Alumina

Argilla. Oxide of Aluminium. Pure Clay. AU O3 3H,0. Trituration.

Clinical

Aftus affections of. Boils. Bubo. Catarrh. Chlorosis. Constipation, Constipation of nursing infants. Cough. Disappointments, effects of. Dysentery. Dyspepsia. Eczema. Eyes, affections of. Fissures. Fistula. Headache. Hernia. Irritation. Leucorrhoea. Locomotor ataxy. Nails affections of, Otorrhoea. Ozaena. Paralysis. Pregnancy, constipation of. Pregnancy, toothache of. Prostatorrhoea. Rhagades. Scrofula. Strabismus. Taste, disordered. Tetters, moist and itching. Throat, affections of; Trismus. Typhus.

Characteristics p. 68

Like its relative Alumen^ Alumina produces irritation of mucous membranes with dryness or extreme secretion and paralysis of involuntary muscles, as those of the rectum and of the nervous and muscular systems generally. Alumina paralyses the bowels in the same way as lead, to which it is an antidote. Even small and soft stools are passed with great difficulty. Pregnant women and children are liable to this kind of constipation. A very prominent characteristic is that a person must strain at stool in order to urinate. Teste groups Alumina with Sepia and Copaiva, He considers it the chronic of Sepia as Silic. is of Puls. Paralysis of the internal rectus muscle of the eye, causing squint. Also ptosis. Drawing pains appear in the limbs ; a sensation of constriction in several organs. Several painful symptoms show themselves after the midday meal, and continue till evening, when they disappear or are replaced by others which begin only then. On the other hand the pains which appear in the morning or in the evening are abated after eating. Trembling, convulsive movements of the Limbs and head ; spasms, with tears and laughter alternately. There is exaltation of the whole nervous system. Trembling of the whole body with desire to lie down, which, however, < the fatigue. Great general fatigue, even after a short walk, but chiefly after speaking. Frequent stretching while sitting. The nates go to sleep while sitting. Drags legs (especially left). Many of the symptoms of locomotor ataxy are reproduced by Alumina and it is one of the most useful remedies in that disease. Boenninghausen cured a case with Aluminium. Sluggishness of action is characteristic of this medicine ; urine is slow in passing ; great straining to pass even a soft stool ; can only evacuate bowels when standing ; has to strain as if abdomen and rectum were paralysed. (Caust. has defecation only when standing; but the straining is less.) Sensations are slow in being transmitted to the centres. In the mental sphere there is confusion. "When he says anything he feels as if another person had said it, and when he sees anything, as if another person had seen it, or as if he could transfer himself into another, and only then could see." A feeling of hurry follows, things do not move fast enough. Impulses. Suicidal tendency, a sudden impulse from seeing blood on a knife. Sad ; apprehensive ; wants to get away ; fears going crazy. Mental symptoms mostly come on in the morning on waking. Vertigo on closing eyes. Catarrh is a very general feature. Catarrh with dryness of mucous membranes. The throat looks parched and glazed. The nose is stopped, feels dry, and the point of it is cracked. Aim. has the fish-bone sensation in the throat on swallowing. There is profuse leucorrhoea running down to the heels, sometimes excoriating. As with the mucous membrane so with the skin : itching eruptions < from warmth of bed. Eruptions of all kinds, indurations, ulcers. Granular eyelids. Hairs fan out an over body. The skin of the face feels as if covered with dried white of egg, or as if a cobweb was on it. Fissures. Alumina has some curious symptoms in the digestive sphere. There is a craving for dry rice and dry food. It has < from starch, especially the starch of potatoes. < From salt, wine, vinegar, spirits. Burning pains in the back are very characteristic, and especially a sensation as if a hot iron were forced through the lower vertebrae. There are pulsations in various parts. The pains go upward. Upper left ; lower right affected (opposite of Lye). The symptoms are < on alternate days ; periodically. Guernsey describes a characteristic periodicity thus : "Patient gets along nicely for a time, then, from no apparent cause, gets worse for a time, then better, and soon a relapse may be worse than the original illness, another relapse not so bad, and so on with longer intervals between.' In afternoons ; at new or full moon ; < in the morning on waking. < After coitus. < In cold air, out of doors ; in dry weather. They are > by cold washing ; by moistening the part ; by warm food or drink ; by warmth generally. Alumina is suited to persons of sedentary habits who suffer from chronic ailments ; to constitutions with diminished animal heat. Psoric persons. The action of Alumina is slow in developing, and the remedy must not be changed quickly.

