Mercurius corrosivus. [Merc-c]
All the preparations of mercury act on the intestines, producing bloody stools with tenesmus, and, of course, all may be indicated in dysentery. **Mercurius corrosivus is the one usually thought of in this affection, as its symptoms corresponds to many severe cases. In the first place we have severe and extreme tenesmus; this is the great characteristic of the remedy; it is something more than the never-get-done feeling of **Mercurius solubilis, it is an intense, painful tenesmus, and at the same time there is much tenesmus of the bladder, the stools are scanty, of mucous shreds and blood and there is great burning at the anus.
**Mercurius solubilis corresponds more to sporadic cases, and is seldom indicated in malignant types, and in mild cases **Mercurius dulcis is an excellent remedy where tenesmus and pain are slight.
Capsicum has frequent small stools attended with tenesmus and burning in the rectum, but to have **Capsicum well indicated the symptoms of shivering when the patient drinks should be present.
Arsenicum. [Ars]
**Arsenicum is a valuable remedy in dysentery. There are scanty stools, burning in the rectum, thirst, and after the stool there is great prostration, but there is not the tympanitic distension of the abdomen found under **Lycopodium and **Carbo vegetabilis; though the patient is restless and thirsty, water is borne badly. Stools which are undigested, slimy and bloody, indicate **Arsenicum. Blackish brown, horribly offensive stools also indicate well the remedy. The tenesmus and burning of the anus and rectum continue after stool. If **Arsenicum be well indicated its characteristic thirst and restlessness must be present.
Cantharis. [Canth]
This remedy, which produces such an intense vesical tenesmus, also produces a like condition in the rectum. Its characteristics are bloody and slimy discharges which look like the scrapings of the intestines, which are nothing but the fibrous exudations from the disease. Tenesmus is marked, and always with **Cantharis there is a painful urination, and there is present a colic-like pain doubling the patient up, being here similar to Colocynth, which has a number of the same symptoms. Thus both have the above symptom of being doubled up by pain, both have slimy and bloody stools, worse from eating or drinking; but under **Colocynth the pains cease after stool and the patient is relieved by bending double. Cantharis has more inflammation, **Colocynth more nervous symptoms. **Colchicum is also similar, the tenesmus and constriction of anus following stool is more tormenting than the urging during stool; tympany also strongly indicates **Colchicum. **Kali bichromicum follows **Cantharis when the scrapings become jelly-like. The thirst with Cantharis is unquenchable.
Aconite. [Acon]
In the first stages of dysentery **Aconite has proved a useful remedy, and it comes in especially well when the days are warm and the nights are cold., the stools are frequent and scanty with tenesmus, the skin is hot and dry and general **Aconite symptoms are present. **Ferrum phosphoricum comes in cases less acute than **Aconite; there is more blood with the stool, but tenesmus contra-indicates the remedy. **Mercurius follows both well. **Belladonna is especially suitable to the dysentery of children and plethoric young persons. Cowperthwaite recommends the 3X.
Sulphur. [Sulph]
For persistent or chronic cases of dysentery **Sulphur is the remedy; the tenesmus continues, in fact there is a sort of tenesmus all the time, the stools are slimy and there is frequent sudden urging to stool. Sometimes this condition is present without the tenesmus. In **Nux the tenesmus ceases after stool and the pains are relieved for a short time; it is similar to **Sulphur in its frequent urging, the stools are bloody, slimy, scanty and watery, and the patient is worse in the morning. Tearing pains down the thighs as an accompaniment of dysentery would indicate **Rhus toxicodendron. Great offensiveness of stools and constriction of the anus would suggest **Lachesis. Baptisia is useful where there is tenesmus but no pain which indicates vital depression, offensive discharges are also present. It is especially useful in dysentery of old people with fevers. **Aloes is also a useful remedy in dysentery. The stools are of a jelly-like mucus, and covered with blood and accompanied by griping in the epigastric region, the amount of mucus expelled is large, and, like **Sulphur, it is useful in chronic cases. It is also a splendid remedy in purely inflammatory dysentery and follows **Aconite well. Ipecac may be useful in cases where large quantities of mucus are expelled. In haemorrhoidal dysentery, which is really a phlebitis of the haemorrhoidal veins, **Aloes and Hamamelis are the remedies.
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.