New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies Part 8

Then some people get more severe and frequent fits during the winter than the summer and the others more during the summer than the winter.

Let me here tell you that the Indian summer is very different from either the English or the American. Some part of the Indian summer season is quite rainy and the atmosphere is saturated with moisture and other irritating ingredients, consequently a cla.s.s of asthmatic people suffer more during this season. I noticed to this cla.s.s of cases _Blatta orientalis_ will prove most efficacious. I have used it in bronchial and nervous asthma with better success than the stomachae.

SECOND PAPER.

I have of late tried _Blatta orientalis_ indiscriminately in almost all cases of asthma that have come under my treatment, and I am glad to say I have received good results in most cases, as the reports of some of the clinical cases will show. I have not come to any definite use of this drug yet, but I shall only mention a few facts that I have observed during its use. It acts better in low potency and repeated doses during an attack of asthma; when the spasm subsides, the terminal asthmatic cough with wheezing and slight dyspnoea, etc., is better relieved with higher potencies; the low potency, if continued after the spasmodic period is over, will make the cough more troublesome and hara.s.sing to the patient and the expectoration tenacious, thick and very difficult to raise, but this will not be the case if the potency is changed. I had this difficulty in a few cases when I was less acquainted with the action of the drug, but now I manage my cases better. In four patients who continued the drug for some time in the low potency, during the paroxysm and after it was over, the cough became dry and hacking with little or no expectoration, the streaks of blood appeared in the sputa, which the patients had never observed in the course of their long illness. This appearance of blood in their sputa was the cause of a great anxiety to them and made them hurry over to my office. On inquiry I learned from two of them--one a lady and the other a young man--that while taking this remedy they felt a sensation all over the body, for four or five days previous to the appearance of the blood, as if heat were radiating from the ears, eyes, nose, top of the head, palms of the hands and soles of the feet. They attributed this sensation of heat all over the body and the appearance of the blood in the expectoration to the drug. I directed them to stop the medicine at once; this they did, and with the discontinuance of it the blood disappeared from the sputa as well as the sensation of heat, but to me it was an open question whether this appearance of blood in the expectoration was due to overdrugging, although I must say that the presence of the streaks of blood in the sputa of asthmatic patients is not an uncommon phenomenon.

I resolved to give the same potency to the same patients after the lapse of some days. I did so, and to my surprise the blood-streaked sputa again appeared after they had taken the remedy ix, one grain four times daily. From this the patients understood it was the same medicine that had been given to them on the last occasion and begged me not to give it again, as the appearance of blood in the sputum frightened them, in spite of all my a.s.surance. No more strong doses of the drug were given to them and they did not notice any more blood in the sputum. I have heard other patients complain of this peculiar sensation of heat whenever strong doses were given to them for some time. It acts better on stout and corpulent than on thin and emaciated persons. The asthmatic patients subject to repeated attacks of malaria derive less permanent benefit from the use of the drug. So, it seems to me, that in haemic asthma, which is due to the abnormal condition of the blood, it is efficacious. I have also used this drug in troublesome cough with dyspnoea of phthisical patients with good result.

CLINICAL CASES.

CASE I. Baln R. M., aged fifty-five, thin, emaciated and irritable temperament, has been suffering from hereditary asthma for the last twenty-five years. For the last six or seven years he suffered from asthmatic fits almost nightly and a troublesome cough with a good deal of frothy expectoration. He said he had not known what sleep was for the last six or seven years, in fact, he could not lie down in bed, as that would immediately bring on a violent fit of coughing which would not cease until he sat up, so the rec.u.mbent posture for him was almost impracticable, and he used to sit up during the night and doze on a pile of pillows. He pa.s.sed his days comparatively better, but the approach of the night was a horror to him, his struggle, commencing at 9 or 10 P.M., would last till the morning. He was the father of many children and was well taken care of, but his suffering was so great that he had no ambition to live any longer. He tried almost all systems of medicine without much good. For the last ten years he took opium, which afforded him slight relief at the beginning, using as high as forty-eight grains of opium in twenty-four hours. Owing to the constant sitting posture he became stooped, and the back of his neck stiff and painful. In April, 1889, he was suddenly taken ill with fever. The fever became protracted.

After an illness of over a month his condition became so bad that all hope of his recovery was given up. During this illness he was treated by an old school physician of some repute, but his condition daily grew worse, the asthmatic attacks became very violent and almost incessant, and the difficulty of breathing very great. He became so feeble that he had not strength enough to enable him to bring up the expectoration; his chest was full of it; fever was less; there was general anasarca. He was sitting with head bent forward, almost touching the bed, as that was the only position possible to him day and night. He had become almost speechless, when I was sent for, at about 3 P.M. on the 23d of May, 1889. When I was entering the patient's room a medical man came out and hinted that there was no use of my going in as the patient was just expiring. I found the patient breathing hard; unconscious; jaws were locked and saliva dribbling from the corners of his mouth; body cold; cold, clammy perspiration on forehead; eyes partially opened; in fact, to all appearance, he looked as if he were dead, except for the respiratory movements. I felt his pulse and found it was not so bad as the patient was looking. I examined the back of his chest, as that was the only portion easily accessible, and noticed that the bronchial spasms were going on with loud mucous rale. From the character of his pulse I thought that the present state of the patient was _probably_ due to the continued violent struggle and not deep coma, and that he had become so exhausted that he was motionless, speechless and completely unconscious. His bed was surrounded by many friends and relations, who had come to bid him a last farewell; and it was with surprise that they all looked at me when I proposed to administer medicine to a patient whose death was expected every minute and for whose cremation preparations were being made.

I got a big phial full of water and put in it _Blatta orientalis_ 1x trit. a few grains and tried two or three times to give him a spoonful of it, but in vain; the jaws were locked and I could not make him swallow any of that medicine; then I put some powder dry in the hollow of his lips and asked the attendants to try to give him the medicine I left in the bottle. I was asked whether there was any hope of his recovery, of course my answer was "_no_," and I also said he could only live a few hours. I left the patient's house with the idea of not visiting it again, but at 9 P.M. a messenger came with the report that the patient was slightly better, he could swallow medicine and two doses of it had been given. I was asked to see the patient again. I could hardly believe what he said, however, I went to see the patient again. I noticed there was a slight change for the better, the pulse was steady, the jaws were unlocked, there was mobility of the limbs, he could swallow liquid with ease and was expectorating freely, the breathing though still difficult was slightly improved. There was the winking of the eyelids. On the whole he was looking less lifeless, but still I entertained no hope of his recovery. I left instructions to repeat the same medicine once or twice during the night, if required, at the same time to give milk repeatedly, one or two spoonfuls at a time, and to inform me next morning if he had survived the night. Next morning I really grew anxious to know what had become of my patient who had shown symptoms slightly better with this new remedy. A messenger came with the report that the patient pa.s.sed a good night. I was requested to see him again. When I arrived at his place at 8 A.M. I was surprised to see him so much better, he had not only regained his consciousness, but was sitting quietly in his bed, could speak slowly, the difficulty of breathing was completely gone, but the cough occasionally troubled him and a good deal of expectoration of frothy white or sometimes of big yellowish lumps of mucus came up. He was given three doses of the same medicine 2x trit. during the day. He pa.s.sed a fair day, but at night his difficulty of breathing again appeared in somewhat milder form. He had to take two doses of the medicine. Thus the medicine was continued for a week and his trouble daily became less and less until after the expiration of a week he was able to sleep at night for the first time in the last six or seven years. I treated him over a month, and his health improved so rapidly that he not only got rid of the asthmatic trouble, but was soon able to go out and even attend his business. The stooped condition of his neck with slight pain and slight chronic bronchitis did not leave him altogether. Besides _Blatta orientalis_, I also prescribed for him _a.r.s.enic.u.m alb. 6_ and _12_, _Naja tri. 6_, _Ipecac 3_, and _Antim. tart. 3_, as they were indicated. He continued well for over a year, but in August, 1890, he had slight reappearance of the asthmatic trouble. He again took _Blatta orientalis_ and got well.

