Category: Materia Medica

PREFACE NINTH EDITION

In preparing the ninth edition of this work, I have followed the lines laid out for all the previous editions, namely, to present in a condensed form the homśopathic Materia Medica for practical use.

The book contains the well known verified characteristic symptoms of all our medicines besides other less important symptoms aiding the selection of the curative remedy, All the new medicines and essentials of the published clinical experience of the school have been added. In its present compact form it contains the maximum number of reliable Materia Medica facts in the minimum space.

I have tried to give a succinct resume of the symptomatology of every medicine used in Homśopathy, including also clinical suggestions of many drugs so far not yet based on provings, thus offering the opportunity to experiment with these and by future provings discover their distinctive use and so enlarging our armamentarium.

I am aware that there is a difference of opinion about the advisability of further introduction of remedies, especially of such as seem obsolete or to some minds illusory. But it is not for the compiler to leave out information about any substance that has received the clinical endorsement from a reliable source.

Our Materia Medica must include all substances which have been proved and which have been used with apparent efficacy. It rests with the individual student to judge for himself the accuracy and, reliability of such observation. In this connection, I cannot forego to avail myself of the high authority of that master of Homśopathy, Dr. Constantine Hering, favoring the introduction of all remedies capable of producing reactions in the body that may guide to their medicinal employment. “Homśopathy is essentially not only many-sided but all-sided. She investigates the action of all substances, whether articles of diet, beverages, condiments, drugs or poisons. She investigates their action on the healthy, the sick, animals and plants. She gives; a new interpretation to that ancient, oft quoted saying of Paul, Prove all things–a new meaning, a new application that acts universally. Elimination of the useless may gradually take place with the growth of accurate physiological and pathological knowledge.”

Again, imperfectly proved remedies necessitate the use of names of diseases at times instead of the component symptoms that alone are the legitimate guide to the choice of the curative remedy. Here, too, I have Hering as pioneer guide for the ligitimacy of this method, which he also followed in his great work, the Guiding Symptoms. He said that he used the disease designations not for the purpose of recommending the particular remedy for that disease, but to show the great variety of remedies that may be used for any form of disease when otherwise indicated. For the same reason I have included nosological terms in the symptomatology and Therapeutic Index, as this is a practical handbook for every-day service, and any aid for finding the curative remedy ought to be utilized. As Dr. J. Compton Burnett expresses it:

“The fact is we need any and every way of finding the right remedy; the simple simile, the simple symptomatic similimum and the farthest reach of all-the pathologic similimum, and I maintain that we are still well within the line- of Homśopathy that is expansive, progressive, science fostered and science fostering.”

The dosage needs some apology. It is, of course, suggestive only; more often to be wholly disregarded. I have followed the lines of the earlier Homśopathists in this regard, and given what was then considered the usual range of potency, to which I have added my own experience and that of many observing practitioners. Every teacher of Materia Medica is constantly importuned by students to suggest the potency–something to start with at least.

The book is in no sense a treatise, and must not be considered or judged as such. It is as accurate and reliable a compilation and the fullest collection of verified Materia Medica facts and clinical suggestions as it is possible to obtain within the compass of the volume. It supplements every other work on Materia Medica, and if used as a ready reminder of the essential facts of our vast symptomatology and as an introduction to the larger books of reference and record of provings, it will fulfill its purpose and prove a useful aid to the student and general practitioner. As such it is again offered with much appreciation of past endorsement to his professional brethren.

I have been aided in seeing this edition through the press by the efficient help of Mr. F. O. Ernesty, who has lightened the labor of making the manuscript more acceptable to the printers, and I desire to express my hearty appreciation of this kind and helpful service.

BOERICK MD

  • SENEGA

    Snakewort

    Catarrhal symptoms, especially of the respiratory tract, and distinct eye symptoms of a paralytic type, are most characteristic. Circumscribed spots in chest left after inflammations.

    Mind.–Suddenly remembers unimportant regions which he saw long ago. Inclined to quarrel.

    Head.–Dullness, with pressure and weakness of eyes. Pain in temples. Bursting pain in forehead.

    Eyes.–Hyperphoria, better by bending head backwards. Acts on the rectus superior. Blepharitis; lids dry and crusty (Graph). Dryness, with sensation as if too large for orbits. Starting. Lachrymation. Flickering; must wipe eyes frequently. Objects look shaded. Muscular asthenopia (Caust). Double vision; better only by bending head backward. Opacities of the vitreous humor. Promotes absorption of fragments of lens, after operation.

    Nose.–Dry. Coryza; much watery mucus and sneezing. Nostrils feel peppery.

    Face.–Paralysis of left side of face. Heat in face. Burning vesicles in corners of mouth and lips.

    Throat.–Catarrhal inflammation of throat and fauces, with scraping hoarseness. Burning and rawness. Sensation as if membrane had been abraded.

    Respiratory.–Hoarseness. Hurts to talk. Bursting pain in back on coughing. Catarrh of larynx. Loss of voice. Hacking cough. Thorax feels too narrow. Cough often ends in a sneeze. Rattling in chest (Tart emet). Chest oppressed on ascending. Bronchial catarrh, with sore chest walls; much mucus; sensation of oppression and weight of chest. Difficult raising of tough, profuse mucus, in the aged. Asthenic bronchitis of old people with chronic interstitial nephritis or chronic emphysema. Old asthmatics with congestive attacks. Exudations in Pleura. Hydrothorax (Merc sulph). Pressure on chest as though lungs were forced back to spine. Voice unsteady, vocal cords partially paralyzed.

    Urinary.–Greatly diminished; loaded with shreds and mucus; scalding before and after urinating. Back, bursting distending pain in kidney region.

    Modalities.–Worse, walking in open air, during rest. Better, from sweat; bending head backwards.

    Relationship.–Compare: Caust; Phos; Saponin; Ammon; Calc; Nepeta cataria-Catnip (to break up a cold; infantile colic: hysteria).

    Dose.–Tincture, to thirtieth potency.

  • SENECIO AUREUS

    Golden Ragwort

    Its action on the female organism has been clinically verified. Urinary organs also affected in a marked degree. Backaches of congested kidneys. Early cirrhosis of liver.

    Mind.–Inability to fix mind upon any one subject. Despondent. Nervous and irritable.

    Head.–Dull, stupefying headache. Wavelike dizziness from occiput to sinciput. Sharp pains over left eye, and through left temple. Fullness of nasal passages; burning; sneezing; profuse flow.

    Face.–Teeth very sensitive. Sharp, cutting pain left side. Dryness of fauces, throat, and mouth.

    Stomach.–Sour eructations; nausea.

    Throat.–Dry mouth, throat, and fauces. Burning in pharynx, raw feeling in naso-pharynx, must swallow, though painful.

    Abdomen.–Pain around umbilicus; spreads all over abdomen; better, stool. Thin, watery stool, intermingled with hard lumps of feces (Ant crud). Straining at stool; thin, dark, bloody, with tenesmus.

    Urinary.–Scanty, high-colored, bloody, with much mucus and tenesmus. Great heat and constant urging. Nephritis. Irritable bladder of children, with headache. Renal colic (Pareira; Ocim; Berb).

    Male.–Lascivious dreams, with involuntary emissions. Prostate enlarged. Dull, heavy pain in spermatic cord, extending to testicles.

    Female.–Menses retarded, suppressed. Functional amenorrhœa of young girls with backache. Before menses, inflammatory conditions of throat, chest, and bladder. After menstruation commences, these improve. Anæmic dysmenorrhœa with urinary disturbances. Premature and too profuse menses (Calc; Erig).

    Respiratory.–Acute inflammatory conditions of upper respiratory tract. Hoarseness. Cough loose, with labored inspiration. Chest sore and raw. Dyspnœa on ascending (Calc). Dry teasing cough, stitching chest pains.

    Sleep.–Great drowsiness, with unpleasant dreams. Nervousness and sleeplessness.

    Relationship.–Compare: Senecio Jacobæa (cerebro-spinal irritation, rigid muscles, chiefly of neck and shoulders; also, in cancer); Aletris; Caulop; Sep.

    Dose.–Tincture, to third potency. Senecin, first trituration.

  • SEMPERVIVUM TECTORUM

    Houseleek

    Is recommended for herpes, zoster and cancerous tumors. Scirrhous induration of tongue. Mammary carcinoma. Ring-worm. Hæmorrhoids.

    Mouth.–Malignant ulcers of mouth. Cancer of tongue (Galium). Tongue has ulcers; bleed easily, especially at night; much soreness of tongue with stabbing pains. Whole mouth very tender.

    Skin.–Erysipelatous affections. Warts and corns. Aphthæ. Flushed surface and stinging pains.

    Relationship.–Compare: Sedum acre-small Houseleek–(scorbutic conditions; ulcers, intermittent fever) (Galium; Kali cyanat). Oxalis acetosella-Wood sorrel–(The inspissated juice used as a cautery to remove cancerous growths of the lips). Cotyledon. Ficus Carica–(Fig)-The milky juice of the freshly broken stalk applied to warts; causes their disappearance.

    Dose.–Tincture and 2 decimal, also fresh juice of plant. Locally for bites of insect, stings of bees, and poisoned wounds, warts.

  • SELENIUM METALLICUM

    The Element Selenium
    (SELENIUM)

    Selenium is a constant constituent of bones and teeth.

    Marked effects on the genito-urinary organs, and often indicated in elderly men, especially for prostatitis and sexual atony. Great debility; worse, heat. Easy exhaustion, mental and physical, in old age. Debility after exhausting diseases.

    Mind.–Lascivious thoughts, with impotency. Mental labor fatigues. Extreme sadness. Abject despair, uncompromising melancholy.

    Head.–Hair falls out. Pain over left eye; worse walking in sun, strong odors and tea. Scalp feels tense. Headache from tea drinking.

    Throat.–Incipient tubercular laryngitis. Hawking and raising transparent lumps of mucus every morning. Hoarseness. Cough in morning, with expectoration of bloody mucus. Hoarseness of singers. Much clear, starchy mucus (Stann).

    Stomach.–Desire for brandy and other strong drink. Sweetish taste. Hiccough and eructations after smoking. After eating, pulsation all over, especially abdomen.

    Abdomen.–Chronic liver affections; liver painful, enlarged, with fine rash over liver region. Stool constipated, hard and accumulated in rectum.

    Urinary.–Sensation in the tip of urethra as if a biting drop were forcing its way out. Involuntary dribbling.

    Male.–Dribbling of semen during sleep. Dribbling of prostatic fluid. Irritability after coitus. Loss of sexual power, with lascivious fancies. Increases desire, decreases ability. Semen thin, odorless. Sexual neurasthenia. On attempting coition, penis relaxes. Hydrocele.

    Skin.–Dry, scaly eruption in palms, with itching, Itching about the ankles and folds of skin, between fingers. Hair falls out from brows, beard, and genitals. Itching about finger-joints and between fingers; in palms. Vesicular eruption between fingers (Rhus; Anac). Seborrhœa oleosa; comedones with an oily surface of the skin; alopecia. Acne.

    Extremities.–Paralytic pains in small of back in the morning. Tearing pain in hands, at night.

    Sleep.–Sleep prevented by pulsation in all vessels, worse abdomen. Sleepless until midnight, awakens early and always same hour.

    Modalities.–Worse, after sleep, in hot weather, from Cinchona, draught of air, coition.

    Relationship.–Incompatible: China; Wine.

    Compare: Agnus; Calad; Sulphur; Tellur; Phosph acid.

    Antidotes: Ign; Puls.

    Dose.–Sixth to thirtieth potency. Colloidal Selenium injection for inoperable cancer. Pain, sleeplessness, ulceration and discharge are markedly diminished.

  • SEDUM ACRE

    Small Houseleek

    Hæmorrhoidal pains, like those of anal fissures; constricting pains, worse few hours after stool. Fissures.

    Relationship.–Compare: Mucuna urens (hæmorrhoidal diathesis and diseases depending thereon); Sedum telephium (uterine hæmorrhages, also of bowels and rectum; menorrhagia, especially at climacteric); Sedum repens–S alpestre–(cancer; specific action on abdominal organs; pain, loss of strength).

    Dose.–Tincture to sixth potency.

  • SECALE CORNUTUM

    Ergot
    (CLAVICEPS PURPUREA)

    Produces contraction of the unstriped muscular fibers; hence a constringent feeling throughout the whole body. This produces an anæmic condition, coldness, numbness, petechiæ, mortification, gangrene. A useful remedy for old people with shriveled skin-thin, scrawny old women. All the Secale conditions are better from cold; the whole body is pervaded by a sense of great heat. Hæmorrhages; continued oozing; thin, fetid, watery black blood. Debility, anxiety, emaciation, though appetite and thirst may be excessive. Facial and abdominal muscles twitch. Secale decreases the flow of pancreatic juice by raising the blood pressure (Hinsdale).

    Head.–Passive, congestive pain (rises from back of head), with pale face. Head drawn back. Falling of hair; dry and gray. Nosebleed, dark, oozing.

    Eyes.–Pupils dilated. Incipient cataract, senile especially in women. Eyes sunken and surrounded by a blue margin.

    Face.–Pale, pinched, sunken. Cramps commence in face and spread over whole body. Livid spots on face. Spasmodic distortion.

    Mouth.–Tongue dry, cracked; blood like ink exudes, coated thick; viscid, yellowish, cold livid. Tingling of tip of tongue, which is stiff. Tongue swollen, paralyzed.

    Stomach.–Unnatural ravenous appetite; craves acids. Thirst unquenchable. Singultus, nausea; vomiting of blood and coffee-grounds fluid. Burning in stomach and abdomen; tympanites. Eructations of bad odor.

    Stool.–Cholera-like stools, with coldness and cramps. Olivegreen, thin, putrid, bloody, with icy coldness and intolerance of being covered, with great exhaustion. Involuntary stools; no sensation of passing feces, anus wide open.

    Urine.–Paralysis of bladder. Retention, with unsuccessful urging. Discharge of black blood from bladder. Enuresis in old people.

    Female.–Menstrual colic, with coldness and intolerance of heat. Passive hæmorrhages in feeble, cachectic women. Burning pains in uterus. Brownish, offensive leucorrhœa. Menses irregular, copious, dark; continuous oozing of watery blood until next period. Threatened abortion about the third month (Sab). During labor no expulsive action, though everything is relaxed. After-pains. Suppression of milk; breasts do not fill properly. Dark, offensive lochia. Puerperal fever, putrid discharges, tympanitis, coldness, suppressed urine.

    Chest.–Angina pectoris. Dyspnœa and oppression, with cramp in diaphragm. Boring pain in chest. Præcordial tenderness. Palpitation, with contracted and intermittent pulse.

    Sleep.–Profound and long. Insomnia with restlessness, fever, anxious dreams. Insomnia of drug and liquor habitudes.

    Back.–Spinal irritation, tingling of lower extremities; can bear only slightest covering. Locomotor ataxia. Formication and numbness. Myelitis.

    Extremities.–Cold, dry hands and feet of excessive smokers with feeling of fuzziness in fingers. Trembling, staggering gait. Formication, pain and spasmodic movements. Numbness. Fingers and feet bluish, shriveled, spread apart or bent backwards, numb. Violent cramps. Icy coldness of extremities. Violent pain in finger-tips, tingling in toes.

    Skin.–Shriveled, numb; mottled dusky-blue tinge. Scleræma and œdema neonatorum. Raynaud’s disease. Blue color. Dry gangrene, developing slowly. Varicose ulcers. Burning sensation; better by cold; wants parts uncovered, though cold to touch. Formication; petechiæ. Slight wounds continue to bleed. Livid spots. Boils, small, painful, with green contents; mature slowly. Skin feels cold to touch, yet covering is not tolerated. Great aversion to heat. Formication under skin.

    Fever.–Coldness; cold, dry skin; cold, clammy sweat; excessive thirst. Sense of internal heat.

