Category: Materia Medica Hans-Heinrich Reckeweg

The mother tincture is prepared from the dried leaves of the plant, Ceanothus americanus L., a native of North America. N.O. Rhamnaceae.

The main indications are:

Complaints of the spleen. Tangled sensation in the left hypochondrium, with air- hunger. Tumour of the spleen.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Ceanothus americanus, pub- lished the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for ceanothus americanus: enlargement of the spleen.

The attenuations are prepared from Hahnemann’s causticum according to Homeo- pathic Pharmacopoeia.

Hahnemann’s Causticum is one of the most controversial homoeopathic remedies since, from a purely chemical point of view, it ought to be simply distilled water. Causticum is produced by leaving a piece of calcium oxide for one minute in dis-

tilled water, and then placing it in a dry bowl, where this lime disintegrates into powder. Then follows a distillation of a mixture of this powder with the same quan- tity of potassium hydrogen sulphate, which is mixed to a thick paste in a warmed porcelain mortar, the potassium salt having first been brought to red-heat, melted, cooled, pulverised and dissolved in boiling water. The distillate is mixed with the same amount by weight of 90% ethanol and filtered.

In spite of the controversy over the pharmaceutical action of Hahnemann’s Caus- ticum, this remedy is in constant use by numerous homoeopaths as a highly effective polychrest. Nor should there be any doubt as to the fact that when the indications are right, the action ascribed to Causticum can be reproduced. This applies e.g. in the treatment of burns, where Causticum’s action can be lifesaving. On the other hand the remedy-picture contains such characteristic symptoms and disease-states, that it would be utterly astonishing if the cure of many conditions which are often intransi- gent and have been going on for weeks, and for which Causticum is indicated, e.g. weakness of the bladder sphincter, rheumatic complaints, hoarseness etc., which have not responded to other remedies, or only temporarily so, and then got better in a flash under Causticum, were simply the result of the power of suggestion.

The remedy-picture of Causticum embraces complaints of a neuralgic-rheumatic nature with restlessness and tearing pains in the nerves and muscles, especially at night and in the legs, possibly associated with paralytic conditions, e.g. Bell’s palsy after exposure to cold east winds. Causticum symptoms are often brought on by dry cold. This is the case with hoarseness and laryngitis, dryness and rawness in the throat, and pain on coughing, possibly extending down one side into the abdomen just above the hip. The coughing is relieved by a sip of cold water (the opposite of Spongia, where the coughing is ameliorated by hot drinks). In addition, Causticum has in its symptom-picture a typical stiffness in the joints, in the whole musculature, in the back, the sacrum, especially when sitting up in bed or on standing up after sit- ting for a long while, as in Rhus Tox. Warts are frequently present on the face and hands, dry, hard warts, rhagades, fissures, herpes, especially on the hands, and also Dupuytren’s contracture.

The Causticum patient generally feels worse in dry, cold air (east wind), but is very comfortable in the warmth. Also striking in the Causticum patient is a high de- gree of weakness, often associated with trembling and an unsteady gait, so that the patient stumbles easily. Causticum is especially indicated in enuresis, above all in pregnancy and post partum, particularly in stress-incontinence, but also in nocturnal enuresis, when the urine is passed involuntarily during first sleep.

Burning pains, like raw flesh, are typical of Causticum. Stomach pains, (e.g.) of this kind can respond extraordinarily well to Causticum. In such cases the patients complain of a sensation as if everything were sore and raw, or as if lime were being slaked in the stomach. The sensation of soreness and rawness of the mucosa, in the larynx, stomach and other areas (e.g. also in the fingertips), is typical of Causticum. Ptosis is also a typical Causticum symptom, so that it is frequently indicated after apoplexy (as with Gelsemium). The typical Causticum pareses are mainly localised on the right side (in contrast with the Lachesis pareses which are more on the left).

Causticum’s emotional mood corresponds to hopelessness, melancholy, sadness and depression, everything being seen from the black side; often there is an underlying chronic worry or cause of concern.

Causticum can also be useful in incipient glaucoma, since the remedy-picture con- tains the symptom “as of a mist or a cloud in front of the eye.”

A few further symptoms include yellowness of the complexion, and pains in the face of a neuralgic nature, possibly associated with facial paralysis and also with stiffness of the jaw, so that the mouth cannot be opened, a state such as one may find at the onset of tetanus, for example.

The Causticum tongue is coated white at the edges and red in the middle, but this is not such a distinct red streak as in Veratrum Viride.

The stool-symptoms correspond to tenesmus, with fruitless urging and constipa- tion, similar to Nux Vomica. The stool can be passed better when standing. There are also haemorrhoids in the picture, with the typical feeling of rawness, which is ag- gravated by walking, thinking of it, speaking or even exertion of the voice. Beside the weakness of the bladder sphincter muscle, Causticum has a typical feeling of rawness or roughness and also an itching at the urethral orifice, with constant fruit- less tenesmus, urination only being possible drop by drop. Most Causticum patients are overloaded with uric acid and urates, resulting in thick sediments of varying colours in the urine.

On account of the symptoms of tiredness, painful and battered sensations and pain in the chest, Causticum is an excellent remedy in influenza, along with Eupatorium Perfoliatum, Rhus Toxicodendron, Aconitum and others. Causticum complements Rhus Tox. and Sulphur well, especially in the treatment of rheumatism and chronic gouty illnesses, when the joints crack on motion. In rheumatism and arthritis there is also the burning sensation of rawness which is so characteristic of Causticum.

Like Sulphur, Causticum is also able to bring out suppressed eczema, i.e. to resolve suppressive (retoxic) phases and bring about a healing which is biologically correct. Thus one may describe Causticum as an anti-psoric. Equally it would be right to classify it as anti-sycotic, since it is often extremely effective in treating warts.

Thus Causticum is one of the most important homoeopathic polychrests, and may be used as a thoroughly effective antihomotoxic in numerous impregnation phases. An example would be asthma which is better in dull, damp weather (as is the case with Nux Vomica, where as a general modality we have aggravation from clear, fine weather). If we classify all the symptoms once again, we have the following outline:

1. Weakness associated with trembling, and with unsteadiness while walking, pos- sibly to the point of paralysis, especially localised on the right side.
2. Local pareses, e.g. of the vocal cords, muscles of deglutition, the eyelids, the bladder sphincter, musculature of the extremities, and Bell’s palsy.
3. Neuralgias of an intransigent nature, likewise arthroses and rheumatic symp- toms. Chronic polyarthritis with cracking and raw pains in the joints. Dull pains in limbs and back, and in the sacrum. Paralysed sensation. Rheumatic and gouty inflammations with stiffness of the joints.

• Typical soreness as of raw flesh, or as if lime were being slaked in the stomach. Soreness in very varied areas.
• Melancholy mood, hopelessness, looking on the black side, sadness, conse- quences of chronic worry.
• Formation of glaucoma, like fog or a cloud in front of the eyes. Tinnitus like the echo of one’s own voice. Often marked flushing of the ears.
• Sickly yellow complexion with facial pains or neuralgia, caused rheumatically or retoxically. Stiffness of the jaws with trismus (lock-jaw).
• Paralysis of the tongue or indistinct speech. Tongue coated white at the edges and red in the middle. Burning throat-pains like raw flesh with tickling and dry, protracted coughing with some expectoration at the end.
• When Sulphur does not work in similar conditions, Causticum is often the rem- edy.
• Gastric catarrhs with sensation of rawness, likewise haemorrhoids, inflamed, itching, painful. Itching of the urethral orifice, tenesmus of urine, tenesmus at stool, fruitless. Raw pain in the bladder, enuresis day or night. Stress inconti- nence of urine, especially on coughing, blowing the nose, sneezing.
• Hoarseness with coughing, ameliorated by a sip of cold water. Battered feeling in influenza.
• Dry, hard warts on the hands and face. Papilloma.
• 13.  All complaints are ameliorated in dull, damp weather. Aggravation in dry, fine weather (Asthma, rheumatism, etc.).

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Causticum hahnemanni, pub- lished the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for causticum: disorders of the respiratory passages; disorders of the uri- nary tract, chronic eczema; chronic disorders belonging to the field of rheumatic dis- eases; spasmodic contractions; paralysis; emotional discord or upset.

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh rootstock and attached roots of the plant, Caulophyllum thalictroides [L.] Michx., a native of damp North American forests from Canada to Carolina, and of Asia. N.O. Berberidaceae.

The main indications are:

Dysmenorrhoea. Leucorrhoea excoriating, acrid, copious, in children. Rheuma- tism of the small joints (fingers).

There is no doubt that Caulophyllum has a specific action on the uterine muscles; thus through use of this remedy childbirth can be made easier and habitual miscar- riage and weakness of contractions can be prevented. The author has seen this borne out  in  numerous  female  patients  in  the  course  of  his  practice  in  Berlin.      At that time it was his custom to prescribe all pregnant patients Pulsatilla 30X in the morning and Caulophyllum 30X at night from the sixth month, i.e. during the last three months of pregnancy, and he cannot remember a single case of childbirth with pathology or complications. This of course cannot be taken as proof, since precise statistical details are not available.

In contrast with this, the author has not seen any substantial effect on the course of primary chronic polyarthritis (in rheumatism of the small joints of hands and feet, with wandering pains). This may be due to the fact that primary chronic arthritis in- volves severe degenerative damage to the pituitary-adrenocortical axis, so that too little cortisone is produced, since medicinal doses of cortisone remove all the symp- toms in a short space of time. Unfortunately this is not permanent and at the same time there is the threat of side-effects from the cortisone.

Nevertheless in such cases Caulophyllum should be used as a long-term therapy and, supported by implants of fresh/frozen/dried pituitary and adrenal cells, it can be of tremendous benefit.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Caulophyllum thalictroides, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Fed- eral Gazette) for caulophyllum thalictroides: disorders affecting menstruation and the uterus; dystocia; rheumatism of the finger and toe joints.

The mother tincture is prepared from the dried glandular secretion of the beaver, Castor fiber L. or Castor canadense Kuhl. N.O. Castoridae.

The main indications are: Nerve remedy. Hysteria. Slimy green or whitish diar- rhoea. Lassitude and prostrating sweats following feverish illness.

All the symptoms point to emotional overloading, with a great sensitivity to a wide variety of external impressions. Many complaints arise or are aggravated by toxic overloading, e.g. during menses. Generally there is amelioration from rubbing the affected parts and from warm applications.

The mood alternates between peevishness in the morning and light-hearted exu- berance in the evening; in between there are melancholy episodes.

Sleep is generally restless with anxious dreams.

The picture of Castoreum includes rheumatic and neuralgic conditions with spas- modic tension in the intercostal region and the musculature of the neck, shoulders and back, neuralgias of the arm, ameliorated by rubbing, painful sensations along the sciatic nerve with great fatigue of the lower limbs and feeling of heaviness in the head. There may also be lack of clarity of vision with increased lachrymation, and tinnitus with tearing, ringing and roaring sounds.

In the circulatory system there are distended veins with slow pulse and a sensation of constriction in the heart and cold shudders, none of these complaints having any essential objective cause.

In the respiratory organs there are also catarrhal conditions with coughing and stabbing pains in the chest. These pains are also found in the digestive system, along with stomatitis and glossitis, eructations, disgust for food, nausea, feeling of fullness with pressure in the stomach, with the symtpom: “as if a feeling of coldness domi- nated the stomach”, which can point to Castoreum.

The menses usually come on too early with pains in the sacrum and many nervous complaints, the menses recurring again after a few days.

Thus Castoreum is particularly suited to inflammatory and spasmodic conditions of various organs, especially in emotionally overcharged cases.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Castoreum, published the fol- lowing indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for castoreum: nervous disorders and emotional discord or upset; spasmodic condi- tions of the gastrointestinal tract; paramenia.

