Cantharis - General symptoms

GENERAL

General

CONDITIONS.

(Morning), Anxiety.

when rising, fretful. mental depression.

some hours after rising, distracted in mind, etc.

confusion of head. tongue dry, etc.

on rising, foul taste.

nausea, etc. burning, etc., in abdomen.

at 9 o'clock, urine passed in a thin stream, etc.

immediately on rising, persistent erection.

while lying in bed, awake, emission of semen.

on rising, cough. clot of blood in mouth.

in bed, pressure in side of chest.

after disappearance of the pains, pulse increased, etc.

pain in back. laxness, etc.

in limbs. sleepy, etc.

in limbs. sleepy, etc.

on rising at 3 o'clock chilly.

sweat on the pelvic region, etc.

(Afternoon), *Insolent.

stitches in right temple.

stitches in side of head.

stitches in occiput.

pressing in eyes. itching in eye.

stitching in chin. tearing in lower jaw.

on eating pain in teeth.

filthy taste. pressure in pit of stomach.

pain from abdomen toward genitals.

stitches in lower ribs.

from 11 to 8 o'clock, squeezing, etc., in front chest.

stitches in sternum. stitches in ribs.

anxiety about heart. stitches in shoulder-blade.

tearing in upper arm. stitching in arm.

tearing in little finger.

twitching in thigh, etc.

tearing in hollow of knee.

shivering, etc. at 3 o'clock, chill, etc.

at 4 o'clock, chill, etc.

at 6.30 o'clock, short chill, etc.

from 11 to 3 o'clock violent chill.

shivering up the back.

from 10 to 3 o'clock, external heat.

(Evening), On sitting and standing, stitches in side of head.

after lying down, drawing etc., in teeth.

during paroxysm, disgust for everything.

stitches in orifice of urethra.

stitches in shoulder-blade.

gnawing in sacrum. tearing in forearm, etc.

while sitting, sensation on side of lumbar vertebrae.

warm forehead, etc..

Great dimness of sight, attended with smarting and burning round the eyelids, and round the balls of the eyes.

constant lachrymation.

the eyes turned towards the nose.

twitching of the eyelids.

he could not close his eyes without great pain, from smarting of the lids chiefly.

there was considerable redness, and an apparent distress from the inflammation of both eyes. Some drops of the strong Camphora ^Camphor tincture were given him. The next morning everything appeared yellow. Theridion ^Ther nose was also considerably affected.

some swelling with redness and heat, within as well as without, with the appearance of suffering from severe coryza,.

Pain at 3 A.M. above on the top of the nose, so that he thought he had pressed it, followed by tension and erysipelatous inflammation and swelling from the back of the nose down both sides into the cheeks, especially on the right, like great redness of the cheeks, becoming white under the pressure of the finger, then rapidly again red.

hard to the touch. It continued to increase on the following days and decreased on the third day, followed by slight desquamation (thirtieth day). After several weeks, without marked cause, a similar inflammation, especially on the right upper lip, the sides and tip of nose,.

Soon complained of lancinating pains of the stomach, burning of the throat, and great nausea. In two hours, violent retching succeeded, and the vomited matters were streaked with blood.

they consisted, however, chiefly of frothy mucus. Next morning the pains continued, accompanied with cold clammy sweats, difficulty of swallowing, and in the evening, salivation. The mucus expectorated was of a pink color. Strangury supervened and continued for six days,.

About midnight he was seized with strong desire to urinate. In spite of all his efforts he could pass only a few drops of scalding urine, attended with severe pain throughout the length of the urethra, especially at the meatus, where he had a sensation like that of the pricking of pins. These symptoms became worse, and they were attended with priapism and severe pain in the genito-urinary organs, as well as in the lumbar region, and with intense thirst. At 9 P.M., he was much agitated, crying out and very restless. The eyes were injected and lustrous, the pupils dilated, and the countenance animated. The pulse was small and frequent. There was nausea with intense thirst. There was the most acute pain in the urethra, rendered much worse when with great difficulty some drops of urine were expelled. The desire to micturate was incessant, and an acute state of nervous erethism was produced. Only a very small quantity of urine could be discharged.

and this was thick and bloody. The abdomen was retracted and sensitive to pressure, especially in the hypogastric region, where the slightest touch produced acute pain. Pain was also felt in the lumbar region, owing to the kidneys being affected, and this pain extended downwards to the perinaeum. The catheter brought away a small quantity of thick bloody urine, containing album in marked proportion,.

He went to dinner at 6 P.M. (after half an hour), but had little or no appetite, and about 8.30 went to his room suffering much pain in his abdomen and in the region of the bladder. The first and most prominent symptom was an excruciating burning before passing water, which was increased as the water left the bladder. About 9 he commenced to have the most excruciating pain in his bladder, with the continual desire to pass his water, which could only be pressed out in drops, but often bloody, and sometimes small clots would pass through the urethra, producing so much agony that he came near fainting on several occasions. About the same time his bowels moved several times, the passage being loose and without pain, except as the last faeces passed from the rectum, when he would experience some pain and straining, which soon extended to the bladder, bringing on the most painful tenesmus, which was but little relieved when one or two drops of bloody urine passed. At 2 A.M. he complained mostly of a tearing-boring pain immediately over the region of the right kidney.

it was painful for him to lie in any position, but when his back was bent in, he felt more comfortable. At times he said the pain was most acute, and he would groan fearfully under the agony.

this would last for several moments, when a short period of comparative ease would ensue, only to be succeeded by the old pain. This acute pain did not remain entirely localized to the region of the kidney, but followed the direction of the ureters. The desire to urinate was somewhat better, still every ten or fifteen minutes he would seize the chamber, and under the greatest agony pass sometimes one-half ounce of urine without any appreciable appearance of blood, when probably the next time he would pass urine the first drop seemed to be almost pure blood. It was as the last drops passed the sphincter vesicae that the pain amounted to torture, and though a young man of courage, his self-possession would forsake him, and his face betrayed what his sufferings were,.

The amount of urine passed this morning was four ounces.

its color when held up to the light was a reddish brown, showing the presence of a small amount of blood. Neutral on test. On adding Nitric Acid ^{Nit. ac}., also when heated, albumen was precipitated in abundance, amounting perhaps to 1/14 per cent. The presence of albumen was found to be caused by the large quantity of blood in the urine. Under the microscope a very large number of blood-corpuscles, occasionally pus-corpuscles, epithelia of bladder, and spheroidal cells from the tubuli uriniferi and pelvis of kidney were to be found. The epithelia from the bladder were more numerous than those from the kidney. There was some mucus, with which the blood-corpuscles seemed to be intimately mixed. There were no crystals, no casts. The deposit at the bottom of the vessel, after standing some little time, was considerable (first day). Urine pale yellow. Reaction alkaline. Albumen present, but in less quantity. Under the microscope there was a diminution of the blood-corpuscles, and epithelia from the bladder. The cells from the pelvis and kidney had diminished some in number (third day). Urine light yellow, much deposit, reaction alkaline. Albumen much decreased. Microscope shows a marked diminution of blood-corpuscles, a diminished number of cells from kidney and epithelia of bladder. On the other hand there was much mucus, intermixed with large quantities of urates, and some crystals of Ammonium Carbonicum ^{carbonate of ammonia} (fifth day). Urine alkaline.

no albumen. no blood corpuscles. Increase of mucus, urate, and epithelia of bladder, and an exceptional cell from kidney (eighth day). Urine alkaline, much sediment. Large quantities of mucus, with epithelia of bladder, and an exceptional cell from pelvis of kidney (thirteenth day). Urine varied frequently in appearance now, sometimes being quite clear.

this was more marked toward morning, whereas towards noon it would be quite cloudy. Color of urine passed in office decidedly more natural. Alkaline, large quantities of mucus, urates, epithelia from bladder, and crystals of Ammonium Carbonicum ^{carbonate of ammonia} (nineteenth day),.

During slight, somewhat sudden, turning of the body, violent stitching in the left side, below the arm, on inspiration, extending through the whole body, just as if some one violently pierced him with a fine spear, with a jerk, so that it arrested the breathing for a moment.

it occurred but once on the other side with the same violence, and less violently during rest, but not at all on respiration or motion (second day),.

Increased thirst, with much drinking.

the urinary secretion does not compare with the quantity of liquids taken, the secretion of quite scanty thin urine occurs first in the evening, four hours after the drinking, and without any unpleasant sensation in the urethra.

the prover was usually obliged to urinate immediately, however little she had drank,.

Violent cutting pain in the abdomen and boring pains in the knees, so that she cried aloud Camphora ^Camphor brought no relief.

after coffee she vomited bitter stuff, after which it remained bitter in her mouth.

after repeated doses of Camphora ^Camphor, there at last came relief of the intolerable pains,.

Violent paroxysmal cutting and burning pains in both kidneys.

the region was very sensitive to the slightest touch.

this alternated with equally severe pain and burning in the tip of the penis, urging to urinate, and extremely painful evacuation, by drops, of bloody urine.

at times also he passed pure blood with some clots,.

Awakened at 3 1/2 A.M. by urging to urinate.

after the discharge of some urine, and extremely tormenting burning in the urethra. I could not remain in bed.

on sitting, the trouble was somewhat relieved.

was obliged to pass urine every three or four minutes, with almost unendurable pains. I drank three glasses of cold water in rapid succession, and after thirty minutes, passed a large amount of urine, with relief of the pain,.

Constant urging to urinate, with passage of a few drops, causing severe smarting and burning along the urethra, especially in the neighborhood of the fossa navicularis. Finally, after long and painful straining to pass a few drops of bloody and albuminous urine, a convulsive tremor attacks all the limbs, the forehead and chest are covered with cold sweat, and he sinks on his bed half-exhausted.

he cannot get a moment's rest, on account of the immediate return of these sufferings,.

33 1/2 ounces (sixth day), (from 4 doses of 2d dil.).

34 1/2 ounces (second day), (from 2 drops of 2d dil.).

35 1/2 ounces (fourth day), (from 25 drops of 6th dil.).

48 ounces (fifth day), (from 30 drops twice, and 5 drops once of the 1st. dil.).

the quantity passed at each time this day was a follows.

13, 10, 9, and twice 7 ounces.

39 1/2 ounces (sixth day), (from 50 drops of 1st., morning and evening).

34 1/4 ounces (seventh day), (from 50 drops of 1st. dil. three times),.

The daily quantity of urine, while taking the tincture, varied between 33 1/2 and 43 1/2 ounces.

in order to obtain the average amount. I included the quantity passed on the day after this proving (the first day of taking the 2d trituration), which amounted to 59 ounces, because it seemed to be the effect of the tincture, and not that of the trituration taken that day.

the average thus amounted to 41 1/4 ounces,.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS.

Marasmus,

Complete emaciation; she can scarcely sit any more, because the tuberosities protrude,

The body is bent almost double, and the arms are folded across the hypogastrium (after four hours),

The plasticity of the blood drawn from the veins is increased,

Increased discharge from the diseased part, in the ulcer on the feet, from the nose in chronic catarrh, from the urethra in gonorrhoea,

Erosion of the mucous membrane from the mouth to the anus,

Twitchings of tendons,

Convulsive motions,

Convulsive agitation and trembling (after one hour),

Convulsions, which returned at short intervals,

Convulsions in paroxysms, accompanied by painful priapism,

Convulsions, followed by severe pain in head and coma (fourth day),

Convulsions, with horror of liquids,

Violent convulsions,

Horrible convulsions, with writing of the limbs,

Terrible convulsions. sometimes he tossed about and rolled on his bed in despair.

sometimes he got up and rushed like a madman to a friend's bed in an alcove of the same room, seized the iron curtain rods and bent them like reeds, screaming and howling dreadfully.

eight strong men could scarcely hold him.

the convulsions succeeded each other almost uninterruptedly, and lasted for hours at a time, with a few minutes quiet interval.

sometimes they look the form of emprosthotonos, sometimes of opisthotonos.

sometimes he opened his mouth, and sometimes the violent trismus closed it tightly, with very hard grinding of the teeth, and running of frothy, at times blood-streaked saliva.

his face was expressive of fright and despair. In the convulsions, his hair was seen to stand on end.

his gaze was fixed, his eyes sparkled and flashed, and as their muscles were successively thrown into spasmodic movements they rolled frightfully. The temperature of the skin was natural, the pulse full and slow, 55 per minute. When a hand was pressed upon the umbilical region, the abdominal muscles entered into contraction, and that portion of the abdomen seemed glued to the spine, especially the recti, which were like tightened cords.

suddenly the disturbance extended all over the body, the spasms became general, and the head was thrown backward in a manner fearful to behold. When we sought to apply a sponge, dipped in a warm and oily embrocation, to the most painful part of the abdomen, the patient instantly broke away like a madman.

he frothed at the mouth more than ever.

his eyes became fiercer.

the constriction of the throat almost choked him.

he howled frightfully, like the barking of a dog.

and immediately after these symptoms fell into general convulsions, which ended in fainting and profound sopor. These attacks were renewed frequently.

pressure upon painful places in the hypogastrium, or the mere sight of liquids, was sufficient to produce them,.

After two hours and a half she was suffering much from burning pain and constriction in the throat.

her eyeballs were prominent.

her lips and mouth were parched and bleached (blistered). She was salivating, retching, and vomiting a glairy tenacious mucus.

her tongue was also bleached along the sides and tip.

but was blackish brown in the centre, and much swollen. The breathing was very irregular and imperfect, sometimes quick, sometimes slow, and at great intervals. The pulse at the wrist was full and bounding.

she frequently tried to urinate, but ineffectually, only passing a little blood instead of urine. The bowels acted slightly, the motion being black and tarry-looking. The pulse was now small and compressible.

she died in twenty-one hours and a half after the poisoning. The post-mortem showed in the posterior and upper surface of the stomach, three inches from the pyloric end, a perforation sufficiently large for a small hen's egg to pass through.

the edges of the perforation were ragged, congested, and blackened, and the mucous membrane for two inches on each side was congested and blackened, and the mucous surface of the stomach and lower end of the gullet generally in a blakened and softened state, and coated with a black grumous matter,.

Cantharis powerful drug produces a furious disturbance in the animal economy, attacking the urinary and sexual organs especially, perverting their function, and setting up violent inflammations,

and causing a frenzied delirium, simulating hydrophobia symptoms ( Anagallis.) Puerperal convulsions. Produces most violent inflammation of the whole gastro-intestinal canal, especially lower bowel. Oversensitiveness of all parts. Irritation. Raw, burning pains. Hemorrhages. Intolerable, constant urging to urinate is most characteristic. Gastric, hepatic and abdominal complaints That are aggravated by drinking Coffea Cruda ^Coffee. Gastric derangements of pregnancy. Dysuria, with other complaints. Increases secretion of mucous membranes, tenacious mucus. The inflammations Cantharis produces (bladder, kidneys, ovaries, meninges, pleuritic and pericardial membranes) are usually associated with bladder irritation.

Rapid and intense action

Excitement during the pains

CUTTING-SMARTING or BURNING-BITING PAINS; as if raw

VIOLENTLY ACUTE INFLAMMATION, or rapidly destructive Discharge of bloody, acrid water

Serous effusion

Gangrene

Weak attacks, that take the voice away

Amorous frenzy

Rage

Yellow vision

Swelled, tremulous tongue; raw edges Throat full of blisters; painful swallowing

Throat and larynx painfully constricted, and as if afire Burning thirst, but averse to liquids

Violent retching and vomiting

Sensitive over stomach and kidneys (Solid)

Shreddy, burning stools, with tenesmus of rectum and bladder

BURNING, SCALDING URINE, WITH CUTTING, INTOLERABLE URGING AND FEARFUL TENESMUS OR DRIBBLING

Strangury Dysuria

Bloody urine

Acute nephritis

Nephritic colic

Cystitis

Griping in bladder

Gonorrhoea

Dropsy

Painfully swelled genitals

Painful priapism

Pulls at penis

Sexual irritation

Pollutions

Many, short, dry coughing spells

Chest pains, better eructations

Pleurisy

Pericarditis

Vesicular erysipelas; turning dark (Ranunculus Bulbosus ^Ran-b)

Bullae

Chill, during stool

Urinous sweat; on genitals

Cantharis vesicator. Lytta vesicator. Spanish fly. N. O. Insecta, Coleoptera. Tincture or trituration of living insects.

Cantharis belongs to the animal kingdom and finds its most prominent sphere of action in exciting the animal passions. There is anger in a very acute degree amounting to paroxysms of rage.

and a corresponding condition of the bodily tissues. The word "irritation" best expresses the totality of the Cantharis effects. The pains are burning, and sharp, lancinating along the course of a nerve. Neuralgia of head and face from taking cold, with loud screams and jerking of muscles. The slightest touch or approach aggravates the mental symptoms. Violent spasms reproduced by touching larynx. There is also agg. from dazzling objects and by water.

completing the hydrophobia picture. It may be well to remember in this connection the violent erotic action of Canth., for many have maintained that rabies only arises among domesticated animals where sexual functions are under more or less abnormal conditions. Guernsey gives as the special indications in hydrophobia "Moaning and violent cries, interspersed with barking." Canth. produces amorous frenzy, unbounded sexual desire.

also sexual erethism and excitability. It acts on the brain, producing inflammation of the tissues. The eyes are bright, pupils widely dilated. Erysipelas commencing in nose. The face is generally pale or yellowish, with an expression of deep-seated suffering. There is diphtheritic inflammation of throat, severe burning, constriction.

thirst, with aversion to drinking. The stomach is inflamed. Pain in abdomen colic-like, doubling the patient up, cutting, burning, lancinating. Dysenteric stools with tenesmus. In the genito-urinary region the most intense action is developed. There is extreme superficial sensitiveness in hypogastrium (especially when the bladder is full), attended with unbearable tenesmus vesicae. Cutting, burning pains from the kidney down to urethra. Strangury. Can pass only a few drops, like molten lead. Irritation of all grades. The sexual appetite is aroused to the point of mania. Coitus does not always reduce it. On the skin and serous membranes the irritating effects of the remedy are equally pronounced. Pleurisy with effusion has been cured by the remedy given internally. Burning, stitches, shooting pains and exudation are the indications. So the fly-blister treatment of olden days had more to say for itself than those who used it knew. Vesication is the note of its effects on the skin and indicates its use in burns of the first degree, erysipelas, blisters. In burns the part may be treated with a lotion containing a few drops of the tincture to the ounce of water, a dilution being given internally. An ointment made with the 3x is a good application for herpes zoster. H. N. Guernsey observed that Canth. is almost always the remedy for whatever other sufferings there may be, when there is as well frequent micturition with burning, cutting pain.

or if cutting burning pain attends the flow, even when micturition is not very frequent. Guernsey also pointed out that Canth. should be studied in treating affections of the air-passages when the mucus is tenacious. Nash records a case in which this observation led him to make a pretty cure. Kali Bich ^{Kali bich}. had completely failed to relieve a lady who had suffered long from bronchitis. The mucus was profuse, tenacious, and ropy. One day the patient mentioned that she had great cutting and burning on urinating, which she was obliged to do very frequently. Canth, made a rapid cure. Canth. has cured a case of malarial cachexia in which the symptoms were always agg. when the urine was scanty. "Burning" runs through the Canth. pathogeneses in a very striking way. Another marked feature of the remedy is its effect in increasing the secretions of membranes. Canth. "expels moles, dead fetus, placentae.

promotes fecundity" (Guernsey). The agg. is from drinking.

from coffee. from drinking cold water.

whilst urinating. after urinating.

from touch. amel. From rubbing.

from warm applications.

Spanish Fly. Hahnemann. Cantharis vesicatoria.

* * *

When taken internally it proceeds almost immediately to attack the urinary tract and establish a uraemic state which brings about the mental symptoms; the local inflammatory condition comes on with great rapidity, and this brings the patient down violently sick in a great hurry.

From strong doses in the poisonous effect we get startling and alarming symptoms; the whole economy is in disorder; grievous symptoms commonly of the urinary tract. The parts become gangrenous at an early stage.

Fear and confusion of ideas. The mind often runs towards subjects that the inflamed parts would suggest.

Bladder and genitals The bladder and genitals are inflamed and the excitement and congestion of the parts often arouse the sexual instinct, so that there are sexual thoughts and sexual frenzy. Violent amorous frenzy, an excitement such as accompanies inflammation attended with thoughts that correspond. The sexual instinct has gone mad, the erections in the male are painful and violent.

The penis is inflamed and sore and it would be painful to have coitus, yet there is this frenzy. Insolence. Blasphemy. Restlessness ending in rage. Restlessness causing him to move constantly, a rage and delirium intermingled with amorous frenzy.

Cantharis kind of mental conduct in Cantharis is similar to what will take place in Hyoscyamus Niger ^Hyos., Phosphorus ^Phos, and Secale Cornutum ^Secale.

a violent delirious state intermingled with sexual ideas and talk. In some instances he deliriously sings lewd songs and prattles on the subject of human genitals, urine and feces, a wild raving on subjects not talked about in health except among the depraved.

But in disease, chaste and modest persons, virgins, will speak so that it is surprising where they have picked up such language. in such cases it is well to exclude everybody from the room except the nurse and doctor. I have seen a dear old mother weep and wring her hands and say

"Where did my daughter learn such language?"

The daughter is not to blame.

It is simply a condition of the urinary tract or the menstrual function, brought on from cold or exposure, or through the mother's neglect to tell her daughter what she should know in regard, to her menstrual function, and how there is inflammation of the ovaries or uterus, or outside parts, and the urine burns and causes an inflammatory condition of the outer parts, or the urine is retained and there is frenzy. Such in Cantharis

Violent, bursting, lancinating headaches as if stabbed with a knife an inflammatory condition that takes hold of the mind violently.

Running all through the remedy there is burning In the head burning, throbbing and stabbing. Unconsciousness and delirium in the mental state. Burning in the side of the head. Stitches in the side of the head and occiput. Lancinating pains deep in the brain. Hair falls out.

It is seldom indicated in eye troubles alone, except such as come with head and mind symptoms.

Erysipelas of the face with large blisters. Burning in the eyes and the whole atmosphere looks yellow. Burning and smarting in the eyes.

Erysipelas of the eyes, with gangrenous tendency. Eyes hot, scalding tears. Erysipelas of the face, dorsum of the nose, involving the lids.

Rhus Tox ^Rhus is more commonly. used in this condition, but when it is violent Canth will often be indicated and preferable to Rhus Tox ^Rhus, Rhus Tox ^Rhus has the blisters and the burning, but in Canth between your two visits the erysipelas has grown black, it is dusky, a rapid change has taken place, and it looks as if gangrene would set in.

Burning in the erysipelatous area and the skin around burns from the touch In Rhus Tox ^Rhus this is not so. In Cantharis the little blisters even if touched burn like fire.

Eruptions burn when touched, ever so lightly, i.e., those eruptions such as the remedy could produce.

Cantharis patient enters into a state of prostration, is pallid, has Hippocratic countenance and dies. It corresponds to the lowest forms of disease, even gangrene and violent inflammation of the bowels, bladder, brain, spine and lungs; sinking and hippocratic countenance.

Inflammation of the lungs, gangrenous type, prostration and the lung that is affected burns like fire, and immediately he expectorates cadaverous smelling expectoration, thin, bloody, watery.

it has come on in an astonishingly rapid manner, and in a little while he will die.

the nose is contracted, there is the hippocratic countenance, and the urine is suppressed.

I remember one patient who had just come out of a prolonged drunk. I left the patient in the evening in just such, a state as I have described.

He was drooling a bloody saliva from his mouth and be was dying. He had had this condition come on in one night from being nearly frozen in a drunk.

Arsenicum Album ^Arsenic has the burning in the lungs and he spits up black sputum, pneumonia signs are present, with the restlessness and anxiety, and other symptoms of Arsenicum Album ^Arsenic, and Arsenicum Album ^Arsenic will stop it at once. These violent remedies are needed in those cases that will die.

Burning in the throat. Great thirst, with burning in the throat and stomach. Thirst, with aversion to all fluids, that is, the craving of the mouth and throat are antagonized by the mental state. Thirst in the throat and an aversion to water in the mind. Violent, burning in the stomach, pylorus, abdomen.

The abdomen is swollen and tympanitic; lancinating pains cutting and stabbing. Wherever there is a rapid inflammation in the bowels there is diarrhoea of bloody mucus or serum, watery, bloody fluids from the bowels and stomach.

The same watery bloody fluid from the eyes. And wherever this watery fluid comes in contact with the skin it burns and excoriates. Bloody urine.

Desire for stool while urinating. The patient will sit on the commode with violent tenesmus to pass urine and stool, feels that if he could only pass a few more drops of urine or a little more bloody stool he would get relief, but no relief comes. All the parts are inflamed and on fire. Tenesmus and urging not only when the bladder is empty, but often when the bladder is full.

Retention of urine. Passes none or only a drop or two. Violent tenesmus of the bladder. Cutting pains with tenesmus, lancinating, stabbing like knives, in neck of bladder.

Pains shoot off in different directions. Violent pains with frequent urging. Constant tenesmus. An anxious state and frenzy come on; most violent suffering and be has urging to pass urine and stool with sexual erethism tantalizing in the extreme.

The whole urinary organs and genitalia are in a state of inflammation and gangrene. Burning when urinating. This bloody urine burns like fire in the bladder and about the genitals. Retention or suppression of urine.

In the female there is oversensitiveness of all parts. Inflammation of the ovaries and uterus. Burning in the vagina. Membranous dysmenorrhoea. Menses too early, profuse, black.

Puerperal convulsions. Retained placenta. Burning pains. When there have been no expulsive pains present to expel the afterbirth, with the symptoms running all through Cantharis, after it has been given, normal contractions of the uterus have come on with expulsion of the membranes.

Violent lancinating pains through the kidneys and back. Pains in the loins and abdomen. Pain on urinating so that he moaned and screamed on passing a drop.

Frequent urging to urinate, with straining and cutting, burning pains.

Small unsatisfactory quantity passed at a time, or bloody urine.

Excessive burning pains (eyes, mouth, throat, stomach, intestinal tract; all the mucous surfaces and skin).

Stringy and tenacious discharges from the mucous membranes.

Nearly all complaints accompanied with the characteristic urinary symptoms.

Erysipelas, with blebs or large blisters filled with water and burning pain; useful for surface burns (locally).

Uncontrollable anguish, furious rage, frenzied delirium; strong sexual desire, both sexes.

Disgust for everything; drink, food, tobacco.

Dysenteric stools, bloody and shreddy, like scrapings from intestines, with tenesmus in rectum and bladder.

If I were to select the one remedy with which to prove the truth of the formula similia, etc., I think this would be the one. There is no remedy that so surely, and so violently, irritates and inflames the urinary organs, and no remedy so promptly cures such irritation when it puts on, the Cantharis type or form, which it often does.

H N. Guernsey wrote "It is a singular fact, though known to most practitioners, that there be frequent micturition attended with burning, cutting pain, or if not so frequent and the cutting, burning pain attends the flow, Cantharis is almost always the remedy for whatever other suffering where may be, even in inflammation of the brain or lungs." He might have added in the throat, and mucous membranes all through the intestinal tract, even to the rectum and anus, and in the pleura or on the skin.

He also wrote "Cantharis should always be remembered and studied in treating affections of the air passages when the mucus is tenacious." (Hydrastis Canadensis ^Hydrastis, Kali bichrom. Coccus Cacti ^{Coccus cacti}, etc.) I had the pleasure of verifying the truth of this in the case of a lady who had suffered a long time with bronchitis.

The mucus was so profuse, and tenacious, and ropy, that I thought of Kali Bich ^{Kali bichromicum}, and thought it must be the remedy; but it did not even ameliorate, and she got worse all the time, until one day she mentioned that she had great cutting and burning on urinating, which she must do very frequently.

On the strength of the urinary symptom, for I knew nothing of its curative powers on the respiratory organs at that time, I gave her Cantharis. The effect was magical.

It is needless to describe the mutual delight of both physician and patient in such a case, for it was astonishing the rapidity with which the perfect and permanent cure of the case was accomplished.

Let us notice still further the effects of Cantharis upon the urinary organs by calling attention to a few symptoms that have been both produced in proving and cured ab usu in morbis.

I have learned to place the highest estimate upon such symptoms. To be sure there are many symptoms in our great Materia Medica that have come to us through clinical sources only, and very valuable ones, too. But they cannot be received with such implicit confidence on short acquaintance as those that are both pathogenetic and clinical. They should always be separated when possible, as they were in "Hull's Jahr" of old. Here are a few of them. "Violent pains in bladder, with frequent urging to urinates with intolerable tenesmus." "Violent burning cutting pains in the neck of the bladder." "Before, during and after urinating fearful cutting pains in the urethra" "Constant urging to urinate.

No homoeopathist meeting these symptoms in a case would fail to think of Cantharis at once, no matter what else ailed the patient, as it has cured the most diverse and varied diseases when occurring in conjunction with these urinary symptoms. How any physician of any school can deny the truth of similia similibus curantur in the light of such testimony of proof can only be accounted for on the principle of "none so blind as those who will not see."

Cantharis has also very decided action upon the skin. In erysipelas it is sometimes the best remedy, and choice has to be made between it and Apis Mel ^Apis, which also sometimes has great urinary irritation in such cases. In the Apis Mel ^Apis cases there is apt to be more oedema; in Cantharis more blistering. In Cantharis the burning is more intense than under the Apis Mel ^Apis, while in the latter there is more stinging. The urinary symptoms, if present, are very much more intense under Cantharis.- Again, the mind symptoms of the two remedies are quite different. In the Apis Mel ^Apis cases, aside from the stinging pains which make the patient cry out sharply at times, especially if the eruption inclines to "go in" and attack the membranes of the brain, the patient may not be so very restless and complaining.

I will call attention to a sensational symptom of Cantharis which I believe is underestimated in practice. It is the sensation of Burning. If any remedy deserves to be placed alongside Arsenicum Album ^Arsenicum for burning it is this one. I will quote so as to bring all together, in a way to impress upon our memory the burnings of Cantharis. "Inflammation of the eyes particularly when caused by a burn." "Burning in mouth, throat, and stomach." Great thirst, with burning pain in throat and stomach. "Violent burning pain in stomach in region of pylorus." "Violent burning pain and heat through whole intestinal tract." "Passage of white or pale-red tough mucus with the stool like scrapings from intestines, with streaks of blood; after stool colic relieved, burning, biting, and stinging in the anus." "Great burning pain in the ovarian regions." "Peritonitis with burning pain, abdomen sensitive and tenesmus of the bladder." "Burning and stinging of the larynx, especially when attempting to hawk up tough mucus." "Burning in the chest.".

We have already spoken of the burnings connected with affections of the urinary organs, and also of the burnings of the skin in erysipelas and other eruptions upon the surface.

Cantharis seems to me to be sufficient to impress upon the reader the value of this symptom belonging to Cantharis. I will close by calling attention to its effect upon the membranes to increase their secretion. This action is positive and is a valuable indication for its use.

Clinical

Bladder affections. Burns. Chordee. Diphtheria. Dysentery. Eczema. Emissions. Erotomania. Erysipelas. Eyes, inflammation of. Gastritis. Gonorrhoea. Herpes zoster. Hydrophobia. Kidneys, affections of. Mania. Neuralgia. Nymphomania. Ovaries, affections of. Peritonitis. Pleurisy. Pregnancy, disorders of. Retained placenta. Satyriasis. Scarlatina. Spermatorrhoea. Strangury. Thirst. Throat, sore. Tongue, inflammation of. Urine, abnormal. Vesication of skin.

Region

MEMBRANES (Mucous and serous) URINARY ORGANS

Bladder Pharynx

Brain

Pleura

Lower bowel

Pomum adami

Skin

Right side

Sensations

Dryness of the skin,

Burning and some itching-tearing here and there in the skin,

Violent burning pain of the integuments,

If he bruises himself anywhere, the spot burns for some time,

Itching,

Itching of the skin,

Itching in the skin,

Itching, now here, now there, as if from lice (tenth, eleventh, and twelfth days),

Violent itching and sticking in the skin,

Stitches in the skin of the abdomen,

A few fine needle stitches on the skin below the right breast (after three-quarters of an hour),

Fine stitching in the skin of the neck,

Twitching in the skin of the left knee, inner surface (after two hours),

Itching and tearing in an ulcer,

Itching in the forehead, obliging him to rub,

Itching at the perineum, with a sort of tenesmus at the anus (some provers),

Itching about the genitals,

Itching on the genitals,

Violent itching on the right side of the chest under the right arm, in the afternoon,

Itching on the coccyx above the anus,

A painless itching and twitching at night, now in the hands, now in the feet (after four hours),

Tickling and biting in the skin, on the outer side of the left upper arm, disappearing on rubbing (after two hours),

Crawling itching in the bends of both elbows,