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BRIEF NOTES ON THE TREATMENT OF RHEUMATISM BY BEE STINGS.
MR. F. H. MABERLY: TREATMENT OF RHEUMATISM BY BEE STINGS.
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i been stiff from the first attack, but now he could walk swollen and the right vocal cord was fixed in a position ofalways I Onanywhere, and"did about 20 miles every Sunday." abduction external to the usual cadaveric position. The laryngealfound his ankle movements to be perfect and he stood on his the 30th the temperature reached 101°. cedema had increased and now involved the entire right half toes for me quite easily. He said that he always ate and drank of the larynx. The external induration had increased in the whatever he liked, and whenever he could catch a bee in right anterior triangle and the whole larynx was pushed over his garden he did so and put it on. I visited a number of to the left. The physical signs were those of perichondritis other cases with the same friend, some of old-standing A farther dose of vaccine chronic rheumatism, both in elderly and younger subjects, of the thyroid cartilage. (3,000,000 pneumococci) was administered hypodermically. and all were doing well, while in nearly all the usual On Feb. 2nd the urine though acid contained blood, pus, remedies had been tried without any good result. I select a few of my own cases for mention as examples of and albumin and the patient was weaker. On the 3rd the dyspncea was urgent and an incision was made into the the treatment. Mrs. -, a married lady, aged 30 years, attacked with rheumatic fever while on holiday about 20 external swelling over the right ala of the thyroid cartilage. The tissues were seen to be involved in a miles from home. She was brought back delirious in a uniform hard cedema and no pus was found. No organisms motor and confined to bed for eight weeks. During the first could be cultivated from the wound. Laryngeal examination fortnight her temperature kept between 104° and 105° F. did not show any appearance of suppuration within the with profuse acid perspirations and very severe joint pains. larynx. A few hours after the operation the patient in making Endocarditis supervened and left a regurgitant mitral an effort to cough suddenly brought up about two ounces of murmur. During convalescence the joint pains were very pus and his dyspnoea was at once relieved. On the following troublesome, and after trying various remedies without much day he was very much better, the temperature was normal, relief I persuaded her to allow me to try the bees. Five and the laryngeal cedema and the external swelling were applications completely relieved her and she has been quite rapidly subsiding. There were a few coarse moist sounds in well since. Miss - , a young lady aged 25 years, was attacked the chest accompanied by the expectoration of a little mucus with influenza four years ago which left a neuritis of the left and pus, pointing to the aspiration of some of the pus from arm. This was so painful that she could not even sew with the laryngeal abscess. The condition of the urine rapidly comfort, and if she attempted to ride her bicycle the jar was became normal and the patient quickly made an uninter- more than she could bear. She carried her arm in a sling for rupted recovery and left the hospital on Feb. 16th. An six months, giving it perfect rest ; she also tried electrical examination of the larynx at the time of his departure treatment, massage, and various ointments, but without any showed that this organ was normal and that the move- permanent good result. A few months ago I persuaded her ments of both vocal cords were perfect. to try the bees, and four applications completely cured her. Of the two previously reported cases above referred to the Mr. -, aged 35 years, a professional violoncellist, in laryngeal oedema appeared on the first day of the illness in December, 1909, was attacked with influenza leasing 11 rheuChauffard and Laroche’s case and subsided without suppura- matic " pains in thejoints. Although I advised him to try tion. This patient developed a pneumococcal pyasmia with the bees, he had found such good results from certain saline secondary abscesses in several joints and pyuria which per- baths on a former occasion that he determined to take a sisted for a week. He eventually made a perfect recovery. course of them again. During his stay he was attacked In Dev6’s patient the laryngeal oedema appeared on the fifth with rheumatic fever and was laid- up there for some day after defervescence and death occurred from asphyxia weeks. When he returned the pain and stiffness in his joints in 48 hours. In our patient the laryngeal were very severe and prevented him fulfilling any professional appeared on the sixteenth day after the crisis, and the engagements. On Feb. 27th I put 15 bees on him and on involvement of the fauces and tonsils three days earlier. March 3rd he played at a concert away from home. He The presence of a pneumococcal pysemia was indicated by continued the treatment until May 29th, altogether having the occurrence of pyuria. ten applications of bees, and is now quite well. I conclude from this that the remedy, if it does not effect a complete cure, gives relief in almost hopeless cases. In elderly people it is better to start with about six stings BRIEF NOTES ON THE TREATMENT OF for the first three applications when they may be gradually RHEUMATISM BY BEE STINGS. increased, even up to a couple of dozen. Sickness often supervenes if too many are put on at first. There is a little BY F. H. MABERLY, M.R.C.S. ENG., L.R.C.P. & L.M. difficulty for a novice in putting them on, but I have perEDIN., L.S.A. fected a pair of forceps which, while preventing injury to the IN October last I happened to see an old patient who bees, holds them firmly. The stings should remain in for a three years before had a severe attack of rheumatism which few minutes before removing them In old-standing cases the developed into chronic rheumatic arthritis. Almost all treatment will have to be continued for many months. known remedies- baths at Buxton, Llanwrtyd, and Droitwich, Bibliography.—THE LANCET. June 22nd. 1907, p. 1737; June 29th, p. 1806; August 3rd. 1907, p 320; Oct. 5th. 1907, p. 985. Brit. electricity, massage, and the usual drugs and diets-were 1907, June 22nd, 1907, p. 1517; June 29th, 1907, p. 1579; July 6th, tried without success, and he became so ill that although Med. Jour., 1907, p. 63. only 55years of age he was pensioned off by the Birmingham Hitndsworth Wood, Staffs. Water Department, where he was employed. He steadily grew more helpless, and had long given up all treatment. His legs and arms were flexed strongly, his chin was THR ROYAL NATIONAL HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPdrawn down almost on to his chest, and he was only TION, VENTNOR -The medical report of this nospital for the able to open his mouth about half an inch. He was never years 1905 to 1908 hasjust been issued at the price of Is. free from pain, and from being a fine and active man he had from the London oiBne of the institution, 18, Buckinghambecome a helpless cripple. I tried to cheer him, and told street, Strand, London, W.C. The report, which is illushim that if I heard of anything likely to do him good I would trated with many pictures of the hospital, its grounds, and let him know, and the same evening I happened to meet a the patients at work and play, is divided into two parts, the "bee expert" who said the case was just one for the bee first dealing with the climate andtlife of the patients and the treatment. So I made arrangements to have the patient second containing a commentary’’on the medical statistics ;
was
_
complications
driven to my house, and he was given the first application while an appendix adds meteorological and other tables. It on Oct. 30th. With the greatest difficulty he hobbled into is interesting to note that during the four years covered by my consulting-room, his height being only 5 feet 3 inches so the report the average annual number of sunless days was doubled up was he, though his real stature was 5 feet 10 inches onlv 58, the average number of days or nights during which We persevered with the bee treatment, giving him about 18 rain fell 171, the average number of nights on which there stings weekly, and in two months he stood 5 feet 5 inches, was frost 13, and the average number of days with a he could hold his head up and open his mouth fully, and the maximum shade temperature of over 700 25. The statistics, which aresimply a contribution to the study of pulmonary pains in the joints had almost disappeared. A second case brought to my notice was that of a man tuberculosis," show that 3000 patients have been discharged about 35 years of age, who had been laid up three times with from the hospital during the years 1905-08, and the authors rheumatic fever for six or seven months each time, and found oF the report state that "they [the statistics] have been conhis joints increasingly stiff with each attack. In his case sidere(i’ without prejudice’ and a personal interpretation of the bee stings did marvels. He told me that his feet had the facts has been left as far as possible to the reader."
235
i been stiff from the first attack, but now he could walk swollen and the right vocal cord was fixed in a position ofalways I Onanywhere, and"did about 20 miles every Sunday." abduction external to the usual cadaveric position. The laryngealfound his ankle movements to be perfect and he stood on his the 30th the temperature reached 101°. cedema had increased and now involved the entire right half toes for me quite easily. He said that he always ate and drank of the larynx. The external induration had increased in the whatever he liked, and whenever he could catch a bee in right anterior triangle and the whole larynx was pushed over his garden he did so and put it on. I visited a number of to the left. The physical signs were those of perichondritis other cases with the same friend, some of old-standing A farther dose of vaccine chronic rheumatism, both in elderly and younger subjects, of the thyroid cartilage. (3,000,000 pneumococci) was administered hypodermically. and all were doing well, while in nearly all the usual On Feb. 2nd the urine though acid contained blood, pus, remedies had been tried without any good result. I select a few of my own cases for mention as examples of and albumin and the patient was weaker. On the 3rd the dyspncea was urgent and an incision was made into the the treatment. Mrs. -, a married lady, aged 30 years, attacked with rheumatic fever while on holiday about 20 external swelling over the right ala of the thyroid cartilage. The tissues were seen to be involved in a miles from home. She was brought back delirious in a uniform hard cedema and no pus was found. No organisms motor and confined to bed for eight weeks. During the first could be cultivated from the wound. Laryngeal examination fortnight her temperature kept between 104° and 105° F. did not show any appearance of suppuration within the with profuse acid perspirations and very severe joint pains. larynx. A few hours after the operation the patient in making Endocarditis supervened and left a regurgitant mitral an effort to cough suddenly brought up about two ounces of murmur. During convalescence the joint pains were very pus and his dyspnoea was at once relieved. On the following troublesome, and after trying various remedies without much day he was very much better, the temperature was normal, relief I persuaded her to allow me to try the bees. Five and the laryngeal cedema and the external swelling were applications completely relieved her and she has been quite rapidly subsiding. There were a few coarse moist sounds in well since. Miss - , a young lady aged 25 years, was attacked the chest accompanied by the expectoration of a little mucus with influenza four years ago which left a neuritis of the left and pus, pointing to the aspiration of some of the pus from arm. This was so painful that she could not even sew with the laryngeal abscess. The condition of the urine rapidly comfort, and if she attempted to ride