Kit $r*ss. RUOFF'S REPERTORY OF HOMOEOPATHIC PRACTICE. Second Part. By A. H. Okie, M. D. lit*paring for Ifrxzm. HARTMANN'S PRACTICAL REMARKS. Second Series. Containing Nux Vomica, Belladonna, &c£.>7?-^-/ Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1841, by A. H. Okie, M. D., in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. E. G. Dorsey, Printer, Library Street. PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. The following work is one of a series which the talented Dr. Hartmann, of Leipsic, has delivered to the homoeopathic profession in Germany, under the title of "Beitraege zur Angewandten Pharmacodynamik." In presenting it in an English dress, I deem no apology called for, as the want of practical homoeopathic works has been, and is yet, ex- perienced by every American homoeopathic practitioner in this country. This little work is moreover strikingly adapted to the wants of such allopathic practitioners as feel desirous of pro- secuting homoeopathic experiments; that is, of witnessing personally the efficacy of remedies applied homceopathically in many forms of dis- ease which are of daily occurrence. With Aco- nite, Bryonia, Mercury and Chamomilla, enough 1* vi PREFACE. may be done, in many acute forms of disease, to shake the faith of the most sceptical; it is true Belladonna is wanting; but that, together with Nux Vomica, will be found in series No. 2, which shall be immediately forthcoming, if the reception of the present series will warrant its publication. The indications for each of the remedies in this work, are plainly laid down, and all matter, save that of a practical nature, has been sedu- lously excluded. With the sincere desire that the progress of the reformed healing art in Ame- rica, may be somewhat advanced by this humble effort, I commit it to the public. A. H. Okie, 326 North Sixth Street. Philadelphia, Sept. 1841. CONTENTS. PAGE. Aconitum Napellus, - - - -20 General Remarks on this Remedy, - - 21 Inflammatory Diseases, - - - 22 Inflammatory Fever, ... 24 Inflammations, - - - - 25 Pleuritis. Pleurisy, ... 26 Pneumonia. Inflammation of the Lungs, - 26 Pneumonia Nervosa, ... 27 Inflammation of the Larynx and Bronchiae, - 27 Angina Membranacea. Croup, - - 28 Angina Pectoris, - - - - 28 Influenza, ... - 29 Carditis. Inflammation of the Heart, - - 29 Diaphragmitis. Inflammation of the Diaphragm, 30 Enteritis. Inflammation of the Intestines, - 31 Hepatitis. Inflammation of the Liver, - 32 Tonsillitis. Inflammation of the Tonsils, • - 32 Ophthalmia. Inflammation of the Eyes, - 33 Ophthalmia Neonatorum, - - - 33 Taraxis and Chemosis, - - - 34 Inflammation of the Ball of the Eye, - - 34 Gouty Ophthalmia, - - - 35 Iritis. Inflammation of the Iris, - - 35 Acute Rheumatism and Acute Gout, - 36 Phlegmone s. Inflammat. Rheumat. Phlegmonosa, 37 Inflammation of H2emorrhoidal Tumours, - 37 viii CONTENTS. PAGE. Exanthemtous Affections, • 38 Scarlet Rash, - - 40 Measles, - - 42 Rubeola, - - - - - 42 Urticaria. Nettle Rash, - - 42 Nettle Rash in Childbed, - - 43 Nettle Rash in New-born Children, - 43 Rhagades. Chaps, - - - 43 Congestions, Ebullitions of Blood, and Haemorrhages, 43 Epistaxis, - - . 44 Palpitation of the Heart, - - 45 Suppression of the Menses, - - 45 Congestion to the Head, - - 45 Haemorrhagia Pulmonum, - - 46 Heematemesis, - - 47 Prosopalgia. Tic Douloureux, - - 47 Nervous Excitement, Debility and Prostration, 48 Apathic Mania, - - 48 Paralysis, - 49 Inflammatory Period in the Lungs, - - 49 Odontalgia, - 49 Nocturnal Spasmodic Cough, - - - 50 Hooping Cough, - 50 Asthma Humidum, - - - 50 Intermittent Fever, - 50 onia Alba, . - 51 General Remarks, . 53 Inflammatory Fevers, - - 55 Nervous Fever, . 57 Gastric-Nervous Fever, . - 58 Gastric and Gastric-Bilious Fever, - . 58 Gall Stone, . - 59 Jaundice, ... . 60 Constipation, _ - 61 Puerperal Fever, . 62 Intermittent Fevers, - - 63 CONTENTS. IX PAGE. Inflammatory Diseases, 65 Acute Hydrocephalus, - - - 65 Inflammation of the Thoracic Organs, - 66 Pneumonia. Inflammation of the Lungs, - . 67 Pleurisy, ... 67 Pneumonia or Pleurisy with Gastric Symptoms, - 68 Diaphragmitis. Inflammation of the Diaphragm, 68 Hepatitis. Inflammation of the Liver, - - 69 Splenitis. Inflammation of the Spleen, - 70 Acute Rheumatism and Gout, - - 71 Rheumatismus Uteri, - - - 72 Inflammation of the Ovaries, - - 72 Inflammation of the Eyes, - - 73 Inflammation of the Breasts, &c. - - 74 Milk Fever, - % -" - - 74 Catarrhal Complaints, fy" - - - 75 Spasmodic Cough, /r ... 75 Suffocative Cough of Children, - - 75 Eruptive Diseases, ... 75 Nettle Rash, - - - - 75 Retrocessent Measles, ... 75 Scarlet Rash and Scarlet Fever, - - 76 Sequela? of those Affections, - - 77 Chilblains, &c. - - - - 79 Ulcers on the Feet, ... 79 Haemorrhages, - - - - 80 Epistaxis. Premature Catamenia, - 80 Metrorrhagia. Morbid Lochia, - - 81 Haemoptysis, 81 Haemorrhoids, - - - - 82 Spastic Affections of the Chest, &c. - 82 Cramp in the Stomach, - - - 84 Hemicrania, &c. _ - - 16 Rheumatic and Gouty Odontalgia, - - 87 Mercurius Solubilis Hahn. 89 General Remarks, - - - - 91 CONTENTS. 98 99 PAGE. Criteria for its Application, - - 93 Antidotes, - - - - - 93 Fever, ... - 95 Lymphatic or Catarrhal Fever, - - 95 Influenza, ... - 96 Gastro-Bilious Fever, - - 9>7 Dysentery and Dysenteric Diarrhoeas, Diarrhoeas in Children, Diarrhoeas in Adults, . - - 99 Jaundice, - - - - - 99 Mucous Fever, - 102 Nervous Fever, - 102 Intermittent Fever, - - - 103 Inflammatory Diseases, - - - 104 Glossitis. Inflammation of the Tongue, - 105 Anginose Affections, - - - 106 Stomacace. Aphthae, - - - 109 Inflammations of the Parotid and Sub-maxillary Glands, - - - - HO Indurations of the Glands of the Throat and Neck, 111 Inflammation of the Mammae, - - 112 Hepatitis. Inflammation of the Liver, - 113 Chronic Hepatitis, - - - 114 Acute and Chronic Hydrocephalus, - - 114 Inflammation of the Eyes, - - 115 Rheumatic Ophthalmiae, - - - 115 Inflammation of the Meibomean Glands, &c. 116 Incipient Amaurosis, - - - 116 Gouty and Rheumatic Pains, - - 117 Coxalgia, - - - - - 118 Claudicatio Spontanea, - - - 118 Lumbar Abscess, - - - - 119 Panaritia. Whitlow, - - 120 Inflammation of the External Labia, - - 121 Prolapsus "Vaginae, - - - 122 Sterility, - - - - - 122 CONTENTS. Acute Cutaneous Eruptions, Caries, Scarlet Fever and Scarlet Rash, Glandular Affections, Dropsical Accumulations, Hydrocele, Purulent Otorrhea, Syphilis, Chancre, Phimosis and Paraphimosis, - Buboes, Lues Venera, Leucorrhea. Whites, Ulcerative Herpes, - Zona, - Crusta Lactea, Crusta Serpiginosa, Intertrigo, - Dry Miliary Itch, Hoarseness, Phthisical State, Sweat, Congestions, Apoplexy, &c. Haemorrhages, - Discharge of Gravel, Asthmatic Paroxysms, &c. Chorea, Odontalgia, Mercurius Pr^cipitatus Ruber, Secondary Syphilis, Lymphatic Swellings, &c. Mercurius Sdblimatus Corrosivus, Dysentery, Very Malignant Stomacace, Hectic States, &c. - Xll CONTENTS. Calomel, . - Ulcerated Sore Throat, Autumnal Dysenteries, Suppurating Herpes, &c. Primary Chancre, Chamomilla, General Remarks, Febrile Affections, - Gastric Fevers, - Icterus. Jaundice, - Icterus Neonatorum, Typhus, Inflammatory Affections, - Ophthalmia Catarrhalis, Hepatitis, Fever during Childbed, Uterine Haemorrhage, &c. After Pains, Angina Tonsillaris, &c. - Cramp of the Stomach, Indurated Mammary Glands, Diarrhoeas, Asthmatic Complaints, Disorders during Dentition, Cephalalgia. Syncope, - Rheumatism, Toothache, ACONITUM NAPELLUS. 2 ACONITUM NAPELLUS. This is a large and beautiful plant which grows in the mountainous parts of Switzerland, Tyrol and Bavaria, in Austria and in Sweden. The stalk is from two to three feet high, with alternated digiti- form lobated leaves. It blooms in July and August, and at this time the homoeopathist collects the plant for the purpose of making a strong tincture, from the expressed juice, mixed with equal parts of alcohol, and then proceeds to raise this, secundum artem, to the thirtieth dilu- tion. This, according to Hahnemann, is the highest pos- sible dilution, and in which he uses all remedies on account of uniformity. Before I proceed farther to speak of this medica- ment, I must remark, relative to the size of the dose, that all homoeopathic physicians do not adopt this opinion and view,* but consider themselves free to make use of any one of the scale of dilutions, in every possible case, and even to proceed beyond the circumscribed bounds. I cannot condemn this prac- tice, as I have always entertained the opinion, that as the economy, age, sex, temperament, &c. of the * That is, relative to the thirtieth dilution.