A 575038 CONSUMPTIO1I TREATED HOM(EOPATHICALLY. *ROM TH3 GiBBMLNA. 1-, BY A. BECKER, M.D. NEW-YORK: 4 WILLIAM RADDE, 322 BROADWAY, 18471. INTRODUCTION, No disease more frequently undermiines the young life in its first bloom; no disease is so generally diffused amongst mankindamongst all nations, ranks, and ages, as consumption in its various forms, which is more destructive and fatal than the much-dreaded Asiatic cholera. The fifth part of mankind is sacrificed to it! There is hardly a disease against which more remedies, more different modes of treatment have been invented, and in none has the result been less favorable than in this; and yet, what disease is the young physician more frequently called upon to treat than consumption? Hardly has he had time to select the field of his labors, and settle down, when those wretched objects, who could find relief nowhere, approach to seek it of him. It is very discouraging to him that he should have to build up his professional reputation on the treatment of such patients, knowing, as he does beforehand, that he will reap very little glory for his labors. I vi. INTRODUCTION. It should, therefore, be the constant endeavor of practitioners to elevate the present standard of the therapeutics of this disease. Wiih this view, I herewith attempt to contribute a few stones towards the erection of the future great edifice, in the hope of possibly rendering assistance to practical beginners in their new career. But I am disposed to shrink from the undertaking, when I consider what eminent men in ancient and modern times have worked at this edifice, and when I look back at the experience and investigations of such men as Bayle, Lorinser, Louis, Berends, Laennec, Autenrieth, Philipp and many others. A Laennec dares to form an accurate diagnosis of the abnormal condition of the thoracic viscera, by examining the voice, respiration, and circulation in a small compass; dares to declare, by means of his stethoscope, whether tubercles or ulcers exist in the lungs,,qid even determines their form and size, and whether they are on the increase or decrease. Laennec has, also, attempted to render more complete and practical the means of diagnozing by percussion. I-ow invaluable to pathological anatomy are the labors of Bayle, Laennec, Hastings, Louis, etc.! viii. INTRODUCTION. them has abundance of proofs to adduce in support of his views. I think it important to allude, in particular, to that form which is called by Philipp, phthisis dyspeptica. According to him, it comnmences with imnperfect'digestion, which is followed by symptoms of disease in the respiratory organs, and finally succeeded by ascites abdomninalis. Alcohol-drinkers are frequently subject to this form of consumption. In these cases, we find, after death, the liver and spleen diseased, and only those parts of the lungs which are nearest the liver, in a state of suppuration. Not Philipp only, but previously to him, Stoll, Portal, and others, have expressed their opinions, that consumption, originating in previous disorders of the digestive organs, is much more frequent than it is usually supposed to 1)e. Autenrieth attributed the origin of some consumptions to suppressed eruptions of the skin, and mentions positive-,signs by which he thinks he can easily distinguish this from others, which is disputed by other writers. Many have endeavored to gain a firmer foundation for the diagnosis, from close examninations of the sputa-called pus proofbut the results have not been satisfactory. It is not my intention to allude any farther to the opinions and experience of writers on INTRODUCTION. ix. consumption, but it remains for me to answer the question, What have the therapeutics of this disease gained thereby? As regards auscultation and percussion, it is very desirable that they shuuld be more generally resorted to in diagnosis, which frequently is so difficult. But will this be of any benefit to the treatment? We may be ever so certain that the tubercles have softened, and to what degree; or that a vomica has formed, and that this is empty or full of pus, and we may yet remain as ignorant as we were before with regard to the means to be employed against those various conditions. At least, from France, where the stethoscope is mostly used, we have heard of no improvements in the treatment. The prognosis can derive' most benefit from all the latest observations and experience. Richter* says: " Pathological anatomy has given us the means of correctly diagnozing pulmonary diseases, but it is to be regretted, that it has had no influence on the treatment, which is about the same since as it was before." He says, again: " The treatment of suppuration in the lungs has gained nothing by the late careful pathological investigations. How meagre in this respect are the works of Laennec and Louis. "* A distinguished allopathio writcr.., X. INTRODUCTION. At the best, they have led us to the conclusion, that the large array of medicines, recommended now and of old, are not only powerless in the treatment of these diseases, but do even more harm than good." These are, certainly, confessions humiliating to sulffering mankind, as well as to the practitioner, and especially so to the young physician. Thus by this means-the endeavor to penetrate into the interior of nature, and to discover the character, the origin, and development of disease-we cannot reach the main object in view: the cure. This Las been the fate of the old school from time immemorial. What means does homeopathy rely on? She looks at the outward appearance of the disease, directs her attention to all the recoginizable symptoms, weighs well all atiological circumstances, for the purpose of forming a correct view of the commencement, progress and development of the disease, without entering into any further investigations respecting its nature and character. She tries all drugs, wlhich the Creator has given us, on the healthy system, for the purpose of becoming acquainted with their action and effects, in order then to administer them at the bedside of the patient in confonrity with the immutable law of nature: INTRODUCTION. xi. " Similia similibus curantur." This is a different way, a laborious one, and totally opposed to that of the old school. But since the means adopted by the latter have been unproductive of any benefit to the treatment, it is the bounden duty