ANNEXURE


The gravest injury one could imagine is “head injury”; most ofthe head injuries are from road accidents. Those of us who had seen ‘head injury’ patients and their long, slow,mostly partial recovery, the expenses involved in the hospitalization, wouldearnestly long for a better therapeutic method. We have it in Homœopathy. It isso rich in ‘head injury’ remedies. Unfortunately we never venture to treat such cases.

I append hereto the ‘rubrics’ and remedieswith particular relevance to Head Injuries. These have been extracted from an article by Dr. Gerhard BLEUL inthe Allgemeine HomöopathischeZeitung, Volume 247, No.4/2002. Perhaps we can make a ‘kit’ of Head injury remedies (high potencies)which can be carried easily whenever we travel and use them. We may also build bridges with the Surgeonswith the sole intention of serving the injured so that they become their normalagain. = KSS.

1. Clinical Rubrics. Head InjuryRemedies

Kent Head- Injuries of the head, after
Keller/Künzli Head - Head Injuries, consequences ofarn. cic. hyper. nat-m.nat-s.
Künzli/Barthel Head - Injuries, after


Boger Head, external - Injuries arn. cic.hyper. nat-m. nat-s.



Bönninghausen Rubric 2426: VI-Modalities - acon. arn. bell. cic. con. hyos.
Aggravation – puls. rhus-t. sulph.
Injuries - Head


Knerr Inner Head – Head - Injury -chronic effects: arn.cic. hyper.nat-m.
-causesdistress: lac-d.
-mentaltroubles from: nat-s.
-headache especially at base
of brain and back of neck
also irritation of brain: nat-s.
` vertigo from: op.  


Knerr Outer Head - Head Injuries -concussion: acon. arn.hyper.
-chroniceffects from simple
concussion : nat-s
-contusions: arn. form.
-threemonths after wound, by
falling on scissors, gradual
altering of health: led.
-lacerated wounds: calen.
-laceration above left temple,
several inches in length,
suppurated and became a
troublesome sore: hydr.
-suppuratingwounds: sil


Knerr Outer Head - Skull -fracturearn. calc-p. symph.
-bonesplintered: hyper.
-compound:calen.
-herniaafter fractured skull:
calen.
-non-union,particularly in the
aged: calc-p.


Clarke Repertory of Causation: art-v. merl.
Head- Blow on
Repertory ofCausation: nat-m. nat-s.
Head - injury to



Synthesis Head- Injuries to the Head - after arn.cic, hyper. nat.m nat-s.
+calen. carc. cedr. Chin.
cocc. hell. hyos kali- p.
led.lob. mang. Meny. rhus-t.
sul-ac.teucr. zinc.



Complete Head - Injuries acon. alum.am-c. am-m.
am-pic. anac. apisin. arn.
bell. bell-p. both. calc. calc-p.
calc-s. calen. carc. chin. cic.
cocc.con. cupr. dulc. ferr-p.
glon. hell. hep. hyos. hyper.
kali-p. lac-c. lac-d. lach. led.
lob.mang. meli. merc. nat-m.
nat-s nit-ac. nux-v. op. petr.
ph-ac. phos. puls. pyrar. rhus-t.
sep. sil. staph. stram. sul-ac.
sulph. symph. tell. teucr. verat.
zinc.



Murphy Head - Injuries, blows, acet-ac. acon. am-c. anac
concussionsarn.aur. bad. bell. bell-p. both.
bry.calc. calc-p. calc-s. calen.
camph.cann-s. carc. caust.
chin.cic. cina. cocc. con. cupr.
echi. euphr. glon. ham. hell.
hyos. hyper.iod. kali-p kreos.
lac-c. lach. laur. led. lac,
m-arct. mag-m. mang. merc.
mez. nat-m nat-s. nux-m.
nux-v. op. ph-ac. puls. rhus-t.
ruta. seneg. sep sil. spig. staph.
stram. stry. sul-ac. sulph.
symph, teucr. valer.verat. verb.
viol-t. zinc.


Synthesis Head - Injuries to Head - carc.
during delivery




Kent Head - Cephalhaematoma
Keller/Künzli Head - blood flow,
Cephalhaematomain
new born calc-f. merc. sil
Künzli/Barthel Head – Cephalhaematoma

Synthesis Head - Haematoma of head

Complete Head - Cephalhaeatoma + ambr. calc. nat-m.rhus-t
Addition : GUERNSEY sulph.thuj.


Keller/Künzli Head - Injuries of scalp
Synthesis Head - Injuries of head -scalp calen.
Complete Head - Injuries – scalp


Murphy Head - Injuries - scalp of calen


2.Concussion to Head
Knerr Inner Head - Brain -Concussionarn. calen. Cic.Hell. Hyos.
kali-p. Teucr.
-worse from 3 to 6 p.m. ( after
Arn. failed): hell.
- functionof cells depressed:
kali-p.
- inflammation after a fall :
zinc.
-deafness : chin-s.
- pupils dilated: cic.
painful, from shaking head,
from walking: cocc.
-with aching in head and in
epigastrium: mang.
- at each step: Rhus-t
- a misstepcauses sensation of:
Led.
Lippe Head - Concussion of brain arn. cic. led. Rhus-t.sul-ac.
Head - Conditions – Concussions
from arn.bell. Cocc. Hep. Ph-ac.________________________________________________________________________ Clarke ClinicalRep.: Brain - Concussion of hyper.kali-p. mang. Sil. Sul-ac.
Clinical Rep.: Concussion
(in general) (arn.) cic. hell. 


Boericke Head - Brain - Concussion acon. arn. bell,cic.ham. Hyper.
kali-i.Nat-s. op. sul-ac.


Boger` Head, internal - concussion of ARN. bell. CIC. glon.Hell.
Brain. Hep. Hyper. led. Merc. Ph-ac.
Rhus-t.sep. sul-ac.
Bönninghausen Rubric 2069: VI: Modalities- Agg. Acon. ARN. bell. Bry. Calc.
according to circumstances. CIC cina. Con. Hep.Ign.
Nux-v. ph- ac. Rhus-t. ruta.
Spig. Sulph.


Kent Head- Concussion of brain
Keller/Künzli Head - Concussion to brain arn. bell. Cic.hell. Hep. Hyos.
Hyper.kali-p. led. Merc.
Künzli/Barthel Head - Concussion brain nat-s. Ph-ac. Rhus-t.sep.
sul-ac.Zinc.
Synthesis Head - Concussion to brain + carc. Mang. Sil.


Complete Head - Concussion to brain acon. alum. ARN. bar-c. bell.
Bry. Calen. Carc. Cic. con.
Gels. Glon. Ham. Hell. Hep.
Hydr-ac. Hyos.HYPER.
kali-i.Kali-p. led. Mang. Merc.
Nat-s. op. ph-ac. Rhus-t. sep.
sil. Stram. Sul-ac. Sulph.
Teucr. Verat-v. zinc.
- by stubbing the foot. bar-c
- false step, from led.
- Coma, with hydr. Verat-v
- Coma, with sudden verat-v
- Perspiration of the body,
- cold with sul-ac.


Murphy Head - Injuries - Concussion, arn. bell. Calen. Chin. Cic.
Brain,after: cocc. Hell. Hep. Hyos. Hyper.
kali-p. led. Lob. Mang. Merc.
Nat-s. nat-m. op. ph-ac. Rhus-t.
Sep.stram. Sul-ac. Teucr. Zinc.


3. Peculiar symptomsconsequent upon (Head)- Injuries.
Kent Head - pain -concussion, from
Keller/Künzli Head - pain -concussion to brain, arn. bell. Calc-s. cocc.Ferr-p,
from hep. Lac-c. merc. Phos.
Künzli/Barthel Head - pain - concussion from
Synthesis Head - pain - brain concussionfrom
Complete Headpain - general - concussion +kali-br.
Murphy Head - Injuries - headache - from +nat-s
Concussion


Kent Head- Pain - fall, after a
Keller/Künzli Head - pain - fall, after a arn. hyper. rhus-t.
Künzli/Barthel Head - Pain - Fall, after a
Synthesis Head - pain - knock, after a
Complete Head - pain - general - knock
aftera +sul-ac.


Murphy Head - Injuries - headache -from arn. calc-s.hell. hyper. nat-m.
blows nats.



Kent Head - Pain - Injuries, mechanical
after
Keller/Künzli Headpain - Injuries after, arn. bell calc. Cic. con.
mechanical dulc. hep. hyper. lach.
merc. nat-m, nat-s. nit-ac.. petr.
phos.Puls. rhus-t.
Künzli/Barthel Head- pain - injuries, after staph. sulph, sul-ac.
mechanical
Synthesis Head - pain - injuries, mechanical +calc-s. chel. glon.
after.
Complete Head - pain - general - Injuries, +alum. carc. glon. hyos.
after mechanical,delivery during carc.
Murphy Head - injuries - headache -after
injuries +glon.


General Symptoms


Synthesis General - Faintness - Injuries hyos
Brain concussionfrom


Complete General - Shock. Knocks, blows, concussion of brain : cic.
sensation as if acurrent shock


Complete Head - injuries ailments, high grade:
lac-d, old: arn.
Kent Generalities- Convulsions - Injuries arn. art-v. cic. hyper. nat-s.
from op. oena. rhus-t. sulph. valer.
Keller/Künzli Genl. - convulsion - Injuries from
Künzli/Barthel Genl. - convulsion - Injuries from


Synthesis Genl. - convulsion - Injuriesfrom arn. art-v. cic.cupr. hyper. led.
- head of. meli. nat-s.


Murphy Head - injuries - epilepsy,after. arn. cic. hell.hyper. nat-s. zinc.


Kent Vertigo- Injuries on head cic. nat-s.


Künzli/Barthel Vertigo - head injuries after arn. cic. nat-s.ruta


Synthesis Vertigo - head injuries, after arn. cic. nat-s. op. ruta.


Murphy Head - injuries - vertigo,
after injuries cic. nat-s.


Mentalsymptoms


Boericke Generalities - injuries -mental
symptoms, frominjuries cic. glon. hyper. mag-c. nat-s.



Murphy Head - Injuries -
mental,functionings altered carc. hell. kali-p. nat-s. op.
stram.


4.Head injuries (therapeutic experiences)

Concussion of brain Acon.(Knerr), Arn. (div).
Cic.(div), Hyos. (Knerr),
hyper.(div)


Cephalhaematoma Arn.(div), Calc-f., Merc.,
Sil.(Kent)


Skullfracture Arn.(Knerr), Calc-p.(Knerr),
Calen.(Knerr), Hyper.(Knerr),
Rhus-t(Kent), Symph. (Knerr)


Openhead wounds Calen (Knerr), Hydr. (Knerr),
Led.(Knerr, Kent),Sil. (Knerr)


Consequencesof Head Injuries (therapeutic experiences)
Headpain Arn.(div.),Bell. (Kent),
Carc.(Foubister),
Hell.(Hahnemann),Hyper.(div.)
Nat-m.(Hahnemann), Nat-s.
(Knerr), Rhus-t. (div), Sul-ac.
(Clarke)


Vertigo Cic.(div.), Nat-s.(Kent),

Op.(Knerr).


Loss of hearing Chin-s.(Knerr)


Meningealirritation Arn. (Lilienthal), Hyper.
(Guernsey)

Consciousnessloss, coma Arn.(Knerr), Hydr. (Knerr)
Seizures Arn.(Lippe), Art-v.(Clarke),
Cic.(Kent, Hering), Cupr.
(Mezger) Hyper (Knerr) Led.
(Knerr), Meli (Knerr),
Nat-s. (Kent, Knerr)

Confusion Hell.(Hahnemann), Nat-s.
(Kent)

Depression Nat-s.(Kent, Voisin)
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Head pain
Modality: worse from Concussion Calc-s.(Kent), Hep.
(jolts, shakes, violent movement,stepping, etc.) (Hahnemann), Kali-p. (Kent)
Sensation, as if beaten Ph-ac.(Hahnemann), Zinc.
(Hahnemann)

Head- Sensation of Concussion (Vibration, tottering, internal movement, etc.)

Jolts,Knocks Bar-c. (Hahnemann.),
Cocc.(Hahnemann),
Led. (Hahnemann),
Merc. (Hahnemann),
Nat-m.(Hahnemann),
Sep. (Hahnemann),
Sul-ac.(Jahr).

Slap,after Hep.(Hahnemann),
Sep. (Hahnemann).

Sensation,brain is disconnected Rhus-t. (Hahnemann).





MEDICALAND SURGICAL EXPERIENCES IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR AND SOME STATISTICS AND MEDICALMEASURES OF GREATEST VALUE TO ALL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS

E.Petrie HOYLE, M.D.

In the matter of this title, I have someright to speak, as I was actually “over there” in Belgium and France for fourfull years, and fully employed every single day, much of the time being at ornear the front. I was the first Americandoctor actually at the front, at Antwerp,Malines and Furnes dating from Sept. 5, 1914. Our unit crossed to Ostend on Sept. 4. My early start occasioned because our familywas in Englandwhen war was declared, and as there were eighteen uncles and nephews in it, my(first) wife said she would have been ashamed had I not volunteered.

Before I vaunt the values of certain fewHomœopathic remedies, used daily with much success, I want to assure all “oldschool” men that I owe a great debt of gratitude to them. Had it not been for several “old school”surgeons and their remarkable skill, kindness, nay, and their generosity inrefusing any fees to a brother-Homœopath, I should have been long since dead. I am now thinking of all of you, and them inparticular.

So what I am recounting now is a slightgift, humbly offered, and suggested to every M.D. of any school of medicine asa faithful and actual record of war life, time and pain –saving. As a tribute of thankfulness, I offer my “oldschool” friends our way of treating wounds and illnesses. I have medical relations in ranks including ason who is “somewhere” across the seas at this writing, with a medical unit ofthe U.S. Marines as a 1st Lieutenant.

In this war (1942) our family has aboutnine members in various services of Britain, Canada and the U.S.A., onlyone being a medico. One of our familydied at Dunkirkand another was taken a prisoner there. Before detailing medical aids, etc., I do not wish to be thought that Iam trying to teach the “old war horses” of our own school of medicine. To them, I present this in review as what myrushed war services and experiences taught me, more as a refresher of theirknowledge and as some encouragement.

At the outset of this war my (second) wife,who had several years’ experience “over there” in field work in France and Belgium, and Ioffered our services to the Croix Rouge Francaise. They at once and courteously replied thatthey had examined our records, which were fully satisfactory, but that they hadover 300,000 beds ready, and all fully staffed, etc. I replied to the Croix rouge Francaise, “WhenHitler begins work you can fill all those beds in two weeks, if you can gettransportation for the wounded to those beds,” and that was the end of that!

My personal experience with Homœopathy dates back to 1878, as a boy of sixteen and a half years, when I went to New Zealand, mymother having coached me in “homemedicine,” etc. I went out armed with acase of seventy-two remedies and Dr.RUDDOCK’s Vade Mecum. Our family doctor, Dr.Thomas HAYLE, of Rochdale, England,who knew HAHNEMANN personally, had also coached me in various things, includinghow to properly dilute any medicine which was getting low in its bottle. So I have over sixty years’ practicalexperience, without feeling that Homœopathy was ever at fault. When I failed I took the blame, sometimesknowing that Homœopathy had not been given a fair chance, as some valuable“Guiding Symptoms” had been over-looked, forgotten, or refused me – out ofdelicacy, perhaps, remembering my age. Beginners sometimes fail to understand the “deciding value” ofapparently simple data which should have been mentioned.

Let me say here, on account of my (then)extreme youth, I often prescribed without knowing the name of the patient,though at times I secretly picked out some of my patients, because the “symptompictures” closely resembled people I knew in the world.

I often prescribed when I could not diagnose, simply by matching thepatient’s symptoms with what I knew or could read about one remedy. That medicine case became popular. It was interesting; it leads to good results;IT PAYS. So I beg of my “old school”colleagues, known or unknown, to try some of the following aids, so freelyoffered.

Nota bene – EVERY SURGICAL CASE IS, nolensvolens, A MEDICAL CASE, AT ONE AND THE SAME TIME:

I beg of all to make a test, and don’tworry too much about “lack of control cases.” In war time, especially, one cannot command “controls” nor even getlaboratory findings, to help one’s clinical work. One has to work, at top speed, on clinicalknowledge, plus using the medicaments on hand.
My war experience brings to mindex-President Coolidge’s dictum, “Make it do; do without”, for requisitions getsidetracked or pigeon-holed, and that is one benefit of a Homœopathic medicinecase, which supply goes so far when we use drop doses, or with some drugs ateaspoonful of drug also goes far, making a pint of wet-dressing solution.

