Generalities. Vital forces nearly exhausted (Caps., Laur.); cold surface, especially below knees to feet; lies as if dead; breath cool; pulse intermittent, thready; cold sweat on limbs. Great debility and weakness as soon as he makes the least exertion. Attacks of faint-like weakness. Burning pain in various places. Tearing, drawing pains in various parts of the body. Sepsis, sunken features, sallow complexion, hectic typhoid symptoms. Blood stagnates in capillaries, causing blueness, coldness; ecchymosis. Anaemia after summer complaint; feeble; pallid, white skin. Atrophy, body cold, lies as if dead, yet conscious. Lymphatic glands swollen, indurated, or suppurating; burning pains. Most symptoms appear when walking in the open air.
Skin. fine moist rash, with burning at spots where there is no eruption. Ulcers; bleeding easily (Asafoetida, MErc.); putrid with burning pain (Arsenicum).
Sleep. Great sleepiness and yawning during the day; sleepless at night; from uneasiness. Night full of dreams.
Fever Shivering in evenings,, with weariness. Chill, generally with thirst, cold hands and feet; mostly evenings. Fever generally without thirst (Pulsatilla). Hectic fever. EXhausting sweat (Cinchona, Phosphorus ac.)
Conditions. In persons whose vital powers are low, venous system predominant; especially old people; children after exhausting disease.
Compare. Arsenicum, Calcareac., Carb. an., Cinchona, Ferrum, Graphites, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Kali carb., Mercurius Nux v., Phosphorus, Phosphorus ac., Secale, Sepia, Sulphur, Veratrum alb.
Antidotes. Arsenicum, Camp., Coffea, Lachesis, Sp. nitr. d.
Carbo Vegetabilis Antidotes. Cinchona, Lachesis, Mercurius
THERAPEUTICS
On account of its powerfully devitalizing influences upon the blood Carbo vegetabilis is indicated in diseases where there are profound blood changes, with the symptoms already enumerated; purpura; scorbutic affections; pyaemia; typhoid conditions; hectic fever; intermittent fever; yellow fever; haemorrhages of a low type, flow passive, persistent, dark, fluid blood, long continued, with coldness, collapse; also in collapsed stage of various exhausting diseases; vital forces nearly exhausted; body cold, skin bluish; breath cool; thready, intermittent pulse; cold sweat on limbs. Anaemia after summer complaint; pernicious anaemia; chlorosis; debility from nursing or from sexual excesses. Gangrene (senile). Ulcers putrid, easily bleeding, burning pains. Varicose veins, with tendency to ulceration. Ulcerating scirrhus. Carbuncle, parts blue and livid, discharges offensive, burning pains. Abscesses, offensive discharges, slow reaction. Swelling, induration and suppuration of glands, offensive pus; especially mammary glands. Eczema. Carbo veg. is an excellent remedy in various diseases of the digestive system; dyspepsia, low type, resulting from dissipation, excessive indulgence in right foods, luxurious wines, etc., especially after Nux vomica has failed. Great flatulence; aversion to meat, fat food and milk, the latter always causing flatulence; constant acrid eructations; heartburn; sensitiveness and burning in stomach. Gastralgia, with similar symptoms. Diarrhoea. Constipation. Haemorrhoids. In the female organs it is useful for uterine haemorrhage; leucorrhoea, excoriating; varicose veins, etc. Often an invaluable remedy in certain respiratory troubles such as laryngeal and bronchial catarrh, when hoarseness and aphonia predominate, with rawness, burning and soreness. Cough hollow, spasmodic, suffocative, especially in old people; also asthma, with oppressed breathing, wants to be fanned, other symptoms agreeing. Haemorrhage of the lungs. In phthisis and last stages of pneumonia, with similar symptoms and exhausted vitality as already described. Ailments from quinine, especially suppressed chills and fever. Ailments from abuse of mercury; from salt to salt meats; from putrid meat or fish, or rancid fats.
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).