Zincum metallicum

Occipital pain. Blue vision. Burning in bladder. Numb r. arm, then left, > writing. Soles ache when tired, > pressure. Lumbar pain, < exertion, sitting, jarring, or standing.

10 A.M. and 3 P.M. Light exertion.

Motion. Hard pressure. Warm open air. FREE DISCHARGES.

Ears. Nose. Throat. Left side.

Related: Pul.

Zincum metallicum

^inc. The Element.

Persons suffering from cerebral and nervous exhaustion ; defective vitality ; brain or nerve power wanting; too weak to develop exanthemata or menstrual function, to expectorate, to urinate; to comprehend, to memorize.

Incessant and violent fidgety feeling in feet or lower extremities ; must move them constantly.

Always feels better every way as soon as the menses begin to flow; it relieves all her sufferings; but they return again soon after the flow ceases.

In the cerebral affections : in impending paralysis of brain; where the vis medicatrix naturae is too weak to develop exanthemata (Cup., Sulph., Tub.) ; symptoms of effusion into ventricles.

Child repeats everything said to it.

Child cries out during sleep; whole body jerks during sleep; wakes frightened, starts, rolls the head from side to side; face alternately pale and red.

Convulsions : during dentition, with pale face, no heat, except perhaps in occiput, no increase in temperature (rev. of Bell.); rolling the eyes; gnashing the teeth.

Automatic motion of hands and head, or one hand and head (Apoc., Bry., Hell.).

Chorea: from suppressed eruption; from fright.

Hunger: ravenous, about ii or 12 a. m. (Sulph.) ; great greediness when eating; cannot eat fast enough (incipient brain disease in children).

Excessive nervous moving of feet in bed for hours after retiring, even when asleep.

Feet sweaty and sore about toes; fetid, suppressed foot-sweat; very nervous.

Chilblains, painful, < from rubbing.

Spinal affections : burning whole length of spine; backache, much < from sitting > by walking about (Cobalt., Puls., Rhus).

Spinal irritation; great prostration of strength.

Cannot bear back touched (Chin, s., Taran., Ther.).

Can only void urine while sitting bent backwards.

Twitching and jerking of single muscles (Agar.,

Ign.).

Weakness and trembling of extremities; of hands while writing; during menses.

During sweat, cannot tolerate any covering.

brain diseases from suppressed eruptions.

Aggravation. — Of many symptoms from drinking wine, even a small quantity (Alum., Con.).

Amelioration. — Symptoms : of chest, by expectorating; of bladder, by urinating; of back, by emissions ( < by Cobalt. ) ; general, by menstrual flow.

Is followed well by, Ign. but not by Nux, which disagrees.

Inimical. — Cham, and Nux; should not be used before or after.

1 H n r

Ih <>

■V ;

fi

'i

Lecture LXI — Cuprum and Zincum

Zinc.

Nervous depression.

Undeveloped diseases from enervation.

( Hemispheres.

Brain. < Sensorium.

I Pons medulla.

Spine.

Anaemia.

Organs.

(^Skin.

f Belladonna, Cuprum, Stramonium.

Hyoscyamus.

Zinc. ^ Calcarea ostrearum.

1 Camphor.

(^ Plumbum.

>Ign.

<Nux vom.

>Hep.

Zincum metallicum is the preparation we most frequently use. You will notice the very peculiar fact that two preparations containing strychnia, Nux vomica and Ignatia, hold opposite relations to Zinc. Ignatia follows Zinc well, and may even act as an antidote to its effect on the nervous system. Nux vomica tends rather to increase the effects of Zinc y in fact, is inimical to it. Hepar also antidotes Zinc, as it does every other metal. It is a safe remedy to fall back on in cases of metallic poisoning when the symptoms point to no special antidote. Zinc often precedes Apis when there are sharp cutting pains all over, coming quickly, jerks of tendons in sleep, head hot, feet cold; kidne3?s still act.

I have had mapped out on the board some of the sphere of action of Zinc. I wish to impress on you all that this is not placed here as an exhaustive analysis of the remedy, nor is it intended to teach you that you are to use Zinc only in the diseases here named. This table is only for convenience sake, to give a sort of starting point around which you may group the symptoms of the remedy.

