Cimex cimx.

Homœopathic Materia Medica

William Boericke · Homœopathic Materia Medica · 9th edition

Common name

Bedbug (CIMEX - ACANTHIA)

General

Of use in intermittent fever, with weariness and inclination to stretch. Hamstrings feel too short (Ammon mur). Flexors mostly affected. Sensation of retraction of arm tendons. Stretching.

Head

Violent headache, caused by drinking. Great rage; vehement at beginning of chilly stage. Would like to tear everything to pieces. Pain under right frontal bone.

Female

Shooting pain from vagina up towards left ovary.

Fever

Chilliness of whole body. Sensation as of wind blowing on knees. Pains in all joints, as if tendons were too short, especially knee-joints. Chill; worse lying down. Thirst during apyrexia, but little during chilly stage; still less during hot stage, and none during sweating. Musty, offensive sweat.

Bowels

Constipation, feces dry and in small balls (Op; Plumb; Thuj) and hard. Ulcer of rectum.

Dose

Sixth to two hundredth attenuation.

Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics

E. B. Nash · Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics · homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML text (Nash d. 1917; public domain)

Leaders

It has one characteristic symptom which has been verified. "Sensation as if the tendons were too short." There is sometimes actual contraction as if the legs cannot be stretched out. This has been verified in intermittent fevers, and only the other day (a short time ago) Dr. Brewster, of Syracuse, told of a case in which he was guided by this symptom.

A man was driving a fractious horse that started to run away with him. Thinking to give him enough of it he let the horse run, and when tired of running whipped him into running more until he had run him up a hill several miles long. The road over which he passed was very rough, and the man was so bruised and sprained about the buttocks and legs that he was confined to the house for a long time in consequence. It finally settled into what seemed likely to be a permanent contraction of the tendons of the lower limbs. No remedy relieved, until the good doctor bethought him of a case of intermittent fever which he had cured twenty years before, being guided by this symptom. He gave the patient a dose of Jenichen's 600th potency of Cimex, with immediate result, and cure of the case. "Honor to whom honor is due," even if it be a bed-bug.

Text Book of Materia Medica

Adolph Lippe · Text Book of Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML text (Lippe d. 1888; public domain)

Head

Violent headache, which almost deprives him of the power of thinking during the chill ; worse when he drinks.

Nose

Dryness of the nostrils. Constant sneezing in the forenoon. Fluent coryza, with pressure in the frontal sinuses.

Mouth and Throat

Tongue coated white. Swollen feeling of the tongue. Feeling as if burnt on the tongue, in the region of the palate and the upper anterior gums. Dryness of the throat, causing him to drink all day.

Stomach and Abdomen

Sour eructations. Pain in the liver, as if it had been strained by bending the right side inward ; the spot is painful when touching it and when coughing. Colic, followed by emissions of flatulence or liquid stools.

Stool and Anus

Stools hard, in small balls. After the discharge of a small piece of white stool the rectum closes firmly. Stools with hæmorrhoidal sufferings.

Urinary Organs

Urine brown, with a deposit of sediment (during the fever, when he drinks).

Respiratory Organs

Dry cough, with gagging, us if he would vomit, with perspiration.

Back

Pain in the small of the back, extending over the abdomen, with distention of the abdomen. Pain in the small of the back ; worse when sitting.

Extremities

Upper. Pain in the right shoulder and the anterior muscles of the chest, extending through the whole aim down the nails ; the fingers feel as if they had gone to sleep.

Fever

Pulse feeble ; intermitting. Before the cold stage, thirst ; heaviness in the lower extremities. At the beginning of the chill, clenching of the hands and violent rage. Chilliness over the whole body, followed by dry boat which is succeeded by some moisture over the skin. During the chill painfulness in all the joints ; sensation as if the tendons were too short ; the knee joints are most contracted ; the legs cannot be extended ; the chest feels oppressed, obliging one to take a long breath frequently ; irresistible sleepiness. At the end of the chill the legs feel tired ; the position of the legs has to he changed constantly ; this ceases during the hot stage. After the chill thirst, and when he drinks he is attacked with violent headache, which almost deprives him of the power of thinking ; tickling in the larynx, causing a continuous dry cough ; oppression of breathing ; heaviness in the middle of the chest ; anxiety. Amelioration if he does not drink. During the hot stage gagging in the œsophagus, which impedes inspiration ; thirstlessness, the water drank to allay the gag gagging goes down at intervals only ; the œsophagus feeble constricted. If he drinks during the fever he passes soon after very hot brown urine, depositing a good deal of sediment. The perspiration, after the hot stage, is accompanied by hunger. Perspiration mostly on the head and chest. During the intermittent fever, constipation ; stools dry.

