The therapeutics of facial and sciatic neuralgias, with repertories and clinical cases

Preface

In the earlier years of my practice I had to treat quite a number of patients afflicted with Neuralgia ; it seemed to be almost like an epidemic. Being unable to obtain any but a very few, not very characteristic, symptoms, I made a study of the remedies having symptoms of Neuralgia in their pathogenesis. The notes then made were gradually added to, and I found them often of great benefit not alone in the treatment of Neuralgia, but of other diseases as well; and when they had nearly acquired the proportions of this work, concluded to add appropriate clinical cases and publish all, that others, who so desired, might derive benefit from it as well. Special attention has been paid to give all the modalities, as I have found myself and heard others in the profession to express the opinion, that they often point out the similimum.

I hope that the work may be a great help in alleviating human suffering and to further the cause of Homoeopathy.

INTRODUCTORY.

In diseases accompanied with very acute, excruciating suffering, where the patient often demands to be relieved of his torture at once, and is on account of the exquisite pain often unable to give symptoms whereby to select the similimum, the beginner in Homoeopathy, or he in whom sympathy, for the patient overcomes the faith that is in him, is easily tempted to use old school methods for the immediate relief of the patient. But is the patient really benefited thereby? Assuredly not ! Even though relieved at first, the pain soon returns, often with greater intensity, and, the symptoms being changed, the difficulty of finding the similimum is very much increased. .

Bnt if the physician has an efficient aid to help him to ascertain the proper indicated remedy, and has learned from experience that it is the easiest, quickest and most pleasant way to cure any curable disease, he will not be tempted thus, for knowledge is strength. This is my excuse for offering this special aid in the cure of neuralgia as my contribution for furthering the cause of pure

Homoeopathy ; and if every true Homoeopath would in a similar manner give his mite in furthering our cause, what a blessing would soon accrue to suffering humanity and how much easier would be the labor of the conscientious Homoeopath !

There may be those in our ranks who think that there are many unnecessary repetitions and useless symptoms given. True, I have endeavored to give all symptoms I could find directly connected with the matter in hand, but the repetitions will be found on closer scrutiny to be only apparently such and to vary somewhat in their modalities, location, etc.; and as to the uselessness of any symptom, how can anyone affirm such to be the case ? Those frequently styled " useless chaff" are named so because they do not occur very frequently, but are they not therefore the more peculiar and characteristic ? I have frequently seen such rare symptoms lead to a grand cure.

While collecting material for this work I noticed in Dr. T. F. Allen's materia medica the following symptom under Phosph.: "Sleep:" * * * on falling asleep, * * * "automatic movements, as in sexual intercourse !" and thought at the time it would probably never be found in actual practic ; yet, before the year passed, this very symptom led me to give Phosphorus to a gentleman, set. 65 years, who showed this symptom, been sick for fifteen years, and it proved a brilliant cure !

A failure being often more instructive than an actual cure leads me to report the following :

The patient, set. 45, a wood carver, suffered from tearing, shooting, agonizing pain in right side of face and head, especially in right occipital region, somewhat relieved by warmth and rubbing (which he had done so continuously that the painful spot there was denuded of hair); were worse evenings and at night, preventing sleep and accompanied with distortions of the muscles of the face and an involuntary upward jerking of the right arm and leg.

He had been for five weeks under the care of a Homoeopath without any improvement. I attended him for ten days also with negative results. Then he had a small piece of a root of a right molar tooth extracted, against my advice, with almost instant relief, my dismissal following. The respite, however, was short, the neuralgia returning with increased fury. He was sent to a hospital, where after a few weeks a deep right mastoid abscess showed redness and swelling externally; this was opened, the pus and detritus evacuated ; in due time the wound healed and the patient was permanently relieved.