Our Calendulaoff. is soimportant that it will pay to sow some seeds of this easily grown plant, whichis the common Scotch marigold. Sow itround wherever you have base hospital. Avery few half opened buds or freshly opened flowers, together with the “gummy”(sticky) terminal shoots, form the part of the plant used to make a largesupply of the mother tincture (strongest tincture)of this vulnerary. To make same, pound up the parts named aboveand macerate same in 50% alcohol. 
Don’tuse stronger alcohol, or you will coagulate out the valuable “balsams” whichnature has incorporated in the plant for its cures. Place this material in some bottles. Shake several times daily for up to threeweeks to thoroughly extract all values. Filter off the clear liquid and cork well for your stock supply. But if you have urgent need of some of thisvulnerary do as the peasants do all over Europe. Pulp some of the parts named, soak in warmwater (not hot water) over night, and use the resulting liquid freely andwithout qualms. It will cure. Peasantsalso use the pulped fresh plant on wounds with the same results.

In the rush of war work, it is well toremember one piece of “negative testimony” I came across in Belgiumand France. TIME: The first few months of the First WorldWar. PLACE: various hospitals in Belgium andlater France. DEMAND: Serum, to prevent tetanus followingwounds, the soil of well manured fields being supposedly full of tetanusgerms. WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED: Not ashot of the serum was allowed to go to many non-army hospitals, including ourunits. RESULT: I never saw a case oftetanus in any hospital in my four years at or near the front. This fact rather spoiled the claim that suchserum was an absolute necessity. Wecould never obtain, buy, beg, or steal, a single “shot”. I do not claim that the internal medicinesgiven by me, or the Calendula used for “wet-dressings”, prevented thetetanus, so we leave this fact in the lap of the gods, and thank God for whatdid eventuate – NO TETANUS!

I know of one tragedy in this respect. Awhole train full of wounded (in box cars) were bedded on thick horse manure,those cars having taken horses upto the front. It was evidently considered that the wounded would “lie softer” on thatmanure, but this resulted in about half the men getting tetanus, so you and Iwill never bed our wounded on fresh horse manure. It may have been that someone had no time toclean and disinfect those cars at the front.

The following paragraph is offered to suchreaders who have never used any of our homœopathic remedies. We have never claimed that Calendula off.is an “antiseptic”. We have evidence,however, that it is at least a “germ inhibitor” of the highest order, asmicrobes do not develop in the presence of Calendula solution. Besides, in times of rush war work, I haveused tap water to dilute this vulnerary, using one teaspoonful of the mothertincture (strongest) to about one pint of the unsterilized common water that Iwould not drink myself. At such times Itap assumed all responsibility, and later months of such procedure neverproduced any undesirable result when using tap water for making up ourwet-dressing solutions.

Calendula officinalis Ø (which signmeans the strongest, or “mother tincture”). Sig.: To each pint of as clean water as can be obtained add oneteaspoonful of the Calendula tincture. This is for wet-dressings on any sort of wound, meaning even if woundsare known to be infected, which every war wound surely is. If the wound is deep, syringe with thisdilution and very lightly pack with medicated gauze to prevent sudden closing,then cover the wound with some waterproof material, and if rubber orwater-proofed silk is not to be had, use some makeshift of gauze treated withparaffin wax, as sterile as may be (Such makeshift will occur at rush times inall but base hospitals.) N.B. Don’t keepa wound too warm. I have been told ofgangrene occurring even of the marrow bones, after wounded had been in trainsfor seventy-two hours, without fresh dressings, as between Furnes and theBelgium base hospital at Boulogne, because trains of wounded were oftensidetracked for supplies going up to the front.

Dress twice daily, if possible, thoughonce daily dressings have carried thousands through to perfect cure. I never saw a gangrene in a Calenduladressed wound.

Believe it or not, to those who don't knowof Calendula, I must explain. This vulnerary has been known and used forhundreds of years and in many countries, to wit: In about 1911, I was sent tolecture on Homœopathy through Germany, going to five cities including Berlin(1600 people), with a recall to Stuttgart because on the thousand seats of thehall being filled, the police reported that there were more than anotherthousand in the street who wanted admittance, so before, the address was overit was arranged that in five days’ time I should repeat the same in thehall. This shows the interest inHomœopathy. A few days later when in Leipzig I was takenthrough the huge pharmacy of Dr.Willmar Schwabe, the biggest Homœopathicpharmacy in the world. There I was shownvaults two stories deep filled from end to end and some nine feet high withfifty litre (about 60 quarts) demi johns of Calendulaoff.tincture. They assured me that the drugwas of very ancient repute to Germans and Europegenerally, to scientist and peasant alike. 

Letanother country testify. In 1915-1916when I was in charge of Hospital 50, Rubelles, Melun, S.et M., the soldiersasked me one day, Doctor, what is thedrug, which, when you put on our wet-dressings is water-white, but which next day is brightyellow round the edges where the dressings are dry‌ I replied, "I use Calendula,"on which they shrugged their shoulders, saying "Merci"(Thanks)
A few days later, passing a near-bycottage garden I saw Calendula growing, and begged a sample from thevery old peasant woman to show the soldiers. She gave me a bunch, telling mehow to prepare the same for the wounds, and how to apply same, to all of whichI listened attentively. In parenthesis, she told me not to give any one soldierany of the yellow flowers, as they were "coleur de manage," which, ongiving same to any man was tantamount to telling him that his wife wasunfaithful (an old French idea).

When I showed my samples to the soldiers,they "poofed" with another expressive shrug of their shoulders,saying in unison, "Souci, souci; it is in every chateau and small gardenin France;they have used it for wounds for hundreds of years!" They were then quitecontent.

