Belladonna. [Bell]
In the incipient stage **Belladonna is often indicated. There is inco-ordination of the upper and lower extremities; the patients raises the foot slowly and puts it down with great force. when walking he raises his legs as if he had to pass over an obstacle; fulgurating pains which are lighting-like. It has the diplopia, amaurosis, trembling of limbs, and tottering gait is also found in its rich symptomatology. For the fulgurating pains besides those mentioned we have a number of other remedies.
**Pilocarpine 2x has been found to be of use, also **Angustura, and when confined to the feet, **Sabadilla.
**Zincum is also a remedy useful at the beginning. With this remedy the fulgurating pains are marked and intense; there were twitchings and the whole body jerks during sleep.
**Physostigma is also a remedy for these severe pains.
**Belladonna is also a useful remedy in the last stage of the disease when gastric crisis are present. It will sometimes relieve the lighting-like pains having the characteristic of sudden appearance and disappearance.
**Digitalis. Dr. Dudgeon has found this remedy to act well in the lightning-like pains, this shows the great importance of selecting a remedy according to the totality of the symptoms.
**Kalmia. Cartier recommends this remedy highly for the painful variety as a palliation; he uses the 6th centesimal potency pains about the waist and in the back and kidneys of a fulgurating type are speedily bettered by its use.
Picric acid. [Pic-ac]
Sometimes in the earlier stages of the disease there is much painful sexual excitement. Picric acid will subdue this. This drug also produces great weakness of the legs, with numbness and crawling, and pricking as from needles. The patient is easily exhausted. This is a keynote of **Picric acid. ” Easy exhaustion from slight exertion.” The limbs are very heavy–feel as if encased in elastic stockings.
Phosphorus. [Phos]
Among the symptoms calling for **Phosphorus are atrophy of the optic nerve, with flashes of light; trembling of the hands while writing; great nervous prostration; fulgurating pains in different parts of the body; excited by the slightest chill; great sexual excitement. Erethistic cases, burning along the spine, and in the extremities with formication.
**Nux vomica may be the remedy when the disease is brought on by sexual excesses.
Nitric acid. [Nit-ac]
This remedy produces a sclerotic contraction of the nerve cells and this corresponds to syphilitic degeneration; hence in the higher potencies it becomes a valuable remedy in locomotor ataxia when of syphilitic origin. The cerebral action of Nitric acid corresponds closely to tabes. Among special symptoms calling for it we have severe headache, with tension; imperfect vision; mental depression and irritability; weakness of the memory; sharp pains in the lower extremities, reminding of the fulgurating pains, as they appear and disappear suddenly.
**Kali hydroiodicum is another remedy specially adapted to the syphilitic form of tabes. It should be used in the homoeopathic potencies, not in crude doses.
Dr. Halbert, of Chicago, after an extended experience with this remedy, speaks highly of it.
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.