Terebinthinae oleum

Terebinthina, or turpentine, is a drug that has been much abused by old-school physicians; therefore, it has been greatly neglected by homoeopaths. In the revulsion from the misconception of the old-school physicians, we often avoid a drug altogether. All that I have time to say concerning Terebinthina is, that its main action is on the kidneys and bladder. When you find metritis, peritonitis, typhoid fever or scarlatina, or, in fact, any serious disease of low type, with the following renal symptoms, Terebinthina comes in as your remedy: Dull pains in the region of the kidneys, burning in the kidneys, pains extending from the kidneys down through the ureters, burning during micturition, strangury, albuminous urine, and very characteristically the urine is dark, cloudy and smoky-looking, as though it contained decomposed blood, which it really does. The real pathological condition of the kidneys in this case is not one of acute Bright's disease, nor one of croupous formation in the kidneys, but one of renal congestion, with oozing of blood into the pelvis of the kidney. When the above urinary symptoms are present, you may give Terebinthina with confidence, no matter what the patient's disease may be.

Terebinthina often acts powerfully on mucous membranes. It produces burning in the air-passages, with thin expectoration, very difficult of detachment.