The theme of this bureau is the unique contribution of Homoeopathy to Pediatrics. In usual medicine, great care is taken of diet and hygiene, acute diseases are swiftly coped with, but, in the field of chronic constitutional therapy, very little is done save in difficulties of the internal glandular organs or in certain specific disease such as diabetes, kidney trouble, etc.
The majority of the children born inherit various tendencies to illness or at least certain trends of constitution. Constitutional administration of a similar remedy can and does work in wiping out these inherited difficulties and promotes a healthier future for the child and its descendants.
Work for the new-born child should be begun on the parents. Although one may not do the actual obstetrics, the doctor should make the patient realize the importance of the mothers receiving proper constitutional treatment during pregnancy. In case there have been grave difficulties with a previous child, the father also should undergo treatment before the conception of the subsequent child.
A thorough study in case taking of the disease trends even in grandparents, aunts and uncles and the present generation give a picture of the family stream which is especially helpful in guiding the doctor toward the nosode most profoundly suitable. For in nosodes we have remedies applicable to long-range tendencies even several generations back.
For example, a little child was brought to me some twenty years ago with ears poorly set, high narrow palate, Hutchinsons teeth-a typical product of a syphilitic taint in her fathers family. Being ignorant people, the parents did not recognize these implications and brought the child for minor annoyances such as catarrh and because it seemed “not quite bright.” as they said. The opening gambit was a dose of Syphilinum 10M which was followed at intervals of several months by Mercurius and other remedies as the symptomatology called for them. The child developed splendidly and is now a healthy and competent nurse.
You all know the list of nosodes in the precious fourth volume of Clarkes Dictionary called the Clinical Repertory. Of these, the most basic ones which tie in with the classification of chronic diseases suggested by Hahnemann are Syphilinum, Medorrhinum, Tuberculinum, Bacillinum and Psorinum.
No proper practice of homoeopathic pediatrics can develop its best results without the frequent use of these resolvers of the past.
Take the gassy baby who screams with colic frequently during the day, who has a snuffly nose, mucus obstructing the throat, perhaps mucus in the stool. It shows few distinctive symptoms for any remedy chosen according to the law of similars. Then you notice that its colic is immediately eased when it is turned over on its abdomen and that it does not lie stretched out but draws its knees up under it almost in the knee-chest position. This baby needs a dose of Medorrhinum, even though no immediate history of gonorrhoea be forthcoming or even suspected. The taint may be further back in the family.
Look at the angle infant or small child of whom the friends say, “It is too beautiful to be long for this world.” with alabaster skin, tendency to frequent colds and coughs. If there is any family history of lungs trouble or tuberculosis think of Tuberculinum bovinum, in a single dose, two-hundredth potency, or higher, according to the vitality of the child (Bacillinum is used more in actual cases of tuberculosis or where there is secondary infection). The Tuberculinum bovinum is used in the inherited tendency cases, the listless, weak child or those who have had glandular difficulties. Also those with violent temper, tantrums, kicking and screaming on the floor, and those who have no perseverance or concentration.
Your child the needs Psorinum may be allergic and, like the Medorrhinum baby, have a tendency to asthma but in the Psorinum infant this usually is combined with, or alternating with, skin difficulties; dirty, smelly, itchy, sweating, whining little darlings!.
In all constitutional homoeopathic work, one selects not only the similar remedy at the moment but jots down the top ranging half-dozen remedies, their acute collaterals, and the nosode or nosodes most strongly permeating the case. Get your nosode in early in children. They are the “stitch in time that saves nine”.
In speaking above about what usual medicine does for children, I purposely postponed one of the graver aspects. The new idea is to prevent the infant having what used to be considered normal childhood diseases, the exanthemata. The modern baby is shot full of “anti” everything, from small pox vaccines through diphtheria, whooping cough, scarletina, measles, even colds. Basically, children should have the childhood diseases. They throw off certain inherited impurities and clarify the constitution.
American Homeopathy Doctor.
Rabe graduated from the New York Homeopathic Medical College and trained under Timothy Field Allen and William Tod Helmuth.
Rabe was President of the International Hahnemannian Association, editor in chief of the Homeopathic Recorder, and he wrote Medical Therapeutics for daily reference. Rabe was Dean and Professor of Homeopathic Therapeutics at the New York Homeopathic Medical College.