Fever
Characteristic – Hydrogenoid constitution. Dark hair, rigid muscles. Plethoric, red face. Especially adapted to those who remain long impressed by even slight mechanical injuries.
Nervous, cannot stand pain, whole body over – sensitive (Chamomilla, Coffea, Ignatia), sore bruised feeling all through the body, as if beaten.
Everything on which he lies, seems too hard, complains constantly of it, and keeps moving from place to place, in search of a soft spot (must move continually to obtain relief from the pain, Rhus – See Baptisia Pyrogen).
Heat of upper part of body, coldness of lower.
The face, or head and face alone is hot, while the body is cool.
Diseases of traumatic origin, muscles chiefly involved, with stupor from concussion, from blunt instrument (Symp.).
Unconscious, when spoken to answers correctly but unconsciousness and delirium at once return (fall asleep in the midst of a sentence, Baptisia).
Fears being touched or struck by persons coming near him.
Belching, eructations, foul, putrid, like rotten eggs.
Constipation: rectum loaded, feces will not come away, ribbon – like stools from enlarged prostate or retroverted uterus.
Cannot walk erect on account of a bruised sore feeling in pelvic region (Bellis).
Soreness of parts after labor, prevents post – partum hemorrhage and puerperal complications.
Retention or incontinence of urine after labor (Opium).
Tendency to small painful boils, one after the other, extremely sore (small boils in crops, Sulphur).
Relation: Complementary: to Aconite, Hypericum, Rhus.
Similar: to for soreness as if bruised, Baptisia, China, Natrum mur., Phytolacca, Pyrogen, Rhus, Ruta, Staphysagria
Arnica follows well: after, Aconite, Apis, Arsenicum, Hamamelis, Ipecac., Verbascum, is followed by, Sul-ac. and Psorinum
Antidotes abuse of quinine and other suppressive measures.
Aggravation: At rest, when lying down, from wine.
Amelioration: From contact, motion (Rhus, Ruta).
Type: Tertian, quartan. Congestive. Malaria intermittens. Cerebral typhoid, typhus.
Time: Not characteristic, usually 4 A.M., 8 – 10.30 A.M., afternoon or evening, 5 – 8 p.m.
Prodrome: Thirst for large quantities of cold water, sometimes with vomiting (Eup. Perf.). Much yawning and stretching, drawing pain as if in the periosteum, aching in wrists, skin blue, drinking refreshes (Nat.m.).
Chill: With thirst, and, if he drinks a great deal, vomits afterwards (Arsenicum). Chill, as if cold water were poured over him ( Rhus – as if cold water were dashed over him, Ant.t. ). Chill with pain in muscles of back and extremities as if bruised, aching in bones (Nat., Rhus), soreness of the whole body (whole body feels sore, Baptisia ). Chill felt most severely in Pit, of Stomach. Chill after every sleep, with heat and redness of one cheek, with burning of head alone, or face alone, rest of body being cold. Internal chill with external heat (Arsenicum, Thuja). Chilliness on one (right) side, on side on which he lies. Chilly, with heat and redness of one cheek, Shivering over the whole body and the head, at same time heat in the head and redness and heat in the face, accompanied by a coolness of the hands, and a feeling as if the hips, the back and anterior surface of the arms were being bruised. Morning chill while in bed, begins before she rises and lasts four hours. Chilly from the slightest movement of the bed – clothes ( Aconite, Rhus – constant desire to be covered up, Nux ). Skin of arms and hands mottled blue (Nux).
Heat: Thirst continued, but less than during chill, except early in the morning, when it is violent. Dry, general heat, with indifference, stupor and such weakness, that when he attempts to sit up he faints (Aconite). During heat, slightest lifting of bed – clothes, or even moving in bed, makes him chilly ( Apis, Nux vomica, Rhus, same in all stages of paroxysm). Great internal heat, with coldness of hands and feet. The heat becomes intolerable to him (Apis, Pulsatilla), and he tries to uncover himself, but upon uncovering he feels chilly. Dry heat over the whole body after waking early in the morning. Burning heat in one spot, which is cold to the touch, alternate heat or coldness here and there over the entire body.
Upper part of body warm, lower part cold.
