MEZEREUM


Symptoms of the homeopathic medicine MEZEREUM from A Text Book of Materia Medica and Therapeutics by A.C. Cowperthwaite. Find all the symptoms of MEZEREUM …


      Synonym. Daphne Mezereum. Natural order. Thyme laceae. Common name. Spurge Olive. Habitat. Small shrub, native of Northern and Central Europe. Preparation. Tincture from the fresh bark.

GENERAL ANALYSIS.

Acts especially upon the skin and the mucous membranes of the genito-urinary organs, and the alimentary tract, producing a high degree of irritation, which results in inflammation of the mucous membranes, and in characteristic eruptions of the skin. It also acts in a similar manner upon the long bones and the periosteum of the jaw, resembling the action of Mercury and also the syphilitic poison.

CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS

Mind Hypochondriac and despondent (Natr. carb., Nux v.); everything seems dead and nothing makes a vivid impression on his mind. Inclination to weep (Natr. mur., puls., Ignatia). Vexed and angry at trifles (Bryonia, Chamomilla). Mental dullness and distraction; thinking difficult; unable to recollect (Natr. mur).

Head Dullness of head, as if intoxicated, and as if he has been up all night (Coccul., Nux moschata, Pulsatilla). Pain in bones of skull; aggravated by touch. Headache in temples and sides of head after exertion and from talking much. Violent headache; head painful on slightest touch after. pressive headache from root of nose into forehead (Kali bichromicum). Stupefying pain though right hemisphere of brain to forehead. Pressive pain, from within outward, in left temple. Boring in the bones of the occiput. Heat covered with a thick leathery crust, under which pus collects and mast the hair (Graphites, Psorinum). Itching of the scalp, better from scratching. Elevated, white, chalk-like scabs, with ichor beneath, breeding vermin. Dry scurf on the scalp; dandruff (Bad., Cantharis).

Eyes Eyes hot, inflamed; conjunctiva injected, dirty-red; pressive pain and a sensation of dryness. Pressing and tearing pain in eyes. smarting, compelling rubbing. Obstinate twitching of the muscles of the left upper lid. Lachrymation, with smarting in the eyes (Arsenicum, Euphr.). Inclination to wink (Croc., Euphrasia); to close the eyes (Causticum, Gelsemium). Itching of margins of lids and skin near the nose.

Ears Sensations as though air were distending the right external meatus; afterward in left; as if roaring would a\occur; with stopped sensation. Itching behind the ears.

Nose Catarrh, with discharges of yellow, thin at times, bloody mucus, making the nostrils sore; soreness and burning of upper lip. Pressing asunder pain in root of nose, in morning, with in temples on touch. Dryness of the nose and diminished smell. Frequent sneezing, with fluent coryza.

Face Violent tearing pains in the face, especially on left side. Cramp-like and stunning pressure in zygomatic process. Violent, frequent jerking and twitching of the muscles of the right cheek. Lips swollen, dry; scaly externally; painful, sore and burning (Arsenicum). Dryness of the tongue. Inflammatory redness of face, with fat, moist eruption. Child scratches the face continually, which become covered with blood; itching worse at night (Mercurius); tears off scab, leaving raw sports, on which fat pustules form. The ichor from scratched face excoriates other parts.

Mouth Pains in carious teeth (Mercurius). Hollow teeth decay very rapidly. Boring toothache, extending into bones of jaw, malar bones and temples. Teeth feel blunt and elongated; on biting on them and from fresh air. Violent burning in tongue and mouth, extending to the stomach (Arsenicum, Cantharis, Caps.).

Throat Burning in the throat, pharynx and oesophagus (Arsenicum, Cantharis, Caps., Mercurius cor.).Irritation in fauces causing dry fatiguing cough. Sensation as if the throat were full of mucus. Dryness, heat, scraping and rawness in the fauces (Argentum met., Argentum nit., Arum., Nux v.).

Stomach Great hunger or loss of appetite. Hunger at noon or in evening. Frequent empty and tasteless eructations. Nausea in the throat; bitter vomiting. Burning in pit of stomach (Arsenicum, Camph., Cantharis, Lobelia). on pressure, with pain. Pain in epigastric region, evening and night, worse by paroxysms. Burning pressure extending transversely at intervals, worse form pressure.

Abdomen Dull pain in region of spleen. Stitches in left hypochondrium. Loud flatulence; much offensive flatus passing (Aloe, Bryonia, Graphites). Burning and heat in the abdomen (acon., Arsenicum, Cantharis)

Stool and Anus Stitches in the rectum. Biting sore pain in anus on walking, and burning in rectum. Itching in the anus (Alumina, Arsenicum, Cina, Chamomilla, Sulphur). Constipation (Alumina, Calcareac., Bryonia Nux v., Opium, Sulphur). Stool soft, brown, sour, fermented; containing small, white shining grains.

Urinary Organs Discharge of a few drops of blood after urinating. Sores pain in urethra, on touch, when urinating. Biting burning in forepart of urethra at close of micturition. Urine hot, with reddish sediment (Belladonna, Kreosotum); Bloody.

Male Organs Itching of the glans penis (Sulphur). Heat and swelling of the penis. Fine pricking stitching in the penis and tip of glans penis. Swelling of scrotum and testicles.

Female Organs Menses too soon, profuse and long-lasting. Leucorrhoea like the white of an egg (Ammonium mur., Calcarea phos., Borax, Bovis.)

Respiratory Organs Hoarseness, with cough and rawness of the chest (Causticum, Nux moschata, Phosphorus). After eating, must cough till he vomits. Violent cough when lying down (Coni., Pulsatilla). Violent inclination to cough, low down in the trachea;cannot loosen anything by the cough. Constriction and contracting [pains transversely across the chest. Stitches in the chest (Bryonia, Kali carb.).

Pulse Pulse intermittent (Coni., Digit., Natr. mur.); full tense, hard.

Neck and Back Pain from stiffness of nape and external cervical muscles; in right side of neck and throat, worse on motion. Rheumatic pains in scapular muscles; they feel tense and swollen, preventing motion.

Limbs Trembling of the limbs (Coccul., Coni., Gelsemium). Pains in periosteum of long bones, especially the tibiae, worse at night and in bed; least touch intolerable; worse in damp weather; syphilis (Mercurius)

Upper Limbs Tearing pain in right shoulder joint, as if it would be torn asunder. Sore sensation in right axilla. Finger ends powerless, cannot hold anything. Paralysis of flexors.

Lower Limbs Jerking pain in hip-joint, also in knee. Pains in bones of thigh and leg. Sudden sprained pain below right nates when walking. Violent pains in bones of feet;in bones os instep, worse wen walking. Pain in ball of little toe. Burning pain in left tibia. Pain in tibia as if periosteum would be torn off after midnight.

Generalities Feeling of great lightness of the body (Asarum europaeum). General sick- feeling. Hot, jerking stitches in various parts of the body. Joints feel bruised and weary, as if they would give way. Bones inflamed, swollen (Asafoetida, Hepars., Kali bichromicum, Staphysagria), especially shafts of cylindrical bones; caries, after abuse of mercury. Sensitiveness to cold air.

Skin Usual liver spots on chest and arms become dark and desquamate. Red rash, itching violently; worse in be, from touch; burning and change of place after scratching (Alumina, Mercurius, Sulphur). Cutaneous ulcers form over bony protuberances. Ulcers, easily bleeding (Asafoetida, Hep, s., Sulphur), sensitive, painful at night (Mercurius); thick whitish yellow scabs, under which thick, yellow pus collects; burning, itching vesicles around the ulcers (Hepars., Mercurius). Skin covered with with elevated white scabs.

Sleep Irresistible sleepiness (Ant.tart., Apis, Nux moschata. Yawning and stretching.

Fever Constant chilliness over the whole body (Pulsatilla). Cold, with no desire for warmth; nor dread of open air; great thirst. Violent hot fever.

Conditions One side of the body generally affected. Phlegmatic temperament.

Compare Anacardium, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Bryonia, Calcareac., Ignatia, Iodi., Lycopodium, Mercurius, nitr.ac., Nux c., Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Phytolacca, Rhus tox., Sepia, Sulphur, Zincum met.

Antidotes Acid aceticum, Bryonia, Calcareac., Camph., Nux v., Mercurius, Rhus tox., Mucilaginous Drinks, Milk, etc.

Mezereum Antidotes Mercurius, Nitr. ac., Phosphorus, Spirituous Liquors.

THERAPEUTICS.

The chief use of Mezereum is in the treatment of syphilitic (Especially after the abuse of Mercury) and scrofulous affections, especially diseases of the periosteum and bones, and of the skin. Periosteal inflammation of the shafts of long bones, particularly of the tibiae, soreness and swelling, burning pains worse at night, worse in damp weather; syphilitic. Periostitis of the lower jaw. Periosteal rheumatism. Rheumatic neuralgia, flying stitching pain along bones, worse at night. Exostoses. The skin symptoms of Mezereum are important. It is a valuable remedy in herpetic and eczematous eruptions of the nature described in the above pathogenesis. The chief characteristics is the moist vesicular eruption with the exudation of much thick purulent matter, over which thick scabs form, the intolerable itching and burning worse form scratching, and the aggravation at night and from heat. This eruption may occur on any part of the body, but more especially upon the face and chin and on the scalp. Tinea capitis. Pityriasis. Ulcers of a nature already described. Herpes zoster, with severe neuralgia and burning pains, worse at night and from warmth of bed. Mezereum is a valuable remedy in neuralgia, especially following eruptions or after the abuse of Mercury. Neuralgia, especially intercostal, after zona. Ciliary neuralgia, the pains radiate and shoot downwards, cold feeling, as though cold air were blowing in the eye, bones diseased; also after operations, especially removal of the eyeball. Facial neuralgia, involving the eye, cheek and teeth, intolerable tearing pain, worse at night and from heat, bones of face sore, parts feel numb after the pain. Aching in carious teeth, they feel blunt and elongated (see symptoms). Chronic inflammation of the ear, after suppressed eruption, abuse of Mercury, or in cases where Mercurius was indicated, but did not good. Catarrh, scrofulous (see symptoms). Syphilitic Ozoena. Syphilitic sore throat, burning sensation and raw pain extending from pharynx halfway down oesophagus, also involving the larynx, with hoarseness, etc., sometimes ulceration. Gastric catarrh with burning and pressure. Ulcer of the stomach, with burning corroding pains as if the stomach were raw. Chronic diarrhoea with or following characteristic eruption, psoric diathesis. Has cured constipation, stools large and hard as a stone, feel as if they would split the anus, sometimes with prolapsus. Gonorrhoea. Gleet, with watery, mucous discharge, sometimes with bloody urine, and other symptoms already given. Uterine ulcers, with albuminous, corrosive leucorrhoea and other symptoms of the drug.

A.C. Cowperthwaite
A.C. (Allen Corson) Cowperthwaite 1848-1926.
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).