Category: Materia Materica

Bromide of Potash
(KALI BROMATUM)

Like all Potash Salts, this weakens the heart and lowers temperature. Brominism is caused by it. General failure of mental power, loss of memory, melancholia, anæsthesia of the mucous membranes, especially of eyes, throat, and skin; acne; loss of sexual desire, paralysis. Leading remedy in psoriasis. Nodular form of chronic gout. Symptoms of apoplectic attacks, uræmic or otherwise; somnolence and stertor, convulsions, aphasia, albuminuria. Epilepsy (with salt-free diet).

Mind.–Profound, melancholic delusion; feeling of moral deficiency; religious depression; delusions of conspiracies against him. Imagines he is singled out as an object of divine wrath. Loss of memory. Must do something-move about; gets fidgety (Tarant). Fear of being poisoned (Hyos). Amnesic aphasia; can pronounce any word told, but cannot speak otherwise. Night terrors. Horrid illusions. Active delirium.

Head.–Suicidal mania with tremulousness. Face flushed. Numb feeling in head. Brain-fag. Coryza with tendency to extension into throat.

Throat.–Congestion of uvula and fauces. Anæsthesia of fauces, pharynx, and larynx. Dysphagia, especially of liquids (Hyos).

Stomach.–Vomiting, with intense thirst, after each meal. Persistent hiccough (Sulph ac).

Abdomen.–Sensation as if bowels were falling out. Cholera infantum, with reflex cerebral irritation, jerking and twitching of muscles. Green, watery stools with intense thirst, vomiting, eyes sunken. Prostration. Internal coldness of abdomen. Diarrhœa, with much blood. Green, watery stools. Retraction of abdomen.

Urinary.–Sensibility of urethra diminished. Urine profuse, with thirst. Diabetes (Phos ac).

Male.–Debility and impotence. Effects of sexual excesses, especially loss of memory, impaired co-ordination, numbness and tingling in limbs. Sexual excitement during partial slumber.

Female.–Pruritus. Ovarian neuralgia with great nervous uneasiness. Exaggerated sexual desire. Cystic tumors of ovaries.

Respiratory.–Spasmodic croup. Reflex cough during pregnancy. Dry, fatiguing, hacking cough at night.

Extremities.–Fidgety hands; busy twitching of fingers. Jerking and twitching of muscles.

Skin.–Acne of face, pustules. Itching; worse on chest, shoulders, and face. Anæsthesia of skin. Psoriasis.

Sleep.–Restless sleep. Extreme drowsiness. Sleeplessness due to worry and grief and sexual excess. Night terrors. Grinding teeth in sleep. Horrible dreams. Somnambulism.

Modalities.–Better, when occupied mentally or physically.

Dose.–A few grains of the crude salt to the third trituration. Remember the unstable character of this salt. Said to be much more active if salt is eliminated from the diet.

Bichromate of Potash
(KALI BICHROMICUM)

The special affinities of this drug are the mucous membrane of stomach, bowels, and air-passages; bones and fibrous tissues. Kidneys, heart, and liver are also affected. Incipient parenchrymatous; nephritis. Nephritis with gastric disturbances. Cirrhosis of liver. Anćmia and absence of fever are characteristic. General weakness bordering on paralysis. It is especially indicated for fleshy, fat, light complexioned persons subject to catarrhs or with syphilitic or scrofulous history. Symptoms are worse in the morning; pains migrate quickly, rheumatic and gastric symptoms alternate. More adapted to subacute rather than the violent acute stage. Mucous membranes everywhere are affected. Catarrh of pharynx, larynx, bronchi and nose, and a tough, stringy, viscid secretion is produced, which condition is a very strong guiding symptom for this drug. Perforation of the septum. Chronic atonic catarrh. Polypus. Dilatation of stomach and heart.

Head.–Vertigo with nausea when rising from seat. Headache over eyebrows, preceded by blurred vision. Aching and fullness in glabella. Semilateral headache in small spots, and from suppressed catarrh. Frontal pain; usually over one eye. Bones and scalp feel sore.

