The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 424 of 653This affection which is likewise described under the name ofpompholix, is characterized by the formation of large blisters. Iorigin, especially that of the acute form, is involved in obscuriwhereas the chronic form is evidently traceable to a constitutiontaint, which is so much more probable as the chronic form of thisexanthem is so apt to terminate fatally.Pemphygus may represent an acute affection, but, as such, is ofvery rare occurrence; we do not consider it necessary to devote amore space to it.Chronic pemphygus most generally commences without fever;nevertheless in cases where the disease consists of several succecrops of blisters, with intermediate free intervals, it often hapthat each special eruption sets in with some fever and pains in tlimbs. The disease commences with the breaking out of lentilsized red spots, attended with itching and burning; soon a whiteappearance is perceived in the middle of the spot, which increaserapidly in size, and forms the blister; this sometimes remains qusmall, and at other times grows to one inch and a half in diameteThe blisters are filled with a clear fluid, very tense, break vereasily, after which no incrustation forms, but the detachM and drepidermis separates, leaving for some time a moist excoriation, s502 Diseases of the Skin.that a blister runs its whole course in about a fortnight. Inasmuas the blisters seldom cease to form after their first, appearancthe contrary new blisters form almost every day, the disease maybecome very much protracted and all the stages of the pemphygusdisease may be seen and observed on the same patient. Pemphygusis most frequently seated on the leg, blisters may, however, breaout over the whole body. The course of the eruption varies greatlEither the blisters come out in crops separated by intervals ofweeks or even months; — this is a comparatively favorable sign;or else the aftection commences with a few'or with only one blistnew blisters continuing to form, which involves a loss of serousplasma that may, after a lapse of time, lead to gradual emaciatiohectic fever and death. At all events pemphygus is one of themost obstinate and at the same time one of the most dangerouscutaneous affections. This statement, however, only applies to thabove-described form, not to the pemphygus which, like theecthyma-pustule, sometimes breaks out as a secondary symptom ofother cutaneous affections and a variety of other acute diseases,and which has no particular significance.TrecUment. Considering the importance of this exanthem, weare not particularly blessed with reliable remedies for it. We macompare : CantharideSj Causticum^ Kreosotum^ LachesiSy ThdcaiyiarJRhus toxicodendroriy Banuncvlus bidbosus and sceleratus^ Secalenutum. These remedies are theoretically indicated by our provingsbut, so far as we know, not one of them has yet cured a single caof this disease. We doubt very much whether Dulcamara iscapable of doing any thing for such a deep-seated constitutionaldisorder. Lachesis of all other remedies has the best and mostmarked symptoms. Mercwias seems to be in curative rapport withpemphygus. Some years ago we saw in Vienna a woman who forseveral years had been a nurse in one of the sections for syphilihttp://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt