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Į.COMPTON BURNETT, M.D.

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On Fistula
¿
AND ITS
Radical Cure by Medicines.
21
ON FISTULA
AND ITS
"
RADICAL CURE BY MEDICINES.
""
BY
66925-
J. COMPTON BURNETT, M.D.,
AUTHOR OF THE MEDICINAL TREATMENT OF DISEASES OF THE VEINS,
MORE ESPECIALLY OF VENOSITY, VARICOCELE, HEMORRHOIDS,
AND VARICOSE VEINS,' "VALVULAR DISEASE OF THE HEART
FROM A NEW STANDPOINT,"
<< GOLD AS A REMEDY IN Disease," ETC.
{"""""BES":
SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED.
"Men will not heed! Yet were I not prepared
With better refuge for them, tongue of mine
Should ne'er reveal how blank their dwelling is;
I would sit down in silence with the rest.”
BROWNING'S "PARACELSUS."
1894.
DALANDI
LONDON: JAMES EPPS & CO., LIMITED,
170 PICCADILLY, and 48 THREADNEEDLE STREET.
}
1
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1
1
PRINTED BY OLIVER AND
1
1
!
BOYD,
|
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EDINBURGH.
"
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1
PREFACE.
DURING the past fifteen years a consider-
able number of cases of diseases of the anal
and intercrural regions have been under my
professional care, notably cases of hæmor-
rhoids and varicocele; and, intercurrently
with these, not a few cases of fistula have
come under my observation. At first I did
not quite believe it possible to cure fistula
with medicines alone without any operation
or topic applications, for I had been taught
that to cure a fistula you must needs operate
upon it. So you will not find anything about
fistula in works on Medicine. I pulled down
a dozen master works at random from my
shelves,-Kafka, Grauvogl, Kissel, Guttceit,
Rademacher, and the like,-and found either
nothing at all, or passing reference to fistula
merely. Fistula belongs to the surgeons.
But I had also been taught that piles cannot
M
.རྞ·
Preface.
be cured without operation, and as I found
this teaching false and untrue (having myself
cured numbers of such cases with homoeo-
pathic treatment alone), I set about the
treatment of fistula also with medicines, and
frequently succeeded in my task, mostly with
the help of the experience of eminent
homoeopathic physicians, whose written testi-
mony any inquirer may find for himself on
reference to the literature of the homoeopathic
school. With the lapse of time my own
experience has grown, and I have found that
not only hæmorrhoids, but also fistula can be
genuinely and radically cured with medicines
alone, a knowledge of homoeopathy, a little
patience, and diagnostic skill being given.
It is unfortunate for the progress and
extension of Scientific Medicine, and by
Scientific Medicine I mean no more and no
less than Homœopathy,—it is unfortunate, I
say, that our surgeons are so clever with
their hands, for they do their work for the
most part so well, so neatly, so painlessly,
vi
:
1
....
!}
Preface.
vii
that medical men have come to rely more
and more upon the knife, to the almost total
exclusion of the more gentle, more humane,
and more rational treatment with medicines.
The medical profession at large contemn
homoeopathy, they know nothing about it.
There was a time when I also contemned it,-
I also then knew nothing about it; but now,
having studied it and practised it, my airy
contempt has given place to humble-minded
thankfulness, and I maintain that homoeo-
pathy-real scientific homoeopathy-is the
most mighty weapon against disease known
to mankind. It is in the hope that others
may share in this knowledge that I send
these pages to the press.
J. COMPTON BURNETT.
2 FINSBURY CIRCUS, E. C.,
March 1894.

&
The Radical Cure
of
Fistula by Medicines.
THERE are various kinds of
cure in practical medical life;
given a case of fistula that is treated
by applying healing remedies to the
same, it may thus be brought to
heal up.
This healing up is com-
monly designated a cure. In the
sense of curare this is, of course,
correct; but I hardly think it is so
in the true meaning of our English
word to cure. But to obviate any
misapprehension, I mean in this
little treatise by cure a radical pro-
A
2 The Radical Cure of
ļ
ceeding aimed at the constitutional
cause or root of the complaint, and
not a forcible healing up, by medi-
cines applied to the suffering part.
The word fistula means in Latin a
pipe, such as a water-pipe or wind-
pipe. In medical language it
signifies a really or assumedly pipe-
shaped canal in the living tissue,
and may occur in various regions
of the body. We are here princi-
pally concerned with fistula as it is
found near the anus-fistula in ano,
-one case only, and that a very re-
markable one, of urinary fistula being
narrated.* In common medico-
chirurgical practice, it is held and
taught that the fistular canal cannot
* In the second part, however, other cases
are now added.-AUTHOR.
Fistula by Medicines. 3
heal, either because the fistula
being internal (complete or incom-
plete)-flatus and fæcal matter con-
stantly irritate it, and thus prevent
the healing process, or else because
of the lining of the fistula itself be-
coming a secreting membrane-
pyogenic or otherwise. Hence it
is usual to slit open the fistula, and
thus turn it into a wound, which is
then cleansed and dressed with
some antiseptic or vulnerary, to the
end that the same may heal up. At
first sight this seems the
the only
rational mode of treating fistula, so
that the individual may not be
debilitated by the discharge and
local misery.
It has, however, long been con-
tended by able medical thinkers
14
4
The Radical Cure of
that the fistular process is the local
expression of a constitutional cause,
and that the true philosophical and
scientific way of treating fistula is
to remove said constitutional cause,
and then the fistula will heal of
itself with little or no local aid at all.
We will call these two theories
respectively that of the localists and
that of the constitutionalists. I
take the stand of those who hold
that fistula is most commonly a
constitutional affection, and must
therefore be treated by the physi-
cian. I go further, and maintain
that the local treatment of dyscratic
fistula is not only wrong, but irra-
tional and harmful.
In many cases
it is better to leave such a fistula
alone than cause it to heal by
Fistula by Medicines. 5
operation and antiseptic (or other)
dressings. Theories to be of any
service must be workable in practice.
The localists-the surgeons—oper-
ate upon their fistula patients, and
publish their results. I treat my
fistula patients with medicines, and
here give some results. Let these
respective results be compared. But
this comparison of results should
take into account the future life
and health-history of the patient.
On this part of the question hinges
the whole thing. I do not deny
that fistula can often be successfully
operated upon and made to close up,
but what of the future health of the
individual? There's the rub.
But whatever view may be held
of the true nature of fistula (using
6
The Radical Cure of
}
the word as commonly employed),
I shall in the following pages prove
that fistula can be radically cured
by medicines, and that is all I claim
of merit for these pages. Incident-
ally the remedies found useful are
given, so that the competent may
judge for themselves, and the in-
experienced learn how to do it if
they so elect. The key to the use of
the remedies is the law of similars;
the guide to their choice, the
patient's symptoms, subjective and
objective.
C
As before remarked, fistula in the
anal region and piles are not always
duly differentiated from one another
by the sufferers, and hence it happens
that those practitioners who see a
Fistula by Medicines.
7
good deal of one complaint are
pretty sure to see a good deal of
the other. Myself, I have had a
rather wide experience in the medi-
cinal treatment of hæmorrhoids,*
and inter-currently a certain number
of cases of fistula have passed under
my observation and professional
care, and from the experience thus
acquired, I can say that fistula in
ano may usually be completely
cured by medicines. And I think
that there can hardly be any two
opinions as to the superiority of the
cure of fistula by remedies over
its operative treatment.
I say
operative treatment, for in operative
cure I do not indeed believe; you
may slit open a fistula and cause it
See my "Diseases of the Veins."
8
The Radical Cure of
to heal up, but the fistular patient
(though well quoad the fistula as
fistula) is constitutionally precisely
where he was before. That surely
every thoughtful person, whether
patient or physician, or even surgeon,
must concede. There are, no doubt,
certain cases of fistula in which we
are obliged to have recourse to the
knife or other surgical operation,
but I am firmly convinced this need
not often be the case, indeed, hardly
ever, provided the right medicinal
treatment be begun early enough
and persevered in long enough.
Even those whose only means of
treating fistula is surgery have, never-
theless, to admit their utter and
absolute powerlessness in a very
large number of cases of this most
Fistula by Medicines.
distressing complaint, and, unfortun-
ately for the poor sufferers, the
cases in which the surgeons dare
not operate, on account of contingent
poitrinary explosions or exacerba-
tions, or because the fistula will not
heal, even though they were operated
upon, just these very cases are the
worst and most serious. In fact, in
really dyscratic cases of fistula the
surgeon's knife is of no more use
than the north wind. And, indeed,
how should it be possible for local
work to cure a constitutional ailment,
which fistula undoubtedly is nine.
times out of every ten? It is not
possible. The diathesis must be
mended and then the fistula heals,
and after certain flickerings comes.
no more; the patient gets a heal-
IO
The Radical Cure of
!
ļ
thier colour and takes on flesh,
and with it
with it come health and
strength. Of course, I do
I do not
advocate the medicinal treatment of
traumatic fistula from fish bones
imbedded in passing down athwart
the gut, lacerating it, and then the
fæces irritate, set up inflammation,
which together burrow into the
tissues, form sinuses and fistulæ ; nor
do I advocate leaving bags of scro-
fulous pus pent up; not at all, here let
surgery step in, and that promptly.
But these cases are not the most
common by any means. Nor would
I for one moment be understood to
deny that the poor person suffering
from fistula, living under unhygienic
conditions, ill-fed, and badly cared
for, I say I would not for an instant.
Fistula by Medicines.
II
be understood to say that such
patients are not much improved, and
perhaps even cured, when brought
into a nice clean hospital, well fed,
dosed with cod-liver oil and tonics,
and their fistulæ operated upon.
Common sense and actual facts
forbid. I am thinking of the clean
living, well-fed sufferers from fistula,
who still suffer notwithstanding easy
circumstances, faultless hygiene, and
every attention to their physical
well-being. These are the cases
I am familiar with, and of these I
write. I will now close in a little
upon my task, and proceed to show
the way in which anal fistula may
be medicinally treated without any
operating or local messing and pot-
tering at all, and not only medicinally
I 2
The Radical Cure of
treated, but also medicinally radically
cured. The following series of
detailed cases will also prove that
the right remedies will help where
surgery has failed, for the very best
surgical treatment fails much more
frequently than surgeons, I wot of,
are willing to confess. Not that
I impute bad faith to them, but it
takes a good deal to convince even
the most honest against their will.
I think I could hardly do better than
begin with a case of recurrent fistula,
because it seems to me that if a
complaint recur over and over
again at any given spot, there must
needs be an internal cause for such
recurrence; if not, whence does the
prefistular abscess come?
Fistula by Medicines. 13
RECURRENT CIRCUMANAL ABSCESS
AND FISTULA.
On May 22, 1882, a married
London merchant, thirty - seven
years of age, called to consult me
in regard to recurrent fistula, and
circumanal abscesses. He related to
me that eighteen months previously
he got an abscess at the seat, which
his surgeon lanced and treated, and
in the end pronounced as cured.
Cured it was, in the surgeon's
opinion; he was quite honest in
this expressed opinion, but you
might as well say that when you
have plucked the apples from your
apple trees in the autumn, you have
cured the said apple trees of apple-
bearing, for, although the surgeon
14
The Radical Cure of
.
:
:
had "cured" the abscess, he had
not cured the patient of his power
to produce more fistula-leaving
abscesses, inasmuch as the disease
had returned each subsequent spring
and fall. And this is really the
point I am contending for, viz. :—
The abscess at the seat with its
sequential fistula is not the disease
in its real essence, but only its local
expression in the anal region. Not
being satisfied with his "cure,"
patient had consulted other sur-
geons, in all three, for his anal
trouble, and all three alike lanced
and poulticed, and still it came
afresh. On examination I found
he was suffering from an incomplete
external fistula that had also just
been diagnosed by a noted specialist
-
Fistula by Medicines.
15
for diseases of the rectum who had
lately seen it, and urged the impera-
tive necessity of cutting it at
once.
Patient had a good deal of acne
on his shoulders and neck, the erup-
tion often showing white mattery
heads. He had only been vaccin-
ated once, and that as a baby. Has
had often and many little indolent
boils in the nape.
B Kali carbonicum 30.
June 12.-He is much better; the
opening of the fistula is now about
the size of a split pea.
B Psoricum 30 in very infrequent
dose.
July 16.-He is not so comfort-
able at the anus, and the fistula
seems more active.
16 The Radical Cure of
To have Thuja occidentalis 30
in very infrequent dose.
September 19.-There is great
improvement in the anal trouble, and
the skin of his neck and shoulders
and nape is much healthier and
clearer.
To have Mercurius corrosivus in
the same strength as the Kali,
Psoricum, and Thuja.
Jan. 15, 1883.-Fistula well, but
there are still blind boils in his
skin.
To have Aqua silicata, which
finished the cure.
But in the autumn of 1883
another abscess formed, when the
same kind of treatment, together
with Arctium lappa, Calcarea car-
bonica, etc., was helpful. And
Fistula by Medicines. 17
finally, in the spring of 1884, patient
paid me three visits with what
might be called the last faint flicker-
ings of his fistula disease. Since
then ten years have elapsed, and
there has been no return, and no
attempt at a return, and patient
continues otherwise in excellent
health. This I know, because he
lately brought his wife to me for
another matter relating to her health,
when I gathered the fact just nar-
rated.
From the circumstance that the
disease in this gentleman was some
little time before it was quite extin-
guished, and from the nature of the
remedies which acted best, and from
a certain number of other similar
and dissimilar cases, I am quite satis-
B
i
18
The Radical Cure of
fied that there is fistula and fistula,-
that it must, in fact, be looked upon
as a generic term for several con-
stitutional complaints of a totally
different nature, and that surgery of
all and every kind is absolutely in-
adequate to cope with these various
constitutional states grouped to-
gether under the conventional term
fistula. I think the good results.
obtained by the aid of the knife are
partly due to more attention to diet
and hygiene, and partly to the fact
that the fistulous processes them-
selves may be helped to heal up by
antiseptics and cleansing washes.
But we must ever bear in mind
that forcibly healing a fistula does
not necessarily restore the fistular
patient to health.
ŕ
Fistula by Medicines.
19
When I speak of health I do not
necessarily mean that every patient
with fistula feels ill, for such is not
the case, inasmuch as we meet with
quite a number of patients with
fistula who can hardly be said to be
subjectively ill at all, and yet we
could hardly maintain that a man or
woman with acne, blind boils, and
fistula is in good health. The reason
why they do not feel ill lies probably
in the fact that these external ex-
pressions of ill-health carry out from
the blood and internal parts the
materies morbi, and their being suc-
cessfully landed on to the outer
surface, the internal feeling of well-
being is not disturbed. Still, you
will generally notice that persons
with fistula have a more or less un-
20 The Radical Cure of
A
healthy skin, which is cheesy, greasy,
spotty, pimply, or dirty looking,
and they are also commonly anæmic.
