A Tabulated Summary and Comparison of the action of Fever Remedies.
| ACONITE | GELSEMIUM | VERATRUM | BRYONIA | RHUS TOX. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHEN INDICATED | (a) At the onset of fevers, and during fevers in sthenic patients (b) In small doses in protracted fevers, in asthenic cases. |
In sthenic cases. When nervous irritation is present and spasm threatens, or acute cerebral engorgement; in neuralgic pains. | Only in sthenic cases and in convulsions or threatened convulsions with rapid heart action. | In either sthenia or asthenia, when indications exist. | In either sthenia or asthenia. Most often indicated in the latter. |
| AGE OF PATIENT | Emphatically the child sedative, but equally applicable in middle life; less prompt in the aged. | Excellent in infancy. The remedy in full doses for strong adults; less frequently indicated in the aged. | The agent for strong adults, and women at childbirth; more difficult to adapt to infants; seldom indicated in the aged. | A remedy applicable any time of life; weak and strong; to infants, and to the aged. | Applicable to all by proper adjustment of dosage and by careful study of indications. |
| GENERAL CONDITIONS or LOCATION OF DISEASE | In all acute fevers and inflammations with increased temperature. | In acute cerebral engorgement; acute nervous irritation, and nervous excitability. | Threatened local engorgement: threatened convulsions. | In inflammations of serous, or of the synovial membranes, or of the organs covered by serous membranes; pulmonary and intestinal structures. | In local inflammation, where the skin structure is involved with redness, circumscribed tenderness and heat or pain. In typhoid conditions or low protracted fevers. |
| HEART and PULSE INDICATIONS | Heart strong and rapid. Pulse rapid, quick, sharp, hard; in asthenia soft, small, feeble, but regular: given then in very small doses. | Heart strong, irritable, violent in action, increased in muscular power; exalted nerve force in heart disease; contraindicated in feeble heart. | Heart strong and rapid; pulse full, large, hard; or small, hard, very rapid; contraindicated in feeble heart. | Heart may be either weak or strong if other indications are present, pulse quick. Is not a heart depressant in proper medicinal doses. | Quick and rapid pulse. Usually soft, feeble, compressible, or may be hard or wiry. |
| TEMPERATURE | Fever always present in acute cases. In chronic adaptation heart and pulse must guide. | Fever usually present, of a nervous type. | Fever usually present; heart's action rather than temperature to be considered. | Fever present | Fever present |
| SKIN, FACE and EYES | Skin dry and hot; capilla circulation actively engorged: eyes bright. | Skin dry and hot, usually; face flushed, bright red; eyes bright, pupils contracted. | Skin may be cool, bright red, or dull red, or even dusky colored. | Usually hot, either moist or dry; red spot on one or both cheeks. | Skin usually very hot. Especially in circumscribed are which is bright red. |
| MOUTH and TONGUE | Mouth dry and parched; tongue pale, soft, white coat, moist, or dry and harsh with brown stripe. | Red tongue, dry or moist; in protracted nerve irritation dry and dark red. | Mouth moist, full membranes, tongue dry, red stripe in center. | Tongue dry, usually coated, membranes dark. | Membranes dark, tongue dark, pointed red tip and edges elongated papillae. |
| SECRETIONS | May be abruptly suppressed. | Usually suppressed. Of immediate importance, in full, frequent doses, in anuria, especially if from infection. | Skin and kidneys usually free in action; in uremic convulsion secretions deficient. | Usually deficient. | Usually suppressed |
| PAIN | General distress, and headache; local pain in inflamed organs. | Severe headache with extreme restlessness; local pain of nervous origin, acute neuralgias. | Pain depends upon cause, local; may be bursting headache as in puerperal convulsions. | Quick, shooting, darting pains; local soreness and tenderness on pressure; general muscular aching. | Pain in inflamed area; general muscular aching. |
The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1919, was written by Finley Ellingwood, M.D.
It was scanned by Michael Moore for the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.