In poisonous doses the salts of zinc cause formication, that is, a sensation as of ants creeping over the body. This creeping or tingling is relieved by rubbing or by pressure. There is even a tremulous vibration all through the body. This is not only experienced by the patient, but is noticed, too, by the observer. Later, there appear fainting spells, with a great deal of numbness and deathty nausea. As soon as water touches the stomach, it is vomited. This is increased by acids, so, if any one should give the patient vinegar or lemon-juice, it only adds to his torment by increasing the nausea. With all this, there is vertigo. The head reels, the eyes feel as if they were being drawn together, and there is a hard heavy pressure at the root of the nose. These symptoms are followed by convulsions and stupor, and finally, if the poison cannot be antidoted, by death. I would warn you, too, if you meet with such a case of poisoning, not to give wine or other stimulants, for every symptom of Zinc, from head to foot, is made worse by wine.

Other remedies having aggravation from drinking wine are Rhododendron, Glonoin, Nux vomica, Selenium, Ledum, Fluoric acid, Antimonium crudum, Pulsatilla, Arsenicum, Lycopodium, Opium and Silicea. Glonoin has congestive headache, made worse by wine.

Ledum is indicated in drawing pains in the joints, made worse by drinking wine.

Fluoric acid has aggravation from red wines.

Pulsatilla from sulphurated wines.

Antimonium crudum is suited to the bad effects of Rhenish sour wines.

Bovista, easily intoxicated. Also Conium.

Silicea, ebullition of blood, with aggravation from wine; Carbo veg. blushes up after a little wine.

Workers in zinc, after ten or twelve years' exposure, suffer from the following symptoms: pains in the back; sensitiveness of the soles of the feet; formication, numbness and coldness of the legs; sensation as of a band around the abdomen; crampy twitching of the muscles. Reflex excitability is increased so that irritation in one part of the body will produce violent jerking in another. Muscular sensibility is lessened, hence patient staggers when his eyes are closed, or when he is in the dark. There are muscular tremors which almost simulate those of shaking palsy. Still later, the gait becomes stiff, motions are spasmodic with the step on the full sole. From involvement of the sympathetic nervous system there are anaemia and progressive and general emaciation.

In studying Zinc as a remedy we are to remember, then, that it is a medicine which acts prominently on the nervous system. This influence which it has on the nervous tissue, is one rather of depression than stimulation. It weakens the cerebro-spinal nerves, and also those of the sympathetic, or ganglionic nerves more accurately called. It is, therefore, to be used in those diseases in which there is weakness of the nervous system. One very useful condition in which we may employ this drug comes under the second heading, undeveloped disease from enervation. By that I mean that Zinc is an invaluable drug when the patient is nervously too weak to develop a disease, and hence he suffers all the consequences of hidden disease, or disease spending its force on the internal organs. To give you an illustration of this in exanthematous diseases, we find Zinc called for in scarlatina, or in measles when the eruption remains undeveloped. As a result of the non-development of the disease, the brain suffers, as we shall see presently.

Manganese resembles Zinc by causing progressive wasting, staggering gait and paralysis. Like Phosphorus it causes acute fatty degeneration of the liver.

Now, as another evidence of this nervous condition of non-reaction, we find pains in the ovaries which are relieved during the menstrual flow. Further illustration of this action of Zinc will be found in the catarrhal asthma in which it is indicated. This asthma is accompanied by great constriction of the chest {Cadmium su/ph., Kali chlor. and Cactus g.), and is relieved as soon as the patient can expectorate, like Sepia, Antimonium tart, and Grindelia. So, too, in the male organs there is a local irritation which may be the result of spinal irritation, or self-abuse. This irritation is relieved by a seminal discharge.

Again, during dentition, the child gives way under the nervous strain, the teeth fail to develop; it has a slow pulse, seeming to come in long waves; it is drowsy, and lies with the back of the head pressed deeply into the pillow, with the eyes half-closed and squinting, the face pale and rather cool, or alternately red and pale. It gives forth loud cries, not exactly the cri encephalique, but something akin to it, with trembling all over, boring the fingers into the nose (as you find under Cina, Arum triphyllum, Veratrum and a few other remedies), or pulling nervously at the dry, parched lips, again reminding you of Arum. There will be automatic motion of different parts of the body, usually the arms and hands, and, particularly, restless, fidgety movements of the feet. This last symptom is a very strong indication for Zincum. If still conscious enough to take water, the child drinks it hastily. In extreme cases the abdomen is hot and sunken, and the stools and urine involuntary. In milder brain symptoms the child awakes delirious, as if frightened by horrible dreams. It seems to know no one. It rolls the head from side to side. It may have convulsions, with anxious screams and springing up out of bed, gnashing the teeth and rolling the eyes. It is exceedingly cross and irritable before the attack, with hot body and great restlessness, particularly at night.

Zincum may be indicated in chorea or St. Vitus' dance, when caused by fright or suppressed eruptions, especially when the general health suffers very much. There are great depression of spirits, and irritability.

Still another form of cerebral trouble calling for Zinc is meningitis. Here it is indicated when, in the beginning either of a case of rheumatism, or in fact from any cause, you find these sharp, lancinating pains through the head; they are worse from wine, * or from anything that stimulates. There are, also, pressing, tearing pains in the occiput, particularly about the base of the brain; and these pains seem to shoot through the eyes, and, sympathetically, into the teeth. There is a very distressing, cramplike pain at the root of the nose, just as we found in the poisoning symptoms. Now these symptoms will suggest Zinc to you in quite a variet} 7 of ailments, but especially in meningitis arising from the non-development of an eruption.

So you find Zincum indicated in scarlatina with the brain symptoms that I have mentioned, and with the following additional symptoms: the eruption is imperfectly developed; the skin is rather livid; the child is restless and delirious, or else quiet and unconscious; even in the smooth or Sydenham scarlatina, Zinc may supplant Belladonna by reason of this enervation of the child. A still worse case than this may occur, and still Zincum be indicated, and that is, when the skin is bluish and cold, the body is heavy, and the pulse is almost threadlike, it is so weak and volumeless. Let us now compare Zincum with other remedies.

Cuprum has cerebral symptoms, convulsions with screaming out,. *In headache worse from wine, compare: Rhododendron, Glonoin, Nux vomica, Oxalic acid and Selenium.

Both Conium and Zinc have aggravation from small sips of wine ; Conium is easily intoxicated thereby. Zinc has nearly all symptoms by taking small quantities.

clenching of the thumb into the palm of the hand, boring of the head into the pillow, and predominant spasm of the flexor muscles: the face is usually red, or even purple; the teeth are clenched; the child foams at the mouth; it awakens from its sleep frightened, and does not know anybody about it, just as in Zinciun and Stramonium. All these symptoms in Cuprum are the result of a suppressed eruption. In Zinc they are due to an undeveloped eruption. The symptoms are more violent under Cuprum; and are more like those of active inflammation.

In scarlatina the case is different when Belladonna is indicated; it is the remedy in the smooth variety of scarlatina, in the early stages. The vomiting is violent, and the cerebral symptoms prominent. There are screaming out, wild look about the eyes and redness of the face. The throat is bright red and swollen, and the tongue covered with elevated papillae; the patient springs up from sleep screaming, and clings to those about it. Suppose, however, this case goes on, and the rash does not come out; the child becomes pale and livid; it rolls its head in the pillow, grinds its teeth, and screams out whenever you move it, and the feet are restless; then Belladonna , Cuprum or Lachesis will do no good; no remedy but Zinc will.

If the case goes on in spite of Zinc, and the skin becomes livid and cold, the pulse filiform, Camphor may still bring about reaction, especially if there is cold sweat.

In some cases Veratrum album will come in.

In still others I would have you remember Hydrocyanic acid. Calcarca ostrearum is often forgotten in scarlatina. It is to be placed alongside of Zinc, particularly in scrofulous children, when the rash is either undeveloped, or else recedes, leaving the face unnaturally pale and bloated.

Zincum is indicated in several forms of headache. One of them is a stinging, tearing headache, worse in the side of the head, greatly increased by wine; this headache is also worse after dinner. Sometimes you will find Zinc indicated in obstinate pain in the head, obstinate in its persistence, yet intermittent in its quality, now very severe, and now fading away, but continually returning. It is also indicated for hypochondriasis and pressure on the top of the head, increased after dinner.