— Translator. 20 ACONITUM NAPELLUS. sick differ, there should also exist differences in the doses and in medicaments.* In reference to different curatives in disease, ap- parently similar, homoeopathic physicians are of one opinion, for they know that a disease is not identical with that which they had to treat in another subject: as regards the size of the doses, they however differ, in so far, that they follow more or less rigidly the views of Hahnemann, who, as already mentioned, prefers the administration of potence thirty, in all' diseases. Medicines differ with regard to their power of sup- porting attenuation without loss of medical virtue; it is not only probable, but even certain, that some medicaments of the vegetable kingdom, by the dilution being carried too far, must lose their active power. Without dilating farther upon this subject, I refer to the sterling essay of Dr. Schroen. "Einiges ueber die Grosse homoeopathische Gaben und ihre wieder- holung."f Another stumbling block is the recom- mendation to give the patient only a few pellets, moistened with the highest dilution to smell. Al- though I have fully tried this method in some cases, I nevertheless cannot state that I am perfectly satis- fied with it, simply from the fact that I frequently saw no effect produced by it; which, however, did not prevent me administering the same remedy by * Vid. Allgem. homceop. Zeit. Bd. II. No. 2: Bemer- kungen zu dem Aufsatze des Herrn Dr. Kretschmar in No. 22 des 1 Bandes: von Herrn Dr. Trinks in Dresden. t Vid. Algem. horn. Zeitung, B. III. S. 17. ACONITUM NAPELLUS. 21 the mouth, after the smelling had proved ineffectual, if the ensemble of symptoms indicated it, and it then produced the desired effect. The administration of the remedy by the mouth, appears to me to be at least the more certain method,* and is undoubtedly to be preferred to smelling, as a number of odours which the patient is obliged to in- hale involuntarily, may readily destroy the effect of the remedy, or at least disturb its action; while the effect after taking the remedy is more permanent and less apt to be interfered with. But if we admit that the remedy acts equally well either way, and the smelling probably milder, and without exciting any exacerbation of the patient's disease, still the latter is so trifling after taking the remedy, that it is scarcely worth any attention. Were it, however, important, the patient would readily support this exacerbation, as from this he could more certainly count on a speedy improvement of his complaint. With one word, I prefer from conviction, the taking of a remedy to smelling it, and this holds good, not only with aconite, but with all other curatives. In regard to the dose of aconite, I have still to remark, that I have used not only the first, but all the succeeding dilutions up to thirty, and have found the criterion for the application of a higher or lower dilution in the violence of the disease, the constitu- tion, age, &c. of the patient. Inflammatory diseases * This practical remark of Hartmann is confirmed by the experience of most American homceopathists, with whom smelling is but little in vogue.— Translator. 