The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 386 of 653Erysipelas proper is altogether a primary affection the cause ofwhich it is difficult to trace in every case. The disease occursalmost exclusively between the age of pubescence and that of sixtand is of less frequent occurrence among old people than amongchildren. Atmospheric influences are generally regarded as thecause of erysipelas, but this theory is not justified by the evidof fact. All we know positively is that erysipelas often sets ina sporadic disease, and that sometimes it breaks out in the forma limited epidemic which never assumes a very extensive range andhas given rise to the erroneous view that erysipelas is a contagidisease. It is a characteristic feature of this disease that everattack of erysipelas increases the patient's liability to other awhich only becomes extinct at an advanced age. The cause ofsuccessive attacks of erysipelas is very often to be found in vioemotions, gross errors in diet, and in colds, more esjjecially inaction of severe cold upon a heated skin. We have known a ladywho was several times attacked with erysipelas simply because shesuddenly went from the kitchen-stove into the cellar.The origin of wandering erysipelas is involved in complete456 Diseases of the Skin.mystery; it is to be observed that it inclines to set in previousthe age of pubescence.Traumatic erysipelas is regarded by many persons as a' simpleform of dermatitis. It arises in consequence of injuries if suppution ensues, or even at the start, soon after the infliction of tinjury ; or it accompanies suppurating inflammatory processes, suas gum-boils. It may be looked upon as an excess of reactionagainst the inflammation from which it proceeds. Erysipelas neonatorum is altogether a form of traumatic erysipelas. The introduction of septic substances undoubtedly exerts a prominentinfluence over the origin of this disease. This circumstance likewise accounts for those cases of erysipelas that supervenes durintyphus and other constitutional diseases as a malignant complication or as a terminal disease.'8ymptoni8 and Course. True, or the so-called exanthematicerysipelas really only breaks out in the face, whereas erysipelasother parts of the body is, properly speaking, erythema. Theappearance of the exanthcm upon the skin is generally precededfor a few hours or even days by a preliminary stage consisting ofsevere fever with marked gastric symptoms, with which symptomsof cerebral hypersemia, and more especially a violent headache,sometimes become associated at an early period. During a firstattack these precursory symptoms are scarcely ever absent; butthey do not usually occur with a return of the disease. While thefever is on the increase, the face feels hot and tense, and sometrheumatic pains in the nape of the neck are complained of, a viviredness breaks out at a certain circumscribed spot in the face, wspreads rapidly and causes a burning pain. In proportion as theredness becomes more intense, the swelling likewise increases andthe skin assumes a glistening appearance. Erysipelas generallybreaks out on one cheek, whence it spreads to the nose, the eyeliforehead, ears, less frequently to the lips, and scarcely ever tochin. Within two or three days, and sometimes in thirty-http://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt