Homœopathy in the nursery.
by Dr. Margaret Lucy Tyler
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
(Address at the Annual Meeting of the Children's Dispensary, Shepherd's Bush, and delivered at the L. H. H. in April, 1931.)
Dr M. L. TYLER
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On this subject I consider myself qualified to speak : since I had the good fortune to be born into a Homœopathic Nursery.
Our people have been homœopaths for three generations.
Our Scotch Grandfather, Sir Charles Pasley, K. C. B., R. E., who died in 1861 used to come to Annual Meetings of this Hospital. I am told that his name appears in its annals, as moving resolutions. He became a very keen homœopath, because he was-a man of rare ability and intellect, and his life had been saved by Lachesis (one of our snake poisons) when he was desperately ill with pneumonia.
My father and mother were not only keen homœopaths, but most successful prescribers, and that, not only for their own large family (there were twelve of us) but also for heaps of people, rich and poor. Where there is no homœopathic doctor within reach, it is wonderful what good prescribers certain persons, gifted that way, become ; and how impossible they find it, to keep the-saving power to themselves. My parents had grasped not only the Homœopathic Law of "Likes", that is, the treatment of sickness by remedies that are capable of producing a like sickness-(such as, Merc. cor. -corrosive sublimate- for dysentery, which in poisonous doses it can produce ; or Arsenic for ptomaine poisoning, whose symptoms are absolutely the same). But my people had gone further. They had mastered the rules of the game-the "Doctrines of Hahnemann" in regard to the administration of "like" medicine : -not only what to give, but when to give and when to stop. I remember how my mother used to remonstrate with me when, first qualified, I was prescribing homœopathic medicines in a way that she knew was wrong. "That is not homœopathy. In acute sickness when the patient is better -Stop".
Several times my mother saved the life of one of her children, when -the case being too serious for her to take full responsibility- an allopathic doctor had to be called in. I remember one such case. It is so stamped on my memory that I even remember the Gospel lesson that we had been reading that Sunday afternoon ! I must have been eight or nine years old. One of the babies, over-fed by a stupid old monthly nurse, and far toafat, was indulging in broncho-pneumonia. I remember it so well. Hs was supposed to be dying, and I looked with awe on his blue lips and bins nails, as he gasped his little life oat. The doctor had had his innings, and failed. Then my mother, desperate, came in with her wee globules of Ant. tart. -that marvelous remedy for little children and old people, when the lungs are filling up, and the end is near. When the doctor returned a few hours later, the change was so amazing, that he merely came twice a day to watch the infant till it was safe, whilst he left the prescribing to my mother. That infant survived to command the Heavy Artillery of one of the Divisions in the Great War, and Homœopathy in the Nursery saved a Brig. General for the nation's hour of life-and-death struggle.
Another time, of which my mother has told me, one of the small boys was ill with what was called English Cholera-and not a bad imitation, apparently, of the real thing. The doctor -a Homœopath this time- was at his wits' end ; the wee boy did not respond. At last he asked, "Is there any medicine that particularly suits this child ?" "Yes, Phosphorus," said my mother, and Phos. promptly ended that trouble.
Looking back, I realize that, except when babies were making their appearance, there have been very few times when I can remember a doctor in the house. The doctor's bill was never an item of family expenditure-and that with father, mother, twelve children and half-a-dozen servants !
Among my mother's most terrible -and successful- experiences was when her whole little family (happily only six of us had at that time arrived in the world) went down with smallpox. Not all at once. The agony was prolonged. Every fortnight there was a fresh victim or victims. The eldest boy had brought it back from school, "where there was a bad outbreak. The disease was probably modified by vaccination -we had all been successfully vaccinated- but not one escaped. She ascertained that she could get a local doctor at need -we were spending the boys' holidays in the Isle of Wight- but she could not contemplate the loss of homœopathy for her little people in such sickness. So she and an aunt worked through those nightmare weeks, with children smothered with horrible pustules-sometimes delirious-fretting and needing to be nursed and even carried about. She has told me how she had to nurse me in her arms through a whole night, singing a little German rhyme about the dead cat and the mice dancing for joy in the straw. But she got us through ; and we were none of us marked. That was indeed "some Homœopathy" ! -in the Nursery.
