Part 15

CASE III. A young man, aged thirty-four, had been suffering from asthma for some years. He was invariably worse during the rains and the winter, and a chronic bronchitis was almost a constant accompaniment. He tried allopathic and lots of patent drugs, with only temporary amelioration of the trouble. At last, in November, 1888, he came to my office. On examination of his chest I found there was a chronic bronchitis. He said that slight difficulty of breathing with hacking cough used to trouble him every night, besides a cold would be followed by a severe attack of asthma, so its periodicity of recurrence was irregular. I treated him with Ipecac, Arsenicum alb., etc. The first-named medicine did him the most good, but he never got entirely well. So in July, 1889, I put him under tincture Blatta orientalis 3X, drop doses, three or four times daily. Under its use he began to improve steadily, and had only two or three attacks of asthmatic fits since he used this drug, which were promptly relieved by the same drug in 1x potency. Euphrasia off. was prescribed for his cold whenever he had it. He is free from all trouble for the last year and a half. His general condition is so much changed that there is no apprehension of the recurrence of his former illness.

CASE IV. Baln Bose, an old, corpulent gentleman, aged sixty-two, has been suffering from asthmatic attacks for some years. He never took any allopathic medicine, but had always been under treatment of native kabiraj (medical men), under whose treatment he was sometimes better and worse at others. Latterly he became very bad and passed several sleepless nights. He used to pass his days comparatively better, and it was at night and in the morning he used to be worse. On the 24th of July, 1890, at 9 A.M. I saw him first--there was a slight touch of asthma even then. I made him try to lie down in bed; this he could not do, owing to the coughing fit it excited while in that posture. On examination the chest revealed chronic bronchial catarrh, and there was also a harassing cough, with very little expectoration after repeated exertion. I prescribed Blatta orientalis IX trit., one grain every two hours. He passed the night without an attack, and the next morning when I saw him he complained that only the cough was troublesome last night and no fit of asthma. The cough was somewhat troublesome even when I saw him in the morning. I gave him tincture Blatta ori. 3x, one drop dose every two hours. He passed the day and night well. He continued the treatment for a fortnight and then went home, where he has been keeping good health, with the exception of an occasional bronchial catarrh.

CASE V. A shoemaker, aged forty-two, robust constitution, has been suffering with asthma for three or four years. He came to my office on the 6th of November, 1890. He had been getting asthmatic fits almost every night since October last. During the day troublesome cough, with slight expectoration and hurried breathing made him unable to attend his business. Tincture Blatta orientalis IX, one drop doses, six times daily, was given. The very first day he perceived the good effect of the medicine and continued the same for a month, when he got well and discontinued the medicine. He has been keeping well ever since.

CASE VI. Mr. G., aged forty, healthy constitution, had an asthmatic fit on the 4th of August, 1890, preceded by a violent attack of cold, from which he frequently used to suffer. He had this severe cold in the morning, and in the afternoon he began to experience a great difficulty of breathing and slight oppression and lightness of the chest--this, by 9 P.M., developed into a regular fit of asthma. I was sent for. On my arrival, at 10 P.M., I found he was sitting before a pile of pillows with elbows supported on them, and struggling for breath. There was also a great tightness in the chest, occasional cough, and inability to speak. I at once put him under Blatta orientalis IX trit., one grain every fifteen minutes, and less frequently afterwards if he felt better. On my visit next morning I found him much better, but he said his trouble at night continued, more or less, till 2 A.M., after which he got some rest. Now, there was a troublesome cough, slight oppression of the chest and great apprehension of a second attack in the night. The same medicine, 3x trit., was given to him during the day, and a few powders of 1x were left with him in case he was to get an attack at night. There was a slight aggravation of those symptoms at night, and he had occasion to take only two powders of 1x. The next morning he was every way better, except the cough, for which four powders of 3x were given daily. In four or five days he got entirely well and had no relapse.

CASE VII. Mrs. D., aged twenty, a healthy, stout lady, mother of one child, had been always enjoying good health, was suddenly attacked with a violent fit of asthma on the 8th of August, 1890. This was the first occasion she had a fit of asthma, the result of a severe cold. At about 2 A.M. she was suddenly seized with difficulty of breathing and a great oppression in the chest. She could not lie down any longer in bed and had to sit up, being supported on a pile of pillows. In the morning at 8 A.M. I saw her first. I noticed she was in great agony and almost speechless. On examination I could not detect much loud wheezing--the characteristic of an asthmatic attack--though the rapid movements of the walls of the chest were even quite visible to the bystanders. The patient was feeling almost choked up, and could not express what was going on. She only pointed out a point, a little over the pit of the stomach most painful. There was no cough--perspiration was pouring over her body. I could not at once make out whether it was a case of pure asthma, especially as she never had it before. However, I made up my mind to give her Blatta orientalis IX trit., a grain dose every fifteen minutes, and watch the effect myself. Three doses of it were given without much change for the better. I left a few more doses to be repeated half hourly and promised to see her again within a couple of hours. On my return I found her in a much better condition, and she had taken only one of those powders I had left, and they were not repeated, as she felt better. Now I thought it must have been an attack of asthma, and I continued the medicine unhesitatingly. There was no aggravation at night, but on the next morning she was better, and the usual asthmatic cough began with slight expectoration. There was pain in the chest and head with each coughing fit. Blatta orientalis 3x trit., four to six doses, was continued for a few days, when she got well. Again in November she had a slight tendency to an asthmatic fit, took two or three doses of the same medicine and got well. Since then she had not been troubled again.

