Ferrum Phosphoricum
Clarke - Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · John Henry Clarke · 13,738 chars · source ↗
General
Ferrum Phosphoricum.
Ferrum Phosphoricum Album. Ferric Phosphate. Ferroso-ferric Phosphate. White Phosphate of Iron (Schüssler's). This is said to be a true ferric phosphate, Fe2 (PO4)2 as contrasted with the ordinary phosphate of iron, which is a ferrous-hydric phosphate, Fe HPO.
Clinical
Anus, prolapse of. Bladder, paralysis of. Bronchitis. Colic.
Cough. Croup. Cystitis. Debility.
Delirium tremens. Diabetes. Diarrhoea. Dyspepsia.
Dysentery. Ear, affections of. Erysipelas. Fever.
Frost-bite. Gastritis. Gonorrhoea. Haematemesis.
Haemoptysis. Haemorrhages. Hands, swelling of. Heart, palpitation of.
Inflammation. Injuries. Intermittent fever. Kidneys, Bright's disease of.
Measles. Mumps. Naevus. Neuralgia.
Nose, bleeding of. Phthisis haemorrhagica. Pleurisy. Pneumonia.
Raynaud's disease. Rheumatism. Sprains. Styes.
Tarsal cysts. Urine, incontinence of. Veins, varicose. Vomiting.
Whooping-cough.
Characteristics
The preparation of Ferrum Phos., which plays such an important part in the therapy of Schüssler, has so far overshadowed the ordinary "Phosphate of Iron" in homoeopathic practice, that I have retained the simple designation, "Ferrum Phosphoricum," for this preparation as less likely to create confusion. The ordinary phosphate, which has been proved separately, I shall describe next as Ferrum Phosphoricum Hydricum. Our chief knowledge of Fer. Phos. is from Schüssler's work and the clinical experience of those who have used it on his indications.
But it has also been proved under Dr. John L. Moffat (C. D.
P.).
In Schüssler's therapy Fer. Phos. takes the place filled by Acon., Bell., Gels., Verat. viride, Arnica, and other remedies which correspond to disturbed states of circulation, irritation, and relaxation of tissue. "Painless irritability of fibre" is Cooper's keynote as exemplified in diurnal enuresis. It also retains the leading features of the other Iron preparations: anaemia, haemorrhages, and disorders of the veins.
Inflammation, induration and enlargement of blood-vessels; great physical and mental lassitude; indisposed to physical exertion; nervousness, prostration, rheumatic paralysis. Acute inflammatory rheumatisms. The right shoulder is affected as in Fer. mur. The right-sideness of Fe. p. is as marked as that of the other Ferrum preparations.
Nimier and Parenteau have cured several cases of right-supraorbital neuralgia with morning aggravation with Fe. p. 6x. The morning aggravation appears to be the distinctive indication. Nash says the haemorrhages are bright red, but occur, not in the plethoric subjects of Acon., but rather in pale, anaemic subjects liable to sudden local congestions. Cooper cured with Fe. p. a case of phthisis in a patient "of the transparent-skin type, the haemoglobin shining through." Schüssler's own account of Fer. phos., taken from the final edition of his work, translated by L.
H. Tafel, is as follows: "Iron and its salts possess the property of attracting Oxygen. The iron contained in the blood corpuscles takes up the inhaled oxygen, thereby supplying with it all the tissues of the organism. The sulphur contained in the blood corpuscles and in other cells, in the form of sulphate of potassa, assists in transferring oxygen to all the cells containing iron and the sulphate of potassa. [1] When the molecules of iron contained in the muscle-cells have suffered a disturbance in their motion through some foreign irritation, then the cells affected grow flaccid.
If this affection takes place in the annular fibres of the blood-vessels, these are dilated; and as a consequence the blood contained in them is augmented. Such a state is called hyperaemia from irritation; such a hyperaemia forms the first stage of inflammation. But when the cells affected have been brought back to the normal state by the therapeutic effect of iron (Phosphate of Iron) then the cells are enabled to cast off the causative agents of this hyperaemia, which are then received by the lymphatics in order that they may be eliminated from the organism. [2] When the muscular cells of the intestinal villi have lost molecules of iron, then these villi become unable to perform their functions: diarrhoea ensues. [3] When the muscular cells of the intestinal walls have lost molecules of iron, then the peristaltic motion of the intestinal canal is retarded, resulting in an inertia with respect to the evacuation of the faeces."
