Phosphorus

This remedy is particularly adapted for complaints existing in tall, thin persons, having dark hair, especially in women.

Mental.--Affections of the mind in general; amativeness; indifference; dizziness of the mind. Nymphomania.

Eyes.--Colors appear black before the eyes; weak-eyed people who see a halo around the lamp light; shortsightedness; dimsightedness when things appear of a dim gray; momentary loss of sight. One sees variegated colors when there may be only one color.

Nose.--Blood comes every time the nose is blown; smelling too sensitive; foul imaginary smells.

Stool.--A very characteristic symptom is found in the stool, which is long, slim, hard and dry, and is evacuated with a great deal of difficulty; it may be compared to a dog's stool in appearance and in manner of evacuation, is often accompanied with the same straining, trembling of the limbs, etc. Diarrhœa, which pours out in great quantity, like water from a hydrant, and is very exhausting to the patient (often accompanied with a very weak, empty or gone feeling in the abdomen); painless; stools large; involuntary; mucous. Affections of the anus; rectum; dartings and shootings in the rectum. (This may occur in children, causing them to cry out, is usually worse in the evening or night; they appear to have worms; they will put their hands to the seat, and show by various signs where and what the matter is.)

Stomach and Abdomen.--A very WEAK, EMPTY, or GONE SENSATION, felt in the whole abdominal cavity; this is an indicative point whether found existing among a complication of troubles or occurring alone, and especially when accompanied by a sensation of heat in the back between the shoulder-blades. Vomiting as soon as any substance taken (whether it be food or drink) becomes warm in the stomach; vomiting of blood; of sour matter. Sharp pains through the abdomen; belching of large quantities of wind, also of sour substances; rumbling and rolling in the bowels. Flatus in general.

Chest.--Hard, tight, dry cough which racks the patient and is very exhausting, usually aggravated by going into the open air; with or without expectoration; saltish expectoration; with expectoration in the morning, without any in the evening; of a bloody, purulent matter; of yellow matter; of sour taste. Growing hoarse toward evening; complete aphonia; voice very hoarse. Respiration oppressed; anxious; complaints attending respiration as e.g. stitches, etc. Palpitation of the heart with anguish.

Sexual.--Female: Sexual desire too strong. Nymphomania. Menstruation too early; discharge of blood before the proper time; acrid leucorrhœa. Mammary glands, especially when there are stitching pains in them and are threatened with abscess.

Skin.--Exanthema which comes out in pustules; is scaly. Ulcers in general. Summer freckles; hard swellings here and there on the body; wounds that bleed very much, even if very small; wounds which appear to have healed, break out again and bleed; wounds that continually heal and break out again.

Sleep.--Falling asleep late; complaints preventing sleep; general sleepiness in the daytime; overpowering sleep coming on after dinner, if only a moderate dinner has been eaten; sleeplessness before midnight; sleeplessness with drowsiness. Dreams anxious, vivid.

Fever.--Pulse changed in general; very quick. Internal or external heat of single parts; flushes of heat; perspiration viscid.

Sensations.--Of emptiness in the abdominal cavity; of heat or burning in the back, between the shoulder-blades. Neuralgia of the head, when it must be kept warmly wrapped up night and day. Burning pain of external parts, or of internal parts; inner parts with sensation of dryness; of fulness, of itching or tickling; of knocking, beating, or throbbing; of darting; darting pain; of roughness--all occurring in inner parts. Stitching pains.

Generalities.--Affections of the inner chest; of the shin-bones; of the bones of the legs; of the right upper or right lower extremity; right upper or right lower side. Profuse secretion of mucus. Affections of the axillary glands; inflammation of the glands in general; glands painful, particularly stitching pains; hot swelling of the glands. Bleeding from the inner parts; threatened phthisis pulmonalis.

Worse.--In the morning; in the evening; before falling asleep; on waking; before breakfast; after taking cold; while coughing; before or after eating; from violent bleeding; from spraining parts; while lying on the back; lying on left side; from laughing (often producing cough); from light in general; light of the lamp; warm food. Very thirsty; takes water, likes it, feels better, water gets warm in the stomach and is vomited. Reading aloud; from strong smells; after stool (exhausted, etc.); while swallowing drink; in the wind; when singing; when the weather changes either way.

Better.--In the dark; lying on right side; from being mesmerized; from rubbing; from scratching; after sleep; from cold things; cold food; cold water (till it gets warm).

Remedies following:--Bellad., Bryon., Calc. carb., Nux vom., Pulsat., Sepia, Sulphur.

Antidote:--Nux vom.