From a proving of glonoin in Schwabia, the symptoms of the eleventh prover may be mentioned. Because of their struma parenchymatosa they seem to have special liability of the cardiovascular system, for they reported they had previously experienced “now and then very obvious cardiac action”. After five drops of the third decimal potency, which is also about one- fourth of the smallest dose used clinically under ordinary circumstances, these provers observed ever again: “After three to five minutes: transient feeling of anxiety. Feeling of oppression in the heat briefly, the cardiac pulsation unpleasantly obvious and the pulse seemed fuller, more powerful, not more rapid”.
In the sixth prover on the eight day of the proving with the fourth decimal potency was reported: “About 11 o’ clock in the morning cramplike pains in the left biceps in each movement particularly bending; it ceased immediately on rest; not sensitive to pressure. The pain increased up to noon and about this time passed over to the ulnar side of the arm. Diminished after about two hours and by evening it was only trifling”. On the twelfth day: In the morning about 11, paroxysmally for a few minutes, cramplike, constricting pain in the chest, particularly on inspiration. Coming, and going rapidly and lasted in all about one-half an hour”.
Such symptoms are, indeed, not an image of a completely developed case of angina pectoris but are still a very extensive approximation in the symptoms. The repeatedly observed pains in the left arm may be compared to the well-known radiation in angina pectoris and may be conceived as a viscero-sensory reflex. That one cannot produce a momentary occlusion of the coronary vessels and in the severely arteriosclerotic vessels, is certain, but still is not decisive for the question of the homoeopathic suitability. How does man react to angiospasm and how to glonoin? That is the question; with anxiety, sensation of oppression and cramp and radiating pain in the arm is the answer. And from this is yielded a certain probability under the homoeopathic viewpoint that glonoin is of use in angina pectoris; reversely if glonoin is helpful in angina pectoris, then this is a support of its proving symptoms.
The use of glonoin in angina pectoris would not be homoeopathic if it did not support the help of the organism in an attack but suppressed it. Now there is no doubt that in extreme angiospasm the self-regulation tends to vessel-widening and the symptoms are an expression for this and that glonoin supports this regulation in this sense. We must judge always according to observations, the symptoms, not according to ideas of intermediate events.
When further against the homoeopathic justification of glonoin
in angina pectoris is cited the brief action and the necessity of doses of about one milligram (also the 2-3 decimal potency), so this too is not valid. Glonoin is also a short and rapidly acting remedy, and so the remedy is suitable for the attack in respect to rhythm. That one cannot obtain lasting results with glonoin in the presence of high-grade structural alterations of vessels is no contradiction. Only if it could be demonstrated as has not been the case up to the present that the use of glonion favors the reappearance of the attack in the after effect, or that an afterstage of angiospasm existed, only then would it be palliative assistance in a case, although at times necessary and justified, to limit it to a minimum in the interest of the total circulation.
The dose of the 2-3 potency in such an cute condition as angina pectoris is thoroughly homoeopathic.
The introduction of glonoin into medicine is an outstanding contribution of the homeopath, C.Hering.
OTHER VESSEL ACTIONS
Undoubtedly, according to the simile rule, glonoin is suitable for hyperemic headaches. Such headaches are aggravated by movement, bending and shaking the head, from warmth and in particular from the heat of the sun and from wine; results of sunstroke are considered as etiologic indications. Pressure in the eyes, vertigo, ear noises and pulsation in the ears, spots before the eyes, sweating on the head, often accompany the congestive headache. Nausea and seeming smallness of letters can suggest the remedy in attacks of migraine with surging, pulsating pain, which compels absolute rest.
Rushing in the head in the menopause is likewise a suitable field for the use of glonoin.
In the provings the congestion repeatedly led to nose bleed.
After glonoin, increased diuresis is noted in many cases; increased light urine. This symptom occurs not rarely after an attack of angina pectoris as well as migraine and is ascribed to a release of the spasm in the vascular system.
The peculiar etiologic indication, to glonoin, “results of cutting the hair”, refers predominantly to tension in the neck and torticollis which one may perhaps bring into association in sudden variations in the vascular tonus of the neck. The influence of vessel width, redness of the skin, in glonoin extends especially to the neck. Outside of the previously mentioned pain in the arms, a burning, between the shoulder blades is observed and this is likewise a reflex symptom of coronary vessel disturbances. Moreover, in the sacral region and in the region of the sciatic, weakness, feeling, of numbness and pains are noted.
