Zinc is found in nature in combination with oxygen, sulphur, carbonic acid, etc. East India zinc is very pure ; it is of bluish- white color, bright, in four-sided column, with a radiated laminae ; somewhat brittle. When heated, it becomes malleable, and may be rolled into plates. We purify it by melting it with sulphur, again and again, so long as any dross remains. We file off part of it under water, dry the powder, and then triturate it as usual. Zinc acts powerfully upon the cerebro-spinal system ; it affects also the ganglionic nervous system and the skin. CEEEBRO-SPINAL GROUP. Zinc has caused : Vertigo, especially in the occiput. In the morning, on waking, vertigo as if the head were moving up and down, with a similar floating of the images of his fancy ; all during a ^emi-consciousness, vertigo, as if he would have apoplexy, with anxiety and fear of falling headlong; vertigo from sitting up in bed ; from morning until noon ; after rising from stooping, as though everything were whirling around, with buzzing in the head. Dullness, heaviness of the head. Dizzy, stupefying headache. 890 ZLNCUM METALLICUM. Intense headache with violent shivering. Intense or tearing pains in the brain, almost driving one mad, followed by excessive vomit- ing of bile and trembling. Dull frontal headache; tension and pressure in the forehead ; extreme sensitiveness in the forehead. Violent pressure upon a small spot in the middle of the forehead, at short interval. Violent sticking, tearing pain in the forehead, with a tearing as though the head would burst. Severe pressure in the temples, at times dull and heavy, again sharp, tearing, sticking. Tearing and pressing in the vertex, with extreme sensitiveness of the vertex to touch. Drawing, tearing pain on one side of the head, with a feeling as if the head would burst. Drawing, pressive pain in the occiput. Soreness and tenderness of the scalp, with itching pimples on the scalp, moist eruption on and above both temples, falling off of the hair of the head. Zincum is indicated in the following conditions : HEADACHE with pressure on the top and forehead, and other somptoms described in the above group. The headaches are usually one-sided, worse from drinking wine, in the warm room, after eating. Headaches of ansemic, chlorotic women ; brain-fag. Amaurosis. A woman, forty years old, strong, pale-looking, has suffered for two years with recurring attacks of headache, accompanied with such weakness of sight, that a heavy fog seems to rest upon her eyes and she cannot even distinguish large objects. There is pressure from without toward within in the vertex and in the forehead, with it a stupid feeling in the head, usually pallor of the countenance, loss of appe- tite, peevishness, irritability of temper. During the forenoon the pains are bearable ; they grow harder in the afternoon, and, in the evening, are very violent, at times accompanied with vomiting. Her bowels move every two or three days. Dimness of vision with the appearance of the pain, increasing in ratio ; vision normal, when she has no headache. The eyes present no objective symptoms. She has an attack every ten to fourteen days, coming on without warning, lasting from two to three days and varying in severity during this time. Many remedies had been used unsuc- cessfully. Prescribed zincum met.3, one powder morning and night. Improvement after the first dose, the attack continuing but one day. The headache did not again return. (Kafka in hirscheVs Neue Zeitschrift, ii., 116.) ACUTE HYDROCEPHALUS — Metallic zinc is of the greatest value in the treatment of inflammatory conditions of the brain and of its membranes. We will find it particularly useful in acute hydrocephalus with great sensitiveness of the eyes to light, dryness of the nose, choking and vomiting, the patient having at the same time a voracious appetite. Severe pain in the head, relieved by per- fect quiet; turbid, muddy urine; distention of the abdomen; stub- born constipation, with hard, dry stools ; auxiety, restlessness ; constant motion of the hands and feet; rolling and tumbling of the head from side to side. Starting from sleep, uttering a piercing cry. CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS, when the nervous system ZIXL'L'M METALLICUM. S91 seems to be completely prostrated, retarding indefinitely the patient's full recovery; irritation of the eyes; weakness of sight; ravenous hunger; flatulent colic ; constipation of hard, dry stools ; spasmodic twitching of the hands and feet ; headache ; weakness of memory. Flashes of heat alternating with spells of chilliness. DELIRIUM. — We may find zinc of much service in delirium or mania, with slow action of the brain, loss or weakness of memory, forge tf ulness, vertigo, headache, drowsiness, incapacity for work, constant thoughts of death, peevishness, irritability. Also: consti- pation, with hard, dry stools ; prostration of the nervous system ; scanty, muddy urination ; flashes of heat alternating with chilliness. Also in DELIRIUM TREMENS with a tendency to coma; the pupil8 are dilated, insensibility of the eyes to light ; the countenance looks haggard and is of purplish color ; pulse small and frequent ; invol- untary discharge of highly offensive, diarrhceic stools ; mania, with a belief that he is going to come to harm ; there may be present gastric derangements, hiccough, constipation, headache, vertigo, etc. The effect of zinc upon the spine and the spinal nervous system is both interesting and important. Dr. Schlockow thus describes the effects of chronic zinc-poisoning upon the workmen in zinc : The zinc is separated from the ore by a process of distillation, by which, in consecpience of heating and the removal of oxygen, the metal in form of vapor is first separated and then precipitated in layers ; in this way part of the vapor escapes into the working room and is inhaled by the workmen, and then enters the lymph and blood circulation. Next, after disturbances in the lungs and digestion and the so-called night-blindness, there appears after ten or twelve years working in the works, in the smelters, a very peculiar affec- tion. In the sensitive sphere there is pain in the back, increased sensitiveness of the soles of the feet, sensation as if ants were crawl- ing over the lower extremities, numbness and coldness in the same, sensation of a band around the abdomen, and, occasionally, pain in the muscles of the lower half of the body, in consequence of crampy twitchings in them. Sensation of touch is diminished. Reflex ex- citability is increased, but the muscular sensibility, that is, the sen- sation of their own motion, is weakened, so that by closing the eyes staggering takes place, and, in the dark, control of muscular power ceases. The functions of bladder and rectum were not disturbed. The muscles themselves remain well nourished and strong for along 892 ZI2JTCUA1 METALLICUM. time, but their excitability for mechanical or electrical irritations is greatly increased, as at each intentional movement diffused muscular tremor takes place. Later, the gait becomes stiff, spasmodic, trembling and uncertain, and the step is made on the full sole. Finally, a weakness of the muscles of the lower extremities, and sometimes of the upper, supervenes. The symptoms indicate some affection of the spinal cord, which, however, does not coincide with those of tabes or ataxia. Worthy of consideration are other causes which might produce these symptoms, such as rheumatisms, colds, and the absorption of lead, which is found in the upper Silesian zinc ores to the amount of one and one-half per cent, and arsenic and cadmium, which are also found. Against the first cause is the fact, that the balance of the population is subjected to severer changes of temperature, in whom the symptoms described do not occur. Signs of lead, arsenic or cadmium poisoning were not observed, especially not the obstinate characteristic constipation and colic of lead. Lead paralysis is never preceded by increased sensibility or reflex irritability, ataxic or co- ordination disturbances ; it belongs almost exclusively to the extensor muscles of the upper extremities and not of the lower. The muscle paralyzed by lead, dwindles and loses its irritability for the electric current. The effects of lead appear in weeks or months, while those of zinc do not show themselves for years. [Halm. Monthly, Septem- ber, 1879, from HirscUVs Zeitschrift, Feb. 1, 1879.) SPINAL A1SLEMIA. — "In looking over the symptoms of zinc one can hardly fail to be impressed by the strong similarity they have to the condition not unfrequently met with in practice, especially among women, and characterized by the name of spinal anaemia. If we were to examine a case having these symptoms, we should hardly fail to find more or less tenderness of the spine. There are, indeed, very few of the prominent symptoms of zinc which are not to be found in some of the manifestations of this com- plaint. Of course, the grouping of symptoms will vary according to the portion of the spinal cord affected, and as that may be any part gr any two parts, or even its entire length, we would be likely to meet a variety of combinations, all differing in many respects from each other, and still very similar. For example, if the cervical por- tion of the cord is alone affected, we shall have the vertigo, head- ache, noises in the ears, disturbances of vision, fulness and sense of constriction across the forehead and tenderness of the scalp. The ZIXCUM METALLICUM. 893- mind is prominently affected ; occasionally with periods of maniacal excitement, but usually with melancholia. The sleep is disturbed by unpleasant dreams and nightmare. Neuralgic pains are com- monly present, especially in the neck ; worse from exercise ; the paroxysms coming on at sundown and continuing during the night. There are fibrillary twitchings of the muscles and sometimes clonic spasms of cervical muscles and even general chorea. Contraction of the muscles, or loss of the use of the voice or hand occur rarely. Nausea is often met with, but is a much more prominent symptom when the dorsal region is the seat of the disease, in which case gas- tralgia is always present, nausea and vomiting, pyrosis, gastric flatu- lence and acidity in nearly every case. The heart is affected with palpitation and oppression amounting even to syncope. There is difficulty of breathing, cough, intercostal neuralgia or infra-mam- mary pain very frequently. In cases where the lumbar region is attacked, the lower extremities, back and abdomen are affected with neuralgic pains. The neck of the bladder may be so influenced as to produce strangury or incontinence of urine ; and the uterus, ovaries, testes and rectum are likely to be in trouble. The muscles may be spasmodically contracted as in the upper portions of the body. If the entire spine is affected there may also be epilepsy, paralysis and difficult deglutition (from alternate paralysis and spasms of the pharyngeal muscles) and aphonia." (Dr. A. G. Beebe.) ECLAMPSIA, especially of children during the period of teeth- ing, zinc is a valuable remedy. It is of particular use in pale, weak children, with twitching and jerking in various parts of the body, during the day and during sleep. The child is nervous, feverish, cross ; the right side is attacked in preference to the left. In CONVULSIONS OF LYING-IN WOMEN we use zinc if there exists great prostration of the brain, characteristic mania, numbness and loss of sensation of the whole body, with proper con- stitutional symptoms. Suppression of an eruption. EPILEPSY, depending npon cerebral exhaustion, with twitching here and there in various parts of the body, may call for the exhi- bition of zinc. The symptoms are worst during sleep. Is of posi- tive value only in the earlier stages of the disease. In the treatment of eclampsia many physicians prefer the oxydatum to the metal. OEBITAL AND AURICULAE GKOUPS. We have: Inflammation and redness of the conjunctiva of the right eye ; suppuration in the inner canthus ; the eyes are most 894 ZINCUM METALUCUM. painful in the evening and at night, as from sand, with frequent lachrymation ; even the upper lid toward the inner canthus is red and swollen ; weakness in the eyes ; feeling as if she had wept too much ; burning in the eyes and lids, with feeling of dryness and pressure in them ; pressure in the eyes ; burning and biting with sensitiveness of the eye to light, with lachrymation and agglutina- tion ; tickling and biting in the eye ; twitching and paralytic weak- ness of the upper lids ; agglutination and soreness of the inner can- thi ; Itching and sticking pain in the inner angles of the eyes, with cloudiness of sight ; pupils usually dilated ; dimness of vision ; diplopia, especially in the left eye ; photphobia ; objects apparently elongated and at times double ; flickering before the eyes ; fiery flakes float in large circles in front of the eyes, when looking at the sky; yellow, blue and green rings before the eyes, with a suffering look and sleepiness ; when looking up, a dark, diagonal line before the left eye, directed upward and to the right, about six feet in length. Clinical experience shows that zincum affects particularly the con- junctiva, near the inner canthus, producing dryness and burning. Tbe "green halo around the lamplight" has been verified. The symptoms are all aggravated at night, by lying down, by closing the eyes and by exposure to cold. Ameliorated by warmth. AMAUROSIS. — Zincum is indicated in amaurosis, with con- tracted pupils, corning and going suddenly ; vertigo ; headache ; it usually appears as a concomitant symptom of some (brain) difficulty. PTERYGIUM, or wing-skin, with lachrymation, especially in the evening ; heat and dryness in the eye ; soreness of the internal can- thus of the affected eye ; she sees a green halo around the lamp- light; also: vertigo, headache, constipation, etc. A woman forty years old. The trouble of the eyes began three years ago, as she supposed from working in a laundry over steam. In September I found in the right eye commencing pterygium, just encroaching on the cornea; in the left eve it extended to the pupil from the internal canthus, and had a breadth of one and a half lines, and was thick and vascular ; the interior portion of the conjunctiva was much injected, the inner surface of the lids contracted, and the lashes inclined to turn inward; though they do not rest against the ball, the external canthi are sore and cracked. The eyes feel sore and hot on going into the cold air; better in a warm room. At night, the heat and itching is great and lachrymation is profuse. She has to put a handkerchief over her eyes, to prevent her opening them, for the lachryma- tion is very bad on opening them at night. She sees a green halo around the evening light with the left eye ; only counts fingers at ten feet. She has attacks of rush of blood to the head and over the face, followed by perspiration over the body. Zincum300 cured the case. (Dr. Carroll Dunham.) INFLAMMATION OF THE EYELIDS, with incipient ulcera- tion, and complicated with profuse secretions from the Meibomian gland, in cachectic individuals. ZISTCUM METALLICUM. 895 SYPHILITIC IRITIS.— Dr. T. F. Allen reports a case of syph- ilitic iritis cured with zinc. The following symptoms were present : The pains came on at night upon lying down, with profuse, hot, scalding lachrymation. The pains were dull, involved halls and brows ; he could not sleep over ten minutes, hut waked with eyes full of burning water ; no discharge of mucus or pus ; indeed, there was dryness of the conjunctiva, and ball and lids were very much inflamed ; aggravation of the symptoms on lying down. We iind recorded : swelling and heat of the orifice of the ear ; purulent discharge from the (left) ear; cramp-like pain in the lobe of the (left) ear. Tearing and pressive pain in the bone in front and beneath the ear. Jerking tearing pain in the ears, at times with itching. Stitches deep in the ear, near the drum. Noise in the ears, ringing, roaring, cracking. Zincum has been recommended in EXTERNAL OTITIS, with similar symptoms ; 'the itching in the ears is relieved by boring; the discharge is fetid ; it affects the left ear in preference to the right. FACIAL GKOUP. Zinc causes: fluent coryza; also, stoppage of the nose; irritation of the nasal mucous membrane ; soreness high up in the nostril ; pinching in, and severe pressure upon, the root of the nose. Pallor of the face ; spasmodic twitching of the facial muscles. Tearing in the molar bone, extending into the upper jaw ; bruised pain in the part on pressure. Swelling of the lips ; dryness of the lips, with fissures in them. Transient stitches in the upper lip, with smarting of the lip. Tearing, cramp-like stitches in the lower jaw ; sticking pain in the articulation of the jaw, beneath and in front of the left ear, on moving the jaw backward and biting strongly, and on press- ing the finger upon the joint. These symptoms indicate its use in SWELLING OF THE NOSE, of both the soft and hard parts, with sensitiveness of the nose to contact, loss of smell, constant dry- ness of the nose and continual lachrymation. Zinc is likewise used for paroxysms of PROSOPALGIA ; the pain is tearing and the parts feel sore, as if they had been bruised ; the tearing is complicated with a sensa- tion of spasm in the nervous filaments ramifying through the affected side of the face. Individuals who are liable to such attacks are most generally of a cachectic and scrofulous habit of body ; the attacks may be caused by the artificial or spontaneous retrocession of facial herpes for which zinc would have been the remedy. 896 ZINCUM METALLICUM. CHYLO-POIETIC GROUP. Zincum caused : A voracious appetite ; at times an aversion to sweet things, to meat and cooked food ; increased thirst ; frequent empty eructations ; sour eructations ; hiccough ; nausea at times, accom- panied with trembling and weariness of the body ; vomiting of mucus and bile; fulness and pressure in the stomach ; dull, heavy pains, sore- ness in the stomach ; pressure in the pit of the stomach. Pinching, griping, pressing pains in the hepatic region. Colicky pain about the navel ; tension in both sides of the abdomen ; hard pressure as from flatulence in the sides of the abdomen, hypochondria and back, with- out emission of flatus ; aggravated by walking ; distention of abdomen, with rumbling and gurgling ; frequent emissions of hot, offensive flatus ; severe constrictive colic ; itching and soreness of the rectum j a feeling of pressure in the rectum ; cutting, tearing, burning, stick- ing in the anus ; *itching in the anus ; crawling, as from worms, in the anus ; offensive, pasty diarrhoea, with griping in the bowels ; sev- eral soft, mushy stools a day, enveloped in bright red, frothy blood, and preceded by colic; difficult evacuation of even soft stool; obsti- nate or habitual constipation ; stool hard, small, rather dry, with much pressure and rumbling in the abdomen. DYSPEPSIA. — We recommend the use of zinc in dyspepsia with sweetish taste in the mouth, sour eructations, burning in the stomach, vomiting of food as soon as it reaches the stomach, vomiting of mucus and bile ; obstinate constipation ; hard, small, dry stools. CONSTIPATION of a chronic nature, with flatulent colic, dys- pepsia (see above) ; rheumatic pains in the back and extremities ', distended abdomen ; difficult expulsion of stool, hard, dry, small. COLIC, with flatulence ; rumbling in the abdomen; emission of hot, fetid flatus, without giving relief. Dr. C. Hering relates the following case : Liver hard, enlarged, sore to the touch, could be felt much more to the left, and above the navel as a small, hard lump ; several hard lumps in the abdomen ; the abdomen enlarged and soft ; softest around the navel ; sore pains all over the belly, most around the navel ; hectic fever ; unquenchable thirst; when swallowing, he feels a small, hard lump in the throat; sometimes like a worm creeping up from the pit of the stomach into the throat, which makes him cough ; frequent gagging and vomiting of a little bloody phlegm or thin blood, sometimes pus, of a salty taste, particularly with coughing ; the cough worse at night, with a shooting in the scrobiculum ; a weak, but very deep cough ; has to cough until he raises ; stool either in little lumps or frothy ; rumbling in the bowels ; cannot lie on the left side ; during the night a dull moaning; feels so weak that he talks with difficulty ; his feet commence to swell, and the swelling rises gradually upward. Zincum30 restored him almost completely. {Am. your. Horn. Mat. Med.,. iii., 29.) EESPIRATOKY GROUP. The following are pathogenetic : Tickling in the larynx ; hoarse- ZINCUM METALLICUJI. 897 ness. Oppression of the chest. Short, dry, tickling, fatiguing cough. Dry cough with violent stitches in the chest, and a feeling as if it would burst ; she could only breathe and talk with difficulty. Suffocative cough ; expectoration of tenacious mucus. Bloody expectoration, with dry cough, with burning and sore pain in the chest, morning and evening, always before and during the menses. Oppressed respiration. Eoughness, rawness, anxiety, oppression of the chest. Feeling of constriction, tightness, pressure on the chest. Pressure on the chest, coming up from the pit of the stomach, relieved by eructation. Pain in the chest as if the blood were forcing its way into the finest vessels in the lungs. Dull, tearing pains in the chest ; stitching pains ; the pains are aggravated by motion and by taking hold of anything with the hands. Weakness in the chest. Sharp, pressing, stitching pains in the chest, under the left nipple, near the heart. Sticking pain beneath the left breast.