More Signs of the Times. We have just received the announcement and program of the thirty-fifth annual convention of The National Society of Physical Therapeutics, which is to be held in New York City. The program contains many varied and interesting subjects for consideration and discussion and of the essayists who will present papers or discuss them, practically all are homoeopathic physicians, some of prominence in the homoeopathic school, whose names are well known to all of us.
It is of course, a fact to be somewhat proud of, that homoeopaths have distinguished themselves in collateral fields of medicine, not directly concerned with their own fundamental therapeutic principles; there is no good reason why they should not do so; such catholicism of choice reflects the broader outlook, now becoming more and more universal and breaking the creaking bonds of outworn sectarianism and intolerance.
At the same time and to this thought we wish to call attention, as the activities of homoeopaths with extra-homoeopathic subjects increase, their practical interest in homoeopathy decreases, with the natural and inevitable result, that homoeopathy itself must suffer. This is exactly what has happened in our United States and the process has gained pace with every year. Where formerly we had able homoeopathic physicians whose homoeopathy came first, today we either have none at all or nominal, homoeopaths, whose practice is a sort of therapeutic melange of most gaudy hue.
Who will dies hinaus? Where is this decadence to stop, or will it stop at all? Unquestionably one very important reason why homoeopaths have branched out into specialties of all kinds, is the patent fact that the monetary rewards are greater; the very simplicity of homoeopathy is its own worst enemy and broadly speaking, makes of it a poor money-getter. After all, homoeopathy appeals to the intelligentsia only; the semi-morons, with which the world is largely filled, are satisfied to take whatever is momentarily most loudly trumpeted; for in spite of all the newspaper and magazine publicity regarding medicine, the ignorance and credulity of the great public is simply appalling.
Many years will undoubtedly be required, before the fundamental philosophy of homoeopathy has been finally incorporated with the basic principles of established medicine and when this has taken place, we will hear no more of homoeopathy; the name will have become absolute and of historical interest only. In the meantime, those of us who feel, that upon ourselves rests the duty of carrying on and safeguarding the precious truths of our science and art, must struggle on as best we can.
Treatment of Constipation.- “In Sanders opinion, the last measure to be considered in the treatment of constipation is the administration of drugs. The enema habit is also condemned. There are, however, definite indications for drug therapy in all cases in which correction of faulty habits and removal of the cause has not restored the function to normal. The treatment is, first the removal of the cause; second, the re-establishment of the normal intestinal peristalsis by regulation of habits, diet, exercise and by discontinuing catharsis; third, the use of drugs which are nonirritating, chiefly liquid petroleum combined with agar, and, in obstinate cases, the temporary addition of cascara or magnesia.
In the atonic type of stasis Sanders prescribes a simple fruit mixture. It consists of: Cooked prunes (seeded), 1 pound; dried figs, 1 pound; dates (seeded), 1 pound; agar agar, 2 ounces; senna leaves, 2 ounces. This mixture is run through a meat chopper several times until it is thoroughly mixed and pulverized, and then made into a cake, which is in turn cut into blocks one inch square, The dose is one block taken at bedtime.” -J.A.M.A.
Constipation is one of our national evils and one difficult to overcome. Homoeopathic prescribing for the patient, when characteristic symptoms are present, is often sufficient in itself, but many cases will require additional temporary aid, such as suggested by some of the above recommendations.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. “Richardson reports a case of carbon monoxide poisoning in a man who had bought a new automobile of the sedan type, with an exhaust heater in the back. The heater had caused considerable trouble by getting hot even when the valve was turned off. Furthermore, there were wide cracks in the floor boards through which had come the strong smell of exhaust fumes.
The patient drove this car largely in traffic for 10 miles or more every morning and evening and often much farther. He would feel well on getting up, but at about moontime lassitude began coming on, until at night he felt absolutely worn out. This feeling was soon accompanied by a severe, upper half headache. The patient was advised to put away the new car for one week. By the end of the third day the symptoms had entirely disappeared, and he was feeling as well as ever.”- J.A.M.A.
