Case II.—John——, 3-1/2 years, with an accompanying bronchitis. Symptoms worse at night. Paroxysms very long and severe; would hold his head to relieve the pain from coughing. Great difficulty experienced in breathing. A number of râles heard over portion of the chest, with little expectoration. After Naphthalin had been given for a short time improvement began, and terminated without further complications.
Case III.—Patrick——, a man 23 years of age, large physique and healthy appearance, contracted pertussis from other members of the family, and, although not accompanied by the whoop, the paroxysms were very severe. They were not frequent during the day but many during the night. He would wake the entire house by coughing and would become purple in the face. He had been suffering a week or two before I saw him. I prescribed Drosera, Corrallium rub., Ipecac and Hyoscyamus, without appreciable improvement. He gradually grew worse until Naphthalin 1x in pellets was given. The spasmodic condition was relieved very shortly, and although the cough remained for a short time it never became severe and soon entirely disappeared.
NARCISSUS.
Nat. Ord., Amaryllidaceæ.
Common Name, Daffodil.
Preparation.—The young buds, stems and leaves are macerated in two times their weight of alcohol.
(The following is from the Homœopathic Recorder for May, 1899):
"Agricola," one of the Homœopathic World's oldest contributors, has the following to say of this very old, yet little known, remedy. After stating how he prepared it, he continues as follows:
"A case of bronchitis (a continuous cough) has from Narcissus 1-3x obtained such prompt marked relief, where a most varied selection of the standard remedies had hitherto failed, as to induce me to write these few lines in hope that as this beautiful flower is about to be found in most cottage gardens the prevalent bronchitis, whooping and other coughs may meet with prompt cures. Dr. Chargé's work, Maladies de la Respiration, quotes the great Laennec, M. D., as an authority in re Narcissus."
There is no proving whatever of this drug, although in the Encyclopædia (Allen) a case of poisoning from the bulbs eaten as a salad is given; but the remedy as prescribed by Agricola was prepared from the young buds, stems and leaves, so the case in the Encyclopædia is not apropos, nor is the old tincture from the bulbs of use.
The name of the plant, Narcissus, is not from that of the fabled youth who fell in love with his own image reflected in the water, but is from the Greek Narkao, "to be numb," on account of the narcotic properties of the drug. The classic Asphodel and the Narcissus are the same, from which it may be seen that the plant dates back as far as man's records go. Fernie, in his excellent Herbal Simples, from which we gather the preceding, also says: "An extract of the bulbs applied to open wounds has produced staggering numbness of the whole nervous system and paralysis of the heart. Socrates called this plant the 'Chaplet of the Infernal Gods,' because of its narcotic effects."