Ague, Chills and Fever, Fever and Ague, Intermittent Fever CALIFORNIA. INTRODUCTION. THIS book is intended to be a guide, by the aid of which, in many cases of disease, a cure may be effected with homoeopathic medicines. Those whom experience has convinced of the advantages of the system of Hahnemann, will soon learn how to make use of it; and to those who have had no opportunity of testing the merits of homoeopathy, it will give a chance of trying it, instead of the so-called domestic remedies. It is intended to be an adviser in many cases of indisposition, when one will not or cannot consult a physician. To persons living in the country, it will prove valuable, when medical aid, especially at night, is only to be had at the cost of much trouble, delay and expense; with however this guide at hand, relief may be obtained in many cases of disease. As this work is intended for the great mass of the community, and to make the homoeopathic doctrines intelligible and useful to all, the author has tried to express himself with distinctness and simplicity, in order to be generally comprehended. This common-place, familiar style may, to a certain extent, enable a great many to prescribe for themselves. But the contents of this book can make no one a homœopathic physician. It has been said by the opponents of our doctrine, that an acquaintance with the old system of medicine was unnecessary to a homoeopathic physician: but this is a great error. No one can be a successful disciple of Hahnemann, who is not well versed, as Hahnemann himself was, in the learning of the medical schools; and it would be just as impossible for him to act judiciously with- ] out a knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, surgery, and materia medica, together with chemistry and botany, as for a man, ignorant of navigation and seamanship, to carry a vessel with safety into port. If, in giving this work to the public, the author can aid in driving from common use the so-called domestic remedies, such as chamomile, hoarhound and other teas, paregoric, Epsom-salts, magnesia, and the whole host of so-called simple remedies, and also all the hostrums or patent medicines, some of which are to be found in almost every nursery, and the habitual use of which is such a prolific cause of innumerable drug-diseases, he will have accomplished the chief object of its publication, and have substituted for an irrational and pernicious practice, a judicious and rational one. DIRECTIONS FOR PRESCRIBING. Examine the table of contents, until you find the chapter where the complaint is spoken of for which you wish to have advice. Do not look for the common name only which may be given to such a complaint by the Old School doctors. Most of these names are calculated to mislead; but look for the principal symptoms of which the patient complains. In order to facilitate this as much as possible the work is divided into two parts; the first treats of the most common causes of disease; the second, of diseases occurring most frequently in the different parts of the body. Therefore, when the cause of sickness is obvious, or probable, first examine what is said of it in Part I.; then see what is said of the disease in Part II. The latter are treated of in regular succession, commencing with the head, neck, chest, and so on downward, enumerating under each head the disease to which that part is principally subject, and concluding with General Diseases. By bearing this arrangement in mind, the reader will readily find what he may desire. Suppose for instance a case of cold attended with headache and diarrhoea; look first for "Cold" in the first part, chapter second; then for "Headache" in the second part, chapter first; then for "Diarrhoea" in the same, chapter tenth. If a person is taken sick, and the direct cause is not perceptible, but the patient complains of pains in various parts of the body, examine the affections to which these several parts are subject; thus you will readily find the remedy applicable. There are often several causes, and one remedy is not suitable for them all; in this case give one remedy after another; select first one for the worst symptoms, or still better, for the symptoms which appeared last, or the cause which acted last. One, who has taken cold, will easily get his stomach out of order; one, whose stomach is disordered, will easily take cold. first, the last cause as the more important one. Consider then Always give but one remedy, and only when this does no more good, another one. When the patient appears to suffer from several complaints at the same time, it is well to ascertain and note down all the symptoms, without referring to the book, lest the patient may state something different from what is really the case, and thereby lead to the application of an improper remedy. Having thus accurately noted the complaints of the patient, inquire minutely then into all the attending circumstances. 1st. The precise locality of the pain. 2d. Require of the patient a de scription of the pain, and to what it may be compared-whether tearing, cutting, beating, throbbing, etc. 3d. The occasion of its getting worse or better, according to the time of day-morning, evening or night-to the state of the weather, whether damp, cold or dry-to the position of the body, whether when quiet or in motion-whether before or after eating-after sleep, when touched, pressed, etc. 4th. Note the combination of symptoms, if any; for instance, when coughing is accompanied with headache; or headache with inclination to vomit; or with this inclination, shivering, etc. Having written down these observations, look then into the book for the principal symptoms, and you may find the proper remedy. Examine "Instructions for patients how to communicate their cases to a physician by letter," at the end of this introduction. You will find there a detailed statement of all questions to which answers are required, and upon which the selection of a real homœopathic remedy depends. This is, to be sure, troublesome, but you can have no success without it; if you succeed without this troublesome examination, it is by chance, not by skill. If a doctor tells you that he is so learned and skillful, that he can prescribe without these questions, that he, for instance, can see by the eyes, tongue, etc., what medicines to give, he is a deceiver, and those who believe in him, show that they know nothing whatever of true homœopathy. Do not be discouraged because of the difficulties experienced at first in finding a suitable remedy, for these difficulties will vanish as soon as you become familiar with the book. If you give the wrong remedy, the patient will, of course, not get better, but it is not so bad as under the Old School practice. For a homeopathic medicine will relieve, if it is the right one, but if it is not the right one, it will do no harm. Usually the disease remains as it was, sometimes though it changes, you must look then into the book for a more suitable remedy. You can do harm with a homoeopathic remedy only if you give too much of it and too often, or if you give too many remedies, one after the other, without waiting for their effects. Let every remedy have its time to act, as is often stated in the book, and be consistent in giving nothing else, as long as there is the slightest improvement. The greatest improvement will often take place without any other remedies. ADMINISTRATION OF THE MEDICINES AND REPETITION OF DOSES. The medicines may either be administered dry, by placing them upon the tongue, or dissolved in water. In most cases, four or five globules should be placed dry on the tongue. For infants, one globule will be amply sufficient for a dose; if the tongue is dry add a few drops of water; even new-born infants are able to swallow that. Where repeated doses of the medicine at short intervals are required, the appropriate remedies should be administered in solution in water. For this purpose take a clean tumbler which has contained nothing but milk or water, else you must rinse it first with cold and afterwards with hot water, dry and heat it on a stove as much as the glass will bear, and then suffer it to cool. Fill it half full of water, as pure as you can get, put eight or ten globules or if a trituration, as much as will lie upon the point of a penknife-of the medicine into the water, and mix it thoroughly by repeatedly pouring it from one tumbler into another, or if you have only one tumbler, by means of a clean spoon. Keep the tumbler containing the medicine, well covered |