winds by the lake for hours. Argentum nit. many times relieved that, but it is a strong symptom of Tuberc. He finally died of tuberculosis.
Desire for deep breathing. Longs for the open air. Wants the doors and windows open. Sits in the room covered with a cold sweat, but wants the air, wants fresh air. When covered with cold sweat he cannot have the wind blowing on him because he takes cold, he is sensitive to it, but he wants the fresh air, he wants the open air. Especially when the tubercular deposits begin in the apex of the left lung, which is the indication that has been verified by quite a number of observers.
“Hard, dry cough. Hard, dry, shaking cough,” were symptoms noticed by Boardman – regardless of phthisis. The expectoration is thick, yellow, often yellowish-green in catarrhal conditions. Hacking cough in young girls, where there is a suppression of the menstrual flow of the first menses.
They come on once or twice or three times, and the patient is yellow, is puny, is tired, has a hacking cough, and a suspicious chest. If the tubercular deposits have not gone too far, Tuberc. may arrest the progress of the disease. Tuberc. often gives immunity if taken before the tuberculosis begins in those who have inherited it. It immunes the constitution.
Another marked feature recorded by Burnett was ringworms. Burnett was of the opinion that ringworms commonly formed upon those who had inherited phthisis. He thought it was a sign of approaching phthisis, that it was a very common feature of those who have inherited phthisis; and he used the Bacillinum 200 th. He used it somewhat as a routine remedy on every child with ringworm.
Patients who suffer from weakness in the evening. Rapid pulse in the evening. Every evening for years he has noticed the pulse has been rapid. Palpitation after the evening meal.
Jerking of the muscles or going to sleep, and during sleep. Rheumatic pain in the right elbow. Sore bruised condition of the bones and periosteum. Aching, drawing pains in the limbs during rest, better by walking. A strong feature of this remedy is that its pains and aches are better by motion. I have seen this aching distress in the limbs many times where Rhus has acted only temporarily or has failed; where Rhus seemed to be the remedy, but was not deep enough to hold its action.
Where Rhus was superficially indicated – or the deep action of the disturbance, the deep inheritance – the tired constitution, the chronic nature of the case prevents the action of Rhus, and Tuberc. cures these cases.
Especially in girls that are bookkeepers, and shopkeepers, who have inherited phthisical constitutions, who have aches and pains during damp weather, in rainy weather, during a storm, when the weather changes, when the weather becomes cold; then it is that Tuberc. cures after such remedies as Rhus have failed; these patients are better by motion, better by walking; worse during rest.
While sitting the pains become so severe that be is driven to travel, driven to walk. Aching, drawing pains in limbs during rest, better walking. Coldness of left foot and leg, evening in bed. Stitching pains in limbs during rest. Wandering pains in limbs – in joints. Pains all over the body, but mostly lower limbs.
Aching, drawing, tearing, as if in bones, and nerves, during rest; better walking. Pains in bones lower limbs. Stiffness on beginning to move. Sore bruised joints. Pains all ameliorated by heat. Drawing pains in thighs. Stitching pains in limbs. Restless. Stiffness of lower limbs, evening. Physical exertion aggravates.
Complaints worse standing; must move. This is as marked in this remedy as in Sulphur.
Intermittent fever, with drawing in limbs during rest. Chill 7 P.M.
In 1881, Kent accepted a position as professor of anatomy at the Homeopathic College of Missouri, an institution with which he remained affiliated until 1888. In 1890, Kent moved to Pennsylvania to take a position as Dean of Professors at the Post-Graduate Homeopathic Medical School of Philadelphia. In 1897 Kent published his magnum opus, Repertory of the Homœopathic Materia Medica. Kent moved to Chicago in 1903, where he taught at Hahnemann Medical College.