Chapter VIII. Special Remedies for the Male Organs of Generation.

Gonorrhea. In the treatment of gonorrhea I have always depended upon internal treatment and have never used any form of injections. The following prescription covers the indications for the acute stage:

Rx Tr. Gelsemium.
Tr. Cannabis sativa, a. a. ʒss.
Spts. Nitre Dulce, ℥i.
Aqua q. s. ad, ℥vi.
Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful every hour.

In all the years of my practice I have learned to depend upon the above prescription for acute gonorrhea. In the chronic stage with a discharge of thick yellow pus-like matter cubeba is the remedy. Dose, three tablets of the second decimal trituration once in two hours. A greenish yellow discharge calls for natrum sulph., third decimal, three tablets once in two hours. When there is a very slight discharge, just enough to close up the orifice of the urethra in the morning, the organs are flaccid with frequent seminal emissions sepia, sixth decimal trituration is the remedy. Dose, three tablets once in three hours.

Orchitis. If this trouble is caused by metastasis from the mumps, Pulsatilla is the remedy. I like the following prescription:

Rx Tr. Pulsatilla, gtts. xx.
Tr. Phytolacca, gtts. xxx.
Aqua q. s. ad, ℥vi.
Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful every hour.

Apply locally a wash made as described below, to the swelled testicle.

Rx Muriate Ammonium, ʒii.
Fl. Ext. Phytolacca root.
Alcohol a. a., ℥i.
Aqua q. s. ad, ℥vi.
Mix. Sig. Wet cloths with the solution and keep constantly applied.

When we have orchitis from suppressed gonorrhea clematis erecta is the remedy. Dose, thirty drops of the third decimal dilution of tincture clematis in four ounces of water, giving a teaspoonful of the mixture every hour.

Induration of the Testicle. Here the testicle feels as if it was crushed and is swollen with drawing pains which extend to the thighs and abdomen. With these symptoms rhododendron is the remedy, especially when complicated with rheumatism. Dose, tincture rhododendron fifteen drops, water four ounces. Mix and give teaspoonful every hour. I have treated patients whose testicles had been kicked by a horse or otherwise injured. In such cases I apply a poultice composed of equal parts of slippery elm, flaxseed and lobelia seed pulverized fine, and mixed with warm water. This should be kept constantly applied to the inflamed testicle. It will take down the swelling every time. Mullein oil applied as a liniment, in such cases, is a grand remedy but rather expensive.

In enlarged and indurated testicles, in the third stage of syphilis, we must not forget the double chloride of gold and sodium. It is the remedy indicated in such cases, especially if the patient has had mercurial treatment. Dose, three grains of the third decimal trituration, one hour after each meal. This drug will reduce the enlarged testicle and improve the general health.

Buboes. In buboes, in the forming stage, Phytolacca is the remedy. Dose, add twenty drops of tincture Phytolacca to a cup of water. Mix and give a teaspoonful every hour alternated with the third decimal trituration of kali mur., five grains of the kali mur. in a glass of hot water and give, after mixing, a teaspoonful once an hour. We can sometimes prevent inflammation by painting the swelling with equal parts of tincture iodine and tincture Phytolacca, but if it begins to "beat and throb" apply the poultice of equal parts of slippery elm, flaxseed and lobelia seed as mentioned under orchitis. As a poultice for swellings and inflammation it stands without a rival. The poultice should be changed every two hours. If it does not open itself it may have to be lanced. The second decimal of calcarea sulph. can be given to help the healing process. Dose, three tablets every three hours.

Chancre. I like the application of tincture chloride of iron. Paint it on sore once or twice a day. To complete the cure use the "mild zinc ointment"; apply it, on soft cloth, three times a day. It is one of the fastest healing salves ever made.

Balanitis. In inflammation of the head of the penis and the mucous membranes lining the foreskin—parts tender and swollen—you should first wash the parts very thoroughly with plenty of castile soap and warm water, then apply every three hours a wash composed of eight grains of zinc sulph. to four ounces of water, to the swollen parts.

Stricture of the Urethra. In stricture of the urethra the treatment will require some patience. Internally we have one remedy especially indicated, when there is an irritable inflamed urethra, stream of urine divided into two or three small streams, difficult and painful urination; this remedy is the chimaphila umbellata. Dose, add forty drops of the tincture chimaphila to two ounces of water and give ten drops of this mixture every three hours. Direct the patient to inject thirty drops each of Fl. Ext. gelsemium and water into the urethra four times a day. This injection should be retained as long as possible. At night the patient will be able to pass water more freely. Then prepare a medicated bougie as follows:

Rx Fl. Ext. Gelsemium.
Aqua, a. a. gtts. xxx.
Pulv. Gum Acacia q. s. to make a thick paste.

Dip the bougie into the paste, allow it to dry, then repeat until your bougie is about the size of a No. 5. Pass it up to and beyond the stricture if possible; allow it to remain one hour. The injections should be used each day until a bougie the size of a No. 10 can be passed without any difficulty, when you may feel assured that you have conquered the stricture.

If the above treatment is carefully followed, good results will be obtained in from ten to twelve days.

Hydrocele. In my own experience and in that of many physicians who have consulted me I have found that there is one remedy par excellence. That is the Normal Liquid Ergot (Parke Davis & Co.). Remove the fluid from the scrotum with trocar and canula, then inject two fluid drachms of Normal Liquid Ergot into the cavity. It will re-establish the balance between secretion and absorption. One injection is generally sufficient and there is very little discomfort from the use of the remedy. Many fine cures have been made with this remedy in old men where the disease had troubled them for many years. Apis mel. is the remedy indicated where there is considerable edema of the parts. Dose, five drops of the third decimal dilution once in two hours.

Syphilis. In an extensive practice with this disease in a large city, treating patients from every State in the Union, I have been led to believe very firmly that this disease can be cured by our vegetable remedies. I have been forced to the conclusion that mercury in any form does not cure the disease but only masks it so that it will appear again later. The most obstinate cases I have had to treat had been dosed with mercury in some form.

Many years ago a lady came into my office; she was a member of a prominent family in the town. She showed me from a book she had in her hand the symptoms of syphilis. "These are my symptoms," she said and began to cry. Her hair had all come off from the top of her head, she had sores in her mouth, sore throat and in short her system was thoroughly saturated with the syphilitic poison. It was the old story "the drummer and the girl." "Can you do anything for me?" she asked. "I am nearly frantic with this fearful trouble." I told her I could cure her. I first gave her a pill composed of corydalin one-half grain and sulph. quinine one grain. She took one of these pills every two hours. I followed this treatment for two weeks, then omitted the quinine. In two months I felt that I had the disease under control. To make assurance doubly sure (as she intended to be married and wanted to be sure she was well before taking the plunge into matrimony) I gave her the following syrup:

Rx Stillingia, ℥xii.
Podophyllum.
Phytolacca root.
Iris versicolor, a. a. ℥i
Alcohol, Oiv.
White Sugar, lbs. ii.

Bruise the herbs and macerate in the alcohol for ten days; strain the mixture and add the sugar. Dose, from one teaspoonful to a tablespoonful three times a day, or sufficient to keep the bowels a little loose. This syrup stands without a rival as a cure for syphilis. I kept her on the above syrup for three or four months, until I felt sure the poison was all out of her system. Then she was discharged cured. Later she married and although I watched the case carefully for years afterwards no signs of the disease appeared.

In the treatment of this loathsome disease there are certain remedies which are especially indicated and will meet certain conditions as they arise in your practice, for the Eclectic materia medica is rich in remedies that do have a curative effect upon syphilis.

For the sore mouth of syphilis, mucous patches, ulcerative fissures, lips dry, swollen and cracked, breath foul, green clinkers from the nose in the morning, you may give the third decimal dilution of nitric acid. Dose, add fifteen drops to a glass of water, giving the patient a teaspoonful of the mixture once in two hours.

In the sore throat with ulcers which look as if they were cut out with a punch and the patient is hawking up tough stringy mucus, bi-chromate of potash, the third decimal is the remedy. Dose, three tablets once in three hours. A good gargle for these throats may be made by adding one-half drachm chlorate potash and five grains sulphate zinc to a goblet of warm water. Use this gargle once in two hours.

For the bone pains, worse at night and during damp weather—mostly in the legs, with a bruised feeling, Phytolacca is the remedy. Dose, add one-half drachm to five ounces of water, giving a teaspoonful four times a day. For syphilitic rheumatism it is the remedy.

For syphilitic nodes, falling of the hair, hectic fever, eruptions on the body, corydalis is the remedy. Dose, ten drops tincture corydalis once in three hours.

In syphilis where there is a skin disease of a scaly pustular character with phagedenic ulcerations, berberis aquifolia is the remedy. It will clear the skin and heal up the ulcers. Dose, tincture berberis aqui, ten drops four times a day. For those painful tubercles that come upon the nose and face, much relief will be given the patient by the following prescription:

Rx Fl. Ext. Aconite, ʒii.
Fl. Ext. Conium, ℥ss.
Glycerine q. s. ad, ℥ii.
Mix. Sig. Apply three times a day.

Alopecia. The constitutional treatment will stop the hair from coming out but the ladies generally like to have something they can apply to make the hair grow. To these I give the following prescription which is as good as any of the many hair tonics:

Rx Tr. Cantharis, ℥i.
Castor oil, ℥iv.
Oil Bergamot.
Oil lemon.
Oil Lavender, a. a. ʒii.
Alcohol, ℥xii.
Mix. Sig. Apply to the scalp night and morning with slight friction.

There are two important points in the treatment of this disease which must not be forgotten. First, the patient must have a free movement of the bowels once a day. Second, have the patient take a medicated bath of the Epsom salts (one ounce salt to one pint of water) three times a week.

One writer has said in speaking of a doctor who had reported cases of syphilis as cured, "That the cures were more apparent than real." This seems to me a pretty fine distinction. I have watched many cases of syphilis that I have cured, some of them have died of old age, and as they never showed any symptoms of the disease during their lifetime we may safely conclude that the cures were real not apparent.

One of the principal things that has checked the wheels of medical progress is the habit of trying to belittle any remedy or any method of curing a disease. Why not be manly and honest and give a doctor credit for what he has done or at least give him credit for what he is trying to do for poor suffering humanity.

Varicocele. In dilation of the spermatic veins I use locally the distilled extract of hamamelis; apply it full strength three times a day. The internal remedies should be tincture Pulsatilla nigricans and tincture hamamelis. Dose, of the Pulsatilla, add twenty drops to four ounces of water and give a teaspoonful of the mixture every two hours. Dose of hamamelis, five drops once in two hours. The latter should be alternated with the former.

Definite Medication, 1911, was written by Eli G. Jones, M.D.