Synonym. Oleum. Terebinthinae. Common name. Oil of Turpentine. Preparation. One drop to ninety-nine of alcohol makes the 2x dilution.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
The chief of turpentine is upon the kidneys, where it produces irritation, congestion and inflammation, together with anaemia and albuminuria. It also affects to some extent all mucous surfaces, producing a tendency to congestion and catarrhal inflammation; it affects the bronchial and intestinal mucous membranes, causing cough and loose, bloody stools, with marked tympanitis; but more especially does it act upon the mucous lining of the bladder and urethra, giving rise to inflammation and strangury.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Mind. Stupefaction; inability to fix attention comatose condition (uraemia). (Belladonna).
Head. Vertigo; headache; intense pressure and fullness of the Head.
Nose. Violent nosebleed (Aconite, Belladonna, Bryonia, Hamamelis).
Face. Pale, earthy color of he face (Arsenicum)
Mouth. Tongue red, smooth, and glossy, as if deprived of papillae.
Stool. Stools of mucus and water worse in the morning. Intestinal catarrh and diarrhoea, with nephritis.
Urinary Organs. Heaviness and pressure in region of kidneys. Inflammation of the bladder. Burning in bladder and urethra; when urinating. Frequent desire to urinate. Urine suppressed. Violent burning, drawing pains in region of kindness. Distressing strangury, followed by soreness (Cantharis). Urethritis, with painful erections. Urine scanty and bloody (Arsenicum m. Cantharis, Colchicum, Hamamelis). Urine having the odor of violets.
Respiratory Organs. Difficult respiration, as if from congestion of the lungs. Breath short, hurried and anxious. Great dryness of the mucous membranes of the air passages. Expectoration streaked with blood.
Pulse. Quick, small, thready, almost imperceptible.
Generalities.
Great prostration (Arsenicum, Cinchona, Phosphorus). Occasional subsultus (Hyoscyamus, Stramonium). Cold, clammy perspiration all over the body (Camph., Tabac., Veratrum alb.)
Compare. Cantharis, Carb. v., Copab., Rig. Phosphorus, secal. c.
THERAPEUTICS.
The chief use of Terebintha is in the treatment of urinary diseases, especially albuminuria; Bright’s disease; nephritis particularly when following acute diseases; always burning, drawing pains in region of kidneys, with heaviness and pressure. Strangury, and scanty, bloody urine. Especially useful in the congestive stage of renal disease, before disorganization has taken place or soon after. Cystitis. Violent urethritis. Dropsies of renal origin. Pelvic peritonitis and cellulitis with bladder complications and tympanitic. Metritis, peritonitis, scarlet fever or typhoid fever, with characteristic urinary symptoms and marks tympanitic. Particularly valuable in intestinal haemorrhage. Bronchitis, with burning in chest Capillary bronchitis, child drowsy, lungs seem filled up, urine scanty and dark. Haemoptysis. Puerperal haemorrhagica. Bed sores Diarrhoea. Red, glossy tongue. Tympanitis. Recommended for various eye diseases especially when dependent upon kidney diseases. Ciliary neuralgia, over right eye. Epi-scleritis. Rheumatic iritis. Adhesions of the iris. Amblyopia from alcohol. Urticaria, after eating shell fish (Urtica.). Exanthema, with renal 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).