PYROGEN
MARGARET BURGESS
WEBSTER, M.D.
Presented by Dr Robert SérorThe Homoeopathic Recorder, 1939,
February, page 12 to 15
Read by title before I. H. A., Bureau of
Materia Medica, June 17, 1938.The compilation which I am making of
Pyrogen
is too
long for reading at this meeting.Before turning it over for publication I am anxious to have the
clinical data as complete as possible and I am asking every member here
to give any personal experience with this remarkable remedy.CASE I.
Woman age 75.
Faecal impaction following a broken hip ; abdomen enormously
distended ;tongue
red as if varnished ; breath very offensive
; enemata
unavailing ;
Pyrogen
50m.
CASE II.
Relapse from influenza with severe chill ; temperature 105 ;
sensation
as i f legs were in a vise and were being screwed tighter and tighter,
had to grit teeth
in order to endure pain ; great restlessness ; sensation
as if legs were all over the bed,
legs lying
crosswise and lengthwise.
Pyrogen
500
with prompt relief and speedy cure.CASE III.
Infected foot ; acute throbbing pain ; foot red and swollen ;
restless,
tossing about in
bed or walking the
floor for hours at night ; mouth dry as parchment
; great thirst.CASE IV.
Under “old school” treatment for three weeks ;
semi-comatose, roused with difficulty, then very slow in answering
questions and then only in monosyllables, dropping again into stupor ;
pulse 106 to 120 ; persistently lying on right side with knees hanging
over edge of bed and hands under head ; when coughing profuse yellow,
blood streaked sputum dropped from mouth into vessel ; tongue thickly
coated yellow ; mouth sore ; breath offensive ; abdomen distended and
sensitive ; consolidation at base of lungs ; incessant cough ; constant
moaning ;PROFUSE
DRENCHING PERSPIRATION OVER ENTIRE BODY ; RESTLESS.
Pyrogen
50M.,
one dose ; in ten days the patient was up and walking about.CASE V.
Septic metritis.
Dreadful unbearable headache with sensation as if a string extended
down back to lumbosacral region drawing the two together ; mentally half
dazed, with sinking spells as if “drifting away”.Violent chill lasting half an hour, with sensation
as
if a dog had hold of her nipples biting, gnawing and pulling
as hard as he
could, or as if a string were wrapped around nipples and pulled, the
pain was so intense she screamed in agony.
Drenching sweat
, the
bed and clothing were as wet as if a bucket of water had been thrown
over her ; temperature 102 ; tongue thick yellow coating ; constantly
spitting thick white cotton-like mucus ; thirst
intense, burning, for
small quantities of water and for ice.Sore as if pounded all over ; eyeballs sore on moving them ; abdomen
very sore to touch.DREADFUL ANXIOUS RESTLESSNESS.
Uterus enlarged and sensitive ; vaginal examination produced severe
pain in the head.
Pyrogen
50
M. was given with prompt relief of all symptoms ; temperature dropped to
normal, but on the second day at 11 a. m. she had another chill lasting
fifteen minutes with return of pain in nipples, headache, anxiety,
thirst and sweat.
“My mouth burns and the tips of my fingers burn like fire ; give
me water, give me ice,” she wailed.Eyes glassy, abdomen sensitive, general soreness.
Another dose of
Pyrogen
50 M. was given,
all symptoms promptly subsiding, but no uterine contractions were set
up.Six hours later the uterus was emptied of a two and a half months
macerated foetus and the patient made an uninterrupted recovery without
return of symptoms.This case was particularly interesting because all the symptoms
disappeared even while the cause of the sepsis was still present.CASE VI.
Woman age 73, never strong, had been making a good recovery from a
bronchopneumonia under Sulphur and later Calc. carb., when
she suddenly became worse ; respiration shallow, labored and rattling ;
seemed too weak to cough although there was some yellow blood streaked
expectoration ; restless, anxious, wanted air ;intense
thirst, although
water caused burning in stomach ; temperature 98, pulse very irregular,
almost impossible to count, but about 140 ; the patient seemed
nearing the end.
Pyrogen
30 was
given two hours apart for six doses.Reaction was prompt and unmistakable, the pulse and strength improved
; the cough became easy with large quantities of offensive purulent
sputum.
Pyrogen
50m. was
given later and the patient was discharged in excellent condition.CASE VII.
