By Dr. G. H. G. Jahr.
(Translated from the Journal de la Societe Gallicane,)
By E. E. Marcy, M. D., New York.
INCARCERATED HERNIA. — 84. Aconite is the best remedy in all cases of incarcerated and inflammed hernia. According to the susceptibility of the patient, we may administer it in the 3d, 24th, or 200th attenuations, in globules or in water, at intervals of one to two hours. In recent cases, with violent and persistent pains, this medicine should be employed until the violence of the symptoms has subsided. It is equally appropriate in all other incarcerations accompanied by inflammation. — (Gauwerky, Gaz. hom. de Leipzig, vol. XL, p. 220.)
85. In two cases of incarcerated hernia, accompanied by a high degree of inflammation, Aconite 18th and 24th, repeated every hour, effected cures in eight and twelve hours, both patients being quite well on the next morning. — (Goullon, Archives de Stapf, vol. XIV, cah. 11, p. 138.)
86. When there are, in the incarcerated parts, violent pains, burning like live coals, with great pain and sensitiveness at the least touch, nausea, bitter, bilious vomiting, anguish and cold sweat, Aconite is the appropriate remedy and should be given until the pains subside. — (Hering's Domestic Medicine.)
87. When the affected parts are already rigid, painful, swollen, tense, hot and red, a single dose of Aconite 12th, will often effect a cure in a few hours, if the physician is called in time. — (Kreussler, Therap. hom., p. 99.)
Particular symptoms indicating Aconite. — 88. Severe inflammation of the affected parts; burning pains like coals of fire, or pulsations; nausea, bilious vomiting. — (Jahr.)
VERMINOUS AFFECTIONS. – 89. Aconite is a remedy which generally agrees well with children, and it is often particularly beneficial in verminous affections of small children. — (Kreussler Therap., 18.)
90. In all verminous affections Aconite is often of great service, and should always be taken into consideration in the first instance. In worm colic with desire to vomit, accumulations of phlegm in the throat mouth and stomach, hardness around the navel, tympanitic distention of the abdomen, tenesmus and discharges of glairy matter by the anus, Aconite deserves a preference over Cina or Sulphur.
91. A woman thirty years old, otherwise in good health, had suffered for many weeks with a violent cough against which she had in vain tried various narcotics. The cough was racking, more violent after eating, but without exciting vomiting, and causing only fatigue and a bruised pain in the chest. There was a sort of smarting in the stomach, and a sensation as if something rose from the stomach toward the throat. — Prescription: Aconite 3d, a dose every evening. During the first three days the patient rejected by the mouth two lumbrici, after which the cough disappeared without leaving a trace. — (Maly, Hygea, vol. XVIII, p. 505.)
DYSENTERY. — 92. Aconite is the best remedy when dysenteries occur during very hot weather, followed by cold nights, and when they are characterized by a violent chill, great heat and thirst, with rheumatic pains in the limbs, head, neck, and shoulders. — (Hering's Domestic Medicine.)
93. In epidemic dysentery with inflammatory symptoms, it is necessary to administer at first a few doses of Aconite, before we can count on the efficacy of Mercurius. Here Aconite proves its efficacy as an antiphlogistic, in curing the inflammation in twenty-four hours. But it is necessary to repeat the doses at intervals of from four to six hours. — (Engelhardt, Communications Peatiques, cah, III, p. 34.)
94. A little girl ten years old, attacked with dysentery, took a few doses of Veratrum 12th on the 20th of September, and on the 22d of September a dose of Aconite 24th, and many doses of Mercurius sol. 12th. On the 24th of September there were: griping pains of such violence as to cause her to scream with pain; frequent alvine evacuations, bloody mucous, greenish, and mixed with whitish fibres; nausea, retchings, and occasionally mucous vomitings; bowels much bloated, and excessively sensitive to the touch; violent thirst, painful micturition, skin dry and very hot, headache and delirium. After the administration of Aconite 24th, a dose every four hours, the external heat ceased on the next day, thirst still remained, the gripes were less severe, the stools less frequent, less painful and less bloody, micturition not painful, still some delirium during the night, no perspiration. — (Engelhardt, Commen: Peat., p. 35.)
95. Symptoms particularly characteristic. — Inflammatory fever, skin hot and dry, great thirst, rheumatic pains in the limbs, headache, greenish and bloody stools, acute pains in the intestines. — (Jahr.)
CHOLERA. — 96. In a case of sporadic cholera in a young man, following a chill and errors in diet, the following phenomena were present in the night: suddenly a cramp-like pressure and tension in the stomach; then, at the expiration of two hours, shaking chills, nausea, vomiting of acid mucous matter, cramps in the legs, watery diarrhoea, cold sweats, coldness of all the limbs, agitation, convulsive movements and distortions of the limbs, face sunken and earthy, pulse weak, extreme weakness, eyes dull and expressionless, prostration of all the vital forces, inability to speak. A few minutes after a dose of Aconite 24th, the vital heat returned, and the pulse became stronger; in two days the patient was cured. — (Kammerer Hygea, vol. IV, p. 490.)
97. In asiatic cholera, Aconite is indicated when veratrum, cuprum, ipecac., or camphor have arrested the evacuations, and an inflammatory condition only remains. — (Quin. Ther: du chol; asiatique, edit. allem, p. 24, 27.)
98. In 1835, Doctor Baertl of Venice observed an epidemic cholera characterized by discharges of lumbrici with the evacuations. The first period of this epidemic manifested itself by vertigo, pressive headaches, nausea with desire to vomit, coldness, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In the second period, there were: vomiting of bitter and greenish matter, vertigo, increased heat, thirst, irritable and frequent pulse, but occasionally full and strong. At the third period, the pulse becomes extinct, with icy coldness of the hands and feet, continual agitation, and accelerated, short and anxious respiration. Doctor Baertl found Aconite the best remedy for this condition. He prescribed dessert spoonfull doses of an aqueous solution of extract of Aconite every hour, joining with it, if speedy improvement did not occur, injections of a weak watery solution of Extract of Aconite. In all stages of the malady, this treatment was followed by speedy success, generally, within forty-eight hours. — (Gazette hom. de Leipzig, vol. IV, p. 161.)
99. After the third period of cholera is happily passed, there often returns a reaction of the vascular system, in consequence of which, blood accumulates either in the liver, the lungs, or the brain. The cure then depends upon the promptness with which the physician recognizes the seat of this congestion. In cases where the violence of this reaction does not permit us to distinguish at once the organ most threatened, we ought to make use of an aqueous solution of from six to ten drops of Aconite. — (3d Reubel, Hygea, vol. VII, p. 397.) The dose indicated is absolutely too strong. Six to ten globules dissolved in 90 grammes of water is quite sufficient to accomplish the object. — (Jahr.)
100. After the cessation of the actual cholera symptoms, sanguineous congestions often occur, which may become so violent as to result in inflammations. In such cases Aconite is an efficacious medicine.—(Tretzer, hom. de Leipzig, vol. XXXVII, p. 82.)
101. Aconite has been employed with success against the first symptoms of cholera, and is an indispensable medicine in the tumultuous reactions which follow these attacks. A few doses are quite sufficient to combat these reactions. — (Kummel Gaz. hom. de Leipzig, vol. XXXV, p. 328.)
102. A few doses of Aconite suffice in almost all cases to subdue the vascular excitement which accompanies the development of the first stage of simple cholera. — (Schneider Gaz. hom. de Leipzig, vol. XXXVI, p. 277.)
103. I ought to observe that Aconite has been employed with great service by myself, as well as by one of my confreres, against the ischuria which accompanies cholera, — three doses of the 9th attenuation having afforded relief in about twelve hours. — (Peterson, Annales de Hartlaub et Trincks, vol. III, p. 75.)
104. Aconite is especially indicated when the evacuations are whitish, with discharges of lumbrici, excitement of the arterial system producing congestion, with heat, redness, full and accelerated pulse, and palpitations. — (Marchesani.)
