Picricum Acidum pic-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

Nerves: Brain. Occiput. Cord. Lumbar region. Kidneys. Sexual organs.

Worse

Exertion; mental or physical. Seminal losses. Heat.

Better

Rest. Cold. Bandaging. In sun.

General

Weak, tired and heavy, in mind and body. Profound anæmia. Easily prostrated. Burning, in many parts; along spine; in legs, etc. Numbness. Formication.

Particulars

Weak will. Heavy occiput; down spine and in lower limbs. Brain-fag. Headache, < mental exertion, > nose-bleed (Fer-p.). Neurasthenia. Oily burning stool. Ammoniacal, dribbling urine. Priapism, or sexual erethism. Backache with languor; from mental exertion. Writers' cramp. Aching, legs. Small, painful boils, < nape. Sleepiness.

Related

Related: Gel. Ox-ac. Pho. Pho-ac.

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

Is often restorative of a wasted and worn-out system; a fair picture of "nervous prostration" (Kali p.). Progressive, pernicious, anaemia; neurasthenia. Brain fag: of literary or business people; slightest excitement, mental exertion or overwork brings on headache, and causes burning along the spine (Kali p.). Headache: of students, teachers and overworked business men; from grief or depressing emotions; in occiputal-cervical region (Nat. m., Sil.); < or brought on by slightest motion or mental exertion. Priapism, with spinal disease; erections; satyriasis (Canth., Phos.). Small boils in any part of body, but especially in external auditary canal. Burning along spine and great weakness of spine and back; softening of cord (Phos., Zinc.). Weariness, progressing from a slight feeling of fatigue on motion to complete paralysis. Tired heavy feeling all over body, especially of limbs, < on exertion.

Relations

Compare: Arg. n., Gels., Kali p., Phos ac., Phos., Petr., Sil.

Amelioration

From cold air and cold water.

Aggravation

Least mental exertion; motion; study; wet weather.

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

Brain fag and neurasthenia, especially sexual; great mental and physical prostration from reading, writing, or any attempt at mental labour.

Homœopathic Materia Medica

William Boericke · Homœopathic Materia Medica · 9th edition

Common name

Picric Acid-Trinitrophenol

General

Causes degeneration of the spinal cord, with paralysis. Brainfag and sexual excitement. Acts upon the generative organs probably through the lumbar centers of the spinal cord; prostration, weakness and pain of back, pins and needle sensation in extremities. Neurasthenia (Oxal ac). Muscular debility. Heavy tired feeling. Myelitis with spasms and prostration. Writer's palsy. Progressive, pernicious anæmia. Uræmia with complete anuria. A one per cent solution applied on lint, is the best application for burns until granulations begin to form. Sallow complexion.

Mind

Lack of will-power; disinclined to work. Cerebral softening. Dementia with prostration, sits still and listless.

Head

Head pains; relieved by bandaging tightly. Occipital pain; worse, slightest mental exertion. Vertigo and noises in ear. Boils within ears and back of neck. After prolonged mental strain, with anxiety and dread of failure at examination. Brain fag.

Eyes

Chronic catarrhal conjunctivitis with copious, thick yellow discharge.

Stomach

Bitter taste. Aversion to food.

Urinary

Scanty; complete anuria. Dribbling micturition. Urine contains much indican, granular cylinders and fatty degenerated epithelium. Inflammation of kidneys with profound weakness, dark, bloody, scanty urine. Nightly urging.

Male

Emissions profuse, followed by great exhaustion, without sensual dreams. Priapism; satyriasis. Hard erections, with pain in testicles and up cord. Prostatic hypertrophy, especially in cases not too far advanced.

Female

Pain in left ovary and leucorrhœa before menstruation. Pruritus vulvæ.

Extremities

Burning along spine. Great weakness. Tired, heavy feeling all over body, especially limbs; worse, exertion. Feet cold. Cannot get warm. Acute descending paralysis.

Modalities

Worse, least exertion, especially mental, after sleep, wet weather. A summer or hot weather remedy; patient is worse then. Better, from cold air, cold water, tight pressure.

Relationship

Compare: Oxal ac; Gels; Phos; Sil; Arg nit. Compare: Zinc pic (facial palsy and paralysis agitans); Ferr pic (buzzing in ears, deafness; chronic gout; epistaxis; prostatic troubles); Calc pic (boils in and around ears).

Dose

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

This is a comparatively new remedy, but has already, developed some valuable therapeutic powers. In the first place, it attacks the vital force, as is manifested by an excessive langour or persistent tired feeling all over the body, which is generally accompanied with corresponding weakness of mind, indifference, and want of will power, and a desire to lie down. There is great heaviness of the legs, can hardly lift them from the ground, tired, aching feeling in the back with some burning (Phosphorus and Zinc met.) at times low down. Even the brain is fagged and the slightest exertion or mental effort brings on headache. This headache is oftenest found in students, overworked business men, and in persons depressed by grief or other emotions.

It oftenest locates in occipito-cervical region (Nat. mur., Silicea). < especially by mental exertion. In short, this remedy presents a perfect picture of nervous prostration. I found this remedy very useful in apparent failure of brain power in an old man who had always been strong up to within a year or so of the time he called on me. He complained of heaviness in the occiput and inability to exert the mind to talk or think, and general tired "played out" feeling. I feared brain softening but I gave him Picric acid 6th trit. and it promptly cured him. This remedy has strong points of resemblance to Phosphoric acid and Phosphorus in its effects upon the sexual organs especially of the male. There is strong sexual desire with terrible erections, which is followed by corresponding weakness or complete impotence. There seems to be no doubt that it is destined to become one of our most valuable remedies for brain, spinal, and general nervous prostration, especially if connected with or arising from sexual excesses. It may be studied along with Gelsemium, Phosphoric acid, Phosphorus, Argentum nitricum, Sulphur, Alumina and Silicea and all those remedies affecting the brain, cord, and general nervous system.

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

Picric Acid. Carbazotic Acid. Tri-nitro-carbolic Acid. (C 6 H 2 (NO 2 ) 3 OH). Trituration. Solution in rectified spirit.

