Anthracinum

by John Henry Clarke — A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

An alcoholic extract of the anthrax poison prepared from the spleens of affected sheep.

Clinical

Acne / Boils / Carbuncles / Cynanche cellularis / Erysipelas / Gangrene / Malignant pustule / Parotitis gangrenosa / Phlegmonous inflammation and ulceration / Small-pox / Splenic fever / Ulcers / Whitlow

Characteristics

Anthracinum is indicated in all conditions of boils and boil-like eruptions (as acne in some forms, and in carbuncles). It was introduced into homœopathic practice by Lux the veterinarian long before the experiments of Pasteur. The keynote for its employment is "succession of boils" or carbuncles, but it is also of the greatest use in other cases. "Terrible burning" with carbuncle. The potentised virus is the best remedy for the disease from which it is obtained . "Splenic fever" in animals, and "Malignant pustule" in human beings. Erysipelas of a foul kind, and gangrenous erysipelas; cellulitis. "Hard, stony" swelling in region of right lower jaw and submaxillary gland. Anthrax-quinsy. Whitlow and sloughing. Glands painfully swollen. Induration of cellular tissue. Black or blue blisters. Horribly offensive gangrenous ulcers. A number of symptoms have been recorded from human patients affected with the anthrax disease.

Relations

Compare: Anthracinum bovum, Anthracinum suum, Laches., Tarent. c., Arsen., Carb. v. It follows well: Arsen. (burning and ulceration), Phos. ac. Is followed well by: Aur. mur. nat. (periosteal swelling of lower jaw), Silic. (cellulitis). Antidoted by: Camph., Ars., Rhus, Silic., Laches., Carb. v., Puls., Kreos., Carbol. ac., Salicyl. ac., Apis.

2. Head

Headache, as if a smoke with a heating pain was passing through the head. Headache with chill. Swelling of head.

6. Face

Parotitis gangrenosa. Stony swelling around lower jaw. Gland under chin painfully swollen.

12. Abdomen

Sensation as if diaphragm were pushed forward. Enlargement of spleen. Bellyache with chill.

13. Stool and Anus

Vomiting followed by a painless, often bloody diarrhœa. Diarrhœa with fever. Cholera-like collapse.

19. Heart and Circulation

Heart-beats frequent but weak. Cyanosis. Blood does not coagulate.

20, 21. Back and Limbs. . Axillary glands swollen. Severe pains in limbs and joints with the fever. Œdema; ulcers; gangrene; sloughing whitlows.

24. Generalities

Restlessness. Clonic and tetanic spasms (marked rigor mortis after death). Exhaustion and collapse. Terrible burning pains.

25. Skin

Crusty oozing eruption. Itching with dry skin. Black or blue blisters. Carbuncles. Boils. Sloughing ulcers. Small-pox.

Anthracinum across the other classic books

Anthracinum appears in 6 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.
“Anthrax Poison. (A Nosode) In carbuncle, malignant ulcer and complaints with ulceration, sloughing and intolerable burning . When Arsenicum or the best selected remedy fails to relieve the burning pain of carbuncle or malignant ulceration. Haemorrhages: blood oozes from mouth, nose, anus or sexual organs; black…”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Anthrax Poison This nosode has proven a great remedy in epidemic spleen diseases of domestic animals, and in septic inflammation, carbuncles and malignant ulcers . In boils and boil-like eruptions, acne. Terrible burning. Induration of cellular tissue, abscess, bubo, and all inflammation of connective tissue in which…”
Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“Cellular tissue. Terrible burning pains, with great prostration. Malignancy. Sepsis. Suppuration. Carbuncle. Abscess of septum. Quinsy. Succession of boils. (Arn. Sul.). Black or blue blisters. Gangrene. Hard cellulitis. Related: Ars. Tarn-c.”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“The alcoholic extract of the anthrax poison prepared from the spleen of cattle befallen with the disease. A nosode rejected by the Old School, and by a majority of the New, in spite of its being a remedy which bears out our theory, and one which has proved of the utmost use in practice. It has not yet been proved, but…”
Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: anthrax poison. It is one of the most efficacious remedies for boils, abscesses, felons, or swellings of any kind, when there are intense burning pains (Ars., Tarant-C., Sulph.) (N.). Hæmorrhages: black, thick, tar-like, rapidly decomposing, from any orifice (Lach., Lept.) (C.). Malignancy: Terrible…”

Anthracinum in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Anthracinum in 179 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (46), SKIN (38), GENERALITIES (14), FACE (13), MOUTH (10).

EXTREMITIES - FELON (Onychia,Paronychia,Panaritium,etc.)beginning in nail - panaritium - burning
FACE - ERUPTIONS - pustules - lips - black
EXTREMITIES - ULCERS - Leg - gangrenous
EXTREMITIES - ULCERS - Leg - painful
GENERALITIES - ABSCESSES - burning
BACK - ERUPTIONS - carbuncle
EXTREMITIES - FELON (Onychia,Paronychia,Panaritium,etc.)beginning in nail - sloughing,with
SKIN - ERUPTIONS - pustules - black
EXTREMITIES - CARBUNCLES
EXTREMITIES - ULCERS - Lower Limbs - burning
SKIN - ERUPTIONS - pustules - malignant
SKIN - ULCERS - black
FEVER - SEPTIC fever
EXTREMITIES - FELON (Onychia,Paronychia,Panaritium,etc.)beginning in nail - panaritium
SKIN - ULCERS - burning
HEAD - PAIN, - headache in general
EXTREMITIES - ERUPTION - Knee - blebs
EXTREMITIES - ERUPTION - Thigh - black blisters
EXTREMITIES - ERUPTION - Thigh - vesicles - black
FACE - ABSCESS - lip

Search all 7 classical repertories

More remedies in this book

Previous remedy: Antho Next remedy: Anthraco

Ant-m Ant-s-aur Ant-t Anth Antip Ap-g Aphis Apis

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