Sleep

Great drowsiness ; falls asleep when sitting in the morning.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

John Henry Clarke · A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · 1st edition (1900-02, three volumes); homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML digitization

General

Acanthia lectularia. Cimex lectularius. Bedbug. N. O. Hemiptera. Tincture or trituration.

Clinical

Constipation. Cough. Hæmorrhoids. Intermittent fever. Liver, complaints of. Muscles, contraction of. Seminal emissions. Skin, affections of. Yawning.

Characteristics

Cimex is an ancient remedy for intermittent fever. A characteristic symptom is: "Weariness and inclination to stretch." The flexors are most affected; pains in all joints as if tendons were contracted and too short; every motion or stretching of arms or legs causes tightening pain in them. (Nash records the following cure by Dr. Brewster, of Syracuse. After driving a fractious horse that tried to run away over a very rough road a man was so bruised and sprained about the buttocks and legs that he was confined to the house for a long time in consequence. It settled finally into what appeared likely to be permanent contraction of the lower limbs. No remedy relieved till Dr. Brewster remembered a case of intermittent fever that he had cured twenty years before, being guided by this symptom. Cimex 600 (Jenichen) promptly cured.) Irresistible sleepiness. Frequent yawning; sensation as of a cold wind blowing on knees. Pains in all joints as if tendons contracted during chill. Chill commences with clenching of hands and violent raging. Before chill, thirst and heaviness in legs; less thirst with chill, still less with dry heat; none with sweat. After the chill, thirst, but drinking causes violent headache; tickling in larynx causing dry, continuous cough. Gagging and belching at end of cough. Heat with gaging; œsophagus feels constricted. Musty-smelling sweats. Night-sweats. Tertian and quartan intermittents. A. W. K. Choudhury relates a case of intermittent (quotidian) cured with Cimex 30, the chief indications being: "Chill slight; thirst some days, none other days; shiverings; passed water twice during chill; chill < by lying down; increase of cough if he drinks water during chill. " Stools with hæmorrhoidal sufferings. Stools hard in small balls; urging to stool; after the discharge of a small piece of white stool, rectum closes firmly. Incontinence of urine. Urine hot; brown or red sediment. Frequent erections in morning; seminal emissions. Urticarious eruption. Motion < . Stretching or extending the part < . Weariness compels to lie down. Sitting < pain in small of back. During rest: in morning, sweat on nose. Symptoms < in morning. < By drinking. The whole right side is especially affected.

Relations

Compare: Nat. m. (headache lessens in the sweating stage); Ars. (headache remains or increases in the sweating stage); Bell. (throbbing of the head in intermittents). Ars. and Bry. (gagging at end of cough).

Mind

Anxiousness. ─ Sensation as if he could creep into himself and on that account could not sufficiently crouch together. ─ His own sweat is disgusting to him. ─ Clenching of hands with violent rage at beginning of chill. ─ Anxiety after chill.

Head

Confusion of head as if headache would ensue. ─ Pain like needle stitches in vertex with cough. ─ Headache, almost depriving him of the power of thinking; most violent during the chill; caused by drinking. ─ Sweating on head, nose and chest.

Nose

Annoying dryness of nostrils. ─ Fluent coryza with pressure in frontal sinuses. ─ Constant sneezing in forenoon. ─ Sweat on nose, morning, during rest.

Mouth

Tongue coated white. ─ Swollen feeling of the tongue. ─ Feeling as if burnt on the tongue, in the region of the palate and the upper anterior gums.

Throat

Dryness of the throat, causing him to drink all day. ─ Œsophagus constricted; during the hot stage.

Stomach

Sour eructations.

Abdomen

Pain in the liver, as if it had been strained by bending the r. side inward; the spot is painful when touching it and when coughing. ─ Colic, followed by emissions of flatulence or liquid stools.

Stool and Anus

Stools hard, in small balls. ─ After the discharge of a small piece of white stool the rectum closes firmly. ─ Stools with hæmorrhoidal sufferings.

Urinary Organs

Urine brown, with a deposit of sediment (during the fever, when he drinks).

Respiratory Organs

Dry cough, with gagging, as if he would vomit, with perspiration. ─ Breathing oppressed after chill.

Chest

Chest feels oppressed during chill. ─ After chill, heaviness in middle of chest; anxiety.

Back

Pain in the small of the back, extending over the abdomen, with distension of the abdomen. ─ Pain in the small of the back; worse when sitting. ─ Weariness in loins, must sit down.

Limbs

Painfulness in all joints; sensation as if the tendons were too short (during the chill).

Upper Limbs

Pain in r. shoulder and the anterior muscles of the chest, extending through the whole arm down to the nails; the fingers feel as if they had gone to sleep. ─ At beginning of chill, draws fingers together making a fist.

Lower Limbs

During chill knee-joints most contracted; the leas cannot be extended. ─ At the end of chill, the legs feel tired; the position of legs must be changed constantly; this ceases during the hot stage. ─ Hamstrings feel too short, knees flexed; attempting to stretch them = pain in thighs. ─ Knees feel cold as from a cold wind.

Generalities

Pain in recti muscles of thighs, with oppression of the chest, shortness of breath, and frequent, deep inspiration, with a sensation as if he would creep into himself, and on that account could not sufficiently crouch together; every attempt to stretch out arms or legs causes tensive pain in these parts, and he suffers thirst rather than move.

Sleep

Great drowsiness; falls asleep when sitting in the morning. ─ Irresistible sleepiness during chill. ─ Frequent yawning; with cold feeling on skin.

Fever

Pulse feeble; intermitting. ─ Before the cold stage, thirst; heaviness in the lower extremities. ─ At the beginning of the chill, clenching of the hands and violent rage. ─ Chilliness over the whole body, followed by dry heat, which is succeeded by some moisture over the skin. ─ During the chill painfulness in all the joints; sensation as if the tendons were too short; the knee-joints are most contracted; the legs cannot be extended; the chest feels oppressed, obliging one to take a long breath frequently; irresistible sleepiness. ─ At the end of the chill the legs feel tired; the position of the legs has to be changed constantly; this ceases during the hot stage. ─ After the chill thirst, and when he drinks he is attacked with violent headache, which almost deprives him of the power of thinking; tickling in the larynx, causing a continuous dry cough; oppression of breathing; heaviness in the middle of the chest; anxiety. ─ Amelioration if he does not drink. ─ During the hot stage gagging in the œsophagus, which impedes inspiration; thirstlessness; the water drunk to allay the gagging goes down at intervals only; the œsophagus feels constricted. ─ If he drinks during the fever he passes soon after very hot brown urine, depositing a good deal of sediment. ─ The perspiration, after the hot stage, is accompanied by hunger. ─ Perspiration mostly on the head and chest. ─ During the intermittent fever, constipation; stools dry.

The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica

Constantine Hering · The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica · 1879–91

General

The bedbug. Hemiptera.
Known to Dioscorides, who mentions it in the treatment of fevers, and to Ebn Sina, who prescribed it in hysterical affections. It preserved its reputation through the Middle Ages, and is still in use among the people, especially the Italians, as a remedy for fever and ague.
Proved by W. Wahle, of Rome, in the 2d and 3d trituration, on Dr. Bertoldi, a woman past the change of life, and a girl æt. 17 ; also by Dr. Berridge, in the 200th dilution, on a man. Wahle made use of the 6th and 12th dilutions in the successful treatment of "most malignant and most obstinate tertian and quartan fevers, from three to four doses being sufficient."
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Headache with hiccough and dryness of throat , proving, N. Y. J. H., vol. 2, p. 462, 1874 ; Nocturnal emissions , Jeanes, Intermittent , T. D. Stowe, Allen's Therapeutics of Intermittent ; H. M., vol. 7, p. 162.

Mind

Anxiousness.
Anxious with the oppression of chest, pains in shoulder, and during the sweat has no rest anywhere.
At the setting in of the chilly stage her hands become clinched ; she becomes vehement ; would like to tear everything to pieces, and is scarcely able to restrain her rage. θ Intermittent.
Sensation as if he would creep into himself, and on that account could not sufficiently crouch together.
His own sweat is disgusting to him.

Sensorium

Dulness of head.

Inner head

Confusion of head, as if headache would ensue.
Pressing outward in forehead, first left then right side.
Drawing headache, particularly under right frontal bone.
Pain like stitches with needles in middle of vertex, and pressing pain in vertex with cough. θ Intermittent.
Headache, almost depriving him of power of thinking.
Headache of the most violent kind. θ Intermittent.
Violent headache caused by drinking. θ After chill.

Outer head

Sweating on head and nose or on head and chest.

Smell and nose

Annoying dryness of nostrils.
Fluent coryza, with pressure in frontal sinuses.
Constant sneezing in forenoon ; sneezing for an hour, at noon.
Sweat on nose in morning, during rest.

Teeth and gums

Violent itching on inner side of gum of upper jaw ; is compelled to rub it with tongue and finger, after which it pains as if burnt.

Taste, speech, tongue

Swollen feeling of tongue.
Tongue feels as if scalded ; coated whitish.
Feeling as if burnt on tongue, in region of palate and upper anterior gums.
Tongue whitish furred, feels scalded.
A taste like iron to the saliva.

Palate and throat

Pressure and gagging in œsophagus, which affects whole chest and impedes respiration ; although she is not thirsty, she drinks for the purpose of stopping the gagging.
Pressure and choking in gullet during fever heat, spreading through chest, impeding breathing ; no thirst, but when drinking to overcome the choking, the water goes down only at intervals, as if throat was contracted ; or, as if she had swallowed too large a morsel.
Palate and upper gums feel as if scalded.
Dryness of throat, causing him to drink all day.

Appetite, thirst. desires, aversions

Great hunger after heat.
Thirst : with dryness in throat ; but afraid to move to get a drink ; during apyrexia ; after chill ; before chill and immediately after, not with it.
Desire to drink, without thirst.

Eating and drinking

Water can only be swallowed at intervals, as if œsophagus were constricted.
After drinking, violent headache, tickling and cough, oppressive breathing, heaviness in chest and anxiousness.
Drinking during chill causes headache.
When the patient drank she lost breath, gagged, had dyspnœa and a gagging cough. θ Intermittent.
Many complaints do not appear at all if they abstain from drinking.

Hiccough, belching, nausea and vomiting

Hiccough slightly painful.
Qualmishness with fever.
Sour eructations ; sour vomit with cough.
Vomits ingesta from day before.
Vomituritio. θ Dry cough.

Hypochondria

Pain in liver, as if it had been strained by bending right side inward ; the spot is painful when touching it and when coughing.
Chronic liver complaint.

Abdomen and loins

Abdomen puffed up with backache.
Colic, followed by emissions of flatus or liquid stools.
Colic ceases after wind passes.

Stools and rectum

Relief from discharge of wind.
Constipation, feces dry and hard, like dog stool.
No stool for six days. θ Intermittent.
Urging to stool ; after discharge of a small piece of white stool rectum closes firmly.
Hemorrhoidal complaints ; hemorrhoidal pains with stool.

Urinary organs

Incontinentia urinæ ; ischuria.
During and after fever, urine very hot.
Urine brown, with a deposit of sediment.
Urine deposits a red coating on inside of vessel.
Urine less, more saturated, next day a red sediment.

Male sexual organs

Frequent erections in morning hours.
Seminal emissions.

Female sexual organs

Hot sensation inside the labia.

Pregnancy. parturition. lactation

(OBS :) Expels dead fetus and afterbirth.

Voice and larynx. trachea and bronchia

Tickling in larynx, causes a dry, continued cough as long as fever lasts.
Tightening pains in left side of trachea. θ Dry cough.

