Belladonna.- Redness of the face, sparkling of the eyes, heat of the head, dilated pupils, complete loss of consciousness, form at the mouth, involuntary action of bowels and bladder.
Calcarea Carb.- Especially useful when the fits depend upon the morbid influence of a scrofulous condition.
Chamomilla.- Occurring in irritable children; the attacks often preceded by colicky pains, sour vomiting, and paleness of one cheek and redness of another.
Cina.- When the fits are evidently due to the irritation of worms.
Cuprum.- Severe convulsions, the spasms usually commencing in the fingers or toes; salivation.
Ignatia.- In attacks having an emotional origin, and before the disease has become chronic.
Nux Vomica.- Attacks preceded by Constipation and anger.
Stramonium.- Recent Epilepsy caused by fright; Epilepsy in stammerers.
Sulphur.- Arising from suppressed eruptions or discharges;also is scrofulous children.
ACCESSORY MEANS.- The patient’s tongue should be put back into his mouth, and a cork or linen pad fixed between his molar teeth; he should be laid on a cough or rug, fresh air freely admitted around him, his head slightly raised, and all ligatures relaxed that interfere with circulation and breathing. Throwing cold water on the face does no good; and restraint should not be exercised beyond what is absolutely necessary.
In Epilepsy preceded by the aura, a firm ligature applied about the part where the sensation is felt is said to prevent the attack. After the fit, the patient should be allowed to pass undisturbed the period of sleep which follows. Hygienic treatment, especially such as the causes of the disease suggest, is of great importance. Under this head we would prominently mention sponging the body, and especially the head, every morning with cold water, quickly followed by rapid and thorough drying. Shower-baths do not usually agree, and bathing in the open sea is obviously dangerous. All violent emotions, excesses of every kind, and especially the precocious development or the unnatural excitement of the sexual instinct, must be strictly interdicted or prevented.
Regular out-of-door exercise is beneficial, but it should never be carried too far, as fatigue often excites an attack. Epileptic patients require much rest and frequent change; boys and girls should not on any account sit at lessons for three or four consecutive hours. Studies and open-air recreations should be pleasantly blended.
Should fright, disappointment, anxiety, or other mental influences tend to keep up the disease, a thorough change is necessary, including change of residency, companions, and habits. “All ambitious intellectual exertion, especially rapid and discursive reading and writing against time, should be absolutely prohibited.
But moderate employment of the thoughts, especially on familiar and interesting hobbies, is useful in preventing that stagnation or concentration of the mind upon itself which is so hurtful in all chronic complaints” (Chambers). Further, the mind requires pabulum, or food, and exercise for its healthy growth. The diet should be nourishing and taken regularly, in moderate quantities, including animal food once or twice day. As the appetite is often voracious, it should be judiciously controlled. There is much to be said for a vegetarian diet.
37. Infantile Paralysis (Polio-myelitis)
DEFINITION.- A paralysis (not really “infantile,” because affecting children above the age of one year) affecting one or more limbs, upper or lower; frequently only a group of muscles in one or more limbs.
SYMPTOMS.- The disease is ushered in with fever, perhaps sore throat, Convulsions, or gastric symptoms. On the subsidence of the fever it is found that the child cannot stand or walk, and has lost knee-jerk or knee-jerks, or has lost the power to move an arm. The affected parts are usually very tender at first. The initial paralysis is nearly always a good deal more extensive than what is found after, say, six or nine months.
But recovery of muscular power is seldom complete. As all the muscles are not always paralysed to an equal extent, the limb may become contorted by the contraction of those muscles which still retain power. Hence, in chronic cases, may result club-foot, drawing of the toes upon the sole of the foot, drawing up of the leg, drawing together of the thighs, etc.
CAUSE.- As the disease sometimes occurs in epidemic form, the cause must be microbic. There is reason to think that the germ gets access through the nasal or naso-pharyngeal mucous membrane, and therefore douching of these parts with an antiseptic lotion might be adopted as a preventive measure.
TREATMENT.- In the early stage of the disease Aconite should be the medicine administered. In a day or two Belladonna or Gelsem. will be more appropriate. Later on Nux or Phosphorus may be required. In all cases the limb must be kept warm with the greatest care; being placed frequently in a hot bath, and wrapped in wool. Afterwards Lathyrus Sat. may be given.