Thus the gentleman whose case
I have just narrated, when he came
to me felt fairly well, but he looked
pasty and pale, and his flesh was
flabby; now he not only feels well,
but looks it, and I have no doubt.
whatever that his future life is now
much more safe, and I think it would
be only fair if his life insurance
company were to pay the fees he
incurred.
SIMPLE FISTULA.
The most simple form, however,
in which fistula comes before one is
where the subjects are seemingly
in good health, and in whom the
1
Fistula by Medicines.
2 I
whole thing can be cured by
medicines in two or three months.
Thus a gentleman of some forty-six
years of age, hale and hearty to all
appearance, consulted me for fistula
in ano that had plagued him for a
number of months. An operation
had been decided upon, and assented
to by the gentleman, but as he was
not exactly ill, and was, moreover,
over head and ears in big affairs, he
constantly put it off.
It never
occurred to him even that medicines
were any good in such cases; his
own surgeon said they were not, and
that was enough. The fouling dis-
charge was the only thing that
really inconvenienced him, with a
certain amount of local irritation, and
a little blood once in a way. But it
22
The Radical Cure of
did not heal, and one day he met
with a gentleman, an old friend of
his own, and whom I had cured of
severe fistula several years pre-
viously; the result was that he came
to me. Under Hydrastis cana-
densis 0 he got quite well in a little
less than two months. No local
application of any kind was used.
He was the more pleased at his
rapid cure as he was about to marry
at the time, and a fistula is not desir-
able under such circumstances.
I am in a little doubt as to the
origin of the primary morbid element
in this case. It was certainly not
constitutional to him, and I am
inclined to think it was a local affair
acquired in der wilden Ehe, and in
this particular case, no doubt, an
I
T
•
Fistula by Medicines. 23
operation with antiseptic dressings
would have cured him quite as well
as my treatment, though not so
pleasantly. Surgeons seem to think
there is a kind of Spartan virtue in
having one's fistula operated upon.
I cannot quite see it in that light
myself.
HEPATIC FISTULA.
I may not, perhaps, be justified in
designating the kind of fistula I here
refer to as hepatic, but at any rate
one meets with certain people with
fistula that have enlarged livers as
concomitants, and our common hepa-
tics readily cure them. Chelidonium
majus, Carduus Marie, Myrica
cerifera, and Berberis vulgaris (as
the case may be), cure the liver and
:
24
The Radical Cure of
at the same time the fistula. They
are simple and, probably, either not
constitutional at all, or only in a very
slight degree, and they do not readily
recur. I do not regard them as par-
ticularly important, and therefore will
not dwell
upon them. I have some-
times thought they may be due to
high living and want of exercise.
There may also be a slight strumous
taint at the bottom of them.
CIRCUMANAL ABSCESS.
This is the common origin of
fistula, and its treatment is highly
important. I so rarely use local
applications at all in any complaints
that I will pause here, and, under
the heading of circumanal abscess,
I will say that the very best plan
1
Fistula by Medicines. 25
(where the pain and distress are
very great) is to keep the gathering
constantly moistened with rags
dipped in Liquor calcis, P.B.,
changing the rags very frequently.
I shall not easily forget a gentleman
I once attended for perineal abscess,
in which the pains were extremely
severe. Troubles about the anus are,
in my experience, for the most part
distressing ones, even if only slight.
Well, this gentleman, in my judg-
ment, was ridding his organism of a
tuberculous tendency by means of
this perineal abscess, i.e., the organ-
ism was brimming over at that part
to save the lungs, so I was particu-
larly anxious not to have the abscess
interfered with, for I have noticed
that cutting open immature ab-
26 The Radical Cure of
scesses is no gain; they simply go
on "sweating" for double the time
it would have taken to heal had
the abscesses been allowed to
mature in their own way. But he
really could not bear the pain; when
I applied lime-water rags, with the
result that the pain became a mere
nothing, and patient forthwith had
a beautiful sleep. He made a
capital recovery, and fistula was
prevented. The principal remedies
used were Aconite, Silicea, Hepar,
Sulphur, Calc.
Calc. sulphurica, and
China; with one or two subse-
quently given constitutional reme-
dies, foremost being Kali carb. 30,
and Lappa major 0.
For the relief of the pain of acute
gatherings I have very great con-
Fistula by Medicines.
27
i
fidence in lime-water rags. I have
often felt very thankful to this excel-
lent practical tip that I first learned
of Dr George Wyld, of London,
and if my reading memory does not
deceive me, it was a favourite little
clinical knack of no less a man than
Theophrastus von Hohenheim, com-
monly called Paracelsus, and a
splendid friend in need it is. I
once had a case of gastritis near
Hyde Park that resisted all my
remedies, and began to look very
ugly indeed, when I applied ab-
dominal compresses, saturated with
Liquor calcis, P.B., and frequently
changed.
Patient had a good sleep within
two hours, and returned home to her
friends in the country within a week.
28
The Radical Cure of
In advocating the medicinal treat-
ment of fistula (which I should
certainly prefer to call the Fistular
Disease), I am stepping out of the
serried ranks of the profession to
some extent, and am therefore by
means medically catholic or
orthodox. Still, there are others
who have done, and do the same
thing. I mention this lest I be
understood to give out that I have
myself originated the cure of anal
fistula by medicines. This is not so.
no
PHYSICIANS WHO TREAT FISTULA
MEDICINALLY.
Before proceeding any further, I
will quote the doings and sayings
of a number of physicians more
:
Fistula by Medicines.
29
or less like-minded with myself.
Thus :-
Dr Kidd ("Laws of Thera-
peutics," p. 174) shows that whether
we profess homœopathy or not, we
require its teachings to cure Our
patients. He says:-"FISTULA IN
ANO CURED BY DILUTE Nitric acid.
Mr B., of a dark sallow complexion
(note the unhealthy skin), aged 42,
applied to me for a fistula in ano,
which had existed for nearly a year,
and which two of the best London
surgeons agreed must be operated
upon, saying it could
could not be
cured without operation. He com-
plained of soreness and burning
pain in the lower bowel; a thin
greenish discharge flowed freely
from the fistula. I (Dr Kidd) pre-
30
The Radical Cure of
¿
1:
scribed eight drops of dilute Nitric
acid in a wineglass of water three
times a day, without any local treat-
ment. This perfectly and per-
manently cured the fistula in two
months."
This use of nitric acid in fistula is
ancient history with the homoeopaths.
Hughes, "Manual of Pharmaco-
dynamics," third edition, well sums
it up by pointing out that nitric acid
manifests great power over the
muco-cutaneous outlets, "those
parts where mucous membrane is
exposed to the external air, and
where skin is so shielded and moist-
ened that it approximates to mucous
membrane." Hughes, writing still
of nitric acid, continues, "It exhibits
a singular power over the rectum
Fistula by Medicines. 31
17
i
and anus it has cured prolapsus
fistula, and even fissure."
Then Dr Kidd gives (p. 175) the
following:-" FISTULA IN ANO CURED
BY Hydrastis canadensis.-Mr L.,
aged 46, a Greek merchant, came
to me suffering from fistula in ano,
which had existed for three months.
A well-known specialist and the
family medical attendant assured
him that he could not be cured
without operation. Unwilling to sub-
mit to this he came to me.
I pre-
scribed ten drops of the tincture
of Hydrastis canadensis in water,
night and morning, also a compress
over the fistula of four drachms of
tincture of Hydrastis to four ounces
of water, applied on cotton wool,
night and day. To his great delight
32
The Radical Cure of
this perfectly cured him in a month.”
As our author gives no data or dates
we cannot judge of the cases for
ourselves, but they serve my pur-
poses for quoting them, viz., to
show that homoeopathy enables her
followers to cure fistula medicinally.
And Hydrastis (as well as Hydrastin)
is well known in the United States
as possessing power over fistula in
ano, and it is thence that we have
both the remedy and our knowledge
of it.
Hughes, in his "Manual of
Therapeutics," writes of the medi-
cinal cure of fistula as follows:-
FISTULA IN ANO you would hardly
expect to be reached by internal
remedies, and I am not confident
that it would be so cured without
(6
:
Fistula by Medicines.
33
local applications also. But with
the Calendula and Hydrastis of our
Materia Medica thus applied we
have several cases to report. There
is one by Dr Eadon in the 'Monthly
Homœopathic Review' for June
1865, in which Calcarea phosphorica,
with injections of Calendula lotion
and the steam douche, proved cura-
tive; another by Mr Clifton in the
same journal for July 1860, Causticum
with Calendula being the remedies;
and a third from America, in the
'British Journal' for October 1868,
where Nux and Sulphur were given
with injections of Hydrastin." But
I am myself more than suspicious of
the genuineness and the far-reaching-
ness of the cures by local applica-
tions. I do not mean that the cures
с
34 The Radical Cure of
1.
reported are not genuine, but that
the constitutional crasis underlying
the fistular state can hardly be really
cured by local remedies, for I do
not believe that fistula is very often
local in its nature, though it may be
expressed in the anal region and
nowhere else. The following from
my own practice comes nearer my
idea of a real cure :—
CASE OF FISTULA CURED BY
MEDICINES.
A stout, middle-aged merchant
came to me on April 20, 1887, for
fistula in ano. His local medical
man had got the fistula to heal by
local and topic measures, but the
uneasiness of the anal region was
even greater than before. Patient
Fistula by Medicines. 35
had for long been subject to boils,
but had had no complaints, except
measles and scarlatina in his child-
hood. From the fact that he had
a good deal of pustular acne on
certain parts of the body, and also
taking into account the fact that he
had been twice vaccinated, I thought
it likely that vaccinosis lay at the
root of the disease expressed at the
anus.
The first remedy, given was
Thuja occidentalis 30, which was
followed by a small lump at the
part where the fistula had healed
up really cured it evidently was
not. And there was another ab-
scess just beginning. I then gave
him Bellis perennis 1, five drops in
water night and morning, and he
36
The Radical Cure of
thereafter had Hepar sulphuris `3*,
Silicea 6th trituration, and Kali
carbonic. 30, and was then dis-
charged perfectly cured. All the
sclerosed circumanal tissue had
become quite healthy, and his old
eczema had also disappeared.
And I would remark that the
consentaneous disappearance of the
eczema stamps the cure as like the
disease, i.e., general and constitu-
tional. And this is essentially im-
portant, for I much doubt whether
the forcible healing up of fistula
even by Calendula and Hydrastis or
Hydrastin, or douches, is an unmixed
advantage, unless the general state
be simultaneously righted. For
will any one, on reflection, seriously
tell me that fistula is even con-
}
Fistula by Medicines. 37
ceivable in a truly healthy individual?
Big, stout men do, indeed, get
fistula, but are they truly healthy?
I think not.
In "L'Hahnemannisme for
October 1872, Dr Léon Simon
reports as follows:-
>>
FISTULA IN ANO.
Sylphium as injection, and
charpie impregnated
impregnated therewith,
locally applied; internally, Sulphur
30, Graphites 30, Silicea 30 and
200, each remedy given successively
for eight consecutive days, resulted
in a cure in a few months. To
this I would say: Why the Syl-
phium? It probably did no radical
good, and yet serves to vitiate one's
therapeutic conclusions. However,
38
The Radical Cure of
it is pleasing to note that our Gallic
colleagues cure fistula with medi-
cines, and do not hack the poor
sufferers about.
....
The more one's mind dwells
upon the subject of fistula the less
justifiable, nay, how utterly unsound
does its surgical treatment appear.
I used to have some valued friends
among the surgeons, but I have
long since offended them all with
my outspokenness in regard to the
comparatively humble hand-worker's
sphere to which I would relegate
what they are pleased to call the
science of surgery." I lost all
my allopathic friends when I threw
in my lot with the peculiar thera-
peutic people called homoeopaths,
and have learned to do without them
<<
Fistula by Medicines. 39
in my strong consciousness of right.
Now I am beginning to learn to do
without my chirurgical friends just
because I can do without them, and
so they cease to love me as of
yore.
Well, well, the pretty elastic liga-
ture of my friends for fistula in ano
is no more a cure for the fistular
disease than is a catheter for the
sclerosed state of the urethra, which
we commonly call stricture.
Berberis vulgaris, a remedy very
like Hydrastis canadensis, has also
cured fistula. Dr Schüssler, of
Oldenburg, before he hatched his
new duodecimal therapeusis, once
wrote: "Ich habe Mastdarmfistel
mehrere Mal durch Berberis ge-
heilt," but I suppose the tissue
40 The Radical Cure of
I
remedies have rendered Berberis
obsolete, if not inoperative, at least
at Oldenburg.
I find a note on a fly-leaf of a
book in my own handwriting, to the
effect that Dr Adams cured fistula
with Berberis 30.
Even old school surgeons are
compelled to admit the amenability
of fistula to medicinal and general
treatment, though they make the
admission rather shamefacedly, and
as if yielding to vulgar prejudice.
Thus the Messrs Allingham, in
Diagnosis and Treatment of
Diseases of the Rectum" (a sound
practical work from the merely
mechanical standpoint), mention the
subject of "Cases cured by Treat-
(6
Fistula by Medicines.
4I
ment" with a contempt that I hardly
think they can really feel. To speak
of those who object to having their
flesh cut about for fistula as
"wonderfully cowardly" is arrant
nonsense. People with fistula are
not well, else they would not have
fistula, and my own idea is that
having one's self cut for fistula is not
a sign of courage, and still less of
intelligence.
And I say this notwithstanding
the dicta of all the great surgeons,
special and general, including my
very distinguished friend Prof. Tod
Helmuth, of New York. I tell them
all that surgery is not needed as a
rule for fistula, and even where
it is unavoidable it is no cure. Of
course, here and there a complete
42
The Radical Cure of
fistula with an opening which allows
of the passage of feculent matter
at frequent intervals; in such a case,
naturally, the operation becomes
unavoidable, but how often is that
the case? Not at all often.
Allingham says (p. 19):-"When
the fistula is complete wind may
pass through it, and also fæces if the
bowels are relaxed; as a rule, how-
ever, this symptom does not occur,
in consequence of the smallness of
the internal aperture, its situation, or
its valvular form. It follows that,
though the passage of wind is a
certain indication of a complete
fistula, the absence of this symptom
should not induce the belief that
there is no internal opening."
Myself I think the reason why
Fistula by Medicines.
43
there is not usually any fæcal dis-
charge through a complete fistula,
lies in the fact that the defecatory act
twists and bends the fistular canal,
and so occludes it more or less com-
pletely for the time being. Prof.
Tod Helmuth("System of Surgery,
P. 779) thus treats of fistula from
the standpoint of the physician :—
}}
(( MEDICAL TREATMENT.
