The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 405 of 653of an indurated, somewhat painful and red papule, and graduallythe exudation is reabsorbed. If the inflammation is severe, if thirritation is increased by the pressure and friction of the cloththe subcutaneous cellular tissue becomes involved, giving rise tofuruncle of a larger or smaller size. These different changes orprocesses come under the designation of acne simplex. This formof acne appears principally in the face and on the neck, on theback, buttocks, thighs, less frequently on the chest, sometimes othe skin of the penis and scrotum. No other consequences areinvolved in this affection, except that the places of the acneremain red for some time. Considering that a number of folliclessometimes become diseased while others are at the same time infull bloom, the face must become considerably disfigured.Acne scarcely ever makes its appearance except between the ageAcne. 479of piibe|pence and tbe twenty-fifth or thirtieth year. After thisperiod, a few single follicles may become inflamed, but not a whonumber together. Males are more subject to acne than females.All the circumstances connected with this eruption show that acnehas its essential origin in the sexual sphere. In corroboration othis statement we will allude to the circumstance that on manyladies a few acne-pustules break out during the menses, and thatalmost every individual who is addicted to onanism, is afflictedan excessive breaking out of acne. We do not mean to say thatacne only breaks out in the faces of onanists. Among the youngpeople of the city acne seems to be general, whereas among countryouths it is comparatively a rare disease. If a predisposition exacne may be developed under the operation of a variety of causes,such as overheating, washing a heated skin with cold water, partaking of boiled and roasted or fried fat, more particularly theof geese ; indigestion, the excessive use of wine or spirits. Amous, for instance, acne prevails in the winter-season, because sopork or gooseflesh is eaten in winter; jews are likewise troubledwith acne, for the reason that they replace the fat of swine bygdose-fat, and for the additional reason that they are generallyof very fat eating.It follows from these remarks that the first thing to be donewhen treating a case of acne is to prescribe a careful and appropriate diet. This task, however, is very difficult of accomplishmfor the reason that acne-patients generally enjoy the sensation operfect health, and that a rigid diet, if only persisted in for atime, effiscts very little improvement in the disease. The next pis to see to a proper management of the skin generally. Cold bathing and washing is of no use ; on the contrary, the trouble seemsto get worse in consequence. For acne on the trunk, frictions witsoap and the use of the flesh-brush in a vapor-bath are the bestremedy; for acne in the face the following proceeding is betterthan all cosmetics : Every morning, or, if the patient has to leahis home early in the morning, then every evening, the face shoulbe gently rubbed for a few minutes with a soft piece of flannelmoistened with warm water and greased over with soap, afterwhich it is washed with warm water, and subsequently again withwater that is almost cold. The best soap for such a purpose is thso-called Venetian soap made of vegetable fats. By means of thesehttp://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt