Let us now study a few remedies which cause and cure itching of the skin caused by the abnormality of other tissues or organs than the brain and nerves. Left which, in the second edition of his Index of Symptoms, page 79, gave sixty-one conditions in which the word itching or its synonymous formication or tingling appear. The list includes diseases all the way from anaemia of the brain to worms. Among them may be found drug rashes and arsenicum poisoning.
LIVER.
W.L.Kitchens in his Symptoms and Diseases Applied, states on page 105, Part II, that general itching of the skin is found under twenty diseases. Among these are carcinoma of the common duct and haemolytic jaundice. On page 531, Part IV, Dr.Kitchens puts general itching of the skin of the skin and enlarged liver, also jaundice, under the head of catarrhal jaundice and then adds, stools clay colored. Then, under cardiac decompensation he gives enlarged liver. The above shows that itching may be a prominent symptom of conditions of the liver, varying from a simple irritation to a most profound structural change.
CASE I.
Mrs. B.E., grandmother and mother of healthy children. There had been menorrhagia during all her menstrual life. After the menopause, she was object to severe attacks of epistaxis, which was controlled only by plugging the nostril with cotton saturated with common table vinegar, one part vinegar to two parts of water. Three years ago I was called in haste because a dish had fallen on her head and cut a blood vessel. She had bled till she failed. Tying the artery and a diet for anaemia, plus Phos. 30th restored her to normal in seven months. About eighteen months later I was called and secured the following: “Beginning about two weeks ago I began to itch all over but more on my legs and feet. That has grown so much worse that I have not slept for three days and nights. I itch worse when undressing for bed or dressing when I get up.
Also, worse the two damp days of last week.” The skin and white of the eyes were light yellow, and there were little red spots on the legs and arms. The urine was loaded with bile. The patient said, “The stools are changeable, soft and hard, but almost white”. She ended with, “I must get some sleep tonight or I wont be here tomorrow”. I wrote a prescription for four ounces of chloroform and sweet oil, equal parts, to be applied to the red spots. I gave Natrum sulph. (B.& T.) 30th, five disks three time daily. Her diet to be mostly fruits and vegetables. She was herself again in six weeks. She used the chloroform and oil only three nights. The Natr. sulph. was continued, at longer intervals, for nearly four weeks. I have used Nat. sulph. in the 12x and 30th with success in many cases, but more for functional changes.
CARCINOMA.
I have never been able to cure a patient of carcinoma of the liver though I have had several, including the case of my former partner, DR. A.M. Linn, who suffered intensely from itching insomnia, and rapid prostration. Post-mortem revealed carcinoma of the duct which was completely obstructed by three nodules. Nothing by way of drug therapy or artificial feeding seemed to check the rapidity of the course in Dr.Linns case.
In only one case have I been able to prolong life and allay pain in carcinoma of the liver.
CASE II.
Mrs. M.G., age 42, with history of cancer in three generations; mother of healthy children; with good personal history until three years ago, when there developed pain and soreness over the liver, after an injury. The pain was at first an ache, but later burning. Some vomiting, green and bitter, followed; then jaundice and intense itching. The stools were dark and watery. Seven months after the injury, there were burning pain in the pelvis and a surgeon operated for ulcers of the cervix. The wound never healed and a vaginal-urethral fistula followed. She then took Kochs treatment, but without improvement. Two months after the operation she came into my hands Ars. alb. 6x (B. & T.( internally and a solution of the 1x and water, equal parts, externally gave some relief to the thing, the burning and also diarrhoea. She lived nearly eight months after the Arsenicum treatment was given.
CASE III.
Mrs. B.N.W., age 74, dark, swarthy skin, sluggish temperament; F.H.good; P.H. “Always had liver had uterine trouble”. Patient gave the following, “Dr. A.M.Linn was my doctor until he dies. He used to give me Sepia 30th. I had some on hand and took it, but it does not help this time. My bowels became constipated, with hard and large stools, also light colored; then I began to bloat; then dull pains about my waist; worse on right side; then the skin became yellow, also the whites of my eyes; then a tight pain from the liver to pubis; and last of all a feeling as if everything would fall out. This time there is a new symptoms, a most violent itching, with a few pimples all over my body, and the more I scratch the more I itch.”.