105. Especial indications for Aconice. — Strong excitement of the vascular system; bitter, greenish vomitings; passage of lumbrici with the evacuations. — (Jahr.)
HAEMORRHOIDS. — 106. In haemorrhoidal affections, Aconite is often of great service, when blood flows, but with pressive and lancinating pains in the anus; sensation of fullness in the bowels, with tension, pressure, and colic pains; bruised sensation in the kidneys. — (Hering, Domestic Medicine.)
DYSURIA. — 107. In the fever which accompanies cystitis, especially when it is of a synochial character, repeated doses of Aconite are indispensible. — (Hartman, Ther. Hom.)
108. In cystitis as well as in Nephritis, Aconite may be employed with success; for, although the principal indication for Aconite is the violent fever which accompanies the local affection, yet it acts with equal efficacy upon the latter. It often suffices to cure the entire affection. — (Kreussler Ther. Hom. p 111.)
109. Nephritis can sometimes be cured by Aconite alone. In all cases, this medicine should be kept in view, since the local phenomena are usually accompanied by a violent fever. — (Kreussler Therap. p. 104.)
110. Cases of ordinary cystitis, with painful and very scanty micturition, or rather the discharge of a few drops only, of deep-red, turbid urine, etc., can almost always be cured with Aconite, especially in women and children, and by repeating the dose whenever the pain recommences. We ought always to consider Aconite when with urinary tenesmus and pains in the bladder, this region is swollen, with aggravation of the pains on urinating, urine of a blood-red color, or mixed with small clots of blood. — (Hering Domestic Medicine.)
111. A man thirty years old, with firm muscles, and black hair, experienced after wetting his feet, the following symptoms: violent chill and afflux of blood to the head, with violent pain immediately under the symphysis pubis, as well as behind and beneath the scrotum; continual and urgent desire to urinate; urine burning, red, mixed with blood, and only emitted drop by drop; pubic region tense, painful to the touch, and a little hot; burning, lancinating pain extending to the base of the urethra; disagreeable sensation in the meatus urinarius, decided fever; pulse a little full, hard, and 115; tongue red and dry; skin dry and hot. Aconite 18th, one drop every three to four hours. At the end of twenty four hours, there was a sensible remission of all the symptoms, pulse 95, inflammation visibly diminished, urine less red. On the third day the pulse was 75, and there was no fever. The few symptoms which remained were cured by Pulsatilla. — (Schwarz, Exper. hom. p. 95.)
112. Symptoms particularly indicating Aconite: vesical region swollen and painful; urinary tenesmus; urine scanty, red, bloody, and only emitted drop by drop; aggravation of the pains on urinating; strong inflammatory fever. — (Jahr.)
113. Respecting the efficacy of Aconite against the ischuria of cholera, see number 103.
ORCHITIS. — 114. A man twenty-seven years of age contracted a gonorrhoea with inflammation at first in the left testicle, and afterwards at the expiration of six months, the right testicle became involved. Both testicles considerably swollen hard, hot, and very sensitive to the touch; scrotum red; constrictive, tensive, pressive pains extending even into the bowels and the thighs, augmenting by jerking paroxysms, and worse in the afternoon and night; moderate fever, increased thirst, sleep disturbed in consequence of the pain. — Pulsatilla, Clematis, Nux vomica and Nitric acid were employed without success. — Aconite 3d, one drop every three hours, effected a cure in four days. —(Guyler, Archieves de Stapf, vol. XIX, cah. 2, p. 156.)
MENSTRUAL DERANGEMENTS. — 115. An amenorrhoea of six months standing, in a plethoric young girl twenty-one years old, and accompanied with dyspnoea, and oppression in the praecordial region, without any other notable sufferings, was cured by Aconite alone — a few globules of the 24th having been dissolved in water and given in spoonful doses four times a day. — (Malaise.)
LEUCORRHOEA. — 116. In copious and viscid leucorrhoea Aconite is sometimes efficacious. — (Molin.)