Clinical

Acne. Anæmia . Boils. Brain, base of, pain in. Brain-fag . Burns. Cancerous cachexia. Condylomata. Debility. Diabetes. Ears, boils in. Emissions . Enuresis. Epistaxis. Erotomania . Erythema. Hæmoglobinuria . Hands, perspiration of. Headache, of students. Hemiplegia. Jaundice. Leucocythæmia . Liver, congestion of; fatty. Locomotor ataxia. Lumbago . Myelitis. Neurasthenia. Otitis. Paralysis . Paraplegia. Pernicious anæmia. Priapism. Pruritus vulvæ. Self-abuse . Spinal exhaustion. Spinal irritation. Spinal sclerosis. Styes. Sycosis. Urine, bloody. Writer's cramp.

Characteristics

Pic. ac . was discovered by Hausman in 1788. It is formed by the action of Nitric acid on Carbolic acid, Salicin, Silk , and many other substances. It crystallises in bright yellow needles or scales, of very bitter taste, sparingly soluble in water. The yellow colour is imparted to the eyes and skins of patients who take it in the crude, and it not only produces a semblance of jaundice, but actually disorganises the liver if pushed. In some experiments by Parisel ( C. D. P .) these symptoms were observed: Buzzing and whistling in ears; sparks, whirling round of objects; heaviness of head alternately with sense of emptiness. Moderately copious, oily-looking , yellowish stool, with > of cerebral symptoms. Pulse slow, small, very feeble. Great weakness, compelling to lie down ; limbs hardly able to stir themselves; no anxiety , profound calm. Vivid colouration of sclerotics and integuments; urine coloured blood-red . These were effects of 0.5 grm. doses. Slow poisoning set up an intermittent fever of quotidian type, and "anorexia, thirst, often sweat, cancerous tint about skin, tendency to cachexia ." These observations give the chief features of the drug's action: Fatigue, mental and bodily; symptoms < by least exertion fatigue going into actual paralysis; brain fatigue, nerve fatigue at the same time absence of anxiety ─ indifference. Like so many other yellow substances, Pic. ac . acts powerfully on the liver, and produces jaundice, cachexia, and cancerous tints. "Tired-out, washed-out feeling ─ must give in," is the chief keynote of Pic. ac . and its salts. Nash cured promptly with Pic. ac . 6 trit. an old man who had been failing for a year, and complained of heaviness in the occiput, inability to exert the mind, talk, or think, and general "played-out" feeling. Nash had feared brain softening. Halbert ( Clinique , September, 1898) reports a case illustrating the power of Pic. ac . over the effects of fatigue in professional neuroses. A stenographer and typewriter after using her right index finger continuously for six years, noticed weakness of her thumb and index, and inability to hold pen or pencil. Next there was difficulty in striking correctly the keys of the typewriter and some wrist-drop. The finger when Halbert first saw her was quite rigid and straight, showing extreme spasticity. Massage, electricity, &c., had failed to give any relief. Pic. ac . 3x six times daily cured the case and made great improvement in the patient's general health. Evans has found it Curative in girls and young women who, under the strain of many studies, show signs of breaking down ─ lose appetite ─ sleep lightly and lie awake ( Pic. ac . 30 caused a patient of mine, previously a good sleeper, to lie awake a long time at nights. ─ J. H. C.), exhaustion after the day's studies, fatigue even from a short walk, twitchings of muscles when asleep or awake; hysterical state, loss of will power; constant headache, irregular menses. Such patients are usually given iron, which does little or no good. Pic. ac . and its compounds are among the most powerful explosives known, lyddite being an example. Pic. ac ., like Glon ., has occipital headaches and bursting headaches. The headache, frontal or occipital, is < on any attempt to use the mind, and it may extend down the spine. There is also a headache extending from the top of the spine up over the head to the eyes. In a case of spinal irritation I relieved with Pic. ac . 30 a pain which shot up from the spine into the head. The pains referable to the spinal cord are strongly marked. Any attempt to study = burning along spine; with great weakness of back and legs; soreness of muscles and joints. To the spinal congestion must be attributed the remarkable disturbance in the sexual sphere: Priapism; penis distended almost to bursting. Terrible erections, disturbing sleep. When over-excitement of sexual system is associated with spinal or cerebellar affections in either sex. Great sexual desire with emissions. Amorous fancies. On the skin Pic. ac . produces jaundice with itching; small painful furuncles, particularly in the auditory meatus; and erythema and pruritus of abdomen and feet. Théry of Paris accidentally discovered in Pic. ac . solution a remedy for burns. He twice dropped burning matter on his hands whilst working with a Pic. ac . disinfectant, and was astonished at the absence of pain or injury. From that date Pic. ac . became his principal remedy for burns, and though others have complained that it caused violent pains, Théry has only once in some thousands of cases had to abandon its use on that account. A. C. Blackwood ( Clinique , October, 1898, H. W ., xxxiv. 133) gives the details of its use. Burns of the first and second degree only are suitable. A saturated solution ( Pic. ac . gr. xc to alcohol three ounces) diluted with one quart of water is used. The clothing is removed and the burnt surface cleansed with the solution and absorbent cotton. Blisters are opened but the epithelial covering is carefully preserved. If extensive, the whole surface may be bathed with the solution, and strips of sterilised gauze soaked and applied to entirely cover it, a layer of absorbent cotton held with a light bandage over all. After three or four days the dressing is removed carefully after thorough moistening, as it adheres closely. The second dressing is applied as at first, and allowed to remain a week. Blackwood finds it painless, anodyne, antiseptic, preventing inflammation and suppuration and septic poisoning. It coagulates the albuminous exudation, and healing takes place under the coagulum. The staining of the hands and linen caused by the dressing can be removed by Boracic acid . Gaucher ( Sem. Méd ., May 26, 1897) has removed acute vesicular eczema by the same treatment. The skin and kidneys are intimately related, and Pic. ac . has a powerful action on the latter. Among other affections it has cured diabetes. Halbert ( Clinique , quoted H. W ., xxxiv. 542) reports this case-Mrs, C., 49, had "nervous prostration" since the shock of the loss of a child three years before. Wasting with great appetite. Intense thirst and copious urination, especially at night. Great perspiration and some jaundice. Heart flabby, mitral bruit, dyspnœa; emaciation, anæmia, exhaustion. Urine 1040, 7 1/2 per cent. of sugar and some albumen. Pic. ac . 6x six times daily. Rapid and continuous improvement followed. Kent ( H. P ., viii. 168) says Pic. ac . cures fig-warts and gonorrhœa; he was led to infer its relation thereto by its power over pernicious anæmia, which he has often traced to a gonorrhœal base. Pic. ac . is suited to dark complexioned persons, with dirty appearance about knuckles (from bile pigments); anæmic and cachectic persons; worn-out persons, overtaxed mentally and bodily. Peculiar sensations are: As if sand, or sticks, in eyes. As if throat would split. As if legs enclosed in elastic stockings; as if chest encircled in a tight band. Pricking as from needles in legs. As of a lump back of thyroid cartilage. As if stairs or ground coming up to meet him. As of ants crawling over surface. Nose-bleed accompanies heat and congestion of head. Heaviness of head alternates with emptiness. The right upper part of the body is more affected than the left, the left leg more than the right. Touch < pimples. The headache is > by binding head tightly; > by rest; lying down. < By motion; walking; raising head; sitting up; stooping; ascending stairs. < By study or slightest mental exertion. The throat is > by eating; < empty swallowing. Turning over, and turning the head < headache. < Morning; 5 a.m. nausea. Open air and cold room > headache. Work in open air = prostration. Wet weather < pains. > From cold air and water. Chilliness predominates. Lamplight, strong light, moving eye < pain in eyes. During and after micturition, burning.

Relations

Compare: Am. pic., Calc. pic., Fer. pic., Zn. pic. Spinal exhaustion, Ox. ac. (Ox. ac. more numbness, blueness, pains in small spots; symptoms < thinking of them. Pic. ac. more heaviness; extreme spinal softening). Tired feeling, exhaustion from sexual excess, Phos. ac. Fatty degeneration, sexual excess and priapism, brain-fag, congestive vertigo, burning in spine, Phos. (Phos. has more irritability and excessive sensitiveness, sexual excitement very strong; Pic. ac. has more intense erections but less marked lasciviousness). Brain-fag, inability to study, gastric symptoms, sour eructations, < morning, Nux. Brain-fag, occipital headache, sexual neurasthenia, Gels. Lascivious thoughts in presence of women, Con. Headache and backache, Arg. n. Spinal pains, Alm. (Alm. pain as if hot iron had been thrust into the part). Nervous exhaustion, sensitive spine, Sil. (Pic. ac. washed out, must give in; Sil. won't give in). Nervous exhaustion, Zn. Violent erections, Canth., Graph., Hyo., Phos., Myg., Sil. Acne, K. bro., Bels., Arct. l. Hands sweat, Sil. Burning in back, Lyc., Phos. Writer's cramp, Gels., Plat.

Causation

Fatigue. Study. Mental exertion.

Mind

Nervous feeling, which I never have except when fever is leaving me, feeling as if about to be crushed by the bed-clothes, arms, face, tongue, and forepart of brain seemed to reach the clouds when I was going to sleep. ─ Although enjoying the society of men, idea of marriage unendurable. ─ Desire to be alone. ─ Irritable. ─ Low spirits. ─ Indifference, lack of will power to undertake anything. ─ Disinclination for mental or physical work, aversion to talking or movement, with headache. ─ Mental prostration after reading a little; after writing a little. ─ The least study = burning along spine and other symptoms.

Head

Vertigo: at noon, < rising from a seat; at 6 p.m. on least motion, with nausea, both repeated at 9 p.m., with pain in forehead and vertex and inability to sit up; on stooping or bending head or lying down; < evening. ─ Headache: < rising, > open air; > pressure; > bandaging head; morning, probably from over-sleeping; in forenoon, < afternoon; in afternoon and evening, with trembling; in evening. ─ Headache in evening, with thirst and heat, chiefly in temples, and burning in external ears, < stooping, = vertigo, head feels too small, scalp sore to touch, sore aching in infra-orbital region. ─ Heat and congestion of head with nose-bleed. ─ Pressure outward as if head would fly apart, at 8 p.m., < motion and study. ─ Heaviness; and dulness; alternating with emptiness. ─ Head feels as if failing forward. ─ Shooting from outside to centre of forehead in evening. ─ Intermittent, sharp, and vibrating pain in r. supra-orbital region. ─ Aching in r, supra-orbital region; and in nape. ─ Throbbing over r. eye. ─ Shooting from r. to l. temple with headache. ─ Neuralgic pain alternately in l. and r. temples. ─ Pressure outward at sides of head at 9 p.m., < turning head, moving eyes or least motion, with sensation as if frontal bones would split open. ─ Contracted, squeezed sensation in l. hemisphere of brain at 6.30 p.m. on going into open air. ─ Pain in r. lower occiput, with sensation as of a hand passing along r. parietal eminence. ─ Pain in occiput and in nape; pain in r. lower occiput, as if r. side of cerebellum were loose, 6 till 7 p.m., < walking, > quiet, with throbbing. ─ Heavy pain extending down neck and spine. ─ Heavy throbbing and burning pains, extending from nape to supra-orbital foramen and thence into eyes, which throb and feel sore to touch. ─ (Pain shooting up from spine into head.). ─ Confusion in base of brain.

Eyes

Eyes yellow. ─ Shooting in centre of eye, extending along optic nerve to occiput, with soreness of balls on touch, and photophobia. ─ Sensation of sand in eyes, with smarting pain and acrid tears. ─ Feeling as if sticks were in eyes on waking, with inflammation, afterwards feeling as if sticks were in them in evening. ─ Styes; with sore feeling. ─ Eyes < on moving them. ─ Lachrymation. ─ Pupils dilated. ─ Conjunctivitis; < r. eye, > washing with cold water and by cold air, < warm room, with difficulty in keeping eyes open, and sticky feeling on reading. ─ Shooting from r. eyeball to l. side of occiput; pain < moving eyes, > closing them and quiet, with soreness; heavy, smarting, and burning pains, > pressure; sore pains, < strong light and by turning eyes. ─ Throbbing pain in l. eyeball much < going upstairs. ─ Inability to keep eyes open when studying. ─ Air looks smoky. ─ Vision: dim and confused; dim, can read clearly at only one point, about five inches from eyes; blurred; whirling of objects. ─ Vision of sparks.

Ears

Puffy and burning sensation in ears as if worms were crawling in them. ─ Pain behind r. ear running down side of neck. ─ Painful boils in meatus. ─ Buzzing and hissing in ears. ─ (Noises in ears, with vertigo and headache at the base of brain.). ─ (Chronic deafness, apparently caused by excessive headache, with noises in the ears when tired, membrane pale.)

Nose

Boil in l. nostril. ─ Stinging on r. side of nose. ─ Acne along edges and sides of nose, indurated, elevated papules, rather dark red, painless but sore to touch, very small pustules on tips. ─ Weight or pressure on bridge. ─ Nose full of mucus, call breathe only through mouth, > open air. ─ Bleeding from r. nostril; with heat and congestion of head.

Face

Pustular acne on face, burning and stinging when touched; on chin. ─ Irregular pain in lower jaw, with beating in molars. ─ Tingling in lips.

Mouth

White, frothy saliva hangs in strings to the floor. ─ Taste: bitter; with thirst; sour, bitter; sour; bad; bad, of gas.

Throat

Redness of throat, with raw, scraped, stiff, and hot feeling, as if burnt, and with thick white mucus on tonsils, difficulty in swallowing, with sensation as if throat would split open. ─ Rawness in l. side, extending forward to submaxillary gland, < swallowing; rawness with roughness and scraping. ─ Soreness back of and above soft palate, with debility. ─ Dry and husky. ─ Feeling of a plug on swallowing saliva and afterwards. ─ Sensation of something in lower part of œsophagus.

Appetite

Appetite great in evening; increased, then lost; lost; lost for breakfast. ─ Aversion to food; at noon. ─ Thirst: great, with bitter taste; unquenchable, for cold water.

Stomach

Eructations: empty; sour, of gas and ingesta; bitter after breakfast. ─ Waterbrash. ─ Nausea: on retiring; after retiring, with headache; deathlike, in stomach and abdomen on waking at 5 a.m., < rising and moving about, returned on waking a second time, repeated next morning on waking. ─ Vomiting. ─ Sharp pain in epigastric region; when eating breakfast. ─ Oppression of epigastric region. ─ Weight in pit of stomach, with ineffectual desire to eructate. ─ Faint feeling in epigastrium most of the time.

Abdomen

Sticking through hepatic region, < in muscles. ─ Liver full of fat granules (in animals poisoned with Pic. ac .). ─ Tendency to jaundice. ─ Fulness of abdomen. ─ Rumbling: in small intestines; at 7 a.m. on waking, with colic; with crampy pain and flatus. ─ Emission of flatus; during the day; in evening. ─ Crawling stinging. ─ Pain in abdomen all forenoon, with slight headache. ─ Pain in abdomen on waking, with strong erections, and on moving emission of much flatus. ─ Pain in neck of bladder. ─ Sticking backward through l. umbilical region. ─ Sharp pain l. side of umbilicus. ─ Shooting, wandering pain in region of coccyx, bladder, rectum, and umbilicus, caused by wind. ─ Sharp pain in r. iliac region, above ovary at 11 p.m., with soreness on pressure. ─ Pain: in lower part of large intestines; in l. groin on walking, < ascending stairs. ─ Occasional sensation of giving way in hypogastrium all day. ─ Vacant and sore feeling in hypogastric region.

Stool and Anus

Stinging in anus during and after stool, with itching. ─ Shooting around anus at 9 p.m. ─ Stool like gruel, yellow or yellowish-grey, twice before 9 a.m. ─ Diarrhœa: with burnings and smarting at anus; frequent with prostration, light-coloured, with cutting and smarting at anus during and after stool. ─ Stool: soft; light-coloured, with tenesmus, then drawing up of anus; scanty, with burning and smarting at anus; in plugs, easy, shooting away, then much flatus; yellowish, copious, oily, frequent. ─ Stool quick, as if greased, of sweetish smell, as of boiling sap, at night and morning, then with much wind. ─ Difficult stool, next day ineffectual desire for stool.

Urinary Organs

Sharp pain in region of bladder; in evening < r. side. ─ Frequent micturition in morning. ─ Dribbling micturition. ─ Urethra: jerking drawing in; pain in after micturition burning pain during micturition. ─ Urine: yellow; of a milky, olive hue dark; indications of sugar; dark yellow, with strong odour; dark yellow, scanty, afterwards profuse and yellow; red; dark, in evening. ─ Urine copious and pale; and light coloured, sp. gr. increased; and hot when passed, with burning pain in urethra; afterwards scanty. ─ Urates abundant. ─ Urine contained much indican, numerous granular cylinders and fatty degenerated epithelium.

Male Sexual Organs

Erections: in morning on waking; at 11 a.m., with bruised pain in l. testicle, extending up cord to external abdominal ring; firm in morning, with pain in abdomen, next morning woke with emission and firm erection, which lasted about ten minutes after the emission; terrible at night, with restless sleep; violent, all night; violent, all night, then profuse emissions. ─ Lascivious thoughts in presence of any woman. ─ Desire: at night, with emissions; at night, with hard erections, lewd dreams and emission, priapism night and day.

Female Sexual Organs

Occasional aching and twinges in l. ovarian region. ─ Menses delayed; during the period yellowish-brown leucorrhœa. ─ During menses, bruised pain in abdomen with sickening sensation. ─ Excessive and voluptuous pruritus at night, after retiring, making her feel irritable and exasperated (night before menses; usually had slight pruritus after menses, never before ). ─ (Used locally in diseases of nipples, inflammation diminishes, skin becomes tougher.)

Respiratory Organs

Dry cough, as from dust in throat, then nausea. ─ Can get the breath only half-way down.

Chest

Twitching: in l. side over eighth and ninth ribs; in l. side over tenth and eleventh ribs from 6 till 11 p.m., with throbbing in muscles. ─ Pain in r. side, extending across l. ─ Pain in l. lung in evening. ─ Sharp pain under r. clavicle. ─ A heavy throbbing in l. chest under tenth and eleventh ribs at 11 a.m., changing at noon to region of kidneys, extending at 2 p.m. into legs, < l. ─ Stunning pain at 9.30 a.m., with twitching in throat. ─ Tightness of chest, as if encircled by a band. ─ Numbness in lower part of sternum.

Heart and Pulse

Pain in apex of heart in evening. ─ Intermittent fluttering at base of heart all day, it seemed to move. ─ Palpitation. ─ Pulse: frequent; slow, feeble, afterwards rapid; slow, small, and feeble; irregular.

Neck and Back

Terrible pains in neck and occiput, extending to supra-orbital notch and thence into eyes. ─ Muscles on r. side of neck felt as if they would give way in afternoon when lying; at night when lying on r. side, with feeling as if neck would be dislocated. ─ Pain in back and lower limbs, with heaviness, tired aching, and weakness. ─ Burning along spine and very great weakness, < by study. ─ Heat in lower spine; aching and digging in loins, < from motion. ─ Pain extending from r. scapula to r. loin when bending forward. ─ Sticking: under r. scapula; in lumbar region or bending forward when sitting. ─ Pain in lumbar region; and anteriorly in thighs, in muscles, < motion, with weakness in the same, < legs; extending down legs, < motion, legs and lumbar region sensitive to pressure; heavy at 6 p.m. ─ Dragging pains in region of kidneys and at nape, extending upward and downward till they meet between scapulæ, at 2 p.m. ─ Weakness in sacral and lumbar regions. ─ (Myelitis with tonic and clonic spasms, keeps legs wide apart when standing; looks steadily at objects as if could not make them out. ─ Spinal exhaustion following acute disease.). ─ Sharp pain in region of coccyx.

Limbs

Rheumatic pains in joints. ─ Weakness from a short walk, with excessive heaviness. ─ Heaviness, < l.; of arms and legs on exertion, < legs, legs weak and heavy all the time. ─ Extremities cold.

Upper Limbs

Lame sensation in shoulders. ─ Shoulders tired and sore; r. ─ Twitching of lower part of l. biceps; in forenoon. ─ Shooting in l. elbow, extending down arm. ─ Pain in r. elbow between ulna and radius. ─ Shooting in hands. ─ L. hand goes to sleep.

Lower Limbs

Weakness of limbs ( < l.); on ascending stairs; and heaviness. ─ Numbness and crawling in legs with trembling and pricking as from needles. ─ Twitching on back of l. hip at 9 p.m. ─ Pain anteriorly in l. thigh, can hardly flex and extend legs. ─ Hips and legs heavy all day. ─ Knees weak. ─ Twitching of flesh of r. leg. ─ Sticking in legs and feet. ─ Pain in legs anteriorly, on touch; in calves all night. ─ Deep-seated, sore pain in upper part of l. Scarpa's triangle, < night, > sleep, returning on waking. ─ Numb, sleepy sensation, extending to soles, > cold water and in the open air. ─ Calves lame and sore. ─ Weakness of legs; < l., which trembles; with soreness; with heaviness. ─ Heaviness of legs, < l. ─ Numbness of anterior muscles. ─ Crawling pain in l. sole and under patella. ─ Feet feel as if frostbitten. ─ Numbness of l. foot. ─ Soreness in ball of l. big toe in afternoon and evening, > continued walking.

Generalities

Veins sunken and small, < l. side. ─ Bright yellow colour of sclerotic, skin, and urine. ─ Cancerous cachexia. ─ Trembling of all muscles. ─ Rheumatic stitches in different parts, with muscular debility. ─ Darting pains in various parts, extending into bones, every hour of the day. ─ All pains lasted till 8 p.m. ─ Soreness and lameness, < l. side, in morning when rising, with heavy, throbbing pains and dilated pupils, conjunctivitis, and lachrymation. ─ Tired feeling: in morning on waking, with heaviness; on least exertion; > open air; with lame sensation over whole body; with no desire to talk or do anything, indifferent to anything around, sleepiness and desire to lie down. ─ Numbness, with pains, as when taking cold.

Skin

Yellow skin. ─ Pimples on face and neck that he had for years were now increased in number and size. ─ Reddish, painful boils about mouth and face, when opened they exude a thin, clear serum, which dries into a transparent scab, then become painful and contain pus like condensed milk. ─ Reddish boils on face, becoming pustular, with burning stinging on touch. ─ Erythema of abdomen and feet. ─ Tight feeling in skin over epigastrium. ─ Itching; at night. ─ (Burns.)

Sleep

Frequent gaping in church. ─ Sleepiness, slept an hour in afternoon, then felt better. ─ Sleepiness in evening, > walking in open air; at 9 p.m. ─ Sleep sound but unrefreshing. ─ Sleepless all night. ─ Late falling asleep from a crowd of ideas. ─ Woke earlier than usual and dozed till time to rise. ─ Woke at 3 a.m., then difficulty in going to sleep. ─ Constant dreams; dreamt that she was pregnant.

Fever

Chilliness, with cold, clammy sweat. ─ Cold limbs; feet; hands and feet. ─ Fever; and chilliness, then cold, clammy sweat. ─ Chilliness predominates. ─ Heat in head; r. side; in forehead. ─ Burning: along coronal suture; along spine, < trying to study, > motion. ─ Heat in lower dorsal and lumbar regions. ─ Sweat. ─ Cold, clammy sweat: in evening; on hands; on hands and feet in daytime; on hands in forenoon; on feet in evening, next day feet cold and sweaty all day.

The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica

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

General

Picric Acid. HC 6 H 2 (NO 2 ) 3 O.
Discovered by Hausman in 1788.
Crystallizes in bright yellow needles or scales.
Provings by Couch, N. Y. J. of Hom., 1874, vol. 2, p. 149 ; T. F. Allen, Linsley and S. A. Jones, Allen's Encyclopædia, vol. 7, p. 519 .
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Brain fag , Allen, Organon, vol. 3, p. 94 ; Headache , Hale, B. J. H., vol. 36, p. 389 ; Otitis , Houghton, T. W. H. Con., 1876, p. 649 ; Boils in meatus auditorius , Houghton, B. J. H., vol. 34, p. 356, from Hom. Times, Nov. 1875, N. E. M. G., vol. 11, p. 188 ; Enuresis , Martin, Trans. H. M. S. Pa., 1883, p. 59 ; Satyriasis , Allen Hah. Mo., vol. 13 ; p. 202 ; Spermatorrhœa , Allen, Times Ret., 1875, p. 89, from N. Y. J. H., 1874, p. 412 ; Posterior spinal sclerosis , Lilienthal, N. A. J. H., vol. 24, p. 64 ; Debility , Morgan, Hah. Mo., vol. 19, p. 101 ; Nervous disorder , Jones, Hom. Times, vol. 6, p. 70.

