Homeopathic Materia Medica

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, James Tyler Kent

Generalities: The most striking things running through this medicine are twitchings and tremblings, jerkings of the muscles and trembling of the limbs; quivering and tremors, everywhere these two features are present in all parts of the body and limbs.

The twitching of the muscles becomes so extensive that it is a well-developed case of chorea. It has in its nature all that is found in chorea and has cured many cases. This is a general belonging to all parts to all muscles.

Throughout the body there is a sensation of creeping and crawling. It is hardly confined to the skin, it is felt as if in the flesh, a sensation as if of ants.

Itching of the skin all over which changes place from scratching. No place is exempt from this. There are strange sensations here and there upon the skin or in parts, cold sensations, sensations of cold needles and of hot needles; stinging and burning where the circulation is feeble, about the ears, nose, back of hands and fingers and toes, red spots with itching and burning as if frostbitten. It is a great remedy for chilblains.

The patient is extremely nervous and sensitive to cold. Itching, pricking, tingling, etc., come on from mental exertion and are relieved from physical exertion.

All the symptoms of Agaricus are also aggravated after sexual intercourse, especially in the symptoms of the spinal cord. It is useful for the symptoms which come on after coition in young, nervous married women, hysterical fainting after coition.

Mind: The mental symptoms are such as you would expect.

Great changeability, irritability, mental depression and complaints which come on from overexertion of the mind and prolonged study. The brain seems to be developed tardily.

Children are late in learning to talk and walk, thus combining the features of two remedies, Natrum muriaticum, which has the symptom "late learning to talk," and Calcarea carb., which has the symptom "late learning to walk."

It will be noticed in Calcarea that this is due to a defect in bone weakness. In Agaricus it is a mental defect, a slowly developing mind.

Children with twitching and early fainting, nervous girls prior to puberty who have convulsions from being scolded, from excitement and shock; late in mental development.

Children who cannot remember, make mistakes and are slow in learning. Nervous patients who on going over their manuscripts find out their mistakes in writing and spelling.

The condition of the mind is one in which they are slow to grasp ideas; wrong words float in kaleidoscopically.

When we read in the book "the whole psychological sphere as if paralyzed," we must read between the lines.

The whole mind and sensorium seem paralyzed; the patient is sluggish, stupid, at times seems to be delirious; there is confusion of the mind so nearly like delirium that it is not unlike intoxication.

A delirium such as is produced by alcohol. He also becomes silly, says foolish and silly things, sings and whistles at an inopportune time, makes verses and prophesies; or he lapses into an opposite state, becomes indifferent to Ids surroundings. One who is mild and placid becomes self-willed, obstinate and conceited.

Difficulty in coordinating the movements of the muscles of the body. Incoordination of brain and spinal cord. Clumsy motion of the fingers and hands. In handling things she drops them. Fingers fly open spasmodically while holding things.

You will sometimes cure Bridget in the kitchen with Agaricus or Apis, when the trouble is that she is continually breaking the dishes by letting them fall. These two remedies are opposites,

Agaricus must stay near the fire, while Apis she wants to get out of the kitchen. The awkwardness, clumsiness, etc., are both mental and bodily.

Every sort of change is rung on the patient and the doctor. At times the patient is stupid, awkward and clumsy, at other times quick and poetical, can run off poetry without effort, especially at night.

In the morning he is tired and sluggish and this may last till noon. The mental symptoms are worse in the morning and are relieved towards evening.

All jerkings and twitchings subside during sleep. There is vertigo when walking in the open air. He is always chilly. On undertaking to do something he does the opposite. Vertigo and confusion of mind are mixed up.

Head: It is a common feature for the headaches of this remedy to be associated with the spinal symptoms, the quivering and jerking.

Headaches in spinal patients. Pain as though sharp ice touched the head, or as if from cold needles. - That is general; we find it in other parts.

Pain in the head as if from a nail. There is some bleeding in the morning, and the blood is thick, black and will hardly drop. Coldness in the head.

In the scalp there are all sorts of queer sensations; icy coldness after itching or scratching. That runs all through the body. There is itching, although no eruption is visible; can't let it alone, and after scratching there is a sensation of icy coldness in the part or as if the wind was blowing on it.

The head is in constant motion as in chorea. Itching of the scalp, especially in the morning on rising.

There again we have the general aggravation in the morning. There are marked eruptions on the scalp. Eczema with crusts.

Eyes: Twitching and jerking of the eyes.

You will observe this about the Agaricus eyes; as the patient looks at you there is a pendulum like action of the eyes, they go back and forth all the time; they oscillate, though he tries his best to fix his look on you.

This stops only during sleep; all the motions subside during sleep. A few other medicines have cured this eye symptom, Cicuta, Arsenicum, Sulphur, Pulsatilla, but Agaricus also produces and cures it.

There is every conceivable kind of deception in colors and in vision. Flickering before the eyes; he reads with difficulty. Objects seem to be where they are not. Black flies before the eyes; black motes; sees double; floating flies before the eyes.

Muscular weakness of the eyes. Irregularity of the motions of the eyes; pupils dilated; pupils contracted. Sensation as of a mist or cobweb before the eyes. Spasmodic twitching and jerking. The jerkings and twitchings are the most marked symptoms, as also the choreic movements about the eyes, and the deceptions in colors and figures before the eyes.

Ears: Redness, burning and itching of the ears as if they had been frostbitten.

The sensation as of chilblains, the same sensation as found throughout; the same itching and tingling as of the remedy in general. Dullness of hearing. Deafness. Hearing acute. in the morning he is dumb, sluggish, stupid, tired, but when evening comes he brightens up, becomes warmed up, becomes excited, poetical and prophetical, wants to sit up late at night, is brilliant, wants to play games.

Nose: Nosebleed; profuse, foetid discharge from the nose.

Agaricus will cure the most inveterate chronic catarrhs with dryness and crusts, in tubercular constitutions, so deep-seated is it.

It has cured many cases of incipient phthisis. It cures old coughs and catarrhs. Red nose, as if frostbitten. It is as good as Ledum and Lachesis for the red-tipped nose in old drunkards.

Face: From what we have already seen we expect twitching of the muscles of the face, and itching and redness and burning as if frostbitten, paralytic weakness, etc., because these are general features, and just as we expect we see these things in the text.

Choreic spasms. Expression as of idiocy. Now notice this: some patients when going on with their own usual vocation are pretty smart, but if you put some new idea before them, something not in the routine of their work, they are perfectly idiotic.

This is especially noticeable in the morning. He can't take in anything new in the morning, but he is able to take in new ideas and is bright in the evening, like the effect produced by tea and coffee and alcoholic beverages.

This remedy is a great antidote to alcoholic beverages. In this remedy and in Zincum the spine is affected and both of these have aggravation from stimulants.

Agaricus has cured many cases of epileptiform convulsions, more commonly the hystero-epileptic type with frothing of the mouth, opisthotonos, drawing of the muscles of the face.

The Agaricus patient has spells in which a little muscle of the face or a few fibres of a muscle will quiver for a few minutes and stop, and then in another part of the face the same thing, an eyelid will quiver, and then another set of fibres, sometimes so bad as to nearly drive him crazy. Such is an Agaricus state as well as Nux vomica.

Mouth: The teeth feel too long and are sensitive to touch. The tongue quivers, twitches, jerks and causes disorderly speech; articulates violently.

Tongue, dry, tremulous. Learns to speak with difficulty. Spasms of the tongue, inarticulate speech. Phagedenic ulcer on the fraenum of the tongue; eats it away. Soreness of the tongue. Mercurial aphthae in roof of mouth. Little white blisters like nursing sore mouth. Chronic sore throat. Induration of tonsils. Burning thirst, ravenous appetite. Gnawing in stomach as if from hunger, without desire for food.

Abdomen: Flatus; distressing belching; great tympanites; rumbling; turmoil in abdomen; offensive flatus; rumbling and gurgling in belly. Everything ferments; rumbling and loud rolling; pinching colic. Horribly foetid discharge. Tympanitic condition marked in typhoid; low type of typhoid; trembling and jerking of muscles; paralytic weakness; emaciation; mental symptoms.

Morning diarrhea, great deal of hot flatus (Aloe), with burning in the rectum; soft stool, great tenesmus; urging to stool violent; involuntary straining before, during and after stool.

Sensation as if rectum would burst, even after stool (Merc. and Sul.). Violent, sudden pains; can't wait; distressing, bursting sensation.

Before stool, cutting and pinching in abdomen; urgent tenesmus; painful straining in rectum.

