Phthisis Pulmonalis.
Actaea Racemosa [Cimic]
It may be one of the first remedies, indicated when the disease is not of hereditary origin, esp. if brought on by exposure, or in any case in which the well-defined cough of Actaea, i.e., dry and teasing cough worse at night, with little or no sputum, is present. It is usually associated with Pleurodynia [Guaiac.].
Ammonium Mur [Am-m]
It is indicated when the patient feels coldness between the shoulder-blades.
Anisum Stellatum [Anis]
Useful when the disease affects either side at the 3rd rib, esp. the right.
Arsenicum Album [Ars]
It may be indicated in the last stages of Tuberculosis.
Note of Warning.-Do not give it in the early stages of the disease. As the tendency of this drug is deathward, in the last stages also you must be certain that the mental state of the patient is undisputably that of Arsenic or you will do harm instead of good to your patient and precipate the result, which you are anxious to avoid.
Balsamum Peruvianum [Bals-p]
It is indicated in Catarrhal Phthisis by copious purulent expectoration.
As we know but little of this drug, we must therefore adopt the expedient of selecting it by the process of exclusion.
Baptisia [Bapt]
It is esp. useful during the later stages of the disease in relieving the fever, particularly when it increases in the afternoon, with slight drowsiness, thick speech and bewilderment of the mind. It is also indicated in the stomach ache attending at the last stages of the disease [Lachesis], the tongue in these cases is yellow or brown down the centre, with red, shining edges.
Borax [Bor]
You can often use it in lung troubles, even in Phthisis, when these symptoms are present: Cough, accompanied by sharp, sticking pain, worse through the upper part of the right chest; so sharp are these pains, that they make the patient wince and catch his breath. The expectoration has a sort of musty or mouldy odor and taste.
Bromine [Brom]
Indicated particularly when the right lung is affected. Frequent congestion of head and chest, (>) by nose-bleed. Pain in the mammary region going up into the axilla.
In some cases, Tonsillitis appears as forerunner of Tuberculosis.
Calcarea Carb [Calc]
It is indicated late in Phthisis, when large cavities are forming, particularly upon the right lung about its middle third [Calcarea phos., Sepia], and is esp. suited to leucophlegmatic patients, with pale and sallow face. Loud mucous rales are heard all over the chest, (<) on the right side. There is soreness of the chest, much (<) by touch or pressure, and pain in the middle of the
right side of the chest. The cough is loose and rattling, and the expectoration is purulent, yellowish-green and bloody. Diarrhoea, if present is (<) in the morning. Hoarseness, though persistent, is painless. Great repugnance to animal food, as meat, which passes undigested. Emaciation progresses, sweat increases, and the menses, if the patient is female, become checked.
It is very often followed by Nitric Acid.
Kali Hydriod [Kali-h]
It is indicated, particularly if there are present frothy expectoration, looking very much like soap-suds (apt to be a little greenish), night-sweats and loose stools in the morning. The cough is of a violent racking, tearing character, and is worse in the morning, between 3 to 5 A.M.
Lachesis [Lach]
May be used in the advanced stages- when the patient has a retching cough, which rouses him from sleep, and which ends in expectoration of a tough, greenish, muco-purulent matter, which causes gagging, and is vomited, rather than clearly expectorated; when the patient sweats during every nap, the sweat being most copious about the neck, shoulders and chest, and when the strength is greatly reduced and the pulse indicates extreme prostration and also in the stomacace attending the last stages of Phthisis [Baptisia], when the tongue is red, dry and glistening, esp. at the tip, and has its sides and tip covered with blisters.
It is used, not necessarily to cure, but to relieve.
Laurocerasus [Laur]
Dry teasing cough of the consumptives, scattered through it. It is also to be thought of when the disease do not respond to treatment.
Manganum [Mang]
It is indicated in the laryngeal symptoms, particularly in tubercular patients [Argentum Nit.]. The hoarseness is usually (<) in the morning and grows better as they succeed in hawking up of mucus.
Mephitis [Meph]
It may be used in Asthma of the consumptives, when Drosera fails.
Myrtus Communis [Myrt-c]
Pain in the upper part of the left side of the chest, through to the shoulder-blade. It has often relieved this symptom in the consumptives.
