Picricum Acidum - General symptoms

GENERAL

General

Sensation of fulness and heaviness of the head, with disinclination for mental or physical work, at 12 noon.

fulness and heaviness increased until 2 P.M., when it developed into a severe throbbing headache.

worse on the left side, but chiefly in the left eye and occipital region markedly aggravated by going upstairs, which causes an intense throbbing pain in the eyeball.

headache relieved at 4 P.M. (second day).

fulness and heaviness of the head, followed by throbbing pains in the eye and occiput (left), but not as marked as before (third day),.

Fulness and heaviness of the head, with disinclination to do anything (after four hours).

headache increases, and finally develops into an intense throbbing pain in left side of the head, chiefly in the eyeball and forehead, and extending backwards to occipital region.

better from keeping quiet.

worse from motion, and greatly aggravated by going upstairs,.

Headache of a heavy blinding dizzy character, with great fulness.

head feels as if it would burst open.

head feels as if too small.

pains mostly in the vertex and frontal regions.

stooping aggravates the pains, and causes vertigo.

headache comes on at 9 A.M., and steadily increases until I go to bed.

scalp sensitive to touch.

sore aching in infraorbital region (after one hour, fifth day),.

Sharp and severe pain in right temple, running to back of head (after twenty minutes).

soon after it appeared in left temple, extending to suboccipital region.

these pains lasted but a short time (first day). Same pains as yesterday, but more severe in left temple.

lasted about an hour (after fifteen minutes, second day). Pain in left temple, sharp and neuralgic in character, disappearing in left and going to right temple.

it alternated between the two temples, and was more severe than on the two preceding days (after five minutes, third day),.

went back to bed, fell asleep, and on waking a second time, experienced the same sensation as on first waking (eighth day).

awoke with the nauseated feeling this morning, but not so bad as yesterday morning (ninth day),.

Causes degeneration of the spinal cord, with paralysis. Brainfag and sexual excitement. Acts upon the generative organs probably through the lumbar centers of the spinal cord; prostration, weakness and pain of back, pins and needle sensation in extremities. Neurasthenia (Oxalicum Acidum ^Oxal ac). Muscular debility. Heavy tired feeling. Myelitis with spasms and prostration. Writer’s palsy. Progressive, pernicious anaemia. Uraemia with complete anuria. A one percent solution applied on lint, is the best application for burns until granulations begin to form. Sallow complexion.

Weak, tired and heavy, in mind and body

Profound anaemia

Easily prostrated

Burning, in many parts; along spine; in legs, etc

Numbness

Formication

Weak will

Heavy occiput; down spine and in lower limbs Brain-fag

Headache, worse mental exertion, better nose-bleed (Fer-p)

Neurasthenia

Oily burning stool

Ammoniacal, dribbling urine

Priapism, or sexual erethism

Backache with languor; from mental exertion

Writers' cramp

Aching, legs

Small, painful boils, worse nape

Sleepiness

Picric Acid. Carbazotic Acid. Tri-nitro-Carbolic Acid ^{carbolic Acid}. (C6H2(NO2)3OH). Trituration. Solution in rectified spirit.

fatty. Locomotor ataxia. Lumbago. Myelitis. Neurasthenia. Otitis. Paralysis. Paraplegia. Pernicious anaemia. Priapism. Pruritus vulvae. Self-abuse. Spinal exhaustion. Spinal irritation. Spinal sclerosis. Styes. Sycosis. Urine, bloody. Writer's cramp.

Pic. ac. was discovered by Hausman in 1788. It is formed by the action of Nitric acid on Carbolic Acid ^{Carbolic acid}, Salicin, Silk, and many other substances. It crystallises in bright yellow needles or scales, of very bitter taste, sparingly soluble in water. The yellow colour is imparted to the eyes and skins of patients who take it in the crude, and it not only produces a semblance of jaundice, but actually disorganises the liver if pushed. In some experiments by Parisel (C. D. P.) these symptoms were observed Buzzing and whistling in ears.

sparks, whirling round of objects.

heaviness of head alternately with sense of emptiness. Moderately copious, oily-looking, yellowish stool, with amel. of cerebral symptoms. Pulse slow, small, very feeble. Great weakness, compelling to lie down.

limbs hardly able to stir themselves.

no anxiety, profound calm. Vivid colouration of sclerotics and integuments.

symptoms agg. by least exertion fatigue going into actual paralysis.

brain fatigue, nerve fatigue at the same time absence of anxiety.