2* 22 ACONITUM NAPELLUS. of adults, are generally cases for the eighteenth dilu- tion of aconite, and similar cases in children require the twenty-fourth and thirtieth. It is occasionally necessary to increase the dose to .a drop of one of these dilutions. In many diseases, particularly en- teritis, the repetition of the dose every three, four, or six hours, is indispensable; and in these the ad- ministration of aconite in the fluid form, appears to me far preferable to globules. The diminution of the pains when moving is worthy of notice in the administration of this remedy. In using this curative, acids and fruits containing acids, but particularly wine and coffee, are to be rigidly prohibited, as they completely destroy its effects. If coma, inordinate perspiration, and dilated pupils, result from the use of aconite, opium acts as an anti- dote; arnica, where there is wild obstinacy with red- ness of face, headache, &c. Wine is the best antidote when great fretfulness results from poisoning with it. Aconite particularly indicates a sanguine tempera- ment and robust constitution. Experience, a thousand times repeated, sufficiently attests the distinguished efficacy of aconitum na- ■pellus in inflammatory affections; and we can, with- out contradiction, assert, that this remedy is the greatest antiphlogistic in homoeopathy, as it indubi- tably diminishes the excitement of the vascular sys- tem, and lessens the rapidity of the circulation. In inflammatory diseases, particularly when there is dry heat, it undoubtedly benefits more than vene- ACONITUM NAPELLUS. 23 section, leeches, or the emulsio nitrosa of allopathy, which are always succeeded by loss of strength, and frequently produce termination in nervous diseases, and death. This is the everlasting contention of allopathic with homoeopathic physicians; and no instance, however striking, can convince the former of the existence of a superior method: their principle is, and remains—no inflammation can be cured with- out drawing blood. It is impossible to make them understand that the blood drawn from the vein which has the buffy coat, is not the causa proxima: they do not recognise in it the second moment, the product of the disease: to them the change in the blood itself is the factor of the disease, although it is only the disturbed innervation which gives the impulse to the inflammation. I admit that inflammations may some- times terminate fatally under homoeopathic treat- ment, but in this case the fault does not lie in the inefficiency of homoeopathy, or on the abstinence from venesection, but in the patient himself, in whom there must exist deficiency of vital power, dependent on various causes. Let us once institute a comparison, and show the terminations of inflammatory affections treated by these conflicting methods—this would be the easiest way to determine which mode of treatment deserves preference. The truth of the matter might be thus arrived at, and it were well worth the labour for homoepathic and allopathic physicians, free from prejudice, to undertake such a comparison. The former ground their conviction of the superiority of 24 ACONITUM NAPELLUS. their method, not on conjectures and favourable depo- sitions, but on their own experience as well as that of other homceopathists. They, however, do not judge blindly of the result of the allopathic treat- ment of inflammatory affections—they do not deny their results,—(as the allopathists do those of the homceopathists,)—only they cannot praise the cito and jucunde, and must relate more unfortunate ter- minations than is in their power to accuse us of. It only requires a single step on the part of the allo- pathists—let them form statistics of cures of in- flammatory affections made without the abstraction of blood, otherwise they must reject the whole treat- ment of Peschier in inflammations of the chest, and this they not only have not done, but have even made fortunate curative efforts by this means. But let us leave this polemical discussion and come to facts. Inflammatory Fever.—We often observe this disease unaccompanied by any apparent local inflam- matory affection. We find it oftener in children than in adults; in the latter, however, there is an undis- cernible inflammatory irritation in some of the organs, while in the former there is connected with it flying stitching pains, which, however, intermit. This form of febrile disease usually appears suddenly, without morbid premonitions, and then often becomes permanent because other complaints are superadded. The following symptoms are characteristic of this form of fever: Constant burning heat over the whole body, with redness of skin; distension and redness of ACONITUM NAPELLUS. 25 the face; eyes glistening and prominent; respiration short and anxious; dry, red tongue, in rare cases it is somewhat coated with mucus; great thirst, consti- pation and even absence of dejections; inappetence; hot, red urine, which is passed in small quantities; sleeplessness, jactitation, restlessness, anxiety.— Slight delirium is present only when there is inflam- matory irritation of the cerebrum connected. In children the disease succumbs almost magically to a small dose of the highest dilution of aconite. If this does not occur within four hours it is neces- sary to repeat the dose. Repeated experience has taught me that a drop of the eighteenth dilution is more effectual in adults than a small dose of the thirtieth. If this fever, namely in children, is united with a constant, short, spasmodic cough, it can seldom be allayed entirely by aconite, but requires the administration of repeated doses of ipecacuanha six, a dose every 2 or 3 hours. Inflammatory fever may be also conjoined with other diseases. In this case the homoeopathic phy- sician, by accurately individualising the case at the sick-bed, can readily determine whether this affec- tion requires the prior administration of a dose of aconite, or whether the fever can be allayed by the specific curative indicated by the ensemble of morbid phenomena. Next to inflammatory fever we have aconite as the chief remedy against inflammations proper. If the inflammatory fever accompanying is of the charac- ter described, there can be no question that a dose of 26 ACONITUM NAPELLUS. aconite is required in order to lessen the febrile affec- tion, by which also a simultaneous diminution of the local affection is effected, even if aconite be not the specific for the inflammation itself. Although some criterion for the exhibition of aco- nite in inflammations has been given by these specifi- cations, I will nevertheless detail more specially those inflammations in which it is almost specific, or which at least without it cannot be readily allayed, they are:— Pleurisy.—In this affection aconite is always in- dicated if violent stitching pains in one or the other sides of the chest appear on inspiring, with which, owing to the obstructed inspiration, a discouraged, anxious, fearful state is conjoined. We usually find connected with it a short dry cough, which is excited anew by every inspiration, and the sticking pain is each time experienced more vividly, which the pa- tient endeavours to relieve by counter pressure with the hand on the affected spot. We here exhibit aconite twenty-four, and when very violent repeat it every 3 or 4 hours. Pneumonia. Inflammation of the lungs.— When the disease appears with great violence; if the inflammation is preceded by severe chill and conjoined with oppression and stitches in the chest; if the hot stage succeeding this developes a plain picture of synochal fever, (as given above,) with quick, full pulse, which it is difficult to compress; if the patient complains of an oppressive, compressing, dull, sticking pain in the breast, which is increased on inspiration, ACONITUM NAPELLUS. 27 and is united with anxious paroxysms; if the cough is violent, short, dry, only occasionally some little bloody, frothy expectoration; the face red, hot; the eyes shining vividly; then aconite twenty-four is again the chief remedy, which must be repeated as mentioned under pleurisy. Nervous Inflammations of the lungs.—The homoeopathic physician must accurately note all of the morbid symptoms in order to make no mistake in the selection of a curative. When the pulse is still frequent, somewhat full; when there is dry heat and still some pain in the breast on respiring, which the patient plainly expresses by seizing the breast with his hands, or by the facial expression, a dose of aconite is always requisite in order to insure the favourable effects of the succeeding remedies; bryo- nia, rhus, pidsat., arnica, conium, lycopod.,