She had great times with whooping-cough, measles, chicken-pox (for those who had not had smallpox), and these all came, "not as single spies, but in battalions" -because our name was legion. Then with all the minor ailments of a less serious character and more personal-colds and coughs-stomach-aches and sickness and diarrhœas-my parents abundantly proved the value of Homœopathy in the nursery. No wonder that they were keen homœopaths ! When my father, late in life, spent six months in Peru on behalf of the Peruvian Corporation, of which he was Chairman, he went armed with a little homœopathic medicine chest, and he told us how people used to come up to him after Sunday Service in Lima, "Oh, Sir Henry, I went you to prescribe for me !" He had learnt his Homœopathy in the nursery and had the common medicines at his finger tips.
He was for many years on the Board of this Hospital, and as Chairman of the House Committee took a very active part in its management, and his last great act-really the outcome of Homœopathy in the nursery ! -was to provide for its extension. He said to me, "I have done my part, in enlarging the Hospital -you must do the rest !"- the rest being, to man it with homœopathic doctors. So you see I have inherited a great task, which I have toiled for many years to discharge.
In our nursery there were two devoted nurses -sisters- who were with us for many years. My mother was very lucky, for they were a farmer's daughters, and vastly superior to the run of nurses in conscientiousness and intelligence. In their day there was always a small homœopathic nursery medicine chest, in whose use for emergencies they became very proficient. They had Aconite for sudden feverishness, Dulcamara where the little ones had been caught in the rain and got wet, and so on. I remember that Nux was dubbed by them "temper medicine" -not a bad description of the action of that remedy.
But medicines have opposite actions. Nux only helps temper because of its power to evoke it-in sensitives. And my mother has told me how, in Church one Sunday, she suddenly remembered that she had given Nux that morning to one of the children, and how that "poor child" was always upset by Nux, and how she came home to find, as she expected, that he had been a perfect little demon. He was hypersensitive to Nux, and had "proved it".
One of the amusements we used to provide for our mother and the nurses-so long as we lived by the river at Hampton Court -was croup, to which most of us were, on occasion, addicted ; wet feet or current buns were supposed to be among the exciting causes.
Dr C. von Bœnninghausen
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And here the celebrated "Croup Powders", Aconite- Hepar and Spongia, saved the situation every time. For years these three homœopathic remedies, in the 200th potency, were sold by homœopathic chemists as five powders-to be taken in a certain order- should so many be required- Acon. -Spong. -Hepar -Spong. -Hepar -"Bœnninghausen's Croup Powders".
I was not long out of the nursery when I made my own first experiment with Homœopathy. I was always a bit "uppish", and used to think, in my abysmal ignorance, "Why do we have these funny little globules ? Why don't we have doctors and proper medicines, like other people ?"
Well, we were living at Wyvenhoe Hall, an old Domesday Book house in Essex, and my mother was away for a day's shopping, and I -perhaps fourteen years old- was the eldest at home ; when word came through that one of the housemaids was ill, in great pain, and that her ailment was "spasms".
I consulted my mother's books and discovered Spasms-whatever they might be ! -and for Spasms- Nux. This was fine ! So the housemaid got Nux, -and I sensed POWER- for I had promptly cured my first case.
I remember a very humorous cook of ours -an Essex woman- telling me about a small boy and his results with Homœopathy. His mother had a garden party, and one of the guests was taken ill : "So blessed if that little nipper didn't run off and get her some Pulsatilla, and it cured her too ! What do you make of that now ?"
That is what Homœopathy is ! -so simple -so sure -so rapid in action- where you get the right remedy ; and a child may find it ! -that is to say, in the simple illness of healthy people. In the chronic sickness of diseased people it is not quite such a simple proposition.
Now what I would plead for is a return to the good old days of our mothers, with a homœopathic medicine chest in every house ; and most certainly in every house where there are children.
What should it contain ?
First and foremost, Aconite. That quick-acting remedy, perfectly harmless in homœopathic potencies. It comes in for the effects of chill-fright-strain : such as restless feverishness- tossing and sleeplessness-bounding pulse-agonizing turmoil. In adults and in children, in sudden, superficial ailments, it is priceless. The sufferer turns over and sleeps his way back to health. Or, if some deeper condition is threatening, it will be modified by starting with Aconite for such symptoms.
In these days everyone seems to resort to Aspirin, which masks symptoms-temporarily dulls pain-and cures nothing. Aconite soothes by curing.
I would like to tell you of an early experience of the celebrated Dr. Burnett in Homœopathy : it is told in his brilliant little book, Fifty Reasons for being a Homœopath.
He was out to prove Homœopathy "a lying sham"-a "therapeutic Nihilism". So he would try it at the bedside, and expose it- to an admiring profession.
(It is a curious fact that some of the greatest homœopathic doctors of the past started just that way. They looked into Homœopathy -in order to disprove it- and of course they were caught.)
Burnett was then in charge of a ward where sick children were -admitted and kept under observation till, a diagnosis made, they could be drafted off into the wards, as measles- pneumonia- rheumatism- or whatever it might be.
Dr James Compton Burnett with Topsy
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As feverish colds were just then prevalent, he put a few drops of Aconite tincture into a large bottle, and gave it to the nurse, with orders to administer it to all the children on one side of the ward as soon as they came in ; while the children on the other side of the ward were to have no Aconite, but the customary treatment.
Next morning he got his shock. Nearly all the children on the Aconite side were feverless, and mostly at play in their cots ; one only had measles ; and he found that Aconite would not cure measles. Those on the non-Aconite side were worse -or no better- and had to be sent into hospital with localized inflammations- catarrhs, etc.
This went on for days. The Aconite children were generally convalescent in twenty-four to forty-eight hours, except where the seemingly simple fever was the early stage of some specific disease -scarlet fever -measles -rheumatic fever. But most of the cases were genuine chills, and those Aconite cured right off.
The nurse christened the bottle, "Dr. Burnett's Fever Bottle".
Burnett was simply dumbfounded. He began to spend long night-hours studying Homœopathy.
Then, when he entered his ward after an absence of a couple of days, the nurse seemed rather quiet and informed him that all the cases, she thought, might be discharged. "Indeed ? -How's that ?"
"Well doctor, as you did not come round Sunday or Monday I gave them all your fever medicine. I hadn't the heart to see you go on with your cruel experiments. You are like all the young doctors that come here... you are only trying experiments !"
So all the children got the benefit of Aconite so long as Dr J. Burnett was in charge in that place.
And here you see the enormous advantage of Homœopathy on the spot, to abort promptly what, left alone, would be perhaps a serious illness.
I showed you the Aconite picture, of restless fever and agonizing turmoil. Next you must have Belladonna, with its fiery-red face-dry, burning skin-bright eyes with big pupils-twitchings, and starlings in sleep-even to convulsions. You may see the Bell. picture in teethings ; or in the early stages of chest troubles ; or in scarlet fever-where it works miracles, modifying and controlling the disease, or even aborting it. I have seen this ; and Dr. Lambert, a very keen homœopath, told me, some years ago, "Either I don't give Belladonna, or I don't notify." Belladonna in scarlet fever had made a fool of him so often (in the eyes of Health Officers !).
Then Calcarea, for the difficulties of teething. It helps babies and it helps little pigs ! For I get asked for Calcarea at our farm when little pigs are not doing too well. It makes them fine and strong, I am told. The Calcarea baby is late in teething ; a fat and flabby child ; inclined to be rickety and to soak its pillow at night, so greatly does the head perspire in sleep. When I took over the oat-patient children at the Hospital during the war I saw the marvelous effect at Calcarea in rickets-even in bad cases with much deformity.
Then Chamomilla, with the restless misery that takes the shape of vile temper. The child demands a thing-to hurl away. Wants to be carried and screams it set down. Wherever you get this frantic, restless irritation-in babe or in adult-Chamomilla will be oil for the troubled waters.
Dulcamara -for the effects of cold damp-wet feet-chills and diarrhœa, when evenings are cold after a hot day-or when the weather becomes suddenly cold. It will often clear off the so-called "milk-crust" from a baby's head ; and it will not harm it, as the smearing on of skin preparations may do. You want to cure things, not to "drive them in", the worse troubles later on.
But Arsenicum must not be forgotten. A great remedy for ptomaine poisonings. The Ars. picture is : great prostration-coldness-restlessness-fear-diarrhœa and vomiting-sometimes simultaneous ! -a remedy of sudden, desperate illness. Arsenicum should be in every house for prompt use ; and that not only in the nursery ! It is marvelous to see how rapidly the sufferer reacts to Arsenicum. The diarrhœa stops, the patient becomes warn and peaceful- the storm is over. I have seen several cases of this absolute magic.
Bryonia, again. Pain anywhere-head, chest, joints ; but everything better and rest, and intensified by every movement. Tongue white ; thrust ; and the patient wants to be let alone.
Mercurius, for complaints with profuse, offensive perspiration ; foul mouth, filled with offensive saliva. You may see this condition in influenza and fever-in sore throats-in rheumatism, etc. Your nose and eyes will not miss it, even if your knowledge does not go so far !
Nux. Constipation with stomach-ache, and pinching, spasmodic pains. Nux is cross-quarrelsome-very shivery-has perhaps eaten too much.
