Rx Phosphorus 30, gtt. i. Sacch. lact., gr. ii., a powder every four hours.
Jan. 18.- Less pain in back and chest. Has had a return of some of the old lumbar pain, which has made her more helpless than she was. Bowels constipated. Since taking Phosphorus her mouth has become dry, and she has much thirst. Omit medicine.
Jan. 19- Better; more strength: moves limbs more freely. Less dryness of mouth. Has profuse sweat of face; has had this for p73 some months.
Jan. 21.-Stronger; less pain and stiffness. Throat less dry, but lips still dry- a very unusual thing with her. Bowels not yet moved; no feeling of it.
R Opium 3 every four hours.
Jan. 23.- Bowels moved twice. Much better generally; less pain in chest; no pain in loins; more strength in arms; can walk better.
Omit Medicine.
Jan. 25.- Has had a good deal of pain on left side, worse at night, making her restless; nevertheless she moves more, more easily, and can stand better. She feels a grating sensation on one point in the back. Has very little pain in right side, but cannot lie on it. Bowels act naturally every morning.
R phos. 30, one dose.
Jan.28.- Had a very good night 26th, but not last night. Still has pain on left side, but moves more easily, can turn in bed, and can cross her legs when sitting. Throat is dry in the morning; roof of mouth sore. No more medicine.
Jan.30.- Better. Less grating Throat less dry.
Feb.6.- Steady improvement till now. There is tenderness to pressure over the spine of the most prominent vertebra of the curve, and she has a feeling as if lying on a bread-crumb when she lies on the back. She can sit upright in bed, propping herself with her hands. Holding anything in left hand makes her side ache.
Rx Phosphorus 1 m., one dose.
Feb. 13.- Better. Can breathe better – almost naturally. If she sneezes she does not now have pain. Still feels pain left side on turning to right. Repeat one dose.
Feb. 23.- Has been making rapid progress, but now had slight cold and cough. Last spring had bronchitis badly. Has now more pain in side, throbbing at times and dragging down. A little flatulence causes a choking sensation.
Rx Spigelia I ter die.
Feb. 26.- Better. Repeat.
March 1.- On attempting to sit up, all left side felt like a weight. Throbbing in side. No power to use arm except when lying down. Face flushed in afternoon. Roof of mouth and tip of tongue p73 sore, but not dry.
Rx Lycop. 1m., three times a day.
March 7.- Much better. Walks better. Pain nearly gone from side. Omit medicine.
March 11.- Back tender to lie on.
Repeat Lycopodium three times a day.
March 18.- Pulse intermittent.
About fifteen minutes after taking medicine had heat at pit of stomach, followed by sinking. Omit medicine.
March 21.- Improving. Mouth dry.
Rx Lycopodium, a few doses.
March 28.- Very much better.
April 4.- Not quite so well. Repeat Lycopodium
April 8.- Legs very weak. Can hardly walk. Sinking sensation very troublesome. Constant uneasiness in stomach; very little appetite. Chest tight. Roaring in back of head. In spite of her sensitiveness to Sulphur I gave her a single dose of the 30th.
April 11.- Her side is better; she can sit up better, but is continually disturbed. Has hysterical attacks, bursting into tears; has a lump in the throat, and cannot breathe.
Rx Ignat. 1m
April 15.- Better. Can walk up and down stairs. Can turn on right side and sleep on it. No nervousness. After Ignatia had the sinking sensation. Omit medicine.
April 22.- After a ride in a jolting bath – chair she was not so well. Loss of power in limbs, and weak all over.
Rx Phosphorus 1m night and morning.
The next day was able to take a walk, and on the 30th was able to go to her home in the country. The loss of bone was repaired as far as it was possible. The curve of course remained, and the patient was much shortened in consequence, but she was able to return by degrees to her ordinary life, which was an active one, and included speaking in public.
A year afterwards I saw her, looking exceedingly well. There had been no return of the disease, though she had a little pain in the left side occasionally. p73
I will conclude with a case contributed by me to the last (third) edition of Dr. Burnett’s “New Cure of Consumption.”
CASE XXVIII.- AFFECTION OF RIGHT KNEE. SUSPECTED INCIPIENT TUBERCULOSIS. CURE WITH BACILLINUM.
“A young lady of very good physique, but coming of a scrofulous family (her mother’s sister suffering from tuberculous ulceration of the nose, and her own elder sister having died after amputation of the thigh for scrofulous disease of the right knee), was taken last spring with pain in her right knee-joint. Being subject to rheumatic pains, she at first thought little of it; but as it persisted, I was asked to see her. Several remedies were given with but little success, and considering that her sister’s illness had begun in a similar insidious way, her friends became somewhat anxious, and to some extent so did I.
“I gave her one dose of Bacillin 100, four globules on the tongue.
” Seeing her the next day, she asked me if I intended to make her knee very much worse? She said the dose ‘went straight to the knee,’- at least within half an hour after taking it. She had violent pain in the joint, as after over-walking. This lasted for over four hours; then it went to the ankle on the same side, and then got better. From this time the knee began to mend, and in a few weeks was perfectly well. I gave other medicines afterwards, and did not repeat the Bacillin till a month after the first dose. This time it produced no aggravation, and was again followed by general improvement”.
