Benzoic Acid. benz-ac.

Boger's Synoptic Key — Materia Medica

C. M. Boger · Boger's Synoptic Key — Materia Medica · A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica, 1915 — the Materia Medica half

Region

URINE: Kidneys. Bladder. JOINTS. Heart. Bowels. Left side.

Worse

Open air. Cold. Changing weather.

Better

Heat. Profuse urine.

General

Strong urinous odor of patient. Changing or gouty rheumatic pains, < at heart or alternating with urinary symptoms. Pains alternate with heart symptoms. Painful, gouty nodes. Hygromæ (Am-c.). Bunion. Meniere's disease (Sal-ac.).

Particulars

Salty vomitus. Copious, grayish stools; like soap-suds; of a pungent urinous odor; very foul; white. STRONG, HOT, DARK-BROWN URINE; foul, ammoniacal or odor of horse urine. Gravel. Hard, dry cough. Cracking joints; in knees. Profuse sweat, without relief; night sweats.

Related

Related: Calc-c.

Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica

H. C. Allen · Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Medi-T HTML text; edition not stated by the mirror (first edition 1898, Allen d. 1909)

Keynote

A gouty, rheumatic diathesis engrafted on a gonorrhoeal or sypilitic patient. Gouty concretions; arthritis vaga; affects all the joints, especially the knee, cracking on motion; nodosities (Berb., Lith., Lys.). Urine dark brown, and the urinous odor highly intensified. Enuresis nocturna of delicate children; dribbling urine of old men with enlarged prostrate; strong characteristic odor; excesses of uric acid. Catarrah of bladder after suppressed gonorrhea. Diarrhoea of children; white, very offensive, exhausting liquid stools, running "right through the diaper" (Pod.); urine offensive and of a deep red color. Cough: with expectoration of green mucus (Natr. s.); extreme weariness, lassitude. Pains tearing, stitching, in large joints of big toe; redness and swelling of joints; gout < at night.

Relations

Similar: to, Cop., Nitr., Fer., Thuja, especially in enuresis after Nitr. has failed; Berb., Lith. c., in arthiritic complaints. Useful after Colch. fails in gout; after abuse of Cop. in suppression of gonorrhoea. Incompatible: wine, which aggravates urinary gouty and rheumatic affections.

Key-Notes to the Materia Medica

Henry N. Guernsey · Key-Notes to the Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML text (Guernsey d. 1885; public domain)

General Characteristics

These are generally found in the urine, which is scanty, of a dark brown color, and the urinous odor being highly intensified. Care must be taken not to fall into error by a strong smell emanating from urine which has been kept covered for some time (or over night), or which has remained on sheets which have not been changed recently; it must have this characteristic smell when freshly voided, the color not of so much importance as the smell.

Nocturnal enuresis, with the above characteristic odor; sheets usually stained brown.

Rheumatism, quinsy, dropsy, diarrhœa, headache, menstrual difficulties, all when accompanied by this highly intensified odor of the urine.

Mental

Inclined to dwell on unpleasant subjects.

Head

Headache from taking cold in it; or early in morning.

Throat

Feeling as of a lump in pit of; as if food had lodged there.

Stool

Watery, white, or light colored; copious. Very offensive odor, strongly offensive urinous. In children; dentition.

Sleep

Awakens at 2 A.M., and can't sleep afterwards from internal heat and beating of temporal arteries.

Sides

Most of the symptoms appear on the left side, but may subsequently come on the right side. Pains about heart mostly, but suddenly change locality.

Joints

Cracking of the joints when moving.

Worse

Headache worse when at rest; toothache worse when lying down; eye and ear symptoms worse in the open air; on uncovering the head.

Better

From heat.

Seven Hundred Red Line Symptoms from Materia Medica

J. W. Hutchison · Seven Hundred Red Line Symptoms from Materia Medica · rewritten from Hering's and other materia medicas

Red line symptom

Urine highly coloured, and of an exceedingly strong. offensive, pungent odour.

Homœopathic Materia Medica

William Boericke · Homœopathic Materia Medica · 9th edition

Common name

Benzoic Acid

General

The most marked characteristic pertains to the odor and color of the urine. It has a marked action on metabolism. It produces and cures symptoms of a uric acid diathesis, with urine highly colored and very offensive, and gouty symptoms. Renal insufficiency. Child wants to be nursed in the arms, will not be laid down. Pains suddenly change their locality. Anti-sycotic. Gouty and asthmatic.

Mind

Prone to dwell on unpleasant things in the past. Omits words in writing. Depression.

Head

Vertigo inclination to fall sideways. Throbbing in temporal arteries, causes puffing around ears. Noises when swallowing. Ulceration of tongue. Swelling behind ears (Caps). Cold sweat on forehead. Pricking, puckered constriction of mouth, bluish and bleeding gums. Wens.

Nose

Itching of septum. Pain in nasal bones.

Face

Copper-colored spots. Red, with little blisters. Circumscribed redness of cheeks.

Stomach

Sweat while eating; pressure in stomach, sensation of a lump.

Abdomen

Cutting about navel. Stitching in liver region.

Rectum

Stitches and constricted feeling. Puckering constriction of rectum. Itching and watery elevations around anus.

Stool

Frothy, offensive, liquid, light-colored, like soapsuds, bowel movements, mostly windy.

Urine

Repulsive odor; changeable color; brown, acid. Enuresis; dribbling, offensive urine of old men. Excess of uric acid. Vesical catarrh from suppressed gonorrhœa. Cystitis.

Respiratory

Hoarse in morning. Asthmatic cough; worse at night; lying on right side. Chest very tender. Pain in region of heart. Expectoration, green mucus.

Back

Pressure on spinal column. Coldness in sacrum. Dull pain in region of kidneys; worse, wine.

Extremities

Joints crack on motion. Tearing with stitches. Pain in tendo Achillis. Rheumatic gout; nodes very painful. Gouty deposits. Ganglion; swelling of the wrist. Pain and swelling in knees. Bunion of great toe. Tearing pain in great toe.

Fever

Cold hands, feet, back, knees. Chilliness; cold sweat. Internal heat on awakening.

Skin

Red spots. Itching in spots.

Modalities

Worse, in open air; by uncovering.

Relationship

Useful after Colchic fails in gout; after Copavia in gonorrhœa.

Compare: Nitric acid; Ammon benz; Sabina; Tropoeolum.

Garden Nasturtium--(fetid urine).

Antidote: Copaiva.

Incompatible: Wine.

Dose

Third to sixth potency.

Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics

E. B. Nash · Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics · homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML text (Nash d. 1917; public domain)

Leaders

The grand central characteristic of this remedy is found in the urine, which is scanty, of a dark brown color (like French brandy), the urinous odor being highly intensified. This odor comes at the time of passing and remains afterward. One need not wait on a long-standing specimen to find it. It is found in connection with rheumatism, quinsy, dropsy, diarrhœa, headache and other diseases. Of course many other remedies have offensive urine, like Nitric acid urine offensive like horse urine, Berberis, but the deposit is turbid, Calcarea ostrearum, but the deposit is white. Benzoic acid often smells horribly, with no deposit at all. Both Benzoic acid and Berberis are great remedies for arthritic troubles with the urinary symptoms. Lycopodium and Lithium carb. also claim attention in this affection, the concomitants deciding the choice. I have seen wonderful relief from Benzoic acid in nephritic colic with the characteristic offensive urine. In dribbling of urine of old men with enlarged prostrate it has also done good service. The urine in the clothing scents the whole room. Menstrual difficulties and prolapsus uteri with the characteristic urinary symptoms are. also relieved by it. Heart troubles of rheumatic origin also. So we have a widely diversified list of diseases in which this remedy is the one, and all seem to be connected with this one strong characteristic symptom.

Text Book of Materia Medica

Adolph Lippe · Text Book of Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML text (Lippe d. 1888; public domain)

Mind and Disposition

Inclination to dwell on unpleasant subjects. While writing, he often omits words.

Head

Giddiness, especially in the afternoon, as if he would fall on his side. Pressure on the vertex, extending to the spine, -without pain, but with anxiety. Rheumatic pains in the head. Headache from a draft of air ; from uncovering the head ; in the morning, when awaking ; worse when at rest, returning periodically, and accompanied by pain the stomach, nausea, and cold hands. Cold perspiration on the head.

Face

Burning heat of one side of the face. Circumscribed redness on the cheeks. Copper-colored spots on the face. Cold perspiration of the face.

Tongue

The tongue is spongy on the surface, with deep cracks, and with spreading ulcers.

Throat

Sensation, as of a lump in the pit of the throat, as if some food had lodged there. Sensation of swelling or constriction in the throat. The throat symptoms are relieved by eating.

Stool and Anus

Watery, light-colored, very offensive stools, (in children) with unusually strong-smelling urine.

Urinary Organs

Soreness, or hot, burning pain in the (left) kidney. Frequent desire to urinate. Urine contains mucus and pus, (with enlargement of prostate gland). Urine of dark color, with unusually strong smell ; heavy, hot.

Chest

Long-continued, dry cough, after suppressed gonorrhœa. Pains in the region of the heart. Awakens every morning at 2 o'clock, with violent internal heat, and hard, beating pulse, compelling him to lie on the back, because the beating of the temporal arteries causes a humming in the ears, and prevents him from going to sleep. Awakens after midnight with violent palpitation of the heart, and hard beating of the temporal arteries.

Extremities

Tearing and stitches, especially in the right big toe, (gout).

Generalities

Great weakness, perspiration, and comatose condition. Trembling, with palpitation of the heart.

Sleep

Awakens with oppression of breathing, with palpitation of the heart, (after midnight), with heat and hard pulse.

Fever

Chilliness before the stool. Great internal heat when awaking. Perspiration while eating.

Conditions

The pains suddenly change their locality, but are mostly felt in the region of the heart. When moving, cracking of the joints. Aggravation of the headache, when at rest ; of the toothache, when lying ; of the eye and ear symptoms in the open air ; of the head symptoms, when uncovering one's self, and when in a draft of air. Amelioration of the face symptoms by heat. The most of the symptoms appear first on the left, and then on the right side.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

John Henry Clarke · A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · 1st edition (1900-02, three volumes); homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML digitization

General

Benzoic Acid. C 6 H 5 CO. OH. Obtained, by sublimation, from Gum benzoin; or artificially from several aromatic hydrocarbons. Tincture or trituration.

Clinical

Asthma. Bladder, affections of. Bunion . Cracks. Diarrhœa . Enuresis. Eye, tumours of. Ganglion . Gonorrhœa. Gout. Joints, affections of. Knee, pain in. Rheumatism . Sycosis. Throat, sore. Tongue, sore. Tonsils, enlarged. Ulcers. Urine, disorders of . Wens.

Characteristics

The leading note of Benzoic acid is the occurrence, as a concomitant of any morbid condition, of strong-smelling urine, generally also dark. Benzoic acid is a chilly medicine, the symptoms being < in open air; by uncovering; > by heat. Pains suddenly change their locality, but are mostly felt in region of heart. Joints crack when moving. Symptoms appear left side first, then right. Asthma has been cured by it, especially in rheumatic persons. Inflammation of bronchi and lungs, with great tenderness of chest, cough < night, lying on right side. Some of the chief symptoms are: Inclined to dwell on unpleasant subjects; if he saw any one deformed it made him shudder. Tongue spongy on surface with deep cracks and spreading ulcers. Sensation of lump (as of food) in pit of throat; of swelling and constriction. Throat symptoms are > by eating. Watery, light, very, offensive stools (in children), stools like soapsuds, with usually strong-smelling urine. Enuresis nocturna; urine dark, strong-smelling; heavy, hot; smelling like horse's urine. Shivering before stool. Long-continued, dry cough after suppressed gonorrhœa. Ganglion of wrist and bunion of great toe I have frequently cured with Benz. ac . In these cases an ointment (one ounce of the 3x to cetacean ointment one ounce) is a useful external adjunct. Tearing and stitches in great toe, especially right (gout). Swelling and pain of right knee. Gouty concretions. "Most of the symptoms appear on the left side, but may subsequently come on the right" (Guernsey). Motion < most symptoms, but headache is < at rest, and toothache is < lying down.

Relations

Compare: Copaiv., Fer., Zn., Nit. ac. (urine smelling like horse's); Tropæolum. Useful in gout after Colch.; after abuse of Copaiv. in suppression of gonorrhœa; in enuresis after failure of Nitrum. Incompatible: Wine, which < pains in kidneys, drawing in knees, &c.

Mind

Inclination to dwell on unpleasant subjects; if he saw any one deformed it made him shudder. ─ While writing he often omits words.

Head

Giddiness, esp. in the afternoon, is if he would fall sideways. ─ Pressure on the vertex, extending to the spine; without pain, but with anxiety. ─ Rheumatic pains in the head. ─ Headache from a draught of air; from taking cold in it; from uncovering the head; in the morning, when awaking; < when at rest; returning periodically, and accompanied by pain in the stomach, nausea, and cold hands. ─ Fearful pain in occiput or cerebellum. ─ Cold perspiration on the head.

Eyes

Distress in eyes as from want of sleep. ─ Throbbing in eyeballs. ─ Burning heat in lids.

Ears

Swelling behind ears, which seems to reach periosteum. ─ Sound as of confused voices in ears, < when swallowing, or walking in open air.

Nose

Seems to smell cabbage, dust, or something stinking. ─ Sense of smell diminished. ─ Epistaxis. ─ Sneezing with hoarseness. ─ Cold easily caught. ─ Pressure at root of nose. ─ Pain in bones of nose. ─ Itching of septum.

Face

Burning heat of one side of the face. ─ Circumscribed redness on the cheeks. ─ Copper-coloured spots on the face. ─ Cold perspiration of the face. ─ Trembling of lips. ─ Involuntary biting of lower lip at dinner. ─ Itching on chin.

Mouth

The tongue is spongy on the surface, with deep cracks, and with spreading ulcers. ─ Toothache (the oil or gum is a popular local application). ─ After-taste of food. ─ Acid mucus in mouth. ─ Taste of blood; bitter; flat; soapy (water); smoky (bread). ─ Ulcerated tumour l. side of mouth, on soft commissure of jaws, behind last molar. ─ Heat around mouth.

Throat

Sensation as of a lump in the pit of the throat, as if some food had lodged there. ─ Sensation of swelling or constriction in the throat. ─ The throat symptoms are relieved by eating. ─ Swallowing difficult, incomplete; with noise in ear; with soreness on back of tongue. ─ Heat in œsophagus. ─ Thyroid gland feels swollen. ─ Angina faucium and tonsillaris, with characteristic urine.

Stomach

Sweat while eating. ─ Hiccough. ─ Pressure in stomach and eructations. ─ Burning or warmth; pressure on stomach. ─ Weak digestion. ─ Sensation of lump in pit of throat, as if food had lodged there.

Abdomen

Sense of weakness in precordia. ─ Obstruction of the liver. ─ In liver region constant, fine, but violent stitching, midway in upper portion thereof. ─ Cutting about navel; > by stool.

Stool and Anus

Watery, light-coloured; copious; very offensive stools (in children), with unusually strong-smelling urine. ─ Frothy stool. ─ Stitching in rectum. ─ Sense of constriction at lower end of rectum. ─ Wart-like elevations round anus; with smarting soreness; strong-scented, high-coloured urine (after previous use of Copaiva for chancre.). ─ Formication at anus. ─ Diarrhœa of children during dentition.

Urinary Organs

Urine highly coloured; urinous odour exceedingly strong; offensive, pungent smell. ─ Soreness or hot, burning pain in the (l.) kidney. ─ A granular kind of mucus mixed with phosphates in the sediment; urine dark-reddish brown; sheets usually stained brown; acid reaction, or very offensive heavy hot; fleeting pains in bladder, not when urinating, but at other times vesical catarrh from suppressed gonorrhœa, calculi, or gout. ─ Urinous odour highly intensified; like horse's urine. ─ Nocturnal enuresis; with strong, dark urine.

Male Sexual Organs

Suppressed gonorrhœa; gleet; with offensive urine. ─ Painfulness of genitals; pressure; raw pain. ─ Smarting of frenum. ─ Thrilling l. side of glans, extending into urethra, causing starting. ─ Itching on glans; on sulcus behind corona.

Female Sexual Organs

Menses too early; or retarded. ─ Amenorrhœa. ─ Prolapsus uteri with fetid urine. ─ Weakness after menses. ─ Gastric derangements when ascending a height (in a pregnant woman). ─ Too long-lasting lochia.

Respiratory Organs

Long-continued dry cough, after suppressed gonorrhœa. ─ Cough followed by expectoration of green mucus. ─ Cough: after slight cold; excited by inspiration; produced by something acrid or dry in chest. ─ Asthma with inflammatory rheumatism.

Chest

Burning in nipples. ─ Sensation of swelling in breasts and thyroid gland. ─ Stitches in chest; < breathing deeply; in evening. ─ Asthenic pneumonia. ─ Mucous oppression of lungs.

Heart and Pulse

Pains in the region of the heart. ─ Most of the symptoms appear on the l. side, but may subsequently come on the r. side. ─ Awakens every morning at two o'clock, with violent internal heat, and hard, beating pulse, compelling him to lie on the back, because the beating of the temporal arteries causes a humming in the ears, and prevents him from going to sleep. ─ Pains about heart mostly, but suddenly change locality. ─ Awakens after midnight with violent palpitation of the heart, and hard beating of the temporal arteries.

Neck and Back

Stiffness of neck, only on one side. ─ Nape: pressure; itching. ─ Dull pain in back, in region of kidneys; stiffness in loins. ─ Coldness in sacrum.

Limbs

Nodes on joints of upper and lower extremities, cracking on motion. ─ Gouty concretions. ─ Syphilitic rheumatism.

Upper Limbs

Gouty deposits in both wrists between metacarpal bones; swelling of elbow-joints. ─ Paralytic pains of fingers. ─ Eruption of red spots on fingers. ─ Fingers swollen, tearing and fine stitching pains in various parts of the limbs. ─ Ganglion. ─ Panaritium.

Lower Limbs

Swelling in r. knee; ulcerative pain in whole leg, with pains in kidneys. ─ Cracking or sense of dryness in knee-joint. ─ Pain in both knees; after drinking wine. ─ Pain in gastrocnemii. ─ Sharp pain in l. ankle, when weight is on l. foot on walking. ─ Severe pain in l. tendo Achillis close to os calcis when weight on that foot. ─ Pain in r. tendo Achillis and in heart region at same time. ─ Tearing and stitches, esp. in the metatarsal joints of the r. great toe. ─ Gouty concretions and nodosities.

Generalities

Great weakness, perspiration, and comatose condition. ─ Trembling, with palpitation of the heart. ─ Weariness and lassitude. ─ Pains suddenly change their locality. ─ Symptoms in sick go from l. to r. and from below upward, esp. in rheumatism and gout.

Skin

Itching on various parts; agreeable sensation on being scratched, but leaving a burning. ─ Red spots on fingers. ─ Syphilitic spots and marks.

Sleep

Awakens with oppression of breathing, with palpitation of the heart (after midnight), with heat and hard pulse.

Fever

Cold hands; feet; back; knees, as from cold wind. ─ Chilliness before the stool. ─ Great internal heat when awaking. ─ Perspiration: while eating; when walking; morning in bed, esp. on face; with anxiety. ─ Cold sweat: on head; on face; on feet. ─ Sweat with aromatic odour.

The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica

Constantine Hering · The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica · 1879–91

Mind

Confused head.
Omits words while writing.
Cannot get rid of an idea.
Activity of mind while at work, followed by anxiety.
Inclined to dwell on unpleasant things ; if he saw any one deformed it made him shudder.
Sadness.
Anxiety ; while sweating.
Child cross, wants to be nursed in arms.
After mental emotions headache.

Sensorium

Vertigo, fearful of falling sideways, usually in the afternoon.
Confusion of head.
Sensation as if there was air in head.
Tired feeling in head, as from night watching.

Inner head

While sitting, pressure on whole lower part of head and whole spine, as if they were pressed like an elastic body, so that he stretched himself involuntarily and bent forward ; anxiety.
Pain and heat in region of organs of reverence and firmness.
Hammering pain in temples, has to lie down.
Pressure on vertex extending to spine, with anxiety.
Tearing pain in vertex.
Fearful pain in occiput or cerebellum, which had confined the young man to bed for three weeks.
Cold feeling in head.
Shaking in head.
Rheumatic pains in head.
Head worse : from mental emotions ; exposure to a draught of air ; uncovering of head ; in morning on awaking ; in rest ; periodically.
With head symptoms depression, lassitude and loss of appetite.

Outer head

Formication in forehead.
Rheumatic pain on outside of head.
Inner pain and bruised feeling inside of head.
Cold sweat on head.

Sight and eyes

Burning heat in eyes and lids.
Throbbing in eyeballs.
Worse reading by artificial light ; walking in open air.
Distress in eyes, as from want of sleep.
Irritates conjunctiva, causes pressive feeling in bulbus.

Hearing and ears

Sensation in ears like a sound of confused voices, most when swallowing or walking in open air.
Throbbing and hissing in ears synchronous with beats of heart.
Swelling behind ears, which seems to reach to periosteum.

Smell and nose

Seems to smell dust, cabbage, or something stinking.
Sense of smell diminished.
Pain in nasal bones.
Pressure on root of nose.
Epistaxis.
Sneezing : with lightness of head, excitement ; with hoarseness ; morning.
A cold in head readily occurs from exposure to cold, and is renewed every day.
Sensitiveness of nose.
Redness in corners of nose.

Upper face

Sense of pressure, as if face had gone to sleep.
Tension in one side of face.
Numb feeling in face.
Burning heat of face ; or of one side.
Symptoms > by external heat, by pressure, or friction.
Cold sweat on face.
Circumscribed redness on cheeks.
Copper-colored spots on face.
Face red, with little blisters.

Lower face

Trembling of lips.
Involuntarily biting lower lip at dinner.
Itching on chin.

Teeth and gums

Toothache.

Taste, speech, tongue

Taste : of blood ; bitter ; with eructations and pressure at stomach ; on drinking coffee or milk ; food salty ; flat, soapy after drinking water ; bread smoky ; aftertaste of food.
Tongue of a slight bluish color.
Velvety coating on tongue, with high-colored, strong-smelling urine.
Tongue coated with white mucus ; morning.
Soreness of back part of tongue, felt most while swallowing.
Glossitis.
Tongue is spongy on surface, with deep cracks, and with spreading ulcers.
Extensive ulcerations of tongue, with deeply chapped or fungoid surfaces.

Inner mouth

An ulcerated tumor on left side of mouth, upon soft commissure of jaws, behind last molar.
Slightly acid mucus.
Heat around mouth.

Palate and throat

Swallowing difficult, incomplete ; with noise in ears ; with soreness on back of tongue.
Sensation of swelling, or of constriction of throat.
Mouth and throat symptoms relieved by eating.
Heat in œsophagus, as from acid eructations.
Angina faucium and tonsillaris with characteristic high-colored, strong urine.
Collection of mucus in throat.
Thyroid gland feels swollen.

Appetite, thirst. desires, aversions

Appetite in evening ; lost in morning ; nausea.
Thirst with sleepiness ; evening.

Eating and drinking

The throat symptoms are relieved by eating.
Sweat while eating.

Hiccough, belching, nausea and vomiting

Loathing sickness at stomach, pain and discomfort ; with gagging.
Vomiting of a salty or bitter substance.
Nausea : with gagging ; with disturbance about head ; with loathing ; with constant malaise.
Vomiting : of a salty substance ; bitter.

Scrobiculum and stomach

Weak digestion.
Burning or warmth ; pressure on stomach.
Gastric symptoms increased when walking, especially ascending.
Sensation, as of a lump in pit of throat, as if some food had lodged there.
Sensation of heat in stomach.

Hypochondria

Sense of weakness in precordia.
In region of liver constant fine stitching midway in upper portion thereof, not increased by pressure.
Obstruction of liver.
Pain below left short ribs.

Abdomen and loins

Heat through abdomen.
Cutting about navel ; relieved by stool.
Pressure of clothing makes him feel wearied.
Tearing bellyache.
Tensive pains in loins and groins.

Stools and rectum

Stitching in rectum.
Urging to stool, with ineffectual straining.
Sensation of constriction at lower end of rectum.
Horripilations, or chilliness before stool.
Stools : copious, watery, greyish-white, like dirty soapsuds ; excessively offensive, scenting whole house ; of a strong, pungent smell, like that of urine ; putrid, bloody ; frothy ; insufficient.
White, stinking, liquid stools. θ Diarrhœa of children.
Watery ; light-colored, very offensive stools (in children), with unusually strong-smelling urine.
Fetid, watery, white stools, very copious and exhausting, in infants, urine being of a deep red color.
Diarrhœa of children, discharge copious, watery, clearcolored, very fetid ; profuse, watery, running through diaper ; urine uncommonly deep red, and urinous odor very strong.
Formication at anus.
Slightly elevated, wart-like, round surfaces around anus, varying from a half to one-and-a-half inches in diameter ; with smarting soreness ; urine strong-scented and high-colored ; after using copaiva for chancre.

Urinary organs

Sore pain in back ; burning in left kidney, with drawing when stooping ; dull pain in kidneys, loins stiff ; right knee swollen.
Kidney pains, which penetrate chest on taking a deep breath. θ Nephritis.
Nephritic colic ; urine deep red, of a strong odor.
Irritability of bladder : muco-purulent discharges, enlarged prostate ; concretions of urate of ammonia ; calculus.
Pains in bladder.
Dysuria senilis, when the gravel is trifling and the irritable state of bladder and pains are induced by other causes.
Too frequent desire to evacuate bladder, urine normal.
Profuse urine, very debilitating.
Urine diminished ; thick ; bloody.
Urine dark, urinous odor highly intensified. θ Sore throats ; diarrhœa ; menstrual derangements ; hypochondriasis ; rheumatism ; nephritic
colic ; after gonorrhœa ; gleet, or syphilis ; prolapsus uteri.
Brown urine, smells sour, scalding in passing.
Renders urine acid ; hippuric acid.
Urine of aromatic odor and saline taste, highly colored sometimes color of brandy ; urinous odor exceedingly strong ; urine greater, of a very deep red color, depositing no sediment.
White flocculent sediment immediately after voiding urine, composed of phosphate and carbonate of lime, without uric acid ; pale, languid ; weak loins.
A granular kind of mucus mixed with phosphate in sediment ; urine dark, reddish-brown ; acid reaction, or very offensive ; fleeting pains in bladder, not when urinating, but at other times. θ Vesical
catarrh, from suppressed gonorrhœa, calculi, or gout.
Morbid condition of urine, as in persons with calculous or gouty diathesis.
Urine contains mucus and pus. θ Enlargement of prostate.
Enuresis nocturna of children.
Urine with concretions of urate of ammonia.
Enuresis from infancy, girl, æt. 15.
Sensibility of bladder with muco-purulent discharge. θ Enlargement of prostate.
Urine highly colored, sometimes of color of French brandy, urinous odor exceedingly strong.
Urine of a greater specific gravity ; if passed in same vessel it retains its place below healthy urine, without admixture, and, though of a very deep red color, deposits no sediment.
Hot, scalding urine, deep red, of strong odor, causing so much suffering in its passage that this was performed but once a day.
Dark, or highly colored, offensive urine, after suppressed syphilis or gonorrhœa.
Fetid urine, with prolapsus uteri.
Urine clearer after one dose and soon free from mucous deposits.
Excess of uric acid.
Enuresis nocturna of children where Nitrum failed.
Urine of a very repulsive odor, changeable color, brownish, cloudy, of an alkaline reaction ; effervescing with hydrochloric acid ; white, flocculent sediment soon after its passage ; phosphate and carbonate of lime, without uric acid. θ A
pale ; languid patient, with weakness in loins.
The urinary odor is very strongly ammoniacal.
Urine dark brown, of a putrid, cadaverous smell.

Male sexual organs

Pain in genitals ; pressure ; raw pain ; splitting pains.
Gleet ; urine offensive.
Gonorrhœa suppressed (by copaiva) ; with offensive urine.
Smarting of frenum præputii.
Itching in sulcus, behind corona glandis.
A thrilling, almost painful sensation left side of glans, ending in a sensation of tickling and itching.

Female sexual organs

Menstruation too early or retarded.
Weakness after menses.
Amenorrhœa.
Prolapsus uteri with fetid urine.

Pregnancy. parturition. lactation

Gastric derangements when ascending a height. θ Pregnant women.
Retention of urine with infants.
Lochia last too long.

Voice and larynx. trachea and bronchia

Slight hoarseness in morning ; sneezing.

Respiration

Difficulty of breathing on awaking.
Asthma with inflammatory rheumatic complaints.
Mucous oppression of lungs.

Cough

Cough : after a slight cold ; excited by inspiration ; produced by something acrid or dry in chest.
Dry, constant, hacking cough. θ After suppressed gonorrhœa.
Dry, tormenting cough ; great weakness ; sweat ; comatose state.
Cough followed by expectoration of green mucus.
Copious secretion of mucus in bronchi.

Inner chest and lungs

Painful trembling in chest.
Morbid agitation and restlessness in chest.
Pressure on ribs.
Sensation in chest of swelling ; of roughness ; painful starting ; cutting.
Pains often change their place suddenly, causing a dry cough and asthma.
Stitching in right side of chest.
Stitches in chest, especially on breathing deeply ; evening.
Pain about third rib, right side, midway between sternum and side, < by breathing.
Pain in left side, about sixth rib, increased by deep inspiration and bending to either side.
Asthenic pneumonia of a young man ; after strength had sunk daily ; difficulty of breathing increased every hour to a fearful degree.
Pneumonia, asthenic form.
Great weakness ; difficult breathing, increasing every hour.
Promotes expectoration.
Mucous oppression of lungs.
Catarrhal diseases of lungs, coughs and asthmatic attacks.
Puerperal albuminuria, uræmia and convulsions.
In the last period of simple pneumonia, when great weakness prevails.
Typhoid pneumonia.

Heart, pulse and circulation

Pains change place incessantly, but are most constant about heart.
Pains in region of heart.
Undulating, or intermittent beats of heart.
Palpitation of heart, with trembling.
Palpitation while sitting ; < after drinking ; at night.
Awakens after midnight with violent palpitation and hard beating of temporal arteries.
Awakens with oppression of breathing ; with palpitation of heart (after midnight) ; with heat and hard pulse.
Awakens after midnight with violent pulsations of heart and temporal arteries, 110 per minute ; internal but no external heat ; cannot go to sleep.
Palpitation < at night, lying ; at times tearing rheumatic pains in extremities, relieving heart.
Gout, or rheumatism, affecting heart.
Pulse accelerated ; full ; slower and weaker ; intermittent.
Hard, frequent pulse ; fever heat ; sweat.

Outer chest

Sternum sensitive to touch.
Pressure of clothing on chest is annoying.
Burning in nipples.
Sensation of swelling in mammary glands ; also in thyroid gland.

Neck and back

Stiffness of neck only on one side.
Pressure in nape of neck.
Violent itching in nape of neck.
Deep penetrating pain in posterior part of left side, at about sixth rib.
Pain right side of back between tenth dorsal vertebra and side.
Dull pain in region of kidneys ; stiffness in loins.
Trembling in lumbar region.
Myelitis.
Sense of coldness at sacrum.

Upper limbs

Sensation of swelling under axillæ.
Tearing pains, apparently in bones of upper limbs.
Cold hands, with head symptoms.
Paralytic pain of fingers.
Fingers swollen ; tearing and fine stitching pains in various parts of limbs.
Eruption of red spots on fingers.
Gouty deposits in both wrists, between metacarpal bones ; swelling of elbow joints.
Itching in palm of right hand ; slight, but deep tearing in upper part of metacarpal joints of little and ring fingers. θ Gout.
Panaritium.

Lower limbs

Lassitude in lower limbs.
Sensation as if lower limbs were tightly bandaged.
Tearing pain in anterior surface of thigh.
Pain in left hip, knee and toes ; thence into muscles of calf, and then in knee ; after it has left these parts it appears in right thigh and ankle.
Swelling of right knee ; ulcerative pain in whole leg ; with pains in kidneys.
Pain in right knee ; then in left.
Cracking, or sense of dryness in knee joints.
Drawing pain in knees after drinking wine.
Cold feet and cold foot sweat.
Pain in right, later in left tendo-achillis.
Severe pain in left tendo-achillis, close to os calcis, when supporting a slight part of weight of body while walking.
Tearing and stitches, especially in metatarsal joints of r. great toe. θ Gout.
During night gout commences in right great toe ; his gout going from left to right.
Stitch passing upward through right great toe, followed by burning, which increases to a stitch ; afterwards it appears in left great toe, from which it vanishes with a thrill.
Numbness in toes.
Pain in large joints of big toe, with tumefaction and redness.

Limbs in general

Gouty concretions.
Nodes on joints of upper and lower limbs, cracking and knicking on motion.
Tearing, fine stitches in various parts of limbs.
Syphilitic rheumatism.
Pain from right hand to left arm down into elbow, and thence to region of heart ; later in right thigh and ankle.
In both wrists, between metacarpal bones, abundant gouty deposits with swelling of elbow joints.

Rest. position. motion

Rest : head symptoms worse.
Sitting : palpitation worse.
Bending to either side : pain in left side about sixth rib worse.
Lying : palpitation < ; toothache worse.
Turning in bed : symptoms worse.
Stooping : drawing left kidney.
Walking : throbbing in eyeballs < ; confused sound of voices in ear < ; gastric symptoms < ; pain in left tendo-achillis ; sweat.
Moving : cracking of joints.
Motion after long sitting : symptoms worse.
Ascending : gastric symptoms worse.

Nerves

Trembling : with palpitation of heart ; in loins.
Weariness, lassitude.
Extreme weakness ; sweat and comatose condition.
Hysteria.

Sleep

Sleepiness, with dulness of head.
Awakens : with difficulty of breathing ; with palpitation.
Starting up from sleep.
Pulsation of temporal arteries from falling asleep again.
He wakes every morning about two o'clock, from strong internal head and a hard, bounding, but not quickened pulse.

Time

At 2 A. M. : awakened by strong internal heat.
Morning : head symptoms < ; sneezing and hoarseness ; white tongue ; appetite lost ; sweat in bed.
Afternoon : vertigo.
Evening : appetite > ; thirst with sleepiness ; stitches in chest.
Night : enuresis ; palpitation ; gout in right great toe.
After midnight : awakens with palpitation ; oppression of breathing.

Temperature and weather

Open air : throbbing in eyeballs < ; sound of confused voices in ears worse.
Draught of air : head symptoms <, especially when uncovering head.
Exposure to cold : "cold" in head.
External heat : symptoms better.

Fever

Cold hands, feet, back, knees, as from cold wind.
Coldness with feeling of heat.
Coldness, then heat and sweat.
Sense of heat in œsophagus ; stomach ; belly.
Heat : with sweat ; with cold in head ; with nightly palpitation.
Awakens every morning at 2 o'clock with violent internal heat, and hard, beating pulse, compelling him to lie on back, because beating of temporal arteries causes a humming in ears, and prevents him from going to sleep.
Sweat : while eating ; while walking ; morning in bed, especially in face ; with anxiety.
Cold sweat : on head ; on face ; on feet.
Sweat with itching.
Sweat with aromatic odor.
Skin pale, cool, with sweat, weakness, coma.

Attacks, periodicity

Head symptoms return periodically.

Locality and direction

Right : knee swollen ; stitches side of chest ; pain about third rib of side ; pain side of back, between tenth dorsal vertebra and side ; itching in palm of hand ; pain in knee ; tearing and stitches in great toe ; gout in toe.
Right to left : pain in right, later in left tendo-achillis ; pain from right hand to left arm, later in right thigh and ankles ; pain in right knee, then left knee.
Left to right : pain in left hip, knee and toes, appears in right thigh and ankle ; gout.
Left : ulcerated tumor side of mouth ; pain below short ribs ; burning in kidney ; thrilling pain side of glans ; pain in side, about sixth rib ; pain in hip, knee and toes ; pain in tendo-achillis.
Symptoms in sick go from right to left mostly, and from below upward, especially in rheumatism and gout.

Sensations

As if there was air in head ; as if spine and head were pressed like an electric body ; as if face had gone to sleep ; as from want of sleep in eyes ; as of confused voices in ears ; as of a lump in throat-pit ; as if lower limbs were tightly
bandaged.
Screwing pains.
Cutting : about navel ; in chest.
Deep penetrating pain : in posterior part of left side.
Stitching : in rectum ; in right side of chest ; in right great toe.
Fine stitching : in hepatic region ; in various parts of limbs.
Tearing : in vertex ; bellyache ; in bones of upper limbs ; in various parts of limbs ; in upper part of metacarpal joint of little and ring fingers ; in anterior surface of thigh ; in right great toe.
Drawing : in left kidney ; in knees.
Splitting : in male genitals.
Burning : in left kidney ; in nipples ; in right great toe.
Scalding : of urine in passing.
Smarting : of frenum præputii.
Soreness : of back part of tongue ; in back.
Raw pain : in male genitals.
Pressure : on lower part of head ; on spine ; in eyeball ; on root of nose ; in stomach ; in male genitals ; on ribs ; in nape of neck.
Bruised feeling : inside of head.
Rheumatic pain : in head ; on outside of head ; in extremities.
Ulcerative pain : in whole leg.
Paralytic pain : of fingers.
Fearful pain : in occiput or cerebellum.
Fleeting pains : in bladder.
Painful trembling : in chest.
Thrilling : left side of jaws ; in great toes.
Dull pain : in kidneys.
Undefined pain : in region of reverence and firmness ; in nasal bones ; below left short ribs ; in bladder ; in genitals ; about third rib, right side ; about sixth rib, left side ; in cardiac region ; in back ; in left hip, knee and
toes ; in right thigh and ankle ; in left and right tendo-achillis ; in kidneys ; in large joint of big toe.
Coldness : in head ; at sacrum.
Throbbing : in eyeballs ; in ears.
Hammering : in temples.
Swelling : in throat ; in chest ; in mammary glands ; in thyroid gland ; under axillæ.
Painful starting : in chest.
Shaking : in head.
Stiffness : one side of neck ; in loins.
Tension : in one side of face ; in loins and groins.
Constriction : or swelling of throat ; at lower end of rectum.
Trembling : in lumbar region ; in loins.
Tired feeling : in head.
Formication : in forehead ; at anus.
Numbness : in face ; in toes.
Roughness : in chest.
Weakness : in precordia ; after menses.
Heat : in region of reverence and firmness ; around mouth ; through abdomen ; internal, on awaking ; in œsophagus ; in stomach ; in belly.
Burning heat : in eyes and lids ; of face ; in stomach.
Itching : on chin ; in sulcus, behind corona glandis ; in l. side of glans penis ; in nape of neck ; in palm of right hand ; with sweat.
Tickling : in left side of glans penis.
Dryness : in knee joints.

