Rhodium

Rhodium oxydatum nitricum, or Nitrate of the Oxide of Rhodium.

MSS. furnished by Dr. Hering for the Encyclopedia. (A small quantity of Rhodium sponge and Hydrate of potassa and Nitre being exposed to the action of the blowpipe until oxidized. After having the oxide well washed and boiled in Nitric acid for a few minutes, and exposed to a gentle heat for an hour, the nitrate was obtained from the oxide; a fluid of a golden color, and of the consistency of syrup.)

Dr. Pehrson, August 5th, 1852, took in the afternoon, at 4 o'clock, 1 drop of 4th dil.

1. Being accidentally disturbed at 12 o'clock the same night, felt an aching in the forehead, preventing me for some time to get into a sleep again.

• August 6th, took, at 4 o'clock P.M., another drop 4th.

1. The evacuation of the bowels used to follow every afternoon regularly, but being so largely formed as scarcely able to pass the rectum, was this afternoon less large, and passed the rectum without difficulty; with the stools I always noticed the protrusion of piles, which were also much improved.

2. The usual coition, every other night, could not be effected on account of having lost all sexual desire and potency.

August 7th, took another drop 4th, in the afternoon.

1. Stool already in the morning, at 8 o'clock A.M., much less difficult, and when the evacuation was about finished, it became thin and watery; piles much improved.

2. This evening a very feeble erection and coition, without strength and sensation of pleasure, and during the ejaculation not the usual delight.

3. During the whole day a very unusual hilarity and gladness.

4. At 10 o'clock P.M., an evacuation in small round balls, like cockles, with burning in the anus during the evacuation and for some time afterwards.

5. Being about midnight accidentally awakened, felt a tearing pain in my forehead.

6. August 8th, in the afternoon, some tearing pain in forehead was felt several times. [10.]

In the afternoon, 4 1/2 o'clock, a natural formed passage, with but very little inconvenience caused by the piles.

1. August 9th, at 9 A.M., much flatus passed the bowels, without smell.

2. About 12 M., tenesmus, felt as if a passage was to follow, which, however, passed off by wind.

August 10th, about 2 o'clock P.M., erections and great desire to sexual intercourse. In the afternoon a few more erections were occurring.

1. During the afternoon a natural stool at the usual time, and the piles still more improved.

2. August 11th, took another drop at 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the fourth attenuation. In consequence of a very large stool, a very difficult passage from the bowels, yet without any suffering of piles.

3. August 12th, at 10 o'clock A.M., an urging as if a passage was to follow, which, on going to stool, passed off in expelling some wind, with a very loud sound.

4. About 10 o'clock in the forenoon, a drawing sensation in the left side of the forehead.

August 13th, took another dose of one drop, in the afternoon of the 4th.

1. August 14th, in the forenoon, about 10 o'clock, slight drawing sensation in the left side of the forehead, lasting a short while.

2. August 15th, in the morning, soon after getting awake, a pain in the right forehead, disappearing soon, but reappearing again about 9 o'clock A.M., very slight.

3. At 10 o'clock in the forenoon, a thin stool, without the least disturbance of piles.

August 16th, no symptoms.

August 17th, at 6 o'clock A.M., an evacuation of diarrhœic character, with which a constant discharge of wind was experienced. Small winds passing constantly, and with it the stool bubbling forth in small portions. A feeling as if the diarrhœa would continue lasted till 9 o'clock, when it ceased, and instead of which a headache of short duration commenced. A diarrhœa of this kind prevailed here in 1848, which at that time was cured by Rhododendron. [20.]

Towards evening an aching in the upper joint of the right middle finger.

August 18th, in the evening, an intense aching in the left wrist, lasting an hour. About twenty-five years ago, after having salved away the itch, I felt this itch in the wrist several years afterwards, but now since a number of years nothing of this was noticed.

1. August 19th, in the afternoon, about 4 o'clock, after mental exertion a strong feeling of faintness was felt, which could not be lessened nor removed by anything, eating, drinking, rest, etc. About 7 o'clock, when it began to diminish, a right-sided headache commenced, which was still felt the next morning, at 5 o'clock, on getting awake. During this period of faintness an urging in the rectum was noticed, as if a stool were to follow, and which occurring at 8 o'clock, together with an utter inactivity of the intestines, abdominal muscles, etc., the most intense effort could not effect a passage; at 9 o'clock the excrementa were felt to be located in the left side of the rectum, but the inactivity of the intestinal canal being still so great, that no effect could be made to prevail against it. As the stool, however, was getting very uncomfortable in the rectum, a " sobbing

" around the anus was tried, and effected a passage of round balls of excrement, which caused an intense burning in the anus. The very moment the passage was effected, the faintness ceased instantaneously.

1. About 7 o'clock P.M., an aching on the inside of the left thigh, and on the little finger of the left hand, lasting but a few moments.

2. 6 and 7 o'clock in the evening, burning-sticking pain rushing downward in the left leg.

3. August 20th, towards 9 o'clock in the evening, a loose passage, without difficulty or any other kind of disorder.

4. Towards evening an aching on the right little finger.

5. At 7 o'clock, an aching at the right wrist.

6. August 21st, in the afternoon, at 3 o'clock, a fever with perspiration over the face set in, lasting about fifteen minutes, then a chill following, lasting about thirty minutes, after which again a fever followed, then a chill alternating until 6 o'clock. No change in the pulse being observed.

7. Fever, with sweat covering the face, lasting fifteen minutes, causing the pulse to rise from 70 to 96, then the sensation of a chill, lasting somewhat longer, between 5 and 6 o'clock.

8. The teeth felt the whole time, during which the medicine was proved, blunt, and every scraping sound and noise of a similar character, caused a most disagreeable sensation in them. Sometimes the teeth felt as if sand were between them. [30.]

The sexual desires were, during the whole of my proving the medicine, exceedingly weak and powerless.

1. Stools began soon, at the beginning of the proving, to get much smaller, so that the passages became much easier, but became after the second again as large as they used to be before.

2. The piles, soon after the taking of the medicine, began to disappear, but reappeared towards the end again.

3. On the 22d of August a dose of Asafœtida was taken for an old headache, which did not interfere with the teeth being set on edge, as the same feeling returned from 2 to 6 in the afternoon.

4. An eruption in the nostrils of your years' standing, at intervals much worse, but never disappearing fully during four years, left me after a few days altogether, and did not return for several months.

Proving by Dr. Negendank.

August 10th, one drop of the 2d.

1. Stitches in the membrana tympani, hearing being more acute.

August 11th, one drop of the 3d.

1. Stinging pain in the pit of the stomach, which, after two hours, changed into a griping pain in the integuments of the bowels.

2. In the evening an unnatural irritation of the sense of hearing, a constant whispering being heard, as illusive as if caused by human beings, causing him a few times to see if there were not somebody in the vicinity causing the whisper.

3. A constipation, lasting several days.

August 17th, one drop of the 3d.

1. A burning in urethra, towards the head of the penis. [40.]

An irritation of the mind, making regular meditation impossible, and producing a sense of dissatisfaction.

August 19th, one drop of the 4th.

1. The burning sensation in the urethra again.

2. Everything appeared as if the degree of light was lessened, principally the point whilst reading, which continued during the following day.

3. Itching of the anus, as if caused by the piles, lasting several days, and the stools tardy.

Experience obtained in practice.