IT may be useful to give one of Dr. Nashs little lists which makes for successful Snap-shot Prescribing: but we will add to them throughout such brief hints as make prescribing even more easy and accurate. We will keep Nash in inverted commas.
He says, “In regard to CRAMPING PAINS, so characteristic of Magnesia phos., when such a symptom stands out so prominently, it is a great leader, and narrows down the choice to a class of remedies having the same.” Let me illustrate:.
“CRAMPING PAINS.
Cuprum, Colocynth, Magnesia phos”.
But the Cuprum cramps are apt to being in fingers and toes; and Cup. is worse in hot weather, and likes cold drinks.
Mag. phos. is intolerant of cold in any from-cold air-water- draughts, and is greatly relieved by heat.
Which Coloc. is Mag. phos., only less so: except for its need of hard pressure, and its liability to suffer from vexation and annoyance; which are apt to start its pains and distresses.
“BURNING PAINS.
Arsenicum, Cantharis, Capsicum, Phosphorus, Sulphur”.
But the Ars. burning pains are relieved by heat:-.
Those of equally-chilly Phos., when stomach troubles are concerned, by cold: Phos. is worse for “warm injesta”: needs ices: cold drink which may be vomited as they become warm. .
Capsicums burning are described as like those of cayenne pepper applied to raw and smarting parts.
Those of Canth. are violently biting and burning-are those of violently destructive inflammations, tending, even, to gangrene. Canth, is most useful and almost specific n cystitis, with burning, smarting, cutting pains during urination.
Sulph. burns and itches everywhere: reddens offices; is worse for washing and bed.
“COLDNESS (sensation).
Calcarea, Arsenicum, Cistus, Heloderma”.
The coldness of Calcarea is often a damp coldness:- Coldness of face, hands feet and body: cold sweat. Icy coldness in and on head. (Verat.).
That of Ars. is worse for cold; ices-drinks-food-air.
Cistus (the “ice-plant”) is worse for inhaling the slightest cold air. Chilliness, worse for cold.
The coldness of Heloderma (the Gila monster) is more intense than that of may other remedy: an “arctic coldness unrelieved by heat.” “Frozen from without outwards.” Coldness at heart.
“COLDNESS (Objective).
Camphora, Secale, Veratrum alb., Heloderma”.
Camph. icy-cold, yet averse to covering-in the cold stage: in hot stage, covers up.
Secale: feels as if coals of fire were falling on the part, which s cold to touch.
Verat. Sensation of a piece of ice on head (this led to the cure of most intense headache, the patient having become almost “mental”). Whole body icy-cold. Internal chilliness running from head to toes. Characteristic, cold sweet one forehead.
“FULLNESS (sensation).
Aesculus, China, Lycopodium”. .
Aesculus. Fullness and pulsation everywhere, “as if too full of blood”.
China. As if abdomen were packed full; not relieved by eructations or passing flatus. Fullness after eating a mouthful. (Lyc).
Lyc. Fullness, abdomen, up to throat. A little food overfills: must loosen clothes. Feels bursting.
“EMPTINESS (sensation).
Cocculus, Phosphorus, Sepia”.
Cocc. Hollow feeling in head, stomach, abdomen, etc.; in chest, heart; in internal parts. Sea-sick: train sick: ailments from loss of sleep.
Phos. Faint, empty feeling in head, chest, stomach. Phos. is thirsty for cold drinks: desires ices: is much affected by thunder.
Sepia. Emptiness and goneness at pit of stomach. Sensation of, or tendency to visceroptosis.
“BEARING-DOWN.
Belladonna, Lilium, Sepia, etc.” (Pulsatilla).
Bell. Bearing down, better standing.
Puls. Bearing down, worse lying.
Lil. tig. Better crossing limbs and pressing upwards on vulva.
Sepia. Worse standing, as if everything would come out (Lil.). But Sepia is indifferent and chilly while Lilium is hurried and worried, and sensitive to heat. Otherwise their pelvic symptoms are almost identical . . . only more intense with Lilium. .
“BRUISED SENSATIONS.
Arnica. Baptisia, Eupatorium perf., Pyrogen, Ruta”.
Arn. Sore all over, as if bruised. “Bed too hand.”.
Bapt. Sore, heavy, aching muscles; bed too hard (Arn.), but with dull red face and great drowsiness; in fevers.
Eupat. Soreness and bruised feeling; aching in every bone: bones feel broken. Soreness, eyeballs.
Pyrogen. Very like Bapt. but with intense restlessness, and, characteristically, fiery-red, smooth tongue.
Ruta. Sensations, as from a fall; pain in periosteum: in vertebrae, back, coccyx: elbow joint, bones of wrists, etc. Soreness all over.
“CONSTRICTION.
Cactus, Colocynth, Anacardium”.
Cact. As if an iron band prevent movements of heart. “Constriction of chest, bladder, rectum, uterus, vagina.” Whole body feels caged, each wire being twisted tighter and tighter.
Coloc. Constriction chest, malar bone to eye, throat, stomach, upper abdomen, about umbilicus, rectum, anus, during stool, larynx. Perhaps our great colic remedy. Worse anger, indignation, mortification.
Anacard. Sensation of a plug inside and hoop outside. hoop or band around a part. Nash says, “especially in spinal disease”.
“PROSTRATION AND WEARINESS.
Gelsemium, Picric acid Phosphoric acid, etc”.
Gels. Paralytic heaviness, of eyelids, limbs. Muscles refuse to obey will. Relaxation and prostration of the whole muscular system.
Picric a. Nervous prostration: burning spine (Phos., Zinc.) Great weakness of spine and back. Weariness, from mere fatigue on motion, to complete paralysis. Tired, heavy feeling, worse exertion.
Phos. acid. Listlessness and apathy. Heaviness: head a spot in liver; lumbar region; hands; hip joint; in limbs.
“NUMBNESS.
Aconite, Chamomilla, Platina, Rhus”.
Acon. A great feature, numbness and tingling, in chronic as well as acute disease. Pain worse evenings and night, with numbness, tingling or formication. Characteristics, restlessness and FEAR.
Cham. “Pain unendurable,” worse heat; with heat, thirst and fainting: with numbness of affected parts.
Platina. Pains gradually increase and decrease, with numbness of affected parts. Plat. has the superiority complex; feels tall, superior; all round small and inferior.
Rhus. Numbness left arm and foot; hips to feet; hands and fingers; finger to elbow, etc. Deadness, lower part right foot. Crawling, finger tips etc.; in tendons of knees: in feet. Chilly: worse damp and cold.
“ERRATIC PAINS.
Lac caninum, Pulsatilla, Tuberculinum”.
Lac can. Pains wander: fly about; or, characteristically, cross from side to side and back.
Puls. Pains travel from joint to joint: worse fro warmth: yet chilliness with the pain; “The more severe the pain, the harder the chill.” Puls. is mild and weepy: changeable: craves air. Tuber. Wandering pains in limbs and joints; stiff, first moving (Rhus.). Patient also wants to travel: cosmopolitan. Wants air (Puls.).
“SENSITIVENESS TO PAIN.
Aconite, Chamomilla, Coffea”.
Acon. Pains intolerable; drive him crazy; extreme restlessness, especially at night. Face expresses fear.
Cham. “Cannot bear it !” Cannot bear any one near him. Irritable: uncivil.
Coff. Oversensitive. Pain felt intensely: insupportable. (Cham.). Tosses in anguish. Unusual activity of mind and body. Sleepless.
“SENSITIVE TO TOUCH.
China, Hepar, Lach.” (Lyssin.).
China. Pains worse from touch: better hard pressure. Pains head, worse slightest touch. All parts of body sensitive to least touch. Touch on larynx cough.
Hepar. Extreme sensitiveness to contact: dread of touch, out of proportion to actual pain. Ulcers, wounds, skin, so sensitive, cannot bear touch, even of dressings; or even cold air to blow on them. Hypersensitive to touch, pain, cold air. (Comp. Nux).
Lach. Extreme sensitiveness to touch, especially throat and abdomen: clothes cause uneasiness and make her nervous. Hepar. is sensitive to cold: Lach. to heat.
Lyssin. Worse slightest touch,or current of air: noise of running water.
Plumb. (one would add). She had rheumatic pains in legs had to walk in the road, lest people should brush against her Plumb, cured promptly. (A tip for Plumb. “Paralytic conditions with hyperaesthesia.” NASH).
“BONE PAINS.
Aurum, Asafoetida, Eupatorium perf., Mercurius” (one would add, Drosera).
Aur. “Nodes and bone pains, with great depression of mind”.
Asafoetida. Inflammation and caries of bones, with exceeding sensitiveness to touch. Syphilitic bone troubles; pains worse at night. Adhesion of skin on caries. Characteristically “Fat, flabby and purple.” Discharges all very foetid. Excessive noisy belching.
Eupat. perf. Aching in bone: as if bones broken: feels broken, dislocated, beaten and sore. (Especially in fevers.).
Merc. Bone disease: pains worse at night. Aching in bones especially where skin is thin over bones. Profuse sweat which dose not ameliorate. (A tip for Merc. Shivering in abscess cavity).
Drosera. Pains gnawing, shooting in shafts of long bones and in joints. Pains in tibia. Felt less when moving. (Especially with a history of T. B.).
“STICKING OR STITCHING PAINS.
Bryonia, Kali carb., Squilla”.
Bry. Stitching pains, worse, or only, on movement-breathing etc. Affects serous and synovial membranes, joints, pleurae, meninges etc. Characteristically, irritable and thirsty.
