ARGENTUM METALLICUM


Homeopathic remedy Argentum Metallicum from A Manual of Homeopathic Therapeutics by Edwin A. Neatby, comprising the characteristic symptoms of homeopathic remedies from clinical indications, published in 1927….


      Ag. Pure Silver. From the silver-leaf or precipitated silver triturations are made. THE toxic and physiological effects of silver will be described in the article on argent. nit-the nitrate of silver.

THERAPEUTICS.

      The uses to which silver has been put homoeopathically are based on the provings and to some extent on empiricism.

Mental Sphere.-Its pathogenesis suggests its possible usefulness in melancholy, worse in the morning, and in exhaustion psychoses with much talking. Mental powers deteriorate and memory fails.

Respiratory Sphere.-By far the most frequent use of the drug has been in laryngeal cases. Hoarseness and loss of muscular tone in the larynx have been treated with success in professional singers. The notes cannot be properly reached. This is due to over-use of the voice or to a chill inducing catarrh. Laughing disturbs the mucus and induces cough. In the morning the throat feels sore during expiration or cough, and loose mucus is easily dislodged. there is no pain on swallowing, but the throat feels stiff and swollen on yawning; talking or reading aloud necessitates clearing it. The timbre of the voice is altered and complete aphonia may be present.

The laryngeal symptoms may be due to a nasal catarrh which has spread downwards.

Great weakness may be felt in the chest, especially on the left side; or a raw feeling beneath the sternum, worse from using the voice.

Tall, thin persons of a cheerful loquacious disposition respond well to the drug.

Heart.-A twitching sensation in the cardiac area, worse lying on the back, and a burning there are meat with.

Head.-Headache, with dull pressing pain in the frontal region or temples, worse from touch, coming gradually and ceasing suddenly, is often present. Violent itching of eyelids, canthi, and lobes of ears may occur with morning coryza or apart from it. The patient becomes giddy on looking at running water.

The chief digestive symptoms of diagnostic value are: (1) Large appetite even with full stomach (as lycopod); (2) loud rumbling with hunger; and (3) dry action of bowels after a meal; (4) dryness of mouth and thirst.

The genito-urinary symptoms include pyknuria and polyuria at night, and the remedy has controlled the flow of urine in diabetes insipidus.

Urethral catarrh of subacute character or even chronic gleet have been benefited by silver, and loss of power in the genital organs from masturbation-emissions with out erections or desire- are indications for it. Dull pain in the testes, especially the right, from gonorrhoeal infection or after zymotic diseases suggests the drug.

In women it is used considerably for backache, extending down to the things, and associated with bearing down, as from prolapse of the uterus. It acts chiefly on the left side; and pain in the left ovarian region, or in the whole lower abdomen, worse from the jolting of carriage riding, may require the drug, especially if an offensive irritating leucorrhoea be present too. Lachesis and actaea have similar symptoms.

Joints, &c.,.-Provings undertaken in Austria brought out a marked influence of the drug on joint tissues and cartilages of the epiphyses and also of other cartilages, costal, nasal, tarsal, Eustachian, aural, &c. Soreness in the small joints, and weakness of the knee-and hip-joints when going downstairs, and a variety of joint pains in arms and legs have been relieved or removed by argent. met. Pressure aggravates these pains. Weakness, fatigue after walking, weariness calling for rest and sleep, sensitiveness to cold, and recurrence of pains at noon, are modalities which influence the choice of this remedy.

Argent. met. has also been given in times past for conditions due to overdosing with mercury, less likely to occur nowadays.

There is doubtless some overlapping between the nitrate-and the metal-pathogenesy, but nerve affections predominate in the former, and laryngeal and congestive pelvic symptoms in the latter.

LEADING INDICATIONS.

      (1) General aggravation from cold.

(2) Failure of mental powers.

(3) Weariness and sleepiness; restlessness from pain.

(4) Recurrence of pains at noon.

(5) Hoarseness and aphonia in professional singers, &c.

(5a) Cough induced by laughing and talking.

(6) Pains in small joints and various cartilages, worse in cold damp weather.

(7) Painless, deep-seated maladies.

(8) Pain from back to thighs, and left ovarian pain in women.

(9) Sexual debility and nocturnal emissions.

(10) Testicular pain after gonorrhoea, mumps, &c.

(11) Large appetite, even soon after food.

AGGRAVATION :

      Touch (joints and testes); mornings (throat and coryza); expiration and coughing (throat); after dinner (stool); night (emissions); left side (neuralgia, ovarian region and chest); right (face, testis); driving (abdomen); laughing and daytime (cough); lying on back (heart); descending(joints); noon (attacks of pain), entering warm room.

AMELIORATION :

      Night and open air (cough); moving about (twitchings); heat and fever pressure (headaches).

Edwin Awdas Neatby
Edwin Awdas Neatby 1858 – 1933 MD was an orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy to become a physician at the London Homeopathic Hospital, Consulting Physician at the Buchanan Homeopathic Hospital St. Leonard’s on Sea, Consulting Surgeon at the Leaf Hospital Eastbourne, President of the British Homeopathic Society.

Edwin Awdas Neatby founded the Missionary School of Homeopathy and the London Homeopathic Hospital in 1903, and run by the British Homeopathic Association. He died in East Grinstead, Sussex, on the 1st December 1933. Edwin Awdas Neatby wrote The place of operation in the treatment of uterine fibroids, Modern developments in medicine, Pleural effusions in children, Manual of Homoeo Therapeutics,