Often it has in a few days relieved all accompanying symptoms, restored proper skin function, and thus cured the discharge, thereby changed the entire situation so that now Lycopodium could complete the cure. We mention this here because so far this use of the two remedies has not come to the front; however, we wish to say emphatically that they are not indicated in all such conditions, the accompanying symptoms must correspond.
APHORISM 12. Patients cured of chronic haemorrhoids which had been bleeding much, are in danger of dropsy or consumption unless one pile tumor is left to continue bleeding.
COMMENT: We must honestly admit that our intellect is not sufficient to understand how a physician could be able to cure haemorrhoids so that one remains for the purpose of continuing the bleeding. We are moreover of the opinion that such a clever thing was just as difficult in the time of Hippocrates as it is now. In the allopathic materia medica we can find no remedy which could possibly justify such a supposition. But when, as experience teaches, a suppression of a case of chronic haemorrhoidal bleeding is a dangerous thing, which experiment later on brings revenge, and a partial bleeding is impossible, then we cannot see how allopathy can make use of this aphorism.
In homoeopathic practice it is different. Here such bleeding is evaluated only as a single symptom of the disease picture in the patient, which never alone can be treated or cured, nor is it permissible, as it is only an important part of the totality of symptoms, all of which must correspond to the totality of the remedy picture. Hence, the choice is not limited to just a few medicines which especially meet this condition, like: Ammonium carbonicum, Capsicum, Ferrum metallicum, Kali carbonicum, phosphorus, Phosphoric acid, Pulsatilla, Sabina, Sepia or Sulphur; there are at least twice as many which may correspond more to the accompanying symptoms and therefore must be preferred.
However, when these last named conditions lead to a correctly and totally suitable homoeopathic remedy, then neither the dangers mentioned in the aphorism, nor any others, need be feared, and the patient will be cured of this, at least troublesome condition (not dangerous in itself), without retaining some bleeding. In our opinion there is an immeasurable difference between curing a single symptom and curing the totality of all symptoms which constitute the disease.
APHORISM 15. In prolonged diarrhoea involuntary vomiting may be curative.
COMMENT: This is only partly correct, but based on experience. If the diarrhoea is due to gastric disturbance or intestinal weakness, it is not infrequent that vomiting, even when artificially induced, becomes curative by bringing more tone and action to the digestive organs.
On the other hand there are many forms of chronic diarrhoea which are aggravated by vomiting, which signifies a further spreading of the abdominal disease, which may be too intense to be influenced by vomiting. In this last case vomiting is always a bad sign, and it is high time that remedies like: Antimonium crudum, Antimonium tartaricum, Apis, Argentum nitricum, Arsenicum, Asarum, Borax, Chamomilla, Cuprum, Ipecacuanha, Mercurius, Phosphorus, Senega, Sulphur, Sulphuric acid or Veratrum be quickly selected according to indications from vomiting, stools, and especially with attention to the so important accompanying symptoms.
In these conditions we meet great differences which demand most careful attention, and the exact knowledge regarding the nature of the ejected matter as well as their sequence, help much in the selection of the similimum. Homoeopathy which here, as in all matters touching the knowledge of her remedies, observes well that which is special, unusual, characteristic, and is a very valuable treasure of authentic experiences; hence Homoeopathic physicians are not easily tempted to try this or that on good luck, and to change remedies for something else to the detriment of the patient.
APHORISM 20. Unnatural bleeding into the abdominal cavity is followed by suppuration.
COMMENT: It seems that in Hippocrates time it was not known that through internal medication absorption of blood from cavities is possible, which prevents formation of suppuration. Even now the external treatment of wounds (aiming at absorption of blood) leaves much to be desired. Thilenius is the only old school man so far, who achieved brilliant results by using only unmixed Arnica, while the others added camphora, sal ammonia, neutral salts, etc., which weakened the arnica so that results were unsatisfactory.
