Common name. Glacial Phosphoric Acid. Preparation. One part of the purified Glacial Phosphoric Acid is dissolved in ninety parts of distilled water, and then ten parts of Alcohol are added tom make the 2x dilution. The 3x dilution is prepared with dilute Alcohol. Subsequent dilutions with Alcohol.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
The chief sphere of action of Phosphoric Acid is upon the nervous system, in which, from waste of nerve tissue or from depression, it produces debility without erethism (with erethism, Cinchona), giving rise to conditions simulating those which result from continue grief, over-exertion of mind or body, sexual excess, etc. Through this influence its chief local effects are upon the kidneys and male sexual organs, and next upon the bones and skin, as indicated by its pathogenesis.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Weakness of memory (Anacardium, Agn., Ambr., Kreosotum, Lachesis, Mercurius, Natr. mur., Nux moschata). Quiet; perfectly indifferent (Berberis, Sepia); difficult comprehension; imbecility. Ideas lost and mind weak. Incapacity for thought (AEth., Cimic., Gelsemium, Nux v.). Disinclination to talk; answers questions reluctantly (Agaricus, Phosphorus). Cannot find the right word when talking. Homesickness (Caps., Helleborus), with inclination to weep. Quiet delirium, with stupefaction and dullness of the head (Belladonna, Rhus tox., Phosphorus).
Head. Vertigo; in the morning; towards evening, when standing and walking; and head sinks backward and forward. Confusion and dullness of the head. Pressure as from a weight in the head, or if the vertex had been beaten. Aching with tingling in the head. Violent pressure in the forehead, in the morning on waking. Headache forces one to lie down, and is insupportably aggravated by least shaking or noise (Belladonna). Bones in the skull feel as if some one had scraped the swollen and tender periosteum with a knife. Hair turns gray early (Lycopodium), or flaxen; falls off, especially after grief or sorrow. Itching of the scalp (Calcarea c., Carb. an., Sulphur).
Eyes. Pressure in the eyes, as if the eye balls were too large (Carls., Paris, Plumb., Spigelia). Agglutination, mornings. Yellow spots on the white of the eyes. Dilated pupils (Belladonna, Hyoscyamus, Stramonium).
Ears. Every sound re-echoes loudly in the ears (Causticum, Mercurius, Phosphorus). Intolerance of noise, especially music (Aconite, Ambr.). Roaring in the ears, with difficult hearing (Calcarea c., Mercurius, Secale, Sulphur). Spasmodic drawing pain in the ear.
Nose. Bleeding of the nose, dark blood (Croc., Hamamelis).
Face. Paleness of the face. Large pimples on the face.
Mouth. Red streak in middle of tongue, widens in front. Teeth become yellow. Degeneration of the gums, which bleed easily. Speech difficult, tongue swollen. Dryness of tongue, palate and whole mouth, without thirst (Apis, Nux moschata, Pulsatilla). Lips dry and cracked, with brownish crusts, in fever. Bites side of tongue involuntarily; also at night.
Throat. Sticking throat on swallowing food.
Stomach. Loss of appetite (Alumina, Arsenicum, Cinchona, Natr. mur., Sulphur). Unquenchable thirst (Aconite, Arsenicum, Bryonia, Nitr. ac.). Longs for something refreshing and juicy (Phosphorus). Sour or acrid eructations (Carb. v., Nux v., Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Sulphur). Aversion to coffee (Lycopodium); desire for milk and beer (Coccul., Pulsatilla). Sensitiveness in lower caecal region. Pressure in the stomach, as from a weight, after every meal (Aconite, Arsenicum, Bryonia, Nux v., Pulsatilla, Sepia). Pressive pain in stomach, from touching pit of stomach.
Abdomen. Meteoristic distension of the abdomen (Aconite,); rumbling and gurgling. General tympanitis with enlarged spleen. Pressure in the hypogastrium.
Stool. Diarrhoea not debilitating (Pulsatilla), though of long continuance (reverse, Arsenicum, Cinchona, Phosphorus, Secale). Involuntary stools, with the emission of flatus (Aloe.). Stool thin, whitish-gray (Phosphorus); yellowish and very offensive (Asafoetida); pasty, involuntary, bright-yellow.
Urinary Organs. Urine like milk (Stil.), even coagulating. Urine passed in large quantities (Acid aceticum, Ascl. c., Eupat. purp., Physos.), especially at night (Ambr., Ammonium mur.) profuse, watery, pale, following freely; deposits a sediment.
Male Organs. Erections in the morning in bed; in morning when standing. Frequent, profuse and debilitating emissions (Cinchona). Emissions when pressing at stool. Emission at night without erections. Weakness of sexual organs (Agaricus, Agn., Baryta c., Coni., Phosphorus, Sulphur), with onanism and little sexual desire. Exhaustion after coition; also after pollution (Agaricus, Cinchona, Kali carb., Staphysagria). Swelling of left testicle.
Female Organs. Menses too early and too long; too copious; blood dark. Pain in the liver during menstruation. Profuse, yellow leucorrhoea, mostly after the menses, with itching. Meteoristic distension of the uterus.
Respiratory Organs. Hoarseness and roughness in the throat (Phosphorus, Carb. v., Nux v.). Capillary bronchitis, worse evenings, with fever, dyspnoea, pain under sternum, then violent sneezing, thirst and coryza, profuse purulent secretions. Dry cough, caused by tickling low down in the chest; worse evenings after lying down. Cough, with copious expectoration;; with expectoration of herby taste and odor. Salty expectoration in the morning. Oppressed, difficult respiration. Pain in the chest, as from weakness (Stannum).
Heart. Palpitation in young persons growing too fast; after onanism. Pulse irregular, intermittent.
Limbs. Bruised pain in all the joints in the morning, and in the arms and legs. Burning, gnawing, tearing pains in the bones of the extremities. Weakness of extremities after loss of fluids (Calcarea c., Cinchona, Phosphorus).
Generalities. Great weakness and prostration, especially in the morning. Disinclination to do anything (Cinchona, Nux v.). Swelling and sponginess of the bones (Asafoetida, Hepar s.). Painless swellings of glands (Iodi.). Periosteal inflammation (Staphysagria), with burning, gnawing, tearing pains. Bruised sensation in all joints in morning; in hips, arms, thighs and nape, as from growing pains. Pains at night, as if bones were being scraped with a knife (Cinchona); after contusions. Constant disposition to move (Aconite, Rhus tox.).
Skin. Formication of the whole body. Herpes dry or humid, squamous; variola.
Sleep. Great drowsiness land apathy. Sleeps in the evening. Sleeplessness after midnight. Cannot arouse in the morning. Lascivious dreams (Silicea), with emissions.
Fever. Chills with shuddering and shaking, always in the evening; more internal shivering than external coldness (Eupat.); the coldness in hands and tips of fingers. Heat over the whole body in the evening. Internal heat, without being too to the touch. Profuse sweat during the night and in the touch. Profuse sweat during the night and in the morning (Calcarea c., Cinchona, Mercurius, Silicea, Sulph ac.). Fever heat, almost depriving one of consciousness.
Aggravation. AT rest, at night; from uncovering; from warm food; from coffee.
Amelioration. General relief of pains by motion, sometimes by pressure.
Conditions. Especially suitable for young people who are growing too fast.
Compare. The MIneral acids. Fluoric acid, Picric acid Asafoetida, Anacardium, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Calcarea c., Cinchona, Coni., Ignatia, Lycopodium, Mercurius, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Sepia, Silicea, Staphysagria, Sulphur, Veratrum, alb., Phosphorus ac., follows Cinchona (sweat, diarrhoea and debility), Nux v. in fainting after a meal, while after it comes Ferrum Rhus tox., Veratrum alb.
Antidotes. Camph., Coffea
THERAPEUTICS.
Phosphoric acid represents a mental and physical weakness and torpidity of nature found in no other drug. It is especially useful in neurasthenia, or debility. This may have resulted din young people, in whom the drug is most often useful, from growing too rapidly, the physical system developing at the expense of the nervous and mental, or it may result as a remote effect from depressing emotional causes, such as grief, sorrow, homesickness or disappointed love, but more often the neurasthenia is of sexual origin, and results from long continued sexual excesses or onanism. The patient has involuntary emissions during sleep, or after urinating or straining at stool. Is greatly exhausted therefrom, and has vertigo, weakness of the back and limbs, mental torpidity, brain fag, etc. The sexual powers are so weakened that erections are deficient; during an embrace emissions take place soon, and after coition the patient is greatly exhausted, with symptoms as above stated, and burning in the spine. It is unquestionably the chief remedy in spermatorrhoea and sexual neurasthenia. It has also been used for swollen and tender testicles. Herpes preputialis with tingling. Sycotic excrescences. Fig warts complicated with chancre. In women it has been useful for menorrhagia of dark blood, with great weakness; debility from long-continued nursing; leucorrhoea; meteoristic distension of the uterus. In all nervous diseases the urine is loaded with phosphates, and there is generally aching in the small of the back. Frequently the hair turn gray early, and falls out after the emotional causes above named. The drug causes polyuria, and is the chief remedy in diabetes insipidus, and is unquestionably curative in diabetes mellitus, as the experience of the author and many others abundantly testify. Catarrh of the bladder. The drug may be useful in chorea and hysteria, with characteristic weakness and mental symptoms. The peculiar mental apathy of Phosphorus ac. with its prostration, involuntary stools, nosebleed, etc., has led to its frequent use in typhoid and other low forms of fever. A clinical symptom is a red streak in the center of the tongue, which widens in front, the urine often looks milky, contains albumen, and decomposes rapidly, and the abdomen is tympanitic. It does not reach the very profound low types of fever, such as call for Arsenicum or Lachesis or even Rhus tox. Has often proved useful in intermittent fever, probably not of malarial origin. Acid dyspepsia (see stomach symptoms). Chronic diarrhoea, painless, not debilitating. Painless diarrhoea during cholera time (Phosphorus). Sometimes useful in laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis; cough arising from tickling low down in the chest, worse in the evening after lying down; expectoration, mostly in the morning, tasting salty. Capillary bronchitis (see symptoms.). Phthisis, with great weakness in chest (Stannum). Nervous palpitation of the heart, from causes previously named. Spinal anaemia from sexual excess or onanism. Has proved palliative in caries of the lumbar vertebrae. Swelling and sponginess of bones. Caries (not necrosis.). Periostitis. Hip-joint diseases. Painless swelling of glands. Warts indented or pedunculated. Condylomata, with bone pains, complicated with chancre. Atonic ulcers on legs. Skin adhering after ulceration grows to the bone. Acne of young people from onanism. Blood boils. Chilblains.
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).