Homeopathic Remedies for Phthisis or Consumption

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Phthisis or Consumption

This is a disease caused by a minute germ called the Tubercle Bacillus (shortly called T.B.). This germ enters into our lungs through our inhaling the fine particles of cough when a phthisical patient sneezes or coughs before us or on our face, or if dried phthisical sputum spat long ago by a phthisical patient is swept into the air of occupied room. It also enters into our digestive canal with food or drink contaminated by the germs. Flies sitting on sputum of phthisical patients transfer the germ to the food on which the flies next settle. This disease is hereditary in the sense that the offsprings of phthisical parents are bom with a predisposition or susceptibility to be attacked with this disease. Chronic malnutrition, living in damp, dark, ill- ventilated room, debilitating conditions (like diabetes, repeated child-birth, continuous fatiguing labour) are the contributory causes. Wherever the tubercles bacilli lodge inside our body— whether in the lungs or intestines, bones, or liver or eyes they give rise to small inflammatory pimples called Tubercles. These tubercles (or small inflammatory elevations) break down, cause ulceration form pus (which in the case of lungs is thrown up as phlegm), or give rise to bleeding (haemoptysis, in the case of lungs; melaena, if from bowels). Low evening rise of temperature. Night-sweat, progressive emaciation and loss of weight, hacking cough are the usual symptoms of lung-phthisis.

The germ is found in the sputum, urine, faeces, as well as in the lungs, liver, intestines, bones, coverings of brain of animals affected by it.

Treatment

Bacillinum Tubercullinum 30-200—Useful in all stages of the disease. Some of the indications for its use Cough at first dry, then moist, with profuse expectoration of phlegm; great susceptibility to catch cold; emaciation is progressive from the very commencement of illness; pains and other symptoms are constantly changing.

Calcarea Carb. 6-30—Loss of appetite; acid eructations, especially after taking ghee, oil or sweet things; increase of cough at night; thick purulent sputum; weakness, hӕmoptysis; tenderness of chest.

Calcarea Phos. 12x (trit.) 30—Anaemia; copious night- sweats, rendering extremities cold; diarrhoea with slight rise of temperature; dryness of throat.

Ars. Iod 6—Diarrhoea and high rise of temperature.

Belladonna 3-6—Dry cough; throat is tender to pressure; hoarse voice; rise of temperature in the evening; bloody sputum brought up after prolonged coughing; pain in the chest and increase of coughing on retiring to bed.

Iodium 3-6—Phthisis with enlargement of glands; pain in abdomen and diarrhoea; skin dry and harsh; face flushed; sharp appetite; indigestion for fatty foods and milk- preparations; rapid emaciation.

Phosphorus 3-30—To be taken once a day. Pulse is soft and quick; skin dry and hot; dry hacking cough with pain in the chest; sputum yellowish and foul-smelling, from ulceration of lungs; diarrhoea and sweat are invariably present; weakness; bloody sputum; aggravation of pain and fever in the evening.

Ferrum Met. 3 (trit.) 6—Swelling of the extremities; anӕmia; hacking cough, pain in the chest and blood-spitting.

Pulsatilla 6—Indigestion for oily things; increase of phlegm; at night; sputum is thick, yellow and bitter.

Lycopodium 12-30—Dysentery; pain in the abdomen; constipation owing to swelling of large intestines; loss of appetite; blood-spitting; exhaustion following hacking cough; inflammation of lungs; foul eructations; heaviness after even a small meal and constant fermentation in the intestines.

Arsenic 6-30—Useful in all stages of the disease and especially in the diarrhoea of the last stage.

Hepar Sulphur 3-30—Voice is hoarse; bloody or purulent expectoration; difficulty of breathing on lying down. This medicine is very useful to those young-people who have glands enlarged in their neck.

Malaria Officinalis 3x—Useful to those consumptives who live in regions where malaria or its causes flourish.

Natrum Ars. 3 (trit.)Dose 3 gr. thrice daily. It is a useful medicine in hacking cough with profuse greenish expectoration. Stop the medicine as soon as the greenish expectoration disappears.

Thalaspi Bursa Pestoris 3x—Used in blood-spitting.

Millefolium 1x-30—If frothy blood is expectorated with slight effort.

Sulphur 30—Should be given occasionally in chronic cases.

Aconite 6, Drosera 6, Stannum 6, Calcarea Ars. 3x (trit.), Bryonia 6, Carbo veg. 30, Hamamelis Ɵ or 1x, Psorinum 200, are occasionally useful.

Diet etc.—Take plenty of rest in open air, preferably in pine or orange forests or by the sea. Take milk, ghee and easily assimilable food. Goat’s meat and milk are preferable. Cod-liver oil (or pancreatic or petroleum emulsions) is highly recommended. Fruits are recommended- particularly oranges, mangoes, dates, etc. A daily warm sponging is desirable and while it is necessary to keep comfortably warm; flannel should be worn.

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