Hepar sulfuris Anhang
[Valerie Lovelace]
Hepar sulphuris (Fiery-Hot) - Calcarea (Watery-Cold) –The Remedy of Fire
and Water
It is with our passions as it is with fire and water –they are good
servants but bad masters.
Roger L’Estrange
Hep. found in the repertory in italics for Psora and Syphilis (it is
known for „righting’ the „wrongs’ done by mercury in the old days), and in
plain type under the Sycotic rubric. Ultra-Bold type for anger, contrariness,
sensitivity to pain, and a desire to set things on fire, Hepar might be likened
to an eruptive volcano of the inflamed, suppurating type. One only has to
imagine the hyper-sensitivity of a boil whereupon even the slightest touch is
exquisitely painful (as though a festering splinter lies under the skin) and
the overall state of this remedy is at once fairly clear(in fact,
imagine that everything gets under the skin, and the sour-temperament of Hepar,
then, is easy to get).
[Frans Vermeulen] formula for Hepar. Calcium = vulnerable to external
influences; Sulphur = inner fire. The remedy is made from equal parts of
Calcarea and Flower of Sulphur, and so to complete the sum, what we have in
Hepar. is an inner fire now quite vulnerable to external influences
[Farrington: possesses many similarities to and marked differences from its
components [and it is true that the sum is greater than its parts!].
Quite sensitive to air, heat, and moisture and must be stored in a
closed container. The patient is equally sensitive and vulnerable and must also
be wrapped, even in warm weather. The remedy decomposes in weak acids (desires:
sour/vinegar; < for sour) and moist air (catches cold from least exposure,
decomposes in moist air.), and is insoluble in alcohol (ailments from alcohol).
The substance is prepared by placing the mix into a hermetically sealed
container (air tight) and heating at white-hot heat for 10 minutes.
Scientifically, color in heat is the result of temperature, and white-hot is
2200° F (1205° C). Imagine the substance, under pressure in a sealed container
with this kind of heat, even if only for 10 minutes. No great wonder, then,
that it is well known for internal heat flaring up! Not surprisingly, the
patient may also experience what is described asa “violent” thirst. Imagine the
combination of fire and water: this makes steam, and plenty of it! Hissing,
sizzling, boiling water, evaporating into billowing clouds of steam (better in
warm, moist air–no other remedy has such strong amelioration in damp weather).
Nash describes its strongest characteristic as being hyper sensitivity to
touch, pain, and chill from cold air(a leading keynote of this remedy), and
this is evident in its many symptoms of sticking pains, symptoms aggravated by
cold air, and propensity to faint from pain (the patient is so sensitive to
pain that she faints away, even when it is slight.).Vithoulkas shares with us
rather odd symptom of Hepar: aggravation even by touching cold surfaces. He
points out the keynotes of abusiveness and rudeness, but states that we can
also find a submissive patient who is boiling on the inside (as the remedy is
prepared under pressure, contained in a sealed box and unable to express
itself!).Nash states that the slightest cause irritates with hasty speech and
vehemence. Farrington tells us in his lecture that the remedy’s exquisite
sensitivity to pain are such that he need not multiply them, For a great
explanation of making the remedy, read
“The Mystery of Causticum” by John Morgan, founder of Helios Pharmacy.
because they are found in any part of the body in which inflammation occurs.
The remedy is well-known for its work in suppurations (in high potency
at the onset of inflammation to avoid suppuration and in low potency to promote
suppuration) and
as a „nursery medicine’ for croupy colds and coughs(respiration is so
difficult that the child will throw his head far back to straighten the
air-passages). The remedy is described by Vermeulen as more active than sulphur
in all types of suppuration or inflammations passing over to suppuration, and
by Farrington as promoting and regulating suppuration in a remarkable manner
second only to Silica.
[Tyler]
Hepar is a first class irritant of temper –nerves and tissues, till the
prover is distraught by a word –a touch –a breath of air –so hyper-sensitive is
he to environment,
both physical and mental. She compares the actions of Silica to that of
Hepar, stating that one may have trouble discerning them unless the
„inwardness’ of the two remedies can be grasped (a note to discourage keynote
prescribing, to be sure, and to encourage a deeper understanding of the essence
of the remedies). He states that the genius of the two remedies is dissimilar,
because their mental states are as wide as the poles, and goes on to describe
their mental states thus: Silica, with its want of self confidence, its lack of
grit, its timidity, its sufferings from anticipation—as when having to appear
in public...Hepar—sensitive beyond all bounds of reason. Irritable—impetuous.
Sensitive to draughts, to air, ulcers so sensitive that they cannot bear the
slightest touch, sensitive mentally—even to sudden murderous impulses. There
are over one thousand rubrics of five or less remedies containing Hepar, and
while too numerous to include here, these contain some interesting aspects of
the remedy that can be viewed as strange, rare, and peculiar, such as delusions
of his house, the neighbor’s house, or the world being on fire, haughtiness to
other human races, an aversion to certain places(a cold quality), a fear of
wasps and bees, a morbid rage and desire to kill, stab, or throw things (and
her children!) into the fire, aggravations from copper vessels, a sense of
swaying vertigo as though riding in a carriage, a sense that everything would
fall out of the head while coughing, great pains of the head with difficulty
closing the eyes during headache, perspiration of the scalp which ameliorates,
visual disturbances upon motion or blowing the nose, fungal growth and necrotic
affections of thelower jaw4, weeping and sweating with a cough, aggravations
from viewing an eclipse, a desire and aversion to green peppers, a desire and
aversion to pungent things which then aggravate, an aversion to strong cheeses
(particularly Roquefort), a desire for grapefruit, > from spiciness, and so
forth. The food affections are primarily out of as desire to relieve the
stomach of indigestion, yet causes aggravation after the stomach is full due to
pressure on the epigastrium. Any kind of food, no matter how wholesome,
provokes indigestion.
Hepar is greater than the sum of its parts.
A study of remedy symptoms related to Calc., Sulph. and Hepar
illustrates that Hepar gains a little something extra from the union of the two
remedies when applied under great heat and pressure.4Interestingly, Hepar is
actually used as a lubricant in phosphors and as an additive in fungicides and
pesticides.
It is always helpful for me to review limited rubrics (I like to look at
the rubrics with five or less remedies in them), particularly with remedies having
so many symptoms, as it helps me to flash out the unique „genius’ of the
remedy, enabling easier differentiation. I have included the Hepar MIND rubrics
containing five or less remedies, of which there are 90 along with the
intriguing and unique food affections of the remedy. It has to be emphasized
that Tyler’s lesson to understand the „inwardness’ of a remedy is essential to
upholding the premise of “Similia Similibus Curantur.”
Hepar Sulph Out of Hepar’s 6972 symptoms in Synthesis, 3641 are common
to Calc. and 4247 are common to Sulph, with a total of 3107 symptoms common to
all three remedies. But there are 2190 symptoms in Hepar that are NOT reflected
in either Calc or Sulph.
These contain some very unique symptoms as shown in the sampling below:
MIND-DELUSIONS -fire-house, on
MIND - FEAR -disease, of impending-walking in the open air agg.
HEAD - PAIN -copper, abuse of
EAR -NOISES in -explosion, like an -blowing the nose; on
LARYNX AND TRACHEA -VOICE -lost -wind, after exposure to north-west
COUGH -GREASE, sensation as if throat irritated by smoke of rancid
CHEST -ULCERS -Mammae -scirrhous, stinging, burning, odor of old cheese
CHEST -WATER, sensation of - In chest; sensation of water -hot water in
chest; as if -drops of hot water
PROSTATE GLAND -EMISSION of prostatic fluid -emotion, with every
GENERALS -MUCOUS SECRETIONS -offensive, fetid -cheese; like rotten
[Marc Brunson]
What is special, unusual and bizarre about this substance which
differentiates it from other homeopathic substances? It is not the components
of the substance (equal parts of Sulphur flower and
oyster shell) but its preparation: the remedy is the result of a
calcination in a closed vessel. This results in a grey yellow powder which
needs to be preserved in a hermetically closed container.
Two of my colleagues (J.P. Spilbauer and J.P. Reboul) presented its
essence based on cured cases as: ‘Hepar sulfur lives in the anticipation of a
menace.’
Sensitivity to the least aggression:
- great sensitiveness of the
affected parts to touch
- fainting from trifling pains
- unhealthy skin, every little
wounds suppurates
- oversensitive, physically end
mentally, the slightest cause irritates him
- angry at least trifle
- unreasonably anxious
- croup where the patient is
sensitive to the least draught of air
- cough when any part of the body
is uncovered
(symptoms originating from Lippe)
In the repertory we find:
- irritability from trifles
- morose about trifles
- sensitive to all external
impressions
- trifles seem important
- violent at trifles
The words used always indicate ‘from the least aggression’. Hepar sulfur
over reacts to the least aggression: the reaction is disproportionate. The
reactions aim to be rapid, efficacious and definite:
to kill or set on fire. Hepar sulfur does not think, he uses the big
artillery straight away,
- impetuous
- wants to set things on fire
- desire to kill
There are no half measures, there is no compromise, the reactions are
immediate and definitive …. Just like the calcinations he has undergone.
- abusive
- violent anger
- destructiveness
- gestures, furious and violent
- hatred and revengeful
- irritability, sudden impulse to
kill for slight offence
- malicious
- quarrelsome
- rage, stricken during
drunkenness
- threatens to kill
- violent
- rage leading to deeds of
violence
Hep. lives in the anticipation of a menace because he has difficulties
in evaluating the importance of this menace. Suffers from an exaggerated
interpretation of the dangers because of his hypersensitivity.
- sensitive to all impressions,
mental, noise, pain, sensual.
- horrible things and stories
affect him profoundly
- irritability from pain
- unconsciousness from pain
- violent from pain
He is fearful about his own and his family’s integrity.
- anxiety about future
- delusion his house is on fire
- delusion the world is on fire
- delusion will be murdered
- fear of being disfigured
- fear of being hurt
- fear of touch
- death, presentiment of
- delusion the members of his
family are sick
- anxiety about members of his
family
- fear about health of loved
ones.
Because of this state he lives in, he has to apply a series of
protection systems to protect himself and his family.
In relation to himself, two rubrics symbolize the need for protection:
- jumps up from bed and shrieks
for help
- fur, wraps up, in summer
There are more indications:
- complaining
- avarice
- conscientious about trifles
To make things worse, he seems to lack resources:
- delusion is poor
He tries to protect the family:
- cares about family
The care of his family is a weight on his shoulders which causes him to
do the opposite:
- aversion to members of the
family
- estranged from family
- indifference to relatives
- threatens to kill wife and
children
- sudden impulse to throw child
into fire
Hepar sulphur will live in the anticipation of a menace, and he is
always ready:
- anxiety driving out of bed
- anxiety while lying
- hurry on drinking, eating
- restlessness, springs out of
bed
- starting on falling asleep
When danger menaces, Hepar sulphur looses all sense of rules:
- no sense of duty
- cruelty
- deceitful
- want of moral feeling
- disposition to become a
criminal without remorse
- hard hearted
It becomes impossible to enjoy pleasure in such a situation:
- asks for nothing
- never cheerful
- indifference to pleasure
- never laughing
- morose in children
- music aversion
- objective, reasonable
- aversion to play in children
Impossible to be happy:
- capricious
- desire for change
- discontented always with
everything
- anguish, attempt to commit
suicide
- complaining
- death desires
- despair
- discouraged
- disgust
- dwells on past disagreeable
occurrences
- recalls disagreeable memories
- hypochondriasis driving to
suicide
- loathing at life
- morose after pain
- suicidal disposition to set
oneself on fire
by hypochrodiasis
sadness from
- time appears longer, passes too
slowly
Another way to react is to pretend the danger is not there (audacity)
and to think he is immortal (refuses to make his testament).
Such problems can only lead to poor relationships with others:
- there may be an need for
protection (anxiety alone, alone aggravation, fear of being alone)
- others can be enemies (aversion
to company, disposition to contradict, contrary, fear in crowd)
- alternatively, hepar sulphur
may decide to abandon:
- senses dull
- inclination to sit
- slowness
- stupefaction
- talk indisposed to, sits and
doesn’t move
Centrally there is an exaggerated interpretation of danger. (The least
aggression will cause immediate, total and final destruction: he will be
calcified)
He has a physical and mental over-sensitiveness.
His reactions may be a combination of the following:
- anticipation of menace
- relations to others: needs
their protection or they are enemies
- negation of danger and death
- disproportionate reactions
- no moral sense
- protection measures (for him or
his family)
the desire for protection may lead to refusal of pleasure and later
depression.
[Douglas Borland]
Another of the medicines which are neglected in digestive disturbances,
and many cases in which we ought to give Hep. are given Nux-v. instead.
There are many similarities between these two medicines. Mentally they
are very alike. They are both hyperaesthetic in every way; irritable, snappy,
hasty in their movements, impatient and very chilly.
In the majority of cases both Hep. and Nux-v. tend to be rather
underweight, but usually Hep. patients have more colour; very often they have
bright red cheeks instead of the sallow Nux-v. appearance.
All the Hep. patients I have treated for digestive disturbances have had
very unhealthy mouths; they have a tendency to caries of the teeth, unhealthy
gums and very often a history of dental abscesses. Frequently the breath is
offensive and there is an unpleasant or definitely metallic-taste in the mouth.
Most Hep. patients tend to develop a horrible sensation of hunger in the
middle of the morning-a very unpleasant, empty sensation. And with this they
have an acute craving for highly seasoned, strong-tasting food of every kind.
One thing that always suggests Hep. is the fact that not only are the
local gastric symptoms > by food, but the patients themselves feel a 100%
better after a meal; it seems to lift them generally, quite apart form the
relief of their local symptoms. These patients usually suffer from a good deal
of heartburn, with very troublesome, acid eructations.
Associated with the empty feeling in the stomach is a very distressing
sensation of the whole abdominal contents hanging down; this is particularly
increased by standing about or by walking.
This is particularly increased by standing about or by walking. In spite
of this sagging sensation, they are made uncomfortable by anything in the
nature of abdominal support; external support of any kind seems to increase
their distress. So, be a little careful of anything in the nature of a Curtis
belt in the visceroptotic Hep. cases. These patients are very liable to
recurring attacks of vomiting almost bilious attacks. The typical feature of
the attack is that the patient feels horribly sick, makes violent efforts to
vomit and, after severe retching, brings up a quantity of bile-stained fluid.
Associated with these bilious attacks the patient has acute, cutting
pain, usually about the region of the umbilicus, accompanied by much rumbling
in the abdomen and, sometimes, definite colic.
With these general abdominal upsets troublesome attacks of acute diarrhoea
are very liable to develop. The type of stool in Hep. cases is very offensive
and fermenting. Often these people have had recurring attacks of this kind
every spring and autumn for years, and while the attack lasts there is
frequently profuse, sour-smelling, generalised sweat.
In addition to the craving for stimulating foods of all kinds, there is
one Hep. characteristic which is sometimes a great help: with the digestive
upsets there is very often a definite craving for vinegar.
This is a clear Hep. pointer.
It is said that these patients have a marked craving for fat. I have not
treated one who had a craving for fat during a digestive upset; but I have had
quite a number of Hep. patients who had digestive upsets of this nature and who
developed an acute aversion to anything greasy or fatty. So do not ignore this
drug just because the patient does not have a craving for fat.
[M.L. Tyler]
Hep. a medicine that has its place in even the smallest of Homoeopathic domestic
medicine cases: it is one of the nursery medicines for
colds-coughs-croup-glands,etc.
Hahnemann’s Hepar Sulphuris Calcareum is prepared according to his
directions: “a mixture of equal parts of finely powdered oyster shells and
quite pure flowers of sulphur,kept for ten minutes at a white heat.” From this
our potencies are prepared.
Hepar is a powerful medicine,affecting both mind and body: a first-class
irritant of temper-nerves and tissues: till the prover is distraught by a
word-a touch- a breath of air-so hypersensitive is he to environment physical
and mental. And, of course, it is just this touchiness and hypersensitiveness
that provide a valuable clue to the employment of Hepar in many diseases.
Until the inwardness of the two drugs is grasped, there is a great
tendency to use Hepar for Silica, and Silica for Hepar: they have so many
points of resemblance. They both affect skin, glands, suppurations, till, in
treating an abscess one is apt to think, “H’mm? Silica? Hepar?”-as if it were a
mere toss up between them.
They both have unhealthy skin,which festers instead of healing. One sees
this so often in the children that come to the Out- Patient Department of our
Hospital, where one or other according to symptoms, cures. They both have
sticking pains as the fish bone or splinter sensation in throat, more
especially Hep. (Arg-n. Kali-c. Nit-ac.). In both, with the unhealthy skin
every little injury suppurates. Both are chilly: but here they part company:
because Hep. > in wet weather-better in warm wet weather: while Silica
suffers in wet weather-from wet feet, from cold wet weather; and is better when
it is warm
and dry. Both perspire profusely: Silica (with Calcarea) has profuse
head sweats at night, and its foot sweats are apt to be very offensive: the
intolerable “smelly feet” that one comes across; also offensive axillary sweat;
while Hepar has sour, profuse general sweats night and day which do not
relieve.
So alike are these two remedies, Silica and Hepar, that the one may be
used to antidote the other, as when a blunder in prescribing has been made, and
Silica has been given after Mercury with alarming recrudescence of the bad
symptoms: then Hepar comes in and “straightens things out”. We have seen
this!*”It is well known to physicians that Merc,. is not followed well by
Silica. Sil. does not do useful work when Merc. is still acting or has been
acting. Sil follows well after Hepar,and Hepar follows well after Merc. and
thus Hepar becomes an inter current in that series of medicines.” KENT.
Both have swellings, inflammations and suppuration of all the glands of
the body: but the gland suppurations of Hepar are sudden and rapid: while those
of Silica are slow, and very slow to heal-till
Silica is administered.
The discharges of Hepar are offensive: smelling (characteristically) of
old cheese; ulcers very offensive, smelling like old cheese and very sensitive.
Hepar has horribly offensive leucorrhoea, “the odour
an be detected when she enters the room”: while the Silica “smelly” feet
leave their aroma in all the rooms and passages through which their unfortunate
owner has passed.
“Hep. promotes and regulates suppurations in a remarkable manner (2nd
only to Silica) but is generally required at an earlier stage than Silica.”
(Farrington)
But the genius of the two remedies is dissimilar, because their
mentalities are as wide as the poles.
Silica, with its want of self-confidence; its lack of “grit”; its
timidity; its sufferings from anticipation-as when having to appear in public.
