Calcarea Phosphorica

Tardy closing or re-opening fontanelles in slim, emaciated children, with sweaty heads. Diarrhoea or entero-colitis; stool passes with much flatulence and spluttering noise. Rheumatic troubles, which are < in fall or spring, when the air is full of melting snow.

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While on the subject of Calcarea we may as well notice this other combination.

The Phosphorus element in this preparation seems to change the temperament, for while it retains its wonderful remedial power over tardy bone development it acts best in spare subjects instead of fat. So that if we find a sickly child with fontanelles remaining open too long or re-opening after once closed, the child being spare and anæmic, we think of this remedy.

We would also think of Silicea in one of these poor subjects, but in the Calcarea phos. the sweaty head is not a prominent symptom, while with Silicea it is markedly so. Calcarea phos. also has a very peculiar desire, the little patient instead of wanting eggs wants “ham rind,” a very queer symptom, but a genuine one. (Magnesia carb. craves meat in scrofulous children.)

Diarrhoea is very prominent, and the stools are green and “spluttering;” that is, the flatulence (of which there is much) with the stool makes a loud spluttering noise when the stool passes. I have made some very fine cures in such cases where there seemed little hope for the child and hydrocephaloid seemed impending. The little patients were shrunken, emaciated and very anæmic. Marasmus.

(Calcarea phos. is an excellent remedy in rheumatic troubles < spring and fall, especially when the air is cold and damp from melting snow.)

Calcarea phos. is an excellent remedy for broken bones where the bones refuse to knit. (Also Symphytum.)

I have found Calcarea phos. very useful in the headaches of anæmic school girls. Here we sometimes have to choose between it and Natrum mur.

Feels complaints more when thinking of them (Oxalic acid, Helonias).