Part 8

(Dr. Edwin M. Hale communicated the following concerning this alkaloid to the Homoeopathic Recorder for 1889):

Dyspnoea.--This alkaloid is from the South American tree--Quebracho. The maximum dose, according to Merck, is 1/10th grain. I use the 1/500th trituration, which I find most efficient in doses of 2 to 5 grains.

CASE I.--A boy of ten. The attacks of spasmodic dyspnoea were a sequel of hay fever. The aggravation was at night, when lying down, or sleep was impossible. I tried Ipecac and Arsenic, but with no effect. Aralia, also. (I never had any curative or palliative effects from Aralia.)

Prescribed Aspidospermine, 1/500th trituration, 2 grains every two hours, all day. The night was comfortable, could lie down and sleep. Continued the remedy for four days, when he was so much better that the medicine was suspended.

CASE II.--Cardiac dyspnoea in a man of 60. Valvular disease, hypertrophy with dilatation. Distressing difficulty of breathing from the slightest exertion; had to sit upright day and night. Face livid from venous stasis. Strophanthus regulated and strengthened the heart's action, but only slightly benefited the dyspnoea. Five grains of Aspidospermine, 1/500th trituration, every two hours effected a marvellous change. He could walk about the house and out to his carriage with but little discomfort. He has now continued it three weeks. Observes no unpleasant symptoms. Can lie on his back and right side and is very grateful for the relief. It seems to act as well as an aid to Digitalis, or Strophanthus, in cardiac dyspnoea.

AURUM MURIATICUM NATRONATUM.

COMMON NAME.--Chloride of Gold and Sodium.

PREPARATION.--A mixture composed of equal parts of dry chloride of Gold and chloride of Sodium, triturated in the usual way.

(The following is an extract from a paper by Dr. H. Goullon in the Allg. Hom. Zeit., bd. 114, No. 12, on the therapeutics of this remedy):

Never have I observed gold so startling in its action as in the following case: The patient is a type of the scrofulous habit; reddish hair, pasty complexion, thick nose, coarse features. About thirty years of age. He has had the misfortune of being infected by syphilis, and the still greater ill-luck of being treated by mercurial inunctions and iodine to excess. All these circumstances conjoined helped to produce a complication of morbid conditions which would put medical art to a severe test. Let us recall the region in which gold makes such brilliant cures, and we find it especially suitable in an uncommon swelling of the left testicle. In this case I do not exaggerate, when I say that the scrotum was as large as a gourd of moderate size and the tumor was four or five times larger in circumference than the right testicle, which was also swollen. The entire mass simulated an oblong, heavy weight, like those one meets with in old-fashioned clocks, and could hardly find space in the capacious suspensory.

The skin was also involved. On the elbow was a wide-spread herpetic eruption; on different parts of the body were gummy indurations; the ear discharged; in short, the many characteristic manifestations of the syphilitic poison were to be seen throughout the cutaneous and mucous systems. There were also ulcerous formations in the oral cavity and on the sides of the tongue.

After about four weeks the patient again set foot upon the floor, saying: 'The drops have done wonders.' And indeed the influence upon the testicles was so striking that now the right, which was formerly the smaller, seemed the larger, without having actually at all increased in size. Not the less remarkable had been the action of gold on the general condition. The patient, formerly irritable and uneasy, is cheerful and comfortable; enjoys sound sleep, whereas before he was disturbed with morbid dreams; has lost his previous debility and disgust for everything; and says that his digestive power is quite a different thing. He assimilates articles of diet which he did not formerly dare to take, unless he wished to suffer with flatulence, gastric acidity and vomiting. Among other things punch, which he 'could not even smell,' agrees well.

But, evidently, the mode of administering gold in such cases is not a matter of indifference. And although I have only recently published a cure with high potencies (in which I subsequently corrected the mistake of the 100th Dec. for the Centes., which was what I used of the Natrum muriaticum), I cannot commit myself to high potencies in syphilitic complications. Experience in these cases is always in favor of substantial doses. But, as we shall soon see, these proportionally massive and heavy doses are always quite out of the allopathic posological range, and even on this ground one must set boundaries, and seek for the conversion of the traditional school. By two or three clinical experiences of this sort many a Saul would become a Paul in spite of all former prejudices, vis inertia, and most tormenting skepticism. One-half grain Aurum muriaticum natronatum was dissolved in 6 grms. Spiritus vini, but of this first 6 drops are again put into a wineglass of water, of which the patient takes a teaspoonful thrice daily.

