Category: Materia Materica

Phosphate of Magnesia
(MAGNESIA PHOSPHORICA)

The great anti-spasmodic remedy. Cramping of muscles with radiating pains. Neuralgic pains relieved by warmth. Especially suited to tired, languid, exhausted subjects. Indisposition for mental exertion. Goitre.

Mind.–Laments all the time about the pain. Inability to think clearly. Sleepless on account of indigestion.

Head.–Vertigo on moving, falls forward on closing eyes, better walking in open air. Aches after mental labor, with chilliness; always better warmth (Sil). Sensation as if contents were liquid, as if parts of brain were changing places, as of a cap on head.

Eyes.–Supraorbital pains; worse, right side; relieved by warmth applied externally. Increased lachrymation. Twitching of lids. Nystagmus strabismus, ptosis. Eyes hot, tired, vision blurred, colored lights before eyes.

Ears.–Severe neuralgic pain; worse behind right ear; worse, by going into cold air, and washing face and neck with cold water.

Mouth.–Toothache; better by heat and hot liquids. Ulceration of teeth, with swelling of glands of face, throat and neck and swelling of tongue. Complaints of teething children. Spasms without febrile symptoms.

Throat.–Soreness and stiffness, especially right side; parts seem puffy, with chilliness, and aching all over.

Stomach.– Hiccough, with retching day and night. Thirst for very cold drinks.

Abdomen.–Enteralgia, relieved by pressure. Flatulent colic, forcing patient to bend double; relieved by rubbing, warmth, pressure; accompanied with belching of gas, which gives no relief. Bloated, full sensation in abdomen; must loosen clothing, walk about and constantly pass flatus. Constipation in rheumatic subjects due to flatulence and indigestion.

Female.–Menstrual colic. Membranous dysmenorrhœa. Menses too early, dark, stringy. Swelling of external parts. Ovarian neuralgia. Vaginismus.

Respiratory.–Asthmatic oppression of chest. Dry, tickling cough. Spasmodic cough, with difficulty in lying down. Whooping-cough (Corall). Voice hoarse, larynx sore and raw. Intercostal neuralgia.

Heart.–Angina pectoris. Nervous spasmodic palpitation. Constricting pains around heart.

Fever.–Chilliness after dinner, in evening. Chills run up and down the back, with shivering, followed by a suffocating sensation.

Extremities.–Involuntary shaking of hands. Paralysis agitans. Cramps in calves. Sciatica; feet very tender. Darting pains. Twitchings. Chorea. Writers’ and players’ cramp. Tetanic spasms. Weakness in arms and hands, finger-tips stiff and numb. General muscular weakness.

Modalities.–Worse, right side, cold, touch, night. Better, warmth, bending double, pressure, friction.

Relationship.–Compare: Kali phos; Colocy; Silica; Zinc; Diosc.

Antidotes: Bell; Gels; Lach.

Dose.–First to twelfth potency. Sometimes the highest potencies are preferable. Acts especially well, given in hot water.

Magnolia

Rheumatism and cardiac lesions are prominent features in toe symptomatology of this drug. Stiffness and soreness. Alternating pains between spleen and heart. Patient tired and stiff. Soreness when quiet. Erratic shifting of pains.

Heart.–Oppression of chest with inability to expand the lungs. Feeling of a large bolus of food which distressed the stomach. Suffocated feeling when walking fast or lying on left side. Dyspnœa. Crampy pain in heart. Angina pectoris. Endocarditis and pericarditis. Tendency to faint. Sensation as if heart had stopped beating. Pains around heart accompanied by itching of the feet.

Extremities.–Stiffness and sharp erratic pains; worse in joints. Feet itch. Numbness in left arm. Rheumatic pain in clavicles. Shooting in all limbs.

Modalities.–Worse, damp air, lying on left side; in morning on first rising. Better, dry weather, motion; intermenstrual flow (Ham; Bovista; Bell; Elaps).

Relationship.–Compare: Rhus; Dulcam; Aurum

Dose.–Third potency.

Muriate of Magnesia
(MAGNESIA MURIATICA)

A liver remedy with pronounced characteristic constipation. Chronic liver affections with tenderness and pain, extending to spine and epigastrium, worse after food. Especially adapted to diseases of women, with a long history of indigestion and uterine disease; children who cannot digest milk. Evil effects of sea bathing.