Hepar sensitive beyond all bounds of reason: Irritable- impetuous.
Sensitive to draughts; to air; ulcers so sensitive that they cannot bear the
lightest touch (Lach); sensitive mentally-even to sudden murderous impulses.
Nash: “Its strongest characteristic is HYPER SENSITIVENESS to touch,
pain and cold air.
The patient is so sensitive to pain, that she faints away, even when it
is slight.
If there is inflammation or swelling in any locality, or even eruptions
on the skin, they are so sensitive that she cannot bear to have them touched,
or even to have the cold air blow on them. This super sensitiveness to pain
runs all though the drug. It is mental well as physical, for the slightest
cause irritates, with hasty speech and vehemence.
Next to this is the power of Hep. over the suppurative stage of local
inflammations. It comes in only when pus is about to form, or is already
formed. If it is given very high before pus is formed, and not repeated too
soon or often, we may prevent suppuration and check the whole inflammatory process
But if pus is already formed, it will hasten the pointing and discharge and
help along the healing of the ulcer afterwards. The most rapid pointing,
opening and perfect healing. I ever saw was in the case of a large glandular
swelling in the neck of a child, under the action of the CM potency. Hep. has a
general tendency to suppuration, for even the eruptions on the skin are liable
to form matter, and slight injuries suppurate (Sil. Graph. Merc. Petr.)”
In regard to “skins” H.C. Allen (Keynotes) supplies a valuable tip. “The
skin eruptions of Sulphur are dry, itching, and not sensitive to touch; while
in Hep. the skin is unhealthy. suppurating, moist, and intensely sensitive to
touch.”
But Hep. also has its sphere in the respiratory system, and in the nerves
connected with the respiratory system.
It is one of the celebrated: Boenninghausen’s Croup Powders”, sold for
many years in our chemists’; shops under that name:- a packet of five powders,
all in the 200th potency: they were numbered, Acon. Spong. Hep. Spong. Hep.
(should so many be required to cut short the attack). Anyone acquainted with
these alarming attacks, a bolt from the blue in the middle of the night, will
see the appropriateness
of the remedies. Aconite, sudden difficulty of breathing in the night,
with the Aconite fear and terror, after a chill from a cold, dry wind. Spongia.
Hoarseness: difficulty of drawing the breath, as if a cork were sticking in the
larynx, and the breath could not penetrate through the narrowed orifice of the
larynx. Hep. suffocative cough, excited not by tickling, but buy tightness of
the breath; dry, deep cough, from suffocation when breathing. Also “Springing
from bed, crying for help, felt that he could not get his breath.”
Hahnemann says that ” “Homoeopathy has found the most remarkable
remedial employment of Roasted sponge” (Spong.), “in that frightfully acute
disease membranous croup. The local inflammation, however,should first be
diminished or removed by the exhibition of an extremely small dose of Aconite.
The accessory administration of small dose of footnote he adds, “The smaller
the drug-doses in acute and in the most acute diseases, the more quickly do
they effect their action.” (Mat. Med. Pura-” Spongia”.)
Hep. sweats with the cough. Weeps with, or before the cough. Cough from
the least exposure of any part of the person to cold-to air-to draught.
Breathing is rattling, anxious, wheezing (in bronchitis) even to threatened
suffocation- almost asthmatic(>) In asthma, Nash contrasts Hep. with Nat-s.
with this diagnostic difference, which is very valuable: Hep. < dry cold
weather and better in damp:
Nat-s. the opposite of this:- extremely sensitive to damp. Nash says:”
“There is no other remedy that I know that has the amelioration so strongly in
damp weather.”
Hep. a great remedy for ears and for threatening mastoid troubles. One
remembers one’s first acquaintance with Hep. in this connection. A child with
offensive ear discharge. A hesitation-? Merc.-? Puls-? But a doctor who had
learnt her Homoeopathy in India under Dr. Younan suggested Hep. -which
personally one would not have, then, thought of, and a dose of Hep. 200 had an
amazing effect on the case. It is thus that one learns Materia Medica! And one
remembers another, later, ear case, during the war, when surgical persons were
not” as common as pilchards at Loo”, as Kipling might put it. It was a girl
with a very high temperature who came to Casualty with ear trouble, and a
tender-very tender, mastoid. She got Hepar cm and when she reported a day (or a
couple of days) later it was no case of handing her over for surgery, because
the whole thing had absolutely subsided in the most astonishing way.
Again, one does not usually think of Hep. for gastric ulcer. But one case,
with a recent history of haematemesis, and a craving (surely unusual in that
disease) for vinegar and pickles, cured up rapidly under Hep., which has that
craving. (The remedy had to be repeated once later, after and attack of flu.)
We will go to KENT for a few more hints in regard to Hep.
Hep. sometimes is bad for the oculist. When it is indicated, it cures
eyes very quickly, so that the oculist does not have a very long case, and it
does away with the necessity for washes in the hands of the specialist.
Offensive, purulent discharge’ (Arg-n.) “Inflammation with little ulcers”
(Tub.)
A very important sphere for Hepar is after mercurialization. Syphilitic
affection: ulcers of soft palate and osseous portions of root of mouth.
(Nit-a.). But everywhere the ‘stick sensation’, the offensiveness, and the
extreme tenderness.
Sweating all night without relief belongs to a great many complaints of
Hepar.
Inspiring cold air will increase the cough and putting the hand out of
bed will increase the pain in the larynx or cough. Putting the hand or foot out
of bed is a general aggravation of all the complaints
of Hep.”
The mind takes part in this oversensitiveness, and manifests itself by a
safe of extreme irritability. Every little thing that disturbs the patient makes
him intensely angry and abusive and impulsive.
The impulses will overwhelm him and make him wish to kill his best
friend in an instant. Impulses also that are without cause sometimes crop out
in Hepar”-impulses to do violence to burn, to destroy.
BLACK LETTER SYMPTOMS.
Constant pressive pain in one
half of brain, “As from a plug or nail” (Thuja).
Epistaxis (Vip. etc.).
Great swelling of the upper lip.
Sticking in throat as from a splinter on swallowing, and extending
towards the ear on yawning.
Great desire for vinegar.
Nausea.
Abdomen distended, tense.
Buboes, abscesses of inguinal glands.
Stool soft, yet passed with great exertion.
Clay-coloured stool.
Urging to stool, but the large intestines are wanting in peristaltic
action, and cannot expel the faeces which are not hard; only a portion of which
can be forced out by help of abdominal muscles.
Very difficult passage of scanty, not hard, faeces, with much urging.
Micturition impeded: obliged to wait before the urine passes, and then
it flows slowly.
He is never able to finish urinating; it seems as if some urine always
remains behind in bladder.
Weakness of bladder; urine drops vertically down, and he is obliged to
wait awhile before any passes.
Paroxysms of cough, as from taking cold, with excessive sensitiveness of
the nervous system, as soon as only the slightest portion of the body becomes
cold.
Dyspnoea.
Abscess of axillary glands.
Bruised pain in anterior muscles of thigh.
Swelling of knee.
Drawing pain in limbs.
Cracked lines and chaps in hands and feet.
The ulcer bleeds on being merely gently wiped.
Eroding pain in ulcer.
Sensitive to open air.
At night the pains are worst.
Dreams of fire.
Night sweat.
Unhealthy, suppurating skin; even slight injuries maturate and
suppurate.
Soreness and moisture in folds between scrotum and thigh.
Perspires easily on every, even slight motion.
Catarrhal fever with great sensitiveness of skin to touch, and to the
slightest cold.
Constant offensive exhalations from the body.
Among Hahnemann’s symptoms are these other peculiar ones which may prove
diagnostic:
The slightest thing put him into a violent passion, and he could have
murdered anyone without hesitation.
Cross: and had such weakness of memory that he required three or four minutes
to remember anything, and when at work thoughts often left him all at once.
In the evening frightful anxiety; thought he must be ruined, and was sad
to that degree that he could have killed himself.
In the morning after waking, he had the visionary appearance of a
deceased person, which frightened him; also imagined he saw a neighboring house
in flames, which terrified him.
When the smallest member becomes cool, there immediately occurs a cough,
as from a chill and oversensitiveness of nervous system.
Suffocative cough, excited by tightness of breath.
At night, from 11 to 12 h., violent cough.
Before midnight he sprang out of sleep, full of anxiety, called for
help, felt he could not get his breath. (Hep. one of the great croup
medicines.)
Even small wounds and slight injuries suppurate, will not heal, and
become ulcers.
H. says: ”Bell. removes many of the sufferings caused by Hep., where the
symptoms correspond.”
HERING (Guiding Symptoms) has put in black type a few more Hep. symptoms
as being particularly diagnostic.
Purulent conjunctivitis, with profuse discharge and excessive
sensitiveness to air and touch.
Gums and mouth very painful to touch, bleed easily.
Mercurio-syphilitic diseases of gums.
Hasty speech and hasty drinking.
Chronic tonsillitis (hardness of hearing).
Is never able to finish urinating, it seems as if some urine always
remains behind in bladder.
Larynx sensitive to cold air.
Croup, after exposure to dry cold winds.
Croupy cough, with rattling in chest but no expectoration.
Paroxysms of cough, with excessive sensitiveness of nervous system, as
soon as the slightest portion of body becomes cold.
Coughs when any part of the body is uncovered.
Tenacious mucus.
Habitual bronchial catarrhs, with loud rattling of mucus.
Pulmonary abscess, empyema, pyothorax.
Great chilliness in open air.
Ailments from cold, dry wind.
Cannot bear to be uncovered. Desires to be covered even in a warm room.
Sensitiveness to open air, with chilliness and frequent nausea.
Sweats easily by every, even slight motion.
Cold clammy, often sour, offensive, sweat.
[H.C. Allen]
For torpid lymphatic constitutions; persons with light hair and
complexion, slow to act, muscles soft and flabby.
The slightest injury causes suppression ( Graph. Merc.).
Diseases where the system has been injured by the abuse of Mercury.
In diseases where suppuration seems inevitable, Hepar may open the
abscess and hasten the cure.
Oversensitive, physically and mentally; the slightest cause irritates
him; quick, hasty speech and hasty drinking.
Patient is peevish, angry at the least trifle; hypochondriacal;
unreasonably anxious.
Extremely sensitive to cold air, imagines he can feel the air if a door
is open in the next room; must be wrapped up to the face even in hot weather (Psor.);
cannot bear to be uncovered (Nux-v. cannot bear to be covered, Camph. Sec.);
take cold from slightest exposure to fresh air (Tub.).
Urine: flow impeded; voided slowly, without force, drops vertically; is
obliged to wait a while before it passes; bladder weak, is unable to finish,
seems as if some urine always remains (Alum. Sil.).
Cough: when any part of the body is uncovered (Rhus-t.); croupy,
choking, strangling; from exposure to dry west wind, the land wind (Acon.).
Asthma: breathing, anxious, wheezing, rattling; short, deep breathing,
threatens suffocation; must bend head back and sit up; after suppressed
eruption (Psor.).
Croup: after exposure to dry cold wind (Acon.); deep, rough, barking
cough, with hoarseness and rattling of mucus; < cold air, cold drinks,
before mid-night or toward morning.
Sensation of a splinter, fish bone or plug in the throat ( Arg-n.
Nit-ac.); quinsy, when suppuration threatens; chronic hypertrophy, with
hardness of hearing (Bar-c. Lyc. Plb-met. Psor.).
The skin is very sensitive to touch, cannot bear even clothes to touch
affected parts (Lach. sensitive to slightest touch, but can bear hard pressure,
Cinch.).
Skin affections extremely sensitive to touch, the pain often causing
fainting.
Ulcers herpes surrounded by little pimples or pustules and spread by
coalescing.
Middle of lower lip cracked [Am-c. Nat-m. - cracks in commissures,
(Cund.)].
Eyeballs: sore to touch; pain as if they would be pulled back into head
(Olnd. Paris.).
Diarrhoea: of children with sour smell (Calc. Mag-c. - child and stool
have a sour smell, Rheum); clay colored stool (Calc. Podo.).
Sweats: profusely day and night without relief; perspiration sour,
offensive; easily, on every mental or physical exertion (Psor. Sep.).
DD.: Calendula in injuries of soft parts.
Hep. antidotes: bad effects of mercury and other metals, iodine, iodide
of potash, cod-liver oil; renders patient less susceptible to atmospheric
changes and cold air.
