Category: Materia Materica

Materia medica is a Latin term from the history of pharmacy for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing. The term derives from the title of a work by the Ancient Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides in the 1st century AD. The term materia medica was used from the period of the Roman Empire until the 20th century but has now been generally replaced in medical education contexts by the term pharmacology. The term survives in the title of the British Medical Journal’s Materia Non Medica column.

  • ARSENICUM SULPHURATUM FLAVUM

    Yellow Sulphuret of Arsenic. Orpiment
    (ARSENIC TRISULPH.)

    Needle pricks from within outwards in chest; also on forehead, right side. Sticking behind ear. Difficult respiration. Skin chafed about genitals.

    Leucoderma and squamous syphilides. Sciatica and pain around the knee.

    Relationship.–Arsenic sulph rub (influenza with intense catarrhal symptoms, great prostration and high temperature, purulent discharges, psoriasis, acne, and sciatica. Chilly even before a fire. Itching in various parts. Pellagra).

    Dose.–Third trituration.

  • ARSENICUM METALLICUM

    Metallic Arsenic

    Arouses latent syphilis. Periodicity very marked; symptoms recur every two and three weeks. Weakness. Swollen feeling of parts.

    Head.–Low spirited, memory weak. Desire to be alone. Annoyed by visions, causing her to cry. Head feels too large. Left-sided headache up to eyes and into ears. Headache worse stooping and lying down. Śdematous swelling of forehead.

    Face.–Red, itching, burning and bloated. Eyes swelled and watery, burn with coryza. Eyes weak, day and gas light unpleasant.

    Mouth.–The tongue coated white, and shows imprint of the teeth. Mouth sore and ulcerated.

    Abdomen.–Sore pain in liver goes through to shoulders and spine. Pain in spleen down to groin. Pain in breast extends to hip and spleen. Diarrhśa, burning watery stools with relief of pain.

    Dose.–Sixth potency.

  • ARSENICUM IODATUM

    Iodide of Arsenic

    Is to be preferred for persistently irritating, corrosive discharges. The discharge irritates the membrane from which it flows and over which it flows. The discharge may be fetid, watery, and the mucous membrane is always red, angry, swollen; itches and burns. Influenza, hay-fever, old nasal catarrhs, and catarrh of middle ear. Swelling of tissues within the nose. Hypertrophied condition of eustachian tube and deafness. Senile heart, myocarditis and fatty degeneration. Pulse shotty. Chronic aortitis. Epithelioma of the lip. Cancer of breast after ulceration has set in.

    It seems probable that in Arsenic iod, we have a remedy most closely allied to manifestations of tuberculosis. In the early stages of tuberculosis, even though there is an afternoon rise in temperature, Ars jod is very effective. It will be indicated by a profound prostration, rapid, irritable pulse, recurring fever and sweats, emaciation; tendency to diarrhœa. Chronic pneumonia, with abscess in lung. Hectic; debility; night sweats.

    This remedy is also to be remembered in phthisis with hoarse, racking cough and profuse expectoration of a purulent nature, and attended with cardiac weakness, emaciation and general debility; in chronic, watery diarrhœa in phthisical subjects; in cases of emaciation with good appetite; in amenorrhœa, with anæmic palpitation and dyspnœa. In chronic pneumonia, when abscess is about to form. Great emaciation. Arteriosclerosis, myocardial degeneration and senile heart. Threatened pyæmia (Pyrog; Methyl blue).

    Head.–Vertigo, with tremulous feeling, especially in aged.

    Nose.–Thin, watery, irritating, excoriating discharge from anterior and posterior nares; sneezing. Hay-fever. Irritation and tingling of nose constant desire to sneeze (Pollanin). Chronic nasal catarrh; swollen nose; profuse, thick, yellow discharge; ulcers; membrane sore and excoriated. Aggravation by sneezing.

    Throat.–Burning in pharynx. Tonsils swollen. Thick membrane from fauces to lips. Breath fetid, glandular involvement. Diphtheria. Chronic follicular pharyngitis.

    Eyes and Ears.–Scrofulous ophthalmia. Otitis, with fetid, corrosive discharge. Thickening of tympanum. Burning, acrid coryza.

    Stomach.–Pain and pyrosis. Vomiting an hour after food. Nausea distressing. Pain in epigastrium. Intense thirst; water is immediately ejected.

    Respiratory.–Slight hacking cough, with dry and stopped-up nostrils. Pleuritis exudativa. Chronic bronchitis. Pulmonary tuberculosis. Pneumonia that fails to clear up. Broncho-pneumonia after grippe. Cough dry, with little difficult expectoration. Aphonia.

    Fever.–Recurrent fever and sweats. Drenching night-sweats. Pulse rapid, feeble, weak, irregular. Chilly, cannot endure cold.

    Skin.–Dry, scaly, itching. Marked exfoliation of skin in large scales, leaving a raw exuding surface beneath. Ichthyosis. Enlarged scrofulous glandsVenereal bubo. Debilitating night-sweats. Eczema of the beard; watery, oozing, itching; worse, washing. Emaciation. Psoriasis. Acne hard, shotty, indurated base with pustule at apex.

    Relationship.–Compare: Tuberculinum; Antimon iod. In hay-fever, compare: Aralia; Naphthalin; Rosa; Sang nit.

    Dose.–Second and third trituration. Ought to be prepared fresh and protected from light. Continued for some time. Clinically, it has been found advisable in tuberculosis to begin with about the 4x and gradually go lower to the second x trit, 5 grains 3 times a day.

  • ARSENICUM HYDROGENISATUM

    Arseniuretted Hydrogen

    The general action of Arsenic more accentuated. Anæmia. Anxiety; despair. Hœmaturia, with general blood disorganization. Hæmorrhages from mucous membranes. Urine suppressed, followed by vomiting. Prepuce and glans covered with pustules and round superficial ulcers. Collapse. Coldness; prostration. Sudden weakness and nausea. Skin becomes dark brown.

    Head.–Violent vertigo on going upstairs. Eyes sunken; broad, blue circles around. Violent sneezing. Nose cold. Must be wrapped up with warm cloths.

    Mouth.–Tongue enlarged; deep, irregular ulcer; nodular swelling. Mouth hot and dry; little thirst.

    Dose.–Third potency.

  • ARSENICUM BROMATUM

    Bromide of Arsenic

    Has proven a great anti-psoric and anti-syphilitic remedy. Herpetic eruptions, syphilitic excrescences, glandular tumors and indurations, carcinoma, locomotor ataxia, and obstinate intermittents, and diabetes are all greatly influenced by this preparation.

    Face.–Acne rosacea, with violet papules on nose; worse in the spring. Acne in young people.

    Dose.–Tincture, two to four drops daily in water. In diabetes, three drops three times a day in a glass of water.

  • ARSENICUM ALBUM

    Arsenious Acid-Arsenic Trioxide

    A profoundly acting remedy on every organ and tissue. Its clear-cut characteristic symptoms and correspondence to many severe types of disease make its homeopathic employment constant and certain. Its general symptoms often alone lead to its successful application. Among these the all-prevailing debility, exhaustion, and restlessness, with nightly aggravation, are most important. Great exhaustion after the slightest exertion. This, with the peculiar irritability of fiber, gives the characteristic irritable weakness. Burning pains. Unquenchable thirst. Burning relieved by heat. Seaside complaints (Nat mur; Aqua Marina). Injurious effects of fruits, especially more watery ones. Gives quiet and ease to the last moments of life when given in high potency. Fear fright and worry. Green discharges. Infantile Kala-azar (Dr. Neatby).

    Ars should be thought of in ailments from alcoholism, ptomaine poisoning, stings, dissecting wounds, chewing tobacco; ill effects from decayed food or animal matter; odor of discharges is putrid; in complaints that return annually. Anćmia and chlorosis. Degenerative changes. Gradual loss of weight from impaired nutrition. Reduces the refractive index of blood serum (also China and Ferr phos). Maintains the system under the stress of malignancy regardless of location. Malarial cachexia. Septic infections and low vitality.

