Wednesday, March 21, 2018

A case of malaria - Dr. Lippe

"Miss W., aged 50, corpulent, a resident of New York, had been very sick since last April. Till she came here she had suffered from attacks of intermittent fever and scientific treatment. Chininum Sulph., Ferrum, and even "blue mass" had been liberally administered by the most prominent Allopathists in New York.

The attacks of chills and fever had been suppressed at times, but always returned sooner or later, always with additions of new sufferings. The debility and nightly restlessness was so great when she arrived here that Dr. S. had to give her Arsenicum (high), which very much relieved her, and brought out the old suppressed attacks of chills and fever.

The cold stage came on in the forenoon every alternate day, and every time at an earlier hour; it never amounted to a chill; she had to drink before and during this cold stage, which lasted three hours; vomited after drinking, vomited much bile (bitter vomiting); the muscles of the upper part of the body pained her much, worse during the cold stage; this was followed by intense heat, with profuse perspiration; the hot stage continued from six to eight hours, the thirst continued.

During the attack, she would be warmly covered, and then the profuse perspiration, without the heat, continued during sleep all night. The debility was very great, even when free from fever. The liver was very much enlarged and very tender to the touch. The urinary secretions were extremely scanty, and the small quantity passed was turbid and of an offensive odor. Appetite she had not had for some time.

She received Eupatorium perfoliatum 50 M (Fincke), dissolved in half a tumbler of water, every two hours one teaspoonful during the apyrexia for twelve hours. The next attack was more severe than the previous one; all the symptoms were more severe, but she had passed a large quantity of limpid urine. No medicine. The next attack was very mild, and lasted but a short time; the urinary secretions continued profuse. No more attacks of fever and perspiration, with improving appetite and increasing strength, till she had another very slight attack fourteen days after the last one. One single dose of Eupatorium perfoliatum was administered at the end of it. Since then, up to this time, she has not had another attack of chills or fever; her general health is now good; the liver shows no more signs of hypertrophy."

Comments from Dr. Lippe: 
"The ordinary treatment employed for the cure of this case of Intermittent Fever, had, as usual, failed to cure, and only undermined a previously good constitution. Arsenicum, which was clearly indicated, had so far not only removed the symptoms then present, but had also assisted the vital powers to again develop the original disorder.

We had now before us a clear case of Intermittent Fever, and were to seek the similar remedy. There were present, not as usual three distinct stages of the fever, first chill then heat followed by perspiration, but only two stages, an undeveloped chill, merely shivering, followed by intense heat, with perspiration. There was no remedy marked in the Fever or other Repertories with shivering followed by heat and perspiration.

Chill followed by heat with perspiration is to be found under a large number of medicines, but none of them had the characteristic symptoms of the patient, viz., thirst before the chill and continuing during the paroxysm, and the distressing vomiting, not only of the water which she drank, but also bitter vomiting (vomiting of bile).

The only known remedy corresponding with these characteristic symptoms, as well as with the profuse perspiration and suppressed urinary secretions, was Eupatorium perfoliatum. By consulting the translation of the most excellent Essay on Intermittent Fever by Boenninghausen, we did not find there under the symptoms of Eupatorium, added by the translator, these characteristic symptoms, save the thirst before the chill. Consulting the first provings of Eupatorium, published in 1846, in the "Transactions of the American Institute," we did find the symptoms which first guided us in the cure of Intermittent Fever by Eupatorium-vomiting of bile-vomiting after each draught of water. The translator of Boenninghausen's work gives the vague symptoms-"During the chill, a number of gastric or so-called bilious symptoms." This vague symptom may imply the "bitter vomiting," but does not clearly express it. In all other works on Materia Medica we found this "bitter vomiting"-vomiting of bile-a very characteristic symptom, just as characteristic as is sour vomiting (during the fever) under Lycopodium.

The next paroxysm after administering Eupatorium was much more severe than any she ever had before; but there was an unerring sign apparent that Eupatorium had taken effect, and was assisting the recuperative powers to rid the organism from disease and restore the patient to health, and this was the increased secretion of limpid urine.

The aggravation of the paroxysm was therefore not to be considered as an indication of a progress of the disease, and therefore calling for another more similar remedy. The question remains still an open question, whether these only apparent aggravations are really the results of an overdose of medicine, or whether they are not necessary in many instances, and an indication that an improvement must follow immediately after such an aggravation has appeared. Whenever other symptoms connected with the disorder become favourably changed, if, as in this instance, the kidneys resume their function after having been suspended for some time, no doubt to the detriment, of the whole organism;-when such an important function has been restored, it is surely safe confidently to expect a further improvement of the condition of the sick. This happened, as was fully anticipated, in this case, and it did not become necessary to give another dose, even of the same remedy, till the dose already administered had exhausted itself, and till this event became evident from the fact that the improvement had not only ceased, but that a renewal of the shivering and slight fever commenced. The full recovery of the patient was the very best evidence of a correct application of the homoeopathic principles."

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