Local Applications

Categories: DISEASES OF FEMALES
Sources: An Epitome Of Homeopathic Healing Art

That medicines act locally, that is, manifest their symptoms by peculiar

derangement or disturbance of some particular part of the system, more

prominently than of any other part, for the time, no one will deny. That

each one has some particular locality or tissue upon which its action is

more perceptible than anywhere else, is equally undeniable, and that the

prominent symptoms are often external and local, is also true. Yet, with br />
these truths clearly demonstrated, there are those of our school who

discard the external or local application of all remedies except

_Arnica_.



Why this is done, is difficult to determine, unless we can believe that

such physicians suppose it to be _heresy_ to make use of any remedy in a

different manner from what was recommended by the "Father of

Homoeopathy," and abjure all possibility of _improvement_ in our

practice.



That nearly if not all medicines, may be applied externally with

advantage, when there are local manifestations similar to those produced

by the drugs, there can be no doubt in the mind of any sensible man.

That they will act favorably when so used is _reasonable_, as a matter

of theory, and that they do, as a matter of fact, has been _proven_ to

my mind, by abundant experience in their use. Therefore, I hesitate not

to recommend the practice to others. Medicines must act either by

combination with the affected part, or by _Catalysis_, changing the

molecular action of the living tissues. In either case, they must come

directly in contact with the part to be affected. This _must_ be done

through the circulation, when taken internally, or it _may_ be done by

direct application of the remedy to the diseased tissue, when that is so

situated as to be reached. The difference is greatly in favor of the

latter mode when that is practicable, from the greater certainty of its

results. This assertion is based, not upon vague hypothesis, but upon

_actual practice_.



Entertaining these views, however heretical they may be pronounced, I

shall proceed to mention some of the remedies I have learned to use

thus, and the cases for which they are prescribed. I would remark that,

in selecting a remedy, it must be done with as much certainty of its

homoeopathic relation to the local or general symptoms for external as

for internal use. I have found, however, that much lower attenuations

are requisite and admissible.



ARNICA is highly applicable to _bruises_, and is valuable also when

applied to lacerated or mangled surfaces, to the surface of the limb

where a bone is fractured, also about the joint when it has been

dislocated. It is to be used in the form of _Arnicated water_, by

putting one or two drops to a gill of water for application where the

skin is ruptured or the surface raw, and ten to twenty drops to the

gill, upon parts where the skin is sound. It is useful also, for

_boils_, and _carbuncles_ in the _early stage_, the _strong tincture_ to

be applied when the surface is sound, and (to boils) when the surface is

open, one drop to a gill of water.