Zincum


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


Introduction

Including the metal; the acetate, Z. aceticum, Zn (C2H3O2)2.2H2O; the oxide, Z. oxidatum, ZnO; the phosphate, Z. phosphoricum,; and the sulphate, Z. sulphuricum, ZnSO4.7H2O.

Provings

1. HAHNEMANN, Chronic Diseases, part v of original, vol. Of translation. Contains 1375 symptoms of the metal from self and 11 others.

2. Same reports following symptoms as from the acetate: There is no information given in this and the two following pathogeneses as to how the symptoms were obtained.–EDs. – First nausea (after 10 m.), then fine needle pricks in throat, then vomiting of bitter sour mucus, causing the pricking to be more severe; then chill in back, relieved by shrugging shoulders, for 8 m. Three hours after eating, eructation with taste of food. Nausea after eating (after 6 h.). Nausea in m., pinching in belly as if he had disordered it by eating improper food. Two hours after dinner feeling in stomach and abdomen as if of emptiness and hunger. Pressure and shooting in scrob. cordis, increased by movement, e. At n. several times urging to stool, which is pappy. Diarrhoea of dark faeces after dinner, frequent watery urine.

Frequent increased call to urinate and irritation in urethra. Smarting in urethra. Contraction of urethra. When he bends forward a sudden pain in back as if all its strength left it. Red pimples on both knees, causing a tickling voluptuous itching. Exhaustion and weariness on going upstairs. Drowsiness by day, he yawns often. ( Archiv, vi, 2, 192.)

3. FR. HAHNEMANN reports from same: – Heaviness of head, throbbing headache as if all would come out at forehead. Eruption of pimples on forehead and neck, filled with pus; when opened pus and blood escaped (from injection into urethra). Headache in forehead as if the brain there was raw and salt was strewed in it. Pale face. L. ear as if swollen internally, painful when touched. Tearing pain in teeth, especially when touched. A blister on anterior part of palate, which pains as if burnt. Mouth feels burnt inside (from injection into vagina). Tongue feels rough. Throat feels too narrow and tongue too short. Throat repeatedly during day as hot as if burnt with alcohol. Food and drink have no taste. Very frequent empty and abortive eructations. Much retching, vomiting of sour stuff; has rigor during and after vomiting. Pressive pain under scrob. cordis. Violent griping in bowels, much mucus expectorated with a king of nausea, a. m. Weakness of both arms. Pain in left arm, which feels very heavy; wrist painful when moved, and at n. knows not where to lay the arm, so many positions cause pain in it; sometimes shooting in arm (from injection into urethra). Drawing in right arm several times during day, with trembling and loss of power in it. Feels worse p. m. Rigor. Sour eructation and rigor all over. Night sweat. Great anxiety. Frequent alternation of sitting and walking about. Walks about, contrary to habit. Anxious silence, she does not speak a word; and when asked how she is, she replies, “Let me be, I shall soon be better.” (Ibid.)

4. LANGHAMMER observed: – After 1/4 hours pressive tearing shoots in muscles of right upper arm when at rest or when moving. After 1/2 hours great nausea as though he should vomit, with flow of saliva, like water – brash. After 1 hours pressive pain in ball of right hand. After 2 hours dull shooting pain in forehead. After 3 hours needle pricks in left temple. After 4 hours tensive pain in top of right calf when walking in open air. After 6 hours painful tension above left wrist. After 10 hours shootings down right forearm; pressive shooting in muscles of left thigh when walking in open air. After 11 hours burning feeling of heat in whole face, and redness of cheeks, without thirst, e. After 33 hours severe shoots in frontal region. (Ibid.)

5. SCHRETER gives fragmentary symptoms, apparently obtained chiefly from one female prover, or perhaps patient. – 1st d. Much leucorrhoea. Wakes often at night; has anxious dreams about water and drowning. After 3 day occasional burning in stomach. Heavy anxious dreams. Giddy from m. till night; she felt like to fall. After 4 day itching around nipple. After 5 day confusion of head. After 7 day heavy weight in both hypochondria. Four well – digested stools during day, with griping in belly. After 8 day anxiety, m., that makes her restless. Anxiety as though some misfortune had occurred to her; everything appears to be difficult. Wakes frequently at n., and cannot sleep after 5 a. m. After 9 day acrid leucorrhoea, with burning in pudendum. After 10 day, for 3 day no stool (after being purged). Itching in rectum. After 13 day flow of saliva. After 14 day like a spasm in chest; it goes at times into stomach and abdomen, 7 to 8 p. m. Eyes feel as though she had wept too much. After 17 day the menses occur at proper time, but they are preceded by violent toothache in a carious tooth before their appearance and at n. – No time mentioned. Out of the last right lower molar water seems to rise; touching it with the tongue causes violent pain. At same time the tonsils are swollen and painful, especially when swallowing she feels an obstruction; she cannot even swallow her phlegm. ( N. Archiv, iii, 3, 188.)