Heat exhaustion during the course of a chronic interstitial nephritis
; temperature normal ; pulse 110 ; restless ; anxious ; intense
thirst, but could retain nothing on stomach.Not only did her acute symptoms disappear under
Pyrogen
but her general
condition greatly improved.
Pour mémoire, j’ai ajouté la matière médicale de
Pyrogenium, extraite du Dictionnaire de MMH du Dr. John Henry Clarke,
que vous retouverez dans son intégralité, par ailleurs, sur
“Homéopathe International”.Dr Robert Séror.
Pyrogen. Pyrexin. Sepsin. A product of the decomposition of chopped
lean beef in water, allowed to stand in the sun for two or three weeks.
Dilutions; (which should be made, according to Burnett, direct and
without glycerine).Clinical.─
Abscess.
Anus, sweating near. Bed-sores. Bright’s disease. Constipation. Diarrhœa.
Dysentery. Eczema. Enteric fever. Fistula. Headache. Heart, rapid
action of; consciousness of; failure of. Hectic fever. Indian
continued fevers. Influenza.─Intestines, ulceration of;
obstruction of. Labour: puerperal fever. Ovary, abscess of.
Peritonitis. Phthisis pulmonalis. Ptomaine poisoning. Puerperal fever. Pyæmia.
Sepsis. Spine, Pott’s curvature of. Tabes mesenterica.
Tuberculosis. Typhilitis. Ulcers, varicose; obstinate. Varicosis.Characteristics.─
John
Drysdale was the first, in 1880, to suggest the use of this substance as
a medicament (On Pyrexin or Pyrogen as a Therapeutic Agent,
Baillière, Tyndale & Cox). Burdon Sanderson has stated (B. M. J.,
February 13, 1875) that “only liquids which contain bacteria or
have a marked proneness to their production” are capable of setting
up pyrexia.
Docteur John Henry ClarkeThis remark struck Drysdale, and though, of course, he could not
endorse the “only” of the statement─many drugs
known to homœopaths set up fever─he saw that the fact
might be turned to account. Sanderson further defines Pyrogen as
“a chemical non-living substance formed by living bacteria, but
also by living pus-corpuscles, or the living blood- or
tissue-protoplasms from which these corpuscles spring.”In Sanderson’s experiments with Pyro. the following effects
were observed. (1) From a non-fatal dose: The animal shivers and
begins to move about restlessly. The temperature rises from 2° to 3°
C., the maximum being reached in three hours. Thirst and vomiting come
on, followed by feculent and thin mucous, and finally bloody diarrhœa
and tenesmus. In five hours these symptoms begin to subside, and the
animal recovers with wonderful rapidity. When death occurs it is from
heart failure. In non-fatal cases with gastro-enteric symptoms
the temperature gradually rises for four hours, and as gradually
subsides: in fatal cases it rises rapidly to 104° F., then
rapidly declines to below normal. (2) From a fatal dose: There is
intestinal hæmorrhage, purging, collapse, and death.After death extravasations of blood are found in heart, pleura, and
pericardium; the spleen is enlarged and full of blood. Mucous membrane
of stomach and small intestines is intensely injected with detachment of
epithelium and exudation of bloody fluid, which distends the gut. The
blood is dark, the corpuscles being in clumps instead of rolls, and many
being dissolved in the liquor sanguinis.White corpuscles partially disintegrated. Drysdale prepared a
tincture of Pyro.─which he preferred to call Pyrexin,
since it is not a mere fever-producer: others have called it Sepsin;
but this is too close to Septicæmin, a name given to a related
and perhaps identical nosode: I have chosen to retain the name Pyrogen,
by which the remedy is best known in homœopathy─and put
his own suggestion into practice. His success was very encouraging, but
as he continued to use the Ø tincture and lowest attenuations the
difficulty of keeping the preparation was not small; and the remedy did
not come into extensive use till Burnett published his pamphlet on Pyrogenium
in Fevers and Blood-poisoning in 1888.Burnett used chiefly the 6th centesimal dilution, which is perfectly
harmless, and which will keep indefinitely. Heath, who made one of the
preparations used by Burnett, gave some of it to Swan, of New York, who
ran it up into the high infinitesimals. Much of the American experience
is with Swan’s attenuations, including a proving by Sherbino (Med.
