Magnesia Carbonica - General symptoms - Clarke

GENERAL

General

Magnesiae carbonas levis. Light carbonate of magnesium of B. P. Magnesia carbonate 3(MgCO3) Mg(HO)2. 4H2O. Trituration.

Antrum of Highmore, affections of. Ascarides. Catarrh. Constipation. Cornea, opacities of. Cough. Deafness. Debility. Diarrhoea. Dyspepsia. Eyes, inflammation of. Hernia. Menorrhagia. Menstruation, delayed. Metrorrhagia. Nervousness. Neuralgia. Neurasthenia. Pregnancy, nausea of.

toothache of. Spleen, pain in. Taste, disorded. Tinnitus. Toothache. Tumours.

Mag. c. is the leading partner in the well-known "Pulv. Rhei Co." of the B. P., still better known as "Gregory's Powder," one of the terrors of an allopathic nursery. The proportions are Mag. c., six parts.

Rheum ^Rhubarb powder, two parts, and Zingiber ^Ginger powder one part. A curious point about this mixture is that Mag. c. and Rheum ^Rheum are antidotal in Homoeopathic practice, both having much acidity, and green, sour stools. "Fluid Magnesia" (Liquor Magnesiae Carbonatis), a much more palatable dose, as my early memories tell me, is made by impregnating water in which freshly precipitated carbonate of magnesia is suspended with CO2. One fluid ounce contains gr. xiii. of Mag. c. The properties of Mag. c. from the old-school standpoint are summed up as "laxative, antacid, antilithic." Guernsey says of it "We often use Mag. c. with great advantage for complaints arising in people who have been taking Magnesia Carbonica to 'sweeten the stomach.' " In order to obtain a proper notion of the power and sphere of this great remedy it is best to put out of mind all thought of its old associations. We shall then be able to view it in its entirety and its old uses will be seen in their proper relations. Mag. c. has many points of contact with Gelsemium Sempervirens ^Gels., Chamomilla ^Cham. and Arsenicum Album ^Ars. in nervous irritation and sleeplessness. But the nervousness of Mag c. is of the type of nerve exhaustion. "Water containing Magnesia and that coming from magnesian limestone districts is peculiarly soft to the feel. There is reason for supposing that this softness has a soothing effect upon the nervous system when used in the form of baths.

e.g., Buxton and Matlock in England, Schlangenbad, Wildbad, Rehme, and it may be Gastein in Germany. It is often found that the physical characteristics of substances correspond with their dynamic influences, and thus with Magnesia.

it very frequently is required for nervous systems that demand a permanently soothing and sustaining influence. Magnesia Carbonica's effects on the skin are reflected upon the primae viae or vice versâ.

for, on the mucous surfaces, quite apart from its antacid action, it proves soothing and sustaining" (Cooper). An indication given me by Cooper has been of immense service in numbers of cases.

that is, the state of nervousness induced by excess of the cares and worries of life. Mag. c. 200, repeated three or four times a day, has given untold relief to many a patient of this kind. When constipation and heaviness are present these will be removed at the same time. One leading note of Mag. c. is sensitiveness, mental and bodily, sensitive to touch, sensitive to cold air. Effects of shocks, blows, or mental distress. The least touch causes starting. This sensitiveness passes into neuralgic pains of the highest intensity, neuralgia, lightning-like.

agg. on left side, insupportable during repose.

must get up and walk about. The sufferings of the pregnant state.

come into this category.

An extra Taxus Baccata ^tax is made on the woman's strength at this period, and as so often happens the daily tasks go on as usual during the greater part of the time, so that a "worn-out" condition is induced. Mag. c. is of great value here. Mag. c. is to exhausted nerves what Chininum Sulphuricum ^Chi. is to exhaustion from loss of fluids.

But it must not be supposed that Mag. c. is a "nerve" medicine only.

Tumours, even bony ones, have yielded to it; and it has been credited with the cure of cataract.

I have no definite experience with it in cases of this last, though I have thought I observed improvement in some.

But I have many times removed with it corneal opacities left by ulceration; and I practically cured with it a tumour of the right malar bone.

The patient was a sea-captain, aged 50.

I had saved a relation from some operation, and for this reason he came to me.

Except for his trouble, which was steadily getting worse, he was quite healthy.

His face was quite distorted; right cheek bulging out, nose pushed over to left side, right nostril stretched out.

The malar bone was especially prominent near the wing of the nose.

Magnesia Carbonica was the only part that was tender.

The tumour was softish as if cystic.

There was no discharge.

Inside the mouth the right side of the hard palate bulged into the mouth and was slightly tender to pressure.

The tumour was the seat of a constant gnawing pain; but the thing that troubled him most was sensitiveness to cold winds and cold weather.

Magnesia Carbonica was so great that he was afraid he would have to give up his calling.

Magnesia Carbonica led me to give Silica Marina ^Silic. 30 in the first instance (on February 27, 1895); but Silicea ^Sil. only increased the pain.

One night he awoke feeling all his back aching.

I worked up the case more carefully and found this under Mag. c. "Throbbing pain in antrum of Highmore with swelling of right malar bone".

and "facial neuralgia, left side, shooting like lightning.

agg. from touch, draught, change of temperature.

cannot stay in bed, must walk the floor." Putting these together I prescribed (on March 13th) Mag. c. 30, giving four doses a day.

March 28th Much less pain.

Face much reduced, swelling softer, fluctuating.

Swelling inside mouth softer." April 10th "Very much better.

Tumour smaller and softer." August 14th "Face almost normal in appearance.

Swelling inside mouth quite gone.

Has no pain whatever, no sensitiveness to cold air.

Had finished medicine in middle of July." He now joined his ship, and as he was generally away for years at a time that was the last I saw of him, but I gave him a supply of Mag. c. to take with him.

The sensitiveness in this case was not that of nerve exhaustion, but it was sufficient to confirm the choice of the remedy, and it teaches us that it is never wise to narrow down the meaning of symptoms too closely.

So whilst Mag. c. is suited to "persons, especially children, of irritable disposition, nervous temperament.

lax fibre. sour smell" (Hering).

and to "worn-out women, and dark-haired, sensitive people, spare-and thin" (Cooper).

it is just as ready to cure a tough old sailor, impassive and stolid, provided he has sufficient Mag. c. symptoms about him.

A knowledge of the temperaments of remedies often saves much trouble; but it must be used with brains.

Two cases (related by A. I. Harvey) illustrating the power of Mag. c. in neuralgia are quoted in Amer.

Hom., xxii. 12. ($51$) Carpenter, 50, light complexion, spare, had had facial neuralgia two years coming in attacks, lasting from three to seven days, at intervals of two or three weeks.

Pain sharp, shooting, from left side of face and head, agg. at night, from pressure, from jar.

Mag. c. cured promptly after failure of Spigelia Anthelmia ^Spig. (2) Blacksmith, 22, light complexion, full figure.

For several years he had attacks of facial neuralgia coming on after taking cold.

Pain very severe in left orbital region, shooting down into eye and face, and back to occipital region begins in morning, grows worse till noon, then subsides.

No pain at night, rests well. Spigelia Anthelmia ^Spig. and Kali Bich ^{Kali bi}. failed. Mag. c. cured promptly.

Cooper mentions it, as a possible remedy in pyorrhea alveolaris.

In the homoeopathic nursery Mag. c. is just as indispensable a blessing as it is in the allopathic nursery an indispensable curse.

For children who are puny and sickly; who refuse their milk and get pain in the stomach if they take it, diarrhoea, colic, stools green, like the scum of a frog pond, jelly-like lumps; aphthae; marasmus, Mag. c. is a sovereign remedy.

On September 25, 1899, I was written to from France about an infant girl seventeen months old.

Up to three months before she had been perfectly well.

Then diarrhoea came on.

At first had ordinary stools which became loose; then green; sometimes very white, or bright slimy-yellow mixed with blood., and every time the bowels acted (i.e., every hour or hour and a half) she screamed before, during, and after the action.

At the time of writing the stools were one or two in the night and three or four during the day.

Still watery but seldom undigested.

Always thirsty, but cannot take milk.

Vomits food. Face pale, drawn; dark under eyes.

Emaciated. So weak can hardly stand.

Has eight teeth. I sent Mag. c. 30 to be taken four times a day.

Report received October 6th. "Well.

Was better after two doses.

Can take Lac Vaccinum ^{cow's milk} freely now.".

The acidity for which allopaths give Magnesia is a true enough indication.

but not for the reason they give Sour stools.

sour sweat. sour smell of whole body.

sour eructations from cabbage.

sour vomiting. sour breath.

sour taste-all these are caused and cured by Mag. c. Persons of lax fibre and sour smell are suited to Mag. c. The whole body feels tired and painful, especially the legs and feet.

aching. restless. Spasmodic affections of stomach and intestines. Unrefreshing sleep.

more tired on waking than on going to bed. Inordinate craving for meat in children of tubercular parentage. There is much suffering at the menses in women. They are preceded by labour-like pain, cutting colic, backache, weakness, chilliness. A grand characteristic is Flows only at night or when lying, ceases when walking. The period is usually late and scanty. Flow acrid, dark, pitch-like, difficult to wash off. During pregnancy there is vomiting and toothache. Sensations of Mag. c. are As if everything was turning round. As if hair was pulled. As if white of egg had dried on face. As if teeth too long. Throat as if scraped by an awn. As if rectum pricked with needles. Back as if broken. The pains are agg. by rest.

insupportable. must get up and walk about. Rheumatic pains are agg. after a long walk,amel. by warmth, agg. in bed. Walking fatigues.

= involuntary urination.

prickings in rectum. smarting leucorrhoea. Walking stops menses. Cannot put left foot on ground when walking. Raising arm agg. pain in shoulder. Kneeling agg. vertigo.

agg. 2-3 a.m. (sleeplessness).

4 a.m., intolerable pain in rectum. Symptoms generally agg. evening and especially at night. agg. From uncovering.

great aversion to it. Eating warm food agg.

= anxiety and warmth through whole body. Milk agg. Warmth of bed agg. toothache. Cold agg. toothache. Cold water amel. toothache for a short time.

then agg. Wet and rainy weather = itching of scalp. Draught agg. facial neuralgia. There is periodicity with Mag. c. every second day, every three weeks.

"all symptoms agg. every third week." Touch and pressure agg. almost, all symptoms.

but pressure in abdomen amel. menstrual flow. Pain is agg. on the side lain on. Smoking agg. headache.

In a nervous, excitable, impetuous girl of twenty, dark-haired, lifelong deafness which became suddenly worse after a fright five weeks before.

much pain in l. groin at menstrual period, falls down in a faint and legs ache.

hears best in street. after Mag. c. 30 pains at period went, spirits got better, and hearing in one ear (l.) got quite well.

Characteristics

It is "worn-out women"

neuralgia, toothache, nausea