Chelidonium, 3x (B. & T.) on disks, five, every three hours. six doses daily, cleared up the case. She took the Chel. five days. The itching was the first symptom to yield.
Sepia. Two years ago last spring a tall, slender, dark skinned woman came in with: “Doctor, give me something to stop this terrible itching or I will go crazy.” When asked for the location, she answered, “Everywhere, on my face, joints, body, but worst on my abdomen, low down to the pelvis. You remember I have had brown spots all over me before, but never this itching. My mother insisted it was my sluggish liver and six weeks ago had me take sulphur and molasses. It has made me neither tetter or worse. Scratching does no good, but I do scratch and make sores. Sometimes I think hot water makes it better, then again cold, either helps a little. The spots are worse on my abdomen. My bowels are always constipated. They were loose while I was taking the sulphur, but have been worse than ever since. I want to get off by myself and cry.”.
She was given Sepia 30th (B.& T.) tables, five in a glass of water every third morning. This restored her to normal, but not to a well woman. I had known her for twenty-three years and she was never in good health. She always complained about her liver.
Croton tig. T.F.Allen says Croton tig. is “a powerful drastic purge”, and compares it to Jatropha and Gambogia in this respect.
Allen also says: “When applied to the skin it produces an eruption of small pustules with inflamed areolae.” Boericke, under skin, has “feels hide-bound, intense itching, but scratching is painful.” Douglas says, “Croton tig. Any form of eczema unaccompanied with disease of other organs; watery diarrhoea, gushing our forcibly; excessive itching, but the patient cannot bear to scratch very hard or it hurts; a mere rub suffices to allay the itching.” Dearborn, page 353, writes: “Croton oil applied to the mucous membrane or the skin excites a catarrhal inflammation. Given internally it seems to have an elective affinity for the skin of the face and external genitals, producing a dark red erythema, vesicles and pustules, accompanied with corrosive itching, smarting, burning, tickling and other pruritic sensation. These are worse night and morning, from waking, touch, washing and exposure to air.”.
The only use I have made of Croton tig. is for poisoning with poison ivy, and eczema. With the former I give the 3rd of of diluted carbolic acid, two drams to a pint of water, applied to parts involved. For the eczematous patients, I give the 30th internally and a solution of the 3rd, one part to one hundred parts of water, locally. Next to the itching the urgent, watery, gushing stool is the ranking symptom of the group.
PANCREAS.
Arsenicum alb. Many of my diabetic patients have come to me and stated that though the amount of sugar was no larger than normal, yet for some unknown cause there was much more itching of the entire body, also that the skin and mouth were a good deal dryer than usual.
Such patients (including myself) always secure relief from the itching (which changes to burning on scratching) by Ars. alb. in potency suited to each individual.
Arsenicum bromatum will often excel the Ars. alb. in relieving the pruritus of the diabetic patients, who have syphilis as a complicating factor. I have used it only in the 1x, five drops in a teacup of water, three times daily.
KIDNEYS.
Arsenicum alb. The two of the many conditions of the kidneys in which I have found itching a marked symptom are chronic interstitial nephritis and uraemia. In these, again Arsenicum alb. ranks first in frequently and effectiveness.
Ammonia carb. is the second in rank for Des Moines patients, due to the sudden rise and fall in temperature which causes patients of Ammonia carb. type, who are very susceptible to atmospheric changes, to suffer uraemia.
T.F.Allen says “Ammonia carb. is indicated in uraemia with the characteristic symptoms of the drug”, and Boericke gives these characteristic symptoms as follows: “Frequent desire; involuntary at night; urine white, sandy, bloody, copious, turbid and foetid.”.
