Whooping cough is said to be the cause of the death of six thousand children annually, in this country. Statistics show a mortality of 81.8 per cent. in the cases followed by pneumonia as a complication or sequelae.
As there is not specific, it is left to the art of the individual doctor to handle the cases according to their merits.
All kinds of empiric treatment have been put forward from time to time, but there seems to be a variety of opinion regarding their effectiveness.
Perhaps the best testimony regarding their value, is the fact that too many complications occur and altogether too many deaths.
I have been treating this disease for over twenty years. I have never had a complication following my treatment, nor a death that could in any wise, be attributed to the disease, or its treatment.
I will give twenty-five reasons why this disease can be wiped out in twenty-one days, as a total average, without suppression or complications. Many cases being cured in seven to fourteen days.
Coqueluchin.
The first remedy I wish to call your attention to, is the Nosode of the disease.
It should not be given below the thirty X potency, better 2c. or lm. When there are no underlying symptoms except the epidemic cough, it is of great and will often cut the disease short at once.
The effects of it can often be realized by the third day. It is also of great value in chronic cases and complications that come from mistreatment of the disease by empiric methods that are so commonly resorted to, to relieve the distressing symptoms.
If one should supply himself with the remedies that I am suggesting, and follow correctly their indications, the treatment of whooping cough would become a pleasure.
Anyone can get the specific indications of this remedy by studying the uncomplicated symptoms of whooping cough.
A valuable little book has been published on the treatment of this disease, with its own nosode, by dr. J.H. Clarke, of London.
Every case, therefore, is in effect,a proving of the infective principle.
The nosode has never been proven. I will give Dr. Clarkes symptoms.
A hacking cough.
A deep sounding croupy cough.
A cough provoked or followed by intense tickling in throat fauces or trachea.
Cough with difficulty of getting breath.
Cough with frequently repeated paroxysms.
A sensation of nausea at the end of coughing period.
In my hands, the remedy if given in the acute stage, seems to complete its action at the end of seven days.
When other remedies are needed to wipe out the base if there be one, upon which the virus was implanted.
It is quite valuable in the chronic effects of mistreated whooping cough, or chronic bronchitis, as the result of either whooping cough or some intractable cold which has been suppressed.
These patients are usually pale, no appetite, begin to lose weight, the glands of the neck begin to enlarge, or the glands in the mediastinum begin to enlarge, threatening abscess.
They often keep picking or digging in the nose, sweat easily, they are pale, anemic, weak, nervous, they do not care to play, complain of being cold all the time, hectic fever every day or every other day. Tongue usually coated white, showing sub-acute catarrh of the tissues, while they have a desire for sour, fruit acids, etc., showing deterioration in protein metabolism.
The urine is turbid, the bowel movements are constipated, due to scanty stool.
As more symptoms would only tend to confuse one, I will leave these two pictures with you.
The acute symptoms of the disease itself.
The chronic sub-acute complications.
Corallium Rubrum.
Perhaps this remedy follows coqueluchin more closely than any other remedy because of its relation to syphilis and psora.
Its cough is spasmodic, violent, teasing, children lose their breath, get blue in the face, aggravated at night, take little food and drink. They have a longing for acids and for salt.
It is related to the nervous temperament, and nervous cough.
Therefore, after the infectious principle has been alleviated by the nosode, its indications become very apparent.
It is associated also with rapid loss of flesh, and great weakness.
Other symptoms of its cough are:.
“Minute-gun” paroxysms.
Smothering before starting to cough.
Exhaustion afterward.
Crowing inspiration.
Sensation as though the inspired air was cold.
Aggravated during night sleep.
Aggravated after waking.
Attacks come rapidly and follow each other closely.
Aggravation is often noticed at about 2 A.M.
Sensation as though the patient would choke up.
Gasp for breath.
Often sweats about the head.
You will get the best results with the higher potencies.
