Natrium Arsenicosum

Cacody! (which signifies evil-smelling) is, like Cyanogen, a compound

radicle, having the formula As(CHs3)2. It was first obtained by Bunsen in 1837 as dicacodyl,

As2(CH3)4. It is a clear liquid refracting light strongly, heavier than water, of insupportably

offensive smell, its vapour being highly poisonous. Cacodylic acid, (CH3)2 AsOOH, is a

crystalline arsenic compound, soluble in water, odourless, and though containing 54.4 per cent.

of metallic arsenic, not an active poison. This acid (and more particularly its sodium salt) has

been used on the recommendation of Armand Gautier, Professor of Chemistry at the Faculty of

Medicine of Paris, as a "cure" for consumption; the non-poisonous nature of this salt enables the

• ▸patients to take it in large doses.
• ▸But it is not always harmless.
• ▸Murrell (Med.
• ▸Press, December

19, 1900) gave it in pill of one grain three times a day to a young woman, 21. Poisoning

symptoms set in suddenly after the eleventh dose: constant vomiting; tongue like a piece of raw

beef; conjunctivee inflamed; eyelids cedematous: breath of gangrenous odour; peripheral neuritis;

wrist-drop; paralysis of left leg. The odour was noticed on second day; the other symptoms came

suddenly. These are good indications for homceopaths.

Nervous restlessness.—Depressed, as if something impending.—Cannot concentrate

mind; dull, listless; forgetful.

Restless, nervous, cannot sit still without great effort—Feels tired all over;

desire to remain quiet—More susceptible to cold air, takes cold easily.—Pains show preference

for 1. leg —CEdema.—Marked emaciation; after previous increase of flesh.

Floating sensation on turning head quickly; aching in frontal region and root of nose, over orbits. Headache; worse pressure and tobacco smoke.

Vacant feeling in whole head.—Wavering, floating sensation on turning head

quickly.—Confused feeling; head heavy, dull.—Feeling of heat and fulness in whole

• ▸head.
• ▸—Severe sharp headache in forehead, above eyes, < r.
• ▸eye.
• ▸-—Numbness in forehead,

evening.—Dull aching in frontal region and root of nose; on awaking in morning; severe during

day; indisposed to study or speak.—Aching across brow over orbits and eyeballs.—Fulness in

forehead with throbbing in top of head.—Every motion jars the head.—Headache < from heat,

pressure, and tobacco-smoke.

Vision weakened; objects blur when he looks at them for a short time; eyes sensitive to

light.—Eyes soon tire and pain when reading or writing.—Feels as though he must close lids to

protect the weak eyes.—Lids disposed to close; cannot open them as wide as usual.—Stiffness of

eyeballs.—Eyeballs feel too large when closing lids over them.—Blood-vessels of balls and lids

much congested, whole orbital region swollen; cedema of orbital region.—Congestion of

conjunctiva from least exposure to cold or wind; conjunctiva dry and painful.—Eyes smart as

from wood smoke; smarting and lachrymation on going into open air.—Inner surface of lower

lids granulated—Edges chronically inflamed; morning agglutination.—Aching through and over

brows and orbits, and in temples on awaking.—Eye symptoms < in morning, > towards evening.

• ▸Catarrhal conjunctivitis and blepharitis marginalis.
• ▸Eyes feel weak, stiffness of balls and tendency of lids to close.
• ▸Feel heavy and droop.
• ▸Lachrymation in wind.
• ▸Agglutination in morning.
• ▸Dry, painful, burning; soon tire.
• ▸OEdema of orbital region.
• ▸Supraorbital pain.

• ▸Shooting pain over r.
• ▸ear, after noon.
• ▸—Hearing dull.
• ▸—Rushing noise in r.
• ▸ear

synchronous with pulse.

• ▸Watery discharge; drops into throat.
• ▸Feels stopped; pain at root.
• ▸Dry crusts, on removal, leave mucous membrane raw.
• ▸Post-nasal dropping of thick, bland, yellowish mucus.
• ▸Crusts in nose.

