Veratrum vir.-Intense fever, with excessive pain and restlessness. Used in alternation with Macrotin the pustules flattened rapidly, dried, and fell off.
Varicella.
This is a disease of childhood. After pyrexia lasting a few hours, or not more than a day, the eruption of varicella appears, often on the back first of all, as distinct red papulae, which become vesicular in a few hours; the eruption is successive during three or four days. The same kind of changes occur in the eruption as in variola, but the disease is more superficial, and the vesicle is unilocular, and it is not generally umbilicated; the contents are serous rather than puriform. On the first day the vesicles are transparent; opalescent on the second and third; on the fourth they shrink and desiccate; and on the sixth the scabs fall off. Sometimes, however, the contents of the vesicles become puriform. The general pyrexia is slight.
The prognosis is favorable. If the fever runs high with much disturbance of the system, the patient may require one of the following remedies: Aconite, Belladonna, Mercurius, Rhus, Tart. emet., or Veratrumv.
Typhus Rash.
This consists of two component parts:
1. A subcutaneous mottling, of a more or less livid hue, and diffused generally over the body.
2. Petechiae, small, about the size of pin`s heads, scattered all over the body, and showing out from the mottling; at first these are slightly raised, and their color increases gradually in intensity; they do not fade by pressure, except slightly in the very early stages. The eruption of typhus is not prolonged by successive crops.
It makes its appearance between the fifth and eighth day of disease, and disappears a few days before convalescence. It has been mistaken for syphilitic rash.
Typhoid Rash.
Is characterized by the appearance between the eighth and twelfth day of disease of rose-colored, elevated, circular, softish spots, about a line or so in diameter, on the abdomen, back of hand, arms, chest, and back (if kept warm). These rose- colored spots disappear by pressure, and they appear in successive crops, each spot lasting three or four days, and then gradually fading. There may be from half a dozen to a score of these spots present at one and the same time. Sudamina often co- exist with them.
Measles.
Within fourteen days from the reception of the contagion, the eruption of measles appears, the first stage, the stage of invasion, consisting of a catarrhal attack upon the head and chest. The child is restless and feverish with headache. The eyes grow red, weak and watery, unable to bear the light. There is frequent sneezing, with watery discharge from the nose and a constant short, dry and sometimes croupy cough. In exceptional cases there may be vomiting and delirium. About the fourth day, the stage of eruption comes on, the rash appearing first on the face and extending in the course of 48 hours over the body. About the third day of the disease the rash may be observed on the fauces. The eruption consists of numerous deep red circular spots resembling flea-bites. Between these spots the skin retains its normal color, except upon the face, where it may be oedematously swollen. On the cheeks the rash sometimes becomes confluent, forming blotches and presenting a crescentic shape. In the same order as it came on the rash fades, beginning to grow faint on the face when it is at its height on the body. In this stage the fever increases, the temperature rising to 102 degree to 106 degree. The third stage, the stage of desquamation, begins about the eighth or ninth day of the disease, when the rash disappears and the epidermis peels off in fine scales. This is the course of the normal type, but in some cases the onset of the disease is so violent that the child dies in the second stage from asthenia with typhoid symptoms. In other cases, inflammatory measles, the rash grows darker, assumes a purple color, remaining visible for some days, and all the symptoms are intensified. The cough becomes croupy and there may be lobular pneumonia. This runs to exhaustion, with disappearance of the eruption and collapse. The sequelae of measles are chronic catarrhal cough and chronic pneumonia, which may end in consumption, also scrofulous affections, chronic inflammation of the eyes, otorrhoea, swelling of the glands.
In the treatment of measles, the bedroom should be kept at an equal temperature of about 65 degree and aired frequently with care. The light regulated to the eyes of the invalid. The diet light, with ripe fruit in season, if the bowels are not disordered. After the disappearance of the fever and catarrhal symptoms a warm bath may be given, with another on the following day, with thorough rubbing and friction of the skin afterward; after which, if the weather is favorable, the patient may be allowed to go out.
Therapeutic Indications.