Head.–Sensitive to noise; bursting headache; worse, motion, open air; better, pressure, and wrapping up warmly (Sil; Stront). Much sweating of head (Calc, Sil). Facial neuralgia pains, dull, aching, worse damp weather, slightest draft, better pressure heat.

Nose.–Nostrils ulcerated, Coryza. Nose stopped and fluent. Loss of smell and taste, following catarrh. Cannot lie down. Must breathe through mouth.

Mouth.–Blisters on lips. Gums swollen, bleed easily. Tongue feels burnt and scalded. Throat dry, with hoarseness.

Stomach.–Appetite poor, had taste in mouth. Eructations like rotten eggs. Continued rising of while froth into mouth Cannot digest milk. Urine can be passed only by pressing abdominal muscles.

Abdomen.–Pressing pain in liver; worse lying on right side. Liver enlarged with bloating of abdomen; yellow tongue. Congenital scrotal hernia. Must use abdominal muscles to enable him to urinate.

Urine.–Urine difficult to void. Bladder can only be emptied by straining and pressure.

Bowels.–Constipation of infants during dentition; only passing small quantity; stools knotty, like sheep’s dung, crumbling at verge of anus. Painful smarting hæmorrhoids.

Female.–Menses black, clotted. Pain in back and thighs. Metrorrhagia; worse at night. Great excitement at every period. Leucorrhœa with every stool and after exercise. Tinea ciliaris, eruptions in face and forehead worse before menses.

Heart.–Palpitation and cardiac pain while sitting; better by moving about (Gels). Functional cardiac affections with liver enlargement.

Respiration.–Spasmodic dry cough; worse forepart of night, with burning and sore chest.

Extremities.–Pain in back and hips; in arms and legs. Arms “Go to sleep” when waking in morning.

Sleep.–Sleep during day; restless at night on account of heat and shock: anxious dreams.

Modalities.–Worse, immediately after eating, lying on right side: from sea bathing. Better, from pressure, motion: open air, except headache.

Relationship.–Antidotes: Camph; Cham.

Compare: Nat m; Puls; Sep; Amm m; Nasturtium equaticum -Water-cress–(useful in scorbutic affections and constipation, related to strictures of urinary apparatus; supposed to be aphrodisiacal in its action. Is also antidotal to tobacco narcosis and sedative in neurotic affections, neurasthenia, hysteria. Cirrhosis of liver and dropsy).

Dose.–5 drops of tincture. Third to 200th potency.

Carbonate of Magnesia
(MAGNESIA CARBONICA)

Gastro-intestinal catarrh, with marked acidity. Often used with advantage for complains arising in people who have been taking this drug to sweeten the stomach. Is frequently indicated in children; whole body smells sour, and disposed to boils. Broken-down, “worn-out” women, with uterine and climacteric disorders. With numbness and distension in various, parts and nerve prostration. Sensitive to the least start, noise, touch, etc. Affection of the antrum of Highmore. Effects of shock, blows, mental distress. Sense of numbness; nerve prostration; tendency to constipation after nervous strain; sensitive to least touch, it causes starting, or cold winds or weather or from excess of care and worry with constipation and heaviness. Intense neuralgic pains.

Head.–Sticking pain in the side of the head on which he lies, as if the hair was pulled; worse, mental exertion. Itching of scalp worse in damp weather. Pain above margin of right orbit. Blank motes before eyes.

Ears.–Diminished hearing. Deafness; comes suddenly and varies. Numbness of outer ear. Feeling of distention of middle ear. Subdued tinnitus.

Face.–Tearing pain in one side; worse; quiet; must move about. Toothache, especially during pregnancy; worse at night; worse, cold and quiet. Teeth feel too long. Ailments from cutting wisdom teeth (Cheiranthus). Pain in malar bone, worse during rest, night. Swelling of malar bone with pulsating pain, worse exposure to cold wind.

Mouth.–Dry at night. Sour taste. Vesicular eruption; bloody saliva. Sticking pain in throat; hawking up fetid, pea-colored particles.

Stomach.–Desire for fruit, acids, and vegetables. Eructations sour, and vomiting of bitter water. Craving for meat.

