Introduction
The pure precipitated mental was first proved for Hahnemann by two of his pupils, Stapf and Gross, the latter furnishing most of he system. Gross’s chief proving was made on a young woman whom he described as “both bodily and mentally healthy and booming, though somewhat excitable, ” and “who took doses of the 1st triturate equivalent in all to between two and three grains of the mental” (Hughes in Chr. Dis); While this accounts in a great measure for the use of the pronoun she is the proving, it has been found clinically that Platinum is especially adapted to women and their troubles.
“The action of Platinum, :” says Dunham, “is exerted in the most marked and peculiar manner, upon the mind and disposition; upon the second and third branches of the tri-facial nerve” (the superior and inferior maxillary divisions”; “and upon the sexual organs of women.”.
Symptoms
There is an aggravation of the pains or conditions at night, aggravation from rest, when the patient sits or stands, and relief from motion or walking (10). As a rule, the pains increase and decrease gradually (148).
At times there are alternations of anaesthesia and hyperaesthesia.
Another alternation found in the pathogenesis, the value of which clinically I do not know, is, “if the mind is joyous the body is suffering, m and vice versa.”
Mentally there is a condition of much interest that is more frequent found in women. We have hysterical spasms, a globus hystericus (119), with constriction of the oesophagus, brought on by nervous excitement and ending, perhaps, in gastralgia, with great distention of the epigastric region. Great mental anxiety is of frequent occurrence, with no desire to be talked to or to be comforted (132), and found especially in religious melancholia (131), or we may have alternations of weeping and laughing.
The great characteristic of the remedy, however, is to be found in mania or monomania associated with excessive self esteem. The patient is haughty, proud and dictatorial, “over- estimating herself beyond all reason” (Dunham). She looks down disdainfully on others;l fancies herself great and superior, while her neighbors are small and inferior, which leads Dunham to say that we have in these cases : ” a genuine representation of Mrs. Lofty.” At times the patient is “depressed, inclined to weep and feels lonesome, but is too proud to associate with her friends” (Talcott) or tell then if her troubles.,
There are also illusions on entering the house as if everything were too small and all persons within were physically and mentally inferior, while she herself is physically large and superior, Dunham saying: “The extend to which this perversion of mind is some times carried, and the ludicrous scenes to which it gives rise, are among the curiosities of the materia medica. This is a characteristic action of the drug, and cases of disease in which something analogous does not appear, are rarely cured by Platina.
It is of value in mental troubles associated with suppressed menstruation (135), and in puerperal mania (129), with unchaste talk (55), “wants to embrace everybody” (Lilienthal), and with the mental illusion that she is able to satisfy all comers.
The headaches of Platinum, which are often periodic or due to neuralgic conditions, have pains which gradually increase to the maximum and when improvement begins there is the same gradual disease.
The pains are aggravated by stooping and from walking 96) in the open air (93). We mat have a sensation of weight on the vertex (103), a sensation of constriction or numbness in the occiput or temples,”as if the head were bandaged too tightly” (Chr. Dis) (105), or a cramp-like pressure, inwards in temples, as if the head were between screws (106).
The sensation of numbness (91) or of contraction of the brain accompanies nearly all of the headaches of this remedy; in addition we must keep in mind that numbness (146) of various parts is one of the most frequent condition in all the affections requiring Platinum. There is a tense numb sensation in the zygoma and the mastoid, as if the head were being tightly squeezed, or a cramp-like numbness in the malar bones (80), a steady compression as if the parts were between screws (79).
Do not forget that all these pains grow worse gradually, or as the patient expression is, she can feel them coming on.
Platinum is more or less antidotal to Plumbum and is to be thought of in lead colic (126), with pains going to the back (180), for constipation from lead poisoning as well as when due to traveling, where variations in the usual routine of life bring on a pronounced attack of constipation. while there may be frequent desire for a movement, the “faeces are scanty, hard (35) and dry and only evacuated with great effort of the abdominal muscles followed by sensation of weakness in the abdomen” (Dunham). If is also to be thought of in obstinate constipation, with a feeling of load on the rectum (35) which cannot be evacuated. Dunham speaks of it as valuable in the constipation of the pregnancy.
In the male it is to be thought of in satyriasis (163) and for constant erections at night when lying on the back. (Rhus tox). has persistent painful erections, better lying on the back. It may depend upon the age of the patient as to the meaning to be attacked to the word better in this symptom.
It is, however, upon the sexual organs of women the we find the most marked action of Platinum and its more frequent application.
It is of great value in nymphomania (146) in young girls or barren women, and especially so when this condition is found during the puerperal period. There is a voluptuous crawling, or tingling, extending from the genitals of the external genitals. At times the genitals are so sensitive (205) that she almost goes into “Spasms from an examination or during intercourse” (Hering).
Dunham calls attention to the peculiar position assumed by the Platinum patient during sleep and particularly when associated with hysteria or nymphomania, for while sleep is usually “light and often broken” (Talcott), “the patient is always found on awaking to be lying on the back with thighs drawn up on the abdomen, and with one or both hands above the had; and there is, about or a little before the time of waking, a disposition to uncover the lower extremities” (33).
Platinum is to be thought of in pruritus of the vagina (156), with increased sexual desire.
While menstruation may be irregular, still, as a usually things, women who require Platinum habitually have too early and too long-lasting menses (135), the discharge dark, thick and clotted (136), especially during the first day. Associated with menstruation we find severe bearing-down pains and great sensitiveness of the vagina to touch along with an abnormal sexual appetite and the peculiar melancholia and illusions of the remedy. It is of value in dysmenorrhoea, with extreme, e pressure downward and sensitiveness of the external genitals preceding the flow. The pains increase to such severity that they may cause spasms, and they are followed by excessive haemorrhage. In menorrhagia we would have as characteristics, the extreme downward pressure and the profuse flow of dark clotted blood (136).
Platinum is of great value in the suppression of the menses emigrants (135). Many a young women has lost her health and gone into a decline soon after her arrival in this country, and you will be told, as accounting, that she has not menstruated since reaching here, although she was perfectly regular at home;seemingly an ocean voyage may have as bed effect upon the menstrual function as we know it has upon the lacteal secretion, for the latter is often suppressed, not to return, after a few days, or maybe, a few hours in a rough sea. In the suppression of milk from a sea-trip it night be well to think of this remedy as a prophylactic.
Platinum is of use for fibrous of the uterus (202) with the constant bearing-down pains, the extreme sensitiveness externally and the profuse menstruation of the remedy.
The. r. ovary (147) is more apt to be affected in Platinum and inflammation there (148) may be the cause o nymphomania; it has relieved ovaritis even after suppuration has taken place. Associated with the uterine and ovarian trouble calling for this such as aphonia (117), cough (47), palpitation (112), numbness, spasms (36) and sleeplessness (156).
Platinum is antidoted by Pulsatilla.
I use Platinum 3rd.
