Kreosotum

Kreosotum.

Kreasote or Creasote. A product of distillation of Wood Tar. C8 H10 O2. Solution in Rectified Spirit. [J. Meredith makes dilutions of "the first heavy distillate of hard green wood," which he has named Carbo Pyroligneus.]

Acne. Amenorrhoea. Cancer. Carbuncle.

Change of life. Cholera infantum. Coccygodynia. Congenital syphilis.

Constipation. Consumption. Dentition. Diarrhoea.

Ear, affections of. Enuresis. Epithelioma. Eructations.

Eruptions. Flushings. Gastromalachia. Glossitis.

Haemorrhages. Haemorrhagic diathesis. Herpes. Hysterical vomiting.

Irritation. Leucorrhoea. Lip, epithelioma of. Lupus.

Menstruation, disorders of. Neuralgia. Ovary, affections of. Prostate, irritation of.

Pregnancy, vomiting of. Pustules. Rheumatism. Seasickness.

Stomach, affections of. Syphilis. Syphilitic deafness. Teeth, caries of.

Toothache. Ulcers. Urine, incontinence of. Uterus, affections of.

Vomiting. Whooping-cough. Yawning.

Kreosote, a product of the distillation of pyroligneous acid and of tar, the preservative principle of the smoke, used for smoking meats and fish, was discovered by Reichenbach, a Moravian chemist, early in the nineteenth century. The second edition of his work, published in 1835, supplies many of our data, but independently Kre, has been well proved. Its name, derived from the Greek, means "flesh-preserver"; and Teste includes it with Arsen., Merc. cor., Plumb., Stan., Nit. ac., Sul. ac., Crocus, and Arg. met., in his Merc.

Sol. group. He remarks that several members of this group, whilst preserving dead organic matter from decomposition, have just the opposite effect on living tissues. The entire group have these characters: Suppressed or more frequently increased secretions with putridity. Foul breath.

Bloating. Caries of teeth and bones. Cadaverous coldness. Predominant left-sidedness.

Deep, nervous and mental derangement. Violent oscillation of symptoms-ravenous hunger to anorexia, &c. All favour the production of intestinal parasites and all are therefore anthelmintic. Excessive indulgence in smoked meats and fish is very injurious to the health.

The principal observed effects are: Scorbutic condition of gums, falling out and decay of teeth, foul breath, costiveness, malaise. (Salt, another great preservative, also produces scurvy.) Kermes, of Weinsberg, has collected 135 cases in which death has occurred apparently from eating smoked foods. The leading symptoms in all were: Burning pain at epigastrium, bloody vomiting, meteorism, violent colic with constipation, slow breathing, sinking of pulse and dilatation of pupils.

(Teste.) Reichenbach not only discovered Kre., he also introduced it into medical practice, and there was, as usual, a rush for the new remedy, which for a short time was a panacea; and then, except among homoeopaths, fell into neglect. Teste observed that it acted particularly well on infants in the cradle, and congenital syphilis was a very strong indication for it. The marked action of Kre. on the teeth and dentition confirms this. [Cooper cured with Kre. 30 a case of auditory vertigo in a patient with pegged teeth.

No other medicine would touch the case.] But it is also frequently called for in acquired syphilis, especially in the skin manifestations. Nash confirms the action on children and especially during dentition. The teeth decay almost as soon as they appear. Gums dark red or blue and very painful; incessant vomiting; cadaverous-smelling stools.

The urinary symptoms are also marked, and Kre. is one of the most important remedies in enuresis. The chief urinary features are: (1) Copious pale urine. (2) Sudden; great urging; the patient cannot go quick enough. (3) The child wets the bed during the first sleep which is very profound.

J. Meredith ("Agricola") proved on himself (H. W., xxviii. 84) "the first heavy distillate from hard green wood," obtained at charcoal works, in the 4x attenuation. The symptoms observed were so like those of pure Kre. that I do not think they need be separated.

Among them were: Great thirst in evening. Enormous appetite. Stabbings here and there. Eyes feel as if in a woody smoke.

Sneezing. Spleen pain. Nasal pus. [Teste emphasises a discharge "of fetid pus from nostrils."] At 7 a.m. sitting up in bed, pain and stiffness across hips and sacrum, which continued during the day. Prostate and bladder irritation, during night frequently rises to pass a very little urine, coming away like spray.

It cured at the same time constipation of ten to twelve days' duration. Meredith cured with it a girl, aet. 17, of intense urethral scalding after urination (H. W., xxx. 83). Kre. is no less suited to women than it is to children; and especially to the leucophlegmatic temperament.

Grauvogl cured with Kre. 3x a girl of 20 of suppression of menses, with a concomitant state of imbecility. (In another woman who had suppressed menses with tertian intermittent fever, the intermittent was cured with Chi. sul., one grain four times a day, and then Grauvogl, hearing for the first time of the suppression of the menses, gave Kre. 3x, with the result that the fever returned in full force. Quinine was again given, and the fever again disappeared. Before the next period, as the patient was of the Nux type, that remedy was given and the period was re-established.

According to Grauvogl Kre. has a short period of action, one or two days, Chi. sul. having two or three weeks; and he quotes the case to illustrate the law of incompatibility; in intermittents Chi. may be given after Kre., but not Kre. after Chi.) Guernsey summarises the action of Kre. on women thus: "Lencorrhoea putrid, with accompanying complaints., leucorrhoea in general, especially if very fetid and exhausting. Female genitals in general. Complaints after menstruation; of females at change of life." According to the same authority Kre. affects especially the inner temples, external ears and lobe of the ear.

It is suited to very severe old neuralgias with tearing pains sensations affecting upper jaw; upper teeth; inner navel region shoulder-blades. Dry-peeling lips are a characteristic: and Kre. has cured a tumour of lower lip, supposed to be epithelioma, with dry, cracked skin. In my own experience Kre. (3 and 30) meets a very large proportion of toothache cases where the teeth are decayed, especially if the gums are scorbutic.

Its nearest rivals are Staphisagria with blackened teeth, and Mercurius with suppurating gumboil. The scapular pain is illustrated by a case of Lutze's. A lady had a pain under left scapula, < by motion, excruciatingly < by riding in a carriage; > by pressure, by lying with that shoulder on something hard, and by warmth.

A long succession of homoeopathic remedies was given in vain. Then the old school had a trial with Antipyrine and Morphia, with no better success. Long after, Lutze met the patient casually, and she mentioned that she had pains in the left thumb. This led him to Kre., under which he found the other symptoms of the case.

He asked the patient to let him give her one other dose. She consented. Kre. 200 was given and completely cured the patient, who had become nervous and worn out by the suffering she had endured (J. of Homoeopathics, May, 1890). In the same number of the same journal a case is recorded by Jean.

I. Mackay in which Kre. 45m., twice repeated at long intervals, wrought a cure: Mrs. L., 28, fair, nervous. Has one child, aet. 9.

Six years before Mackay saw her had an abortion and since then health had been failing. Her chief complaint was of haemorrhage from the uterus, brought on by lifting, over-exertion, and always followed coitus. No pain during coitus. Menses regular but profuse and clotted.

Constant dull aching pain in back. The day after the flow has a terrible left-sided headache > by hot water applied to head. Annoying itching in genitals at times. Os eroded, speculum soon filling with clotted blood.

"Coitus followed by flow of blood the next day" is a keynote for Kre. W. P. Wesselhoeft (Hahn.

Ad., xxxviii. 23) confirms these symptoms: Coarse, red elevated acne pimples, especially in blonde women. Nocturnal enuresis from too profound sleep; child cannot be awakened when taken up. Giving out of knee-joint with annoying cracking (in a large, fat blonde woman). Large purulent blisters on concha of both ears, with a red base, like small-pox pustules.

Chronic headache accompanied with great drowsiness, during which the patient would sleep most of the time, and groan in his sleep. Relief was followed by the appearance of a great number of small warts on scalp. [Hering mentions these constitutions as suited to Kre: Dark complexion, slight, lean. Complexion livid, disposition sad, irritable. Old women.

Torpid, leuco-phlegmatic temperament. Old-looking children, hard to awaken. Blondes.] The following case of coccygodynia was reported in Amer. Hom.

