D. Action on the interstitial spaces
It is a delicate question. The physiology of interstitial spaces is not yet clear. Thuya is also here the most important remedy for its action on all the small capillaries. Natrum sulphuricum in high dilution seems to regulate the water content of intercellular spaces and is applicable to persons of hydrogenoid constitution, “Sponge-patient” or “Barometre patient” who suffers from retention of water. Natrum muriaticum in high dilution seems to regulate the water content and mineral salts of the cells, and generally used for young dehydrated persons, for emaciated demineralised persons. In lower dilution (3x) for example it acts inversely and in the same manner as that of Natrum sulphuricum, and it has the power to lower down the chloride retention and diminish the oedema of Bright’s disease.
E. Action on the heart
The first important remedy is Digitalis and the classical tonicardiacs. Let us insist on the value of extract of myocardia in Homoeopathic or in ponderable doses.
We may also use diuretics and renal extract to open the peripheric barrier and also we may act on the spleen (which should be considered as an organ of the circulatory system) with Ceanothus, miraculous remedy of congestive congestive splenomegaly, specially malarial. We may also think of China and of Spleen extracts.
Finally let us not forget that the bile has its origin in the muscles and in the circulation of the muscular juice: Natrum taurochloricum, Cholesterinum and Natrum sulphuricum in high dilutions are indicated in persons suffering from hepatic insufficiency and biliary insufficiency, who have the retention of residues in the muscles because of their sedentarism.
2. The homoeopathic remedies having central and peripheric action.
This means we have to study the remedies of regional localisations.
-In peripheric venous circulation we have seen Pulsatilla.
-In abdominal congestive troubles caused by portal hypertension six remedies are most important: Sepia, Nux vomica, Sulphur, Aloe, Aesculus hippocastanum and Lycopodium
-In prostatism one very faithful remedy is Sabal serrulata.
-In hemorrhoids of which the bleeding is beneficial to some subjects: Sulphur, Hamamelis, Nux vomica, Aesculus hippocastanum, suit specially to painful hemorrhoids.
-In congestive headache in women during menopause : Lachesis and Glonoin, Jugulans cineria in congestion of the neck of the hepatics.
-The whole class of migraines is important to consider. The curious fact is that these persons are demineralised having low blood pressure who are suitable to remedies like Silicea Pulsatilla, Menyanthes (headache of the vertex) and Natrum muriaticum of the Sulphur type. These are the cases of peripheric congestion.
An important fact is that some cutaneous eruptions specially on nails are some valuable marks for selecting the important remedies of the ground in the drainage of the circulatory system. These physical symptoms are really related to some physiopathological troubles of the visceras: naeve are perhaps a reflex of the circulatory, renal or hepatic troubles in persons who have become patients of Lycopodium or Thuya, i.e., to say who have hepatic or renal insufficiency. Congestions of the hands, which are cold, humid or violet indicate Thuya and Pulsatilla. Absence of moons on the nails indicates Pulsatilla, and the fact is that a remineralising treatment may cause the moons to reappear.
On the face are seen some important signs: The lips are red and congested indicate Sulphur; lips bordered with a blue line indicate Thuya; varicose veins of the cheeks indicate Thuya, etc…
3. Remedies of spasms and of vascular atony
We know that the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems play an important part in the general circulation.
(a) Remedies of vascular spasms. Cimicifuga is here an important basic remedy. It will also act on the soft muscular fibres as well as on the striated fibres.
Secale carnutum is an important remedy of vascular spasms and arteritis Cuprum, Zincum, Agaricus are rather related to venous troubles.
(b) Vascular atony: Aurum, Plumbum, Lycopodium and Syphilinum (Luesinum) are used in arterial aneurysm. Thuya and Lycopodium are used in venous aneurysm. But let us insist on Phosphorous in high dilutions. It is fundamentally a remedy of degeneration, acting specially on the vascular endothelium, Graphites on the tunic media and externa of the artery, finally of Secale which acts generally on the artery.
Bothrops and Lachesis have special action on thrombosis. In varicose dilatations let us put by the side of Pulsatilla, Thuya, Arsenicum, Clematis vitalba, Carbo vegetabilis and Calcarea fluorica.
4. Remedies of acute and chronic circulatory troubles
(b) Acute stage: Febril conditions with active congestion and strong tonicity: Aconite (Acute of Sulphur), Belladonna, Ferrum phos (reduces tonus), Gelsemium (tonus absent), Veratrum viride (localised congestion, specially pneumonia.)
-Active acute congestion of cardiac origin: Cactus grandiflorus.
-Passive congestion: Hamamelis.
-General venous congestion, acute or chronic: Pulsatilla.
-Cardiac collapse: Camphor, Veratrum album.
-Neuropathic cardiac syncope: Moschus and Ammonium carbonicum.
(a) Chronic stage. Beginning of asystole of the left heart: Sulphur. Asystole of both the right and left hearts: Phosphorus which is here the essential ground remedy with Arsenicum, a remedy of persons who defend badly against asystole.
-Pre-agonic condition with cyanosis and tendency to asphyxia: Carbo vegetabilis.
-Troubles of coagulation, infection of blood: Lachesis
5. Relation of the important ground remedies of circulatory apparatus with the endocrines
We know that the pituitary gland regulates the water metabolism, the rapidity of the heart and combustion activity. The Suprarenal regulates arterial tension; Parathyroid regulate vascular spasms. Thus for a person of Thuya and Natrum sulphuricum type we should think of possible troubles of the pituitary gland; for a patient of Sulphur or Ignatia, we should think of Suprarenal activity or of emotive hyperadrenalimia, etc…
Finally, let us know how to utilise in drainage, side by side with Homoeopathy, the other methods that have been proved useful: Hydrotherapy, Swaddling bands of derivation, Electrotherapy. etc…Let us take into account the morphology of the subject, and let us always stand on the solid ground of good clinic.
Bernoville was a major lecturer in homeopathy, and he was active in Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis, and a founder of the le Syndicat national des médecins homœopathes français in 1932, and a member of the French Society of Homeopathy, and the Society of Homeopathy in the Rhone.
Fortier-Bernoville wrote several books, including Une etude sur Phosphorus (1930), L'Homoeopathie en Medecine Infantile (1931), his best known Comment guerir par l'Homoeopathie (1929, 1937), and an interesting work on iridology, Introduction a l'etude de l'Iridologie (1932).
With Louis-Alcime Rousseau, he wrote several booklets, including Diseases of Respiratory and Digestive Systems of Children, Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic Rheumatism, treatment of hay fever (1929), The importance of chemistry and toxicology in the indications of Phosphorus (1931), and Homeopathic Medicine for Children (1931). He also wrote several short pamphlets, including What We Must Not Do in Homoeopathy, which discusses the logistics of drainage and how to avoid aggravations.
He was an opponent of Kentian homeopathy and a proponent of drainage and artificial phylectenular autotherapy as well.