6. The provings 6-14 were made with the oxide In doses of 4 gr. no effect in 15 individuals. After 6 gr., in 1/2 hours slight nausea in stomach for a few m., followed by vertigo, flying heat, thirst, spasmodic pulse and general prostration; these symptoms gradually subsided and ceased after 6 h. After 8 gr. the same symptoms occurred, and in addition, burning in gastric region, eructation, griping in belly, increased thirst and anorexia. The action lasted 7 h. After 10 gr. there occurred in 1/2 hours pressure in stomach, headache, vertigo, shooting in diaphragm, momentary feeling of anxiety and palpitation of heart, also tearing between shoulders. After 2 hours pulse very spasmodic. Complete loss of appetite, and frequent bitter eructations. After 3 hours vomiting of a bitter yellow bilious water. After 4 hours liquid, bilious stool, then no stool for 24 h. After 12 hours the provers complained of nothing but prostration and exhaustion, which continued for 24 hours longer. (WERNEK, Medorrhinum Chir. Zeit., 1831, iii, 317.)

7. A medical student, aet. 24, robust and healthy, took July 4th, 1831, every 2 hours increasing doses, beginning with 1 gr.; so that in 12 hours he had taken 21 gr. Pulse 80, quiet, moderate, full and strong. After 4 hours, having taken 3 gr., felt only slight pressure in stomach. After 8 hours headache, vertigo, empty eructation, some griping in bowels, shooting in diaphragm, pulse spasmodic; towards evening palpitation of heart with precordial anxiety, and formication through all limbs. The pains between shoulders extended down back to sacrum. After supper great inclination to vomit. Very restless at n., pulse continually spasmodic. Towards m. sweat, and the symptoms gradually subsided, but all day he felt exhausted. ( Ibid., 484.)

8. a. WERNEK took May 13th at 8, 11 a. m., 3, 6 p. m. 4 gr. After 2nd dose pressure in stomach, slight eructation, head somewhat confused, pulse smaller and harder. Food had no taste, but thirst was increased, and he hurriedly drank cold water, which relieved him much. After 3rd dose vertigo and prostration of the whole body, ill – humour, great thirst, loathing and burning in stomach, thirst allayed. Pulse spasmodic, small, not quicker. After 4th dose great loathing and pains in stomach, bitter eructation, slight vomiting of watery bile, followed by great alleviation. Very restless n., uneasiness of mind as though guilty of a crime; frequent momentary palpitation of heart; towards m. sleep with perspiration. On waking confusion of head, vertigo, drawing in all limbs. Tongue covered with white coating. No stool.

8 b. May 14th 9 a. m. 7 gr., and every 2 hours thereafter increased the dose by 1 gr., so that in 10 hours he had taken 57 gr. Soon after taking 1st dose great loathing, burning in stomach, frequent eructation and hiccup, vertigo with flying heat, head very confused, pulse spasmodic. After 2nd dose of 8 gr. no more loathing, but more confusion of head, also great prostration of whole body with much thirst, shooting betwixt shoulders and in diaphragm. After 3rd dose, besides these symptoms, griping in belly followed by 2 thin bilious stools and great alleviation of all symptoms. After 4th dose, symptoms returned with oppression of chest, and here and there oscillatory muscular movements and formication in limbs. After 5th dose frequently recurring palpitation of heart, very great oppression of chest, and after 1 hours copious bilious vomiting with no relief to other symptoms, especially the pains between shoulders. After 6th dose of 12 gr. colic – like retching and bilious vomiting, trembling in all limbs, very small hard pulse, much thirst and burning in stomach. Turgor vitalis much diminished, very pale face, cold hands and feet. The pains in diaphragm and between shoulders increased greatly and extended to sacrum. Supper caused pressure in stomach. 10 p. m. violent hiccup terminating in eructation of bile. 11 p. m. a loose stool, griping in bowels and tenesmus in anus, followed by great relief, but he felt very prostrated and the pains in back continued. Sleep very restless, full of dreams; towards m. general sweat, which relieved headache, and the pulse became normal. He rose late, was very cross, then came on drawing in limbs and sacral pains; after taking soup at noon felt very prostrated. After supper, slight perspiration, whereupon all the ill – feeling went off, and he felt quite well. (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.