Something
concerning whooping cough.
By C. M. F. von Bœnninghausen
Presented by Dr. Sayeed Ahmad D. I. Hom. (London)In the epidemy of whooping cough which has been
raging this year and which is not yet at an end, and which has again
demanded numerous victims, the superiority of homœopathy, as compared
with allopathy, has again been brilliantly proved. The sincere and
honest adherents of the latter—and there are many such—acknowledge
themselves, openly, that this dangerous children’s disease cannot be
healed, nor even shortened by them, and I have learned of several
instances where an allopathic domestic physician directed the sorrowing
parents to me. It is, therefore, inexplicable how there may yet be
physicians who, with this self-confessed impotence of the old school,
nevertheless still continue to prescribe their mixtures in whooping
cough, though they never help, but very frequently are of mediate or
immediate injury. For though the fatal nature of this disease is not
especially increased thereby, still a good deal of time is thereby
uselessly wasted, and what is worse for us, the natural indications on
which the selection of our remedies must be founded are, thereby,
frequently so mixed up, perverted and obscured, that an unnatural
monster of a disease arises, which does not correspond to any one
homœopathic remedy, and, therefore, requires several consecutively.This last may, in part, be the chief reason why, as I
have heard, homœopaths are not so successful in their treatment of
whooping cough as the present state of our science might justly lead us
to expect. We can not, indeed, deny that this difficulty suggested
presents quite a considerable obstruction, and that a disease which has
thus been muddled up is much more difficult to cure than a natural one.
But with a careful selection of the remedies the cure of such a disease,
though somewhat delayed, should, nevertheless, proceed safely and in a
period not too extended, and we must, therefore, especially take care
not to be misled by indications of no moment, but should always
strenuously keep in view the characteristics of every individual case.To facilitate the selection I have established the
following therapeutical diagnoses in agreement with the experience
gained in the present epidemy as well as in some preceding ones. These
contain in every case what is most essential for this disease, can
easily be looked over and, therefore, simplify as well as make sure the
selection of the remedy.As a result from the latest experience, I would only
add that the end is gained most rapidly if the suitable remedy is given
in a high potency and in a minimal dose, dissolved in water, a
teaspoonful being given morning and evening.
THERAPEUTIC DIAGNOSIS FOR WHOOPING COUGH
Carbo veg.
Whooping
cough in less frequent attacks (3 to 5 a day), most violent in the
evening and before midnight, with flowing catarrh, sneezing,
lachrymation of the eyes, and hoarseness, dyspnœa while walking in the
open air, and sore throat while swallowing. (Often indicated after
Veratrum).
Cina.
Attacks of
whooping cough, preceded by rigid raising up in bed, as if unconscious,
and with paleness of the face. After the attacks, noise in the chest, as
if swallowing a liquid, moaning, gasping for breath, sneezing and
vomiting. (Often after Drosera).
Cuprum.
Whooping
cough in long uninterrupted attacks (without stooping), the breath
stops, succeeded by hoarseness, with vomiting of only solid food
(aggravated by taking solid food), relieved by drinking water, with
chilliness all day. (Often after Veratrum).
Drosera.
Whooping
cough, most violent after midnight, with ringing, quickly succeeding
shocks, not allowing one to take breath, face bluish-blackish; a
sensation of constriction in the chest and hypochondria, compelling one
to press on them with the hand; bleeding from nose or mouth, worse from
drinking and from the smoke of tobacco, at the end vomiting, first of
food, then of mucus. (Often after Sulphur).
Ferrum.
Spasmodic
whooping cough, dry in the evening, in the morning with much purulent
expectoration, streaked with blood, with sour vomiting of the ingesta,
stopped immediately by eating a little.
Hepar sulph.
Whooping cough in dry, hoarse attacks increasing from evening to
midnight, with anxious, whistling respiration, as if about to suffocate,
compelling one to raise up quickly and bend back the head; swelling
under the larynx and strong beating of the carotids; aggravated by
getting cold and by drinking. (First noticed this summer).
Pulsatilla.
Whooping
cough (at first) in the evening and night dry, in the morning with much
expectoration, mostly bitter; aggravated in the warmth and in a warm
room, with dyspnœa in the lower part of the chest, relieved by raising
up, or by getting up out of bed.
Sulphur.
Whooping
cough (of scrofulous children) with short, successive shocks, at night without,
during the day with
expectoration, paleness of the face, asthma and retching aggravated
during moist, cold weather, and during cold weather.
Veratrum.
Whooping
cough with tightness of the chest, and vomiting of tough watery mucus,
with cold perspiration on the forehead, and with involuntary urination,
aggravated when coming from the cold into a warm room and from drinking.
NOTE :
Any information given above is not intended to be
taken as a replacement for medical advice. Therefore, it is very
important that the patients should avoid self-treatment and rather
consult the most abled and qualified classical homœopath and take the
treatment under his proper guidance and advice.Copyright © Dr. Sayeed Ahmad
2004