The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 287 of 653other remedies will have to be chosen, especially such as act upothe exudation itself, among which I place Sulphur at the head ofthe list. If the effusion is more of a serous character, or hemorrhagic or purulent, Aconite will not do much for the fever, if anstill remains. If, in a case of pleuritis with plastic effusion,patient's carelessness or indiscretion brings on a relaipse, thefebrile power of Aconite will prove much less efficient than thetime ; and, if repeated attacks take place, Aconite will do lessless for the fever, and finally, will prove entirely powerless."have to^ dissent from the preceding remarks in one particular,namely, regarding the effect of Aconite upon the fever ; it is ouopinion that the remedy exerts its effect by diminishing the hypesemia, by which means the pains are abated and the effusion islimited. Aconite is, moreover, a distinguished remedy at the outset of pleuritis supervening during the presence of tuberculosis,for pleuritis complicated with pneumonia. It is without any efi'eif pleuritis is occasioned by marked decomposition of the blood,by the onward spread of peritoneal inflammation, or by the escapeof pus from the lungs or from carious ribs. Here Aconite cannotbe depended upon even at the outset, if the fever is ever so inteAs regards waiting for a change after the exhibition of Aconite,should never wait longer than twenty-four hours.Bryonia alba is of all remedies more frequently used than anyother in pleuritis and concerning which all physicians entertainequally favorable opinion. Although we cannot help believing thatmany reported cures were due to the spontaneous efforts of Natureand that the removal of a violent pleuritic pain has very often bmistaken for a recovery from a severe attack of pleurisy, whereasthe pain alone is no adequate criterium of the extent and charactof the pathological process. Bryonia could not possibly have beenso often supposed to cure, if real cures had not been effected byagent. Almost all practitioners agree that the period for the exhibition of Bryonia is the time when the fever has abated. In fixing this period, the comparatively rare form of pleuritis is thou836 Diseases of the Pleura.of, that sets in as an acute disease and runs a similar course. HAconite is undoubtedly indicated first, and afterwards Bryonia.In a very large number of cases, however, Bryonia may be exhibited at the outset ; they are the cases where the fever is not vehigh and the pain is severe but not intensely acute. We do notundertake to explain the action of Bryonia in such cases. It iscertain that it has a very beneficial eftect and generally accomplishes a speedy cure. Whether it acts directly upon the exudatioand hastens' its absorption, may be questioned ; it is pretty welestablished, however, that under its influence the exudation scarever progresses, and that the pains rapidly subside. A slight nonfebrile, although very painful pleuritis, is rapidly controlled bBryonia. Bryonia is likewise appropriate in the severer forms ofa purely plastic pleuritis ; in the first stage of the seroit is the main remedy. If the exudation becomes purulent, the useof Bryonia is more questionable. If pleuritis complicates tuberculosis, the symptoms which very seldom point to Acddite, commonly indicate Bryonia. On the contrary we deem Bryonia indicated so much less, the more copious is the exudation ; its spherof action ceases if the inflammatory process is arrested and thehttp://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt