MURIATIC ACID:Homoeopathic Practice as a Remedy for Low fever

-M.L.Tyler.

Introduction:
Muriatic acid is not a remedy that one has often had to use except at times for anal conditions: therefore, to picture it, one must quote extensively, trying to bring out its peculiar features, which are quite distinctive and make appeal for this powerful remedy, when called for, even in alarming and threatening diseases, or phases of disease. FARRINGTON has a most illuminating chapter on the ACIDS. He distinguishes between the mineral and the organic acids. The mineral acids, as a class, all produce an irritability of fibre together with weakness and prostration whereas the vegetable acids produce weakness without irritability. All the acids, too, produce a peculiar debility a debility that arises from defective nutrition, particularly from blood disease. Thus we find them called for in very low types of disease, disease in which blood poisoning is a prominent feature, in typhoid states and in scarlatina, particularly when of a low type. CLARKE says: "Teste, who did much to define the powers of Mur. ac., groups it with Agnus cast., and Hyos.; he considers its action corresponds perfectly to a typical case of typhus." "Like Nit. ac., Mur. ac., is a powerful antidote to Merc., and it meets conditions caused by Mercury, and also similar conditions otherwise arising. Like other disinfectants, it causes as well as remedies rapid decomposition of tissues, and dynamically cures low putrid conditions met with in disease. Mur. ac. not only corresponds to low febrile states, it also meets many of their sequelae, Deafness, otitis and glandular swellings about the ears often require Mur. ac." HUGHES writes of Muriatic acid: "Its sphere of action may be said to be a low febrile condition of the blood with ulceration of mucous membranes and eczema of neighbouring cutaneous surfaces it is certain that Muriatic acid in doses too small to exert any chemical action, has a very high reputation in homoeopathic practice as a remedy for low fever." GUERNSEY: "Typhus or low grades of fever. Cannot bear sight or thought of meat. Urine too copious day and night; it escapes when passing wind. Cannot urinate without bowels moving. Haemorrhoids very tender. He slips to foot of bed, and must be often lifted." FARRINGTON: "Muriatic acid is a very easy drug to study. This acid when abused produces two series of symptoms for study. We find its mental and nervous disturbances under two stages or classes. Patient is irritable, peevish; senses all too acute. Light hurts his eyes; distant noises cause buzzing or roaring in ears, aggravating headache; smell and taste abnormally acute. Sleepy but unable to sleep; or tosses dreamy and restless all through the night. Irritability that comes under the head of irritable weakness. "The next stage, of exhaustion: anxious about something real or imaginary. Brain feels torn or bruised. He becomes unconscious with muttering delirium, sighs and groans. Tongue grows more dry, seems actually shrunken, narrow and pointed: so dry that when he talks it rattles like a piece of leather in the mouth. And later is paralysed; so that he can hardly move it at all. The characteristic pulse intermits at every third beat. Diarrhoea watery with prolapse of rectum. Stools involuntary when straining to urinate. Slides down in bed; has actually not sufficient strength to keep head on pillow. Threatened paralysis of brain, indicated by vacant staring eyes, dropping of lower jaw, coldness of extremities, which, if not checked, is followed by death. These are the symptoms that call for Muriatic acid, particularly in typhoid fever."
BLACK LETTER SYMPTOMS
Diarrhoea with protrusion of blue or dark purple haemorrhoids, especially when occurring in feeble children suffering from gastric atony, muscular debility and threatened marasmus. Haemorrhoids swollen, blue; painful to touch; appear suddenly in children; protruding, reddish blue, burning, too sore to bear the least touch, even sheet is uncomfortable. Slow emission of urine; bladder weak; must wait a long time; has to press so that anus protrudes. Leucorrhoea with backache; sore anus from piles or fissures. Great debility; as soon as he sits down his eyes close; lower jaw hangs; slides down in bed. Typhus. Constant restlessness or stupid sleep; unconscious; loud moaning or confused talking; wishes to uncover; lower jaw dropped; aphthous ulcers in mouth, fetid, sour smelling; tongue coated at edges, shrunken, dry like leather, paralysed. Thin, offensive smelling evacuations; involuntary stools while passing urine; rapid, weak, rattling respiration; sliding down in bed; urine dark, but clear; bleeding from anus; haemorrhage of dark, liquid blood; mouth full of dark bluish ulcers; pulse omits every third beat; legs flexed, feet drawn up, skin hot and dry. Typhoid fever also. Scarlatina; redness intense and rapidly spreading; eruptions, scanty interspersed with petechiae; skin purplish. One of the greatest remedies of very bad cases of typhoid, diphtheria, scarlet fever, etc.
HAHNEMANN'S BLACK LETTER SYMPTOMS
Whirling in the open air and unsteady in walking. Jerking, beating, tearing pain from the left half of the occiput to the forehead; soon followed by a similar pain in the right half. Heavy feeling in occiput, with drawing stitches there, more on the right side, close to the nape, with swelling of a gland in the nape, which is painful when touched; at the same time heaviness and vertigo in the head, with dimness of the eyes, as when intoxicated. Twitching pinching deep in the left ear, which after frequent recurrence became cramp-like almost like earache. Feeling of emptiness in the region of the stomach, especially in the oesophagus, which does not go off by eating, together with rumbling in the bowels. Violent pinching from the umbilical region towards both sides, with grumbling. Frequent urging to urinate with discharge of much urine. In the right side of the chest a drawing sensation which commenced below the nipple, extended towards the throat, became weaker and then went off. Cutting blows in the middle of the inside of the sternum, along with obtuse pressure at the back of the thoracic cavity, general oppression thereof, and impeded respiration, all day, occasionally. When sitting, an aching pain in the middle of the back, and from prolonged stooping, which went off when standing or walking. When sitting, an aching pain on the left side of the back, as from prolonged stooping, which did not go off by touching, walking, or standing. When sitting and writing, in the muscles of the right upper arm a drawing and tearing, which went off on moving and extending the arm. In the right elbow joint a drawing tensive pain, frequently. In the left palm a voluptuous itching, which compels scratching. In the right palm a voluptuous shooting tickling, which compels scratching, but is not immediately removed thereby. When writing a spasmodic pain like cramp, on the ball of the right thumb, which went off on moving it. When sitting a stitch-like pain, combined with aching and drawing in the muscles of the left thigh, close to the groin which went off on standing or walking. Staggering when walking, from weakness of the thighs. Persistent itching prickling in the dorsum of the left foot when moving, but worst when at rest. When sitting her eyes closed from exhaustion, but if she stood up and moved about she immediately became lively. Frequent waking from sleep. Febrile shivering over the body, rigor with yawning and stretching of the limbs, but without thirst and without heat thereafter. Sad disposition without assignable cause. Hahnemann also gives some mental symptoms. Laconic, silent and sullen. Pusillanimous, desponding and cross about everything. And the reaction, curative. Very tranquil, calm and free from care.