During stool, colic and passing of flatus; burning, soreness, smarting and cutting in anus; sweat; pain in loins to legs, continuing after stool.

After stool, headache relieved; biting in anus; straining in rectum; cutting pain in anus; griping in hypogastrium; distension in abdomen; heaviness in abdomen and around navel; pain in chest. Emphasize the tenesmus after stool.

May have constipation and paralytic feelings of the rectum; stool hard; straining at stool as if life depended on it and yet no stool.

Beginning paralysis of the lower limbs, with twitching of the muscles and burning spine. In one case, after straining had been given up as unsuccessful would pass a stool involuntarily.

This symptom only was known in Arg. n. (stool and urine). Desire to urinate as urgent as the desire for stool. Dribbling of urine. A peculiar feature of this remedy is that the urine feels cold on passing; while the urine dribbles, can count the cold drops along the urethra.

Urines: "Urine passes slowly in a stream or in drops, has to press to promote the flow."

"Urine watery, clear, lemon-colored, bright yellow; dark yellow and, hot; red, flocculent, a powdery sediment; watery in the forenoon, in the afternoon milky, like whey, with a red or white sediment (phosphate of magnesia); iridizing on surface."

Phosphates; milky urine. Oily surface, iridescent surface, greasy-like pellicle on urine, like petroleum.

Scanty urine in rheumatic, gouty, hysterical subjects. Persons cold, feeble, pale, going into phthisis. Urine becomes scanty and a headache comes on. Goes many days and is constipated, and headache relieved by stool. In Fluoric acid, if he does not attend to the desire to urinate, a headache comes on.

Genitals: Transformation takes place. The milk ceases in one day, but congestion of the brain or spine comes on. Metastasis, especially if milk ceases and complaints come on.

Genital organs cold and shrunken.

The comparative examination of the symptoms of male and female sexual organs shows that the proving has not been extensively made on the female, but in the male there are many symptoms which have an analogous condition in the female.

In the male, symptoms are worse after coition, but just as marked in the female. Complaints after sexual excitement, debauch, etc., in the woman, fainting; in the man, weakness.

The trembling and twitching, or any of the Agaricus symptoms may be worse after coition, because the sexual functions are related to the cord. Those suffering from spinal affections have distress after this act.

In the male, during coition, burning in the urethra comes from excoriation or a sense of hotness of the seminal fluid while being ejected, and hence can only be a symptom of the male.

Burning in the prostate during ejaculation. Violent sexual excitement before and during, but at the time of ejaculation the orgasm is wanting, it is a passive and pleasure less ejaculation.

This occurs in men with spinal weakness, nervous men who have tingling and crawling all over. It comes in the cure of old catarrhal discharge from the urethra, chronic gonorrhea, gleet, after all sorts of local treatment have been used.

The penis is cold and shrunken; excessively painful retraction in testes. In old gleety discharge where there is a continued itching tingling in the urethra and the last drop will remain, discharging for a long time.

There are two remedies better for this than many others, Petroleum and Agaricus.

The routine prescriber always thinks of Puls., Sep., etc., for bearing-down pains in the female, but in a woman with spinal irritation, etc., with the dragging-down sensation as if the parts would drop into the world, this remedy is the best.

Female: Those slender, nervous, restless women with tingling and creeping, must have Agaricus.

During menses, headache, toothache, etc. All the general symptoms are worse during the menstrual period, not to any great extent before or after. Aggravation of the heart symptoms and prolapsus just at the close of the menses.

Leucorrhoea very profuse, dark, bloody, acrid, excoriating in parts. This remedy has been mentioned in relation to Fluoric acid. There are many points of relation.

They are like each other in the leucorrhoea especially, copious and acrid, so acrid that it keeps the parts raw and irritated around the genitals and the patient can't walk.

In Fluoric acid there is, with the nervous symptoms, headache ameliorated by passing the urine, or headache if urination is not immediately attended to, with copious, acrid, excoriating leucorrhoea.

Chest: Agaricus is a great remedy in chest troubles, though seldom thought of. It has cured what seemed to be consumption. Catarrhal condition of the chest, with-night sweats and history of the nervous symptoms.

Violent cough in isolated attacks ending in sneezing. Convulsive cough, with sweat towards evening, with frequent pulse, expectoration of pus-like mucus, worse in the mornings and when lying on the back. Add to this the symptoms of Agaricus as described, and Agaricus will take hold of that case.