Compare: The psoric skin affections of Sulphur are dry, itching, > by
scratching, and not sensitive to touch; while in Hepar the skin is unhealthy,
suppurating, moist, and extremely sensitive to touch.
<: Lying on painful side (Kali-c. Iod.); cold air; uncovering; eating
or drinking cold things; touching affected parts; abuse of mercury.
>: Warmth in general (Ars.); wrapping up warmly (head) (Psor. Sil.);
in damp, wet weather (Caust. Nux-v. - reverse of Nat-s.).
[E.B. Nash]
Hypersensitive to touch, pain, cold air; fainting with the pain.
General tendency to suppurations; even slight injuries or scratches on
the skin suppurate.
Tendency to croupy exudations (larynx and kidneys; any mucous membrane.)
Atony; stools passed with great difficulty, even when soft; urine flows
slowly, must wait for it, then drops vertically down without force.
Sour diarrhoea; whole child smells sour.
Coughs; croup, bronchitis, consumption; worse when exposed to least cold
air.
<: dry cold air; >: moist wet weather;
Like SULPH., HEP. is adapted to the psoric, scrofulous diathesis.
This remedy standing half-way between those two great anti-psorics,
CALC. and SULPH., has some very strong characteristics which guide to its use
in a variety of ailments. Its strongest characteristic
is its Hypersensitive to touch, pain and cold air. The patient is so
sensitive to pain that she faints away, even when it is slight. If there are
inflammation or swelling in any locality or even eruptions on the skin, they
are so sensitive that she cannot bear to have them touched or even to have the
cold air to blow upon them. This is like CHINA., only that while the latter is
sensitive to the lightest touch it can bear hard pressure (< cold air: Ars.
Calc. Hep. Nux-v. Psor. Sil. Tub.) This supersensitiveness to pain runs all
through the drug. It is mental as well as physical, for the slightest cause
irritates with hasty speech and vehemence. Next to this is the power of HEP.,
over the suppurative stage of local inflammations. It comes in only when pus is
about to be form, or is already formed.
If given very high in the first case (that is before pus is formed), and
not repeated too soon or often, we may prevent suppuration and check the whole
inflammatory process. But if pus is already formed,
it will hasten the pointing and discharge and help along the healing of
the ulcer afterwards. I am not at all sure, as is generally taught, that it is
necessary to give it low to hasten suppuration.
HEP. has a general tendency to suppuration, for even the eruptions on
the skin are liable to form matter, and slight injuries suppurate. (Graph.
Merc. Petr.) This remedy is also very valuable in diseases of the respiratory
organs. I have found it very useful in cases of chronic catarrh, when the nose
stopped up every time the patient went out into the cold air. He says it seems
as if I get a new cold every time.
I get a breath of fresh air (Tub.). it > in a warm room. In croup it
has been, ever since Boenninghausen prescribed his celebrated five powders, one
of our standard remedies. We do not use
the five powders as Boenninghausen did in a certain order, but only use
them according to indications. Hep. croup + rather loose cough with wheezing
and rattling. Cough as if mucus would come up, but it does not. It is seldom
indicated at first; but oftener comes in after Acon, or Spong., Like Acon, it
seems most effectual in those cases brought on by exposure to dry cold air; but
the Acon. croup comes on in the evening. After first sleep and Hep. in the
early morning, hours. This tendency to croupy exudations on mucous membranes seems
characteristic of Hep. and is not confined to the respiratory organs. Kafka
uses it on the ground of its ability to control such conditions in
post-scarlatinal dropsy, to prevent or cure, and claims great success for it. I
believe it to be one of the best prophylactics in such cases, for the reason
that during and after the desquamative stage the skin is unusually susceptible
to the effects of chill in cold air, and this is in accordance with the Leading
characteristic of this remedy. It fortifies the patient against such
atmospheric influence.
In croup, as in other affections of Hep., the cough, difficult breathing
and all other symptoms are worse by the least breath of cold air, which the
little patient must be carefully guarded against.
Travelling downward the larynx is attacked, then the bronchia, and even
the lungs, and the formation of croupy exudates will take place if not checked
by the remedy. The breathing in all these cases becomes rattling, anxious,
wheezing, even to threatened suffocation, so that the patient seems asthmatic.
In these cases it is often able to relieve especially if this condition follows
a hard cold and the acute inflammatory symptoms have been controlled by Acon.,
or some other indicated remedy.
In chronic asthma, Hep. often resembles Nat-s., but, there is this
diagnostic difference, which is very valuable. The Hepar asthma < in dry
cold air and > in damp, while Nat-s., is exactly the opposite, like Dulc.,
There is no other remedy that I know that has the > so strongly in damp
weather as Hep., One characteristic must not be forgotten, viz., ” Coughs when
any part of the body becomes uncovered.” (Bar-c./Rhus-t.) This is found in
croup, laryngitis, bronchitis and consumption, and not only is the COUGH worse,
but the whole case is worse . It must be remembered that this is one of our
strongest anti-psorics, and for that reason should be thought of for all
respiratory ailments for which it has such a strong affinity, especially when
such ailments have followed a suppressed or retrocedent eruption on the skin.
In accordance with its great power over all suppurative processes, it
should come to mind in abscess of the lungs, of course in all cases when
indicated by the symptoms IN TOTO. Upon the throat we
have 1st, ” sticking in the throat, as from a splinter, on swallowing,
ext. the ear, also on yawning.” “Sensation as if a fish bone or splinter were
sticking in the throat ” (Arg-n.. Dol. Nit-ac.) but probably
the condition where HEPAR is oftenest of use in throat trouble is in
that distressing complaint, quinsy.
[Willard Ide Pierce]
IMPURE CALCIUM SULPHIDE.
Hep. prepared by fusing the calcined middle layers of oyster shells with
flowers of sulphur.
It was first proved by Hahnemann, who says of it, “I have found a very
small portion of a grain of the million-fold attenuation” (3d) “quite
sufficient, often too large, for a dose” (Mat. Med. Pura).
Hep. is a tissue dug with a wide range of action, and Allen speaks of it
as follows: “It simulates Mercury in its action on the liver and kidneys,
sulphur in its action on the skin and mucous membrane
of the intestinal tract, Calcarea in affecting the respirator tract, and
all the foregoing in its general action on connective tissue.”
