Introduction
(The Grease of Horses)
The crusts vary in form and character, and the appearance differs as much in animals as many skin diseases of the same family do in the human. Dr. W. P. Wesselhoeft reports a case in which: “The crust assumed a conical form; a thick layer of crusts, if allowed to remain without removal, heaped up one-half an inch. They were fragile, moist, yellow, about the consistency of honey-comb. When removed a raw surface remained with deep fissures and thick crusts reformed into their original size in 48 hours. There was evidently no itching, but some soreness after removal of the scabs.”
These crusts resemble some forms of eczema and rupia.
From Jenner we have it that the origin of cowpox is infection of the udders of cows by contact with grass, on which a horse infected with grease has trodden; while the other historical origin from a similar source of infection, also from Jenner, is that it was from the unwashed hands of the stable nays who milked the cows after grooming the horses infected with grease. These assertions are to some extent confirmed by the clinical experience of many homoeopaths, who have successfully used Malandrinum against infection with smallpox, and for the bad effects of vaccination.
John H. Clarke says: “It has been used on inferential grounds with great success in bad effects of vaccination. I have cured with it cases of unhealthy dry, rough skin remaining for years after vaccination; in small-pox, measles and impetigo.”
Burnett cured with it a case of knock-knee in a child who was constantly handling his penis. His indications are: “Lower half of body affected, greasy skin and greasy eruption. Slow pustulation never ending, as one heals another appears.”
For the bad effects from vaccination: The late Dr. Fellger, of Philadelphia probably had a more extensive experience in treating variola and the effects of vaccination than any other man of his time. He had given much thought and many years of study to the subject and came to rely almost wholly upon Malandrinum as a prophylactic for variola, and as the therapeutic remedy in acute cases. He used Malandrinum for confluent small- pox with great success. Where the skin has an unnatural color between the pustules, and small-pox takes on the confluent form, it is always serious and often dangerous. When the eyeball becomes congested and red, it enables the physician to prognose danger.
Dr. Boskowitz, of Brooklyn, was the first to introduce and use Malandrinum. He made the first potencies up to the 30th from the crust of the “grease of the horse.” To the observations of Dr. Boskowitz in the use of this remedy, both as a prophylactic and therapeutic remedy against small-pox and the bad effects of vaccination, are added those of Drs. Raue, Carleton Smith, Wm. Jefferson Guernsey, Selfridge, Wesselhoeft, Burnett and Clarke. The potencies of Boericke & Tafel were obtained from Dr. Raue; those of Fincke, Swan and Smith, of New York, came direct from Dr. Boskowitz. It is needless to add that these original preparation were hand-made, but we believe all are reliable. The remedy has had an extensive proving by W. P. Wesselhoeft. H. C. Allen, Steere, Holcombe and students of Hering College, in 1900 and 1901. The provings were made with potencies ranging from the 30th and 35th to the 200th. No prover knew what was being taken.
We consider it a deep long acting remedy, to be repeated not more oftener than once a fortnight.
Impetigo, ecthyma; fat, greasy looking pustular eruptions are especially affected by this remedy. A. L. Marcy. H. R. Vol. XIV, p. 530, relates a singular experience with Malandrinum 30. During a small-pox epidemic he vaccinated himself, taking at the same time Malandrinum 30 night and morning. The vaccination did not take. It was twice repeated and still did not take; nor was smallpox contracted. Called to vaccinate four children in a family whose parents had small-pox, he vaccinated all and gave Malandrinum 30 to three of them at the same time; the remaining child was the only one whose vaccination “took”. This was so severe that Malandrinum had to be given to modify its intensity, which it did effectually. The other three were re-vaccinated but none “took.” Of five children from six to seventeen years of age, only the eldest had been vaccinated, and he had a good scar. All except the eldest were given Malandrinum, and were vaccinated and none of the four “took.” The eldest took small-pox. Malandrinum was then given, and in a few days he was convalescent. In another case of small-pox Malandrinum was given, and the disease only lasted a few days, the eruption drying up.
