The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 389 of 653Erysipelas neonatorum generally sets in in the first week afterthe birth of the infant, very seldom after the first month. It alalways proceeds from the umbilicus, on which account it has beentraced with great probability to the consequences of an impropermanagement of this organ, more especially to a purulent inflammation of this organ which can easily be accounted for by badmanagement. — As a rule the erysipelas spreads from the umbilicusover the abdomen, the sexual organs, thighs, less frequently overthe thorax and back. The redness is not very vivid, the swelling,on the contrary, is very considerable. The children are exceedingrestless, feverish, and incline greatly to spasmodic aftections asopor. The dermatitis is very apt to become associated with peritonitis. Death is the most common termination.Treatment* In speaking of the efficacy of a medicine forerysipelas, it is in the first place important to inquire whethercouree of the erysipelatous inflammation is shortened by the medicine. It is well known that erysipelas of the face, if the wholeface is covered with it, never disappears, spontaneously under nidays, and that the course is limited to five or six days if onlyside of the face is invaded; this last-mentioned circumstance hasoften led to the supposition that a case had been cured by mediciwhereas the cure was altogether spontaneous. In a first attack ofprimary erysipelas it is very seldom the case for only one side othe face to be aftected. At all events, we should be very guardedin claiming curative virtues for some of our remedies for erysipeand should only believe after repeated and successful trials in ttreatment of analogous cases that they were cured by means ofdrugs.Simple, smooth erysipelas of the face, as long as fever is presenis best combated by Belladonna, and, under this treatment, generally runs its course in six days. Nevertheless, although Belladon460 Disease of the Skin.responds completely to the symptoms of violent cerebral hypersemia, yet it is not suitable for the meningitis which may supervduring the course of erysipelas. Here Rhus tox. is preferable. Thremedy is generally more particularly adapted to the higher gradeof the disease, more especially If copious vesicles spring up upothe inflamed skin, if the fever, although intense, yet assumes anadynamic type, if the tongue becomes dry and the nervous excitement is superseded by a soporous stupefaction. Even the color ofthe aflfected part affords a decisive hint for the selection of othe other drug; Belladonna is indicated by a bright-red, and Bhistox, by a bluish or yellowish-red tint. — If we may credit recentreports concerning Apis mellifieay this remedy is preferable to eBelladonna or Rhus tox. Apis is said to be a specific remedy notonly for smooth, but likewise for vesicular erysipelas, and to besuitable even if the brain is affected. "We have not yet had an.opportunity of verifying the pretended virtues of this drug in ouown practice. A special indication for Apis is an inflammation ofthe mouth and fauces accompanying erysipelas. Although theseremedies are sufficient in all ordinary cases, yet other remediesbe required to meet exceptional deviations from the normal type.For the excessive cerebral phenomena, while the exanthera is stilout and hence no meningitis had yet set in, Arftymnium carbonicumhttp://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt