Codeinum.
An Alkaloid of Opium. C18 H21
NO3.Clinical.─
Blepharospasm.
Chorea. Cough. Diabetes. Eczema. Gastralgia. Numbness.
Pruritus. Restlessness. Spasmodic twitchings. Vomiting of pregnancy.
Characteristics.─
Codein
possesses many of the properties of opium, from which it is derived, but it has characters
sufficiently distinctive to entitle it to a separate description. Codein
seems to possess in great degree the exhilarating properties some persons experience on
taking opium, though it is not without strong soporific effects as well. There are many
disorders of sensation, notably troublesome itching. The characteristic here is
“Itching with warmth.” “Itching and heat of face and head.” “A
sensation of agreeable warmth” is another characteristic symptom. Convulsive twitchings
of muscles and limbs, and especially of orbital muscles, are very marked. Twitchings prevent
sleep at night. Numbness and prickling. Codein has in
many cases controlled diabetes. Headache is < in
morning; restlessness and cough < at night. Symptoms
in general are < by motion and > by rest.
Relations.─
Compare:
Opium in sickness, pains in stomach and region of solar plexus, constipation, sexual
excitement. Agar. (twitching of eyelids; Ars. (pains in legs, nightly restlessness); Hyo.
(twitching of eyelids after reading); Lach. (sensitiveness of surface); Rhus, Sul., Sul. ac.
(trembling); Culex (vertigo on blowing nose).
Causation.─
Fatigue and excessive mental
excitement = headache.
SYMPTOMS.
1. Mind.─
Great exhilaration of spirits.─Depression
with desire to sleep, frightful dreams and dull headache on awaking.─Increased
or diminished power of fixing attention or applying mind.─Bewildered on
waking.─Confusion.
2. Head.─
Dizziness on blowing nose.─When
closing eyes objects appear to turn round.─Dull headache in morning,
gradually diminishes towards noon when it disappears.─Dull headache soon
after rising, < l. side, lasting about two hours.─Dull
headache with dry lips and constant desire to moisten them.─Headache
from fatigue and excessive mental excitement.
3. Eyes.─
Involuntary twitching of l. eyelid,
sometimes > by rubbing.─Involuntary
twitching of both eyelids whenever he attempted to read or write.─Pupils
contracted.─Sudden failure of vision.─On blowing
nose sparks before eyes.
5. Nose.─
Mucous discharge with irritation of the
Schneiderian membrane.─Entire loss of smell for several days.
8. Mouth.─
Mouth dry.─Unable
to articulate.
9. Throat.─
Strong pulsations in both carotids.─Tickling
sensation in throat, in afternoons and evenings.
11. Stomach.─
Great thirst with a particular
desire for bitter substances.─Empty eructations with acute pains in
stomach.─Nausea and vomiting; sometimes preceded by an agreeable glow at
epigastrium.─Tenderness in stomach with violent pulsations of heart and
carotids.─Violent spasmodic pain at pit of stomach (solar plexus).
13. Stool.─
Constipation, with tenderness of
bowels, esp. transverse and descending colon, and some flatulence.
14. Urinary Organs.─
Semi-paralysis of bladder.─Quantity
of urine increased and saccharine.
15. Male Sexual Organs.─
Sexual excitement during
the night, leading to pollutions.
17. Respiratory Organs.─
Tickling in larynx which
causes a cough.─Short, irritating cough <
during night.─Troublesome cough with copious mucous, and sometimes
purulent, expectoration; with nervous excitability.─Night cough of
phthisis.─On inspiration, pain in r. lung; pain below scapula; stitching
pains in l. lung.
19. Heart.─
Uneasy feeling about heart.─Fluttering
and oppression with great desire to walk in open air.─Painful pulsation
when attempting to study or write.─Violent pulsations of heart and
carotids.
20. Neck and Back.─
Neuralgic pains from occiput
to back of neck.─Convulsions in muscles of back.─Sharp
pains extending from stomach and chest through to back, between shoulders, < on r. side.
21. Limbs.─
Paralytic weakness in arms and legs.─Spasmodic
twitches in arms and legs.─Numbness of hands and feet; prickling and
numb sensation in various parts of the body.
22. Upper Limbs.─
Pains in deltoids on moving
arms.─Jerking pain in arm.─Pulsating pain in l.
upper arm.
23. Lower Limbs.─
In lower limbs involuntary
twitchings; spasmodic jerkings; neuralgia and rheumatic pains.─Paralytic
affections with extreme restlessness.
24. Generalities.─
Extreme restlessness.─Trembling
of whole body.─Marked sensitiveness of surface.─Choreic
movements.─Symptoms are periodic, paroxysmal; at times sudden.
25. Skin.─
Itchy; prickling.─Eczematous
eruption with troublesome itching.─Itching with feeling of warmth.
26. Sleep.─
Sleepy and drowsy.─Twitchings
in sleep.─Cough disturbing sleep.─Frightful dreams.® 2000
Article