The attenuations of this sarcode are prepared from the fresh cartilage of the knee and hip joints and the intervertebral discs of a healthy pig (Sus scrofa domesticus).

Diseases of the cartilage. Tenosynovitis. Rheumatoid arthritis. Coxalgia. Frozen shoulder. The rheumatoid arthritis (deformans) may be intra-articular or periarticu- lar/infiltrative.

A proving of this substance was conducted in the spring and summer of 1994 by Dr. David Riley which confirmed its usefulness in diseases of the joints.

The most important symptoms from David Riley’s drug proving were:

Essential Characteristics

The musculoskeletla system is strongly affected by this remedy with stiffness of the muscles, joints, and bones. Headaches and lightheadedness are also associated. Anxiety and mental dullness and restlessness are also prominent.

Anxiety. Mental dullness with irritability. Mental restlessness. Angry. Weeping with sad thoughts. Muscle, joint, and bone pain. Generally worse in the morning. Tired and fatigued. Feeling lightheaded and faintlike. Dull headaches. Forehead headaches. Tingling all over the head. Sore throat pain. Frequent burping. Nausea. Abdominal distention and flatulence. Cramping abdominal pain. Rectal pain. Flatus. Painful joints. Heaviness, restlness, or awkwardness of the extremities.

Mind

ANGER and dreams of anger. ANXIETY worse in the morning on wakening. Aversion to company and slowness of thoughts. Difficult concentration. Mental confusion es- pecially on waking in the morning. DULLNESS associated with irritability. Mental ex- citement. Fear that something bad will happen, fear of death, and fear of insects. In-

difference, particularly to things that usually bring pleasure like reading. Irresolution. IRRITABILITY. MENTAL and physical RESTLESSNESS. Sadness and weeping. Sensitive to noise. Screaming during sleep from anxious dreams. Suicidal thoughts. Clarity of thoughts as if head is full of energy. WEEPING at sad thoughts, after drinking, or from anxious dreams. Dreams of falling into an abyss and being in an earthquake. Night- mares and dreams of blood and parts of the body that have been mangled.

Generalities

Incoordination while dancing. ENERGY is increased, decreased or improves espe- cially at 3 p.m. Better with physical exercise like walking or an increase of physical irritability. Food desires of eggs, lemonade, and melons. Heat, either the sensation of or feeling chilly. LASSITUDE in the afternoon or improvement of fatigue and tiredness especially at 3 p.m. Pain in the bones, joints, or muscles. SENSATION OF HEAVINESS or feeling lighter. Weakness.

Vertigo

LIGHTHEADED SENSATION. FEELING OF FAINTNESS.

Head

Tight or constricting sensation on the occiput. Head feels heavy. Pulsating and throbbing of the head. TINGLING or sparking sensation in the forehead, vertex, or oc- ciput. DULL HEAD PAIN. Head pain in the afternoon at 3 p.m. improves. Head pain in the morning on waking. HEADACHE IN THE FOREHEAD, vertex, temples, or extending from the vertex to the forehead. Pressing pain on motion or on waking.

Eye

Throbbing pain in the eyes associated with a feeling of heaviness.

Vision

Blurry vision.

Ear

Stopped sensation in the left ear. Deep itching in the right ear unrelieved by bor- ing.

Nose

Congestion of the nose and sinuses improves. Discharges sometimes bloody, sometimes thick and viscid. Dry discharge improves. Dryness inside the nose but with the usual nasal congestion. Sneezing worse in the daytime.

Mouth

Dry mouth in the morning on waking. Dryness associated with increased thirst. Heat in the throat. Sore pain on the lower inside lip. Prickling sensation.

Taste

Metallic taste in the mouth.

Throat

Painful and swollen cervical glands. Dry throat. SORE THROAT worse in the morning on waking.

Stomach

Appetite that is decreased or increased. Eructations that are acrid and burning and extend up to the throat and mouth and are worse in the evening. Heartburn. Sensa- tion of fullness. Gurgling, rumbling, and bubbling. NAUSEA, with heartburn. PAIN

that is burning, cramping, or occurs with hunger. Burning pain in the stomach ex- tending to the chest. Cramping stomach pain during the menses. Thirst. Thirstless- ness.

