I was born in the year 1950. It was common during these years that most children experienced measles and mumps. I did. As did most of my friends. I cannot remember having rubella. The symptom picture of rubella” is a mild childhood illness giving fever, rash and tiredness, but lasting just a few days. There are rarely complications.” The No Nonsense Vaccine Handbook: Liz Bevan-Jones & Yvonne Stone. It may be that I did have rubella but it was not diagnosed as such and apparently passes quickly. “German measles (rubella) has a flatter, finer red blotchy rash that lasts for only 3 days. Eye symptoms are not prominent but the glands become very swollen. This infection poses a well-known risk to the fetus in pregnancy.” Homeopathic Remedies, Asa Hershoff, ND). The reason that I am posting this is there is currently a measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico. We have a good library in our home so I thought I would do a bit of research and share with you my findings. I am in no way interested in entering the acerbic debate swirling around the issues of vaccination verses non-vaccination.
My interest is within the field of natural healing. This interest has been guiding my professional life for the past 51 years. Within this field of endeavor I have concentrated on bodywork, herbal medicine, flower medicines, homeopathy and philosophy. I have been continually impressed and healed by using homeopathic medicines. It has been my good fortune to see the efficacy of these medicines in many acute and chronic conditions, not only within myself but many others through the years. My study is ongoing as the field of homeopathy is vast.
Lets see what happens in measles.
- The catarrhal stage ( lasts 3-4 days):
Begins like a cold, temperature, nasal catarrh with sneezing, redness of eyes, swelling of eyelids, and watering of eyes.
After a few days, the cold turns into a cough with hoarseness. The eyes become sensitive to light. A fever begins: this is an essential part of the disease, as it helps the eruptions to come out. Koplik spots occur on the inner lining of the cheek: these small white spots surrounded by a halo of red inflamed tissue.
Remedies: Acon., Bell., Euphrasia, Puls., Apis, Kali Bic, Bry., Gels. (Use the REMEDIES AND THEIR ABBREVIATIONS and a homeopathic Material Medica to study these remedies to see which best fits the patient).
2. The spotty stage (lasts 3-4 days):
Spots appear behind the ears and o the hair-line of the forehead. These spread down the face, neck and torso; and onto limbs. The spots are small and raised with a white center. As they get more numerous, they gather in blotches. The face may appear bloated. The fever may become higher as the rash spreads. Press an isolated spot with the thumb and the measly redness disappears. On removing the thumb, the redness reappears, going inward from the periphery toward the center. The rash dies down, deepens in color and fades to a faint brown. After this, the skin flakes away in particles like dandruff.
The above from 1-2 is taken from: The No Nonsense Vaccine Handbook, A Practical Guide for Parents, Liz Bevan-Jones & Yvonne Stone.
In addition to the above remedies also consider the following:
Antimonium Crudum: An Antimonium Crudum measles case is very different. The child is ugly, cross and peevish; cannot bear to be touched or even looked at. The nostrils as well as the corners of the mouth are sore and cracked. He has a red hot face like Aconite it is true. There is no thirst, no anxiety, no restlessness. Instead he is delirious and drowsy. The tongue is covered with a thick slimy, milky white fur. He will retch and gag easily at any food offered to him. He objects to a hot room, or being near a hot fire.
Ipecaguanha is indicated when there is nausea, vomiting, great weakness and prostration, with absence of thirst. The rash is slow in coming out and the gastric upset shown by the nausea and vomiting is accompanied with a flushed bright red face and clear red tongue; without and thirst. Ipecacuanha will stop gastric symptoms and the dry cough. The rash will appear within a few hours as always, and the child will be well without any complications following within a couple of days.
Rhus Toxicodendron: A restless child with the usual common measles symptoms Full of aches and pains; throws himself about in bed all the time, but there is an absence of fear and anxiety. The tongue is covered with a whitish fur with a bright red tip; some thirst present.
Sulphur is useful in a child without any particularly striking symptoms except the common measles ones——the rash; congested blotchy face; dirty tongue and perhaps an itchy skin. The child is worse in the morning about 11am. Sulphur is often indicated in cases of measles seen late, after they have been treated by other practitioners. The weakness, debility and lack of reaction will disappear immediately after Sulphur is given. Kent (famous American homeopath) says the “routinists do well in measles with Pulsatilla and Sulphur, occasionally requiring Aconite and Euphrasia.
Morbillinum is extremely useful for cases of debility, weak eyes, blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid), conjunctivitis, etc. left after severe measles. Treated in fever hospitals, children who simply will not put on weight, are anaemic, weary and often with some bronchitis, Morbillinium will help to remove all these symptoms, prevent lung complications and help them to assimilate their food well and to put on weight rapidly. This list of additional remedies is taken from the remarkable book: Homoeopathy in Epidemic Diseases, Dr. Dorothy Shepherd.
A note regarding Morbillinum. Morbillinum is the nosode of measles. As a prophylactic given to those who are or may be exposed to infection, Clark (famous English homeopath) would prescribe a dose of Morbillinum 30c 2 to 3 times daily. For an attack of the disease. He (Clark) found nothing better than Morbillinum 30c, 8-10 globules in 6 ounces of water, a dessert spoonful every 2 hours. The effect of this is heightened by giving alternately Belladonna 30c in the same way. These 2 medicines will be sufficient to carry through any uncomplicated case and in my experience do even better than Pulsatilla. Lotus Materia Medica, Robin Murphy, ND. For atypical measles syndrome, or any measles case in a vaccinated child, regular remedies may not work, and a dose of Morbillinum 30c or 200c is often needed. This remedy, made from measles virus, antidotes the negative, suppressive effects that the vaccine is having on the immune system. A single dose of Sulphur can also be used at the end of any case of measles to finish it off. Homeopathic Remedies, Așa Hershoff, ND.