Pure precipitated lead is triturated with sugar of milk.
General Action
It produces general interstitial inflammation characterized by proliferation of connective tissue (nerve, muscle and parenchyma of organs). The most striking effects of lead appear to originate from its action on the spinal cord and the nerves proceeding from it, namely, colic with violent contraction of the intestines and abdominal parietes; obstinate constipation. Paralysis, attacking chiefly the flexors of the extremities and finally becoming general; terrific pains in the extremities. The brain degenerates, epilepsy, various disturbances of the mental powers, even imbecility, result. Various organs undergo degeneration (sclerosis), kidney, heart, liver, etc.
Allies. Thall., Cuprum, Zincum met., Ferrum, Phosphorus, Arsenicum; Lycopodium, Opium, Conium, Colchicum, Ledum, etc.
Generalities
Emaciation; looking ten years older than he was; and if places upright he fell over, no control over flexors and extensors of limbs, (<) upper; of the paralyzed parts, their shrivelled, dingy yellow skin seems loosened from the flabby muscles, hands blue and infiltrated. Anaemia; and condition analogous to paralysis agitans. Jaundice. Consumption. Great mortality among children. Ganglion. Secretion diminished. Anasarca.
Lies upon his back; with limbs relaxed and powerless; on side doubled up; on r. side, with legs flexed upon thighs and these upon abdomen; on side when quite, generally on l., with thighs pressing against abdomen. Constant change of position; doubles himself up, but avoids lying on abdomen, pressure on latter aggravates. Sometimes with his head almost on the floor, feet tangled in bed-clothes, he keeps up a rocking movement. Fell back without consciousness. Blood-corpuscles diminished in number; but increased in size; abnormal number of white globules in blood. Serum of blood shows a yellow reflection. Muscles flabby and soft; F. and pale. Mucous membranes pale; of waxen hue.
Trembling; of limbs and face; (<) evening, when he is fatigued; (<) fatigue or excitement, and in the latter case it extended to lower limbs; (<) excessive drinking; sudden, (<) arms. Cramps; in various parts, (<) hands and feet those parts were first moved after rest; (<) behind knee, when walking or even standing still,(>) pressure, increased motion and cold compresses, with lancinations and sleeplessness; painful, in paralyzed muscles.
Often puts hands to head, with convulsive movements of eyes, hands and feet. Spasmodic shocks shoot like lightning over face and limbs. Twitchings; of limbs and body; epileptiform, in all parts, them paralysis. Spasmodic flexion of arm and r. leg, with automatic movements of eyes hands and feet. Spasmodic contraction of flexors adductors, legs forcibly flexed on thighs and thighs on abdomen, sometimes one leg is drawn over the other, impossible to raise arms from chest, forearms and wrists forcibly flexed, head drawn down to chest and to one side, head occasionally jerked from side to side, with consciousness, but inability to articulate, involuntary groans, pain, rectus abdominis hard and prominent, muscles attached to ribs contract so forcibly as to draw them in and he often cries out they are breaking afterwards prostration.
Convulsions
of particular muscles; with unconsciousness; with cold, clammy sweat; then coma, of limbs, then general stiffness, he fell to the ground, with consciousness, but inability to answer, afterwards weakness; clonic and tonic; clonic, with involuntary micturition, preceded by a cry, pallor, then redness, sweat after the spasms; tonic, in arms, fingers, legs, abdomen and chest, sudden, tonic (<) face, neck, trunk and limbs, at the same time head was drawn towards l. side, shoulder drawn up, l. arm and l. foot stretched out so violently that joints creaked, closed and l. corner of mouth drawn downward, l. cartilage of nose drawn to l. side, the attack generally lasted two minutes and ceased suddenly, the clonic C. affected only face and usually occurred after the atonic C.; tetanic; tetanic, then prickings in hands, forearm, lower limb, then stiffness of limbs and convulsive clenching of jaws; sudden, with heavy breathing, eye balls distorted, body and arms flexed spasmodically, scanty ejection of saliva ended many attacks; sudden, limbs alternately flexed and extended, body shaken, head bent backward, sensation lost, face injected, coma between convulsions; head suddenly inclines forcibly to r., limbs stretched out stiff and convulsed, also face which turns blue, eyes wide open and rolled upward, pupils dilated, shocks over whole body, bloody froth from mouth, beats of heart and pulse tumultuous and strong, afterwards threatened with suffocation, inspirations deep and difficult, the dark red face become pale, only whites of the half-open eyes are visible, body cold, motionless, sleeps a little, pulse 140 and small, wakes, eyes fixed, countenance dull, ill humored, will hardly answer, turns on l. side and sleep; formication from r. thumb and index to shoulder, with pricking, at the same time fingers flexed into palm and covering thumbs, forearm flexed and held in forced pronation, wrists flexed, clonic spasm of whole limbs, r. hand and arm red from stagnation of blood, with his l. hand he supported his r. forearm, which tended to approach trunk, head shook and was inclined to l., spasms of eyes, circular movement of lower jaw, mind not affected, but unable to speak afterwards numbness of r. hand.
Epilepsy
face pale, then E. without a cry, clonic convulsion of diaphragm and larynx; in bed, one quick, loud cry, tetanic rigidity of neck and limbs, pallor, unconsciousness, respiration ceases for a moment, face blue, congested spots on forehead and face, facial spasms, clonic convulsions (movements concentric), bloody, whitish foam at mouth, then paralysis of limbs, coma with stertorous breathing, roused to half consciousness, drowsiness; fell down with a cry, pallor, stiffness, then contraction, involuntary micturition, afterwards prostration; tongue swollen, protruded and bitten; with biting of tongue, then frequent coma, delirium more generally after them before the epilepsy, pupils dilated; with unconsciousness, convulsions of limbs, tetanic stiffness of head and body, face livid, distorted, stertor, foam at mouth, spasms of eyeballs, then coma, he lay motionless, with half-closed eyes and open mouth, grunting and automatic movements of limbs; muscular contraction began in abdomen, extended to throat, jaws closed so violently that a tooth was dislodged, eyes rolled upward, lastly limbs affected, motionless for hour after the convulsions, then restless and talked incoherently, three more convulsions, each lasting about a minute, all preceded by dark vomiting and followed by symptoms similar to those after the first fit; Sudden, with unconsciousness, pallor, stertor, prolonged inspiration, pulse 112, arms and hands forcibly extended, pronated and convulsed. Epileptiform spasms; one-sided, with twitchings of face, then general epilepsy, with stertor and unconsciousness. (Compare Calcarea c.)
Opisthotonos; with uraemic convulsions, distortions of eyes, unconsciousness, puffy face, then slow respiration, pulse 36; and sometimes emprosthotonos and pleurothotonos.
Hysteria; with loud groans, sighs and weeping symptoms resembling H., irritability, restlessness, after useless efforts to find an easy position they fell back in bed exhausted, with pain, respiration hurried, heart’s action painful and violent, with tears, groans and sighs, often coincident with abatement of the suffering.
Shooting through body; superficial, in several parts in knees, popliteal spaces, calves, soles, bends of elbows, metacarpi and temples worse by paroxysms, (>) pressure, with great sensibility, (<) popliteal spaces and calves. Tearing; in r. jaw near chin, after rubbing it extends into r. lower ribs, then in the former place and corresponding teeth, later deep breathing causes sticking below r. Scapula, then sticking in upper part of r. scapula; through limbs, back and walls of chest (during colic), worse in lower limbs, especially knees, forepart of thighs and in soles, worse at intervals, (>) pressure, (<) movement, but he assumes all sorts of positions. Boring; in r. upper arm, with tearing in r. lower teeth, later with sticking in scapula. Feeling as if bones were gnawed. Myalgia.
Pain in whole body; in trunk and limbs; in bones; cranial and other flat bones; l. side; lower part of body; muscles and joints, (<) r. side; neck, walls of chest, back and loins, shoulders, neck, face and head; knees, ankles, arms and in tendon of pectoralis muscle; at night, with convulsions, delirium and copious stool; everywhere on motion; in joints and muscles on movement; (<) night; (<) motion, but he constantly seeks relief by change of position; in joints, (<) of lumbar vertebrae and of shoulders, (<) movement and pressure and especially pressing together the bones which belong to a joint, (>) rest, joints of fingers, toes and jaws almost painless; (<) cold, forced movement and pressure; except when still in bed; (>) pressure.
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.