An Epitome of Homeopathic Healing Art by B. L. Hill (story reading TXT) 📖

immersed in strong soap suds, at a temperature of about 75 or 80°, and the dressing removed while it is under water, and others applied while in the same situation. In ordinary cases, however, even of extensive burns, after the fever consequent upon it has subsided, and the part is tolerably free from pain and smarting, the dressings may be removed in the air, but others should be in readiness and applied as speedily as possible. The soap dressings are to be continued from the beginning until the inflammation has subsided and the sore has lost all symptoms that distinguish it from an ordinary healthy suppurating sore.

After the first few days, or in case of a slight burn at the beginning, an excellent mode of applying the soap, is to make a strong thick "Lather" with soft water and good soap, such as Castile, or any other good hard soap, as a barber would for shaving, and apply that to the affected part with a soft shaving brush; apply it as carefully as possible, so as to cover every part of the surface, and go over it several times, letting the former coat dry a little before applying another, forming a thick crust impervious to the air. In small burns, and even in pretty extensive and severe ones, this is the best mode of application, and the only one necessary.

In many cases of very severe and dangerous burns, under the influence of this application, the inflammation subsides, and after a week or more, the crust of lather comes off, exposing the surface smooth and well. Although it is important to apply the soap early, and the case does much better if that has been done, still I have found it the best remedy even as late as the second or third day. In such a case, the lather application is the best.

For the fever and general nervous disturbance, Aconite and Bell. should be given alternately, as often as every half hour, and the Aconite should be given in appreciable doses; it acts powerfully as an anodyne. The soap treatment, or at least, the mode of applying it was first suggested to me by Dr. J. Tifft, of Norwalk, Ohio, some six or seven years ago, since which time I have had opportunities of testing its virtues in all forms of burns and scalds, some of which were of the severest and most dangerous character, and I am quite sure in several cases, no other remedy or process known to the medical profession, could have relieved and restored as this did.

The application of finely pulverized common salt, triturated with an equal part of superfine flour, acts very beneficially on burns. It seems to have the specific effect to "extract the heat," literally putting out the fire. It is particularly useful for deep burns where the surface is abraded. Some may suppose this would be severe and cause too much pain when applied to a raw surface, but so far from that being the case, it is a most soothing application. It often so changes the condition of even the severest burns, in a short time, as to render them of no more importance and no more dangerous than ordinary abrasions to the same extent, by causes unconnected with heat. Urtica urens is directed for burns, and is useful, but the Urtica dioica is better. For

Chilblains,

That follow freezing or chilling the feet, causing most distressing uneasiness and itching of the feet and toes, take these remedies, Rhus and Apis, the former at night and the latter in the morning. In bad cases, they should be used once in six hours. Applications of Oil of Arnica to the affected parts at night, warming them before a fire, will serve greatly to palliate the sufferings, and frequently effect a perfect cure. The Urtica Dioica will relieve recent cases, immediately, and is one of the best remedies for the chronic affection. It should be taken at the 2d dilution, and the tincture applied to the affected part every night.

Hoarseness.

This arises generally, from inflammation of the mucous membrane of the Larynx, in ordinary cases but slight. It is a frequent accompaniment of Bronchitis.

The remedies most useful, and those which will, in almost all ordinary cases, remove this affection at once, are Arum tri. and Copaiva, to be taken a dose every three hours in alternation.

If there is present a dry hacking cough, it will be well to take Bell. in the interval between the other medicines, for a day, or until the cough is relieved, or changed to a moist condition.

Inflammation of the Brain.

Brain Fever.

Though this affection is not strictly what is called "brain fever," it is attended with more or less general fever, while in what is called "Brain fever," there is great irritation of the brain, requiring in many respects similar treatment. As the treatment proper for inflammation of the brain, with some slight modifications in relation to the existing fever, will be applicable to both, I shall treat of them under one head.

Some of the principal symptoms are delirium and drowsiness, fullness of the blood vessels of the head, beating of the temporal arteries, redness and fullness of the face, the pupils dilated, (though in the very early stage they may be contracted.) If the membranes of the brain be the seat of the disease, the pain is more intense, and frequently the limbs are in a palsied state. The patient sometimes vomits immoderately, and the pulse is slow and irregular, but full. The breathing becomes stertorous. The fever is very considerable, and the head hot.

TREATMENT.