Abdomen.–Rumbling, gurgling. Dragging towards pelvis. Very heavy; contractive, pinching, pain in right illiac region.

Stool.–Preceded by griping, colicky pain. Green, watery, frothy, like a frog-pond’s scum. Bloody mucous stools. Milk passes undigested in nursing children. Sour, with tenesmus (Rheum). Constipation after mental shock or severe nervous strain.

Female.–Sore throat before menses appear. Before menses, coryza and nasal stoppage. Menses too late and scanty, thick, dark, like pitch; mucous leucorrhœa. Menses flow only in sleep; more profuse at night (Amm m), or when lying down; cease when walking.

Respiratory.–Ticking cough, with salty, bloody expectoration. Constrictive pains in chest, with dyspnœa. Soreness in chest during motion.

Extremities.–Tearing in shoulders as if dislocated. Right shoulder painful, cannot raise it (Sang). Whole body feels tired and painful, especially legs and feet. Swelling in bend of knee.

Skin.–Earthy, sallow and parchment-like; emaciation. Itching vesicles on hands and fingers. Nodosities under skin. Sore; sensitive to cold.

Fever.–Chilly in evening. Fever at night. Sour, greasy perspiration.

Sleep.–Unrefreshing; more tired on rising than on retiring.

Modalities.–Worse, warmth of bed; change of temperature; cold wind or weather; every three weeks; rest. Better, warm air; walking in open air.

Relationship.–Antidotes: Ars; Merc.

Complementary: Cham.

Compare: Rheum; Kreos; Aloes; Cheiranthus-Wall flower –(deafness, otorrhœa, nose stopped up at night from irritation of cutting wisdom-teeth).

Dose.–Third to thirtieth potency.

Lyssin-Saliva of Rabid Dog
(HYDROPHOBINUM)

Affects principally the nervous system; aching in bones. Complaints from abnormal sexual desire. Convulsions brought on by dazzling light or sight of running water.

Head.–Lyssophobia; fear of becoming mad. Emotion and bad news aggravate; also, thinking of fluids. Hypersensitiveness of all senses. Chronic headache. Boring pain in forehead.

Mouth.–Constant spitting; saliva tough, viscid. Sore throat; constant desire to swallow, which is difficult; gagging when swallowing water. Froths at mouth.

Male.–Lascivious; priapism, with frequent emissions. No emission during coition. Atrophy of testicles. Complaints from abnormal sexual desire.

Female.–Uterine sensitiveness; conscious of womb (Helon). Feels prolapsed. Vagina sensitive, rendering coition painful (Berberis). Uterine displacements.

Respiratory.–Voice altered in tone. Breathing held for a time. Spasmodic contraction of respiratory muscles.

Stool.–Desire for stool on hearing or seeing running water. Profuse, watery stools, with pain in bowels; worse, evening. Constant desire to urinate on seeing running water.

Modalities.–Worse, sight or sound of running water or pouring water, or even thinking of fluids; dazzling or reflected light; heat of sun; stooping.

Relationship.–Compare: Xanthium spinosum-Cockle–(said to be specific for hydrophobia and is recommended for chronic cystitis in women). Canth; Bell; Stram; Lach; Nat mur.

Dose.–Thirtieth potency.

Bugle-weed

Lower the blood pressure, reduces the rate of the heart and increases the length of systole to a great degree. Passive hæmorrhages (Adrenaline 6x).

A heart remedy, and of use in exophthalmic goitre and hæmorrhoidal bleeding. Indicated in diseases with tumultuous action of the heart and more or less pain. Hæmoptysis due to valvular heart disease. Beneficial in toxic goitre used in the pre-operative stage dose, 5 drops of tincture (Beebe).

Head.–Frontal headache; worse, frontal eminences; often succeeded by labored heart. Nosebleed.

Eyes.–Protrusion, pressing, outward, with tumultuous action of heart. Supraorbital pain, with aching in testicles.

Mouth.–Toothache in lower molars.

Heart.–Rapid heart action of smokers. Præcordial pain; constriction, tenderness, pulse, weak, irregular, intermittent, tremulous, rapid. Cyanosis. Heart’s action tumultuous and forcible. Palpitation from nervous irritation, with oppression around heart. Rheumatoid, flying pains, associated with heart disease. Cardiac asthma (Sumbul).

