Phosphoricum Acidum

PHOSPHORICUM ACIDUM.

(Phosphoric acid.)

Source:- As per Hahnmann's Materia Medica( vol. v, 2^nd edit., 1826.) Phoshphoricum acidum is prepared as under:

(To prepare it, we take one pound of bones calcined white and broken into small pieces, place them in a porcelain jar, and pour over them one pound of the strongest sulphuric acid. The mixture is to be stirred with a glass rod several times during twenty-four hours, then well mixed and diluted with two pounds of good brandy, and the whole tied up in linen bag and pressed out between two smooth boards loaded with weights. What remains in the bag may be again diluted with two pounds of brandy, and the expressed fluid added to the first quantity. The whole is to be allowed to stand for two days, so that the cloudiness may settle down. The clear fluid is now to be decanted off, evaporated in a porcelain dish over the fire, and melted at a red heat. The melted phosphoric acid should be as clear as crystal, and while still warm it is to be broken into small fragments and preserved in a wellcorked bottle, because when exposed to the sir it soon completely deliquesces into a thickish fluid as clear as water.)

A grain of this crystalline acid id dissolved in 100 drops of a mixture of nine parts of water with one part of alcohol (the alcohol being added in order to make it drop easily). The solution is succussed twice (with two strokes of the arm). A drop of this is again succussed with 100 drops of alcohol by means of succussion with two strokes of the arm. This is 1. And the process is repeated up to the trillion-fold dilution (III). A sugar globule the size of a poppy seed, and moistened with this trillion-fold dilution, is administered for a homoeopathic dose.

The following remarkable, pure, artificial morbid symptoms produced by phosphoric acid on the healthy body indicate of them selves the natural morbid states in which it is specifically curative by reason of homoeopathic similarity.

Every dose acts for more than two weeks in chronic diseases.

Introduction:- The common acid "debility" is very marked in this remedy, producing a nervous exhaustion.Mental debility first; later physical. A congenial soil for the action of Phos acid is found in young people who grow rapidly, and who are overtaxed, mentally or physically. Whenever the system has been exposed to the ravages of acute disease, excesses, grief, loss of vital fluids, we obtain conditions calling for it. Pyrosis, flatulence, diarrhoa, diabetes, rhachitis and periosteal inflammation. Neurosis in stump, after amputation. Hæmorrhages in typhoid. Useful in relieving pain of cancer.

Phosphoric Acid is the medicine of par excellence in our Materia Medica and is  indicated in our day to day practice for the following ailments:-

Emotional Disorders - Debilitation due to sexual excesses.- Diabetes Mellitis -Diarrhoea

Premature greying of hairs.

Constitutional taint:- Psoric ; Syphyllitic.

Typical Subjects:- Persons of originally stron constitution, now debilitated by loss of vital fluids ( especially seminal). Whenever the system has been exposed to the ravages of violent acute diseases, chagrin or a long succession of moral emotions, as  grief, care, disappointed love, separation of moral emotions, such as grief, care, disappointed love, separation from home. Children and young people who grow fast and fat like Calc-c. Young people who are overtaxed mentally and physically.

Notes and features:-

1    . Debility. Draining. Great debility from loss of semen. Frequent and very debilitating pollutions. Such pollutions lead to debilitate the mind and the body; becomes sad, abashed, and despondent of cure. The patient is also greatly distressed by the culpability of the act.

Profuseness. Frequent, profuse and debilitating pollutions,. Profuse discharge of clear, watery urine at night, which deposits a thick and white cloud. Very profuse watery urine. Children pass profuse urine in bed at night. Profuse perspiration during night and towards morning.

Suppression. Bad effects of suppression of eruptions which are mostly of sycotic origin.

Mind:- Dr. Nash says the leading characteristic of this remedy lies in its effects upon the sensorium."He lies in a stupor or in a stupid sleep , unconscious of all that is going on around him, but when aroused is fully conscious". This is Phosphoric acid in its intensest degree, as found in typhoid fever, in which it is one of our best remedies. But it is not alone here that the sensorial depression appears. It may he found in a lesser degree, in the results of depressing emotions, like grief at the loss of a friend, lover, property or position, and the effect seems to be even deeper rooted than in those cases which call for Ignatia which is also indicated as a prime remedy for  bad effects of grief and mental shock. The subject seems stupefid with grief. There is not, the nervous twitching of Ignatia but a settled despair, general weakness or prostration. The hair turns gray, and a weary, worn and haggard, hopeless look obtains. Dr Nash says that he had succeeded in curing such a case when Ignatia failed. The patient  is listless and has  inability to think. Absence of idea dull, without phantasies. quiet delirium, with great stupefaction and confused dullness and head (typhoid). Dizzy confusion in forehead. Introverted, peevish and taciturn. Greatest indifference. Low - spirited and solicitous of the future or his illness. Homesick and weeping. Grief and disposition to weep.

Head:- Heavy, confused. . Pain as if temples were crushed together; Wose shaking or noise. Crusting headache, Pressure on top. Headache intensified by concussion or noise, as well as by mental exertion. Worse: Early in morning. Hair gray early in life, falls out. Dull headache after coition, from eye strain (Nat. Mur)Vergito toward evening, when standing or walking. Hair thins

out, turns grey early.. Headache of school girls from eye strain, or overuse of eyes, occipital(Nat.mur)

Eyes:- Blue rings around. Lids inflamed and cold. Pupils dilated. Glassy appearance. Averse to sunlight,sees colors as if a rainbow . Feel too large. Amblyopia in masturbators. Optic nerves seem torpid. Pain as if eyeballs were forcibly pressed together and into head. Yellow spots on the whites of the eyes.

