Diseases originating in ptomaine or sewer gas infection.
The BED FEELS HARD, parts lain on sore and bruised, must move to relieve the soreness.
Tongue: large, flabby, clean, SMOOTH AS IF VARNISHED; FIERY RED, cracked, difficult articulation; vomiting, persistent, brownish coffee ground, offensive, stercoraceous.
Diarrhoea; horribly offensive, brown or black; painless, involuntary.
Distinct consciousness of a heart; it feels tired; as if enlarged; purring, throbbing, pulsating, constant in ears, preventing sleep.
I have not used this remedy myself, but (if Allen's "Keynotes" are reliable) it must be of great value in affections of the most serious nature. A remedy recommended so highly, by such authority, for septicaemia, puerperal and surgical, and for diseases originating in ptomaine or sewer gas infection should not be passed lightly over. Let me quote: "The bed feels hard (ARNICA), PARTS LAID ON FEEL SORE AND BRUISED (BAPTISIA), rapid decubitus (CARBOL. ACID)." "GREAT RESTLESSNESS, must move constantly to > the soreness of the parts (ARNICA, EUPATOR. PERF.)." "Tongue: large, flabby; clean, smooth as if varnished; fiery red;
dry, cracked, articulation difficult."
Diarrhoea; horribly offensive (PSORIN.), brown or black (LEPTAND.), painless, involuntary, uncertain when passing flatus (ALOE, OLEANDER).
Did you ever meet such an array of symptoms in typhoid? I have, and when we remember that typhoid is often traced to defective drains, sewer gas, etc., as its cause, this remedy, if these symptoms are reliable, ought to be invaluable. The other symptoms given by Allen are just as valuable if true, and if not true the sooner they are proven to be untrue the better.
So far as prejudice against using such remedies is concerned, we should be as honest as was James B. Bell when he said of PSORINUM—"Whether derived from purest gold or purest filth, our gratitude for its excellent services forbids us to enquire or care." As might be expected, ANTHRACINUM is more like this than any other remedy. In all cases simulating septic fever or poisoning ARSENICUM, ANTHRACINUM and PYROGEN should be remembered. The horrible burning pains of the first two are prominent.