CASE II. Mrs. Nundy, a thin lady, aged twenty-three, mother of three children, came from a village for the treatment of asthma, from which she had been suffering for the last eight years. For the first two or three years she used to get two or three attacks in the year, but gradually they were repeated more frequently, though the character of the attack remained the same throughout. It would last two days and two nights, whether any medicine was given to her or not. Nothing would alleviate her suffering during an attack--too much interference would increase her sufferings and prolong the duration of the attack, so, practically speaking, almost nothing was given to her during an attack.

The great oppression of breathing, restlessness, profuse perspiration, inability to move or lie down and loud wheezing would be the most prominent symptoms in each attack. These would remain almost with equal violence for nearly forty hours, when the spasms would cease with slight cough and expectoration, and she would be perfectly at ease as ever, and there would be no trace of disease left, except slight wheezing sound on auscultation. But latterly these attacks were very frequent, almost every week or ten days. In August, 1890, she was brought here for treatment. It is worth while to mention that she took both allopathic and native drugs during the interval of attacks to prevent their recurrence, but without any effect. I saw her first on the morning of the 5th of August, during an attack. I prescribed _Blatta Orientalis_ IX trit., one grain every two hours. It was to their surprise that this attack subsided unlike all others by the evening; that is, it disappeared within twenty hours. This encouraged the lady and her husband so much that she wanted to have regular course of treatment under me. I put her under tincture of _Blatta Orientalis_ IX, one drop per dose, twice daily. She continued this medicine till the time of the next attack was over; that is, for ten days. After the expiration of this period she began to complain of a sensation of heat all over her body, so I changed it to 3x, one drop morning and evening. She kept well, and after a month she went home thinking she got well. A month after her going home she had an attack of asthma at night and took _Blatta Orientalis_ IX as before, and by the next morning she was well.

This was in October, and after two months of the last attack. She had another attack in winter and none since.

CASE III. A young man, aged thirty-four, had been suffering from asthma for some years. He was invariably worse during the rains and the winter, and a chronic bronchitis was almost a constant accompaniment. He tried allopathic and lots of patent drugs, with only temporary amelioration of the trouble. At last, in November, 1888, he came to my office. On examination of his chest I found there was a chronic bronchitis. He said that slight difficulty of breathing with hacking cough used to trouble him every night, besides a cold would be followed by a severe attack of asthma, so its periodicity of recurrence was irregular. I treated him with _Ipecac_, _a.r.s.enic.u.m alb._, etc. The first-named medicine did him the most good, but he never got entirely well. So in July, 1889, I put him under tincture _Blatta orientalis_ 3X, drop doses, three or four times daily. Under its use he began to improve steadily, and had only two or three attacks of asthmatic fits since he used this drug, which were promptly relieved by the same drug in 1x potency. _Euphrasia off._ was prescribed for his cold whenever he had it. He is free from all trouble for the last year and a half. His general condition is so much changed that there is no apprehension of the recurrence of his former illness.

CASE IV. Baln Bose, an old, corpulent gentleman, aged sixty-two, has been suffering from asthmatic attacks for some years. He never took any allopathic medicine, but had always been under treatment of native kabiraj (medical men), under whose treatment he was sometimes better and worse at others. Latterly he became very bad and pa.s.sed several sleepless nights. He used to pa.s.s his days comparatively better, and it was at night and in the morning he used to be worse. On the 24th of July, 1890, at 9 A.M. I saw him first--there was a slight touch of asthma even then. I made him try to lie down in bed; this he could not do, owing to the coughing fit it excited while in that posture. On examination the chest revealed chronic bronchial catarrh, and there was also a hara.s.sing cough, with very little expectoration after repeated exertion. I prescribed _Blatta orientalis_ IX trit., one grain every two hours. He pa.s.sed the night without an attack, and the next morning when I saw him he complained that only the cough was troublesome last night and no fit of asthma. The cough was somewhat troublesome even when I saw him in the morning. I gave him tincture _Blatta ori._ 3x, one drop dose every two hours. He pa.s.sed the day and night well. He continued the treatment for a fortnight and then went home, where he has been keeping good health, with the exception of an occasional bronchial catarrh.

