Encyclopedia of Homeopathy

68 •MAJOR MINERAL REMEDIESAcidum arsenicosum syn. Arsenicum albumARSEN. ALB.KEY SYMPTOMS anxiety about health • restlessness and exhaustion • chilliness• thirst for small sips of water • burning pains that are better for warmthArsenic is well known as a deadly poison. In the past it was usedto make flypaper and wallpaper, sometimes leading to accidentalpoisonings: Napoleon’s death has recently been attributed to arsenicused to color his wallpaper, which may have formed a deadly gasin damp, moldy conditions. Arsen. alb., proved by Hahnemann andpublished in his Materia Medica Pura (1821–34), is given chiefly totreat the mucous membranes of the digestive and respiratory tracts.REMEDY PROFILEThose most suited to Arsen. alb. are affectionate,sensitive, and stable in good health, but may beprone to restlessness, stress, and anxiety abouttheir health, with a deep need for reassurance.Illness brings rapid physical and mentalexhaustion and chaos, which heightens theirfears and vulnerability, and can cause severeanxiety or pessimism. Perfectionists by nature,they are intolerant of disorder, and when understress or ill may develop phobias orobsessions—for example, about cleanliness.They like alcohol, warm drinks, and warm,sour, sweet, and fatty foods.Arsen. alb. is a key remedy for asthma andbreathlessness. It is also prescribed for violentdigestive upsets with diarrhea and vomiting,headaches, burning eye inflammation, anditchy, weepy skin complaints.Respiratory illnessSYMPTOMS Asthma or severe breathlessness,possibly brought on by stress or anxiety. Thereis typically susceptibility to colds, violentsneezing, and hay fever. Burning, waterycatarrh causes the nostrils and lips to becomedry, cracked, and sensitive. Weakness andextreme fatigue are common.Symptoms better For warmth; for movement;for sitting upright; for warm drinks.Symptoms worse For cold, dry, windy weather;between midnight and 2 a.m.; for stress; on theright side of the body; for cold foods and drinks.Digestive disordersSYMPTOMS Indigestion and colitis, aggravated bystress and anxiety. Watery, offensive-smellingstools cause soreness around the anus andburning pain in the rectum. There may bevomiting or diarrhea followed by exhaustion anddehydration. Excessive consumption of alcohol,ripe fruit and vegetables, and iced foods maycause gastroenteritis. If there is any fever, thebody feels hot to the touch while chilled inside,or cold to the touch but burning inside.Symptoms better For warmth; for movement; forlying with the head propped up; for sips of water.Symptoms worse For exposure to the cold;between midnight and 2 a.m.; for stress; forcold foods and drinks.Food poisoningSYMPTOMS Burning, stinging vomiting, withexhaustion and dehydration, and nausea onthe sight or smell of food.Symptoms better For warmth; for movement;for sips of water.Symptoms worse For cold; between midnightand 2 a.m.HeadachesSYMPTOMS Pain beginning at the bridgeof the nose and extending over the entirehead, with dizziness, vomiting, and nausea.Excitement, stress, and anxiety mayaggravate the pain.Symptoms better For cold air; for coldcompresses.Symptoms worse For stress or excitement;for overheating; for tobacco smoke; for thesmell of food.Eye inflammationSYMPTOMS Inflamed, stinging eyes withburning pains and sensitivity to bright light.Symptoms better For warm compresses.Symptoms worse For cold air; for tobacco smoke.ARSENOPYRITEArsenopyrite formsas prismatic crystalsARSENIC In the past doctors used arsenic totreat eczema, but it is now considered too toxic.SOURCE DETAILSORIGINExtracted from the mineral arsenopyrite,which is found in Norway, Sweden, Germany,England, and Canada.BACKGROUNDHas long been used in Europe and theUS as a preservative for tanning animalhides, and is also traditionally used tomake rat poison.PREPARATIONArsenic is triturated by being groundrepeatedly with lactose sugar until it issoluble in water. It is then further dilutedand succussed.COMMON NAMESArsenic, arsenic trioxide, arsenic oxide,arsenious acid.Crystals area naturalsource ofarsenicEczemaSYMPTOMS Itching, burning, cracked skin.Scratching causes weeping, bleeding, raw skin.Symptoms better For warm compresses;for movement.Symptoms worse For anxiety; between midnightand 2 a.m.See also Respiration, page 180; Digestion, pages 188, 234; Skin, pages 192, 240; Depression, page 212; Anxiety, page 244