of the profession to investigate, and very seriously too, not in their closet, but at the bedside, whether homoeopathy presents better results of treatment than allopathy, or not. I will attempt to answer the. following questions: V What can homaeopathy accomplish against pulmonary phthisis? What has she accomplished? and What does she promise to accomplish in future?" In reply, I sliall: 1. relate cases from my own experience and that of others; 2. attempt todraw conclusions from them. and to find out indications for the remedies employed; 3. present a general view of pulmonary phthisis in separate groups of symptoms, and name the medicines which cover each group. In what order shall I relate the cases? Shall I speak separately of phthisis tuberculosa, pituitosa, purulenta, etc.? If I did, I should give rise to critical objections, first, because many modern writers* do not vie some of the above forms of phthisis as distinctive, but merely as changes of one and * For instance, Lacnncc. CONSUMPTION, ETC. CASE 1, A CASE of phthisis trachealis, in which Acon. 15, China 12, and Drosera 6, acted curatively, but which was still under treatment when entered upon the records.-Pract. Mitth. 1826,p. 10. CASE 2. A lady, 36 years of age, married, but without children, after having been allopathically treated without any benefit, called upon me with a phlh. tuberculosa incipiens. Symptoms:--The throat is sore and painful from the constant coughing, burning sensation in the fauces, the tonsils, uvula, and the whole soft palate are reddened, the salivary glands painfully swollen; it seems to her as if she were swallowing a solid body, a plug, without pain. Much talking causes pain. The voice hoarse and rough, burning.2 14 CONSUMPTION TREATED and tickling in the larynx, provoking to cough. Taste in the mouth clean, but very little appetite. Stools hard and difficult, in small, round, consistent pieces, or narrow and squeezed, as if the rectum was much contracted. Some time before the anus was covered with haemorrhoidal excrescences, and from time to time the rectum bled, affording her relief; a fortnight after menstruation there generally appears a knob on the anus which burns and feels sore. The catamenia has intermitted two months, after having previously for some time been very sparing, and lasting only from one to two days. A week before the appearance of the menses they were ushered in by flashes of fever, rush of blood to the head, heaviness of the eyes, which are reddened. The menses are followed by leucorrhmca, with lassitude in the thighs, with a sensation as if something descended from the upper to the lower part of the abdomen, and was going to fall out. This was succeeded by a feeling of emptiness in the belly. In both groins she feels as if something was pushing forward, the vagina burns on urinating, as if from something acrid, urine thick and having a sediment for a week past.-Cough dry, tickling, every third or fourth cough brings up some mucus. During the day she coughs but little, more, however, immediately before drop HOMCEOPATHIC ALLY. 17 and lying down at night, loud rattling in the chest on breathing, and a deep cough with expectoration. Two doses Stannum, in one week, acted very beneficially. CASE 6. A man of 33, of a delicate, weakly constitution, irritable, sanguine temperament, pale countenance, and mainly occupied with mental labor, living naturally, was attacked without any apparent cause with a severe cough and expectoration, which remained for some time unattended to, being considered in the light of a mere transient catarrh. Finally, after it had lasted four weeks and assumed a serious aspect, I was sent for. I found the following symptoms:-Violent exhausting, shaking cough, now dry, or at least with tenacious mucus, then again, with copious and easy expectoration, which is sometimes watery mucus, at others thick, tenacious, lumpy, yellowish-green, with a sweetish salt taste, floating on the surface of water. Sometimes when he finds it difficult to raise, he begins to choke, and this fills his mouth with clear water, and occasionally mucus. At night the cough is particularly violent; in the morning most exhausting, and accompanied by most profuse expectoration of tenacious mucus. Expectoration amounts to 2 pounds in 24 hours. The 2* CONSUMPTION TREATED slightest irritation, laughing, singing, talking, or a few drops of wvine, provoke the cough at once, by causing a tickling in the trachea, which soon extends over the whole chest, and brings on a violent fit of coughing, which makes the chest feel painful as if it were raw and sore, occasionally caulsing a violent stitch through it. Voice hoarse and hollowv; talking very difficult, partially owing to a peculiar oppression on the chest, and partially owing to the hoarseness. The trachea feels rough, and in the larynx there is constantly tenacious mucus present. A sensation throughout the whole chest, even during, the intervals of the coughing fits, of the utmost degree of weakness, as if everything within were dead. Want of appetite; the previous inclination to eat utterly gone, yet the taste is clean. Great languor, the wvhole body feels numb, the slightest motion exhausts him, causes flying heat and perspiration, and increases his weakness. Very uneasy sleep, interrupted by fearful dreams. He wakes after midnight, feels exhausted, sweating, coughs a great deal, is uneasy and tormented by the most painful excitement of the mind. Frequent desire to urinate, but very little urine passes, and that is sometimes clear, at others dark colored. Involuntary seminal discharges at night, which he had not previously had, in consequence of HOM(EOPATHICALLY. 19 lascivious dreams, which add to his weakness and throw his mind into a degree of despair. Every evening, from six to nine, fever, chills down the spine, palms of the hands hot, dry mouth, and moderate thirst. Pulse small, frequent, and irritable. During the fever the cough is peculiarly exhausting, the expectoration watery. Sweats night and morning; the perspiration smells like rotten straw. Countenance most miserable, hollow, pale, and thin; dull, sunken eyes. Mind in a very excited state; he feels and thinks with unusual quickness, clearness, and acuteness. Timid, irritable, disposed to weep, full of dark images of the future.-Hopelessness.-Believes in certain and near death. Treatment.-These phenomena of disease correspond to what nosologists would call phth. pulm. pituitosa, and it may readily be imagined gave me very little encouragement for effecting a cure. Amongst all the remedies in the Mat. Med. Pura, I found none more suitable to the case than Stannum, though in some respects China seemed more indicated to commence with. The patient's mode of living having been such as to require no change, I commenced the treatment at once by giving a dose of China 12. Allowing this to act for a few days, I found at the end of them no change, except a diminution in the amount of perspiration, and even this 20 CONSUMPTION TREATED change was very transient. Upon this I gave Stann. 6. Result.-The most marked success crowned my selection of Stannum. The next day already the patient felt easier, freer, and in brighter spirits, the cough became milder, the oppression and other disagreeable feelings in the chest became gentler, the expectoration thicker and tasteless, the sweats disappeared, the evening fever lost much of its violence. The succeeding night was passed in a refreshing sleep, and though the patient woke as usual just after midnight, he was not tormented by either the cough or mental excitement, and soon fell asleep again. The appetite returned, the pulse gained in force and quiet. Gradually, all the symptoms diminished in violence, and in the same ratio strength and better looks returned. Two weeks after he felt quite well, with the exception of a beating, pressing pain in the left side of the chest, and a slight hoarseness. Against these I gave Bell. 24, and in three days even these last traces of his illness had vanished. Ever since, until now (1 year), he has enjoyed the most perfect health. No reasonable mind will deny the importance and danger of the above case, or be unwilling, to admit that if left to nature alone, the man would have died; if treated allopathically, at best he mighot have recovered after HOM(EOP ATHICALLY. 21 much trouble, and the expenditure of much time, strength, and money. Who will gainsay, that in this case homaoopathy accomplished a permanent cure in a sure, quick, simple, and agreeable manner?-Dr. E. Stapf. CASE 7. A case of phth. Juberc. pituit., very similar to the preceding one, and cured by the sam6 remedies in the course of four weeks. -Archiv, II, 2, p. 86. CASE 8. On the 11th of December I was called to see a lady of 24 years of age, tall, slender, pale, and haggard countenance, who had been confined to her bed for 19 weeks. The result of my inquiries was as follows:-The patient was formerly enjoying good health, a few years ago only she suffered with spasms of the stomach; whilst she was under allopathic treatment for these, an inflammatory condition of the lungs made its appearance, which, according to the opinion of the allopathic physicians, threatened to degenerate into consumption, and brought her very near the grave. However, she rallied again, and enjoyed tolerable health. Two years ago she married, miscarried twice, and was delivered of a full-grown child on the 4th of July last, losing each time a great deal of ROMEOPATatCALLY2 25 been attended by two clever allopathic physicians, who neglected nothing in their attempts to cure the poor fellow. But ultimately both declared that his case set all art at defiance, and that he must die. It was then December, that I was called and found the following state of the case:Patient has been in bed six months, and cannot rise.---Voice feeble, broken, low, and has a sound of peculiar, diseased softness, such as is often heard in cases of suppuration of the lungs. He breathes faintly and with difficulty by the aid of all the respiratory muscles, scapulra, etc.) and complains of a constant oppression which the slightest motion renders quite intolerable. Independent of motion, however, this oppression occasionally increases until a violent hemorrhage from the lungs takes place, affording him temporary relief, but adding materially to his exhaustion. His usual expectoration is pus, mixed with blood. He is very much disposed to doze, but is frequently disturbed by the cough which will not allow him to rest, even at night. He cannot lie well on the back, not at all on the left side, best on the right. If he attempts to lie on the left, he cannot get any breath, and the cough becomes then extremely violent. He has very little appetite, his lips are constantly dry, and he has considerable thirst; all he eats and 3 28 CONSUMPTION TREATED I thought prudent to administer some antipsoric which would meet the totality of the symptoms, and gave Lycopodium IV~. The result quite surpassed my expectations. I had given it on the 1st of March, and by the 27th the phenomena of the disease had entirely changed in a most striking manner. The patient could again lie on the back and left side, only on lying down he coughed for the moment. Thle diarrhea had entirely left him, and in lieu thereof his evacuations were natural. The thirst had also disappeared. The night-rest was but little disturbed; still he was troubled with a dry cough at night for an hour. During the day the cough was less, but attended with expectoration of pus. The patient had gained strength and cheerfulness, was able to leave the bed, and even employ himself a little. Thus his recovery progressed until the middle of April, when a complete pause ensue4. At this time I felt induced to give him Solut. Sepias X~. This improved the chest symptoms until the middle of May; the patient was able to lie equally well on the back and both sides, and passed his nights entirely undisturbed by the cough. The latter did not trouble him much during the day either, and his expectoration was no longer pus, but white bronchial mucus. His whole state and appearance was so extraordinarily im HOMcEOPATHICALLY. 29 proved, that it was difficult to recognize in him the same dangerously and hopelessly sick man. The two allopathic physicians, who had attended him before me, had declared a few weeks ago that this striking improvement was only a delusive one, and could not last, as there was no instance on record of a cure of so advanced a stage of phthisis, found now, that the man was really recovering, and tried,to save themselves, to make it out (though totally inconsistent with their previously-expressed opinion) that there could have been no suppuration of the lungs in this case. What a conclusion! The patient now returned to his flock and pasture, and in the course of the summer recovered his health completely and thoroughly.