HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA
by
WILLIAM BOERICKE, M.D.

  
WYETHIA HELENOIDES
Poison-weed
(WYETHIA)

Has marked effects on the throat, and has proven an excellent remedy in pharyngitis, especially the follicular form. Irritable throats of singers and public speakers. Useful also in hæmorrhoids. Hay-fever symptoms; itching in posterior nares.

Head.--Nervous, uneasy, depressed. Dizzy. Rush of blood to head. Sharp pain in forehead.

Mouth.--Feels as if scalded; sensation of heat down œsophagus. Itching of the palate.

Throat.--Constant clearing and hemming. Dry, posterior nares; no relief from clearing. Throat feels swollen; epiglottis dry and burning. Difficult swallowing. Constant desire to swallow saliva. Uvula feels elongated.

Stomach.--Sense of weight. Belching of wind alternating with hiccough. Nausea and vomiting.

Abdomen.--Pain below ribs of right side.

Stool.--Loose, dark, at night. Itching of anus. Constipation, with hæmorrhoids; not bleeding.

Respiratory.--Dry, hacking cough, caused by tickling of the epiglottis. Burning sensation in the bronchial tubes. Tendency to get hoarse talking or singing; throat hot, dry. Dry asthma.

Female.--Pain in left ovary, shooting down to knee. Pain in uterus; could outline its contour.

Extremities.--Pain in back; extends to end of spine. Pain right arm, stiffness of wrist and hand. Aching pains all over.

Fever.--Chill at 11 am. Thirst for ice-water during chill. No thirst with heat. Profuse sweat all night. Terrific headache during sweat.

Relationship.--Compare: Arum; Sang; Lach.

Dose.--First to sixth potency.

  
X-RAY
Vial containing alcohol exposed to X-Ray

Repeated exposure to Roentgen (X-ray) has produced skin lesions often followed by cancer. Distressing pain. Sexual glands are particularly affected. Atrophy of ovaries and testicles. Sterility. Changes take place in the blood lymphatics and bone marrow. Anæmia and leukæmia. Corresponds to stubbornness as in burns, they refuse to heal. Psoriasis.

Has the property of stimulating cellular metabolism. Arouses the reactive vitality, mentally and physically. Brings to the surface suppressed symptoms, especially sycotic and those due to mixed infections. Its homeopathic action is thus centrifugal, towards the periphery.

Head.--Sticking pains in different parts of head and face. Dull pain in right upper jaw. Stiff neck. Sudden cricks in neck, pains more severe behind ears. Pain in muscles of neck when lifting head from pillow. Fullness in ears, ringing in head.

Mouth.--Tongue dry, rough, sore. Throat painful on swallowing. Nausea.

Male.--Lewd dreams. Sexual desire lost. Re-establishes suppressed gonorrhœa.

Extremities.--Rheumatic pains. General tired and sick feeling. Palms rough and scaly.

Skin.--Dry, itching eczema. Erythema around roots of nails. Skin dry, wrinkled. Painful cracks. Warty growths. Nails thicken. Psoriasis.

Modalities.--Worse, in bed, afternoon, evening and night; open air.

Dose.--Twelfth potency and higher.

Compare: Electricitas.--Sugar of milk saturated with the current (Anxiety, nervous tremors, restlessness, palpitation, headaches. Dreads approach of thunder-storms; heaviness of limbs).

Magnetis Poli Ambo.--The Magnet.--Sugar of milk or distilled water exposed to influence of entire mass (Burning lancinations throughout the body; pains as if broken in joints, when cartilages of two bones touch; shooting and jerkings; headache as if a nail were driven in; tendency of old wounds to bleed afresh).

Magnetis Polus Arcticus.--North pole of the magnet.--(Disturbed sleep, somnambulism, cracking in cervical vertebræ, sensation of coldness; toothache).

Magnetis Polus Australis.--South pole of the magnet.--(Severe pain in inner side of nail of the big toe, ingrowing toenail; easy dislocation of joints of foot; feet are painful when letting them hang down).