The palliatiative influence in contracted kidney, uremia and eclampsia should be incidentally mentioned.
The psychic actions; restlessness, irritability, anxiety with sudden variations in vascular tonus and the fatigue, loss, of desire for work in the completely dulled head, are not difficult to understand.
Still worthy of note in the last drug proving is the repeated appearance of skin manifestations and in one prover it caused an old frost bite which had disappeared four years before to return. (Here also serves a report from older reports of provings: old scars again break down). The skin manifestations have indeed up to the present no significance as indications for glonoin, but we recall that glonoin, is a nitrate and can hold it as possible that here a nitrate effect comes too weakly to expression. Lewin reports a purpuri form eruption as a rare manifestation in nitroglycerin poisoning: “workers who are concerned with quantities and screening of dynamite have badly healing ulcers on the nails and on the fingers or the plantar surfaces or between the fingers of both hands; there is an eruption which approximates a psoriasis, besides great dryness and formation of rhagades. Healing occurs on discontinuing the work. Recurrences occur”.
SUMMARY
Widening of the vessels from the head to the chest, congestive headaches and migraine with vertigo, ear noises, ocular manifestations Stenocardia (angina pectoris) Climacteric rush of blood to head Results of sunstroke Torticollis after hair cutting Aggravation of the headaches and migraine from movement warmth, sun, wine; afterwards increased light urine.
DOSE : In attacks the third decimal; for persistent action the fifteenth decimal has proven itself to me.
ACIDUM NITRICUM
The poor tendency to healing from the corrosion of nitric acid, HNO3, has long been known.
Lewin mentions some skin effects from the external use of dilute nitric acid, “after repeated rubbing with dilute nitric acid, the skin show a diffuse redness on which at first are found isolated elevations similar to goose skin. On further rubbing in, these pass over into pustules and after a short existence form small superficial round ulcers. In the brownish center of each stands a hair. Around this brown zone is found a white pseudomembranous appearance. On this occurs a red inflammatory areola. The affection soon disappears with exfoliation” Because this is observed only after external use, one can draw no conclusions apart from the poor tendency to healing and the tendency to ulcerating processes. Such tendencies are not alone peculiar to nitric acid but also to other mineral acids as sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and in a prominent degree to arsenious acid. The relationship in the periodic system permits a comparison of nitric acid mentioned, the tendency to ulcers with offensive secretions and a general tendency to ulcers with offensive secretions and a general tendency to bleeding is characteristic.
Nitric acid appears to share still a second organ direction with the other mineral acids, particularly on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract and indeed primarily on the oral mucousa: soreness, swelling, easily bleeds, formation of aphtha and ulcers with offensive odor to the mouth loosening of the teeth, and in nitric acid particularly, a flow of saliva. By the longer use of acid mostly dyspeptic symptoms and at times diarrhea are described. In cases of poisoning the dysenteric symptoms of nitric acid are reported.
In prehomoeopathic times, nitric acid like the other mineral acids was used as a diuretic agent and in drinks for malignant nervous fevers. In Russia it was valued as a folk remedy for syphilis. In secondary syphilis with torpid ulcers it has also been repeatedly recommended when mercury had been given for a long time without result. Still others reported that nitric acid was only of temporary value and would actually heal only when considerable mercury had been previously employed.
Leeser, a Consultant Physician at the Stuttgart Homeopathic Hospital and a member of the German Central Society of Homeopathic Physicians, fled Germany in 1933 after being expelled by the German Medical Association. In England Otto Leeser joined the staff of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. He returned to Germany in the 1950s to run the Robert Bosch Homeopathic Hospital in Stuttgart, but died shortly after.
Otto Leeser wrote Textbook of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Leesers Lehrbuch der Homöopathie, Actionsand Medicinal use of Snake Venoms, Solanaceae, The Contribution of Homeopathy to the Development of Medicine, Homeopathy and chemotherapy, and many articles submitted to The British Homeopathic Journal,