Ferrum Muriaticum ferr-m.

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

Ferrum Chloratum. Ferrous Chloride or Dichloride. Fe Cl 2 , 4 H 2 O. (Crystals.) Tincture, consisting of 25 parts of crystals to 225 parts of alcohol.

Clinical

Anæmia . Angina tonsillaris. Constipation. Cramps. Diabetes. Diarrhœa . Disparunia. Dyspepsia. Dysentery. Hæmorrhages. Headache. Marasmus. Neuralgia. Pleurisy . Rickets. Rheumatism. Scrofula. Spleen, enlargement of. Typhoid fever. Vomiting. Worms .

Characteristics

Fer. mur . is the liquid preparation of Iron which, under the name of "Steel Drops," has been most used in old-school practice in the treatment of anæmia. Our knowledge of its properties is derived mainly from over-dosings, with a few provings, and clinical observations. Fer. mur . is mainly a right-side medicine, causing neuralgia and headache of the right side of face and head, and rheumatism of right shoulder. On the other hand it affects the spleen, causing pain in the left hypochondrium. Like other Iron preparations, it affects the blood, causing hæmorrhages of all kinds. On venesection the blood is remarkably black and thick, so that it can with difficulty be made to flow. Weakness, restlessness, and nervousness. Poisonous doses have caused convulsions. Vascular and nervous irritability after hæmorrhages; < from eating, and especially from eggs. Spasmodic cough, > by eating. Most symptoms are < by motion; < during the night and in the morning. Pressure < . Effects of mechanical injury. Cold and heat alternate; cold, anxious sweat, with muscular cramp; strong-smelling night-sweat.

Relations

Compare: Chi.; Nat. m.; Sang. (shoulders); Fe. picric. (prostate gland); other preparations of Iron.

Mind

Loquacity. ─ Depression.

Head

Vertigo with enlargement of spleen. ─ Severe neuralgic pains in r. temple and r. side of face. ─ Headache, with ascarides. ─ Pain in back of head on coughing.

Eyes

Eyes injected. ─ Bright redness of margins of lids.

Face

Paleness of face, red spots on pale cheeks. ─ Flushes. ─ Face swollen and livid.

Mouth

Insipid flat taste. ─ Dry mouth. ─ Solid food tastes dry and insipid. ─ Tongue very much coated. ─ Tongue swollen and protruded, with ropy mucus from mouth. ─ Palate and interior of mouth burnt and parboiled-looking.

Throat

Extremely severe sense of burning and constriction in the throat. ─ Angina tonsillaris.

Stomach

Anorexia; in morning. ─ Unquenchable thirst or thirstlessness. ─ Longing for acids. ─ Aversion to meat or anything sour. ─ Sour belching, esp. after solid food. ─ Bilious eructations after fat food. ─ Vomiting after eating; after eating eggs. ─ Stomach somewhat distended. ─ Hand riveted to region of stomach, as the principal seat of the pain.

Abdomen

Severe pain in l. hypochondrium; at times at night. ─ Spleen enlarged and sensitive to pressure. ─ Spasmodic constriction of abdominal muscles, as if abdomen were constricted, esp. when stooping, so that he can only straighten himself slowly. ─ Great pain along whole length of colon, < by pressure and any movement of body. ─ Hypogastrium swollen and very sensitive, esp. above pubes. ─ Piercing pains in hypogastrium.

Stool and Anus

Diarrhœa, with pains in limbs. ─ Chronic diarrhœa, with loss of appetite and rapid emaciation. ─ Diarrhœa, with intestinal catarrh in typhoid fevers, also fetid, debilitating discharges. ─ Dysenteric diarrhœa, with considerable pain, tenesmus, stools of blood and membraneous shreds. ─ Stools dark, inky, copious. ─ Obstinate constipation. ─ Dry cough, ending in retching; itching of nose and anus, enuresis, headache, neuralgia, nervousness; ascarides. ─ Ascarides, coincident with bleeding piles.

Urinary Organs

Diabetes mellitus. ─ Chronic affections of bladder. ─ Hæmaturia, hæmorrhage from urethra or kidneys. ─ Habitual discharge of phosphates in urine. Enuresis. ─ Almost complete retention. ─ Scanty urine. ─ Deposit of bright red crystals.

Male Sexual Organs

Enlarged prostate gland.

Female Sexual Organs

During coition, soreness and cutting pain in vagina; want of pleasurable sensation. ─ Metrorrhagia; dysmenia; leucorrhœa.

Respiratory Organs

Breathing stertorous; suffocation impending, inspiration esp. difficult. ─ In morning, spasmodic cough with expectoration of transparent tough mucus, at once > by eating small quantities of food. ─ Dry cough, ending in retching. ─ When coughing: pain in occiput; bruised pain in chest; stitches in chest. ─ Pleuritic, stitching pains in chest, fever, severe cough with scanty expectoration, exudation within pleura; great weakness and emaciation.

Heart

Heart affections with hectic; quick, superficial breathing cough; involuntary sighing; dyspnœa from slight exertion; painful drawing and expansion about apex; tumultuous fluttering heart-beat; small, threadlike pulse; at times double or intermitting. ─ Chlorosis; muscular debility; weak circulation.

Limbs

Weakness, compelling to lie down. ─ Sudden cramps and distortion of limbs.

Upper Limbs

Paralytic tearing in shoulder-joint, arm, clavicle, and muscles, making it impossible to lift arm; > by gentle motion. ─ Slight drawing pain in shoulder, followed by tearing, stitching pains extending to elbows; paralytic lameness of upper arm; pain < from least motion; < at night, driving him out of bed; slightly > by walking about; no swelling. ─ Acute inflammatory rheumatism of r. shoulder-joint, pain deep in socket, preventing motion. ─ Mechanical injury to shoulder-joint, with rheumatic lameness.

Lower Limbs

Cramp in calves, esp. at night in bed. ─ Large, deep ulcer in l. calf, centre black and hard. ─ Œdematous feet, drawing, tearing pains, esp. on beginning to walk; after metrorrhagia.

Skin

Phagedenic ulcers.

The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica

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

General

Chloride or Muriate of Iron. Fe 2 Cl 6 12H 2 O.
The tincture is prepared by dissolving one part by weight in nine parts of alcohol.
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Enlargement of spleen (2 cases), Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 4, p. 917 ; Schleicher, Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 5, p. 343 ; Chronic diarrhœa , Michaelis, Frank's Mag., vol. 1, p. 483 ; Ascarides (2 cases), Dixon, Raue's Rec., 1875, p. 163 ; Pleurisy , Schleicher, Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 5, p. 819 ; Omodynia (2 cases), Plate, Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 5, p. 898 ; Chronic ulcers , Warren, Times Retros., 1877, p. 25 ; observations by Bœnninghausen.

Mind

Loquacity.
Much depressed in spirits.

Sensorium

Vertigo. θ Enlargement of spleen.

Inner head

Severe neuralgic pains in right temple and right side of face.
Headache. θ Ascarides.
Pain in back part of head when coughing.

Sight and eyes

Eyes injected.
Bright redness of margin of lids.

Smell and nose

Itching of nose. θ Ascarides.
Constantly coagulated blood in nose.

Upper face

Face pale. θ Enlargement of spleen.
Paleness of face, red spots upon pale cheeks.
Face somewhat flushed ; cheeks flushed.
Face swollen and livid.

Taste, speech, tongue

Insipid, flat taste in mouth. θ Enlargement of spleen.
Solid food tastes dry and insipid.
Tongue very much coated.
Tongue swollen and protruded, with ropy mucus from mouth.
Dryness of tongue.

Inner mouth

Palate and interior of mouth burnt, presenting a parboiled appearance.

Palate and throat

Extremely severe sense of burning and constriction in throat.
Angina tonsillaris.

Appetite, thirst. desires, aversions

Anorexia. θ Enlargement of spleen.
No appetite in morning.
Unquenchable thirst, or thirstlessness.
Longing for acids.
Aversion to meat, or anything sour.

Hiccough, belching, nausea and vomiting

Sour belching ; particularly after solid food.
Bitter eructations after fat food.
Vomiting : after eating ; after eating eggs.

