APHORISM 11. Pneumonia following pleurisy is bad.
COMMENT: In pleurisy the following remedies are usually sufficient: Aconitum, Arnica, Bryonia, Kali carb., Phosphorus, Squilla and Sulphur. But in pneumonia a careful choice must be made among: Aconitum, Antimonium tart., Belladonna, Bryonia, Cannabis, Cantharis, China, Hyoscyamus, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Mercurius, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Rhus, Sabina, Senega, Sepia, Squilla, Stramonium and Sulphur. For stitches in the chest (false pleurisy) think of: Aconitum, Arnica, Bryonia, China, Lachesis, Nux vom., Pulsatilla, Sabadilla or Sulphur. The carefully selected remedy has often produced such astonishing results, that all physicians were deeply impressed, and they brought many such physicians to an intensive study of our remedies.
APHORISM 12. Encephalitis following pneumonia is bad.
COMMENT: In these days pneumonias, especially those treated by phlebotomy, easily take a typhoid character, while in former times real epidemic meningitis was frequently the end. Even today we see such sporadic cases, and those we saw, were usually in the picture of: Aconitum, Belladonna, Bryonia, Cannabis, Cantharis, Hyoscyamus, Lachesis, Mercurius, Rhus, Stramonium or Sulphur. Strange enough, these remedies (except Cantharis, but with the conditions as sequels. From this we learn two valuable lessons for our practice: first that the beginning and course of a disease as well as the anamnesis must be well considered; and, secondly, that the inherent power of a remedy, when it is well freed by potentization, has an action sphere well beyond the pathology forms, but never beyond its true character. One should be very careful not to stretch conclusions or follow them blindly.
Generally the correctly chosen remedy will quickly change the disease picture so that a different remedy may become indicated. That is the reason why the thoughtless and incomprehensible repetition of a remedy often does more harm than good, and that frequently the immediate succession of two remedies of similar symptoms, often lack in proper results. This was well known to Hahnemann, for in a consultation case submitted to him, where he compared Nux, Ignatia, Chamomilla, Pulsatilla and China, he concludes: “Since these remedies apparently are concomitants (except China), and one overcome the faults of the other (if one does not follow Nux by Ignatia, or Ignatia by Nux immediately, which is not good practice because they are too closely of similar action) you can easily judge which succession you should choose among Ignatia, Pulsatilla, Nux and Chamomilla if not the first one or the next is sufficient.
China has little or nothing in its favor in this case, hence should be excluded. For Chamomilla there should be more nocturnal thirst, and more irritability, etc.” If Hahnemann at that time had known the high potencies, he would have extended the rule still more and prohibited the repetition, as some of his most distinguished followers did (Stapf and Gross), because the higher potentizing extends the action sphere of the remedies and cures with less doses and in shorter time so that a repetition can find nothing left to cure.
APHORISM 13. It is bad when with acute fever clonic or tonic convulsions occur.
COMMENT: Some commentators have thought this aphorism refers to wounds instead of fever, but we can not take that view. However, this aphorism is backed up in many, if not all, cases by experience. This is clear to a homoeopathist when comparing the remedies with each other, usually employed in such conditions.
These are in clonic convulsions especially: Arsenicum, Belladonna, Bryonia, Calcarea carb., Camphora, Carbo vegetabilis, Chamomilla, Cicuta, Dulcamara, Hyoscyamus, Ignatia, Ipecacuanha, Kali carb., Lycopodium, Mercurius, Natrum muriaticum, Opium, Phosphorus, Phosphoric acid, Rhus, Sepia, Silica, Stannum, Stramonium, Sulphur and Veratrum. In tonic convulsions we have especially: Belladonna, Calcarea carb., Camphora, Chamomilla, Cicuta, Cocculus, Hyoscyamus, Ignatia, Ipecacuanha, Kali carb., Lycopodium, Mercurius, Moschus, Natrum mur., Nux, Opium, Petroleum, Phosphorus, Rhus, Sepia, Silica, Stramonium, Sulphur, and Veratrum. Among these conditions the most dangerous might be those whose accompanying symptoms indicate: Arsenicum, Belladonna, Camphora, Carbo vegetabilis, Hyoscyamus, Opium, Sepia, Stramonium and Veratrum.