You will also find Zincum indicated in hydrocephaloid, following cholera infantum. The child rolls its head; it awakens from sleep as if frightened, and looks around the room terrified; the occiput is apt to be hot and the forehead rather cool; there is grinding of the teeth; the eyes are sensitive to the light, and are fixed and staring; the face is sunken and pale, or alternately red and pale; the nose is dry; there is jerking of the muscles during sleep; and last, but not least, there is constant fidgety motion of the feet. In hydrocephaloid, Zincum is closely allied to Calcarea phos.

Next, I would like to speak of the action of Zincum on the spine. Zinc is a good remedy in disease of the spine of a functional character, especially in spinal irritation. The symptoms which call for it are these: first and foremost, dull, aching pain about the last dorsal or first lumbar vertebra, and this is worse when the patient is sitting than it is when he walks. The symptom, I can assure you, is a good indication for Zinc. I think that very nearly the same symptom is found under Sepia. It is not situated in the same locality, however, but has the same aggravation. It is also found characteristically under Kobalt. This backache of Zincum is associated with burning along the spine, which I believe to be purely subjective and not congestive in character. We also find under Zinc, trembling of the limbs, with a feeling as if they were about to be paralyzed; sudden spasmodic bursting sensation about the heart; the heart is beating regularly, when it suddenly seems as if it would burst through the chest; constriction of the chest, causing shortness of breath; the pulse is slow, or weak and irregular; weakness or goneness in the stomach at 11 A. m. This last symptom you will also find under Phosphorus, Natrum carb., Natrum phos., Sulphur, Asafoztida, Hydrastis and Indium. Manganum should be thought of in conjunction with Zinc when the lumbar spine is affected and there are burning pains, worse on bending backwards; legs weak; tension here and there; marked anaemia.

Zincum is also indicated in paralysis from softening of the brain, following suppressed foot-sweat, with vertigo, trembling, numbness and formication. These symptoms are relieved by friction, and greatly aggravated by wine. There may be marked ptosis with this paralysis.

In these paralytic affections, Zincum is similar to Phosphorus and Plumbum. It is similar to Phosphorus, in that both remedies suit cases of enervation and of softening of the brain with the accompanying trembling. Phosphorus has not the aggravation from wine or the ptosis.

Plumbum has nearly the same symptoms as Zinc, but there is added to these, impaired nutrition, or atrophy of the paralyzed part. There will be pains in the atrophied limbs, alternating with colic. Now a word or two as to some local effects of Zinc, and we will have done with the remedy. First of all, we find it indicated in some affections of the eyes; for instance, in amblyopia, accompanied by severe headache, which is probably dependent upon some organic change in the brain or its meninges, and with severe pain at the root of the nose. The pains are particularly worse at the inner canthus of each eye. The pupils are contracted.

We may also use Zinc for opacities of the cornea following repeated and long-lasting attacks of inflammation of that membrane. The best preparation here is Zincum sulphuricum.

Pterygium may be removed by Zinc, particularly if there are smarting and stinging pains at the inner canthus.

Zincum is also useful for granular lids. Here again the sulphuricum being preferable to the metallicum.

It is also indicated in prosopalgia when the pains are severe and are accompanied by blueness o»f the eyelids.

Zincum has marked gastric and hepatic symptoms. It produces bitter taste, which is referred by the patient to the fauces. As soon as a spoonful of water reaches the stomach it is ejected. Heartburn is present, and this is increased by wine and also during pregnancy. When occuring during pregnancy it is apt to be accompanied by varicose veins of the legs. Hunger is particularly manifested towards noon. Zincum also affects the liver. You will find recorded in the original provings a symptom, the exact language of which I have forgotton, but which is in substance this: there is a feeling as of a hard tumor in the neighborhood of the umbilicus, and this is accompanied by griping pains. This symptom has led to the use of the drug in enlargement of the liver.

Zincum affects the abdomen something like Plumbum, producing griping pains about the navel, with most obstinate constipation. This is accompanied by a great deal of pressure backwards, as though the abdomen were being drawn back toward the spine. Now, in almost all cases in which Zincum is useful you will find that the predominant pain and pressure is on the sides of the abdomen; so it must affect principally the ascending and the descending colon. The urine often contains blood; it is sometimes turbid and loam-colored, and has a yellowish sediment. The patient cannot pass urine unless he sits cross-legged, even though the bladder be full.

