ARGENTUM METALLICUM - Pure metallic Silver - Pure precipitated silver is prepared for use by trituration with sugar of milk.

-GEORGE VITHOULKAS
The essential features
Argentum metallicum is a deep acting remedy which is often overlooked by the practitioner as a first choice, especially in prescriptions for chronic cases. As a result, such cases may well continue untreated for many years, notwithstanding the prescription of many other remedies, until such time as the practitioner should finally be struck by the thought that this might be a case of Argentum metallicum.
Before proceeding to a description of the remedy it might be of some interest to the reader to list some keynotes which may serve as hints in an Arg-met. case.
Keep Argentum metallicum in mind in the following situations:
- 1. whenever you have a case with disturbing palpitations or arrhythmias which are regulated (ameliorated) by the patient sighing or taking deep breaths.
- 2. when you have a case where, especially in the morning, transparent gelatinous mucus is hawked out very easily, but when it comes out as a small ball its consistancy is viscid and sticky and you wonder how such a sticky substance has detached so easily.
- 3. when you have a case of thickened margins of the eyelids with purulent discharge and photophobia. Blepharitis.
- 4. when the cartilages of the body are affected in any way, but especially when there is a hypertrophy of cartilages.
- 5. when you have a case where the upper extremeties jerk so violently on falling asleep, as to cause the whole arm to fly over from one position to another and wake the patient up. Explosions in head with simultaneous jerking of upper extremities in broken down constitutions.
Providing the symptoms agree, you may need this remedy in order to treat serious conditions such as osteochondritis, juvenile osteochondritis, polychondritis, epiphysitis, diabetis insipidus, neuro-muscular disorders, alzheimer's disease, AIDS, epilepsy, sexual adynamia, chronic urethritis, orchitis, orchi-epididymitis, salpyngitis, ovaritis, chronic pharyngitis, blepharitis, ulcerous keratitis, scirrhus, epithelioma of the cervix uteri.
Please note that, in mentioning here the main pathology under which you may need Argentum metallicum, I am providing you only with a hint to be used when searching for this remedy, and by no means with an indication to prescribe it.
Argentum metallicum cases generally imply a broken down constitution, a physical wreck, people who appear much older than they are in reality, partly due to much physical suffering, but mostly to an almost constant general state of weakness and prostration. The patient's worn out face, tired look, and weak voice betray the extent of his suffering. The face really looks older though it may not be deeply wrinkled at all.
On examining the patient, you may feel that the very fact of talking and giving his case history in detail are taxing activities, needing an extra effort on his part, and indeed bringing about an aggravation of his condition. It is likely that his case history includes neuralgias of the sciatic nerves, arthralgias, tearing pains along the bones, affections of the cartilages. In the history of a typical constitutional case, the patient's younger years will show affections of the cartilages, osteochondritis, epiphysitis, or Scheurmann's disease.
Although, in the stage in which you see your patient, none of the serious pathologies of the type mentioned earlier are present, you may well perceive that his condition is likely to degenerate towards such pathology before long. Such are the remarks that you may make to yourself on coming into contact with a typical constitutional case of Argentum metallicum. Indeed, a look back to your anamnesis of cases treated unsuccessfully with a number of remedies may allow you to recognise this picture in some of them.
There is an adynamic state in these individuals, who have no stamina to face adverse situations in life and just go to pieces when faced with stressful situations. They are quite happy and satisfied but as soon as somebody threatens them over some slight incident they become totally unbalanced. They become upset or angry and everyone around notices the big change in their face, which becomes white, long and drawn. Their state of health is so precarious that the mind can easily become confused, or even dizzy or intoxicated, from small provocations, slight stress or minor fright.
In the initial stages of their pathology, Argentum metallicum cases are not as weak as they are later. In these early stages they are easily excited, their mind works perfectly well with a special acuteness, they exhibit an extreme clarity, they are argumentative and intelligent. It is a state that lacks stability, and foretells the troubles that may be on their way. You note that the person is so sensitive and excited as to be fragile. In this stage they need contact, they need to talk to others, doing so with great ease and excitement - the mind seems overstimulated in a nice way, with cheerful and optimistic feelings, but at the same time a certain fragility.
A change is apparent after some years, causing the Argentum metallicum case to develop a need for a kind of seclusion or isolation (Sepia), unwilling to talk to anybody. A sense of fatigue of the mind sets in, where the effort needed to make it function properly is just more than can be managed. In social gatherings they remain quiet and do not participate in discussions. The mind would appear to have been overtired by constant excitement.
These two states alternate for some time in the Argentum metallicum case, before the tired state eventually takes over on a more or less permanent basis.
Symptoms of the mind appear as a result of mental exertion, as in the cases of students or scholars, business men, lawyers or accountants overexerting their mental faculties. These symptoms, naturally, are not merely the result of overexertion, but when superimposed onto an organism already in a state of Argentum metallicum pathology, this overexertion has a telling effect. Conversely, not everybody who overexerts himself gets symptoms, but patients who need this remedy are prone to get symptoms quite easily.
The initial overexcitement of the mind seems to carry Argentum metallicum cases along easily but a time comes, later in life, when they feel that their mind is breaking down, their mental faculties are leaving them, and that their memory is deteriorating rapidly. In the midst of a conversation they may forget the subject they were discussing, or they may suffer from sudden memory loss on leaving one room to search for something in the next room, finding themselves in this other room without being able to remember what they had been looking for. A moment's pause is needed to rethink the whole process, after which memory returns. This sudden loss of memory overcomes minds that are worn with cares and problems; these people have many things on their minds and very little mental power. Eventually a point is reached where even talking is a greatly bothersome task.
The mere effort of speaking out their minds can have the effect of aggravating the physical situation of Argentum metallicum. Kent writes: "if compelled to answer he becomes dizzy, and feels strange all over, and has nervous shakes or shocks." You must be able to imagine the kind of weakness experienced by your patient if such symptoms can arise just from the mere effort of talking. Not only the voice, but the chest, the respiratory system, indeed the whole organism is affected. At this point we may make a comparison with some other remedies, beginning with Stannum : Stannum complains of the chest being so weak that the voice will not come out; Arg-met. has a general aggravation of the organism from talking, but also from the psychological effort involved in answering questions. Stannum is depressed, physically and mentally tired on talking, whereas Arg-met. pushes himself to answer and in the effort becomes excited and at the same time tired. Mur-ac. is very tired generally, so tired that he cannot even talk. Sepia is tired but mostly not interested in communicating, and therefore talking. Phos-ac. is indifferent and mentally tired, therefore he will not talk.
Be on your guard, therefore, when a patient, in relating his case to you, says in passing: "I am even tired to talk". Try to elucidate the type of tiredness you are dealing with. Does it fit the Stannum tiredness, the Mur-acid tiredness, the Sepia tiredness, the Phos-acid or is it indeed the Arg-met. tiredness?
This state is accompanied by anxiety about their condition, and often by the impression of an imminent brain stroke. The tiredness engenders depression where all they want is to lie down in an isolated room. There is no emotional stamina left to deal with social contact and communication.
The overexcitement of the mind gives way to dulness, difficulty in thinking and depression. This is a forerunner of a manic-depressive condition that may develop later on in life. Then they present overexcitement, with rapid talking, nonsensical prattling reaching a wild stage where they cannot be restrained, even hitting out and striking those around in a rage. A similar state of delirium can develop after fever, epilepsy, or severe pains.
Argentum metallicum people possess delicate organisms and do not have many reserves at their disposal, therefore they will occasionally use deceitful means to get along in life, and to prevent others bothering them. They may possibly avoid telling you all of the truth (without however misleading you the wayThuja does). You may find that they do not tell the truth for fear that others will bother them, feeling unable to handle the repercussions of conflicts and aggravations. Their deceitfulness arises from a desire not to be questioned. A woman will not tell her husband that she is attracted by another man, she will not allow him to understand her emotions, leading him on the contrary to believe something entirely different. She does so in an attempt to avoid the stressful consequences of such conditions. Any attempt at questioning her will cause her to become dizzy, her mind may simply appear to give in, with the effect that she may become unable to think, trembling internally, beginning to suffer from twitches and eventually taking to her bed. This woman may remain the whole day without saying a word, answering with a mere yes or no to any questions put to her. She will not participate in any discussion and will try to avoid even people that she loves very much. She never laughs, because of the internal misery she feels.
Argentum metallicum cases look serious and depressed although this seriousness is not their natural state but rather an aversion to engaging into social conversations where the mind has to work.
Once the Arg-met organism becomes tired no rest can ameliorate this tiredness. It may be tired, excited and restless at the same time, much like Arsen. and will go from one bed to the other the whole day without finding real rest. Many times such a case may just sit doing nothing. At night, when attempting to sleep, there is an excitement coupled with tiredness that keeps them awake and only allows a little rest in the early hours, around 3 or 4 a.m. , when the organism is totally exhausted. In the morning they wake up unrefreshed, they still feel very tired and do not want to speak to anybody. This time is their worst, they feel really miserable, life seems unbearable, depression overcomes them and they just want to disappear from the face of the earth.
Sometimes, as they fall asleep, there appears to be an electrical charge detonated by violent jerkings of the extremities, especially the upper. It is usually one of the upper extremities that jerks so violently that the whole arm flies over from one position to another and wakes the patient. (Compare Zinc and Agaricus). This may happen two or three times in the same night, but not however every night. Sometimes there is simultaneously an explosion in the head that resembles an electrical charge. This condition is the forerunner of the epilepsy that may appear later on and which can be covered by this remedy; Argentum muriaticum is recorded as having epileptic attacks, followed by delirious rage, jumping about, and striking those near at hand. These nightly troubles can be the cause of a gradual exhaustion of the organism and the premature appearance of old age. There is a drying up of the organism; the emotions, the thinking faculties and the skin show signs of dryness, a condition that also extends to the sex drive.
In the sexual sphere of this remedy the general pattern of overexcitation first followed by depression and adynamia applies. The sexual excitement is initially strong, driving the young person to masturbation. There is a sense that the pleasure and the release must be had immediately; there is no stamina, no real drive, but only the excitement and the pleasure, after which they feel exhausted and full of pains in the joints.
Men eventually become impotent, their genitalia seem to shrivel and they have no urge for sex. There are after-effects of masturbation. Eventually there is sexual adynamia with seminal emissions almost every night, similar to Natr-phos, but without erections, while in some cases we have atrophy of the penis. Dr. Teste says that he has found the remedy useful in a case of seminal losses, without erections and with atrophy of the penis, (in a man of thirty this organ was no larger than that of a child of ten years); the primary cause of this spermatorrhea was onanism.
Because of the tiredness inherent to this remedy, women develop an aversion to sexual intercourse, and even erotic playing is not tolerated. It seems as if there were no emotions to motivate it. Aversion to sex mostly because she is tired.
Generalities
The prime remedy affecting all types of cartilages. Symptoms appear slowly, insidiously; progressing slowly but penetrating the organism deeply. Pains increase gradually, and disappear suddenly. Aggravation from talking, singing or reading aloud; from riding in a vehicle; when touched or pressed upon. The early morning is the main time of aggravation where the headache is worse, the mucus in the throat, the hunger, the pains in cartilages etc. Better in the open air. General weariness and weakness coming every day at noon time.
Head
Confusion in the head is prominent, a sense as if head is cloudy or as if there is smoke in the brain. The head feels dull and hollow. Sudden giddy feeling, as if there is a mist before the eyes. Dizziness on entering the room after a walk.
Vertigo; feeling as if intoxicated. Aching tearing pain in temporal bones increased by touch. Pressing pain in the forehead with stupor and drawing pressure in the occiput. A tearing pain in the right frontal eminence extending towards the right temple. Paroxysmal neuralgia over the left eye. Scalp very tender to touch. Exostosis on skull.
Eyes
Violent itching of eyelids and corner of eyes. Lids swollen and thickened, the margins are thick and red. Sometimes an appearance as if the margins are full of styes in a row. Pustules along edges of lids. Blepharitis. Any effort to separate the lids causes their edges to be drawn in. Abundant, purulent discharge, lids cannot be separated in an infant 4 weeks old. Amaurosis of the left eye, contracted pupil, insensible to light. Dr. Teste states that he cured in a few weeks amaurosis of the left eye of mercurial origin, although the sight was already very weak, and the pupil, which was very much contracted, remained, even after treatment, insensible at the approach of light.
Ears
Buzzing in ears with ebullitions and heat. Gnawing itching on the lobes, warmth and formication of concha.
Nose
Nosebleed, with a crawling sensation in nose. Exhausting coryza with frequent sneezing. Severe fluent coryza without sneezing. Affection of nasal cartilages.
Face
Face pale and earthy. Redness of face. Sudden heat in face. Burning itching.
Looks much older, with very fine wrinkles. Swelling of upper lip.
Mouth
Dryness, fetid breath.
Throat
Viscid, grey, jellylike mucus in pharynx, easily hawked up, more in the early morning. Throat feels raw and sore during expiration, deglutition or coughing. Painful tension when yawning, as from swelling. The neck in the neighbouhood of the sub-maxillary glands is swollen and in consequence the neck is stiff and tense when moving; at the same time swallowing is difficult because of internal swelling of the throat. Total loss of voice in professional singers. Chronic inflammation of larynx with hoarseness in professional speakers. Over bifurcation of trachea, a raw spot; worse when using voice, talking or singing. Very hoarse, cannot speak a loud word. Grey gelatinous phlegm which is easily raised from the trachea.
Stomach
Appetite very much increased, hungry even after a full meal. Loss of appetite with aversion to smoking (Ign.) Aversion to all food, even when thinking of it.
Thirstless even during hot stage of fever. Sweating during and after meal.
After dinner nosebleed. Nauseous sensations with hunger. Nausea in his dreams. Anxiety and pressure in the pit of stomach. After retching there remains a scraping, burning sensation in the fauces.
Abdomen
Painful soreness in the whole abdomen, worse jarring. Sweat only on abdomen and chest. Tympanitic puffing of the right side of abdomen. Expansion and sensation of fulness in epigastrium. Distention of hypogastrium. Loud noises on the left side of the abdomen. Tendency to crampy pains in groins. Severe aching in abdomen extending towards the pubic region, during eating, which is aggravated by inspiration, and is relieved by rising from his seat.
Rectum
Frequent urging with discharge of small quantities of soft stool. Dry stool like sand after dinner. Lienteric diarrhea.
Urinary organs
Copious urination. Frequent urging to urinate with copious urine worse at night. Urine like whey. Sugar in the urine. Enuresis. Albuminuria.
Genitalia - male
The right teste is usually affected with swelling and terrible crushing pains while in woman the left ovary is mostly affected. Crushing pain in right teste is a keynote especially when clothing is intolerable and there is an aggravation also in bed at night. Seminal emissions almost every night, without erections, with atrophy of penis; after onanism. Yellowish-greenish discharge in a long standing gonorrheal discharge.
Genitalia - female
Ovaries feel too large. Pains in the left ovary. Leucorrhea, foul, bloody, excoriating. Prolapse of uterus with pain in left ovary. Pain in left ovary and loins. Pain in left ovary and back extending to front and downwards. Eroded, spongy cervix.
Chest
Cough with easy expectoration, white like boiled starch. Cough from laughing.
Constant tickling in throat causing her to cough. Great weakness of chest worse on the left side, worse talking. Stitches in right side of chest from within outwards. Sensation as if heart were suddenly standing still(Gels) followed by a trembling at heart gradually passing to an irregular throbbing. Frequent attacks of violent palpitations with or without anxiety. Deep, sighing inhalations, relieve the palpitations. Very irregular intermittent pulse, omission of heartbeats, all worse lying on back. The heart muscle is especially affected when lying on back. Chest feels sore to touch. Shootings in sternum and in the sides of the chest. Violent aching at the middle of the sternum. Stitches on left side of chest, stitches under the cartilages of the last true ribs. A boil near the last rib. Sweat on chest.
Back
Dull stitches in second lumbar vertebra. Violent pain as if sprained deep in left lumbo-sacral region. Bruised pain in small of back, loins and neck worse from motion, and worse in the morning on waking.
Extremities
In the extremities we see mostly weakness, loss of power; they get fatigued very easily. There is also stiffness, weariness and trembling. Tenderness, tearing pressure and pain in bones, especially the long bones. Tearing in the left knee joint. Joints feel as if beaten, weak, sore. Lower limbs, especially in the morning after rising, become so weak and trembling that knees knock together.
Weariness after rising, mostly in region of great trochanders, ligaments and muscles feel as if they have given way, with painful tension in muscles about trochanders and buttocks as if sprained, worse walking. Calves feel too short on going down-stairs. Crampy pain in thighs. Articular rheumatism without swelling. Involuntary contraction of fingers. Twitching and palpitation in several muscular parts, especially on the right thigh.
Sleep
Cannot fall asleep easily and the sleep is restless. In bed while slumbering, seized with dizziness, as if head had fallen out of bed, followed by a violent convulsive starting of the whole body. Anxious dreams with screaming, frightful dreams: on waking he believes they are true. Nausea in the dreams
Fever
Shivering through the whole body. When walking in the open air exhaustion and heat all over.
Skin
Sore exanthemata, cannot bear to have them touched, even motion of skin is almost unbearable. Eruptions feel sore as if excoriated.
Clinical
Chronic pharyngial catarrh, with hawking of jelly-like mucus.
Osteochondritis, juvenile osteochondritis, polychondritis, epiphysitis, hip-joint disease, hysterical joint. Diabetis insipidus. Neuro-muscular disorders.
alzheimer's disease. AIDS, epilepsy. Sexual adynamia. Chronic urethritis, orchitis, orchi-epididymitis. Salpyngitis, ovaritis.
Blepharitis, ulcerous keratitis, scirrhus, epithelioma of the cervix uteri.
Relations
Compare: Selen. Alumina, Platina, Pallad. Stannum, Zinc, Agaricus, Ampelopsis.
Follows well: Alumina and Platina.
Followed well by: Calc-c. Pulsatilla, Sepia.
Dosage
From 6x to CM

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