Respiratory Organs Hoarseness; roughness of the larynx (Carb. v., Hepar s., Kali. s., Kali bichromicum, Rhus tox.). Dry, hacking cough with hoarseness with soreness in the chest, caused by ticking and irritation in the throat (phos., Rumex, Sanguinaria, Sepia). Cough, especially in the evening on lying down, during the night (coni., Pulsatilla, Sepia), and after waking in the morning. Expectoration thick, yellow, lumpy; purulent(Carb. c., Lycopodium, Staphysagria); tenacious mucus (Kali bichromicum, phosphorus); Profuse; greenish(Stannum). Obstructed respiration; shortness of breath; oppression. Bruised pain in chest when coughing (Apis., Arnica). Sticking pain in the chest and sides (Bryonia, Kali carb., Phosphorus, Sepia). Pressive pain in the sternum.
Heart Palpitation and throbbing over the whole body while sitting. Violent palpitation on every movement.
Neck and Back Cervical glands and parotids swollen; indurated (Baryta c., Calcarea c., Iodi.). Stiffness of the nape of neck; with headache (chel., Ignatia). Weakness in back, and paralyzed feeling in limbs; could scarcely walk. Burning in back when walking in the the open air and becoming warm. Aching, shooting, burning and throbbing in lumbosacral region. Stitches between the hips. Tearing between and beneath the scapulae. Stiffness and pain in small of back on rising from a seat, or on getting out of bet in the morning. Pain as if beaten, in the small of back and hips. Coccyx painful, as after a long carriage ride. Stinging in os coccygis on rising; painful to pressure. Scabby elevation on coccyx, above fissure of nates.
Limbs Nails dirty-yellow, crippled and brittle. Ulcers about nails. Weakness of the limbs; can scarcely walk. Limbs go to sleep easily (Sepia, Sulphur). Lyc-cold legs and feet (Veratrum alb.). Soreness and lameness in the limbs.
Upper Limbs Heaviness and paralytic weakness of the arms. Trembling in all the limbs, especially in the hands. Great swelling of the axillary glands (Baryta c., Lycopodium). Tearing pain in wrists and ball of hand. Arms go to sleep when resting on them. Skin cracked in arms and hands. Cramp-like pain and lameness of the hand after slight exertion. Profuse sweat of the hands. Falling asleep of the hands at night. Finger bails rough and yellow. Dryness in tips of fingers. Contraction of flexor tendons; very painful when moving fingers. Tearing, drawing, sticking pain and numbness in fingers, as if suppurating, or as if a panaritium would form.
Lower Limbs Heaviness and weariness of the lower limbs. Tearing, stitching pains in the hips and thighs. Ulcer on leg, with sticking, burning pains. Suppurating pains in hip-joint. Drawing pains extending from the hips to the feet. Knee is painful, as if too tightly bound. Tearing in knee when sitting, better from motion. Cramp-like tension in the calves, and contraction. Swelling and redness of the feet. Intolerable carrion-like odor of the feet, without sweat, every evening. Offensive foot sweat (Baryta c., Nitr.ac., Graphites), with rawness between the toes (Sepia) Burning of feet. Cramp in soles of feet (Carb.v., Sulphur). Corrosive ulcer on heel, with itching. Soreness of the soles; also burning (Calcarea c., Sulphur). Itching, suppurating scabs on toes. Constant, violent boring or tearing in the great toes. Ingrowing toe nails (Mar. ver.); offensive discharge. Stitching pains in corns (Sulphur); also under toe nails.
Generalities Weakness and sense of great debility; wants to lie down; in morning after waking; on rising; evening; after walking; at night, even to faintness. Emaciation; with pale, suffering expression. Trembling hen writing. Coldness of left side of body. Epileptiform spasms; starting, distortion of eyes, twitching of lips, lolling of tongue, stretching and distortion of head and limbs. Restlessness, with excitement. Want of vital warmth (Ledum, Sepia), even when taking exercise. Sensitive to cold air (Aurum, Coccul., Kreosotum, Sepia); takes cold easily (Calcareac.). Painful, bruised feeling over the hole body (Arnica, Baptisia); after coition; at night, as if he had lain in an uncomfortable position. Whole side of body on which he lies is painful, as if ulcerating, with chilliness on uncovering; thirst, and flushes of heat to the head (Calcarea phos.). Itching and sticking in various of the body. Feeling as if knives were running into her.
Skin Small wounds heal with difficulty, and suppurate profusely (Borax, Graphites, Hepar s., Sulphur). Painful pustular eruptions (Cicuta, Crot. tig., Sulphur); at last forming suppurating ulcers; on forehead, occiput, sternum and spine. Eczematous or herpetic eruptions (Graphites, Hepars., Lycopodium, Sulphur). Disposition to boils in various parts; with stinging on touch. Ulcers, with stinging, sticking, burning pains; offensive, with ichor and proud flesh (Arsenicum, Carb. c., Graphites). Itching on various parts, worse at night, with sticking. Painless swelling of glands; also with suppuration (Graphites, Hepar s.). Fistulous openings; discharge offensive; parts around hard, swollen, bluish-red.
Sleep Great sleepiness after eating (kali c., Nux moschata), and in the evening. Yawning. Sleepiness all day. Restless, uneasy sleep; starting from sleep in fright, with trembling of whole body. Talking in sleep. Sleepiness after 2 A.M., with rush of thoughts. Dreams confused; frightful, of his youth; of past events; anxious; lascivious, with emissions (Phosphorusac.).
Fever Constant chilliness, even when exercising or in a warm room (Pulsatilla). shivering creeping over the whole body. Fever, with violent heat in the head (Belladonna); afternoons; at night, with thirst and catching inspiration. Frequent flushes of heat, especially face and head. Fever worse at night. Profuse perspiration at night (cinch., Stannum ac., Sulphur); sour or offensive (Arnica, Arsenicum, Carb.an.). Perspiration on slight exercise (Ambr., Calcareac., Hepar s., Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Sepia,
Aggravation During new moon (Causticum)); from motion; at night; in morning; from uncovering the head; open air; cold and wet; lying on painful side; wine.
Amelioration From wrapping head; from warmth; in the room.
Conditions Scrofulous children; large bellied, weak ankles, and much sweat about the head. Over-sensitive; imperfectly nourished, not from want of food, but from imperfect assimilation.
Compare Arnica, Belladonna, Calcarea c., Carb. v., Acidum fluoricum, Graphites, Hepar s., Hypericum, Kali carb., Lachesis, Lycopodium, Mercurius, Acid Muriaticum, Nitr. ac., Nux., Phosphorus, Phosphorus ac., Picr.ac., Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Ruta, Sepia, Sulphur, Thuja. After Belladonna, Bryonia, Calc c., Cina, Graphites, Hepars., Ignatia, Nitr., ac., or Phosphorus, then Silicea follows well. After Silicea come Fluor.ac., or Hepars., Lachesis, Lycopodium, Sepia
Antidotes Camph., Hepars., Fluor.ac.
Silicea Antidotes Mercurius, Sulphur
THERAPEUTICS
The chief clinical value of Silica is in the treatment of slow supportive processes in general long lasting suppurations; glands, abscesses ulcers, felons, boils, carbuncles, cancers, caries, etc. Bad effects of splinters, needles, etc., penetrating thee flesh. Indurations following supportive inflammations, to cause absorption. Valuable in scrofulous and rachitic conditions in general. Defective nutrition in scrofulous children, not from want of food, but from imperfect assimilation; open fontanelles; head large; body emaciated; large abdomen; sweat on the head, earthy complexion. Child slow in learning to walk. Diseases of bones (Fluor.ac.); of glands. Caries of bones, especially long bones, with stabbing pains. Caries of vertebrae. Spinal curvature. Necrosis. Enchondroma. Exostoses. Hip-joint disease. Felons sometimes aborted; they are generally better from warmth. Abscesses, especially about joints, with fistulous opening, offensive discharge, surrounding part hard, swollen, bluish- reed. Mild and malignant suppurations, cellular tissues. Disposition to boils. Pustular, eczematous and herpetic eruptions. Herpes zoster. Ulcers, with stinging, burning pains, offensive, proud flesh. Ailments from impure vaccination. Finger nails become yellow and brittle. Ulcers about the nails. Ingrowing toe-nails. Offensive feet. Offensive foot sweat. Useful in a variety of chronic diseases of the nervous system. Epilepsy, with well-marked aura starting from the solar plexus. Paralysis, more often a paralytic weakness arising from defective nutrition. Spinal irritation. Locomotor-ataxia. Often useful in nervous affections following injuries of the spine. Chronic effects of fright or shock. In all nervous disease the patient is extremely sensitive to all external impressions. The surface of the body is tender to the touch, and the spine cannot beat the last jar or pressure, also mental irritability and restlessness. Often valuable in nervous headaches, with symptoms noted in pathogenesis, especially when better from bandaging the head tightly or wrapping it up warmly. Useful in various diseases of the eye. A valuable remedy in inflammation of the lachrymal sac and in lachrymal fistula (Acidum fluoricum). Caries of the orbital bones. Scrofulous conjunctivitis. Blepharitis. Tarsal tumors. Ulcers and opacities of cornea; corneal fistulae. Senile cataract. Keratitis. Hypopion. Sclero-choroiditis. Irido- choroiditis. Big styes; also to prevent their recurrence. Inflammation of external, middle or inner ear; especially chronic supportive inflammation of middle ear; hissing noises most characteristic; ichorous discharge. Caries of mastoid processes. Chronic nasal catarrh, offensive purulent discharge, or thin, bloody, excoriating; ulcerated membrane; eustachian tube involved, with itching and tingling. Hay-fever, with symptoms given in pathogenesis. Necrosis of the jaw (Phosphorus). An extremely valuable remedy in abscesses at the of the teeth and dental fistulae. Tonsilitis, when the tonsils, have suppurated and the process does not cease. Hepatic abscess. Haemorrhoids. Fissures of the anus, with irritability and moisture. Diarrhoea, stools painless, offensive, lienteric, with constitutional symptoms of the drug. Constipation, from inactivity, stool when partly expelled slips back again. Diabetes, with general Silicea symptoms. Nocturnal seminal emissions. Sexual weakness. Hydrocele. Chlorosis. Suppuration of mammary tumors. May be useful in bronchial troubles of Silicea children; also in old people, especially phthisis mucous. Supportive stage of tuberculosis, with offensive, purulent expectoration. Sometimes useful in asthma following a suppressed fistulous discharge of long standing. Hectic fevers, with night sweats. Sometimes useful in chronic rheumatism.
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).