    Modalities.–Worse, heat, warm covering. Better, cold, uncovering, rubbing, stretching out limbs.

    Relationship.–Compare: Ergotin (Beginning arteriosclerosis progressing rather rapidly. Increased blood pressure: 2x trit. Œdema, gangrene and purpura hæmorrhagia: when Secale, though indicated, fails); Pedicularis Canadensis (Symptoms of locomotor ataxia; spinal irritation); Brassica napus-Rape-seed–(dropsical swellings, scorbutic mouth, voracious appetite, tympanitis, dropping of nails, gangrene); Cinnamon; Colch; Ars; Aurum mur. 2x (locomotor ataxia); Agrostema-Corn-cockle-active constituent is Saponin, which causes violent sneezing and sharp burning taste; burning in stomach, extends to œsophagus, neck and breast; (vertigo, headache, difficult locomotion, burning sensation); Ustilago; Carbo; Pituitrin (dilated os, little pain, no progress. Dose, 1/2 c, repeat in half hour, if necessary. Hypodermically contra-indicated in first stage of labor, valvular lesions or deformed pelvis).

    Antidotes: Camph; Opium.

    Dose.–First to thirtieth potency. Non-homeopathic use. In hæmorrhages of the puerperium, after the uterus in entirely emptied, when it fails to contract satisfactorily and in secondary puerperal hæmorrhage the result of incomplete involution of the uterus, give one-half to one dram of the fluid extract. Remember Pagot’s law. “As long as the uterus contains, anything, be it child, placenta, membranes, clots, never administer Ergot”.

  • SCUTELLARIA LATERIFOLIA

    Skullcap

    This is a nervous sedative, where nervous fear predominates. Cardiac irritability. Chorea. Nervous irritation and spasms of children, during dentition. Twitching of muscles. Nervous weakness after influenza.

    Mental.–Fear of some calamity. Inability to fix attention (Aethus). Confusion.

    Head.–Dull, frontal headache. Eyes feel pressed outwards. Flushed face. Restless sleep and frightful dreams. Must move about. Night terrors. Migraine; worse, over right eye; aching in eyeballs. Explosive headaches of school teachers with frequent urination; headaches in front and base of brain. Nervous sick headaches, worse noise, odor light, better night; rest, 5 drops of tincture.

    Stomach.–Nausea; sour eructations; hiccough; pain and distress.

    Abdomen.–Gas, fullness and distention, colicky pain and uneasiness. Light colored diarrhœa.

    Male.–Seminal emissions and impotency, with fear of never being better.

    Sleep.–Night-terrors; sleeplessness; sudden wakefulness; frightful dreams.

    Extremities.–Twitchings of muscles; must be moving. Chorea. Tremors. Sharp stinging pains in upper extremities. Nightly restlessness. Weakness and aching.

    Relationship.–Compare: Cyprip; Lycopus.

    Dose.–Tincture and lower potencies.

  • SCROPHULARIA NODOSA

    Knotted Figwort

    A powerful medicine whenever enlarged glands are present. Hodgkin’s disease.

    A valuable skin remedy. Has a specific affinity for the breast; very useful in the dissipation of breast tumors. Eczema of the ear. Pruritus vaginæ. Lupoid ulceration. Scrofulous swellings (Cistus). Painful hæmorrhoids. Tubercular testis. Epithelioma. Nodosities in the breasts (Scirrhinum). Pain in all flexor muscles.

    Head.–Vertigo felt in vertex, greater when standing; drowsiness; pain from forehead to back of head. Eczema behind ear. Crusta lactea.

    Eyes.–Distressing photophobia (Conium). Spots before eyes. Stitches in eyebrow. Sore eyeballs.

    Ears.–Inflammation about auricle. Deep ulcerated auricle. Eczema around ear.

    Abdomen.–Pain in liver on pressure. Colic below navel. Pain in sigmoid flexure and rectum. Painful, bleeding, protruding piles.

    Respiratory.–Violent dyspnœa, oppression of chest with trembling. Pain about bifurcation of trachea. Asthma in scrofulous patients.

    Skin.–Prickling itching, worse back of hand.

