By finding and observing such and many other similar characteristic symptoms, which mean nothing to allopathic physicians, we have been able (not infrequently) to save consumptives when all hope had been given up; but that is only possible by giving the correct remedy in the smallest dose, and sufficient time for action; such small doses have almost no perceptible primary action or aggravation, but have a healing sphere, often surprising, exceeding all expectation. From lower potencies we have never seen similar results in desperate cases.
Permit me to once more mention my own person, which I do to honour both homoeopathy and my dear friend, Dr. Weihe of Herford, in grateful remembrance. He it was, who in 1828 (when we hardly knew the name of homoeopathy and had been given up by two prominent allopathic physicians), who cured us of phthisis with copious expectoration, and saved our life by prescribing Pulsatilla 30, and four weeks later one dose of Sulphur 30. Nothing more was necessary as proved by our present vigor and activity, in spite of the fact that my sickness had lasted more than nine months, and I had not been able to take a hundred steps without sufficient rest.
APHORISM 18. Convulsions and delirium after insomnia are a bad sign.
COMMENT: Insomnia can hardly ever be considered sole cause of convulsions and delirium, but all these symptoms belong to the same disease picture totality and must with them correspond to the picture of the selected remedy, without which no remedy could possibly fulfil the demand of the Law of Similars. In looking at the here indicated remedies and the accompanying other symptoms, one can easily understand the import of the mentioned diseases.
Remedies for convulsions with or after insomnia are principally: Alumina, Belladonna, Bryonia, Calcarea carb., Carbo v., Cuprum, Hepar, Hyoscyamus, Ignatia, Ipecacuanha, Kali carb., Mercur., Moschus, Nux, Phosphorus, Phosphoric acid, Pulsatilla, Rheum, Rhus, Selenium, Sepia, Silica, Strontium and Thuja. Those remedies which point to delirium and are more or less suited also to insomnia are: Aurum, Belladonna, Bryonia, Calcarea carb., China, Colocynthis, Digitalis, Dulcamara, Hyoscyamus, Ignatia, Lycopodium, Natrum mur., Nux, Opium, Phosphorus, Phosphoric acid, Platina, Pulsatilla, Rhus, Sabadilla, Selenium, Spongia, Stramonium, Sulphur and Veratrum. Every homoeopathic physician who is sufficiently conversant with the special action of our remedies will easily conclude how different the nature of the diseases is, and their degree of danger for which these remedies are indicated.
In this our semiotic differs essentially from that of Hippocrates, that with us a single symptom, especially one not completely given with modalities of aggravation and amelioration as to time and condition, and not sharply individualized through accompanying symptoms is insufficient for prognosis and therapy, and that hence our so-called symptomatic treatment is essentially different from that of the allopathic followers of Hippocrates, which prompts them to add another medicine to their mixture for every additional complaint.
APHORISM 19. When a bone is exposed, erysipelas follows.
APHORISM 20. Mortification and suppuration following erysipelas are bad.
COMMENT: Experience teaches the truth of these two aphorisms, not only where such bone exposure has been caused by external traumatism, but also when internal conditions have caused it. A commentator says: “How often we see such wounds change to malignant ulcers by irritating, complicated salves, balsams and tinctures, while they would have been healed under plain dressings and antiphlogistic treatment.” Against such accusations of an allopath regarding members of his own guild, we wish to emphasize what we can do with our simple remedies also in bone injuries, especially with: Arnica, Phosphoric acid, Pulsatilla, Symphytum or Ruta.
But the condition is much worse when caused from within, and suppuration has set in. In all such cases the basis is a chronic sickness to which our main attention must be directed. Most such afflictions come under the sphere of: Arsenicum, Asafoetida, Aurum, Calcarea carb., China, Conium, Hepar, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Mercurius, Mezereum, Nitri acidum, Phosphoric acid, Pulsatilla, Ruta, Sabina, Sepia, Silica, Staphisagria or Sulphur, among which one can usually find the similimum.
External treatment generally does more harm than good here, more so than in the first type which often heal in spite of external medication, but that can never be expected from the internal causes as long as they have not been cured. Even amputation in such cases is futile or only a temporary, one might say deceptive improvement. Many homoeopathists are undoubtedly able to show cases where amputation has been recommended, but where the patient in desperation took refuge in homoeopathy and was cured.