Eyes.–Supra-orbital neuralgia, right side. Eyelids burn, swollen, śdematous. Discharge ropy and yellow. Ulcers on cornea; no pain or photophobia. Descemetitis, with only moderate irritation of eye. Croupous conjunctivitis; granular lids, with pannus. Iritis, with punctuate deposits on inner surface of cornea. Slight pain, with severe ulceration or inflammation (Conium opposite).

Ears.–Swollen, with tearing pains. Thick, yellow, stringy, fetid discharge. Sharp stitches in left ear.

Nose.–Snuffles of children, especially fat, chubby babies. Pressure and pain at root of nose, and sticking pain in nose. Septum ulcerated; round ulcer. Fetid smell. Discharge thick, ropy, greenish-yellow. Tough, elastic plugs from nose; leave a raw surface. Inflammation extends to frontal sinuses, with distress and fullness at root of nose. Dropping from posterior nares (Hydr). Loss of smell. Much hawking. Inability to breathe through nose. Dryness. Coryza, with obstruction of nose. Violent sneezing. Profuse, watery nasal discharge. Chronic inflammation of frontal sinus with stopped-up sensation.

Face.–Florid complexion. Blotchy, red appearance. Acne (Juglans; Kal ars). Bones sensitive, especially beneath orbits.

Mouth.–Dry; viscid saliva. Tongue mapped, red, shining, smooth, and dry, with dysentery; broad, flat, indented, thickly coated. Feeling of a hair on tongue.

Throat.–Fauces red and inflamed. Dry and rough. Parotid glands swollen. Uvula relaxed, śdematous, bladder-like. Pseudo-membranous deposit on tonsils and soft palate. Burning extending to stomach. Aphthć. Diphtheria, with profound prostration and soft pulse. Discharge from mouth and throat, tough and stringy.

Stomach.–Nausea and vomiting after beer. Load immediately after eating. Feels as if digestion had stopped. Dilatation of stomach. Gastritis. Round ulcer of stomach. Stitches in region of liver and spleen and through to spine. Dislikes water. Cannot digest meat. Desire for beer and acids. Gastric symptoms are relieved after eating, and the rheumatic symptoms reappear. Vomiting of bright yellow water.

Abdomen.–Cutting pain in abdomen, soon after eating. Chronic intestinal ulceration. Soreness in right hypochondrium, fatty infiltration of liver and increase in soft fibrous tissue. Painful retraction, soreness and burning.

Stool.–Jelly-like, gelatinous; worse, mornings. Dysentery; tenesmus, stools brown, frothy. Sensation of a plug in anus. Periodic constipation, with pain across the loins, and brown urine.

Urinary.–Burning in urethra. After urinating a drop seems to remain which cannot be expelled. Ropy mucus in urine. Urethra becomes clogged up. Congestion of kidneys; nephritis, with scanty, albuminous urine and casts. Pyelitis; urine mixed with epithelial cells, mucus, pus, or blood. Hćmatochyluria.

Male.–Itching and pain of penis, with pustules. Ulcers, with paroxysmal stitches; aggravated at night. Constriction at root of penis, at night on awakening. Syphilitic ulcers, with cheesy, tenacious exudation. Erections (Picric ac).

Female.–Yellow, tenacious leucorrhśa. Pruritus of vulva, with great burning and excitement. Prolapsus uteri; worse in hot weather.

Respiratory.–Voice hoarse; worse, evening. Metallic, hacking cough. Profuse, yellow expectoration, very glutinous and sticky, coming out in long, stringy, and very tenacious mass. Tickling in larynx. Catarrhal laryngitis cough has a brassy sound. True membranous croup, extending to larynx and nares. Cough, with pain in sternum, extending to shoulders; worse when undressing. Pain at bifurcation of trachea on coughing; from mid-sternum to back.

Heart.–Dilatation, especially from coexisting kidney lesion. Cold feeling around heart (Kali nit).

Back.–Cutting through loins; cannot walk; extends to groins. Pain in coccyx and sacrum extending up and down.

