THE AMMONIAS.
What are the preparations of Ammonia that we use in our Materia Medica and how are they prepared?
1. Ammonium causticum. The preparation sp. gr. 0.959 itself corresponds to the 1x potency.
2. Ammonium carbonicum. One part of Carbonate of ammonia dissolved in 9 parts of distilled water, Drug power, 1/10.
3. Ammonium phosphoricum. Triturations of the pure Phosphate.
4. Ammonium muriaticum. One part of the pure Chloride dissolved in 9 parts of distilled water. Drug power, 1/10.
5. Ammonium bromatum. By trituration of the pure Bromide.
6. Ammonium benzoicum. By trituration of the pure Benzoate.
7. Ammonium picratum. By trituration of the pure Picrate.
Give the general action of Ammonia.
Ammonia has a specific action of the mucous membrane of the gastro-intestinal canal and respiratory organs; it stimulates the respiratory centres in the medulla.
What is the chief use of Ammonium causticum?
Aphonia, with burning rawness in the throat.
AMMONIUM CARBONICUM.
Where data found a concerning this drug?
In Hahnemann’s Chronic Diseases; Hartlaub and Trink’s : British Journal of Homoeopathy, Vol. XVIII.
What is common name for Ammonium carbonicum?
Smelling Salts.
Give general action of Ammonium carbonicum.
It is especially adapted to subacute and chronic diseases of the mucous tissues, especially of the air passages in lymphatic people with lax fibre; a transient cardiac stimulant.
When is it indicated in catarrhs?
When winter weather aggravates, and when the nose is stopped up at night and the patient awakes with a dry, gasping, burning, tickling cough.
What are the chest symptoms of Ammonium carbonicum?
There is congestive fullness and rawness of the chest with discharge of bluish, slate colored mucus, and rattling of large bubbles of mucus in the chest.
What are the temperaments of both Ammonium carbonicum and Ammonium muriaticum?
Ammonium carbonicum is suitable to stout persons who lead a sedentary life, and Ammonium muriaticum to sluggish individuals who have a fat body and thin legs.
AMMONIUM MURIATICUM.
Where do we find data on Ammonium muriaticum?
In Hahnemann’s Chronic Diseases.
Give general features of Ammonium muriaticum.
It produces violent inflammation of mucous membranes and also disturbs the circulation of the blood. It affects also the nervous system, and has a certain periodicity in its symptoms.
What are the catarrh of this preparation of Ammonia?
There is stoppage of one nostril during day and both at night; the coryza is scalding and the burning extends to the throat and trachea.
What symptoms has Ammonium muriaticum on the bowels?
The stools are hard and crumbly, crumble as they pass the anus. All Muriates have crumbly stools.
Give a use for Ammonium phosphoricum.
Constitutional gout with nodes and concretions in the joints; chronic cases where these concretions of Urate of Soda deform the joints.
Give an indication for Ammonium picratum.
It has been used clinically in certain malarial troubles, intermittents, etc.
IRON.
What preparations of Iron do we use and how are they prepared?
1. Ferrum metallicum. Triturations of pure reduced Iron.
2. Ferrum iodatum. Triturations of the freshly prepared Iodide.
3. Ferrum aceticum. One part, by weight, of Acetate of Iron dissolved in 90 parts of strong alcohol. Drug power, 1/100.
4. Ferrum phosphoricum. Triturations of the pure Phosphate of Iron.
FERRUM METALLICUM.
Where are our data concerning Ferrum metallicum found?
In Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura; British Journal of Homoeopathy. Vols. XXXII and XXVII.
Give the general action of Ferrum.
Produces a false plethora; an irregular distribution of blood, with headache, nosebleed, dyspnoea, neuralgia. etc. Its action is to dilate the blood-vessels.
Give six grand characteristics of the drug.
1. Anaemia with plethora.
2. Vomiting of food.
3. Chill with red face and thirst.
4. Flushed face.
5. Coldness of the body.
6. Undigested diarrhoea, worse from eating.
When is Ferrum indicated in anaemia?
When the patient has an appearance of full bloodedness or plethora, which is followed by a paleness and earthiness of the face, and puffiness of the extremities. The mucous membranes are pale and there are may be anaemic murmurs in the veins of the neck. The patient is constantly chilly with perhaps an afternoon hectic like fever.
What is the chill of Ferrum?
It is a chill with red face and thirst; during the heat there is distension of the blood-vessels and headache; the chill is apt to come on about 3 or 4 in the morning.
What are the stomach symptoms?
There seems to be no secretion in the stomach capable of changing the food, and it is vomited as taken. The appetite is ravenous.
What is the characteristic headache?
It is a throbbing headache at the base of the brain. It seems as if the head would burst; there is congestion and pulsating in the head, worse after midnight, with red face and cold feet.
What is there characteristic about the vertigo of Ferrum?
It comes on going down hill, or on crossing water, even though the water be smooth.
What is the diarrhoea of Iron?
Undigested, painless, sometimes involuntary stools; there is a desire to go to stool as soon as anything touches his stomach; it is worse just after midnight; there is great hunger, but eating brings on diarrhoea.
What is the characteristic rheumatic pain of Ferrum?
In the left deltoid muscle.
What remedy has rheumatism in the right deltoid muscle?
Sanguinaria.
Give an indication of Ferrum iodatum.
Bearing down in the uterine region when sitting; the patient feels as if something sore and painful were being pushed up. Prolapsus uteri. Starchy leucorrhoea. Pressure in the rectum: painful menses, especially in pale anaemic subjects.
What is a clinical use of Ferrum aceticum?
In stubborn anaemia and debility. In children who grow tall rapidly and are so active that they become easily exhausted; they keep thin, weak and pale.
FERRUM PHOSPHORICUM.
Where are the principal data found concerning this remedy?
In Boericke and Dewey’s Twelve Tissue Remedies of Schussler. Fourth edition.
What is Ferrum phosphoricum?
It is the Ferroso-ferric phosphate, or Phosphate of Iron, one of the so-called twelve tissue remedies.
What are the twelve tissue remedies?
Calcarea fluorica, Calcarea phosphorica,
Calcarea sulphurica, Ferrum phosphoricum,
Kali muriaticum, Kali phosphoricum,
Kali sulphuricum, Magnesia phosphorica,
Natrum muriaticum, Natrum phosphoricum
Natrum sulphuricum Silicea.
Why are these called the tissue remedies?
They are so called because they are the inorganic cell salts and constituents of the tissues. Hahnemann was the first to make investigations in this line, and gave us provings of some of the salts of Lime, Soda and Potash.
Give in brief the biochemic theory of their action.
This theory was advanced by Schussler, a German homoeopathic physician, and consists of the assertion that these twelve remedies are all sufficient to cure any curable disease, and that they act by supplying a sufficient quantity of the proper cells salts to re-establish an equilibrium which has been disturbed; disease being, according to the same theory, a disturbed equilibrium of the inorganic cell salts.
Do Homoeopathists accept this theory?
They do not. The only law of cure known to Homoeopathy is Similia Similibus Curantur. Clinically, how ever, these remedies have been found most valuable additions to our Materia Medica, and thorough proving of them is necessary.
Give the general action of Ferrum phosphoricum.
Its field is in all ailments of a hyperaemic or congestive nature, anaemia, etc.
Give four characteristics indications of Ferrum phosphoricum that have proved of value.
1. First stage of inflammations.
2. A florid complexion.
3. It stands midway between Aconite and Gelsemium in febrile conditions.
4. It stands midway between Ferrum metallicum and Phosphorus in respiratory troubles.
Give the eye symptoms of Ferrum phosphoricum.
Eyes inflamed, red, with a sensation as if grains of sand were under the lids; pain on moving the eyes; photophobia worse from artificial lights.
Give five indications for Ferrum phosphoricum in ear troubles.
1. Diffused inflammatory processes.
2. Dark, beefy redness of parts.
3. Muco-purulent discharge with tendency to hemorrhage.
4. The complete establishment of the discharge is not followed by relief of pain.
5. The paroxysmal character of the pain.
Give the throat symptoms of Ferrum phosphoricum.
Dry, red, inflamed and painful throat; sore throats of singers and speakers.
What is the diarrhoea of Ferrum phosphoricum?
Undigested or copious, watery and accompanied by vomiting. Diarrhoea in children with pinched face, half open eyes, hot skin and thirst, startings in sleep, etc.
What are the symptoms of Ferrum phosphoricum in the urinary sphere?
Incontinence of urine from weakness of the sphincter, constant dribbling of urine during the daytime.
When is Ferrum phosphoricum indicated in respiratory affections?
During the first stage of any inflammatory condition about the chest; it stands about midway between Aconite and Bryonia n many cases.
What forms of rheumatism is Ferrum phosphoricum suitable to?
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.