BY B. FINCKE, M. D., BROOKLYN, N. Y.

Our Materia Medica Pura contains an excellent proving of Spongia tosta, furnished by Hahnemann.* [Reine Arzneimittettehre von Samuel Hahnemann 2. Aufl. Dresden u. Leipzig bei Arnold 1827. Vol. VI, p. 195.]

The symptom No. 145 offers a good picture of membraneous croup, but with the exception of the characteristic cough in the following words, (p. 219): “Schweres Athemholen, als ob ein Stoepsel in der Kehle steckte und der Athem durch die Verengerung des Kehl. Ropfes nicht hindurch Koennte (n. 1/2 St.)” i. e. literally: difficult breathing as if a cork were sticking in the throat, and as if the breath could not pass through the narrowing of the larynx.

It was this observation of one of his provers (Lehmann) which led the genius of Hahnemann to recommend the Spongia tosta as the principal remedy in membraneous croup, after the fever is subdued by a small dose of Aconite. The use of Hepar sul. calc. he thought very seldom necessary and lie considered it a remedy of secondary importance, (p.199.)

In accordance with the precepts of Hahnemann, I toasted some Sponge (Spongia officinalis L.) and obtained a brown friable mass, which emitted a penetrating odor, differing from anything I had ever before observed. This odor pervaded the room for several days, though it was ventilated thoroughly, and the impression upon my olfactories was so intense, that I carried it with me for several days; at the same time I felt a scraping in my throat.

I pulverized the mass and prepared the thirtieth potency of it on the Hahnemannian scale. One drop of this attenuation was given the same evening, (January 19,1850) to Mrs Taube a highly sensitive and intelligent lady, a widow, about 60 years old, of small stature, light complexion, excellent physical constitution and a cheerful temper; she had an alto-voice, and was possessed of a remarkable memory. It must be mentioned that for many years a hard ball of pea-size, consisting of mucus mixed with blood, occasionally forms in her throat. This ball creates there an irritation and is expelled by coughing. She is accustomed to the use of a cup of coffee in the morning for breakfast. After the use of fruit or cider she usually feels a rawness and sensation like a wound in her throat, and loses her voice to more or less extent. In consequence of getting cold she had, many years ago, a lump in her left breast, which has been cured homoeopathically long ago.

PROVING.-Jan. 19, 9 1/2 P. M. Immediately after taking the drug, drawing towards and contraction in the larynx. In moving, severe pressing in the larynx, as if with a nail. Voice cracked. Hoarseness increasing, so that she can speak only with difficulty. Palpitation of the heart and rush of blood to the chest. Weakness in the abdomen. The larynx feels painful to the touch, and as if swollen. Dullness and sensation of gloominess over the root of the nose, as if a common cold were approaching. All these symptoms occur in the first hour until 10 1/2 P. M., when she retires and sleeps well.

20th, Towards morning: starting out of sleep from a shock experienced in the direction from the trachea upwards, as if she would be suffocated, passing off on sitting up in bed. Expectoration of saltish tasting slime. The coffee (she is accustomed to take for breakfast) tastes bitter and disgusting: dinner tastes well. Cheerfulness. Cracked voice. 10 1/2 P. M. Attacks, starting out of sleep from a sudden lacing together in the larynx as if she would be smothered, so that she must sit up quickly, and hawk strongly and hastily, after which the attack goes off.

21st. 8 1/2 A. M. Expectoration of much adhesive mucus.

22nd. A little after 5 A. M. Starting out of sleep from sudden burning, compressing, drawing towards the throat, accompanied with anxiety, disappearing on sitting up in bed, Increased flow of urine.

23rd. In the evening. Pressing in the larynx.

26th. In the evening. Induration of the left breast at a space of 2 inches length by 1/2 inch thickness, painful to the touch, disappearing in the morning.

27th. Taste like Glycerine until Feb. 7, then suddenly changing to that of fresh nuts; also desire for dainties. These latter two symptoms disappeared after 1 drop of the 30th attenuation of Saccharum lactis.

DIGEST OF THE SYMPTOMS.-1. Dullness and sensation of gloominess over the root of the nose like that preceding a common cold, (the 1st hour after taking the drug in the eve.)

Penetrating odor like toasted Sponge (immediately.)

Scraping in the throat (immediately.)

Taste like Glycerine from the ninth to the twentieth day then suddenly changing to that of fresh nuts (the 19th to the 20th day.)

5. Desire for dainties (the 20th day.) Coffee, (which, she is accustomed to) tastes bitter and disgusting (the 2d day.)

Weakness in the abdomen (the 1st hour.)