    Mind.–Great anguish and restlessness. Changes place continually. Fears, of death, of being left alone. Great fear, with cold sweat. Thinks it useless to take medicine. Suicidal. Hallucinations of smell and sight. Despair drives him from place to place. Miserly, malicious, selfish, lacks courage. General sensibility increased (Hep). Sensitive to disorder and confusion.

    Head.–Headaches relieves by cold, other symptoms worse. Periodical burning pains, with restlessness; with cold skin. Hemicrania, with icy feeling of scalp and great weakness. Sensitive head in open air. Delirium tremens; cursing and raving; vicious. Head is in constant motion. Scalp itches intolerably; circular patches of bare spots; rough, dirty, sensitive, and covered with dry scales; nightly burning and itching; dandruff. Scalp very sensitive; cannot brush hair.

    Eyes.–Burning in eyes, with acrid lachrymation. Lids red, ulcerated, scabby, scaly, granulated. Śdema around eyes. External inflammation, with extreme painfulness; burning, hot, and excoriating lachrymation. Corneal ulceration. Intense photophobia; better external warmth. Ciliary neuralgia, with fine burning pain.

    Ears.–Skin within, raw and burning. Thin, excoriating, offensive otorrhśa. Roaring in ears, during a paroxysm of pain.

    Nose.–Thin, watery, excoriating discharge. Nose feels stopped up. Sneezing without relief. Hay-fever and coryza; worse in open air; better indoors. Burning and bleeding. Acne of nose. Lupus.

    Face.–Swollen, pale, yellow, cachectic, sunken, cold, and covered with sweat (Acetic acid). Expression of agony. Tearing needle-like pains; burning. Lips black, livid. Angry, circumscribed flush of cheeks.

    Mouth.–Unhealthy, easily-bleeding gums. Ulceration of mouth with dryness and burning heat. Epithelioma of lips. Tongue dry, clean, and red; stitching and burning pain in tongue, ulcerated with blue color. Bloody saliva. Neuralgia of teeth; feel long and very sore; worse after midnight; better warmth. Metallic taste. Gulping up of burning water.

    Throat.–Swollen, śdematous, constricted, burning, unable to swallow. Diphtheritic membrane, looks dry and wrinkled.

    Stomach.–Cannot bear the sight or smell of food. Great thirst; drinks much, but little at a time. Nausea, retching, vomiting, after eating or drinking. Anxiety in pit of stomach. Burning pain. Craves acids and coffee. Heartburn; gulping up of acid and bitter substances which seem to excoriate the throat. Long-lasting eructations. Vomiting of blood, bile, green mucus, or brown-black mixed with blood. Stomach extremely irritable; seems raw, as if torn. Gastralgia from slightest food or drink. Dyspepsia from vinegar, acids, ice-cream, ice-water, tobacco. Terrible fear and dyspnśa, with gastralgia; also faintness, icy coldness, great exhaustion. Malignant symptoms. Everything swallowed seems to lodge in the śsophagus, which seems as if closed and nothing would pass. Ill effects of vegetable diet, melons, and watery fruits generally. Craves milk.

    Abdomen.–Gnawing, burning pains like coals of fire; relieved by heat. Liver and spleen enlarged and painful. Ascites and anasarca. Abdomen swollen and painful. Pain as from a wound in abdomen on coughing.

    Rectum.–Painful, spasmodic protrusion of rectum. Tenesmus. Burning pain and pressure in rectum and anus.

    Stool.–Small, offensive, dark, with much prostration. Worse at night, and after eating and drinking; from chilling stomach, alcoholic abuse, spoiled meat. Dysentery dark, bloody, very offensive. Cholera, with intense agony, prostration, and burning thirst. Body cold as ice (Verat). Hćmorrhoids burn like fire; relieved by heat. Skin excoriated about anus.

    Urine.–Scanty, burning, involuntary. Bladder as if paralyzed. Albuminous. Epithelial cells; cylindrical clots of fibrin and globules of pus and blood. After urinating, feeling of weakness in abdomen. Bright’s disease. Diabetes.

    Female.–Menses too profuse and too soon. Burning in ovarian region. Leucorrhśa, acrid, burning, offensive, thin. Pain as from red-hot wires; worse least exertion; causes great fatigue; better in warm room. Menorrhagia. Stitching pain in pelvis extending down the thigh.

    Respiratory.–Unable to lie down; fears suffocation. Air-passages constricted. Asthma worse midnight. Burning in chest. Suffocative catarrh. Cough worse after midnight; worse lying on back. Expectoration scanty, frothy. Darting pain through upper third of right lung. Wheezing respiration. Hćmoptysis with pain between shoulders; burning heat all over. Cough dry, as from sulphur fumes; after drinking.

    Heart.–Palpitation, pain, dyspnśa, faintness. Irritable heart in smokers and tobacco-chewers. Pulse more rapid in morning (Sulph). Dilatation. Cyanosis. Fatty degeneration. Angina pectoris, with pain in neck and occiput.

    Back.–Weakness in small of back. Drawing in of shoulders. Pain and burning in back (Oxal ac).

    Extremities.–Trembling, twitching, spasms, weakness, heaviness, uneasiness. Cramps in calves. Swelling of feet. Sciatica. Burning pains. Peripheral neuritis. Diabetic gangrene. Ulcers on heel (Cepa; Lamium). Paralysis of lower limbs with atrophy.

    Skin.–Itching, burning, swellings; śdema, eruption, papular, dry, rough, scaly; worse cold and scratching. Malignant pustules. Ulcers with offensive discharge. Anthrax. Poisoned wounds. Urticaria, with burning and restlessness. Psoriasis. Scirrhus. Icy coldness of body. Epithelioma of the skin. Gangrenous inflammations.

    Sleep.–Disturbed, anxious, restless. Must have head raised by pillows. Suffocative fits during sleep. Sleeps with hands over head. Dreams are full of care and fear. Drowsy, sleeping sickness.

    Fever.–High temperature. Periodicity marked with adynamia. Septic fevers. Intermittent. Paroxysms incomplete, with marked exhaustion. Hay-fever. Cold sweats. Typhoid, not too early; often after Rhus. Complete exhaustion. Delirium; worse after midnight. Great restlessness. Great heat about 3 am.

    Modalities.–Worse, wet weather, after midnight; from cold, cold drinks, or food. Seashore. Right side. Better from heat; from head elevated; warm drinks.

    Complementary: Rhus; Carbo; Phos. Thuja; Secale. Antidotal to lead poison.

    Antidotes: Opium; Carbo; China; Hepar; Nux. Chemical Antidotes: Charcoal; Hydrated Peroxide of Iron; Lime Water.

    Compare: Arsenic stibatum 3x (Chest inflammations of children, restlessness with thirst and prostration, loose mucous cough, oppression, hurried respiration, crepitant rales). Cenchris contortrix; Iod; Phosph; China; Verat alb; Carbo; Kali phos. Epilobium (intractable diarrhśa of typhoid). Hoang Nan. Atoxyl. Sodium arseniate 3x, sleeping sickness; commencing optic atrophy. Levico Water–(containing Ars, Iron and Copper of South Tyrol). Chronic and dyscratic skin diseases, chorea minor and spasms in scrofulous and anćmic children. Favors assimilation and increases nutrition. Debility and skin diseases, especially after the use of higher potencies where progress seems suspended. Dose. Ten drops in wine glass of warm water 3 times a day after meals (Burnett). Sarcolatic acid (influenza with violent vomiting).

    Dose.–Third to thirtieth potency. The very highest potencies often yield brilliant results.

    Low attenuations in gastric, intestinal, and kidney diseases; higher in neuralgias, nervous diseases, and skin. But if only surface conditions call for it, give the lowest potencies, 2x to 3x trit. Repeated doses advisable.

  • ARNICA MONTANA

    Leopard’s Bane
    (ARNICA)

    Produces conditions upon the system quite similar to those resulting from injuries, falls, blows, contusions. Tinnitus aurium. Putrid phenomena. Septic conditions; prophylactic of pus infection. Apoplexy, red, full face.

    It is especially suited to cases when any injury, however remote, seems to have caused the present trouble. After traumatic injuries, overuse of any organ, strains. Arnica is disposed to cerebral congestion. Acts best in plethoric, feebly in debilitated with impoverished blood, cardiac dropsy with dyspnœa. A muscular tonic. Traumatism of grief, remorse or sudden realization of financial loss. Limbs and body ache as if beaten; joints as if sprained. Bed feels too hard. Marked effect on the blood. Affects the venous system inducing stasis. Echymosis and hæmorrhages. Relaxed blood vessels, black and blue spots. Tendency to hæmorrhage and low-fever states. Tendency to tissue degeneration, septic conditions, abscesses that do not mature. Sore, lame, bruised feeling. Neuralgias originating in disturbances of pneumo-gastric. Rheumatism of muscular and tendinous tissue, especially of back and shoulders. Aversion to tobacco. Influenza. Thrombosis. Hematocele.

    Mind.–Fears touch, or the approach of anyone. Unconscious; when spoken to answers correctly, but relapses. Indifference; inability to perform continuous active work; morose, delirious. Nervous; cannot bear pain; whole body oversensitive. Says there is nothing the matter with him. Wants to be let alone. Agoraphobia (fear of space). After mental strain or shock.

    Head.–Hot, with cold body; confused; sensitiveness of brain, with sharp, pinching pains. Scalp feels contracted. Cold spot on forehead. Chronic vertigo; objects whirl about especially when walking.

    Eyes.–Diplopia from traumatism, muscular paralysis, retinal hæmorrhage. Bruised, sore feeling in eyes after close work. Must keep eyes open. Dizzy on closing them. Feel tired and weary after sight-seeing, moving pictures, etc.

    Ears.–Noises in ear caused by rush of blood to the head. Shooting in and around ears. Blood from ears. Dullness of hearing after concussion. Pain in cartilages of ears as if bruised.

    Nose.–Bleeding after every fit of coughing, dark fluid blood. Nose feels sore; cold.

    Mouth.–Fetid breath. Dry and thirsty. Bitter taste (Colocy). Taste as from bad eggs. Soreness of gums after teeth extraction (Sepia). Empyæma of maxillary sinus.

    Face.–Sunken; very red. Heat in lips. Herpes in face.

    Stomach.–Longing for vinegar. Distaste for milk and meat. Canine hunger. Vomiting of blood. Pain in stomach during eating. Repletion with loathing. Oppressive gases pass upward and downward. Pressure as from a stone. Feeling as if stomach were passing against spine. Fetid vomiting.

    Abdomen.–Stitches under false ribs. Distended; offensive flatus. Sharp thrusts through abdomen.

    Stool.–Straining of tenesmus in diarrhœa. Offensive, brown, bloody, putrid, involuntary. Looks like brown yeast. Must lie down after every stool. Diarrhœa of consumption; worse lying on left side. Dysenteric stools with muscular pains.

    Urine.–Retained from over-exertion. Dark brick-red sediment. Vesical tenesmus with very painful micturition.

    Female.–Bruised parts after labor. Violent after-pains. Uterine hæmorrhage from mechanical injury after coition. Sore nipples. Mastitis from injury. Feeling as if fœtus were lying crosswise.

    Respiratory.–Coughs depending on cardiac lesion, paroxysmal, at night, during sleep, worse exercise. Acute tonsillitis, swelling of soft palate and uvula. Pneumonia; approaching paralysis. Hoarseness from overuse of voice. Raw, sore feeling in morning. Cough produced by weeping and lamenting. Dry, from tickling low down in trachea. Bloody expectoration. Dyspnœa with hæmoptysis. All bones and cartilages of chest painful. Violent spasmodic cough, with facial herpes. Whooping cough, child cries before coughing. Pleurodynia (Ranunc; Cimicif).

