Arsenicum Album

Arsenicum is another of the very important homoeopathic remedies : that is to say, when it is given in homoeopathic potencies for its own striking and characteristic symptoms, previously brought out in provings and in poisonings.

One remembers a man, brought dying into our hospital, poisoned : and one knew from the symptoms that the poison was Arsenic or Phosphorus.

Dr. (now Sir) Bernard Spilsbury when a few hours later, he carried away organs for examination, said probably Arsenic, as more common", and he proved to be correct.

The man lay there. deeply jaundiced, convulsed from time to time, quite unconscious, and gulping up mouthfuls of dark blood. Arsenic is a terrible poison : it is almost incredible that persons should deal such death to themselves or others : but they do ! Poisoner and suicide are not discriminating.

In slow Arsenic poisonings the symptoms are also unbelievably cruel : the deadly nausea, vomiting and purging : the appalling anguish, fear and restlessness, combined with weakness and collapse . . . and it is just in terrible cases of similar suffering and prostration, that Arsenic does its most rapid and brilliant curative work. Arsenicum for ptomaine poisoning years ago, gave us a homoeopathic doctor : and we have watched its absolute magic in other ptomaine poisonings.

These are the ghastly sufferings and symptoms for which we homoeopaths prescribe Arsenic with confidence and joy . . . Restlessness — despair — intolerable anguish — fear : a restlessness that will not suffer the patient to stay in one room — in one bed : and withal prostration out of all proportion to the apparent condition. Such cases are of bad prognosis in any disease, unless Arsenic, in homoeopathic potency, is given.

Of the symptom, " He can find rest in no place, continually changes his position in bed, will get out of one bed into another, and lie now here now there," Hahnemann says in a footnote, " It scarcely occurs so markedly in any other medicine."

And here one remembers the effect of a Zeppelin raid on one of the patients in the hospital in the early days of the Great War.

She was frantic for hours, and could not be appeased.

She could not stay here ! But, where was she to go ?

If she went into the country, they might come there ! And so on : till a dose of Arsenicum, and she became quiet and composed, and sank to the level of the other patients — so far as Zeppelins were concerned.

Of the symptoms, " Violent vertigo, complete exhaustion, continual vomiting, haematuria, and rapid extinction of life," Hahnemann says in a footnote, " Gehlen died thus from inhalation of arseniureted hydrogen."

And even in regard to its more trivial symptoms, such as " On account of nausea and sickness he must lie down in the forenoon " ; " drawing pain between the scapulae, which compels him to lie down," — " the perspiration exhausts him as he lies in bed, almost to the production of syncope," etc., Hahnemann gives us a very important footnote. . .

" That symptoms of a not very important character and, otherwise, trivial affections induce a sudden and complete sinking of the strength, is a very important and characteristic peculiarity of Arsenicum."

Of the symptom, " Nocturnal stuffed catarrh, threatening suffocation," Hahnemann says in a footnote, " I cured myself rapidly with Arsenic of a similar suffocative catarrh that always came on more severely every evening after lying down, which brought me near to death : the dose I used was of a minuteness that passes all belief. The other symptoms of my malady were certainly also met with among the symptoms of Arsenic."

Arsenicum is one of our great asthma remedies and asthmatic symptoms are very manifest in the provings. . . . " Constrictive sensation in the chest : painful respiration : oppression of the chest : difficult breathing : piteous lamentation that an intolerable anxiety and a very oppressive sensation in the abdomen hinders respiration : frequently recurring tightness of the chest, etc."

Of these Hahnemann also says, " As the symptoms are not observed in the mass from any other known medicine, it is evident how Arsenic is homoeopathic to inflammation of the chest, and that it can, and does cure it specifically."

In regard to the symptoms " sadness and restlessness and tossing about in bed, with unquenchable thirst ", he says, " This was from external application (of arsenic) on the head in two children. Death ensued after two days, and revealed inflammation of the lungs and great inflammation in the stomach and small intestines."

And when he is scourging the maipraxis of his day, he describes the suffering--even to death, of persons who had had Arsenic applied to ulcers.

He says of one patient, " Arsenic worn in a bag on the bare chest for four days, produced anxiety so that he frequently fainted, besides a violent pain in the place, and black pocks on the spot."

Arsenic is not only acrid to mentality, eating into rest — hope security : but all its secretions and discharges are acrid and corrosive. Acrid tears and eye-discharges : — acrid nasal discharges : acrid leucorrhoea : — acrid, burning, corrosive discharges from ulcers, which constantly extend in circumference rather than in depth.

Then its characteristic BURNING pains — relieved by heat. Burning pains in head — in eyes — in nostrils — in mouth — in throat — in stomach — in bowels — in hemorrhoids — in bladder — in urethra — in ovaries — in genitalia generally — in breasts — in chest — about the heart — in spine — in back — in veins--in ulcers — in skin — in cancer — in anthrax — carbuncle, etc. Veins burn like fire, especially at night.

Arsenic has very marked time-aggravations. Periodicity. Different symptoms and sufferings at different hours or seasons. But its special time of suffering is midnight and after midnight : all night, but after midnight : and i a.m. especially.

Arsenic has a very wide range of action, from more or less trivial and ordinary complaints, up to, as we have seen, the most terrible. It has its place in the nursery medicine chest, as well as in the treatment of the most serious diseases, and in assuaging the pain and suffering, mental and physical, of hopeless diseases. It is one of our great remedies for shingles : it has produced and is valuable in the treatment of edema and ascites, earning the name of " the homoeopathic trocar " Only, always, the cardinal symptoms of Arsenic must be present : the anguish — restlessness — prostration : — the burning pains relieved by heat.

Hahnemann says, " A sensible homoeopathic physician will not over this remedy even in such a minute dose, unless he is convinced that its peculiar symptoms have the greatest possible resemblance to those of the disease to be cured. When this is the case it is certain to be efficacious. . .

" Such employment of Arsenic has shown its curative power in countless diseased states ; among the rest, in several kinds of quotidian fevers and agues of a peculiar kind ; in varicose veins ; in stitches in the sternum ; vomiting after almost every kind of food ; excessive loss of blood at the menstrual period, and other disorders in connection with that function ; in constipation ; in acrid leucorrhoea and excoriation caused thereby ; in indurations of the liver ; oppression of the chest when going up hill ; fetid smell from the mouth ; bleeding of the gums ; haemoptysis ; aching in the sternum ; gastralgia ; drawing, shooting here and there in the face ; drowsiness in the evening ; shivering in the evening and stretching of limbs, with timorous restlessness difficulty of falling asleep, and waking up at night ; weariness in the feet ; bruised pain in the knee joint ; itching tetters on the knee ; pain in the ball of the big toe ; tearing shooting in the hip, groin and thigh : nocturnal drawing tearing from the elbow to the shoulder ; painful swelling of the inguinal glands, etc." (Mat. Med. Pura.)

One can personally recall striking cases where, with typical Arsenic symptoms, Arsenic has cured constantly recurring ague — vomiting after every kind of food — ptomaine poisonings — asthmatic conditions — gastralgia — facial neuritis, following herpes : and such neuritis elsewhere : and so on. Arsenic, in homoeopathic preparation acts rapidly and curatively in all sorts of diseases and conditions where the symptoms point to Arsenic : even assuaging pain, and prolonging life, indefinitely and astonishingly, in some inoperable cases of carcinoma.

Guernsey says, of Arsenicum. " We find a great amount of anguish in the patient, and the greater the suffering the greater the anguish. Very great restlessness, which is exhibited in an anxious tossing and jerking about, every movement being followed by exhaustion. Exhaustion is not felt by the patient when lying still, but as soon as he moves, he is surprised to find himself so weak.

Intense burning sensations, as if from coals of fire — usually found in the abdominal cavity. Fear of death. This is not the Aconite fear, but it is an anxiety, and a feeling that it is useless to take any medicine, as they are surely going to die. . . ."

It will be observed that homoeopathy treats disease-conditions rather than named diseases. There is no disease, mild or urgent, in which Arsenicum may not be curative, provided drug symptoms and disease symptoms agree.

Kent says, " From the time of Hahnemann to the present day this has been one of the polychrests, one of the most frequently indicated medicines, and one of the most extensively used. In the old School it is most extensively abused, in the form of Fowler's solution. " Arsenic affects every part of man : it seems to exaggerate or depress almost all his faculties, to excite or disturb all his functions . . . it has certain prevailing and striking features. Anxiety, restlessness, prostration, burning and cadaveric odours are prominent characteristics.

The surface of the body is pale, cold, clammy and sweating, and the aspect cadaveric.

" The Arsenicum patient with this mental state is always freezing, hovers around the fire, cannot get clothing enough to keep warm, a great sufferer from the cold.

" Arsenic produces a tendency to bleeding. The patient bleeds easily and may bleed from any place. . . . Anywhere that mucous membranes exist there may be haemorrhage (Phos.).

" Many of the mental troubles, as well as the physical troubles, come on and are increased at certain times . . . most of the sufferings of Arsenicum are worse from 1-2 p.m. and from 1-2 a.m. After midnight, very soon after midnight sometimes, his sufferings begin, and from 1-2 o'clock they are intensified. .

" Sensitiveness is a feature of Arsenic : sensitiveness to smell and touch, and every other circumstance ; oversensitiveness of all the senses, oversensitiveness to the circumstances and surroundings of the room.

The Arsenicum patient is an extremely fastidious patient. Hering once described him as the gold-headed cane patient '. If this is carried out in a woman who is sick in bed she is in great distress if every picture on the wall does not hang perfectly straight. . . . A morbid fastidiousness has its simillimum in Arsenic." (Nux.)

Arsenic has " Rigors and chills of a very violent character, and at such times he describes a feeling as if the blood flowing through the vessels were ice water. He feels a rushing through the body of ice-cold waves. When the fever comes on and he is intensely hot from head to foot, before the sweat has appeared, he feels that boiling water is going through the blood vessels."

Kent points a peculiar feature of the Ars. thirst. " During the chill, there is no thirst, except for hot drinks : during the heat there is thirst, little and often, for enough water to moisten the mouth, which is almost no thirst ; and during the sweat there is thirst for large drinks. . . . He will say, I can drink the well dry.' "

Nash gives the characteristic symptoms of Arsenic thus" Great anguish and restlessness, driving from place to place.

Great and sudden prostration : sinking of vital force.

Intense burning pains.

Intense thirst : drinks often, but little. Cold water disagrees. Vomiting and stool simultaneously : worse for eating and drinking. . . .

Dyspnoea worse on motion ; especially ascending.

Worse in cold air (except the head pains) — from cold things — cold applications to 3 a.m. From movement.

Better by warm air or room, or hot applications : relieved by sweat."

Arsenicum is pre-eminently one of the remedies that cures by bringing back — to cure — old suppressed skin troubles. Even asthma is seen to cure up, with the return of an old eruption, under Arsenicum. Nash gives such a case. . . .

He once had a case of severe gastralgia, and prescribed Arsenicum because the pains came on at midnight, lasting till 3 a.m., during which time the patient had to walk the floor in agony, and there was great burning in the stomach.

She had but one slight attack after taking Arsenicum, but when he saw her next she asked whether that medicine would send out " salt rheum ? " And then he discovered that she had had eczema of the hands cured by ointment ; and he told her that she could have back the pain in her stomach any time she wanted it, by again suppressing the eruption. " She did not want it."

He says, " The pains of the stomach are terrible, and aggravated by the least food or drink, especially if cold. Abdominal pains are also intense, causing the patient to turn and twist in all possible shapes and directions. Diarrhoea of all kinds of stools, from simple watery to black, bloody and horribly offensive . . . finally, haemorrhoids. But in all these affections, of the whole alimentary tract, we are apt to find the characteristic burning of this remedy . . . and the not less characteristic amelioration from heat : with usually the midnight aggravation."

He says Arsenicum is particularly efficacious in lung troubles, where breathing is very much oppressed. Wheezing and frothy expectoration. Patient cannot lie down ; must sit up to breathe, can't move without being greatly put out of breath. The air passages seem greatly constricted. " It is especially useful," he says, " in asthmatic affections caused or aggravated by suppressed eruptions, or pneumonia from retrocedent measles — even chronic lung troubles from suppressed eczema."

He says the symptom, " Acute, sharp, fixed or darting pain in apex and through upper third of right lung " is a gem. ( Burnett also emphasizes this somewhere.)

Of the Arsenicum WEAKNESS . . . he says, You may say it is common for sick people to be weak. True, but the Arsenicum patient is weak out of all proportion to the rest of his trouble, or apparently so : and it is a general prostration, not local.

Arsenicum affects, as he points out, all the tissues . . . Attacks the blood, causing septic changes, exanthemata, ecchymoses, petechiae', etc.

Attacks the veins ; varices burn like fire, especially at night. Attacks serous membranes, causing copious serous effusions. Attacks glands, which indurate and suppurate.

Causes inflammatory swellings, with burning lancinating pains. Attacks the periosteum.

Attacks joints causing pale swellings, burning pains, etc. Causes general anasarca ; skin pale, waxy, or earth coloured ; here great thirst (Apis none).

Causes rapid emaciation ; atrophy in children.

Causes ulcerations, constantly extending in breadth. They burn like fire, pain even in sleep ; discharge may be copious or scanty, the base blue, black or lardaceous.

Anthrax burning like fire (Anthracinum), cold blue skin dry as parchment, peeling off in large flakes.

Gangrene, better from heat (worse Secale).

(Indeed one of Hahnemann's " polychrests ! ")

Nash adds, " Notwithstanding this, Arsenicum is not a panacea. Like every other remedy it must be indicated by its similar symptoms, or failure is the outcome.

" Its great keynotes are RESTLESSNESS — BURNING — PROSTRATION — and MIDNIGHT AGGRAVATION.

BLACK LETTER SYMPTOMS

Very violent delirium, especially at night, with great restlessness. Her desire exceeds her need (eats and drinks more than is good for her ; walks further than she needs to do).

Despairs and weeps : imagines no one can help him, that he must die ; is cold and chilly, and afterwards generally weak.

Anguish. Excessive anguish.

Anguish and despair driving from one place to another, for relief. With great anguish he turns and tosses to and fro in his bed. Anxiety at 3 o'clock after midnight.

Violent anxiety at 3 o'clock in the night ; he now felt hot, now as if he would vomit.

Dread of death coming on suddenly when alone.

The greatest fear and anguish (sees ghosts day and night).

(Great heaviness in the head ; it goes off in the open air ; but returns as soon as he enters the room.)

Burning in eyes.

Eyelids oedematous, often completely closing the eyes.

Corrosive tears, making cheeks and eyelids sore.

Excoriating discharge from nostrils.

Watery discharge from nose — went off in the open air ; watery nasal discharge causes smarting and burning, as if nostrils were made sore by it.

Face expressive of genuine mental agony.

Deathly colour of face. Pale, yellow cachectic look.

Swelling of face, or sunken face.

(Tongue furred, with a red streak down middle) and redness of tip.

Dryness of tongue.

Dry and brown-coated tongue.

Feeling of great dryness in mouth, with violent thirst ; he drinks little at a time.

Burning in mouth along the pharynx and in the pit of the stomach.

Loathing of food.

Excessive thirst : drinking did not refresh him.

Excessive thirst : he drinks much, but little at a time.

(Long-lasting hiccough) at the hour when the fever ought to have come.

Nausea.

(Vomiting violent and incessant) and excited by any substance taken into the stomach.

(Even water is) immediately thrown off the stomach.

Vomiting every time after drinking.

The vomiting brings no relief.

(Frequent vomiting) with apprehensions of death.

Anxiety in the pit of the stomach.

Burning in the stomach.

Violent burning pains in the stomach.

In the stomach fearful burning pains.

Swollen abdomen.

Distention and pain in abdomen.

Pains in abdomen with unbearable anxiety : with intolerable anguish.

Burning pains in abdomen.

The evacuations excoriated the skin about anus.

Burning like fire at anus.

Purging and extreme coldness of extremities.

Constipation.

Burning in urethra during micturition.

Involuntary micturition.

Scanty emission, and burning during emission.

Frequent oppressive shortness of breath in every position of the body, causing anxiety. (Chest.)

Oppression : want of breath : a nocturnal asthma makes him spring up at midnight.

Difficult breathing, with great anguish.

Oppression of breath when walking fast.

The heart-beats are irritable.

Palpitation. Irregular palpitation of the heart, but so violent at night that he imagines he hears it.

Palpitation of heart and tremulous weakness after stool : he has to lie down.

Quick, weak, and irregular pulse.

Loss of strength in the small of the back.

Excessive weakness and exhaustion of the limbs, obliging him to lie down.

Uneasiness in lower limbs, he cannot lie still at night, and had to change the position of his feet all the time or to walk about, to get relief.

Very great restlessness, so that she could not lie quiet a minute.

Restlessness and anxiety.

Throwing himself from side to side.

The slightest paroxysm of pain is accompanied with an excessive sinking of strength, obliging him to lie down.

He is so weak that he is scarcely able to walk : feels he will fall over . . . scarcely able to walk across the room without sinking down.

Continued weakness and prostration.

Great weariness after a meal.

Faintness and insensibility.

Faint, anxious, weak, early in the morning.

Burning pains, especially in the inner organs, skin and ulcers.

Eruptions round mouth, burning and painful.

Itching, increased by scratching.

Burning pain in the ulcers — as from glowing coals.

Burning like fire around the ulcer.

Burning itching of body.

Startings when falling asleep in the evening.

After midnight (from 3 o'clock on) she tosses about and sleeps only at times.

Shuddering when walking in the open air.

Shuddering without thirst.

Fever at 2 o'clock in the night.

Typhus-like fever with extreme restlessness.

Burning heat internally.

Feels as if burning up internally.

Feeling of heat with anxiety, after midnight.

Cold, clammy sweat.

QUEER Arsenicum SYMPTOMS

Sees ghosts day and night.

Fear of killing with a knife.

Runs through house at night in search of thieves.

Imagines house full of thieves : so much fear that he jumps out of bed, and hides in wardrobe — or under bed.

Sees thieves in room.

Sees vermin and bugs crawl about his bed from which he wants to escape.

Excessive vertigo : " the bed is tipping over, I shall fall on the floor."

Brain seems to flap (walking) : as if brain moved and beat against the skull.