CASE V. A shoemaker, aged forty-two, robust const.i.tution, has been suffering with asthma for three or four years. He came to my office on the 6th of November, 1890. He had been getting asthmatic fits almost every night since October last. During the day troublesome cough, with slight expectoration and hurried breathing made him unable to attend his business. Tincture _Blatta orientalis_ IX, one drop doses, six times daily, was given. The very first day he perceived the good effect of the medicine and continued the same for a month, when he got well and discontinued the medicine. He has been keeping well ever since.

CASE VI. Mr. G., aged forty, healthy const.i.tution, had an asthmatic fit on the 4th of August, 1890, preceded by a violent attack of cold, from which he frequently used to suffer. He had this severe cold in the morning, and in the afternoon he began to experience a great difficulty of breathing and slight oppression and lightness of the chest--this, by 9 P.M., developed into a regular fit of asthma. I was sent for. On my arrival, at 10 P.M., I found he was sitting before a pile of pillows with elbows supported on them, and struggling for breath. There was also a great tightness in the chest, occasional cough, and inability to speak. I at once put him under _Blatta orientalis_ IX trit., one grain every fifteen minutes, and less frequently afterwards if he felt better.

On my visit next morning I found him much better, but he said his trouble at night continued, more or less, till 2 A.M., after which he got some rest. Now, there was a troublesome cough, slight oppression of the chest and great apprehension of a second attack in the night. The same medicine, 3x trit., was given to him during the day, and a few powders of 1x were left with him in case he was to get an attack at night. There was a slight aggravation of those symptoms at night, and he had occasion to take only two powders of 1x. The next morning he was every way better, except the cough, for which four powders of 3x were given daily. In four or five days he got entirely well and had no relapse.

CASE VII. Mrs. D., aged twenty, a healthy, stout lady, mother of one child, had been always enjoying good health, was suddenly attacked with a violent fit of asthma on the 8th of August, 1890. This was the first occasion she had a fit of asthma, the result of a severe cold. At about 2 A.M. she was suddenly seized with difficulty of breathing and a great oppression in the chest. She could not lie down any longer in bed and had to sit up, being supported on a pile of pillows. In the morning at 8 A.M. I saw her first. I noticed she was in great agony and almost speechless. On examination I could not detect much loud wheezing--the characteristic of an asthmatic attack--though the rapid movements of the walls of the chest were even quite visible to the bystanders. The patient was feeling almost choked up, and could not express what was going on. She only pointed out a point, a little over the pit of the stomach most painful. There was no cough--perspiration was pouring over her body. I could not at once make out whether it was a case of pure asthma, especially as she never had it before. However, I made up my mind to give her _Blatta orientalis_ IX trit., a grain dose every fifteen minutes, and watch the effect myself. Three doses of it were given without much change for the better. I left a few more doses to be repeated half hourly and promised to see her again within a couple of hours. On my return I found her in a much better condition, and she had taken only one of those powders I had left, and they were not repeated, as she felt better. Now I thought it must have been an attack of asthma, and I continued the medicine unhesitatingly. There was no aggravation at night, but on the next morning she was better, and the usual asthmatic cough began with slight expectoration. There was pain in the chest and head with each coughing fit. _Blatta orientalis_ 3x trit., four to six doses, was continued for a few days, when she got well. Again in November she had a slight tendency to an asthmatic fit, took two or three doses of the same medicine and got well. Since then she had not been troubled again.

CASE VIII. A gentleman, the keeper of a common shop, aged forty-four, belonging to a village, had been suffering from asthma for the last eight years and had always been under treatment of native kabiraj (medical men). In June, he came to the city, and I was called to see him on the 14th of June, to treat him for his asthma. The day previous he had an attack, for which he took no medicine. Each of his attacks usually lasted four or five days. I gave him _Blatta orientalis_ IX trit., one grain every two hours, and left him six such powders to be taken during the day. He took them and felt better the next day. He stayed here two or three days more, and when well he wanted to proceed home, which was some couple of hundred miles. He took with him two two-drachm phials of _Blatta orientalis_, one of IX and the other of 3x trit. He continued the 3x, one grain doses, two or three times daily, for a month, and discontinued afterward. He had no more asthmatic fits.

