All stimulating food and drink must be withheld, and every circumstance likely to quicken the circulation avoided.
Plethoric patients, predisposed to this complaints, or congestions, should lead a temperate life, avoid stimulants, use frequent ablutions of cold water, and take moderate exercise daily in the open-air, avoiding at the same time sudden changes of temperature. Immoderate exertion, fatigue, and much stooping are injurious.
CHAPTER V
DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
35. Croup (Angina Trachealis)
Croup proper is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx and trachea, with swelling from effusion into their sub- mucous areolar tissue. There is probably no real membranous formation, as in Diphtheria, but only a secretion of tenacious mucus. Croup is a serious and dangerous disease, as death may occur suddenly from Convulsions, Spasm of the Glottis, exhaustion, the formation of a coagulum in the heart, or from the excessive swelling of the lining of the wind-pipe, by which the patient is choked. The disease should be placed under the care of a professional Homoeopath as quickly as possible.
SYMPTOMS:
It begins as a Catarrh, with a peculiar barking cough, and afterwards, usually at night, the symptoms become aggravated, with paroxysms of dyspnoea, rapid breathing, quick, wiry pulse, thirst, hoarse voice, loud, brazen cough, with great distress, the child throwing its head back to put the wind-pipe on the stretch. The metallic ringing sound, heard in the inspiration and cough, has been compared to the crowing of a young cock, or to the barking of a puppy. The disease is often fatal in from two to four days.
True Croup is less frequent than Spasmodic Croup (pp. 171-172), and generally occurs in the period between the first dentition and puberty. It is distinguished from that disorder by the presence of barking cough, feverishness, anxiety of countenance, and distress between the attacks.
Causes. Damp and unhealthy situations; sudden changes of temperature; wet feet; poor or scanty food or clothing; previous illness; etc. One attack predisposes to another.
TREATMENT:
Aconitum. Great heat, thirst, short dry cough, and difficult breathing. Aconite is often of priceless value in the early stage of the disease; if indicated, it may be given in alternation with one of the following remedies.
Spongia. If Aconite produce perspiration, but the difficult breathing continue, Spongia should be substituted, particularly if the breathing be laboured, loud, and wheezing, and the cough hoarse, hollow, barking, or whistling, and worse towards evening, the patient looking anxious, pale, and as if he would be suffocated.
Hepar Sulphur. Loose cough, having the ringing or brassy sound peculiar to Croup, with a constant rattling in the chest, during which the patient tries in vain to get relief by expectoration.
Iodium, Kali Bromicum, Kali bichromicum, Bromium, are also sometimes required.
Phosphorus or Carbo Veg. is useful in removing the hoarseness and cough which often remain after an attack of Croup.
Administration. In severe cases, every fifteen or thirty minutes; in mild, or during convalescence, every four or six hours.
ACCESSORY MEANS:
A warm bath, and hot water applications to the throat, are highly advantageous. The feet should be kept warm, there should be no strings or tight articles round the neck, and everything avoided that would be likely to excite or irritate the patient. During an attack, as a beverage, water only is admissible. In convalescence, milk-and-water, arrowroot, gruels, extract of meat, and, gradually, more substantial food. A change of air, especially to a dry, healthy soil, hastens complete recovery.
36. Cold-in-the-Head-Catarrh (Coryza)
This is a very common complaint, and often the precursor of serious and fatal diseases. It consists of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the air-passages of the nose, throat, etc.
SYMPTOMS:
It usually comes on with slight shiverings, pain and a feeling of weight in the head, redness of the eyes, obstruction of one or both nostrils, accompanied with a discharge of thin, colourless, acrid mucus. These symptoms are soon followed by sore throat, hoarseness, sneezing, dry cough, chilliness, general weakness, more or less fever, quick pulse, and loss of appetite.
CAUSES:
Exposure to wet, cold winds, draughts, changes of temperature, insufficient clothing, and especially deficient warmth when the body is cooling after having been heated. A weak condition, an empty stomach, or a disordered stomach, are predisposing causes.
