A highly contagious bacterial illness spread through contaminated food and water supplies, or passed from person to person (some people carry typhoid fever but do not succumb to it); bacteria rapidly inflame walls of intestine and enter bloodstream, causing what seems to be a bad attack of Influenza at first, although this is followed by persistent high Fever, Diarrhoea, intestinal bleeding, general weakness, delirium, and sometimes a pink rash on abdomen. If typhoid fever is suspected, and particularly if there is blood in faeces, consult your doctor if there is no improvement in 2 hours. Person will need to be isolated and given antibiotics.
Specific remedies to be taken every 2 hours for up to 10 doses
- Yellow-coated tongue, bitter taste in mouth, loose stools, restlessness Baptisia 30c
- Shooting pains in head, throat, chest, abdomen and limbs, made worse by slightest movement Bryonia 30c
- Exhaustion, feeling chilly, worried, restless, and thirsty for small sips of hot drinks Arsenicum 30c
Immunization / prevention: If visiting tropical or subtropical parts of the world, ask your medical doctor for orthodox vaccination; this consists of two injections which give protection for 3 years. If you have been in contact with a typhoid sufferer, take Typhoidinum 30c daily for 10 days as a preventative.
Self-help: If medical help is not immediately available, person should stay in bed and take only water with a little salt and sugar in it (½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar to 1 large cup of water); this allows walls of intestine to heal. Best way of reducing temperature is to give 10-minute tepid sponge-downs even 2 hours.
Do not give aspirin or paracetamol as these may aggravate intestinal inflammation/bleeding. |
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