Ears:- Stitches in, by music only. Intolerance of every noise, especially music. sounds re - echo too loudly in. Roaring with difficult hearing.

Nose: Bleeding. Bores fingers into nose.Itching..

Mouth:- Lips dry, cracked. Bleeding gums; retract from teeth. Tongue swollen, dry, with viscid, frothy mucus. Teeth feel cold. At night, bites tongue in voluntarily.

Face:- Stickily complexion, with pointed nose and weak, sunken eyes surrounded by blue rings. Hot tension in skin, a though' egg albumen had dried thereon. Scurfy, suppurating lips. Dry lips

Stomach:- Craves juicy things. Sour risings. Nausea.Symptoms following sour food and drink. Pressure as from a weight, with sleepiness after eating Thirst for cold milk.

Flatulence: Extraordinary grumbling and rumbling in abdomen. The uterus is distended, as if filled with air.

Abdomen:- Distention and fermentation in bowels. Gurgling like water in abdomen(Loud rumbling). Ascitis. Enlarged spleen (Ceanoth.) Aching in umblical region. The uterus is distended as if filled with air.

Stool:- Diarrhoea- white, or yellow, watery, chronic or acute, without acute pain or any marked debility or exhaustion.."  Dr. Nash says that now, it seems very singular that, after so much talk about the general depression or weakness of this remedy, we should be obliged to record that the profuse and sometimes long-continued diarrhoa should not debilitate, as a characteristic symptom. Well, there are a good many unaccountable things, in both disease and therapeutics, and this is one of them, but the fact  remains and we act upon it. Let us remember that the profound weakness and depression of Phosphoric acid is upon thesensorium  and  nervous system, and will be there whether diarrhoa is present or not. It is markedly so in typhoids, as I can fully attest from abundant observation.China  debilitates by its diarrhoa or loss of fluids generally.Phosphoric acid attacks the nervous system primarily, even in onanism, and its results or effects are not so much the loss of semen as a vital fluid, as under China,  the nervous system suffering very much, even though the emissions be neither very frequent nor profuse. Diarrhoa in weakly, delicate rachitic children.

Urine:- Frequent, profuse, watery,milky, Diabetes.. Micturition, preceded by anxiety and followed by burning.Frequent urination at night. . Phosphaturia.

Male:- Emissions at night and at stool. Seminal vesiculitis(Oxal acid). Sexual power deficient; testicles tender and swollen. Parts relax during embrace (Nux). Prostatorrhoa, even when passing a soft stool. Eczema of scrotum. Odema of prepuce, and swollen glans-penis. Herpes preputialis. Sycotic excrescences (Thuja)

Female:- Menses too early and profuse, with pain in liver. Itching; yellow leucorrhoa after menses. Milk scanty; health deteriorated from nursing.

Respiratory:- Chest troubles develop after brain-fag. Hoarseness. Dry cough from tickling in chest. Salty expectoration. Difficult respiration.Weak feeling in chest from taling(Stannum). Pressure behind the sternum.Pressure behind sternum, rendering breathing difficult.

Heart:- Palpitation in children who grow too fast; after grief, self-abuse. Pulse irregular, intermittent.

Back:- Boring pain between scapulæ. Pain in back and limbs, as if beaten.

Extremities:- Weak. Tearing pains in joints, bones, and periosteum. Cramps in upper arms and wrists.Great debility.. Pains at night,as if bones were scraped.. Stumbles easily and makes missteps. .Itching, between fingers or in folds of joints.

Skin:- Pimples, acne, blood-boils. Ulcers, with very offensive pus. Burning red rash. Formication in various parts.Falling out of the hair (Natrum mur, Selen.). Tendency to abscess after fevers.

Sleep:- Somnolency. Lascivious dreams with emissions.

Fever:- Chilliness.Profuse sweat during night and morning. Low types of fever, with dull comprehension ans stupor.

Modalities: Worse:, exertion,  From mental affections, from being talked to [Talking causes weakness in chest (Stan).]; loss of vital fluids(especially seminal) ; sexual excesses. Everything impeding circulation causes aggravation of symptoms. < bad news, depressing emotions; masturbation or sexual excess, draft; wind; snowy air;

Better , from keeping warm. > after short sleep.

Relations:- Similar to Phoshorus, Pulsatilla, Picricum acidum and Silicea; Muriaticum acidum in typhoid; Nitri spritus dulcis, in states of delirium. Phosphoricum acidum acts well before or after Cinchonum sulphuricum, in diarrhoea, and debility; after Nux Vomica in fainting after a meal.

Summary of indications:-

Emotional Disorders - Debilitation due to sexual excesses.- Diabetes Mellitis -Diarrhoea

Premature greying of hairs.

Antidotes:- Coffea cruda.

 Dose: First potency..

NINE IMPORTANT RED LINE SYMPTOMS OF PHOSPHORIC ACID

1.         Perfect indifference, difficult comprehension; imbecility.

2.         Bones of the skull feel as if someone had scraped the swollen and tender periosteum with, a knife.

3.         Hair turns gray early, or flaxen, falls off especially after grief or sorrow.

4.         Yellow spots on the whites of the eyes.

5.         Red streak in middle of tongue, widens in front.

6.         Diarrhoea, not debilitating, though of long continuance.

7.         Pain in the liver during menstruation.

8.         Ailments from growing too fast.