Chapter IX. Special Remedies for the Eye and Ear.

Conjunctivitis. In the simple form of this disease, bathing the eyes with warm water and distilled extract of witch hazel will be sufficient for the local treatment, with ferri phos. as the internal remedy. Dose, third decimal trituration, ten grains in a cup of water, teaspoonful every half hour. When there is considerable redness and inflammation in the eye, I like an "eye wash" made from the following prescription:

Rx Sulph. Zinc.
Sulph. Morphia, a. a. gr. i.
Aqua rosae.
Glycerine, a. a. ℥ss.
Mix. Sig. Drop two or three drops in the eye three times a day.

I have used this as an eye wash since 1871 and it is an excellent one. Sulphur, third decimal, three tablets once in three hours will hasten the cure. When the meibomian glands are much affected and the edges of the lids are red and swollen, the secretion forming yellow crusts on the ciliae during sleep, hepar sulph. should be prescribed. Dose, three tablets of the third decimal trituration every two hours.

Purulent Conjunctivitis. The "eye wash" as mentioned under the acute form will be found useful in this disease. In infants wash the eyes with warm water and distilled extract of witch hazel; then apply nitrate silver (one grain to the ounce of water) locally. Internally give three tablets of the third decimal trituration of hepar sulphur night and morning; also add five drops tincture rhus tox to four ounces of water and give in teaspoonful doses every two hours.

Gonorrheal Conjunctivitis. First apply warm water to the eye, containing borax five grains to the ounce; cleanse the eye with this and then apply a five per cent, solution of nitrate of silver. For the swelling and inflammation aconite is the internal remedy. Add five drops to four ounces of water and give a teaspoonful every hour. Thuja should be prescribed for the constitutional disease. Dose, tincture thuja gtts. xx, aqua ℥iv. Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful every two hours.

Scrofulous Conjunctivitis. Internally you should give this prescription:

Rx Comp. Syr. Stillingia, ℥viii.
Iodide Potash, ʒii.
Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful three times a day.

For a local application I like the following receipt:

Lloyd's Ergot, gtts. xv.
Sol. Boric Acid (6 grains to ℥i), q. s. ℥iss.
Mix. Sig. Two drops in the eye every three hours.

Catarrhal Conjunctivitis. In the first stage belladonna is indicated for the headache and pain in the eyes. Add ten drops tincture belladonna to four ounces of water and give of this mixture a teaspoonful every hour. When there is much congestion of the eye and photophobia, lachrymation of an acrid, excoriating nature, which causes the eyelids to swell and ulcerate, tincture euphrasia is the remedy. Dose, put fifteen drops of the tincture euphrasia into half a glass of water, giving a teaspoonful every hour. One grain of muriate of hydrastis to an ounce of water is a good local application. You can also use the wash spoken of above.

Ulcerative Conjunctivitis. For a local application in this affection I like the eucalyptus. Add one drachm of the Fl. Ext. eucalyptus to one ounce of distilled water and drop a few drops into the affected eye three or four times a day. It will relieve the pain and give a feeling of ease and comfort.

Granular Conjunctivitis. Locally apply the sesqui carb. potash twice a week. Then wash out the eye with water after each application, using an eye syringe. Twice a day apply an ointment made of yellow oxide mercury two grains, vaseline one ounce. Touch the granulations with this ointment night and morning. For an internal remedy kali mur., sixth decimal, is the best. Dose, three tablets once in two hours.

Rheumatic Ophthalmia. For this condition with the itching pains and diffused inflammation we will give aconite. Add five drops tincture aconite to four ounces of water and give a teaspoonful of the mixture every hour. In alternation you should prescribe tincture spigelia gtts. xv, aqua giv. Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful once an hour.

Iritis. For this affection the best internal remedy is jaborandi. It allays inflammation, controls spasms of the muscle of accommodation and will absorb adhesions. Dose, tincture jaborandi, gtts. xx, aqua ℥iv. Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful once in two hours.

As a local application sulph. atropia must be used from the very start. It should be applied strong enough to insure full dilation of the pupil, and sufficiently often to continue the paralysis of the ciliary muscles. For patients to use at home it may be made in the strength of four grains to the ounce of water. It should be used three times a day.

Choroiditis. For the burning and dryness in the eye belladonna is indicated. Add five drops tincture belladonna to four ounces of water and give the patient a teaspoonful every hour. Kali mur., third decimal, should be given in alternation as an absorbent of the plastic exudates. Dose, ten grains in a cup of water; teaspoonful once an hour.

When the pain is severe in the eye-ball, feels as if it were being pressed asunder, shooting pains from the right eye to the occiput, prunus spinosa is the remedy needed. Dose, tincture prunus, first decimal, gtts. xx, in half a glass of water; teaspoonful every hour.

Suppurative Choroiditis. In cases of suppurative choroiditis rhus tox is the remedy called for, used in the following manner. Add ten drops tincture rhus tox to four ounces of water and give the patient a teaspoonful of the mixture every hour. Chronic headaches due to choroiditis may be cured by tincture viola odorata. Dose, five drops, second decimal dilution, once in two hours.

