Homeopathy LibraryFerrum
Hempel - Materia Medica and Therapeutics · Charles Julius Hempel · 23,343 chars
General
[IEON.]
iron is found in the three kingdoms of nature, seldom pure, generally oxyclized ; in the so-called aquas martiales (steel springs) ; iron is found in combination with oxygen and carbonic acid ; iron is also found in the ashes of many plants digitalis, helleb. niger, etc.) ; in tea, where it was first discovered by Mulder ; it is one of the chief constituents of the blood, where, according to Rose, it exists as an oxide, and, according to Berzelius, as a pure metal. The best iron ores are said to be found in Sweden, Norway and Eussia. In med- icine we use the so-called ferrum cusum or welded iron.
Iron unites with all simple, non-metallic bodies, except hydrogen, and it dissolves in almost any acid, forming various precipitates, according as the protoxydc, peroxyde, or deuteroxyde had been dis- solved.
In homoeopathic practice we use ferrum metallicum, ferrum acet- icum, ferrum carbonicum, ferrum iodatum, ferrum muriaticum, ferrum sulphuricum.
The metallic iron is obtained in the shape of a fine powder ; it is perfectly free from rust. We make triturations, taking care that during this process the iron does not become oxydized. Previous to making these triturations, the sugar of milk, mortar and pestle should be warmed in order to remove every possible trace of moisture.
Petruschky, a young man of vigorous constitution, swallowed four times a day from four to twenty-four drops, commencing with four-drop doses and gradually in- creasing to twenty-four.
Previous to his taking the iron, his blood was bright red, containing an inconsid- erable number of small, colorless blood-corpuscles. After swallowing the iron, the blood was dark-red, the blood-corpuscles were deeply colored and had sharp edges; the blood coagulated less readily than before the proving, and the serum was of a more deep yellow color.
This prover was exceedingly sensitive to the action of iron ; it developed the fol- lowing interesting symptoms :
Heaviness in the head, want of freedom in the frontal region and pressure in the temples. Sensation of excessive ftilncss in the head. Uncommon serious disposi- tion; the patient felt disposed to attach much importance to small things, lickling in the urethra, with urging to urinate ; the tickling gradually extended from the navicular fossa to the neck of the bladder. Extraordinary feeling of strength and buoyancy of spirits.
Oppression on the chest, increasing with desire to draw a long breath, slight stitches in the lungs and a tightness in the region of the heart. Pulse sixty-one, tense. Feeling of warmth in the stomach. Sense of weariness in the
FERRUM. 113
Limbs
Pressure at the stomach after eating, which finally increased to a drawing.
The bright redness of his face had considerably diminished; pulse down to fifty-five, full and tense.
On waking, painful sensation in the larynx inducing a hacking and hawking, aggravated by pressure upon the larynx, and shifting to a point behind the upper third of the sternum.
He hawked up a vesicular, tenacious mucus which was streaked with black blood.
Mucous rale was heard behind the upper portion of the sternum, and the impulse was somewhat jerking.
Depression of spirits and bodily strength.
Tongue coated, pappy taste, little appetite, costiveness, paroxysms of a drawing pain through the bowels.
Violent nosebleed which relieved the head ; copious, slimy sediment in the urine.
In the course of a few days the symptoms gradually disappeared ; his strength returned, the alvine evacuations again became soft and regular, pulse seventy-five, as before the proving.
In the case of this prover the first -small doses of iron developed the secondary effects of the drag or symptoms of organic reaction, a feeling of mental and physical energy, craving appetite. The sub- sequent doses developed the primary effects of the drug, cerebral and pulmonary congestions, loss of appetite, coated tongue, irritation in the urethra, depression of spirits, debility, sinking of the pulse.
Lceffler, a robust man and enjoying good health except a disposition to bronchial catarrh, commenced his experiments with ten drops three times a day, gradually in- creasing to fifteen, and lastly to thirty drops, and afterward adding one drop to each dose.
The changes in the blood were similar to those experienced by the first prover.
The first effect of small doses was to increase his appetite and to induce a remark- able feeling of strength.
This did not last long, the secondary symptoms soon made their appearance.
The pulse went down from seventy- five to fifty-four beats.
The impulse of the heart was jerking, the pulse was likewise tense, not soft as it generally is in hot weather, when these provings were instituted.
The gastric symptoms were quite marked: pinching and rumbling in the bowels which felt full and distended; pappy taste, with white-coated tongue; uncomfortable feeling after eating ; lassitude, want of desire to attend to either bodily or mental labor.
This prover likewise felt this disagreeble tickling in the urethra with unusual urg- ing to urinate, a violent tenesmus of the bladder which was soon after accompanied by a distressing tenesmus of the rectum. The feces consisted of small, hard fragments.
The urine deposited a slimy sediment.
The affection of the urethra seemed to assume the form of a neuralgic affection. Between eight and nine o'clock in the morning, and between six and seven in the evening, the prover suddenly felt a tickling and warmth in the glans ; soon after, this sensation was accompanied by an irresistible urging to urinate ; as soon as the urine reached the glans, it caused an exceedingly troublesome pain in this part, which con- tinued even for some minutes after an emission of urine, and was accompanied by a continually increasing urging to urinate. The distress might be eased by drinking a quantity of cold water, and by compressing the glans with the fingers.
The third prover experienced the same distressing tickling in the urethra, with fre- quent urging to urinate, the same changes in the pulse, constipation with frequent tenesmus of the rectum, and oppression of the bowels and stomach after eating.
114 FERRUM.
The provings reported by Hahnemann, were made with the acetate of iron ; from them and other provings we learn that iron acts upon the arterial, muscular and lymphatic system ; it exerts an especial influence upon the vegetative sphere, causing a marked general exhaustion.
CEPHALIC GROUP.
Provers have experienced : Vertigo, particularly on closing the eyes or on going down stairs, with disposition to fall forward.
Stag- gering, in walking, as if intoxicated.
Vertigo, with sickness at the stomach in walking, with sensation as if the head would constantly incline toward the right side.
Hammering and throbbing headacbe with aversion to food and drink.
Violent stitching pain in the left side of the head.
Kush of blood to the head, with swelling of the veins of the head and slight flashes of heat.
Pain about the head as from subcutaneous ulceration, and painfulness of the hair when touching it.
Ferrum may be used in
CONGESTIVE HEADACHES or headaches depending upon gastric difficulties, with nausea, pressure in the stomach after eating, etc.; or in headaches of ' chlorotic patients.
NERVOUS GROUP.
Ferrum has caused: great general weakness; heaviness of the limbs ; constant trembling of the body with languor ; tearing in the back, particularly between the scapula?, even when sitting or lying, aggravated by walking and by exercising the arm.
Stitches in the small of the back.
Sticking and tearing in the shoulder-joint, extending through the upper arm, with cracking in the shoulder- joint, preventing the lifting of the arm.
Tremor of the hands ; cramp, numbness, insensibility of the fingers.
Painful drawing in the legs.
Painful cramp in the calves, early in the morning, when rising from the bed, or when standing (disappearing when walking).
Swelling of the feet, extending up to the ankles and knees.
Numb- ness of the thighs.
Tearing and lancination in the hip-joint (pain- ful as if bruised on touching it), extending down to the tibia; the pain prevents one from stepping, is relieved by walking, is most violent in the evening in bed, and obliges one to rise and walk about.
CHPONIC EHEUMATISM— We may use ferrum in chronic rheumatism of the extremities, especially if the joints become oedema- tous, sore and painful; this is particularly the case with patients of a leuco-phlegmatic constitution. It has cured
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RHEUMATISM OF THE DELTOID MUSCLE and of the
shoulder, caused by exposure, extending from the insertion of the deltoid into the elbow-joint, aggravated at night and by violent mo- tion, relieved upon getting out of bed and from slight motion ; para- lytic numbness and lameness of the upper arm.
A large, strong tanner, aged thirty-three years, who has never been real sick, com- menced to have slight drawing pains in the right shoulder.
After three days it be- came tearing, with occasional stitching pains, shooting into the elbow ; with it, paralytic weakness of the upper arm.
The pain becomes unbearable from motion and at night in bed, he cannot remain in bed.
Walking about, relieves the pain somewhat.
There is no swelling.
Otherwise, he is perfectly well.
He received on the sixth, ferrum muriat.8, one dose every twelve hours, and was cured in four days.
(Peate in Allg.
Horn.
Zeitg., lxviii., 70.)
PROSOPALGIA. — Iron has also cured prosopalgia, the pain being tearing, worse in bed, better upon rising and from moving about gently.
CHTLO-POIETIC GROUP.
The following symptoms are pathogenetic : pale lips ; sensitiveness to touch of the back and middle portion of the tongue.
Everything he eats tastes bitter.
Every kind of substantial food has a dry, insipid taste.
Loss of appetite, owing to a constant feeling of reple- tion, although he relishes what he drinks.
Vomiting of the ingesta after every meal, repletion and violent pressure in the stomach.
Constant nausea, loathing, eructation.
Everything he vomits tastes sour and acrid.
Pressure at the stomach after taking the least food or drink.
Distention at the region of the stomach.
Sensitiveness of the pit of the stomach to contact.
Distention of the abdomen without suffering from flatulence.
On touching the abdomen or when coughing, the bowels feel sore as if bruised or weakened by cathartics.
Flatulent colic at night.
Frequent diarrhceic stools, watery, accompanied by flatulence and worse after food or drink.
Contractive spasm in the rectum.
Frequent urging to stool, with burning at the anus, and pain in the back during motion.
Consti- pation and varices of the rectum.
Itching and gnawing in the rectum and discharge of ascarides with the slimy stool.
Constipation, the feces being expelled in the shape of hard, very dark balls, with tenesmus.
These symptoms lead us to prescribe ferrum in the following con- ditions :
CAPiDiA-uijIA of ciiiorotic, anaemic persons, with heavy pressure in the stomach, vomiting of food immediately after eating and other symptoms already described.
116 FERRUM.
VOMITING of food immediately after eatiug, without the exist- ence of an organic disease of the stomach.
VOMITING OF PREGNANCY, where the patient is obliged to leave the table suddenly, empties the stomach and returns to the table with a fair appetite ; absence of disease of the stomach.
DIARPH03A, of watery, painless, mucous, undigested stools at night, or while eatiug and drinking; diarrhoea of scrofulous, ca- chectic, chlorotic or consumptive persons.
A boy, aged thirteen months, was taken from the breast some ten weeks ago and has had, since then, painless, odorless, reddish-brown watery diarrhoea, from twelve to fifteen stools in the twenty-four hours.
Decided pallor of the surface of the body, emaciation, great exhaustion.
(Edema of the scrotum and of the extremities.
Canine hunger without much thirst.
Distinct venous murmurs.
Prescribed ferrum sulph. one grain every four hours.
Decided aggravation in two days and perfect cure in five weeks.
(Kafka in Prager Moil.
Schrift., iii., 188.)
A colliquative diarrhoea of a consumptive, where the stools were unusually fre- quent and finally became involuntary, was controlled by a solution of ferrum met.30, so that he had only three, more consistent, stools per day and gained considerably in strength.
(Gr. in Allg.
Horn.
Zeitg., iii., 89.)
A child, two and a half years old, of a remarkably well-defined lymphatic consti- tution has had diarrhoea for three months.
Symptoms : Worse at night ; the stools are water and slime mixed, painless; the lower abdomen is not painless to touch.
Countenance pale, the body is much bloated, pressure with the finger leaving a dent which disappeared gradually; skin cool, loss of appetite, great thirst, great exhaustion, nightly and light paroxysm of fever.
Out of humor, inclined to cry.
China failed to relieve ; ferrum cured.
(Werber in Hygea, vi., 322.)
CONSTIPATION of anaemic persons; characteristic gastric de- rangements ; bad taste in the mouth, nausea, flushed face and head with cold hands and feet; long-continued straining at stool; chronic cases.
H2EMATEMESIS — Ferrum is also recommended in hsemate- mesis with tenderness to touch in the pit of the stomach; pale faoe, great exhaustion; the symptoms are worse at night. The blood is black, partly fluid, partly clotted ; soreness over the abdomen with labor-like pains in the bowels.
Some authorities recommend iron in the treatment of enlarge- ment of the liver and of the spleen ; there are on record several such cures. The indications must be found in a totality of symptoms, which points to ferrum with unerring certainty and will occur only in very exceptional cases.
URINARY AND SEXUAL GROUP.
The urinary symptoms are : involuntary micturition, particularly in the daytime.
Burning pain in the urethra during micturition, as if the urine were hot.
These symptoms may lead to the occasional use of IJm* Irug in
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ENURESIS of children, of a scrofulous diathesis, troubled with worms, and possibly in
CATARRH OF THE BLADDER, with characteristic constitu- tional symptoms.
The sexual group of ferrum is of importance.
Wo have : erections day and night.
Nocturnal emissions.
Discharge of mucus from the urethra.
These symptoms may occur iti cases where a larger array of symptoms calls for the exhibition of iron and where increased sexual desire or the other extreme, impotence, or nocturnal emissions occur as expressions or accompanying symptoms of a primary con- dition which demands the use of this remedy.
Upon women, iron has produced : labor-like pains in the abdo- men as previous to the appearance of the menses.
The menses delay a few days, with scanty discharge of watery blood attended with violent colic.
The menses intermit two or three days and then re-appear.
The menses remain suppressed for eight weeks.
Previous to the menses : stinging headache and singing in the ears, discharge of long pieces of mucus from the uterus, with shifting of flatulence from the abdomen.
Painfulness of the vagina during an embrace.
Leucorrhoea resembling watery milk, smarting and cor- roding when first appearing.
Menses too late, long-lasting and pro- fuse.
Hemorrhage from the uterus, with labor-like pains in the abdomen and glowing heat in the face.
Eerram will be found of the greatest value in the treatment of the following conditions :
METRORRHAGIA AND MENORRHCEA, when the blood is dark-colored, viscid, forming a thick, elastic crassamentum after coagulation ; labor-like colic ; pains in the groins ; fiery-red, or very pale face ; vertigo.
AMENORRHEA in chlorotic women, who are utterly exhausted, emaciated and who suffer from nervousness, vertigo, indigestion, pressure in the pit of the stomach, watery diarrhoea or chronic con- stipation and those constitutional symptoms which point to ferrum.
DYSMENORRHEA in chlorotic women, with discharge of small quantities of a watery blood, dragging pain in the small of the back, great languor and mental depression, vertigo ; characteristic gastric derangements.
LEUOORRHCEA with soreness and heat in the vagina, discharge of a serous, offensive, irritating fluid mixed with flocks of mucus.
PROLAPSUS VAGIN/E occurred in a pregnant prover of iron.
118 FERRUM.
A corresponding condition existing in a chlorotic woman might find its remedy in iron.
STEEILITY in the case of chlorotic women, with characteristic constitutional symptoms may demand the exhibition of ferrum.
CHLOROSIS with vertigo upon motion, stooping forward, etc.; pressing pain in the forehead and in the epigastric region, loss of appetite, constipation, pallor of the countenance and of the general surface of the body, waxy color of the lips and tongue, amenorrhoea ; emaciation, utter prostration, weakness of the knee-joints, oedema of the face, hands and feet; clear, watery urine, constant chilliness, feeble beat of the pulse. The most valuable indications are, (a) a loss of volume and of firmness of the muscular fibre with a decided loss of contractile force, which makes muscular exertion very tiresome ; (Z/) a degeneration and poverty of the blood, as shown by the pallor of the mucous membrane and by the nun's murmur, which hides itself under a seeming plethora and even congestion, as shown by sudden flushing of the usually pale face, vertigo, roaring in the ears, violent palpitation of the heart, dyspnoea and haemorrhages from various organs.
Clinical experience seems to demonstrate that the value of iron, in the treatment of chlorosis, has been greatly overestimated by our school and that it must be given in large closes to produce any cura- tive effect at all.
DROPSY, if a sequela of chlorosis, the symptoms of which indi- cate ferrum, will find its remedy in iron.
CATARRHAL AND THORACIC GROUPS.
The action of iron upon the respiratory organs is exceedingly remarkable : Tickling in the larynx, with constant desire to cough ; spasmodic cough, with expectoration of mucus; sensation as if hot air were rising in the wind-pipe; dyspnoea; determination of blood to the chest; haemoptysis; discharge of greenish pus on waking.
ASTHMA. — These symptoms show that iron may be useful in asthma, worst about midnight, always worse in the evening in bed, better from walking about slowly and from uncovering the chest. Pallor of the face, with occasional flushing; warmth of the neck and trunk, coldness of the limbs ; oppression from orgasm of the blood; sensation of severe pressure upon the chest, making inspira- tion exceedingly laborious, with dilatation of the alae nasi during expiration; spasmodic cough with rattling of mucus in the chest; expectoration of blood.
tfERRUM. 1 1 9
LARYNGEAL PHTHISIS
In laryngeal phthisis we have: fixed pain in the larynx, cough with purulent expectoration, hoarse- ness, emaciation, consumptive fever and colliquatiou, rattling of phlegm in the bronchia.
In phthisis florida : cough with fetid, greenish, bloody pus, hectic fever, night-sweats.
HAEMOPTYSIS
The haemorrhage is moderate, the blood clear and bright-red, dyspnoea, pain between the shoulders, great prostra- tion especially after talking, cough, brought on by each motion.
The patient cannot remain in bed, he feels better when walking about slowly, but he is so feeble that he is obliged to lie down every few minutes.
EXANTHEMATOUS GROUP.
Sores in cachectic, leuco-phlegmatic subjects, with deficient reaction, want of tone in the muscular fibre, want of cohesion, etc., may be benefited by the internal use of iron.
FEVER GROUP.
The fever group of ferrum is of interest mainly as a part of the totality of symptoms.
We have : general coldness in the evening, in bed.
Want of animal heat.
Chilliness with glowing heat in the face.
Free perspiration in walking or sitting, or during a light sleep about midnight.
Morning sweat.
Sweat from the break of day until noon, every other morning, every attack is preceded by headache.
Many of these symptoms occur in those fevers which accompany grave constitutional diseases to which ferrum is homoeopathic.
INTERMITTENT FEVER— It may be called for in intermit- tent fever with morning-chills and afternoon-fever.
The chill is preceded by vomiting of the ingesta, is accompanied with thirst, glowing heat of the face, especial coldness (with numbness) of the feet, toes and fingers.
Heat without thirst ; sensation of heat with coldness to touch; great heat of the palms of the hands and of the soles of the feet.
Vomiting of the ingesta; patient feels better from moving about.
Perspiration as described above.
All the symptoms are worse while sweating.
Characteristic gastric symptoms, anaemia and headache.
MENTAL GROUP.
Hysteria and hypochondria, especially in chlorotic subjects, or after profuse loss of blood, sexual excesses, etc., are favorably acted upon by iron.
Of the particular preparations of iron, we will here remark that
120 FERRUH.
the carbonate of iron is one of the mildest preparations of this agent and has generally been preferred by allueopathic physicians.
Several interesting cases of neuralgia and chorea are reported as having been cared with this preparation.
It is doubtful whether the curative virtues of this agent in neuralgia can be depended upon unless the neuralgia is symptomatic of a general chlorotic condition of the system.
The muriate of iron acts powerfully upon the urinary organs, depositing crystals of a bright-red color in the urine.
It is also a powerful irritant of the bowels.
In affections to which iron is homoeopathic, and where the symptoms of urinary and intestinal irritation predominate, this preparation may be of use.
It is some- times applied externally to bleeding vessels on account of its styptic properties.
The iodide of iron is used in the suppurative stage of scrofulous consumption; in the advanced stage of tuberculosis; in chlorosis when grafted upon a decidedly scrofulous dyscrasia, and in scrofulous affections generally, where we wish at the same time- to combat or eradicate the consequences of an impoverished cachectic state of the system.
In this connection we may mention the double-salt citrate of iron and quinine, which is likewise used instead of iron in anamiic states of the system, in the case of scrofulous individuals, anaemic and cachectic women who are afflicted with inveterate leucorrhoea, or cedematous swelling in consequence of frequent losses of blood, mis- carriage, etc.
ANTIDOTAL TREATMENT
According to Hahnemann, the excessive effects of iron may be counteracted by china and Pulsatilla.
Iron antidotes china and mercury (in slow mercurial poisoning).
Navier recommends iron filings in poisoning with acetate of copper; the iron unites with the acid and precipitates the copper in an inert metallic state (in poisoning with copper, albumen is the best anti- dote).
Hydrated sesqui-oxide of iron is an antidote to arsenic.
In Buchner's Toxicology we find it stated that the workmen in English needle-factories become asthmatic between the years of twenty-five and thirty-five ; to prevent this they wear magnetic screens, also magnetic bandages around the mouth and neck; these attract the iron-dust, thus protecting the chest.
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