New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies Part 36

My experience with _Naphthalin_ in whooping cough is as yet limited, but the results obtained have very much exceeded other remedies and I wish to cite a few cases in which the alleviation of the symptoms was soon appreciable.

CASE I.--Francis----, a boy of 9 months, with a severe bronchitis as a complication. The breathing was labored. The respiratory murmur was feeble and a large number of sibilant and sonorous rales were heard, when I was called to see the case. The child had become emaciated, had a cyanotic appearance, was unable to retain food for any length of time, because of the frequent paroxysms accompanied by vomiting, and was very much exhausted. Later, the moist rales became very prominent over the entire chest. The paroxysms were of great length, and accompanying was a free discharge of thick, tenacious mucus from the nose and mouth. Many of the favorite remedies employed in this disease were prescribed, but with little effect. _Naphthalin_ was then given, four or five drops of the tincture in one-half gla.s.s of water. In a short time the paroxysms were lessened in severity and frequency, the expectoration was freer, the number of rales were lessened, and shortly convalescence was well established.

CASE II.--John----, 3-1/2 years, with an accompanying bronchitis.

Symptoms worse at night. Paroxysms very long and severe; would hold his head to relieve the pain from coughing. Great difficulty experienced in breathing. A number of rales heard over portion of the chest, with little expectoration. After _Naphthalin_ had been given for a short time improvement began, and terminated without further complications.

CASE III.--Patrick----, a man 23 years of age, large physique and healthy appearance, contracted pertussis from other members of the family, and, although not accompanied by the whoop, the paroxysms were very severe. They were not frequent during the day but many during the night. He would wake the entire house by coughing and would become purple in the face. He had been suffering a week or two before I saw him. I prescribed _Drosera_, _Corrallium rub._, _Ipecac_ and _Hyoscyamus_, without appreciable improvement. He gradually grew worse until _Naphthalin_ 1x in pellets was given. The spasmodic condition was relieved very shortly, and although the cough remained for a short time it never became severe and soon entirely disappeared.

NARCISSUS.

NAT. ORD., Amaryllidaceae.

COMMON NAME, Daffodil.

PREPARATION.--The young buds, stems and leaves are macerated in two times their weight of alcohol.

(The following is from the _h.o.m.oeopathic Recorder_ for May, 1899):

"Agricola," one of the _h.o.m.oeopathic World's_ oldest contributors, has the following to say of this very old, yet little known, remedy.

After stating how he prepared it, he continues as follows:

"A case of bronchitis (a _continuous_ cough) has from _Narcissus_ 1-3x obtained such _prompt_ marked relief, where a most varied selection of the standard remedies had hitherto failed, as to induce me to write these few lines in hope that as this beautiful flower is about to be found in most cottage gardens the prevalent bronchitis, whooping and other coughs may meet with prompt cures. Dr. Charge's work, _Maladies de la Respiration_, quotes the great Laennec, M. D., as an authority _in re Narcissus_."

There is no proving whatever of this drug, although in the _Encyclopaedia_ (Allen) a case of poisoning from the bulbs eaten as a salad is given; but the remedy as prescribed by Agricola was prepared from the young buds, stems and leaves, so the case in the _Encyclopaedia_ is not apropos, nor is the old tincture from the bulbs of use.

The name of the plant, _Narcissus_, is not from that of the fabled youth who fell in love with his own image reflected in the water, but is from the Greek _Narkao_, "to be numb," on account of the narcotic properties of the drug. The cla.s.sic Asphodel and the Narcissus are the same, from which it may be seen that the plant dates back as far as man's records go. Fernie, in his excellent _Herbal Simples_, from which we gather the preceding, also says: "An extract of the bulbs applied to open wounds has produced staggering numbness of the whole nervous system and paralysis of the heart. Socrates called this plant the 'Chaplet of the Infernal G.o.ds,' because of its narcotic effects."

Fernie also says that a decoction of the dried flowers is emetic, and when sweetened will, as an emetic, serve most usefully for relieving the congestive bronchial catarrh of children. "Agricola's" experience, quoted above, however, seems to disprove the notion that the beneficial action in bronchial catarrh is the result of the emetic properties of the drug, but demonstrates rather that it is peculiarly h.o.m.oeopathic to this malady and long-continued coughs, especially of nervous origin, as may be inferred from the following, the concluding paragraph in Fernie's section on the _Narcissus_:

"The medicinal influence of the Daffodil on the nervous system has led to giving its flowers and its bulb for hysterical affections, and even epilepsy, with benefit."

The _National Dispensatory_ says practically the same, _i. e._, "The emetic action of _Narcissus_ has been used to break up intermittent fever and relieve bronchial catarrh with congestion or obstruction of the air tubes. Like _Ipecacuanha_, it has also been prescribed in dysentery, especially of the epidemic form. Its influence upon the nervous system, is attested by the vogue it has enjoyed in hysteria, ch.o.r.ea, whooping cough and even epilepsy."

It is still the emetic action that is looked to here, but any good h.o.m.oeopath will see beyond that, in Agricola's experience, and perceive a strong h.o.m.oeopathic action in the drug to the conditions named, for if it were the emetic action only that is efficacious then, certainly, one emetic would do as well as another, but there is something more, and the curative action can be obtained from h.o.m.oeopathic doses without the emetic action. The tincture should not be prepared from the bulb, as has been the case in the past, but from the fresh buds and leaves. From such a preparation considerable benefit in obstinate bronchial coughs should be confidently expected.

NEGUNDO.

NAT. ORD., Sapindaceae.

COMMON NAMES, Box Elder. Ash-leaved Maple.

PREPARATION.--The bark of the root is macerated in twice its weight of alcohol.

(In the _California Medical Journal_, 1898, Dr. O. S.

Laws, of Los Angeles, California, writes of a new "pile"

remedy, _Negundo_):

I suggested that we have a "Symposium," in Our Journal, on single remedies. They are the backbone of whatever science there is in therapeutics, and should be kept in view. As a starter I offer one that is entirely new to the medical fraternity, as I cannot find it in any medical work.

In botanical language it is known as Negundium Americanum. The common name is "box elder." It is a native of Kansas. It is a distant relative of the Acer family. I had just fairly begun to test its value when I left Kansas for California, and not finding it here, except as a shade tree on the sidewalks, I cannot get any of the root bark, which is the part used. From the short experience I had with it I conclude it is the best internal remedy we have for hemorrhoids. I have used _Colinsonia_ and _aesculus_ without ever being impressed with their prompt action. But _Negundo_ goes at it as _Colocynth_ does in its specialty, so that the victim who has been writhing with an engorged r.e.c.t.u.m "will arise up and call you blessed." So you see this is not only a single remedy, but a "fundamental" one. The bark of the root in the yearling plants is what I prefer.

Recent cases of hemorrhoids can be completely cured in this way, and the old hard cases temporarily relieved. So, gentlemen of the medical profession, I hereby introduce to you my friend _Negundo_.

ONOSMODIUM VIRGINIANUM.

NAT. ORD., Borraginaceae.

COMMON NAME, False Cromwell.

PREPARATION.--The entire plant with root is macerated in twice its weight of alcohol.

(This paper was prepared by Dr. W. A. Vingling for the Kansas State h.o.m.oeopathic Society, and reprinted in _h.o.m.oeopathic Physician_ for July, 1893).

To the h.o.m.oeopathic physician a new remedy, well proven, is an acquisition of greater importance than honor or wealth, for his sole duty being to relieve the sufferings of humanity, he acquires a new tool with which to accomplish his work. To the degree that the new remedy has peculiar characteristics its value is enhanced, to the extent that the pathogenetic effects are different from every other drug its usefulness becomes the more apparent. Generalities const.i.tute a poor basis upon which to prescribe. Peculiarities, the unusual symptoms, give certainly an a.s.surance in every prescription.

We have in _Onosmodium_ a remedy with some peculiarities, and occupying a sphere unique, a curative range differing from that of every other drug. The remedy holds within its grasp the power to restore peace to the disrupted family, and to prevent the truant husband seeking the sweets of "stolen waters" by restoring the wife to the enjoyable performance of her wifely functions, and thus gratifying the dissatisfied husband. This generation of one-child families, Malthusian, with the long train of misery entailed upon the licensed family, adultery consequent upon preventive measures, _malum in se_, has its remedy in _Onosmodium_ to a very large extent.

We pa.s.s to consider the more important pathogenesis of the remedy in regular course. A great part of this paper is necessarily based upon the notes of the original author, Dr. W. E. Green, with some isolated symptoms from the journals and my own experience.

We find marked in the mental sphere a DROWSINESS OF MIND and CONFUSION OF THOUGHT, DULNESS OF INTELLIGENCE, a DAZED feeling of the mind. The party wants to think and not move, so absorbed in thought as to forget all else and where she is. There is a _complete listlessness and apathy_ of the mind; she cannot _concentrate_ her thoughts. From this want of concentration there follows an impairment of the memory, _she cannot remember what is said_. In conversation she will forget the subject, will begin a new one, and then suddenly change to another. There is great _confusion of ideas_. This listlessness is so great as to cause forgetfulness of what one is reading, or that one is reading at all: the book drops in vague and listless thought. The time pa.s.ses too slowly, and minutes seem like hours. There is great irritability of temper.

