[Read before I.H.A., Bureau of Materia Medica, June 22, 1934.].
Distillation of Wood Tar.
Kreosotum is a remedy that is not used very frequently, perhaps not as frequently as it should be, at least in my own practice; but when it is indicated, it gives very good results.
There are three conditions that stand out prominently where Kreosotum is indicated; excoriating discharges, pulsations all over the body, and profuse bleeding from small wounds.
It acts chiefly upon the mucous membranes producing profuse and offensive secretions and ulcerations. It has a tendency to haemorrhages which are often very obstinate. Small wounds are inclined to bleed profusely.
Excoriations from acrid fluids, as well as throbbing all over the body, are features of Kreosotum. Fluids vomited from the stomach are so acrid that they pucker the mouth, set the teeth on edge and make the lips raw.
Excoriating, burning and offensive discharges, Haemorrhages, ulcerations, cancerous affections. Vitality greatly depressed. Offensive, bloody, acrid discharges from the nose; offensive, watery discharges from any part of the body; sometimes even putrid; the leucorrhoea is very offensive; Rapid emaciation with spongy, burning ulceration, acrid pus, foetid and yellow. May develop gangrenous ulceration.
Every motion and exciting circumstance is attended with throbbing all over the body, pulsations to the ends of the fingers. Every emotion is attended with tearfulness. Music that will in the slightest way excite the emotion will bring out tears that are acrid, and palpitation and pulsations that are felt to the extremities.
Very irritable nothing will suit him. Desires things and when he gets them, does not want them.
Lachrymation is excoriating. It excoriates the margins of the lids and cheeks, and they become raw and smart. If there is a purulent discharge, it is acrid. Corners of the lips and mouth are red and raw, and the saliva burns and smarts. Smarting and burning everywhere. Burning in the mouth, throat and stomach.
It has a decided action upon the gums. It is often indicated in painful dentition. The gums are very painful, swell, look dark red or blue, and the teeth decay almost as soon as they come through. A child with a mouth full of decayed teeth, with spongy, painful gums, will find a real friend in Kreosote.
Bad teeth and gums of long standing, foul, acrid discharges; great debility and haemorrhagic tendency, should always suggest this remedy. Gums are red, puffed, spongy, settle away from the teeth, and bleed easily. Ulcers in the mouth, smarting and burning which bleed easily upon touch. Very painful dentition; teeth begin to decay soon as they appear. Ailments of teething children.
In a Kreosote tonsillitis, the least pressure of a tongue blade will cause oozing of blood. Nose bleed during coryza, The eyes will bleed easily when they are raw and inflamed.
Burning pain in the stomach soon after eating, then in an hour or two, a sense of fullness and an increasing nausea, ending in vomiting of the food which is sour and acrid. The stomach seems unable to digest. Nausea after vomiting, Aggravated from eating cold things and better from warm foods. In cancer of the stomach when this symptoms is present, Kreosotum becomes a great palliative.
Vomiting: of pregnancy, sweetish water, with ptyalism; in malignant affections of the stomach.
Cholera infantum of a severe type, with incessant vomiting and cadaverous smelling stools. Cholera infantum which seems to come with painful dentition. Attack of vomiting and diarrhoea with distention. Stools and discharges excoriating. Diarrhoea in summer, especially in infants.
Copious pale urine. Must hurry when has the desire to urinate or the urine will escape. Weakness of the bladder, inability to hold the urine. Nocturnal enuresis during the first sleep which is so profound you can hardly wake them. Can only urinate when lying. Acrid and excoriating urine. Sugar in the urine. It has cured diabetes. Urinates always with great haste and always passing a great deal.
Swelling and rawness of genitals at each menstrual period. The flow is copious, clotted, intermittent, early, protracted, may be black and offensive. Menses flow on lying down; cease on sitting or walking. Flow intermits, at times almost ceasing. May have loose, acrid diarrhoea with menstrual period. All of the symptoms are worse at the menstrual period.
Leucorrhoea is putrid, acrid, corrosive, odor of green corn, staining the clothes yellow. The discharge causes severe itching and burning with the parts with which it comes in contact; scratching aggravates.
Violent itching and biting between the labia and in the vagina, she cannot refrain from rubbing. Burning and swelling of these parts.
This remedy is often of value in ulceration found with cancer of the uterus. In some of these cases there is severe burning in the pelvis, as of red-hot coals, with discharges of clots of foul- smelling blood.
Great weakness and prostration.
Generally better from warmth. Many symptoms are worse in open air, from getting cold and in cold weather; from washing or bathing with cold water. Aggravated from rest, especially when lying.
Kreosote is followed well by Arsenicum, Phosphorus, and Sulphur in cancer and diseases of a malignant tendency.
DISCUSSION.
DR. GREEN: I was very much surprised some time ago when I had a case of renal colic, to find that Kreosotum would cure it on the one symptom of marked aggravation from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. I knew that was true of Syphilinum, but I had no idea it was true of Sulphur until I found the two remedies side by side.
DR. BOGER: I will tell you a recent experience. Some years ago I gave up obstetric work entirely. Once in a while somebody comes to me now and wants to be looked over. About eight weeks ago a mother brought her daughter to me, who was five and a half months pregnant; she had aphthae maternin, and if you have seen a bad case of that, aphthous ulceration of the mouth, oesophagus and stomach, you know those are nasty cases.
For a little while after talking the matter over with the girl, I couldnt make up my mind just what remedy to use, but during the conversation I found out that if she attempted to eat or drink anything, intense pain began in these aphthous ulcerations in the mouth and throat and stomach, and didnt stop, so she couldnt eat at all, hardly, any more.
Finally I bethought myself of this: “Aggravation long after eating.” and among the rest of the remedies I saw this. I gave her one dose of Kreosotum and in two or three days this thing had subsided and she was almost normal.
About six weeks afterwards the mother brought her back again and she had a very slight return. I gave her another dose of Kreosotum, and that was the end of it.
DR. DIXON: The emaciation of Kreosotum, I have found in several interesting cases, is usually combined with a first-class appetite. They eat plenty but have active discharges.
DR. GRIMMER: I want to thank the doctor personally and I think the rest of us feel that he has come a long way to bring us this message and we all feel grateful to have him with us, coming all the way from the West Coast to take part in our work. He has given us a good study of Kreosotum, too.
DR. EDWARDS: I have found it good in haemorrhages and in children with bad teeth; it is a remedy you can depend on.
Secretary-Trasurer, I.H.A.
Business Manager, The Homoeopathic Recorder.
Author of The Home Prescriber Domestic Guide.
Dr. A. Dwight Smith was born in Monticello, Iowa, in 1885. He graduated with an M.D. degree from Hahnemann Medical College in Chicago in 1912, and in 1921 moved to Glendale, California. After spending a period in the Army Medical Corps he did a residency at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia specializing in pediatrics. During his many years of practice he was president for one year and secretary-treasurer for thirteen years of the International Hahnemannian Association. He also served as editor of the Homeopathic Recorder, for thirteen years. Dr. Smith also held the position of editor of the Pacific Coast Homeopathic Bulletin for over forty years.