S. Swan, MD, New York
CASE I.—Mrs. D., rather stout. Has miscarried twice. After miscarriage, and during menstrual period, always occurring after eating, has severe cramps commencing between the shoulder blades passing around the waist on both sides to pit of stomach, causing great agony, excessive dyspnoea, turns blue around the mouth, vomiting. The pain ceases suddenly. Belladonna cmm, (Swan), four powders. Immediate relief from the first powder, and has had no return or symptom of the cramps.
CASE II— Late in the evening of January 11, Mr. S. called for me to see his child, aged two and one-half years. He said the doctor who had attended him was very much alarmed, and requested some older physician called; being sick at the time, I declined going out, but said if he could give me the present symptoms I would prescribe. He said the child appeared restless, and could not draw a breath without pain so that it would scream, and especially when coughing. The doctor said its temperature was 105, the pulse could scarcely be counted, the fever was very high, the face flushed, and when it coughed it put its hand on its right side at the middle of the chest. It seemed to be afraid, and there was an expression of terror in its face especially when it coughed; it breathed very quick and now and then would seem to be unconscious; the face was very red and mottled.
I told him I thought the child would die before morning, and he said that his wife and himself had so concluded: However I gave him a powder of Ferr. phos. cmm (Swan), to be dissolved in a half tumbler of water, and a few drops given every fifteen minutes and continued, through the night, unless, which I hardly expected, it got any easier, and if it was alive in the morning, to let me know, and perhaps its life could be saved.
In the morning I was told it was better, that after the third dose it was easier, that it did not seem so hot and breathed better, though still there were pain and cries when coughing; continued the Ferr. phos. every hour and to let me hear from him at night.
He then reported restlessness, less fever, rattling respiration; had coughed up some bright blood, was easier when taken up. Gave Rhus. tox. cmm one powder to be given dry, and a Placebo to be given in water every hour while awake; heard no more till next evening, when the report was that the patient was very much better, temperature less, pulse less, but was hoarse with a good deal of rattling in chest, occasional stoppage of breath as if the air passages were filled up, and wanted to be carried all the time.
Gave Cham. cm, one dose, dry, and Placebo every hour while awake.
Next night reported restless, moving about, and some bright blood with the mucus that was vomited. Rhus tox cm, in water, every three hours. Child steadily improved and required no more medicine.
I have given this in extenso as I did not see the patient at all, and from the gravity of the case I had not expected recovery.
CASE III.—Father H., a priest, 74 years old; found him with short cough which caused great pain in right side of ehest, as did also a deep inspiration. Pulse 140, temperature 104.5. Tongue coated white, with a deep crack in the middle as if it had been cut nearly in half, eyes dull, face mottled; felt very sick, thought his time had come, and I agreed with him, but at the same time gave Ferr. phos. cm in water, to be taken every fifteen minutes for three doses then every half hour till better, then every three hours.
Called the next day at 2 p. m., twenty-four hours after I saw him first. He was sitting at the table eating dinner of chops, toast and tea. Temperature 102; pulse 94. Tongue cleaned off; no pain in lungs and no cough. Said that after third dose felt better; got good sleep during night; concluded that his time had not come, while I queried if I had made an error in diagnosis.
CASE IV.—Miss E., aged 22. Pain in a spot high up in chest, near right axilla, apparently about three inches in diameter, exceedingly painful when coughing or inspiring deeply, or in fact, at all; had to take very short and rapid breaths. Tongue coated white; face flushed and mottled; left cheek very red. Temperature 105; pulse 140 and over, could scarcely count it. Bry. cm. In three hours, no relief. At the suggestion of an eminent physician gave Ferr. phos. l7cent in a full tumbler of water, a spoonful every half hour. Twenty-four hours found relief, but continued for twenty-four hours longer, when a rust colored sputa suggested Phos., which was given cmm, and in a few days she was entirely relieved. The temperature and pulse went down under Ferr. phos., but not so rapidly as under high potencies.
CASE V.—Katie G., aged eight. Took a severe cold from being bathed in
cold water. When I was called I found a fair haired, blue eyed child with an
intensely crimson spot near four inches in diameter on right side of cheek;
the rest of her face very pale. She was suffering greatly from coughing, or
deep inspiration, in a spot low down in left chest at the side; her tongue was
thickly coated white; breath very foul. Temperature 104.5; pulse could not count
as it was so rapid and feeble; was very thirsty. Put her on Ferr. phos. cm in
water, every half hour till better.