    Heart.–Angina pectoris; pain especially severe in elbow of left arm. Stitches in heart. Pulse feeble and irregular. Cardiac dropsy with distressing dyspnœa. Extremities distended, feel bruised and sore. Fatty heart and hypertrophy.

    Extremities.–Gout. Great fear of being touched or approached. Pain in back and limbs, as if bruised or beaten. Sprained and dislocated feeling. Soreness after overexertion. Everything on which he lies seems too hard. Deathly coldness of forearm. Cannot walk erect, on account of bruised pain in pelvic region. Rheumatism begins low down and works up (Ledum).

    Skin.–Black and blue. Itching, burning, eruption of small pimples. Crops of small boils (Ichthyol; Silica). Ecchymosis. Bed sores (Bovinine locally). Acne indurata, characterized by symmetry in distribution.

    Sleep.–Sleepless and restless when over tired. Comatose drowsiness; awakens with hot head; dreams of death, mutilated bodies, anxious and terrible. Horrors in the night. Involuntary stools during sleep.

    Fever.–Febrile symptoms closely related to typhoid. Shivering over whole body. Heat and redness of head, with coolness of rest of body. Internal heat; feet and hands cold. Nightly sour sweats.

    Modalities.–Worse, least touch; motion; rest; wine; damp cold. Better, lying down, or with head low.

    Relationship.–Antidotes: Camph.

    Vitex trifolia.–Indian Arnica (Sprains and pains, headache in temples, pain in joints; pain in abdomen; pain in testicles).

    Complementary: Acon; Ipec.

    Compare: Acon; Bapt; Bellis; Hamam; Rhus; Hyperic.

    Dose.–Third to thirtieth potency. Locally, the tincture, but should never be applied hot or at all when abrasions or cuts are present.

  • ARISTOLOCHIA MILHOMENS

    Brazilian Snake Root

    Stitching pains in various parts. Pain in heels, burning in anus and frequent irritation. Flatulence in stomach and abdomen. Pain in back and extremities. Stiffness of legs. Pain in tendo-Achillis. Itching and swelling around the malleoli.

    Relationship.–Compare: Aristolochia Serpentaria-Virginia Snake Root–(Symptoms of intestinal tract; colliquative diarrhœa, meteorism. Flatulent dyspepsia. Brain congestion. Distention and cutting pains in abdomen. Symptoms like those of Poison-Oak).

    Dose.–Lower potencies.

  • ARGENTUM NITRICUM

    Nitrate of Silver

    In this drug the neurotic effects are very marked, many brain and spinal symptoms presenting; themselves which give certain indications for its homeopathic employment. Symptoms of inco-ordination, loss of control and want of balance everywhere, mentally and physically; trembling in affected parts. Is an irritant of mucous membranes, producing violent inflammation of the throat, and a marked gastro-enteritis. Very characteristic is the great desire for sweets, the splinter-like pains, and free muco-purulent discharge in the inflamed and ulcerated mucous membranes. Sensation as if a part were expanding and other errors of perception are characteristic. Withered up and dried constitutions present a favorable field for its action, especially when associated with unusual or long continued mental exertion. Head symptoms often determine the choice of this remedy. Pains increase and decrease gradually. Flatulent state and prematurely aged look. Explosive belching especially in neurotics. Upper abdominal affections brought on by undue mental exertion. Paraplegia Myelitis and disseminated sclerosis of brain and cord. Intolerance of heat. Sensation of a sudden pinch (Dudgeon). Destroys red blood corpuscles, producing anæmia.

    Mind.–Thinks his understanding will and must fail. Fearful and nervous; impulse to jump out of window. Faintish and tremulous. Melancholic; apprehensive of serious disease. Time passes slowly (Cann ind). Memory weak. Errors of perception. Impulsive; wants to do things in a hurry (Lilium). Peculiar mental impulses. Fears and anxieties and hidden irrational motives for actions.

