Part 29

"Case I was that of a Mr. B., aged seventy-three years. I found him gasping for breath when I entered the room, with a pulse-rate of 158 and very feeble; great oedema of lower limbs and abdomen. A more desperate case could hardly be found. I gave him fifteen drops of Crataegus in half a wineglass of water. In fifteen minutes the pulse beat was 126 and stronger, and breathing was not so labored. In twenty-five minutes pulse beat 110 and the force was still increasing, breathing much easier. He now got ten drops in same quantity of water, and in one hour from the time I entered the house he was, for the first time in ten days, able to lie horizontally on the bed. I made an examination of the heart and found mitral regurgitation from valvular deficiency, with great enlargement. For the oedema I prescribed Hydrargyrum cum creta, Squill and Digitalis. He received ten drops four times a day of the Crataegus and was permitted to use some light beer, to which he had become accustomed at meal time. He made a rapid and apparently full recovery until, in three months, he felt as well as any man of his age in Chicago. He occasionally, particularly in the change of weather, takes some of the Crataegus which, he says, quickly stops shortness of breath or pain in the heart. His father and a brother died of heart disease."

Another case was that of a young woman, who, when Dr. Jennings appeared in response to the summons, was said to be dead. "I went in and found that she was not quite dead, though apparently so. I put five or six drops of Nitrite of amyl to her nose, and alternately pressing and relaxing the chest, so as to imitate natural breathing, I soon had her able to open her eyes and speak. I gave her hypodermically ten drops, and in less than half an hour she was able to talk and describe her feelings. An examination revealed a painfully anaemic condition of the patient, but without any discoverable lesions of the heart, except functional." Under Crataegus she made a good recovery. "Her heart trouble, though very dangerous, was only functional, and resulted from want of proper assimilation of the food, due chiefly to the dyspeptic state and dysentery."

Another case was that of a woman who "was suffering from compensatory enlargement of the heart from mitral insufficiency," was taken with dyspnoea when Dr. Jennings was called and was nearly dead. Under Crataegus and some other indicated remedies she made an excellent recovery. "In a letter from her, three months afterward, she said she was feeling well, but that she would not feel fully secure without some of the Crataegus."

"The forty other cases ran courses somewhat similar to the three cited--all having been apparently cured. Yet I am not satisfied beyond a doubt, that any of those patients were completely cured except those whose trouble of the heart were functional, like the second case cited. And it is possible and even probable that in weather of a heavy atmosphere or when it is surcharged with electricity, or if the patient be subjected to great excitement or sudden or violent commotion or exercise he may suffer again therewith. That the medicine has a remarkable influence on the diseased heart must, I think, be admitted. From experiments on dogs and cats made by myself, it appears to influence the vagi and cardio inhibitory centres, and diminishes the pulse rate, increases the intraventricular pressure, and thus filling the heart with blood causes retardation of the beat and an equilibrium between the general blood pressure and force of the beat. Cardiac impulse, after a few days' use of the Crataegus, is greatly strengthened and yields that low, soft tone so characteristic of the first sound, as shown by the cardiograph. The entire central nervous system seems to be influenced favorably by its use; the appetite increases and assimilation and nutrition improve, showing an influence over the sympathetic and the solar plexus. Also a sense of quietude and well-being rests on the patient, and he who before its use was cross, melancholic and irritable, after a few days of its use shows marked signs of improvement in his mental state. I doubt if it is indicated in fatty enlargement. The dose which I have found to be the most available is from ten to fifteen drops after meals or food. If taken before food it may, in very susceptible patients, cause nausea. I find also that after its use for a month it may be well to discontinue for a week or two, when it should be renewed for another month or so. Usually three months seem to be the proper time for actual treatment, and after that only at such times as a warning pain of the heart or dyspnoea may point out.

(The Kansas City Medical Journal, 1898, contained a paper on the remedy, by Dr. Joseph Clements, from which the following pertinent extracts are taken):

"About twelve years ago I was suddenly seized with terrible pain in the left breast; it extended over the entire region of the heart and down the brachial plexus of the left arm as far as the wrist. I pressed my hands over my heart and seemed unable to move. My lips blenched, my eyes rolled in a paroxysm of agony; the most fearful sense of impending calamity oppressed me and I seemed to expect death, or something worse, to fall upon and overwhelm me. The attack lasted a short time and then began to subside, and soon I was myself again, but feeling weak and excited. I consulted no one; took no medicine. I did not know what to make of it, but gradually it faded from my mind and I thought no more of it until two years afterwards, when I had another attack, and again nearly a year later. Each of these was very severe, like the first, and lasted about as long and left me in about the same condition. I remember no other seizure of importance until about three years ago, and again a year later. These were not so terrible in the suffering involved, but the fear, the apprehension, the awful sense of coming calamity, I think, grew upon me. From this time on, two years ago, the attacks came frequently, the time varying from two or three months to two or three weeks between.

"I took some nitro-glycerine tablets and some pills of Cactus Mexicana, but with no benefit that I could perceive. This brings me down to about fifteen months ago. I was feeling very badly, having had several attacks within a few weeks. My pulse was at times very rapid and weak, and irregular and intermittent.

(About this time he got hold of Crataegus with the following result):

"After getting my supply I began with six drops, increasing to ten before meals and at bedtime. The results were marvellous. In twenty-four hours my pulse showed marked improvement; in two or three weeks it became regular and smooth and forceful. Palpitation and dyspnoea soon entirely left me; I began to walk up and down hills without difficulty, and a more general and buoyant sense of security and well-being has come to stay. During the three months that I was taking the medicine, which I did with a week's intermission several times, I had several slight attacks, one rather hard seizure, but was relieved at once on taking ten drops of the medicine.

