Chapter VII. Special Remedies for the Bladder, Kidneys and Prostate Gland.

In Cystitis it has been my practice to begin the treatment with the following prescription:

Rx Tr. Aconite, gtts. x.
Tr. Gelsemium, ʒss.
Spts. Niter Dulce, ℥i.
Aqua, q. s. ad ℥vi.
Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful once an hour.

Cystitis. In cystitis when the urine passes only a few drops at a time, with constant urging to urinate and cutting pains in the urethra, tincture cantharis is the remedy. Dose, add twenty drops of the third decimal dilution to half a glass of water, and give a teaspoonful of this mixture every hour.

In an irritable bladder where there is a constant desire to urinate and only a small amount can be passed camphor is the needed remedy. Dose, five drops of tincture camphor in a wine-glass of warm water every hour.

In partial paralysis of the bladder in old women where there is a constant dribbling of the urine which cannot be controlled you should prescribe one-fourth grain ext. nux vomica three times a day. In the "leaky" bladder of old men, who cannot hold the urine but it dribbles on to their clothes, and there is a constant desire to urinate which the act does not relieve, tincture equisetum is the remedy. Dose, tincture equisetum, ten drops in half a wine-glass of water every two hours.

Suppression of the Urine. In suppression of the urine, when the patient cannot pass any urine, I always apply an onion poultice over the bladder and add twenty drops of tincture apis mel. in a glass of water of which the patient takes a teaspoonful every hour. Position to aid in the passing urine. First lay face down then slowly rise up on all fours, when it is much easier to pass the urine. The above treatment will prove successful.

During my practice in Vermont, I was called in consultation to see a man who had an old stricture from gonorrhea. He worked on a farm and got cold in the rain. The attempt to pass urine was unsuccessful and he swallowed a tablespoonful of spts. turpentine which caused a hemorrhage from the bowels but did not start the urine. The attending physician had tried catheters of different kinds and sizes, also all the remedies he could think of before I arrived. I rang the changes on all the remedies I thought indicated, also warm baths, relaxation by lobelia, etc., but he gradually grew worse until uremic convulsions set in. I borrowed the hypodermic syringe of the doctor with me and passed the needle perpendicularly down into the bladder, attached the syringe and began to pump the water out of the bladder. In a few minutes the patient turned over on his side and went to sleep. In an hour he woke and passed a large quantity of urine. Such a case a doctor may not see once in a lifetime. It was a desperate case but desperate cases demand desperate remedies. In the above case quick action saved the man's life.

Chronic Cystitis. In chronic cystitis when there is itching the whole length of the urethra, burning and scalding of urine with constant urging to urinate, and the passing of a bloody, ropy mucus, tincture chimaphila umbellata is the remedy. Dose, ten drops in a little water once in two hours. There is one prescription which has enabled me to cure many obstinate cases; it is:

Rx Gelsemin, gr. one-sixteenth.
Hamamelin, gr. one-eighth.
Populin, gr. one-half.

Mix. This amount makes one tablet or pill. One of these is to be given once in three hours. I have never used this prescription without benefit to my patients.

In a case of cancer of the bladder which I saw in New Haven, Conn., where tenesmus of the bladder was an obstinate and distressing symptom, I put terebinthina, third decimal dilution, twenty drops in half a glass of water and gave a teaspoonful once in half an hour. It gave relief where all other remedies had failed. For uremic convulsions do not forget cuprum arsenicum. Dose, two grains every half hour of the third decimal trituration.

Gravel. In gravel in women I like thlaspi bursa pastoris, when there is frequent desire to urinate with a heavy brickdust, phosphate sediment; you will often find such cases complicated with ascites and menorrhagia in women. Give the third decimal dilution of the above remedy, in such cases and you will be pleased with the results. Dose, ten drops once in two hours. When the urine contains an excess of uric acid, and there is pus and bloody mucus, also dysuria and tenesmus, tincture epigea repens is the remedy to be prescribed. Dose, twenty drops once in two hours.

Calculus in the Bladder. For calculus in the bladder the best remedy is Boro Citrate Magnesia. Dissolve fifteen grains in one ounce of simple syrup and give a tablespoonful once a day.

Acute Prostatitis. Several years ago I was called to Maine in consultation with two other physicians. The patient was a man sixty-three years old. Upon making an examination I found the prostate gland enlarged, tender and painful; there was a feeling as if he was sitting on a ball. The catheter had to be used whenever he desired to urinate. I suggested the following treatment:

Rx Tr. Staphisagria, gtts. xxx.
Aqua, ℥iv.
Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful once in two hours, also

Rx Tr. Gelsemium, gtts. xx.
Aqua, ℥vi.
Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful every hour.

