Magnesia Phosphorica - General symptoms

GENERAL

General

The great anti-spasmodic remedy. Cramping of muscles with radiating pains. Neuralgic pains Relieved by warmth. Especially suited to tired, languid, exhausted subjects. Indisposition for mental exertion. Goitre.

Tall, slender, dark and neurotic

Nervous, tense and subject to sudden, violent neuralgias, colics, cramps, etc

SUDDEN paroxysms of pain; sharp shooting like lightning; suddenly changing place; in waves; radiating, boring or constricting; extorting cries; causing restlessness, prostration, etc

Twitchings Tic-convulsif

Spasmodic effects; hiccough, yawning, chorea, writer's cramp, etc

Much pain

Always talking of her pains Hot, aching eyes

Photophobia

Faceache, worse if body gets cold

Cracks in angles of lips

Nervous angina

Cutting; from bowels into thighs

Flatulent colic

Contracted abdomen

Diarrhoea ceases, spasms set in

Cough, better cool air

One vertebra seems absent

Tightness of skin of fingers

Pains in lower limbs, alternating sides

Irritable pulse

Tarry menses leaving a fast stain; flowing at night

Phosphate of Magnesia, Hydric magnesia phosphate. (MgHPO47H2O.) Trituration.

shooting like lightning, or boring.

often combined with or alternating with a sensation of constriction.

at times wandering. amel. by warmth.

amel. by pressure. agg. by light touch. It will cure Headache, toothache, pains in limbs when of this kind.

also cramps in stomach, pains in abdomen usually radiating from umbilical region, amel. by hot drinks, by bending double, by pressing on abdomen with the hand, sometimes accompanied with watery diarrhoea. Spasms of various kinds.

Magnesia Phosphorica sketch of Schüssler's is confirmed in every point by Allen's proving, and by the clinical use of Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.} in the highest attenuations. Moreover, there is a very strong family resemblance between these features and those of Mag. c. and Magnesia Muriatica ^{Mag. m.} But it is only right to say that Schüssler arrived at them by a way of his own, which shows that there are other means besides provings of finding the keynote symptoms of remedies. Allen adds to the above that the pains rapidly change place.

that cramping is the most characteristic type of the Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.} pains. Dread of cold air.

of uncovering. of touching the affected part.

of moving. of cold washing. It is best adapted to thin, emaciated persons of a highly nervous organisation, of dark complexion.

to affections on the right side of the body.

to complaints from standing in cold water.

complaints of dentition.

headaches of school children.

professional neuroses (e.g., writer's cramp).

after-effect of catheterism. Nash says Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.} is in the first rank as a pain remedy, and it has all kinds of pain (though cramping pain is the most characteristic) except burning pain, and this distinguishes it from Arsenicum Album ^Ars., since both have amel. from heat. Allen's proving brought out canker sores in mouth, sore lips, and cracked lips. A patient of mine who suffered intensely from cracks at the corners of the lips found nothing relieve so well as Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.}, and it did it best in the ix strength. Higher were tried. Hering says it is suited to Young and very strong persons.

teething children. Allen says that though it is best adapted to emaciated persons, it acts promptly in stout, fleshy persons when well indicated. The attacks (of pain, &c.) are often attended with great prostration, and sometimes with profuse sweat. "Languid, tired, exhausted.

dilated pupils, dropped jaw, escape of saliva, speech and comprehension difficult. Under Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.} 6x in water general improvement set in. Later the 12x was given, and in two months he was well. W. T. Ord cured Miss G., 48, of pain in back extending down right sciatic nerve and up spine, following Influenzinum ^influenza, with Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.} 3x, 5-gr. doses. The pains were shifting, amel. by rest, agg. at night. The parts were tender to pressure and numb. Pains sometimes tense in paroxysms, compelling her to cry out. Anxiety.

depressed vitality. Skinner has cured with Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.} a case of prolapse of rectum with feeling as if rectum were torn, the symptoms being amel. by heat. The symptoms are agg. by Motion.

cold air. draught of air.

cold wind. COLD WASHING.

TOUCH. lying on the back stretched out.

when eating. amel. By HEAT.

WARMTH. PRESSURE. BENDING DOUBLE (the italics and capitals are H. C. Allen's). agg. Walking.

especially in open air.

abdominal pain compels walking about, which amel.

Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos is best known for its spasmodic conditions and neuralgias.

The pains are very violent and may affect any nerve. A pain localizes itself in a nerve and becomes worse and worse, sometimes coming in paroxysms, but becoming so violent that the patient becomes frantic.

The pains are ameliorated by heat and pressure The patient feels better in a warm place.

and his neuralgias are also better, he is miserable, and his pains are brought on when he becomes cold or is in a cold place. Pains are brought on from riding in the cold, and in cold, damp weather. Exposure for a long time to cold winds causes neuralgia of the face,.

The pains are felt everywhere. Pain in the bowels, enteralgias, cramps in the stomach and bowels, with the same modalities. Pains in the spinal cord under the same rule - amelioration from heat. There are times when a nerve, in which there is considerable pain, becomes sensitive to pressure, becomes sore. The spinal cord becomes sore.

Convulsions, with stiffness of the limbs. Convulsions in adults or children, followed by extreme sensitiveness to touch, to wind, to noise, to excitement, to everything. Such convulsions, as children have during dentition. Colic; three months'colic, cramps, bilious colic.

But the special feature is its power to debilitate, to cause irritation of the nerves and muscles. Cramps from prolonged exertion. Stiffness numbness, awkwardness and deadness of a nerve from prolonged exertion.

Fingers Thus it applies to long use of the hands and fingers in writing, and gives a fair sample of writer's cramp. It is especially useful in the cramps that come in the fingers, from writing, playing instruments and piano practice.

Pianists suddenly break down, with stiffness of the fingers, after several hours' labor every day for years. The fingers give out. In playing the Harp a cramp comes on and the fingers cannot perform their use. Other parts are affected in the same way from prolonged exertion. A laborer's hand will sometimes cramp and become almost useless. As soon as he undertakes to do that particular thing his hand cramps and he clutches the implement or loses hold. The carpenter after prolonged use of a tool has a cramp. This is a strong feature of the remedy in all sorts of over-exertion.

Violent cramps in dysentery and cholera morbus, that make him scream out. Twitching of the muscles all over the body, as in cholera. It was Schüessler's main remedy for chorea, but we can only use it by its proving. Schüessler prescribed it in all nervous conditions, but its proving justifies its use in neuralgia ameliorated by heat and pressure, cramps and twitchings.

Shooting pains along the nerves, but these are not so common as violent pains in paroxysms - a tearing pain as if the nerve were inflamed and put on a stretch. Shaking as in paralysis agitans and complaints resembling it. Amelioration from heat and pressure, and aggravation from cold, cold bathing, cold winds, cold weather, lack of clothing. Pains all over, but more likely pain located in one part.

I have seen this mitigation of the symptoms in chronic congestive headache, when the face was red and there was throbbing, almost like Belladonna ^Bell .; those headaches give way to Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos, when there is relief by heat and pressure. He wants the head. bandaged with a tight-fitting cloth, a warm room, and he is aggravated by cold.

The colic is not so markedly relieved by heat in Colocynthis ^Coloc, but is relieved by pressure. Distension of the abdomen and flatulence, with much pain. Radiating pains in the abdomen Compelled to walk and groan from pain. Meteorism. It is said to cure cows of this condition. Colchicum Autumnale ^Colchicum will cure cows when they are distended with gas after being turned into clover patches.

Cutting, darting pains in hemorrhoids. If well proved we would probably have many liver symptoms, because both Magnes and Phosphorus ^Phos have liver symptoms.

Violent pains in acute rheumatism, ameliorated by heat. Neuralgic pains in the limbs. Rest relieves many complaints, and the least motion brings them on. Pains changing place.

Cramping pains everywhere, also lightning-like in coming and going.

Spasmodic affections without febrile symptoms. Colic, whooping cough, cramps in calves, etc.

Modalities worse cold air, cold water, touch, better heat warmth, pressure, bending double.

Now we come to the prince of the Magnesias. It is comparatively new and has never been accorded a place in our Materia Medica according to its importance and merits. Dr. H. C. Allen gives the best rendering of it in the transactions of the International Hahnemannian Association for 1889. Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos. takes first rank among our very best neuralgia or pain remedies. None has a greater variety of pains. They are sharp, cutting piercing, stabbing, knife-like, shooting, stitching, lightning-like in coming and going (Belladonna ^Belladonna), intermittent, the paroxysms becoming almost intolerable, often rapidly changing place and cramping. This last is in my opinion most characteristic, and is oftenest found in stomach, abdomen and pelvis. For colic of infants it ranks with Chamomilla ^Chamomilla and Colocynthis ^Colocynth and for dysmenorrhoea of the neuralgic variety, with the characteristic crampy pains, I have found no remedy equal to it. In this last affection I habitually prescribe the 55m. made by myself upon the gravity potentizer, so that I know exactly what it is. So often are we confronted with the question when we report cures with the high potencies, where do we get them, and are you sure they are what they purport to be? Now let me say right here, if I have not done so before, that we have potencies as high as the m. m., made by ourselves upon this accurately self-registering potentizer, that are marvelous for their curing powers. We (Dr. Santee and myself) invented the machine for our own individual use and have never yet offered the potencies for sale. So we can hardly be accused of mercenary motives in reporting cures, from them. Alongside the characteristic cramping pains of Magnesia Phosphorica is its characteristic modality -relief from hot applications. No remedy has this more prominently than Arsenicum Album ^Arsenicum alb., but you will notice that among all the various kinds of pain we have mentioned as belonging to Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos. the one conspicuous for its absence is the one most characteristic of Arsenicum Album ^Arsenicum, viz. -burning pains. I watched this difference and found that if burning pains were relieved by heat, Arsenicum Album ^Arsenicum was almost sure to relieve, while those pains not burning but also relieved by heat were cured by Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos. I think that this will be found a valuable diagnostic between the two remedies. At least I have found it so. During painful menstruation Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos. is quicker in its action than Pulsatilla ^Pulsatilla, Caulophyllum Thalictroides ^Caulophyllum, Cimicifuga Racemosa ^Cimicifuga, or any other remedy that I know. The Cimicifuga Racemosa ^Cimicifuga seems to me to cover better, cases of a rheumatic character or in a rheumatic subject, while Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos. cures those of a purely neuralgic character. The pains cease when the flow begins, for Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos. In facial neuralgia Magnesia Phosphorica has made many cures. In fact, it seems to be applicable to neuralgic pains anywhere if the proper conditions are present. So far as its power to control spasms or convulsions is concerned, I have no experience that proves it unless its power over cramping pains is proof. I have no faith in the Schuesslerian theory in regard to it. Similia similibus curantur has stood the test with other remedies and will with the so-called tissue remedies regardless of theories.

Now in regard to the cramping pains so characteristic of Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos.; when such a symptom stands out so prominently, it is a great leader, and narrows down the choice to a class of remedies having the same. Let me illustrate

Cramping pains. Cuprum Metallicum ^Cuprum, Colocynthis ^Colocynth, Magnesia Phosphorus ^phos.

Burning. Arsenicum Album ^Arsenic, Canthar, Capsicum Annuum ^Capsic., Phosphorus ^Phosphorus, Sulphuricum Acidum ^{Sulph. ac};.

Coldness (sensation). Calc Carb ^Calc. ost., Arsenicum Album ^Arsenic alb., Cistus, Helod.

Coldness (objective). Camphora ^Camphora, Secale Cornutum ^Secale, Veratrum Album ^Veratrum alb., Heloderma.

Fullness (sensation). Aesculus Glabra ^Aesculus hip., Chian, Lycopodium ^Lycopod.

Emptiness (sensation). Cocculus Indicus ^Cocculus, Phosphorus ^Phos., Sepia ^Sepia.

