– The toxaemia of pregnancy (F. V. Wooldridge) , American Institute of Homoeopathy, 65th Session, 1910,

The subject of The Toxaemia of Pregnancy is too great to even attempt to present it. Any one branch of the theme, such as the history of the subject, or its etiology, or its treatment, would fill a volume. There has been a vast amount of research carried on in an attempt to discover the cause of toxaemia of pregnancy. The very fact that there is so much work being done at present on the subject, and so much speculation about it, indicates that but little real light has been thrown on the true nature of the disease. Some of our brother physicians have been very much excited about the elimination of ammonia, nitrogen and urea nitrogen in toxaemia of pregnancy. Some few advocate bleeding, “to let out the excessive blood and toxins.” The salt-free diet is having an interesting inning. In this age of opsonic therapy, of anti-bodies, of internal and external vaccination, what can Homoeopathy offer in the treatment of toxaemia of pregnancy? Homoeopathy can and does offer much more than can possibly be crammed into one paper. Therefore, very briefly, let a few cases be reported, cases which point to one remedy, also the results of a proving of the remedy, with a few microphotographs, showing the actual changes produced by the remedy on living tissue.
 Case 1. – June 15th, ’06. Primapara. Aet. 26 years. Had a normal delivery two days ago. Her physician sent to the laboratory of the Pittsburgh Homoeopathic Hospital a sample of the patient’s urine. He gave a history of impending eclampsia. The urine of the patient had been tested weekly for six weeks before labor started. Tests only for albumin had been made. Not any albumin had been found at any time. The quantity of urine was 1200 c.c.  per day. Careful testing demonstrated no albumin present. The urea was 24 grams per 24 hours. The microscope revealed active destruction of the parenchyma of the kidneys, epithelial casts, coarse and fine granular casts. Decided traces of bile were present. Nucleo-albumin was found in abundance. The patient died one day later.
 Case 2. – June 19th, ’06. This case was exactly the same as case one. The urine showed the same findings.
 Case 3. – June 6th, ’07. Mrs. W. Has had one child. Two years ago was delivered of her first child. Had eclampsia, with a very difficult delivery. On June 6th, ’07, patient came to see me with the following symptoms: Persistent nausea and vomiting. Attacks of bursting headache followed by prolonged weak spells. Some periodical attacks of blindness. The woman wished very much to have the pregnancy continue to term – she being about three months pregnant. A series of urinalyses showed a well defined parenchymatous nephritis, with probably some slight increase of the fibrous tissue of the kidneys. In the urine was constantly present nucleo-albumin and bile. The patient’s condition was such that a consultation with two other physicians was called. It was decided to empty the uterus. This was done on June thirteen. The kidneys immediately began to improve.
 On July 15th, ’08, the patient began to have attacks of vomiting with some vertigo. An occasional analysis of the urine, during the year after she had had the abortion, indicated an interstitial nephritis, but with fair elimination. She had had three slight attacks of toxaemia, during the year. A vaginal examination made on July 15th, ’08. This showed a pregnancy of about four months. Nucleo-albumin and bile made their appearance in the urine as early as July 12th. On July 20th, bile and nucleo-albumin were decidedly present and casts began to appear. The symptoms of toxaemia came back with their old severity. Uterus was again emptied on August 5th.
 The remedy given was Kali chloricum. It seemed to control the attacks of toxaemia where pregnancy did not complicate. One fact of importance is to be noted: the appearance of bile and nuclea-albumin before the subjective symptoms appeared. During the past year the patient has had many slight attacks of toxaemia: Kali chlor. has seemed to control them all. The circumstances of the patient forbid the careful treatment of her condition and, therefore, the prognosis is bad.
 Case 4. – June, ’08. Primapara, aet. 29, two and one-half months pregnant. Patient has never been strong and healthy. Been having rather persistent attacks of morning sickness. A blood analysis is negative, save that the blood is somewhat concentrated. The urine was normal as to quantity. Total solids 50 per cent. Phosphoric acid high. Both nucleo-albumin and bile in faint traces. One week later the bile had become a decided trace and the nucleo-albumin markedly present. Microscopically everything negative, except a few mucous cylindroids. Very soon, however, casts made their appearance. Three weeks from the time bile and nucleo-albumin made their appearance, an acute desquamative nephritis was developed and the patient died in convulsions.
 The choice of a remedy in this condition is difficult. In the first place, if you wait for the subjective symptoms to appear, your patient may have a well developed case of nephritis or fatty degeneration of the liver. Only last October, a young woman 19 years of age, a primapara, sent for the ambulance, saying she was in labor. The ambulance was less than half an hour getting the patient to the hospital. She was in labor less than two hours. The delivery was normal in every particular. She had not had a day’s illness, during the nine months of pregnancy. Yet one-half hour after delivery she developed typical eclampsia and died in a very few hours. The autopsy revealed acute yellow atrophy and decided secondary nephritis. In the second place, how many of our remedies have, in their provings, any definite pathological findings?
 In an effort to find some remedy, which produces definite urinary findings, such as might be found in a pre-eclamptic state, a proving of Kali chloricum or Potassium chlorate was undertaken. After the usual difficulties we were able to persuade one woman to allow the drug to be proved. She was a primapara, 23 years of age. Seven and one-half months pregnant. She was healthy in every way. A series of urinalyses proved the kidneys to be normal in every particular. No albumin, no bile, no findings of a pathological nature. Kali chloricum 2x, one grain tablets, was given every two hours. This was continued daily for three weeks. Daily urinalyses were made. Gradually there developed albumin, mucous cylindroids, hyaline casts and renal cells. The urea became decreased. It diminished from an average of 23 grams per 24 hours to nine grams per 24 hours. When blood and few fine granular casts began to appear, the drug was stopped. At times nucleo-albumin appeared. The woman had a normal labor. One month after labor the urine was normal.
 A series of experiments was then made to determine the question, whether Kali chlor. would only irritate or really destroy the kidney structure. Of course, provings on the human animal could not be made. Our old friends, the guinea pigs, were used. The drug was used in the 1st, 2, and 3x potencies. In every case a typical parenchymatous nephritis developed. A hepatitis also was produced. Kali chlor. seems to have the power to destroy the active cell structure, and have little effect on the interstitial tissue, though long continued action of the drug does produce increase of interstitial tissue.
 In the hands of many experienced homoeopaths, the drug has been used successfully in the treatment of various kidney lesions. Its provings on animals show its decided action on the kidneys and liver. The few cases of provings on the human family demonstrate that the drug does produce nephritis and probable liver changes. The one proving on the pregnant woman would seem to indicate that it may be useful in controling toxaemic conditions of pregnancy. It has never failed us yet where nucleo-albumin and bile, and high Phosphoric acid, with low total solids, have been the indications. Certainly no drug will much influence the toxaemia of pregnancy, when kidney and liver parenchyma have been morphologically and physiologically changed, and actual destruction of tissue is present.
 The most successful way to treat eclampsia is never to allow the accumulation of poison, which causes the convulsion. The trio of urinary findings: – 1. Nucleo-albumin. 2. Bile. 3. High Phosphoric acid, with low total solids as a fourth, should put us on instant attention to the fact, that some, as yet, unknown, irritant is beginning to destroy the active elements in liver and kidney, and that Kali chloricum is one of the leading remedies to help control the condition. 

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