(The following was contributed by Dr. B. F. Bailey, Lincoln, Neb.:)
We have many remedies brought to our notice in an empirical way, which soon lose their prominence, first because we have no provings, and second, having no provings, clinical study is not close enough. When Skookum chuck was first written up, I began to use it and watch its effects, that it might be possible to find its proper niche in practice. The following two cases will, I think, give an idea of the cases in which it may always be depended upon:
Case No. 1.—A married woman of 40 years of age. History and present condition show a lithæmic diathesis. For years has never been free from eczematous troubles. At times suffers much from rheumatism, not infrequently, rheumatism disappears to be immediately followed by hordeoli upon eyelids. Has been treated long and faithfully by Allopaths, and now for some years by our own school. Prescribed Skookum 3x—one powder every 4 hours. Improvement was soon evident. Persisted in this treatment for three months, and now for two years patient has been perfectly well.
Case No. 2.—Patient, married woman of about 26 years, comes to me with urine, sp. grav. 1.030, marked uric acid deposits, flushed face upon a yellowish background—so often seen in lithæmic cases. Much difficulty of digestion. Great dryness of skin, especially of scalp, with great trouble from falling out of hair—in short a thoroughly lithæmic case. Skookum chuck 3x every four hours. Satisfactory improvement. Has feared head will become entirely bald. Now no loss of hair, and a loss of the heated, congested feeling of face and head. In fact, a satisfactory recovery now of some weeks standing. These cases briefly stated ought to be of interest, in that they show it to be probable that we will find the sphere of action of Skookum to be in lithæmic cases, and for the treatment of these cases we have but a few clearly defined reliable remedies.
SOLANUM CAROLINENSE.
Nat. Ord., Solanaceæ.
Common Name, Horse-nettle.
Preparation.—The fresh, ripe berries are macerated in twice their weight of alcohol.
(In 1889 Dr. Napier called attention to Solanum Carolinense as a remedy in the treatment of epilepsy, stating that it was used as a domestic remedy in the South for convulsions and "that he had successfully prescribed it in his practice." Dr. Charles S. Potts, of the University of Pennsylvania, contributes a paper Therap. Gazette, Dec., 1895, on the remedy, giving some new points, from which the following is condensed:)
At the clinic for nervous diseases of the University Hospital, Solanum Carolinense was tried in a series of twenty-five cases, twenty-one of which were idiopathic, three organic, and one probably so. Of these, eight of the idiopathic cases either did not return after the first visit or else were not under observation sufficiently long to offer a fair test. In the remaining seventeen cases the following results were obtained—viz., five, two of them organic, were not improved. In the remaining twelve the results showed more or less benefit from the use of the drug. The five cases in which no improvement was noted were afterwards placed upon other treatment, either antipyrin and bromide of ammonium or the mixed bromides with amelioration of the symptoms in four; in the remaining one no drug seemed to be of service. The dose used at first was 10 drops. This dose was found to be useless, and after the first few cases they varied from 30 drops to teaspoonful three or four times daily. No unpleasant effects were observed, excepting a mild diarrhœa in some cases. This was also noticed by Dr. Herdman. He also noticed that in large doses the temperature was lowered and the pulse slowed.
In many epileptics diarrhœa is more of a benefit than otherwise.