Picricum Acidum - General symptoms - Clarke

GENERAL

General

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.

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.)