Moschus

Poor reaction. Spasmodic, nervous effects; laughter, hiccough, shuddering, etc. Twitchings. Chokings. FAINTS. Hysteria. Buzzing, squeezing or plug-like sensations. Globus. .................... Hurried, tremulous and awkward. Anger; talks excitedly or scolds until she faints. Fears noise, dying, etc. Imaginary sufferings. Nervous shuddering. Headache, with coldness, faintness and polyuria. One cheek red, but cold (Fer.), other pale and hot. Blue lips. Violent eructations. Tympany. Sudden nervous suffocation or anxious palpitation; wants a deep breath; < becoming cold (Act-sp.); > belching. Cramp in lungs. Sleepy by day; sleepless at night; wakes every minute. So sensitive, cold air makes him shudder. Shivering on scalp. Cold skin. Burning heat, with restlessness.

Excitement. Cold. Suppressions; menses, etc.

Open air.

NERVES: SENSORY. Genital. Respiration. Circulation.

Related: Carb-v. Castor. Ign. Nux-m. Val.

Lecture IX — Moschus

The order of Ruminantia furnishes us with an article called Musk, which is obtained from the Moschus moschiferus, or musk-deer. It is found in a sac just behind the umbilicus, and probably consists of a secretion from the preputial follicles.

The second word, " moschiferus," is a necessary qualification, since several species of the musk-deer, as the Tragulus Javanicus and the Meminna Indica, are unprovided with the musk-bearing pouch. So penetrating is the odor of this substance, that it is with great difficulty removed from a room, even after extensive cleansing and alterations.

Moschus is of some value in nervous affections, and also in several grave forms of disease. Injected into the veins of animals, it has produced narcotism with muscular spasms, bloody stools and finally death. Wood regards its action on man as feeble and uncertain, though he admits its clinical worth when the nervous system is exhausted, with accompanying restlessness, etc. Ringer regards it as ill-adapted to medicine on account of its sickening odor. Bartholow, Flint, Hammond and Rosenthal do not use it in hysteria. German writers, Jolly, for instance, admit a temporary benefit from its use in hysteria. Like some American authorities, they employ it more confidently in pneumonia and in spasmus glottidis. Trousseau, with characteristic conservatism, rejects the overdrawn laudations of older writers, and proceeds, in his own unique fashion, to define its accurate application to diseases.

In our own school, precise prescribing has had its influence in more clearly defining the power of Musk, and in thus limiting its action within reasonable bounds. The experiments of Joerg and Sunderlin, which Allen has seen fit to incorporate in the Encyclopaedia, are considered by some to be contradictory. Still, they are not opposed to other provings obtained with potencies or by inhalation, and so are of value and deserve to be retained.

Homceopathically employed, Moschus is of use in various affections when the nervous symptoms predominate. The disease, in consequence, does not follow its normal course, but remains uncured or develops serious symptoms, indicating nervous exhaustion. It is also sometimes called for in hysteria and hypochondriasis. Moschus, then, produces numerous symptoms referable to the nervous system. The following are especially worthy of note:

Excited as from alcohol; pulse full and frequent; temperature slightly elevated; congestion of the brain; raves, speaks rapidly and confusedly; scolds until her lips are blue, her face pale, and she falls unconscious; anxiety; starts at any noise; anxious about death. Anxiety, with fainting; faints, with coldness, pale face, complete unconsciousness; hysteria; cries one moment and bursts into uncontrollable laughter the next; delirium; sleeplessness; muscular twitching; ataxia; the face wears an expression of surprise; convulsions, more tonic than clonic.

Accompaniments: palpitation of the heart, as from anxious expectation; nervous, busy, but weak; soon drops things; tremulous nervousness; fainting spells, with pale face and coldness; sleepy during the day; rush of blood to the head, with staring eyes; dizzy unsteadiness, as of something rapidly moving up and down; vertigo; headaches and pains in the back and limbs, which are described as a sensation of tension, stiffness, pressure or drawing; the muscles and skin are tightly drawn (tonic spasm). She frequently complains of nausea, and there is cramping about the navel, or a jerk-like clawing. Uneasiness in the legs, worse while she is sitting; great tympanitis, with fainting; copious watery urine; spasmus glottidis. The menses are too early and too profuse, preceded by the tense, drawing sensations, and also a drawing and dragging towards the genitals. Sexual desire is increased, with local titillation.

Sudden sensation in the upper part of the larynx, as if it closed upon the breath. A kind of "cramp" in the lung, beginning with an inclination to cough, gradually increasing* and making him perfectly desperate. Suffocative constriction in the chest.

The most important hysterical symptoms of Musk are: attacks even to fainting or unconsciousness; coldness of the surface; pale face; suffocative paroxysms; scolding until she falls unconscious. Compare Castoreum, Nux moschata, Asafcetida, Gum ammoniac )

Valeriana, Ignatia, Magnesia muriatica.

Camphor antidotes many of the symptoms of Musk, especially if unconsciousness and coldness are present.

Castoream is derived from the preputial sacs of the beaver. Like Musk it causes nervousness, twitching, and deranged menses. But it is more adapted to the nervous symptoms which precede fully developed hysteria. It suits women who suffer from irritable weakness, abdominal symptoms predominating.

Charge, for example, employs it for women who, during convalescence from a prostrating disease, as typhoid fever, suffer from spasmodic affections, twitchings of muscles, with extreme exhaustion. The want of nervous reaction, therefore, tends to prolong convalescence unduly, and Castoreum, by strengthening the nerves, hastens recovery.

Trousseau employs this remedy for nervous colic with pallor, cold sweat, and sudden loss of strength, caused by emotions, chilling the feet, etc. Also for amenorrhcea, with painful tympany; the menstrual blood, owing to uterine tenesmus, escapes only in drops. Teste agrees with him in the main.

The provings develop a train of symptoms quite consistent with these clinical effects. The woman is nervous, apprehensive and sad, growing fitful during the menses. Tearing pains, better from pressure or rubbing. Tearing pressure in different parts during menses. Abdomen distended with flatus; dragging in the groins, inclination to stool during menses. Cutting about the navel.

Stools of bloody mucus, or of wmitish water, with burning in the anus. Green mucous stools, which burn. Cutting colic before stool, better from pressure or bending double.

A Spanish physician has confirmed the modality of Castoreum, relief of pains from pressure, and we may profit by French and Spanish authorities in their treatment of nervous affections, since from national peculiarities they have ample opportunities to treat such cases.

The similarities between Musk and Castoreum are rather in the kind of affections in which they are indicated than in special symptoms. Still Trousseau places them together in nervous attacks, when the aura starts from the abdominal viscera. But only the Musk has clearly developed hysterical attacks, with pulmonary and laryngeal spasms and unconsciousness.

And we may say, in passing, only Castoreum has cured watery or green mucous stools in delicate, nervous children, who weaken under summer heat or during dentition, and who will not rally under the usual remedies.

Nux moschata exerts a very novel influence upon the mind. The state varies from a bewilderment, in which the surroundings are strange, dreamy, or fanciful, to a condition of absentmindedness, sleepiness, and finally deep stupor, with loss of motion and sensation. Mental states may alternate. At one time she laughs, as if everything partook of the ludicrous. She jests even about serious subjects. Suddenly her mood changes to sadness, with w 7eeping and loud crying; or her expression grows stupid, all ideas vanish, and she appears as if overwhelmed with sleep. There are, likewise, errors of perception; a momentary unconsciousness she regards as having been of long duration. Her hands look too large. Objects gradually diminish in size as she looks at them steadily. The bodily functions come under the same influence; great weakness and bruised feeling of the small of the back and the legs; the knees feel weak, as after a long journey; prostration; tendency to faint; oppressed breathing, rush of blood to the heart, skin cold and dry. So relaxed that pulse and breath are scarcely discernible. Head drops forward, the chin resting on the breast. Head rolls about as if bulky. Bowels enormously distended with wind, as from weak digestion. Even soft stools are evacuated with difficulty. It is this mental and bodily atony which has led to the excellent cures made with Nux moschata, not only in hysterical weakness, but in typhoid fever and cholera infantum. The hystero-spasmodic symptoms of the drug are intimately commingled with the above symptoms; head jerked forward; jaws clenched; heart as if grasped; sudden oppression of the heart, with choking sensation; tonic, followed by clonic spasms; unconsciousness or fainting.

Accompaniments are: great dryness of the mouth and throat, which, on account of her tendency to magnify, she complains of extremely. The least emotional excitement renews the symptoms, increases the distension of the abdomen, etc. Skin dry and cool, no disposition to sweat. Palpitation of the heart; heart-beat and pulse changeable.

Valeriana is so much abused as an antispasmodic that Homceopathicians are too apt to neglect it. But it occupies its definite place in the treatment of hysteria, differing from Musk, Asafcetida, and all other "nervines." It is not so much adapted to hysterical spasms, with unconsciousness, like the drugs already considered, as it is to a general state of nervous and vascular excitement. Both mind and body are in a condition of irritation. The patient is livety, joyous, talking rapidly, with rapid sequence of thoughts. Sometimes she imagines she is beset with dangers, or surrounding objects seem strange. She suffers from headache, giddiness and restlessness. Her muscular organism is so irritated that she cannot keep quiet; she must move. The same state influences her pains. The provings show twinging, drawing, cramp-like, stinging, or darting-tearing pains, all worse when she sits and better when she walks. The circulation, too, is excited; her head feels full to bursting; constant heat and uneasiness; dry heat in the evening while sitting, flushes of heat. She is wide awake and restless all night, falling into a dreamy sleep toward morning. Digestion is disturbed. Before dinner she has a taste as of foetid tallow, while early in the morning, on awaking, the taste is flat or slimy. Nausea, as if a thread w rere hanging in the throat; nausea beginning in the region of the umbilicus, and gradually rising to the fauces. Bloated abdomen.

From the order of Umbellifer<z we derive two gums which have often been used in nervous affections. I refer to Gum ammoniac, and, especially, to Asafcetida.

The latter acts most prominently upon the abdominal ganglia, and thence upon the whole nervous system. Its most characteristic effects are as follows: reversal of the peristaltic action of the bowels, stomach, and particularly of the throat; rancid eructations, with profuse saliva, greasy taste; the head feels dull and compressed; burning in the stomach and oesophagus; enormous meteorism of the stomach; stools papescent, brown, offensive; spasmodic tightness of the chest, as if the lungs could not be fully expanded; oppression to an agonizing degree; heart congested and distended, with small pulse. Drawing and tightness, here and there; pulse small, contracted, with shivering in the lumbar region. Pressure in various places, usually from within outward. Cutting, labor-like distress in the region of the uterus. Urine brown, of pungent odor. Later, as the patient weakens, there are malaise, yawning, shuddering from time to time, vertigo, vanishing of sight and cold sweat.

Clinically, it has been determined that Asafcetida is suited to nervous patients, when their condition is the direct sequel of the checking of habitual discharges, such as the external healing of running ulcers, the sudden suppression of a diarrhoea, etc. Also after abuse of mercury, when, besides the nervousness, affections of the bones and periosteum, such as caries, are likewise present. There are extreme sensitiveness in the region of the carious ulcer, and severe pains at night. Women are sometimes helped by Asafcetida when a habitual expectoration is checked and hysterical symptoms, together with oppression of the chest, follow. Here the drug displays a family resemblance to Gu?n ammoniac, which has frequently been given for such a condition of the lungs.

Musk and Asafoetida agree in producing globus hystericus, spasm of the chest, and palpitation. The former is best adapted to a fullfledged hysterical spasm, with fainting or unconsciousness. The latter has more offensive discharges, and the globus is part of an extensive reverse peristalsis. Fainting has not been noted (except in one case, when the intensity of the pain caused it). Tympany is also well marked.

Magnesia muriatica resembles the last remedy and also Musk. . Like other Magyiesia preparations it affects the stomach and bowels and the nervous system. Thus the Carbonate and Phosphate are indicated in neuralgia, especially in cases subject to repeated attacks by reason of nervous debility. The Muriate, however, has been proved to be eminently useful in hysteria. We observe prominent abdominal symptoms; nausea, with accumulation of water in the mouth; liver enlarged; tongue large, flabby and yellow; she must hurry to stool, which is crumbly as if burnt; and, as if to show a combination of abdominal and nervous symptoms, there are rumbling in the abdomen, with dragging, griping, cutting, tension, and then pain as if the bowels were cut to pieces; feeling of something rising into the throat like a ball, almost taking her breath; relieved by eructations. Flatus collects in the stomach and abdomen, causing reflex spasmodic symptoms through irritated nerves.

This is still further confirmed by the following: attack of faintness during dinner; anxiety with nausea and pale face; trembling of the body; relieved by eructations. Or, again, sudden heaviness on the chest during dinner, nausea, water in the mouth; heat mounting to the face; it seems as if eructations or vomiting would relieve her. Illusions of fancy have been observed. Very important is the headache; griping and raging in both temples, sensation as though she would become dizzy and lose consciousness, disappearing on pressing the head with both hands. Headache relieved by wrapping up the head.

The menstrual flow is black, clotted, with pains in the back while walking and in the thighs when sitting. Uterine spasms, with tension in the groins (Hale thinks in the broad ligaments); cutting in the lower abdomen during menses. Cramps in the abdomen, with pressure upon the rectum and genitals.

Palpitation of the heart, not, like Musk, "as from anxious expectation," but, nonetheless, non-organic, for it comes on while sitting and on rising from a seat, and disappears on moving about. This has been several times confirmed.

Briefly, by way of summary: Moschus, excited, scolding, fainting; coldness; spasm of the glottis and lungs.

Castoreum, exhausted, pains better from pressure; menstrual colic with pallor and cold sweat.

Nux moschata, errors of perception, drowsy; faints; enormous tympany; oppression of the heart and throat; skin dry, cool. Valeriana, nerves irritated, cannot keep still; tearings, cramps, better when moving; taste of tallow or slime.

Asafcetida, reverse peristalsis, rancid eructations, offensive flatus; tightness of the chest; checked discharges.

Magnesia muriatica, faints at dinner; relief from eructations; head better from pressure and wrapping up; palpitation better on moving about; stools crumble.

Moschus, has been employed by allopathic physicians when, in the course of pneumonia, a purely nervous delirium obtains. The brain is violently excited and the patient talks nonsense with furious vivacity (Trousseau).

We need remedies for just such cases, remedies which will calm the irritable weak nerves, and permit the disease to proceed in its normal course.

The following may prove beneficial in diseases embarrassed by a condition of non-reaction from irritable weakness: Musk, Ambra grisea, Asafcetida, Valeriana, Castoreum, Coffea, Scutellaria, Cypripedium, Coca, Zincumox., China, CampJwra, Agaricus, Tarentula.

Uncontrollable laughter. Scolding. Anxiety with palpitation; starting as if frightened. Sexual hypochondriasis.

A remedy for hysteria and nervous paroxysms, fainting fits and convulsions, catalepsy, etc. The characteristic condition being aggravation by cold; there is great sensitiveness to air. Much nervous trembling and frequent fainting. Great flatulence. Diseases do not follow a normal course. Coldness. Tension in muscles, skin and mind.

Better, in open air, rubbing. Worse, cold. The open air is felt very, very cold.

Compressive pain over root of nose. Pressure on top of head. Vertigo on least motion; sensation as if falling from a great height. Scalp sensitive. Sounds in ears as from the report of a cannon.

Desire for black coffee, stimulants. Aversion to food. Everything tastes flat. With stomach symptoms, anxiety in chest. Distended. Faints when eating. Abdomen greatly distended. Spasmodic, nervous hiccough (Hydrocy ac; Sulph ac; Ignat; Cajap).

Profuse urination. Diabetes.

Violent desire; involuntary emissions. Impotence, associated with diabetes (Coca). Premature senility. Nausea and vomiting after coition.

Menses too early, too profuse, with disposition to faint (Nux m; Veratr). Sexual desire, with intolerable titillation in parts. Drawing and pushing in the direction of the genitals; sensation as if menses appear.

Tightness of chest, is obliged to take a deeper breath. Sudden constriction of larynx and trachea. Difficult respiration; chest oppressed; hysterical spasm of chest; asthma. Spasm of glottis. Impending paralysis of lungs. Asthma, with intense anxiety, fear, and smothering sensation. Cough ceases, mucus cannot be expectorated. Globus hystericus.

Hysterical palpitation. Trembling around heart. Weak pulse and fainting.

Compare: Nux mosch; Asaf; Valer; Sumbul; Ign; Castor. Compatible: Ambra. Antidotes: Camph; Coff.

First to third potency.

Moschus

Mind: Moschus cures many hysterical girls who have come to adult age without ever learning what obedience means.

They are self-willed, obstinate and selfish. When they have been encouraged to resort to crafty cunning, to have every whim gratified from infancy to eighteen years of age they become fit subjects for Mosch., Asa f., Ignatia and Valer. They not only have volumes of real and imaginary symptoms, but they become adepts at producing at will a kaleidoscopic complex of symptoms, increasing in quantity and intensity until all their own desires are attained, and the onlooker, be he or she nurse, physician or bewildered mother, is overwhelmed, dismayed and in retreat.

However much they pretend to be honest and truthful their reported sensations are untrustworthy. They have traded upon their sensations and imagination so long that a direct effort to give a truthful statement is unsuccessful. The most erratic and unexpected neuropathic phenomena are always in appearance.