Bearing-down. Belladonna ^Belladonna, Lilium Tigrinum ^{Lilium tig}., Sepia ^Sepia, etc.

Bruised soreness. Arnica ^Arnica, Baptisia Tinctoria ^Baptisia, Eupatorium perf., Pyrogenium ^Pyrogen, Ruta Graveolens ^Ruta.

Constriction. Cactus Grandiflorus ^Cactus grand., Colocynthis ^Colocynth, Anacard.

Prostration or weariness. Gelsemium Sempervirens ^Gelsemium, Picricum Acidum ^{Picric acid}, Acid Phos ^{Phos. ac}.

Numbness. Aconite ^Aconite, Chamomilla ^Chamomilla, Platinum Metallicum ^Platina, Rhus Tox ^Rhus toxicod.

Erratic pains. Lac Caninum ^{Lac caninum}, Pulsatilla ^Pulsatilla, Tuberculinum ^Tuberculinum.

Sensitiveness to pain. Aconite ^Aconite, Chamomilla ^Chamomilla, Coffea Tosta ^Coffea.

Sensitive to touch. China ^China, Hep Sulph Calc ^Hepar Sulphur ^sul., Lachesis ^Lachesis.

Bone pains. Aurum, Asa Foetida ^Asafoetida, Eupat. perf., Merc Viv ^Mercurius.

Sticking or stitching pains. Bryonia ^Bryonia, Kali Carb ^{Kali carb}., Squilla.

Pulsation or throbbing. Belladonna ^Belladonna, Glonoin ^Glonoine, Melilotus Officinalis ^Melilotus.

Haemorrhages (passive). Hamamelis Virginica ^Hamamelis, Secale Cornutum ^Secale, Crotalus Cascavella ^Crotal., Elaps Corallinus ^Elaps.

Haemorrhages (active). Ferrum Phosphoricum ^{Ferrum phos}., Ipecacuanha ^Ipecac., Phosphorus ^Phosphorus.

Emaciation. Iodium ^Iodine, Nat Mur ^{Natrum mur}., Lycopodium ^Lycopod., Sarsapar., etc.

Leucophlegmasia. Calc Carb ^Calc. ost., Graphites ^Graphites, Capsicum Annuum ^Capsicum.

Constitutions (psoric). Sulphur ^Sulphur, Psorinum ^Psorinum, etc.

Constitutions (sycotic). Thuja ^Thuja, Nitric Acid ^{Nitric acid}., Medorrhinum ^Medorrhinum, etc.

Constitutions (syphilitic). Merc Viv ^Mercury, Iodide potassium, Syphilinum (Luesinum) ^Syphilinum, etc.

Blue swellings. Lachesis ^Lachesis, Pulsatilla ^Pulsatilla, Tarentula Hispanica ^Tarantula Cub.

So we might go on and indicate from one to three or more remedies having characteristic power over certain symptoms or conditions, and it is well to have them in mind, for with this start we will be very apt to have, or seek to find out, the diagnostic difference between them. Such knowledge forearms a man, preparing him for emergencies, and often enables the prescriber to make those wonderful snap-shot cures that astonish the patient and all beholders.

Region

NERVES Face Head

Muscles

Right side

Characteristics

Mag. Phosphorus ^Phos. is one of the most important of Schüssler's original additions to the materia medica. It has had a very fine proving in the potencies, conducted by H. C. Allen (Med. Adv., xxxiii. 386-415), but I will first give Schüssler's own account Phosphate of Magnesia is contained in

blood-corpuscles, muscles, brain, spinal marrow, nerves, teeth. Disturbance of its molecules results in

pains, cramps, paralysis. The pains are

of glottis, whooping-cough, lockjaw, cramps of calves, hiccough, tetanus, chorea, spasmodic retention of urine, &c. In caseous tuberculosis and lupus Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.} has a place. When the cells near the caseous masses are too weak to expel them, it is because they are deficient in Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.}, and Magnesia Phosphorica ^{Mag. p.} given medicinally will enable them to do it.