APHORISM 14. Stupor or delirium from a blow on the head is bad.
COMMENT: The chief remedies indicated after a blow on the head, thrust or violent shaking up, especially with reference to the head, are, aside from Arnica also: Cicuta, Conium, Hepar, Lachesis, Pulsatilla, Rhus, and Sulphuric acid.
But if patient is stunned he may need: Arnica, Cicuta, Conium, Pulsatilla and Rhus. If delirium has set in, then we have in addition: Belladonna, Hyoscyamus, Opium, Stramonium and Veratrum, without overlooking those previously mentioned, and Arnica deserves here also special consideration. It is self-evident that in fractures or splintering, surgical aid must be employed immediately.
APHORISM 15. It is bad when after haemoptysis pus is expectorated.
APHORISM 16. After spitting of pus follow consumption and flux, and when the expectoration is checked, the patient dies.
COMMENT: With few, but strong and true words, Hippocrates sketches the beginning, course and end of the usual phthisis as seen at his time, and also often seen today. It is usually ushered in by a more or less severe haemoptysis, and here we find unusual unity among allopathic physicians (of von Boenninghausens time), the recommendation of phlebotomy. And here it is where we homoeopathic physicians also are in perfect harmony: we condemn it most severely.
Space does not permit to explain the remedies indicated, because there are so many, and each demands its own indications. We shall only mention some of the most frequently prescribed drugs: Aconitum, Ammonium carb., Arnica, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Bryonia, China, Ferrum, Hyoscyamus, Ipecacuanha, Nitric acid, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Rhus, Sabina, Secale, Sulphur and Sulphuric acid.
As in all homoeopathic treatment here also we must be guided by the consistency of the expectorated pus, the accompanying symptoms, the anamnesis and the modalities of aggravation and amelioration. In this connection we are sorry that the most reliable haemostatic, Thlaspi bursa pastoris, has not yet been sufficiently proved to enable us always to prescribe it from proper indications.
If the haemoptysis has been only temporarily checked and not really cured, then suppuration and pus expectoration are usually the sequelae. In such conditions homoeopathy is often unable to do much, especially not where deep acting allopathic medicines have been used. There we never can make a favorable prognosis without reservations, not even when danger dose not yet seem threatening. The remedies valuable in this stage are: Arsenicum, Bromium, Bryonia, Calcarea carb., Carbo veg., China, Conium, Drosera, Ferrum met., Hepar, Kali carb., Ledum, Lycopodium, Natrum mur., Nitri acidum, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Rhus, Sambucus, Sepia, Silica, Stannum and Sulphur.
But, as mentioned, the result is and remains uncertain, especially when those indicated remedies are given in large doses, or if frequently changed, or if the secondary action is not given sufficient time. If in any place, then here are speed and rapidity always a disadvantage. It is a matter of course, that in the remedy selection, aside from quantity, time of day when expectoration is easier or more difficult, the character of the same as to color, taste and odor give main moment for remedy choice. But also all concomitant symptoms must be carefully observed, especially since here never a frequent change of remedy is permitted.
But when, as mentioned in the Aphorism, diarrhoea and emaciation are added, thus bringing the disease into a further stage, then prognosis and saving the life become more problematic, however not entirely impossible and hopeless. Then one must pay special attention to the character of the stools and the accompanying symptoms in the remedy choice, which falls mainly on: Arsenicum Bryonia, Carbo veg., China, Ferrum met., Hepar, Nitric acid, Phosphorus, Phosphoric acid, Pulsatilla and Sulphur.
The emaciation as an immediate result will seldom offer anything characteristic, and therefore does not deserve much consideration as indicative. But the more attention we must pay to the often symptom-rich perspiration, and its sharp character as expressed in: Arsenicum, Bryonia, Calcarea carb., Carbo veg., China, Ferrum met., Phosphorus, Phosphoric acid, Sambucus, Sepia, Silica, Stannum and Sulphur. To quote just one example, it is important to know: does perspiration occur soon in sleep, but leaves quickly (Arsenicum), or does it last all through sleep and stops only upon awakening (Phosphorus), or does it occur only when patient is awake and changes to dry heat as soon as patient drops off to sleep (Sambucus)?
