If, however, the cough becomes less frequent but the mucus in the chest does not diminish and the child gets drowsy, substitute Antimonium tart. Spasm of the glottis with rapid alternation of contraction and relaxation of the vocal cords. The provings show marked asthmatic symptoms. Several provers speak of it as asthmatic feeling lasting for several hours. Oppression of the chest. Contraction of the chest with shortness of breath and gasping breath, obliged to gasp for fresh air at the open window. Yearly attacks of difficult shortness of breathing. Ipecac is a palliative in asthma though deeper acting remedies may be required for a cure.
Teste recommends Ipecac for croup. Croup is one of those essential diseases which varies but little in its symptoms, that is, the absolute symptoms which establish the diagnosis are about all you meet with. There are but few concomitant symptoms. The result is that certain specific treatments get established, though they ought to be avoided. So we have the traditional Aconite, Hepar, and Spongia treatment, and Teste recommends Ipecac and Bryonia. He says that Ipecac is almost the only remedy indicated in all cases of very acute inflammation of throat, windpipe, bronchia and lungs, no matter what the cause, when the patient is under 10 years, blonde, sanguine and lively disposition and worse at night.
HAEMORRHAGES. Another most important use of Ipecac is in haemorrhages. It produces and hence cures bleeding from nose, mouth, stomach, lungs, womb, rectum, urethra, from any mucous surface. It is most excellent in uterine haemorrhages where the flow is profuse, bright gushing with nausea, faintness, pallor and heavy, labored breathing. There may be pain from navel to uterus, menses too early and too profuse, bright red, accompanied by aching in head, nausea, faintness and vomiting.
Such symptoms indicate it in dysmenorrhoea, and uterine complaints. Do not forget it in haemoptysis, when you have feeling of constriction, rattling cough and expectoration of blood especially when preceded by a sensation like that of bubbling in the chest. Especially in incipient tuberculosis of young girls. Never in haemorrhages in general or when cause is decomposition of the blood. Haematuria especially, from kidneys with nausea and cutting pains. Threatening miscarriage with bright red blood and cutting colic and following miscarriage.
CONVULSIONS. Ipecac may be needed in convulsions. Teething children after indigestible food, in whooping-cough or from suppressed exanthemata. Often children will have spasms from eating rich pound cake, peanuts or raisins; in fact convulsions in children are so frequently due to gastric disturbance that Ipecac with its spasmodic tendency comes in frequently. Also spasms during pregnancy.
Cuprum is a complementary remedy to Ipecac and follows it up in whooping-cough and convulsions. The patient may complain of a strong metallic taste in mouth. In the repercussion of eruptions, striking in, as in scarlet fever, symptoms like excessive vomiting, great stupor, convulsions may appear. Cuprum will remove these and cause a reappearance of the rash.
FEVER. The symptoms of Ipecac reveal a distinctly intermittent character. It is excellent in intermittent fever after abuse of quinine, also in the beginning of irregular cases, especially if there is much nausea. There is excessive sensitiveness to cold and warmth, slight chill with much heat, no subjective perspiration, nausea, vomiting and dyspnoea. After quinine and relapses from improper diet, nearly always with great thirst, but the water is apt to be vomited. Similar to Ipecac in the treatment of intermittent fevers spoiled by quinine is:.
Arsenicum. Here, one stage is absent, heat of burning character, sallow, pallor, clean red tongue. The longer the disease has lasted the more likely is Arsenicum indicated. The more intense the heat, the more burning and insatiable the thirst, the more Arsenicum is indicated. Dumb ague and afternoon intermittents of nursing children.
Natrum mur. Earthy complexion, chilliness, constipation, headaches beginning in morning and lasting all day, like little hammers knocking against the head, thirst before and during chill. Hydroa on lips like strings of pearls.
EYES. If Ipecac is blown into the eyes of a dog an intense inflammation is produced going on to perforation of the cornea. The French homoeopathists first used it in scrofulous ophthalmia and keratitis. Ulcers which show great tendency to recur. Scrofulous conjunctivitis combined with keratitis.
Although we know that a single dose of a well selected highly potentized remedy may act for weeks or months, the time has not yet arrived when we can expect a patient to quietly await the unfolding of the single dose for weeks or months. The personal interviews at reasonable intervals are essential to the patients comfort of mind, and the physician is enabled thereby to control the necessary hygienic measures, or remove doubts and fears arising from the sluggishness or irregularities of functions which the patient was formerly taught to correct by drugs or other means.- W.P. WESSELHOEFT, M.D., 1889.
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.