Sprains

Sudden twists and turns may wrench, disrupt, or damage liga¬ments or 'pull' a muscle. This type of injury is quickly followed by local effusion of fluid, pain and disability. A word of caution here. Such an injury especially if the result of a fall and in the neighbourhood of a joint such as the wrist or ankle, may not be only a matter of damage to soft structures but involve also damage to bone. The temptation to pass it up as 'only a sprain' must not be yielded to, but careful X-ray examination carried out to check the possible presence of a fracture.
As soon as possible after the accident ARNICA 30 should be given every hour for five or six doses. This should be followed by RHUS TOX. 6 two or three times a day till better.

ALOE diarrhoea accompanied by colicky pains both before and at the time of stool; urgent call to stool soon after taking food or drink; sense of insecurity at anus. There is a constant urge to stool but only flatus may be passed, and perhaps urine at the same time. After passage of stool prostration is marked and accom¬panied by sweating from weakness.
ARNICA diarrhoea complicating shock or injury.
ARSENICUM ALBUM severe diarrhoea resulting from taking tainted food, and associated with vomiting, prostration, restlessness and anxiety. Stools are painless, scanty, brown in colour, excoriating to the skin and smelly. There is a desire for hot drinks.
BRYONIA profuse purging, coming on in the early' morning and driving from bed; result of eating sour fruit or drinking cold water when over-heated.
CHAMOMILLA diarrhoea associated with teething in infants; slimy, grass-green stools which contain particles of undigested food, mucus and blood, and smell like bad eggs.
CHINA debilitating, painless diarrhoea with offensive stools; may result from a summer chill or from eating fruit.
COLOCYNTHIS frequent urging, severe colicky pains, somewhat relieved by pressure and bending double; stools are copious, thin, spluttery, frothy and saffron-yellow in colour. Sometimes the stools are small in bulk and there is temporary relief after the stool is passed.
DULCAMARA diarrhoea from getting cold and wet, or from sudden chilling when hot; stools slimy, green or yellow and may contain blood.
Nux VOMICA from dietary indiscretion, or diarrhoea alternates with constipation; WORSE in a.m. and after a big meal; much urging to stool; stools contain slime and blood; temporary relief after passage of stool.
PHOSPHORICUM ACIDUM painless diarrhoea, nervous in origin, or due to toxic state as in typhoid fever; profuse watery stools contain¬ing undigested food particles. Very definite relief is felt after passage of a stool.
PODOPHYLLUM urgent early morning painless diarrhoea, or diarrhoea preceded by severe colic ; very profuse, spluttery, pea soup-like stools, passed in gushes and very offensive; WORSE after eating or drinking; passage of stool is followed by an empty, sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach.
PULSATILLA diarrhoea at night; diarrhoea from taking cold drinks, while eating, from nervousness, after eating onions, from rich food or pastry; very variable, no two stools alike.
SULPHUR diarrhoea drives the patient from bed in the early morning, about 5 a.m. The stools are painless and very variable in consistence and amount.
VERATRUM ALBUM is indicated when the acute diarrhoea is accom¬panied by vomiting and icy cold sweat. The patient wants iced water and wide open windows; may faint on the bathroom floor.