ALLENS KEY NOTES ON NITRIC ACID

NITRIC ACID.

Nitric Acid. (HNO3.)

Especially suited to thin persons of rigid fibre, dark complexions, black hair and eyes - the brunette rather than the blonde - nervous temperament. Persons suffering with chronic diseases who take cold easily; are easily disposed to diarrhoea; rarely to those who suffer with constipation. Old people with great weakness and diarrhoea. Excessive physical irritability. Pains: sticking, pricking as from splinters; suddenly appearing and disappearing; on change of temperature or weather; during sleep; gnawing here and there as from ulcers forming. Sensation: of a band around head, around the bones (Carb. ac., Sulph.); of a splinter in affected parts, ulcers, piles, throat, ingrowning toe nail, < on slightest contact. Ailments: which depend on some virulent poison; from mercury, syphilis, scrofula; in broken-down cachetic constitutions. After continual loss of sleep, long-lasting anxiety, over-exertion of mind and body from nursing the sick (Coc.); anguish from the loss of his dearest friend; indifference; tired of life; sadness before menses. Great anxiety about his disease; constantly thinking about his past troubles; morbid fear of cholera (Ars.); depressed and anxious in the evening. Irritable, headstrong; hateful and vindictive; inveterate, ill-willed, unmoved by apologies. Hardness of hearing > by riding in carriage or train (Graph.). Very sensitive to rattle of wagon over paved streets; headache from pressure of hat (Cal. p., Carbo., Nat.). Ozaena: green casts from the nose every morning. Diarrhoea: great straining but little passes, as if faeces remained and cannot be expelled (Alum.); pain as if rectum or anus were torn or fissured (Nat. m.). violent cutting pains after stool, lasting for hours (Rat., Sulph. - during and after, Mer.). Fissures in rectum; tearing, spasmodic pains during stools; lancinating, even after soft stools (Alumen., Nat., Rat.). Urine: scanty, dark-brown, strong-smelling, "like horse's urine;" cold when it passes; turbid, looks like remains of a cider barrel. Ulcers: easily bleeding; in corners of mouth (Nat.); splinter-like pains, especially on contact (Hep.); zig-zag, irregular edges; base looks like raw flesh; exuberant granulations; after mercury or syphillis or both, engrafted on a scrofulous base. Discharges; thin, offensive, acrid; of a brown or dirty yellowish green color; rarely laudable pus. Haemorrhage: from bowels in typhoid or typhus (Crot., Mur. ac.); after miscarriage or post-partum; from over-exertion of body; bright, profuse, or dark. Cracking: in ears, on masticating; of the joints, on motion (Coc., Graph.). Warts, condylomata: sycotic or syphilitic; large, jagged, pedunculated; bleeding readily on washing; moist, oozing, sticking pain (Staph., Thuja). Affects especially the mucous membrane join; mouth, nose, rectum, anus, urethra, vagina (Mur. ac.).

Relations

. - Complementary: Ars., and Calad. Inimical: to, Lachesis. Resembles: Ars. in morbid fear of cholera. Often difficult to distinguish from Mer.; but is adapted to black-haired people, while Mer. is more useful in light-haired persons. Relieve ailments resulting from abuse of mercury, especially, if there be erethism; bad effects of repeated doses of Digitalis. Follows well: Calc., Hep., Mer., Nat. c., Puls. or Thuja; but is most effective after Kali c.

Aggravation

. - Evening and at night; after midnight; contact; change of temperature or weather; during sweat; on waking; while walking.

Amelioration

. - While riding in carriage (reverse of Coc.).