Cases of incipient, phthisis. It closely relates to the tubercular diathesis.

I remember starting out to prove Tuberculinum on an individual I suspected would be sensitive to it from his history and symptoms. The first dose almost killed him, and, considering the use that that substance is put to in diagnosing the disease in cattle, it seemed to stir him up.

He became emaciated and looked as if he would die. I let it alone and watched and waited patiently and the symptoms of Agaricus came up and established the relationship between these two remedies, and confirmed Hering's observation of the relationship of Agaricus to the tubercular diathesis. Agaricus cured him and fattened him up.

Heart: The remedy is full of nervous palpitation; worse in the evening. It cures shocks and thrills in the heart; spasms of the heart; internal manifestations of its jerking symptoms.

These shocks come from sudden noise; from eructations; on coughing; when lying on the left side or back; worse at night; during fever; they often extend to other parts, as to abdomen or back or limbs. On the outer chest there is tingling and creeping as in general.

Back: The back has many peculiar and general guiding symptoms. Stiffness of the whole spine. Feeling as if it would break when he attempts to bend. Feels as if something is so tight that it will break when he stoops. Tightness in the muscles of the back. Tingling deep in the spine.

Violent, shooting, burning pains. Pain along the spine, worse by stooping. Pains of all sorts in the spine. Pains go up the back and down the back. Sensitiveness of the spine to touch, especially in the back of the peck and dorsal region between the scapulae.

Sensitive to a hot sponge in the lumbar region in spinal irritation. Sensation as if cold air were spreading along the back like an aura epileptica.

Sensation of ice touching the body. Cold spots. Chilliness over the back, crawling, creeping and formication. Numbness of skin over the back.

The most of the pains are in the back of the neck and the lumbo-sacral region. Pains in this region in connection with coition. Pain in the lumbar region and sacral region, especially during exertion, sitting, etc. Pain in the sacrum as if beaten, as if it would break. Pains below the waist in women.

Limbs: In the limbs in general there are twitchings; they are numb, choreic; burning here and there; cold feelings in spots, paralyzed. Trembling of limbs, hands, awkwardness of all the movements. Rheumatism and gout of joints. Paralysis of the lower limbs. Trembling and weakness of the lower limbs.

Burning itching of the hands as if frozen. In the smaller joints, where the circulation is feeble, there are frostbite symptoms. Toes and fingers stiff.

Bones feel as if they would break during rest, especially in the lower limbs. Feeling as if the tibia would break. Aching in the tibia. Growing pains in children and they must sit at the fire or the extremities will get cold. Pains in the bones. Weight in the legs. Pains in the lower limbs; aching; stitching; tearing; better from warmth and from motion.

Paralytic weakness in the lower limbs soon after becoming pregnant. This comes with every pregnancy and she must go to bed. The symptoms may lead to Agaricus. Weight in the legs. Legs feel heavy. Trembling and jerking motion in the lower limbs.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, John Henry Clarke

Amanita muscaria. Agaricus muscarius. Fly Agaric. Bug Agaric. Champignon fou. (Europe, Asia, and America; in dry places, especially in dry pine woods.) N. O. Fungi. Trituration of the carefully dried-up cap (pileus); or tincture of the fresh fungus.

Clinical.─Acne rosacea. Blepharospasm. Brain, softening of. Bunion. Chilblains. Chorea. Coldness. Cough. Cramp. Delirium tremens. Dysmenorrhoea. Enteric fever. Epilepsy (with great exertion of strength). Gangrene. General paralysis. Hyperpyrexia. Itching. Jaundice. Lachrymal fistula. Lichen. Lumbago. Meningitis. Myopia. Neuralgia. Numbness. Nystagmus. Phthisis. Rheumatism. Sacrum, pains in. Sebaceous tumours. Sexual excess, effects of. Spinal Irritation. Spleen, affections of. Starting. Stitch in side. Tic Convulsif. Toothache. Tremors. Typhoid fever. Typhus.

Characteristics.─As Agaricus is used in many parts for making an intoxicating drink, we find in alcoholism a sphere for its action, and also in all states of delirium, mania, and even idiocy. A peculiarity of the delirium is to make verses and prophesy; also silly merriness, and incoherent talk, with mania; kisses companions. Talcott considers Agaric. gives the nearest approach to general paralysis of all remedies; exalted notions of grandeur and power, hilarity, and excitement followed by depression, confusion, imbecility. Accompanying bodily symptoms are vertigo (marked and persistent), with constant impulse to fall backward; twitching about eyes and face, redness without heat, puffy and distorted. Ravenous appetite, with bolting of food. Sexual appetite enormous and enthusiastic, with relaxed penis and impotence. Throughout the body there are spasmodic twitchings, followed by waning tremulousness; finally relaxation and exhaustion. In all these respects the drug accurately corresponds with the disease. Typhoid states often call for it, and also epilepsy. Rolling of the head is a leading indication for it in brain affections and fever. Peculiar headaches are: "Throbbing headache, with sensation of stiffness of muscles of face." "Dull, drawing headache in the morning, extending into root of nose, with nose-bleed or thick mucous discharge." "Pain as from a nail in right side of head." One of the most characteristic of the Agaricus effects is the muscular jerking and twitching it sets up. This renders it appropriate in large numbers of cases of chorea. Twitchings are especially marked in the eyes, eyelids, and facial muscles; and Agaricus has cured many cases of blepharospasm and tic convulsif. Pain as if touched or pierced by needles of ice is very characteristic. Belonging to a low order of vegetation Agar. produces fetidity of breath, eructations, and stools. Sweat may be oily but is not offensive. Agar. is a spleen medicine, causing stitch in the side, and it has cured stitch in runners, enabling them to run further. The symptoms of Agaricus are apt to appear at the same time on opposite sides of the body but diagonally (right upper and left lower, or vice versa). The nervous patients requiring Agar. pass little urine (opp. Ign.), though the bladder may be irritable.

Mushrooms are among the articles of diet forbidden by Grauvogl to persons having the "hydrogenoid constitution," as described by him, in which the patients are exceedingly sensitive to cold and damp. Agreebly with this we find in the provings of Agaricus great sensitiveness to cold air. All symptoms are < in cold weather, especially headache. Looking out of an open window causes toothache and pains in the limbs. Drinking cold water < Symptoms are < before a thunderstorm. At the same time many symptoms of intense coldness are produced: cold and blue; sensations as if touched with ice, or ice-cold needles. All the symptoms of frostbite and chilblains (itching, redness, and burning). Somewhat allied to chilblains is bunion, for which Agar. has been found specific by many practitioners. Many symptoms appear when walking in the open air; this is a very general and characteristic aggravation. On the other hand, all symptoms are < indoors and at rest, except vertigo, which may be either < or > in a room. Conversely to sensitiveness to cold there is sensitiveness to the rays of the sun, and sunstroke is within the curative range of Agaric. < After moving, and by pressure from without.

Relations.─Compare: Bovista; Sticta pulmon.; Act. r.; Can. ind.; Op.; Stram. (alcoholism, chorea); Coff. (ecstasy); Cicut. (spasm of eyes); Codein (spasm of eyelids); Mygale; Tarent.; Verat. alb. (icy-cold feeling in head); Ars. (hot needles; Agar. ice-cold needles) Agar. stands between Stram. and Lach. It is antidoted by: Charcoal; coffee; wine; brandy; camphor; fat or oil (relieves stomach); Calc. c. (relieves icy coldness); Puls.; Rhus (nightly backache). It follows well: Bell., Calc. c., Merc., Op., Puls., Rhus, Sil. Is followed by: Tarent. (typhoid with "rolling of the head"). Teste includes Agar. in his Belladonna group.

Causation.─Coitus, subjective symptoms arising after. Frost. Sun. Fright. Mental application or excitement. Over-exertion. Sexual excess. Alcoholism. Blood poisoning.

SYMPTOMS.

1. Mind.─Aversion to conversation.─Indisposed to perform any kind of labour, esp. mental.─Exuberant fancy.─Ecstasy.─Inclination to make verses and to prophesy.─Mania, timid, or furious, with great display of strength.─Embraces companions and kisses their hands; alternately with vexation.─Silly merriness.─Great loquacity; sings, talks, but does not answer questions.─Delirium, tries to get out of bed.─Delirium constant, knows no one, throws things at the nurse.─Delirium tremens.─Morose, self-willed, stubborn, slow in learning to walk and talk.