Next day found her easier, and kept her on Ferr. phos. That evening gave her
Kali carb as the stitch in left side was most prominent symptom. Next day, being
sick, my-friend Dr. Ostrom called and found her so ill he did not think she
could recover. The pain was then on right side; sputa white with sensation when
coughing as if the head would fly to pieces. Gave Bryonia, under which she improved,
but the medicine gave out at midnight and the next. day I found her very sick.
Pains very severe; temperature 105; pulse, as near as I could count, 160; very
short respiration; dull glassy eyes; inclined to sleep, but prevented by the
pain; sputa rusty; urine scanty, high colored, brick dust sediment. Gave Phos.
dmm (Swan) in water, every fifteen minutes till easier, then. every hour. At
night received word that she was very much better. Next morning she had only
slight pain and wanted something to eat. From that time she improved until recovery,
requiring, after all pains and fever had ceased, Ant tart., for much rattling
of mucus in chest when breathing and coughing.
In one week from the time she was attacked she was sitting in bed playing with her dolls; in two weeks she was up and about, well.
Here are four cases diagnosed as pneumonia, past the crisis, and on the high road to recovery inside of a week. The use of Ferr. phos. is not indicated by any proving that the writer is aware of, and if there is any clinical experience that has been published it has escaped notice. Its use in the first case was on the advise of Dr. Baruch, who has had large experience with it, altogether clinical. From the limited experience the writer has had with Ferr. phos., he is satisfied that the high potencies, repeated often, sooner bring about a satisfactory result in pneumonia, as they do in ulcerated and diphtheritic throats, and other acute complaints.
Raue says: "In pneumonia, during the fever, till sweat sets in, also expectoration of bright blood, catarrh in chest of children similar to Acon."
CASE VI.— Mrs. P. Headache over eyes when sewing; spine aches from base of brain to coccyx; pain in left shoulder extending across to right, but the left was worse, could scarcely move the arm; pains in limbs as if they had been beaten; throat very dry and sore, much inflamed, worse on right side; palate red and uvula elongated; very painful eglutition; loss of voice, can only speak in a whisper.
Gave Lac can. dmm, in water, every fifteen minutes till better, then every hour or two according to improvement.
Called the next day and was met by the lady at the door, who assured me of her complete recovery, "felt the first dose to the ends of fingers and toes."
CASE VII.—Mr. S., aged —, was taken sick on Friday, February 16, with sore throat, pains in whole body and limbs, and severe headache. Received from member of family, Acon., and next day, February 17, reported to me: "Head aches all over, but is worse over right eye, worse by spells; mouth dry and parched; tongue coated white in centre, edges red; breath exceeding offensive. Throat very sore, worse on left side with large greenish looking ulcers on both tonsils, surrounded by grey white exudation, the parts not covered, of a deep purple red, swelling externally on both sides. Thirst for a little at a time, but often, as the throat is so hot and dry. Rolls his head from side to side, with great distress, with pains in bones.
Sent Lac can mm, to be taken in water every two hours, a spoonful. At 8 p.m., no better, put him on Lac can cmm every hour, in water.
February 18. Symptoms about the same; pulse almost gone; prostration turns every two hours like sinking in typhoid fever; limbs cold to the knees. Lac can dmm was now given in water, a teaspoonful every fifteen minutes till better, then every half hour. Improvement commenced in about an hour, attacks of prostration every three hours.
February 19. Exudation on tonsils disappeared leaving a raw bloody surface; ulcers disappeared about noon; very weak, but the sinking turns were hardly perceptible.
February 20. Put him on Lac can. Sat up to have his bed made. From that time continued improvement devoting his time to eating or talking about it, and on the twenty third, one week from the day of his attack he went out for a short walk.
As the patient lived far up town, I did not see him, but the above are the symptoms as given by a member of the family.
CASE VIII.—Mr. S., aged—, from overtaxing the brain, irregular meals, smoking and exposure, was attacked May 6 with a severe chill, vomiting and purging, and when seen at night, had flushed face, brown, dry tongue, droop ing eyelids, bleared congested eyes, severe pain in forehead extending to occiput and into neek, aching pains in all his limbs, vomited after food and every drink of water; temperature 104, pulse 112. Gave Bell. cm in water.
