Influenza


List and indication with differentiating symptoms of remedies frequently indicated in cases of Influenza…


How to Cure Influenza

THAT these epidemics will recur it is fair to assume. In the meantime the wise thing to do is to study every method to combat such a death-dealing force. It is the stern duty of every orthodox doctor, and common sense on the part of every family.

Though brevity is expected of me, I must fix the reader’s attention on to what may be expected of medicine, and this is best done by presenting some statistics, comparing the death rates of this disease in various hands. This concerns the laity more than the profession, for theirs is the risk.

(1) DR. W.A. Pearson, whom I have known well for over twenty- five years, is Dean of the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia; their hospital of 592 beds, runs up twenty storeys in the heart of that city. He has certified that he carefully collected records of 26,795 cases of epidemic ‘flu including 1918, treated by homoeopathic physicians, with the remarkably low mortality rate of practically 1 per cent, whilst for the same epidemics the Orthodox death rate was 30 per cent. I talked with Dr. Pearson in 1934 and he stated that the recurrent death rate averages still held for both schools of medicine. He further told me that many doctors, known personally to him, never lost a case, unless such had previously been “doped” with Aspirin, or such like heart-depressants before the cases were transferred to homoeopathic care.

(2) Another set of statics is to be found in the International Homoeopathic Directory for 1932, which I compiled (see page 220). This can be obtained from the publishers of this journal. These figures were collected by Dr. T.A. McCann of Dayton, Ohio, who reported same in his Presidential address before the seventy- seventh Annual Congress of the American Institute of Homoeopathy, held at Washington, D.C., June, 1921, and these figures included that most fatal epidemic year of 1918. 24,000 cases treated allopathically, that is, by orthodox men, had a fatality rate of 28.2 per cent, whereas, 26,000 cases treated by homoeopathic physicians, including the 1918 epidemic, when their death rate was 1.05 per cent (also reported in the Journal of the American Institute of Homoeopathy for October, 1921.)

(3) See Bulletin 43, Series II, for June 21st, 1934, issued by the “Bureau of Publicity” of the American Foundation of Homoeopathy, at Washington D.C., and read : “The tragic ‘flu epidemic of 1918, an aftermath of War, was for the most part fought by methods of war (Aspirin and Quinine) when in orthodox hands the death rate was roughly 48 percent and with strict homoeopathic treatment the death rate as 3.95 per thousand cases, or under four-tenths of 1 per cent.”

This death rate is substantiated by an old friend of mine from New York, a Dr. Guy Buckley Stearns, who is now Associate Professor of Materia Medica of the New York Homoeopathic Medical College, in a review of 16, 913 cases with but sixty-seven deaths, that is with homoeopathy without Aspirin.

The terrible difference shown in the death rate of the two schools of medicine must be put down to our homoeopathic medicines and to our method of selecting same. Dr. Stearns dwells on the ever-changing methods of the orthodox with their palliatives, sedatives, narcotics, fever-breakers, purgatives and alcoholic stimulants, which are one and all thoroughly harmful. Aspirin and all coal tar derivatives actually cause untold numbers of UNNECESSARY DEATHS, with Aspirin worst of all be cause it falsely beguiles by its quick relief of pain. Aspirin, whatever the advertisements say, puts a double load on the heart. It weakens the heart and all the vital forces, already taxed to the utmost by disease, and at best it lengthens the convalescence by three or four times that of the convalescence of those treated by homoeopathy.

The remedy you decide to give to-day may not be the one necessary tomorrow. The particular symptoms must be considered at every prescription, and they must match with what is known of the drug chosen. If you do select the absolute simillimum to-day such will run a remarkable recovery and perfect cure, so rapid in fact that you will get a surprise, and when observed, it is wise to stop all medicine and allow the homoeopathic stimulus to work itself out undisturbed, for Nature is an efficient worker and does not brook over-drugging. One great difference between the two schools of medicine is that orthodoxy is always flirting with the “maximum” dose which may be given without immediate destructive results, though as long as the “maximum” dose as printed in orthodox works and as allowed by their pharmacopoeia is not exceeded, a death certificate is quite “legal” and does not entail calling in a coroner. We homoeopaths can recognize many “drug-diseases” in patients which drift to us from orthodoxy. We homoeopaths always aim at giving the most minute medical stimulus, never harmful, which will arouse the vital reaction towards Natural repair, and we have a guiding rule (similia) on which to base every prescription.

