Category: Materia Medica Hans-Heinrich Reckeweg

The attenuations are prepared from Cortisone-21-acetate (17a,21-Dihydroxy-4- pregnene-3,11,20-trione-21-acetate) C₂₃H₃₀O₆, MW: 402.5 (Potentised allopathic compound).

The main indications are:

Damage to adrenal cortex, pituitary and connective tissue. Congenital adrenal hy- perplasia. Simmonds’ disease. Consequences of abuse of cortisone, and other iatro- genic damage. May also be tried in osteochondritis, weakness of joints (giving way), osteoporosis, Sudeck’s atrophy and others, and diseases being manifested in the con- nective tissue. May profitably be combined with Funiculus Umbilicalis and Silicea. The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Cortisonum, published the fol- lowing indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for cortisone: inflammations of the mucosae of the eye and of the respiratory organs; asthma; inflammation, ulceration, and bleeding of the mucosa of the alimentary tract; bone decalcification; disorders of the skin, blood, and vascular systems; be-

havioural disorders and emotional discord or upset.

The attenuations of this sarcode are prepared from the fresh adrenal cortex of a healthy pig (Sus scrofa domesticus).

Indications for the use of the isolated adrenal cortex in potency are: impregnation or degeneration phases (Selye’s phase of exhaustion), in stress-situations, e.g. also after toxic treatment such as chemotherapy and antibiotics, generally in phases where there is a lack of cortisone, e.g. in primary chronic polyarthritis, where suit- able supporting remedies may also be given if expedient.

The attenuations of this sarcode are prepared from the fresh heart of a healthy pig (Sus scrofa domesticus).

The main indications are:

Hypertension. Angia pectoris. Disturbances of the coronary circulation. Cardiac insufficiency. Athlete’s heart. Paroxysmal tachycardia. Recuperative treatment after infarction.

It serves no purpose to prescribe Cor (either in potency or in the form of living- cell injection) during acute decompensation. For this reason Cor should not be used directly after an infarction, but only a few weeks later (in recuperation), when the full muscular compensation has been restored.

The attenuations of this sarcode are prepared from the fresh vitreous humour (the part between lens and retina) of the eye of a healthy pig (Sus scrofa domesticus).

The main indications are:

Opacities of the vitreous humour. Glaucoma. Cataract.

The attenuations of this sarcode are prepared from the fresh pineal gland of a healthy pig (Sus scrofa domesticus).

Corpus Pineale exhibits certain counterpoint actions to Pituitary. On the basis of experience gained from living-cell implants, the following indications have emerged.

Has a slowing-down effect on neoplasm phases. Bronchial asthma. May be tried experimentally in epilepsy and degeneration phases generally as a supporting or in- tercurrent remedy. Sydenham’s chorea. Papilloma of the bladder.

The attenuations of this sarcode are prepared using the fresh corpus luteum from the ovary of a healthy pig (Sus scrofa domesticus).

The main indications are:

Disturbances of the female hormonal balance. Premature ageing. Menopause. Dis- turbances in the progress of pregnancy.

The attenuations of this sarcode are prepared using the fresh corneal tissue from the eye of a healthy pig (Sus scrofa domesticus).

The main indications are:

Corneal opacities. Astigmatism. Chronic ulceration of the cornea and chronic con- junctivitis.

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh aerial parts in flower, Convallaria majalis L., occurs in deciduous woodland in Europe, Asia and North America. N.O. Liliaceae.

The main indications are:

Weakness of myocardium. Endocarditis. Nervous palpitation. Athlete’s heart (hy- pertrophy). After abuse of tobacco.

Convallaria has had a homoeopathic proving and, apart from heart symptoms, it also has depression and irritability, especially when the prover was asked about something.

There is also a dull, heavy headache, which moves from the vertex to the temples, headache with fever, sleepiness on entering a warm room and restlessness during sleep.

On the front of the thigh there are little nodules, as from insect-bites, itching strongly.

There are also optical illusions while reading, with all the letters looking the same. There is a heaviness of the upper eyelids with a dull pain in the right eye and a pul- sating pain in the left ear with heat.

There is a typical sallow complexion with a sunken, Hippocratic facial expression. Further indications for Convallaria include rheumatic complaints in the loins, dull cutting pains below the inferior angle of the shoulder blade and, in the renal area, a rheumatic pain in the left elbow joint with numbness in the hand, and pains in the wrist; also cramps on the inner side of the right thigh, pains in the knees, cramps in

the right calf with sensation of numbness, and pain in the ankle.

Apart from dyspnoea with a feeling of faintness and palpitations, and great air- hunger on the slightest movement, the provers complained of a sensation of flutter-

ing in the heart on exertion, then flushing of the face, and of a sensation as if the heart were about to stop beating. Then it would suddenly beat strongly again, with a feeling of faintness.

In the digestive tract there is this striking symptom: fatty-tasting eructations; also nausea after meals with mucous vomiting, and a dull pain, similar to colic, in the left hypochondrium and umbilical region.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Convallaria majalis, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for convallaria majalis: arrhythmia; cardiac insufficiency.

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh aerial parts in flower, Conium mac- ulatum L., occurs in Europe and Asia in damp, shady places, by paths, hedges and in fields. N.O. Umbelliferae.

