EPITOME OF TREATMENT.
From errors in diet. Pulsatilla, Ant.-Crud., Mercurius, Croton Tig.
From exposure to cold. Aconite, Mercurius, Bryonia,
From exposure top heat. Bryonia, China., Iris.
From worms. Cina., Mercurius, Calcarea carb., Ant.-Crud.
With inflammation of the bowels. Arsenicum, Mercurius-Cor., Coloc., Aconite, Podoph
SPECIAL INDICATIONS. Calcarea Carbonica. Diarrhoea in weakly, pale-faced, wasted children, liable to glandular swellings; undigested, sour, pappy, frothy, bad-smelling or involuntary stools; thread-worms, pains during a motion, and faintness afterwards.
Mercurius Iodatus. Chronic Diarrhoea, with hardness, enlargement, and a knotty feeling of the abdomen.
Croton Tiglium. Thin, yellowish-brown, putrid evacuations, expelled suddenly, and induced by eating; involuntary stool during sleep.
Iodium. Thin, foetid diarrhoea, with distension of the bowels; emaciation; hectic symptoms.
Arsenicum. Diarrhoea worse after food, especially after midnight; frequent and scanty motions; weakness and wasting; excessive, unquenchable thirst; vomiting.
Phosphorus. Chronic Diarrhoea in children having a consumptive tendency; yellow tinge of the eyes and skin.
Mercurius Sol. Frequent evacuations of frothy mucus, or whitish green, offensive, or bloody stools; soreness of the anus; violent pain; Jaundice. If there is severe straining, with other Dysenteric symptoms, Mercurius-Cor. is preferable.
ACCESSORY MEANS. For children two or more years old, mutton, chicken, game, pigeon, white fish, and old rice freshly cooked in milk, are excellent; also beef-tea in which rice has been stewed. Animal broths in small quantities, and raw eggs beaten up or eggs lightly boiled, are necessary; also tepid abdominal compresses, and frictions over the whole body. An abdominal belt of flannel is often preventive or curative. Cod-liver-oil is frequently advantageous.
LI. Prolapsus Ani (Prolapsio Ani) Falling of the Bowel.
DEFINITION. A prostration of the mucous lining of the rectum through the anal orifice, after the action of the bowel, which goes back of itself, or is easily replaced.
CAUSES. Constipation or Diarrhoea; purgatives; straining excited by worms, or stone in the bladder; laxity and delicacy of constitution, or being allowed to sit too long at stool.
REMEDIES. Ignatia is often specific.
Podophyllin. Prolapsus accompanying Diarrhoea, with straining and offensive stools; irritation from teething, etc.
Mercurius. Prolapsus, with itching, discharge of a yellowish mucus, and Diarrhoea; hard, swollen abdomen.
Lycopodium. Obstinate cases, and when other remedies only partially cure.
Sulph., Calcarea, Sepia,. and Arsenicum are sometimes required.
ACCESSORY MEANS. When Prolapsus occurs, the protrusion should be returned by placing the child across the lap, and making pressure on the part with the fingers, previously lubricated, and carried beyond the ring of the anus. Bathing the parts with cold water every morning, and injections of water are useful. The action of the bowel in the evening, just before going to bed, should be encouraged.
LII. Worms. (Entozoa).
The worms that most commonly infest children are the thread- worm, the round worm, and occasionally the tape-worm.
Thread-worms are from one to three quarters of an inch in length, white and thread-like, moving rapidly. They cause great irritation.
The round-worm is from six to fifteen inches long, similar to the common earth-worm, but of a paler colour.
The tape-worm is white, flat, and jointed, varying in length from a few feet to several yards.
SYMPTOMS. Itching and irritation about the anus, especially troublesome in the evening; depraved or irregular appetite, offensive breath, straining at stool, falling of the bowel, disturbed sleep, and general restlessness (Thread-worms). When Round -worms exist in numbers, there may be pain and swelling of the abdomen; slimy stools; tenesmus; chronic Diarrhoea, most troublesome at night, with thin, scanty, and offensive motions; pallid countenance, dilated pupils, grinding of the teeth in the sleep, Convulsions, etc.
The symptoms of Tape-worm are less marked; sensations of weight or gnawing in the abdomen; enlargement about the navel; great appetite, and increasing wasting.
CAUSE. The predisposing cause of worms is an unhealthy, slimy condition of the intestines, often due to improper feeding.