(He adds that hypodermic of Morphia does not give relief from these heart pains as quickly and as surely as does fifteen drops of Crataegus. He also says, "of course I consider it the most useful discovery of the Nineteenth century." He also names a number of "the most reputable and careful men in the profession," who are having good results with this remedy.)

(Dr. T. C. Duncan contributes the following illustrative cases):

"Mrs. A., a printer, came to me complaining of some pain in the side as if it would take her life. She did not have it all the time, only at times, usually the last of the week, when tired. I prescribed Bryonia, then Belladonna, without prompt relief. One Saturday she came with a severe attack, locating the pain with her right hand above and to the left of the stomach. The pulse was strong and forcible. On careful examination I found the heart beat below the normal, indicating hypertrophy. I examined the spine, and to the left of the vertebra about two inches I found a very tender spot (spinal hyperaemia). She told me that when a girl she had several attacks, and that her own family physician (Dr. Patchen) gave her a remedy that relieved her at once. She had tried several physicians, among them an allopath, who gave hypodermic injections of morphia, without relief. Hot applications sometimes relieved.

"I now recognized that I had a case of angina pectoris, and that her early attacks were due, I thought, to carrying her heavy brother. Now the attacks come when she becomes tired holding her composing stick; at the same time she became very much flurried, so much so that she had to stop work because she was so confused.

"I now gave her a prescription for Cactus, but told her I would like to try first a new remedy, giving her Crataegus, saturating some disks with the tincture (B. & T.). I directed her to take two disks every hour until relieved, and then less often. If not relieved to take the Cactus.

"She returned in a week reporting that she was relieved after the first dose of Crataegus. More, that hurried, flurried feeling had not troubled her this week. Her face has a parchment skin, and the expression of anxiety so significant of heart disease was certainly relieved. I have not seen her since.

"In my proving of this drug it produced a flurried feeling due, I thought, to the rapid action of the stimulated heart. One prover, a nervous lady medical student, gives to-day in her report "a feeling of quiet and calmness, mentally." This is a secondary effect, for it was preceded by "an unusual rush of blood to the head with a confused feeling."

"One swallow does not make a summer," neither does one case establish a remedy; but I think that as Cactus has a clearly defined therapeutic range, so it seems that Crataegus may prove a valuable addition to our meagre array of heart remedies.

CUPHEA VISCOSISSIMA.

NAT. ORD., Lythraceae.

COMMON NAMES, Clammy cuphea. Tar-weed.

PREPARATION.--The fresh plant is pounded to a pulp and macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(In 1888 Dr. A. A. Roth contributed the following concerning Cuphea vis. to the Homoeopathic Recorder):

Two years ago, whilst battling manfully for the life of a child ill to death from cholera infantum, I was persuaded by a lady friend to use red pennyroyal tea, and to my delight I had the pleasure of seeing a marvellous change in less than twenty-four hours. The vomiting ceased promptly and the bowels gradually became normal. Impressed by this fact, and also the fact that it was used very extensively in home treatment by country people, I procured the fresh plant, and prepared a tincture as directed in the American Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia under article "Hedeoma." This made a beautiful dark-green tincture, having an aromatic odor and slightly astringent taste. Of this I gave from five to ten drops, according to age, every hour until relieved, and then as often as needed, and found it act promptly and effectively. Feeling loath to add another remedy to our already over-burdened Materia Medica, I deferred any mention of the fact; but now after a fair trial for two seasons I feel justified in believing that the Cuphea viscosissima will prove a treasure in the treatment of cholera infantum. Out of a large number of cases treated I had but three square failures, and they were complicated with marasmus to an alarming extent before I began the Cuphea; one died and two finally recovered. Cuphea does not act with equal promptness in all forms of cholera infantum. Two classes of cases stand out prominently; and first, those arising from acidity of milk or food; vomiting of undigested food or curdled milk, with frequent green, watery, acid stools, varying in number from five to thirty per day; child fretful and feverish; can retain nothing on the stomach; food seems to pass right through the child. I have frequently had the mother say after twenty-four hours' use of Cuphea: "Doctor, the baby is all right," and a very pleasant greeting it is, as we all know. A second class is composed of cases in which the stools are decidedly dysenteric, small, frequent, bloody, with tenesmus and great pain; high fever, restlessness and sleeplessness. In these two classes Cuphea acts promptly and generally permanently. It contains a large percentage of tannic acid, and seems to possess decidedly tonic properties, as children rally rapidly under its use. It utterly failed me in ordinary forms of diarrhoea, especially in diarrhoeas from colds, etc.; but in the classes mentioned I have frequently had it produce obstinate constipation after several days' use.

ECHINACEA ANGUSTIFOLIA.

NAT. ORD., Compositae.

COMMON NAME, Pale Purple Cone-flower.

PREPARATION.--The whole plant including the root is pounded to a pulp and macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(This rather famous drug first came to notice as "Meyers' Blood Purifier;" the proprietor did not know the name of the drug used and sent a whole plant to Professors King and Lloyd, of Cincinnati, who identified it as Echinacea angustifolia, commonly known as "cone flower," "black Sampson," "nigger head," etc. If we may believe all that has been printed about it the remedy is a veritable cure-all. The following, however, is a safe guide; it is taken from the paper by Dr. J. Willis Candee in Transactions, 1898, of the Homoeopathic Medical Society of the State of New York, and credited by Dr. Candee to Dr. J. C. Fahnstock):