HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA
by
WILLIAM BOERICKE, M.D.

 

  
CATARIA NEPETA
Catnip

Children's remedy for Colic, also for nervous headache and hysteria, abdominal complaints, pain, flexing of thighs, twisting of body, crying. Similar to chamomilla and magnes phosph.

Dose.--5 to 10 drops of the tincture.

  
CAULOPHYLLUM THALICTROIDES
Blue Cohosh
(CAULOPHYLLUM)

This is a woman's remedy. Want of tonicity of the womb. During labor, when the pains are deficient and the patient is exhausted and fretful. Besides, it has a special affinity for the smaller joints. Thrush, locally and internally.

Stomach.--Cardialgia, spasms of stomach. Dyspepsia with spasmodic symptoms.

Female.--Extraordinary rigidity of os (Bell; Gels; Ver v). Spasmodic and severe pains, which fly in all directions; shivering, without progress; false pains. Revives labor pains and furthers progress of labor. After pains. Leucorrhœa, with moth-spots on forehead. Habitual abortion from uterine debility (Helon; Puls; Sab). Needle-like pains in cervix. Dysmenorrhœa, with pains flying to other parts of body. Lochia protracted; great atony. Menses and leucorrhœa profuse.

Skin.--Discoloration of skin in women with menstrual and uterine disorder.

Extremities.--Severe drawing, erratic pain and stiffness in small joints, fingers, toes, ankles, etc. Aching in wrists. Cutting pains on closing hands. Erratic pains, changing place every few minutes.

Relationship.--Incompatible: Coffea.

Compare: Viol. Odor (rheumatic carpal and metacarpal joints); Cimicif; Sepia; Pulsat; Gels.

Dose.--Tincture to third attenuation.

  
CAUSTICUM
Hahnemann's Tinctura acris sine Kali

Manifests its action mainly in chronic rheumatic, arthritic and paralytic affections, indicated by the tearing, drawing pains in the muscular and fibrous tissues, with deformities about the joints; progressive loss of muscular strength, tendinous contractures. Broken down seniles. In catarrhal affections of the air passages, and seems to choose preferably dark-complexioned and rigid-fibered persons. Restlessness at night, with tearing pains in joints and bones, and faint-like sinking of strength. This weakness progresses until we have gradually appearing paralysis. Local paralysis, vocal cords, muscles of deglutition, of tongue, eyelids, face, bladder and extremities. Children are slow to walk. The skin of a Causticum person is of a dirty white sallow, with warts, especially on the face. Emaciation due to disease, worry, etc, and of long standing. Burning, rawness, and soreness are characteristic.

Mind.--Child does not want to go to bed alone. Least thing makes it cry. Sad, hopeless. Intensely sympathetic. Ailments from long-lasting grief, sudden emotions. Thinking of complaints, aggravates, especially hæmorrhoids.

Head.--Sensation of empty space between forehead and brain. Pain in right frontal eminence.

Face.--Paralysis of right side. Warts. Pain in facial bones. Dental fistula. Pain in jaws, with difficulty in opening mouth.

Eyes.--Cataract with motor disturbances. Inflammation of eyelids; ulceration. Sparks and dark spots before eyes Ptosis (Gels). Vision impaired, as if film were before eyes. Paralysis of ocular muscles after exposure to cold.

Ears.--Ringing, roaring, pulsating, with deafness; words and steps re-echo; chronic middle-ear catarrh; accumulation of ear-wax.

Nose.--Coryza, with hoarseness. Scaly nose. Nostrils ulcerated. Pimples and warts.

Mouth.--Bites inside of cheek from chewing. Paralysis of tongue, with indistinct speech. Rheumatism of articulation of lower jaw. Gums bleed easily.

Stomach.--Greasy taste. Aversion to sweets. Feels as if lime were burned in stomach. Worse after eating fresh meat; smoked meat agrees. Sensation of ball rising in throat. Acid dyspepsia.

Stool.--Soft and small, size of goose-quill (Phos). Hard, tough, covered with mucus; shines like grease; small-shaped; expelled with much straining, or only on standing up. Pruritus. Partial paralysis of rectum. Rectum sore and burns. Fistula and large piles.

Urine.--Involuntary when coughing, sneezing (Puls). Expelled very slowly, and sometimes retained. Involuntary during first sleep at night; also from slightest excitement. Retention after surgical operations. Loss of sensibility on passing urine.

Female.--Uterine inertia during labor. Menses cease at night; flow only during day (Cycl; Puls). Leucorrhœa at night, with great weakness (Nat mur). Menses delay, late (Con. Graph; Puls).

Respiratory.--Hoarseness with pain in chest; aphonia. Larynx sore. Cough, with raw soreness of chest. Expectoration scanty; must be swallowed. Cough with pain in hip, especially left worse in evening; better, drinking cold water; worse, warmth of bed. Sore streak down trachea. Mucus under sternum, which he cannot quite reach. Pain in chest, with palpitation. Cannot lie down at night. Voice re-echoes. Own voice roars in ears and distresses. Difficulty of voice of singers and public speakers (Royal).

Back.--Stiffness between shoulders. Dull pain in nape of neck.

Extremities.--Left-sided sciatica, with numbness. Paralysis of single parts. Dull, tearing pain in hands and arms. Heaviness and weakness. Tearing joints. Unsteadiness of muscles of forearm and hand. Numbness; loss of sensation in hands. Contracted tendons. Weak ankles. Cannot walk without suffering. Rheumatic tearing in limbs; better by warmth, especially heat of bed. Burning in joints. Slow in learning to walk. Unsteady walking and easily falling. Restless legs at night. Cracking and tension in knees; stiffness in hollow of knee. Itching on dorsum of feet.

Skin.--Soreness in folds of skin, back of ears, between thighs. Warts large, jagged, bleeding easily, on tips of fingers and nose. Old burns that do not get well, and ill effects from burns. Pains of burns. Cicatrices freshen up; old injuries reopen. Skin prone to intertrigo during dentition.

Sleep.--Very drowsy; can hardly keep awake. Nocturnal sleeplessness, with dry heat, inquietude.

Relationship.--According to the careful investigations of Dr. Wagner of Basel, Causticum corresponds to Ammon causticum 4x. Causticum does not agree with Phosphorus; the remedies should not be used after each other. Diphtherotoxin follows, causticum in chronic bronchitis.

Antidote: Paralysis from lead-poisoning.

Complementary: Carbo; Petrosel.

Compare: Rhus; Arsenic; Amm phos (facial paralysis).

Modalities.--Worse, dry, cold winds, in clear fine weather, cold air; from motion of carriage. Better, in damp, wet weather; warmth. Heat of bed.

Dose.--Third to thirtieth attenuation. In chronic ailments and especially in paralytic states, the higher potencies once or twice a week.

  
CEANOTHUS AMERICANUS
New Jersey Tea
(CEANOTHUS)

This remedy seems to possess a specific relation to the spleen. Ague cake of malaria. A left-sided remedy generally. Anæmic patients where liver and spleen are at fault. Chronic bronchitis with profuse secretion. Marked blood pressure, reducing powers. Active hemastatic, materially reducing the clotting of blood.

Abdomen.--Enormous enlargement of the spleen. Splenitis; pain all up the left side. Deep-seated pain in left hypochondrium, hypertrophy of spleen. Leucæmia. Violent dyspnœa. Menses profuse, and yellow weakening leucorrhœa. Unable to lie on left side. Pain in liver and back.

Rectum.--Diarrhœa; bearing down in abdomen and rectum.

Urine.--Constant urging to urinate. Green; frothy; contains bile, sugar.

Relationship.--Compare: Tinospora cordifolia (a Hindoo medicine for chronic cases of fever with enlarged spleen). Polymnia uvedalia-Bearsfoot--(acute splenitis with tenderness over left hypochondriac region; spleen enlarged, ague cake. Vascular atony, tissues sodden, flabby and non-elastic. Enlarged glands; influences all ductless glands). Ceanothus thrysiflorus-California Lilac--(Pharyngitis, tonsillitis, nasal catarrh, diphtheria. Tincture internally and as a gargle).

Compare: Berberis; Myrica; Cedron; Agaricus (spleen).

Modalities.--Worse, motion, lying on left side.

Dose.--First attenuation. Locally as hair tonic.

  
CEDRON
Rattlesnake Bean
(SIMARUBA FERROGINEA)

Periodicity is the most marked characteristic of this drug. Its particularly useful in tropical or in damp, warm, marshy countries. It has been found curative in malarial affections, especially neuralgia. Adapted to persons of a voluptuous disposition, excitable, nervous temperament. Has powers of antidoting snake-bites and stings of insects. Tincture of pure bean scraped on wound. Mania.

Head.--Pain from temple to temple across eyes. Pain over whole right side of face, coming on about 9 am.Crazy feeling from pain across forehead; worse, working on black. Roaring in ears produced by Cinchona. Whole body seems numb with headache.

Eyes.--Shooting over left eye. Severe pain in eyeball, with radiating pains around eye, shooting into nose. Scalding lachrymation. Supra-orbital neuralgia periodic. Iritis, choroiditis.

Extremities.--Lancinating pain in joints; worse, feet and hands. Sudden pain in ball of right thumb, extending up arm to shoulder. Pain in ball of right foot, extending to knee. Shingles, with radiating pain. Dropsy of knee-joint.

Fever.--Chilliness towards evening; then frontal headache extending into parietal region. Red eyes. Heat, with itching of eyes, tearing in limbs, numbness of limbs.

Relationship.--Antidote: Lach.

Compare: Ars; China.

Dose.--Tincture to third attenuation.

  
CENCHRIS CONTORTRIX
Copperhead Snake
(ANCISTRODON)

Like the other snake poisons, it affects the system profoundly. Like arsenic, it has dyspnœa, mental and physical restlessness, thirst for small quantities of water, necessity for having clothing loose, like Laches. Marked alternation of moods; vivid dreams. Is a wonderful restorative and deep acting remedy. Increased sexual desire in both sexes. Ineffectual attempts to recline. Right ovarian region painful.

Head.--Forgetful, absent-minded, alternating moods. Aching pain in left frontal eminence and left side of teeth. Swelling around eyes, aching and itching in eyes.

Heart.--Feels distended, fills whole chest, as if it fell down in abdomen; sharp stitches, fluttering under left scapula.

Sleep.--Dreams horrible and vivid; lascivious.

Modalities.--Worse, pressure; lying down; afternoon and night.

Relationship.--Compare: Ars; Laches. Clotho Arictans--Puff Adder.--Should have a great sphere of usefulness in many conditions where excessive swelling is a leading feature (John H. Clarke, M. D).

Dose.--Sixth potency.

  
CERIUM OXALICUM
Oxalate of Cerium

Spasmodic reflex vomiting and spasmodic cough are within the sphere of this remedy. Vomiting of pregnancy, and of half-digested food. Whooping cough, with vomiting and hæmorrhage. Dysmenorrhœa in fleshy, robust women. Better when flow is established.

Relationship.--Compare: Ingluvin--(made from gizzard of a fowl). Vomiting of pregnancy; gastric neurasthenia. Infantile vomiting and diarrhœa. 3x Trit. Amygdal; Lactic ac; Ipecac.

Dose.--First trituration.

  
CEREUS BONPLANDII
A Night-blooming Cereus

Mind.--Great desire to work and to be doing something useful.

Head.--Occipital headache and pain through the globe of the eyes and orbits (Cedron; Onos). Pain across the brain from left to right. Pain along right malar bone running to temple.

Chest.--Convulsive pains at the heart; feels as if transfixed. Pain in chest through heart, with pain running toward spleen. Pain in left pectoral muscle and cartilages of left lower ribs. Sensation of a great weight on heart, and pricking pain. Hypertrophy of heart. Difficult, sighing respiration, as from some compression of chest.

Skin.--Itching of skin (Dolich; Sulph).

Extremities.--Pain in neck, back, shoulders, down arms, hands and fingers. Pain in knees and joints of lower extremities.

Relationship.--Compare: Cactus; Spigel; Kalmia; Cereus serpentinus (Very irritable with tendency to swear; wild anger and low morals. Disturbance in speech; in writing leaves off the last syllable. Paralyzed feeling. Pains in heart, and dwindling of sexual organs. Emissions, followed by pain in testicles).

Dose.--Third to sixth attenuation.

  
CHAMOMILLA
German Chamomile

The chief guiding symptoms belong to the mental and emotion group, which lead to this remedy in many forms of disease. Especially of frequent employment in diseases of children, where peevishness, restlessness, and colic give the needful indications. A disposition that is mild, calm and gentle; sluggish and constipated bowels contra-indicate chamomilla.

Chamomilla is sensitive, irritable, thirsty, hot, and numb. Oversensitiveness from abuse of coffee and narcotics. Pains unendurable, associated with numbness. Night-sweats.

Mind.--Whining restlessness. Child wants many things which he refuses again. Piteous moaning because he cannot have what he wants. Child can only be quieted when carried about and petted constantly. Impatient, intolerant of being spoken to or interrupted; extremely sensitive to every pain; always complaining. Spiteful, snappish. Complaints from anger and vexation. Mental calmness contraindicates Chamom.

Head.--Throbbing headache in one-half of the brain. Inclined to bend head backward. Hot, clammy sweat on forehead and scalp.

Ears.--Ringing in ears. Earache, with soreness; swelling and heat driving patient frantic. Stitching pain. Ears feel stopped.

Eyes.--Lids smart. Yellow sclerotic. Spasmodic closing of lids.

Nose.--Sensitive to all smells. Coryza, with inability to sleep.

Face.--One cheek red and hot; the other pale and cold. Stitches in jaw extending to inner ear and teeth. Teeth ache worse after warm drink; worse, coffee, at night. Drives to distraction. Jerking of tongue and facial muscles. Distress of teething children (Calc phos; Terebinth).

Throat.--Parotid and submaxillary glands swollen. Constriction and pain as from a plug.

Mouth.--Toothache, if anything warm is taken, from coffee, during pregnancy. Nightly salivation.

Stomach.--Eructations, foul. Nausea after coffee. Sweats after eating or drinking. Aversion to warm drinks. Tongue yellow; taste bitter. Bilious vomiting. Acid rising; regurgitation of food. Bitter, bilious vomiting. Pressive gastralgia, as from a stone (Bry; Abies n).

Abdomen.--Distended. Griping in region of navel, and pain in small of back. Flatulent colic, after anger, with red cheeks and hot perspiration. Hepatic colic. Acute duodenitis (Kali bich (chronic)).

Stool.--Hot, green, watery, fetid, slimy, with colic. Chopped white and yellow mucus like chopped eggs and spinach. Soreness of anus. Diarrhœa during dentition. Hæmorrhoids, with painful fissures.

Female.--Uterine hæmorrhages. Profuse discharge of clotted, dark blood, with labor-like pains. Labor pains spasmodic; press upward (Gels). Patient intolerant of pain (Caul; Caust; Gels; Hyos; Puls). Nipples inflamed; tender to touch. Infant's breasts tender. Yellow, acrid leucorrhœa (Ars; Sep; Sulph).

Respiratory.--Hoarseness, hawking, rawness of larynx. Irritable, dry, tickling cough; suffocative tightness of chest, with bitter expectoration in daytime. Rattling of mucus in child's chest.

Back.--Insupportable pain in loins and hips. Lumbago. Stiffness of neck muscles.

Extremities.--Violent rheumatic pains drive him out of bed at night; compelled to walk about. Burning of soles at night (Sulph). Ankles give way in the afternoon. Nightly paralytic loss of power in the feet, unable to step on them.

Sleep.--Drowsiness with moaning, weeping and wailing during sleep; anxious, frightened dreams, with half-open eyes.

Modalities.--Worse, by heat, anger, open air, wind, night. Better, from being carried, warm wet weather.

Relationship.--Compare: Cypriped; Anthemis; Aconite; Puls; Coffea; Bellad; Staphis; Ignat. Follows Belladonna in diseases of children and abuse of opium. Rubus villosus-Blackberry--(diarrhœa of infancy; stools watery and clay colored).

Antidotes: Camph; Nux; Puls.

Complementary: Bell; Mag c.

Dose.--Third to thirtieth attenuation.

  
CHAPARRO AMARGOSO
Goat-bush

Chronic diarrhœa. Tenderness over liver. Stools little pain, but with much mucus. Dysentery. Acts as a tonic and antiperiodic.

Compare: Kali carb; Cup, ars; Caps.

Dose.--Third attenuation.

  
CHELIDONIUM MAJUS
Celandine

A prominent liver remedy, covering many of the direct reflex symptoms of diseased conditions of that organ. The jaundiced skin, and especially the constant pain under inferior angle of right scapula, are certain indications. Paralytic drawing and lameness in single parts. The great general lethargy and indisposition to make any effort is also marked. Ailments brought on or renewed by change of weather. Serous effusions. Hydrocele. Bilious complication during gestation.

Head.--Icy coldness of occiput from the nape of neck; feels heavy as lead. Heavy, lethargic; drowsiness very marked, with general numbness; vertigo, associated with hepatic disturbance. Inclination to fall forward. Right-sided headache down behind ears and shoulder-blade. Neuralgia over right eye, right cheek-bone and right ear, with excessive lachrymation, preceded by pain in liver.

Nose.--Flapping of alæ nasi (Lyc).

Eyes.--Dirty yellow color of whites. Sore sensation on looking up. Tears fairly gush out. Orbital neuralgia of right eye, with profuse lachrymation; pupils contracted, relieved by pressure.

Face.--Yellow; worse nose and cheeks. Wilted skin.

Stomach.--Tongue yellow, with imprint of teeth; large and flabby (Merc; Hyd). Taste bitter, pasty. Bad odor from mouth. Prefers hot food and drink. Nausea, vomiting; better, very hot water. Pain through stomach to back and right shoulder-blade. Gastralgia. Eating relieves temporarily, especially when accompanied with hepatic symptoms.

Abdomen.--Jaundice due to hepatic and gall-bladder obstruction. Gall-colic. Distention. Fermentation and sluggish bowels. Constriction across, as by a string. Liver enlarged. Gallstones (Berberis).

Urine.--Profuse, foaming, yellow urine, like beer (Chenop) dark, turbid.

Stool.--Constipation; stools hard, round balls, like sheep's dung, bright yellow, pasty; clay-colored, stools float in water; alternation of diarrhœa and constipation. Burning and itching of anus (Ratanh; Sulph).

Female.--Menses too late and too profuse.

Respiratory.--Very quick and short inspirations; pain on deep inspiration. Dyspnœa. Short, exhausting cough; sensation of dust not relieved by cough. Whooping-cough; spasmodic cough; loose, rattling; expectoration difficult. Pain in right side of chest and shoulder, with embarrassed respiration. Small lumps of mucus fly from mouth when coughing. Hoarse in afternoon. Constriction of chest.

Back.--Pain in nape. Stiff neck, head drawn to left. Fixed pain under inner and lower angle of right scapula. Pain at lower angle of left scapula.

Extremities.--Pain in arms, shoulders, hands, tips of fingers. Icy coldness of tips of fingers; wrists sore, tearing in metacarpal bones. Whole flesh sore to touch. Rheumatic pain in hips and thighs; intolerable pains in heels, as if pinched by too narrow a shoe; worse, right. Feels paralyzed. Paresis of the lower limbs with rigidity of muscles.

Skin.--Dry heat of skin; itches, yellow. Painful red pimples and pustules. Old, spreading, offensive ulcers. Wilted skin. Sallow, cold, clammy.

Modalities.--Worse, right side, motion, touch, change of weather, very early in morning. Better, after dinner, from pressure.

Relationship.--Chelidonin.--(Spasm of smooth muscle everywhere, intestinal colic, uterine colic, bronchial spasm, tachycardia, etc). Boldo-Boldoa fragrans--(Bladder atony; cholecystitis and biliary calculus. Bitter taste, no appetite; constipation, hypochondriasis languor, congestion of liver; burning weight in liver and stomach. Painful hepatic diseases. Disturbed liver following malaria). Elemuy Gauteria--(Stones in kidneys and bladder; grain doses of powdered bark in water or 5 drops of tincture. Pellagra).

Sulph often completes its work.

Complementary: Lycop; Bryon.

Antidote: Chamom.

Compare: Nux; Sulph; Bry; Lyc; Opium; Podophyl; Sanguin; Ars.

Dose.--Tincture and lower attenuations.

  
CHELONE GLABRA
Snakehead
(CHELONE)

A remedy in liver affections with pain or soreness of the left lobe of the liver and extending downwards. Dumb ague. Soreness of external parts, as if skin were off; debility. Malaise, following intermittents. Dyspepsia with hepatic torpor. Jaundice. Round and thread worms. It is an enemy to every kind of worm infesting the human body.

Dose.--Tincture, in one to five drop doses.

  
CHENOPODIUM ANTHELMINTICUM
Jerusalem Oak

Characteristic pain in scapula very marked. Symptoms of apoplexy, right hemiplegia, and aphasia. Stertorous breathing (Opium). Sudden vertigo. Meniere's disease. Affections of auditory nerves (Nat salicyl). Oil of Chenopodium for hookworm and roundworm.

Ears.--Torpor of auditory nerve. Hearing better for high-pitched sounds. Comparative deafness to sound of voice, but great sensitiveness to sound, as of passing vehicles and also a shrinking from low tones. Buzzing in ears. Enlargement of tonsils. Aural vertigo.

Back.--Intense pain between angle of right shoulder-blade near spine, and through the chest.

Urine.--Copious, yellow, foaming urine, with acrid sensation in urethra. Yellowish sediment (Chel).

Relationship.--Compare: Opium; China; Chelid.

Dose.--Third potency. Oil of Chenopodium for hookworm, 10 minim doses every 2 hours for 3 doses; also Carbon tetrachloride.

 

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