Dyspepsia

Categories: ADMINISTRATION OF REMEDIES.
Sources: An Epitome Of Homeopathic Healing Art

This term is applied so loosely and so indiscriminately to all chronic

derangements of the stomach, that it is difficult to define it. I shall

therefore point out some of the more common ailments of the stomach and

their proper remedies.



For sour eructations with hot, burning, scalding fluid rising up in the

throat, with or without food, give _Phos. acid and Pulsatilla_ in

alternation every half hour, unt l the stomach is easy. For a feeling of

weight and pain in the stomach, with dull pain in the head, with or

without dizziness, give _Nux. Vom._ every hour until it relieves. If

there is a _burning_ feeling in the stomach as well as the heavy load,

_without_ eructations and rising of fluid, _Arsenicum_ should be

alternated with the _Nux. Vom._, at intervals of two hours. There are

persons who, from imprudence in eating or drinking or both, or which is

more frequent, from _harsh drug medication_, have so enfeebled their

stomachs, that, though by care in selecting their food, and prudence in

taking it, they may suffer but little, are, nevertheless, when from home

or on special occasions, liable to overeat or take the wrong kind of

food, from which unfortunate circumstance they are made to suffer the

most tormenting and intolerable distress in the stomach and bowels,

which may last, more or less severe, for several days. Soon after the

unfortunate meal, perhaps the next morning, or, it may be, in a few

hours, the stomach begins to bloat, by accumulating gas within, which is

belched up every few minutes in large quantities; the stomach and bowels

are racked with the most torturing pains; cold sweat stands on the brow,

and he is the very picture of misery. Thus he may roll and tumble all

night, and remain in misery the next day and several days longer, before

the food will digest. It often passes from the stomach without

digestion, and on its way through the bowels inflicts constant pain. If

he does not take some emetic substance, he is not apt to vomit, his

stomach cramping so as to prevent it.



I have here described one of the bad cases, but bad as it is they are by

no means _very_ rare. There are such cases in abundance, of all grades

from the one here described down to a slight derangement. They all

require a similar course of _treatment_.



It is useful for such patients to take at once large quantities of

lukewarm water, and repeat the draught every ten to fifteen minutes,

until free and thorough vomiting is induced, so as to throw off all the

food from the stomach.



But even this does not often cure these bad cases. If it did, it is not

always convenient to do it. The medicine that is quite certain to afford

relief at once is _Podophyllin_. Let it be given, and the dose repeated

in an hour. A third dose is rarely necessary. After relief from this

attack, the medicine should be taken night and morning for a month or

more until the stomach is restored. In the meantime care should be taken

not to overload the stomach.