CAUSES.- Chilblains generally occur in frosty weather from exposure to a low temperature, sudden changes, damp, warming the feet at the fire when cold or damp. The inflammation chiefly affects children and young people.
INDICATIONS FOR TREATMENT.
Agaricus.- Stinging pains in the swellings; also when ulcerated.
Arnica.- Hard, shining, painful, and itching swellings; in the early stage.
Petrol.- Broken, itching, burning chilblains.
Pulsatilla.- Livid redness, itching and heating in the swelling, and worse towards evening.
Rhus Tox.- When the parts are much inflamed, or blistered.
ACCESSORIES.- All the remedies may be used externally as well as internally, in the form of lotion for broken chilblains. Glycerine, Glycerine-of-starch, or one part of Glycerine mixed with two parts of Eaude-Cologne, is an excellent remedy for Chilblains, Chapped-hands, fissures or cracks. It removes the stinging, burning sensations and make the parts soft and supple. Ulcerated Chilblains may require a poultice, or other mild application, until relieved. Aconite, mother tincture, may be rubbed on unbroken Chilblains, or they may be painted with Tincture of Iodine.
Extremes of temperature are to be avoided, especially cold stone floors, suddenly approaching the fire after coming in from the cold, warming the feet on the fender, or the hands close to the fire. Warm gloves, thick socks or stockings, thick boots should be worn. The hands should be dipped into cold water and then subjected to prolonged friction with a warm dry towel.
As Chilblains generally occur in children whose circulation is defective, plenty of exercise in the open air, the free use of the skipping-rope, and wholesome nutritious diet including a fair amount of fat, are necessary to prevent their recurrence. Port, veal, salted meats, and irritating, indigestible kinds of food, are inadmissible.
79. Parasitic Diseases of the Skin (Morbi cutis Parasitici.)
The parasitic diseases most commonly found among children are the following:
1. TINEA TONSURANS.- This affection, known as the common scurfy ring worm, occurs most frequently in strumous children. Being contagious it is not necessarily associated with deranged general health. It occurs mostly between the second and twelfth years, as irregularly circular patches, varying in size from that of a sixpence to that of a penny piece, the hairs, of the which look withered, dry, thickened, and as if cut off at a short distance from the roots. The skin is red or scaly.
TREATMENT.- The quickest and most certain treatment of ringworms of the scalp is the X-rays. If these are not available the daily inunction of Chrysarobin ointment should be tried. This, it should be remembered, stains linen, and, more important, if it touches the eyes, causes an acute Conjunctivitis. To know it the treatment has been successful, the application should be stopped for a month and a careful watch instituted to see whether any small scaly patches or stumps appear (Whitfield).
2. PITYRIASIS VERSICOLOR.- This commences as small reddish points, with irritation and itching increased by warmth, and followed by irregular, fawn-coloured patches, dry, rough, scaly at the edge, and slightly elevated, and from which scurf can be detached by rubbing. The patches vary in size from half and an inch to three or four inches in diameter, and occur mostly where the body is in contact with flannel, particularly on the chest, neck, and abdomen. Like the preceding, it is contagious, and its spread is favoured by uncleanly habits. It is also called Chloasma. It is specially common in tuberculous subjects.
The treatment consists in the diligent use of a 3 Percent Salicylic acid ointment.
3. SCABIES.-ITCH.- This disease is caused by the presence of a minute animal parasite, the Acarus scabiei, which burrows under the skin, and gives rise to an eruption and an intolerable itching. The eruption is vesicular, presenting numerous small watery conical pimples, and appears most frequently between the fingers, and the bend of the arm in children, or on the thighs and buttocks and lower part of the abdomen in infants, by whom it is occasionally contracted from uncleanly servants or nurses. The irritation increases at night and in bed.
