Vol. 23 No. 2 April 2003

Golden Sulphuret of Antimony. Sb2. S5

Clinical. – Bronchitis. Bones, pains in. Cough; of influenza. Headache. Hip-joint, affections of. Laryngitis. Rheumatism. Shoulders, affections of.

Characteristics. – Ant. s.a. was introduced into medicine by Glauber in 1654; was proved by Mayrhoffer in 1845, and the proving was published by Buchner in 1874. My chief clinical guide to the use of this remedy is H. Goullon, whose article may be found in The Homœopathic World, January 1902.

Goullon says: “At the conclusion of an acute laryngeal or bronchial catarrh, or even in the acute form of this ailment, and even in chronic catarrh of the first aerial passages, this is a glorious remedy with an effect frequently wonderful. It lessens the cough so beautifully, and the coarse, hoarse voice regains its timbre. It cannot, indeed, take the place of Spo, Bro and Phos; these have their own sphere of action; but if such a “cougher” – excuse the word – comes along who finds no rest from coughing, either day at night, while his throat and chest are sore from coughing, he must quickly get Ant. s.a. 1 trit, three or four times a day and also at night, as much as would lie on the point of a penknife.” – This I have verified.

The indication “sore from coughing” is one of the best keynotes I know in the materia medica. It has helped with me numberless cases of influenza cough in six grain doses of the 3rd trit. It is a clinical observation or inference, as is Hering’s “Hard, dry cough, no expectoration.” There are, however, these symptoms in the proving: “Tickling as from mucus with inability to expectorate. – Pressure and constriction in the bronchial tubes. – Bronchi full with difficult respiration. – Increased mucous expectoration mixed with blood, of a sweetish taste.” The sensitiveness of the bronchi is peculiar; and there is also sensitiveness of other parts, as surface of abdomen, scrotum. “Fullness” and “tension” and “pressure” run through the proving. There are also burning pains. The < from washing of the other Antimonies appears in Bleeding of the nose from washing. There is also < after sleep (headache; pains in thorax and spine). Among localities affected are: hip joints and groins; shoulder joint (l); bones of forearm; posterior nares and throat (“plug” sensation, as Ant. c.); umbilicus; scrotum (eruption like Ant. c.). Symptoms 1. Mind. – Apprehensiveness with heaviness in praecordium. 2. Head. – Head confused; from severe injury in abdomen. – Forehead confused. – Pressive headache. – Headache in forepart. – One-sided headache, especially l. temporal region. – Burning in the head; with eye complaints. – Wakes after midnight with dull headache after dreamy sleep. 4. Ears. – Reddish swelling behind r. ear, leaving a redness and scurfiness. 5. Nose. – Violent coryza with loss of smell. – Catarrh and fluent coryza with impeded respiration (morning), confused head and impaired appetite. 7. Teeth. – Pressing, boring, tearing toothache. 8. Mouth. – Much saliva and water collected in the mouth. – Tongue very thickly coated yellow; slimy with pasty taste. 9. Throat. – Increased mucus from back of throat. – Burning and heat in the fauces. Pressure and tensive feeling in the throat, especially at larynx. – Soreness of throat and chest from coughing (Goullon). 10. Appetite. – Pasty taste. – Taste, sweetish, bitter and flat. – Loss of appetite, almost a loathing of food. – Appetite increased to decided hunger. 11. Stomach. – Pressure and fullness in stomach, and stomach pit. – Burning, sticking sensation in whole l. side, especially of l. lumbar muscles. – Abdomen tense, full. – Twisting in intestines. – Great sensitiveness of intestines and colon; especially at anus. – Tensive drawing pain in the groins. 13. Stool and Anus. – Constipation, with tenesmus and burning pains in anus. 14. Urinary Organs. – In urethra tickling, with increased urine. – Increased urine with much tensive and tickling sensation in penis. – Urine increased, dark red (containing traces of antimony after 6 grains.) 15. Male Sexual Organs. – Itching and eruption on scrotum extends to perineum. – Sexual desire unusually excited. – Extraordinary sensitiveness of genitals. 17. Respiratory Organs. – Pressure and tensive feeling in throat, especially at larynx. – Tickling as from mucus in larynx and air passages; with inability to expectorate. – Bronchi feel full with difficult respiration. No rest from coughing day or night, throat and chest sore from coughing. (Goullon). 18. Chest. – Heaviness in praecordium and apprehensiveness. – Soreness of chest, from cough (Goullon). – Rheumatic pains over whole thorax and spine with difficult, noisy aspiration, on sudden waking after midnight. 19. Heart. – Heaviness in praecordium and apprehensiveness. – Pulse soft; small, suppressed. 20. Neck and Back. – Tensive, pressing feeling in cervical vertebrae, neck and ribs. – Burning, sticking sensation in l. lumbar muscles and whole l. side. 21. Limbs. – Tensive feeling on muscles of shoulders and thigh. – Stiff tensive pains in. – Stiff tensive pains in joints, mornings. – Constant drawing, tearing, rheumatic pains in joints. – Itching on hands and feet. 22. Upper Limbs. – Arms heavy in morning. – Painful immobility of l. arm. – Rheumatic pains in joints of arms. – Boring tearing in joints of arm and hand. – Pressive tensive pain in l. shoulder joint. – Twitchings like electric shocks through both ulnar nerves, especially in elbow joint. – Pressure and heaviness in bones of forearm. – Swelling of fingers. – Tensive swollen feeling on fingers. 23. Lower Limbs. – Pustules, elevated, dry, on inner surface of thighs, itch, feel tense, pain on walking and involve the whole leg in sympathy; remain three weeks, then dry and desquamate. – Heaviness and weariness. – Tensive and rheumatic trouble in hip joint and groin. – Slight swelling of knee and ankle. 24. Generalities. – Sense of great weakness and prostration in morning. 25. Skin. – Itching, especially of scrotum and inner surface of thighs. – Pustules. 26. Sleep. – Vivid dreams and sudden waking after midnight with restlessness, rheumatic pains over whole thorax and spine; dyspnoea. – Sleep dreaming, with sudden waking. – Deep sleep with sweat. – Sleep heavy, unrefreshing. 27. Fever. – General chilliness with shivering down whole spine. – Chills alternate with heat. – Moderate sweat at night.