    Head.–Headache with coldness and trembling. Emotional disturbances cause appearance of hemi-cranial attacks. Sense of expansion. Brain-fag, with general debility and trembling. Headache from mental exertion, from dancing. Vertigo, with buzzing in ears and with nervous affections. Aching in frontal eminence, with enlarged feeling in corresponding eye. Boring pain; better on tight bandaging and pressure. Itching of scalp. Hemi-crania; bones of head feel as if separated.

    Eyes.–Inner canthi swollen and red. Spots before the vision. Blurred vision. Photophobia in warm room. Purulent ophthalmia. Great swelling of conjunctiva; discharge abundant and purulent. Chronic ulceration of margin of lids; sore, thick, swollen. Unable to keep eyes fixed steadily. Eye-strain from sewing; worse in warm room. Aching, tired feeling in eyes, better closing or pressing upon them. Useful in restoring power to the weakened ciliary muscles. Paretic condition of ciliary muscle. Acute granular conjunctivitis. Cornea opaque. Ulcer in cornea.

    Nose.–Loss of smell. Itching. Ulcers in septum. Coryza, with chilliness, lachrymation, and headache.

    Face.–Sunken, old, pale, and bluish. Old man’s look; tight drawing of skin over bones.

    Mouth.–Gums tender and bleed easily. Tongue has prominent papillæ; tip is red and painful. Pain in sound teeth. Taste coppery, like ink. Canker sores.

    Throat.–Much thick mucus in throat and mouth causes hawking. Raw, rough and sore. Sensation of a splinter in throat on swallowing. Dark redness of throat. Catarrh of smokers, with tickling as of hair in throat. Strangulated feeling.

    Stomach.–Belching accompanies most gastric ailments. Nausea, retching, vomiting of glairy mucus. Flatulence; painful swelling of pit. Painful spot over stomach that radiates to all parts of the abdomen. Gnawing ulcerating pain; burning and constriction. Ineffectual effort at eructation. Great craving for sweets. Gastritis of drunkards. Ulcerative pain in left side under ribs. Trembling and throbbing in stomach. Enormous distention. Ulceration of stomach, with radiating pain. Desire for cheese and salt.

    Abdomen.–Colic, with much flatulent distention. Stitchy ulcerative pain on left side of stomach, below short ribs.

    Stool.–Watery, noisy, flatulent; green, like chopped spinach, with shreddy mucus and enormous distention of abdomen; very offensive. Diarrhœa immediately after eating or drinking. Fluids go right through him; after sweets. After any emotion with flatulence. Itching of anus.

    Urine.–Urine passes unconsciously, day and night. Urethra inflamed, with pain, burning, itching; pain as from a splinter. Urine scanty and dark. Emission of a few drops after having finished. Divided stream. Early stage of gonorrhœa; profuse discharge and terrible cutting pains; bloody urine.

    Male.–Impotence. Erection fails when coition is attempted. Cancer-like ulcers. Desire wanting. Genitals shrivel. Coition painful.

    Female.–Gastralgia at beginning of menses. Intense spasm of chest muscles. Organs at night. Nervous erethism at change of life. Leucorrhœa profuse, with erosion of cervix bleeding easily. Uterine hæmorrhage, two weeks after menses; Painful affections of left ovary.

    Respiratory.–High notes cause cough. Chronic hoarseness. Suffocative cough, as if from a hair in throat. Dyspnœa. Chest feels as if a bar were around it. Palpitation, pulse irregular and intermittent; worse lying on right side; (Alumen). Painful spots in chest. Angina pectoris, nightly aggravation. Many people in a room seem to take away his breath.

    Back.–Much pain. Spine sensitive with nocturnal pains, (Oxal acid) paraplegia; posterior spinal sclerosis.

    Extremities.–Cannot walk with eyes closed. Trembling, with general debility. Paralysis, with mental and abdominal symptoms. Rigidity of calves. Debility in calves especially. Walks and stands unsteadily, especially when unobserved. Numbness of arms. Post-diphtheritic paralysis (after Gelsem).