Smell defective or lost.—Patient feels stuffed up in nose and chest.—Nose constantly

stuffed up, < at night and in morning; must breathe at night with mouth open.—Nasal discharge

yellow, tough; hawked or drops from posterior nares.—Pieces of hardened bluish mucus flow

from nose, after which mucous membrane feels raw.—Dry crust in nose; when removed blood

follows.—Nasal mucous membrane thickened, can inhale air, but difficult to

exhale.—Compressive pain at root of nose and in forehead; catarrh.

Face flushed and hot; feels puffed——Malar bones feel large, as if swollen.—Face

swollen, cedematous; more in orbital region; < mornings on awaking.—Corners of mouth

fissured; also indurated —Muscles of mastication stiff, painful o move jaw.

Teeth and gums tender.—Tongue furred; coated yellow; deep red, corrugated,

anterior part fissured; large, moist, fissured, flabby.—Ulcer in mouth, very sore.—Mouth

watery.—Taste: insipid; clammy; pasty; bitter; sour.

Fauces dry on swallowing and on inspiration, < in morning and after a cold—Fauces

and pharynx red and glossy.—Tonsils, fauces, and pharynx purplish and cedematous; patched

with yellow mucus; diphtheria.—Uvula, tonsils, and pharynx thickened; surface irregular,

swollen, purplish-red, covered with yellowish-grey mucus, which is hawked out.—Hawks up

greyish (or white) tenacious mucus.—Constricted choking feeling in throat; as if thyroid body

compressed between thumb and finger.—Feeling as of a pin sticking in throat; or of a lump in

throat; always < in morning.

Dark, purplish, swollen, oedematous; red and glassy.

Drinks often, but little at a time; very thirsty, < by drinking. —Belching and sour

eructations.—Nausea, < from drink of cold water.—Vomits large quantities of sour water, < after

eating.—Stomach feels sore; warm things cause a sensation of burning, and can be felt entering

• ▸stomach.
• ▸—Moderate dinner lies heavy; feeling of fulness.
• ▸—Epigastrium tender.
• ▸—Sinking

sensation; with dull feeling over eyes —Hzaematemesis.

Pain from time to time shifting through bowels, > by passage of flatus or

stool.—Gas forms rapidly, > when bowels move; colic from flatus and before stool —Pain in

groins; also in Poupart's ligaments.

Alternate diarrhoea and constipation.—Stool thin, soft, dark, followed by

burning at the anus.—Yellowish, watery, copious, painless, hurries out of bed in morning;

preceded by colic, > after.

Dull aching in kidneys, with profuse urine.—Sore feeling in region of

bladder, < while urinating.—Urine copious, frequent, clear; heat precipitates phosphates; contains

some epithelial scales, casts, and fat globules.

Dull cutting in groins along Poupart's ligaments, followed by

sickening sensation in I. testicle, as after a blow; testicle very sensitive while pain

lasted.—Emission during sleep.

• ▸Racking cough, with profuse greenish expectoration.
• ▸Oppression of chest and about heart, and also larynx.
• ▸Miner's asthma.
• ▸Lungs feel as though smoke had been inhaled.

Dark slate-coloured, scanty mucus in larynx, detached with

difficulty —Oppressed or stuffed sensation all day from larynx to bottom of sternum.—Roughness

and irritation in bronchi mornings, with slight cough.—Lungs feel dry, as though smoke had been

inhaled.—Dry cough, with feeling of tightness and oppression in middle and upper third of

chest.—Chest feels full and oppressed; < during exertion and on full inspiration Sharp, quick

pain below seventh rib anteriorly.—Supra-clavicular regions sore on pressure.—Shooting pain

under r. breast; sore on pressure.

Oppression about heart on least exertion.—Pulse irregular, variable in

volume, slower than usual.

Neck stiff and sore.—Soreness at lower cervical vertebree down to joints of

and under both scapuleze.—Pain and soreness in back.—Severe pain between scapule; > moving

forward; < from inspiration.—Pain in lumbar region.

