HOW TO TREAT SEVERE COUGHS


Nausea does not readily yield to coughing and expectoration, suffocation form accumulation of phlegm or where the paroxysms are so severe, or quickly following scarcely affording time for respiration causing the fact to become blue and the body rigid, especially seen in children.


Kali bichromicum (3x, 6x, 30th). This remedy cures the coughs which have these most peculiar symptoms. The voice is rough and hoarse, the cough is paroxysmal, teasing, violent and deep down, caused by constant tickling there is much clear (but sometimes thick) tenacious phlegm which pulls out into long strings and is exceedingly hard to get rid of, the string will reach the feet if not forcibly detached. There is no other remedy just like this.

Causticum (6x, 12x, or 30th) NOTE : This wont act well lower than the 6x. It cures dry hard coughs with tightly adhering mucus in the chest, rattling, bubbling phlegm, cough stopped temporarily by drinks of cold water, coughing causes involuntary spurting of urine, chest very sore pains move about in the chest, relieved by firm pressure of hand over chest well.

Ipecacuanha (3x, 6x or 30th) cures very loose, coarse, loud rattling breathing and coughs with asthmatical symptoms. Great nausea (greater nausea here than with Pulsatilla and with Antimonium tart.) For this remedy to be of the greatest use there must be some coughing into nausea, or even vomiting.

Nausea does not readily yield to coughing and expectoration, suffocation form accumulation of phlegm or where the paroxysms are so severe, or quickly following scarcely affording time for respiration causing the fact to become blue and the body rigid, especially seen in children.

Dulcamara (3x, 6x or 30th). This covers long fits of spasmodic barking coughing which shakes the whole body, profuse secretion of mucus in the throat and larger air passages but which is easy to get rid of (opposite to Ipecacuanha, Causticum and Antimonium tart). Sputum is tasteless, great hoarseness, damp chilly weather aggravates all symptoms.

Pulsatilla (3x, 6x or 30th) cure severe shaking catarrhal, spasmodic coughs which are worse towards evening and at night, frequently followed by vomiting, but with little or no nausea (compare this with Ipecacuanha), cough at first dry, soon running into a copious expectoration of yellowish or white phlegm often of a distinctly salty taste and sometimes bitter mucus streaked with blood in protracted cases when not taken care of in time, much wheezing and rattling in chest, raw sensation in throat. The Pulsatilla patients generally report much shivering and chilliness.

Phosphorus (6x, 12x, or 30th). NOTE : This drug must not be used by the laity in lower potency than the 6x (sixth decimal) which means but one part of Phosphorus in a million of either alcohol or sugar of milk. Thus it is absolutely safe for the most delicate infant.

Phosphorus is the deadly drug of allopathic literature and which is practically discarded by them because in their hands it has proved so injurious and even deadly in their large dosages. These dangers are all explained in their standard works for the allopathic profession. This explanation is necessary as the allopaths claim that the homoeopaths employ dangerous drugs. It is a “life-saver” in our hands, and therefore invites and needs extensive study.

The acute cough which Phosphorus will cure arises from an inflammation and irritation of the upper air passages of the lungs (bronchial tubes), the tickling is much lower than that of Belladonna, the Phosphorus cough is worse from using the voice and by any change of breathing as from slight exertion the cough it as first dry and then later with expectoration takes on the character of “prune juice” in colour in sputum is a homoeopathic keynote of the highest value in this dread disease, pneumonia.

Phosphorus saves scores of lives and even thousands for homoeopathy and is one of the chief factors on reducing the homoeopathic death rate in pneumonia to under 5 per cent., whilst the world allopathic death rate in the same disease, and with the same classification for all ages, stands fairly regularly at 29.5 per cent. according to modern allopathic statistics.

Cold air always aggravates the Phosphorus cough and the chest feels dry, burnt and sore inside. The voice is husky, rough, even to total loss of the voice (aphonia). The larynx feels raw and there is great oppression of the chest. All symptoms worse when lying on the left side.

Arsenicum album (6x, 12x or 30th). NOTE :- Dont use this remedy lower than the 6x (sixth decimal), when we state that it is perfectly safe for lay use, even for the youngest infant. This Arsenicum album suits the coughs of elderly people and those of very low vitality, of those with sudden profound sinking of the vital forces in acute disease.

To be of use the patient must complain of some burning sensation (this is the great homoeopathic keynote of this drug), but these burning sensations curiously enough, are ameliorated by warmth and by hot applications patients have high fever all symptoms are worse at night, especially after midnight (1 to 3 a.m.), much anxiety voice weak cough with cold sweat, sputum tough and like beaten white of egg. great thirst for small amounts of water (sips) but drinking causes shivers or chilliness, followed at once by great heat which is describes as burning, cough alternates between dry and loose but with the everlasting sensation of heat somewhere, internally or externally. Rightly prescribed, its action is nothing less than marvellous in our minute dosages.

CHRONIC COUGHS require totally different, remedies which are deep-acting constitutional medicines, and they need quite a separate study.

The few homoeopathic remedies given above cover quite a variety of peculiar “personal” symptoms occurring in cases of acute coughs. The symptoms are distinctive ; they are not easily confused by any beginner in Homoeopathy ; they are helpful ; they must severe as a simple introduction to the subject and they will teach you the way to differentiate in order to cure. In the potencies (strengths ) named three cannot be the slightest danger to adult or infant. The drug symptoms must closely correspond to the disease picture or they will not help you.

If you can pick out your patients symptoms as given above and if you act immediately before serious damage is done to some organ you can cure.

I challenge allopathy to produce and any such clear indications for their medicines. They simply have nothing like this exactitude for your help!.

When taking homoeopathic medicines allopathic drug are taboo. Most allopathic drugs, for coughs or any other disease, carry grave warnings in all their standard works of reference written for the profession as to secondary drug effects such as are never to be be found in any homoeopathic work. Let me give you two instances of their cough remedies. A very common allopathic cough drug is Heroine, an alkaloid of Opium. I can vouch for the action and danger from experience.

I had it given to me during the War when I was too ill to think of prescribing for myself. It did stop the cough by drying my secretions in the lungs, which nearly finished me. Those half-dried waste products of lung inflammation should have been helped outwards. I finally crawled out of the bed and helped myself to some homoeopathic medicine which, thank God, I was able to put my hands on.

Allopathic standard works mention these warnings as to Heroine, saying :- “Heroine has a depressant action even in small doses on the spinal cord and especially on the respiratory center, much greater than morphine. Codeine has the same danger. Peoples susceptibilities vary greatly to this drug” them why use such stuff ? And I suggest the experiments is always on the patient !

Again- Chlorate of Potash, given freely by the allopaths for sore throats and coughs, has always a severe “secondary action”, which is chiefly on the kidneys. The allopaths especially warm that “in young people it should always be used with great care and in small doses if given at all” etc., etc., and I also read in their works that “it (Chlorate of Potash has been known to explode whilst compressed into tablets The allopathic works of reference, in parts, are funnier than Punch.

NURSING.

Plays an important role in all acute coughs. Broadly and briefly, “heat is curative” (see Common Colds” about heat and fever being curative). Wet applications are very bad ; they have a trick of getting cold and clammy. Hot water bags are better than any hot water compress.

The bags should only be one-third to one-half full to lessen their weight, and all air should be pressed out of before stoppering. Thus they lie flat to the body surface. (I have seen too many wobbling over-weighted bags to make this advice superfluous) Plenty of fresh air is necessary, short of chilling. See bowels are open daily (enemas being best), but dont allow the patient to leave a warm bed and trek along cold corridors to a toilet, as I have known done.

COMPRESSES.

Dont wait too long to begin compresses. They are most valuable and cut down the time in bed. Hot Antiphlogistine is king of all compresses. It should be put on both front and back and over the shoulders near the neck to cover the apices of the lungs. Spread this Antiphlogistine with a large knife on old line or small cotton cloths. Do it in sections so as not to uncover too large a surface at one time. Over this “plaster”, oiled silk is the best covering to keep the Antiphlogistine and over this layer apply ordinary cotton wool. Sterile Absorbent Cotton is much dearer and its “sterility” becomes a comparatively costly farce as soon as it is handled.

Ethelbert Petrie Hoyle
BIO: Dr. Ethelbert Petrie Hoyle 1861 – 1955 was a British orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy. He served as editor of the International Homeopathic Medical Directory and Travelling Secretary to the International Homeopathic Society.