Graphites - General symptoms
Black Lead, Graphite, Graph.
Have you ever used Graphites? Yes No
Below are the main rubriks (i.e strongest indications or symptoms) of Graphites in traditional homeopathic usage, not approved by the FDA.
GENERAL
General
(Morning), Irritable, etc.
confusion of head.
on waking, vertigo.
stupid in head. on waking, headache.
tearing in head. in bed, while half asleep, dull headache.
in bed, pain in temple.
in bed, one-sided headache.
burning in eyes. after waking, beating in ear.
small in nose. after rising, swelling of sides of face.
on stooping, saliva runs from mouth.
after eating or drinking, water comes into the mouth.
mucus in mouth. after rising, taste in mouth.
on rising, pain in throat.
thirst. after rising, hiccough.
during menstruation, nausea, immediately after rising, nausea.
after rising, nausea, etc.
qualmishness, etc. pressure in pit of stomach.
immediately after rising, stitches in hypochondrium.
in bed, and for some time after rising, rumbling in abdomen.
colic. in bed, cutting in anus.
in bed, urging to urinate.
after rising from bed, leucorrhoea.
on rising, especially on inspiration, oppression of chest.
in bed, pulsation in heart.
on rising, backache. tearing in thigh.
in bed, pain in knees.
in bed, cramp in calves.
during first hours after rising, pain in malleoli.
burning of the heels. trembling.
after rising, pain in whole body.
dread of open air. in bed, chilliness.
after breakfast, coldness.
cold feet. in bed, sweat.
sweat on sternum..
(Evening), Anxiety.
depressed mood. while walking, reeling, etc.
during menstruation, headache.
pain in head. after eating, stitches in ear.
when eating cracking in ear.
in bed, screaming in ears.
nosebleed. in bed, tearing in zygoma.
while sitting, leaning backward, toothache.
swelling of the gum. hiccough.
in bed, nausea. fulness, etc.
in abdomen. in bed, tickling in larynx.
hoarseness. on lying down, cough.
dyspnoea. after lying down, when lying on left side, throbbing in region of heart.
jerking in the limbs. in bed, jerkings in the arms.
before going to sleep, chilliness.
after 5 o'clock, coldness.
shaking chill. cold hands, etc.
shivers in back. dry heat.
(Night), Raving.
anxiety. after lying down, thoughts full of care.
headache. roaring in ears, etc., nosebleed.
smell in nose. toothache.
pain in teeth, etc. dryness of mouth, etc.
eructations. waterbrash.
inclination to vomit. pressure in pit of stomach.
on waking, beating beneath short ribs.
pain in abdomen. fulness, etc., in lower abdomen.
frequent micturition. dragging to urinate, etc.
attacks of suffocation.
sticking in shoulder, etc.
in bed, sticking in thigh.
pain in knees. cramp in calves.
during sleep, jerkings.
pimply eruption. chilliness, etc.
heat. sweat..
Incipient paralysis of the left side of the face after some swelling of it and some toothache.
the muscles of the right side of the face suddenly become distorted, the mouth drawn to the right side, and its motion as well as speech impaired.
the left eye frequently becomes closed involuntarily, while the right one could not be completely closed, but frequently remained open in bright light, wind, and dust (after eighteen days),.
Some small pimples appear on the trunk and upper part of the thighs (possibly caused by the warm weather, a not unusual symptom with me).
after three days, however, this eruption assumed a peculiar appearance, the pimples increased to the size of a pin's head, and became filled with fluid at the tip, and were brownish yellow (during the latter part of the proving),.
Absolutely no desire for coition, the first thirty days after taking Graphites.
even his fantasies, which were usually very lively, were cold, and there was no inclination to erections.
but after this everything became aroused to so great a degree that even the touch of a woman caused great sexual excitement and trembling in all his limbs,.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS.
Objective.
Emaciation,
Trembling in the morning,
Slight jerkings at night, during sleep,
Loss of inclination to work,
Great indolence of the whole body, which disappeared after a long walk,
Weariness and falling asleep, after dinner,
Great weariness and sleepiness, in the forenoon and towards evening, with much yawning,
Great weariness, while walking in the open air,
Amazingly weary and sleepy (after a few hours),
Weakness after coition (after fourteen days),
Great weakness, especially of the limbs, which he is scarcely able to move, with constant weariness,
Sudden sinking of strength,
Exhaustion even to sinking down, with retching and nausea, during and after walking in the open air,
Weak exhaustion of the whole body, as from catarrh,
Faintlike exhaustion, as if beginning in the abdomen, while walking in the open air,
Attacks of faintness (after eight days),
Constant tossing about at night, without weariness,
Subjective.
Sensitiveness to every draft of air, with hoarseness, chilliness, dryness of the nose and anxiety, in the evening,
Takes cold easily, and has headache therefrom,
He takes cold easily, is obliged to avoid drafts,
Sensation as from loss of sleep, in the morning; it is very difficult to get out of bed,
Malaise, though free in the head,
Indisposed, frightened (nervous),
General sick feeling; he is obliged to groan without knowing for what pain,
A momentary pain here and there at times, followed by soreness of the part,
Painful drawing tension of the whole body, during rest and motion, especially of the arms and trunk,
Cramp like sensation from time to time in various parts, arms, neck, fingers, feet, whereupon the parts are swollen for a few days, become red, indurated, and sensitive to external touch,
Drawing pain in the whole body, as in intermittent fever, in the morning, after rising,
Pain rather pressive than drawing in the periosteum of all the bones, only for a moment, now here, now there, during rest, especially on falling asleep,
Stitches shoot like lightning through the whole body from above downward,
Stitches as from needles, here and there, in the whole body,
Prickings, now here, now there, in the whole body,
Bruised pain of the whole side of the body upon which he lies, in the midday nap; and the arm is asleep,
Violent pulsation of the blood in the whole body, especially at the heart, aggravated by every motion,
Violent beating of blood at the heart, and in the rest of the body, on every slight motion,
Tremulous sensation through the whole body,
Shocks at times through the whole body, as from fright or an electric shock, during rest or motion,
Dread of the open air, in the morning,
Pains return on beginning to walk,
The symptoms disappear while walking in the open air,
GENERAL SYMPTOMS.
LUMPY, THICK OR HARD (Chin Thuja Thu); skin, glands, tarsi, nails, scars, callosities, stools, crusts, etc
Infiltrations
EXCORIATIONS, CRACKS OR FISSURES; in angles; at margins of mucous membranes; of eyes, nostrils, mouth, finger-tips, nipples, anus, etc
Emaciation; of affected part
Scanty, foul, thin, sticky, corrosive secretions Watery haemorrhages
Sense of burning, numbness or deadness
Pains go to part not lain on
Fat, relaxed, chilly and costive
Impulse to groan
Sad, fearsome and irresolute Music brings tears
Brain feels numb
Burning spot on vertex
Heavy occiput
Wens
Matted, brittle or falling hair; worse vertex and sides
Milk crust
Sore or cracked outer canthi
Scrophula of eyes
Pale tarsi
Ingrown lashes
Photophobia Inflamed or dry, scaly tarsi
Scales from ears
Briny otorrhoea
Tinnitus
Hears better in a noise
Moist eruption behind ears Dryness in ears and nose
Nose; stuffed coryza; bleeding, worse before menses
Acute smell
Sensation as of a cobweb on face
Acne before menses
Barbers'itch
Lumpy goitre
Rotten taste
Dots of thick, white fur on tongue Choking; on swallowing, from goitre, etc
Sour taste, eructation, blood about teeth, stool, urine, odor from mouth, sweat, etc
Hunger
Averse to meats and sweets
Alternate digestive and skin symptoms
Gastric pains -burning- necessitate eating
Symphoricarpus Racemosus Morning sickness during menses
Can't bear pressure about waist
Foul belching
Flatulence Stomach better heat, hot food, eating and lying
Abdomen distended, as from incarcerated flatus
Intestinal torpor Large, knotty, difficult, stringy, slimy coated stools; or loose, brown, lienteric and very foul
Constipation; for days (Sep)
Fissures of anus bleed and ulcerate
Stool of masses of mucus
Slender stool and urinary stream
Priapism
Sexual exhaustion
Itching of anus and pudendum; before menses
Averse to coition
Swelled [left] ovary
Cramps in various places or burning
Indurations; ovaries, mammae, etc
Menses irregular; late, scanty, painful, etc
; cold taking, Symphoricarpus Racemosus morning sickness or sweats during
Gushes of irritating, white leucorrhoea; instead of menses
Suffocation, after mid-night, better eating
Voice lacks control, better using it
Circulation irregular
Flushings
Rushes of blood to head
Bunions, worse fire heat, better pressure
Can't stretch enough
Paralysed feeling in limbs
Arms and legs go to sleep
Rawness in folds of skin
Eruptions, cracked, moist and bleed easily; worse on head and behing ears
Foul, acrid foot-sweat; chafes toes Crippled, crumbling nails
IRRITABLE, DRY, rough skin, that breaks easily and exudes A GLUEY MOISTURE; worse in folds - and is slow to heal
MOIST, CRUSTY ERUPTIONS
Eczema; anal, crural, palmar, etc
Wandering or recurrent erysipelas (Hyds)
Eruptions, worse from heat
Supersensitive to cold; it worse bone-pains, coryza and stomach
Cold, wet feet
Burning coldness
Plumbago. Black Lead. An allotropic modification of carbon. (The finest specimens contain traces of iron, 0.04 to 0.6 per cent.; poor qualities as much as 4 per cent.) Trituration of prepared Black Lead from finest English drawing-pencils.
Acne. Amenorrhoea. Anus, affections of. Blepharitis. Breasts, indurated.
The first idea of using this substance as a drug, says Hahnemann, is due to S. Weinhold, who was led to it by seeing workmen in a mirror-factory use it as a local application for tetters.
Ruggieri followed him, using it both internally and locally.
Hufeland relates the cure of a lady, 41, by the internal and external use of Graph., of an acne rosacea which had defied all other modes of treatment.
Teste classes Graph. in the Pulsatilla Pulsatilla group with Silica Marina Silic., Calc Carb Calc., Hep Sulph Calc Hepar, and Phosphorus Phos.
He gives the following among other symptoms as common to Pulsatilla Puls., Silica Marina Silic., and Graph. "Anxious, changeable, wavering mood.
aversion to work. vertigo with cloudiness.
a sort of intoxication in the morning.
sense of fulness or emptiness in the head.
drowsiness in daytime.
single, acute, deep shocks in right half of brain.
flickering before eyes.
suspension of visual power.
photophobia. lachrymation in open air.
foul smell before nostrils.
amenorrhoea. swelling of right testicle.
swelling of veins. wandering pains.
pain in the parts not lain upon.
heaviness in affected parts.
rheumatism at nape of neck.
sweat at night having odour of urine.
drowsiness in daytime." Hahnemann was quick to perceive that Graph. was much more than a mere remedy for skin affections.
Like that other great skin remedy, Sulphur Sulphur, Graph. proved to be a leading antipsoric.
Hahnemann's provings and observations defined its powers over skin affections.
Its special characteristic is "Eruptions oozing out a thick, honey-like fluid." Wherever such eruptions are found Graph. is in all probability the remedy.
I have cured many cases, notably some occurring on the occiput, and behind the ears.
It is no less frequently a remedy for the results of repelled eruptions of the kind.
Nash records such a case A child had been "relieved" of an eczema capitis under old-school treatment, whereupon entero-colitis set in, and became so alarming that it was pronounced "consumption of the bowels." Nash when called in found the child greatly emaciated, with little or no appetite, very restless, passing "stools of brown fluid mixed with undigested substances, and of an intolerably fetid odour." Graph. 6m (Jenichen) cured promptly.
Graph. being one of the forms of Carbon, it is therefore related to Carbo anim., and Carbo Veg Carbo veg.; and as it contains a small percentage of iron, it is also related to Ferrum Met Ferrum.
Graph. causes slight erethism at first, then a weak, relaxed, condition; anaemia; chlorosis.
The typical Graphites patient is "fat, chilly, and costive." Lymphatic glands are swollen.
Like the skin, the mucous membranes are cracked and fissured, and have scanty secretions.
Irregularities in the distribution of the blood occur, pallor of skin and mucous membranes.
The circulation is at first excited, then follows loss of energy and consequent venous hyperaemia.
Fainting readily occurs with great anxiety; motion is impaired and the tissues relaxed, but paralysis is not complete.
A marked characteristic of Graphites is a rush of blood to head, with flushed face.
I have cured two very severe cases of nose-bleed in elderly people where this symptom was present.
In one case there had been flushing of head and neck for many months previous to the attack, and flushing preceded and accompanied each occurrence of the bleeding.
In the other case the patient said the precursory flush seemed to come up from his toes.
He had had his nostrils plugged, without avail, before I saw him.
Graphites, in a high potency, cured promptly in both instances.
Hahnemann gives the symptom on which I based the prescription as follows "Bleeding of the nose at 10 p.m.; preceded in the afternoon by rush of blood to the head, and heat of face," There is also "rush of blood to head, with distension and flatulence." Graphites is suited to persons who have a tendency to put on unhealthy fat.
Defective animal heat from defective oxygenation; always cold, indoors or out.
Chlorotics. Affections of glands, skin, and mucous membranes, especially at orifices.
The Graphites condition is not sensitive and herein it differs from Hep Sulph Calc Hepar, which has extreme sensitiveness of affected parts.
The tone of mind is sad and foreboding.
The eyes, ears, and nose are affected, especially the integumentary parts.
There is a very characteristic symptom in reference to the hearing "hardness of hearing amel. when riding in a carriage." There is a sore throat like that of Lachesis Lachesis; sensation of a lump, agg. on empty swallowing.
It has also a "lump" sensation at the stomach.
It resembles Lachesis Lachesis, too, in its flushings; in gastralgia amel. by eating.
Hurries to meals to relieve violent pain at epigastrium; especially to dinner and supper.
Goullon cured two notable cases of cramps in the stomach with "improvement of the cramps by eating." There was also clean tongue.
Milk agreed well, especially hot milk.
In one case roast meat agreed, but not boiled meat, and, still less, potatoes.
In the morning there was a fishy taste, disappearing later in the day.
Another cure by Goullon was of a young lady who was troubled with salivation, coming on any time; sometimes just before sitting down to dinner; oftenest when riding in a carriage, less often when riding in a train.
She was prevented by it from seeing company, and was low-spirited.
There was also habitual costiveness.
Graph. 12 at first aggravated and then rapidly cured.
Goullon understood the power of Graphites, perhaps, more completely than any other writer, and I will give another of his cures, as it illustrates several points in the drug's action.
A well-grown, healthy-looking girl of fifteen had violent headache in right temple every four weeks; the pain was stinging.
Glittering before the eyes frequently preceded and followed the attack, which recurred to the hour, and sometimes also on the following day.
Drowsiness accompanied the attack, deep sleep, heat and redness of the head, followed by a chill. Sepia Sep. 6 relieved the headache, but the glitter remained.
The heaviness of the eyelids led Goullon to Graph. (which causes ptosis).
The period for the headache passed without recurrence, and the sensation of lights completely disappeared (H. R., vi. 271).
Graphites causes suffocative spells which arouse the patient from sleep, he must jump out of bed, agg. after midnight (Lachesis Lach. agg. after sleep).
There is a diarrhoea of thin, offensive, partly digested stools.
Constipation is more common, the stools being in lumps coated with mucus, and with mucous shreds.
Habitual costiveness and, in females, scanty menses form a keynote indication when found associated with other complaints, as headache, skin-affections, &c.
Moist itching excoriation around anus and fissures.
The male sexual organs are affected as well as the female Uncontrollable sexual excitement, with violent erections.
Priapism. (I have frequently seen this condition produced in patients taking Graph. for other things; and have frequently relieved priapism with Graph.) Impotence.
In the female the breasts are affected.
Pain under left breast at menstrual period, often waking patient in the night.
Hysterical melancholia with occipital headache.
Leucorrhoea profuse, in gushes, excoriating.
It has many symptoms in common with Sepia Sepia, but Graph. affects the ovaries more markedly than the latter.
There is a feeling as if the uterus would press out at the vagina.
Stiffness of knees. The skin of Graphites is rough, hard, and dry.
Eczematous and herpetic eruptions predominate.
Eruption on occiput exuding gluey humour; eczema of ears; moist eczema round anus.
Pimples, acne. Wens. Gastro-intestinal affections alternating with acne and erythema of face, herpetic lesions or scrofulous hypochondriasis.
Excoriations between toes.
Syphilitic and "constitutional" ulcers.
Recrudescence of scars.
Cracks and fissures. Offensive discharges and secretions.
Sweat stains yellow; sour, offensive.
The senses are abnormally acute music causes weeping; cannot tolerate the smell of flowers.
Weak, exhaustion of whole body.
Spasms; contractions of muscles; twitching of eyelids.
Cataleptic condition. Sensitiveness of internal parts; numbness in various parts; drawing pain in whole body.
Pain as if head were numb, or pithy, or made of wood.
Pain as if constricted in occiput, extending to nape of neck, which pains as if broken. "Intense, heavy weight in occiput, as if head drawn back, must rest it, unable to read or think" (result of 2x and 3x, on three separate occasions in a patient of Dr. W. Epps. Chininum Sulphuricum Chi. 1x. relieved in a few days).
Hom. Rev., xl. 162). As if skin of forehead was drawn into folds. As if a skin were before ear. As if a hard body as large as an egg were behind ear. As of a cobweb over the face. As of a lump in stomach, with beating as of two hammers. As if intestines were torn.
croaking as of a frog in abdomen. As if everything would be torn to pieces during menstruation. Bearing-down pains in various parts. Rest amel.
motion agg. Riding in a carriage agg. many complaints.
but amel. hardness of hearing. agg. Lying on left side. Cold drinks, cold air, damp, wet atmosphere, washing agg. Warmth agg. tearing pain in teeth.
warmth of bed agg. itching.
amel. crampy pain in stomach.
scrofulous affections of bones. Eating amel. cramps in stomach.
hot drinks, especially hot milk, amel. agg. In open air.
in wind. Bathing after measles = paralysis of face. Getting feet wet = delayed menses. Attacks occur during summer and autumn. Ears feel stuffed at the full moon. Suffering parts emaciate. Overlifting easily. Haemorrhages. (When giving Graphit. internally in cases of anal eruption I have found the external use of an ointment made with a drachm of the 3x trituration to an ounce of Cetacean ointment of great service. Hirsh, of Prague, has also used Graph. locally in cases of disease of the nails, with very good results.).
A grain of the purest plumbago from an English lead pencil of the best quality is pulverized, and according to the direction for preparing antipsoric medicines, as given at the end of the first volume, it is first triturated up to the one millionth powder-attenuation. Then, according to the direction there given, the solution of one grain of this preparation in a mixture of fifty drops of water and fifty drops of alcohol, after being shaken up ten times, is further diluted in pure alcohol to the billionth (II.). quadrillionth (IV)., sextillionth (VI), octillionth (VIII), and decillionth (X) degree, and every time potentized with ten strokes of the arm. In these forms and degrees of potency, this medicine is then applied to its homoeopathic antipsoric use, taking one or two small pellets moistened with the medicine, for a dose.
The purest plumbago is a sort of mineral carbon, and the small contents of iron are probably to be viewed merely as an admixture not essential to the nature of plumbago, which is further confirmed by the fact, that has fully proved the actual transition of diamond into plumbago by treating the same with metallic potassium.
The first thought of the medicinal use of plumbago was given to by the fact, that during his journey in Italy he saw workmen in a mirror factory in Venice use it externally for driving away herpes.
He imitated them, and described the result in a little work.
(Plumbago as a remedy for herpes), (2d ed., Meissen, 1812). He prescribed its external application either with saliva or with some fat, or the rubbed in the ointment, or applied a plaster of plumbago. He also administered it in several cases internally, as a confection or in pills, not without success.
We go somewhat further, and administer graphites as a very serviceable antipsoric remedy, and this, whether herpes be present in the (non-venereal) chronic disease or not, provided that the present (and previous) symptoms of the patient are found to be homoeopathically as similar as possible to the pure symptoms below adduced, which are peculiar to graphites, and caused by it in the healthy body.
Graphites has a lengthy period of action.
Graphites has proved itself especially useful, in chronic diseases where it is otherwise appropriate, in curing the following symptoms
Feeling unhappy. apprehension in the morning.
anxiety. peevishness.
dislike of work. feels as if intoxicated on rising from bed.
chaotic feeling in the head.
fatigued by scientific work.
buzzing in the head. tearing pain in the side of the head the teeth and the glands of the neck.
itching on the head. scab head.
perspiration of the head when in the open air.
, as from a grain of sand.
pressing, shooting and lachrymation of the eyes, dry pus on the eyelids and eyelashes.
everything becomes black before the eyes on stooping.
the letters in reading run together.
. the eyes fear the daylight.
dryness of the internal ear.
flow of pus from the ear.
bad smell from the ear.
porrigo behind the ears.
. singing and ringing in the ears.
humming in the ears. thundering rumbling before the ears.
hissing in the ears. bad smell from the nose.
dry scabs in the nose.
swelling of the nose.
semi-lateral paralysis of the face.
freckles in the face. humid, in the face.
falling out of the hair of the beard.
ulcerated corners of the mouth.
ulcers on the inner side of the lips.
nocturnal toothache. shooting toothache after drinking something cold.
swelling of the gums. dryness of the mouth in the morning.
hawking up of mucus. sensitiveness of the throat, in the region of the larynx.
almost constant sore throat, during deglutition.
nocturnal pain in the throat, as if a plug were lodged in the throat, or as if the food filled the gullet all the way up.
painful lumps on the lower jaw.
repugnance to cooked food.
. nausea after every meal.
weakness of the stomach.
pressure in the stomach.
nocturnal pinching in the stomach and digging in the chest.
. hardness in the hypogastrium.
tapeworm. painfulness in the groin.
inflation of the abdomen.
inflation after meals.
. obstruction of flatus.
. chronic constipation.
with and hardness of the hepatic region.
insufficient stools. long-continued, excessive softness of stools.
discharge of mucus from the rectum.
. pains as from excoriation of the varices of the anus after stool.
burning, painful fissure between the varices of the anus.
large varices of the anus.
micturition at night. quiescent sexual desire.
uncontrollable sexual desire.
. too scanty voluptuous sensation in coitus.
excoriation between the lower limbs, on the pudenda.
delayed menses. , with severe colic.
and too pale. pains during the menses.
cramps in the abdomen, with the menses.
pain in the chest, with the menses.
weakness, during the menses.
, like water. profuse leucorrhoea, before and after the menses.
. flow of mucus from the nose.
daily coryza, when becoming cold.
the voice in singing is not clear.
scraping in the throat.
cough. nocturnal cough.
asthma. spasm of the chest.
pain in the sacrum as if it was bruised or broken.
contractive pains in the back.
. cramp in the hand. horny callosities in the palms.
knotty, arthritic fingers.
constant excoriation between the fingers.
pain as from a sprain, in the joint of the thumb.
excoriation between the legs.
restlessness in the lower limbs.
numbness of the thigh.
herpes on the thigh. herpes on the houghs.
stitches in the heel when treading.
. burning of the feet, swelling of the feet.
horny skin on the toes.
eroding blisters on the toes.
suppurating toes. thick, crippled toe-nails.
cramp in many places, on the nates, the calves, etc.
drawing in the limbs.
the outside of the chest, the arms and the legs.
chronic lack of bodily perspiration.
perspiration on slight exertion.
excoriation of the skin on the bodies of children.
the skin does not heal easily, is apt to ulcerate.
. difficulty in falling asleep.
when going to sleep, suffocating tightness of the chest.
light slumber at night.
starting from sleep. nocturnal pains, sensible while asleep.
. drowsy slumber in the morning.
anxious, frightful dreams.
anxiousness at night, forcing him to get up.
night-sweat.
Where chronic constipation and menses, delaying several days cause trouble, graphites is often indispensable. It is not often repeated to advantage, even after intervening remedies. Smelling of Arsenicum Album Arsenicum X° seems to be an antidote, especially to desperate grief caused by graphites. A very small dose of Nux Vomica nux vomica antidotes several troublesome symptoms from graphites.
The symptoms marked were observed by , those marked by an anonymous observer in the pure of the ; , ; , .
A pathogenesis appeared in the first edition of this work, containing 590 symptoms of Hahnemann's own, obtained in the manner we have described. It was then proved by Nenning in his usual way, and by Hartlaub. The 200 symptoms thus obtained are incorporated here with the original stock (which has been largely augmented), and with a few from Rummel and Kretschmar, resulting from provings of the 30th dilution.
GRAPHITES.
Incipient paralysis of the left side of the face, after there had been some swelling of it, with some toothache.
the muscles on the right side of the face are suddenly distorted, the mouth drawn to the right, and its motion, as well as speech, become difficult.
the left eye often closes involuntarily, while the right cannot be fully closed, but often remains open, even in the dazzling light, in wind, and dust (aft. 18 d.).
No desire for coitus at all, during the first thirty days after taking graphites.
also his fancy, which at other times was very active, was cold, and there was no tendency to erections at all.
but at the end of this time all these awakened in so high a degree, that on touching a woman, he felt a voluptuous thrill and trembled in all his limbs.
* * * * *
Plumbago. Hahnemann. Carbo, amorphous.
* * * *
The complaints of Graphites are worse morning, eveningand during the NIGHT, especially before midnight. It is useful in people who are morbidly fat, or have been fat and are now emaciating.
with constipation more commonly than diarrhoea.
in women in these conditions whose menstrual habit is pale, late, short and scanty.
catarrhal discharges that are albuminous and viscid represent to the mind some peculiar general states of the sick man not explainable and not common to diseased conditions nor to many remedies.
hence, strange, rare and peculiar. Raw surfaces upon the skin are generally marked by such viscid glutinous discharges.
When eruptions or discharges have disappeared suddenly from any cause and grave chronic phenomena have followed Graphites is one of the medicines to be studied. Scrofulous conditions and swelling of glands.
recurrent herpes upon all parts of the body and especially about the anus and genitals.
burning in many parts and especially in old cicatrices.
general dropsical tendency.
weakness in muscles and tendons after straining them by overlifting.
Modalities The patient is very sensitive to cold and needs warm clothing.
he is sensitive to the cold in winter and to the heat in summer.
he is sensitive to a warm room and desires open air which is grateful. Worse in a warm bed.
complaints come on from becoming cold or heated.
the headaches are worse in a warm room and better in the open air. Graphites has cured deep seated spinal complaints, and in such cases the patient delights to lie heavily covered in a cold draft from an open window.
It is easy to see in this, the resemblance to Carbo Veg Carbo veg., which often cures when the patient wants to be fanned. Craving for air is strong in the carbons, yet often easily chilled and just as easily overheated and complaints that come from overheating are related to the carbons. This one becomes ill from being overheated.
exertion makes all symptoms worse.
Motion increases all symptoms except the numbness and general feeling of stagnation which come on during rest. Extreme weakness. Weakness and desire to lie down. Paralysis in any part but especially in the lower limbs; sensation of paralysis or stagnation creeps over the body and limbs.
He is made sick by bathing and is sensitive to cold, damp weather. What there is in the general life to cause eruptions to come out in the bends of the joints must be left for others to explain, but such is the case with this wonderful remedy.
Convulsions The same may be said of rawness and excoriation in the same regions. Cataleptic conditions are very marked in which the patient is conscious but without power to move or speak.
tremulous sensation throughout the body.
sudden sinking of strength.
sudden weakness. Constriction in many parts. It has cured many kinds of convulsions. It is not the remedy for the convulsion, but in chronic sickness where the convulsion is but one of many elements it is often suitable. It has cured epilepsy and hysterio-epilepsy and epileptiform spasms many times when the totality of symptoms furnished the basis for the prescription.
A careful comparison of the symptoms shows that Graphites acts predominantly on the left side of the body. The patient is oversensitive to pain and outer parts are very sensitive.
Pains The pains are burning, drawing, pressing. Soreness. Stitching and tearing. Numbness is more characteristic than pain. The formation of fissures in all the commissures and in the anus with cracked and bleeding skin in many parts with much hardening.
the tendency to grow wens on the scalp and elsewhere are features of Graphites not to be overlooked, and when coupled with the mental symptoms form such a strong and striking image of perverted vital action that the neophyte should not overlook Graphites.
It is as broad and deep as Sulphur Sulphur, showing the great similarity to this great remedy in chronic cases.
Her moods are constantly changing; while she may recall all the events of youth, recent events are forgotten; slow of thought and weakness of mind worse in the morning; often excited, hurried and exhilarated in the evening; extremely fretful and impatient; irritable about trifles and very critical. Irresolution is a marked symptom.
She cannot make, up her mind to do or not to do. Extreme activity of mind in the evening and first half of the night, which, prevents sleep until midnight; apprehensive and distressed in the. morning and excited. in the evening; extreme anxiety even to desperation.
When the above general symptoms strongly predominate in any given sickness the following particulars will be cured by Graphites.
Hyperaemia of the brain in the evening in a warm room.
frequent moments of congestion to head and face with faint feelings.
numbness felt in whole head.
burning spot on the vertex.
drawing, pressing and tearing in forehead over the eyes.
stitching pains in the temples.
pain from temples to side of face and to shoulders.
one-sided headaches in the morning on waking.
tearing in one side of head extending to teeth and side of neck.
pressing pain on the vertex and occiput.
compressing, constricting pain in occiput and back of neck.
pain as though the head were numb.
violent headaches during menses.
Letters appear double when writing, letters run together when reading; flickerings and fiery zigs-zags just outside the field of vision in the evening; misty vision; vanishing of sight during menses.
Burning, pressing, stitching pains in the eyes. It has cured ulceration of the cornea. Recurrent pustular inflammation of the cornea. Keratitis pustulosa in children with fissures in the canthi, extreme photophobia and eczema on the face.
Marked congestion and injected veins of the conjunctiva. Chronic lachrymation in open air, tears acrid. The fissured canthi bleed easily and itch violently. Purulent discharges from the eyes.
the lids are stuck together at night.
the eyes feel hot. the lids are much swollen and the margins are red, raw and bleed easily-sometimes hard.
ulcers on the. margins of lids.
the lids are covered with crusts.
eczema of the eyelids and about the eyes.
dry mucus in the lashes, styes on the lids, with drawing pain, especially when they recur frequently. Cystic tumors on the lids.
Noises in ears; cracking; bumming; hissing; ringing; rushing, roaring; reverberations. Violent roarings at night and the ears feel stopped; thundering, rolling sounds in ears.
Deafness in various degrees and he hears better in a noise. He can hear better when riding on the cars, in the roaring of the train.
Deafness with eczematous eruptions on and behind the ears. Stitching pains in ears in cold air. Marked swelling of the ears.
It is a most useful remedy in chronic nasal catarrh. Very painful dryness in the nose. The bones and cartilages of the nose become very sore to touch. Sneezing and fluent coryza as marked as in Carbo veg.
Frequent attacks of coryza all winter, worse in cold air; the coryza extends to larynx, like Carbo Veg Carbo veg; the excoriated, sore, cracked nostrils are plugged with scabs and hard mucus far up in the nose. Ulcers in the nose. Fissures in the nostrils that burn and indurate.
Eczema and herpes are found on the face with glutinous moisture. Itching with or without eruptions. A sensation as of a cobweb on the face. The commissures of mouth are fissured and the fissures ulcerate and the edges become bard and there is great burning in them. The skin chaps and cracks and often becomes excoriated and bleeds. Erysipelas of the face, spreading from right to left. The beard falls out.
Crusts form on the lips and the chin is covered with eczema. The submaxillary gland is swollen and indurated.
Taste in the mouth is bitter, salty, sour and like spoiled eggs; nauseating taste in the morning; sour taste after eating. The tongue is coated white; burning blisters on lower lip and on tip of tongue, painful ulcers on under surface of tongue, putrid odor from gums and mouth; breath smells like urine.
Dryness of the mouth in morning on waking; also in the night on waking; saliva flows from the mouth during the night.
Constant choked feeling or constriction in the throat that makes swallowing difficult. Constant spasms in the throat compelling swallowing.
Violent thirst in the morning with dry mouth and internal fever. Aversion to meat; to cooked food; to fish; to salt, to sweets. He is driven to eat to relieve a feeling of suffocation and burning gnawing in the stomach.
Pain in the stomach, relieved by eating Eructations bitter; sour; putrid; tasting of food eaten; of greenish water. Rancid heartburn after eating; nausea much of the time during menses, with trembling; vomits all she eats; vomiting, purging and cold sweat.
The stomach feels constantly in a spoiled state or as from indigestion. Flatulence is as marked as in Carbo veg, and the relief from belching is just as great. Burning, constriction, pulsation and cramping are frequent symptoms. Fullness, distension, pressure are constant features of Graphites.
Retching on swallowing food (like Merc Viv Merc. c.). Gastric catarrh with internal heat drive him to eat and drink. Gastric pains worse from cold drinks and better by warm milk.
periodical gastralgia with vomiting of food soon after eating. It is a wonderful remedy for old drunkards when the gastric symptoms agree (like Carbon bisulphide)..
It is a most useful remedy in hard, swollen, sore liver with weight and distress in the liver.
stitches in both hypochondria, burning in left hypochondrium when lying on it.
sensitive to clothing in the liver region. Great suffering in the abdomen from flatulence.
incarcerated flatus causes cramping pains, distension, and a continual source of distress.
Everything eaten seems to ferment and turn to gas.
rumbling and movements felt in the abdomen.
there is great burning and griping.
cramping in the abdomen soon after eating.
the clothing distresses the abdomen. The slightest indiscretion in eating causes increased flatus, rumbling and diarrhoea.
the abdomen is distended with dropsy. Herpes zona oil the side of abdomen.
herpes over lower abdomen and groin.
hard swelling of inguinal glands.
oedema of the abdominal walls.
With the loose stools, and with the constipated stools copious white jelly-like mucus is often found. Discharge of mucus from anus and a constant moisture about the outside parts. Large hemorrhoids extremely sore with fissures.
Constipation with large, hard, knotty, difficult stools passed with extreme pain from soreness and fissures of the anus. Long narrow stools (like Phosphorus Phos). Violent burning in the anus, prolapsus of the anus.
It has cured many cases of bleeding piles of long standing where there was extreme soreness and fissures and great burning. Violent pains during stool. No desire to go to stool for many days. It requires a long time with hard straining to pass the stool.
It often suits patients who have no stool except by injection or cathartic. Violent itching of the anus; eczema and herpes near the anus or involving the anus. It has cured the stomach and abdominal conditions that favor the tapeworm.
After urination there is some dribbling; burning in the urinary passages and neck of the bladder when not urinating; pain in the sacrum and coccyx when urinating.
Violent sexual excitement and nightly emissions.
the excitement is so strong that ejaculation comes instantly after intromission. The opposite state is also found where there is aversion to coition and erections are wanting. It is a most useful remedy for impotency following secret vice and sexual excesses. Emissions with feeble erections.
Herpes on the prepuce; excoriated and fissured glans penis; dropsical swelling of the scrotum and penis, hydrocele in small boys and baby boys. Itching and moist eruptions on the scrotum. It has cured gleety, viscid discharge from the urethra. It has cured swollen testes.
In the female it causes aversion to coition; enlarged, hard ovaries great tenderness in uterus and ovaries. It has cured ovarian tumor. Pain in the uterus when reaching high with hands; bearing down in uterine region.
It cures cauliflower excrescence of the uterus.
in this it resembles Carbo Animalis Carbo an Menses late, irregular, scanty, pale or mixed with scanty dark, small clots, short duration. Menses six or eight weeks apart.
Menses suppressed or very late in chlorotic girls. First menses delayed. Leucorrhoea instead of the menses (Cocculus Indicus Cocculus). Oedema of the vulva. Leucorrhoea in gushes day and night. Dryness and heat in the vagina; coldness in the vagina.
Extreme lassitude during the menses. Many symptoms come during menses; dry cough, copious sweat; oedema of feet; hoarseness; coryza; headache; nausea; morning nausea. Violent itching of the vulva before menses; marked excoriation of the genitals and between the thighs during menses; excoriating leucorrhoea before menses.
Hoarseness in the evening (like Carbo Veg Carbo veg). Dryness in the larynx in the night; copious glutinous mucus in the daytime.
He suffocates when falling asleep (like Lachesis Lachesis) and often wakes up in the night gasping for breath; constriction of the chest.
Paroxysmal cough like whooping cough, cough is followed by expectoration of copious white viscid mucus; paroxysms come at any time It has cured whooping cough. Cough from tickling in the larynx or trachea; violent night cough; deep inspiration causes cough.
Rawness in the trachea; stitching pains in the chest.
Constriction of the heart.
electric shocks in the heart.
palpitation on motion or exertion with strong pulsation all over the body and in the extremities, pulse full and heard, slow during day but fast in the morning.
fast pulse in evening after eating, with fever. Itching herpetic eruption on the chest.
herpes zona on left side of chest with pain. It is a useful remedy to ward off phthisis.
Enlarged hard painful glands of neck. Painless swollen glands of neck. The spine is very sensitive to the jar of the bed; pain in lumbar region as if "spine were broken "; pain in sacrum with numbness down the limbs; pain in sacrum and coccyx while urinating; itching and moisture over the coccyx.
Drawing and tearing pains in limbs; weakness of all limbs; sensation of paralysis of limbs; herpes and eczema on the limbs; marked numbness of the upper limbs, during rest and when lain on; numbness and coldness of fingers and hands.
Herpes in axilla and bend of the elbow; horny callosities on the palms; skin of the hands hard, fissured, hot and bleeding. Psoriasis of the hands and fingers; raw, moist places between the fingers; the finger nails thick and brittle; the finger nails become black and fall off. Great heat of palms.
Smarting and sore between the nates; excoriation from walking. Many eruptions on the thigh, but especially herpes and eczema; eruptions that ooze a glutinous fluid. Numbness of lower limbs during rest; the legs are weak and heavy as if paralyzed; oedema of the legs and feet.
Herpes in the groin and hollow of the knee. Cold feet in evening in bed.
copious, offensive sweat of the feet.
ulcers on the feet and legs.
tearing in thighs, legs, feet and toes.
burning heat in soles and heels.
gouty-tearing in the toes.
spreading blisters on the toes that become ulcers.
the toenails become black.
thick. and crippled toenails the nails are painful.
ingrowing toenails.
Dreams vivid; anxious, horrible, vexatious. Sleepless before midnight; sleepiness during the day. Nightly pains in sleep. Frequent waking. Unrefreshed in the morning.
Graphites should be used more frequently in chronic recurrent intermittent fever. Chill in the evening with tearing in the limbs chill intermingled with the fever.
wants to be covered in all stages chill worse after eating, better after drinking and in open air. Nightly fevers with chilliness but no sweat.
dry beat evening and night, especially before midnight.
anxiety and restlessness during the fever, hands and soles very hot.
even burning heat.
It has chill with fever followed by sweat; sweat from slight exertion; sweat on front of body; the sweat is offensive, cold and stains yellow; copious night sweats in weakness and during phthisis; entire inability to perspire, in many chronic complaints.
Itching of the skin all over the body, with or without eruptions itching worse at night in the warm bed; itching and burning with eruptions; the skin is very hot at night; excoriation of the skin in the bends of joints.
Every injury festers. Fissures on ends of fingers, on nipples, labial commissures at anus and vulva, between the toes. Itching blotches. Erysipelas beginning in face and spreading to other parts; erysipelas beginning in face and going from right to left.
Itching over varicose veins; itching piles. Herpes and eczema oozing a glutinous moisture. Crusty and scabby ulcers. Hard, painful cicatrices; old ulcers with proud flesh and burning, itching and stinging ulcers with indurated base and margins.
The headaches are brought on from becoming cold and from looking into a bright light.
are worse in a warm room, and better in the open air. There is marked soreness in the scalp.
itching of the scalp with or without eruptions.
eczema of the scalp oozing a glutinous fluid.
eczema behind the cars.
fissures that bleed behind the ears.
scaly eruptions on scalp.
falling out of the hair.
bald, shiny patches on the scalp.
and stools From the anus there is copious discharge of very offensive flatus day and night. While diarrhoea is not so common as constipation, yet it is a marked condition in some patients, The diarrhoea is painless with much flatus, with watery, brown, putrid, lienteric stools.
excoriating stools, extreme soreness of the anus.
fissures of the anus. great burning. Chronic diarrhoea.
from the slightest indiscretion in eating on comes a renewed attack.
Eruption on the skin, oozing out of thick, honey-like fluid.
Mucous outlets; eyelids inflamed, with pustules; ears discharge, moist sore places behind ears; mouth cracked in corners; anus, eruptions, itching, fissured.
Nails grow thick, cracked, out of shape.
Constipation; stools knotty, large lumps, united by mucous threads.
Diarrhoea; stools, brown fluid, mixed with undigested substances, and of an intolerably foetid odor.
Especially adapted to persons inclined to obesity; particularly females who delay menstruation.
Hears better when in a noise; when riding in a carriage or car; when there is a rumbling sound.
Sensation of cobweb on forehead; tries hard to brush it off.
The chief leading characteristic of Graphites is found in its skin symptoms.
Hoyne had expressed it nearly right. "Eruptions oozing out a thick, honey-like fluid." It may be found on any part of the body, but is especially found on or behind the ears, on head, face, genitals, or eyelids. I once treated a case of eczema of the legs which was of twenty years' standing. It was in an old obese woman, and, by the way, that is the kind of subject in which Graphites is found most efficacious.
I gave her, on account of much burning of the feet, a dose of Suphur c. m. In two or three weeks an eruption was developed all over the body which exuded a glutinous, sticky fluid. One dose of Graphites c. m., dry on the tongue, cured this as well as the eczema of the legs and left her skin as smooth as that of a child. This was years ago. Erysipelas sometimes takes this form, and in such cases recurs again and again. It will naturally occur to the physician that, because of this recurrence, there is some psoric taint which must be met by Sulphur Sulphur. But we must not make the too common mistake of thinking that Sulphur Sulphur is the remedy on account of its great antipsoric powers, or on the often misleading indication "when seemingly indicated remedies don't act," because Sulphur Sulphur is not the only anti-psoric and where Graphites is indicated is not at all the anti-psoric for the case in hand. In short, we must not prescribe for psora (which is only a name after all) without indications any more than we would prescribe for the name scarlatina or diphtheria. Graphites is a powerful anti-psoric, as are also Psorinum Psorinum, Lycopodium Lycopodium, Causticum Causticum and many others. Symptoms must decide here, as elsewhere. In order to still further show the wonderful anti-psoric powers of Graphites I will give another case from practice.
A child three years of age had eczema capitis. Under allopathic local treatment the eczema disappeared; but soon entero-colitis of a very obstinate character set in. Then the regulars could not "do" that as they had the eczema, and after they had given up the case, pronouncing it consumption of the bowels, the homoeopath (myself) was called in on the ground that he could do no harm if he could do no good (so they said).
Case. -Child greatly emaciated, little or no appetite, very restless, and "stools brown fluid mixed with undigested substances, and of an intolerably foetid odor." Taking into the account the history of the suppressed eczema I prescribed Graphites 6m. (Jenichen) and in a short time a perfect cure was the result. Psorinum Psorinum has a similar stool as was present in this case, but the eruptions of the two remedies are different and this one corresponded to Graphites, hence Psorinum Psorinum was ruled out. If this case of so long standing had not had the eruption I might have thought of China China on account of the extreme weakness from long-continued drain or loss of fluid, for China China is another remedy that has brown, loose, foetid stools. So we must take into consideration all the case, psora and all. In chronic cases, in which Graphites is likely to be the remedy, we may look for affections of the eyelids, of the same eczematous character as that found on the head, behind the ears, etc.
Notice. -Eczema of lids, eruptions moist and fissured margins of lids covered with scales and crusts. In Sulphur Sulphur lids the margins are very red. All the orifices under Sulphur Sulphur are very red. Graphites leads all the remedies for eczematous affections of the lids, Staphysagria Staphisagria stands next, but of course special indications, local or general, or both, must decide.
Graphites is one of our best anal remedies. We have given the kind of loose stool characteristic of the drug. This is, however, exceptional, for it generally tends to constipation instead of diarrhoea. The stools are knotty and large, the lumps sometimes united by mucous threads and mucus often follow the stool. There is often eczema around the anus, and it is one of our best remedies for fissura ani. There is in these cases apt to be much pain after stool, and much soreness in anus on wiping it. Now if all this should occur in subjects of this tendency to sticky eruptions, we should not hesitate to give Graphites with expectations of success.
Another very characteristic calling for Graphites is found in the nails. Both finger and toe nails become thick, grow out of shape. Never forget Graphites when you find this state of nails present. Again, Graphites has cracks or fissures in the ends of the fingers (Sarsaparilla Sarsaparilla), nipples, labial commissures, of anus, and between toes (Petroleum Petroleum). It is one of our best remedies for wens found in persons of herpetic dyscrasia. Old, hard cicatrices soften up and go away under its action, especially those left by abscesses of the mammae. Lumps in the breast of suspicious appearance also go away under the action of Graphites. In menstrual troubles it resembles Pulsatilla Pulsatilla, but there are plenty of points to differentiate them. In temperament it resembles Calc Carb Calcarea ostrearum; but in Graphites the menses are mostly scanty and delayed, in Calc Carb Calcarea too soon and too profuse.
Graphites cures complaints of many kinds when you have present two things.
1st. The peculiar tendency to obesity.
2d. The characteristic glutinous eruptions.
Region
NUTRITION
Circulation
SKIN Folds Behind ears Angles Flexures Orifices
Nails
Mind
Mucous membranes
Glands
Eyes