-Dr. Gross. CASE 10. A complete cure of suppuration of the lungs by Ledum palustre.-Dr. Kammerer. CASE 11. A girl of twenty with the following symptoms: Two years ago she caught a severe cold, and has remained sickly ever since. During the last four weeks violent cough, more by day than at night, cough produced by a tickling in the throat, dry and exhausting, 3* 32 CONSUMPTION TREATED hectic flush on the cheeks, sunken eyes with a dull expression, emaciated over the whole body, hardly able to walk about the room, incessantly coughing with copious expectoration. Towards evening, hoarseness, constant tickling in the throat, which provokes the cough, no rest at night owing to the cough, is obliged to sit up in bed. The sputa whitish-yellow, mucous. For some years past dyspncea and oppression on the chest. At night, when she does sleep, rattling in the chest. During the day frequent chills. At night dry heat, no sweat succeeding the heat, nor is she at all inclined that way. Much thirst during the day. Little appetite. Empty eructations.-Bowels regular. Menses later, and less than formerly. Moral symptoms: dejected, inclined to weep, silent. I gave, of course, a very unfavorable prognosis to her friends, at the same time speaking encouragingly to her. After regulating the diet I gave her successively, according to the indications, Puls., Acon., Bell., Sulph. X., Ars. X., Stann. II., China V., Bell. X., Sepia X., Lye. X., Sil. X., Ann. fol. IV., Phosph. X. Sulph. and Ars. acted well, diminishing the cough and expectoration, removing the evening hoarseness, raising the spirits, and improving the nutrition. Stannum drove the fever away. Cough HOMCEOPATHICALLY. 33 and expectoration continued to improve, she could sleep better at night, and became cheerful. This continued for a fortnight; a diarrhena then set in, which she kept from me, and which rendered her case more dangerous again, though not hopeless. It was then that the family insisted upon her removal to a mineral spring. In spite of my objections she was removed, the use of the spring pulled her down completely and she died soon, utterly worn out. CASE 14. On the 7th of March I was called to see a man of 41, whom I found very low, and expectorating blood and pus in very large quantities. The prognosis appeared to me very unfavorable, and I anticipated a speedy dissolution; therefore I did not note down any other symptoms, and for the sake of doing something I gave Lycop. X0000. Ten days after I was informed that the man was better; and on the 31st of March, that the cough and expectoration were still considerable, that the night-sweats continued, but that he had a better appetite, and felt better altogether. I allowed the Lycop. further time to act. On the 19th of April I was informed that the night-sweats had ceased, and that he had HOM(EOPATHICALLY. 35 much, had disappeared, and the pains in the chest had become diniiiiished. At the time when the vomica burst, he lost a good deal of blood per rectum. He has frequently had diarrhea mixed with blood, so acrid as to cause a burning sensation in the rectum. In the course of March and beginning of April, he coughed up a great deal of brightred blood, which smelt badly and coagulated readily. On the 8th of April this occurred in the most violent degree, but from that day he felt better, his appetite improved, the pains in the chest, cutting with every breath, gradually diminished. Coughs less, and expectorates mucus, no blood. Vertigo. Acon. 8. Coughs a little. Kali. Carb. X. Quite well on the 23d of Mlay. -- Dr. Riickert. CASE 15. A miller, 30, of small, delicate size, dark hair and eyes, pale lace, much emaciated and debilitated, with a flat chest. Formerly had enjoyed good health. Sixteen years ago he had the itch, which remained on himn three months, and was thent driven in by external remedies. After that lie coniinued well until within the last few years, during which he has been troubled by considerable pain in the chest, so violent, indeed, when 86 CONs7IMPTION TREATED moving his arms or sneezing, as to prevent him from working. Dyspnaea at the same time. A year and a half ago an abscess formed below the left clavicle, which discharged a considerable quantity of pus, and which was found to lead to a deep fistula in the thorax in the direction of the sternum. For several months under surgical treats ment the wound remained open, discharging more or less pus. The patient felt weak, exhausted, and got a cough with expectoration. At last the abscess closed, the patient gradually rallied, and was able to do a little work; latterly, however, he has felt worse again, coughs occasionally, expectorates but little; complains of tightness and oppression on the chest whenever he draws the arms together forwards. Sneezing occasions him severe pain in the chest as if the latter would burst. At night he can sleep only on his back or in a sitting posture. The old fistula in the chest seems disposed to open again. Patient feels weak, is wasting, and unfit for work. Digestion tolerable. As to the diagnosis, it was not difficult to determine the accumulation of a large quantity of pus in the thorax, which by discharge ing itself once through the abscess in a very unusual spot, had at that time saved the patient's life. The redness and partial eles HOM(EOPATHICALLY. 37 vation of the cicatrix led me to anticipate a fresh discharge. Under these circumstances it was a difficult thing to make a prognosis, and to enjoin upon the patient the necessary quiet. I gave half a drop of Spirit. Vini Sulph. X., assuming the suppressed itch to be the cause of the disease. 27th July. On the whole the patient has done pretty well; exercise and sneezing occasion less pain on the chest, and he feels rather stronger. The old wound under the clavicle was easily opened with the lancet, discharged a little thick pus, but the probe failed in discovering any passage into the thorax. No change in the previous prescription. 