Here I have shown that Calendula isthe most common vulnerary in several countries down through the ages. Does thismean anything to you‌ To properly fix this "herbal simple"(Calendula)in your mind, I cannot leave this drug without another piece of direct and verypractical testimony.
Whilst still at Chateau Rubelles, as Med.Chief, the French Administrator told me to please spruce up all the wards as avery important army surgeon was arriving after lunch for an inspection. Hetried to impress me by saying, "You understand that if this general wereto find any fault, he could close the hospital overnight". 

The British nursing staff and I thoughtthat as we always kept things very clean and tidy we need not miss our lunch orbreak our backs about anything. The general and his staff came on time, and Imust admit to some qualms when I noticed him continually "sniffing"right through all the wards. I wondered what his nose had detected what we didnot notice, always living in the same atmosphere! This sniffing made us allnervous. The climax came in the last ward , when he suddenly demanded, “Whatmedicament do you use for your wet-dressings‌”. As a wheeled dressing table happened to be at hand, I showed the generala big bottle of the Calendula tincture, the label showing that it hadbeen bought at the Homœopathic Pharmacy Webber, of 8 rue des Capucines, Paris, one of our bestPharmacies in France. After a moment’s careful study of the label,he called to his secretary to record what appeared on said bottle, especiallythe address. Then he turned to us and said, “My compliments: I have neverinspected wards which were so clean-smelling as these are, and where unhealedcompound fractures were doing so well.” The secretary took it all down inshorthand. This is one of the finest pieces of testimony of and for our Calendulathat I ever met with! 

I emphasize again that every surgical caseis at one and the same time a medical case. We always saw to that, and what isanother record for that hospital, where a good percentage of the cases werecompound fractures, is that during my charge there, of one week short of oneyear, we never had a death. But once we lost five soldiers for all afternoonand until late at night. After scouringthe village with every orderly those soldiers were found in our very slick andwell appointed mortuary, equipped for two coffins. They were using a bier for acard table, a French flag for a cloth, and two candle stubs in wine bottles forillumination. That’s the only use thatmortuary was put to, thanks to Calendula and other matters. 

By close observation, one may at timesconsider that a wound suddenly seems togo “sluggish” and that the healing process is really halting. My experienceshave taught me that if I see any such partial arrest of progress, I must atonce change the Calendula dressing for an intercurrent use of normalsaline dressing for two to three days. I have done this only to save time andyou also will at once see the quick response and value of such a change whenyou return to the Calendula. Occasionally in some very long cases, Iadopted this change as routine for about two days weekly to prevent tissuesbecoming too “fed up” with any one medical stimulation. Of course all suchcases will be having internal medication such as I am about to outline.

There is another procedure towards healingwhich I must mention. It is truetime-saver, which is always important in every hospital, where the call is everfor more beds.

When you consider that a wound hasgranulated up sufficiently so that there will not be too great a tissuedepression, and when you consider it may still take months to skin over, I usedthe “ambirine wax” treatment, first introduced into France for mustard gasburns. When applied to these gas burns, the first thing noted was the instantcessation of all pain a few minutes after application, which places it in thefirst rank of value. 

At the time of my introduction to this“Methode Ambrine” I was working for Dr.Ralph Fitch of Rochester, New York, andit was when we were changing hospitals and passing through Paris he took me tosee this work at Hospital St.Nicolas, near Versailles Gate, and later he sentme alone to the head hospital for these gas burn cases which was up at Compiegne near the front. This ambrine waxhas a curious history. A Dr.Barthe de Shorbe picked it up in China, where ithad been used for a long time to stop the pains of acute articular rheumatism.During the war Dr. De Shorbe had thisbrilliant idea that it might stop the pains of mustard gas burns, which aremost cruel, so he interested Baronne Henri de Rothschild, if I am not mistakenas to the Christian name. She has the power to get twenty-five beds in HospitalSt. Nicholas assigned to test this treatment. Very soon the whole of that largehospital was given over to these cases, and later her wealth enabled her toestablish a special hospital at Compiegnefor gas burns only. I stayed at this latter hospital for some days to observethe method when I was convinced of its great value from several angles.

It was soon demonstrated that under thistreatment the skin healed finally without the slightest cicatricial scartissue, and it was hastened beyond belief unless seen. It is generally acceptedthat skin grows only from the edges of any open wound, but under ambrine waxtreatment on the third or fourth day one sees tiny white spots appearing allover the denuded area. These tiny white spots, termed islands, increase dailyin size and number, so that one finds scores of such islands of true skin,rapidly enlarging until they meet, without a vestige of cicatricial scars. Thistreatment is worth knowing, especially if the demented Hitler is going to startchemical warfare. This method does as well for war wounds of extensive area asfor gas burns, as I have witnessed many war skin graftings break down, undereven the best war conditions, I suppose due to infected wards, thus losinguntold time.

As a matter of fact I never received anygas burns, but I have used this treatment for countless large war wounds,shortening their time in hospitals. It is an adjuvant treatment in final stagesof any large superficial areas to be skinned over quickly.

Before leaving the study of CalendulaI wish to consider its value when compared with the Carrel-Dakin solution. I amvery conversant with this method, having been forced to use the same in varioushospitals in Francewhere nothing else was allowed to be used. It is cruel to the patients and itburns as badly as mustard gas. I know all about protecting the wound areas withsterile wax cloth, etc., but the solution has a trick of working under saidwaxed protections, ending in an irritated surround of every wound, when no restor comfort is possible and some sort of sleeping mixture must be resorted to.

So I am in a position to compare theCarrel-Dakin solution, which I grant clears the field of all germs, but itdestroys countless new tissue cells, causing blood to ooze, which cannot beclassed as curing. The bleeding cells must be made over by Nature. Knowing bothmethods, I state that Calendula is always soothing in the extreme; itnever destroys or irritates any new cell tissue; and it is much quicker thanthe Carrel-Dakin solution. The fault of the latter solution burning the tissuesis admitted by the very fact of trying to prevent same with sterile waxprotecting gauze. Think of the tortures of the patients under this germicide!

