Scrofula

“ These deceptions, however, find their proper level, and they then rapidly sink into oblivion. The botanical medicines and applications which I have had the honour to bring before the public as remedies for scrofula have stood the test of twenty-six years' experience; during which period many hundreds of cures have been effected solely by their agency. They still maintain their unrivalled efficacy; scrofula has yielded its stubbornness and its malignity to their powers in a vast variety of instances, and they may be fairly considered as established in the opinion of the public. ”

“ It is from this difficulty of cure that so many remedies have been proposed in scrofula; and yet the same difficulty continues, plainly shewing that the greater part of these nostra are mere deceptions, imposing upon the sufferer, both in mind and pocket. Hence the proposers of these fictitious remedies become more bold and impudent than ever; nothing is too barefaced for them to publish; not even that they can extract carious bone without any other aid than "the power of their medicines,"—than which nothing can be more impudently false. ”

“ We know that scrofula is of more frequent occurrence among the inhabitants of great towns, than in the agricultural population of a country; and though no locality is exempt from its invasion, yet a more clear and purer atmosphere, and the salubrious exhalations from growing vegetables, are most influential in averting some of its worst modifications. ”

“ Observation has shown that ill-assorted marriages are a prolific source of scrofula. Both parents may be not only healthy and free from hereditary taints, but robust, well-formed physically, perfectly developed, and yet not one of their children be free from this dire disease. It may present itself in the form of hip disease, white swelling, "fever-sore" suppurating glands, curvature of the spine, rickets, ulcers, pulmonary consumption, or some skin disease, in every case showing the original perversion of the constitution and functions. ”

“ Anxieties, evil habits, effeminate and unwholesome life;—all these betray themselves in the softened tissues, the meagre forms, the horrid scrofula. Lovely complexions cover the most vile diseases. Anne of Austria, renowned for her extreme clearness of complexion, died of loathsome ulcer; the Princess of Soubise, that dazzlingly fair beauty, rotted, so to speak, into her grave. In England, the Duke of Newcastle asked the learned Doctor Russell why it was that the beautiful Lily and Rose concealed so much of scrofula.
It rarely happens that a worn out race recovers itself ”

“ I may also remark that in Scrofulous constitutions there is frequently a thickness of the upper lip, or swelling of the lower part of the nose; the eyes are also peculiarly liable to attacks of scrofula, in which case the light is remarkably offensive to those organs. The skin and muscles are loose and flabby; and the mental powers of children so affected are often prematurely displayed. ”

“ Then the liver, the heart, the spleen, and even the brain itself, may become the seats of this dreadful disease. Lastly, we may mention that the bones are very commonly affected, and even destroyed, from the attacks and long continuance of the disease. Hence it will be seen, that both internal and external parts of the human body are equally liable to the ravages of scrofula; and it is proper to remark, that it often commences externally, and after an uncertain time, it leaves the surface and attacks the internal parts, in which case it almost invariably terminates fatally. ”

“ Touching for the King’s Evil. Perhaps the last relic of such superstitions which lingered about our English kings was the notion that they could heal scrofula by their touch. The disease was accordingly known as the King’s Evil;17.5 and on the analogy of the Polynesian superstitions which I have cited, we may perhaps conjecture that the skin disease of scrofula was originally supposed to be caused as well as cured by the king’s touch. ”

“ Speaking generally, it may be said that anything that produces a local disorder of nutrition or impairs the health generally of a person predisposed to scrofula is sufficient to bring about some manifestations of the disease. They are especially apt to follow the eruptive fevers. Measles and scarlatina are very commonly arousers of the scrofulous process, not only by the temporary impairment of health which follows them, but also through the catarrhs which are usually present in both diseases. Vaccination has often been accused of imparting scrofula ”

“ EXCITING CAUSES.—The actual exciting causes of scrofula when the diathesis already exists are too numerous to be mentioned in detail. Indeed, almost any trivial injury or inflammation, any disease which has produced a temporary cachexia, may rouse into activity the perhaps hitherto latent tendency. How often do we see a slight blow upon the knee-joint produce a white swelling which lames for life the heretofore healthy and active boy or girl! ”

“ Whatever deranges the function of nutrition is favorable to the development of scrofula, therefore, irregularities and various excesses tend to inaugurate it. Depletion of the blood by drastic and poisonous medicines, such as antimony and mercurials, hemorrhages and blood-letting, syphilis, excessive mental or physical labor, as well as a too early use and abuse of the sexual organs, all tend to waste the blood, reduce the tone of the system, and develop scrofula. ”

“ Scrofula is hereditary when the disease, or the diathesis which predisposes to its development, is transmitted from one or both parents who are affected by it, or who are deficient in constitutional energy, showing feeble nutrition, lack of circulatory force, and a diminished vitality. All these conditions indicate that a few exposures and severe colds are often sufficient to produce a train of symptoms, which terminate in pulmonary or other strumous affections. ”

“ They also suffer from obstinate indigestion. Bearing in mind the fact that scrofula is frequently induced, irrespective of hereditary taint, in the children of the poor by bad and damp air, insufficient food and clothing, exclusion from sunshine, and such like insanitary surroundings, the chief treatment that will suggest itself will consist in remedying these adverse conditions. ”

“ Every well-regulated family can avoid such causes and live with a due regard to the conditions of health. The proper treatment of scrofula is important, because we meet with its symptoms on every side, showing its slow actions upon different parts of the body and its influence upon all the organs. After this disease has been existing for an indefinite length of time, certain glands enlarge, slowly inflame, finally suppurate, and are very difficult to heal. These sores are very liable to degenerate into ulcers. ”

