Worms.-
Hygienic Treatment.-
It often happens that the constitution is rendered more susceptible to the attacks of intestinal parasites and more tolerant
of their presence, by faulty hygienic surroundings. In all cases this should be attended to, and the drainage especially; sewer
gas has a strong tendency to predispose the system. The natural history of the parasite should be attended to as far as it is
known. Uncooked or undercooked fish or meat should be avoided to guard against tape-worm and trichinae. Sweets, sugar,
pastry, raw fruit, and vegetables should be avoided. The thread-worm is always introduced into the mouth in the shape of
eggs; the eggs hatch in the small intestine, and the worms lodge in the caecum; they lay their eggs at the anus; and their whole
life is only a fortnight. Children suffering from thread-worms should be prevented from putting their fingers into their mouth, as
they are very apt to scratch the irritated parts in sleep. This caution may be necessary for older persons.
Constitutional Treatment.-
As a return to healthy hygienic conditions will sometimes suffice to render a patient intolerant of intestinal parasites, and thus bring about their expulsion, so a return to a more healthy condition of body, when weakened by any other cause, will often produce the same effect.
Cal. C. 12, 8h. When the child is scrofulous fat, pale, lymphatic, head hot and perspiring at night, the perspiration not being offensive, feet cold and clammy.
Lyc. 12, 8h. Distension of abdomen, poor appetite, constipation, dark thick urine, pains in the body going from right to left.
Sul. 30, 8h. Scrofulous eruptive subjects, sinking sensation in epigastrium in forenoon, hot head, cold feet.
Spig. 3, 8h. In strumous, feeble, precocious children, feverish, dry, hot skin, furred tongue, tumid abdomen, bowels confined, appetite rapacious, nervous irritability.
Cina 30, 8h. Fever, canine hunger, pale urine, picking nose, tendency to convulsions.
Bell. 30, 4h. Wakes screaming at night, cannot be pacified, wets bed, cheeks scarlet, other parts of the face, especially round mouth, white, eyes brilliant, skin dry, hot, violent rage when spoken to.
Bapt. 3, 8h. Indigestion with low feverish condition.
Ferr. Mur. 3x, 3h. Anaemia; passage of blood and mucus.
Scirrhinum 30, once or twice a week Burnett noticed that when prescribing a course of Scirrhinum and other cancer nosodes for patients this was often followed by the expulsion of worms. This observation indicates that the liability to intestinal parasites may be one symptom of the cancerous diathesis, and it also suggests that Scirrhinum 30, once or twice a week should be included among the constitutional remedies for helminthiasis. The ringworm parasites are of the mould or vegetable order and one of the consumption nosodes, notably Bacillinum, is the basic remedy. [If constitutional treatment does not suffice to remove all the symptoms of the parasites. Direct Treatment must be employed, as described below.]
Ankylostoma Duodenale.-
Thymol gr. v. 2h. till 20 grains are taken; followed by full dose of castor-oil and turpentine.
Diet to consist of milk and soup. Recently Carbon Tetrachloride has been found very effective. The patient must not be
constipated. The day before the dose liquid diet only for lunch and diner. The dosage is three minims per years of age for
children and an adult dose of 46 to 60 minims. The dose is taken in a tablespoon or measure glass, and half an hour after
an ounce of Epsom Salt. Or, the drug may be given in the Eposm salts solution. Also Extract of male-fern (Filix Mas) as
for tape-worm.
Round Worms (Ascaris Lumbricoides).-
Sant. 1x, gr. v. every morning, fasting; there must be no solid food given during this time. This may
be repeated three to six mornings. When the presence of this parasite is made out.
Its efficacy may be increased by combining with it Merc. Dulc. 1x, gr. v.,
given for four morning in succession and then followed with a castor-oil purge, If necessary the
Santonin with Merc. Dulc. may be given for three more mornings and followed with a further dose of
Castor-oil. Or oil of Chenopodium, gtt. ii. 8h. for a day or two, followed by a dose of castor-oil.
See also use of Filmaron under Tape-Worm.
Tape-Worm.-
After a twelve hours’ fast, a draught of the fresh ethereal extract of male fern (Filix Mas) should be given.
The best formula is:--Filix Mas (Liquid Extract) gtt. xxx., syrup (not mucilage) zii., distilled water zzi. Two hours
after this an ounce of castor-oil should be taken. A new preparation of male fern is Filmaron Oil-one part of Filmaron
dissolved in 9 parts of castor-oil. The dose is 6 grammes (gr. 90) for a child of 10, 10 to 12 grammes (gr. 150 to 180)
for adults, given in two hours by a purge of castor oil. A glycerin and water enema should be given the day before.
Oil of Filmaron in 1 to 3 grammes (gr. 15-45) doses in gelatin capsules is also useful in the case of ascarides.
If this does not succeed in completely killing the worm, give Filix Mas Q, gtt. V. 8h. persistently, for two or three
months; or a strong infusion of Kausso taken in the morning, fasting and followed in an hour by an ounce of castor-oil;
or Pumpkin Seeds (about 4 oz.) scalded and decorticated are crushed and made into a pottage with cream and eaten
after a twenty-four hour’s fast, as little drink as possible, also being taken. The castor-oil purge to follow. It is best to
take the seeds at bed-time, and early next morning a tablespoonful of castor-oil mixed with half a drachm of sulphuric ether.
No breakfast to be taken, only a cup of tea or coffee. Or, Carbon Tetrachloride may be given as advised for Ankylostoma.
Thread-Worm.-
[Constitutional hygienic treatment , most applicable to sufferers from thread-worms.] All essential oils are poisonous to thread-worms. To give temporary relief, warm injections containing a few drops of oil of turpentine (five to the ounce of water) will destroy and bring away all that may be in the rectum. Internally, Cina 3, 4h.
Teucr. q, gtt. X.-1x, gtt. iii. 8h. Where there is much irritation in the rectum.
Nat. Phos. 1x. gr. v. 8h. When there is much acidity.
Spigel. 3, 4h. Fever, dry skin, capricious appetite, swollen abdomen, constipation, nervous irritability.
Bapt. 3, 4h. Low fever, with loaded tongue, loss of appetite, dull condition.
Scirrh. 200 will often bring them away. An occasional dose of.
Trichinae.-
It is impossible to destroy these parasites when once they have commenced to migrate. As soon as it is known that infected
pork has been eaten, if still in the stomach, an emetic should be taken; if it has passed into the intestines, a brisk castor-oil
purge should be administered to expel what may remain. When the fever is once established, all that remains is to support
the patient’s strength, and administer such internal remedies as correspond to the general symptoms.
Bapti. 3x, 1h. In general Or Ars. 3x, 1h., will prove suitable.
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