Conium maculatum, the spotted hemlock, a great polychrest, exhibits considerable toxic effects in its concentrated form, which are well-known from the familiar story of the poisoning of Socrates. According to that account, Conium causes a paralysis which ascends from below upwards. This symptom also occurs in homoeopathic symptomatology. Apart from this, rotatory vertigo is one of the main symptoms of Conium.

Nash describes a further important symptom of Conium: a typical ophthalmia in tu- berculous patients, the prime indication for Conium being an unusually intensive pho- tophobia which bears no relationship to the actual degree of ophthalmia and which is only relieved in the dark and by pressure; corneal ulcers may also be present.

Another important symptom of Conium, in which in this case a higher potency is to be preferred, is a glandular swelling and induration, prickling and stinging, and stony-hard to the touch, which occurs especially after contusions and bruises, start- ing in many cases as an apparently harmless lump in the breast. These can often be reabsorbed surprisingly quickly under the influence of Conium, particularly if the cause was an injury or a blow to the breast.

Shortly after the war the author treated a butcher’s wife who was suffering from stony-hard metastatic tumours on the surface of the abdomen, which were probably

from a cancer of the gall-bladder which had spread to that point. Conium was se- lected on the basis of the stony-hard tumours, which could in no way have been mis- taken for tubercles, mycosis fungoides, or other skin-diseases. About 10 days after the doses of Conium there was a sudden softening of the metastases, and an open- ing-up, with subsequent protracted discharge via a fistula, through which over 90 gall-stones were also discharged. Thus what had probably been a neoplasm phase was totally transformed by regressive vicariation into a reaction phase in the form of the suppurating fistula. Nor did the patient succumb to this condition, she did not die until 10 years later, from a heart-attack. Thus Conium is also given in cancerous conditions of the breasts, the womb or other organs, the pains which point to Coni- um being burning, stinging or shooting, so that one might also think of Apis.

Conium also has a considerable effect on the sexual organs. In men there is most- ly a great weakness, with violent desire and amorous thoughts, which however the patient is incapable of consummating. This state frequently occurs in later years, along with involuntary interruption of the flow of urine, which also occurs in Clema- tis, particularly in hypertrophy of the prostate. It may be accompanied by cystitis with purulent urine.

Sweating which occurs as soon as the patient falls asleep, whether at night or by day, is also an indication for Conium. To this may be added other symptoms of old age, of widely varying kinds, arteriosclerosis and progressive cachexia. Disturbances of co-ordination in tabes, and symptoms of sensory irritation suggest Conium (cf. Argentum Nitricum).

In the area of brain function we find weakness of memory, reduced mental ability, aphasia, and possibly also tremors, tinnitus and sleeplessness, which respond to Co- nium. In the mucosa we may see irritation with dryness, and ulcers with offensive discharge.

Conium has a violent tickling cough, which occurs particularly at night when lying down, and seems to proceed from a dry patch. This cough frequently occurs in tumours of the lung, but also occurs in acute chill and in tuberculosis, with difficult expectoration. (Lachesis may also be useful.) Other irritative states are also present in the mucosa, such as ulcerative glossitis, fissures of the tongue, stomach pains with vomiting, thirst and craving for sour things, such as is often found in cancer of the stomach. Conium may also be indicated in bloody, mucous diarrhoea or in con- stipation with fainting after stool, as in Nux Vomica.

All complaints are aggravated by cold and rest, and especially at night. The following main symptoms emerge from a survey of the remedy:

1. Paralysis ascending from below upwards.
2. Rotatory vertigo.
3. General symptoms of old-age. Arteriosclerosis. Progressive cachexia. Distur- bances of co-ordination. Weakness of memory. Aphasia. Tremors. Tinnitus. Sleeplessness.
4. Hypertrophy of the prostate with irritation of the bladder. Interrupted flow of urine. Cystitis.

• 5.    Glandular swellings feeling stony-hard, suspected neoplasms. Mammary tu- mours.
• 6.    Constitutional treatment in neoplasm phases.
• Violent tickling cough, as if from a dry patch.
• Ulcerations of the mucosa. Fissures of the tongue.
• Diarrhoea with blood or mucus; or constipation with fainting after stool.
• Craving for sour things.
• 11.  Aggravation from cold, rest and especially at night.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Conium maculatum, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for conium: cerebral arteriosclerosis; paralysis and lameness; glandular swelling; tissue neoformation in various organs; emotional discord or upset.

The mother tincture is prepared from the dried bark of the aerial central stems of the plant, Marsdenia condurango Reichenb. fil., which grows on the western slopes of the Cordilleras, in the frontier areas of Ecuador and Peru. N.O. Asclepiadaceae.

The main indications are:

Ulcerations in cancer, syphilis and lupus. Telangiectasis.

In the 1870’s, Condurango was brought to Europe from Ecuador as a “safe cancer remedy”. However it has not fulfilled the promises made for it. Condurango has only had incomplete provings; it has proved valuable in many cases, clinically, in- cluding large growths and epitheliomas.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Marsdenia cundurango, pub- lished the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for condurango: cracks and ulcers of the lips and rectum; inflammation and constriction of the oesophagus.