Ambra Grisea
By Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica
Ambergris.
Probably a nosode or morbid product found in belly of sperm-whale. The best is that which whalers cut out, and which is usually to be had in Boston. Most of it is picked up in the Eastern seas. Used by the Arabians and since. Introduced by Hahnemann in 1827 ; especially proved by his friend, the Count de Gersdorf, from whom are nearly one-third of the symptoms. The alcoholic tincture is the best preparation. The so-called oil of amber is oleum succinum, and was used by Holcombe in hiccough.
MIND [1]
Memory impaired.
Comprehension slow, has to read everything three or four times, and then does not understand it.
Is not able to reflect upon anything properly, feels stupid. θ Often indicated in old age.
Confusion of head ; of occiput.
Difficult thinking in morning. θ Old people.
Distorted images, grimaces ; diabolical faces crowd upon his fancy.
She is excited, loquacious ; talking fatigues her ; was unable to sleep at night, or averse to talking and laughing.
Great sadness.
Melancholy, sits for days weeping ; with great weakness, loss of muscular power and pain in small of back with constipation.
Fear of becoming crazy.
Despair ; loathing of life.
Anguish and sweat all over at night.
Anxiety, oppression, nervous weakness, with irritability and impatience.
After business embarrassment cannot sleep, must get up.
Hurries too much while engaged in mental labor.
Embarrassed manner in company.
Cough < when many persons are present.
The presence of other people aggravates the symptoms.
SENSORIUM [2]
Vertigo with feeling of weight on vertex ; < after sleep.
Had to lie down on account of vertigo and feeling of weakness in stomach.
Music causes blood to rush to head.
Great weakness in head with vertigo.
INNER HEAD [3]
Pressure in forehead and vertex with fear of becoming crazy.
Tearing : in forehead ; in left temple up to vertex ; in r. frontal eminence and behind left ear.
Extremely painful tearing on top of head and apparently in whole upper half of brain, with paleness of face and coldness of left hand.
Pressive drawing, ascending from nape of neck, and extending through head towards forehead, considerable oppression remaining in lower part of occiput.
Dulness in occiput.
Tearing pains predominate in head.
Rush of blood to head caused by music.
Weakness in head with vertigo.
OUTER HEAD [4]
Falling off of hair.
On right side of head, a spot, where hair when touched pains, as if sore.
Scalp feels sore in morning, when awaking ; this is followed by a sensation of numbness, extending over whole body.
SIGHT AND EYES [5]
Dulness of vision, as if from looking through a mist.
Pressure and smarting in eyes, as from dust ; lachrymation.
Pressure on eyes, which are difficult to open, and pain in eyes as if they had been closed too firmly, particularly in morning.
Itching on eyelid as if a stye was forming.
HEARING AND EARS [6]
Roaring and whistling in ears, in afternoon.
Deafness of one ear.
Crackling in left ear (like sound made when winding a watch).
Hearing decreases ; with cold sensation in abdomen.
Violent tearing pain in and behind right auricle.
Tearing : in right ear.
Crawling, itching and tickling in ears.
Music aggravates cough.
Listening to music brings on congestion to head.
SMELL AND NOSE [7]
Dried blood gathered in nose.
Bleeding of nose early in morning.
Nosebleed with menses.
Copious nosebleed early in bed, several successive days. θ Old lady.
Nose stopped up and paining as if sore internally.
Long-continued dryness of nose, frequent irritation as from sneezing.
UPPER FACE [8]
Paleness of face with headache.
Flushes of heat in face.
Heat in face with chill of other parts.
Tearing in upper part of face, particularly near right ala nasi.
Pimples, and itching in whiskers.
Painful swelling of cheek on upper jaw, with throbbing in gums.
Jaundiced color of face.
Spasmodic twitching of facial muscles.
LOWER FACE [9]
Lips hot.
Lips numb and dry in morning on awaking.
Cramp of lower lip.
TEETH AND GUMS [10]
Drawing pain now in one and again in another tooth ; < by warmth, momentarily removed by cold ; not < by chewing, and passes off after a meal ; at same time inner portion of gums was swollen.
Bleeding of gums.
TASTE, SPEECH, TONGUE [11]
Bitter taste in mouth in morning on awaking.
Sour taste after drinking milk.
Folds under tongue pain as if sore, like small growths.
Ranula.
INNER MOUTH [12]
Fetor of mouth, worse mornings. θ Whooping cough.
Blisters in mouth pain as if burnt.
Smarting and cracked painful condition of mouth.
Accumulation of water in mouth with cough.
PALATE AND THROAT [13]
Sensation of rawness in region of velum pendulum palati.
Rawness in throat with cough.
Tearing in palate, extending into left ear.
Dryness of throat in morning.
Sore feeling in throat during empty deglutition, and from outward pressure, not when swallowing food, with tension of glands of throat as if swollen.
Sore throat after exposure to a draught of air ; stitching from throat into right ear ; pains particularly from motion of tongue.
Tickling in throat, which induces coughing.
Tickling in throat and thyroid body, during act of coughing.
Accumulation of greyish phlegm in throat, which is difficult to hawk up, accompanied by rawness.
Hawking phlegm from fauces produces vomiting and choking.
Papular eruption in pharynx.
APPETITE, THIRST. DESIRES, AVERSIONS [14]
Thirstlessness.
EATING AND DRINKING [15]
After breakfast, nausea.
After eating : cough and gagging ; anxiety ; pressure in pit of stomach, as if food stuck and would not go down.
Aggravation from warm drinks, especially from warm milk.
Better after eating : toothache ; oppression in chest ; chill.
After drinking milk : sour taste ; heartburn.
HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]
Belching with and after cough.
Eructations either empty, sour or bitter.
Eructations with cough, so as almost to cause choking.
Belching removes pressure under scrobiculum.
(OBS :) Hiccough.
Heartburn : with abortive eructations ; when walking in open air ; from drinking milk.
Every evening, sensation as of disordered stomach and acrid risings up to larynx.
Nausea after breakfast.
Vomiting and choking when hawking phlegm from fauces.
SCROBICULUM AND STOMACH [17]
Pressure and burning under scrobiculum ; belching removes it.
Pressure in stomach and hypochondria. θ Whooping cough.
Tension and pressure or stitches and pressure in stomach.
Concussion in pit of stomach with cough.
Weakness in stomach accompanying vertigo.
HYPOCHONDRIA [18]
Pressing pain in a small spot in upper right side of abdomen, though not felt to touch.
Tearing pain in region of spleen, as if something was torn away.
Pain in right hypochondriac region, > while lying upon it.
ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]
Distended abdomen ; accumulation of much flatus, which subsides without being passed.
Sensation of coldness in abdomen.
Coldness of one side of abdomen (l.) ; also with deafness.
Colic, sometimes followed by diarrhœa.
Pressure deep in hypogastrium after evacuation.
STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]
First copious, soft, light brown stools, after a few days constipation.
Constipation. θ Whooping cough. θ Melancholy.
Diarrhœa preceded by colic.
Stool not hard, though large.
Frequent ineffectual desire for stool ; this makes her very anxious, at this time presence of other persons becomes unbearable.
Large flow of blood with stool.
Itching in anus.
Stitches in anus.
After evacuation pressure deep in hypogastrium.
URINARY ORGANS [21]
Frequent micturition at night and in morning after rising.
Urine when emitted is clouded, yellowish brown and deposits a brownish sediment, after which urine looks clear and yellow ; coffee grounds sediment. θ Dropsy after scarlatina.
Sour smelling urine. θ Whooping cough.
Urinates three times as much as drink taken, especially in morning ; followed by a dull pain in region of kidneys.
Sensation as if a few drops passed through urethra.
During urination, burning, smarting, itching and titillation in the urethra and vulva. θ Ovaritis.
MALE SEXUAL ORGANS [22]
A man, æt. 80, gets asthma when attempting coition.
(OBS :) Impotence.
Violent morning erections without desire, with numbness in parts.
Internal, strong, voluptuous sensation in genital organs.
Itching pimple over male genitals.
Sore rawness between thighs.
Voluptuous itching on scrotum. θ Following use of Staphis.
FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]
Nymphomania : often with discharge of bluish white mucus.
Burning in sexual parts, with discharge of a few drops of blood.
