Upper Limbs. Weakness and paralytic heaviness in the arms. Trembling of the hands when writing (Zincum met.). Skin of hands, especially about the nails, dry, cracked; hang-nails (Sulphur, Thuja.); whitish hives on arms and hands. Bruised pain in upper arm. Cold hands.
Lower Limbs. Weakness and trembling of the lower extremities, on rising from a seat, better from continued walking. Red tetter in hollow of knees. Stitches in the hip-joint; in left knee. Drawing pains in thighs, knees and legs. Swelling from middle of leg downward in evening and next morning, with feeling as if feet were filled with lead. Great heaviness of the legs and feet. Tension in the calves while walking. Tension in hollow of knees, as if tendons were too short (Ammonium mur.). Paralytic feeling in ankle-joint, while sitting or walking. Restlessness in legs and feet; must move them constantly (Zincum met.). Heaviness in feet; in evening on walking. Cramp-like stitching pain in left foot. Cold feet.
Generalities. Great emaciation (Acid aceticum, Arsenicum, Ferrum, Graphites, Iodi., Phosphorus); more of body than face; trembling of the whole body; caused by tobacco smoking (Arsenicum). Easily fatigued; mental and physical exhaustion, and weakness; great prostration (Arsenicum, Cinchona, Phosphorus). Takes cold easily (Calcarea c., Kali carb., Phosphorus, Silicea). Dread of open air. Muscles, especially of thighs and arms, painful on motion, as if flesh were loose. Pulsation in while body, even during rest.
Skin. Itching and pricking in the skin. Itching over the whole body. Large red blotches, like hives, itching violently. Itching nettle rash after bodily exertion. Herpes circinatus (Sepia). Tettery eruptions, oozing an acrid fluid; crusts with deep cracks.
Sleep. Sleepiness during the day, with frequent yawning (Natr. carb.). Sleepy at night, but cannot sleep. Sleepless. Waking from fright, thought there were thieves in the house. Talking in sleep. Uneasy, anxious sleep; weeping in sleep. (Nitr. ac.). Vivid, anxious dreams.
Fever. Chill predominates (Bryonia), mostly internal; hands and feet-icy- cold (Gelsemium). Chilliness over whole body, with heat in the forehead, pressure in root of nose, and violent thirst. Chill 10 to 11 A.M., beginning in feet or small of back; blue nails; thirst; bursting headache; nausea and vomiting. Heat, with violent headache and thirst, chilliness over the back, and sweat in axillae and soles of feet. Profuse perspiration, too easily excited by motion (Calcarea c., Hepar s., Phosphorus); at night. During apyrexia; stitches about the liver; languor; emaciation; sallow complexion; loss of appetite; fever blisters on the lips.
Aggravation. While lying down, especially in morning or evening; at 10 A.M.; after exertion; ion heat of sun; heat in general.
Amelioration. In open air; while fasting; after dinner; from sitting up.
Compare. Alumina, Arsenicum, Bryonia, Calcarea c., Carb. v., Cinchona, Graphites, Ignatia, Lycopodium, Mercurius, Acid Muriaticum, Nitr. ac., Nux v., Phosphorus, Plumb., Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Sepia, Silicea, Sulphur, Zincum met., Natr. mur. is followed well by Sepia
Antidotes. Apis., Arsenicum, Camph., Phosphorus, Nitr. sp. d.
Natrum Muriaticum Antidotes. Apis., Argentum nit., Quin.
The chief clinical use of Natrum mur. is in the treatment of scorbutic affections, and in disease resulting from malnutrition. It is also a valuable remedy in intermittent fever, especially inveterate or badly treated cases; after Quinine; in damp regions, or near newly turned ground; chill 10-11 A.M. Fever blisters on lips, and other symptoms as mentioned above. Cases are reported as cure with distinctly different symptoms, but the above only are characteristic Cachexia from ague plus Quinine. Is also recommended in rheumatic fever with chilliness. Typhus fever with much stupor and chilliness, gastric symptoms; after typhus suppuration of parotids. A valuable remedy in infantile marasmus from malnutrition; also in children and adults who lose flesh through living well; emaciation most about neck. General anaemia, emaciation, complete prostration of vital forces, depression of spirits, palpitation, etc.; anaemia from loss of vital fluids, blood or semen. Useful in haemorrhages, especially cachectic subjects, blood red, thin, watery, not coagulable. Dropsical affections; after scarlatina caused by heart, liver or kidney disease. Collection of serum in joints and in closed sacs. Chronic swelling of lymphatic and sebaceous glands, chronic inflammation of salivary glands, excess of saliva. Fistulous, phagedenic ulcers. Varices. Tendency to dryness or erosion of mucous membranes; secretions acrid, scanty; smarting, burning at edges of mucous surfaces.
A valuable remedy in catarrhs of all mucous membranes, with secretion of transparent, watery, coarse, frothy mucus; white mucus full of bubbles, color of white of egg or like boiled starch. Nasal catarrh, thick yellow mucous discharge, loss of taste and smell. Takes cold in head easily; is constantly obliged to wrap it up; it remains uncovered the nose stops up. Fluent coryza, alternate with stoppage; discharge as above described. Chronic naso-pharyngeal catarrh. Chronic nasal and pharyngeal catarrhs which have been abused by local applications, douches, etc., especially Nitrate of Silver. There is no doubt but that Natr. mur is one of our most valuable remedies in catarrhal conditions of the head and pharynx, and should be more often used. A simple solution of salt and water could in many cases, at least, advantageously supplant the many local applications already employed, and which usually do more harm than good. Hay fever, watery discharge from eyes and nose. Chronic catarrh of the ear. Bronchitis, acute or chronic, with symptoms given under respiratory organs. Chronic bronchial catarrh. Catarrhal pneumonia, with characteristic cough and expectoration. Pleurisy, after exudation. Asthma, with profuse watery or frothy mucus. Emphysema. OEdema of the lungs; spasmodic cough; suffocation; serous, frothy expectoration. Palpitation of the heart in anaemic persons. Organic disease of the heart, especially hypertrophy; dyspnoea and palpitation, worse on ascending, or when lying down, especially on left side. Natrum mur is useful in many affections of the eye. Asthenopia, particularly muscular; drawing, stiff sensation in muscles of eyes when moving them; often caused by general muscular weakness or spinal irritation. Amblyopia and amaurosis; pupils contracted, dependent on menstrual disorders in the chlorotic; from debilitating nervous losses. Blepharitis;, ulcers on cornea; smarting and burning; acrid, excoriating tears; photophobia, marked by spasmodic closure of the lids. Follicular conjunctivitis. Granular lids. Keratitis pustulosa. Iritis. Ciliary neuralgia, coming and going with the sun. Stricture of lachrymal duct, fistula and blenorrhoea of lachrymal sac. Affections of the eyes and lids maltreated with lunar caustic especially entropion and pannus. Insufficiency of the internal recti muscles, even to strabismus. Styes. Morbus Basedowii. A valuable remedy in headaches; morning headaches; sick-headache. Nervous headache, from shocks. Malaria headache. Neuralgia headache. Headaches of school girls, during menses (consult symptoms). Dandruff. Humid eruptions on scalp, with gluey discharge, matting the hair, especially on margins of hair at nape of neck and behind the ears. Neuralgia, especially malarial; after checked ague; periodical; often in place of ague paroxysms; supra-orbital; face sallow and other Natrum symptoms. Barber’s itch. Acne punctuata. Scorbutic condition of the jaws and buccal cavity. Aphthae. Fistula dentalis. Dyspepsia, with other Natrum conditions. Enlarged liver and spleen, in old, badly treated agues. Gastro-duodenal catarrh. Often a valuable remedy in constipation (See symptoms). Haemorrhoids. Ascarides. Chronic diarrhoea. Summer complaint of children when the throat and neck emaciate rapidly, cachectic condition, etc. Diabetes insipidus. Polyuria. Gleet, with soreness of urethra, clear mucous discharge and other symptoms especially after injections of Nitrate of Silver. Impotence. Spermatorrhoea. Hydrocele. Menorrhagia. Delayed or checked menstruation. Often valuable in chlorosis, with profuse or delayed menses, leucorrhoea, cachexia, palpitation, etc. Prolapsus uteri, with pressure and bearing down, backache, relieved by lying on something hard, or by having a pillow under the back. Subinvolution. Sterility. Vaginitis, great dryness and soreness of the parts. Vulvitis. Pruritus of vulva. Spinal irritation; sensitiveness between vertebrae; general weariness, backache, better from pressure or lying on something hard; from grief, anger, and especially from sexual excesses. Paralytic condition of lower extremities, after fever, diphtheria or excesses. Useful in many skin diseases some of which have already been mentioned. Eczema. Urticaria. Intertrigo. Herpes. Herpes circinatus. Herpes zoster. Purpura haemorrhagica, with cachectic symptoms.
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).