“Frequent shuddering from above, down the arm and the whole body, with horripilation.
“A shiver runs over her when she steps from her chamber into the open air.
“Sudden shiver on head, chest, and arms, after entering a warm room.
“Shivering in the forenoon, with drowsiness.
“She becomes suddenly quite warm, and fancies she looks very red, although her complexion is as usual.”
I have dwelt at somewhat greater length on the functional affections of the sensitive nerves, because it is in just these effects that many peculiarities and characteristic features of Platina are most strikingly prominent; for phenomena present themselves here, as we have seen, which serve as important points in the general indications of the remedy.
It only remains, for the sake of completeness, to cite a few symptoms, which, even if of no great importance, yet serve to fill out the picture of the Platina disease. These symptoms relate to the organs of special sense:
VI. AFFECTIONS OF THE SENSORIAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.
“Painful drawing around the left eye, seeing as if through gauze, and sensation as of the eyes being agglutinated. The eyes are painful when using them in the evening, at candlelight, and when exerting them; they first itch, obliging her to rub them; then they suppurate, are very painful, see a tremulous and twinkling light, obliging her to close them, and making it impossible for her to see any object.
“Tingling of the ears; tingling of the ears, afterward tearing in the same; whizzing in the ears, with stitches in the head; noise in the ears, as of the wind blowing into them, increased by the least, noise to such an extent that she has great difficulty in hearing others; roaring in the right ear; noise in the right ear, as of the wing of a large bird; dull roaring and rolling in the ear every morning, and afterward every evening after lying down, at the same hour for several weeks; dull roaring in the right ear, with obtusion of the head from a sort of cramp-like pressure; jerks in the right ear like distant thunder.”
Finally, a few symptoms belonging to the male genital system remain to be cited:
“Erections toward morning.
“Constant erections during sleep, with amorous dreams.
“Constant erections at night without seminal emission, and without many dreams.
“Embrace with little pleasure, and very brief.”
These symptoms agree with the general character of Platina. The erections are, if I may use the expression, passive, and are attended by no desire, hence, erections without emission and embrace of short duration with very little pleasure.
Having thus taken a survey of the general and special sphere of action of Platina, I shall now consider, several remedies that are related to it, and briefly refer to the diagnostic difference between them and Platina. First of all I name Asafoetida. This remedy, as well as Platina, exhibits many of the phenomena of hysteria, but of an altogether different form of that disease. Menstruation, too, is rendered more frequent by Asafoetida; still, however, it remains scanty. The hysteric perversion of the disposition and morale are clearly induced, it is true, by Asafoetida, and even the globus hystericus is present; but then Asafoetida fails to induce the disposition to weep, the fear of death, the absent-mindedness, the self-exaltation above others, which are so peculiar to Platina.
The affections of the vegetative nervous system induced by Asafoetida are eminently of a spasmodic nature, as well as those induced by Platina; but they seem to depend partly upon a peculiar gastric condition and partly on obstructions in the portal system. Asafoetida affects the periosteum, for which Platina has no affinity at all. On the other hand, Asafoetida has the trembling, the cramp-like sensations, ceasing and re-appearing at regular intervals, aggravated by sitting, and ameliorated by walking, in common with Platina, although with various modifications and under different conditions. The paralytic condition is not so clearly developed in the action of Asafoetida. But the phenomena which most strikingly distinguish Asafoetida from Platina are the symptoms of congestion and fever, which, as we have seen, are altogether wanting to the latter. Hence it follows, that torpor and inactivity, and prostration of the functions, do not make up the character of Asafoetida; but, as a rule, most of its effects upon the brain and spinal cord appear to be reflex effects from affections of the vegetative nervous system, whereas the action of Platina upon these central organs is independent and primary.
Crocus, although far more widely different than Asafoetida from Platina, may yet be reckoned among the related remedies, because, perhaps, of its affinity for the female organism, and of its action on the morale and the disposition. The too early and too copious menstruation and the metrorrhagia which Crocus induces depend, however, on an overloading of the uterine vessels with blood; hence, the blood is black and clotted; and, hence, the haemorrhages which occur also in other organs are easily provoked by motion or exertion. The moral effects are directly opposed to those of Platina. In the case of the latter we have weeping and fear of death; in that of the former, laughing and unrestrained merriment; but the frequent alternation of cheerfulness and sadness is a feature common to both remedies. When I add, in conclusion, that the majority of the morbid phenomena of Crocus are induced by congestions, venosity, and other abnormal states of the vascular system, we at once perceive the distinctions between the remedies.
Pulsatilla is in several aspects similar and related to Platina. But, from the very fact that it is a polychrest, that is, that it acts in very many ways, and exerts its healing power in a great number of acute as well as chronic diseases, the difference of its character from that of Platina may, notwithstanding their similarity, be clearly seen. It would lead me too far to unfold this difference in all its aspects; this may be done with greater propriety when treating of Pulsatilla. Only this much I may say: I may say: that the similarity of Pulsatilla to Platina is shown most clearly in their respective moral effects, and in their action on the female sexual system. But even in these symptoms there are important differences, the psychical effects of Pulsatilla consisting chiefly in fretfulness, complaint, and lamentation, and the disposition to weep which belongs to this remedy, arising rather out of these condition; whereas, the weeping induced by Platina is a result of apprehensiveness and of weakness of disposition.
With regard to menstruation, Pulsatilla induces a number of abnormal symptoms, retards the menses, and causes a discharge of black clotted blood. Hence, Pulsatilla is not improperly regarded as antidote to Platina.
Last of all, it remains to mention Plumbum aceticum, which shows much resemblance of Platina in its spasmodic and paralytic symptoms; but whereas in the case of Platina these are primary, in that of Plumbum they are secondary. On this account, too, Platina is the remedy for certain cases of lead-colic. These two metals stand almost in the same relation that Arsenic and Carbo vegetabilis hold. The tendency to decompose everything of an organic nature is common to these two remedies; but Arsenic induces this decomposition after a previous over-excitement and too strong impression upon the organism, while the peculiarity of inducing decomposition is a part of the primary action of Carbo.
The dose in which Platina may be given is various. I have generally given the second or third trituration, with the best results; but I doubt not that it is active in higher potencies, this being attested by the experience of competent physicians.
Dr. Dunham graduated from Columbia University with Honours in 1847. In 1850 he received M.D. degree at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York. While in Dublin, he received a dissecting wound that nearly killed him, but with the aid of homoeopathy he cured himself with Lachesis. He visited various homoeopathic hospitals in Europe and then went to Munster where he stayed with Dr. Boenninghausen and studied the methods of that great master. His works include 'Lectures on Materia Medica' and 'Homoeopathy - Science of Therapeutics'.