I had a compress applied wet with warm water and muriate of ammonia (a drachm of ammonia dissolved in six ounces of water) and kept in constant contact with the inflamed gland. The patient was to drink freely of flaxseed tea to render the urine bland and non-irritating. Under the above treatment the patient recovered and lived for twenty years afterwards. Many elderly men die from such conditions for the want of proper treatment.

Chronic Prostatitis. In chronic prostatitis when there is enlargement of the gland, throbbing, aching, dull pain in the gland, difficult and painful urination, tincture sabal serrulata will prove beneficial. Dose, ten drops in a wine-glass of water once in three hours. In prostatitis when there is a feeling of dryness and heat in the gland and the parts feel as if they were full of sticks, or of shooting, knife-like pains up the rectum—pain so severe that the patient groans, you should prescribe tincture aesculus hippo. Dose, add thirty drops aesculus hippo, to four ounces of water. Of this mixture have your patient take a teaspoonful once in two hours.

In prostatitis of old men, where there is a dribbling of the semen and prostatic fluid, with loss of sexual power, the sixth decimal trituration of selenium is the remedy. Dose, five grains night and morning.

Haematuria. In hematuria when the urine is mixed with dark, black blood, sediment like coffee grounds, violent, burning drawing in the kidney and bladder, terebinthina is the drug needed. Dose, place twenty drops of the third decimal dilution in half a glass of water and give a teaspoonful of the mixture every half hour.

In haematuria with bright, red blood the third decimal trituration of ferri phos. may be used. Add five grains to a cup of hot water and give of this mixture two teaspoonfuls every fifteen minutes until bleeding is checked. Haematuria with considerable arterial excitement with calculus in the bladder demands tincture lycopus virg. Dose, ten drops in wine-glass of water once in two hours.

Diabetes. Lactic acid is indicated in this condition when there is great thirst and voracious hunger, profuse urine loaded with sugar, with rheumatic pains in the joints. Dose, one teaspoonful in a glass of water three times a day.

Chionanthus is indicated in diabetes when the liver is involved, with pain in the right hypochrondrium, cramp-like pains in the abdomen, headache in the forehead over the eyes, and clay-colored stools. Prescribe it as follows:

Rx Tr. Chionanthus, ʒi.
Aqua, ℥iv.
Mix. Sig. Teaspoonful once in two hours.

In some forms of diabetes there is a drain upon the nervous system and as a result we have a weakened nerve power. Phosphoric acid is the needed remedy when there is great physical weakness, indifference to living, emaciation, debility, pain in the top of the head, large quantity of clear urine passing at night. In cases with these symptoms give third decimal dilution of phosphoric acid. Dose, twenty drops in a glass of water, teaspoonful of this mixture once in two hours.

In diabetes with ulcers, the patient passing large quantity of urine, you should remember tincture syzygium jambol. Dose, three drops three times a day. Nitrate uranium, third decimal trituration, is indicated in diabetes mellitus when there are symptoms of dyspepsia present. Dose, three tablets once in three hours.

In diabetes with great thirst, passing large quantities of urine like spring water I have obtained good results from lycopus virg. Dose, add one ounce of the herb to one pint of hot water, make an infusion and give a tablespoonful four times a day.

Spermatorrhea. In spermatorrhea when there is general debility and seminal emissions without erections eryngium aquaticum is the remedy. Dose, two grains of the third decimal trituration three times a day. When with the nocturnal emissions we have dark rings round the eyes, headache, incapacity for mental work, lupulin is the remedy needed. Dose, two grains of the first decimal trituration three times a day.

In seminal emissions with lustful dreams, weak knees, cold genitals and great despondency tincture dioscorea is needed. Dose, add twenty drops of dioscorea to a half glass of water and give the patient a teaspoonful of this mixture every two hours. In obstinate cases of spermatorrhea I have made fine cures by using this prescription:

Rx Sulph. Strychnine, gr. one-thirtieth.
Gelsemin, gr. one-sixteenth.
Mix. Sig. Give one pill, this size, at bedtime.