2. Head.─Dizziness, as from intoxication, principally in the open air, in the morning, and on reflecting.─Vertigo, with impulse to fall backward.─The bright light of the sun instantly produces a dizziness, so as to occasion falling.─Piercing pains in the head when seated.─Dull pain, chiefly in the forehead, with drawing of the eyelids.─Drawing pains in the head, extending to the eyes and root of nose, principally on waking in the morning.─Pain, as if a nail were driven into the head; < when sitting quietly; > by slowly moving about.─Digging pain and sensation as from a bruise in the brain.─Semilateral cephalalgia; pulling and pressing with confusion in the head.─Beating in the vertex, with almost furious despair.─Pressure in the head to the bottom of the brain, increased by pressure or contact of the hair, and accompanied by a complete loss of energy.─Sensation of icy coldness in the head; on the scalp, r. side of frontal bone.─A jerking sensation in the forehead and in the temple.─Great sensitiveness of the scalp, as from subcutaneous ulceration.─Itching of the hairy scalp, esp. early in the morning.

3. Eyes.─Itching in the eyes.─Burning sensation in the internal corners of the eyelids, which are painful on being touched.─Pressure in the eyes.─Humour in the corners of the eyes, and agglutination of the lids.─Twitching of the eyelids and eyeballs.─The cleft of the eyelids growing narrower.─Canthi itch, burn, are red; < from touch; stick together (lachrymal fistula).─A viscid yellow humour glues the eyelids together.─Weakness and confusion of vision, as from a mist before the eyes.─Brownish spots (like flies) before the eyes.─Black motes before the eyes.─Myopia.─Diplopia. Muscular asthenopia; nystagmus; squint.─Clonic spasms.

4. Ears.─Otalgia excited and aggravated on the admission of free air.─Itching in the ears, with redness and burning pain, as from chilblains.─Buzzing in the ears.

5. Nose.─Excoriation and inflammation of the nostrils, with painful sensibility.─Itching in the interior and on the exterior of the nose.─Blood on blowing the nose, and bleeding at the nose.─Increased acuteness of smell.─Frequent sneezing without coryza. Dryness of the nose.─Flow of clear water from the nose, without coryza.

6. Face.─Tearing in the face and jaw bones.─Twitching in the (r.) cheek.─On waking, pain in l. jaw-joint, so violent, he can scarcely open his mouth.─Itching, redness, and burning in the cheeks, as if from chilblains.─Palpitations and pulsations in the cheeks.─Bluish lips.─Burning fissures in the upper lip.─Herpetic eruption, principally on upper lip.─Spasmodic drawing in the chin and in the lower jaw.─Needle-like prickings in chin; chin covered with minute blisters.

7. Teeth.─Tearing pains in the teeth, aggravated by cold.─Tearing in the lower molar teeth, < from cold air.─Shooting from r. lower teeth up to r. side of head.─Gums swollen, painful, and readily bleeding.

8. Mouth.─Pain, as from excoriation in the mouth and in the palate.─Excoriation of the tongue.─Tongue, after a meal, covered with aphthae of a dirty yellow, with a sensation as if the skin were being taken off.─Tongue coated white.─Neuralgic splinter-like pains in tongue with salivation.─Ulcer on the fraenum of the tongue.─Offensive smell of the mouth, as after eating horse-radish.─Foam about the mouth.─Flow of bitter saliva.─Speech inarticulate.

9. Throat.─Dry fauces and pharynx, causing contraction and difficulty of swallowing; with ravenous appetite.─Pressure in fauces as though a foreign body stuck there which could not be removed by swallowing.─Induration of tonsils.─Tension in thyroid gland; < towards evening; feels cravat too tight.─Throws up small floculi or solid lumps of phlegm almost without any cough.

10. Appetite.─Insipid and fetid taste in the mouth.─Want of appetite for bread.─Hunger, with want of appetite.─Attacks of bulimy, chiefly in the evening.─After a meal, pressure in the stomach and the abdomen, with fulness.─Very drowsy after dinner.

11. Stomach.─Eructations alternately with hiccough.─Eructations, with the taste of the food that has been taken.─Frequent empty eructations; or with the taste of apples; or with the taste of rotten eggs.─Nausea, with cutting pains.─Inclination to vomit immediately after a meal.─Pressure on the stomach, and in the precordial region, after a meal.─Pain resembling cramp and oppressive heaviness in the stomach.

12. Abdomen.─Shootings (sharp needle-like pains) in the hepatic region.─Prickings in the region of the spleen during and after inspiration.─Stitch in side from running.─Cutting and pinching pains in the abdomen as from diarrhoea.─Moving about and rumbling noise in the abdomen.─Abundant expulsion of flatulency of a fetid odour, like that of garlic.

