Common name. Carbonate of Soda. Preparation. Triturations.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Natr. carb. acts through the ganglionic nervous system, upon the mucous membranes, especially of the nasal cavity, the eyes and digestive tract, including the liver, producing symptoms of catarrhal inflammation.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Depressed, extremely despondent mood; intolerable melancholy and apprehension (Ignatia, Pulsatilla). Peevish and irritable (Bryonia, Chamomilla, Nux v.); indifferent; fretful; timid. Restlessness and anxiety, especially during a thunder storm. Makes mistakes in writing. Forgetful. Stupefaction in morning on waking. Aversion to man and society (Carb. an., Hyoscyamus, Ignatia)
Head. Vertigo from drinking wine, or from mental exertion (Nux v.). Dullness and confusion of the head. Headache from the sun (Belladonna, Gloninum, Lachesis). Frontal headache when turning the head rapidly.
Eyes. Black spots before the eyes when writing (Mercurius, Phosphorus, Sulphur). Dazzling flashing before the eyes on awaking (Belladonna). Inflammation of the eyes and eyelids, with photophobia (Aconite, Belladonna, Mercurius). Dimness of vision, must wipe his eyes constantly. Inability to read small print. Ulcers on the cornea (Calcarea c., Silicea), with stinging pains. Ulcerative keratitis. Needle-like stitches in both eyes, after dinner. Burning in the eyes, worse from reading and writing, with dryness. Difficult opening, then closed involuntarily. Heaviness of the eyelids (Causticum, Coni., Gelsemium, Natr. ars.).
Ears. Otalgia, with sharp, piercing stitches in the ears (Kali. c., Pulsatilla). Hardness of hearing. Stopped sensation. Dryness and heat.
Nose. Coryza, fluent; violent sneezing; nose obstructed; yellow, offensive, thin mucous, or thick, green mucous discharge. Intermittent coryza, with burning in eyes. Hard, foetid pieces from one nostril. Ulceration high up in the nostrils. Bleeding of the nose. Much nasal mucus passes through the mouth (hydras.). Nose red, with white pimples on it.
Face. Face pale, puffy, with blue rings around the eyes; swollen lids (Phosphorus). Swelling of both cheeks with glowing redness (Belladonna). Freckles on the face (Nitr. ac.). Yellow blotches on forehead and upper lip. Burning crack in lower lip (Graphites).
Mouth. Toothache during or after a meal, especially after sweet things. Sensitiveness of the teeth (Carb. an., Mercurius, Nitr. ac.). Pimples on tip of tongue. Burning on tip of tongue, as if full of cracks (Calcarea c., Carb. an., Kali bichromicum). Dry tongue, and heavy, rendering speech difficult (Acid Muriaticum, Lachesis). Constant dryness of the mouth and lips. Superficial ulcers inside of the mouth, with burning pain when touched. Taste bitter (Arsenicum, Nux v., Pulsatilla); metallic (Mercurius, Sulphur); sour. Tongue coated.
Throat. Violent hawking up of thick mucus, which constantly collects again. Swelling of the submaxillary glands (Baryta c., Calcarea c., Iodi., Rhus tox.).
Stomach. Incessant hunger (Bryonia, Cina., Ferrum, Iodi.). Violent thirst, and uneasiness after drinking anything cold; in afternoon. Bad effects from a cold drink while overheated (Arsenicum). Frequent empty sour eructations (Carb. v., nux v.). Waterbrash (nux v., Lycopodium, Ledum, Sulphur). Scraping heartburn after fat food (Pulsatilla). Violent retching in the morning, without actual vomiting. Stomach weak and easily disordered (Arsenicum, Cinchona, Carb. v., Pulsatilla). Violent pressure of stomach sensitive to touch (Hyoscyamus, Kali. c.). swollen feeling.
Abdomen. Violent stitches in the hepatic and splenic regions (Natr. mur., Sulphur). Distension of the abdomen, especially after eating (Cinchona, Lycopodium, Nux. m., Nux v.). Griping in the abdomen, like colic, immediately after eating (Coloc.). Incarcerated flatus. Swelling of the glands of groin and axilla; generally painful.
Stool and Anus. Frequent ineffectual urging to stool (Ambr., Coni., Nux. v.). itching in the anus (Silicea, Sepia, Sulphur). Burning in rectum after stool. Difficult evacuation of stool that was hard (Carb. v.). Hurried urging, thin stool forcibly spurting from him (Crot. tig., Gratiola, Thuja). Stool spotted with blood. Stool like sheep’s dung, with great straining; balls of mucus like peas.
Urinary Organs. Frequent desire to urinate, with copious discharge; with scanty discharge. Urine smells like horse urine (Benz. ac., Nitr. ac.). Involuntary urination at night (Arsenicum, Causticum, Sulphur, Pulsatilla, Graphites). Burning in urethra during urination (Ant. tart., Arsenicum)
Male Organs. Incomplete coition; erections weak; emissions speedy (Calcarea c.). Emissions without erections. Glans penis easily become sore. Soreness between scrotum and thighs (Hepar s.).
Female Organs. Pressure in the hypogastrium, as if everything would come out, and the menses would come on (Belladonna, Sepia). Leucorrhoea, thick, yellow (Hydras., Kali bichromicum)., putrid, ceasing after urination.
Respiratory Organs. Hoarseness. Violent dry cough; worse when entering a warm room (Bryonia, Veratrum alb., Reverse, Phosphorus). Cough, with salty, purulent, greenish sputa, and rawness in chest. Short breath, with difficult respiration.
Heart. Violent palpitation of the heart, especially on going up stairs or at night, when lying on left side (Natr. mur., Phosphorus).
Neck and Back. Cracking of the cervical vertebrae on moving the head. Backache; violent pain in small of back after walking.
Limbs. Tearing pain in the limbs (Bryonia, Coloc., Lycopodium). Excessive soreness and lassitude of the limbs. Weakness, unsteadiness, and heaviness of lower extremities, and heaviness of the arms. Drawing pain in the elbows. Coldness between the scapulae. Jerking sensation in the finger joints.
Lower Limbs. Jerking in lower extremities, and in parts of lower portion of the body. Heaviness and bruised sensation. Hollow of knees painful on motion. Needle-like stitches on sole of right foot. Swelling of soles. Throbbing and crawling in both heels. Easy dislocation and spraining of the ankle. Ulcer on the heel, arising from spreading blisters. Blisters on points of toes, as if scalded.
Generalities. Restlessness. Great prostration and heaviness of the whole body. It hurts to lie on the left side. Whole body relaxed and limber, in morning. Swelling and induration of glands (Baryta c., Calcarea c., Graphites, Iodi.).
Skin. Skin dry, rough and chapped. Itching over the whole body, as from fleas. Herpes, with yellow rings or suppurating.
Sleep. Sleepiness and much yawning during the day (Natr. mur.). Falls asleep late at night. Sleep full of dreams at night.
Fever. Cold hands and feet, head hot, or hands and feet hot, with cold cheeks. Heat and burning thirst (Aconite, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Bryonia). Burning in feet, especially soles, on walking. Cold, anxious perspiration, with trembling from the pains. Sweats in the morning.
Aggravation. During a thunder storm; after slightest exertion after meals; while sitting; from talking.
Amelioration. On motion; on pressure; from rubbing.
Compare. Alumina, Arsenicum, Calcarea c., Carb. v., Lycopodium, Magnesia muriatica, Mercurius, Natr. mur., Natr. sulph., Nux v., Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Silicea, Sepia, Sulphur
Antidotes. Camph., Nitr. sp. d.
Natrum Carbonicum Antidotes. Cinchona.
THERAPEUTICS.
The chief use of Natr. carb is in the treatment of catarrhal conditions. It is a valuable remedy in some forms of mental weakness, loss of memory, melancholia, especially from overstudy or a previous sunstroke, also headache, vertigo, etc., from exposure to the sun’s rays, or in hot weather after a previous sunstroke. Headache from working under gas-light. The nervous symptoms of the drug are important, great prostration, weakness of extremities, especially with headache, etc., coming on in hot weather. Hysteria. All the nervous symptoms, especially nervousness and anxiety, are much worse during a thunder storm, not from timidity, but from the electric changes in the atmosphere. Small corneal ulcers or phyctenules, with great photophobia and stinging pains, particularly in scrofulous children. Lachrymal abscess. Dry catarrh of conjunctiva (Alumina). Chronic inflammation of the middle ear, with deafness and roaring in ears. Otalgia. Chronic nasal catarrh or ozoena, thick, yellowish-green discharge, thick, foetid, lumpy, worse form slightest draught of air, better from free perspiration. May also be useful in fluent coryza, very profuse, violent sneezing, worse from draught, better after sweat. Weak digestion. Acid dyspepsia, especially marked after vegetable diet, starchy food, with hypochondriasis, palpitation of the heart and other symptoms already described (see symptoms). Sometimes useful in diarrhoea with forcible, spurting stools, but more often in constipation, the stools being difficult to expel, though not very hard. Impotence. Has cured indurated cervix, resembling scirrhus, with the symptoms of pressure across the hypogastrium, as if everything would come out of the vagina. Leucorrhoea, thick, yellow, offensive. Swelling and induration of glands. Dry, rough chapped skin, especially dorsi of hands and feet. Vesicles, with shooting pains and aching ulcers. Herpetic eruptions.
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).