Psorinum. The nosode of Psora. (The seropurulent matter of a scabies vesicle was used by Hahnemann. The product of “Psora sicca” (epidermoid efflorescence of Pityriasis) by Gross. The salt from a product of Psora by Hering.) Triturations.
Clinical
Acne. *Adenoids. Anus, itching in. Asthma. Backache. Boils. Cancer. Cholera infantum. Cough. Constipation. Cornea, ulcers of. Crusta lactea. Crusta serpiginosa. *Debility. Diarrhoea. *Diphtheria, after-effects of. Dyspepsia. Eczema, rubrum. Enuresis. Eruptions, moist, itching. Gleet. Gonorrhoea. Gout. Haemorrhages. Haemorrhoids. Hair, dry, tangling. *Hay fever. Headache. Head, congestion of. Hernia. Hydrocele. Impotence. *Influenza. Injuries. *Itch. Itching. Leucorrhoea. Lienteria. Liver, affections of, chronic inflammation of. Melancholia, religious. Nose, redness of. *Odour of body, fetid. Ophthalmia, scrofulous. Otorrhoea, fetid. *Ozaena. Pediculosis. *Peritonitis, tubercular. Plica polonica. *Polypus. Quinsy. Sciatica. Scurvy. Skin, affections of. Spina bifida. Spleen, affections of, induration of. Sprains. Syphilis. *Throat, mucus in. Tinea capitis et faciei. Tonsils, concretions in. Ulcers.
Characteristics
As *Sulphur has been the chief remedial agent in both schools in the treatment of itch and itch-like eruptions, it is natural to find in the nosode of Psora, or constitutional itch, a close analogue of *Sulph. *Psorinum has been proved entirely in the potencies, and I know of no more trustworthy proving in the materia medica. I have frequently seen *Pso. develop some of its own symptoms in patients whom it has benefited in other ways. A man who complained of “cloudiness of mind and difficult thinking,” and who had among other symptoms, “Left foot colder than right,” received *Pso. 30. It removed these symptoms, but while under its influence these new symptoms appeared: Heavy headache across the eyebrows, greasiness of face and forehead. A woman to whom I gave *Pso. 30 complained that after each dose she had a feeling “as if something in the head were being screwed up and drawn,” one of Hahnemann’s symptoms is “Spasmodically contracting headache,” A patient who took *Pso. 500 complained that it had a “filthy taste.” From *Pso. 20M (***F. C.) I have been produced an eruption of boil-like indurations in both axillae, first (and worst) in left then in right. The general symptoms were very greatly relieved at the same time. One great mark of distinction between *Sul. and *Pso. is that the *Pso. patient is exceedingly chilly, likes to have a fur cap on in summer, while the *Sul. patient is predominating hot. ***H. C. Allen gives another: *Pso. is indicated in chronic cases when well-selected remedies fail to relieve or to permanently improve (in *acute diseases *Sul.), also when *Sul. seems indicated but fails to relieve. *Pso. is *specially suited to (1) Scrofulous, nervous, restless persons who are easily startled. (2) Psoric constitutions, lack of reaction after severe diseases. (3) Complaints of psoric origin, patients emit a disagreeable odour. (4) Pale, sickly, delicate children. (5) Peevish, unhealthy- looking children, who have a disagreeable odour about them. (6) Dirty people in whom the body has a filthy smell which no amount of washing can remove. (7) Those subject to diseases of the glands and skin, and who have had eruptions suppressed. The chief of the keynotes of *Pso. is: Lack of vital reaction, prostration after acute disease, depressed, hopeless, night-sweats. Hopelessness, despair of perfect recovery is part of the lack of reaction, emaciation and foul body odour may accompany it. “Foulness” may be considered the second keynote of *Pso. Eruptions have offensive discharges, the otorrhoea is horribly offensive. The diarrhoea (especially of cholera infantum) is profuse, watery, dark brown, and even black, and is putrid smelling like carrion. The *Medorrhinum Visitor (xi. 378) collected a number of cases illustrating the action of *Pso. (I italicize some of the characteristics): (1) ***W. A. Hawley reports a case of cholera infantum which seemed to defy every remedy. Stools very *thin and *watery, dirty greenish, smelt like carrion. Child very fretful, had no sleep for two days and nights. *Pso. 42m (Fincke), one dose in water. In two hours the child went to sleep, in four days it was well without repetition of the dose. (2) Another case of Hawley’s: Miss N., 20, had an eruption in *bends of elbows and knees, dry, scaly, with little pointed vesicles round the reddened edges, *disappeared entirely in summer and reappeared when cold weather set in, violent itching, worse *by warmth of bed or by scratching. Pso. 42m, two doses at six weeks’ interval, cured. No return the following winter. *Pso. also cured(3) Headache preceded by dimness of sight or spots before eyes (Haynel). (4) Headache and eruptions, worse during changeable weather (***W. P. Wesselhoeft). (5) Always very hungry during headaches (***W. P. W.). (6) Miss C., convalescing from typhoid fever, reported: “Stationary, no appetite,” Pso. 400 produced immediate change and ravenous appetite (***J. B. Bell). (7) Mr. P., 50, complained of nothing but weakness, no appetite, *least exertion