KREOSOTUM

Every homeopathic remedy is explained in detail by William Boericke, M.D. in the Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory, a book which is highly respected by the homeopathy profession. The following text is excerpted from that book and explains the symptoms covered by this remedy:

KREOSOTUM
Common name: Beechwood Kreosote

Kreosotum is a mixture of phenols obtained from this distillation.

Pulsations all over the body, and profuse bleeding from small wounds. Very severe, old neuralgic affections; pains rather aggravated by rest. Excoriating, burning, and offensive discharges. Hæmorrhages, ulcerations, cancerous affections. Rapid decomposition of fluids and secretions, and burning pains. Overgrown, poorly developed children. Post-climacteric diseases. Tumefaction, puffiness, gangrene. Ailings of teething children.

Mental: Music causes weeping and palpitation. Vanishing of thought; stupid, forgetful, peevish, irritable. Child wants everything but throws it away when given.

Head: Dull pain, as from a board pressing against forehead. Menstrual headache. Occipital pain (Gels; Zinc pic).

Eyes: Salty lachrymation. Lids red and swollen.

Ears: Eruption around and pimples within. Difficult hearing and buzzing.

Face: Sick, suffering expression; hot, cheeks red.

Mouth: Lips red, bleeding. Very painful dentition; child will not sleep. Very rapid decay of teeth, with spongy, bleeding gums; teeth dark and crumbly (Staph; Ant c). Putrid odor and bitter taste.

Nose: Offensive smell and discharge. Chronic catarrh of old people. Acrid rawness. Lupus (Ars).

Throat: Burning, choking sensation. Putrid odor.

Stomach: Nausea; vomiting of food several hours after eating; of sweetish water in the morning. Feeling of coldness, as of ice water in stomach. Soreness; better eating. Painful hard spot. Hæmatemesis. Bitter taste after a swallow of water.

Abdomen: Distended. Burning hæmorrhoids. Diarrhœa; very offensive; dark brown. Bloody, fetid stools. Cholera infantum in connection with painful dentition, green stools, nausea, dry skin, exhaustion, etc.

Urine: Offensive. Violent itching of vulva and vagina, worse when urinating. Can urinate only when lying; cannot get out of bed quick enough during first sleep. Dreams of urinating. Enuresis in the first part of night. Must hurry when desire comes to urinate.

Female: Corrosive itching within vulva, burning and swelling of labia; violent itching between labia and thighs. During menses, difficult hearing; buzzing and roaring; eruption after. Burning and soreness in external and internal parts. Leucorrhœa, yellow, acrid; odor of green corn; worse between periods. Hæmorrhage after coition. Menses too early, prolonged. Vomiting of pregnancy, with ptyalism. Menstrual flow intermits (Puls); ceases on sitting or walking; reappears on lying down. Pain worse after menses. Lochia offensive; intermits.

Respiratory: Hoarse, with pain in larynx. Cough; worse evening, with efforts to vomit, with pain in chest. Raw burning in chest; pains and oppression. Cough after influenza (Eriodyction). Winter coughs of old people, with heavy pressure on sternum. Gangrene of lungs. After every cough, copious, purulent expectoration. Hæmoptysis; periodic attacks. Sternum feels pressed in.

Back: Dragging backache, extending to genitals and down thighs. Great debility.

Extremities: Pain in joints, hip and knee. Boring pain in hip-joints. Scapulæ sore.

Skin: Itching, worse towards evening. Burning in soles. Senile gangrene. Small wounds bleed freely (Crot; Lach; Phos). Pustules and herpes. Ecchymosis; dorsal surface of fingers and hands eczematous.

Sleep: Disturbed with tossing. Paralytic sensation in limbs on waking. Anxious dreams of pursuit, fire, erections, etc.

Modalities: Worse, in open air, cold rest, when lying; after menstruation. Better, from warmth, motion, warm diet.

Relationship: Antidote: Nux. Inimical: Carbo.

Complementary in malignant diseases: Ars; Phos; Sulph.

Guaiacol (is the principal constituent of Kreosote, and similar in action. Used in pulmonary tuberculosis. Dose 1 to 5 m).

Matico-Artanthe or Piper augustifolia, (Gonorrhœa, hæmorrhage from lungs; catarrhal conditions of genito-urinary organs and gastro-intestinal tract. Topically a hæmostatic. Difficult, dry, deep, winter cough. Use tincture).

Compare also: Fuligo ligni; Carbol ac; Iod; Laches.