Natrum Muriaticum

Head

Vertigo ; when walking, everything goes round in a circle; when sitting quietly with a downward pressure of the head ; when rising from the bed.

Sensorium. Absence of mind; incapacity; con- fusion of ideas ; does not know what to say ; slow in coming to a resolution ; indecision.

Memory much weakened ; forgets what he would write ; cannot remember what happened yesterday.

Head

Confusion, as after much mental exertion.

Headache produced by quick movements of the head, sudden turning, etc.

Heavy aching (pressure) in the forehead, with pressure outward in the eyes. Pressure inward on both temples, as if the head were in a vise ; or a fullness, as though the head would burst, increased by reading or writing ; often accompanied by nausea; worse in the afternoon.

But such a headache succeeds the chill of febrile

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paroxysm, and then comes in the morning. Throb- bing also during the fever.

The scalp is cold, and chills run over it.

Itching. The hair falls out when touched or combed (common in nursing women, and Natrum muriaticum stops this).

Complexion. Sallow, earthy, yellow, with pain in the abdomen (torpid chlorosis).

Eruptions. Miliary eruption on the forehead, perceptible to the touch only. Papules on the cheeks and chin.

Aching around the eyes, in the malar bones and zygomatic arch. The eyelids quiver and twitch, are ulcerated and red, with soreness and agglutination. Hordeola are frequent.

The eyes itch, especially in the inner canthus; or ache. Conjunctiva reddened, and burns on slight exposure to the wind, with acrid lachrymation.

Vision obscured, as if the eyes were covered with mucus or a thin veil. Half vision ; one side of the object is distinct, the other side looks dark (Lithium). Also, accommodation is modified, myopic or presbyopic. Fiery points before the eyes. Aggravation from using the eyes in read- ing, etc.

Ears

Heat of the external ear; swelling of the meatus and discharge of matter; much itching, both internally and externally. Drawing and stitching pains from the ear down the neck to the shoulder ; or from the teeth up to the ear. Noises in the ear; rushing and ringing. Deafness.

268 NATRUM MURIATICUM.

Nose

White papules at the root of the nose. Alae nasi inflamed, with redness, heat and swelling, and great soreness. One-half of the nose becomes insensible and as if dead. Epistaxis from stooping, but especially on coughing and at night, with sore- ness in all the limbs.

Lips. Swelling, with vesicles ; also vesicles on the tongue, which burn and smart and, finally, have a scab on them. The lips crack. Pain in the submaxillary glands, as if swollen or compressed ; and on coughing.

Gums. They bleed easily, are sensitive to cold and warmth, and to pressure with the tongue.

Teeth

Very sensitive ; toothache on drawing the air against the teeth, and on pressure of the tongue and of food. They become loose.

Drawing pain from the teeth, extending to the ear ; extending throughout all the teeth. The pain extends into the malar bones.

Tongue. Heavy and clumsy, as if paralyzed. Can only speak with much effort. One-half of the tongue seems numb and stiff.

Burning and sore vesicles on the tongue ; also on the gums ; very sensitive to contact of food.

In the throat, some stitching sensation behind the tonsil, and a sense of constriction.

Digestion. Sense of taste blunted or annihi- lated; sticky or bitter taste; water-brash. Nausea frequent, especially early in the morning, with pros- tration after eating or drinking even agreeable things; first food, then bile.

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Abdomen

Stitches in the right hypochondrium and stomach ; also in the left hypochondrium on deep inspiration and on bending to the left side, which also produces a sense of stiffness in the liver. Tension in both hypochondria.

Pinching in the hypochondria. Cannot lie on the sound side; also in the umbilical region and thence into the sacral region, and into the rectum and anus. Distention of the abdomen, and much flatus. Hernise protrude.

Stool

Insufficient; frequent, ineffectual efforts; great exertion is necessary to evacuation; often blood follows.

Tenesmus in the rectum, with discharge of flatus and slime. The rectum seems constricted, and it is only after great effort that some little hard faeces pass, which tear the anus so that it bleeds and smarts ; and then comes some dirty water. Stool preceded by pressure in the region of the bladder; soreness in the abdomen, accompanied by- labor-like pains in the abdomen ; pressing-down pain, followed by tenesmus ; vain efforts, and sen- sation as though diarrhoea would ensue; burning and smarting soreness in the anus.

Beside this, stitches in the rectum and anus ; violent pains in the bladder and anus ; prolapsus ani, with bloody mucus and water; and burning, preventing sleep at night.

Uri7tary Organs. Urination almost involuntary after violent tenesmus. Pressure on the bladder, and stitching pain. Cutting and burning after

270 NATRUM MURIATICUM.

urination ; and discharge of thin mucus, leaving translucent spots on the linen. Urine clear ; deposits of urates, white or red, or red sand.

Sexual Organs

Male. Frequent pollution, followed by cold exterior and lassitude. Sexual desire increased. Gonorrhoea.

Female

Menses retarded and less in quantity, or delayed and weak two or three days, and then a copious flow. Preceded by anxiety and disposi- tion to faint, or nausea, with sweet taste and bloody sputa ; accompanied by constipation, or tearing toothache ; followed by dull headache. Leucorrhoea copious, with bearing down as if the menses were coming.

Respiratory Organs. Dry catarrh of the larynx and trachea. Voice hoarse.

Sneezing. Coryza, although dry and somewhat loose, impedes respiration very much.

Cough, provoked by tickling in the epigas- trium, day and night ; increased at night or early in the morning. Generally dry, with wheezing and vomiting and headache and soreness in the larynx and trachea. Vague pains in the thorax. The heart's action is affected. Palpitation, forcible and anxious, with aching as if a pressure came from the abdomen and compressed the heart ; increased by lying on the left side and on every motion ; palpitation and fluttering.

Back

In the sacro-lumbar region, pulsation and stitches ; a paralytic soreness, increased in the morning on rising ; cannot stand erect nor walk ;

NATRUM MURIATICUM. 27 1

diminished when lying down. Soreness in the loins, as if beaten ; also in the back and between the scapulae. In the back, tension and stiffness. Tearing. Burning in the scapulae, as from hot water.

In the extremities, a marked feeling of lassitude and weakness; cannot raise the arms or lift any- thing; can hardly move them.

The same in the lower extremities.

Sleep

By day sleepiness. Sleeplessness at night ; restlessness. Dyspnoea.

Fever

A full and powerful paroxysm complete, occurring early in the morning; a severe chill, then frontal headache, red face and high fever ; sweat in the evening.

Professor Guernsey says :

" Thirst for large quantities of water before the chill ; this thirst continues through the paroxysm. Violent chill with headache, and after the chill the headache increases greatly ; feels as if the brain were being beaten with thousands of little ham- mers. After the fever, sweat, and the {)atient wishes to lie a long time. If the disease lasts long, the corners of the mouth become sore, and finally the lips."

Disposition. Impatient and hasty. Easily angered. Then melancholy ; sadness ; anxiety.