Stitches in ovarian region, when drawing in abdomen or pressing upon it.
Discharge of blood between periods, at every little accident, at every hard stool or after a walk a little longer than usual.
During menses, left leg becomes quite blue from distended varices, with pressive pain in leg.
Lying down aggravates uterine symptoms.
Is said to cause uterine atony.
(OBS :) Suppressed catamenia.
Menses too early and too profuse.
Menses appear seven days before time.
Severe itching on pudenda, must rub parts.
Soreness and itching, with swelling of labia. θ Pruritus.
Itching, titillation, burning of vulva and urethra during urination.
Thick, mucous leucorrhœa, increased from day to day, or leucorrhœa at night, of bluish white mucus ; preceding each discharge, a stitch in vagina.
PREGNANCY. PARTURITION. LACTATION [24]
During pregnancy : nervous, restless ; pruritus vulvæ.
Impending abortion.
Puerperal eclampsia.
Lessens severity of labor pains.
In childbed obstinate constipation and tenesmus ; abdomen puffed, causing much anxiety ; so nervous she cannot attempt a stool in presence of other people, not even nurse.
VOICE AND LARYNX. TRACHEA AND BRONCHIA [25]
Titillation in larynx with spasmodic cough.
Titillation in throat, larynx and trachea, causing violent cough.
Hoarseness and roughness of voice, with accumulation of thick, tough mucus, easily thrown off by coughing.
Itching, scraping and soreness in larynx and trachea. θ Whooping cough.
Reading aloud or talking aggravates cough.
Itching in thyroid gland.
RESPIRATION [26]
Tightness of chest, cannot take a deep breath or yawn deeply.
Oppression felt in chest and between scapulæ ; it subsides for a short time after eating. θ Asthma.
Feeling of pressure in chest < during exhalation.
Asthma of old people and children. θ Asthma siccum.
Asthma comes on while he is attempting coition. θ Old man.
Whistling in chest during breathing.
Gets out of breath with cough, which is spasmodic ; rush of blood to head.
COUGH [27]
Cough
Spasmodic cough, loses her breath ; with rush of blood to head ; finally some phlegm comes up.
Hollow, spasmodic, barking cough ; < from talking or reading aloud.
Spasmodic cough of elderly or of emaciated persons.
Paroxysms of cough coming from deep in chest, excited by violent tickling in throat, evening without, morning with expectoration, generally of greyish white, seldom of yellow mucus, of salty or sour taste.
Violent spasmodic cough, with frequent eructations and hoarseness.
Lifting a heavy weight aggravates cough.
Cough only at night, produced by excessive irritation in throat.
Cough every evening with pain under left ribs, as if something was torn loose there.
Cough worse when many persons are present.
Cough causes concussion in pit of stomach.
Cough with emaciation.
A kind of whooping cough ; paroxysmal, but without crowing inspiration.
Deep dry cough, with accumulation of water in mouth, and subsequent rawness in throat.
Choking and vomiting when hawking up phlegm.
Sputa yellow white, cream-like.
Collection of phlegm in throat difficult to cough up.
(OBS :) Old coughs.
INNER CHEST AND LUNGS [28]
Pain in lower part of right chest, relieved by lying on back.
Sensation of pressure deep in right chest ; also in left chest or in upper part of chest.
Sensation of rawness in chest.
Itching in chest. θ Whooping cough.
Sensation of lump in chest.
HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION [29]
Anxiety at heart, causing oppression of breathing, with flushes of heat ; oppression beginning in heart. θ Asthma.
Palpitation when walking in open air, with paleness of face.
Violent palpitation, with pressure in chest, as if a lump lay there, or as if the chest was stuffed up.
Pulse accelerated, with ebullitions.
He perceives pulse in body ; it feels like tick of a watch.
OUTER CHEST [30]
Burning on chest.
NECK AND BACK [31]
Glands of throat tense as if swollen.
Burning in left scapula.
Tearing in left, or in both shoulders.
Rheumatic pains in right side of back.
Painful tension in lumbar muscles.
Stitches in small of back, when sitting.
Stiffness in small of back after sitting.
Pain in small of back, with loss of muscular power and constipation.
UPPER LIMBS [32]
Tearing in left shoulder joint.
Drawing, as if sprained and lame in shoulder.
The arms go to sleep when lying on them, when carrying anything in hands or at night ; with numbness, especially of left arm in rest ; tingling in thumb.
Tearing pains in shoulder, elbow, forearm and hand.
Weakness of fingers at night.
Stinging in hands and fingers, as from insects.
Drawing in fingers and thumb.
Itching in palms of hands.
Cramps in hands, sometimes when taking hold of anything.
Tips of fingers are shrivelled.
Tearing, lancinating or itching in tips of fingers and thumb.
Skin on fingers feels tense.
Long lasting icy coldness of hands.
Coldness of left hand with headache.
Finger nails brittle, with a very old man ; they got soft, elastic and pink.
LOWER LIMBS [33]
Tearing pain, first in left, then in right hip joint.
Sense of contraction in right thigh ; limb seems to be shortened.
Tearing in nates, hip, knee, leg, ankle and foot.
Heaviness of legs.
Strumming sensation in legs.
Sensation as if "gone to sleep" in both legs ; no firm step.
Cramps in legs and calves nearly every night.
Cold feet.
Gouty pain in ball of great toes.
Itching on inner border of sole of left foot, not relieved by scratching.
Sore and raw between thighs , and in hollow of knees.
Left leg becomes blue from distended varices during menses.
LIMBS IN GENERAL [34]
Tearing or rheumatic pains in parts of all the limbs.
Uncommon twitching and coldness of body at night.
Uneasiness, like a crawling, with anxiety, only by day.
Weariness, with painful soreness of all limbs.
REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]
In rest : numbness of left arm.
In bed, early in the morning : weakness.
Lying down : cough < ; uterine symptoms <.
Desire to bend and stretch limbs.
Worse in room with other persons : cough.
When sitting : stitches in small of back.
After sitting : stiffness in small of back.
Better lying on painful part : pain in hypochondriac region ; pain in right side of chest.
When lying on them : arms go to sleep.
Lying down : aggravates uterine symptoms.
Worse after lying down. θ Pertussis.
Must lie down : with vertigo and weakness in stomach.
Motion of tongue : < pain in throat.
When walking in open air : palpitation and pale face ; uneasiness in blood, more rapid circulation ; weakness <.
After a longer walk than usual : discharge of blood between menstrual periods.
During exercise : profuse sweat on abdomen and thighs.
Lifting a heavy weight : aggravates cough.
When carrying anything in hands : arms go to sleep.
When taking hold of anything : cramps in hands.
Sweat from slightest exertion. θ Intermittent.
NERVES [36]
(OBS :) Trismus neonatorum.
Restlessness.
Jerks and twitches.
Convulsions.
(OBS :) Epilepsy.
Infantile spasms.
Spasms and twitches in the muscular parts.
(OBS :) Spasmodic complaints.
Arms and limbs "go to sleep" easily.
Great lassitude, especially mornings in bed.
(OBS :) Fainting.
Weakness : of the whole body ; of the knees, as if they would give way ; of the feet, with loss of sensation ; in the stomach, so that she must lie down.
(OBS :) Great prostration after lingering fevers.
(OBS :) Chlorosis.
Loss of muscular power. θ Melancholy.
(OBS :) Vertigo and nervous apoplexy.
(OBS :) Paralytic complaints.
Numbness of the whole body.
When walking in open air, an uneasiness in blood and more rapid circulation, with greater weakness of body.
Conversation causes fatigue, heaviness of head, sleeplessness, oppression of chest, sweat, anxiety ; tremor and quivering ; nervousness and irritability.
SLEEP [37]
Cannot sleep, must get up ; worriment from business embarrassment.
Cannot sleep at night, yet knows not why.
Restless sleep, with anxious dreams.
Vexatious, anxious dreams and talking in sleep ; awaken frightened. θ Children.
Sleepless after 1 A. M.
Worse from too little sleep.
Uneasy sleep from coldness and twitching.
Nearly every night cramp in calves.
Worse after sleep : vertigo ; weight on vertex ; whooping cough ; feels weak ; mouth dry ; weary, eyes feel as if they had been closed too tightly.
When awaking : soreness of scalp ; lips numb and dry ; bitter taste in mouth.
