Pure Carbonate of Lithium is triturated for use.
General Action
In a general way its action is similar to that of the other alkalies, but it is a more powerful diuretic.
Allies. The alkaline earths in general (especially Magnesia), Lycopodium
Generalities
Sticking outward in a small spot, (<) l. side, ending in burning itching. Feeling as if beaten, stiff and sore in all bones, joints and muscles. Pains here and there, (<) a spot in r. temple; (P. (<) l. side). Lax feeling in whole body, (<) knees and sacral region. Paralytic stiffness of whole body. Aggravation on l. side before menses, on r. after menses.
Clinical It is generally indicated in a gouty diathesis, with recurring attacks of acute inflammation of the small joints or of the heart. The skin of the Lithium carb. patient is very rough and dry. The lactate of Lithium carb. has been found very valuable for subacute rheumatism of the shoulder-joint.
Mind
Disposed to weep over his lonesome condition, so that he sobbed, his nose being full of water. Memory for names less retentive.
Head
Confusion, with pain in sacrum when standing. Burning sticking outwardly over r. eye. Pain in l. side of forehead, then over eyes, gradually becoming worse in forehead and extending to l. side, with nausea. Heaviness in forehead; in sinciput, (<) frontal eminences. Pain in temples; and vertex; l.; r. during slow driving, then in r. brow; in l., with earache; in l. before dinner, extending into orbit, with gnawing in stomach, the P. in orbit, (>) eating, returned after eating and was felt in r. temple, a fulness remained in temples all the afternoon. Pressure inward in temples; with pressure outward in middle of chest towards the sides, in region of fourth rib; a confusion, with pressure outward in l. abdominal ring. Tension in temples towards evening, with heaviness in forehead. Fulness in temples, with pain in r. ear; in afternoon and evening.
Stitching in l. vertex in morning; S. superiorly on r., with sensitiveness to touch. Weight upon vertex and pressing in temple, the whole head seems too large and as if seized, the pain worse in spots, causing nausea, eyes difficult to keep open, they pained as if sore from morning till noon, the headache (<) looking at anything, could not remain lying, head ached everywhere, (>) sitting and going out. Sticking burning in l. side, extending upward. Pain in l. parietal bone; superiorly in r. side of head in evening; superiorly in r. side, later on l. side. Confusion in sides. Pain in a spot in occiput.
Eyes
Pain in l.; P. inwardly above globe, above external canthus; twitching drawing P. around r., (<) above on external side and deep in orbit; as from sand, (<) l., then stitches in r.; P. during and after reading as if dry, and lids sore. Heat. Sore pain in margin of r. upper lid, a dry feeling. Cooling sensation as from salt in r. inner canthus. Pain at outer end of r. brow, gradually extending to temples and about ear; intermittent, in r. brow. On entering the house during the second day of menstruation vanishing of the r. half of whatever she looked at, or if two short words occurred in succession that on the right was invisible (compare Lycopodium), (>) eating, with pain over eyes and tension in temples as if bound, then pressure in temples, (>) during sleep at night. Blinded by sunlight in the street, on a dull day.
Clinical Asthenopia. Retinal anaemia, entire vanishing of r. half of an object, for example, of a word, with pain over the eyes. Retinal anaemia or threatening blindness; in one case the symptom occurred previous to the loss of sight in one eyes, subsequently he experienced the same symptom in the other eye and was cured by Lithium carb.
Ears and Nose
Pain in bone behind l. ear, extending to neck and farther. Obstruction of upper part of nose and of forehead in morning and forenoon. Dropping coryza; in open air, later in the room. Must blow the nose much, more mucus hangs behind (in nares) in evening.
Face
Sticking burning in r. malar-bone, extending upward.
Mouth and Throat
Molars, sticking burning extending upward in r.; pain in a l. lower late in evening; intermittent pain in r. Pain in root of a tooth (which had been sawn off), extending into r. side of face towards temple, next day after breakfast the same pain in l. side of face. Pain extending from throat into l. ear. Throat sore posteriorly on r. side, as if sore when swallowing; sensation as if T. would become sore.
Stomach
Appetite decreased, satisfied on beginning to eat (Lycopodium), no desire for wine, beer, coffee or sugar, all desire ceases when eating and drinking. Slow eructations before dinner, then pain in l. parietal bone; E. of water after drinking water. Nausea, with pain in forehead; easily nauseated when driving before meals.
