Synonym. Magnesia Chloride. Common name. Muriate of Magnesia. Preparation. Triturations.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Acts upon the ganglionic nervous system, and exerts its most important local influence upon the mucous surfaces.
Mind. Fretful, morose, peevish.
Head. Heaviness in the head, with reeling as if one would fall down. Tightness and pressure in the forehead. Squeezing, griping pain in both temples, with sensation as if vertigo and loss of consciousness were about to ensue, in the evening after lying down; better on strong pressure with the hands. Tearing and stitches in right temple, extending to the eye; necessity to press eyes together. Headache, relieved by wrapping up the head (Silicea).
Eyes. Eyes inflamed, with violent burning and redness of scleroticae. Nocturnal agglutination of the eyelids (Calcarea c., Lycopodium, Mercurius, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Sulphur).
Ears. Pulsation in the ears.
Nose. Violent coryza, at one time stopped, at another fluent, with dullness of the head, and complete loss of taste and smell. Tickling with sneezing and sensation of coryza. Discharge of offensive purulent mucus. Redness and swelling of the nose, or of the alae; painful to touch. Sore pain and burning in the nostrils. Scurf in the nostrils, painful to touch; ulcerated nostrils.
Face. Pale, yellowish complexion. Eruption on the face (Viola tric.), itching, burning vesicles.
Mouth. Sensation as if the upper incisors were elongated. Painful swelling and easy bleeding of the Gums. Continual rising of white forth in the mouth.
Throat. Dryness and rawness in the throat, with a hoarse voice. Hawking of clammy, thick mucus, often mixed with blood.
Stomach. Hunger, but knows not for what. Violent thirst (Aconite, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Bryonia, Rhus tox.). Acidity after dinner. Water rises from the stomach into the mouth, with nausea. Nausea in the morning after rising (Caladium, Nux v., Petrol., Pulsatilla). Rising, as of a ball, from the stomach into the oesophagus (Asafoetida); relieved by eructations. Pain in the stomach as from ulceration, or from a bruise. Epigastric region sensitive to pressure.
Abdomen. Sharp drawing and tensive burning stitches in region of liver; worse from pressure. Pressive pains in region of liver; worse from pressure. Pressive pains in liver, when walking, or touching it; worse when lying on the right side; liver hard and enlarged. Drawing pains in the abdomen at night. Cramp-like pains in the abdomen. Rumbling. Incarcerated flatus. Incessant emission of flatus.
Stool and Anus. Haemorrhoids pain during normal stool. Burning and smarting i n anus during normal stool. Burning and smarting in anus during and after stool. Hard, difficult, slow and insufficient evacuations. Stools knotty, like sheep’s dung (Alumina, Kali carb., Opium); crumbling as if burnt; had, covered with mucus and streaks of blood. Stool crumbles at the verge of anus. Chronic recurrence of diarrhoea.
Urinary Organs. Urine can only be passed by bearing down with the abdominal muscles. Urine passes only by drops, always some seeming to remain behind.
Female Organs. Catamenia too early and too copious (Calcarea c., Nux v.); blood passes in black clots, more when sitting than when walking. During menses face is pale, with pain in loins and mental depression. Uterine cramps, extending to the thighs. Leucorrhoea, with cramps in abdomen.
Respiratory Organs. Dry cough evening and night, with burning and soreness in chest. Spasmodic cough at night, with tickling in the throat (Hyoscyamus). Tension and constriction of the chest.
Heart. Palpitation of the heart on sitting, disappearing on motion.
Generalities. Attacks of spasms and hysterical weakness (Asafoetida). Uneasiness in evening in bed, on closing the eyes. Weakness of the body, as if coming from the stomach.
Sleep. Sleepiness during the day. Goes to sleep late; sleeplessness on account of heat and thirst. Restlessness on closing in the eyes. Sleep unrefreshing; tired in the morning.
Fever. Chilliness every evening; disappears after going to bed.
Aggravation. Most symptoms appear white sitting, and are relieved on motion and by exercise, and in the open air.
Conditions. Women, especially hysterical, with uterine troubles. Children, especially during dentition.
Compare. Baryta c., Bryonia, Calcarea c., Chamomilla, Conium, Graphites, Kali carb., Lycopodium, Magnesia carb., Acid Muriaticum, Natr. c., Natr. mur., Nitr. ac.,
Antidote. Chamomilla
THERAPEUTICS.
A valuable remedy in certain forms of neuralgia, especially of the head and face, usually associated with the characteristic constipation of this drug. The headache is better from wrapping up the head, the amelioration coming from the pressure of the bandage and not from the warmth as in Silicea. Nasal catarrh. Ozoena, with ulcerated, scurfy nostrils. Often a valuable remedy in chronic gastralgia. An excellent remedy for the indigestion of children during dentition; milk causes pain in stomach and passes undigested. Enlargement and congestion of the liver, with symptoms already given and characteristic constipation. Hepatic derangements in general with symptoms of the drug as given. Hepatic affections with tendency to haemorrhages from various organs. In all hepatic disorders there is pain and sensitiveness in region of liver, coated tongue, flatulence, distended abdomen, weak pulse and constipation; often the face is yellow; the breath offensive, the extremities swollen, urine high- colored, etc. Cirrhosis of liver. Ascites from hepatic disease. Haemorrhoids. A valuable remedy for constipation when the stools are hard, knotty like sheep’s dung, or crumbling as if burnt. Constipation of puny, rachitic children with enlarged abdomen, etc.; infants during dentition, A valuable remedy in uterine complaints, with flatulence, characteristic constipation, and attended with hysterical and spasmodic affections. Usually the menses are black and clotted, and more profuse when sitting than walking. Metrorrhagia. Leucorrhoea, with abdominal cramps. Uterine fibroids and scirrhus.
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).