"When the inflammation is ery-
sipelatous and spreads rapidly, Bell.
or Rhus may be prescribed. Silic.
is a very important medicine, not
only in the commencement of the
affection, but also when the fistula is
fully established. In the former
case, if the abscess has not dis-
charged, and the cellular membrane
44
The Radical Cure of
is found in a sloughy state, a free
incision should be made to permit
the escape of the purulent secretion.
If healthy action does not display
itself, Ars. and China must be pre-
scribed.
"Merc., Sulph., Silic., Hepar, or
Calc. carb. must be exhibited if
incarnation proceed imperfectly. If
the constitution of the patient is
impaired before operation is thought
of, appropriate medicines must be
administered to eradicate any dis-
ease that may be present.
In cases
where the fistula has not been sub-
jected to homoeopathic treatment
from the commencement, Merc. or
Silic. may be given. Hepar may be
required after Merc. when the
fistula is extensive, and Phosph.
1
Fistula by Medicines. 45
:
after Silic. where there is complica-
tion with disease of the lungs. When
the digestive apparatus is impaired,
Calc., Nux., Merc., and Silic. will
prove valuable medicines.
"Caust. is very important in cases
of long standing, and in alternation
with Silic. I have known a fistula
in ano to be healed for a time."
S
"Dr Eggert, of Indianapolis, and
Dr Grasmuck, of Kansas, both
report cases of fistula cured by in-
ternal medication, the latter gentle-
man using Æsculus cerate in con-
nexion with Nux vomica and
Sulphur. My friend, Dr Scriven,
of Dublin, also related to me a
successfully treated case."
Then Dr Helmuth decides against
the adequacy of remedies, and says
46
The Radical Cure of
surgical means must be resorted to as
a general rule. On this point I very
much question his power to speak
with authority, for the very reason
that he is such a splendid surgeon.
I well remember, some nine or ten
years ago, Prof. Helmuth honouring
me with a visit here, and showing
me the then little-known elastic
ligature of Dittel, and so infectious
was his enthusiasm for the thing
that I really thought for a time that
medicines were nowhere. But some
experience and mature reflection.
teach me that fistula cannot be really
cured by any mechanical means
whatsoever. Still, certain cases do
need surgical aid, and then I cordially
join Prof. Helmuth in his praise of
the elastic ligature of Dittel.
I say
I
Fistula by Medicines. 47
medicines first, and afterwards
surgery if, unhappily, need be.
There is a good practical work by
Prof. J. S. Gilchrist ("Surgical
Diseases and their Homœopathic
Therapeutics," Chicago, 1880, third
edition), from which I cull the
following practical cases, placed.
under the heads of the remedies
used:
"Aloes. A case is reported cured
by Dr Boyd (Med. Invest.,' vol. vi.
p. 122), complicated with piles, in
which the fistula was found cured
when the piles had disappeared.
"Berberis vulgaris.-This remedy
I have already referred to as curative
of a certain kind of fistula. Dr
Adams (N. Y. State Socy. Trans.,'
1868, p. 378) gives a case cured
48
The Radical Cure of
with the following symptoms:-
Great soreness and pain throughout
the entire back, from the sacrum to
the shoulders, greatly increased from
exercise. The fistula would close
up, and inflammation and suppura-
tion follow. Acrid leucorrhoeal dis-
charge very prostrating.
'Lachesis.—A case was cured in
which, with other symptoms of the
remedy, there was a full feeling of
the rectum, and a sensation of 'little
hammers beating' (Eggert, 'Med.
Invest.,' vol. vi. p. 143).
Thuja.-Eggert also reports a
case cured (with Thuja occidentalis),
in which the condylomatous con-
dition was present.
((
"Arsenic.-Dr Mera (N. Y.
Trans.,' 1871, p. 617) cured with Ar-
migh
Fistula by Medicines.
49
:
senicum a case of fistula of ten
years' standing, in which the symp-
toms were great despondency,
chills running up and down the
back, relief from heat, large purple
swelling in the right gluteal region."
Causticum.-Gilchrist himself re-
ports one case of fistula of one
year's standing in an old man, very
corpulent, the discharge being acrid,
and accompanied with intense pruri-
tus ani. The cure was speedy and
radical.
Eggert's Thuja case is rather
better reported by Hoyle (“Clinical
Therapeutics," vol. ii.), or rather
Hoyle mentions two cases of fistula
of the anus as having been cured by
Eggert. Thus :—
D
50
The Radical Cure of
+
CASE 406. Two cases of blind
external fistula with the symptoms
-at the verge of the anus cauli-
flower excrescence of the size of a
quarter of a dollar, and offensive
perspiration around the parts
affected. Thuja 200, two doses,
cured in ten weeks. Thus put, we
understand the case better.
Eggert's Lachesis case also re-
quires a little more elucidation than
Gilchrist vouchsafes, viz., that the
case was one of a lady at the climac-
teric. Put into the ordinary lan-
guage of every-day clinical work,
the Thuja case was prescribed for
on Hahnemann's recommendation
as an anti-sycotic; the Lachesis,
because of the climacteric symp-
toms. Both successful cases, and
:
¡
Fistula by Medicines.
both treated according to the doc-
trines of Hahnemann in the Cothen
phase of homœopathy.
The Aloes case was cured. The
known effects of Aloes in hæmor-
rhoids lead to its being prescribed.
That is quite intelligible.
The indication in the Berberis
case was evidently the yellow leu-
corrhoeal discharge. In fact, prim-
arily, from the time-old signatura
rerum naturalium. And the like
may be said of Thuja in sycosis.
Schüssler's use of Berberis in
fistula I have already mentioned.
4
51
In Rückert's "Klinische Erfahr-
ungen" I find Silicea* takes a very
high rank.
* Silicea was a favourite remedy with
Hahnemann himself for fistula.
52
The Radical Cure of
1. A boy, two years and a half
old, was to have been operated on
for fistula, but two doses of Silicea
cured it within three weeks.-Alt-
müller.
!
2. A tender-skinned, fair-haired
young man, in whom scabies had
been twice got rid of with oint-
ments, and who had been twice rid
of gonorrhoea by injections, got an
abscess in the perinæum, near the
anus, that had been opened surgi-
cally, but this would not heal up.
The consequence was a fistula of
the anus, accompanied with de-
bility, emaciation, cough, and fever.
Large doses of China were given
him in vain. His general condition
was much ameliorated by Sulphur,
and in about a week there was a
1
1
Fistula by Medicines. 53
tickling sensation at the aperture of
the fistula, with an increased dis-
charge of pure pus. Sulphur was re-
peated every sixth day. Afterwards
three doses of Silicea, whereupon
the fistula was completely cured.
within three weeks from the time
of its being first administered.
Here again we have the causal
treatment in the first place—the
prime antipsoric for psora.
Rückert then mentions, at second
hand, six cases of fistula in ano
cured by Yeldham, and reported in
the "British Journal of Homœo-
pathy," but the remedies are not
given.
In the "Transactions of the
Homœopathic Medical Society of
54
The Radical Cure of
the State of New York," vol. ix.,
1871, Dr Alfred K. Hills makes
(inter alia) the following remarks,
to which I partially subscribe :-
"Hamamelis in Fistula.-A cer-
tain physician, in prescribing for a
patient, remarked that it was strange
he could not hit the case, for rarely
a patient came to him the third
time without some relief. After
racking his brain for a moment,
he says, 'This case must be one of
disease of the intestinal canal, so I
will give nitrate of silver.' It is
evident that the prescription was
made upon a supposed pathological
condition alone, and not upon the
totality of the symptoms.
of our journals is reported a case of
fistula in ano. It is stated that the
In one
Fistula by Medicines. 55
case was treated by a physician pre-
judiced in favour of high potencies,
who failed to ascertain the patho-
logical condition, and there was no
improvement under his treatment.
The writer says that when the case
came into his hands, an examina-
tion revealed what he expected, viz.,
fistula. Hamamelis I was pre-
scribed, and shortly the case was
cured. Now, what do we gain by
the statement that Hamamelis is
good for fistula in ano? And shall
we prescribe it for every such patho-
logical condition? I cannot see that
we add in the slightest degree to
our knowledge of therapeutics by
such generalizations, and if we ex-
pect Hamamelis to cure every case
of fistula in ano we shall be sadly
56 The Radical Cure of
li:
disappointed. A patient presents
himself to us suffering from head-
ache, and states that it is made
much worse from motion; now,
when we hear this key-note, we
must not feel satisfied that Bryonia
is the remedy from this characteristic
symptom, for whoever prescribes
upon one subjective symptom will
find himself as much mistaken,
many times, as the man who pre-
scribes upon one objective symptom,
or the morbid anatomy and patho-
logical show alone, regardless of the
others, instead of the totality of the
symptoms.
(C
Bryonia will not cure every case
of disease aggravated by motion,
for other remedies have the same.
symptoms (Belladonna, Nux vomica,
Fistula by Medicines. 57
Sanguinaria), neither will Hama-
melis cure every case of fistula in
ano, for there are a number of
remedies possessing marked symp-
toms in this direction."
What Dr Hills here says is what
I am trying to say throughout this
little treatise, viz., that there is
fistula and fistula, and what will
cure one will not cure another.
The real reason, however, why
(for instance) Hamamelis will not
cure every case of fistula in ano, is
not "because there are a number of
remedies possessing marked symp-
toms in this direction," but because
the fistular state or disease is
not qualitatively (ætiologically and
pathologically) the same in all per-
sons having fistula. Hamamelis
58
The Radical Cure of
11
will cure the Hamamelis-like fistular
complaint, because like cures like,
and when the fistular state of an
individual is Silicea-like, of course
Hamamelis is no good, but Silicea
is the remedy, and also conversely.
But Hamamelis would also not cure.
all cases of fistula, even though we
had no other remedy whatever
"possessing marked symptoms in
this direction." Homœopathicity
to the case to be cured is the
pharmacological desideratum here
as elsewhere.
Moreover, there is another point
to which I would direct attention.
Dr Hills says, "The writer says
that when the case came into his
hands, an
an examination revealed
what he expected, viz., fistula.
Fistula by Medicines. 59
"
Hamamelis 1 was prescribed, and
shortly the case was cured. Now,
what do we gain by the statement
that Hamamelis is good for fistula
in ano? And shall we prescribe it
for every such pathological condi-
tion? I cannot see that we add in
the slightest degree to our know-
ledge of therapeutics by such
generalizations, and if we expect
Hamamelis to cure every case of
fistula in ano, we shall be sadly
disappointed."
Now, I think we gain a great
deal when we know that, for in-
stance, Hamamelis can cure fistula
in ano. In the first place, we gain
the positive knowledge that, at
least sometimes, fistula in ano can
be cured by medicines. We gain
60
The Radical Cure of
thus a direct proof of the truth of the
general proposition as to the medi-
cinal curability of fistula. Is that
nothing? Let those who suffer
from fistula decide. And further-
more, we gain the very important
information that Hamamelis must
stand in the list of our medicines
for fistula. This must necessarily
be always our first point de départ
in all drug therapeutics. What Dr
Hills should say is this: We want
to know not only that Hamamelis
will cure fistula, but we also must
know what constitutes the special
indications for its use, so that we
may know when to use it. I enter
into the point because this kind of
seemingly sapient, yet really shallow
criticism is often levelled against
Fistula by Medicines. 61
:
published cases of cure.
We must,
of course, aim at the bull's-eye of
fine pharmic differentiations, but if
we do not begin to shoot till we
can certainly hit the bull's-eye, we
shall never hit the therapeutic bull's-
eye at all.
Your superfine critic is commonly
very sterile himself. I fancy I
once read in a copy-book, Pour
BIEN parler, il faut commencer par
MAL parler.
Solanum nigrum is recommended
as a local application "in most
fistulas." This quality it no doubt
has in common with so many of the
other solanaceous plants.
Aurum in Fistulas.-Just ten
years ago I published a small
volume on the general use of this
62
The Radical Cure cf
1.
great remedy, entitled "Gold as a
Remedy in Disease, etc." (pp. 106,
107). Pliny already speaks of it
(qy. in ano?).
Case of Fistula in Ano.-Young
man, twenty-one years of age,
bilioso-sanguine temperament. For
five months fistula in ano, excres-
cences on scrotum (eight months
after primary symptoms). Cured
with five grains of the perchloride
of Gold; all the symptoms had
disappeared with the third grain
(Clinique of M. Lallemand, in
Legrand, p. 188).
Another.-Young man of bilious
temperament, twenty-six years old,
of strong constitution, had chancres,
fistula in ano, for five months. He
was cured with five grains of the
Fistula by Medicines.
63
perchloride of Gold. In that kind
of anal fistula for which Kali carb.
is such a classic remedy, Aurum
does not suggest itself to my mind,
but rather in that dependent upon
a specific taint, and notably after
Mercurius.
Prof. E. M. Hale ("Homœo-
pathic Materia Medica of the New
Remedies," 1867) mentions Collin-
sonia, Hydrastis, and Sanguinaria
as probable remedies in fistula of
the anus.
Of Phytolacca decandra Hale
says: "Dr Paine (eclectic), after
asserting that the Phytolacca will
cause 'burning in the stomach,
tenderness of the bowels, heat in
the rectum, tenesmus, and bloody
discharges, dysentery and hæmor-
+
K
64
The Radical Cure of
!
rhoids,' gives his experience in
its use.
'I have treated a large
number of cases of ulceration of
the rectum with remarkable success.
A physician of note who had treated
himself, and had been treated by
others with all the ordinary remedies
for what was called a cancerous
affection of the rectum, applied to
me some two years since, and I
placed him upon one-half grain
doses of Phytolaccin every two or
three hours, together with a nutri-
tious diet . . . . . and an enema of
warm water every day. This treat-
ment was continued for two or
three months, and resulted in a
complete cure.'
رود
Fissure, prolapsus recti, and piles
have also been cured by Phyto. dec.
Fistula by Medicines. 65
Prof. Hale compares it to Nitric
acid and Mercurius, and probably
few men know more of drug action
than does Hale.
CASE OF FISTULA IN ANO.
On May 17, 1889, an unmarried
city gentleman, thirty years of age,
came under my observation for
fistula in ano. Four or five years
previously he had an abscess on
the edge of the anus. It burst
and healed. Fourteen months ago
another one in the same spot. It
burst with the aid of poulticings,
and healed up (?), but some mois-
ture and blood ooze therefrom ever
since. Patient is dusky and deli-
cate looking. On examination, I
found a small opening to an incom-
E
66
The Radical Cure of
J
plete fistula.
He also complained
of "liverishness" and indiges-
tion.
R Tc. Pyrogenium 5, five drops
in water night and morning.
May 31.-"I am much better."
How do you know?
"Because the sweating at my
seat that I had had so many years
has gone." Complains that in
warm weather he is apt to get dry
eczema of the hands. Since taking
the Pyrogenium his skin has
assumed a cleaner aspect.
Thuja 30 in infrequent dose.
June 29.-Discharged thick mat-
ter and blood soon after begin-
ning with the powders. The fistula
still discharges, and there is a good
deal of sclerosed tissue at its bottom
Fistula by Medicines.
67
*
and around it. Patient is dusky
and drowsy.
R Nux vomica 1, five drops in
water night and morning.
August 7.-Perfectly well of the
fistula, and of the circumjacent
telar sclerosis. Just before the
fistula began to heal up definitely,
a small calculus-hard and sharp,
size of a pea-was passed from it
with much pain, or rather it pained
very much, and on feeling the part
he discovered the calculous forma-
tion and removed it, and brought
it to me.
CASE OF POITRINARY FISTULA.
This designation of fistula in con-
nexion with chest symptoms seems
68
The Radical Cure of
to me convenient, and I accordingly
coin it.
A city gentleman, single, thirty-
five years of age, came to me on
March 4, 1889, for fistula in ano and
a weak chest. He informed me
that he had had much expectoration.
of phlegm all his life, but for the
past two years the same had become
bloody. For a number of years,
under homœopathic treatment with
benefit, he had maintained his
ground, and even gained a little in
strength and bulk. Present weight
ten stone. I found his throat
studded with tubercles, his lungs
very flat, vocal resonance much
increased at both apices, and all
down the left side of the thorax;
he is very short-winded, coughs and
*
Fistula by Medicines.
69
expectorates almost incessantly;
his skin is dingy, dusky, and
greasy; the glands of his neck
hard, though small; the phlegm is
thick, yellow-green. For the past
two years has been suffering from
fistula. Under my treatment the
old fistula dried up, but then (Ap.
9) a new one formed on the other
side. Previously he had been
twice cut for fistula. This needless
torture I was able to spare him.
April 29.-" Perineal abscess
reopened, burst, discharged very
freely, and has now all healed."
May 13.-Fistula quite well.
August 9.- Fistula continues
well. Patient himself much better
and stronger, and remains under
treatment for his throat and chest.
70
The Radical Cure of
Patient received some nosodes-
Thuja 30, Hydrastis can. 0, Nux
vomica 1, and Dulcamara 0.
X
'
!
I have myself not met with many
cases of fistula in the very young,
but here is one— ¦
FISTULA IN AN INFANT.
On June 23, 1879, a country
gentleman brought his little six-
year old son to me for fistula in
ano. At its birth the nurse dis-
covered a lump at the seat. A
little time afterwards this gathered
and burst like a boil, and had con-
tinued ever since to gather and
burst at intervals. The right eye
had no lashes; he had severe
Al
Fistula by Medicines. 71
ophthalmia tarsi of the same eye-
also ever since he was born.
An examination of the anal
region showed a fistula external
and incomplete, and numerous
scars where others had healed.
The right nostril was also chronic-
ally inflamed. If he gets a thorn
or splinter in his flesh it festers, as
does equally the tiniest scratch or
prick. A connexion between eye
and fistula is noticed, for when
the eye is very bad the anus gets
better, and conversely.
B Tc. Phos. 30, three drops in
water night and morning.
July 24.-The eyelashes are
beginning to grow.
R Tc. Kali carb. 30.
October 20.-Fistula cured. His
72
The Radical Cure of
nose bothers him a good deal,
becoming very much inflamed.
There is considerable mattery dis-
charge from the
eye.
B Aurum foliatum, 3 trituration,
four grains dry on the tongue twice
a day.
January 15, 1880.--Fistula con-
tinues well; nose well; eye better,
lashes perceptibly growing.
Repeat the Aurum foliatum, but
in the fourth centesimal trituration,
four grains at bedtime only.
July 25, 1881.-Fistula and nose
continue well; there is now quite a
show of eyelashes; still some oph-
thalmia tarsi, however. Around
the meatus of the left ear there is
some eczema.
R Psorin. 30 in infrequent dose,
Fistula by Medicines. 73
and thereafter Thuja occidentalis 30
in like manner.
Discharged quite cured.
Four years later he was again
brought, but this time for enlarged
tonsils, which our ordinary remedies
slowly (not rapidly) cured, and then
he was reported well, and I again
ascertained that he was well in all
respects in February 1894.
It is not often that one meets
with fistula in the very young.
The eye, nose, and anal troubles all
yielded to remedies administered
internally, and the permanency
thereof proved by nearly fifteen
years' subsequent observation.
I suppose the "proper" treat-
ment of this case would have been
74
The Radical Cure of
[
Ist, An operation for the fistula by
a specialist for the anal affection.
2ndly, The eye must have been
treated by an oculist, who would
have used his greases and his
washes, and the
the never lacking
Nitras argenti.
3rdly, The eczema must have
been treated by a skin-doctor also,
without any doubt, with an oint-
ment.
4thly, The nose must have speci-
ally needed the services of a rhino-
logist.
5thly, The enlarged tonsils would
have afforded an opportunity for
the exercise of the special skill of a
throat specialist, who would have
whipped off the tonsils by an opera-
tion never before invented.
:
1
Fistula by Medicines.
75
And, finally, as the good lad was
nervous, and twitched once or twice
a moon, no doubt his prepuce would
have been ablated or slit open.
Quite lately a noble peer told me
gleefully that he had just had his
son circumcised, and also had had
his tonsils removed, and I fear his
Lordship thought me rude when I
replied that the Creator must have
bungled a good deal, else why these
needless tonsils and superfluous
prepuces?
It is satisfactory to note that
some of the greater physicians are
beginning to see the true effects of
specialism.
Thus, I lately read an account of
the Eighth Medical Congress at
Wiesbaden, and in it the following
76
The Radical Cure of
report summarized from the “Ber-
liner klin. Wochenschrift," Nos. 18
and 19, 1889:-
"Herr Petersen (Copenhagen)
read an important paper 'On the
Hippocratic Method of Treatment,'
or, in other words, 'On Hippo-
cratism.' Although this mode of
treatment seemed overdrawn in
many respects, many of its prin-
ciples were still deserving of recog-
nition. Hippocrates' designation of
fever as instrumentum felicissimum
was now seen to be worthy of praise.
With Hippocrates the whole man
was ill, not one particular organ
only; hence specialism was excluded.
An extremely individual treatment
was adopted, each case being treated
on its own (de)merits. The first
Fistula by Medicines.
77
aim of treatment was not scientific,
but sanative, and the chief means
were dietetic. The physician was
a 'healing artist,' who became such
only by unwearied diligence and
powerful talent, especially the gift
of observation. The whole cultiva-
tion was mainly clinical. The
French had become more anatomi-
cal, while the English remained true
Hippocratism.' In Germany,
medicine, as directed by Traube,
Rokitansky, and Virchow, had
departed from Hippocratism; but
since then, under the influence of
Frerichs and Leyden, seemed in-
clined to return to it. Modern
medicine must return to the ancient
path, or it would be destroyed by
specialism."
to
<
78
The Radical Cure of
PILES, PERINEAL ABSCESSES, AND
FISTULA.
{
One certainly meets with a goodly
number of cases of fistula in portly
men about forty years of age. Such
a one, a dark gentleman, forty-
one years of age, came under my
observation on November 26, 1887,
complaining of his liver and perineal
abscess, and also hæmorrhoids.
Patient suffered also from pains in
the stomach, coming on in the
early morning about six or seven
o'clock. Both liver and spleen were
swelled; tongue and fingers gouty;
slight eczema of anal region;
and there was much depression
of spirits, attributed to business
worries.
:
#
!
Fistula by Medicines. 79
B Nux vomica 1, five drops in
water night and morning.
February 4, 1888.-Much better
in almost all respects; only had the
stomachic pains once lately. Com-
plains of anal irritation on getting
warm in bed at night. Sleeps
badly; has much business worry,
and is in consequence depressed;
weight on the top of the head.
B Sulphur 30.
J
May 5-Not very materially
improved; has indigestion, anal
irritation, insomnia, depression of
spirits, some uncomfortable feelings
about the heart, and he has grown
very stout of late.
B Tc. Vanad. ammon. 12.
Feb. 16, 1889.-Has had another
perineal abscess, and there is now
80 The Radical Cure of
an incomplete external fistula with
much mattery discharge.
Two months of Phytolaccin 3*,
six grains at bedtime, cured him of
the fistula, and he was otherwise
so far well that he did not want any
further treatment.
SYMPATHETIC RELATIONS BETWEEN
THE ANUS AND THE HEAD.
One very frequently observes an
intimate sympathy between the
anal region and the head. Let me
relate a case in point. A gentle-
man of sixty was under my care for
hæmorrhoids and nocturnal pruritus
ani that at times was maddening,
and which had worried him for
many years, and for the cure of
which an almost endless array of
Fistula by Medicines. 81
local applications had been used in
vain. He used to have attacks
of giddiness and faintings, and he
also had a small lipoma in the poll.
What distressed him most was the
pruritus ani, due, he thought, to
thread worms. My treatment cured
his giddiness, but the anal itchings
grew rather worse than better. I
will here interpolate the remark
that whisky often causes itchings at
the seat at night, and then the cure
consists in leaving off the whisky.
But this gentleman did not take
whisky, being a teetotaller for many
years.
The only time in his life he had
ever obtained a respite from his
pruritus was from the cure at Kis-
singen, so to Kissingen he would
F
82 The Radical Cure of
go, though I tried to dissuade him
from it.
The Kissingen cure was effectual,
for he returned without the pruritus
ani. However, not very long after
his return from Kissingen, cured of
the pruritus, he had a "fit," con-
sisting in a long fainting attack,
evidently cephalic, and he became
very giddy and habitually unsteady
in his gait, so that he was afraid to
go about. Moreover, he then got
partial ptosis, notably of the left side.
In this state he returned under my
care. Zincum aceticum put his
head quite right, and he feels now
perfectly well and sure of gait, and
free from faintings, and the ptosis is
better, but the nightly itchings at
the anus have returned. For these
Fistula by Medicines.
83
and for the lump in the neck
(which, however, is decreased) he
remains under my treatment.
I
should say that patient carries on
an enormous business, and often sits
up
half the night intensely occupied
with intricate calculations, while on
Sunday he takes a complete rest in
the form of preaching and Sunday-
school teaching. He is a grand
man, but whether the Master's work.
at this time of day, needs such a
sacrifice may be questioned. My
own opinion is that a labourer is
worthy of his rest.
But my point here is the sym-
pathy between the anal region and
the head.
By the way, for a fagged brain
Zincum aceticum 1, five drops in
84
The Radical Cure of
water night and morning, is indeed
mighty for good (see Rademacher's
experiment in Erfahrungsheil-
lehre").
(6
PROLAPSUS AND THREATENED
FISTULA.
A gentleman consulted me last
summer in a very agitated frame of
mind for fistula. An examination
of the parts disclosed slight rectal
prolapse, and a certain amount of
inflammation of the projecting folds
of the mucous membrane lining the
rectum, in which the hæmorrhoidal
vessels were very prominent. He
had been operated on for fistula,
and also for piles and prolapse; but
notwithstanding all this beauti-
ful rectal surgery, the unfortunate
Fistula by Medicines.
85
patient is never comfortable at the
seat, nor do I think he ever will be,
as the anal region is puckered with
the crookedly healed tissue, and a
blind funnel has been produced
more than half an inch deep; this
funnel is lined with common integu-
ment, and would otherwise be an
incomplete fistula. There was blood
at the anus almost every day. His
nerves had received a grave shock
from the operations, for notwith-
standing the ten years that had
elapsed since they were per-
formed he still suffers from the
effects. I have often been struck
with the grave head symptoms that
occur at the same time as rectal
troubles, and these former are made
much worse by all surgical inter-
86 The Radical Cure of
ference. Thus this gentleman lives
in a constant state of daze and
fright lest a further operation should
be needful for piles, prolapse, or
fistula; his so-called nervous head-
aches are at times so bad that he
thinks he will go out of his mind.
The very mention of the words
"fistula" or prolapse quite horrifies
him.
A close examination showed so
little to account for his state, that I
was led to conclude that his very
numerous vaccinations might have
caused his trouble: he had been
vaccinated five times.
Remedies greatly improved his
condition, and so far that there was
no further fear of fistula: Thuja
was the principal remedy; infre-
Fistula by Medicines.
87
quent doses of the thirtieth dilution
administered during two months.
He is not comfortable at the seat,
nor do I think he ever will be,-a
fact due, I think, to the bungling
way in which he had been operated
on. I see evidences of bungling
after operations in this region so
very seldom that I am constrained
to admit this much in common
fairness to the surgeons.
That
they believe in the operations I do
not doubt; that they do their work
well I can testify; but that their
views are erroneous and their prac-
tice bad I am certain.
TUBERCULOUS FISTULA BY INFECTION.
A certain number of cases of anal
fistula in middle-aged, highly-nour-
88
The Radical Cure of
ished men have come under my
observation, and I have been struck
with the fact that their wives had
either died of, or were suffering
from, consumption. Four such
cases in one year have I observed,
and I have been constrained to ask
myself the question, whether these
cases do not represent a class by
themselves? The frequent coin-
cidence deserves at least some
attention. I would not be too hasty
in generalizing, but any one who
sees much of fistula may, I think,
readily verify the fact for themselves.
I imagine that the fistula represents,
in such cases, an infection from a
consumptive wife communicated to
the husband in the intimate rela-
tions of married life. I commend
Fistula by Medicines.
89
the subject to the consideration of
my colleagues. I imagine, further,
that the infected husbands, had
they been prone to phthisis of the
tuberculous variety, would in all
probability have developed genuine
consumption, but not being so
prone, they simply maintain a tuber-
culous sore-the fistula in ano-
much as one observes obstinate
tuberculous sores on parts exposed
to mechanical infection from cuts and
the like, as, for instance, on the hands,
whereof numerous
numerous cases are on
record in general medical literature.
I take it that the infection is truly
tuberculous in the bacillary sense, but
the soil is not fit: the constitutional
power is too great to allow of the
development of general tuberculosis.
90
The Radical Cure of
That this kind of locally limited
tuberculous infection does actually
exist, I am satisfied. One sees
this also exemplified at rare inter-
vals in syphilis. In certain very
obstinate cases of Hunterian
chancres that become very unusually
penetrating, with a distinct resist-
ance to specific treatment that is
otherwise usually successful, and
that promptly, I have of late been
led to assume the existence of a
tuberculous mother soil, and have
treated the two pathological states.
simultaneously, and-at any rate
they begin forthwith to mend! I
will relate a very instructive case in
point.
!
Fistula by Medicines. 91
URINARY FISTULA A REMARKABLE
CASE.
Some seven years since, a London
professional man came under my
observation for an ordinary gonor-
rhoea. He is otherwise a good,
conscientious fellow, but harvested
the wages of sin at the very start,
and was in a great state of mental
perturbation. I was, after careful
examination, enabled to assure him
that he had a gonorrhoeal urethritis,
and nothing else; there was abso-
lutely no sign or suspicion of any-
thing beyond that. Aconite, Hepar,
Hydrastis, and Cynosbati
Cynosbati were
administered, and in some six or
seven weeks I thought we were out
of the wood, there being only a little
92 The Radical Cure of
F
But one
urethral suintement left.
day, without any concern whatever,
he told me he thought he had
caught a cold, and was getting a
boil in the fork, that he also had
some lumps in the groin, and nettle
rash on the body. The experienced
may judge of my utter amazement
when I discovered a typical roseola
syphilitica all over his body, not-
ably on the chest and abdomen,
and all the superficial glands of
the body enlarged and indurated!
Moreover, on the under surface of
the member, some two inches or
more from its extremity, and just
in front of the prostate, there was in
the very deed a "boil" of the size
of a gooseberry, and very hard. I
set to work vigorously with anti-
#
i
14
Fistula by Medicines. 93
syphilitic treatment, and in a few
weeks the roseola and other promi-
nent symptoms had much abated,
but his hair came out, and the
nuchal glands were very promi-
nently enlarged. During all this
time the urethral discharge, which
had returned, persisted. Just as I
thought I was mastering both the
gonorrhoea and the syphilis, he
called one day and informed me
that he had a "leak" in the region
of the "boil," as said boil had
burst. Horrible dictu, I found a
fully established urethral fistula, with
a thick hard wall surrounding and
lining it. Several further months
of persistent treatment finally re-
sulted in a cure of the gonorrhœa,
and of most of the manifestations
94 The Radical Cure of
#
!
of syphilis, but the terrible fistula
persisted, notwithstanding Merc.,
Aurum, Acid. nit., Stillingia,
Iodium, and Silicea, and some other
seemingly likely remedies. I do
not easily despair of a case, but
when distinct consumptive symp-
toms began to show themselves, I
certainly felt very anxious indeed,
and I deemed it my duty to
tell my poor patient that I feared
he would have to undergo an
operation for the urinary fistula, as
it seemed to be wearing him out.
However, I thought the matter
over a few days, and finally came
to the conclusion that the fistula
was not only syphilitic, but also
tuberculous, though how the infec-
tion could have been communicated
!
ti
►
Fistula by Medicines.
95
I
within the urethra some three inches
from the orifice I cannot even now
understand. I then alternated
Mercurius solubilis Hahnemanni
3* with very infrequent doses of
Bacillinum c. (six grains of the
former, and as many globules of
the latter to the dose). At the
same time I put him on very full
diet with a generous wine.
Result.-In a few months the
patient was quite well in every
respect; the indurated glands all
returned to the normal, the hair
grew again, the night sweats ceased,
the fistula completely healed up, the
sclerosis around it disappeared, and
patient put on flesh and reassumed
his old healthy appearance.
I will finish this long story by
96 The Radical Cure of
:
remarking that the amelioration
that set in as soon as he was put
on the last-mentioned double pre-
scription was truly remarkable, and
for weeks and weeks, whenever it
was discontinued for other remedies,
the amelioration at once ceased, so
that I had to recur to it over and
over again. The Bacillinum was,
however, never given more than
one dose in four days. The Merc.
sol. three times a day. To look at
this gentleman now no one would
suspect what he has gone through.
Aux grands maux les grands remèdes,
they say over in France. This case
forcibly reminds one of Hunter's
famous experiment on himself. We
have here a case of urinary fistula, a
very bad one too, and its having been
Fistula by Medicines. 97
perfectly and permanently cured
with medicines, should encourage
us all to treat urinary fistules also
with medicines only-a thing I
believe never even attempted.
Perhaps I had better add, to pre-
vent mistakes or misapprehension,
that absolutely no local applications
were used, not even a bit of lint or
charpie.
I do not think it would serve any
useful end were I to detail any
more cases of fistula, as I think I
have proved my point: fistula can
be cured medicinally.
GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON FISTULA.
Fistula is practically just a con-
venient term for a certain morbid
state ound at a given part, and it
G
S
98
The Radical Cure of
cannot be regarded as a disease sui
generis, though it is itself a generic
term which potentially includes
quite a number of diseases of a
more or less formidable nature.
Fistula is a condition that is
sequential to another condition,
viz., to a gathering or abscess of
some kind, and when we speak of a
fistula-say a fistula in ano-we
mean that at the indicated part
there is a variously shaped, often a
pipe-shaped, mattering portion of
eroded or otherwise denuded tissue.
Now, it is commonly taught that
this discharging pipe-like abscess is
in itself the disease, and that its
cure consists in cutting it open,
cleansing it, and making it heal, and
there the thing is supposed to end.
Fistula by Medicines. 99
But is it so ?
in vain.
I know a lady who in 1868 was
abroad, and suffering from fistula,
and the local family doctor ordered
her home to London to be operated
on for her fistula, he having previ-
ously tried divers local applications
She came home to Lon-
don, was operated on, and cured-
that is to say, the fistula with a
good deal of trouble was got to
heal up.
After that the os uteri
became gravely ulcerated, and
patient spent nearly two years for
the most part lying on her back,
and underwent an almost endless
number of local manipulations and
operations. At length the ulcera-
tions in the region of the os were
made to heal. Then came leucor-
100 The Radical Cure of
rhoea without ulceration, and of a
most distressing kind; a very dap-
per gynecologist occupied several
years in stemming this discharging
tide, and when the unfortunate lady
had been fairly rid of the leucor-
rhoea by the injections so long and
so strong, she found herself cured
surgically and completely of-1st,
fistula in ano; 2ndly, of ulceration
of the os uteri; and, 3rdly, and
lastly, of this severe leucorrhœa.
And then? health? Not at all,
but a hard tumour in the region of
bowel and womb, which has ren-
dered her state simply awful; for,
apart from the ultimate significance
of the tumour per se, the exit of the
bowel being almost obliterated,
the going to stool can be only
Fistula by Medicines.
IOI
!
characterized as awful, so distress-
ing, so tedious, and so painful is it.
Now, what is the meaning of this
all? Just this: the lady was ill in
herself, and her organism tried to
rid itself of some of (at least) the
product of her ill-being; to this
end it constructed a fistula in an out-
of-the-way district of the economy,
through which it might drain off
matter inimical to itself: the sur-
geons, in forcibly healing the fistula
practically stopped the outlet pipe.
Then the same process was repeated
in regard to the said ulceration, and
again with the surface outlet, which
we call leucorrhoea; and, finally,
finding all direct outlets effectually
blocked by the doctors, Nature
was fairly compelled to deposit
102 The Radical Cure of
within the organism the before-
mentioned inimical matter in the
form of a tumour, and that at the
next nearest available point to the
seat of the fistula, ulcers, and leucor-
rhoea respectively. Controvert this,
ye men of the knife, if ye can.
FISTULA AND LEUCORRHOEA.
was
We have just seen that when
the fistula
closed forcibly,
leucorrhoea took its place. Now
one comes across notable examples
of cases supposedly of leucorrhoea
which turn out to be chronic fistula,
the diapers and linen being taken
as evidence of the said leucorrhoea.
I myself treated a case of very
severe fistula for a considerable
time, mistaking it for leucorrhoea,
•
Fistula by Medicines. 103
no examination having been made.
It is not always easy to tell when
and whether it is our duty to make
a proper examination of the anal
and crural regions in ladies. For-
tunately it is quite possible to treat
the one, and yet cure the other.
This may sound very oddly to the
uninitiated, but it is really a high
compliment to the method of treat-
ment, inasmuch as it shows that,
in all probability, the patient was
being treated, and not the name
merely of her disease, for she was
also cured.
I went by the symp-
toms and state of the patient, and
principally by the tongue, by the
tint of the skin, and by the nature
of the discharge, and, though I
was needlessly long about it, still
104
The Radical Cure of
the lady made a perfect recovery,
and remains well to this day. The
amount of the discharge was at
one time very great. The princi-
pal remedies used were Thuja occi-
dentalis, Sepia, Hydrastis, Cheli-
donium, Hepar, Silicea, Psorinum,
Sabina, and Aqua silicata. A
brother of this lady is being
wrecked by fistula, for notwith-
standing several operations and the
very best hygiene, the surgeons say
"the fistula will not heal; the
poor conceited ignoramus himself
thinks homœopathy "very well for
women and children" (in which he
is right), but no use in fistula !
Here I would like to ask the
fistula cutters how it is that (the
fistula being, as they contend, of
>>
Fistula by Medicines. 105
!
local origin and nature), I ask,
how is it that when they fail to
force the healing-up process, they
then say that the fistula will not
heal! Leucorrhoea is a constitu-
tional disorder; so is fistula; and
they are not infrequently of abso-
lutely identical nature and signifi-
cance, though, of course, they just as
often differ so much that they have
nothing in common but their ill
fate of constituting the happy
hunting ground of specialists "of
the world worldly, of the earth
earthy."
THE PRE-FISTULAR ABSCESS.
When a certain limited portion of
tissue stagnates in its circulatory
life, it dies, and must be got rid of.
106 The Radical Cure of
Nature cuts off its blood supply,
and it dies; and when the circum-
scribed mortification of the tissue is
sufficiently advanced, the abscess
bursts and discharges, and if there
be no morbid vis a tergo, the
abscess begins to heal, and Nature
is not very long in mending the
lesion in the continuity of her
tissues.
One sees the whole philosophy
of the thing, Nature's simple and
yet adequate way of working, when
a foreign body is in the living tissue,
and Nature sets about turning the
intruder out. I have often watched
the process, as no doubt most people
have. It is simply this: Take the
case of a thorn driven into the
tissue of the hand and breaking off;
Fistula by Medicines. 107
there is first the lesion, then the
foreign body-the broken off thorn.
Next we have heat, pain, redness,
and swelling-the classic Calor,
dolor, rubor, tumor; then the
outermost portion dies, becomes
purulent, rotten, the foreign body
is then expelled slowly at the mat-
tering dead spot or point. If there
be an obstacle to its exit the whole
just described process keeps on
repeating itself, there is a burrowing
process which is continued until a
point of exit is reached, or failing
the possibility of this, Nature will at
times encapsule it. But, assuming
the possibility of an easy exit, the
process is not a long one, and as
soon as the foreign body is got rid
of, Nature needs no further help (the
108 The Radical Cure of
individual being normally or even
only fairly healthy), but forthwith
mends the gap in the tissues by
carnification, and there is an end of
it, only the young newly carnified
tissue being very vascular will re-
main for a time red, until, in fact,
the new vascular loops (being no
longer needed) atrophy. Thus the
foreign body being ejected, and the
gap made by its passage mended by
carnification (healed up), there is
nothing more to be said, the affair
is at an end.
But it is not thus with the pre-
fistular abscess, and therefore neces-
sarily not thus with the fistula itself;
here we have to do not only with
the morbid matter (stuff) that caused
the abscess, but with an internal
Fistula by Medicines. 109
abscess and fistula causing disease
that is more or less constantly at
work, and the product of this disease
requires an outlet which the pre-
fistular abscess was meant to prepare,
and which is represented by the fis-
tula. Had Nature got rid of all the
morbid product the exit would no
longer be needed, and the fistula
would very soon heal up "of itself,"
as the saying goes.
Everybody knows that if he gets
a thorn into his flesh, and he forth-
with pulls it out entire and entirely,
he is spared the relatively long and
roundabout process that Nature
adopts if it is left in, and which we
have just attempted to describe.
A good surgeon, therefore, in all
cases seeks to get at the intruded
I IO The Radical Cure of
But
foreign body and extract it.
the surgeon seeks in other
seeks in other processes
to come to Nature's aid, and instead
of waiting for an abscess to maturate
and burst, he makes a free incision
and lets out the pus or what not.
Now, where there is an obstacle to
its exit (such as a fascia) this is no
doubt not only good practice, but is
imperative to prevent needless tis-
sue destruction, burrowing, and the
formation of sinuses, with the con-
comitant fever, pain, and exhaustion.
But where there is no great ob-
stacle in the way of a spontaneous
bursting, I feel very sure that it is
best not to incise, but to let the boil
ripen and burst, and in the meantime
'go for" the cause of the said boil
by treating the patient with the
(C
Fistula by Medicines. III
When this is suc-
proper remedies.
cessfully done, and the boil bursts
of itself, the discharge is more free,
and the consequent organismic de-
puration more complete.
On this effort of Nature to rid
herself of noxious substances a
system of treatment by manipula-
tion has been furnished, and which
has been named Kellgrenism, in
honour of its discoverer Kellgren.
This system has an organ of its
own called The Tocsin, edited by
Dr Frederick A. Floyer, a man of
very great ability and learning.
From its issue of September 1st,
1889, I take their own account of
the system, because it fits into my
subject at this point.
112
The Radical Cure of
""
'TREATMENT BY MANIPULATION.*
"In a previous issue we have
endeavoured to give some idea of
the nature and object of medical
exercises, and we are now anxious
to show the nature and object of
treatment by manipulation for the
cure of disease.
"In the first place, it must be
remembered that all alteration in
the normal condition of the body,
that is to say, all forms of disease,
cause the formation of morbid sub-
stances of some kind or another.
The nature of these morbid pro-
ducts, together with the conditions.
*This article may be taken as illustrating
the Kellgren philosophy and treatment of
disease.
Fistula by Medicines. 113
which give rise to them, are too
technically scientific to be dealt
with in this article,-suffice it to say,
that these products are, roughly
speaking, either what is commonly
known as matter and gas. The
formation of these naturally cause
obstruction in the parts affected, to
the detriment more or less of the
whole system. It is equally obvious,
therefore, that these obstructions.
must be got rid of before health
can be restored.
"Where matter has formed, as
in the case of wounds, abscesses,
etc., it may be removed by working
it to the surface and giving it an
outlet there, and by dispersion.
"Most people can see the value
of gently pushing matter towards
H
I 14
The Radical Cure of
the wound or boil, but many are
apt to regard dispersion with dis-
favour. If matter has formed, they
say, it is far better to encourage it
to tend towards the one centre,
where it can discharge, than to
spread the evil all over the body
by 'backening' it. It must be re-
membered, however, that matter is
not a foreign body which has been
somehow introduced into the system;
on the contrary, it is a collection
of legitimate products (in the first
instance) which have become dis-
organized. As dirt has been defined
as 'matter out of place, so the
morbid products of the body are
legitimate constituents of the organ-
ism unlawfully congregated together.
The white corpuscles of the blood,
Fistula by Medicines. 115
for instance, form bad matter,
although they are healthy and neces-
sary constituents of the blood when
they move in a legitimate manner.
