Ferrum muriaticum

Volume IV — Supplement

FERRUM MURIATICUM. (See vol. ii, p. 573 j vol. iv, p. 586.)

II. 12. Dr. DB LA Roche and three companions (distinguished as A, B, C and D) made provings oi iron. All four were healthy and robust, the youngest 21, the oldest 26 years old. All of them carefully observed their pulse m. and e. for 4 d. before and 14 d. after the trial. They lived in their usual manner, avoiding all excesses in the matter of stimulants. The preparation they employed was a -^ per cent, watery solution of ferr. sesquchlor. The ist week they took m. and e. at 8 o'clock 15 dr., the 2nd week 30 dr. m. and e., the 3rd and 4th weeks 30 dr. three times a d. The total quantity of the iron salt consumed by each person in 4 weeks was about \ grm.

a. A. about the end of the ist week felt soon after dinner a slight sensation of pressure in stomach that lasted about i h. 2d. previously he had much flatulence, and though usually quite regular, had no stool. The following days the bowels became again regular, but the tiresome feeling of pressure in stomach persisted, lasting till e. Appetite and sleep normal. — At the commencement of the 2nd week^ the stomach was painfully sensitive to external pressure. The stomach pains became relieved during the n.,but in the m. of the 3rd d. there was nausea and great inclination to vomit, with loss of appetite. About 3 p.m.

Eineral restlessness, constricted feeling in chest and precordial anxiety, cad hot and red, carotids beat strongly, the pulse which in the m. was 68 rapidly rose to 98. After i h. all this passed away, in the e. the pulse was 74. The 2 next d. he felt tolerably well, the stool was regular, pappy, the pressure in stomach continued. On the last d. of the week the above described attack occurred at the same time but in a still more intense degree. He had marked dyspnoea and had to take deep breaths in order to allay it. The flatulence had persisted all the week, the flatus had a strong smell of sulphuretted hydrogen gas. Sleep and appetite good. — The 3rd week the stomach and respiratory

symptoms were not observed. But the sleep became restless, in the and n, there was profuse sweat, sensation of great heat, and tiresome itching of skin. On waking next m., though he had never previously suffered in his eyes, he now felt a shooting sensation in them with great heaviness of eyelids. There was great congestion of the palpebral conjunctiva and tarsal border of the lids with moderate secretion from the ‘Meibomian glands, The eye affection got better in the course of the d, but recurred next m. in the same degree. Next d. it was much increased and persistent, the lids were stuck together in the m. and there ‘was copious secretion in the canthi. This affection only declined gradually some time after the end of the proving. At the same time as the conjunctivitis was developed he felt increased muscularity with general excitement, so that he was later of getting to sleep than usual. The hot feeling of the skin persisted also during the d. On the 4th d. after it commenced there appeared on neck and chest an extensive eruption of acne. The flatulence continued, appetite and stool were normal, on one afternoon there was a transient recurrence of the congested feeling in chest and head.—The 4th week was characterised by an increase of the conjunctivitis. The hot feeling and itching all over the body disturbed the night’s rest very seriously, ‘The acne became associated with numerous small furuncles. Appetite more than normal, He felt distinctly greater muscular power, the limbs seemed to possess more elasticity. The greater development of flatulence continued, the pulse during the whole proving was harder and fuller than normal. "No more iron was taken after the end of this week.—The following week was distinctly bad. The feeling of fulness and pressure in stomach with painfulness to external pressure recurred. The whole body felt tired and prostrated. The pulse, which had been quicker and regular during the proving, became slow and irregular so that after every 4th heat there came a double beat. ‘The limbs felt as f made of lead then ensued drowsiness and disinclination for all work. On one occasion he slept for 14h, continuously. Whilst the acne slowly receded the conjunctivitis remained and the appetite grew worse. The painfulness of the stomach increased: there was intense bitter eructation after eating for several successive d. Sometimes bulimy came on, which however immediately ceased on commencing to eat. On the afternoon of the sth d, there occurred a violent fit of dyspnoea, the chest felt constricted, with great ansiety. After ths all the symotoms declined, but the attack above described again occurred with all its previous intensity after 8 d. Without any obvious cause at about 3 p.m. there came on quite a stormy action of the heart. Its beats were irregular, the pulse hard, 105, irregular, great precordial anxiety and dyspnoea. These symptoms lasted about 1h. then gradually declined but similar fit recurred at the same time on the next 4d. ‘The conjunctivitis also recurred with all its previous intensity. From this time all morbid symptoms rapidly disappeared, and in a short time the health was again completely normal.

4, The three other persons developed very similar symptoms. _In these also the action of the iron began with the same stomach affection, and at the same time there occurred congestion with stormy

heart's action and dyspnoea. In all the cases there was a sensation of iocreaaed general health ; at times there were attacks of great nausea and general heat. In all 3 also after leaving off the iron there came on general prostration and depression, tiresome fulness and pressure in stomach, eructation of bitter stuff after eating, derangement of the hitherto regular stool^ loss of appetite^ and corporeal debility. B and C had attacks of vertigo in the m. after rising ; D, who had previously suffered from chronic constipation, after the ist week of taking the drugenjoyed easy and regular stools.

The following table shows the m. and e. pulse during the whole time of observation. The occasional afternoon rise of the pulse to 100 and upwards does not appear in this table, which is limited to the m. and e. pulse.

M. E.

M. B.

M. E.

Before the trial

' I St week

and

3rd

w4th

After the trial J^**^

During the trial

V.4

64 68 68 76 6a 68 61 69

7»

7»

7»

Sx

(EitperimeHtel/e Beitrage zur Eisenwirkung, Diss. 1887, quoted by Prof. Hugo Schulz in Firchew's Jrchivy 1887, vol. cix.)