Plumbum

P/umb. iod. is used in old-school practice as an external application in cases of

enlarged glands, chronic ulcers, and porrigo capitis. It has also been given internally for enlarged

glands and chronic enlargement of the spleen. Hansen mentions "arterio-sclerosis; atrophic;

• ▸pellagra; paralyses," as conditions relieved by it.
• ▸A combination of Plumb.
• ▸and Jod.
• ▸indications

will be the chief guide.

• ▸Mental depression. Fear of being assassinated.
• ▸Quiet melancholy.
• ▸Slow perception; loss of memory; amnesic aphasia.
• ▸Hallucinations and delusions.
• ▸Intellectual apathy.
• ▸Memory impaired (Anac; Baryta).
• ▸Paretic dementia.

Apathetic, but when questioned knew what was going on around.—Apathetic, almost

soporous.

Frequent convulsions, during which face becomes livid.—Frequent

• ▸screaming.
• ▸—Convulsions with terrible pains.
• ▸—Prostration.
• ▸—Restlessness.

• ▸Delirium alternating with colic.
• ▸Pain as if a ball rose from throat to brain.
• ▸Hair very dry.
• ▸Tinnitus (Chin; Nat salic; Carbon sulph).

Headache with ringing in ears, pains in chest, loss of appetite, inclination to vomit.

• ▸Pupils contracted.
• ▸Yellow.
• ▸Optic nerve inflamed.
• ▸Intraocular, suppurative inflammation.
• ▸Glaucoma, especially if secondary to spinal lesion.
• ▸Optic neuritis, central scotoma.
• ▸Sudden loss of sight after fainting.

Coldness of nose.—Erysipelatous inflammation of nose.—Red, purulent vesicles in

• ▸nasal angles.
• ▸—Fetid smell in nose.
• ▸—Loss of smell.
• ▸—Obstruction of nose.
• ▸—Accumulation of

tenacious mucus in nostrils, which can only be expelled by way of the nasal fossze.—Fluent

coryza, with discharge of serous mucus.

• ▸Pale and cachetic.
• ▸Yellow, corpse-like; cheeks sunken.
• ▸Skin of face greasy, shiny.
• ▸Tremor of naso-labial muscles.

• ▸Face pale.
• ▸—Face red and hot.
• ▸—Face livid during convulsions.
• ▸—Expression of most

profound prostration.—Lips violet—Lips dry.—Jaws firmly closed.

Gums swollen, pale; distinct blue lines along margins of gums. Tongue tremulous, red on margin. Cannot put it out, seems paralyzed.

Tearing, jerking pains in teeth, < by cold things.—Teeth coated with yellow

slime.—The teeth become black.—Fetid, hollow, carious teeth, which break off in

notches.—Looseness and falling out of teeth Grinding of teeth—Gums pale and swollen;

purple-coloured thin border on gums nearest teeth —Painful and hard nodosities on gums.

• ▸Contraction in oesophagus and stomach; pressure and tightness.
• ▸Gastralgia.
• ▸Constant vomiting.
• ▸Solids cannot be swallowed.

Sweetish, bitter, metallic, or horribly offensive taste—Sulphurous, acid taste in

• ▸bottom of throat.
• ▸—Violent thirst, esp.
• ▸for cold water—Anorexia.
• ▸—Violent hunger, even shortly

after a meal.—Great desire for bread and fried things, cakes, rye bread, tobacco.

Appetite lost.—Great thirst —Nausea and vomiting.—Softening of coats of

stomach.—Pain in epigastric region.

• ▸Excessive colic, radiating to all parts of body. Abdominal wall feels drawn by a string to spine.
• ▸Pain causes desire to stretch.
• ▸Intussusception; strangulated hernia.
• ▸Abdomen retracted.
• ▸Obstructed flatus, with intense colic.
• ▸Colic alternates with delirium and pain in atrophied limbs.

Abdomen hard and forcibly retracted —Pain in umbilical region.—Violent

cramps in abdomen with constipation.

• ▸Constipation; stools hard, lumpy, black with urging and spasm of anus.
• ▸Obstructed evacuation from impaction of feces (Plat).
• ▸Neuralgia of rectum.
• ▸Anus drawn up with constriction.

Violent diarrhoea.—Y ellow diarrhcea—Constipation with yellow

feeces.—Constipation.

Retention of urine.—Difficult emission of urine, only drop by drop, dark

coloured, scanty, albuminous.—Tenesmus of bladder——More frequent and more copious emission

of urine.—Watery, or reddish, fiery, turbid, and sometimes thick urine; sediment consisting of red

blood-corpuscles and cylinders; all the symptoms of acute nephritis; with amaurosis and cerebral

symptoms.—Discharge of blood from urethra—Diabetes.

• ▸Frequent, ineffectual tenesmus.
• ▸Albuminous; low specific gravity.
• ▸Chronic interstitial nephritis, with great pain in abdomen.
• ▸Urine scanty.
• ▸Tenesmus of bladder.
• ▸Emission drop by drop.

• ▸Vaginismus, with emaciation and constipation.
• ▸Induration of mammary glands.
• ▸Vulva and vagina hypersensitive.
• ▸Stitches and burning pains in breasts (Apis; Con; Carb an; Sil).
• ▸Tendency to abortion.
• ▸Menorrhagia with sensation of string pulling from abdomen to back.
• ▸Disposition to yawn and stretch.

Retarded menstruation —Amenorrheea, chloro-

• ▸anzemia.
• ▸—Nymphomania.
• ▸—Wants to stretch limbs during ovarian pains.
• ▸—Spasmodic

dysmenorrhoea.—Cessation of menses on invasion of colic; may reappear after paroxysm, or not

again until next period —Metrorrhagia with sensation of strong pulling from abdomen to back;

during climacteric, dark clots alternating with fluid blood or bloody serum.—Strangulation of

prolapsed portion of vagina, intense pain.—Mucous discharge per vaginam.—Feels a lack of room

for foetus in uterus; inability of uterus to expand; threatened abortion.—During pregnancy cannot

pass urine, from lack of sensation; or from paralysis.—Puerperal eclampsia;

albuminuria.—Pulling, tearing, contractive pains in breasts, uterus, and vagina, with or without

colic; the breasts become momentarily harder, or with the colic they become smaller.—Induration

• ▸and inflammation of breasts.
• ▸—Leucorrhoea.
• ▸—Miscarriage.
• ▸—Vaginismus.
• ▸—Hyperesthesia of

genitals—Obstructed bowels during pregnancy.—Milk scanty and watery.

Loss of sexual power. Testicles drawn up, feel constricted.

Swelling and inflammation of genital organs (of penis and

scrotum).—Contraction and constriction in testes, with jerking in spermatic cord.—Retraction of

testes.—Excoriation of scrotum.—Sexual desire excessively increased, with frequent erections

and pollutions.—Loss of sexual desire.—Insufficient emission of semen during

coition.—(Impotence.)

Cardiac weakness. Pulse soft and small, dichrotic. Wiry pulse, camp-like constriction of peripheral arteries.

Spinal cord sclerosed. Lightning-like pains; temporarily better by pressure. Paralysis of lower extremities.

Tension in nape of neck, extending into ear on moving head.—Tearings

and shootings in loins, in back, and between shoulder-blades.—Distortion of spine.—Itching on

coccyx above anus, going off when scratched.

Convulsive movements of arms and hands, with pain in joints.—Drawing

and tearing in arms and fingers.—Wrist-drop—Weakness and painful paralysis of arms and

hands.—Dilatation of veins on back of hands, arms, and calves.—Ganglion on back of

• ▸hands.
• ▸—Wens on hands.
• ▸—Difficulty in moving fingers.
• ▸—Red and swollen spots on fingers.

Drawing in hip-joints when lying down.—Painful sensation of paralysis in

• ▸hip-joints, and in those of hands and feet, esp.
• ▸on going up stairs.
• ▸—Violent pains in limbs, esp.
• ▸in

muscular parts of thighs; < evening and night.—Sciatica; walking causes great exhaustion; with

consecutive atrophy.—Cramp in calves, < at night.—Paralysis of thighs and feet—Numbness

• ▸outer side r.
• ▸thigh from hip to knee.
• ▸-—Numbness of legs and feet.
• ▸—Tearings and shootings in

thighs and knees.—Sensation of numbness in feet, with difficulty in putting them to the

• ▸ground.
• ▸—Cramps in soles of feet.
• ▸—Swelling of feet —Fetid sweat on feet.
• ▸—Distortion of

toes.—Pain in great toe at night.—Ingrowing toenails.

• ▸Paralysis of single muscles.
• ▸Cannot raise or lift anything with the hand.
• ▸Extension is difficult.
• ▸Paralysis from overexertion of the extensor muscles in piano players (Curare).
• ▸Pains in muscles of thighs; come in paroxysms.
• ▸Wrist-drop.
• ▸Cramps in calves.
• ▸Stinging and tearing in limbs, also twitching and tingling, numbness, pain or tremor.
• ▸Paralysis.
• ▸Feet swollen.
• ▸Pain in atrophied limbs alternates with colic.
• ▸Loss of patellar reflex.
• ▸Hands and feet cold.
• ▸Pain in

right big toe at night, very sensitive to touch.

• ▸Yellow, dark-brown liver spots.
• ▸Jaundice.
• ▸Dry.
• ▸Dilated veins of forearms and legs.

Whole body hot.

Plumbum Iodatum.

• ▸Iodide of Lead.
• ▸Plumbic Iodide.
• ▸Pbl2.
• ▸Trituration.

• ▸Arterio-sclerosis.
• ▸Atrophic¢.
• ▸Crusta lactea.
• ▸Glands, enlarged.
• ▸Paralysis.
• ▸Pellagra.

• ▸Scrofula.
• ▸Spleen, enlargement of.
• ▸Tonsils enlarged.
• ▸Ulcers.

Antidoted by: Sulphuric acid, diluted, taken as a lemonade, is one of the best

• ▸antidotes to the chronic effects of lead; Alcohol is a preventive; Alumen, Alumina, Ars.
• ▸, Ant.
• ▸c.
• ▸,

• ▸Ben.
• ▸, Coccul.
• ▸, Hep.
• ▸, Kreos.
• ▸, Nux, Op.
• ▸, Petrol.
• ▸, Plat.
• ▸, Piperaz.
• ▸, Zn.
• ▸(Teste, who classes Plumb.

• ▸with Merc.
• ▸and Ars.
• ▸, says A:thus cyn.
• ▸is the best antidote in his experience; he names also Hyo.
• ▸,

• ▸Plect.
• ▸, Strm.
• ▸, and Electric.
• ▸) /t antidotes: Bad effects of long abuse of vinegar.
• ▸Compatible: Ars.
• ▸,

• ▸Bell.
• ▸, Lyc.
• ▸, Merc.
• ▸, Phos.
• ▸, Pul.
• ▸, Sil.
• ▸, Sul.
• ▸Compare: Constipation, inertia, hard black balls, Op.

• ▸(Plumb.
• ▸has also some spasmodic constriction at anus).
• ▸Delirium, bites and strikes, Bell.
• ▸(Plumb.

has tremors of head and hands; yellow mucus about teeth; colic alternating with delirtum). Head

• ▸and abdominal symptoms alternating, Pod.
• ▸Brain softening, Zn.
• ▸(Plumb.
• ▸has pain in atrophied

• ▸limbs alternating with colic), Vanad.
• ▸Constipation from inertia, vaginismus, Plat.
• ▸(Plat.
• ▸> these

• ▸conditions of Plumb.
• ▸).
• ▸Irritable piles with drawn-up sensation at anus, Lach.
• ▸Peritonitis with

• ▸retracted abdomen, Euphb.
• ▸Head turns to right, Stram.
• ▸(to left, Lyc.
• ▸; to either, Bufo,

• ▸Camph.
• ▸).
• ▸—Globus, Ign.
• ▸, Lach.
• ▸, Lyc.
• ▸Diseases originating in spine, Pho.
• ▸, Pic.
• ▸ac.
• ▸, Zn.
• ▸Weak

• ▸memory, unable to find right word, Anac.
• ▸, Lac c.
• ▸Face greasy, shiny, Nat.
• ▸m.
• ▸, Sanic.
• ▸Desire to

stretch, Amyl. n. Illusion of smell, Anac.

Compare: Plumb acet (painful cramps in paralyzed limbs; severe pain and muscular cramps in gastric ulcer; locally, as an application (non-homeopathic) in moist eczema, and to dry up secretions from mucous surfaces. Care must be used, as sufficient lead can be absorbed to produce lead poison, one to two drams of the liquor plumbi subacetatis to the ounce of water; also in pruritus pudendi, equal parts of the liquor plumbi and glycerin). Plumb iodat (Has been used empirically in various forms of paralysis, sclerotic degenerations, especially of spinal cord, atrophies, arterio-sclerosis, pellagra. Indurations of mammary glands, especially when a tendency to become inflamed appears; sore and painful. Indurations of great hardness and associated with a very dry skin. Lancinating pains of Tabes). Compare: Alumina; Plat; Opium; Podoph; Merc; Thall. Plectranthus (paralysis, spastic, spinal form); Plumb chromicum (convulsions, with terrible pains; pupils greatly dilated; retracted abdomen;); Plumb phosph (loss of sexual power; locomotor ataxia).

Antidotes: Plat; Alum; Petrol.

Third to thirtieth potency.

,Wc have no measure by which to find out how much he gets. We

make use of such susceptibility, the lead palsy of lead workers, the

lead colic in painters — these things add to the proper proving and give

a well>rounded image of Plumbum.

If we study the whole symptomatology of Plumbum, we will be

strudc with the general paralytic state in this remedy. The activities

of the body, the functions of the organs, are slowed down in pace.

The nerves do not convey their messages with the usual activity. The

muscles are slow in action, sluggish. There is first paresis and finally

paralysis, of parts first and finally of the whole. The mind is impaired,

• ▸slow.
• ▸Perception is slow.
• ▸He memorizes with difficulty.
• ▸Comprehension is difficult.
• ▸He cannot recall words to express himself.
• ▸Tho

operations of the mind are slow. When in conversation with such a

patient you will wonder what he is thinking about while making up his

mind to answer. There is sluggishness also in the skin. You may

prick him and a second later he says, “Oh,” showing the slowness in

feeling. You would expect him to feel the prick instantly. When you

begin to conclude that he does not feel at all, his limb will jerk. Ansethesia of the skin. There is a state of hyperacthesia in the acute

affections, but the chronic affections are characterized by loss of sensation. Numbness of fingers and toes, soles, and palms, and this extends to the skin, towards the ^liie.

The trophic functions are sldjd in that they do not keep up with the

waste, and so we see emaciatk^luntil the patient becomes almost a

skeleton. The skin is wrinkled |)uckered, shrivelled, and drawn over

• ▸the bones.
• ▸The emaciation is Sometimes local.
• ▸When local it is generally associated with a painful part ; the painful part withers.
• ▸Pains

down the sciatic nerve ; burning, shooting ; as if the bone were being pulled out of place ; as if being scraped and the limb emaciates. Pain

down the arm, in the shoulder ; violent pains in the brachial plexus and

• ▸the arm withers.
• ▸Neuralgia of one side of the face and that side withers.
• ▸Paralysis of single muscles and these muscles wither.
• ▸There is

paralpis of both extensors and flexors, but especially extensors. The

• ▸paralysis begins in the extensors, so that we have wrist drop.
• ▸He cannot raise or lift anything with the hand.
• ▸Extension is difficult.
• ▸This

occurs in piano players ; they cannot lift their fingers sufficiently rapid

to keep up the pace, while flexion is all right. Curare is another remedy which corresponds to this state in piano players ; a paralysis from

overexertion of the extensor muscles. When the muscles become fatigued from playing fixed exercises, scales, etc., for hours at a time,

whra the player has to do the same thing over and over again, Rhus

omtes in, but it is an acute remedy and only holds for a short time. It’

is esptxially a Rfuts omdition when certain muscles become overused

and the pati«at takes cold and a weakness sets in ; aftef a cold bath dr

PLUMBtn>I METALUCUM

pluAge the muscles take on paresis ; getting wet when tired brings on

the Rhus state. For the chronic state which follows, Plumbum andsometimes Curare will be indicated.

Paresis of the intestines ; constipation ; cannot strain at stool. The

patient can use the abdominal muscles, but the rectum is in a state of

paresis and he cannot expel the faeces.

The bladder is also paretic ; cannot expel the urine, the muscles doi

not co-operate to void the urine and there is retention. Plumbum has

both retention and suppression of urine.

The paralyses are found in the chronic state. In the acute we have

the fever, the colic, the sudden constipation ; tearing pains in the intestines ; indigestion with vomiting. Everything eaten turns sour.

Violent vomiting of everything eaten. Chronic gastric catarrh with

vomiting of albuminous mucus and sweetish substance. Vomiting of

stercoraceous matter, blackish blood and green Quid. Sour eructations.

The remedy is slow and insidious ; it works continuously ; it does not

leave the economy but holds on and establishes a miasm of its own. It,

therefore, suits slow and insidious chronic cases, with no tendency to

recovery. Progressive muscular atrophy ; progressive paralysis.

Chronic constipation ; chronic retention of urine ; chronic giving way

of the mind.

Aside from the slowness of the mind, which is a general, the remedy

is full of melancholia, sadness, feeling as if something terrible would

happen ; that she has sinned away the day of grace ; that she has committed the unpardonable sin. The body and mind are weak. “Deep

melancholy with timidity and restlessness.” In the mental state, while

he is slow to think, yet in this slow thinking he does a great amount

of thinking ; he makes an effort to think. His thoughts trouble him

all night and prevent sleep. Insomnia; sleepless from the continual

effort to think. The mind will not operate, yet the patient is full of

imaginations and emotions. Inability to comprehend and to remember.

Now, this progresses from periods of insomnia to periods of coma and

this coma is associated with suppression of mine. Uraemic coma.

Uraemia. Perhaps it will fix it in your mind if I tell you something

clinical about it. Some years ago a physician came to me in regard to

his wife. She had been unconscious for two days and had passed nomine for days and the catheter showed there was none in the bladder.

She had quite an array of symptoms but they were comm, on symptoms,.

She had had the slowness for days before, and complained of a sensation of a continual pulling at the navel, as if a string were drawing it

back to the spinal column, and then the coma came on. In the middle

of the night this doctor came to me in great distress. He said she was

pale as death and breathing slow. A single powder of Plumbum high

was given, and she passed urine in a few hours; roused up and netec?

had such an attack again.

Violent spasmodic palpitation of the heart, worse lying on the left

side, with marked anxiety in the cardiac region. Hypertrophy and

dilatation of the heart. Stitching pain in the heart.

Hysterical diathesis ; hysterical contractures ; cramping of the fingers ; hysterical motions ; convulsions of parts, hands, feet, whole body ;

an apparent delirium ; cardiac pains ; numbness in parts— all hysterical

phenomena.

Plumbum produces an inclination to deceive, to cheat. The Acetate

pf lead produced in a woman, who took a little of it for suicide, a confirmed hysterical state. She would be in a hysterical condition for

hours when any one was looking at her. When she thought no one

was near she would get up, walk about, look in the glass to see how

handsome she was, but when she heard a foot on the steps she would

lie on the bed and appear to be unconscious. She would bear much

pricking and you could scarcely tell she was breathing. Plumbum establishes a hysterical state in the economy ; an inclination to deceive, to

feign sickness ; to exaggerate one’s ills ; and it goes to the root of the

evil providing the symptoms agree.