The physician cannot measure these cases by his experience and say what is common and uncommon. He is compelled to fall back upon the one word that covers a multitude of these manifestations, viz., "Hysteria."

Moschus is often indicated in these constitutions and cures much that is morbid, when its own peculiar symptoms agree. When one of these girls becomes sick from taking cold the acute symptoms will be told with a host of her imaginary sensations.

The globus hystericus is generally present, hyperesthesia of the skin, quivering of the muscles, wakefulness, palpitation, excitement, fainting and trembling.

"Dreadful" pain all over the body, rush of blood to head, cramps in hands and feet, convulsions of whole body. It is not generally known that the morbid sensations and functions correspond with the mental state of the individual. When the functions and tissue symptoms are hysterical or erratic the mental state will be found to be correspondingly hysterical.

When the peculiar Moschus symptoms of the face is present, viz.: one cheek red and cold, the other pale and hot, there is certainly some hysterical perversion in the mind of that patient. Many times it is possible to suspect morbid mental states by knowing morbid sensations and functions. There is a kind of order in all morbid expressions seen in sick people.

Sensitive to cold, and complaints come on from becoming cold. In addition to numerous hysterical mental symptoms she has violent fits of anger with rage and scolding until she is blue in the face and falls in a faint.

Dread of death, and talks only of death when there is no serious complaint. Anguish and palpitation. Peevishness and quarrelsomeness. In a constant hurry, and lets things fall from her hands. Foolish gestures and complaint of pain. Apprehension, trembling and palpitation. Fear of lying down lest she die. Sensation of falling from a height, or as if rapidly turned around.

Head: Vertigo on moving head or eyelids, ameliorated in open air; with nausea and vomiting and fainting.

The headaches are ameliorated from becoming warm, and in the fresh air. Tension in back of head and nape. Aching in head, with cold feeling. Pressive, stupefying headache, mostly in forehead, with nausea, aggravated on motion, ameliorated in fresh air.

Hysterical headaches, with copious colorless urine. Constriction as with cord. Pain as if a nail in occiput, aggravated in room, ameliorated in fresh air.

Eyes: Eyes staring. Sudden blindness or dim vision, coming and going. Eyes turned up, fixed and glistening.

Ears: Rushing sounds in ears as from wind, or fluttering as the wing of a bird. Detonation in ears as from the report of a cannon, with a few drops of blood. Nervous deafness in paroxysms, or after a mad fit,

Face: Epistaxis and illusions of smell. One check is red and cool, the other is pale and hot. Heat in the pale face and dim vision. Tension in face. Pale face with sweat. Earthy pale face. Moving of lower jaw as if chewing.

Mouth and throat dry and hot; bitter, putrid taste; great thirst, especially in hysterical conditions.

Stomach: Craves beer or brandy.

Aversion to food. The sight of it makes her sick. Vomiting. Pressive, burning pain and distension of stomach. Fainting during meals. Waterbrash. Hysterical hiccoughing. Nausea when thinking of food. Drawing in at the umbilicus (Plb.). Prolonged vomiting of food. Fullness in stomach after eating. Vomiting blood. Stomach easily disordered.

Abdomen: Tympanitic distension of abdomen with sharp pains. No flatus up or down, yet greatly distended. Cramping pains.

Involuntary stools during sleep. Copious watery stools during night. Stitching in anus to bladder. Copious colorless watery urine. Urine passed during the night is offensive and full of mucus. In the male, violent sexual excitement. Emissions without erections.

In the female, violent sexual desire. Menses too early and profuse, with drawing pains; tingling in genitalia and fainting. Bearing down sensation. Erratic nervous phenomena during pregnancy.

Respiration: Laryngismus stridulus in self-willed girls when they fail to have their own way. Constriction of larynx as from vapor of sulphur. Spasms of larynx when becoming cold.

Spasmodic croup in nervous children after punishment.

Dyspnoea and oppression of chest and heart. Spasmodic asthma in extremely nervous women and children.

Constriction of chest. Spasms of chest and diaphragm, turns blue in face and foams at mouth on becoming cold. Paralysis of chest, rattling, cannot expectorate; fainting. Palpitation in hysterical girls, Palpitation, oppression of chest, fainting, excitement, with copious colorless urine. The heart seems to quiver when the pulse is normal.

Limbs: Aching in limbs. Restlessness in legs, and tibia cold. One hand hot and pale, the other cold and red.

Heat in evening in bed, on right side only; wants to uncover. Perspiration smelling like musk in the morning.

Cold skin, trembling, fainting and palpitation.