Respiratory.–Wheezing. Cough, with hæmoptysis, bleeding small but frequent.

Urine.–Profuse flow of limpid, watery urine, especially when the heart is most irritable; also scanty urine. Bladder feels distended when empty. Diabetes. Pain in testicles.

Rectum.–Bleeding from rectum. Hæmorrhoids.

Sleep.–Wakefulness and morbid vigilance with inordinately active, but weak circulation.

Relationship.–Compare: Ephedra-Teamsters Tea–(in exophthalmic goitre; eyes feel pushed out with tumultuous action of heart); Fucus; Spartein; Cratægus. Adrenaline 6x.

Dose.–First to thirtieth potency.

Tomato
(SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM)

Marked symptoms of rheumatism and influenza. Severe aching pains all over body. Pains left after influenza. Head always shows signs of acute congestion. Hay-fever, with marked aggravation from breathing the least dust. Frequent urination and profuse watery diarrhśa.

Head.–Bursting pain, beginning in occiput and spreading all over. Whole head and scalp feels sore, bruised, after pain has ceased.

Eyes.–Dull, heavy; pupils contracted; eyeballs feel contracted; aching in and around eyes. Eyes suffused.

Nose.–Profuse, watery coryza; drops down throat. Itching in anterior chamber; worse, breathing any dust; better, indoors.

Heart.–Decided decrease in pulse rate with anxiety and apprehensiveness.

Respiratory.–Voice husky. Pain in chest, extending to head. Hoarseness; constant desire to clear throat. Expulsive cough, deep and harsh. Chest oppressed; dry, hacking cough coming on at night and keeping one awake.

Urine.–Constant dribbling in open air. Must rise at night to urinate.

Extremities.–Aching through back. Dull pain in lumbar region. Sharp pain in right deltoid and pectoralis muscles. Pain deep in middle of right arm. Rheumatic pain in right elbow and wrist, and hands of both sides. Intense aching in lower limbs. Right crural neuralgia. Tingling along right ulnar nerve.

Modalities.–Worse, right side, open air, continued motion, jars, noises. Better, warm room, tobacco.

Relationship.–Compare: Bellad (follows well); Eup perf; Rhus; Sanguin; Caps.

Dose.–Third to thirtieth potency.

Club Moss
(LYCOPODIUM)

This drug is inert until the spores are crushed. Its wonderful medicinal properties are only disclosed by trituration and succussion.

In nearly all cases where Lycopodium is the remedy, some evidence of urinary or digestive disturbance will be found. Corresponds to Grauvogle’s carbo-nitrogenoid constitution, the non-eliminative lithæmic. Lycopodium is adapted more especially to ailments gradually developing, functional power weakening, with failures of the digestive powers, where the function of the liver is seriously disturbed. Atony. Malnutrition. Mild temperaments of lymphatic constitution, with catarrhal tendencies; older persons, where the skin shows yellowish spots, earthy complexion, uric acid diathesis, etc; also precocious, weakly children. Symptoms characteristically run from right to left, acts especially on right side of body, and are worse from about 4 to 8 pm. In kidney affections, red sand in urine, backache, in renal region; worse before urination. Intolerant of cold drinks; craves everything warm. Best adapted to persons intellectually keen, but of weak, muscular power. Deep-seated, progressive, chronic diseases. Carcinoma. Emaciation. Debility in morning. Marked regulating influence upon the glandular (sebaceous) secretions. Pre-senility. Ascites, in liver disease. Lycop patient is thin, withered, full of gas and dry. Lacks vital heat; has poor circulation, cold extremities. Pains come and go suddenly. Sensitive to noise and odors.

Mind.–Melancholy; afraid to be alone. Little things annoy, Extremely sensitive. Averse to undertaking new things. Head strong and haughty when sick. Loss of self-confidence. Hurried when eating. Constant fear of breaking down under stress. Apprehensive. Weak memory, confused thoughts; spells or writes wrong words and syllables. Failing brain-power (Anac; Phos; Baryt). Cannot bear to see anything new. Cannot read what he writes. Sadness in morning on awaking.