The Pulsatilla child likes to be petted. Fat, fair, fretful ; jealous and wants attention : -often selfish Cries easily ; and can be made to laugh again easily. Indigestion, in such a child. It hates fat ; is rot very hungry or thirsty. A great remedy for measles ; -in chilblains, where they are more painful when hot ; -in earache -in inflamed eyes.
The children who respond best to Phosphorus are the tall, thin, delicate children who are afraid of so many things-as, the dark-of being alone-of thunder. They are apt to crave salt and to be thirsty for cold water. For such children Phos. is a great remedy for colds and all chest complaints ; also for diarrhœa with a little blood in the motions.
Sulphur : A rather greedy child-hungry, anyway ! eats everything, so long as it's something to eat. Like fat ; -kicks off the bed-clothes. Sulphur has often fair, unruly hair ; is argumentative- the little, grubby, rugged philosopher. Not too clean ; not at all tidy ; and not fond of a bath.
But Arnica must not be forgotten ! -for falls-bruises- sprains-for all injuries, slight or serious. It must be given internally always ; and applied externally, but only where the skin is not broken. Where skin is broken use Hypericum (or Calendula) externally.
Then Drosera for whooping-cough. I had much experience with this during the war, in the children's department. One dose of Dros. will generally cure, or greatly modify, whooping-cough in a week to fourteen days ; Hahnemann tells us that it should be left to act, and not repeated- the miracle is to work !
Influenza may reed Gelsemium. -or Baptisia. Gels. is the shivery, heavy-eyed and heavy-limbed type : Baptisia the dull, besotted condition, dull-red and drowsy. Or Eupatorium with terrible bone pains. All these remedies you should have at hand.
Lycopodium may come in where there is sand on the diaper or where the urine is acid, and marks the body sore wherever it comes in contact with the skin, A Lyc. child is very fond of sweet things, and get a lot of indigestion with much distension and flatulence.
Ah, but you have not the gift of prescribing ? you would distrust yourself ? You would want help ?
And please don't run away with the idea that I want you to start treating smallpox !
In these days there is the telephone. What a comfort the telephone would have been, times without number, to my anxious mother in her isolation : who did not dare to commit her precious children to an allopath when she knew that Homœopathy could cure them so much more quickly-surely-and safely.
That is Homœopathy -quick -sure -safe.
But in these days you can ring up the Homœopath doctor if he is out of reach, and he will ask symptoms and tell you the remedy to give. And you will not have to wait and send round and round the world to get it. You will be able to give it, at the time when it will help most-and that is, at once. You will open your little box and put a few globules on the sleeping infant's tongue, and it will suck at the sweet nothings without waking, and find healing.
But one word of warning. Get your medicines at a homœopathic Chemist. Don't go to just any chemist who "Yes ! he does sell homœopathic medicines", and get strong tinctures. The potencies are safe ; not so the strong tinctures. Homœopathic Nux, in strong tincture, is actually stronger than allopathic Nux. And Dr. Burnett's experimental babies, treated with crude Aconite, though cured of their fevers were, he tells us, rather pale and had perspired overmuch.
Get your remedies at a good homœopathic chemist. And let them be not less than the 6th or the 12th potency.
But these are the evil days of small families-or none-and the modern young woman knows little of the joys and anxieties of that "heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord". They little realize how much they forfeit-not only in happiness, but in health, by their self-imposed limitations.
For statistics show that, among married women, it is the mothers of large families who are not only the healthiest but the longest lived. Nature is not kind to those who flout her. She has her own way of settling with them.
For their own sakes, women who do not wish for children should not marry.
I think of our merry, wholesome, happy young days. I see these wretched "only children". Their normal childhood has been denied to them. It is in the home that one learns to give and take, that the angles get rubbed off, and that one learns to face the world. And then, the anxiety of an only child ! A rich, childless man told me once that what he wished for his worst enemy was-an only child !
Then how do you women know that your husbands will not seek elsewhere the home life you deny them ? It is not the fathers and mothers of happy nurseries that crowed the divorce courts.
And then-for the sake of the nation. How is this grand race of ours, with its amazing mission of peace and prosperity for the world, to be continued in the face of race-suicide ? And remember, the first child is seldom the best child !
It is the nurseries of England and Scotland that have built this mighty Empire ; without the nurseries the race must deteriorate and the empire pass.
But it will not ! It is the crazes that pass-always. The nursery will reassert itself ; and the Homœopathic Nursery is the Nursery, as Survival, and of (comparative) Peace.
Source : Homœopathy, Feb. 1934.
