Medorrhinum (Gonococcinum) – Nosode of Gonorrhoea

The attenuations of this nosode are prepared from the purulent urethral secretion of men suffering from gonorrhoea.

This nosode, prepared from purulent gonorrhoeal discharge, has been proving its worth for decades. (First published by Hering in 1891).

The picture of Medorrhinum presents several typical symptoms, which make it well indicated in the hydrogenoid constitution, in sycotic states, in skin diseases (es- pecially when they alternate with asthma), and in infectious, chronic, protracted ill- nesses (impregnation phases). Medorrhinum is also indicated as a constitutional remedy in vaccinosis, migraines, cancer (according to Julian in alternation with Thuja, Natrum Sulphuricum and Vaccininum), and especially also in chronic rheumatism, and in certain characteristic emotional disorders.

The Medorrhinum patient is weak, irritable and suffers from restlessness of the legs and feet, cannot sit still, is always moving hastily and is very sensitive to draughts and cold. He feels better when near the sea, especially with regard to his stiff joints, and a great restlessness torments him especially at night; although he is sleepy he cannot get to sleep until it is nearly morning.

His mood changes from one of the deepest sorrow and premonition of death to joyfulness. He becomes excited about trifles, complains of neuralgic, rheumatic headaches, especially in the occiput with heaviness and pressure on the vertex, the headache being aggravated by coughing. There is also violent itching of the scalp and severe dandruff.

This violent, incessant itching of the skin is typical, especially on the back and in the genital area; there may also be coppery red patches, becoming yellow to brown, and fading to leave clear skin behind, though a strong yellowing of the skin may also occur. Pedunculated warts occur like little mushrooms on various parts of the body. Chronic sinusitis with violent itching, or loss of sense of smell and swelling of the nose with obstruction of the posterior nares may be present. Medorrhinum can also have a beneficial action on hoarseness, loss of voice, stabbing pains in the lungs and incessant dry nocturnal cough, especially when there is a tickling underneath the sternum and painful coughing, as if the larynx would burst, there being copious mu-

coid sputum mixed with blood.

Whilst the Medorrhinum patient is better towards the evening, so that he is notably cheerful at night, (cf. Nux Vomica), all the nervousness returns in the mornings on waking.

There are also typical heart symptoms after the slightest exertion, with palpitations and fluttering, with pains radiating out from the heart which are aggravated by the slightest movement.

In the digestive organs too there is typically a metallic taste in the mouth, worse in the mornings, and with ulcerative stomatitis and dryness in the mouth, as if it were burnt, and a thick brown coating of the tongue.

There is a desire for salt, but also for sweet and sour things, with symptoms alter- nating. There may also be vomiting of clear mucus and frothy masses similar to cof- fee-grounds. There are biliary and liver complaints, dark-coloured stools and diar- rhoea, and likewise lumpy stools and extreme pruritus ani.

Rheumatoid complaints are also typical of Medorrhinum, burning pains the length of the spine, burning-hot hands and feet (cf. Sulphur and Sanguinaria), and a painful sensitivity of the heel and sole of the foot, also pains in the left hip and in the sacro- iliac joint, moving from the hips to the thighs. The acute rheumatism is aggravated on movement, whereas the chronic rheumatism is ameliorated by movement.

Pains of a neuralgic kind may suddenly occur and disappear again just as swiftly. There may also be deformity and stiffness of the finger-joints and even gonococcal arthritis.

In the genito-urinary area there may be renal colic with violent tenesmus and pos- sibly bed-wetting at night, also violent erections at night with burning pains in the urethra on urination, and heightened libido after the menses, which are offensive and profuse with dark, congealed blood. There is also a thin, acrid, excoriating vaginal discharge smelling of fish-brine, left-sided ophoritis, dysmenorrhoea, metrorrhagia, painful, sensitive breasts and especially genital warts.

A particularly typical symptom is the tendency to sleep on the abdomen, with the buttocks in the air and the head buried in the pillow, which is particularly common in infants.

In addition, extreme forgetfulness is characteristic of Medorrhinum, as indeed it is of Psorinum also, the forgetfulness being particularly for what has just been heard; this was pointed out particularly by Julian, (see “Homotoxin Journal” 7, 137–139 [1968]).

If the most important symptoms of Medorrhinum are summarised, the result is the following typical remedy-picture:

1. Hasty nature. Restlessness. Excessive nervousness and exhaustion, better at night, worse in the morning. Sensitivity to draughts. Pessimism. Emotional depression.
2. Frontal headache with sensation of constriction. Sleeplessness around midnight. Possible bed-wetting.
3. Extreme forgetfulness (for recent facts). Patient loses the thread of what he is say- ing.
4. Rhinitis and sinusitis with obstruction of the nose and anosmia. Painful, dry cough, worse at night. Glottal spasm and asthma, better by the seaside.
5. Desires stimulants and sweet things, as ice, beer and salt. Cramping stomach- pains. Constipation with stool which will not break off.
6. 6.   Renal colic. Cystitis and urethritis. Leucorrhoea. Genital pruritus. Female breast marbled and cold as ice, sensitive to touch.
7. Rheumatic complaints (monoarthritis). Gonococcal arthritis. Deformity of joints of fingers and hands. Burning heat and pains in hands and soles of feet. Sensitiv- ity of the heel. Pain in the hips. Neuralgic pains which come and go suddenly.
8. Damp, greasy, shining skin. Offensive sweat. Pedunculated warts. Pointed and broad condylomata. Chronic eczemas and skin diseases.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Medorrhinum-Nosode, pub- lished the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for medorrhinum: mucosal inflammations of the urinary and reproductive organs, the respiratory passages, and the gastrointestinal tract; rheumatism; abnor- mal behaviour; premature ageing.