117. Aconite is indicated in leucorrhoea when patients complain of a sensation of heat, with fullness and tension in the internal parts, continual tingling, not disagreeable, but forcing them to scratch; burning on urinating; febrile symptoms. — (Hartmann, Therap., II, p. 154.)
SYMPTOMS DURING GESTATION AND ACCOUCHEMENT. — 118. A woman thirty-eight years old, poor, dissipated, hysterical, having had many miscarriages, always suffered during the first half of her pregnancies with vomitings. In this her sixth pregnancy, there was a strong exacerbation against which bloodletting and antispasmodics were of no avail. At the third month, after having suffered for six weeks, she presented the following symptoms: every morning, nausea and retching, and sometimes even yellow mucous vomiting. After having eaten, even with relish, she would experience violent gastralgia, nausea, retchings and vomiting with violent pressure in the forehead, beneath the eyes. After one dose of Aconite (a drop of the mother tincture) there occurred violent excitement, loss of consciousness, headache, but an immediate cessation of the vomitings and of all the accessory symptoms during the entire remaining term of pregnancy. — (Gaspari, Annales de Hartlaub et Trinks, vol. I, p. 250.)
119. A woman thirty-four years old, and in the seventh month of her pregnancy, was attacked with vomiting so violent that she supposed herself to be poisoned. Ipecac, Stibium, Nux vomica, and Cuprum were of no service. There were lancinating pains in the stomach, extreme and continual anguish in the praecordial region, augmented by each act of vomiting; vomiting of such violence that the patient in the end threw up pure, bright red blood. The anguish increased to an extreme point; syncope supervened and a miscarriage became imminent. The first dose of Aconite 200th produced tranquility; the anguish and pain yielded to a pleasant sleep, and the accouchement occurred at the proper time. — (Ruckert.)
120. A woman of full habit, suffered much during the last month of her pregnancy, with violent congestions of the chest. Aconite afforded so much relief that she could afterwards sleep tranquilly without fear of suffocating. — (Griesselich, Hygea, vol. V. p. 218.)
121. During accouchement, when the labour is arrested in consequence of the large size of the head, or from an unfavorable position of the child, and the severity of the pains cause the most robust woman to scream, while no progress is made towards delivery, and the patient is feverish, thirsty, red in the face, and covered with sweat, a dose of Aconite will be of service. It is true that this is not easy to confirm in cases of this kind, but I think I have obtained essential service from the use of Aconite in two cases of this description. — (Wesselhoefft, correspond. Americ. No. 14, p. 153.)
MORBID PHENOMENA DURING CONFINEMENT. — 122. A woman twenty-eight years of age, was attacked on the third day after an artificial accouchement, with a violent shaking chill succeeded by the following symptoms: tumultuous febrile disturbance with a hard and frequent pulse, dry and hot skin, intense thirst, tongue dry and slightly coated, violent headache, fixed and ferocious expression; lochia arrested; breasts flaccid and without milk, violent pains in the bowels on the slightest touch; bowels a little bloated. An aqueous solution of Aconite 2d in spoonful doses was prescribed every half-hour. There was an amelioration during two days, and then an attack of dysentery (in consequence of this unnecessarily large dose? Jahr), which was cured by Belladonna. — (Bosch, vol. XIX, p. 103.)
123. An intelligent woman, on the eighth day of her confinement, after having taken cold, was attacked with the following symptoms: considerable heat, with continual cutting and contractive pains in the bowels, tension of the bowels and sensitiveness at the least touch; diarrhoeic stools every fifteen to thirty minutes; pressive and stupifying cephalalgia; frequent and tense pulse; violent thirst, tongue dry and covered with a white fur, desire to vomit. The lochia was at first scanty and finally suppressed; the secretion of milk kept pace with the frequent nursing. A dose of Aconite 4th was prescribed every three hours. At the expiration of twenty-four hours, all the inflammatory symptoms had ceased and the lochia had become regular. (The cramp-like pains in the bowels, occurring before each stool, were then cured with Chamomilla.) — (Diez l'Homoeopathic, p. 102.)