Adv., xxv. 369), whose symptoms I have marked (S) in the Schema.
Docteur BurnettThe remainder of the symptoms of the Schema are for the most part
clinical. Yingling (H. P., xiii. 402) collected symptoms from
many reported cases, and arranged them with the symptoms of the proving.
(Yingling erroneously describes Pyro. as prepared from “pus
from septic abscess.” This is Septicæmin. He refers,
however, to Burnett’s pamphlet and to cases cured with Pyro.,
leaving the actual substance referred to not in doubt.H. C. Allen, who published the proving and most of the cases in Med.
Adv., rightly describes Pyro. as a “Product of
Sepsis”). Drysdale’s original cases include a number in which
threatened typhoid was averted, a case of tabes mesenterica cured, and
one of ulceration of the colon greatly benefited. Burnett’s were cases
of fully developed typhoid all cut short at the height by Pyro. 6
given every two hours. In his pamphlet is included a successful
experience of Dr. Shouldham’s with Pyro. 6 in two cases of
diphtheritic sore threat. I have had ample opportunity of observing the
power of Pyro. over typhoid fever, and typhoid and hectic states,
including one of discharging abscess connected with Pott’s disease of
the spine.T. M. Dillingham reports (Med. Adv., xxvii. 367) the case of a
young German Jewess who had been under treatment at various hospitals
for Bright’s disease, and at the Hahnemann Hospital of New York
among Others.To this she was readmitted on March 14, 1890, when she first came
under Dr. Dillingham’s care. The urine showed an enormous amount of
albumen and a variety of casts. Feet and legs greatly swollen, face
puffy. Throbbing headache, often accompanied by profuse nose-bleed,
nausea, and vomiting; < motion and light; abnormally bright eyes, widely dilated pupils. Bell. gave temporary relief; but on May
31st the condition was desperate. Dillingham then learned that the
trouble dated from a large abscess resulting from a lanced, badly
cared-for felon of the left thumb. She was ill six weeks with this
abscess, having, as her doctors said, “blood poisoning.” Soon
after this her face and feet began to swell.On May 31st the condition was this: Feet, legs, and genitals greatly
swollen. Frightful throbbing headache, > by tight band constantly
worn. > By heat; very fond of the hot bath. Headaches had
terrible aggravations lasting two to four days, during which time she
could neither lie in bed nor sit up, but was in constant motion,
groaning and crying piteously for help. Pyro. cmm, Swan, one dose
was given, and no other medicine, although the patient on one occasion
begged for something to stop the pain. In the course of June she began
to mend, and on October 20th was discharged cured. In Sherbino’s proving
he was cured incidentally of a consciousness of the heart and its
working, and palpitation from least excitement or anxiety, < beginning to move; congestion to head as if apoplexy would ensue. Cactus
had done no good. Sherbino cured: (1) a case of puerperal fever
with Pyro., being led to its selection by the very high pulse
rate. (2) Relapse of typhoid, pulse 140, temperature 102° F.;
both were normal in twenty-four hours. (3) Young lady, 17, fever,
aching bones, bed felt very hard. Numb, paralytic feeling. As the
fever left the pulse kept mounting up. Pyro. cmm, Swan,
repeated as often as effect ceased, cured.─Pyro. is one of
the germinal remedies of the materia medica. When once the idea
of its essential action is grasped an infinity of applications become
apparent.As Drysdale put it, “The most summary indication for Pyro.
would be to term it the Aconite of the typhous or typhoid quality
of pyrexia,” and wherever poisoning by bacterial products (e.g.,
in the hectic of phthisis) is going on Pyro. will be likely to do
good. Sepsis is the essence of the action of Pyro.H. C. Allen gives this indication for its use in septic states:
“When the best selected remedies fail to relieve or permanently
improve “─analogous to the action of Pso. and Sul.
in other conditions. Also: “Latent pyogenic process, patient
continually relapsing after apparent simillimum.” As Pyro.