Changeable ; continually changing from one thing to another, from

one group of imaginations to another, from one group of emotions to

another. The whole remedy is iat^scly emotional. While the intellect is slowed down, yet most of t]^ symptoms arc emotional.

Plumbum cures kidney affecti^^s with albumen and sugar in the

urine. The urine is dark, scanty, ijftiid of high specific gravity. Rctem

tion of urine from lack of sensation that the bladder is full.

Apoplexy. ■ Stupor, when Opiutn is sufficiently similar to remove the

cerebral congestion which always surrounds the apoplectic clot. Plumbum may follow. Plumbum, Phosphorus and Alumina are three sheet

anchors. They conform to the symptoms often when the first state has

been like Opium. The paralysis of muscles, the paralytic weakness of

one side of the body, or single parts of the body, show its relation to

such cases.

There is another feature of the upper part of the body, of the head

and mind, which is not clear in the books and which is worthy of your

attention. The mental symptoms, the emotional symptoms, and the

head symptoms are greatly exaggerated by any exertion, especially exertion in the open air. ^^ile walking in the open air the patient becomes hot in the head, pale in the face, and cold in the extremities ;

hands and feet cold as ice, as if dead ; and if he continues the exertion

the face becomes fairly cadaveric. Persons cannot exercise and continue it without cold extremities. An irritable brain ; pain in the base

of the brain, back of the neck, in the nerve centers. Cold extremities

from exertion ; yet can do considerable mental exertion without becom-

75^ PLUMBUM MSTALUCUM

ing cold. It is from physical exertion like walking in the open air.

Paroxysmal pain in the limbs, evening and night; better by pressure

and worse from motion. Lightning-like pains. Jerking and trembling

of all the limbs.

The Plumbum patient is cold and emaciated, ne^s much clothing

even in warm weather, not about the head, but over the body. Extremities cold, blue, numb and emaciated. Sweat on the extremities, and

the feet it is stinking. Feet and toes withered like a washerwoman’s

• ▸hands.
• ▸Toes blistered ; blisters between the toes, smarting.
• ▸Ulcerations.
• ▸Molecular death and even gangrene of the skin of the fingers

and toes. Calluses about the feet, corns and bunions.

With the chronic affection of the head there is contraction of the

muscles of the back and neck ; drawing and twitching indicating meningeal troubles ; spasmodic jerking. “Swelling of the submaxillary and

sublingual glands.” Convulsions often like tetanus, with lockjaw.

“Distinct blue line along the margins of the gums.” “Gums pale,

swollen, show a lead-colored line ; blue, purple, or brown ; painful with

hard tubercles.” “Tongue dry, brown, cracked ; coated yellow or

green ; dry, red, glazed in chronic gastritis.” Breath foetid, dryness of

mouth, ulceration, aphthae. “Sensation of a plug in the throat ; globus

hystericus.” “Paralysis of throat and inability to swallow,” a paralysis

of the oesophagus.

The stomach has no ability to digest food. Assimilation is also destroyed. Pains in the abdomen, tearing, like colic, doubling the patient

up. Constant sensation of pulling at the navel as by a string ; as if the

abdomen were drawn in. At times the abdomen does become concave,

as if the abdomen and back were too close together.

Constipation is a common and well known feature. The constipation, colic, and abdominal symptoms are commonly associated. "Constipated stools, hard, lumpy like sheeps’ dung ; with urging and terrible

pain from constriction or spasms of anus ; knotty faeces in form of

balls.” No matter how much straining he cannot expel the stool.

“Constriction of intestines ; navel and anus violently retracted.” Excessive pain in abdomen radiating from thence to all parts of the body.”

"Severe colic ; contracted abdomen ; bends backward, motor nerves most

• ▸affected.
• ▸” Rumbling and flatulence.
• ▸Impaction of faeces.
• ▸Vaginismus in keeping with the spasmodic action.

"Inclination to take strange attitudes and positions in bed.” Anaemia, chlorosis, emaciation, muscular atrophy, wandering pauns, dixpsical swellings, yellow skin, jaundice.”

Burning in ulcers is in keeping with the remedy everywhere,^..