Milk-sugar. Lactose. C12H22O11.
Clinical
Amblyopia. Angina pectoris. Body-odour, offensive. Diabetes. Dyspepsia. Earache. Gout. Headache. Hysteria. Labia, soreness of. Nervousness. Neuralgia. Ovaries, affections of. Over-exertion. Ptosis. Sciatica. Sighing. Stye. Umbilicus, inflammation of.
Characteristics
Hahnemann chose globules of *Saccharum lactis as the chief vehicle of his remedies, because he considered it the most inert substance he could find. But his method of attenuating remedies had shown that no substance is inert in attenuations, and experience shows that no substance is *absolutely inert in any form. H. A. Hare says of *Sac. l.: “Scientific and clinical studies have shown it to be possessed of very great diuretic powers when given in full doses.” He says further, that its direct action on the kidneys and its slight action elsewhere indicate it in renal dropsy and renal inactivity, that it acts best in cases where albuminuria is absent, and that it causes profuse diuresis in infants fed on it. I have frequently met with patients who could not take *Sac. Left either unmedicated or as a vehicle without inconvenience. One patient when taking pilules of *Sac. Left three times a day complained that they made his “eyes ache and feel weak.” One of Swan’s provers had this symptom: “Sight fails, eyes tire very easily.” Swan is the authority for *Sac. Left as a homoeopathic remedy. He has published (*Materia Medica) a full pathogenesis of *Sac. l., proved in the potencies from 30th upward, together with confirmed and cured symptoms. Eleven provers and observers contributed. I have bracketed the cured symptoms in my Schema. *Sac. Left causes sensations of both coldness and heat. One of the cold sensations is this: “Sensation of extreme cold passing in a fine line from center of pubes to a point two or three inches above.” Swan regards *cold pains as a keynote, and records this case: Mr. S. had an excessively cold neuralgic pain in cartilage of both ears, the right being the worst, with tingling as if frost-bitten, rubbing with difficulty restored the warmth. Lancinating, neuralgic pains in forehead, in occiput, extending from region above ears down through ears into muscles of neck, in both eyes, worse by least breath of air, skin sensitive to touch as in inflammatory rheumatism. These pains were *icy cold, as if produced by an extremely fine *ice-cold needle. As *Sac. Left has “fine cold pains” and pains passing in all directions, *Sac. Left 1M was given, and relieved all the pains within an hour. (*Sac. off. Has “cold expectoration.”) The symptoms are worse before a storm, in damp room or basement, morning and evening, by blue and yellow colour, exertion, mental excitement. Better By warmth of fire, by red color, after 4 p.m.
Relations
Camph. worse effects of Sac-1. *Compare: Sac. off., the Lacs. Right cheek bone, Mg. c. Roof of mouth, Mang. Ball sensation in rectum Sep worse from sound of running water. Radiating pains, Kali-bi. Kidney ache, Santal, Sac. off. Fatigue, Pic. ac., Mg-c. Heat in heart, Lachn. better Lying left side, Lil-t. worse From damp, Dulcamara Sensitiveness, K. Iodium Mg. c.
Causation
Mental excitement. Over-fatigue.
Mind
Sensation as if it were only by a great effort that she kept together. Loses her way in well-known streets. Imagines: that there is a large hole in her back just above sacrum, that her mother wants to kill her, that some one is behind her. Extremely
nervous, jumps from her seat at least unusual noise. Was taken suddenly with fear and trembling of whole body, as from fright. Longing and melancholy as if homesick, with oppressed breathing. Her heart aches as if it would burst, yet she cannot weep. Great fear of death during paroxysm of pain in heart at night. Inclined to be sarcastic and fault-finding. Cross and fault-finding, could not speak a pleasant word to any one. Hysteria in evening, laughing and crying, jumping up and lying down, but could not stand, fell to right side. Laziness.