CASE VIII. A gentleman, the keeper of a common shop, aged forty-four, belonging to a village, had been suffering from asthma for the last eight years and had always been under treatment of native kabiraj (medical men). In June, he came to the city, and I was called to see him on the 14th of June, to treat him for his asthma. The day previous he had an attack, for which he took no medicine. Each of his attacks usually lasted four or five days. I gave him Blatta orientalis IX trit., one grain every two hours, and left him six such powders to be taken during the day. He took them and felt better the next day. He stayed here two or three days more, and when well he wanted to proceed home, which was some couple of hundred miles. He took with him two two-drachm phials of Blatta orientalis, one of IX and the other of 3x trit. He continued the 3x, one grain doses, two or three times daily, for a month, and discontinued afterward. He had no more asthmatic fits. In January last, 1891, I had a letter from him, thanking me for his recovery and asking for some of the same medicine for a friend of his, who had been suffering from asthma. The friend of his who used the same drug, Blatta orientalis, was equally benefited.

CASE IX. Mrs. Dalta, a thin lady, aged thirty-eight, mother of several children, had been exposed to cold, which brought on an attack of bronchitis with fever. This, in the course of a fortnight, developed into a regular fit of asthma. She was all this time treated by an old-school physician, but when the husband of the lady saw that she was daily getting worse, and a new disease crept in, he made up his mind to change the treatment. I was called to see her in the morning of the 8th of June, 1890. She became very much emaciated, could not take any food, had fever with acute bronchitis, hurried respiration, difficulty of breathing; this she was complaining of bitterly, owing to which she could not lie down in bed, but had to sit up day and night. There was a prolonged fit of spasmodic cough at short intervals, with slight expectoration, but these coughing fits would make her almost breathless. This was the first time I prescribed Blatta orientalis IX in a case of asthma with fever and acute bronchitis. It answered my purpose well. She had only ten powders during the day and passed a comparatively better night. Next morning when I saw her she was better, except the coughing fits, which were continuing as before. The same medicine was repeated. On the 10th of June she had no asthmatic trouble at night, but there was not much improvement in her cough--Anti. tart. and Bryonia were needed to complete the cure.

BOLETUS LARICIS.

NAT. ORD., Fungi.

COMMON NAMES, Larch Agaric, Larch Boletus, Purging Agaric, White Agaric.

PREPARATION.--The dried fungus is macerated in five parts by weight of alcohol.

(Here are two typical cases out of thirteen by Dr. W. H. Burt, which we find in the North American Journal of Homoeopathy, 1866, quoted from the Medical Investigator from a volume not attainable.)

CASE 1. Intermittent fever: Type Quotidiana Duplex. In a large lymphatic woman; weight about 180 lbs.; aged thirty-nine. November 4th. For the last five weeks has had the ague. At first it was a simple quotidian. Took Quinine, which broke it for four days, when it returned; took Quinine in massive doses, which checked it for one week. It returned two weeks since, in the form of a double quotidian. The chill comes on every day at 10 A.M. and 5 P.M.

The chill lasts from one to two hours each time; hands and feet get icy cold, chills run up and down the spine, with severe pains in the head, back and limbs; followed by high fever for three hours, and then profuse sweat. Tongue furred whitish-yellow, with large fissures in the tongue; flat, bitter taste; has had no appetite for five weeks; craves cold water all the time; bowels rather costive; has nausea during every chill, but no vomiting; very weak, can only sit up about one hour in the morning; great depression of spirits, cries during the whole examination; face very much jaundiced. Treatment: Ars. 2, every two hours, for three days. It produced constant nausea and lessened the chills, but aggravated the fever. I then determined to try the Boletus 1st, two grs. every two hours. Took two doses when the chills came on, she then ceased to take the medicine until 5 P.M. Took three doses, and then fell asleep. 8th. Says she is feeling a little better, continued treatment; 10 A.M., commenced to have a severe diarrhoea, an effect of the medicine; discontinued the powders until 5 P.M. The fever did not come on until 3 P.M.; had no chill; fever lasted three hours; perspired profusely all night; slept well for the first time in a number of weeks. 9th. Feeling much better. Fever came on at 4 P.M., had no chill; fever lasted four hours; nausea all the evening; sweat all night. 10th. Feeling quite well. Had no more fever, but had night sweats for a week after. Convalescence was very slow; notwithstanding she had no more fever it was three weeks before she felt perfectly well.

This case demonstrates the fact to us that the Boletus is superior to our greatest remedial agents in the case of intermittents. I believe if I had not been acquainted with the therapeutic properties of the Boletus I would have been compelled to treat this lady every few weeks for two or three months with our usual remedies.