This comes from Boston and is respectfully commended to the attention of drivers of Ford and other sedans.
Lac caninum. The following symptoms were speedily cured, after an initial aggravation, in a woman of forty-seven years, by one dose of Lac caninum 10,000: soreness of the throat for past two weeks, repeatedly changing sides, from left to right and back again. No other modalities were present in this case.
Natrum mur. in Pharyngitis. Natrum muriaticum 10,000 one dose, speedily cleared up the following symptoms in an otherwise healthy young woman of about twenty-three, whose tonsils had been removed during childhood.
Throat sore for ten or twelve days.
Sensation of a lump in the throat.
Occasional clicking noise and sensation, in the ears on swallowing.
Tongue slightly coated, grayish-white, more at base.
Pharynx has a granular appearance; vesicles on pharyngeal wall. No modalities of time or temperature.
Neurasthenia in Tropics. “Acton points out that neurasthenia is real ill health associated with certain existing causes, and not merely a feeling of ill health. In the tropics there is a further association with certain predisposing causes that are more commonly present than in temperate climates. It is obvious that before a cure can be effected one must first deal with any exciting causes, then remove the predisposing causes, and aid the different endocrine glands that are not functioning properly. It is little use trying to quiet the nerves with bromides, or to aid the functions of the endocrine glands by shotgun prescriptions of the various endocrine products now on the market, before removing the exciting cause.”-J.A.M.A.
These are sane observations concerning the treatment of a symptom complex most difficult to cure. The selection of suitable homoeopathic remedies is not easy, but once the similimum has been found, remarkable results become manifest. As Acton points out, the exciting cause must be removed; unless this can be done, it is useless to prescribe.
Menstruation and Suicide. Among Steiners thirty-nine suicides in women, eleven occurred just before and eleven during menstruation, a proportion of more than 50 per cent. of his material.- J.A.M.A.
Homoeopathy can be of great help here, for it has many remedies whose mental symptoms are those of premenstrual mental depression, with suicidal thoughts. Individualization of each case is of course, in order.
Tinnitus Aurium. Noises in the ears depend upon one or more of several pathologic conditions, which often are beyond the ability of the general practitioner to correct. Indeed, the aurist himself, with all his expertness and skill, is not always successful.
Many homoeopathic remedies possess the symptom of noise in the ears and the repertory contains a bewildering array of possible remedies which, for the most part, are useless, unless we discover the particular pathology or functional disturbances of the case in hand. Recently, in a case of tinnitus of many years standing, in a patient who had been treated by aurists, as well as by at least one homoeopathic physician, without success, we gave Thiosinaminum 6x, t. i. d. with complete abatement of the noises within two weeks; inasmuch as an annoying vertigo appeared, by us attributed to the remedy, we changed the potency to the 30th of which one dose only, per day, has been given. The case is of interest and the experience may prove useful to others.
Thiosinamine is Allyl sulphocarbamide, derived from oil of mustard seeds. We reprint the subjoined clipping, taken from “Jottings” many years ago, as likely to be of instruction and interest.
“THIOSINAMINE FOR NOISES IN THE EARS.
THIS is a new and, as yet, unproved remedy in Homoeopathy, one for a condition of which many persons complain and for which there seems to be nothing to meet it successfully. Dr. Alfred M. Moore, of Brighton, wrote concerning it in the July HOMOEOPATHIC RECORDER: The treatment of tinnitus aurium has long been so unsatisfactory that the rule to make no promises has been fixed among men who have had any experience with that distressing condition. I have made many attempts to give relief to those applying with the various noises in their ears, but not until I began the use of Thiosinamine was I able to get any results whatever in the cases of long standing. Dr. Moore quotes Dr. McCullough to the effect:.
American Homeopathy Doctor.
Rabe graduated from the New York Homeopathic Medical College and trained under Timothy Field Allen and William Tod Helmuth.
Rabe was President of the International Hahnemannian Association, editor in chief of the Homeopathic Recorder, and he wrote Medical Therapeutics for daily reference. Rabe was Dean and Professor of Homeopathic Therapeutics at the New York Homeopathic Medical College.