SMALLPOX & Like Eruptions

Smallpox (also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera) is a highly contagious disease unique to humans. It is caused by two virus variants called Variola major and Variola minor. V. major is the more deadly form, with a typical mortality of 20-40 percent of those infected. The other type, V. minor, only kills 1% of its victims. Many survivors are left blind in one or both eyes from corneal ulceration, and persistent skin scarring - pockmarks - is nearly universal. Smallpox was responsible for an estimated 300-500 million deaths in the 20th century. As recently as 1967, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 15 million people contracted the disease and that two million died in that year.

After successful vaccination campaigns, the WHO in 1980 declared the eradication of smallpox. Because of these efforts, not one documented naturally occurring case of this once high-mortality infection has occurred since October 26, 1977.

Homeopathic Medicines for Smallpox & Smallpox like Eruptions

#Aconite. [Acon]
Sudden rise of temperature with high fever, thirst and restlessness are the chief indications for Aconite. Many confess to disappointment in the use of this remedy, and prefer Gelsemium in the initial stage, and indeed its pathogenesis more often corresponds to the trouble than that of Aconite. The aching in the back and limbs and the tight band headache of the disease are found under Gelsemium, and if dullness and apathy be present it is all the more indicated. Belladonna suits the congestive type, with the severe headache, backache and purplish face, a type often seen in young children. Hughes agrees with Baehr that Belladonna is more homoeopathic to the initial fever than Aconite. Veratrum viride may be called for in cases where the head is hot, and the extremities are cool and cyanotic; backache, fever and perspiration.

#Bryonia [Bry]
is also a first stage remedy; it has nausea, vomiting, severe headache, high temperature. The eruption is slow in coming to the surface and all the symptoms are worse by motion. It suits especially negroes. Cimicifuga, according to one observer, serves well in the intense backache and rheumatic pains. The body feels sore, the bed feels hard, the muscles feeling as though they had been pounded. Rhus has similar symptoms, restlessness, headache, and it is a useful remedy at the commencement of vesication, when the vesicles are small, and also when the pustules turn black from effusion therein, and diarrhoea and dark bloody stools accompany. Much itching and swelling will call for Apis.

#Antimonium tartaricum [Ant-t]
is a nearer simillimum to smallpox than any other remedy in the Materia Medica. Rokitansky proved the similarity of the smallpox pustule to those produced by Tartar emetic. Hughes recognizes it almost as a routine agent. With this remedy vesication and pustulation are marked. The mucous membranes are involved and bronchitis or broncho-pnuemonia are apt to be present, with the charateristic cough and expectoration symptoms. There are excruciating pains in the loins. It is especially adaptable to cases characterized by gastric irrtation. It exercises a real abortive control over the variolous process and frequently covers the case from first to last.

#Thuja. [Thuj]
Boenninghausen employed this remedy with success and believed it to be the best curative and preventive agent in smallpox. It suits especially the eruptive stage, with milky, flat, painful pustules upon a dark inflamed area. The pustulation is offensive. The remedy suits especially strumous and sycotic children. Hartmann recommended Sulphur as a preventive and curative. It belongs not only to the suppurative stage, but also to metastatic brain symptoms. Dr.Garth Wilkinson considered Hydrastis as much of a specific in variola as Belladonna is in scarlet fever. Variolinum 30th has been lauded by some observers as being specially useful at the stage where the vesicles change into pustules. Dr. Bishop, of Los Angeles, believes this remedy all sufficient in all cases. It quickly removes all dangerous symptoms, dries up the vesicles and prevents all scars. Dr. Zopfy mentions only Variolinum and Hepar in the disease. Arndt recommends it in the 6X and 12X triturations. Vaccinum 30 has been extensively used and with much benefit.

#Arsenicum. [Ars]
In unfavorable and haemorrhagic cases where there is much weakness, a burning heat, restlessness and irregularly developed eruption, the pustules become flat, livid, dusky and haemorrhagic, Arsenicum may be the remedy. Diarrhoea is an attendant symptom. This, together with other Arsenicum symptoms, will make the choice easy. Lachesis, Crotalus and Baptisia will also be remedies to suggest themselves by typhoid and haemorrhagic symptoms. Dr. E. Williams reports of its favorable action in an epidemic occurring in England in 1872. Hamamelis will also be found serviceable at times in the haemorrhagic variety. Anacardium. An eruption similar to variola is produced by Anacardium, and it often becomes useful in loss of memory as a sequel of smallpox. Sarracenia purpurea has also achieved considerable reputation in the treatment of smallpox.