Curare

Clarke - Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · John Henry Clarke · 8,684 chars · source ↗

General

Curare.

Curara, Woorara. Woorali. Hoorali. Oorari. (An arrow poison used by South American Indians. Accounts differ as to its actual composition, into which the juice of different species of Strychnos are said to enter, or of Cocculus toxiferos with serpent poison. Others have said it is prepared from the venom of toads. In appearance it is something like the extract of liquorice. That used in C. Wesselhoeft's provings was obtained from Merck of Darmstadt.) N. O. Loganiaceae (?). Tincture.

Clinical

Cancer. Catalepsy. Corns. Cough. Debility. Diabetes. Dysmenia. Dyspnoea. Ears, affections of. Eczema. Emphysema. Epilepsy. Face, paralysis of. Fainting. Headache. Hydrophobia. Liver spots. Locomotor ataxia. Nervous debility. Neuralgia. Otitis. Ozaena. Paralysis. Phthisis. Pseudo-hypertrophic paralysis. Ptosis. Scrofula. Tetanus. Ulceration. Uterus, affections of. Vaginitis. Whooping-cough.

Characteristics

Curare produces muscular paralysis, probably through its action on the nerve endings in the muscles, without affecting either the muscle substance or the nerve substance, and without impairing sensation and consciousness. It is thus in many ways the opposite, in its action, of Nux vomica, though it is said to have the juice of a Strychnos in its composition. It causes death by paralysis of the respiratory muscles. Reflex action is diminished or abolished (opp.

Nux), and this is one great indication for its employment in homoeopathic practice. A cure of pseudo-hypertrophic paralysis by the 200th has been recorded. A condition resembling catalepsy has been induced by it; immobility with fixed gaze on waking. Fetidity characterises many of the secretions and discharges.

Two cases of diabetes in middle-aged men have been cured by Burkhardt with Cur. 4. It is suited to scrofulous children; producing scrofulous eruptions on skin, eczema, especially of face and behind ears; also liver-spots, yellow-brown. It favours the formation of corns. Debility short of paralysis indicates it; debility of the aged, and nervous debility from loss of fluids.

Its relation to hydrophobia and tetanus is probably antipathic. It causes a sensation as if the brain were full of fluid. Piercing, lancinating pains. Throbbing pains.

Weakness; heaviness; numbness; numbness with tingling. < By movement; walking; ascending. < Dampness, cold air, cold weather, cold wind, change of weather. < 2 a.m. and 2-3 p.m.

Many symptoms appear on right side.

Relations

In cases of poisoning artificial respiration must be resorted to. Bromine and Chlorine antidote its effects. If the poisoning is due to a punctured wound, rubbing in tobacco or salt will neutralise it. It is an antidote to: Strychnia and to the poison of rabies.

Compatible: After Arn. (paralysis from injury) after Bell. (paralysis after epistaxis). Follows well in debility of the aged: Bar. c.

Compare: Nux v.; Aran. d. (fever < in damp weather; Ferr.

(hammering pains in head). Crotal (blows in region of cerebellum). In yellow-brown spots on skin (Sep., Lyc., Nux, Sul.).

Mind

Inability to think or study; forgetful; stupid; sleepy; indolent

Indecision

Excited, hurried feeling

Depressed; desire to be alone.

Head

Instant giddiness; falling in swoon while standing or walking

Dizzy when looking at near objects or at water

Head confused, great weight in vertex

Nervous headache; lancinating, piercing pains all over head compelling to lie down and stretch; head drawn backward with stiffness of neck; painful oscillation of brain, as if it were full of fluid; neuralgic pain starting in front and radiating to neck and face; violent blows in region of cerebellum

Darting through temples, < r

Headache from base of brain up, < from mastication

Headache: despairing of power of thought;

< vigorous movement, or stooping

Shattered, torn feeling on coughing, side of head must be held

Sharp sticking over r. eye extending backwards over l. side of head

Head beats like a hammer, with vomiting of bile

Rush of blood to head.

Eyes

Heavy eyes lids can hardly be kept open; ptosis (r.)

Eyes haggard, sunken

Red, hot sensitive to light

Feel as if full of sticks

Black spots before vision, esp.

< from reading.

Ears

Different noises as of whistling, or crying of animals; ringing in r. ear

Lancinating pains starting from ears and reaching down legs, compelling to lie down

Otitis interna, driving crazy, purulent discharge.

