HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA
by
WILLIAM BOERICKE, M.D.

 

  
CAMPHORA
Camphor

Hahnemann says: "The action of this substance is very puzzling and difficult of investigation, even in the healthy organism because its primary action, more frequently than with any other remedy, alternates and becomes intermixed with the vital reactions (after effects) of the organism. On this account it is often difficult to determine what belongs to the vital reactions of the body and what to the alternating effects due to the primary action of the camphor."

Pictures a state of collapse. Icy coldness of the whole body; sudden sinking of strength; pulse small and weak. After operations, if temperature is subnormal, low blood pressure, 3 doses camph. 1x, 15-minute intervals. This condition is met with in cholera, and here it is that Camphor has achieved classical fame. First stages of a cold, with chilliness and sneezing. Subsultus and extreme restlessness. Cracking of joints. Epileptiform convulsions. Camphor has a direct relationship to muscles and fascia. In local rheumatic affections in cold climates necessary. Distention of veins. As a heart stimulant for emergency use of Camphor is the most satisfactory remedy. Drop doses on sugar as often as every five minutes.

It is characteristic of Camphor that the patient will not be covered, notwithstanding the icy coldness of the body. One of the main remedies in shock. Pain better while thinking of it. Very sensitive to cold and to touch. Sequelæ of measles. Violent convulsion, with wandering and hysterical excitement. Tetanic spasms. Scrofulous children and irritable, weakly blondes especially affected.

Head.--Vertigo, tendency to unconsciousness, feeling as if he would die. Influenza; headache, with catarrhal symptoms, sneezing, etc. Beating pain in cerebellum. Cold sweat. Nose cold and pinched. Tongue cold, flabby, trembling. Fleeting stitches in temporal region and orbits. Head sore. Occipital throbbing, synchronous with the pulse.

Eyes.--Fixed, staring; pupils dilated. Sensation as if all objects were too bright and glittering.

Nose.--Stopped; sneezing. Fluent coryza on sudden change of weather. Cold and pinched. Persistent epistaxis, especially with goose-flesh state of skin.

Face.--Pale, haggard, anxious, distorted; bluish, cold. Cold sweat.

Stomach.--Pressive pain in pit of stomach. Coldness, followed by burning.

Stool.--Blackish; involuntary. Asiatic cholera, with cramps in calves, coldness of body, anguish, great weakness, collapse, tongue and mouth cold.

Urine.--Burning and strangury, with tenesmus of the neck of the bladder. Retention with full bladder.

Male--Besire increased. Chordee. Priapism. Nightly emissions.

Respiratory.--Præcordial distress. Suffocative dyspnœa. Asthma. Violent, dry, hacking cough. Palpitation. Breath cold. Suspended respiration.

Sleep.--Insomnia, with cold limbs. Subsultus and extreme restlessness.

Extremities.--Rheumatic pain between shoulders. Difficult motion. Numbness, tingling and coldness. Cracking in joints. Cramps in calves. Icy cold feet, ache as if sprained.

Fever.--Pulse small, weak, slow. Icy coldness of the whole body. Cold perspiration. Congestive chill. Tongue cold, flabby, trembling.

Skin.--Cold, pale, blue, livid. Cannot bear to be covered (Secale).

Modalities.--Worse, motion, night, contact, cold air. Better, warmth.

Relationship.--Camphor antidotes or modifies the action of nearly every vegetable medicine--tobacco, opium, worm medicines, etc. Laffa acutangula (whole body ice-cold, with a restlessness and anxiety; burning thirst). Camphoric acid--(a prophylactic against catheter fever; cystitis 15 grains three times a day; also for prevention of night sweats).

Incompatible: Kali nit.

Complementary: Canth.

Antidotes: Opium; Nitr sp dulc; Phos.

Compare: Carbo; Cuprum; Arsenic; Veratr.

Dose.--Tincture, in drop doses, repeated frequently, or smelling of Spirits of Camphor. Potencies are equally effective.

  
CAMPHORA BROMATA
Mono-bromide of Camphor
(CAMPHORA MONO-BROMATA)

Nervous excitability is the guiding condition. Suppression of milk. Nightly emissions. Painful erections. Paralysis agitans. Cholera infantum, and infantile convulsions. Intensifies the action of Quinine and renders it more permanent.

Mind.--Directions appear reversed, i.e, north seems south, and east seems west. Hysteria; weeping and laughing alternately. Trance-like state.

Dose.--Second trituration.

  
CANCHALAGUA
Erythraea venusta-Centaury

Used extensively as a fever remedy and bitter tonic (Gentiana), antimalarial and antiseptic. Of use in severe type of intermittent fever in hot countries; also, in influenza. Sore, as if bruised all over. Sensation of drops falling from and upon different spots.

Head.--Congested. Scalp feels tight; head feels as if bound; burning in eyes; buzzing in ears.

Fever.--Chill all over; worse in bed at night. Sensitive to cold trade-winds on Pacific Coast. General sore and bruised feeling; nausea and retching.

Skin.--Wrinkled like a washer-woman's. Scalp feels tight, as if drawn together by India-rubber.

Dose.--Tincture, in drop doses. Must be made from the fresh plant. Its medicinal properties are lost in the dry.

  
CANNABIS INDICA
Hashish

Inhibits the higher faculties and stimulates the imagination to a remarkable degree without any marked stimulation of the lower or animal instinct. A condition of intense exaltation, in which all perceptions and conceptions, all sensations and all emotions are exaggerated to the utmost degree.

Subconscious or dual nature state. Apparently under the control of the second self, but, the original self, prevents the performance of acts which are under the domination of the second self. Apparently the two natures cannot act independently, one acting as a check, upon the other (Effects of one Dram doses by Dr. Albert Schneider).

The experimenter feels ever and anon that he is distinct from the subject of the hashish dream and can think rationally.

Produces the most remarkable hallucinations and imaginations, exaggeration of the duration of time and extent of space, being most characteristic. Conception of time, space and place is gone. Extremely happy and contented, nothing troubles. Ideas crowd upon each other. Has great soothing influence in many nervous disorders, like epilepsy, mania, dementia, delirium tremens, and irritable reflexes. Exophthalmic goitre. Catalepsy.

Mind.--Excessive loquacity; exuberance of spirits. Time seems too long; seconds seem ages; a few rods an immense distance. Constantly theorizing. Anxious depression; constant fear of becoming insane. Mania, must constantly move. Very forgetful; cannot finish sentence. Is lost in delicious thought. Uncontrollable laughter. Delirium tremens. Clairvoyance. Emotional excitement; rapid change of mood. Cannot realize her identity, chronic vertigo as of floating off.

Head.--Feels as if top of head were opening and shutting and as if calvarium were being lifted. Shocks through brain (Aloe; Coca). Uræmic headache. Throbbing and weight at occiput. Headache with flatulence. Involuntary shaking of head. Migraine attack preceded by unusual excitement with loquacity.

Eyes.--Fixed. Letters run together when reading. Clairvoyance. Spectral illusions without terror.

Ears.--Throbbing, buzzing, and ringing. Noise like boiling water. Extreme sensitiveness to noise.

Face.--Expression drowsy and stupid. Lips glued together. Grinding of teeth in sleep. Mouth and lips dry. Saliva thick, frothy, and sticky.

Stomach.--Increased appetite. Pain at cardiac orifice; better, pressure. Distention. Pyloric spasm. Sensation of extreme tension in abdominal vessels-feel distended to bursting.

Rectum.--Sensation in anus as if sitting on a ball.

Urinary.--Urine loaded with slimy mucus. Must strain; dribbling; has to wait some time before the urine flows. Stitches and burning in urethra. Dull pain in region of right kidney.

Male.--After sexual intercourse, backache. Oozing of white, glairy mucus from glans. Satyriasis. Prolonged thrill. Chordee. Sensation of swelling in perineum or near anus, as if sitting on a ball.

Female.--Menses profuse, dark, painful, without clots. Backache during menses. Uterine colic, with great nervous agitation and sleeplessness. Sterility (Borax). Dysmenorrhœa with sexual desire.

Respiratory.--Humid asthma. Chest oppressed with deep, labored breathing.

Heart.--Palpitation awakes him. Piercing pain, with great oppression. Pulse very slow (Dig; Kalmia; Apocyn).

Extremities.--Pain across shoulders and spine; must stoop; cannot walk erect. Thrilling through arms and hands, and from knees down. Entire paralysis of the lower extremities. Pain in soles and calves; sharp pains in knees and ankles; very exhausted after a short walk.

Sleep.--Very sleepy, but unable to do so. Obstinate and intractable forms of insomnia. Catalepsy. Dreams of dead bodies; prophetic. Nightmare.

Modalities.--Worse, morning; from coffee, liquor and tobacco; lying on right side. Better from fresh air, cold water, rest.

Relationship.--Bellad; Hyoscy; Stram; Laches; Agaric; Anhalon (time sense disordered; time periods enormously overestimated, thus, minutes seem hours, etc).

Dose.--Tincture and low attenuations.

  
CANNABIS SATIVA
Hemp

Seems to affect especially the urinary, sexual, and respiratory organs. It has characteristic sensations as of dropping water. Great fatigue, as from over-exertion; weary after meals. Choking in swallowing; things go down the wrong way. Stuttering. Confusion of thought and speech. Wavering speech. Wavering speech, hasty, incoherent.

Head.--Lectophobia. Vertigo; sensation of dropping water on head. Pressure on root of nose.

Eyes.--Opacity of cornea. Cataract from nervous disturbances, abuse of alcohol and tobacco; patient feels deeply approaching blindness. Misty sight. Pressure from back of eyes, forward. Gonorrhœal ophthalmia. Eyeballs ache. Scrofulous eye troubles (Sulph; Calc).

Urine.--Retained, with obstinate constipation. Painful urging. Micturition in split stream. Stitches in urethra. Inflamed sensation, with soreness to touch. Burning while urinating, extending to bladder. Urine scalding, with spasmodic closure of sphincter. Gonorrhœa, acute stage; urethra very sensitive. Walks with legs apart. Dragging in testicles. Zigzag pain along urethra. Sexual overexcitement. Urethral caruncle (Eucalypt), phimosis. Stoppage of urethra by mucus and pus.

Female.--Amenorrhœa when physical powers have been overtaxed, also with constipation.

Respiratory.--Oppression of breathing and palpitation; must stand up. Weight on chest; rattling wheezing breathing. Cough, with green viscid, also bloody, expectoration.

Heart.--Sensation as if drops were falling from the heart. Painful strokes and tension with palpitation. Pericarditis.

Sleep.--Frightful dreams. More tired in morning. Sleepy during day.

Extremities.--Contraction of fingers after a sprain. Dislocation of patella on going upstairs. Feet feel heavy on going upstairs. Paralytic tearing pains. Affections of the ball of the foot and under part of toes.

Modalities.--Worse, lying down; going upstairs.

Relationship.--Antidotes: Camph; Lemon juice.

Compare: Hedysarum-Brazilian Burdock--(Gonorrhœa and inflammation of penis); Canth; Apis; Copaiva; Thuj; Kal nit.

Dose.--Tincture to third attenuation. In stuttering the 30th.

  
CANTHARIS VESICATORIA
Spanish Fly
(CANTHARIS)

This powerful drug produces a furious disturbance in the animal economy, attacking the urinary and sexual organs especially, perverting their function, and setting up violent inflammations, and causing a frenzied delirium, simulating hydrophobia symptoms (Anagallis). Puerperal convulsions. Produces most violent inflammation of the whole gastro-intestinal canal, especially lower bowel. Oversensitiveness of all parts. Irritation. Raw, burning pains. Hæmorrhages. Intolerable, constant urging to urinate is most characteristic. Gastric, hepatic and abdominal complaints that are aggravated by drinking coffee. Gastric derangements of pregnancy. Dysuria, with other complaints. Increases secretion of mucous membranes, tenacious mucus. The inflammations cantharis produces (bladder, kidneys, ovaries, meninges, pleuritic and pericardial membranes)are usually associated with bladder irritation.

Mind.--Furious delirium. Anxious restlessness, ending in rage. Crying, barking; worse touching larynx or drinking water. Constantly attempts to do something, but accomplishes nothing. Acute mania, generally of a sexual type; amorous frenzy; fiery sexual desire. Paroxysms of rage, crying, barking. Sudden loss of consciousness with red face.

Head.--Burning in brain. Sensation as if boiling water in brain. Vertigo; worse in open air.

Eyes.--Yellow vision (Santon). Fiery, sparkling, staring look. Burning in eyes.

Ears.--Sensation as if wind were coming from ear, or hot air. Bones about ear painful (Capsic).

Face.--Pale, wretched, death-like appearance. Itching vesicles on face, burning when touched. Erysipelas of face, with burning, biting heat with urinary symptoms. Hot and red.

Throat.--Tongue covered with vesicles; deeply furred; edges red. Burning in mouth, pharynx, and throat; vesicles in mouth. Great difficulty in swallowing liquids. Very tenacious mucus (Kali bich). Violent spasms reproduced by touching larynx. Inflammation of throat; feels on fire. Constriction; aphthous ulceration (Hydr mur; Nit ac). Scalding feeling. Burnt after taking too hot food.

Chest.--Pleurisy, as soon as effusion has taken place. Intense dyspnœa; palpitation; frequent, dry cough. Tendency to syncope. Short, hacking cough, blood-streaked tenacious mucus. Burning pains.

Stomach.--Burning sensation of œsophagus and stomach (Carb). Disgust for everything-drink, food, tobacco. Burning thirst, with aversion to all fluids. Very sensitive, violent burning. Vomiting of blood-streaked membrane and violent retching. Aggravation from drinking coffee; drinking the smallest quantity increases pain in bladder, and is vomited. Thirst unquenchable.

Stool.--Shivering with burning. Dysentery; mucous stools, like scrapings of intestines. Bloody, with burning and tenesmus and shuddering after stool.

Urine.--Intolerable urging and tenesmus. Nephritis with bloody urine. Violent paroxysms of cutting and burning in whole renal region, with painful urging to urinate; bloody urine, by drops. Intolerable tenesmus; cutting before, during, and after urine. Urine scalds him, and is passed drop by drop. Constant desire to urinate. Membranous scales looking like bran in water. Urine jelly-like, shreddy.

Male.--Strong desire; painful erections. Pain in glans (Prunus; Pareira). Priapism in gonorrhœa.

Female.--Retained placenta (Sep), with painful urination. Expels moles, dead fœtuses, membranes, etc. Nymphomania (Plat; Hyos; Lach; Stram). Puerperal metritis, with inflammation of bladder. Menses too early and too profuse; black swelling of vulva with irritation. Constant discharge from uterus; worse false step. Burning pain in ovaries; extremely sensitive. Pain in os coccyx, lancinating and tearing.

Respiratory.--Voice low; weak feeling. Stitches in chest (Bry; Kal c; Squilla). Pleurisy, with exudation.

Heart.--Palpitation; pulse feeble, irregular; tendency to syncope. Pericarditis, with effusion.

Back.--Pain in loins, with incessant desire to urinate.

Extremities.--Tearing in limbs. Ulcerative pain in soles; cannot step.

Skin.--Dermatitis venenata with bled formation. Secondary eczema about scrotum and genitals, following excessive perspiration. Tendency to gangrene. Eruption with mealy scales. Vesicular eruptions, with burning and itching. Sunburn. Burns, scalds, with rawness and smarting, relieved by cold applications, followed by undue inflammation. Erysipelas, vesicular type, with great restlessness. Burning in soles of feet at night.

Fever.--Cold hands and feet; cold sweat. Soles burn. Chill, as if water were poured over him.

Modalities.--Worse, from touch, or approach, urinating, drinking cold water or coffee. Better, rubbing.

Relationship.--Antidotes: Acon; Camph; Puls.

Compare: Cantharidin--(Glomerular nephritis). The immediate pharmacological action of Cantharidin is irritability of the capillaries, rendering the passage of nutritive fluids through them less difficult. This is most marked in the capillaries of the kidneys. The increase of blood sugar coincident with the glomerular nephritis appears to be a valuable observation. Vesicaria--(Urinary and kidney remedy. Smarting, burning sensation along urethra and in bladder with frequent desire to void urine often with strangury. Cystitis, irritable bladder. Tincture 5-10 drop doses). Fuschina coloring substance used in adulteration of wine (Cortical nephritis with albuminuria, 6th-30th potency. Redness of ears, mouth, swollen gums; deep, red urine; red, profuse diarrhœa, with severe abdominal pains). Androsace lactea (urinary troubles, diuretic; dropsy). Apis; Ars; Merc cor.

Complementary: Camph.

Dose.--Sixth to thirtieth potency. Bears repeated doses well. Locally, in burns and eczema, 1x and 2x, in water, or as cerate.

  
CAPSICUM ANNUUM
Cayenne Pepper
(CAPSICUM)

Seems to suit especially persons of lax fiber, weak; diminished vital heat. A relaxed plethoric sluggish, cold remedy. Not much reactive force. Such persons are fat, indolent, opposed to physical exertion, averse to go outside of their routine, get homesick easily. General uncleanliness of body. Abstainers from accustomed alcoholics. It affects the mucous membranes, producing a sensation of constriction. Inflammation of petrous bone. Burning pains and general chilliness. Older people who have exhausted their vitality, especially by mental work, and poor living; blear-eyed appearance; who do not react. Fear of slightest draught. Marked tendency to suppuration in every inflammatory process. Prostration and feeble digestion of alcoholics. Myalgia, aching and jerking of muscles.

Mind.--Excessive peevishness. Homesickness, with sleeplessness and disposition to suicide. Wants to be let alone. Peppery disposition. Delirium tremens.

Head.--Bursting headache; worse, coughing. Hot face. Red cheeks. Face red, though cold (Asafaet).

Ears.--Burning and stinging in ears. Swelling and pain behind ears. Inflammation of mastoid. Tenderness over the petrous bone; extremely sore and tender to touch (Onosmod). Otorrhœa and mastoid disease before suppuration.

Throat.--Hot feeling in fauces. Subacute inflammation of Eustachian tube with great pain. Pain and dryness in throat extending to the ears. Sore throat of smokers and drinkers. Smarting in; constriction. Burning constriction worse between acts of deglutition. Inflamed uvula and palate; swollen and relaxed.

Mouth.--Herpes labialis (Apply one drop of the mother tincture). Stomatitis. Disagreeable smell from mouth. Fetid odor from mouth.

Stomach.--Burning in tip of tongue. Atonic dyspepsia. Much flatulence, especially in debilitated subjects. Intense craving for stimulants. Vomiting, sinking at pit of stomach. Much thirst; but drinking causes shuddering.

Stool.--Bloody mucus, with burning and tenesmus; drawing pain in back after stool. Thirsty after stool, with shivering. Bleeding piles, with soreness of anus. Stinging pain during stool.

Urine.--Strangury, frequent, almost ineffectual urging. Burning in orifice. Comes first in drops, then in spurts; neck of bladder spasmodically contracted. Ectropion of meatus.

Male.--Coldness of scrotum, with impotency, atrophied testicles, loss of sensibility in testicles, with softening and dwindling. Gonorrhœa, with chordee, excessive burning, pain in prostate.

Female.--Climacteric disturbances with burning of tip of tongue (Lathyrus). Uterine hæmorrhage near the menopause, with nausea. Sticking sensation in left ovarian region.

Respiratory.--Constriction of chest; arrests breathing Hoarseness. Pain at apex of heart or in rib region, worse touch. Dry, hacking cough, expelling an offensive breath from lungs. Dyspnœa. Feels as if chest and head would fly to pieces. Explosive cough. Threatening gangrene of lung. Pain in distant parts on coughing-bladder, legs, ears, etc.

Extremities.--Pain from hips to feet. Sciatica, worse bending backward; worse, coughing. Tensive pain in the knee.

Fever.--Coldness, with ill-humor. Shivering after drinking. Chill begins in back; better, heat. Must have something hot to back. Thirst before chill.

Modalities.--Better, while eating, from heat. Worse, open air, uncovering, draughts.

Relationship.--Antidote: Cina; Calad.

Compare: Pulsat; Lycop; Bell; Centaurea (surging of blood; homesickness; intermittent fever).

Dose.--Third to sixth attenuation. In delirium tremens, dram doses of tincture in milk or tincture or orange peel.

 

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