An Epitome of Homeopathic Healing Art by B. L. Hill (read after TXT) 📕

it is dark, fetid or bloody, or sanious and purulent, sometimes it is acrid, excoriating the parts. TREATMENT.

Inflammation or ulceration, either acute or chronic, in these parts does not differ essentially in its characteristics from the same affection in other mucous surfaces.

The proper treatment for a catarrh of other mucous surfaces will be applicable to these, though there is no doubt but that some medicines are more specifically adapted to these than to other organs.

In the early stage of the complaint, while the inflammation is acute, or sub-acute, the discharge thin or white, Copaiva and Macrotin are to be given once in 6 hours alternately. During the same time let injections into the vagina of warm soap and water be used twice a day, to cleanse the parts of the secretion, followed in half an hour by a wash of warm water, into which tr. of Macrotys has been put in proportion of 40 drops to half a pint. The application should be made with an 8 ounce or at least 6 ounce curved pipe syringe, so as to throw it with considerable force. If there is a burning sensation, use the washes quite warm, until the heat of the parts is allayed. Avoid the use of cold injections as long as any inflammation exists. If the bearing down is present with burning in the parts, Bell. is to be used in rotation with the two former remedies. If the sensation is that of smarting, Cantharis is to be used in place of Bell.

Where the disease comes on soon after child-birth, Podophyllin is the Specific. It is to be given at the first attenuation three times daily in half gr. doses of the trituration. In this case let the parts be freely washed daily with a solution of borax, quite warm. In the chronic form of the disease, especially where barrenness exists, Macrotin, Podophyllin and Hydrastin, given morning, noon and night, in the order named, will, in nearly all cases, afford relief.

For females who have never borne children, give Phos. acid, 2d and Eryrgium Aquaticum 1, night and morning for a week, and then give them at the 3d dilution until the symptoms subside. If there are headache and derangement of the stomach, Macrotin and Podophyllin should be used, each once a day, between the latter remedies. When the discharge is colored and the pains darting, cutting or smarting, indicating ulceration, or if ulceration is discovered by examination, use Macrotin and Hydrastin internally, injecting the latter upon the affected parts freely. The ulcerated surfaces should be well washed off every day with soap and water, or a solution of borax, and the medicine (Hydrastin) in form of infusion, used half an hour after the other wash. If the neck of the womb looks dark, and is ulcerated, or is hard and painful to the touch, especially on probing the cavity, Cornus Sericea must be used both as a wash to the parts, and at the first dilution internally, using them twice a day. This remedy will often cure malignant cases.

It takes a long time in some instances to cure a chronic case, but if persevered in, these remedies will not be likely to fail.[2]

Morning Sickness of Pregnant Females.

The most efficient and certain remedy for this symptom is Macrotin. It should be taken at the first attenuation, a dose before rising in the morning, and one every six hours during the day, as long as the sickness is troublesome. It will generally relieve in a few days. If the stomach is sour use Pulsatilla with the Macrotin.

As a preparation for labor, a dose (one grain) of Macrotin at the first attenuation given in the morning, and the same of Caulophyllin at evening, is of great service.

Whatever others may think or say in relation to any preparatory treatment for labor, I have reason to know as well as anything in medicine be known, that patients treated as here directed, pass through labor much quicker, frequently in one-fourth the usual time. Their sufferings are comparatively trifling, and the length of time for recovery to ordinary health after labor is abridged from three-fourths to nine-tenths that of former labors. I am quite confident that the medicines produced this difference.

For irregularity of labor pains, and for distressing after pains, the Caulophyllin is specific.

During labor it should be given at the 2d attentuation in about half grain doses, every half hour, until the pains are regular. Two or three doses at most, and generally one will suffice.

For the after pains it may be given in alternation with Ipecac or Aconite if there is flooding, or with Pulsatilla when the flooding is not troublesome, a dose once in half an hour, until the pains are checked.

For Rigidity of the soft parts and severe, retarded and long protracted labor, where the pains are strong and irregular, and great pain and exhaustion is experienced on account of the unyielding condition of the parts, Lobelia Inflata given in drop doses of the tr. in water, once in twenty minutes, in alternation with Caulophyllin as above directed, will in a short time produce the proper condition of the parts, while they render the pains stronger, regular and progressive.

In urgent cases I have given the medicines every 5 or 10 minutes, with decided benefit.

A Useful Hint to Mothers.

Children push beans, peas, corn, &c., into the nose and ear, causing much alarm. To remove such a body take a syringe that works tightly, put the end of the pipe against the bean, shot, or other substance, draw back the piston so as to suck up the article firmly as the pipe is withdrawn from the cavity.

LOCAL APPLICATIONS.

