Acidum Nitricum


Proving Symptoms of homeopathy medicine Acidum Nitricum, described by Richard Hughes in his book, A Cyclopedia of Drug Pathogenesis, published in 1895….


Introduction

Nitric acid, NO5-Result of distillation of natural nitrate of soda or potash (hence old name, Nitri acidum) with sulphuric acid.

Provings

1. HAHNEMANN, Chronic Diseases, Part iv of original, vol. of English translation. Contains 1412 symptoms, of which about 1200 are his own, 200 from fellow-observers, and 30 from authors.

2. In September 1793, I began to take nitric acid. On the 11th, took at different times about 3j of strong acid diluted with water. Soon after taking it felt sense of warmth in stomach and chest, but no disagreeable sensation or other material effect. On 2nd day, took considerable quantity of diluted acid, as much as could easily be drunk in forenoon, and continued so to do for 4 days more. On 3rd das felt gums affected; they were somewhat red and enlarged between teeth. Slept ill, but could like for length of time on left side, which, from some affection of liver, had not been the case form many months before. Pain at back of head resembling that which I have commonly felt when taking mercury. On 4th day, gums a little tender. Pain still in head, and also about jaws. On 5th day, slight salivation. On 6th day, yet more, and mouth sore. On 7th day, mouth so troublesome that I shall take no more acid. On omitting it, mouth gradually got well. (SCOTT, Duncan’s Annals, i, 379.)

3. 11:30 a. m. Health normal, pulse 78, regular; took 10 drops of fuming acid in half glass of water (). Soon pressure and heaviness in forehead, with darting pains in ears and vertigo. Can walk straight only by an effort. These symptoms attended by chilliness and nausea. 12. Nausea increased to vomiting, with pain in mouth, throat, and stomach. Vision obscured. Eyes feel hot and excoriated. Feeling of intoxication continues: vomited once only, but repeated and constant retching followed. 12:15. Burning pain in bladder and call to urinate; urine scalding. 12:30. Urinated again, scant and hot. During aft. repeated urination, odour strong. Towards evening drawing pains in back and loins. Pulse 68, weak. 5:30. Desire for stool, no relief. 7. Difficult stool with straining and burning in rectum. 2nd day. – Sleep was restless and uneasy; waked with pain in head and cervical region. Chilliness and shuddering even when near hot stove (temperature and pulse not taken). 7 a. m. Passive epistaxis, dark blood. Desire for stool, no relief; urinary symptoms continue. 11. Rheumatic pains and drawing from knee to groin, with soreness of testes. 12. Indisposed to read or study. 3rd. day. – Pulse slow and irregular; feel very languid with continued chilliness; two diarrhoeic stools during morning, with tenesmus; occasional loose cough. 4th day – Dark red papular eruption in clusters on various parts of trunk and neck, with soreness and itching: this continued for nearly a week. Otherwise well. (W. H. WILLSON, M. D., communicated.)

4. 10 a. m. Health good, pulse 76; took 18 drops of lx in water. 10:15 Fulness of head with dull headache. 10:30. Increased pressure in head with inability to apply mind; face pale; veins turgid and swollen. 10:35. Respirations laboured and impeded; surface of body cold to touch. 11. Drowsy, with neuralgic pains in right supra-orbital region and ear. 11:15. Passed normal urine (unusual hour); hands and feet cold and sweaty (no cause). 11:30. Urinated again, scant and strong odour. 12. Pressure in head and neuralgic pains continue, with wavering of objects before the eyes. Mouth and lips dry; tongue feels scalded, tip and edges very red. 12:30. Fullness and oppression of chest and epigastrium is somewhat relieved; normal warmth has returned. 2nd day. – Restless and sleepless at night: waked with full pressing headache involving eyes. Desire to urinate was frequent, and flow irritating for 2 days following. Otherwise seemed well. (R. H. CURTIS, M. D., communicated.)

5. Mrs. – took one morning a few drops of the dilute nitric acid of the B. P. In afternoon, slight aching in both feet and legs up to hips; felt as if she had taken cold in them. Woke early next morning with deep-seated bitter coldness of same parts and deep-seated feeling as if dogs were gnawing flesh and bones, and as if sinews were being pulled up. All these sensations worse in feet and thighs. Kept her awake rest of night; not relieved by position or movement, relieved for time by hard rubbing. After breakfast they suddenly disappeared, leaving parts tender to touch, and as if clothes were too heavy for them. With the coldness there was chattering of teeth for 1 hour. Towards morning, also, there was violent pain like throbbing or hammering on left side of head, coming on gradually. It began near vertex, descending to region of l. ear; then went gradually over vertex to right side of head, but still worse on left; not relieved by warmth of flannel. She felt as if she could beat the head to pieces It gradually diminished, and about breakfast left her entirely. After rising, but before breakfast, great nausea in stomach as if going to retch, but without retching or vomiting, lasting till she fell asleep. After breakfast, for about 1 hour (other pain having ceased), feeling as if head were in a vice from ear to ear, over vertex, arising and departing gradually. Afterwards felt as if she had no head; it felt light on her shoulders, numb, or as if made of putty. For about 1 hour painless lumps in calves about size of half a walnut. Again fell asleep; on waking felt hungry and thirsty, and took second breakfast, after which she was quite well. (BERRIDGE, N. Am. Journ. of Hom., xxi, 101.)