Respiration

Oppression of chest, shortness of breath, and frequent deep inspiration.
Loses breath when drinking, gags, has dyspnœa and a gagging cough. θ Intermittent.
During chill a constriction of chest, has often to take a deep inspiration. θ Intermittent.

Cough

Constant, short, dry cough, with painfulness.
Gagging cough when drinking. θ Intermittent.
Violent cough, with purulent sputa, and chill and fever in daily attacks.
Cough with a tense pain from upper left chest across to right, causing a shock, then dry cough often repeated, shaking middle part of lower chest, extending to liver.
Cough, with belching, gagging, or vomiting ; with perspiration ; at intervals with gagging and pain in chest.
Scratching sensation behind upper part of sternum causes a continued short cough.
Scraping, paroxysmal cough, which causes retching, with pain in middle of chest after coughing ; sternum painful to touch.

Inner chest and lungs

Concussive pain and pressure in chest behind sternum. θ Dry cough.
Chronic chest complaints.

Heart, pulse and circulation

Pulse feeble, intermitting.

Outer chest

Sternum painful to touch.
Scraping sensation beneath sternum with short cough.

Neck and back

Sensation of weariness and soreness in small of back.
Pain in small of back, extending over abdomen, with distension of abdomen.
Pain in small of back ; < when sitting.
Pain in region of sacrum and loins.

Upper limbs

Pain in right shoulder and anterior muscles of chest, extending through whole arm down to nails ; fingers feel as if they had gone to sleep.
Intermittent pricking pain in muscles at back of right upper arm.
At beginning of chill draws fingers together, making a fist. θ Intermittent.

Lower limbs

Uneasiness in lower limbs as if she was tired by walking. θ After chill.
Heaviness in lower limbs.
Great weariness in loins, she is obliged to sit down.
The pain in sacrum and right hip bone extends below knee ; has to loosen her garter and lie down.
Pain in recti muscles of thighs.
Chill with pain in muscles of thighs, knee joints and legs.
Knees feel cold, like from a cold wind.
Hamstrings feel too short, knees are flexed ; attempting to stretch them causes pain in thighs. θ During chill.
Cold feet at beginning of fever. θ Intermittent.

Limbs in general

Great weariness in limbs, with sleepiness.
She must change position of limbs constantly. θ After chill.
During chill hands and feet get cold and numb as if dead. θ Intermittent.
Every attempt to stretch out arms or legs causes tensive pains in these parts, and he suffers thirst rather than move.
Pains in all joints as if tendons were contracted and too short. θ During chill.

Rest. position. motion

During rest : in morning, sweat on nose.
Sitting : pain in small of back < ; falls asleep in morning.
Has to sit down ; loins or limbs are weary.
Must lie down ; on account of pain in sacrum and right hip bone.
Suffers thirst rather than move.
Great restlessness of lower limbs, like from overfatigue.
Must change position of limbs constantly.
Every movement, especially extending a limb, gives tensive pain in extensor tendons.
Stretching : on attempting to stretch legs, pain in thighs ; causes tensive pains in limbs ; all day inclination to ; during chill causes pains.
Weariness with inclination to stretch all day.

Sleep

Frequent yawning as if he had not slept well, with a feeling of coldness on skin, and a sensation as if wind was blowing on knees for several hours.
Gaping with cold feeling of skin.
Irresistible sleepiness.
She falls asleep in morning while sitting.
Sleepy with great weariness in limbs.
Sleep very restless during fever, wakens often and falls asleep again.

Time

In morning : sweat on nose ; falls asleep while sitting ; phlegm in throat ; dry cough from scratching under sternum ; chill and flushes on head ; sweating.
In forenoon : constant sneezing.
At noon : sneezing for an hour ; after aching in belly, loose stool.
At 3 P. M. : backache most violent.
Towards evening : urging without stool.
In evening : chilliness.
At night : night sweats.