• ▸Aching in arms; worse in shoulder.
• ▸Pain in anterior crural nerves.
• ▸Joints stiff.
• ▸Feels tired all over.
• ▸Knee-joints crack.

Squamous eruption, scales thin, white, and when removed leave skin slightly

reddened; if scales remain they cause itching, < when warm from exercise.

Chilly, disposed to wrap up or get near a fire.—Skin hot and dry.—Surface cool,

covered with cold, clammy sweat.

Natrum Cacodylicum.

• ▸Cacodylate of Soda.
• ▸(CH3)2,AsONa.
• ▸Trituration.
• ▸Solution.

• ▸Compare: Ars.
• ▸, K.
• ▸ca.
• ▸(eedema about eyes and face); Apis (diphtheria with sac-like

• ▸swelling of uvula; but Apis has much pain, Nat.
• ▸ars.
• ▸has not); Ar.
• ▸t.
• ▸(diphtheria; Ar.
• ▸t.
• ▸has less

• ▸swelling and more pain); Kali b.
• ▸(tenacious mucus); Nat.
• ▸m.
• ▸(throat); Lyc.
• ▸(stopped catarrh).

Compare: Ars; Kali carb; Apis.

Third to thirtieth potency.

less, pasty, scanty^ soft, thin, watery, yellow\ Excoriation of anus.

Flatus copious and offensive. Itching of anus. Pain : burning

during and after stool ; cramping, better after stool ; cutting, during

stool and in the hypogastrium ; before stool ; soreness and stitching ;

tearing during stool ; tenesmus during stool. Urging to stool ; ineffectual ; after stool.

Sore pain in bladder relieved by urging ; urging to urinate at

night ; constant ; frequent. Urination difficult ; frecjuent ; involuntary

at night in sleep ; unsatisfactory. Burning and aching in the kidneys.

Burning in the urethra when passing urine. Urine : albuminous ;

burning ; dark ; pale ; copious at night ; clear as water ; offensive ,

scanty ; with mucus and phosphate. Specific gravity decreased ; loio.

Morning erections ; incomplete. Inflammation of glans penis,

• ▸prepuce and testes.
• ▸Stitching of the genitals, penis, scrotum.
• ▸Soreness left testis.
• ▸Seminal emissions.
• ▸Swollen penis and testes.

In the female the desire is increased. Leucorrhoea ; copious ;

offensive ; thick ; yellow. Menses : copious ; too soon ; protracted ;

scanty. Metrorrhagia. Pain in the uterus.

Dryness and constriction in the larynx ; scraping slate-colored

mucus from the larynx ; mucus is detached with difficulty ; burning

and soreness in the larynx ; roughness in larynx. The symptoms of

the larynx are worse from dust, smoke or cold air. Voice: hoarseness with coryza ; lost ; weak. Respiration is fast and deep ; miner's

asthma from coal dust ; difficult on ascending, short.

Cough : morning ; afternoon ; evening ; night ; from deep breathing ,

dry at night ; in the morning and from exertion ; dry teasing cough

all day ; exhausting ; hacking ; from Irritation in larynx and trachea ;

loose ; racking, short, spasmodic ; from tickling in larynx and trachea ;

violent ; worse in a warm room. Expectoration : morning, evening,

bloody, difficult, mucous, offensive, purulent, tasting bitter, flat,

putrid, viscid, yellow.

• ▸Anxiety and constriction of the chest.
• ▸Eruptions, pimples.
• ▸Sensation of fulness in the chest.
• ▸Hcemorrhage from the lungs.
• ▸Pneumonia and phthisis in miners from dust of coal.
• ▸Irritation in the

bronchial tubes in the morning. Oppression of chest on exertion and

deep breathing ; heart. Pain in the chest, during cough ; in the heart ;

burning, cutting below the seventh rib ; pressing ; rawness ; sore from

coughing ; stitching. Palpitation of the heart ; night ; anxious ; ascending steps ; exertion ; tumultuous. Sensation as if he had inhaled smoke.

Coldness of the back at night. Stitchiijg of the cervical region.