puts him into a perspiration. Pso. 40 cured rapidly (***J. B. Bell). Mr. X., 21, was obliged one day to run till nearly exhausted. Though strong and well before he now became *weak, perspiring easily, severe pains right side, worse by coughing, laughing, and motion. Pso. 40 cured rapidly (***J. B. Bell) [I have frequently verified the action of Pso. in liver affections with pains as in the last case.] (8) *Extreme dullness, fears inflammation of brain, better by nose-bleed. Headache following darkness before eyes. Black spots before eyes. *Pso. cured (Haynel). (9) *Horribly offensive, nearly painless, *almost involuntary, dark and watery stool, only in night and most towards morning (***H. N. Martin). (10) Mr. C., 43, spare, dark. Hypochondriacal. *”Nervous” nine months. Had to give up business. Took much *Quinine and other drugs. Complains of very disagreeable feeling about the head and manifests mental *depression, thinks he will never recover, has lost all hope. Cannot apply his mind to business. Seems confused, cannot reckon. *Numbness of legs and arms, worse left side, worse going to bed, formication and crawling with prickling and smarting on scalp, and same on extremities. Tongue coated white. After three months treatment was stationary. It was then ascertained that he *sweated very easily on least exertion, and somewhat at night, and had loss of memory. *Pso. 400 soon caused improvement, and enabled ‘the patient to return to business (***J. B. Bell). ***G. A. Whippy (*Am. Hom., xxiii. 391) cured the following case with *Pso. 200, a dose every third night: Carpenter, 40, long-standing discharge of reddish cerumen from left ear, worse at night. Sensation of valve opening and shutting in left ear, worse afternoon. Buzzing in ear, which stopped suddenly and was followed by violent itching. Dull, heavy pain in base of brain in afternoon, with sensation as though skin of abdomen was greatly relaxed and drawn down. Face sallow and *greasy, several pustules on chin and neck which itch intensely and bleed when scratched. Other leading indications of *Pso. are: Sick babies will not sleep day or night, but worry, fret, cry, or good and play all day, restless, troublesome, screaming all night. Weakness from loss of fluids, after acute disease, with or without organic lesion. Whole body painful, easily sprained and injured. Great sensitiveness to cold air, change, storms, to sun, restless for days before a thunderstorm. A symptom not seldom met with in practice and useful to remember is: “Feels unusually well day before attack.” Headache better by eating, from suppressed menses, better by nose-bleed. Dry, lusterless hair, plica polonica. acne worse during menses, from fats, sugar, coffee, meat. Quinsy, throat burns, feels scalded, cutting, tearing, intense pain on swallowing, profuse, offensive saliva, tough mucus in throat, must hawk continually, tendency to quinsy. Profuse sweat after acute diseases, with better of all suffering. Skin has dirty look as if never washed. *Pso. has cured more cases of hay fever in my practice than any other single remedy. Many cases have a psoric basis, and when the basic taint is corrected the irritating agents have no effect. Nasal polypus I have also cured with *Pso. when the general symptoms indicate the remedy. *Peculiar Sensations are: As if frightened. As if he would lose his senses. As if stupid in left half of head. As if brain had not room enough in forehead. Eyes as if pressed outward. As from heavy blow on forehead. As if brain would protrude. Back of head as if sprained. Right side of occiput as if dislocated. As if piece of wood lying across back of head. As if head separated from body. As if sand in eyes. As if he heard with ears not his own. Cheek-bones as if ulcerated. Condyle of jaw as if lame. Tongue as if burnt. Teeth as if glued together. Plug in throat. Throat as if narrowing. As if intestines hanging down. Everything in chest as if raw, scratched, torn loose. Arms as if paralysed. Hip-joint as if ulcerated. Joints as if encased in armour, as if would not hold together. Hands and feet as if broken. The pains of *Pso. may be erratic and alternate (headache and toothache). The symptoms are worse by touch, pressure (of truss), rubbing, scratching, riding, bandage, blow, fall. Slight emotions causes severe ailments. (*Pso. cannot bear to have the limbs touch each other at night, or weight of arms on chest.) better When eating, worse immediately after (rush of blood to head). worse After cold drinks (pain in chest). Drinking causes cough. better Lying down (most ailments, especially of chest, but worse cough, and causes gurgling at heart). worse Lying right side (liver). worse Riding in carriage or exercising in open air, (riding ameliorates short breath). ameliorates By rest and in room. Overlifting causes thoughts to vanish. worse Walking, moving. worse Evening and before midnight, night, morning on waking. Open air worse (worse by taste, cough, itching), nose sensitive inhaling. worse Before thunderstorm (restless for days before). Winter causes cough. Summer causes diarrhoea, itching eruptions. worse During full moon (enuresis). worse Periodically.