  
XANTOXYLUM FRAXINEUM
Prickly Ash
(XANTHOXYLUM)

Its specific action is on the nervous system and mucous membranes. Paralysis, especially hemiplegia. Painful hæmorrhages, after-pains, neuralgic dysmenorrhœa, and rheumatic affections, offer a therapeutic field for this remedy, especially in patients of spare habit and nervous, delicate organization. Indigestion from over-eating or from too much fluid. Sluggish capillary circulation. Neurasthenia, poor assimilation, insomnia, occipital headache. Increases mucous secretion of mouth and stimulates the secretion from all glands with ducts opening in the mouth.

Mind.--Nervous, frightened. Mental depression.

Head.--Feels full. Weight and pain on vertex. Pain over eyes, throbbing pressure over nose, pressure in forehead; head seems divided; ringing in ears. Occipital headache. Sick headache with dizziness and flatulence.

Face.--Neuralgia of lower jaw. Dryness of mouth and fauces. Pharyngitis (Wyethia).

Abdomen.--Griping and diarrhœa. Dysentery, with tympanites, tenesmus; inodorous discharges.

Female.--Menses too early and painful. Ovarian neuralgia, with pain in loins and lower abdomen; worse, left side, extending down the thigh, along genito-crural nerves. Neuralgic dysmenorrhœa, with neuralgic headaches; pain in back and down legs. Menses thick, almost black. After-pains (Arnica; Cup; Cham). Leucorrhœa at time of menses. Neurasthenic patients who are thin, emaciated; poor assimilation with insomnia and occipital headache.

Respiratory.--Aphonia. Constant desire to take a long breath; oppression of chest. Dry cough, day and night.

Extremities.--Paralysis of left side following spinal disorders. Numbness of left side; impairment of nerves of motion. Hemiplegia. Pain in nape, extending down back. Sciatica; worse, hot weather. Anterior, crural neuralgia (Staph). Left arm numb. Neuralgic shooting pain, as from electricity, all over limb.

Sleep.--Hard and unrefreshing; dreams of flying. Sleeplessness in neurasthenics.

Relationship.--Compare: Gnaph; Cimicif; Staph; Mezer; Piscidia-White dogwood--(a nerve sedative. Insomnia due to worry, nervous excitement, spasmodic coughs; pains of irregular menstruation; regulates the flow. Neuralgic and spasmodic affections. Use tincture in rather material doses).

Dose.--First to sixth potency.

  
XEROPHYLLUM
Tamalpais Lily, Basket Grass Flower

Should prove curative in eczematous conditions, poison-oak, early typhoid states, etc.

Mind.--Dull, cannot concentrate mind for study; forgets names; writes last letters of words first; misspells common words.

Head.--Feels full, stuffed up, pain across forehead and above eyes. Great pressure at root of nose. Bewildered. Loss of consciousness. Pulsating headache.

Eyes.--Painful, as of sand, smarting; difficult to focus for close work. Eyes feel sore, burn.

Nose.--Stuffed; tightness at bridge of nose; acute nasal catarrh.

Face.--Bloated in morning. Puffy under eyes.

Throat.--Stitching pain upon swallowing.

Stomach.--Feels full and heavy. Eructations sour; offensive, an hour after luncheon and dinner. Vomiting at 2 pm.

Abdomen.--Intestinal flatulence. In morning rumbling in bowels, with desire for stool.

Rectum.--Constipation, stools hard, small lumps. Difficult, soft stools, with much straining. Much flatus. Bearing-down pain in rectum.

Urine.--Difficulty of retaining; dribbling when walking. Frequent urination at night.

Female.--Bearing-down sensation. Vulva inflamed, with furious itching. Increased sexual desire, with ovarian and uterine pains and leucorrhœa.

Respiratory.--Posterior nares raw; discharge thick, yellow mucus. Sneezing. Trachea sore; lumps feel constricted.

Back.--Feels hot from sacrum to scapulæ. Backache, extending down legs. Pain over kidneys. Heat deep in spine.

Extremities.--Muscular lameness, trembling. Pain in knees. Limbs feel stiff (Rhus).

Skin.--Erythema, with vesication and intense itching, stinging, and burning. Blisters, little lumps. Skin rough and cracked; feels like leather. Dermatitis, especially around knees. Inflammation resembling poison-oak. Inguinal glands and behind knee swollen.

Modalities.--Worse, application of cold water, in afternoon and evening. Better, application of hot water, in morning, moving affected part.

Relationship.--Compare: Rhus; Anacard; Grindelia.

Dose.--Sixth potency or higher.

  
YOHIMBINUM
Coryanthe Yohimbe

Excites sexual organs and acts on central nervous system and respiratory center. An aphrodisiac, used in physiological doses, but contraindicated in all acute and chronic inflammations of abdominal organs. Homeopathically, should be of service in congestive conditions of the sexual organs. Causes hyperæmia of the milk glands and stimulates the function of lactation. Menorrhagia.

Head.--Agitation, with flying sensations of heat in face. Disagreeable, metallic taste. Copious salivation. Nausea and eructation.

Sexual.--Strong and lasting erections. Neurasthenic impotence. Bleeding piles. Intestinal hæmorrhage. Urethritis.

Fever.--Rigor; intense heat, waves of heat and chilliness, tendency to sweat.

Sleep.--Sleepless. Thoughts of events of whole past life keep him awake.

Dose.--As a sexual stimulant, ten drops of a one per cent solution, or hypodermic tablets of 0. 005 gm. Homeopathic dose, third potency.

  
YUCCA FILAMENTOSA
Bear-grass

So-called bilious symptoms, with headache. Despondent and irritable.

Head.--Aches as if top of head would fly off. Arteries of forehead throb. Nose red.

Face.--Yellow; tongue yellow, coated, taking imprint of teeth (Merc; Pod; Rhus).

Mouth.--Taste as of rotten eggs (Arnica).

Throat.--Sensation as if something hung down from posterior nares; cannot get it up or down.

Abdomen.--Deep pain in right side over liver, going through back. Stool yellowish brown, with bile.

Male.--Burning and swelling of the prepuce, with redness of meatus. Gonorrhœa (Cann; Tussil).

Skin.--Erythematous redness.

Dose.--Tincture, to third potency.

  
ZINCUM METALLICUM
Zinc
(ZINC)

The provings picture cerebral depression. The word "fag" covers a large part of zinc action. Tissues are worn out faster than they are repaired. Poisoning from suppressed eruptions or discharges. The nervous symptoms of most importance. Defective vitality. Impending brain paralysis. Period of depression in disease. Spinal affections. Twitchings. Pain, as if between skin and flesh. Great relief from discharges. Chorea, from fright or suppressed eruption. Convulsions, with pale face and no heat. Marked anæmia with profound prostration. It causes a decrease in the number, and destruction of red blood corpuscles. Repercussed eruptive diseases. In chronic diseases with brain and spinal symptoms, trembling, convulsive twitching and fidgety feet are guiding symptoms.

Mind.--Weak memory. Very sensitive to noise. Averse to work, to talk. Child repeats everything said to it. Fears arrest on account of a supposed crime. Melancholia. Lethargic, stupid. Paresis.

Head.--Feels as if he would fall to left side. Headache from the smallest quantity of wine. Hydrocephalus. Rolls head from side to side. Bores head into pillow. Occipital pain, with weight on vertex. Automatic motion of head and hands. Brain-fag; headaches of overtaxed school children. Forehead cool; base of brain hot. Roaring in head. Starting in fright.

Eyes.--Pterygium; smarting, lachrymation, itching. Pressure as if pressed into head. Itching and soreness of lids and inner angles. Ptosis. Rolling of eyes. Blurring of one-half of vision; worse, stimulants. Squinting. Amaurosis, with severe headache. Red and inflamed conjunctiva; worse, inner canthus.

Ears.--Tearing, stitches, and external swelling. Discharge of fetid pus.

Nose.--Sore feeling high up; pressure upon root.

Face.--Pale lips, and corners of mouth cracked. Redness and itching eruption on chin. Tearing in facial bones.

Mouth.--Teeth loose. Gums bleed. Gnashing of teeth. Bloody taste. Blisters on tongue. Difficult dentition; child weak; cold and restless feet.

Throat.--Dry; constant inclination to hawk up tenacious mucus. Rawness and dryness in throat and larynx. Pain in muscles of throat when swallowing.

Stomach.-- Hiccough, nausea, vomiting of bitter mucus. Burning in stomach, heartburn from sweet things. Cannot stand smallest quantity of wine. Ravenous hunger about 11 am (Sulph). Great greediness when eating; cannot eat fast enough. Atonic dyspepsia, feeling as if stomach were collapsed.