TREATMENT:
Aconitum. This is a remedy of great power, and undoubtedly surpasses every other in efficacy at the beginning of a cold, or in the precursory stages of all diseases resulting from a cold. It appropriately and early administered, it will generally remove all the morbid symptoms consequent on cold, and so obviate the necessity for any other medicine; a dose every second or third hour. If the cold has resulted in any of the diseases so often following it, Aconite may be alternated with, or substituted by, one of the annexed, or some other remedy, according to the directions given in other parts of this Manual.
Camphor. This remedy is only suited to the chill or cold stage, when its prompt administration in two-drop doses, every half-hour or hour, repeated several times, will often terminate the disease in the first stage. It should be chosen in preference to Aconite during the chill stage, and especially if the patient has still to be exposed to changes of temperature.
Arsenicum. Coryza, with copious, watery, acrid discharge, and soreness of the surrounding parts, with great lassitude; especially for weak and wheezing patients.
Mercurius. Running-cold, with sneezing, soreness of the nose, thick discharge, profuse perspiration; sensitiveness to cold; and aggravation of symptoms towards evening.
Nux Vomica. Sense of weight and pressure in the forehead; discharge during the day, and stoppage at night; “stuffy cold.”
Pulsatilla. In females or children, with loss of appetite; diminished or perverted taste and smell; much thick yellow or green discharge from the nose; heaviness and confusion in the head, worse in the evening, or in a warm room.
Kali Bichromicum. Chronic Catarrh, with hoarseness, tough stringy sputa, chronically inflamed or ulcerated throat, cough, etc. An additional indication is a concurrent affection of the digestive mucous membrane.
Sulphur. Chronic catarrh, with free discharge.
ACCESSORY MEASURES.
Copious draughts of cold water, and abstinence from solid food, when there is much feverishness. The hot footbath (p.83) may be used before retiring to rest.
PREVENTION:
Persons liable to cold on slight exposures, should take a cold sponge, shower, or plunge-bath, daily, at all seasons of the year. Delicate persons may begin by using tepid water for a few days, gradually lowering the temperature till the natural coldness is reached. Except for constitutionally delicate persons, the writer strongly depreciates the habit of washing in warm water.
Proper clothing, regulated by the season, is of great importance for all, especially for children and young girls. The feet should be kept dry and warm. Warmth may generally be secured by free out-of-door exercise, sharp walking, the use of the skipping-rope, etc. The hardening process of out-of-door exercise in warm clothing which protects the chest and abdomen, should be gradual. Catarrhal, wheezing patients, going out on a cold day, or passing from a warm to a cold room, may use a Respirator, but keeping the mouth shut, by breathing through the nose, affords a better protection. Cold cream applied to the nostrils will give relief in dry, cold, windy weather.
37. Hoarseness
Hoarseness is a frequent accompaniment of a common Cold, Croup, Consumption, and other diseases; it may also follow the excessive use of the voice, as in reading, speaking, or singing.
TREATMENT:
Aconitum. Dryness, roughness, and sensation of fulness in the throat, with feverishness.
Belladonna. Hoarseness, with sense of constriction and rawness of the throat.
Phytolacca. Catarrhal roughness, dryness, or inflammation of the throat, with Hoarseness.
Mercurius. Thick discharge from the nostrils, tickling, and burning in the throat, shivering, and disposition to perspire. The symptoms are aggravated in the evening, in the cool air, and by speaking and eating.
Dulcamara. Hoarseness from damp or wet.
Arnica. From excessive use of the voice. It may also be used as a gargle (five drops of the strong tincture to a wine-glass of cold water).
Hepar Sulphur. Weak and hoarse voice; wheezing breathing. It is indicated in old standing cases, and when Mercury has been largely taken.
Carbo Veg. Obstinate chronic hoarseness, worse in damp weather, after talking, and in the evening; and for patients who have been dosed with Mercury.
Phosphorus. Dryness and soreness of the throat and chest, especially in the chronic form of the affection, and for patients having a consumptive tendency.
38. Bronchitis
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."