A domestic homœopathy : restricted to its legitimate sphere of practice; together with rules for diet and regimen

Preface

A domestic practice of Medicine, in order to be useful, must be confined to its legitimate sphere of action, being called into requisition, either in times of sudden emergency, when no better means are within reach, or in those ordinary cases for which no further knowledge is needed beyond the elementary notions of Anatomy and Disease in general, which most intelligent persons possess. A slight indigestion, or a common cold, may always thus be safely treated : an acute inflammation of the lungs, or a complicated chronic affection of the digestive organs, imperatively demand all the resources of professional skill.

Under the old systems of Medicine, which may justly be charged with an empirical use of strong remedies, many lives have been lost for want of attention to this most obvious truth, and the same evil, though in a less degree, has attended the Domestic Practice of Homoeopathy.

b

IV

PREFACE.

To give some idea of the mischievous lengths to which amateurs will go, T may instance two cases in which the lives of the patients paid the forfeit. The first, which was a Pleurisy, was regarded as a slight Rheumatic affection, with symptoms of indigestion : the second, an acute Inflammation of the Lungs, was supposed to he a common cold and cough. Both of these were treated in accordance with the erroneous conclusions arrived at, so that those medicines, wdiich were calculated to act upon the really affected tissues and organs, w'ere withheld until the vital resources were past rallying, and, when competent advice was sought, it was too late.

The works hitherto written to adapt Homoeopathy to domestic purposes, however great their intrinsic merits in many respects, have not a little contributed to aggravate the mischief. Being composed at a time when country practitioners of the new school w^ere hardly to be met with, and the non-professional homoeopathist was often driven to act as a physician by the force of circumstances over which he had no control, it was absolutely necessary to include

PEE FACE

V in the plan a number of subjects, which in treatises of this kind would otherwise have been completely out of place. This state of things is fast passing away, and it is, therefore, evident, that the semi-popular, semi-professional character of the manuals which are in vogue must daily lessen their usefulness, and render them objectionable, and even dangerous, in the hands of the untaught.

The conviction that the time is now come in which another description of book is wanted by the non-medical public, has led me to compose the present work. Its principal object is explained by its title; namely, to restrict the Domestic Practice of Homoeopathy to its proper limits.

The attainment of this object has been attempted, first of all, by leaving out the whole of that class of diseases, which none but qualified persons should undertake, with the exception only of those sudden and urgent cases, not to be mistaken, which require immediate attention before better advice can be procured.

Moreover, it is laid down as an invariable rule, that if any disorder is not cured hy the treatment

VI

PREFACE.

enjoined — a treatment based upon numerous cases of private and dispensary practice — a medical man ought to he called in. As little as possible is left to the uninstructed judgment* with regard to the choice and repetition of remedies, it being impossible to allow it much latitude without also greatly increasing the chances of the commission of dangerous mistakes. For the same reason, the directions of the physician should be implicitly followed ; as there is nothing more calculated to hinder the success of the most enlightened practitioner, than for a patient to be continually dabbling in remedies on his own responsibility.

Great pains have also been taken to set forth sound and practical views on the subject of Diet and Regimen, there being no kind of information more needed, either by the healthy or the sick, owing to the erroneous opinions on these matters, wFich prevail so widely among the public.

There are yet two more objects to be men-

* Should matters go on favourably, the course of treatment prescribed may be shortened, but on no account should any addition or rejyctition he niade.

PEEFACE.

Vll tioned, which have not been lost sight of in this work.

The one is to furnish persons, who are under regular Homoeopathic Treatment, with supplementary advice and explanation concerning remedies and terms, with which medical men too often take it for granted that they are acquainted. The other is to give the practitioner of the old school an opportunity of testing Homoeopathy in slight cases, which are often much more tedious when treated according to the common method, and thus lead him on to the study of the great, noble, and beneficial discoveries of the immortal Hahnemann.

13, Maddox Street, Bond Street,

December, 1847.

In the present edition, the author has availed himself of the friendly suggestions of his medical colleagues and others, to improve the work. Accordingly, very considerable additions have been made in the subject-matter ; the prescriptions throughout have been rendered more simple ; and also, for the greater convenience of reference, the Index has been much enlarged.

13, Maddox Street, Bond Street,

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

For the convenience of reference, this work is divided into Two Parts.

The First Part is devoted to the consideration of Diet and Regimen, of Diseases in general, and of Homceopathic Remedies.

1. A. Under the head of Diet, a concise exposition is given of the General Principles upon which all sound dietetic rules are founded, with a view to the individual regulation of food under a variety of circumstances incidental to human life, such as climate, age, social condition, the state of health, and the like. A brief survey of alimentary substances, and of their preparation, together with a Dietary for the sick, especially adapted to those under Homoeopathic treatment, have been added.

B. Under that of Regimen, analogous instruction will be found for the regulation of the following accessory means of promoting health.

X

INTKODUCTOEY REMARKS.

viz., Air and Light, Clothing, Exercise, Sleep, Cleanliness, and the Moral Habits.

2. The remarks on Diseases in general have a reference to their conventional classification, and to the conduct of non-professional persons with regard to their treatment.

3. Under the head of Homceopathic Remedies, the following subjects are treated of, viz., the Preparation, Dilution, and Administration of Remedies, Medicinal Aggravation, and Remedial Antidotes, only, however, at such length as is necessary to the right understanding and use of the second Part of this work.

A short Exposition of the actions and distinctive features of the principal remedies recommended, and a General Summary of the rules to be observed under Homoeopathic treatment, are also included.

The Second Part is exclusively devoted to the Treatment, and is subdivided into four parts.

The Diseases of Infants and Children form the first division ;

The Complaints of Women, the second ;

Common Disorders (i. e., which are irrespective of age or sex), the third ; and lastly.

Accidental Disorders (/. e., which arise from a

INTEODUCTOKY BEMAEKS.

XI variety of casual influences in connexion with diet and regimen, or with mechanical or specific injuries,) constitute the fourth division.

Throughout these divisions, the various disorders and ailments are arranged according to anatomical order.

A Table of the Medicines recommended, together with necessary explanations and directions, will be found at the commencement of this work.

AND

GENERAL DIRECTIONS.

Diet and Regimen. — In all cases, in which a special diet and regimen are not enjoined, it is taken for granted that the Homoeopathic Dietary, and likewise the general rules with regard to Regimen, will be referred to for guidance.

Prescriptions. — There are two modes in which medicines are prescribed to be taken ; namely, in Single (undivided), and in Divided Doses.

A. When the remedy is to be administered in a Single (undivided) Dose, the best way is to place the dr^ globules on the tongue, and allow them to dissolve in the mouth ; and this is taken for granted when the prescribed directions have reference only to the period of administration of one or more remedies.

XIV

EXPLANATIONS.

For example : Sulph., 3 globules, IStli dilution, or Nux VoM., 3 globules, 12tb dilution, signify that 3 globules of the 18th dilution of Sulph., or of the 12th Nux Vom., are to be taken drij on the tojigue at one dose.

B. When, however, the medicine is to be exhibited in Divided Doses, an equal division is best effected by dissolving the total number of globules prescribed in as many tea or dessert sjjoonfuls (which are perhaps as good conventional measures as any) of pure cold water as there are fractional parts indicated.

For Example: Ipec., 9 globules, 3rd dilution, m solution., a sixth part every four hours, or Hep. Sulph, 9 globules, 5 th dilution, one fourth night and morning, signify that 9 globules of the 3rd dilution of Ipec. are to be dissolved in six teaspoonfuls of cold water, and taken in doses of one teaspoonfid every four hours, or that 9 globules of the 5 th dilution of Hep. Sulph. are to be dissolved in four tea or dessert spoonfuls of cold water, and taken in doses of one tea or dessert spoonful night and morning, until finished.

Periods of Administration. — The remedies are usually prescribed at specified intervals, either in regular succession, or in alternation.

EXPLANATIONS.

XV

A. When the medicines are prescribed in regular succession, and at fixed intervals, care should be taken neither to exclude 'proper, nor to include improper periods, in calculating the time at which each successive remedy ought to be taken.

Examples: Nux Vom., 3 globules, 12th dilution, SuLPH., 3 globules, 18th dilution, and Bey., 3 globules, 12th dilution, are to be administered, in succession, every fourth night. Such a prescription would signify (supposing the first remedy to be taken on the 1st of the month, and Monday to be the corresponding week day) that Sulph. is to be taken on Friday the 5th, and Bey. on Tuesday the 9th.

Again, a prescription which runs thus. Begin with Cham., 3 globules, 12th dilution, then in three days give Aen., 3 globules, 12th dilution, and lastly, Sulph., 3 globules, 18th dilution, in four days more, would signify (adopting the preceding supposition with regard to the day of the week and month) that Aenica is to be taken on Thursday the 4th, and Sulph., on Monday the 8th.

The same prescription might be thus worded.

Administer Cham., 3 globules, 12th dilution, then

wait three days, and give Aen., 3 globules, 12th

c

XVI

EXPLANATIONS.

dilution ; lastly, after a further interval of four days, exhibit Sulph., 3 globules, 18th dilution.

The terms day and night in all the prescriptions are synonymous, and stand for periods of twenty -four hours.

B. When medicines are prescribed alternately, they should be given each in turn.

Example : Agon., 9 globules, 3rd dilution, and Bell., 9 globules, 3rd dilution, are prescribed alternately, in doses of a sixth part, every two hours. Accordingly (supposing the first dose of Agon, to have been given at one o’clock) the first dose of Bell, will be given at three, the second dose of Agon, at five, and the second of Bell., at seven o’clock, and so on for the remaining doses of each medicine.

Administration of Remedies. — When a remedy is prescribed to be taken at intervals of twenty-four hours, or of several days, the best time for its administration is just before going to bed at night. The remedy should be administered fasting ; and (if practicable) at least one hour should elapse before taking a meal, after the exhibition of the remedy, or after a meal, before taking the remedy.

Doses. — The doses usually prescribed through-

EXPLANATIONS.

XVll out this work will very seldoin prove too large. Nevertheless, in the case of very young and delicate infants, or in that of persons who are extremely susceptible to the action of Homoeopathic Eemedies, Single (undivided) Doses of 3 globules may he reduced to 1 or 2 globules, or even to half a globule, when administered dry upon the tongue ; or else they may be given ivithout reduction, provided they are dissolved in two or three teaspoonfuls of cold water. No diminution will he required for the Divided Doses, seeing that the tendency of solution is to render the action of Homoeopathic remedies more mild.

*** It is of much importance to procure the medicaments from trustworthy persons : in reference to which subject, the author can safely recommend Mr. William Headland, (of 15, Princes Street, Hanover Square, London, and 63, Hanover Street, Edinburgh,) Homoeopathic Chemist, whose integrity and intelligence may always be relied on.

XIX m

W o

I

p

O

W

hJ

P

H w

q;

o

A

o

y

Pi cn

W

h

O

Q

NH

H

<1

P

O

HH

H

P

P

Cfi

W

S b;

<1

o

p

P c«

:z

H

HH w

p

m

m

<1

H

p

H

p

H o

*-4->

c

-o

P

M

Oj y

C a>

a o

o>

Ph

5^ fe3

a> r

•S a p

> 'Spz

!^' a s r

&|'|^s !s 5 P S QOUP^

PJS-C ^ l-l M IH ^

CO CO CO CO

P a O^ 3

g o §

:3

^ M B a "I

o'c

O c^ , pH

q<p a®

o 2

■a’s

TO Q

3 oO iT 1 1 I.

o S o5

- 73 "3

S § 3 g o'3'o to£ o S

S'S S'" s M?

° ^ I a a 3 s

QJ •to

^ So

0^0

.« o tiJ pp o ^

^'3 =

Oh .3 g

^ O.aS O

^ 2 s O as 3 o

}^ P ct

a ci C o i .P 3Ug

i-l.

3 -2

,er?s <

o ^ ‘Xj -O

o.p'SP e

3P a

.2^

'o

p

o

C/J P

■^■^■^(^(3(366 ^

Oh —

3 a G

p ^'a

3 ^ fcH •

« O s= Jai P t2 O

^ o rxJ o hC w ^ >-»^->

== 3 ^.35 3 3 - ^

4P 0 O

sp.a a

X sp ""fa

p^ops ^

G

Qj a; - - n o

TABLE OF MEDICINES {contmued).

XX

C5 O' »-« CN CO COX^CO Oi O

rH ^ ^ rH ^ rH r-^ o<i eo T}< ^ t>*

CS (M <N

Supplementary Medicines— Camphor (strong) Tincture, and Cuprum (Copper), 5th dilution.

Contents

Page

Preface ......... iii

Introductory Eemarks ...... ix

Explanations and Greneral Directions .... xiii

Table of Medicines ....... xix

PART I. Of Diet and Regimen ...... 1

Of Meals 11

Animal Food ........ 20

Vegetable Food ........ 27

Condiments ........ 35

Diet of the Sick ........ 40

Homoeopathic Dietary ...... 43

Observations on Homoeopathic Dietary . * .51

Air and Light ........ 53

Moral Habits ........ 65

Diseases in Greneral . . . . . . .65

XXll

CONTENTS.

Page

Homoeopathic Remedies ...... 67

Homoeopathic Preparations . . . . . .67

Administration of Remedies . . . . .70

Medicinal Aggravation . . . . . .71

Remedial Antidotes ....... 72

Actions and distinctive features of the principal Remedies 73 General Summary of Rules . . . . . .76