Texas Association, Fort Worth, May, 1891. ACUTE CONJUNCTIVAL DISEASES.

SOME GENERAL HINTS REGARDING THEIR TREAT

MENT.

BY C. F. BRADEN, M. D., O. ET A. CHIR, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

IN N no ills affecting mankind are the results attending the application of ice compresses more marked than in the acute forms of conjunctival diseases.

Taken in their earliest stages, application of cold readily controls the swelling that would naturally follow, and thus prevent what would otherwise become a serious feature of the disease. In the various forms of conjunctivitis, marked by intense circumcorneal chemois, there is danger threatening the cornea from a shutting off of its nutrition. The aim, then, of our treatment must be to allay

this chemosis and rescue the cornea from its danger. Cases that are not seen early may have so far advanced that the cornea has already suffered and, becoming opaque, evidences treatened suppuration. In such a case we are confronted with a perplexity hard to surmount. If ice be used we will do more harm than good, because its action reduces the sensibility of the part, depriving it of functional activity and lessening its nutrition, thus destroying, that, which it is our effort to mantain. In such cases heat would be indicated, as it stimulates the nutrition; but it must be used with great caution, and should it manifest deleterious effects it is to be abandoned. With our Homœopathic therapy, however we have means by which such alarming conditions are in a great many cases controlled. The Calcarea hypophos. is the remedy when the cornea is endangered. Strong solutions

of Argentum nitric. locally are not advisable in cases where there is intense chemosis and should rarely be used until the swelling has been mitigated by cold compresses.

More can be done by the persistent application of cold, with strict cleanliness, removing the secretions at short intervals, than by energetic astringent solutions. Lately a new antiseptic, Pyoktanin, has been introduced and in ophthalmological practice has been followed with good results. It replaces any drug known, for local use, to cleanse the eye from infections secretions. It may be applied to strength varrying from 1-500 to 1-5000, 1 to 1000 being generally adopted in the various forms of conjunctivitis. With this remedy to secure a thorough cleansing of an eye, and the indicated remedy internally, with heat or cold as called for, we are prepared to combat various forms of ophthalmia, and our success will compare with any that our old school brethren may desire to place in competition.

Legislative.

For the SOUTHERN JOURNAL.

ANOTHER DODGE.

BY DEAN F. SMITH, M. D., NEW DECATUR, ALA.

VERILY some things die hard. In our

State the law puts the whole censorship of the medical profession in the hands of the Alabama State Medical Association. A few years ago, by a rule of that association, the physicians not of the Allopathic school were granted the right to practice medicine only as "irregular physicians."

aggravations and ameliorations in relation to their times. The difference here is about thirty minutes, standard time being the faster. So that if we find an aggravation occurring at 4:30 p. m. by standard time, it is actually 4 p. m. by meridian or sun time. Making this allowance, you will find in my report the very characteristic, 4 to 8 p. m., aggravation of Lycopodium, which, with the other symptoms, guided B Lycopodium 200, one dose, in water. I sat down to watch results.

At 8:30, temperature, 103°, a drop of two degrees in two hours. At 10:30, temperature, 102°.

At midnight she is quiet, a little perspiration is observed on the face and neck, and a favorable change is manifest. A placebo solution has been given with the utmost care and precision every hour (for its moral effect) and after administering a homily on nursing and care of scarlet fever patients, intended to be instructive, I went home feeling much relieved in mind.

From this date to April 4, improvement was steadily progressing, in every way except the mouth, which was in a deplorable condition, truly.

I now reviewed my notes and discovered a very peculiar and characteristic symptom, viz; "greasy mouth." This is a "redthread" symptom, and is a characteristic of Iris versicolor, which remedy being exhibited in the two-hundredth potency, cleared up the case, leaving nothing to be desired, a happy and speedy convelescence following. "Greasy tongue;" "greasy taste of saliva;" "greasy mouth," are pre-eminently characteristic of Iris versicolor. It is the only remedy that I know of that has this symptom, and it should always be printed in large capitals. Iris versicolor also has

"burning of mouth as if on fire;" "rheumatic pain," and many other symptoms which my patient complained of, but so also have other remedies. "Greasy mouth," therefore, was "the characteristic," which led to the remedy.

This report is not one of which any Homœopathic physician need be proud.

If the Similimum had been found and administered at first, the subsequent record of changing-symptoms and varying prescriptions would have been unneces

sary.