is a product of carrion, the carrion-like odour of bodily emaciations,
secretions, and excretions is a keynote for its use.Other leading indications are: Restlessness; must move constantly to
> the soreness of parts. “Constipation, from impactum of fæces
in fevers; stool large, black, carrion-like.” “Chill begins in
back, between scapulæ.” “Severe general chill of bones and
extremities.” In all cases of fever commencing with pains in the
limbs,” Swan. Pulse abnormally rapid, out of all proportion to
temperature.” Pyro. 5, five drops in water night and
morning, assisted in the cure of a case of anal fistula in a case of
Burnett’s (On Fistula, p. 66).Under its action a sweating at the seat which the man had had for
many years disappeared; and the skin of his hands, which were subject to
dry eczema, assumed a much cleaner aspect. J. S. Hunt (H. W.,
xxxi. 54) reports five cases of varicose ulcers, all of which healed
quickly under Pyro. Bellairs (H. W., xxxiv. 298) gave Pyro.
200 to an elderly woman who suffered for years with an ulcerated leg,
which was riddled with deep, burrowing wounds, extremely painful and
discharging freely. Hep., Sil., Ars., Ham., did no good. Under Pyro.
once or twice a day “a large boil” formed on the calf of the
leg and discharged its contents, after which the various ulcers healed
up directly.The symptoms are > by heat (drinking hot water; hot bath). >
Tightly binding head. > Stretching out limbs; walking about; turning
over or changing position. Heart’s action and cough < by motion. Eyeball < moving eye. Cough < motion and in a warm room. < Sitting up in bed; rising. (Cough > sitting up; < lying down.)Relations.─
Compare:
Septicæmin (B. Sanderson says bacteria and pus cells produce the same
chemical result; Pyro. and Sept. may therefore he identical, but I think
it best to keep them distinct); Malar. (the vegetable Pyrogen);
Lach. In typhoid with soreness, bed feels hard, Bap., Arn., Rhus. >
Motion and stretching limbs, Rhus. Cough < by motion and in warm room, Bry. Uterine hæmorrhage, Ipec. ("if Ipec. fails when indicated give Pyro.," Yingling). Offensive diarrhœa Pso. Black stools, Lept. Constipation, Op., Sanic., Pb. Lochia thin, fetid, Nit. ac. Vomits water as soon as warm in stomach, Pho. Throbbing headache, Bell. Varicose, offensive ulcers of old persons, Pso. Skin ashy, Sec. Suppuration, Hep.Causation.─
Blood
poisoning. Ptomaine poisoning. Sewer-gas poisoning. Typhoid fever
(remote effects of). Dissecting wounds.SYMPTOMS.
1. Mind.─
Loquacious;
can think and talk faster than ever before (S). Irritable (S).─Delirious
on closing eyes; sees a man at foot of bed.─Whispers; in
sleep.─Sensation as if she covered the whole bed; knew her
head was on pillow, but did not know where the rest of her body was.─Feels
when lying on one side that she is one person, and another person when
turning on the other side.─Sensation as though crowded with
arms and legs.─Hallucination that he is very wealthy;
remaining after the fever.2. Head.─
Staggers
as if drunk on rising in morning (S.).─Dizziness on rising
up in bed.─Pains in both mastoids, < r.; dull throbbing in mastoid region (S).─Great throbbing of arteries of
temples and head; every pulsation felt in brain and in ears; the
throbbings meet on top of brain (S).─Painless throbbing all
through front of head; sounds like escaping steam (S).─Frightful
throbbing headache > from tight band.─Excruciating,
bursting, throbbing headache with intense restlessness (often
accompanied with profuse nosebleed, nausea, and vomiting).─Sensation
as if a cap were on.─Rolling of head from side to side.─Forehead
bathed in cold sweat.3. Eyes.─
L.
