====== DIAGNOSTIC INDICATIONS OF THE TONGUE.====== 

{{anchor:s2}}[A lecture delivered before the Homoeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania and published at the request of the class.]

{{anchor:s3}}By C. G. Raue, M. D., Philadelphia, PA.

{{anchor:s4}}Much attention has always been paid by the physicians of all schools to this important organ. {{anchor:s5}}Indeed it often presents characteristic, diagnostic and therapeutic indications, the most important of which I shall bring before you.

{{anchor:s6}}1st, <span grade2>Its color</span>. {{anchor:s7}}It is either too red all over, as in scarlet fever, with considerably raised papillae, whence the name <span grade2>strawberry tongue</span>, or <span grade2>red</span> and <span grade2>dry</span> as in inflammation of the brain and its membranes, in inflammation of the thoracic viscera and the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines, or <span grade2>red on the edges, and on the tip, or a red, dry streak in the middle</span> as in typhoid fever, or <span grade2>red, clean and glossy</span>, indicating great fever, heat, congestion to the head, impending delirium, and gastric fevers the transition into the typhoid state, if <span grade2>chapped</span> at the same time, ulceration of the bowels. {{anchor:s8}}A <span grade2>pale tongue</span> is found in chills, in spasms, after loss of vital fluids, in chlorosis, dropsy, and general exhaustion. {{anchor:s9}}If it sets in in exanthamatic, gastric or bilious fevers it denotes a fatal issue. {{anchor:s10}}A <span grade2>lead-colored tongue</span> is found in cholera, in mortification of the lungs and stomach, in schirrus of the tongue. <span grade2>{{anchor:s11}}Lead-colored, covered with aphthae</span> denotes impending death under all circumstances. {{anchor:s12}}A <span grade2>blueish tongue</span> is a sign of impeded circulation of the blood, whence it may be found in paroxysms of asthma, whooping-cough, croup, bronchitis, pneumonia, heart diseases, dropsy of the chest, and cyanosis. {{anchor:s13}}It is also found in scurvy and mercurial inflammation of the tongue.

{{anchor:s14}}2nd, <span grade2>Its humidity</span>. <span grade2>{{anchor:s15}}A moist tongue</span> is generally a favorable sign; but in putrid fevers with exhausting perspiration it has no such favorable meaning. {{anchor:s16}}A <span grade2>constant moist tongue</span> in soporous conditions denotes great exhaustion. <span grade2>{{anchor:s17}}A</span> <span grade2>dry tongue</span> is found in a great many different affections, especially in feverish conditions. <span grade2>{{anchor:s18}}Great dryness</span> of the tongue in typhus cerebralis is, according to Schoenlein, an unfavorable sign. <span grade2>{{anchor:s19}}Dryness</span> of the tongue in infants is a forerunner of aphthae or internal inflammation.

{{anchor:s20}}3rd, <span grade2>Its temperature</span>. {{anchor:s21}}A <span grade2>hot tongue</span> is found in congestion and inflammatory states of different parts of the body; in infants before aphthae appear. {{anchor:s22}}A <span grade2>cold tongue</span> is found in chills, violent spasms, after great loss of blood, internal mortification, apoplexy, and cholera. {{anchor:s23}}In fevers it denotes greatest prostration and impending death.

{{anchor:s24}}4th, <span grade2>Its covering and coating</span>. {{anchor:s25}}We must bear in mind, that the tongue is coated or furred without indicating any disordered state of the system; in the morning by an empty stomach, after siesta, after night watching, and with habitual smokers of tobacco. {{anchor:s26}}A coating at the root of the tongue does not mean much, almost everyone has it in a slight degree, even in the best of health. {{anchor:s27}}A coating <span grade2>on the tip</span> of the tongue is said to be found in phthisical persons. <span grade2>{{anchor:s28}}One-sided coating</span> is said to be found in one-sided complaints as prosopalgia, paralysis, in one-sided lung diseases, in affections of the liver or spleen. <span grade2>{{anchor:s29}}A patchy or map tongue</span> is often indicative of considerable irritation or even partial inflammation of the stomach. {{anchor:s30}}I have seen it also in lung diseases. <span grade2>{{anchor:s31}}A</span> <span grade2>thick white coating</span> exists to its greatest extent in affections of the fauces, but also in gastric derangements. <span grade2>{{anchor:s32}}A yellow coating</span> is generally believed to be bilious. <span grade2>{{anchor:s33}}Single yellow streaks</span> on a white coated tongue indicate obstinacy of the disease. <span grade2>{{anchor:s34}}A peculiar buff leather appearance</span> is presented in cases of enteritis and hepatitis. <span grade2>{{anchor:s35}}A dark brown coating</span> exists in malignant fevers and hemorrhages from the mouth. <span grade2>{{anchor:s36}}A</span> <span grade2>black coating</span> in dysentery, indicates exhaustion, mortification and death. {{anchor:s37}}In jaundice it denotes organic diseases of the liver and spleen, as induration, tubercles, abscesses. {{anchor:s38}}In small-pox it is an unfavorable sign.