From the above Schüssler deduces the following indications for Iron: "When the muscular cells which have grown flaccid through loss of iron receive a compensation for their loss, the normal tensional relation is restored; the annular fibres of the blood-vessels are shortened to their proper measure, the capacity of these vessels again becomes normal, and the hyperaemia disappears, and in consequence the inflammatory fever ceases. Iron will cure:
Fresh Wounds, Contusions, Sprains, &C
, as it removes the hyperaemia.
The pains which correspond to iron are increased by motion, but relieved by cold.
In the muscle-cells iron is found in the form of a phosphate; we should therefore in therapeutics use Ferrum phosphoricum." Schüssler generally used the 12x trituration.
As an instance of hyperaemia of a low order may be mentioned a case of Raynaud's disease of the fingers and toes, in which amputation seemed inevitable.
Halbert effected a complete cure with Fe. p. 6x trit.
Fe. p. is suited to the leuco-phlegmatic temperament; to young persons with varicose veins.
Pains go from below upward.
Great emaciation.
Takes cold easily.
Results of checked perspiration on a warm summer day (peritonitis): Open air < cough; and there is sensitiveness to cold air.
Warm drinks <, cold and cold drinks > toothache.
Aversion to meat and milk.
While eating at table, chill.
< By eating.
< From meat, herring, coffee, cake.
< From tea.
Rest >, motion <; gentle motion > pain in upper arms and shoulders.
< At night, and 4 to 6 a.m.
Sensitive to touch and every jar.
Relations
Compare: Acon. (more bounding pulse than Fe. p.); Gels. (more flowing pulse); Caustic. and Puls. (cough with spurting of urine). Compatible: Kali mur. (croup, pneumonia, palpitation, typhus) Kali p. (colic, threatened gangrene); Calc. sul. (hip-joint disease) Calc. p. (chlorosis, haemorrhoids); Calc. fl. (haemorrhoids); Nat. sul. (diabetes); Ant. t. (capillary bronchitis). According to Cooper Fe. phos. antidoted "violent disuria, night and day," caused by Stront. bro.
Causation
Checked perspiration on a warm summer's day. Mechanical injuries.
Mind
Very talkative and hilarious; unnatural excitement
Delirium tremens
Physical and mental depression
Unable to concentrate thoughts
Memory impaired: for names, facts, &c.; irritated at his own mental sluggishness
Drowsiness; with rush of thoughts, suddenly changing from pleasant to unpleasant.—(Sows eat up their young; a transient mania depending on hyperaemia of the brain.)
Head
Dizziness; feeling as if head was being suddenly pushed forward
Everything swims around him; his muscles seemed so weak he could hardly move about
General dull headache < 5 p.m
Hammering pain in forehead and temples, fears apoplexy;
< r., formerly < l
Supra-orbital neuralgia of r. side, with a morning aggravation
Frontal headache, followed and relieved by nose-bleed
Scarcely endurable, dull, heavy pain at vertex during menses, which are profuse
Top of head sensitive to cold air, noise, and any jar; on stooping sharp pain through head, from back to front; at times a feeling as if head were being pushed forward, with danger of falling.
Pinching in l. temporal region from within outwards
Blind headache, with bearing-down in uterus, and ovarian pains
Headache: with hot, red face and vomiting of food; with nervousness at night; with general soreness of scalp, cannot bear to have hair touched
Rush of blood to head, with vertigo
Violent throbbing up to occiput.
Eyes
On stooping cannot see; seems as if all blood ran into eyes
Blinding headache
Hemianopsia (r.)
Conjunctivitis and photophobia
Heaviness of lids, esp. r
Traumatic conjunctivitis
Dry and rough feeling of lining of lids, congestion of eye (Alumina relieved)
Styes on lower lids (l.), then upper
Tarsal cysts.
Ears
Hard of hearing; ringing and buzzing.—Painful red swelling of parotids.
Nose
Nose-bleed of bright blood, in children
Nose-bleed relieving headache
Erysipelas, with ulceration just inside tip (l.).
Face
Face earthy, pale, sallow
Heat, with redness
Hot cheeks, with toothache
Neuralgia in face (r.)
Acne in chin and forehead.
Mouth
Toothache always appearing after eating food;
< by warm drinks, > by cold
Complaints during dentition, with fever.
Throat
On waking, throat feels swollen and stiff, swelling painful, < empty swallowing
Feeling of lump (r.) on swallowing
Inflammation of palate, tonsils, and pharynx, with dryness, redness, and pain
Membrane on r. tonsil, spreading to l.