Relations p. 69

Compare : Aluminium (which has been used on indications taken from the proving of Alumina). Antidote to: Lead. Antidoted by : Bry., Camph., Cham., Ipec. Complementary : Bry. Follows well : Bry., Lach., Sul. Similar to : Alumen ; Arg. nit. (clergyman's sore throat, paralysis) ; Bar. c. hypochondriasis of aged ; constipation) ; Bry., Calc. ; Cham, (useful as an intermediate remedy) ; Con. (old people ; squint) ; Ferrum (chlorosis ; relaxed abdomen ; disgust for meat, &c.) ; Fer. iod. Profuse transparent leucorrhoea) ; Graphit. (chlorosis, skin rough, chapped, itching ; nails ; blepharitis, &c.) ; Ipec. ; Kali bi. (clergyman's sore throat) ; Lach. (sad on waking ; climaxis) ; Lyc. (clergyman's sore throat) ; Pic. ac, Plumb, (colic, constipation) ; Puls, (tearful, peevish ; head, &c., > in open air ; ozaena ; taste lost ; averse to meat ; scanty menses ; complaints at puberty ; lack of animal heat ; soles of feet sore, < walking ; toes red, itching, &c.) ; Ruta (loss of power of internal recti) ; Sepia (irritable, tearful ; ozaena ; scanty menses ; puberty ; prolapsus uteri ; inactive rectum ; weakness in urinary organs, &c.) ; Sil., Sul., Zinc, (inner canthus ; granular lids ; < from wine).

Causation p. 69

Anger. Disappointments. Lifting. Bodily exertion.

Mind p. 69

Humour morose, sad, with despair of cure. — Involuntary teths* — Anguish and anxiety as if one were threatened with some fatal accident, or had committed some crime. — Time passes too slowly ; intolerable tmtnti; an hour seems half a day. — Seeing blood on a knife she has horrid ideas of killing herself, though she abhors the idea.— Apprehensions. — Disposition to be frightenedAir sorrowful and morose. — Ill-humour, with unfitness for labour. — Disposition to be angry. — Obstinate, and contradictory humour. — Taking everything in bad part. — Humour changeable ; at one time bold, at another timid. — Weakness of memory. — Distraction, inadvertence, and incapability of following up an idea. — Absence of ideas. — Blunders in speaking. — Great vivacity of apprehension, alternately with inadvertence, and deprivation of sight and hearing. — Sensation, as if self-consciousness were outside the body.

Head p. 70

Dizziness, whirling sensation, everything turns in a circle, most frequently so as to cause falling ; sometimes with nausea, or tension in the nape of the neck ; < before breakfast ; on opening eyes ; when closing eyes. — Easily made drunk.— Vertigo, with white stars before the eyes. — State of intoxication after smoking tobacco, or after having taken the weakest spirituous drink, and principally in the morning. — Headache, as if one were dragged by the hair ; or smart shootings in the brain, with inclination to vomit. — Stitches in the brain with nausea. — Heaviness of the head, with paleness of face, and fatigue. — Compressive cephalalgia. — Headache with constipation. — Headache from chronic catarrhs in the head. — Beatings and pulsations in the head. — Congestion of blood towards the eyes and nose, with pressure in the forehead and epistaxis, with a chill when walking in the open air ; better after Ij'ing or eating. — Headache < while walking in the open air ; > l3dng down, the head being softly supported. — Itching in the forehead. — Pain, as from excoriation, in the scalp.— (Moist crusts on the temples.)— Dryness of the hair. — Itching in the scalp, with profuse desquamation.

Eyes p. 70

Pressure on the eyes, which renders it impossible to open them. — Pressure, as from a grain of sand, in the corner of the eye, in the evening. — Sensation of burning, in the eyes, with nocturnal agglutination of the lids, and diurnal lachrymation. — Sensation of coldness in the eyes and eyelids on walking in open air. — Swelling of the eyelids. — Paralysis of the upper lid. — Hordeolum. — Eyelashes fall out. — Inclination to stare. — Spasmodic drawing of the lids at night, with pain in the eyes on opening them. — Stitches in the eyes. — Photophobia. — Confusion of sight, as from a mist, and sparkling before the eyes. — Yellow aspect of all objects. — Coloured reflection round the candle in the evening. — Strabismus of both eyes; esp. loss of power of internal rectus. — Glittering before the eyes on shutting them. — Far sight.

Ears p. 70

Shooting pains in the ears, principally in the evening, or at night. — Stitches in the (1.) ear (evening). — Itching and sensation of burning in the ears. — Frequently, in the evening, heat and redness of one ear. — Purulent discharge from the ears. — Crackling noise and buzzing in the ears, chiefly when chewing, but also on swallowing.

