Ears.-Humming, roaring, cracking sounds occur in the ears, “sounds reverberate in the ear, even his own words and every step.” With dryness of the ears is hardness of hearing, which is ameliorated in a noise, as in a railway train.
Nose.-The sense of smell is too acute and the odour of flowers is intolerable, but in conditions of dry coryza the sense of smell is lost. The nostrils are sore and cracked and are plugged with scabs and hard mucus. the bones and cartilages are sore to touch. There may be sneezing and fluent coryza or discharge of bloody, offensive, viscid mucus or pus.
Respiration.-Graphites causes but few respiratory symptoms. The larynx is dry in the daytime but secretes a copious, glutinous mucus at night; a cough is caused by tickling in the larynx or trachea and by deep breathing. The patient suffocates when falling asleep (lach.) and awakes in the night gasping for breath.
Limbs.-There is a weak, paralysed, sensation in the limbs and they easily “go to sleep”. Various pains occur, of burning, drawing, pressive or stitching character, but numbness is more distinctive a graphites than is pain. Tendons are apt to contract, especially those behind the knees. Overlifting and straining of any kind cause weakness in muscles and tendons. There is often a tremulous sensation through the whole body. The patient frequently feels faint and is suddenly exhausted, he is very sensitive to cold air and is nearly always chilly.
Mind.-He is restless when attempting close mental work and dreads and avoids it. His moods are constantly changing (puls.); at one time he is extremely depressed, and this is made worse by music, to which he is very sensitive and which makes him weep; at another time he is irritable about trifles, very excited and impatient. He is always irresolute, is more inclined to be depressed and apprehensive in the morning and excited and exhilarated in the evening. Thought is slow and recent events are soon forgotten.
There is drowsiness by day and sleeplessness at night. The patient is more chilly after meals, but feels better in himself after eating and when he is in the open air. He perhaps from slight exertion and sweats profusely at night. The sweat stains yellow (ferrum), is offensive, often with the odour of urine, and is cold. In many chronic complaints there is complete inability to perspire.
THERAPEUTICS.
GRAPHITES is an “antipsoric (see article on sulphur), and mainly suitable to chronic cases, especially if the characteristic skin eruption with its viscid, glutinous discharge is present, or if the complaint has followed the suppression or disappearance of such an eruption. It has been found that the patients for whom graphites is likely to be useful are those who have a tendency to put on unhealthy fat, lethargic individuals who are always chilly and constipated, whose skin and mucous membranes are pale, women whose menstruation is pale, late and scanty. The patients are very sensitive to cold and need warm clothing, but nevertheless suffer from getting overheated, whether in a too warm room or in bed or from exertion; and they desire open air.
Skin.-The skin diseases in which graphites has been found curative are numerous, but the distinctive gluey, honey-like discharge from the eruptions should be present to give the prescription certainty of success. It has been useful in eczema impetiginodes, acne rosacea, mentagra, erysipelas of the face spreading from right to left, psoriasis palmaris, falling of the hair, disordered growth of and exuberant granulations about the nails and for ingrowing toe-nail. It is a remedy for keloid and for inflammations in old cicatrices, for neuralgia in the scars left by herpes zoster, for growths, even cancerous growths on old cicatrices and for indurations and cicatrizations of the mammae sequent to mammary abscesses. Dr. Royal reports a case of lupus cured by it.
It is a good remedy for eruptions about the genitals and the upper and inner parts of the thighs, the sticky secretion and prevalence of itching are the indications.
The eye affections for which it is used are blepharitis, entropion, ulcers of the cornea, styes and tarsal tumours, the indications being the sore canthi, thickened lids, and glutinous discharge. It has been effectual in relieving overflow of tears due to obstruction of the lachrymal duct by cicatrical narrowing. It has often arrested or prevented the recurrence of epistaxis when this has come on in the evening and has been preceded in the afternoon by a rush of blood to the head and face. It removes the crusts about the nostrils common in unhealthy children, as well as the eczema behind the ears or on the nape of the neck in the same class of patients. Foetid foot sweat and complaints occurring from its suppression have often been cured by graphites when the general symptoms indicative of the drug have been present. Old constitutional and syphilitic ulcers are benefited by it, they are callous, have indurated bases and secrete an offensive gluey pus.
In the alimentary sphere graphites is of great service in gastralgia, occurring either with gastric catarrh or duodenal ulcer, the indication for it being a hunger pain coming on an hour or so after food and relieved by eating, and by drinking warm milk. Gastro-intestinal complaints that alternate with acne or erythema of the face are likely to be benefited by graphites. The diarrhoea for which it is useful is a lienteric diarrhoea, very offensive and excoriating, and with stools that occur immediately after eating. It is one of the best remedies for chronic constipation and there have been a great many cures from its use, it is indicated by the necessity for great straining to pass a hard, large, knotted stool, covered with or followed by copious, whitish, gelatinous mucus, but the general constitution must also agree with that agree with that of graphites. It is a good remedy for mucous colitis.
Fissures of the anus, eczema round the anus and accompanying piles with great itching are well treated with this drug.
Sexual Sphere.-In the male it is useful for both priapism and impotence and for swelling of the testicles and hydrocele.
In the female sexual sphere it is a remedy for amenorrhoea and for scanty and delayed menses, especially if the patient is a sufferer from chronic constipation. She is anaemic, suffers from leucorrhoea, is fat and flabby and has many general symptoms accompanying menstruation such as headache, morning nausea, epigastric pain, &c. For pruritus of the genitals or anal region, worse before menstruation, graphites is very useful and may be also applied externally in the form of an ointment (graphites 1dr. to ung. cetacei 1oz., Dr. Clarke’s formula). It is of some service in “cauliflower excrescences” and other cancerous growths of the cervix uteri, and has obtained some reputation in diseases of the ovaries. It is a good remedy for cracked nipples and has removed hard lumps in the breasts.
Graphites is indicated in a suffocating cough that wakens the patient from sleep, generally after midnight, and also for a shattering cough which comes on immediately menstruation commences and goes away when it ceases.
It is useful for chronic nasal catarrh and for people of the graphites constitution who have frequent colds all the winter, which extend to the larynx and are worse from cold air.
Graphites is indicated in chronic recurrent intermittent fever; chill is intermingled with fever, the patient wants to be covered in all stages; nightly fevers, with chilliness but no sweat.
LEADING INDICATIONS.
(1) Eruptions, with gluey secretions. Catarrhal discharges that are albuminous and viscid. Leucorrhoea occurs in gushes.
(2) Offensive discharges and secretions (carb. veg., psor., kali phos., kali ars.). Intolerably foetid diarrhoea.
(3) Fissures and cracks in the skin, mucous membranes and around orifices, especially the angles of the mouth. Nails brittle and deformed.
(4) Recurrent herpes, especially about anus the genitals.
(5) Every injury festers.
(6) Chronic diseases following sudden disappearance of discharges or eruptions.
(7) Induration and burning at the base of ulcers, inflamed tissues and old cicatrices.
(8) Contractions of tendons, especially behind knees.
(9) People who are fat, chilly and constipated. People who have been morbidly fat and are now emaciating.
(10) Wandering pains.
(11) Weakness in muscles and tendons after overlifting.
(12) Pain in the part not lain on.
(13) Numbness and heaviness of various parts.
(14) Irregularities in the distribution of blood. Epistaxis.
(15) Pallor of skin and mucous membranes. Anaemia.
(16) Haemorrhagic oozing of pale blood.
(17) Weak, exhausted, tremulous states. Ready fainting.
(18) Complaints from being cold or becoming overheated.
(19) Gastric pains with hunger, relieved by eating.
(20) Fickle, changeable mood.
(21) Fat women with scanty, delayed menses, irritating leucorrhoea and chronic constipation.
AGGRAVATION:
From motion, cold drinks, cold air, damp cold, washing, warmth of bed (itching), before during and after menses, morning, before menses (pruritus).
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,