Fever
Characteristic – For torpid, lymphatic constitutions, persons with light hair and complexion, slow to act, muscles soft and flabby.
Like Sulphur, Hepar is adapted to the psoric, scrofulous diathesis.
In Sulphur the skin affections are dry, itching and not sensitive to touch, in fact, ameliorated by scratching and rubbing, while in Hepar the skin is unhealthy, suppurating, even Slight injuries cause suppuration, extremely sensitive to touch, the pain often causing fainting.
Diseases when suppuration seems inevitable, where the system has been injured by the abuse of Mercury.
Patient is peevish, angry at the least trifle, hypochondriacal, unreasonably anxious, oversensitive, physically and mentally, the slightest cause irritates, quick, hasty speech and hasty drinking.
Extremely sensitive to cold air, imagines he can feel the air if a door is opened in the next room, must be wrapped up to the face even in hot weather (Psorinum), cannot bear to be uncovered (Nux – cannot bear to be covered, Camp., Secale), takes cold from slightest exposure to fresh air (Tuberculinum).
Urine: flow impeded, voided slowly, without force, drops vertically, is obliged to wait a while before it passes, bladder weak, is unable to finish, seems as if some urine always remains (Alumina, Silicea).
Cough: when any part of the body is uncovered (Rhus), croupy, choking, strangling, from exposure to dry west wind, the land wind (Aconite).
Croup: after exposure to dry cold wind (Aconite), deep, rough, barking cough, with hoarseness and rattling of mucus, aggravated cold air, cold drinks, before midnight or toward morning.
Sensation of a splinter, fish bone or plug in the throat (Argentumn., Nit.ac.), quinsy, when suppuration threatens, chronic hypertrophy, with hardness of hearing (Baryta, Lycopodium, Plumb., Psorinum).
Ulcers, herpes, surrounded by little pimples or pustules and spread by coalescing.
Middle of lower lip cracked (Ammoniumc., Nat. – cracks in commissures, Cundurango).
Diarrhea: of children with sour smell (Calcarea, Mag.c. – child and stool have a sour smell, Rheum), clay – colored stool (Calcarea, Podophyllum).
Eyeballs: sore to touch, pain as if they would be drawn back into head (Oleander, Paris.).
Aggravation: Lying on painful side (Kali carb., Iodium), cold air, uncovering, eating or drinking cold things, touching affected parts, abuse of Mercury.
Amelioration: Warmth in general (Arsenicum), wrapping up warmly, especially the head (Psorinum, Silicea), in damp, wet weather (Causticum, Nux vomica, – rev. of Nat.s.).
Type: Simple. Quotidian. Period the same every day.
Time: Morning at 2, 6 or 7 o’clock. The evening paroxysm, like Graphites, Lycopodium, Pulsatilla and Rhus, is most severe. 6 or 7 P.M. 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 p.m.
Fever, without chill, 4 p.m., lasting all night. Morning fever preceded by bitter taste in mouth, returning twice a day.
Prodrome: Itching, stinging, nettle – rash. Bitter taste in the mouth, for hours before chill.
Chill: Without thirst. Great chilliness in open air, must get to warm stove, heat feels agreeable but does not relieve (must get to warm stove as soon as chill begins, Bovista – must get to warm stove, and lie down, Lachesis ). Great sensitiveness to open air with chilliness (excessively sensitive to open air, Camph. chill aggravated by least draft of air, Baryta ). Violent chill every morning, at 6 or 7 o’clock without subsequent heat (without subsequent heat or sweat, Bovista ). Violent chill, with chattering of the teeth, lasting a quarter of an hour, with coldness of the hands and feet, followed by heat with sweat, especially on the chest and forehead, and slight thirst. Violent shaking chill with chattering of the teeth, icy coldness and paleness of the face, hands and feet, unconsciousness and coma (Belladonna, Opium). Febrile chill, from 4 to 8 p.m., or in the night, could not get warm, with aggravation of all complaints (Arsenicum), without subsequent heat. Chill at 2 A.M., with febrile shivering and hot, dry skin. Nettle – rash with violent itching and stinging, disappears as heat begins (nettle – rash appears as the chill is passing off, Apis – during sweat, Rhus during heat, Ignatia ).
Heat: With thirst. Burning febrile heat, with almost unquenchable thirst, distressing headache and slight delirium, lasting from 4 P.M. all night, without chilliness. Larynx much affected, hoarse, weak voice. Heat light in comparison with the chill, though he was obliged to uncover himself (Pulsatilla). Dry heat of body at night, with sweaty hands which cannot tolerate being uncovered (Baryta). Febrile paroxysm during the day, chilliness alternating with heat, with photophobia. Violent fever, with flushing heat in the face and head. Fever blisters around the mouth (Ignatia, Nat., Nux vomica, Rhus)
Sweat: With flushes of heat. Sweats profusely day and night without relief. Perspires easily on every motion, however slight, mental exertion, even on writing a few lines (Psorinum, Sepia), or, at first, no sweat at all, then sweats profusely. Profuse, sour – smelling sweat at night which is often clammy (Lycopodium). Sweat of perineum, groins, and inside of thighs (sweat most profuse on the genitalia, Gelsemium ). Constant offensive exhalations from the body. Sometimes thirst with night – sweat. After sweat, burning redness of face with heat and dryness of palms of hands.
Tongue: Tip painful and sore, back of tongue coated like dry clay (Cal-s.). Taste: bitter, putrid, metallic, of rotten eggs. Offensive odor from the mouth, which he notices (which he does not notice, Pulsatilla ). Longing for acids, strong – tasting things. Aversion to fat. Stomach out of order.
Apyrexia: Characteristic: never clear. Constitutional symptoms always present, and always guiding. Unhealthy skin, with itching, apt to be developed by the fever.
“Intermittent fever, first chills, then thirst, and an hour later, much heat with interrupted sleep. Violent chill at 8 p.m. with chattering of teeth, hands and feet cold, followed by heat with perspiration, especially on the chest and forehead, with slight thirst.” – Lippe.
Analysis – Sensitive to open air.
Nettle – rash with the chill.
Hydroa around the mouth.
Sweat: profuse, offensive, sour, easy, on every motion, day and night.
Without relief, from mental exertion, even writing a few lines.
