Nitric Acid especially suited to thin persons of rigid fibre, dark complexions, black hair and eyes – the brunette rather than the blonde – nervous temperament. Persons suffering with chronic diseases who take cold easily; are easily disposed to diarrhoea; rarely to those who suffer with constipation.
Nitric Acid suits Old people with great weakness and diarrhoea. Excessive physical irritability. Pains: sticking, pricking as from splinters; suddenly appearing and disappearing; on change of temperature or weather; during sleep; gnawing here and there as from ulcers forming.
Sensation: of a band around head, around the bones (Carbolicum acidum, Sulphur); of a splinter in affected parts, ulcers, piles, throat, ingrowning toe nail, < on slightest contact. Ailments: which depend on some virulent poison; from mercury, syphilis, scrofula; in broken-down cachetic constitutions. After continual loss of sleep, long-lasting anxiety, over-exertion of mind and body from nursing the sick (Cocculus indicus); anguish from the loss of his dearest friend; indifference; tired of life; sadness before menses. Great anxiety about his disease; constantly thinking about his past troubles; morbid fear of cholera (Arsenicum); depressed and anxious in the evening. Irritable, headstrong; hateful and vindictive; inveterate, ill-willed, unmoved by apologies.
Hardness of hearing > by riding in carriage or train (Graphites). Very sensitive to rattle of wagon over paved streets; headache from pressure of hat (Calcarea phosphorica, Carbo., Nat.). Ozaena: green casts from the nose every morning. Diarrhoea: great straining but little passes, as if faeces remained and cannot be expelled (Alumina); pain as if rectum or anus were torn or fissured (Natrum mur.). violent cutting pains after stool, lasting for hours (Rat., Sulphur – during and after, Mercurius). Fissures in rectum; tearing, spasmodic pains during stools; lancinating, even after soft stools (Alumen., Nat., Rat.). Urine: scanty, dark-brown, strong-smelling, “like horse’s urine;” cold when it passes; turbid, looks like remains of a cider barrel. Ulcers: easily bleeding; in corners of mouth (Nat.); splinter-like pains, especially on contact (Hepar); zig-zag, irregular edges; base looks like raw flesh; exuberant granulations; after mercury or syphillis or both, engrafted on a scrofulous base.
Nitric Acid Discharges; thin, offensive, acrid; of a brown or dirty yellowish green color; rarely laudable pus. Haemorrhage: from bowels in typhoid or typhus (Crot., Acid Muriaticum); after miscarriage or post-partum; from over-exertion of body; bright, profuse, or dark. Cracking: in ears, on masticating; of the joints, on motion (Cocculus indicus, Graphites). Nitric Acid Warts, condylomata: sycotic or syphilitic; large, jagged, pedunculated; bleeding readily on washing; moist, oozing, sticking pain (Staphysagria, Thuja). Affects especially the mucous membrane join; mouth, nose, rectum, anus, urethra, vagina (Acid Muriaticum).
Nitric Acid Relations. – Complementary: Arsenicum, and Caladium Inimical: to, Lachesis. Resembles: Arsenicum in morbid fear of cholera. Often difficult to distinguish from Mercurius; but is adapted to black-haired people, while Mercurius is more useful in light-haired persons. Relieve ailments resulting from abuse of mercury, especially, if there be erethism; bad effects of repeated doses of Digitalis. Follows well: Calcarea, Hepar, Mercurius, Natrum carb., Pulsatilla or Thuja; but is most effective after Kali carb.
Aggravation. – Evening and at night; after midnight; contact; change of temperature or weather; during sweat; on waking; while walking.
Amelioration. – While riding in carriage (reverse of Cocculus indicus).
