The following observations are the result of doses of various strengths on persons of various sensitiveness.
For curative purposes, according to the homeopathic method, doses of very high delution have been found, by innumerable experiments, to be amply sufficient. The dose of the smallest part of a drop containingthe decillionth of a grain of white arsenic usually suffices for the cure. In order to prepare this dose, one grain of white arsenic reduced to powder is rubbed up with thirty – three grains of powdered milk – sugar in a porcelain mortar (unglazed) with an unglazed pestle for six minutes, the triturated contents of the mortar scraped for four minutes with a porcelain spatula, then rubbed a second time, without any addition to it, for six minutes, and again scraped for four minutes. To this thirty – three grains of milk – sugar are now added, triturated for six minutes, and after another four minutes of scraping, six minutes of triturating, and again four minutes of scraping, the last thirty – three grains of milk – sugar are added, triturated for six minutes, scraped for four minutes, again triturated for six minutes, whereby, after a last scraping, a power is produced which, in every grain, contains 1/100th of a grain of uniformly potentised arsenic. A grain of this powder is, in a similar way, with three time thirty – three grains of fresh milk – sugar, in one hour (thirty – six minutes of triturating, twenty – four of scrapin (After this operation the mortar, together with the pestle and the percelain spatula, after being wiped with a dry cloth, should be rinsed three times with boiling water, between each rinsing rubbed dry with blotting paper, then gradually heated over a charcoal – fire to a red heat, in order that these articles mey be as good as new for future trituration of medicines.) ), brought into the state of a potntised pulverulent attenuation, one hundred times more diluted. Of this one grain (containing 1/10000th of a grain of arsenic) is rubbed up for a third hour in a similar manner with ninety – nine grains of milk – sigar; this represents a pulverulent arsenic dilution of yhe million – fold degree of potency. One grain of this is dissolved in 100 drops of diluted alcohol(in the proportion of equal parts of water and alcohol) and shaken with two successions of the arm ( the phial by means of twenty – six more phials (always one drop from the previous phial added to ninety – nine drops of alcohol of the next phial, and then successed twice, before taking one drop of this and dropping it into the next phial), furnishes the required potency, the decillionth (X) development of power of arsenic.
In order to prepare this highly potentised medicine for administration about ten grains of the smallest globules, made of starch and canesugar, such as confectioners use for sprinkling (300 to the grain), are to be placed in a small round porcelain capsule, and six to eight drops of this spirituous liquid dropped on them, and stirred with a wood chip in order that the globules may be equally miostened. Then all are to be turned out on a piece of paper and spread out, and when quite dry kept in a corked phial with the name of the medicine on it.
It is much better to make a quantity of globules so saturated with the tincture for dispensing purposes than to moisten one globule every time it is required, for by this process the phial must be frequently inclined on one side, which causes it to become more highly potentised, almost as much as repeated shaking would do.
Such a globule is a sufficient dose for administration in every case of disease for which arsenic is appropriate, This dose may, if necesssary, be repeated at suitable intervals, in spite of the circumstance that its action lasts for several days.
In a similar manner are moistened and kept in store the globules the size of a mustard seed (twenty of which weigh a grain), each one of which, kept in a well – corked little phial, is sufficient for olfaction.
This is a mode of administering medicine which more recent very extensive experience teaches is greatly to be preferred in most cases to any administration of small globules by the mouth for the homoeopathic cure of all chronic as well as acute diseases, But this is not the place to give the reason why this is so.
A sensible homoepathic physician will not give this remedy, even in such a minute dose, unless he is convinced that its peculiar symptoms have the greatest possible resemblance to those of the disease to be cured. When this is the case it is to certain to be efficacious.
But if, owing to human fallibility, the selection has not been quite appropriate, one, two, or several olfactions of ipecacuanha hepar sulphuris, or nux vomica, according to the circumstances, will remove the bad effects.
Such an employment of arsenic has shown its curative power in countless diseased states; among the rest, in several kinds of quotidian fevers and agues of a peculiar kind; in varicose veins; in stitches in the sternum; vomiting after almost every article of food : excessive loss of blood at the menstrual period, and other disorders in connexion with that function; in constipation; in acrid leukorrhea and excoriation caused thereby; in induration of the liver; oppression of the chest when going up hill; fetid smell from the mouth; bleeding of the gums; haemoptysis; aching in the sternum; gastralgia; drawing shooting here and there in the face; drowsiness in the evening; shivering in the evening and stertching of the limbs, with timorous restlessness; difficulty of falling asleep and waking up at night; weariness in the feet; bruised pain in the knee – joint; itching tetters on the knee; pain in the ball of the big toe; as if excoriated, when walking; old ulcers on the legs, with (burning and) shooting pain; tearing shooting in the hip, groin, and thigh; nocturnal drawing tearing from the elbow to the shoulder; painful swelling of the inguinal glands, &c.
(The subject of poisoning with large doses of arsenic would be out of place here. It is to be relieved as much as possible by giving carbonatof potash shaken up in oil, by a solution of hepar sulphuris, and by copious draughts of rich milk; but the complete removal of the remaining nervous symptoms must be effected by other remedies appropriate to them.)
[HAHNEMANN was aided in this proving by:- BAEHR, GROSS, FR. HAHNEMANN. HORNBURG, LANGHAMMER, STAPF.
The following authorities are quoted for the effects of the drug:
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Hahnemann's three major publications chart the development of homeopathy. In the Organon of Medicine, we see the fundamentals laid out. Materia Medica Pura records the exact symptoms of the remedy provings. In his book, The Chronic Diseases, Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure, he showed us how natural diseases become chronic in nature when suppressed by improper treatment.