Only when purpura haemorrhagica became better known, the new thought was adopted, admitting that extravasated blood-like matter could be resorbed. Yet many physicians cannot get away from the idea, that external injuries demand external remedies, forgetting that here, as everywhere, the action of vital force alone is curative, and that internal medication can aid nature. External applications have also this disadvantage, that they obscure the external symptoms, which denote changes and progress of healing.
Thanks to the untiring observations and experience of homoeopathic physicians, light was also shed on these secretes of nature, and they have made it possible for most cases to set up the criterions as to which remedies are best suited to certain conditions, and to enhance their number so that they will always be sufficient where help is at all possible.
Aside from Arnica and Sulphuric acid, which the old school also knows and used, and which head our list, we have remedies which are frequently indicated, like: Bryonia, Bursa pastoris, Chamomilla, Conium, Dulcamara, Hepar, Hypericum, Lachesis, Nux vomica, Petroleum, Pulsatilla, Rhus, Ruta, Secale and Sulphur. To these may be added for special cases: Belladonna, China, Cicuta, Euphrasia, Ferrum, Iodum, Laurocerasus, Paris quadrifolia, Phosphorus and Plumbum, and perhaps a few more.
In selecting one of these remedies it is understood that, as always, the directions of the homoeopathic law must be observed, and that here also all possible symptoms combine to make the total picture and must be reckoned with. Here belong the causative factors, the part of the body involved, the external appearance of the injured part, the kind of sensation and pain the modalities of aggravation and amelioration of the pain as to time, position and condition, and finally everything along the line of concomitant symptoms that can be found. In such careful and cautious manner the results are not only fully satisfactory, but often above all expectations, especially if the exactly corresponding remedy is given in doses which are just sufficient to stimulate the vital force to proper reaction without being obliged to also battle the medicine disease caused by too low potencies.
APHORISM 21. Varicosities and haemorrhoids supervening in cases of insanity are curative.
COMMENT: We just shall state that lately this aphorism has been confirmed in a few cases, but such happenings are rare, hence they deserve mention. The connection between brain and haemorrhoids and varices we leave to the explanation of pathologists. Yet we again see the relationship between mind and body in health and sickness, that ailment of one can allay the other, and that therefore we can not claim a real cure, for nothing but a changed form has taken place.
It is of much greater importance in the homoeopathic treatment of the insane that we have remedies which have mental symptoms plus varices and haemorrhoids. Here we can mention: Arnica, Arsenicum, Fluoric acid, Lachesis, Lycopodium and Zincum in the first line, but also: Anacardium, Belladonna, Causticum, Cuprum, Hyoscyamus, Ignatia, Nux vomica, Phosphorus, Sepia, Sulphur and Veratrum. Therefore, when a patient before his mental aberration suffered from one of the troubles mentioned, but they were in some way suppressed, then such anamnestic symptom wins the greatest importance in the total symptom complex, and it points a priori to one of the above remedies which are of the value over others.
Of such preliminary symptoms, which disappear, or may have been suppressed, there are many of various kinds, and they deserve the greatest attention in a truly homoeopathic treatment. It is self-evident that it would be criminal madness to again symptomatically, separately try to overcome them. Much more often than from varices, such mental pathology occurs from suppression of skin diseases, and what we just said is even more important under such conditions because they are by far more dangerous.
APHORISM 26. Tremors occurring in ardent fevers are relieved when delirium takes place.
COMMENT: To this unimportant aphorism we wish to state briefly that we have various remedies which have both delirium and tremors in severe fevers: Aconitum, Apis, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Bryonia, Calcarea carbonica, China, Hyoscyamus, Ignatia, Natrum muriaticum, Opium, Platina, Pulsatilla, Rhus, Sabadilla, Sambucus, Stramonium, Sulphur and Veratrum. We therefore are not forced to play the part of an idle observer in such often dangerous conditions, and to leave nature take her uncertain course without directing her support.
