Chloroformum
By Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica
Chloroform. CHCl 3 .
Provings by Lembke, A. H. Z., vol. 39, p. 369, and E. W. Berridge, effects of inhalation, M. H. Rev., vol. 16, p. 38.
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Arachnitis ending in convulsions , E. E. Marcy, N. A. J. H., vol. 1, p. 337 ; Mania-a-potu , Pearce, Add. to Hom. Mat. Med. ; Sick headache , G. A. Hall, Burt's Mat. Med. ; Biliary calculi , C. Hering ; T. H. Buckler, Hom. Times, vol. 8, p. 48 ; E. M. Hale, Am. Hom. Obs., vol. 7, p. 471 ; Paralysis of sphincter vesicæ , Woodward (10 drop doses), Burt's Mat. Med. ; Puerperal convulsions , Sanford, Browne, and Talbot, Med. Inv., vol. 7, p. 169 ; Puerperal convulsions (per rectum), W. H. Holcombe, Trans. Am. Inst., 1870, p. 446 ; Tetanic spasms in typhus , Watson, Add. to Hom. Mat. Med.
MIND [1]
Difficult comprehension.
Excitement quickly subsiding into stupefaction, in which, however, the will of the individual is evidently active.
Great weakness of brain, with loss of memory, retarded power of comprehension and thinking, with frequent occurrence of confusion of intellect.
Weeping.
Low moaning.
Mania from intoxication (olfaction).
Delirium, sometimes quiet, sometimes violent.
Delirium tremens where excitement and violence predominate.
SENSORIUM [2]
Giddiness.
Seasickness.
INNER HEAD [3]
Pressure in brain and roaring in ears.
Headache with dizziness.
Sick headache with excessive nausea and vomiting.
OUTER HEAD [4]
A desire to lay head upon one side, to stretch lower limbs and to let the arms hang down.
Head drawn down upon shoulders. θ Arachnitis.
SIGHT AND EYES [5]
Inclination to close the eyes.
Floating images before eyes.
Photophobia (greatly relieved by fumes of chloroform).
First contraction, then dilatation of pupils.
Eyes open and close with incredible rapidity, eyeballs rolled downward, pupils contracted. θ Arachnitis.
Exophthalmic goitre, morbus Basedowii.
HEARING AND EARS [6]
Ringing in ears, buzzing and rumbling in ears like the noise of railroad cars or the striking of clocks.
Singing in ears, with pressure in head, as after use of tea.
Indistinct hearing.
Earache.
UPPER FACE [8]
Blueness of face.
Rapid convulsive movements of muscles of face ; whole face frightfully distorted. θ Arachnitis.
LOWER FACE [9]
A slight stinging and burning in lips.
Foaming at mouth ; jaws locked, lips tightly compressed. θ Arachnitis.
TASTE, SPEECH, TONGUE [11]
Sweetish taste in mouth.
INNER MOUTH [12]
Coolness in mouth.
HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]
Hiccough of nervous form.
Nausea and vomiting, seasickness or morning sickness, with much acidity of stomach, and great distension of stomach and bowels with gas.
SCROBICULUM AND STOMACH [17]
Pain in region of cardiac orifice of stomach.
HYPOCHONDRIA [18]
Cholestric gall stones and biliary colic.
ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]
Enteralgia, or colic, with intense suffering, and tympanitis ; especially if accompanied by great restlessness from intense pain.
Gastralgia, enteralgia, hepatic and renal colic.
STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]
Involuntary stools.
Involuntary stools of mucus and blood, with great tenesmus.
URINARY ORGANS [21]
Bladder irritable.
Paralysis of sphincter vesicæ. θ After parturition.
Renal colic during passage of calculi.
MALE SEXUAL ORGANS [22]
Great weakness and relaxation of sexual organs.
FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]
Hysterical conditions dependent on irritability and spasm of the cervix.
Neurosis of sexual organs.
PREGNANCY. PARTURITION. LACTATION [24]
Prevents the shock engendered by labor, in very nervous patients.
No freedom from suffering between the pains ; she complains much of her back, or of extreme pain and perhaps tenderness over whole abdominal region ; she is very restless, can find rest in no position, tosses about and is very nervous.
Protracted and severe labors ; rigidity of os uteri.