(Dr. Tritschler, of the Gynaecological Clinic of Tuebingen, furnishes the following on the use of this remedy in diseases of women. From Allg. Hom. Zeit., bd. 94. Nos. 17. 18, 19):

Permit me now to specify some practical instances of the curative powers of Aurum, and especially of Aurum muriaticum natronatum, in reference to gynaecology.

CHRONIC METRITIS.

The first case is that of a woman with chronic metritis and prolapsus uteri. Hydrarg. chlorat. mit. was given at first, which acted favorably on the inflammation, but whose further use was prevented by its giving rise to salivation. The intumescence of the uterus continued about the same. Chloride of gold entirely reduced the chronic inflammation, and restored the uterus to its natural position without external means.

INDURATION OF UTERUS.

The second case was an unmarried woman at the climacteric, the vaginal portion of whose uterus showed an induration which disappeared during the administration of chloride of gold.

HYSTERICAL SPASMS.

The third case was a woman with periodical attacks of hysterical spasms, which involved the entire body, with unconsciousness lasting several hours, asthma, palpitation, etc., beginning with a sense of coldness, ascending from the abdomen, and perceptible even to the bystanders. Sometimes the attack began with pulsation through the occiput. Examination showed an inflamed uterus, filling not only the true pelvis, and interfering with urination and defecation, but the enlarged uterus perceptible through the thick abdominal walls above the pubes. At the end of seven months, Aur. mur. nat. had entirely reduced the swelling. The woman has enjoyed good health for several years, quite free from the so-called hysteria.

INDURATION OF CERVIX.

It happened that a woman presented an induration of the cervix, together with a remarkable softening in the posterior uterine wall. The result of treatment with chloride of gold was, that in proportion to the decrease of the induration there was an increase in the consistency of the softened posterior wall. The woman, who had been married for three years and childless, became pregnant for the first time and has since borne several children. With this experience, the Gold-chloride was also given for a softening of the atrophied cervical canal, in one case until it was curved at right angles to the body of the uterus; also in a diffused softening of the uterine tissues, with the result that the hitherto sterile woman, after toning up the uterine tissue, attained the joy of motherhood. * * * * *

Habitual abortion and premature labor recurring at about the same month of pregnancy generally depended upon induration in some portion of the uterus, which, preventing its natural expansion during gestation, gives rise to premature expulsion of the foetus. By the use of Aur. mur. nat. before and during pregnancy, the absorption of this induration will conduce to the proper termination of parturition.

A swelling of the ovary, reaching as far as the umbilicus, I have cured with Aur. mur. nat., and have improved others of considerable extent very decidedly. Martini has cured five cases of ovarian dropsy in the greatest possible degree with the same remedy.

Ulcers of the os and the vaginal portion, which had resulted from inflammation and induration, some as large as a dollar, and of a gangrenous character, were healed by the use of gold, without any topical applications.

The profession considers ulceration and induration of the uterus incurable. This dogma of theirs is based on the fact that the usual change, the disturbance of nutrition, can neither be remedied nor hindered in its advance. Now since ulcers are generally found only in an advanced stage of softening and induration, it is conceivable why the school--seeking a cure solely in the use of local means--turns away almost entirely from the employment of internal remedies. According to the opinions of the specialists the use of different remedies, partly insoluble, partly soluble, pure or in combination, permanent or transient, is indicated. Others apply ointments on sponges to the surface of the ulcers, keeping them in contact with it by tampons. Others again prescribe injections, and with these expect to attain the end. Finally, glowing-hot iron, the galvano-cautery, or the knife and scissors remove partially or entirely the vaginal portion.

Now, if the malady continues to thrive on the wounds made by these procedures, if old cicatrices break out again, if too a permanent cure is out of the question, there is ground for supposing that the product of illness, the ulcer, may be cauterized, burnt and cut away, but that the cause, the diathesis, the tendency to it, can only be removed by internal medication. * * * * *