Synonyms: Phosphate of Soda, Sodi Phosphas, Sal Mirabile Perlatum, Alkali Phos, Tasteless Purging Salt etc. The Phosphate of Soda exists in minute proportions in all solids and fluids of the body. Like all the alkaline phosphates, its quantity is greater in flesh eating animals.

Its function in the blood is not conclusively known; but it has been recently demonstrated that it conveys carbonic acid from tissues to lungs. If this is so, it must have a nutritive value, and is well worthy of a therapeutical study. Schussler, so impulsive in therapeutics, is an excellent student of physiology. According to him, it plays an important part in the lymphatic system; hence in the blood genesis.

In 1800, Dr. Pearson introduced this salt into allopathy. He considered it a mild purgative, suitable to children, and persons of a delicate stomach. It has sometimes been given medicinally by substituting it for common salt.

Dr. William Stephenson (Edinburgh Medical Journal, 1867, Vol. XIII, p. 336) recommends it for “infants who are being artificially reared, and who are liable to frequent derangement of the bowels… where, from the character of the motions, there is a deficient or defective secretion of bile…. chalky stool, or white, fluid motions, and in many cases of green stools,” etc.

In our school, several partial provings were made years ago by Dr. Hering. In 1873, Schüssler mentioned it as a tissue remedy. Von Grauvogl lays more stress on the Muriate and Sulphate of Soda, preferring the phosphate of Potash in the saponifications of fats, change of gases, etc, as the most active. But Potash salts exist more in the blood-cells, muscles, etc, soda in the liquor sanguinis, Potash salts, when proved, show an aggravation when awakening, that is, when we begin to use oxygen, which was stored up during sleep; soda salts are worse during sleep, while oxygen is accumulating (C. Hg.). Hence, even though as alkalis they have many similarities, we shall find sharp differences, depending upon variations in function. Potash must be present to insure an amount of oxygen calculated to keep muscles in their full power of contraction; soda must be present to carry away carbonic acid, a resultant of oxidation.

The following resume is collected from nineteen provings made by twelve provers; nine males, three females. The potencies range from the sixth to the 100,000th. No prover knew the name of the medicine, nor did any two have opportunities of conversing or comparing notes. In no case was a single dose given, but at least twenty were taken. The first proving was made in 1869, the last in August 1875.

I am well aware that prejudice will lead some to refuse these provings because they were made principally with the high potencies. This, however, will in no wise alter their truth falsity. If four or more persons, in different seasons of the year and different latitudes, experience the same effects from any given potency, we have an indisputable right to claim these effects as resulting from the medicine taken. If only one prover develops a certain symptom, or set of symptoms, they may be fallacious or they may be true. Who shall decide from preformed opinion? Neither. There is no court of appeal for the homoeopathician but that which Hahnemann was the first to establish, viz., experiment. So with the symptoms here offered for trail. If they fail when tried, let them go. If they do not fail, let us use them, however our prejudices may question their origin.

Great care has been exercised in preparing the accompanying resume. Symptoms which had been previously experienced by the provers have generally been omitted. Something may thus have been lost, especially as illustrating the reawakening of latent disease; but much has been gained in precision and certainty. For the same reasons obscure or indefinite symptoms have been reserved until more clearly expressed.

Provers

Each symptom has the initial of the prover and the potency used. Mrs. P; Miss F; A., a doctress; Dr. V.; Dr. H.; Dr. K.; Dr. D.; Dr. S; Dr. Hn; Mr. H; Mr. M; Mr. J.
NATRUM PHOSPHORICUM. (Every fifth symptom of this proving has been marked with numerals like 5, 10, 15, and so on)

Mind.

Melancholy, especially after emissions. J., 10m.
Depression; too apt to dwell on annoyances. J., 50m
Frequent attacks of gloominess, evening Dr. D., cm.
Apprehensive of some approaching evil. J., 50m.
5. Worries about his health; about the future. Dr. D., 10m.
Vexed at trifles; disposed to be irritable. M., 50m.
Ill-humor, mostly forenoons; no ambition to do anything; inclines to study in the evening. Dr. D., 10m, cm.
Imagines he hears footsteps in the next room. M., 50m.
Study makes him so nervous he must get up and walk about. M., 50m.
10. Study is burdensome; it is so difficult to remember what is read. Dr. D., cm.
Easily startled by the least noise, especially at night, causing palpitation. See Sleep. Dr. D., cm.

Sensorium

On rising in the morning, dizzy, as if he would fall; objects turn around; gone feeling in the stomach; nervous. Dr. S., cm.

Internal Head.

