In the lungs Phosphorus presents many points of interest. There are symptoms of a general tubercular diathesis to be found throughout the whole symptomatology of the remedy, and the typical Phosphorus patient is tall and of slight build, with white skin and delicate or refined tendencies (refined as regards his or her surroundings). In addition, there is a general sensitiveness to cold weather and to open air (5).
In phthisis we are apt to find oppressed breathing from a sensation of a weight on the chest (29), a predisposition towards haemoptysis (27), inability to lie on the l. side, tendency to painless diarrhoea and general mental and physical indolence.
In pneumonia it is not indicated until the fever has mostly subsided, when we have difficult breathing and fan-like motions of he wings of the nose (146), from a sensation of a heavy load resting on the chest, and aggravation of all symptoms from lying on the l. side.
With the cough calling for the remedy, especially if the larynx is involved, we are apt to have hoarseness, worse from talking (117), with sensitiveness of the larynx, and this hoarseness may amount to almost an aphonia on account of the pain caused by talking.
The usual cough is hacking, worse at night and when lying on the back (42) or on the l. side, and Phosphorus is the only remedy spoken of at all prominently in the Handbook as having cough aggravated by lying on the l. side.
A more or less frequent symptom under this remedy is a hacking cough that is caused by any excitement or by the pressure of strangers (42); it will frequently happen that when you ask the Phosphorus patient how his cough kiss he will cough before answering. We may have a violent cough, with involuntary micturition (52), also a chronic cough that seems to start from the pit of the stomach (44).
The expectoration is frothy (69), bloody or blood-streaked (69) (rusty or prune juice).
Phosphorus is to be thought of in fatty degeneration of the heart (109) and it has also, palpitation, worse on lying on the l. side (111).
It is of value in spinal irritation (171), with burning between the scapula (168), or a “feeling of intense heat running up back” (Hering); in locomotor ataxia (127) with burning in spine, exhaustion, formication (82) and tearing pains in the limbs; and in general neuritis, with numbness (146) and feeling of constriction in the extremities (165).
Phosphorus is of value in hemiplegia, with paralysis of the face and extremities and in paralysis following a thorough wetting (149), with sensation as if quicksilver moved up and down the spine.
It is of frequent use in caries of the vertebrae (207) in scrofulous children, with intolerance of heat near the back and a feeling of a tight band around the body (165).
On the skin Phosphorus is to be thought of not only for haemorrhage from small wounds, but also for all eruptions which bleed easily.
In typhoid (193) and typhus fevers (193) the mental and physical indifference and exhaustion would be pronounced characteristics calling for the remedy.
In reference to sleeplessness (169), Talcott says: “Where the patient awakens many times during the night, but falls asleep easily, give Phosphorus.”
Causticum and Rhus tox. are said to be incompatible with Phosphorus and should not follow it directly.
Allen, in Boenninghausen’s Pocket Book, gives Rhus tox. as injurious to Phosphorus, while Hering gives it as compatible. I am beginning to question whether our remedies in potency have an injurious effect one upon the other.
I use Phosphorus 3rd.