6. In small quantities, the diluted acid excites the appetite, increases the secretion of a light-coloured urine, causes, a whitish coating on the tongue and dryness of the mouth; about the fifth day after commencing the use of the acid, the teeth begin to become loose, the gums bleed, in some cases ptyalism sets in. The continued use of the acid is followed by digestive derangements, colic, foetid breath, headache, languor, constipation or diarrhoea. (WIBMER, Wirk. der Arz., sub voce.)

7. A small pustular eruption sometimes appears upon the skin. Bateman, who gave the acid in a diluted form for hepatic derangement, found that it produced salivation, but neither foetor of the breath nor ulceration of the gums. But all these symptoms existed in several of the cases (syphilitic) reported by Prioleau. This salivation would appear not to depend upon the local action of the acid, if we may accept the statement of Richter, who found the same effect produced by nitric acid baths. (STILLE, op. cit., sub voce.).

Poisonings

A girl, aet. 17, in good health, took about 3j- 3ss of strong nitric acid. Burning pains set in mouth, throat, and epigastrium, then vomiting, going on for several days and expelling bloody masses. On 2nd day dysenteric symptoms appeared; frequent evacuations, sanguinolent, with pains and tenesmus. From this time urine remained suppressed. On 3rd day, admitted to hospital. Usual signs of corrosive action of acid on mouth and throat were present; abdomen soft and not distended; in epigastric and both iliac regions pains increased by pressure. Resp. 16, pulse 96, temperature 30 R. (=991/2 Fahr.). On next two days motions more frequent and now semi-membranous, bladder empty, pulse 84-100; resp. 20-24; temperature 29.2 – 28.6. Patient became paler; now calm and apathetic, now anxious; quite sensible, but occasionally complaining of headache. On 8th day stomach seemed full of fluid, and vomiting occurred, with anxiety and finally delirium. Temperature fell to 27.8 (under 95 Fahr.) on 7th day, and on 8th she died. At p. m. usual local lesions were found as far as stomach, but small intestines were free. Large intestines throughout exhibited the appearances of intense dysenteric inflammation, and kidneys those of cutest form of Bright’s disease. (WUNDERLICH, De Actea quibusdam Acidi Nitrici caustici in corpus humanum intromissi. Lipsiae, 1876.) 2. A man drank freely of a weak solution of nitric acid in mistake for water. Within a few minutes a deadly and intolerable nausea came on, which, within 1/2 hour, ended in vomiting. After this he felt better for some time, when pain, griping and flatus succeeded; and about 15 hours after taking dose, tenesmus and bloody stools occurred, succeeded by headache and fever. These dysenteric symptoms lasted 2 days., and gradually went off, no medicine having been taken (WALTERS, Medorrhinum Repository, ii, 337.)

3. As nitric acid gas begins to be developed, there is a prickling, tickling sensation in nose, with frequent sneezing; as gas increases in quantity, lips feel as if covered, and give very sour taste when touched with tongue. On being inhaled, it causes a constant and violent cough, with whistling inspiration, redness and sweat of face and body; the paroxysm of cough increases so much by continued inhalation of the gas, that it causes a taste of blood, nausea, and actual vomiting of mucus and food. Longer exposure to gas causes oppression of breathing and anxiety, so that it becomes necessary to leave the room in order to breathe freely and silence the cough. There remains behind, for 1/2 hour to 2 hours, great rawness, soreness, and weariness of chest, with pains in head. (LEDERER, Allg. hom. Zeit., li, 148.)

Richard Hughes
Dr. Richard Hughes (1836-1902) was born in London, England. He received the title of M.R.C.S. (Eng.), in 1857 and L.R.C.P. (Edin.) in 1860. The title of M.D. was conferred upon him by the American College a few years later.

Hughes was a great writer and a scholar. He actively cooperated with Dr. T.F. Allen to compile his 'Encyclopedia' and rendered immeasurable aid to Dr. Dudgeon in translating Hahnemann's 'Materia Medica Pura' into English. In 1889 he was appointed an Editor of the 'British Homoeopathic Journal' and continued in that capacity until his demise. In 1876, Dr. Hughes was appointed as the Permanent Secretary of the Organization of the International Congress of Homoeopathy Physicians in Philadelphia. He also presided over the International Congress in London.