Phosphorus

Dewey, Essentials of Homœopathic Materia Medica, 1894, p. 194

Questions

Give in brief the general applicability of Phosphorus. It profoundly affects mucous membranes; causes great alterations in the structure of the liver, enlarging it and producing fatty degeneration. It also produces caries and necrosis of bones. The sexual organs of both sexes are impressed by its action, and it has a special action on the respiratory organs. Give six characteristic symptoms of Phosphorus. 1. Fatty degeneration of tissues. 2. Caries of bones. 3. Dread of mental exertion. 4. Painless diarrhoea, with exhaustion and prostration. 5. Oppression of chest. 6. Low adynamic fever, with absence of thirst, What are the mental symptoms of Phosphorus ?

Apathy and mental fatigue; disinclination to do mental work; answers questions slowly; a sluggish state.

What two conditions about the eye is Phosphorus useful in?

1. Cataract, the letters appear red; early in the disease. 2. Degeneration, or gray atrophy of the optic nerve from overwrought nervous system; objects have a cloudiness about them by candle light; green halo about objects.

What is the remedy for Atrophy of the optic nerve from tobacco?

Arseniaim.

What are the ear symptoms of Phosphorus ?

Hardness of hearing and a re-echoing of sounds in the ears.

What are the characteristic nasal symptoms ?

Caries of the bones of the nose; ulcerations of the nose with stoppage; hemorrhage and offensive odor; nasal polypi . Give the stomach symptoms of Phosphorus. White tongue; the patient is hungry, especially at night; wakes up hungry and longs for cold things; cold things seem to relieve until they get warm in the stomach, when they are vomited; vomiting from simple exhaustion of the stomach. Perforating ulcer of the stomach, with vomiting of coffee-ground-like matters.

What is the action of Phosphorus on the liver ?

Acute yellow, atrophy, or acute hepatitis, with tendency to the formation of abscesses; enlarged, cirrhosed and fatty livers also call for it.

What is the Constipation of Phosphorus ?

The stools are long and slender, like a dog's stool, and voided with much straining. Give the indications for Phosphorus in Diarrhoea. Painless diarrhoea, may be involuntary with great exhaustion and prostration; the stools may contain white particles in them like rice or tallow; there is an intolerance of stool in the lower bowel; as soon as it gets into the rectum it must be evacuated.

What effect has Phosphorus on the kidneys ?

It produces a marked nephritis, with profuse discharge of bloody urine which contains casts. Give the male sexual symptoms of Phosphorus. Increased sexual desire, followed by loss of sexual desire and emissions; the patient has desires and fancies, but no power. Give the indications for Phosphorus on the larynx. Hoarseness worse in the evening, when it may be aphonia; great sensitiveness of the larynx; it hurts him to talk or cough; the voice is hoarse and rough.

What is the characteristic cough of Phosphorus?

It is caused by an irritation and tickling in the trachea; there is not much soreness or expectoration; the cough is a dry one.

What are the principal symptoms of Phosphorus in the chest ?

Oppression and weight on the chest, a nervous oppression; in pneumonia and typhoid pneumonia when bronchial symptoms are prominent; where the sputa is yellow, blood streaked or rust colored; pains through the left lung, and the patient cannot lie on the left side.

How does the chest oppression of Phosphorus differ from that of Sulphur?

In Phosphorus it is external as of a load on the chest. In Sulphur it is internal as of congestion in the chest with dyspnoea and burning. Mention another drug that has weight on the chest but where there is little inflammation. Ferrum met.

What symptoms has Phosphorus in the back that are characteristic?

Intense burning pains in the spine between the scapulae; the dorsal spines are very sensitive. Give four characteristics of Phosphorus in fever ?

1. The adynamic, low type of fever. 2. The lack of thirst. 3. The periodicity — 4 or 5 in the afternoon. 4. The sleepiness which accompanies.

What are the hemorrhagic symptoms of Phosphorus ?

The hemorrhagic diathesis; the blood does not coagulate; hemoptysis and hematemesis.

What preparations of Antimony do we use in our Materia Medica ?

1. Anthnonium crudum or the Sulphuret of anthnotiy. 2. Antimoriimn tartaricum or Tartar emetic, this is the double Tartrate of Antimony and Potash. 3. Antimonium sulphuratum auratum or the Golden sulphuret of antimony, also sometimes known as Kermes. There are also other salts that are sometimes used, as Antimonium arsenicosum, etc. Stibium, properly speaking, is the metal Antimony ; however, if Stibium be ordered from the pharmacist Tartar emetic is invariably furnished.

Phosphorus in the other books