Ipecacuanha. Nausea and vomiting, distressed breathing, watery diarrhoea, and other gastric symptoms.
Mercurius. Symptoms of Jaundice or others liver complaint. Sulphur. During intervals.
ACCESSORY MEASURES:
If practicable, residence in a well-drained district, with a dry, bracing atmosphere. If compelled to remain in a malarious atmosphere, the patient should sleep in the loftiest rooms in the house, and not expose himself to night air. Air and light should be freely admitted during the middle of the day into the house, but night air carefully excluded. Light, nourishing diet may be taken, but the digestive organs not over-taxed. Fatigue and cold draughts of air must be avoided, and the clothing be sufficient to be comfortable.
15. Cholera (Cholera pestifera).
DEFINITION:
This is an acute, miasmatic disease, characterised by purging of profuse watery discharges, unmixed with bile; vomiting; coldness of the surface, tongue, and breath; unquenchable thirst; suppressed urine; collapse, and, unless reaction comes on, death.
In this much-dreaded disease, which resists the efforts of the old system, Homoeopathy has won brilliant triumphs. Its success in the prevention and cure of Cholera, 1 See also p. 84. and other violent diseases, has contributed greatly and other violent diseases, has contributed greatly to its rapid spread in every part of the world.
TREATMENT:
If possible, Cholera should always be treated by a homoeopathic practitioner, but the administration of Camphor should be commenced immediately the earliest symptoms are noticed. We shall only indicate a few of the remedies and measures which have been found most useful.
Camphor (Rubini’s Strong Tincture) is one of the first and most important medicines to be administered, under whatever form the disease presents itself. Its special indications are, sudden prostration, the body generally becoming cold; pains in the stomach and bowels; irregular pulse; cold sweat on the forehead, giddiness; noise in the ears; swelling of the abdomen from wind; and severe purging. Two to five drops of the strong tincture on a small piece of loaf-sugar, every five or ten minutes; as soon as the patient becomes warm, the doses may be given less frequently, and discontinued when full perspiration takes place. At the same time, the patient should be placed in a warm bed, have hot water bottles applied to the feet and abdomen, and be allowed to sip cold water, or suck ice.
Arsenicum. Violent burning pains in the stomach; excessive thirst; suppression of urine; clammy sweat; weak, tremulous pulse; cramps, and entire prostration of strength. It is the great remedy when the time for curing with Camphor has passed. Two-drop dose every hour.
Veratrum. The chief indications for this remedy are violent and continuous vomiting and purging; cramps in the legs; a shrivelled appearance of the skin; cold tongue; cadaverous and pinched appearance of the face. Two-drop dose every hour.
Cuprum. Spasm or cramp in the calves or stomach, of convulsions.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES:
During the prevalence of Cholera there are usually premonitory symptoms, such as general uneasiness, bitter taste in the mouth, fulness and pressure at the pit of the stomach, cramps, slight diarrhoea, a rumbling in the bowels; these symptoms should be promptly checked. Much time may be saved, and life spared, by families providing themselves with a small case of homoeopathic remedies, including a small bottle of Arsenicum and Veratrum; also a bottle of Camphor, which must be kept by itself. It is well-established fact that workers in copper mines and other impregnated with the metal, possess immunity against cholera. From this has come the use of the copper plates worn next the skin. For a man the plate should be 6in. by 4in. For a woman, 5in. by 3in.; and for a child, 4in. by 2in. It should be fastened round the waist by straps attached to longitudinal slits cut in the ends of the plate, which should be oval. The plate should rest on the front of the body, to the shape of which it should be adapted. It should be worn night and day; and cleansed from time to time with vinegar. In addition to this, if the person to be protected is much exposed to the disease, one drop of Cuprum Aceticum (3x) should be taken in a little water night and morning.
The following advice is worth remembering: “Should Cholera prevail, the means to avoid an attack are to maintain, cheerfulness of spirits (remembering that the disease is not contagious); 1 The weight of testimony is very strong that Cholera is not communicable through contact, and that its only mode of diffusion is by the propagation of microscopic germs. using a temperate but generous diet; avoiding suppers; keeping early hours; sleeping in the highest room in the house; and carrying a small bottle of strong camphorated spirit in the pocket for the use of others as well as yourself; and, if compelled to pass the neighbourhood of foetid drains, ditches, or other suspected places, moistening the tongue with a drop of the camphorated spirit before inhaling the stench, it being known to Homoeopaths that as Camphor is the antidote to most of their infinitesimal medicines, so it is an antidote to the Cholera poison suspended in the air, and inhaled into the lungs in infinitesimal quantity, provided the Camphor is applied before the poison has begun to operate on the blood.” H. Kemsall, M.D.
16. Whooping-cough (Pertussis)
This is an epidemic and contagious disease, usually of a mild character in healthy children, but a distressing and sometimes a fatal malady in the delicate or scrofulous.
SYMPTOMS:
It generally commences as a common cold accompanied by hoarseness and a cough, which returns in fits at intervals. In about a week the cough returns at short intervals, in paroxysms of extreme severity, the child turning red or almost black in the face, and appearing as if choking, during which the lungs are emptied of air to the last degree, and then a long sonorous inspiration, taken to refill them, constitutes the “hoop”, or “whoop”. This is the sign of safety. The attacks recur every two or three hours, or, in severe cases, oftener, and are worse at night. Sometimes blood escapes from the nose, mouth, and even from the ears. The fits pass off with the expectoration of glairy, ropy mucus, and sometimes sickness. If dentition be going on, Convulsions are not infrequent. Whooping-cough is sometimes complicated with Measles, Small-pox, Bronchitis, etc. which add to the difficulties of treatment.
CAUSE:
A specific unknown poison communicated through the atmosphere, which irritates the pneumogastric nerve.
TREATMENT:
Ipecacuanha. In the early stages of the disease, especially after the use of Aconite or Belladonna, when there is dry, hard cough, which threatens suffocation; excessive vomiting of mucus; watery or bloody discharges from the eyes and nose. A dose every two or three hours, or shortly after every paroxysm.
Drosera. In the whooping stage, when the cough is loud and hoarse, the paroxysms frequent and violent, causing perspiration and vomiting of food and mucus. A dose every four hours or after every fit of coughing. Drosera is often sufficient in uncomplicated cases; but scrofulous children require professional treatment.
Arnica. When there is bleeding from the nose, or spitting of blood with each fit of coughing; or when there is rupture of a small blood vessel under the covering membrane of the eye, (conjunctiva) causing the white of the eye to become blood- stained.
Veratrum. Great exhaustion, cold perspiration, involuntary escape of urine during the cough; pains in the abdomen and groin; anxious expression.
Cuprum. Paroxysms causing convulsions, rigidity, and almost a suspension of the breath, followed by vomiting and extreme prostration.
Opium. Stupor, irregular breathing, constipation. A few doses are often useful when other remedies do not produce the desired change.
Bryonia. Bronchitis complications.
Phosphorus. Inflammation of the lungs.
Cina. Whooping-cough with worm symptoms. When there are indications of water in the head, in alternation with Belladonna
ACCESSORY MEANS:
In warm, fine weather, the patient may remain in the open air during a portion of each day. Exposure to damp and draughts should be strictly avoided; also fits of anger, as they add to the violence and frequency of the paroxysms. Infants should be watched constantly, taken up as soon as a fit comes on, and placed in a favourable posture. In obstinate cases, change of air, if only for a short distance, will prove of great utility. Frictions with olive-oil, or with simple liniment, over the chest along the spine, in a warmed room, are often palliative. A sulphur pastile should be burned twice a day.
DIET:
Light, digestible food only, in moderate quantities, and shortly after the fits. Cold water is the best beverage; but for variety the following may be given as required: barley-water, gum-water (p.77), or toast-and-water, are grateful and somewhat nutritive.
17. Mumps (Parotitis).
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."