ALUM.
Argilla, pure Clay. Hahnemann’s Chronic Diseases, Vol. II. Duration of Action: 40 days in some cases.
COMPARE WITH.
Arsenicum, Baryta, Belladonna, Calcarea, Chamomilla, Ignat., Ipecac., Lachesis, Ledum, Magn, Mercurius, Nux vomica, Phosph., Plum., Rhus., Silicea, Sulphur It is particularly suitable after Bryonia, Lachesis, and Sulph. Bryonia is often great after Alumina, when indicated.
ANTIDOTES.
Bryonia, Chamomilla, Ipecac.
RATIONALE OF ITS ACTION.
Alumina is allied to Calcarea, Baryta-c., Magnes carb., Silex, Carb. vegetabilis, and Carb. animalis, Graphite and Sepia. Teste, with characteristic flippancy and assumption, asserts that it is the Sepia of chronic diseases. The development of the curative powers of this drug are solely due to Hahnemann, and even as yet, but little is known about, and less is done with it in the old school. Hahnemann recommended it especially in chronic disposition to eructations lasting for years, and to colds and catarrhs of the head of very long standing.
Dr. Hirschel reports several cases of inflammation of the throat, chronic gonorrhoea, chronic induration of the testes, in consequence of gonorrhoea; obstinate leucorrhoea, elevated papulous eruptions, and burning red, violently itching spots about the organs of generation, cured by Alumina.
NERVOUS SYSTEM.
Nerves of Motion. It has been supposed to produce various pains and weaknesses in the nerves of motion and fibrous tissues, arising form arthritic or scrofulous irritation of these part, or from an alkaline or phosphatic condition of some of the juice or fluids of these parts.
Nerves of Sensation.
Here also it has been supposed to produce various changes of sensation and pains arising from the causes above alluded to, and others which cannot be more nearly designated
Ganglionic Nerves.
It probably acts more decidedly upon these than upon the cerebro spinal nerves. J. C. P.
VASCULAR SYSTEM.
Blood. The peculiar action of Alumina upon the blood can only be vaguely hinted at; it is similar to that produced by alkalies and alkaline earths in general, approaching towards a scorbutic or scrofulous condition of this fluid, marked by thinness of the blood, predominance of the white globules, deficiency of fibrin, albumen, iron, and fat, with a probable excess of water chlorides, leading to scorbutic or dyscratic inflammations, ulcerations, and deposits. J. C. P.
VENOUS SYSTEM.
It may act somewhat more decidedly upon this than upon the arterial, or rather it may tend to depotentize the arterial system in strict proportion as it may tend to cause a preponderance of the venous.
Capillary Vessels.
This probably is the great field of the action of Alumina upon the blood and blood vessels; this remedy doubtless tends to produce an excess of white blood, rather than of red; to prevent the action of the capillaries, and cause various ulcerative scorbutic, and dyscratic capillary actions.
GLANDULAR SYSTEM.
Alumina doubtless acts specifically upon the glands and lymphatics, and those nerves and vessels which supply and control the operation of these organs. This is evidenced by its specific action upon the cervical, follicular, and other glands, and upon the testicles.
MUCOUS MEMBRANES.
Alumina seems to have a specific affinity for many of the mucous membranes, especially those of the nose, ears throat, larynx, and sexual organs.
SEROUS MEMBRANES.
Its action upon these parts cannot be certainly made manifest; it seems to act more decidedly upon the mucous than upon the serous tissues.
FIBROUS TISSUE.
It seems to be homoeopathic to various pains and disorders of the cellular of fibrous tissues, arising from or connected with a scorbutic, phosphatic, or scrofulous taint of the blood.
MUSCULAR SYSTEM. Its action upon this system is doubtless similar to that exerted upon the fibrous tissues in general.
CELLULAR TISSUE.
It seems to act more decidedly upon the subcutaneous cellular tissue than upon the cutis-vera; at least acne, urticaria, paronychia-cellulosa, rhagades,., to which it is more or less homoeopathic, are affections of the cellular tissue rather than of the skin proper. J. C. P.
CLINICAL REMARKS.
It may prove homoeopathic to several forms of chronic dyscratic fevers, or sub-acute inflammations, and to chronic and obstinate fever and ague, with a great predominance of coldness and debility, and to slow consumptive fevers under like circumstances.
It may prove as useful as Baryta in the hypochondria of aged people, and in that arising from obstinate catarrhal and dyspeptic derangement.
It may prove as useful as Baryta in the hypochondria of aged people, and in that arising from obstinate catarrhal and dyspeptic derangement.
It may prove homoeopathic to the vertigo of aged people affected with an atheromatous or earthy deposit in the coats of the cerebral and cardiac arteries. It may rival Baryta in the prevention of apoplexy under these circumstance. It may also prove useful in brain and other affections, arising form the
phosphatic diathesis. J. C. P.
The sleep phenomena, to which this drug is homoeopathic, are symptomatic of other more important derangements of the organism. Among these conditions, may be ranked diminished power of the capillary vessels and nerves, and, as a consequence, diminished animal heat in the tissues supplied by them.
It may prove useful against the chronic headaches which attend or follow obstinate or severe fever and ague.
It is homoeopathic to the roughness and pimply condition of the face forehead, and the fissures and chapping of the lips, which attend disorders of menstruation in many young girls. Also against the clayey and earthen complexion and eruptions of the face and lip which follow fever and ague.
It is Homoeopathic to the weakness of the eyes and chronic conjunctivitis which is sometimes connected with leucorrhoea and disorders of menstruation.
It is homoeopathic to ozoena and chronic catarrh; it should
always be borne in mind when Baryta, Calcarea, and Aurum fail to cure.
It is homoeopathic to chronic and obstinate otorrhoea, arising from a scrofulous affection of the mucous membrane of the ears.
In its primary action, it is Homoeopathic to dryness of the mouth and throat, similar to that which occurs in typhoid fever; but this may be followed by a scrofulous or scorbutic state of these parts, attended with more or less profuse secretion.
It may prove useful against some gum-boils, and scurvy of the mouth, but it is more than probable that most of the above so- called pathogenetic effects were accidental, as they were felt in decayed teeth and old stumps.
It is homoeopathic to a very common and troublesome chronic affection of the pharynx, in which this organ looks as if it been dried, glazed, or varnished, with or without considerable redness, and always with great dryness and stiffness of the throat, and more or less hoarseness. J. C. P.
It is Homoeopathic to those forms of dyspepsia in which there is a deficiency of gastric juice and other gastric fluids. This may allow the food to ferment, followed by flatulence and Acetic-acid pyrosis.
Teste says, he has often derived the greatest advantage from the use of this drug against diseases occurring in aged females, which had apparently been primarily seated in the sexual system, but whose peculiar symptoms had completely disappeared with the cessation of menstruation. Generally these were cases of dyspepsia, with rush of blood to the face after eating, tettery redness of the tip of the nose and upon the knees, sour eructations, vomiting, attended with paroxysms of suffocation, and returning every now and then, with such violence that the life of the patient seemed in jeopardy. These attacks of cramps in the stomach generally took place in the evening or at night; the vomiting was soon followed by cutting pains, spasms in the bowels, cramps in the legs, and a violent diarrhoea, which relieved the majority of the symptoms. In one obstinate case, Alumina frequently produced a surprisingly speedy improvement; the vomiting and cramps of the stomach were permanently relieved, but the herpetic eruption on the nose, cheeks, and chin remained, and Teste says he has never succeeded in effecting a cure of this form of acne, nor does he believe that other practitioners have been more successful. Gratiola, Cicuta-virosa, and Carbo- animalis will often do a great deal when other remedies have failed. J. C. P.
Alumina is one of the most homoeopathic remedies against constipation from very great dryness of the bowels; it should be used more frequently than Nux and Sulphur, as should Calcarea, Plumbum, Baryta-carb., Bismuth,.
Dr. Ficinus has used it in diarrhoea acrida, and dysenteries, both grave and slight. According to Scila, Alumina is not exceeded by any other ant-acid remedy for celerity and certainty of action. Erdmann, of Dorpat, always used it with the greatest confidence in the diarrhoeas of children, arising from acidity in the prim-viae. Dr. Wiese, of Thorn, gave it successfully in seven cases of diarrhoea in children, when caused by errors in diet, or when the presence of acidity of the stomach and bowels was more or less evident. Scila recommends it after four years’ experience, not only in infants, against vomiting arising from acidity, and obstinate greenish diarrhoea, but also in children up to four years of age. He never gave it without benefit, and in the majority of cases it alone sufficed to effect a cure. In several old and neglected cases, in which the pains were very great, the remedy had to be continued for fourteen days before a cure was effected. It is said to be far superior to Magnes-Carb., and Calcarea.