Head.–Shakes head without apparent cause. Twists face and mouth. Pressing headache on vertex; worse from 4 to 8 pm, and from lying down or stooping, if not eating regularly (Cact). Throbbing headache after every paroxysm of coughing. Headaches over eyes in severe colds; better, uncovering (Sulph). Vertigo in morning on rising. Pain in temples, as if they were screwed toward each other. Tearing pain in occiput; better, fresh air. Great falling out of hair. Eczema; moist oozing behind ears. Deep furrows on forehead. Premature baldness and gray hair.

Eyes.–Styes on lids near internal canthus. Day-blindness (Bothrops). Night-blindness more characteristic. Sees only one-half of an object. Ulceration and redness of lids. Eyes half open during sleep.

Ears.–Thick, yellow, offensive discharge. Eczema about and behind ears. Otorrhœa and deafness with or without tinnitus; after scarlatina. Humming and roaring with hardness of hearing; every noise causes peculiar echo in ear.

Nose.–Sense of smell very acute. Feeling of dryness posteriorly. Scanty excoriating, discharge anteriorly. Ulcerated nostrils. Crusts and elastic plugs (Kal b; Teuc). Fluent coryza. Nose stopped up. Snuffles; child starts from sleep rubbing nose. Fan-like motion of aloe nasi (Kali brom; Phos).

Face.–Grayish-yellow color of face, with blue circles around eyes. Withered, shriveled, and emaciated; copper-colored eruption. Dropping of lower jaw, in typhoid fever (Lach; Opium). Itching; scaly herpes in face and corner of mouth.

Mouth.–Teeth excessively painful to touch. Toothache, with swelling of cheeks; relieved by warm application. Dryness of mouth and tongue, without thirst. Tongue dry, black, cracked, swollen; oscillates to and fro. Mouth waters. Blisters on tongue. Bad odor from mouth.

Throat.–Dryness of throat, without thirst. Food and drink regurgitates through nose. Inflammation of throat, with stitches on swallowing; better, warm drinks. Swelling and suppuration of tonsils. Ulceration of tonsils, beginning on right side. Diphtheria; deposits spread from right to left; worse, cold drinks. Ulceration of vocal bands. Tubercular laryngitis, especially when ulceration commences.

Stomach.–Dyspepsia due to farinaceous and fermentable food, cabbage, beans, etc. Excessive hunger. Aversion to bread, etc. Desire for sweet things. Food tastes sour. Sour eructations. Great weakness of digestion. Bulimia, with much bloating. After eating, pressure in stomach, with bitter taste in mouth. Eating ever so little creates fullness. Cannot eat oysters. Rolling of flatulence (Chin; Carb). Wakes at night feeling hungry. Hiccough. Incomplete burning eructations rise only to pharynx there burn for hours. Likes to take food and drink hot. Sinking sensation; worse night.

Abdomen.–Immediately after a light meal, abdomen is bloated, full. Constant sense of fermentation in abdomen, like yeast working; upper left side. Hernia, right side. Liver sensitive. Brown spots on abdomen. Dropsy, due to hepatic disease. Hepatitis, atrophic from of nutmeg liver. Pain shooting across lower abdomen from right to left.

Stool.–Diarrhœa. Inactive intestinal canal. Ineffectual urging. Stool hard, difficult, small, incomplete. Hæmorrhoids; very painful to touch, aching (Mur ac).

Urine.–Pain in back before urinating; ceases after flow; slow in coming, must strain. Retention. Polyuria during the night. Heavy red sediment. Child cries before urinating (Bor).

Male.–No erectile power; impotence. Premature emission (Calad; Sel; Agn). Enlarge prostate. Condylomata.

Female.–Menses too late; last too long, too profuse. Vagina dry. Coition painful. Right ovarian pain. Varicose veins of pudenda. Leucorrhœa, acrid, with burning in vagina. Discharge of blood from genitals during stool.

Respiratory.–Tickling cough. Dyspnœa. Tensive, constrictive, burning pain in chest. Cough worse going down hill. Cough deep, hollow. Expectorations gray, thick, bloody, purulent, salty (Ars; Phos; Puls). Night cough, tickling as from Sulphur fumes. Catarrh of the chest in infants, seems full of mucus rattling. Neglected pneumonia, with great dyspnœa, flaying of alæ nasæ and presence of mucous rales.