15th Aug. The patient has been going on satisfactorily. The wound has closed again. Since yesterday he has noticed, on breathing or sneezing, violent stitches in the chest, and the pulse is more excited than usual. It is evident that a fresh inflamniation in the respiratory organs is forming. I gave Aeon. 8, and left Sepia X0", to be taken three days afterwards. On the 22d of August the patient wrote me word that the Aeon. had acted beneficially but that the Sepia had brought on a new excitement, that sneezing caused him pain in the chest, and exercise dyspncea. 4 HOM(EOPATHICA LLY. 39 Last fall she had a panaritium which troubled her for several weeks. She suffered much with it, was exhausted by it, and recovered but gradually from it. Five weeks ago she was taken down with a tertiana, at first rather violently, against which she used a week afterwards the so-called fever-drops, probably containing arsenic; they destroyed the fever, but the cough became worse. Subsequent errors of diet occasioned several relapses, which she mitigated by fasting. During this time the cough increased more and more, accompanied by profuse expectoration. Nettlerash made its appearance frequently. The patient grew weaker, and became thin, so much so that she could no longer attend to her household affairs, and was obliged to lie down a good deal. On the 10th of June I was consulted and found the following phenomena of disease: Head feeling full, throbbing in it like the ticking of a watch, and as if the brain would burst out. Gums swollen, undefinable pain in the hollow teeth. Little appetite, but constant thirst. Hard sluggish stool once in three or four days. Menses too early, and sparing. Frequent coryza. 40 CONSUMPTION TREATED Violent cough, especially in the morning, lasts all day, aggravated by taking the slightest cold. Expectoration copious all day, with rattling on the chest, and of a yellowish pussy color. Frequent lancinating pain in the left side. She is very weak and languid, able to walk about in the room only. Free from fever at present. Nothing remarkable in the state of her mind. However unfavorable the prognosis appeared, no characteristic symptoms were presented in this case, which rendered the choice of the remedy very difficult, because several seemed to me to be indicated. I determined in favor of Calc. carb. X. June 18. The fever has not returned. The patient has more appetite, bowels more natural, cough and expectoration alternately moderated. The remedy is evidently acting beneficially, therefore no change in prescription. June 28. Cough the same as on the ISth. Frequently a species of heartburn. Want of strength; uhable to do much in household affairs. June 26. Increased stitches in the side on taking breath and coughing. Until the 26th of July her condition im HOMIEOPATHICALLY. 43 heat and chills, violent thirst, want of sleep and appetite. Before I was called, the usual " domestic remedies" had been applied. When I came, I found the whole body very much emaciated, and covered by a clammy, colliquative sweat, dirty-looking countenance with circumscribed redness of the right cheek, sunken, hippocratical face, eyes sunken and dull, watery and yellowish, pale lips, tongue white, mouth and fauces sore, ulcerated, hoarse voice, hardly audible; dyspnca, breathing mainly by the abdominal muscles; with every expiration the ala; nasi much dilated, tense stitching pains in the chest extending to the shoulderblades,ticklingin the trachea with constant inclination to cough; expectoration of copious, greenish pus, streaked bloody and having a putrid taste, extreme languor and prostration, cutting pains in the limbs, colliquative diarrhaea, making the rectum sore; chills, particularly in the evening, all over the back; cold extremities and hot palms of the hands, want of appetite, thirst and wakefulness, loss of his hair, scalp painful to the touch. No doubt this state of things was the consequence of a pleuro-peripneumonia, which left to itself, and probably aggravated by the domestic remedies, had brought on a phthisis florida, and thrown the patient into the above condition in the space of 10 to 12 48 CONSUMPTION TREATED yellow, greyish, greasy expectoration, tasting sometimes musty, at others putrid. In the left side of the chest beneath the ribs, a constant burning, gnawing pain, which seems to come up on that side from the sacrum. The expectoration appears to her to proceed from that spot under the ribs. Her limbs, arms and fingers feel numb. General weakness and debility. Compared to her state in April, when I saw her first, she feels much better, and for this reason I allowed the Sulphur to act further. On the 4th July, I found the same state of things, especially with immediate reference to the respiratory organs, and therefore gave L?ycop. X. August 23d The burning pain in the side and " small of the back" has abated, the ribs are occasionally painful, but it is a simple pain. Cough drier, expectoration less, and its taste less offensive. On the whole she is belter, and her strength on the increase. September 6tll. Improving. Face and body have gained in flesh, her limbs are lighter, and she feels more power in them. I-lead easier. Gums swelled. Teeth loose. Whn ii menstruating, she experiences a burnlng in the abdometn. The menstrual discharge is merely red mucus. HOMiEOPATHICALLY. 49 Cough and expectoration have increased in comparison to last month, but the pain in the left side is trifling. When heated, or taking warm drinks, she feels a fine prickling all over the body on the skin. Lycop. having evidently acted beneficially, but its action being exhausted by this time, and as many symptoms pointed towards Sepia, the patient received on the 11th Sept. a few pellets of the 30th potence. On the 18th Oct. I found the cough very much abated, the expectoration very inconsiderable, and not smelling offensively, having a whitish appearance. "The pain in the diseased side is insignificant, appears occasionally only, and consists in burning and stitches at the same time. Digestion and menstruation in good order; the symptoms of the gums have yielded to the Sepia. She complains mainly of a rumbling sen. sation in the head, especially at night, which interferes greatly with lher rest and sleep, confusion in the brain, a sensation as if the skull was being elevated. Numbness of the hands and fingers, and drawing pains in the shoulders. Tearing in the wrists, particularly during the day. Teeth painful when biting. I gave Plws. X. which soon cured the 5 80 CON9TJMTI0N TREAtD above symptoms. Her general health continued to mend. December 22d, another dose of Sepia 