Homoeopathy — Page 261
Cinchona 261 Cinchona Officinalis (China) China is prepared from the Cinchona tree. The well-known anti- malarial medicine quinine is prepared from the bark of the same tree. In , this is called Cinchona but it is more commonly known as China. An effective and useful medicine, it is extremely beneficial to annul the bad aftereffects of malaria. It is used in the majority of malaria cases. Cinchona overcomes the symptoms of malarial fever, which it suppresses. In most malarial patients, the symptoms continue to exist in a suppressed form. These after effects and suppressed symptoms of malaria are amenable to treatment with homoeopathic China. Sometimes, it can be useful in the treatment of malaria fever as such. Normally in the cold weather, one does not feel too thirsty. But when intense thirst is felt in cold weather and fever becomes high, the patient feels thirsty again. In this particular symptom, probably the best treatment would be China. It has been repeatedly said that in the case of malaria, no medicine should be given when the fever is coming on. The best time to administer medicine is when the fever is subsiding or has subsided or there is an onset of a new attack of fever. After the malarial attack, the malarial parasites settle in the liver. Thus the ideal time to administer medicine is when the malarial parasites are on their way to settle in the liver. Most of them will be destroyed with treatment but if some happen to survive, they will definitely become weakened. Similarly, the treatment should be repeated after the next episode of fever. The statement I have made seems philosophical, but it is a hard fact that I have personally observed time and time again, and many other homoeopaths will agree with me. China is also very useful in curing the weakness and other side effects of malarial fever. Its patient is very sensitive to touch. Movement aggravates his condition. Cold air is unbearable. All the nerves happen to become very excitable. Mental fatigue and physical weakness are typical signs of China. The patient becomes extremely irritable, careless, depressed and bad-tempered. He cannot concentrate. While talking to others, the conversation is often interrupted. The associated severe headache that spreads down the