Causticum - General symptoms
Hahnemann's Tinctura acris sine Kali, Kali hydr, Kali hyd, Caustic, Causticum hahnemanni, Caust.Have you ever used Causticum? Yes No
Below are the main rubriks (i.e strongest indications or symptoms) of Causticum in traditional homeopathic usage, not approved by the FDA.
GENERAL
General
(Morning), On waking, anxiety.
confusion of head, etc., on rising from bed, vertigo.
on stooping, vertigo. dizzy, etc.
on waking, pain in top of head.
after rising beating, etc., in vertex.
dryness, etc., of eyes.
pressure in yes. difficult opening of eyes.
sensation in lids. after waking, pain in right inner canthus.
itching in eyeball. when blowing nose, obscuration of eyes.
after waking, dim vision.
stopped sensation in ears.
re-echoing in ear. swelling of nose.
blood blown from nose.
frequent sneezing.
tearing in roots of teeth.
teeth, etc. sensitive.
pain in teeth. hawking of mucus.
dryness of throat. on waking, pressure in throat.
thirst. nausea, soon after rising, pain in stomach.
on waking, cramp in stomach.
pressure in stomach.
in bed, griping about umbilicus.
pain in abdomen.
pressive pain in abdomen.
stitches in right side of abdomen.
cutting colic. erections, etc.
after coition, frequent erections.
*hoarseness, etc.
voice stopped. *cough.
*hollow cough. horse cough.
on waking, dry cough. shortness of breath.
sensation in chest. rawness in chest.
in bed, rushing in left chest.
palpitation, etc. pain in arms.
on waking, weakness in hand.
fingers become dead. in bed, on waking, weariness of legs.
in bed, uneasiness in both limbs.
bruised pain in legs.
sensation in lower, legs, etc.
on rising, tension in bend of thigh.
in bed, cramp in calf.
weariness of feet. on waking, trembling, etc.
in bed, attack of spasm.
in bed, weariness. on rising, very weary.
drowsy. sweat..
(Afternoon), *From 4 o'clock till evening, burning, etc.
of eyes. throbbing in forehead.
pain in teeth. offensive taste.
nausea. nausea, etc. stitches in hepatic region.
pressure in abdomen. oppression of chest.
weariness in legs. pain in muscles of leg.
jerking in left knee. 4 o'clock, chilliness, etc.
when walking, sweat. towards evening, pain in small of back.
(Evening), Before going to sleep, anxiety.
frightful ideas. rush of blood to head.
stitches in left side of head.
burning in scalp. *6 to 8 o'clock, burning, etc., in eyes.
in bed, stitches in ear.
sensation in left ear.
pain in right meatus. ringing in ear.
swelling of the gum. scraping in fauces.
on lying down, waterbrash.
when beginning to eat, nausea.
stitching below right ribs.
tearing in liver. distension of abdomen.
abdomen full, etc. pressure in abdomen.
stitches in abdomen.
diarrhoea. after urinating, pain in urethra.
*hoarseness. *cough.
hoarse cough. pain in right chest.
palpitation, etc. twitching in limbs.
*uneasiness in limbs.
pain in muscles of leg.
drawing in right leg. when walking, stitch in thigh.
drawing-tearing in knee.
7 to 8 o'clock, tension in calf.
tearing in outer malleolus.
drawing in right foot.
when slumbering in bed, attack of spasm.
weary. yawning.
shivering in neck. beginning at 6 o'clock, heat.
(Night), Anxiety, etc.
fearfulness. in bed, on rising and lying down again, vertigo.
headache. pain in middle of forehead.
open mouth, etc., dryness of mouth.
vomiting of blood. on waking, pressure in stomach.
uneasiness, etc., in abdomen.
colic in groins. diarrhoea.
*suddenly, burning in urethra.
urging to urinate. leucorrhoea.
on waking, cough. *hollow cough.
dry cough. at 2 A.M., cough.
when living, stitches in neck.
heaviness in limbs. pain in bones of arm.
pain in arms. when warm in bed, tearing in upper arm.
swelling of hands. uneasiness in leg.
tearing in patella. in bed, sensation of heaviness in lower leg.
cramp in calves. in bed, uneasiness, etc.
*cannot be still.
*side, etc., sore.
itching all over. yawning, etc., on waking, shivering.
sweat..
(Sitting), Vertigo.
rumbling in abdomen. dragging in inguinal regions.
pain in haemorrhoids. *pain in small of back, etc.
dyspnoea. *tension in hollow of knee.
tearing in lower leg. tearing in tendo Achillis.
after walking, pain in ankle.
feet go to sleep. *uneasiness of body, etc.
bruised pain in body. sleepiness..
(Walking), Bruised pain in groin.
*painfulness of haemorrhoids.
urging to urinate. sensation in small of back.
weakness of legs. *cracking of knees.
*stiffness of knee.
weariness of knee-joint, etc.
*pain, etc., in hollow of knee.
pain in hip. drawing in calf.
weariness, etc. pain in ankle.
uneasiness..
Lively, joyous mood, first twelve hours, rapid flow of ideas.
but after twenty-one hours (in the morning after waking and through the whole forenoon), anxious trembling, sleepy confusion of the head, heavy pressure in the occiput and forehead, with heaviness of the limbs, constant pain in the joints and muscles of the fingers, arms, shoulders, knees, and feet,.
On the following morning the mouth and fauces were in an extremely affected state. Everywhere the epidermal coating of the mucous membrane had been abraded, but still hung partly to it in large pieces, the mucous membrane itself was swollen and loose, the tongue was injected scarlet, the papillae swollen, arch of the palate and the uvula extraordinarily swollen, the colors of these parts intensely dark red. In the mouth and fauces the patient had the sensation as if glowing coals were there, together with constant pressure to swallow and hawk up, which increased the pain.
he discharged in a large quantity a secretion consisting partly of saliva, partly of mucus. The voice was hoarse and nasal, his disposition bounding on desperation. To these symptoms were added remarkable febrile symptoms (pulse 120) and unquenchable thirst,.
Eruption of the size of the head of a pin, with a hollow tip, without moisture, on the forehead, neck, shoulder-blades, arms, lower abdomen, especially on the thighs and in the hollows of the knees.
they itch, especially in the warmth of the bed, with burning after scratching.
when not warm they are scarcely noticeable in the skin, of a whitish color, on scratching soon become prominent, and after scratching leave behind a red spot with a large areola, for five days (after sixteen hours),.
On the night of the 15th, when the flow of the urine, which was proceeding at the rate of 3iss. per hour, was augmented in two and a half hours by 3xiv, and no fluid was supplied to the system, the pulse became perceptibly small (almost thready), and slow.
it remained equal and regular, there was no thirst, no shivering, and no nausea.
the skin was dry and warm. In six hours the pulse had quite regained its force and frequency, and the other symptoms had disappeared without any fluid having been taken,.
Sudden arrest of breathing in the open air (when hunting), with very rapid palpitation.
he was unable to remain upright, was obliged to kneel down, with sweat all over.
the breath was very short, the blood rushed to the head, the face became bluish-red, as if he would be attacked with apoplexy.
this condition lasted one hour (fourth day),.
Drawing pain in the bones of the wrist through the metacarpal bones into the little finger, where it is worst in the tip.
on stretching out the hand the pain is increased and the fingers are drawn involuntarily together.
after this the drawing extends from the bones of the wrist into the other fingers, and they all after awhile become bent, at times more, at times less,.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS.
Spasm; in the evening, in a room, he felt in the head as though he were turning involuntarily hither and thither, with which he was dizzy and apprehensive; the face pale, with heat over the whole body; all this disappeared when he went into the open air (twenty-ninth day),
Attack of spasm. when slumbering in the evening, in bed, he felt that he could not move the tongue well, rose up, cried out, but fell back again, stretched out the arms and legs, then he moved them.
the eyes were distorted, he gnashed his teeth, together with flow of saliva from the mouth and icy coldness.
after a quarter of an hour his consciousness returned, but with it great anxiety, which returned after three-quarters of an hour, with transient thoughts and lolling tongue, all of which was relieved by a swallow of cold water,.
pains now in the lower abdomen, now in the stomach, now in the chest, now in the small of the back, which obliged her to bend forward.
she was unable to keep erect without the most violent pain.
could not endure clothing on the epigastric region, and did not dare to eat anything, even the most digestible food, on account of most violent pains in the abdomen and stomach.
the application of warm stones caused immediate relief.
everything seemed as if pressed and obstructed in the abdomen.
so full that it seemed as if it would burst, with constant ineffectual desire to eructate (after a few days),.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS.
Manifests its action mainly in chronic rheumatic, arthritic and paralytic affections, indicated by the tearing, drawing pains in the muscular and fibrous tissues, with deformities about the joints; progressive loss of muscular strength, tendinous contractures. Broken down seniles. In catarrhal affections of the air passages, and seems to choose preferable dark-complexioned and rigid-fibered persons. Restlessness at night, with tearing pains in joints and bones, and faint-like sinking of strength. This weakness progresses until we have gradually appearing paralysis. Local paralysis, vocal cords, muscles of deglutition, of tongue, eyelids, face, bladder and extremities. Children are slow to walk. The skin of a Caucasian person is of a Dirty white sallow, with warts, especially on the face. Emaciation due to disease, worry, etc., and of long standing. Burning, rawness, and soreness are characteristic.
Sensitive to both heat and cold
Weakness, increasing uncertainty of control, stumbling, etc, , finally PARALYSIS; of single parts, Atony
Anaesthesia
Stiff joints
Contracted tendons; palms (Nat Mur Nat-m---- ), hamstrings, etc
Deformities
Atrophy
Jerks of single muscles
Epilepsy, at puberty
Trembling Burning Soreness Rawness; larynx, anus, etc
Broken down; worn out; wants to die
Hopeless, despondent
Mental tire
Anxious forebodings (felt in head), worse in twilight
Reticent
Oversympathetic
Empty behind forehead
Tight scalp
To and fro or nodding motions
Paralysis of one eyelid [right], throat, bladder, etc
Heavy, drooping eyelids
Continuous eye pain
Diplopia, better looking to right
Objects look large
Cataract
Profuse acrid tears
Much, foul earwax
Echo in ears
Tinnitus
Eruption on lower nose
Prosopalgia, better cold water
Facial paralysis, worse opening mouth
Swelling at root of tongue
Throat, worse stooping
Urging to swallow, or swallows the wrong way
Greasy eructations
Cramp in rectum on stooping
Anus, prolapses on coughing; small, hard pustules
Stool glistens; difficult, better standing
Stooling easier by standing, but piles worse standing
Must sit down to urinate
Insensible urethra or rectum; to solid stools (Aloe Socotrina Alo)
Piles, worse walking
Urine retained after labor
URINE SPURTS ON COUGHING; dribbles or passes slowly; better sitting
Menses by day, leucorrhoea by night
Dry, hard cough
Cough from tickling in throatpit (Sep---- ), or l
larynx; incessant; dry night and morning
Can't cough deep enough (Rum---- ); expectorate slips back again; worse heat of bed, stooping, cold air; better sips of cold water
Greasy, ropy, difficult expectoration
Aphonia or hoarseness, in AM
; of speakers; worse stooping; better talking
Sore streak in larynx
Sore chest; vest seems tight
Purring in chest
Wandering chest pains, better pressure
Stiff neck or back on rising; pain goes forward or to thighs
Pain in spine on swallowing
Bursting in fingertips
Cramps in calves, feet or toes
Deep burns and their effects Skin cracks; ulcers
Warts, on brows, lids, nose, fingertips; seedy; bleeding; ulcerating
Coldness, not better warmth; causes paralysis, cough, diarrhoea, etc
Sweat about 4
; profuse, on slight exertion; worse open air
Acne rosacea. Agalactia. Amaurosis. Apoplexy. Arthritis deformans. Bladder, affections of. Bronchitis. Burns. Cataract. Chorea. Coccygodynia. Constipation. Convulsions. Cough. Deafness. Dentition. Diphtheritic paralysis. Ears, otorrhoea. Emaciation. Enuresis. Epilepsy. Eyes, affections of. Facial paralysis. Fistula. Fistula dentalis. Goître. Haemorrhoids. Headache. Heart affections. Heel, blistered. Herpes zoster. Hip disease. Hydrogenoid constitution. Impotence. Influenzinum Influenza. Intermittent fever. Intertrigo. Laryngitis. Lead poisoning. Leucorrhoea. Locomotor ataxy. Meniére's disease. Menstruation, disorders of. Myalgia. Nails, crippled. Neuralgia. Nose, crusts in.
paralysis of. Ulcers. Urethritis. Urine, disordered. Varicose veins. Voice, lost. Warts. Whooping-cough.
Causticum is one of the great polychrest medicines of the Chronic Diseases.
It is both antipsoric and antisycotic and antisyphilitic.
The leading feature of the Causticum effects is Paralysis, showing itself both in voluntary and involuntary muscles.
The weakening effect of potassium in allopathic overdosing is well known, and is strongly brought out in the Causticum provings.
Paralytic weakness. Paralysis of single nerves or single parts.
Ptosis; facial paralysis; paralysis of tongue; of extremities; of vocal cords; of bladder; of rectum; lead paralysis.
Allied to paralysis are convulsions, chorea, cramps, starting, restlessness, twitching.
Contraction of flexor tendons.
Trembling. Neuralgic and rheumatic affections; tearing, drawing pains.
There is a headache which draws and tears through the body.
Glandular indurations are prominent.
In children there are many symptoms of scrofula.
There is a weakened and emaciated appearance, especially about the face, the abdomen being large.
Skin dirty-white. Scrofulous inflammations about eyes, ears, and scalp.
The paralytic element comes out in slow learning to talk and walk, and stumbling on attempting to walk.
In chorea the right side is more affected than left words seem to be jerked out.
During the night the legs are constantly "on the go." This kind of restlessness is characteristic of Caus.
The mental state is timid, nervous, anxious.
Apprehensive of impending misfortune.
Conscience-stricken as if she had committed a crime.
Full of fearful fancies, agg. at twilight.
Sees fearful images when closing eyes.
Melancholy. Taciturn and distrustful; inclined to fits of anger with scolding.
Memory fails (mental paralysis), any attempt at mental exertion = symptoms, such as stitches in temples, tension in head and scalp, especially forehead to temples.
There is a sensation as if there was an empty space between the bone of the skull and the brain, amel. by warmth.
Headache; cannot keep upper eyelids up.
Vertigo, excitement of brain and spine, incapable, tends to fall forward or sideways (locomotor ataxy); with anxiety, weakness in head, sight as if through a fog; skin dry and hot; constipation.
Eruptions on scalp behind ears.
Sounds re-echo unpleasantly an ordinary voice sounds loud.
Facial paralysis from cold draught neuralgia of right cheekbones to mastoid process agg. at night.
Jaw joints affected with rheumatism.
Sickly, sallow, low-spirited expression.
Nash cured an obstinate case of prosopalgia with Caust.
The patient was emaciated and debilitated by long Suffering; pains came in paroxysms, and were of a drawing nature.
She had suffered from eczema at times before the neuralgia appeared. Sulphur Sulph. had been given in vain.
Caust. 200 rapidly cured.
The Caust. weakness may result from grief of long standing or from disease.
Accumulations of mucus in larynx and fauces; catarrh of throat and Eustachian tubes with tinnitus and reverberation.
Difficult swallowing of liquids.
Constant sensation as if lime were burning in stomach; with water-brash.
Pressure and fulness in abdomen as if it would burst, much agg. by food.
Griping cutting amel. by bending double, agg. after least food or tightening clothes; menstrual colic (Caus. will cure after failure of Colocynthis Coloc.).
Obstinate constipation (paralysis of rectum); stools covered with shiny coating of mucus; piles, unbearable by walking, by thinking of them, by touch.
No remedy has such well-marked aggravations of anal symptoms as Caus.
A characteristic is "Passes stool best standing." Spasm of rectum prevents walking.
Painful pustules near anus discharging pus, blood, serum.
Itching at orifice of urethra.
Difficult, frequent micturition; with spasm of rectum.
Paralysis of bladder is apparent.
Enuresis, especially during first sleep; agg. winter, amel. in summer.
Tendency to escape during the day, from any extra exertion, laughing, walking.
Epilepsy has been cured by Caust., when fit occurs in sleep and urine escapes.
Coughing expels urine. (Kraft has cured cases of incontinence following over-distension of the bladder owing to want of opportunity to attend to the call to urinate at the time, such as occurs in shop-girls and school-girls, who cannot leave their tasks.) Prostatitis and urethritis.
Itching scrotum; cannot retain urine.
Blood with semen. Sexual appetite in women is abolished.
Constant indifference, the only time there is any inclination is after the period.
Sadness during period.
Period too early, too abundant; after it, a little blood passes occasionally, smelling badly.
Nursing women lose their milk after exertion or long sleep.
Hoarseness (with dry cough and redness of fauces), the result of weather or catching cold, agg. in morning.
Aphonia paralysis of vocal cords.
Dry, hollow cough with mucus on chest; patient cannot expectorate, must swallow phlegm raised.
A characteristic is "Cannot cough deep enough for relief." Rawness and burning down throat and trachea.
Rheumatism tends to stiffen joints and contract limbs.
Warts are a notable feature in Caust.
on hands, on face, and especially on margins of eyelids. When on hands they are usually found on finger-tips or close to nails. Nails are crippled. Old, large, inflamed and indurated warts. Burning itching on face, discharging acrid fluid which forms crusts. Guernsey commends Caust. in the after-effects of burns and scalds. Patients say, "I have never been well since that burn." Its caustic properties may be its "signature" here. "Burning," indeed, is one of the notes of Caust. Guernsey gives "sensation as if lime were being slaked in the stomach." "Soreness" or "rawness" are also very characteristic, appearing in piles and anal affections (agg. walking or sitting), in which Caust. is in the very first rank among remedies. Soreness and rawness accompany cough symptoms and urinary symptoms. Malcolm Macfarlan confirms the following symptoms "Forearms in front very sore to touch and pressure.
muscles of extremities sore generally." "Sudden severe pain commences in left hip-joint.
lasts a short time. feels as if it had been injured.
legs very sore, or rather the lower extremities ache and feel tired." Caust. is a remedy to be remembered in intermittent fevers. One peculiar symptom is, "sweat coming after the chill without intervening heat." Teste places Caust. at the head of a group (including Cocculus Indicus Coccul., Coffea Cruda Coff. c., Corallium Rubrum Corall., Nux Vomica Nux v., Staphysagria Staph., Arsenicum Album Ars.) the common characteristic being according to him "Two series of successive and opposite phenomena.
the former of short duration, consisting in a sort of universal exaltation of all the functions.
the latter, which succeed the former more or less rapidly, consist in a general depression of the vital forces, and constitute the real and permanent action of the drugs of this group." Among instances, he gives mirthfulness followed by ill-humour.
sleeplessness followed by yawning and drowsiness.
moisture of skin followed by dryness.
flow of saliva followed by dry mouth and throat.
coryza fluent, then dry. Teste found Caust. of great efficacy in small-pox in alternation with Mercurius Corrosivus Merc. cor. Periodicity is marked Periodic, paroxysmal attacks.
twice a day to every two, three, or four weeks an attack.
at new moon. Symptoms are agg. at night (great restlessness of body, especially legs). agg. Early morning (cramp). agg. On waking. agg. In morning hoarseness. agg. Evening 6 to 8 p.m. heat. Causticum is one of Grauvogl's hydrogenoid remedies, hence is a chilly medicine.
agg. washing, bathing, open air, draught, becoming cold, after wetting.
agg. every change of weather. Heat, especially getting warm in bed amel. (rheumatism ceasing on getting warm in bed, but beginning again as soon as he gets up.) On the other hand cold water amel. face and eruptions, and a swallow of cold water amel. cough.
headache is agg. entering a warm room.
damp weather amel. pains in scalp, ulcers.
rhinitis. Heat agg. eruptions. agg. In dark.
fear of darkness. agg. From coffee. agg. After stool. agg. From walking. agg. From taking hold of anything. agg. In clear, fine weather. Suited to dark-haired persons with rigid fibre.
delicate skins. lymphatic, torpid temperament.
Convulsive attacks, with cries, violent movement of the limbs, grinding of the teeth, smiles or tears, eyes half-closed, fixed look, and involuntary emission of urine.
the fits are reproduced by cold water, and are preceded by pain in the abdomen and in the head, frequent emission of urine, irascibility, and tears.
after the fit the eyes are closed.
CAUSTIC SUBSTANCE.
Lime, in the state of marble, owes its insolubility in water and its mildness to an acid of the lowest order which is combined with it.
when heated to red heat the marble allows this acid to escape as a gas. During this process the marble, as burned lime, has received (besides the latent heat) another into its composition, which substance, unknown to chemistry, gives to it its caustic property as well as its solubility in the water, whereby we obtain lime-water. This substance, though itself not an acid, gives to it its caustic virtue, and by adding a fluid acid (which will endure fire), which then combines with the lime by its closer affinity, the watery caustic (Hydrastis Canadensis Hydras Caustici?) is separated by distillation.
Take a piece of freshly burned lime of about two pounds, dip this piece into a vessel of distilled water for about one minute, then lay it in a dry dish, in which it will soon turn into powder with the development of much heat and its peculiar odor, called lime-vapor. Of this fine powder take two ounces and mix with it in a (warmed) porcelain triturating bowl a solution of two ounces of bisulphate of potash, which has been heated to red heat and melted, cooled again and then pulverized and dissolved in two ounces of boiling hot water. This thickish mixture is put into a small glass retort, to which the helm is attached with wet bladder.
into the tube of the helm is inserted the receiver half submerged in water.
the retort is warmed by the gradual approach of a Carbo Veg charcoal fire below and all the fluid is then distilled over by applying the suitable heat. The distilled fluid will be about an ounce and a half of watery clearness, containing in concentrated form the substance mentioned above,.
it smells like the lye of caustic potash. On the back part of the tongue the caustic tastes very astringent, and in the throat burning.
it freezes only in a lower degree of cold than water, and it hastens the putrefaction of animal substances immersed in it. When Muriate of Baryta Carb Baryta is added, the causticum shows no sign of Sulphuricum Acidum sulphuric acid, and on adding oxalate of ammonia it shows no traces of lime.
Of this distillate put one drop in vial filled about 2/3 with 99 or 100 drops of alcohol, potentize the mixture by ten successive strokes and continue in this manner through 29 similar vials with alcohol, developing each attenuation and potency with ten successive strokes, carrying it to the decillionth (causticum X) dynamic development. One or at most two of the smallest pellets moistened with this fluid constitute the dose of this mighty antipsoric.
the duration of its action often extends far beyond 50 days.
In the second volume of the "" there is mentioned a (less pure) preparation of causticum under the name of Caustic-tincture, but the proving of Causticum as to its peculiar effects on the changes of human health was yet very imperfect. But after I had recognized its antipsoric virtues, its proving was completed in the following list of symptoms, and thus the homoeopathic selection of this great antipsoric for the appropriate cases was rendered possible, which with the lesser number of symptoms was frequently impossible without making injurious mistakes.
As an antidote to its too violent action with very excitable patients, smelling of sweet spirits of nitre will serve, presumably also the tincture of crude coffee.
Causticum may be advantageously repeated after the intermediate use of other antipsoric remedies, when it is again homoeopathically indicated; but it should always be used in a different degree of potency.
In healing the diseases to which this medicine is homoeopathically appropriate, the following symptoms were either relieved or removed
Hypochondriac dejection.
melancholy. sorrowful thoughts at night and weeping by day.
anxiety. distrust of the future.
hopelessness. tendency to get frightened.
passionateness. peevishness.
dizzy vertigo. dull, gloomy pressure in the brain occupying the head.
shooting in the head. stitches in the temples.
shooting in the upper part of the head with rigid fullness.
lachrymation. inflammation of the eyes.
. incipient amaurosis.
dark webs floating before the eyes.
flickering before the eyes.
growling and humming before the ears and in the head.
roaring in the ears. eruption on the tip of the nose.
old warts on the nose or eyebrows.
painful teeth, protruding from their sockets.
chronic suppuration of some one spot on the gums.
fistula dentalis. mucous troubles in the fauces and behind the palate.
mucous expectoration through hawking or a hacking cough.
repugnance to sweet things.
qualmishness like fainting fits.
vomiting of sourish water.
pressure on the stomach after eating bread.
pressing and griping in the stomach.
cramp-like pains in the stomach.
stitches in the scrobiculus cordis.
pressure in the epigastrium.
pressure in the whole of the abdomen after eating.
distention of the belly in children.
inflation of the abdomen.
obstruction of flatus with hard stool.
chronic constipation. tough stool, shining like fat.
light-colored and white stool.
during stool, cutting in the rectum.
during stool discharge of blood.
itching of the anus. protrusion of the varices of the rectum.
fistula of the rectum in the nates.
urging to urinate, with thirst.
. many pollutions. lack of erections.
. menses too scanty. soreness between the legs and the pudenda.
. continual stuffed coryza.
chronic hoarseness short cough.
inability to eject the detached mucus.
short breathing. painful stiffness of the back, chiefly when rising from a seat.
stiffness in the nape of the neck and the sacrum.
drawing and tearing in the scapulae.
rigidity in the nape of the neck.
swelling of the cervical glands like a goitre.
drawing in the arms. eruptions on the arms.
pressive pain above the elbow.
sensation of fullness in the hand in grasping.
shooting in the fingers, extending to the elbows.
pains in the sole of the foot the back, the ankles and toes of the feet when walking.
. pain in the distended veins and varices.
unsteadiness in the walk of a child, and tendency of same to fall.
restless in the body. palpitation.
. anxious dreams. chilliness.
sensitiveness to cold.
night-sweat.
The names of those who contributed to the following symptoms are indicated by the following abbreviations; . ; . ; ., ; ., ; ., ; ., ; ., ; ., ; ., .
The pathogenesis of Causticum has quite a history belonging to it. In the (1805) Hahnemann published thirty symptoms as obtained by him from a substance he called "Acris tinctura." In the first and second editions of the appears a more extensive pathogenesis of this preparation now called "Aetzstoff Tinctur- Tinctura acris sine Kali." To this (in its latest form containing 307 symptoms) belong the observations of Becher, Franz, Hartmann, Hermann, Hornburg, Langhammer and Stapf and over 100 of Hahnemann's. In the third edition (1833) the drug is not included, and consequently it is not to be found in Dudgeon's translation of the work. This was because in 1830 Hahnemann had transferred its pathogenesis to the where it has 1014 symptoms, among which are those already published, the new ones being furnished by himself and Rummel. It is now called simply AEtzstoff" or "Causticum," and is differently prepared. In Volume III of their Hartlaub and Trinks give, from Nenning's hand, nine symptoms from the older and seventy-three from the newer preparation. From these materials with Hahnemann's own later observation is made up the symptom list now translated.
CAUSTICUM.
The first twelve hours, cheerfulness, light-hearted mood, easy flow of ideas.
but after twenty-one hours (in the morning, on awaking, and the whole forenoon) anxious, tremulous, sleepy obtuse in the head, with pressive heaviness in the occiput and in the forehead, heaviness in the limbs, with almost constant pains in the joints and muscles in the fingers, arms, shoulders, knees and feet.;.
So far it seems to have been a curative action on a previous opposite state of mind and spirit.
* * * * *
A stitch, first, one continuing for eight minutes on the lower part of the sternum on inspiring and expiring, then a stitch in the sternum continuing all the forenoon with alternating violence, most observable on expiration.
this stitch was connected with a constant dull stitch in the left shoulder joint, which was also most sensible at expiration.
Drawing pain, extending from the wrist through the metacarpal bone into the little finger, in the tip of which it is most severe.
on stretching out the hand, the pain is even greater, and involuntarily draws the finger together, while the drawing from the wrist also seizes upon the other fingers, and gradually draws them all double, sometimes more, sometimes less.
Eruptions of the size of a pin's head, with hollow tip.
without moisture, on forehead, nape, scapulae, arms, hypogastrium, especially on the thighs and in the houghs.
they itch especially when warm, and especially in the warmth of the bed.
when not warm, they, being white, are hardly visible in the skin.
but when scratched, they come out quickly, and when scratched open, they leave red spots of larger size.
for five days (aft. 16 d.).
Attack of spasms. in slumber, in the evening in bed, he felt that he could not rightly move his tongue, the raised himself screaming, but fell back again, stretched out his arms and legs, then he moved them, contorted his eyes, gnashed his teeth.
at the same time saliva flowed from his mouth and he was icy cold.
after a quarter of an hour his consciousness returned, but with it, great anxiety.
this recurred after three quarters of an hour.
with flighty thoughts and a heavy tongue.
all of this went off on drinking a mouthful of cold water.
Attack (of uterine spasm).
pains, now in the hypogastrium, then in the stomach, now in the chest, then again in the sacrum, which compelled her to bend double.
she could not straighten herself without the most violent pains, could bear no clothes in the region of the stomach, and could not eat even things most easily digested, without getting the most violent pains in the abdomen and stomach.
only warmed stones placed upon the parts gave her momentary relief.
everything in her abdomen felt as if crammed full.
as if it would burst open, with continual ineffectual effort to eructate (aft. some days).
Hahnemann.
* * * *
Causticum is a very searching medicine, suitable in old, broken down constitutions, suffering from chronic diseases.
Only occasionally is it indicated in acute diseases. Causticum's complaints are such as are progressive, slow, and accompanying a declining state of the economy.
Muscular power Gradual decrease of muscular power, a paralysis. Paralysis of the oesophagus, paralysis of the throat, such as occurs after diphtheria.
paralysis of the upper eyelids.
paralysis of the bladder.
paralysis of the limbs, of the lower limbs.
great lassitude, muscular relaxation, indescribable fatigue and heaviness of the body. And there is a tremulousness, a quivering, jerking, twitching of the muscles, twitching in sleep.
Tendons The next most striking feature is found in the tendons, which become shortened, resulting in a temporary or permanent contracture, and the limb is drawn up.
Tendons of the forearms contract, and there is gradually increasing flexion. Sometimes a whole muscle will harden and shorten, so that it can be felt by the hand as a hard ridge. Contractures of muscles and tendons.
Joints Closely related to this is a rheumatic state of the tendons and ligaments about the joints, sometimes with swelling, but always with pain and ending in a shrivelling of the joint, a tightening up of the joint so that it becomes ankylosed.
Great stiffness of the joints, and while this is going on the patient is growing weaker, is running into a state of melancholy, of hopelessness, anxiety and fear.
Constantly present in his mind is the hopelessness and a feeling that something is hanging over him, that something is going to happen. These are general features of Causticum They all go to make up one picture, they are inseparable.
Hysteria Another kind of progressive trouble in Causticum is hysteria. Gradually increasing hysteria. Hysterical cramping. The woman loses all control of herself and says foolish things.
Her nervous system becomes extremely sensitive to noise, touch, excitement or anything unusual. Starting from the slightest noise; starting in sleep; twitching and jerking; the child is easily startled, or acts as if startled without cause.
Rheumatic diathesis The paralytic weakness is associated with the rheumatic diathesis. The rheumatic states are peculiar. The patient himself can endure neither heat nor cold. They both aggravate his rheumatic conditions, his nervous conditions and himself in general. His pains are ameliorated by heat, but they are aggravated in dry weather.
Great deformity of the joints.
they are enlarged, soft and infiltrated, always worse in dry weather.
more pains and aches during dry weather. Rheumatism that affects both the muscles and the joints. This patient is also aggravated by exposure to cold, dry winds. Many an individual who has gone from the low lands of the East up into Colorado will come down with rheumatism from the cold, dry winds.
Let such a patient as I have described take a ride in the cold lake wind and he will have paralysis of the side of the face exposed to the wind. A long drive with the east wind coming against the face.
The next day that side of the face will be paralyzed. Such a paralysis will almost always recover under Causticum
Reading, tearing, paralytic pains; pains that, benumb; pains that fairly take the life out of him, they are so severe. And they are likely to remain in one place for a long time. Causticum has often greatly mitigated the lightning-like pains of locomotor ataxia.
Now, with all these sufferings the patient is slowly growing weaker, till at length he can no longer walk, he can no longer sit up, he is so tired and weak that he must lie down. He is tired in body and mind. It is a paralytic fatigue.
Convulsive symptoms. Cramps, now here, now there. If frightened he is almost sure to have some form of convulsive condition, The woman with tendency to hysteria will have hysterics from fright.
nervous girls that are more inclined to chorea, will start with jerking of muscles and will keep it up day and night. Chorea even at night. Localized chorea, jerking of single parts, chorea of the tongue or of one side of the face.
Epilepsy in young persons at the age of puberty, from fright, from, being chilled or exposed to some great change in the weather. Epilepsy, chorea, paralysis, hysteria worse during menses. We see that Causticum is a deep medicine.
Any one of the complaints that I have mentioned may be brought on by bathing in cold water. A long, dry, cold spell will aggravate the rheumatic troubles, getting wet or becoming chilled by bathing will start them.
Insanity Causticum has cured insanity; not acute mania with violent delirium, but mental aberration of the passive kind, where the brain has become tired. The constitution has been broken down with long suffering and much trouble, and finally the mind is in confusion.
At first the patient recognizes his inability to do anything and then comes this foreboding that something is going to happen. He is unable to think, and consequently unable to carry on his business. He is going into imbecility. Full of timorous fancies.
"Timorous anxiety," overwhelmed with fearful fancies.
after a prolonged struggle of some sort.
Anxiety before falling asleep. In addition to this, the Causticum patient lacks balance. Everything excites him. The more he thinks about his complaints, the worse they become. Mental and other ailments from long-lasting grief and sorrow. The injurious effects of fear and prolonged vexation. Tired from vexations of business.
Eruptions The suppression of eruptions is apt to bring out mental symptoms. Mental exhaustion, hopelessness, despair, appearing after the suppression of an eruption with Zincum Metallicum zinc ointment. He was fairly well while he had the eruption, but when it disappeared his mind gave out.
Eruptions on the side of the head and face, and extending over the whole head. Thick, crusty eruptions covering the whole occiput. When these eruptions are suppressed in children, chorea is apt to follow. In the adult there will be trembling, paralytic weakness and the mental state, sometimes pains in the nerves.
But the headaches are, as a rule, nondescript.
only occasion do we find a Causticum headache standing out by itself. It will usually be associated with rheumatic and gouty conditions which also affect the scalp. The scalp contracts and tightens up in places like the contractures in other parts. Rheumatic headaches.
sometimes the pain is so severe as to cause nausea, and vomiting. Blinding headaches followed by paralysis.
Torticollis. The head is sometimes drawn to one side by the shortening of the muscles of the neck. Causticum is a curative remedy in this shortening of the tendons and muscles.
Flickering before the eyes. Air seems full of little black insects. Then, again, large black or green spots are seen. After looking at the light a green spot appears and remains in the field of vision for a long time. Diplopia.
And the vision gradually grows weaker until it is lost. Paralysis of the optic nerve. Lachrymation, tears acrid, burning; ulceration, copious discharges from the eyes, agglutination of the lids, paralysis of the eye muscles.
Causticum cures scrofulous ophthalmia with ulceration of the cornea; chronic, purulent ophthalmia of psoric origin. The cornea is covered with little veins.
Warts Another very strong feature of this medicine is its tendency to grow warts. Warts on the face, on the tip of the nose, on the ends of the fingers, on the hands.
Hard, dry, horny warts come out on various parts of the body.
It is natural feature of Causticum to produce copious, thick, tough, gluey discharges from mucous membranes.
The nasal catarrh is very troublesome. Old, atrophic catarrh with accumulation of crusts throughout the whole nasal cavity.
post-nasal catarrh with ulcerations, granulations and copious, thick, yellow or yellowish-green discharge.
nose-bled. frequent attacks of acrid, watery coryza. Much itching of the nose. A wart grows upon the tip of the nose.
Ulcerations about the mouth and nose. Fissures about the lips, the wings of the nose and the corners of the eyes. Fissures seem to form upon the least provocation. Fissures of the anus, of the skin about the joints. Old cases of salt Rheum rheum with fissures in the bends of the joints. Fistulous openings with indurated walls.
The gums become scorbutic and settle away from the teeth; bleeding and ulceration of the gums. Violent, tearing pains in the roots of the teeth from riding in the wind. Old rheumatic subjects suffer all through every dry spell with toothache.
Stitching, tearing, pulsating pains in the teeth; even in the sound teeth on drawing in cold air. Frequently recurring abscesses of the gums. Putrid sour or bitter taste in the mouth.
When the paralytic condition affects the tongue then we have stammering. There is also the condition of complete paralysis of both the pharynx and oesophagus. Hence Causticum is useful in the results of diphtheria when it has been maltreated or when the remedy has not been sufficient to cure the disease.
The food goes down the wrong way or enters the larynx or the post-nares. Paralysis of the organs of speech, paralysis of the tongue, awkward at talking, awkward at chewing; bites the tongue and cheeks while chewing. Post-diphtheritic paralysis is a serious condition and only a few remedies can cure- it.
Causticum is one of them. Lachesis Lachesis and Cocculus Indicus Cocculus are also important. Dryness of the mouth and throat.
rawness of the throat.
must swallow constantly on account of a sensation of fullness in the throat, a nervous feeling in the throat. This is often a forerunner of paralysis. The Staphysagria Staphysagria patient when excited will keep up a constant swallowing and this goes on until it becomes a source of great annoyance.
Burning in the throat; jerking in the throat; constantly scraping thick, tough mucus from the larynx. Study the sounds that patients make in order to ascertain where the mucus comes from. The presence of hoarseness shows that the trouble is in the larynx.
Although hungry, on sitting down at the table, she cannot eat. Kali Carb Kali carbonicum has an empty, all-gone feeling in the stomach, with aversion to food. China China has canine hunger, but loathes the sight of food.
Thirst after eating. thirst for cool drinks with aversion to water desire for beer, smoked meats, pungent things, aversion to sweet things and delicacies. Most remedies that have loss of appetite have desire for, sweet things, pastry, etc. The symptoms of thirst with aversion to drinking is very much like Lachesis Lachesis.
The two run very closely together in the paralytic condition of the throat. There is a queer sensation in the stomach as if lime were slaking there. Trembling in the stomach; burning. Bread causes a sensation of heaviness and pressure, coffee seems to aggravate all the symptoms of the stomach, but a swallow of cold water relieves.
Many symptoms in Causticum are made better by a swallow of water. The violent spasmodic cough may be stopped at once by a drink of cold water. Cold water seems to tone up the paralytic condition. Warm water applied to the hands brings on pains in these old sensitive spinal conditions. Cold washing is their only relief.
Causticum has belching, nausea, vomiting, distension and violent pains in the stomach. Pinching colic.
On account of the paralytic condition the stool passes with less straining while the patient is standing. Retention of urine except when standing.
unable to pass it in any other position isSarsaparilla Sarsaparilla Constipation, frequent, unsuccessful urging to stool. The stool is tough and shining, and is passed with great difficulty and exertion.
Fissures in the anus; itching and stitching in the rectum, excessive itching day and night; hemorrhoids, pulsating in the perineum I fissures and hemorrhoids pulsate and burn like fire.
The hemorrhoids become infiltrated and hardened.
Bladder Causticum has two kinds of paralysis of the bladder, one affecting the muscles of expulsion and the urine is retained, and the other center ing upon the sphincter vesicae, and then the urine is passed involuntarily.
"He urinates so easily that he is not sensible of the stream and scarcely believes, in the dark, that he is urinating, until he makes sure by sense of touch."
Causticum is unconscious of the stream as it passes.
It is a very useful remedy in children that wet the bed. Especially is it a wonderful remedy in the woman. The urine escapes involuntarily when coughing Retention of urine in the woman. Retention after labor.
Paralysis of the bladder. A woman who is too greatly embarrassed to pass through a crowd of observing men to the closet at the end of a railroad car, at the end of the journey finds that she is unable to pass the urine.
Retention of urine from straining the muscles of the bladder. If the patient is chilled at the time the remedy may be Rhus Tox Rhus.
Rhus Tox Rhus and Causticum are the two great remedies for paralytic weakness of muscles from being overstrained, or from being overstrained and chilled. Great weakness at the time of the menses.
Menstruation Anxious dreams before menstruation.
melancholy. cramp-like spasms.
pains in the back. The woman suffers from many annoyances during menstruation just about the time for the flow to start violent cramp-like pains come on. In a woman who is nursing a child the milk almost disappears in consequence of fatigue, night watching and anxiety. The nipples get sore and crack, another instance of the tendency to form fissures.
Voice The Causticum patient has trouble with the voice. You remember, when we were going over the symptoms of Carbo Veg Carbo vegetabilis, Itold you that the hoarseness was worse in the evening. Now observe that the hoarseness of Causticum is worse in the morning.
He gets up in the morning with a hoarse voice; if it is an ordinary case, after moving about and expectorating a little mucus, it is better. Sudden loss of voice from paralysis of the vocal cord.
It sometimes begins with the morning aggravation, gradually increasing until it lasts all day and all night.
The cough is hollow, it sounds as if he were coughing into a barrel. It is relieved by expectoration if it can only get deep enough to reach the mucus. Sometimes such a cough precedes quick consumption. It is a deep-acting medicine; it cures phthisis, especially mucous phthisis or quick consumption.
"Cough with a sensation as if the patient could not cough deep enough to start the mucus; produced by tickling, accompanied by rawness. Cough wakens her from sleep in the evening and morning.
Influenzinum Influenza with tired aching of the limbs as if they had been beaten.
"Whooping cough in the catarrhal stage."
In most cases the pains and aches are ameliorated by the warmth of the bed and by applied heat. Only the pains in the fingers are sometimes brought on by heat.
Great weakness, faint-like goneness culminating in local paralysis (vocal organs, tongue, muscles of deglution, eyelids, face, bladder and extremities).
Obstinate neuralgias, especially of psoric origin; pains of a cramping, drawing nature.
Sensation of sore rawness (Scalp, throat, larynx and trachea, chest, rectum, anus, urethra and eruptions with burning).
Contractions of the ligaments (arthritis deformans).
Dry cough with pain in hip and involuntary urination. Soreness and rawness in air passages, cannot raise the mucus, worse on expiration, better swallowing cold water.
Haemorrhoids sore and raw worse on walking. Constipation frequent, ineffectual desire for stool; passes better on standing.
Modalities worse dry weather, walking (piles), better wet weather, swallowing cold water (cough).
Causticum is a very unique remedy, proven by Hahnemann and classed among the anti-psorics. Causticum's exact chemical composition is not known but it is supposed to be a kind of potash preparation.
It has quite a long list of peculiar symptoms, which are, nevertheless, very reliable. In the first place it has great weakness, such as characterizes the potash salts generally. It is with Causticum "faint-like weakness, or sinking of strength, with trembling." In this it resembles Gelsemium Sempervirens Gelsemium, and it has another symptom, in connection with its general weakness which resembles Gelsemium Sempervirens Gelsemium, viz. "Drooping of the lids." Sepia Sepia, Causticum and Gelsemium Sempervirens Gelsemium is the trio having this peculiar symptom in a very marked degree. Now, the weakness of Causticum progresses until we have "gradually appearing paralysis," indeed, paralysis is common with Causticum and attacks in a general way the right side (Lachesis Lachesis the left), but it also has local paralysis; as, for instance, of the vocal organs, muscles of deglutition, of tongue, eyelids, face, bladder and extremities. On the other hand, it has all grades of nervous twitchings, chorea, convulsions and epileptic attacks, even progressive locomotor ataxia. I can only name these diseases here, but will notice further on the symptoms and conditions which appear in connection with them.
Neuralgic affections are also common with Causticum and are generally of an obstinate character. Causticum has helped me out in such cases when other seemingly indicated remedies failed. One of our oldest and most eminent writers on Materia Medica, Charles J. Hempel, sneered at the multiplicity of symptoms of Causticum, as found in the "Chronic Diseases," but the clinical test has proven it to be a remedy of great use and wide range. On the mind it exerts a very depressing influence in keeping with its general action on the nervous system. Melancholy mood., hopelessness.
Causticum is the preponderant mood of Causticum, but it may alternate with an anxious, irritable or hysterical mood. We have already spoken of the paralysis of the eyelids. The vision is often affected; there is an appearance of gauze before the eyes, or as if a fog or cloud were there. This is often the case in incipient cataract, and Causticum often remedies it.
Upon the ears there is roaring, tinkling, humming and all sorts of noises. It is one of our best remedies in deafness with these noises. Reverberation of sounds, especially the patient's own voice, finds here a remedy. Then the ears (external) burn and are very red. Sulphur Sulphur also has this symptom very prominently and right here we may say that there are many resemblances between these two remedies, and they follow each other well, especially in chronic diseases.
Upon the face we have four prominent peculiar symptoms
1st. Yellowness of the face; sickly yellow (not jaundice).
2d. Paralysis of a rheumatic or psoric origin.
3d. Prosopalgia of the same origin.
4th. Stiffness of the jaws; could not open the mouth.
Causticum latter symptom also seems to be rheumatic and is in keeping with the arthritis deformans, of which we will say more further on.
Upon the tongue we have 1st. Paralisis; or indistinct speech without complete paralysis (Gelsemium Sempervirens Gels.). 2d. Tongue coated white on the sides, red in the middle, but not so sharply defined as in Veratrum Album Veratrum viride.
The throat comes strongly under the influence of Causticum.
"Burning pain in throat, not worse by swallowing; pain is in both sides or seems to arise from chest."
"Rawness and tickling in throat with dry cough and some expectoration after long coughing."
Causticum again in similar to Sulphur Sulphur, which has burning in throat, more on right side. I have found that if Sulphur Sulphur did not relieve, Causticum given after it, often would.
Intestinal Canal. -Sensation of lime being burned in the stomach, with rising of air. Guernsey praised this symptom and considered it reliable. I have not verified if Causticum is one of our best remedies in anal troubles, and has very peculiar symptoms. "Constipation, frequent but unsuccessful desire to stool." (Nux Vomica Nux.) "Frequent ineffectual desire to stool, with much pain and straining, with redness of face." "The stool passes better when standing. Haemorrhoids impeding stool, swollen; itching smarting. rawness.
raw and sore, aggravated when walking, when thinking of them, from preaching or straining the voice." All these symptoms have been verified over and over again. There are other symptoms also in this region that are very valuable, but we are not writing a complete Materia Medica and will only say in addition that in all anal troubles we should let Causticum rank among the first in our mind when we are hunting for the simillimum. We do not know in what part the peculiar and characteristic symptom which leads to the simillimum will appear, but must be on the alert to recognize it promptly. .
Causticum also has very marked action upon the urinary organs, as is shown by the following symptoms "Itching of the orifice of the urethra." "Constant ineffectual desire to urinate, frequent evacuations of only a few drops, with spasms in the rectum and constipation."
Causticum is like Nux Vomica Nux vomica and Cantharis Cantharis, and I once cured a chronic case of cystitis in a married woman, which had baffled the best efforts of several old school physicians, eminent for their skill for years. There was another symptom in the case that was prominent, and that was a sensation of soreness or rawness. More will be said, when we come to write on sensations, of this last symptom. Again, "retention of urine, with frequent and urgent desire, occasionally a few drops dribble away."
"Involuntary passage of urine when coughing, sneezing, blowing the nose; at nigh when asleep.
Respiratory Organs. -Hoarseness worse in the morning, with rawness and sudden loss of voice. Laryngeal muscles refuse to act; cannot speak a loud word. Chronic hoarseness remaining after acute laryngitis. Hoarseness with deep bass voice (like Drosera Rotundifolia Drosera). These are all very reliable symptoms, and no remedy removes them oftener than Causticum. All this loss of voice may come from paresis of the vocal chords, or from catarrhal causes. Then following down the respiratory tract, we have great rawness and irritation of the trachea, cough dry, hollow.
Now upon the back and extremities we have -stiffness and pain in neck and throat, muscles feel as if bound, could scarce move the head. Painful stiffness of the back and sacrum, especially on rising from a chair. Paralysis of either or both lower and upper extremities. Dull drawing pain in hands and arms. Drawing and tearing in thighs and legs, knees and feet, worse in open air and better in bed. Weakness and trembling of the limbs. Rheumatic and arthritic inflammations with contractions of the flexors and stiffness of the joints. All these, and many more symptoms, show what a useful remedy this must be in its general action on the back and extremities, but right here I wish to say that if I were to select the three remedies to the exclusion of all others for the treatment of chronic rheumatism and paralysis Causticum, Rhus Tox Rhus tox. and Sulphur Sulphur would be the three. These three remedies studied in their correspondence and relation to each other will more than repay the careful student, and Causticum holds well its own in the comparison. You will remember that I have before alluded to the resemblances of Causticum and Sulphur Sulphur, and may continue to do so further on. I wish here, although constitutionally opposed to making too much of complementaries and incompatibles (so-called), to state that there are no two remedies that are oftener indicated after each other, and work as well when so indicated, than these two. If Hahnemann had never given to the homoeopathic school any remedy but Causticum, the world would still be to him under lasting obligations.
Sensations. -Tearing pains are, characteristic of Causticum. They are often paroxysmal. This is often found in neuralgia of the face. Then again I wish to call particular attention to the sensation of soreness or rawness. This is found in scalp, throat, larynx and trachea, chest, rectum, anus, urethra and eruptions. We observe that the sensation of soreness is not like that of Arnica Arnica, which is a soreness as if bruised and mostly muscular, nor of Rhus Tox Rhus toxicodendron, which is an aching soreness as if sprained and oftenest found in the tendons and sheaths of muscles, or areolar tissues; but it is a soreness mostly, if not altogether, of mucous surfaces as if the parts were raw. This is important and a very reliable sensation. Then again we have in Causticum much burning. These burnings are found almost everywhere, and in this we again see its resemblance to Sulphur Sulphur. Now let it be remembered that the burnings of Sulphur Sulphur are associated with itching, those of Apis Mel Apis mellifica with stinging, and those of Causticum with soreness. So we must always learn to differentiate, because it is only by so doing that we can select the one remedy out of a class, and sometimes a large class, having the same or similar symptoms. The drawing pains that in many cases result in forcing out of shape the extremities so as to cause that terrible affliction known as arthritis deformans are found as prominently under Causticum as under any other remedy, and it is one of the most useful agents for the relief or cure. .
Causticum is classed among Hahnemann's anti-psorics. It is certainly one of the prominent remedies for affections arising from the suppression of itch or chronic skin troubles, like eczema. I was once called, in consultation, to a case of prosopalgia which had for a long time baffled the skill of a very good homoeopathic practitioner. Not being able to relieve the case, he had become demoralized, and as the pain and suffering were very great he had resorted to anodynes, but with the usual result of making the patient worse, after the anodynes had worn out, than she was before. On looking over the case carefully, I found in addition to the emaciated and greatly debilitated condition of the patient, after so long suffering, that the pains came in paroxysms, that they were of a drawing nature, and that she had suffered from eczema for years, at different times, before this pain appeared. Sulphur Sulphur had been given, but without relief. So I advised Causticum. It was given, in the 200th, and a rapid and a permanent cure was the result. Whether Causticum could be called an anti-sycotic as well as anti-psoric, or not, I do not know. Certain it is that it is one of our most successful remedies for warts. It stands next to Thuja Thuja, if not equal. It is also foremost in old sores originating in burns. I have given more space to Causticum than I otherwise would, for the reason that I am sure that this great remedy is not generally appreciated. I know of no remedy more positive and satisfactory in its action when indicated. Generally worse in clear fine weather better in damp wet weather. (Nux Vomica Nux vom., asthma worse in dry weather better in damp weather.).
Region
NERVES Motor
Sensory
MUSCLES BLADDER
LARYNX
Limbs
Respiration
Skin
Right side; face
Sensations
The septum of the nose is painful to touch,
Burning in the nostrils, as in coryza,
Drawing in the wing of the nose, extending down from the right external canthus,
Cutting-tearing through the wing of the nose,
Soreness within the nose,
A sore pain in the lower portion of the nose, as in severe coryza,
Tickling in the left nostril, relieved by external pressure,
Itching in the nose, as if coryza would appear,
Itching in the nostrils,
Smell.
Loss of smell, with completely stopped nose,
Preparation
Tinctura acris sine Kali. Potassium Hydrate. Obtained by distilling a mixture of slaked lime and a solution of Kali Sulphuricum potassium sulphate. Tincture with spirit.