The lava and scoriae thrown out from Mount Hekla, in Iceland.
It describes in a letter of J. Garth Wilkinson, of London, to Wm. H. Holcombe, of New Orleans. He writes: “Its known pathological effects on the sheep in the vicinity of Hekla are immense exostosis of the jaws. It also produces drying up of milk in both sheep and cows. The finer ash, which fell on the pastires in distant localities was particularly deleterious, while the gross ash near the mountain was inert. In cows, post-mortem examination showed intestines filled with ashes hardened to a mass, and stomach coated over with a pitch-black membrane. spotted with brown, and difficult to remove by washing; the jaw teeth were found to be of a bluish hue internally, and the intestines were friable. In many cases worms from two to three inches long, with pale gray bodies and brown heads, and a little thicker than a horsehair, were foound in the bronchiae. In sheep the osseous and dental systems were much affected. The head-bones, and especially the jaw-bones swelled and became so friable, that when boiled they fell to pieces. The thigh, and especially the shin-bones swelled and bulged. The jaws were sometimes covered with large swellings, which spread and were loose of texture, and darker in color than the bone; these could be separated from teh bone without injuring it; but in some fatal casesa hole in the bone going down to the marrow, was discovered under the swelling.
These particulars are from a Danish account of the eruptions of hekla, and their consequences to nature, to man, beast and vegetable.
Hekla lava, according to Prof. Morris, of University College, London, has for general constituents, combination of silicia, alumina, Lime, Magnesia, with some Oside of Iroon. Sometimes it contains anorthite and other minerals. In this imperfect pathogenesy we have undoubtedly symptoms pointing to diseases of teeth and bone. I have used the lava in toothache and in swellings about the jaws, with magical effect in several cases; also, in gum-abcess from decayed teeth, and with apparently good results in difficult teething.”-Raue’s Rec., 1872, p. 6.
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
– Tumor in antrum of Highmore, Bowie, Trans. Hom. Medorrhinum Soc. Pa., 1886, p. 153; Neuralgia, Whiting, Times Retros., 1876, p. 12; N. E. M. G., Vol. 10, p. 461; Affection of tooth with conjuctivitis, Whitney, N. E. M. G., vol. 10, p. 461; Whitloae and gumboil, Acales, B.J.H., vol. 34, p. 692; Caries of bone, McClelland, Trans. Hom. Medorrhinum Soc. Pa., 1881, p. 114.
SENSORIUM.
Vertigo, everything goes up, down and side-wise.
INNER HEAD.
Chronic headache.
SMELL AND NOSE.
Destructive (syphilitic) ulceration of nasal bones.
FACE.
Facial neuralgia or headache dependent on derangement of dental nerves, or where the irritating cause is a carious tooth.
Polypoid growth commencing in antrum Highmorii and from thence encroaching upon adjacent structure so as to deform face, forcing eyeball upwards and everting lid, and obstructing nostrils ; downward into mouth, so that breathing and mastication were seriously impeded ; epistaxis ; headache.
TEETH AND GUMS.
Toothache, particularly if teeth are very sensitive to pressure.
Toothache with swelling about jaws.
After extraction of carious wisdom tooth pain in wound, and at times in various localities in head and face, so severe that he cannot eat or sleep.
Neuralgia, when irritating cause is a carious tooth.
Neuralgic pains in cavities from which teeth had been extracted.
After extraction of molar tooth violent pain in upper jaw which is sore, swollen and painful to touch.
Since extraction of inferior molar of right maxilla two years ago, tissues have not healed ; continuous slight discharge of bad tasting pus, at times containing small particles of a soft, gritty substance.
Right cuspid of upper jaw very sensitive to slight pressure on crown ; swelling, and indurated tumor as large as a pea under right ala nasi very sensitive to touch ; conjunctivitis of right eye.
After extraction of sore tooth gradual enlargement of lower jaw near cavity of tooth finally becoming as large as a hickory nut, causing cheek to bulge.
Gum abscesses from decayed teeth.
Toothache caused by abscesses of gums, injuries to alveolar process, or diseases of antrum Highmorii.
Enlargement of maxillary bone from injury.
Injury to inferior maxillary of a scrofulous girl, which produced an immense abscess, and afterwards great enlargement of maxillary bone.
Difficult dentition in scrofulous or rachitic children.
OUTER CHEST.
Myalgia, especially of intercostal muscles.
NECK AND BACK.
Induration and infiltration of cervical glands, studding neck like a row of pearls.
LOWER LIMBS.
Hip disease.
Exostoses of tibia ; nodosities very large ; severe, continuous pain, incapacitating him from work ; the exostoses and portion of periosteum, which had become carious and soft, were removed by operation ; necrosis of whole bone had been diagnosed ; three days after administration of Hekla lava the pain, which still continued after operation, subsided, and by end of second week wound had healed.
Caries of bones of feet.
LOCALITY AND DIRECTION.
Right: cuspid of upper jaw very sensitive to slight pressure; swelling under alae nasi; conjuctivitis.
SENSATION.
Pain in wound when tooth has been extracted.
Violent pain: in upper jaw.
Neuralgia: of face; in cavities where teeth have been exttracted.
Headache: dependent on derangement of dental nerves.
TISSUES.
it affects mostly the bones of the head, jaws, teeth and legs.
In five or six cases of osteo-sarcoma, exostosis, and osteitis it arrested the development and prevented recurrance.
Scrofulous otitis or periostitis, resting on a syphilitic basis, and especially affecting bones of face and antrumHigh-morii.
Osteitis; periostitis; exostosis; osteo-sarcoma; rachitis.
White swelling.
Whitlow and gumboil.
Syphilis.
TOUCH. PASSIVE MOTION. INJURIES.
Painful to touch: upperjaw; swelling under r. alae nasi sensitive.
Slight pressure: right cuspid of upper jae sensitive.
From injury to jaw: had enlargement of maxillary bone.
STAGES OF LIFE. CONSTITUTION.
Girl, at. 10, after falling uopn an upright stick; enlargement of maxillary bone; Hekla lava 3d given for several days had no effect, but disappeared repidly after lava 31st.
Colored boy, at. 15; exostoses of lower jaw.
Scrofulous girl, after injury to inferior maxillary; abcess and enlargement of maxillary bone.
Miss –, at. 27; affection of r. maxilla.
Man, at. 35; neuralgia after extraction of tooth.
RELATIONS.
Compare: Mercur., Phytol., Phosphor., Silica, Stilling., Sulphur.
“NOTE:
PLAIN TEXT : LOWEST & DESIGNATES AN OCCASIONALLY CONFIRMED SYMPTOMS;
Plain blue: MORE FREQUENTLY CONFIRMED;
BOLD BLUE : SYMPTOMS VERIFIED BY CURES;
BOLD RED : REPEATEDLY VERIFIED;
$BOLD ITALIC RED$ : AN APPROVED CHARACTERISTIC;
θ : STANDS BETWEEN CURED SYMPTOM & PATHOLOGICAL CONDITION;
** : OBSERVED FROM OLD SCHOOL OR NEW SCHOOL;
toxic : Toxicology;
r : Right;
l : Left;
< : Increased or aggravation;
> : Decrease or amelioration;
^^ : Symptoms observed only on the sick “
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