Muriaticum Acidum

a rabbit by this means only, after the convulsions had ceased and the animal was apparently dead. Artificial respiration may be employed at the same time as the inhalation of chlorine or ammonia is resorted to. In order to induce artificial respiration, we compress the anterior wall of the chest with both hands, raising at the same time the diaphragm, and by suddenly removing the hands, the air is enabled to rush into the lungs.

AOIDUM MUEIATIOUM.

[muriatic or hydrochloric acid.]

A compound of hydrogen and chlorine. Serres relates a case of poisoning by this acid, which exhibits its exceedingly irritating properties in a most marked manner. It is found in Orfila's Toxi- cology. A man swallowed an ounce and a half of the acid, after which he experienced great restlessness, his skin became burning hot, the tongue looked fiery-red, the lips became blackish, singultus, a desire to vomit and violent pains in the stomach set in.

During the night, he vomited a yellow substance. On the day following, the skin became clammy and cold, the pains in the stomach very violent, the pulse small, delirium set in, and death took place at three in the afternoon. Post-mortem appearances : Black lips, brown, swollen, hard and dry tongue ; purple redness of the fauces and oesophagus, and erosions in these parts here and there ; thickening of the stomach, and inflammation of the external coat ; the mucous coat came off in pieces, and revealed gangrenous spots ; the duodenum was likewise somewhat thickened.

Wibmer thus sums up the effects of dilute muriatic acid : Small quantities of it, taken internally, cause an agreeable warmth in the stomach, generally an acceleration of the pulse, a feeling of ease and liveliness, animated complexion, diminished secretion of urine ; larger doses cause vertigo and stupefaction. Larger quantities of the concentrated acid cause pain ; inflammation, a blackish-brown color, thickening corrosion, perforation and gangrene of the part touched by the poison.

The internal use is succeeded by nausea, retching, vomiting, violent pains in the buccal cavity, fauces, oesoph- agus, stomach and intestinal canal, with diarrhoea, tenesmus, etc. Death is frequently preceded by violent convulsions of the neck and spine. If transmitted into the veins, muriatic acid destroys life very speedily by causing the blood in the heart and lungs to coagulate.

ACIDUM MURIATICUM. 89

Guerard reports a case in the Annates cT Hygiene, Vol. xlviii., p. 415, where a woman of twenty-four years swallowed fifty-three grains of concentrated hydrochloric acid. Immediately upon swallowing it, she experienced a burning sensation from the mouth to the stomach, but especially in the throat, attended with a feeling of suffocation and succeeded by uncontrollable vomiting. She was unable to swal- low ; the least attempt at swallowing brought on vomiting. Her voice was low and the respiration frequent and labored.

The tongue and fauces were at first covered with a whitish pellicle, which after- ward became detached, exhibiting corroded spots underneath. Death took place two months after the poison had been swallowed ; some time previous, portions of corroded mucous membrane had been passed, both by vomiting and by stool. We have extracted these notes from Wharton's Medical Jurisprudence.

Hahnemann has furnished a few short provings of this agent, which indicate its use in the following affections :

CEREBROSPINAL GROUP.

It causes tearing pains in the right parietal bone ; tensive pain in the right temple ; boring pain in the vertex ; feeling as if the brain were loose ; burning sensation in the head.

Dr. Marcy has successfully used muriatic acid in headaches accompanying chronic hepatitis, and in the dull and stupefying headaches occurring in the progress of typhoid and scar- let fevers.

irritation of the ganglionic system induced by continued exposure to severe cold, which would have yielded to a few small doses of aconite or belladonna.

ORBITAL AND AURICULAR GROUP.

This acid has caused itching of the eyes ; slight inflammation of the eyes ; burning in the eyes on washing them ; one half of every object appears to be cut off from the other half in a perpendicular line ; twinkling before the eyes.

Hardness of hearing ; tingling and humming in the ears ; sensi- tiveness to noise ; itching pimples on the ears ; heat and dryness in the ears ; ulcerative pains in the left ear, aggravated by boring with the finger.

These symptoms point to muriatic acid as a good remedy for

CHRONIC SOEE EYES, when of a scrofulous nature, with alteration of the visual power.

DEAFNESS and ringing in the ears accompanying typhoid fever.

