====== QUINSY ======

{{anchor:s2}}BY WALTER M. JAMES, M.D., PHILA.

{{anchor:s3}}AMONG the diseases most frequently mal-treated by the rational therapeutics of the old school of medicine is quinsy.

{{anchor:s4}}Stormed at with mercury, leeches, blisters and poultices, the inflammation steadily advances, until suppuration occurs in a period of from eight to ten days. {{anchor:s5}}Treated homoeopathically there are few ailments which so clearly demonstrate the truth of Hahnemannian principles when these latter are exclusively applied.

{{anchor:s6}}Depending, as it does, upon a scrofulous taint of the constitution any prescription made for the local trouble must cover the whole scrofulous condition by a careful attention to the totality of the symptoms, if we would be successful. {{anchor:s7}}A remedy accurately selected according to Hahnemann’s directions, and therefore according to the inflexible logic of the law will cure the trouble before abscess has commenced to form. {{anchor:s8}}This is a most brilliant result, and one very gratifying to the patient and his friends. {{anchor:s9}}Yet we can not always attain this success. {{anchor:s10}}Notwithstanding our best efforts we fail to discover the simillimum and the inflammation proceeds to suppuration. {{anchor:s11}}Even in such case our remedies may not have failed to make a valuable impression upon the system. {{anchor:s12}}This will be apparent in the greater comparative freedom from trivial complaints after such attack; or if the quinsy be of periodical recurrence each successive attack will be less severe. {{anchor:s13}}This, however, is a very difficult lesson to impress upon the patient If we do not prevent suppuration the patient considers our treatment a “failure.”

{{anchor:s14}}The writer has had many cases of quinsy and most of them, from the above point of view may be considered “failures.{{anchor:s15}}” Yet the two or three following cases being so strikingly different are considered worth relating.

{{anchor:s16}}In the summer of ’78 a gentleman, having been overheated, sat down in a draft of air to become cool. {{anchor:s17}}Perspiration was suddenly checked and an attack of quinsy followed. {{anchor:s18}}The only reliable indication that appeared for the remedy was //profuse perspiration// out of all proportion to the heat of the weather. {{anchor:s19}}This perspiration was quite //oily//. {{anchor:s20}}Upon these considerations I gave merc. v. {{anchor:s21}}C M (Fincke) In twelve hours he was relieved, and in twenty-four hours entirely cured without suppuration.

{{anchor:s22}}In Jan. ’79 Mrs. H. S., who was a frequent sufferer from quinsy, the attack lasting generally eight to ten days, was seized with inflammation of the right tonsil. {{anchor:s23}}I failed to select the right remedy and the tonsil suppurated. {{anchor:s24}}One month later the same lady was affected in a similar way in the left tonsil. {{anchor:s25}}Again I failed and abscess began to form. {{anchor:s26}}A little further questioning brought out the following symptoms: flushes of heat, frequent waking from sleep at night, weak, faint feeling at the stomach. {{anchor:s27}}These will be recognized at once as the characteristics of sulphur. {{anchor:s28}}I gave sulphur 2 C and in twenty-four hours she was cured without the abscess maturing.

{{anchor:s29}}In March 1879 Mrs. B., a sister of the preceding, had quinsy of the left side. {{anchor:s30}}On doubtful indications I gave at first lachesis; but without avail. {{anchor:s31}}I then found heat, restlessness, and thirst at night. {{anchor:s32}}This would indicate aconite. {{anchor:s33}}But there was not that peculiar mental symptom of acon., “irresistible restlessness, fear, and agonized tossing about.{{anchor:s34}}” Hence aconite failed and the suppurative process progressed. {{anchor:s35}}To my surprise I found that the heat was a series of flushes. {{anchor:s36}}That she slept in short “cat-naps,” and that she had weak, fainty feelings. {{anchor:s37}}Here were sulphur symptoms. {{anchor:s38}}They had been present all the time but had not observed them. {{anchor:s39}}I immediately changed to sulphur 2 C which cured in twenty-four hours: the suppurative process ceasing immediately without discharge.

{{anchor:s40}}On Sat. Dec. 27, 1879, Miss T. S., subject to quinsy, was seized with an attack. {{anchor:s41}}There being no reliable indication except that it commenced on the right side with some tendency to the left, I gave Lyc. 2 C but it had no effect. {{anchor:s42}}The next day but one the tongue was red and the papillae elevated. {{anchor:s43}}The tonsils were much swollen and very red. {{anchor:s44}}She had a constant desire to swallow which was very painful. {{anchor:s45}}I gave merc. iodat. rub. {{anchor:s46}}10 M and in a few hours the abscess burst. {{anchor:s47}}This I believe to be due to the action of the remedy as formerly this patient would suffer from the abscess for a week before it would discharge.

{{anchor:s48}}On Jan. 20, 1881, this same young lady sent for me to remove a particle of sand or dust from the eye. {{anchor:s49}}Examination failed to discover any foreign matter. {{anchor:s50}}The eye. however, was much inflamed and swollen. {{anchor:s51}}I told her she had “ taken cold :” but she insisted upon the presence of sand. {{anchor:s52}}The next day my diagnosis was confirmed. {{anchor:s53}}She sent for me again and I found a well-developed quinsy.

{{anchor:s54}}The indications were:

{{anchor:s55}}Inflammation commencing in the //left// tonsil.

{{anchor:s56}}Involuntary //loosening of the collar// around the the neck.

{{anchor:s57}}Severe headache commencing in the evening and lasting all night. {{anchor:s58}}It was made worse //whenever she// //fell asleep//.

{{anchor:s59}}The pain //commenced at the neck// and extended all over the head.

//{{anchor:s60}}Stiffness of the neck.//

{{anchor:s61}}These symptoms, though rather vague, pointed more strongly to lachesis than to any other remedy. {{anchor:s62}}I accordingly gave lachesis 2 M (Jenichen.) The next day when I called the symptoms had nearly disappeared. {{anchor:s63}}The inflammation of the tonsil was hardly noticeable and the headache much improved.

{{anchor:s64}}It is almost unnecessary to Say that there was no subsequent suppuration of the tonsil.

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

^ Source: | The Homoeopathic Physician Vol. 01 No. 03, 1881, pages 114-116 |
^ Description: | QUINSY. |
^ Remedies: | Mercurius vivus; Mercurius iodatus ruber |
^ Author: | James, W.M. |
^ Year: | 1881 |
^ Editing: | errors only; interlinks; formatting |
^ Attribution: | Legatum Homeopathicum |