Strontium carbonicum

Lecture LXIII — Baryta carb., Strontiana carb. and Lithium carb.

STRONTIANA CARBONICA.

Strontiana carbonica has a few symptoms that are of importance. It has more effect on the circulation than has its relative, Baryta. We have, as a characteristic, flushes in the face and violent pulsation of the arteries. It may be useful in case of threatening apoplexy with violent congestion of the head, and hot and red face every time the patient walks. Mere exertion increases the circulation upwards towards the head. Some erethism is shown in the chest in some patients. There is a smothering feeling about the heart; they cannot rest; there is a feeling as of a load on the chest. These are the congestive symptoms of the heart, lungs and head which suggest Strontiana card., and they may occur at the time of the climaxis when flushes of heat are so common. The peculiarity which will distinguish these symptoms from those of any other remedy is, that the head symptoms are relieved by wrapping the head up warmly, just as you find under Silicea and under Magnesia mur. These patients cannot bear the least draught of air, therefore, despite this congestive tendency, they wrap the head up warmly, though it may cause perspiration. It certainly does resemble Silicea, in that both remedies have congestion of the head relieved by wrapping the head up warmly. The Silicea congestion seems to come up the spine and go into the head. That is not characteristic of Strontiana carb.

Another effect that we find caused by Strontiana carb., and one, too, for which it is not often used, is diarrhoea, which is worse at night, and which has this peculiar urgent character: the patient is scarcely off the vessel before he has to return. It is better towards morning at three or four o'clock.

Strontiana carb. has a marked action on the bones. It has a particular affinity for the femur, causing swelling and caries of that bone; usually in scrofulous children. This trouble is often associated with the diarrhoea just described.

Strontiana carb. causes an eruption which very much resembles that of sycosis. Hence, it has been given for a sycotic eruption on the face or other parts of the body, and which is moist, and itches and burns.

Another peculiarity of the drug, and the last one I care to mention, is its effects in chronic sprains, particularly of the ankle-joint, when both Arnica and Ruta have failed. The long interference with the circulation has produced some oedema about the joint.