It was truly a severe case of scarletfever successfully conducted to a favorable termination without any of the dreaded sequelle, notwithstanding the threatened complications at different times. This, however, is the rule of experience among Homœopaths.

ness.

All are cognizant of the fact that scarletfever is a disease which, more than any other, requires constant care and watchfulThere is no doubt but that we owe most of the complications and disastrous sequelle, as well as a large percentage-if not all of the mortality from this affliction, to a lack of knowledge, skill and vigilance on the part of physicians, nurses and attendants. I said "if not all" of the mortality, for I believe that a Homœopathic physician, who will be guided by the symptoms, and who exhibits the similar remedy (and he is not a Homoeopathic physician who does not), if his efforts are supported by a good and faithful nurse who will do his bidding need never lose a case of scarlet-fever.

There is also a difference between "a similar" and the "the Similimum."

In this case all of the changing conditions were met and controlled by the "similar" remedy, except the last one which

was "the similimum." Yet there was a number of evident mistakes.

First, Belladonna 200, in solution, every two hours, on the night of March 26. One or two doses would have been better and have avoided the aggravation which the patient evidently suffered.

Second, on the evening of March 28, Lachesis 200 was given in solution every two hours without caution. As a result, after an amelioration which followed at first, an aggravation was needlessly induced; and, third, the greatest mistake was in not finding "the Similimum,” at the proper time. I am now satisfied that if I had followed the "red-thread" symptom of "greasy tongue" and given the patient Iris versicolor at the time it was first noticed, the case would have been greatly modified, and probably been "cut short off" (and likewise my fees).

On the evening of March 30 the pains in the joints, etc., were suspicious of "rheumatic" complication, which is always a serious matter. It was nicely controlled, however, by the "similar."

I refer to this, that I may explain why two remedies were administered. Sulphur was to arouse the flagging vital energies, induce a reaction and bring out the receeding rash in a psoric constitution. It was followed by Bryonia to meet the acute condition of pain, etc.

Some may question this manner of medication as not being in keeping with strict Homœopathic practice; but an intercurrent anti-psoric at such times I have always found to be good practice, and in the absence of special indications Sulphur is my favorite.

On the morning of April 30 the cold surface at 10 a. m., with the actual high thermal condition of 102° (F.) was another

time of "evil-omen." I am satisfied that the "similar" remedy, Natrum muriaticum CM., saved us from that most serious complication of all, nephritis; while the violent reaction which followed, and which was so nicely controlled by Lycopodium,is but another evidence of the truth of the Hahnemannian doctrine.

The crowning experience in the case, however, was the operation of the "Similimum," Iris versicolor which was called for long before it was given. Its work was truly magical.

Seek out, therefore, the characteristics the peculiars, the key-notes; give them special importance in your search for the remedy, for through them only can we discover the "Similimum."

Practice.

Texas Association, Fort Worth, May, 1891. MAGNESIA PHOSPHORICA IN URINARY TROUBLES.

BY W. F. THATCHER, M. D., DALLAS, TEXAS.

THE symptoms under Magnesia phos

phorica, in the work by Boericke and Dewey, amount to nothing which we can lay hold of to guide us in the treatment of diseases of the urinary organs. "Nocturnal enuresis, excess or deficiency of phosphates and vesical neuralgia" cover the whole ground of the text. In the repertory we find these statements repeated with the addition of "gravel" as a condition for which it is recommended.

These are but indications for a pathological condition without any symptoms to guide us, and of little or no use to us as Homœopathists in prescribing for them.

Something more than a year since a proving of this drug was made under the direction of Dr. H. C. Allen, published in the Medical Advance. This furnished much better weapons for us and placed this remedy on a more sure foundation for intelligent use.

I cannot reproduce the urinary symptoms developed by this proving here as I cannot find the particular copy of the Advance in which the proving was published. However, most of the cases I report were treated before the publication of the proving.

The use I made of the remedy was purely empirical and so not entitled to that consideration in those cases cured in which the symptoms correspond to those elicited by the proving.

However, I submit them for what they are worth, believing you may find help in a puzzling case as I have.