To disperse these, and to force them
back to their proper spheres, is not
to spread matter over the body, there-
fore, but to dissolve it into its
original elements. Where morbid
products have been formed for some
time, however, processes of putrefac-
tion ensue which render it impossible
to disperse it, because the elements
themselves become diseased, and it
is then necessary to cause their
discharge from the body. The
task of deciding which method of
treatment to apply is not so difficult
as may be supposed, since Nature to
a great extent decides the question
116 The Radical Cure of
herself. Where a wound or abscess
is already formed, and shows itself
plainly, it is probable that putrefac-
tion has taken place, and, therefore,
the great aim should be to promote
its discharge; but if this stage has
not been reached, it is sufficient
simply to manipulate the place
affected, thus causing movement
in the obstructed tissues. If the
elements of which the matter is
composed are still healthy, the
manipulation will loosen them from
their position and drive them to
their proper places; but if putrefac-
tion has already begun, it will drive.
it to the surface, where it has the
best chance of getting free. It
must be borne in mind that Nature
is always trying to rid herself of
Fistula by Medicines. I 17
unhealthy products, and manipula-
tion, by encouraging movement in
congested parts, assists the blood to
throw off the poison which infects
it, and drives it for refuge to the
surface, which it will then try to
burst through.
"In most diseases it is gas and
not matter which forms the obstruc-
tion. This gas, which, like matter,
is also a natural product of the
body, increases too much in volume,
and is altered in its nature by any
deviation from the normal state of
health, and forms a swelling, often
imperceptible, in that part of the
body where the disease has origi-
nated. This swelling can easily be
detected by trained fingers, and is
very sensitive to the touch. This
118 The Radical Cure of
power of detecting where a disease
lies with the fingers is of the utmost
value, because pain is often reflex,
and gives no clue to the real seat of
the malady. It also stands to sense
that if a cure by manipulation is
to be effected, the manipulator
must be allowed to use his or her
own discretion as to the places
which are to be worked upon. It
is nonsense for a patient to say,
'Work on my head for headache,
or on my limbs for rheumatism ;
there is no occasion to touch any
other part of my body, as I am
quite well otherwise.' A person's
digestion may seem sound, for in-
stance, because the form of indiges-
tion from which they suffer shows
itself indirectly by some reflex pain
Fistula by Medicines. 119
in the head or the limbs. To work
at these only may give temporary
relief, but no cure can reasonably
be expected from such a partial
method of treatment.
"The actual nature of manual
treatment is either that of making
frictions with the fingers or by vibra-
tions. In no case are the fingers
moved about over the skin, as in
rubbing; the frictions and vibrations.
are made through the skin on the
nerves and vessels, etc., beneath.
It is, moreover, quite unnecessary
to work upon the bare skin, a cer-
tain amount of loose clothing being
no obstacle whatever to the efficacy
of the work."
I give the article entire, so that I
may be quite fair. That the Kell-
I 20
The Radical Cure of
gren treatment by manipulation is a
close imitation of Nature is clear,
and it must therefore command our
respectful consideration, particularly
when defended by such an able
advocate as Dr Floyer, whose writ-
ings in The Tocsin are a delight to
read. But I have thus far seen no
published results, and have con-
sequently nothing to judge it by as
a practical system of curative medi-
cine. Awaiting these
Awaiting these I suspend
judgment.
What is matter?
By the word matter is here meant,
not matter in a general scientific
sense, but, say, the contents of an
abscess.
In the foregoing article I have
*
Fistula by Medicines.
121
italicised the following: "It must
be remembered, however, that
matter is not a foreign body which
has been somehow introduced into
the system; on the contrary, it is a
collection of legitimate products (in
the first instance) which have be-
come disorganized. As dirt has
been defined as 'matter out of place,'
so the morbid products of the body
are legitimate constituents of the
organism unlawfully congregated
together. The white corpuscles of
the blood, for instance, form bad
matter, although they are healthy
and necessary constituents of the
blood when they move in a legiti-
mate manner. To disperse these,
and to force them back to their
proper spheres, is not to spread
I22 The Radical Cure of
matter over the body, therefore,
but to dissolve it into its original
elements."
Now, let us examine these state-
ments.
We may grant that matter is made
up of the white blood corpuscles
which have wandered out of the
circulation, but why have they
wandered out? Why did they not
stay at home and live happily to-
gether in the blood? The reason
is that they have become charged
with a function, their mission has
become a new one, and they wander
out of the blood that is within the
vessels in order to carry away a
given poison, or virus, or other
hurtful thing: they are poisoned,
and hurry out of the circulation en
I
Fistula by Medicines. 123
masse, and hasten to a common ren-
dezvous at the surface, to be cast out
as matter. These blood corpuscles
are no longer mere blood corpuscles,
but poisoned members of their com-
munity, and they hasten out of the
body to save it, they offer them-
selves a sacrifice on the altar of the
organism. They are not unlawfully
congregated together; they are not
runaway sinners unlawfully congre-
gated together-run wild, as it were,
in a herd. Not at all; on the
contrary, they are so law-abiding that
they sacrifice themselves to duty,
and they are in numbers propor-
tionate to the quantity of poison
that has to be got rid of; the more
the poison the greater the number
of corpuscles. It follows, therefore,
I24
The Radical Cure of
ܕܕ
that to force these poison-carrying,
out-wandered blood corpuscles back
whence they came (if it were pos-
sible) must be bad practice indeed;
and to do so would be backening the
matter and spreading the poison, of
which they are the dying or dead
carriers, all over the body.
Dr Floyer says,—“The morbid
products of the body are legiti-
mate constituents of the organism
unlawfully congregated together."
This is impossible; he should say
were: a morbid product of the body
is no longer a constituent of the
organism at all.
On the contrary,
the erstwhile blood corpuscles
having become morbid, are cast
out, or wander out, and so cease to
be constituents. The act of con-
:
""
Fistula by Medicines. 125
!
gregating together is merely their
collective mode of exit from the
economy.
The putrefactive process is a
secondary affair. If the morbid
products are dispersed, and sent
back before the process of putre-
faction sets in, then they carry
back merely the poison they had
brought out; while if they are sent
back subsequent to putrefaction,
then they may carry back with
them not only the poison they
were carrying away, but also pro-
ducts of the putrefaction.
I am, therefore, with those who
regard dispersion with disfavour,
particularly if the boil constituents
are poison carriers, as I believe
they usually are, and that notwith-
126 The Radical Cure of
standing the fact that the boil-con-
stituents were previously body
constituents.
Finally, it seems
seems to me that
Kellgrenism is in itself contra-
dictory, for while it is contended
for it that it aids Nature to expel
the peccant matter or gas, it is also
maintained that it aids Nature
by dispersing what Nature has
gathered together. Both can only
be tenable if it be held that the
disorder consequent upon the ob-
structions to the circulation are
synonymous with the disorders
themselves.
It seems to me that if it be good
to help Nature to bring the matter
to the periphery and let it out, it
cannot be good to disperse what
C
Fistula by Medicines. 127
Nature unaided had already
brought together in a boil for
ejectment. That is in general
principle. Of course, if it can be
shown that the disorder is prim-
arily stagnation, and nothing else.
-say capillary stasis-then dis-
persion (early enough) and cure
would be identical terms.
THE LOCALIST'S POSITION CONTRA-
DICTORY.
The localistic surgeons, who
claim that operation is a cure of
fistula, tell us that the pre-fistular
abscess must be opened to let the
matter out, while the fistula must
be operated upon to make it close!
So, according to this, the essence.
of the disease in the case of the
128 The Radical Cure of
1
abscess lies in the fact that Nature
cannot, unaided, get rid of the
matter; while in the fistula, where
she does get freely rid of the matter,
the essence of the disease lies in
the fact that Nature is helping
herself!
The Kellgrenists seem to con-
sider that the stasis is the real
factor in boils; for me, the stasis
is merely a concomitant-just the
first necessary stage in effecting an
organic lesion of the peripheral
continuity to gain an outlet for
inimical stuff, be this stuff leuco-
maine, ptomaine, cadaverine, urea,
or even bacilli or microbes.
Abscess is not a disease sui
generis; it is a patho-biological pro-
cess, and we have, in each case of
2
"I
Fistula by Medicines. 129
abscess, to consider this patho-
biological process by itself, i.e.,
Nature's method of turning out an
unwelcome guest at a peripheral
lesion of her own making. If the
guest be one simple innocuous
thing or substance, then as soon as
that is detruded the matter is
ended the abscess heals. If the
surgeon lances, in such a case
this aid to Nature would under
circumstances be rational and sen-
sible. If the stasis itself be the
whole affair, then Kellgrenism
would be right to disperse, for
then an outlet would not be needed,
since there would be nothing to let
out. In this stasis-abscess, gentle
pressive coaxing aid would be the
most rational, the "free incision'
I
}}
130 The Radical Cure of
-}
merely a woodhacker's mode of
doing the same thing, i.e., getting
rid of the stagnation.
But the pre-fistular abscess differs
widely from the two kinds of abscess
just mentioned. It is not a stasis-
abscess, for its stasis is a means to
an end, the means being to mortify
a bit of tissue to form an outlet;
and the end being the detrusion of
not a simple innocuous thing or sub-
stance, but some organismic morbid
product that is being daily and
hourly produced, and therefore
needs daily and hourly discharge,
in fact a constantly open issue,
which a fistula in my opinion often
is. If I am correct in this view, it
must follow that a fistula should not
be made to heal up by any and
Fistula by Medicines. 131
every local means, but the fistula
patient should be cured by internal
constitutional treatment.
I find myself quite unable to be-
lieve that causing the fistula to heal
up is in any sense a real cure; on
the contrary, I believe this pro-
ceeding to be bad practice, and very
harmful in its consequences for the
future health and well-being of the
patients. Neither am I able to
conceive how any kind of treatment
by manipulation could possibly alter
the state of one's constitution: a
syphilitic, a strumous, a sycotic, a
psoric individual would, so far as I
can see, be just as syphilitic, as
strumous, as sycotic, as psoric after
being manipulated as before.
I
132
1
The Radical Cure of
CONCLUSION.
Having now, as I submit, practi-
cally demonstrated the feasibility of
a radical cure of fistula by medicines,
I claim for this method of cure in
the aggregate superiority over all
others, superior in the following
particulars :-
1. It is radical, in that the reme-
dies can be chosen so that the
internal causes of the fistular pro-
cess are attacked and overcome.
2. It is painless.
3. It does not interfere with the
mode of life or occupation of the
sufferers.
4. There are no ill after-effects to
the nervous system from shock, such
Fistula by Medicines. 133
as may, and often do follow opera-
tions.
5. It is safe in that the chest and
other affections are ameliorated pari
passu with the general cure of the
constitutional crasis.
6. It is effective in those cases in
which surgery fails "because the
fistula will not heal."
7. It is philosophic, being con-
sonant with the true wisdom of
self-preservation.
8. It is scientific, the remedies
being chosen in accordance with
the data of pharmacology derived
from positive experiments on the
healthy.
—
"Now! I can go no further; well
or ill, it is done."
affit
AZ
1

SECOND EDITION.
PART II.
SINCE the First Edition of this
small work on the medicinal cure
of fistula went to press, a consider-
able number of cases of fistula of
various kinds have passed under my
professional care, so that I can now
raise my voice with a little greater
authority, and maintain more
strongly than ever that the treat-
ment of the fistular disease by
operation and locally healing
measures is irrational and harmful.
True it is that some cases of fistula
Cure of Fistula by Medicines. 135
are very difficult to cure, particularly
where the number of fistulæ in one
individual is very great-I once
counted eighteen in one person-and
these cases that have existed for
many years and in which the lining
of the fistula has become dense and
hard, and constantly accustomed to
secrete almost like the lining mem-
brane of a cyst. Still even here a
cure a perfect cure can be
effected if the physician will take
the trouble and the sufferers will
have the patience.
It frequently happens that the
fistula is only one of the ailments of
a given patient, and not always the
most important either. This must
be well considered. It might not
unreasonably be asked of me,
g
136 The Radical Cure of
What, then, is the fistular disease if
the fistula proper be not the malady?
Well, I find that a considerable
number of constitutional taints run
out through fistulas, and I hope,
with time, to give direct information
on this important subject, but at
present I must be content to narrate
a few cases of cure, from which my
readers will be able to draw certain
conclusions themselves.
Perhaps by the time a third edi-
tion comes round I may be able to
give a classification of fistulas ac-
cording to their pathologic qualities,
deduced partly from their genealo-
gies and partly from the known
actions of the remedies that have
proved curative of them. Certainly
there are liver fistulas, i.e., fistulas of
Fistula by Medicines. 137
hepatic origin, and here the liver
must be cured or the fistulas cannot
be. Certainly there are lung fistulas,
i.e., fistulas of pulmonary origin.
Here the lungs must be first cured,
or the sequel brings constitutional
retribution; here we must be
specially ware of operations, for if
this kind of fistula be forcibly closed,
phthisis comes anon.
Certainly there are spleen fistulas,
or fistulas of splenic origin. I will
give presently a striking example
of a splenic fistula. But this part
of my subject is new, and needs
much thinking about before going
further, so I will simply proceed
to the narration of a few instruc-
tive cases of cure of fistula by
medicines.
138 The Radical Cure of
!
CASE OF HEREDITARY FISTULA.
The gentleman whose case is the
first narrated in this book sent me
a friend of his suffering from fistula,
as does also this latter's father.
This friend came to me on No-
vember 2, 1891, telling me that he
had had a perineal abscess, which
broke six weeks ago, and left a
fistula which at date is again gather-
ing. He early seeks advice because
of his father's chronic condition.
Patient has, besides, a chronic winter
cough, very hard; otherwise he is
in excellent condition,-a trifle stout,
perhaps. There are no indurated
glands anywhere to be found, but he
gets a little acne here and there.
He suffers a good deal of pain dur-
ing defecation.
Fistula by Medicines. 139
In December 1892 the fistula
had quite disappeared and has not
since returned, though I think it
very probable that he may have a
few more flickerings here and there
yet, though of course he may not.
The chief remedies were Bacill.,
Thuja, Sabina, Levico, Hydrastis,
Hepar, Acidum nitricum. There
were numerous gatherings of pus
before the cure was accomplished.
CASE OF FISTULA CURED BY URTICA
URENS.
According to my views almost
every fistula has a cause more or
less remote from the fistula proper;
we might almost compare the fistula
to the crater of a volcano.
Where a given organ seems to be
¡
140 The Radical Cure of
the starting-point of the cause of a
fistula, an appropriate remedy of that
organ will at times aid much in its
cure. I will now relate a case which
appears to have been cured by one
organ-remedy alone, viz., by the
notable spleen-remedy Urtica urens.
The discovery that Urtica urens has
a specific influence on the spleen I
claim as my own.
An unmarried gentleman came to
consult me for fistula just before
Christmas 1890. Originally there
appears to have been a fall, and
then an abscess. Patient was
operated upon for his fistula in 1886,
and again in 1887, but without avail.
He was in fairly good health all the
time, and though he still had his
fistula when he came to me, notwith-
"
Fistula by Medicines. 141
standing the two operations, he did
not come because he was ill, but
because he was desirous of getting
married. He complained only of one
thing, viz., he was always very chilly.
