We now come to the consideration of the most important of the means of cure of eczema, and one in which Homoeopathy has won some of her brightest laurels,-the internal treatment.
Indications for the remedies are as follows:
Aconite.-Acute eczema in plethoric persons.
Alumina.-Dry, thin subjects and old people with constipated bowels; the slightest bruise of the skin smarts; brittle nails; much itching with no relief from scratching; the patient feels as if the white of egg had dried on the surface; itching aggravated in the evening and from the heat of the bed, and every other day; and, in the open air.
Ammoniumcarb.-Eczema in the bends of the extremities; excoriations between the legs, and about the anus and genitals; violent itching relieved by scratching. Aggravated by either cold applications or hot poultices; in children.
Ammoniummur.-Eczema on the face and across the loins; intense burning, somewhat relieved by cold applications; constipation; in fat, sluggish individuals.
Anacardium.-Acute eczema on the face, neck and chest. Tubercles on the scalp, sore when touched; violent itching, worse at night, and after scratching; redness of the skin with eruption of small vesicles; rough, exfoliating skin around the mouth, burning around the lips as from pepper; sensitiveness to draught.
Antimon. crud.-Eczema with gastric derangement; violent thirst; white coated tongue; yellowish tenacious discharge; violent itching; aggravated from wet poultices, from bathing and working in water, from alcoholic drinks and in the sun.
Antimon. tart.-Pustular eczema with bronchitis; violent itching, suppurative rash, particularly on the occiput, chest and arms, sleepiness with nausea; rattling cough; irritable; wants to be carried; complains when touched.
Apis.-Eczema with renal troubles, scanty urine, no thirst; tendency to dropsical swellings; burning and stinging in the skin; aggravated from heat, ameliorated from cold water and scratching.
Argent. nitr.-Eczema on the genitals; urging to urinate; in children who eat too much sweets.
Arsen. alb.-All forms accompanied by intense burning of the skin; fetid or purulent discharge or dry, scaly eruption; falling out of the hair in patches here and there, leaving the skin dry and dirty looking; dry, parchment-like skin; thirsty, drinking little and often; aggravated after midnight, from cold, in open air and from scratching with bleeding afterward; ameliorated from heat.
Arundo Maurit.-Eruption on the chest, upper extremities and behind the ears. Intolerable itching, crawling sensation, especially over the loins and shoulders; in young children.
Astacus fluv.-Thick crusts on the scalp; enlargement of the lymphatic glands; clay colored stools.
Aurum.-Old persons with mercurial symptoms; suicidal tendencies; constant desire to be in the open air even in bad weather.
Baryta carb.-Eczema capitis, with falling out of the hair and swelling of the adjacent glands; fat, dumpy children; timidity in the presence of strangers; chronic disposition to swelling of the tonsils or glands of the neck; takes cold easily; aggravation at night and from scratching; ameliorated when walking in the open air.
Bellad.-Eczema on the face with scarlet redness, burning, itching eruption, sensitive to the touch; in teething children, with tendency to convulsions; oversensitive, excitable persons.
Borax.-Eczema on the face and scalp; red, papulous eruption around the cheeks and chin; excoriating secretions; aphthous difficulties; slight injuries suppurate; dread of slight downward motion.
Bovista.-Eczema about the mouth and nostrils; general lassitude, especially in the joints; patient wants to urinate immediately after micturition; constipation; perspiration smells like onions; aggravated from warmth; grocers’ itch; moist vesicular eruption with formation of thick crusts; eruption on the thighs and bends of the knees; on the back of the hand; swelling of the upper lip; burning, itching; no relief from scratching; symptoms worse during hot weather; the skin of the fingers becomes dented by the use of the scissors or other instruments.
Bromine.-Profuse oozing of a dirty, nasty-smelling discharge; eczema covering the head as with a cap; crawling sensation beneath the scalp, with sensitiveness to the touch; glands of the neck hard and swollen; high-colored urine.
Bryonia.-Eczema capitis when the scalp is very tender to the touch, and there are pains and aches worse from motion; eczema all over the body, especially on the back; eruption slow in making its appearance; symptoms worse from exposure to the heat of the fire; stools dry and hard as if burnt.