May 7. Better of all the symptoms except headache, which was a dull pain, with a numb feeling in the forehead and great fullness and pressure in the brain. Continued Bell.
In the evening, in addition, there was stupor, and stertorous respiration; roused with difficulty; pulse 100. Gave Hyos. cm, in water.
May 8. Was free from comatose condition, but complained of severe pain all through the head; worse in occiput and base of brain, with great heat in brain. Gave Glonoine cm, which relieved the head. Pulse 88.
At 8 p.m., found him delirious, talking sensibly about business with great volubility, as if persons were present, answering and asking questions, etc. Gave Hyos. cm.
May 9. No better, had talked incessently all night, flesh cool, pulse 80. Continued Hyos.
At 7 p.m. No change; exceedingly talkative still on business. Gave Bry. cm.
May 10. No better. Loquacity very great, still on business, with well chosen expression and no incoherency. Gave Lach. mm, one dose, dry on tongue.
May11. No better; constant talking for sixty hours was unconscious, and could not be roused easily, and then could not recognize any one.
In consultation with my friend, Dr. Bayard, and at his suggestion, gave Lach. 900, one dose, dry, on tongue, at 11 a.m.
Called with Dr. Bayard about 2 p.m., and found that after a short interval of quiet, he commenced praying, repeating the same prayer over and over with the same volubility; his hands were tightly clasped on his breast, the body and head perspiring profusely; eyeballs turned to the right, but sensitive; pulse 120; could not be roused to consciousness. This condition continued from 2 p.m. till half past six, at which time he became quiet; pulse 80. About 8 p.m. he began saying that he was pursued by people wanting to kill him, he endeavored to escape, and it required several persons to restrain him. This continued through the night.
May 12. He was quiet as if from exhaustion, and was waiting for some one to kill him. During the afternoon he became quiet and appeared to sleep. In the evehing he rubbed his eyes, remarking that they hurt him, and passed his hand over his head, saying, "You don't know how my head aches," but did not recognize any one.
May 13. Was sensible, but very weak. After the first day he was very deaf, worse in right ear; great vertigo when being raised up or turning his head, with some pain in the right side of head. During the sickness, when there was a lull in the symptoms, he would take food and seemed to enjoy it.
After Lach. 900, on the 11th inst., no more medicine was given till the 18th, when his pulse had fallen to 60 and very weak, he got one dose of Hoema. cm, and on the 21st a dose of Carbo veg. for flatulence. On the 24th he had an ineffectual desire for stool, gave Anacardium. cm at 2 p.m. At 8 p.m. he had a natural movement, and a loose movement the next morning, the first for 17 days.
He convalesced slowly from extreme weakness and vertigo, but was moved to his own home on the 27th.
Hyos. and Bry. have delirium and talking about business. Hyos. has unconsciousness and coma. Stramoniumhas the praying loquacity, and talking with absent persons as if they were present asking and answering questions, imagines persons chasing him, with redness of face, moist skin, etc., but the key to the case was evidently the loquacity without reference to the subject, and the talk being sensible and consecutive, and as Lachesiscovered the other symptoms, no change was made, as it was evidently the right remedy and the right dose.
This case teaches the long continued action of the drug, or, that having assisted the vital force in overcoming the obstruction to its normal action, its use ended, and nature or the vital force completed the recovery. It also shows that repetition of the dose is unnecessary, as well as unwise, When the brain is under such tension that its functions are not controlled by the will; repeated doses, like repeated blows, would tend to vital exhaustion and death, and also when there is intense hyperesthesia especially of the brain, the slower action of a low potency is preferable to the quick acting high potency.
CASE IX. —Dr. J. A. Boardman, of Trenton, N. J., reports: Mrs. P., aged 30, has suffered for years at intervals when under some mental or physical excitement; finally she was troubled more or less when fatigued; the suffering took the form of congestion of the heart. Once she had an attack in which to the usual dull, heavy, aching feeling was added a heavy, numb, cold feeling internally in the chest, like a cold stone. The remedies would relieve but there was no cure; was easily excited to rage, when she was sure to have an attack.