Tissues

Mucous states.
Gouty diathesis ; arthritis vaga.
Affects all joints, particularly knee, swelling it.
Gout with arthritic nodosities.
Syphilitic rheumatism.
Emaciation.

Touch. passive motion. injuries

Touch : sternum sensitive.
Pressure : symptoms > ; of clothing about chest and abdomen annoys.
Friction : symptoms better.

Skin

Itching on various parts, yielding a rather agreeable sensation on being scratched, but leaving a burning.
Sweat with itching.
Syphilitic spots and marks.
Ulcers.
Slightly elevated round surfaces of a wart-like appearance, and of circular form, varying in diameter from half an inch to 1 1/2 inches ; at places running into each other ; nearly covered both sides and bottom of sulcus ani, and caused much smarting and soreness of
part ; with strong-scented and highly-colored urine ; after abuse of copaiva.

Stage of life, constitution

Gouty diathesis.
Rheumatic diathesis in syphilitic or gonorrhœal patients.
Woman, æt. 38, considered herself in dissolution with uterine complaints.

Relations

Useful in gout after Colchic . fails.
Useful after abuse of Copaiva in suppression of gonorrhœa ; or for warts around anus, appearing after Copaiva has been used for chancre.
Useful in enuresis after failure of Nitrum .
Has been used for dysuria senilis from enlarged prostate, in conjunction with Copaiva .
It has been reported of Natr. benz . as having cured many apparently hopeless cases of consumption in Vienna.
Similar to : Copaiva, Ferrum, Zincum .
Incompatible : wine, which aggravates pains in kidneys, drawing in knees, etc. (compare Zincum ).

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica

James Tyler Kent · Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Séror HTML text (Kent d. 1916; public domain)

Lecture

Whenever we see in the nature of a remedy a well-defined state and condition of the human system pointed out by certain distinctive groups of symptoms we may know that there is such a diseased state in the human family.

They have not the power to create by themselves any diseased state except there is first such a state in the economy of the human race to be aroused.

They simply call up in a single individual something that the individual has, and that something belongs to the human race, and so whenever we see a diseased state in the remedy we know that it exists in correspondence to something in the human race.

Things are so adjusted that everything is for use. There may be conditions in the human race that we, as yet, know no remedy for.

We see certain groups of peculiar symptoms frequently repeat themselves and we know they are representatives of a state of the economy, but up to this day we may not have seen in the Materia

Medica their counterpart.

In medicines we have the exact counterpart the diseases of the human race.

Gouty constitution

Now this remedy has a state and condition that is sometimes called the gouty constitution, the uraemic or the lithaemic constitution, and, these cases are very difficult to manage, as the state is so persistent. It is one of the manifestations of Psora.

Urines

These patients suffer more or less from irregularity in the action of the kidneys; sometimes the urine is scanty and then they suffer from bodily complaints; again the urine is copious and then they are relieved of their complaints.

They are subject to rheumatic attacks and pains in the joints, showing the gouty constitution, and then they have relief when the urine is copious and heavily laden with deposits; but on comes an attack when they have more or less urine, but it is light in specific gravity, and then they are full of pains; in that way they fluctuate.

Now, the young prescriber will sometimes see the patient when he is passing large quantities of uric acid forming the red pepper deposits and he thinks he must stop that; his main idea is to check that one particular thing.

But the patient is a great deal better off while he has it. To cheek it is like suppressing a skin eruption, or restraining any other manifestation of disease.

It will be noticed, as one of the foremost things in this remedy's manifestations, that it has strong smelling urine; the urine is pungent, and it sometimes becomes so strong that it smells like, Hippuricum acid, and so it is said urine smells strong like that of a horse.

The odor in this remedy approximates that of Hippuricum acid.

Complaints

The complaints then, of Benzoïc acid are such as are changeable, and we know why they are changeable; when the urine is copious and plenty of uric acid is being passed, and the urine is full of deposits, then the patient is at his best; when the urine is scanty or of light specific gravity he suffers from backache and pains in the joints, he suffers from atmospheric changes, is sensitive to cold drafts and to the air; but let the urine start up again, which it does in a sort of alternating way, light urine alternating with heavy urine, and the patient is comfortable again.

Then, there are complaints in which the urine smells strong and pungent; this often occurs in children. It is astonishing that these little ones manifest the uric acid diathesis in early life.

Children

Mothers often describe it as intensely urinous. It smells like intensified urine; it is not the smell, so much, of decomposed urine nor of foetid urine, but urine intensified.

It has cured many times wetting the bed involuntary urination in sleep, when the bed that has been wetted several times becomes uncleanable.

You can smell it almost as quick as you go into the room; the children all, smell like urine, strong urine; the house smells like urine. If two or three of these little fellows wet the bed at night, the urine is so strong it tells the story at once.

This medicine needs reproving; details have not been brought ou yet in nature is known. We have a good many medicines having this nature, but this is perhaps as intense as any.

This remedy does not. of course, fit all these patients, because it does not fit their special symptoms; but it has the nature or general state which, of course, precedes everything, and when it relates to all the particulars as well it does make wonderful changes.

Mind

There are a few mental symptoms.

"Inclined to dwell on unpleasant things; if he saw anyone deformed, it made him shudder."

Alternation of profound sleep with prolonged periods of wakefulness. In the period of wakefulness, he dwells, during the night, upon all the unpleasant subjects that he can think of.

This state alternates with nights of stupid sleep for weeks, and this fluctuates, in accordance with the fluctuation of the state of urine.

"Sadness."

"Anxiety while sweating."

"Child cross."

Head

There are many headaches; they are uraemic in character and come in many regions with many details.

"Fearful pain in occiput or cerebellum."

"Rheumatic pains in head."

That is well described, because these headaches of uraemic character take on a similarity to rheumatic pains.

"Pain and heat in region of organs of reverence and firmness."

"Tearing pain in vertex."

The headaches are very numerous; the remedy is full of dull, aching occipital headaches, coming on in the night from change of weather.

Pains located in the base of the brain after pains have existed for some time in the joints, and they are passing but little urine.

