By Dr. Mossa, Stuttgart

GNAPHALIUM

     A servant girl, twenty-nine years of age, had suffered much ever since her ninth year from rheumatism. This pain roved about in all the joints, sometimes in the fingers which are red and swollen, then again in the shoulders or the loins. She cannot sleep at night. The joints are stiff and sore and hard to move. The mother-tincture of Gnaphalium, ten drops a week, continued for two months, brought remarkable relief. In the course of two months she was freed from all pains, except a slight aching in the back (cartier). Gnaphalium is generally most useful in noninflammatory rheumatism, and still more in nervous rheumatism and in gouty myalgia.

KALMIA LATIFOLIA

     A school boy, ten years of age, had an attack of rheumatic fever asting thirteen days. Acute pains in the shoulder-joints and in the upper arm, jumping from one side to the other; penetrating lancinations in the cardiac region, worse at night; thirst for large quantities of water; great restlessness. Pains darting through the intercostal muscles in the left side, worse while breathing; the tongue, red in the middle, with a red triangular spot on the tip; the joints neither reddened nor swollen. Temperature higher, respiration 48-60; the cardiac pains worst while lying down. The boy had a similar-attack the year before, which had been less painful, indeed, but which under allopathic treatment had lasted six weeks and a half, and had left behind a deficiency of the valves. On giving him Kalmia latifolia, the pain disappeared in two days.

MEDORRHIN

     This remedy is according to J.H.Allen most effective in rheumatism after gonorrhoea, especially when the small joints are affected. The gonorrhoea in such cases has often been quickly repressed. Whenever in rheumatism the joints, especially those of the fingers and toes, or the knee joint, are swollen, we should think of Medorrhin ; for there is usually a specific infection present. This remedy has cured gouty exudation’s, extending to the whole of the body. The patients in such cases have hardly any use of the joints affected (Similarly as Rhus in muscular rheumaism). It is worse in cold weather, better when it is warm. Winter is always the worst season with such patients, especially when it is cold and moist. They complain of heaviness of the limbs while walking, as if the limbs would refuse their service.

      In Arthritis deformans, this crux for patients and physicians, Dr. Bonino has found the best results from a weekly alternation of causticum and Thuja. In pronounced gout Urtica urens has been most serviceable.