Abdomen.--Pain after a light meal, with tympanitis. Pain in spot beneath navel. Gurgling and griping; distended. Flatulent colic, with retraction of abdomen (Plumb). Enlarged, indurated sore liver. Reflex symptoms from floating kidney. Griping after eating.

Urine.--Can only void urine when sitting bent backwards. Hysterical retention. Involuntary urination when walking, coughing or sneezing.

Rectum.--Hard, small, constipated stool. Cholera infantum, with tenesmus; green mucous discharges. Sudden cessation of diarrhœa, followed by cerebral symptoms.

Male.--Testicles swelled, drawn up. Erections violent. Emissions with hypochondriasis. Falling off of hair (pubic). Drawing in testicles up to spermatic cord.

Female.--Ovarian pain, especially left; can't keep still (Viburn). Nymphomania of lying-in women. Menses too late, suppressed; lochia suppressed (Puls). Breasts painful. Nipples sore. Menses flow more at night (Bov). Complaints all better during menstrual flow. (Eupion; Lach). All the female symptoms are associated with restlessness, depression, coldness spinal tenderness and restless feet. Dry cough before and during menses.

Respiratory.--Burning pressure beneath sternum. Constriction and cutting in chest. Hoarseness. Debilitating, spasmodic cough; worse, eating sweet things. Child grasps genitals during cough. Asthmatic bronchitis, with constriction, of chest. Dyspnœa better as soon as expectoration appears.

Back.--Pain in small of back. Cannot bear back touched (Sul; Therid; Cinch). Tension and stinging between shoulders. Spinal irritation. Dull aching about the last dorsal or first lumbar vertebræ; worse sitting. Burning along spine. Nape of neck weary from writing or any exertion. Tearing in shoulder-blades.

Extremities.--Lameness, weakness, trembling and twitching of various muscles. Chilblains (Agar). Feet in continued motion; cannot keep still. Large varicose veins on legs. Sweaty. Convulsions, with pale face. Transverse pains, especially in upper extremity. Soles of feet sensitive. Steps with entire sole of foot on floor.

Sleep.--Cries out during sleep; body jerks; wakes frightened, stared. Nervous motion of feet when asleep. Loud screaming out at night in sleep without being aware of it. Somnambulism (Kali phos).

Skin.--Varicose veins, especially of lower extremities (Puls). Formication of feet and legs as from bugs crawling over the skin, preventing sleep. Eczema, especially in the anæmic and neurotic. Itching of thighs and hollow of knees. Retrocession of eruptions.

Fever.--Frequent, febrile shiverings down back. Cold extremities. Night-sweat. Profuse sweat on feet.

Modalities.--Worse, at menstrual period, from touch, between 5 to 7 pm; after dinner, from wine. Better, while eating, discharges, and appearance of eruptions.

Relationship.--Compare: Agaric; Ign; Plumb; Argent; Puls; Helleb; Tuberc. Inimical: Nux; Cham. Compare in amelioration by secretions: Lach; Stan; Mosch.

Compare: Zincum aceticum (effects of night-watching and erysipelas; brain feels sore; Rademacher's solution, five-drop doses three times a day in water, for those who are compelled to work, on an insufficient amount of sleep); Zinc, bromatum (dentition, chorea, hydrocephalus); Zinc oxydatum (Nausea and sour taste). Sudden vomiting in children. Vomiting of bile and diarrhœa. Flatulent abdomen. Watery stools with tenesmus. Debility after grip. Fiery red face, great drowsiness with dreamlike unrefreshing sleep. Similar to effect of night watching. Mental and physical exertion (Rademacher). Zinc. Sulph, not repeated frequently (high potency) will clear up opacities of the cornea (McFarland). Corneitis; granular lids; tongue paralyzed; cramps in arms and legs; trembling and convulsions. Hypochondriasis due to masturbation; nervous headaches; Zinc cyanatum (as a remedy for meningitis and cerebro-spinal meningitis, paralysis agitans, chorea, and hysteria, it has received some attention); Zinc ars (chorea, anæmia, profound exhaustion on slight exertion. Depression and marked involvement of lower extremities); Zinc carb (post-gonorrhœal throat affections, tonsils swollen, bluish superficial spots); Zinc phos (herpes zoster 1x); Zinc muriat (disposition to pick the bedclothes; sense of smell and taste perverted; bluish-green tint of skin; cold and sweaty); Zinc phos (neuralgia of head and face; lightning-like pains in locomotor ataxia, brain-fag, nervousness, and vertigo; sexual excitement and sleeplessness); Ammon valerian (violent neuralgia, with great nervous agitation); Zinc picricum (facial paralysis; brain-fag, headache in Bright's disease; seminal emissions; loss of memory and energy). Oxide of zinc is used locally as an astringent and stimulant application to unhealthy ulcers, fissures, intertrigo, burns, etc.

Dose.--Second to sixth potency.

  
ZINCUM VALERIANICUM
Valerinate of Zinc
(ZINCUM VALERIANUM)

A remedy for neuralgia, hysteria, angina pectoris, and other painful affections, notably in ovarian affections. Epilepsy without aura. Hysterical heart-pain. Facial neuralgia, violent in left temple and inferior maxillary. Sleeplessness in children. Obstinate hiccough.

Head.--Violent, neuralgic, intermittent headaches. Becomes almost insane with pain, which is piercing and stabbing. Uncontrollable sleeplessness from pain in head with melancholy.

Female.--Ovaralgia; pain shoots down limbs, even too foot.

Extremities.--Severe pain in neck and spine. Cannot sit still; must keep legs in constant motion. Sciatic neuralgia.

Dose.--First and second trituration. Must be continued for some time in treatment of neuralgia.

  
ZINGIBER OFFICINALE
Ginger
(ZINGIBER)

States of debility in the digestive tract, and sexual system and respiratory troubles, call for this remedy. Complete cessation of function of kidneys.

Head.--Hemicrania; sudden glimmering before eyes; feels confused and empty. Pain over eyebrows.

Nose.--Feels obstructed and dry. Intolerable itching; red pimples.

Stomach.--Taste of food remains long, especially of bread and toast. Feels heavy, like from a stone. Complaints from eating melons and drinking impure water. Acidity (Calc; Robinia). Heaviness in stomach on awakening with wind and rumbling, great thirst and emptiness. Pain from pit to under sternum, worse eating.

Abdomen.--Colic, diarrhœa, extremely loose bowels. Diarrhœa from drinking bad water, with much flatulence, cutting pain, relaxation of sphincter. Hot, sore, painful anus during pregnancy. Chronic intestinal catarrh. Anus red and inflamed. Hæmorrhoids hot, painful, sore. (Aloe).

Urinary.--Frequent desire tu urinate. Stinging, burning in orifice. Yellow discharge from urethra. Urine thick, turbid, of strong odor, suppressed. Complete suppression after typhoid. After urinating, continues to ooze in drops.

Male.--Itching of prepuce. Sexual desire excited; painful erections. Emissions.

Respiratory.--Hoarseness. Smarting below larynx; breathing difficult. Asthma, without anxiety, worse toward morning. Scratching sensation in throat; stitches in chest. Cough dry, hacking; copious morning sputa.

Extremities.--Very weak in all joints. Back lame. Cramps in soles and palms.

Relationship.--Compare: Calad.

Antidote: Nux.

Dose.--First to sixth potency.

  
ZIZIA AUREA
Meadow Parsnip
(THASPIUM AUREUM - ZIZIA)

Hysteria, epilepsy, chorea, hypochondriasis, come within the sphere of this remedy.

Mind.--Suicidal; depressed; laughing and weeping moods alternate.

Head.--Pressure on top, in right temple, associated with backache.

Male.--Great lassitude following coitus. Sexual power increased.

Female.--Intermittent neuralgia of left ovary. Acrid, profuse leucorrhœa, with retarded menses.

Respiratory.--Dry cough, with stitches in chest. Dyspnœa.

Extremities.--Unusual tired feeling. Chorea, especially during sleep. Fidgety legs (Tarant). Lameness in arms and spasmodic twitching.

Modalities.--Worse, during sleep.

Relationship.--Compare: Agar; Stram; Tarant; Cicuta; Aethusa.

Dose.--Tincture, to third potency.

 

CD Copyright © 2003 HBI Health & Homoeopathy Centre