In January last, 1891, I had a letter from him, thanking me for his recovery and asking for some of the same medicine for a friend of his, who had been suffering from asthma. The friend of his who used the same drug, _Blatta orientalis_, was equally benefited.

CASE IX. Mrs. Dalta, a thin lady, aged thirty-eight, mother of several children, had been exposed to cold, which brought on an attack of bronchitis with fever. This, in the course of a fortnight, developed into a regular fit of asthma. She was all this time treated by an old-school physician, but when the husband of the lady saw that she was daily getting worse, and a new disease crept in, he made up his mind to change the treatment. I was called to see her in the morning of the 8th of June, 1890. She became very much emaciated, could not take any food, had fever with acute bronchitis, hurried respiration, difficulty of breathing; this she was complaining of bitterly, owing to which she could not lie down in bed, but had to sit up day and night. There was a prolonged fit of spasmodic cough at short intervals, with slight expectoration, but these coughing fits would make her almost breathless.

This was the first time I prescribed _Blatta orientalis_ IX in a case of asthma with fever and acute bronchitis. It answered my purpose well.

She had only ten powders during the day and pa.s.sed a comparatively better night. Next morning when I saw her she was better, except the coughing fits, which were continuing as before. The same medicine was repeated. On the 10th of June she had no asthmatic trouble at night, but there was not much improvement in her cough--_Anti. tart._ and _Bryonia_ were needed to complete the cure.

BOLETUS LARICIS.

NAT. ORD., Fungi.

COMMON NAMES, Larch Agaric, Larch Boletus, Purging Agaric, White Agaric.

PREPARATION.--The dried fungus is macerated in five parts by weight of alcohol.

(Here are two typical cases out of thirteen by Dr. W. H.

Burt, which we find in the _North American Journal of h.o.m.oeopathy_, 1866, quoted from the _Medical Investigator_ from a volume not attainable.)

CASE 1. Intermittent fever: Type Quotidiana Duplex. In a large lymphatic woman; weight about 180 lbs.; aged thirty-nine. November 4th. For the last five weeks has had the ague. At first it was a simple quotidian.

Took Quinine, which broke it for four days, when it returned; took Quinine in ma.s.sive doses, which checked it for one week. It returned two weeks since, in the form of a double quotidian. The chill comes on every day at 10 A.M. and 5 P.M.

The chill lasts from one to two hours each time; hands and feet get icy cold, chills run up and down the spine, with severe pains in the head, back and limbs; followed by high fever for three hours, and then profuse sweat. Tongue furred whitish-yellow, with large fissures in the tongue; flat, bitter taste; has had no appet.i.te for five weeks; craves cold water all the time; bowels rather costive; has nausea during every chill, but no vomiting; very weak, can only sit up about one hour in the morning; great depression of spirits, cries during the whole examination; face very much jaundiced. Treatment: _Ars. 2_, every two hours, for three days. It produced constant nausea and lessened the chills, but aggravated the fever. I then determined to try the _Boletus_ 1st, two grs. every two hours. Took two doses when the chills came on, she then ceased to take the medicine until 5 P.M. Took three doses, and then fell asleep. 8th. Says she is feeling a little better, continued treatment; 10 A.M., commenced to have a severe diarrhoea, an effect of the medicine; discontinued the powders until 5 P.M. The fever did not come on until 3 P.M.; had no chill; fever lasted three hours; perspired profusely all night; slept well for the first time in a number of weeks.

9th. Feeling much better. Fever came on at 4 P.M., had no chill; fever lasted four hours; nausea all the evening; sweat all night. 10th.

Feeling quite well. Had no more fever, but had night sweats for a week after. Convalescence was very slow; notwithstanding she had no more fever it was three weeks before she felt perfectly well.

