Natrum Sulphuricum - General symptoms

GENERAL

General

Sudden violent effects; in ailing patients

Piercing pains, at [left] short ribs; in [left] hip, worse rising or sitting down; in heels

Yellow, watery secretions, stool, skin, vesicles, etc

Thick, yellow-green pus

Fulness Sour, bilious and lithaemic

Rheumatic-hydrogenoid constitution

Sycosis

Sensitive and suspicious

Sadness, worse music or subdued light

Melancholia

Dire (suicidal) impulses

Vertigo; better head sweat

PHOTOPHOBIA

Nose run water at night

Epistaxis, during menses

Thick, tenacious, white slime in mouth

Dirty brown or greenish-yellow, thick, pasty tongue, worse at base; tip feels burnt

Bitter taste

Thirst at start of fever only

Slow digestion

Concomitants to nausea

Green, bilious vomit Sore, heavy liver; worse lying on left side As of a lump below liver

Crawling in gall-bladder

Colic, better rubbing abdomen

Cramp at umbilicus

FLATULENCE; painful; pushes here and there, worse left abdomen

RUMBLING, GURGLING IN BOWELS, THEN SUDDEN GUSHING, NOISY, SPLUTTERING STOOL; after rising in AM

M, or drives from bed

Foamy or yellow diarrhoea, mixed with green slime

White sand in urine

Dyspnoea

Sycotic asthma

Loose, but violent cough; must hold chest or sides

Run rounds Hang nails

Retracted nipples

Sharp cutting back pains, spreading upward like a fan

Throbbing in heels

Vesicles on soles

Chilly, can't get warm, even in bed

Heat with aversion to uncover

Burning below knees

Foul axillary sweat

Warty nodules

Sodium Sulphate. Sal Mirabile. Soda vitriolata. Glauber's Salt. Na2 SO4. Trituration. Solution.

Asthma. Biliousness. Brain, injuries of. Condylomata. Debility.

of drunkards. Enuresis. Epilepsy.

traumatic. Epistaxis (menstrual). Fistulous abscesses. Gonorrhoea. Headache. Hydraemia. Influenzinum ^Influenza. Leucaemia. Liver, enlarged. Malaria. Migraine. Nephritic scarlatina. Ophthalmia. Panaritium. Phlegmasia alba dolens. Photophobia. Phthisis. Sciatica. Scrofulous ophthalmia. Spleen, affections of. Sycosis. Warts.

Natrum Sulphur ^sulph. is a much honoured drug.

It was discovered by Glauber in 1658 and named by him Sal Mirabile.

It has been named after him Sal Glauberi.

It is the chief ingredient in many mineral Spas, notably those of Carlsbad.

It was proved by Schreter, Hartlaub, Trinks, and others.

It was studied by Grauvogl, who found in it the typical remedy for his "hydrogenoid constitution"; and it forms one of the tissue remedies of Schüssler.

From whichever side it has been studied the indications arrived at are practically agreed upon by all, though the homoeopathist has the widest field.

Grauvogl described as the hydrogenoid constitution the state in which there is extreme sensitiveness to damp, wetting, bathing, watery foods, and residence near fresh water, especially standing water.

Periodicity is also another feature of this state.

Natrum Sulphuricum constitution he considered as providing the soil for gonorrhoeal infection.

It corresponds to Hahnemann's sycosis. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. was Grauvogl's leading anti-hydrogenoid.

It will be seen by the following quotation that Schüssler by another route reaches the same conclusion "The action of the Sodium sulphate is contrary to that of the Sodium chloride.

Both, indeed, have the faculty of attracting water, but the end is a contrary one.

Nat Mur ^{Nat. mur}. attracts the water destined to be put to use in the organism, but Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. attracts the water formed during the retrogressive metamorphosis of the cells, and secures its elimination from the organism. Nat Mur ^{Nat. mur}. causes the splitting up of the cells necessary for their multiplication.

Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. withdraws water from the superannuated leucocytes, and thus causes their destruction.

The latter salt is, therefore, a remedy for leucaemia. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. is a stimulant of the epithelial cells and of the nerves, as will appear in what follows.

In consequence of the activity excited by Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. in the epithelial cells in the urinary canals, superfluous water with the products of the tissue changes, dissolved or suspended therein, flows into the kidneys, in order to leave the organism in the form of urine through the ureters and the bladder.

While Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. stimulates the epithelial cells of the biliary ducts, the pancreatic ducts and of the intestines, it causes the secretion of the excretions of these organs. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. is also intended to stimulate the functions of the nerves of the biliary apparatus, of the pancreas, and of the intestines.

If the sensory nerves of the bladder are not stimulated by Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}., the impulse to void urine does not come to man's consciousness; thence there follows involuntary micturition (wetting the bed).

If the motory nerves of the detrusor are not stimulated, there results retention of urine.

In consequence of an irregular action of Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. on the epithelial cells and the nerves of the biliary apparatus, there arises either a diminution or an increase of the secretion and excretion of the bile.

If the motory nerves of the colon are not sufficiently influenced through Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. there arise constipation and flatulent colic.

on the skip, vesicles containing yellowish water, moist herpes, herpes circinatus, sycotic excrescences, catarrhs with yellowish green or green secretions.

The state of health of persons suffering from hydraemia is always agg. in humid weather, near the water, and in damp, moist underground dwellings; it is improved by contrary conditions." Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. is Schüssler's specific for epidemic Influenzinum ^influenza.

Homoeopathy welcomes the keynotes provided by these two great observers, and incorporates them with the data furnished by her own provings and clinical observations, with which they entirely agree.

Grauvogl and Schüssler used Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. in the lower triturations, but homoeopaths need not confine themselves to any.

When the correspondence is exact the highest attenuations will act better than the lower; when the likeness is more general the lower will give the best results.

The provings bring out the cardinal symptoms of the sycotic constitution Early morning aggravation (the syphilitic is agg. from sunset to sunrise).

the periodicity and intermittent character of the symptoms, the predominant chilliness and sensitiveness to damp, clearly relates Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. to Thuja ^Thuja, the vaccinal nosodes and other sycotic remedies.

But these uses of Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}., whilst guiding the homoeopath (and if he is ignorant of them he will miss making many cures), do not limit or hamper him. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. has a clear individuality independent of these relations. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. has many strongly-marked symptoms of the mind and head.

It has headache with drowsiness; basal headache, as if the bones at the base of the brain were crushed; pressure on both sides or on r. side of occiput.

Mental troubles arising from injury to the head.

Like other Natrums, it has mental symptoms agg. from music.

Low spirits even to suicidal impulse.

Irritability agg. morning.

Such conditions arise in conditions of nervous exhaustion brought on by debilitating diseases.

There is also "Cheerfulness; after loose stools." Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. has nose-bleed before and during menses (not vicarious like Bryonia ^Bry).

Toothache is agg. by warm things, intolerable by hot things, and amel. by holding cold water in the mouth.

In scrofulous ophthalmia, granular lids, &c., Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. has a great curative sphere.

H. C. Allen says that with the possible exception of Graphites ^Graph., no remedy has "such terrible sensitiveness to light." Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. has a decided relation to fingers and toes.

A case of panaritium is reported (N. A. J. H., xiii. 265) in a young woman, 2l.

Sticking ulcerative pain under nail of right index finger, and in phalanges of various fingers.

Pulsation in tip of little finger. amel.

Out of doors. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. 30 in water, a teaspoonful every two hours.

Pain ceased rapidly; well in two days. (Six months before patient had one on another finger which gave great pain, and went on to suppuration).

S. M. Pease (Med. Adv., xxv. 28) cured a very chronic case of intermittent fever with Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}., to which he was led by this symptom "When he took off his boots at night the ball of the right great toe invariably itched." Its counterpart may be found in the Schema.

Asthma is very frequently a sycotic manifestation, and Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. corresponds to the breathing and skin symptoms often met with in asthma.

Asthma of malarial districts.

Humid asthma of children; with every fresh cold an attack of asthma.

Attacks of asthma frequently occur in the early morning hours.

Leonard (H. W., xxxiii. 465) has cured with Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. 200x a very violent asthma which was always induced by any unusual exertion.

Bellairs (H. W., xxx. 407) cured with Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. 3x a chronic case in a man, 35, who had "looseness of the bowels at each attack." There were no evidences of the sycotic constitution in this case.

W. J. Guernsey (H. P., vii. 129) has recorded a similar case Mrs.

S., 36. Violent attacked asthma; greenish, purulent sputa; a loose evacuation immediately after rising the last two days. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. 500 was given in water, every two hours.

Was enabled to lie down the same night, and all symptoms rapidly cleared up.

Another case by the same observer is this Mrs.

C., 42. Subject to attacks for years.

Expectoration greenish and remarkably copious. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. in water every three hours.

Improvement began after a few doses, expectoration became paler and less abundant.

Felt better than for years previously.

A case of megrim cured by Baltzer with Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. 30 is reported in Archiv. f. Hom., ii. 317 (H. W., xxix. 408).

One peculiar feature of it was that there was salivation with the headache.

Miss P., 19, had had headache every fortnight for years.

Shooting pain in right temple begins in morning after rising, increases till evening, and only ceases about 1 a.m., when she gets to sleep. amel.

By cold compresses; in open air; in dark room; by vomiting. agg.

By noise; light; eating (does not eat anything on the days when the pain is on, or it would be agg.); stooping; during menstruation.

During headache mouth always full of water, causing her to spit constantly. Pulsatilla ^Puls. and Phosphorus ^Phos. relieved temporarily, but the megrim returned with vomiting and flushes of heat.

After headache much thirst and craving for acids.

Before headache, irritability. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. cured.

Traumatic epilepsy resulting from injury to the head has been cured with Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. (H. W., xxxv. 258).

The dreams of Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. are remarkable.

Heermann of Paris cured a young lady, a patient of mine, whose sleep was disturbed by dreams of fighting.

Mahlon Preston (Med. Adv., xviii. 533) has cured many cases of threatened consumption having "pains flying from the chest beginning with a dry cough." Gregg (to whom Preston refers) gives the symptoms "All-gone, empty feeling in chest, a sense of weakness in chest, must hold chest with both hands when coughing for support to relieve the weakness" (Repertory, p. 322). Gregg refers "must hold chest because of pain and soreness, feels as if it would fly to pieces," to Bryonia ^Bry. and Phosphorus ^Phos. Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. has both. Peculiar sensations of Natrum Sulphuricum ^{Nat. sul}. are As if forehead would burst. As if a screw being driven in. As if top of head would split. As if brain was loose and fell to left temple. As if brain crushed in a vice, or something gnawing there. As if bells ringing in ears. As if tympanum was pressed out. As if something forcing its way out of ears. Weight on chest. Lump or ball in throat. Burning on top of head.

right. eye. edges of lids.

gums palate. anus. abdomen.

soles to knees. Creeping in scalp to vertex. Crawling in eyes. Symptoms are agg. by touch (liver abdomen; scalp; pimples). agg. Pressure of tight clothing. Pressure (of hand) amel. pressure in head.

and soreness of chest. Scratching = burning. Rest agg. most ailments (can hardly find a position where pain in hip is tolerable, and the amel. by changing does not last long). Turning or twisting body very painful. Obliged to lie on back. Lying down amel. pressure in head. Lying on side amel. violent colic. Lying on left side agg. (engorged liver). Motion, exercise, walking amel. Fatiguing arm = pain in head. Exertion = asthma. Whilst walking, menses flow freely. Swallowing, talking, rising from seat agg. Many symptoms agg. in morning, amel. after breakfast, and in open air. Colic 2 a.m. or 2 to 5 a.m. Asthma 4 to 5 a.m. After midnight twitching of hands and feet during sleep. Ailments which arise or are agg. from damp weather, or dwelling in damp houses, damp soil, weather changing to damp, getting wet. Every Spring, eruption on chest. Open air agg. liver.

left hypochondrium. piercing pain in groins with urging to urinate. Open air amel. pain.

panaritium. agg. Warm room. amel. Cold air and cold water (toothache). Cold food or drink agg. diarrhoea. During storm, flatulent colic agg. amel. Dry weather.

sitting up (cough). changing position. Retaining urine = pain in back.

Glauber Salts. Schreter. NaOSO3+10Aq.

* *

Natrum Sulphuricum is one of our most frequently indicated constitutional remedies. The symptoms appear in the morning, evening apd during the night, especially before midnight.

It is useful in patients who live near waterways and have suffered long from malarial influences. It is useful as an antidote to the abuse of quinine. It especially belongs to patients of the naturopathic and bilious constitution.

He is extremely sensitive to the night air. He suffers from universal catarrh and the discharges are generally greenish. It cures dropsically conditions. Sensitive to touch and pressure; oversensitive mentally and physically. Very sensitive to pain.

The pains are very numerous.

dull pains, sharp pains, all better from motion. Bruised feelingall over. Strong desire for open air and better while walking in the open air. Sensitive to a warm room, though he is sometimes sensitive to cold and must have warm loathing. The feeling of fullness or distension is found in many places.

in the head, in the ear, in the abdomen, in the veins generally.

Complaints all worse in the spring and in warm weather. General, physical restlessness and anxiety. Marked weakness and trembling with internal pulsations and rapid heart. Twitching of muscles. Complaints from injuries of head and spine. The symptoms all worse during rest. Rheumatic complaints all over the body.

He is compelled to lie on the back. Convulsions from injuries of the head. Sycotic conditions with a history of warts and condylomata. Anxiety in the morning which passes off after breakfast.

in the evening in bed.

at night before midnight.

during fever. about the future.

anxiety and loathing of life with suicidal impulse, must use all self-control to prevent taking his life, A woman during gestation attempted several times to hang herself, after Natrum Sulphuricum she was cheerful and there was no return of the suicidal disposition. Cheerful after stool. Music makes her sad. Sadness in the morning, which passes off after breakfast.

Violent anger which is followed by jaundice. Aversion to company. Dislikes to speak or to be spoken to. Dullness of mind and excitability. Mental exertion brings on mental symptoms. Mental troubles come, on from injuries of the head.

A young man became very sad and subject to attacks of vertigo, and neglected his business after being hit on the side of the head by a base ball. He was entirely free from all symptoms after taking Natrum Sulphuricum.

Fear of a crowd; of evil; of people. Forgetful, easily frightened, hysterical; indifferent; indolent; insanity. She is oversensitive and suspicious. Starting from fright or noise and in sleep.

Pressing outward in the head with pulsation. Periodical headaches with vomiting bile. The pains are worse when thinking of them and better by pressure, in the open air and when lying. Pulsation in the temples when walking. Splitting pain in the vertex. Heat of the vertex.

Lachrymation and dim vision, jaundiced eyes; inflamed eyes with many blisters. Burning in the eyes morning and evening. Greenish discharge from the eyes. Lids stuck together in the morning.

Granular lids. Scrofulous inflammation of the conjunctiva. Redness, swelling and burning of the margins of the lids. Heaviness of lids. Pressing in eyes when using eyes. Itching of the eyes in the morning.

Flapping sensation in the ears. Ringing in the ears. Pressing out feeling in the ears. Earache as if something was forcing its way out. Stitching pains in ears, worse entering warm room from cold air; in damp weather.

Epistaxis before and during menses.

in afternoon and evening. Dryness and burning in the nose. Obstructed with mucus in the night. Mucus drawn from posterior nares tasting salty. Sneezing with fluent coryza and Influenzinum ^influenza. Epidemic Influenzinum ^influenza. Chunks of dried mucus blow. from high up in nose.

Sickly expression and jaundiced skin. Vesicles and pimples on the face. Vesicles on the lower lip and around the mouth. Pimples on the chin burning on touch.

The teeth become loose and fall out in sycotic constitution. The gums separate from the teeth, Pain in the teeth worse from warm things, better from cold drinks and the cold air.

Gums red, ulcerate and burn. Blisters on the gums. The mouth is always slimy. Much mucus forms in the mouth and throat. Taste is better and tongue is heavily coated a dirty greenish brown.

Blisters on the tongue and roof of the mouth. Burning in the roof of the mouth during menses. Numbness in the mouth. Salivation.

Dry sensation in throat. Pain in throat on swallowing food. Choking feeling in the throat when walking. It is often needed in goitre.

Great thirst in the evening; for very cold drinks; during chill and fever.

Aversion to bread and meat. Qualmishness after farinaceous foods; hiccough after bread in evening. Eructations of sour water of bitter fluid.

Nausea before breakfast. Constant nausea. Vomiting of sour or bitter fluid. Vomiting of green bile with colic. The stomach feels distended and heavy. Pulsation in the stomach after breakfast. Extreme cases of gastric weakness with acidity.

Can digest only the simple foods. Digestion very slow. Natrum Sulphuricum has cured many complaints of the liver; congested, enlarged, sore liver.

Liver Pain in the liver from Iying on the right side.

Dragging in the right hypochondrium when lying on the left. side (Magnesia Muriatica ^{Mag. m.}, Card. m., Ptelea Trifoliata ^Ptel.), soreness and itching in the liver when walking.

Sharp pains in the liver on deep inspiration. The liver is disturbed by mental exertion and anger. The liver seems to manufacture an excess of bile. Perverted viscid bile that readily forms gall stones. It causes the liver to make healthy bile which is the natural solvent of gall stones, when given in homoeopathic doses at long intervals. It has cured many cases of gall stone colic. It has removed gall stones in many cases. Sensitive to clothing over the hypochondria. The following three cases will testify

Case I.

Woman, married, grown children. Aged 37. Headache followed by vomiting of bile for several years. Face purple. Heat ameliorates the pain.

Pain begins in right eye, spreads over the forehead with a dragging feeling in back of head. Pain in sacrum extends to thighs, aggravated on right side. Nervous, easily startled, apprehensive. Intensely fastidious. Had gall stone colic three months ago. Cold feet. Headache at menstrual period for sixteen years. Menstrual flow thick, clotted, dark, lasts one day, Stool, light color when sick, darker when in better health. Must restrain herself or she will commit suicide. Slow pulse at times. Tired, all the time. Condemned to an operation by the surgeon for gall stone. Fissured tongue. Natrum sulphuricum cured the gall stones disappeared.

Case 2.

Man actively engaged in business, weight 180 pounds. Age 40.

Pain in region of gall bladder. Gall stone colic. Came on after indigestion. Dull aching in that region. Must walk about the room, not ameliorated in any position. Only once has stool become light colored. Pain in region of kidneys, also through pelvic region and legs with a cloudy condition of the urine.

dribbling of few drops of urine after urination.

Dull heavy pain in right side behind the lower ribs, continuous pain; pain extends up right side as far as nipple; stabbing pains in breast. Pain in duodenum aggravated after eating. Natrum Sulphur ^sulph cured. The patient is in perfect health.

Case 3.

Woman. Age 64. Diarrhea; stool watery, sometimes chalky; enlarged liver; clawing feeling in gall bladder; gall stone colic.

Had been condemned by a surgeon to the operating table. Sinking spells after stool.

cold spells. vertigo, stooping, lying or walking.

spells of rapid beating of heart.

mental depression. thirstless.

temperature sub-normal.

sensitive to jarring abdomen.

flatulence and rumbling in abdomen.

cold legs to knees. cold hands much belching, aggravated after meals.

sensitive to weather changes nervous and sleepless before a storm.

sore dragging feeling in the liver.

bowels sluggish. slow digestion.

heaviness of arms and legs.

chilliness down the back.

unable to he on right side with comfort.

urine copious. strong.

late going to sleep.

Natrum Sulphur ^sulph made a radical change in her condition and there are no more signs of gall stones.

Emptiness relieved by passing flatus and by eructations. Cramps and many pains from obstructed flatus. Pain and distension in the ascending colon from flatus.

Pain in the region of the caecum. It has cured many cases resembling the first stage of appendicitis. Pain and tenderness in the whole abdomen. Dull heavy pain from abdomen to back. Burning in the abdomen. Feeling in the abdomen as it a diarrhea would come on, ameliorated by eructations and passing flatus.

Distress in the abdomen that hurries him to stool but only flatus passes. Pain in the abdomen during menses. Cramp in morning before breakfast. Pain in abdomen, 4 to 8 P.M., and in evening. Constant distress in bowels and urging to stool.

Diarrhea after farinaceous food; from vegetables; fruit; pastry; cold drinks; ice cream. Diarrhea alternating with constipation. Diarrhea with stools at any hour of the day or night, but especially morning and evening.

It has cured many cases of chronic diarrhea with stool involuntary and lienteric.

Itching and crawling in the anus. Condylomata at the anus. It cured an ulceration in the rectum with copious bleeding in a lawyer who had long struggled with suicidal impulses. It has often cured bleeding piles.

Kidneys and urines It has cured parenchymatic inflammation of the kidneys following scarlet fever and from malarial influences.

Male In the male strong sexual desire and troublesome erections.

Oedema of the scrotum and prepuce. Itching of the penis and scrotum with burning after scratching.

Leucorrhoea acrid greenish, purulent, excoriating the parts. It has cured milk leg.

Dyspnoea on exertion and while walking; with sharp pain in left chest. Stitching on deep breathing. Dyspnoea in damp weather. It is a most useful remedy in humid asthma in children of sycotic parents. Humid asthma with copious viscid mucus in every spell of hot weather. Chronic catarrh of the bronchial tubes.

Frequent attacks of paroxysmal cough from irritation in larynx ending in copious white, viscid expectorations.

Emptiness in the chest on inspiration. Soreness in the chest on coughing, better by holding the chest with the bands.

Bronchitis and pneumonia are sometimes hard to cure in sycotic patients until they have received Natrum Sulphuricum. Muco-purulent expectoration in old people. Eruptions on the chest every spring in sycotic patients. Swelling and suppuration in the axillary glands.

Tenderness of the spine. Sore pain in the small of the back and sacrum. Pain in the small of the back during the night compelling her to lie on the right side.

it passes away in the morning after rising. Pain in the small of the back from retaining the urine. Itching of the back when undressing. Pain in the sacrum, cannot lie on either side.

Trembling, twitching and weakness in the limbs, twitching in hands and feet during sleep. Pains in the limbs during rest. Rheumatic pains in the limbs in wet weather. Cracking in the joint. Warts on the arms and hands. Pains in the limbs during chill and fever, better by motion and walking. Worse in the lower than in the upper limbs.

Weakness in the hands; flexors pain on grasping anything. Trembling in the hands in the morning on waking and when writing. The tendency to suppuration around the nails is a marked symptom in Natrum Sulphuricum. Palms raw and sore and exude a watery fluid. It has cured bad cases of psoriasis of the palms. Fingers swollen and stiff.

Panaritium, pain more bearable in the open air. Ulceration, pain under the nail and in the tips of the fingers.

Pain in the right hip joint on motion. Stitching in the left hip. Pain in the hip extending to the knee. Swelling in the left leg.

Sciatica better in motion. Dull, aching in the lower limbs during chill and fever, better when walking. Restlessness of the limbs at night in bed. Ulcers on outer side of thighs. Stiffness of knees. Weakness in lower limbs. Burning of feet and legs to the knees. Dry heat in feet at night. Oedema of the feet. Sharp pain in soles and heels.

Drowsiness in the forenoon when reading. Frightful dreams. Chill from 6 to 9 P.M., with fever, than dry heat until 1 A.M., sweat absent.

Eczema with watery oozing. Water blisters. Yellow scales after breaking the vesicles. Jaundice. Intertrigo. Wart-like, red excrescences all over the body.

Red, knotty eruptions on head above the ears; on the forehead and left side of nape of neck; in the middle of chest. Itching when undressing.

RUM SULPHURICUM AND SYCOSIS As it, name indicates, it is the chemical combination of Natrum and Sulphur ^Sulphur, Glauber's salts, Sulphate of soda It partakes of the wonderful properties of both Sodium and Sulphur ^Sulphur, and some day will become a very frequently indicated remedy It is a remedy which typically corresponds to many of the cornplaints of a bilious climate.

Natrum sulphuricum combines, in a measure, the wonderful effects of Nat Mur ^{Natrum muriaticum} and of Sulphur ^Sulphur in the Western climate, as an active malarial agent.

Malarial climates are all more or less bilious.

Of course, I do not mean every man or every woman that comes to you and says "Doctor, I am bilious." We never know what that means.

It means more or less liver ; it means more or less stomach ; a general derangement of the system.

Any kind of sickness may be called biliousness, but where the liver and stomach combine to effect disorders, we have true biliousness.

It is a most wonderful combination in its symptoms, because it not only pertains to muscular debility and disturbance of the general structures of the body, but also combines that which gives it consideration mentally.

Its complaints are those that are brought on from living in damp houses, living in basements, and in cellars.

They are generally worse in rainy, wet weather ; hence it was called, primarily, by Grauvogl, one of his hydrogenoid remedies.

It produces a profound impression upon the system in a general way like sycosis and a deep-seated or suppressed sycotic disease.

Therefore, it is one of the grandest remedies underlying asthma, asthmatic and inherited complaints.

In fact, Natrum Sulphuricum is one of the best, one of the clear-cut indicated remedies for those constitutional conditions in children that result in chest catarrhs and asthmatic complaints.

Natrum Sulphuricum shows you only one of its hereditary features.

Now, if we take into consideration the sycotic nature, the hydrogenoid condition of the constitution-always worse in wet weather and this heredity, we have one of the grand features of this medicine.

Its next grand sphere is its action upon the liver and stomach, producing a bilious disturbance.

We have, corresponding with this liver excitement a long list of mental ,symptoms marked with irritability, anxiety, desire to die, aversion to life and to things in life that would generally make people pleasant and comfortable.

Now, if I begin on this mental state and go down through it, we will see more of it.

A good wife goes to her husband and says "If you only knew what restraint I have to use to keep from shooting myself you would appreciate my condition!" It is attended with wildness and irritability.

No remedy has that symptom like Natrum sulphuricum You may examine the various remedies in our drug pathogenesy and you will find almost every kind of mental symptom, but here is one that stands by itself.

this wonderful restraint to prevent doing herself bodily harm, is characteristic of Natrum sulphuricum The satiety of life, aversion to life.

the great sadness, the great despondency, coupled with the irritability and dread of music - music makes her weep, makes her sad, makes her melancholy - this symptom runs through the Natrums which it receives from the Natrum side of its family.

Natrum carbonate, Nat Mur ^{Natrum muriaticum}, Natrum sulphuricum, all have it.

Anything like melancholic strains aggravate her complaints ; mild music, gentle light, mellow light that pours through church windows, these little glimmers of light that come through the colored glass, all these make her sad.

Now, such are the mental characteristics of Natrum sulphuricum With the constitutional troubles there are important head symptoms-mental symptoms from injuries of the head.

A young man in St. Louis was hurled from a truck in the fire department.

He struck on his head.

Following this for five or six months he had fits ; I do not know what kind of fits he had ; some said epilepsy.

Some said one thing and some another, and some said he would have to be trephined.

He was an Allopathist, of course, as these firemen all are, for it is hardly ever that you can get one to go outside of Allopathy and try something else.

He was a good, well-bred Irishman ; so he had to have some good stout physic.

Some of his friends prevailed upon him to stay in the country for a while.

He did so, but he did not get better ; he was irritable he wanted to die.

His wife said she could hardly stand it with him ; always wanted to die ; did not want to live.

His fits drove him to distraction.

He did not know when he was going to have one, they were epileptiform in character.

Well, in the country he ran across a homeopathic doctor, because lie had one of these attacks and the handiest doctor at the time was a Homeopath.

That Homeopath. told him that he had better come back to St.

Louis and place himself under my care.

He did so. At that time it had been about six months that he had been having these Its, When he walked into ray office he staggered ; his eyes were, nearly bloodshot ; he could hardly see, and he wore a shade over his eyes-so much was he distressed about the light such a photophobia.

He had constant pain in his head.

He had injured himself by falling upon the back of hit ; head, and he had with this all the irritability that I have described.

There was nothing in his fits that was distinctive of a remedy, and the first thing that came into my head was Arnica ^Arnica ; that is what everybody would have thought. Arnica ^Arnica, however, would not have been the best remedy for him.

Had I known no other or better remedy, Arnica ^Arnica would have perhaps been the best.

As soon as he had finished his description, and I had given the case more thought, I found that Natrum sulphuricum was the best indicated remedy for injuries about the head, and I have been in the habit of giving it.

So I gave it in this case.

The first dose of Natrum sulphuricum cured this young man.

He has never had any pain about the head since.

He has never had any mental trouble since, never another fit.

That one prescription cleared up the entire case.

If you will just remember the chronic effects from injuries upon the skull - not fractures, but simple concussions that have resulted from a considerable shock and injuries without organic affections, then Natrum sulphuricum should be your first remedy.

Now, that may not be worth remembering, but when you have relieved as many heads as I have with Natrum sulphuricum you will be glad to have been informed of this circumstance.

Ordinarily, Arnica ^Arnica for injuries and the results of injuries, especially the neuralgic pains and the troubles from old scars.

but in mental troubles coming on from a jar or a knock on the head or a fall or injury about the head, do not forget this medicine, because if you do many patients may suffer where they might have been cured had you made use of Natrum Sulphuricum.

It has violent head pains, and especially so in the base of the brain ; violent pains in the back of the neck ; violent crushing pains as if the base of the brain were crushed in a vice, or as if a dog more gnawing at the base of the brain.

These symptoms have led me to prescribe this medicine.

It cuts short the disease surprisingly when it is the truly indicated remedy.

The violent determination of blood to the head we find in this disease, clinically is readly relieved.

The next most important feature is in relation to the eyes.

That is characteristic, and is equaled only by one other remedy in chronic diseases where there is an aversion to life with photophobia, and that is Graphites ^Graphites You take these cases of chronic conjunctivitis, with granular lids, green pus, terrible photophobia, so much so that he can hardly open his eyes.

the light of the room brings on headache, distress and many pains.

Here Natrum sulphuricum should be compared with Graphites ^Graphites, because Graphites ^Graphites has also an extreme aggravation from light in eye affections.

Of course, this classes it entirely away from Belladonna ^Belladonna and the other remedies that have acute photophobia, of acute determination of blood to the brain, because it gives you a chronic state and condition that you must study.

Natrum sulphuricum produces a stuffing up of the nose, red tongue, irritable mucous membrane of the eyes, nose, and ears, with great dryness and burning in the nose.

Pus becomes green upon exposure to the light.

The mouth always tastes bad.

The patient says "Doctor, my mouth is always full of slime." That is a common expression of the patient when he comes to you.

And the provers, all of them, said that they were troubled with a slimy mouth.

Thick, tenacious, white mucus in the mouth.

Always hawking up mucus ; it wells up from the stomach ; mucus from the oesophagus ; mucus by belching ; mucus coughed up from the trachea, and it is always foul and slimy.

There is a distended feeling in the stomach ; a sense of a weight in the stomach ; almost constant nausea ; vomiting of slime, bitter and sour.

These are the characteristics bitter and sour.

A sensation of weight in the right hypochondrium, in the region of the liver ; aching pains ; sometimes cutting pains, and a great amount of distress in the region of the liver.

Engorgement in the region of the liver.

He can only lie on his right side, his complaints are aggravated from lying on his left side.

When lying on the left side, the congested liver seems to pull and draw ; the great weight increases the pain and uneasiness and he is compelled to turn back on the right side.

Now, it is from these symptoms, whenever a patient comes into my office and says, "Doctor, my mouth is so slimy and tastes so bad, and I think I am bilious," that he always gets Natrum sulphuricum Natrum sulphuricum produces great flatulence, distention of the abdomen, cutting pains in the abdomen, associated with congestion of the liver.

In this tympanitic condition of the liver that sometimes comes on in the inflammatory conditions in bilious fever, you will find Natrum sulphuricum your remedy.

I began the use of Natrum Sulphuricum with Schussler's remedies some years ago, and find the indications well carried out by the higher and highest potencies. Belladonna ^Bell says that if the thirtieth potency of Arsenicum Album ^Arsenic is equal to a complete knowledge of the drug, crude Arsenicum Album ^Arsenic would be equal to complete ignorance.

There is a condition of the chest that is characteristic, and that is in relation to the cough.

It has a cough with a sensation of "all-goneness" in the chest.

In this it competes with Bryonia ^Bryonia ; both hold the chest when coughing. Bryonia ^Bryonia holds the chest because he feels as if it would fly to pieces ; there is such a soreness that he feels the necessity of steadying his chest.

The complaints of Bryonia ^Bryonia are relieved by pressure.

Natrum sulphuricum has this same desire to hold the chest ; but in Natrum sulphuricum the muco-pus that is expectorated is thick, ropy and yellowish green, looking like pus-purulent-and there is an "all-gone," empty feeling in the chest.

He feels a sense of weakness there.

that his lungs are all gone, that he must die in a few days with consumption or some other failing like that, and that it is coning on in a short time. Bryonia ^Bryonia, corresponds more to the irritable states with the cough, where there is great rawness, great constriction, great sense of tearing in the chest.

burning in the chest.

while Natrum sulphuricum corresponds to a case that has been going on for perhaps a week.

every cough brings up a mouthful of purulent sputa with a desire to press upon the chest to relieve the weakness.

Natrum sulphuricum is then your remedy.

Another condition is that of humid asthma.

If a child has asthma, give Natrum sulphuricum as the first remedy.

Asthma, when hereditary, is one of the sycotic complaints of Hahnemann You will not find that in your text-books, so do not look for it, but it may be an observation worth knowing.

I have cured a very large number.

Of such cases of asthma, although the text-books would discourage you if you should read them under asthma, because they will tell you that cases of asthma are incurable.

For years I was puzzled with the management of asthma.

When a person came to me and asked "Doctor, can you cure asthma ?" I would say, "No" But now I am beginning to get quite liberal on asthma, since I have learned that asthma is a sycotic disease, and since I have made judicious application of anti-sycotics, I have been able to relieve or cure a great number of such cases.

You will find in the history of medicine that wherever asthma was cured, it has been by anti-sycotic remedies.

That is one of the first things I observed, that outside of sycotics you will seldom find a cure for asthma.

There is that peculiarity that runs through sycosis which gives you a hereditary disease, and asthma corresponds to that disease.

Hence it is that Silicea ^Silicea is one of the greatest cures for asthma ; it does not cure every case, but when Silicea ^Silicea corresponds to the symptoms, you will be surprised to note how quickly it will eradicate it.

While Ipecacuanha ^Ipecac, Spongia Tosta ^Spongia, and Arsenicum Album ^Arsenicum will correspond just as clearly to the supervening symptoms and to everything that you can find about the case, yet what do they do ? They palliate.

they repress the symptoms.

but your asthma is no better off, your patient is not cured. Arsenicum Album ^Arsenic is one of the most frequently indicated remedies for the relief of asthma.

so also are Bryonia ^Bryonia, Ipecacuanha ^Ipecac, Spongia Tosta ^Spongia and Carbo Veg ^{Carbo veg}, but they do not cure.

though they relieve surprisingly at times.

Where a patient is sitting up, covered with a cold sweat, wants to be fanned by somebody on either side of the bed, dyspnoea is so distressing.

that it seems almost impossible for the patient to live longer, to get another breath, then Carbo Veg ^{Carbo veg} comes in and gives immediate relief and the patient will he down and get a very good night's rest.

But what is the result ? On comes the asthma again the very next cold.

Natrum sulphuricum goes down to the bottom of this kind of a case.

If it is hereditary, that is, not long lived, if it is in a growing subject, Natrum sulphuricum goes down to the bottom of such a case and will cure when its symptoms are present ; and the symptoms will so often be present.

It is because of this deep seated anti-sycotic nature, we find in the combination of Natrum and Sulphur ^Sulphur, that we have a new state and combination running into the life.

When the chest is filling up with mucus, rattling of mucus, expectoration of large quantities of white mucus, with asthmatic breathing in young subjects, Natrum Sulphuricum must be thought of.

In relation to the genito-urinary organs, we have some very valuable symptoms.

It competes here with Thuja ^Thuja and Merc Viv ^Mercurius, both of which are anti-sycotics.

When Natrum sulphuricum is indicated there is generally very little pain, it is almost painless.

There is chronic loss of sensibility in the part.

The urine is loaded with bile, is of a pinkish or yellowish color, with a "corn-meal" sediment, or it looks like stale beer and is extremely offensive.

Offensive urine is not in the text.

Like Sulphur ^sulphur, it has burning of the soles of the feet at night, and the burning extends to the knees ; burning from the knees down.

It has also, like Sulphur ^sulphur, great burning in the top of the head ; it has tearing, rending, cutting pains from the hips down to the knees ; worse at night.

The stomach symptoms are worse in the morning, and so also with the mental symptoms, they are generally worse in the morning.

Now, upon the skin we have some eruptions.

we have those cases of so called itch, scabies or vesicular eruptions, vesicular eczema, with a thin, watery discharge exuding from the fingers, and the fingers are swollen stiff and stand out stiffened by the swelling.

they are swollen so stiff they can hardly be gotten together. (Baker's itch and barber's itch come under this head).

Natrum sulphuricum cures where the palms of the hands are raw and sore and exude a watery fluid.

Also vesicular eruptions around the mouth and chin and various parts of the body.

little, fine water blisters, very much like Natrum muriaticum and very much also like Natrum carb So you see it runs into the Natrums The other disease that I incidentally mentioned a moment ago-the barber's itch-is a sycotic disease, a sycosis menti a disease of the hair follicles.

It is sometimes even contagious.

It is one of the highest types of sycosis ; the next highest type of sycosis is the venereal wart known as the gonorrhoeal warts.

Natrum Sulphuricum medicine corresponds to this state and condition of the body.

Now, we have said considerable about sycosis.

We know in sycosis, which is a constitutional miasm that we have venereal warts or gonorrhoeal warts ; that we have another sycotic state that comes upon the female in cauliflower excrescencies.

We have also hereditary asthma, a constitutional disease that depends upon sycosis, and this peculiar barber's itch is one of the highest types of sycosis ; they are all due to one cause, and some day this cause will be demonstrated to be latent sycosis.

It is the contagious part of the sycosis.

It is the means by which the disease is handed from generation to generation.

Natrum Sulphuricum thing you will not find in the books, and it is, perhaps, only a private opinion and, therefore, worthless.

But some day you will remember that I told you this.

I have seen things in my observation that astonished me.

I believe I have solved what Hahnemann called sycosis though he has never described it.

To me it is very clear from the cases I have cured, with this theory in view or this doctrine in view.

The cases I have cured lead me to believe that I am on the right track.

Now, I say that gonorrhoea and all of these latent conditions of the body are one and the same thing ; that primarily they date back to one and the same source.

Louis City Hospital who had beep, there many months, and who was so sore in the bottoms of his feet that he could not get around ; he had to leave his business he was a baker.

Finally his old employer came to me and wanted to know if I could do anything for that young man.

I did not know anything about the nature of his disease.

I told him to bring the young man to me.

I put him under such constitutional treatment as these theories that I have just mentioned guided me to, and I cured him.

You will find nothing of it.

It is known only to such observers as have been able to make two out of two times one - by putting things together.

It is one of the chronic miasms and one about which very little is known.

If this be true, it is as dangerous to suppress a gonorrhoeal discharge before its time, as it is to suppress a syphilitic chancre before its time.

You will never know if you go on treating these constitutional miasms by suppressing the primary manifestations you will never know the harm you are doing.

The most of these are calculated by the process of evolution to wear themselves out, to roll out, or to evolve themselves into symptoms that are so depleting to the disease that they leave of themselves, or leave the patient very nearly free frown the disease.

Such is the calculation of Nature in a gonorrhoeal discharge, and such has been the intention of Nature in the chancres that appear upon the genitalia.

But poor ignorant man, believing he must do something, has made it his first business to cauterize these chancres - to dry up these discharges - and he does not know how much harm he is doing.

But this is only a private opinion.

Now, it is for you to live and think for yourselves.

If you can make anything out of what I have told you, and it ever helps anybody, I shall be amply repaid.

You will most naturally see that all these thoughts are in furtherance of Hahnemann's teaching, based upon the facts observed by him and his faithful followers.

Unless guided by the light of the dynamic doctrine of disease and cure, these things would scarcely be observed.

For the study of this sycosis I might have taken up Thuja ^Thuja, but knowing how well the master has performed his work, I have taken a remedy that is scarcely second in importance to bring out as well the use of a remedy as a miasm in relation to it.

Diarrhoea, acute or chronic worse in the morning on beginning to move (Bryonia ^Bry.), with much flatulence (Aloe Socotrina ^Aloe and Calc Carb ^Calc. Phosphorus ^Phos.), and rumbling in abdomen, especially right ileo-caecal region.

Loose cough, with great pain in the chest; worse in lower left chest (right, Chelidonium Majus ^Chel.).

Modalities worse in cold, wet weather; damp cellars; hydrogenoid (diarrhoea, rheumatism, asthma).

Mental effects from injuries to head.

Chronic effects of blows, falls.

Toothache better by cold water, cool air (Coffea Cruda ^Coff., Pulsatilla ^Puls.).

Gonorrhoea; greenish-yellow, painless, thick discharge (Pulsatilla ^Puls.).

* * * * *

Natrum sulphuricum is also one of our armamentarium for diarrhoea, both acute and chronic. Like Podophyllum Peltatum ^Podophyllum, Sulphur ^Sulphur, Nuphar and Rumex Acetosa ^Rumex, the diarrhea is aggravated in the morning. Sulphur ^Sulphur drives the patient out of bed, but Natrum Sulphur ^sulph., like Bryonia ^Bryonia, is worse only after beginning to move. Then again Natrum Sulphur ^sulph. has, like Aloe Socotrina ^Aloe, much rumbling in the bowels as of flatulence. This rumbling of flatus is often with Natrum Sulphur ^sulph. located in the right side of the abdomen in the ileo-caecal region.

Again the Natrum sulphuricum stool is, like China ^China, Argentum Nitricum ^{Argentum nit}., Calc Carb ^Calcarea Phosphorus ^phos., Agaricus Muscarius ^Agaricus and Aloe Socotrina ^Aloe, accompanied by a profuse emission of flatus. This flatulence is not always present, but is often so. In chronic diarrhoea there is almost always some trouble with the liver, evidenced by soreness in right hypochondrium, which is sensitive to touch, and hurts on walking or any jar. One very strong characteristic for Natrum Sulphuricum in this trouble is aggravation of the diarrhoea, pain, etc., in damp weather. In this it resembles Dulcamara ^Dulcamara and Rhododendron ^Rhododendron. The Dulcamara ^Dulcamara has the aggravation in change from warm to cold weather, weather damp or dry. This aggravation in damp weather is not confined to diarrhoea in Natrum Sulphur ^sulph. but is especially present in cases of chronic asthma. I have seen very great benefit in such cases of this very troublesome and obstinate disease, and as aggravation in damp weather very commonly occurs in cases of old asthma Natrum Sulphuricum is often indicated. I have not observed much benefit from Natrum Sulphuricum in runarounds, for which it is highly recommended; but have seen nice results from it in very obstinate cases of gonorrhoea, when the discharges was thick and greenish and little pain. Loose cough, with soreness and pain through the left chest, is very characteristic. This is one of the chief diagnostic points of difference between Bryonia ^Bryonia and Natrum sulphuricum, that while with both there is great soreness of the chest with the cough, with Bryonia ^Bryonia the cough is dry, while with Natrum Sulphur ^sulph. it is loose. The patient springs right up in bed, the cough hurts him so.

There is as much soreness as there is with Bryonia ^Bryonia, and when the patient coughs he springs up in bed and holds the painful side in his hand to ease the hurt. This symptom may be found in chronic affections of the respiratory organs, such as asthma, phthisis, etc., and I have several times seen remarkably prompt relief and cure follow its administration in pneumonia when this symptom was present. This pain through the lower left chest is as characteristic for Natrum Sulphur ^sulph., as is that of pain running through right lower chest for Kali Carb ^{Kali carbonicum}.

Region

OCCIPUT

Glands LIVER

Bile

Pancreas

Intestinal

Descending colon

Chest Left (lower)

Lower

Left side