Ulceration of the Cornea. The sulphide calcium is indicated where there is much suppuration. Dose three tablets, of the second decimal trituration, once in three hours.

If there is much frontal headache, belladonna is indicated. Add ten drops tincture belladonna to four ounces of water and give teaspoonful doses every hour. If complicated with syphilis give tincture corydalis ten drops once in three hours. The ulcers should be touched with a five per cent, solution of nitrate silver; it will cause rapid healing of the ulcer. In corneal ulcers where the secretions are of a stringy nature bichromate potash third decimal trituration, is indicated. Dose, three tablets once in three hours.

Retinitis. Ferri phos., third decimal trituration, is the first remedy to be thought of in this affection. Add ten grains to a glass of water and give a teaspoonful every fifteen minutes. Belladonna is indicated where there is a red conjunctival streak along the line of fissure of the lids. Dose, tincture belladonna gtts. x, aqua four ounces; one teaspoonful every two hours. Kali mur., third decimal trituration, should be given in the second stage of effusion. Dose, ten grains in a cup of water; give a teaspoonful every half hour. The dim vision and weakness of nerve power calls for picric acid. Use the sixth decimal. It is especially called for in this disease. Dose, three tablets every two hours. If the trouble is complicated with syphilis or Bright's disease, select the proper remedies indicated (for the indications see those headings).

In detachment of the retina due to rheumatism, sodium salicylate is the remedy. Dose, five grains, second decimal trituration, once in two hours.

Keratitis. In diffuse keratitis apis mel is the remedy. Dose, tincture apis mel gtts. x, aqua ounces iv. Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful every hour. Kali mur., third decimal trituration, should be given in alternation. Dose, put ten grains in four ounces of water and give drachm doses once an hour. The principal remedy to be depended on is aurum metallicum. Dose, three tablets, third decimal trituration, night and morning. This remedy has made some good cures of interstitial keratitis in syphilitic patients.

Hepar sulph., third decimal, is the remedy for suppuration and abscess of the cornea. Dose, three tablets once in two hours.

Corneal Opacities. When the opacity is one of the after effects of ophthalmia in scrofulous patients, tincture cannabis sativa is the remedy. Dose, add twenty drops to a half glass of water and give a teaspoonful of this mixture every two hours. The third decimal trituration of bi-chromate potash has helped to cure some patients. Dose, three tablets once in three hours. Calcarea flouride is the main remedy to be depended on to gradually cure the opacity. Dose, three tablets four times a day. Resorcin powder is the best local remedy for specks on the cornea.

Sty. Pulsatilla is indicated for the acute stage. Dose, add twenty drops tincture Pulsatilla to four ounces of water; give of this a teaspoonful once in two hours. After the acute stage has passed give three tablets every three hours of the second decimal of calcarea sulph. to complete the cure.

Asthenopia. When the eyes cannot be used very long at a time without fatigue, pain in the head and eyes from reading or fine sewing, eyes burn, feel strained, hot like a ball of fire, ruta graveoleus is the remedy needed. Dose, tincture ruta ten drops to water four ounces; give a teaspoonful once in two hours. When the eyes feel stiff and burn or feel cold, better when in the cold air or bathed with cold water, worse in the sunlight, asarum europaeum is the remedy needed. Dose, tincture asarum, first decimal, twenty drops in half a glass of water, teaspoonful every two hours. When the asthenopia is caused by uterine troubles sepia is the remedy. Dose, one grain of the third decimal trituration once in three hours.

In nervous affections of the lids and muscular asthenopia, strychnine is the remedy. Dose, one-thirtieth grain before each meal and at bedtime. If there is pain only when the eyes are used kali carbonicum, sixth decimal, is the remedy. Dose, three tablets every three hours.

Oculo Motor Paresis. In oculo motor paresis if caused by cold damp weather rhus tox is the remedy. Dose, five drops of the third decimal dilution once in three hours. If from dry cold air causticum is the medicine indicated. Dose, three tablets of the sixth decimal once in three hours.

Myopia. In acquired myopia from ciliary spasm, also night blindness, contracting of the pupils and twitching of the ocular muscles, physostigma venenosum is the remedy. Dose, ten drops of the third decimal dilution once in two hours.

Amblyopia. In amblyopia which is caused by a cold aconite is indicated. Dose, add five drops tincture aconite to four ounces of water and give a teaspoonful once an hour.

When there is weak eyesight, objects do not appear clear or distinct, excited staring appearance of the eyes, kali phos. is the needful remedy. Dose, three tablets of the sixth decimal once in two hours.

In amblyopia from the use of tobacco or alcohol phosphoric acid combined with nux vomica should be prescribed. The following is a favorite with me:

Rx Tr. Nux Vomica, gtts. x.
Phosphoric Acid, ʒiv.
Simple Syrup q. s. ad, ℥iv.
Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful every three hours.

Cataract. In dimness of vision from overstraining the eyes, and in flickering and sparks before the eyes, calcarea fluoride is the remedy. Dose, three tablets of the sixth decimal trituration every three hours. In the first stages of cataract when the letters appear red, phosphorus in one one-hundredth grain doses may be given three times a day. If the trouble is complicated with skin disease the third decimal of iodide sulphur is the remedy. Dose, three tablets once in three hours. When caused by drying up the perspiration of the feet silicea, sixth decimal, should be prescribed. Dose, three tablets, three times a day. When there is an appearance of gauze before the eyes, or a fog or cloud causticum is the needful remedy. Dose, five drops of the third decimal, once in two hours.

Otalgia. When the earache is accompanied by sticking pains in the ears which goes from one ear to the other, plantago major is the remedy. Dose, five drops of the second decimal dilution every hour. Ferri phos., third decimal may be given in alternation. Dose, add five grains to a half a cup of warm water and give a teaspoonful every fifteen minutes. If the pain is very severe, child screaming with the pain, give tincture chamomilla. Dose, add twenty drops to four ounces of water and give teaspoonful doses every half hour. Apply an onion poultice over the affected ear. A few drops of a two per cent, solution of cocaine will often give quick relief. The local remedy which I have always depended upon to stop earache, and I have never seen it fail, is to take a tablespoonful of hot water, sprinkle some black pepper into the water, then pour some or all of it into the ear where the pain is; I have seen it stop the pain when other remedies had failed.

Otitis. The best remedy for the severe pain is aconite. Dose, tincture aconite, first decimal dilution, three drops once an hour. In chronic cases with boils prescribe the second decimal trituration of calcarea sulph. Dose, two tablets once in three hours. For the second stage when there is thickening of the membranes with deafness, you should give kali mur., third decimal. Dose, place ten grains in a glass of water and give a teaspoonful every half hour. Cotton moistened with tincture Pulsatilla and placed in the affected ear will give great relief to the patient.

Otorrhea. If there is a chronic, bad smelling discharge from the ear, you should cleanse the ear with warm water and then inject eucalyptus into it, using the following prescription:

Rx Fl. Ext. Eucalyptus, ℥i.
Aqua, ℥i.
Mix. Sig. Inject one drachm into the ear three times a day with an ear syringe.

Boracic acid is good in recent discharges from the ear. Wet a small piece of cotton in glycerine, then dip in boracic acid and insert it into the affected ear, every day. If there is ulceration of the ear, pus with dirty foul odor, kali phos., sixth decimal, is the remedy. Dose, three tablets once in two hours. In catarrh of the ear with earache and a thin, yellow, watery discharge kali sulph. should be given. Dose, three tablets of the third decimal every two hours. When caries of the bone has occurred silicea first decimal, is the remedy. Dose, one grain every three hours.

Polypus Aurium. Calcarea carb. is the first remedy to be thought of in this condition. Dose, three tablets of the third decimal once in three hours. Locally apply salicylic acid in the form of an ointment.

Rx Salicylic Acid, grs. xx.
Vaseline, ℥i.
Mix. Sig. Apply three times a day.

Eczema Aurium. In eczema aurium for internal medication we should prescribe tincture rhus tox, second decimal dilution, five drops once in two hours. Also give calcarea sulph., second decimal, in alternation. Dose, three tablets once in three hours. For a local application, in moist eczema of the auditory canal, I like the aristol powder, applied by means of an insufflator. When there are excoriations of the external auditory canal, or auricle, from acrid discharge the following ointment will prove useful.

Rx Oil Eucalyptus, gtts. xxx.
Vaseline, ℥i.
Mix. Sig. Apply locally three times a day.

Deafness. Deafness is sometimes caused by the ears being filled with hardened wax, especially in old people. In several such cases I have "made the deaf hear" by dropping a few drops of ether in the ear to soften the wax and then cleaning out the ear with an ear spatula. In this way I cured an old man in New Jersey, sixty years old, who had been deaf for years, also an engineer on one of the Kennebec River steamboats in Maine.

In deafness from catarrh of the middle ear, clogging up of the Eustachian tube, we have one remedy that is especially indicated and one that will help the deaf to hear. This remedy is kali mur. Dose, three tablets of the sixth decimal trituration night and morning.

In dullness of hearing from weakness of the nervous system sulph. strychnia is the remedy needed. Dose, one-thirtieth grain before each meal and at bedtime. In deafness to the human voice—a common symptom of the aged or in catarrh where the patient is constantly blowing small quantities of blood from the nose—phosphorus is the drug needed. Dose, fifteen drops of the sixth decimal dilution in half a glass of water; of this mixture give a teaspoonful once in two hours.

When ears open at times with loud report, over sensitiveness to noise, dullness of hearing, catarrh of the Eustachian tube and cavity of the tympanum, silicea is the remedy. Dose, three tablets of the third decimal three times a day.

Humming and buzzing in the ears, atrophic condition in elderly people, tissues very dry and becoming scaly—showing lack of vitality, deafness from want of nerve perception, itching in the auditory canal, ulceration of the membrana tympani, call for kali phos. Dose, three tablets of the sixth decimal once in three hours.

In vascular deafness, that appears before the menses, and deafness with tinnitus due to gout, ferrum piericum is the remedy. Dose, three tablets of the third decimal once in three hours.

Definite Medication, 1911, was written by Eli G. Jones, M.D.