New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies Part 33

The decomposition of the vegetable matter pa.s.sed through three stages or degrees. The first gave off gases freely, yet of not so offensive odor as later. After ten days or two weeks the expense of securing inhalers was more than doubled, even for one moment of time. After three or four weeks not much gas was generated, for it seemed only capable of lying still and sending its fearful odor heavenward. Inhalation of the gases evolved produced for the first week or ten days a headache, nausea, distress in the stomach, coated the tongue white, and this in from one to two hours time generally; and there, if not carried too far, would generally pa.s.s off in two or three days. Inhalations after ten days or two weeks did not produce results in less than twelve or twenty-four hours, according to time and amount inhaled. Then there was fearful headache, nausea, aversion to food, distress through the hypochondriac region, first in the spleen, the liver and stomach, and on the third day chills that would doubtless have continued on indefinitely if not interfered with.

After decomposition had gone on for three or four weeks it was ascetic and simply fetid to a fearful degree, and no results except nausea were apparent in any one exposed to it in less than three or four days. The first was extreme la.s.situde and loss of appet.i.te, and apparently a continued fever, with an unlimited amount of pains and aches and a la.s.situde that limited locomotion.

Three vials of the watery tincture were saved, one each from the various stages of decomposition, and from these an attempt was made to make provings and find out what were the reliable antidotes to them, and thus be able to cope with my invisible foe in my daily avocation. Their provings were not carried far enough, or continued long enough to be justified in placing them in our Materia Medica, but are ample to aid and guide the future steps that ought to be taken. Its discontinuance was rendered rather necessary by my enthusiasm that led too far in a few cases, but the antidotal effects of certain remedies amply compensated me for my financial and reputational loss.

Bilious colic, nausea, cramps, diarrhoea and headaches were readily secured from a few drops of the first vial, in many cases, while the second vial gave me a large number of cases where the liver, spleen, stomach and kidneys were apparently seriously involved, and not them alone, but fair types of intermittent fever with its attendant shakes, some daily, some tertian.

With the third vial trouble came, as it did reduce many that had been able to be up and around to their beds, and unmistakably cause them to get worse, and cause them to degenerate into a typhoidal or semi-paralytic condition. In a few cases I was deprived the liberty of finding my antidotes and helping them out of the dilemma.

(Among the experiments made with these strange tinctures, if they may be so called, was the following, which is strangely confirmatory of a speculation advanced by several old physicians that consumptives are benefited, or even cured, by being exposed to malaria):

It was a lady, the last of a family of five, all others had died of consumption, and three in her preceding generation of the same disease.

I doubted the probability of saving her, yet _theoretically_ decided that as the primitive action of malaria was, first, the spleen, next the liver and stomach, that I would develop an artificial or drug disease there, in hopes that her chest would be relieved and doubtless be benefited. She was given the tincture from second vial, and on the fifth day she had a fairly perceptible chill, and a harder one the sixth and seventh. On the eighth I saw her shake for one hour, and her fever lasted over six hours. Out of pity my drug was neutralized and her health was restored, with no more cough distress in her lungs or heart.

She was cured of her tendency and certainty of dying with consumption.

She remained well for twelve years when she was lost to my call.

(In his search for remedies, or antidotes, for the malarial poisons, Dr. Bowen was disappointed in _Eupatorium perf._ In his experience the following remedies are best):

For the first or primitive effects, the remedies that did act most promptly and effectually were _Nux vomica_ and _Bryonia_, thus calling to mind the effect of those remedies that experience had led me to use in the attacks that come in the summer, that are usually designated as of a bilious nature.

In the secondary form, or where my malaria seemed to be the result of the decomposition of the material or vegetable fiber, its effects were more permeating, as different symptoms were developed by it. Then a change of remedies (or chemical antidotes, if you please), became necessary, and far the best results were secured by the use of _Bryonia_ and _a.r.s.enic.u.m_. _China_ did not act well or give any reasonable satisfaction.

Prior and later experience give ample satisfactory proof of the utility of the use of _a.r.s.enic.u.m_ in all types of an intermittent nature, yet not to discredit the fact that other remedies can and will cure this form. But that a pernicious case can, or will, be as readily restored by any other remedy, I reserve to myself the liberty to doubt.

Opportunities and time have demonstrated that these two remedies are able to restore the system and remedy a majority of the diseases that are wont to make their advent in the early autumn or late in the spring.

Later, after the total decomposition of my vegetable matter had taken place, and it almost seemed to possess a demoniacal potency or power to undermine the humblest human form, then to my surprise _Bryonia_ seemed to hold prestige and give splendid results, but needed a different a.s.sistant, one that could and would permeate the muscular system, yet slowly, and for this _Rhus tox_ was called into requisition, and from that day to this it has not been the means of causing me a single disappointment.

(Again, and as a last quotation from this interesting paper, we quote):

Many years of observation have demonstrated one more important fact in relation to the means that will render the system less liable to its absorption, at least to that extent that it will give evidence of its presence, and that is, by the liberal use of coffee.