Sticking burning extending upward in epigastrium. Gnawing in forenoon, increased almost to vomiturition, (<) about dinner-time. yet she ate without repugnance; G. before meals, (<) before dinner, (>) eating, with pain in l. temple extending into orbits. Fulness in pit before breakfast, she could not endure the pressure of the clothes upon it, pressure with the hand would have made her vomit. Painless, tensive pressure in a spot towards right of and below and behind epigastrium. Sensation after supper as if a heavy hard body were in it. Restlessness towards evening till sleep, with pain and heaviness over brow.
Abdomen
Distention from wind at noon, and from 3 to 10 P.M. frequent discharges of offensive flatus. Putrid-smelling flatus. Pain in forenoon; P. waking her, then diarrhoea, which was repeated now and then next day. Pressure in region of liver.
Anus and Stool
Sudden itching in A. Sticking outward and downward in perineal region when walking. Diarrhoea in morning after chocolate; after fruit; offensive, at night. A second stool after breakfast. Stool omitted, next day hard at first, then soft and bright yellow (had eaten eggs in bread-soup).
Urinary Organs
Pain in bladder; flatulent, on r. side of B. region; horizontally in upper region; fugitive, in lower part of B. region, towards the right, before urinating, after urinating pain extended into spermatic cords, (<) l. Tenesmus in morning, then copious, clear, frothy urine; T. and before and after micturition Lithium-pains in region of neck of bladder and in other parts of urinary organs, the same pain in region of neck of bladder, on r. side; sudden T., urine dark yellowish, more scanty than usually follows such tenesmus with him, afterwards sensitiveness and pain in middle of urethra. Urine red. Urine scanty; and dark, acrid, micturition difficult; the two to three ounces in the forenoon are turbid and form a scanty flocculent deposit. Dark reddish- brown sediment after diarrhoea.
Clinical Inflammation of the prostate, with pink sediment in the urine. It has proved curative in some cases of albuminuria, with dysuria at times, very acid dyspepsia, almost constant desire to urinate and great debility, the acidity of the stomach being the most marked indication (Mag.c.).
Sexual Organs
Twitching stitches passing forward and across pubis hither and thither like lightning, leaving an enduring pain. Twitching to and fro in seminal cords and vesical region. Lithium-pains on r. side and at root of penis at 8 P.M., throbbing stitches when sitting. Menses ceased too soon and suddenly; M. late and less in quantity.
Respiratory Organs
Paroxysmal and exhausting cough without expectoration when lying, from irritation in a spot posteriorly and low in throat, compelling him to sit up. Expectoration of thick masses of mucus from choanae and fauces, (<) morning and forenoon.
Chest
Pressure in middle in afternoon. Constriction on going out after breakfast, then hawking of much mucus coming from middle of sternum. Shuddering running over anterior surface of body like a drawing together, afterwards S. starting from other regions.
Heart
Sticking twitching. Sudden jerks. Pain; in morning on bending forward over bed; in morning on rising to urinate, (>) micturition.
Clinical It has been found valuable in chronic rheumatic endocarditis, with soreness in region of heart, especially (<) stooping; this chronic rheumatic inflammation of the heart is generally associated with chronic inflammation of the finger-joints.
Back
Soreness on r. side near spine at night, changing to pain in sacrum, (>) rising; S. in a spot on r. side near spine, below loins, from rising in morning till bed-time, with sensitiveness to touch. Sacrum, sticking outward and downward; pain in region; pressure as with a dull point here and there internally as if near bone, in evening, (<) l. side; weakness in afternoon, when writing, standing at a high desk.
Extremities
Pains externally in l. shin, then in l. hand. Pain in r. shoulder-joint near insertion of pectoralis major, at margin of muscle. Pain in metacarpal bone of l. little finger in evening. Burning sticking in ball of l. thumb. Lithium-pains in l. middle finger (which was chafed) coming from other parts towards this spot. Twitching pain as if in or upon bones of r., then l. fingers, (<) l. second and third fingers, internally from the hand towards the extremities, throbbing twitching, (<) during repose, (>) pressure and motion. Pain along middle finger towards extremity, then in l. metacarpus in an outward direction, with burning stitches as if it would itch, (<) ball of thumb, the burning sticking in jerks outward and ending in itching seems characteristic.
Born in 1837in Westminster, Vermont. . He was an orthodox doctor who converted to homeopathy
Dr. Allen compiled the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica over the course of 10 years.
In 1881 Allen published A Critical Revision of the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica.