Antimonium crudum


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


Introduction

(Including Ant. crudum, the black sulphide (Sb2S3); Ant. oxydatum, antimonious oxide (SbO3); Ant sulphuratum aureum, the golden or penta-sulphide (Sb2S3 plus Sb2O3): and Ant.. sulphuratum rubrum, mineral kermes (2SbS3 plus SbO3).

Provings

1. HAHNEMANN. Chronic Diseases, Part II of original, Vol. of translation. Contains 471 symptoms from self and others obtained with antim. crudum. 2a. -When kermes in doses of 4-8 grains in introduced into the digestive organs of healthy men, it provokes sometimes vomitings and sometimes alvine dejections, accompanied by malaise more or less considerable. Sometimes, however, it produces no appreciable derangement.

2b. The golden sulphide is less active than kermes, manifesting properties analogous thereto when employed in double or triple doses. (RAYER, Dict. de Medorrhinum et Chir. Prat., III, 15, 63.) 3a. Dr. KARL MAYERHOFER took, in winter, for 2 successive day, every morning and night 1/16th grain of ant. sulph. aureum. His head lost its usual light and undisturbed feeling, much saliva and water came into mouth, taste bitter, sweetish, and flat; sleep full of dreams and head confused; feeling of tickling as from mucus in larynx and trachea. -3rd., m., 1/8 gr. All day confusion in sinciput, pressure in scrob. cordis and stomach, stool hard with much straining, followed by painful aching;and full feeling about navel, oppressed breathing, heaviness and weariness in lower extremities, pulse normal. -4th day, 1/4 gr. Hard, full breathing, fulness in bronchial tubes, semilateral headache, especially in left temple, burning shooting sensation in whole left side, especially in lumbar muscles, sleep with anxious dreams. M., nasal catarrh with oppressed breathing, pappy taste with slimy furred tongue, more urine than usual, by day tickling in larynx, with inability to expectorate the phlegm. – 5th day, 1/4 gr. Until midnight quiet sleep, then sudden waking with confused head and aching over forehead towards crown; fulness in stomach, aching and tensive feeling in throat, especially larynx, pappy taste, full bronchial tubes with hard breathing, thereafter soporous slumber without refreshment. M., heaviness of arms, boring tearing in arms and wrist-joints, especially aching tensive pain in left shoulder-joint, swelling of fingers; stool easier than yesterday, feces pappy but consistent, of bright colour, urinary secretion increased with great tensive and tickling sensation of the penis. -6th day, evening, 1/4 gr. Dreamful sleep, sudden awaking after midnight with great excitement;and restlessness, genital parts uncommonly excited, thereafter light slumber. -7th day, m., 1/2 gr. Aching and tightness in bronchial, tubes, feeling of anxiety, difficult breathing, diminished appetite, rheumatic pains in arm-joints, aching and heaviness in bones of forearms, tensive swollen feeling of fingers. Confused head in forehead, pressure in stomach, constant tenesmus at stool, then tensive painful abdomen, especially about navel, and a very painful twisting through bowels. Increased urinary secretion of reddish-brown colour, towards evening chilliness alternating with heat, pulse suppressed, small, next night very dreamful sleep. Next day tense full belly, discharge of much flatus with sudden call to stool, when at first hard, thin, bright yellow, pappy feces, then violent pains in bowels and rumbling about navel. Confused head caused by great straining from abdomen. Great sensitiveness in large intestine, and especially at anus. -Left off med. for 4 day -12th day, evening 1/2 gr. Slept only 3 hours, sudden waking with heavy confused head, pressure in stomach, difficult breathing, fulness in bronchia, restless tossing about, active cutaneous function with slight warmth and even slight perspiration all over body; pulse soft, urine increased, with tickling and twitching feeling in urethra.m., feeling of great weariness and prostration; appetite diminished, and almost loathing of food. – 13th day, without med. -14th day, m., 1/2 gr. Alternate heat and chills, rheumatic pains of joints, little appetite, pappy stool. -15th, 16th, 17th day., every evening, 1/2 gr. To the other symptoms there came at first accumulation of viscid phlegm in bronchial tubes and larynx, tensive drawing pain in groins, slight swelling of leg-joints, especially of knees, extraordinary sensitiveness of genitals, on 3rd day reddish swelling behind right ear, which when it subsided left redness and formation of scurf. -18th day, evening, 1 gr. Dreamful sleep, with sudden waking after midnight with uncommonly increased gouty and rheumatic sufferings in the upper and lower extremities, tensive sensation in humeral and femoral muscles. Coryza and fluent catarrh with confused head, obstructed respiration and deranged appetite. 19th day, evening, 2 gr. M., pulse 60, evening, pulse 70. Other symptoms like those of yesterday, and also tensive pressive sensation in cervical vertebra, nape and ribs, constipation with tenesmus and burning pains in anus. 20th day, evening, 3 gr. Lively dreams and sudden waking after midnight with great restlessness, drawing, tensive rheumatic pains all over thorax and whole spinal column, hard and noisy breathing, with great secretion of phlegm. Increased urine of reddish-brown colour, from which the antimony could be precipitated in the reguline state. -21st day, forenoon, 4 gr. Increased appetite, amounting to hunger, and an apparently general well feeling; then aching boring, tearing toothache, pressure in scrob. cordis, constant drawing tearing pains in joints, increased secretion of phlegm mixed with blood, with sweetish taste. E., 5 gr. All night very restless, increased secretion of viscid mucus, painful immobility of left arm, tensive rheumatic pains in hip-joints and inguinal region. Stool half firm, half soft. M., scraping feeling in throat, violent coryza and loss of smell, general chilliness and rigor down the whole spine, frequent expectoration of viscid mucus mixed with blood. Next night was the most restless of all, constantly disturbed soporous slumber, the pressive headache always increased, anxiety and heaviness in precordia, severe scraping pain in throat, especially larynx, and burning and heat in fauces. These symptoms lasted for 3 day more or less. He left off the proving for 8 day -After this he took, for 4 day, 1 gr. evening. Restless, dreamful nights, rheumatic pains in all parts of the body, increased secretion of phlegm and urine, stools with and without tenesmus, appetite gone, with slight loathing. -5th day, evening, 2 gr. Pulse unaltered, all former symptoms, but more severely; phlegm from throat fetid, teeth coated with yellow stuff, taste pasty. -6th day, 4 p.m., 4 gr. Deep sleep with perspiration, itching on skin, especially about genitals and inside of thighs. Scrotum twitched strongly towards m., thereafter slight redness, and during day there appeared a pustular dry eruption; constipation. -7th, 10 p.m., 6 gr. Dreamful sleep. Waking after midnight with dull headache. M., pasty taste in mouth. Pressure in throat as if a plug stuck there, increased mucous secretion and fullness in bronchial tubes, with full hard breathing. The itching and eruption on scrotum spread towards perineum. Weakness of stomach, deranged digestion with loathing. Urine increased and dark red, containing traces of antimony. This condition lasted 2 d. He then took, at 11 p.m., 10 gr. Sleep full of dreams, frequent waking with very confused head, peculiar painful tension and dull feeling in cerebrum. M., stiff tensive pains in joints, mucous secretion of throat and nose increased, taste very flat, pasty, increased urine, and pappy reddish-yellow feces. On both inner surfaces of thighs there came dry pustules, which itched and felt tense, and when walking the whole thigh was painful. These pustules lasted 3 weeks, when they dried up, scaled off, and disappeared, and during this time all the other symptoms gradually went off. Pulse little affected during whole proving.