It is one of the remedies, as pointed out to us by H., the thought of
for patients who come to you after having been dosed with mercury 9139). Hughes
in commenting on this says that H. at first used
it to neutralize mercurial influence chemically, as converting the
mental into an insoluble sulphide; and gave largish doses accordingly,-in one
bad case three grains every hour. Later, however, he seems
to have been so frequently acted upon the success that there seems
little doubt of their being well founded” (Hahnemann’s indications are for the
use of Hep., to remove “all affections rising from the
long continued irritation of mercury, the pains in the limbs, the low
fever and night sweats, and the exhausting salivation” (Lesser Writings).
After speaking of its use in this condition into the 6th, Hughes
continues: “Now for a drug to be a dynamic antidote, in minute doses to a
chronic medicinal disease, it must act upon the principle of similarity and the
symptoms induced by Hepar sufficiently resemble those of mercury to support the
inference drawn from therapeutics.”.
Symptoms
Oversensitiveness of the nervous system to external impressions is a
prominent symptoms of Hep., and the affected part is very sensitive to touch,
out of proportion to the actual pain.
In general, is extremely sensitive to cold air or to the slightest
draft, with relief not only from warmth but from wrapping up warmly, and as
Allen puts it he: wears an overcoat in hot weather, with the collar all ready
to be turned up on the slightest provocation.
It is not that he does not feel that the day is warm, for he does and
perspires freely, but partly because of his sensitiveness to cool air and
partly because of easy perspiration he is afraid to have the least breath of
air touch him.
There is also general aggravation from cold dry winds. Two other
characteristics of this remedy are, profuse secretions, and tendency for all
inflammations to terminate in suppuration.
Let me reverse the order in which a remedy is usually considered and
speak first of the skin and supportive tendencies as these conditions will be
found in many of the subdivisions, and what we say here will apply top what is
to follow.
The pain is sharp., sticking, splinter- like, with extreme sensitiveness
to touch and soreness of the inflamed parts as if it were about to suppurate.
The sweat, which is easily excite, is sour and there are more or less
offensive exhalations from the body; the skin seems to be unhealthy and even
slight injuries suppurate (183), with tendency to small badly. Dearborn Says:
that the characteristic lesions is the papule prone to suppurate, or the
primary foci of inflammation may begin in a less circumscribed form that the
papule, but it extends by progressive involvement of continuous skin and the
outbreak of other discreet lesions in the surrounding tissues.
Pimples, boils abscesses, etc. that suppurate or that you fear will go
on to the formation of pus, lead you to think of this remedy, especially when
there is the sensitiveness to touch and to cold air or to cold applications. I
believe that Hep. has a double or two-fold action in these conditions and that
it should be used in different potencies according to the effect that you are
trying to produce.
If suppurate is inevitable and you wish to hasten the process give it
low, below the 3rd (I prefer the 1x). It is to be used low, not only
in those cases where suppuration is progressing and you wish to hurry
it along, but also where too such progress has been made to enable you
out to abort it but which hangs fire and refuses to get “ripe”.
If you see the case at the onset and fear that it well-off on to
suppuration if left to itself, but giving Hep. 6he or higher (1 prefer 30th),
you will often be able to abort the whole trouble; again, after the abscess is
opened and the pus discharged, you will often prevent new pus formation and
promote dealing by giving the 30th.
In acne that goes on to suppuration this remedy is frequently indicated.
It may be well to use it low at the start in order to bring all the pustules to
a head and then to follow with a higher potency so
as to heal the old and to prevent new ones from forming.
It is a remedy of value for moist eruptions, which smell badly,
suppurated and bleed; for run-rounds and for felons, with the sharp, suppuration
pains and the relief from heat or hot applications, and for hip-joint disease
in the suppurative stage.
Some of the bad effects of mercury that are benefited by the use of
Hepar sulph, are melancholia, falling of the hair or headache with a sensation
as if a plug or nail were being driven into the head, or a feeling as if the
eyes were being poled driven into ward into the head. In herpes of the
supraorbital nerve, requiring this remedy, this sensation as if the eyes were
being drawn back into the head may be noticed.
The headaches in general are better from binding the head up tightly.
The scalp is sensitive to cold so that they take cold when the head is
uncovered, and sensitive to touch so that they cannot comb their hair without
causing pain. It is of value for eczema of the head, milk crust, etc., with
bleeding and offensive discharge and great sensitiveness to touch.
In the eye indicted in a great variety of scrofulous inflammation
(ulcerations of the cornea) involving the inner layer and accompanied by
collection of pus in the anterior chamber. In general anaemic,
with easy and sour perspiration and has taken, perhaps, a good deal of
mercury, the inflammation is of a sluggish character, pains worse at night and
with great sensitiveness to the open air. It is also of value for chronic
catarrh of the conjunctiva, with profuse muco-purulent discharge, and for
inflammation of the lachrymal sac, with very free secretion of pus in the inner
angle of the eye.
In inflammation of the outer and middle ear a similar condition is
found, with pain, bloody and offensive discharge and sensitiveness to touch nd
to cold air. You will think of it in furuncles of the auditory canal, although
Calc-pic. may be your first choice. In the nose it may be of us in coryza, with
swelling and redness of the nose and pain as form a boil, and it is frequently
indicated in ozaena, with pain in the bones, ulceration and profuse, offensive
discharge, the nose very sensitive internally to air and to touch.
The teeth are loose and sore sensitive to cold drinks and when drawing
in cold air, and it is of frequent use when abscesses are inclined to form at
roots of teeth that have been filled. The gums are unhealthy, become ulcerated
and bleed easily, with an offensive odor from them.
In the throat sharp, splinter-like pains, which extend to the ear on
swallowing, and with sensitiveness of the throat to cold air/ (peri-tonsillar
suppuration or quinsy)/
The first intimation of the trouble is, as a usual thing, a sharp
sticking pain referred to the tonsils as if a splinter were being driven into
the tissues on swallowing. Of course, if pus has formed when you
first see the case, the best thing to do is to call your attention to
the power that Hep. 1x, seemingly has to abort quinsy and other suppurative
conditions, if taken at the very onset of the trouble,
at the first stab, so to speak. Anyone who has ever had quinsy will know
of it beginning, and if our want to try want to try the experiment, let the
patient have the remedy to carry with him so that he
may be able to take it early and he can report to you as to the truth or
falsity of its power of absorption. If you do not care to experiment with a
case of quinsy, give Bar-c. 30th as a prophylactic.
