Oleum animale aethereum. Oleum cornu cervi. Dippel’s Oil. Bone- naphtha. Dilutions in alcohol.
Clinical
Asthma. Breasts, affection of. Cancer. Constipation. Coryza. Facial paralysis. Gonorrhoea. Migraine. Polyuria. Prostate, affections of. Spermatic cord, neuralgia of. Testes, neuralgia in, retraction of.
Characteristics
*Ol. *an. in an empyreumatic oil obtained in the preparation of bone-black, and further distilled and rectified for medicinal use. It was discovered in 1711 by Johann Conrad Dippel, the alchemist, and discoverer of Prussian-blue. Dippel obtained it in the first instance by distillation of stags’ horns: hence the name *Oleum cornu cervi, with which the *Ol. *an. as at present prepared is considered identical, the deciduous horns of the stag partaking more of the nature of bone than the permanent horns of cattle. As rectified it is “a colourless or slightly yellow, thin, oily liquid, with a penetrating but not disagreeable odour and an acrid, burning taste, which changes to a cool and bitter one. It darkens and thickens on exposure to air and light, and is extremely volatile. A drop on paper evaporates without leaving a greasy stain.” Its composition is extremely complex, but it may be regarded as belonging to the group of volatile carbons. Sircar (*Calcarea J. of Medorrhinum, xvi. 249) gives an interesting account of *Ol. *an., and quotes from *Hahn. *Adv. of April, 1897, a valuable paper on the remedy by ***C. L. Old with a discussion thereon. Though it is not the panacea which Dippel imagined it to be when he discovered it, *Ol. *an. in a very powerful medicinal substance, and since it has been well proved by Nenning, Schreter, and Trinks, it has a definite place in the homoeopathic materia medica. As is usually the case with combustive products, *Ol. *an. has burning pains and burning sensations in almost all parts, and like the carbons and *Kali-carb. it has also stitches and sometimes combinations of the two, “stitches as with red-hot needles.” Stitches and pressure may be in all directions, but from behind forward is particularly characteristic. “Stitches from behind forward in breasts, pressure from both sides of the back extends forward.” Guided by the former I gave great relief in a case of scirrhus of right breast in which pains darting forward out of the nipple were complained of. “Pulled upward” is another characteristic sensation. It occurs in the malar bones: “Sensation in both malar bones as if pulled forcibly upward.” And it also occurs in the testicles. “Both testicles are drawn up and very painful.” This led to the cure of a “long-standing neuralgia of spermatic cord, excruciating attacks three or four times every year, pains as if testicles were seized by a hand and pulled very severely.” *Ol. *an. 18 gave almost instant and permanent relief (Blakely Raue’s *Rec., 1870, p. 241). The cure of a case of migraine is quoted in *H. M., July, 1895. Zwingenberg, after failing with *Sanguinaria, gave *Ol. *an. 2x, five drops in warm water, morning and evening, to a lady who always suffered from migraine the day after a fashionable party, at which she usually wore a heavy diadem on her head. Polyuria of perfectly clear urine accompanied the migraine and suggested the remedy. This accompaniment may indicate *Ol. *an. in any nervous disorder. Zwingenberg also cured a case of nervous asthma following repelled foot-sweat. In the discussion on Olds’ paper some cures were mentioned. Dever cured toothache in an extremely irritable patient, pain better by *pressing the teeth together. The provings have “stitches in right upper molar *removed by pressure, after dinner.” Dr. Leggett related one case: A very stout Dutch lady, 56 (who had been under constitutional treatment for uterine tumour, engorged liver and cerebral congestion), presented the following symptoms: Sensation as if water rushing back and forth in stomach, fancied the tumour had increased to size it was years ago. She had been walking, standing, and shopping, and had eaten many sweets. Of the remedies having “stomach as if full of water,” *Ol. *an. was chosen as more similar to the case than *Millefolium or *Phell., and was given in 1M attenuation, a single dose. A month later she was better in every way, and a second dose brought still further improvement. This case in connection with my case of breast tumour still further shows the Relationship of *Ol. *an. to new growths. Olds in his paper brings out the *striking and peculiar symptoms of the remedy very clearly. Olds speaks of a proving by himself, but he gives no details of it. Some symptoms mentioned by him I cannot find in Allen or Hering. These I have entered in the Schema and give his authority for each. The Conditions of *Ol. *an. give the most characteristic general features: better from rubbing, worse from eating. worse In warm room. better In open air. These are general, but there are exceptions. Among the *Peculiar Symptoms mentioned by Olds are: Twitching of lips and swelling beneath right lower jaw. Malar bone feels as if pulled forcibly upward. Greasy feeling in mouth and accumulation of quantities of saliva white as snow. Relaxation of buccal mucous membrane, patient cannot avoid biting cheek when he eats. Soreness of tongue as if scalded. Sensation as of white of egg dried on lips. Sensation as if cold air penetrated throat although the air is warm, better eating and drinking, worse empty swallowing. Desire for soft- boiled eggs or for bread only with aversion to meat. Sensation as if water were in stomach, as if a lump of ice there. Eructations taste like urine, and burn. Sensation as if testicles were seized and pulled forcibly upward. Menses too early and too scanty. Cracking in vertebra of neck on raising head. Sensation in scalp as if skin had been cut and reunited. Other sensations are: As if blood were rushing to head, to occiput on entering a warm room. As if red-hot needles in chest. As if thumb (and toe) would ulcerate. Cramp-like pains in different parts. Indolence and inclined to sit, taciturn, ill-tempered. Winans (*Medorrhinum Adv., xix. 503) gave *Ol. *an. with success in a case of bilious fever, the patient being a rather fleshy old lady. The indicating symptoms were: Slow pulse (55). Desire for soft-boiled eggs. Itching of left lower eyelid. Sad mood, morose, nothing delights her. Absorbed in self, sad, speaks little. *Sepia was required to complete the case, one of the new symptoms being yellowness of palms of hands. The left side is predominantly affected, when direction is noted it is from before backward and from behind upward. better By rubbing is very characteristic. better By stretching. better By pressure. *Ol. *an. is a chilly medicine, but the chilliness (and also coryza) are worse in a warm room and better in open air. Tearing in all fingers is better by washing in cold water. Drinking cold water causes pressure in stomach, worse From hot drinks. Motion better some rheumatic pains. Raising head causes cracking of vertebrae. Worse eating (sweat, lachrymation, headache). Especially worse after dinner. better Swallowing food or drink, worse empty swallowing (throat). worse By motion, by mental exertion. better Changing position. Sneezing causes bursting pain in chest. The majority of symptoms are worse in afternoon, also 2 p.m. worse Before, during and commencement of menses. worse By noise (noises in the head).
Relation
*Antidoted by: Camph., Nux-v., Opium *Follows well: Bryonia Is *followed well by: Sepia *Compare: In headache with concomitant polyuria, Ignatia, Gelsemium Twitching eyelids, Agaricus Gastric symptoms after drinking cold water, Arsenicum, Pho., Carb-v. Pains in testicles, Pulsatilla worse By noise (Graphites better by noise). better By rubbing, Pho., Nat-c., Carb-ac., Cantharis Coryza worse in open air, Cepa. Numb head, Graphites Cracking in nape on moving head, Nicc. Dried white of egg sensation, Alumina, Baryta C., Mg. C., Ph- ac., Sul-ac. better Eating and drinking, worse empty swallowing, Lachesis Eructations taste like urine (Ag. cast., smell like old urine). Sad, despondent, Pulsatilla (unlike Pulsatilla, bad tempered). slow pulse, Apocy. Headache from behind forward, scalding sensation on tongue, Sanguinaria Chilly, Nux-v., Cyclamen, Kali-ca. (but these are worse in open air). Burning during micturition, Causticum, Naph. Coryza, Naph. Stitches, Kali-ca., Carb. an. Gnawing in occiput, Glo., Na. sul. Desires bread (Natrum mur., aversion to bread). Movements in abdomen, Crocus. Suppressed foot-sweat, Silicea, Sul. Worse From hot drinks (Lycopodium better ). Cracking in joints, Benz-
ac.
Causation
Suppressed foot-sweat.
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Sadness, concentration in self. Taciturn and thoughtful. Distraction, and frequent absence of mind. Loss of ideas (frequent vanishing of thought).
Head
Head confused, with cloudiness, as if stunned. Pressure on vertex, shifting to occiput. Dizziness and vertigo, when stooping. Painful dizziness, early in morning in bed. Painful sensation of reeling and giddiness, in open air, when stooping. Numb and paralytic sensation in (left) side of head. Aching in head, principally in forehead, sometimes from least intellectual exertion. Drawing and tearing in head, as after a chill. Violent boring, and shootings in head, especially just above eyes (in left frontal protuberance). Congestion, with heat and beating in head. Pressure extending from occiput forward, an hour after dinner. Semi lateral headache, and beating at base of brain and extending to eye on corresponding side, worse by motion, by exertion, after eating, better by rubbing (Olds). Pain in left occiput, obliging him to hold his head forward. Dull pressure in small spot on occiput (left) _ Gnawing pain in occipital region (less on left side). Boring in small spot left occiput. Stitching in occiput. Tension on scalp with soreness as if skin had been cut and reunited. Sensation as if blood were rushing to occiput, on entering a room. Tearing in outside of head, with tension and sensation of excoriation. Itching, and burning shooting pain in scalp.
