The cause of this disease is referred by the author to the repelled itch at nine years of age. He says, Authenrieth directed attention to the after-diseases of the itch in 1807, before Hahnemann. He says he admits the existence of the acarus insect, as he has seen it, but it does not invalidate the old dogma of sequela to the itch. "How does the itch develop itself? Small spots first exhibit themselves, from which the itch pustules are formed. The existence of the acarus of the itch has not been proved; we might then call this a filius ante patrium. An evident contradiction. Again, the disciples of Raspail do not go so far as to assert that all itch-pustules are provided with this insect. If the acarus be the cause of the disease, why is not this inFect present in every pustule?" He has "no doubt respecting the existence of after or secondary diseases of the itch." "It may not be generally known that an ulceration of the skin, of a peculiar kind, forms, especially in old people, principally about the knuckles or joints of the lower extremities, in consequence of the itch (the secretion of which ulceration is contagious), and which has obtained the name Ulcus psoricum, and no one will assert here that this ulceration was so formed by the itch insect; now, if this ulceration is caused to heal up suddenly, internal diseases of a peculiar character are produced, not only such. as are created by the drying up of old sores, but peculiar forms of disease. This fact appears to me one of the most striking features in favor of the possibility of after-diseases resulting from the suppression of the itch." And "I confess that the reasons above given have impressed me with the most perfect conviction that itch is capable of producing after-diseases."

It is evident that Hahnemann did not intend to restrict the term psora to the special disease designated by Schoenlein and others as "the itch," but embraced a wider field including scaly, tettery, papular and other eruptions. Hahnemann cured the pustular eruptions he referred to with very minute doses of sulphur. It is known that the specific disease caused by the acarus is not so easily cured. It is not certain that Sulphur alone is a true remedy for it.

The whole allopathic school regard repelled diseases as capable of causing dangerous manifestations on internal organs; but they never go far enough to recognize the existence of the poison if it has never manifested itself on the surface in a visible eruption. Hahnemann goes beyond them all in discovering "the latent poison lurking within the organism, never having manifested its presence by any external signs," though able there to "seize upon the springs of health as surely as though it were repelled from the circumference." (Adams, U. S. Jour. of Homœop., Vol. I., p. 471.) The signification he himself attached to the term psora must be learned from his own words.

Hahnemann says: "I call it psora, with a view of giving it a general

T

designation." He never taught that the psora cause of disease was limited in its application to the itch. He says: "I am persuaded that not only the majority of the innumerable skin-diseases which have been described and distinguished by Willan, but also almost all the pseudoorganizations, &c., are with few exceptions, merely the products of the multiform psora." He evidently meant to teach that the great number of chronic diseases which afflict our race, "are due to a poison or miasm, latent in the body, acquired by the individual, or in some instances both, which becoming roused into action, ultimates in consumption, dyspepsias, hæmorrhoids, asthmas, epilepsies."* This same miasm, as he called it, when thrown out towards the circumference, and ultimated upon the outer surface of the body, manifests itself in the form of boils, carbuncles, cancers, scald-head, tetters," &c. "The term psora is a term of ancient origin, being used quite indiscriminately to designate every variety of chronic cutaneous disease." Hahnemann's psoric doctrine was familiar to all the old writers; and is equally familiar to the modern pathologists under the term of dyscrasia.

GENUS I.-ANÆMIA.

GENERAL REMARKS.-According to Trousseau the existence of a certain proportion of iron is essential to the perfection of the blood in its different offices of supplying the proper nutritious materials for the support of the body and stimulating the various organs to perform their proper actions. The quantity of iron is smaller in women and children than in men, and women are most subject to anæmia.

CAUSES. Uterine hæmorrhage; losses of blood from any cause; imperfect digestion and assimilation of food; variable appetite; constipation alternated with diarrhoea; menorrhagia.

TREATMENT.-When anæmia arises from recent hæmorrhages or other debilitating losses, it may be remedied by Ferrum, China, Natrum-mur., Nux-vom, &c.

Ferrum has always been successful in pure cases of anæmia where the paleness and debility were dependent on an impoverished state of the blood, unconnected with local irritation or obscure inflammation.

The remedial powers of iron in various forms have long been known. In all cases of anæmia from losses of blood or other fluids the soluble forms of iron are most successful, as they are styptic as well as tonic. Trousseau gives the carbonate, or limatura ferri, incorporated in bread, and continues it long after the countenance has resumed its florid color. It is appropriate in any form in chlorosis and in the paleness and de

* Prof. Adams, St. Louis, U. States Jour. Hom., Vol. I. 468. Hahnemann, Chronic Diseases Vol. IV.

bility which precede the deranged menses; and it cures scarcely any disease that is not connected with defective constitution of the blood. It is improper in all phlogistic cases.

Iron is proper in all anæmic cases cf amenorrhoea; dysmenorrhoea; in dropsies dependent on impoverished state of the blood; in intermittents in which there is predisposition to hæmorrhages, congestions, or dropical infiltrations. We have seen many cases of this kind cured by chalybeate mineral waters and many more by Prussiate of iron. (Ferrocyanate of Iron.) For the Abuses of Iron see Remarks on Ferrum, ' under Phthisis pulmonalis.

2. CEREBRAL ANEMIA.-"CITY CACHEXIA."

Morbid conditions of the brain of an anæmic character occur from long-continued dyspepsia, confinement in impure atmosphere. This cachexia of the great cities presents the following symptoms: Loss of appetite, confusion, giddiness in the head, violent sickness; sleepless nights; horrid dreams; waking suddenly in the night; noises in the head and ears, like the singing of a tea-kettle, or like something struck close to the ear, or water thrown on a hot iron, or a muffled drum at a distance; falling to sleep and suddenly awakened by a feeling as if a sky rocket had rushed through the brain; occasional deafness; headache; black and bright spots dance before the eyes; languid, weak, irritable pulse; cold skin; pale flabby tongue. Occasionally there is partial loss of memory; sudden startings up in the night; giddiness of the head; depressed spirits.

TREATMENT.-Better, though restricted diet, change of air; exercise without fatigue.

REMEDIES. Nitro-muriatic-acid, Pyro-phosphate of Ferrum, Cinnabar in scrofulous cases, Sulphur 30th, one dose, repeating only at long intervals. Sulphuric-acid.

3. Anemia Lymphatica.—In six cases of this affection given by Dr. Wilkes, in the Guy's Hospital reports, a "uniformity of lesion existed, too remarkable to constitute merely a coincidence of lesion between the lymphatic glands and the spleen, and therefore, there is without doubt a peculiar form of affection involving these organs, accompanied by anæmic cachexia, prostration and death.”

PATHOLOGY.-There is no excess of white corpuscles, but deficiency of the red, with the usual signs of progressive anæmia in either sex alike in the treatment. The glands enlarged were, the inguinal, sometimes the cervical, or axillary, or all at once progressing along the abdominal and thoracic glands to a fatal termination. A chain of tumors is sometimes encircling the arch of the aorta, or accompanying it along

the spine to the pelvis. The structure is fibro-nucleated, or fibroplastic. (Med. Chir. Trans., Vol 17.)

The spleen is not merely enlarged, but exhibits a lardaceous deposit, white or yellow, either finely disseminated or seeming to compose a large portion of the mass of the organ. Its duration may extend over several years.

TREATMENT. In all cases recorded, the hospital treatment, consisting chiefly of iron was unsuccessful. A homoeopathic use of the Iodide of iron, Iod.-potassium, Mercurius-hyd., or a general antipsoric treatment would be attended with better results.

A general anti-psoric treatment should be employed in the first inA favorable change, and perhaps a complete cure, may follow this course.

stance.

The medicines should be used at high potencies, and repeated but rarely.