Nose p. 70

Pain in the root of the nose and in the forehead. — Pain, swelling, and redness of the nose. — Soreness and scabs in the nose, with discharge of thick yellow mucus. — Discharge of solid, yellow, greenish substances from the nose. — Accumulation and flow of a thick and yellowish matter from the nose. — Nostrils ulcerated. — Furunculus in the nose. — Ozsena. — Blood from the nose when blown. — Epistaxis. — Sour smell in the nose. — Smell either exceedingly delicate or weak. — Coryza, with defluxion from one nostril, with stoppage of the other. — Coryza, alternately dry and flowing. — Stoppage of the nose. fi- Pace. — Aspect homy, morose. — Rapid alternation of redness and paleness of countenance. — Copper-like redness of the cheeks, as in drunkards. —Tinging on the face, and tension of the skin, as if it were covered with white of g dried. — Sensation of swelling, and of heaviness of countenance. — Bulbous swellings and blood-boils on the face and nose. — Red painful spot OD the cheek. — Roughness of the skin of the face, esp, over the forehead. — Heat and redness. — Itching and eruption of small pimples over the face. — Moist scabs on the temples. — Shooting and drawing sensation in the cheekbones. — Transient heat of face. — Furunculus in the cheeks. — Leprous tubercles in the face. — Lips dry, and cracked, with exfoliation of the skin. — Swelling of the lips. — Pimples and scabby eruptions on the lips. — Swelling of the jaws, with tense pain on opening the mouth, and on chewing. — Shortening of the lower jaw. — Involuntary spasmodic twitching of lower jaw. — Trismus. 7- Teeth. — Pains in the teeth on chewing, or in the evening, in bed. — Tearing in the teeth, extending to other parts, as far as the zygomatic bone, and in the forehead and temples. — Piercing pain in the carious teeth. — Ulceration of the roots of the teeth. — Ulcer on the gums. — Swelling of the gums, which have a tendency to bleed. — Sensation as though the teeth were elongated. — Odontalgia, with nervous irritation, as after a chill, or after the use of Chamomilla,

Mouth p. 71

Pain as of excoriation in the mouth, palate, tongue, and gums which almost prevents eating. — Small ulcers in the mouth. — Dryness of the mouth, chiefly on waking. — Accumulation of a sweetish or sour saliva in the mouth, like actual salivation. — Musty or putrid smell from the mouth. — Tongue loaded with a black or yellowish coating. — Expectoration of bloody mucus.

Throat p. 71

Sore throat, which is aggravated in the evening and at mgjit, but which is ameliorated on taking anything warm, and which is less painful in the morning. — Contractive, or shooting pains in the throat, chiefly on swallowing. — Difficult deglutition, as if the gullet were contracted. — Cramp-like pressure and squeezing in the oesophagus. — Sensation, as if the oesophagus were contracted when swallowing a small morsel of food ; it is felt until it enters into the stomach.— Pains in throat < evening and night. — Swelling of the tonsils. — Great dryness in the throat. — Accumulation of a thick and viscous mucus in the throat, with difficult expectoration. — Painful ulcers in the fauces, secreting a brown, badly-smelling pus. — Sensation of a splinter in the throat

Appetite p. 71

Sweetish taste, or a taste of blood in the mouth. — Rough taste, astringent, or bitter and insipid. — Bulimy. — Irregular appetite ; at one time too strong, at another too weak. — Food appears insipid, esp. in the evening, and principally bread and meat. — Distaste for animal f ood.~-Craving, with want of appetite. — Appetite for dry foods ; for starch ; chalk ; clean white rags; charcoal; cloves; acids; coffee or tea grounds; dry rice. — Desire for hot drinks. — Desire for vegetables, for fruits, and spoon meats. — After having eaten, and chiefly in the evening, hiccough, pressure in the stomach and abdomen, distaste, nausea, and lassitude. — Potatoes excite nausea and bitter eructations.— All irritating things immediately start cough. n. Stomach* — Eructations, sour and acrid, and pyrosis. — Chronic tendency to eructation. — Frequent eructations. — Nausea, with faintness, — down, which, however, increases the fatigue. — Great general fatigue, even after a short walk, but principally after speaking. — Frequent stretching while sitting.— Want of vital heat.

Skin p. 74

Miliary eruption in the arms and legs, with much itching and serous bleeding after having scratched. — Chapped skin and bulbous eruptions. — Boils or itching exanthemata on perinaeum. — The slightest injuries of the skin smart, and become inflamed. — Leprous pimples. — Scurf and tetters, "which itch or become moist chiefly in the evening. — Renewal of cutaneous symptoms at every new or full moon. — Rhagades. — Brittle nails.

Sleep p. 74

Sleep tardy, and wakefulness before midnight. — Restless sleep, always awakening with palpitation of the heart. — Nocturnal sleep too light, agitated, with frequent starts. — Deep sleep, not refreshing, with a desire in the morning to sleep more. — Frequent waking in the night. — Dreams frequent, anxious, with talking, laughter, tears, lamentations, groans, and somnambulism. — Dreams of horses, of quarrels, and of vexations, of fire, of marriages, of spectres, of death, of robbers. — Dreams, with fear of death after waking. — Nightmare. — During the night, anxiety, agitation, and tossing about ; or heat, toothache, headache, spasms, and oppression of the chest, or diarrhoea, with pains in the stomach, and shiverings. — After sleep, on waking in the morning, mind weighed down by vexatious ideas, or nausea, with insipidity in the stomach, and feverish movements.

Fever p. 74

Pulse full and accelerated. — Shivering, even when near a fire, and at night, in bed, not able to warm oneself. — Fever towards the evening, with predominant chilliness. — Sensation of cold immediately after taking soup at midday. — During the day chill; during the night, fever. — Heat in the evening which spreads from the face ; at times only over the r. side of the body. — Perspiration at night, or more towards morning, in bed ; mostly in the face, or on one side of the face. — Inability to perspire.