Niccolum
By Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica
Nickel. The element.
Found in the mountains of Germany, Hungary and Sweden. Called Nickel by the old German miners who discovered it, like Kobalt, thinking it a kind of useless or false ore.
It is a white malleable metal, of great density and high melting point, of less oxidability than iron and strongly magnetic.
Proved by Nenning (Hartlaub and Trinks, Annalen, vol. 3, p. 353).
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Hiccough , Landesmann, Raue's Rec., 1873, p. 118 ; Dysmenorrhœa , Berridge, Organon, vol. 1, p. 419 ; Hoarseness , C. Hg., MSS.
MIND [1]
Low-spirited, tearful ; fears something evil will happen.
Vexed and very angry from least contradiction.
No inclination to talk ; fretful.
Anxiety on moving, as if sweat would break out.
SENSORIUM [2]
Confused, as after intoxication, in morning.
Heaviness in forehead, sense of reeling.
Dulness, does not comprehend conversation, and is unable to relate properly.
Vertigo : on rising in morning, as from weakness ; with nausea and inclination to vomit ; when rising after stooping, in evening.
INNER HEAD [3]
Heaviness and fulness in head, compelling to rub forehead with hand ; feels as if brain was cut to pieces on stooping ; stupefied sensation.
Heaviness in forehead in morning, as if she had not slept sufficiently.
Heat and heaviness in forehead (afternoon).
Head feels thick, dull, in morning as from loss of sleep.
Stitches here and there, < stooping.
Intolerable beating, sticking or stitches in head, < in house, > in fresh air.
Pain in top of head, as if a nail was ticking in it.
Headache : in morning after rising, < till noon, pressure on vertex, and dulness ; all day, in forenoon with vomiting of bile ; < in room, after walking in open air ; returns every two weeks, > in open air.
Tearing in head and left eye in paroxysms.
SIGHT AND EYES [5]
Vision dim, eyes red and sensitive ; after exertion, especially in evening ; eyes give out and burn.
Objects appear too large ; light appears double ; is surrounded by colors of rainbow.
Objects look blue (before right eye).
Cloud before eyes (in morning).
Stitches in edge of eyelids like electric sparks, < on touching.
Violent twitching in eye, with lachrymation and difficulty of vision.
Dryness and heat of eyes in evening.
Burning in eyes, < morning on awaking and towards evening ; > after washing.
Heat and redness of eyes with pressing.
Eyelids red and swollen, with lachrymation and swelling of Meibomian glands ; agglutination in morning.
Cold water causes redness in eyes with tension.
HEARING AND EARS [6]
Sudden deafness with roaring and humming.
Stinging in ears.
SMELL AND NOSE [7]
Violent sneezing without coryza.
Dryness of nose.
Stoppage of nose, cannot breathe through it ; < at night.
Coryza, fluent during day, dry during night.
Stinging tearing and soreness at root of nose.
Redness and swelling at tip of nose, with burning.
Nasal catarrh.
UPPER FACE [8]
Sensation in face as if swollen, it seems heavy.
Right side red and swollen, with sore throat.
Redness of face, with burning and itching like erysipelas.
Swelling of right side of face, with sore throat.
Pain in swollen face wakens him at night, < by cold.
Skin of face is chapped.
Twitching of upper lip at intervals.
LOWER FACE [9]
Herpes on lips and cheeks.
TEETH AND GUMS [10]
Teeth feel loose and elongated.
Toothache with tearing in right ear.
Gnawing in right lower molar.
Ulcerated gums.
Sour, offensive water exudes from molars on sucking them.
TASTE, SPEECH, TONGUE [11]
Bitter taste, in morning.
Tongue stiff, making talking difficult.
INNER MOUTH [12]
Breath offensive, not aware of it.
Pimples on inner side of lower lip.
PALATE AND THROAT [13]
Right tonsil swollen ; sticking on swallowing, as if in uvula.
Spasmodic choking and constriction.
Accumulation of thick mucus in throat, with stinging.
Whole throat feels sore as if ulcerated, on swallowing, < in morning ; right side of neck is very sensitive, painful to pressure.
Sore throat < in evening, when talking and yawning.
APPETITE, THIRST. DESIRES, AVERSIONS [14]
Hunger without appetite or any relish for food, feels > after eating.
Thirst : in evening ; day and night.
Aversion to meat.
EATING AND DRINKING [15]
Generally > after eating.
HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]
Violent hiccough, especially in evening.
Hiccough, since two years almost uninterruptedly eighteen to twenty times a minute, with soreness of pit of stomach and hypochondria, coated tongue and loss of appetite, great weakness, emaciation.
Eructation bitter, sour or empty.
Nausea in morning.
Nausea, dull head ; sour eructations also mornings after rising.
SCROBICULUM AND STOMACH [17]
Empty, fasting sensation, but no hunger.
Pressure > from soup or from eructations.
Sensation of great fulness in stomach after eating.
Painful sensation of constriction of stomach.
Stitches : in stomach ; in pit of stomach, extending to back.
Burning in stomach.
Violent pain like stabs with a knife, in pit of stomach.
ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]
Abdomen bloated, distended.
Tension of abdomen and discharge of flatulence, during menses.
Painless rumbling in abdomen.
Pinching at navel and tension in back before dinner.
Violent cutting in abdomen, followed by soft stool.
Violent stitches as with knives in hypochondria.
STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]
Much flatus, fetid or inodorous.
Stools : thin, fecal ; yellow, mucous, coming out with force and much flatus.
Diarrhœa and tenesmus after milk, < in morning.
Stool, even if soft, evacuated with great pressure.
Constipation ; ineffectual urging ; stool hard.
Before stool ; urging ; pinching ; cutting.
During stool : burning, stinging, stitches in rectum ; violent urging ; tenesmus.
After stool : colic ; renewed unsuccessful urging and tenesmus ; itching, burning and stitches at anus.
URINARY ORGANS [21]
Urine increased, with burning during micturition.
After micturition, discharge of thin leucorrhœa.
MALE SEXUAL ORGANS [22]
Erections : after dinner ; in forenoon ; at night.
Itching on a small spot on scrotum, not > by scratching.
FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]
Menses : early, with pain in abdomen and small of back ; late, and scanty ; too early, too short, scanty.
Shooting from vertex to forehead, since midnight ; weakness ; nausea before menses ; forcing down abdominal pains, first on left side then on right ; anorexia. θ Dysmenorrhœa.
During menses, bloated abdomen, colic, pain in small of back, burning of eyes, great debility.
Vomiting and colic after suppressed menses ; great restlessness.
Leucorrhœa profuse, watery, after urinating and after menses.
VOICE AND LARYNX. TRACHEA AND BRONCHIA [25]
Hoarseness ; is scarcely able to speak.
Hoarseness returns annually (in one case with nausea, intolerance of milk, weak eyes) ; also after exposure to wind.
Roughness in throat, > by coughing.
COUGH [27]
Cough : from tickling in throat, < evening after lying down ; dry, scraping, from tickling in trachea, with sleeplessness from midnight till 4 A. M. ; violent, at night, must sit up and hold head ; dry, concussive, often continuing for hours ; with great dyspnœa, but little or no expectoration ; dry hacking, in paroxysms.
Dry, hacking cough, like tick of a clock in its regularity, continuing for a long time ; child must be held up during continuance of cough, otherwise it is seized with spasms ; greatest possible degree of dyspnœa, no expectoration. θ Whooping cough.
Expectoration of white mucus.
When coughing, dyspnœa and pressure on chest.
INNER CHEST AND LUNGS [28]
Stitch in left chest, also striking to in most part of chest and arresting breathing, or causing one to start, or when walking, < on drawing breath.
Stitches in chest, left side, when breathing.
Pressure and heaviness on chest.
NECK AND BACK [31]
Cracking in cervical vertebræ on moving head.
Pain in neck, as from a sprain.
Fine stitches and feeling of tension in nape of neck on motion.
Stitches in small of back.
Painful gnawing in small of back.
Pain in small of back during soft stool.
Itching and pimples on small of back.
Stitch striking from back to pit of stomach, in afternoon when sitting.
UPPER LIMBS [32]
Left shoulder as if sprained or dislocated, < from violent motion.
Itching on shoulders ; scratching does not relieve.
Rheumatic pains in elbows, extending to hands.
Hands feel heavy, tremble, feel bruised.
Rheumatic pains in fingers.
LOWER LIMBS [33]
Itching herpes on hips.
Pain as from weariness in legs, pressing towards groins, diarrhœa, during menses.
Stitches in right patella.
Rheumatic pains from knees downward.
Feet feel heavy, tremble and are weak.
Itching and stitches in left heel.
LIMBS IN GENERAL [34]
Tearing in scapulæ, down arms, in hips and down legs.
Left arm and leg feel as if they would fall asleep ; afternoon, sitting.
Hands and feet heavy, < by motion.
REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]
Sitting : stitch from back to pit of stomach.
Must sit up and hold head : cough.
Stooping : as if brain was cut to pieces ; stitches <.
Rising : after stooping, vertigo.
After rising : cough <.
Compelled to change position continually.
Motion : anxiety ; of head ; cracking of cervical vertebræ ; fine stitches and feeling of tension in nape of neck ; violent pain in left shoulder > ; heaviness of hands and feet.
Talking and yawning : sore throat <.
Walking : stitch in left chest.
Must rise and walk to obtain relief from restlessness.
NERVES [36]
Great restlessness ; < at night ; compelled to change position continually ; vomiting and colic after suppressed menstruation.
Feels sick and feverish, as if a severe illness was impending.
Great debility, especially in evening.
Heaviness in hands and feet, > by motion.
Literary men and others who suffer from periodical nervous headaches ; weak, asthenopic, weak digestion, constipation ; < in morning on awaking.
SLEEP [37]
Yawning, drowsiness.
Restless sleep ; wakefulness ; at 3 A. M., restlessness and heat ; feels sore all over ; must rise and walk about to obtain relief.
Awakens after midnight with colic.
TIME [38]
At 3 A. M. : restless sleep.
Morning : confused ; on rising, vertigo ; as if she had not slept sufficiently ; head feels thick and dull ; after rising, headache ; clouds before eyes ; burning in eyes < ; agglutination ; bitter taste ; sore throat < ; nausea ; sour eructations after rising ; diarrhœa and tenesmus < ; sweat.
Forenoon : headache, with vomiting ; erections.
Before dinner : pinching at navel and tension in back.
Till noon : headache <.
Day : thirst.
After dinner : erections.
Afternoon : heat and heaviness in forehead.
Evening : vertigo ; eyes dim and sensitive ; dryness and heat in eyes ; towards, burning in eyes ; sore throat < ; thirst ; violent hiccough ; cough < ; great debility ; in bed, shivering followed by sweat ; heat, followed by chilliness.
Night : stoppage of nose < ; dry coryza ; awakes with pain in swollen face ; thirst ; erections ; violent cough ; great restlessness < ; heat, restlessness and vomiting.
From midnight till 4 A. M. : sleeplessness and tickling in trachea.
After midnight : awakes with colic ; sweat.
Since midnight : shooting from vertex to forehead.
TEMPERATURE AND WEATHER [39]
Fresh air : stitches in head > ; headache >.
In house : stitches in head < ; headache <.
Warmth of stove : shivering in back >.
Exposure to wind : hoarseness.
Cold : pain in face >.
Washing : burning of eyes >.
Cold water : causes redness of eyes.
FEVER [40]
Chilliness predominates.
Chill is preceded by or begins with yawning and sleepiness.
Shivering in back, > from warmth of stove.
Shivering and heat alternately.
Chill with chattering and shaking, followed by profuse general sweat, in evening in bed.
Heat : followed by chilliness, in evening, continuous chill, with moist palms of hands.
Sensation of heat all over, with anxiety and prostration.
Anxious heat with violent thirst.
Dry heat with thirst every afternoon at 3 o'clock.
Heat, restlessness and vomiting at night, must rise.
Heat with sweat and thirst, followed by chill.
Sweat in morning in bed, or after midnight.
ATTACKS, PERIODICITY [41]
Alternately : shivering and heat.
Periodical nervous headache.
Eighteen to twenty times a minute : hiccough.
Every afternoon at 3 : dry heat, with thirst.
Every two weeks : headache returns.
Annually : hoarseness returns.
Since two years : hiccough.
LOCALITY AND DIRECTION [42]
Right : objects look blue before eye ; swelling of side of face ; tearing in ear ; gnawing in lower molar ; tonsil swollen ; side of neck sensitive ; stitch in patella.
Left : tearing in eye ; stitch in chest ; shoulder as if sprained or dislocated ; itching and stitches in heel ; arm and leg feel as if they would fall asleep.
First left then right : abdominal pains.
SENSATIONS [43]
As if sweat would break out ; as if brain was cut to pieces ; as if she had not slept sufficiently ; as if a nail was sticking in head ; face as if swollen ; teeth as if loose ; sticking as if in uvula ; throat as if ulcerated ; pain in neck as from a sprain ; left shoulder as if sprained ; as if left arm and leg would fall asleep ; as if a severe illness was impending ; itching as if from fleas.
Pain : in top of head ; in swelled face ; in teeth ; in abdomen and small of back ; in neck ; pressing towards groins.
Intolerable beating, sticking, or stitches : in head ; in right patella.
Violent pain, like stabs of a knife : in pit of stomach.
Violent cutting : in abdomen.
Violent stitches : in hypochondria.
Tearing : in head ; in left eye ; in right ear ; in scapulæ, down arms, in hips, down legs.
Shooting : from vertex to forehead.
Painful gnawing : in small of back.
Gnawing : in right molar tooth.
Pinching : at navel.
Stitches : here and there ; in edge of eyelids ; in stomach ; in pit of stomach, extending to back ; at anus ; on left chest ; in small of back ; striking from back to pit of stomach ; in left heel.
Burning, stinging, stitches : in rectum.
Stinging, tearing and soreness : at root of nose.
Stinging : in ears.
Sticking : in tonsil.
Rheumatic pains : in elbows, to hands ; in fingers ; from knees downward.
Soreness : of throat ; of pit of stomach ; all over.
Painful sensation of constriction : of stomach.
Tension : in back.
Burning : in eyes ; at tip of nose ; of face ; in stomach ; at anus.
Heat : of eyes ; all over.
Violent twitching : in eye.
Twitching : of upper lip.
Pressure : on vertex ; in eyes ; in chest.
Heaviness : in forehead ; in head ; in chest ; of hands and feet.
Fulness : in head ; in stomach.
Thick feeling : in head.
Tickling : in throat ; in trachea.
Roughness : in throat.
Dryness : of eyes ; of nose.
Itching : of face ; at anus ; on a small spot on scrotum ; on small of back ; on shoulders ; herpes on hips ; in left heel ; over whole body.
TISSUES [44]
Catarrhs.
TOUCH. PASSIVE MOTION. INJURIES [45]
Touch : stitch in edge of eyelids.
Pressure : throat painful.
Must rub forehead with hand : heaviness in head.
Scratching : does not > itching on a small spot on scrotum ; does not > itching on shoulder ; followed by small tubercles.
SKIN [46]
Itching over whole body, but mostly on neck, as from fleas ; not > by scratching, but followed by small vesicles.
Fine burning, stinging, biting.
Burning stinging as from bees.
Small tubercles after scratching.
STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]
Girl, æt. 19, menses appeared at 14 ; dysmenorrhœa.
RELATIONS [48]
Relations : Hyosc., Natr. mur., Phosphor . in objects appear large ; Hyosc., Platin., Stramon . in objects appear small ; Lycop., Stramon., Zincum in objects appear blue ; Phosphor., Gelsem . in diplopia ; in rainbow colors around light ; Nux vom . and Sulphur in coryza ; Sulphur in redness of tip of nose ; Ferrum in red face ; Mangan . in toothache with tearing in ear ; Gelsem., Silic . and Sulphur in periodical headache ; Carbo an., Ignat . and Sepia in emptiness of stomach ; Petrol . in cracking in neck and stiffness of jaw ; Pulsat . in headache, menses, chilliness ; Fluor. ac . and Kobalt . in feeling better in morning without having slept ; Arsen . in annual hoarseness ; Nux vom . in literary men.