We are indebted to the late G. W. Bowen, Fort Wayne, Ind., for this valuable remedy. Hahnemann had an extensive experience in Malarial Fevers in the valleys of the Danube, and the fevers of the Pontine marshes on the Tiber are historical. Dr. Bowen lived on the Wabash River at that time, a noted malarial region, and for many years he was called upon to treat hundreds of patients suffering from all forms of malarial affections. Malarial affections have been attributed to marsh exhalations in summer and autumn when the water has been evaporated by heat. These poison vapors of decaying vegetation Dr. Bowen had to contend with, Malarial fevers and their resultant diseases, intermittent, remittent, continued, typhoid, etc., for years, not only in their acute, but in their suppressed forms, in which he found all forms of chronic diseases, very frequently, could be traced to maltreatment of the acute manifestation. He conceived the practicability of testing the effects of artificial toxin prepared from peat, or decayed vegetable matter, taken from a marsh during the dry season, when the malaria toxin was most active. This vegetable matter was placed in glass jars, filled with water and allowed to decompose, which were numbered I, II, and III, according to the time, one, two or three weeks’ of decomposition. At the end of each period, or stage, provings were made by inhaling the gases given off, just as the patient would naturally inhale the marsh miasm. Provers were paid so much per day to inhale the gas in its different stages of decomposition, and a careful record of its effects was made. This constituted the provings of the crude gases. For medicinal purposes a tincture was prepared by putting ten drops of No. II, in which the matter had been decomposed for two weeks, into Restless sleep; dreams of trouble, of quarrels. Malandrinum 30, while being used as a prophylactic of variola, cured a stubborn case of aphthae, which had resisted many well selected remedies. Malandrinum 30, one dose daily for four days, produced a severe backache for a week or more. For the bad effects of vaccination has been used with best results. Each member, in a family of six, had been vaccinated; three receiving Malandrinum, and their arms were only slightly affected by the vaccination and ran a short course of a few days; the other three, who did not receive Malandrinum, were very ill, arms sore for weeks and required treatment. Bad effects of vaccination: A lady, with an ulcer as large as a silver dollar and three-fourths of an inch deep, which continued to suppurate and would not heal; but under the curative effect of Malandrinum, recovered promptly. When used as a prophylactic for variola has proved protective in many cases, and also prevented vaccination from “taking.” Skin symptoms produced in nearly all who took Malandrinum as a prophylactic; itching rash on various parts of body and face, plainly visible under cuticle, with a few scattered eruptions on surface. Malandrinum was given to nearly 600 persons, many of whom had been exposed by personal contact with various patients, before and after taking the medicine; only one case of so-called varioloid occurred, and this may have been a proving of Malandrinum. Malandrinum 30 given to many persons during small-pox epidemic as a prophylactic produced in a number of cases marked premonitory symptoms; headache, backache, general soreness, malaise, thickly coated tongue, loss of appetite, and more or less fever. Blood boils. Malignant pustules. Vaccinal ulcers. “The crust assumed a conical forms; a thick layer of crusts, if allowed to remain without removal, heaped up one-half 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 soreness after removal of the scabs.” – Wesselhoeft. Malandrinum 30: produced burning, stinging, itching of the face scalp, worse in the night; a few days later a well developed eczema. Malandrinum 200: produced a number of small pustules on the left arm, near the site of infantile vaccination.
Cases
The paid provers of No. I which was not very offensive, obtained the following uniform results in from one to three hours after inhalation: “Headache, nausea, distressed stomach, white-coated tongue.” These symptoms passed off in two or three days.
Provers of No. II obtained results in from twelve to twenty- four hours, which were much more severe and long lasting. They were: “Fearful headache, nausea, vomiting in some cases, aversion to food, distress in stomach, hypochondria, first in the spleen, then the liver and stomach, and on the third day pronounced chills, which were so severe that they had to be antidoted.”
No. III, which was “fetid to a fearful degree,” produced little result except nausea within three or four days, but then symptoms began to appear; first, extreme lassitude, chills and fever, pains and aches, impending locomotion.
When taken internally the results were much more severe: No. I caused bilious colic, nausea, cramps, headache.
No. II, the stomach, liver, spleen and kidneys became involved, with quartan or tertian intermittent fevers.
No. III setting up a more profound type even, a genuine typhoid or semi-paralytic state, which compelled the provers to take to bed.
On the day I received from Boericke & Tafel Malaria off. 30 I was foolishly led to try Hahnemann’s inhalation. The thought just occurred to me on the spur of the moment, and without stopping to think I took three strong inhalations, with both sorrow and a proving resulting. None of the symptoms were distressing, yet marked and clear cut. The remedy commenced its work promptly and in the order following:
Aching in both elbows.
A kind of slight concentration of feeling in root of nose, and just above as though I have a severe cold, similar to that complained of by hay-fever patients.
Aching in wrists.
A tired ache in hands.
A tired ache in knees, and for a distance above and below.
A feeling as though I should become dizzy.
Pain in top of left instep.
A tired feeling in wrists.
Aching in an old (cured) bunion on left foot.
Sensation on point of tongue as though a few specks of spice or pepper were there.
Itching on right cheek over malar bone; amel. by slight rubbing or scratching.
When leaning face on left hand, elbow on the table, perceptible feeling of the heart beats through upper body and neck.
Slight itching on various parts of the face and extremities; amel. by slight rubbing.
Sense of heat in abdomen.
Chilly sensation in left forearm. Soon followed by chilly feeling in hands and fingers; feet are cold with sensation as if chilliness was about to creep up the legs. A few moments later knees feel cold. A sense of coldness ascending over body from the legs.
Arms feel tired.
Belching several times, easy; no taste.
A drawing pain in right external ear.
Lumbar back feels tired as though it would ache.
Neck feels tired, with slight cracking in upper part on moving the head.
Shallow breathing which seems from languor, with a desire to take a deep inspiration occasionally.
A kind of tired feeling through abdomen and chest.
A general sense of weariness.
A feeling about head as though I would become dizzy.
Pain in upper left teeth.
A sensation as though I would have a very loose stool (passed away without stool).
Feeling rather stupid and sleepy.
A sensation in the spleen as though it would ache.
Saliva more profuse than usual; keeps me swallowing often.
Pain in abdomen to right of navel.
Dull aching through forehead.
Face feels warm, as if flushed, also head; becomes general over body, as if feverish.
Aching across upper sacral region.
Legs very weary from short walk.
Pain at upper part of right ilium.
General sense of weariness from a very short walk, especially through pelvis, sacral region and upper thighs. I feel strongly inclined to lie down and rest.
Qualmishness of stomach, as though I should become nauseated.
General sense of malaise and weariness becoming quite marked.
Aching above inner angle of right eye.
A kind of simmering all through the body.
Felt impelled to lie down, and on falling to sleep a sense of waving dizziness passes all over me, preventing sleep.
At times I feel as though I should become cold or have a chill, then I feel as though I should become feverish or hot though neither is very marked.
Eyes feel heavy and sleepy.
Uneasiness in lower abdomen.
Gaping, yawning and desire to stretch.
Legs are restless; feel like stretching and moving them.
I feel very much as I did one time before having the ague, twenty-five years ago.
Odor from cooking is pleasing, but I have no desire for dinner. Yet when I sit down I eat a good dinner with relish.
Dizziness on rising from a reclining position.
Feel generally better after eating dinner.
Aching in occiput.
During the afternoon leg weary.
Unusual hearty appetite for supper (the good appetite keeps with me for some days).
