Author: Urenus

The attenuations are prepared from amorphous Selenium, Se, AW: 79.0.

Selenium has similar effects to those of Sulphur, but they are directed more to- wards the nervous system. There is characteristic general weakness, tiredness and exhaustion after physical and mental exertion, with drowsiness, but at night only light cat-naps, as in Sulphur. Hot weather is also debilitating. Sleep is not refreshing. Alcohol consumption is particularly likely to have ill-effects, especially wine. Sele- nium is also indicated for consequences of excessive tea-drinking.

Nervous exhaustion is characteristic, with forgetfulness and inability to cope with mental work, which produces fatigue. There may also be pains in all the limbs, with intolerance of draughts. Stabbing nervous headaches which increase with the heat of the sun, hypersensitivity to smells, complaints which recur every afternoon, episodes of vertigo and unsteadiness, possibly with symptoms of collapse, anxious sweating

and a pale, sunken face, nausea and vomiting, also after breakfeast and lunch; these all respond to Selenium.

There may also be an enlargement of the liver with loss of appetite and tongue coated white, also with itching in the region of the liver and in folds of the skin. Constipation can be so marked that the stool can scarcely be passed without assis- tance, blood and mucus possibly being passed with it.

Particlularly characteristic of Selenium are seminal emissions while the penis is relaxed, and also unconscious dribbling of semen during sleep, particularly when masturbation is practised. There may also be impotence and premature ejaculation with the penis relaxed, as well as prostatitis with the sensation of a foreign body in the anus and painful stinging deep in the urethra after micturition. There may be ca- tarrh of the bladder, with dribbling of urine after urination and involuntary passage of urine while walking.

Selenium has a characteristic emaciation of the face, hands and thighs. Walking may be difficult, with a certain lameness, and a fear of becoming completely paral- ysed.

Mention must also be made of the mucosal affections which are improved by Se- lenium, namely nervous coryza, coming and going as in Silicea, and possible loss of smell lasting for weeks with nasal congestion; likewise hoarseness of singers, oc- curring right at the beginning of the song, or also following over-use of the voice, possibly associated with blood-streaked expectoration.

Selenium patients have a desire for stimulants, and like to get drunk, which how- ever leads to a tremendous aggravation of their complaints. They wake at night with hunger.

On account of its particularly strong indications in the genito-urinary sphere, Se- lenium was formerly one of the chief remedies in chronic, post-gonorrhoeal urethri- tis, along with Sepia, Kali Iodatum and Sulphur.

Mention must also be made of the usefulness of Selenium in falling out of the hair, certain relationships becoming apparent here with Sulphur, and particularly with Thallium (Sulphuricum).

To sum up, we have the following main symptoms:

1. General weakness and lack of energy. Mental concentration impossible. Exhaus- tion after every physical and mental exertion.
2. Periodic headaches, especially above the left eye, possibly occurring after sleep (cf. Lachesis). Cat-naps (cf. Sulphur).
3. Emaciation of face, hands and thighs. Eruption in the liver-region and in creases of the hands (inter-digital).
4. Aggravation from consumption of tea and wine, also from sleeping and lying down, from hot weather, heat of the sun and draughts. Frequently ameliorated by polyuria.
5. Neurasthenia after exhausting illnesses (retoxic phases), after sexual excesses, masturbation with sexual excitement. Lack of energy withal. Impotence. Prostat- orrhoea. Prostatitis. Dribbling of urine while walking.
6. Hoarseness of singers and speakers. Laryngitis with blood-streaked sputum.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Selenium amorphum, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for selenium: rashes; greasy skin; inflammations of the upper respiratory passages; digestive insufficiency; general weakness and debilitation.

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh aerial parts in flower of Sedum acre L., a native of Europe, Asia and North America. N.O. Crassulaceae.

The main indications are:

Haemorrhoidal complaints. Anal fissure. Pre-cancerous state.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Sedum acre, published the fol- lowing indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for sedum acre: rectal pain.

The mother tincture is prepared from carefully dried ergot, a poisonous fungus which is growing on rye throughout Europe: Claviceps purpurea (Fries) Tulasne.

N.O. Clavicipitaceae.

The tincture of ergot, gathered just before harvesting, contains as active ingredients several alkaloids, such as ergometrine, ergotamine, ergosine, agro- clavine, xanthone derivates, including, among others, secalonic acid, ergoflavin and

anthracene derivates e.g. clavorubine and endocrocine as well as amines, also fatty oil, phosphates, potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium.

The acute poisoning symptoms present as headache with enlargement of the pupils, abdominal pain, depressed pulse rate, nausea, retching, vomiting a sensation of increased warmth in the stomach, and salivation. Animal experiments produced negative results, however.

Typical of the longer-term action of Secale is the subcutaneous sensation of crawl- ing, ergotism, raphania, and also gangrene, “ergotismus gangrenosus”, in which there may be a preponderance of nervous symptoms such as lassitude, vertigo, crawling under the skin, formication and convulsive twitching alternating with spas- modic contractions of individual areas of muscle, and later possibly amaurosis, or else the tendency towards gangrene may predominate, primarily in the lower limbs, but also in the upper limbs and the nose. Glaucoma may also occur.

