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Pyrogenium, a study
192
THE
BRITISH
HOM(EOPATHIC
JOURNAL
POSOLOGY
The range of usefulness of this remedy is more limited t h a n t h a t of m a n y others, but when called for b y the picture detailed above its use is of undoubted value, and m a y indeed prove life-saving. I t is especially indicated in the early stage of a fulminating refection. Complementary remedies which m a y follow well are Crotalus horridus, Hamamelis, Nitricum acidum and Terebinthina.
Pyrogenium, a study D . M. G I B S O N ,
M.B., B.S.LOND., r . B . C . S . ( S D I N . ) , r . r . H O M .
PI:IARMAC OGlqO SY This rather odd remedy might be described as a polyvalent nosode. I t was first prepared b y Drysdale in the 1870s from putrid matter obtained b y exposing chopped lean beef in water "in a sunny place" for three weeks. The resulting material was put through various processes, including two boilings, and the final watery extract was named Sepsin. This product admixed with an equal part of glycerine was termed Pyrexin O or Pyrogen. At a later date potencies were prepared from this product or from the pure extract without the addition of glycerine. I t is an extremely active and most valuable remedy. PHARMACOLOGY
The tissue affinities appear to be mainly with the blood, causing a degeneration such as is met with in septicaemic states with resulting fever, rigors, interstitial and intestinal haemorrhages. PHYSIOGI~IOMY
The face and ears are red and hot or m a y change to the Hippocratic facies with an ashy hue of the skin. Hands are cold and clammy. The subject is icy cold with evident air hunger. Fanlike movements of the alae nasi are seen, a sign t h a t is seen also with Lycopodium patients. Restlessness is very noticeable, the sufferer being in constant movement despite the condition of prostration and weakness. There is a tendency for over-talkativeness with rapid speech, but dryness of the tongue m a y make articulation difficult. This m a y pass on to a muttering type of delirium, especially on closing the eyes. The head is rolled from side to side on the pillow.
PYROGENIUM,
A
STUDY
193
The temperature/pulse ratio is totally out of rhythm. With quite a low temperature the pulse m a y be very rapid, small and thready. With high fever the pulse rate m a y not be as rapid as would normally be expected. All discharges are horribly offensive. Foetor otis is very evident. The tongue is large, flabby, clean and smoothly glazed as if with a coat of varnish; it is fiery red in colour and in sharp contrast to the heavily coated tongue of Baptisia. I t becomes dry and fissured. PSYCHOLOGY
Mental confusion is extreme, a variety of odd sensations being described in relation to body-image. Feels as if "she covered the whole bed"; as if "he were two people"; as if "crowded with legs and arms"; as if the bed lain on were too hard and full of l u m p s - - a s y m p t o m shared with Arnica and Baptisia. There m a y also be delusions of wealth. A sensation of numbness starts in hands and feet and spreads all over the body. PHYSIOLOGY
There is complaint of extreme chilliness t h a t no fire can warm and, at the same time, a craving for fresh, cool air. Anorexia is usual. Thirst is marked for cold drinks, which are usually not retained but vomited as soon as warmed up in the s t o m a c h - - a s y m p t o m also found in Phosphorus. Sleep is shallow; seems to dream all night. Sweats are profuse, very offensive, cold and clammy.
Modalities. There is aggravation from cold, especially d a m p cold; and the sufferer is worse when attempting to sit up. Temporary relief is obtained by constant alteration of posture. PATHOLOGY
General. The picture is one of septicaemia with dry tongue, chills which start between the shoulder-blades, rigors, irregular fever, cold sweats and disturbance of temperature/pulse ratio. Fever m a y be high, up to 106 ~ F, with d r y burning skin in alternation with sweats. Violent burning m a y occur, for instance in an abscess. Severe aching pains m a y be felt in the bones. The whole body feels bruised and over-sensitive. Hence the constant restlessness and moving about in search of ease. There is a tendency for symptoms to relapse, or for recovery to be incomplete. Head. Vertigo is noticed when attempting to rise up in bed. A bursting, throbbing headache m a y be present, associated with a feeling as ff "the skull was being tightly constricted b y a cap". Firm pressure gives some relief. The head sweats profusely.
