The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 230 of 653Aconitum. All homoeopaths admit the excellence of this remedyin pneumonia; their views only differ as regards the boundaries oits appropriate sphere of action in this disease. 'We cannot examthese views any further, since this would lead us too far. Forparticular information on this subject we refer to Miiller's essapneumonia in the first volume of the Vierteljahrsschrift. According to Miiller's arrangement, the following are the most prominenAconite-symptoms in pneumonia: Intense fever preceded by a chill,with burning heat and dryness of the skin, quick and hard. pulseand a deep, sometimes bluish redness of the face; accelerated,labored, incomplete respiration with restlessness, anxiety and patation of the heart ; stitches in the chest during a deep inspiraand during motion, or dull pressure and weight on the chest, dryand racking cough, with a small quantity of a tenacious, slimy,blood-streaked or rusty expectoration; recumbent postureback; dullness and pain in the head; great thirst; scanty and redurine ; evening exacerbation of the symptoms. The thorax is lessmovable, it is less depressed during an expiration; in otherrespects we have the physical signs that have been indicated forfirst stage. By comparing toxicological post-mortem phenomenawith these symptoms, we shall be able to determine the period upto which Aconite is suitable in pneumonia, with much more precision. Both in Miiller's cases of poisoning by Aconite as well ain the cases, whether acute or chronic, which we ourselves havecollected in the last ten years, the lungs were in every instancefound engorged with blood, but in no case was a trace of croupousexudation to be seen. Although we do not expect that in ourphysiological experiments a drug that is said to be a specific rewill reproduce all the objective signs of the corresponding pathological series, yet the constancy with which a simple engorgementoccurs as a post-mortem symptom of Aconite-poisoning, is remarkable. Experience has moreover satisfied us that this condition isthe true therapeutic sphere of action for this agent. When speakPneumonia. 267ing of pulmonary hypersemia, we stated that in active pnimonaiycongestions Aconite is the leading remedy. In pneumonia the stageof red hepatization implies a most perfect hyperaemia ; hence weconsider Aconite best adapted to this stage where its specific cutive virtues have been exquisitely confirmed by a multitude of thmost favorable practical observations. On this account we do not,however, consider Aconite indicated in every case of pneumoniaunless all the other symptoms correspond. Among these symptomswe distinguish more particularly the following: The disease attacindividuals with an active circulation; it is caused by a cold;according to many, by exposure to a dry, cold wind; it attacksrobust individuals up to the age of sixty to seventy years, lessquently beyond this period where the characteristics of old agebegin to creep along; there are no directly antagonizing complications, among which we number more especially an intense intestinacatarrh. Aconite alone will scarcely ever cure pneumonia, muchless cut it short. On this account its importance in pneumoniashould not be underrated. No one who has watched the strikingefiects of Aconite, will ever doubt its great virtues in this disAconite diminishes the vascular excitement and reduces the pulmonary hypersemia more brilliantly than the most copious bleeding;http://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt