Argentum Nitricum - General symptoms - Clarke

GENERAL

General

Nitrate of Argentum Metallicum ^Silver. Lunar Causticum ^Caustic. Ag NO3. Trituration and solution.

It was the use of Argentum Nitricum ^{Argentum nit}. in olden times in the treatment of epilepsy which led to the production of the lamentable cases of lead-coloured pigmentation of the skin called Argyria. Homoeopathic experience has proved the applicability of the drug to many cases of epilepsy and the needlessness of employing a dosage that entails any risk whatever. The cases of epilepsy calling for Argentum Nitricum are those caused by fright, or occurring at the menstrual period. For days or hours before the attack the pupils are dilated, and after the attack the patient is very restless and has trembling of the hands. Among the leading symptoms of Argentum Nitricum ^{Arg. n}. are Great tremor. Nervous feeling.

sensation as if being squeezed in a vice. Feeling of constriction in various parts as of a band of iron round chest or waist. A feeling as if the body or some part of the body were expanding. Migraine, with feeling as if head were enormously enlarged.

amel. tightly bound. Defective co-ordination. Paralyses of motion and sensation.

a peculiar numbness accompanied with hyperaesthesia. Sensation of a splinter sticking in various parts. Burning sensations. Gowers has recorded a case in which the use of Argentum Nitricum ^{Arg. n}. for stomach trouble caused (like lead), drop-wrist, gout, and albuminuria. In allopathic practice the dyspepsia for which it is given is agg. before food, when the stomach is empty. The opposite condition is the leading indication in homoeopathic practice. E. P. Brewer (Hahn. Monthly, July, 1883) has recorded a proving, (the prover, a young man, taking on three consecutive days one grain a day of Argentum Nitricum ^{Arg. n}. triturated with sugar of milk), in which a number of motor and sensory symptoms were elicited, reminding Dr. Brewer of locomotor ataxy, in which it has been used with success by old-school practitioners. This use also has led to many cases of argyria. Among the symptoms of this proving were. "Mental operations sluggish.

continued thought required special effort, but exertion of mind did not aggravate the heaviness and fulness of head. Lower extremities (loins, sacrum, and particularly gastrocnemii) fatigued.

as if they would suddenly fail him. Loss of ambition. Building air castles by day monstrous dreams by night." Another peculiar symptom was chilly down the back beginning close to occiput extending to extreme tip of coccyx at noon every day.

amel. by warmth. at 5 p.m. chills subsided, no sweat, but profound sleepiness, without sleep but enchanted with vivid imagination burning heat followed. There was burning in one spot in front of rectum, probably in prostate gland. Micturition more frequent, burning in urethra. The headache was amel. by Act. r. In a proving by myself one of the most marked symptoms was a kind of numb sensitiveness of the skin of the arms.

a hyperaesthetic-anaesthetic state, increased sensitiveness to contact, but diminished power of distinguishing sensations. Other symptoms were sore throat with white patches, rheumatic pains in (left) wrist (which I have since confirmed), and finger joints, with external tenderness of bony prominences, pain on rising in right sacro-iliac notch. Soreness of muscles of neck and back. Urticarious spots in various parts. In poisoning cases complete loss of consciousness, insensibility, and convulsions have occurred. Some of the notable digestive symptoms are "Irresistible desire for sugar." "Fluids go right through him." Belching accompanies most gastric affections. Green stools are remarkable. "Green mucus like chopped spinach in flakes." "Stool turning green after remaining on diaper." "Stool expelled with much spluttering." "Stool shreddy, red, green muco-lymph or epithelial substance." There is a pain in the small of the back, amel. on standing or walking, but severe when rising from a seat. (Sulphur ^Sul., Causticum ^Caust.) Argentum Nitricum ^{Arg. n}. has irresistible desire for sugar, which at the same time agg. Kent relates a case illustrating this. A nursing infant had a grass-green diarrhoea which failed to yield to Merc Viv ^Merc., Arsenicum Album ^Ars., and Chamomilla ^Cham. At last Kent discovered that the mother ate a pound of candy a day. Argentum Nitricum ^{Arg. n}. was given and the candy stopped and the child soon got well. Intestinal catarrh with shreddy membranous discharges is often cured by Argentum Nitricum ^{Arg. n}. A mental peculiarity is one of apprehension and fear when ready to go to church, &c., diarrhoea sets in. Fears projecting corners of buildings and high buildings. The sight of high buildings makes him giddy and causes him to stagger.

it seems as if houses on both sides of street would approach and crush him. Imagines he cannot pass a certain point (Kali Bich ^{Kali b}ro.). When crossing a bridge has an almost irresistible desire to jump over. Impulsion to walk very fast (Lilium Tigrinum ^Lil. t.). Mucous membranes affected, purulent and bloody discharges.

very nervous at night. agg. At night or in morning on rising (epileptic attacks). Day half more cough, night half more diarrhoea. agg. On awaking. At 11 a.m. nervous attacks amel. by stimulants. Chill down back every day at noon. agg. In warm room.

over a fire. in summer.

warmth of bed. amel. by warm drinks. amel. In cool open air, amel. washing with cold water.

agg. from cold food. agg. ice creams. Motion generally agg.

but walking in open air amel. back pains, which are agg. sitting. Lying on right side = pains in abdomen.

palpitation. Heat agg.

but there 19 also agg. from uncovering.

aversion to uncovering. agg. Rising from sitting. agg. Inspiration. agg. Touching the parts. amel. Bending double. agg. Thinking intently. agg. Riding. amel. Tight bandage (headache).

Suited to Hysteric nervous persons.

headaches from mental causes characterised by dulness of head. Women with menstrual disturbances. Cachetic state. Scrawny, feeble, dried-up-looking women. Guernsey puts it, "withered and dried up by disease. A child looks like a withered old man." It corresponds in lower potencies to Grauvogl's carbo-nitrogenoid constitution (Sulphur ^Sul., Cuprum Metallicum ^Cupr.).

in higher to the hydrogenoid or sycotic constitution. A large number of symptoms appear on the left side.

After yawning, feeling as if stomach would burst.

wind presses upwards, but the oesophagus feels spasmodically closed.

hence an ineffectual effort to eructate, with excessive strangulation, pressing pain in stomach, faintish nausea, confluence of water in the mouth and inability to stir.

the paroxysm ceased after a quarter of an hour, amidst frequent and violent out-rush of wind.