Hepar does not have special relation to the lungs and pleura in its symptoms. In purulent pleural inflammation it proves itself useful as in all suppuration, especially after the opening of the purulent cavity where it is superior to simple sulfur. Also in endangering pneumonias with impending suppuration, offensive purulent secretion, emaciation and night sweats, evening attacks of coughing on lying down are to be characterized as indications. For lung tuberculosis the relation to hepar is not particularly close: the same caution is to be observed as with sulfur if the symptoms seem to require the remedy.
The gastro-intestinal actions of hepar are less characteristic; they are similar to sulfur, but even less used as independent indications. An atonic state is to be read out of the dyspeptic symptoms. The stomach easily becomes disordered and there is an appetite only for acids, condiments and wine; aversion towards fat and food in general; in spite of a feeling of gastric emptiness in the morning (as with sulfur) whereby eating improves the general feeling, pressure and distention often appear even after a little foods so that sitting and tight clothing are intolerable. Constricting pain and cutting in the abdomen are reported; a distention which embarrasses respiration; colic, sensitiveness and cutting pains in the liver region. The stool may be hard and dry, or infrequent and soft stools will be evacuated with pressure and force. More rarely the stools are whitish, acid, offensive in children (as in calcarea). Blood- streaked, mucous-containing stools like those of dysentery are used more rarely as an indication than with sulfur; in mercury poisoning this form expresses itself and from general causes would give a place for hepar as well as sulfur.
Also the relations of hepar to the urogenital apparatus are of subordinate significance. According to the suggestion of Kafka it is often used in purulent renal inflammations, particularly after scarlet fever. In purulent pyelitis hepar may be in place before silicea. But one must particularly consider the remedy in purulent prostitutes and prostatic abscess. The following symptoms refer more to the prostate than to bladder atony: the urine is delayed and flows with difficulty or the stream is interrupted; retention of urine after attempts at emptying; nocturnal urination (as with sulfur); emission of prostatic secretion after urination and with hard stools. As a further indication, dribbling, particularly after the use of mercury, is mentioned. A splinterlike pain in the urethra, just as in wounds and skin eruption, is characteristic. But also the report, blood after urination, was useful to me in the treatment of a case, where the symptom occurred in conjunction with gonorrhea. For the female sexual organs perhaps the offensive leucorrhoea with soreness and splinterlike pain in the vulva is a single indication which arises from ulcerated states.
Of the skin symptoms, falling out of hair should be mentioned. Concerning the cause, that is, the form in which hepar comes into consideration, nothing definite is said. Perhaps the report is clinical and refers to the falling out of hair in pustular eczema of the scalp, which hepar often heals. It is interesting, in any case, that calcium sulfide (CaS), which gradually goes over into Ca (SH)2, is used externally as a depilatory and in the Orient for shaving.
Finally to be mentioned is a painfulness of the face on touch. Here it is probably concerned with a neuralgia which suggests a beginning inflammation of the mouth or the accessory sinuses. Also drawing, contracting pain of dentition, on biting together, and aggravated by food and warmth (in contrast to the usual relief from warmth) are symptoms of such an inflammation.
SUMMARY
General:
Lymphatic – Suppurations: staphylococci and scrofulo- tuberculous (best sequence: mercury, hepar, silicea)
Hypersensitivity: to cold, drafts; against pain contact, odors
Offensive secretions, night sweats
Heavy metal and iodine poisoning
Chief Organ Trends:
Mucous membranes of upper respiratory passages Thick, yellow secretion with simple or scrofulous catarrhs
Croupous inflammations (expiratory stridor)
Skin: unhealthy; ulcerated; falling out of hair
Glands: suppuration
Special Symptoms:
Sensation of splinter (throat, ulcers, urethra)
Sweating without relief
Odor of secretion like old cheese.
Modalities:
Worse from cold, draft; from chilling of an area, uncovering; cough also from cold drinks (toothache worse from warmth)
Worse nights; cough in evening and croupous cough, mornings
Better from warmth in any form, also in damp warm weather; headache (root of nose!); better from warm covering
Worse from contact.
DOSE :
I have had good experiences with the 3 and 6 decimal triturations. The higher potencies which are also recommended I have have not sufficiently tested as yet.
ACIDUM SULFURICUM
We can no longer expect sulfur-like actions of sulfuric acid, H2SO4. For the sulfate anion is the highest oxidation step in the organism, it is the end-product and excretory product for which no physiologic function outside of combination and detoxification of noxious intermediate metabolic products is known. Not many peculiar medicinal actions can be ascribed to the sulfates. Indeed, in large amounts, sulfuric acid acts as a foreign, indeed harmful, substance but not in a characteristic way. Much more, the severe poisonous manifestations known of it are more or less common to all strong mineral, that is, markedly dissociating acids and also an effect of free hydrogen ions. Of small doses a peculiar action is only to be presumed because the medicinal site of application of the sulfate ion is different from the physiologic site of development of it. On the way up to the compound form in which the customary excretion occurs, small doses can presumably unfold definite effects. Distinct and great alterations are not present for the above-mentioned reasons.
It is also not surprising if a chronic sulfuric acid poisoning is not known in toxicology. Lewin mentions only: chronic ingestion of sulfuric acid causes disturbances of appetite and apparently a decalcification of the bones. If the last is true, then this probably suggests an acid action. To be considered in the theory of sulfate action is that the compound with calcium (gypsum) is hardly soluble so that its action, for example, can also consist of an irreversible calcium precipitation (for example, depression of the coagulation of blood!).
Drug provings of acidum sulfuricum are found in:
(1) Hahnemann: Chron. Krankheiten:, 2 Aufl, Bd. 5, 1839,
(2) Arch.f. hom. Helikunst, Bd. 8, p.190 (contained in 1), 1829,
(3) Neues Arch. f. hom. Helikunst, Bd. 1, 1844.
Also in the homoeopathic drug picture, which, however is not well founded, the symptoms which are common in other mineral acids predominate, so that very few certain characteristics of the sulfate fraction remain. The great weakness and exhaustion, with sweating, cachexia, tendency to bleeding from all organs with dark, thin, fluid blood, and also from the skin (purpura hemorrhagica), moreover, stomatitis aphthosa, are also found in hydrochloric and nitric acid. A certain tendency to transition into gangrene and septic processes is mentioned in sulfuric as well as hydrochloric acid, those of sulfuric acid particularly after mechanical injuries.
Perhaps single symptoms serve for differentiation: for example, for the state of weakness the sensation of trembling without visible trembling. (The weakness is said to be aggravated by prolonged standing, recalling sulfur.) The pains are characterized through prolonged increase and sudden diminution. This modality was found, so far as I can determine, always in the same prover (Gross), and was stressed for various pains. If such a modality is confirmed, then, because, of its great extent, it is naturally more important than such a sensation as the feeling of tension in the face as though egg was dried upon the skin, which is reported only by one prover (Nehring) in sulfuric acid and which is less reliable.
Acidum sulfuricum is esteemed as a remedy for drunkards. This may arise from the empiric use of a mixture of sulfuric acid with alcohol (1:3), ten to fifteen drops daily, for the purpose of alcoholic withdrawal. This indication is supported from the provings through single gastric symptoms. A report of a proving of Hahnemann reads: Each drink, which did not contain alcohol, chilled the stomach. Further indications are persistent gulping, loss of appetite, chronic sour stomach and acid eructations, morning, vomiting and retching. The acid eructations, should be of such a nature that they blunt the teeth. Furthermore, a great feeling of relaxation of the stomach is said to be characteristic. Aversion to coffee, even to the odor of coffee, goes back to Hahnemann’s report. Marked itching and burning of enlarged hemorrhoids are also given as indications.
The drug picture suggests particular utility at the climacterium: the waves of heat with profuse sweats, weakness and feeling of trembling, nervous haste and impetuosity. The last, with an irritable and fretful frame of mind, are given as the chief mental symptoms. On the female organs the tendency to bleeding is decisive for the remedy: menses marked and frequent with dark, thin blood, old cervical erosions with sharp, burning and slimy, bloody leucorrhoea. States of irritation and itching are described in respect to the external genitalia.
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,