Some Prominent Remedies for Malaria.
Sosi Roy.
Therapeutics.
As ague (chilliness), thirst, heat and sweat in variable degrees and order of appearance are the prominent symptoms of manifestation of Malarial fever, the remedies have been arranged in terms of different characteristics, order and degrees of paroxysms.
THIRST PROMINENT:
The most important remedy which was pivotal for the discovery of the principle of similimum - cinchona, covers a form of fever starting with great thirst, followed by alternate chill and heat in paroxysms marked by the absence of thirst during the fever stages, culminating again in prominent thirst, indicating decline in fever.
There may be exceptional cases in which there is much thirst during alternate chill and heat stage.
Remedy - China Q or 1X in acute and chronic cases
STRONG SHAKING CHILL:
In a similar type of fever cured by Cinchona product - Strong shaking chill preceded by yawning and sneezing. The next paroxysm of alternate chill and heat runs with thirst (striking difference with the former). The thirst runs all through the development, gradually increases in intensity. The sweat begins as the fever comes down and it remains till the next paroxysm. Time modality - 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Remedy - China-sulph.
IRREGULAR PAROXYSM WITH RESTLESSNESS:
Peculiarities are - Irregularity, Restlessness, Irresistible thirst and aggravation at
12 noon and 12 night.
Feverish chill precedes yawning, stretching, malaise, debility, and weakness. The chill
begins without thirst followed by fever, which reaches its maximum at 12 noon and 12
night. The sweat stage is characterised by unquenchable thirst. The fever is periodical
and the patient may have headache along with chill.
Persons affected are irritable, sensitive, peevish, cannot withstand uncleanliness and
disorder. Restless in work and action.
Remedy - Arsenic-album
PAROXYSMS - 10 AND 11 a.m. With Throbbing Headache.
Languor, headache which is throbbing and hammering and thirst gives the clue. Violent chill beginning in the hands and feet till noon followed by heat stage that lasts till evening without perspiration or thirst. During the chill or heat, the patient may be unconscious or semi-conscious with violent headache. Sweat and thirst gradually relieve all pains except headache.
The hearts pulsation shakes the body - another peculiarity in this patient.
The persons affected are sentimental, loses weight inspite of eating well (Iod). They suffer from hammering headache form sewing, watching television or movies. Lachrymose; hair fall from root, dreams of robbers, anxiety and fear are the other features.
Remedy - Natrum-mur.
IRREGULAR PAROXYSMS - Comes & goes at any hour:
The chilliness may come every morning after rising. Violent long lasting shaking chill of the fingers and face especially the lips and tips of fingers. The chill may last for three quarter of an hour with no thirst. Next the heat may become violent with great thirst. Sweat starts with absence of thirst, limbs become painful and the pains are relieved by the sweat.
This type of fever is adapted to persons who are over-sensitive, of nervous temperament, always faultfinding (Ars-alb) and scolding, irritable, careful, zealous, inclined to get excited and angry, and cry; of a spiteful, malicious disposition. They may be constipated or suffering from disordered stomach from over eating, from debauchery, from high living, from drugs, from sedentary habits.
Remedy - Nux-vomica.
CHILL AT SAME HOUR
Leaves patient prostrated.
The chill without thirst starts in the hands and feet or runds up along the spine. The patient wants to be held as the chill spreads through the nerves. Heat with intense burning is mostly felt about the head and foot in the next stage. Warmth spreads all over the body as if sweat would break. The paroxysm terminates in profuse sweat indicating the remittance of fever which brings on great prostration.
This type of fever mostly affects children and young people. Women of nervous hysterical temperaments who develop complaints from bad or exciting news; from some unusual ordeal. Nervous children seize the nurse for fear of falling.
Remedy - Gelsemium.
AGUE AND ACHE:
Malarial fever with bodyache is the chief characteristic.
It is caused by colds, wetting the head, dampsheets, sleeping on damp floor; bathing in salt water, getting wet when overheated, eye strain, anger of drinking ice cold water.
The febrile attack begins with dry cough followed with yawning, stretching and aching of limbs. Increase in salivation. Burning eyes with painful weariness of limbs. Chill begins while the cough continues. Severe chill at 7 p.m. as if dashed with cold water. Any drink increases the chill. Excessive heat follows as though dashed with hot water running through the vessels (Gels - chill runds thro the nerves). Urticarial eruption all over the body except face. Then sweat ensues with great trembling.
The notable characteristic in the development of the chill and heat is the sensation of cold in the cold stage and heat in the hot stage.
