NATRUM SULPHURICUM


NATRUM SULPHURICUM. When the hayfever and asthmatic suffers start phoning that they are having an attack and it is a damp, wet, chilly day, or a hot humid day, one begins to investigate the homoeopathic Dr.Dixon first led me to see the benefits of Natrum Sulphuricum in this situation. Kent lists eight-seven remedies in the Repertory under Generalities, Wet weather, aggravation from. Eleven are given in the highest rating.


When the hayfever and asthmatic suffers start phoning that they are having an attack and it is a damp, wet, chilly day, or a hot humid day, one begins to investigate the homoeopathic Dr.Dixon first led me to see the benefits of Natrum Sulphuricum in this situation. Kent lists eight-seven remedies in the Repertory under Generalities, Wet weather, aggravation from. Eleven are given in the highest rating.

Cleveland, on Lake Erie, gets a lake breeze occasionally, and the early morning air may be damp. So I have found Pulsatilla and Natrum sul. very helpful with asthmatic and hayfever sufferers in that area.

Natrum sul. is the sulphate of soda, is found naturally in saline springs and is known as Glauber’s salt. It may be prepared by adding sulphuric acid to common salt but the homoeopathic remedy is prepared from the natural salt. It is a tissue remedy, says Woodbury, acting through the sympathetic nervous system upon the gastro-intestinal tract, liver, kidneys, skin. Its action is the reverse of Natrum sul, which attracts water to the cells; Natrum sul. eliminates waste matter and water, says Anschutz.

Woodbury says Natrum sul. acts well after Ferr. phosp. and may be beneficially followed by Ars. The Boericke and Tafel Handbook indicates that Ars. and Thuj. are complementary to Natrum sul.

The Natrum sul. patient is aggravated in damp humid weather; he feels every change from dry to wet. The disposition is melancholy with aching pains in the head. The nose is stuffed up with a thick, catarrhal, yellow discharge. There may be some acrid nose bleeds about the menstrual time. The mouth has a bitter taste, with brown coating on the tongue.

There is thirst for cold fluids, with heartburn and flatulence after eating. Cannot bear tight clothing about waist. Aches and pains in abdomen. Skin troubles return every spring. Skin itches when uncovered; tendency to warty lumps on body; vulvitis with swelling and itching of parts; burning of soles of feet; ;itching between toes; stiffness and cracking of joints.

Aggravation is from 4 to 5 A.M. Asthma in children; asthma with dyspnoea and coughing; asthma with every fresh cold.

Worse: dampness; lying on left side. Better: Change of position; in dry weather.

CASE 1.-Boy, 10 years old, sensitive, blond, shy, intelligent, restless in chair although good and cooperative. Mother quite gray, than, hesitant in manner, recently blind. Father tall, thin appears older than he is, sensitive and quiet, gave very gentle and kindly care to his family. Boy had had asthmatic attacks every night for previous year, so that family had little sleep. Attacks would be with coughing and wheezing, coming on after eating, with laughing, at about 9 P.M. and about 5 A>M. Always well otherwise. No vaccination. Whooping cough when three years old. Pulsatilla was given because the boy was chilly and wept with his attacks which greatly frightened him, amelioration in fresh air, and the general impression of a sensitive intelligent family.

This controlled the case for about a month. Then a severe attack occurred, not controlled by Pulsatilla. Natrum sul. was given and the attack cleared up within one-half hour followed by a sound night’s sleep for the whole family. No attacks for one month until about one week after an attack of mumps, which was helped by Apis and Belladonna. Had itching of back with asthma. Natrum sul. repeated in higher potency, 50M, and no attacks now for nearly two months. The child still tires easily but he has gained weight and color, is more gout-going in nature, and quite hardy. The parents are very grateful for undisturbed rest for the whole family.

CASE. 2.-Young lady, aged 23, asthma with dyspnoea and tight short cough of two years’ duration, since moving to Cleveland from South Carolina. Blonde, small-boned, never ill otherwise, and no serious illness. Had pneumonia, not seriously, as a child. Plucky, humorous, intelligent type of person. Natrum sul. given and repeated in 50M potency after about two weeks, when attack recurred. No attacks now for three months, after having attack every day during spring, winter and fall. Says she also feels much better in general. CASE 3.-Young lady, 28 years old, dark oily skin, dark hair and eyes, thin and nervous. Of Welsh-French Protestant background married eight years to a man 54 years old, an Italian Catholic and living with his family.

Has had for seven years terrific itching of the vulva which is markedly edematous and covered with small moist vesicles and loss of some hair growth. Perspiration profuse, offensive and acrid, especially in genital and axillary areas. Will leave a spot on a chair where she had been sitting. Merc. given with but very little change in any factor noticed, although she felt the itching was slightly better after two week’s time. Natrum sul. was given because of a marked aggravation in damp humid weather. Marked improvement followed at once and has lasted three weeks. Itching almost gone, swelling is less, perspiration slightly less obvious, is much less disturbed by an exceedingly unpleasant and inharmonious home situation. The perspiration is now the most bothersome problem instead of the itching which had caused great loss of sleep.

Natrum. sul. may be summarized as a natural salt needed by the human economy in ailments mainly of the skin or mucous membranes and the respiratory tract, which ailments show a marked aggravation from dampness and humidity.

EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Lucy Swanton clark