APHORISM 31. In fevers with great prostration there often are swelling of joints, especially of the jaws.
COMMENT: Without doubt this was the experience of Hippocrates; Galen commented on it, and Celsus repeated it, yet we do not think it generally binding. However, such fevers, especially the intermittent type, have visited us a few times during the last twenty years, with swellings of joints and glands, especially of knees and jaws, which usually were cured by Calcarea carbonica, which also prevented metastatic conditions.
These fevers were peculiar in that chills and heat quickly alternated, or occurred at the same time: cold internally, heat externally, usually with palpitation, and following profuse perspiration for a longer time during convalescence; characteristic was that the perspiration was worse in open cold air and during the first period of sleep in bed, never toward morning. After these fevers had been with us for a few months, a different fever visited us about two years later, which, on account of the terrible headache during the heat spell (together with a few other symptoms) demanded Natrum muriaticum, which remedy cured totally and quickly. China was useless also in these fevers.
Meanwhile the great weakness and prostration must not be considered a criterion as proof of the title to this Hippocratic conclusion.
There are many fevers where in spite of the great weakness during and after the first attacks neither the one nor the other occur, but complaints of an entirely different character appear. We have seen such prostrating fevers with severe headache and morbid drowsiness (Arsenicum); others with rheumatic pains, unquenchable thirst and frequent urination (Lycopodium); again others where stomach pain with vomiting of all food, head congestion and difficult breathing followed (Ferrum metallicum). But when those cases were carefully observed, it was soon plain that chronic (psoric) miasm was at the bottom of it all, and that in many severe cases nothing could be accomplished without Sulphur.
APHORISM 34. It is fatal if a patient, without swelling of the throat, suddenly becomes asphyxiatic.
APHORISM. If the neck of a fever patient suddenly becomes distorted and swallowing difficult without swelling in throat, that is fatal.
COMMENT: These two aphorisms apparently belong together, and present symptoms almost exclusively found in hydrophobia; this opinion is shared also by another commentator. Perhaps because of the prevailing idea that a fully developed case of hydrophobia cannot be cured, hence must infallibly lead to demise, which is also the teaching of our allopaths, Hippocrates wrote this aphorism. But that is totally contrary to our teaching. To us this condition is the same as any other dynamic sickness and treated in harmony with our homoeopathic law. For this reason we lay particular stress upon the peculiar and characteristic symptoms, and look upon the condition of the wound as a criterion of the progress of cure, carefully avoiding obscuring these symptoms.
One of my cases, a land-owner in his best years, had been bitten seven days ago by a rabid dog, and while taking his morning bath felt the first head symptom. While I elicited his symptoms his second attack of the day followed; it began with drawing from the nape of the forehead, then sparks before the eyes, then complete darkness with red face and involuntary grinding of the teeth. After five minutes the attack had passed, when patient was given one dose of Belladonna 200. He was also given two powders containing Belladonna 200 in globules, and two powders of Hyoscyamus 200, of the latter he was to take one every 24 hours.
The result was complete. A week later he presented himself and related that since taking the medicine he had not felt the least sign of the trouble. The bite wound was still a little purplish, and instead of Hyoscyamus, Lachesis was given as an intercurrent remedy. In another week everything was normal and has remained so to this day. Another case of hydrophobia I also cured completely after he had been treated allopathically, internally and externally. In consequence, out of ten bitten persons of this region nine came to me.
It might be urged that we only mentioned the above four remedies, and forgot Cantharis, Cuprum, Mercurius, Phosphorus and Sabadilla, to which perhaps also Apis, Arsenicum, Calcarea carbonica, Iodum, Ruta and Veratrum belong, hence we append them here.
APHORISM 37. Cold sweats in high fever presage death; with milder fever they indicate protracted disease.
COMMENT: In many cases cold sweat is the precursor of death; but in many other cases it is a characteristic symptom of a chronic disease, especially when it is on the nape. Hippocrates in two of his writings mentions this location specifically. It is peculiar that our greatest polychrest, Sulphur, has this symptom almost exclusively.
APHORISM 38. Where there is sweat on the body, there is the seat of the disease.
COMMENT: This is often confirmed and finds divers applications in practice. To mention just one example, the horrible results to body and soul from masturbation. The often much differing troubles do not always point absolutely to the cause, while also here the knowledge is of greatest import for the choice of a remedy and diet, and for suitable admonition and instruction. Perspiration on and around the genital organs is often very peculiar, e.g., it may be worse in rest after, not during exertion (Sepia), and such symptoms may point to a homoeopathic remedy which always gives the desired result.
APHORISM 40. If the body gets hot or cold alternatingly, and the color changes the same, this indicates a protracted disease.
COMMENT: Also this cannot claim general application, even though Galen has repeated this aphorism. To be sure, there are many chronic conditions in which the frequent change of cold and heat are symptoms pointing to certain remedies.
And this is also true as to many acute diseases, especially in typhoid fevers, where Bryonia or Rhus tox, may come in question, in fevers with cold where Nux vomica must be remembered, as in many other fever forms, mild or severe, which may demand Ammonium muriaticum, China, Kreosotum, Sambucus, Veratrum, etc. It is therefore difficult to prognosticate from the frequent change of hot and cold the duration of the sickness, which can be cured in a few days by the use of the correctly chosen homoeopathic remedies.
APHORISM 42. Continuous hot or cold sweat indicate a disease, cold more serious, hot less so.
COMMENT: A continual sweat is a pathological symptom as well as continued heat or cold. They are usually called perspiration fevers, which, however, is but a single symptom, which cannot lead to correct remedy choice. When, of the many medicines which have this symptom, we mention only the most important: Aconitum, Arsenicum, Bryonia, Ipecacuanha, Mercurius, Opium, Rhus, Sambucus and Sepia, it is evident that many much differing sickness conditions have this symptom, and that the name in itself is immaterial.
APHORISM 46. If a patient is attacked by a rigor during continuous fever, that is a fatal sign.
COMMENT: Such a condition is almost hopeless. Life force seems extinct, unable to react even to our medicines. However, we have three remedies for rigors of a lesser nature which even in such desperate cases will at times bring help: Camphora, Opium and Carbo vegetabilis, the latter, according to our experience, only in small doses of the highest potency. Camphora rescued several patients suffering from severe cholera (cholera foudroyant of the French) while in a dying condition. One example is the Austrian Field Marsal Clam Gallas, who was apparently dead from cholera, but whom Dr. Lazansky brought back to life by Camphor spiritus given according to Hahnemanns directions. This case was commented on by many European periodicals.
Opium can bring back life similarly where the natural reaction is dead and where the entire body is cold and stiff, wet with perspiration and the death-like face. Like no other remedy it is able to stir up reaction of life force, and therefore we use it where other indicated medicines would be useless on account of lacking life force.
Sulphur takes the place only when in true psoric diseases this condition is present by holding down, as it were, the miasmatic obstruction, which here is the causative factor of lacking reaction, and it frees the natural life forces of its fetters.
APHORISM 48. It is fatal when a patient suffers from a continual fever and has a cold skin, while internal parts are burning and there is great thirst.
COMMENT: This must not surprise us, for the two main remedies for this condition: Arsenicum and Veratrum, in the time of Hippocrates were not used in such cases. Then Veratrum was used generally for “cleaning out” especially in gastric conditions by vomiting, and for insanity (real homoeopathy”) and in malignant diarrhoea. In the customary large doses (only the quantity constitutes the poison !) of that time it would have hastened death, while in small, dynamic doses, corresponding to the symptoms, it would have possibly saved the patients.