Should a cure not result in a reasonable time, we should consult Ferrum-hydriod., Kali-hydriod., Mercurius-hydriod., and Iodine. These last remedies may be prescribed at the first, second, or third attenuations

4. Other Forms of Chronic Disease associated with a Latent or Repelled Dyscrasia.-Hahnemann, in his efforts to unravel the mystery of chronic diseases, explored a few thousand of the volumes which contained what was then called the medical experience of the world, and found an immense number of cases recorded in which the suppression of skin-diseases originated other maladies equally obstinate and much more serious.

In his work on "Chronic Diseases," published in 1828, he gives a large collection of cases from various authors in which the following, among other chronic and some acute diseases were obviously originated by the repulsion of psoric affections from the skin: First,-asthma; suffocating catarrh; asthma with bloating and blueness of the face and general swelling; asthma with hydrothorax; pleurisy and inflammation of the chest; pleurisy and cough; obstinate and violent cough; hæmoptysis; consumption; collections of pus in the chest; collections of pus in the mesentery; great disorganization of various viscera; cerebral degeneration; hydrocephalus; ulcers in the stomach; sphacelus of the stomach and duodenum; general dropsy; ascites; enlargement of the scrotum; swelling and redness of the whole body; jaundice; swelling of the parotid glands; swelling of the cervical glands; dimness of sight and presbyopia; ophthalmia; cataract; amaurosis; deafness; enteritis; hæmorrhoids and hæmorrhage from the rectum; pains in the abdomen; diabetes; suppression of urine; erysipelas; acrid, ichorous discharges; ulcers; caries of the bones; osseous swelling of the knee; pains in the bones; rachitis and marasmus in in fants; fever with disorder of the kidneys; fever following external cure

of the scald head; fever with opisthotonos; fever with throat disease; tertian intermittent fever; quartan intermittent fever; vertigo and total prostration of strength; epileptic vertigo; epilepsy with dizziness; convulsions in many forms; apoplexy; paralysis; melancholy and delirium. We select the following cases in which repelled eruptions caused disease of the eyes:

First.-Dimness of Sight and Presbyopia.-A girl, aged thirteen, had the itch, covering the limbs, face and other parts. It was removed at length by ointments, containing zinc and sulphur. Immediately afterwards her sight became gradually weak. Dark bodies passed before the eyes, which were seen from without, floating in the aqueous humor of the anterior chamber. At the same time the patient could not distinguish small objects without the aid of glasses, and the pupils were dilated. (Hoffmann, Consul. Med.)

Second.-Ophthalmia from repelled Eruption.-A young woman had an abundant psoric eruption on the legs, with large ulcers below and behind the knee. The small-pox with which she became infected, freed her from this exanthem. There ensued during two years a moist inflammation of the whole eye, and of the eyelid, with itching and ulceration, and the perception of dark bodies moving before the eyes. The patient became infected with itch by wearing for three days the stockings of another child. The third day she was attacked with fever, dry cough, tension in the chest and tendency to vomit. Next day there was perspiration with erysipelas of both legs which soon degenerated into the real itch, from which time the sight improved. (Wedel, Snetter, Hallmann. 1776, Koenigl. 210.)

Third.-A man, in whom the psoric eruption had been removed, but who was in other respects well, became affected with cataract. (Ludwig, Advers. II. 157.)

Fourth. A repelled itch, excited amaurosis, which ceased on the reappearance of the psoric eruption. (Northof, Diss. de Scabie, 1792.) Fifth. A robust man who had been treated for the itch by repelling it from the skin became affected with gutta serena, and remained blind till his death at an advanced age. (Ludwig.)

Sixth.-In another case amaurosis, with frightful headache, was caused by curing itch on the surface. (Fabricius, Cent. II. obs. 39.)

TREATMENT OF MORBID STATES OF THE BLOOD.

The usual means generally resorted to to furnish the best materials for the formation of the blood: are the expulsion of impure matters from it through the secretory functions; the support of the vital energies; the evacuation from the prima-via of all morbid secretions; and the restoration of general healthy action through the influence of tonics. Besides all of these results homoeopathic remedies aim at the

VOL II.-13.