Sweat: Sour, fetid, offensive, like mouldy earth, in old cases, sometimes cold and clammy. The exhalations smell sour, the night – sweat is sour. Worse when sweating (Ant.c., Ipecac.). Partial sweat on front of body, on plantar surface of hands and forearms. General sweat about midnight followed by faintness. Headache (which begins in hot stage) and soreness continue, but pain and drawing in the periosteum, which occurs before the chill, disappear gradually ( all pains disappear with sweat, Nat. ).
Tongue: Never clean. Dry yellow, or dirty white coating, and often, in acute cases, with a brown steak down the middle. Breath sour, fetid. Taste bitter, Putrid, of rotten eggs. Longing for alcoholic drinks, for acids. Repugnance to food.
Pulse: Variable, full, hard, or weak and slow, in evening strong pulsations through whole body.
Apyrexia: Headache, soreness and bruised feeling of muscles continue, eructations tasting like rotten eggs. Yellow face, bitter taste, aversion to meat, and, especially in chronic cases, debility and aversion to exercise. The apyrexia is not marked in recent attacks, but is always a characteristic in chronic cases where large quantities of Quinine have been taken, then the soreness and bruised feeling are always indicative.
All three stages, chill, heat, and sweat are well marked, and in each stage the same characteristic of the remedy is usually found. Difference between Arnica and Eupatorium perf.
Arnica. Prodrome: Drawing pains as if in the periosteum. Thirst: For large quantities of cold water, which refreshes him. Chill: With thirst, pain in muscles of back and extremities, as if bruised, great soreness of whole body. Heat: Less thirst, but increased soreness of flesh, must lie down, yet bed feels too hard, he cannot find a soft place and keeps constantly changing position in search of one. Sweat: Generally absent in recent attacks. In old cases, sour, and offensive. Apyrexia: Bruised feeling and soreness continue through every stage, and persist during apyrexia.
Eup.Perf.
Prodrome. – Pain in back and bones of extremities, as if broken. Thirst. – He cannot drink enough, but drinking hastens chill, and produces nausea. Chill. – With thirst, but drinking causes nausea. Headache, with intense pain in back and bones, as if broken. Heat. – Less thirst, but increased cephalalgia and bone pains. Vomiting of bitter bile before heat begins (Lycopodium, sour vomiting). Sweat. – Generally absent, scanty if any. Headache continues for several hours after fever is gone, sweat relieves all pains except cephalalgia (all pains, Nat.m.). Apyrexia. – Bone pains begin before the chill, but disappear with disappearance of sweat. None in apyrexia. Loose cough, night-sweats.
In the Materia Medica Pura, Hahnemann recommends Arnica as a remedy that in its pathogenesis corresponds with the Quinia cachexia, and clinical experience for many years has confirmed his observation. Arnica is probably more frequently indicated in cases maltreated with Quinine than any other remedy, and here lies its chief value in the treatment of fevers. It is also a fact, that in acute cases, where Arnica is indicated, relapses are more frequent perhaps than with any other indicated remedy. It apparently antidotes the previous maltreatment, but some other remedy is required to complete the cure. The patient does not feel well, but can scarcely tell why, and in four or five days has another paroxysm. This paroxysm, however, will differ materially from the preceding ones, Arnica having apparently paved the way for Apis, Arsenicum, Ipecac, or Natrum muriaticum (which follow Arnica well) to complete the cure. Arnica is often the best remedy with which to begin the treatment of a case maltreated by Quinine or patient ague cures. Psorinum or Sulphur may prevent tendency to relapse.
The “key note” of Arnica is the same in fevers as in all other diseases (Quinine drugging always an additional indication), viz.: Bruised, sore, weary, great weakness, and must lie down in consequence, yet bed feels too hard, hence frequent change of position in search of a soft place, which may cause pain. In old cases, where Arnica is indicated, the symptoms of apyrexia should be carefully studied.
Analysis. – Frequent suppression of urine.
Prodrome, thirst and drawing pains in bones and periosteum.
Chill, with thirst, bruised, sore, weak, bed feels hard, frequent change of position in consequence.
Heat, motion or slightest uncovering makes him chilly, heat intolerable.
Sweat, sour, offensive, like mouldy earth.
