Hay Fever—Its Cause, and its Cure by Mux Vomica.—Hay Fever
or Hay Asthma, is (in England) a well known complaint, by which
many—especially females, and those of irritable surface—are annually
distressed during the droughts of summer. Daily, or more frequent
paroxysms of difficult respiration, severe prolonged sneezing, and a
burning pain in the nostrils, eyes and face, are the usual symptoms.
Dr. Craigie and others doubt the common explanation of the cause of
the affection, viz., that it depends upon irritation of the peripheral
extremities of the imperfectly protected nerves of the nostrils, etc., by
the subtile pollen of the innumerable flowers, especially the grasses,
which bloom in May and June, and with which the atmosphere must in
some localities, be greatly charged. In the vicinity of hay fields and
wild pasturage, if the weather be dry, those who are susceptible are
certain to suffer; whereas, a rainy season, or sojourn on the sea-coast,
will enable such persons to escape. Observation of many such facts
has fully satisfied us, that there is no good ground for the incredulity
expressed in the following passage by Dr. Craigie. “A particular va-
riety,” says he, “ of catarrh, most prevalent in the summer months du-
ring the infloresence of the hay crop, in certain situations, has been
believed to be connected with some irritative vapor exhaled from the
flowers of some of the grasses, and has therefore been distinguished
by the name of Hay Fever. It is doubtful whether this idea of the
origin of the disorder be well founded; and it seems quite as likely
that it is produced, as other varieties of catarrh, by imprudent exposure
during excessive heat. The liberties which are often taken during ex-
treme hot weather, are sufficient to induce catarrhal disorders, without
having recourse to the assumption of a peculiar emanation?’ {Practice
of Physic, vol. i, p. 823: Edin. 1847). We will venture to say, that
no one who had seen such cases of Hay Fever as abound at this season,
and as we have had to deal with during the present and former seasons,
and who has carefully investigated into their personal and topographi-
cal peculiarities, could have written the paragraph just quoted. The
popular theory is correct, that Hay Fever bears nd relation whatever to
common catarrh from exposure to cold. We feel assured that the
cause and the cure in the two complaints are totally different.
We have been led to make these remarks, from having just perused
a short note by Mr. G. T. Gream, in the Lancet of June 8th, 1850, p.
692, in which he reccommends Nux Vomica as a cure for this trouble-
some complaint. He correctly remarks, that the efficacy of this method
is not generally known. The following is the essential part of Mr.
Gream’s paper: “I am indebted to my friend Mr. Hammerton, of St.
George’s Hospital, for suggesting to me the nux vomica as a remedy
in this complaint, which has frequently caused me, personally, much
annoyance. It was administered by a friend of his to large numbers of
the country people in his neighborhood, who flocked to him annually
for relief, having experienced so much benefit from it. Having taken
it for three years with decided effect, and having for nearly that time
prescribed it for others, with equal success, I feel bound to publish
through your columns, if you will do me the favor to insert this letter,
the results of its use in a harassing disorder, with which many persons
are at this time threatened. The preparation recommended, and which
I have always prescribed, is the tincture of nux vomica of the “ Dublin
Pharmacopoeia.” Ten drops of this should be given for a dose, in
water, and increased gradually to twenty drops, three times a day: the
action of it should at first be watched. It is an agreeable light bitter;
increases the appetite ; and influences rhe Schneiderian membrane, no
doubt through the medium of the nerves. I have accompanied the ad-
ministration of the tincture with the application of an ointment (as high
up in the nostrils as possible) composed of one drachm and a half of
Goulard’s extract, two ounces of spermaceti cerate, and a few drops of
oil of roses or of bergamot.—Lond. Journ. Med.