Fever

Before chill, thirst and heaviness in legs.
Chill, commencing with clenching of hands and violent raging.
Evening chilliness without thirst ; her feet become cold first ; after this she has a cold shuddering, as if cold water had been poured over her, with painful prickings in centre of vertex for two hours.
During chilliness all her joints are painful, as if tendons were too short.
Chill, attended with pain in all joints ; sensation as if tendons were too short, knee joints are usually contracted, so that legs cannot be stretched ; chest feels oppressed, must take a long breath, frequently ; irresistible sleepiness ; hands and feet as if dead.
Well-marked chill followed by thirst, no fever. θ Intermittent.
After chill thirst, drinking, however, causes violent headache ; tickling in larynx, causing dry, continuous cough, which lasts through heat ; oppression of breathing, heaviness in middle of chest, and anxiety ; abstaining from drinking > all this.
The most violent headache, but only after chill. θ Intermittent.
During apyrexia much thirst, less with chill, during dry heat still less, none with sweat.
Chill terminates with a tired feeling in legs, obliging one to change position constantly.
Chilliness, followed by creeping flushes of heat on body, with sensation as if sweat would break out.
Chilliness over whole body, followed by dry heat, which is succeeded by some moisture over skin.
Heat : without thirst ; with gagging ; œsophagus feels constricted ; respiration is impeded.
Sweat, mostly on head and chest, accompanied by hunger but no thirst.
Musty smelling sweat, the odor to him is very offensive.
Sweat relieves all other symptoms ; during feverish affections.
Night sweats of several years' standing. θ Hemorrhoids.
Tertian and quartan intermittent .

Attacks, periodicity

Often repeated : dry cough ; yawning ; waking ; taking a long breath.
For an hour : sneezing.
For two hours : pricking in centre of vertex.
For several hours : sensation as if wind was blowing on knees.
All day : drinking on account of dryness of throat ; weariness with inclination to stretch.
Tertian and quartan intermittent.
For six days : no stool.
For several years : night sweats.

Locality and direction

Right : pressing outward in side of forehead ; headache under frontal bone ; pain in liver as if he had strained side by bending inward ; twitching in muscle of neck ; pain in shoulder extending through whole arm down to nails ; pricking pain in muscles at back of upper arm ; pain in hip bone extending below knee.
Left : pressing outward in side of forehead ; tightening pains in side of trachea.
From left to right : pain in upper chest ; headache.

Sensations

As if he would creep into himself and could not sufficiently crouch together ; as if tongue was swollen ; as if tongue was scalded ; as if burnt on tongue, in region of palate and upper anterior gums ; as if throat was contracted ; as if she had swallowed too large a morsel ; palate and upper gums as if scalded ; as if œsophagus was constricted ; as if he had liver strained by bending right side inward ; as if fingers were asleep ; as if hamstrings were too short ; as if hands and feet were dead ; as if tendons were contracted and too short ; as if wind was blowing on knees ; as if cold water had been poured over her, causing shuddering ; as if sweat would break out.
Pain : in small of back and abdomen ; in region of sacrum and loins ; in right shoulder ; muscles of chest ; in recti muscles of thigh.
Concussion : in chest behind sternum.
Scraping : cough causing retching ; beneath sternum.
Scratching : behind upper portion of sternum, causing cough.
Constriction : of chest.
Tightening pains : in left side of trachea ; in tendons and extensor muscles on motion.
Tense pain : from left upper chest across to right ; in arms and legs on attempting to stretch them ; in extensors.
Drawing : headache.
Pricking : in muscles at back of right upper arm ; in centre of vertex.
Pain like stitches with needles : in middle of vertex.
Pressure : in forehead ; in vertex with cough ; in frontal sinuses ; in œsophagus ; in chest behind sternum.
Oppression : of chest.
Heaviness : in chest ; in lower limbs.
Soreness : in small of back.
Pains : in shoulder ; in liver ; with stool ; in chest ; in middle of chest after coughing ; in small of back ; in region of sacrum and loins ; in right hip bone ; in thighs ; in all joints.
Dulness : of head.
Itching : on inner side of gum of upper jaw.
Tickling : after drinking ; in larynx.
Numbness : of hands and feet.
Weariness : in small of back ; in loins ; in limbs.
Tiredness : in legs ; at termination of chill.
Uneasiness : in lower limbs as if she had been tired by walking.
Hotness : inside labia.
Cold feeling : on skin.
Dryness : of nostrils ; of throat.