The only previous attempt at proving was made by Straube with the 30th potency, published in the H. R. Vol. XV, p. 145, and the H. W. Vol. XXXV, p. 504. These symptoms are included.
Cases
Mr. H-, aged 42, American, youngest of ten children; father died at 45, of pneumonia; a brother died at 20, of pneumonia; mother died in old age. Two sisters complain of rheumatism.
Brunette, black hair, dark blue eyes, healthy and athletic, until 21 years old. Never used tea, coffee, alcoholics or tobacco; lived a chaste life, father and brothers the same.
From birth his skin has been rough, dry, harsh; one brother has the same. Skin of palms and soles thick, cracks in cold weather; deep rhagades, sore at bottom; agg. dry cold weather; agg. when using soap or any alkali; skin of face and neck chaps and smarts after shaving. Must choose moist warm days for shaving.
At 21 had malaria, and was given very large doses of Quinine. Never had another chill; but has been constipated ever since, and sciatic rheumatism then set in, agg. in cold weather, agg. before storms.
Was nearly crippled from it for ten years.
Had sphincter dilated; papillae removed at two different times, but with no permanent benefit.
Bowels inactive, no desire for stool. Move after an enema, but leave a sore bruised feeling in rectum; dread of stool.
Thirstless; water nauseates.
Was vaccinated Feb. 1901. A slight “take.”
Lower half of body affected; greasy skin; greasy eruption. Slow pustulation, never ending, as one healed another appeared- Burnett.
Bad effects of vaccination; has cured cases of unhealthy, dry, rough skin, remaining for years after vaccination in small- pox, measles and impetigo.- Clarke.
Eczema facialis; oozing of a viscid fluid; intense burning; much edema; small scales, exfoliated agg. from bathing at night; amel. in cold air. – Thompson.
In a family of eight persons, none of whom had been vaccinated, the oldest boy took small-pox. One of his brothers slept with him and broke out all over; the mother expecting to be confined in a few days, we sent him away, and I at once put the rest of the family on Malandrinum 200, with the result that none of them took small-pox. The boy that slept with his brother had a light fever the twelfth day, but that passed off without any further trouble. – Bryant.
A yellowish honey-comb crust on upper lip; would crumble off, leaving moist surface, which would soon reform.
Sharp, stabbing pain through upper lip with occasional burning.
Small pimples on chest and back, with intense itching extending to other parts of body and limbs agg. by cold air, when undressing.
A large crust of a light yellowish-gray color on right side of forehead extending to the temple and borders of the hair.
Eruption in the popliteal space and hollow of elbows; scaly, crusty, moisture under the crusts and intense itching.
“Malandrinum in small-pox: ” The following symptoms are reported cured with Malandrinum: Aching in limbs; headache; pains in left side of head with great debility; pains in back, head and abdomen; pain in head and back, fatigue, chilliness and vomiting; stiff neck; constipation; inability to go up stairs from weakness; lazy, weak feeling; terrible itching after an attack of small-pox; foul smelling diarrhoea, chilliness, weak, tired feeling; great pain around the navel, sore aching in bones, sleeplessness during an attack of small-pox. Crying and ill temper of children during small-pox; pain in back extending to heels, soreness of abdomen, every bone in body aches. There was no smell from the eruption after Malandrinum was given. – Straube. “Malandrinum has been given to numbers of unvaccinated children who were directly exposed to the contagion of variola, and they have invariably escaped the disease. I have given it to many persons (one dose each), directly after vaccination and been unable to make that or re- vaccination “take” with virus which had proven effectual with others who had not had the medicine. One girl who suffered terribly from pain and an enormously swollen and inflamed arm and forearm, following vaccination, I entirely relieved of the pain in a few hours by two doses of Malandrinum, and with an almost complete disappearance of the objective symptoms in twelve hours.”-Guernsey. As therein stated, one or two doses are given, 24 hours apart, and not repeated until a succeeding epidemic or “scare” at all events it is believed to be sufficient for at least a year.