Abdomen

FLATULENCE and abdominal distension that is painful or occurs in the evening and prevents sleep. Gurgling and rumbling. Cramping abdominal pain in the hypochon- dria or the left lower quadrant abdominal muscles. Pain as if diarrhea would come on while eating breakfast. Pain in the iliac region.

Rectum

Constipation with ineffectual urging and straining. Diarrhea with sudden, strong urge. FLATUS that is difficult and worse in the evening. RECTAL PAIN with burning dur- ing stools. Urging for stool that is sudden, ineffectual, or with the diarrhea.

Stool

Many different stools. Soft, covered with blood, clay colored, dark, dry, hard, heavy, sticky, and thing. Stools occur earlier in the day.

Bladder

Burning pain at night before and during urination. Increased urging at night or improvement of that symptom.

Genitalia, Female

Itching of the vulva. Short menstrual cycle.

Chest

Fluttering of the heart. Crampy chest pain under the sternum and ribs. Sharp pain in the anterior chest and on the inferior border of the ribs. Breast pain and soreness before menses improves or is worse from the touch of clothing.

Back

Back pain before menses improves.

Extremities

Awkwardness, ataxia, and incoordination while dancing. Cracking of the wrist and elbow joints. Calf cramps in the morning. PAINFUL JOINTS. Pain in the joints of the upper limbs and knees. Pain in the elbow and wrist. UPPER LIMB and lower limb heaviness. Restlessness, particularly of the upper limbs and knee. Tingling and prickling and warm sensation in the upper arm, hand, fingers, and feet. Weakness in the upper and lower limbs. Aching pain in the forearm and wrist. Burning pain in the elbow and wrist. Joint pain. Sore pain in the elbow and forearm. Sore wrist pain.

Sleep

SLEEPINESS during the morning, afternoon, or daytime. Overpowering sleepiness.

Perspiration

Perspiration, worse in the afternoon.

Skin

Prickling sensation to the skin. Warm skin.

The mother tincture is prepared from the dried ripe seeds of Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertn. N.O. Compositae.

The total symptomatology of Carduus Marianus focusses on conditions of the liver, both feverish and otherwise, with diarrhoea or constipation, also icterus, gall- stone colics and as a supplementary remedy in ascites.

Carduus Marianus has also been used empirically with success in coughing with stitches in the side, in affections of the pleura and peritoneum, and in congestive states and abnormal bleeding of the uterus.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Silybum marianum, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for carduus marinus: affections of the liver and gallbladder; haemorrhoids and spasmodic contractions (cramps); rheumatism of the shoulders and hips.

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

By means of the potentised sarcodes, the body’s defences (major defensive sys- tem) are directed towards the human tissue in question. The healing action is ac- complished through the stimulative strengthening of the body’s propensity for self- healing, and in this way a wide variety of phases, including impregnation phases, can be influenced.

Essentially, the following are the indications: Cardiospasm, Heartburn, Hiccough, Chronic gastritis, Ulcerative diathesis.

The attenuations of this nosode are prepared from tissue obtained from cancer of the womb.

For auxiliary/additional therapy in uterine carcinoma (also, and in particular, post- operatively as well as after irradiation, insertions of radium etc.).

Although hysteromyomas only rarely degenerate neoplastically, this nosode preparation is also indicated for hysteromyomas.

The attenuations of this nosode are prepared from tissue taken from cancer of the human mammary gland.

In early cases of mammary carcinoma, and in breast-tumours and suspicious fibromas in the context of other anti-homotoxic therapy (see Neoplasm phases), as an intermediate injection with catalysts, quinones and preparations of the carbonyl groups etc.

The attenuations of this nosode are prepared from surgically removed cancerous laryngeal tissue.

The indications are as for Carcinosin. Protracted hoarseness without obvious or- ganic cause. Laryngitis of speakers and singers.