    Skin.–Brown, tense, and hard. Drawing in skin, as from a spider-web, or dried albuminous substance, withered and dried up. Irregular blotches.

    Sleep.–Sleepless, from fancies before his imagination; horrible dreams of snakes, and of sexual gratification. Drowsy stupor.

    Fever.–Chills with nausea. Chilly when uncovered, yet feels smothered if wrapped up.

    Modalities.–Worse, warmth in any form; at night; from cold food; sweets; after eating; at menstrual period; from emotions, left sideBetter, from eructation; fresh air; cold; pressure.

    Relationship.–Antidote: Nat mur.

    Compare: Ars; Merc; Phos; Pulsat. Argent cyanatum (angina pectoris, asthma, spasm of œsophagus) Argent iodat (throat disorders, hoarseness, gland affected). Protargol (gonorrhœa after acute stage 2 per cent solution; syphilitic mucous patches, chancres and chancroids, 10 per cent solution applied twice a day; ophthalmia neonatorum, 2 drops of 10 per cent solution).

    Argent phosph (An excellent diuretic in dropsy).

    Argent oxyd (Chlorosis with menorrhagia and diarrhœa).

    Dose.–Third to thirtieth potency.

    Best form an aqueous solution 1 to 9, 2 or 3 drops doses. This solution in water preferable to lower triturations; unless fresh

  • ARGENTUM METALLICUM

    Silver

    Emaciation, a gradual drying up, desire for fresh air, dyspnœa, sensation of expansion and left-sided pains are characteristic. The chief action is centered on the articulations and their component elements, bones, cartilages, and ligament’s. Here the small blood vessels become closed up or withered and carious affections result. They come on insidiously, lingering, but progress. The larynx is also a special center for this drug.

    Mental.–Hurried feeling; time passes slowly; melancholy.

    Head.–Dull paroxysmal neuralgia over left side, gradually increasing and ceasing suddenly. Scalp very tender to touch. Vertigo, with intoxicated feeling, on looking at running water. Head feels empty, hollow. Eyelids red and thick. Exhausting coryza, with sneezing. Pain in facial bones. Pain between left eye and frontal eminence.

    Throat.–Raw, hawking, gray, jelly-like mucus, and throat sore on coughing. Profuse and easy morning expectoration.

    Respiratory.–Hoarseness Aphonia. Raw, sore feeling when coughing. Total loss of voice of professional singers. Larynx feels sore and raw. Easy expectoration, looking like boiled starch. Feeling of raw spot near supra sternal fossa. Worse from use of voice. Cough from laughing. Hectic fever at noon. On reading aloud, must hem and hawk. Great weakness of chest; worse left side. Alteration in timbre of voice. Pain in left lower ribs.

    Back.–Severe backache; must walk bent, with oppression of chest.

    Urine.–Diuresis. Urine profuse, turbid, sweet odor. Frequent urination. Polyuria.

    Extremities.–Rheumatic affections of joints, especially elbow and knee. Legs weak and trembling, worse descending stairs. Involuntary contractions of fingers, partial paralysis of forearm; writer’s cramp. Swelling of ankles.

    Male.–Crushed pain in testicles. Seminal emissions, without sexual excitement. Frequent micturation with burning.

    Female.–Ovaries feel too large. Bearing-down pain. Prolapse of womb. Eroded spongy cervix. Leucorrhœa foul, excoriating. Palliative in scirrhus of uterus. Pain in left ovary. Climateric hæmorrhage. Sore feeling; throughout abdomen; worse by jarring. Uterine disease with pain in joints and limbs.

    Modalities.–Worse from touch, toward noon. Better in open air; cough at night when lying down (opposite Hyoscy).

    Relationship.–Antidotes: Mercur; Puls.

    Compare: Selen; Alum; Platina; Stannum; Ampelopsis (Chronic hoarseness in scrofulous patients).

    Dose.–Sixth trituration and higher. Not too frequent repetition.