Every time he takes a little cold the urine becomes scanty and he is full of dull aches and pains in the head and especially in the occiput.

Smell

Perversion of smell.

"Sense of smell diminished."

"Pain in nasal bones."

Tongue

Another form of transformation scene takes place in this remedy, when all the gouty symptoms of the body cease and inflammation of the tongue comes on.

The pains in the joints cease suddenly from taking cold, from stormy weather and on comes a sudden swelling of the tongue.

Mercury also has this state.

"Extensive ulcerations of tongue, with deeply chapped or fungoid surfaces."

Then, again peculiar kinds of sore throat take place from this same cause.

Sudden stoppage or slacking up of the quantity of urine; it becomes scanty, high colored, and pungent, smelling like that of a horse ( Nitric acid) along with acute inflammation and swelling of the tonsils and throat inflammation of the tonsils with scanty, strong, pungent urine smelling like that of a horse.

Metastasis

Another feature that seems almost like metastasis.

Take an individual who is going around with more or less rheumatic aches in the joints; he takes cold and all this ceases, but the next day he comes down with inflammation of the tongue or sore throat, or inflammation of the stomach; so that he vomits every thing he eats.

The gout goes to different parts and in this instance it goes to the stomach; and then Benzoic acid, Antimonium, crud. or Sanguinaria is likely to be useful.

When it goes to the throat or is followed by swelling of the tongue Mercury and Benzoic acid should be thought of.

Whenever this gouty condition goes to the stomach, of course it must conform to those symptoms that are in the nature of this remedy.

In this remedy we have:

"loathing, sickness at Stomach,"

"nausea with gagging,"

"vomiting of a salty substance; bitter,"

When we think of Benzoic acid for the stomach symptoms, it is important that we have in mind its whole nature, how it brings about its complaints and what characterizes a Benzoic acid patient.

We would not be able to distinguish from the stomach symptoms alone we must carry with them the character of the remedy.

Stools

It has much disturbance of the liver, and many liver symptoms. As to the bowels, the stool, the rectum, anus and urinary organs, it is very rich in symptoms.

Its striking ones I will call your attention to, but remember its migrating, metastatic nature, its complaints going from one part to another, which will accompany these symptoms.

"Stools, copious, watery."

This is true in summer diarrhoea that has come on suddenly, "excessively offensive,"

The white stool, like soap-suds, is so strong a symptom that the remedy does not fail to cure even when the gouty constitution is not present.

"Excessively offensive, scenting the whole house."

"Putrid, bloody."

"Watery, light-colored, very offensive stools (in children)."

So we get the idea that the stools are white and that the first passages are like soap-suds, but later the soap appearance subsides and leaves a white stool.

It is well, often, when a stool is passed that is of a light liquid, to bear in mind a few remedies that produce this state and ascertain whether it is like soapsuds or filled with bubbles of air.

"Diarrhea of children."

The urinous odor of the body, and especially that peculiarly pungent, intense smell of the urine.

"Slightly elevated, wart-like, round surfaces around anus."

The urinary symptoms are too numerous to read.

"Foetid urine."'

"Urine of a very repulsive odor."

"Effervescing with hydrochloric acids."

The odor is sometimes like hartshorn; it is pungent; these are only efforts to describe the strong smell.

"Urine dark brown."

It is true that normal urine after standing a while will get a foetid odor, but in this remedy, that just passed is properly described as being intensely urinous.

"Urine contains mucus and pus."

"Morbid condition of urine renders urine acid."

it says in the text "Hippuricum acid," but this is a rare condition.

"Brown urine smells sour."

"Too frequent desire to evacuate bladder."

"Nephritic colic."

"Urine dark, urinous odor highly intensified."

Gouty troubles of the liver; rheumatism; nephritic colic; it has cured such states after gonorrhoea, but it is not much of a gonorrhoeal remedy.

When the rheumatic states and these symptoms are present there are more or less pains in the kidney.

" Sore pain in the back; burning in the kidney."

"Prolapsus uteri with foetid urine."

"Retention of urine in infants."

"Asthma with inflammatory rheumatic complaints."

"Cough followed by expectoration of green mucus."

Heart

The organ that is most commonly affected in these rheumatic complaints is the heart. No organ is so likely to be affected when rheumatism leaves the outermost parts as the heart.

Pains in the heart. So in this diathesis, with the strong smelling urine and the gout, we may expect affections of the heart.

"Pains change place incessantly."

"Palpitation of the heart."

The rheumatism, of course, is affecting the heart.

"Awakens after midnight with violent pulsations of the heart."

Think a moment and you will see in what kind of a case you will need Benzoic acid.

The constitution of the remedy comes to mind at once with the heart symptoms, the dyspnea, pain in the heart with rheumatic symptoms;

"cannot go to sleep."

Think of the alternation of sleeplessness with sleep; think of the strong urine, of the fluctuating complaints, of the erratic constitution.

"Palpitation worse at night."

"Rheumatic pains in extremities relieving heart."

There we get relief; complaints going back to the extremities with relief to the heart. The heart will relieve when the urine becomes copious or when the rheumatism goes back to the extremities, into the fingers and knees, especially the knees in Benzoic acid.

Rheumatism alternating between the extremities and heart. This medicine has cured affections of the heart when the rheumatism has a long time ago disappeared from the extremities and has ever since been affecting the heart; after Benzoic acid has been administered a very good sign of its action is that the extremities become painful and the urine becomes copious; free urine and solids increased; the urine becomes heavy, whereas it was light.

"Hard, frequent pulse."

Extremities

The extremities are full of rheumatic affections.

"Lassitude in lower limbs."

"Swelling of knee."

All gouty affections belong to this remedy.

"Gouty concretions."

"Nodes on joints."

Benzoic acid is often an excellent palliating remedy in old gouty constitutions; they want to be relieved of the pains in their fingers and in the nodes and joints. The fingers crack and are clumsy and painful.

But often the pain has been relieved and gone to other parts. This is one among the remedies that will drive the complaints away from the internal organs and generally increase the pain in the extremities, which they will scold about.

"Trembling with palpitation of heart."

"Extreme weakness; sweat and comatose condition."

Note that comatose condition with sweat; the Benzoic acid patient sweats without relief.

Copious, exhaustive sweat and profound sleep, but there is no relief.

"Awaken with difficulty of breathing."

Pulsation all over.

"All sorts of catarrhal states; gouty diathesis, gout with arthritic nodosites, syphilitic rheumatism, etc."

These patients are getting low down in the scale of life, the tissues become feeble. Ulcers form upon the skin and mucous membranes.