The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 336 of 653alies. Hence, fat food and starch-containing substances have to bavoided, whereas good meat and beef broth should be recommendedas chief articles of diet. The use of wine which seems to be counindicated by the tumultuous action of the heart, is not only veryuseful, but even necessary, especially in the case of old people.likewise call attention to the inhalation of compressed air whichdeserves particular recommendation in this disease; a great dealdepends upon rendering the act of respiration easier to the patieby furnishing him a larger supply of oxygen, which is accomplisheby this proceeding.c. Insufficiency of the Aortic Valves.The semilunar valves are no longer sufficient to effect a completclosure of the aorta during the diastole of the heart. This may bowing to a shrinking, laceration, rigidity, adhesions and distortof the valves. Disorganizations of this kind very seldom result fmechanical force or from acute endocarditis, but commonly fromchronic endocarditis and from atheromatous degeneration. On thisaccount aortic insufficiency is generally met with in older persoInsufficiency results in a regurgitation of the bloofl during thediastole of the ventricle from the aorta into the ventricle. In csequence of this overcrowding, the ventricle becomes abnormallydistended ; hence, if the valves are insufficient, the left ventrbecomes more distended in consequence of this anomaly than fromany other. The increase of the ventricular contents invites anincreased contraction of the muscular fibres, thus giving rise toeccentric hypertrophy which becomes the more excessive the greatethe valvular insufficiency. If at the same time the left auriculoventricular orifice is normal, the insufficiency shows no furthersequences in the lungs, nor does it react upon th^ right ventriclOn the other hand, the consequences are visible in the arterial stem; the arteries, being exposed to a considerable increase of prure or a force acting a tergo^ dilate and, in the further coursethe disease, very commonly undergo an atheromatous degeneration.The objectiv.e symptoms of aortic insufficiency are generally verplain as soon as the affection has acquired a certain degr