eyeball sore, < looking up and turning eye outward (S).─Projecting
eyes.4. Ears.─
Loud
ringing, like a bell, l. ear (also r.) (S).─Ears cold.─Ears
red, as if blood would burst out of them.5. Nose.─
Nose-bleed;
awakened by dreaming it and found it was so.─Sneezing:
every time he puts hand from under covers; at night.─Nostrils
closing alternately (S).─Cold nose.─Fan-like
motion of alæ nasi.6. Face.─
Face:
burning; yellow; very red; pale, sunken, and bathed in cold sweat; pale,
greenish, or chlorotic.─Circumscribed redness of cheeks.8. Mouth.─
Tongue:
coated white in front, brown at back; yellowish brown, bad taste in
morning (S).─Tongue: coated yellowish grey, edges and tip
very red; large, flabby; yellow brown streak down centre.─Tongue
clean, smooth, and dry; first fiery red, then dark red and intensely
dry; smooth and dry; glossy, shiny; dry, cracked, articulation
difficult.─Taste: terribly fetid, as if mouth and throat
full of pus (produced by dose of Pyro. em, Swan); sweetish.─Breath
horrible; like carrion.9. Throat.─
Diphtheria
with extreme fetor.10. Appetite.─
No
appetite (S); or thirst.─Great thirst for small quantities,
but the least liquid was instantly rejected.─ > Drinking
very hot water.─Thirst and vomiting (dog).11. Stomach.─
Belching
of sour water after breakfast (S).─Nausea and vomiting.─Vomiting:
persistent; brownish, coffee-ground; offensive, stercoraceous; with
impacted or obstructed bowels.─Vomiting and purging.─Vomits
water when it becomes warm in stomach.─ > By vomiting.─Urging
to vomit; with cold feet.─Stomach feels too full (S).12. Abdomen.─
Full
feeling and bloating of abdomen (S).─When lying on l. side
bubbling or gurgling sensation in hypochondria, extending back to l. of
spine (S).─Pain in umbilical region with passage of sticky,
yellow stool.─While riding in a buggy aching in l. of
umbilicus; < drinking water; > passing flatus down ward.─Soreness
of abdomen so severe she can hardly breathe, or bear any pressure over
r. side.─Very severe cutting pains r. side going through
back, < by every motion, talking, coughing, breathing deep; >
lying on r. (affected) side; groaning with every breath.13. Stool and Anus.─
Feculent
and thin mucous, and finally bloody diarrhœa and tenesmus (dog).─Two
soft, sticky stools, 8 to 9 a.m.─Involuntary escape of
stool when passing flatus (S).─Profuse watery, painless
stools, with vomiting.─Stool horribly offensive,
carrion-like.─Stool very much constipated, large,
difficult, requires much effort; first part balls, last part natural,
with streaks of blood; anus sore after (S).─Constipation:
hard, dry accumulated fæces; stool large, black, carrion-like; small
black balls like olives.─Congestion and capillary stasis of
gastro-intestinal mucous membrane, shedding of epithelium, bloody fluid
distending intestines (dog).─(Sweat about anus removed;
fistula relieved.)14. Urinary Organs.─
Urine
scanty; only passed twice in twenty-four hours (S).─Urine:
yellow; after standing, cloudy with substance looking like orange peel;
red deposit on vessel hard to remove; deposits sediment like red pepper
(S).─Got up three times in night to urinate (S).─(Bright’s
disease of kidneys.).─Urine albuminous, containing casts;
horribly offensive, carrion-like.─Frequent calls to urinate
as fever comes on.─Intolerable tenesmus of bladder;
spasmodic contractions, involving rectum, ovaries, and broad ligaments;
[cured in a case of Yingling’s with Pyro. cm Swan (and higher);
patient’s next period came on naturally and painlessly, whereas before
menses had been painful and extremely offensive.]15. Male Sexual Organs.─
Testes
hang down relaxed; scrotum looks and feels thin.16. Female Sexual Organs.─
Puerperal
peritonitis with extreme fetor; a rotten odour.─Parts
seriously swollen (Bright’s disease).─Menses horribly
offensive; carrion-like.─Menses last but one day, then a
bloody leucorrhœa, horribly offensive.─Hæmorrhage of
bright red blood with dark clots.─Septicæmia following
abortion; fœtus or secondines retained, decomposed.─(Has
cured prolapsus uteri, with bearing down, > by holding the head and
straining, as in the act of labour.).─Abscess of l. ovary,
acute throbbing pain, great distress, with fever and rigors (Pyro.
cm, Swan, produced an enormous flow of white creamy pus with general
>).─Lochia: thin, acrid, brown, or fœtid; suppressed,
followed by chills, fever, and profuse fetid perspiration.17. Respiratory Organs.─
Wheezing
when expiring (S).─Cough; with large masses of phlegm from
larynx; < by motion; < in warm room; cough = burning in larynx and bronchi; = pain in occiput; = stitching in small of back, only noticed in the chair; coughs up yellow sputa through night (S).─Cough
> sitting up, < lying down.─Expectoration: rusty
mucus; horribly offensive.18. Chest.─
Pain
in r. lung and shoulder, < talking or coughing.─Neglected
pneumonia: Cough, night-sweats, frequent pulse, abscess had burst
discharging much pus of mattery taste (rapid recovery under Pyro.
