A FEW CONFIRMED SYMPTOMS
A FEW CONFIRMED SYMPTOMS.
Haynes J R
CASE I. –
Haynes J R February 25, 1884, was called to see Mrs.-; patient 34 years of age, married, mother of four children; weight in health, 150 pounds; present weight about 50 pounds. I found her propped up in bed, for breath, with partially open mouth groaning at every inspiration. Had a chill every morning, at 8:30 A.M., continued two and a half hours, followed by high fever, lasting four hours. Pulse 130 to 140, temperature 104 to 106. Fever succeeded by a drenching perspiration which stained her linen, and was of a sour, musty odor. Before chill, great thirst, which continued till close of chill, but upon drinking water was immediately rejected by stomach, with violent retching. Cold, clammy perspiration, profuse upon uncovered parts. . Chill was accompanied by severe, dull, aching pains, all over the body, worse in the long bones, head and spine; great soreness of the muscular system. Cough aggravated during chill. Decreased after chill; great restlessness. Patient desires to be well covered, exposure < symptoms. Well defined hectic flush. Sleep difficult on account of persistent cough. Severe griping, twisting pains in abdomen, accompanied by black, watery diarrhoea, putrid, great tenesmus before and after stool, variable in regard to number. Skin and conjunctiva jaundiced. Bed sore covered the sacrum which discharged pus of musty smell. Violent cough, apparently loose; expectoration, grayish yellow, putrid. Tuberculous (?) matter present. Prognosis! Death in forty-eight hours. The family insisted that I should attend the case, and if possible mitigate her distress. She had been under the care of an allopathic doctor who had exhausted the Materia Medica on her. (Lord deliver us from their clutches!) I gave her Nux 25m. to antidote such treatment, and to gain time to study the case, it being impossible to distinguish real from drug symptoms. Left her 10 hours, then began a more thorough examination of her case; continued it at intervals for three days. After that lapse of time, begin still undecided, I became disgusted and wished to surrender the case. Being desired to continue. I gave a dose of Drosera 25 m. to dislodge mucus from fauces. No results. After seven days decided to give Hepar, one powder 25 m. and waited results. Slight improvement in three days. Allowed remedy to act for thirty days, then case became to commence, cure completed in three and a half months. Patient has remained in health up to present time. To say that I was completely disappointed, is putting it very mildly. I was called to see Ernest on the 9th of March, 1890. I found a case that had for a number of days been in the hands of an allopath, and dosed with Quinine without stint, as well as Antipyrine. He was about 19 years of age, of lymphatic temperament, would weigh about one hundred and sixty pounds; light hair and blue eyes; he had been away to school, and came home on account of the recent attack of what they called the grippe, and sore throat. Found a very severe case of diptheria; the tonsils very much swollen, and covered with a black, putrid ulceration. The breath very offensive, the whole membrane of the mouth of a dark red, the ulcer edges were perfectly black, and swallowing very difficult; the mouth and nares filled with a sticky, thick mucus. Seemed very much prostrated, pulse small and very rapid, 160. I gave a dose of Merc. cyan., 10m. The next morning there was not so much putrescence, and the mucus seemed to have cleared up in the throat and nares. Pulse 120, and seemed to be improving very rapidly. Was left on Sac. lac. for the day. At the evening call I found him in a drenching perspiration and feeling very much prostrated; still, the ulceration had improved, and I believed he would get well. He was left on Sac. lac. What was my utter astonishment to receive word in the morning that he had died about half-past two o’clock that morning. I must say that it gave me a slight setback. I did not see the case, after, so I could not tell the cause of the failure. I have since learned that they filled him with sour wine, which I had previously forbidden. Miss K-, eighteen years of age, light complexion, rather spare in flesh, a little extra tall, had been in the hands of several allopathists for dysmenorrhea, who had dosed her with everything they could conceive of without the last benefit. They had informed her and the family that nothing could be done for her but an operation; what the operation was to be I do not know. I found her propped up in bed, with a rubber bottle of hot water pressed against the lower abdomen, crying and screaming so that the neighbors could hear her for half a square; when the paroxysms of pain would come on she would press the hot water battle against the lower abdomen with great force. The pains were the most severe just before the flow commenced, and, as nearly as I could get at the symptoms, were in the fundus of the uterus. There was no complaint of any pain in either of the ovaries. These pains had been complained of at every menstruation for about two years, and would cause, her to remain in bed nearly two weeks at every period. After looking the case over with some care, I threw away the water bottle, covered her up in bed, gave one dose of Pulsatilla 20m. dry on the tongue, and sat down to await developments. In less than half an hour she was asleep, and had no further trouble during that period. Just before her next period I gave her another. For several months they have called at her menstrual time and received Sac. lac., which for about two years has given relief, and she has not been compelled to go to bed since, during her menstrual periods. Mr. C-, aged about 40 years, is large, rather portly, would weigh about one hundred and sixty-five pounds. Had been subject to attacks of sick headache all his life. They would last for nearly a week. He was rather a lymphatic temperament, at the same time he was active in his movements, of light complexion, and very muscular and strong. I found four men trying to hold him in bed, and he was throwing himself about so that he would carry them all with him; was groaning and seemed to be in great agony. My first act was to discharge the attendants and to call for plenty of clothing to cover him warmly, which was done. I made what inquiry I could among the family for the symptoms of the case. The family told me that he had been in that condition for some five hours. These headaches would commence at the root of the nose and expand gradually over the whole head. They would become very intense as they reached the base of the brain, and cause semi-deliriousness. The emesis was severe, with a heavy retching; the contents of the stomach would come up rather easily at first, but as it continued the retching became more severe. By the straining to vomit, all the symptoms were <; a large quantity of gas would accumulate in the abdomen, the pulse was but slightly elevated, very little thirst, but a continual moaning and groaning, as if in great pain; at the same time nothing could be got out of him. I gave him a dose of Cimicifuga, 10cm. dry on the tongue, and sat down to await developments. In a very short time he began to get quiet, and in less than half an hour he was asleep. I left Sac. lac. to be given in water, when he should wake, and went home. The next day my patient was on the street. He did not have another attack for two months, when another dose of Cimicifuga relieved him without going to bed. These attacks continued at longer intervals, and finally ceased altogether. He has not had one for the past two years. CASE I. –
ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT.
CASE II. –
CASE III.-
CASE IV. –
