Kreosotum – Creosote

The attenuations are prepared from Creosote, a mixture of Guaiacol, Cresol and Cresolene obtained by distillation of beechwood tar.

Creosote was formerly used allopathically as an anti-tubercular, antiseptic and styptic, and especially in dyspepsia. In dentistry creosote used to serve as an additive to arsenic paste for the devitalisation of dental pulp.

Creosote is a carcinogen, and has similar effects to those of pure phenol (Car- bolicum Acidum). It has an excoriating action on the skin and causes white patches on the oral mucosa and the tongue, followed by deeper destruction of the tissue. Considering the highly toxic and carcinogenic properties, significant curative action is to be expected of it by Reversal effect.

Excoriating, foetid and burning discharges are characteristic, as are haemorrhages and ulcers. A rapid decomposition of fluids and secretions follows, and also gan- grene. Further indications include post-menopausal complaints, pains in gangrenous (severely carious) teeth and inflamed gums. Stauffer emphasizes as a leading symp- tom itching and burning in the parts, also profuse passive haemorrhages and vomit- ing of undigested, sour contents of the stomach, 3–4 hours after eating.

There is a tendency towards skin eruptions on the extensor sides of the limbs, and aggravation from rest and cold. The mood is desperate and despondent, with longing for death. There is often wasting, especially in children, with diarrhoea, vomiting, urging to urinate, sickly appearance, emaciation of the face with yellowish com- plexion, and a tendency towards ulceration with foetid secretions. Typical is the heavy bleeding from small wounds, haemorrhage being possible from any organ, and there is often severe halitosis.

There are also neuralgias, particularly of the sciatic nerve, primarily accompany- ing diabetes or albuminuria. Trigeminal neuralgias may proceed from carious teeth. The eyelids are also inflamed, with conjunctivitis, and severe reddening and swelling. There may be pustular eczema with scurf on the extensor sides of the limbs, and possibly also Meibomian cysts and styes, burning, itching, moist eczema of the ears, and maybe also chronic otitis media and tinnitus.

Throughout the whole symptom-picture of Kreosotum there runs a sickness of a wide variety of mucosa, so that profuse and loathsome discharges with ulceration and severely depleted vital energy are typical. This is particularly the case with the female genitalia, where there is putrid-smelling, acrid, excoriating discharge, stain- ing the underwear yellow. The itching and burning of the vulva is not relieved by scratching, but rather this leads to inflammation with a strong tendency to bleeding, also with the lochia. Nash refers to violent burning in the pelvis, as if from glowing coals, with lumps of putrid-smelling blood being passed, e.g. in puerperal sepsis.

The menses arrive too early and last too long, are dark and (especially at the menopause) have a foetid odour; they are intermittent and possibly linked with itch- ing and burning afterwards, not relieved by scratching. There is a typical symptom of post-coital bleeding, which is frequently an indication of ulceration or carcinoma of the cervix and uterus.

There may also be mammary tumours, which are bluish-red and scrufy. Kreoso- tum may well be of use in hyperemesis gravidarum, and generally in persistent vom- iting, especially when there is also diarrhoea with stools smelling like carrion. This is frequently found in teething children, the gums being painful, swollen, dark red and blue, and the teeth in many cases already destroyed as soon as they have erupt- ed.

Nash refers to the reliable urinary symptoms of Kreosotum:

1. Profuse, pale urine.
2. Sudden violent urging (cf. Petroselinum).
3. The child wets the bed during first sleep, which is very deep, so that he hardly wakes.
4. Can only urinate while lying down. (cf. Zincum Metallicum – only when sitting bent backwards.)

Nash sees as the most important symptoms: bad teeth and diseased gums; foetid, acrid discharges; great debility and haemorrhagic tendency.

The Kreosotum picture is rounded off by chronic nasal conditions with acrid dis- charge, ulcers and epistaxis, plus protracted catarrhs of the lungs, tuberculosis with cachexia, weakness, bronchiectasis and gangrene of the lungs; also by chronic gastro intestinal conditions, possibly haematemesis and distension, also with peri-anal in- flammations and burning pains and heavily bleeding haemorrhoids with internal burning and itching.

Boericke mentioned Arsenicum Album, Phosphorus and Sulphur as complemen- tary remedies in malignant illnesses, whilst Carbo Vegetabilis and Carbo Animalis are said to be inimical, at least in the same potency.

If we sum up the symptoms of Kreosotum, we have the following typical remedy- picture:

1. Widely varying mucosal conditions, with offensive, acrid, excoriating discharges, staining the underclothing yellow, (leucorrhoea, conjunctivitis). Chronic bronchi- tis. Pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchiectasis. Burning pains in the larynx with spasmodic cough. Chronic gastritis with gastric haemorrhages. Vomiting of brown masses. Cholera infantum.
2. Spongy gums and carious teeth, neuralgias proceeding from them. Burning toothache with deep caries, black patches on the teeth and foetid discharges.
3. Pruritus and eczema on the extensor sides of limbs with violent burning pains and small pustules forming crusts; oozing, with continual compulsion to scratch, and aggravated at night in the warmth of the bed.
4. Hyperemesis gravidarum and puerperal fever with foul-smelling, black lochia and retained placenta.
5. Diabetes mellitus (and possibly albuminuria) with sudden violent urging to uri- nate, nocturnal enuresis (in first sleep), foul-smelling urine. Hypertrophy of the prostate gland.
6. General haemorrhagic tendency from skin and mucosa. Bloody discharge and post-coital bleeding. Carcinoma of the uterus.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Kreosotum, published the fol- lowing indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for kreosotum: inflammations of the skin, the mucosae, the respiratory passages, and the urinary and reproductive organs; tendency to haemorrhage; behavioural distur- bance among children; age-related diseases.