IGNATIA [Ign]:
-M.L.Tyler.
Introduction:
Ignatia-great remedy of moods and contradictions: of mental stress and strain, connected with shock, bereavement, disappointment, or distress, which have spasmodically and completely unhinged judgment and self-control. But, as Kent says, should the condition recur again and again, and threaten to become chronic, then Natrum mur., the "chronic" of Ignatia, comes in. Hahnemann speaks of the "directly opposite symptoms of this remarkable drug". And says that, on account of these alternating actions, that follow one another very rapidly, it is particularly suitable for acute disease, and for a considerable number of these-as may be seen by its symptoms, which correspond with morbid conditions so frequently met with in daily life. "It may be regarded as a medicine created for great usefulness (polycrest)." Clarke says (Dictionary), "In order to obtain a proper under standing of the power and place of Ignatia, it is necessary to get rid of two prevalent erroneous ideas. The first of these is that Ignatia is a remedy for hysteria and nothing else; and the second is that it is the only remedy ever required in cases of hysteria." He says, " The seeds of Ignatia contain a larger proportion of Strychnia than those of Nux vomica, and the great difference in the characteristic features of the two medicines prove the wisdom of considering medicines apart from their so-called `active' principles." Hahnemann, comparing the mentality of the two drugs, says, "Although the positive effects of Ignatia have a great resemblance to those of Nux vomica (as might be inferred from the botanical relationship between the two plants) yet the emotional disposition of patients for whom Ignatia is serviceable differs widely from that of the patients for whom Nux is of use." He tells us that Ignatia is not suitable for persons in whom anger, eagerness, or violence is predominant, but for those who are subject to rapid alternations of gaiety and disposition to weep, or in whom we notice the emotional states indicated by its symptoms, provided that the other corporeal morbid symptoms resemble those that this drug can produce. "Even in a high potency Ignatia is a main remedy in subjects who have no tendency to break out violently, or to revenge themselves, but who keep their annoyance to themselves: in whom the remembrance of the vexatious occurrence is wont to dwell in the mind, and so especially in morbid states which are produced by occurrences that cause grief." And in regard to epilepsy he says, "Attacks of even chronic epilepsy, which only occur after mortification or some similar vexation (and not from any other cause) may always be prevented by timely administration of Ignatia. Epileptic attacks that come on in young persons after some great fright, before they become very numerous, may also be cured by a few doses of Ignatia. But it is very improbably that chronic epileptic fits of other kind can be cured, or have ever been cured by this medicine. Ignatia is only applicable and curative in sudden attacks and in acute diseases." And, in regard to Ignatia, he says, "It is best to administer the (Small) dose in the morning, if there is no occasion for hurry. When given shortly before bedtime it causes too much restlessness at night." This is what GUERNSEY has to tell us about Ignatia: "Anyone suffering from suppressed or deep grief, with long drawn, sighs, much sobbing, etc., also much unhappiness, can't sleep, entirely absorbed in grief; for recent grief, as at the loss of a friend; affection of the mind in general, particularly if actuated by grief; sadness; hopelessness; hysterical variableness; fantastic illusions." "Catalepsy with bending backwards; opisthotonos; hysterical spasms, especially if accompanied with sighing chilliness of single parts. "Patients" face changes colour very often when at rest. "Worse: from mental affections; from anger; from anger with fright' anger with silent grief; from anxiety; from anxiety with sorrow; unhappy love; mortifications caused by offence; from exertion of the mind; from sweets, coffee, tobacco; from pressure on the painless side, can lie better on painful side; from strong smells; between swallowing;' from ascarides; when yawning." NASH calls Ignatia a "Remedy of paradoxicalities!" Head better lying on painful side, goneness not better by eating, sore throat better by swallowing, thirst during chill, face red during chill, etc. Relieved by profuse watery urination. He says that Ignatia, like Acon., Cham., and Nux, seems to exalt the impressionability of all the senses, but unlike the others, it has in it a marked element of sadness, and disposition to silent grieving. And another characteristic state of mind is a CHANGEABLE MOOD. No remedy can equal Ignatia for this the patient is at one time full of glee and merriment, to be followed suddenly with the other extreme, of melancholy sadness and tears, and so these states of mind rapidly alternate.*Crocus here resembles Ignatia. Ignatia is easily frightened, and hence one of our best remedies for the effects of fright, vying with Aconite, Opium and Verat. alb. With Nux, it is a great nervous remedy, and acts on the spine, affecting both sensory and motor nerves. One of our best remedies for spasms or convulsions, especially when originating in mental causes, as after a fright, punishment of children, or other strong emotions. A physician while observing the patient in one of the spasms, noticed that she came out of it with a succession of long-drawn sighs. He inquired if the patient had had any recent mental trouble, and learned that she had lost her mother, of whom she was exceedingly fond, and for whom she mourned greatly, a few weeks before. Ignatia 30 quickly cured her. Ignatia has in a marked degree twitchings all over the body, hence it becomes one of our best remedies for chorea, especially if caused by fright or grief on the mental side, or teething or worms on the reflex irritation side. Like Aconite, Chamomilla and Coffea, Ignatia is over-sensitive to pain. He says this remedy is very unique in its fever symptoms. There is no disease in which we are better able to show the power of the potentized remedy to cure, than intermittent fever. Chronic cases that have resisted the Quinine treatment for years are often quickly and permanently cured by the 200th and upwards. The following symptoms indicate Ignatia: Ist, Thirst during chill and in no other stage. 2nd Chill, relieved by external heat. 3rd. Heat aggravated by external covering. 4th. Red face during the chill. No other remedy has thirst during the chill and at no other stage. (He points out that, in Nux, during the heat, the least uncovering brings back the chill.) He says, "the red face during the chill led me to the cure of an obstinate case, and after I noticed the red face I also noticed that the boy was behind the stove in the warmest place he could find. The 200th promptly cured." KENT describes the Ignatia patient and condition: "A woman has undergone a controversy at home: has had a great distress unrequited affections a nervous sensitive girl finds out that she has misplaced her affections: she has a weeping spell, headache, trembles, is nervous, sleepless. A woman loses her child or her husband : has headaches, trembles,is excited, weeps and is sleepless: unable to control herself; is ashamed of herself. In spite of her best endeavours, her grief has simply torn her to pieces. She is unable to control her emotions and her excitement. Ignatia will quiet her. If such troubles keep coming back, and the state keeps recurring. Nat. mur. will finish up the case. It is the natural chronic of Ignatia when the troubles keep coming back, and Ignatia comes to a place when it will not hold any longer." Or when a sensitive, overtired girl falls in love with an impossible person. "She lies awake at night, sobs. Ignatia, if very recent will balance up that girl's mind. If not , Natrum mur. comes in as a follower." The Ignatia patient is not one that has been a simpleton, or of a sluggish mind or idiotic, but one that has become tired, and brought into such a state from over-doing it and from over- excitement. If rather feeble in body, from too much social excitement. Our present social state is well calculated to develop a hysterical mind. The typical social mind is one that is always in a state of confusion dread, fear, anxiety, weeping run through the remedy. "Sensitive disposition; hyperacute" Overwrought; intense. Some of these overwrought girls that come back from Paris, overwrought in their music, will have violent pains in the face- hysterical pains: others with violent headaches; others with the mental state and confusion; others with all the hysterical manifestations. Prolonged excitement. Musical excesses, etc." And of the Ignatia patient Kent says: "You cannot depend on her being reasonable or rational. It is best to say as little as possible about anything. Make no promises, look wise, take up your travelling bag and go home after you have prescribed, because anything you will say will be distorted. There is not anything you can say that will please." And Ignatia has another thing:"thinks she has neglected some duty." Kent says again, "Ignatia is full of surprises in Ignatia you find what is unnatural, and what is unexpected. You see an inflamed part where there is heat, and redness, and throbbing, and weakness; you will handle it with great care for fear-it will be painful but you find it is not painful: sometimes not painful at all, and sometimes ameliorated by hard pressure. Is not that a surprise? "You look into the throat. It is tumid, inflamed, red; the patient complains of a sore throat and pain. Naturally you do not touch it with your tongue-depressor for fear it will hurt. You have every reason to suppose that the swallowing of solids will be painful. But you ask the patient when the pain is present, and the patient will say, `When I am not swallowing anything solid." The pain is ameliorated by swallowing anything solid, by the pressure. It pains all other times. "Mentally the patient does the most unaccountable and most unexpected things. Seems to have no rule to work by, no philosophy, no soundness of mind, and no judgment. The opposite to what would be expected, then, will be found. The patient is better lying on the painful side: instead of its hurting the pain, it improves the pain. `Pain like a nail sticking into the side of the head,' and the only comfort that is felt is lying upon it, or pressing upon it, and that makes it go away." And Kent says the stomach is just as strange in its indigestion. That gentle food, and the simplest possible things are given, because she has been vomiting for days, and she can keep nothing down. "It is hysterical stomach, " and she eats some raw cabbage and some chopped onions, and from that time on she is well. Again with cough. He says, when people cough from irritation, from a sensation of fullness, or a desire to expel something, this is better by coughing. But when such irritation comes in and Ignatia patient, you have the unexpected again: because the more she coughs the more is the irritation to cough, till the irritation is so great that she goes into spasms. You may be called to the bedside of a patient where the more she coughs the greater the irritation to cough and she is drenched with sweat, sitting up in bed with her night-clothes drenched; gagging, and coughing and retching, covered with sweat and exhausted. Don't wait. You cannot get her to stop coughing long enough to say anything to you about it, only you will see that the cough has grown more violent. Ignatia stops it at once. Or spasm of the larynx from mental disturbance, fright or distress, a laryngismus that can be heard all over the house. Ignatia stops it at once. Thirst when you would not expect it. Thirst during chill, but not during fever. Ignatia will cure many "corporeal conditions" where the mental symptoms demand the remedy. One of our doctors, late one night, was called to see a case of acute rheumatism, where the apparently indicated remedy had not helped. He was now confronted by a perfect picture of the Ignatia mentality, and gave that remedy-which promptly cleared up the whole case, rheumatism and all. Clarke had a similar case. He says, "In the early days of my homoeopathic career I astonished myself once by curing rapidly with Ignatia (prescribed at first as an intercurrent remedy) a severe case of rheumatic fever, which had been making no progress under Bryonia, etc. The mental symptoms called for Ignatia, and along with these the inflammation of the joints, as well as the fever, disappeared under its action." One must never forget that the mental symptoms, if marked, and especially if indicating a change of disposition due to acute illness, are the most important in determining the choice of the remedy. One remembers well an Ignatia case in early Dispensary practice. A youngish woman, who had been given Sepia for her goitre-a large, soft swelling of the thyroid-returned in a week in an alarming condition of distress and gasping for breath. The Hospital, rung up, had no bed to offer, and the only thing was to give her Ignatia, and to tell her to come back in a few days. When she reappeared, calm and happy, the goitre had completely disappeared ! One wondered, which of the two remedies had done the trick? Ignatia is the acute of Sepia, as well as of Natrum mur. Did Sepia, perhaps, cause an initial aggravation-a very severe one, and then cure?-or was Ignatia really the curative remedy? But one thing is certain-if you have to treat a goitre in the acute stage with Ignatia mental symptoms, you cannot go far wrong if you prescribe IGNATIA. Ignatia is the "sighing remedy". Ignatia yawns. Ignatia cannot stand smoking, or tobacco smoke. Ignatia is one of the very important remedies to be considered in troubles of rectum and anus.
BLACK LETTER SYMPTOMS
(Hahnemann and Allen) Uncommon tendency to be frightened. Audacity. Fickle, impatient, irresolute, quarrelsome, recurring every three to four hours. Incredible changes of disposition, at one time he jokes and jests, at another he is lachrymose, alternately every three to four hours. Whispering voice. He cannot speak loudly. Delicate disposition, with very clear consciousness. Finely sensitive mood, delicate conscientiousness. Slight blame or contradiction excites him to anger, and this makes him angry with himself. Incredible changes of mood. Heat in the head. Head is heavy. He hangs the had forward. Lays the had forward on the table. Headache, increased by stooping forwards. Aching pain in forehead above root of nose which compels him to bend forward the head, followed by inclination to vomit. Headache like a pressure with something hard on the surface of the brain, recurring in fits. Throbbing headache. Headache at every beat of the arteries. Itching in the auditory meatus. Shooting in the lips. Inner surface of lower lip painful,l as if raw and excoriated. Lips are cracked and bleed. He is apt to bite on one side of the tongue posteriorly when speaking or chewing. Stitches in palate extending into the external ear. Sour taste in the mouth. Aching pain in cervical glands. Formication in the oesophagus. Belches up a bitter fluid. What he had ingested is belched up again into the mouth. Retching (constrictive) sensation in the middle of the throat, as if there were a large morsel of food, or a plug sticking there, felt more when not swallowing than when swallowing. Sore throat: sticking in it when not swallowing and even some what while swallowing; the more he swallow, however, the more it disappears: if he swallows anything solid, like bread, it seems as though the sticking entirely disappeared. After eating and drinking, hiccough. Aching in scrobiculus cordis. Extreme aversion to smoking tobacco. A feeling in the stomach as from fasting. Feeling of flabbiness in the stomach. Peculiar sensation of weakness in upper abdomen and pit of stomach, and paleness of face. Rumbling and rattling in the bowels. On the left, above the navel, a sharp shooting. Pinching and shooting pains in abdomen. Prolapsus of the rectum during moderate straining at stool. Violent urging to stool, more in the upper bowels and upper part of the abdomen; he has great desire, yet the stool, though soft, does not pass in sufficient quantity. Painless contraction of the anus. A coarse stitch from anus deep into the rectum. Pain one or two hours after stool, pain in rectum, as from blind piles, compounded of contraction and sore pain. Blind piles, painful while sitting and standing, less while walking. Prolapsus of the rectum, from moderate exertion at stool. Sharp pressive pain in the rectum. Sore pain in the anus, without reference to the stool. Great urgency and desire for stool, in the evening, felt mostly in the middle of the abdomen, but no stool follows, only the rectum protrudes. Frequent discharge of much watery urine. Irritation and ulcerative pain--genitalia. Complete absence of sexual desire, alternating with the reverse. Provocation to cough in larynx, not relieved by cough, but only by suppressing cough. Sensation of dry feathery dust in pit of throat, not relieved by coughing: but more excited the more he allows himself to cough. Inspiration is impeded as by a weight lying upon him: expiration is all the easier. Single jerking of the limbs, on falling asleep. Pain in sacrum, also when lying on the back in the morning in bed. Pain in the joint of the humerus when bending the arm back, as from prolonged hard work, or as if bruised. In the deltoid muscle a quivering twitching. Hot knees with cold nose. Creeping, gone-to-sleep feeling of the limbs. In the joints of the shoulders, hip and knees, a pain as from a sprain or dislocation. Simple violent pain, only felt when touched, here and there, on a small spot, e.g. on the ribs, etc. Sleep so light that he hears everything in it. Fixed idea in dream. Dreams all night of the same subject. Snoring inspiration during sleep. One ear and one cheek red and burning. Sudden attack of flying heat all over the body. External heat and redness, without internal heat. External warmth is intolerable. Feeling as if sweat would break out. Shaking chill with redness of the face.