Mind

Great indifference, lack of will-power.
Cannot collect thoughts ; quickly prostrated from using mind.
Disinclination for mental and physical work ; desire to sit still without taking any interest in surroundings.
Mental prostration after least intellectual work ; any attempt to study brings on brain symptoms anew, and develops burning along spine, with great weakness of legs and back, with soreness of muscles and joints.
Brain fag.

Sensorium

Vertigo and nausea, with intense pain in frontal region and vertex ; could not sit up ; < from raising head.
Vertigo < from stooping, walking, going upstairs.

Inner head

Dull headache in forehead or occiput, may extend down spine ; < from slightest attempt at using mind.
Severe pains in neck and occiput going up to supraorbital notch or foramen, then extending into eyes.
Headaches, with dull throbbing, heavy feeling or sharp pains ; < from study or movement of eyes ; > from rest, open air and binding head tightly.
Any attempt at using mind brings on headache and causes burning along spine.
After every severe mental effort, intense throbbing headache, < at base of brain ; often with congestion of spine, increase of sexual excitement and violent erections.
Headache of students and overworked business men, or when grief or other depressing emotions have resulted in nervous exhaustion with passive congestion ; seat of pain is in occipito-cervical region.
Brain fag in a school-teacher ; so tired after her labors can scarcely reach home ; headache completely incapacitating her for work, begins in morning on waking, increases as day advances, always > by sleep at night ; chiefly affects forehead, extending gradually to vertex and involving entire cerebrum, with constant vertigo, < from motion, mental exertion, especially schoolwork and going up-stairs ; at times intense throbbing, at others dull pressing ; always > by quiet ; pain in eyes < moving them ; with the headache sense of terrible prostration, she feels so tired ; feels > in open air, but too tired and exhausted to walk ; after walking a few yards thinks she will never reach next block, it seems so far away ; sometimes unrefreshing sleep.
Brain fag of literary or business people ; slightest excitement or mental exertion, or any overwork, brings on headache.
Congestion of head with nosebleed.
Cerebro-spinal congestion.

Sight and eyes

Sparks before eyes.
Sight dim, confused.
Has to bring objects close to eyes to see them ; everything blurred as from looking through fog.
Pupils dilated.
Dryness of eyes ; tingling and smarting, < by constant use and by lamplight ; acrid, thick matter in corners in morning.
Feeling of sand in eyes, smarting pain, acrid tears.
On waking and for an hour, feeling of sticks in eyes.
Pressure over eyes < from studying and motion, > sitting still.
Severe pain over right eye, sharp, vibrating, intermittent.
Conjunctivæ yellow.
Eyes smart and burn.
Thick matter forms in canthi.
Eye symptoms < from artificial light.

Hearing and ears

Otitis externa circumscripta, furuncle in ear ; burning sensation in external ear ; pain behind r. ear, running down side of neck.
Furuncular or circumscribed inflammation of meatus ; chronic or subacute forms ; debilitated cases with redness and localized tenderness of meatus. θ Otitis.
Furuncles in external auditory canal.

Smell and nose

Nose full of mucus ; can breathe only with mouth open.

Upper face

Papules on face, which turn into small boils.

Taste, speech, tongue

Sour, bitter taste in mouth.
Bitter taste with thirst.

Inner mouth

Saliva frothy ; stringy.

Palate and throat

Thick white mucus on tonsils.
Throat feels rough and scraped ; > from eating, < from empty swallowing and after sleep.
On swallowing throat feels sore, as if it would split.

Hiccough, belching, nausea and vomiting

Wants to belch but has not the power.
Sour eructations with frontal headache.
Nausea, < in morning and on attempting to rise and move about.
Nausea, < 5 A. M. and when attempting to rise.

Scrobiculum and stomach

Pressure and weight about stomach.

Hypochondria

Tendency to jaundice.
Liver full of fat granules.

Abdomen and loins

Rumbling of flatus in abdomen.

Stools and rectum

Stools : thin, yellow, sometimes oily, with much burning and smarting at anus ; prostration and ineffectual urging to stool ; yellowish-grey (like gruel).
During stool : burning, smarting and cutting at anus.
After stool : great prostration ; burning and smarting at anus.
Diarrhœa in persons exhausted by mental overwork.

Urinary organs

Kidneys congested.
Urine of abnormally high specific gravity and containing sugar ; albuminous.
Urine rich in phosphates and uric acid, and poor in sulphates and urates.
Albumen and sugar in urine.
Urine red as blood.
Dribbling after urinating.

Male sexual organs

Great sexual desire, with emissions ; emissions every other night.
Violent erections all night ; profuse seminal emissions.
Terrible erections, with restless sleep.
Overexcitement of sexual organs from irritation of cerebellum, in both sexes.
Priapism, associated with spinal disease ; erections violent, penis distended almost to bursting.
Satyriasis of three years' standing.
Impotence or weakness with irritability ; penis relaxed and shrunken ; coldness of genitals.
Spermatorrhœa.

Pregnancy. parturition. lactation

In diseases of nipples ; (locally) inflammatory symptoms cease and skin becomes tougher.

Neck and back

Heaviness in small of back.
Burning along spine and very great weakness of legs and back, with soreness of muscles and joints ; < from study.
Tired aching feeling and some burning in back and legs ; in women.
Heat in lower part of spine ; aching and dragging in lumbar region, < from motion.
Tired, aching in lumbar region on awaking.
Urine intense red ; violent, long-lasting, painful priapism ; anesthesia of legs, with a feeling as if enclosed in an elastic stocking ; chest feels as if encircled in a tight band ; pricking, as if from needles, in legs and feet ; < from least motion. θ Myelitis.
Tonic and clonic spasms ; keeps legs wide apart when standing ; looks steadily at objects, as if unable to make them out ; limbs too weak to support body. θ Myelitis.
After doing much fine work, especially at night, gradual failing of eyesight, blur before eyes ; hands became very tired, even when doing but little, and was unable to manage them skillfully ; this tired sensation was noticed first of all in hands ; sat in a chair and desired to remain very still ; on attempting to walk pressed hand upon loin and slid feet along ground, as in a paretic condition, soon becoming exhausted ; constipation ; could not read a line without becoming much exhausted ; played-out feeling of whole body ; no will or power at all ; chilliness down back, in immediate region of spine, during damp weather ; paretic condition of lower extremities ; dull and heavy headache in occiput ; bodily exhaustion with mental clearness ; sleepless at night from exhausted feeling ; as soon as he falls asleep priapisms and seminal emissions, with or without sensual dreams ; semen ejaculated too quickly during coition. θ Posterior spinal sclerosis.
Completed the cure of a case of spinal exhaustion following acute disease.

Lower limbs

Great weakness and heaviness of lower limbs and back, with soreness of muscles and joints.
Great weakness of legs, especially left, which trembles ; heavy, like lead ; lifted from floor with difficulty.
Great weakness in region of hips.
Numbness and crawling in legs, with trembling and pricking as if from needles.
Heaviness of feet, with dull frontal headache.
Great coldness of feet.

Limbs in general

Great heaviness in arms and legs, especially legs, on exertion.
Extremities cold.

Rest. position. motion

Rest : headaches > ; pressure over eyes.
Lying down : headache better.
Raising head : vertigo worse.
Could not sit up : vertigo.
Stooping : vertigo worse.
Motion : vertigo < ; pressure over eyes < ; nausea < ; aching and dragging in lumbar region ; pricking in legs worse.
Walking : vertigo < ; up hill, readily winded.
Going up-stairs : vertigo worse.

Nerves

Tired feeling : on least exertion ; all over body ; with heaviness ; excessive languor ; no desire to talk or do anything ; indifferent to everything ; is obliged to lie down ; it seems difficult to move limbs ; great muscular debility ; readily winded by walking up hill ; inclined to day-sleepiness ; poor appetite ; general sense of torpidity.
Generally "run down," owing to anxiety, loss of sleep, etc. ; left lower first and second molars had been recently filled and the gum between, in contact with the metal, became sore and painful ; inflammation extended to third molar, which was painfully loose, and also to upper jaw and auditory meatus ; a furunculoid swelling, as from lymphatic extension, appeared on the lower wall of latter, with soreness going from teeth to ear, on pressing jaws together ; dull pain in back of neck and head, due to astigmatism, returned in spite of glasses ; sexual system irritable but weak ; despondent yet enduring mood, with sensitive feelings.
Great prostration ; ears transparent ; face, neck, lips and hands of a deathlike whiteness ; three to five attacks of vomiting, coming on suddenly and without warning, ejected matter being of bright-yellow color and very bitter ; easily prostrated, slightest exertion obliging him to quit ; often the prostration caused by some little outdoor work in morning compels him to keep his bed the remainder of the day ; sometimes feels like dropping down where he is, as if he were unable to reach house ; mouth badly ulcerated ; tongue smooth, cracked, having appearance of alligator's hide ; mouth very dry ; dry feeling commencing in throat and working upward, causing him to drink often, but little at a time ; cannot double tongue ; a feeling as if tongue would crack were it not moistened ; sensation as of a lump back of thyroid cartilage ; very troublesome when swallowing ; appetite poor ; no desire for any particular kind of food, eats what is set before him ; what he eats tastes well and seems to digest well ; retires about 10 P. M. almost prostrate, but in a short time it passes away, and he quickly goes to sleep ; awakens a number of times in night to moisten tongue, but readily goes to sleep again ; when he awakens in morning feels quite strong, but this soon passes away and he dreads the day ; constipated eight months ; evacuation once in four or five days ; stool hard as a rock, sometimes bloody ; great straining, with pain during and after, easing up after a little ; head feels badly all through, but pain is on right side, extending from forehead back and in top of orbit of eye ; > in a cool room or lying down ; inclined to be drowsy ; sometimes feels as if he could sleep all day ; when walking up-stairs or up a hill has a sensation as if stairs or ground were coming up to meet him ; vertigo on rising from bed, chair or stooping position and immediately after work ; unable to retain urine, it was hot, almost scalding, but soon passed off, leaving him weak ; no erections ; scrotum lengthened, hanging down almost to knees ; penis retracted.
After a severe mental shock from a death, languor, exhaustion, feels so tired, wants to lie down and sleep all the time, which she would do if not aroused.
Neurasthenia.
Weariness progressing from a slight feeling of fatigue on motion to complete paralysis.
Paralysis from softening of cord.
Tingling of lips, formication about head and crawling, as of ants over surface.

Sleep

Sleep restless and disturbed by erections.

Time

Morning : thick matter in corners of eyes ; nausea < ; out-door work easily prostrates.
At 5 A. M. : nausea worse.
Night : sleeplessness.

Temperature and weather

Open air : headache > ; work in, prostrates.
Cool room : headache better.
Pains < wet weather. θ Locomotor ataxia.
Amelioration from cold air and water.

Fever

Chilliness followed by clammy sweat.
Useful in typhoid conditions.

Attacks, periodicity

Every other night : emissions.
Every four or five days : evacuations.
Three years : satyriasis.

Locality and direction

Right : severe pain over eye ; pain behind ear.
Left : leg trembles.