TREATMENT.- Sulphur is the great enemy to parasitic life, and its local application is the most effective means of destroying the Acarus. After thoroughly rubbing the whole body with soft-soap and warm water, then washing in a hot bath, or with hot water, and wiping thoroughly dry, the superficial and effete cuticle is removed, and the burrows and parasites freely exposed; the ointment should then be well rubbed in and allowed to remain on the body all night. On the following morning a tepid bath, using yellow soap, to wash off the ointment left on night, completes the cure. If the application of the ointment and the ablutions be not thorough, the process should be repeated once or twice. But Sulphur ointment must not be continued too long, or it will produce an irritable state of the skin, which may be taken for a persistence of the disease. All contaminated linen should be boiled in water; other garments should be well ironed with a hot iron, or exposed to hot air at a temperature of not less than 150o to 180o Fahr., or well fumigated with the vapour of Sulphur, to destroy any insects or ova concealed in the textures of the linen. The cure is often retarded, and the disease conveyed to others, by neglecting to carry out these suggestions thoroughly.
Sepia, Calcarea carb., and Sulph. sometimes useful, administered internally; Sepia in Ringworm, sulphur in Scabies, and Calcarea in general unhealthy states of the skin, and for the debility which favours these diseases.
4. PEDICULOSIS (LOUSINESS). This disease is caused by the presence of animal parasites (Pediculus capitis, the commonest – P. corporis, P.pubis) and their eggs (“nits”). It is easily contracted through the careless use of hair-brushes, and it by on means confined to the poorer or dirtier classes. It creates intense itching which results in scratching; the scratches are apt to get infected with pus-producing germs and thus to become the seat of Impetigo contagiosa. An excellent preparation for killing Pediculi capitis is Oil of Sassafras.
The oil is thoroughly soaked into the hair and left on all night under a bathing-cap. The elimination of the lice is expedited by cutting the hair short. The eggs or “nits” are tiny whitish bodies fastened to the hair-shafts by a glutinous material. They are readily distinguished from the fine powder of scurf or dandruff by the fact that the latter is readily brushed off, but the nits stick. The nits are best removed by a small toothed comb. Infected cloths should be “stoved” or destroyed.
80. Stings and Bites of Insects.
INTERNAL TREATMENT
Aconitum.- Swelling, inflammation, fever.
Arnica.- After the subsidence of fever if there remain tenderness and smarting.
Ledum Palustre.- Said to be of great efficacy in the mosquito bites.
Rhus Tox.- Has often been used with food effect.
ACCESSORIES.- Washing blue or ammonia should be applied locally or the remedy given internally may be employed as a lotion externally at the same time. If the sting of the insect be left in the wound it should be extracted as soon as possible.
CHAPTER VIII
MISCELLANEOUS AFFECTIONS
81. Crying.
SIGNIFICANCE OF CRYING.- The crying of an infant is expressive, and varies much in character. “In cerebral affections it is sharp, short, and sudden. In lesions of the abdomen, exciting pain, it is prolonged. In inherited Syphilis, it is high-pitches and hoarse. In inflammatory diseases of the larynx, it is hoarse, and may be whispering. In inflammatory diseases of the chest, and in severe Rickets, the child is usually quiet and unwilling to cry, on account of the action interfering with the respiratory functions” (Dr. Eustace Smith).
CAUSES.- In many instances, infantile crying and fretfulness depends upon some mechanical cause – tight or creased clothing, wet napkins, the prick or scratch of a pin, improper or excessive feeding, etc. Crying is also the language by which its wants are expressed; but it is a mistake to suppose that the child should be presented to the breast, or that it is hungry merely because it cries. The time that has elapsed since the previous nursing will determine the necessity or otherwise for feeding the child.
Water may be all that it requires, and it should have this freely. Crying is however, often due to Colic, wind, or other symptoms of Indigestion in hand-fed children, or in infants suckled by unsuitable wet-nurses. For a proper investigation of the cause of crying, the infant should be fully undressed in a room of comfortable temperature. By this method the form and movements of the chest and abdomen; the state of the skin, whether hot or cool, moist or dry; the presence or absence of any eruption, and any other peculiarity present, may then be easily detected.
INDICATIONS FOR TREATMENT
Aconitum.- Hot, dry skin; full pulse; restlessness.
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."