GRAPHITE-PLUMBAGO-BLACK-LEAD.
Introduction
(Graphite-upon, “graphe”, writing “ite”, like or of the nature of).
Graphite is one of the forms under which carbon occurs in nature. While the use of the word “lead” as a synonym is of course a misnomer, its use is probably too firmly implanted in our speech and literature to admit of its eve being eradicated.
Hahnemann, who first proved Graphites, tells us that “the purest plumbago is a sort of mineral carbon, and the small contents of iron are probably to be viewed merely as an admixture not essential to the nature of plumbago;” nevertheless we must keep in mind that while an impurity, iron is always found in graphite, giving its own symptoms to the pathogenesis of the drug and enhancing those that graphite and iron have in common.
Symptoms
Graphites, which Hahnemann said to run up to the 30th, is a profound tissue remedy, having a long period of action, so there is no use in repeating the dose too frequently and it shows particular tendency to develop a cotton phase of internal disorder. (In those who have made proving of Graphites, there has, at one time or another, been developed a skin affection).
The action of Graphites on the skin is marked and in general terms we have moist, “sticky, transparent, watery fluid from any raw or place” (H. N. Guernsey). The skin is “unhealthy, not inclined to heal and every injury suppurates” (Hering) (183). “It is useful,” says Dearborn, “for persons who have inherited or acquired a preternatural dryness of the skin, and who suffer from moist eruptions on slight external irritation or injury.”
Thickening of the skin is prominent, res0ulting in fissures or cracks, noticed especially on the fingers (71) and between the toes, and in corners at the junction of the skin and mucus membrane, mouth (141), nose (145), anus (159), etc.
Itching is not as pronounced as in many other remedies, but when found it is, as a rule, worse from warmth (122) and at night, and “better from washing” (Dearborn). “The action of Graphites,” says Dunham, on the skin, the digestive apparatus, and the male and female sexual organs is of great importance. It is eminently a polychrest.”
As to the type of patient; Graphites is of value in young girls with chlorosis (17), a tendency to rush of blood to the head (103) and flushing of the face, with coldness of the extremities (71) especially at night in bed. She is despondent, “feels miserable” (Hering and unhappy, is apprehensive about the future (132), with thoughts of nothing but death. There is either amenorrhoea (134) or the manes are too late (136) pale and scanty, or irregular as to time and appearance. There is a profuse white leucorrhoea, and the patient has a pimply eruption on the face, which is worse before the onset of the menstrual flow (138), and she is troubled with constipation.
Hahnemann was the first to call our attention to the fact that “where chronic constipation and menses, delaying several days cause trouble, Graphites is often indispensable” (Chr. Dis).
Older women requiring Graphites have a tendency to grow fat and are subject to menstrual irregularities and herpetic eruptions. Farrington, in speaking of this condition, says: “We found Graphites acting best in constitutions in which there is a tendency to obesity. This obesity is not a healthy, solid flesh, that belongs to a full-blooded, strong, healthy individual, but it is that kind of fat which you find under Calcarea ostearum, showing improper nutrition.”
Allen reminds us that “the obesity of Graph, is more particularly seen in older people, that of Calcarea, in children.”
Hering sums up this type of patient when he says, Graphites is “adapted to when inclined to obesity, who suffer from habitual constipation, and whose history reveals a tendency to delaying menstruation.”
Graphites has a preference for the l.side of the body (125) and if there is any favoritism shown by the remedy in reference to complexion, the bloods have it.
In the head we have either the rush of blood to the head (103) previously spoken of and found especially in chlorosis and amenorrhoea, or we have a violent semilateral headache (99), with numbness of the head (91), and due to amenorrhoea or to suppression of the menses (95).
A feeling as if the inside of the head were numbness and made of pith, when associated with delayed or suppressed menstruation, usually calls for Graphites.
Graphites is of value for eczematous eruptions, involving the whole scalp, with moist exudations and scabs and matting of the hair (88).
It is a remedy of frequent use in inflammatory conditions of the eyelids, conjunctiva and cornea, with thing, acrid discharge from the eyes and nose. It is of value for chronic ciliary blepharitis, the edges of the lids swollen and inclined to crack and ulcerated, for the formation of dry crusts in the lashes (78), with dryness, burning (73) and itching, and for tumors of the lids (79) that from directly on the margin of the lid; also for ulcers (77) and pustules of the cornea (76), with photophobia, soreness and especially with cracks in the outer corners of the eyes.
(Remember that while Graphites shows a marked tendency to affect the outer corner of the eye, zinc as an equally pronounced one for the inner canthus).
Graphites is of value for deafness after scarlet fever (63) or for chronic catarrh of the middle ear (63), with thin, offensive discharge (63), a feeling as if a membrane covered the ears or as of valves opening and shutting, with every step, and cracking on moving the jaws or on swallowing (64). Deafness better in a noise.
It is of frequent use for eczema of the outer ear and especially behind the ear (64), the skin cracks and bleeds and the exudation is moist and sticky.
Around the mouth and nose a similar condition finds graphites of great value, an eczema, with cracks in the corners of the mouth and wings of the nose (145).
It is of value for nasal catarrh, with internal dryness and treat soreness, formation of dried mucus (143) or “clinker” and general bad odor from the nose (148); the nostrils externally are ulcerated, cracking and bleeding.
Graphites has a symptom that is frequently met with, although I do not know of the remedy being used to any extend to correct the trouble, and that is great acuteness of the sense of smell (171), she cannot tolerate the odor of flowers.
We have in Graphites question of a cobweb on the face (79) and the remedy is of use in erysipelas (68), with this sensation and a burning and itching in the eruption, associated with ulcers about the nose and mouth.
I wish to say a word in reference to the seeming value of Graphites to remove the tendency top secondary attacks of erysipelas. You know that pen attack causes an “increased susceptibility top the disease, as one attack is a common forerunner of another” (Goodno). Allen says: “graphites seems to have removed the tendency to recurring erysipelas of the vesicular variety.” While it is difficult to speak positively in reference to preventive medicine, and my experience here has been too limited for it to be of much valve, still I have not had a recurrence in a single instance since I have used it, and in two patients I saw them through three attacks before my attention was called to the value of Graphites as a preventive.
My method of administering it for this purpose, is as follows: after an attack is over the patient is given a two-dram vial of Graphites 30th in pellets and directed to take two pellets every night and morning until the vial is exhausted. This is to be repeated every three months until year has passed since the attack.
There may be hunger in Graphites but there is an aversion to meat and aggravation from fat food (177). Sweet things disgust and nauseate her (6) and there is an aversion to salt or salt food. (There are several remedies mentioned in repertories as having aversion to or aggravation from salt food. They do not show up prominently when you look for them in a materia medica).
We have chronic gastric catarrh (178), indigestion and heart burn (19), with sour (178) and rancid eructations, better from warm food (175) or drinks. There is a gastritis coming on sore hours after eating(174), better from warm food or warm milk, and worse from cold food or drink; associated with this there may be abdominal colic, worse below the umbilicus, that comes an immediately after eating (177).
It is to be thought of in ascites (11), with hard and indurated liver and in chronic intestinal catarrh, with distention (13) and intolerance of anything tight about the abdomen(12) and constipation.
In constipation calling for graphites the stools are large, hard (35) and knotty, and either a quantity of white mucus is expelled with the stool, or the hard pieces of faces are covered with mucus (35). Do not forget this remedy for cracks and fissures of the anus (159), with bleeding and ulceration.
In the male, Graphites is useful for sexual debility (168). “The sexual appetite,” says Dunham, “is decidedly increased but the power is diminished” (167), with great desire and “incomplete erection, and too early discharge of semen (167), such as sometimes follows the habit of masturbation acquired in boyhood and abandoned early.”