Persons of rheumatic diathesis whose pain is relieved by motion are mostly affected by the type of fever described.
Remedy - Rhus-tox.
FEVER BEGINS WITH HEAVINESS IN LOWER LIMBS
and ends with permanent deformity in them.
The patient feels heaviness in the lower limbs in the beginning of paroxysm. As the chill beings, it also starts in the feet, the patient clenches hands in violent rage. The chilliness spreads over the whole body when the patient shudders and feels as if cold water were poured over him. Then the patient feels sleepy, stretchy, yawns and is unable to resist sleep. Later he feels pain in all the joints and tendons which are short and contracted. Chill still continues. As the chill decreases, the patient feels thirsty but when he drinks, violent headache ensues and it also deprives him of the power of thinking. The chill terminates with weakness in the legs as if tired on walking.
Within the long chill, a hot stage comes, which produces difficulty in breathing and finally the legs are cramped and cannot be extended. Permanent contraction of the lower limbs is the peculiar characteristic of this patient.
Remedy - Cimex.
PROLONGED CHILL AND PREDOMINANT COLDNESS:
This is a notable feature of this remedy which begins with coldness or chill in feet and hand spreading over the body, especially the back. The pulse is full, slow, during the cold stage and accelerated during fever. The shuddering chill and coldness is ameliorated by the heat of the stove but returns as soon as the heating agent is removed. The chill and coldness continues the whole day. Heat is felt in the evening only on head and the patient feels vertigo. As soon as he lies down at night, sweat begins and continues all through the night. The fever may also arise after any injury to nerves.
The main feature of the patient which indicates the remedy is - sensation of pain or tension and compression resulting in spasmodic jerking and visible twitchings. These are aggravated during rest.
Remedy - Menyanthes (a bean called buckbean or boys bean of water. The plant was knowns as a remedy for ague long ago.)
CHILL BETWEEN 3 TO 4 P.M.
Suddenly beings in front of the chest, abdomen, knees and running down the back (reverse - Eupatorium-per). Chill worse in warm room. The patient falls into a sleep as the severity of the chill passes off and breaks out with urticaria. Heat-burning hot, dry skin all over the body (alternate dry and hot skin) The heat of the room is intolerable as sweat begins. No thirst in sweat stage.
Affects bilious, nervous, temperamental women especially widows, children and girls who inspite of being careful become awkward and drop things form their hands while holding them (Bov), Depression of spirits, jealous, weep day and night. Conditions of general anasarca. Swollen face, eyelids looking like waterbags.
Remedy - Apis-mellifica
Another sleepy type is seen in fever starting with chilliness in the evening; chill even in a warm room. During the paroxysm the patient falls asleep and wakes up after it is over. He is prostrated when sweating. The perspiration (after heat) attracts flies. The patient always falls asleep every evening during the paroxysm and wakes up after it is over.
Remedy - Caladium
RECURRENT FEVER
With Predominance of sweat.
In this type, the fever begins with chill at 11 a.m. The chill brings with it a thirst for Ice cold water. The next stage is the heat stage with no thirst. Night brings profuse sweat and pain in the back and limbs with occasional jerks throughout the night. After remission the paroxysm comes again at 1:30 p.m. six days later producing intense headache with profuse sweat and pain all over the body and inflammation of right tonsils. the peculiarity in the second attack is that the sweat dies off and comes again.
Persons affected with this type of fever are nervous, uneasy always apprehending any calamity, quarrelsome; impatient averse to any person.
Remedy - Wyethia
SEVERE CHILL, VIOLENT SHUDDER
Deadly coldness is a feature of an intermittent type of fever which appears in the morning with chill, causing general coldness over the body; shuddering and shivering with thirst for cold water. Violent shuddering and shaking is followed by heat and slight thirst. it terminates in perspiration which soon changes into coldness. During the heat, delirium continues and leaves the patient weak and prostrated.
Remedy - Veratrum-alb.
Peculiarities of other remedies.
Fever returns punctually at the same time with clock like periodicity.
Remedy - Cedron.
When fever becomes chronic with liver and spleen enlarged.
Remedy - Ferrum-arsenicum.
When all remedies fail to cure malaria.
Remedy - Malaria-off
Remittance not effected by any remedy and the fever begins with chilliness in evening after lying down and on awakening without thirst. Palms and soles are hot and feel better with cold application.
Remedy - Ammonium-mur.
Recurrent fever and sweat in alternation, seems as if just coming out of a bath.
Remedy - Arsenic-iod.
Violent chill never relieved by heat and fire.
Remedy - Cadmium-sulph.