30. February 18th of next year she complained of increased burning in the right side, cough and expectoration trifling, general health improving. I gave Ars. X., and in March following, I found the patient entirely restored to health, with the exception of a little cough. She received Kali X~. Next fall I saw her again, and found her perfectly well. She said she felt better in health than she had at any time during the last ten years, and expressed herself as very much indebted for my treatment. Dr. Riickert. CASE 21. A clergyman, forty-six, tall, thin, with narrow chest and long neck, dark hair and dark complexion, frequently had a cough as a child. In late years this cough has been apt to return, without affecting his general health, or interfering with his ministerial duties. For the last three years, in ascending any elevation, he would be obliged to halt for want of breath, and during the same period he has coughed early in the morning; he has remained very thin, and in great want of strength, yet he dragged along his HOM(EOPATHICALLY. 51 existence till taken down violently by an epidemic influenza. This exhausted him exceedingly. A violent cough with expectoration set in, loss of appetite, dyspnoea, unfitting him for the discharge of his calling. When called, 27th June, I found him afflicted with a violent, exhausting cough, especially early in the morning when still in bed, and as soon as he sits up in it; he is then obliged to cough a great deal before he can cough up anything. During the day irritation in the trachea. If he coughs soon after a meal, he is obliged to vomit the latter, and in fact every fit of coughing ends with gagging. Lying on the right side causes him to cough. Expectoration copious, white, sometimes yellow, lumpy, but on the whole more mucous than purulent. Want of breath, particularly on going up stairs, or any elevation. No pains in the chest except from the violent exertion in coughing. Mental emotions cause palpitation of the heart. Very little appetite, if any, it is better in the afternoon than at the usual dinner time, (noon). Taste in the mouth and of the food unimpaired. Bowels regular. He feels very weak and powerless, is much emaciated. Sleeps tolerably well,but at night he perspires, which greatly debilitates him. 52 CONSUMPTION TREATED He is of a mild, quiet disposition, and has always led an uilexceptionalle life. I gave StrIn.1um fol. II, txvo doses with an interval of six days. On the 2od July, thus a little more than three weeks after the first visit, I called again, and found my patient quite cheerful. He had meantimle (the first tinme for seven weeks) been able to preach again inl a loud, clear voice, without being much latigued thereby. He fielt, on the whole, much better and stronger, coughed a good deal, still the paroxysms do not come so often, but they end in gagging as before. Night-sweats have diminished. I gave Stannum 1100 twice. 14th August. I again paid him a visit and found him in good spirits. The cough had abated, night-sweats were totally gone; expectoration lessened, breathing stronger. He desired to take a journey for the sake of his health, which I approved of. On his return from that journey, 24th September, I found him better, but the expectoration had become more copious, and the night-sweats had returned. Sputa greenish. Cough attended with gagging. Administered Phos.. 8.-18th October, improving. Repeat the same remedy. 1st November. - Patient looks so well and hearty as to be hardly recognizable. Many 58 CONSUMPTION TREATED ing sometimes twenty days, I meant that in this case it should have fair play, and the result was that the man entirely regained good health.-Dr. Schubert. CASE 25. The wife of a clergyman, mother of five children, light hlair, middling size, gentle and amiable, thirty-eight years old, had always enjoyed good health, excepting an occasional cough and c" cold in the head," and a rheumatic toothache. Six years ago she got a pulmonary catarrh, which may be looked upon as the immediate cause of the subsequent mucous, purulent, pulmonary phthisis. She received allopathic treatment for it, but it grew worse so rapidly, and assumed such decided symptoms of phthisis in four weeks, that a consulting physician was sent for. Their united efforts for two months, exhausting all the means afforded by allopathy,could not stem the progress of the disease, and they ultimately declared it to be a hopeless case, past cure. Now, I was consulted, whereas, probably, if that had been done in the commencement, I might have cured the catarrh by a few homoeopathic doses. But such is the fate of homceopathic physicians; they are in many cases not consulted, till the patient is declared by the soi-disant " regular physi OMMtO PATittCALLY. clans," to be dying. But woe betide us, if even under such circumstances the patient should die! One will then exclaim: "There, you see the effects of your miraculous sugarpellets," and another, " That is the result of their poisonous doses!" But if we cure a patient, who has been entirely given up by the allopathic doctors, the latter pretend that the case was not dangerous, but that the patient lost his patience and confidence in them! But when we cure inflammations, typhus, and other acute diseases, etc., they exclaim: "That was no inflammation, no typlus, etc.!" and yet we are to credit their reports of cures chronicled in their journals. I saw the lady first in the afternoon, and noted down the following symptoms:On the chest, and particularly in the course of the sternum, a constant tension and fulness, with difficult, short respiration. On taking a long breath, which she was not always able to do, immediately an exhausting, rather hollow cough with yellow expectoration of a saltish taste, worst on waking or in the evening; pauses of 2 to 3 hours during the night. In the course of 24 hours, she expectorated as much as a teacupful. In bed, she was obliged to be bolstered up by pillows, lying on the back most comfortably; on the left side, she found it im 60 CONSUMPTION TREATED possible, because the latter position increased the cough and the tightness on the chest. In the evening, increased heat and thirst till after ten, together with a desire for cold drink, and circumscribed redness of cheeks. Pulse small, soft, 110, frequent palpitation of the heart, particularly in bed in the evening, and when moving about in the room. Increased temperature of the skin; very red, but tolerably clean, moist tongue. Appetite tolerable, bowels irregular, menses once in 4 weeks, but very small in quantity. Towards morning, slight perspiration. Very evident emaciation. Had had no medicine for the last two days. Although, as far as I could learn, no psora laid at the foundation of this disease, yet I became fully convinced, that it could be cured by antipsorics only, and amongst them I chose Lycop. 