Plumbago. Black Lead. An allotropic modification of carbon. (The finest specimens contains traces of iron, 0.04 to 0.6 per cent, poor qualities as much as 4 per cent.) Trituration of prepared Black Lead from finest English drawing-pencils.
Clinical
Acne. Amenorrhea. *Anus, *affections of. Blepharitis. Breasts, indurated, cancer of. Cancer. *Catarrh. *Chaps. Chlorosis. Colic. *Constipation. Deafness. Dropsy. Dysmenorrhea. *Ears, *affections of. *Eczema. Epistaxis. *Erysipelas. *Eyes, *affection of. Face. erythema, of. *Feet, affection of. Fissures. Gastralgia. Glandular swellings. Gleet. *Gravel. Hemorrhoids. Headache. Herpes. *Hydrocele. *Influenza. *Irritation. Lachrymal duct inflamed. Leucorrhoea. Lips. cracked. Liver, indurated. *Menstruation, disorders of. Leucorrhoea. *Nails, disorders of. *Noises in head. *Nose, *affection of. Nose-bleed. Obesity. Ovarian tumors. *Paralysis. Parotitis. *Pityriasis. Priapism. Pruritus vagina. *Psoriasis. Ptosis. *Rectum, *affections of. Rhus poisoning. Scars, inflamed. Scrofula. Seminal emissions. Skin, affections of. *Smell, *disorders of. Stomach, cramp in. Sycotic diathesis *Syphilis. Trichiasis. Tumours. Ulcers. *Urine *disordered. Uterus, cancer of. Vaccination, effects of. Wens. Whooping cough. Worms. Zona.
Characteristics
The first idea of using this substance as a drug, says Hahnemann, is due to S. Weinhold, who was led to it by seeing workmen in a mirror-factory use it as a local application for tetters. Ruggieri followed him, using it both internally and locally. Hufeland relates the cure of a lady, 41, by the internal and external use of *Graphites, of an acne rosacea which had defied all other modes of treatment. Teste classes *Graphites in *Pulsatilla group with *Silicea, *Calcarea, *Hepar, and *Phosphorus He gives the following among other symptoms as common to *Pulsatilla, *Silicea, and *Graphites: “Anxious, changeable, wavering mood, aversion to work, vertigo with cloudiness, a sort of intoxication in the morning, sense of fullness or emptiness in the head, drowsiness in daytime, single, acute, deep shocks in right half of brain, flickering before eyes, suspension of visual power, photophobia,’ lachrymation in open air, foul smell before nostrils, amenorrhea, swelling of right testicle, swelling of veins, wandering pains, pain in the parts not lain, heaviness in affected parts, rheumatism at nape of neck, sweat at night having odor of urine, drowsiness in daytime.”
Hahnemann was quick to perceive that *Graphites Was much more than a mere remedy for skin affections. Like that other great skin remedy, *sulphur, *Graphites proved to be a leading antipsoric. Hahnemann’s provings and observations defined its powers over skin affections. Its special characteristic is: “Eruptions oozing out a thick, honey-like fluid.” Wherever such eruptions are found *Graphites is in all probability the remedy. I have cured many cases, notably some occurring on the occiput, and behind the ears. It is no less frequently a remedy for the results of repelled eruptions of the kind. Nash records such a case: A child had been “relieved” of an eczema capitis under old-school treatment, whereupon, enterocolitis set in, and became so alarming that it was pronounced “consumption of the bowels.” Nash when called in found the child greatly emaciated, with little or no appetite, very restless, passing *”stools of brown fluid mixed with undigested substances, *and of an intolerably fetid odor.” *Graph 6M (Jenichen) cured promptly. *Graphites being one of the forms of Carbon, it is therefore related to *Carbo ani., and *Carbo veg., and as it contains a small percentage of iron, it is also related to *Ferrum.
*Graphites causes slight erethism, at first then a weak, relaxed, condition, anemia, chlorosis. The typical *Graphites patient is “fat, chilly, and costive.” Lymphatic glands are swollen. Like the skin, the mucous membranes are cracked and fissured, and have scanty secretions. Irregularities in the distribution of the blood occur, pallor of skin and mucous membranes. The circulation is at first excited, then follows loss of energy and consequent venous hyperemia. Fainting readily occurs with great anxiety, motion is impaired and the tissues relaxed, but paralysis is not
complete. A marked characteristic of *Graphites is a rush of blood to head, with flushed face. I have cured two very severe cases of nose-bleed in elderly people where this symptoms was present. In one case there has been flushing of head and neck for many months previous to the attack, and flushing preceded and accompanied each occurrence of the bleeding. In the other case the patient said the precursory flush seemed to come up from his toes. He had his nostrils plugged, without avail, before I saw him. *Graphites, in a high potency, cured promptly in both instances. Hahnemann gives the symptoms on which I based the prescription as follows: “Bleeding of the nose at 10 p.m., preceded in the afternoon by rush of blood to the head, and heat of face.” There is also “rush of blood to head, with distension and flatulence.”