It is self-evident that not all symptoms and modalities, which may occur in a case of neuralgia, could be incorporated in this work as that would require the whole materia medica. Only such symptoms, are given as were found in the works hereinafter referred to, directly connected with the disease under consideration ; the- study of the materia medica, Boenninghausen's Therapeutic Pocketbook and other aids, besides this monograph, must not be neglected. In undeveloped cases, where no symptoms can be discovered for the selection of the remedy, it may be necessary to give one of the following grand antipsorics to develop them, as : Calc. c, Carbo veg., Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Psorinum, Sepia, Sulphur; and to antidote previous drugging : Arsenicum, China, Natrum mur., or Nux vom., may be found needful.

Such clinical cases have been introduced as tended to illustrate the action of the remedy and potency employed ; as to the potency best suited in a given case of neuralgia, I am convinced that the higher act best as a rule. Though I would not condemn nor reject entirely the low potencies, I must say that he who has never used the higher and highest potencies has never seen all the beauties and the grandeur of Homoeopathy. What music could be produced on a violin if each string could be caused to give forth but one note, instead of several octaves, each note differing from the preceding one on the same string in pitch and volume, due to the change of the string in length and tension. Is it not possible that a a similar difference exists between the different potencies of the same remedy, and therefore the difference in the action?

The whole is arranged strictly alphabetical, first the remedies and their symptoms with clinical cases ; at the conclusion of this a very complete Eepertory follows each part, which for the sake of convenience is divided in six parts, viz :

1st. Aggravations. 2d. Amelioration. 3d. Causes. 4th. Concomitants ;

After.

Before.

— • During.

5th. Direction, Location. 6th. Pains and Sensations.

Under Sepia, Part I., and Sulphur, Part II., are given illustrations of how to work out a case by the cheeking method.

Notice of any errors of omission or commission will be thankfully received.

Brooklyn j December 16, 1896.

AUTHOKS CONSULTED.

Hering's Guiding Symptoms.

Hering's Condensed Materia Medica.

Allen's Hand-book of Materia Medica.

Hahnemann's " Chronic Diseases."

Farrington's Clinical Materia Medica.

The Homoeopathic Physician, from 1884 to 1896.

The Medical Advance, from 1886 to 1894.

The North American Journarl of Homoeopathy.

Hahnemannian Monthly.

Medical Current.

Homoeopathic Eecorder.

AND

THEIR ABBREVIATIONS.

Aeon.,

Aconitum nap.

^Esc, iEsculus hip.

Agar.,

Agaricus muse.

Agn.,

Agnus cast.

Ail.,

Ailanthus gland.

Aloe.,

Aloe socot.

Alum.,

Alumen.

Alumi.,

Alumina.

Am. m.,

Ammonium mur.

Am. p.,

Ammonium picricum

Aps.,

Apis mel.

Arg. m.,

Argentum met.

Arg. n.,

Argentum nitr.

Arn.,

Arnica mont.

Ars.,

Arsenicum alb.

Asar.,

Asarum Eurpseum.

Atrop.,

Atropine.

Aur.,

Aurum met.

Aur. mur.,

Aurum muriaticum.

Bar. acet.,

Baryta acetica.

Bell.,

Berb.,

Berberis vulgare.

Bism. n.,

Bismuthum nitric.

TABLE OF REMEDIES.

Bry.,

Cact., Calc. c, Calc. p., Caps. , Carbl. ac, Carbn. s., Carb. v., Card, m., Caust., Cedr., Cep., Cham., Chel., Chin, ars., Chin, off., Chin, s., Cimcfg., Cin., Cinn., Clem., Cocci., Cocc, Cocc. c, Cod., Cofi°. c, Coff. t,, Colch., Coloc, Con., Croc. , Crot. h., Cupr. act., Cupr. m.,

Bryonia alba.

Cactus grandiflor.

Calcarea carb.

Calcarea phos.

Capsicum.

Carbolic acid.

Carboneum sulph.

Carbo veg.

Carduus mar.

Causticum.

Cedron.

Cepa.

Chamomilla.

Chelidoneum.

Chinin. arsenicum.

China officinalis.

Chininum sulph.

Cimicif uga racernosa.

Cina.

Cinnabaris^ Clematis erecta.

Coccionella.

Cocculus Indicus.