Pain in the back, evening ; night ; worse walking ; in the scapulae ;

between the scapulae ; on bending forward and on breathing ; in the

lumbar region when stooping and walking ; in the sacrum both when

walking and sitting ; aching in the back ; drawing pain in the back ;

NATRUM ARSNntCOSUM

sore pain in .the back ; sore pain in the sacrum when walking and

stooping ; sore pain in cervical region ; sore pain under scapulae ; sore

pain in spine on pressure. Stiffness in the cervical region, weakness

in the back.

Awkwardness of the limbs ; cold hands and feet ; cramps in calf ;

• ▸in soles.
• ▸Eruptions on limbs ; thin white scales ; vesicles.
• ▸Excoriation between the thighs.
• ▸Formication of the feet.
• ▸Heaviness, a tired

feeling in lower limbs, in feet. Itching of all the limbs. Jerking in

the lower limbs. Lameness in the limbs. Numbness in the feet.

Pain in the limbs ; in the joints, during chill ; neuralgic pain in limbs ;

RiiEUMATtc ; gouty pains ; upper limbs ; right arm rheumatic ; shouldder ; rheumatic pain in shoulder and elbow ; palms painful ; pain in

fingers. Pain in lower limbs ; sciatica worse walking ; in the hip ;

thigh when walking ; knee. Aching down front of legs ; bruised pain

in limbs from continued motion ; burning feet and soles, crampy pain

in calf ; flying pains in fingers, palms and forearms ; drawing pains

in lower limbs, thigh, knees, calf ; neuralgic pain from axilla to little

finger ; stitching pain in hip, thigh, hip to knee on motion ; knee, leg ;

tearing pains in upper limbs, in lower limbs, in thigh, legs ankles, foot.

Perspiration of hands, of feet. Pulsation of limbs. Restlessness of

the limbs, upper limbs, lower limbs, legs. Stiffness of limbs, joints^

wrists. Swelling of limbs: dropsical; legs; feet. Trembling hands;

lower limbs. Twitching upper lii^bs ; thighs. Weakness of the

limbs ; upper limbs ; hands ; lower limbs ; thighs ; legs ; ankles ; feet.

The sleep is deep. Dreams : ^morous ; anxious; frightful; of

murder ; nightmare ; pleasant ; vexa^ous ; vivid. Late falling asleep;

restless sleep. Sleepiness in the afternoon. Sleeplessness before

midnight ; after midnight ; with sleepiness. Unrefreshing sleep.

Waking early^ frequently.

Chill morning ; forenoon ; evening in bed ; in cold air ; coldness

comes on at night in bed ; chilliness, internal chill, shaking chill in the

• ▸morning ; chill at 2 a.
• ▸m.
• ▸; i p.
• ▸m.
• ▸; 2 p.
• ▸m.
• ▸; the chill is relieved in a

warm room.

Fever at night ; dry heat, flushes of heat, perspiration absent.

Perspiration : morning ; nights ; from anxiety ; in bed ; cold ; on

coughing ; on slight exertion ; following the fever ; on motion ; profuse

at night ; symptoms worse while perspiring ; aversion to uncovering

while perspiring.

Burning skin ; cold skin ; desquamation. Liver spots, red spots,

yellow skin ; dryness of the skin. Eruptions : blisters ; boils ; burning ; moist ; herpes ; itching in warmth ; painful ; pimples ; scaly ; thin

white scales ; stinging, suppurating tubercles ; urticaria ; nodules ; vesicular erysipelas, with swelling, worse after scratching ; formication of

skin ; itching, crawling, vmrse after scratching. Swelling of skin mth

Neuralgic pains occur frequently.—Joints feel stiff; pains erratic, < in joints and on 1.

side.—Lower limbs feel heavy; weary, bruised feelings.—Aching anteriorly down legs, until

• ▸restless, uneasy feeling is produced.
• ▸—Knee-joints crack.
• ▸—Shaking in tibia when walking.
• ▸—Corns

appear on bottom of each little toe.