Iron. Fe. (***A. W. 56). Including also symptoms of the acetate and the carbonate. Triturations of the pure metal and of the carbonate, solution of the acetate. The Protoxalate is also a useful preparation in the crude and in trituration. “Hensel’s Tonicum,” a liquid, is another serviceable form.
Clinical
Anemia. Aphonia. Asthma. *Biliousness. Catalepsy. Chlorosis. Chorea. *Consumption (Ferr-ac.). Cough. Cramps. Debility. *Diarrhoea. Enuresis diurna. Fever, intermittent. *Goitre, exophthalmic. Gonorrhoea. Haemorrhages. Heart, affections of, palpitation of. Hectic. Hydrocephalus. *Kidneys, *affections of. Lienteria. *Menstruation, *disorders of. Neuralgia. Paralysis of viscera. Pregnancy, disorders of. Rectum, prolapsus of. Rheumatism. Shoulder, affections of. Spasms. Syphilis. Toothache. Urine, incontinence of. Vertigo.
Characteristics
*Ferrum, the Mars of the alchemists, is one of the prominent constituents of the animal body, being present in considerable quantity in the blood. It is present in many articles of daily food, and when given in excess to men or animals its first effect is to increase the amount of iron in the blood, stimulate the appetite, augment the heart’s beats and the bodily vigor. The secondary effects, which ensue sooner or later if the administration of iron is continued, are those which give the indications for homoeopathic prescribing. Hahnemann (*Mat. *Medorrhinum *Pur.) describes the effects of iron on persons who habitually drink chalybeate waters: “In such localities there are few persons who can resist the noxious influence of the continued use of such waters and remain quite well, each being affected according to his peculiar nature. There we find more than anywhere else chronic affections of great gravity and peculiar character, even when the regimen is otherwise faultless. Weakness, almost amounting to paralysis of the whole body and of single parts, some kinds of violent limb pains, abdominal affections of various sorts, vomiting of food by day or by night, phthisical pulmonary ailments, often with blood spitting, deficient vital warmth, suppression of the menses, miscarriages, impotence in both sexes, sterility, jaundice, and many other rare cachexias are common occurrences.” The digestive disorders set up by Iron are marked and peculiar, and among them is intolerance of eggs. The occurrence of this symptom in a patient about forty- five, who had had repeated attacks of articular rheumatism, led Kunkel to cure his case after he had been dosed for three weeks with salicylate of soda by the allopaths. The only other distinctive feature was constant worse of pain after midnight. The obvious advantages derived in many cases of anemia from the use of Iron in its crude forms has led to very grave abuses in old-school practice. That Iron is what may be called a “nutritive” remedy in certain defective blood conditions, having an organopathic relation to the blood, I have no doubt. In the anemia of cancer and syphilis it is often of great service as an accessory, and need not interfere with more specific remedies. But it is not suited to all cases of anemia and chlorosis, or even to a majority of them, and should never be given without discrimination and careful watching. But apart from its organopathic sphere, *Ferrum has a strictly homoeopathic use in anemias in which the highest potencies are curative. For excess of Iron will cause anaemia, and at times will aggravate it when present. The type of anemia caused by Iron and suited for its homoeopathic use is commonly seen in young persons subject to irregular distributions of blood. The cheeks are flushed as if in blooming health,’ but in spite of bloom in appearances there is pallor of lips and mucous membranes, great fatigue and breathlessness, and any motion will set up the symptoms. Delicate girls, fearfully constipated, with low spirits. Chlorosis with erethism. Mucous membranes abnormally pale. Feet swell. The irregular distribution of blood in chlorotics recalls another set of symptoms which indicate *Ferrum: haemorrhages of many kinds, from over-fullness of blood-vessels from vasomotor paralysis, or else from delicacy of the vessels themselves. Throbbing pains, the blood-vessels all over the body throb violently. Feet swell. Fullness of blood-vessels accompanies neuralgia, which is brought on by washing in cold water, especially after being over-heated. Hammering headache. The pulse of *Ferrum is full and *yielding, (that of *Aconite, is full and *boundings). With *Ferrum there is excessive irritability, both of the mind and of the tissues. It is like *Arsenicum and *China in this, as in many other symptoms, and it is an antidote to both. It is one of the best remedies for over-dosing with quinine, and hence the favorite old-school combination of “Quinine and Iron” is so far a wise one. Cramps are well marked in the pathogenesis, irritability of the bladder causing incontinence of urine when standing, irritability of the bowels, causing diarrhoea while eating. This symptom is peculiar to *Ferrum, the diarrhoea coming on when the patient beings to eat. Many remedies have it immediately after eating. Worse From eating eggs. There is also gastralgia, heavy pressure in region of stomach, a feeling as if something rolled into the throat and closed it like a valve, frequent spells of nausea, periodic vomiting (especially at twelve midnight). The liver and spleen are affected. Walls of abdomen are sore. Pain in os tincae on lying down, feeling of dryness in vagina. *Ferrum is a remedy that should be given carefully in haemorrhagic phthisis, as it may aggravate. The acetate, iodide, and phosphate are better than the metal in such cases, unless the similarity is very close. Rheumatic symptoms, especially of left shoulder and deltoid. Paralytic weakness. Restlessness. Tremor. Most symptoms are worse by motion, especially sudden motion. Vertigo on suddenly rising, when crossing a bridge over water, vertigo as if balancing to and fro, as when on water. Neuralgia is better moving slowly about. In fact ” better moving about slowly ” is a keynote condition of many *Ferrum cases. Rest worse cramps. Lying down worse pain in face, asthma, causes pain in os tincae, better cough (*H. W., xxxi. 57). Descending stairs worse headache. Walking slowly better palpitation, pain in arms, in hip-joint. The chief time of aggravation is night, and especially midnight, and also in early
morning. The symptoms generally are worse in cold weather, and better in warm air, but there is a good deal of contradictoriness in this respect, showing the irritability of *Ferrum to all influences: uncovering chest better asthma and constriction, but too light covering worse pain in shoulder. Over-heating causes neuralgia, and so does washing in cold water. There is dread of open air, but open air better headache. The chlorosis of *Ferrum is worse in winter.
Relations
Ferrum compares with Graphites (which contains iron), Manganum, and the other metals, Teste puts it at the head of a group comprising Plumb., Phosphorus, Carb-an., Pulsatilla, Zincum met., Secale, Mag-m., China, Baryta carb. It is *antidoted by: Arsenicum, China, Hepar, Ip., Pulsatilla It *antidotes: Arsenicum, Chi., Iodium, Mercurius, Hydr-ac., tea and alcoholic drinks. It is *complementary to: Alumina, Chi. *Compatible: Aconite, Arnica, Belladonna, Chi., Conium, Lycopodium, Mercurius, Phosphorus, Veratrum *Incompatible: Thea, beer. *Compare: Borax (vertigo on descending), Mang. (cough better lying down), Anacardium, Spongia (cough better after eating), Arsenicum, Chi. (Intermittent fever), Phosphorus (cholerine), Selenium, Thuja (Bad effects of tea); Graphites (Flushes of heat), Rhus ( better from motion), Olnd. (lienteria), Causticum (Paralyses).
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Anxiety, with throbbing in the epigastrium. Anxiety as after committing a crime. Peevish, passionate, and disputative. Irritable, little noises drive to despair. Gaiety, alternating with sadness, every other day.
Head
Confusion and heaviness in the head. Vertigo, which causes falling forwards, as from the motion of a carriage, especially on moving, stooping, etc. Dizziness and turning vertigo, on looking at running water, with sickness at the stomach in walking, with the sensation as if the head would constantly incline to right side. Pressive pain in the head, especially in the fresh air. Painful confusion in the head, above the root of the nose, especially in the evening. Pulling from the nape of the neck to the head, with shootings and buzzing. Periodical hammering and pulsative headache, which oblige the patient to lie down, every two or three weeks. Congestion in the head, enlarged veins, sensitiveness of the head to the touch, worse after midnight and towards morning, returning periodically. Pain in the back part of the head when coughing. Pain in the scalp, as if it were galled. Profuse falling off of the hair, with pain when it is touched.
Eyes
Eyes cloudy, dull, and watery, with blue rings around them, especially after slight fatigue (in writing). Eyes red, with burning pain. Swelling and redness of the eyelids, with a stye, suppurating on the upper lid.
