The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 366 of 653A simple inflammation of the knee, to which the name of tumorInflammation of Joints. 431albus should never be applied, and which is generally the resultsome mechanical injury or of excessive use, is an unimportantafiection as long as the inflammation is confined to the integumeIt is scarcely ever attended with fever, is never ushered in by achill, and runs its course within a few weeks. However, inasmuchas we can never be sure whether such an unimportant disease maynot result in the more dangerous tumor albus, it ought to be managed with all due precaution.Tumor albus never runs an acute course, at most subacute andusually very chronic. While using the joint, the patient complainof pain and impaired mobility ; in more rapidly progressing casesthe temperature of the joint is higher than usual. If the inflammation emanates from the soft parts, the pains are generally lessthan when the bones constitute the starting-point. Sometimes theknee swells rapidly, at other times more slowly, and most slowlythe bones receive the first shock of the disease. In the latter cthe knee preserves its form for a long time, whereas in the othercases the swelling soon modifies any former shape of the knee. Asthe swelling increases, which generally has a very white appearanit grows progressively softer, elastic, and finally shows symptomof fluctuation. The cutaneous veins become very much enlarged.The pains generally increase with an increase of the swelling.Sometimes not till after the lapse of years, and, in a few cases,that of weeks, distinct fluctuation is perceived in one or moreplaces ; here the skin reddens, breaks, and a pus which is mostlythin and mixed with flocks, is discharged. In spite of this evacution of pus, the swelling remains almost unchanged.The suppuration in a c^ise of tumor albus is generally very tardyThe openings may close for a short time, after which they generalopen again, so that, in a fortunate case, suppuration may ceaseafter many months, and the swelling may grow smaller, but thejoint remains stiff and thick, and the leg somewhat bent. A cure'of this disease is witnessed only in the case of young people. Ifthe case terminates less favorably, the suppuration gradually supinduces hectic fever, and finally ends in death.The prognosis is always bad, for no one escapes from such anattack without some permanent injury; the difference in favor ofyoung and robust individuals is that death needs not be apprehendin their case, which is generally sure to occur in individuals ofupwards thirty years of age.Xreatment. We cannot boast of possessing many similia for482 Diseases of the Bones, Muscles, and Articulations.gonarthrocace whose clinical value has at the same time been testby an abundance of practical observations. ^Moreover, it is unfortunately a difficult matter to select a remedy for a given case iaccordance with the symptomatic records of the Materia Medica.http://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt