[Read before the Massachusetts Homoeopathic Society, Nov. 11, 1931].
During the past five years there have been 106 cases of pneumonia treated at the Hahnemann Hospital. There were 54 cases of bronchial pneumonia, 45 cases of lobar pneumonia and seven cases not specified. Fifty-seven were males and 49 were females.
Three age groups stand out most prominently. In the first 10 years of life there were 19 cases. Between the ages of 20 and 40, there were 36 cases and between the ages of 60 and 85 there were 32 cases.
The incidents of broncho and lobar pneumonia during these periods were equal except in the last group where bronchial pneumonia exceeded lobar pneumonia by a two to one ratio.
Fifty-nine cases recovered; eight were discharged as improved. There were 30 deaths giving a mortality rate of 28 percent. (Note 1. This exceptionally high mortality rate is not surprising inasmuch as a number of cases entering the hospital were in condition of extremis. There were 17 cases with a hospital stay of less than five days and in this group I recall at least six that died in less than 48 hours after admittance and personally recall two such cases while interning).
Seventy-six, or 72 percent, of the cases were treated by members of the staff (homoeopathically) with 17 deaths and a mortality rate of 221/2 percent. (Note 2. This number includes those cases, some six or eight, where staff members were called in consultation, often seeing the patient in a moribund condition.).
Thirty, or 28 percent, were treated by members not on the staff (allopathically no form of homoeopathy) with 13 deaths and a mortality rate of 43 percent. Twenty of the 30 deaths occurred in the 60 to 80-year age group, 10 deaths in each of the 6th and 7th decades, 10 out of 16 in the 6th and 10 out of 10 in the 7th.
Of the predisposing causes, exposure to wet and cold and exhaustion head the list, these factors being mentioned in the histories in the 25 cases. (Note 3. Incomplete and deficient histories have, of necessity, made this phase of our investigation of only relative value). Among other factors mentioned as predisposing or coexisting (and again from histories this cannot be definitely determined) are colds 5, pleurisy 6, tuberculosis 3, acute purulent otitis media 4, improper diet, malnutrition, chronic suppurative ethmoiditis, acute alcoholism thrush, furunculosis, war gas, scarlet fever, carbuncle, measles, bronchitis, tonsillitis and fractured hip; and now as more proper coexisting and not predisposing causes per se the following: myocarditis, 5, endocarditis 2, pericarditis, influenza, lactation, pneumonia, septicaemia, pregnancy, abortion, nephritis, multiple sclerosis, osteomyelitis, rheumatic fever, ileus and cholecystitis.
There were nine cases giving a history of previous attacks of pneumonia and the mortality rate in this group was 33 percent (3 deaths, one patient who died having had pneumonia three times before).
Of the complications, there were nine cases of empyema with rib resection and five deaths, one case of general septicaemia died, five cases of pleurisy with effusion with two deaths, one with a definite history of tuberculosis. One case of acute otitis media and chronic suppurative ethmoiditis, lived, two cases of acute otitis media lived. One case of unresolved pneumonia and one case of ileus both lived.
There were 10 cases of post-operative pneumonia with three deaths (district cases). The percentage of post-operative pneumonia in this hospital in the past five years according to our figures is approximately 77 percent in approximately 1,300 major surgical operative cases.
X-rays were taken in 27 or about 25 percent of cases. Five autopsies were performed confirming diagnoses. According to the histories most cases had a duration of disease at entry of a week or more and the second group in numbers entered after three to five days duration. The average length of hospital stay was fifteen days.
From the records it was determined that at least 81 types of medication were demonstrated. Diathermy was used in 12 cases. At least 25 different remedies were used homoeopathically, Ferrum phosphoricum heading the list, being used on 43 different occasions. The adjuvant therapy supportive treatment and allopathic remedies were legion.
POST-OPERATIVE PNEUMONIA CASES.
1. Antrum septum for chronic suppurative maxillary sinusitis local anaesthesia one day following embolic pneumonia recovered.
2. Appendectomy acute appendicitis ether four days following, phlebitis complicating recovered.
3. Appendectomy acute gangrenous appendicitis ether same day bronchial pneumonia died.
4. Strangulated umbilical hernia 11 days prior operated successfully novocaine, 1/2 percent local died of pneumonia.
5. Prostatectomy adenoma of the prostate spinal anaesthesia one day following recovered.
6. Myringotomy submental abscess osteomyelitis of femur one day chloroform in all cases recovered.
7. Rib resection on entry local anaesthesia died.
8. Adenotonsillectomy ether 3 days after recovered.
9. Appendectomy ether 6 days after recovered.
10. Prostatectomy adenoma of the prostate local, novocaine supplemented by gas oxygen 2 days after died.
The homoeopathic remedies and the number of cases in which they were used follows:.
Aconite ……………3
Ant. tart. …………8
Apis……………….1
Ars. iod……………2
Bell………………12
Bry……………….18
China………………1
Cough pill………….3
Ferrum phos………..43
Gels……………….2
Hepar sulph…………4
Ipec……………….2
Kali bich…………..3
Kali carb…………..1
Kali mur……………2
Merc. bin…………..1
Merc. sol……………2
Nux vom…………….3
Phos……………….6
Rumex………………1
Silicon…………….1
Strych. phos………..2
Sulph………………2
WORCESTER, MASS.