30. I ordered, besides, a light nourishing diet of cocoa for breakfast, beeftea with a little yolk of the egg for dinner, or soup with sago, rice, vermicelli, pearl barley, etc. White bread. Very little meat and that underdone. For beverage, chiefly well-skimmed milk. To be kept warm. During the first four days, I noticed no change in her condition, but on the fifth some amelioration took place, manifesting itself by a diminution of violence in the HO1EOPATHICALLY, 61 morning and evening cough. I, therefore, allowed the remedy to act for a fortnight. I then repeated Lycop. every subsequent 12 to 14 days, the improvement progressing all the while. Two months from the time I had first seen her, the cough and expectoration had decreased one half, and the latter consisted merely of white, dirty, mucous sputa. The cough had lost its hollow sound, the respiration had become easier, and caused no peculiar sensations in the chest. She could lie longer on the right side, but not at all on the left. The fever had perceptibly abated, the palpitation of the heart had ceased, the sleep, interrupted but once in about 4 hours, refreshed her very much, as she declared herself. Menstruation had set in on the 31st day, but lasted only 48 hours. The sweats, however, remained obstinate, and smelt sour. I directed my attention now mainly to this last symptom, and accordingly gave Phos. acid. 9, four times during twelve days, which had so good an effect as to leave nothing of those sweats but a slight perspiration between 5 and 6 o'clock in the morning. Meantime the cough and other symptoms of the chest had grown worse again. I then administered Stannum 3, once a week, and in five weeks I had mastered those symptoms so far, that the cough became utterly silent during the day-time, and 6 HOMCEOPATHICALLY. 65 CASE 27. This is another case pronounced hopelessly incurable by allopathic physicians. A man, of thirty-four, of a decidedly phthisical habit, poorly fed, who had been frequently ill silce his eighth year, and in whom purulent phthisis pulm. had beer4 fully developed for several months, was advised to try homceopatlic treatment, as lie was failing so fast under that of the old school. When his friends gave me a description of his case, I told them that he was too far gone even for homaeopathy to save him. I yielded, lhow ever, to the solicitations of the patient, wlio had himself given up all hopes of recovery, and looked to me merely for alleviation of his sufferings I saw him first on the 22d October, 1842, and took the, following record of his case: In his eighth year he had the measles, and taking a severe cold whilst they were out upon him, it brought on an obstinate typing fever which lasted a long time, and from which he recovered very slowly. During four successive years after this, he had beer regularly attacked every spring and autumn witl laryngitis, accompanied with copious secreti.o of nitcus, and lasting each time from a week to a fortnight. In subsequent years, in the place of this laryngitis, he had had every 6* HOMGEOPATHICALLY. 67 night he has debilitating, clammy, sweats, which smell sour, and commence imlmediately after midnight. Small, quick, languid pulse, 120; constant thirst, little appetire, tongue coated white, irregularity of the bowels, and turbid, flocculenlt urine. After having regulated the diet, I gave him Lycopod. 30~~~~, anld waited a week for the result, which proved to be a decrease in the exertion of coughing without any further change. I repeated the medicine, and six days after found the'cough diminished in the morning and evening, as also an amelioration of the morbid sensations about the chest. Four days afterwards he complained chiefly of very great debility, and I, therefore, gave him within a week, twice, China 9, with a very decidedly good effect, and then returned to Lycop., once a week, which diminished both cough and expectoration, changing the character of the latter so materially, that but little of it sank to the bottom in a tumbler of water. Especially during the night, the cough would be quiet for an hour or two at a time, thus giving the patient the opportunity to sleep, which, toge:ther with a nourishing, easily-digestible diet, contributed greatly towards his gaining some strength. In a disease of this kind, especially if we are called at so advanced a stage, we may well congratulate ourselves on perceiving any, even the slightest, benefit from our re IOM(MOPATHICALLY. 71 very little smell or taste, amounts to about a teacupful in twenty-four hours.; in the morning a scraping sensation in the throat; on the chest pressure and oppression with dyspncea, and the necessity to lie bolstered up in bed. A long breath brings on the cough pulse in the morning above 90 and small, his looks improved, appetite tolerably good, little thirst, bowels generally regular, moving once a day, his strength somewhat greater. Kali carb. again, repeated every two or three weeks until the 27th November. By that time he coughed but little, either day or night, sputa thin, white mucus, rather out of proportion in quantity, compared to the severity of the cough; the pressure on the chest had so much diminished, that he could walk about without much difficulty; fever totally gone, and strength improved. Stannum 3, once a fortnight, to meet the mucous cough, in which I succeeded in about eight weeks, during which period the convalescence was progressing steadily, and shortly after the man resumed his arduous duties in the service of his country which he has uninterruptedly pursued since. Thus in the space of fourteen months I had restored to health an individual declared "by respectable practitioners in the old school to be dying of a hopelessly incurable dis, ease.