That medicines act locally, that is, manifest their symptoms by peculiar derangement or disturbance of some particular part of the system, more prominently than of any other part, for the time, no one will deny. That each one has some particular locality or tissue upon which its action is more perceptible than anywhere else, is equally undeniable, and that the prominent symptoms are often external and local, is also true. Yet, with these truths clearly demonstrated, there are those of our school who discard the external or local application of all remedies except Arnica.

Why this is done, is difficult to determine, unless we can believe that such physicians suppose it to be heresy to make use of any remedy in a different manner from what was recommended by the "Father of Homœopathy," and abjure all possibility of improvement in our practice.

That nearly if not all medicines, may be applied externally with advantage, when there are local manifestations similar to those produced by the drugs, there can be no doubt in the mind of any sensible man. That they will act favorably when so used is reasonable, as a matter of theory, and that they do, as a matter of fact, has been proven to my mind, by abundant experience in their use. Therefore, I hesitate not to recommend the practice to others. Medicines must act either by combination with the affected part, or by Catalysis, changing the molecular action of the living tissues. In either case, they must come directly in contact with the part to be affected. This must be done through the circulation, when taken internally, or it may be done by direct application of the remedy to the diseased tissue, when that is so situated as to be reached. The difference is greatly in favor of the latter mode when that is practicable, from the greater certainty of its results. This assertion is based, not upon vague hypothesis, but upon actual practice.

Entertaining these views, however heretical they may be pronounced, I shall proceed to mention some of the remedies I have learned to use thus, and the cases for which they are prescribed. I would remark that, in selecting a remedy, it must be done with as much certainty of its homœopathic relation to the local or general symptoms for external as for internal use. I have found, however, that much lower attenuations are requisite and admissible.

Arnica is highly applicable to bruises, and is valuable also when applied to lacerated or mangled surfaces, to the surface of the limb where a bone is fractured, also about the joint when it has been dislocated. It is to be used in the form of Arnicated water, by putting one or two drops to a gill of water for application where the skin is ruptured or the surface raw, and ten to twenty drops to the gill, upon parts where the skin is sound. It is useful also, for boils, and carbuncles in the early stage, the strong tincture to be applied when the surface is sound, and (to boils) when the surface is open, one drop to a gill of water.

Aconite

Is applicable to inflamed eyes, in the early stage, where the disease is in the conjunctiva, (that portion which lines the lids and covers the front of the ball), especially if there is a sense of scratching, as though some foreign substance is in the eye, great intolerance of light, chilly sensations, with more or less fever, and quick pulse. Put three or four drops to a gill of warm water, and apply it freely.

It is also very valuable for Neuralgia, applied strong and warm, along the course, or at the origin of the affected nerve. In neuralgia of the face, apply it upon the side of the face, also just behind and below the ear of the affected side.

It is of much value as a remedy for neuralgic affections of the womb. I have relieved the most distressing symptoms of neuralgia of the womb, in a few minutes, by injecting warm water containing twenty to forty drops of tr. Aconite to the pint. By repeating this application at every paroxysm, patients recover rapidly, each succeeding attack being lighter, and the interval between being longer, until they cease entirely. It may be used with much benefit in the same manner, for Hysteritis, as well as recent cases of Leucorrhœa. It is the most valuable remedy applied to the Eye for a wound of that organ.

In Gonorrhœa, it is more valuable as a local remedy, than most of those now in use. It will frequently cure alone. In this case, it is to be used with an equal part of the tr. and warm water.

Belladonna

has great power as a local remedy in Erysipelas, to be applied with water in proportion of ten drops of the tr. to a gill of warm water. It is also of much value applied to the surface of inflamed breasts; also injected when there is inflammation of the uterus, with pressing pains as though the bowels would be pressed out. Very valuable in parturition where there is rigidity of the os uteri, with fullness of the head and throbbing of the temples. It has the specific power to relax circular fibres without affecting the longitudinal.

Calendula,

is applied to wounds, incised and lacerated, promoting healing by the first intention. It is a valuable application for wounds in scrofulous persons, which tend to suppurate rather than heal by the first intention. It is also useful in old sores.

The Calendula Cerate is one of the best of dressings for any abraded surface.

Conium

is valuable as a palliative upon cancerous tumors. As a curative remedy it is useful in chronic ophthalmia, especially the purulent of children; useful also for indurated swellings.

Thuya

is a specific when locally used for Sycosis, also for fungoid cancerous tumors. I have cured well-marked cases of Fungus Hæmatodes with the tinct. Thuya applied to the surface of the tumor.

The Thuja Cerate is a valuable application for malignant ulcers.

Cornus Sericea

will often cure malignant ulcers both