TREATMENT. Injections. When there is much irritation an injection of salt-and-water ( a tea-spoonful to half-a-pint) may be used at bed-time for several days. Or lime-water injections may be used, or a little sweet oil.
1. Constitutional Remedies. Calcarea carb., Mercurius, Sulphur, Silicea, Arsenicum, Ant.-Crud.
2. Remedies to expel the Worms. Cina, Santonine, Teucrium, Mercurius, Urtica Urens (Thread or Round Worms); Oil of Filix Mas., xx.–xl. drops, in mucilage and syrup, half an ounce of each, as a draught to be taken on an empty stomach early in the morning (Tape worm).
3. Occasional Remedies. Aconite (feverishness and restlessness); Ignatia (irritation at the seat; falling of the bowel; depression); Belladonna (flushed face and nervous irritability); Pulsatilla (indigestion; mucus diarrhoeal white-furred tongue); Nux. (constipation, with indigestion and irritability).
ACCESSORY MEANS. The application of lard to the anus, every night for eight or ten days, will generally free that child from thread-worms. The diet should include well-cooked animal food, and a liberal quantity of salt as a condiment. Cakes, pastry, potatoes, butter, veal, and pork should be withheld. The general means for improving the constitution of the child, recommended in the various sections, should also be adopted.
LIII. Constipation Costiveness.
CAUSES. Constipation in infants is almost invariably due to improper feeding, particularly the too early use of starchy food, which may occasion great mischief; irregularities of diet in the mother of the suckling infant; purgatives, etc.
It may also be a symptom to other diseases, and will then disappear with the derangement on which it depends.
SYMPTOMS. Headache, restlessness, distension of the abdomen, frequent but inefficient urging to relieve the bowel, or the inclination may be altogether absent; disturbed sleep, etc. Vomiting is an occasional symptom of obstinate Constipation.
REMEDIES. Bryonia. Large motions passed with difficulty; irritability; headache; brown tongue.
Nux Vomica. Frequent ineffectual urging, restless sleep, irritability.
Opium. Torpid bowels, motions and lumpy, headache, drowsiness, dizziness, retention of urine.
Mercurius. Sallow skin, the white -of-the eyes being yellowish.
Podophyllin. Pale or clay-coloured evacuations, mottled green; Constipation following Diarrhoea; restless sleep.
Plumbum. Obstinate cases; dark motions, consisting of small balls.
Sulphur. Habitual costiveness; painful distention of the abdomen.
ACCESSORY MEANS. The diet should be carefully regulated. Children should not have cheese, or too large an allowance of meat; but fresh vegetables cabbages, turnips, onions ripe fruit, oatmeal-porridge with treacle, and brown bread may be taken freely. A draught of water on rising and retiring, is also advisable. Frictions with the warm hand or with olive-oil over the back and abdomen are often effectual. In obstinate Constipation, or if worms are present, injections are generally serviceable. Children should early be habituated to solicit the action of the bowels every morning with regularity. Purgatives are to be avoided.
LIV. Jaundice (Icterus).
DEFINITION. A disease due to derangement of the biliary organs, characterised by yellowness of many of the tissues of the body, especially the white of the eyes and the finger nails.
SYMPTOMS. Yellow tinge of the skin. The urine becomes yellow or deep brown, and stains the linen; the motions whitish or drab- coloured; there is Constipation or Diarrhoea; lassitude; anxiety; pain in the stomach; bitter taste; often feverishness; depression of spirits; prostration of strength; and slowness of the pulse.
CAUSES. Generally, functional derangements, from atmospheric changes, fits of passion, or errors in diet. Occasionally infants are born with Jaundice, the liver not having yet taken on its function of purifying the blood.
REMEDIES. Mercurius and China. These remedies, in alternation, will generally cure simple Jaundice, or Jaundice with bilious Diarrhoea, pain in the liver, and dark yellow urine.
Aconitum. Febrile heat; much pain below the ribs; or if caused by fright.
Chamomilla. Jaundice from fits of passion.
Nux Vomica. Pain in the region of the liver; Costiveness; sickness.
Chronic cases may require Phosphorus, Hydras., Acid nitricum, and Digitalis or Podoph.
ACCESSORY MEANS. Daily out-of-door exercise; regulation of the diet, and protection from changes of the weather. Pain may be relieved by flannels wrung out of hot water applied to the region of the liver.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."