The pains of the head are linear, following a precise line.
Eyes. Ophthalmia of new-born babies; syphilitic iritis; chronic phlyctenular inflammation of the cornea, with very marked photophobia; pustulous conjunctivitis in scrofulous children; scrofulous eruptions at the angles of the eyes. Intense lachrymation, redness of the eyes with intense pains, agglutination of the lids in the morning and sensation of cold air blowing on the eye (in this respect, think of Fluoric Acid as well).
Ears. Calcareous deposits on the tympanum; caries of the bones of ears, of syphilitic origin; otorrhoea with watery or purulent discharge.
Nose. Caries of the nasal bones; perforation of the palate, ozaena, chronic catarrhal rhinitis; burning sensation inside the nose, itchings, formation of crusts in the nose which are also the symptoms of Kali bichromicum, Mercurius and Hydrastis. Sensation as if the nose is blocked, chronic coryza with very abundant, foetid, thick, greenish-yellow discharge. Formation of crust in nose during sleep.
Face. Facial paralysis, especially of right side, whence difficulty of talking and mastication arises. Pale face, full of herpetic eruptions, crusts on the face; facial neuralgia.
Mouth. Caries of teeth crumbling away bit by bit at the root; sensation as if a worm is inside the tooth; herpetic eruptions of the mouth, amygdales and palate. The tongue is coated with a thick and dirty layer. Painful ulcerations, burning like fire, intense salivation and imprint of teeth on the tongue. This salivation is so abundant at night, that when the patient gets up, his pillow is all soaked with his drivellings. Foetid breath.
Stomach. Immoderate desire for alcohol; at first a voracious appetite, then absolute loss of appetite for months. Aversion to meat; flatulence, burning as if from hot water; sensation of soreness extending from throat to the stomach.
Stools. Obstinate constipation; stool earthy coloured, foetid; sensation as if the anus is closed by adhesions; the use of the canula is excessively painful. Near the seaside, painless bilious diarrhoea; compelling the patient to jump out of bed at five in the morning. Fissure in the anus (like Thuja).
Urinary Organs. Sensation in the morning as if the orifice of the urethra is blocked; burning and difficulty during urination. Urine at very long intervals. On the contrary, frequent urging to urinate at night.
Male genital organs. In the Materia Medica it is given for indurated chancre; but Syphilinum has never given me any good result. Inflammation and induration of the spermatic cord.
Female genital organs. Leucorrhoea, abundant, yellowish, thick foetid, with constant pain in the lumbar region, aggravated at night. Leucorrhoea flowing in stream as in Alumina. Leucorrhoea of young girls, syphilitics or non-syphilitics. Cutting pain in the region of the uterus. Dysmenorrhoea; great sensibility, particularly of the neck of the uterus, allowing neither examination nor any appliance. Ovarian congestion and tendency to ovarian tumours. Sensitiveness of the breast and more particularly at the time of menses.
Respiratory organs. Hoarseness, aphonia almost complete during the day which precedes the menses. Chronic asthma in summer, and cough when weather is hot and damp. Night aggravation. Whooping cough with much vomiting. Chronic bronchitis with sibilant rales and rhonchi as in Antimonium tartaricum.
Heart. Lancinating pain at night, radiating from the base to the apex. Syphilinum is indicated in all valvular affections. Sensation of blood boiling in the arteries at night.
Limbs. Sciatica aggravated at night and ameliorated at day break. Rheumatic pain of the shoulder, and arm seems to be disabled. These pains are worse when the patient tries to raise the arm.
Excruciating pains of the lower limbs, preventing sleep, with aggravation by hot applications, and amelioration by applying cold water in the painful parts. The patient suffering from pains in the lower limbs, cannot place himself on a low seat nor squat, because of tearing pains in his knees and thighs, pains which are always worse at night.
Skin. Pemphigus, copper-coloured spots, pustulous eruptions in different parts of the body with a sensation as if bed bugs were tormenting at night.
Sleep. Great restlessness at night, absolute insomnia. Impossible for the patient to keep his legs in the same place. He wakes up after midnight and cannot sleep till late in the morning.
Generalities. Syphilinum has prostration and great exhaustion in the morning, and the children of the type of Syphilinum look “old”. They are “little dwarfs” of syphilitic heredity (Baryta carb.). Syphilinum is a good complement of Lycopodium. If Lycopodium is indicated, and if it does not work after a given time, think of Syphilinum, and vice versa (Fergie Woods). In certain children, as Dr. Barishae says, Syphilinum and Bacillinum given in turn produce excellent results.
“The prevention of venereal disease and of the other diseases of civilization and the prevention of the increase of the feeble- minded is less important than the promotion of births among the socially most valuable individuals of the race.”- DR. ERWIN LIEK, in The Doctors Mission.