    Sleep.–Great drowsiness; in morning and before and after meals with weariness.

    Modalities.–Worse lying on right side.

    Compare: Lobel erinus; Ruta; Carcinosin; Conium; Asterias.

    Dose.–Tincture and first potency. Apply locally to cancerous glands also Semper viv.

  • SARSAPARILLA OFFICINALIS

    Smilax
    (SARSAPARILLA)

    Renal colic; marasmus and periosteal pains due to venereal disease. Eruptions following hot weather and vaccinations; boils, and eczema. Urinary symptoms well marked.

    Mind.–Despondent, sensitive, easily offended, ill humored and taciturn.

    Head.–Pains cause depression. Shooting pain from above right temporal region. Pains from occiput to eyes. Words reverberate in ear to the root of nose. Periosteal pains due to venereal disease. Influenza. Scalp sensitive. Eruptions on face and upper lip. Moist eruption on scalp. Crusta lactea beginning in face.

    Mouth.–Tongue white; aphthæ; salivation; metallic taste; no thirst. Fetid breath.

    Abdomen.–Rumbling and fermentation. Colic and backache at same time. Much flatus; cholera infantum.

    Urinary.–Urine scanty, slimy, flaky, sandy, bloody. Gravel. Renal colic. Severe pain at conclusion of urination. Urine dribbles while sitting. Bladder distended and tender. Child screams before and while passing urine. Sand on diaper. Renal colic and dysuria in infants. Pain from right kidney downward. Tenesmus of bladder; urine passes in thin, feeble stream. Pain at meatus.

    Male.–Bloody, seminal emissions. Intolerable stench on genitals. Herpetic eruption on genitals. Itching on scrotum and perineum. Syphilis; squamous eruption and bone pains.

    Female.–Nipples small, withered, retracted. Before menstruation, itching and humid eruption of forehead. Menses late and scanty. Moist eruption in right groin before menses.

    Skin.–Emaciated, shriveled, lies in folds (Abrot; Sanic), dry, flabby. Herpetic eruptions; ulcers. Rash from exposure to open air; dry, itching; comes on in spring; becomes crusty. Rhagades; skin cracked on hands and feet. Skin hard, indurated. Summer cutaneous affections.

    Extremities.–Paralytic, tearing pains. Trembling of hands and feet. Burning on sides of fingers and toes. Onychia, ulceration around ends of fingers, cutting sensation under nails. Rheumatism, bone pains; worse at night. Deep rhagades on fingers and toes; burn under nails. Tetter on hands; ulceration around ends of fingers (Psorin). Cutting sensation under nails (Petrol). Rheumatic pains after gonorrhœa.

    Modalities.–Worse, dampness at night, after urinating, when yawning, in spring, before menses.

    Relationship.–Complementary: Merc; Sep.

    Compare: Berb; Lycop; Nat m; Petrol; Sassafras; Saururus-Lizard’s tail–(Irritation of kidneys, bladder, prostate and urinary passages. Painful and difficult micturition; cystitis with strangury). Cucurbita citrellus-Water-melon. Infusion of the seed acts promptly in painful urination with constriction and backache, relieves pain and stimulates flow

    Antidote: Bell.

    Dose.–First to sixth potency.

  • SARRACENIA PURPUREA

    Pitcher-plant

    A remedy for variola. Visual disorders. Congestion to head, with irregular heart action. Chlorosis. Contains a very active proteolytic enzyme. Sick headache; throbbing in various parts, especially in neck, shoulders and head, which feels full to bursting.

    Eyes.–Photophobia. Eyes feel swollen and sore. Pain in orbits. Black objects move with the eye.

    Stomach.–Hungry all the time, even after a meal. Sleepy during meals. Copious, painful vomiting.

    Back.–Pains shooting in zig-zag course from lumbar region to middle of scapula.

    Extremities.–Limbs weak; bruised pain in knees and hip-joints. Bones in arm pain. Weak between shoulders.

    Skin.–Variola, aborts the disease, arrests pustulation.

    Relationship.–Compare: Tartar em; Variol; Maland.

    Dose.–Third to sixth potency.