R.C. BOWIE, M.D.
Silicic acid: next to oxygen this is the most widely distributed element in nature, and owing to its affinity for oxygen it does not occur in a free state. In the form of salts it comprises many minerals and almost all of the crystalline rocks. It is one of the original Schussler remedies.
CASE 1. Yesterday a stranger came to my office to get a serum of some kind administered to prevent his taking influenza. He stated that four years ago he had a very severe attack of influenza with pneumonia and that since that time he just could not get rid of the influenza, and seemed to have a fresh attack whenever the weather changed a little colder. Upon inquiry and examination I found that his condition actually indicated influenza at this time. He had chills, aching in the back and limbs, soreness of the throat, a flushed face, but no fever. I found he was very sensitive to cold air, although he perspired about the head and chest very easily. He had a violent cough at night which was very stubborn. His feet perspired very freely and it was necessary for him to wash them every night to keep them from being offensive.
I found that he had used aspirin and anacin for the aching, but this did not prevent him from taking cold nor did it stop his cough.
Certainly Silicea was indicated in this case, yet I do not believe that Silicea would have cured his present condition. Why? Because Silicea is his constitutional remedy is not proof that Silicea will throw off a semiacute condition which is gradually being grafted on his constitution.
The red face, the soft full pulse, the drooping eyelids, the aching and chilliness in the back and limbs, called for Gelsemium. I gave him Gelsemium to be followed a little later with Silicea.
I give this case to get your reaction as to the soundness of my prescription.
CASE II. I was called yesterday to see an old patient of mine, sixty years of age. Her children are grown up and gone. twenty years ago this patient had a number of fibroid tumors removed. Four years ago I removed a large benign tumor from her left breast under local anaesthetic. For a number of years before I removed this tumor she had a high blood pressure, but after I took the tumor out of the breast her blood pressure became nearly normal and has remained so ever since; also her heart, which was very irregular, is now quite normal again.
She always keeps the house very warm; her husband explained that she always feels the cold air so. I have noticed for years that she perspires a great deal.
Today she wished for something to relieve a severe pain in one foot. About two weeks ago she had a fall and struck her foot over the bunion at the side of the great toe. Today the pain is very great at the site of the bunion and it also extends through the foot and up the leg to the hip. She is wearing a new kind of arch support, and I find her arches are quite weak.
Because of the cold damp feet, her general condition of chilliness > by heat, I prescribed Silicea. I am confident that Silicea will relieve this pain, as I have found either Silicea or Rhus tox. more often indicated than any other remedies in falling arches.
Here is a question that has occurred to me in this case: I have never prescribed Silicea for her before; the indications perhaps were not prominent enough to prompt me to prescribe it. Had I prescribed Silicea years ago, would it have prevented the tumor formation?.
CASE III. Sir John Weir warns that we should be very careful in prescribing Silicea in old tubercular cases, because of its power to absorb scar tissue. This power might break down a tubercle and light up the disease. I agree with Sir John in its power of absorption, but I cannot agree not to prescribe Silicea in a tubercular case if Silicea is clearly indicated. It is true that Sulphur in very high potency, given very infrequently, will cure more cases of tuberculosis than all the other remedies put together, but when another remedy is clearly indicated, no matter what the remedy, do not hesitate to give it in high potency and infrequent doses.
It is possible that Sulphur and Silicea might be used in cases of advanced tuberculosis with greater safety in the dry climate of colorado than where there is great atmospheric moisture. Some of our greatest teachers have warned against the use of these deep-acting remedies where there is well established pathology. – ED.
Miss B. came from a tubercular family; one brother was an arrested case and a sister had a tubercular spine, but she had always been healthy until the age of 18 years. At that time, either from an attack of influenza or severe cold, she suddenly developed acute tuberculosis of the lung and a constant cough, with fever in the afternoon. The family was not alarmed about this condition, because many people cough in the spring of the year, but when the end of her nose became so red that she was ashamed to go anywhere, the family sent her to a doctor for treatment.
Here was a rather large-boned girl, apparently of the Calcarea carb. type. I noticed that her forehead and even her hair were moist with perspiration while talking to me, and upon inquiry I found that there was an offensive perspiration from the arm pits; she was chilly in spite of the perspiration; the sputum which she raised was yellow and sometimes a little offensive. On these symptoms, but particularly the red-tipped nose, I prescribed Silicea.
Not only did the girls nose fade to the natural color, but in three months the tuberculosis was completely cured. Four years later that girl was the mother of two children, and so far as I know she has remained well to this day.
Ordinarily Silicea is not a remedy to be used in acute conditions, but if pus has formed, Silicea will certainly help in its evacuation. There are three or more cardinal symptoms for Silicea which should always be remembered: first, lack of vital heat; second, great sensitiveness to taking cold, and perspiration about the arm pits or feet; fourth, a flaming red- tipped nose. Of course your constitutional symptoms must be taken into consideration, but with any two of these symptoms present, and a constitution fitting into the picture, Silicea is indicated.
Thirty years ago a rather amusing incident taught me a new symptom for Silicea. An old German who lived in the country was subject to two attacks of asthma in the daytime and one at night, and at a particular time each day he had a smudge of asthmador to relieve his asthma. We found that by turning the clock back, his asthma could be staved off two hours, but after he got onto the trick, nothing interfered with his attacks.
One day I was called there, and because of his constitutional symptoms, I prescribed Silicea and went home. Some two months later his daughter came to me and wanted another bottle of the kidney medicine that I had given the last time when I was there. to my surprise and chagrin, I learned that at the previous visit, he had not passed any urine for more than twelve hours, but that within a half hour after taking a dose of my medicine the condition was completely relieved.
I have found many times since that in old prostatic cases with pus in the urine, Silicea is often more satisfactory than a catheter or cystic lavage.
I find that I am prescribing Silicea more and more often. Just as it is an element found so frequently in nature, so it is a constitutional remedy frequently indicated in degenerative pus conditions.
This remedy should be prescribed much more frequently than we are now using it.
FORT MORGAN, COLO.
