The Therapeutics of Fevers

Phosphorus phos.

Allen (1879)In every bookSave

Characteristic

Adapted to tall, slender persons of sanguine temperament, fair skin, delicate eye lashes, fine, blonde or red hair, quick, lively perceptions and sensitive nature.

Young people, who grow too rapidly, are inclined to stoop (walk stooping, Sul.); chlorosis; anæmia; old people, with morning diarrhœa.

Oversensitiveness of all the senses to external impressions, light, noise, odors, touch (Ign., Nux., Tar.).

Restless, fidgety; moves continually, cannot sit or stand still a moment (fidgety feet, Zinc.).

Burning: in spots along the spine; between the scapulæ (as of a piece of ice, Lachn.); or intense heat running up the back; of palms of hands (Lach.); in chest and lungs; of every organ or tissue of the body (Ars., Sulph.); generally in diseases of nervous system.

Pain: acute, especially in the chest, < from pressure, even slight, in intercostal spaces, and lying on left side; excited by slightest chill; open air intolerable.

A weak, empty, all-gone sensation in head, chest,

Cannot talk, the larynx is so painful; cough, going from warm to cold air (rev. of Bry.), laughing, talking, reading, eating, lying on left side (Dros., Stan.).

Acts more beneficially when patients suffer from chronic diarrhœa.

Relations

Complementary: Arsenic, with which it is also in isomorphic relation.

Incompatible: with Causticum, must not be used before or after.

Follows well: after Cinchona or Calcarea.

Hahnemann says: "Acts more beneficial when patient suffers from chronic loose stool or diarrhœa.

Aggravation

Evening before midnight (Puls., Rhus); when alone; lying on left or painful side; from light; during a thunderstorm; change of weather, either hot or cold; eating something warm.

Amelioration

In the dark; lying on right side; after sleep; eating something cold; rubbing, or being mesmerized.

Cold air relieves the head and face symptoms, but aggravates those of the chest, throat and neck.

Type

Quotidian. Typhoid, typhus, yellow.

Time

1, 6, 5 to 6, 7 P. M. Afternoon and evening. Same hour every day.

Chill

Without thirst. Towards evening, not > by heat of stove (Meny., Nux). Chill at 1, lasting till 5 P. M. Chilliness over whole trunk, as if in cold water, not relieved by external covering (Nux). Chilliness in the evening on falling asleep; from 6 P. M. till midnight, falling asleep from weakness. Chilliness every evening, with shivering, with aversion to uncovering. Violent shaking chill at night, with diarrhœa, followed by heat and perspiration. Chill alternating with heat (Ars.); veins of hands swollen; yawning; goose-flesh. Chill descends; heat ascends, the back (Ver.). Coldness in the kness at night in bed) Carbo v.). Coldness of limbs; icy coldness of the hands and feet, even in bed.

Heat

With thirst. Violent chill; he could not get warm at 5 to 6 P. M., followed by heat and internal chilliness; then heat and perspiration all night. Heat at night, beginning in stomach; faint and hungry; then chill followed by internal heat, especially in the hands, the cold continuing externally. Heat and sweat at night, with ravenous hunger, that could not be appeased (hunger in every stage, Cina—hunger after paroxysm, Eup.—hunger before chill, Cinch.). Hot flushes over whole body, beginning in the hands, both afternoon and evening; cold externally. Urine turbid, whitish, brick dust sediment.

Sweat

Profuse over whole body and on slight exertion.* Morning sweat, most profuse during sleep (Cinch.). Profuse exhausting morning sweat*, sometimes clammy. Sweat on head, hands, feet, fore part of body, alternating with chilliness; urine turbid and milky. Perspiration has the odor of sulphur.

Tongue

Coated with a thick fur, white or brown, dark centre and red edges; or coated only in the middle.

Hunger, must eat during chill and heat, before he can get up; feels faint; wants cold food, ice water, ice cream. Regurgitation of food, in mouthfuls, with nausea. Food scarcely swallowed, comes up again.

"Intermittent fever; heat and perspiration at night, with faintness and ravenous hunger, which could not be satisfied by eating; afterwards chilliness, with chattering of teeth and external coldness; chilliness succeeded by internal heat, especially in hands, the external coldness continues."—LIPPE.

Apt to become remittent or typhoid; or a remittent fever takes on after a time—or after a partial or complete suppression—an intermittent type, usually the quotidian.

Analysis

Chill; chilliness every evening, with icy coldness of extremities.

Heat; and sweat at night, with ravenous hunger.

Sweat; profuse, over whole body and on slight exertion.