Ptosis, as one would be led to suppose from the symptomatology; should often require the use of Spigelia. A case, occurring in a seamstress, after inflammation, with sharp stabbing pains through the eyes and head and much hot, scalding lachrymation, was very favorably affected by its use.-T.F.A.
It is not a remedy which we would be liable to think of in inflammatory diseases of the conjunctiva or cornea, still it has been found beneficial in exceptional cases when accompanied by the characteristic sharp pains. Even in ulcers of the cornea, with considerable infiltration into the cornea around the ulcer, its employment has been followed by brilliant results, providing shooting, radiating pains from the eyes into the head, usually worse at night, have been present.
Excellent results have been obtained from this drug in iritis, especially in the rheumatic form, with severe pains around and deep in the eye.
The pains of glaucoma may indicate this remedy. Benefit has also been derived from its use in sclero-choroiditis accompanied by much pain.
In accommodative asthenopia, with slight retinitis and severe neuralgic headaches; also in asthenopia, with anaemia of the optic nerve and characteristic pains dependent upon too great indulgence in tea, great benefit has been obtained from Spigelia.
It is, however, in ciliary neuralgia, intermittent or not intermittent, dependent upon some observable disease or arising from some cause unknown, that the greatest power of Spigelia is exercised. The pains are various in character, though usually sharp and stabbing, like a knife sticking through the ball into the head, or they may seem to start from one point and then radiate in different directions; are generally aggravated by motion and at night. The following variety of pains, as described by patients have been cured by Spigelia, in addition to those already given: Pains around and deep in the eye. Severe pain on moving the eyes, worse at night. Severe pressure extending to the orbit after sleep, or as if the eye would ulcerate. Very severe, sharp pain in and around, the left eye, seems as if it would drive him crazy, wakes him at 3 A.M. and continues the remainder of the night; also has a similar attack in the latter part of the forenoon, always accompanied by fever and sweat. Sharp pains through the right eye and corresponding side of head, worse at night and relieved by warmth, accompanied by excessive sensitiveness of the eyeball to touch. Burning or sticking pains in the eye and sensation as if the eyeball were too large. Burning pains going to the bones. Sticking, boring pains extending to the bones around the eyes, especially supra-orbital and temporal regions. Eyes feel too large and as if forcibly turned around in the orbit; the pain, makes one shut the eye and, on opening it, seem to see of fire; with severe pain, hot tears run out of the eye and the pains are worse in the open air and at night. After long continued use of the eyes, terrible pains every morning at six in the left eye, as if he ball were too large and was forcibly pressed out of the orbit, with violent aching, boring and severe stitches, made worse by opening and moving the eye often extending to the forehead. The slightest touch excites the pains, which disappear about noon. Severe, boring pain deep in the eye, aggravated on moving it; parts around the eye painful to touch and sparks before the vision. Sharp sticking pains through the ball of the eye into head on the right side, worse at night; frontal headache and frequent winking. Intolerable pain in the supra-ciliary ridge, worse on any change of weather and in the wind. Severe, pressing, jerking, sticking pains in the left eye, so hard as to cause her to cry out and lose consciousness; every few minutes they would extend to the muscles of the left upper arm.
SPONGIA.
Clinical.-The chief use which has been made of Spongia in ophthalmic therapeutics has been in Basedow`s disease, as the following case will illustrate: A woman, about 40. Eyeballs staring and perceptibly protuding; stitches in the balls and burning around the eyes, with lachrymation worse from any sudden light; often the eye feels as if twisted around; there is constant flashing of different colors, mostly deep red, figures of light, etc., even when the eye is closed, especially at night. The thyroid gland is considerably hypertrophied. The palpitation of the heart is very marked, which makes her uneasy, restless and easily frightened, especially at night. Spongia in the higher potencies effected a cure.-T.F.A.
STANNUM.
Pustular swelling of the left inner canthus.
Pressure in the left inner canthus as from a stye, with lachrymation. Itching in the inner canthus. Vertigo when reading, with loss of sight.
Clinical.-Ptosis from sympathetic paralysis, in which the disease returned every Tuesday, was cured by Stannum.-J.A. CAMPBELL.
Stannum, first employed by Drs. Liebold and Hunt in blenorrhoea of the lachrymal sac, has now become one of our most common remedies for this affection. It is often used with advantage in controlling the profuse yellowish-white discharge observed in this condition. There may be a tendency to a more active form of inflammation, especially toward night, and accompanied by sharp pain in the internal canthus.
STAPHYSAGRIA.
Subjective.-Pain as if a hard substance were lying beneath the left upper lid. Pressure in the upper lid all day, worse on closing the eye. Itching of the margins of the lids. Dryness of the eyes. The eyes are dry in the morning on waking. The eyes are dry in the evening, with pressure in them.
Clinical.-The clinical application of Staphysagria has been chiefly confined to the lids. The form of blepharitis to which it is adapted is characterized by dryness of the margins of the lids, small, hard nodules on the ciliary border and destruction of the hair follicles, with much itching of the margins of the lids.
Its greatest usefulness is in tarsal tumors, in which it is quite commonly employed, as when the glands of the lids are enlarged, with redness and tensive tearing pains, especially in the evening, or more particularly if little, hard nodules are found on the lids, resulting from styes, also if crops of small, tarsal tumors are constantly recurring.
Syphilitic iritis, with bursting pain in the eyeball, temple and side of face, worse from evening to morning and upon using the eyes by any light, was promptly relieved by this drug.-C.A. BACON.
SULPHUR.
Objective.-Lachrymation in the morning, followed by dryness. Lachrymation and burning in the morning. Swelling and pain in the eyelids, with lachrymation. Redness of the eyelids and conjunctiva. Eruption of pimples on the upper lid. Agglutinated eyes, in the morning. Jerking in the lids. Eyes sunken, surrounded by the blue rings. Redness of the eyes during the day; violent itching in them in the evening. A white vesicle on the white of the eye, close to the cornea. Purulent mucus in the eyes. Heaviness of the eyes. Dryness of the eyes.
Subjective.-Much itching in the eyebrows and in the tip of the nose. Dryness of the inner surface of the lids. Pressure in the eyelids in the evening. Burning of the lids, which are inflamed and red and tense on motion. Sticking and burning in the outer canthi. Burning in the edges of the lids in the morning; cutting, burning pains in the borders of the eyelids and especially in the external canthi. Smarting pain as from dryness of the margins of the lids. Smarting of the lids; inclination to rub them; the eyes can hardly bear the light in the evening. In the morning, slight sensitiveness of the edges of the lids. In the morning, on awaking; feeling of sand in the eyes, with raw pain on rubbing them. In the morning, after awaking, painful rubbing, dry feeling in the borders of the right eyelids. Itching of the eyelids as if they would become inflamed. The eyes can scarcely endure the light at all in the evening. Itching and burning of the lids. which are red and swollen in the morning. A sensation of prickling in both eyelids, causing him to scratch and rub them. In the afternoon, itching, burning and redness of the edges of the lids. Itching on the borders of the eyelids.
The eyeballs are painful on moving them. Pressure in the eyeballs on walking in the open air. In the evening, dull aching and feeling of weight in both eyeballs, with loss of vision, as if a thick veil were before the eyes. Pain as from dryness of the eyeballs and a sensation as if they rubbed against the lids.
Burning in the eyes, especially toward the external canthi, at various times of day. Burning and easy fatigue of eyes when reading. Burning of the eyes, without redness. Burning of the eyes, with great sensitiveness to daylight. Burning in the eyes with redness of them. in the afternoon, burning, shooting beneath the lids of the left eye, as though sand had got into it. Painful smarting of the eyes. Sensation of foreign body in the eyes. Violent pains in the left eye, as if it were rubbed against spicule of glass and drawn in toward the pupil; he was obliged to close the eye five or six times involuntarily; this was followed by burning in the eye and flow of tears. Severe cutting in right eye. shooting in the left eye, preventing him from reading for several days; when he attempts to read he gets, immediately, violent shooting pains through the middle of the pupil deep into the eye. Biting of the eyes and lachramation every evening. Stitches as with a knife in the right eye.
Professor of Ophthalmology in the College of the New York Ophthalmic Hospital; Surgeon to the New York Ophthalmic Hospital. Visiting Oculist to the Laura Franklin Free Hospital for Children; Ex-President American Homoeopathic Ophthalmological, Otological and Laryngological Society. First Vice-President American Institute of Homoeopathy : President Homoeopathic Medical Society of the State of New York ; Editor Homoeopathic Eye. Ear and Throat Journal : Associate Editor. Department of Ophthalmology, North American Journal of Homoeopathy, etc.