cm. three doses).─Chest sore, purple spots on it.─Severe
contracting pain within lower sternum, sometimes extending to rib-joints
and up to throat, as if œsophagus being cramped.─Ecchymoses
on pleura (dog).19. Heart.─
Pain
in region of l. nipple, as if in heart; increased action; pulse 120 (S).─Heart
tired as after a long run; increased action < least motion (S).─Every
pulsation felt (painlessly) in head and ears (S).─Sensation
as if heart enlarged; distinct consciousness of heart (S).─Sensation
as if heart too full of blood.─Feels as if the heart were
pumping cold water (Yingling).─Violent, tiresome heart
action.─Palpitation or increased action without
corresponding increase of temperature.─Palpitation < by motion.─Loud heart-beats; audible to herself and others.─Could
not sleep for whizzing and purring of heart; when she did sleep was
delirious.─Cardiac asthenia from septic conditions.─Ecchymoses
on heart and pericardium (dog).20. Neck and Back.─
Throbbing
of vessels of neck running up in waves from clavicles.─Weak
feeling in back; stitching pain on coughing (S).21. Limbs.─
Aching:
in bones; all over body as from a severe cold; with soreness of flesh,
head feels hard; > motion (S).─Cold extremities.─Numbness
of hands, arms, and feet, extending over whole body.─Automatic
movement of r. arm and r. leg, turned the child round from r. to l. till
feet reached the pillow: repeated as often as she was put right
(cerebro-spinal meningitis).22. Upper Limbs.─
Pain
in shoulder-joint; in front, passing three inches down arm (S).─Hands
and arms numb.─Hands cold and clammy.─Dry
eczema of hands.23. Lower Limbs.─
Aching
above knees, deep in bones, while sitting by a hot fire; > by walking
(S).─On going to bed aching in patella; > flexing leg
(S).─Aching above l. knee as though bone broken (S).─Aching
above knees in bones, > stretching out limbs (S).─Tingling
in r. little toe as if frost-bitten.─Feet and legs swollen
(Bright’s disease).─Numbness of feet.24. Generalities.─
Cannot
lie more than few minutes in one position, > change (S).─Debility
in morning, staggered on trying to walk (S).─Nervous,
restless (S).─Aching all over, bed feels hard.─Great
muscular debility; rapid recovery in few hours (dog).25. Skin.─
Skin
pale, cold, of ashy hue.─Obstinate, varicose, offensive
ulcers of old people.26. Sleep.─
Slept
awhile; woke to roll and tumble in every conceivable position (S).─Unable
to sleep for brain activity and crowding of ideas (S).─Restlessness
> after sleep.─Cries out in sleep that a weight is lying
on her.─Whispers in sleep.─Kept awake by
purring of heart.─Dreams: of various things; of business.27. Fever.─
“In
all cases of fever commencing with pains in the limbs” (Swan).─Shivers
and begins to move about restlessly; temperature rises gradually and as
gradually subsides (dog).─Temperature rises rapidly to 104°
F., and sinks rapidly from heart failure (dog, fatal dose).─Chilly
at times and a little aching; a little feverish (S).─After
dinner, ache all over, chilly all night, bed feels hard (S).─After
getting into bed, chilly, teeth chatter; woke 10 p.m. in perspiration on
upper part of body; > motion (S).─Feels hot as if he had
a fever, but was only 99° F., feels like 105°.─Cold and
chilly all day.─No fire would warm; sits by fire and
breathes the heat from it; chilly whenever he leaves it; at night when
the fever came on he had a sensation as if lungs on fire, must have
fresh air, which gave >.─Frequent calls to urinate as
soon as fever came on; urine clear as water.─Every other
day dumb ague.─Perspiration horribly offensive,
carrion-like; disgust up to nausea about any effluvia arising from her
own body.─Cold sweat over body.Numérisation, vérification, coloration, mise en page, illustration,
pour mes archives et mon site.Le
mercredi 24 avril 2002.
Copyright
© Robert Séror 2002
Photos Copyright © Homéopathe International 2002