J. H. C.), exhaustion after the day's studies, fatigue even from a short walk, twitchings of muscles when asleep or awake; hysterical state, loss of will power; constant headache, irregular menses.

Such patients are usually given iron, which does little or no good.

Pic. ac. and its compounds are among the most powerful explosives known, lyddite being an example.

Pic. ac., like Glonoin ^Glon., has occipital headaches and bursting headaches.

The headache, frontal or occipital, is agg. on any attempt to use the mind, and it may extend down the spine.

There is also a headache extending from the top of the spine up over the head to the eyes.

In a case of spinal irritation I relieved with Pic. ac. 30 a pain which shot up from the spine into the head.

The pains referable to the spinal cord are strongly marked.

Any attempt to study = burning along spine; with great weakness of back and legs; soreness of muscles and joints.

To the spinal congestion must be attributed the remarkable disturbance in the sexual sphere Priapism; penis distended almost to bursting.

Terrible erections, disturbing sleep.

When over-excitement of sexual system is associated with spinal or cerebellar affections in either sex.

Great sexual desire with emissions.

Amorous fancies. On the skin Pic. ac. produces jaundice with itching; small painful furuncles, particularly in the auditory meatus; and erythema and pruritus of abdomen and feet.

Théry of Paris accidentally discovered in Pic. ac. solution a remedy for burns.

He twice dropped burning matter on his hands whilst working with a Pic. ac. disinfectant, and was astonished at the absence of pain or injury.

From that date Pic. ac. became his principal remedy for burns, and though others have complained that it caused violent pains, Théry has only once in some thousands of cases had to abandon its use on that account.

A. C. Blackwood (Clinique, October, 1898, H. W., xxxiv. 133) gives the details of its use.

Burns of the first and second degree only are suitable.

A saturated solution (Pic. ac. gr. xc to alcohol three ounces) diluted with one quart of water is used.

The clothing is removed and the burnt surface cleansed with the solution and absorbent cotton.

Blisters are opened but the epithelial covering is carefully preserved.

If extensive, the whole surface may be bathed with the solution, and strips of sterilised gauze soaked and applied to entirely cover it, a layer of absorbent cotton held with a light bandage over all.

After three or four days the dressing is removed carefully after thorough moistening, as it adheres closely.

The second dressing is applied as at first, and allowed to remain a week.

Blackwood finds it painless, anodyne, antiseptic, preventing inflammation and suppuration and septic poisoning.

It coagulates the albuminous exudation, and healing takes place under the coagulum.

The staining of the hands and linen caused by the dressing can be removed by Boracic acid.

Gaucher (Sem. Méd., May 26, 1897) has removed acute vesicular eczema by the same treatment.

The skin and kidneys are intimately related, and Pic. ac. has a powerful action on the latter.

Halbert (Clinique, quoted H. W., xxxiv. 542) reports this case-Mrs, C., 49, had "nervous prostration" since the shock of the loss of a child three years before.

Wasting with great appetite.

Intense thirst and copious urination, especially at night.

Great perspiration and some jaundice.

Heart flabby, mitral bruit, dyspnoea; emaciation, anaemia, exhaustion.

Urine 1040, 7 1/2 per cent. of sugar and some albumen.

Pic. ac. 6x six times daily.

Rapid and continuous improvement followed.

Kent (H. P., viii. 168) says Pic. ac. cures fig-warts and gonorrhoea; he was led to infer its relation thereto by its power over pernicious anaemia, which he has often traced to a gonorrhoeal base.

Pic. ac. is suited to dark complexioned persons, with dirty appearance about knuckles (from bile pigments); anaemic and cachectic persons; worn-out persons, overtaxed mentally and bodily.

Peculiar sensations are As if sand, or sticks, in eyes.

As if throat would split.

As if legs enclosed in elastic stockings; as if chest encircled in a tight band.

Pricking as from needles in legs.

As of a lump back of thyroid cartilage.

As if stairs or ground coming up to meet him.

As of ants crawling over surface.

Nose-bleed accompanies heat and congestion of head.

Heaviness of head alternates with emptiness.

The right upper part of the body is more affected than the left, the left leg more than the right.

Touch agg. pimples. The headache is amel. by binding head tightly; amel. by rest; lying down. agg.

By motion; walking; raising head; sitting up; stooping; ascending stairs. agg.

By study or slightest mental exertion.

The throat is amel. by eating; agg. empty swallowing.

Turning over, and turning the head agg. headache. agg.

Morning; 5 a.m. nausea.

Open air and cold room amel. headache.

Work in open air = prostration.

Wet weather agg. pains. amel.

From cold air and water.

Chilliness predominates.

Lamplight, strong light, moving eye agg. pain in eyes.

During and after micturition, burning.

Erections in morning on waking.

at 11 a.m., with bruised pain in l. testicle, extending up cord to external abdominal ring.

firm in morning, with pain in abdomen, next morning woke with emission and firm erection, which lasted about ten minutes after the emission.

terrible at night, with restless sleep.

violent, all night. violent, all night, then profuse emissions.

It is progressive, passing from weariness to paralysis. The evidences of softening of brain and cord are strong. He, soon becomes sensitive to heat and desires the cool air which ameliorates his head and bodily condition.

Cold air and cold bathing are grateful to him. He is sensitive to wet weather. Numbness of many parts, trembling, lassitude, heaviness, must lie down, worse from least exertion are marked features. Loss of sleep, mental, worry, mental labor, are the exciting causes of symptoms. Extreme indifference.

It is a typical brain-fag remedy with indifference and lack of will power, aversion to talk, think, or perform any mental exertion. He is quickly prostrated from the least mental work, and it brings on many complaints, such as soreness and lameness, diarrhea, burning along the spine, general weakness and heaviness of limbs and back. He loses all interest in things.

becomes irritable from any mental exertion.

Student's headache, vertigo when remaining standing, heaviness in the head, epistaxis, dilated pupils, congestion of conjunctiva, inability to bear artificial light, loss of appetite, bitter taste in mouth, vomiting, jaundice. Vertigo from mental exertion, lameness from stooping, walking, ascending, from raising the head from the pillow, can not sit up, soon nausea comes from it.

It is often associated with the head pains, For headaches of students, teachers, professional men, and overworked business men, it is a most useful remedy. For headaches with great nervous weakness from grief and de pressing emotions, it has been often overlooked.

It has violent pain in vertex, forehead and occiput, extending down the spine with much heat. Congestive headaches. The head must be cool, it is worse from warm room, and wrapping up the head or body, and better from rest of mind and body.

The headaches often begin and increase with the day, and are better by sleep at night. The patient is wholly incapacitated in the daytime, but comfortable from rest and sleep during the night. Extreme prostration often comes with these headaches. Extreme sexual excitement often comes with the headache as with many of its "complaints," but it is not an essential concomitant.

Sensation of sand in the eye, smarting, acrid tears, sparks, fag before the eyes, near sighted, dim vision, objects confused, pupils dilated, severe pain over eyes. Thick mucus in eyes.

The symptoms from the eye arc worse from artificial light.

Small boils and pustules in external auditory canal.

Digestion Eructations, abortive, sour.

Nausea in the morning worse on rising and moving about.

There is evidence of liver trouble, and the patient is jaundiced.

Rumbling in the abdomen, diarrhea from mental exertion.

Yellow, watery or thin faecal, oily stool; smarting after stool; stool like yellow cornmeal gruel. Great weakness after stool, in debilitated persons.

In the proving it turns the normal sexual sphere into lust, and salacity with violent erections, especially during the night. It has many times cured these symptoms even when of long standing.

Pain in occiput and spine, heaviness of limbs and sexual excitement. Where great restlessness of feet is present the Zincum Picricum acts better. It cures impotency and spermatorrhea when the mind is unable to control the lustful state.

Burning heat in the spine from mental or physical exertion. Weakness of the spine and heaviness of the limbs, especially the lower limbs. The back is so tired that he cannot sit up erect, he must slide down in the chair or lie down. He is relieved while lying. It has been very useful in myelitis, with the weak limbs and a sensation as if body and limbs were bandaged or constricted.

also with anesthesia of legs and as if he had on elastic stockings.

In locomotor ataxia where there are tormenting erections and emissions as soon as he falls asleep, Many cases of spinal weakness have been cured by Picricum Acidum.

Weakness of the lower limbs with trembling, numbness and constriction. Formication and prickling as from needles. Marked coldness of the feet. Physical exertion greatly intensifies all these symptoms after long rest he is ameliorated.

Tired after least exertion in limbs and whole body; excessive lassitude Great muscular weakness. Sleepiness in day-time and sleepless at night, especially after mental labor.

Picricum Acidum is a comparatively new remedy, but has already, developed some valuable therapeutic powers. In the first place, it attacks the vital force, as is manifested by an excessive langour or persistent tired feeling all over the body, which is generally accompanied with corresponding weakness of mind, indifference, and want of will power, and a desire to lie down. There is great heaviness of the legs, can hardly lift them from the ground, tired, aching feeling in the back with some burning (Phosphorus ^Phosphorus and Zincum Metallicum ^Zinc met.) at times low down. Even the brain is fagged and the slightest exertion or mental effort brings on headache. This headache is oftenest found in students, overworked business men, and in persons depressed by grief or other emotions.

It oftenest locates in occipito-cervical region (Nat Mur ^{Nat. mur}., Silicea ^Silicea). worse especially by mental exertion. In short, Picricum Acidum presents a perfect picture of nervous prostration. I found Picricum Acidum very useful in apparent failure of brain power in an old man who had always been strong up to within a year or so of the time he called on me. He complained of heaviness in the occiput and inability to exert the mind to talk or think, and general tired "played out" feeling. I feared brain softening but I gave him Picric acid 6th trit. and it promptly cured him. Picricum Acidum has strong points of resemblance to Acid Phos ^{Phosphoric acid} and Phosphorus ^Phosphorus in its effects upon the sexual organs especially of the male. There is strong sexual desire with terrible erections, which is followed by corresponding weakness or complete impotence. There seems to be no doubt that it is destined to become one of our most valuable remedies for brain, spinal, and general nervous prostration, especially if connected with or arising from sexual excesses. It may be studied along with Gelsemium Sempervirens ^Gelsemium, Acid Phos ^{Phosphoric acid}, Phosphorus ^Phosphorus, Argentum Nitricum ^{Argentum nitricum}, Sulphur ^Sulphur, Alumina ^Alumina and Silicea ^Silicea and all those remedies affecting the brain, cord, and general nervous system.

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Dose

Sixth potency.

Region

Nerves Brain Occiput

Cord Lumbar region

Kidneys

Sexual organs

Characteristics

must give in," is the chief keynote of Pic. ac. and its salts. Nash cured promptly with Pic. ac. 6 trit. an old man who had been failing for a year, and complained of heaviness in the occiput, inability to exert the mind, talk, or think, and general "played-out" feeling. Nash had feared brain softening. Halbert (Clinique, September, 1898) reports a case illustrating the power of Pic. ac. over the effects of fatigue in professional neuroses. A stenographer and typewriter after using her right index finger continuously for six years, noticed weakness of her thumb and index, and inability to hold pen or pencil. Next there was difficulty in striking correctly the keys of the typewriter and some wrist-drop. The finger when Halbert first saw her was quite rigid and straight, showing extreme spasticity. Massage, electricity, &c., had failed to give any relief. Pic. ac. 3x six times daily cured the case and made great improvement in the patient's general health. Evans has found it Curative in girls and young women who, under the strain of many studies, show signs of breaking down

lose appetite

sleep lightly and lie awake (Pic. ac. 30 caused a patient of mine, previously a good sleeper, to lie awake a long time at nights.)