*Graphites is suited to persons who have a tendency to put on unhealthy fat. Defective animal heat from defective oxygenation, always cold, indoors or out. Chlorotics. Affections of glands, skin, and mucous membranes, especially at orifices. The *Graphites condition is not sensitive and herein it differs from *Hepar, which, has extreme sensitiveness of affected parts. The tone of mind is sad and integumentary parts. There is a very characteristic symptoms in reference to the hearings: ” hardness of hearing better when riding in a carriage.” There is a sore throat like that of *Lachesis, sensation of a lump, worse on empty swallowing. It has also a “lump” sensation at the stomach. It resembles *Lachesis, too in its flushings, in gastralgia better by eating. Hurries to meals to relieve violent pain at epigastrium, especially to dinner and supper. Goullon cured two notable cases of cramps in the stomach with “Improvement of the cramps by eating.” There was also clean tongue. Milk agree well, especially hot milk. In one case roast meat agreed, but not boiled meat, and, still less, potatoes. In the morning there was a fishy taste, disappearing later in the day. Another cure by Goullon was of a young lay who was troubled with salivation, coming on any time, sometimes just before sitting down to dinner, often when riding in a carriage, less often when riding in a train. She was prevented by it from seeing company, and was low- spirited. There was also habitual costiveness. *Graphites 12 at first aggravated and then rapidly cured. Goullon understood the power of *Graphites, perhaps, more completely than any other writer, and I will give another of his cures, as it illustrates several points in the drug’s action. A well-grown, healthy- looking girl of fifteen had violent headache in right temple *every four weeks, the pain was stinging. Glittering before the eyes frequently preceded and followed the attack, which recurred to the hour, and sometimes also on the following day. Drowsiness accompanied the attack, deep sleep, heat and redness of the head, followed by a chill *Sepia 6 relieved the headache, but the glitter remained. The heaviness of the eyelids led Goullon to *Graphites (which causes ptosis). His choice was strengthened on learning that there had been no menstruation, and finally she “had a degree of hoarseness that indicated chronic hypertrophy of the tonsils. (A. Vogel claims this to be a sign of scrofula derived from syphilis.”). *Graphites* 2x trit., in two-grain doses, was given six mornings in succession. The period for the headache passed without recurrence, and the sensation of lights completely disappeared (*H.R., vi. 271). *Graphites causes suffocative spells which arouse the patient from sleep, he must jump out of bed, worse after midnight (*Lachesis Worse after sleep). There is a diarrhoea of thin, offensive, partly digested stools. Constipation is more common, the stools being in lumps coated with mucus, and with mucous shreds. Habitual costiveness and, in females, scanty menses form a keynote indication when found associated with other complaints, as headache, skin-affection, etc. Moist itching excoriation around anus and fissures. The male sexual organs are affected as well as the female: Uncontrollable sexual excitement, with violent erections, Priapism. (I have frequently seen this condition produced in patients taking *Graphites for other things, and have frequently relieved priapism with *Graphites) Impotence. In the female the breasts are affected. Pain under left breast at menstrual period, often waking patient in the night. Hysterical melancholia with occipital headache Leucorrhoea profuse, in gushes, excoriating. It has many symptoms in common with *Sepia, but *Graphites affects the ovaries more markedly then the latter. There is a feeling as if the uterus would press out at the vagina. Stiffness of knees. The *skin of *Graphites* is rough, hard, and dry. Eczematous and herpetic eruptions predominate. Eruption on occiput exuding gluey humor, eczema of ear, moist eczema round anus. Pimples, acne. Wens. Gastro-intestinal affections alternating with acne and erythema of face, herpetic lesions or scrofulous hypochondriasis. Excoriations between toes. Syphilitic and “constitutional” ulcers. Recrudescence of scars. Cracks and fissures. Offensive discharges and secretions. Sweat: stains yellow, sour, offensive. The senses are abnormally acute: music causes weeping, cannot tolerate the smell of flowers. Weak, exhaustion of whole body. Spasms, contractions of muscles, twitching of eyelids. Cataleptic condition. Sensitiveness of internal parts, numbness in various parts, drawing pain in whole body. Pain as if head were numb, or pithy, or made of wood. Pain as if broken. “Intense, heavy weight in occiput, as if head drawn back, must rest it, unable to read or think” (result of 2x and 3x, on three separate occasions in a patient of Dr. W. Epps. *Chi. Ix. relieved in a few days. *Hom. *Rev., xl. 162.) As if skin of forehead was drawn into folds. As if a skin were before ear. As if a hard body as large as an egg were behind ear. As of a cobweb over the face. As of a lump in stomach, with beating as of two hammers. As if intestines were torn, croaking as of a frog in abdomen. As if everything would be torn to pieces during menstruation. Bearing-down pains in various parts. Rest better, motion worse. Riding in a carriage worse many complaints, but better hardness of hearing. Worse Lying on left side. Cold drinks, cold air, damp, wet atmosphere, washing worse. Warmth worse tearing pain in teeth, warmth of bed worse itching, Ameliorated crampy pain in stomach, scrofulous affection of bones. Eating better cramps in stomach, hot drinks, especially hot milk, better. Worse In open air, in wind. Bathing after measles causes paralysis of face. Getting feet wet causes delayed menses. Attacks occur during summer and autumn. Ears feel stuffed at the full moon. Suffering parts emaciated. Overlifting easily. Haemorrhages. (When giving *Graphites internally in cases of anal eruption I have found the external use of an ointment made with a drachm of the 3x trituration to an ounce of Cetacean ointment of great service. Hirsh, or Prague, has also used *Graphites Locally in cases of disease of the nails, with very good results.).