Introduction:
Ignatia-great remedy of moods and contradictions: of mental stress and strain, connected with shock, bereavement, disappointment, or distress, which have spasmodically and completely unhinged judgment and self-control. But, as Kent says, should the condition recur again and again, and threaten to become chronic, then Natrum mur., the "chronic" of Ignatia, comes in. Hahnemann speaks of the "directly opposite symptoms of this remarkable drug". And says that, on account of these alternating actions, that follow one another very rapidly, it is particularly suitable for acute disease, and for a considerable number of these-as may be seen by its symptoms, which correspond with morbid conditions so frequently met with in daily life. "It may be regarded as a medicine created for great usefulness (polycrest)." Clarke says (Dictionary), "In order to obtain a proper under standing of the power and place of Ignatia, it is necessary to get rid of two prevalent erroneous ideas. The first of these is that Ignatia is a remedy for hysteria and nothing else; and the second is that it is the only remedy ever required in cases of hysteria." He says, " The seeds of Ignatia contain a larger proportion of Strychnia than those of Nux vomica, and the great difference in the characteristic features of the two medicines prove the wisdom of considering medicines apart from their so-called `active' principles." Hahnemann, comparing the mentality of the two drugs, says, "Although the positive effects of Ignatia have a great resemblance to those of Nux vomica (as might be inferred from the botanical relationship between the two plants) yet the emotional disposition of patients for whom Ignatia is serviceable differs widely from that of the patients for whom Nux is of use." He tells us that Ignatia is not suitable for persons in whom anger, eagerness, or violence is predominant, but for those who are subject to rapid alternations of gaiety and disposition to weep, or in whom we notice the emotional states indicated by its symptoms, provided that the other corporeal morbid symptoms resemble those that this drug can produce. "Even in a high potency Ignatia is a main remedy in subjects who have no tendency to break out violently, or to revenge themselves, but who keep their annoyance to themselves: in whom the remembrance of the vexatious occurrence is wont to dwell in the mind, and so especially in morbid states which are produced by occurrences that cause grief." And in regard to epilepsy he says, "Attacks of even chronic epilepsy, which only occur after mortification or some similar vexation (and not from any other cause) may always be prevented by timely administration of Ignatia. Epileptic attacks that come on in young persons after some great fright, before they become very numerous, may also be cured by a few doses of Ignatia. But it is very improbably that chronic epileptic fits of other kind can be cured, or have ever been cured by this medicine. Ignatia is only applicable and curative in sudden attacks and in acute diseases." And, in regard to Ignatia, he says, "It is best to administer the (Small) dose in the morning, if there is no occasion for hurry. When given shortly before bedtime it causes too much restlessness at night." This is what GUERNSEY has to tell us about Ignatia: "Anyone suffering from suppressed or deep grief, with long drawn, sighs, much sobbing, etc., also much unhappiness, can't sleep, entirely absorbed in grief; for recent grief, as at the loss of a friend; affection of the mind in general, particularly if actuated by grief; sadness; hopelessness; hysterical variableness; fantastic illusions." "Catalepsy with bending backwards; opisthotonos; hysterical spasms, especially if accompanied with sighing chilliness of single parts. "Patients" face changes colour very often when at rest. "Worse: from mental affections; from anger; from anger with fright' anger with silent grief; from anxiety; from anxiety with sorrow; unhappy love; mortifications caused by offence; from exertion of the mind; from sweets, coffee, tobacco; from pressure on the painless side, can lie better on painful side; from strong smells; between swallowing;' from ascarides; when yawning." NASH calls Ignatia a "Remedy of paradoxicalities!" Head better lying on painful side, goneness not better by eating, sore throat better by swallowing, thirst during chill, face red during chill, etc. Relieved by profuse watery urination. He says that Ignatia, like Acon., Cham., and Nux, seems to exalt the impressionability of all the senses, but unlike the others, it has in it a marked element of sadness, and disposition to silent grieving. And another characteristic state of mind is a CHANGEABLE MOOD. No remedy can equal Ignatia for this the patient is at one time full of glee and merriment, to be followed suddenly with the other extreme, of melancholy sadness and tears, and so these states of mind rapidly alternate.*Crocus here resembles Ignatia. Ignatia is easily frightened, and hence one of our best remedies for the effects of fright, vying with Aconite, Opium and Verat. alb. With Nux, it is a great nervous remedy, and acts on the spine, affecting both sensory and motor nerves. One of our best remedies for spasms or convulsions, especially when originating in mental causes, as after a fright, punishment of children, or other strong emotions. A physician while observing the patient in one of the spasms, noticed that she came out of it with a succession of long-drawn sighs. He inquired if the patient had had any recent mental trouble, and learned that she had lost her mother, of whom she was exceedingly fond, and for whom she mourned greatly, a few weeks before. Ignatia 30 quickly cured her. Ignatia has in a marked degree twitchings all over the body, hence it becomes one of our best remedies for chorea, especially if caused by fright or grief on the mental side, or teething or worms on the reflex irritation side. Like Aconite, Chamomilla and Coffea, Ignatia is over-sensitive to pain. He says this remedy is very unique in its fever symptoms. There is no disease in which we are better able to show the power of the potentized remedy to cure, than intermittent fever. Chronic cases that have resisted the Quinine treatment for years are often quickly and permanently cured by the 200th and upwards. The following symptoms indicate Ignatia: Ist, Thirst during chill and in no other stage. 2nd Chill, relieved by external heat. 3rd. Heat aggravated by external covering. 4th. Red face during the chill. No other remedy has thirst during the chill and at no other stage. (He points out that, in Nux, during the heat, the least uncovering brings back the chill.) He says, "the red face during the chill led me to the cure of an obstinate case, and after I noticed the red face I also noticed that the boy was behind the stove in the warmest place he could find. The 200th promptly cured." KENT describes the Ignatia patient and condition: "A woman has undergone a controversy at home: has had a great distress unrequited affections a nervous sensitive girl finds out that she has misplaced her affections: she has a weeping spell, headache, trembles, is nervous, sleepless. A woman loses her child or her husband : has headaches, trembles,is excited, weeps and is sleepless: unable to control herself; is ashamed of herself. In spite of her best endeavours, her grief has simply torn her to pieces. She is unable to control her emotions and her excitement. Ignatia will quiet her. If such troubles keep coming back, and the state keeps recurring. Nat. mur. will finish up the case. It is the natural chronic of Ignatia when the troubles keep coming back, and Ignatia comes to a place when it will not hold any longer." Or when a sensitive, overtired girl falls in love with an impossible person. "She lies awake at night, sobs. Ignatia, if very recent will balance up that girl's mind. If not , Natrum mur. comes in as a follower." The Ignatia patient is not one that has been a simpleton, or of a sluggish mind or idiotic, but one that has become tired, and brought into such a state from over-doing it and from over- excitement. If rather feeble in body, from too much social excitement. Our present social state is well calculated to develop a hysterical mind. The typical social mind is one that is always in a state of confusion dread, fear, anxiety, weeping run through the remedy. "Sensitive disposition; hyperacute" Overwrought; intense. Some of these overwrought girls that come back from Paris, overwrought in their music, will have violent pains in the face- hysterical pains: others with violent headaches; others with the mental state and confusion; others with all the hysterical manifestations. Prolonged excitement. Musical excesses, etc." And of the Ignatia patient Kent says: "You cannot depend on her being reasonable or rational. It is best to say as little as possible about anything. Make no promises, look wise, take up your travelling bag and go home after you have prescribed, because anything you will say will be distorted. There is not anything you can say that will please." And Ignatia has another thing:"thinks she has neglected some duty." Kent says again, "Ignatia is full of surprises in Ignatia you find what is unnatural, and what is unexpected. You see an inflamed part where there is heat, and redness, and throbbing, and weakness; you will handle it with great care for fear-it will be painful but you find it is not painful: sometimes not painful at all, and sometimes ameliorated by hard pressure. Is not that a surprise? "You look into the throat. It is tumid, inflamed, red; the patient complains of a sore throat and pain. Naturally you do not touch it with your tongue-depressor for fear it will hurt. You have every reason to suppose that the swallowing of solids will be painful. But you ask the patient when the pain is present, and the patient will say, `When I am not swallowing anything solid." The pain is ameliorated by swallowing anything solid, by the pressure. It pains all other times. "Mentally the patient does the most unaccountable and most unexpected things. Seems to have no rule to work by, no philosophy, no soundness of mind, and no judgment. The opposite to what would be expected, then, will be found. The patient is better lying on the painful side: instead of its hurting the pain, it improves the pain. `Pain like a nail sticking into the side of the head,' and the only comfort that is felt is lying upon it, or pressing upon it, and that makes it go away." And Kent says the stomach is just as strange in its indigestion. That gentle food, and the simplest possible things are given, because she has been vomiting for days, and she can keep nothing down. "It is hysterical stomach, " and she eats some raw cabbage and some chopped onions, and from that time on she is well. Again with cough. He says, when people cough from irritation, from a sensation of fullness, or a desire to expel something, this is better by coughing. But when such irritation comes in and Ignatia patient, you have the unexpected again: because the more she coughs the more is the irritation to cough, till the irritation is so great that she goes into spasms. You may be called to the bedside of a patient where the more she coughs the greater the irritation to cough and she is drenched with sweat, sitting up in bed with her night-clothes drenched; gagging, and coughing and retching, covered with sweat and exhausted. Don't wait. You cannot get her to stop coughing long enough to say anything to you about it, only you will see that the cough has grown more violent. Ignatia stops it at once. Or spasm of the larynx from mental disturbance, fright or distress, a laryngismus that can be heard all over the house. Ignatia stops it at once. Thirst when you would not expect it. Thirst during chill, but not during fever. Ignatia will cure many "corporeal conditions" where the mental symptoms demand the remedy. One of our doctors, late one night, was called to see a case of acute rheumatism, where the apparently indicated remedy had not helped. He was now confronted by a perfect picture of the Ignatia mentality, and gave that remedy-which promptly cleared up the whole case, rheumatism and all. Clarke had a similar case. He says, "In the early days of my homoeopathic career I astonished myself once by curing rapidly with Ignatia (prescribed at first as an intercurrent remedy) a severe case of rheumatic fever, which had been making no progress under Bryonia, etc. The mental symptoms called for Ignatia, and along with these the inflammation of the joints, as well as the fever, disappeared under its action." One must never forget that the mental symptoms, if marked, and especially if indicating a change of disposition due to acute illness, are the most important in determining the choice of the remedy. One remembers well an Ignatia case in early Dispensary practice. A youngish woman, who had been given Sepia for her goitre-a large, soft swelling of the thyroid-returned in a week in an alarming condition of distress and gasping for breath. The Hospital, rung up, had no bed to offer, and the only thing was to give her Ignatia, and to tell her to come back in a few days. When she reappeared, calm and happy, the goitre had completely disappeared ! One wondered, which of the two remedies had done the trick? Ignatia is the acute of Sepia, as well as of Natrum mur. Did Sepia, perhaps, cause an initial aggravation-a very severe one, and then cure?-or was Ignatia really the curative remedy? But one thing is certain-if you have to treat a goitre in the acute stage with Ignatia mental symptoms, you cannot go far wrong if you prescribe IGNATIA. Ignatia is the "sighing remedy". Ignatia yawns. Ignatia cannot stand smoking, or tobacco smoke. Ignatia is one of the very important remedies to be considered in troubles of rectum and anus.