The cough of Zinc is spasmodic, as if it would draw the chest in pieces. The sputum may be bloody. This is particularly noticed just before or during a menstrual period. It is also aggravated by eating sweet things. You will sometimes find Zincum helping in children, who, every time they cough, put their hands on the genital organs. In its action on the male genital organs Zincum is similar to Conium. It is indicated in spermatorrhoea following long-lasting abuse of the genital organs, with great hypochondriasis. The face is pale and sunken, with blue rings around the eyes. There is a great local irritation. The -testes are drawn firmly up against the external ring. Conium differs in that it lacks the excessive irritability. In this remedy, when there is urinary difficulty, the urine is apt to pass more readily while the patient is standing.

Zincum is also useful in diseases of the female organs, especially for irregularity in the menstrual function, particularly when it is associated with ulceration of the cervix uteri and boring pain in the left ovarian region. All the symptoms improve at the onset of the menstrual flow.

Weak memory. Very sensitive to noise. Averse to work, to talk. Child repeats everything said to it. Fears arrest on account of a supposed crime. Melancholia. Lethargic, stupid. Paresis.

The provings picture cerebral depression. The word "fag" covers a large part of zinc action. Tissues are worn out faster than they are repaired. Poisoning from

suppressed eruptions or discharges. The nervous symptoms of most importance. Defective vitality. Impending brain paralysis. Period of depression in disease. Spinal affections. Twitchings. Pain, as if between skin and flesh. Great relief from discharges. Chorea, from fright or suppressed eruption. Convulsions, with pale face and no heat. Marked anæmia with profound prostration. It causes a decrease in the number, and destruction of red blood corpuscles. Repercussed eruptive diseases. In chronic diseases with brain and spinal symptoms, trembling, convulsive twitching and fidgety feet are guiding symptoms.

Worse, at menstrual period, from touch, between 5 to 7 pm; after dinner, from wine. Better, while eating, discharges, and appearance of eruptions.

Feels as if he would fall to left side. Headache from the smallest quantity of wine. Hydrocephalus. Rolls head from side to side. Bores head into pillow. Occipital pain, with weight on vertex. Automatic motion of head and hands. Brain-fag; headaches of overtaxed school children. Forehead cool; base of brain hot. Roaring in head. Starting in fright.

Pale lips, and corners of mouth cracked. Redness and itching eruption on chin. Tearing in facial bones.

Pterygium; smarting, lachrymation, itching. Pressure as if pressed into head. Itching and soreness of lids and inner angles. Ptosis. Rolling of eyes. Blurring of one-half of vision; worse, stimulants. Squinting. Amaurosis, with severe headache. Red and inflamed conjunctiva; worse, inner canthus.

Tearing, stitches, and external swelling. Discharge of fetid pus.

Sore feeling high up; pressure upon root.

Teeth loose. Gums bleed. Gnashing of teeth. Bloody taste. Blisters on tongue. Difficult dentition; child weak; cold and restless feet.

Dry; constant inclination to hawk up tenacious mucus. Rawness and dryness in throat and larynx. Pain in muscles of throat when swallowing.

Hiccough, nausea, vomiting of bitter mucus. Burning in stomach, heartburn from sweet things. Cannot stand smallest quantity of wine. Ravenous hunger about 11 am (Sulph). Great greediness when eating; cannot eat fast enough. Atonic dyspepsia, feeling as if stomach were collapsed.

Pain after a light meal, with tympanitis. Pain in spot beneath navel. Gurgling and griping; distended. Flatulent colic, with retraction of abdomen (Plumb). Enlarged, indurated sore liver. Reflex symptoms from floating kidney. Griping after eating.

Hard, small, constipated stool. Cholera infantum, with tenesmus; green mucous discharges. Sudden cessation of diarrhœa, followed by cerebral

symptoms.

Can only void urine when sitting bent backwards. Hysterical retention. Involuntary urination when walking, coughing or sneezing.