Muriatic acid has been of use in

HERPETIC AND PUSTULOUS ERUPTIONS upon the ears of scrofulous persons, particularly when breaking out as sequelae of scarlet fever. The higher attenuations will be found preferable.

BUCCAL GROUP.

The effect of the muriatic acid upon the buccal cavity, more es- pecially upon the tongue, is very interesting. Hull's Jahr gives the following symptoms: "The tongue becomes sore and bluish ; red,, burning vesicles on the tip of the tongue ; painful, burning blister on the tongue ; deep ulcer on the tongue, with black base and in- verted edges ; wasting away of the tongue." In

ULCERS OF THE TONGUE OR MOUTH, then, we may find in muriatic acid a valuable remedy, even in cases where the ulceration partakes of a malignant character or depends upon a syphilitic taint. When the latter condition exists, I have usually found aciclum nitricum to act more promptly than the remedy under consideration ; but it will pay you to bear in mind the adapt- ation of muriatic acid to these conditions.

Several years ago we were consulted by a lady of high social position, who had for a number of years suffered severely from an ulcer on the tongue, which had resisted the treatment of physicians. It was angry looking, small on the surface, but deep

acIdum muriaticum. 91

and ragged at its base; its edges were inverted and not only was the ulcer itself ex- cessively painful and sensitive to touch, but the whole tongue was sore ; the mem- brane of" the mouth presented a shrivelled appearance and was inflamed in patches. The patient complained also of much itching of the skin and incidentally mentioned her having suffered greatly from hemorrhoidal tumors, so exceedingly sensitive, that the slightest touch caused unbearable pain. Various remedies had been taken by the patient without alleviating her condition ; when I prescribed acidum muriaticum (first decimal) in drop doses every three hours; with the occasional use of the same preparation, sufficiently diluted in water, as a wash.

In less than two months all the symptoms had yielded ; and not only was she relieved of the painful affection of the mouth and tongue, but her general health became excellent ; the hemorrhoidal tumors disappeared and she has remained quite free from a return of any of the symp- toms above stated. The social standing of the patient seemed to preclude the possibility of a syphilitic origin of her troubles, although the ulcer itself presented an appearance by no means unlike that class of specific ulcers.

Since then I have learned from her husband, that he himself has repeatedly labored under syphilitic affections, unknown to his wife ; and has at one time been under medical care for over a year, while suffering severely from a sore throat, which gave unmistakable evidence of a syphilitic origin. Believing, as I do, that constitutional syphilis can be and often is communicated without producing primary syphilis, I cannot but think that such was the case in the instance cited.

CANCER OF THE TONGUE.— It is claimed that in cancer

of London, Eng\, published a very interesting article on "Muriatic

Journal, April, 1 874, in which, among other cases, he states the

following :

Mr. Brown, aged fifty-three years, about a month before coming under treatment, noticed a hard lump growing on the side of the tongue; as now seen it is a hard, deep, warty ulcer, about the size of a bean, presenting a slightly fissured appearance from above downward, and from before backward, rather toward the under surface or the left side of the tongue ; there is no discharge from it, but the tongue is hard all around, and though there is no glandular swelling, there is much tenderness under the lower jaw.

He finds great difficulty in articulating on account of the swelling, and he is altogether unable to expectorate. Brown's sister had cancer of the breast, which was operated upon ; she is still living. After noticing this hardness, he con- sulted a surgeon, under whose care he had been until he came to me ; no benefit arose from the applications used, and the hardness had certainly increased. His gen- eral health was good.

I gave him muriatic acid, the third decimal potency. After the first fortnight the sore began to look better, but in the meantime much local pain had been felt, as well as tenderness under the corresponding lower jaw and side of the neck. We then changed the dilution from the third to the twelfth, and by the end of a month's treatment, the original sore had healed ; but further back along the same side the tongue presented a rough, rugated appearance, somewhat as if its sur- face had shriveled.

However the tongue no longer felt heavy, and in another week this appearance had nearly disappeared and the hardness about the original sore had quite left, and he could speak and expectorate without inconvenience.

"Here," the writer adds, "we had, first, cancer-history; second, tenderness along the lymphatics ; third, a sore presenting all the appearance of an incipient cancer, and fourth, the scrapings taken from the sore examined microscopically presented an abundance of epithelial cells ; and thus we are furnished with, I think, sufficient reason for pronouncing the case to have been one of true epithelial cancer of the tongue."

9ii

The same writer relates the case of one Henry Fry, aged fifty-five years, who had been in the Southampton Infirmary for three months with the disease of the tongue with which he presented himself. The author goes on to say: "There is a hard, fungous, ulcerating swelling on the right side of the tongue, affecting its root and making him speak in a thick, hoarse voice ; while on the outside of the nose, and on the right side of the bridge, and extending toward the inner canthus of the eye, is a furunculoid swelling.

There is no personal history of syphilis, and no family history of cancer. For this we gave dilute muriatic acid of the British Pharmacopoeia, in the proportion of five drops to two drachms of water, and directed five drops of this to be taken in water three times a day. Next week he came back much improved and the abscess on the nose had burst, leaving a cup-shaped cavity ; to this we applied a lotion of muriatic acid, and by the end of the month the swelling of the tongue and the consequent thick voice had left, and the place on the nose had healed up."

CHYLO-POIETIC GROUP.

Muriatic acid causes inflammation and swelling of the gums ; scurvy of the gums ; diphtheritic disorganization of the mucous membrane ; red and dry tongue ; smarting, burning and ulceration of the throat.

In accordance with these symptoms, it has been used as a remedy for the

APHTHiE of children, when inveterate, and involving the pharynx and oesophagus ; also for

DIPHTHERITIS in scarlatina or malignant fevers ; and for

CHRONIC SORE THROAT, with malignant ulceration of the lining membrane, discharge of a foul, ichorous pus. The drug may be used internally, and as a weak gargle.

Other symptoms belonging to this group are, ptyalism ; bitter, acrid and putrid taste ; aversion to meat ; hiccough before and after eating ; frequent eructations ; efforts to vomit ; vomiting of yellow- ish fluids, and of shreds of disorganized mucous membrane.

DYSPEPSIA These symptoms indicate muriatic acid in dys- pepsia characterized by similar marked symptoms, foul taste after eating, brown looking tongue, putrid eructations, waterbrash. This form of dyspepsia may occur in impoverished constitutions, or among persons who are afflicted with liver complaint which they contracted by a residence in tropical climates, where severe bilious derangements are endemic. This form of dyspepsia may also develop itself in consequence of the habitual use of heavy, indigest- ible food ; rich pastry or half-fermented flour.

It is well known that muriatic and lactic acid constitute two important ingredients of the gastric juice, not in a free state, but discovered by chemical analysis subsequently to the destruction of the gastric juice as a vital fluid. Christison justly repudiates this doctrine of free hydrochloric acid in the stomach in the following

ACIDUM MUMATICUM. 9$

language: "The most important fallacy of all is, that free hydro- chloric acid constitutes an essential part of the gastric juice, and an ingredient of the secretions of the stomach in various states of disordered digestion."

It may seem very attractive to some minds to serve up a dish of chemico-physiological learning from the table of Lehmann and other chief-cooks of the chemical kitchen of this age ; but how does this benefit the cause of therapeutic truth? How does it benefit the students of homoeopathy, when they are led to infer from such ambiguous teachings as I have quoted, that a deficiency of gastric juice may be remedied by pouring into the stomach alternate quan- tities of muriatic and lactic acid? Gentlemen, all such doctrines are subversive of rational progress.

I apply a similar mode of reasoning to diseases of the osseous

<)4 ACIDUM MUKIATICUM.

CHRONIC HEPATITIS, especially in tropical climates. In the East Indies, English physicians have employed nitro-muriatic acid for this affection, both internally and in the shape of baths.

Muriatic acid causes heat and burning in the stomach, with a feeling of repletion, violent pains in the epigastric region. We may therefore use this acid in

CHRONIC GASTRITIS, with heat in the stomach, feeling of weight, fullness and oppression in the stomach, soreness to pressure, nausea, retching, vomiting of food, water, mucus, blood and bile.

This acid causes diarrhoea with burning at the anus, discharge of "blood with stool, itching at the perineum. Small doses cause inac- tivity of the rectum, the stool comes away in small pieces.

CHRONIC DIARRHOEA.— Marcy recommends this acid in chronic diarrhoea, with tenesmus, colicky pains before stool, burning at the anus, stools occasionally bloody, prolapsus of the rectum after stool. It has cured several cases of diarrhoea, with soft, clay-colored stools, alternating with hard and difficult stools. Diarrhoea occur- ring in typhoid fevers and in scarlatina, scanty, loose and bloody stools, with rumbling in the bowels, colicky pains before and during the discharges, tenesmus, burning at the anus, chilliness and prostra- tion after each stool, constitute leading indications for muriatic acid.

URINARY AND SEXUAL GROUP.

Muriatic acid causes frequent desire to urinate, followed by

ACIDUM MURIATICUM. 05

MENSTRUAL DISORDERS— The sexual sphere of the acid is not well marked ; but you may find it of use in certain menstrual disorders, when the flow is too early and too profuse, preceded by pressing and bearing-down pains ; mental depression, anticipations of death and other concomitant symptoms. In

LEUCORRHCEA, characterized by great weakness, very painful hemorrhoidal tumors and uterine ulcerations with putrid discharge, it may prove a good remedy.

RESPIRATORY GROUP.

Muriatic acid causes catarrhal feelings in the nose, sneezing, sting- ing pains, stoppage of the nose, acrid discharges.

If these symptoms are ingrafted upon a scrofulous diathesis, with other scrofulous symptoms, sore eyes and ears, foul, purulent dis- charges from the nose and ears ; more especially, if these symptoms show themselves after measles or scarlet fever, with ulcerated sore throat : muriatic acid may prove of immense benefit.

The vapors of this acid, when inhaled, have caused obstinate hoarseness, moaning inspirations, bloody cough. Symptoms thus obtained are of not much practical value.

WHOOPING COUGH— In Frank's Magazine this agent is recommended for whooping cough, when the paroxysms terminate in vomiting, expulsion of a quantity of disorganized mucus. Small doses of Ipecacuanha are likewise recommended.

Kopp warns against the use of muriatic acid in this disease, and in other affections of childhood. In order to use it effectually, it has to be used in tolerably large doses, not too large to become danger- ous to the vegetative life of the childish organism.

BRONCHITIS. — In the last stage of bronchitis, with constrictive oppression, hoarseness, bloody and purulent expectoration, inhala- tions of muriatic acid carefully administered may palliate the suffer- ings of the patient.

96 ACIDUM MURIATICUM.

FEVER GROUP.

TYPHUS. — This acid has been used with great advantage in typhus, paralytic stage, when the patient shows a constant tendency to settle down in bed ; depression of the lower jaw, the eyeballs are turned up ; boring with the head into the pillow ; slavering, parch- ment-like dryness, and clammy coldness of the skin ; hurried, compressible pulse, muttering delirium.

EXANTHEMATOUS GROUP.

MALIGNANT SCAKLATINA.— We have employed muriatic acid with some advantage in malignant scarlatina, when the erup- tion assumes a faint, dark-red petechial appearance, with foul, grey- ish ulcerations in the throat ; the patient is delirious, lethargic, prostrated ; the breath very foul, with involuntary discharges from the bowels, black sordes on the teeth, tongue dark-red, dry or cov- ered with viscid phlegm ; lips dry, blackish and cracked ; purple spots on the cheeks ; ichorous, fetid discharges from the nose ; cold extremities ; rapid and compressible pulse.

MALIGNANT SMALL-POX— Likewise in malignant small-pox, when the pustules assume a dark, dubious color, with tendency to collapse, foul discharges from the bowels, cold and clammy skin.

SCURFY TETTER on the eyelids and ears, this agent has some- times been used with benefit.

ACIDUM NITRICUM. 97

Dr. Lflienthal gives the following summary of muriatic acid in skiu diseases :

Aggravation In the evening and before midnight. During

In persons who work in salt works, or those who take or inhale muriate of maguesia.

From touching and scratching.

ANTIDOTAL TREATMENT.— In a case of poisoning by muri- atic acid, we administer chalk, whiting, magnesia, or its carbonate, and soap ; in the absence of these articles, oil, the bicarbonated alkalies, milk, white of egg, or demulcents of any kind may be used.