Ferrum Phosphoricum


James Tyler Kent describes the symptoms of the homeopathic medicine Ferrum Phosphoricum in great detail and compares it with other homeopathy remedies. …


Great weakness, and desire to lie down. Nervous at night. Rheumatic conditions.

While it has been used by Schuessler’s followers for the first stage of inflammatory fevers, it is useful in the higher potencies in chronic diseases, and is a deep acting anti-psoric, It could not be less than the Ferrum and Phosphoric acid that form it.

For many years I followed the Schüessler indications, but by the aid of new provings, homeopathic aggravations, and clinical experience the present arrangement of symptoms furnishes my guide for this valuable homoeopathic remedy.

The time of aggravation: of some complaints is in the morning, some in afternoon; others come in the evening and night, and after midnight. The patient is sensitive to the open air, and many symptoms are aggravated in open air.

The most noticeable features are anaemia and chlorosis (like Ferrum). The general physical anxiety is more like Phosphorus acid. Lack of vital heat, and aggravation in cold air and from becoming cold. Always taking cold. Congestion of head and organs, with fever and red face.

The general weakness is like the low vitality of the phtisical inheritance. Dropsical conditions. Symptoms worse after eating, from physical exertion. Fainting spells. Cold drinks bring on symptoms. Sour food aggravates. Vascular fullness and distension of veins.

The haemorrhagic condition is a strong feature, as it is in Ferrum, Phosphorus acid and Phos. The nervousness of hysteria and hypochondriasis is found in this remedy. Soreness through the body, especially in congested parts; with aggravation from jar and walking. Complaints from lifting and straining muscles, and from sprains.

Many symptoms are worse lying in bed and from rest, and ameliorated by moving slowly about (like Ferrum), but the great lassitude compels him to lie down. Motion that is a real exertion aggravates, but slow. motion ameliorates. Numbness of parts and suffering parts. Surging of blood in body and head.

Stitching, tearing pains. Tearing downwards. False plethora. Strong pulsation over body, and in head. Strong, full, frequent pulse. Generally oversensitive, and sensitive to pain. Standing aggravates many complaints. Trembling limbs. All combine to give us a remedy broad and deep acting.

Mind: This remedy has marked anger, even to violence; producing weakness, headache, trembling, sweat, and other nervous manifestations. Anxiety at night, as if he had done a great wrong to somebody; after eating; with apprehensiveness; during fever; about the future; hypochondriacal. Cheerful, talkative and hilarious; unnatural excitement, mingled with sadness. This remedy has been used in delirium tremens.

Aversion to company and feels better when alone. He is unable to concentrate the mind, or reflect ordinary questions; can not study. Confusion of mind when trying to think, in the morning, in the evening, after eating; ameliorated by washing the face in cold water.

He is dissatisfied with everything he possesses, and with his surroundings. Very excitable in the evening. The fullness in his head makes him fear apoplexy. Fear of going into a crowd, or death, that some evil will come to him, of misfortune, of people. Forgetful. It is an excellent remedy for hysterical girls, when other symptoms agree.

His ideas are abundant, and there is unusual clearness of mind (Coffea). Again, extreme indifference to all pleasure and exciting events. Aversion to work. It might well be thought of for puerperal mania from the note,

“Sows eat up their young.”

It has plenty of cerebral hyperemia, then why not madness? Irritability. Alternating moods. Morose. Obstinate. Restlessness at night in bed, tossing about much during fever. Sadness in the evening before menses. Extremely sensitive to noise. Stupefaction. Indisposed to talk. Aversion to thinking. Weeping. Aversion to mental work.

Vertigo: Vertigo in afternoon from hyperaemia of brain, during chill, on closing the eyes; tendency to fall forwards; during headache; as if intoxicated; looking downwards; during menses; with nausea; on rising up; on rising from bed. Staggering when walking, with vanishing of sight. Sensation as if the head were pushed forward while walking.

The head: feels cold and the vertex is sensitive to cold air. Hyperaemia of the brain. Constriction of the scalp. Empty sensation in the head; during menses. Sensation of fullness in the head. The hair falls out. The head feels very hot. Flushes of heat, and red face. Heat in head; in vertex; during menses.

The head feels heavy during menses. Weight in forehead and occiput. Itching of the scalp. Headache, in morning in bed, in afternoon, in evening. Cold air ameliorates the general headaches; ascending steps aggravates; blinding headache; catarrhal headaches.

James Tyler Kent
James Tyler Kent (1849–1916) was an American physician. Prior to his involvement with homeopathy, Kent had practiced conventional medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He discovered and "converted" to homeopathy as a result of his wife's recovery from a serious ailment using homeopathic methods.
In 1881, Kent accepted a position as professor of anatomy at the Homeopathic College of Missouri, an institution with which he remained affiliated until 1888. In 1890, Kent moved to Pennsylvania to take a position as Dean of Professors at the Post-Graduate Homeopathic Medical School of Philadelphia. In 1897 Kent published his magnum opus, Repertory of the Homœopathic Materia Medica. Kent moved to Chicago in 1903, where he taught at Hahnemann Medical College.