Scrobiculum and stomach

Stomach somewhat distended. θ Enlargement of spleen.
Hand riveted to region of stomach, as the principal seat of pain. θ Gastralgia.
Dyspepsia ; gastromalacia.

Hypochondria

Severe pains in left hypochondrium ; at times in night. θ Enlargement of spleen.
Spleen enlarged and sensitive to pressure. θ Intermittent.

Abdomen and loins

Spasmodic constriction of abdominal muscles, as if abdomen were constricted, especially when stooping, so that he can only straighten himself slowly.
Great pain along whole length of colon, < by pressure and any movement of body.
Hypogastrium swollen and very sensitive, especially above pubes.
Piercing pains in hypogastrium.
(OBS :) Typhus abdominalis with extensive ulceration, meteorism, and debilitating fetid discharges.

Stools and rectum

Diarrhœa with pain in limbs.
(OBS :) Chronic diarrhœa with loss of appetite and rapid emaciation.
(OBS :) Diarrhœa with intestinal catarrh in typhoid fevers, also fetid debilitating discharges.
Dysenteric diarrhœa, with considerable pain and tenesmus, evacuations consist of blood and membranous shreds.
Stools dark ; two quarts of inky evacuations at one stool.
Dysentery, last stage.
Obstinate constipation.
Dry cough ending in retching ; itching of nose and anus, enuresis, headache, neuralgia, nervousness ; ascarides.
Ascarides, coincident with bleeding piles.

Urinary organs

Diabetes mellitus.
Chronic affections of bladder.
Hæmaturia, the hemorrhage occurring from urethra or kidneys.
Habitual discharge of phosphates in urine.
Enuresis. θ Ascarides.
Almost complete retention of urine.
Urine scanty.
Deposition of bright red crystals in urine.

Male sexual organs

Enlarged prostate.

Female sexual organs

During coition soreness and cutting pain in vagina ; want of pleasurable sensation.
Troublesome metrorrhagia ; dysmenorrhœa ; leucorrhœa.

Voice and larynx. trachea and bronchia

Bronchitis.

Respiration

While sitting, loud breathing as if asleep.
Respiration noisy and stertorous ; suffocation impending.
Respiration noisy, as in a bad case of croup.
Breathing, especially inspirations, oppressed.

Cough

In morning, spasmodic cough with expectoration of transparent, tough mucus, at once > by eating small quantity of food.
When coughing : pain in occiput ; bruised pain in chest ; stitches in chest.
Spasmodic cough > by eating.
Dry cough ending in retching. θ Ascarides.

Inner chest and lungs

Stitches in chest with the cough.
Bruised pain in chest on coughing.
High fever, severe cough, with scanty expectoration, stitching pains in sides of chest, constriction of chest ; severe diarrhœa ; exudation four fingers in height, with no tendency to decrease.
Great weakness and emaciation. θ Pleurisy.

Heart, pulse and circulation

Heart affection with hectic ; quick, superficial breathing ; cough ; involuntary sighing ; dyspnœa from slight exertion ; painful drawing and expansion about apex ; tumultuous and fluttering heart-beat ; anxiety almost insupportable ; small, almost thread-like pulse, occasionally beating double, sometimes intermitting when the heart's action is accelerated.
Pulse small, accelerated ; very feeble.
Chlorosis ; muscular debility ; weak circulation.

Upper limbs

Paralytic tearing pain in shoulder-joint, arm, clavicle and muscles, making it impossible to lift arm, > by gentle motion.
Slight drawing pain in shoulder, followed by tearing, stitching pains extending to elbow ; paralytic lameness of upper arm ; pain < from least motion ; < at night driving him out of bed ; slight > walking about ; no swelling.
Acute inflammatory rheumatism of right shoulder-joint, pain deep in socket preventing motion.
Mechanical injury to shoulder-joint with rheumatic lameness.

Lower limbs

During day, frequent sudden cramps in limbs.
Cramps in calves of legs, particularly at night in bed.
Large deep ulcer upon calf of leg, centre black and hard.
After gunshot wound received seven years previously, several open sores, involving all the soft parts from knee to ankle ; pus thick, greenish, and somewhat offensive ; sensibility of parts much deadened.
Œdematous feet, drawing, tearing pain, particularly on beginning to walk ; after metrorrhagia.

Limbs in general

Great weakness and debility in all the limbs, compelling her to lie down. θ Enlargement of spleen.
Sudden cramps in limbs.
Distortion of limbs.

Rest. position. motion

Compelled to lie down on account of great weakness.
Sitting : loud breathing as if asleep.
Stooping : spasmodic constriction of abdominal muscles.
Motion : pain in colon < ; tearing pain in shoulder-joint > ; pain to elbow < ; pain in shoulder-joint and socket prevents motion.
Lifting arm impossible on account of tearing pain in shoulder-joint.
Walking : > pain ; < tearing pain in feet.

Nerves

Exceedingly weak, with an anxious, feverish countenance.
Restlessness.
Nervousness and neuralgia. θ Ascarides.
Unable to speak ; apparently unconscious.
Irritability of circulatory and nervous system after hemorrhages.
Violent convulsions affecting whole body, which was much contorted ; muscles of extremities contracted violently, teeth clenched and ground together ; must be restrained upon the couch, and her hold upon those near could not be unloosed until spasm suddenly ceased ; duration of attacks about two minutes, that of the intervals three.

Sleep

Sleeplessness, or light and restless sleep. θ Enlargement of spleen.

Time

Morning : no appetite ; spasmodic cough.
Day : sudden cramps in limbs.
Night : pain drives him out of bed ; cramps in calves.

Fever

Skin cold and clammy.
Sensation of coldness, alternating with heat, and lasting for hours. θ Enlargement of spleen.
Dry heat, with tendency to uncover.
Skin hot and disposed to be clammy.
Cold anxious sweat with muscular cramps.
Strong-smelling night-sweat.

Attacks, periodicity

Convulsions lasting two minutes, intervals three minutes.
Coldness lasting for hours.

Locality and direction

Right : severe neuralgic pains in temple and in side of face ; inflammatory rheumatism in shoulder-joint.
Left : severe pains in hypochondrium.

Sensations

Pain : in limbs ; in abdomen ; in occiput ; in socket of shoulder-joint.
Great pain : along whole length of colon.
Severe pain : in left hypochondrium.
Piercing pain : in hypogastrium.
Tearing pain : extending from shoulder to elbow ; in feet.
Paralytic tearing pain in shoulder-joint ; in arm ; in clavicle ; in muscles.
Cutting pains : in vagina.
Stitches : in chest.
Stitching pain : in sides of chest, extending from shoulder to elbow.
Neuralgic pains : in right temple ; in right side of face.
Painful drawing and expansion about apex of heart.
Drawing pain : in shoulder ; in feet.
Rheumatism : of right shoulder-joint.
Cramps : in limbs ; in calves of legs.
Bruised pain in chest.
Burning : in throat.
Anxiety almost insupportable.
Soreness : of vagina.
Dry heat.
Constriction : of throat ; of chest ; of abdomen.
Paralytic lameness of upper arm.
Dryness : of tongue.
Weakness : in all the limbs.
Itching : of nose ; of anus.

Tissues

Hemorrhages of all kinds.
Irritability of the circulatory and nervous systems after hemorrhage.
Scrofula ; rheumatism ; rachitis and marasmus.

Touch. passive motion. injuries

Pressure ; spleen sensitive ; pain in colon <.
Mechanical injury to shoulder-joint.

Skin

Typhoid eruption.
Phagedenic ulcers.

Stage of life, constitution

Scrofulous boy, æt. 2 years ; chronic diarrhœa.
Girl, æt. 19 ; strong constitution, tendency to nervous affections, after catching cold ; enlargement of spleen.
Girl, æt. 20, weakly, pale ; pleurisy.
Man, æt. 33, large, strong ; omodynia.
Man, æt. 52, laborer ; omodynia.
Large, fleshy woman, æt. 60 : ulcer on calf of leg.