INDICATIONS FOR THE ABOVE AND OTHER REMEDIES.
Aconitum.- In recent cases, consequent upon cold, or attended with inflammatory disturbance.
Belladonna.- Paralysis associated with Convulsions, flushed face, intolerance of light.
Gelsemium.- When the symptoms combine those of Aconite and Belladonna
Calcarea Carb.- Palsy, with general debility and mal-nutrition; enlarged glands, and other evidences of Scrofula.
Nux Vomica.- Loss of power in the lower limbs, with co-existing Indigestion and Constipation.
Phosphorus- Following debilitating losses, such as Diarrhoea, etc.; resulting from fatty degeneration.
Rhus Tox.- The best remedy for the disease when occurring as a sequel of fever.
ACCESSORY MEANS.- Every effort must be made to raise the tone of the whole system by fresh air, out-of-door exercise, salt-water baths, etc. When there is much debility, Cod-liver oil is often of signal benefit. Massage and passive motion are also valuable accessories. In obstinate cases, local galvanism to the affected muscles will sometimes effect a cure. The daily application of faradization for weeks of even months may necessary. If the disease has been neglected for several years, fatty degeneration may have taken place, in which case electricity is inadmissible.
38. Chorea – St.Vitus’s Dance.
DEFINITION.- a disease characterized by involuntary convulsive muscular movements and ludicrous gesticulations, involving the face and limbs.
SYMPTOMS.- Twitching movements of the hands and arms, gradually extending to the muscles of the head, neck, and trunk. In some cases the patient can neither stand nor walk, and can with difficulty lie in bed. One side or both sides of the body may be affected. The movements generally cease during sleep; in severe cases they may be continued in sleep.
CAUSES.- Rheumatism is the cause of Chorea in children. Chorea is, in fact, a rheumatic affection of the cortex of the brain. Exciting causes are mainly emotional, especially fright. But patients, of rheumatic constitution, seeing others suffering from the disease, are liable to voluntary or involuntary imitation.
INDICATIONS FOR TREATMENT
Aconitum.- From fright or cold, especially if fever symptoms accompany the spasmodic movements.
Agaricus.- In recent cases, especially if the child is very chilly and suffers from chilblains.
Cimicifuga.- If associated with rheumatic pains, especially in head, back, and neck (“stiff neck”).
Ignatia.- From depressing emotions; in hysterical persons.
ADDITIONAL REMEDIES.- Arsenicum, Belladonna, Cuprum, Hyoscyamus, Phosphorus, Stramonium, Zincum, Tarantula, Mygale.
ACCESSORY MEANS.- A change of air as well as of the general surroundings of the patient is frequently of great advantage. We have again and again found obstinate cases yield rapidly to this course when other courses had but partially succeeded.
Rest in bed for several days is often advisable; it secures a uniform temperature, and repose for the muscular and nervous symptoms : at the same time it reduces the wear-and-tear of the system to a minimum, and also isolates the child from other children.
The diet should be plain, sufficient, and taken regularly at three meals daily.
All excitement, including the excitement of school life, should be eliminated from the life of the choreic patient.
39. Headache.
Headache may be either a symptom of simple functional disturbance of the brain or other organs, or it may be an early symptom of disease of the brain.
Our chief object in this Section is to give directions for the cure of simple Headache, from whatever cause it may arise; and to point out the symptoms which indicate organic intercranial change. Diseases of the brain, especially organic, are most deceptive, and difficult to detection and diagnosis. They are prone to run a rapid course, and to end suddenly, and often unexpectedly, in death.
When a child complains of Headache, or it too young to complain, shows by his desire to lie down, or to have the head supported, by restlessness and peevishness, that his head aches, it is always well to inquire if he has had a fall upon, or any injury to, the head, been exposed to a hot sun or to great heat, or if he has taken indigestible food. Should the affection have no definable cause, and persist after the administration of the remedies prescribed, it is important that a physician should be at once consulted, as the Headache may be due to Tuberculous Meningitis, Hydrocephalus, Syphilitic disease of the brain, etc.
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."