Coccus cacti.

Codeinum.

CofFea cruda.

Coffea tosta.

Colchicum autumnale.

Colocynthis.

Conium maculatum.

Crocus sativus.

Crotalus horridus.

Cuprum aceticum.

Cuprum metallicum.

TABLE OF REMEDIES.

CUT.,

Curara.

Diosc,

Dioscorea villosa.

Dros.,

Drosera rotundifolia.

Dulc,

Dulcamara.

Elat.,

Elaterium.

Eup. purp.,

Eupatoriuin purpur.

Euph.,

Euphorbium.

Ferr.,

Ferrum metallicum.

Ferr. phos.,

Ferrum phosphoricum

Gels.,

Gelsemium.

Glon.,

Glonoinum.

Gnaph.,

Gnaphalium.

Guaj.,

Guajacum.

Hekl.,

Hekla lava.

Hel.,

Helleborus niger.

Hep.,

Hepar sulph. cal.

Hydrctl.,

Hydrocotyl Asiatica.

Hydrcy. ac,

Hydrocyanic acid.

Hyper.,

Hypericum.

Ign.,

Ignatia amara.

Ind.,

Indigo.

Ipec.,

Ipecacuanha.

Iris v.,

Iris versicolor.

Kali bi.,

Kali bichromicum.

Kali c. ,

Kali carbonicum.

Kali cy.,

Kali cyanatum.

Kaliiod.,

Kali iodatum.

Kali mur.,

Kali muriaticum.

Kali phos.,

Kali phosphoricum.

Kalm.,

Kalmia.

Kreos.,

Kreosotum.

TABLE OF REMEDIES.

Lac. c,

Lac caninum.

Lach. ,

Lachesis.

Led.,

Ledum pal.

Lob.,

Lobel. inn.

Lycopd.,

Lycopodium.

Lyss.,

Lyssin.

Macro.,

Macrotin.

Mag. c,

Magnesium carb.

Mag. phos.,

Magnesium phos.

Medor.,

Medorrhinum.

Meny.,

Menyanthes.

Merc, v.,

Mercurius vivus.

Mez.,

Mezereum.

Naja,

Naja trip.

ISTatr. m.,

Natrum mur.

Katr. s.,

Natruin sulph.

Nitr. spts. die,

Nitri spiritus dulcis.

Kux m.,

Nux moschata.

Nux v.,

Nux vomica.

Petr.,

Petroleum. -

Phos.,

Phosphorus.

Phos. ac,

Phosphoric acid.

Phyt.,

Phytolacca.

Pip. meth.,

Piper methysticum.

Plant, m.,

Plantago major.

Plat.,

Platinum met.

Pluinb.,

Plumbum.

Pod.,

Podophyllum.

Polyp, off.,

Polyporus officinalis.

Prun. sp.,

Prunus spinosa.

Psor.,

Psorinum.

Puis.,

Pulsatilla.

Ean. b.,

Ranunculus bulb.

TABLE OF REMEDIES.

Rhod.,

Rhododendron.

Ehus t.,

Rhus toxicodendron.

Rob.,

Robinia.

Ruta gr.,

Ruta graveolens.

Sabad. ,

Sabadilla.

Sabin.,

Sabina.

Sang.,

Sanguinaria.

Sep.,

Sepia.

Sil.,

Silica.

Spig.,

Spigelia.

Spong.,

Spongia.

Stan.,

Stannum metallicum

Staph.,

Staphisagria.

Stil.,

Stillingia sylvatica.

Stram.,

Stramonium.

Sulph. ,

Sulphur.

Sulph. ac,

Sulphuric acid.

Syph.,

Syphilinum.

Tabac. ,

Tabacum.

Tel.,

Tellurium.

Tereb.,

Terebinth.

Thuj.,

Thuja.

Yaler.,

Yaleriana.

Yerat. alb.,

Yerat rum album.

Yerat. v.,

Veratrum viride.

Yerb.,

Yerbascum.

Yisc,

Yiscum album.

Zinc. ,

Zincum metallic.