Stomach
Poor appetite, with attacks of sickness
Great thirst for much water
Vomiting at irregular times, sometimes awaking her out of sleep
Green vomit
Haematemesis
Vomiting with the pains
Weight and fulness in stomach; with fulness in forehead
Pain in stomach < after eating, and by pressure.
Abdomen
Distension in hypochondria and region of stomach
Feeling of a layer of hard substance in abdomen; later of hardness in spots
Intolerance of clothes touching abdomen and chest; throws them off at night
Colic before stool
Hernia: inflamed and incarcerated.
Stool And Anus
Chronic diarrhoea; yellow, watery (with pneumonia)
Lienteria from relaxation of intestinal muscles
Dark green stools, odourless
Hot flatus
Dysentery with violent fever; fever continues < from pressure on stomach; no tenesmus
Summer diarrhoea, stools green, watery, or hashed, mixed with mucus, scanty, straining at stool; also retching, child rolls its head and moans, eyes half open
Stools pure blood; bloody mucus or slime;
< midnight to morning
Green and hard stools expelled with much effort
Habitual constipation; piles; disposition to prolapse.
Urinary Organs
Frequent desire to urinate, urgent, with pain in neck of bladder and end of penis; must urinate immediately, which > the pain;
< during the day;
< standing
Enuresis nocturna from weakness of sphincter
Enuresis diurna from irritability of trigone, > lying down
Urine spurts out with every cough
Complaints before urinating
Urine smells like café au lait
Haemorrhage from bladder or urethra.
Male Sexual Organs
Seminal emissions
Sexual instinct completely in abeyance
Dull aching in r. testicle
Gonorrhoea, inflammatory stage.
Female Sexual Organs
Bearing-down in uterus, with constant dull pain in either ovarian region
Vaginismus
Pain in vagina during coition; cannot bear examination
Dryness of vagina
Dysmenia, with accelerated pulse and red face
Menses pale first half of period
Menses every three weeks, profuse, with pressure in abdomen and small of back
During profuse menses, pain on top of head
During pregnancy: cough with ejection of urine; headache during third month.
Respiratory Organs
Laryngitis, with hoarseness from overstraining voice
Hoarse; raises greenish mucus in biggish lumps
Much mucus in throat and rattling in chest
Pleuritic stitch with a deep inspiration, or cough
Acute, short, spasmodic, and very painful cough
Suddenly a loose cough, painless indoors, but painful in open air
Tormenting cough when bending over or touching larynx
Cough: causes spurting of urine;
< in open air;
< touching larynx;
< at night
Whooping-cough, with retching and vomiting
Haemoptysis; after concussion or fall.
Heart
Dull, aching pain at heart; sometimes extending to back, l. of spine.—Palpitation with full pulse (less bounding than Acon., less flowing than Gels.).
Neck And Back
Crick in neck or back.
Limbs
Rheumatism attacking one joint after another; joints puffy, but little red; high fever;
< slightest motion
Rheumatism of wrist and knee.
Upper Limbs
Violent drawing, tearing pain r. shoulder and upper arm, < violent motion of arm, > gentle motion, so that patient hardly kept it still at all; somewhat sensitive; deadness in r. hand
Acute rheumatism of r. deltoid; unable to wear cloak
In r. shoulder-joint acute rheumatism; red, swollen; very sensitive
Swelling of elbow from sprain
Rheumatism in wrist
Wrists ache with loss of power to grasp
Palms of hands hot, with children
Nodule on dorsum of l. little finger
Contracted fingers from acute rheumatism.
Lower Limbs
Pain and soreness in hip
Pains in knees spreading to other joints, finally to shoulders and upper thorax (after Ferr.
Phos. it went downwards from joint to joint, to knees, and then passed off)
While walking constrictive pain in anterior aspect of shins, lower third, as if he had been walking very hard and fast (which was not so), < l
Ankle, outer side, pale red; foot greatly swollen and sensitive; toe feels as if burning
Steady, terrible pain all over foot and ankle, extorting cries, shooting pains around ankle and up inside of leg
An acute, very painful sugillation on dorsum of foot.
Skin
Capillary congestion, with burning of skin, < from severe exercise or in a warm room
Measles
Erysipelas
Acne.
Sleep
Drowsiness, with rush of thoughts
Eyes half open in sleep
Restless at night
Restless sleep with anxious dreams; great depression in morning
Sleepless from severity of pains
Dreams of quarelling; suddenly changes to happy conversation with another person.