Nose

Nasal catarrh.—Ozaena; fetid lumps of pus.

Face

Paralysis of muscles of expression

Red face, head beats like a hammer; after fever; with cough

Aching r. side of face

Facial and buccal paralysis; in some cases with difficulty of swallowing.

Mouth

Tongue and mouth drawn to r

Tongue coated

On waking tongue yellowish at base, papillae raised, light pink anteriorly, bitter or bloody taste, yellow-white

Mouth dry.

Stomach

Thirst and great hunger with fever

Sudden hunger almost to faintness

Great thirst esp. evening and night

Craves acids

Aversion to bread.—> After first mouthful of food

Chill after eating

Hiccough frequent and annoying

Nausea in morning; after eating

Vomits green bile all night; so weak can hardly stand

Empty, gone feeling in stomach

Sharp rheumatic pain in pit of stomach, followed by nausea

Shooting in stomach

Pyrosis, pain and distension after eating ever so little.

Abdomen

Weary ache from throat to l. hip

Bowels feel sore and bruised

Pain in groin low down with heaviness in limbs while walking

Neuralgic pain in hypogastrium with pressure in vagina.

Stool And Anus

Diarrhoea with constant urging; fetid, thin faeces, excessive pain in piles.—Extreme watery diarrhoea.

Urinary Organs

Clear and frequent urine, with digging, crampy pain in kidneys; shooting in stomach; dry mouth; great thirst, esp. evenings and night; sugar in urine; great emaciation;

(acute diabetes)

Urine copious, urgent; bladder feels distended.

Female Sexual Organs

Menses seven days too early, griping in r. ovary, bearing-down, dragging, tired, in all pelvic organs, severe (causing faintness) in lumbo-sacral spine, running down thighs, flow scanty, very dark, lasting three days instead of five

Ulcerations of os uteri (scirrhus), ichorous, corroding discharge; bearing-down pains in womb; shocks, sharp shooting stitches, quivering

Ulcerations, smarting in vulva and thighs; shooting and digging pains in womb

Indolence, night sweats, repugnance to sexual intercourse (vaginitis)

During menses: colic, headache, pains in kidneys, malaise, hypochondriasis

Leucorrhoea, thick, purulent, offensive, in clots.

Respiratory Organs

Dyspnoea, stitching pains r. side

Dyspnoea from weakness of motor nerves as in phthisis or emphysema

Paralysis of respiration

Dyspnoea < ascending

Short, hacking cough, always dry, with soreness of chest walls, < damp weather, or laughing; spasmodic, shakes whole body, = vomiting, is often followed by vomiting; = headache, red face

Cough always troublesome in morning

Cough < breathing cold air; laughing; moving; eating

Burning heat in throat with sensation of distension

Severe pains in lungs, esp. l.; sharp, piercing pain through chest, always much < in damp weather; dyspnoea, chronic cough.

Chest

Chest sore, can hardly bear pressure of stethoscope.

Heart

Precordial anguish, with palpitation and stinging pains in heart.

Neck And Back

Stiffness in neck, head drawn back

Stiffness of muscles of r. neck and shoulder

Dull, tired ache in shoulders and across back; numb, tired pains up and down spine and in head

Chills running up back and all over body.

Limbs

Paralysis of extremities burning with heat and chills

Aching in all the limbs and body

Numbness and tingling.

Upper Limbs

Complete paralysis of r. deltoid

Pain and numbness l. side of chest and l. arm

Leaden heaviness in arm increasing difficulty in playing piano

In evening, arms and hands swollen, more painful and heavy

Great weakness, esp. of wrists and hands.

Lower Limbs

Legs tremble and give way in walking

Sciatica with great stiffness

Corns.

Skin

Body blue, and yet fever

Itching with hunger

Eczema

Liver-spots.

Sleep

Drowsy; cannot keep awake

Nights restless, always desiring to put feet out of bed, esp. towards morning

Cannot sleep late enough to obtain a good night's rest; dreams of fire and the business of day;

< from lying long in bed, must get up as her feet and back ache.

Fever

Chill; creeping up back; from stomach, on abdomen, and spreading all over; without thirst

Heat < at night and in open air

Sweat with every exertion

Sweat, cold and bloody, esp. at nights.