Eyes. The eyeballs are sore to touch, and looking upwards or outwards causes pain. Respiratory system. The larynx is involved, causing the voice to be weak and husky. A cough is accompanied b y the production of large quantities of mucus
194
THE BRITISH
HOM(EOPATHIC
JOURNAL
from the larynx and sputum which m a y be purulent or "rusty". I t is worse by movement and in a warm room.
Alimentary system. There is a horrible sweetish taste in the mouth, like pus. Nausea is relieved by taking very hot water, but cold water, though desired, is usually vomited up again as soon as warm. Vomiting is often persistent, the vomitus being brownish, offensive, even faeculent. The abdomen is distended and acutely tender; taking a deep breath causes pain; cutting colicky pains are felt especially on the right side with a spread through to the back, but there is some relief when lying on the right side. Horribly offensive diarrhoea occurs, the stools being brown or black, painless and even involuntary. Constipation m a y also be present as the result of rectal inertia; the impacted faeces when passed are like small black balls and of carrion-like odour. Severe rectal tenesmus m a y cause distress. Cardio.vascular system. There is an undue awareness of the heart which feels tired; palpitations are of a violent thudding character; the heart beats can be heard a foot away from the chest. There is much throbbing of the carotids, and pulsation felt in the ears tends to prevent sleep. Urinary system. There is urgency to micturate when fever is imminent; the urine m a y be scanty with an adhesive red deposit of urates and is likely to contain albumen and casts. Tenesmus is felt in the bladder. Genital system. Prolapsus uteri occurs with much bearing-down sensation, somewhat relieved by holding the breath and actively bearing down. Septic fever following abortion or labour is characterized b y thin brownish lochia, which m a y be scanty or suppressed and is very foetid. Skin. Ulcers tend to become chronic, foul, freely discharging and are extremely painful. They m a y be of varicose origin. POSOLOGY This remedy is often called for in septic, toxaemic or pyaemic conditions, perhaps when some other apparently indicated remedy has failed to cure. I t m a y also be of value when there is a history of previous sepsis, say puerperal fever, from which there has never been a full and satisfactory recovery of health. Arsenicum album is a complementary remedy.
THE
BRITISH
HOM(EOPATHIC
JOURNAL
POSOLOGY
The range of usefulness of this remedy is more limited t h a n t h a t of m a n y others, but when called for b y the picture detailed above its use is of undoubted value, and m a y indeed prove life-saving. I t is especially indicated in the early stage of a fulminating refection. Complementary remedies which m a y follow well are Crotalus horridus, Hamamelis, Nitricum acidum and Terebinthina.
Pyrogenium, a study D . M. G I B S O N ,
M.B., B.S.LOND., r . B . C . S . ( S D I N . ) , r . r . H O M .
PI:IARMAC OGlqO SY This rather odd remedy might be described as a polyvalent nosode. I t was first prepared b y Drysdale in the 1870s from putrid matter obtained b y exposing chopped lean beef in water "in a sunny place" for three weeks. The resulting material was put through various processes, including two boilings, and the final watery extract was named Sepsin. This product admixed with an equal part of glycerine was termed Pyrexin O or Pyrogen. At a later date potencies were prepared from this product or from the pure extract without the addition of glycerine. I t is an extremely active and most valuable remedy. PHARMACOLOGY
The tissue affinities appear to be mainly with the blood, causing a degeneration such as is met with in septicaemic states with resulting fever, rigors, interstitial and intestinal haemorrhages. PHYSIOGI~IOMY
The face and ears are red and hot or m a y change to the Hippocratic facies with an ashy hue of the skin. Hands are cold and clammy. The subject is icy cold with evident air hunger. Fanlike movements of the alae nasi are seen, a sign t h a t is seen also with Lycopodium patients. Restlessness is very noticeable, the sufferer being in constant movement despite the condition of prostration and weakness. There is a tendency for over-talkativeness with rapid speech, but dryness of the tongue m a y make articulation difficult. This m a y pass on to a muttering type of delirium, especially on closing the eyes. The head is rolled from side to side on the pillow.