I examined him with very great
care, and apart from the fistula itself
I could find nothing wrong with him,
except that he had a very greatly
hypertrophied spleen.
About two ounces of Urtica ur. 0,
spread over a number of weeks,
seemingly cured him, for he reported
himself as cured in the early summer
of 1891. In July of that year he
went up the river, and reported some
swelling of the old fistular region.
The Urtica was repeated, and, I
believe, cured him: I am not quite
sure but he had previously reported
7
142 The Radical Cure of
himself cured, then he reported the
swelling, and a few weeks later he
'got married.
I think he must be
cured, because he passes my door
about twice a month to see a mutual
friend of us both, and this mutual
friend is in the habit of referring to
this cure of fistula by medicines.
Still I have not examined him, and
thus do not vouch for its being a
complete cure. I regard it as a
fistula of splenic origin, and hence
the fistula would heal as soon as
the spleen was cured.
POST-MALARIAL FISTULA IN THE
BACK.
The following case of fistula is
unique in my experience, and not
-
Fistula by Medicines. 143
far from being absolutely unique in
the annals of fistulæ.
In the fall of the year 1890 a
gentleman brought his wife to me;
they were just returned from India.
In June 1890 the lady had a fall
in Bombay, whereupon she mis-
carried, and before she could re-
cover she developed malarial fever.
Then abscesses formed in the womb
and also in the back, about the
region corresponding to the part
lying between the left-hand end of
the pancreas and the lower part of
the spleen. On inspection I found
a freely discharging fistula, with much
inflammation around it, occupying
the first described region of the
back. The spleen was very much.
enlarged. Patient is a large woman,
144
The Radical Cure of
!
30 odd years of age, very bloodless
and washed-out looking, and very
ill in herself. As I find that Urtica
ur. has a strong affinity for the
spleen, I thought I would just
bring that organ back to the normal
therewith (which I have very often
done before). I gave her twenty
drops of the Urtica tincture daily.
This was on September 12, 1890.
October 6.-A very great change
for the better has taken place in the
patient; the spleen has gone down,
the circumfistular inflammation has
greatly diminished, and patient
looks and feels much better. The
medicine to be continued in a
smaller dose.
October 20.-Patient continues to
improve. The fistula has closed; has
Fistula by Medicines. 145
a little throat cough, seemingly from
a cold.
B Phosphorus 3 and Chelidonium 0.
November 19.-The fistula has
healed up; patient has had her
second period since the miscarriage,
and there was very much uterine
pain at the time. There has been
a slight attack of malarial fever with
night sweats.
B Helianthus annuus 0, six
drops in water night and morning.
December 10.-Menses normal;
a lump-flat-of the size of a baby's
open hand, has come in the left
breast. Regarding this as from the
uterus, I gave Bursa pastoris 1*,
six drops night and morning.
January 7, 1891.—Breast normal
some pain in the liver; much less
K
146 The Radical Cure of
:
pain at the last period; a bit of a
cough.
B Carduus Marie 0, five drops
night and morning.
February 6.-One bad bout of
fever, and since then very well.
The fistula remains perfectly healed.
I heard from the husband a good
while subsequently, telling me there
had been no relapse.
FISTULA PROCTALGIA-GRAVE DE-
PRESSION OF SPIRITS.
A city merchant, about 50 years
of
age, came to me in the month of
March 1890, in very great distress
of mind on account of his fistula,
or, rather, on account of the fact
that three different surgeons--one
an eminent specialist for diseases
Fistula by Medicines. 147
of the rectum-had declared an
operation imperative. The idea of
being operated upon had almost
unhinged his mind, and he was
seemingly neglecting an important
business he could talk of nothing
but his fistula and the impending
operation. The fistula was very
small, very painful, and had made
his life miserable for about three
months. During the past six weeks
he has lost 16 pounds in weight.
The proctalgia he described as
"terrible, day and night." At first
Hydrastis can. took the pain away,
and it returned; Var. C. I thought
indicated, but it did no good.
Hydrastis was again resorted to,
but it did not help, and patient
literally ran about wildly from the
148 The Radical Cure of
pain, often standing with legs apart
with much bearing down.
On April 23, my note runs thus :
"No amelioration. The tongue is
gouty; he compares the pain to that
caused by nettles. His sufferings
})
are awful.
B Tc. Urtica ur. 1, ten drops in
water every four hours.
May 9.-These drops cured the
burning pain in three days.
R Phytolaccinum 3.
June 4.-No return of the pain
at all. Patient has regained much
of his lost weight, and is now as
hilarious as he was previously
depressed. At the seat there is
nothing observable save a flap of
flesh at the side of the anal mouth.
R Sodium silicate 0.
Fistula by Medicines. 149
July 2.--Not happy at the seat;
mentally apprehensive; a close in-
spection shows, hidden behind the
before-named flap of flesh, a small
wart with a bleeding fissure athwart
it.
B Sambucus 0.
Patient was discharged quite
cured and in fine physical and
mental condition just
condition just fourteen
months from the beginning of his
treatment. During the remaining
part of his treatment he received
from me Chelidonium majus 0,
Urtica ur. in several differing
strengths, Hecla 30, Kali iod. 30,
Calc. carb. C.C., and finally Silicea C.
In this case I did use one local
application, viz., powdered Thuja
applied direct to the bleeding comb-
150
The Radical Cure of
like processes behind the fleshy flap,
and of this flap its shrivelled remains.
are still in situ.
FISTULA—VERRUCOUS GROWTH AND
HÆMORRHOIDS.
Early in the year 1890 a gentle-
man verging on 70 years of age
came from the country to con-
sult me for anal trouble, charac-
terized by a sticky, gummy dis-
charge. An examination of the
part disclosed a wart-like growth
of the size of a walnut, and also a
pile. I could not find any fistula.
A month later I found the mouth
of the fistula leading into a funnel-
shaped discharging cavity.
He remained under treatment the
best part of a year, during which
?
Fistula by Medicines. 151
time the fistula healed and patient.
greatly improved in health. Bacil-
linum C., Hydrastis can. 0, Phyto-
laccin 3*, Sodium silicatum 0, and
Sambucus 0, were the chief remedies.
The growth was much smaller when
patient discharged himself, and I
was wishful to continue the treat-
ment longer, but he was comfortable
in himself, the anal region being dry
since the fistula healed up. His
digestion so very much improved
that he "would not be bothered
with any more physicking."
CASE OF FISTULA IN A LADY.
A married lady, 33 years of age,
was brought to me by her husband
in the spring of 1891 to be treated
for a fistula in ano, that had been a
152
The Radical Cure of
source of annoyance and trouble for
a little over two years, seemingly
starting from the retention of a
dead fœtus at that period, which
was then thought to have been three
weeks dead. At a previous con-
finement there had been consider-
able laceration of the perineum, the
sequel of which had had to be
remedied by the electro-cautery,
and thus a somewhat imperfect
closing of the sphincter ani has
come about, and loose stools being
the rule, the poor lady had a sad
time of it. A fistula alone is a
humiliating possession, but when
fæcal incontinence is added, the
condition becomes fearful. The
fistula was situated at the back, and
was in the habit of closing for a few
C
Fistula by Medicines. 153
days, and then it would burst and
discharge. Besides the fistula and an
inadequate sphincter muscle, there
were piles; that, however, did not
cause very much inconvenience.
Patient was put upon Thuja
occidentalis 30 in infrequent doses.
for one month.
The case was seen from month
to month, and required some pretty
careful differential drug diagnosis
before it was permanently cured,
patient being discharged quite well
in the month of July 1892. The
chief remedies used were Bacill. M.
and CC. given altogether during
four separate months, Helianthus
annuus 0, Bursa pastoris 0, Kali.
iodicum. 3 trit. and 30, and Bovista
3 trit., have come into play in
154 The Radical Cure of
between as indicated. In this case
I was guided to the use of the
remedies from the state of the
cervical glands and the circum-
scribed flush of the cheeks, and by
the patient's various symptoms.
CASE OF PREFISTULAR CELLULITIS
DISPERSED.
Sometimes
one is fortunate
enough to get cases of prefistular
gathering soon enough to prevent
both abscess and fistula. Thus a
middle-aged merchant from the
Midlands came under my care in
the fall of 1891, with a "lump at
the seat" that was giving rise to
inconvenience and anxiety to the
patient, partly because he was quite
familiar with fistula in his own
Fistula by Medicines. 155
family. He was well in three
months; during the first half of the
time he was taking Arnica montana
I, twenty drops a day in water.
This took away much of the swell-
ing and nearly all the hardening,
and then I gave him Chelidonium
majus on organopathic lines.
That we here prevented both
abscess and fistula hardly admits of
any doubt.
CASE OF RECTAL ABSCESSES AND
FISTULA.
In the month of January 1892
a London professional man came
under my care. Two months previ-
ously he had had a very large
abscess of the rectum, which had
been freely incised but would not
156 The Radical Cure of
heal, and a fistular state remained,
with much discharge; or, rather,
I should say that there remained
a hole in the flesh fully two inches
long, discharging matter profusely.
And notwithstanding the profuse
discharge from this gash, there was
another large gathering on the other
side of the anus, which the surgeon
was on the point of operating on.
Patient's father and one of his
sisters had died of phthisis. I
began the treatment with Ignatia
amara 1, alternated with Hydrastis
canadensis 0, because of patient's
low nervous anorexial condition.
This was continued for a fortnight,
much to his comfort and feeling of
well-being, when early in February
gout broke out in his right foot.
Fistula by Medicines. 157
This was met with Aconite 6 and
Bryonia 0. With the outbreak of
the gout the activity at the seat
lessened, and the gash in the flesh
began to heal from the bottom. I
had applied nothing to the wound,
but rather encouraged its activity.
The treatment was continued—
patient all the while attending to
his professional duties-with some
ups and downs, till May 25, 1893,
when patient was discharged cured,
and in capital health and spirits.
Many remedies were needed and
used, and of these the chief were:
Bacill. CC. and C.; Bryonia alb. 0;
Bellis perennis 0;
Ꮎ Chelidonium
majus ; Chionanthus virginicus &;
Nat. mur., 6 trit.; Levico (strong);
Thuja 30, and Lycopodium 6. To
158 The Radical Cure of
i
give the reasons for giving the
various medicines would occupy
more space than I can here afford,
but there were three leading ideas
underlying them, viz. :
!
1. The hereditary phthisic taint.
2. The enlarged unhealthy liver.
3. The gout; and then we had
to meet-
The debility.
α.
B. The anæmia.
y. The anorexia.
8. The neurasthenia, the last-
named being a potent factor in
the sum at any rate, neurasthenia
cannot be operated away.
Fistula by Medicines. 159
GRAVE CASE OF RECTO-VAGINAL
FISTULA.
A childless lady, many years
married, 42 years of age, came to
consult me for recto-vaginal fistula
early in the year 1890. Both of
her parents died about 80 years of
age,—in fact her mother lived to be
82; and all her brothers and sisters
being still alive and well, and patient
herself being of very fine build, I
was quite astonished to hear the
following narration of her health-
history and present state:-Formerly
had a fearful cough, remaining as a
sequel of a pneumonia, the cough
being so bad that some thought it
from a form of asthma. Formerly
very thin, then stout (large, not
-
160 The Radical Cure of
obese), i.e., polysarcous, and now
losing flesh. It is noteworthy that
when she began to get perineal
abscesses her cough entirely dis-
appeared.
In childhood she had had measles,
whooping-cough, and scarlatina in
the proper way,—and since then a
carbuncle on her right arm. Menses
copious; she is weary and tired;
tongue gouty, with no "strawberry"
pips (a very important point); con-
siderable leucorrhoea; she is very
chilly. Notwithstanding the history
of pneumonia, and notwithstanding
the very bad cough that disappeared
as soon as the prefistular abscesses
began to appear, I still could not
regard the fistula as in any sense
indicative of a phthisic taint, but I
Fistula by Medicines. 161
came to the conclusion that it was a
case of genuine vaccinosic manifesta-
tions: the chilliness, the leucorrhoea,
the polysarcia, the pithy tongue, the
sterility, all, in my judgment, point-
ing at any rate to the hydrogenoid
constitution of Grauvogl.
The fistula was sequential to
abscesses at the spot, and patient
stated that it had gathered twelve
times.
Patient had been operated on
by a distinguished surgeon three
months previously, but without
success, and a further and very much
more serious operation was in pros-
pect, and hence the lady's visit to
me. Now it happened that this
lady's house was, and is, the rendez-
vous of quite a number of medical
L
162 The Radical Cure of
men all sincerely attached to this
lady's husband. Nearly all our
friends happen to be medical men,'
said she, “and my husband has dis-
cussed the question of the possibility
of my fistula being cured with medi-
cines, and they all declare it to be
absolutely impossible, and my hus-
band is so sure that it is impossible
that he has refused to come with
me."
((
}}
:
A
Still, in an aside, she gave me to
understand that he privately hoped
she would come, on the off-chance of
a cure, and so avoid the alarmingly
radical operation in contemplation.
It is to be remembered that an
operation for fistula depends a good
deal on the kind of person to be
operated upon as well as its position.
Fistula by Medicines.
163
In this case the position was most
awkward, and the quantity of tissue
through which the incisions would
have to be made very considerable.
In the left groin the glands are
indurated and enlarged; moreover,
they become tender just before each
gathering, and remain so till it has
burst and discharged.
Inasmuch as many medical men
had declared this case absolutely
unamenable to medicinal treatment,
and two of them watched the pro-
gress of the case, inasmuch as one
operation had already failed (it was
performed in a well-known hospital,
it being considered too considerable
to be conveniently done at home),
and inasmuch as my diagnosis will
be unacceptable to almost all medical
164
The Radical Cure of
men, even to many of my best
friends and colleagues, I am going
to enter into very full details of the
case, to motive my diagnosis and
the line of treatment such diagnosis.
compelled.
If any one of my readers takes
an interest in the question of the
constitutional effects of the poison
of vaccination, I refer such a one to
my little treatise on the subject,
entitled "Vaccinosis and its Cure
by Thuja."
In this case patient had been
vaccinated four times. From this
fact, and for the reasons already
given (symptoms negative and posi-
tive), I considered I had to do with a
Fistula by Medicines. 165
genuine and severe case of vac-
cinosis.
I began the treatment on January
10, 1890, with the matrix tincture
of Hydrastis Canadensis, giving
eight drops in water three times a
day.
February 3.-The leucorrhoea is
not so bad; the place is angry, but
the swelling is less. Patient feels
better. "I am picking up." Feels
very cold always, and she is also
cold to the touch. Sleeps lightly,
and gets the fidgets in her legs.
B Thuja occidentalis 30, infre-
quently.
February 17.-Markedly better;
no trouble with the gathering what-
ever; no discharge from the fistula
worth while; no menses for six
Jorm
166 The Radical Cure of
weeks; still feels very chilly; parts
no longer swelling; no tenderness
of inguinal glands; much better of
the tiredness and weariness.