Tissues

Acts principally on portal system and liver.
The flexors are most affected ; every motion or stretching of extensor muscles causes a tightening pain in tendons and extensors.

Touch. passive motion. injuries

Touch : spot on right side painful to ; sternum painful to.
Pressure lessens aching in upper and lower jaw ; has to loosen her garter.
Rubbing : pain as if burnt in gum after.

Relations

Compare : Natr. mur . (headache lessens the sweating stage) ; Arsen . (headache remains or increases in the sweating stage) ; Bellad . (throbbing of head in intermittents).

The Therapeutics of Fevers

H. C. Allen · The Therapeutics of Fevers · 1902 Library of Congress printing (Allen d. 1909; public domain)

Characteristic

Affects the right side most. Violent headache during the chill, which almost deprives him of the power of thinking; worse when he drinks.

Pain in liver as if strained; painful when touched and coughing.

Constipation: stool dry, like small nuts, and only able to pass a small piece with each effort (Chel., Op., Plb., Thuja).

Cough: with gagging, belching or vomiting (Bry., Dros., Kali); with purulent sputa; in daily attacks with fever paroxysms.

Irresistible drowsiness and sleepiness (Ant. t., Nux m.).

Aggravation

Drinking: every movement, especially extending a limb, produces pain in extensor tendons; suffers the thirst rather than move.

Amelioration

By abstaining from drinking.

Type

Tertian or quartan.

Time

All periods, day or night.

Prodrome

Thirst; can drink before the paroxysm begins. Heaviness in lower limbs five or six hours before chilly stage begins (thirst with pains in bones of limbs one to three hours before chill begins, Eup.).

Chill

Without thirst. Chill commencing in the feet, which first become cold; clenching of hands; violent raging; cold shuddering, as if cold water were poured over her (Cinch., Rhus); stretching, yawning; great drowsiness during chilly stage, he is unable to resist sleep (Op.); hands and feet feel dead (fingers feel as if they were dead, Sep.—all the body feels numb, Ced.). During chill, pain in all the joints (pain in ankles and wrists, Pod.), as if tendons were too short, contracted, so that the legs cannot be stretched, particularly the knee joints, which he is unable to extend. Oppression of the chest; must take a long breath frequently (oppression of chest; he must be raised up in order to breathe, Apis). Chill terminates with a feeling in the legs as if tired by walking, obliging constant change of position of limbs. After the chill (instead of fever), thirst; but when he drinks, violent headache, which almost deprives him of the power of thinking; with tickling in the larynx, causing dry, uninterrupted cough; oppressed breathing; heaviness in the middle of chest and anxiety. Tormented with thirst, yet he abstains from drinking, because it makes headache and all the above symptoms unbearable (see Ars., Caps., Eup.).

Heat

Without thirst, but desire to drink nearly all day, on account of dryness of throat (Nux m.). When the dry heat sets in the uneasiness disappears, in place of which she feels a pres- sure and gagging in the œsophagus, affecting whole chest and im- peding respiration; when she drinks for the purpose of putting a stop to the gagging the water can only be swallowed at intervals, as if the œsophagus were constricted (Cic.). The gagging does not cease until hot stage terminates, after which ravenous hunger (hunger before chill, Cinch.—hunger during entire paroxysms,

Cina). If he drinks during heat is obliged to urinate soon after; urine hot and brown, depositing much sediment; continues hot even 24 hours after fever.

Sweat

Without thirst; > all the other symptoms (Nat.,

Psor.). Musty-smelling, sour sweat (Stan.); the odor is very offensive to him (Carbo a.). Light sweat, mostly on head and chest, with continued hunger (Eup.).

Tongue

Coated white; saliva collects on middle of tongue and tastes of iron; tongue, gums and palate feel burnt and scalded.

Throat dry, causing drinking.

Apyrexia

A good deal of thirst in this stage, in which, as in the prodrome, he can satisfy his thirst without headache, gagging or œsophageal constriction.

Analysis

Thirst; can drink only during prodrome. Con- traction of joints as if tendons were too short. Gagging, belch- ing or vomiting. Drinking causes violent headache.