13. Stool and Anus.─Hard stools of a dark colour after a period of constipation.─Loose stools in the form of pap, with flatulency and severe colic.─Loose stools, a painful drawing in the stomach and in the abdomen.─Tingling in the anus.─Itching in the anus, as from worms.─Dysenteric flux.─Diarrhoea of children, with grass-green, bilious stools.─Fetid stools.

14. Urinary Organs.─Urine scanty and infrequent.─Urine clear, and of a yellow (lemon) colour.─Flow of viscous mucus from the urethra.

15. Male Sexual Organs.─Increase of sexual desire, with flaccidity of the penis.─Scanty emission in coition.─After coition great weakness and nocturnal sweat.─Itching in the genitals.─A sensation of drawing in the testes.

16. Female Sexual Organs.─Awfully bearing-down pains almost intolerable.─Menses too profuse and early, with tearing, pressive pains in back and abdomen.─Itching and irritation of the parts with strong desire for an embrace.─During menses: headache, toothache, pain and itching in l. ear, > by boring; labour-like pains; pains in l. arm; itching; palpitation; salivation.─Leucorrhoea, with much itching internally and externally.

17. Respiratory Organs.─Expectoration of small globules of mucus, almost without cough.─Spasmodic, convulsive, nervous cough, which may provoke secondary haemorrhage.

18. Chest.─Respiration short and laboured, with difficulty of walking, even slowly.─Respiration difficult, as if the chest were full of blood.─Oppressive constriction of the chest, with a necessity for frequent and deep inspirations. Pain principally in the lower part of the chest, as if its contents were compressed.─Prickings in the chest.─Copious nocturnal sweat upon the chest.─Itching of the nipples.

19. Heart.─Stitches; burning, shooting pains in region of heart, extending to l. shoulder-blade; < by coughing, sneezing, or deep inspiration.─Oppression in cardiac region as if thorax narrowed.─Painful palpitations of the heart.─With heart symptoms, paralysed feeling in l. arm and hand.─Pulse weak, dicrotic, intermittent.

20. Neck and Back.─Pain as from fatigue and dislocation in the back, at the nape of the neck and in the loins, esp. when sitting or lying down.─Painful weakness in the muscles of the back.─Sensation of soreness and great weakness in the back.─Paralytic pain in the loins, increased by walking or by standing.

21. Limbs.─Limbs affected diagonally; l. forearm, r. thigh; r. knee, l. hand.─Tearing in limbs, < in rest or sitting, > moving.─Cracking in joints.─Subsultus tendinum.─Feels as if her limbs did not belong to her.

22. Upper Limbs.─Arms weak and without vigour.─Burning pain in the arms, followed by an eruption of small pimples with scaling of the epidermis.─Irregular and hurried movements of arm.─Upper arms shaken as from an electric shock.─Prostration, weariness, and paralytic feeling in l. arm.─Tearing in both hands; on l. wrist.─Trembling of hands; and coldness.─Tearing in the fingers.─Cramp-like pain in the thumb.─Paleness and numbness of the fingers, which are, at the same time, very sensitive to cold.─Itching, burning pain, and redness in the fingers, as if from chilblains.

23. Lower Limbs.─Legs heavy and fatigued, esp. in the thighs.─Twitching, quicksilver sensation, in gluteal muscles.─Pains in legs like electric shocks.─On crossing thighs feels a violent pain in them.─Drawing in the legs, as if in the interior of the bone, esp. when sitting or standing, > by motion.─Painful sensation in the hip on walking.─Drawing in the legs.─Darting pain in the feet and in the toes.─Drawing pressure in the malleolae.─Burning itching and redness in the toes, as if from chilblains.─Bunion.

24. Generalities.─Painful cramps in the muscles when seated.─Sensation of tearing in the limbs, principally during repose, whether seated or standing, and which disappears on movement.─Twitchings in the eyeballs, eyelids, cheeks, posteriorly in the chest, in the abdomen.─Symptoms which exhibit themselves transversely (for instance, in the r. arm and in the l. leg), > by walking slowly.─Great sensibility in the whole body; the softest pressure produces continued pains.─Pains, as from a bruise in the limbs and in all the joints, after even moderate exercise.─Soreness and sensation of rawness (nose and mouth).─Piercing pains in different parts of the body, chiefly in the head, with desire for sleep, and faintness when seated.─Tearing pains (face, legs) continuous while at rest, disappearing While moving about.─Great weakness and heaviness in all the limbs.─Trembling.─Convulsions.─Epileptic fits.─Epilepsy (with great exertions of strength).─Great sensibility to cool air.─Great sensitiveness of the body to pressure and cold air.

25. Skin.─Itching and titillation, which force the sufferer to scratch himself.─Itching, burning pain, and redness as from chilblains in different parts of the body.─Miliary eruption, whitish and close-grained, with excessive itching.

26. Sleep.─Desire to sleep in the day, particularly after a meal.─Violent yawning, followed by dizziness.─In the morning, a sense of dizziness, and great difficulty in rising.─As a rule sleeps badly and unrefreshingly.

27. Fever.─Disposition exceedingly chilly, and shiverings in the open air, or on raising the bed-clothes, although the limbs may be warm.─Shivering through the body from above downwards.─Easy chilliness on slight movement.─Violent shivering and trembling over the whole body, with heat in the face and cold in the hands.─Sweat from even a moderate walk and slight exertion.

Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of Some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica (Allen's Keynotes), Henry Clay Allen

Toadstool (Fungi)

Persons with light hair; skin and muscles lax. Old people with weak, indolent circulation. Drunkards, especially for their headaches; bad effects after a debauch (Lob., Nux, Ran.). Delirium: with constant raving; tries to get out of bed; in typhoid or typhus. Headaches: of those who readily become delirious in fever or with pain (Bell.); of persons subject to chorea, twitchings or grimaces; from spinal affections. Chilblains, that itch and burn intolerably; frostbite and all consequences of exposure to cold, especially in face. Involuntary movements while awake, cease during sleep; chorea, form simple motions and jerks of single muscles to dancing of whole body; trembling of whole body (twitching of muscles of face, Myg.). Sensation as if ice touched or ice-cold needles were piercing the skin; as from hot needles. Burning, itching, redness of various parts; ears, nose, face, hands and feet; parts red, swollen, hot. Uncertainty in walking, stumbles over everything in the way; heels pain as if beaten, when standing. Spine sensitive to touch (Ther.); worse mornings. Pain: sore, aching, in lumbar and sacral regions; during exertion in the day time; while sitting (Zinc.). Spinal irritation due to sexual excesses (Kali p.). Nervous prostration after sexual debauches. Epilepsy from suppressed eruptions (Psor., Sulph.). Every motion, every turn of body, causes pain in spine. Single vertebra sensitive to touch. Prolapsus, post-climacteric; bearing-down pain almost intolerable (compare, Lilium, Murex, Sepia). Exteremely sensitive to cold air (Cal., Kali c., Psor.). Complaints appear diagonally; upper left and lower right side (Ant. t., Stram. - upper right, lower left, Ambr., Brom., Med., Phos., Sul. ac.).

Relationship. - Similar; to, Act., Cal., Can. Ind., Hyos., Kali p., Lach., Nux, Op., Stram., in delirium of alcoholism; to, Myg., Tar., Zinc., in chorea.

Aggravation. - After eating; after coitus; cold air; mental application; before a thunder-storm (Phos., Psor.).

Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics, Eugene Beauharnais Nash

Ears, face, nose and skin in general, red and itch as if from chilblains.

Twitching in eyelids (especially), face, extremities, even choreaic jerkings, which cease during sleep.

Spinal column painful and sensitive to touch, aching extending into the lower limbs.

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Agaricus has some very characteristic skin symptoms. "Ears, face, nose, toes and skin in general are affected with a redness, itching and burning as of from being frozen." This is a very valuable symptom and may lead to the choice of this drug in many very different diseases. I have used the remedy a good many years with very gratifying results for chilblains. I always use it internally in the 200th. It is also a remedy of first importance for twitchings, from simple twitching in face, eyelids (especially) and extremities, to severe cases of chorea. In the latter disease the twitchings cease during sleep. Again it has been found useful in spinal irritation. The symptoms indicating it here are best given in Allen's Encyclopaedia. No doubt this remedy has been over proven, and as a consequence many of its recorded symptoms are unreliable. The best work that can be done with it now is to separate them, if possible, "proving all things and holding fast that which is true."