Early in bed : nosebleed ; great lassitude.
TIME [38]
Given in the evening apt to make aggravations.
Worse evening and night. θ Whooping cough.
At night : unable to sleep ; anguish and sweat all over ; frequent urination ; leucorrhœa ; cough ; numbness in arms ; weakness of fingers ; cramp in legs and calves ; twitching in limbs ; coldness of body ; profuse sweat, < after midnight.
In morning : soreness of scalp ; pressure on eyes and difficulty in opening them ; nosebleed ; lips numb and dry ; bitter taste ; fetor of mouth ; dryness of throat ; frequent and copious urination ; violent erections with numbness in the parts.
In forenoon : chill with lassitude and sleepiness.
In afternoon : roaring and whistling in ears.
Towards evening : < anxious flushes of heat.
In evening : sensation of disordered stomach ; cough.
TEMPERATURE AND WEATHER [39]
Warmth : toothache <.
Cold : toothache >.
In warm room : cough <.
Better from motion in open air.
Warm drinks : aggravate.
After exposure to draught of air : sore throat.
When walking in open air : heartburn ; palpitation ; uneasiness in blood, < weakness.
Took cold and had perspiration checked, after a thunderstorm, by north wind in face ; tormenting cough for several weeks.
FEVER [40]
Chill in forenoon, with lassitude and sleepiness ; relieved by eating. θ Intermittent fever.
Chill of single parts of body, with heat of face.
Anxious flushes of heat returning every quarter hour ; most violent towards evening. θ Intermittent fever. θ Whooping cough.
Profuse sweat at night, worse after midnight and most on affected side.
Profuse sweat, particularly on abdomen and thighs, during exercise.
(OBS :) Malignant fevers.
ATTACKS, PERIODICITY [41]
Cough in spasmodic paroxysms.
Anxious flushes of heat return every quarter of an hour.
LOCALITY AND DIRECTION [42]
One-sided complaints : perspiration, tearing, numbness, sensation of coldness in abdomen.
Right : spot on head sore to touch ; tearing pain in auricle ; tearing pain in ear ; tearing near ala nasi ; pressing pain in side of abdomen ; pain in hypochondriac region ; pain in lower part of chest ; rheumatic pains in back ; itching on border of foot-sole.
Left : hand cold ; crackling in ear ; coldness in abdomen ; legs becomes blue during menses ; pain under ribs, with cough ; burning in scapula ; tearing in shoulder ; arms get numb.
Left to right : tearing pain in hip joints.
Upper limbs, right side ; lower limbs, left side.
Ascending : pressing drawing from nape of neck through head to forehead.
Extending over whole body : soreness in scalp on waking.
SENSATIONS [43]
Ebullitions and pulsations in whole body, especially after walking in open air ; as if eyes had been closed too firmly ; as if a stye was forming ; glands of throat tense as if swollen ; as if food stuck and would not go down ; as of disordered stomach ; as if something was torn away in region of spleen ; as if a few drops passed through urethra ; as if a lump lay in chest ; as if chest was stuffed up ; pulse in body perceived like tick of a watch ; as if right leg was shortened.
Pain : in lower right chest ; in small of back.
Lancinating : in tips of fingers and thumb.
Stitches : from throat into right ear ; in stomach ; in anus ; in ovarian region ; in vagina preceding leucorrhœal discharge ; in small of back.
Stinging as from insects : in hands and fingers.
Tearing pain : in forehead ; in left temple up to vertex ; in r. frontal eminence ; behind left ear ; in upper half of brain ; in and behind right auricle ; in right ear ; in upper part of face, near right ala nasi ; from palate into left ear ; in region of spleen ; in left shoulder, elbow, forearm and hand ; in tips of fingers and thumb ; in hip joints, nates, hip, knee, leg, ankle and foot.
Burning : under scrobiculum ; in urethra and vulva ; in sexual parts ; in left scapula ; on chest ; of herpes.
Soreness : spot on side of head, in scalp ; in nose ; under tongue ; in throat during empty deglutition ; between thighs and hollow of knees ; in female sexual parts ; in larynx and trachea ; of all limbs ; of wart on finger.
Burnt feeling : blisters in mouth.