CASE 2. Intermittent fever: Type quotidian. November 1st, Mrs. B., aged fifty-six. Temperament, nervous. Three weeks since had an abscess in left ear, which made her quite sick for a week. Since then has had a fever every afternoon and night; feels chilly whenever she moves; walking produces nausea; does not perspire any; tongue coated white; loss of appetite; bowels loose; very restless at night, cannot sleep any; getting very weak, keeps her bed most of the time. Gave Boletus laricis. Had the fever but one day after.

CALCAREA RENALIS PRAEPARATA.

PREPARATION.--There are two kinds of renal calculi, the phosphatic and the uric, which should be triturated as separate preparations.

(The Homoeopathric Examiner, 1846, contained the following paper, by Dr. Bredenoll. We may add that the remedy is reported to be peculiarly beneficial in Rigg's disease of the teeth.)

My professional engagements do not permit me to spend much time in writing; the following case, however, I deem worthy of note.

Born of healthy parents, I remained quite healthy until my twenty-third year. I had no trouble in getting over the diseases to which children are generally liable. Some of them, scarlet fever and measles, attacked me when I was already engaged in my professional career. I am now fifty-seven years old.

In the year 1808, while vaccinating children, I caught the itch from one of them. Although I washed myself with soap water immediately, yet a pustule made its appearance in about eight days, between the little finger and ring finger of the left hand; afterwards a few more came on at the same place and some others between the ring and middle finger. I hastened to repel this eruption as fast as possible, which I unfortunately succeeded in doing within the period of eight days.

This suppression of the eruption was followed by a host of diseases: Liability to catching cold; frequent catarrh; rheumatic complaints; toothache; attacks of hemicrania, with vomiting; continual heartburn; haemorrhoidal complaints, at times tumors, at times fluent; excessive emaciation; afterwards a pustulous eruption over the whole body; painful swelling of the joints, arthritic nodosities in different places; a copper-colored eruption in the face, especially on and about the nose, which made me look like a confirmed drunkard, etc., etc.

These affections tormented me more or less, until in the year 1833 I visited Hahnemann at Coethen, for the purpose of studying homoeopathia with him. Hahnemann treated me for three weeks, and I continued the treatment at my native place. My health improved steadily, and at the end of a year I considered myself cured. This lasted until October, 1836, when I was attacked with violent colic in one night. The pain was felt in the region of the left kidney, lancinating, pinching, sore; retching ensued, resulting in vomiting of mucus, and lastly bile. I took a few pellets of Nux v. x; after this the pain disappeared gradually, and the vomiting ceased. Next day I was well again. Two days afterwards I discovered gravel in the urine, and my sufferings had vanished.

One year elapsed in this way; however, I occasionally experienced an uncomfortable sensation in the region of the left kidney, especially when riding on horseback, driving in a carriage, or walking fast; I took at times Lycopod., at times Nux v., in proportion as one or the other of these two remedies appeared indicated.

In November, 1837, I was suddenly attacked with vomiting, accompanied with violent lancinating, sore or pinching pains in the region of the left kidney. The horrible anguish and pain which I experienced extorted from me involuntary screams; I was writhing like a worm in the dust. A calculus had descended into the ureter and had become incarcerated in it. Repeated doses of Nux relieved the incarceration, and I distinctly felt that the calculus was descending towards the bladder. After twenty-four hours of horrible suffering the vomiting ceased, the pain became duller and was felt in the region where the ureter dips into and becomes interwoven with the tissue of the bladder: it continued for three days and then disappeared all of a sudden (the stone had not got into the bladder). Thirty-six hours afterwards the calculus entered the bulb of the urethra. I felt a frequent desire to urinate; the urine was turbid and bloody, until at last a calculus of four grains made its appearance in the urine. After this I frequently passed gravel and calculi, at times with slight, at times violent pains, sometimes accompanied with vomiting; I kept the larger calculi, with a view of using them hereafter as a curative agent.

Professor Nasse, of Bonn, where my son studied medicine at the time, has analyzed the calculi, and has found them to be urate of lime. He advised me to take Merc. dulcis and the Sulphate of Soda for some time; it is scarcely necessary for me to say that I did not follow his advice.

On the fifteenth of February, 1839, I felt the precursory symptoms of a new attack, which really did break out in all its fury on the 16th, and continued on the 17th and 18th. I now caused 5 grains of my calculi to be triturated in my presence with 95 grains of sugar of milk, according to the fashion of Hahnemann, and took 1/2 grain in the evening of the 17th, another 1/2 grain in the morning of the 18th. On this day I passed very turbid urine with a considerable quantity of gravel; however, in the region where the ureter dips into the bladder, I experienced an uncomfortable sensation, but was well otherwise. On the 19th I was obliged to visit a patient at the distance of two miles; on my journey I felt that the calculus was descending into the bladder; the urine which I emitted shortly afterwards was very turbid and bloody. That same evening, after returning home, I felt the stone in the bulb of the urethra, and on the morning of the 20th it came off during stool, but unfortunately got lost among the excrement. To judge from my feeling it must have been larger than any of the preceding calculi, and also rougher, for its passage through the urethra was very painful and followed by an oozing out of blood.