I recall one case which came to me; a man seventy years old, married, who had been a victim of self-abuse for years; about three months before I saw him he had a shock of paralysis. I found a hard tense pulse, vertigo, cold hands and feet; he had good use of arms and hands. I gave him small doses of veratrum to relieve the nerve tension and equalize the circulation, also kali phos., three tablets of the third decimal trituration once in two hours, to strengthen his nerves. I had to lecture him about the habit of self-abuse. He improved very much but died about two years later; the cause of his death I cannot tell as I did not learn any particulars.

"Kidney Complaint." "Kidney complaint" as it is called and in the form we meet with in every day practice calls for one of three remedies, and the better we understand the indications for these remedies the more successful will we be in the treatment of such cases.

When a patient complains of a bruised pain with stiffness and lameness across the small of the back, rises from his seat with difficulty, back aches worse when sitting or lying, a feeling of painful pressing in the region of the kidneys which extends to the bladder and urethra, berberis vulgaris is the remedy indicated. Dose, place twenty drops of the tincture into a cup of water and direct the patient to take a tablespoonful of it once in two hours.

Another patient may have dark brown urine—the color of French brandy, it has a strong urinous odor, the clothing smells of the urine. The odor is horrible at the time of passing and afterwards, but leaves no deposit in the vessel. These symptoms indicate the use of benzoic acid. Dose, add twenty drops of the third decimal dilution to half a glass of water and give your patient a tablespoonful of the preparation once in two hours.

Again we will find cases where the patient has more strangury than those which call for the berberis vulg., the urine is brownish—black or smoky in appearance, showing an admixture of blood; there may be burning and smarting in passing the urine. These symptoms indicate the need of terebinthina. Dose, twenty drops of the third decimal dilution in a glass of water; teaspoonful every two hours.

Acute Bright's Disease. Let us not be frightened by the name but think of it as a case of inflammation, and treat it as such. In these cases we have something more than a simple inflammation. The constant drain upon the system from the kidneys has caused a weakened vitality and an enfeebled nerve power. This should give us the key to the situation. Where there is frequent and scanty urination, burning and scalding in the urinary tract, heavy dull aching pains in region of the kidneys, one remedy presents itself to our minds, viz.:—tincture triticum repens. Dose, ten drops once in three hours.

When there is constant desire to urinate, urging before and after urination, only a few drops pass at a time, cantharis is the remedy. Dose, five drops, third decimal dilution, once in two hours. To strengthen the kidney structure by relieving it of the destructive changes going on in this organ, kali mur., third decimal, is the remedy. Dose, place ten grains in a glass of water and prescribe a teaspoonful every two hours.

A medicated bath will prove a useful adjunct in the treatment of these cases. Epsom salts is the best salt that we can use. Add one ounce of the salt to a pint of water or one pound of the salt to the usual amount of water for a tub bath. The patients should bathe themselves all over with this liquid. It opens the pores of the skin, neutralizes the toxins on the surface of the body, soothes the tired nerves and helps the patients to get a good night's sleep. A bath of this kind should be taken three times a week in chronic diseases, every night or twice in twenty-four hours in acute diseases. The patient should be directed to scrub the surface of the body thoroughly to remove all of the gummy sticky substance on the skin, leaving it smooth as velvet. I have used this bath for my patients for several years and never without benefit to them. The idea of the Epsom salt bath comes from Dr. William Burgess, of Chattanooga, Tenn. The profession owes this physician a great debt of gratitude for his discovery. Let us give honor to whom honor is due.

The weakness of the nervous system calls for kali phos., third decimal. Dose, three tablets once in two hours. The more albumin there is in the urine the stronger the indication for calcarea phos. This drug supplies the deficiency of the lime and arrests the discharge of albumin. Use the sixth decimal trituration. Dose, three tablets once in two hours. These two remedies are especially indicated in this diseased condition and may be given in alternation. Pain in the kidneys with discharge of pus calls for calcarea sulph. Use the second decimal trituration. Dose, three grains once in three hours.

Chronic Bright's Disease. The Eclectic physicians of forty years ago placed great reliance upon helonias dioca in the treatment of Bright's disease, and it is just as useful to-day as it was then. I like a tablet made from the following formula:

Rx Helonin, gr. one-fourth.
Chelonin, gr. one-half.
Iron by Hydrogen, gr. one.
Mix. Make one tablet. Sig. A tablet once in three hours.

It will diminish the albumin in the urine, improve the digestion and strengthen the patient; or the helonin may be given alone in doses of one-half grain, once in two hours. It will diminish the albumin in the urine.

Renal Colic. In renal colic tincture dioscorea is the remedy. Dose, sixty drops to a wine-glass of hot water every hour till relieved.

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