DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. – Anorexia; chronic acid eructations, with burning sensations in the stomach; chronic Diarrhoea, with slimy, foul-smelling stools; Diarrhoea of children during dentition, offensive motions, part being light and part dark-coloured; colliquative Diarrhoea of Consumption; chronic Constipation, with swelling of the bowels; mesenteric disease in scrofulous children.
GENERATIVE SYSTEM (Female). – Premature and profuse catamenia; itching and burning Leucorrhoea; Chlorosis in girls, with tendency to Tubercle.
SKIN. – Chronic Urticaria, and other chronic eruptions. Warts and Polypi, results of disordered nutrition and growth, are curable by Calcarea
23. – Calcarea Phosphorata – Phosphate of Lime.
This salt is one of the most important mineral substances in the animal body, giving firmness and strength to the bony skeleton. Besides solidifying the osseous system, it furnishes nutrition for the soft tissues of the body, and its action in derangements of assimilation resembles that of Calcarea Carbonica.
LEADING USES. – Phosphate of lime is specially valuable in diseases of the osseous system – Rickets, Curvature of the Spine, Spina Bifida, Hip-joint Disease, Psoas Abscess, Tubercular Ulcers, chronic enlargements of the tonsils, etc.
According to Ringer, this salt will be found of very great use in the Anaemia of young, rapidly-growing persons, and women weakened by rapid child-bearing, prolonged suckling, or excessive menstruation.
In checking Chronic tubercular and non-tubercular Diarrhoea, and other profuse discharges, as in Leucorrhoea, chronic Bronchitis and large Abscesses, it is a valuable remedy, in these states effecting both general and local improvement. Beneke greatly praises its influence on tubercular ulcers. It is also useful in caries of the bones.
Women who live in towns are apt to have a deficiency of this salt. They are improved by its administration; an increased quantity finds its way into the milk of a suckling mother, and thus both she and her child are simultaneously benefited.
Both men and women, whose health has been broken by a town residence, or by overwork, and who, from other causes, are languid and incapable of doing much work, and whose spirits are depressed, may be very much benefited by this medicine. – See Ringer’s Handbook on Therapeutics.
24. – Calendula Officinalis – Marigold.
The marigold is a native of France, but is now found in cultivated grounds in nearly all parts of Europe. The leaves and flowers are the parts used in medicine.
LEADING USE. – This remedy is used as an external application, and exerts a most favourable influence in promoting the union of wounds with the least resulting scars, and with the smallest amount of suppuration. For Cuts, or injuries in which the flesh is much torn, and which do not heal without the formation of matter, wounds penetrating the joints, etc., it is much preferable to Arnica in constitutions having a tendency to Erysipelas. It controls haemorrhage (but to a less extent than Hamamelis), and relieves the severest pains attending various accidents. In the American Civil War, it was largely and beneficially used by our American colleagues in the treatment of injuries. It is invaluable in Ulcers of the lower extremities – bad legs, as they are called – such as often occur in broken-down constitutions, in the decline of life. Mr. Nankivell informs us that Calendula lotion – 20 drops to a teacupful of water – is very useful in many chronic affections of the eyelids; he has never known it to have any repellent or inconvenient effect.
FORMULA. – For a Lotion, add a teaspoonful of the pure tincture to half or three-quarters of a tumbler of water. When haemorrhage is considerable, the lotion should be much stronger.
25. – Camphora – Camphor.
The Lauras Camphora, from which Camphor is obtained in great abundance, is a large, handsome, evergreen tree very common in China, Japan and other parts of Eastern Asia, where it grows to the size of our tall oak. Through all parts of it-trunk, root, and branches – Camphor is diffused, and is obtained by sublimation. The odour, appearance, and volatility of Camphor are well known.
PATHOGENETIC EFFECTS. – “In doses of gr. ij.v-x, Camphor acts as a stimulant; it increases the action of the heart and arteries, exhilarates the spirits, excites warmth of body and diaphoresis; the pulse is rendered softer and fuller. These effects are transitory, and are followed by depression. In somewhat larger doses, it allays spasm and pain, and induces sleep. In poisonous doses, it produces Vomiting, Vertigo, Delirium, and Convulsions. It acts chiefly on the nervous system; and like Sulphur, it is excreted through the skin, ad is exhaled by the lungs.
It exercises a powerful influence on the genito-urinary system; occasionally it causes Strangury, yet by some it has been advised to relieve the Strangury produced by Cantharides” (Waring).
LEADING USES. – Asiatic Cholera; Choleraic Diarrhoea; sudden and extreme prostration of the nervous system, with severe chills, chattering of the teeth, pallor of the countenance, sense of internal heat, cold sweats, cramps, purging, etc. Lassitude, depression, and frequent yawnings; the primary chill of Catarrh or Influenza, in which stage only it prevents further development of disease. Fainting-fits from trifling causes, and Hysteric attacks; in these cases Camphor may be administered by olfaction.
HEAD. – Cerebral congestion and irritation, amounting even to delirium; giddiness, wakefulness, and nervous irritability. Sunstroke (the remedy being administered by olfaction); head- symptoms from the retrocession of an acute eruption, as in Measles, etc.
CHOLERA. – A saturated solution, containing equal parts by weight of Camphor and of spirits of wine, recommended and successfully used by Dr. Rubini in several hundred cases of Cholera, has excited much attention, and was widely used during the outbreak of attention, and was widely used during the outbreak of Cholera in 1866. Dr. Rubini directs that four drops of the saturated tincture of Camphor be given on sugar (not in water), every five minutes, to patients seized with Cholera, or in very severe cases five to twenty drops; and he states that ordinarily in two, three or four hours, reaction will set in. His statements and successes have been abundantly confirmed.
URINARY AND GENITAL SYSTEMS. – Sudden Strangury with burning and great pain; in infants thus suffering, the remedy may be administered by olfaction for a few seconds every ten minutes. It is also sometimes useful when associated with Strangury or vesical irritability. Camphor removes the urinary difficulties consequent on the use of Cantharides (blistering fly).
ANTIDOTE. – As an antidote to the excess of medicinal action of small doses of a drug, Camphor is very useful; a few doses frequently repeated will be sufficient. The Erysipelas produced by Arnica is often readily cured by Camphor lotion (see “Arnica.”).
The evanescent action of Camphor requires that it be given in oft-repeated doses; it is only adapted to sudden diseases.
Camphor has proved not less successful in the hands of some practitioners, in many cases of cholera when given in the 30th potency. But then it must be prescribed on definite corresponding symptoms, and when so prescribed, in whatever disease, Camphor in the potencies will be found to have a long- continued action. When prescribed on more general indications the lower potencies are better.
26. – Cannabis Sativa – Hemp.
LEADING USES. – Affection of the genito-urinary organs.
In large doses, Hemp. causes a difficulty of urinating; paralytic weakness of the bladder; symptoms of stricture; burning and stinging before and after urination; discharges of mucus and pus; Chordee, etc. Hence it is homoeopathic to the symptoms of Gonorrhoea, and has proved a most successful remedy in the hands of homoeopathic practitioners for that disease. In Miscarriage, Menorrhagia, and consequent conditions, it is sometimes, useful; as also in some eye affections – opacity of, and specks on, the cornea, etc. The effects of alcoholic intoxication have also been remedied by this drug.
27.- Cantharis Vesicatoria-Blistering Fly-Spanish Fly.
We extract the medicinal properties of the Spanish fly by pulverization and percolation of the entire insect. The “fly blister,” once so well-known in orthodox practice, is found unnecessary by homoeopathic practitioners.
LEADING USES. – Inflammatory affections of the urinary organs; cutaneous disease, with burning and vesication, and as an external application in Burns and Scalds.
URINARY ORGANS. – Acute inflammatory affections – simple Nephritis, Cystitis, Urethritis, Chordee, etc. Pain in the loins; scanty, high-coloured, bloody, sometimes albuminous urine; but the influence of the remedy is greater over bloody than albuminous urine. Burning and scalding pain on passing water; tenderness at lower part of the abdomen; Strangury, incontinence of urine, both in the aged and in children. Haematuria and Suppression of urine from acute congestion. The sexual organs are probably chiefly affected through continuity of surfaces. It is sometimes useful in Dropsy following Scarlatina, and Bright’s disease. In hysteric patients, with throat-affection, and partially suppressed urine, followed, in a few hours, by profuse discharge of pale urine, followed, in few hours, by profuse discharge of pale urine, it acts well.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."