her bicycle the jar was became normal and the patient quickly made an uninter- more than she could bear. She carried her arm in a sling for rupted recovery and left the hospital on Feb. 16th. An six months, giving it perfect rest ; she also tried electrical examination of the larynx at the time of his departure treatment, massage, and various ointments, but without any showed that this organ was normal and that the move- permanent good result. A few months ago I persuaded her ments of both vocal cords were perfect. to try the bees, and four applications completely cured her. Of the two previously reported cases above referred to the Mr. -, aged 35 years, a professional violoncellist, in laryngeal oedema appeared on the first day of the illness in December, 1909, was attacked with influenza leasing 11 rheuChauffard and Laroche’s case and subsided without suppura- matic " pains in thejoints. Although I advised him to try tion. This patient developed a pneumococcal pyasmia with the bees, he had found such good results from certain saline secondary abscesses in several joints and pyuria which per- baths on a former occasion that he determined to take a sisted for a week. He eventually made a perfect recovery. course of them again. During his stay he was attacked In Dev6’s patient the laryngeal oedema appeared on the fifth with rheumatic fever and was laid- up there for some day after defervescence and death occurred from asphyxia weeks. When he returned the pain and stiffness in his joints in 48 hours. In our patient the laryngeal were very severe and prevented him fulfilling any professional appeared on the sixteenth day after the crisis, and the engagements. On Feb. 27th I put 15 bees on him and on involvement of the fauces and tonsils three days earlier. March 3rd he played at a concert away from home. He The presence of a pneumococcal pysemia was indicated by continued the treatment until May 29th, altogether having the occurrence of pyuria. ten applications of bees, and is now quite well. I conclude from this that the remedy, if it does not effect a complete cure, gives relief in almost hopeless cases. In elderly people it is better to start with about six stings BRIEF NOTES ON THE TREATMENT OF for the first three applications when they may be gradually RHEUMATISM BY BEE STINGS. increased, even up to a couple of dozen. Sickness often supervenes if too many are put on at first. There is a little BY F. H. MABERLY, M.R.C.S. ENG., L.R.C.P. & L.M. difficulty for a novice in putting them on, but I have perEDIN., L.S.A. fected a pair of forceps which, while preventing injury to the IN October last I happened to see an old patient who bees, holds them firmly. The stings should remain in for a three years before had a severe attack of rheumatism which few minutes before removing them In old-standing cases the developed into chronic rheumatic arthritis. Almost all treatment will have to be continued for many months. known remedies- baths at Buxton, Llanwrtyd, and Droitwich, Bibliography.—THE LANCET. June 22nd. 1907, p. 1737; June 29th, p. 1806; August 3rd. 1907, p 320; Oct. 5th. 1907, p. 985. Brit. electricity, massage, and the usual drugs and diets-were 1907, June 22nd, 1907, p. 1517; June 29th, 1907, p. 1579; July 6th, tried without success, and he became so ill that although Med. Jour., 1907, p. 63. only 55years of age he was pensioned off by the Birmingham Hitndsworth Wood, Staffs. Water Department, where he was employed. He steadily grew more helpless, and had long given up all treatment. His legs and arms were flexed strongly, his chin was THR ROYAL NATIONAL HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPdrawn down almost on to his chest, and he was only TION, VENTNOR -The medical report of this nospital for the able to open his mouth about half an inch. He was never years 1905 to 1908 hasjust been issued at the price of Is. free from pain, and from being a fine and active man he had from the London oiBne of the institution, 18, Buckinghambecome a helpless cripple. I tried to cheer him, and told street, Strand, London, W.C. The report, which is illushim that if I heard of anything likely to do him good I would trated with many pictures of the hospital, its grounds, and let him know, and the same evening I happened to meet a the patients at work and play, is divided into two parts, the "bee expert" who said the case was just one for the bee first dealing with the climate andtlife of the patients and the treatment. So I made arrangements to have the patient second containing a commentary’’on the medical statistics ;
was
_
complications
driven to my house, and he was given the first application while an appendix adds meteorological and other tables. It on Oct. 30th. With the greatest difficulty he hobbled into is interesting to note that during the four years covered by my consulting-room, his height being only 5 feet 3 inches so the report the average annual number of sunless days was doubled up was he, though his real stature was 5 feet 10 inches onlv 58, the average number of days or nights during which We persevered with the bee treatment, giving him about 18 rain fell 171, the average number of nights on which there stings weekly, and in two months he stood 5 feet 5 inches, was frost 13, and the average number of days with a he could hold his head up and open his mouth fully, and the maximum shade temperature of over 700 25. The statistics, which aresimply a contribution to the study of pulmonary pains in the joints had almost disappeared. A second case brought to my notice was that of a man tuberculosis," show that 3000 patients have been discharged about 35 years of age, who had been laid up three times with from the hospital during the years 1905-08, and the authors rheumatic fever for six or seven months each time, and found oF the report state that "they [the statistics] have been conhis joints increasingly stiff with each attack. In his case sidere(i’ without prejudice’ and a personal interpretation of the bee stings did marvels. He told me that his feet had the facts has been left as far as possible to the reader."