It was Hippocrates (400 B.C.) who formulated the dogma we employ, and Hahnemann gave him full credit for “Let likes be treated by Likes”. This law goes back to the beginning of all TIME, unchanging, and it is employed the world over by every savage in their knowledge of local and tribal medicine, though they know nothing of the underlying law of cure.

The few symptoms I am about to lay before you are the major indications of each drug or “keynotes” as we term them. On the first sign of a chill or an influenza infection having been contracted, take Aconite (3x, 6x or 30) and Belladonna (3x, 6x or 30) alternatively every half-hour for five or six doses each. Put five to eight drops (or pills) in half a glass of water. Stir very well. Take a teaspoonful at a dose, holding same in the mouth as long as is convenient (one minute at least).

If the invasion is not conquered in a few hours review the peculiar personal symptoms of the invalid and pick out the “similar” symptoms to be found in the patient from the following list. The dosage and manner of taking the medicine will be as given for Aconite and Belladonna, except that the intervals between doses should be from one hour to three hours according to the severity of the symptoms. When the patient is feeling much better-STOP ALL MEDICINE- for a time. This is important. Only resort to further medicine if things are not still proceeding to a cure.

(1) Gelsemium sempervirens (3x, 6x or 30). The Yellow Jasmine for American-Indian folk-lore and given precision by the homoeopaths. This remedy must be taken when the following symptoms or “key-notes” are present. The patient is Dull, Drowsy and Dizzy (the three classical “D’s” of the drug). Fever without thirst. There must be seen trembling, shivering, goose-flesh, lack of thirst, heavy eyelids, which will droop, half covering the eyes, generally with dilated pupils. Cannot think or fix the attention, irritable, wants to be left alone; in extreme cases unconsciousness, delirium, blurred vision. Brain feels bruised, dragging pain, worse in the occiput (above the nape of neck). Occiput pains often work up over head at night to frontal region (over eyes). Much sneezing, tingling in nose, with discharge. Fullness at root of nose. Face heavy and has a besotted expression (compare Baptisia). Tongue thickly coated, yellowish- white; numbness of tongue, feels as if can hardly speak, to partial paralysis of tongue, which trembles on protrusion. Very copious clear urine, almost water-white. Head pains often relieved on passing profuse clear urine. Heart often feels as if it would stop if patient did not move about. Dull aching along spine, even to its base. Yawning marked. Trembling weakness to complete prostration of whole muscular system.

Chills begin in extremities, with sensation of heat in head and face. Wants to lie quite still. If stools are liquid and clay coloured, this remedy is the more surely indicated.

(N.B. – A patient need not have ALL symptoms under this or any other drug.)

(2) Eupatorium perfoliatum (3x, 6x or 30). Common names, which are significant-Bone-set, Bone-break, and Ague-weed. The great “key-note” of this remedy is its intense pains in the bones especially the long bones, which feel as if bruised or nearly broken. The flesh actually as if beaten. Can’t bear the slightest touch. Throbbing head pains and a feeling as if the head was pressed on by a metal cap or band. Soreness of eye- balls. Occiput pains worse on lying down. Patient generally thirsty for small sips of cold water. Hoarseness, hacking cough, worse evenings, with soreness and heat in larger air-tubes (bronchus). Chest sore on inspirations. Face flushed.

(3) Bryonia alba (3x, 6x or 30). It makes no difference with homoeopathic prescribing what the name of the disease is. If the patient is earlier by lying perfectly still, and suffers greatly on the slightest motion, think of Bryonia. This type of patient will have intense dryness of all mucous membranes, even lies become dry and cracked. Thus it is easy to understand that this is a distinguishing keynote. Pains in throat, chest and head are sharp, cutting and coughing causes splitting head and chest pains, so that patient will hold those parts to lessen such pains. The cough is always hard and dry with little or no expectoration. Pains shoot about the chest on coughing. The patient will be very constipated with hard dry stools, as if baked. Tongue thickly coated. Taste insipid or bitter. Patient exceedingly irritable or angry. Headache commences in the morning on first opening the eyes, with feeling as if head would split open.

Ethelbert Petrie Hoyle
BIO: Dr. Ethelbert Petrie Hoyle 1861 – 1955 was a British orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy. He served as editor of the International Homeopathic Medical Directory and Travelling Secretary to the International Homeopathic Society.