Testicles swelled, drawn up. Erections violent. Emissions with hypochondriasis. Falling off of hair (pubic). Drawing in testicles up to spermatic cord.

Ovarian pain, especially left; can't keep still (Viburn). Nymphomania of lying-in women. Menses too late, suppressed; lochia suppressed (Puls). Breasts painful. Nipples sore. Menses flow more at night (Bov). Complaints all better during menstrual flow. (Eupion; Lach). All the female symptoms are associated with restlessness, depression, coldness spinal tenderness and restless feet. Dry cough before and during menses.

Burning pressure beneath sternum. Constriction and cutting in chest. Hoarseness. Debilitating, spasmodic cough; worse, eating sweet things. Child grasps genitals during cough. Asthmatic bronchitis, with constriction, of chest. Dyspnœa better as soon as expectoration appears.

Pain in small of back. Cannot bear back touched (Sul; Therid; Cinch). Tension and stinging between shoulders. Spinal irritation. Dull aching about the last dorsal or first lumbar vertebræ; worse sitting. Burning along spine. Nape of neck weary from writing or any exertion. Tearing in shoulder-blades.

Lameness, weakness, trembling and twitching of various muscles. Chilblains (Agar). Feet in continued motion; cannot keep still. Large varicose veins on legs. Sweaty. Convulsions, with pale face. Transverse pains, especially in upper extremity. Soles of feet sensitive. Steps with entire sole of foot on floor.

Varicose veins, especially of lower extremities (Puls). Formication of feet and legs as from bugs crawling over the skin, preventing sleep. Eczema, especially in the anæmic and neurotic. Itching of thighs and hollow of knees. Retrocession of eruptions.

Cries out during sleep; body jerks; wakes frightened, stared. Nervous motion of feet when asleep. Loud screaming out at night in sleep without being aware of it. Somnambulism (Kali phos).

Frequent, febrile shiverings down back. Cold extremities. Night-sweat. Profuse sweat on feet.

Compare: Agaric; Ign; Plumb; Argent; Puls; Helleb; Tuberc. Inimical: Nux; Cham. Compare in amelioration by secretions: Lach; Stan; Mosch. Compare: Zincum aceticum (effects of night-watching and erysipelas; brain feels sore; Rademacher's solution, five-drop doses three times a day in water, for those who are compelled to work, on an insufficient amount of sleep); Zinc, bromatum (dentition, chorea, hydrocephalus); Zinc oxydatum (Nausea and sour taste). Sudden vomiting in children. Vomiting of bile and diarrhœa. Flatulent abdomen.

Watery stools with tenesmus. Debility after grip. Fiery red face, great drowsiness with dreamlike unrefreshing sleep. Similar to effect of night watching. Mental and physical exertion (Rademacher). Zinc. Sulph, not repeated frequently (high potency) will clear up opacities of the cornea (McFarland). Corneitis; granular lids; tongue paralyzed; cramps in arms and legs; trembling and convulsions. Hypochondriasis due to masturbation; nervous headaches; Zinc cyanatum (as a remedy for meningitis and cerebro-spinal meningitis, paralysis agitans, chorea, and hysteria, it has received some attention); Zinc ars (chorea, anæmia, profound exhaustion on slight exertion. Depression and marked involvement of lower extremities); Zinc carb (post-gonorrhœal throat affections, tonsils swollen, bluish superficial spots); Zinc phos (herpes zoster 1x); Zinc muriat (disposition to pick the bedclothes; sense of smell and taste perverted; bluish-green tint of skin; cold and sweaty); Zinc phos (neuralgia of head and face; lightning-like pains in locomotor ataxia, brain-fag, nervousness, and vertigo; sexual excitement and sleeplessness); Ammon valerian (violent neuralgia, with great nervous agitation); Zinc picricum (facial paralysis; brain-fag, headache in Bright's disease; seminal emissions; loss of memory and energy). Oxide of zinc is used locally as an astringent and stimulant application to unhealthy ulcers, fissures, intertrigo, burns, etc.

Second to sixth potency.

Zincum Metallicum

Zinc. has a full and substantial proving, including symptoms of every part of the body. It is an antipsoric, suitable in broken down constitutions, feeble constitutions; enfeeblement characterizes the whole proving.

