Platina

Pride and over-estimation of one’s self; looking down on others; things look small to her.

Genitals exceedingly sensitive, but excessive sexual desire; nymphomania, with ovarian troubles; prolapsus or profuse menses.

Pains increase gradually and as gradually decrease (Stann.); sometimes attended with numbness (Cham.).

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This remedy may be studied in three relations: in its relation to the mental, nervous and sexual systems. It has curious mental symptoms. Here are three of them: “Pride and over-estimation of one’s self; looking down with haughtiness on others.” “Illusion of fancy, on entering the house after walking an hour, as if everything about her were very small, and all persons mentally and physically inferior, but she herself physically and mentally superior.” “Changing moods, gay and sad alternately.” This last symptom is like Ignatia, Crocus, Nux moschata and Aconite, and Platina has another symptom like Aconite—“fear of death.” Now the first two symptoms above mentioned might appear to some as of no practical value in the treatment of the sick. There is no pathological explanation for them beyond the fact of a generally disordered mind, which might take any other form of hallucination. But this is a valuable indication and found under no other remedy. I was led by it to prescribe the remedy in a very obstinate case of insanity which had resisted the skill of several allopathic physicians of note, and they had finally decided that the case must be sent to the insane asylum. The parents, however, who were quite wealthy, could not consent to that, and were induced to try Homœopathy. I gave her Platina on the strength of this mental indication, which was very prominent, coupled with another prominent symptom, which also appears under this remedy, viz., “physical symptoms disappear and mental symptoms appear,” and vice versa. The physical symptom was a pain the whole length of the spine. This was the symptom alternating with the mental one. It was one of the most brilliant cures I ever saw. Improvement began the first day and never flagged, and she remained well now 15 years, with never a sign of return.

The nervous symptoms outside the brain symptoms calling for Platina are: 1st. “The pains increase gradually and as gradually decrease.” 2d. “The pains are attended with numbness of the parts.” This first symptom you will remember is like Stannum, but the Platinum patient is not characteristically so weak as the Stannum one. The second one is like Chamomilla, but the Platina patient is not so unvaryingly ugly as the Chamomilla one. Both are great mental remedies, however, and if any question arises (as there may) a close study of them in their entirety may be necessary.

In regard to the gradual outset of the pains of Platina and Stannum, Belladonna has exactly the opposite; but Belladonna more resembles the Platina in its brain symptoms.

Sexual organs. “Nymphomania aggravated in the lying-in; tingling or tittilation up into the abdomen.” “Excessive sexual desire, especially in virgins; premature or excessive development of sexual instinct.” “Genitals excessively sensitive; cannot bear to be touched; will almost go into a spasm from an examination, and almost faint during intercourse.” “Metrorrhagia or profuse menses; blood black and clotted.”

Ovarian trouble and prolapsus with the profuse menses and excessive sensitiveness of the genitals to touch or coition. All these are very strong indications for this remedy. All these symptoms, mental, nervous, spasmodic, sexual, etc., would indicate that Platina ought to be a good remedy for that protean malady, hysteria, and so abundant experience has proven it to be. Here again I have, as in the case of Zincum and Stannum, found the higher preparation of the drug most potent for good, though in a case of insanity I used the 6th, not having it high at that time.

Platina has a form of constipation similar to Alumina, i. e., the stools adhere to the anus like soft clay.