Increased flow of urine (the 4th day.)

Cracked voice in the evening; the hoarseness increasing, so that she can only speak with difficulty (the 1st hour.)

10. Cracked voice (the 2d day.)

Severe pressing in, in the larynx, as if with a nail, when moving, in the evening (immediately.)

The larynx is painful to the touch, and appears as if swollen (the 1st hour.)

Pressing in the larynx in the evening (the 5th day.)

Starting out of sleep towards morning from a shock in the trachea upwards like a suffocative paroxysm, passing off after sitting up in bed (the 1st night.)

15. Drawing towards the larynx and contraction therein, in the evening (immediately.)

Suffocating attack like a sudden lacing together in the larynx during sleep, at 10 1/2 P. M., passing off after sitting up in bed, and after quick and strong hawking (the 2d day.)

Attack of sudden burning and compression. Drawing towards the throat, and anxiety, passing off on sitting up in bed about 5 A. M. (the 3d day.)

Expectoration of much adhesive mucus at 8 1/2 P. M. (the 3d day.)

Saltish, slimy, expectoration in the morning (the 2d day.)

20. Palpitation of the heart and rush of blood to the chest (the 1st hour.)

Induration of the left breast at a space of 2 inches length by 1/2 inch thickness, painful to the touch, coming on in the evening and disappearing in the morning (the 8th day.)

Sound sleep (the 1st day.)

Cheerful mind (the 2d day.)

PATHOGENETIC PICTURE,-The foregoing proving shows the pathogenetic action of Spongia tosta upon the larynx with remarkable distinction and it presents a complete simile of membranous croup in the symptoms No. 9 to 19, as will be seen by the following chronological arrangement.

Immediately after taking the drug at 9 1/2 o'clock in the evening, drawing towards and contraction in the larynx takes place. She moves about the room and finds in moving severe pressing in in the larynx, as if with a nail. Her voice becomes cracked and hoarseness increases, so that she can speak only with difficulty. Palpitation of the heart and rush of blood to the chest follows. She feels weakness in the abdomen. The larynx now feels painful to the touch, and as if swollen, and at the close of the first hour, during which all the preceding symptoms were observed, a dullness and a sensation of gloominess over the root of the nose comes on, as if a common cold were approaching. The prover retires at 10 1/2 o'clock and gets a good sound sleep. But frightened she starts out of sleep towards morning from a shock experienced in the direction from the trachea upwards, as if she would be suffocated: this paroxysm, however, passes off after sitting up. Expectoration of saltish tasting slime follows; the coffee (she is accustomed to take for breakfast) tastes bitter and disgusting: dinner, however, is taken with good appetite and tastes well. The mind is unusually cheerful. Everything seems right, except the voice which continues to be cracked. After getting sound asleep early in the evening she starts up at 10 1/2 o'clock with sudden lacing together in the larynx as if she would be smothered, so that she must sit up quickly and hawk strongly and hastily; then the attack goes off. She is apparently well the same night and the next day, when in the evening, instead of an attack coming on, a great deal of tough mucus is expelled. The next morning a little after 5 o'clock she starts out of a sound sleep again with sudden burning compressing, drawing towards the throat, accompanied this time with real anxiety, which all immediately disappear on sitting up. For two days she is free from these attacks, when on the 5th day a new onset is made in the evening which, however, results only in pressing in the larynx.

CONCLUDING REMARKS :-Comparing the old provings I beg leave to submit the following suggestions:

1. This proving is obtained by a lady. The female larynx bears more resemblance to the puerile one, than that of the adult male, which is not exposed to the membranous croup.

2. It confirms the above mentioned symptom No. 145 of the old Hahnemannian proving, but

3. It shows more particular symptoms of the specific relation of the Spongia tosta to the larynx (No. 9 to 19) and

4. It presents typical paroxysms occurring in the fore and afterpart of the night, characterized by starting out of sleep, and increasing in violence for several days-and

5. It presents the effort to produce the peculiar croupous cough (No.14, 16) which is not expressed in the Hahnemannian proving:-

6. It contains two entirely new symptoms (No. 7 and 20.)

7. The rest of the symptoms partly repeat and partly extend the Hahnemannian proving, and among them No. 20- induratio mammae sinistrae-deserves attention.

8. This proving is one made by a high potency. Very likely the completeness of the picture is owing to this fact. What was not shown by the low dilution of the old provers is in this case brought out in bold relief by the higher power.

I heartily recommend provings by high potencies, as I am sure, our great science will very materially gain by the microscopic precision and accuracy of the pictures thus to be obtained.

---