The Zinc. patient is nervous and extremely sensitive, excitable, trembling, quivering, twitching of muscles, tearing pains along the course of the nerves, tingling, excited on the least provocation; oversensitiveness in one part and lack of feeling in another.

This extreme oversensitiveness is like Nux; which is inimical. The overworked and excitable persons belong to Nux and Zinc. Nux is sensitive to the higher potencies. Further, there is paralytic weakness, emaciation, prostration; full of brain and spinal symptoms.

Slowness: All the functions are slow; eruptions appear slowly.

The whole economy seems to be tired and feeble, so that when a girl approaches puberty and it is time for the menses to be established, but the flow does not appear, she goes into a decline; she begins to manifest choreic symptoms, jerking and twitching, soreness in the back of the neck, burning of the whole spine, creeping and crawling of the extremities, hysterical manifestations of all sorts. Sensitive to every little noise, to people talking in the room, to crumpling of paper.

"Talking or listening is distressing; much talking of other people, even of those of who he is fond, affects his nerves and makes him morose."

Mind: Feeble children, feeble girls, mind feeble, memory poor.

Tendency to be docile, but when aroused irascible. If the child comes down with scarlatina or measles, it goes into a stupor. The eruption does not come out. There is a tendency to convulsions, drawing in the extremities, suppression of urine, rolling of the head from one side to the other, and from stupor it goes into complete unconsciousness; inability to throw eruptions to the surface.

Slowness again: The stomach is slow in digesting; sour vomiting.

The intestines are sluggish. The rectum becomes impacted. Difficult expulsion of urine; paralysis of the bladder and tedious constipation associated with spinal symptoms; urine slow in starting; can pass it only when sitting and in some cases only when sitting leaning back against the seat with hard pressure.

Back and limbs: Aching in the dorsal, lumbar, and sacral regions; better when walking and worse from rising from a seat. (In Rhus, the aching is in the sacral region, and better when walking and coming on while sitting. Calc., Rhus, Phos., Sulph. and Sepia have this in the highest degree. Zinc. occupies a lower grade in the aggravation when rising from a seat, as do Petr. and Ledum.)

Numbness of the soles of the feet, with cutting pain and soreness in the heel when stepping; fulgurating pains, stitching, stabbing, and tearing; tabes dorsalis.

Limbs paralyzed; paresis and finally paralysis of one or both sides jerking, trembling and prostration. Shocks and jerking during Sleep. Trophic centers in a state of anaemia; emaciation throughout the body; the skin looks withered; the face pallid, wrinkled, unhealthy, sickly. Always chilly; sensitive to the cold. Full of neuralgic pains; tearing pains in all parts of the body when exposed to a draft; tension and drawing in various places.

Strange drawing about the eyes as if strabismus would come on; drawing in the muscles; neck drawn back; tension and drawing everywhere. When he comes to rest, the limbs want to draw up, hence, hysterical contractures; drawing the fingers all out of shape.

The mind is slow and the patient is weak and tired; weak memory; forgetful.

"Repeats all questions before answering them." When an individual does this it is to make the mind comprehend. He must first realize what it means and then answers. Such a symptom is found in typhoid, when the patient does not convalesce; in a child after brain affections. Nervous prostration; waits a moment, looking blank, then, the face lights up and he answers. if you look at the Zincum patient and do not address him, you would not realize that he was so weak, but put a question to him and he stares at you in perfect amazement, then says, "Oh," and answers.

Zinc. is not suitable in those who are naturally feeble-minded, when the child is in a state bordering upon idiocy. Baryta carb. feeds such a mind. He rouses out of a semi-slumber and stares a moment without answering.

Stupor; aroused by every little noise, startles, twitches all over; but soon he goes beyond this, becoming less and less excitable, and finally passes into unconsciousness and cannot be aroused. You will find some deep-seated brain troubles that will try your patience.

Some cases go slowly and gradually into unconsciousness; rolling of the head for day s; eyes lusterless; body emaciated, involuntary discharges of faeces and urine in the bed; tongue dry and parched, so shriveled that it looks like leather, lips also; lice withered and each day looks older; paralysis of one hand or one foot, or it seems that the whole muscular system is paralyzed.