Drawing : in teeth ; in shoulder ; in fingers and thumb.
Pressive drawing : from nape of neck through head to forehead.
Pressure : in forehead and vertex ; in eyes ; on eyes, difficult to open ; in pit of stomach ; under scrobiculum : in stomach and hypochondria ; in stomach ; in small spot upper right side of abdomen ; in hypogastrium ; in chest ; in left varicose leg during menses.
Smarting : in eyes ; in mouth ; in urethra and vulva.
Rawness : velum palati ; in throat ; in chest ; between thighs ; in hollow of knees.
Scraping : in larynx and trachea.
Gouty pain : in balls of great toes.
Rheumatic pain : in right side of back ; in limbs.
Dull pain : in region of kidneys.
Cramp : of lower lip ; in hands ; in legs and calves.
Sprained feeling : in shoulder.
Twitching : of facial muscles.
Throbbing : in gums.
Concussion : in pit of stomach, with cough.
Weight : on vertex.
Heaviness : of legs.
Oppression : in lower part of occiput ; in chest and between scapulæ ; beginning in heart.
Tightness : of chest.
Contraction : in right thigh.
Dulness : in occiput.
Weakness : in head ; in stomach ; of fingers.
Titillation : in urethra and vulva ; in throat, larynx and trachea.
Stiffness : in small of back.
Crawling : in ears ; in all limbs.
Strumming : in legs.
Itching : on eyelid ; in ears ; pimples in whiskers ; in anus ; in urethra and vulva ; pimples over male genitals ; voluptuous on scrotum ; itching on pudendum ; in larynx and trachea ; in thyroid gland ; in chest ; in palms of hands ; in tips of fingers and thumbs ; on inner border of sole of right foot.
Tickling : in ears ; in throat induces cough ; in thyroid body.
Tingling : in thumb.
Heat : in face ; in lips.
Coldness : of left hand with headache ; in abdomen ; of hands and feet.
Dryness : of nose ; of lips ; of throat.
TISSUES [44]
Small growths under tongue.
(OBS :) Ranula.
Tearing in muscles and joints, often on one side.
(OBS :) Softening of brain.
Emaciation.
TOUCH. PASSIVE MOTION. INJURIES [45]
Slight touch : < pain in thumb.
Rubbing : relieves itching and tickling in rectum.
Sore to touch : spot on right side of head.
From outward pressure : soreness in throat <.
Worse from overlifting.
SKIN [46]
Itching.
Jaundiced color of face.
Burning in skin.
Tips of fingers become shrivelled.
Soreness of a wart on finger.
Numbness of skin.
(OBS :) Burning herpes.
(OBS :) Leprous complaints.
Itching pimples in whiskers.
Sore and raw between legs and in hollow of knees.
Distended varices on leg during menses.
Reproduces itch eruption.
STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]
Children who are excitable, nervous and weak.
Nervous persons, infants or young girls.
In old age. θ Asthma. θ Colds.
The so-called bilious or nervous bilious temperament.
Lean persons.
Old persons and children. θ Asthma.
A very old man. θ Brittle finger nails. θ Asthma when attempting coition.
RELATIONS [48]
Similar to : Arsen . (cardiac asthma) ; Act. rac . (night cough) ; Castor. ; Asaf . (women who are nervous and fail to react) ; Coca . (embarrassed, bashful) ; Coffea ; Cinchon. ; Ignat .
Kali brom . (increase of reflex action) ; Moschus (hysteric asthma) ; Nux vom . (both suit nervous, thin, bilious, persons) ; Opium ; Phosphor . (asthma ; nervous excitability ; "irritable weakness" ; slender build, etc.) ; Phosph. ac. ; Pulsat. ; Sepia ; Staphis. ; Sulphur. ; Sulph. ac . (cough and belching) ; Valer . (nervousness, hysteria ; lack of reaction in nervous weakness) ; Laches ., and Sepia (worse from overlifting) ; Laches., Ver. alb . (cough with belching ; coldness, etc.)
Antidotes to Ambra : Camphor, Coffea, Nux vom., Pulsat., Staphis .
Ambra antidotes : Staphis . (especially voluptuous itching of scrotum) ; Nux vom .