Calcarea carb.-Chronic and squamous eczema in scrofulous persons; skin inclined to ulcerate; itching and burning in the skin; thick crusts with oozing; parts affected-nape of neck, head, face, on and behind the ears, genital organs, region of umbilicus, hands and bends of the extremities; chalky stools; menses too soon and too profuse; takes cold easily; cold feet, as though there were damp stockings on them; no dread of water, but the disease is aggravated by water; aggravated in the open air and from water and from drinking milk; ameliorated in a warm room; in big-bellied children with light hair and blue eyes; profuse sweating of the head.
Caladium.-Eczema alternating with asthma; great disinclination to move; vertigo on going to sleep; eczema of vulva, chest and forehead; ameliorated when perspiring.
Cantharis.-Eczema with urinary difficulties; much burning and smarting or burning itching; aggravated from touch; ameliorated from lying down.
Carbo veg.-Eczema with hemorrhoids and flatulency; the most innocent food disagrees; cachectic individuals; aggravated from warmth and water.
Carbolic acid.-Moist vesicular eruption on the hands and all over the body. Itching better from rubbing, but leaving a burning pain.
Causticum.-Eczema in rheumatic or gouty individuals; moist eczema on the neck and around the nipple; thick crusts on the nostrils; great restlessness; child is afraid at night in a dark room; aggravated in the open air and in the evening; ameliorated from the warmth of the bed.
Chamom.-Excoriations between the thighs in children and infants; unhealthy skin, every injury suppurates; severe itching of sweating parts; child fretful, must be carried about.
Chelidon.-Eczema rubrum of the scrotum, or ankle; heat, swelling and redness of the parts; bitter taste in the mouth when not eating or drinking; pain in the hepatic region; chronic affections of the abdominal organs.
Cicuta.-Thick, whitish scurfs appear on the chin and upper lip; they secrete a dampness; sometimes affect the nose; no itching; the exudation dries down into a hard, lemon-colored scab.
Clematis.-Red and humid eruptions when the moon is increasing, growing pale and dry with the decrease; scaly spots with yellowish corrosive ichor; pustules over the whole body; eczema, following suppressed gonorrhoea; sticking sensation when touching the skin; aggravated from washing and from the heat of the bed.
Conium.-Eczema of old people from being overheated; on face, arms and mons veneris; urine flows, and stops and flows, and stops at each emission; vertigo when turning the head, when looking up or when turning over in bed; gluey, sticky discharge; aggravated from scratching.
Cornus alternifolia.-Dr. Lutze reports on the use of the swamp walnut, and sums up the following as indications for the remedy: Eczema when the skin was cracked everywhere, but especially where it had a fold or crease, exuding a sticky, watery fluid from these cracks; use locally and internally.
Creosote.-Eczema capitis and mammae, with violent burning after scratching; heavy scabs.
Crot..-Vesicular eruption on the septum narium; sour, acrid eructations; painful retention of urine.
Croton tigl.-Any form of eczema uncomplicated with disease of other organs; watery diarrhoea gushing out forcibly; excessive itching, but the patient cannot bear to scratch very hard as it hurts; a mere rub suffices to allay the itching.
Condurango.-Especially when rhagades are present, oozing out a fetid fluid; cachectic or syphilitic dyscrasia.
Cuprum.-With convulsions, or when convulsions follow the suppression of eczema.
Cyclamen.-Eczema faciei; when there is stinging itching, aggravated in the evening in bed by eating fat food, and ameliorated by scratching or by wiping with the hand.
Dulcamara.-Eczema on the face and extremities preceding the menses, oozing a watery fluid and bleeding after scratching; after its disappearance, faceache and violent asthma; desire for cold drink, eructations, vomiting in the morning; persons who get angry easily; aggravated in cold weather, after taking cold, from cold, and evening when at rest; ameliorated while moving in warm air.
Fluoric acid.-Eczema on the face, scalp, neck and chest; dry eruption with itching and burning; painful rhagades after washing; brittle nails.
Graphites.-Thick crusts and a raw surface with deep rhagades; eczema of fat people, of blonde complexion who take cold easily; on and behind the ears with constant profuse oozing of a sticky fluid; thick crusts sometimes; falling out of the hair; on the face and chin, with considerable itching and increased discharge after scratching; on genitals and in bends of limbs, especially of women with delayed and scanty menses; humid eruption with secretion of corrosive serum smelling like herring brine; great soreness of the skin, after scratching, with oozing of a sticky moisture; on the hands, with sticky and profuse secretion; itching worse in the evening and at night; skin dry, never perspires, and is inclined to crack; disease apt to become purulent; aggravated from cold and in the evening; and, when at rest.
