Encyclopedia of Homeopathy

84 •MAJOR MINERAL REMEDIESHepar sulphuris calcareumHEPAR SULPH.KEY SYMPTOMS violent outbursts • oversensitivity • chilliness • offensive-smellingdischarges • splinterlike pains • craving for sour foods and drinksOYSTERSHELLDoctors in the 18th century used calcium sulfide externally for ailments such asacne, boils, and gout. It is still used in veterinary medicine, and industrially in paintmanufacture. The homeopathic remedy was first used by Hahnemann in 1794, as anantidote to the side-effects of mercury, a common medicine at the time (see page 85).Hepar sulph. is now given primarily for respiratory problems such as croup andcoughs, and for skin infections.CALCIUM SULFIDE Hahnemann developed his ownform of calcium sulfide using flowers of sulfur andpowdered oyster shell instead of ordinary lime.REMEDY PROFILEPeople who respond best to Hepar sulph. aretouchy, both mentally and physically. They arepatient and methodical workers, but thistolerance does not extend to others, and theyare often critical, irritable, and hard to please.They are also oversensitive and quick to takeoffense. Illness heightens their irritability andimpetuosity, and anger, pain, or anguish maydrive them to violent outbursts. They mayhave low self-esteem and feel as though theyare rejected by others.Often hypersensitive, these people tend tohave a low pain threshold and to complainout of proportion to their illness. They lackinternal warmth, and will feel the cold keenly,especially dry cold. Symptoms are usuallyworse at night, and aggravated by the leasttouch on the affected area. Common cravingsare for fatty foods and for sour tastes suchas vinegar.Hepar sulph. is generally used where there isan infection, particularly in the respiratorysystem or skin. It is especially appropriate forailments that are accompanied by swollenglands, particularly in the neck or groin, or ifthere is a high fever alternating with chills.Colds & catarrhSYMPTOMS Cold or influenza with fever,sneezing, sweating, and need for warmth.Profuse catarrh may be watery at first, thenblood-stained, thick, and yellowish in color,with a smell of old cheese. Contact with coldair triggers sneezing. The nostrils may feelsore and raw. Colds may begin with a ticklythroat (see right). There may be sinusitis, withpain in the facial bones and the bridge of thenose. Pain is often right-sided and extends tothe ear, notably on swallowing. There may bea piercing earache with a foul-smellingear discharge.Symptoms better For warmth; for warm, wetweather; for covering the head; for eating.Symptoms worse For cold and cold drafts; fortouch; for undressing.Sore throatSYMPTOMS A hoarse voice, sore throat, andswollen tonsils, often due to a cough (seebelow) or quinsy (abscesses around thetonsils). There may be weeping abscesses onthe gums or glands, with sharp, splinterlikepain, especially on swallowing, that mayspread to the ear.Symptoms better For warm, wet weather;for wrapping the throat; for warm compresses.Symptoms worse For cold; for touching thethroat; for swallowing; for cold drinks.Coughs & croupSYMPTOMS A dry, hacking, crowing cough,often causing a sore throat (see above). Ifthe cough is loose, a coughing fit may betriggered by touching the throat, and maycause a choking feeling. Thick phlegm maybe lodged in the chest. Coughs tend to be dryin the evening and loose in the morning.The symptoms of croup are similar, butwith a barking cough and difficultycoughing up phlegm.Symptoms better For warm, wet weather;for wrapping up warmly.Symptoms worse For cold; in the morning andevening; for touching the throat.Skin conditionsSYMPTOMS The skin chaps or roughens easily,and eruptions such as acne are inflamed andsore, with foul-smelling, yellow pus.Eruptions are slow to heal and prone toPOWDEREDOYSTER SHELLSOURCE DETAILSORIGINA form of calcium sulfide using powderedoyster shell (see page 77) and flowers ofsulfur (see page 99).BACKGROUNDUsed by 18th-century doctors for goiter,gout, rheumatic pain, and tuberculosis.PREPARATIONFlowers of sulfur and powdered oyster shellare heated, dissolved in acid, and trituratedwith lactose sugar.COMMON NAMESCalcium sulfide, crude calcium sulfide,sulfuret of lime.FLOWERSOF SULFURinfection, perhaps leaving scars. Infectionssuch as styes, boils, and cold sores may beaccompanied by the typical yellow discharge.Abscesses and ulcers bleed easily.Symptoms better For warmth; for warmcompresses on the affected areas; for eating.Symptoms worse For cold; for undressing;for touch.Digestive disordersSYMPTOMS Nausea, vomiting, or chronicdiarrhea, usually accompanied by agrumbling abdomen. Stools are typically pale,soft, and have a sour odor, as does urine.Symptoms better For warm, wet weather;for warmth; for eating.Symptoms worse For cold; for undressing.See also Eczema, pages 194, 240; Earaches, page 222; Sinusitis, page 226; Mild acne, page 240; Tonsillitis, page 250; Croup, page 250