It is also an antidote to mercury and indicated when children have been accustomed to periodical use of calomel.
It is indicated in children having light hair, poorly nourished, having a tubercular base, flat chest, prominent eyes, poor appetite, lassitude, weakness and exhaustion.
They are sensitive to cold, are more apt to have bronchitis than the two preceding remedies.
There is more or less engorgements of the lymphatic system, with more or less copious discharge of mucus.
The remedy acts from the center to the periphery.
It is indicated where the disease seems to be at a standstill, and there is not reaction and permanent lung trouble is to be feared.
It is a wonderful remedy, and the whole vital economy begins to partake of its influence and tissues begin to respond and take on a more healthy activity in a very short time.
It simply aids the vegetative forces to function and there is no comeback to its effects (compare lobelia inflata aceticum).
It has very violent paroxysms of coughing which follow each other rapidly.
The patient is scarcely able to get his breath. Aggravated after midnight, during or after measles. Spasmodic cough with gagging, retching and vomiting.
Hahnemann says that in a certain epidemic, “a single dose was sufficient to cure a case in seven or eight days”.
Other symptoms are: constant titillating cough in children which begins as soon as the head touches the pillow.
Cough is aggravated by warmth, by drinking, singing, laughing, lying down, and after midnight.
During cough, mucus, often bleeding at nose and mouth, vomiting of water.
Those who have had most experience, advise against giving the second dose.
Sanguinaria Canadensis.
One can scarcely be successful in treating whooping cough without this remedy.
Its place in whooping cough comes largely at the end of the disease. The patient seems never to have gotten over his whooping cough. The cough returns every time the patient takes a cold.
It may be used also in the very early beginning before it has really gotten a start, and after the protein of the system has become anaphylactic or permanently sensitised by the infectious principle. The nitrate of the alkaloid is very effective in desensitising the tissues and restoring them to a normal equilibrium.
The cough of this remedy proceeds from a tickling in the throat aggravated after lying down, crawling sensation behind the sternum, spasmodic cough, dry cough, tickling in the throat pit, dry cough awakens him from sleep.
If his remedy does not work as speedily as it ought to, give a dose of calcarea carb.
Ipecac.
Adapted to cases where the gastric symptoms predominate.
The child loses its breath, turns blue, strangling with gagging and vomiting of mucus, bleeding from the nose or mouth.
Cough with much rattling of mucus when inspiring, threatened suffocation from the abundance of mucus.
Cuprum Metallicum.
The cough of this remedy is long lasting, suffocative, spasmodic, patient gets breathless, blue, rigid, and stiff.
There are often three attacks successively. Vomiting of solid food after regaining consciousness. Cataleptic spasm with each paroxysm of coughing.
(Ambergris has violent cough in spasmodic paroxysms with eructation and hoarseness). Worse talking or reading aloud.
Evening without and morning with expectoration.
Whooping cough without crowing inspiration; is adapted to children with dark hair, cross, irritable, ill-humored; wants to be carried, carrying gives nor relief, does not many things, but rejects them all. OFten follows Drosera, which has relieved the severe symptoms.
Coccus Cacti.
Cough begins six to seven A.M., on waking or on first rising. A dry, racking, barking cough, with remissions of one or two minutes until vomiting and expectoration of a large quantity of thick, viscid, ropy, mucus which extends in strings to the floor.
Carbo Veg.
Paroxysms of violent croupy cough with whooping aggravated at night, better from rising up or expectorating. Blueness about the eyes. The symptoms being such as to cause anxiety because of poor vitality.
Prophylaxis.
These remedies are said to be prophylactic: Allium Sativa, and Pulsatilla.
Mephitis.
The nervous system is very much oversensitised, vomits food, seems as though each cough would terminate life, aggravated when lying down, cause a suffocative sensation, he cannot exhale.
It is indicated where there are signs of nervous exhaustion, alcoholic, and tubercular vases. Ill humor about trifles.