April 27. She had a very severe attack; at 8 o'clock she took one dose of O. S. Pel. cm she reported that in fifteen minutes after taking the remedy she had a sharp pain in the region of the heart, which passed down directly into the bowels, at the same time she had to hasten to a privy, and a large volume of fluid fiowed from her bowels with a pleasant, smooth, oily sensation, and not like feces, but as it was dark, I could not ascertain if it was blood, which it seemed like. Slept splendidly, and awoke without any annoying feeling in her heart, which she had not done before for a great while.
Got very angry in the morning at the fish market, was never more mad in her life, yet after all that strain her heart was quiet and at rest, and has not troubled her since.
May 1. "Yesterday was awakened with a feeling exactly like a beesting in my heart, or in that region, never had it before."
May 5. "At two p.m. felt suddenly a thump or blow in my heart, only one."
May 7. "Told Dr. B. in the evening that all day long I had felt great uneasiness and a sense of dull, heavy weight in region of the heart, he gave me a dose of medicine." (A few pellets of O. G. Pel. cmm). "In a few minutes I had a sweetish taste, a taste of blood in my mouth, but at the same time, the great heat and suffering began slowly to diminish. Finally, in about fifteen minutes, my left nostril began to bleed freely, and did not cease till it had half filled a common teacup. Blood was bright red. During childhood frequently bled at nose, but very seldom since menstruating, and then only just before menses appeared, and not for several years."
May 12. Menses appeared at regular time. The first day had what seemed labor pains in the womb, pushing downward. She passed at several times during the day large masses of clots like pieces of liver. After these passed the fiow was fluid and free for the full period of a week. She never before passed clots.
She writes: "My heart and whole life is as light as a feather. I feel in great delight, perfectly well."
CASE X.—From Dr. Boardman.
Miss H., unmarried, 22 years old, a perfect blonde. Has had leueorrhea since
a child, like albumen or white of egg. Her periods are regular, scanty, painless,
and nearly colorless.
May 12. Menses appeared as usual. On the evening of that day she took a dose of O. G. Pel. cmm. The next morning she had such pains as healthy women generally have the first day, and to her surprise found the flow all that day bright red color for the first time in her life. They were not very free and ceased the next day, the 14th. She has had better health sinee then.
CASE XI.—Sarah S. Menses suppressed four months.
March 31. Complained of a pain in saeral region, hard lump in pit of stomach and vomiting. Gave O. G. Pel. cm, two powders. Next day symptoms all gone and on April 22, being full moon, she menstruated naturally and continued four days.
April 29. She vomited a clot of blood.
CASE XII.—Mary McG. Suppressed menses since ten months. No symptoms.
March 31. Gave O. G. Pel. cm, two doses. On the 22nd of April, being full moon, menses returned and continued one week, Sow dark and clotted.
CASE XIII.—Lillie P. Menses ceased four months since. No symptoms.
May 12. gave O. G. Pel. cm, two doses.
May 23. Menses returned, natural in color and quantity.
CASE XIV.—At the time Mrs. F. commenced taking the Ova Glallina Pellicula, she was greatly prostrated, unable to leave, or even to turn in bed without help. The uterus was very much enlarged, the os and neck were rough, granulated, and gritty to the touch, fiery red, or the color of a tomato, discharging a watery, very offensive matter, some of the time like the washings of meat, at others, yellowish, and purulent, and at others, mingled with blood, with frequent hemorrhages of clear blood, great tenderness and hemorrhage from the least touch.
The parts around the uterus were involved and tender; abdomen swolen; was expecting to die at any moment.
The first dose was attended with an aggravation and increase of hemorrhage, followed the next day by great improvement. This continued for some three weeks. The hemorrhage stopped, and she was able to leave the bed. At the end of this time, the curative effect seemed to be at a stand still. A repetition of the medicine did no good, and then I put her on Pyrogen (Swan), since which the improvement has been continuous. The offensive odor has disappeared; the-discharge is slight, more like leucorrhoea. The patient is up and about, attending to domestic cares, working in the garden, and riding about the country, and there seems to be prospect of an entire recovery.
I will add that other remedies, among which were Lac can. and Muriatic Acid mm, had given relief for a time, and then seemed to have lost their effect. But since the Pyrogenwas given, the improvement is continuous.