Belladonna [Bell]
Belladonna for scarlet fever affords an excellent example of homoeopathy in the common cases of epidemic scarlet fever, and shows startling results, not only for the disease (when properly prescribed, i.e. when the symptoms agree), but also as a prophylactic.
Bright red, hot face. Glossy, scarlet skin: intense heat: “burns the hand.”
“In the true Sydenham scarlet fever, where the eruption is perfectly smooth and truly scarlet.”
Eyes red; injected: pupils later very dilated.
Lips-mouth-throat, red, dry, burning.
Strawberry tongue.
For eruptions like roseola and scarlet fever, with fever, sore throat, cough and headaches.
Twitching, jerking; possibly wild delirium.
(Apis wants to be cool, uncovered: Belladonna wants to be warm. Belladonna also has more thirst.)
Case where it has been used as a prophylatic, or used suitably on its indications, abort, or run a very mild course, leaving no sequelae, and are practically (as so many report), not even infectious.
Sequelae
Hahnemann wrote:
“Belladonna displays a valuable and specific power in removing the after-sufferings remaining from scarlet fever…. Most medical men have hitherto regarded the consequences of scarlet fever as at least as dangerous as the fever itself and there have been many epidemics where more died of the after-effects than of the fever.”
And he gives one interesting hint, “where ulceration has followed scarlet fever and where Belladonna is no longer of service,” Chamomilla “will remove in a few days all tendency to ulceration: and the suffocating cough that sometimes follows the disease is also removed by chamomilla, especially if accompanied by flushing of the face, and horripilation of limbs and back.” (Lesser Writings.).
Ailanthus [Ail]
Scarlet fever; plentiful eruption of bluish tint.
Eruption slow to appear, remains livid.
Irregular, patchy eruption of a very livid colour.
Throat livid, swollen, tonsils swollen with deep ulcers.
Pupils widely dilated (Belladonna).
Semi-conscious, cannot comprehend.
Dizzy: can’t sit up. Restless and anxious: later, insensible with muttering delirium.
Tongue dry, parched, cracked.
“Malignant scarlet fever.”.
Ammonium Carbonicum [Am-c]
Malignant type (Ail.) with somnolence.
Body red, as if covered with rash.
Dark red and putrid throat. External throat swollen.
As if forehead would burst.
State like blood poisoning: great dyspnoea; face dusky and puffy.
Apis [Apis]
Thick rose-coloured rash, feels rough. Or,
When rash does not come out, with great inflammation of throat, with scarlet fever in family.
Throat sore, swollen, oedematous: with stinging pain.
Convulsions when rash fails to come out (compare Bryonia, Cuprum, Zincum met., as given, under Measles).
Worse from heat: wants covers off: a cool room: (reverse of Belladonna, wants warmth).
Lachesis Muta [Lach]
Advanced stages: malignant scarlet fever.
Purple face.
Worse for heat (reverse of Belladonna).
Bursting, hammering pains in head.
Throat worse left side: may extend to right.
Jealousy and suspicion suggests Lachesis
Impelled to talk: loquacious delirium.
Lachesis sleeps into an aggravation.
Mercurius [Merc]
May follow Belladonna for sore mouth, throat, tonsils, with ulceration and excessively foul breath.
Perspiration which aggravates the symptoms.
Rhus Toxicodendron [Rhus-t]
“Useful in scarlet fever with coarse rash. Or rash suppressed with inflammation of glands and sore throat” (Kent).
“You may rely on Rhus whenever acute diseases take on a typhoid form, as in scarlet fever, when no other remedy is positively indicated” (Farrington)
“Rhus supplants Belladonna when child grows drowsy and restless.”
Fauces dark-red, with oedema (Apis.).
Tongue red (? smooth) with triangular red tip.
Terebinthina [Ter]
Albuminuria and uraemia following scarlet fever.
Toxic: confused: better profuse urination.
Often indicated in dropsy after scarlet fever.
Haematuria: urine cloudy and smoky.
“Haematuria: dyspnoea: drowsiness.”
Tongue dry and glossy.
N.B. – Acidum nitricum, Phosphorus, or one of many other drugs might be needed in difficult cases, or in cases first seen later on in the disease and with complications; according to the symptoms and make-up of the patient.
For Suppressed Or Receding eruption, see under Measles.
