Arnica montana
van E. B. Nash — Leaders in Typhoid Fever
Historical reference for practitioners and students. The statements below reflect the named author’s homeopathic teaching and do not establish treatment effectiveness. This text is not medical advice and must not replace appropriate diagnosis or care.
REMEDIES FOLLOWING THE FIRST OR PRODROMAL STAGE OF TYPHOID FEVER
ARNICA
Arnica has an apathetic condition, or indifference, similar to Phosphoric acid, but the Arnica depression is more profound as is also that of Baptisia, for they both go to sleep in the midst of answering a question. The stupor-apathy overpowers them, but here the similarity ends.
ARNICA MONTANA
Before doing this I want to call attention to Arnica montana, a remedy that has other important uses than those arising from traumatic causes. The reason why Arnica is such a regal remedy for the effects of injuries, especially bruises, is because in the provings it produces soreness and a sensation as if bruised. Now if these same sensations occur in disease, even without the traumatic element, Arnica should still be the homœopathic remedy. And so it is, for the first and most important symptom indicating it in fevers is the sore and bruised sensation that makes the patient want to continually move or be moved, because he cannot lie on the sore parts; he complains that the bed is too hard. Baptisia comes nearest to Arnica in this symptom. This is different from Rhus tox., for then the patient must move because the muscles ache and are temporarily relieved by motion. Arnica is:
Weary, weak and stupid.
Complains of no particular pain, only the sore, bruised sensation.
Sits, or lies, as if stupid, forgets the word he is speaking.
Bleeds from the nose.
Face may be red and hot, while the rest of the body is cool (Phytolacca).
Unnoticed micturition and defecation.
Brown streak through the middle of the tongue (Baptisia).
Suggillations under the skin.
Foul smelling breath.
Distension of the abdomen.
Brown or white diarrhœa.
A study of Arnica shows strong similarity between it and Baptisia, so far as symptoms go, but I have found as a rule that the Arnica is oftener useful later rather than in the beginning of typhoids. It is sometimes lost sight of in the popular teaching that it is only to be used in cases connected with trauma.
HÆMORRHAGES IN TYPHOID
Arnica montana.—Blood bright red, also, but clotted.
PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS AND CONVALESCENCE
Arnica, Phosphorus, or Petroleum, deafness remaining.