Measles

It is an infectious disease, found usually amongst children, though adults are by no means immune. The incubation period is 10-12 days. It is ushered in with cold and catarrh, injected eyes, frontal headache, hoarse voice, aches and pains in the back and fever. The eruptions appear 3 or 4 days after the fever. Occasionally, the disease commences with sharp rise of temperature (103°-106°F.) delirium, drowsiness, retching, constipation or diarrhoea. The disease is often complicated with bronchitis, pneumonia, laryngitis, diarrhoea, or bloody stools. Suppurations or the blackening of the eruption is an unfavouralbe symptom.

Treatment

Prophylactic—During epidemic-Morbillinum 30-200 once daily.

Morbillinum 30—200—This can be used from the beginning and in that case where no other medicine is called for.

Aconite 1—3—High fever; pulse full, hard and quick; frequent sneezing; watery eyes; brow-ache; dry cough; itching sensation in the throat; constipation; pain in the chest; restlessness; much thirst.

Pulsatilla 3—6—Aggravation of cough in the evening and at night; rattling in the throat; thick mucus and blood from nostrils; diarrhoea; intestinal troubles; no thirst or slight thirst.

Gelsemium 1x—3—In suppressed eruptions, with high fever and other complications; fever with great thirst, constipation and headache.

Bryonia 6x—30—Dry hacking cough; suppressed measles.

Arsenic 3x—6—Eruptions become black.

Verat. Viride 0—2x—Delayed eruptions leading to convulsions; congestion of lungs.

Camphor Ө—Body cold and blue; collapse. [Give it in drop doses frequently].

Antim Tart 6, Phosphorous 6—In laryngeal or lungs complications.

Belladonna 3—6—Pulse full and hard; face and eyes flushed; pain felt in wind-pipe during coughing; voice hoarse; head hot; patient feels drowsy but does not go to sleep; sudden startling.

Other Medicines—Euphrasia 3, in running from nose and eyes; Ipecac 3, in vomiting or nausea with greenish mucous stools and hacking cough; Phosphorus 6, in hacking cough during convalescence; Bryonia 3, Gels 1x, Zincum 6, in suppressed or scanty eruptions; Ars. Iod. 3x, in profuse night-sweat with prostration; Cuprum 6, in suppressed mealses with convulsions; Crotalus 6, in thin bloody discharge from nose and mouth. Helleborus 3, Sulphur 30, Verat 6, Rhus 3 are occasionally called for. (See also under Meningitis.)

Accessory Treatment—Give a hot sponging to bring out the eruptions. Avoid cold in any form.

Diet— Barley-gruel with milk and sugar. Cold water may be drunk. The indigenous method of treatment to bring out the eruptions and generally to influence the course of the disease along beneficient lines, is to administer a decoction of “Ajwain, Babui tulsi (Ocimum), Kurchi (Holarrhena Antidysenterica), Methi (Trigonella Foenum Graecum) and Mun (Alocosia Indica)