Materia Medica
Magnesia Sulphurica
Epsom Salts
The skin, urinary, and female symptoms are most marked. The purgative action of Sulphate of Magnesia is not a quality of the drug, but a quality of its physical state, which renders its absorption impossible. The properties inherent in the substance itself can only be discovercd by attenuation. (Percy Wild.)
Head
Apprehensive; vertigo; head heavy during menses. Eyes burn, noises in ears.
Stomach
Frequent eructations, tasting like bad eggs. Rising of water in mouth.
Urinary
Stitches and burning in the orifice of the urethra after urinating. Stream intermits and dribbles. The urine passed in the morning copious, bright yellow, soon becomes turbid, and deposits a copious red sedi- ment. The urine is greenish as passed; is of a clear color, and in a large quantity. Diabetes. [Phos. ac.; Lact. ac.; 1rs. brom.]
Female
Thick leucorrhoea, as profuse as the menses, with weary pain in the small of the back and thighs, on moving about. Some blood from the vagina between the menses. Menstruation returned after fourteen days; the discharge was thick, black, and profuse. Menses too early, intermit. Neck and Back.—Bruised and ulcerative pain be- tween the shoulders, with a feeiing as of a lump as large as the fist, on which account she could not lie upon her back or side; relieved by rubbing. Violent pain in the small of the back. as if bruised, and as be- fore menstruation.
Extremities
The left arm and foot fall asleep in bed, in the morning after waking. 481
Skin
Small pimples over the whole body, that itch violently. Suppressed itch. [Sulph.] Crawling in the tips of the fingers of the left hand; better on rubbing. IW'arts. Erysipelas (applied locally as a saturated solu- tion).
Fever
Chill from 9 to 10 A. M. Shuddering in back; heat in one part and chill in another.
Relationships
Compare: Magnesia sulphitis (5-grain doses, dark-red color, “beefsteak," tongue).
Dose
The pure salt to the third potency. Locally 1:4 in water in septic conditions, erysipelas, orchitis, boils, etc.