Graphites - General symptoms - Clarke
Black Lead, Graphite, Graph.
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Below are the main rubriks (i.e strongest indications or symptoms) of Graphites in traditional homeopathic usage, not approved by the FDA.
GENERAL
General
Plumbago. Black Lead. An allotropic modification of carbon. (The finest specimens contain traces of iron, 0.04 to 0.6 per cent.; poor qualities as much as 4 per cent.) Trituration of prepared Black Lead from finest English drawing-pencils.
Acne. Amenorrhoea. Anus, affections of. Blepharitis. Breasts, indurated.
The first idea of using this substance as a drug, says Hahnemann, is due to S. Weinhold, who was led to it by seeing workmen in a mirror-factory use it as a local application for tetters.
Ruggieri followed him, using it both internally and locally.
Hufeland relates the cure of a lady, 41, by the internal and external use of Graph., of an acne rosacea which had defied all other modes of treatment.
Teste classes Graph. in the Pulsatilla Pulsatilla group with Silica Marina Silic., Calc Carb Calc., Hep Sulph Calc Hepar, and Phosphorus Phos.
He gives the following among other symptoms as common to Pulsatilla Puls., Silica Marina Silic., and Graph. "Anxious, changeable, wavering mood.
aversion to work. vertigo with cloudiness.
a sort of intoxication in the morning.
sense of fulness or emptiness in the head.
drowsiness in daytime.
single, acute, deep shocks in right half of brain.
flickering before eyes.
suspension of visual power.
photophobia. lachrymation in open air.
foul smell before nostrils.
amenorrhoea. swelling of right testicle.
swelling of veins. wandering pains.
pain in the parts not lain upon.
heaviness in affected parts.
rheumatism at nape of neck.
sweat at night having odour of urine.
drowsiness in daytime." Hahnemann was quick to perceive that Graph. was much more than a mere remedy for skin affections.
Like that other great skin remedy, Sulphur Sulphur, Graph. proved to be a leading antipsoric.
Hahnemann's provings and observations defined its powers over skin affections.
Its special characteristic is "Eruptions oozing out a thick, honey-like fluid." Wherever such eruptions are found Graph. is in all probability the remedy.
I have cured many cases, notably some occurring on the occiput, and behind the ears.
It is no less frequently a remedy for the results of repelled eruptions of the kind.
Nash records such a case A child had been "relieved" of an eczema capitis under old-school treatment, whereupon entero-colitis set in, and became so alarming that it was pronounced "consumption of the bowels." Nash when called in found the child greatly emaciated, with little or no appetite, very restless, passing "stools of brown fluid mixed with undigested substances, and of an intolerably fetid odour." Graph. 6m (Jenichen) cured promptly.
Graph. being one of the forms of Carbon, it is therefore related to Carbo anim., and Carbo Veg Carbo veg.; and as it contains a small percentage of iron, it is also related to Ferrum Met Ferrum.
Graph. causes slight erethism at first, then a weak, relaxed, condition; anaemia; chlorosis.
The typical Graphites patient is "fat, chilly, and costive." Lymphatic glands are swollen.
Like the skin, the mucous membranes are cracked and fissured, and have scanty secretions.
Irregularities in the distribution of the blood occur, pallor of skin and mucous membranes.
The circulation is at first excited, then follows loss of energy and consequent venous hyperaemia.
Fainting readily occurs with great anxiety; motion is impaired and the tissues relaxed, but paralysis is not complete.
A marked characteristic of Graphites is a rush of blood to head, with flushed face.
I have cured two very severe cases of nose-bleed in elderly people where this symptom was present.
In one case there had been flushing of head and neck for many months previous to the attack, and flushing preceded and accompanied each occurrence of the bleeding.
In the other case the patient said the precursory flush seemed to come up from his toes.
He had had his nostrils plugged, without avail, before I saw him.
Graphites, in a high potency, cured promptly in both instances.
Hahnemann gives the symptom on which I based the prescription as follows "Bleeding of the nose at 10 p.m.; preceded in the afternoon by rush of blood to the head, and heat of face," There is also "rush of blood to head, with distension and flatulence." Graphites is suited to persons who have a tendency to put on unhealthy fat.
Defective animal heat from defective oxygenation; always cold, indoors or out.
Chlorotics. Affections of glands, skin, and mucous membranes, especially at orifices.
The Graphites condition is not sensitive and herein it differs from Hep Sulph Calc Hepar, which has extreme sensitiveness of affected parts.
The tone of mind is sad and foreboding.
The eyes, ears, and nose are affected, especially the integumentary parts.
There is a very characteristic symptom in reference to the hearing "hardness of hearing amel. when riding in a carriage." There is a sore throat like that of Lachesis Lachesis; sensation of a lump, agg. on empty swallowing.
It has also a "lump" sensation at the stomach.
It resembles Lachesis Lachesis, too, in its flushings; in gastralgia amel. by eating.
Hurries to meals to relieve violent pain at epigastrium; especially to dinner and supper.
Goullon cured two notable cases of cramps in the stomach with "improvement of the cramps by eating." There was also clean tongue.
Milk agreed well, especially hot milk.
In one case roast meat agreed, but not boiled meat, and, still less, potatoes.
In the morning there was a fishy taste, disappearing later in the day.
Another cure by Goullon was of a young lady who was troubled with salivation, coming on any time; sometimes just before sitting down to dinner; oftenest when riding in a carriage, less often when riding in a train.
She was prevented by it from seeing company, and was low-spirited.
There was also habitual costiveness.
Graph. 12 at first aggravated and then rapidly cured.
Goullon understood the power of Graphites, perhaps, more completely than any other writer, and I will give another of his cures, as it illustrates several points in the drug's action.
A well-grown, healthy-looking girl of fifteen had violent headache in right temple every four weeks; the pain was stinging.
Glittering before the eyes frequently preceded and followed the attack, which recurred to the hour, and sometimes also on the following day.
Drowsiness accompanied the attack, deep sleep, heat and redness of the head, followed by a chill. Sepia Sep. 6 relieved the headache, but the glitter remained.
The heaviness of the eyelids led Goullon to Graph. (which causes ptosis).
The period for the headache passed without recurrence, and the sensation of lights completely disappeared (H. R., vi. 271).
Graphites causes suffocative spells which arouse the patient from sleep, he must jump out of bed, agg. after midnight (Lachesis Lach. agg. after sleep).
There is a diarrhoea of thin, offensive, partly digested stools.
Constipation is more common, the stools being in lumps coated with mucus, and with mucous shreds.
Habitual costiveness and, in females, scanty menses form a keynote indication when found associated with other complaints, as headache, skin-affections, &c.
Moist itching excoriation around anus and fissures.
The male sexual organs are affected as well as the female Uncontrollable sexual excitement, with violent erections.
Priapism. (I have frequently seen this condition produced in patients taking Graph. for other things; and have frequently relieved priapism with Graph.) Impotence.
In the female the breasts are affected.
Pain under left breast at menstrual period, often waking patient in the night.
Hysterical melancholia with occipital headache.
Leucorrhoea profuse, in gushes, excoriating.
It has many symptoms in common with Sepia Sepia, but Graph. affects the ovaries more markedly than the latter.
There is a feeling as if the uterus would press out at the vagina.
Stiffness of knees. The skin of Graphites is rough, hard, and dry.
Eczematous and herpetic eruptions predominate.
Eruption on occiput exuding gluey humour; eczema of ears; moist eczema round anus.
Pimples, acne. Wens. Gastro-intestinal affections alternating with acne and erythema of face, herpetic lesions or scrofulous hypochondriasis.
Excoriations between toes.
Syphilitic and "constitutional" ulcers.
Recrudescence of scars.
Cracks and fissures. Offensive discharges and secretions.
Sweat stains yellow; sour, offensive.
The senses are abnormally acute music causes weeping; cannot tolerate the smell of flowers.
Weak, exhaustion of whole body.
Spasms; contractions of muscles; twitching of eyelids.
Cataleptic condition. Sensitiveness of internal parts; numbness in various parts; drawing pain in whole body.
Pain as if head were numb, or pithy, or made of wood.
Pain as if constricted in occiput, extending to nape of neck, which pains as if broken. "Intense, heavy weight in occiput, as if head drawn back, must rest it, unable to read or think" (result of 2x and 3x, on three separate occasions in a patient of Dr. W. Epps. Chininum Sulphuricum Chi. 1x. relieved in a few days).
Hom. Rev., xl. 162). As if skin of forehead was drawn into folds. As if a skin were before ear. As if a hard body as large as an egg were behind ear. As of a cobweb over the face. As of a lump in stomach, with beating as of two hammers. As if intestines were torn.
croaking as of a frog in abdomen. As if everything would be torn to pieces during menstruation. Bearing-down pains in various parts. Rest amel.
motion agg. Riding in a carriage agg. many complaints.
but amel. hardness of hearing. agg. Lying on left side. Cold drinks, cold air, damp, wet atmosphere, washing agg. Warmth agg. tearing pain in teeth.
warmth of bed agg. itching.
amel. crampy pain in stomach.
scrofulous affections of bones. Eating amel. cramps in stomach.
hot drinks, especially hot milk, amel. agg. In open air.
in wind. Bathing after measles = paralysis of face. Getting feet wet = delayed menses. Attacks occur during summer and autumn. Ears feel stuffed at the full moon. Suffering parts emaciate. Overlifting easily. Haemorrhages. (When giving Graphit. internally in cases of anal eruption I have found the external use of an ointment made with a drachm of the 3x trituration to an ounce of Cetacean ointment of great service. Hirsh, of Prague, has also used Graph. locally in cases of disease of the nails, with very good results.).