Anthracinum
Alias: Anthr.
Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, William Boericke
Anthrax Poison
This nosode has proven a great remedy in epidemic spleen diseases of domestic animals, and in septic inflammation, carbuncles and malignant ulcers. In boils and boil-like eruptions, acne. Terrible burning. Induration of cellular tissue, abscess, bubo, and all inflammation of connective tissue in which there exists a purulent focus.
Tissues.--Haemorrhages, black, thick, tar-like, rapidly decomposing, from any orifice. Glands swollen, cellular tissues oedematous and indurated. Septicaemia. Ulceration, sloughing and intolerable burning. Erysipelas. Black and blue blisters. Dissecting wounds. Insect stings. Bad effects from inhaling foul odors. Gangrenous parotitis. Succession of boils. Gangrene. Foul secretions.
Relationship.--Similar to Arsenic, which it often follows. Compare: Pyrogen; Lachesis; Crotalus; Hippozoen; Echinac; Silica follows well. In the treatment of carbuncles, remember the prescription of the prophet Isaiah for King Hezekiah's carbuncle-i.e the pulp of a fig placed on a poultice and apply.
Dose.--Thirtieth potency. Tarant. Cubensis.
A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, John Henry Clarke
An alcoholic extract of the anthrax poison prepared from the spleens of affected sheep.
Clinical.─Acne. Boils. Carbuncles. Cynanche cellularis. Erysipelas. Gangrene. Malignant pustule. Parotitis gangrenosa. Phlegmonous inflammation and ulceration. Small-pox. Splenic fever. Ulcers. Whitlow.
Characteristics.─Anthracinum is indicated in all conditions of boils and boil-like eruptions (as acne in some forms, and in carbuncles). It was introduced into homoeopathic practice by Lux the veterinarian long before the experiments of Pasteur. The keynote for its employment is "succession of boils" or carbuncles, but it is also of the greatest use in other cases. "Terrible burning" with carbuncle. The potentised virus is the best remedy for the disease from which it is obtained─"Splenic fever" in animals, and "Malignant pustule" in human beings. Erysipelas of a foul kind, and gangrenous erysipelas; cellulitis. "Hard, stony" swelling in region of right lower jaw and submaxillary gland. Anthrax-quinsy. Whitlow and sloughing. Glands painfully swollen. Induration of cellular tissue. Black or blue blisters. Horribly offensive gangrenous ulcers. A number of symptoms have been recorded from human patients affected with the anthrax disease.
Relations.─Compare: Anthracinum bovum, Anthracinum suum, Laches., Tarent. c., Arsen., Carb. v. It follows well: Arsen. (burning and ulceration), Phos. ac. Is followed well by: Aur. mur. nat. (periosteal swelling of lower jaw), Silic. (cellulitis). Antidoted by: Camph., Ars., Rhus, Silic., Laches., Carb. v., Puls., Kreos., Carbol. ac., Salicyl. ac., Apis.
SYMPTOMS.
2. Head.─Headache, as if a smoke with a heating pain was passing through the head.─Headache with chill.─Swelling of head.
6. Face.─Parotitis gangrenosa.─Stony swelling around lower jaw.─Gland under chin painfully swollen.
12. Abdomen.─Sensation as if diaphragm were pushed forward.─Enlargement of spleen.─Bellyache with chill.
13. Stool and Anus.─Vomiting followed by a painless, often bloody diarrhoea.─Diarrhoea with fever.─Cholera-like collapse.
19. Heart and Circulation.─Heart-beats frequent but weak.─Cyanosis.─Blood does not coagulate.
20, 21. Back and Limbs.─Axillary glands swollen.─Severe pains in limbs and joints with the fever.─Oedema; ulcers; gangrene; sloughing whitlows.
24. Generalities.─Restlessness.─Clonic and tetanic spasms (marked rigor mortis after death).─Exhaustion and collapse.─Terrible burning pains.
25. Skin.─Crusty oozing eruption.─Itching with dry skin.─Black or blue blisters.─Carbuncles.─Boils.─Sloughing ulcers.─Small-pox.
Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of Some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica (Allen's Keynotes), Henry Clay Allen
Anthrax Poison (A Nosode)
In carbuncle, malignant ulcer and complaints with ulceration, sloughing and intolerable burning. When Arsenicum or the best selected remedy fails to relieve the burning pain of carbuncle or malignant ulceration. Haemorrhages: blood oozes from mouth, nose, anus or sexual organs; black, thick, tar-like, rapidly decomposing (Crot.). Septic fever, rapid loss of strength, sinking pulse, delirium and fainting (Pyr.). Gangrenous ulcers; felon, carbuncle, erysipelas of a malignant type. Felon: the worst cases, with sloughing and terrible burning pain (Ars., Carb. ac., Lach.). Malignant pustule; black or blue blisters; often fatal in twenty- four or forty-eight hours (Lach., Pyr.). Carbuncle; with horrible burning pains; discharge of ichorous offensive pus. Dissecting wounds, especially if tendency is to become gangrenous; septic fever, marked prostration (Ars., Pyr.). Suspicous insect stings. If the swelling changes color and red streaks from the wound map out the course of lymphatics (Lach., Pyr.). Septic inflammation from absorption or pus or other deleterious substances, with burning pain and great prostration (Ars., Pyr.). Epidemic spleen diseases of cattle, horses and sheep. Bad effects from inhaling foul odors of putrid fever or dissecting-room; poisoning by foul breath (Pyr.). Hering says: "To call a carbuncle a surgical disease is the greatest absurdity. An incision is always injurious and often fatal. A case has never been lost under the right kind of treatment, and it should always be treated by internal medicine only.".
Relations. - Similar: to, Ars., Carb. ac., Lach., Sec., Pyr., in malignant and septic conditions. Compare: Euphor. in the terrible pains of cancer, carbuncle or erysipelas when Ars. or Anth. fail to >.