Biborate of Soda. Preparation. Either triturations of the pure borax, or dilutions form a solution composed of one part to ninety-nine of distilled water.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
The rationale of the operations of this drug is not well understood, but is has an important action upon the mucous membranes, on which it produces an aphthous ulceration (Mercurius), especially of the mouth, intestines, uterus, and vagina. It also involves the respiratory tract and the skin. Its most prominent mental expression is a fear of downward motion, which seems to characterize most of its pathological conditions, and which is not found in any other remedy
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mouth. Dread of downward motion, with anxious expression, as when in a swing, rocking cradle, or in going down stairs. Idles through the afternoon; does not get at work; changes from one work to another; from one room to another; without keeping to any object. Great anxiety and sleepiness; anxiety increased until 11 P.M. Fretful; ill-humored, discontented (Bryonia, Chamomilla, Nux. v.), indolent. Easily startled by unusual sounds.
Head. Hairs become entangled at the tips and stick together; cannot be separated; if these bunches are cut off they form again. Aching at 10 A.M. in the whole head, with nausea and inclination to vomit, and trembling in the whole body. Heat of the head in infants.
Eyes. Lashes turn inward toward the eye and inflame it, especially at outer canthus, when the margins of the lids are very sore (Mercurius). Inflammation of right eye at external canthus, with irregularity of the lashes; nightly agglutinations (Lycopodium, Mercurius, Pulsatilla, Sulphur). Flickering before the eyes in the morning, when writing, so that he does not see distinctly; there seem to be bright moving waves, now from right to left, now from above downwards.
Ears. Roaring in the ears. Stitches in the left ear.
Nose. Dry crusts in the nose; re-from if removed. Boil in fore part of left nostril; toward the tip, with sore pain, and swelling of the tip of the nose. Red and shining swelling of the nose, with throbbing and tensive sensation (Belladonna).
Face. Sickly pale, earthy color of the face (Arsenicum, Cinchona). Burning heat and redness of face (Aconite, Belladonna). Erysipelas in face.
Mouth. Gum boil, paining severely, with dull pain in hollow tooth; swelling of cheek, and whole left side of face. Griping in hollow teeth in rainy weather. Aphthae on the tongue, in the mouth, inside of cheeks, etc., with great heat and dryness of the mouth (Hydras., Helleborus, Iodium, Mercurius, Acid nitricum). Painful red blisters on the tongue (Nux v.), as if the surface were eroded. The mucous membrane of fore part of palate is shriveled, as if burnt, and pains especially when chewing; child cries when nursing. Aphthae inside of cheek, bleeding when eating. Flat, insipid, or bitter taste (Baptisia, Bryonia, Pulsatilla, Sulphur).
Throat. Tough, whitish mucus in throat, which is loosened only after great exertion (Ailanth., Ammonium mur.).
Stomach. Great distension, discomfort, sick feeling, and ill humor after a meal. Pain in region of stomach after heavy lifting; pain extends to small of back and then becomes stitching; cannot turn at night without pains; better in morning.
Abdomen. Flatulent distension after every meal (Carb. v., Cinchona). Pinching in the abdomen with diarrhoea. Pain as if diarrhoea would result.
Stool. Soft, light-yellow (AEth., Chef.), mucous stool, with weakness and exhaustion. Green stool in infants, preceded by crying (Color.). Painless diarrhoea in mornings (Podophyllum, Sulphur). Frequent easy stools.
Urinary Organs. Severe urgent desire to urinate (Aconite). At night must rise several times to urinate (Ambr.). Desire to urinate without being able to pass a drop (Aconite, Cantharis). Smarting in urethra after urination (Cantharis). Hot urine in infants (Aconite, Cantharis). Pungent smell of urine (Benz. ac.). Infant urinates every ten or twelve minutes, and frequently cries and screams before the passage.
Female Organs. Menses too early and too profuse (Ammonium carb., Arsenicum, Calcarea c., Nux v.), with nausea and colic. Leucorrhoea like the white of an egg (Ammonium mur., Bovis., Calcarea phos., Mez.), with sensation as if warm water were flowing down. Leucorrhoea, white, thick as paste. Pains from the stomach to the small of the back, before the menses. Stitching, tearing pains in groins at time of menses. Gripings, and sometimes stitches in left mamma and when the child has nursed, obliged to compress the breast with the hand because it aches from being empty.
Respiratory Organs. Hacking and violent cough, with slight expectoration of moldy taste and smell. Dry cachectic cough as in old people, worse mornings on rising, and evenings on lying down. Cough with expectoration of white mucus streaked with blood.
Obliged every few minutes to take a quick, deep breath, which is followed by a stitch in right side of chest, with subdued pain, sight, and slow exhalation. Sticking in the chest with every cough and deep inspiration (Bryonia, Kali carb.). Stitches in chest when yawning, coughing or breathing deeply (Bryonia). Pains in chest, relieved by pressure by washing chest in cold water; aggravated by hot.
Generalities. Stitches in the soles of the feet. The infant becomes pale and nearly earthy-colored, flesh soft and flabby, cries much, refuses the breast, and screams out anxiously in sleep.
Skin. Unhealthiness of the skin; slight injuries suppurate (Chamomilla, Hepar s., Graphites,. Silicea, Sulphur). Sensation of a cobweb on skin of face and hands. Severe itching on the back of the finger joints, must scratch them violently. Red, papulous eruption on the cheeks and around the chin. Burning heat and redness of fingers and toes during cold as if frost bitten (Agaricus)
Sleep. Sleeps more than usual, wakes frequently. Wakes uncommonly early, 3 A.M., cannot fall asleep again for two hours on account of heat in the whole body, especially during sleep, as if frightened by a dream.
Conditions. Period of dentition and infancy.
Compare. Belladonna, Bryonia, Chamomilla, Cina., Calcarea c., Calcarea phos., Coffea, Hepar s., Mercurius, Nux v., Pulsatilla, Silicea, Sulphur
Antidotes. Chamomilla, Coffea
THERAPEUTICS.
The chief sphere of usefulness of Borax is in the treatment of aphthae and diarrhoea in infants, especially when they occur in the same child, and have associated with them the peculiar mental symptoms of the drug. In nursing infants the mouth is very dry, hot and tender, with great thirst and vomiting. it often relieves functional urinary troubles in infants, the urine being scanty and hot, and causing burning and shooting in the urethra, so that the child dreads to urinate and screams before each passage. Borax is an excellent remedy in Dysmenorrhoea, especially membranous. Cervical leucorrhoea, albuminous. An excellent remedy both internally and locally for inflammations and erosions of the os and cervix (Argentum nit., Hydras.). Endocervicitis. Hacking cough, with characteristic expectoration. Pleurisy. Pleurodynia. Erysipelas of the face. Plica Polonica. Trichiasis.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).