This case demonstrates the fact to us that the _Boletus_ is superior to our _greatest remedial_ agents in the case of intermittents. I believe if I had not been acquainted with the therapeutic properties of the _Boletus_ I would have been compelled to treat this lady every few weeks for two or three months with our usual remedies.

CASE 2. Intermittent fever: Type quotidian. November 1st, Mrs. B., aged fifty-six. Temperament, nervous. Three weeks since had an abscess in left ear, which made her quite sick for a week. Since then has had a fever every afternoon and night; feels chilly whenever she moves; walking produces nausea; does not perspire any; tongue coated white; loss of appet.i.te; bowels loose; very restless at night, cannot sleep any; getting very weak, keeps her bed most of the time. Gave _Boletus laricis_. Had the fever but one day after.

CALCAREA RENALIS PRaePARATA.

PREPARATION.--There are two kinds of renal calculi, the phosphatic and the uric, which should be triturated as separate preparations.

(The _h.o.m.oeopathric Examiner_, 1846, contained the following paper, by Dr. Bredenoll. We may add that the remedy is reported to be peculiarly beneficial in Rigg's disease of the teeth.)

My professional engagements do not permit me to spend much time in writing; the following case, however, I deem worthy of note.

Born of healthy parents, I remained quite healthy until my twenty-third year. I had no trouble in getting over the diseases to which children are generally liable. Some of them, scarlet fever and measles, attacked me when I was already engaged in my professional career. I am now fifty-seven years old.

In the year 1808, while vaccinating children, I caught the itch from one of them. Although I washed myself with soap water immediately, yet a pustule made its appearance in about eight days, between the little finger and ring finger of the left hand; afterwards a few more came on at the same place and some others between the ring and middle finger. I hastened to repel this eruption as fast as possible, which I unfortunately succeeded in doing within the period of eight days.

This suppression of the eruption was followed by a host of diseases: Liability to catching cold; frequent catarrh; rheumatic complaints; toothache; attacks of hemicrania, with vomiting; continual heartburn; haemorrhoidal complaints, at times tumors, at times fluent; excessive emaciation; afterwards a pustulous eruption over the whole body; painful swelling of the joints, arthritic nodosities in different places; a copper-colored eruption in the face, especially on and about the nose, which made me look like a confirmed drunkard, etc., etc.

These affections tormented me more or less, until in the year 1833 I visited Hahnemann at Coethen, for the purpose of studying h.o.m.oeopathia with him. Hahnemann treated me for three weeks, and I continued the treatment at my native place. My health improved steadily, and at the end of a year I considered myself cured. This lasted until October, 1836, when I was attacked with violent colic in one night. The pain was felt in the region of the left kidney, lancinating, pinching, sore; retching ensued, resulting in vomiting of mucus, and lastly bile. I took a few pellets of _Nux v._ x; after this the pain disappeared gradually, and the vomiting ceased. Next day I was well again. Two days afterwards I discovered gravel in the urine, and my sufferings had vanished.

One year elapsed in this way; however, I occasionally experienced an uncomfortable sensation in the region of the left kidney, especially when riding on horseback, driving in a carriage, or walking fast; I took at times _Lycopod._, at times _Nux v._, in proportion as one or the other of these two remedies appeared indicated.

In November, 1837, I was suddenly attacked with vomiting, accompanied with violent lancinating, sore or pinching pains in the region of the left kidney. The horrible anguish and pain which I experienced extorted from me involuntary screams; I was writhing like a worm in the dust. A calculus had descended into the ureter and had become incarcerated in it. Repeated doses of _Nux_ relieved the incarceration, and I distinctly felt that the calculus was descending towards the bladder. After twenty-four hours of horrible suffering the vomiting ceased, the pain became duller and was felt in the region where the ureter dips into and becomes interwoven with the tissue of the bladder: it continued for three days and then disappeared all of a sudden (the stone had not got into the bladder). Thirty-six hours afterwards the calculus entered the bulb of the urethra. I felt a frequent desire to urinate; the urine was turbid and b.l.o.o.d.y, until at last a calculus of four grains made its appearance in the urine. After this I frequently pa.s.sed gravel and calculi, at times with slight, at times violent pains, sometimes accompanied with vomiting; I kept the larger calculi, with a view of using them hereafter as a curative agent.

