Inactivity of the rectum;even the soft stool requires great straining.
Anaemia in women, who are hungry for starch, chalk, rags, charcoal, cloves and other ridiculous unnatural things; potatoes disagree; profuse leucorrhoea.
Great heaviness in lower limbs, weak has to sit down;numbness of heels; sense of hot iron thrust through back.
The chief characteristic leading to the use of this remedy is found in its peculiar constipation. “INACTIVITY OF THE RECTUM, eVEN THE SOFT STOOL REQUIRES GREAT STRAINING.”
Like BRY., there is no desire for stool and the constipation seems to depend upon dryness of the mucus follicles. Again, it is adapted to dry, spare subjects. There are other points of resemblance between these two remedies and they complement each other well. They are both excellent in infantile constipation, which is often a very obstinate affection to treat. ANAC., sEPIA., sIL., and VERAT., are nearest of kin in this lack of expulsive power in the rectum.
ALUM., is one of our remedies in chlorotic conditions. The patient is pale, weak, tired, must sit down to rest. The menses are scanty, delayed, and are pale colored when they come, and after the menses the patient is exhausted and pale.(CARB-AN., and COCC.,) Then, again, there IS PROFUSE LEUCORRHOEA SOMETIMES RUNNING DOWN TO THE HEELS IF SHE DOES NOT WEAR A CLOTH.(SYP.,) It is as profuse as the menses ought to be. These anaemic patients are often hungry for STARCH, CHALK, RAGS, CHARCOAL, CLOVES and OTHER RIDICULOUS and UNNATURAL THINGS. ALUM., is a great remedy in such cases. The NAT-M., chlorotic could not eat bread, or had an aversion to it. The ALUM., patient CAN’T EAT POTATOES; they disagree. PULS., can’t eat FAT FOOD, pastries etc., ALUM., resembles PULS., in chronic nasal catarrhs, and both are of tearful temperament, but the constitutions are different, ALUM., being dry and thin, PULS., phlegmatic. One thing I forgot to mention under stool and rectum viz., ALUM., is one of the best remedies for haemorrhages of the bowels in typhoid fever. The blood comes in LARGE CLOTS LOOKING SOLID LIKE LIVER. This remedy is also very efficacious in chronic sore throats, like clergyman’s sore throat. There is “Soreness, rawness, hoarseness and dryness.” This dryness excites a continual disposition to hawk, and after a long time the patient raises a little thick, tough phlegm. This kind of throat is temporarily relieved by WARM FOOD and DRINKS. The remedy nearest to this is ARG-N., but in ARG-N., there are WART-LIKE EXCRESCENCES OR GRANULATIONS IN THE THROAT. Both remedies have a sensation of a splinter in the throat, as do also HEPAR., DOLIC., and NIT-AC.,
ALUM., has also a sensation of constriction in the throat and oesophagus. It hurts to swallow. ALUM., is recommended for the following symptoms, which often appear in locomotor ataxia: “GREAT HEAVINESS IN THE LOWER LIMBS; CAN SCARCELY DRAG THEM; WHILE WALKING STAGGERS and HAS TO SIT DOWN; IN THE EVENING,” In ability to walk except with the eyes open and in the day time.” ” NUMBNESS of the heel when stepping.” “EXCESSIVELY FAINT and TIRED, MUST SIT DOWN.” “Pin in the back as if a hot iron were thrust through the vertebrae.” I give these on the authority of others, for I have never verified them. I will add here the value of.