Apart from drowsiness with anxious dreams, there is usually a tendency towards despondency, depressive sadness, and melancholia with episodes of insanity and frenzy.

On the skin there are sensations of prickling and formication, with pains below the skin moving like lightning, the skin being withered, pale, cool and shrivelled, and possibly displaying anaesthesia when pricked, there being a certain emptiness of the capillaries. (Wounds do not bleed.) However, petechiae in the capillaries, ecchy- moses in the mucosa, cynaosis of various parts with purple eruptions and burn-blis- ters, and ulcers discharging pus may all be prominent.

The emotional and intellectual functions are particularly disordered. Predominant symptoms include difficulty in thinking and speaking, deficient understanding and comprehension, a certain dullness of intellect, great forgetfulness and weakness of reason with sensory delusions, even madness and delirium, which may reach the point of true insanity.

There is congestion of blood in the head with attacks of vertigo and a state as of intoxication or narcosis, with staggering and an inability to stand upright.

The head is heavy, with a pulsating sensation and a dull headache. The facial fea- tures are sunken, and show a pale, yellowish colouration, or else the face may be dark red with a sensation of heat, and possibly with lockjaw.

The eyelids may swell up, with either contraction or enlargement of the pupils (ac- cording to the dosage), and diplopia, strabismus, visual disturbance with sparks, spots or mistiness, or total paralysis of the sense of sight may occur.

In the ears there are roaring and rushing noises with hearing-impairment. Symp- toms of meningism may occur, with stiffness of the neck, muscular weakness and periodic muscular pain with spasm and heaviness of the limbs and with drawing and jerking pains. There may also be cramps, twitching and trembling of the limbs, or rigidity and stiffness of the limbs and joints, associated with anaesthesia and a sen- sation of numbness, crawling and formication, coldness and paralysis of the limbs, contractures with tetany of fingers and toes, cramps in the calf muscles, and also gangrene of the hands and feet.

There are spasmodic palpitations, possibly with initial hesitation in the heart-con- traction; the pulse is often small, frequent and misses beats, and there is burning in- ternal heat with great thirst and anxiety, general cold, sticky sweat, and also con- striction of the chest, air-hunger, and possibly haemoptysis or epistaxis.

In the digestive tract there is salivation, a creeping sensation of the tongue with burning and dryness in the gullet, an unaccustomed and scarcely quenchable thirst, possibly with extraordinary, ravenous hunger which, however, is impaired by eruc- tation of unpleasantly-smelling gas, by heartburn, disgust for food, nausea, vomiting of mucus, bile, worms or small quantities of food (without loss of appetite), by pressing, cramping pains in the stomach with flatulent abdominal distension. There may be tenesmus without evacuation, or else exhausting diarrhoea and involuntary passage of watery stools.

Also typical of Secale are difficulties in urination with burning in the urethra and urine passed seldom and drop by drop; also a sensation of spasmodic drawing in the spermatic cord, as if the testes were being drawn up towards the inguinal canal.

The menses may be absent, with violent contractions of the womb and intensified labour-pains.

The main action of Secale Cornutum affects the peripheral circulation where gan- grene may develop – the “St. Anthony’s Fire” of the Middle Ages, when rye-bread polluted with ergot was eaten.

A further characteristic of Secale is the impairment of the central emotional con- trol by the brain, distinguished by exaltation, dullness or insane excitement, corre- sponding somewhat to the motivation of the “children’s crusades” of the Middle Ages; or else the impairment of the autonomic central control, with spastic symp- toms developing in the whole abdomen and not least in the genitalia, particularly characterised by a tonifying action on the uterus, in which area Secale has earned a commanding position in post-partum haemorrhages.

If the main symptoms are summed up, the result is the following typical remedy- picture:

1. Tendency to ward petechiae, ecchymoses, epistaxis, pulmonary haemorrhages, uterine haemorrhages.
2. Sensation of numbness. Formication. Cramps and paralysis of the extremities. Gangrene, especially in adipose diabetics. Intermittent claudication (“Smoker’s leg”). Varicose ulcers.
3. States of cerebral excitement with Sydenham’s chorea, hysterical spasms with maniacal states of excitement.
4. Stomach cramps, colics, exhausting diarrhoea, paralysis of the anal sphincter. Greedy appetite with craving for sour food. Hiccoughs. Vomiting. Distension. Stools as in cholera with icy coldness. Cannot bear to be covered up. Involuntary stools with the anus remaining wide open. (Boericke).
5. Copious menses, also post-partum haemorrhage. Relaxation of the uterus. Seep- ing haemorrhage from insufficiently contracted uterus post partum. When giving doses of the fluid extract, observe Pagot’s rule, “So long as anything remains in the uterus: child, placenta, afterbirth, do not give Secale!” (Boericke).

• 6.   Secale has a typical craving for the cold, and great, sometimes unquenchable thirst. Nash also points out the important leading symptom: great objective cold- ness of the body-surface, but the patient cannot bear to be covered up. This is found in both cholera and gangrene, likewise the symptom: burning in all parts of the body, as if sparks had fallen on them.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Secale cornutum, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for secale cornutum: spasmodic conditions of the uterus; muscular cramps; spasmodic conditions; paralysis; blood circulatory disorders associated with arterial diseases; tendency to haemorrhage.

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh aerial parts, gathered before flower- ing, of Scrophularia nodosa L., a native of Europe, Asia and North America.

N.O. Scrophulariaceae.

The main indications are:

Breast tumours. Tubercular eye problems. Eczema. Supporting remedy in neo- plasm phases.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Scrophularia nodosa, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for scrophularia nodosa: general weakness and debilitation; hardening of the glands; rectal inflammation, crusta lactea.

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh, flashy bulb scales of the red variety of the plant Urginea maritima (L.), which occurs in the Mediterranean countries. N.O. Liliaceae.

The main indications are:

Laryngeal and bronchial catarrhs with difficult expectoration. Pleurisy with effu- sion. Oedema in heart and kidney disease. Tenesmus of the bladder. Strangury.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Urginea maritima var. rubra, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Fed- eral Gazette) for scilla: cardiac insufficiency; disorders in voiding from the urinary bladder; common cold.

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh aerial parts in flower of Saxifraga granulata L. N.O. Saxifragaceae.

The main indications are:

Problems arising from calculi. Left-sided renal calculi.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Saxifraga granulata, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for saxifraga: nephrolithiasis.

The mother tincture is prepared from the dried root of the plants Smilax regelii Kill. et C. V. Morton and Smilax medica Schlechtend. et Cham. or other related species, all of which occur in Central America. N.O. Liliaceae.

The main indications are:

Finger-tips as if ulcerated. Urinary gravel. Dribbling of urine when sitting. An in- creasing pain on micturition (strangury), dying away as soon as the urine has been passed. (Opposite of Cantharis.)

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Smilax, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for sarsapa- rilla: pruritic skin diseases; inflammations and irritations of the urinary organs; rheumatism.

The mother tincture is prepared from the dried root of the plant Saponaria officinalis L., which occurs in Europe, Asia and North America. N.O. Caryophyllaceae.

The action of Saponaria may be attributed to the saponins Saporubrin and Saporubrinic acid, which it contains.

Saponaria is used where there is an indifferent, apathetic temperament, and also in depressive states with sleeplessness, and when there are stabbing pains above the eye-sockets, worse on the left side, on movement and towards evening. There may also be throbbing above the eyes with congestion of blood in the head and a feeling of weariness in the neck, prickling in the eyeballs, ciliary neuralgia, photophobia and increased intraocular pressure. The symptoms might make us think of Saponar- ia in the kind of preliminary stages or complaints which are found in glaucoma.

Otherwise included in the symptomatology are difficulties in swallowing, nausea, heartburn, and a sensation of fullness in the stomach which is not relieved by eruc- tations. Palpitations with a slow pulse and anxiety-states may also be an indication for Saponaria, whilst otherwise it is almost exclusively used in the treatment of acute colds, coryza and throat pains, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis.

If Saponaria is used in combination-remedies, this is because of a certain blood- cleansing action which Saponaria, as an old folk medicine, is supposed to have. It fa- cilitates the elimination of homotoxins which have been freed through harmless ca- tarrhal symptoms such as an acute cold, or in serious cases tonsillitis. Saponaria then compensates for this by inhibiting inflammation in a biological way by chang- ing the homotoxic “soil”.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Saponaria officinalis, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for saponaria: headaches and eye aches.

The attenuations of this sarcode are prepared from fresh blood, removed from  healthy pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus).

The main indications are:

Generally in dyscrasias, severe homotoxic states and at the commencement of courses of detoxifying treatment.

This sarcode should be interpolated in all degeneration phases at definite intervals (every 1–2–3 weeks or so) in the biotherapeutic treatment otherwise being given, since the blood, as the great conveyor-belt, also transports numerous homotoxins which, by the Reversal effect, also develop antihomotoxic therapeutic action.

Thus additional indications are: Leukaemia. Agranulocytosis. Anaemia. Allergic states. Skin diseases. Metabolic illnesses, particularly diabetes mellitus and arte- riosclerosis, also cholesterolaemia, polycythaemia rubra vera and Simmonds’ cachexia.

The attenuations are prepared from the mixture of alkaloids from the underground parts of Sanguinaria canadensis L., where the alkaloids are present as nitric acid salts.

The main indications are:

Chronic mucous polypi in the nose. Enlarged adenoids. Bronchiectasis. Acne vul- garis.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Sanguinarinum nitricum crudum, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (Ger-

man Federal Gazette) for sanguinarinum nitricum: inflammations of the respirato- ry passages.