3b. Same took for three successive evening, at bedtime, 1/4 gr. well triturated of ant. sulph. rubrum. Sleep restless and full of dreams, head confused, pressure in scrob. cordis, weariness and want of power in limbs, tension and increased sensitiveness in joints, especially shoulders and knees; tongue covered with pasty slimy fur, stomach empty; on 3rd day, increased feeling of warmth all over body, itching in inner surfaces of thighs and genitals where the pustules caused by the ant. sul. aur. had been. Breathing somewhat affected by viscid phlegm in trachea and bronchi. The next 2 day, took in evening 2 gr. Anxious dreams, m., heaviness and confusion of head, especially in cerebrum. Eyes weak, later on full of moisture, lips very dry, taste pasty. Increased secretion of phlegm from trachea, with tickling of phlegm in larynx, and running from nose, chest oppressed, breathing full, pulse somewhat quickened and general warmth, rheumatic, drawing, tearing pains in joints, head confused amounting to painful pressure and heaviness, scrappy slimy feeling in throat, constipation; urine dark coloured, and more frequently passed. The next 4 day 1 gr. every e. Febrile movements in and out of bed, which went along from spine, spreading to whole abdomen and extremities, and lasting about 1/2 hours, followed by increased warmth all over body with some moisture of skin; pulse full, but soft, lungs sensitive, especially left, also tight feeling about heart. Respiration rather hard and noisy, secretion of mucus increased, especially out of bronchi and nose, mouth pasty, slimy, lips dry; joint pains sharper than before, urine increases, feces pappy and reddish brown, itching about genitals, perineum, and anus increased. After some day, chilliness alternating with heat or even sweat. The stools lost their pappy consistence and constipation ensued. All right at the end of 8 day (N. Z. f. hom. Klinik, xix, 36.) 4. BOECKER took, on 27th Jan., every hours 1 gr., in all 14 gr. On 28th, at 5 a.m., 1 gr.; at 7 a.m., 2 gr.; at 8 a.m., 1 gr.; at 10 a.m.,; 2 gr.; at 11 a.m., 2 gr.; at 12.2 p.m., 2 gr.; at 2 p.m., 2 gr.; at 3.5 p.m., 2 gr.; at 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 p.m., each time 2 gr. No change in health; about 8 p.m., shortly before stool, some flatus discharged smelling strongly of sulfurated hydrogen. Some epistaxis in the morning. -29th, at 5, 7, 9, 10, 11 a.m., 12, 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 each time 2 gr. No symptoms. -30th, at 8, 10, 11 a.m., 12 n., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11 p.m., each time 2 gr. Some inodorous flatus, some epistaxis on washing. -31st, four times during forenoon, at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11 p.m., each time 3 gr. About 4:30 p.m., transient jerking like electric shocks through both ulnar nerves, especially elbow- joint. Appetite rather better than usual. Stool softer than usual, more inodorous than usual. -Ist Feb., at 6 and 8 a.m., 2 gr.; 10, 11 a.m., 12 n., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, each time 3 gr. On washing, m., some drops of blood from nose; evening, after supper, some flatus smelling sulfurated hydrogen. Stool at 11 p.m., at first consistent then soft. -2nd, 7 a.m., 3 gr.; 10, 11 a.m., 4 gr.; 12 n., 3 gr.; 3 p.m., 3 gr.; 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11 p.m., each time 4 gr. In afternoon, some inodorous flatus, at 7 p.m., flatus smelling of sulph. hydrog. -3rd, 5 a.m., 3 gr.; 7 a.m., 2 gr.; 9:30 a.m., 4 gr. At noon, when washing, some drops of blood from nose. Appetite recovered. -4th. Increased mucous secretion in throat and nose. Stool blackish-brown, consistent. – During the proving, the stools became regular everyday, which was not the case usually. As the dose was increased, the quantity of solid constituents in the urine increased. The fire-resisting salts and the salts insoluble in water were increased. The quantity of sulphuric acid was about double the normal. It follows from the results of the proving that all the organs and tissues which pass off their detritus through the urine perform this process more rapidly when this drug is taken. During the proving more carbonic acid was given off during respiration. (Beitrage zur Heilk. ii, 93.) 5. Dr. J. C. RAYMOND took, each day for several days, 300 pellets of 6th dil. [ Dr. Neidhard informs us that he has habitually employed the decimal scale of attenuation in his provings.-EDS] of ant. sulph. aur., without effect. On Aug. 10th, evening took powder of 2nd trit. Next day, p.m., heavy aching pain affecting vertex, felt only during motion; any jar makes it severe, and at a misstep it feels as if skull would be raised to relieve pressure on brain. Took another powder at 9 p.m. 12th. -Pressing in rectum with burning smarting, for 2 hours after his stool. Some heat in urethra when passing urine, followed by smarting extending about an inch up. p.m., intolerable itching in bend of right arm, with redness like scarlet rash, for 1 hours 13th..-Took powder of 3rd. Stool hard and lumpy, followed by pain and smarting in rectum, severe for 1 hours, and felt for several hours when walking. 14th..-No symptoms. 15th. -Violent pulsative pains in vertex and forehead, with feeling as if skull would be lifted with every throb, for several hours. In evening another powder of 3rd. 16th. -Smarting and pressing in rectum after stool. Hoarse at times during proving. At 9 p.m. another powder. 17th. -Stool delayed and hard. In evening, sharp lancinating pains, frequently recurring, from right vertex to internal angle of right eye. Another powder. On 18th and 19th no stool; on 20th, 21st, and 22nd stool hard and difficult; smarting, pressing and throbbing in rectum afterwards. On 22nd took 300 pellets of 6th. 23rd. -Headache; pain constant and dull when at rest, throbbing and severe during motion, extending from right vertex to back of right ear. No stool. 24th. -Stool hard and lumpy. Dull headache, with fullness and pain in right ear. 300 pellets of 6th in evening this day and next. No symptoms on 25th: on 26th delayed, hard stool, with heat and pressure in rectum after passage. (Dr. NEIDHARD’s provings, Hahn. Monthly, xvi, 649.) 6. Dr. F. R. MOORE took, June Ist, 10:30 p.m. a powder of 9th dil. In a few minutes slight metallic styptic taste. Deep heavy sleep at night, several times partially broken by pain in head, most in right frontal eminence. Did not feel well in morning till after getting up; and debility, tendency to tremor, &c., continued till afternoon. For some day after felt unusually well ( reaction). On 10th and 11th, repeated dose at night, with same taste following and same influence on sleep. On Oct. 11th took same dose at 9 a.m. Same taste; but thereupon nausea, and inclination to vomit, continuing till after taking a cup of tea. On Nov. 28th same dose at 10 a.m. Taste as before, and 1 hours after sense of weight in stomach, with great nausea and almost irrepressible desire to vomit. Very excitable and disposed to ill-humour. About 1 feeling, with nausea, as if acid were in stomach. Repeated powder, with usual taste, and this time fulness and heaviness in head. After dinner stupid feeling, with strong tendency to sleep. Thirsty at tea-time (6 p.m.); at 10 dull heaviness and singing in forehead, with flushed face, ill-humour, and reckless sort of feeling. Sleepy until going to bed; then wakeful and restless, with aching in legs from knees to feet and paralyzed feeling there; tingling and itching over face, thighs and hips, urging him to scratch. Next m. acid feeling in stomach and dullness in head. Between 12 and 1 another powder. Taste as before; sense as of acid fermentation in stomach; head became dizzy and oppressed as in catarrh, and mind sluggish, with singing on left side of head. (Ibid.) 7. Dr. JORGENSON took, on March 15th, 11 a.m., 2 grains of Ist trit. At 1 p.m. tightness in head, with great restlessness and uneasiness; at 2 much nausea, with tearing pain in stomach, relieved by rest; at 3 pain intense, least motion aggravating, with salivation and flatulence; during perfect rest pain gradually subsided. On 16th thick white coating on tongue, sense of dryness in mouth but much secretion of saliva; intense weakness; disposition to stretch and yawn. Two last symptoms continued next day. Sore-throat and hard cough also came on, and lasted, with great salivation and much weakness, till 23rd. On that evening took 2 gr. of pure substance, and next day woke with pressive pain in vertex; stooping or lifting anything would cause rush of blood to head and throbbing headache for 1/2 h. Immediately after rising soreness in throat, with much hacking cough and expectoration of mucus. [ Some spots of acne indurata disappeared from the face during this proving.] (Ibid.).

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.