PYROGENIUM,
A
STUDY
193
The temperature/pulse ratio is totally out of rhythm. With quite a low temperature the pulse m a y be very rapid, small and thready. With high fever the pulse rate m a y not be as rapid as would normally be expected. All discharges are horribly offensive. Foetor otis is very evident. The tongue is large, flabby, clean and smoothly glazed as if with a coat of varnish; it is fiery red in colour and in sharp contrast to the heavily coated tongue of Baptisia. I t becomes dry and fissured. PSYCHOLOGY
Mental confusion is extreme, a variety of odd sensations being described in relation to body-image. Feels as if "she covered the whole bed"; as if "he were two people"; as if "crowded with legs and arms"; as if the bed lain on were too hard and full of l u m p s - - a s y m p t o m shared with Arnica and Baptisia. There m a y also be delusions of wealth. A sensation of numbness starts in hands and feet and spreads all over the body. PHYSIOLOGY
There is complaint of extreme chilliness t h a t no fire can warm and, at the same time, a craving for fresh, cool air. Anorexia is usual. Thirst is marked for cold drinks, which are usually not retained but vomited as soon as warmed up in the s t o m a c h - - a s y m p t o m also found in Phosphorus. Sleep is shallow; seems to dream all night. Sweats are profuse, very offensive, cold and clammy.
Modalities. There is aggravation from cold, especially d a m p cold; and the sufferer is worse when attempting to sit up. Temporary relief is obtained by constant alteration of posture. PATHOLOGY
General. The picture is one of septicaemia with dry tongue, chills which start between the shoulder-blades, rigors, irregular fever, cold sweats and disturbance of temperature/pulse ratio. Fever m a y be high, up to 106 ~ F, with d r y burning skin in alternation with sweats. Violent burning m a y occur, for instance in an abscess. Severe aching pains m a y be felt in the bones. The whole body feels bruised and over-sensitive. Hence the constant restlessness and moving about in search of ease. There is a tendency for symptoms to relapse, or for recovery to be incomplete. Head. Vertigo is noticed when attempting to rise up in bed. A bursting, throbbing headache m a y be present, associated with a feeling as ff "the skull was being tightly constricted b y a cap". Firm pressure gives some relief. The head sweats profusely.
Eyes. The eyeballs are sore to touch, and looking upwards or outwards causes pain. Respiratory system. The larynx is involved, causing the voice to be weak and husky. A cough is accompanied b y the production of large quantities of mucus
194
THE BRITISH
HOM(EOPATHIC
JOURNAL
from the larynx and sputum which m a y be purulent or "rusty". I t is worse by movement and in a warm room.
Alimentary system. There is a horrible sweetish taste in the mouth, like pus. Nausea is relieved by taking very hot water, but cold water, though desired, is usually vomited up again as soon as warm. Vomiting is often persistent, the vomitus being brownish, offensive, even faeculent. The abdomen is distended and acutely tender; taking a deep breath causes pain; cutting colicky pains are felt especially on the right side with a spread through to the back, but there is some relief when lying on the right side. Horribly offensive diarrhoea occurs, the stools being brown or black, painless and even involuntary. Constipation m a y also be present as the result of rectal inertia; the impacted faeces when passed are like small black balls and of carrion-like odour. Severe rectal tenesmus m a y cause distress. Cardio.vascular system. There is an undue awareness of the heart which feels tired; palpitations are of a violent thudding character; the heart beats can be heard a foot away from the chest. There is much throbbing of the carotids, and pulsation felt in the ears tends to prevent sleep. Urinary system. There is urgency to micturate when fever is imminent; the urine m a y be scanty with an adhesive red deposit of urates and is likely to contain albumen and casts. Tenesmus is felt in the bladder. Genital system. Prolapsus uteri occurs with much bearing-down sensation, somewhat relieved by holding the breath and actively bearing down. Septic fever following abortion or labour is characterized b y thin brownish lochia, which m a y be scanty or suppressed and is very foetid. Skin. Ulcers tend to become chronic, foul, freely discharging and are extremely painful. They m a y be of varicose origin. POSOLOGY This remedy is often called for in septic, toxaemic or pyaemic conditions, perhaps when some other apparently indicated remedy has failed to cure. I t m a y also be of value when there is a history of previous sepsis, say puerperal fever, from which there has never been a full and satisfactory recovery of health. Arsenicum album is a complementary remedy.