Fever. Shaking chill, with redness of the face. Chill, especially in posterior portion of the body; relieved by external warmth (Arsenicum, Kali carb.). During the chill, thirsty; desires external warmth; during the heat no thirst, external warmth intolerable. Heat of the whole body in the afternoon, without thirst (Pulsatilla). External heat and redness, without internal heat. Hot knees with cold nose. One-sided burning heat of the face. Very little sweat, or only on the face.
Aggravation In mornings; immediately after waking; in the evening after lying down; from slight touch; from smoking tobacco; from coffee.
Amelioration. When lying on the back or on the painful side, or from change of position; from hard pressure.
Conditions. Especially suitable to nervous, hysterical females of mild but easily excited nature; to nervous children.
Compare Arsenicum, Chamomilla, Coccul., Coffea c., Gelsemium, Hyoscyamus, Ipecac., Lachesis, Lycopodium, Nux moschata, Nux v., Pulsatilla, Silicea, Staphysagria, Stramonium Incompatible: Coffee, Tobacco.
Antidote. Arnica, Camph., Chamomilla, Coccul, Coffea c., Nux v., Pulsatilla To large doses of: Coffea
Ignatia Antidotes. Zincum met., effects of Coffee, Chamomilla, Pulsatilla; also Brandy and Tobacco.
THERAPEUTICS.
The mental symptoms of Ignatia are extremely important, and indicate the use of the drug in a great majority of instances, especially in diseases of spinal origin, in which class of cases it is most frequently useful. Ignatia closely resembles Nux vomica in its action, yet at the same time presents wide dissimilarities, and the two should be carefully differentiated. Doubtless Ignatia should be often prescribed where Nux vomica is given. The mental sphere of Ignatia is one of melancholy and silent grief, brooding over her sorrows in secret, while in Nux vomica there is always a vein of irascibility and anger, which is plainly manifested on slight provocation. Pulsatilla has sadness and melancholy, but the patient is tearful, and makes known her sorrow. Ignatia is also characterised by a singularly contradictory action in its symptoms, both mental and physical, which is found in no other remedy-the alternate laughing and crying; during fever no thirst and wants to be covered; during chill thirsty, does not want to be covered; sore throat, pain worse when not swallowing; toothache worse when not chewing; irritation to cough worse from coughing, etc. Bearing in mind these peculiarities of the drug, in which also the emotional always predominates, we find it useful in ailments from mortification, bad news, grief or suppressed mental sufferings; bad consequences of disappointed love (Hyoscyamus, Phosphorus ac.); melancholy, hysteria, convulsions, cramps, spasms, neuralgias, nervous headache. In all phases of hysteria it is invaluable, being one of the most often indicated remedies; the patient has globus hystericus, oppressed breathing with deep sighing, face flushing at e very emotion, and the mental symptoms already mentioned. Hysterical spasms. Hysterical paralysis. Hysterical aphonia. Spasms in children from fright or fear, from punishment, from worms, from teething, convulsive twitchings. Chorea from same causes. Spasms of nervous hysterical women during parturition. Epilepsy originally caused by fright. Nervous spasms of the glottis. Often useful in nervous headaches, especially facial, from fright or emotions. Sciatica, with coldness; has to get up and walk about, and characteristic mental symptoms. Sore throat – tonsilitis, diphtheria, etc., pain better during the act of swallowing. Frequently useful in dyspepsia of nervous origin, with eructation and hiccough after eating, desire for indigestible food, weak, empty, sinking feeling in stomach, better from eating; also with mental symptoms. Gastralgia. Prolapsus ani. Fissures in anus. Haemorrhoids. With anal and rectal troubles, deep sharp stabbing pains are present. Constant itching and crawling in rectum causing great nervousness. Diarrhoea from fright or emotion; fruitless efforts and urging to stool. Alternate diarrhoea and constipation. Menorrhagia, blood black and clotted. Suppression of menses from grief or fright, with characteristic mental symptoms. Dysmenorrhoea. Ovarian neuralgia. Purulent corrosive leucorrhoea, preceded by labor-like pains. Premature labor pains from grief or fright. Morning sickness of pregnancy with empty sinking feeling at stomach, better after eating. Nervous cough; better from suppressing the cough. Sympathetic cough, especially from uterine or ovarian irritation. Sometimes useful in intermittent fever, with the contradictory symptoms above mentioned, and especially when mental symptoms of the drug are present. Nervous types of fevers.
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).