Case I-Frank H. (a barber) had suffered from an attack of gonorrhea a year previous to his consultation with me; he was treated secundum artem and had a hard time trying to get well. There was at this time no discharge and no evidence of stricture. The only symptoms I could elicit was excessive and imperative urging to urinate when standing at his work or on walking. This was accompanied by a constrictive pain at the neck of the bladder extending along the urethra to the glans. The act of urination was painful, followed by relief which was of short duration, when the urging returned and the symptoms were repeated as before. prescribed several remedies as carefully as possible for me, comparing the symptoms with repertories and the materia medica but without relief. The patient was not careful in noting his symptoms nor intelli

I

gent in relating them. At least I reasoned that the trouble might be caused by spasm of the bladder and thought of Schussler's theory of the action of Magnesia phos. in spasmodic troubles. He received this remedy in the 6x. trituration. Complete and permanent relief followed within two days.

Case II was another barber in the same shop and predicament, with same history of gonorrhea. The relief from the remedy was as prompt and permanent.

In Case III there was no history of gonorrhea. Mr. F. an attorney, had suffered for a week from an almost constant urging to urinate with pain at neck of the bladder down the urethra to the glansno burning, worse when standing or walking, but after complete rest for an hour or two relief from pain for a short time after the urine was passed. The urine seemed normal in all these cases where it was examined except a faint show of phosphate in No. 1. Two doses of Magnesia phos. cured this case and no return of the trouble to date. I have found this remedy curative in several other cases which presented similar symptoms, one case in which the symptoms arose after an operation for lacerated cervix.

My friend, Dr. F. J. Dickey, has cured several cases with these symptoms following operation on the rectum in females where the uterus and urethra had been dilated with sounds, and in one or two cases in which the rectum alone had been the field of operation. The guiding symptoms have been "excessive and imperative urging to pass small quantities of urine with constrictive pain at the neck of the bladder, extending along the urethra, worse from standing or walking, relief after urinating, and, in those cases where it was

tried, mitigation from applications of heat" In every case save one the symptoms followed gonorrhea or a surgical operation, I am aware that there are those who decry the use of remedies in this empirica. manner and I concur in the opinion that it is bad practice as a principle; yet when the same average of symptoms have been permanently removed in a reasonable number of cases it is in my mind good policy to "stick a pin there."

Texas Association, Fort Worth, May, 1891. THREE CLINICAL CASES.

I

BY S. W. COHEN, M. D., WACO, TEXAS.

HAD promised the worthy chairman of our O. and O. bureau an article for the Southern Convention recently held at Birmingham, Ala., but failed to honor that promise. Having made him another promise, and thus acknowledged a debt I owed our own State association, I have no desire to see this obligation go to protest, and this brief prelude leaves us at the portals of our subject. I shall attempt to interest you with a subject that is a little foreign to my practice. Very few ophthalmological cases come into my hands, save it be simple cases of conjunctivitis which are speedily cured by systematic individualization. Even our best patients when suffering from ocular troubles, which to them appear of a serious nature, are easily influenced to seek the advice of a specialist and do so, notwithstanding the fact that the specialist in our State is generally an Allopath. Here in Fort Worth the citizens may be congratulated that they are able to receive special treatment and Homoeopathic treatment at the same time, and the Homoeopathic practitioner

who pays especial attention to the therapeutics of the eye must and will succeed and finally monopolize the special practice. Besides conjunctivitis, occasional cases of keratitis and iritis come to me for treatment, but I never attempt to meddle with abnormal conditions behind the lens when objective symptoms are lacking and subjective ones very few, and where an objective picture of the disease can only be obtained with an ophthalmoscope. I have three cases to report. The second can be charged up to me as a failure; in the first case the most liberal minded may perhaps give me the benefit of the doubt, and the third I think I may call a Homoopathic success. The first two cases are merely cited to call forth comment or criticism, for I desire "more light.”

* **

Miss E. R.,

CASE I.-October 18, 1890. blonde, grey eyes, very stout, always well, mild disposition. Her left hand is deformed and feet slightly so.

About three years ago the patient observed railroad colors over and to the left

of the left eye. This symptom worse about a lamp; worse also when using the eyes. The following year a black spot appeared about one and a half inches to the left of any object she might be looking at about her. When reading or looking upon a white surface this spot instead of being black was of a "murky white" color. If the background be black (here the patient instanced a blackboard) the spot assumed a reddish hue like fire. After finishing a line when reading it was difficult to find the beginning of the following line as the spot interfered and like poor Duncan's blood-stains would not out. This subjective symptom was referred entirely to the left eye by test. The spot or blotch