APHORISM 21. If violent throbbing in wounds is followed by haemorrhage it is a bad sign.
COMMENT: Not always does violent throbbing in wounds presage haemorrhage, but usually precedes severe inflammation and suppuration which is best met by: Arsenicum, Hepar, Lachesis, Mercurius or Silica, according to other conditions. Haemorrhage in even small wounds is easily overcome by: Arnica, Carbo veg., Lachesis, Phosphorus, Thlaspi bursa pastoris or Sulphuric acid. But in fungus haematodes, where often blood flows to exhaustion, even unto death, we have a special, very dangerous sickness, which probably never can be cured without Phosphorus; but with this true polychrest, when properly indicated, a cure fortunately has been obtained, also with the aid of: Arsenicum, Carbo animalis, Silica or a few other indicated remedies as inter- currents.
APHORISM 27. Tenesmus at stool during pregnancy causes miscarriage.
COMMENT: The indicated remedies are: Belladonna, Calcarea carb., Cocculus, Conium, Ipecacuanha, Lycopodium, Mercurius, Nux, Rhus, Sepia and Sulphur, among which it should be easy to find the homoeopathic similimum, for they should all be well known to homoeopathic physicians through their characteristic peculiarities.
APHORISM 29. When in a case of incipient anasarca violent diarrhoea supervenes, it removes the disease.
COMMENT: Copious diarrhoeas often bring unexpected cures, but at times it accelerates death. Homoeopathists are often consulted when the disease has reached its highest point, and they often find that Digitalis has been given in excessive doses, which paralyzes vital force and makes it impossible for other remedies to act. This is especially true where it has been given antipathically, i.e., where the pulse is fast. In the introduction to Digitalis Hahnemann wrote (Chronic Diseases): “The true homoeopath will never cause damage with it, but will always use it to the benefit of the patient; he will never give it (as the old school does) where he finds a fast pulse, because in the primary action of this drug the pulse is retarded very much; hence the secondary action is a very fast pulse, the reaction of the vital force”.
Our chief remedies, which we use for the condition of this aphorism, chosen according to accompanying symptoms, are: Antimonium crud., Apis, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Bryonia, China, Colchicum, Digitalis, Dulcamara, Ferrum, Helleborus, Kali carb., Ledum, Lycopodium, Mercur., Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Rhus, Sabina, Sambucus, Sarsaparilla, Squilla and Sulphur. In dropsy of the lower extremities where water exudes constantly, so that the foot always feels “as in water,” there is no remedy as grand as Rhus toxicodendron, which seldom can be superseded by any other drug.
APHORISM 30. Foamy diarrhoea causes discharges from the head.
COMMENT: We think Hippocrates here refers to fluid coryza because it is not seldom accompanied by foamy diarrhoea. To prove this we remind of the following remedies which have foamy diarrhoea: Calcarea carb., Cantharis, Chamomilla, China, Colocynthis, Iodum, Lachesis, Magnesia carb., Mercur, Opium, Rhus, Ruta, Sulphur and Sulphuric acid, and which also have fluid coryza.
APHORISM 31. In febrile diseases a urinary sediment like coarse flour augurs long duration.
APHORISM 32. If urine is thin at first and then becomes bilious, an acute sickness is indicated.
COMMENT: These two aphorisms can not be separated, because one is the opposite of the other, and both have their problems and dark aspect. Aphorism 31 speaks of the flour-like sediment for which so far we have: Antimonium tartaricum, Calcarea carb., China, Graphites, Mercur., Natrum mur., Phosphorus, Phosphoric acid and Sulphur. However, these all correspond to chronic diseases, except China, and accordingly this aphorism so far seems correct. But it seems that in “like coarse flour” are included also the gritty, sandy sediments of white color, and that puts a different face on the matter. From this supposition we are led to still other remedies, which are not indicated in chronic diseases, because they are not of sufficiently deep and sustained action.
In Aphorism 32 we meet a double difficulty. It is not clear what Hippocrates meant by bilious sediment, but we think he referred to some solid matters like mucus, fibers, clouds, etc.
