Not only is the blood increased in its supply to the brain, but its return to the heart is interfered with. Natural sleep as we all know is dependent upon an anaemia, a want of blood in the brain, quite the opposite to the condition produced by opium. It is irrational, therefore, to give opium to produce sleep. It certainly is not a natural sleep, therefore it must be harmful.
These paralyzing effects of opium are followed by a dilatation of the pupils, which do not react to light, showing here also paralysis. The face is dark red, even brownish red, and you will learn that the darker the face the more Opium is indicated homoeopathically. The urine is retained, there is loss of power and the sensibility of the bladder, the sphincters remain closed, the muscular structure of the bladder is weakened and it no longer contracts. On the same principle there is cessation of all action of the bowels, the faecal matter remains, the pulse is full, round and slow, later there are convulsions, loud screaming, the patient foams at the mouth, opisthotonos, distorted face, then snoring with bluish cyanotic face, then rattling from vibrations of the palate, the tetanic rigidity of the muscles and the dark red color of the face. Especially is it indicated in apoplexy of drunkards. It follows Belladonna and is followed by Apis.
DELIRIUM TREMENS.
So it is useful in delirium tremens, especially in old sinners where the constitution is destroyed. The face wears the expression of fright or terror, visions of animals are present. The least amount of alcohol makes him worse. The threatened apoplexy of drunkards also suggests its use, with occiput heavy like lead, numbness, free sweat, paralysis of tongue, difficult articulation and swallowing. The stupor, the coma and the stertorous respiration, contracted pupils, slow, feeble respiration, sweaty skin and diminished reflex irritability, the purple face, swollen from the distension of the blood vessels (it may even be of mahogany color, brownish hue), the muscular relaxation-this is the picture of Opium which you must ever bear in mind and possess. It is an easy thing to place this remedy in its proper therapeutical place.
Compare it with:.
Lachesis. Visions of snakes, hideous objects, throat symptoms, choking, spring out of sleep suddenly as if he had a dream.
Stramonium. Symptoms violent, starting from sleep in perfect horror, sees animals in every corner, the face is bright red and he tries to escape.
Cannabis indica. With this remedy there are errors as to time and space, things at the other end of the room seem thousands of miles off and it seems as it it would take days to walk there, a minute seems a thousand years. Patients will say that they have not had any thing to eat for days even five minutes after eating.
Arsenicum. Fear of death and will not be left alone.
Calcarea carb. The minute the eyes are closed vision are seen, compelling them to keep the eyes open.
TYPHOID FEVER and typhoid states, when there is profound congestion resulting from cerebral paralysis, loud stertorous breathing, dropping of the lower jaw, paralysis of the sweat glands, involuntary stools and the perspiring body is burning hot.
Lachesis. Typhoid fever with threatened paralysis of the brain.
CHOLERA INFANTUM. Fatally advancing stupor, pupils sluggish, the disease involves the brain, child appears as if it had been drugged. Opium will restore consciousness, diarrhoea will again set in and the case will develop normally.
COUGH. Opium is an admirable remedy in spasmodic dry cough, especially tormenting at night with scanty expectoration. Never give Opium in cough with profuse expectoration, but in the dry spasmodic, night coughs which prevent sleep. Hoarseness with dry mouth and throat, slow full pulse. Suppuration of the lungs in those addicted to intoxicating liquors, the face is blue during cough.
SKIN. Very troublesome itching all over, redness, skin hot and damp or sweating. Sudden retrocession of acute eruptions, paralysis of the brain setting in, convulsions, nervousness and diarrhoea.
NERVOUS SYMPTOMS. Spasms from fright or after fright of wet nurse, tetanic rigidity ushered in with a loud shriek, foaming at mouth, dark red face and hot sweat. Deep snoring sleep follows.
ABDOMEN AND STOOL. The abdomen is distended but has no power to expel its contents. Constipation, hard, dark brown, small pieces. Inertia of the rectum, no inclination for stool. In these cases gas accumulates in the upper part of the bowels and causes great pain. After abuse of enemas. Valuable in intestinal obstruction with faecal vomiting and violent colic. Intestinal sluggish so that the strongest purgatives lose their power. Opium is especially adapted to the aged and when the inactivity of the bowel is due to cerebral complications. Retention of stools, not so much due to condition or size as to symptoms of intestinal paresis. Constipation with lead colic or the result of pressure of a gravid uterus or abdominal tumor. Absence of expulsive efforts, there is a want of sensibility in the abdominal condition and hardly any inconvenience is felt from it. Constipation of good-humored corpulent women and children.
Bryonia. Constipation with inertia of rectum, stools large and dry.
Plumbum. Stools is hard, black balls with some constriction of rectum.
Alumina. Inertia of rectum, stools soft.
URINE. Retention of urine as a result from fright or following parturition. Expulsive power of the bladder weak. Micturition only after long exertion.
FEVER. Intermittent fever, drowsiness during chill, stupidity as fever comes on, unconsciousness. Puerperal fever from fright. Shaking chill with deep soporous sleep. Complains that the bed is too hot, bed feels so hot he cannot lie on it.
Now and then we meet with patients whose general condition may be characterized as one of torpidity. Inactivity is the characteristic of the whole condition, mental and bodily. Where this cannot be traced to any disease requiring other special treatment, Opium will be found a good energizer and set the wheels of life in action again, it arouses.
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.