Lycopodium.

F. C. HARRISON, M. D., CHRISTOPHER, ILLINOIS

Lycopodium is a remedy that I consider an important one in the narrow field of its operation, and one which I feel has been neglected. The especial indications to which I refer are not of frequent occurrence, but its promptness in acting upon these indications, justify us in keeping the remedy where it can be easily obtained.

There are occasionally cases of fever which are quite persistent, in which the fever is worst about the middle of the afternoon, with a remission in the morning, but no complete intermission. There is no marked periodicity which would point to malaria.

With this fever, it will be found that the urine is scanty and of a dark red color, depositing a sediment which stains the clothing a pinkish color, is very tenacious and not readily washed out. In this class of cases, I have found lycopodium a remedy which will change the entire urinary condition and will assist materially in controlling the fever.

I was called last winter to see a boy ten years of age, who was taken with convulsions. In this case, with a rise of temperature, there were symptoms of cerebral and spinal irritation. I gave gelsemium and controlled the convulsions, and the fever to a certain extent, but a condition soon developed in every way similar to that which I have just described.

I prescribed lycopodium and within twenty-four hours there was a marked improvement in the entire condition of the patient.

Another case was that of a boy sixteen years of age, to whom I was called in consultation. The fever had been running a long time and the urinary condition was persistent. I advised lycopodium in this case, stating to the physician that I was sure that it would do much in controlling the fever, as well as in overcoming the urinary conditions.

The prescription used in this case was twenty drops of specific lycopodium in four ounces of water, a teaspoonful every two hours when awake. The improvement was apparent from the first. The medicine was renewed on the third day and there was a satisfactory recovery in a short time.

As the editor of THE THERAPEUTIST has often said, a single remedy of known efficacy, when applied to a specific condition, is indeed very important when that condition is met, and this is one of those remedies.

COMMENT:—The indications named above may be depended upon as quite reliable when prescribing this remedy. The urinary symptoms may appear during the course of dyspepsia, or from faulty action of the stomach or intestinal tract of a chronic character, and the remedy will thus assist in relieving constipation, palpitation, and regurgitation from the stomach of acids or of undigested food.

It is especially useful in indigestion where there is a chronic catarrhal condition of the stomach with its characteristic symptoms, and can be given for the uric acid diathesis whenever it is present, especially if there are symptoms of rheumatism.

Catarrh of the bladder, whether in adults or children, with painful urination, if accompanied with uric acid deposits, or with urates or triple phosphates, will often be relieved with this remedy, and if congestive headaches or dizziness are present from these faults, they will disappear from the action of this remedy.

Ellingwood's Therapeutist, Vol. 2, 1908, was edited by Finley Ellingwood M.D.