“ The most that the regular physician does in scrofula (or one [Pg 468] who is not a specialist in this branch of physic) is to attend to the general health of the patient of a scrofulous diathesis, build up the strength, and endeavor to increase the vitality. This in a measure tends to reduce the scrofulous development. Now, will not a child sleeping continually with an aged person or invalid tend to reduce the vitality of the child? Yes, it absorbs the disease of the one, while the vitality is thrown off for the benefit of the weaker person. ”

“ Priests and their wives are not exempt, nor do even children of the tenderest age escape. The reputation of this disease is as general among the Shoans, as scrofula is in England, and it is admitted and spoken of in the same manner without any reluctance or shame. This disease is supposed by the natives to originate from several causes; among others, that of eating the flesh of fowls which have become diseased, by living in the neighbourhood of some one more than usually afflicted, and great care accordingly is taken, when purchasing fowls in the market, to learn from whence they came. ”

“ Nature's Remedy for Diseases that Afflict Humanity.
The efficacious developements of Patton's Chalybeate Mineral Well and Springs, near Towanda, Pa., are attracting the inquisitive and serious attention of invalids, in search of healing waters. The curative properties of the well, alone, are thus far unrivalled. A few of the wonderful cures its waters have effected, are briefly given below.
Scrofula.—Joel Stockwell, aged 70 years, was attacked about thirty years ago with scrofula, which, during the past eight years, caused him much suffering. ”

“ The cheeks and limbs often assume a bluish and mottled aspect, due perhaps to a tendency to stagnation of the blood in exposed parts. The extremities appear swollen as if from cold, and in the winter generally appear chapped. They are particularly liable to chilblains, which persist far into the summer and often take on a very unhealthy action. This last feature is so common as to constitute an important symptom in scrofula. ”

“ There is reason to believe that not a few of the apparently unaccountable cases of scrofula among children proceed from the habit of sleeping with the head under the bed clothes, and so inhaling air already breathed, which is farther contaminated by exhalations from the skin. ”

“ Popular superstitions have greatly injured the cause of medicine. That superstition which leads people to believe in the efficacy of charms is very injurious. We will enumerate a few cases by way of example. The scrofula, for instance, is frequently called the king's evil. It received this name because it was generally believed that the touch of a king would cure the disorder. For centuries this belief was so prevalent, that any one who should call it in question would have been considered no less than an infidel, and an enemy to his king and country. ”

“ For the cure of scrofula, grass was selected. From one, two, or three stems, as many as nine joints must be removed, which must then be wrapped in black wool, with the grease in it. The person who gathers them must do so fasting, and must then go, in the same state, to the patient's house while he is from home. When the patient comes in, the other must say to him three times, "I come fasting to bring a remedy to a fasting man," and must then attach the amulet to his person, repeating the same ceremony three consecutive days. ”

“ One is not affected at all till he is made acquainted with the case, while the other one's mind or fluids are completely changed and combined, so all that is necessary is to give direction and locate the disease in any part of the body.
I think I hear you say that a child can be troubled with scrofula, and they have no mind; then they have no body or fluids; for the fluids are the mind, as I said before. Your mother probably changed the fluids of your body, when an infant or at any early age, and some circumstance located it in your leg. ”

“ In infancy the most frequent cause of scrofula is the premature giving of farinaceous food besides the mother's milk, or the feeding of children with so-called pap, especially when this is done in the first month of their life. ”

“ If any one fancied he might have already unwittingly eaten with tabooed hands, he sat down before the chief, and, taking the chief’s foot, pressed it against his own stomach, that the food in his belly might not injure him, and that he might not swell up and die. Since scrofula was regarded by the Tongans as a result of eating with tabooed hands, we may conjecture that persons who suffered from it among them often resorted to the touch or pressure of the king’s foot as a cure for their malady. ”

“ In the third stage of syphilis, as we have said, the work of destruction starts from within, attacking first the deeper structures, as the periostium cartilage and bone, whereas scrofula pursues the same destructive course inversely ”

“ The brain, until the body becomes strong, must not be taxed. “You may prevent scrofula by care; but that 1369some children are originally predisposed to the disease there cannot be the least doubt, and in such cases the education and the habits of youth should be so directed as to ward off a complaint the effects of which are so frequently fatal.” ”

“ Their Diseases are something like our Diseases, with the Exception of Scrofula being perhaps more abundant there, and cutaneous Affections of a very malignant Kind,—one of the most malignant of the cutaneous Affections we meet with; they know how to treat it; they bathe in the sulphureous Lakes when they can, and they are aware that if they go there they will be cured; they know no other Remedy ”

“ An examination of all organs indicates no change. The children are easily afflicted with eruptions of the skin, with inflammation of the eyes and ears, and catarrh of the mucous membranes, which are characterized by great obstinacy. The derangements in nutrition here described are caused by the lymphatic glands though a swelling of the same can not be found.
In the case of erethistic scrofula the children are found to be of slight and lean structure, with fine hair and long eyelashes; they are active, easily excited, gifted and extremely sensitive to physical pain. ”

“ The enlargement in scrofula is rapid at first, and may last for years in a group without extending; the bunches are often, even when small, welded together, and, most important of all, they tend to suppurate—a feature scarcely ever seen in true lymphadenosis. ”

“ In the absence of light, there is a predominance of the white fluids of the body; the action of the lymphatic system is exalted, and it imparts to the organization of animals that remarkable blanched appearance called ‘etiolement.’ Hence the well-founded supposition, that the absence of the solar rays of light contributes greatly to the development of scrofula. ”