It is better to inhibit germs and soothewounds with Calendula than to strive for a sterile wound plus untoldtortures causes by Carrel-Dakin chemical solution.

If you round up on me saying, “your C-Dsolution was badly prepared,” I reply that this is one of the poor features ofthe whole affair, in that some one its chemical parts is subject to not beingquite up to standard quality, hence the danger of wound irritation following. Ihave been accustomed to the greatest care in making up this solution, both asto trying to buy best qualities, with utmost care in weighing out chemicalsaccording to the formula, using best balance scales, yet seeing the mostdamnable irritations follow, proving that it can hurt worse than mustard gas.Q.E.D. ( Try it on yourself, if not believed).

INTERNALMEDICATION TO HELP WAR AND CIVILIAN WOUNDS TO HEAL.

I am trying to impress on my readers, someof whom I trust will be “old school” students, that every surgical caserequired some constitutional or primary medical stimulation internally, at oneand the same time. If there is muchtissue loss, which is often the case in major war wounds, then to give awell-known cell-proliferant is but common sense, especially if bed space is aconsideration, and bed costs are to be counted. Ifa bone is shattered, plate that bone and splint that limb to the best at yourcommand, but I still assert that there are remedies which are long known asable to hasten flesh growth and bone repair and to harden callus deposits. In this last connection you will have heard of flail-joints, some are constitutional,in that the patient lacks some vital bone repair material, perhaps in mostminute quantity, but some flail-joints or soft unions are known to be due tocertain tricks played by some patients on their surgeons, especially if suchsoldiers know they will soon be sent back to their barracks for quick drafting to theirregiments. Perhaps this may only applyto various French soldiers I have comeacross, and this may never occur in the regiments you are working for, but Ihave known men to work on their nearly cured bones so that the unions becamepliable in the extreme. The latter classrequires fresh immobilization of the limb and certainly the administration ofsome callus-hardening medicine. Whenthere has no “monkey trick” it is still important to give some of our knowncallus-hardener to make sure that there won’t be a constitutional deficiencyand delay. The following remedy will aidyou, whichever is the underlying causeof delayed union or traumatic flail-joint. Make sure, and sosave time!

SYMPHYTUMOFFICINALE

Symphytumofficinale, Ø to the 3x. Tothose who do not know the sign “Ø”, it means the mother, or strongest,tincture, of our pharmacy. This drug isthe common Comfrey. The very names given it by peasants explainsits sphere of action. It was madeofficial in Homœopathic pharmacy in 1852. It is time honored in that Dioscorides used it. Some say the plant came from Caucasus. Dr.Robert T.COOPER, of London,draws attention to its early Latin names, consolida, and he points out thatcomfrey is derived from confirmare. The ancients used it to hasten thehardening of callus under repair. The old English country-side names are alsosuggestive, viz., consound, bone-set, knitback, and healing herb. It is as valuable for filling up flesh wounds as forbone repair. The British Medical Journal of January 6, 1912, suggested another name forit, calling it a “new cellproliferant”, but this failed to attract enoughattention, as I don’t find a later reference to it. The above historical namesshould fix its value and its use.

I used it daily during the First World War(1914-1918) for all bone fractures, whether simple or compound, and also forgaping wounds requiring much new tissue to fill up.

One point toobserve is that should the raw tissues ever exhibit a darkening hue, due to aslight venous congestion, stop the remedy for a few days to a week, and infuture give a smaller dose and or less often. No harm will have been done. Thedarkening is due to imperfect venous circulation in the disrupted tissues. The deeper the destruction of the tissues,the quicker will this darkening show.
Dosage is largely a matter of personal experience as long as the remedyselected is right. When I was in France I preferred to let any official andeven the soldiers see and taste some medicine (occasionally), so I used to putfour to eight drops of the Ø into half a glass of water, and of this give adessert spoonful (or a good sip) every three to five hours, whilst awake ofcourse, In a few cases I substituted the 3x strength, if certain wounds showedany venous darkening, and this only after a few days of Intermission. If anypatient was fussy, he probably got some placebo pills of sugar of milk until Iwanted to renew the medicine.

Remember – this“old cell proliferant” is as valuable in tissue repair as for callus hardening.It is a good adjuvant to the Calendula wet-dressings. Iknow it! Hypericumperfoliatum.
Hypericumperfoliatum (sometimes writtenperforatum) Dosage, Ø to 3x., for traumatic nerve shock, i..e., without wounds.I would also place four to ten drops in half a glass of water, and of this givea dessert spoonful, or a good sip if no spoons were handy, every half hour toevery four hours (rather oftener at first) for a few doses, depending on thestate of shock. I have heard of nurseswakening a patient to give his medicine on time, but you will not allow this.

Dr. Fernie’sHerbal Simples mentions the old tradition, calling this the “herb of war,” soits value has been known way back. Hypericum is to the nerves what Arnica is to the muscles and tendons. It soothes pains due tonerve injuries, whether by surgery or war, hence its field of usefulness afteroperations. In case of nerve shock from near-by explosions without any wounds,it often puts soldiers to sleep so quickly that they think they have had anarcotic dose.

Dr.John H. Clarkesummed up its sphere; Nerve shock, fright, and wound shock. These three pointsare inseparably bound up in war. (I will compare the difference of Gelsemium shock very soon). I suppose I used Hypericum in somestrength every day or night during the whole of my war work. Often men cannotsleep because they cannot forget what they have been through. This alone willgive many a good sleep, with no after-narcotic stupor.