Heart.–Aneurism (Baryta carb). Aortic disease. Palpitation at night. Cannot lie on left side.

Back.–Burning between scapulæ as of hot coals. Pain in small of back.

Extremities.–Numbness, also drawing and tearing in limbs, especially while at rest or at night. Heaviness of arms. Tearing in shoulder and elbow joints. One foot hot, the other cold. Chronic gout, with chalky deposits in joints. Profuse sweat of the feet. Pain in heel on treading as from a pebble. Painful callosities on soles; toes and fingers contracted. Sciatica, worse right side. Cannot lie on painful side. Hands and feet numb. Right foot hot, left cold. Cramps in calves and toes at night in bed. Limbs go to sleep. Twitching and jerking.

Fever.–Chill between 3 and 4 pm, followed by sweat. Icy coldness. Feels as if lying on ice. One chill is followed by another (Calc; Sil; Hep).

Sleep.–Drowsy during day. Starting in sleep. Dreams of accidents.

Skin.–Ulcerates. Abscesses beneath skin; worse warm applications. Hives; worse, warmth. Violent itching; fissured eruptions. Acne. Chronic eczema associated with urinary, gastric and hepatic disorders; bleeds easily. Skin becomes thick and indurated. Varicose veins, nævi, erectile tumors. Brown spots, freckles worse on left side of face and nose. Dry, shrunken, especially palms; hair becomes prematurely gray. Dropsies. Offensive secretions; viscid and offensive perspiration, especially of feet and axilla. Psoriasis.

Modalities.–Worse, right side, from right to left, from above downward, 4 to 8 pm; from heat or warm room, hot air, bed. Warm applications, except throat and stomach which are better from warm drinks. Better, by motion, after midnight, from warm food and drink, on getting cold, from being uncovered.

Relationship.–Complementary: Lycop acts with special benefit after Calcar and Sulphur. Iod; Graphites, Lach; Chelidon.

Antidotes: Camph; Puls; Caust.

Compare: Carbo-Nitrogenoid Constitution: Sulphur; Rhus; Urtica; Mercur; Hepar. Alumina (Lycop is the only vegetable that takes up aluminum. T. F. Allen) Ant c; Nat m; Ery; Nux; Bothrops (day-blindness; can scarcely see after sunrise; pain in right great toe). Plumbago littoralis-A Brazilian plant–(Costive with red urine, pain in kidneys and joints and body generally; milky saliva, ulcerated mouth). Hydrast follows Lycop in indigestion.

Dose.–Both the lower and the highest potencies are credited with excellent result. For purposes of aiding elimination the second and third attenuation of the Tincture, a few drops, 3 times a day, have proved efficacious, otherwise the 6th to 200th potency, and higher, in not too frequent doses.

Hops

Is a good remedy in unstrung conditions of the nervous system attended with nausea, dizziness, headache following a night’s debauch. Infantile jaundice, Urethral burning. Drawing and twitching in almost every muscle. Nervous tremors; wakefulness and delirium of drunkards. Giddiness and stupefaction. Slow pulse. Perspiration profuse, clammy, greasy.

Head.–Morbid vigilance. Highly excited. Dull, heavy headache with dizziness. Drawing and twitching in every muscle.

Sleep.–Drowsy during the day. Sopor.

Male.–Painful erections. Emissions, depending on sexual weakness and after organism. Spermatorrhœa.

Skin.–Scarlatina-like eruption on face. Feels like insects crawling under skin; feels chapped, skin peels.

Relationship.–Antidotes: Coffea; Vinegar.

Compare: Nux; Urtica; Cannab.

Dose.–Tincture, to third potency. Lupulin 1X trit (Best in seminal emissions. Locally in painful cancers).

Fly-woodbine

Convulsive symptoms. Uræmic convulsions. Albuminuria. Syphilis.

Head.–Congestion of head and chest; coma. Contraction of one pupil and dilatation of the other. Sopor, eyes half open red face.

Extremities.–Jerking of limbs. Trembling of whole body. Violent convulsions. Limbs and head fall over as if paralyzed. Extremities cold. Cold perspiration.

Relationship.–Compare: Lonicera pericylmenum-Honeysuckle –(irritability of temper, with violent outburst (Crocus)).

Dose.–Third to sixth potency.