Kali Arsenicosum

Authorities. (Berridge’s Collection in Appendix to Brit. Journ. of Horn.) ; 4, Mr. R. Jones, Prov. Med. and Surg. Journ., vol. vii, 1844, p. 127, Miss B. took it for chronic psoriasis, which was relieved for a time, but returned in an aggravated form ; she then took it three times a day for a month, beginning with doses of 5 drops, and gradually increasing to 15; 5, Dr. James Begbie, Edinb. Med. Journ., vol. iii, 1858, p. 961, effects in eight or ten days of moderate doses, say 5 drops, largely diluted, two or three times daily; 6, Dr. John Elliotson, Med. Times and Gaz., 1858, New Ser., 16, p. 524, a lady took 2 minims three times a day for rheumatism ; 7, Dr. Thomas Skinner, Brit. Med. Journ., 1858, p. 778, a woman nursing her first child, took two doses of 30 drops for eczema of scalp and face; 8, Dr. Arthur Leared, Med. Times and Gaz., 1863 (1), 63, effects in two cases of phthisis ; 9, Dr. Robert McNab, ibid., p. 297, a woman, set. twenty-eight years, took 3 minims three times a day for lupus of face; 10, Dr. Duffin, Lancet, 1869 (2), p. 508, a woman, with chronic psoriasis, took 3 minims three times a day from September 3d to 19th.

Head

Nervous depression

Great nervousness (after five days)

Redness of eyes (after five days)

Sense of heat and itchiiiessof eyelids, to which succeed swelling and tenderness; the conjunctiva becomes inflamed, the eye sensitive to light, and the orbit surrounded by a dark discoloration

Itching of conjunctiva

Face

Face pale (after five days)

Mouth

Gums swollen and tender

Tongue clean and red, like raw beef,f

Whitish tongue

The tongue is coated with a white silvery film, like that produced by touching its surface with a weak solution of lunar caustic

If the remedy is persisted in salivation ensues

Throat p. 556

Throat dry and sore/.

Sense of constriction of throat, and copious flow of saliva

Stomach p. 556

Appetite lost (fifth day)

Intense thirst

Nausea (after five days)

Constant pain and nausea after food, and frequent vomiting of all ingesta

In one it caused a sinking sensation at epigastrium, accompanied with faintness

Sense of weight after eating (after five days)

Abdomen p. 556

In one it caused pain in bowels

Stool p. 556

Diarrhoea

Unable to sleep, owing in some measure to frequent stools, which are white, watery, and frothy

For last six weeks subject to obstinate diarrhoea, and has now the following symptoms: frequent griping pains in bowels, with almost constant desire for stool ; considerable tenderness over whole abdomen, which is distended

Urinary Organs p. 556

Marked increase of the quantity of urine occurs, not infrequently with a free deposit of lithate

Urine scanty, high-colored, and passed with effort

Sexual Organs p. 556

Menses absent

Respiratory Organs p. 556

Some gastric cough, and frequent raking of throat and fauces, of a rauco-purulent secretion, mixed with specks of blood

Chest p. 556

It stopped the milk entirely, but it was afterwards restored by treatment

Heart and Pulse p. 556

Acceleration of pulse

Pulse 100, small and feeble

Stomach p. 556

much pain and tenderness down spine

Lower Extremities p. 556

xlching pain in right shoulder and elbow, which on the following day was associated w^th a copious and well-marked eruption of herpetic vesicles over the integuments of arm and forearm

Crampy feeling of lower extremities, with partial loss of motion and sensation ; they are much swollen, livid in places, and showing a tendency to slough

Generalities p. 556

Great emaciation

Tremor

Frequent muscular tremors

Strength lost (fifth day)

Faintness

Skin p. 556

One of the earlier signs is a minute papular rash, which b3^-andy assumes the form of delicate brownish scales, giving the skin an unwashed appearance ; this has been most observed over those parts of the skin which are protected from light by clothing

After taking it for three weeks, suddenly, after feeling ill for a few hours, a copious rash made its appearance on face, hands, and chest, resembling that of measles, the maculae being slightly elevated, with intervening space of skin little affected, and showing papules in some places, vesicles in others. It was accompanied by general catarrhal symptoms, swelling of face, lips, and eyelids, burning heat of skin, yellow-furred tongue, gastro-intestinal irritation, and intense tenderness of feet, so much so that standing gave great pain. These symptoms were followed in a few days by complete aphonia. Desquamation commenced about the tenth day of this eruption, but the redness of the skin did not entirely disappear for some weeks

Fever p. 556

Skin cool and diy

Increase of heat and dryness of skin