Miss A. complains of unbearable burning pains in sacrum extending down to coccyx, with feeling there when sitting as if an electric battery were attached with needles which were pricking through the skin. > Rising from seat. Attended with milky leucorrhoea. Kre. cured in three days.

James H. Freer (N. A. J.

H., xliv. 489) cured a lady over 80 who suffered from incontinence of urine on the occurrence of a bronchial attack which compelled her to keep her bed. Villers has reported a case of incontinence < when lying down cured by Kre., and this led Freer to the remedy, which rapidly cleared up the case, bronchitis and all. (In Villers' case Kre. 30 was given for "incontinence of urine when lying down" because he had cured with it many cases of uterine haemorrhage occurring only in, or < by, the horizontal position

H. R., x. 24.) Freer also cured incontinence in a case of locomotor ataxy (man, 74) with Kre. 6. An allopathic authority, Vladimir de Holstein, of Paris (Amer. Hom., xxiv. 93), accidentally cured with 6-drop doses of Kre., given in beer or milk, aggravated constipation in a chlorotic girl.

He gave it with the sole idea of "disinfecting" the intestines. The vomiting of Kre. is noteworthy. The most characteristic form is that due to weakness of stomach, which cannot digest, and which rejects a meal undigested some hours after it was eaten. Vomiting of pregnancy, sweetish water with ptyalism; of cholera infantum; incessant vomiting with cadaverous stools; in malignant disease of stomach.

Gentry has recorded the following: Lady, 45, on visiting a friend ill with dysentery, was struck with the odour, went home, commenced to vomit, and vomited all food or drink and continued, without ceasing, vomiting or retching for three weeks, being fed by the rectum all the time. She had to be held up by the nurse. She was greatly emaciated. Kre. 200, one dose given.

In twenty minutes the retching ceased. The patient fell asleep, had no more vomiting, and rapidly recovered. Up to this time she had been under allopaths, who advised that homoeopathy should be tried, as they could do no more. Harmar Smith (H.

W., xxiii. 496) cured a girl of 10 of very frequent and violent eructation; she was apparently healthy in other respects. Bell. and Puls. did no good. Arg. n. aggravated. Kre. 2x at once did good and cured in a few days.

A fatal case of poisoning with eighteen drops of Kre. has been recorded (H. W., xxix. 344) and brings out many of the symptoms in the cases above quoted. A woman, 52, was given for a pulmonary affection Kre. six drops in milk three times a day. After the third day she had: Dysphagia, gastric pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and a distressing tendency to cough.

On admission to hospital twenty-four hours later the breath smelt of Kre. Skin and mucous membranes pale; lips blue; dysphagia marked. Mucous membrane of mouth of a dull white colour in parts. Paralysis and anaesthesia of palate, paralysis of larynx, analgesia of left arm and part of left leg.

Later, albumen and casts in urine. After four days, some stupor, and weakness more marked. Next day collapse and death. After death two large erosions were found on upper part of oesophagus and others about pylorus.

Stomach red and congested. Kidneys acutely inflamed. Cloudy swelling of liver Burning pains are a marked feature of Kre.

(lupus of nose with burning pains. Chronic pneumonia with pain like red-hot coals in chest); and stitches are even more characteristic. Itching is intense. Among the peculiar sensations are: As if a board was across forehead.

As if brain would force through forehead. As if something floating before eyes. As if a hard twisted ball was lying in umbilical region. During defecation children struggle and scream and seem as if they would go into fits.

Burning as of hot coals deep in pelvis. As if something coming out of vagina. As if a load was resting on pelvis. As if sternum being crushed in.

As of a heavy burden on crest of ilium. As if small of back would break. As if scapulae and other parts bruised. As if tendon of elbow-joint too short.

As if small of back would break. As if hip dislocated. As if leg too long when standing. There is general sensitiveness to touch and contact.

Marked periodicity is apparent. Intermittent fevers. Prostration and restlessness. Fretful, irritable, apprehensive.

Music makes him weep. Weak-minded with suppressed menses. Sufferings from the non-appearance of menses—hence at change of life. The symptoms are < after menstruation; during leucorrhoea; when yawning.

< In open air; cold weather; when growing cold; from cold washing or bathing. < At rest and especially when lying. Leucorrhoea is > sitting, < standing and walking. Cough compels sitting up all night.

Touch <. Pressure >. General > from warmth. < By coitus and after coitus.

Hoarseness is > by sneezing. Coughing = involuntary micturition. Drawing in limbs alternates with sufferings in the eyes.

Antidoted by: Acon. (vascular erethism), Nux (violent pulsations in every part of body); according to Teste, Fer. met. is the best antidote, especially for over-action of Kre. in lively, sanguine, and vigorous children. Incompatible: Carb. v.; also after Chi. Followed well by: Sul., Ars.

(in malignant disease); Bell., Calc., K. ca., Lyc., Nit. ac., Rhus., Sep. Compare: Eupion and Kre., as might be expected, have many identical symptoms, notably haemorrhages, pulsations, and menstrual disorders. The Carbons and Carbol. ac. are closely related to Kre., and Carb. v. so closely as to be inimical with it.

Pix. compares in phthisis. K. ca. (product of burning wood; stitches; < after coitus).

Sep. (intermittent menses; outward pressure in genitals; painful coitus; vomiting of pregnancy; red sand in urine, turbid, offensive: but Kre. has menses usually copious, accompanied with difficult hearing, noises and humming and roaring in head, dragging in back > by motion—Sep. < from motion—and leucorrhoea is more irritating, even excoriating, smells like green corn; Sep. has not the acridity or the malignancy);

Murex (passes copious pale urine at night; wakes with a start and violent desire; Kre. cannot get out of bed quickly enough, urine offensive); Lil. t. (bearing down);

Bell. (enuresis, dentition, child worries all night, must be petted and tossed about, teeth decay rapidly; bearing down < lying, > standing—Kre. < rest, > motion); Calc.

(cholera infantum); Nux (irritable weakness of stomach, food cannot be digested: but Kre. retains food several hours and vomits it undigested); Pho. (vomiting; but Pho. vomits food or drink as soon as it becomes warm in stomach): Plat.

(vaginismus; but Kre. has flow of blood after coitus); Arg. n. (inflammation of eyelids in children or adults; but Kre. has discharge of scalding tears early in morning); Ars.

(neuralgia with burning pains); Staph. (teeth; < after coitus);

Bry. (neuralgia of sound teeth, severe pains < by motion, > by pressing head hard on pillow, and by cold applications: Kre., neuralgia of face, burning pains, in nervous, irritable people, < by motion and talking, teeth decay rapidly); Cham., Carb. v., Bell. and Ars. (menses offensive).

Agn. c., Carb. a., Chel., Nit. ac., Nux, Pru. sp., Sep., and Thuj. (leucorrhoea staining yellow). Lach. (change of life);

Phos. (haemorrhagic diathesis; dark, slight, lean, ill-developed, ill-nourished, overgrown patients); Abrot. (children old-looking, wrinkled);

Iod. (scrofulous, psoric affections; rapid emaciation; inordinate appetite; wasting of mammae); Ham. (dark, oozing haemorrhage);

Ol. anim. (stitches in breasts: Ol. an., "shooting out of nipple"); Bapt. (effects of bad smells).

Bad smells. Sprains.

Burning in genitals (during coition) and impotence.—Prepuce bluish black with haemorrhages and gangrene.

Stitches in heart.—Pulsation in all arteries when at rest.

Analgesia of l. arm and part of l. leg.

Pain, as from excoriation and ulceration; painful paralytic sensation; pulling and shooting pains Haemorrhages; small wounds bleed much Putrid ulcers of any kind; putrid diarrhoea Glossitis

Exanthema on face; on cheeks; around mouth; on upper lip; on forehead; burning urine; erethism of blood; yawning in general; complaints accompanying yawning Pulse changed in general Pinching pains, and shootings, esp. in joints Lassitude, heaviness, and painful weariness in all limbs, esp. in legs

Shocks in limbs, esp. when asleep at night Nocturnal pains Fainting fits on waking in morning Fainting (in morning, when rising too early)

Disposition to faint in a warm room, with heat of face and shortness of breath Numbness; loss of sensation Rapid emaciation Attacks of stupor, with paleness and coldness of several parts, which seem then as if dead

Pains, as from a bruise or contusion Excessive excitement of whole body Restlessness in whole-body, < during repose Pains < during repose.