A Text-Book of
Materia Medica.
(Characteristic,
Analytical, and Comparative.)
By Pr.
Allen Corson Cowperthwaite, M. D., PH. D., LL. D.
FERRUM.
(Ferrum Metallicum – Ferrum Aceticum.)
General Analysis.-
Ferrum
acts
preeminently upon the blood in such a manner as to produce a
debilitating and disorganizing effect upon the entire system, the
nutrition being profoundly affected.The watery portions of the blood are increased, the albumen is
decreased, and the number of red corpuscles is diminished, this being
accomplished through the influence of Iron on the blood making organs,
the result being that condition known as anaemia, in the treatment of
which Iron constitutes the most important remedy.
The beneficial effects of Iron in anaemic states, however, are not
due to the fact that it is supplied as a food to the blood which is
deficient in this constituent, for, asHughes truly remarks,
“the malady does not ordinarily arise from any failure in the
quantity of Iron supplied in the food.If the element is deficient in the blood, the fault lies in the
assimilative processes.
Pr. Richard Hughes (1836-1902)But
Reveil has ascertained that in anaemia
there is no change whatever in the amount of Iron present in the
blood.However few the corpuscles, they contain within them the full
proportion of the metal normal to health ; and though under the
influence of Iron itself they increase to double and triple their
number, they yield no more Iron.”It is also true that when Iron is introduced into the system in
large quantities, with a view to supplying the deficiency of Iron in
the blood, that it is not assimilated, but may be almost entirely
reobtained from the feces, having been eliminated by the intestines.It is thus evident that Iron does not act as a curative agent by
virtue of its absorption as a constituent of the blood, but rather are
we led to conclude from its physiological effects upon the organs and
tissues of the body, that it owes its therapeutic virtues to the same
essential dynamic agency possessed by other drugs, and its application
is subject to the same therapeutic law.Characteristic symptoms.
Mind.- (Ferrum)
Anxiety, with throbbing in pit of stomach. (Puls.)
Excited by the slightest opposition (
Aur., Ign.) ; everything irritates or depresses her. (Nux
v.)Mind confused ; cannot collect his thoughts.
Head.- (Ferrum)
Confusion of the head.
Vertigo on descending (reverse,
Calc.) ; on looking at running water (Sulph.) ; when walking.
Rush of blood to the head ; veins of head swollen ; with flushes of
heat in face. (Acon., Bell.)Headache after the menses.
Severe frontal headache, with cold feet.
Hammering and beating pulsating pains in the head.
Pressure in frontal eminences ; relieved by pressure of the hands,
and in the open air.Stitches in temples, extending to forehead.
Shooting headache in left side of head.
Sticking pain over left eye, coming suddenly.
A drawing from the nape upward into the head, in which there is
shooting, roaring, and humming.Falling out of the hair (
Graph., Nitr. ac., Sep., Sulph.) ; scalp and hair painful to touch.
(Cinch., Merc.,
Mez.)
Eyes.- (Ferrum)
Eyes confused, dull, and watery. (Euphr.)
Eyes red, with burning pain. (Ars.)
Dark before the eyes ; giddy.
Letters run together when reading or writing.
Ears.- (Ferrum)
Ringing in right ear.
Over-sensitive to sounds.
Nose.- (Ferrum)
Bloody, purulent, greenish, slimy, acrid discharges.
Epistaxis ; mornings when stooping ; in anaemic patients.
Face.- (Ferrum)
Cadaverous, earthy complexion. (Ars.)
Pale, wan face, or greenish.
Blue rings around the eyes, which are dull and lusterless.
Fiery redness of the face
(Aster., Sabad.) ; veins large.
Flushed face, with burning cheeks.
Mouth.- (Ferrum)
All solid foods taste dry and insipid.
Throat.- (Ferrum)
Feeling of constriction in throat.
Stomach.- (Ferrum)
Voracious appetite. (Bry.,
Iodi.)
Anorexia ;
extreme
dislike to all food.
(Ant. crud.,
Ipec., Nux v., Puls.)Eructations and regurgitations of food after eating. (
Ars., Puls.)
Nausea and vomiting of food after eating. (
Ars., Puls.)
Vomiting of food immediately after midnight
, or in morning after breakfast.
Distention of epigastric region.
Pressure in the stomach after eating. (
Bry., Lyc., Nux v.)
Heat and burning in stomach, with momentary cramplike pain in
splenic region.Abdomen.- (Ferrum)
Tightness and fullness in region of liver.
Liver enlarged ; sensitive to pressure.
Spleen large after intermittents.
Abdomen hard and distended, but not with flatulence.
Flatulent colic at night.
Bowels feel sore when touched, as if bruised (Merc.), or weakened
by cathartics.Stool.- (Ferrum)
Frequent diarrhoea ;
stools watery (Ars., Podo., Cinch.), with or without tenesmus, and
preceded or not by pain, but always with much flatulence, and worse after food
or drink. (Aloe, Coloc.)
Sudden, watery, painless, without smell. (Cinch., Podo.)
Diarrhoea, with undigested food, painless and involuntary, during a
meal.Constipation. (Alum.,
Bry.,
Calc. c., Nux v., Op., Sulph.)
Ascarides in the rectum. (Merc., Spig., Sep.)
Urinary Organs.- (Ferrum)
Urging to urinate ; with tickling in urethra extending to neck of
bladder ; with pain in liver, chest, and kidneys.Involuntary urination, especially by day.
Male Organs.- (Ferrum)
Nocturnal emissions ; impotence ; increased desire.
Female Organs.- (Ferrum)
Menses too late, long-lasting, and profuse. (
Chel.)
Haemorrhage from the uterus, with labor-like pains in abdomen, and
glowing heat in the face. (Bell.)
Desire lessened ; sterility.
Vagina very dry ; coition excessively painful.
Before menses stinging headache, ringing in ears, discharge of long
pieces of mucus from uterus.Hysterical symptoms after menses ; from suppressed menses.
Leucorrhoea, mild, milky, or itching, with soreness.
Respiratory Organs.- (Ferrum)
Voice hoarse, almost extinct. (
Caust.)
Roughness of the throat.
Difficult breathing and oppression of the chest, as if some-one
pressed with the hand upon it. (Nux v., Phos.)
Uneasy breathing from pain across the chest.
Coughing up of blood in the morning on rising from bed.
Scanty, thin, frothy expectoration,
with streaks of blood ; or copious purulent, putrid, greenish, or
frothy ; worse mornings.Cough worse when moving.
Spasmodic cough, from tickling in the trachea, after eating.
Contractive cramp in the chest, and cough, only when moving and
walking.Breath fails at the end of a coughing fit.
Dry, tickling cough, with blood spitting.
Pressure under the sternum, with catarrh and cough.
Haemoptysis, morning and night, in onanists ; consumptives ; from
severe exertion ; after loss of fluids ; from suppressed menses.Flying pains in chest ; blood spitting (Mille.) ; persons who flush
easily and get epistaxis, dyspnoea, palpitation. (Acon.)Heart and Pulse.- (Ferrum)
Rapid action of the heart.
Consecutive heart disease ; chlorosis.
Throbbing in all blood vessels ; soft bellows-sound at apex.
Small, weak pulse ; slow pulse. (Digit., Op.)
Palpitation ; better on walking slowly.
Limbs.- (Ferrum)
Swelling of the hands, and legs up to the knees. (Ars., Led.)
Nightly tearing in arms and legs.
Upper Limbs.- (Ferrum)
Downward shooting pains in shoulders and arms.
Pinching in right deltoid.
Lower Limbs.- (Ferrum)
Shooting and tearing in the hip joint, which pains as if bruised
when touched, down along the tibia ; worse in the evening in bed ;
must get up and walk about. (Rhus tox.)
Painful drawing in the legs, with heaviness and stiffness.
Cramps in the calves ; worse during rest, especially at night.
(Sulph.)Cramps in the soles of the feet and the toes. (
Sulph.)
Generalities.- (Ferrum)
Great emaciation. (Ars., Phos.)
Great weakness
and prostration ; very easily
fatigued. (Ars., Cinch.)
Increased bodily irritability ; excitable.
Restless ; must walk slowly about.
Paralysis from loss of fluids.
Periodical attacks of pain.
Red parts become white.
Haemorrhages ; blood light or lumpy ; coagulates easily.
Blood vessels distended, especially those of head, face, and feet.
Pseudo-plethora ; congestions, etc., yet anaemic.
Erethistic chlorosis ; worse during cold weather.
Fever.- (Ferrum)
Chilly every evening ; hectic fever.
Frequent short attacks of chilly shivering.
Chilly, and want of animal heat.
Sweat profuse, long-lasting, clammy, debilitating.
Sweat stains yellow ; is fetid on going to sleep.
Worse while sweating.
Skin.- (Ferrum)
Skin pale, yellow, sallow, dirty (Merc.), withered, flabby. (Iodi.)
Sleep.- (Ferrum)
Restless sleep at night.
Excessive and drowsy fatigue, with restless sleep at night.
Sleep disturbed by dreams ; much weariness in morning.
Aggravation.- (Ferrum)
At night ; in morning ; after eating and drinking ; while at rest,
especially while sitting still ; from noise ; from conversation ; from
heat ; from motion.Amelioration.- (Ferrum)
From slight exercise ; from solitude.
Therapeutic Range.- (Ferrum)
Bad effects from the abuse of quinine ; of tea ; intermittent fever
; dropsy ; congestions ; haemorrhages ; dyspepsia ; anaemia ;
chlorosis ; varices ; phthisis ; asthma ; haemoptysis ; cystitis ;
Bright’s disease ; paralysis.Conditions.- (Ferrum)
In persons who, though weak and nervous, have a very red face ; in
delicate chlorotic women ; sanguine temperament.Compare.- (Ferrum)
Ars., Bell., Calc. c.,
Cinch., Gels., Helon., Ipec., Lyc., Nux v., Puls., Sulph., Sabin.
Antidotes.- (Ferrum)
Ars., Cinch., Hep. s., Ipec.,
Puls., Verat. alb., Thea.
Ferrum Antidotes.-
Copper, Mercury, Prussic ac., Ars., Iodi., Cinch.