Professor Na.s.se, of Bonn, where my son studied medicine at the time, has a.n.a.lyzed the calculi, and has found them to be urate of lime. He advised me to take _Merc. dulcis_ and the _Sulphate of Soda_ for some time; it is scarcely necessary for me to say that I did not follow his advice.

On the fifteenth of February, 1839, I felt the precursory symptoms of a new attack, which really did break out in all its fury on the 16th, and continued on the 17th and 18th. I now caused 5 grains of my calculi to be triturated in my presence with 95 grains of sugar of milk, according to the fas.h.i.+on of Hahnemann, and took 1/2 grain in the evening of the 17th, another 1/2 grain in the morning of the 18th. On this day I pa.s.sed very turbid urine with a considerable quant.i.ty of gravel; however, in the region where the ureter dips into the bladder, I experienced an uncomfortable sensation, but was well otherwise. On the 19th I was obliged to visit a patient at the distance of two miles; on my journey I felt that the calculus was descending into the bladder; the urine which I emitted shortly afterwards was very turbid and b.l.o.o.d.y. That same evening, after returning home, I felt the stone in the bulb of the urethra, and on the morning of the 20th it came off during stool, but unfortunately got lost among the excrement. To judge from my feeling it must have been larger than any of the preceding calculi, and also rougher, for its pa.s.sage through the urethra was very painful and followed by an oozing out of blood.

The uncomfortable feeling in the region of the left kidney never disappeared completely; it became especially painful when pressing upon that place, when riding on horseback or in a carriage, when taking exercise or turning the body. It seems to me that the whole pelvis of the kidneys must have been full of gravel and calculi. I now took 1/2 grain at intervals of eight days; the result was that I pa.s.sed gravel and small calculi at every micturition. On the 30th of November my condition got worse, and I continued to take 1/2 grain of _Calc. ren.

praep._, at longer or shorter intervals, until October 18th, 1840. After this period I ceased to pa.s.s any gravel, and I felt entirely well. On the 3d of February I pa.s.sed some more gravel. Another dose of 1/2 grain of _Lapis renalis_; another dose on June 3d. On June 17th precursors of another attack; on the 18th vomiting accompanied by all the frightful circ.u.mstances which I have detailed above; the vomiting of mucus, bile, ingesta, continued at short intervals until the 26th; my tongue was coated with yellow mucus, and my appet.i.te had completely disappeared.

_Bryon., Nux v._ and _Pulsat._ relieved the gastric symptom; on the 26th, in the afternoon, I pa.s.sed a calculus of the size of a pea. I now resume the use of _Calc. ren. praep._ in 1/2 grain doses, at irregular intervals. On the 23d of October I pa.s.sed a calculus of the size of a pea, without vomiting; there were no other precursory symptoms except the uncomfortable feeling in the region of the kidney a few days previous. I have felt well ever since and free from all complaint, although I continue the occasional use of 1/2 a grain of _Calc. ren.

praep._, lest I should have a relapse.

Every time I took a dose of _Calc. ren. pr._ I found that the so-called tartar on the teeth became detached a few days afterwards. A short while ago a nodosity, hard as a stone, which had appeared on the extensor tendon of the right middle finger, about nine months ago, and which threatened to increase more and more, disappeared. I consider the tartar on the teeth, calculi renales and arthritic nodosities very similar morbid products.

In conclusion I beg leave to offer the following remarks:

1. Hahnemann's theory of psora is no chimera, as many theoreticians would have us believe. I was perfectly healthy previous to my being infected with itch. What a host of sufferings have I been obliged to endure after the suppression of the itch!

2. Isopathy deserves especial notice.

It is true, the most suitable h.o.m.oeopathic remedies afforded me relief; the incarceration of calculi in the ureter especially was relieved by _Nux_; but they were unable to put a stop to the formation of calculi; this result was only attained by the preparation of _Calc.

ren._