RED CORAL.
Introduction
This is an ancient remedy, but it has not been used for a long time by the old school. It was considered to have “strengthening properties, such as precious stones were formerly supposed to be possessed with” (Taste) and was used for a tonic.
While first proved by Dr. Attemyr, of Germany, Teste, of France, gave us our first therapeutic knowledge of its use as derived from his own provings.
Symptoms
The especial interest that we have in Corallium rub. is in reference to its remedial action in nervous coughs and whooping cough, and there are seasons when it seems to act almost as a specific in the latter condition.
An indication for its use is the extreme severity of the paroxysm, the patient gets blue in the face (47), vomits tough, stingy mucus (69), or may have haemorrhages (47) from the nose, mouth or lungs. The cough is often preceded by a sensation of smothering, and the paroxysms follow one another at short intervals, leaving the patient very much exhausted, or as Hering puts it, “as weak as a rag.”
There is a general sensitiveness of the mucous membrane of the throat, especially to air, which seems cold, and breathing the open air will provoke a paroxysm, of coughing (40).
I use Corallium rub. 30th.