Antidote. — Camphor
Duration of Action. — One month
Mental Symptoms. — The most important are: Intolerable melancholy and apprehension, depressed and extremely despondent mood , great timidity, weakness of memory, hypochondriac.
Case 1. A young man, after a year’s hard study, found his memory gradually failing, experienced an inaptitude for meditation or hard work, difficulty of conception or of combining ideas when listening or reading, figures and diagrams were void of expression to him, and seemed enveloped in a mist. Natrum carb. 30 a dose every week cured promptly. – Dr. Dulac
Vertigo. — The following forms yield to this remedy: Vertigo after intellectual labor, vertigo when working in the sun, vertigo aggravated by rest and ameliorated by exercise in the open air.
Coup de Soleil. — Natrum carbonicum — Useful for the sequelae. Inability to think, head feels stupefied and aches when in the sun, dazzling flashes or black spots before the eyes, dimness of sight, palpitation of heart, trembling of hands , debility from least exertion , restless, unrefreshing sleep , profuse sweat from every exertion.
Cephalalgia. — There is one form of headache to which this remedy seems particularly applicable, viz., headache in sad, despondent persons, with stitches in various parts of the head and through the eyes and dull, stupefying pressure in the forehead in any position of the body. The pain is aggravated by mental labor, reading, etc., by working under gas-light or working in the sun, and is frequently accompanied with vertigo. Dr. H. Y. Miller reports a case (Hahn. Month., vol. II, p. 16) cured in a few hours by this medicine.
Case 3. Man about twenty-six years of age, nervous temperament , had frequent headache , his occupation in close room near roof made it worse, also aggravated by being in the sun , pain mostly in forehead, although occasionally in vertex, confusion and inability to think accompanied attack. Nux vomica somewhat ameliorated, and Natrum carh. 30 cured. Dr. G. M. Ockford.
Ulceration of the Cornea. — It may be given for small ulcers about the cornea with stinging or needle-like stitches in the eye, so that he is obliged to shade it from the light , heaviness of the upper lids , can hardly open them , sensation as of a hair in the eye.
Deafness. — It has been recommended for loss of hearing, and has
proved curative.
Coryza. — Natrum carbonicum proves curative for the following symptoms: Stoppage of the nose, or discharge of thin mucus, changing after a time to thick green mucus, or becoming yellow-greenish and offensive , ulceration high up in the nose , violent sneezing with rush of blood to the head, and white stars before the eyes, chilliness over the whole body, slight thirst , much nasal mucus passes through the mouth , aggravation from the least current of air.
Case 4. Violent sneezing, profuse discharge of rather thin white mucus, brought on by exposure to the slightest draft of air, or when removing an article of clothing, loss of smell and taste. Natr. carb. 200, cured. Dr. A. K. Hills.
Cases. T., aged thirty-five, takes cold frequently and easily; it commences with violent sneezing, rush of blood to head, and a thin excoriating discharge. Arsen. 30 or 200 usually relieves, but not for several days. The last attack, gave him Natr. carh. 200, and he recovered in two days and has not had another cold since, over one year. – Hoyne.
Chronic Catatrh. — Natrum carbonic-um should be thought of when there is troublesome stoppage of the nose every night, with discharge from time to time of hard, fetid clots, sleeps with mouth open, much nasal mucus passes through the mouth, dropping from the posterior nares into the throat, thick, yellow-green, musty-smelling discharge.
Case 7. Lady aged forty, music-teacher, got a thorough wetting, and since then her skin, which formerly perspired easily, became perfectly dry , her chief trouble was a chronic coryza, with a profuse discharge and a disagreeable influence on her voice. Sulph. aggravated every symptom. Sach. lac. was not followed by any improvement. Natrum. carb. cured completely. – Hirsch in Prag.
Chronic Catarrhal Inflammation of the Mouth and Fauces. — Natrum carbonicum proves useful when there is slight redness of the mucous membrane with continual sensation of rawness and scraping , diminished secretion with constant desire to hawk and hem , collection of mucus during the night which is hawked up in the morning , painfulness of the throat on swallowing and gaping.
This drug has been employed when there is pressing pain, and a round, hard swelling on the upper right part of the gland.
Coughs.— It proves curative in coughs which come on upon going into a warm room, particularly after the failure of Bryonia. Violent hawking up of thick mucus which soon collects again.
Case 8. Mrs. K., large, leucophlegmatic, aged forty, burning soreness in right mid-chest, cough causing no pain, loose but no expectoration, coldness between scapulae constantly, seems unable to give any exact voluntary statement, pain in right rhomboid muscle when sewing or exercising, and in damp weather, moves to opposite side sometimes. Natrum. carb. 1600, three doses cured. – Dr. J. C. Morgan.
Phthisis— In the early stages of the disease it has proved serviceable, particularly for the characteristic cough which comes on upon entering a warm room , the skin of the whole body is dry and rough.
Heart Disease. — We find the carbonate of soda valuable, when the patient cannot lie upon the left side, on account of palpitation. If during sleep he turns upon the left side, the palpitation of the heart wakens him, palpitation on going up stairs, with sharp stitches in the precordial region.
Meteorismus – caused by vegetables, particularly when unripe, is well met by this remedy.
Dyspepsia. — Dr. Bayes says, “In one form of dyspepsia I have seen Natrum carbonicum very serviceable, the tongue is red, and the mucous surface smooth and shining , there is a burning pain and tension from the pit of the stomach through to between the scapula, a sense of contraction at the pit of the stomach, often with colicky pains soon after eating, with mucous relaxation of the bowels. All these symptoms point to a condition of irritation of the whole mucous membrane from the mouth to the anus, and in severe cases this even amounts to subacute inflammation. I have seen these pains, and a distressed condition of the patient which accompanies them, very rapidly relieved by the 3d or 6th dilution of Natrum carbonicum.”
Proctitis. — Raue suggests its administration when there is tenesmus in the rectum and bladder at the same time.
Diarrhoea, Dysentery — Nat. carbonicum, although not often indicated in these affections, is sometimes indispensable. The stools are expelled with a gush, are liquid, yellow, mucous, or tinged with blood and accompanied with tenesmus and burning at the anus, aggravation after taking milk or eating. For the opposite condition,
Constipation. — It is more useful, particularly in sad, despondent and hypochondriac persons who have frequent urging, but insufficient stool with tenesmus , and “ burning in the eyes and urethra, with great sexual excitement.”
Case 9. L. aged forty-five, diarrhoea for ten days, but slightly benefitted by Sulph 200, and later Phosphorus Watery diarrhoea, gray, oftener during the day, worse after eating, the discharge passing with a gush , before stool, cutting pains in upper part of abdomen , the desire to stool very sudden , after stool, burning and soreness in anus and rectum, which were worse in the evening and during the forepart of the night , great weakness, sensation of sinking in the lower part of the abdomen and frequent perspiration. Natrum. carb. 200, one dose cured. – Dr. A. Lippe
Peritonitis. — Raue advises its administration when there are “ stitching and itching pains , predominating coldness of the lower extremities, kind of numb and stiff feeling in the affected parts, as if they were made of wood.”
Genital Organs. — Its action on these organs is well marked, and is frequently indicated for weakness of the parts from excessive sexual indulgence. It also appears to cure sterility, particularly in those women who always have a discharge of mucus from the va-gina after an embrace, at least, we can truthfully say that Natrum carbonicum stops this discharge and conception soon takes place.
Leucorrhoea. — Here it is valuable for thick, heavy leucorrhoeal discharge, yellowish discharge, putrid leucorrhoea, ceasing after urination, or going off with a copious flow of urine , profuse leucorrhoea after frequent attacks of colic; women in whom the menses are too early, and who are troubled with induration of the os uteri. The urine is like well-water, and when she has to go often, pain mostly in right leg, which feels as though the veins were bruised.
Cancer — Dr. Eaue gives the following indications for its use in cancer of the uterus: “ Induration of the neck of the womb , the os uteri is out of shape , pressing in the hypogastrium toward the genital organs, as if everything would come out, metrorrhagia, putrid leucorrhcea, headache in the sun and from mental labor, she gets nervous from playing on the piano, and feels great anxiety during a thunder-storm .”
Menorrhagia. — Natrum carbonicum is the remedy when the menses are too early and last too long, in women with induration of the os uteri, particularly when the symptoms are aggravated by a thunder- storm.
Dysmenorrhoea.—The following indications:
“Pressing in the hypogastrium toward the genitals as if everything would issue from the abdomen , menses preceded by drawing in the nape of the neck and headache , during the menses, tearing headache, painful distension of the abdomen in the morning, relieved by diarrhoea. Tearing and bruised pain in right hip.”
Disorders of Pregnancy, when accompanied with copious urine, are well met by this drug. The urine is like well-water, and when she has to go often, pain mostly in the right leg, which feels as though the veins were bruised.
Debility. — Dr. J. C. Morgan says: “All alkalies, alkaline earths, and their congeners, I consider indicated by milky or watery whiteness of the skin. A number of cases of pallid ansemia with great debility after exhausting disease of the chest or abdomen, with aggravation before midnight, and with the watery or milky whiteness referred to, have been greatly improved, strengthened, and the complexion rapidly reddened by Kali carb., Carb. veg., etc. Natrum carbonicum has acted likewise when there was no previous exhaustion from disease, but instead, original inertia and phlegmatic state existed.”
Case 10. (Debility.) Girl aged 11, has seemed for some time to be pining without visible disease. Listless, weak, no appetite, severe pains in legs at night, only relieved by dry rubbing with the mother’s hand. Natrum. carh. 200 soon removed the pain and improved the general condition. – Dr. Jas. B. Bell
Case 11. Dr. Bute cured the following symptoms with this drug, squeaking sensation at the root of the nose, constant fear and forebodings , when walking in the open air a sensation as if the leg were pierced by a knife and blood were dripping down the leg, lightening and flickering before the closed eyes at night, the joints give way, constant stumbling.
8kin Diseases. — Natrum carhonicum has proved curative in herpes, spreading and suppurating, situated about the nose and mouth, skin of the whole body dry, rough, and chapped. Pimples on the face, nose and lips, or ulcers on these parts, with burning, shooting pains. Warts, freckles, vesicles, itching as from fleas , aggravation in the sun , from smoking, and during a thunder-storm.
Leprosy. — Dr. C F. Nichols reports a case of leprosy {N. E. Medorrhinum Gazette, April, 1873) greatly benefited by Natrum. carh. 200.
Dr. Ozanam recommends it in Elephantiasis for spots and tubercles on the nose, arms, thighs, legs, stubborn ulcers, ulcerated nostrils and heels.
Bad Effects of Wine. — Natrum carbonicum is one of our most important remedies for all bad effects from drinking wine.
Excerpted from: Clinical Therapeutics Vol II Temple S. Hoyne, A. M., M. D. 1880.