Sensations

As of sand in eyes ; as of sticks in eyes ; as if throat would split ; legs as if enclosed in an elastic stocking ; chest as if encircled in a tight band ; pricking as if from needles in legs ; as of a lump back of thyroid cartilage ; as if stairs or ground were coming up to meet him ; as of ants crawling over surface.
Pain : in eyes ; behind right ear ; running down side of neck.
Intense pain : in frontal region and vertex.
Severe pain : in neck and occiput to supraorbital notch or foramen, thence into eyes ; over right eye.
Cutting : at anus.
Dull, throbbing, heavy, sharp pains : in head.
Aching : in back.
Dull pain : in head ; in back of neck.
Smarting pain : in eyes ; at anus.
Burning : along spine ; of eyes ; in external ear ; at anus.
Heat : in lower part of spine.
Soreness of muscles and joints ; of throat ; from teeth to ear.
Pressure : over eyes ; about stomach.
Heaviness : in small of back ; in legs.
Dryness : of eyes ; of throat.
Numbness : in legs.
Played-out feeling : of whole body.
Weakness : of legs and back ; in region of hips.
Coldness : of genitals ; down back ; of feet.
Crawling : in legs.

Tissues

Restorative of a wasted and worn-out system.
Progressive pernicious anemia.
Cortex cerebri cerebellum, medulla oblongata and spinal cord were found reduced to a soft, pulpy mass, dark brown in color and loaded with shining, greasy particles.

Touch. passive motion. injuries

Binding head tightly ; headache >.

Skin

Small furuncles in any part of body, particularly in ears.

Stage of life, constitution

Man, æt. about 30 ; enuresis.
Man, æt. 35, lithographer, marked hydrogenoid constitution, father of two children ; posterior spinal sclerosis.
Man, æt. 62, weight 140 lbs. ; nervous disorder.
Woman, principal of school ; brain fag.

Relations

Compare : Arg. nitr . (headache and backache) ; Gelsem . (brain fag, occipital headache in sexual neurasthenia) ; Phos. ac . (tired feeling, exhaustion from sexual excesses) ; Phosphor . (effects of mental application) ; Petrol . (occipital headache) ; Oxal. ac . (softening of spinal cord) ; Sulphur (congestion of lumbar spine) ; Alumina (spinal pains) ; Silica (nervous exhaustion, sensitive spine).

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica

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

Mind

The weakness of body and mind is the first impression wrought upon the mind of the reader who goes carefully over this proving.

It is progressive, passing from weariness to paralysis. The evidences of softening of brain and cord are strong. He, soon becomes sensitive to heat and desires the cool air which ameliorates his head and bodily condition.

Cold air and cold bathing are grateful to him. He is sensitive to wet weather. Numbness of many parts, trembling, lassitude, heaviness, must lie down, worse from least exertion are marked features. Loss of sleep, mental, worry, mental labor, are the exciting causes of symptoms. Extreme indifference.

It is a typical brain-fag remedy with indifference and lack of will power, aversion to talk, think, or perform any mental exertion. He is quickly prostrated from the least mental work, and it brings on many complaints, such as soreness and lameness, diarrhea, burning along the spine, general weakness and heaviness of limbs and back. He loses all interest in things; becomes irritable from any mental exertion.

Head

In young school children we have a common use for this very valuable but neglected remedy. When the child begins to learn the alphabet, headaches come, and return with every repeated effort, often with dilated pupils. After every examination at school come these violent headaches. A young man at school with the following symptoms was cured promptly.

Student's headache, vertigo when remaining standing, heaviness in the head, epistaxis, dilated pupils, congestion of conjunctiva, inability to bear artificial light, loss of appetite, bitter taste in mouth, vomiting, jaundice. Vertigo from mental exertion, lameness from stooping, walking, ascending, from raising the head from the pillow, can not sit up, soon nausea comes from it.

It is often associated with the head pains, For headaches of students, teachers, professional men, and overworked business men, it is a most useful remedy. For headaches with great nervous weakness from grief and de pressing emotions, it has been often overlooked.

It has violent pain in vertex, forehead and occiput, extending down the spine with much heat. Congestive headaches. The head must be cool, it is worse from warm room, and wrapping up the head or body, and better from rest of mind and body.

The headaches often begin and increase with the day, and are better by sleep at night. The patient is wholly incapacitated in the daytime, but comfortable from rest and sleep during the night. Extreme prostration often comes with these headaches. Extreme sexual excitement often comes with the headache as with many of its "complaints," but it is not an essential concomitant.

Eyes

The eye symptoms are due to loss of tone in the eye muscles of such as are suffering from brain fag. Looking, reading We print and exertion of vision will bring on the headache and eye symptoms (Onosmodium).

Sensation of sand in the eye, smarting, acrid tears, sparks, fag before the eyes, near sighted, dim vision, objects confused, pupils dilated, severe pain over eyes. Thick mucus in eyes.

The symptoms from the eye arc worse from artificial light.

Small boils and pustules in external auditory canal.

Digestion

Eructations, abortive, sour.

Nausea in the morning worse on rising and moving about.

There is evidence of liver trouble, and the patient is jaundiced.

Rumbling in the abdomen, diarrhea from mental exertion.

Yellow, watery or thin faecal, oily stool; smarting after stool; stool like yellow cornmeal gruel. Great weakness after stool, in debilitated persons.

Urine contains sugar and albumen, Urine of high specific gravity. Urine heavy with urates, uric acid, phosphates, and poor in sulphates. Dribbling after urination. Weakness of the bladder. Great waste of phosphates.

In the proving it turns the normal sexual sphere into lust, and salacity with violent erections, especially during the night. It has many times cured these symptoms even when of long standing.

Pain in occiput and spine, heaviness of limbs and sexual excitement. Where great restlessness of feet is present the Zincum Picricum acts better. It cures impotency and spermatorrhea when the mind is unable to control the lustful state.

Burning heat in the spine from mental or physical exertion. Weakness of the spine and heaviness of the limbs, especially the lower limbs. The back is so tired that he cannot sit up erect, he must slide down in the chair or lie down. He is relieved while lying. It has been very useful in myelitis, with the weak limbs and a sensation as if body and limbs were bandaged or constricted; also with anesthesia of legs and as if he had on elastic stockings.

In locomotor ataxia where there are tormenting erections and emissions as soon as he falls asleep, Many cases of spinal weakness have been cured by this remedy.

Weakness of the lower limbs with trembling, numbness and constriction. Formication and prickling as from needles. Marked coldness of the feet. Physical exertion greatly intensifies all these symptoms after long rest he is ameliorated.

Tired after least exertion in limbs and whole body; excessive lassitude. Great muscular weakness. Sleepiness in day-time and sleepless at night, especially after mental labor.