Extremities.–Pains fly rapidly from one place to another (Kali sulph; Puls). Wandering pains, along the bones; worse cold. Left-sided sciatica; better, motion. Bones feel sore and bruised. Very weak. Tearing pains in tibia; syphilitic rheumatism (Mez). Pain, swelling and stiffness and crackling of all joints. Soreness of heels when walking. Tendo Achilles swollen and painful. Pains in small spots (Oxalic ac).

Skin.–Acne. Papular eruptions. Ulcer with punched-out edges, with tendency to penetrate and tenacious exudation. Pustular eruption, resembling smallpox, with burning pains. Itching with vesicular eruption.

Modalities.–Better, from heat. Worse, beer, morning, hot weather, undressing.

Relationship.–Compare: Tart emet; Brom; Hepar; Ind; Calc; Ant cr. In the production of false membranes compare: Brom; Ammon caust; Sulph ac; Ipecac.

Antidotes: Ars; Lach.

Dose.–Third trituration, also thirtieth attenuation and higher.

The lower preparations of this salt should not be kept too long.

Fowler’s Solution
(KALI ARSENICUM)

The Kali ars patient tends towards malignancy, and inveterate skin diseases. He is restless, nervous and anæmic.

Skin.–Intolerable itching, worse undressing. Dry, scaly, wilted. Acne; pustules worse during menses. Chronic eczema; itching worse from warmth, walking, undressing. Psoriasis, lichen. Phagedænic ulcers. Fissures in bends of arms and knees. Gouty nodosities; worse, change of weather. Skin cancer, where suddenly an alarming malignancy without any external signs sets in. Numerous small nodules under skin.

Female.–Cauliflower excrescences of os uteri, with flying pains, foul smelling discharge, and pressure below pubis.

Relationship.–Radium.

Dose.–Third to thirtieth potency.

An Indian Shrub, Singhee
(JUSTICIA ADHATODA BASAKA)

Highly efficacious medicine for acute catarrhal conditions of the respiratory tract (used in the beginning)

Head.–Irritable, sensitive to external impressions; hot, full and heavy head; lachrymation, with coryza, profuse, fluent, with constant sneezing; loss of smell and taste; coryza with cough.

Throat.–Dry, pain during empty swallowing, tenacious mucus. Mouth dry.

Respiratory.–Dry cough from sternal region all over chest. Hoarseness, larynx painful. Paroxysmal cough, with suffocative obstruction of respiration. Cough with sneezing. Severe dyspnœa with cough. Tightness across chest. Asthmatic attacks, cannot endure a close, warm room. Whooping-cough.

Relationship.–Seems to come between Cepa and Euphrasia, which compare.

Dose.–Third potency and higher. Severe aggravation have been noticed from lower potencies.

Juniper Berries

Catarrhal inflammation of kidneys. Dropsy, with suppression of urine. Old persons, with poor digestion and scanty secretion of urine. Chronic pyelitis.

Urinary.–Strangury; bloody, scanty urine, violet odor (Tereb). Weight in kidney region. Prostatic discharge. Renal hyperæmia (Eucalyptol).

Respiratory.–Cough with scanty, loaded urine.

Relationship.–Compare: Sabina; Juniperus Virginianus-Red Cedar–(Violent tenesmus vesical. Persistent dragging in back; hyperæmia of the kidneys; pyelitis and cystitis; dropsy of the aged with suppressed urine. Dysuria, burning, cutting pain in urethra when urinating. Constant urging apoplexy, convulsions, strangury, uterine hæmorrhage). Terebinthina.

Dose.–Best form is the infusion. One ounce to a pint of boiling water. Dose, one-half to two ounces, or tincture, one to ten drops.

Common Rush

A diuretic. Urinary affections. Dysuria, strangury, and ischuria. Asthmatic symptoms in hæmorrhoidal subjects. Bubbling sensations. Abdominal flatulence. Arthritis and Lithiasis.

Dose.–Tincture, and first potency.

Walnut

Skin eruptions are prominent.

Head.–Confused; feels as if head were floating in air. Occipital sharp pain. Styes.

Female.–Menses early, black, pitch-like coagula. Abdomen distended.

Skin.–Comedones and acne of the face. Crusta lactea, with soreness around ears. Itching and eruptions of small red pustules. Scalp red, and itches violently at night. Chancre-like ulcer. Axillary glands suppurate.

Relationship.–Compare: Juglans cinerea.

Dose.–Tincture, and lower potencies.

Butternut

A faulty elimination that produces jaundice and various skin eruptions, is pictured by this drug. The sharp, occipital headache, usually associated with liver disturbances, is very characteristic. Pain in chest, axilla and scapula, with suffocative sensation. Feeling as if all internal organs were too large, especially those of left side. Cholelithiasis.

Head.–Dull, full head. Eruption on scalp. Sharp, occipital headache. Head feels enlarged. Pustules on lids and around eyes.

Nose.–Tingling in nose; sneezing. Coryza, preceded by pain under sternum, with threatening suffocation. Later, copious, bland, thick mucous discharge.

Mouth.–Acrid feeling in mouth and throat. Soreness in region of tonsils externally. Dryness of root of tongue and fauces.

Stomach.–Atonic dyspepsia with much eructation and flatulent distention. Soreness in region of liver.

Back.–Muscles of neck rigid, lame. Pain between scapula and under right. Pain in lumbar vertebræ.

Skin.–Red, like flush of scarlatina. Jaundice, with pain about liver and right scapula. Itching and pricking when heated. Pustules. Eczema, especially on lower extremities, sacrum and hands. Erythema and erysipelatous redness.

Stool.–Yellowish-green, with tenesmus and burning at anus. Camp diarrhœa.

Modalities.–Better, getting heated, exercise, scratching, on rising in morning. Worse, walking.

Relationship.–Compare: Juglandin (duodenal catarrh; bilious diarrhœa); Chelidon; Bryon; Iris.

Dose.–Tincture, to third potency.

Bark of an Indian Tree, introduced by Dr. ND Ray, Calcutta
(JONOSIA ASOCA)

Has extensive sphere of action on female organs. Amenorrhœa and metrorrhagia.

Head.–Unilateral headache; reflex uterine, congestive headache, better open air and by free flow. Pain in eyeballs; supraorbital pains, photophobia. Nasal catarrh, profuse, watery discharge. Loss of sense of smell.

Gastric.–Desire for sweets, also acid things. Thirsty, excessive nausea; obstinate constipation, hæmorrhoids.

Female.–Delayed and irregular menses; menstrual colic; amenorrhœa, pain in ovaries before flow; menorrhagia, irritable bladder; leucorrhœa.

Sleep.–Disturbed. Dreams of travelling.

Back.–Pain along spine radiating to abdomen and thighs.

Dose.–Tincture.

Purging Nut
(JATROPHA)

Of value in cholera and diarrhœa. The abdominal symptoms are most important. Suppressed measles (H. Farrington).

Stomach.– Hiccough, followed by copious vomiting. Nausea and vomiting, brought on by drinking, with acrid feeling from throat. Great thirst. Very easy vomiting. Heat and burning in stomach, with crampy, constrictive pain in epigastrium.

Abdomen.–Distended, with gurgling noises. Pain in hypochondria. Pain in region of liver and under right scapula to shoulder. Violent urging to urinate.

Stool.–Sudden, profuse, watery, like rice-water. Diarrhœa; forced discharge; loud noise in abdomen like gurgling of water coming out of a bung-hole, associated with coldness, cramps, nausea, and vomiting.

Extremities.–Cramps in muscles, especially calves, legs, and feet. Coldness of whole body. Pain in ankles, feet and toes. Heels sensitive.

Modalities.–Better, by placing hands in cold water.

Relationship.–Compare: Camph; Verat; Gambog; Croton; Jatropha urens–Sponge-nettle–(œdema and cardiac paresis).

Dose.–Third to thirtieth potency.