Introduction
Atmospheric and Static.
General symptoms
Caspari and his colleagues obtained the symptoms caused by Electricity, natural and artificial, and was first published in Hom. Bibliot. Later it appears in Jahr and has recently been republished, with additions, by Clarke. Every medical man knows the extreme susceptibility of some persons to the electric fluid and the suffering they experience on the approach of, and during, a thunderstorm, or the contact of an electric current.
The potencies are prepared from milk sugar which has been saturated with the current.
Generalities
Pains in the limbs.
Drawing through all the limbs, extending to the tips of the fingers and toes.
Shock through the whole body, proceeding from the malar bone.
Tingling in the electrified parts.
Violent burning of the parts which are in contact with the chain.
General languor after a meal.
Relaxation of the nerves and muscles.
Fainting.
Stiffness of the limbs.
Paralysis of single limbs, particularly the lower.
Trembling of the limbs, particularly of those which have received the shock.
Subsultus tendinum.
Painful spasms along the back from below upward.
St. Vitus dance.
Aggravation of the epileptic fits.
Intense suffering with paralysis of nervous and muscular system.
Heavy sensation as if she weighed a ton.
The following are reported by Seward [Trans. C. N. Y. S., Medical Advance, 1891, p.150]: A lady had taken electricity for partial paralysis of left arm.
During a thunder storm felt severe electric shocks through the 1. foot, the entire left side of the body to the head, repeated at every severe electric discharge, which left that side and limbs painful for days. The previous electrical treatment had rendered her more susceptible and its injurious effects will often last for years, or even during life, unless antidoted.
A young lady took an electro thermal bath when she had a cold, and acute tuberculosis soon developed. She died in spite of the best homoeopathic treatment.
A lady who had passed the climacteric had taken electrical treatment, at first going to the office. Soon she became too weak to walk, her chest became weak and painful, and the arms stiffened and almost paralyzed, the entire body heavy and weak.
A young married woman had been under general and local electrical uterine treatment for several weeks, without benefit; complained of feeling so heavy, as though she weighed a ton.”
A woman received an atmospheric electric shock six or seven years before, and since had suffered in every electrical storm, even while it was miles away. It affected the whole body, but was worse in the lower extremities. During every storm her feet would “patter” upon the floor, and her husband, sitting upon her knees, could not prevent it. She received three or four doses of Morphia acet. 200. and has never felt such effects from a storm since, now more than ten years.
My son, during the effects of a common cold, took an electro thermal bath. Soon after felt a heaviness and stiffness of chest and shoulders he had never felt before; “his chest and shoulders felt like marble.” An incurable tuberculosis developed and he died in two years. Did not know he had taken bath for over a year after.
A brother of Dr. Hawley, while in New York in Nov., 1890 took a severe cold, followed by rheumatic fever; was treated homoeopathically, without relief; advised to try electro thermal baths, and became worse. Was removed to Syracuse and was under care of Drs. Hawley, Miller and Seward, with little or no benefit. His sufferings were intense, his voluntary muscular and nervous systems were paralyzed by electricity; could neither move nor feed himself. Was taken to his home in Illinois, and in May, six months later, could walk a little by dragging his feet. He fell, and had hemorrhage from the lungs. The doctor said there was no hope for a cure and gave him Morphine, as a palliation, in water. In a few minutes after the first dose he said.” I can use my hands better than at any time since the electrical treatment,” and under the antidote recovered.
Characteristics
Intense nervous anxiety, timid, fearful, sighing, screams through nervous fear; paroxysms of weeping.
Dreads the approach of a thunderstorm; suffers mental torture before and during an electric storm.
Heaviness and paralysis of limbs and the entire body; feels as if she weighed a ton.
Electricity should not be used nor electro thermal baths taken when suffering from a cold, especially if the chest be involved; fatal results have followed.
Mind
Weeping, timid, fearful, sighing, crying out through nervous fear.
Paroxysm of oppressive anxiety.
Violent uneasiness; anxious, restless.
Dread at the approach of a thunder-storm; fear, internal anguish, especially of chest, nervous agitation.
Involuntary hysterical laughter. Rage. Ill-humor. Unable to comprehend time. Comprehension slow and difficult.
Suffers mental torture before and during an electric storm.
Loss of memory.
Sensorium
Loss of consciousness.
Loss of sensibility.
Looking around with haggard eyes.
Dulness of head.
Stupefaction. Giddiness, especially on stooping.
Head
Headache; pressure in the forehead, from above downwards, as from a stone.
Darting from the vertex to the right side of the head.
Tearing from the nape of the neck to the forehead.
Painful spasms in the head.
Sore pain in the occiput.
Disagreeable shocks, generally in the occiput.
Roaring in the whole sinciput.
Sensation of torpor in right side of head.
Outer Head
Prickings in the scalp.
Undulating sensation under the scalp.
Feeling of coldness on the vertex.
Stinging itching of the head and thighs.
The growth of the hair is considerably promoted.
Eyes
Gnawing in the left eye, or violent drawing, extending to the forehead.
Sensation as if the eyes were deep in the head.
Sensation as if something would come out of the eyeball.
Inflammation of the eyes; profuse lachrymation.
Wild rolling of the eyeballs.
Contraction of the morbidly-enlarged pupils.
Dim-sightedness.
Blindness.
Improved sight [cur. effect.].
Black point before the right eye.
Everything looks yellow.
A dark room looks as if brightly illumined.
Ears
Darting in the right ear, from the throat.
Drawing from the jaws into the ears.
Redness and warmth of the ear.
Swelling of the inner ear.
Suppuration and small ulcers in the meatus auditorius.
Blisters behind the ears full of an acrid fluid.
Whizzing in the ears, or sensation as if obstructed by a plug.
Nose
Tingling in the nose, or pressing from within outwards.
Loss of smell.
Discharge of a milky fluid from the nose.
Face
Expression of terror in the countenance.
Swelling of the face.
Scurf in the face, on the arms and body.
Large blisters on the cheeks.
Chapped lips.
Eruption around the mouth and chin.
Teeth
Tearing in the upper teeth, proceeding from the head.
Pain as from subcutaneous ulceration in old sockets of the molar teeth.
Rapid growth of teeth.
Throat
Loss of speech, inability to articulate.
Blisters on the palate, the epidermis becoming detached.
Constant titillation in the throat.
Inflammation of the pharynx.
Stomach, Nausea & Vomiting :
Heartburn.
Ptyalism.
Nausea, also after a meal.
Desire to vomit.
Vomiting with sore throat.
Hematemesis.
Stomach :
Sense of repletion in the stomach, after a slight meal.
Spasmodic contraction of the stomach.
Appetite
Increased appetite.
Abdomen
Cutting in the abdomen at the approach of a thunder-storm.
Stool
Black-yellow, liquid stools, having a fetid smell.
Drawing up of the testes during stool.
Constriction of the anus, after stool.
Violent pressing in the anus [during menses.].
Burning at the anus.
Flowing hemorrhoids.
Urinary organs
Sensation as if the bladder would burst.
Frequent micturition.
Incontinence of urine.
Discharge of blood with the urine.
Female Genitalia
Appearance of the menses [while in the electric bath.].
Black and thick menstrual blood.
Profuse menses, with pressing in rectum.
Leucorrhea, first thin, then thick, with coagula of the size of a hazel nut.
Respiration
Panting breathing.
Asthma all one’s life, with palpitation of the heart and disposition to faint.
Larynx and trachea
Cough with violent titillation in the throat and pressing in the forehead from within outward.
Chest
Chilliness in the left side of the chest.
Palpitation of the heart, with fever, or with headache, or with oppressive anxiety and bright-red face.
Painful quick movement from the region of the heart through the chest.
Chest and arms become stiff, almost paralyzed; unable to walk.
Heaviness and stiffness of chest and shoulders, felt like marble.
Back and neck
Creeping in the spine.
