Chromicum Acidum

Chromic Acid. \ CrO^jH^O.

Used by the old school as an escharotic in the burning away of condylomata, etc., also as a disinfectant in hospital gangrene, etc., on account of its germ killing properties, which were found to be greater than those of any other substance in use.

The only systematic treatment it has received at the hands of the medical profession was in our ranks, from Drysdale, who proved the sesquioxide in 1842, see Hahn. Materia Medica, Part I (the symptoms are marked — in our arrange- ment); by Henry Duffield and Guernsey in 1852, Inaugural Thesis at Philadel- phia Homoeopathic Medical College, and by Oehme in 1873, N. Y. J. of Horn., V. 1, p. 367. Clinical use of it was made in six cases of phrenitis by Pehrson.

^ Mind. — Mind in a state of confusion for two days ; memory aggravated at times to such a degree that he found himself at a loss to know how to make several of the letters in the alphabet.

■ Delirious states. ^Phrenitis.

■ Quarrelsome in delirium. ^Phrenitis.

^ Sensorium. — Dull confusion in head, in forenoon.

Is heavy, dull, stupid.

Sensation of lightness of head like vertigo, with heat in face; face flushed; pulse full, slightly accelerated.

At 10 o'clock, while walking, lightness in head which in- clined him continually to r. side.

Giddiness when going down stairs. ^ Inner Head. Pain extends into anterior portion of brain from r. eyeball, and from aching teeth.

Fulness of head; in the evening lightness at heart as if a vacuum was there; giddiness when going down stairs, and cold feet.

Woke at 5 a.m. with feeling of fulness in upper and fore- part of head.

— Shooting pains in 1. temple.

Pulsative, throbbing sensation from region of heart to 1. eye and 1. side of head ; general fulness of forepart of head, with occasional slight pains in 1. hypochondrium.

■Throbbing in occiput. ^Phrenitis.

■ Great sensitiveness of brain. ^Phrenitis.

■ Inflammatory affections of the brain.

* Outer Head. Heavy pain along coronal suture, extending backward and occupying all of parietal portion, at 10

107 CHROMICUM ACIDUM.

A.M.; was not > by dinner, warmth, or cold, and con- tinued without variation until 4 p.m. ; walking in open air for one hour did not change the pain. ^ Sight and Eyes. Diminished vision.

— Several sharp cutting pains across 1. eyeball at night in bed ; smarting and heaviness in eyelids in evening.

— A kind of sudden jerk of both ej^eballs for a second. Throbbing in 1. eye.

Pain from r. eyeball up into anterior portion of brain, with soreness of orb to touch.

— Feeling of dryness and uneasiness in r. eye and nostril. Eyes feel sore and as if they were inflamed.

— Cutting pain across 1. eyeball, with flow of tears in morning in bed.

— Smarting in eyelids ; in evening accompanied by prick- ing in skin.

— Itching and smarting around eyes, especially in inner canthi.

Dull pain over 1. eye as if headache would set in, con- tinued all day.

— Dull, pressive pain over r. eye on awaking in morning. ^ Hearing and Ears. Occasionally sensation in r. ear, as if

water was in it, it appears and disappears suddenly. ■ Pain from toothache extends into ear.

— Sudden jerking pains in 1. ear and a cold feeling in a small spot in meatus.

^ Smell and Nose. Uneasy feeling in r. nostril.

Fetid, musty smell in posterior nares, chiefly perceived

during expiration, after breakfast and dinner, i Oz?ena. ^ Upper Face. Face flushed and hot.

I Face rose red during coughing spells. ^Laryngeal

phthisis. ^ Lower Face. — Quivering of lower lip. Lips dry and disposed to chap. I I Trismus. '° Teeth and Gums, i Toothache, with pain extending into

ear. Soon after going to bed, 10 p.m., two attacks of very violent

toothache on r. side; each attack lasted about ten to

fifteen minutes, with a free interval of several minutes ;

during the second attack painful teeth seemed as if too

long; pain extended into forehead. A pain between the head, 1. shoulder-blade and shoulder

grew much better during toothache; during the pain

he was frequently obliged to change his position. After the second attack of toothache such uneasiness in

limbs that he was obliged to get up and walk about,

CHROMICUM ACIDUM. 108

teeth of r. side felt too long even next morning, and cold water produced pain in teeth.

Repeated toothache of short duration, especially in lower jaw r. side; during attacks of toothache the correspond- ing artery beats more violently than on the other side.

In the night sudden violent pain in several undecayed teeth, 1. side, especially in lower jaw; while the pain lasts the corresponding arteries beat more violently.

In morning after usual rinsing of mouth with cold water, toothache in 1. lower jaw for a short time. ^^ Taste and Tongue. A swallow of diluted Madeira tastes singularly disagreeable.

— Metallic taste in mouth before dinner.

— Pricking in tongue.

^^ Inner Mouth. During the eating of food, which tastes well and natural, sensation as if exhaled air smelled putrid, almost causing nausea. I Periodical ranula with dry mouth, < afternoon, sore when chewing; at same time blind piles and costiveness. : Scorbutic diseases of gums. 13 Throat. Accumulation of tough mucus in throat, with con- stant disposition to swallow it, because it cannot easily be hawked up. White phlegm in throat causing hawking, especially

mornings, i Ulceration of mucous membrane of mouth and pharynx. Sore throat awakens at night, is very painful, with short

cough and retching. I Angina diphtheritica, crouposa and gangrsenosa. ^* Appetite. No appetite for breakfast.

— Unusual hunger in middle of day.

^^ Eating and Drinking. After breakfast and dinner, musty

smell in posterior nares. After dinner, 2 p.m.,' a qualmishness of stomach lasting

until 4 P.M. Half an hour after a simple supper, nausea, gradually in- creasing, with sensation as if a stool would follow. While eating, sensation as if exhaled air smelled putrid,

smells the food repeatedly to satisfy himself that it is

not putrid. ^® Nausea and Vomiting. Nausea, transient at different

times, especially when the stomachis empty. Several times vomiting of food, and afterwards three times

of bile, with much retching at intervals of five to ten

minutes, with warm sweat and usual heat. Sudden inclination to vomit in morning while dressing,

with flow of water in mouth and dull pressure in

109 CHROMICUM ACIDUM.

fulness in stomach, so that he is obliged to loosen his

clothes. Soon after- last vomiting, sleep for half an hour, after

which slight heaviness or pressure in stomach. ^^ Hypochondria. Occasional slight pains in 1. hypochon-

drium.

— Pressive pain in r. hypochondrium in morning on awaking.

'^ Abdomen. Woke at 4 a.m. with sick feeling in abdomen, which was very tender to touch, especially along colon; at 6 o'clock nausea and frequent eructations with retch- ing, which brought up white mucus.

Awoke at 5 a.m. very restless, could not lie quiet five min- utes at a time; at 6 a very sharp pain was experienced in hypogastric region and along ascending colon, grow- ing very acute and lasting half an hour, then relieved by a profuse diarrhcea lasting three hours; when these symptoms ceased the same headache returned, and soon was followed by the same sick stomach, lasting as on the first day till 4 p.m.

Uneasiness in bowels before rising in morning, similar to premonitory symptoms of diarrhoea, > after rising.

Awoke with pain in colon accompanied by rumbling and wind, but passed off on rising.

— Flatulence and rumbling in abdomen.

— In evening disagreeable, violent pain, like flatulence, in r. side from lumbar region round to coecum, brought on by any movement of the trunk, or by deep inspiration; not felt in sitting or lying still.

— Pain in loins and r. side, in morning in bed, > on get- ting up.

^^ Stool and Rectum. Frequent passage of flatus for several days.

— Fulness about rectum, and difficult evacuation of a soft, scanty stool.

— After tea a sudden and pressing desire to stool, with scanty, thin, lumpy evacuation.

Diarrhoeic discharge from bowels, after which the pulse

rose to 75 (from 52). Small stool of mucus and knotty feces. 1 1 Watery diarrhcea, with nausea and dizziness. ■ Blind piles with costiveness.

CHROMICUM ACIDUM. 110

• Leucorrhoea. ^* Lactation. llFoul smelling sanious lochia. ^^ Larynx, l Consumption of larynx, with very red face dur- ing attacks of coughing. ': QLdema of glottis. ^^ Respiration. During expiration, fetid, musty smell from

— In the night a severe boring pain in 1. side of chest be- low axilla, about the fourth rib, not < by motion or respiration, goes off on turning on r. side.

— Deep seated pain in back of 1. side of chest, and cor- responding place in front, with a feeling on deep inspi- ration as if root of lung could not expand and was painful.

In drawing a long breath, a stitch in upper 1. part of chest near the shoulder.

Slight pain in 1. lung with throbbing pulsation in it.

Throbbing pulsation through chest with cold feet, in day- time.

Sensation of emptiness in chest, with soreness and pressure about chest, and cold feet.

Weakness of chest and a kind of twitching in 1. knee-joint. ^® Heart, Pulse and Circulation. Lightness at heart; as if a vacuum was there.

I Angina waking at night, pains much, short hacking and retching.

— In evening in bed, pain in region of heart, a fine draw- ing, nervous pain, at times reaching through chest to shoulder and neck ; on lying on heart, a sort of clucking, painful sensation on deep inspiration.

— Fixed pressive pain at apex of heart.

— Pain under apex of heart awoke him.

Ill CHROMICUM ACIDUM.

Normal pulse being about 52 to 56, it varied during the two weeks proving between 48 and 84.

Pulse 48, at 7 a. m., 6th and 8th days; 62 to 64 in afternoon and evening.

Pulse mostly 72 in morning, and 84 at 4 p.m.

In second proving, from 52 to 70, and from 58 to 75 in afternoon. ^^ Neck and Back. Turning of head toward left and back- ward was impossible.

Cold sensation on back of neck, at 10 a.m.

Stiffness of muscles on 1. side of back and neck, with stric- ture in chest in region of heart.

— Heavy pains in muscles of neck and shoulders, and vari- ous parts of trunk, soon went off and were only slightly felt in back during day.

For almost three weeks an apparently deep seated pain with distress, at times more severe, at others less, in 1. shoulder, shoulder-blade and 1. part of back of neck up to occiput ; the least pains were felt when standing and walking.

All muscles connected with the shoulder-blade were more or less affected and painful to touch.

The pain moved from 1. shoulder-blade down to pelvis, and lumbar region was sensitive.

— Dull pain at inner angle of 1. scapula in evening, and at inferior angles of both in morning.

— Rheumatic pains about r. shoulder and various jDarts of back.

— Superficial burning pains about middle dorsal spines, with sudden jerking pains in 1. ear and cold feeling in a small spot in meatus.

— Pains in back and loins.

■ — Pain in loin, seems to arise in a spot which is tender to pressure, about an inch to r. of middle lumbar spine.

— Lumbar pain most painful in morning in bed.

Pain in lumbar region (lumbago) as if a change of position would ameliorate ; desire to stretch out straight.

Shooting pain from small of back into 1. hip-bone.

Weakness and pain in small of back and sharp shooting from lumbar vertebra3 to crest of ilium on r. side. ^^ Upper Limbs. Dull, aching pain, over the top of 1 shoulder as if from great fatigue, for two hours.

— Pains in 1. scapula.

— Drawing pains in 1. scapula occasionally throughout the day, but most in the morning.

— Pain about 1. scapula in the morning.

— Itching in the armpits at night.

— Transitory, undefined pains in the elbows, in the morning.

CHROMICUM ACIDUM. 112

Short lasting, slight pain in r. elbow.

Transient pain in 1. elbow.

Several times a short lasting, growing pain with lameness,

in the middle of the 1. brachium, in front, as from a

upper half of 1. thigh, in front, extending to hip-joint.

— In bed a severe quivering, boring, deep seated pain in the inner side of the thighs, chiefly the left.

■ — A dull, bruised, fatigued feeling in the legs, especially above the knees, with some pain on firm pressure ; for several days.

— I Pains in the knee.

A kind of twitching in 1. knee-joint.

In the afternoon a rheumatic feeling in the r. knee-joint,

continuing till 10, p.m. Knee-joints weak and knocking.

Weakness of 1. knee-joint, knocking a little when walking. Sensation of paralysis from the r. knee down.

— Occasionally indistinct pains like a strain about the feet and ankles.

— Sharp drawing pains in bones and ligaments of r. foot.

— Shooting, drawing pains about the balls of the feet.

— Itching and drawing pains in the balls of the feet, at the root of the toes, painful on treading on the ground.

— Itching in the feet, toes and various parts in the evening.

Burning and itching in the toes like chilblains.

Cold feet, with fulness in head, giddiness, and with chest symptoms. ^* Limbs in General. Uneasiness, stiffness and dull pain in muscles, in morning; chiefly in shoulder-blades and back of neck, also between shoulders and in hips; coming occasionally during day until evening.

Cold hands and feet.

On lying on heart: painful sensation on deep inspiration.

On lying down : cannot fall asleep.

Sitting or lying still : > pain in r. side from lumbar re- gion round to coecum.

Rising from a lying position caused much pain.

After rising: in morning, uneasiness in bowels >; pain in loins and r. side >.

113 CHROMICUM ACIDUM.

Obliged to change position during pain between head, L shoulder-blade and shoulder.

At night sleep was impaired, as only certain positions were indurable.

Obliged to get up and walk about: after attack of tooth- ache; in evening.

Movement of trunk brings on violent pain in r. side from lumbar region round to coecum.

While walking lightness in head.

Quick walking: gives relief; > the nausea which pre- cedes each attack of vomiting.

On going down stairs giddiness.

On turning on r. side pain in chest >.

The slightest motion of the affected parts was very painful. ^ Nerves. Tiredness and weakness.

^^ Sleep. Notwithstanding the good sleep at night, great sleepi- ness in daytime; but if he lies down for a nap cannot fall asleep.

Excessively sleepy one hour before bedtime.

Fell asleep late.

Wakes up at early dawn and cannot fall asleep.

Going to sleep late, much restlessness and very anxious dreams, dreams not recollected.

— A-^ivid dreams ; awoke early with pains suddenly shifting to various parts of trunk ; dull pain at one time at in- ferior angles of scapulae, then pressure in r. hypochon- drium, at edge of false ribs, then in region of bladder; pain, dull, pressive, over the r. eye.

— Had a dream in morning, with pain under apex of heart, which awoke him.

Dreams much all night; he rides on horseback through a

stream, and after crossing the water it freezes on him. Dreams unpleasant; about to be put to death by poison,

while innocent of crime. Dreamed that he had an attack of strangury, which the

next morning proved to be the fact, and which he did

not get over for two hours. ^ Time. At night: cutting pains across 1. eyeball; toothache;

sore throat awakens; retching cough and sore throat;

itching in armpits; good sleep; dreams much. At 2 A.M. : pulse 48.

At 4 A.M. : woke with sick feeling in abdomen. At 5 A.M. : fulness in upper and forepart of head ; awoke

very restless; could not lie quiet five minutes; boring

pain in 1. side of chest; angina. In morning: in bed, flow of tears, with cutting pain across

1. eyeball; on awaking dull, pressive pain over r. eye;

toothache; hawking of phlegm; nausea; pains in 1.

VOL. IV. — 8.

CHROMICUM ACIDUM. 114

hypochondriuna ; uneasiness in bowels before rising; pain in loins and r. side; pulse 72; pain at inferior angles of both scapulae; in bed, lumbar pain <; pain in 1. scapula <; transitory pains in elbows; itching in palm of hand ; uneasiness, stiffness and pain in mus- cles; had a dream.

At 6 A.M. : nausea ; sharp pain in hypogastric region and along ascending colon.

In forenoon: dull confusion in head.

At 10 o'clock : lightness in head.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. : pain along coronal suture ; cold sensation in back of neck.

Middle of day: unusual hunger.

Afternoon: ranula with dry mouth; pulse 62 to 64; 58 to 75 ; rheumatic feeling in r. knee.

2 to 4 P.M. : qualmishness.

All day: pain over 1. eye.

In daytime: pulsation through chest with cold feet; sleepi- ness.

In evening : lightness at heart as of a vacuum ; smarting and heaviness in eyelids; smarting in eyelids with pricking in skin ; pain-like flatulence ; pain in region of heart ; pulse 62 to 64 ; pain at inner angle of 1. scapula ; itching of feet and various parts; pricking and itching here and there; uneasiness in limbs.

10 p.m.: violent toothache. ^^ Temperature and Weather. The least draught of air < pain.

Warmth : does not > pain along coronal suture.

Cold : does not > pain along coronal suture.

Cold water: produced pain in teeth; pain < by.

Cold water and a strong draught of air cause or increase the pain.

Walking in open air : did not > pain along coronal suture. *° Fever. Cold head and feet.

Sensation of general coldness which continued for one week ; could not get warm at all. ^^ Attacks, Periodicity. For a second: sudden jerk of eye- balls.

Appears and disappears suddenly: sensation as of water in r. ear.

Transitory : pains in elbows.

At intervals of 5 to 10 minutes : retching and vomiting.

Lasting 10 to 15 minutes: attacks of toothache.

After several minutes : sudden stitches in region of heart gradually disappear.

Lasting half an hour: pain in hypogastric region and along ascending colon.

115 CHROMICUM ACIDUM.

For two hours: pain over top of 1. shoulder; attack of strangury.

Lasting three hours : morning diarrhoea.

Throughout day : pain in 1. scapula ; occasionally pains in muscles until evening.

For two days: mind in a state of confusion.

For one week : sensation of coldness.

For three weeks : deep seated pain with distress, at times more severe, at others less, in 1. shoulder and neck.

Periodical: ranula. *^ Locality and Direction. Pains < on 1. side and lasting longer than on the right.

Left : shooting pains in temple ; pulsati ve throbbing from region of heart to eye and side of head ; slight pains in hypochondrium with fulness of head; cutting pains across eyeball; throbbing in eye; dull pain over eye; sudden jerking pains in ear; cold feeling in meatus; pain in undecayed teeth; toothache in lower jaw; pain over whole upper part of chest on coughing; boring- pain in side of chest below axilla; deep seated pain in back of chest; stitch in upper part of chest on drawing a long breath ; slight pain in lung ; twitching in knee- joint; deep seated pain with distress in shoulder, shoul- der-blade and neck; pain moved from shoulder-blade down to pelvis; dull pain at inner angle of scapula; jerking pains in ear; shooting pain into hip-bone; dull aching pain over top of shoulder; pain in scapula; transient pain in elbow; short lasting, growing pain with lameness in brachium; drawing, deep seated pain in upper half of thigh ; twitching in knee ; weakness of knee-joint.

Right: lightness in head inclines him to side when walk- ing; dull, pressive pain over eye on awaking in morn- ing; pain from eyeball and aching teeth into anterior portion of brain ; as of water in ear ; dulness and uneasy feeling in e3^e and nostril; pressive pain over eye in morning; violent toothache after going to bed; teeth feel too long after toothache; toothache in lower jaw; from lumbar region round to coecum, pain like flatulence ; pain in loins and side ; rheumatic pains about shoulder ; sharp shooting to crest of ilium; short lasting pain in elbow; itching in palm of hand; rheumatic feeling in knee; sensation of paralysis from knee down; drawing pains in bones and ligaments of foot ; j^ressure in hypo- chondrium ; dull, pressive pain over eye. *^ Sensations. As of a vacuum at heart ; of tiredness and weakness ; as of water in ear ; as if painful teeth were too long; as if root of lung could not expand and was

CHROMICUM ACIDUM. 116

painful on deep inspiration ; as from a severe blow in middle of 1. brachium; as of paralysis from r. knee down.

Pain: from teeth and r. eyeball into anterior brain; in 1. hypochondrium ; from toothache, extends into ear and forehead; between head, 1. shoulder-blade and shoulder; in teeth, from cold water; in hypogastric region and along ascending colon; in colon; like flatulence, in r. side from lumbar region round to coecum ; in loins and right side; over whole upper 1. part of chest; in 1. lung; under apex of heart ; from 1. shoulder-blade down to pelvis ; in back and loins ; in lumbar region ; in small of back ; in 1. scapula ; in elbows ; in legs, especially above knees, on firm pressure ; in knee ; at root of toes on treacling on ground; suddenly shifting to various parts of trunk.

Cutting: across 1. eyeball.

Boring: in 1. side of chest below ax:illa; about fourth rib; in inner side of thighs, chiefly the left.

Stitch: in 1. chest near shoulder; in region of heart, sud- den and violent.

Shooting: in 1. temple; in epigastrium; from small of back into 1. hip-bone; from lumbar vertebrae to crest of ilium on r. side ; about balls of feet.

Pricking : in tongue ; in skin ; in various parts.

Drawing: in 1. scapula; in upper half of 1. thigh; as if in the bone, extending to hip-joint; in bones and ligaments of r. foot ; about balls of feet.

Burning: superficial, about middle dorsal spines; in toes like chilblains.

Sudden jerking: in 1. ear; of both eyeballs.

Sudden violent pain : in teeth in 1. side.

Fine, drawing, nervous pain in region of heart, at times reaching through chest to shoulder and neck.

Quivering pains : in inner side of thighs, chiefly the left.

Soreness : of orb to touch ; of eyes as if inflamed ; of mouth when chewing; of throat; in chest.

Deep seated pain: in back and front of 1. side of chest; in 1. shoulder, shoulder-blade and 1. part of back of neck up to occiput; in hands and fingers; in upper half of 1. thigh, in front, extending to hip-joint; in inner side of thighs, chiefly the left.

Pressive pain : at apex of heart.

Dull, pressive pain : over r. eye.

Dull, aching pain: over top of 1. shoulder, as if from great fatigue.

Dull pain: over 1. eye as if headache would set in; at inner angle of 1. scapula; at inferior angles of both scapulae; in hands and fingers.

117 CHROMICUM ACIDUM.

Heavy pain: along coronal suture; in muscles of neck and shoulders and various parts of trunk.

Pinching: in epigastrium.

Rawness: in chest.

Smarting: in eyelids; around eyes; in inner canthi.

Bruised feeling: in legs, especially above knees.

Indistinct pains like a strain about feet and ankles.

Aching: in epigastrium.

Rheumatic pains: about r. shoulder; about various parts of back.

Clucking, painful sensation on deep inspiration when lying on heart.

Growing pains : in 1. brachium.

Transitory pains : in elbows ; in 1. brachium ; in various parts.

Sensitiveness: of brain; of lumbar region.

Heaviness: in eyelids; in stomach.

Throbbing pulsation: from region of heart to 1. eye and side of head; in occiput; in 1. eye; in 1. lung; through chest.

Pulsation : from region of heart to 1. eye and side of head.

Pressure: in stomach; on chest; in r. hypochondrium, at edge of false ribs, then in region of bladder.

Stricture: in chest, in region of heart.

Twitching: in 1. knee-joint.

Stiffness: in muscles, chiefly in shoulder-blades, back of neck ; between shoulders and in hips.

Rheumatic feeling: in r. knee-joint.

Sick feeling: in abdomen.

Fulness: of head; in upper and forepart of head; in stomach ; about rectum.

Emptiness: in chest. " Lightness: of head; at heart as of a vacuum.

Dull feeling: in legs, especially above knees.

Fatigued feeling: in legs, especially above knees.

Weakness: in small of back; of chest; of knee-joints; of 1. knee-joint.

Lameness: in 1. brachium.

Falling asleep : of arms.

Uneasiness: in r. eye and nostril; in limbs; in bowels, similar to premonitory symptoms of diarrhoea ; in mus- cles, chiefly in shoulder-blades, back of neck, between shoulders and in hips.

Heat: in face.

Coldness: general, he cannot get warm.

Cold feeling: in small spot in meatus; on back of neck.

Itching: around eyes; in inner canthi; in armpits; in palm of r. hand; at balls of feet; in feet, toes and vari- ous parts.

CHROMICUM ACIDUM. 118

Kali bich. derived from the same metal.

119 CICUTA VIROSA.