The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 532 of 653integuments of the joints where acute articular rheumatism is generally seated, than in the synovial lining, the ligaments and artcartilages. Little by little these grow thicker and rough, whichthe reason that, after a time, crepitation is heard in the articuThe disease seldom involves a number of joints ; generally it islimited to one or a few only. Neither the swelling nor the pain ivery considerable ; to some extent the power of motion remains,yet the patients may be entirely deprived of the use of the affeclimb, whereas the rest of the body is perfectly sound. The rheumatism has remissions followed by exacerbations each of which leavethe condition of the joints somewhat worse, and may even lead toanchylosis. These exacerbations often look like an attack of acutrheumatism with fever and slight inflammation of the affectedpart ; sometimes, however, they are without fever, and distinguisonly by pain and loss of mobility. Chronic rheumatism sometimesremains after repeated attacks of acute rheumatism of which itseems to constitute an ultimate stage. The joint is not greatlydistorted by the disease. A complete cure is very much impededby the extreme obstinacy of the trouble, and likewise by the imposibility of preventing the joint from being acted upon by influenthat never cease, by their presence, to perpetuate the disease.634 Constitutional Diseases without Definite Infection.d. Arthritis Deformans, Arthritic Rheumatism.This form of articular rheumatism always runs an exceedinglychronic course ; it does not develop itself out of the acute formoccurs very rarely previous to the thirty-fifth year of age, andmost frequent after the fortieth year. It breaks out among allclasses, especially, however, the lower ; on this account it is vdifficult to determine the degree of influence exerted by bad fooor damp dwellings over this disease. Arthritic rheumatism afiectsmore particularly the female sex ; the critical age undoubtedly fan outbreak of this disease, for we meet with it most frequentlyabout this time.The disease may attack any joint in the body, but it is mostlylimited to the joints of the hands and feet, affecting both sidesthe body at the same time. It generally commences in the hand,whose joints become more or less painful, especially when they armoved or pressed upon laterally. Sometimes the pain is principallfelt in bed ; crepitation is very soon heard in the joint. The joswells very slowly ; at times long intervals occur in the furthercontinuance of the swelling, after which the arthritic processresumes its course amid renewed paroxysms of pain. Towards theend the shape of the joints is very much altered, especially theof the phalangeal articulations. The articular extremities lookbulbous, they are especially enlarged in breadth ; they feel hardtheir integumentous covering has a natural color; the articularsurfaces are no longer in complete coaptation, giving the oppositbones the appearance of being dislocated, and imparting to thehands and feet a deformed shape. The power of motion is notentirely suspended, but motion is very painful ; in the very highgrades of the disease the joints are entirely immovable. Life isnot endangered by this condition, but its curability is very doubThe swelling never disappears entirely ; all that can be properlyaimed at by treatment, is to arrest the further progress of thehttp://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt