Lac Caninum - General symptoms

GENERAL

General

Lac Caninum is of undoubted value in certain forms of sore throat and diphtheria, and rheumatism. Corresponds to a low-vitiated, non-feverish type of sickness. The keynote symptom is Erratic pains, alternating sides. Feels as if walking on air, or of not touching the bed when lying down. Great lassitude. Ozaena. Decided effect in drying up milk in women who cannot nurse the baby. Great weakness and prostration. Sinking spells every morning. Mastitis.

SYMPTOMS ALTERNATE SIDES, throat, ovaries, etc., or wander about.

Glistening parts Glistening, throat, ulcers, etc

Oversensitive; can't have parts, fingers, etc , touch each other

Full of imaginations; horrid, of snakes, vermin, as if floating, etc

Every symptom seems a settled disease

Hysteria at height of sexual orgasm

THROAT SORE, has glistening patches of China ^china whiteness; or red glistening; gives out from exertion; worse at start and close of menses

Tonsilitis

Diphtheria; paralysis after

Menses green, gushing or ammoniacal; hoarseness, during

Breasts sore and swelled, before menses

Galactorrhoea

DRIES UP THE MILK

Scanty milk

Cold creepings down back

Sore heels

Bitch's Milk.

Lac caninum is not a novelty in remedies. "Dioscorides, Rhasis, Pliny, and Sextus recommended it for the removal of the dead foetus. Sammonicus and Sextus praise it in photophobia and otitis. Pliny claims that it cures ulceration of the internal os. It was considered an antidote to deadly poisons." (Quotation by Hering.) Hering adds that the remedy was revived by Reisig, of New York, who used it successfully in the treatment of diphtheria. After Reisig the remedy was used by Bayard and Swan, to whose indefatigable exertions we owe the present status of this medicine. Swan's potencies were prepared from Reisig's 17th. The provings were made with the 30th and upwards and are published in a little volume by Swan and Berridge. As in the case of Bufo Rana ^Bufo, Castor Equi ^Castor equi, and other remedies of ancient times, homoeopathy has stepped in to confirm the accuracy of the old observers. In the provings a large number of the symptoms were manifested in the region of the throat, the effects being diagnosed as actual diphtheria in some instances. It is in diphtheria, both as curative and prophylactic that Lac can. has won its greatest fame.

and the provings and clinical experience have developed a grand characteristic in this and other affections.

an alternation of sides, often very rapid. "Soreness of throat commences with a tickling sensation which causes constant cough then a sensation of a lump on one side, causing constant deglutition this condition entirely ceases, only to commence on the opposite side, and often alternates, again returning to its first condition.

these sore throats are very apt to begin and end with the menses." This "alternation of sides" once led me to the cure of an eczematous condition of the eyelids in a child. The child's aunt, who brought her to me, casually remarked that it often left one side entirely and went to the other and then back again. Lac can. cleared it up in a very short time. Rheumatic and other affections having this peculiarity of changing from side to side are very likely to be benefited by Lac can. From diphtheria, with its fetid discharges, it is not a far step to ozaena, and Lac can. has proved itself curative in a number of cases. Corners of mouth and alae nasi cracked. It has cured a case presenting the following characters Crusts under which grey matter forms. Throat bad, swallowing difficult.

mucous follicles swollen, covered with cream-coloured mucus. Nose bad.

feared destruction of bones. Bloody pus discharges several times a day. Bones of nose sore to pressure. In addition to the changing sides characteristics Lac can. has "Inflamed surfaces (of throat) glistening." The same appearance when found on ulcerated surfaces in the skin is a leading indication for Lac can. The mental symptoms are remarkable. One prover had delusions about snakes.

imagined she was surrounded by them.

was afraid to close her eyes at night for fear of being bitten by a large Bothrops Lanceolatus ^snake which she imagined was beside the bed. Awoke in the night with a sensation that she was lying on a large Bothrops Lanceolatus ^snake. After menses, imagined all sorts of things about snakes. These Bothrops Lanceolatus ^snake-symptoms led to a cure. E. T. Balch (H. P., x. 286) asked for advice in this case "Maud R., 10, demi-brunette, of healthy parents, one and a half years before fell forward and hurt her chest whilst playing. Nothing was thought of it at the time, but when brought to Dr. Balch she was pale, emaciated, capricious, no desire for play. Sleep disturbed by frightful dreams, during the day piteously begs her mother to take her, she is so afraid. She feels as though snakes were on her back. In response to advice tendered one dose of Lac. can. 50m. was given, dry, and in twenty-four hours the child became more lively and cheerful and very soon all abnormal sensations disappeared. Another mental curiosity which has proved a useful pointer is this "Imagines he wears some one else's nose." Restlessness, nervousness, and prostration appear in the provings and show the relation of the remedy to diphtheritic paralysis as well as to diphtheria itself. In one prover the symptoms occurred periodically agg. in morning of one day and agg. in afternoon of next. Wandering rheumatic pains. The sensation of lightness or levitation was noticed.

seemed to walk on air.

not to touch the bed when lying. Cannot bear one part of her body to touch another.

must even keep her fingers apart. The symptoms in general were agg. at night. Cold winds and cold, sharp air agg. Cold washing = pain in herpetic eruption. Cold application amel. pain in upper jaw and teeth.

and cold water gave momentary amel. to sore throat. Pains in ankles, forehead, and upper jaw were amel. by warmth. Rest and lying down amel. most symptoms.

motion agg. Flexion amel., extension agg. Going up and down stairs = pain in heart. Walking = leucorrhoea, agg. sores between labia and thighs. Touch agg. (external throat; breasts, causing sexual excitement). agg. After sleep. The Schema comprises both caused and cured symptoms.

the latter are bracketed or have the name of the disease in which they occurred appended in brackets.

Sharp lancinating pain, in a zigzag line from r. side of forehead to an indefinite point in occiput.

instantaneous, and sometimes repeated.

as soon as it is felt, she lays aside whatever she is doing and lies down, from an indefinite dread that it will return.

if at night, she goes to bed at once.

has great dread of the pain, though not very severe.

recurred for several days.

In morning throat very sore.

r. tonsil covered with ulcers and patches, which extended over palate and covered l. tonsil.

next day membrane extended across posterior wall of pharynx.

uvula elongated, accompanied by chilliness, high fever, pains in head, back, and limbs, great restlessness, and extreme prostration. This was pronounced to be "severe diphtheria," but it soon got well.

Terrible dyspnoea immediately after sleep, first on l. side of chest.

the dyspnoea compelled her to be lifted upright with violent exertion to get breath.

there was sharp pain in region of heart with each of these attacks.

after the medicine had but one attack of dyspnoea, and all the pain was referred to r. side of chest (acute rheumatism).

Menses scanty. terribly cross and impatient first day.

on second day, severe paroxysmal pains in uterine region, causing nausea.

occasional pain in l. ovarian region, passing about half-way down thigh, on upper part of it.

all these pains amel. by bending backwards.

pain and aching in r. lumbar region when leaning forwards (as in sewing) even for a short time.

entire amel. when bending back.

Sharp pains beginning in l. ovary, and darting like lightning either towards r. ovarian region, or else up l. side and down arm, or sometimes down both thighs.

but generally down l. leg to foot, which is numb, pains like labour-pains.

accompanied by great restlessness of legs and arms, and great aching in lumbar region.

(5th d. after premature labour).

(Articular rheumatism in r. hip and knee-joints, esp. former; she was seated in an armchair, unable to move, complaining of bruised, smarting, lancinating pains in both joints and in lumbar region with swelling of affected joints; pains agg. by slightest motion at night; by touch and by pressure of bed clothes; next day pains and swelling had gone to l. hip and knee joints, leaving r. almost free; the ensuing day they had almost entirely disappeared from l. hip and knee-joints and had again attacked r. hip and knee; complaining, moaning, and sighing on account of her sufferings and probable termination of her illness).

History A beginning in Lac Caninum was made by Dr Nisip and after Reisig it was used by Bayard

All the milks should be potentized, they are our most excellent remedies, they are animal products and foods of early animal life and therefore correspond to the beginning of our innermost physical nature.

If we had full provings of monkey's, cow's, mate's and human milk they would be of great value. Lac Defloratum ^{Lac defloratum} has done excellent work, and so has Lac Caninum. Lac caninum is in its beginnings yet, although it has made some marvelous cures, but many of its symptoms axe doubtful and it would take a century to confirm them.

Some may think because the milk are only food for the young they are not medicine, but let one who is made sick from milk take it in potentized form and report the result. Provers who dislike milk will become sick from taking it in potencies in a few days, and their symptoms are very numerous.

Lac Caninum abounds in nervous symptoms, although it has no doubt tissue changes as well.

It is deep and long acting; the provers felt its symptoms for years after the proving was made.

The mental symptoms are prolonged and distressing. It has cured enlarged glands. It makes ulcers very red, and it has cured such ulcers. Ulcerated areas have a dry, glistening appearance as if coated with epithelium.

It is an important remedy in complaints following badly treated diphtheria, in paralysis and other conditions dating back to diphtheria. The greater number of its symptoms belong to the nervous system. An oversensitive state prevails, a general hyperesthesia of the skin and all parts. In makes women violently hysterical, and causes all sorts of strange and apparently impossible symptoms.

For example, a woman lay in bed for days with the fingers abducted and would go wild if they touched each other. The fingers were not aggravated from hard pressure, but she would scream, if they touched. This state is difficult to cure outside of Lac can. and Lachesis ^Lach. Lachesis ^Lach, has produced a similar condition. The sensitiveness of the abdomen so that the sheet cannot be permitted to touch the skin belongs to both.

Another strange state is a peculiar vertigo, a condition, when walking, in which she seems to be floating in mid-air, or, when lying, as it she were not on the bed. Other remedies have this. The sensation, as if floating, or not touching the bed, or sinking down, belongs to Lachesis ^Lach The sensation of gliding while walking is strong under Asarum Europaeum.

Alternates sides The complaints, almost regardless of kind or quality, change sides

The rheumatism is first found in one ankle and then in the other, and then back again to the original site. If in the knee or hip or shoulder the rheumatism alternates sides The headaches and neuralgias do the same thing. The ambulating erysipelas first attacks one side, then the other. Inflammation and neuralgia of the ovaries the same alternation is observed. Sore throats affect alternately the sides of the throat or tonsils.

Many cases of this sort have been cured by Lac Caninum. The trouble commenced on the right and went to the left and Lycopodium ^Lyc failed, but when it returned to the right the alternation was noticed and the remedy revealed. Only a limited number of remedies have alternating sides.

Wandering features in the mental sphere, wandering and alternating states. Cannot collect the thoughts. She wants to leave everything as soon as it is commenced, a condition of irresolution common to quite a number of remedies. She is impressed with the idea that all she says is not so, thinks everything she says is a lie, as if there is no reality in the things that be.

In this it is somewhat analogous to Alumina ^Alumina in which the patient feels as if someone else and not himself were saying everything, a lack of consciousness of the reality of things.

Every time a symptom appears she thinks it is a settled disease fear and anxiety that some horrible disease has come upon her, a delusion that she was suppurating and in a loathsome state; infested with makes.

Horrible sights are presented to the mental vision, nor always makes, and she fears the objects will take form and present themselves to her eyes. This is analogous to Lachesis ^Lach, which has the feeling that the atmosphere is full of hovering spirits, although he never sees them.

Imagines he wears someone else's nose. Imagines she is not herself and her properties not her own. Imagines she sees spiders, snakes, vermin. She cannot bear to be alone. In Lachesis ^Lach the patient wants to be alone to indulge the strange fancies, and when alone she feels as if she were floating out of the window and over the grassy plains, but a sound will bring her back to the world again.

Lac Caninum is on the border-land of insanity or delirium.

Although the patient has all these strange feelings, yet she goes around all day about her business, and no one knows them unless she confesses them. Chronic sadness, everything so dark.

irritable, ugly, hateful. Full of vertigo, but it is a sensorial symptom, unusually refined.

not the vulgar swaying or tossing or feeling as if things were going round. It affects the whole body, as if she were swimming or floating in the air, spirit-like.

Sensitiveness is marked.

sensitive to light and noise. The page is not clear when reading. She sees faces before her in the dark. Old, troubled, distorted, disagreeable faces come to the vision or imagination. Dark, hideous faces she has seen come up, and she is tormented by them. This is not really a symptom of the vision, but a state of the brain.

Sounds seem far off. Paralysis of the throat with diphtheria; fluids return by the nose when drinking. Coryza, with sore throat and sneezing. Stuffed nose; discharge of thick white mucus. Faceache; pain aggravated by exertion, ameliorated by warm applications, but only cold applications relieve the soreness.

The mucous membrane and teeth are coated with a fuzzy, shining, silvery substance, somewhat like milk. In the throat there is a felt-like exudation, ashy gray or silvery shiny deposit It has been used in diphtheria for the class of cases taking alternate sides, and it has also cured paralysis following diphtheria.

The pain in the throat pushes toward the left ear. Pains take alternate sides. The throat is ameliorated by cold or warm drinks, and aggravated by empty swallowing. It is indicated especially in a glazed, shiny, red appearance of the throat like Kali Bich ^{Kali bich}.

The diphtheritic membrane is also white like Argentum Metallicum ^silver. Lac c has cured most alternating cases, with patches first on the right tonsil, then on the left. Membranous croup. Wherever there is mucous membrane there will be exudate, a gray, fuzzy coating, like that piling up on the tongue.

I once cured with Lac c. a chronic affection in which the whole buccal cavity had a white, exudate without inflammation or ulceration, an apparent infiltration which dipped down everywhere extending under the tongue. It was white and silvery, looking as if a mouthful of carbolic acid had been swallowed, and the mouth was so sensitive that the patient could not swallow anything but milk.

The abdomen is full of distress. Pressive pain in the pelvis; acute pain in left groin. Constant urging to urinate. Irritable bladder.

The female sexual organs furnish a mass of symptoms. Severe pain in the region of the right ovary, ameliorated by the flow of bright red blood, is again somewhat like Lachesis ^Lach These pains take alternate sides.

Zincum Metallicum ^Zinc also has pain in the ovaries ameliorated by the flow.

she never feels well except when menstruating.

hysterical at all other times but well at the menstrual period, is Zincum Metallicum ^Zinc Membranous dysmenorrhoea is another example of the exsudative tendency of Lac c Sore throat beginning and ending with the menstrual period. Magnesia Carbonica ^{Mag. carb} has sore throat before the menstrual period and Calc Carb ^Calc. c. has cured painful throat when menstruating.

The fermentation of mucus and other substances in the bladder causing the escape of gas when urinating is found only under Sarsaparilla ^Sars.

the urine flows with a loud noise. It is not uncommon for a child to break wind when urinating, and the urine is passed with a gurgling noise.

this is cured by Sarsaparilla ^Sars.

Much trouble with the mammae.

they feel as if they would suppurate. When a mother has lost her infant and it is necessary to dry up the milk, Lac . c. and Pulsatilla ^Puls are the best remedies for this purpose, when no symptoms are present. They will do it speedily. The Lac c . patient is imaginative and sensitive to pain and her surroundings, hyperesthesia and touchiness. Pulsatilla ^Puls will be called for in the Pulsatilla ^Puls constitution.

Rheumatism with swelling of the lower extremities, especially when it affects the limbs alternately; aggravated by motion and heat, ameliorated by cold Pains in the limbs as if beaten. Rheumatic swellings of joints.

Inflammatory affections travel crosswise, from side to side, back and forth (rheumatism, sore throat, etc.).

Breasts and throat get sore at every menstrual period.

Mastitis; breasts very sore and tender; cannot bear a jar of the bed; on stepping has to hold them up, on going down stairs.

At one time I would not have admitted this substance into my list of remedies, for I thought it a disgrace to try to foist dog's milk upon the profession as a homoeopathic remedy. But after accumulated evidence in its favor, and the rule that I had adopted early in my professional life, "to prove all things and hold fast that which was good." I concluded to try it, and my first trial was in a case of inflammatory rheumatism which had withstood my best efforts to relieve for two weeks.

The pain travelled from joint to joint, but Pulsatilla ^Pulsatilla utterly failed. I noticed, after awhile, that it not only travelled from joint to joint, but crosswise; one day in the right knee, the next day or two in the left, and then back again, etc. Lac caninum cured the case very quickly. Not long after I had a very severe case of scarlatina. The throat was swollen full, and the restlessness was so marked with pains in the limbs which left the patient tossing from side to side that I thought surely Rhus Tox ^{Rhus tox}. must be the remedy. But it failed to relieve. Then I discovered that the soreness of the throat and the pains alternated sides. This called my mind to the remedy, which was given with prompt relief. I used the c. m. in both these cases.

Two cases of tonsillitis in one house in separate families. I was called to treat one of them, and a very excellent Allopathic physician the other. Of course there was close watching to see which case would get well the quickest, and especially if either could be cured without suppuration taking place. They were both very bad cases. Both progressed rapidly for forty-eight hours. In my case the swelling began on one side; the next day was even worse on the other side, so I told them that as the first side was better I thought the last one would be better tomorrow.

The curative power of Lac Caninum being settled in my mind, I determined to test it by a proving. I induced three clerks in a dry goods store to take pills (No. 35) of the 200th (B. & T.), once in two hours. They would not consent to do it until I told them what they were to take, and one of them, a well-read young man, remarked with a laugh that if wolf's milk would not kill Romulus and Remus it would not them. The result was that within three days they had sore throats, and the young man mentioned had on both tonsils distinct patches as large as a thumb nail. The other young man was frightened and would not continue the proving, and the young lady's sore throat was followed by a severe cough with soreness of the chest for over a week.

I have found Lac caninum; a very useful remedy in mastitis, the chief indication being great tenderness and soreness which cannot bear the least jar of the bed or stepping on the floor. Again, if the breasts and throat get sore during menstruation, especially if the menses flow in gushes instead of continuously, Lac caninum is the remedy.

Region

NERVES

THROAT

Right to left, then back again or reverse

Female generative organs