Head
Pain about middle of right lambdoidal suture, through to same point on left side. Sharp jumping pains behind right ear. Burning like fire, and a thick feeling in a lengthwise strip of two fingers’ breadth extending from right frontal eminence to right side of vertex for fifteen minutes. Left side of head felt all drawn up. Pain in left eyebrow. Pain passing from front of left ear deep into brain. Left temple sore to touch. Sensation as of pressure on frontal bone at inner canthi of left eye, felt very sore. Sharp darting pain on left side of head from temple to occiput. Forehead feels very heavy, with a tendency to fall forward. Sharp pain in forehead passing back and forth from one temple to the other. Head aches all over top and feels drawn up. Head feels large, and as though all the blood in the body had gone into the head. Head feels confused, and as if it were tossing on a rough sea.
Eyes
Pain through right eye inwards. Severe pains in both canthi of right eye. Dryness of eyeball so that the lid would stick to it as if it wanted lubricating, preventing opening and shutting of eye or winking. Swelling of right upper lid, which increased to a large stye, the lid and all round eye being swollen and red, on third day it broke in two places and discharged copiously. Washing eyes in cold water causes a sensation as if needles were sticking into them. Eyelids feel swollen, which is not the case. Can only elevate upper lids half way. Looking at bright light dazzles and makes her close eyes, no pain. Sight fails, eyes tire very easily.
Ears
Pain in right ear and underneath it. Painfulness of right external ear (concha), with burning like an ulcer, also when touched. Pain passing from right ear to shoulder. Pain from right ear to lower part of inferior maxillary bone. Pain in left ear and sensation as if there were a gathering. Shooting pains in and behind ears and all over face. Pains in external ears and behind them. Sharp pain inside both ears. Reverberation of voice when speaking. Buzzing sound in right ear. Sensation as if she could not hear, but she could.
Nose
Pain in right (and 1.) side of nose. Pain in end of nose. Ridge of nose extremely sore, it feels sore to touch or from the least movement of facial muscles, the left side is the worst and somewhat swollen.
Face
Pain passing from corner of mouth of forepart of right axilla. Face feels as if there were one large pain that covered the whole of it. Burning in cheek-bones towards temples and lower jaw. Pain all over face, then centering in right ear. (Darting, shooting pain, centred in about middle of right cheek, extending thence up to eye, especially right inner canthus, to ear, and up into right temple, most severe at center of cheek, considerably decreasing the further it extends from the center) (Swelling of face with pain in head extending down neck and back to feet). Wretched appearance, sad expression of face, eyes look as from weeping, though she has not wept. Great pallor of face with dark places under eyes. Corners of mouth smart and burn. Symphysis menti smarts.
Mouth
Sore on left side of tongue. Tongue coated: yellow on each side, but none on middle or edges, white, yellow. Lips feel very sore and raw. Lips dry, with great thirst. Taste: putrid in mouth after eating, fine spicy taste, like fresh nuts. Thick bitter mucus in mouth during morning, food tastes fresh, as if there were no salt in it. Burning in whole mouth. Roof of mouth sore. Soreness like blisters in mouth and on tongue. (Sensation of coolness as of ice in mouth and throat.).
Throat
Sensation when swallowing as of a fish-bone in throat. Spasmodic stricture in oesophagus. Globus hystericus after lunch at noon, with dull, sick headache. Throat very sensitive to external pressure, the least pressure causes a feeling as if she were choking.
Appetite
Hungry all the time. Desire for dainties. When first getting out of bed feels faint for something to eat. After eating: feeling of distension. Great thirst, wanted large quantities of very cold water.
Stomach
Nausea like sea-sickness. Nausea does not affect appetite. Violent sickness, going on all day (agg. ***R.T.C.). Dyspepsia after eating hot pie-crust. Pressure in stomach as if she had eaten something indigestible. Heartburn, with sweet taste coming from stomach, without water brash.
Abdomen
Feeling as if ulcerated anteriorly over right short ribs, worse from touch and when stooping, slight swelling there, also all next day till towards evening. Pain about length of finger above left hip, which would come when leaning back, lasted two days, followed by severe pain in forehead. Sharp pain passing across bowels just above navel and all round body. Inflammation and soreness of lower half of navel. passing off by morning, with greenish yellow discharge, staining the clothes. Abdomen sore to touch, painful from the jar caused by walking. Pain commencing at waist and passing to top of right breast. Pain in left hypochondrium passing under left breast.
Stool and Anus