{{anchor:s39}}5<sup>th</sup>. <span grade2>{{anchor:s40}}Its form and size</span>. {{anchor:s41}}We find a <span grade2>large, long tongue</span> most conspicuous in chronic hydrocephalus and Cretans. <span grade2>{{anchor:s42}}A small tongue</span> if not congenital, in atrophy, consumptive diseases and chronic, long-standing paralysis of the tongue, especially if resulting from an irritation of the brain or spinal marrow. <span grade2>{{anchor:s43}}A sudden diminution in size</span> denotes in inflammatory diseases of the lungs or the liver, formation of abscesses, also general exhaustion, especially in putrid and typhoid fevers. <span grade2>{{anchor:s44}}A gradual decrease in acute disease</span>, denotes severity and obstinacy of such diseases, and is a bad sign, showing that the brain is dangerously affected. <span grade2>{{anchor:s45}}A broad tongue</span> is found in rachitis, scrofula, disposition to abdominal affections, and in intermittent fever. <span grade2>{{anchor:s46}}A narrow, pointed tongue</span> is said to be found in persons who are subject to spitting blood, tuberculosis, and internal inflammations. ..<span grade2>{{anchor:s47}}A</span> <span grade2>thick, swollen tongue</span> is found in rachitis, Cretans, chronic dropsy of the head, in obstinate dyspepsia and chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach; also in intermittent fevers, in catarrhal affections, mercurial salivation, in inflammation of the tongue, in old drunkards after death from strangulation or suffocation. <span grade2>{{anchor:s48}}A swollen and heavy tongue</span> in old age and in drunkards is the forerunner of apoplexy. {{anchor:s49}}In fevers, if associated with dryness and stammering speech, it denotes congestion of the brain. {{anchor:s50}}In croup, pleurisy and pneumonia it is a bad sign just as bad as its sudden diminution without improvement of the other symptoms. {{anchor:s51}}(Hippocrates) <span grade2>A thin, like a small tongue,</span> is found in atrophy and consumptive diseases. <span grade2>{{anchor:s52}}Tumors on the tongue</span> if hard, red brownish, with blueish bloodvessels interwoven, are of a schirrous nature. <span grade2>{{anchor:s53}}Single lumps</span> and <span grade2>fleshy excrescences</span> on the tongue are found in elephantiasis.

{{anchor:s54}}6th, <span grade2>Its consistency</span>. {{anchor:s55}}We find <span grade2>a hard tongue associated with great dryness of the tongue</span> in congestion, inflammation, fever, tonic spasms, in schirrus and other degeneration of the substance of the tongue. <span grade2>{{anchor:s56}}A soft tongue</span> we find in catarrhal affections, in chronic mucous diarrhea, gastric derangements and in paralysis of the tongue. <span grade2>{{anchor:s57}}When soft and somewhat swollen</span>, the teeth generally show their imprints on its sides, often to be found after mercurial poisoning, and in catarrhal affections. {{anchor:s58}}In brain diseases a soft tongue is an unfavorable

{{anchor:s59}}7th, <span grade2>Cracks and fissures</span> on the dry tongue, sometimes deep, bleeding and suppurating, are found in typhoid fever, small pox and dysentery.

{{anchor:s60}}8th, <span grade2>Paralysis of the tongue</span>, which manifests itself by an imperfect and stammering speech, is most always in consequence of apoplexy or softening of the brain. <span grade2>{{anchor:s61}}Its immobility and trembling</span> are signs of torpor of the brain, especially in typhoid conditions.

{{anchor:s62}}These are the most important of the objective symptoms of the tongue, which an every-day's practice brings before the eyes of an observing physician, and I have given to each of them its diagnostic meaning, as near as this can be done. {{anchor:s63}}For, all these symptoms must be considered <span grade2>cum grano salis</span>, <span grade2>id est,</span>, with discrimination and comparison with other symptoms, if we want to gain a nearly right conclusion as to their bearing and signification.

<span grade2>{{anchor:s64}}A red tongue, all over, with considerable raised papillae,</span> indicates Belladonna and Tartar emetic. <span grade2>{{anchor:s65}}A red tip in shape of a triangle</span>, Rhus tox. <span grade2>{{anchor:s66}}A red indefinite tip</span>, Sulphur. <span grade2>{{anchor:s67}}A lead-colored tongue</span> may indicate Arsenicum, and a <span grade2>bluish tongue</span>, Digitalis, Arsenicum, and Acidum muriaticum. <span grade2>{{anchor:s68}}A whitish coat on one side</span> of the tongue, indicates Rhus tox,<span grade2>on both sides</span> Causticum, <span grade2>in the middle,</span> Phosphorus and Bryonia, <span grade2>on the root, strongly marked</span>, Sepia, and <span grade2>a general thick white coat</span>, Bryonia, Antimon. crud. and others. {{anchor:s69}}A <span grade2>map tongue</span> indicates Nat. mur., Ars., Lachesis, and Taraxacum, and <span grade2>a yellowish coated tongue</span>, a number of remedies. <span grade2>{{anchor:s70}}A dry red, tongue, cracked at the tip</span>, indicates Lachesis. <span grade2>{{anchor:s71}}A dry tongue without thirst</span>, Bryonia and Pulsatilla. <span grade2>{{anchor:s72}}A soft tongue with imprints of the teeth</span>, Merc. and Stram. <span grade2>{{anchor:s73}}A clean tongue with gastric and other derangements</span>, Cina and Digitalis. <span grade2>{{anchor:s74}}Trembling of the tongue</span>, when the patient is requested to put it out or inability to do so, indicates, in typhoid fever, Lachesis. {{anchor:s75}}A heavy, perhaps trembling tongue in typhoid conditions, especially if the lower jaw commences to sink down, Lycopodium. {{anchor:s76}}An involuntary darting of the tongue out of the mouth and moving between the lips to and fro, indicates, in similar conditions, Lycopodium. {{anchor:s77}}Complete paralysis of the tongue, Baryta carbo.

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====== DOCUMENT DESCRIPTOR ======

^ Source: | The American Homoeopathic Review Vol. 04 No. 08, 1865, pages 372-375 |
^ Description: | Diagnostic Indications of The Tongue. |
^ Author: | Raue, C.G. |
^ Year: | 1865 |
^ Editing: | errors only; interlinks; formatting |
^ Attribution: | Legatum Homeopathicum |