Natrum Ars [Nat-ar]
It may be of great service in Tuberculosis, with emaciation, dry heat of the skin, chilliness at night, and thirst for small quantities of water, frequently repeated.
Natrum Sulph [Nat-s]
Esp. suited to patients, who have Sycotic or Hydrogenoid constitution.
Loud rales are heard through the chest and the seat of the disease seems to be the lower lobe of the left lung. The patients complain of pain about the 9th and 10 th ribs on the left side. The cough is attended with muco-purulent expectoration.
Nitric Acid [Nit-ac]
The patient is usually of a thin build, with dark hair and eyes. It is indicated in the later stage, when ulceration has formed in the lungs from breaking down of the tubercles. There is sudden rush of blood to the chest and decided hectic fever. Heat comes in flushes or it is only in the hands and feet. The skin is apt to be cold towards morning. He is chilly on getting into the bed. Loud rales are heard all over the chest. Sharp stitches through the right chest to the scapula. The cough is of a tickling character and seems to annoy him all night; the expectoration is offensive, bloody, and decidedly purulent and of a dirty-green color. Sometimes the cough is loose and rattling. Frequent
haemorrhages from the lungs, the blood being bright-red and profuse. Great dyspnoea, the patient cannot talk without getting out of breath. Morning hoarseness. Exhausting diarrhoea, (<) in morning. Intermittent pulse. The least attempt at exertion cause palpitation and dyspnoea. Sweat comes particularly at night and towards morning, and exhausts the patient very much.
It is very often indicated after Calcarea Carb. or Kali Carb. When the Calcarea condition has run into the acid debility, it is one of the best remedies to follow. It does not often cure, but it relieves and prolongs life for years.
Oleum Jecoris Aselli [Ol-j]
A great remedy, indicated in the beginning of Tuberculosis. You may use it when there are chills running down the back, hoarseness and soreness through the chest. There may be sharp stitching pains here and there through the chest; burning pain in spots or in some one portion of the chest. Fever is particularly marked towards evening with burning of the palms of hands. The cough is dry, with an expectoration of a somewhat slimy mucus. These are the symptoms, which when occurring in the sick, have been cured by the drug.
Phellandrium Aquaticum [Phel]
An excellent remedy in the last stage of Phthisis, when the expectoration is terribly offensive.
Phosphoric Acid [Ph-ac]
Great weakness of the chest, so that the patient can hardly talk. Dyspnoea. Every draught of air gives him fresh cold. He wraps his chest up warmly and cannot bear the draught of air to touch his chest.
Phosphorus [Phos]
It is suited to Tuberculosis due to loss of animal fluids-as blood, semen or milk or too frequent child-bearing or too rapid growth in the young [Iodium]. It is particularly indicated in youths, both male and female, who have grown too rapidly, who have delicate skin, long silky eyelashes, sharp and rather handsome features and who are of easy, graceful manners. Particularly it is indicated if they have a hereditary tendency to Consumption or have had bone disease in early childhood, or if they are scrofulous [Calcarea C.]. In the latter case, it is used generally after Sulphur. It is indicated more by the general character of the patient.
The symptoms indicating it in Phthisis are: In the early stage the patient suffers from rush of blood to the chest; sensation of tightness or constriction across the chest, with every little cold; oppression of the chest at night, forcing him to sit up; pains through the apex of the left lung; hoarseness or aphonia; dry cough; marked haemoptysis; hectic flush of the cheeks, particularly towards evening; thirst for ice-cold water; empty feeling at pit of the stomach, esp. in the forenoon at 10 or 11 A.M.; he awakes hungry at night, feeling that he must eat and that he would faint if he did not; agg. of symptoms in evening and lying on the left side. Finally the hectic fever grows more prominent and there is rapid formation of cavities in the lungs.
It may also be useful, when Tuberculosis of the lungs threatens at puberty [Phosphorus]. The patient is scrofulous and fat, and his or her past history shows the well-marked symptoms of Calcarea. The patient suffers from palpitation of the heart, dyspnoea, headache and rush of blood to the chest, (<) on ascending, and even haemorrhages from the lungs. Dry cough at night, which becomes loose in the morning. Fever, (<) in the evening, with partial sweat and soreness of the chest to touch. Digestion greatly disturbed, and the patient cannot eat any fat food without becoming sick. Chronic tendency to Diarrhoea and with it prolapsus ani.
