CUPRUM METALLICUM


Homeopathy medicine Cuprum Metallicum from William Boericke’s Pocket manual of homoeopathic materia medica, comprising the characteristic and guiding symptoms of all remedies, published in 1906…


Copper

Spasmodic affections, cramps, convulsions, beginning in fingers and toes, violent, contractive, and intermittent pain, are some of the more marked expressions of the action of Cuprum; and its curative range therefore includes tonic and clonic spasms, convulsions, and epileptic attacks. Chorea brought on by fright. Nausea greater than in any other remedy. In epilepsy, aura begins at knees, ascends to hypogastrium; then unconsciousness, foaming, and falling. Symptoms disposed to appear periodically and in groups. Complaints begin in left side (Laches). Tape worm (colloidal Cuprum 3x).

Where eruptions trike in, as in scarlet fever, complaints may result, such as excessive vomiting, stupor, convulsions, which come within the sphere of this remedy. The pains are increased by movement and touch.

Head.–Fixed ideas, malicious and morose. Uses words not intended. Fearful. Empty feeling. Purple, red swelling of head, with convulsions. Bruised pain in brain and eyes on turning them. Meningitis. Sensation as if water were poured over head. Giddiness accompanies many ailments, head falls forward on chest.

Eyes.–Aching over eyes. Fixed, stary, sunken, glistening, turned upward. Crossed. Quick rolling of eyeballs, with closed eyes.

Face.–Distorted, pale bluish, with blue lips. Contraction of jaws, with foam at mouth.

Nose.–Sensation of violent congestion of blood to nose (Melilot).

Mouth.–Strong metallic, slimy taste, with flow of saliva. Constant protrusion and retraction of the tongue, like a snake (Lach). Paralysis of tongue. Stammering speech.

Stomach.–Hiccough preceding the spasms. Nausea. Vomiting, relieved by drinking cold water; with colic, diarrhœa, spasms. Strong metallic taste (Rhus). When drinking, the fluid descends with gurgling sound (Laur). Craves cool drink.

Abdomen.–Tense, hot and tender to touch; contracted. Neuralgia of abdominal viscera. Colic, violent and intermittent. Intussusception.

Stool.–Black, painful, bloody, with tenesmus and weakness. Cholera; with cramps in abdomen and calves.

Female.–Menses too late, protracted. Cramps, extending into chest, before, during, or after suppression of menses. Also, from suppressed foot sweats (Sil). Ebullition of blood; palpitation. Chlorosis. After-pains.

Heart.–Angina pectoris. Slow pulse; or hard, full and quick. Palpitation, præcordial anxiety and pain. Fatty degeneration (Phytol).

Respiratory.–Cough as a gurgling sound, better by drinking cold water. Suffocative attacks, worse 3 am (Am c). Spasm and constriction of chest; spasmodic asthma, alternating with spasmodic vomiting. Whooping-cough, better, swallow water, with vomiting and spasms and purple face. Spasm of the glottis. Dyspnœa with epigastric uneasiness. Spasmodic dyspnœa before menstruation. Angina with asthmatic symptoms and cramps (Clarke).

Extremities.–Jerking, twitching of muscles. Coldness of hands. Cramps in palms. Great weariness of limbs. Cramps in calves and soles. Epilepsy; auro begins in knees. Clenched thumbs. Clonic spasms, beginning in fingers and toes.

Skin.–Bluish, marbled. Ulcers, itching spots, and pimples at the folds of joints. Chronic psoriasis and lepra (Hughes).

Sleep.–Profound, with shocks in body. During sleep constant rumbling in abdomen.

Modalities.–Worse, before menses; from vomiting, contact. Better, during perspiration, drinking cold water.

Relationship.–Antidotes: Bell; Hepar; Camph. Copper is found in Dulcam, Staphisag, Conium and some other plants. Also in King-crab (Limulus).

Complementary: Calc.

Compare: Cupr sulph (burning at vertex; incessant, spasmodic cough; worse at night; tongue and lips bluish; locally, Cupr sulph in 1-3 per cent sol in inoperable sarcoma). Cupr cyan (meningitis basilaris); Cholas terrapina (cramps in calves and feet; rheumatism, with cramp-like pains); Plumb; Nux; Veratr. Cuprum oxydatum nigrum 1x (all kinds of worms, including tapeworms and trichinosis according to Zopfy’s 60 years’ experience).

Dose.–Sixth to thirtieth potency.

William Boericke
William Boericke, M.D., was born in Austria, in 1849. He graduated from Hahnemann Medical College in 1880 and was later co-owner of the renowned homeopathic pharmaceutical firm of Boericke & Tafel, in Philadelphia. Dr. Boericke was one of the incorporators of the Hahnemann College of San Francisco, and served as professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics. He was a member of the California State Homeopathic Society, and of the American Institute of Homeopathy. He was also the founder of the California Homeopath, which he established in 1882. Dr. Boericke was one of the board of trustees of Hahnemann Hospital College. He authored the well known Pocket Manual of Materia Medica.