====== CASE OF CINCHONA-POISONING.====== {{anchor:s2}}%%*[%%** London Monthly Homoeopathic Review, September, 1863.] {{anchor:s3}}BY DR. GONZALEZ, MADRID. {{anchor:s4}}On the 27th of October, last year, I was summoned to attend Mrs. E. L. de M., residing temporarily in this city, at No. 24 Rio Street. {{anchor:s5}}This lady, who was 24 years old, of lymphatic temperament and feeble constitution, had the appearance of one suffering from prolonged and deep-seated disease. {{anchor:s6}}The following are the pathological phenomena, gathered from the patient herself: {{anchor:s7}}In 1861, whilst residing in a town of Andalucia, she was attacked by ague, or intermittent fever, which was treated by large doses of Quinine. {{anchor:s8}}Although this drug removed the fever in a few days, her general health remained much impaired for some time afterwards. {{anchor:s9}}A gastric affection made its appearance, characterized by anorexia; foul taste in the mouth; burning sensation in the stomach; dyspepsia; costiveness; rheumatic pains in different parts of the body; general heat, with partial perspirations during the night, and great lowness of spirits. {{anchor:s10}}For the removal of these new symptoms, various means were employed, such as cathartics, Opium, and other so called "mild remedies;" but all were administered in vain; the disease became worse day by day. {{anchor:s11}}For a time the patient was treated homoeopathically, without much relief, and was unable to continue the treatment, on account of her removal from that part of the country. {{anchor:s12}}After this she became pregnant, and suffered much during gestation, and in her confinement, and was unable to nurse her child. {{anchor:s13}}In the summer of 1862, she placed herself once more under allopathic treatment. {{anchor:s14}}Her medical adviser thought her illness was the result of "heat of the blood" (ardor de la sangre), and recommended her to have recourse to the baths of the Guadalquivir; these, however, produced an effect contrary to what was expected, and aggravated the rheumatic pains already mentioned. {{anchor:s15}}She then returned to Homoeopathy, and obtained considerable relief. {{anchor:s16}}She soon afterwards left for Aranjuez, where she was again attacked by intermittent fever, and was once more treated with massive and repeated doses of Quinine. {{anchor:s17}}This remedy removed the ague again, but left the patient in a miserable condition, and suffering from symptoms which I shall mention hereafter. {{anchor:s18}}In this deplorable state she came to Madrid, to be treated exclusively on the homoeopathic system. {{anchor:s19}}The following is the pathological condition in which I found her at that time: {{anchor:s20}}Pallid skin, with a yellowish tint about the face; general emaciation; eyes dull and sunken, with a dark rim under the lower lids; anguished expression; lips dry and cracked; great heat; the inferior extremities edematous; the borders of the tongue red, the centre white; anorexia; thirst, increased during digestion; dyspepsia; costiveness. {{anchor:s21}}The liver and spleen were not over sensitive, but a slight pain was felt, on pressure, in the epigastric and hypochondriac regions. {{anchor:s22}}The patient complained much of the stomach, where she felt an intense heat; and was unable to bear any pressure around the waist. {{anchor:s23}}The above symptoms were accompanied by sleeplessness; weak and small pulse; aggravations of fever during the night, terminating in copious perspirations. {{anchor:s24}}Perspiration came on, also, during the day, when she happened to fall asleep, whilst reclining in her easy chair, wearied by suffering. {{anchor:s25}}The patient also suffered from a pertinacious though not very troublesome cough; strong rheumatic pains in different parts, particularly in the upper and lower extremities. {{anchor:s26}}The menses were generally profuse, bordering on menorrhagia, appearing always in advance of the ordinary time. {{anchor:s27}}The discharge was mixed with leucorrheal and serous matter. {{anchor:s28}}Her moral state was lamentable in more than one respect: her spirits were depressed; she was full of fears, and had not strength to walk, or even to nurse her baby, or to hold it in her arms. {{anchor:s29}}Her voice was weakened by her constant sufferings, and was hardly audible. {{anchor:s30}}Her husband and family were very anxious about her, and feared she would succumb under pulmonary or laryngeal phthisis. {{anchor:s31}}Upon reviewing the symptomatic group above recorded, I felt convinced that I had to deal with one of those medicinal affections, which Hahnemann has described as being more difficult to treat than natural diseases. {{anchor:s32}}In fact I had to combat the poisonous effects of Cinchona, taken in immense quantities, during two different attacks of intermittent fever. {{anchor:s33}}The state of my patient recalled to my mind the description given by Dr. Nunez of the symptoms produced by the abuse of Cinchona; the symptoms recorded by that physician, and those revealed in the present case are identical. {{anchor:s34}}Having thus established my diagnosis, the selection of the remedy was the next step. {{anchor:s35}}Pulsatilla was selected, because it corresponds perfectly with the cause of the disease, and is at the same time the most efficacious antidote to Cinchona. {{anchor:s36}}I therefore administered Pulsatilla200 three doses of five globules each, to be taken dissolved in two spoonfuls of water, every second day, an hour and a half before breakfast. {{anchor:s37}}Four days afterwards, I saw my patient again, and observing that she had gained relief, in every respect, I allowed the medicine to act, and merely prescribed Sacch. lact. {{anchor:s38}}On my third visit, on the 3d of November, I was struck by the progress of her recovery. {{anchor:s39}}The rheumatic pains had Almost left her, and all the other symptoms were much mitigated. {{anchor:s40}}Her moral condition and her countenance were cheerful. {{anchor:s41}}I still continued the Sacch. lact., and did not interfere with the action of the Pulsatilla. {{anchor:s42}}On the 11th of November all the morbid symptoms had disappeared, except the perspiration, which, however, was much subdued. {{anchor:s43}}On the 18th her condition was very satisfactory. {{anchor:s44}}She had gained strength, and was able to take an afternoon walk. {{anchor:s45}}-- The languid feelings were replaced by cheerfulness, and she was able to attend to mental and domestic occupations. {{anchor:s46}}The intestinal canal recovered its natural vigor, and resumed its daily functions. {{anchor:s47}}I continued the same prescription. {{anchor:s48}}On the 28th the menses made their appearance naturally, and she gained flesh gradually; she attended to domestic occupations with pleasure; her appetite, however, became almost voracious, so much so, as to produce suspicions of worms in the intestinal tube, for which I gave her Merc. sol. 200, two doses of four globules each, one dose to be taken immediately, and the other dose three days after. {{anchor:s49}}On the 5th, 13th and 20th of December, I had the pleasure to see that her health was in a normal state; and on the 26th I concluded my attendance, leaving a dose of five globules of Sulph.200, to be taken in eight days from that date, in order to destroy the predisposition to worms. {{anchor:s50}}She returned to Aranjuez with her husband and family. {{anchor:s51}}The rapid recovery of the patient in this case, gave great satisfaction to the family. {{anchor:s52}}The case from the first was considered hopeless, because of the intensity and long duration of the ailment, and the supposed predisposition to consumption. {{anchor:s53}}The above is one of the numerous cases of drug-poisoning often met within our practice; difficult to treat, and generally fatal; records of the irrational therapeutics of the old school, against which we cannot raise our voices too high. {{anchor:s54}}Finally, I would call the attention of my colleagues to the importance, shown in the case, of allowing a well-selected remedy to act fully, without repetition or interference. {{anchor:s55}}-- El Criteria Medico. ---- ====== DOCUMENT DESCRIPTOR ====== ^ Source: | The American Homoeopathic Review Vol. 04 No. 04, 1863, page 176-179 | ^ Description: | Case of Cinchona-poisoning. | ^ Remedies: | China officinalis | ^ Author: | Gonzalez | ^ Year: | 1863 | ^ Editing: | errors only; interlinks; formatting | ^ Attribution: | Legatum Homeopathicum |