Screaming out in pain although not so shrilly as in Apis. A dose of Zinc. will sometimes bring this patient back to life. In a few days after the remedy there will be a jerking and quivering in the parts that were motionless, or its action will be shown in a copious sweat, much vomiting; sudden arousing that is alarming, for it looks like a threatened sinking, but this is the beginning of reaction.

Now, for days and nights while this little one is coming back to consciousness, the restoration of sensation in the parts is accompanied with the most tormenting formication, tingling, prickling, creeping, and crawling. The mother and the father and the neighbors will want something done for it, but if you antidote, the case will return to where it was before. This suffering is but the awakening to life.

It will go on in this way for a week or two and then will begin to show signs of falling back; it needs another dose of Zinc., which will again be followed by a sweat, vomiting, etc. You will see this in spinal meningitis. The early stage will be that of congestion, and Bell. may palliate, but with the onset of the symptoms enumerated above, Zinc. is the only remedy that will cure. The Bell. case will have flushed face, hot head, rolling of the head, flashing eyes, throbbing carotids. The Bry. case will be docile, stupid, purple, sleepy; ameliorated by quiet.

The Helleborus case will exhibit but little fever; cold extremities, tossing of the head, dilated pupils, unconsciousness, can hardly be aroused; rolling head from. side to side, but when the reflexes are abolished, Zinc. comes in. After the relief from Gels., Bell., or Bry. give Zinc. Rugged little fellows who hang on for weeks in this state, emaciating and unconscious. You must take the mother aside and inform her what will happen if the child returns to consciousness. If you do not, you may be turned out of the house. A person advanced in years cannot stand such an ordeal, but it is astonishing how the little ones can endure the prolonged congestion and inflammation.

After scarlet fever and badly treated meningitis; tubercular meningitis. I have carried these severe forms of brain disease through on Phosphorus, which has a picture somewhat like that of Zincum. There is no record of any recovery from tubercular meningitis, but a homoeopath can cure some of these cases, though it may take two or three months to go down and come up out of it, with two or three relapses.

Eyes: Among the eye symptoms we have a peculiar thickening and opacity of the conjunctiva, which is infiltrated, leathery, has yellow spots on it and the corners are thickened like pterygium. Dunham made a remarkable cure of pterygium. The report of the case in the Guiding Symptoms is as follows:

"Pterygium in right eye just encroaching on cornea; in left eye extending to the pupil from the inner canthus."

"Itching and stinging plain in inner angles of eyes with cloudiness of sight.

Much burning of the eyes and lids in the morning and in the evening with feeling of dryness and pressure in them."

Zinc. has cured distressing thickening of the lids, ectropion and entropion; granular thickening of the lids. In a severe case of entropion where the lashes were playing up and down the ball with lachrymation, great inflammation and redness, Zinc. removed the whole trouble. Violent photophobia; it seems as if the light would blind him. Zinc. and Euphr. are closely related in eye troubles.

Strabismus after brain troubles. Ever since scarlet fever, he had strabismus. She has much trouble with the menses; dysmenorrhoea.

Menses: But here is a striking symptom; no matter what the violent symptoms are pains in the ovaries, in the uterus, hysterical excitement; as soon as the menstrual flow appears there is relief.

Violent pains in the ovaries relieved by the flow. This is a great contrast to Cimicifuga, which has nervous excitement and hysteria during the flow, and the, more copious it is, the more violent are the pains.

The Lach. and Zinc. symptoms are worse before, and better with the flow, but in the former the pains all return when the flow slacks up again. Cimicifuga has at times an intermittent flow, then pain ceasing with each intermission, returning when the flow again appears. The great nervousness of Zinc. is manifested in the feet. You will notice a child or a woman keeping one foot going all the time, cannot keep it still. Many medicines have nervous feet and many have relief of symptoms by motion of the feet. But this is marked in Zinc. A girl about twelve years of age had no congruity of symptoms and I could not find the remedy. The mother said the child mortified her by keeping one foot constantly going in church. On asking why she did this, she replied that if she stopped she would lose her urine. Zinc. cured the whole patient. In the text we find double-lined the two words, "Fidgety feet."

Zinc. has some striking heart symptoms. Constriction of the whole chest in weakly subjects.