Natrum Sulphuricum

Diarrhœa, acute or chronic; < in the morning on beginning to move (Bry.), with much flatulence (Aloe and Calc. phos.), and rumbling in abdomen, especially right ileo-cæcal region.

Loose cough, with great pain in the chest; < in lower left chest (right, Chel.).

Modalities: < in cold, wet weather; damp cellars; hydrogenoid (diarrhoea, rheumatism, asthma).

Mental effects from injuries to head.

Chronic effects of blows, falls.

Toothache > by cold water, cool air (Coff., Puls.).

Gonorrhœa; greenish-yellow, painless, thick discharge

(Puls.).

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Natrum sulphuricum is also one of our armamentarium for diarrhoea, both acute and chronic. Like Podophyllum, Sulphur, Nuphar and Rumex, the diarrhoea is aggravated in the morning. Sulphur drives the patient out of bed, but Natrum sulph., like Bryonia, is worse only after beginning to move. Then again Natrum sulph. has, like Aloe, much rumbling in the bowels as of flatulence. This rumbling of flatus is often with Natrum sulph. located in the right side of the abdomen in the ileo-cæcal region.

Again the Natrum sulphuricum stool is, like China, Argentum nit., Calcarea phos., Agaricus and Aloe, accompanied by a profuse emission of flatus. This flatulence is not always present, but is often so. In chronic diarrhoea there is almost always some trouble with the liver, evidenced by soreness in right hypochondrium, which is sensitive to touch, and hurts on walking or any jar. One very strong characteristic for this remedy in this trouble is aggravation of the diarrhoea, pain, etc., in damp weather. In this it resembles Dulcamara and Rhododendron. The Dulcamara has the aggravation in change from warm to cold weather, whether damp or dry. This aggravation in damp weather is not confined to diarrhœa in Natrum sulph., but is especially present in cases of chronic asthma. I have seen very great benefit in such cases of this very troublesome and obstinate disease, and as aggravation in damp weather very commonly occurs in cases of old asthma this remedy is often indicated. I have not observed much benefit from this remedy in runarounds, for which it is highly recommended; but have seen nice results from it in very obstinate cases of gonorrhoea, when the discharge was thick and greenish and little pain. Loose cough, with soreness and pain through the left chest, is very characteristic. This is one of the chief diagnostic points of difference between Bryonia and Natrum sulphuricum, that while with both there is great soreness of the chest with the cough, with Bryonia the cough is dry, while with Natrum sulph. it is loose. The patient springs right up in bed, the cough hurts him so.

There is as much soreness as there is with Bryonia, and when the patient coughs he springs up in bed and holds the painful side in his hand to ease the hurt. This symptom may be found in chronic affections of the respiratory organs, such as asthma, phthisis, etc., and I have several times seen remarkably prompt relief and cure follow its administration in pneumonia when this symptom was present. This pain through the lower left chest is as characteristic for Natrum sulph. as is that of pain running through right lower chest for Kali carbonicum.