Hep. in dyspepsia resulting from the use of mercury of quinine, with a
longing for highly-seasoned food, for acids or for sour, pungent articles and
disgust for fat or fat foods.
It is one of the remedies shaving eructations tasting, and flatus
smelling like bad eggs, but it does not occupy as prominent a place in the
pathogenesis as the taste of the 1x tablets would lead one to suppose. The
bowels are inactive and the large intestine wanting in peristaltic action so
that even a soft stool is passed slowly and with difficulty and only a part can
be forced out even by the aid of the abdominal muscles. In diarrhoea the stools
are painless, white or clay-colored, green or undigested, of sour or decayed
odor. The diarrhoea is especially a chronic condition and may be < during
the day and after eating and perhaps associated with sweat on the perineum.
It will, of course, be indicted in abscess of either the liver or
kidneys,and in the latter stage of suppurative or secondary nephritis when you are
unable to get rid of the pus that so persistently shows in the urine, Hepar
sulph. 30th will often clear up the case. In croups inflammations
(resulting from the abuse of mercury) it is often of value.
In the bladder we have paralysis or atony, with lack of expulsive power.
He must wait for the urine to start and then it flows very slowly and “drops
down vertically.” The bladder does not seem to empty itself and it seems as if
he could never finish urinating.
Hep. is the only remedy in the handbook where there is clinical mention
of an oily film on the surface of the urine (the others that are spoken of at
all prominently are only in italics).
On the genital organs it is of value for abscesses of all kinds, with
sharp pains and offensive odor to the discharge; it is one of the best remedies
to clear up an old gonorrhea and for pyo-salpingitis
The leucorrhoea is offensive, of putrid odor.
In membranous as well as in spasmodic croup Hep. is of great value. It
is not to be given early in the disease but later when there is little or no
fever, the child is weak and perspires easily and the cough
is loose. Allen says it “should be given very cautiously even in a late
stage of membranous croup; over-dosing with it is apt to cause recurrence of
the more acute symptoms, to lessen the secretion of
mucus, rendering the cough dry and tight, and increase the difficulty in
breathing.”
I will ask you to look up the differentiations between various remedies
as made by Allen under this remedy, as I wish to speak of a method used by
Boenninghausen that has been the cause of much misunderstanding. Many people
from a distance would come to him to ask that he prescribe for their people at
home. In cases of croup it was his custom to give three powders to be dissolved
in water.
No.1. Acon. 200th for the beginning of the trouble, with high fever, dry
skin, tight cough and the other Acon. symptoms.
No.2. Spong. 200th to be taken after the fever had subsided but with the
cough still tight and croupy.
When the cough had loosened and there was an accumulation of mucus, then
give No.3, Hepar sulph.200th.
If through any mischance, either that the cough became tighter or that
Hep. has been given too soon and the cough remained more or less tight, they
were to go back to No.2, or Spong, until the cough was thoroughly loose and
then No.3, or Hep. would complete the cure.
From this innocent procedure has grown the belief, amongst many, that it
is good practice, irrespective of the symptoms, to return to Spong. after
giving Hep., or that Boenninghausen alternated and, therefore, they are
justified.
We all know good men who alternate, but I doubt if there is anyone who
takes pride in so doing, and but few, who down in their own heart do not
acknowledge that the reason they do so is because they do not know enough of
the Homoeopathic Materia Medica.
Hep. is of value in bronchitis and broncho-pneumonia, with a good deal
of mucus in the chest. The cough is loose and rattling, < towards morning
and from cold air; so susceptible is the patient
to cold that the slightest draft or even putting the hands out from
under the bed-clothes is enough to set them coughing.
Lippe gives, cough caused by “eating or drinking, anything cold”.
The mucus in all these cases is difficult to raise, although there is so
much in the chest, and the effort to bringing it up causes is difficult to
raise, although there is so much in the chest, and the effort to bring it up
causes nausea and easy perspiration; in these respects the remedy is similar to
what we find in Ant. tart., but in Hep. there is the decided aggravation from
cold air.
Hep. is of value in pleurisy with exudation, in the late stage of
pneumonia and in phthisis, with profuse purulent expectoration, and in abscess
of the lungs, with the characteristic indications for the remedy.
It has been used for chronic malarial poisoning that “has been
maltreated with calomel and quinine” (Allen), the leading indications being the
easy and offensive sweat and the extreme sensitiveness to air. We may have
urticaria “preceding” (Hering) or associated “with the chill” (H.C. Allen) and
disappearing as the heat begins.
[William Daniel Gentry]
1 Inflammation and redness of meatus (Cann-s.).
3 Weakness of bladder.
5 Enuresis; wetting of bed, head thrown back during sleep.
7 Urination impeded; has to wait awhile before urine passes, and then it
flows slowly (flow intermits, Coni, Clem.); cannot empty bladder thoroughly;
urine drops vertically without force.
9 Atony or paralysis of bladder, urine passes very slowly and without force,
bladder does not seem to empty itself.
11 Urine:-
(a) Dark-red and hot.
(b) Pale, with flocculent, muddy sediment.
(c) Milky; turbid, even while passing, with a white sediment.
(d) Bloody.
(e) Brown-red, last drops bloody.
(f) Acrid, corroding prepuce and pudenda.
(g) Pale and clear or dark-yellow, scalding.
(h) On standing becomes turbid and thick and deposits a white sediment.
(i) Oily film upon urine after standing.
13 Greasy pellicle upon urine, glistening with various colors.
15 Urine passes tardily and without force; feels as if bladder could not
be emptied thoroughly.
17 Chronic ulceration of kidneys and bladder.
19 Awakens at night with erection and desire to urinate.
21 Burning in urethra during micturition; painful.
23 Pain in kidneys with continual urging, with tenderness over region of
kidneys.
25 Great soreness in urethra during micturition.
27 Incessant painful urging to urinate, passing a few drops of purulent
urine, with sensitive, painful kidneys.
29 Can never finish urinating, some urine always seems to remain in
bladder (Helon.). 31 Albuminuria (during and after diphtheria).
33 Croupous nephritis, causes suppuration, with fever and rigors.
35 Discharge of mucus from urethra. (See Section on Male Sexual
Organs.).