Tensive headache, with dullness and heaviness, accompanied by dim sight, as from a veil before the eyes. P., 30th.
Frontal headache, sharp over the left eye every forenoon. Dr. S., cm.
15. Pain at the right temple extending to right eye and ear, at noon; better by 5 p.m. (after eating grapes). In evening pain over left temple while riding in a street car. P. 6th, 30th.
Immediately after dinner, sharp tearing in left side of head, front of ear and temporal region particularly.
Dr. D., cm.
Pressure over the right eye, with sighing as if room were too close; later over left eye; worse before and after, better during menses. F. 30th.
Pinching in left temple descending to left year and tonsil. P. 6th.
Heaviness and fullness of the head, with flushes of heat in the afternoon, followed by sweat. P., 2c.
20. Empty feeling in the head; stomach feels empty. Dr. S., cm.
Frequent sensation of fullness in the head with pulsating pain on stepping. Dr. D., 10m, cm.
Pain in center of left eyebrow.
Pain in left orbit, with pain in bowels, extending up into the chest; flatulence.
Headache at 9 A.M., preceded by gagging and faint feeling; pain all over head, better at first from pressure; no better after dinner or siesta, but suddenly leaves at 8 P.M. Dr. V., 1m
25. Headache at 10 A.M. M., 10m
Every afternoon, after menses headache. F., 30th.
Headache better after breakfast; worse after dinner. Dr., S.

External Head.

Rheumatic drawing up left side of occiput into the forehead. 50m.
Very severe pains in the temples nearly all the morning. Dr. S., cm.

Sight, Eyes.

30.Mist before the eyes; halo around the gas light; eyes feel sore, weak. Dr. S., cm.
On rising, 5 A.M. flickering of sight in left eyes. A., 10m.
Dim sight; as from a veil over eyes, with dull, heavy headache. P., 30th.
Quivering of right eyelid while reading, before sleep, and on awaking. Dr. Hn., 30th.
On using the eyes, dull, aching pain in the orbit above the ball; eyelids feel sore, itch and burn. Dr. S.,cm. 35. Eyes feel sore when reading in evening. M. 10m.
Eyes as if bathed in hot water; drowsy. M., 50m.
Eyes bloodshot, M. 10m; feel as if sand was in them, mostly the left eyes. M. 50m.
Burning lachrymation; drowsy’ 10 A.M. M.,50m.
Inner canthus of right eye feels sore, he wants to rub it; slightly injected. Dr. S., cm.
40. Aching in right eyeball, with pain in same as if bruised. Dr. K., 1m, 10m.
Scrofulous ophthalmia. Schüssler.
Lids feel heavy and itch along the margins; pain over the eyes. Dr. S., cm..

Hearing, Ears.

Tickling from middle ear into the Eustachian tube. J., 10m.
45. While lying down, sensation as of water dropping from a height into a long, narrow vessel. M., cm.
Lobe of right ear burns and itches so intolerably he has to scratch until it bleeds, face burns; joints itch. M., 50m.

Smelling Nose.

Offensive odor before the nose in the morning two days. Dr. D., cm.
Slight epistaxis in the morning; irritable. Dr. D., 10m.
Tough, clear-white phlegm from posterior nares. J., 10 m.
50. Dropping of thick, yellow mucus from the posterior nares; worse at night; awakens him, he must sit up to clear his throat. J., 1m, 10 m.
Left nostril stopped up; accumulation of mucus in the throat. J., 1 m.
Left nostril stopped up; worse in open air. M., 50 m.
Left nostril sore, painful; picks it continually, scabs form. Dr. S., 70m, cm.
Itching of the nose.. A., 10 m.

Teeth, Gums

55.Teeth in the morning and mouth all the day covered with brownish mucus. J., 10m.

Taste, Talking, Tongue.

Coppery taste, 5 A.M. A., 10m.
Bad taste in the mouth, morning, on awaking; gastric symptoms. Dr. D., cm.
Tries to say a word, but it will not come out; feels as if something closed in the throat, preventing speech. J., 10m.
Sensation of hairs on the tip of the tongue, followed by prickling numbness of whole mouth, next day a small pimple. P., 2c.
60. Tongue coated dirty-white with a dark- brown center. Dr. D., cm.
Blisters on tip of tongue. M., 10m.

Palate, Throat.

Sensation as of a pin prickling the right side of the throat; worse swallowing liquids; better from solids. Dr., S. 70m.
Accumulation of mucus in the throat, causing hawking, afternoons; this causes a tickling and slight cough.
Dr. D., cm.
Right side of throat sore. Dr. S., cm.

Desires, Aversions.

65. Desires strong-tasting things, even alcohol. Dr. Hn., 30
Desires strong-tasting things. J., 1m.
Desires for beer; it relieves the gone ness. M., 50m.
Desires for fried eggs, J., 1m; for eggs, M., 50m.
Aversion to bread and butter, yet formerly fond thereof; very persistent for weeks. Dr. D., 10m.,cm.
70. Not very hungry for meals, yet enjoys them; most appetite for supper. Dr. D., cm.
No desire for food; sick, gone feeling. Dr. S., cm.

Eating, Drinking.