No medicine, to allow the remedial
action already set up to continue
undisturbedly.
March 7.-No pain, and no
gathering; one scanty menstrua-
tion; she is always cold; the en-
largement of the inguinal glands
has disappeared; not so tired or
weary.
B Vaccininum C., very infre-
quently.
March 26.-No gathering; not
so cold; leucorrhoea better; has a
cold, with a little cough; is gaining
flesh.
B Ceanothus Americanus, ten
Fistula by Medicines. 167
drops in water night and morn-
ing.
April 21.-No gathering; feels
less cold; and the left hypochon-
drium is less uneasy.
B Hydrastis Canadensis as before,
but in a smaller dose.
May 22.-Menses set in three
weeks ago, and still continue; left
ovary is tender.
B Juniperus sabina 30, very infre-
quently.
June 30.-Fistula quite gone, and
almost well in herself.
B Cupressus Lawsoniana 30, very
infrequently.
I heard no more of the patient
till the following November, when
she came, telling me she had con-
tinued quite well, but the last week
168
The Radical Cure of
or so she had felt slight tenderness
where the fistula used to be, and it
seemed as if it might gather.
В Thuja 30, as before.
February 9, 1891. Has been
quite well, but the old fistula is again
active and gathering.
B Silicea 30, ten drops every
three hours.
This was followed by complete
cure and capital health till
July 13, when patient again
called, telling me she felt as if it
were going to gather again, but
objectively there was absolutely
nothing abnormal.
B Thuja 30, as before.
At this point I ceased keeping
notes of the case, although patient
called to see me on two or three
Fistula by Medicines. 169
occasions for little threatenings and
flickerings, but these have now
long ceased.
On May 19, 1893, patient told
me that she had been quite well in
all respects for nine months, and
she was in blooming health.
In this case I made the diagnosis
of vaccinosis, and based the treat-
ment thereon. As soon as the blood
disease was much lessened the
fistula healed up, and as soon as the
blood disease was quite cured the
flickerings in the old fistula ceased
entirely. The healing process
shows itself also in this case, as in
so many others, as gentle, gradual,
and with candle-like flickerings
until the disease becomes quite
extinguished.
1
170 Cure of Fistula by Medicines.
Could any more conclusive proof
be given of the constitutional nature
of fistula?
I used no local measures what-
ever.
Abscess, circumanal, cases of, 13, 24, 78.
definition of, 128.
prefistular, 105, 127, 154.
""
11
INDEX.
stasis, 129.
""
Abscesses, rectal, and fistula, case of, 155.
Acidum nitricum in fistula, 139.
Aconite in abscess, 26.
fistula, 91, 157.
Adams, Dr, on fistula, 47.
Allingham on fistula, 42.
Allopathic specialism, 73.
Aloes in fistula, 47.
hæmorrhage, 51.
Anus and head, relations between, 80, 85.
Aqua silicata in fistula, 16, 104.
Arctium lappa in fistula, 16.
Arnica montana in fistula, 155.
77
""
172
Index.
Arsenicum in fistula, 44, 48.
Aurum in fistula, 61, 72.
Bacillinum in fistula, 95, 139, 151, 153,
157.
Bellis perennis in fistula, 35, 43, 157.
Berberis vulgaris in fistula, 39, 47.
liver disease, 23.
""
Bovista in fistula, 153.
"1
Boyd, Dr, on fistula, 47.
Brain, fagged, Zincum aceticum in, 83.
Bryonia in fistula, 157.
Bursa pastoris in fistula, 145, 153.
"7
Calcarea carbonica in fistula, 16, 44, 149.
phosphorica in fistula, 33.
Calc. sulphurica in abscess, 26.
Calendula in fistula, 33.
""
99
Carduus Mariæ in liver disease, 23.
in fistula, 146.
Causticum in fistula, 33, 45, 49.
Ceanothus Americanus in fistula, 166.
Cellulitis, prefistular, case of, 154.
Chelidonium majus in liver disease, 23.
Index.
173
Chelidonium majus in fistula, 104, 145, 149,
155, 157.
China in abscess, 26.
11
fistula, 44-
•
Chionanthus virginicus in fistula, 157.
Clifton, Mr, on fistula, 33.
Collinsonia in fistula, 63.
Cupressus Lawsoniana in fistula, 167.
Cure, derivation of the word, 1.
Cynosbati in gonorrhoea, 91.
Disease, detection of, by touch of fingers, 117.
Eadon, Dr, on cure of fistula, 33.
Eggert, Dr, on fistula, 45, 48, 50.
"}
Fingers, detection of disease by touch of, 117.
Fistula and piles, differentiation of, 6.
and rectal abscesses, case of, 155.
})
""
19
""
1)
case of, in a lady, 151.
circumanal, case of, 13.
common mode of treating, 2.
common origin of, 24.
constitutional origin of, 3.
7
174
""
Fistula curable by medicine, 6, 12, 28, 32,
34, 47.
cured by urtica urens, 139.
evil results of operation for, 99.
""
71
3
""
۱۱
""
""
""
11
""
""
17
79
""
3
""
""
""
""
""
"
21
Index.
general reflections on, 97, 134.
healing of, no real cure, 131.
hepatic, case of, 23.
hereditary, case of, 138.
infantile, case of, 70.
leucorrhoea following, case of, 100.
mistaken for, case of,
liver, 136.
lung, 137.
I02.
meaning of the word, 2.
not curable by surgery, 9.
patients, personal appearance of,
20.
poitrinary, case of, 67.
post-malarial, in the back, case of, 142.
proctalgia-grave depression of spirits,
146.
recto-vaginal, grave case of, 159.
sequential to abscesses, case of, 161.
Index.
175
15
"1
Fistula, simple, case of, 20.
spleen, 137.
superiority of curing by medicine,
132.
tuberculous, 87.
urinary, case of, 91.
""
Floyer, Dr F. A., on treatment by manipu-
lation, 112.
""
Gastritis, case of, 27.
Gatherings, treatment of acute, 26.
Gilchrist, Prof., on medicines for fistula, 47.
cure of fistula by, 49.
,,
>>
Graphites in fistula, 37.
Grasmuck, Dr, on fistula, 45.
Hæmorrhoids, aloes in, 51.
""
and verrucous growth, 150.
Hale, Prof., on remedies in fistula, 63.
Hamamelis in fistula, 54.
Head and anus, relations between, So, 85.
Hecla in fistula, 149.
Helianthus annuus in fistula, 145, 153.
Helmuth, Prof. Tod, on fistula, 43, 45-
176
Index.
Hepar in abscess, 26.
""
fistula, 36, 44, 91, 104, 139.
Hepatic fistula, case of, 23.
Hereditary fistula, case of, 138.
Hills, Dr A. K., on fistula, 54.
Hippocratism, 76.
Hughes on medicinal cure of fistula, 32.
nitric acid in fistula, 30.
""
Hydrastin in fistula, 33.
Hydrastis Canadensis in fistula, 31, 63, 91,
104, 139, 147, 151, 156, 165, 167.
Ignatia amara in fistula, 156.
Infant, case of fistula in, 70.
Juniperus sabina in fistula, 167.
Kali carbonicum in abscess, 26.
fistula, 15, 36, 71.
"?
""
Kali iodicum in fistula, 149, 153.
Kellgrenism, III.
Kidd, Dr, on cure of fistula, 29, 31.
Kissingen cure for pruritus, 81.
Lachesis in fistula, 48, 50.
Index.
177
Į
Lappa major in abscess, 26.
Leucorrhoea following fistula, case of, 100.
mistaken for fistula, case of, 102.
""
Levico in fistula, 139, 157.
Liquor calcis in abscess, 25.
Liver fistulas, 136.
Lung fistulas, 137.
Lycopodium in fistula, 157.
""
""
Manipulation, treatment by, 112.
Matter, composition of, 113.
Medicine, fistula curable by, 6, 12, 28, 32, 34.
its superiority,
132.
Mera, Dr, cure of fistula by, 48.
Mercurius corrosivus in fistula, 16, 44.
>>
39
>>
solubilis Hahnemanni in fistula,
95.
Myrica cerifera in liver disease, 23.
Nature's mode of operating, 106.
Nat. mur. in fistula, 157.
Nitric acid in fistula, 29.
Nux vomica in fistula, 33, 45, 67, 79.
M
178
Index.
Paine, Dr, on phytolacca, 63.
Paracelsus, treatment of gatherings by, 27.
Patients, personal appearance of fistula, 20.
Petersen, Herr, on Hippocratism, 76.
Phosphorus in fistula, 71, 145.
Phytolacca decandra in fistula, 63.
Phytolaccinum in fistula, 148, 151.
Piles and fistula, case of, 78.
differentiation of, 6.
""
""
Poitrinary fistula, case of, 67.
Post-malarial fistula in the back, case of, 142.
Prefistular cellulitis, case of, 154.
Prolapsus, case of, 84.
Pruritus ani, case of, 80.
Psoricum in fistula, 15, 72.
Psorinum in fistula, 104.
Putrefaction, results of, 116, 125.
Pyrogenium in fistula, 66.
Rectal abscesses and fistula, case of, 155.
Recto-vaginal fistula, grave case of, 159.
Reflections, general, on fistula, 97.
Rhus in fistula, 43.
Rückert on fistula, 53.
Index.
179
Sabina in fistula, 104, 139.
Sambucus in fistula, 149, 151.
Sanguinaria in fistula, 63.
Schüssler, Dr, on fistula, 39.
Sepia in fistula, 104.
Silicea in abscess, 26.
>>
Simon, Dr Léon, on cure of fistula, 37.
Sodium silicatum in fistula, 148, 151.
Solanum nigrum in fistula, 61.
Specialism, allopathic, 73.
Spleen fistulas, 137.
Stasis-abscess, 129.
fistula, 36, 37, 43, 52, 104, 149,
168.
Sulphur in abscess, 26.
""
fistula, 33, 37, 44, 79.
""
Surgery no cure for fistula, 9.
Surgical operation for fistula, evil results of, 99.
Sylphium in fistula, 37.
Thuja occidentalis in fistula, 16, 35, 48, 66,
72, 104, 139, 149,
153, 157, 165, 168.
prolapsus, 86.
""
180
Index,
Tuberculous fistula, 87.
Urinary fistula, case of, 91.
Urtica urens in fistula, 139-141, 144, 148, 149.
Vaccinosic manifestations in fistula, 161.
Vaccinosis and its cure by Thuja, 164.
diagnosis of, in fistula, 169.
77
Vaccininum C. in fistula, 166.
Vanad. ammon. in fistula, 79.
Var. C. in fistula, 147.
Verrucous growth and hæmorrhoids, 150.
Wyld, Dr Geo., on treatment of gatherings,
27.
Zincum aceticum for fagged brain, 83.
PRINTED BY OLIVER AND BOYD, EDINBURGH.
WORKS BY DR BURNETT.
Crown 8vo, pp. 213, Cloth.
TUMOURS OF THE BREAST,
AND THEIR
2s. 6d.
TREATMENT AND CURE BY MEDICINES.
"In this little work Dr Burnett makes good the
title of his book. The real point in his cases is the
persistent use of medicines, 'pegging away,' as he
calls it; claiming all tumours are growths of perverted
vitality, which are cured only by bringing back the
vitality to its normal condition; this takes a long time,
except in recent cases of traumatic origin."-The
Hahnemannian Monthly.
"In order to be able to cure a tumour by medicines,
a man must also first learn how to do it; but it is the
work of the patient chess player, in which there are
but few masters. Still, without being a master, the
art of curing tumours by medicines can-thanks to
Hahnemann and others-be learned and practised
by all, in direct proportion to their ability and
industry. Any medical person who reads this work
will have a good idea of how to set to work."—The
North American Journal of Homeopathy.
Crown 8vo, pp. 186, Cloth.
THE GREATER
2s. 6d.
DISEASES OF THE LIVER:
JAUNDICE, GALL-STONES, ENLARGEMENTS,
TUMOURS, AND CANCER;
AND THEIR TREATMENT.
"Any book that bears upon its title-page the name
of Dr J. C. Burnett is certain to be interesting and
instructive. But charm of manner would be worse
than useless in a scientific book if it were used to
cloak vacuity of matter. Dr Burnett, fortunately,
is as full of good ideas as an English walnut is of
good meat; and both are examples of the best use of
opportunity. . . . Those who desire to know how
Dr Burnett cures catarrhal inflammation of the gall-
ducts, dissolves gall-stones in the gall-bladder, reduces
hypertrophies of the liver, removes liver patches on
the skin, stirs up lazy livers to normal activity, cures
cancer of that viscus, and does many other truly
wonderful things, may send to Mr Boericke for the
book.”—American Homœopathic Journal of Obstetrics.
Third Edition, 12mo, Cloth, 308 pp. 38. 6d.
EIGHT YEARS' EXPERIENCE
IN THE
CURE OF CONSUMPTION
BY BACILLINUM.
ILLUSTRATED BY NUMEROUS CASES.
"In the three years that have elapsed since the
first appearance of Dr Burnett's work, a considerable
literature has sprung into existence on the treatment
of consumption by Bacillinum. In the present issue
Dr Burnett has collected from many sources the
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with other new experiences of his own, so that the
hundred odd pages of the first edition have become
three hundred and eight in the third.
"It is just over three years since the present writer
began to use Bacillinum, and now scarcely a day
passes that he does not find some use for it in practice.
At Dr Burnett's request he wrote an account of his
experience, which will be found, in brief, incorporated
in the present work."-The Homeopathic World.
Crown Svo, p. 130, Cloth.
2s. 6d.
DISEASES OF THE SPLEEN
AND THEIR
REMEDIES CLINICALLY ILLUSTRATED.
"C A most readable little book. Dr Burnett, indeed,
is always readable. Here he presents his views in
reference to Organopathy' and the history of that
term, pointing out that as a pathological term it has
long been in use, but that as applied to drug thera-
peutics 'it was copied from Rademacher without a
single word of acknowledgment. But the real father
of organopathy in essence and substance is Hohenheim
(Paracelsus), for proof of which see his works.'
"Dr Burnett holds, not that organopathy is homœo-
pathy, but that it is included in the wider generaliza-
tion known as homoeopathy, or,' as he says elsewhere
in the book, it is largely of the nature of elementary
homœopathy-is, in fact, specificity of seat,' but he
insists that the completed domain and sphere of
homœopathy embraces also specificity of effects; 'the
nosological organopathy and the therapeutic organo-
pathy must be and are similar.'
"And so he observes, and studies, and treats
diseases of the spleen largely from the organopathic
point of view. But if any one supposes that he
permits this method either to narrow his observations
of the symptoms, or to limit him in the selection of
the remedy, an examination of the book will undeceive
him. Rather does it seem his view of his case is
broadened by it.
"His clinical reports are well told, and in the
highest degree instructive."--The Hahnemannian
Monthly.
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