Castor Equi

by John Henry Clarke — A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

The Rudimentary Thumbnail of the Horse. A small, flat, oblongoval horn, wrinkled on surface, breaking off in scales, darker than the hoof, growing on inner side of leg above fetlock. Scales triturated.

Clinical

Coccygodynia / Epilepsy / Nails, affections of / Nipples, cracked; ulcerated / Warts

Characteristics

This is a very ancient remedy, and was proved and introduced into homœopathy by Hering. It especially acts on the nipples, the nails, and bones, especially causing pains in right tibia and coccyx. Burnett has cured with it a case of wart on forehead.

Relations

Hep. relieves the sore nipples; Thuja has removed warts caused by Cast. eq. Compare: Calc. oxal., Hippoman., Castoreum, Moschus.

1. Mind

Unusual laughter about things not funny.

2. Head

Vertigo, headache, and nausea in mornings, sour stomach, and lack of appetite.

10. Appetite

Desire, to smoke tobacco.

12, 13. Abdomen and Stool. . Colic with urging wakes him in the morning, followed by a very thin, watery, somewhat burning stool; with passage of offensive flatus. Pain in l. inguinal region.

16. Female Sexual Organs

Cracked, sore nipples in nursing women, excessively tender, cannot bear touch of clothing; even in neglected cases, ragged, nipples almost hanging. Breasts swollen, sensitive; itching internally, painful on descending stairs.

17. Respiratory Organs

Disagreeable sick feeling in larynx.

19. Heart

Peculiar sensation about heart as of something alive struggling.

20. Back

Weak spine. Pain in coccyx < every evening while sitting.

23. Lower Limbs

Repeated pain in r. tibia.

24. Generalities

Syncope. Epilepsy.

25. Skin

Warts. Nails drop off. Brittle nails.

Castor Equi across the other classic books

Castor Equi 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 TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“"The rudimentary thumb-nail of the horse." The small, flat, oblong-oval, rough, dark, horny substance found on the inner side of the leg above the fetlock; called by Paracelsus Verrucæ equorum genuum. Preparation , Triturations. Authorities. Unusual laughing about not laughable things, 3. Vertigo, headache, nausea …”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Rudimentary Thumb-nail of the Horse General action on thickening of the skin and epithelium. Psoriasis linguæ . The clinical experience of Hering and his fellow-provers has shown this to be highly useful remedy in cracked and ulcerated nipples . Affects principally female organs. Acts on the nails and bones; pain in…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“The Rudimentary Thumbnail of the Horse. A small, flat, oblong-oval horn, wrinkled on the surface, breathing off in scales, darker than the hoof, growing on the inner side of the leg above the fetlock of horses, styled by Oken "the rudimentary thumbnail of the horse," and by Paracelsus Verrucæ equorum genuum . The…”
Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Excessively sore nipples, bleeding, suppurating, and only hanging on strings.”
Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: a red substance growing on the inside of the legs of the horse. Acts on nails and bones (Sil.). (Br.). Affects principally the female organs (Carb-An., Lach., Phos.) (Br.). Swelling and violent itching of the breasts (Bl.). SORE NIPPLES (Graph., Nit-Ac., Sil.). THEY ARE CRACKED AND RAGGED, AND ALMOST…”

Castor Equi in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Castor Equi in 91 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (36), CHEST (12), STOMACH (9), HEAD (5), ABDOMEN (4).

CHEST - PAIN - sore - bruised - Mammae - nipples - touch of clothing
CHEST - ULCERATION of - nipples
CHEST - CRACKS of nipples
BACK - PAIN - Coccyx - evening
BACK - PAIN - Coccyx - sitting - while
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - Leg - tibia
VERTIGO - MORNING
STOMACH - FULLNESS,sensation of
CHEST - DRYNESS - Nipples
EAR - ERUPTIONS - meatus - in - pustules
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - sprained,as if - Wrist - extending into fourth and fifth fingers hanging arm down
SLEEP - DREAMS - fruit
STOMACH - ERUCTATIONS - empty - forenoon - 10 a.m.
EXTREMITIES - BRITTLE - Toe Nails
CHEST - ABSCESS - nipples
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - Knee - hollow of - bending knee
ABDOMEN - MOVEMENTS in - forenoon
CHEST - DISCOLORATION, - Mammae, - nipples
NOSE - PAIN in - aching - bones
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - Elbow - evening

Search all 7 classical repertories

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Previous remedy: Castn-v Next remedy: Caul

Cary Cas-s Casc Castm Caust Cean Cedr Cench

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