“In addition, we remark the striking similarity between the symptoms of chronic arsenical poisoning and those of the intermittent cachexy, as well as the fact that Arsenic has the property of causing the periodical recurrence of symptoms in so high a degree as to surpass in this respect all other drugs, in a word, no other drug known to us has such a power of affecting so intimately and so variously those organs that are especially affected in intermittent fever, and none corresponds so well as Arsenic does to all the requirements of a remedy for intermittent.
“Arsenic is indicated in cases which are distinguished not only by weakness in the vital power and deterioration of the organic substance, but also and at the same time by symptoms of excitation of the circulation, or of the nervous system alone, or of both together. Again, it seems to be more especially indicated the more malignant the influence from which the disease has sprung. Marsh – miasm is the chief of these influences, in this originate the most serious and most dangerous cases of fever, and in these Arsenic is often the only remedy that will rescue the patient. Again, the longer the disease has lasted the more is Arsenic generally indicated, because the more deeply have the organs and tissues been affected, the more nearly has the patient’s condition approached that known as the intermittent cachexia, and which so nearly resembles the arsenical cachexia. Especially is this the case when the liver and the spleen have become swollen.
“The intermittents which find their homoeopathic remedy in Arsenic present in their paroxysms the following peculiarities: The paroxysms are general, violent and of long duration, the stages are either distinctly developed and equally proportioned to each other, or else, as is most frequently the case, one of the stages is absent or is very feebly present, if the latter be the case, it is generally the cold stage which fails, and the hot is all the more violent. The more intense the heat, the longer it continues, the higher the degree of development of the accompanying excitement in the vascular system, and the more burning and insatiable the thirst, the better is Arsenic indicated. The sweating stage may be altogether wanting, or the perspiration may be very copious, it breaks out generally several hours after the hot stage and lasts a long time.
“With the paroxysms are associated many distressing accessory symptoms, which are connected, some with the disturbances in the nervous system, some with those of the vascular system, e.g., spasms, pains, delirium, paralyses and the anguish and restlessness that are so characteristic of Arsenic.
“The apyrexia is not pure, but is disturbed by symptoms of the most various kinds, restlessness, sleeplessness, spasms, digestive disorders, feeling of weakness and general prostration, and it is especially characteristic for Arsenic that after every paroxysm there is a notable increase of prostration.”
Difference between Arsenicum and Cinchona
Arsenicum
Time: Characteristic, 1 to 2 p.m. – 12 to 2 A.M. Anticipates. “Sleepy, night before the paroxysm.” – H.V.Miller. Prodrome: No thirst. Headache, with vertigo and pale face, pain in bowels and watery diarrhea. Chill: Irregular, mingling of heat and chilliness, chills alternating with heat, ameliorated by external heat. Thirst slight, if any, for hot drinks. Heat: Dry, burning, intense, as if hot water were coursing through the blood vessels. Great restlessness, uncovering brings relief. Insatiable thirst, drinks little and often. Sweat: Rarely occurs, light if any, but cold and clammy. Unquenchable thirst for large quantities of cold water, with vomiting after drinking. Tongue: Sides furred, with red streak down the middle. Tongue brown, blue, desire for acids, aversion to food. Pulse: Weak, small and easily compressible. Frequent in morning, slower at night. Apyrexia: Great weakness and prostration, pale, sunken face, fetid, watery diarrhea, abdomen bloated, great desire to lie down.
Cinchona
Time. – Not characteristic. t A.M. – 5 P.M. Anticipates or postpones. Restless sleep, night before the paroxysm.”HAHNEMANN. Prodrome. – Great thirst. Canine hunger, headache with flushed face and palpitation of the heart. Chill. – Regular, violent chill overwhole body, with icy cold hands and feet, external heat increases chill. No thirst during chill. Heat. – With distended veins and congestive headache, often delirium. Wants to uncover, but chilly when uncovered. Rarely any thirst, if any at close of heat. Hunger instead of thirst. Sweat. – Debilitating, profuse. On being covered, he sweats profusely all over. Sweating during sleep. Thirst returns, for large quantities, or little and often. Tongue. – White, yellow. Thick, dirty coating, taste too acute, food tastes bitter, too salt, hungry. Pulse. – Hard, full, quick. Uncommon distention of blood- vessels. Apyrexia. – Sweats, easily, exhausting night-sweats, pain in both hypochondria, complete loss of appetite.
Arsenicum is often given (by some homoeopaths) in alternation with Cinchona or some of its alkaloids in this disease, but with the above comparison, to those who differentiate, there ought to be little danger of confounding them. Where one is indicated the other never is. Flower’s’s solution, and massive doses of the lower triturations of Arsenicum, frequently repeated, are wholly unnecessary in the treatment of intermittent or any other fever. If the remedy be indicated, the potentized drug will effect a more prompt and radical cure.
Arsenicum is probably more often indicated than any other remedy, in the so – called “dumb ague,” “masked intermittent,” so often met with after abuse of Quinine. Also, in the afternoon intermittents of nursing children – who never have chills, and from whom it is impossible to obtain many indications – it frequently suffices to complete a cure. The general constitutional symptoms are guiding.
In typhoid and continued fevers no remedy perhaps is so often abused as Arsenicum, when it is too frequently repeated in the 3x or 6x for “typhoid fever” not for the symptoms of the patient. In the characteristics of Arsenicum will be found such complete indication for its use in any stage of typhoid, typhus or yellow fever that the baneful effects of a routine practice may be avoided.
Analysis: Time, 1 – 2 p.m. or 12 -2 A.M. is always guiding
Chill: Light, irregular, mingling with heat, ameliorated by external heat. Thirst, if present, for warm drinks.
Heat: Dry, burning, intense, great restlessness, uncovering ameliorated, unquenchable thirst, drinks little but often.
Sweat: Often wanting, if any cold and clammy, great thirst for large quantities of cold water, with vomiting after drinking.
The mental restlessness, physical weakness and profound prostration are always present in every form of fever.
Anxiety, fear of death, fears disease is incurable, aggravated when alone or when retiring.
Incomplete stages, obscurity of either chill, heat or sweat.
