Notes on frequently
indicated remedies
with comparative similar symptoms.
By Henry Clay Allen
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
Dr Henry
Clay Allen
(1836-1909)
1. ABIES NIGRA.
Stomach :
The
guiding symptoms so far as our provings or clinical experiment go,
appear to cluster about this gastric characteristic :Sensation of an
undigested hard boiled egg at pit of stomach. This is not a weight or a
heaviness but a sensation causing a constant uneasiness and discomfort.
The patient is often dull and drowsy during the day, with loss of
appetite ; wakeful, restless and hungry at night. There may be
constipation, nervousness, dysuria ; vertigo, flushed face and
distressing headache, but they all appear to hinge upon this one symptom
and are removed with it.
Bryonia,
has pressure in stomach, as from a stone, after eating, makes him
fretful and irritable. But under Bryonia the stomach is sensitive to
touch, cannot endure the pressure of the clothes and is aggravated from
motion, especially a sudden or false step.
Calcarea,
has pressing pain as if a load or stone were in it, after a moderate
supper, and like Bryonia is worse from motion and better lying quietly
on the back. Also, like Bryonia, pressure is painful, but the saucer
like distention is wanting under the latter.
Nux vomica,
has
pressure, as from a stone, worse mornings and after meals. The region of
stomach is sensitive to pressures but not to false step or jar, like
Bryonia. The high living, abuse of drugs, sedentary habits and
debauchery of Nux, serve to fur, their distinguish between them.
Pulsatilla,
has weight as from a stone, early morning on waking, and an hour after a
meal, but is better by eating again. Pains are worse from walking,
miss-step and when stomach is empty ; from fats, pastry, fruit, ice
cream, etc.
2. ACETIC ACID.
In the treatment of
many severe cases, both acute and chronic, this remedy is frequently
indicated and as frequently overlooked, Any yet soma of its leading
symptoms are so clear-cut and so characteristic as not easily to be
forgotten. It is especially adapted to persons of lax muscular
fibre ; pale, anæmic, chlorotic, with more or less rapid wasting
of the body.Hæmorrhages :
active or passive ; from nose, bronchi, lungs, stomach, bowels,
genitalia.Diarrhœa :
profuse, exhausting ; in ascites, diabetes, typhoid, typhus,
tuberculosis.In these, or any
affections, the characteristic indications for Acetic acid will be found
in the following :Intense, burning,
insatiable thirst, even after drinking large quantities of water.Passing large
quantities of clear, watery urine, both day and night.Profuse night sweats
with great debility and marked emaciation.These form the three
points of support for the exhibition of this remedy ; and it
matters little what the name of the disease is, a host of minor ailments
revolving about them as satellites about a planet, will often be
promptly dissipated by a few doses of this medicine. It acts promptly
and effectively in the 30th potency. It may act as well in any other
potency, but I have never used it lower or higher.
Arsenicum,
is the remedy which is usually thought of and generally given in many of
the before mentioned affections, instead of Acetic
acid ; and we are often astonished at our failure. A
careful comparison in the first place would have promptly excluded it.
While Arsenicum has emaciation,
great prostration, marked debility and intense, burning thirst, and
while in these particulars there is striking correspondence, there is
also as striking a difference. The thirst of Arsenic is almost
invariably “little and often” and when a large quantity is
taken it is almost certain to be rejected or to produce nausea and
vomiting, which never occurs under Acetic acid.
The mental restlessness of the debilitated Arsenic patient is also wanting in Acetic acid.
The peculiarities of
the Arsenic diarrhœa also, are
entirely different ; like the thirst of Arsenic the uterine
discharge is scanty ; it is painful and followed by great
prostration ; while under Acetic acid
it is profuse, watery, painless.
Ferrum
,
has the ashy pale face of the anæmic or chlorotic patient, and this
paleness extends to the lips, tongue and mucous membrane of entire
buccal cavity, which is rarely found under Acetic acid. But the earthy
pale face is also subject to congestions, becomes easily flushed and
bright red, from mental emotion, pain or other symptoms, which is never
found under Acetic acid.
Ferrum
has
watery, painless, even involuntary diarrhœa ; or diarrhœa of
undigested food ; but is aggravated at or after a meal and by
drinking cold water, while that of Acetic acid
is not affected by eating or drinking. It has profuse, debilitating,
long-lasting sweat ; clammy, stains yellow, strong smelling, fetid
on going to sleep ; but it is aggravated by motion, may occur by
day as well as night and patient is always worse when sweating.In the marasmus which
occurs during the first summer of teething children, we have found Acetic acid exceedingly useful.There is loss of
appetite, the child drinks much and often, pain in stomach and abdomen,
diarrhœa with stool of undigested food restless or sleepless nights and
great emaciation, with sometimes swollen œdematous legs. To this
picture add the characteristics of the remedy and an apparently
desperate case will be promptly restored. Hare a comparison with Arsenicum or Iodine
maybe necessary.In myelitis, or
cerebro-spinal meningitis, when the pain in the back is only relieved by
lying on the abdomen, this remedy should always be thought of.
Acetic acid
causes and cures menorrhagia. In some parts of the west the servant
girls are in the habit of taking a tablespoonful of strong vinegar to
check the menstrual flow, if the unwelcome “visitors”, should
occur when “a party” or other festivity is to be attended. It
will promptly check the flow for a few hours or days, as the case may
be, when a menorrhagia wilt take place of the normal flow, or nature may
find relief in a hæmorrhage of the lungs, stomach or bowels.The gastric symptoms
are often valuable ; violent burning pain in stomach ; cannot
bear the slightest pressure ; sensation as if an ulcer were in the
stomach, or as if its contents were in a constant ferment. This may be
accompanied by sour eructations soar vomiting, profuse salivation and
water brash day and night and call for its use in morning sickness,
gastric ulcer, etc., and provided the three characteristics are present,
prompt and permanent relief may follow.
Source :
Medical Advance, 1886.
Copyright © Sylvain
Cazalet 2001
