Platina appears in 12 of the 13 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.
- Allen HC — The keynotes that separate this remedy from its nearest neighbours.
“Adapted to women, dark hair, rigid fibre; thin, of a sanguine temperament; who suffer from too early and too profuse menses. Sexual organs exceedingly sensitive; cannot bear the napkin to touch her ; will go into spasms from an examination; vulva painfully sensitve during coitus: will faint during or cannot endure…”
- Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“An element. Preparation , Trituration of the metal precipitated on a steel rod, from a solution in Aqua regia. Authorities. Hahnemann's Chr. Krn.; 1 , Hahnemann; 2 , Gross; 3 , Dr. Musits, proving on a woman in perfect health, with one dose of the 200th dil. (MSS. to editor). Illusions of fantasy on entering the…”
- Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“The Metal (PLATINA) Is pre-eminently a woman's remedy. Strong tendency to paralysis, anæsthesia, localized numbness and coldness are shown. Hysterical spasms; pains increase and decrease gradually ( Stannum ). Tremulousness. Irresistible impulse to kill. Self-exaltation; contempt for others . Arrogant, proud. Weary of…”
- Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“FEMALE ORGANS. Nerves: Vagus. Sensory. Trifacial. EMOTIONS: Sexual. Coition. Chagrin. TOUCH. Nerve exhaustion. Walking in cool air. Sunshine. A remedy of pains. For prim old maids. Oversensitive mind and nerves. Violent cramping, squeezing, thrusting or numbing pains, and then spasms. Neuralgia. Many and various…”
- Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“An Element. (Also called Platina.) Pt. (A. W. 194.3.) Trituration. Amenorrhœa / Chlorosis / Constipation / Convulsions / Delusions / Dentition / Depression of spirits / Dysmenia / Erotomania / Fear / Gout / Hæmorrhage / Hæmorrhoids / Hysteria / Lead poisoning / Masturbation / Melancholia / Menorrhagia / Menses…”
- Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Platinum. An Element. Introduced by Stapf. Proved by Hahnemann and Gross (Hahnemann's Chronische Krankheiten), and by Musits, Allen's Encyclopædia, vol. 7, p. 574 . CLINICAL AUTHORITIES. Melancholia , Hirsch, A. H. Z., vol. 95, p. 57 ; Times Ret., vol. 77, p. 56 ; Gross, B. J. H., vol. 18, p. 247, from Hom. V. J. S…”
- Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“Platinum The Platinum proving represents the woman's mind perverted. It is especially suited to hysterical women such as have undergone fright, prolonged excitement, or from disappointment, shock, or prolonged hemorrhages. She becomes arrogant and haughty. One of the most striking characteristics of this drug is pride…”
- Lippe (KN) — Only the symptoms Lippe considered reliable enough to prescribe on.
“Dull stinging pains which press inwardly, as from a plug. Tension in the limbs, as if they were tightly bandaged. Numbness and sensation of stiffness of many parts mostly accompanied by sensations of coldness. Debility and tired feeling of the limbs, especially while at rest. Pains like constrictions in character. Bad…”
- Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Pride and over-estimation of oneself; looking down with haughtiness on others. Illusion; every thing around her is very small and everybody inferior to her in body and mind. Low-spirited, inclined to shed tears, worse in the evening. Anxiety, horrified by the thought that he would die soon. Great indifference. After…”
- Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: platinum. Is pre-eminently a woman's remedy (Ign., Puls.) (Br.). Hysteria, with much depression of spirits (Ign., Mosch., Nat-M., Puls., Sep.) (Bt.). Hysterical spasms, with full consciousness (Cina, Mag-C., Nat-M., Nux-V., Phos., Sep., Stram., Sulph.). Lead poisonings (Alum., Hep., Op.). Catalepsy…”
- Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“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.)…”