There is a continuous and ever-present feeling of heaviness of the head.

PAINS IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HEAD and _over the left eye_, extending round the left side to the back of the head and neck, greatly aggravated by moving or jarring. Intense pain driving her to bed; relieved by sleep, but soon returning after waking. There is a constant dull headache, chiefly centered over the left eye and in the left temple; always worse in the dark and when lying down. Here we have a contradictory symptom--always worse lying down. The general symptoms are ameliorated by lying down. This peculiar feature is also seen in some of the polycrests. _Bryonia alb._ has a "pain and pressure in the shoulder when at rest." _Rhus tox._ has a "stiff neck, with painful tension when moving;" _a.r.s.enic.u.m alb._ has a headache relieved by cold water.

_Onosmodium_ has a DULL, HEAVY PAIN IN THE occiput pressing upward WITH A DIZZY SENSATION. Pain changing from the right frontal eminence to the left and remaining there. Darting and throbbing in the left temple. A dull pain in the mastoid process. She cannot bear to move. A sense of fullness in the head. Relieved by eating and sleep.

The eyes are HEAVY AND DULL; the eyes feel as though one had lost a great deal of sleep. The lids are heavy. The eyeb.a.l.l.s have a _dull, heavy pain with soreness_. A sensation of the eyes being very wide open, with a desire to look at distinct objects, it being disagreeable to look at near objects. Distant objects look very large. _Picric acid_ patients can only see clearly at very close range, often at only five inches from the eye; _Natrum sulph._ has impairment of vision for distant objects.

With _Onosmodium_ the ocular muscles feel tense, tired, and drawn. Pains in and over left eye. Pain in upper portion of left orbit, with a feeling of expansion. The vision is impaired and blurred.

The hearing is impaired. There is a stuffed-full feeling in the ears as after catching cold. Singing in the ears as from quinine, but very slight.

The NOSE FEELS DRY. There is a stuffed feeling in the posterior nares.

The discharge from the posterior nose is whitish and sticky, producing a constant hawking. Constant sneezing in the morning; sneezing when first getting up. The bones of the nose pain.

Flushed face, with relief from headache. That dry feeling of the nose is also present in the mouth and lips. Bitter, clammy taste in the mouth.

Saliva is very scant, with the dry feeling in the mouth; cold water relieves. Sore throat. It hurts to swallow or speak. That dryness follows down the _throat_ and _pharynx_, and is accompanied with _severe soreness_. Raw, sc.r.a.ping feeling in the throat. When swallowing the pharynx feels constricted. All the throat symptoms are relieved by cold drinks and by eating. The voice is husky. The chest feels sore.

Morning sickness like that of pregnancy. Distaste for water, yet there is a _craving for ice water and cold drinks_; _wants to drink often_.

The abdomen _feels bloated_ and distended, which is relieved by undressing. The pains in the lower part of the abdomen are also relieved by undressing or by lying on the back. This amelioration from undressing is observed to run through all the symptoms of the drug. A constant feeling as though diarrhoea would come on.

The stools are yellow, mushy, or greenish-yellow, stringy, mushy, with tenesmus. Also, slimy, b.l.o.o.d.y, stringy stool, with tenesmus. The provers were hurried out of bed in the morning to stool.

The urine is scanty, highly colored, dark straw and brown, very acid, and of high specific gravity. The desire is seldom, or else frequent, with scanty flow.

In regard to the s.e.xual organs we quote from that racy writer, Dr. S.

A. Jones, who says: "_Onosmodium Virginianum_ in its primary action seems directly opposite to _Picric acid_. Perhaps provings of it with smaller doses will oblige me to change this _dictum_. If they do not, then _Onosmodium_ will occupy the singular position of a remedy that _primarily depresses the s.e.xual appet.i.te_. If this should ultimately prove to be the case, it will invest this remedy with an unmistakable significance to physicians who are practicing at the _tail end_ of the nineteenth century, for, from our habits of life, it is the _end_ that is showing signs of distress. In estimating the validity of this suggestion, the reader will bear in mind Hahnemann's _dictum_ that _only the primary symptoms of a drug afford the indications for its therapeutical application_. This is a canon of Hahnemannian h.o.m.oeopathy, and it _is true as regards the infinitesimal dose_. Then, this being true (for I will not stop to discuss it), _Picric acid_ will be indicated for the _initial stage_ of s.e.xual debility and _Onosmodium_ for the _fully developed consequences_ of s.e.xual abuse; and this, because the said 'initial stage' is characterized by erethism while the ulterior consequences are denoted by atony asthenia. The erethism of s.e.xual debility is plainly evinced in _Picric acid_, and the ultimate asthenia is as really discovered in _Onosmodium Virginianum_."