Aconite.-In the beginning, with dry, hot skin, full, frequent pulse, thirst, red, watery eyes with photophobia. Stitching pain in side and chest. Dry, hacking and croupy cough. Catarrhal irritation. Anxious restlessness. Vertigo on raising up.
Antimon. crud.-White-coated tongue. Gastric derangements. Pain in the ears.
Apis.-Confluent eruption and oedematous swelling of the skin. Cough and soreness of the chest, as if bruised. Violent cough similar to whooping cough. Catarrh of the bowels, diarrhoea in the morning, stools greenish-yellow. Scanty, high-colored urine. Oppression of the chest and inability to remain in a warm room.
Arsenic.-Malignant cases with typhoid symptoms. Eruption dark-colored or retroceding. Pale, earthy face. Great dryness, burning and itching of the skin. Rapid prostration. Intense thirst, but drinks only small quantities. Anxiety and great restlessness. Thrush in the mouth and on the fauces. Worse about midnight.
Belladonna.-In the commencement with hot, moist skin, and frequent soft pulse. Congestion to the head. Constant drowsy sleep or drowsiness with inability to sleep. Bright redness of the throat, with pain on swallowing. Diphtheritic symptoms, Back feels as if it would break. Thick, white-coated tongue. Worse about three o’clock A.M. Complication with scarlet fever.
Bryonia.- Eruption does not come out well. Congestion to the chest with stitching, shooting pains on breathing or motion. Rheumatic pains in the limbs. Great dyspnoea and hurried breathing. Dry mouth without thirst or thirst for large quantities at long intervals. Better from warm drinks. Children grasp the cup with both hands.
Camphora.- Vital depression. Face pale, skin cold and blue, inclination to uncover. Eruption does not come out. Various sequelae, particularly difficult and painful micturition.
Carbo veg.- Persistent hoarseness after measles.
Chamomilla.- Great restlessness, child wants to be carried. Very cross and fretful. Painful, watery diarrhoea.
China.-Violent colic, with unquenchable thirst. Abdominal ailments with frequent stool. Debility and no fever.
Coffea.- Nervous, restless agitation, preventing sleep. Dry, hacking cough, with constant tickling in the larynx.
Cuprum acet.- Measles, bronchitis, delirium, wants to go home. Expectoration only during the night. On falling asleep, begins to talk, scold, turn, twist and scream; on being aroused, was perfectly rational; tongue and mouth red.
Drosera.- Cough, like whooping cough, or hollow, barking cough.
Dulcamara.-Retrocession of the eruption from exposure to cold, damp air.
Euphrasia.- Profuse, bland discharge from the nose, and of acrid running from the eyes, with photophobia. Cough only during the day.
Ferrum phos.- Measles in all stages, especially in the initiatory and prodromic, also for the symptoms of inflammatory affections of the chest, eyes, or nose, or ears.
Gelsemium.- After Aconite, great deal of coryza; drowsy with fever heat, no thirst. When the eruption turns livid, with cerebral symptoms. Rawness of the chest, with cough.
Hepar sulph.- Croupy cough, with rattling in the chest, but without expectoration, worse in the morning.
Ipecac.- Eruption slow to appear, with oppression of the chest. Constant tickling cough with every breath and rattling of phlegm. Constant nausea and uneasiness in the stomach.
Kali bichrom.- Cough, with rawness of the chest. Pustule on the cornea. Stitches in the left ear extending into the neck and head. Running of water from the eyes, with burning when opening them. Watery discharge from the nose, with great sensitiveness and ulceration of the nose. Loud rattling cough with tough, stringy expectoration.
Kali mur.- For the hoarse cough, for all the glandular swellings and the furred tongue, with white or gray deposit, it is a remedy of prime importance. For the after-effects of measles. Diarrhoea, whitish or light-colored, loose stools, white tongue. Deafness from swelling in the throat, etc.
Kali sulph.- Suppressed rash, rash suddenly recedes with harsh and dry skin. This remedy will assist the returning of the rash.
Mercurius.- Swelling of the glands of the throat, and difficult swallowing. Soreness of the throat and ulceration of the tonsils. Profuse secretion of saliva and fetid breath. Pit of the stomach very sensitive. Profuse sweat without relief.
