Note. Skin affections are merely local manifestations of some constitutional affection. They represent the effort of nature to get rid of some poison in the system, congenital or acquired, which effort should not be suppressed but abetted. The indications for our remedies will not only aid in this by correction of the soil, but also avoid the dangers of suppression by external applications.
Graphites. [Graph]
Our great remedy for all sorts of skin diseases, no doubt often mis- prescribed, and hence frequently disappoints. The symptoms calling for it are very clear; there are moist scabby eruptions on the scalp, face, bends of joints, between fingers and behind the ears. The corners of the mouth and eyes are cracked, bleeding and oozing a gluey, honey-like, thick, tenacious discharge, a fissured eczema is the type. Great itching always accompanies the eruption. The skin may be dry and horny. The hair is dry and falls out.
**Lycopodium. Dry scaly eruptions.
**Calcarea carbonica. Eczema on scalp which extends to face. Crusts are white, and on awakening, in the morning especially, the child will scratch furiously.
Arsenicum. [Ars]
A useful remedy in all cases of skin troubles when the skin is thickened, such as in chronic eczema, psoriasis and chronic urticaria. The sensations are itching, burning and swelling, it also has papules, nettle rash and pimples. Burning sensitive ulcers with offensive discharges. It is almost a specific for hives from shell fish, which itch and burn, and for repercussed hives. Pustules form into scabs. Pellagra may find its simillimum in **Arsenicum.
**Bovista. Baker’s and grocer’s itch, and eruption on the back of the hands. It is also recommended in pellagra, also **phosphorus and Argentum nitricum.
**Sepia. Dry desquamation. Ringworm.
Rhus. Vesicles on an erysipelatous base.
**Clematis. Rawness, worse washing, moist eruption.
Sulphur. [Sulph]
The great characteristic of this remedy is the aggravation from washing; this, with scratching, makes the parts burn intensely. The skin is rough, coarse and measly, and there is much soreness in the folds of the skin and a tendency to pustular eruptions. Dryness and heat of scalp, with intense itching, especially at night, and scratching causes soreness; wetting makes it burn. Eczema erythematosum. Eruption of yellow crusts. Eruption at the margin of the hair. Dearborn says Sulphur 6 will cure more pruritus than any other drug. It is our great antiseptic.
**Selenium. Itching in folds of skin and about ankle joints. Hair falls out with eczematous eruptions.
**Antimonium crudum. Thick callosities on the skin. Deficient growth of nails. Honey colored crusts on heads of children; cracking in the nostrils and corners of mouth.
**Antimonium tartaricum. Variola. Impetigo of scrotum.
**Thuja. Warts and eczema following vaccination. Also an excellent remedy in the higher potencies for acne facialis.
**Natrum muriaticum. Dry scaly or herpetic eruption of little water blisters in bends of joints, hydroa labialis, fever blisters. Moist eczema without much itching. The **Natrum muriaticum patient continually suffers from “hang nails.” **(Hepar, Rhus, Natrum muriaticum, Arsenicum, cold sores.) Herpes circinatus. Eczema, with thick scabs oozing pus. Urticaria, with itching about the joints when occurring, with intermittent fever worse at seashore.
**Kreosote. Eruptions on the extensor surfaces of joints.
**Berberis aquifolia. Scaly pustular eruptions on the face. It is one of the most reliable remedies in the cure of psoriasis.
**Hydrocotyle. Great dryness and desquamation of the epidermis. Acne rosacea. Its special field is in psoriasis and Dearborn praises it in leprosy. The writer cured a case of inveterate psoriasis universale with this remedy.
Dr. H.V. Halbert, of Chicago, considered **Thyroidine in the 3X or 30X potency as worthy a trial in psoriasis. He reports excellent results from its use. Indications are a dry and impoverished skin, cold hands and feet. Psoriasis is a pregrowth symptom of cancer. The condition of the skin should always be noted, being the great organ of elimination of poisons.
**Borax was considered by Dr. McClatchey as curative of many cases of psoriasis, and indeed it corresponds to many symptoms of this disease.
**Petroleum. Pictures pure eczema with its thick scabs, oozing pus and rhagades; the skin is harsh and dry, the finger tips crack and the hands chap. It is especially suitable to eczema behind the ears. Use the 12X potency.
Mezereum. [Mez]
Baehr considers this remedy the best one in crust lactea. There is great itching, which is worse when the patient is warm or wrapped up. There are small vesicles with terrible itching, and the great characteristic is that the secretion dries quickly, producing scabs from beneath which an acrid thick pus oozes. Crusts and itching are the features. Herpes zoster, with neuralgic pains along the nerves.
**Nux juglans. Tinea favosa on scalp, behind ears, itching worse at night, preventing sleep.
Rhus toxicodendron. [Rhus-t]
Vesicular eruption characterizes Rhus, so it becomes a remedy in herpes, eczema, pemphigus and prurigo. It is useful in right-sided zoster with extensive vesication and perhaps accompanied with rheumatic pains. The skin is covered with numerous vesicles, there is great itching and tingling, the skin is often swollen and oedematous and these vesicles have a red areola around them. the symptoms are all worse at night, in damp weather and in winter. Rapid vesication and angry- looking skin are characteristics.
**Apis. More burning and stinging and more oedema.
**Cantharis. Large blisters with smarting and burning.
**Croton tiglium. Small blisters with much itching. Hughes says that **Croton relieves the itching of eczema rapidly and permanently.
**Anacardium. Small blisters with an umbilicated center. The eruption itches excessively and burns. The remedy has been used successfully in Rhus poisoning.
**Dolichos. Itching without eruption. the writer has a number of times verified this symptom. It will sometimes control diabetic itching, and it is especially useful in senile pruritus. Worse at night. Worse across the shoulders.
**Fagopyrum. Itching worse by scratching. With here and there red blotches which are sore. The hairy portions of the body itch more.
Psorinum. [Psor]
Herpetic eruptions with much itching, worse when getting warm in bed; the skin is dirty, greasy, unwashed in appearance. Tinea capitis, offensive matter oozes out. Sebaceous glands secrete in excess. Eczema more on the sides of the head and face, cheeks and ears. Eruption in the bends of joints. Pustules or boils remaining after itch. A most important remedy in all skin affections and we should not forget **Tuberculinum and Syphilinum, for each has its special field and symptoms.
Clarke advises the nosodes, especially in leprosy.
Oleander. [Olnd]
Skin eruptions with gastro-energetic troubles; the skin is very sensitive, slight friction causes chafing and soreness, especially about the neck, scrotum and thighs. Crusta lactea on scalp and back of ears. There is great itching; scratching relieves at first but the parts become very sore. It will be all the more strongly indicated if gastro-enteric symptoms be present.
**Vinca minor. Eczema of scalp and face, matted hair and offensive odor. A crust is formed, the discharge is retained underneath and causes the hair to fall out or to mat together, forming the plica polonica.
**Viola tricolor. Hughes lauds this remedy and rarely uses any other in crusta lactea and impetigo in children. It has crusts with a copious exudation and it is accompanied with offensive urine.
**Staphisagria. Eruptions worse on the occiput, eczematous eruption on the ears, yellow scabs. Scratching changes the place of the itching. Eruptions forming figwarts or condylomata; especially useful in sickly children after the abuse of mercury.
Ranunculus bulbosus. [Ran-b]
Vesicular eruptions along the course of the nerve; vesicles filled with serum and burn greatly; large blisters form on a raw surface. Herpes zoster. Pemphigus in the new born. Thickening of the skin into yellow hard horny scabs.
**Ranunculus sceleratus. Vesicular eruption, with thin, acrid discharge, large blisters.
Nitric acid. [Nit-ac]
Our great remedy in ulcers when these symptoms are present.
1. Ragged zigzag, often raised edges.
2. Profuse granulations, proud flesh.
3. Vascular, bleeding easily where touched.
4. Splinter-like pains in them. Sycotic excrescences.
Pulsatilla [Puls]
An indicated remedy in hives when of gastric or uterine origin, or with diarrhoea and chilliness; hives after eating pork, fruit or buckwheat cakes. Scanty menses. Hives with profuse menses call for Belladonna. Hempel recommends Aconite and Ipecac in Hives.
**Antimonium crudum. Urticaria of gastric origin.
Urtica urens. Intense intolerable fiery itching of the skin from any trifling change in the temperature. Itching swellings on the fingers also indicate Urtica. Face blotched. Note the urinary symptoms which will often accompany.
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.