Aconite, Belladonna and Bryonia should be given in rotation, one dose every hour in a violent case, lengthening the intervals as the symptoms abate. Applying hot cloths to the head, removing them occasionally to let the water evaporate, will greatly palliate and will not in the least, interrupt the action of the medicines. Never apply cold to the head of any person, when hot or inflamed, much less to that of a child. Children are often killed by the application of ice to the head, producing congestion and paralysis of the brain. Hot applications are Homœopathic to the state then existing, and always beneficial. The feet may also be placed in hot water, but children should never be put into a hot or warm bath when sick, so as to cover more than the lower extremities.

Convulsions of Children—Fits.

These generally occur, either from the irritation of worms, or as precursors of ague, or they may arise from diarrhœal irritation, affecting the brain. They sometimes occur in hooping cough.

If convulsions occur from worms, the child appearing to be choked, give at once some salt and water, and as soon as the first paroxysm is over, give a dose of Bell., and after an hour a dose of Santonine. If they come on at the commencement of an ague chill, give Aconite and Bell. every half hour for three or four doses alternately, then leave off the Bell. and give Baptisia. If diarrhœa is the cause, give Bell. and Cham omilla. If from hooping cough, Bell. alone should be used.

Measles.

This is a contagious disease, and always begins with symptoms like a cold, with high fever, and a severe dry cough, thirst and restlessness. Pulsatilla is the proper medicine to palliate and regulate the symptoms. If the fever is high, Aconite should be used every two hours alternately with Puls. Should the eruption subside suddenly, give Bryonia with Pulsatilla until it reappears.

Let the child drink freely of cold water, and avoid stimulants of every kind. If the eruption is tardy in its appearance, a hot bath may be administered, being careful to have the room quite warm, and to rub the patient dry, very suddenly after the bath. Frictions by the healthy hand over the surface, will do much towards bringing out measles. After the eruption is out, quiet, freedom from sudden exposure to cold, cold water and light diet is all that is necessary. In some of the most obstinate cases, where the eruptions failed to appear in the proper time, as well as where they had receded too soon, I have been able to bring them out in a short time with an infusion of Sassafras root, sweetened and taken quite warm, in doses of half an ounce in fifteen to thirty minutes. It is a remedy for measles well worth attention.

Mumps.

This is a contagious disease, consisting in an inflammation of the Parotid gland. There is, at first, a sense of stiffness and soreness on moving the jaw, soon after the gland begins to swell, and continues to be sore and painful, with more or less headache, and general fever for from six to eight days. It is not ordinarily a dangerous disease, unless translated to some other part. It may remove from the original seat to the brain, the testicles, or in females to the breasts.

TREATMENT.

Mercurius should be given three times a day during the attack. If the brain becomes affected, use Bell. and Apis mel. in alternation. Should it recede to the testicles, or to the female breasts, Apis mel. is the remedy. Mercurius may be used in connection with the Apis as soon as the violent symptoms have subsided, in order to prevent permanent glandular swellings.

Stings of Insects.

The effect produced by the sting of Bees, Wasps, and Hornets of all kinds, is so nearly, if not quite identical, that I shall make no distinction between them. There are very few, if any persons, who do not know the symptoms, at least the local effects of the Bee sting. Pungent, stinging, aching pain, redness and swelling of the part. The wound has at first, and for some time, a white spot or point where the sting entered, surrounded by an areola of bright scarlet, growing fainter and paler as it recedes. The swelling is not pointed, but a rounded elevation, with a feeling of hardness. If upon the face, it not unfrequently causes the whole face to swell so as to nearly if not entirely close the eyes. In some instances, the brain becomes affected and death ensues.

TREATMENT.

I have for many years, used but one remedy, and that has in all cases, and under all circumstances, when applied at any stage of the affection, produced prompt and perfect relief; therefore I shall recommend no other. It is the common garden Onion, (Allium cepa) applied to the spot where the sting entered. I cut the fresh Onion and apply the raw surface to the spot, changing it for a fresh piece every ten to fifteen minutes, until the pain and swelling, and all disagreeable symptoms disappear. If it is applied immediately after the stinging, the first application will afford perfect relief in a few minutes, and no further effect from it will be experienced. Applied later, it must be continued longer, and this may be done one or two days after the stinging, with just as much certainty of removing whatever symptoms may still exist.

I treated one case when three days had elapsed, the patient (a young lady) was delirious and speechless, the whole face was so swollen as to entirely disfigure her features, raising the cheeks to a level with the nose, and closing the eyes. Her life was almost despaired of. The surface of a freshly cut onion was applied to the point where the sting entered, and changed about once an hour for a fresh piece. In a few hours consciousness returned, and a rapid recovery followed. All the swelling and disagreeable symptoms were gone in three days.

Ledum is highly recommended by some Physicians, and is doubtless of some