(In 1897 Dr. Bowen sent the following to the _h.o.m.oeopathic Recorder_ concerning _Malaria off._):

Messrs. Boericke & Tafel prepared me a new supply of it, and I have used so far only one form of it and in the one attenuation.

It was prepared in three degrees of strength:

No. I is the _water_ that stood on decomposed vegetable matter for one week at a temperature of 90 degrees.

No. II is the _water_ that decomposed vegetable matter for two weeks.

No. III is the _water_ that decomposed vegetable matter for _three_ weeks, and it is fearfully offensive.

I have only used the No. II, or that that had only partially decomposed the vegetable fibres.

In preparing it for use I put _ten drops_ of the water to ninety drops of alcohol and then medicated my pellets (No. 30), and it does not soften them up. This is the only form I have used it in, and give from three to ten of these pills for a dose two, three or four hours apart.

I have been confined to my home for three months this year, and hence will only report a few of the most marked cases.

CASE I. Mrs. R., aged 45, weighing 245 pounds, could scarcely walk or get into a buggy for two years, from the effects of rheumatism in her back and limbs. I gave her last March two drams of No. 30 pills medicated with the first decimal, or No. 2 preparation, with orders to take ten pills three or four times a day. In _one week_ she could walk as well as ever and has no rheumatism or lameness since.

CASE II. Mr. S., foreman in a large saw mill, has been afflicted with rheumatism for years. He came to me in April with a stiff neck and his right arm and shoulder helpless and painful. He wished me to keep it from his chest and heart. I gave him two drams No. 30 pellets, first decimal, and a vial of _neutral_ globules, with orders to take two hours apart, changing, when better, three hours apart. In three days he was better and could turn his neck and use his arm fairly well. One week later gave him two drams more of _Malaria_, to be taken six hours apart.

He has not had any rheumatic troubles since that time.

CASE III. Mr. C., proprietor of two large saw mills, one in Arkansas, where he pa.s.ses part of his time (and frequently gets wet), has been afflicted with what some doctors called gout. I found it was of a rheumatic nature (caused from malaria) and made worse by _Quinine_ and external applications. I gave him _Malaria_, two drams, No. 30 pills.

In three days he a.s.sured me he was better and did not have half as many pains or aches. He took only four drachms, at from three to six hours apart, and has not had any rheumatic or gouty pains since. I saw him last week and he says he is fully ten years younger than he was last spring.

CASE IV. I was called to see I. S., aged 55, a veteran and pensioner of the last war. He was poor and bronzed in color. Had not been able to walk for years. After repairing his heart, chest, stomach and curing his piles and regulating his bowels he was content, yet he could not walk.

Being a.s.sured that his back had been injured while in the army, and as his limbs would not move at his will and he could not walk alone or get out of a chair, I gave him for a week _Ruta graveolens_ and _Rhus tox._, of each the first cent., three hours apart. This enabled him to get up and down two steps alone to the kitchen. Then, concluding his trouble was due to rheumatism, and that was caused by malaria, I gave him two drams of No. 30 pellets of No. 2 form of _Malaria_, first decimal, with orders to take ten pills three or four times a day. In one week he rode to my house and came up and down steps alone. I gave him two drams more and in five days he came to my office, having walked nearly three miles that morning alone. I need not say I was deeply surprised and could hardly believe it was all due to _Malaria_. It certainly was, as nothing else was taken or applied. He has gained flesh and seems to be at least ten years younger than he was.

These are a few of the surprising results that have been obtained from _Malaria_ this year. I much wish that others would try it and help to obtain its proper place as a medicine and healer when used where it should be given.

(Dr. W. A. Yingling contributed the following to the same journal):

On the day I received from Boericke & Tafel _Malaria off._ 30, I was foolishly led to try Hahnemann's inhalation. The thought just occurred to me on the spur of the moment, and without stopping to think I took three strong inhalations, with both sorrow and a proving resulting. None of the symptoms were distressing, yet marked and clear cut. The remedy commenced its work very promptly and in the order following:

Aching in both elbows.

A kind of slight concentration of feeling at root of nose, and just above, as though I should have a severe cold, similar to that complained of by hay-fever patients.

Aching in the wrists.

A tired ache in the hands.

A tired ache in the knees, and for a distance above and below.

A feeling as though I should become dizzy.

Pain in top of left instep.

A tired feeling in wrists.

Aching in an old (cured) bunion on left foot.

Sensation on point of tongue as though a few specks of spice or pepper were there.

Itching on right cheek over molar bone; ameliorated by slight rubbing or scratching.

When leaning face on left hand, elbow on the table, perceptible feeling of the heart beats through upper body and neck.

Slight itching on various parts of the face and extremities; ameliorated by slight rubbing.

Sense of heat in the abdomen.

Chilly sensation in left forearm. Soon followed by chilly feeling in hands and fingers; feet are cold with sensation as if chilliness was about to creep up the legs. A few moments later knees feel cold. A sense of coldness ascending over body from the legs.

Arms feel tired.