I don’t think thestrength of the dose matters as much as the correct choice of a drug. Get yourmedicine mixed well. If possible have two glasses (or tin cans) and pour themedicated water back and forth ten to twenty times, if you have time. If thereare no glasses or tin cans, then place two to four drops of your Hypericum on the back of your patient’s hand, or failing this, dropright into his mouth or between his lips if in deep shock. Give it undilutedrather than no medicine at all, as I have done. You may carry a teaspoon inyour pocket to help the medicine intothe patient. Some of these shocked patients can’t speak so that you canunderstand them, so occasionally use a stronger dose because it may be hoursbefore you may see any one man again. Hypericum won’t hurt them. Yes, there isalways a rush.


GELSEMIUMSEMPERVIRENS


Gelsemium sempervirens 1x., 3x., 6x. or 30; dosage as for other drugs. Don’t use Ø.
The sphere of theshock is on the fright side. The purely nerve shock case is often excited andtalkative. The traumatic shock will exhibit the three great key-notes of thedrug, and he will be “dull, drowsy and dizzy,” the three classical “D’s”! Ifeel sure that I have seen two distinct spheres of Gelsemium shock, as above outlined, but all will exhibit tremblingand especially goose-flesh (horripilation), Some want to know all about theirtroubles and are very excitedly talkative, and I will quote you one suchcase.

My firstcase of Gelsemium shock was during the siege of Antwerp, Sept. 1914, where I was with theAmbulance de la Reine Elizabethon Boulevard Leopold, in a large municipal school building, with marble staircases, etc. We have received a fewBritish Marines and one man had to “stay put” near a water-closet as he has adiarrhoeic squirt every ten minutes. Atfirst glance it was thought that he has sickened by drinking foul water. Dr.Soutar, our Chief surgeon, said to me, “Hoyle, they tell me that you have acase of medicines, so take this case, as we surgeons do not know a thing aboutmedicines”. (Surgeons trained in England do nottake medicine as part of their course). I took this man over and saw immediately that the man’s arms, bare tothe elbows, exhibited goose-flesh and he was shivering all over, with teethchattering, and this man was excitedly talkative. He was a true picture of Gelsemium, so I gave him of this. I had only the 1x., so as thingswere lively I told him to hold out his hand, putting two drops of Gels. on the back of his hand. I told him to lick it off andfind me again in a quarter of an hour for another dose, I had no time to hunthim. I kept the bottle of Gels, in my tunic. On his appearing for the third time and dose,honest to God, he said he felt warm all through his “bloody guts”,(hisphrasing) and he was not shivering any more proving to me that his diarrhoeawas really from fright. Whispering tome, he begged me not to send him out, and that he would do anything he was toldto do if only he could stay with us. Aswe were all over-worked I told him to keep busy at some helpful job and to askany head nurse in any ward what he could do to help, even if only emptyingbed-pans. He remained with our unituntil we were evacuated in seven Londonomnibuses which had brought the British Marines up to Antwerp. We got out over a pontoon bridge not built for top-heavy London omnibuses andwhich bridge the Germans were shelling as we crossed. The man double worked without any return ofhis diarrhoea and was ever on the job cheerfully, and saying always that “twolots of drops had cured his ‘squirts’ in half an hour”. He had been shelled out of one hold (trench,I suppose) into another and had never seen a German, as they were quite twelvemiles away. Was this a miracle‌ No! from a Homœopathic view point it was in order and as plain aspossible. I must have cured severalscores of such shock cases with their goose-flesh and diarrhoeas. These symptoms shouted for that one drug. I will instance quite another sort ofdiarrhoea very soon, this other sort being caused by foul water, perhaps notdrunk, but caused by salads, cups and plates having been washed in putridScheldt River water. These nervous andgoosh-flesh type of diarrhoeas are met with in civilian life and are cured inthe same way. The symptoms will actuallyname the drug for you.


ARNICAMONTANA


ArnicaMontana (1x., 3x. upto 30th strength), dosage as forother drugs mentioned. This is a surecure for contusions, however severe, not necessarily with any wounds. It is often thought of as only fit for exteriorrubbings in strains, lame muscles, etc. At one time I knew a homœopathic doctor who had practically all thefootball boys of the Universityof California on doses ofArnica, taken internally as soon as they came off the field of exercise. The way they took their Arnica was one dose before they got cold after theirexertion. Thus they avoided being lameand sore all over next day.


In war manya man has been blown up and thrown twenty to thirty yards by a near-by shellexplosion yet never with a skin wound to show. He may have turned black, blue and green in a few hours, and be or havebeen partially conscious. Give such acase a few doses of Arnica internally and he will show remarkable improvement in somehours or by next day, with very little soreness considering all things. Such cases recover mentally and physicallyand you have emptied another bed quickly. Without such treatment, some of these men will linger on the verge ofbeing absolutely unfit for weeks or months, as I have seen. In a French mental hospital at Lyon I have such squads of such nerve wrecks beingexercised by scrambling round a yard on their hands and knees. They could not even stand erect. They should all have been medicated, and notshipped into crawling; they needed some medicine.