Women subject to convulsions during labor.
Complete paralysis of sphincter vesicæ following labor.
VOICE AND LARYNX. TRACHEA AND BRONCHIA [25]
Aphonia.
Pain in larynx.
RESPIRATION [26]
Sighing or snoring breathing.
Stertorous breathing. θ Arachnitis.
Want of breath.
Respiration deeper and slower, constantly increasing retardation and weakness of action of heart and arteries ; trembling of hands and feet, total cessation of motion and sensibility.
Respirations almost stopped, so few and feeble ; unconsciousness ; motionless features ; livid lips ; feeble pulse, as if dying. θ Shock of injury.
Neurosis of respiratory organs, as laryngismus stridulus, asthma, and pertussis.
COUGH [27]
Dry, hard, spasmodic, irritable cough.
HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION [29]
Constantly increasing retardation and weakening of action of heart and arteries.
Fluttering of heart.
NECK AND BACK [31]
Pain in region of left kidney.
UPPER LIMBS [32]
Desire to let the arms hang down.
Pain in dorsum of hand and joint of thumb.
LOWER LIMBS [33]
Desire to stretch the lower limbs.
Pain in region of right sciatic nerve.
LIMBS IN GENERAL [34]
A sensation of fingers and toes being asleep.
Trembling of hands and feet.
Convulsive twitching of extremities.
Rapid convulsive movements of muscles of arms and legs, blue color under the nails. θ Arachnitis.
Rheumatic pain about the joints.
REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]
Can find rest in no position.
A desire to lay head upon one side, to stretch lower limbs and to let the arms hang down.
Total cessation of motion.
NERVES [36]
Insomnia, deafness, apathy, and tremulousness of hands.
Sudden jerking and trembling of every muscle of body, which continues for about one minute and then passes off, without waking him from sleep. θ Arachnitis.
Spasms resembling hysteria, especially in females.
Tonic and clonic spasms.
Tetanic spasms. θ Typhus fever.
Trismus.
Convulsions.
Puerperal convulsions from uræmia or reflex irritation.
Entire inactivity of all the external sensibilities, so that even considerable injury to the nerves produces no reflex motion in the periphery.
Total cessation of motion and sensibility.
SLEEP [37]
Great sleepiness, yawning, and invincible lassitude.
Sleep commonly dreamless.
Comatose sleep.
FEVER [40]
A general feeling of warmth flowing through whole body.
Typhus fever, with tetanic spasms.
Typhus fever, with great prostration, delirium, subsultus, irregular respiration and nervous restlessness.
SENSATIONS [43]
As if fingers and toes were asleep ; as of warmth flowing through whole body.
Pain : in region of cardiac orifice of stomach ; in abdomen ; in back ; in larynx ; in region of left kidney ; in dorsum of hand and joint of thumb ; in region of right sciatic nerve.
Stinging : in lips.
Burning : in lips.
Colic : biliary ; abdominal ; renal.
Rheumatic pain : about joints.
Pressure : in brain.
SKIN [46]
Skin cold, pale.
Unhealthiness of skin, it is slow to heal.
STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]
"Those that bear chloroform best are delicate, weakly people, reduced by disease, and women and children. The robust and healthy are more exposed to the dangerous effects of this agent.
The age of the individual seems to have no special influence."
"It must not be used when there is softening of brain ; severe organic heart disease, with intermittent pulse ; aneurisms of aorta ; extreme weakness from hemorrhages ; extreme anemia, and great tendency to syncope."
"In drunkards the stage of excitement can not be overcome without grave danger to life."
"Use contraindicated : in fatty degeneration of heart ; in those addicted to the use of spirituous liquors ; where there is albuminuria.
Son of J. W. Crane, M. D., æt. 13, sanguine bilious temperament, previous to attack had enjoyed good health ; arachnitis ending in convulsions.
Clergyman, æt. 58, who had suffered twenty-three years from gall stones.
RELATIONS [48]
Antidotes : Nitrite of Amyl., Ipecac . (against action on stomach) ; brandy ameliorates the symptoms.
In narcosis from chloroform, small pieces of ice placed in rectum produce deep inspiration soon followed by natural breathing.
It antidotes : Strychnine .