-Dr. Schwartze. [I have many more cases at hand to illus CONSUMPTION TREATED trate the triumphs of homceopathic treatment in phthisis pulnonalis, which allopathic physicians had given up as incurable, but they arc so very similar in every respect to the preceding ones, that I fear to tire the reader 'by too much repetition.] The preceding recorads of lomceopathic practice demonstrate satisfactorily that homceopathy can do something against pulmnonary phthisis unless our enemies shouldo attempt to dispute FACTS. A more difficult point to be settled, is: What can homceopathy accomplish in those diseases, in comparison with allopathy? This cannot be qdetermlined till many practitioners of both schools shall have reported the favorable.and also the unfavorable results of their treatment of this disease, as I liave now tdone. If I, individually, am called upon for my opinion, I can only say that the favorable ternminations by far exceed the fatal ones in vthe ratio of three to two. As regards Case 8, which was fatal, the patient was of a phthisical diathesis, had had a tprevious attack, and was this tlime taken,with it in childbed, the case being compli'cated with a drug disease, caused by quintine; wnd when I took charge of the patient, the prognosis could not be otherwise than vcry '"nfavorablc. The fatal rcsult in this in HOMEOPATHICALLY. "73 stance, cannot be laid at the feet of homceopathy. Allopathy had been unsuccessful, and would probably have remained so, if that mode of treatment had been pursued. The hereditary pre-disposition to phthisis, the phthisical habit of the patient, and the colliquative stage of the disease, precluded the possibility of a favorable prognosis. No. 12 could not reasonably have been expected to recover. Allopathy had transferred the case to me as incurable, and therefore could have done no better than I did. The patient No. 13 at first gave me some hopes of recovery, but unexpectedly she became worse, and her removal to the Springs of Salzbrunn hastened her death. If any venerable physician in the old school can adduce sound reasoning that the patient could have been saved by allopathic treatment, let him do so for the sake of suffering humanity. In the introduction to this essay I propounded the question:" Whatcanhomoeopathy accomplish against pulmonary phthisis? and What has she already accomplished?" And now I proceed to give the following reply:" According to faithful and accurate observations, she has accomplished a great deal, and need not shrink from close comparison with her older sister, allopathy; because in nu7 HOMCEOPATHICALLY. 75 cases recorded, but of the following, which have been sufficiently tested: I. CALC. CARB. Various potences have been used, sometimes the 18th, frequently the 24th, most frequently the 30th, a few times only the 12th. The latter did injury by too powerful a primary effect. Repeated doses were given only of the 30th. With reference to an advantageous effect on sex, constitution, or age, very little has transpired, and the same is the case with regard to the aetiology ofthe disease. In some cases certain psoric eruptions have been pointed out; in others none were observed; thus, in selecting a remedy, it will be best to be guided by the totality of symptoms, rather than the fancied cause of the disease, such as psora. P The symptoms characterizing Phthisis in those cases which were cured by Calc. carb. were grouped as follows:Cough and Expcctoration. Tickling irritation to cough. Irritation to cough, seemingly produced by feather-dust; in the day-time. Mucus in the trachea, which provokes the cough. Cough dry, violent in the evening and at 76 CONSUMPTION TREATED night, so as to make all the arteries pulsate stronger. Night cough during sleep. Exhausting, dry cough with pain in the chest. Violent cough day and night. Rattling in the trachea and chest. Expectoration smells offensively, is of a brown colour and mixed with pus. Increased expectoration upon taking Calc. "VIooo Violent day cough with much expectoration and rattling on the chest. Lumpy, purulent sputa. Greenish, muco-purulent expectoration. Yellow, offensive sputa. Coughing sometimes attended with vomiting. Pains in the Chest. On taking a long breath stitches on the chest." Stitches in the side of the chest when moving about, or bending on the painful side. Pains in the chest greatly aggravated by Calc. VI. Stitches in the side of the chest when coughing. Burning in the chest. Febrile Symptoms. Constant chill with thirst. HOM(EOPATHICALLY. 81 Yellow purulent saltish sputa. Greenish expectoration. Difficulties of the Chest and Breathing. Stitches in the left side of the chest; touching the spot causes a stitch, chronic stitches in the side, pain of soreness and burning in the chest, pain under the left chest on lying on it. Cannot well lie on the back, and not at all on the sides. Hammering in the chest, soreness, pain in the side of the chest, burning, stinging. Dyspnea, oppression of the chest, ditficult breathing, oppressed breathing. Febrile Symptoms. Chills, particularly in the evening, with flashes of heat. Evening chills, dry heat in the palms of the hands more especially, flashes of heat. Circumscribed redness of the cheeks. Morning sweats. Clammy sweats, night sweats. At night, clammy sweat. Various Symptoms. Diarrhcea. Pains in the abdomen when coughing. Scrofulous constitution. Habitus phthisicus. Shaking cough with trembling of the limbs. 62 CONSUMPTION TREATED Moral Symptoms. Irritability, fretfulness, anxiety. Want of cheerfulness. IV. SEPIA. The symptoms have not been stated with sufficient accuracy in those cases where this remedy has been employed, to draw indications ab usu in morbis, still we may observe that it has changed a purulent expectoration into a mucous. Hoarseness, agitation in the chest, feeling and pain of soreness in the chest, pains in the chest on motion, oppression on the chest, and stitches in the left side of the chest on coughing and breathing, morning and evening cough with saltish sputa-the latter is tenacious and coughed up with difficulty. Night sweats, sour morning sweats. Indifference towards his family, despondency, sadness. V. STANNUM FOLIATUM. No remedy has been so frequently used in phthisis pulm. as this, nearly always in the 6th potence, a few times only in the 3d, and in most cases has it been repeated every week. The following symptoms were covered by it:Cough and Expectoration. Tickling in trachea, scratching sensations t V UNIVERSITY Oif MICHIGAN. 3 9015 02012 0625