BLACK LETTER SYMPTOMS
(Hahnemann and Allen) Uncommon tendency to be frightened. Audacity. Fickle, impatient, irresolute, quarrelsome, recurring every three to four hours. Incredible changes of disposition, at one time he jokes and jests, at another he is lachrymose, alternately every three to four hours. Whispering voice. He cannot speak loudly. Delicate disposition, with very clear consciousness. Finely sensitive mood, delicate conscientiousness. Slight blame or contradiction excites him to anger, and this makes him angry with himself. Incredible changes of mood. Heat in the head. Head is heavy. He hangs the had forward. Lays the had forward on the table. Headache, increased by stooping forwards. Aching pain in forehead above root of nose which compels him to bend forward the head, followed by inclination to vomit. Headache like a pressure with something hard on the surface of the brain, recurring in fits. Throbbing headache. Headache at every beat of the arteries. Itching in the auditory meatus. Shooting in the lips. Inner surface of lower lip painful,l as if raw and excoriated. Lips are cracked and bleed. He is apt to bite on one side of the tongue posteriorly when speaking or chewing. Stitches in palate extending into the external ear. Sour taste in the mouth. Aching pain in cervical glands. Formication in the oesophagus. Belches up a bitter fluid. What he had ingested is belched up again into the mouth. Retching (constrictive) sensation in the middle of the throat, as if there were a large morsel of food, or a plug sticking there, felt more when not swallowing than when swallowing. Sore throat: sticking in it when not swallowing and even some what while swallowing; the more he swallow, however, the more it disappears: if he swallows anything solid, like bread, it seems as though the sticking entirely disappeared. After eating and drinking, hiccough. Aching in scrobiculus cordis. Extreme aversion to smoking tobacco. A feeling in the stomach as from fasting. Feeling of flabbiness in the stomach. Peculiar sensation of weakness in upper abdomen and pit of stomach, and paleness of face. Rumbling and rattling in the bowels. On the left, above the navel, a sharp shooting. Pinching and shooting pains in abdomen. Prolapsus of the rectum during moderate straining at stool. Violent urging to stool, more in the upper bowels and upper part of the abdomen; he has great desire, yet the stool, though soft, does not pass in sufficient quantity. Painless contraction of the anus. A coarse stitch from anus deep into the rectum. Pain one or two hours after stool, pain in rectum, as from blind piles, compounded of contraction and sore pain. Blind piles, painful while sitting and standing, less while walking. Prolapsus of the rectum, from moderate exertion at stool. Sharp pressive pain in the rectum. Sore pain in the anus, without reference to the stool. Great urgency and desire for stool, in the evening, felt mostly in the middle of the abdomen, but no stool follows, only the rectum protrudes. Frequent discharge of much watery urine. Irritation and ulcerative pain--genitalia. Complete absence of sexual desire, alternating with the reverse. Provocation to cough in larynx, not relieved by cough, but only by suppressing cough. Sensation of dry feathery dust in pit of throat, not relieved by coughing: but more excited the more he allows himself to cough. Inspiration is impeded as by a weight lying upon him: expiration is all the easier. Single jerking of the limbs, on falling asleep. Pain in sacrum, also when lying on the back in the morning in bed. Pain in the joint of the humerus when bending the arm back, as from prolonged hard work, or as if bruised. In the deltoid muscle a quivering twitching. Hot knees with cold nose. Creeping, gone-to-sleep feeling of the limbs. In the joints of the shoulders, hip and knees, a pain as from a sprain or dislocation. Simple violent pain, only felt when touched, here and there, on a small spot, e.g. on the ribs, etc. Sleep so light that he hears everything in it. Fixed idea in dream. Dreams all night of the same subject. Snoring inspiration during sleep. One ear and one cheek red and burning. Sudden attack of flying heat all over the body. External heat and redness, without internal heat. External warmth is intolerable. Feeling as if sweat would break out. Shaking chill with redness of the face.
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