Before breakfast; pressure from spine to stomach, A., 10m; headache better. Dr. S., cm.
After breakfast; nervous, went to bed again. Dr. S., cm.
Before dinner: 11 to 12 o’clock, sick feeling, nervous; empty, gone feeling; pulse quick, jerking Dr. S., cm.
75. After eating a little, feels full. M., 50m.
After dinner, headache. Dr. S., cm.
Fullness in the stomach all the time, but worse after eating. Dr. D., cm.
Sensation of heaviness in the epigastrium, better after eating. P., 30th.
Feels weak and cross after dinner, would like to lie down, Dr. D., cm.; empty feeling in the chest and abdomen, M., 1m.; empty, gone feeling all day, but worse after eating, Dr. S., cm.

Eructations, Nausea.

80.Eructations after eating. M., 1m.
Eructations frequent, tasteless. 10m, 50m.

Stomach.

Heavy feeling in the stomach, causing a restless feeling; third day after tea. A., 10m.
Constant feeling of fullness. Dr. D., cm.
Awakens, 2 A.M.., with pressure in the stomach; feels as if a stick was pressing up and forward from about the last dorsal vertebra into the stomach. A., 10 m.
Gone ness in the stomach and abdomen, even in the chest. M.,1m, 10m, 50m, cm; H., 10m. See also symptom by Dr. S.; gone ness at 4 P.M.., M.
85. Gone ness in the stomach and abdomen, with a feeling weight above the ensiform. See Chest and Arms.
M., 50m.; H.,10m.

Abdomen.

Anxiety felt through the abdomen, lasting only a few moments. Dr. K.,1m.
Bloated feeling, worse evening; wind in the bowels; must loosen the clothing; urging to stool. Dr. S., cm.
Pain in the bowels ascends to the stomach; flatulence; at the same time return of pain in left orbit
Gone ness See 85.
90. Colic, as from wind pressing the bladder, causing frequent micturation; urging to stool. M., 50m, cm.

Rectum, Stool.

Distressing, burning, contracting pain in anus and lowest part of rectum; feels it after awaking from a troubled dream. Dr. D., cm.
Diarrhoea, colicky pains before morning. M., 50m.
Three or four diarrhoeic stools a day, with much flatus lest faeces escape also. Dr. D.,cm.
One day costive, next day diarrhoea. M., 50 m.
95. Costive. M.,1 m, 10 m, Dr. D., 10m, cm.
Urging to stool two evenings, 8 P.M. in succession, M., 10 m, cm.
While at stool, sensation as if a marble dropped in left abdomen (descending colon) two evenings 8 P.M.
M., 10m.
Itching of the anus. Soreness. M., 50m.
Urging to stool; feels often as if bowels would move, but they do not.
100. Itching about the anus.

Kidneys, Urine.

Fine stitching pains in left renal region. Dr. D., cm.
Urine dark-red; no sediment. 1m.
Constant urging. M., 10m.
Burning during urination; urine apparently normal. M., 50m.
105. Obliged to urinate, but pressure not thereby relieved. A., 10m.
Frequent micturation, 90m, cm, Dr. S., cm.

Male Parts.

Sexual desire, but no erections. 1m; later, total absence of desire. M., 10m.
General sexual excitement. Dr. S., 70m.
Sexual desire diminished; drawing in the right spermatic cord. M., 50m.
110. Seminal emissions without erotic dreams; two in one night. Dr. S., cm.
Emission of semen some hours after coitus; no dream or erection. M., 50m, cm.
Emissions almost every night (married man); preceded by slight pains in the testicles, mostly left. M., 50m.
Three emissions in one week; unconscious thereof until morning. J.,1m, M., 10m.
Emissions every night; no lascivious dreams; semen thin, watery, smells like stale urine. J., 10m.
115. Emissions every other night. Dr., S., cm.
After coitus, burning and itching at meatus urinarius; urging to stools, and urine; bowels loose, stools small.
M., 50m.
After emissions, melancholy; pain through right groin next day. M., 50m. For weeks dull drawing in testicle and cord. M., cm..
Pain in left spermatic cord. M., cm.
Pain in left testicle and about the chin. M., cm.
120. Itching of the prepuce. Dr. D., cm.

Female Parts.

Great unusual excitement; not able to get to sleep until near 1. A.M.; awoke at 5 unrested. A., 10m.
Three nights later sexual dreams; thinks she is with her husband, but the act is prevented by the unbidden entrance of some stranger. A., 10m.
Menses five days too early. A., 10m.
Menses five days too early (always regular before); feet icy cold by day, burn at night in bed; flow pale (dark in health), with pressure over right eye, and desire to take a long breath, as if room was too close.
Three days later, headache over left eye; all worse 3 to 4 P.M. Fifth day, flow dark as usual.
125. After menses much worse. Trembling about the heart; worse walking upstairs; pressure in pitch of stomach; better eating; headache returns every afternoon, now over one, now over other eye; sleep restless, tosses from side to side. F., 30th.
Next period three too early. Same symptoms as before, but flow stopped two days and returned with headache, chilliness, restless sleep, and paralytic aching in right wrist; knees felt as if the cords were shortened. F., 30th. ( Was under treatment eighteen months before symptoms were all removed).

Breathing.

Constant tendency to sigh; menses. F., 30th.