I will give you atypical Arnica case. At Furnes, Belgium,in November or December, 1914, I had a Commandant Harfeld (name not certifiedafter all these years). He has bee thrown, they said 30-odd meters by anexploding shell which killed all the officers he was grouped with. He came in stunned and helpless and turningblack, green, and blue, all over. He hadno wound. He received Arnica Ø or 1x. in water, given quite often at first, and hemended extremely fast. The Queen of theBelgians who came to our hospital several times weekly seeing him, hastened tohis bed, saying, “Commandant, you promised me that you would not exposeyourself to open danger. Your brains aretoo valuable to poor Belgium.” As he was convalescing nicely, she took himto the royal cottage by the sea at La Panne to complete his recovery, I givinghim a bottle of Arnica 3x. medicated pills to take with him. Here is a bit of side history. Whilst in bed with us I taught him someHomœopathy, as he was intrigued by his rapid recovery which astonishedhim. He was actually studying my copy ofDr.William BOERICKE’s Materia Medica when the Queen arrived. He had promised me a free hand in the Belgian Congo where he had been Commandant, “any timeafter the war,” but that lasted years instead of months so it spoiled my chanceof trying out Homœopathy as against sleeping sickness so prevalent in thisregion. I had learned from him thatprior to the actual onset of the sleeping phase there was often a long periodof extreme lethargy, shiverings, goose-flesh, with tremblings of parts of thebody beyond control. He was studying Gelsemium in this connection at the hour of his departure. In the Congo he had noted the peculiartrembling of the tongue on being put out. Sorry to have missed that chance, but it is open to some young man afterthis war.


I must be allowed to add one bit moreabout sleeping sickness cures (see International Homœopathic Directory, 1931issue, page 320) and read that whole villages were kept immune from sleepingsickness by natives catching and crushing Tse-Tse flies and simmering them in milk, which was thendrunk by the natives, which is a pretty demonstration of a homœopathic Nosodeand preventive!

SILICA

Silica (12x., 30th to 200thpotencies; lower than 12x. may be inert). I have told you about the wonderfulpower of Symphytum in healing bones, and that holds good, but as no twoconstitutions are alike it may be that Silica will be important wherethe constitution demands a few atoms of this Silica and as anintercurrent to Symphytum, after using this latter remedy for sometime. Two strings to one’s bow playssafer than only having one string. I still hold on to Symphytum, but Iwould not like to be without this “second aid” in abnormal callus. 

However, Silica is of more use incases when there is extensive suppuration and sloughing, which is the conditionof many wounds when they get to hospital from the outlying clinics. Take bothremedies along when selecting your medicines, Take this Silica in theform of tablet triturates, one grain size, but I always took a bottle of allpotencies named and changed the strength from time to time. The dose will beone or two such tablets, allowed to dissolve slowly on the tongue, and neverwashed down into the stomach. 

Like Symphytum, this Silicaaids bone repair and the greater the callus deposit the better is the Silicaindicated, as it often comes in the later stages of recovery. Silica is also to be preferred whenthere is much suppuration. 

The use of Silica dates back over acentury. It was proven by HAHNEMANN and used by him between 1796 and 1835. It forms one of the chief remedies in theChronic Diseases. HERING’s Guiding Symptom, Vol. IX, has sixty-fourpages devoted to Silica. Silicates are taken up by allplants. Equisetum often containsas much as 18% to the fresh plant. Thestrength of straw and bamboo is due to Silica, therefore you may believein the necessity of Silica in healthy bone repair. It was Dr. J.ComptonBURNETT (see his Curability of Tumors, pp. 46, 72) who emphasized thatcartilage (read callus) is bone minus silex (Silica), for which, inenchondromata he prescribed Silica 12x., which cured as intended and desired. Read the same work (p.75) andlearn how von GRAUVOGL proved that the Bavarian peasants cured their commondiseases, enchondroma, of their mountain valleys, by the use of Silicawhich was obtained by them from half-cured hay which has its Silicastill in colloidal form, both through their sweat baths and their hay tea takenfreely internally. I hope that I have substantiated the homœopathic claim thatpotentized or colloidal Silica is curative, and personally, I would notcare to undertake bone cures without Silica. This remedy is spelled both Silica andSilicea; they are identical. These notes are refreshers; fullinformation must be sought in unabridged Materia Medicas. 

Silica is valuable in highpotencies (12x. upwards) in all suppurative cases and including boils,carbuncles, etc. In the latter casethink of a dose of Anthracinum, 30th to 200th. This was introduced by homœopaths in 1833when many cures of anthrax are on record, both in animals and in theirattendants.*

WAR WOUNDS-RELAPSING OR RECRUDESCENCESS OF SUPPURATION

I must be brief. I have seen war woundsall healed over, suddenly swell up and take on a shiny pink around old woundareas. All such cases had been x-rayed before received and so ticketed as freefrom fragments of bone or shell. However, I now know that no x-ray will show atiny fragment or shred of garment carried that the cause of such relapses isdue, or is most likely due, to the smallest shred of cloth. Rush at the frontclearing station is a good excuse. The obvious thing to do is to dissect to thebottom of things, using some adrenalin to clear the field of oozing blood, findyour garment shred, drain and use antiphlogistine, if procurable. I always hadplenty in Franceas they made it at Parisunder contract. Keep open, drain well and use Calendula after a few daysof antiphlogistine.

One other class of wounds, always highlyseptic, are those of hands and feet which had not been washed for many weeks(no blame to such owners). It became routine with me to treat all such cases toa syringing with Calendula solution and then a good thick layer ofantiphlogistine applied once or twice daily for several days according toseverity. Besides cleansing the field and allaying pain, such application oftenshowed how much more tissue, and possible a toe or finger, which could be savedin whole or part. There was always a stern army order to all and sundry, “Makeno amputations when such could be avoided”, as in the aggregate amputationsrolled up pension bills. Better a stiff joint flexed, in cases of arms, than anyamputation, etc. Barbed wire cuts or a fouled copper wire wound, probablydragged through a rotting body, caused the most serious septic cases. Hereantiphlogistine was a correct start for about four days, followed by the usual Calenduladressings. 

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* Attentionis invited to the panic of Anthrax, particularly in the USA after theAfghan War. Note the role of Homœopathyin Anthrax. = KSS.